Work Text:
“Ace, Sabo.” Erei looks up from Luffy, fast asleep in her lap. “Can you get him up? I need to go cook dinner.” Both teens avert their eyes, pretending they can’t hear, and quite badly at that.
“Ace, please?” Erei turns to the weaker of the two. “I really can’t move like this.” Her dark eyes glisten, a pathetic pleading look meant to make him help. He shakes his head after a moment of hesitation, and Erei clicks her tongue.
“It’s just a sprain, but you’re acting like I’m on my deathbed.”
“We can cook dinner, so you need to rest.” Sabo holds up his hands before him. “Even if it’s not that bad, it won’t get better without rest.”
“I know full well none of you can cook your way out of a paper bag.” Erei rolls her eyes. “We’d have more luck finding a pirate map than any of you making something edible.” She wiggles her wrapped leg, stopping as Luffy groans and stretches in her lap.
“Well then let’s order pizza!” Ace chimes in, regaining his composure. For a teenage boy he was awfully shy whendemanding meals from his older sister, but when it came to take out, he always said the same thing.
“Ace, we ate pizza like three days ago. You’re going to become a pizza at this rate.” Erei sighs. “Besides, there’s food in the house, I can make something. If I can get up.” A loud grumble echoes in Erie’s bedroom, it’s origin is a certain sleeping boy’s stomach. Erei smiles wryly.
“Luffy, if you get up we can eat dinner.” She whispers in his ear, and in an instant he’s up on his feet, eyes shining.
“Dinner!” He shouts, ecstatic and ignoring a potential for a noise complaint.
“Luffy!” Sabo and Ace both sling an arm around Luffy’s shoulders.
“Luffy, remember we need to keep her down so she can rest.” Sabo ruffles Luffy’s hair, maneuvering his youngest brother to sit on the bed beside Erei, effectively blocking her escape route.
“So close.” Erei grumbles under her breath, an overblown pout on her lips. Sabo shoots her the evil eye. He may be the most responsible of her three little brothers, but he’s still being overbearing. She’s a college student now, she shouldn’t need them to take care of her, especially for such a small injury. That she got from running around during her extracurriculars. And is absolutely not a reason for anyone to worry.
“You really need to rest, please?” Sabo cocks his head, a great big smile on his face. “I swear we can figure out dinner one way or another. Ace and I are in high school already, we can take care of ourselves.” That smile of his is so disarming and trusting, enough for Erei to let her guard down for a moment.
“But I’m your big sister…” She trails off. It’s frustrating, Grandpa and Aunty Dadan let them stay with her in her new apartment as long as she takes care of them, but now she’s failing.
“And we’re your brothers, so we gotta take care of you too!” Luffy pipes up, a dazzlingly innocent smile on his face. “We’re all men after all! Gramps said we gotta protect our sister!”
“That’s right! But Luffy, you’re not a man yet, you’re only in middle school. But you can help me and Sabo take care of Erei.” Ace is finally full of confidence again, fist pumping in the air. “We can handle something like dinner!”
Their words melt Erie’s heart a little. She’s been trying to be strong for them, but they’re also being strong for her. She smiles, and their smiles brighten.
“Alright, I’ll let you guys handle dinner for tonight, but I get to start again tomorrow.” She runs a hand through Luffy’s hair, and he nuzzles into her hand, just like a little dog.
“Deal! That’s as good as it’s gonna get.” Sabo laughs. “So what do you want on the pizza?”
“No pizza!”