The rest of their talk, Sanji was scared out of his wits. They sat on the couches in the spacious room. Lucy had been relaxed once the six of them gathered up. She found herself liking company of almost anyone - only because she never liked being alone.

The problem for Sanji was that he was sitting across from his three brothers. What's worse is Lucy who was sitting right next to him. They would glare at him at every opportunity; Lucy would look away for a bit and they would shoot daggers at him.

His back was straight as if someone had been holding his spine up. The blond tried holding back his tears. He had been keeping himself calm quite well - as well as he could. Albeit, he knew what would happen after this day was over.

He wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse that Lucy would be staying for a while.

They wouldn't dare hurt him, because they needed to be on their best behavior to win her over. It didn't mean they wouldn't hurt him when she wasn't around. While he wouldn't be bullied at a constant, he would be beaten terribly when they were alone.

In conjunction, there'd be plenty days to get to know her. Plenty days to talk to her, to get to know each other, to make friends, to play, to be glared at by his siblings and... what was he missing?

Oh, right. Plenty nights to be beaten up, because the blonde child had taken a liking to him rather than his siblings. What a great opportunity? Sanji could've sworn those tears he held back actually leaked out.

Lucy had been enjoying the talk with Reiji. She was professionally friendly, but it was pleasant either way. She got to know the trio - consisting of bright haired boys - slightly better. They were more into combat than anything else.

She was determined to find out what they enjoyed beyond their love for violence. Although, the one that shared the same blond hair, was less than talkative. He would nervously answer when spoken to, so he was her first target.

"Sanji-san, what do you like doing? Do you enjoy fighting like your brothers?" She inquired with a bright smile. Sanji hadn't seen such an innocent smile before. It was familiar though; he'd seen it plastered on his dear mother's face. "Um..." Sanji jolted with flushed cheeks, making the blonde chuckle.

She was hoping that he would give a decent answer. The others - prior - barely responded, but for some reason, she heard laughter from those same unresponsive boys.

"Sanji, a fighter!? No way!" The blue head mocked. Lucy's smile morphed into a frown of confusion. She wasn't sure if she liked that answer or rather, how that answer was told. Niji was the most aggressive out of the four boys, but she found this comment troubling. "The guys a weakling. He can't be a fighter," quipped Ichiji with a grin.

Lucy found this unsettling.

Right now, they looked terrible. They looked like animals and not young children. That was saying something as Lucy was quite a kind child who tries to find good in things. She would approach matters with the utmost respect and gentleness. Maybe, the three 'oath brothers' had affected her in such a way - just as she had affected them.

"Yeah, such a loser," agreed Yonji. His remark had been the last straw.

Revolting! And that's when Lucy snapped and Sanji knew he was going to get it. Those gentle brown eyes narrowed as she furrowed her eyebrows. She scowled and pointed her finger at the green haired boy. "Yonji-san!" She called sternly. All attention was now on her completely.

What she doing? Reiju raised an eyebrow curiously. The scene that had unfolded was being stared at with slight mirth. Adding to those emotions, she was concerned too.

"Sanji-san is older than you - even if your quadruplets - so have some respect please!" She scolded at the boy who was now staring at her with wide eyes. She sucked in a breath, swiftly pointed at the two and huffed, "Ichiji-san! Niji-san!"

"You both should be setting an example as the older brothers. Shame on you for not teaching the youngest manners and bullying the ones you're supposed to protect!"

The two leaned back as if a sword was being pointed at them. Ichiji had been the worst to get from her scoldings as he was the oldest; what she had preached anyway.

"Ones you're supposed to protect...?" Sanji repeated after Ichiji had repeated it as well. Lucy nodded as a sign she acknowledged the two's confusion. "The oldest of the siblings should always protect their younger siblings in a family. It doesn't matter if they are weaker than you or stronger than you. If you have the strength, or the will, you should use it to protect your family," she explained solemnly. Her gaze hadn't faltered and her words hadn't either. Nothing like the shy girl they'd seen a second ago.

Sanji could only stare with wide eyes.

Never had he heard this from his siblings once they were spoken to in such a way; silence. They were just as speechless as the blond.

Family, huh? Reiju's eyes narrowed and her smile seemed to let sadness slip through. Had this ever been a family in the first place?

I don't think so. She scrutinized every emotion that dared show itself on her younger brothers' faces: Shocked, flabbergasted, bewildered and dazed.

What were the proper words to describe all this emotions in one? What were the words to describe two of those emotions in one? The pink haired girl didn't know.

Could this ever become a family?

She cleared her throat to change the topic. "How about we continue where we left off?" she suggested smoothly. Lucy seemed to process as she hadn't stopped staring intensely at the trio across from her. Finally, she had looked away and nodded at the suggestion.

"Now, Sanji-san is going to talk and you are going to listen. If you have nothing nice to say then you don't say anything," she said in an almost motherly way. She couldn't say she wasn't used to using this tone, because she'd used it before on a very goofy little boy named Luffy quite often.

She didn't move until they had showed signs of listening. They caught on slow. The oldest out of the siblings cleared her throat once more.

"Shouldn't you be answering her?"

Ichiji and Niji frowned at the question. "Yes..." Ichiji tried speaking with more confidence, "yes."

Niji simply nodded, but Lucy would take it.

She turned to gaze at the youngest - Yonji. The boy looked lost and for the first time since Lucy had met him, he actually looked like the youngest. She almost smiled, but she did not. The boy would have no mercy out of her.

Niji nudged the boy, which done the trick. His shoulders lifted up and stuttered out: "Yes!"

In seconds, the blonde had given a smile towards them once again. "Good!" She nodded with satisfaction. "Sanji-san," she called with a sweet voice Sanji really wasn't used to. His name being called like that, no less. "What's your hobby?" She repeated her earlier question.

He glanced at his brothers with raised eyebrows. They were back to glaring at him, but it wasn't as intense as before for an unknown reason. They were probably still let off guard.

"I... I like cooking," he mumbled shyly. His cheeks were a light-pink shade as a sweat dripped down his forehead. He was embarrassed to say such things here in front of those very people. Those people who had bullied him, because of his hobby.

He swore he heard their snickering, which would be the case. Lucy shot them a look and she pursed her lips.

"Wow, cooking!? That's such a nice hobby! I tried helping Spetto-san at home once! It was fun," she said after making sure the others behaved.

"Wait, really?" His curiosity took over him. The smile she gave him dragged him in further. "Yes!" She exclaimed excitedly before averting eye contact. She seemed... nervous? "If you can, could you show me how to make rice-balls? I want to make some for my father some day."

Sanji could've sworn something shot through his heart. The four boys shared the same expression, being the inner dorks they are. Now Reiji really was amused by the scene before her. She chuckled lightly.

Could they really become a whole family?

➵

"This is where you'll be staying." A man gestured inside the room. Lucy mentally sighed.

It was big. The man led her to a guest room and even emphasized on how it was especially chosen for her; spacious and luxurious. It was awfully generous of them, but she couldn't take this kind of emptiness big rooms gave her.

Either way, she went to the bathroom once her luggage was brought in and prepared for bed. The bed was unnecessarily huge, but it was soft. Yet, loneliness gnawed at her everytime she would fall into unconsciousness. Go to sleep, Lucy. Tomorrow will come and mom could be okay. She blinked until her eyes eventually became too heavy to open. The man will help.

She fell asleep.

In the dark hallways, the blonde hadn't been allowed to see, a contradicting scene from the other had unfolded. The childish hope for a brighter tomorrow wasn't something Sanji could enjoy. His teeth grit together in fear and his wide, fearful, eyes struggling to stay open.

How ironic, indeed.

Reiju watched from afar as the three beat the weaker boy. She frowned and shook her head in disappointment.

What was I expecting?

The answer is no.

They will never be a family.