CW: Child abuse reference
A loud scream caused Number Seven to wake with a start, wide awake from the cry of one of her siblings. She lay in bed waiting for the moment to pass. It must have been a nightmare but then there was the recognizable plea of "FATHER PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO" that sent a shiver down her spine. She stuck her feet into her slippers and tiptoed to her door, nudging it open just wide enough to witness her father and a terrified-looking Number Four.
The sound of a slap echoed through the hallway and Seven witnessed Four's shoulders slump in a way that didn't seem natural. His head hung low and he stopped his fussing to obediently follow after their father.
Four and Father were not there at breakfast time. Seven used that as an opportunity to see if Six had an opinion on the matter. She kicked him from beneath the dining room table and narrowed her eyes at him when he kicked back harder than necessary.
'We need to talk,' She mouthed then tilted her head toward Four's empty seat. A satisfied smile graced her lips when he nodded in agreement and mumbled an apology. The rest of breakfast passed with little incident.
"Nah, go on ahead," Six shook his head when Two lingered behind after breakfast ended. "I told Seven I would listen to her play."
"Good luck with that," Two made a face. Seven could play well but he wasn't a fan of any of the instruments that frequented the house.
"That should save us some time," Six chuckled. "And I do like hearing you play. The others are difficult about it is all."
"Right," Seven bit her lip. She would have grabbed her violin but the situation with Four was absolutely dire. "Did you hear the screaming last night?"
"No," Six frowned. "What happened?"
"Father took Four out at three in the morning. I've never heard him cry the way he was," She looked down at her feet. "Do you think we can do something next time around?"
"What do you mean?" Six quirked a brow and bit his lip, thinking.
"I figure two of us is more powerful than one," Seven whispered. "Suppose we tried stopping father from taking him?"
"Seven do you realize what you're saying?" Six gave her a curious look. "Defying him? He would have our heads." He paused. "But Four deserves so much better."
"Exactly," Seven sighed and glanced at her brother. "Father slapped him last night and I — I swear he's working on breaking him."
"We can't have that," Six shook his head. "I happen to like Four just the way he is. We don't need him bending to father's whims."
"Now what?" Seven whispered. "We need a plan for the next time this happens."
"We try to stop him," Six gulped. The very idea was terrifying. "You said it yourself. Two of us is better than one. He would expect it from me but you— I think you would be the one to confuse him enough to reconsider."
"So we wait for the next time he pulls him," Seven nodded in agreement. "And let Four know we're on his side without drawing too much attention."
"Precisely," Six nodded. "Now we just need to hope father doesn't pull him again this week."
Five days passed before their father decided to drag Number Four out again. Seven and Six woke up to the sound of their brother putting up a fight. It was disheartening to hear Four cry out and sound vulnerable but the two had worked out a plan.
"Father?" The scuffling in the hallway paused as both people turned to look at the cause of the sound. Six and Seven stood side by side, with Seven having been the one to speak out loud. Reginald had Number Four gripped tightly by the shoulder. Their brother stood tall but was unable to look them in the eyes in his time of weakness. Six had his arms crossed over his chest, fuming at seeing his brother look so broken.
"What are you doing?" Seven chewed her lip and stepped closer to the pair. Six followed after her and reached for her hand.
"Your brother has special training this morning," Reginald sniffed and narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "It would be best if the two of you went back to bed."
"No," Six scowled. He and Seven held hands as a way of giving each other the courage to continue. She squeezed his hand to ask him to go on. "Four doesn't want to."
"Is that so?" Their father asked. His grip tightened around Four's shoulder. The teen winced and nodded.
"I want to go back to bed please," The thirteen-year-old whimpered. He still couldn't look at his brother and sister.
"Very well," Reginald's expression was unreadable. He used far more force than necessary to shove Four away from him. His son stumbled toward his siblings, shaking when the two put their arms around him.
"Off to bed with the lot of you," Their father narrowed his eyes at the three of them. They all looked away from him. It was one victory but they sincerely doubted the nighttime interruptions were over.
Reginald paid no attention to numbers Four, Six, and Seven throughout the day that followed. That night, however, proved to be one of the most catastrophic on the trio.
Four screamed the moment he woke up to his father's hand over his mouth. Kicking and flailing his limbs did little since the man easily overpowered him and dragged him from his bed.
"No," He sobbed. "You can't make me. I don't want to — PLEASE FATHER." The last part was met by Reginald's shoving him through the doorway to his bedroom.
"What did I say about calling me that?" He hissed out. Four gave a whimper as an answer and glanced behind him toward where Six and Seven's rooms were.
Grace and Pogo stood at the end of the hallway, blocking the two doors. He could hear his brother and sister pounding on their doors and screaming about things not being fair. Turning back toward his father left him feeling his stomach churn.
"It's for the best," Reginald hissed out but allowed Four to linger, the screams of Six and Seven being unable to open their doors mixing with their Mother's reassuring them Four would be fine.
"Now look what you've done," He added with a sadistic smile. "I wouldn't have to worry about locking the others in their rooms if you would go without complaint."
Four's hands balled into fists. "You never ask if I want to," He admitted in a low whisper. "I don't—"
Reginald cut him off by taking hold of his chin and leaning in incredibly close to his face. "You will do what I want when I ask you to," He snarled. "You may not think it fair of me right now but I know what is best for you. We have barely tapped your potential so this is the only way. Now move."
Four realized he didn't get much a say in the matter so he scowled and lead the way out of their home.
