[A/N: I've been posting these one-shots on my AO3 account for a little over a year now. And the disappointing lack of Dragon Knight stories in the Kung Fu Panda archives on FF has finally prompted me to post them here. Dragon Knight deserves more love! No, it's not phenomenal. Yes, it is undeniably flawed (particularly in the animation department). And it may be different from the KFP movies (and even the other KFP shows) but that doesn't mean it's "bad". The show still has just as much clever world-building, distinct characters, and well-researched cultural representation. Not to mention: they did the twist villain trope better than Disney ever has! Anyway, here's my first Dumont sibling fluff-shot, originally posted December 19th, 2023 on AO3. Enjoy!]

Bad Dreams & Big Sisters

It was well after midnight, and the streets of London were largely empty. The first snow of the season flurried from the foggy heavens, further quieting everything.

Some would call it beautiful. Others might call it blissful. But for a couple of homeless orphans, it was a living hell.

10-year-old Veruca Dumont had spent most of the night tending to a fire while 7-year-old Klaus Dumont slept beside her. This fire was small and did not provide much warmth, but it was better than nothing.

The young weasel steadily nodded off as she stared mesmerized into the dancing flames. She needed to watch over her little brother but she needed her strength to protect him. And an hour or so of shut-eye would surely revitalize her.

She crawled under the tattered blanket next to Klaus and held him close, feeling how cold he was. So, she made sure he was nearest to the fire.

It felt very good to shut her tired blue eyes but Veruca hardly got any sleep: the restful kind, at least. She lay amid the hazy edge of wakefulness until her brother began crying softly.

"Klausy?"

His tiny frame quavered in her arms but she noticed that his eyes were tightly shut and he was also murmuring indistinctly.

"Klaus, wake up."

The kit's misty green eyes shot open at his sister's firm shake.

"Hey, it's all right," Veruca soothed him. "It was only a bad dream."

Klaus suddenly hugged his big sister like she was going to disappear if he dared let go!

"Oi, ease up, will you?"

He buried his face in her chest, muffling his gentle sobs. And she held him only a little tighter than before; lightly massaging the back of his head.

"Do talk to me, baby brother: what was this nightmare about?"

Klaus needed a moment to find his words.

"I couldn't find you," he choked, rubbing his reddened eyes, "You were just gone! At first, I thought you were dead but then I began to feel this agonizing sense that you had… left me."

Veruca was shocked to hear that last part!

"Well, you know that will never come to pass, yeah?"

"I know you'd never really leave me. But I often do worry that something will happen to you."

"You need not, though,"

"But anything could happen! You could die one day and I'll be left to face these streets alone."

"You mustn't trouble yourself like this, Klaus! I'm here. And I'm going to be here for a long time, I am."

"But what if you're not? I can't bear the thought of it, Veruca!"

She shushed him softly.

"Promise me something, Klausy: that you'll protect me if I protect you."

"Of course, I will."

"Right. So, you needn't worry about me. All we have to do is stick together and we'll always have the strength we need to brave this world."

Klaus' crying naturally diminished and Veruca tenderly kissed him between the ears.

"Go back to sleep, baby brother. I've got you. Everything's all right, it is."

Veruca was finally falling asleep when Klaus suddenly crawled out from under the blanket.

"Oi, what are you doing?"

"Watching over my big sister so she can get some well-deserved rest. Because she's given me enough strength to last at least a couple hours."

Veruca smiled proudly at him as he brought the dying fire back to its former burn.

"Oh, Klausy."

He shushed her softly.

"Sleep, Veruca. I'll protect you as you did, me."

And so, the older kit closed her eyes and drifted into a restful slumber. She no longer worried about her little brother. After all, her strength was his strength.