Perfect nights of sleep were the norm for Jihoon. At the end of a long day of school (or playing games), and taking care of everything else that needed to be done, he usually slept through the night without trouble. But… every now and then… there were exceptions.

                Peering just above the covers pulled over his nose, Jihoon realized this was one of those nights. Woken from a very nice dream of chasing bad guys and being the hero, the six year old boy sleepily came to with one unwanted realization: he needed to pee.

                Jihoon whined softly in the back of his throat as he looked at the darkness around him. A thin strip of light was visible on the other side of the room, right in the middle of the wall. The heavy curtains were pulled shut so that only a tiny bit of moonlight managed to peek from the bottom. Yoongi hated it when the sun woke him in the mornings so they slept with the curtains closed. His parents thought Jihoon was too old for a nightlight so they’d taken that out too, leaving them both in darkness when night fell.

                Oh, he knew the room like the back of his hand. Even though he couldn’t see it, he knew the door was approximately seven – long – steps away: two steps out of bed and five to his left straight across. The closet – always closed before they went to bed – was two steps to the left of the door. Turning onto his stomach so he could look better, Jihoon couldn’t see anything more than the outlines of the slats where slanted wooden bars hid the inside from sight. Immediately, he looked away, afraid that if he stared too long, he’d see something move.

                On the other side of the room was their shared dresser: the top two drawers were Yoongi’s and the bottom two were his. The shelf of their movies and books (and toys) was right beside it. Again, the top two were Yoongi’s and the bottom two were Jihoon’s. Sniffing quietly, he looked at the other end of the room and shrank back into his covers when the toys on the bottom shelf looked shadowed and frightening, unfamiliar in the darkness.

                “Yoongi?” he whispered from under the covers without looking out, hoping that his brother would be awake enough to hear him. After a very long pause, he took another breath and bunched the blankets against his chest. Fine. If his brother wasn’t going to wake up, he would manage. Somehow.

                Swallowing loudly, Jihoon rolled over and peered cautiously over the edge of his bed. His bangs shifted on his forehead and the movement in the corner of his vision startled him. With a muffled cry, he darted back to the middle of the bed and hid his face in the covers. Eyes shut tight, Jihoon hoped that maybe if he tried to go back to sleep hard enough, it wouldn’t matter that he still felt like he really needed to pee. But then, even if he did, he might wet the bed again… And that was an embarrassment he didn’t want at all. Never mind the last time had been several months ago.

                How was he supposed to know he needed to pee if he didn’t even wake up?

                “Yoongi!” he hissed again, rolling over onto his side just enough so that he could stare at the dark underside of the top bunk. Nothing but a quiet snore from above. Whining to himself again, Jihoon scooted back to the wall and then stood up, using the bed frame for support. “Yoongi!” he tried again, knocking on the underside of the bed this time.

                “Mmhh,” came a quiet grumble from above as blankets crinkled softly.

                “Yoongi. I need to pee,” Jihoon whispered, afraid of catching something else’s attention. When he didn’t hear anything, he stomped in place with a frown and whined again. “Yoongi…” he cried, biting his lip as he carefully inched to the ladder that led up. It meant stepping out over the side of the bed where the monsters that could be there would live, but his brother slept like the dead sometimes. If he didn’t get up there, he might never wake Yoongi up.

                Inching to the edge so he could grab the ladder at the foot of the bed, Jihoon peeked down and whimpered. The ground looked like a dark, bottomless hole. Okay. Maybe not, but it was as good as one. If he stepped or fell off, he was sure the result would be the same: something bad would happen to him. He didn’t know what but something.

                It took him a moment to gather what little courage he had. Frozen in place with the fear of the unknown, Jihoon only moved again when he heard Yoongi shift above, the covers rustling softly. “Yoongi!” he whined, swinging around the ladder so he could scamper up as fast as he possibly could. He couldn’t look down – he might see something – but the light comforter on the top bunk was like a beacon, drawing him in. Heart racing in his tiny chest, Jihoon flung himself down next to his older brother, pretending to be asleep so as to fool anything that might have followed him.

                Eventually, he risked a glance over his shoulder. Nothing. Well, he couldn’t see much anyway so nothing was quite true. That didn’t mean something wasn’t waiting though… Jihoon bit his bottom lip and sat up to shake Yoongi lightly. “Yoongi,” he called, leaning close to whisper into his ear. When that didn’t work, he brushed the wavy, dark strands away from the ear they covered and tried again, louder and whinier. “Yoongi…”

                His shaking eventually roused the older boy enough to groan like a sleepy bear. “Ji?” came the muffled, groggy question. At last! Jihoon whimpered softly in response and Yoongi grumbled, “What are you doing in my bed?”

                “I need to pee,” Jihoon answered, shifting to perch his hands on chin on Yoongi’s arm.

                “Then go to the bathroom,” he encouraged, trying to roll over onto his stomach.

                Jihoon held tight and kept him from moving. “I can’t,” he admitted in a miniature voice.

                Yoongi paused and sniffed then, rolling the other direction to try and see his brother in the dark. “Why not?” Jihoon could imagine his eyes open to the barest of slits as he fought off sleep again.

                “I can’t see,” he grumbled, fingers curling into Yoongi’s dark pajama sleeve.

                Yoongi laughed once in tired amusement. “Then go turn on the light.” He laughed again and tried to turn over onto his side so he could go to sleep again.

                “But I can’t see!” Jihoon sniffed again, shaking his brother’s arm as he pouted, growing more desperate as he really did need to pee. And soon.

                “Ugh…” Yoongi groaned, throwing the cover off easily. “Are you still afraid of the dark?” he wondered aloud, a wandering hand finding Jihoon’s shoulder.

                “What if there is something under the bed or in the closet?!” he whined, bouncing in place. He stopped immediately when it made him need to go even more.

                “Seriously, Ji. There’s nothing there,” Yoongi reassured, patting his brother’s shoulder. When only a quiet whimper answer him, he sighed and shook his head. “Okay. I’ll check for you,” he yawned, stretching as he sat up. “You gonna come with me or wait here?” he asked, carefully brushing past the younger boy so he could feel his way to the ladder.

                “Stay here, please,” Jihoon replied, following after Yoongi so he could try to see him in the darkness. “Be careful!” he added when his brother started to make his way down the ladder, one step at a time.

                “Yeah, yeah,” Yoongi snorted, the sound of him roughing his hair noticeable in the silence.

                Footsteps padded across the carpet covered floor, as loud as the clothes whispering when Yoongi moved. Jihoon waited tensely, afraid that something would grab his brother at any second. Just when he was about to ask if he was alright, the lights jumped on after a light click. Jihoon gasped and blinked in the new brightness.

                “See? Nothing here,” Yoongi explained, gesturing towards the room sleepily. He tried to stifle a yawn and then gave up, leaning against the wall as he waited for his sibling.

                Jihoon peered around the room suspiciously, certain if he looked hard enough, something would be out of place. The closet was still closed though, the toys on the bottom shelf were recognizable again, and they appeared to be the only two living things in the room. He could feel Yoongi watching him with nearly closed, dark eyes while strands of messy black bangs fell into his face. “Could you check under the bed?” he asked softly, holding the rail tightly as he looked over the edge to see for himself.

                “Really?” the older boy chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed himself off the wall. “Alright, scaredy-cat,” he teased gently, a bemused smile pulling at his mouth.

                “I’m not a scaredy-cat,” Jihoon pouted, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at his older brother. The glare fell away quickly when he watched Yoongi get down on his hands and knees to look under the bed. Concern took its place.

                “Hello? If there are any monsters under the bed, they better not come out,” Yoongi warned playfully, swinging his head from side to side as he investigated. “Because Yoongi’s here. And I’ll kick their butts,” he grinned, looking up so Jihoon could see the bright expression.

                “Nothing?” he asked hopefully, feeling the fear loosen in his belly.

                “All clear,” Yoongi answered, standing up so he could brush his hands off.

                “What about the closet?”

                “The closet too?” Yoongi wondered, brow furrowing before he glanced at the wooden doors.

                “Please?” Jihoon pleaded, giving his brother puppy dog eyes.

                “Brat,” the elder boy laughed with a shake of his head again. Theatrically, he started tip toeing towards the doors, his hands in front of him like claws. “Monsters. Come out come out wherever you are,” he sing songed, grabbing the knobs on the closet doors. “Gotcha!” he shouted, yanking the doors open to jump inside fearlessly.

                “Yoongi!” Jihoon gasped, leaning over so far he felt his balance starting to slip. Just as quickly, he shifted back and stared in the closet to watch as Yoongi rifled through their hanging clothes and checked to either side.

                “Looks clear here,” Yoongi explained, stepping out so he could close the doors behind him. “Satisfied?”

                “Mm hmm,” Jihoon nodded, scrambling across the bed to get to the ladder so he could carefully, but quickly, get down. Feet on the floor, he started running towards the bedroom door and then stopped with his hand on the knob. “Will you wait for me to get back first?” he asked quietly, doing a little dance in place.

                “So annoying,” Yoongi huffed in tired amusement. “Hurry up, Ji. You’re gonna wet yourself if you don’t,” he reminded him.

                “No I’m not!” Jihoon retorted, but the urge to go was even stronger now and he was starting to be afraid in a different. “Wait for me!” he pleaded, yanking the door open so he could slap the hallway light on and sprint to the bathroom at the end of it.

                With disaster – narrowly – averted, Jihoon returned to the room at a much slower pace. He turned the hallway light off and then slipped inside the bedroom, eyes darting around to find his brother. Yoongi was sitting on the bottom bunk, half-falling asleep against the support beam at the head of the bed. “I’m back,” he announced quietly, shuffling into the room so he could stand a couple steps away in front of his brother.

                “All good?” Yoongi snorted to full consciousness, blinking sleepily before he could focus in on the shorter boy in front of him.

                “Mm hmm,” Jihoon nodded, lightly holding onto the hem of his dinosaur pajama top.

                “Come on then. Back to bed with you,” he waved, standing up so he could usher his younger sibling into the bottom bunk. Jihoon ran and jumped onto the bed, avoiding the couple feet closest to the space beneath. “Watch your head!” he gasped in alarm, reaching as if to keep Jihoon from hurting himself.

                “I got it,” Jihoon promised, moving off the covers. “Thank you, Yoongi,” he mumbled without looking up as he slipped under the covers.

                “Eh,” he shrugged, shuffling close to help pull the covers up and snug them in place. “That’s what big brothers are for,” he winked, flashing a confident smile before ruffling Jihoon’s hair playfully.

                “Yoongi…” he pouted, holding the covers tight to his chest.

                “Besides,” he added, leaning down to peer under the bed again. “I’m the only one that gets to mess with my little brother. Not monsters under the bed or anyone else.” Yoongi stood up and pointed at Jihoon with a single finger and a knowing look. “Right?” he asked without moving.

                “Eh…” Jihoon trailed off, eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled.

                “Well it’s true,” Yoongi nodded firmly.

                “If you say so,” Jihoon mumbled, hiding his mouth behind the top cover.

                “Exactly,” his brother grinned. “You good now?”

                “I think so,” Jihoon nodded, peering at Yoongi with big eyes.

                “Good. Brat. Waking me up for this,” he teased, looming close so he could tickle attack his sibling through the covers.

                Jihoon shrieked in surprised delight and writhed under the comforter, giggling as he tried to defend himself. It was a lost cause, but Yoongi stopped before too long, grinning as he watched his brother try to catch his breath. “No fair,” Jihoon gasped, pulling his comforter back into place again so he could glare at his brother.

                “I know,” Yoongi agreed with a nod. “But it was fun,” he winked.

                “For you.”

                “You know you liked it,” he teased back.

                “Did not,” Jihoon grumbled in denial.

                “Whatever,” Yoongi chuckled, straightening up to rest his arms on the top bunk. Looking down, he smiled and whispered, “Night, Ji.”

                “Night, Yoongi,” the younger boy responded after a brief pause. “Thank you,” he added when the taller boy turned to go turn out the lights.

                “Any time, kiddo,” he responded, giving a lazy salute and a slow grin before he clicked the lights off.

                After listening to Yoongi return to his bed, Jihoon had no more trouble in falling back to sleep. He didn’t have to pee anymore, and with Yoongi looking out for him, what did he have to be afraid of?

                Absolutely nothing.

(a/n: So they are much younger than in reality but I kept the the same. It felt appropriate enough for the setting here. haha)