They don't want to do this. The world is on fire, and it's all their fault. They don't want to do this. There's blood. Too much, but there wasn't anything he could do. If they were found out, they would be killed too. They don't want to do this, but if they don't, the world will end. I love you, please don't make me do this, please don't take my family away from me again.

Cipher woke up when they hit the ground, tangled and smothered in their sheets. Reality came back slowly. They were home, safe and tucked away from danger. At least, they were supposed to be. A noise, so quiet they could barely make it out, came from down the hall, and sent a razorblade of panic straight through their heart. Merlin's room was down that hall.

They padded towards the sound as quietly as possible. Cipher had more enemies than they could possibly keep track of, and they had no idea how many would be willing to hurt their infant daughter. They should have got a weapon, but there wasn't any time. The light was on, and a shadow danced back and forth in front of it. Cipher pressed on, back pressed to the wall until they could finally peer into the room.

Oh.

Relief washed over them at the realization that it was their husband, along with a bit of embarrassment that the thought hadn't even crossed their mind. Pixy was there, holding Merlin and softly singing. His eyes briefly flicked up to meet Cipher's, assessing and weary, but he didn't stop.

Cipher let themself sink into the doorframe as they listened. They didn't recognize the tune, but the words were warm and heavy, like an old blanket. And to think that they used to believe that Belkan was a loud, angry language, having only heard it in curses and insults. But now, hearing it in a lullabye, so calm and gentle, it made their heart ache. Neither of them talked about their homelands very often. Bad memories often overshadowed good ones, and even if they weren't, they were always bittersweet with loss. But, every so often, they could embrace the nostalgia.

The lyrics slowed and hung in the air before fading into the dawn. Silence settled in, broken only by the creaking floor as Cipher made their way over. They hadn't realized how cold they were until they had pressed themself into Pixy's side. He glanced at them before he leaned down and kissed them. Even now, after all this time, it made them feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"Hey, Buddy, did I wake you up?"

"No, you're fine. I just had a bad dream."

Pixy laughed softly. "Seems to be a trend tonight."

Merlin gurgled and reached out for her other parent, and Cipher wordlessly took her. Her chubby little baby hand wrapped around their finger, and Cipher wanted to cry. They had, the first time she had done it. She was just so tiny and squishy, and completely innocent to all the terrifying things in the world.

Cipher was only a child themself when they lost their family to war. Forced to fight just to survive day by day, forced to take the weight of the world on their shoulders. Pixy was the same, and for better or for worse, it shaped both of them. It was exhausting, and painful, and it made them so, so bitter. For the longest time they thought that peace was some, lofty, unattainable goal. But they knew now that this was it. Peace was quiet moments like this, knowing that the two of them were going to do everything in their power to make sure that Merlin had a better childhood than they had.

Merlin's eyes drooped, and she let out a little yawn. Pixy booped her nose and she giggled, so full of love for her dad, and Pixy grinned. "Looks like someone's ready for bed. How about you?"

"Yeah." Cipher laid their daughter back down into her crib, before standing on their tiptoes to kiss their husband on the cheek. "We should all get some rest."

There were no more nightmares that night.