Jellal woke up to the wobble of the mattress and the rustle of bed sheets. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly because it was already the third time for his sleep being interrupted on this night. He turned his head to the left to find the primary cause of the disturbances. Despite the lack of lighting in the room, the moonlight peeking in through the curtain was enough for him to see clearly the face of the woman who lay next to him. She had her eyes shut tight but her furrowed brow proved that she was not in her sleep.
"Erza." He called her softly while gently stroking her eyebrows with his thumb in an attempt to unknit them.
His voice and action caused Erza to snap open her eyes. He stopped massaging her eyebrows but cupped her cheek with his hand and gave her a small smile.
"Yes?" Slightly surprised to find Jellal being awake just like her, Erza replied with a questioning tone.
"Can't sleep?"
"No." Erza sighed tiredly. "I had this weird dream in which strawberry cake was declared as forbidden food in the country. I got panic in the dream; then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."
Jellal couldn't suppress a chuckle from leaving his mouth upon hearing Erza's dream.
"It's not going to happen in real life, don't worry."
"It's better not." Erza pouted, and Jellal thought she look cute. She then looked at him with concern in her eyes. "And you? What keeps you up?"
"The mattress."
"What?"
"It wobbled."
"Why would it…oh." Realization hit Erza. She had changed her sleeping position for several times after waking up from her nightmare, trying to find the most comfortable pose which would allow her to fall asleep again. Apparently, it was her movement which caused the mattress to wobble. "Sorry for having waken you up."
"No need for apology." Jellal assured Erza with a warm smile and brushed her cheek with his thumb. "How about a cup of hot milk or herbal tea to help you sleep again?"
Erza took a moment to consider Jellal's suggestion.
"I'll try herbal tea. Where do you put it?" She removed Jellal's hand from her face and got up, planning to go to the kitchen to get herself the beverage.
"No, you stay." Jellal got up as well and grabbed Erza's arm to pull her down on the mattress again. "I'll get you the tea."
"Hey, I can do it…"
"It's my home here, so let me server you, my dear Titania." Jellal retorted and gazed at Erza with certain amusement in his eyes.
Erza could feel heat rising on her cheeks all of a sudden.
"O-okay." She finally complied with the request of her host, finding his words made her feel embarrassed but were nonetheless sweet.
So Jellal got out of the bed and left the room. When he returned several minutes later, Erza sat up and turned on the lamp on her bedside. Jellal passed a cup of tea to Erza who uttered "thanks" in return, and he followed to sit down beside her on the bed also holding a cup of tea in his hand. They drank their tea in silence, savoring the aroma of lavender and vanilla dancing on both their tongues and in their nostrils. When both finished their tea, Jellal planted a light kiss on Erza's forehand.
"Good dream, Erza."
"You too."
They lay down on the bed again and Erza turned off the lamp.
Erza shut her eyes tight like before, but didn't dare to move an inch this time fearing that she would disturb Jellal's sleep. She didn't know how much time had passed when her shoulders started to feel sore due to her attempt to hold still in the same pose for a bit too long. She wondered if Jellal had fallen in sleep, but couldn't see his face to determine because it was her back which was facing his side. Hesitantly, she whispered ever so softly.
"Jellal?"
"Yes, Erza?"
The unexpected instant reply from Jellal caused Erza to turn around sharply to face the man.
"So you're still awake too…" Erza sighed, inwardly blaming herself for having infected Jellal with her insomnia.
And Jellal immediately sensed Erza's not-too-good mood through the tone of her voice.
"I'm, but it's no big deal." His hand caressed her arm in a comforting manner. "Let's just try something else to help us sleep."
"Like…?" Erza asked expectantly.
"Like…" Jellal trailed off, searching for the answer in his head. "Okay, let's try this."
Jellal got up and reached for the bedside cabinet. Erza then heard sounds of which she thought were drawer opening, hand searching among some objects and fingers pressing on some buttons. When all these sounds died down, light music had taken their places to fill the room.
"Nice music." Smiling, Erza remarked appreciatively when Jellal lay back down beside her. And the response she received from Jellal for her compliment on him was his arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her against his chest.
"Glad to know you like it." His hand started stroking her back; his touches were tender but sentimental at the same time which sent chills down her spine. "And hopefully it'll bring us some good sleep."
"I hope so. But do you really think that…" Erza muttered uncertainly; her breath tickling Jellal's collarbone which made his heartbeat speed up a little. "this sleeping position would allow us to sleep well?"
"I remembered that when we were little, you always quickly fell in sleep when I cuddled you." Jellal continued stroking Erza's back, made sure that the rhythm of his hand's movement was slow and the force he applied on her back was gentle so as to make her relax. "So if it worked in the past, I think it could work in the present too."
Erza remembered too. She remembered the feelings of peace, security and warm she felt when little her was being hold in little Jellal's skinny but nonetheless strong arms in their cold and dark cell at night.
"Then it'll." She whispered, finally allowing her body to relax in Jellal's hold and touch while letting the music to calm her mind.
By the end of the third song, Jellal could already hear Erza's steady breathing accompanied by occasional snoring. Her facial muscles had relaxed that her furrowed blow was now nowhere to be seen. He couldn't help but find her peaceful and beautiful sleeping form alluring, and tenderly kiss her on the forehead. He suddenly felt a little bit pity that Erza did fall in sleep rather quickly in his hold and under the influence of the music. He would be so tempted to suggest doing certain "exercise" with her in the bed which he knew would definitely make both of them fall in sleep immediately when done due to the exhaustion of their bodies and souls, should his embrace and music fail their mission on sending her back to sleep.
But now, he could only listen to the music, hoping that he could fall in sleep as soon as possible while avoiding any movement which might awake Erza, and suffering insomnia alone in place of Erza in this long night.