Sleepsong:
AN: So...how about some Jerza fluff to make up for two depressing chapters in a row guys? Will that make it better? (Please don't kill me!) (P.S. got inspiration for this one-shot after hearing this watch?v=Tv7q6U4lsP0)
KABOOM!
"Augh!"
Jellal jumped at the sounds, startling himself from his sleep. A flash of lightning momentarily lit up his and Erza's room, allowing him to see that his wife was no longer by his side. He quickly stood up and walked out of the room to search for her.
She was in the living room, grumbling to herself as she carried several bowls and set them under a few leaks.
"This is just unacceptable!" she stated as she set a bowl on top of the coffee table.
"I suppose it's time we got the roof replaced," Jellal said. He'd known they should have done that weeks ago, but both he and Erza had been busy. They'd both taken on big jobs to afford the project. Then came the triplets birthday party. Then…
...well, then Makarov got sick and passed away. Then there was Juven and Vance's joint baby shower.
They had the money to fix the roof they just hadn't stopped to do it.
"Ye," Erza answered as she set the last bowl down and headed to the hall closet. "Let's go."
"Now!?" Jellal sputtered. "Erza, we're in the middle of a thunderstorm!"
"Jellal, our children are sleeping in this house. I'll not have their home becoming flooded."
"It's four leaks, Erza, we'll be fine until morn-"
"That's till not good enough!" Erza insisted as she pulled out a tool belt and a roll of tape.
Jellal sighed and rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried one last time to talk some sense into his wife. "Erza, it's past midnight, do you really want-"
"Yes. Now go get our raincoats!"
Jellal sighed and trudged to their bedroom. Well, looked like he was going to be soaked tonight. He groaned, wanting more than anything to go back to sleep as he opened his and Erza's closet.
Kaboom!
A roll of thunder shook the house, causing even Jellal to stop in wonder. The bedroom door flew open and the pitter-patter of tiny feet sounded off behind Jellal. He turned to find a blue-haired girl with wide, frightened green eyes, and a rag doll clasped in her arms.
"Eva?" Jellal asked softly. "Are you scared?"
Eva quickly shook her head.
KABOOM!
Eva gasped and ran to her father, throwing her tiny arms around his legs. Jellal chuckled as he bent down and scooped her into his arms. He grunted slightly. She, as well as Von and Minette, wa starting to get heavy. He could still manage, though, and would do so for as long as he could.
"Come here, little one," he said as he sat down on the bed and cuddled her in his lap.
KABOOM!
Eva squeaked as she clutched to Jellal's night shirt. He chuckled and smoothed her hair.
"It's just thunder, Eva, it won't-"
Two sets of pitter-patters came down the hall as Minette and Von busted into the bedroom, both of their eyes wide. Jellal smiled softly at them and beckoned them to come closer.
Minette raced to the bed and all but jumped onto it, crawling into Jellal's lap next to Eva. Unfortunately that meant that there was no room for Von when he got up onto the bed. Jellal shifted his arms and guided Von to his shoulder, letting his son lay his head against it as he tucked him safely under his arm.
"What's going on!?" Minette asked.
"It's just a thunderstorm," Jellal answered softly. "No reason to be scared."
"This is the biggest thunderstorm I've ever seen!" Von gasped.
KABOOM!
All three children shuddered and clung to their father.
"Yes, it is much fiercer than most," Jellal agreed.
"Are we gonna get blown away!?" Eva asked.
"No, sweetling, we'll be fine," Jellal chuckled.
"Can we sleep here tonight?" Minette quivered.
"Of course," Jellal answered, pulling the blankets back as all three children clamoured off him. As he tucked each of them another clap of thunder ran over the house.
"We're never gonna be able to sleep in this!" Minette shouted.
Von only whimpered as he pulled the blanket closer around him.
"Can you sing to us to cover up the storm, Daddy?" Eva asked, giving Jellal a pleading look that all but broke his heart.
"Alright."
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Ugh!" Erza grumbled as he tapped her foot. "What's taking him so long?"
Did he not realize the situation they were in? Their children's home was leaking! They deserved better than that! She grumbled again and began to storm down the hall when her ears picked up a soft humming.
She stopped.
That tune. She knew it well.
Memories began to flood her mind.
It was her first night at the tower of heaven. Thunder clapped over her a cold rain water poured into her cell in tiny, gushing rivers. She shuddered as she huddled in a corner.
She was cold.
She was wet.
She was hungry.
She wa hurt.
She was scared.
There were several other children around her, but she knew none of their names. She hadn't had the time to ask them. All she'd done all day was work. She was exhausted but couldn't sleep because of the cold rain chilling her to her bone.
She sniffled as drew her arms closer around herself.
"Hey."
A warm hand touched her shoulder. She jerked away.
"Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you."
She looked up. It was one of the other slave children. A boy with blue hair and a strange mark over one of his eyes.
She sniffled a she rubbed at her eyes.
"Hey, don't cry," the boy said. "It's going to be okay."
"No it's not," she whimpered, a shudder coursing through her body.
"Are you cold? Here," the boy sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her. "I'll keep you warm."
She was too tired to even fight. And he did feel really warm. She subconsciously snuggled against him through her tears kept falling.
"Please don't cry," the boy said. "If I sing to you will you feel better?"
"I-" Erza stuttered. She'd never had someone sing her to sleep before. "I don't know. Maybe."
The boy nodded and began to softly hum to her.
"Loo-li, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay,
Loo-li, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.
Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby,
Back to the years of loo-li-lai-lay.
And I'll sing you to sleep, and I'll sing you tomorrow,
Bless you with love for the road that you go."
Erza didn't even realize she'd been walking until she found herself standing in the doorway of hers and Jellal's bedroom. Jellal sat on his side of the bed, Eva's head rested in his lap. In one hand he held Minette' hand, and with the other he smoothed Von's hair as he sang softly to them.
"May you sail far to the far fields of fortune,
With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet,
And may you need never to banish misfortune,
May you find kindness in all that you meet.
May there always be angels to watch over you,
To guide you each step of the way,
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm,
Loo-li, Loo-li, Lai-lay.""
Erza leaned against the door frame as she watched, softly twirling her wedding band around her finger. It had one large diamond in the center and two pearls on either side. She glanced down at it and smiled.
Somehow she'd made it. She made it to the far fields of fortune. They both had. Somehow he and Jellal had made it from that cold and damp cage to a warm and love filled house. They had each other, and they were as in love with each other now as they had been when they said "I do." Through that love they had given birth to four precious children. They hadn't always met kindness, but somehow they had banished their misfortune to get to where they were now.
"May you bring love and may you bring happiness,
Be loved in return to the end of your days,
Now off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you,
I'll just sit a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay.
May there always be angels to watch over you,
To guide you each step of the way,
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm,
Loo-li, Loo-li, Lai-lay."
Erza sighed as she tiptoed to her side of the bed and sat down next to her sleeping children. That was her hope for her children, that they would be happy and loved and guarded wherever they went. If only she could assign an angel to each of them. Still, angels came in all different forms. Sometimes they were named Jellal.
Erza glanced over at her husband who hummed softly a little while longer before turning to look at her. His brow furrowed.
"Why are you crying?"
Erza placed a hand to her face and found it to be damp. She smiled softly as he wiped the tears away.
"It's nothing, just thinking."
"About?" Jellal stood up and walked around the bed to squat down in front of his wife.
Erza shrugged. "Old memories I suppose."
Jellal nodded understandingly before standing up and kissing her forehead.
Erza glanced back at the triplets sound asleep behind them.
"We were their age," Erza mused. "When it happened."
Jellal hung his head, a pang of guilt pricking his heart. "At least they'll never know," he whispered. "They'll never have to go through that."
Erza nodded. "I'm glad."
"As am I," Jellal agreed.
Erza cleared her throat and stood up. She didn't like all this vulnerable stuff. "I'm going to check on Roman."
She walked down the hall, opened the door, and peaked into Roman's room. He wa sound asleep, his next comic still dangling from his hand. Erza smiled and closed the door back. As the door clicked closed she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and a soft kiss upon her cheek. Jellal gently dragged her to the livingroom and sat down on the couch. He pulled her into his lap and held her close. She didn't protest, she just leaned her head on his shoulder. Niether of them said a word.
They didn't need to.