A/N: In which Jellal has nightmares.
"No..no!"
"You'll be the sacrifice, my dear Scarlet."
"YOU MADE HER CRY!"
"Simon!"
"NO!"
With an anguished gasp, Jellal sat up in bed, chest heaving. A fine sheet of sweat covered his body, the silken bed-sheets falling to his hips. A shaking hand came up to rub his face tiredly as he stared out the window.
Erza had woken up at the sharp intake of breath, her sharpened senses making her a light sleeper. Blearily, she blinked up at the silhouette of her husband's body, gaining awareness when she realized his shoulders were shaking. Sitting up quickly, she realizing he was trying to suppress his sobs, choking on his misery. A part of her broke off at the sight, and without a second thought she wrapped her arms around him. Bare skin met bare skin, but it didn't matter.
It was as if all the past ghosts had caught up to him in one night; no, in fact, it was exactly that. Every nightmare, every whisper of wrongdoing had snapped something deep within him, and she only hoped it was fixable.
"Oh, Jellal," she whispered quietly, feeling a tear slide down her cheek. It was a rare sight to see her husband so expressive. She knew that his, their, past still loomed over him like a dark cloud, but had she been oblivious to something so…dark?
Jellal felt a twinge of anger at himself for causing Erza to cry, but he couldn't help it. His demons were still there, watching over his shoulder and whispering in his ear, and the thought downright bothered him. But a man could only watch himself kill a man he had once called a friend before it was simply too much.
The duo spent the night wrapped up in each other's arms, hoping the morning light would bring them a fresh slate. Because your demons are only there for you until you accept their presence and let them fade.