Phoenix

Scaredy Cats

Emi shifted in her sleep as she heard small feet running down the hallway. Her eyes snapped open when the door slowly creaked, revealing a small maroon exceed. Emi went to question the exceed when she heard a small sniffle. The white haired wizard slowly sat up, trying not to disturb Sting.

"Lector," Emi whispered, "what's the matter? Can't get to sleep?"

Lector continued to sniffle before tiptoeing over to the bed and tugging on Emi's leg. She looked down at the shaking exceed and lifted him up so he was sitting on her lap. Lector opened his arms wide and hugged Emi tightly as he continued to cry.

"What's wrong, Lector?"

"I...had...a bad dream!"

Everyone looked over to Lector and saw that he was trying to hide behind Emi. He started waving his paw before stating that he was strong enough to get bad dreams.

"That makes no sense," Lucy uttered.

"Em, what're you doing up?" Sting groggily asked.

His eyes drifted down to see a crying Lector. He sat up and scooted closer to the two.

"What's up little buddy?"

"He said he had a bad dream."

Sting shifted so he was sitting right next to them on Emi's side of the bed and tapped Lector's head.

"That shouldn't worry you. You're the bravest cat I know!"

Lector seemed to calm down a bit before looking up at the dragon slayer and asked, "You really think so?"

Emi and Sting smiled as they realized that it was working.

"Of course," Sting continued, "I know you're the bravest and strongest cat that I've ever met. A little bad dream would never get you down for too long."

Lector wiped his eyes before puffing out his chest and repeating that he was the bravest cat in Fiore. Sting swung his arm around Emi's shoulders as the white haired woman started to giggle.

"Come on buddy. I'll tuck you in."

Lector began to follow Sting back to his bedroom. Emi leaned back on the bed in a starfish position before looking at the clock and seeing that it was 2:51 in the morning. Emi started to doze off, and a few minutes later she heard Sting come back into the room.

"You know you can't sleep like that."

"Why not? I'm rather comfortable."

She could hear Sting chuckle, "You're taking up the whole bed."

"Is he okay now?"

"Yeah," Sting started as she felt the bed dip, "he just dreamt of a monster coming into the guildhall."

Emi hummed in acknowledgement before returning to her original sleeping position so Sting could lay down. Her back was turned to Sting, so he scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her before pulling her to him. Emi could feel his breath slow. They both heard little feet again.

"Uh oh," Sting warned.

The door gently opened again to reveal Lector standing there with his blanket. Sting and Emi both sat up again and asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing's wrong," Lector assured. "I'm here to make sure that you two don't have any dreams."

Sting looked to Emi to see that she was exhausted before saying, "Uh Lector, I think we'll be fine."