(Credo x Child!Nero) No More Nightmares

(Credo's P.O.V.)

"NO!!"

I sat up from my bed hearing a scream coming from the other room. "NERO!" Rushing out of my room, I went to go see him. I threw open the door to his bedroom to find Nero curled up in his bed, crying into a pillow. I let out a sigh of relief. It was just a nightmare. "Nero..." I called lightly to the scarred child.

He looked up over his pillow with tears running down his face. "C-credo, are they gone?"

"Is who gone?" I asked coming closer to him. He told me he had a nightmare about demons breaking into the house and trying to attack him. "Don't worry, they're gone." I reassured with a heart warming smile. It was so strange seeing a demon cry and act so scared. The Order taught me that they were nothing but horrible monsters that had no emotions whatsoever, but Nero was nothing like what they described. He was a child, innocent, and in need of guidance. "What did the demons look like?" I asked curious to know more.

Nero gestured to the side and answered. "Like that..." I turned my head to see what he was pointing at, and found he had pointed at the mirror. Our reflections could barley be seen even in the dark. 

"Like humans?" Nero nodded his head and wiped his tears with his demonic arm glowing blue. For him, his demons were humans. Humans that studied, humans that judged, humans that feared demons... so the whole world. 

"They wanted to take my arm." Nero said resting his human arm over his other arm. "They said they wanted to make me human, but to do so they had to rip it off." His lips trembled as he remembered the faces of the humans. "They said that it wouldn't hurt..." The gasp he made afterwards answered his true distress. Obviously it did hurt.

I sat down on the bed and brought the trembling child into my arms. Nero wasn't afraid of me, but he still shook and cried. "Don't cry anymore, Nero. It was just a nightmare. Even if it was real, I wouldn't let them hurt you."

"B-but..." Nero sniffed and looked up at me with his saddened blue eyes. "T-they're humans. Your kind."

"I don't care what they are." I responded running a hand his silver bangs. "No one will hurt you while I'm here." Nero broke into a huge smile and hugged me tightly. I remained holding him until his breathing returned to normal and he was no longer crying. Soon I felt my own head dropping as sleep got to me. Looking down I had noticed Nero had let go of his grip on me, and was laying against my chest. He had fallen asleep. I gently set his back down on the bed and tucked the blanket over his small body. This hadn't been the first time he had a nightmare. The first day he came to stay with us, he had a nightmare about being kicked out. The next night, he had a nightmare about being killed. The night after that he had a nightmare about demons coming to get him and it continued. His nightmares had stopped for a while, but now they had returned to haunt him. I felt sorry for him. Usually dreams are where you can escape the hardships of real life and you can enjoy a world that's all your own... not for Nero. 

The next night I was awoken by something tugging at my arm. Turning over in my bed I saw Nero who was hugging his blanket and frowning at me. I didn't even have to ask. "Nightmares." Nero nodded with a quick sniff. I picked him up and sat him next to me. Coming through the door I heard another set of footsteps. My young sister, Kyrie looked inside my room.

"Is everything okay?" She asked very softly.

"Just Nero with his nightmares again." I responded wrapping Nero's blanket around him to keep him protected from the coldness of the night. Just then, I got an idea. "Kyrie." She jumped and looked at me curiously. "People say you have the voice of an angel, why don't you sing something for Nero?" Nero had now turned his attention towards Kyrie. She cleared her throat, but instead of singing she said. 

"Why don't you sing instead?" I was surprised to say the least, and Nero seemed too. "I remember when I'd have nightmares, you'd sing me a song, and I wouldn't have them anymore." Kyrie was younger than Nero, but she almost never had nightmares. I remember when mother was still alive, she would sing me a song to make me feel better. When Kyrie was born and mother died, I decided to sing her the same song. Now I guess I had to do the same for Nero. I mouthed the words before beginning.

The sun may set to bring the night
But that does not mean there is no light
It shines inside your very mind
Different from rays, it's another kind
The light is love, my precious child
What angels give, and make devils smile
You may think you're alone for a while
But I'm always here, my precious child

Kyrie was humming along with me, and before we both knew it, Nero had fallen asleep. I picked him up and felt him stir a little. I began to walk back to his room and continued to sing so he'd feel at peace.

It shines inside your very mind
Different from rays, it's another kind
The light is love, my precious child
What angels give, and make devils smile
You may think you're alone for a while
But I'm always here, my precious child

I tucked Nero in and quietly exited his room, closing the door without a sound. Kyrie clapped behind me and smiled. "I always like it when you sing." Kyrie always seemed fascinated by my singing, and I honestly never knew why. She had a much sweeter voice and an amazing ear when it came to music, but she still would like hearing me sing. I only hoped that the same magic that worked for Kyrie would work for Nero to stop his nightmares. He didn't wake up again that night, so I managed to get some shut eye myself. The next night, I was not awakened by screams or tugs. The song had actually worked. In the morning, Nero practically ran into the kitchen filled with energy and glee.

"Good morning, Kyrie! Good morning, Credo!" He jumped up on his seat and kept fidgeting around as I was making breakfast.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"YES!" He cheered. "No more nightmares!"

I was happy to hear he was better, and it certainly showed to have an extremely positive effect on him. A week went by, and he didn't have any nightmares. I couldn't believe it had worked! With Nero not waking up at night, I got more rest and felt more energetic myself. Now I could shut the door to my room, knowing I wouldn't have to worry about opening it until morning. However, one night I felt a tug at my arm again. I opened my eyes and I saw Nero, who's arm was illuminating his face. He didn't look like he had cried at all. "What is it?" I asked sitting up to see him. "Bad dreams again?"

Nero's eyes wandered around and he shook his head. "It's just... I'm sorry that I would always wake you up but... I miss you."

I couldn't help but laugh at this. "Miss me? You see me everyday!"

"But not every night!" Nero responded. 

To this day, this child surprises me. Just when I think I know how he thinks, he does something unexpected. That night I let him sleep by my side and he woke up happier than ever. Later that day I had training to do at The Order. They asked each soldier a question, and eventually they came to me. "Credo, when a demon looks frightened, what do you do?"

"Sing it a lullaby." I mumbled.

"What was that, soldier?" Asked the captain coming closer to me with his impatience lingering.

"You attack it right away while it's vulnerable, sir." I answered him in a loud voice.

"Very good. For a minute I thought you said something else." The captain continued along the lines, but after training, he called me over. I knew I'd probably be in trouble. "Be honest, what was that you said to me when I asked you your question?"

"Sing the demon a lullaby." I told him, not at all afraid.

The captain looked at me confused and scoffed. "Credo, where's your head? I always say you're our brightest soldier! Imagine if--let's say-- an ADULT asked you that question so they'd know what to do in the situation, THAT'S what you'd respond?!"

I sighed. "No, sir, but in some situations a lullaby is all that is needed."

The captain continued to stare at me in disbelief, but I did not apologize. He made me stay an hour later cleaning the wax from the candle lights in the church, and some of the wax was still hot and burned my hands. When I went back home, I was so tired that I had almost forgotten to make dinner. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. However, I did not get a restful sleep, because I woke up after having a horrible dream. In the dream, my captain fallowed me back home, and found out Nero was a demon. He tried to hurt him, but I ended up killing the captain before he could do anything to Nero. As punishment for saving a demon, I was thrown into a big tub of burning wax. Apparently I had screamed, because Nero and Kyrie ran inside my room asking millions of questions. I told them I had a nightmare, but I was fine now. Kyrie understood, but Nero just ran over to me and took a deep breath, before singing.

The sun may set and the night comes
But that doesn't mean there isn't light
It sparkles in your head
It's not rays, it's different
It's light, my precious child
Uh... It makes-- NO WAIT!
It's what angels give as presents, and make devils smile
You might think you're lonely and without help for a bit
But I'm always here, my precious child

I had to program myself and not laugh at the messed up lyrics, as he finished, but that still didn't make Nero happy. "YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO GO TO SLEEP!" He whined at me.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry." I fell back and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Nero left my room, and I could hear him talking to Kyrie behind the door about what a magnificent voice he had. I actually did end up falling back asleep with no nightmares. 

That day, I was at training when my captain came up to me and asked. "So Credo, can you tell us what you should do when a demon is frightened." The soldiers around me were now watching and listening to us. I looked at the captain, and couldn't help but shiver a bit at remembering the nightmare I had had with him dead on the floor. My thoughts were blurred when my eyes caught glimpse of someone in the background. It was Nero. He had come to see me since he knew right now I'd be finished with training. I smiled at him and-- "Credo!" My captain snapped my name and I jumped tuning my attention to him. "Answer the question! If a demon is frightened, what do you do?" I could see Nero was paying attention to our conversation when his eyes widened and he looked at me with fear in his eyes. It was such a painful thing to see. "I'm still waiting for an answer." I answered.

"You kill the demon while it's vulnerable."

"Very good--"

"Isn't the right answer." The captain stared at me in shock as the other soldiers soon began to murmur with one another. 

"What do you mean, it isn't the right answer? IT'S PERFECT!" Nero began to walk closer to the group of soldiers and answered.

"You have to sing a song, sir!" The soldiers couldn't believe that a child had said such a thing, but I knew it was true. I smiled at Nero, knowing that this was the correct answer. The captain once again forced me to clean the hot wax, only this time Nero was there. It was hard for him to do it with one hand, but he did his best. Lightening up the mood I chuckled.

"Hey, Nero. This is a real nightmare isn't it?" The child looked at me and we both took a deep breath, before singing our nightmares away.

The sun may set to bring the night
But that does not mean there is no light
It shines inside your very mind
Different from rays, it's another kind
The light is love, my precious child
What angels give, and make devils smile
You may think you're alone for a while
But I'm always here, my precious child