They'd held each other through the fire. There was only one way their burns would heal. Together.

It was like Before. A century ago, when the burdens they each carried were so heavy...now it felt like tradition when she would cry in his arms. This time, it wasn't the fear of failure that weakened her spirit, but guilt. She still had nightmares about the past.

They both did.

He would wake up trembling, trying so hard to remember, even though it was often painful. She would answer his questions when he couldn't, and when he could, she would help him through it. Too many of them hurt. Far too many...she sometimes wondered if he would've been better off with none.

It was all her fault.

She would wrap her arms around him and apologize again and again, telling him how sorry she was that he had to suffer. But he wouldn't have it. He insisted she had nothing to apologize for, stroking her hair to comfort her, and calming her with his embrace.

No matter how heartbroken she was, it never failed.

Reminders of Before were everywhere. He hated the tired look in her eyes. She hated all the battle scars that covered him.

She knew it was selfish of her to want to forget, when all he'd ever wanted was to remember. A hundred years fighting had left her tired and broken, whereas he was left with a gaping hole that he desperately tried to fill.

They had sacrificed so much, given everything towards the effort of peace. Maybe, though the scars were deep, they could begin anew. But for a new age to come, the old one must first pass...

A/N: Thanks for reading! This is my first time publishing anything, so...it could very well suck. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Anyway, I know it's extremely short, but feedback is definitely welcome!