Hello, MikazukiNika here, formerly known as CrescentMoonTenshi. This is my first NNT work. I guess I'm just testing the waters a bit. I have a bunch of other ideas, and the writing/art community in this fandom is so amazing that I'm literally buzzing with excitement. I'm talking about you, lickitysplit, BettyBest2, Vetur02, Galfridus, Cerulean Grace, fanficlove2014, LoweFantasy (we meet again!), mercurialvoid, Fullmetal Pyromaniac, and all of you others. I'm really excited to join you all in putting out works for this fandom!
With that said, please enjoy this little oneshot.
Oneshot Name: 107 Perfect Times
Normal POV
If he's being honest, Meliodas can't say he was completely surprised (well he was a little bit, from the sheer unexpectedness of it all… but when was it not unexpected?) when the large crash sounded over the wooden floors of the Boar's Hat, a curtain of silvery locks spilling out of the rusted armor. Nor was he surprised when he looked into her face, as if he needed any confirmation, to see the love of his… however-many-lives he's lived so far.
But none of that changed the fact that he couldn't move an inch as he stared nonchalantly, only half hearing Hawk's squeals, a small fragment of himself clicking its tongue and swearing in dismay. He quickly squashed that part into nothing in an attempt to maintain perfect emotional detachment (how dare you feel dismay at her?).
He relaxed his furrowed brows and moved to pick the girl – Elizabeth…! Eli-za-beth! – up.
BREAK
What the hell does she think she's doing walking around in that? Meliodas grumbles to himself mentally as he carefully removes her armor and lays her down across his bed. A part of him is already drooling, vibrating with happiness and lust Elizabeth's in my bed~ Elizabeth's in my bed~ But he squashed down that part too.
It really is unfair though. Fate sends her to his door, in that get-up, knowing he can't resist her in rags let alone the elastic jet-black material that highlighted every curve and dip of her body ooooohhh… as if this were all a big fat joke. He mentally spits at Fate, wondering if he would ever be able to get his hands on its neck and wring it one of these days, and moves to stand back against the wall with Hawk. He knows he's staring hard at her, but he doesn't want to tip the piggy off so he holds his chin in a charade of deep thought.
Hawk states the obvious ("It's a girl!")and he inwardly twitches. A little looking wouldn't hurt, I could always play it off. He reasons as he gives into his swelling desire to touch, to feel her again.
"Unnya," He hums, hearing Hawk's shocked gasp as the pig takes it upon himself to translate that into "let's check."
He's kneeling by her side before he can even feel himself move, holding his chin with his hand and using his other forearm as a brace on the bed, stationing himself near her head. "This sleeping face…" He begins, slanting a look down at her that he isn't quite sure is detached enough. Almost afraid, he backs away quickly, only to reappear on the other side of the bed.
"This body line…" He wants to die as he sways his hips under his fists, remembering what the feel of her own felt like in his palms oohhhhh.
He can barely hold himself back now, and before he knows it, he's on all fours over her hips, near her sex. "This fragrance…" He breathes deeply, and the haze threatens to cloud over his brain oooohhhhh yes.
The urge to fill his palms with her again becomes too strong, and now he's definitely holding her breast. "This elasticity…"
At this point, he can't pull himself away, not from her body and not from the warm pulsing beneath his palm that confirms she's alive.
"As I thought, it's a girl!" He says to Hawk, who yells something out that he doesn't care to hear. He's sure that it's the pig's yell that makes her eyelids flutter open. She sits upright.
He's captivated by her again, the day-time blue eyes locking him in place and the flush that creeps onto her face robbing him of his will to leave. Damn. That one part of him curses again in dismay, revived as he continues to squish her.
"A-Ano…" She squeaks, and that melodious voice causes a shudder to run through him, one that has him reeling away from her as naturally as he can. He doesn't realize he's let a few of his thoughts about her heartbeat escape until he they're already out of his mouth, and he's not happy with himself (already getting weak, Meliodas?) but he plows on.
He answers her questions, getting a little petty revenge on her for showing up in that outfit by flashing his sword. With a grin and her uncertainty, they're talking again but he stays more than an arm's length away.
That's why he's a little miffed and terribly jealous when Elizabeth runs her hands all over Hawk, pressing her fine self into his side, her face filled with bliss and excitement. He mentally huffs, realizing that Hawk is going to be a traitor in this life time, just as he was in the last. Not if I roast him first...!
He hastily throws out a proposal for food as he changes the topic to keep away from whatever the hell that look of sadness was caused by, cursing himself for his insensitive questions. And then Meliodas almost bursts out laughing when she loses track of the meaning in his words by thinking that she was going to get a bite of Hawk to eat. If anything, that threat is what keeps him from getting back at the piggy later.
He knows she's making his head and heart swim through a myriad of emotions, but how can he stop?
I can't.
He wants to punch himself in the face. Barely a few minutes into talking to her and she's already come close to crying or cried, twice. Her kindness towards his god-awful food sobers him up a little bit, and before he knows it, he's getting involved. He's asking questions and receiving answers. He doesn't move an inch when she says she's searching for the Seven Deadly Sins, but he knows he's staring hard at her again.
So by the time that random order of wannabe Holy Knights comes pounding at his door, demanding to see and arrest the Rust Knight, he's already feeling that familiar surge of protect protect protect protect protect flowing through his veins, causing his fingertips to tingle. Again, he isn't surprised.
A part of him wants to break this cheeky little boy's wrist for hoisting him up in the air by the collar and daring to go after Elizabeth. The part of him that was raised as the proud crown prince of the Demon Realm scoffs with scorn, but he pushes it – damn this is happening a lot today, isn't it? – away.
He's not stupid. He knows he's extremely giddy and tired and overall uncontrollable with Elizabeth in front of him again.
So when the humans make a break for the girl of his dreams fantasies hopes desires nightmares, he doesn't move at first. The detachment he's honed over the last decade or so doesn't let him, so he stares after them almost curiously. The real curiosity is directed at himself. He's wondering how long he can pretend that she's none of his business anymore, now that she's run off his doorstep, before he –
He's launching himself on powerful legs through the trees, breathing the fresh air and feeling his senses branch out until he finds her again. Well that wasn't very long, a particularly sarcastic part of himself voices out in the back of his mind. He doesn't care enough to push it away anymore.
Eventually, he sees that she's running straight for a cliff (she's been unexpectedly athletic so far, dodging over and under tree roots like that), so he captures her in his hold and jumps back into the trees before she can realize what's happening. His palm is on the other breast now, remembering that he left it unattended all this time. She's sputtering something out about a debt she needs to repay or something like that, but he's already off in La-La Land, enjoying the squishiness in his palm.
He's nodding his head. Yup, definitely Elizabeth.
"So, why are you searching for the Seven Deadly Sins?" He keeps using "omae" instead of her name, because he's sure she hasn't given it to him yet and he hasn't done so either. It was better that way. Names were powerful things after all.
Her soft voice begins to explain. He's not usually so invested in her past, but it's the one that he created for her this time and… well…
"What if those same Holy Knights were preparing to start a war in this country?"
He lets Hawk dish out the surprise, because he's not sure how much more he can keep feeling around her right now. His expression doesn't change, even as the memories of them start to float to the front of his mind. Of Zaratras and Gil-bou and Dreyfus and Hendi… Baltra and the Seven Deadly Sins… 10 years have already passed…
But when she tells them that the royal family was arrested, he allows himself a small reaction. Her story didn't match with the bar's intel after all, and Hawk says it for him, "The King isn't laid up in bed, sick?"
He hears the strange story of Liones conscripting commoners for the war preparations instead of more Holy Knights (well, he knows the standards are a little high for regular humans, but still), and he hears Elizabeth's fears about their influence reaching even Cains, the area they're overlooking from the top of the cliff. He hears it all, takes it all in, every part of her. Her voice, her bleeding heart, her milky white shoulders against the black sleeves of her outfit, her silver hair settled peacefully down her back.
Unfair…
"That's sounds troublesome." He says almost offhandedly, ignoring Hawk's attempts to reprimand him for being so flippant. "But then again, how does that tie in with the Seven Deadly Sins?" He asks.
"One thing… If there's any one thing as hope to stop the Holy Knights," She turns her passionate stare to him, her voice rising with strength, "It would be the Seven Deadly Sins alone!"
Unfair…
"Come on, knowing what kind of people the Seven Deadly Sins are, you're still looking for them?" He says, his arms still folded over his chest and face still schooled into nonchalance. You know, but you're still looking for me?
Unfair…
Her argument is weak at best. He's sure that there had to be some faction or something still left with the right ideas, sure that Liones could sort itself out. He was there long enough to know they were upstanding people. He would've gone back for her a long time ago if he didn't think they were.
The answer is simple. She doesn't need him. He relaxes his shoulders, prepared to let her live out this lifetime without him again, because he knows he's not ready so soon and he knows she doesn't need him this time. It wouldn't be the first.
So he lets her talk about their group, recounting their history. "And so they all died, the rumors say."
He isn't surprised, again, when she catches on to him trying to dissuade her, trying to break her down. "There's no way such amazing people would die so easily!"
He sighs at her. Still not good enough. Good enough for what, exactly? He thinks to himself, even as he says, "But they're the Sins, right?"
"The ones who are causing the citizens to suffer so much right now are the Holy Knights!" She argues back passionately, tears pooling in her eyes.
He doesn't move or react.
She launches into a story about how Baltra used to tell her stories about them, barely able to finish her conclusion, (They were the best because they were the Seven Deadly Sins!") when his attention is ripped away from her. He senses a new presence, but he still can't bring himself to react to anything, even as they fall down over the side of the cliff and she screams and Hawk whines.
It's when the forest floor below gets a little too close that he finally grabs her, Hawk, and to hell with it even the cheeky wannabe from earlier and jumps up to the top again. He dumps the wannabe immediately with a "O-toh!"
And as pleasant as it feels to have Elizabeth's head nuzzle into his shoulder, he's looking at the Holy Knight in front of them with a little trepidation. He has both Elizabeth and Hawk to protect, and the other wannabes might join the fray. He doesn't want her in danger right now – not until he can come to a decision.
"Oi, are you awake?" He asks, curious to see if she's fainted.
"O-Oh, yes!" She says, straightening up. Of course she didn't faint. She's always been strong like that.
He lets tells her the plan and sets her down.
His attention is on the Holy Knight now, and he almost scoffs when he yells out, "Fate is smiling down on me today!"
You have no idea.
But then he starts to say something about an earring and a crest and Meliodas feels the first sparks of panic rise in his chest.
"Conclusion!" No, don't! "You are the Princess Elizabeth!"
Unfair!
"Princess… Elizabeth?" He repeats slowly, the name floating out of his mouth for the first time in over a decade, and he's pretending it's the first time he's ever heard it.
Hawk squeals something about the country's third princess, and he's peering over at her with his carefully crafted, 3,000 year old mask still in place. He notes the way Elizabeth steps back from the advancing knight in fear and discomfort.
But his attention snaps back to the knight and he feels the panic rise into his throat again when he hears something like, "But if you died in an accident, that would be truly unfortunate, you see..."
"Run!" He screams, throwing in arm out in the direction of the woods, and they're off.
She's responding to the knight, screaming back as she runs about not being able to afford being captured. "I cannot give up just yet!"
And that resonates deep within him, as it always has.
He's throwing himself over her before he can even think something of it, and he almost regrets putting himself so close to her again. Her eyes are squeezed shut in fear and anticipation of pain, and when she opens them, the familiar warmth he's experienced every time he's looked into her eyes comes flooding down his body.
"Yo!" He greets cheerfully, backing away. He checks briefly on Hawk, who runs away to do what they always do in this situation – call Hawk Mama and run.
The very last thing he needed was rumors about a guy and a talking pig taking out a Holy Knight, after all. He's done a pretty good job of avoiding that so far.
But he's shaken out of his thoughts when he sees her bite down on her lip in reluctance, her visible eye avoiding contact with his as she seems to swallow something down (her pride? Anger?) and stand.
"Elizabeth?" He asks curiously, somehow able to keep the twinge of panic (but not the twinge of seriousness) he feels from seeping into her name. He's not truly worried, because he knows that he can take out this guy like he takes out the other trash back at the Boar's Hat in half the blink of an eye, but he's not involved.
He isn't. Because that would be unfair.
But goddammit – "Oi, where are you going?"
And there she is. Walking away. From him. Again.
He watches, unmoving, for a short bit.
"There's no escape." She says, sure but so, so wrong.
Of course there is. He wants to say. There always is when I'm here. But it comes out as, "You… but you just said 'I can't give up just yet,' didn't you?"
She's still walking away and she's getting farther from him but closer to the other guy and he can't –
"If I go surrender to him quietly, that should keep him from stealing your life away meaninglessly." She says back to him, and he can hear the tears in her voice.
And she's doing it again. Walking away with unwavering self-sacrifice to protect him. How many times has this happened now? How many times will she have to protect him? When will he finally be strong enough to protect her?
He grits his teeth. Unfair…
Elizabeth recoils from the attack the knight sends her way, and Meliodas has her tackled to the ground off to the side before he knows it. She's not surprised at his movements anymore.
"Please! Even if it's just you, escape by yourself!"
"Well no matter which option we choose, he seems pretty intent on killing us both."
Her tears call his gaze back to her face and away from the Holy Knight. Her voice is crumpled under the weight of her burdens and emotions. "Why?" She cries softly. "I was happy…"
What?
"I set out to find the Seven Deadly Sins all by myself! I'd never even travelled before, so I was really nervous…" She's furiously wiping away at the tears but they're pouring too fast for her tired hands to keep up. He's made her cry again.
See, Elizabeth? You only ever cry when you're with me.
"So no one would discover my identity, I walked around in that clunky armor until I was exhausted." She confessed, and he felt his stomach twist. "But I couldn't rely on anyone… Even so! You've been so kind to me, a random person from some random place!" Her voice is getting stronger, and he's getting weaker to her.
Kind.
Me.
Her tears kept flowing.
"That's why I don't want to get you involved in all of my problems further, when I don't even know your name!"
Unfair. The voice in his head is spitting the word out. There's a flash of dull grey and cold rain. The ruins. Sunset-pink hair and day-time blue eyes. Lips moving with a promise. It's unfair. This makes it 107 times.
But he can't resist her or the kindness and sweetness she treats him with, or the fulfilling of that promise. He gives in easily, with a small smile.
"Meliodas."
He seals his own fate.
"That's my name." And now he's grinning over her, unable to contain the glee. She's his again now – the exchanging of names marks the start of it all, something he's managed to figure out on his own about the curse over the past 3,000 years – and he can barely suppress the even wider grin on its way to his face when he sees her face open up in recognition and surprise.
She gasps. "I don't believe it…" He's watching her carefully and they're both ignoring the advancing knight, sharing this moment. "No way…!" He grins boyishly at her. "But you're just a…"
Her eyes fall on the symbol branded onto his arm. He almost laughs at the way the thoughts seem to race through her mind, through her wide eyes. The tears have mostly stopped, and for that, he's grateful.
"That symbol… it's a beast – no, a dragon!"
And the knight is standing over them, Meliodas knows, but he can't rip his eyes from her face, can't stop enjoying this moment, so he rips his broken sword out of its sheath instead.
Full Counter sends the knight flying back a few steps, and Meliodas stands, brows pulled together as he readies himself for the fight.
Elizabeth.
Your tears and my fears... They're almost disappearing.
He swears to himself that this will be the last time. It's the first time in centuries that she's appeared like her first self – the goddess Elizabeth – and he can't help but hope that it means something. He didn't care what, as long as it meant the end of it all.
"Meliodas…" She tastes his name and he shivers pleasantly, feeling their bond tingle. "Are you really him?"
He listens to the knight point out his unchanging appearance at the same time.
"So, have you figured out who I am?"
The question is for Elizabeth as much as the knight. Because now she knows his name. And he knows that it's almost over.
So let's share the perfect time… for you and for me.
He'll do everything in his power, now that he feels history moving beneath his fingertips again, to change their fate. To bring happiness to them. To her. To let the Seven Deadly Sins serve their ultimate purpose.
You knocked on my door. He grins as he wields the Sword of the Seal again, slicing the air gently. So let's start our journey.
As the Holy Knight is blasted away, he revels in the first moment in years that he gets to use his full title, answering his own question to the knight and Elizabeth. "The Seven Deadly Sins: Sin of Wrath." He can hardly contain himself, feeling adrenaline and excitement and power thrum through his veins. When was the last time he was able to use Full Counter? The rough crowds of the Boar's Hat really need to step up their games a bit!
"The Dragon's Sin, Meliodas!"
Your loneliness and kindness could be my trigger. He admits to himself as the dust settles and he returns his sword to its place. He probably didn't need to blast the knight that far.
"With that, I guess you've found your first one, right, Elizabeth?"
Let's see what our future holds.
"So about the other six… I have some business to discuss with them, so I've been looking for them recently." He explains, an idea already forming in his mind. "I've been running the bar for intel purposes, you see. So if I had a poster girl, we'd get a lot more customers and information." He grins at her, placing his hands on his hip.
"You're coming with us, right?"
He can't help himself from grinning wildly as he whisks her away from the fateful town of Cains, Hawk Mama delivering them to the next step of their journey. He knew she would come along. He knew he wouldn't be able to push her away. He can't. Not now, because it's the first time this has ever happened.
Because you came to see me first.