Frustration.

Something he never had any experience with before this. Before her.

Gods!

He flopped onto Chastiefol, covering his face with his beloved pillow, just why on earth?! He hugged the huge, floating mass of Chastiefol to him, lying adrift in the air, 'Diane..' He could feel his cheeks warming up, feel the blood rush to his face and travel further up. It was frustrating really, having Ban pick on him about his feelings for the adorable Giant, and watching her fawn over Danchou on the other. He liked Meliodas as a person (he really did), respected him as their as their leader. But he did not want to make a rival of him. After all, this was Danchou we're talking about, what could possibly beat him?

'Certainly not me,' he thought sadly, laughing dryly at his pathetic self. "King?"

He stiffened at the melodic voice, blood rushing, back to his face at gale-force, his tongue feeling like lead, heavy and useless in his mouth.

"There you are, I was looking for you. Dinner's ready, don't you wanna eat?" 'Doushiyou? Diane ga kita ze..!' He was caught in his inner turmoil, not noticing her step forward, towards him.

God, what was he supposed to do now? Harlequin was tempted to hide his face in Chastiefol and never look at the world again. But he knew that was not possible, not with Diane standing there.

Right in front of him.

Twirling that damned lock of her chocolaty hair round and roun – Aaargh! He'd completely lost track of wanting to hide himself in a hole and never show up again. Such was the effect the Giant had on him. He sighed.

"King?"

She sounded so close now, closer than before, like she was standing right next to him. And concerned too, she seemed worried about something. Him probably. And he had not in the least idea why it made his insides flutter. Just the thought of her feeling anxious over him made him blush to the tips of his copper streaked hair, how was he going to be able to brace himself for a confession was a mystery even to him. God..! What on earth.. He shook his head hard. He was better now, not a shadow of his former self. He was Harlequin, the faerie King. And also, King, the Grizzly Sin of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Granted, he hadn't grown much in these past few years. But his magic did.

Continuously.

At a force that astounded him even. He no longer needed to seek for the energy inside of him now.

He was that energy.

Got pretty good at handling his human form too, made a few minor variations even. He'd also become pretty skilled in messing up with the atomic composition of things, could practically control the elements at his will and Chastiefol..

He no longer had to force himself to expose the full brunt of Chastiefol, it came to him easily now, as naturally as breathing. He absent-mindedly patted his floating familiar, not remembering that Diane was there.

"A-ha! I knew you weren't sleeping!" She grabbed a hold of Chastiefol and peeled it of his face.

Or tried to at least.

Chastiefol wouldn't do anything he didn't want it to. And right now, looking at Diane's face with all of his feelings written on his face did not feel like something he was very keen on.

"King?" Her fingers landed on his Chastiefol, he flinched. Not disgusted of course, it just that..

It has been a while since she'd attempted to touch him. Her hands were usually busy swatting at Danchou, shooing him away from Elizabeth when the girl couldn't keep him at bay.

He'd forgotten what it was like, to feel electricity running through him from the slightest of her touches.

He peeked at her from underneath his bangs, hoping to God she wouldn't notice the two bright, red splotches on his face. "What's wrong? You ran out in the evening, it's dinner now. Aren't you hungry?" Close. Too close.

He was paralysed by the sheer beauty of her. It was true that love was blind, he thought, fighting with his stutters, trying to come up with something more conceivable than 'Ahhs' and 'Errs.' King knew that there were far more beautiful creatures surpassing Diane. As the faerie King Harlequin, he'd even personally come to know a few of them. But no one came close to beating her. There was something about her that made him lose his track. Stumble along his sombre path. Something about her innate vivacity and optimism that made him blush embarrassingly at his own pessimistic thoughts.

Perhaps it was the idea of getting to know such an interesting specimen that failed to acknowledge disappointment that prodded his interest in Diane, but then somewhere along the black-and-white macabre nightmares, colours and rainbows started making cameo appearances. Blood was replaced with flower petals, screams transformed into Diane's lively laughter.

His constant moans and tortured groans were replaced by falling asleep to the image of her smiling peacefully with him against her chest. Against the strong, jaunty symphony of her beating heart that kept him company during those long, dark nights.

For the first time, King had known what peace truly meant.

All those serene and tranquil days he'd enjoyed alongside her the only amulet against the bitter animosity that haunted him after his exile as one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

He still remembered the feel of pure satisfaction traversing through him when she grinned ecstatically from ear-to-ear at his creation, her dress and those cute little pig-tails he fashioned her hair into. Although she fawned over Danchou every single day (it was tiring, really), he couldn't find it in his heart to hate her.

Because he loved her.

And she was special in his heart.

And also, the only one he would ever imagine living together with.

Theideaof 'Romancing Diane' didn't actually sound so bad now that he'd started thinking about it seriously, he thought idly, floating on Chastiefol as it moved forward. She rustled forward to fall into step beside him, "King! Really, have you been listening to me? God, I swear! You're even worse than Danchou! Geez!" She grumbled, still careful not to stomp her feet on the tiny living plants around her.

'No matter what Ban said,' he decided with a smile, turning to apologise.

The sight of her face when he kissed her was one he would treasure his entire lifetime, "Sorry, made you worry didn't I?" he whispered, low and warm against her ear, delicate hands pushing back at strands of chocolaty hair. King couldn't remember seeing her blush this much, except for when Meliodas was involved of course. 'That was inevitable,' he thought boredly.

Mayve she recognised him after all, he couldn't help the smile that dominated his lips when he saw her still blushing, stammering for words with one hand against her lips.

Maybe he should start kissing her more often, just to get that look up on her face.

Screw Danchou, he was just gonna have to seduce her through and through, until she fell for him so hard, that Danchou would be nothing but specks of dandelion, 'Cue evil laugh,' he thought, a naughty smile spreading wide on the rich lines of his lips.

Owari