– 9 –
I'm Glad You're Alright, 'Cause That's What Really Matters To Me
The ride out of town takes about forty minutes, even with Meliodas flying at incredible speeds down the highway, but to Elizabeth it feels very short, over very quickly, though the emotional toll of the evening has left her exhausted by the time he slows the bike and pulls it into a small garage at the back of a building Elizabeth has never seen before.
"Elizabeth? We're home."
"Home?" She raises her sleepy head, assesses her surroundings: "Not…home…"
He chuckles. "Not your home, Elizabeth."
"Okay…" She yawns and attempts to climb off the back of the bike on her own, but the potent effects of the wine from dinner have fully settled in, and she stumbles in her shoes, lurching about on the pavement.
"Careful!" Meliodas grabs her waist to steady her, and she turns to look up at him…
"Meliodas…"
"Yes, Elizabeth?"
…and just as quickly twists in his grasp and vomits.
"That's not gonna be much fun to clean up," Meliodas muses, looking over the soiled motorcycle. "Come on, Elizabeth, let's get you inside."
The world lurches out from under her feet once again, then, and just as quickly rights itself as Meliodas scoops her up in his arms, bridal-style. Thoroughly spent now, Elizabeth lets her head loll against his shoulder as he carries her through a few doorways, up a few narrow sets of stairs, and finally sleep steals her away…
Silver beams of moonlight slant across a polished wood floor and creep across a bed covered with clean white sheets, upon which Elizabeth tosses and turns and finally opens her eyes. She sits up. "W-where am I…?"
"Mornin' Elizabeth!"
She squeals and gathers the blankets tightly around her form, even though she is wearing a green cocktail dress. Wait, why is she wearing a cocktail dress in bed? Why don't the blankets feel like satin against her skin…? This isn't her bed. THIS ISN'T HER BED! And who just spoke to her!?
"Where am I? What am I doing here!?" She squints as a light is switched on and the room is flooded with a golden glow. "Meliodas?"
"Yo." He grins at her.
As her eyes adjust to the brightness, she slowly releases her death grip on the sheets and glances around the room. Small, modestly furnished, with a large bay window through which shines a full moon. "Where are we? What happened? Why am I dressed like this?"
"Well, let's see." He comes to sit on the edge of the bed next to her, and hands her a cup of something hot. She sips: Mmm, spicy chocolate…
"You called me during your fancy dinner, said you were trying to call Margaret, you were crying, and I picked you up and brought you home with me." He pauses, glances ceiling-ward. "I think that about sums it up."
"Home…with you?" She looks up from her cup in surprise.
"Yeah. Welcome to the Boar's Hat Tavern, Elizabeth." He spreads his arms wide in a gesture of show and welcome. "Well, the upstairs, anyway."
"The…the Boar's Hat? This is your bar?"
"Yup."
Realization then hits Elizabeth and she searches frantically for her phone. "My phone—I have to call my sisters—oh, Father must be furious with me, and no one has any idea where I am—"
"It's right here, Elizabeth—" he hands it to her, "—but I already texted Margaret for you."
"You—you what?" She gapes.
"I think I made it sound like you, too," he continues cheerfully, and she opens her text messages and stares at the last outgoing text to Margaret.
Elizabeth
M, dinner was too much; I'll explain l8r & I'm sorry if Father is furious. U can tell him I'm not well. A friend picked me up & I'm staying in town 2nite. I'm OK, so please try not to worry. B home tomorrow. Next day the latest, & I have my phone. Thx.
Elizabeth blushes. It does sound like her, and he even signed it with the same heart emoji she always sends to her sisters.
"Thank…you." She ducks her head shyly.
"Sure."
Elizabeth checks her phone again, and the numbers on the screen read 1:23. A.M. or P.M.? She glances up at the window—Moonlight. Yes, A.M.
Her gaze shifts to Meliodas' face, still smiling at her from his seat on the edge of the bed. "Aren't you tired?"
He shrugs, and she realizes— "Oh, no, I'm sorry! I'm taking up your bed, aren't it?" She blushes more deeply at the idea. "I think I've slept enough, maybe there's another room, or I could just sit someplace and work on our project, or you could take me home…? I must be inconveniencing you so much…" She hangs her head, guilt written across her pretty, dainty features, and Meliodas frowns. She's not supposed to feel guilty for needing him.
She doesn't need you, you idiot—she was trying to call her sister. Inwardly he groans. Right. Well, whatever, she's here now, and she looks guilty, not angry, so that's got to mean something.
"Okay, Elizabeth, since you think you've slept enough, how are you feeling?"
"I…I'd like to use your bathroom, please." Her voice is very small, embarrassed.
"Through that doorway." He gestures. "Let me see if I can dig up some sweatpants or something if you want to change. While I love how that dress makes your chest look, it doesn't look very comfortable."
He smirks at her slack jaw, and she's not sure whether to be flattered or to smack him, so she settles for scurrying into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her as quickly as humanly possible.
She finds herself in a small, pristine room with good lighting and a window covered with a thin white curtain—somewhat unexpected, as she never pegged Meliodas as a stickler for modesty, but she is grateful for it now as she unlaces the bodice of the green dress and lets it pool on the floor at her feet.
She fills the tub to brimming with hot water and steps carefully into it, letting the warmth soak into her skin and ease the tension from the evening, and the last of the potential hangover from the potent wine she had earlier drains from her system, as well, leaving her with clearer senses.
"Elizabeth?" Meliodas knocks on the door.
"Uh—no—don't come in!" She calls. "I—um—I'm not—"
"Oh, I see." His voice lowers to a more seductive purr. "Do you need any help?"
"N-no, go away, Meliodas!" She covers herself frantically underneath the water, even though the door is locked and he has made no attempt to get in.
"Just kidding. I found some clothes that might work for you. I'll leave them on the bed and just go downstairs, okay?"
That's…really nice of him. She swallows. "Yes—okay. Thank you, Meliodas."
She listens carefully to receding footsteps, and as soon as the water has cooled, climbs out of the bath and wraps herself in a towel to reenter the bedroom which, thankfully, is empty. Neatly folded on the end of the bed are a pair of soft flannel pajama pants with a drawstring waist, and an unremarkable white shirt. She cinches the pants tightly around her slender frame, and breathes in the scent of the shirt as she pulls it over her head: faint, pleasant notes of cigarette smoke, cinnamon, and coffee beans. She twists her damp hair up into a bun and descends downstairs.
"Well, good morning, Elizabeth," Meliodas teases as she steps from the staircase into the large, open space that is the Boar's Hat Tavern.
She rolls her eyes and folds her arms over her chest, turning away from him to look around. "So this is your bar."
"Yup. Take a seat anywhere and I'll make you something to eat."
"You cook?" She raises her eyebrows in surprise.
"Sure." He keeps his back to her as he heads for the kitchen, concealing the mischievous smirk on his lips.
Ten minutes later, Meliodas returns and places a plate on the bar counter in front of Elizabeth. Her mouth waters as she takes in the sight and delicious scent of a buttery, flaky golden crust ringing a soft pile of whipped mashed potatoes, meat, carrots, leeks, green onion, peas, and mushrooms. A plump, pillowy dinner roll as big as her palm waits patiently next to the pot pie, and a stack of roasted asparagus occupies the rest of the plate.
"All right, Elizabeth! Eat up!" Meliodas leans on the bar and grins cheekily.
"Thank you." She picks up her fork and digs in…
…and gags. Meliodas' grin widens.
"Still," she manages around a mouthful she does not want to swallow, "thank you. It's delicious."
Meliodas laughs. "Want to order a pizza?"
"Yes, please." Elizabeth spits her bite into a napkin and crumples it onto the plate she pushes away from her; Meliodas continues to laugh and reaches for a take-out and delivery menu stashed under the counter.
Pizza delivery finds the two of them talking across the bar top, a mug of the strongest Vanya ale in Meliodas' hand, and Elizabeth's hands cupped around a mug of something milder, though still strong enough to have already deepened the flush in her cheeks. Soon, both mugs and the pizza box lie empty on the counter, as Meliodas and Elizabeth continue to laugh and talk, fueled by good food, good ale, and good company.
A short while before sunrise, Meliodas washes out the ale mugs and puts on a pot of coffee, and Elizabeth excuses herself to go upstairs, where she locks herself in the bathroom and stares at her reflection in the mirror.
Blue eyes sparkle back at her, and she is surprised by how…happy she feels here. With Meliodas, she feels comfortable, and safe, after everything he's done for her, and to think that Arthur was so suspicious without any real reason to be… Arthur. Realization strikes like a lightning bolt, and Elizabeth winces. Oh…shit.
Breathe, Elizabeth…Margaret knows you're safe, and that's all that really matters. Not like you vanished without a trace… Still, her fingers shake, and she turns on the tap and runs warm water over her hands until it becomes hot, and she takes in the warmth, breathing deeply. Okay. It's okay.
As soon as she feels calm enough, she returns to the bedroom where she spent the night, spying her phone lying on the side table. She picks it up, checks it— Dead. In a way, kind of a relief.
"Elizabeth?"
She jumps, as Meliodas knocks on the bedroom door and pokes his head in. "Hey, you okay?"
"What? Oh, yes!" She blushes, and he pushes the door open and comes in balancing two coffee cups.
"What are those for?"
"Sun's coming up." He grins, and gently nudges her toward a door with a window latticed like the bay window opposite the bed, and she steps outside onto a small balcony. Meliodas follows, leaving the door open behind him, and hands Elizabeth one of the mugs, filled to the brim with black coffee smelling like roasted nuts and morning, steam wafting invitingly.
"Meliodas…" She hesitates. "Thank you."
He leans on the railing and takes a sip from his mug, looking out over the waking city. "I'm glad you're alright, 'cause that's what really matters to me."
