Disclaimer: I do not own The Seven Deadly Sins. I'm merely borrowing the characters and having some fun with them.

A Genie Named King

Chapter 21

Diane was going to kill Meliodas.

That bastard knew that Elizabeth would drag her off for questioning and he let it happen. Some friend he was! She was going to pummel the jackass for offering her up as sacrifice to Elizabeth's curious (nosy) ways. The fact that Elaine was with them and just as eager to hear Diane's thoughts on her brother made her even more anxious.

One interested person was bad enough. Two? Well that's just plain torture.

"Soo," her silverette friend started as she sat beside Diane on the bed. "How was the movie."

"Good," Diane answered truthfully. "After could have been better but… I should have expected to break down like that." She fidgeted uncomfortably as aqua eyes studied her.

"Huh?" Elaine looked up from where she was hunched over Diane's clothes, looking for something for the former giantess to wear.

"What movie did you watch?" Elizabeth questioned warily. Obviously, she had a guess.

"The Princess Bride."

"You… you watched that with him?" Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. It had been years since Diane had watched that.

"Yeah… I'm not sure why. It just… seemed like a good idea at the time…" Diane trailed off with a far away look in her eye. She couldn't explain the sudden pull she'd had to watch the movie. Perhaps a part of her wanted to share her story with King, but didn't know how to broach the subject. The movie gave her a simple way to do that.

"Oh Diane," Elizabeth threw her arms around her best friend. Her own aqua eyes filling with tears. The brunette returned her hug. "I can't believe you watched that. You haven't since..."

"Before my family died. I know. It was stupid. I cried in front of him and everything. I really know how to get a guy's attention don't I?" She spoke with a dry humor.

"Wait, what?" Elaine floated to the pair. Her expression a mix of pain and confusion. "Your family is dead?"

"Yeah," Diane answered as her and Elizabeth hugged. "It was my freshman year after Thanksgiving break. The Christmas tree we set up caught fire and burned the house down with them in it," she gave the fairy a shortened version of her tale. "The Princess Bride is what we watched every Christmas Eve, which is also my birthday, it was a family tradition. I haven't watched it since they died."

"Oh my gosh Diane!" Elaine placed a hand in front of her mouth. "I'm so sorry!" The fairy threw her arms around the pair.

Diane sighed, thankful for their quiet comfort. It's not as comforting as King's was though, she couldn't help but think. Her cheeks heated up as she thought of his arms around her. How he had kissed her head so gently, granting her silent support. Thoughts of what happened after that flooded her mind. His hands on her skin, slowly moving up her torso towards her-

"Daine? Why are you so red?" Elizabeth questioned innocently as they pulled back from the hug.

"No reason!" She exclaimed as she stood up causing the other two women to fall to the floor. "Sorry!" Diane immediately apologized, offering each of them a hand up.

"You weren't thinking of Harlequin were you?" Eliane lifted a delicate brow. Her amber eyes, shades lighter than her brothers, held a strange twinkle in them.

"W-what?!" The brunette squeaked avoiding the skeptical eyes of her companions . "Of course not!" She chanced a glance at Elizabeth, her gaze the same as Elaine's had been. "Well, I mean… h-he held me until I stopped crying."

"Aww!" The two girls squealed loudly and Diane covered her ears.

"Harlequin held you while you cried?! That's so adorable! And so him! He's always had a soft spot for you!" Elaine rambled excitedly.

Diane groaned and fell back onto the bed.

"Really!?" Elizabeth tittered enthusiastically around the room with Elaine. "They would be just too cute together wouldn't they! Oh my gosh!"

The two stopped in their tracks as the same thought struck them.

"What if we did interrupt them! What if they were going to confess their feelings?!" Elizabeth fretted.

Elaine's eyes went wide. "Oh goddesses! What if we ruined the mood?! What if they never get back to that point?"

Diane grabbed a pillow and pushed it down over her face. The fluffy item allowed her to openly roll her eyes as the two continued to speculate. It also hid the blush staining her cheeks. Truthfully Diane had no idea what would have happened if the group hadn't interrupted her when they did. She almost told King that she wanted him to touch her.

She wondered what he would have said…

"Diane!" Elizabeth pulled the pillow off her face.

"What?" She scowled.

"Did we interrupt you and King?" She tossed the pillow aside and placed her hands on her hips. Her serious pose, as Meliodas had once dubbed it.

"Uh…" Diane had never been very good at lying (though admittedly better than Elizabeth), but this was an embarrassing topic. What was she suppose to say? Yes? That her and King were seconds away from doing, well, who knows what? Nope. Diane was not going to say that.

"Maybe we should just ask Harlequin?" Elaine suggested with feigned innocence. "My brother never really could hide anything. He's usually such an open book on subjects like this."

"NO!" Diane shouted. "I um.. I mean.. Fine," she sighed heavily, sulking in defeat. The girls grinned widely. The former Sin of Envy tried to figure out how to put her thoughts into words. "Things may have been getting a little… heated, just before you guys walked in," she pulled some loose hair to try and hide her face.

"I knew it!" Elizabeth wiggled with barely contained enthusiasm. "Tell me everything!" She grabbed Diane's hands, her eyes sparkling.

The former giantess wanted to crawl back under the pillow. Or maybe the bed. Diane wondered how she could get out of this one.

"Um," Elaine spoke quietly. Diane and Elizabeth turned in unison to see the blonde blushing lightly. "I uh, can wait outside if you're going to do that."

"Oh gosh! Sorry Elaine!" Elizabeth winced in sympathy. "We can just talk about it another time. We should probably get going anyways."

Diane had never thought she would be so happy to have Elaine there. The blonde's presence alone saved her from divulging to Elizabeth any further on the King front. She sighed in relief, glad she wouldn't have to explain herself to her best friend. She wouldn't have guessed Elaine being there would be a blessing in disguise. Thank goodness, Diane mused as she walked over to her clothes for a sweatshirt and some jeans. She got changed in the bathroom, threw her hair into her signature pigtails, and the women made their way back towards the pool.

They were the last ones there.

The rest of their group was already drinking and laughing around the fire. Diane watched as Elaine and Elizabeth quickly went to their significant others. Her amethyst eyes traveled around the close knit circle and found the only available spot next to King (because of course that would be the only open seat).

His amber eyes found her amethyst.

King granted her a sheepish smile, reminding her that only an hour or two before, those lips had pressed against her forehead (not to mention where else she had imagined them when she indulged in the shower). A light blush coated her cheeks. Red worked up his neck as he silently offered her a beer.

Cat calls sounded off from Meliodas and Ban.

Diane narrowed her eyes on the two. Easily allowing her to forget how flustered she was at seeing King so soon. She already had a bone to pick with Meliodas, his stupid sounds weren't helping his case. The brunette stomped over and kicked both men in the shin.

They hooted in pain.

Diane huffed, crossed her arms and took her seat next to King. She snatched the spare beer from the dumbfounded fairy's hand. She cracked it open and took a long drawn out swig.

"What the fuck Diane!" Meliodas swore. "That seemed a bit harsh!"

She gave him a flat stare, "was it? Really?"

The blonde mumbled and snuggled into Elizabeth as she cooed over him.

Diane rolled her eyes at the display. It wasn't fair that they could be so openly affectionate and yet King couldn't even give her a smile without those two bozos (Meliodas and Ban) making a big deal about it. Of course Meliodas and Elizabeth were actually dating… Ban and Elaine were also in a relationship so of course all of the teasing would be focused on the Sins of Envy and Sloth.

Diane let out a heavy sigh.

"Everything alright?" King asked quietly beside her. He must not want to be teased anymore either if his quiet tone was anything to go off. She met his worried gaze and smiled.

"I'm fine. Meliodas is just an ass," she huffed.

"You can say that again," he grumbled in agreement.

"They hound you for answers too?" Diane asked curiously, leaning in even closer so she could hear him better.

King gulped lightly, deciding a simple nod would be best.

"It's like they're all out to get us," she whispered conspiratorially before taking another drink. "I don't get why everyone doesn't just mind their own business." Diane pouted and he couldn't help but think she looked adorable. She twirled a pigtail around her finger as her lip jutted out and King had to force himself to look away.

"They do seem a bit invested don't they," he managed to clear his throat and say.

"It's weird."

"I'm certain they just want to make sure you're happy," King shrugged trying to seem nonchalant even as his heart began to beat against his ribcage.

She just kept getting closer! He could smell her hair from here. It was wholly her scent and yet… An indescribable feeling coursed through him. King was pretty sure that the tinge of musk that clung on her was from him.

He really hoped no one else would notice.

Them thinking that King and Diane had been cuddled up together on the couch was one thing. Them being able to smell him on her meant that the pair had been close enough and touching long enough for the scent to stay. King could imagine those smug grins from Meliodas and Ban already, not to mention Merlin and probably even Elaine.

Diane snorted and while King should find the unladylike sound somewhat off putting, he couldn't help but think it added to her natural charm. His eyes widened at the thought and before his damn brain could think of anything else, she spoke.

"I'm with you, why wouldn't I be happy?" Diane's cheeks pinked at the small admission before she could hide the color behind one of her pigtails. She quickly leaned back and chimed in on the conversation going around the fire.

King on the other hand, sat there stunned. His mouth dropped open slightly as he just stared at her. He wondered if Diane would ever stop surprising him. His thoughts yanked him back to what she may have been about to stay before they were interrupted. I want you to- she had started.

What did she want me to do? King mused pointlessly. The woman was unpredictable at best and any guess he had would most likely be wrong.

His mouth closed suddenly and he frowned.

He hadn't closed it on his own.

King glared over at his little sister. Elaine hid a sly smile behind her hand, the only confirmation he needed to know it had indeed been her. Being a fairy, the two shared a few of the same abilities, telekinesis being one of them. If they had been sitting closer he would have scolded her ('cause that's what big brothers do), but she was across the circle from him. He settled for rolling his eyes and listening to the current conversation.

"We knew King Arthur huh?" Meliodas chimed. "That's pretty cool."

King frowned. They weren't that far in the retelling of the past already were they? Merlin must have skimmed a great chunk of details to get them to this point.

"Why you jumpin' ahead?" Ban voiced King's concerns. "Wern't we only at the part where we were kicking Hendi's ass?"

Merlin frowned lightly at Ban. "I thought it would be best to move ahead in the story. To the why we need them in the first place."

"I don't think that's a good idea," King protested right away.

Merlin gave him a levelheaded stare. She took a sip of her martini (never was much of a beer drinker). She sighed, "I had hoped to talk to you before this little gathering but it can't be helped."

King bit the inside of his cheek to keep from retorting. There had been plenty of time for her to try and find him. Admittedly, he's glad she hadn't given who he had been spending his time with, but that's besides the point. Was this the idea she wanted to explore earlier? King considered.

"Anyway, I decided with Escanor's help," said man smiled sheepishly, "that telling you all beforehand would be better than springing it on you later."

"What?" King, Ban and Elaine exclaimed.

"I don't know if that's the best idea, Lady Merlin," Elaine started cautiously. "There's still so much they don't know. Telling them the end would be too much in one go."

Ban and King nodded in agreeance.

"I beg to differ," Merlin shook her head. Her gold eyes shone with her own reluctance as she voiced her opposing opinion, "if we tell them now, they will have more time to process. To mentally prepare themselves for what they will see. For who they will face."

Her eyes lingered on Meliodas. King hoped the former demon didn't notice.

King frowned, "how long were you thinking about this?"

"Since this morning."

"Shouldn't you think it through a bit more?" King's grip tightened on his beer bottle. "This is a big decision and you shouldn't make it on your own."

"Yeah!" Ban scowled even as he agreed. "We're suppose to be a team aren't we?"

"I discussed this thoroughly with Escanor and then talked to Gowther as well," Merlin met Ban's gaze evenly. When she looked at King it wasn't near as long.

"What about us?" The Fox Sin shot back.

"We're discussing it right now, aren't we?" Her sly smile fell back into place. "Besides. Escanor's input was all I really needed to decide that this was the best course of action. He has all the information, just like we who were there, and is a reincarnation as well. His input was crucial in my decision."

"I.. I think that they need to know this next part," Escanor spoke up for the first time. All eyes turned to him and he began to fidget. "A-all things considered. We don't need to know what happened after we saved the Kingdom. But," he paused and took a deep breath. "Who we are fighting? That's important and they need to know."

King hated to admit it, but they were right.

Yes, their journey as a whole was important, but… they didn't need to know it to fight. Telling Meliodas, Elizabeth and Diane about the past was really just a delaying of the inevitable at this point. They would have to fight. It was the responsibility of King, Merlin, Ban and Gowther to see to it that they were prepared for the battle to come.

He sighed heavily and nodded.

Merlin gave him a grateful smile before turning to the rest of the group. She opened her mouth ready to explain but Ban cut her off.

"Everyone got enough to drink? This one is going to be a shit show," he followed up his statement by finishing his beer and grabbing another. Elaine shook her head besides him before taking a drink of her own. Everyone (minus Gowther) followed his lead.

"I'll help where I can," King offered as he finished off his own drink.

"We will too Merlin!" Elaine quickly agreed, ignoring Ban scowling next to her.

She took a deep breath. "Our opponents are..." Merlin paused (for dramatic effect, King was pretty sure).

"The Ten Commandments."

A/N: It's here! The reason our reincarnated peeps and the original gang are together! Bring on the backstory!... well, next chapter I mean XD haha This is the part of the story where I may or may not be diverging from the manga. Sure, some things will line up but obviously some things won't. So yes, I know this and knew it was a possibility when I started writing that things wouldn't be correct. It's a gamble you take when writing a future AU. Hopefully you guys will still enjoy the story anyways! I've had lots of fun writing these chapters and we still have a ways to go! So stick around! :)

Thank you to everyone who continues to read and leave reviews! I appreciate you guys so much!

Luv~