Ban made lunch for King and himself. Asking King while he cooked,
"Should I make something for sleeping beauty?"
"Who?"
"You're boyfriend~."
Ban said jovial, as he gave King a knowing smile.
King blushed.
"Helbram is not my boyfriend! He is my best friend and he'll probably just sleep 'till tomorrow. I wouldn't bother making him something unless he wakes up and asks for it."
"Alright if you say sooo~."
Ban had just finished making their lunch. King stared at it, licking his lips. He picked up the vegan wrap Ban had made and consumed it greedily. He hadn't had breakfast, and this was the first thing he had eaten all day.
Ban watched King gobble down his lunch, and as he bit into his sandwich, he questioned King,
"So, where are you taking me after you finish your meal?"
King swallowed the remainder of his meal and spoke,
"I want to find a certain shop in town. And I want to pick up some material to make a new outfit for Helbram since we had to cut off his shirt."
Ban took another bite of his sandwich, swallowed, and said,
"You want to take me shopping?"
"That's the plan."
"No way, I'm not going. Take Elizabeth instead."
King crossed his arms and pouted.
"You said you'd come with me Ban."
Ban bit into his sandwich again, speaking with his mouth full,
"I'm not going shopping with you. That's so girly and I don't wanna do it. Besides, I am not going into a clothing store waiting for you to pick something out for your boyfriend. I would rather be stabbed in the heart."
King summoned Chastiefol in spear mode and pointed it at Ban's heart. He scowled at him.
"I can arrange that if you'd like."
Ban just bit into his lunch, giving King a bring it on look.
Just then Elizabeth chimed in,
"Sir. King, I would love to go shopping with you. I can see how the townsfolk are and see how the repairs are going."
King glared at Ban, sighing as he turned Chastiefol back into a green pillow and hugged it.
"Alright Elizabeth let's go, I want to get back before it gets dark."
Elizabeth smiled as she ran over to King yelling out to Meliodas,
"Sir. Meliodas, I'll be back later."
Meliodas poked his head out from behind the bar and yelled back,
"Have a good time you two."
As the pair left the bar, Ban finished his sandwich. Meliodas asked him,
"How come you didn't go with King? You said you would."
"As I told him, I'm not going clothes shopping for his boyfriend. Besides, I just have this feeling that this idiot is going to wake up while he's out and he doesn't trust people. So if you went and checked on him, he'd probably just ignore you."
Meliodas gave him a questioning glance.
"What makes you say that?"
Ban shrugged.
"Just a hunch I have."
Helbram snuggled into the blanket as he opened his eyes. It smelled sweet like cloves. He curled himself into the blanket covering his entire body, only leaving the top of his head, and his eyes poking out.
What happened? How long was I out?... This blanket smells like Harlequin. I wonder if it's his?
He gazed at the doorway, lazily, as Ban appeared in it. He didn't notice him at first, he wasn't focusing on anything. He was just staring into space.
Ban looked at the bundle on the bed. He could see a pair of yellow eyes looking out. He approached the blob, asking,
"Hey, are you hungry?"
He didn't answer, he just looked at Ban lazily and blinked. Ban frowned in annoyance.
"Hey, Helbram. You awake or what?"
"Hmm?"
He pulled the blanket closer to himself as he finally focused on Ban.
"When did you get there?"
"You don't pay attention, do you?"
"Hmmm, not really... My head hurts."
Everything hurt, his body ached, his head was pounding, a slight ringing in his ears and his wings felt heavy on his back. Helbram didn't want to tell that to Ban.
Ban sighed heavily, concern overtook his face as he gazed at the blanket.
This guy is going to drive me to drink. I mean, I never needed a reason to drink before, but he's just so dense. I wonder if he has brain damage?
"Why are you looking at me like that? I don't like it."
Helbram mumbled into the blanket, and Ban put a hand to his ear.
"What did you say?"
Helbram huffed in annoyance.
I really don't like this guy.
"Where's Harlequin!?"
He yelled at Ban. His voice was muffled but Ban heard him.
Ban grinned at him as a devilish idea crossed his mind.
"King, your boyfriend...went out to get you some new clothes. What a truly wonderful boyfriend you got there. I hope he gets something you like~."
"That's nice."
Helbram replied in an uncaring tone as he curled up even more into the blanket.
Bans' smile fell, nothing he said bothered the fairy. He could tell that messing with Helbram wouldn't be as easy as it was to mess with King.
"You're no fun. Anyway, are you hungry?"
Ban emphasized the last part of his sentence, hoping the fairy would register what he said this time.
Helbram yawned and closed his eyes.
"No, just sleepy."
Helbram drifted into sleep again. Ban sighed heavily as he dragged his hands over eyes in annoyance.
King looked at Elizabeth, as they approached the town.
"Do you know where we can get clothing material?"
Elizabeth smiled warmly.
"I know there's a fabric shop on the northside of town. But why do you want fabric, Sir King?"
"I need some material to make a new outfit for Helbram. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to wear something that humans made. I figured I could make him an outfit."
"Oh, why is that Sir King? Does Sir Helbram not like people?"
Elizabeth questioned, King, sighed as a half-hearted smile crossed his lips.
"Well, it's a bit complicated. He did like humans, but then something really bad happened that caused him to hate them. I don't know if he likes them or not anymore, but I really want to do something for him and he knows I can sew. You see Elizabeth, I made my current outfit."
King pulled on the sides of his hood as a prideful smile crossed his lips.
"Pretty cool, right?"
Liz smiled.
"Yeah, it's amazing! I didn't know you could sew. I can see why you want to make something for your friend. You must know him very well then."
A light blush crossed King's face.
"Yeah, I guess."
They continued in silence for a while until Elizabeth asked,
"Um, Sir King can I ask you where you got that sunflower pin from? It's just... you've been wearing it ever since Sir Helbram has been at the tavern."
"Oh this, it's not a pin, it's a fairy charm… I guess it's a pin, but unlike a pin, it's made from a real sunflower and infused with magic. It'll never wither or rot. It's something I made for Helbram a long time ago."
"Oh my, your very talented Sir King. But if that's Sir Helbram's, why are you wearing it?"
King blushed again as he averted her gaze.
"I'm just keeping it safe for him is all."
He laughed nervously.
"That's so sweet Sir King. You're a wonderful friend."
Elizabeth praised him as they entered the fabric shop. They spent an hour inside the shop before heading out. Elizabeth asked where they were going next.
"I'm looking for a candy store called the Candied Apple. Any idea where it is?"
Elizabeth purcked up and turned to King. Joy overtook her.
"I know exactly where that shop is, it's not far from here! They have the best candies in the whole kingdom."
She grabbed King's hand, dragging him down the road. As she dragged King along she asked,
"Why do you want to go there, Sir King?"
He floated behind her as she pulled him along. He replied in a calm tone,
"No reason. I just heard they had good candy is all."
I don't want to tell Elizabeth that I also want to get some candies for Helbram.
"While we are there we could get something for Sir Helbram, I heard while he was a holy knight that he liked candy. I never encountered him but the other knights would often mention him and talk about how odd he was."
It was like she read his mind, but he didn't expect her to also know that Helbram liked sweets. He pouted as they approached the shop.
How many people know that he likes sweets? I wonder if Elizabeth heard what kind he likes?
Elizabeth stopped, King bumping into her, as she let go of his hand.
"We're here."
The outside of the shop was simple; it had a large glass window with a candy display in it. The shop sign hung above the wooden door. As they entered the building the smell of caramel and chocolate hit them like a galloping horse. The shop had all assortments of candies from taffy to chocolate strawberries; each shelf stocked with a different confection. The duo looked at the candies in awe, as the woman behind the counter greeted them. King had no idea what to pick the variety was crazy.
"Chocolate turtles, caramel toasted truffles, chocolate-dipped strawberries. I have no idea what to get Helbram."
King whispered to himself in a panic. As he gazed at the ground a blank expression overtook him.
Elizabeth, overhearing, went over to ask the woman at the counter,
"Excuse me?"
"What can I do for you?"
"Do you know what kind of sweets Sir Helbram had purchased?"
"Sir Helbram? Oh, you mean that holy knight. He didn't have a favorite if that's what you mean. He would just get one of our special mystery chocolate boxes and a pound of chocolate-covered sunflower seeds."
Elizabeth gave her a warm smile,
"We'll take that please, and a small box of chocolate-covered strawberries as well."
King was mumbling to himself as he kept looking between the different sweets. He was afraid that whatever he picked Helbram would hate and refuse to eat. Elizabeth gently grabbed onto his shoulder. He flinched in surprise as he looked at Elizabeth.
"I have no idea what to get."
"It's alright, I already got you the perfect thing. The saleswoman said that Sir Helbram favored what I picked out. He'll love it, Sir King."
King blushed as he waved his arms back and forth.
"I-I am not getting anything for Helbram. Its-its for Diane. Yeah, Diane."
Elizabeth chuckled at him.
"You know I heard you earlier. It's ok to get something for your friend, you know. "
King stopped flailing his arms and gave her an embarrassed smile.
"You heard that?... Well, I guess you're right."
The pair stared at each other for a minute, then the saleswoman addressed Elizabeth.
"You're all set, that'll be twenty gold pieces."
Elizabeth smiled as she paid the woman. The duo headed back to the tavern.
They had gotten back to the tavern right at opening time. As they entered, Diane greeted them happily.
"WELCOME~! to the Boars Hat Tavern. How can I, oh, King and Elizabeth, hi."
Elizabeth smiled as King stared in wonder at Diane. She was a giant so how was she so small? His mind raced as he addressed her.
"Diane, you're so...small? Why are you dressed like that? How come you left without me this morning? Did the capt-"
Diane placed her hands on her hips as she cut him off mid-sentence.
"What's wrong with my outfit? I think I look good in it."
She pulled down on the skirt as she curtsied, showing off the Boars Hat waitress uniform.
Elizabeth replied on Kings behalf,
"Oh, nothing is wrong with it Diane. You look great, I bet you're helping Sir. Meliodas."
Diane smiled at Elizabeth
"Yeah I am, after all, we're going to have people folk in here now that we're no longer criminals."
King cleared his throat loudly, Diane's attention returned to King. King asked her in a pained voice,
"Diane, how come you ditched me this morning?"
Diane frowned at him, crossing her arms.
"I left early to help the town, and besides, I thought you'd want to make sure your friend was okay. Didn't the captain give you my message?"
King shrunk, as he tapped his fingers together,
"Well he did but I went out anyway to find you and help."
Diane's eye set ablaze with anger, her hands meeting her hips again.
"What!? You should have stayed here to take care of your friend. I heard all about his injuries from Elizabeth, and he needed you more than I needed the extra help. What if he woke up while you were out looking for me?"
Ban yelled from behind the bar,
"He did wake up while King was out looking for you. Just fyi."
"What!?"
Diane was beyond angry when she heard this. She gazed intensely at King. King felt guilt wash over him. He shrunk down even more. He didn't know what to say, she was right. She didn't have to put Helbram's needs before her own, but she did it for him and he ignored her kindness. King's throat went dry as his mind screamed at him to apologize. He couldn't spit the words out. The most he could manage was taking out the box of chocolates he got for Helbram, handing it over to Diane. She gazed at it before taking it, her eyes never moving off King.
King could feel her eyes digging holes into him as he forced his voice forward,
"I'm sorry Diane! I should have stayed to watch over Helbram, but when I heard you left without me, I went out without thinking. By the time I realized I should have stayed, I was already lost in the town. I-I know that candy won't make it up to you but it's the most I can do."
Diane gazed at the box and then King, he was bowing so far that he was almost on the ground. She sighed with a mix of annoyance and defeat.
"Fine, I'll take it, but you better stay with your friend 'till he wakes up. Got it?"
King looked up at her nodding in agreement as he headed for the staircase. He yelled back,
"Thank you, Diane! And again I'm really, truly, sorry!"
Diane waved at him with her free hand. She pouted at the box as she opened it.
"He's lucky, I can't resist chocolate."
She popped a candy into her mouth, smiling in bliss.
King entered the room and sighed heavily,
Diane didn't kill me, that's good. But I did let her down. Ugh! Why am I so stupid? And why was she human-sized? She didn't answer me... I don't think that matters anymore.
He sat down on Chastiefol and looked toward the bed. He smiled, seeing that Helbram had curled up in the blanket and was resting peacefully. Then King pulled out the fabric he had bought and begun his project.