Meliodas rolls the car to a stop. They sit in the car by a dark street; only a few street lights illuminating the road. He removes the keys from the ignition and sets them done into the cup holder next to him.
Elizabeth exhales softly through her nose. "What are we doing here?"
The blonde takes her hand as she tries to get out of the car. "It's a stake-out, of sorts," he tells her. "In a few minutes, there's gonna be a person coming out of one of these buildings. She has lavender looking hair and she has golden eyes."
She sighs, her eyes looking at the hand holding hers. "Okay. But why?"
"She knows we're here," he says. "And we need to follow her without arousing any suspicion. You can be quiet, can't you Princess?" He teases with a smirk. It causes her to blush and she takes her hand from his.
"Yes," she whispers, as if to prove his point. He chuckles, and mutters something along the lines of "good girl" and it makes Elizabeth feel... weird, to say the least.
Her lower belly starts feeling warmer at his words, but no matter how hard she tries to stop thinking about his words, she can't. As long as he's in the same car as her, she can't stop thinking about what he said.
Fuck! She curses in her head. Why now of all times for this to happen? More importantly, how can he make her feel like this? It's all so confusing! Meliodas goes from this cocky guy to one of the most considerate men in the world. And for what? What the fuck is the point of being so arrogant only to cover it up by showing kindness?
What is the benefit?
Elizabeth starts thinking about the events of the day. Going shopping with Diane was a treat, and that conversation she had with King was nice, she supposes. Though, it was pretty awkward when Meliodas walked in.
"He looked like he needed it," Elizabeth says out loud, recalling the event that happened about half an hour ago. Meliodas looks at her, one of his eyebrows arched. "The hug," Elizabeth adds, her blue eyes gazing into his emerald. "He looked like he really needed it."
"That's King for you," Meliodas comments. "He's been through some tough shit, but it's not my place to tell his life story," the blonde continues with a smile. Elizabeth smiles sadly. Everyone goes through tough shit in their life at some point, right? It's normal. But then again, Elizabeth has been through shit, too. Not everyone is willing to tell their whole life story.
She chuckles. "I guess I just feel bad," she says. "He told me stuff about his sister and how he really doesn't like Ban dating her."
Meliodas's smiles only widens at the information. "Yeah, him and Ban don't exactly get along, but they'll get better eventually." His eyes dart across her figure, then he places a hand on her shoulder. "What did I tell you about wearing more layers?"
"That I'll get sick," Elizabeth deadpans. "I don't think Diane got me any jackets when we went shopping, though."
Meliodas huffs a silent breath. He leans over to grab something from the backseat. When he sits himself properly once more, the blonde hands her a dark gray jacket with spaced out buttons from top to bottom along the slit of it. She shows her appreciation with a smile, and he grins back at her.
The silverette attempts to button it up all the way when she gets it on, but... her chest is sort of in the way. No matter. Most of her body is covered, so it's fine. Right?
Her gaze ends up going back into his own, and his green eyes shimmer with the street lights and the moonlight.
They stay quiet and for some reason, she can't seem to tear her gaze from his. His molten green eyes seem really genuine - for once there's no cockiness - his smile is replaced by his lips being slightly parted, and she just can't look away. Her silver hair falls over her shoulder as she leans ever so closer to the blonde in front of her.
He does the same, his eyes darting from her eyes to her lips. She tilts her head to the side, as if on auto pilot, and her blue eyes snap shut as she feels his breath hit her cheeks. Their noses just barely touch, and it sends a hot spark of electricity throughout her entire being. Her heart feels like it's about to burst out of her chest.
Their lips haven't even connected, and she can already feel how warm he is...
Her eyes snap open as she feels his hand hold hers. His green eyes are no longer on her face, but behind her. Meliodas flashes her a smirk, "She's out, Princess." The blonde lets go of her hand and proceeds to exit the vehicle. Elizabeth's ocean eyes follow his movements. She feels like an idiot.
What just happened between them just now? And why can't she stop feeling so warm all over? Why does shit like this keep happening?
Not wanting to waste anymore time, she gets out of the car, the cool breeze of the wind hitting her exposed skin. Elizabeth crosses her arms as if it would bring her any warmth to the exposed skin, and the soft clicking of her heels the only noise filling her ears. She follows Meliodas closely behind.
Elizabeth looks in front of her and she sees the woman Meliodas spoke of wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans. She walks pretty fast, but for what, Elizabeth can't tell. Elizabeth wants to ask where she's going - and where they're going - but she decides to not say anything. She's afraid it might be too awkward after what had just happened in his car.
Or... well, what didn't happen.
Was she really about to kiss him? What in the world is wrong with her? She's only known him for nearly a week! So... Why does she feel like this?
"Princess," he says, taking her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?" Her eyes meet his, and she only sees the concern in his molten emeralds. Elizabeth realizes he's walking backwards to look at her face-to-face. A blush rushes to her cheeks as she starts thinking about the moment they had in his car.
"Y-Yeah," the silverette stutters. "It's just a bit cold," she adds with a smile. Meliodas frowns, his eyes darting to her bosom. Of course.
"I told you to start wearing more layers." His tone sounded a bit... serious. It doesn't seem like him at all. But who was she to judge? For all she knows, he probably teases just about every woman he talks to.
He turns around and he gingerly chuckles. For some reason, the sound of his laugh sends a shock of warmth to her core. "Don't blame me if you get sick, Princess."
"Really?" Elizabeth chortles. "You're the one dragging me into the cold night, doing whatever the fuck it is you want me to do!" At this point, she doesn't know how to feel. She's angry, confused, all but happy right now. The nerve of this blonde!
Meliodas hums. "You're the one who agreed to help me, Princess," he counters in a sing-song-y tone. Elizabeth huffs a strong exhale, just wanting the night to be over. She wants nothing more than to just lay in bed and forget everything she knows about Meliodas. Why does he have to be so infuriating? It's all so weird; he shows her kindness, making her think she can actually trust him, then he goes all cocky and teases her! And for what? If he wants to have an actual good friendship with her, then he shouldn't be so fucking aggravating!
While Elizabeth thinks about how annoying Meliodas is, they near a dark alley way, the woman they were following disappeared into it. Meliodas reaches behind him to grab her hand, and she lets her other arm fall to her side. Meliodas drags her along with him, the darkness enveloping them both. Somehow, she can still see the bright color of his blonde hair.
His hand is warm on hers, and she feels her cheeks warm up again.
"This way," the woman says as Meliodas and Elizabeth near the woman as she points to a door. The three of them enter, the corridor they enter brighter than the outside. Why does this situation feel so familiar?
Meliodas doesn't let go of her hand until they enter a small room that appears to be an office of some sort. The woman sits at the desk and opens one of the drawers while Meliodas stands in front of Elizabeth. The woman pulls out a file with a thin stack of papers and pulls her hood down. Elizabeth widens her eyes at who she's looking at.
Her short lavender hair isn't picked up, her golden eyes look so piercing and fierce. She looks so mature... The last time Elizabeth saw this woman was before high school when her friendships with Howzer and Griamore were strong.
"Jericho...?" Elizabeth whispers. Jericho smiles widely at the silverette.
"You really remember me from all those years ago, El?" Elizabeth couldn't believe her eyes nor her ears. Her eyes weren't deceiving her, were they? Her voice had gotten deeper... She's turned into a wonderful young woman!
"Of course, I do, Jericho! You were my best friend; how could I forget you? How have you been?"
"Oh, I've been doing okay for myself," Jericho responds, waving her hand around as she sits back in the office chair. "Brother's still a pain in the ass, though," the lavender haired woman laughs. Elizabeth smiles. It reminds her of when she and Jericho would always hang out in middle school. Jericho always had these random bursts of energy, but it's what makes Jericho, well, Jericho.
Meliodas grabs the file from the desk and Jericho's eyes follow his movements. "Right, we're not here to have small talk," Jericho whispers to herself. "These files contain some info on one of the more well-known judges. Some people believe that he sells or trades drugs or something when he's not in court," she supplies them with information.
"The, uh, pictures in there were taken and processed two weeks ago." Meliodas nods and tucks the file between his arm and his hip. He turns around to look at Elizabeth in the eyes, and she freezes. His eyes are indecipherable, but she can't help but stare.
After a moment, Meliodas turns back to Jericho and gives her a little wave before he leaves the room. Elizabeth means to follow him, but Jericho stops her. The lavender haired woman had stood up from the desk when Elizabeth wasn't looking, and now she was holding the silverette by the wrist. "Jericho?" Elizabeth calls her name.
"I know it isn't my place to ask," she begins, "but what are you doing with him, Ellie?" Jericho's voice holds nothing but worry and concern. Her golden eyes seem distressed.
"What? Is there something I should be worried about, Jeri?"
Elizabeth's blue eyes dart across the other woman's features. Her expression goes from worried to tired. A small smile plays onto her lips. "No, it's nothing. I just worry about you," Jericho admits as she moves her hand from Elizabeth's wrist to her shoulder. "We should hang out sometime, okay? It'll be nice to catch up."
The silverette nods and gives Jericho a patient smile. Jericho smiles back and pats Elizabeth on the shoulder before returning to her desk. Elizabeth looks at Jericho one last time before she leaves the room.
What a small world, huh? Who would've thunk Elizabeth would see Jericho here - and providing Meliodas with information about the government of all people. At least she knows Jericho's doing well for herself after so long.
The silverette walks through the corridor and out the door she came through with Jericho and Meliodas. Already, she feels that same cold breeze hit her skin. She glances to her left and sees Meliodas's mop of wild blonde locks. She comes closer to him, and he flashes her a smile. "I thought you'd already be in the car by now," Elizabeth says as they start walking back to his car.
Meliodas chuckles as he puts his hand on the small of her back, making her slightly jolt. "I could have been in the car by now," he agrees, "but I couldn't risk you getting taken away. Do you know how late it is?" Maybe he has a point. There wasn't anyone walking on the sidewalks, and who knows who could be lurking around in the dark.
"No, not really," Elizabeth responds. "But I'll only guess it's later than I think it is." Meliodas hums, the hand on her back no longer there. He clutches the files Jericho provided in his hand.
"It's almost one in the morning, Princess," the blonde adduces. "Aren't you tired? You've been up since pretty early yesterday."
Elizabeth crosses her arms, once again craving heat. "Now that you mention it, yeah. I am pretty tired," she expresses with a yawn. The blonde next to her softly laughs, and it makes her lower belly feel warm again. Why does she keep feeling like this when he laughs or chuckles? Maybe it has something to do with how tired she is.
Meliodas softly exhales, his green eyes focused on the world in front of him. "After we look at these files, you can get some sleep, 'kay?" She nods her head when the blonde glances over to her.
A few minutes pass, and they finally reach the car. Elizabeth gets herself situated in the passenger's seat of his car, and Meliodas does the same in the driver's seat. He silently passes her the file, and she takes it. Meliodas starts the car.
She opens the folder, and drops it on her lap as she immediately recognizes the man in the first picture she sees. Her eyes are as wide as saucers, her heartbeat is through the roof, and she can't tell if she's hyperventilating or not. Are her eyes working properly? This... This can't be... Can it?
Then, a hand is on hers, and her gaze immediately locks with Meliodas's soft green. "Are you okay?" He delicately asks. Elizabeth slowly nods, her eyes darting back to the picture. "Th-That's... Mael." That silver-looking hair and those cold blue eyes...
"Oh, so you know him?"
"Yeah," Elizabeth says in a shaky breath. "He-He's one of the Archangels that abide by my father's wishes. One time, when I visited my father once while he was busy, I ran into Mael, and-" a short pause "-he couldn't take his eyes off me. I felt... weirded out and gross. Any other time I went to visit my father, Mael would go out of his way to greet me and he would kiss my knuckles and treat me like a princess..."
She cringes at the memories of the man being overly nice to her and showing her affection she wouldn't ever return. The blonde next to her hums as he rubs small circles on her hand, calming her down. "Doesn't sound like a guy who could take any hints," he comments.
Elizabeth laughs, "He really isn't. It was some time after I ended my relationship with my last boyfriend. I guess he thought I was just some prize to be won at a carnival, ready to be taken."
Meliodas takes the file from her and he skims through it. "Says here he was seen trading an unidentified drug... Does he seem like the type of person to do that?" Meliodas asks her, his eyes finding hers when he looks up.
Elizabeth shrugs, "I don't know. I never gave any time to get to know the guy. All I know is that he wasn't one to give up on something he wants, I guess."
He hums thoughtfully as he closes the folder and places it on the back seat. "We'll go back to the bar, and you can get some sleep. We can continue to look over the file in the morning."
Meliodas drives and it stays quiet. Elizabeth leans her head on the passenger's car door, closing her eyes to rest them. Maybe she should have taken a nap before she decided to head out with the leader of the Deadly Sins.
As they pull up into the alley way of the bar, Meliodas turns the car off. Elizabeth feels like all the energy in her body's been drained. She can barely keep her eyes open. She barely registered Meliodas's movements; he exited the car and now he's opening her passenger's side door. Elizabeth softly groans as Meliodas helps her get out of the car and stand up straight.
He softly closes the car door behind her, and she nearly falls but Meliodas catches her.
"Did you eat and drink like I told you to?" He asks. Elizabeth shakes her head, a blush of embarrassment creeping onto her cheeks. She forgot to get something to eat and drink water...
He wraps an arm around her waist as he helps and guides her through the building. Soon enough, Elizabeth is met with the sight of somewhat bright lights and multiple chairs and tables. They're back at the bar, and it's fairly empty. Her cerulean eyes scan the room and she doesn't see Diane, King, nor Ban. They might be sleeping, Elizabeth supposes.
Instead of taking her to her room like she expected him to, Meliodas sits her down on a couch she hadn't seen before. It's in the corner of the bar, yet in all the days she's been here, she hasn't seen this couch.
Maybe she just isn't as observant as she thinks she is.
The blonde sits down next to her, and Elizabeth is nothing but confused. She looks at him with furrowed brows when he looks at her. He chuckles, "Gotta make sure you actually fall asleep and get shut-eye, Princess," he answers, as if reading her thoughts. He sits back, his arms snaking around behind his head. Her close on themselves, her body wanting nothing more than some good sleep.
Elizabeth, for whatever reason, curls up next to Meliodas as nuzzles her face into his chest, enjoying the soft heartbeat she hears against his clothing. She feels him tense up for a moment before he wraps his arms around her. He pats her head softly and runs his fingers through her long silver hair.
A small smile finds Elizabeth's lips.
The blonde holding her hums, the vibration rumbling in his chest. He continues to run his fingers through her hair, "You keep opening up to me about little things, right Princess?" He asks, and she can only answer with a half-assed nod. "I guess it's my turn to open up too, huh..." He says, but it doesn't really sounds like a question.
"Alright, well," he sighs, "I'll tell you some things about my younger brother. He's about six or seven years younger than me. He's insanely stubborn and he'd always get himself in trouble," Meliodas softly chuckles. "I'd always be the one to get him out of whatever deep shit he would get himself into. Like once; when our parents took us to our grandparents' for dinner, he tore our grandma's favorite dress and you can't imagine how pissed she was."
He pauses for a short minute, the pace of his fingers in her hair slow. "I ended up taking the blame for him. As a result, I got grounded but Zeldris was happy. I guess that was really all that mattered to me; his happiness. I don't even know where he is right now. He doesn't talk to me. He just... got up and left one day. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss his dumb ass," he continues with a soft laugh.
"It's a shame, really. Zeldris is my only brother and I haven't talked to him in nearly six years. I wonder how his girlfriend, Gelda, is doing. If they're even together anymore, I guess," he continues to ramble.
Elizabeth takes the moment he isn't speaking to listen to his heartbeat and feels the steady rise and fall of his chest every time he inhales and exhales. "Tell me something about you," she tiredly says.
Meliodas exhales, and she can just hear the smile on his face. "Alright, Princess," he agrees. His fingers continue to run through her hair. "I'm twenty-eight, I started this gang eight years ago, Ban's my best friend, I can be... quite possessive of certain things at times," he reveals. What does he mean by possessive...?
A soft exhale leaves his nose. "You know," he adds, "I'm actually pretty glad you agreed to help me, Princess..."
But she won't know why he's glad; she's falling asleep and none of the nerves or muscles in her body are preventing the sleep from taking over her body.
{-}
It's dark, yet the soft grass she stands in seems so bright in her eyes. The small flowers that decorate the field are small and white; both daisies and white roses. Both of which are her favorite flowers.
Behind her, she hears the soft crunch of grasses being stepped on. She whips her head, her silver hair blowing against the wind with her sudden movements, and all that envelopes her vision is a man who seems to be a mere inch or two shorter than her. She can't make out his facial features, but she can see that the hair sitting on his head is messy, and clearly finger brushed, the cowlick on his head making him stick out like a sore thumb.
She smiles brightly, her eyes returning to the moon above her. It's bright, yet so pretty and beautiful. The man then stands beside her, taking her hand in his. The feeling of his rough hand feels nice and warm against her soft one.
His tender chuckle is the only sound that fills her eardrums, and she can't stop this familiar tingly warmth to attack her core. She turns to him, her ocean eyes trying find his, but... she can't see him.
Then, he leans closer to her and presses his lips to hers. She feels him roughly press his lips onto hers, yet the contact feels so... subtle. It's almost as if he's a ghost, incapable of holding something solid.
She finds herself kissing back, but the contact isn't as strong as she wants it to be. He snakes a hand to grasp her ass, and it causes her to gasp and fall, taking the man kissing her with her. He towers over her, a leg between her two own. Her eyes are blown wide, her pupils no doubt consuming most of her irises. She feels hot in every spot of her body.
The air in her lungs refuse to come out as he starts pressing kisses to her cheeks down to her jaw and neck. She writhes under his touch; hot and electrifying with each brush of his fingers on her milky skin. A small moan leaves her lips as he starts kissing and sucking on a patch of sensitive skin on her neck.
Her delicate fingers find their way into his hair, the hair soft. She feels him smirk against her skin. Regardless of the ghost-like contact, she can still feel the way he kisses her, the way he worships her like she's a goddess out of this world.
His kisses grow lower until his lips brush against the tops of her breasts. She finally breathes again, the air hastily escaping her lungs. He looks at her, but she still can't see his face, but she can identify a smug grin on his face.
Why does it seem so familiar?
He shoves his face into her bosom and she gasps loudly. Her fingers tug lightly at his hair, and it only makes him all that more determined to ravage her.
Resting her head on the grass under her, she closes her eyes. She feels the rise and fall of her own chest as he inches closer and closer to her wettening core. He slowly lifts the fabric covering her body, and she can hear the soft yet bold chuckle from him. His face inches closer to her sex, and her mind is running wild. She wants this, she really does.
There's a single swipe of his tongue on her wetness, and it causes her to shiver with anticipation and arousal. When she moves her head so she can look at him, her eyes snap open.
But he's not there anymore.
Instead, bright lights attack her eyes, causing her to shut them once again.
It was all a dream?
Her senses slowly come back to her, and she realizes she's laying on a warm body. Elizabeth slowly moves her head, the sound of a steady heartbeat filling her ear. She slowly gets up, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she opens her aqua orbs. Meliodas is fast asleep under her, his arms wrapped around her waist. Her legs are in-between his, and her blush only gets worse.
Had she slept on top of him all night?
She hears Meliodas snicker beneath her. "Good morning, Princess," he says, his voice hoarse. The grip he has on her only tightens and she falls back into the position she woke up in. The slow rise of his chest is all she feels besides the arms holding her.
"How long have you been awake?" She asks, her cheeks feeling like they're on fire. He runs his fingers through her hair like he did hours prior to this moment.
"Mm," the blonde hums. "Not too long. Just long enough to know your heart's beating just fine," he adds, and she can hear him smile even though she can't see his face.
Elizabeth's eyes go wide. Does he not hear himself? Why... Why would he say something like that?
Suddenly, she hears footsteps come closer. Her eyes instantly shut. Oh dear God... The Sins are starting to wake up, aren't they?! They're about to walk into the bar and see Elizabeth on top of Meliodas like this-
"Ooh!" Elizabeth hears a familiar feminine voice gush. "Ellie did the nasty with Boss!"
Another voice scoffs. "Diane, that's ridiculous. They're still wearing their clothes."
"They could have put their clothes back on, King!"
"No," King retorts. "Why would they put their clothes back on? Do you have any idea how much energy leaves you after sex? And why would they fuck on the couch where anyone could walk by and see them through the window?"
Elizabeth's entire body flushes at King and Diane's conversation. How could they just talk about something so... explicit and vulgar so freely like that?
She hears Meliodas scoff. "Can you two be quiet?" He speaks, a tone of irritation in his voice. "Elizabeth is trying to sleep. Why don't you two get Ban so he can cook us all some breakfast?"
"Yes, Boss," the two say simultaneously. Their footsteps retreat (likely to the kitchen or Ban's room) and a sigh of relief leaves the silverette's lips. Once she's sure both Diane and King are gone, she lifts her head up to meet Meliodas's eyes.
"Did I really sleep on top of you all night?" She implores. Elizabeth is sure her entire face is red from embarrassment.
The blonde nods. "And you slept pretty soundly, too," he comments. "Why don't you go shower and we'll all meet you back here for breakfast?" Meliodas suggests.
To be honest... A shower doesn't sound terrible. She feels a bit gross after wearing the same clothes and not changing before she had gone to sleep. Elizabeth nods, and she leaves Meliodas's warmth.
Is it bad to say that she misses the warmth?
Elizabeth doesn't spare him a glance as she gets up and starts making her way towards her room. She tries to go as fast as she can without making noise since Diane and King are probably waking Ban up. And surely Ban is in one of these rooms, right? He wasn't passed out on the bar like he was the day Elizabeth first got here. So, it's probably safe to assume Ban is in one of these rooms.
Just as she's about to enter her room, she hears voices coming from down the hall. Elizabeth hurriedly walks into her room and shuts it soundly behind her. Pressing her back to the door, a faint and soft exhale leaves her.
She wonders... What would she be doing right now if she had declined Meliodas's offer? What if she hadn't gone to the bar that one night? Or what if Meliodas had never even walked up to her in the first place?
Elizabeth supposes now wouldn't be the time to think about it; she already agreed to help.
Rubbing her eyes and brushing her bangs out of the way, Elizabeth stands straight and walks over to her closet to grab some clothes. As she opens the door to the closet, she hears buzzing. Her eyes immediately dart to her vanity, her phone in her vision. She walks to the vanity, her eyes squinting at the caller ID.
Margaret.
The silverette picks up the phone and answers. "Elizabeth?" Her older sister's soft voice says. "Where have you been? I've been calling you all day yesterday." Elizabeth sighs. Is there not a single soul that doesn't worry about Elizabeth of every second of every day?
"I'm fine, Margaret," she insists, holding the phone in between her shoulder and ear as she moves to her closet to grab clothes.
"Are you sure? You weren't at your apartment yesterday or the day before. You haven't been kidnapped or anything, have you?"
Elizabeth softly laughs. "Margaret, if that were the case, I wouldn't be talking to you on the phone, would I?"
A pause.
"No, I suppose not," her sister sighs. "I'm sorry; I just worry about you, Ellie. Especially after what Gil told me. He said you have a new boyfriend now?"
"Of course he did," Elizabeth deadpans. "Margaret, please, it's no big deal, okay? If I need you, I'll call you. Just please stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself." She hears her older sister sigh again. Elizabeth takes a plain white t-shirt and a pair gray shorts.
"Alright, Elizabeth. Oh! I almost forgot," Margaret says, "father is throwing a party - a masquerade ball, more like - and he would be happy if you attended."
A masquerade ball...? The silver haired woman really thinks about it. Maybe this could be an opportunity to get more information...
"Alright," Elizabeth ultimately agrees. "When is it?"
"It's a month from now. A few days before Christmas," her older sister answers. "I'm sure father will send you a message the day before."
Elizabeth smiles, clutching her clothes with her hand. "Thank you, Margaret. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Margaret hums before she hangs up. Elizabeth sets her phone down on her vanity where she had found it before she turns on the heels of her feet to turn and enter her bathroom. She sets down her clothes on the counter of the bathroom sink. A heavy exhale leaves her lips. She looks into the mirror, her ocean eyes staring back at her.
She's really doing this, huh?
Elizabeth is actually helping a group of criminals her father despises more than anything...