A/N: A grim hallow's eve it is today my readers. I have finally posted something by my mental deadline! Naturally, I was going to attempt a ghost story, but for today I have prepped and fluffy (and a tiny pinch of comedic) short tale for today. It will include apple bobbing, trick or treating and...Merlin's fantastical mystical maze~ *cue ghost noises*
But aside from that, I don't have much to say. A special thanks to you all for supporting this story and more or less just reading it :)
Have a happy Halloween!
D.L.D
Halloween
It was a festival humans took part in. Yeah, humans did it.
It was a silly thing, a joke of the grand celebration the demon race often held each year, but even so tonight Meliodas had found himself among the fools. That's right, the feared general of the demon race had been swayed to go and the explore the 'human interpretation' of a universal holiday.
But what in all of Britannia possessed him to come here? Oh yes, that pesky goddess...
Meliodas finds himself frowning, his brows furrowing as he surveys the mirthful scene displayed before him. It was a joyful scene, terribly out of place for a dreary October's eve and way too bright for his personal tastes.
People were bustling about, many of them smiling and beaming as they handed out varieties of treats and jumped out of corners to scare one another. Vendors and what looked a lot like mages were urging others to marvel at the surprises and wonders set up within their stalls. Bright lanterns were scattered about, bright and illuminating in the darkening autumn sky. A few carved pumpkins and gourds sat on doorsteps and fences, flickering candles lit within. There were even dark and eerie decorations hung from building to building in an attempt to boast of the amazing beauty of this mockery of a celebration.
A few children raced past the blonde, cheering and laughing as they clutched little baskets filled to the brim with treats. They were each dressed up as different types of creatures, all of them sporting a look that suggested it was out of fun rather than camouflage or delusion. None of the townspeople seemed to bat an eye at Meliodas. Odd. Usually they'd run away screaming, the dark mark on his forehead betraying his identity.
But tonight it was different.
Instead of screaming or running, they'd point at the mark and comment on how intricate and eye-catching it was. Instead of recognising his youthful face and the poker expression he wore, they took it as someone enjoying the festivities of the day.
Even more odd.
"Tada!" Elizabeth floats down with a flourish, grinning widely as she regards the blonde demon. Her two pairs of fluffy wings are concealed for the night, the goddess exchanging her usually bright and white attire for a black dress. A strange hat was tipped on her head, a pair of heeled boots completing her look.
Meliodas thinks it look silly, perhaps even a little childish, but soon realises that this was Elizabeth he was thinking about. Elizabeth who was always spontaneous and innocent; she was always willing to stoop down to the level of humans. Therefore he had to humor her. He had to go along with her little fancies and whims, knowing very well that she was just someone who loved to indulge in the mere trifles of others.
Plus...she did pull it off - even if he didn't think so at first.
"You didn't take me seriously at all, did you Meliodas?" The goddess frowns a little, shaking her head at the demon. She had thought that he would at least put some effort into fulfilling her request, but then again they hadn't known each other for too long. Elizabeth releases a gentle sigh. "And to think I said it very seriously."
"I thought you were joking," Meliodas defends, stuffing his hands into his pockets as more children run past. It wasn't like he cared, but hearing her sound so disappointed struck something. It made him feel a teeny tiny bit guilty.
However the guilt is soon wiped away when he spots Elizabeth smiling. She is watching after the children, the demon catching the way her eyes sparkle and she seems all aglow with excitement. The way she shifts a little, bites into her lip, suggests that Elizabeth wants to join them, already turning to go, but soon focuses all her attention upon Meliodas. The goddess had asked him to join her after all, so naturally her duty was to make sure he saw all the fun aspects of tonight.
"Well you look scary enough anyway," Elizabeth smiles, grabbing his hand and already leading him away. "I'm sure it won't ruin anything. Plus Merlin should be satisfied enough that you're here."
Puzzle pieces begin to click into place at that name: Merlin. That little mite still made his life hell, even after he saved her. She still lived to trick him, play with him and even get Elizabeth involved in her little schemes too.
"Oh so that's why I'm here," Meliodas raises a brow, now knowing that he can expect something interesting. "She has something planned, doesn't she?"
"Mhm, but first I'm going to show you a few things," Elizabeth nods, already guiding the demon towards the a doorstep. A few children were flocked about, chattering as they peered into full baskets and traded small pieces of candy and treats.
Meliodas internally groans, knowing that he would not at all enjoy this.
It was definitely going to be a long evening.
"Alright, hand it over," Meliodas stared at the two children, towering over someone for once.
The pair were dressed up as a flower and ghost, their costumes homemade but displaying their fervor for the season. They both carried two full baskets of treats, their grins and singing cut short when they had prompted the demon for a trick or treat.
That had resulted in Meliodas stating that he shall give them a trick.
"What?" Both children pale, shaking as they stare up at the foreboding demon. "Aren't you meant to trick us?"
"I'd rather take your candy," Meliodas answers, tendrils of darkness forming but not from around him. They're shaped like shadows, formless and intangible, and yet resemble that of a monster's silhouette. "All of it."
The baskets dropped.
Both children ended up running away, screaming as they abandoned their baskets and carried themselves away from the pint-sized threat. That left Meliodas with the easy task of picking up their haul, sifting through the treats, and adding it to the already huge pile he had stolen. All that was left was to smugly return to Elizabeth with said plunder. Then he could stop partaking in this joke of a holiday and still have time to get hammered in the demon realm.
The plan set in motion, Meliodas approached Elizabeth with his enormous haul. The goddess gapes, knowing all too well where it came from: all the crying children had come to her for protection.
"Meliodas..." Elizabeth stifles her giggles, a pink hue spreading over her face. "You can't scare them."
The goddess regards her companion with a fond amusement, knowing that he had entirely misunderstood what she had meant by 'trick or treat'. Instead of playing a simple trick on the children, he had gone to the lengths to steal their candy and proudly brandish it before her.
"I got more candy," Meliodas shrugs, passing the goddess the stolen basket. He wears a grin, knowing very well that he had done something wrong. "Isn't that the point? Plus everyone's happy this way."
"It's still wrong," Elizabeth sighs, guiltily accepting the basket. "We should return it."
The demon smirks at her words, knowing very well that it was her duty speaking more than her own desire. Meliodas knew that Elizabeth had found what he did funny; he knew that she wanted to keep the plunder he had so successfully stolen; and he knew that she didn't want to give it back. Therefore, he would help her accept what she wanted to do.
Turning to face the goddess, a sly grin forms as he reaches to take the basket back. "Well, if you don't want it I'll just - "
"Nope," Elizabeth shakes her head, flushing red as she hastily plucks it from his grasp. Both arms wrap around the basket, holding it close to her full chest. "Half of all shares go to me!"
The blonde could only laugh in response, Elizabeth rewarding him with a mouthful of candy to shut him up.
"This is called apple bobbing," Elizabeth gestures to the bucket filled with apples, smiling widely. "You try to get one of the apples with your teeth."
Meliodas felt his lips tug, a smirk playing on his features as he looked at the red fruits. Apple bobbing? That's child's play. Literally. Meliodas used to do something similar to this when he was trained as a child. His father and Chandler agreed that it would help to heighten his accuracy as well as ability to sword fight if both of his arms were out of commission. A worthy skill for a prince of darkness to own to be honest.
Therefore this challenge did not make him falter at all. In fact he easily dunked his face into the freezing water, swiftly resurfacing with a prize.
"You mean like this?" The words come out muffled, an apple stem caught between the demon's teeth. It wasn't as thick or tough as a sword handle, making it harder to grab, but ultimately it was easier to hold.
Elizabeth only gapes, her blue eyes widening as red tints her skin.
He - it - oh gods water and Meliodas definitely were a mind-numbing combination! It ran down the contours of his face, clinging to his darkened lashes and dripping down the seams of his neck. Droplets shone in the low light, catching the verdant greens of his eyes and the golden tint of his lashes. The water highlighted the youthful glow of his features, drew attention to his dazzling eyes and looked oh so satisfying running down his skin. They dampened his wild hair and gave it a sheeny appearance, contrasting with the apple he was still holding.
Elizabeth breathed in sharply as she spotted the water running over his chest, biting into her lip as a small 'eep' escaped.
It was bad to think these things - taboo. And yet she found her mind wondering, thinking, what it would be like if she'd dumped more water on him.
"Elizabeth..." Meliodas waves a hand before the goddess, a smirk growing as she only blinks in response. Oh he knew what she was thinking. She always got like this when certain thoughts or subjects popped up.
His grin growing, Meliodas went further into her personal space bubble. He paused inches away from her, close enough for the goddess to sense the dampness of his hair and skin. "You're not being impure, are you?"
The goddess reddens at his words, promptly turning away and coughing harshly.
"O-of course not!" Elizabeth stammers, her cheeks flaming as she attempts to calmly step away from the demon. It succeeds in making her wobble, the goddess' legs gone to jelly. "You're just really attra- amazing! You're very amazing at apple bobbing! Never seen anyone like it!"
The goddess covers her blunder with a wide smile, clasping her hands before her. Her brow twitches slightly, betraying her distress, but even so Meliodas hums in response. He then raises a brow, casually strolling past the bucket filled with apples. He smirks.
"Whoops, my hand slipped."
A splash of water then hit Elizabeth's face, soaking it and her dress. The goddess jumped backwards, yelping as the freezing liquid seeped through her dress and skin. She could feel the smugness radiating from the demon, could tell that this was his way of getting her back for ogling. Well she could feel that and the dark fabric that clung to her curves. She knew that it was highlighting the body shape of her form beneath. She knew it betrayed her rounded behind and full chest - but even so she would not be ashamed.
"Liar," Elizabeth huffs, puffing her cheeks.
Meliodas only laughs in response, taking a cocky bite into his apple.
The next event was a strange thing that Elizabeth called face paints. Apparently in Belialuin it was extremely common for people to get face paints during celebrations. Of course Meliodas knew of this, he knew of a lot of things, being a very experienced and worldly being, but even so he did not get the purpose of it. It was only painting your face to look like something for a few hours, ultimately proving yourself to be an easily-pacified fool.
And yet here he was, actually humoring such behaviour, as Elizabeth dragged him towards a line. Soon she was beaming at him and displaying her own face, her irresistible insolence on full display.
"See, isn't it adorable?" The goddess giggled, pointing to her changed face. Curling whiskers framed her cheeks, her nose painted into a bright shade of pink. "You should get one too!"
"Elizabeth..." Meliodas warned, a thunderous look forming beneath his strained features.
"Please, Meliodas?" She pulled out the puppy eyes. The damned puppy eyes.
The demon grimaced, knowing he was well and truly defeated whenever Elizabeth used that dreaded weapon. She could ask him to walk through fire, to do the most taboo thing, and he would. He would do it just to stop that look that made her appear like a kicked and abandoned puppy. All Elizabeth had to do was blink and pout and clasp her hands together and he was easily sold - too easily sold. But there was nothing Meliodas could do about it.
The blonde groused, grimacing as he sat himself down and let the vendor paint his face. It had been an odd experience, letting someone get into his personal space bubble and mess with his face - and Meliodas had to resist reacting in a hostile many times - but ultimately it was kinda fun. The odd sensation of the brush, the light dabbing motion of the sponge - those stuff kinda relaxed him a bit. It made it easy for the demon to sink into his thoughts and actually act like a child, or someone carefree.
But soon that moment was over and Elizabeth was grinning.
"It looks amazing!" The goddess' eyes sparkled as she looked at the demon, "Very fitting."
Meliodas raised a brow, surveying the damage done to his mug. On his left side, a dragon climbed up from his cheek to his brow. It was dark and intricate, lacking the colourful and vibrant display of other designs. Like Meliodas himself it was mysterious, guarded and feared - it didn't see the world through whimsical and rose-paned glasses. Plus it was a creature that was feared, revered, and had the power to protect or destroy.
Humming appreciatively, Meliodas nodded.
"You like it," Elizabeth nudged him, a sly smirk growing on her innocent features. "Admit it."
"It's not bad," Meliodas responds coolly, turning away to hide the tugs of another smile.
He knew that was a lie: he had always liked dragons. But Elizabeth didn't need to know that.
"Finally!"
Merlin huffs, rolling her eyes as she spots the face-painted and candy-carrying pair. She had been waiting for them to arrive for a while, her mystical maze gaining quite the attention in town. Elizabeth and Meliodas were meant to be the first ones to test it out, but thanks to their procrastinating they were now one of the last few customers to go through. That was something Merlin did not appreciate, in fact she made it clear from her frown.
"Sorry we're late Merlin," Elizabeth flashed a small sheepish grin, offering a basket to the girl. "We brought candy~"
The girl raises a brow at the offer, hurriedly taking the basket and sifting through the contents. She unwraps a lollipop, sticking it into her mouth as she stares narrowly at the pair.
"Still not good enough, big sis-sis," Merlin tsks, turning on her heel and leading the goddess and demon towards her maze. She paused before the hedges, pointing into the misty and darkened entrance cut between the plants. "However you can make it up to me by going through here."
Both the goddess and demon shared at look at that, the pair aware of Merlin's scheming in and mischievous nature. She was always thinking of little plots and schemes - pranks especially being a favourite past time of the little minx - and so both adults knew that Merlin had something hidden in that misty maze. Although they knew that Merlin would never hurt them, nor intend to kill them, the thought of what could be in that maze still irked Elizabeth and Meliodas.
It unsettled them greatly, and it showed in Elizabeth's hesitance.
"So?" Merlin raises a brow, tiny hands planted on her hips. "What's it gonna be? Upset your beloved Merlin or brave her mystical maze!"
Meliodas rolls his eyes at the kid's theatrics, knowing that she was playing on guilt-tripping Elizabeth. He knew her too well to know that Merlin was not using a surefire method to drag them through the maze.
Therefore he knew the smart answer to her question.
"Alright, we'll go," Meliodas answers, pairing Merlin's expectant look with an easy grin. "But I bet it's not even that scary."
"You'll just have to wait and see," Merlin counters, a catlike grin growing as she stares at the blonde.
Meliodas nods, easily pushing Elizabeth towards the misty gap in the hedges. She seems pale, shaking, biting into her lip as her legs shakily stepped towards the steaming mist that curled from the emerald arch. Echoed and distant sounds were already radiating from the gap, all of them exaggerated and obviously fake, and yet Elizabeth stiffened and squeaked as her hesitation grew greater and her fight or flight mode kicked in.
"There's nothing bad in there, right?" Elizabeth asks, her voice nervous as she points towards the maze.
"Just some ghouls and undead people," Merlin answered, already pushing the pair through the gap. "Be careful not to let them touch you! Enjoy the maze!"
Before either could turn back, the gap sealed up. More mist poured into maze, cold and intangible like fear itself. The temperature dropped, the dark night sky leaving the goddess and demon enshrouded within a cage of darkness. All was still, silent, the atmosphere filled with nothing but the static silence of the fog and twisting maze. Not a sound rang out into the Halloween air, not even a crow dared to sing out.
All was silent.
Elizabeth frowned, goosebumps rising on her skin as the mist kissed it. She felt alone, enshrouded, the dark emptiness of the maze doing nothing to calm her racing and pounding heart. The hairs rose on the back of her neck, suspended by her perpetual suspense. She could feel fingers tracing up her spine, locking onto her shoulders, before resting on her neck. They felt warm, rough, much unlike other hands she had ever felt before.
Elizabeth shivered, not at all liking the feeling of these hands. But then, when she was about to shake them off, a voice whispered into her ear, low and rough like gravel tracing over an iron sword.
"I'm going to devour you whole."
"Aah!"
Elizabeth jumps, her spine straightening instantly as she bumps into Meliodas. Her skin pales slightly and her blue eyes are wide, her mouth gaping like a fish out of water. Her heart is pounded, banging against her rib cage, and she can feel the shame already flooding into her system.
Meliodas laughs, amused by the success of his little scare. In that single act, he had reduced Elizabeth to a frozen, gaping mess, the look of terror on her pretty features being the complete highlight of the evening.
"I guess you were right, this was pretty fun," Meliodas chuckles, a genuine grin forming on his features as Elizabeth flushes, embarrassed.
"I-it's not funny!" Elizabeth reddens, folding her arms over her chest. "I thought you were a vampire."
"You should've seen the look on your face," Meliodas continues, his laughter not at all dying. Not even at the goddess' small glare.
Elizabeth frowns a little, not at all amused. But soon they're both laughing, walking through the maze and pointing out how impressive it was (even when they did get scared). And looking at her smile, Elizabeth's bright and wide smile, Meliodas couldn't help but feel his heart warm. He couldn't help but feel the familiar - but not annoying - tugs of a grin at his own lips. He couldn't help but find himself having fun.
So yeah, maybe - only maybe - humans had the right idea with this Halloween thing. But Meliodas won't say it out loud.
