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Meliodas hated being laid up in bed like this. He hated being still, injured and the misplaced sympathy the others displayed towards him. Right now, the thing he hated the most, was how Merlin was whispering with Elizabeth and Ban, out of range for him to hear. Because he knew they were talking about him. They were worried about how he was going to react to whatever they eventually would have to tell him, and he hated the concern he could see on Elizabeth's face.

The term "hate", was one he hadn't used in a long time. For many years, the concept of "hating" was reserved for war, loss, and himself.

He guessed what he felt right now was a kind of like loss. The loss of the ability to walk and feeling below his waist. It was as if the connection between his legs and his will to move them was completely severed. As if there never was a connection at all.

With a strangely numb hand, he pushed his duvet off his feet and stared intently at the useless limbs, urging them to move. There wasn't so much as a quiver. His toes wouldn't curl, no matter how hard he tried to send the right signals to them. All that was left was an incessant chill that wouldn't go away no matter how many woolen socks and blankets they threw over him.

The inability to transform into his demon form and heal actually didn't bother him. He had never missed that part of him when he'd lost it before (and then there was that thing about hate again). During that period of time, he had to heal the natural way just like any other deadly being. If he had done it before, there really weren't many good reasons why he shouldn't be able to to it again.

No, what really bothered him, was the excruciating pain he had felt when Elizabeth had laid her hands on him, spreading her beautiful healing aura through his body. A sensation that used to fill him with heat and comfort that could only be out-matched by sex, had turned into the feeling of a thousand swords being stabbed into his back, twisted and then the wounds rubbed with salt. Even now, the simple touch of her fingertips gave out small painful jolts of electric shocks every time she touched him.

He wouldn't tell her though; that her compassionate aid only pained him further.

Even if she was still unaware of it, he had caused her so much pain through their countless years together. He wasn't sure how he would be able to live with himself if he hurt her. The only reason he had for living, was to protect her.

...all though, now he was starting to worry that he couldn't do that anymore.

As selfish as it might be, she was the most important thing he had, and he was terrified of losing her again like he had so many times before. Yet, a part of him wondered if she would have been better off without him.

Of course, she would. Maybe, if he would just stay clear of her, she would be allowed to live her life happily and safely. Then, she could die of old age after a long, peaceful life, and stop this endless cycle of dying because he failed to defend her once again.

"Meliodas?"

The soft voice broke him out of his destructive thought-pattern. He forced a deep frown away and tried his best to smile at the silver-haired girl.

She walked with hesitant steps towards his bed. "How are you feeling?"

Meliodas could see the mournful shimmer in her cerulean gaze, and it hurt even worse than the neuropathic pain radiating through his back and legs.

"I feel fine," he said easily, suppressing the need to wince by the shift below him as Elizabeth took a seat on the edge of the bed and leaned over him. A small delicate hand hovered inches away from his forehead.

The anticipation of another jolt made Meliodas flinch.

He only realized what he had done when her slender fingers paused in the air, dropping back to her side. Her silvery hair obscured her mesmerizing features as she hung her head with sparkling drops leaving dark spots on her skirt.

"I'm sorry," she whispered shamefully and gathered her hands in her lap. Meliodas was still too stunned to speak. Had he actually recoiled away from her?

However, before he could reassure her, Ban stepped closer and ruffled his yellow locks.

"Don't worry about it Cap'n."

"We were just talking," Merlin stated calmly. She had her hands crossed, lingering in the doorway without looking at them.

It wasn't like her, Meliodas thought; to shy away from him like that. Whatever they had been conversing about must be serious.

The tall woman took a deep, steadying breath, finally turning towards him. "Whatever happened back then, the injuries that imbecile inflicted on you, is probably not solely what has caused your current condition."

"And what is my current condition, exactly?" Meliodas urged, worming his hand towards the princess', ignoring the starts emitting from her hand that made his own twitch involuntarily. Elizabeth cast a surprised glance down at their entangled fingers, but Meliodas held on tighter, forcing his hand to stop shaking.

"Well, from what we could gather from our limited resources, as well as the doctor's assessments, it seems like your spinal cord is severely damaged from the sword wounds. That's why you can't move or feel your legs."

Meliodas looked confused. As if he hadn't understood a word she had just said.

The mage sighed. "You're paralyzed, Meliodas. And you're not healing, so it seems like we actually have to deal with this." Her tone was agitated, wanting a reaction from the short knucklehead. Something to assure her that he actually understood the gravity of the situation.

Her words finally prompted Elizabeth to shed her tears, having tried her best to keep it in and not break down. Ban lingered uncomfortably at her side.

"Huh," Meliodas finally muttered numbly, lowering his head. His gaze fell over the limp legs sprawled uselessly out in front of him.

It wasn't like he didn't already know- kinda. Not having any feeling in one's legs, except the shooting pain your brain tells you that you're experiencing, didn't really sound like a good prognosis. There was just something about it being said out loud. It seemed… not real.

"Say something, please," Elizabeth sniffled, letting her hand part from his. She cooped his face, ignoring how his eyebrows seized from the contact.

"I, uh… Is there anything we can do about it?" The demon shifted to separate from the touch that seemed to grow more powerful as Elizabeth's concern grew. Her capabilities spiked considerably when she got upset; he guessed it was her losing control

"We need to figure out what caused your powers to vanish and your body to reject Elizabeth's. I will start working on that but in the meantime, there are several medical options that might help if-" she paused, finding her next words difficult to voice. "-if… this unfortunate change is permanent."

The grave faces peering down at Meliodas made it squirm nauseatingly in his stomach. Why did they have to look at him like that? Despite what he looked like, he wasn't a child.

"That's good. I appreciate your help with that, Merlin. What are the other options?"

"Treatment," she stated plainly. "Surgeries and rehabilitation."

"So, that might cure it?" Meliodas asked hopefully.

Merlin's self-assured demeanor cracked sightly at his hopeful words. She cherished her knowledge greatly, but sometimes, she hated being the one with the answers. "Well, n-no… It's more complicated than that, you see. Treatment can alleviate your symptoms, like your pain levels. There's no guarantee that you'll ever be able to actually walk again."

Meliodas didn't say anything. Rich sage-colored eyes stared attentively back at her, an empty smile hanging onto his lips like a child to its comforter.

Sensing the storm awakening in his old friend, Ban brushed his shoulder with a careful fist. "But if anyone can do it, it's you, Cap'n! You've fought every race from demons to pansy-ass twig-lovers. You'll be back on yer feet in no time!" Meliodas turned his attention to him. "Right?" Ban prodded, grinning broadly.

"Right." The crescent-eyed smile Meliodas wore didn't quite reach his eyes.

The rest of the sins didn't bother Elizabeth and Meliodas for the rest of the day. When Merlin and Ban returned to the main floor and told them about Meliodas' condition, a heavy atmosphere had settled over the room like a thick mist. Feet were dragging, heads lowered, the air felt heavy, and no candles seemed to be able to illuminate through the darkness around them.

Hawk kept trying to lure upstairs to settle onto the foot end of Meliodas' bed like he sometimes was allowed to do after an upsetting mission, but Merlin kept stepping in front of him.

"We should give them some time to deal with this by themselves. I think Meliodas needs some time to process this."

The pig went sulking to Diane instead, burying his snoot into Chastifoil between the shrunken giantess and the fairy king, bawling into the soft fabric.

Ban had isolated himself in the kitchen, only allowing Elane to accompany him. It was well into the evening, so Escanore's night form had retreated to his bedroom to write poetry. It was only her and Gowther left.

The doll-boy was seated at one of the tables, a mug of Vanja ale placed in front of him. He eyed the beverage assessingly.

"Merlin?" he called suddenly. "Is this an occasion of which one would drink one's sorrows away?"

The mage smiled faintly, strolling over to him and taking a seat. "Most people don't need a special occasion for that," she answered him humourlessly. The pink-haired cocked his head and hummed thoughtfully.

"But yes, I guess one would," she agreed.

"Very well. Then I guess that is what I shall do." He took a big gulp and stifled a couple of coughs as he slammed the jug back down, as he had observed their patrons do. Merlin smirked and got back up, moving towards the bar.

"You know Gowther, I think I shall too."

"What are you thinking?"

Meliodas turned his head to peer back at the girl on the other side of the bed. She was resting on her side, hypochromic eyes appraising him thoughtfully.

"That you are the most beautiful woman that I've ever seen," he drawled sleepily.

"That's not what I meant," Elizabeth inquired sternly, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. Again, he was unable to repress the shudder as the sparks of her powers prickled at his skin.

"And why do you keep doing that?" Elizabeth sat up, clearly upset. Instinctively, Meliodas tried to follow her but his back protested wildly and he was left withering in pain. An involuntary gasp broke away from him as a spasm of agony wrecked its way through his body. He was left panting and grasping at the sheets.

"M-Meliodas?" Elizabeth sputtered worriedly, fluttering over him while he tried to breathe his way through the fit of pain. When she didn't get an answer out of him, her hands went to his arms- for what was meant to be a reassuring gesture. The effect turned out to be quite the opposite.

"G-get away from me," he forced out between clenched teeth, trying to wiggle away from the growingly electric touch. It was easier said than done when half of his body was unresponsive except for the blindingly agonizing pain.

"What?" she stuttered, unsure if she had heard him correctly.

"Get away!" Meliodas bellowed, ripping his arms away from her grasp and barely being able to keep himself from pushing her away. Instead, she backed off, wide-eyed and aghast. Ragged breaths ripped through Meliodas' lungs as jolts of pure torture ran through the nerves along his backbone and made his body contract.

The fit only lasted for a couple of seconds, but to Elizabeth, it felt like an eternity. Watching her lover convulsing in pain from her touch.

"I-it's me, isn't it?" she realized subsequently, as his breathing seemed to slow down. "I did that to you. I hurt you, don't I?" The goddess backed away until her back hit the wall, watching her hands in awe.

"No," came weakly from the finally still form in the bed.

"Don't lie to me, Meliodas!" Her words came out harsher than they were supposed to, but she needed to know, right now!

"No, Elizabeth. You don't hurt me," his voice was barely above a whisper. She could tell he was tired, and from the amount of pain he sounded to be in indicated that it was time for his medicine.

"Then why do you keep cowering away from me?" she begged desperately, crawling back onto their bed but careful not to touch him.

"It's not you, it's… it's your powers. They still hurt when they're active. It's not your fault, please… don't be upset." Meliodas' hand crept closer to her leg- without actually touching, she noticed anxiously. It just lingered there, as if he was afraid to actually make contact.

"I didn't realize they were active," she mused in horror. "I'm not sure if I can control that yet." Her hands clenched together, resting at her knees. Eyes closed, she tried to concentrate her energy away from her palms; she wasn't sure where to situate it, but as far away from her hands as possible. She visualized internally the stream of golden warmth in her body, placing it here and there, anywhere but in her hands.

When she opened her eyes back up, she reached out towards her lover once more, fingers brushing gently over his wrist.

Expecively, she awaited his reaction. There was none.

"Is… is it any better?"

Meliodas just smiled tiredly and looked up at her. "Yes," he answered affectionately, draping his fingers over her wrist, brushing his thumb across her palm.

Elizabeth sighed in relief, lowering herself and melting into his petite body, brushing loving kisses against his sun-kissed skin.

It felt like needles puncturing his surface. But having the love of his life recoil from him (the way he had cruelly recoiled from her) surpassed any pain he could imagine ever feeling.