"Hey Nevaeh," Meliodas greeted cheerfully,lifting the child from her cradle. "Did you have a good nap?" The child yawned softly,resting her head on the dragon sin's shoulder.
"Mommy and daddy should be back soon, until then you can come with me to see Aunt Elizabeth, you'd like that wouldn't you?" He carried the girl from around the counter and across the empty tavern. Nevaeh glanced around and began to whimper.
"Shh, I know,you miss your parents. They had to go see Merlin so you can have enough of that stuff for your bottles. But don't worry,Uncle Mel's got you." The captain made his way to the tavern door and waited.
"She'll be here any second,then we can surprise her."they waited only a moment or two before the door opened and the princess stepped in. She smiled upon seeing them.
"Surprise." Meliodas said playfully waving Nevaeh's tiny hand in Elizabeth 's direction. Nevaeh laughed joyfully.
"Hello sweetie, good morning,Sir Meliodas." She greeted. The dragon sin offered the baby to the Princess.
"Thanks for coming in so early." Meliodas said with a grin.
"It's not a problem,I don't mind helping."
" that's great cause I'm babysitting and I can use a hand. Diane and King should be back before dark. They would've taken her, but she was asleep so I told them I'd watch her. They could use some time together anyway. "
"Yes, Nevaeh keeps them really busy. But They always seem so happy together."
" Yeah, and I can't say I've ever seen a happier baby,for the most part she 's just...joyful. They're doing great. " the captain agreed. "We have some time before we have to get things ready,it's a pretty good walk to get here,if you want to we can sit down for a bit." He gestured to the table and they soon found themselves seated across from each other.
Nevaeh cooed softly,reaching up,grabbing Elizabeth 's nose in her tiny hand. Elizabeth gasped playfully. "You found my nose." She chuckled.
"She loves pulling hair,so be careful." Meliodas warned.
"Isn't she the most precious thing you've ever seen?"
" Well, she's one of them. " The princess turned her attention to the sin who now seemed to be avoiding meeting her gaze.
"What's the-"
"I mean I've been around a while so...I've see seen a lot of things." He interrupted. He stood suddenly and made his way back to the counter.
"It's about time to make her a bottle,she'll be fussy if I don't get it ready." Silence filled the tavern as the dragon sin completed his task and returned to the table.
"Do you want to feed her?" He asked,offering the object to Elizabeth. Nevaeh grasped his sleeve.
"I think it's your turn."
" I guess. " Meliodas took the child in his arms,greeting her cheerfully.
"Hey there." He settled himself onto the chair,Nevaeh reached for the bottle placing a hand on it.
"That's right, you'll be holding it by yourself pretty soon, little one." Elizabeth sighed contentedly. She couldn't deny that she was impressed by what she was seeing. She was of course aware of his strength and skill during battle,but she couldn't have imagined that the sin of wrath could be as gentle as she saw now with the infant.
When Nevaeh had finished her bottle, Meliodas placed it on the table.
"You finished it, good job,Nevaeh." He praised. Nevaeh reached up,grabbing onto his chin.
"That's my chin." He said playfully., Nevaeh giggled pulling his head down. "Hey, give me my chin back." Elizabeth laughed.
"That's so sweet. I didn't know you were so good with children." She said.
"It's actually kind of new to me. I don't have a lot of experience with babies but she seems to think it's funny, so what can you do. I do what I can, I've never had a niece before, but I like being Uncle Mel. "
"I just love her so much." Elizabeth cooed.
"Yeah,it's pretty amazing, we were playing with her bear earlier and she was just having a ball. She loves it when the bear dances. Yesterday after you went home for the day, instead of the pillow,King transformed his spear into the bear and made it dance for her, that was something else. She loves that thing."
" It sounds like fun. " the princess smiled.
"If you want,you can stay tonight and maybe he'll do it again. You have to see how her eyes light up,she's adorable."
" a-As long as it's okay.. " she allowed her voice to trail off. Meliodas looked up at her.
"You don't need to wait for me to say it, You're welcome to stay here whenever you want to. As long as the sleeping arrangements don't bother you."
" n -not at all. Thank you, Sir Meliodas. "
"No need to thank me, everything feels -" He stopped ,Elizabeth tilted her head slightly.
"What is it?" Still the sin hesitated, he stood up with Nevaeh,holding her close.
"We should probably get started, I'll put Nevaeh down in her bed so she can play." He walked back to the counter, Elizabeth followed.
"Here you go little one," Meliodas said gently, leaning over to place the child in her cradle. Nevaeh whimpered softly,grabbing his shirt. "Come on,it's okay. I'm not leaving,I just have to- okay, you miss your parents and Daddy isn't here to cling to. Don't worry, Uncle Mel's got you."
" and Aunt Elizabeth is here too. " the princess said,stepping closer to Meliodas. She reached down,grabbing the bear from the cradle and raised it to the child's eye level, moving it side to side as if it were dancing.
"Don't be sad," she said, moving it closer to touch her cheek,making a soft kissing sound before pulling it away,earning a laugh.
"She loves it when the bear kisses her nose.' Meliodas grinned, watching Elizabeth take the advice and soon the child's laughter echoed through the tavern. Elizabeth and Meliodas chuckled. The princess glanced at the dragon sin,who briefly made eye contact with her.
"It's amazing isn't it, how joyful she is and it's strange that as we get older, we forget how to be this happy. It's like something inside starts to fade." Meliodas said.
"Nevaeh,I hope you never lose your happiness. we'll do everything we can to help you hold onto it for as long as you can." He carefully hugged his niece as she settled, Elizabeth joined in. Neither one noticed the tavern door open.
"Isn't this nice." Merlin said, stepping inside,followed by Diane and King who carried several bags.
"Hey, what're you doing back so soon?" The captain asked as Elizabeth released them, slightly embarrassed.
" I thought I'd come and check on the baby, I was on my way to bring those bags for her but I met King and Diane half way,so we started back." The dark haired woman replied. King set the bags in a nearby table.
"Mind if I hold her?" Merlin asked.
"That's fine with us." Diane said , taking her daughter from the captain and handing her to her friend. While the girls took a seat,cooing over the infant, King leaned against the bar with a sigh.
"Did everything go okay?" He asked.
" Yeah, it was fine. She slept a while. " the fairy nodded.
"Good. What about her-"
"She ate just a few minutes ago and played a little. She was as good as gold. She missed you guys though."
" Yeah...hey, thanks for looking after her.I'll take a couple extra shifts since you -"
"Don't worry about it. that's what Uncles and aunts are for. Elizabeth helped too."
" You want a drink? " King glanced over at the table where Diane was proudly sharing one of many stories about Nevaeh.
"A small one wouldn't hurt." Meliodas poured two glasses of ale and offered one to King,raising his own.
"To family." He said. King did the same.
'"may the bonds remain strong for all time. " the fairy added.
"How come I wasn't invited to this party?" Ban said ,appearing from the staircase.
"Come on over, have a drink." The blonde sin said offering the man a glass.
"By the way captain,what was going on with you and the princess?" King asked ,taking a sip. Ban smirked.
What'd I miss? "
"Nothing, we were playing with Nevaeh."
"Yeah, sure." King said .
"No really. That's as far as it went, I made a promise to stop doing certain things and I did. My word is my bond and I don't give it lightly...especially when it comes to my brothers."
"Strangely enough captain, I believe you." The fairy said sincerely.
"Must be the beer talkin '" Ban teased. Meliodas shook his head, there was never a dull moment in the Boar Hat Tavern.