The door to her dorm room is being opened. It has her on high alert - it's either Diane coming back from the bar or it's Meliodas Vayne and his stubborn want to help her.
She scoffs as the door snaps closed. She doesn't need help. She can take care of herself just fine! Elizabeth Liones was not some helpless damsel in distress. Elizabeth could handle anything the world throws at her - being drunk and suffering a hangover the morning after was not a huge obstacle.
Meliodas reveals himself, shaking off his thick jacket. Their gazes meet in the dark of her dorm - since she didn't bother to turn the lights on when she came in after Ban left her - though she can somehow see the bright green of his eyes.
"You look like you've seen better days," he comments slyly.
"And you look stupid." Her words are still slurred, although she is somehow comprehensible.
He tsks. She can't seem to take her eyes off him, watching him stride to the couch in a few steps. "That's not what you seemed to think on our call just now, Elizabeth. Let's see, what was it that you said? Ohh, yeah - stupidly cute, huh?"
She pouts and crosses her arms, turning her body away from his on the couch. The sofa slightly with his weight as he sits next to her. Her skin is flushed and hot - so much for complaining about the lack of a heater…
"Leave me alone," she says.
"No can do. You're drunk and you might hurt yourself." His words and his tone sound sincere and genuine, but something deep down inside of Elizabeth tells her she can't trust him. Or maybe it's just her stubborn, drunk nature telling her she can handle herself while she's drunk. "How did you get home?"
"Ban drove me." Her answer is short and chipped, and she's sure she didn't sound as harsh as she wanted to.
He hums in response, not another word leaving his mouth.
Her gaze hardens though she makes no effort to look at him. "You should go," Elizabeth whispers. "Diane will come back and she won't be happy to see you here."
Meliodas makes a confused sound in his throat. "Ellie, it's almost midnight and you just got back from the bar. If she wasn't the one to drop you off, I doubt she would be coming back tonight. Now, can you tell me if you drank water and grabbed something to eat to sober up a little?" He doesn't move from his spot on the couch and she is grateful. She might flip her shit if he does so much as even graze a stray lock of hair on her head.
"I drank water. I didn't eat." Her tone is tired, exhausted, and she is hating everything about her situation. Meliodas just had to call her, Meliodas just had to come over. Why didn't she lock the door?
The blonde man sitting next to her sighs softly. "Ellie. Could you at least look at me?"
"Why?" Her question comes out harshly - more harsh than she intended. "I told you before, Meliodas; I don't want to see you, drunk or sober."
She can hear each intake and exhale of his breath. "Okay. Why? Is there absolutely nothing I can do to earn your forgiveness?" Has he no idea that he'd been acting like a complete child? That he ignores the things she tried to tell him during their tutoring lessons? He begged and begged for her help - yet it feels like he hadn't fully accepted it!
As she processes his words though, a giggle escapes her. Meliodas makes another confused sound. The way he's talking about it, about how she declined helping him any longer, it does seem like he's talking about some break up. Curse Diane and her stupid, funny jokes.
"You…" Elizabeth starts, biting her gin-flavored lip. "I just feel like you're not serious. I mean–" she finally turns to him, her eyes watery and glossy and her nose burns as if she might cry "–at the cafe, it seemed like you just didn't care about what I was trying to show you. And—And the first time you came over, you kept looking off into space like you would rather be anywhere else. Am… am I that boring? Or did you want to waste my time?"
His eyes search hers for some sort of answer. Or maybe he wasn't looking for an answer– but he was definitely searching for something. Elizabeth can't say she isn't curious, but damn it all if she finds herself asking.
The corners of his lips twitch upward to form a small grin. Her breath stutters in her chest, not because he's grinning, but because she's trying so damn hard not to cry. There's nothing to even cry about - but being drunk and having the source of her frustration sit right in front of her was not a good combination.
"Elizabeth, I'm sorry," he says. "You aren't boring, and I'm sorry if I come off as not serious or if I made it seem like I wanted to fuck around with you and waste your time. It's just… school wasn't ever something I've been that interested in. I'm glad you decided to help me, even if I was being an asshole about it, and I'd be happy if you could tutor me again."
A tear rolls down her cheek. It feels hot against her already warm skin and she quickly reaches a hand up to her face to wipe away her sorrow. "I—I don't know," she admits. "How will I know you won't do the same thing again?"
"I promise—" he holds out his left pinky finger "—I won't make the same mistake again."
She gazes down at the finger he holds out to her. Her heart stops beating against her ribcage for a moment - was he serious? Elizabeth cracks a grin - this was the sort of thing little kids do when they're in grade school. Were pinky promises something he did often when he was a child? It was something she did from time to time with her sisters - those silly little promises long forgotten.
"Are you five?" Elizabeth giggles.
"Hey, I'm being serious," he retorts with a short huff. "How could I make it up to you if you think my promises are stupid?"
"Sorry, sorry." She reaches her left hand up, linking her pinky with his, sealing his promise to her. "I'm… I'm sorry, too. I feel like I might have taken things out of proportion."
Meliodas drops their hands, shifting his forearm to rest on his lap. "No it's okay. I deserved it; I was being an ass to you and your time. And uh… another thing you said, Ellie," he then smirks at her, "you - and correct me if I'm wrong - don't care how big my dick is. What's that all about, huh?"
Her blush worsens and she blames it on the alcohol in her system. She looks away in embarrassment, her palms suddenly becoming sweaty. The nerve to tease her in the comfort of her small home! And while she's drunk no less.
"Nothing," she argues, unable to meet his gaze again. "Meliodas you should go," she repeats. "I can take care of myself and I'm sure there's some girl waiting for you in your bed. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to change and go to sleep."
As she keeps her body turned away from his, she shifts, her legs aching as she stands from the couch. Her breathing is heavy, almost as if she ran throughout the entirety of a football field without stopping once. Elizabeth loses her balance, gasping with a short intake of air, and she expects to feel pain as she topples to the floor.
But it isn't so when she feels arms quickly encircling her waist. She's pulled back into a warm body and her blush worsens. Oh, how embarrassing… she just said she doesn't need help, yet here she is practically unable to walk!
"Elizabeth, I can't leave," Meliodas sighs. He helps her sit back down on the couch, though he doesn't sit next to her again like she thought he would. She finally diverts her eyes to his once more and meets his concerned gaze. "You could barely stand on your own just now."
"Oh, what do you care," she cries out. Her head falls back and she closes her eyes. "There's something else you want, isn't there…?" She still stammers. "Tutoring lessons can't be the only thing you want from me. You and your… stupid, God forsaken, handsome face—I hate you. I hate you, Meliodas Vayne…"
Meliodas only chuckles - although she doesn't dare open her eyes. Was she truly speaking her mind? Hate is a strong word… but God, did she really think he was handsome? Maybe a little. "You can hate me all you want, Ellie, but you admitted to thinkin' I'm cute," he teases, a slight uptilt in his voice. She squeezes her eyes shut even tighter at his tone. "There's nothing else I want. I just need help with my classes. No ulterior motives, I swear."
"Just leave!" Elizabeth repeats again, throwing an arm over her eyes, and she hiccups again. "Go tell the world I'm in love with Mael! Besides - surely you've got someone waiting for you, someplace, in your house…"
His exhale is loud but only to her ears. He still stands before her, and she wonders if he's crossing his arms or putting his hands on his hips like some sort of angry and upset mother. Another laugh escapes her - the thought of Meliodas being a mother puts a funny image in her head.
"Ellie," he says her nickname softly. "I'm not going to blackmail you over some silly crush. And there's no one waiting for me. Not a single girl - not even my roommates. So can you please just let me help you?"
"Why. Why do you want to help me so badly?" She questions. "Are you trying to take advantage of me? I bet you think this is funny; Elizabeth Liones drinking until she's left vulnerable and - and—"
"Jesus Christ, Elizabeth," Meliodas cuts her off. "Have you so little faith in me? I told you before I don't plan to get into your pants. And even if I wanted to, I wouldn't do it while you're like this."
The silverette snorts. Allowing her arm to fall back to her side, she exhales and opens her eyes timidly. "Gentleman," she jokes, sarcasm lacing the word that left her mouth. Some part of her feels bad for making him come over, even if she hadn't asked him to. Though at the same time, Ban's words from earlier echo in her mind - Meliodas drank himself to sleep. And it had been her fault. She was the reason he drank - and she didn't quite understand (she understands it even less being drunk), but the guilt torments her all the same.
"You've got this look on your face," he notes, "what's wrong?"
Elizabeth forces herself to meet his gaze. He keeps his expression even - somehow, her heart breaks all the more, feeling it drop to her stomach. "Is it true?" She asks, her words quiet. "Did you drink yourself to sleep earlier today?"
His eyes widened slightly. Panic settles in her veins, the look he suddenly gives her tells her she shouldn't have asked - like she blabbed off about some secret she was never meant to tell, let alone know about. Is he going to put her mind at ease, erase her guilt and remorse? Or is he going to chew her out, telling her it isn't any of her business? She supposes it doesn't matter the outcome. She knows what he had done because Ban had told her, because she didn't take Meliodas' feelings into consideration.
He didn't take hers into consideration either though. Who is really at fault here?
"Maybe." His tone is sheepish, his eyes glancing away from hers. "It was… a moment of weakness, if you will. I just felt bad for makin' you think I wasn't worth the time. And I guess I needed a drink too, sorta like you did tonight. But gin, huh? Good choice."
Elizabeth grins before exhaling a laugh. Unsurprisingly, she still sounds drunk off her ass. Seriously, why did she let herself drink as much as she did? "No, not for a lightweight."
"I'd gladly be your drinking buddy," he says. She raises a brow at him, and he chuckles. "On a professional level, of course. Is it wrong for a tutor and her student to drink together on occasions?"
"Probably."
He sighs, shaking his head. Meliodas corrects his footing, facing her more directly. "Alright, do you need help getting to bed? Changing maybe?"
Her legs feel weak, her entire body seemingly numb as the alcohol buzzes in her very bones. "Change?" She parrots his words. "So you do want to get into my pants, Vayne."
Meliodas rolls his eyes, "Grow up. You're drunk right now and I'd rather not have you wake up in the middle of the night and complain about not being comfortable. Do you need help getting into bed or not?"
Elizabeth grins timidly with a still flushed face and she nods. Closing her eyes she can hear Meliodas sigh softly. She doesn't anticipate it, but she can feel warm hands grab at her waist, one of them shifting to her legs. A gasp filters past her mouth as she's lifted bridal style - her hands flying to the back of Meliodas' head and neck.
The blonde guides her to her room, her tiny humble abode dark with the lack of lighting. How can he see anything? Sighing when her back is met with her bed, she immediately curls up into a ball against her sheets.
"Anything else, Your Majesty?" He jokes.
She bellows a laugh snuggling into her blankets. "No… no. Just… forget tonight ever happened. Please."
He doesn't respond. He doesn't say another word and he's leaving her room as quickly as he entered it, closing her bedroom door behind him. And in the haze of her alcoholic buzz, she wonders if she'll remember the events of tonight. Will she remember any of the things she had said to Meliodas?
Will she remember how he went out of his way to make sure she was alright?
Before anything else, and with a grunt, she gets out of her bed to change into something more comfortable. It's a blur as she drops her clothes into her hamper (maybe she might have dropped it on the floor—that's a problem for future Elizabeth), pulling on something decent and climbing back into bed. She knows she stumbled and nearly fell a few times, but overall she feels pretty proud of herself for not falling flat on her ass or face-first into her bedroom floor.
Any and all questions she might have about Meliodas' intentions are forgotten as she is pulled into the slumber she's craved - the sleep she feels like she hasn't been able to get for a long time.
ooo
Meliodas sits down on Elizabeth's couch. A heavy and weary sigh leaves his mouth. Should he really be here? Should he even stay? What if Elizabeth wakes up and hurts herself badly?
…Why does he care so damn much?
He closes his eyes for a moment. He supposes he cares just a little since she is his last resort. His grades being piss-poor, having not paid attention in his classes—let alone actually attending his scheduled class times—Elizabeth really is the only one that can help him. And if anything happens to her… she won't be available to teach him.
And maybe, Meliodas should start putting in the effort too. Should be on his phone less, should stop getting distracted so often, should stop acting so weirdly around her.
A chuckle escaped his lips; Ban was right, about Elizabeth's drunk nature, though. Elizabeth does seem a little more fun with her guard down. She's pretty rambunctious when drunk, but not any less genuine like Ban had described. He went out of his way to drop her off - but to only drop her off? Why didn't he leave her with someone? Why hadn't Diane offered to just call it a night and tend to Elizabeth? She could barely stand up on her own!
Perhaps they thought Elizabeth could handle herself - as if they'd been through something like this before. Although, if Ban had said all that about Elizabeth when she's drunk, then surely something similar happened. Only she didn't need help to stand or help to walk.
But he doesn't care. He doesn't care if Elizabeth drove herself home, doesn't care about the circumstances—he's only using her in the end. Does that make him an awful person? Some voice in his head answers yes, but he disregards it.
Meliodas knows it's wrong to use Elizabeth, one way or another. Although, once the month passes and the semester ends, that'll be it, won't it? They won't talk again, they won't see each other again, they won't have to put up with each other after the fact. So why is he here, in her shared dorm?
Maybe because without her, he won't be anything. He'd be nothing more than dirt - nothing more than the scum everyone spits on and looks at with disgust.
Without her, he won't make it back on the team and everyone that had put their faith in him would be let down. He'd disappoint them. And to make matters worse, he'd be even more disappointed and upset with himself.
He's using her. There's no denying it. Meliodas Vayne is using Elizabeth Liones and there is no turning back. They're stuck with one another until the semester is over.
The blonde exhales strongly once more. His gaze flickers to the door that leads outside, into the dorm's complex. Should he leave? No, not yet, he decides; Elizabeth might wake up in the middle of the night and hurt herself somehow. He didn't come over for no reason—he didn't come over just to listen to her plead for him to leave, then say she didn't care about the size of his dick and help her into her bed. As… interesting as it was to see Elizabeth so unhinged, she's in no position to do anything herself.
It shouldn't be him to be the one to look after her nor does he really have the incentive to even stay but…
Meliodas kicks off his shoes, taking out his phone and maneuvers himself to lay down on the sofa. His eyes quickly adjust to the slight brightness of his phone screen and he decides to call Ban and ask about what exactly it is that he told Elizabeth about him drinking after the cafe. He finds Ban's contact and presses his phone up to his ear as the phone dials.
His phone vibrates with each second that Ban doesn't answer - however, it doesn't continue for long when the other line picks up.
"What's up?" Ban's voice sounds slurred, sort of like Elizabeth's had. "I'm still out, Mel!"
"Yeah, I know," Meliodas says. "Just wanted to ask; did you tell Elizabeth about me drinking earlier?"
Ban snorts. "What? Did she give ya an earful 'bout it?"
"No, no. Just… she mentioned it." His voice is soft, no louder than an even tone. If he is any louder, he'd probably wake Elizabeth up and actually get an earful. "And I can't forget how distraught and sad she seemed about it. I feel like she might think it's her fault I even drank after our tutoring session."
Ban is silent for a moment before his voice is picked up again. "Yeah… uh, I did tell her earlier when I came over with Elaine. 'S my fault, man. I jus' thought maybe she'd oughta know. I didn't know she told ya to basically go fuck yourself."
"Yeah." Meliodas responds harshly. "Listen, just—don't go around telling other people my business."
"Why? It's not like half the world ain't aware of what you do," his best friend says. "Or did ya just wanna protect Elizabeth from your bullshit?"
"Ban. I'm not trying to protect her," he tries to reason. "I just need her to tutor me for a little while longer! And you telling her my every little move isn't going to help me whatsoever! So just - just quit telling people my business!"
Ban grunts on the other end. "Oh yeah, 'cus you were doin' such a good job of trying to keep her as your tutor before," he says sarcastically. "Why are ya still tryin' anyway? Gilthunder's still available to take people an' I'm sure there's some study group you can join. So tell me, Mel, what's with the sudden interest in her?"
"Good night, Ban," Meliodas says under his breath before ending the call. He doesn't have to explain himself to anyone! And sure, yes, maybe he could join a group or ask Gilthunder to tutor him, but he won't get as much done with them as he could with Elizabeth. She's so… out of this world when it comes to school - so why wouldn't he choose her?
Even if he's just using her… even if she's just using him for money (should she actually continue tutoring him after tonight - if she remembers), he's made his mind up.
Elizabeth Liones will help him with his grades. And there is nothing that could sway his motives.
ooo
Elizabeth stirs in her bed, the sunlight peeking in through the windows harsh against her closed eyelids.
She groans and as her body wakes up, she becomes more aware of the dull throb in her skull. Elizabeth sits up with a sigh, her eyes opening as she brings a hand up to her head - as if pressing her fingers and palm against her face will somehow make her migraine disappear. If only. Magic like that only existed in fairytales.
Some painkillers would do the trick, she thinks to herself. They're magic enough, right?
Pushing the blankets off her body and swinging her legs over her bed, Elizabeth's gaze is drawn down to her body. When did she change out of her clothes from last night? Shrugging simply, Elizabeth stands on her legs and stretches her sore muscles.
Her head continues to pound like never before. Had she really drunk so much last night at the bar? The last thing she remembers is Ban helping her into King's car to take her back… everything after the fact is a messy blur. She prays she didn't do anything stupid, like call up an ex boyfriend or call someone in her family and made an idiot out of herself. God knows if her father finds out she'd been drinking, she might actually have to kiss her school career goodbye.
Without giving it much thought, Elizabeth reaches a hand up to her face and rubs at her eyes as she walks to her bedroom door, slowly opening it as if the door would creak loudly and wake up half the country.
However, as she leaves her bedroom door open behind her, her eyes becoming accustomed to the less harsh light of her living room, a loud gasp is filtered and elicited from deep within her chest. Because Meliodas Vayne of all fucking people is sitting in her living room without having been invited—what the hell is he doing here?!
His eyes meet hers and he smiles - teeth and all, his eyes closing. "Good morning!"
"What are you doing here?" She demands. He opens his eyes and smirks - oh how she wants to slap him in his God forsaken, stupid—
"Spent the night," he says, "if you couldn't tell. How's your hangover, Ellie? Painful? Hard to deal with?"
Elizabeth swears she's bound to pop a blood vessel if this moron continues to be a pest in her life. She sighs, shifting a hand to splay on her hip. "Okay, let me rephrase. Why are you still here, Vayne? Was the bitch you fucked last night not good enough for you so you broke into my dorm? Where the hell is Diane?!" She then yelled to herself, tearing her gaze from the blonde on her couch in favor of finding a damn painkiller to lessen the pain of her hangover.
"For the record," Meliodas says loud enough for her to hear, but she only groans, grabbing a tiny pill container where she usually keeps the painkillers, her ears ringing - doesn't he know how to be quiet? "I spent all night taking care of you and your drunk ass! I expect some sort of handsome reward for my efforts!"
As she swallows her pill, Elizabeth's brow furrows. She exits her bathroom, her gaze (unfortunately) landing on the blonde. He still wears that stupid pretentious smirk - he's smirking like he knows something she doesn't. But she disregards it.
"I'll reward you with a slap to the face right before I kick you out," she replies.
He chuckles, "Oh, kinky, are we, Ellie?" Her face ignites in a blush—that is not how she meant that! "I can't leave just yet, Elizabeth. After all, we still have to figure out a decent schedule for our tutoring sessions."
She looks at him with disgust as her stomach grumbles, deciding to make something quick to eat before she enters her kitchen. Did she not eat last night? Why was it so difficult to remember anything? The next thought she has makes her want to cry - Meliodas hadn't done anything to her while she was clearly drunk, did he…?
"I thought I told you I didn't want to tutor you anymore." The words left her harshly, probably a little harsher than she intended. Altho, and once again, the guilt from before rises in her throat - it won't matter what she does, nothing will change the fact that he drank himself to sleep because of her.
"Yeah, well," his voice suddenly sounds louder and she practically jumps when she finds him standing in the threshold between the kitchen and the living room. "You pinky promised you'd tutor me again."
"A pinky promise?" She echoes with a snort. "What are you, five?"
He rolls his eyes and watches as she takes out two eggs and a pan. "That's what you said when you got drunk last night. Anyway, you still promised me, drunk or not. Don't tell me you break any and all promises you make, dear sweet Ellie?"
Elizabeth cringes at the nickname. "Don't call me that. And no, I don't… I don't break my promises. But I was drunk, Meliodas! Why would you do something so ridiculous as hold a measly pinky promise over my head?" She tries her best to ignore him but he makes it so incredibly difficult to do so when he keeps shifting in his spot as if nervous.
If she knew anything about this fuckboy in her dorm, him being nervous just isn't possible. She knows - along with many others - when Meliodas Vayne wants something, he strives for it with certainty and pride. Nervousness doesn't exist in his world.
"You know why I would," he responds. "I've told you before, Elizabeth, I can't make it back onto the team without you. I need you to help me. I'll—fuck, I'll come over every damn weekend to clean you entire dorm if you want me to - I just need your help."
"Sorry, should I get my phone and record you begging for my help, Vayne?" The silverette snickers. "I hope you know you seem a little pathetic."
He groans. "Elizabeth, I'm serious. I don't have anyone to turn to! Why are you so stubborn?"
She blinks down at her slowly heating pan. Her? Stubborn? Maybe a little, but he isn't one to talk, not at all! "You wanna talk about being stubborn, Melidoas?" Elizabeth asks, lifting her head and locking eyes with the blonde. "You're the most stubborn man I'd ever met! Why can't you just take no for an answer? Oh! Maybe it's because you always get your fucking way, huh? The first time you hear the word no, and suddenly the entire world is going to fucking end!"
He opens his mouth to say something, but she is quick to shut him up as she raises a hand.
"I am so tired, Meliodas," continues Elizabeth, her tone stern yet sad all at once. "Do you think it's easy, trying to maintain good grades and score the highest on every exam I take? Think it's easy I have to be away from my family for so long just for school?"
And just like that, Elizabeth drops the bomb she'd been trying to hold for the longest time. No, it isn't easy having her family live on the other side of the state—they weren't too terribly far, but with how busy her life is, not to mention her sisters' or her father's, trying to find time to visit is difficult.
Maintaining a good school career isn't easy either. She didn't magically get the grades she has - she worked her ass off to get to where she's at. And sure, maybe she's smart, but that isn't the only thing that has kept her afloat.
Maybe that's why it annoys her so much - because Meliodas thinks he's so entitled to everything; he thinks asking her for help with his grades is the easy way out. He doesn't think he'll have to put in the effort if, in a sense, she's doing everything for him. That is not how it's going to work.
"I can't see my sisters, or my father," she rants. "Or any of my other relatives! I'm stuck here, abiding by the same routine every single day for the next few years! I'm so tired," she repeats, her eyes watering.
Lord, how long had she kept that bottled up?
…And why is Meliodas the one she opened up to about what's eating her alive?
