Stand By Me by Fullmetal Pyromaniac

Chapter eleven


By no means was Elizabeth Lyones an artist. None of the Lyones girls were, even Margaret, who had a natural talent for music, acting, and writing, could not draw for toffee. Yet, Elizabeth knew for Meliodas she would make sure her pictures rivalled Da Vinci's, Monet's and Van Gogh's.

In the end she had made a picture book, drawing each of the sins adventures in as much detail as she could. Which side Hawks clover tattoo was on, the colour of the hair bands that held Diane's pigtails in place -orange or pink depending on the story- and the exact colour of Gowther's eyes -a golden colour.

She made sure all pencil marks were erased, all detail had been gone over in pen and the colours not outside the lines.

Then at long last she had finished it, and asked Merlin for a stapler to staple it all together. Merlin had assured her that she'd keep a close eye on Meliodas' medication.

Elizabeth flicked through the booklet and carefully got up, her legs weren't as sore today but she didn't want to risk it so she'd rest in Meliodas' room. She food and slowly made her way to his room.

The curtains were drawn and the door closed, Elizabeth felt worry bubble up inside her. She gently knocked and stood back. No answer.

She knocked again. No answer, Elizabeth took a shaky breath and went to knock once more. The door opened suddenly and Meliodas stood there, hair dishevelled and rubbing his eyes sleepily. Elizabeth was discouraged to say he didn't look any better.

"Hey Elizabeth" he yawned, "What brings you here?"

"I, well I wanted to apologise" She stated, Meliodas seemed to waken up at this.

"Apologise? What for?"

Elizabeth shifted from foot to foot nervously, clutching the drawings behind her back.

"I was out of place yesterday, you don't pry into my life so I shouldn't pry into yours. I'm just worried about you" she looked away, "I'm sorry, I really am"

Meliodas looked shocked, his mouth was open slightly and he looked lost for words.

"I'm the one who should be apologising Elizabeth. I shouldn't have shouted like that, and I should have been taking my medication. Can you forgive me?"

Elizabeth nodded eagerly, "Of course! You're my best friend of course" she didn't know if her looked pleased or slightly disappointed at this statement.

"Best friends don't leave each other in the corridor, get in here" he joked, pulling Elizabeth inside and sitting her on his bed. "I actually have something for you" he admitted, opening in his (now empty) bedside drawer and pulling out a single pink lily.

Elizabeth placed the picture book on the bed and took the flower out of his large hand, gently running her fingers over the silky petals.

"It's beautiful" she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you. I made you something too but it's not quite as amazing as this" Elizabeth gestured to the picture book which Meliodas picked up with the same amount of delicacy that Elizabeth used on the flower.

He turned over the front page and gaped, running his fingers over the ink.

"This is amazing Elizabeth!" He cheered, and Elizabeth blushed, "It's so detailed"

"It's not much" she admitted, "but I wanted to do something. It's not as beautiful as this lily! What kind is it? When and where did you get?"

"Its a Zephyr Lily, and I got it this morning, I asked Merlin to get one on the way here and give it to me this morning, she got here early and that's why I'm so sleepy." Elizabeth noticed a slight pink stain his cheeks, "I'm glad you like it"

"I love it, I can't thank you enough"

"Seriously, it's nothing. I'll take a closer look at your drawings tonight, for now though" he picked his phone off the bedside table and turned it on and off, checking the time, "We'd better be off to the club room. Everyone's gonna be waiting for us"

Elizabeth started, "Oh gosh, yes, I forgot all about it." She stood up and walked to the door, Meliodas hadn't moved form the bed. "You coming?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm just a little bit tired, you go ahead and I'll catch up in a few minutes" he said, looking paler than usual. Elizabeth nodded hesitantly.

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll see you there" and with a final wave, she left his room and began walking to the club room. Everyone was there when she arrived, Diane and King were sitting holding hands, Elizabeth resisted the urge to squeal.

Ban was lounging in a chair and Gowther was reading.

"Heyyy, you finally arrived!" Ban drawled, standing and walking over to Elizabeth and ruffling her hair affectionately, his eyes narrowed when he didn't spot Meliodas.

"Where's the captain?" He asked. Elizabeth pointed a thumb behind her, signalling out the door.

"He's in his room, Meliodas told me to tell you that he was tired so he'd be along a little bit later. Is that okay?"

Ban looked uneasy and scratched the back of his neck, King frowned.

"Leave him for a bit, he might actually just be tired" he said, Ban sighed.

"Yeah, sure. Come in Ellie, you're makin' me nervous" He pointed to King and Diane, "So, are you two, like, a thing now or?..."

King turned a shade of scarlet and Diane hid her mouth behind a pigtail. Gowther raised his gaze from his book and fiddled with his glasses.

"It was no surprise, really. Both King and Diane have shown classic symptoms of infatuation for a while now. It's a wonder no one has noticed."

He inspected and cleaned the glasses, holding them to the light. Elizabeth stared at the curtains hiding the section of the wall, they were almost taunting her. She shook her head and looked away.

...

"Ban" Diane murmured, "It's been half an hour"

His dark red eyes widened and he ran a hand over his face.

"Shit" he stood abruptly making everyone jump. "I'll be back in a second, I gotta go check on the captain"

"I can go if you want, I need to go get my wheelchair anyway. I'll be as quick as I can"

Ban looked hesitant but sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine, you gotta be quick though. Okay Ellie?"

"Okay, I'll be as quick as I can" she promised. Elizabeth walked as fast as she could out of the club and sped down the corridor.

Ignoring the pain in every step, Elizabeth strode briskly. Ban sounded upset about something, it seemed to affect everyone. Then she thought about Meliodas' uneaten medicine and broke into a run.

Her breathing was uneven when she arrived outside his bedroom door. Elizabeth pounded her fist in the door, the curtains were still closed. No answer.

Elizabeth hit the door again and again before trying the handle, it was unlocked. She threw it open and gasped in shock. A small tuft of blond hair was visible from behind the bed.

She ran round the bed. Meliodas was lying face down on the floor, completely still. Elizabeth fell to her knees and gathered him in her arms. His face was pale and clammy, his breathing weak. Tears dropped on his face.

"Meliodas!" Elizabeth sobbed, "Meliodas! Wake up"

She looked to his bedside and noticed a button on the side of it, one that she could call Merlin with. She carefully manoeuvred herself so she was within grabbing distance of the button with Meliodas head still resting on her legs.

"Meliodas? If you can hear me, just stay awake, alright? Stay with me please, I'm just going to get Merlin, hang on!"

Elizabeth jammed her thumb into the button numerous times, crying all the while. When Merlin's footsteps came running down the corridor, Elizabeth screamed for her. The next few minutes were blurry.

Elizabeth was hauled out of Meliodas' room by Vivian while Merlin and some other doctors pulled him onto his bed and began checking him over. Vivian set her down on her bed and began checking her phone, not caring that Elizabeth was crying and that her legs were in agony.

But it all didn't matter, only Meliodas did. Merlin knocked on Elizabeth's door a few minutes later, and Vivian hid her phone. She looked worn out.

"How are you doing, Elizabeth?" She inquired, Elizabeth sniffled and wiped her nose.

"I'm okay...how's Meliodas? Is he alright?"

Merlin sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"He'll be fine" she sighed, "He gave us a scare though. Do you know how long he was like that?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "Not exactly, he's been there for at most forty minutes to half an hour"

"Thanks, honestly Elizabeth. If you had been later he might not have made it"

She swallowed the bile that rested in her throat.

"I ran all the way there, if Ban hadn't said anything..." She suddenly shot up, "Ban! You need to tell him, Diane, King and Gowther. They're in the club room, they're going to be so worried!"

Merlin placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about that, I'll go tell them now. Vivian, can you do a check up on her legs for me?" Vivian nodded, glaring at Elizabeth slightly.

"I don't want you on your feet at all tomorrow, if you want to do anything or go anywhere use your wheelchair, okay? I don't want you collapsing again" and she left.

The room was silent as Vivian did a quick checkup on Elizabeth's legs.

"So" Vivian said slowly, "You ran here, right?"

Elizabeth frowned, "Yes...why?"

"Oh, no reason" then she shot out of the room, it was as if she was never there.

Elizabeth spent the rest of the afternoon reading and texting Diane and her father, just trying to keep the image of Meliodas lying unconscious on the ground out of her head and wondering how someone whom she's known for so little time had impacted her so much.

She couldn't sleep that night either. Images of Meliodas lying in a coffin plagued her all night.


End of chapter eleven.

A.N. Howdy doody readerino! I feel like I've already greeted you guys like that, but oh well. So uh, it's been a while, how are you all? Good? Bad? Potato?

So, uh, I don't have much to say really. I...uh...failed my chemistry test, so I've been pretty down lately. Like really down, so I've been spending the last few days writing, revising for my french prelim, and watching Netflix. I also saw my extended family so that helped cheer me up.

Thank you to all those who followed, favourited, and reviewed- it makes my day :)

Check out my new fanfiction, its an Attack on Titan one and the product of my moping. The Boy Who Was Made of the Sea, tell me what you thought and if I should write more, please :3

Read! Follow! Favourite! and Review!

Lots of love,

- Ruby xxx