WHOOOO the final chapter (no, I'm serious!) is here! Enjoy everyone!
"Ready, Harlequin?"
"Ready, Diane!" He answered with a grin.
"Then let's go!"
She slammed Gideon into the ground, and the shock wave blasted through the earth until it erupted around the golem and the doll. "Ground Gladius!" She shouted as the enormous blade of rock flung the monsters high in the sky, but not so high that they were out of reach for-
"Spirit Spear Chastiefol Form Four: Sunflower!"
The roots of the spear-turned-flower wriggled through the ground and hung low from the shallow platform as the stalk shot past Diane's rising attack. The bud opened almost instantly, raining beams of destructive light on the summons. Just for good measure, Diane shouted "Rush Rock!" and large stones rose from the platform to pound them from below.
The doll and the golem were obliterated.
The platform wasn't looking too good either. Once Chastiefol disappeared to reform a spear beside King, the stone of the platform collapsed in on itself as it filled the holes left by the roots. It made the platform heave and tremble, but the giantess kept her feet firmly planted on the ground. At this point, though, it was clear that only Dolor's magic prevented the platform from disintegrating altogether.
For a moment, no one spoke. Then, the First Fairy King cackled. "That was interesting."
"Are you shitting me that was so –" Taizoo jumped when Dolor glanced at him. "Oh! Yeah! This match goes to the duo of the Fairy King Harlequin and the Giant Diane!"
"We did it, Harlequin!" Diane spun around excitedly. The energy of the battle hadn't left her yet, and she found she couldn't remember why King's smile was tainted with a hint of anxiety. Then reality hit her at full force and she found she was… conflicted.
"We did it." She said again, softer now.
"Yeah. You were great." His voice was quiet as well.
She shuffled her feet, awkwardly. "You too."
She looked around. The next battle was starting and everywhere pairs on other platforms were recovering, conversing or watching the next fights. It occurred to her then that she had nothing to focus on other than the fairy before her.
She looked at him now; he was watching her on top of Chastiefol, frozen, with his fists clutching the pillow. His eyes met hers, and he offered her a sad, nervous smile.
"You're still angry." He stated rather than asked.
She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it and truly thought about her answer. After a pause, she shook her head. "Not anymore. I don't know when I can forgive you, but I'm definitely not mad."
His eyes widened, and then he averted his gaze. "Then… This is probably terrible timing, but I… I need to-"
"-tell you something." She blurted out at the same time.
"O-oh! Diane, you should go first."
"No, no," she had a feeling she knew what he was going to say, and she wanted to know now. "You go."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah!" Just say it already!
He nodded and took a deep breath, his fingers still gripping the pillow tightly. "You got your memories back, so you must remember that other promise I made to you, right?"
"I asked you to always love me."
She didn't think his face could get any redder, but he managed to surprise her anyway. "R-right. Well I… I know I didn't keep the other promise, but this one I…er…"
"You what, Harlequin?"
King suddenly jumped off the pillow and shouted, "I love you, Diane! I never stopped loving you, and I always will, just like I promised! Even if you don't feel the same."
The words petrified her, but she was still able to form a teasing smile. "Silly. Of course I love you too."
He continued as if her words haven't registered yet. "And I understand that you still have feelings for the Captain-"
"Harlequin. I had a crush on the Captain, but I love you."
King finally stopped talking as eyes and mouth widened exponentially. "Y-you do?!"
She nodded, grinning, and his face remained shocked. Before she could say another word, he shouted in excitement and flipped a few times in the air. Well, she couldn't quite turn in the air, but echoing his happiness, she spun in a circle laughing in relieved surprise.
"I think you're beautiful." He said suddenly, and she halted and noticed him watching her with a smile.
"…Thanks." She never really knew how to accept compliments, especially when it was out of the blue like that. She didn't get them from other people that often and so she found herself hiding behind her hair again.
"Wait, I mean I don't just think it, you are, you are beautiful."
Not knowing what to say, she blushed and blew him a kiss. To her delight, he caught it in his hand and brought it to his lips with a sly smile. She giggled, and then something flashed his eyes.
"I… I want to kiss you properly."
"Oh! O-okay!" That was something she never could have imagined actually hearing from him, and she felt nervous and elated at the same time. "Okay! I'll ask Merlin for some more of those minimum tablets and once I'm smaller I'll come find you and then-"
But she was cut off by a feeling of something warm moving against the middle of her lower lip. Small hands held her face where her lips met her cheeks; it tickled a little, and though it was only in one spot, she could feel the warmth spreading to the tips of her toes. She inhaled sharply when she understood what was happening, and King pulled back, searching her face for a reaction.
It may not been quite what he wanted, but she was so taken aback she couldn't think of anything else to say except "… That was my first kiss."
He glided back, still facing her, as he started waving his hands around wildly. "I'm so sorry! I thought you wanted- I misunderstood, I-"
She reached out a hand and gently closed it around his legs as she brought him back towards her. "Where do you think you're going?" She grinned at his complete confusion. "I didn't say I didn't like it."
He stopped his frantic rambling the moment she leaned in and kissed him back. She could've kissed King for ages, but eventually she realized she might be covering his face and she'd have to pull back. She saw him pout just a bit when she did, but then his smile filled his entire face.
"Diane…"
She grabbed him again and nuzzled him into her cheek. She just couldn't get enough of having King close to her. He didn't resist at all and gave her another peck on the cheek. They were quiet for a while, just enjoying being with each other, but then Diane remembered something.
"Hey, Harlequin?"
"Hm?"
"What about that other promise you made to me?"
King paused, thinking. "You mean, that I'd always be by your side?"
"Yeah. You mean that promise too, right?"
She could feel him nod against her, then he flew just far enough away that he would be able to look her in the eyes. "Of course I do! I will always be by your side, Diane. I'm not leaving you, I don't want to hurt you ever again!"
"I believe you, but you can't always mean that. If something happens like with Gowther…" Her sentence trailed off in a snarl.
He shook his head fervently. "It won't! I swear I'm not leaving you again. And if something like that happens-"
"Then I'll bring you back again, Harlequin. That's my promise." She smiled at him.
King blushed, blinked, and looked as if he were going to say something. Then he shook his head with a grin and flew back to kiss her again. They remained there for quite some time, kissing in the middle of the ruined platform, completely oblivious to the fights going on around them.
and then they all lived happily ever after until Meliodas dies and the Commandments take over Britannia.
But in all serious, I hoped everyone liked this last chapter! I rewrote it a million times because straight-up fluff isn't really one of my strengths, and even now I'm worried that this chapter dances on the line between cute and horribly cheesy, but oh well.
A million thanks to everyone who read, faved, and reviewed! Special thank you to Ultrawolfie and Fanficlove2014 who reviewed basically every chapter, you guys are awesome!