A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates folks! I kinda forgot about the version uploaded on this site cause I had to catch up with some family matters. Long story short, real life is one son of a gun.

Nevertheless, enjoy the latest dump of chapters for Love Me, Harm Me. Hopefully you guys appreciate the upcoming angst :)

Storywhore94 - Thanks for the positive review! I can't wait to show you how the story unfolds! I have literally been bursting to get to the JUICY parts of the plot.

Till next time,

D.L.D

Quote of the Chapter:

"When the boys call asking
your cup size, say A, hang up. When he says you gave him blue balls, say
you're welcome." - Unsolicited Advice to Adolescent Girls with Crooked Teeth and Pink Hair, Jeanann Verlee

Chapter Nine: (Why won't you) Stay?

Lazy morning sunlight greets Elizabeth the next morning. As well as an empty bed. Carefully, she stretches, pushing off her duvet and sighing as she allowed her body to spread out across her mattress. As she did, streaks of golden sunlight shone down on her face, casting light shadows under her eyes and making her eyelashes glimmer silver-white.

Last night - oddly - she had managed to get a good night's sleep. Little noise nor disruption spilled into her room, Meliodas being unusually calm and reflective for his usual, stormy bad day self. Even when she had bid him goodnight, bleary-eyed and wearing nothing but an old, baggy t-shirt, he had simply returned the favour, eyes glued to his phone as he lay sprawled on his own bed.

For once he did not make a comment. For once he didn't conduct his infamous 'size check' which often resulted in a heavy book to face. Instead he was restrained, distant, cheek still swelled with an underlying bruise shaped like a massive fist and turning purple-green at its edges. From the looks of it alone, Elizabeth knew that it would hurt - like a bitch. But she didn't say anything. Instead she ruffled his already messy hair, placed a kiss on his cheek (hoping it would heal quickly) and left.

Just like Meliodas, Elizabeth took the rare peace and quiet as a chance to catch up on some well-deserved rest. Looking after Meliodas was a full time job, after all. A full-time, underpaid and often extremely taxing job.

Nevertheless, waking up alone this morning sent a funny sensation through Elizabeth's system. A funny, pinging feeling that infected her chest and stomach with a knotting, twisting sensation. Maybe that was why she immediately went to her diary, the accounts of Meliodas' moods, stowed away on her bedside table, kept under scared lock and key.

No-one, not even Diane, knew about this. Meliodas didn't even know about this. This diary, this research journal, was a log of every occurrence between her and Meliodas from the past year. When Elizabeth felt stumped, confused by him, she resorted to this book to find herself a clue, a hint, an answer, on how to move forward with him.

But, as she flicked through the pages, Elizabeth found little that would help her. Being overly clingy, high aggression and extreme emotions were all logged. Incidents where he had turned her brain into senseless mush using those hands of his to keep her from thinking on her feet; times when he had played extremely dirty in order to prove her wrong - oh and who could forget when he had suddenly cried while watching Frozen, babbling something about his younger brother and how he should have been better with him. Yes, there was a lot of information there. So much and yet so little. And none of it was helping.

Sighing, Elizabeth closed the diary and put it away on her bedside table. She then glanced at her phone, ready to go through her new influx of texts, only to spot the most recent one, delivered from an unknown number: Hey Elizabeth, it's Mael. I was passing the cafe and wondered if you wanted coffee before work?

Coffee? The word alone made a dopey grin spread on her lips as she picked up her phone, ready to respond. Anyone who knew Elizabeth Liones knew that she loved her caffeinated drinks.

'Weird way to greet someone, but sure,' she texts back, fingers rapid on the keyboard. 'Thanks.'

Everything else was the usual notices: Diane giving updates on her personal life, her mother checking in on her and, of course, a ton of missed calls from her father - someone who always seemed to call her at the worst possible time of day. Not that Elizabeth could blame him; her father was a man whose life was entirely occupied by his work.

After going through her notifications and sending off her replies, Elizabeth then chucked her phone onto her bed and decided to actually try and get ready for work - and, you know, not be late. For once. Since today was panning out well so far, she didn't want to ruin its somewhat decent streak.

So, with a spring to her step, Elizabeth went about her usual morning routine. Effortlessly, she showered, got dressed, even managed to master that pesky early morning office makeup, without any form of interruption. No spontaneous knocks from the next door neighbours; no early morning arguments from the family upstairs; not even Elizabeth's phone went off to signal chaos. Everything was peaceful for once. Tranquil.

Sighing, Elizabeth allowed herself to relax as she tucked a few fly-away hairs back into her low bun. So far so good. So far, today's a good day. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Only, life never goes that well for Elizabeth Liones. Trouble comes just as she's about to leave, bag hauled over her shoulder, hand twisting the deadbolt on the door.

"Heading to work already?" Meliodas, up, alert and actually awake. Behind her he stands, golden hair messy, looking like he'd just dragged himself out of bed.

"Yep," Elizabeth says, turning to face him. She grins as he yawns, "And I'm getting free coffee."

"Which newbie did you scare this time?" Meliodas raises a brow, laughing as she huffs at his question. Meliodas always liked to jab her on the one time she accidentally scared this young woman, Dolores.

Young, fresh and just out of university, Dolores was a pretty nice and lively girl - although extremely quiet for a journalism junkie. When she had first arrived to the Britannia Mail, Elizabeth didn't know how to break the ice with her. Everything she tried made Dolores shrink further and further into her shell, from introducing her to Elaine's cafe to even offering to help her with her first article.

Diane was the one to make Elizabeth realise that her friendliness was scaring the shit out Dolores. Turns out, much to Elizabeth's shame, Dolores was someone who was extremely anxious when around people who were high-achievers - someone who was always comparing herself to others. So Elizabeth being around her, showing her how everything went, only made Dolores feel out of place. Odd.

To this day, Meliodas still mentions it. He still recalls the pale face she had when Elizabeth had introduced Meliodas, the girl looking as if she'd have a heart attack when she muttered hello.

"I didn't scare anyone this time," Elizabeth frowns, folding her arms across her chest. "In fact, he was the one who offered in the first place."

"Sounds nice," Meliodas says.

"Yep," Elizabeth nodded, pulling open the front door. "I'll see you later."

Just as she was about to leave, cross the threshold between her home and the real world, she stops, two arms wrapped around her holding her to the spot.

"Stay," He murmurs against her back, quiet, gentle, pleading. Like always, his presence has the ability to stop her heart, make her feel as if she's standing in the middle of an icy pond, unable to know where next was safe to step.

Nevertheless, like always, Elizabeth knows how to stand her ground, to appear certain when she is most uncertain. "Meliodas, I have to go to work," She sighs, shaking her head as she turns around to face him. Immediately she spots the bruise from last night, now a vivid purple and suppresses the urge to pull out her phone and call in sick. "I can't just pull a sickie every time you want me to stay with you."

"Please?" Meliodas tries again, looking for the most part like a little kid begging their parent for the latest cereal on TV. "I promise I'll behave. And we can marathon Disney classics."

Oh damn him for knowing her weakness for Disney classics. Whole days could pass in the blink of an eye when Elizabeth marathoned her favourite Disney movies. From Bambi all the way to Frozen and Moana, Elizabeth could watch her way all through the past ninety-nine years of Disney and its animation evolution in a day. Plus, with Meliodas, she always got to learn more about the parts of him that he kept hidden - like the time The Lion King made him reveal that his own family had a pretty similar dynamic to Simba, Mufasa and Scar.

Yeah, Disney could be a real goldmine of information for Elizabeth. Key clues as to what goes on inside of Meliodas' head. And, usually, she would agree when he bribed her with a Disney marathon and a guaranteed day of popcorn, fast food and silly jabs at their former selves. But today, unlike usual, things were going differently.

For once, Elizabeth felt like she was in control.

"Tempting but I'll have to pass," Elizabeth smiles, gently distancing herself from Meliodas. Proudly she puffs out her chest, arms folded. "Someone's gotta pay the bills and since I'm the more mature one, I'll take care of that."

"Are you seriously gonna make me beg?" Meliodas sighed, hands buried in the pockets of his pants. He's raising a brow at her, really questioning if Elizabeth would really make him get on his knees, beg with her, half-dressed, early in the morning, right in front of their neighbours, all getting ready for their day.

"I don't know, would you?" Elizabeth retorted, raising her own brow. Her hands are on her hips now, free coffee forgotten in favour of taunting her favourite roommate. With each step her heels click, her chest bouncing. "How much are you willing to beg?"

"Well..." Meliodas swallowed, definitely caught off guard by her sudden change in mood. Elizabeth's now popping buttons open, tugging her hair from its low bun as she dumps her bag on the floor.

"Cause seriously, if you give me enough reason I'll stay," Elizabeth continues, still staring at him. "All you have to do is beg and give me a good reason."

Silence. Radio silence. It reminds her of the time he called her to find out her cup size and she'd replied with A, knowing that there were other people listening in on the conversation. For the rest of the year, everyone teased him about crushing on a girl with A-cup breasts. Nevertheless, when Elizabeth had seen him at school the next day, Meliodas looked at her as if he'd found out something eye-opening, something life-changing. That was the exact same look he held for her now.

"I'm just joking," Elizabeth smiled, swiftly turning on her heel and heading away from him. Already her bag was in her hand, her buttons being done up again one by one. "I'm still going."

Behind her Meliodas yells, suddenly finding his voice again, "Are you seriously gonna leave me with blue balls?"

"You're welcome!" Elizabeth sang in return, slamming the front door shut behind her. Oh how she loved getting her subtle revenge.