Quote of the Chapter:

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."
― Flannery O'Connor

Chapter Ten: (I love a good) pick-me-up

Rarely do good days last for Elizabeth Liones. Although she can remember good days - good memories that stretch for the duration of days - she cannot remember them as uninterrupted, unheeded by patches of dark storm clouds that always loom within the distance. All clouds have silver linings: Elizabeth Liones always lived by this saying. In every patch of horrible thunder and rain, in every tempest storm, there was always a positive, a shimmering hope.

Maybe that was why today didn't decide to dampen itself, the pale autumn sun peeping out from behind its cigarette-smoke-grey clouds. Even though the sun looked watery yellow, like the yolk of cheap eggs, Elizabeth still enjoyed its rare appearance. Often, during autumn, London saw little of the sun after the longer summer days. So when the sun did appear, offering its little warmth and golden rays, Elizabeth appreciated it. Saw the good in the shitty Britannian weather.

So, with a smile on her face, Elizabeth walked into work - Diane missing as she left earlier today. Easily, she makes her way past the front desk, saying hi to the receptionist, before making her way to the elevators that would take her to her floor. However, just as she presses the buttons for the elevator, she spots a newcomer - a familiar newcomer - balancing coffees with a box of cakes.

"Hey Elizabeth!" Proudly Mael beams, puffing out his chest as he approaches her. "I got the coffee!" Carefully, he then passes her a cup, also offering the box of cupcakes. "Take whatever you want."

Sliding open, the elevator doors part, allowing the pair to step inside as Elizabeth grabs her coffee and a cupcake. Then she's pressing the button for third floor, the number turning green around the edges.

"Thanks. You have no idea how much I needed this," Elizabeth sighs, allowing the warm coffee to soothe her insides. Nothing beats a good coffee on an autumn morning; even with the sun, the chilly winds always whipped the warmth right out of you. Coffee was the perfect remedy for such problems - especially when it was her favourite type.

"Let me guess, you don't sleep much?" Mael raises a brow, a knowing look set upon his face. Now he's more comfortable, he's opening up more. Piece by piece, layer by layer, he's unfurling like a flower, revealing colourful petal after petal of personality.

"No rest for the wicked, as they say," Elizabeth grins before shaking her head. "A lot of the time I lose out of sleep. So most mornings coffee serves as a wonderful pick-me-up."

First floor passes, the thrum of the pulley system keeping up the lift signalling the passing floor.

"What keeps you up?" Mael asks, precariously balancing the coffees and cupcakes with one hand. He takes a sip from one of the remaining cups. "Do you have noisy neighbours?"

"Nope, I have a pretty noisy roommate that loves to break my sleep schedule," Elizabeth shrugs, blushing as she bites her lip. A stupid slip up - a silly slip up. Mael didn't have to know about Meliodas and the details that revolved around their odd dynamic. Most people didn't really know about their dynamic at all. They only knew him as her roommate. "He can be pretty annoying."

"Aren't all roommates annoying?" Mael laughs. Smiling, he shakes his head as he says, "Back in uni, my next door neighbour always used to leave a mountain of dishes. Not to mention the parties hosted most Saturday nights. Between the arguments about hygiene and sleep, I got about an hour's sleep most days."

"Well, that's nothing compared to Meliodas," Elizabeth giggles, knowing very well that he could indeed be a handful. Nevertheless, she had never lost actual sleep because of him. When she lacked sleep, stayed up well past her bedtime, it was because she chose to. "He'll do that while leaving all the lights on and stealing your snack stash, denying that he even knew about said stash."

"Sounds awful," Mael says, taking another sip of his drink. Second floor passes this time - a sharp whiz through the crack of the doors.

"Not really. As annoying as he is, I wouldn't change it for the world," Elizabeth sighs wistfully. She then grins as the doors open, revealing the rows of cubicles filled with people typing away furiously at laptops and desktops. "Plus I get him back in my own way."

"I'm sure you do Elizabeth," Mael chuckles, shaking his head as they step out of the elevator. They turn to go their separate ways. "I'd be surprised if you didn't."

Very true - she thinks - very true. Elizabeth Liones was never known to back down from a fight. And yet, she knows, she has. With Meliodas, with him, she will always back down from a fight, and that is a very hard truth for her to swallow - even with the sweet coffee.

Meliodas was her weakness.