Disclaimer: Not Mine, no money. Just playing in the sandbox to give my favorite Sins the happy ending they deserve.
It was Midsummer's day and King Bartra had arranged for a grand gala to be held at the castle for the Holy Knights and nobility, whilst the common folks enjoyed the festival overtaking the streets of Liones. Escanor was dreading it. Out of deep rooted fear and old habits, he had spent much of the very, very long daylight hours hiding in Merlin's quarters, glasses firmly perched on the bridge of his nose, either assisting with her experiments or writing poems in a comfortable chair in the corner of her lab - they had long held this arrangement as the Big Guy lingered entirely too long on this day for the comfort of anyone outside of the Seven Deadly Sins who understood and accepted that he could no more control the size of his body than he could control the rising and setting of the sun in the sky every day. It struck him as odd then, that the day before, Merlin had asked him not to wear his magical leash to the ball, but could only stutter out a feeble acquiescence; after all, neither side of him knew how to say no to the ebony haired Mage.
"Escanor," her voice resonated softly in the space between them.
"Y-yes, Lady Merlin?" He straightened up from his journal stiffly, habitually poking the bridge of his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.
"You never asked me why I wanted you to attend this afternoon's event in your day form. I admit to finding that odd, you are always so adamant about forcing your night form out on Midsummer."
"W-well…you a-asked me to go that way, I-I simply tr-trusted that you h-had a good reason."
He was rewarded a whisp of a soft smile, something he wasn't often treated to and that made him feel warm all over in a way completely unlike the natural warmth that Sunshine imbued him with. "I just think it's long overdue that Liones accept, as we do, that you are not a threat to them, regardless of the time of day. Just as you are fierce, proud and loyal in battle whether the sun is up or down, so too are you gentle, steadfast and trustworthy."
Escanor felt the tips of his ears burning at her compliments and his gaze jerked nervously from her honeyed eyes to his own hands gripping the pencil in his lap as though his life depended on it. "I see… I tr-trust your judgement, Lady Merlin."
She clapped once, startling him only slightly, and her eyes sparkled, "Then I suggest we waste no more time, the Captain will be expecting us all to be downstairs and ready to go soon enough. And do not worry about your suit, I enchanted it to grow and shrink with you, just as your armor does."
"I- uh, I mean…That is… Thank you, Lady Merlin."
Escanor quickly saw himself out of her lab and made his way to his own room across the hall to get ready. Only behind the safety of his closed and locked door did he feel secure enough to divest himself of his shirt and shoes and lift the glasses from his face, grunting a little at the abrupt and slightly painful shift from night to day form. "About time," he huffed, carefully placing the slim frames on the bedside table. Nevermind that the Little Guy would give him one hell of an internal scolding that was sure to last hours should they come to any harm, but Merlin had been their crafter and he would sooner destroy Divine Axe Rhitta than tamper with one of her creations.
Most days, the two sides of Escanor were amicable enough with each other, but the Solstices always made daytime Escanor cranky, feeling cheated out of his share of the day. A perfunctory glance at his window promised he had ample time for a good, thorough bath and wasted little time in stripping himself of the rest of his now skin tight clothes on his way to the bathroom. He emerged some time later, one towel wrapped securely around his hips and another briskly scrubbing the moisture from his dripping hair. His attire lie waiting for him, draped neatly over the chair at his desk, brightly polished boots neatly placed on the floor beside it. Well, at least the Little Guy had been well prepared and saved him the chore of shining his formal boots for him, a tedious task the proud mountain of a man had always detested. It did not take long for Escanor to dress in the ensemble, carefully pressed black pants, a fresh white button up shirt and a cumbersome, stiff collared red and blue jacket trimmed in gold embroidery at the cuffs and down the center of his chest. Golden ropes hung decoratively from his left shoulder, and he took a moment to admire the proud figure he cut in the mirror as he combed his hair and mustache into neat order. His boots were last to be donned before tucking the Little Guy's glasses carefully into an almost invisible breast pocket and making his way down to the bar, tugging uncomfortably at the collar at his throat; he never did enjoy restrictive clothing during the day, much preferring to be shirtless or as near to it as he could manage while the sun was up.
Most of the others were already downstairs waiting when he made his appearance on the main floor, Diane and the Princess complimenting his outfit, while Ban and the Captain raised their half empty pints to him in greeting and inviting him to join them for a pre-party drink while they waited for Merlin to turn up. King and Gowther were tucked away in a booth, the former napping propped up against Chastiefol and the latter with his nose in a book. With the slightest of shrugs, Escanor reached over the bar to pour his own drink before joining Ban and Meliodas at their favorite table.
"Nice to see you for a change today, Big Guy," Meliodas grinned.
"Lady Merlin asked it of me," he replied, and took a long drink from his cup.
Ban laughed, white fangs gleaming in the afternoon sun streaming through the ample windows of the bar, "That explains a lot, you don't know how to tell her no, no matter what time of day it is."
Escanor hummed thoughtfully, biting the inside of his cheek to push away the embarrassed heat at the back of his neck. He chose to nurse his drink while his counterparts downed two more each before the sound of heels on the stairwell alerted them all to Merlin's impending arrival. He didn't turn to look at her until the footsteps stopped with a gentle swish of heavy skirts and her voice floated across the room, "I see I am the last one to come down."
"Oh, Merlin, you look so pretty!" The Princess gushed, practically floating across the room to the Mage's side.
Escanor's gaze followed her passing, half turning in his chair to do so and promptly felt like the Captain had punched him in the gut. She was radiant. And she…matched him. Escanor felt an embarrassed flush at the back of his neck again and unconsciously took another drink of his ale to quell it and wet his suddenly parched throat at the vision before him. Merlin was dressed in a full skirted red gown, a panel of blue fabric running from the decoratively embroidered hem all the way to the low cut, yet modest neckline of the bodice, laced up with bright gold ribbons. Magnificent barely scratched the surface of her appearance, and pretty was practically an insult. She was perfect. A very small corner of his brain wondered how long it would take to unlace her from that dress to worship every inch of the creamy skin hiding beneath it. He shook the thought away and finished off his drink, ignoring his other side admonishing him.
"Thank you Big Sis-sis, you look beautiful too."
The Captain whooped his approval and slammed his mug down on the tabletop, "Great! We're all here now, let's go!"
He and Princess Elizabeth were the first out the door, tailed by Ban, King and Diane, Gowther followed slowly after them, and yet Escanor found himself rooted to his spot, still admiring the Boar Sin across from him. A teasing smirk pulled at her lips as he finally found it in him to rise from the table, "You look positively dashing, Escanor."
"Thank you, Lady Merlin; you look very beautiful as well." Thank the Goddesses he was in his day form or he would never have managed to even stutter that statement out, true as it was. Years of etiquette lessons reared their head on him and he instinctively crossed the room to offer her his arm, "May I?"
With a nod, she tucked her slim hand into the crook of his elbow and allowed him to escort her out of the Boar Hat and follow after their fellow Sins. The group chatted excitedly along the way, choosing to take a roundabout route to the castle to avoid the thick crowds enjoying the festival in high swing on nearly every major thoroughfare of the city. Upon their arrival, they followed the flow of the Knights and nobles to the ballroom, where a pompously dressed page announced everyone as they entered the room. Escanor felt only the slightest twinge of anxiety as he and Merlin were announced, "Holy Knights of the Order of the Seven Deadly Sins, The Boar Sin of Gluttony, Merlin, and the Lion Sin of Pride, Escanor!"
He felt nearly every eye in the room turn their way as they descended the marble staircase together, noting several hands come up to whisper some comment or other, likely about him, to those around them. He felt his Pride bristle at the thought, but a small hand squeezing his forearm gently soothed his temper and had him regarding the woman at his side. "Pay them no mind, Escanor, they are beneath you."
He couldn't help it. He chuckled and nodded his conceit. "Very well, Lady Merlin."
Before long, she had drifted from his side, caught up in mingling amongst the other guests and politely turning down the Holy Knights brave enough to approach her asking for a dance. Escanor was content to stand quietly off to the side and bask in the warm late afternoon sun at his back streaming in the open doors and wall of glass behind him while he watched his comrades - Merlin in particular - enjoying themselves. He shook his head, bemused at the Captain's antics of unabashedly groping the Princess as they danced together. King hovered close at Diane's side, both chatting with some dignitaries and Ban was off across the room, easily out drinking a pair of Holy Knight Apprentices. Gowther had wandered over to stand by Escanor, another pariah of all the pomp and circumstance.
"I am curious why you haven't asked her to dance yet," the doll's monotone cut the silence suddenly, brushing a stray lock of ruby hair out of his face and shoving his glasses habitually up his nose.
His head tilted to glance sidelong at the Goat Sin, "She has yet to accept a dance from anyone, even King Bartra was rejected."
Gowther looked up at the Lion Sin, "She would accept from you, I heard it."
A short laugh roared past his lips, "Is that so? Perhaps I will try my luck then, or the Little Guy will never forgive me."
Gowther winked and presented him with a peace sign, the last bit of encouragement the Lion had needed to start crossing the room. His boots felt oddly heavy as the crowds parted before him and the musicians adjusted their tuning in one corner of the room between songs. Merlin was in the midst of an almost heated debate with a group of nobles when he reached her, bowing slightly and extending his hand toward her as he'd been taught as a child in Castellio. "May I persuade you to join me for the next dance, Lady Merlin?"
Her gaze turned his way, ebony locks brushing across her collarbone as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "I would be delighted, Sir Escanor - please excuse us, my Lords, we may continue this conversation later."
Her hand fell into his lightly, his fingers reflexively twitching closed around it and left a gentle kiss across her knuckles, ignoring the burst of whispers from those around them. They were the first to brave the open patch of floor reserved for dancing as the first lingering notes of a slow waltz took form on the strings of unseen violins. Escanor adjusted his grip on her hand and splayed his large palm across the delicate curve of her waist as her free hand found a comfortable place just above his elbow, waiting half a heartbeat before moving to the tempo of the music, easily leading her through the opening steps of their dance. This had to be heaven, he was convinced. It took a very long time for other couples to join them, most everyone awestruck at the sight of the mountain of a man gracefully leading the petite Mage around the floor. "I'd almost forgotten you could dance so well," she remarked, "Everyone is staring."
"I was a Prince, once," he replied, punctuating the statement with a showy twirl that sent her spinning an arms length from him before pulling her back in and finishing the thought, "Do not worry, I've got you."
"I've never doubted you for a second."
"Nor I, you."
Her skirts rustled against his trousers as they moved and distantly, he heard his Captain whistle from the edge of the dance floor, "Get her, Escanor!"
The back of his neck and his ears felt hot and his eyes were pulled in the blonde's direction in a glare, Merlin's hand squeezing his bicep pulling him back, "Don't mind him, he's been drinking since we got here."
His gaze softened upon meeting her honey gold stare, "I know, however this is hardly the place for such commentary."
Gradually the song came to an end and though he was loathe to part from her, felt a sudden need to escape the watchful, judgemental eyes that had been following him all evening. He could feel that the sun was finally starting to set and didn't desire the transition to his night form to be witnessed by half the kingdom.
"Thank you for the wonderful dance, Escanor, shall I be prepared for another later?"
"The honor was mine, though I would hate to get your hopes up, the sun is setting."
He knew she would understand the implications of his vague reply even before her thoughtful hum, "I would enjoy dancing with you then too, you know."
"Perhaps you will manage to persuade me, but I regret to say I must take my leave of you for now."
He bowed to her once more, waiting for her curtsy in return before turning on his heel to disappear into the castle gardens surrounding the ballroom for some much needed air and privacy.
Escanor berated the slowly emerging anxiety and fidgeting every step of the way as he paced the length of a small courtyard, almost out of hearing range of the still in full swing party. Eventually, the sun set and his night form was fully in control again, trembling fingers groping in his breast pocket for his glasses before collapsing with a sigh on the edge of the fountain nestled against the side of a tall hedgerow, elbows on his thighs and hands knotted in his own hair. Never would he forget those blissful minutes of Merlin in his arms, giving him full control of their dance. It was a heady jumble for both sides of him and he would treasure the memory always. He lingered there a long while with his eyes screwed shut when he could no longer take the flagstones mocking his cowardice, replaying the moment endlessly and that was how she found him.
"Escanor?" She called softly, alerting him to her presence, "May I join you?"
"O-of course, Miss Merlin!" Gone was the smooth baritone of the long day, replaced by the trembling soprano of night.
Her heeled boots were the only sound to be heard until she sat at his side, and after several heartbeats, finally said, "I still think you look very dashing, you know."
There was no stopping the embarrassed flush creeping across his skin this time, "Oh, um, th-thank you. I am very sorry for a-abandoning you…e-earlier. My o-other side didn't want others to see us ch-change."
Her hand perched on his knee and nervous blue eyes snapped her way, "I understand, Escanor; not many are gifted with the honor of getting to see your evening transformation, even among the Sins."
Her words only deepened his blush, but still felt enough lingering confidence in him thanks to the Solstice to cover her hand with his own, now much smaller one.
"Do you suppose," Merlin began after a moment, eyes still trained on their slowly entwining fingers, "I might be able to coax you into dancing with me again?"
His heart nearly stopped. The very thought of stepping foot on that dance floor again, this time in his night form, had him panicking, despite every fiber of his being screaming to accept her request.
"We could stay here in the garden if that would make you more comfortable," she suggested. "We can still hear the orchestra from here."
Goddesses above, he loved this woman, even if he could never find the courage to admit it, night or day. "I-If that is your w-wish, it would be my honor."
He was rewarded with a smile that made her eyes sparkle, and took that as his cue to rise to his feet and lead her to the center of the little courtyard, just as another song began, once more cradling one of her hands as the other obediently found her waist. Her free hand found his shoulder this time and he only hesitated a moment before they began to move, water gurgling in the background and stars beginning to twinkle in the sky above them, the moon not yet cresting the distant horizon. No words were spoken between them this time, but the dance felt far more profound, even the music of the ball itself fading into nonexistence as Merlin moved half a step closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder beside her hand. For his part, Escanor tipped his head slightly to rest his temple against her hair and pulled their joined hands in close to rest over his thundering heart. Their steps slowed, but didn't stop, just basking in the moment of absolute intimate privacy.
"I think," her sudden murmur, warm breath tickling his neck over his stiff collar, made him jump slightly, "I might be enjoying this dance even more than the last."
"I-I am pleased to hear it." His thumb began caressing the back of her hand of its own volition and turned his head just slightly to press a kiss to the hair over her ear.
Eventually they slowed to a stop, but neither pulled from the tender embrace, until Merlin asked, "Escanor, I am feeling tired… Will you walk me home?"
"O-of course, Miss Merlin." He released his hold on her slowly, offering her his arm, just as his much prouder side had that afternoon, blushing and fidgeting when one hand slipped into the crook of his elbow and the other stretched across to tuck her fingers between his ribs and bicep.
They managed to trek through the ballroom and out of the castle unnoticed, only briefly noticing their friends still deeply engrossed in the festivities that were likely to continue on until almost dawn. Even the festival in town was winding down, families with small children having long since herded the little ones home to their beds and the straggling couples and groups of drinking companions looking for an open bar still serving drinks. The walk back to the Boar Hat was quiet, but not at all unpleasant, the pair's gait was slow, but steady, both apparently wanting the moment to last, despite the cool summer breeze making the trees creak and whisper. Escanor opened the door of the bar for Merlin, and paused briefly to light the lantern hanging just inside the door, flooding the room in a soft glow that almost stretched to Hawk's bed in the corner where the pig snored loudly. Merlin stifled a giggle against his shoulder and allowed him to lead her in the direction of the stairs.
"Thank you for your escort today, Escanor," she murmured as they paused in the hallway between their rooms, "I enjoyed your company very much."
"Any-anything for you, Miss Merlin." He stammered, resisting the urge to tug nervously at his collar.
"Then…may I ask one more favor of you?"
"If it is in my p-power to grant, I w-will do my b-best."
"May I stay with you tonight? My room is so drafty and you're always so warm."
Escanor was convinced he was as red as the fabric of his jacket and felt his shoulders tense; his mouth was suddenly very dry and could only manage to nod, fumbling for the doorknob behind him before ushering her into the confines of his room. The door swung shut with a clicked whisper and he found himself at a loss. What was he getting himself into? What was she doing? Surely even she could tell the effect she was having on him today, the overly long stretch of daylight skewing his usual clockwork personality quirks and making him say and do things he never would have managed otherwise.
Slowly, she reached for his discarded white shirt of the morning the Big Guy hadn't bothered putting away from its place strewn across the end of the bed, asking, "Do you mind? I do not wish to sleep in this dress all night."
It took several moments for the question to register with his half fried brain, his heart thundering in his ears. He swallowed thickly, "Oh, um, n-no, I don't m-mind. Th-the bathroom is just th-there."
She flashed him a bright little smile before she disappeared from sight with a swish of her skirts. He had to physically shake himself to start moving again, making quick work of changing out of his formal attire and into comfortable sleeping pants and a sleeveless white undershirt before padding barefoot to his bed and gently setting his glasses on the side table as he pulled back the covers and climbed in, lying near the wall to leave Merlin room in his somewhat narrow bed.
She emerged a few minutes later, red gown hanging over her arm and heeled boots in her hand, setting the latter on the floor beside his boots and draping the former over the back of the chair at his desk. With the dress out of the way, his lungs gasped for air at the picture she painted, long legs bare to her mid-thigh and nearly swimming in the crisp cotton of his shirt - Sweet, merciful Goddesses - several of the top most buttons left undone and revealing another stretch of pale, creamy skin as one side sagged to almost expose her shoulder. Escanor would be a lucky man indeed if he managed to survive the night. He thought she was even more beautiful like this than in her ballgown. He hadn't realized that was possible and could almost feel his other side grinning with pleasure.
Without a word, she snapped her fingers to douse the candlelight and crawled into the bed beside him, fearlessly pulling the blanket over them both, curling up to his side, arms tucked up against her chest shyly, even as one leg hooked over one of his, "So warm," she murmured sleepily, eyes already closed. "Goodnight, Escanor."
"Goodnight…Miss M-Merlin."
It took a long time for him to finally join her in slumber, his thoughts and his heart racing, though finally, he did, practically dreading the rising of the next day's sun.
Consciousness came to him slowly, mostly due to the morning sun cresting his windowsill and the soft warmth hugged to his chest that was most certainly not his pillow. Finally he remembered that Merlin had asked to share his bed the night before and dreaded opening his eyes, choosing instead to hug her closer to him and bask in the faint fragrance of her shampoo still clinging to her hair that was pressed to his nose.
"I was beginning to wonder when you'd awake, Sleepy Lion." her voice chuckled against his shirt, "I never would have taken you for a cuddler, but I was not allowed to leave the bed this morning when I woke."
Even though he felt the blush spreading across his face, the sun was high enough and his brain still muddled enough by sleep for his confident reply, "Hmm, this is astoundingly comfortable…"
Another giggle teased him further from sleep and he creaked one eye open a bit to regard her peeking up at him through dark lashes and hair mussed by sleep. "Is it now? I cannot reasonably disagree."
Slender fingers reached up to toy with the end of his thick mustache, an unspoken question glittering in her eyes.
It was then he realized that at some point their legs had become completely tangled together and she had one arm draped across his ribs, while both of his had her hugged firmly to his slowly expanding chest. Of its own accord, one thumb started tracing lazy circles against her exposed shoulder, just above the open collar of his shirt she had slept in. "Were you warm enough last night, Lady Merlin?"
"Yes, thank you Escanor, I was perfectly cozy." She paused, thoughtful, "Do you want your glasses?"
He considered it a while, still processing the feel of her pressed so completely against him. "No, thank you," he answered finally, pressing a languid, sleepy kiss to her forehead.
Merlin's chin turned up, the barest of pouts tugging at her lips and he really just couldn't help himself; he shifted closer and kissed her properly. It was just a gentle press of lips, enough to convey his intentions but fully prepared for rejection, should she wish to do so. Thus, he practically purred in satisfaction when she slanted her mouth more fully against him and her fingertips wandered from his mustache to the short hairs at the nape of his neck. The kiss was chaste, despite his other side practically growling in his head to push further and Escanor spared only half a thought to insist that he shut up, reminding him that the Big Guy got the first dance and this was fair.
He wasn't able to stop the mildly irritated huff that escaped his lips as they parted, which caused Merlin to frown, "Is something wrong, Escanor?"
A little grunt of discomfort rippled through him as the sun crept higher and flooded his body with the rapidly growing power of Sunshine, "Hmm, th-the Big Guy is jealous and still in a bit of a mood a-after yesterday."
A delicate peal of laughter surprised him and she cupped both of his cheeks in her palms, "He will have his chance, I assure you - I find I am quite enjoying exploring these new sides of you I haven't seen before."
His ears burned with pleased embarrassment, but even he was not prepared for the abrupt momentary drop in his vocal pitch when the other side of him took advantage of the rising sun just enough to admit, "Only for you, Merlin."
He buried his face in her hair to hide from her wide golden gaze and rein his other side back in. "My a-apologies, I-I am always a m-mess the day after S-Solstice."
She rubbed his back soothingly, "Is that why you hardly leave your room?"
"Y-yes. He hates my stutter and I dis-dislike his attitude. And n-neither of us wish to expose the others to it."
Merlin squirmed slightly, shifting closer, if such a thing were even possible, "Thank you, for trusting me with this side of you, Escanor. I will help if I can."
His only reply was to squeeze her tighter and they drifted into easy silence, content for the moment to just be together as his form shifted and he struggled with his own self-control on two fronts. The bed was becoming increasingly smaller as time passed and he grew, eventually the sounds of the other Sins stirring and making their way downstairs reminding them that they could not reasonably expect to hide in his room all day while his personalities shifted and settled in the wake of the longest day of the year.
"Will you be alright if I go for a few minutes to change and round up some breakfast for us?" she finally asked, her hand on his back still tracing soothing lines up and down his spine.
He took a deep breath, slowly relaxing his grip on her, "Yes, I will manage."
He noted how slow she was to extract herself from his bed and watched her retrieve her clothes from the previous night before poking her head out the door to check for the others in the hall. There was a proud tightness in his chest as he watched her slip out, still wearing little but his white shirt and waited for the click of the door before he finally dragged himself up as well.
She was just turning the knob of her door and cursed her bad luck at the surprised voice that had caught her, "Merlin! There you are, we've all been wondering where you were since last night," Elizabeth fretted, slowly taking in the sight of her, "We weren't surprised that Escanor had disappeared after sunset, but you…are you wearing his shirt?!"
Merlin snapped, "Hush, Big Sis-sis! And I am sorry we didn't say anything, I was tired and asked Escanor to walk me home."
"I am so relieved you're alright. Will he be down today?" her voice dropped to almost a whisper, "Did you…spend the night with him?"
"No, I don't believe he will, the Solstice took its toll on him, he is very…out of sorts. And we only slept, my room was drafty and cold last night and he is very warm."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Merlin had her door half open and was slipping inside, pausing only to say, "Actually yes, could you make us a breakfast tray while I dress? I promised to stay with him today while he settles - I will come down to get the food, if for nothing else than to make an appearance and save you a trip."
"Of course!"
"And Big Sis-sis?" she threw over her shoulder as an afterthought, "Please don't say anything to the others, particularly Ban and Meliodas, I don't think Escanor could face them if they knew."
"My lips are sealed." Elizabeth promised with a nod, disappearing down the steep, narrow stairwell.
"Was Merlin still in bed?" Meliodas asked cheerily, leaning against the bar and wiping out a glass, his gaze following Elizabeth across the room.
"Oh! Um, she was just getting dressed when I found her, she'll be down shortly."
"And Escanor? Was he upstairs?"
"I-I didn't see him, but Merlin did say he walked her back here last night when she got tired, so I think he must be."
Ban waved the statement off, even as he was gulping down his ale, "We won't see him 'til tomorrow, he never leaves his room after Midsummer."
Elizabeth hummed noncommittally, bustling around in the kitchen behind the bar to make up the tray Merlin had asked for and leaving it on the bar top while doing her best to avoid Meliodas' wandering hands.
"Ah, good morning, everyone." Merlin greeted as she made the landing and made her way quickly to fetch the waiting tray, "Thank you so much, Big Sis-sis, I really appreciate it."
Gowther was perched on a barstool nearby and looked up from his book only long enough to regard the Mage in a quiet monotone Elizabeth was barely able to catch, "You are helping more than you know, his thoughts have been screaming all morning, but you ground him."
That gave her pause for a moment and an odd little quirk passed over her lips before she disappeared up the stairs again. Elizabeth called out after her, "I'll bring up lunch later, so you don't have to worry!"
She barely heard Merlin yell back, "Thanks Big Sis-sis!"
The door thunked shut heavily, jolting him from the barely started poem he'd been jotting down as he awaited Merlin's return.
"Sorry," she muttered, "My hands were full and I wasn't expecting you to be writing."
"It helps, a little," he admitted, reaching for one of the muffins on the tray she balanced at the edge of the desk, "Not so much today though…"
She combed her fingers through his neatly combed ginger locks mussing them only slightly, pausing midway when his blue eyes fluttered shut and he sighed heavily. He was currently caught somewhere in his midmorning form and his desk chair was beginning to look rather small in comparison to his bulk. "How can I help?"
He reached up to draw her hand out of his hair and press a grateful kiss to her palm, "Just…stay. Your presence is very…soothing."
His morning candor was surprising, but not unwelcome and with an understanding smile, she perched at the end of his bed to enjoy her share of their meal. It was fascinating to watch as he continued picking at his food, even as his pencil resumed scratching across the paper. Her gaze began to wander his rather spartan decor until it landed on the bookcase near his wardrobe. Curiosity piqued, she rose to her feet to peruse the titles, only to find most of them were either journals filled with his own works or fables and fairy tales. She could feel his curious gaze on her back and asked, "Do you mind?"
"Please, help yourself. I apologize if I am not much in the way of company. Today will be…a struggle for me."
Hardly thinking, she selected a book and quiped, "On the contrary, I will simply kiss you senseless if you get cranky."
It was meant as a half hearted jest to combat the heavy energy coming off of him in near palpable waves, but she was not expecting the strangled almost growl that escaped him, nor the self-realization that she would gladly follow through with the idle threat.
Merlin turned from the bookcase only to be met with the blunt end of his pencil jabbing her direction, "Woman, do not tease me."
"I wouldn't dare, Escanor."
He was on his feet and blocking her path before she could fully comprehend it, "Is that so? And if I were to admit I am currently very cranky?"
She must be dreaming. Escanor? Flirting?
"Are you?" It wasn't often he managed to throw her off her cool, but apparently the aftermath of Midsummer really took its toll on his ironclad gentlemanly filters. It was no secret, even to her, the devotion the man before her felt, though for his sake she had pointedly never addressed it, finding herself unwilling to push him further out of his comfort zone than he was willing to push himself. And she could not pinpoint when exactly she had begun seeing him as more than just a pursuit of knowledge into his powers. But if this was how he wanted to play today…well, games were made for two.
She saw Escanor's jaw clench, almost heard his teeth grinding together and his hands flexed into fists at his sides. She met his azure stare for all she was worth, silently goading him to admit defeat, which eventually, he did, by tilting his head and casting his gaze somewhere off to the side. She let him wallow in his frustration only a moment longer before she lifted herself from the floor with magic to catch his lips with her own, humming in satisfaction at the surprised rumble vibrating his broad chest. His hands found her waist, hers finding purchase on his shoulders. The kiss was no more intense than the one they had shared in his bed, and yet, it felt very different, no doubt due to the fact that the man she currently had her lips locked with was both fully awake now and well on his way to his noontime form. Merlin had already decided she liked kissing him either way and was interested in continuing to acquaint herself with the surprisingly soft mouth hidden behind the slightly ticklish, thick facial hair that grew neatly above his upper lip. The question, though, remained on if he would still be interested once he was on an even keel again, which felt a silly thing to worry about, but his normal quirks were about as predictable as one could get and he had always kept a gentlemanly distance between them.
"Escanor…?" Her whisper in the scant space between them when they parted had him quite literally purring at her.
"Yes, Merlin?"
There was a shy gleam in her eyes that felt just a little odd. He was the reserved one, while she had never shied away from speaking her mind bluntly with him or anyone else of her acquaintance. "Will this still be alright when you've settled again?"
It took far longer than he'd like to admit to process the question she posed, and he sighed in frustration with himself, "My night form will not like the teasing from the others, but I cannot see either of us letting you go now that you've allowed us in."
"What holds you - him - back?"
He caressed her cheek with his knuckles, his thumb skirting the curve of her lips, "He is small, and does not feel worthy…I am unpredictable and loath to admit, still afraid of hurting you." He could tell she thought that was a silly answer and withdrew from her, feeling suddenly foolish, and crossed the small space to flop unceremoniously across his narrow bed, turning so his back was to her, "I am going to try and sleep through high noon, I'd rather not have to leave the bar today."
Escanor felt, rather than saw, the mattress sink behind him with her added weight and chose not to protest when she hugged his back, "Noon or midnight," she murmured against his shoulder blade, "I am not afraid or ashamed. I would have you at my side regardless - it would be cruel of me to favor one side over the other, for it takes both halves to make you Escanor."
It felt like a confession of sorts, but he didn't dare to hope, instead silently allowing the steady pressure of her at his back to lull him to unconsciousness.
A timid knock jolted Merlin from the slim volume of fables she had begun reading after Escanor's breathing had slowed and deepened into sleep. The thought had crossed her mind only once to leave him to his rest and tinker in her lab for a while, but she couldn't bring herself to follow through, knowing instinctively, somehow, that he needed her more right now than her experiments did, even if the big lug refused to admit it outright. She had been witness to many new facets of the usually tightlipped Lion today, besides the fact that she had promised she would see him through this self-imposed isolation.
"Escanor? Merlin? It's me - Elizabeth. I brought you something to eat."
Had he not turned in his sleep and thrown a heavy arm across her hips, effectively pinning her to his side, Merlin would have gotten up to answer the door. As it was, she set her book carefully on the side table beside the slim frames of his glasses and silently opened the door with a flick of her magic, "Shh, he's asleep."
Elizabeth's footsteps were barely whispered clicks on the hardwood floor, silently replacing the tray on Escanor's desk with a fresh spread of food, as well as a mug of ale and a glass of Merlin's favorite red wine. "It is so warm in here, is… Is he doing alright?"
Merlin's lips quirked in a gentle smirk, "I rather enjoy his warmth - besides it's not long past noon, he can't help it more than he is by sleeping through it." She smoothed the sleep mussed hair on his head, smiling a little when his grip on her tightened in his sleep, "His mood is…unpredictable today, so I'll wait to rouse him until you've gone."
She nodded, bright eyes belaying her worrisome nature, "I understand; just…just let him know we're all here and we all care about him. I'm sure he'll be back to himself in no time!"
With that, Elizabeth made her exit as quietly as she had come, taking care to pull the door gently closed behind her. Merlin waited a few minutes before carding her fingers through his hair again, "It's time to wake up, Sleepy Lion…Big Sis-sis brought us lunch."
His chest rumbled against her thigh and he grunted, "Don't want food."
She rolled her eyes at the ceiling, "What do you want then?"
He squeezed her hips affectionately, squinting up at her, "Already have it, right here."
Merlin couldn't help laughing. The candor of this man today was positively adorable. She hoped against hope he would continue to show her this part of him in the future. "Oh, Escanor."
He frowned, obviously misunderstanding her mirth, "You don't have to stay,"
"I am where I want to be; you are adorable this way, I hope to see more of this Escanor, for purely selfish reasons." Her confession seemed to throw him slightly, as his frown deepened, creasing his brow.
"You are baffling, woman."
"And you need to eat," she insisted, tapping the end of his nose to punctuate her rebuttal. "Or no more kisses."
He growled and hefted himself up on an elbow, searing his lips to hers and gripping the back of her neck firmly, but gently. "You wouldn't dare," he challenged when the need for air forced them apart.
"Wouldn't I?" She quipped, taking advantage of her release from his grip to escape, very much in need of a moment to collect herself and rein in the baser instincts his abrupt mood swing had evoked in her.
"Merlin…" Escanor sighed heavily, "Forgive me, that was too forward. It is no excuse, but I really cannot control myself today."
She waved it off, "You've done no harm, Escanor, there is nothing to forgive."
She could feel the heat of him at her back, her spine shivering at the words he spoke gently into the hair over her ear, "I will only ever do as you desire of me, nothing more, nothing less." He reached around her then, to dexterously snag a sandwich and his drink from their tray with one hand, then the heat retreated, though didn't fully fade from the room as he made himself comfortable on the edge of the bed to eat.
It didn't take long for her to join him, and they ate quietly, content to simply exist together in that moment. He leaned back against the mattress on his elbows some time later, regarding her thoughtfully, "This has been the smoothest Settling I have had in a very long time. It is fortunate that you enchanted my room to be fireproof, normally I pace and fume all day."
"I have heard you stomping around up here in the past," she agreed, "I am glad I've been allowed to help this year."
Escanor's head slumped back to stare at the ceiling, "It isn't easy to find the balance again, I doubt I'll ever not struggle."
Merlin reached out to touch his leg closest to her, "I will stay as long as you need me… Is the Winter Solstice equally difficult?"
"Even if it's forever?" They both blushed a bit at his implication, "And yes, but it's different - I am very tired and end up sleeping through most of it. Even the Little Guy is exhausted th-that day." He scowled at the brief stutter. "Hmm, I hate when he does that."
"You shouldn't, it's as much a part of you as it is of him. I think it's endearing."
He laughed.
"What do you think he does up there all day?" King asked of no one in particular, "He isn't trying to stomp his way through the floor this year."
"Maybe he writes poetry," Diane suggested, "Have you ever seen his bookcase? Most of it is his journals - I've never actually been in his room myself, but I recognize the spines when I catch a glimpse through the window now and then as we're traveling."
"Well…" Elizabeth hesitated, wondering how much she could say without giving away that Merlin was up there with him. "He was sleeping when I brought lunch up to him, so I just left it on his desk, but it did look like he had been trying to write, though not very successfully, a lot of it was scratched out."
"Probably another poem about Merlin," Ban barked out with a laugh, making the human-sized giantess swat at him, "Oi! What'd I do?"
"You shouldn't tease him so much! Maybe Escanor would open up more if you laid off a bit. His poems are sweet."
"Ah, but you don't have to slap my head off! I might be immortal, but it still hurts!"
Gowther surprised them all when he piped in, "He has to find his balance again, after it's thrown off by the extra daylight. His mind is a bit of a screaming mess and he doesn't want to be thought lesser for it."
"Bah," Meliodas scoffed, "Escanor's one of us, he should know by now we wouldn't think differently of him."
"Sunshine is also harder for him to handle when he's out of balance - it's why Merlin fireproofed his room when we rebuilt the tavern." The doll's blunt observation quelled the conversation and Elizabeth let out a relieved breath. A roar of laughter from the stairwell startled almost all of them, and the Princess couldn't help smiling to herself, glad that Merlin's company seemed to be easing Sir Escanor through the process. She only hoped they would hurry up and stop dancing around each other; his devotion to Merlin was no secret to any of them, but it had surprised her to see the same affection glittering in her eyes when she had walked in on him cuddled up to her with the Mage's fingers tangled in his ginger hair. She didn't think Merlin would ever find someone she would deem worthy to learn how to love properly. It seemed she was wrong. That made her happy, silly as it might seem.
Several hours later, the sun had begun to sag in the sky and out of nowhere, Merlin turned up in the kitchen, just as Elizabeth was putting together a tray to bring upstairs and the bar started filling with patrons for the evening. She watched, puzzled as the other woman began rummaging through the cupboards, "Umm, Merlin? Are you looking for something? Maybe I can help?"
"Does the Captain keep a picnic basket in this blasted kitchen? I managed to talk Escanor into leaving his room for the evening, but he's not ready to be in a crowd yet."
Elizabeth clasped her hands together over her chest, feeling rather starry eyed for a moment, "Oh! That's so sweet! Um, yes, I think so! Check the shelf behind those barrels of ale, I'll put something together for you while you look."
She busied herself putting together a nice, simple meal and humming to herself, while Merlin rummaged around on the shelves she'd indicated.
"Aha!" Came her cry of success moments later. Quickly, they packed it all up and Elizabeth followed her friend from the kitchen to resume her work in the bar while Merlin herself disappeared upstairs. She only caught a glimpse of her and Escanor slipping out the front door a few minutes later, the former still hanging onto the basket while the latter - still somewhat oversized as the sun remained hanging low in the sky, not yet touching the horizon - followed behind her obediently, crisp white shirt and green vest dangling over one shoulder and their free hands entwined between them. The last she saw of them that evening was Escanor's ginger hair ducking under the top of the door frame and the red tattoo across his back.
He was content to let her lead him across the lush countryside outside the walls of Liones to a lonely hilltop that offered a wonderful view of the kingdom and the slowly setting sun, relishing and memorizing the feel of her slim fingers threaded between his. Escanor still was unconvinced the entire day hadn't just been a pleasant dream, and dreaded the idea of waking up again tomorrow to the way things had been before. This sense of freedom to touch and be touched by the ebony haired Mage was…well, he couldn't quite think of how to describe it, but the warmth it flooded him with was completely different than Sunshine and more intoxicating than the strongest alcohol in all of Britannia.
Merlin regarded him as they spread out a checkered blanket and poked around the basket to see what the Princess had packed for them. "What is on your mind, Escanor? You've had a very sad look in your eye since we got here," she prodded, nibbling at a piece of bread.
He looked away from her, to gaze at the sun, just beginning to brush the rim of the horizon and burning the sky in a riot of rich colors. It took him some time to muster the candor to answer her honestly, slowly shrugging into the shirt and vest he had brought along, "Well…I s-suppose a part of me is d-dreading tomorrow and learning that this - t-today, our t-time spent to-together - has been l-l-little more than a d-dr-dream." He cleared his throat in the silence that followed, nervously adding, "I've always desired your affection, b-b-but never dared hope for it and I would never f-fault you for lack of it, as long as I-I can be of some use to you, I am happy."
"Escanor," there was a lilt to the tone of his name on her lips that had him wincing and reaching for his glasses tucked safely in their picnic basket. "I… Perhaps at the start I saw you as just another puzzle to solve, but it has changed with time as we became closer until without even my own knowing, I have come to care about you much more than I ever thought I could feel about another person." She punctuated her statement with a gentle press of her lips to the corner of his, bracing her hands against his thighs as she leaned forward. "Today has not been a dream, I promise." She breathed.
Escanor mustered the last of his courage for the day and tilted his head slightly her way to quip, "I'll believe you when you kiss me tomorrow morning."
She laughed and kissed the tip of his nose before resetting herself between his legs and reclining back against his chest to watch the remains of the sunset in companionable silence. Even if it was a dream, he would always cherish every moment of this day for the rest of his life.
It had taken them some time to work up the motivation to return to the bar that night, neither looking forward to ending their time together. They chose to kiss goodnight a fair distance from the Boar Hat and Merlin teleported herself the rest of the way, leaving Escanor to make his way home on his own, personalities finally settled and feeling very tired after all of the mental whiplash, but couldn't find it in himself to deny his Captain when asked to help behind the still swamped bar.
Even despite his weariness, he still rose at dawn, feeling the pull of Sunshine and his other side. Disappointment tugged at his chest for a moment as his sleep addled brain registered the empty space he'd unconsciously created beside him in the bed.
The Captain and Ban were both slumped over at a table, empty ale mugs scattered around them from another drinking contest, and he'd had time to clean up most of the mess before the Princess and Gowther turned up and helped finish the cleaning while he made his way to the kitchen to start breakfast for everyone. King eventually floated down lazily on Chastiefol and Diane's smiling face appeared outside one of the larger windows. Morning greetings were shared between them all and food was passed around, only one plate left waiting on the bar top for Merlin to turn up. By the time she did, the sun had risen far enough in the sky that Escanor had abandoned his vest on the back of a chair, glasses safely tucked away in the pocket, and his oversized shirt was starting to feel tight and claustrophobic while he swept the main floor.
"Good morning everyone, I see even King beat me downstairs today," Merlin chuckled, and he couldn't help watching her every move, idly wondering if she remembered her promise from the night before as she wove between the tables in his direction.
Her hand found purchase on his forearm as she rose up on her toes to plant a chaste, but very deliberate kiss on his lips, smirking when she pulled away, "Good morning, Escanor. Do you believe me now?"
He could almost hear the jaws of the other Sins hitting the floor, and could only bring himself to smile and tip his head in the direction of the bar, "Your breakfast is waiting…Merlin."
Author's Notes: Hello again, my dear, lovely readers! Our favorite Sins are fluffing things up again, and waxing poetic far more than I intended. :D The inspiration for this wordy hunk of fluffage was honestly Midsummer's Day itself. I was binge watching the anime and got to thinking, "Well, gee, I wonder what kind of effect the Solstice would have on Escanor's powers?" And then them dancing together kind of just popped up in my brain and I couldn't stop my fingers. I had not meant for it to cover past Midsummer itself, but per usual, my fingers ran away with me again. I had also meant to write only from Escanor's perspective, but the story had other (better) ideas.
Writing daytime Escanor feels very natural, and I'm very pleased with my portrayal of him, but I struggled a bit finding the right footing with Merlin's natural aloofness and my aim for fluffy romance and with finding a suitable balance in the cadence of nighttime Escanor's stutter. I hope I did both justice. And I loved exploring the idea of Escanor having a little bit of a Hulk/Banner complex during and after the Solstice and seeing himself as two separate minds, per say.
As of right now, this will remain as just a one-shot, but the process of writing it has me curious where my plot bunnies would lead me if we ventured to the realm of the shortest day of the year. If that's something that piques your interest as well, let me know, I might take a crack at it and give all of us some more lovely Escalin fluff to snuggle up with. :)
Until next time, Captain Dreki, out!