Come With Me - Meliodas x Reader

Chapter 51 - The Hero Rises

You couldn't stop staring at Meliodas. Which was kind of weird. It's not like you didn't know what he looked like. If you closed your eyes, you could see his face clearly. And if you had to draw him with your eyes closed, you bet you could do it ... well, not perfectly, but decently at least.

And now ... It was like every little movement he made required every last ounce of your attention. The way he tilted his head as he listened to Elizabeth. The way his lips turned up at the corners. Even the way he blinked or the way his chest rose with each breath shot a jolt straight to your heart.

The warmth from your ring was spreading through your body. It was like on those really cold days when you have a cup of tea and the cup feels so hot you could swear it was burning but you also don't want to put it down. And then you take the first sip and you can feel it going down your throat and to your toes even though you know that's anatomically impossible.

Meliodas caught your eye and smiled wider and all that heat rushed to your cheeks.

Elizabeth finished telling Meliodas about the journey you had taken to the past. Meliodas didn't react much, just kept that same smile on his face. You frowned, focussing in on his left hand. He wasn't wearing his ring.

Clearly sensing your confusion, Meliodas turned to you. He held out his hand. On his palm was his ring, shining softly in the sun. So he was only holding it. Your eyes flickered from the ring to his face. In Meliodas's eyes was something like a warning, an apology and a dare.

Oh. You licked your lips before reaching for his ring. It must be bad this time. But you could handle it. Right? The magic power slowly making its way through your veins gave you confidence. You knew how to fight the darkness and pull Meliodas out again. And as your fingers closed around the metal band, your resolution hardened. It didn't matter either way. You owed it to Meliodas to at least try.

So, much in the same was as you had done all those years ago, you took the ring and slipped it onto Meliodas's finger.

—

Elizabeth watched [Y/n] slide Meliodas's ring back on his finger. She couldn't stop smiling. Meliodas was back. And that meant [Y/n] would come back and stay back (the difference was already clear. There was colour in [Y/n]'s cheeks and she was standing straighter). It would be all right again. The three of them were together again.

At least, that's what Elizabeth had been thinking until [Y/n] let go of Meliodas's hand and stepped away.

It was only for a moment. Just barely a second. But Elizabeth saw it. [Y/n] froze with a look on her face like she'd been hit on the head with a frying pan. Then she shivered and began to move again, slowly starting up like her joints were rusty but had just been oiled.

Elizabeth looked slowly between the two of them. They were acting normally enough. Teasing and flirting and cracking jokes at other people's expense. So Elizabeth shook herself and let her smile come back.

—

'Elizabeth can make an Ark now,' you said, folding your arms and grinning smugly at Meliodas. 'She helped me get away from Derieri.'

Meliodas's jaw dropped. 'No way. Elizabeth, that's amazing!'

As Elizabeth blushed and stammered, you tried not to let the darkness swamp you. It pounded against your skull in relentless waves. It gnawed at the hole in your chest with teeth of pain and sorrow. It fed your grief, the hopelessness that had threatened to drag you down for the past month. Every gap in your memory that you had tried to patch with Elizabeth slowly began to grow like it was a cloth being eaten by acid.

And somewhere in the middle of it all, you were fighting. Forcing it back. Reaching for Meliodas.

What colour knickers are you wearing? Meliodas's voice in your head was as clear and bright as lightning in the night.