Come With Me - Meliodas x Reader

Chapter 54 - Memories of the Holy War

'Hey.'

'Hey.'

'Why are you still awake?'

Meliodas raised an eyebrow, barely visible in the moonlight. 'Why are you still awake?'

'I'm hungry.' You reached for his hand under the covers. 'Do you want anything?'

'Sure.'

'Be right back.' You got up, hissing as your bare feet touched the cold floor.

'You are not warming your feet up on me when you get back.'

'You're an ass.'

Meliodas's soft laugh followed you down the stairs. You moved quickly, footsteps light, trying to limit your contact with the cold. Heavy breathing and soft snores came from each bedroom you passed (or loud snores from Ban and Elaine's).

Do you want tea? you asked as you entered the dark kitchen.

Are you having any?

I was just gonna have water.

In that case, I'll have—

You are not having ale in the middle of the night. You put the knife down a little harder than necessary.

You're no fun. There was no harshness in Meliodas's voice.

Leaving the knife in the sink, you grabbed the plates and made your way back up the stairs.

'Toast?' said Meliodas as you closed the bedroom door with one foot. He had lit the candle on his bedside table. The soft light caught in his hair and eyes.

'Yeah. Jam for me and cheese for you.'

'So,' Meliodas said as he held both plates while you got back under the covers, 'how cold are your feet?'

You raised an eyebrow at him but he said nothing more, so you pressed one foot against his shin. Meliodas jumped, dropping his toast. You laughed, tucked your feet behind your knees and settled against the headboard to eat.

'Do you want to tell me?' you said after a while, looking at Meliodas out the corner of your eye. 'Why you were awake.'

Meliodas kept chewing and you thought he wasn't going to answer. He leant against your side, head resting on your shoulder. 'How long was I gone?' he asked eventually, looking at the moon.

The toast in your mouth turned to cardboard. You swallowed thickly. 'Why does it matter? You're back now.'

'Please tell me.'

You sighed. 'A month.'

'That's a long time.'

'It felt longer,' you said and immediately regretted it. 'But you're back now.'

'Yeah.' Meliodas kept staring at his toast.

'I left you for five years.' You kept your voice light. 'That's got to be worse.'

'Not even close.' Meliodas finally met your eyes. They were hard, just like his voice. 'All I had to do to feel you was hold my ring. All I had to do to speak to you was put it on. There's no comparison.'

Your eyes prickled. 'I ... I'm sorry.'

'No.' Meliodas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 'That's not what I ...'

You looked at him closely. 'Did he say something?'

Meliodas froze before shaking his head. 'Just the usual. "Give me my granddaughter and I'll leave you alone." Blah blah blah.'