It's for money, not love

13

-Meliodas' POV-

I was laying down, my head resting on Liz lap as she was trying to style my hair and playing a bit with it. The tv played in the background. Everything was so nice, it felt like I could fall asleep at any moment.

"You know I really love you, Liz, right? Even if I'm married to Elizabeth..."

"Of course I do silly. You will always love me, won't you?"

"I will. Nothing will ever change that." I said, bringing my hand to her face and stroking her cheek with the back of my fingers. She grabbed my wrist and opened my hand before leaning into it.

"You are amazing, Meliodas..."

"No, you are amazing... Liz..." I mumbled, sitting up to kiss her. She put her hands on my cheeks, not letting me. I flinched, pulling her hands away from my cheeks as I asked "Still too early?"

She nodded, saying "Yes..."

"That's fine..." I said, kissing her cheek instead. She then pushed me down to lay down again, asking "Has your dad hit you again?"

I moved to lay down on my side, watching the tv as I nodded a yes.

"You have gotten better at covering it up... I couldn't see that you had any makeup on this time..."

"Elizabeth helped me... She put on the makeup on me this morning." I mumbled, stroking my finger in circles and other figures on her knee.

"That's nice of her." Liz said, making me nod. She once again started playing with my hair and I just relaxed, watching my finger moving around on her knee.

"Why don't you want me to go out without covering my  bruises?" I asked a question I have wanted to know in a while.

"I just don't like to see that you have gotten hurt..."

"Yes, but... you only complain about it when we are going out... not when we stay inside..."

She kept quiet a couple seconds, making me ask "Am I embarrassing you?"

"No... no, I just... don't want you to get into trouble... People might think you are getting abused..."

"But I am getting abused..."

"Yes, but... abused by me..."

"Oh, I understand..." I mumbled, my hand falling down to the couch as I just stared at the tv. Liz didn't speak and I didn't either.

I thought she wanted me to cover up my bruises because of love for me or something... but in the end... it was only so she wouldn't be mistaken for the abuser...

. . . . .

I looked at the other side of the bed... empty... Ellie was sleeping over at her friend's place if I remembered it correctly...

I have kinda gotten used to not sleeping alone, so that was partly of the reason I can't sleep... and the other part was that I was once again overthinking.

Getting up, I quietly walked out of my room and knocked on the guest room.

"Yes?" I heard a tired voice. I peeked in on Liz, asking "Are you sure you don't want to sleep with me? I can ensure you that I won't touch you... I just want some company..."

"No... This room is nice..."

"Okay... Sorry for disturbing you..." I said, closing the door and quietly walking back, sitting down in bed. I kinda miss Elizabeth... even if we didn't talk much, her company felt enough...

I pulled the blanket over me and laid down, staring at Elizabeth's part of the bed while slowly drifting off.

. . . . .

I immediately got up to the door when I heard it open. Elizabeth stepped in with one of the workers we had and they were talking.

"Welcome home Elizabeth." I said, taking her bag from her. She turned to me, saying "Thank you. Have you had a nice night?"

I gave the butler her bag and grabbed Elizabeth's hand, asking "Can you help me with the makeup again? Liz couldn't even notice I worn any yesterday and I want to learn how you did it..."

"Oh, umm-"

"Meli~ Where did you go now?"

"Liz! I'm in the hallway!" I called back and she came only a second later, immediately seeing Elizabeth and smiling.

"Elizabeth, nice to meet you again. Thank you so much for going away a night so I could spend some time with my man..." Liz said and hugged me from behind. I smiled, grabbing her arms softly, not wanting her to stop.

I like her touching me like this.

"Oh, ummm, no problem... I'm... going to our room to unpack if that's fine?"

"Yeah, so are you teaching me later?" I asked, my arm sneaking around Liz's waist as we I walked after Elizabeth.

"S-Sure... ummm, tonight?"

"Sounds great." I said and let her walk away. Liz pulled me back into the living room, asking "What was that about?"

"She will teach me how to cover up my bruises... since you don't like seeing them..." I said, sitting down again. She nodded and sat down beside me, saying "That's so nice of you, I really do have the best boyfriend ever!"

"I'm trying to be..." I said, hugging her.

. . . . .

"So... like this?" I asked, trying to do makeup on my skin.

"Well, yes... nearly... you are getting better at least..." Elizabeth told me. I smiled, putting down the makeup brush and grabbing Elizabeth's hands in mine.

"Thank you so much for doing this for me Elizabeth... I appreciate it..."

She pulled her hands away, saying "I-it's okay... I-I mean... no... uh... I'm happy I am able to help you in some way..."

I smiled at her, saying "Also... we have still not done anything to get to know each other when I think about it..."

She looked at me with questioning eyes as I then said "Do you want to go out for dinner... at a restuarant..."

"But-but you have a girlfriend!"

"Wha- Not like that! It's not a date! It's just a friendly dinner..."

"O-oh, okay..."

"So? Would you like to go?" I asked. She nodded, mumbling "Sure..."

-Unknown's POV-

Hmmmm, maybe this is great either way... If they build a relationship... then they might work on that baby sooner...

"Sir! She's calling for you!"

"I'm on my way... Why is she calling?"

"She has started losing hair and is hysterical of sadness... Are you sure you shouldn't take her to a hospital?"

"Why should she go there?"

"She seems to be in pain and her symptoms is only getting worse by the day... She needs a doctor!"

"Nonsense, double her medication and it should help a lot faster."

"B-but sir-"

"You heard what I said, now leave be."

"A-as you wish sir..."