If I could go back in time again,
I would, I would, I would
Be better and gentle and different
I would, I would, I would
If I could make you believe again
I would, I would, I would
Middle School – How to Say Sorry

It was early summer, the night's ending in a still cool breeze that carried the scent of the last of spring's far off rain. The sun had begun setting earlier each day, retreating beyond the horizon and dimming the world, making way for the flickering glow of fireflies and stars.

Citizens of Britannia had begun to get into their summer habits, days filled with festivals, food, and most of all, drinking. This also meant the Boar Hat was becoming increasingly busy as the season passed by, villagers wanting to reward hard days of work and successful early harvests. Stress ran high on busier nights, the Sins working full time both as knights and bartenders (the latter solely by Meliodas' stubbornness to leave the bar's dealings in the hands of extra help).

It made evening's they had off all the sweeter – their bellies filling with alcohol and early season berries as they sat around a fire. The slight white noise of the nearby lake swaying against the shore along with crackling wood and the cool breeze of swampy water made fuzzy minds all the more impaired. Insects and night birds sang off in the distance, their slow chirps signalling that nightfall was not far off.

The Sins were going through kegs and barrels of liquor at a records pace, running through their personal supply quicker than Meliodas or Elizabeth could bring it out. Their faces were flushed red, their eyes blinking and unseeing, words slurred and movements less than calculated. Even the previously 'no fun allowed' holy knights - Gilthunder and Howzer - had stopped by to join in on the festivities, Arthur in tow. It was great having everyone together, especially after their latest trials.

It was nights like these Elizabeth seemed to enjoy the most. A time to relax and allow all the built up stress to melt away along with their senses. They would laugh, tell tall tales, sometimes make impossible dares or fight amongst each other - anything but what her prim and proper life would see her in her off time at the castle. She wouldn't trade these moments for the world.

Their latest keg emptied down to the last drop, Meliodas had retreated back to the bar's storage room to bring out another.
The captain temporarily absent, Ban stumbled to the center of the group. He staggered forward, catching himself just before he crashed face first into the earth below as he murmured something inaudible.

"All I'm saying," Ban hicc'ed, his words finally clear enough to be made out, the ale already working towards turning his mind to straight mush, "Is I would love to see the cap'n drunk for once in my life."

The group paused their muttering, interest peaked. Of all the years they had known Meliodas, none of them had ever seen the man even come close to buzzed – let alone lose his wits in intoxication. Of all the rarities the sin of wrath had, being drunk was at the top of the list - followed closely by losing his temper (ironic considering his namesake) - missing an opportunity to grope Elizabeth, and missing out on a chance to promote his bar.

"Never going to happen." King slurred, a tankard hovering just under his lips, his cheeks visibly red from the substance within it.

"Come on King," Ban stood up, wobbling dangerously on his unsteady legs, "It's unfair that every time we do this he has to miss out on the fun!"

Arthur moved to catch Ban just as he stumbled over his own feet, righting the towering sin and gently easing the man down to a much safer sitting position. "I'm sure Master Meliodas has plenty of fun regardless of his intoxication level." Arthur noted as Ban pulled down on the young king's shirt, nearly causing him to lose his balance.

"Nonsense. There are but four earthly pleasures us men can partake in." Ban drawled out, his words slurring together as he gave his drunken philosophy. "Women, sex, money, and losing your wits to some good ass booze."

Arthur blushed at Ban's vulgarity, gaping for something - anything - to say in response –and instead resorting to chugging down the nearest stein and avoiding the topic entirely.

"I for one," Merlin chimed in, her liquor barely touched, "think it is a splendid idea. Great for educational purposes."

"See!" Ban pointed towards the mage, his face lighting up, "Someone who knows not to miss out on a good thing!"

"An interesting prospect," Gowther's monotone voice a stark difference against the slurred and unsteady tones of the other sins. "How do you propose we go about it?"
On cue, all heads turned towards Elizabeth, who had been perfectly content with silently sipping away at her own drink, listening to the banter without getting involved.
"W-why me?!" She stammered out, her near full mug almost spilling over her shirt as she recoiled from the sudden acknowledgement.

"If anyone here is going to convince the captain of anything it's you!" Diane, ever the happy-drunk chimed out in a sing-song tone as she threw her arms around the girl (almost spilling her ale once again.) Even when Diane was human size her strength still managed to knock the breath out of her at times.

"Besides," King floated over to pull Diane off of Elizabeth with little success. "You probably know the most about him out of any of us."

"That's not true!" Elizabeth jumped to defend not herself, but the comradery of his band of knights/criminals. "I've only known him a fraction of the time you all have!"

"Come on girl! It's obvious the captain sees you differently than the rest of us." Diane said as King finally managed to free the human-sized-giant away from Elizabeth.
She had to admit, it would be interesting to see Meliodas with a little less of his wits about him, not to mention the good it might do to his undoubtedly high stress levels. Though, exactly how to go about it was a mystery, even to her.

She thought back to when Zaratras had taken her through his memories. He had been drunk once then… though, what had driven him to that point? He was also so calm, his emotions hidden behind a mask even she couldn't see passed most time.

She stared into her mug, running her fingers around the rim as if the foamy beverage held her answers - though, none ever came that night.

Sunlight streamed in through the open window, a light summer's breeze brushing against curtains and bringing with it the scent of flowers. Elizabeth stirred, awaken by a ray of light that shone directly in her face.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, accepting that her day would have to start despite the weight of sleepiness that clouded her mind. She stretched out her stiff limbs as she rose, cool morning air greeting her exposed skin and sending a shiver through her spine.

She was faintly aware of the lack of weight to her left. It wasn't uncommon for Meliodas to wake up before her, starting preparations for the bar that day or squeezing some early morning training in. The past week he had been slipping out more than normal however, Elizabeth nearly expecting to wake up to a cold bed by now. Still, the pang in her heart grew each morning. She liked when she would wake up before him, could see his relaxed expression, his soft, even breaths, or even the way his lips parted ever so slightly as he snored softly.

She would watch and wonder just what it was he dreamed about. Were they happy dreams? Nightmares? Did he dream of the sins - of her? It was silly to ponder on, she knew that much, but she couldn't help but imagine the possibilities as he huffed, his eyes moving around behind closed lids - seeing images he alone could see.

It had been months since she had admitted to herself she had developed feelings for him, and just shy of a year since she had stumbled into the Boar Hat that fateful day, yet, this life had become so comfortable to her.

She told herself it was inevitable; a guarded princess wandering out into the company of criminals and knights, going on grand adventures. Her life had become something straight out of the fairy tales she loved reading as a child. In those stories, the princess always fell for her knight. Meliodas… was simply her knight.

But she wasn't his princess.

She could accept that. He still loved Liz - the girl who apparently looked a lot like herself; a girl far stronger, far more courageous than her. Liz must have been a wonderful person to earn Meliodas' affections, and she would accept them for what they were. After all, first loves only worked out in those fairy tales anyways.

Elizabeth steadily got out of their shared bed, noting how his side was already neatly made - his sleeping shirt folded over his pillow. She chastised herself for the sorrow she still felt in her heart. She was grateful for the chance to even stay by his side - she didn't want to ruin that. In the end, the chance to simply have tranquil moments with him meant more than the risk of losing it all to a stupid crush.

When Elizabeth finally descended into the bar she was somewhat surprised to find it empty. She checked the kitchen, the storage room, even the public restrooms - but there was no sign of any of the sins to be seen. Even Hawk seemed to be missing.

She checked the time, seeing it was barely passed daybreak. The sins were probably all still sleeping off their hangovers from the night prior, she likely wasn't going to see any of them until just about opening.

With a huff, she set to work tidying the stone tiles and wooden tables, straightening up the ale display and taking inventory. The bar was eerie when it was empty, each step echoing through across the walls as if it were some hollow dungeon.

It reminded her of more solemn days of running the tavern on her own. Meliodas unconscious, and with no indication of revival in their shared room as she took over management. It was hard, both the emotional weight and responsibility. She grew to respect - and love - him more through those days; running a bar all on his own for years when she could barely maintain it for a number of months.

By the time the other sins had stumbled out of their rooms, their hair disheveled and faces squinting in the afternoon sun, Elizabeth had thoroughly set the bar straight. She gazed over her work, her chest puffed out in triumph over a job well done.

"Good morning, everyone!" She beamed, grabbing a tray of cool water and setting the liquid down on a table for them to grab. They each sipped with dull desperation, their expressions slowly returning to normal as the water worked its way through their dehydrated systems. "Sleep well?

All the sins seemingly groaned in unison. King stretched out like a cat waking from a nap, hugging his (pillow) chastiefold tightly, as if silently saying 'No, as a matter of fact, I could use some more.'

"How long have you been up?" Diane questioned, holding out her glass which Elizabeth quickly re-filled.

"Not too long." Elizabeth pondered, "maybe a couple of hours."

"You work too hard." King whined, his eyes drifting closed as he floated around the bar.

Ban pulled King from his perch, locking the fairy in a tight headlock. "Maybe you could learn a thing or two about that."

Elizabeth attempted to stifle her giggles, failing miserably when Ban started rubbing into King's scalp, a high pitched squeal escaping him.

"By the way," Diane paused, giving the bar a once-over with inquisitive eyes. "Where's the captain?"

Elizabeth shrunk, her contentment replaced with unease. Meliodas had been missing for hours. It was unlike him not to show up by now; and he wouldn't come around as they opened the bar, as they filled their seats to near capacity, or as they cleared up after the sun had long went to rest below the horizon, the moon grinning on the world in a starless night.

It was 'was that time of year,' Ban had claimed, though Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure what that had even meant. The other sins all seemed to simply nod and continue on with their dealings, as if it were normal for him to simply leave without warning.

He had been fine the night before - laughing and drinking as always… Had she missed something? Was there something wrong he couldn't tell even her? Her heart ached at the prospect. Yet… he hadn't even thought of even giving her a warning.

Ban had patted her on the back, reassuring her he would be back before she knew it - but that was too long. Any degree of horrid possibilities could occur in that time - and while she trusted in his abilities, the thought of him injured and alone was too much to bear.

Her comfort comes in the form of Merlin, her tender hand patting her shoulder as they retreat towards their rooms. 'Trust in him' Merlin told her, her expression solemn and empathetic. 'He's not the brightest, but he'll come around.'

Elizabeth was about to ask what Merlin had meant by that, but the mage was gone in a brilliant flash of light before she even had time to face the woman.

The night dragged on agonizingly slow. Minute after minute, second after second, toss after turn – Elizabeth just couldn't get her mind to slow down enough to allow sweet slumber to overtake her.

It didn't take her long to pin point the cause of her insomnia, her left side void of the familiar weight she had grown accustomed to over the past year. She had never noticed just how much she relied on his presence – though, they always say that you never know what you have until it's gone.

She finally accepted that she would simply have a restless night, kicking off her blanket and padding out of the room. If counting sheep wasn't working, then maybe some more drastic measures were in order.

In this instance, the weapon of choice - warm milk and honey.

Cold concrete greeted her bare feet as she tip toed towards the kitchen, the orange flicker of a single candlestick the only barrier between herself and the endless dark of night.

The door to the kitchen had recently developed a squeak, the hinges screaming in rusted agony if it were opened at the wrong angle or speed. She cursed as she slowly slid passed the offending entrance, praying she hadn't woken any of the other tenants as she rushed into the room.

Her milk steaming away on the stove, honey oozing into a clean mug, Elizabeth stood hunched over a counter, watching the flame of her candle dance on its wick. Wax dripped down the side, cooling rapidly into fat globs that reminded her of tears inches away from the iron holder.

The coos of owls and the hum of insects buzzed outside, the world spared for the nocturnal fully alive. A single sliver of moonlight streamed in through a gap in the windows shutters, silvery blue mingling with hot oranges and reds. Elizabeth sipped at her drink, the familiar sweet bringing her back to her childhood. Fitful nights remedied by a kind nanny and sweet concoctions.

She was about to head back to her room when the sound of a door clicking shut echoed through the building. She froze, her mug scalding her palms where she held the still-hot liquid, not daring to move even an inch.

The clack of heels, unsteady and stumbling were steadily growing closer to the kitchen. In a moment of panic, Elizabeth set down her cup, brandishing a paring knife in its place. Her back was against the wall, her heart was beating in her throat, her weapon held tight against her chest defensively. The door creaked open, the rust noise drawn out and grating against her ears, and she found herself praying that anyone wake up and come investigate before she fainted.

The creaking halted (along with Elizabeth's heart), leaving her in a suffocating silence. A scream threatened to spill out of her, the air building in her chest rapidly. The second she could see the body entering, she pounced, knife drawn, a yelp she hoped was more threatening than it sounded to herself slicing through the quiet like a hot knife.

His hand caught her wrist before she could descend on him, causing her to drop the knife, the metallic clang snapping her senses back into reality.

Meliodas kept his gaze downcast, his tangled bangs obscuring his face. The dying flame basked him in a radiant reddish glow, making his hair seem alight with small flames.

"M-Meliodas…?" Elizabeth ventured to ask, her heart immediately swelling in his presence. She could feel the familiar sting of tears threatening to invade her vision – but the overwhelming stench of alcohol that wafted off of him in intoxicating waves stayed her emotions. "Where have you been?"

He released his hold on her wrist, keeping his face downcast. He staggered on his feet, something she had only seen him do when he had sustained the worst of blows. Her elation was suddenly overcast by a sense of unease. He did not answer her, did not move, – save for his minor adjustments to his balance – didn't do anything for what felt like minutes under the stifling pressure.

"Meliodas, are you oka-" A single tear dropped to the ground by his feet, quickly followed by a second. Was he crying?

She lowered down to his level, a motion that would seem patronizing to anyone else – but for them, had no such implications. A stream of fresh tears ran down his cheeks, a stray path of salty moisture collecting at the tip of his nose and dripping steadily. His fists were clenched, his knuckles visibly white even in the dimmed light. From here she could smell the ale off of him substantially, its potent tang almost burning her nose.

Without much thought, she tenderly swept his bangs from his face, gaining full few of his wild eyes. She caressed her thumb against his cheek tenderly, swiping away his tears and giving him a soft smile.

He gazed into her, pupils dilated, his cool green swirling with blues and oranges, the contrasting colours falling with his tears. It was amazing how even in the throes of anguish he had seemed ethereal, an entity she was standing right in front of yet still beyond a veil, looking in on a creature she could never touch nor have.

He made no effort to move, lost in the abyss of his sorrow. This was the first time Elizabeth had seen him so utterly distraught and beyond words. She had seen him crying before – when he was losing his emotions and when they had their trials in Ishtar – but both times he had talked it out, buried his grief deep down somewhere within him, stashed away and locked for good measure… but now, he was letting them out almost willingly.

Without warning, Elizabeth found herself flying forward towards him. His hands, rough from years of fighting lay gingerly at her sides. He caught her effortlessly, taking hold of her as if she were the finest of china and one misstep would see her broken. His bangs brushed against her shoulder, his face nuzzled in the crook perfectly. Warm moisture seeped into the thin fabric, soaking her hair – but Elizabeth didn't care.

"You don't have to tell me what's wrong," Elizabeth spoke against his shoulder as she rubbed smooth circles against his back. He seemed to tense at her words, quickly relaxing soon after as she continued, "Just know I'm always here for you. I'm not going anywhere."

The world spun into a blur, Meliodas deftly pulling her towards him – towards his lips. She had no time to process what was happening, much less react before they were making contact. He had a hand pressed against the back of her head, rubbing against her scalp affectionately as he pressed against her, his lips warm and soft. Her heart fluttered, her mind stilled, and she gave in to the kiss.

It was chaste, over before Elizabeth wanted it to be. Meliodas pulled away from her, pressing his forehead against her own, small, panting breaths tickling her cheeks. The last of the candlestick burned out, leaving them in the silver-blue glow of night.

His tears never ceased to fall, his eyes closed and hidden from her view.

"Liz… I've-"

Liz.

Elizabeth's heart sank in her chest, his blood running cold at the name. She could never be his princess. She could never have him in that way.

She was a damned fool.

Elizabeth pushed herself out of his grasp. She could taste the ale off of her own lips now, recoiling in horror at what had just happened. He doesn't think of you that way. He's drunk – you took advantage of him.

He looked at her with a pained expression, his eyes pleading with her, not truly understanding that she wasn't Liz. She would never be Liz. She would never have his heart in the same way.

"I-I'm" She stuttered, biting her cheek in some hope that the pain would hold back her tears. "I have to go-"

Elizabeth ran up to her room, tears glistening in the moonlight, fat globs of salt staining her pillow case – their pillow.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!

Meliodas hadn't come up to the room last night – though he wouldn't have been able to enter even if it tried, Elizabeth having locked the door.

By the time the sun had peaked over the horizon, Elizabeth hadn't slept a wink. Reluctantly, she got dressed, heading down into the main floor with minimal optimism.

Meliodas had fallen asleep at the bar counter, his face pressed against the wood, his arms framing either side to keep his balance, an empty mug left unwashed beside him.

Any ounce of courage Elizabeth had managed to convince herself she had evaporated from her in an instant. She sidled against the walls, keeping her steps lights and her breath low, praying to any goddess who might listen to just let her slip out without being noticed.

He stirred when she opened the door, a low groan as he adjusted himself. Elizabeth rushed out, clicking the lock behind her and definitely waking him then. She broke into a slow sprint towards the woods, remembering there had been a town not too far south from where they had 'parked' the tavern.

She needed some time alone today, she had convinced herself. Just some time to herself, time to think, clear her head and forget about frivolous things. Seemingly endless shops, their display's filled with silver trinkets and porcelain heirlooms had managed to take her mind off just that. She moved from shop to shop, gazing at each delicate item and talking amongst the villagers. Time swiftly eluded her, morning breezes giving way for afternoon stillness, ending in the calm of evening.

She found herself back on the trail with a heavy heart. Quiet like this was fleeting and rare, not to mention what awaited her back at the Boar Hat.

The world had already been blanketed by the cast of night by the time she came to the edge of the woods. The Boar Hat stood like a beacon against the darkness, greeting all those who happened to stumble upon it. The closer she got the louder the lively sounds of laughter and drunken banter became.

Meliodas, in his usual spot behind the counter, perked up the moment he saw Elizabeth enter. She immediately felt her face flush, her cheeks hot at the attention. She had hoped to slip in while drawing minimal attention to herself; clearly she had forgotten just who it was she was dealing with.

Diane and Gowther had taken over waitressing, the two garbed in the skimpy uniform and bustling from table to table. Patronage was steady, but not entirely busy, the two making quick work of orders. Meliodas called for Escanor as he hopped over the counter.

This was the moment she was dreading – the inevitable confrontation. She swallowed hard, her mind racing with possible explanations of just what had happened between them the previous night, none of them particularly good excuses.

"M-mel-" She began as he approached her, his stride purposeful, intimidating. He was mad.

He grabbed hold of her wrist, leading her up the stairs and into their room wordlessly. He clicked the door shut behind him, locking it for good measure. A thin veil of anger rolled off of him in steady waves and Elizabeth felt like a child again, cowering behind a stuffed bear as her father lectured her.

"Meliodas, I'm sorry –"

He was face to face with her in the blink of an eye. The scent of liquor that had radiated off of him hours prior was gone, replaced with the sweet scents of cedar wood and linens. His eyes were clear – fierce – as he pierced into her, his gaze trailing over her as if undressing her. She took a step back, desperate to create some space between them, convinced he could hear the insistent pounding of her heart. He simply closed the gap once more, his face a mask of unreadable thoughts once more. "Where were you?"

Where was she? Was he not upset at her using him while he was drunk? Taking advantage of his emotions in a moment of weakness and exploiting her own desires? No, he was worried about where she had been that day.

"I was in town." She said honestly, and he seemed to sneer at that.

"Alone?" He probed. She nodded.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" His voice was stern, unwavering, each syllable clear, cutting Elizabeth deep on each word. "What were you thinking?! The Ten Commandments are still out there! They could invade even as far out as here at any moment. Don't even think of doing that again."

"And what about you!" Elizabeth snapped, her emotions running too high, her thoughts going too fast. Her tongue spoke her frustrations before she had a chance to stop them. "How do you think I felt the last few weeks, how do you think I felt yesterday when you just disappeared without a word to anyone!"

She paused, tears ebbing at the corners of her vision. Meliodas did not budge, the only indication of her words reaching him in his stormy eyes. "I was so worried about you, Meliodas…" Tears had begun to fall against her wishes and she could feel herself begin to shake, but she continued nonetheless. "-And then you came back in the middle of the night, drunk and crying and I thought something had happened to you…And then… And then…-"

"You don't need to worry about me," Meliodas cut her off before she could mention the kiss, how he had mistaken her for Liz. "I can take care of myself – but you can't. If something were to have happened to you, Elizabeth… I…"

"Now I'm Elizabeth…" She said, instantly regretting it. Meliodas gave her a questioning look, his head tilting in confusion. "Of course you're Elizabeth, what's that supposed to mean?"

"So you really don't remember." Elizabeth was shaking now, tears streaming down her face. Why couldn't he just drop it… why did she have to bring it up!

"It's nothing." Damage control. It was nothing. Nothing she didn't know already, at least. Yet, he persisted. "Elizabeth, tell me what happened."

"It doesn't matter!" She was still trying to convince herself of that sentiment. "Why can't you just leave this?! It doesn't change anything! I'm just not enough for you, I can accept that. I'm not a comrade, I'm not a fighter. I can't even waitress properly!"

"That's not true-"

Elizabeth continued, unable and unwilling to stop herself. The catharsis of her release fueling her tongue. "It is true, and you know it. Why do you even keep me around? I'm not-"

He had backed her against the bed, slowly enough she hadn't noticed until her leg had pressed against the solid object, stealing her balance. She landed with a thump and a gasp. Meliodas hovered over her. He dipped down inches from her face - her lips, and she yelped as she felt him gaze into her. "Elizabeth, you are everything to me. Don't ever think you aren't important to me."

She wanted to run, to hide and scream and thrash – be anywhere but here, trapped in the source of her conflicting grief and joy with nowhere to go. She squeezed her eyes tight, desperate for any break from his intense presence.

"But I'm not Liz."

Meliodas recoiled, earning Elizabeth a few inches of breathing room. "Why would you-"

"Last night you… you kissed me," She sighed, Meliodas flinched at her words as if she had physically wounded him. "…and you called me Liz…"

A pregnant silence washed over them, even the ruckus from the bar below seemingly dying down in the moment. His silence wounded her more than chastisement. Her chest felt tight, the air felt heavy and it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

"You don't have to love me," Elizabeth finally broke the silence, her hicc's staggering her words significantly. "I'm not Liz… But is it so crazy that I love you regardless? Is it so bad that I wish you could see me like you saw her…? Meliodas, please… If you don't see me that way, don't torture me like this…"

The next thing she knew, Elizabeth was falling backwards, the ceiling swirling into view as a weight pressed against her, pining her down in a tight embrace. He was shaking, his face buried in the crook of her shoulder once more – just like the night prior.

No no no, not again.

"Elizabeth." He sounded calm, docile – far from the cheery tone he always took on or the angry one of moments prior. She froze, her tears falling to the bedsheets below her as he spoke, "I'm… I'm so sorry. I fucked up. I fucked up."

"No, you didn't know what you were doing, I-"

"No." He cut her off, "I was hurting – I had forgotten that you were here. I hurt you. I'm so… so sorry."

He tightened his embrace, her neck growing warm from his own tears. Elizabeth wrapped her own arms around him, accepting his embrace in her own. He jerked as she skimmed across his back, his breath catching. A gust of wind blew outside, bringing cold air through the still open window of their room, the sound of rustling leaves drowning out the sound of thunder.

Elizabeth heard Ban give last call, urging patrons to get home before the storm hit them. Meliodas didn't speak as he rose up to his elbows so he was hovering over her. His skin was blotchy, his eyes mimicking the storm that was brewing outside. "Maybe we should get down there and help close up." Elizabeth suggested, but he simply shook his head in the negative before locking her lips against his own.

She gasped, eyes wide, her limbs going slack despite herself. He released her, gazing intently in her own clouded eyes. He caressed her cheek, drying away her tears and brushed her bangs from her right eye. "I love you too Elizabeth." He began, soft and gentle and everything she had ever wanted to hear from him, "more than you could ever know, more than I could ever describe."

Lightning flashed, followed soon after by the clap of thunder. Meliodas cupped her head in his hands once more, rubbing smooth circles over her moistened cheeks before kissing her again.

He pressed against her lips, firm yet gentle. He was always gentle with her; as if he were scared the smallest movement could break her. For the first time, Elizabeth found herself not questioning his intent for being as such with her – she didn't question if he treated her like delicate glass because he thought she was weak, but rather, because he was scared to lose her.

He pulled away from the kiss once more, his breath ghosting over her lips, the potent stench of alcohol noticeably absent (for the better), and the moment took her breath away. It as if the simple action had conveyed years' worth of anxiety, taking their fears and melting them away into nothingness.

He hovered over her, his arms framing her face, his bangs framing his. Lights outside flickered from the storm brewing outside, the humid air heavy in their lungs. Though, nothing had compared to the storm that had just taken place between the two – and they had survived. They were here, now, in this moment – just the two of them; and they were content with that fact.

Rain started pouring down hard, fat globs of heaven's tears hammering against the roof and blowing in through the window. Meliodas quickly rose to close the shutters before the rain could damage anything indoors, leaving Elizabeth staring at the ceiling.

"We should really get back," Meliodas' voice was uncharacteristically shaky, slightly higher pitched in his flustered state of mind. "I'm sure Ban and the others would want us to help clean up."

Elizabeth righted herself, patting down her tussled hair. "Yes." She said plainly, a soft smile cast his way. He had begun unlocking the door when Elizabeth joined him by his side, tugging lightly at his sleeve.

He got the lock undone and kept his grip on the doorknob, unmoving. In truth, neither of them wanted to leave, their emotions still coming down from their high, their hearts pounding in their chest from their confessions.

"Meliodas?" Elizabeth did not look towards him, her grip on his sleeve tightening slightly as she shifted her weight unevenly. "Thank you. For everything."

He took her hand into his, giving her a firm squeeze and bright, toothy smile. "I should be the one thanking you Elizabeth. You made me who I am today, and I owe you my life for it."

He planted a light kiss on the back of her hand before setting out, bounding down the stairs with her hand-in-hand.

The next night the sins had off, they found themselves drinking under the setting sun once more. Liquor ran like water and it wasn't long before Meliodas had retreated back to the storage room to retrieve more ale.

"So!" Ban chimed, his face plastered in a wide grin, "Where are we on 'operation: get the captain shit faced?'"

Diane danced around the thief, somehow maintaining an air of grace despite her stumbles. She threw her arm around Ban, the both of them falling over in a fit of giggles. "I've narrowed it down to a possible way!" She sang out, "The captain is always down for a competition, he would never shoot down a drinking game!"

"Not going to work," King scoffed, "He'll drink any of his under the table."

Diane groaned her frustrations, Ban fell to his back with a huff. "Well, I got nothing."

They all turned to Elizabeth on cue, "You're our final hope, Elizabeth." Ban whined, crawling across the ground to plead at her feet. "Don't let us down!"

Elizabeth chuckled to herself. "I don't think it's possible." She lied as Meliodas rounded the corner, a keg balanced effortlessly over his shoulder – the topic abandoned for another day.