Reunited

Right my sons, Let's talk

- Meliodas's Pov -

It was a few days after Gelda's meltdown, Me and Zeldris were sat with Dad at The Boar Hat. Dad was sat bouncing Tristan on his knee.
"Right my sons, Let's talk" Dad spoke as he kept his eyes on my Son. I did a side look at Zeldris.
"Oh, this can't be good. He has his serious face on" I whispered.
"Only time he says those words is when you have done something and he thinks I am in on it" Zeldris glared at me "What did you do now?"
"As far as I am aware of. Nothing" I whispered. Zeldris frowned.
"On a scale of 1 to 10, How bad do you think this is?" Zeldris whispered back.
"About 20" We both let out a nervous sigh.
"Boys, You don't need to be so worried. You ain't done anything wrong. I want to talk to you about the future of our Race"
"Don't worry he says, Easy for him to say" I whispered to Zeldris who smirked. Dad coughed and gave us that look at means shut the fuck up.
"Sorry Dad" We both said.
"As you know, I ain't getting any younger. I would like you to take the throne Melly" Straight to the point. That was what I loved about our Dad. I looked at Zeldris. He shrugged. I closed my eyes as I went to speak.
"Why me? And don't say it is because I am the oldest" I lent back in my chair. Dad looked at me with a calm face.
"I believe in you. Yes, it is because you are the oldest but I can't force you to be King. It has to be your choice" Dad put a hand on my shoulder.
*KNOCK*KNOCK*
"Come in!" I called. We stared at the door and Estarossa poked his head in.
"Hey Son" Dad smiled. He handed Tristan to me and went over to hug my Brother.
"Hey everyone. I ain't interrupting am I?" Estarossa stood at the door.
"Not at all" Dad beamed. He put his hand on Estarossa's back "Come, Join us" Estarossa nodded and walked over to us.
"Drink?" I offered.
"Water please"
"On it" I nodded "So, How come you are here?"
"I was walking past and thought I would pop in. Gotta get used to having family around" Estarossa shrugged. I raised an eyebrow at him as I handed him his drink "What? I may be an introvert but my social metre needs filling"
"Extrovert introvert?" Zeldris smiled "Now there's a rare breed"
"So what are you lot chatting about?" Estarossa sipped his water. Completely blanking Zeldris.
"We were discussing the possibility of Meliodas taking the Throne" Dad leant one arm on the bar.
"What is your answer then?" Estarossa tilted his head at me.
"We all know, I ain't exactly King material, I'm just a barman," I said with less emotion than ever.
"You're still a prince"
"Dad, What do you think my answer is?"
"I don't know. I can't read your mind. I ain't a fairy" Dad sat forward "If you turn down the offer of being King, Who should take your place? I could ask Cousin Sawyer"
"No, he's a wimp" Zeldris stated.
"Okay, what about cousin Zohan?" Dad crossed his legs. Estarossa's head looked like he was at a tennis match.
"Isn't he a pimp?" I asked.
"No that's cousin Jeremy" Dad wagged his finger.
"A wimp and a pimp. God, this family has some weird kids" Estarossa exclaimed "How many cousins does this family have?"
"32" Zeldris sighed.
"I am one of 15 after all" Dad shrugged. Estarossa's mouth dropped open. I keep forgetting that he is somewhat new to this family
"Cousin Harley?" I clicked my fingers.
"Joined the church" Zeldris lent back in the chair.
"Seriously, She's a nun now" Dad's mouth hung open. Cousin Harley wasn't always so pure. Her old lifestyle was always the source of gossip in Ravens "Okay cousin Gwaine?"
"He's a knight of Ravens now. 3rd knight Gwaine Le Frey. The maidens knight is his proper title" I ran a hand through my hair.
"He always wanted to be a knight" Zeldris let out a sigh.
"Cousin Deldry" Zeldris clicked his fingers.
"Anderson's only daughter? Now, she's a good choice" Dad smiled. Uncle Anderson was the only one of Dad's siblings that didn't hate him.
"Is she the one in The Pleiades Of The Azure Sky?" Estarossa clicked his fingers.
"Yeah, It's where she met that cocky little twat Ardin" I grumbled. I didn't like Ardin. Vain bastard.
"I can't see her being Queen" Dad lent back on his stool.
"She would if I declined. She would do anything to please her Father" I rolled my eyes.
"Who is her Dad again?" Estarossa quizzed "I'm having trouble keeping up with everyone"
"Uncle Anderson. The stupid snobby ass that you met last week" Dad scoffed. He really doesn't like his brother very much.
"He works with Ellie's Uncle Denzal" Zeldris added.
"That explains a lot" I put my chin in my palm "I need to think on this matter. It is a big choice" I huffed. I reached over to the bar and took a bottle of Ale.
"What about either of us?" Zeldris pointed at him and Estarossa. Estarossa's colour drained from his face. I chuckled in my mind. Estarossa had only just come back to our family and there was already talk of him taking on a royal role.
"You turned down the throne years ago remember" Dad put his hand under his chin.
"Oh yeah," Zeldris sighed.
"Do you wanna be King?" I quizzed as I put Tristan in his playpen.
"Fuck no"
"Language" Dad glared.
"Sorry, Dad" Zeldris looked down "What about you Estarossa?"
"Not on your life. There are so many rules to follow and I can't see myself following them. I couldn't follow rules in the Goddess Realm" Estarossa sat on the sofa and put his arms on the bar. Dad coughed a few times.
"Dad, Are you okay?" Zeldris looked concerned.
"Yeah, You look a little pale" Estarossa put the back of his hand on Dad's forehead "You're a little warm"
"I'm Fine. It's noth -" Dad started coughing violently. He doubled over and clutched his chest. He fell off the barstool.
"DAD!" We all jumped to his aid. I bolted over the bar.
"I'm fine" He wheezed. Estarossa picked Dad up and lent him against the bar.
"Are you hell! What is going on?" Zeldris demanded.
"Nothing. Just a little under the weather" Dad replied. His voice was a little hoarse.
"Zeldris water" I ordered "Dad, We all know when you're lying"
"It's nothing I can't handle" Dad panted.
"Bullshit!" I raised my voice. Dad glared at me but I didn't back down "Tell me off! I don't care! I would rather be bollocked for shouting than have you lying to us! Something is wrong with you and we wanna know what!"
"Don't make me ask Mum" Zeldris grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Please don't... She doesn't know about this. She can't know" Dad coughed again. This time there was blood on his hand.
"Dad? What is going on?" I needed to know. I could feel myself panicking.
"It's Cancer, Isn't it?" Estarossa wiped Dad's hands clean. Dad coughed again. When he finally calmed down, He leant his head on the wood.
"Yeah. Lungs, Stomach and prostate. Stage 3" He gulped the water greedily.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"I can somewhat fight it. It's why I am in town. Once I leave here. I'm going to go for chemo" Dad panted as the coughing calmed down.
"Want one of us to come with you?" I offered.
"No, I'll be fine. You guys were never any good in the hospital" Dad declined.
"Anything we can do for you" Estarossa smiled as he helped Dad up on the floor and onto the bay window sofa.
"Just keep your Mother busy for a couple of hours" Dad insisted.
"You realize that is like trying to stop the Earth from spinning?" Zeldris's eyes went wide "We can't do it"
"Zel's right. We can't do it. He's already in the dog house for getting married without her" I stuttered. I may be a Prince Of Darkness but even I am scared of my Mother. I ran a hand through my hair "I could ask Ellie to keep her busy"
"I could ask Gelda too" Zeldris clicked his fingers "Could get the three of them to go shopping"
"They can't know yet. It has to be one of you"
"Then who?"
"Mum doesn't know my tells yet" Estarossa add. Me and Zeldris  looked at our Brother "I could do it"
"Are you insane? Mum finds out you are lying to her about anything, She will kill you. She hates liars" Zeldris spoke quickly.
"Mum is one that you do not wanna piss off. You can't do this" I stood next to Estarossa. He looked at me and then back to Dad.
"How long do you need her distracted for" Estarossa ignored us. I threw my hands in the air.
"It will only be for a few hours" Dad coughed.
"Just make sure you tell Mum soon" Estarossa patted Dad's shoulder.
"I will" Dad winced as another cough ripped through his lungs "How are you gonna distract her?"
"I'm gonna introduce her to my partner" Estarossa beamed.
"Oo what's he like?" I beamed.
"She" Estarossa blushed.
"She? I thought you were Gay?" Zeldris tilted his head.
"So did I. I had a long and hard think about this and I think I am Pansexual"
"You're attracted to Pans?" Dad coughed.
"Like I haven't heard that one before" Estarossa rolled his eyes "I'm attracted to the person, not their gender. I go for personality more than looks"
"As long as you are happy then that is all that is all matters to me" Dad smiled wearily "Right, I need to get going"
"I'll drive you" Estarossa offered "And I ain't taking no for an answer" Estarossa helped Dad stand and waved bye to me and Zeldris.

I turned back to the bar as Zeldris went to take a call. Tristan was standing up so I picked him up.
"What do you think Mr? Think Daddy will make a good King?" Tristan tilted his head at me. He then smiled and grabbed my hair "Hey come on"
"Dada" He cooed. I kissed his chubby cheek and wiped his dribble.
"I'll think about" I gotta talk to Ellie about this King thing.