NNT ONE SHOTS

Cheer up

Summary: as Meliodas blames himself for what happened with Gelda, a small Elizabeth tries to cheer him up.

Time line: the night after they defeated the vampires in Edinburgh (the end of the Edinburgh vampire chapters, so...probably only manga readers will understand?)

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THIRD PERSON POV
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"...your failure of an older brother"
The little Elizabeth turned her head to the balcony when she heard those words.
There was a party going on, and some of the other kids, such as Gilthunder was even there.
She didn't remember the nice blonde that had greeted her the day before, but Zaratras had said that what Veronica said about him being bad wasn't true.

She looked back at the party and then back at the blonde standing alone out on the balcony.
Elizabeth thought that he looked really sad.
Elizabeth sucked in a breath, gathering up her courage, so with a squeeze to her teddy bear she walked out next to him, shy, but too concerned to let it bother her.
"Wy are yu sad?" She mispronounced the word. She knew it was mispronounced and she blushed from the embarrassment.

Meliodas made a startled jump, not having noticed her until she spoke.
He stared at her, startled for a few moments before he broke out into a bog grin.
"Oh hi Ellie, what makes you think I'm sad?" She crouched down to be on eye level with her and put a hand on top of her head.

Elizabeth thought that the feeling was very familiar but she couldn't figure out why.
Remembering the words that had made her take notice of him she asked, "are ur bwother mad at yu?"
Meliodas froze, realizing that she must've heard him mumble his apology to zeldris.

He closed his eyes abs sighed before looking down at her again, flashing her a sad smile. "Yeah"

"Wy? Wen Veoniga gets mad a me i...I steal her a cookie from da kitchen...Would dat work?" She sayd, embarrassed that her secret got out, but for some reason she felt that she had to help him.

Meliodas burst out into laughter. Children was truly a gift, and he wished that the simple ways could work.
But there was no way.
And yet he was eternally grateful for his little Ellie's help and concern.
"You do huh? I'll try that when I see him again, unfortunately it probably won't work"

"Wy not?" She then gasped "he's super super duper angry?"

Meliodas let out a humorous breath.
"Yeah he is, I'm not sure any amount of cookies can fix us..."

Elizabeth took notice of his sadness and reached up and took his hand off her head and proceeded to squeeze it, which made Meliodas's eyes widen.
"I'll help!" She said, determined.
The look in her eyes, and the way she squeezed his hand...he wanted to laugh at how familiar it was.

He smiled warmly at her and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.
Once again Elizabeth thought it was very familiar, and in the back of her mind she knew that she'd seen his golden hair and emerald eye somewhere before.

"Thank you Ellie, it means a lot to me to know I've got you by my side" Meliodas smiled at her again, but this time it was genuinely and bright, the sadness slowly disappearing at it was replaced by how grateful he was for Elizabeth.
The comment also seemed to make Elizabeth excited as she saw that her mission had been completed, that she had helped him feel better.
What she did next she didn't even understand herself.
She lunged herself into his arms abs yet again it bothered her how familiar the feeling of his big strong arms wrapping around her tiny body was.

Meliodas didn't want to let go of her, having missed his cheerful little Ellie that would king herself at him abs call him silly nicknames, but she no longer remembered him.
How could she? After all as she grew up he was given less and less responsibility for her and therefor given more missions, and so he rarely got to spend time with her anymore, and as a child that resulted in her forgetting him, which of course hurt, but he knew that he could fix it.
"Hey by the way" Meliodas pushed her back.
"I guess I didn't actually introduce myself, I'm Meliodas"

"Mewi...o...gas?" Elizabeth tried her best to pronounce the complicated and unique name, but she failed, making her feel bad, but his soft chuckle made her feel as though it was okay.

"Yeah, it's a bit difficult aint it?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly.

"Say what then, just call me Meli"

"Me...li..."

"That's right"

For a moment e memory shined in Elizabeth's mind. A memory of a blonde man by the name of Meli that she would spend all and every day with.
It was a memory that made her feel warm, and loved.