Just A Memory

A Graveside Visit

"Hey dad, did you ever go back to the Demon Realm?" Tristan asked as he laid down on the grass. Apple in his left hand.
"Twice. I needed to talk to someone" Meliodas held up two fingers.
"Who?" Elizabeth sipped her water.
"My mum" Meliodas rested his head on his hand.
"I thought she was dead?" Tristan scrunched his nose up.
"She is. I used to visit her grave all the time. I knew my mum was the only one I could talk to that would understand"
"So what did you talk to her about the first time?" Elizabeth questioned.
"When I was thinking of defecting" Meliodas smiled at Elizabeth.
"I don't even know that story. Can you tell us?"

{Flash-Back}

Meliodas decided that he need someone to talk to. Another voice of reason. He could talk to Zeldris but he wouldn't understand. He stared at the ceiling. He then clicked his fingers. There was only one other person that he could talk to too without feeling judged or made to feel like shit. The only person he knew would understand. He jumped up off the floor and grabbed his grey coat as the wind had picked up a little.

Meliodas walked into a graveyard. No one else was around, which was how he wanted it to be. He didn't fancy others around while he did what he needed to do today. He had put it off for months A few years if he was being honest, but He finally worked up the courage to do it.

Meliodas wandered among the tombstones, His green eyes skimming over the names and dates etched into varying colours of marble and granite. He pulled his coat tighter around himself.

Finally, He reached the gravestone that he was searching for. His boots ceased their steps in front of it. The graveyard was silent. He stared at the black reflective stone of the gravestone and found himself at a loss for words. After a few moments, Meliodas took a deep breath and spoke, his voice ringing out in the quiet of the cemetery.

"Hey, Sorry it's been a while" He began. He sighed heavily "Things have been crazy. I met this fantastic woman. Her name is Elizabeth and I love her. Only there is a slight problem" Meliodas knelt down on the grass and lent against the headstone "She is a Goddess. And she happens to be the Daughter of The Supreme Deity. And I can try and try and try not to care, but the truth is that nothing can stop me from caring about her. She sees the war that is within me and not only chooses to stay with me but would stay by my side. I would do the same. It's now at the point that I want to leave this place to be by her side and keep her safe" Meliodas let out another sigh. He glanced over his shoulder and stared at the black granite "With each passing day, I fall more and more for Elizabeth. I wish you were here. And I know if you were here, You would steer me down the right path. But I think my path is going lead me down the path that won't end up pleasantly" Meliodas paused. He keeps looking back at the tombstone. Expecting a response "If I follow this path then I will betray our race and that means I can never come back here" Tears leaked slowly from his eyes at this confession "Despite the fact that I need to leave this place, I love you. I'll never stop loving you. Regardless of the fact that you are gone" He sniffled quietly and wiped the tears from his cheeks. From inside his coat, He procured a black rose. He placed it carefully on the ground, laying it to rest on the grass. He reached up to place a hand on top of the stone and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the top of it. His next words came out in a whisper, so quiet that they were almost inaudible "Goodbye, Mum"

{End of Flash-Back}

By the end of the story, Elizabeth was crying.
"Why are you crying?" Meliodas tilted his head at his wife.
"I don't know. I just feel like I should. You went through so much to be with me" Elizabeth wiped her eyes. Meliodas put his hands over hers.
"And I would do it again in a heartbeat. And I have seven of those" Meliodas grinned.
"I would never ask you too"
"You didn't back then. You asked me to join Stigma but nothing more. You need me to fight the Demons. I joined to be with you. Even if your mother got on my nerves" Meliodas rolled his eyes. Tristan looked back and forth between the two "What's the matter son?"
"I'm just wondering, What was the second time you went to the Demon Realm"
"It was 12 years ago and once again I need to talk to someone about something" Meliodas sighed.
"About what?" Tristan raised an eyebrow "And why couldn't you talk to mum?"
"Well, it was when I want to ask your mother, to marry me. Again" Meliodas shrugged.
"Again?"
"Back during your mother's first life. We got married"
"oh cool. So wouldn't that mean you are still married"
"Same soul, Same Person but a different life. Can you imagine telling people we have been married for 3000 years? They would either laugh or faint. unless they knew our story" Elizabeth giggled "Anyway, Can you tell us the story?"
"How are you two not sick of my voice yet" Meliodas ate an orange.
"I like hearing tales of adventure. Now tell us the story" Tristan demanded.
"Manners" Elzabeth spoke.
"Sorry. Story please"

{Flash-Back}

Meliodas took his time walking to his destination. Once again he needed to talk to someone. Sure he could speak to the Sins. But they have their own life to live now. He didn't know if the place he wanted to visit had survived his rampage from 3000 odd years ago. He did kinda wreck the place.

He walked through the overgrown grass. Carefully avoiding the sharp thorns.
"I really should clean his place up a little. Or get Zeldris to do it" Meliodas mumbled as he ducked under a low branch. He could see the grave up ahead. It seemed to be intact. Though the was a large crack going diagonally across the stone.
"I know it's been some time since I last visited you. Some time might be putting it lightly. Try 3043 years and I'm sorry. but something happened" Meliodas knelt in front of the grave. Pulling at the weeds "And because of me, The holy war started and Elizabeth and I, Well, We got cursed. The Gods, They didn't want us together but it never stopped us and for 3000 years. I had to watch Elizabeth be born and die in front of me. While dear old dad was taking my emotions every time I died" Meliodas sniffled as he brushed off some dead moss. Being careful so he didn't break the stone further "But against all odds and having to deal with another holy war, I broke the curses. I did it. But doing so, Unleash Chaos and ruined the whole world but that is for another lifetime" Meliodas chuckled "What I wanted to talk to you about was that finally, for the last couple of weeks I've been thinking, maybe it is time for the next step in my relationship with Elizabeth" Meliodas removed the final thorns grom the grave "Our relationship has developed a lot in the last 2 years, We've travelled the whole country. Done it all. Next week is our anniversary and I'm going to ask Elizabeth if she wants to marry me" Meliodas laid on the grass "And that's why I'm here, I wanted to tell you first. I know you'd be okay with it. Other than Zeldris, I know that you would want the best for me and that you would want me to be happy, but I just need you to know it before anyone else, I haven't even told Ban or Zeldris about it yet. If I wouldn't tell you it would feel like I was betraying you and I can't live with that feeling. Not again" Meliodas rambled on "We're going to this new restaurant that opened last month, they say it's pretty good. When we're done I'll ask her if she wants to go on a walk and I know she'll say yes because Elizabeth loves wandering through the streets in the moonlight. Whenever we do it we end up on a cliff together and that's where I want to ask her"

Meliodas sat in front of the stone and crossed his legs. In his head, he was waiting for a reply that he knew he would never get.
"God, I'm getting nervous again. I hope she says yes" Meliodas chuckled "I already bought the ring, it's in the back of the closet where I know she won't look. It's a simple silver ring with a large diamond on it. Elizabeth prefers the simple things" "I think she'll be very surprised. It's not as if we haven't talked about it yet, We were married 3000 ago but somehow there always was that unspoken agreement that we should do it though in this lifetime. Well, now or never, right? You never know what the future brings. We both know that" Meliodas ran his hands over his head "Sometimes I wake up and think I'm the happiest man on this planet, just because I have Elizabeth to hold at night. When I fell in love with her, my world changed. I woke up every morning with a smile and it felt like the end of the world when I lost her. While we were cursed, I thought I could never be happy again. It felt like I was on a roller coaster. I was at a low point when I was alone in my bar, without anyone to help me with my emotions. But then I always was at the highest point whenever I was with Elizabeth, it just felt so right. Whenever I lie in her arms, I feel so secure, like nothing can harm me and whenever she kisses me it feels like time stops" Meliodas sighed as he closed his eyes "I think I should go now, I still have some work to do, but I'll be back soon and tell you how it went. Wish me luck. And Mum" Meliodas stood up and out his hand of the grave "I still love and miss you, don't forget that"