3,000 Years

Smile For Me: Pt 1

A/N: Warning for self-harm, intrusive thoughts and other such themes. Just to give you guys a heads up in case you're sensitive with that kinda stuff.

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Elizabeth wore a mask. She's been wearing a mask for as long as she can remember, her true smile dying out many, many years ago.

Once upon a time she had been happy. She had worn a smile as bright as the sun itself and warmed the coldest hearts around. She would sing, dance and frolic in the grass; she would draw and chatter and be vibrant and youthful; she would be Elizabeth. Elizabeth Liones, the youngest adoptive daughter of Baltra Liones and the sister of Veronica and Margaret Liones. Elizabeth would just be: she would not worry over what she did, whom she upset, nor what others perceived of her.

She had been free.

Now she was not.

Now the vibrant, flippant and free Elizabeth was not youthful or colourful. She did not sing, did not dance, nor did she frolic in the emerald grass; she didn't draw and chatter and be her vibrant, youthful self; she wouldn't be Elizabeth. She wasn't Elizabeth. Not Elizabeth Liones, the daughter of Baltra and sister of Veronica and Margaret. She was not the Elizabeth who was turning seventeen, nor was she the one who could be free.

All she did now was worry. She worried about others; she worried about who she upset; she worried about what others perceived of her.

Day in, day out, she would wear her mask. She would wear that empty smile that was displayed to the world, projecting happiness, but really feeling incomplete. She'd feel shallow, fake - she wouldn't feel worthy of having life. She wouldn't feel worthy of being in this world.

Until she met Meliodas.

"You're beautiful, you know that right?" He had tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, chuckling at the embarrassed fluster he'd sent her into. He wore that boyish grin he always had, the one that made his emerald eyes sparkle and brought out his mischievous side.

Elizabeth felt her heart clench at it, stumble at it. She did not deserve to see such a dazzling smile, not when she could not give one in return.

"I'm not..." Elizabeth quickly shakes her head in return, glancing away from Meliodas. She chews on her lip, cheeks puffed as she fiddles with her starlight hair. "I'm not pretty - let alone beautiful - at all."

Meliodas had scoffed, rolling his eyes. He fixed a hand under her chin, tilting her head so she would have to look directly into his eyes. "You are. Anyone who says you aren't is lying."

Her breath had caught in her throat at that, a furious blush blooming as she could only gape and stare; she could only gape and stare at this magnificent being, this person, who saw her as something greater than she could ever be. This person who saw a light in her before he had even gotten know her. Someone who saw through her mask without it cracking, chipping, once.

He was amazing. Wonderful.

But why would he ever be interested in her?

"I appreciate the kind words, but you're the one who's lying," Elizabeth finally finds her words, gently removing herself from Meliodas' grasp. Her blue eyes connect with his, a flicker of her hidden emotions showing within the reflective orbs. "No-one would ever see me as beautiful."

The blonde had bristled at that, releasing a sigh and shaking his head.

"Well I do," He stared right back at her, meaning every word - every little word that Elizabeth carefully kept stored within her heart.