Can I Keep You?

Chapter 15

The night and next morning went on without a hitch, and slowly the tavern was making back some of the profits it had lost in the few nights it had been closed. It wasn't like they all needed a steady income... but it sure didn't hurt to have the funds to make repairs or buy things they couldn't either make or catch on their own.

Meliodas smiled at the sparkling tavern before turning to head up the stairs. Elizabeth had done a phenomenal job keeping the place spick-and-span while he was out of commission. Though, even with the open cuts, he would have helped. She just looked too damn cute fussing over him... and who was he to argue with a woman ordering him to stay in bed?

Now that his wounds were completely healed though, he was glad to have his complete mobility (and freedom) back. As nice as it was for Elizabeth to take on the burdens of keeping the tavern running, Meliodas was a man of action. Resting and recuperating was not exactly past-times he partook in often.

And speaking of action – it was about time they had taken some against the people who had put him in a position where he needed to rest. He was tired of playing catch up with these bastards. It was time to be ahead of the game for once.

"Why is it you're going to the grand library, Sir Meliodas?" Elizabeth asked, following him up the stairs to the bedroom. That morning when he announced his plans for the day to spend time at the grand library, he had asked that she stay and keep an eye on the tavern, to which, she agreed with a beaming smile.

Now that they were climbing up the stairs, Meliodas' arms were propped nonchalantly behind his head, "Got some research to do is all, and the library here in Camelot is pretty big. I'm guessing I'll find what I'm looking for there." He smiled, being overly vague, but Elizabeth didn't seem to mind. She smiled in response, leaving the conversation at that.

The blonde's foot landed on the next step, but he froze, Elizabeth bumping into his back not realizing he had halted in his climb.

"Cap'n..." Ban's voice rang out suddenly from behind, the call out serving as his version of a heads up.

Elizabeth 'eeped' against Meliodas' back, just then realizing Ban's presence climbing the stairs behind them. She looked between them then, picking up on the unspoken conversation but unable to understand it.

Meliodas' features hadn't changed; he remained nonchalant as he began climbing the stairs again, "Mmmhmm," he hummed, telling Ban that he was aware of the situation at hand and had no intention of discussing it further. Though, he was probably going to have Diane stick around the tavern now...

Elizabeth continued to look between the two of them, sporting that adorable look of utter confusion, as they made it to the landing and they parted ways with the fox sin.

"What was that about?" she asked, watching him go to the dresser and finding a clean folded white shirt and throwing it on the bed while he made quick movements to unbutton his current shirt – the silverette suddenly flushed as she avoided looking at him.

"Nothing you have to worry about," he grinned, relishing the affect he was having on her, and buttoning the crisp new shirt up.

Even after he had put the new shirt on, Elizabeth had refrained from making eye contact, instead finding interest in anything BUT him. That remained the case even after she began speaking again, "H-How are you feeling?" she asked rather timidly.

He wasn't all that surprised the question had come up, "Good as new, thanks to that potion you found!" he patted his chest like the potion had replaced his skin with metal instead of just healing his wounds, the act not only gracing him with her attention but also a little giggle as she took in his antics.