Our First Fall (Melizabeth)

26. A Mirage

Wet nose. Fur in my face. Estarossa? Hm, What a wonderful dream. I tried to pry my eyes open but the effort is too much, so I felt the bedsheets. If they are cotton I am home in the temple, having dreamt our reunion in my fever, but soft silk met my skin and I smile softly.

"Elizabeth?" The bed moved. A low 'hmm' echoed from my throat and calloused hands took mine from the silk to hold it against his face. Meliodas. With effort, I tried to comfort him, moving my fingers a few centimeters. "Uhhh." His throaty voice groaned, nuzzling my hand as if he'd been starved and my touch was the first taste of substance.

With careful adjustments I'm laying on my back, his free hand touching my cheek. "Open your eyes, there is so much going on and I need to tell you-" My fingers go limp against him and the darkness calls me. "Please." He begs and I fight it, lifting my lids with all the strength I could muster, feeling like I'd just picked up a horse from the effort.

Through the slitted lids, I met panicked green eyes. "There you are." He smiles, we were like ying and yang, my hand held to his cheek and his cupping mine. "Stay with me this time." I've awoken before?

"How-" My lips are dry and I wince at the sound of my scratching voice, it dies in my throat as I silently mouth 'long?'

"Three days." Meliodas answers, "I've been at your side every minute possible." My eyes close and he shakes me, bouncing his knees on the bed to jolt the mattress under me and I lift the horses over my eyes, again. Dazed, I can't focus on him.

"Cold," I tell him, I needed to cool down or I'd just sleep.

"I know, but your temperature is too high, I can't wrap you up." He lets go of me, going to the table and when he returns he scoops under my shoulders to sit me up. The room spins and my head lulls but he adjusts his hold to rest my head between his collarbone and neck. His face pressed to my forehead as a cool glass is pressed to my lips. "Drink." He commands as he tilts it and I swallow, the cool liquid clearing my mind but I'm shivering from the contact.

I cough, the glass pulled away in time to prevent a mess,but he presses it to my lips again when my lungs stop burning. I try to turn away but Meliodas chides "Drink, Elizabeth." His tone is direct and I pout, looking up at him.

A little chuckle rumbles from his chest but he insists and I take a few more swallows. When the glass is gone he eases, shifting under me, holding me to rest against him. "Your absence has been noticed. The people here worry I've harmed you. You've stolen so many hearts." His grip around me tightens and my wing is pressed closer to my body. "The villagers, the guards and even the newest members of the demon army." He sounds awed and I tried to lean back to look up at him.

His brows were furrowed, his eyes dark and his lips thin.

"Don't" I scratch out "worry", ending in a whisper and he tries to hide his expression, smiling down at me. I wasn't fooled but my eyes slip closed and all the shaking, the touching and calling to me couldn't slow this fall into the darkness. I didn't want to leave him. The realization of just how devastated I would be without him shocked me and I gasped, alarmed before even that thought slipped away.

Just out of reach.

X X X.

Soft hands tugged my arm through a sleeve, my head handled calmly as fabric brushed across my face. Lady Graelle? She'd dress me when I was under too long. My other arm was tugged through with more respectful touches; and I knew it wasn't her. Who is this?

My eyes lifted, heavy but manageable and I took in the ceiling, the tiles of Meliodas' bedroom. I sigh, relieved. The grip tugging my shirt down freezes and I see Mina's pretty face loom over me with alarm and relief.