Every Breath (Melizabeth)

Arrival.

Meliodas pov

to say Elaine was heartbroken would be an understatement, it broke her to learn of Ban's death. we all tried so hard to comfort her, though she didn't care and was instead directly mad at me, she wouldn't admit it, but she was. she was quick to hide ban with her, we didn't know where but she didn't want us to so we didn't press her on it.

it was suffocating to carry Elizabeth into the celestial house where Tristan resided, knowing she would never be the same after all that she's been through. the sight of zeldris rocking Tristan to sleep when i walked in made me smile despite everything, he looked so happy with him that i actually felt bad making my presence known.

after that everything seemed to blur to me, between trying and failing to comfort Elaine, and trying to tend to Elizabeth while also trying to fall back into the task of taking care of Tristan. it was all too much, too suffocating.

everyday was mundane and tiresome to the point i struggled to function, to keep up the facade of being fine and unaffected. i couldn't sleep, couldn't close my eyes or lay down. the knowledge that this was all my own fault too much to handle, though for the sake of my comrades i kept up the smile, made sure they all thought everything was fine.

all i could do when alone, was sob silently at Elizabeth's side while she rested in what merlin called a 'pain induced coma' all the while acting like nothing was wrong in the faces of my friends. no matter how i begged for Elizabeth to wake up, to say something. she wouldn't budge, wouldn't do anything at all other then lay there looking peaceful thanks to the celestials healing.

it was all beginning to wear me down, making me struggle more with everything. the fact that my mate might never wake up, the fact that my best friend died to bring her back to me, the fact that my son no longer recognized me.

despite all of this, i did my very best to comfort my friends, Elaine especially. the fact that she confessed to everyone that she was carrying ban's kid only made me feel worse for failing everyone, knowing if i had just gone alone to retrieve Elizabeth, ban would still be alive. not to mention if i had just taken Elizabeth and Tristan with me to set up everything for the wedding then they would have never been attacked to begin with.

Zeldris was trying so hard to comfort me, though i had him pretty well convinced that i was fine despite not being so. he still did the primary amount of care taking for Tristan because Tristan would only ever scream and cry when with me. it broke me slowly bit by bit inside for my own son to reject me so vehemently, especially with his mother, usually my source of comfort, being in such a state.

it had gotten to a point where even my hair had grown out to being quite a bit longer then i usually let it grow, my clothes while clean and neat, hiding my exhausted unkept body. even my hair was beginning to matt due to lack of self cleaning.

————————————————

some part of me knew i should be listening to the conversation, knowing it was important, but all i could do was stare down at the ale in my hands remembering all the times i competed with ban to drink more. i kept my smile, making sure to look happy-go-lucky as i sipped. all of the sins were trying to discuss the plans about what to do about Estarosa still on the move, also the fact that Fraudrin was still locked up in liones meant we would have to make a trip there to decide whether or not to kill him.

my eyes felt so heavy, my body felt fatigued and my hearts ached. memories of Elizabeth and Ban continued to flood my mind, remembering the first time i saw Elizabeth when she came toppling into the tavern. remembering the first time i met ban, having a mini braul with him to convince him to tag along with me.