Lickitysplit here, and I've been tasked with writing the intro for this amazing fic, written by my dear friend and role model Cerulean Grace, as her interpretation of Meliodas giving into his demon instincts.

What can I say about Cerulean Grace? I am her biggest fan, so I will try to keep my gushing to acceptable levels. This entire challenge was her brain child, as she thinks more deeply about NNT more than anyone else I know. Her imagination is unlike any other, and I know you will agree that she positively draws you in with her stories. I am always impressed by her writing style, and how polished her stories always are. And now I have discovered she is an incredible artist in addition to wordsmith.

I am immensely proud of her and this story, her very first lemon. It is amazing to think this was the very first time she has attempted this type of writing, and I am excited to see even more from her now that she has this under her belt. Please leave her lots of comments because she thrives on feedback, and despite it being all her idea she was particularly nervous about this prompt. Enjoy this story, and then go read all of her other ones too, because she is the best!

The Calm Before

"You're stressed," a soft voice washed over Meliodas, whose forehead was pressed against the cool glass of an ornate window. The view allowed him to see miles of Lioness's sprawling fields surrounding the castle on a good day, but right now it only showed the storm rapidly brewing outside. Clouds of dark gray sprawled across the sky, lightning flashing.

But a larger storm brewed inside him. Today's mission had been aggravating at the least, if not infuriating. A horde of lesser demons had showed up at the Eastern part of the kingdom for an attack, again, and the military had suffered more than a few casualties. Meliodas hated seeing his own men die under his command. He was exhausted of the attacks, and maddened by his own failures in being absent.

Responsibilities seemed to be everywhere at once. A nearby kingdom falls, and they need his assistance, and he is there. Once he leaves, demons are attacking Lioness. As soon as he comes back to defend, mail comes from Arthur, needing help in Camelot. He tries to protect one side of Lioness, and armies are instantly at the other. And when he is absent for a mere minute, suddenly the entire kingdom was falling.

Being King had many stresses, he'd come to know over the years. Being King of both Lioness, and also attempting to take his place as the Demon King to stabilize that realm now that it had been released, was double the stresses. But he was born to rule the demons, and-

"Meliodas, please answer me," the voice gently spoke behind him. He closed his eyes, pressing his face further into the cold glass that he hoped would calm his pounding headache. He was married into being King of Lioness. But it was necessary. His purpose, from the very beginning, was to protect Elizabeth. If she had hated him, he would still protect her from afar. But luckily, she had loved him, as much as he had loved her. Their marriage was a happy and loving one, but their rule as king and queen together was during a dark and trying time in Britannia's history.

Meliodas took a deep breath, trying to calm his shaking. He knew his eyes were the color of onyx. He felt a burn on his forehead, but tried to quell it for Elizabeth's sake. Seeing him with his mark only worried her. His throat was tight, his knuckles white, his hearts pounding painful beats.

Killing something would make him feel better, as much as he hated to admit it. He needed to release his wrath, release the painful pounding in his head and chest, release anything pent up inside him as it was, dark and throbbing.

Centuries had allowed him to master control over his demonic instincts, the ones whispering in his brain to shed blood. But the wrath they incurred, the darkness, swelled inside him now. The same wrath that had given him his Sin long ago. It spewed out quite often these days. In these times of war, his brain fell to a more instinctual place.

A tremble ran through his spine as he felt a featherlight hand pressed against the middle of his back. "It wasn't your fault, Meliodas."

Another deep breath, his eyes squeezed shut. "Who else's fault could it be?"

"You were so far away, you couldn't have known."

"It is my job to know, Elizabeth."

She sighed, a soft sound, her breath blowing against the back of his neck. The rain sounded harshly against the glass, thunder booming erratically. Meliodas tried to block it out, instead focusing on the warm breath against his skin.

If not for Elizabeth, he'd have lost his mind long ago, he was sure. Reverted back to who he was originally, a cold and merciless person with a high mission completion rate. It would've been easy, to not care for the humans. To run back to where he belonged, take down only his personal enemies instead of the constant threats that impacted every side of the Kingdom.

But like thousands of years ago, she kept him sane and grounded. Gave him a greater purpose than to destroy.

Where her breath had landed was now her lips, brushing lightly against the back of his neck. Her body slowly embraced him from behind, her arms wrapping around him, her chest pressed against his back, her long silver hair brushing against his arms. How absolutely he contrasted her; she was sweet-voiced and calm and gentle, light and healing and silver. He was a trembling darkness, his words unable to come up as anything less than a growl.

"You have a whole Kingdom to protect, Meliodas. You can't be everywhere at once. You've saved more people than anyone I know."

"I just want it to end."

"It will end," she murmurs, "and the kingdom will be safe."

He sighs, his breath fogging the glass, unable to face her as she pressed against him. "The kingdom being safe is your priority," he grumbled, "And for you, I'll keep it safe."

"You care about the Kingdom too, don't you?"

It wasn't that he didn't care, necessarily. He did. He cared about the people dying, the destruction. But if he could take her and run far away to a place where they could be safe together, live long happy lives together, he would. Thousands of years had gone by in which he'd seen people and places fall. His attachment to them all had grown weak. There was only one thing he truly desired to protect.

He turned to her suddenly, their fronts already pressed together as she linked her hands behind his back. He pressed his forehead against hers, his dark eyes boring into her glistening blue. All he wanted was to build a world at peace, a world where she could finally be safe. How many times had he seen her harmed? How many more would he have to?

He allowed both his hands to drag up her arms, squeezing the tops, just enough to make her gasp. As her mouth sharply took in breath, he slammed his lips to hers, dragging one hand to the back of her neck. He roughly kissed her, swallowing her shocked noises, his hands keeping her in place against him.

Thousands of years ago, he'd take his anger out on the enemy. Over the past years, he had learned ways to take out the suffocating feelings while causing less damage. They had many nights like these; nights where he had too much locked away inside him to stay still, nights where she'd welcome him to her, against her, inside her, to lose himself.

After getting over the initial surprise, she melted against him. She opened her mouth, welcoming his invading tongue as he tasted her, pausing only to bite her lips. His hand remained locked behind her neck, her's travelling to his hair, keeping him even closer.

As her chest pressed flat against him, he noted she was only in a thin, silk robe with nothing underneath, much to his relief. His teeth caught her bottom lip, pulling slightly as she let out a soft moan. Both his hands slowly slid down her back, stopping at the curves of her backside, hoisting her up against him. She readily wrapped her legs tightly around him as he pressed her against the wall, undoing the tie of her robe as he slipped it down her shoulders and off her, the silk pooling to the floor.

He ground himself against her bare heat, the coarse fabric of his pants making her whimper. The noise stirred something deep in his core, his blood pooling low. He pulled his head a few inches back from her clutches, letting his eyes absorb her naked form. How many times had he seen her like this now? And yet, something carnal had his body reacting to her immediately, his thoughts hungry and salacious, his mind overwhelmed with nothing but a need to take everything out via his desire, to bury it within her.

He knew he could end this quickly. She was open against him, and only a layer of material separated his throbbing member from her. But a darker part of his mind begged him to prolong this, to make is last. He gave into it as he had before. As she probably expected him to.

Her lips dragged along his jaw, nibbling on his earlobe, her soft fingers rubbing circles against the back of his neck. She let her chin rest on his shoulder as her mouth worked against him, and as she innocently traced the shell of his ear with her tongue, she paused to whisper his name in a voice she knew he loved.

She discarded his shirt and pressed her body harder into the wall, his forehead finding reprise against the stone as their bare chests pressed together. His hands grasped her bottom, the tips of his fingers digging into her skin hard enough to leave marks. He ground against her again, and the jolt it sent through him made it hard to stop. He couldn't deny himself much longer.

Her gentle hand turned his chin toward her, and her lips found his again. The sweet taste of her mouth, warm and soft, was addictive. Meliodas could kiss her for hours and never get tired. He had.

He placed her onto the floor to stand on her own, using his now free hands to explore her. One wound into her hair to keep her addictive lips against his, the other dipped to her thigh. His first gentle touch of the evening traced patterns on the smooth skin of her inner leg, her breathing coming out shaky uneven as he teased her, tracing around her core in a way he knew drove her mad.

"M-Meliodas" his name sounded the most wonderful at times like these, when it was all she could manage to say.

"Hmmm? Want something?" His voice was deeper than usual as he spoke in her ear, taking a quick nibble.

He knew all her desires and wants, had explored them with her, discovered each of them through the years. Tonight, he didn't just want to give her what he knew she wanted. Her whole body leaned against the wall for support as her legs shook, her hands rubbing up and down his chest, her nails occasionally digging in as she trembled.

Her legs spread a bit farther as he splayed a hand against her inner thigh.

"Please," she whispered, her voice more stable than he desired it to be. He dragged his index finger up, teasing the top of her wetness, circling the throbbing nub, Elizabeth letting out a small, high pitched noise. A growl ran through his chest as he felt the slick heat, the warmth slowly throbbing beneath his fingertip. He teased her slowly, moving against her.

"Meliodas, please," her voice was a bit more high pitched, a touch of desperation he so badly wanted to hear.

He let out a short chuckle as he his black eyes met her hazy, half-lidded ones. "Sorry, but you'll need to do something for me first."

A single blue eye widened a bit, before quickly knowing what he wanted. They switched positions, him leaning against the wall, hands digging into her hips as she kissed him in the transition, this time slower. Her hands dragged down his chest and continued down, playing with the waistband of his pants. She deepened their kiss as she unbuttoned, letting the fabric fall to the floor.

A gentle hand wrapped around him, and he broke the kiss as he gasped, grinding his teeth together. Her mouth remained occupied, trailing kisses down his chest, her tongue swiping randomly as she sunk to her knees before him. His hands moved up as she sank, getting a light stroke of her breasts before eventually winding into her hair.

Gripping him more firmly, she took a shaky breath before leaning forward, wrapping her lips around his tip as she slowly took his length into her mouth.

He watched her with fiery eyes, this view one of his favorites. Her shining thighs pressed together tightly, her hips squirming as she tried to satiate her own increasing need, her hair a tangled mess in his hand, her dazed eyes closing for moments at a time as her swollen lips pressed against him.

The warm wetness of her mouth immediately relieved the desperate urge, and he immediately needed more of her.

He pressed his hand tangled with her silver locks closer, and she immediately moved with him, his member sliding deeper into her mouth until he felt his head at the back of her throat. He took a deep breath as she sucked, her inner cheeks and tongue pressing against him.

He pulled her hair, sliding out of her mouth with a wet noise, her hand moving beneath his shaft, stroking him as she caught her breath. He urged her on again and she accepted, her lips wrapping around him as he pushed her forward. This time, her pace was too slow, and he shoved his hips into her as he pulled her hair. Her breath caught as she choked slightly, but she didn't protest.

The pattern continued as he pulled her back before shoving himself into her awaiting mouth again. She didn't need to move anymore, simply swirling her tongue and sucking as he thrust his hips faster into her, his hand tightening against the back of her head as he moved her at the pace he needed.

Soft fingers dug into his thigh, the other lowering down his shaft, and as he held her head in position, pressing as far as he could, he knew he was getting closer. He didn't want it to end: not yet.

A small yelp escaped her as he pulled her hair back, grabbing her by the elbows and quickly pulling her up, an act she didn't seem to expect. He kissed her passionately, and tasted himself on her lips, a grunt of appreciation deep in his throat.

He lifted her, and before she could catch her breath he had thrown her onto the bed, her stomach pressed against the mattress. His eyes devoured her bare body; the curve of her spine as she arched her back up towards him expectantly, her eyes squeezed shut, her cheeks and torso flushed. Her small waist, her breasts flattened against the bed, the beautiful curve of her hips, her legs spread for him already. His breath caught just looking at her, and hers came in shallow pants.

He roughly slid his hand between her legs, confirming that she was still ready for him. His mind went into a haze as he plunged two fingers into her, the tight heat clenching around him. Elizabeth let out a moan and he twisted in and out, her sounds driving him on. He removed his hand, covered in her arousal, his wide eyes unable to draw themselves away from the curve of her ass. He grasped it in both of his palms, squeezing her, his mind flooding in the small whimper she made. He loved her noises; he wanted to hear them over and over. He wanted to hear her begging, hear her screaming his name in pleasure.

A grin crept over his lips as he pulled back his hand, slapping her bottom. A combination of a moan and whimper immediately left her, and he felt himself throb in want. He only allowed himself to be so rough with her during times like these; he knew she trusted him whole-heartedly to never actually hurt her. He slapped her again, another noise leaving her, a pink mark on her delicate, pale skin.

It was addicting.

Every time his hand landed on her, the sound of skin slapping skin, the way her body jolted and her fingers squeezed the sheets enthralled him. Her whimpers ran through his whole body. His eyes flickered back down to her heat, and he moaned again as he saw her still dripping(?) for him. He wondered what he had ever done to deserve her. To deserve the endless years they'd have together, the constant nights switching; some gentle touches and soft kisses, others with his handprint stamped onto her skin. Endless pleasure from different routes.

He thrust his fingers back into her, her cheeks burning in want, her teeth biting into her lip in the most tantalizingly innocent way. She was all his, forever.

As his fingers stroked her, increasing in pace, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, the muscles of his torso pressed against her back.

"Oh Elizabeth, you couldn't imagine how beautiful you look right now," he whispered, blowing on her ear, feeling her tremble beneath him.

"M-meliodas-"

He let his lips travel against the back of her neck, using his free hand to travel under her and feel her breasts. He ran one thumb over a hardened nipple and she shuddered against him yet again.

"Meliodas, please,"

"Please what?" He chuckled against her neck.

"I need you," she whimpered, his hand picking up more speed under her, pulling out of her to feel for her clit. He rubbed around it softly, circling her nipple in sync, knowing it would send her toppling over quickly. He couldn't have that, not yet.

"Do you?" He whispered against her neck, the skin warm and sweet against his lips, "tell me what you need."

"Meliodas," she cried out, frustrated and wanting, "please."

"Tell me."

She bit hard into her lips again, embarrassed still after all this time. His hand slipped from between her legs, dragging up, and he brought it down hard against her backside(?) again. Her teeth released her lip as she gasped. He repeated it, over and over, drinking in each sound that escaped her, willing her to beg for him.

She moaned his name, broken syllables escaping her through each gasp. A name would never sound as beautiful as it did coming out of her rose-colored lips, her high-pitched voice out of breath and saturated in need.

"Tell me Elizabeth," he growled against her ear, unable to handle much more waiting, "tell me what you want from me."

"I want you, I just-" she moaned, arching up against his chest, "please, Meliodas, I-I need you inside me."

He rolled her over, his body hovering over her, his teeth grazing the front of her neck. His manhood rubbed teasingly along her need, and he had to catch his own breath as he felt even a bit of the hot slickness cover him. He grabbed himself by the shaft, pausing as he took a deep breath, before rubbing his tip along her slit.

She placed her forearm over her eyes as she cried out, her other hand twisted in the sheet. In the time they had been intimate, he hardly had made her wait before she reached her peak. She wasn't used to being teased for so long.

His other hand reached for her wrist, pinning it down above her head so he could see her expression clearly as he rubbed against her. Every time his tip rubbed hard enough against her clit, goosebumps would form.

"Please," she panted, barely able to say a word. He grinned in response, continuing to drag along her.

As he felt her entrance, he slowly slid himself in, watching her mouth slowly open, her hips rocking in need, a low prolonging noise escape her. He sucked air through his teeth, the heat and slickness surrounding him, her walls clenching against him.

Once he was fully inside, he couldn't contain himself any longer, he dragged out of her fully before slamming back in, both of them moaning simultaneously.

He pushed his knees against her thighs, lowering his chest against her, feeling her hardened nipples press against him. He needed her skin to be touching him everywhere it could. His forehead pressed against her neck, which was craned up. He released her wrist and her hands immediately wove around his back, nails digging into him hard, dragging down his back. The pain only pushed him to slam into her faster.

Losing himself in the sound of her loud moans and the slap of their bodies and her wetness, he closed his eyes against her neck. Her hips ground against him, meeting each thrust.

Suddenly she was pressing hard against him, squirming beneath him, trying to rotate. He opened his eyes, wrapping an arm around as he rolled them, laying back against the plush bed.

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and he watched her, already inside of her, his hands immediately grasping onto her curved hips. She clutched his shoulders, her teeth digging into her bottom lip as she quickly ground down against him. Her arms shook, raising her hips and slamming back down, quickly finding a pace.

All he could do is lay back and watch, mesmerized as always. His eyes ravaged each sight, from her tussled silver hair to her bouncing breasts to the wet thrust of where their bodies joined, her absorbing his manhood over and over.

Her arms begin to shake more and her breasts sank farther towards him, her head pressing into the side of his face as she moaned into his ear. He knew she was close, her hips could barely move steadily as she grinded erratically against him. He squeezed her hips, thrusting upwards into her as fast as he could, and she let out a high pitched noise, clenching hard around him, her eyes fluttering shut.

He held her through her orgasm, wrapping an arm around her back, before flipping her over again to take his own. He looked down at her, panting, thrusting into her sensitive folds, her body clenching and throbbing against him.

As she lowered from her peak, he slammed into her, feeling his mind blur, pleasure running through his veins. Finally, his teeth clenched and he groaned, his hips jerking as he felt himself finish deep inside her.

He hovered above her, each of them catching their breath. An arm pulled her against him as he buried his face into her shoulder, and he rolled so they were each laying next to each other. Minutes passed by in peaceful silence.

Her supple fingers ran through his blonde locks, a thumb tracing along his temple. He knew his eyes were greener now than before.

"Feeling better?" she questioned faintly.

"Yeah. I'm fine- Better. I don't know," he shook his head, "Let's forget about out there for a while."

"I know it isn't easy right now, Meliodas, but it'll get better over time."

He nodded, "Maybe so. For right now, I'm glad to be here with you."

AN2: Thanks for reading! Please go read the other stories from my friends who did this with me and are insanely more talented: woundedowl, lickitysplit, and bettybest2! I'll be updating my other stuff very, very soon! Promise!