Ban wakes up later in the afternoon; noticing that Meliodas was not at his side. At first he thought the demon was either taking a shower or getting ready for the day, but he didn't hear anyone in the bathroom or any sign that he was upstairs.

So he quickly went down stairs, having his bare feet stomp on the wooden, red stained stairs. He made it down to where the bar was, and there was no Meliodas in sight. His heart skipped a beat.

He saw a few of the sins gathered around in a group and their faces showed a slight fear and worry. Then Diane noticed Ban and her face changed into even more panic and worry.

Ban walks over the King, Diane, Gowther, Hawk, even Escanor showed his face for once. His appearance was buff, but his face exposed worry, over the pride he always kept up with for years.

"Where's Meliodas...?" Ban starts, and he only gets a response of heads turning away, Diane's eyes becoming hazy. And Hawk speechless, not even giving a snort of his baby pink snout.
"Where is he..?" His tone was more serious than the last.

Then Escanor comes clean. "We don't know...." His arms cross each other, finally making eye contact with Ban.

Escanor sees.... Bloodlust? Sadness? Loss?

He takes a breath then continues, "He was gone when we all woke up, we don't know where, why, or how it happened. We assumed you'd know where he was."

Ban only shakes his head, "Are you saying he's missing?" And, "where the hell is he!?"

Escanor could see pain in Ban's eyes, blinded with loss and sadness. He never knew Ban could get this worked up for the Captain. Ot almost makes him want to pity him, so he shakes his head slowly not in a disrespectful manner.

"Where was the last time you saw him?"

Shit! Ban guilted himself, almost punching his own face cause he felt so damned stupid!

"I don't know where he went, but he got out of the bed waiting on the edge of it. Like he was listening or looking for something, then just left the room leaving the door open."

Leaving the door open... Ban repeats in his head, realizing that Meliodas usually never leaves any door open. A room, front, back door cause he was never spaced out at those times, nor focused on something so hard to make him forget such a 2nd nature thing.

"We can only assume he went outside somewhere, maybe he's still out there taking a breather?" Diane points out.

"No." Ban shakes his head, having his index finger on his chin.

Yet, he was trying to hide the real agony of loss to this. Meliodas is gone; out of reach for his arms to find and hold on to. He can't feel the soft, warm body able to comfort him every single dark, cold night. A lover to look at everyday, every minute of the day and admire them enough to make them absolutely flustered. Damnit, it makes his heart ache in pain, squeezing, clenching and turning like a rubber band twisted with bare fingers, while it's set on fire. Feeling the sting and pain, of the raging fire and leaving deep hurtful scars in the aftermath.

His eyes start to burn, but he wipes the dry tears begging to be let go on the sleeve of his plain red shirt.

They were so close to being together forever, loving each other for as long as they live.

Meliodas..... Wait for me, I still have a future that I wanted so badly with you....

-------
Where's Duke? Diane noticed the human wasn't in the tavern all day and she doesn't know if Ban has noticed either. It worries her a bit.
-

-------

-

Place: unknown

Time: unknown

Why is it so dark...? Why can't he see at all?

Meliodas's hand twitch, still feeling rough, itchy and extremely tight rope on his wrist. 'So uncomfortable' is what he kept saying in his head, he felt as though he might have been taken out for however long it's been because of the slight pain he feels on the back of his head. And it spreads rapidly to his forehead.

Probably a simple headache.

If it is just that, why can't he see or hear anything.

The silence ended as he heard familiar footsteps and his heart lighted with bliss. Just when he was about to say his name, instant lips lock with his pulling and prodding Meliodas's bottom lip. Forcing himself to intertwine tongues with Meliodas, who is left breathless so quickly.

It all happened so unexpectedly, but it felt so good to have him by his side again. He felt so lonely in the dark, without being able to hear anything to help his phobia of the dark and nothing to hear, nor see.

Ban feels different.... Meliodas thought to himself, remembering he's tied up and so he can't hold Ban in his arms to feel him.

It wasn't until Meliodas felt as though Ban was a bit more rough and pushy than the usual.

He attacked Meliodas, going for the slick, soft neck of the petite demon
Sucking and prodding his skin. Leaving dark marks.

Meliodas groans. "Ban! That hurts a bit, could you slow down?"

-------

-

Diane's worried face and desperate heart pounding and aching with hurt, pushed her to tell Ban about Duke's disappearance too.

"Ban, Duke's not here...." Diane didn't need to say anything else before he immediately reacted. Sprinting outside of the tavern, slamming the door heard enough to have the windows, near by the wooden door, slightly crack to the vibration of the mere force of Ban's strength.

Shit, no! No! No! No! Damn you Duke, I should have killed you on the spot the first we met again!!! Motherfucker!!

Ban zooms through every part of green of the forest, having the tavern in no sight anymore. Knocking down full grown trees along the way to hold his anger and agony as bay.

-------

-

Meliodas moans so elegantly, having his clothes ripped off of his body, exposing the fresh soft skin that hasn't been touched in weeks.

He was going so fast with this. Too fast.....

"Ban, slow down, please, if this keeps going-----" he was cut off with a demanding kiss, consuming his mouth and slowly but surely turning his lips numb.

The bigger body above him leans in closer to the petite demon, pressing his groin against the bare skinned body.

Meliodas heard an unfamiliar groan from Ban.

Meliodas's hands may have been tied up, but they were just above his head. And so he swiftly moved his arms to reach his fingers and finding then touching rough hair.

It wasn't soft like Bans, this was different. A different person. This wasn't Duke, he has the same type of hair like Bans, a bit harder to tell the difference because of his loss of sight because of the fabric feeling over his eyes.

What...?

-------

-

Fuck you, Duke!!! I should have never given you a second chance to live!!

Ban screams in his head, but as he got closer in insanity he let go of a crippled scream, releasing his magic go wildly destroying anything around him.

Hunting the energy from the living birds, deer, bears, to the tiny critters on the forest. Killing them instantly because of their low level of power, leaving corpses of animals around every little corner of the natural green and the brown of dirt and soil land.

He stops for an instant, feeling the pain and sting of Meliodas's call for him. Aching his mind and chest because of the severe pain pounding harder than the last time Meliodas called for him.

This one might be more serious and dangerous.....

-------

-

The moment the superior body found out that Meliodas was on to him, he rapidly gripped his hand, pinning Meliodas's tied up wrist above his head once more.

Meliodas fights as hard as he could, but in seems this person is no human as all. Definitely not of the giant race, and a Goddess nor God would even touch such a dark creature with their pure hands; let alone even their clothes.

The male moved his other hand to hold Meliodas's thigh up higher next to his head, fascinated by how flexible the demon was.

That's when Meliodas soon came to find this individuals techniques familiar. Having his breath stop.

Why did he come back!?

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We'll have some art in the next chapter or so, but otherwise hope you liked this intense chapter.

I think I'll be updating twice today per se

😋 Love to all my supporters!