'A secret base?' Ban stared at Zhivago. 'Don't be stupid.'

Zhivago laughed slightly. 'Why is it stupid?'

Ban scowled at the floor. 'Because you told me about it, dumbass. And now you're leading me right there.'

'It's a safe space.' Zhivago's voice turned soft. Ban blinked. He had never heard an adult sound like that before. 'For both of us.'

The two of them wove through back alleys keeping their heads down until they came to shabby looking building. Ban glared at the building. How was this a secret base? It's right in the middle of town.

'Over here, Ban,' Zhivago called in a whisper. 'Quickly.'

Ban looked at the wooden cover sceptically. 'And you're sure no one knows about this place?'

'Positive.' Zhivago lead the way down a short flight of stone steps. 'Make sure to put the cover back after you.'

Biting his tongue but rolling his eyes, Ban did so. Thankfully the cover didn't make the so-called base pitch dark. Dumbass must've left a fire on. Still, there would be time for a lecture on fire safety. Too busy going over the insults he would use in his speech, Ban didn't notice Zhivago standing frozen on the third last step until a hand was on his shoulder.

'Who are you?' said Zhivago loudly.

Ban stared at him. Had he lost his mind? But no. Zhivago was talking to someone else. What a crappy secret base. Ban tried to peer around Zhivago to see if it was someone he knew, but the older man kept forcing him back.

'Ah, you're back,' said a voice Ban didn't recognise. It sounded like a girl. He finally got around Zhivago and saw that it was a girl. She had [y/h/c] hair and a kind smile that was slowly disappearing. 'Oh dear.'

Zhivago grabbed Ban's shirt and roughly tugged him back again. 'I'll ask you once more,' said Zhivago, voice hard. 'Who are you?'

—

You sat in the small stone room and watched the flames dance. Meliodas had sure picked a weird place to wait. It wasn't his style at all. Way too dingy. And it kind of stank. But maybe that was the point? It would definitely grab attention and cause rumours if people spotted him coming and going from such a place. Satisfied with your reasoning, you settled back to wait for Meliodas's return.

The only evidence of time passing was the fire. You had replaced the logs once before noises came from above. Two voices. Wood scraping. Feet on the stone steps. Finally. It had been so long since you had last seen Meliodas and now here he was. Your leg started to bounce.

'Who are you?' said a loud voice. It didn't sound like Meliodas. Had he brought someone with him? Was he playing a prank? You couldn't stop the smile spreading across your face.

'You're back.' You stood up. You were so ready to see green eyes and messy blond hair again. So ready to see his smile and kiss it and feel his warmth. But the eyes yours met were the wrong shade of green. They were too high up. And this person did have someone with him, a boy with angry red eyes. Your smile slid from your face. 'Oh dear.'

The tall man pushed the boy behind him. 'I'll ask you once more. Who are you?'

He raised his fists and his eyes darted around the room, no doubt looking for some kind of weapon.

You raised your hands and stood up slowly. 'My name is [Y/n].'

'What are you doing here?' The man didn't relax his stance and kept the boy behind him. It made you smile softly. This man was a parent.

'I'm looking for someone.' You kept your voice soft and your hands raised. 'I thought he would be here.'

'Why?'

'Rumours.' You shrugged.

The man still didn't relax. 'Are you armed?'

'My sword is right there.' You nodded to where it lay at your feet. 'You're welcome to take it if it makes you feel safer.'

The man glared at you and didn't move. You smiled softly and backed slowly away from your sword into the corner of the room, keeping your arms raised.

'Ban, stay here,' the man hissed to the boy. And then, eyes not leaving yours, he crossed the room and snatched up your sword.

As he did that, your eyes drifted to the boy called Ban. He was scrawny and his clothes were no more than rags. The anger that burned in his eyes never let up. His skin was covered with dirt and scratches. It made your heart ache.

'So ... I can leave if you want, but I did buy all this food. I could cook something before going.' You watched Ban's eyes start to glitter as he spotted to bags behind you. 'It would be a shame if it went to waste.'

The man looked between you and Ban for a moment before sighing. 'One meal. And I'm keeping hold of your sword.'

You beamed. 'No problem.' You turned to the bags behind you and started to pull out ingredients. 'So what are your names?'

'I'm Zhivago and this is Ban.'

'Pleasure to meet you both,' you said, a little distracted as you looked at a couple of herbs and tried to decide which ones to use.

'What's that?' said a voice. You looked up to Ban about three feet away from you pointing to the ingredients in your hands.

'This is rosemary, sage and wild garlic.' You raised each one in turn. 'Do you have a favourite?'

Ban shrugged before pointing to the other ingredients spilling out of your bags. 'What's that?'

As you prepared the meal, you kept up a running commentary for Ban. When you could, you let him taste and smell the different foods. You even gave him small tasks to do. Through it all, Zhivago sat back and watched closely, keeping his grip on your sword and sometimes answering Ban's questions.

'You have a son?' Ban asked Zhivago as he tore rosemary leaves.

Zhivago smiled slightly. It was the first time you had seen him do so. 'Yeah. A scrappy little kid who's just about the same age you are. How old are you?'

'I don't know, dumbass.'

You bit back a laugh, deciding Ban's answer was sadder than the insult was funny.

'Who are you looking for, [Y/n]?' asked Ban as he passed you the leaves.

'Wow, Ban. You must be a natural chef. Now could you chop up these carrots please? Be careful. The knife's sharp.' You handed the carrots and knife over.

'I know that, dumbass,' said Ban. But he didn't scowl.

As Ban began to chop, you started to chuck the ready ingredients into a pot. 'I'm looking for my boyfriend,' you said. 'I heard rumours there was a man with green eyes and blond hair around here.' You met Zhivago's eyes. 'But it was the wrong guy.'

'You have a boyfriend my age?' Zhivago's lip curled slightly.

'No, no.' You waved your hands and laughed. 'He's my age. Oh. Maybe I should start asking for sightings of a boy with blond hair and green eyes.'

Zhivago laughed slightly. 'Maybe.'

Before long, the stew was bubbling over the fire. Delicious smells filled the small room. So did the rumbling of Ban's stomach.

'Is it ready now?' the boy asked for the fifth time.

You hummed thoughtfully and stirred the stew. You raised a spoonful to your lips. The silence in the room was deafening. 'Yep.'

Ban and Zhivago cheered and lifted their bowls. You filled theirs before your own.

It took even less time for the stew to disappear. The bowls were scraped clean, every last drop soaked up with soft bread rolls.

Ban sat back with a sigh and patted his stomach. 'That was great.' His relaxed expression changed. 'But I should go home.'

You pursed your lips and clenched your fists. Zhivago's expression was the same as yours.

'Okay.' You stood up. 'We'll walk you to the door.'

Ban glared at you. 'Why?'

You shrugged. 'It's polite, I guess. And I want to spend as much time with you as I can.'

Ban's scowl disappeared.

The three of you climbed the steps and emerged in the sunlight together.

'Bye then,' said Ban.

'Goodbye, Ban,' said Zhivago. 'I'm glad I met you.'

'Me too,' you said. 'Get home safe.'

Ban seemed to struggle for a second before saying, 'Thank you for rescuing me and letting me stay in your secret base, Zhivago. And thank you for the food, [Y/n].'

You ruffled his spikey hair. 'My pleasure. I hope we meet again one day, Ban.'

Ban grinned at you before running off.

'So how old is your kid?' said Zhivago once Ban had disappeared around the corner.

You stared at him. 'Huh?'

'Oh, come on.' He turned to you. 'I saw the way you acted with Ban. And I know you're not a human. It's okay.'

You sighed. 'My daughter ... she died.'

Zhivago froze. 'I'm sorry.'

'It was a long time ago.' You drew in a shaky breath. 'And I know you're not human either.'

Zhivago grinned at you. 'Your secret's safe with me. Oh, I guess you'll be needing this back.' He handed you your sword.

You took it and replaced it with a sack of coins. 'Stay safe, Zhivago. I hope we meet again.'

'I hope you find your boyfriend.'

'Me too.'

—

Hendrickson watched Gilthunder and Howzer discuss strategies for their next fight and smiled slightly. He could still remember when they were scrappy kids play fighting with wooden swords. It was impressive how capable they had become.

After all that had happened, Hendrickson was glad he hadn't killed them. Hendrickson stared at his hand. It looked clean, but he could see the blood that dripped from his fingers and stained them red. He started to shake.

'We heard what happened,' said a familiar voice. Hendrickson looked up to see Meliodas and [Y/n] walk closer. They weren't glaring at him like last time. They were smiling. 'About how you rescued Little Gil, Howzer and the others. Thank you for that, Hendrickson.'

His hands stopped shaking and Hendrickson forced himself to meet their eyes. Warm tears ran down his face. He let them.

'Thank you,' said Hendrickson.

—

'It's customary to enter the Cave of Training in pairs,' Jenna told King. Judging from his expression, it wasn't hard to tell who she had suggested for his partner.

'I'll go in with him,' said Meliodas.

'And I'll go with Hendy,' you said.

King stared. 'Captain?'

'Are you sure, [Y/n]?' Hendrickson looked at the ground. 'It won't make you ... uncomfortable?'

'Don't sweat it,' you said, voice muffled as you pulled off your shirt. 'I've got to go in with someone.'

The four of you stood at the entrance to the cave, all dressed in similar form-fitting, soft black trousers. You wore a singlet of the same material. Meliodas kept watching you out the corner of his eye.

See something you like? You smirked.

Oh yeah.

Jenna clapped loudly. 'Remember, no weapons or equipment allowed, you two.'

You sighed and slipped your ring from your finger and felt the emptiness as Meliodas's presence slipped from your mind. Meliodas did the same beside you. He placed his ring into Jenna's waiting palm with no problem, but you hesitated slightly before doing so.

'I'll look after them,' said Jenna softly. 'Promise.'

You smiled tightly in response.

'All right, you lot.' Jenna's voice became loud again. 'In you go.'

Cold air was coming from the entrance of the cave. It washed over your exposed skin and you shivered before stepping forward into the darkness. The rocky walls towered overhead and there was apprehension in the pit of your stomach as you left the sky and sun behind.

'So did you two get your power back yet?' asked King who was floating beside Meliodas.

Meliodas shook his head. 'Nuh uh.'

'We have to rehabilitate our bodies first,' you said, stretching your arms above your head as you walked.

Ahead, a strange light began to glow. Here we go again. You stepped into it and it consumed you.

—

Meliodas emerged from the light and looked around the cave in awe. He and King were alone now, only accompanied by dozens of Goddess Ambers that floated in the air like a broken window on pause. Each one glowed with its own light source, a hidden power from within.

Jenna's disembodied voice floated among the crystals. 'Go ahead and choose one of the Goddess Ambers floating there in front of you. There are various kinds of monsters inside each one.'

Interesting. Meliodas found himself wishing that [Y/n] was there. Well, he wished they were always together, but this time it was for more than her company. She would've been able to tell what each stone contained and how strong the monster was. As for himself, Meliodas was clueless.

And so was King. 'Which one of these do you want, Captain?'

But Meliodas pushed the issue of training aside for a moment. There was something he should talk to King about while they were alone. 'Hey, listen, King.'

King made a noise of acknowledgement.

'About Hendrickson ... You think you could be just a little more open-minded?' Meliodas tapped a fire-coloured stone and it floated away.

'What do you mean?' King rose into the air. 'Are you telling me to forgive him?'

'I didn't say that 'cause there's no denying that what he did is unforgivable. Trust me, I completely understand how you feel about him.' Meliodas looked from King to the ground. 'But still, he was being controlled the whole time by Fraudrin who possessed Dreyfus's body ten years ago. Nothing could've been done.'

'So if something's controlling you, nothing you do is considered a sin?' King's voice became colder. 'Anyway, who's this Fraudrin?'

Meliodas paused before saying, 'One of the Ten Commandments.'

'Is that so? Yeah ... And those other two, Galand and Monspeet right? Tell me, why is it that you know so much about the Ten Commandments who were sealed away three thousand years ago? And [Y/n] knows them too, doesn't she?'

'What are you trying to say?'

King wouldn't look at Meliodas. 'You're a member of the Demon race just like them, aren't you? But not [Y/n] ... No, she's something different ...'

Meliodas sighed. So King had figured it out to. Why was [Y/n] never around when it happened? She hadn't been when Ban asked the same question, but now Meliodas didn't even have his ring on. He was alone.

'Hey, Meliodas!'

King's shout caught Meliodas's attention just in time. Their ash staffs collided, the sound louder in the cavernous room. Meliodas pushed back against King's attack, his arm trembling with the force.

'Are you two really our allies?' King's face wastwisted with anger. 'Explain yourself.'

~~

what's going on?? over 100 followers??? thank you all so much!

if you've been here since the beginning or if you are new, i appreciate you all so much 💕💕💕

so ... i want to try doing a Q&A 🥺👉👈 

if it's unsuccessful, i promise i'll never do one again lol this is just in the spirit of trying new things

so if you have a question, leave it here! and if you're comfortable, please answer the question you ask too! i'd love to learn more about you all too

as i continue in this announcement section, i would like to give a heads up that there will most likely no be an update next week. it's getting to the end of semester and that means final assignments that aRE ALL DUE AT THE SAME TIME

i love you all and stay safe 💕