Come With Me - Meliodas x Reader

Chapter 48 - Have Hope

Each new scream ripped into your heart. Estarossa ground his foot into Meliodas's chest and Meliodas convulsed and you just stood there. Watching. Meliodas screamed again.

You took a step forwards. Oh. You took another. Another. Until the chains wouldn't allow you to move anymore. That wasn't good enough. Your hands started to glow. Brighter and brighter. Sparks fell. And when the glow faded, the chains were still there.

'No,' you said quietly, falling to your knees. Was there nothing you could do? Was this how Meliodas was going to die? Alone. In pain. At the hands of his old friends. His family. Knowing you were far away and had given up.

That thought rocked you harder than any punch ever had.

'This brings back old memories, Meliodas,' Estarossa was saying. 'Now let me hear that voice of yours just a little more.'

And as Meliodas began to scream again, you dug your fingers into the floor. It hurt and your wrists protested, but you got to your feet again and began to yank at the chains. His hearts were still beating, you chanted in time with each tug, there was still time.

'For a moment there I was worried about what might happen,' Melascula's voice wormed into your head. 'Excellent work, Estarossa.'

You blocked her voice out even as you watched her heal thanks to that stupid glowing droplet. Something warm dripped down your hand. You ignored that too.

'Guys, we've been busted,' Hawk's panicked shout broke through your concentration. You blinked and everyone came back into existence.

'The Seven Deadly Sins,' said Estarossa, 'your new team of fighters, Meliodas ... In time, will you betray them as well?' His hand tightened around Meliodas's throat and you shivered. 'You were once the sworn leader of the Ten Commandments, yet you deserted us without a thought.'

Your friends gasped. You frowned.

'Shut up,' you said. And then louder, 'You don't know anything. You don't – you didn't see—'

None of your sentences finished. But you could see. You could remember Meliodas agonising over the decision to leave the Commandments. Seeing his tears. Holding him while he shook. Estarossa didn't know a damn thing.

But Estarossa couldn't hear you, so he just continued talking. 'Such brutal strength and callousness. What you did back then was quite devastating. Everyone recognised you as the one who was most likely to become the next Demon King. We were each helpless against the Goddess race, but they feared you and would avoid you at all costs. You were my childhood idol.' Estarossa lifted Meliodas to look him in the eye. 'But then, unexpectedly, you betrayed us. You wreaked havoc on the Demon Realm and then vanished. After murdering the two Commandments who were with you, that is, leaving two empty spots. Drole and Gloxinia eventually joined us, forming the Ten Commandments that exists today. The balance maintained between the Demon race and the Goddess race was instantly shattered. Seizing the opportunity, the Goddess race incited the other races to eliminate our kind once and for all. It was you who started that war three thousand years ago.' Estarossa squeezed Meliodas's throat even tighter and brought their faces even closer together. 'Tell me, won't you, how are you able to come up with such delightful ideas?'

'It's not true,' said Gilthunder jerkily.

Escanor hadn't blinked in ages. 'Captain did that?'

Your hands were shaking with rage. You had stopped pulling at the chains so you could focus on what Estarossa was saying. So you would be able to find the right words when you finally got your hands on him. At the moment, you felt all you would manage to form would be an inarticulate cry of rage. And that simply wouldn't do.