92. Debt

Because he was his best friend.

The first time they met, the kid was lazily rolling on the ground, staring up to the ceiling and counting stars. Elizabeth opened the door and he immediately perked up his head, emerald eyes so bright and innocent.

He couldn't help but feel like he saw those eyes before, except older. Sadder.

(There was once a strange man whom he stole a wallet of coins from. A knight from a certain kingdom...)

"Bahn?" The kid tilted his head, and the lady smiled encouragingly, ushering the child to go meet the taller newcomer. Big, innocent eyes staring up to him, the kid later ran back to Elizabeth, squealing out, "Ellie!"

The kid was so small. He heard he was three or four, but he was so small.

But that happy and joyful expression of his was simply just too incredible. A beacon of light. A sunshine child- all the sappy titles.

He was his best friend, and people liked to call Ban mentally a brat. He didn't deny it.

So in a outrage at the "demand," he flipped off the goddess horn-whatsoever with both of his hands, grabbed Hawk, and got the hell out of there fast.

The goddess clan wanted him to kill a child. An innocent, happy little child who was his best friend-! There was an extent to stupidity! And besides- Elaine knew that kid! They met, somehow, and Elaine liked the kid as well!

Sometimes, Ban tried to imagine a world where they could have a child. Elaine was a couple heads shorter than him, and he wasn't sure how fairy-biology worked, but would they be like Meliodas? So small and innocent, babbling and happy?

Why would the goddess clan tell him to kill Meliodas of all people? He just couldn't get his head around it!

Meliodas was without any doubt, human! Demon blood or whatever, Meliodas was human!

His best friend!

Hawk whimpered under his arm, Ban was practically flying through the broken debris and road.

"They were after his broken blade- and then there was this mage. I'm worried-"

"I am, too," Ban admitted. He gritted his teeth. "Damn that goddess. At least you were there."

Hawk nodding smally, he sniffled. He was trying to track down Meliodas' scent. As for Ban, he attempted to reach out his senses- find him.

And he found him. The landscape looked like hell.

A monster loomed over his friend.

Ban ripped out the parasite that controlled it, and Meliodas looked back.

... He was missing an arm.

"Ban!" His best friend exclaimed with a smile of relief and surprise. Stepping towards the blonde, Ban ruffled his hair with a hand.

"I got your back, Cap'n," he grinned. "You go rest for a bit. I'll handle this."

("YOU'RE LATE!" King yelled in the background with a thoroughly exhausted Diane.)