The Holy Knights had retreated after Diane's attack, and we did so as well. I was tired; I hadn't slept in a long time- a week, maybe a week and a half. It was hard to keep track when days were either uneventful or full of excitement. Although, I guess that's how it always is with the Sins. Because of my drowsiness, I didn't really remember the walk back to the Boar Hat. I might've even fallen asleep during our traveling a few times.

When we all got back, we healed up, collectively helping each other patch up our wounds. Although, I did most of the work since I was the only person in our immediate group who had healing abilities. It wasn't great, but everyone felt better afterward.

We decided that we should train in the morning. The closeness to defeat we had felt was undesirably small, and none of us liked it. If it weren't for Diane's giant crush on Meli, we probably wouldn't have made it out. We needed to improve- get stronger, faster, used to fighting again. After that collective decision, we all headed off to bed, save for Hawk, who had passed out after having his various burns healed.

Ban had passed out almost immediately after his head hit the pillow. Saying that I was tired would be an understatement; I was practically a zombie as I changed into the oversized t-shirt I wore as pajamas. I usually went a few weeks without sleeping, but the excitement from the past couple of days had exhausted me more than I cared to admit.

I was apprehensive to go to sleep, even though I was nodding off. My eyes closed longer each time I blinked, a euphoric relief spreading over my body each time I did so. I was going to have a nightmare- I always did.

My bodily needs got the best of me, and I couldn't help but pass out.

I was sitting in a room. It was small, and made entirely of earth. There was a magical power radiating from it, coming from every direction of the box I was in. My guess is some sort of containment spell? It couldn't have been more than ten feet long on each side, and it was a little bit shorter in terms of height. I knew immediately where I was- an underground cell in the jail portion of the Castle of Liones. I also knew that I was dreaming. That didn't stop the unsettling feeling from creeping up on me, making me shiver in discomfort.

I had shackles on. Large, enchanted metal cuffs that wrapped around my ankles, wrists, neck, and waist. Chains webbed our around the room, securing themselves tightly to the wall on large, metal plates. I tugged curiously at them, only to yelp out as a searing pain shot into my wrists.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I recognized the voice, which came from across the room. A doorway had appeared in the dirt, as if it had been there the whole time. King stood in the doorway, hovering as he sat with his legs crossed on his pillow.

"King! Oh, it's good to see you! Where are w-"

"Shut up," he snarled, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. His voice was cold and harsh, an underlying hatred clearly evident. "You have no right to say my name."

"What are you-"

"I said shut up." He growled, glaring daggers at me. "I don't know why I even associated with a criminal like you."

"King, I don't understand. W-what do yo-"

"You killed people! My people! Diane's people! Everyone's people! You're a monster. You hear me? A monster. Figures you were part of the demon clan all along...."

"K-King...." I whimpered.

"I hate you, (y/n). I hate you and your people and everyone and everything associated with you. I hate myself for considering you a sister. You are an abomination. A mistake."

"What...?" My voice was small, my eyes wide in disbelief. This isn't King.... it can't be.... can it? I instinctively moved forward, only to close my eyes and cry out. Seating pain rippled across my skin and through my body, it was as though waves of hot metal were washing over me.

"King, please..." I croaked, opening my eyes again. I found Meli standing at the door. He didn't say anything. He just stood, staring coldly at me. "Meli..?"

"My name is Meliodas," he stated simply. His words were cruel. "And I only came to tell you that you are no longer part of the Seven Deadly Sins."

"What? W-what are you talking about?! Meli, please, tell me what's going- AH!" I screamed it, a burning sensation making itself present on the small of my back.

My tattoo.

The one that symbolizes my part in the Sins.

"Meli," I cried, tears beginning to seep from my eyes. They fell freely down my cheeks, soaking into the earth below me or rolling down my arms or thighs. Some of them fell onto the rags I was wearing- a faded grey dress that was practically ripped to shreds. "Please..."

"I should have never brought you in in the first place," he spat, looking me up and down with disgust. "You don't deserve a second chance. You're far worse than the rest of us."

My eyes widened, and my hands gripped shakily at the exposed skin of my thighs. I was careful not to trigger the confinements on my wrists. My whole body trembled as I stared downward.

This can't be what he really thinks....

Right?

"YOU BITCH!" Diane's voice cried, causing my head to snap upward. The shackle around my neck burned into my skin. She was standing in the doorway, the size of a human. "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!"

"What..?"

"YOU KILLED PEOPLE!" She screamed, cheeks flushed in anger and eyes glaring daggers of hatred into my soul. "I HATE YOU!"

"Diane," I whimpered, tears flowing in large globs now. "No, no, no, wait. Wait! Please! I-I can explain!"

"NO!" She screamed, teeth bared and fists clenched tight. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING, YOU MONSTER!"

"Diane, please," I spoke, my voice nearly silent as I choked on a sob. Tears blurred my vision as they cascaded down my cheeks and nose in rivers.

"You don't belong with us," Merlin's voice echoed through the chamber.

"No..." I breathed, my eyesight clearing to find her staring at the floor. She was leaning against the frame of the doorway. "Merlin, not you too..."

"Is not a matter of what you feel," she snapped, eyes darting toward me. She was normally calm, so the anger in her voice showed how extremely she felt. "It's a matter of how it effects the people around you. The people you care about." She scoffed, "But I guess you don't care about us, do you, Demon?"

"No, Merlin! No, you don't understand!"

"Shut. Your. Mouth." She spat, her rage increasing tenfold. Her face was scrunched up in emotion. "You don't even deserve to speak. Animals are not on the level of us more advanced races."

I looked down, ashamed. Tears fell in droplets and small streams onto the earthy floor, creating small wet sections of dirt.

Who's next?

"I would kill you, but I'd prefer not to dirty my hands with such filth."

"Escanor," I spoke, almost mouthing the words to myself. "You're going to say I'm not worth your time. That I'm not worth anything."

"Nobody should have to waste their time killing you," his prideful voice boomed. I could practically feel his glare. "That's why you will rot here. Where you can't hurt anybody and nobody has to deal with your insignificant being."

"Because that's what I'm afraid of," I continued, shaking violently so that each time I shifted a burning sensation covered my body. I know what's happening.

I know this is a dream.

Tears fell. So many more tears. Escanor chuckled, "Quit your pathetic crying. Nobody will pity a monster such as yourself. You are worth nothing to everybody."

So why can't I wake up?

"You killed my people," the soft voice came out stern, trickling with anger and fear. "You killed... my people. So many lives were lost to you and your.... your rampage...."

"Ellie," I whispered, "you'll be afraid. You'll hate me for everything."

"You... you monster," I looked up; she was trembling almost bad as I was. "How can you live with yourself? With what you've done?"

"I can't..." I whimpered, staring at her as tears fell from my puffy red eyes and stained my pink cheeks an even darker magenta. "That's why I'm having this dream.... because I'm afraid...."

"Afraid of what?" She spat, glaring at me. "Dying?"

I didn't respond. It's the opposite Ellie.

I'm afraid of living.

"Typical. Demons aren't afraid. All they do is destroy," her voice was venomous. I faintly realized the cuts forming in my thighs because I was clenching my skin so hard. "That's all you want... chaos..."

"You bastard pig!" Hawk's voice rang out as Ellie's form morphed into his. "I oughta beat your ass right now! I'll kill you once for every person you've made suffer!"

He huffed, and I didn't respond. My body was shaking so bad you would think I had some sort of hypothermia. My head pounded from the amount of water I lost from my tears, which were still flowing freely in waterfalls. I felt like I was going to throw up- dispel everything in my body to try and rid myself of my unforgivable sins.

It was quiet for a few moments. I knew it wasn't over- my head was saving the worst for last. I choked on my sobs, whimpering as burns ripped into my skin and destroyed every other feeling except the absolute despair that encompasses my being. The despond.

"(Y/N) (L/N)."

His voice rang out, announcing my name like he had to put Hawk's shit in his mouth.

"Please, Ban," I sobbed, shaking even harder as I dragged my fingers down to extend the cuts on my legs. "Please don't. I can't take it."

"This is what you wanted isn't it? To kill everyone?"

"Ban, no.... please. I- I can't.... I can't do this anymore."

"You killed her," he spat violently.

Oh, god. Here it comes.

I didn't do it. I know I didn't.

Why am I so afraid of him rejecting me because of something I didn't do? Because of her?

"You killed Elaine."

Someone roughly grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at them. Ban was glaring down at me, seething. I could tell he was mad, but a smirk still graced his lips, replacing the caring teeth he had only a few moments ago.

"You really think I would love you after all you've done?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"'No," I sobbed, trying and epically failing to remove my face from his hands. "No... and that's why I'm scared... because..." I choked on my words. "Because... you hate me."

"Now you're getting it," he growled, throwing my face backward. I leaned down as far as I could go, pulling uselessly at my shackles and laying to that my forehead nearly touched the floor. I gave up on scratching myself- I didn't have the strength anymore. Burning. Pain.

He stood up from his crouching position, turning away from me and walking away. He stopped a few feet away from me, and spoke without looking in my direction.

"We all hate you, (y/n)."

I cried louder, my sobs echoing loudly in the earthy chamber. I was practically screaming as I shook without end. My body vibrated with such ferocity, the metal of the shackles holding me clanged and rubbed against each other.

"STOP IT!"

My voice screamed uselessly in the dark. The door was gone, leaving me by myself.

"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!"

"We hate you, (y/n)."

Their voices combined together, melding into one. Ban's voice seemed to stand out, being the most prominent. I cried and shook harder. They were nowhere in sight.

"We hate you, (y/n)."

Ban's voice stood out more, and my body seemed to shake out of my control, even more-so than before.

"We.... u, (y/n)."

They were more muddled now, the words other than my name unclear. I sobbed as my body practically rocked back and fourth. I felt like I was about to explode, like I was about to d-

I jolted awake, sweating and panting. Choked sobs escaped my throat as my eyes darted around the room. It took me a moment to realize I was out of the dream and back into the real world.

It also took me a moment to realize Ban was hovering over me. My eyebrows furrowed and my words came out choked.

"B-Ban?"

"Yeah, it's me," he spoke, "You okay, short stack?"

I wanted to say yes. I so badly wanted to say yes. But I wasn't. I wasn't okay. I was sad and exhausted and terrified. The words of my teammates still haunted my thoughts, lingering there like an infestation of doubt and self-hatred.

"No," I sobbed, laying on my back as I stared up at him. Tears fell freely from my eyes, and I tried to wipe them away, but to no avail. "I'm not okay. I-I'm scared, Ban... a-and I'm sad and I don't know what to do to make it all stop."

He looked conflicted. He had shifted over so that he was sitting next to me on the bed, his gaze shifting between his bed and my own. He looked like he was contemplating something.

I closed my eyes, breathing shortly as I tried to stop the tears from falling. They welled up under my eyes and it got to the point where it was uncomfortable, so I had to open them and blink rapidly every once in a while.

"I'm sorry, Ban..." I whispered, knowing he could hear me. "I didn't mean to wake you, I know you're tired. I-I'm fine, go back to be-"

A strong arm wrapped around me, causing me to inhale sharply and cut off my words. I was suddenly pressed flush against Ban's chest, his unclothed pectorals being pushed up against my cheek and nose. He was only in his usual leather pants. My eyes were wide with surprise.

"We don't hate you," he muttered, causing my eyes widen once more. How did he..? "None of us do. You were talking about it in your sleep." There was a pause, "That's what you're afraid of.... isn't it? Us hating you because of what you did?"

I whimpered quietly, then started to sob. I clutched his chest like my life depended on it, like I would die if I let go of him. My tears fell in waterfalls down my already stained-pink cheeks, and my body shook violently.

I couldn't feel anything except Ban as he rubbed small circles into my back, letting me lean against him as I cried. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. His actions spoke a hundred times louder than any words could.

"You've got nothin' to worry about, (y/n)," Ban muttered as I began to calm down. My breathing was short and quick, and a few stray tears fell as I continued to shake, but I had calmed down to the point where I could speak. "So stop thinking about that shit and get back into the real world. You're part of the team, and your Sin won't change that. It doesn't matter what you did or how you did it, it doesn't change a goddamn thing."

I chuckled quietly, still clutching onto him as the shaking started to stop as well. My breathing began to slow as I spoke hoarsely, "Do you always know what to say, or do you have a secret mind reading power I don't know about?"

He chuckled, his chest bouncing and vibrating under my cheek. His cool body contrasted wonderfully with my hot one, cooling me down and helping me calm. We sat there like that for a bit- me sitting in his crossed legs with my face up against his chest, his chin sitting atop my skull and his arms wrapped securely around me. I wanted it to last forever.

"Alright," he sighed, shifting lightly. "It's late, lets go to fucking sleep."

I couldn't help but be disappointed. I didn't show it, and was careful to not hint at it as I shifted from atop his lap and onto my bed once again. I wanted to stay like that, to stay with him. Despite my slight disappointment, I smiled a small smile, looking up at the crimson-eyed man.

"Thank you, Ban. I.... I really needed that."

He huffed, looking away for a moment as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Whatever. I owe you one for healing me back at Byzel. Now come on."

"Huh?" I asked, cocking my head to the side as my face contorted in confusion. I sniffled quietly, wiping my nose and flinching when my hand made contact with my rubbed-raw cheek.

"I'm not waking up again because you had another goddamned nightmare," he said, looking at me indifferently. "So you're sleeping with me."

My face flared up instantaneously, my eyes widening at his statement. He turned his head away so that half of his face was highlighted by the moonlight. His muscles were complimented by the ethereal glow, and his overall aesthetic was something to behold. It was calming. And kinda hot.

But sleep in the same bed as Ban? The guy in front of me?

"N-no, it's okay, r-really!" I stuttered, face glowing brighter. "I'm all g-good now! No need for worry!"

"Shut up, half pint."

Before I realized what was happening, he had thrown me over his shoulder, ass right next to his face. He carried me across the room, ignoring my embarrassed protests as he walked to his bed.

He tossed me down, and my body bounced upward slightly from the impact. He collapsed in the bed next to me, and my face burned bright as he lazily tossed one of his muscular arms around my small form. I was curled up in a sideways fetal position, practically melting every time his breathe made contact with my neck. His abdomen was pressed up against my back, only separated by the measly fabric of my pajamas.

"Now, go to goddamn sleep," he muttered, his voice laced with exhaustion, "We have to get up early because of training."

"O-okay," I replied quietly, snuggling into the position, smiling faintly. I closed my eyes, the exhaustion from crying and the previous week catching up with me rather quickly and hitting me like a ton of bricks.

And I fell asleep, flush blazing as my man-crush-Monday spooned me lazily. It was more comfortable than I thought it would be.

Funnily enough, he was right.

I didn't have anymore nightmares that night.

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