Outside of town, you, Ban, and Jericho were standing before a large rock, freshly replaced dirt just in front of it. On top of pile was a small boulder, a makeshift tombstone, where Ban poured the best quality ale he could find in Ravens. Bernia ale, apparently aged for a couple hundred years- he wasn't sure how accurate the claim was, but he took it anyway. Him and Jericho stared down at the rock somberly, remembering the man they had been forced to bury much too quickly.

Even though she had only met him once, Jericho knew what a great man he must have been. He had a fatherly demeanor that not even she could ignore, his presence inviting and comfortable. She would miss the man, and regretted not getting to know him better. She knew that she would have grown to love him if given the chance to know him.

Ban was feeling... mixed emotions. He was content- his father had died peacefully, and he had been able to see Zhivago one last time. Of course he was upset, too. Who wouldn't be? Burying a father after just reuniting is never fun, but he was happy that it ended well, and that he seemed happy when he passed. He would never the man he was currently if it weren't for Zhivago. Even if he wasn't all that great... it could be worse.

"Such a good guy," Jericho mumbled as Ban finished off the ale bottle, propping you up next to her. It was the next day and you were still passed out, so she still had to carry you along.

"He was," Ban smiled, setting the bottle neatly on top of the boulder. "If it weren't for him... ha, I woulda been dead a long time ago."

"Yeah, now I see where you get it from," she smiled.

"Hah? Weren't you ranting about how I was an asshole just last night?"

"You have your moments, and (y/n) is way out of your league," she huffed, turning around. "But you're not that baAHHHHH!"

She shrieked, falling backward and pulling out her sword on reflex, but fumbling with it, resulting in you getting stabbed in the leg. The ground just behind her had burst open, a rotting corpse penetrating the dirt above it and dragging its way out. It's hand landed on her back, resulting in her shriek. A man, rotting, but it looked as though he had died young. He fell forward as Jericho scrambled backward, then lifted himself back up.

His face and other missing muscles hissed, rebuilding themselves the further he came from the ground. The grotesque maggots and decaying organs fell and renewed themselves, piecing him back together. It seemed as though he didn't have life, though. His eyes vacant, and filled only with the small spark of hatred.

"...ate....omen..." the vague words came slurring from his still-rebuilding tongue and vocal chords. In a few moments, though, he was back to himself entirely. "I hate... women. Haha, yeah... All women should just die!" He towered over Jericho, who was pale as a ghost and shivering on the floor. "Always betraying me.... yeah, yeah, yeah... haha... die, die die! Die, woman!"

He jutted his arm forward toward Jericho, suddenly and violently, with much more strength than he should have had. Before it could make contact, Ban stepped in front of her, pushing her backward with his foot. The man's arm pierced through his skin, but Ban looked unbothered, staring down at the man with an uncomfortably monotone stare. The rejuvenated corpse moved his gaze upward, staring, confused, at Ban. It quickly turned to anger.

"Out of my way!" The man growled, his expression becoming crazed and demanding. "Out, out, out! Women must d-mph!"

Ban forcefully put his hand over the man's face, tilting his head to the side. "So, you're one of the corpses rumored coming back to life. Superhuman strength too? How fun."

He pulled his hand into a fist, crushing his face and killing the man instantly. He fell backward, lifelessly, his body returning to its decayed state almost instantly. Jericho looked from Ban to the man, then back to Ban, who turned around nonchalantly, flicking the blood off of his hand.

"Ban!! Oh, my god, are you oka-"

"FUCK!"

The two stopped instantly at the sound of the voice.

"FUCKING MOTHERFUCKER FUCK DICK ASS, MY SHIT FUCKING JESUS!"

Jericho turned around, beaming, and Ban had to suppress the smile wanting so desperately to grow on his face.

"IM FUCKING HUNGOVER, ITS BRIGHT AS SHIT, IM STABBED IN THE LEG, AND SOME ASSHOLE DRAGGED ME OUT TO A FUCKING FIELD!"

You gestured exuberantly at your head, the sky, and then your leg, before throwing your arms out at the field. Continuing to scream incoherently, your turned face red in irritation after being abruptly awoken from your peaceful sleep. You were so close to sleeping out the hangover- so close. Jericho watched with great joy as you ripped the sword from your leg, your wound and boots restitching themselves instantly. You were about to throw it to the floor, but stopped yourself upon realizing she was there.

"I SWEAR TO THE GODDESSES WHOEVER DID THIS IS GONNA D- oh, hey Jericho."

"(Y/N)!" Jericho beamed, scrambling up and hopping over to you. You had looked over to her, purposefully ignoring Ban's presence. Although, your vision wasn't exactly 20/20 at the moment, so you probably couldn't see him. Your mind was a bit of a haze, angrily hungover and awfully surprised by the presence of the ex-Holy Knight. "You're awake!"

"And you aren't a demon anymore!" You laughed, not sure what to say as you extended the sword toward her, assuming it was hers. She didn't take it, though, she simply pressed it between the two of you and wrapped you in a hug. You hugged back- confused? Of course! But, I mean, you hugged back. "I'm all for this, but when exactly did we become friends?"

"Just now!" Jericho bubbled, pulling away. "I've been wanting to talk to you ever since we last fought."

"Oh uhh, thanks?" You answered awkwardly, not sure how to respond.

"A-and I'm sorry about the sword. There was this dead guy that came out of the floor and tried to attack me- he was spouting about hating women or something, so I guess he had a vendetta against me? I dunno. But I accidentally stabbed you cause I didn't realize you were there. He almost killed me! But Ban came in an-" Jericho cut herself off, cringing as she saw your confused smile fade. You're eyes inadvertently flickered to the tall immortal standing a couple feet away, the hole pierced in his chest completely healed. She mumbled quickly, "Shit..."

"No, it's okay!" You beamed believably, "Keep going!"

Jericho went through the rest quickly, "Yeah, he grabbed the guy and saved me. You passed out drunk and I didn't want to leave you, so I brought you with."

"And I'm guessing Ban wanted to leave me," you assumed at her tone of voice, and she nodded, averting your gaze.

You chuckled, bending to the side to look at the Fox Sin. "Hey, tree legs! It's our heartwarming reunion and you wanted to leave me passed out? I'm starting to think your dick is a micropenis, because your big dick energy has completely disappeared."

"We both know you wish you could have this," Ban retorted, snarky and nonchalant as always. He was shocked at how easy conversation came- you had always been like that, though.

"What? Big tits? Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetie, but even your man boobs can't rival these puppies," You grinned cockily, pressings your chest together and wiggling your eyebrows suggestively.

"I'll kill you."

"I'll piss in your sinuses."

Ban chuckled quietly, a small smile making its way to his cheeks. "It's good to see you, short stack."

"You know it, Captain Lank."

What in the actual fuck just happened? Jericho thought to herself, staring between the two of you in complete disbelief. How in the actual hell were you able to be so calm after he broke up with you???? And you met him again while he was on a mission to revive his dead girlfriend???? She just didn't get it.

Personally, you didn't really understand either. It really hurt to see him again- especially when he was with Jericho while on a mission to find Elaine. Still, for some reason you didn't mind. Maybe it's because he was happy, with someone he tolerated while looking for the love of his life. Maybe it's because you knew that he was okay now- that the Ten Commandments hadn't gotten to him. You're mind was in a haze, so maybe that was it. You couldn't think rationally, so maybe you were just happy to see him.

"Jeri, don't worry," you grinned, "I don't hold grudges for trivial stuff. That's why you aren't dead right now!"

That did not settle Jericho in the slightest.

"Oh, shut up. You wouldn't touch her, you're softer than King," Ban grumbled, walking over.

"You would know, you perver-"

Ban's eyes widened, as two arms appeared on either side of Jericho, cutting you off mid-insult. You moved before he did, sweeping her out of the by pushing her to the side. She landed lightly in a surprisingly comfortable pillow of fire.

An overwhelming demonic aura pulsated around your being, throbbing in your brain and crushing your lungs down to minuscule air pockets. Demonic markings appeared on your face, appearing out of instinct in the presence of such a demonic being.

Wind whipped around your body, powerful enough to shove your body down, a crater forming beneath your feet. You raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the bolstered, but still ineffective attack. Before you there was a short girl, with blonde hair and golden eyes, a black dress decorating her body.

"Cute," you commented, looking her up and down. "Where'd you get it?"

"Ban is mine. Step aside," she demanded, and you put a hand on your hip, smirking at her.

"Really? I don't recall you being there while he fuc-"

You were shoved to the side before you could finish, skidding across the earth at the unexpected attack. You stopped quickly, looking to the side in anger, but it quickly turned into shock. Ban was standing in front of the girl, who had a single tear running down her cheeks.

He had shoved you.

He was kissing her.