Chapter Text
In the end, the surprise should probably have been that it hadn’t happened earlier. Gowther had spent a lot of time in the Demon Realm. Plenty of time to make enemies. He and the original Gowther had been part of the Ten Commandments. They’d left the Ten Commandments. Both actions had angered a lot of people. With the demons being sealed away for 3,000 years, they’d had nothing but time to hold grudges.
Which is why Gowther had gone alone.
Perhaps that had been his first mistake. Thinking he could deal with Galvina on his own. Or perhaps the mistake had been thinking he could actually get away with it. Gowther hadn’t particularly expected to come out of this unscathed, or maybe not at all. Galvina had made enemies of the Ten Commandments with her greed for power and complete disregard for anyone else. Of course, she had been considered an enemy primarily for her disregard of the Demon King’s rule, but it was her lack of compassion that made Gowther want to deal with her without the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins. She had left devastation in her wake even within the Demon Realm. If Gowther could help it, he was going to keep her away from his friends.
And he’d thought he had succeeded. He’d thought that none of the Sins had realized the messages she’d sent him. The threats. He’d thought that he could slip away and none of them would know what happened. He should have known better. Perhaps then he wouldn’t be in this situation now; collapsed on the ground with Meliodas standing protectively in front of him, helpless to do anything to help his captain.
Galvina not being a part of the Ten Commandments hadn’t been for a lack of power or skill. She held her own very well against Meliodas. Though Meliodas stood his ground as expected. Normally, Gowther wouldn’t have been worried about him. Normally, Meliodas wouldn’t have been so focused on keeping Gowther safe. Blood trickled down Meliodas’ arm and dropped off his fingers. It was idiotic. Gowther was a doll. He couldn’t feel pain. Meliodas shouldn’t worry about him.
Yet no matter how he moved, or the battle turned and twisted, Meliodas always remained in between Galvina and Gowther. A sturdy, unwavering shield. It was clearly frustrating Galvina more and more as the fighting wore them both down. Gowther wanted to tell Meliodas to stop – but he couldn’t find the words.
This was why Gowther had gone alone. He hadn’t wanted the others involved in this. Especially not the captain. Galvina was fixated on revenge. At least the others were strangers, irrelevant faces in her blind rage. Meliodas was not. He’d been there 3,000 years ago, and as the leader of the Ten Commandments, she could just as well blame him for Gowther’s actions.
Suddenly Galvina landed a lucky punch and Meliodas spit out blood on the ground. She took his moment of collapse as an opportunity and quickly stepped around him. Towards Gowther. Gowther was torn between the need to know that Meliodas was okay, and the wish for her to just take him and get this over with. Just as she’d planned to when the captain had first shown up. The portal was still open behind them all, waiting for her to return to wherever she came from. Most likely somewhere in the Demon Realm.
“Galvina!” Meliodas called out. His next words were too quiet for Gowther to hear – but Galvina did. She froze in her stride, her whole body tensing. Meliodas had her full attention. He staggered to his feet, still speaking. Gowther desperately wished he knew what he was saying. In the next moment, Galvina was in front of Meliodas. Her blade pointed at his throat. The captain had his own sword pressed against her chest. He calmly met her gaze as she hissed at him. Meliodas spoke again. Then neither of them moved for a long moment. They remained standing there, unmoving but staring; their weapons ready to kill.
Then Galvina stepped back. Her sword lowered, though her hand remained tight around the handle. One wrong move and she’d strike again. Meliodas nodded his head. He dropped his sword, even letting it fall completely from his hands, and turned his back to Galvina. He walked up to Gowther as she glared at them – but she didn’t stop him, nor did she try to kill him. Something that should have made Gowther feel relieved. He didn’t.
Meliodas kneeled by Gowther, gently grabbing his face. Gowther leaned into the touch as he tried to get his voice to work again.
“You okay?” the captain questioned. Gowther shook his head. That wasn’t important.
“What’s… happening?”
“Hey, now,” Meliodas hushed. “Don’t you worry about that.”
He was smiling, of course. The captain was always smiling. Though it seemed tainted. A faded shadow of his usual smile. Like a broken mask he could no longer hold, falling off bit by bit. It left an uncomfortable feeling in Gowther.
“Merlin’s gonna fix you right up again,” Meliodas promised. That isn’t important! A tear slipped down the captain’s cheek. Gowther gasped. Though before he could force more words out, Meliodas turned his head. He was still cradling Gowther between his hands as he glared at Galvina.
“So,” he spat out. The sharp tone was a stark contrast to the softness he’d just spoken to Gowther with. “Do we have a deal?”
Galvina’s face twisted displeased, “I never said such a thing.”
Meliodas sighed, “You’re pissed about getting thrown in prison, I get that, but there are consequences to your actions. You’re smart enough to realize that, Galvina.”
“Then he’ll have to face his.”
Meliodas’ face hardened, darkness covering his eyes at the clear threat to his comrade.
“Gowther was acting as a proxy to his creator. He’s not the one you’re after.”
“Then where’s the real one,” Galvina asked, crossing her arms – barely avoiding stabbing herself in the process. Meliodas winced at the question.
“Dead,” he admitted. Gowther let out a small whimper and Meliodas’ thumbs instantly started moving across his skin, trying to soothe him.
“Then he will continue being his proxy.”
“No,” Meliodas growled. There was enough bite to it to cause Galvina to pause. “I told you. If you want to punish somebody, take me. Leave Gowther out of this.”
“ N-No… ” Meliodas quickly hushed him again.
“The Demon King might have been the one who ordered your arrest, but I was the one who sent Gowther there. I was the leader of the Ten Commandments; I decided your fate. And if I had been there personally, you wouldn’t have gotten off so lightly.”
Galvina’s hands shook slightly, her free one curling up into a fist.
“And I’d do it again. You hurt civilians, Galvina. Children.”
She huffed indignantly, “Fine. I accept your deal. I guess he has learned his lesson about following orders now. So, I’ll take my justice with you. Let’s go!”
Meliodas looked relieved while Gowther only felt panic. No! No, please, no.
“Don’t leave,” Gowther begged. Meliodas wiped away the tears running down Gowther’s face. He wasn’t smiling anymore.
“You’re gonna be okay,” Meliodas insisted. That only made Gowther cry harder.
“Is-… Is this goodbye?” It wasn’t a question he wanted to ask – but he needed to know. Gowther didn’t understand what the captain was doing. What was the plan?
“I hope not.” Meliodas’ voice was a mere whisper. Then he rose to his feet. His hands slipped from Gowther’s face, leaving emptiness in their place. Meliodas turned around. Galvina was standing by the portal, waiting impatiently.
Now was when they’d do something, right? Yes, Gowther could barely move. Yes, Meliodas was unarmed. But they’d figure something out, right?
Right?
Meliodas paused. He glanced back at Gowther with a final, pained smile, “Look after the others for me, will you?”
Then he started walking away.
NO! Gowther managed to struggle to his feet. He desperately tried to follow Meliodas – but his legs failed him. He collapsed back to the ground after just one step; his body too beaten and broken to even carry him anymore. All he could do was watch his captain disappear with the demon who wanted them both dead.
Eventually, the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins found Gowther – but not Meliodas. Because he left. Gowther didn’t know if he was coming back.
To Be Continued