Broken

Please Come Back

Zeldris had known that Meliodas wouldn't be the same as when they were younger. After all, the kind of trauma he had gone through had broken many- much older- demon's minds. But regardless of this knowledge and the years of grieving he had gone through over his- what he thought to be- dead brother, nothing, absolutely nothing he had felt or known compared to actually seeing him like this. Seeing him.... broken

His emerald eyes that used to twinkle like morning dew on grass were dull and filled with years of sorrow and suffering that Zeldris couldn't even begin to imagine the extent of. His kind smile and gentle features were numb and void of any emotion at all... any expression. It was like he saw nothing while reliving everything he had experienced the last fifteen years. Wait, why did he look so young? He should be twenty-five by now, so why did he look younger than Zeldris?

Clearly noticing the confusion, Ban filled the silence with a needed explanation.

"From what King told me, he isn't his normal age because of the pods they would have him in. It affected his aging differently. So even though he should be a young adult, he's prob'ly only about fifteen or so."

So, he' really is younger than me.  By five years, no less. What an odd thought. Hehe, from the look in his eyes I never would have guessed that. He seems like he's seen enough to fill lifetimes. Oh Mel...

The longer the ravenette looked, the more the emotions came flooding to the surface, regardless of the unreadable look on his face due to years of training. So much pain plagued his heart...

It twisted and turned as he continued staring at the husk of his former brother. He felt pity for the state he was in, disgust that people could have broken him so badly- as well as the actions behind the damage, worry that he wouldn't come back, guilt and shame for not looking harder, and all sorts of other emotions that made it hurt to even breathe.

"Can I have a minute alone?"

Ban nodded, wanting to give them their space. He shut the door gently on his way out, and it wasn't until the stoic boy heard it that he allowed tears to fill his eyes as he hesitantly walked towards his lost sibling's side.

It was almost dreamlike seeing his strong, confident, happy, silly, and kind brother act so distant and numb, almost as if it were a completely different person he was looking at.

If only it was... than maybe it would be easier to heal the damage done.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke to his dear brother for the first time in a long, long, long time.

"Hey Meli... I-It's been awhile, huh?..."

He sat down in a nearby chair before pulling it closer and hesitantly grabbed the other's cold and frightfully skinny hand. It was clear the blond hadn't eaten for days, showing in his hollow cheeks and skeleton like figure.

Skaking from fear, worry, adrenaline and nervousness, it took a few more deep breaths to keep himself composed at seeing his brother not even flinch by his touch or words, as if he felt or heard nothing anymore.

"I... I don't really know what to say, heh. I mean, I've waited so long to see you, to be like this again, and now... now that I'm here I don't know what to do. I don't know how to... express how sorry I am for getting you captured. For not being there, for not helping you when you needed it, and now- I-I don't know if it's too late. You were always there, during my darkest moments to my brightest. You hold my best memories Meli, and you helped me get through the bad ones even after you were gone. You are- and always have been- so... selfless, patient, kind, and... brave. You were the hero I wanted to be when I grew up, and... the big brother I needed to help me be strong."