Ban, Elaine, and Gilthunder are all asleep throughout the tavern. Escanor, Gowther, and Merlin have all retired to their own bedrooms long before the other three ever fell asleep. Meliodas is sitting at a table with Serena as he studies her. He notices that she is tense, but he has a couple good guesses on why she is so tense.
"Are you doing okay?" Meliodas asks in a quiet voice.
"What? I am fine." Serena says while she avoids looking towards Meliodas.
"Come on. I am not the others, I can see right through that act of yours. I know that you are hurt and in pain." Meliodas says slightly pushing her to talk.
"Of course I am hurt and in pain! I was forcibly separated from my family! I was raped and tortured every day for 3,000 fucking years! I mourned your death! I mourned Gilthunder because I never thought I would be reunited with him! I mourned myself because in that stupid prison cell I was just a shell of my former self! I am absolutely not okay! How would you feel in my situation. Coming back to see not only is your husband and son alive, but your husband is in love with another woman and your son is a grown man! I have missed everything! I-I" Serena starts to rant, but the further she goes on into her rant she starts to break down.
Without saying a word Meliodas stands up and hugs her tightly into his chest and whispers comforting words into her ears. Ban, Elaine, and Gilthunder all wake up due to the loud crying but when they see what is going on they chose not to say anything.
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(I do not own any rights to this photo. This is how Meliodas is holding Serena but Serena is on her knees since she is taller than Meliodas)
"Serena there is absolutely nothing that I can do to make up for all that time you have suffered, but I sure as hell can do whatever I can to make sure you have a happy and peaceful life." Meliodas says as he softly his his fingers through her hair.
"No!" Serena shouts pushing herself away from Meliodas "No! You fell in love with another woman, you left me! You have no right saying these things to me!"
Meliodas goes to take a step towards her but she backs away and starts to sob even more. At seeing this Gilthunder stands up and makes his way over to his mom. He kneels down and whispers "Mom, it is okay. I am here. You are not alone anymore okay? Would you like to go and rest?"
Serena looks up and she jumps into her sons arms and sobs into his chest, "I am so sorry Gilthunder! I should have done more for you! I am so sorry I wasn't here for you my dear."
"Mother, there is nothing to forgive you for. You did absolutely everything that you possibly could for me and for that I will forever be grateful. You kept my eyes away from the pain and the sorrow that you were seeing. It is okay mom, you are here now. We are all here alive and healthy. Let's get you to bed." Gilthunder speaks in a gentle tone as he picks his mom up taking her up stairs to a spare bedroom.
