#Post Devil May Cry AU

[skvaderarts]

Saudade Chapter 13: Sympathetic Succor

Chapter Thirteen: Sympathetic Succor

Note: I thought this might make a nice little warm-up while I get back in the headspace to write Petrichor. I’ve been thinking about it since I brought it up as a half-joking reply to one of the comments left by the ever-funny Temeraire101 in chapter eleven of Saudade. Bear with me, everyone. I’m getting back on the horse. Slowly.

(-~-)

It had been wise to head to the market when they had.

The last few days were marked by the continuation of the storm, its waters overflowing the gutters and soaking every surface that stood before it as water was often want to. 

The local government had issued a stay-at-home order as a temporary precaution to reduce the risk of drownings, one that proved to be redundant as anyone with any sense had opted to do so long before they’d been asked. The only motivation anyone had found to break the order had been to procure necessary resources, a violation of the order that would have occurred regardless of whether or not it had been made an exception to the rule, something that it proved to be from the get-go. After all, no one was going to remain within the walls of their home and starve, now were they?

But regardless of such orders, neither V nor Sirrus had plans to leave the house. They were content to remain where they were, cozy and warm within the brick and cast iron walls of the red-haired man’s cozy multistory flat. They’d only left briefly to grab ingredients for the recipe that Sirrus had wanted to make for him, and it had been exquisite, but the next morning they’d both awakened to something they hadn’t expected.

Sirrus had caught a cold.

Neither of them had even remotely expected that when they’d woken up the next morning and met in the kitchen, but they’d been confronted with it regardless. At first, it was just a small cold, something Sirrus asserted that he’d sleep off by the next day. But by the time the next morning had rolled around V found himself completely alone in the kitchen when he woke up in the morning and Sirrus was nowhere to be found.

Upon going to check on the red-haired man V discovered that he was much worse off now than he’d been the day before, something that Sirrus found as baffling as V found it alarming. He couldn’t exactly take something for it due to not being, well, human and its effectiveness being subject to variation, but neither of them had expected Sirrus to wake up and be worse off after a good night’s sleep.

Remaining in his room and opting to just try and take it easy for the day had seemed like the best option at the time, especially after contacting Magnolia and being advised to do just that. He’d drank some tea and opted to just take a nap, a cycle that he’d been repeating for the majority of the morning, unable to stay asleep despite being exhausted.

And during that time V had been planning. Scheming and plotting until he’d come to the only logical conclusion that he could.

He’d make Sirrus some soup.

It had been a tricky endeavor considering the fact that heading outside was a last resort, and he didn’t wish to commission some poor underpaid delivery person to risk their life on his behalf, but he’d come up with something in the end and had spend the better part of the morning both preparing it and hiding it from Sirrus. He wanted it to be a surprise.

But after several hours of preparing the meal and utterly failing to figure out where half the things in the kitchen were located due to the meticulous manner in which they’d been sorted, he sat down, exhaled heavily, and poured himself a glass of water. He needed a quick break. And he was willing to bet that Sirrus could use something to drink.

Heading over to the door with a second glass of water in hand, the young summoner knocked on the door apprehensive, hoping to catch him when he was awake and not asleep. If he was resting he would let him stay that way. But after a moment a noticeably hoarse voice from the other side of the door beckoned him inside and he obliged, stepping into the room and closing the door behind himself. Sirrus had already been awake. He could tell.

“... We shouldn’t go grocery shopping together,” Sirrus said with a soft, slightly anemic, and wet cough as he watched V approach and sit the glass down on his bedside table. He nodded gratefully through his haze, taking a moment to compose himself and catch his breathing. His cold had seemingly migrated to his chest, something that was almost as unpleasant as it sounded. And something that concerned V more than the fact that Sirrus was unwell in the first place, even though that also worried him deeply. How had this come to pass? Surely he’d caught something when they were out at the market; that much was obvious. But… how?

“I still don’t fully understand how this has happened to you,” V said as he sat down towards the middle of Sirrus’s bed. The curtains were partially open, allowing some of the stormy light from outside to filter in. It was a beautiful view, in truth, but not one that he imagined Sirrus could fully appreciate in the way that he might wish to at present. “I was laboring under the impression that you were impervious to illness.”

“Circumstantially, yes,” Sirrus said somewhat weakly, not elaborating any further. At least not initially. He exhaled heavily and looked over at V, taking note of something.

V was looking at Sirrus as though he’d just said something that didn’t make any sense to him. It was a subtle look, but it was still perceptible. He had no idea what the Adjudicator was talking about, that much was clear. And understandable. 

Chuckling and then attempting to clear his throat only to realize that his throat was dry, Sirrus sat up further in his bed. This was going to take a little bit of explaining.

“When I am at my full power, I am incapable of contracting any illness, yes. But when fully depleted, my immune system… deteriorates.” Sirrus paused to take a swig of the water that V had brought him, making a face that indicated that he wasn’t pleased with the taste in his mouth as he sat it down, abandoning his previous efforts to wet his throat. It seemed that he’d reached the stage where everything he tried to drink tasted like his cold. Wonderful. Just splendid. “While I am recovering and regaining my strength, my invulnerability inverts, and I become susceptible to more or less anything with the exception of things that are not contracted by pathogens. And I am especially vulnerable to infections.”

“So if you were to develop a blood-borne infection… “ V’s speech gradually grew slower as he trailed off towards the end of his statement, the mental picture that it painted in his head too unpleasant for him to linger on. It was best not to even risk speaking that into existence. He wouldn’t call himself suspicious, but perhaps suspicion believed in him.

“The less thought put towards that notion the better, mo chara daor.” Sirrus coughed again, this time for longer and quite a bit harder, at that. V gave him a sympathetic look, hesitating for a brief moment before placing his hand on the back of his shoulder. He’d never considered what it felt like to worry over a sick loved one before. Even when his own father had been in a coma, he’d held hope that his supreme healing factor would prevail. Part of him had utterly refused to even consider the idea that he wouldn’t be okay. And while he wasn’t laboring under the idea that Sirrus couldn’t pull through a chest cold, it was… unnerving to witness someone so utterly unkillable in such a state. The idea that he was even susceptible to a cold was disquieting to him in a way that he couldn’t quite place.

“Do you need anything from me, Sirrus?” V asked softly. He was worried and trying not to show it, and they both knew that, but he still didn’t want to worry Sirrus, and the red-haired man was genuinely touched by that, even if he didn’t need him to expend the effort on his behalf.

The man with the red hair shook his head tiredly. He understood his friend’s desire to help him out, but for the moment, he was fine. He would manage. And if he couldn’t, he had a contingency plan for that. And V. He always had V. 

With their conversation now over, V left him to rest, standing up and heading to the door. He probably needed to check on the soup anyway. It was best not to hover around someone who was sick. For both of their sakes. V couldn’t remember the last time he’d been under the weather due to non-supernatural conditions, but he wasn’t keen to make that a more simple thing to recall in the future. And for all he knew, he might somehow make his companion sicker. He would continue preparing his little surprise. That was probably the best course of action right now. For both of them.

“If you do need anything, please. Let me know.” V said from his place at the door, a genuinely bright, empathetic smile spreading across his face. He knew what it was like to suffer. To be brought low by circumstances outside of your control. Sirrus would be alright. They would both make sure of it. His dear friend had been there for him through everything that the universe could throw at him. V wasn’t going anywhere. Neither of them would if the other needed them. He was just much more accustomed to it being him and not Sirrus. “I’ll help you. It’s no trouble. I mean that.”

“I’d never doubt that you would. Thank you, V,” Sirrus said with a weary chuckle, his eyes still bright despite the obvious discomfort he felt in his chest. He just looked at V fondly for a long moment before laying back and closing his eyes, pulling the covers back up over himself and tiredly settling in. He exhaled tiredly and then went silent, the only indication that he was alive being his breathing.

V slipped out of the room quietly, closing the door behind himself. He didn’t want to wake him if he’d started to drift off. He needed the rest and the summoner had work to do. Shaking his head slightly in a grimly amused manner he chuckled to himself. If he was lucky he could be finished before Sirrus woke up. That should make them both feel better.

(-~-)

This was a fun little chapter! It helped me get back in the right headspace. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! Fun little chapters like this are fun and I’m always looking for more ideas, especially from all of you! You have such fun ones!

The next chapter will also be a Saudade chapter for next week partially due to needing more time to get back in the swing of things and because Shadow of the Erdtree is coming out next week and AHHH! I’m streaming it at launch and the lead-up has been pure stress. That’s taking up all of my spare time at the moment. But if anyone wants to hang out and check it out with me, I updated my Profile and added a link to both it and the Discord server. Swing by if you’d like! I have a schedule posted there. Are any of you going to be playing it, too? Let me know! I’m always excited to talk about fun games lol! I’ll see you all back here next week! Take care and thanks again for reading. It feels good to be back writing something. ANYTHING! Bye bye!

[madmanwonder]

Miyabi:

Dante and Nero seeing Miyabi using near-supernatural high-speed Iaijutsu and suspiciously similar attacks on a hollow before turning to look at Vergil in suspicion.

Dante: Vergil…Are you sure Nero is your only kid?

Nero: And if she’s my half-sister then. I will kicked your deadbeat ass again.

Vergil looked away with a nervous expression as he himself was unaware if the fox therien was his daughter or not.

[storytellering]

Young and dumb and in love

[grinkubus]

👀

[rwac96]

I would ask if Dante is going to participate, but I get the feeling that he won't thanks to Bayonetta.

"What challenge?" Dante asks innocently as he lies in bed, naked and covered in hickeys. "I enjoy lovemaking with my beautiful witch."

"Thought so," Cereza said, kissing at the half-demon's neck. "Much better time than focusing on a ridiculous challenge."

[nebularanger-art]

Devil May Cry Furry AU Pt 1: The Sparda Family

Part of my Devil May Roar series of images. All designs are okay to draw, so long as I'm credited and tagged.

When it comes to drawing Devil May Cry characters as furries, the popular species choices for the Sparda family tend to be carnivorous, especially as canids/felids are the default choice of animals people go to for furry character designs. I, however, am someone who prefers ungulates as my go-to choice of mammalian species.

While Sparda is still a demon, the mortal form he takes on is meant to resemble a red deer, as stags are depicted to be guardians/leaders of the forests. Though, his size and antlers makes him look more like the extinct Irish elk. Eva, meanwhile, is a horse (albeit one without a distinct breed); An animal both quaint and unassuming, yet majestic and prized. And it ties into the Sparda twins being...

Unicorns. A creature long sought after for their elusiveness and the power they hold. (Technically they're actually hippocerfs, but I needed an excuse to make them unicorns.) Them being half-deer ties isn't as important outside of explaining why they have horns, but the horse symbolism reigns (get it) even stronger here so I'll list off how they tie into Dante and Vergil.

Dante:

Travel. Horses are the oldest mode of transportation besides our own two feet, and combined with them being used in myths as passages to and from the underworld, they fit right in with Dante traversing through literal hell and back.

Humanity. Horses and humans have had a long link with each other that almost rivals dogs in terms of just how much love we give to these animals.

Vergil:

Power. Horses are often seen as a commanding animal that demand your attention, from a status symbol by the royal to a vehicle for soldiers in war.

Death and demons. Did you know that the "mare" part of "nightmare" used to be literal? There's also the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and more specifically Death with his pale horse

Going back to Vergil for a bit, let's look at V and Urizen specifically. V is technically a white horse, but the ink grafted onto them from the Nightmare demons they host gives them the appearance of a zebra.

Urizen makes it as obvious as possible that he's a stag through just how monstrous his antlers are. Not only are they representative of the Qilphoth tree he was desperate to seek, but they're also based on "monster" deer antlers that result from either hormonal imbalances or intentional breeding for deer hunting farms to create the ideal trophy. (Don't look that up if you're squeamish btw)

Now as for Nero, he (and by extension, his mother, the Lady in Red) is a roe deer. Though not the same species, he represents the side that his father Vergil most idolizes: The deer side, the demon side, Sparda.

Of course, Nero didn't know this even though he knew he stood out from the rest of his "herd", The Order of the Sword. This is also a reference to Bambi, who lives his life as an ordinary roe deer but eventually realizes that he's the son of the Old Prince. I'm talking about the original book, by the way; The Disney movie throws away half the story and turns Bambi from a European Jewish roe deer into an American whitetail deer of indeterminate religious status.

[m00nz-writes]

AU WHERE ALYSSA IS ADOPTED BY THE WINCHESTERS AND Y'ALL CANNOT STOP ME

[jangmo-othewarrior]

Thinking bout my DMC Pokémon AU again... Vergil should have a Pawniard because look me in the eye and tell me that that little dude wouldn't immediately fanboy over the Yamato.... and never leave him alone until he caught it... it wouldnt evolve either itd just stay a little guy.... its also shiny but Vergil didn't know because he's never seen a Pawniard before... Dante is upset on multiple levels because of this- mainly petty ones...

[sleepytimestables]

the dark rider!Nova au has shifted to a general bad guy!Nova au

repulsed by the dark riders and rejected by the keepers, Nova decides that the only way they'll get the knowledge and power they seek is by force.

the stars spin for no one. weave your own fate.

Nova disappears. even their loved ones don't see or hear from them for years.

and then, one day, the winds pick up, whispering a promise of violence, and dark clouds gather over Jorvik.

[biancatronic]

I planned a series of AU without related to my main AU, which is my main oc in barbie movies inserted

I thought of my favorite movies on her

Barbie & The Nutcracker - Tricky X Bianca

Bianca and the Clown Princes and the King of the Grunts

Plot: Bianca and Tricky were watching Barbie and the nutcracker until Bianca's star necklace glows and they are teleported into the world of the movie and live misadventures.

Barbie as Rapunzel - Silver (Pokemon) and Bianca

Bianzel

Plot: Bianca was watching Barbie Rapunzel until I fell asleep in the middle of the movie along with her pokemons, The evil mother named Lusamine keep her daughter named Bianzel with beautiful long hair living in a huge mansion with her only friends Penelopy a Dragonite and Robie a Bunnelby, She discovers a secret passage in the mansion that leads her out of the mansion and discovers a village and kingdom where she personally meets a reclusive prince named Silver son of King Giovanni and with his younger brothers, Prince Gladion, Princess Lillie, Princess Leaf and Princess Penny, The young woman falls in love with the prince and in this adventure she discovers a secret of her past and her adoptive "mother" along with her new friends.

Barbie Swan Lake - Bianca x Vergil

Bianca and Swan Demon Lake

Plot: Bianca was reviewing her memories of her old flame love From Vergil before choosing Tricky as her permanent husband until she remembers Barbie's swan lake and remagined it in her arts until her necklace performs this drawing of living this tale, in this story Bianca named Biatte and her sister Lady (Mary) and father Arkham (he is not a shit in this story) in a village until she sees a demon unicorn fleeing through the village and curious, the girl goes to a forest and finds a small kingdom of magical and demons animals, She meets the queen of the forest Echidna and her subjects when she touches the magical lapis lazuri that he was never taken from that tree and discovers that Biatte was pure of this jewel but this awakens the plans of the evil Sorcerer Agnus who wants possession of Biatte's crystal, she refuses to give it to him and the crystal protects her until Agnus turns her into a demon swan, During the adventure Bianca meets Prince Vergil and she falls in love with him but he doesn't feel the same, Biatte said she will come to his ballet before a night, With Agnus discovering Biatte's plan, he turns his daughter Nicodile (Nico) (she is not the villain) and turns her into a fake Biatte to trick the prince fall in love other girl and break Biatte's heart to take the cristal.

[undefeatablesin]

Anyway pls enjoy this Good Hunter Ruza WIP lol ✨️

[skvaderarts]

Petrichor Chapter 84: Taboo

Chapter 84: Taboo

Note: I’ve wanted to write this chapter for SO LONG. Yay, a late Christmas gift!

(-~-)

Two Thousand Years Earlier…

To say that things had gone poorly would be an understatement.

Kneeling aside the dead remains of what had once been his mount, the dark-haired man panted heavily. His eyes darted about the battlefield hastily taking in his surroundings as he removed the spear he gripped from the body of the demon he was slumped over. It had been golden but now the double-ended weapon was stained black and red from his efforts, from both his wounds and those of his enemies. Blood dripped from his chest and ran down his arm onto his injured leg as he stabbed his spear into the ground and used it as leverage to attempt to stand. He failed. It was slick. Still, he grasped it. He would be a fool to do anything else.

Everything was still now but for the groans and dying moans of compatriots and enemies alike. His breath was tinged with pain as he used his left arm to touch his side. He needed to stanch the bleeding. Everything about this situation filled him with despair, but he refused to wear it. 

At least he was alive. He could not say the same for his compatriots.

There had been ten of them in total, sent to investigate a strange situation that had his superiors up in arms. It hadn’t been his idea, but he had volunteered to go, regardless. A simple investigation shouldn’t have required nearly a dozen of them, but now he wished they’d brought more.

Upon arrival, they’d been ambushed from the treeline. Out in the open, surrounded, they had been flanked on all sides with no means of escape. Several hundred demons versus a mere handful of his elite kin. The gore was unspeakable. One had escaped early on to send for reinforcements. But they had never come. And he hadn’t expected them to. Cyrus had always been more talk than show. He’d probably fled to the hills and left them to die. As dishonorable as he was untrustworthy. Some things never changed.

And then came the footfall of hooves.

One and then two and then three and then four. A single horse carrying a single rider. The stead as pitch black as night and the rider upon it even darker. A blue fiery mane serving as a steadfast indication of the creature’s inhuman nature. It came to a gradual, graceful stop, towering above him. As did its armored rider. And as he half kneeled before them, weapon grasped in a hand made shakey from tireless battle, the rider took in the sight of him from under a pitch-black helmet, slits where the eyes should have been. His back was adorned with a dark set of insectoid wings and the rest of his form was covered in ornate black armor that shielded the form underneath. 

An inhuman form, no doubt.

“Well well… This is rather embarrassing.” The rider spoke calmly. He was tall. Near to if not well over seven feet tall. The black-haired angel would not say as much, but the sight was indeed disquieting. He could not do combat against such a foe in such a compromised state. But he would try.

“Go back to hell.” He spat the words at him along with the blood that had built up in his mouth as removed his helmet, allowing his dark hair to fully pool around his shoulders. He would look his opponent in the eyes. And against a sword of the caliber that he possessed, the helmet would do little good. 

Sword against spear. Horse against a downed member of the cavalry. It was not the first time he’d lost a horse, but… he’d loved that horse. He stole a glance over at her. If only he’d managed to dismount her faster, but it had been an ambush.

“Forgive me… ”

The black steed stomped impatiently before being soothed by its rider. It almost seemed to crave violence. It was used to it now. All this stillness was unbecoming of a breed cultivated for war.

“I intend to. It is my current destination, in fact.” The knight sounded almost amused by the statement. How unoriginal it was for him to be told to return to his place of origin, but it had been a while since an angel had been the one to tell him as much. “Does Paradiso have nothing better to do today than to send you lot to die?”

Before the dark-haired angel could respond, two demons rushed from behind him, blades at the ready. In a flash, the spear was in his hand as he turned and faced one of them down, emailing them at length with a graceful extended one-handed thrust that sent the weapon straight through the creature’s head. He withdrew it and turned on his knee, still unable to stand as the weight of his wings bore down on him, pulling on muscles in his back that screamed under the strain. And yet, he held his composure. 

And what he found genuinely took him by surprise.

The second demon raced towards the knight on the horse, weapon drawn to strike. But before it could do so much as bring the weapon down a millimeter, it was split halfway in half down the middle from above, the razor-sharp blade cleaving through its flesh like a shard of obsidian through fresh dough. The knight then flicked the blade clean in a second deliberate motion and sheathed it, keeping his hand on the hilt.

“I care nothing for the petty squabbles that take place between our breeds.” He said sternly, unphased by what had just taken place. A scene such as that was far too commonplace for either of them to be taken aback by, but there had certainly been one element of that attack that threw the angel for a loop.

“Then call off your men, Demon.” He demanded sternly. He would not plead, but it seemed to be the obvious solution if no further violence was to be enacted. The fields had been watered with enough blood as things stood.

Craning his head slightly to the side, the rider stared at him through his helmet. The tired angel could not make out his eyes. He could not see his face, but he could feel the air change as he made his fury apparent. “Demon?”

Ah. He had made a mistake. That much was clear. This was no mere demon. This was the source of the commotion he’d been sent to investigate. It had to be. 

“Devil. I see…”

“You are tired.” He retorted, his tone returning to the even, measured form it had taken on before his accidental insult. It seemed his small correction had returned the conversation to a more cordial state before things had been given the chance to escalate further.

“And you are firmly on the wrong side of this battlefield.” The battered creature observed, gesturing with his free hand toward the dead demon. A demon who seemed to be dead at its own lord master’s feet, no less.

He adjusted his posture, soothing the horse again as it tossed its neck from side to side. He inhaled and exhaled evenly, maintaining the same aura of dignified darkness that he’d worn nearly their entire interaction. His voice was even and cool, a practiced skill when one wore armor that stifling. And with no mouth hole. “I am where I belong.”

The horse took a few steps forward, flaking him slightly as the wounded angel gripped the spear tightly, hunkering down into a more defensive position. The rider stopped, craning his neck slightly to look at him as he brought his steed to a stop.

“You think to draw against me?” He seemed almost as amused as he was impressed.

“Do you think to pick me off while I am weak?” The man responded, laboring under tired muscles and lungs that burned from the effort of keeping him alive.

To his surprise a chuckle escaped the helmet as the knight in black armor steered his horse back around to face him, removing his hand from the pommel of his blade as he leaned over slightly. It made hardly any difference, but it was clear that he wanted to be closer to him as he spoke.

“I don’t need to, Angel.” He spoke softly. Not mockingly but almost reassuringly. It was as if he were making it clear that he would not harm him while also assuring him that he most certainly could if he truly wanted to all at once. And in that instant, he knew the truth of those words. It was indisputable. This was no mere Devil. No, this was something far more powerful.

The knight tucked his fully sheathed blade away, out of his reach. And then he waited, his arms folded in front of him in a way that signaled that he expected him to do the same.

“No… I don’t think you do, Devil.”

He pulled his blade from the ground and pressed on the mechanism that caused it to compress, each end folding like the staves of an umbrella as the weapon folded into a more compact form. He then tucked it back into its place at his side, slumping over without its support. He would cooperate. There was still a chance of walking away from this. Metaphorically. His leg was out of commission and would remain that way.

“You appear to be the last one standing. Impressive.” The knight took note of the piles upon piles of slain demons that surrounded the wounded angel. His companions had fallen some ways away, telling a clear story of a battle hard won despite exigent circumstances. A lesser warrior would be dead. Almost anyone else would, in fact. Despite his inherent distaste for the winged creature that kneeled below him, he had to admit that he was an impressive warrior. He wished he’d gotten the chance to see his work. If his single thrust had done that level of damage at that kind of speed then what did he look like uninjured against a worthy foe? The prospect was exhilarating.

“I would prefer not to be.” As impressed as the demonic knight seemed to be with the fact that he was still alive despite the circle of death that he lingered in the middle of, he couldn’t say he felt the same. He’d gallantly stood his ground against dozens of opponents, but his compatriots had not been so lucky. 

The victory felt.. hollow.

“I imagine so.” He adjusted himself on his saddle, taking a more casual position as opposed to the readied stance he’d been in since he’d arrived. “Why are you here?”

“The infighting between your kind has drawn attention. From my superiors.” The angel attempted to stand again, making it off of his knees this time. But the moment that his right leg attempted to fully extend, he toppled and attempted to play it off as much less painful than it had actually been. He should have kept the helmet on. To better hide the mixture of pain and regret that lingered on his otherwise handsome features.

“You do not strike me as a man who has superiors.” This time the demon genuinely seemed amused. It was a compliment. There was no sarcasm. 

Sighing, he slumped over again, his dark hair falling over his shoulders as he looked down at the ground.“... A handful.” 

“Ah.” He didn’t sound like he believed him. Not for a second.

“Do not think to flatter me.” He was tired. The blood loss was starting to get to him as the adrenaline that had coursed his veins started to fade away in earnest. He looked up at the dark devil that loomed overhead. He was an easy target and yet… he didn’t feel that the creature would strike him. Something about his demeanor carried too much dignity to stoop to such a low. Still, honest or not, he didn’t feel he’d earned such praise. He hadn’t managed to save even a single one of his compatriots. There would be hell to pay once he returned home. If he even managed to in such a sorry state. His wings were intact but he didn’t have the strength of body or heart to flap them.

He wondered for a moment if he looked as crestfallen as he felt.

“I’ve done no such thing. Be that as it may…” To his very apparent shock, the knight threw his leg around the horse before pulling his right leg from the stirrups and sliding down without so much as a grunt. He landed gracefully, his blade still at his side as he approached, his stance straight and true. Practiced and powerful. This was a man who might just be more dangerous off of a horse than he was on one. He just had that way about him. ”I do know a divine being of higher blood when I see one.”

“And you reek of the lowest depths of inferno.” He countered. Brimstone and blood clung to him. A warrior forged in the blackest pits of hell. Surely someone of renown wherever he hailed from.

“Thank you.” He halted, surprised by the honesty that the statement was tinged with. He tilted his head from side to side ever so slightly before folding his arms in front of himself. “You are wounded.”

“Why would that matter?” The kneeling man said tiredly. This wasn’t news to either of them. He wasn’t annoyed, but he did wonder why the devil continued to interact with him. Did he find his predicament entertaining on some level? Was this like a cat watching a wounded bird limp about waiting for it to become too tired to fight back, or was he still there for a reason?

At least his presence seemed to deter any further meddling for whatever was left of the demons…

“Only my enemies need bleed for my crusade. You are not among them. Yet.” He chuckled darkly. That last part had been a threat, but an almost playful one. But as soon as he finished speaking, he turned to leave, taking the wounded man by surprise. 

“... Wait.” He started, attempting to stand to follow him only to crumple to the ground again, this time audibly wincing in pain as he fell, garnering the attention of his conversation partner as he turned in one swift motion to see what had happened. His long black and purple cape rippled in the fading light as the red sunset overhead loomed large. It was the only color to be found on him. Strange. “I require… May I ask for your aid?”

The demon nodded, clearly intrigued. He clasped his hands together, bowing just far enough to make it clear that he was attempting to be sardonic. “You may.”

Ah, so that was his plan. He wanted him to beg.

He took a moment to thoroughly swallow his pride, lowering his head in a mixture of frustration and humiliation. The gesture was genuine, but it also physically wounded him. He was by his very nature a proud creature. To bow to a Devil was not below his personal standards, but it was firmly below his standing as an Exalted and he would hear no end to the ridicule that would be inflicted upon him should someone see him prostrate himself to their enemy.

“I humbly request your aid. I… cannot stand.” He wouldn’t last the night out in the open. If he could just make it to the treeline perhaps he would stand a better chance. But out in the elements in clear view of his enemies surrounded by the decay of friends and foes alike? He stood no chance. He needed to rest. He couldn’t stay vigilant all night.

The devil sauntered ever closer, leaning over to take a better look. It was hard to gather through the helmet, but he seemed to wince quietly at the depth of the wound that had been inflicted upon his leg.

“Ah… I see, yes. That looks excruciating.”

“Somewhat.” he countered dryly. It wasn’t as bad when he didn’t try to move, but it hurt regardless. Like a toothache, but deep in the bone that made up the core of his leg. A demon had thrown an axe at him, cleaving the appendage and leaving a ragged, gaping wound. Fortunately, they hadn’t hit an artery. But still a debilitating injury. Armor or not, it wasn’t healing at an acceptable rate. He… needed help. And there was only one person available to ask.

“Very well.” The demon kneeled down in front of him, reaching up with both of his taloned gauntlets to grasp the helmet. He pulled it from his head, the piece of armor dissipating like smoke in the wind as a mop of gleaming white hair spilled from within the helmet. A moment later a set of sparkling blue eyes met his and he was taken aback to see the form of an uncommonly handsome human man slumped over in front of him, his gaze neutral and unbothered. So this was a devil capable of taking on a human persona then? He’d assumed the man to be powerful, but it had been a long time since he’d seen one who possessed this kind of power. Given his current state, it was… genuinely frightening. He had to remain calm. “Then I shall aid you. Where to, then?”

“Somewhere less exposed…” It was all he could muster the strength to say. Fatigue was starting to set in.

With a nod, the tall devil stood up, pulling him to his feet as he groaned in pain. He couldn’t put weight on the leg for fear of collapsing and worsening his blood loss. That was clear the moment he managed to lift him up. And he did so easily with no hit of strain or difficulty, wordlessly helping him over to his horse.

He braced him against the large beast before effortlessly hoisting himself up onto its back, leaving him to labor in agony as he leaned against it. But as soon as he had secured himself in the saddle he reached down and extended an arm to the wounded man, an arm that he took gladly. Anything to get him off of the ground. Off of his bad leg.

Grunting ever so slightly from the additional weight, he pulled the dark-haired man onto the dark steed, positioning him in front of him. The best place that he could be should he falter and fall.

“Why… are you aiding me?” It was a genuine question born from an honest sense of confusion. He couldn't think of a single demon or devil that he’d ever done battle against who would have been willing to lift a finger to assist him should have asked. He wasn’t sure the feeling was even mutual. But… he felt almost compelled to trust this devil. Something about him bewitched the dark-haired angel. Perhaps he’d just suffered head trauma. But some part of him knew that was a lie as he folded his wings as flat as he possibly could and the towering steed reared up, charging forward towards the tree line.

The devil leaned over his shoulder, his eyes focused on the task at hand. This was no ordinary horse and it required more than the average amount of concentration to command. His gaze cut like steel, focus radiating off of him as he met his eyes over his shoulder. The angel paused, holding his gaze for a moment as they shifted from a trot to a gallop.

“Because I am without many things. But I am not without honor.”

(-~-)

Oh, part two of this chapter is gonna be FUN lol! Just two grumpy bastards being, well, grumpy! Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! See you next Friday for chapters 85 and 86 and in the comments if you feel like leaving one! Bye bye!

[madmanwonder]

Ask

Crossover AU

What would Dante think if Bayonetta came into his shop dressed like this? Is she trying to show him up... or get his attention?

“Lookin’ good in my coat, babe.” The red-clothed demon hunter replied as he ogled her voluptuous body in his signature red coat.

[storytellering]

Killer stare.

[therealmofamorus]

Ask

Original Male Crossover Stud AU

What would the reaction of Rukia and Lady be if Naruto warns them the meme... and does the shadow clone to emphasize that he will gangbang them?

Tonight You Meme

"Tonight...You."

Rukia and Lady felt a chill down their spine and feel wetness in thier underwear when Naruto speak those infamous words to them as of them being surrounded by legion of shadow clones, all of them look at them like cut of fuckable meat.

[rwac96]

What about Dante? Is it true that you slept with him, Bayonetta?

Bayonetta: *coyly* "Oh, Mr. Son of Sparda? I did enjoy my fun with him~."

Dante: "Braggart much?"

Bayonetta: "It is when I proved to have more stamina~."

Dante: *blushes* "Hey!"