#ghuoligans

[tsukuuyomis]

Bestiary Entry

Heretic scion who wrapped the world in dark energies, seeking to take the souls of all living things unto himself. Created in opposition to Emet-Selch, Angel of Truth, and scion of light. Originally tasked with the judging of men upon their deaths, his soul was tainted by the curses of those who raged against the heavens, and seizing one of the gods' servants, a shamaness, as a hostage, he rebelled against his creators. Even now, in defeat, he clutches the shamaness to him in his right arm, and with the aid of her death-wail does he summon the soul of darkness to do his bidding.  

[tsukuna]

Side by Side

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the “Legendary Devil Hunter” of a certain… negative shift in the area’s energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

Rated M • Female Reader • Before the Events of DMC V• Under the Cut • Part 1  •  Part 3

“People who come asking for demon extermination… most of them tend to either lie or exaggerate,” Dante began slowly, fiddling with his fingers. “I’m not that petty to get mad about it every single time. Lie if you want to, I’ll kill that demon regardless…” The devil hunter paused. “But you’ve got to pick better names for stories you come up with, you know?”

A deep shiver went down your spine causing you to flinch. This aura is overwhelming. From the moment you entered the building, you could smell that the man wasn’t purely human, but you never would’ve guessed this was how strong his demonic side was. From your peripheral, it appeared V was feeling the same chills as you.

“It’s fine if you doubt me,” V said after a moment. “It will become apparent once Redgrave is demonised.”

You released your tension through a sigh as Dante seemed to calm himself back down, though you couldn’t help but notice his expression of disbelief. This demon--Vergil--must have been one he’s encountered before.There was little point in speculating though, you did what you came to do and delivered the warning as did V.

Turning around, you noticed him staring at a picture of a woman on Dante’s desk. You quirked your brow as he grimaced and walked away from it with a “tch.” What a strange man.

“Thank you Dante,” you turned to the Devil Hunter once more and gave a short bow. His blue eyes only glanced at you before he nodded in response. “Let’s be off then,” you quietly said while taking V by the arm.

A brisk wind blew past as you exited the building. You shuddered and rubbed your arms to warm them up. V placed a hand on your shoulder. It was done a bit awkwardly, but there was a warmth and comfort to it that made your expression soften. “I’m staying here in Redgrave,” you declared.

“As am I,”  he reciprocated.

“We should stick together then, hm?” You laughed, “Or is that too forward of me?” The suggestion did seem to genuinely surprise the man.

“I don’t think I’m particularly great company.”

“I’m not sure that I know what good company is anyways,” you shrugged.

“You can obviously see that I’m the best fucking company,” and with that, Griffon was once again nestled in your hair. You reached up and used your fingers to ruffle his feathers a bit. Huh, they’re actually quite soft.

“Yes Griffon, I am aware that you are the epitome of camaraderie.” Even in the dark, you could see V roll his eyes.

“See, Shakespeare? This is the type of compliment you should be giving m--”

V shoved his cane in the bird’s mouth. “Not a chance.” He then said your name. The amount of people who ever knew your actual name could be counted on your fingers, so your heart lurched a bit at the sound. “Let’s stick together.”

“Mm,” you agreed. “It’s a shit place, but I did manage to scrounge up some extra cash and afford a motel the other day.” Griffon made a sound as close to a whistle as his strange beak  could make and promptly received a flick in the eye from you.

“What the fuck was that for!” He squawked.

“Oh you know goddamn know what that was for,” you pointed your finger in his face. A candid chuckle came from V, and it warmed your cheeks up. “Amazing, I didn’t realize you could be that cute,” you patted him on the back. Before he could respond, you began to walk towards the motel. “It’s this way,” you beckoned. And so he followed. Even Shadow decided to manifest, perhaps even shape-shifting, demon cats like to stretch their legs.

The trip wasn’t a long one and you were soon unlocking the door. Griffon and Shadow busted in before you could even step past the threshold.

“What a luxury!” the chatterbox exclaimed. You were thoroughly amused watching him fly in circles, even Shadow began to circle for a comfy spot on the bed.

“Welcome to my humble, temporary abode. Considering that this place probably isn’t… the most cared for, I understand if you want to keep the shoes on. I have a feeling you’re a little sensitive about mess considering the burger situation earlier today.”

“While I don’t relish being called sensitive, I suppose you’re not wrong,” V sighed. You also realized that the room was rather small, big enough to fit only the bed and a little bathroom with a cramped shower. There wasn’t even floor space.

“Aaand it looks like we’ll all be sharing the bed,” you looked away sheepishly. “But first, I’m going to shower. I reek like residual demon blood from holding you.”

“I’ll go after then,” he nodded. “I probably smell worse than you.”

“Yeah, you absolutely do,” you glanced over your shoulder. Judging by the eruption of laughter from Griffon, someone found your comment to be amusing. You began undressing as you made your way to the bathroom, eventually shutting the door behind you.

The hot water hitting your skin eased all the weird feelings inside of you. This was the longest amount of time you spent with someone in years. Not only was that a cause of unease, but V was also an eccentric character. There were moments where he was near impossible to read--not to mention his connection to the demonic entities and a deep understanding of this emerging problem.

You ended up sitting down as you worked on washing your hair, but you decided against showering too long since you had another person waiting to clean up. After toweling off, you changed into a t-shirt and shorts that you luckily brought. You knew once your head hit that pillow, you’d be out for the night. A lot had happened. “You’re free to shower V,” you let him know upon walking out of the bathroom. He observed you with a strange look on his face, which made you realize that you were holding the dagger from your boot in your hands. “Ah, I keep this on me for obvious reasons.”

“It’s quite intricate,” V noted as he began to get up, and he was right. It was ornate with a hilt of blue and gold. “I��ll try to not be too long.” You waved him off and jumped onto the lumpy mattress, being careful not to puncture the bed. It shocked you that both Shadow and a chatty bird like Griffon appeared to be sound asleep. That’s kinda adorable. You took your half of the bed, tucking yourself in and getting as comfy as you could in that room. Consciousness left you swiftly once your eyes closed.

You found yourself lying in a patch of dewy grass, groggy and with a pulsing headache. Turning your head, you saw vicious flames destroying a beautiful home. “What a shame,” you murmured as you slowly rose up from the ground and massaged your temples. You hugged your knees and watched the dance of orange and red with the sounds of crackling. Funny how fire was so utterly destructive, yet full of the warmth you reluctantly craved.

A scent assaulted your nostrils. It was a scent that could only mean demons. You whipped your head around to find the source. There were demons of bone, carrying scythes… and there was a boy with white hair getting surrounded by them. “Oh shit!” You began to sprint as fast as your body could take you and began to pull paper talismans from your pocket.

The scythe was coming down and even from a distance, you could see the boy’s face full of fear. “No fucking way,” you yelled and slapped down the seal. The demon’s body concaved and turned to dust. You took the little boy by the shoulders and searched for wounds. A bloodied cut on his forehead stained some of his silver hair. You wore bandages around your hands to hide some scarring, but what did it matter at that moment. Tearing it off, you quickly got into taking care of the bleeding. Luckily it was small and quick to heal up and away. He also didn’t appear to have any other physical injuries. You picked up his little, shivering body. “We have to go,” you urged and brushed his bangs back.

“I can’t go,” he sobbed out, though you could see he was straining to remain strong. “My mom and brother are going to come out. I have to wait for them.” You turned once more to the house. It was consumed by fire and black smoke. There was no way anyone was coming out of there.

“We need to get you to safety okay? I’ll go grab them after I ward the demons away from you, okay?” The boy’s blue eyes, stained with fear, bored into you until he finally nodded. “I’ll keep you here so you can see.” And with that, you grabbed your dagger and sliced open your palm. You gently placed it into the dirt and began to recite words from a language long forgotten. Rays of divine light began to surround the boy.

But it would not be finished. Your body collapsed before you could close the gap, and you could see demons lurking to exploit that whole. You attempted to reach forward and finish what you started. The boy called out for you, afraid of all that was going on around him. Your fingertips nearly touched until your limbs began to disintegrate into puffs of dark clouds.

“Live.”

Your eyes snapped open and your chest pounded. What an awful fuckin’ dream. You examined yourself, relieved to see that all your body was fully intact.

“What is it?” A jolt of adrenaline shot through you until you remembered you were not alone in the room.

“Oh... V. You scared me,” you mumbled sheepishly, “I forgot you were there.” You flopped back down onto the pillow. He offered a groggy apology that you waved away. “Not your fault, I’m just a little on edge from a dream.” You buried yourself deeper into the covers but couldn’t stop shivering, so you slowly inched closer to the inside of the bed.

V, who noticed the movements, looked at you strangely. “I’m really fucking cold,” you explained, slightly embarrassed. “Just trying to mooch a little more of your body heat without throwing myself onto you.”

“I know a sure way for you two to get warmer real quick,” Griffon mockingly crowed from on top of the bed frame. You swiftly reached your hand up and plucked out one of his feathers. “Shit! I’m just saying!” He pecked your hand away so you couldn’t grab another feather.

“Just be quiet already,” V grumbled. There was a pause in the room. “I don’t care if you get closer,” he eventually offered in the darkness of the room. It was an offer you took immediately and soon enough, the two of you were packed side to side under the blanket. Both of you were stiff from the unfamiliar contact, but if you were honest with yourself, it was nice. Sharing the warmth with another person was something you always yearned for as a child. Perhaps Griffon understood the sentiment because he quickly plopped himself between your heads.

Lucky for you, you were still exhausted, so the awkwardness of the situation didn’t prevent you from passing out yet again.

There were no more dreams that night. You woke to dried drool on your chin, messy hair, and V sitting up and reading his book.

“Rise and shine princess!” Griffon chirped.

“Ugh, please don’t give me a headache upon waking up,” you groaned, earning a cackle from the demon. After stretching in bed for a bit, you finally stood up.  “I can already sense that I look disgusting, I’m gonna clean up.”

It didn’t take long for you to do the basics of brushing hair, washing your face off, and brushing your teeth. What did take time was re-bandaging select areas of your body--a hand, a calf, your abdomen--lest you get even stranger looks from people. It was impossible for V to have not seen though while you undressed the night before and while you slept. In fact, you took note that he was actually considering the bandages and clothes you were wearing, as if he noticed something.

“Do you have something to ask me about?” He considered your question for an irritatingly long time. “Just come out with it,” you rolled your eyes. “I don’t care.”

“You have a lot of scarring and markings all along your body,” V commented.

“Indeed I do.”

“I don’t understand why you hide it,” he shrugged.

“I’d prefer not to attract the stares of others with scars and tattoos that mark a treacherous past.”

“Scars indicate power and strength.”

You couldn’t contain your burst of laughter. “If only others thought like you! With the amount of shit I got going on, no one would try to fuck with me!” V let a smirk out as well. “But hey, how is your body feeling today?”

“Weak, but that’s normal,” he clearly spited that fact.

Making your way closer, you put a hand on his chest. “Your energy is a lot more stable than it was when I found you. But it could use some support. Can I help?”

“I’ve always loathed the help of others. I hate this sense of powerlessness, but I don’t wish to die,” V stated. You took that as the go-ahead. With a deep breath, you once more began to pour pieces of yourself into the man. The stone within the ring you treasured shifted from blue to white, as it was so intricately intertwined with your life.

You could feel V shift underneath you. “I’m sorry, this must be uncomfortable for you.”

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt, and I will do what it takes to survive. I will endure whatever till that demon is gone.” You hummed in understanding.

“Your body should be good for now,” you pulled away.

“Thank you,” V said softly while retying his shirt.

“Hey, thanks from the whole gang! If Shakespeare dies, we die too!” By the grimace on V’s face, you presumed that Griffon revealed a bit more than he would’ve liked.

“Well, along with the rules of the quid pro quo I laid out, I suppose I should say something that my life is linked to, yeah?” Those dark green eyes looked at you inquisitively. “If this ring here shatters,” you put your hand out to him so he could see, “I’m donezo.” The sentence came out rather matter-of-factly and without feeling despite it being about your demise. “Aaand if you wish to know more about that, you gotta let me know something,” you winked.

“I’ll let you know when I think of something,” V replied competitively.

“You two or oh so interesting and all, but what hijinks are we up to today?” Griffon butted in.

“What does the little chicken wish to do today?”

He narrowed his eyes at you but ignored the jab. “Those cheesy circle things,” he declared.

“Pizza?” You tilted your head.

“Yeah, that! Pizza!”

You turned out your pockets to see how much money was left. It was a couple dollars and some rogue coins. “It appears that we’ll have to go ‘earn’ some money again.”

“You mean fucking some more people up?” The little bird seemed quite excited at the prospect.

“There’s that, but there’s probably some less damaging routes we can go.”

“Boo.” Griffon said before dissipating.

“We’ll need to find a shitty bar first,” you told V and began tying your boots back on.

“Why a bar?” He didn’t seem to relish the idea.

“I know they’re full of scumbags, but those scumbags are also dumbasses who don’t know how to keep their money safe. Trust me,” you added.

“So you’re proposing that we steal,” V replied skeptically.

“Oh I’m sorry, is that too lowly for you?” The man’s expression tightened at the taunt.

“Whatever,” he waved away whatever argument was about to begin. “Lead us and do what you will.”

The two of you walked out of the room back into the sun. The search for a trashy hangout was afoot. Small talk ensued between you and V, but nothing all that engaging. It ended up falling into a silence--not that you minded. The walk wasn’t too long anyways, cesspool bars were always aplenty in the back alleys of cities.

“That one.” You pointed to an “establishment” called The Cat Trap. It featured the name in neon pink lights and the sexy silhouette of a woman. The face V made was if you just shoved a sour lemon in his mouth. “There will be plenty of disgusting, drunk men to take from. My only hope is that there’s enough money to justify entering such a filthy place.”

A deep, dramatic sigh came from him, “Let’s just get this over with so we can eat.”

“Give me your arm. It’ll look better if we appear to be together.”

“Are we not together,” he questioned.

“Shut up,” you punched him in the shoulder. “You know I meant together together.”

V gave you his arm with a sigh, which you promptly looped in your own. “You fade into the background and take money however you can,” you instructed. “Maybe even use bits of Shadow to help out.”

He looked to you then began to lead the way in. Lo and behold, it was a dimly lit, dirty looking bar. It was a little surprising how many people were there despite it being daytime. How lucky.

Almost immediately, a man who reeked of alcohol stumbled towards you. “Hello, there sweety. Looking for a good time?” He gave you a wink with his already half-lidded eyes.

“I’m sorry,” you gave a half-assed apology, “I’m not here alone.”

“I don’t see anyone with you,” it was gross watching him look you up and down.

“V, come over!” He drew towards you with a confused expression. “As you can see, I’m with my boyfriend.” A total lie, I’ve never had a boyfriend.

“Boyfriend? That scrawny guy?” he slurred rather loudly and tried to size him up. “How about you come with me instead, sexy? I can show you a much better time.” The patron groped your ass. You gave him the sweetest smile you could before decking him square in the nose. It made an audible crunch and you looked in disgust at his blood on the bandages around your hand.

“How vile,” you scowled and unwrapped yourself, dropping the dirty cloth on the man. “You should feel truly blessed that I didn’t break your hand off.” You juxtaposed the deadpan tone with a pleasantness. “Let us be off, darling,” you said while turning on your heel and taking his hand.

“Hah!” Griffon burst out into laughter once the coast was clear for him to re-emerge. “Who knew you were such a hardass. You should teach Shakespeare a lesson or two!”

“I would rather not kill him.” V made no effort to hide his glare. “I jest, I jest!” You threw your hands up in submission. “How much money did you get though?”

He shuffled through an array of bills. “Enough.”

“Let’s go get this tweety bird his pizza then.” Pleased by your response, Griffon decided to perch on your shoulder. All of you agreed upon getting takeout instead of sitting in an establishment, and you were grateful that it was take-and-go at the shop you found.

The group of you found a deserted alley and rested against the brick wall. “The two of you probably want to eat first, huh?” With a sigh, you opened the box and fed Griffon with one hand and Shadow with the other. It was… cute--other than the demon cat’s slobber getting all over your hands.

“You’re far too nice to them,” V seemed to chastise you.

With a shrug, you responded, “I’ve always loved animals. They aren’t nearly as shitty as people, even demonic pets like these little guys.” Were it not for the bite of pizza in his mouth, Griffon surely would have complained that he was called ‘little.’ “Alright, it’s my turn to eat.” You made sure to thoroughly wipe your hands before digging into what was left. “Oh yeah, sorry for calling you my boyfriend,” you said between bites.

“Can’t say I particularly cared. Unfortunately it didn’t keep him away.”

“Mhm,” you hummed through a mouthful of food.

The day ended unceremoniously, nothing of consequence happened and the night went much like the night before. Only a couple days passed until the Qliphoth began to take root in Redgrave, and May 16th finally came. It was time to regroup with Dante.

[tsukuna]

Assistant to the Chancellor

Summary: “An outsider with no reason to be given the hefty task of dealing with the Gralean Empire’s flamboyant chancellor has ended up with just that. She’s willing to put up with all the antics, but is there ulterior motives for her obedience that none are privy to? And can they compete with the grim secrets of Chancellor Izunia himself?”

No True Rating Yet • Female Reader • Before the Events of XV • Under the Cut

A couple weeks had passed since you had begun working for Chancellor Izunia and you found yourself growing more comfortable with his flamboyant personality. If nothing else, you could tolerate it. There were even moments where you found yourself giggling at his little antics, to which he’d react with a self-satisfied smirk. You were grateful that these flirty gestures and comments were at least coming from an attractive man, not someone slimy and entirely not your type (which you weren’t quite sure what would even constitute as “your type”). You shuddered to imagine Besithia acting as Ardyn does.

It had taken a couple days and evenings, but you finally finished the paperwork--sifting through what you’d bring to his attention, throwing whatever out, putting official seals on anything that required it. All simple things, but it seemed far too much for someone who didn’t even appear to take the politics seriously. Though who were you to judge when you hardly took the work seriously yourself?

A sigh passed your lips, knowing that it would already be dark outside and thus you would need to go sleep soon after. You placed a soft knock on the Chancellor’s office door.

“Come in, love,” he invited with a sing-song voice.

“Ardyn,” you gave a short bow, “everything you need is ready for you.” You explained the gist of what you completed, hoping it’d make his busy work easier.

“Thank you. You continue to impress me everyday,” he said your name with a warm expression.

“That’s the goal, right?” You offered up the same energy. “I know it’s a bit late, and I wouldn’t want to keep you any longer, but is there anything else you’d like from me before I take my leave?”

Ardyn closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, obviously considering your request. “Dinner!”

“Eh?” There was no chance of you holding back the shock on your face.

“Your boss is requesting that you share dinner with him,” he chirped. All you could do was blink at him for a few moments.

“I actually had some leftovers I have to finish so they don’t, uh, go bad,” you made an excuse.

“Hm, quite a predicament we find ourselves in,” Ardyn stated, scratching his stubble. “How about this then!” He excitedly put a finger up as if having an ‘Aha!’ moment. “Tomorrow is our day off, yes?” You slowly nodded your head with a quirked eyebrow. “Then we will go out for dinner, a nice dinner tomorrow night!”

“I…” You had no excuses to deny the Chancellor this time, and his satisfied expression indicated he was well aware. “If you truly wish to share a meal with your humble assistant tomorrow night, I shall accept.”

A sly smile graced Ardyn’s lips, “Wonderful, I haven’t had anything to look forward to in quite some time. We can meet here in the evening.” He laughed before waving you away, “That’ll be all for today, my dear. See you tomorrow,” he winked.

You bowed before bidding him goodnight and rushing to your room. Non-work related conversations with the man always left your brain feeling drained as you tried to ascertain what motivations he had under that carefree facade. You crashed unceremoniously onto your bed, not bothering to eat anything, though you technically did have leftovers that were going to spoil.

What were you to wear tomorrow? What conversation points did you have to discuss? Where were you even going to eat? Such questions eventually lulled you into a sleep.

Though not a very satisfying one. You woke up in the late afternoon to a mess of rat’s nest of hair and dried drool caked to one side of your mouth. ‘Maybe I should show up like this,’ you snorted but your better judgement told you to clean up. It wouldn’t be any good to lose your current position, it’s already difficult to get the information you’re looking for as is. You slinked off to the showers, making sure the temperature was as hot as your skin could take before stepping in. The shower routine you had wasn’t too long, yet you still sat there in contemplation long after you were done.

Travels all around Eos led you to no further information on what you were seeking--information about the lost and long-forgotten Astral you heard stories of as a child; stories that were deeply rooted in your existence. Eventually, the only place you hadn’t checked was Niflheim. And so here you sat, in the last place you could hope to check.

Your skin was raw from the hot water by the time you finally exited, but hey, at least you were clean now; however the clock was ticking against you, you slept in far too late and showered far too long. “Ah shit,” scolding yourself, you quickly got to work on finishing up your appearance.

It was nothing special, frankly speaking. You didn’t want to look like you tried too hard for your kinda-but-not-really dinner date with your superior. Donned in a black, sleeved, and laced dress accented with gold, you accessorized only with your pendant. The only styling your hair received was a decent blow drying. Nodding as you checked the mirror last time, you headed towards the office, but not to work this time.

Truthfully, you expected the Chancellor to be late like he often is at work, so your heart skipped a beat to see him waiting. “Apologies for making you wait for me,” you bowed once you finally reached him.

Taking you by the chin, Ardyn lifted your head up and gave one of the signature smiles, “Not a problem. I would be happy to wait a thousand years for a beauty such as yourself,” he kissed the back of your hand with a wink. Though it was nothing out of the ordinary for him to say, there was something about it that felt chilling. “I see you’re as lovely as ever,” he offered as a compliment.

“I see you’re looking… the same as ever,” you quirked a brow. He wore his typical dark, layered outfit, though you were a bit relieved to see that he ditched the fedora for the night. ‘I quite prefer his wine-red hair uncovered,’ you admitted to yourself.

“Apologies,” he chuckled, “Believe it or not, I don’t own very many outfits.” Seeing how eccentric Ardyn was, you did believe him and nodded as confirmation. “Well then,” he said your name in a rather sultry way that made you blush, “shall we get going?” The chancellor offered his arm to you, which you timidly took.

The two of you shortly arrived at a low-lit, rather intimate restaurant. It was intimidating to an extent, you’d never bothered to go somewhere nice. Your life had been about eating quickly, eating cheap, and only eating when necessary. “I don’t know if I belong at a nice place like this,” you remarked with a laugh as the two of you were seated.

“Nonsense, it is my duty to treat my ever faithful assistant to something out of the norm,” Ardyn gestured around the room.

“Treating?” You opened your eyes wide. “That won’t be necessary. I can pay for it. Though I appreciate the thought,” you put on a smile.

“Absolutely not! I am the one who invited you after all.”

“Well then next time I have to pay!” You quickly smacked your hand over your mouth, realizing what you said and the implications of it.

“You are one of the most entertaining humans I have ever met,” Ardyn stifled a laugh. “But fine, if you are to ask me out, I will allow you to pay.”

“Ever the gentleman.”

The chatter the two of you kept over dinner was rather innocent and not professional, but not overly colloquial either. There were, however, multiple incidences of him reaching over the small table to get touches of your hand in. To be honest, you weren’t too shocked at the gesture, but it did garner a bit of surprise out of you when he instead clutched your pendant between his fingers.

“Such an interesting little thing,” the Chancellor pointed out. “Such an interesting little gem.” He examined the green crystal, the designs within, and the metal twining with fervor. “You wear it daily.”

You nodded. “It is very special to me, it is all I have of my parents,” a soft smile came to your face. “It was actually an anniversary gift to my mother, but after their death, it ended up in my hands.” You paused before continuing, “It is the only earthly possession I truly care for--my most precious treasure.”

“To care for something is quite a gift,” Ardyn spoke absentmindedly almost as if you weren’t there, but you hummed affirmatively anyways. The waiter brought the check, breaking the man out of what appeared to be deep thought. It was a fast transaction, and finally, the night was winding down to an end.

Ever the chivalrous man, Ardyn walked you to your living spaces. “Thank you for tonight,” you bowed deeply. “It was an honor to spend alone time with the Chancellor,”  the pleasantries slipped from your lips. It was a shock to find his fingers flicking your forehead, and you recoiled at the slight sensation.

“I thought I told you long ago not to act so, hmm, how to say… kiss-assy with me just cause you work for me,” the man rarely swore so you couldn’t fight the full smile and laugh that was drawn from you. He seemed pleased to have garnered such a reaction. “Sorry,” you managed to get out after another laugh.

“Well, dearest, it appears the night out is over. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.” You nodded in agreement. “I shall see you once the work week begins,” the ever cheeky Ardyn leaned down to give a kiss to your forehead where he had previously flicked it before quickly turning and waving goodbye.

As you tried to sleep, your face heated every time you thought of the peck. You were aware that the majority of his flatteries were empty, but it still gave you butterflies. You had never let anyone share contact like that with you after all. A deep sigh rose out of you, you had to brush off all the strange feelings before work began as usual; however, you didn’t know if Ardyn would ever let you do so. The man certainly knew how to press buttons you didn’t know existed.

‘What a pain.’

[tsukuna]

DAY 1: Bone | Blood | Weapon

Just a sloppy 1 hour sketchy of Vergil for day 1. I don’t draw much anymore so it definitely feels weird! Will probs do some more art and AO3 Fanfic for the rest!

[tsukuna]

Side by Side

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the "Legendary Devil Hunter" of a certain... negative shift in the area's energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

Rated M • Female Reader • Before the Events of DMC V• Under the Cut • Part 2

The backstreets and dark alleys of Red Grave City were a seedy sort. There were assaults and robberies aplenty, and yet it was there you slinked around. It wasn’t like you were too good for such a sketchy area or anything, you also carried a hidden dagger on your person. Experience told you that was at least one precaution someone had to take. Something was about to change in Red Grave City though, you could feel it prickling on your skin.

In the couple days you had been in the area, you managed to locate a man by the name of Morrison--a man who would help you meet a devil hunter. The two of you scheduled a time to meet once more at a quaint bar to further discuss the issue you were bringing to the plate; however, that time wasn’t till later in the evening and there was nothing you could do to kill time. Any money you had was to be saved for the job ( hopefully the intermediary would buy you a drink at the bar ). And so you walked around, kicking rocks and passively looking about.

When you first saw a dark bird flying about in the sky, you thought nothing of it--until it began to talk. Your eyes squinted incredulously. The fuck? Clearly, this ‘bird’ was no bird. Quickening your pace to follow it, you whistled and called to it, “Hey!” Considering it stopped in place, you guessed you caught the creature’s attention. At that moment, it turned into a mere shadow falling down, and a short moment later, it perched itself upon your shoulder. Ah, a demon.

“Babe! ( Babe?) You gotta help me!” The demon squawked, his voice reminding you very much of a cartoon. It continued to speak after you quirked your brow at it. “I got a dying guy over there! Come on!” If he could’ve dragged you by the arm, he would have. You sighed in resignation and followed, nodding for the demonic bird to lead the way.

The destination was an abandoned, destroyed building that reeked of demon blood. Your eyes caught sight of a collapsed man, who you assumed to be the ‘dying guy.’ Again, the bird was blabbering about something, but you let it fade into the background noise. Cautiously, you made your way to the boy with black hair, hand on your dagger. It was unnecessary though. The man was truly out cold, his body shivering, sweating, and covered in demonic fluids.

You sat beside his body, gently pulling the man’s head onto your lap. You brushed the ebony hair away from his face. Cute. With a deep breath, you focused yourself and reached your hand out over his abdomen. “He’s not in good shape. What the hell happened to him?” You furrowed your brows.

“We were fighting demons and he worked his little body too hard!” He paused, “Is Shakespeare gonna live or not?” Was that actually the man’s name?

“I think so,” you affirmed, “I will do what I can.” Once more you reached out, pouring your own vitality into the cracks of his fractured energy. It wasn’t the most comfortable of procedures, so you hummed songs to keep your mind off the unease.

“Babe, just what are you,” the bird sat on your shoulder and questioned.

“Shh,” you put a finger to your lips without even bothering to look at the source of the voice and continued singing softly. You were not only too busy healing the man, but also trying to figure out just what he was. There was a faint demonic energy inside of him, but everything else appeared human--perhaps even weaker than that. You weren’t quite sure why you were pouring your energy into healing a seemingly doomed person, but it simply felt right--not that you ever cared what was right before.

It must have been nearly an hour before you were done working and certain that he would live through the toll his body had taken. However, he still laid there unconscious, and so you continued to sit there and idly ran your fingers through his hair. “He will live,” you softly spoke.

The demon let out a sigh of relief, “Thank fuck. Though I have to ask, how did you do that shit?” You explained the process without giving away just what you were. Considering you stumbled upon the two just that day, there was no trust there and there wasn’t a chance in hell that you would spill your secrets to strangers.

The chatty creature seemed disappointed in your answer, but pushed it no further.

Next to the man’s body lay a book with a ‘V’ on the cover. Curious, you reached out and picked it up. It was a book of poetry you noted as you skimmed through. Shakespeare indeed. You began to read. After all, there was currently nothing better to do, and considering the fact that it was still light outside, there was plenty of time till you had to meet with Morrison.

After a time of reading long enough for you to get over halfway through the book, a groan came from beneath you. Finally, the man had woken up. The atmosphere certainly became more awkward as he once again gained consciousness. With an uncomfortable smile, you let out a tense, “Yo.”

Dark green eyes blinked a few times and looked back at you with shock and suspicion as he shot up to a sitting position.

“You sure gave me a scare!” The black bird exclaimed before the man could address you. “Thought you were dead for realsies.”

“I just ran out of power,” the stranger spoke in a low, groggy voice, still looking at you out of the corner of his eyes.

“And that still means death to us right now, so be careful,” he responded. Ah, this demon must be his familiar.

The two of them talked further while you sat by watching. Finally, the man focused on you. “And who are you,” he warily questioned.

After you gave him your name, the bird butted in. “Babe here--”

“Don’t call me babe.”

“Sorry. This lady here is the reason your sorry ass is still alive!” This time, he flapped his wings and perched on your head, an action that made you frown. The dark haired--and tattooed, you noticed--man quirked his brow.

“I suppose I owe you a gratitude,” he spoke once more. If you had to admit it, it was quite a pleasant, handsome voice.

You shrugged. “I think this demon here would’ve scratched my eyes out if I didn’t try after walking all the way here.” The chatterbox wasn’t wrong though. I’m almost certain he would’ve died without aid. “Oh, I assume you’re V,” you guessed due to the initial on the book and slid it over to him. “Hope you don’t mind that I read some while waiting for you.”

He appeared to be thinking before responding, “Yes.. my name is V. I hope its contents are interesting.” V began to stand up but it seemed his legs weren’t ready to support him, so he nearly tumbled over.

Quickly, you reached out to pick him back up. “I’m more of a fan of prose,” you admitted, as you assisted him, “but I can appreciate poetry as well.” V was back and steady on his feet, to which he offered a nod of thanks. A moment of silence passed by. “So can I ask what the name of your talkative familiar is?”

Said familiar materialized from the ink of V’s tattoos, “The name’s Griffon.” Much to your surprise another creature formed as well. “And this girl here is Shadow.”

You looked at the demon who took the form of a panther with glowing red eyes, and she looked back at you. Your eyes widened as she brushed herself against your legs like a house cat, which wasn’t a bad thing. Tentatively, you reached forward and scratched the creature behind the ears, a gesture she appeared to enjoy.

Once again, a pair of dark green eyes (much like the colors of a forest) were staring at you rather intensely. “Looks like you’ve got some interesting company,” you tried to lighten the atmosphere.

“Damn right he does!” Griffon squawked.

“I’m a bit jealous, I must say. It has been me, myself, and I for many long years,” you said with downcast eyes. “I think this is the most interaction I’ve had in quite some time.” V merely nodded at your comment, to which you sighed. I won’t get much out of this guy.

A loud groan and gurgle came from V’s stomach, cutting the tense feeling. You couldn’t completely suppress your giggle. “I’m hungry myself.” It was an honest comment. “Wanna find something to eat in Red Grave?”

“I don’t have any money,” he replied, looking to the side with a chagrined expression.

You knew you really needed all the money you had to pay Morrison to pay the devil hunter, but you made an offer anyways. “My treat as long as you don’t expect anything expensive.”

“I already owe you a debt, and it seems I’m about to tack on another expense,” V sighed.

“Don’t worry,” you laughed, “I don’t expect anything. Not that there’s anything you can do to repay me for your life anyways,” you winked.

The comment actually garnered a small smile from the man. “Let us be off then,” he gestured forward. “I should be able to walk just fine now,” V reassured you with a spin of his cane as you moved closer in case you had to catch him again.

The two of you walked in step with one another. Despite it being quiet, you were actually quite comfortable. It amused you when V was the one to break the silence. “What are you?” He asked, still looking forward.

“Hmm,” you hummed as you pondered upon your answer. “How about instead of answering straight up, I propose a little game.” Finally turning to look upon your face, V quirked his brow. “We can do a little quid pro quo. You tell me something about yourself, and I’ll tell you something about myself--and vice versa, of course. The only catch is that our answers must be equivalent to what the other said,” you explained, pointing a finger in the air.

V grinned. “Fair enough.” Again, the two of you fell into silence once more.

Deciding to get the ball rolling, you piped up, “I’m in the city to find a devil hunter. Perhaps you’ll think I’m crazy, but something is coming.” It was a comment you said in all seriousness.

His reply astonished you. “I am as well. I hope to enlist the help of the same devil hunter before the damage comes to pass.”

“Perhaps we should continue being together for the day if that’s your goal. I’m meeting with the intermediary today,” you clarified.

“I hate relying on others,” V put a head to his forehead. “But I agree that is for the best.” You nodded in agreement.

Again, you found yourself in the back streets of Red Grave City, but this time, you were with a companion. You absent-mindedly fiddled around with your most precious treasure--an intricately twisted black-metal ring set with a blue opal. But it wasn’t long before a woman’s panicked voice brought you back to reality. The two of you peeked around the corner to see three men robbing a woman. You took a step forward, but Griffon opened his wing ahead of you.

“Things will get messy if you get involved. Stay out of it.” He then warned V, “And you’re not a demon. If you get shot, you’re dead.”

The men demanded her necklace. “Please, anything but that… It’s a memento of my mother,” she nearly sobbed. But she gave it up as one of them put a gun to her head. You felt a sense of disgust bubble up in you as you thought of your own memento, the ring. V seemed to share your sentiment as his face paled and brows furrowed.

Suddenly, V was slipping, knocking over a trash can and catching the people’s attention. “I should have fed you some mice after all!” Griffon screeched. It wasn’t long before the men began approaching V. You slowly began to reach for the dagger hidden in your boot; however, you tsk-ed at the fact that guns are certainly faster than knives. One of the thieves continued to threaten your tattooed companion over money he didn’t have (you were footing the food costs, after all).

Your eyes widened as the man smashed V in the face with his gun. You rushed and held him before his head could smack across the concrete. “Ha ha. You’ve gotta treat yours and your girlfriend’s life with more care…”

The sound of flesh being pierced hit your ears, and a rush of sharp, black tendrils continued to lash out. “That’s my line,” V coldly replied. “And it looks like you’ve put it in a bad mood.” The black matter continued gurgling, bubbling, and growing around you two. Repeatedly, it punctured the three men’s bodies. Their cries of agony rang out. Soon enough, they were bloody and debilitated.

“Huh, neat,” you softly spoke. V bent over to begin picking up the money, and you followed suit. Three thuds and a cries of agony sounded behind you. You looked over your shoulder to see them lying in pools of blood.

“Why are you moaning like it hurts? It’s just a dream,” V looked at them with disdain in his eyes.

Your gaze turned to the original victim who was trembling with fear. “Stay away stay away stay away!” She screamed. “Please don’t kill me! I’ll give you money.”

“That money is already ours, nobody’s asking for your--” You squeezed Griffon’s beak shut as V carefully dropped her necklace in front of her. Did she even notice? Or was she too busy shuddering? You didn’t really care about the answer, and soon enough, both of you were turning and walking away.

“You look kinda angry,” Griffon pointed out.

Putting a finger to your chin in fake thought, “His expression is pretty sour, huh?” You laughed with the bird. V only sighed and kept walking. Curiosity swelled up in you. “Are those guys gonna die and bleed out or somethin’?”

“And if I said yes?”

You shrugged. “Can’t say I care all that much. It would be a bit hypocritical of me.”

V simply stared at you for a moment. “You’re… amusing.” The compliment surprised you.

A laugh passed from your lips. “I don’t think anyone's ever said that about me. I think people find me to be more along the lines of scary.”

“Hard to find the person who saved me scary.”

“You just haven’t seen enough of me yet,” you gave him a wink. “Ah, there!” You pointed to a burger stand. “It’s probably cheap as shit, and now we have some extra cash to actually get separate meals. But first, let’s clean this up.” You brought your shirt sleeve to his face and wiped the blood off him. “Much better.” It was soft, but you were pretty sure you heard a ‘thank you.’

As one would expect from fast food, the two of you finished the transaction quickly and found a wall to sit against. It didn’t take long for you to dig into your food, starting with the fries. On the other hand, V sat there examining his burger. A confused expression took over your features. “Is there a problem?”

“I don’t want to get sauce on myself,” he stated matter-of-factly. You snorted and even Griffon came out to laugh.

“Seriously, that’s your damn problem?”

“I don’t want to be dirty.” Despite his words, hunger seemed to have won the battle of eating versus worrying about sauce. V had predicted it correctly though--sauce did indeed drip on his pants. Silently, you set napkins in his lap. “Thanks,” he said through a mouthful of food.

As the two of you finished your meals in quietude, you took notice of the darkening sky. With a stretch, you stood up and shook your legs out. Noticing he was still sitting down, you offered your hand to V. He stared at it for a moment, but took it anyway. You flashed him a soft smile. “We should probably get going if we hope to meet with that man Morrison today.”

Making your way to the bar, you observed more and more things about your partner for the day. Firstly, he didn’t need his cane--for walking at least. Other than his moments of fatigue, his gait was entirely normal. But if he didn’t need it for walking, what did he need it for? Secondly, you noticed that when his familiars Griffon and Shadow emerged, the ink of his tattoos came out with them; however, some color remained. Did that mean there was another you had yet to see? There was no denying that V was a man of mystery. You reached the bar before you could ponder further.

“You comin’ in?”

V shook his head. “I’ll wait out here.”

“Alright, shouldn’t take too long,” you nodded to him. You squinted as you stepped into the dimly lit room. At the bar itself, you noticed a man in a hat. It seemed like he was trying to keep a lower profile, so it was likely that that was your man. “Morrison?” You approached him.

“Ah,” Morrison called out your name. “Nice to see you again,” he shook your hand then lowered his voice. “So you have a job?”

“Yes, it is very important that I see this Dante. I have the money,” you showed the bills to him. “Oh, and I also met another man who wants to propose the same job to him,” you added.

“Is that so?” This Morrison man did seem surprised by what you said. He turned around to say goodbye to the employees. “Let us be off then.”

You and Morrison exited the bar, and you reunited with V. “It’s all set up,” you informed him, to which he nodded in response.

Soon enough, the three of you arrived at your destination--Devil May Cry. Morrison went ahead of you two to deliver the job to the legendary hunter Dante. Your gaze turned to V, but he appeared to be having an inner dialogue going on. Eh, I don’t care to interrupt. It was V who broke the silence. “Are you ready to go in?”

“After you,” you gestured, pulling the door open. A mere moment after, you finally looked upon what would (hopefully) be the man to take on your job. Dante was a ruggedly handsome man with silver hair, blue eyes, and a bit of stubble. All in all, he was pleasant to look at, even if his eyes were full of skepticism as he sized you and V up. Dante’s gaze flicked up to Morrison once more though when he told the devil hunter that he was bringing two other people onto the job. The notion seemed to offend him, but he took it with a huff anyways.

A quiet moment passed. “Alright, so for starters… What are your names?” You offered yours up then looked to V.

“ I have no name; I am but two days old…”

Both you and Dante looked at him strangely. Oh, I see. He's reciting a poem. You recalled the pieces you had read while waiting for him to wake up.

“Just kidding. You can call me ‘V,’” he said with a seemingly amused expression before closing his book.

“Okay then you two. Why don’t you tell me everything about this job?” Dante wore an expression that seemed to scream boredom.

You turned and allowed V to explain the situation. “A powerful demon is about to resurrect, and we need your help, Dante.”

“Ha!” Dante exclaimed. It was a reaction you were not expecting. “Now that’s a familiar tune.” He began listing off the requests he’s been given with a certain cockiness. “All of them were kind of a let down.”

“This is special…”

“What’s so special about this one?” You were curious yourself, you didn’t realize how much more V knew about this situation than you did. You were acting on feelings and intuition, but this ebony-haired man seemed to know the issue intimately.

“This demon is your “reason,” V continued, “Your reason for fighting, Dante.”

Dante was quiet before asking, “This demon got a name?”

A smile graced V’s lips. “Vergil.”

[tsukuna]

Assistance to the Chancellor

Summary: “An outsider with no reason to be given the hefty task of dealing with the Gralean Empire’s flamboyant chancellor has ended up with just that. She’s willing to put up with all the antics, but is there ulterior motives for her obedience that none are privy to? And can they compete with the grim secrets of Chancellor Izunia himself?”

No True Rating Yet • Female Reader • Before the Events of XV • Under the Cut

By this point, you had spent a couple months working for the Niflheim Empire; however, there were plenty of customs you were ignorant to. One of those being an annual Chancellor’s Ball, currently honoring Chancellor Izunia. You groaned, seeing as you were his personal assistant, you were obligated to attend. Large gatherings were out of your comfort zone to put it lightly. After all, most of your life was spent inconspicuously slinking around in the background--hiding in the shadows. You anxiously awaited Ardyn’s inevitable invitation to attend.

By this point, you had spent a couple months working for the Niflheim Empire; however, there were plenty of customs you were ignorant to. One of those being an annual Chancellor’s Ball, currently honoring Chancellor Izunia. You groaned, seeing as you were his personal assistant, you were obligated to attend. Large gatherings were out of your comfort zone to put it lightly. After all, most of your life was spent inconspicuously slinking around in the background--hiding in the shadows. You anxiously awaited Ardyn’s inevitable invitation to attend.

The worked day ticked by, feeling slower than ever. You stretched in your chair and nearly jumped out as you felt two hands clamps on your shoulders. “Fuck,” you swore out of shock, much to the mysterious Chancellor Izunia’s amusement. “How did you get behind me so silently?”

“Tut-tut-tut,” he put a finger over his lips, “I would never reveal my methods.” You rolled your eyes, it was the response you had expected. “Now,” Ardyn paused, “Let’s get to real business. My ball.”

“And what is it we must discuss about it?”

“You plan to attend, yes?” A question to which you hummed in affirmation. “Excellent,” he smiled. “What a delight to have you there. Ah, as my partner of course.”

Your jaw dropped comically and you vehemently shook your head. “I... sir, I am sure there are far more suitable ladies to accompany you to such a special event.” Simply going to the event was out of your comfort zone, but to stand next to Ardyn as his date of sorts was going to throw you under a spotlight of curiosity and judgement.

“Nonsense, it has been quite some time since I’ve found a human so interesting,” his wording left you feeling odd. “There is no one I would rather choose. I humbly ask you to be my accompaniment for my special night,” Ardyn bowed deeply and held out his hand for you to take.

‘There is no way out of this,’ you mentally accepted as you nervously placed your hand into his own. Ardyn gave it a brief kiss before standing back to smile at you. Your body warmed a little at the sight, his smile felt more genuine than his usual ones. “If you are truly okay with someone like me,” an outsider, an omitter, a woman who conceals herself, “Then I would be honored to stand beside you.”

“Music to the ears, my dear. I must ask though, how competent are you at dancing? Am I to expect injured feet by the end of the night?”

“I believe your feet shall be safe, Ardyn. While I don’t have much experience with ballroom dancing itself, I am very capable of controlling myself and finding a rhythm,” you nodded. “Though I could step on you once in a while for fun.”

“Making innuendos are we?”

“Ah,”  your cheeks pinkened, “I didn’t mean it in that way!”

“No, no, it’s very okay. There is much to be enjoyed in a woman who isn’t afraid to take charge,” Ardyn laughed at you as you huffed and pouted.

“Then think what you will,” you sighed in defeat before feeling him lean in closer to your ear.

“I am simply buzzing though at your acceptance of my invitation,” Ardyn backed away into his standing position. “Let us meet here again, yes? It would only be right for us to enter the event together.”

“Of course. I will try not to leave you waiting this time,” you offered him a small smile.

“There is nothing I look forward to more,” he hummed and ruffled your hair.

‘Such a strange man, truly.’

You warily eyed the dress that Ardyn had sent to you--a maroon, strapless dress with a deep cut up the leg. It was far sexier and form fitting than anything you would ever dress yourself in, something that Ardyn was surely aware of. The man found enjoyment in making you squirm. All you could do was get over it and adapt for now. There was hair and makeup to be done first anyways.

Art was something you adored, so you would try your damned best to fix yourself up into something decent. Yes, thinking of it as art made it far less daunting than thinking of it as getting ready for a large event. There was a question of what would now compliment your looks most. Shades, angles, highlights, what best framed your face. You were determined to get these things spot-on.

Originally, your makeup and beauty collection had been dismal outside of essentials, but you made it a point to spend some of your earnings on decent products for this event. And as you were hard at work on your appearance, it seemed to be paying off. With each stroke and minute that ticked by, you were really coming together.

After getting ready was all said and done, you had to be honest with yourself in the mirror. You were looking pretty hot. A pleased smile graced your face, and frankly, you didn’t even care what the Chancellor would think (shockingly). You knew it was on point. You even found a pair of shoes that were flatter for comfort, but still had a strappy-ness to them that made them elegant.

As a topping on the extravagant cake that would be the ball, you also wouldn’t be late to meet your “date” this time. Humming delightfully, you made your way to your shared office where you and Ardyn were to meet. You raised an eyebrow at his absence but shrugged it off, it didn’t particularly matter to you if he was a little late. Though you couldn’t imagine it was ideal for the event itself.

You closed your eyes and retreated to your idle thoughts, nothing of consequence. “My, my, my, it appears a goddess stands before me,” an oh-so familiar voice said with a joking whistle. Turning, you saw that Chancellor Izunia wore an actual suit as opposed to his usual layered, dare you say, sloppy attire.

“I must say you’re looking quite handsome yourself,” you offered the genuine compliment in return.

“Truly? I would say this is quite outside my comfort zone,” Ardyn looked to his suit. It was a statement that made you give a little snort.

Eyes rolling, “Oh yes, I believe I can relate to that.” He gave a short chuckle and shrug.

“I am glad you accepted my humble gift anyways. It certainly paid off.” You hummed and nodded.

With a sigh, you admitted, “My anxieties lie now with being at the center of many people’s attention since I am to be your accompaniment.” Ardyn gave your shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Worry not, dear, I will keep close to you,” he assured you and you gave him a soft grin. “Now, shall we be off?” The Chancellor offered you his arm. You nodded as you looped your own arm with his.

No scenario imagined by you matched the lavish scene before you. Ice sculptures, the largest spread of food you’d ever seen in your life, workers constantly offering glasses of alcohol, and a mass of important, fancily dressed people spread throughout the banquet.

“Fuck dude,” you whispered to Ardyn, “This is all for you.” A laugh of disbelief passed out of you; however, before you could even realize it, all eyes were on you and the man of the evening who you happened to be connected at the arm with.

This night would be one of the longest you have experienced you realized, mentally trying to buff yourself for anything that may come your way.

[tsukuna]

Side by Side

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the “Legendary Devil Hunter” of a certain… negative shift in the area’s energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

Rated M • Female Reader • Before the Events of DMC V• Under the Cut • Part 2

The news began to speak of the Qliphoth, or the “tree shaped object,” that emerged in Redgrave City. No one, from the average citizen to local police, had a clue that a powerful demon lurked inside. Despite repetitive warnings to take shelter, crowds loved to gather around the base and just stare. Ignorant fools, all of them. 

You observed the horde from a helicopter heading into the den. There was you, V, and Dante of course, but an additional two women accompanied. One had short, ebony hair and an eye of green, an eye of red--not to mention an enormous arsenal. The other was a near carbon copy of the woman you saw on Dante’s desk, and she smelled like a demon. Frankly, it was all perplexing, but you assumed questions would receive no answers. They are beautiful though. You admired their deadly radiance.

While the three demon hunters chatted amongst themselves, you looked to V. His demeanor was entirely muted, and his face showed little expression. There was a decent understanding between you too at this point though, and you could tell there was anxiety building in him. You would have given him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder; however, you had a feeling the gesture wouldn’t be too well accepted.

“So,” the black haired one drawled. “Who are you?” She eyed you rather intensely.

You introduced yourself. “What about you two?” You looked back just as intense. The names Lady and Trish rang out. “Your names are pretty,” you smiled softly.

“Pretty?” Trish was surprised by the comment.

“Mm,” you affirmed. “I wouldn’t have guessed them. But they match perfectly.”

“Ahhh, so you think we’re pretty, huh?” The girl named Lady tried to tease.

“Extremely,” you said with confidence, not allowing yourself to show embarrassment.

Both of them seem more than satisfied with your answer. “How come you never pay us compliments, huh, Dante?” Lady complained.

“I don’t want to inflate the egos of two crazy ladies anymore than they already are,” Dante replied with a shrug. That seemed to spark an impassioned, yet silly argument. It was an interesting display of friendship for you. I never knew it could seem so… fun.

The light air wasn’t meant to last though. Once the helicopter landed, it was business. “Hey, Dante,” Lady spoke up. “I haven’t even heard the target’s name yet.”

“Uuh… hey poem kid,” Dante seemed peeved.

But in juxtaposition, Griffon began to laugh, “Hee hee hee, that’s our wise guy Dante! What a memory! V, he deserves some praise.” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at the bird. So extra.

“... some said, it is Urizen.” It was a name you proposed after you met up with Dante before the trip.

“How about Urizen?” Those deep green eyes looked at you with a curious expression. “I read the story in your little book,” you explained.

“Ah yeah, right.” Dante seemed less than enthused. “Urizen, Urizen. You people keep it in mind for me.”

“Not a problem,” you whistled a tune while exiting to wait outside Devil May Cry once again.

“I’m surprised you remembered the name,” V admitted.

“How come? I spent quite some time reading the book while waiting for you.” There was a small pause before you giggled. “I was even pleasantly surprised by how soft your hair was. I thought about doing a little braid.”

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that,” V placed his palm on his face, but it didn’t fully hide the amused smirk on his lips. In spite of what was about to go down that night, you were glad you could provide some bit of comedic relief.

The skepticism on Trish’s face at the name made you a tad nervous, but whatever she was thinking, she didn’t bring it up.

“Looks like the party venue is still open,” Dante announced as you made your way into the Qliphoth.

“Shit, gross.” Your nose crinkled upon moving forward. But why does it seem similar to V’s faint demonic scent?

Lady affirmed, “Oh, it stinks in here.”

“I know. Smells like hot garbage.” Dante fanned himself with an irritated expression. But was it truly irritation, or something else? You couldn’t help but remember his reaction to the true name of the demon. Vergil.

V suddenly crumbled forward, and you caught him just in time before his whole body hit the (disgusting) bottom. His face looked similar to when he was on death’s door. “V?” There was no hiding your concern.

“This is far worse than I thought,” he whispered underneath his breath.

There was no time for questioning before Dante called out. “There’s no crime in turning tail. These things might be a little too much for ya.” He continued to walk while looking at him, hands cooly in his pockets.

“... you’re right.” V gritted his teeth. “I’ll leave the rest to you.” He turned on his heel, leaving both you and Griffon to stare in disbelief. Immediately, the demon flew over to question him in a panic.

Dante’s eyes turned to you. “What about you?”

You did consider your two options. You knew you could fight, and you could tell they needed all possible help. But could V make it without you? It seemed as though his health took a turn for the worst in the blink of an eye. “I’ll go with him, just in case.” Dante nodded before waving goodbye unceremoniously.

It was only a short jog before you caught back up with V. “One must always have an insurance policy,” he told Griffon. Strange. V acknowledged your presence with a nod. It let you know you weren’t unwelcome or a hindrance to whatever he was planning. Had he not given you the clear, however subtle it was, well… you supposed you would’ve turned back to rejoin the other there.

“What do you mean, insurance policy? Wait… Do you mean that brat?!” Griffon quite literally screeched. “Hey, hey… he got his right arm lopped right off,” he tried to reason with V. “He won’t be of any use in battle!” V mumbled some sort of reassurance to him, citing the blood of Sparda. It offered Griffon no comfort. “I said not to fall behind Dante, right? And then you just leave! If they kill him while we are out fetching some greenhorn, we’ll...” the little demon trailed off.

V glanced back. “That… won’t happen. I think.” It appeared this situation was worse than imagined.

“Perhaps I should’ve gone,” you thought aloud.

“I believe you would’ve died,” he paused. “And that would be rather unfortunate.” While V often omitted aspects of the truth, he didn’t seem to lie about what he did choose to reveal.

You, Griffon, and V made your way back to Morrison and the helicopter. His expression was confused. “Well, that was quick. Where’s Dante?”

“Inside. Send the helicopter now.” It wasn’t a question.

“Right now? And send where?” Clearly, the intermediary was puzzled.

“Fortuna,” V stated.

Fortuna--it was a place you heard about in passing. Rumors of mass destruction caused by demons and the existence of cults in the obscure city floated about. Is this where that “brat” resides? The entirety of the Qliphoth was once more in view. It was a disappointment, leaving before you had done a thing about the demon within.

Clearly, V noticed your irritation. “It will be solved in time. It must.” Though he said that to you, it also seemed like he was reassuring yourself.

“I simply wish it will be sooner rather than later.”

You fell back into a lull of science. Until the pilot broke it with annoyed chatter about these “boonies” having no heliport and how he’d have to look for a little landing spot.

“There is no time. We’ll meet below. I’m going ahead,” V prepared to jump from the helicopter, causing the pilot to panic even further. He turned to you and offered his hand. You hesitantly took it. You had a suspicion Griffon would be the way down, but you were skeptical on how well he’d do with carrying the weight of two people.

You clenched your jaw when the air initially hit your face. “God, fuck.” V seemed to laugh under his breath at you before pulling you a bit closer to make Griffon’s job easier.

“While I don’t mind helping out because, y’know, my life counts on it… try not work me too hard,” Griffon bitched. His complaints were met with no words of remorse.

Before your feet hit the ground, V began to discuss his plan. “I’m going through the window.”

“Alright, I’ll wait outside.” The distance to the bottom wasn’t far, so you let go, landing on your feet softly enough. At least I’m stealthy.

Over 15 minutes passed before your ebony-haired companion made his way back down. You looked around for whatever it was he came for. “He’ll be here shortly.” So it IS the brat.

The rattling of metal had you turning around, your eyes catching sight of a boy with blue eyes and silver hair--very similar to Dante. He looked to V, who he already met, then you with skepticism. Regardless, he moved forward to join you. “You’re telling me that’s our ride? Talk about posh.” When you looked at the city streets you assumed that yes, it was posh in comparison to what other residents typically saw. “...Don’t get it too close, the others will wake up.”

V was irked by the comment. “Do I look like I can contact it right now? Try jumping and telling the pilot in person.”

“Yeah, sure,” the other boy rolled his eyes. The conversational-less void quickly turned awkward, unlike the time you typically spent with V. You knew nothing about this boy though, and it’d be a lie if you said you weren’t semi-interested.

While still staring forward, you said your name. The boy turned to you with a questioning look. “Your name?”

He seemed to consider whether or not he even wanted to give it to you at first. “Nero,” he finally said.

Immediately upon landing in the Qliphoth, Nero seemed ready to rush in. But V warned him of the danger that waited. Shortly after, a gurgling sound came out from what you noticed to be Shadow’s “liquid” form. “I’m leaving,” V looked over his shoulder. “I doubt you two would get lost here, but still… I suggest you do not fall behind.” And so he did go ahead, using Shadow as a mode of transportation.

Nero’s face soured a bit, making you release a short laugh. “Not very personable, is he?”

“I can agree to that,” Nero grumbled. It wasn’t long before demons began to spawn, creating little roadblocks in your path. “Get behind me.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need protection, y’know?”

“I don’t see any weapons on you,” he eyed you.

You sighed. “Why must one waste energy and space by carrying physical items?” You gave Nero a peace sign before allowing white-gold light to envelop your hand. With a small shake, the glow around your hand turned to light throwing needles. “You take care of half of them, I’ll deal with the rest from a distance for now.”

The demons crawled closer and he grudgingly understood there was no time to ask more at the moment, but oh man, you knew it’d be constant interrogation once there was time. Whatever. A disgusting creature with both the face of a man and an ant’s body caught sight of you. You lazily threw a needle at it, watching it explode once it was pierced between the eyes. They were clearly bottom of the barrel demons. They were quick work for you, and clearly Nero as well who finished shortly after you.

“So you gonna tell me what the hell that was about?” He placed his shoulder across his back as you two continued walking.

“Don’t think that’d be right,” you drawled, “I haven’t even let V know yet, and I’ve been hanging out with him longer.” Nero huffed. “But I will let you know that light exists to extinguish this darkness.”

“How poetic,” he rolled his eyes, which warranted you to bump you first on his head. “Hey! What the hell?”

“Don’t be a douche, Nero,” you stuck your tongue out. “But y’know what? I won’t give too much away from myself, but I have to say, for a kid with one arm, I’m rather impressed by your sword skills.”

“Tch. You should’ve seen me when I had both,” it was funny how quickly Nero could go from brooding to cocky.

A sideways smirk spread across your face. “Would’ve loved to spar with you and kick your ass.”

You both continued to banter and deal with anything in the way. It was actually fun, and, surprisingly, the pair of you laughed together. It took no time for you to see V in the distance once again.

Nero stepped forward. “Huh? What, did you come back?”

The comment undeniably miffed V. “I told you, had I not? Your presence is needed.” You still didn’t quite understand why he needed Nero. He was strong, yes, but he still only had one arm. And if the reaction V and Griffon had earlier meant anything, this demon was far out of Nero’s league.”

Speaking of the devil (or rather the demon), Griffon piped up. “Hey, hero, you do know your role, right?” Nero quirked a brow at the bird. “What I’m saying is get going. We’ll take care of the grunts.”

“Whatever,” he turned around. But then he called out your name, which had a surprisingly colloquial tone to it. “You coming with?” Dante asked the same thing, and you would give the same answer.

“This seems to be your fight,” you shook your head. “I’ll stay back and help here.”

“Gotcha,” Nero nodded and began to move forward.

Griffon cackled, “Fast friends, huh?”

“He’s a funny kid. But how about we focus on the issue before us, hm?” The demons, which Nero had let you know were called empusas, bubbled up.

“Work, work, work!” Despite the complaint, Griffon charged then released cracks of lightning onto the demons. “Fuck yeah!” Huh, I guess I never saw what he did. The bird then chided V for not helping.

“Don’t rush me,” he voiced as he pierced one of the empusas. “Garbage.”

“He, he, that’s the spirit. We gotta catch up to the kid! Even she is helping out!” Griffon was ranged, you noticed, so you took a more melee stance this time (as opposed to your strategy alongside Nero). Instead of conjuring the needles, you created an elegant scythe of light. While the hacking and slashing was entertaining, being splattered by rancid demon blood was a major downside.

“Ugh, disgusting,” you at least wiped it off your face. V looked at you, startled and speechless. “No time for a Q and A, we’re needed ahead.” You grabbed his (warm) hand and began to run forward. “I can tell they’re right up there!”

The first thing you saw was Nero already bloody and beaten. “Fuck, Nero!” You rushed towards him and continued to scan the scene ahead of you. Dante. Lady. Trish. All of them lying on the ground in defeat. The demon, the monster, who defeated the famed devil hunters sat at the far end, appearing bored on his “throne.”

“He lost?! How did this happen?!” Griffon’s panicked screeches rang in your ears. “Oh no… oh no… This is it. This is the end.”

V softly murmured “Dante…” It was as if that conjured him back from the grave.

“Round two!” He transformed into a devil right before your eyes. Who the hell are all these people I got involved with?

“Heeey, what do we do?! We could lose an arm too V!” Griffon flew around anxiously. “Earth to princess V! Get yourself together!” You joined his chorus of yells, however… the words did not reach his ears. Tears rolled down V’s face and you realized just how dire this situation was for him.

“V!” You and Griffon shouted, but he continued to stare ahead. “V!” This time you took him by the shoulder and began to turn him around. “We need to go!” His eyes finally came back into focus and he nodded.

“Get Nero out of here! This was a bad move,” Dante yelled out.

“I can still fight,” Nero screamed in response but you were already beginning to pick him up and drag him away. “Tch, shit, back off!”

“You’re just deadweight!” By expression alone, you could tell that Dante’s words reverberated through his whole being.

Even as the ground collapsed, Nero shouted, “Quit messin’, back off!”

“We have to leave here!” You and V both tried to shake sense into the boy. “He’s far stronger than we could’ve imagined…!”

“That bastard called me “dead weight”?! Don’t underestimate me!” Nero screamed out Dante’s name.

Your eyes widened with shock as V threw Nero against a wall. “If you’re frustrated then think of ways to get stronger!” You had never heard his voice ring so loudly. “If Dante loses… I need you to defeat Urizen.” Nero’s face was full of scorn, but he seemed to finally give up fighting you and V off.

“Yes Urizen, the demon king…” He’s the demon king? Fuck. “That’s the name of the demon who took your arm,” V explained to Nero. It was news to you that it was Urizen who stole Nero’s arm. First question you had was why? What was so special about his arm that the demon king needed it to ascend? Perhaps I can barter information with him another day. I’m sure we shall meet again.

A crisp snap cut the air, and suddenly the black from V’s hair dissipated, leaving only white behind. An enormous creature crashed down and busted the rocks. Its appearance seemed to be made of rock (though that would be too simple) and it had a single eye. Another of V’s familiars, huh? But unlike Shadow and Griffon, especially, it didn’t seem to have any conscience. “This is Nightmare,” V  whispered to you. Good to know he thought that you may want that information.

The descent was over and once the familiar gurgled away, V’s hair became black once more.

“Where’s Dante? Hey!” Morrison exclaimed, voice full of confusion.

“He’s buying us time.. But it won’t last long,” V answered smoothly, not showing his despair to the other man.

Morrison was stunned. “Dante lost?!”

[tsukuna]

Side by Side - Ch. 6: Her

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the “Legendary Devil Hunter” of a certain… negative shift in the area’s energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

Rated M • Female Reader • Before the Events of DMC V• Under the Cut  • Please Support on AO3!  • Part 5

The last thing V expected was to hear a woman’s voice after he had collapsed, but before he could interrogate you, Griffon swooped in. The demon vouched for you, letting V know that he would be dead without you. He was wary, however, V gave you a cautious thank you. It was certainly a strange, unexpected beginning to his first companionship since he was a child.

The weight of his likely demise and horrendous decisions were heavy, but your company dulled some of the strain. V didn’t understand why. Was it simply because you could fill in the cracks of his crumbling body? He didn’t believe that to be true, even though it would be easier to think of you as a tool as opposed to an individual he wished to be around. It appeared that the sentiment was reciprocated. Though they had yet to share much of their histories with one another, there was a sense of calm and trust. “How peculiar…” V mumbled, looking away from his book (that he wasn’t really reading) to see you sleeping--cuddled up with Shadow and Griffon. He knew that when you awoke, you would bring about another interesting day. It was only a few hours ago that Griffon was relentlessly attacking you with the worst puns. You said you hated it, but couldn’t stop grinning and laughing. You even exclaimed between fits, “STOP! I’m gonna pee myself Griffon!” A small smile tugged at his lips as he settled in to sleep as beside you. V--no--Vergil always found humans to be weak and of no consequence, yet he found himself enjoying these mundane moments.

It was one of those nights that he dreamt of a little girl outside of a shrine.

--

She was weeping endlessly, each sob rippling through her small frame. She wore a silken dress, though there were torn areas where he could see fresh blood and burns and her hair was a tangled mess. He could hear her singing, her voice laced with gloom

‘Sanctuary of the light moon, tainted by a crimson hue. Naught save the night shall know of my sorrows, I give unto her my all. No one, no more.’

It was a sad display. V took a step toward her, but stopped, noticing his own small stature. Am I a child once again? With his small hands, he grabbed a strand of hair from his head. White. Before any further confusion could occur, it seemed the little girl was alerted to his presence. He recognized those eyes. V softly said your name (though it came out as Vergil’s).

“Who are you?” You trembled, a wild expression on your face. “No one should be here. I’m not ready.” Your little voice was filled with fear and concern. It saddened him.

“I’m your friend,” he tried to smile. “Vergil.”

You shook your head vigorously. “I do not have friends, I am not allowed. The gods are above friendships,” your eyes went downcast. “That’s what Mama tells me.”

“Well,” he kept walking forward. “Demons don’t typically have friends either, but I think it would be nice to.”

“Demon?” You took a few sniffs. “You do stink…” You turned away from him. “You need to leave, I should kill you if what you say is true. But I don’t want to.”

V continued to press forward. “Well can I at least help clean those cuts up?”

He could see you flinch as you touched one of them. “They’re my lesson though. It will teach me to be a better host. Stronger.” You looked at him over your shoulder. “But they really hurt…”

V could tell you wanted help but didn’t wish to ask, you wanted to be strong. He knew the feeling. Gently, he took your hand and began to walk you to the nearby pond. There was no resistance on your part. In fact, there was nothing at all. As the two of you hit the water’s edge, you sat as softly as a leaf falling. V took his shorts in hand and ripped some of the fabric off then soaked them in water. “Sorry,��� he apologized sheepishly. “I don’t have any actual medical stuff.”

“S���okay,” you whispered. He carefully dabbed each wound with some of the bigger ones causing you to wince. Once again, you began to hum, perhaps to hide any nervousness.

It took minutes to clean, there were truly a lot of them. “None of them should get infected at the very least,” V leaned back.

You looked up at him, taking a softer expression. “Thank you, Vergil.”

“What else are friends for?” Your face blushed pink and you gave him a toothy smile. V suddenly felt his book tucked into the back of his pants. Dream logic was incredibly convenient. “Want to read this together?” He showed her the book with a V drawn on the front.

Your eyes lit up and you nodded. “Mhm!” V patted your head, pleased with the response. The rest of the dream was spent reading, the two of you taking turns. It appeared to V that even as children, the both of you could’ve been friends.

--

The initial day of the Qliphoth mission came and went, ending in utter defeat. Yet you chose to stay beside him in Redgrave instead of following Nero to Fortuna--somewhere that would be much safer and comfortable. “You need me,” you grinned at V, and it truly seemed that he did. He admired your strength, your intelligence and the kindness you showed, despite him being utterly undeserving. It was his sins that caused all this to happen. You were enigmatic to him. For reasons unknown, you worked hard and went out of your way to protect him. Moments like that reminded him of his weakness, reminded him that he could protect nothing. You never appeared to be in danger ( at least not in the waking world ), but if you were, would he even be able to do a thing? It was incredibly irritating, but all she had asked was for them to stay side by side. V agreed immediately in spite of himself.

However, there were moments where you and him had to split to lurk around for resources. Your subconscious pout let him know that you were hesitant to do so, but you were aware of the necessity. You grabbed his hand and shook it. “Stay safe, V.” He thought the little smile on your face was pretty.

“Oh don’t worry,” Griffon called your name. “We’ll keep Shakespeare safe and whole for you!” V shook his head in exasperation then began to ride away, using Shadow as a mode of transport. “I bless your union.”

“I have not a single clue of which you speak,” V side-eyed Griffon.

“Sure you do,” Griffon held out the last sound. “When you’re not thinking of our impending doom, you’re thinking of her!”

“Tch.” V whipped his head the direction opposite quickly, but Griffon maneuvered to be right in his face.

“Hey, hey, don’t get all shy now! Looks like she is into you too!” He blabbered on about you and all the ‘pros.’

The man gave a long sigh. “There is no point in engaging in any sort of relationship beyond this. In fact, this has already gone farther than it should have.” Though he said that, he knew he wouldn’t make any attempt to disengage. Such selfishness. His eyes turned downcast when he thought about it, “I won’t be here for long.”

The crow cackled. “Maybe you won’t be here as you are now, but, in the interest of optimism, you’ll continue to exist!”

V imagined your reaction to his rejoining. It was likely it would happen, he couldn’t imagine that you would suddenly be gone when he needed you most (though he hated to admit it). What would your face look like as you looked upon him--upon Vergil? He finally responded, “I don’t think she would care for him.”

“Care for you, you mean? If she can care for your weak ass right now, I’m sure she’ll be swept off her feet by you when you’re strong, heh, heh!” Griffon stopped chattering for a moment to speculate. “She’ll certainly be confused, but depending on how much you tell her beforehand, she may accept it or do something else first. Like decking you in the face or stabbin’ ya--something out of anger!” V frowned deeply. “But she’d forgive and continue to be there. I am certain of it.”

He put his face in his palm. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

Griffon landed on V’s shoulder. “Chin up princess! I’ll be your wingman. Heh, get it? Wing man?” V shooed him away. “Okay, okay, that was a bad one. But for realsies, I’m sick of hearing your internal pining but watching you do nothing.”

“I am not pining,” V vehemently denied.

Griffon began to mock him, “Oh I wish I could protect her. Oh she’s so pretty and strong and smart. Oh I’m so afraid of what will happen with her after this is over.”

“I get it, you can stop now,” those deep green eyes glared at the bird. “Had we met under different circumstances, had I been a better man, then… perhaps I would have attempted to pursue something.”

The crow rolled his multiple eyes and feigned a yawn. “C’mon now V, haven’t you two practically already pursued something? You’ve been on shitty food dates, you have some similar interests, you guys have shared the same sleeping space since you’ve met.” Griffon sighed at the silence. “Since you’re clearly not going to say something, what if she does? What will you do then?”

“The answer to that question is unclear,” V admitted after a time. It has been such a short amount of time, and yet all the moments spent next to you have been the most fulfilling in his pathetic, misguided life. Every smile you gave him warmed his chest and he tended to smile in spite of himself. “I don’t deserve to accept her feelings if she wished to express them.”

“Oh screw whatever the hell that deserving bullshit is about! There’s no guarantee that we’ll survive this whole Qliphoth business, so why not just have fun with some young love?”

V quirked his brow, “I’m not young.”

“Your romantic maturity is that of a child so let’s just continue to call it that!” V smacked him on the head with his cane.

“I tire of this conversation with you.”

“Just trying to help ya’ out buddy.”

“Truly appreciated,” V mumbled. Have fun, huh? You often talked hopefully about doing fun things together. He fondly remembered you jumping on the bed and chattering about going to an amusement park together after “all this demon shit is over” before taking him by the hand and forcing him to jump with you. V yearned for the ideas you planted in his head. If you were to say something to him… should he forgo any of his concerns and embrace it? V and his familiars began to search abandoned buildings, looking for any sort of nourishment. Much of the area was already so destroyed and infested with roots that it was hard to tell which business did what. He walked through the rubble of one shop when something sparkling caught his eye. V bent down and took the object in his hand. It was a necklace--a crescent moon pendant with amethysts set inside of it. He chuckled to himself at how fitting it would be for you and pocketed it. V imagined your face flushing when he gave it to you, it was a soft thought.

After a time of sifting through both his thoughts and the destruction, Griffon and V managed to scrounge up some snack food, but it seemed like resources were drying up, and he couldn’t help but wonder what the two of you would do to sustain yourselves for the next month.

--

V was exhausted by the time he met back up with you. Each time he summoned Nightmare, it took a sizable toll on his energy, plus he was still hungry. Griffon broke the news to you about what you were to be surviving on for the time being--demons. It was quite obvious that you were unhappy with the news, but being strong, you would take whatever you could to live. You resigned to the reality of the situation and helped transport the bodies to a safe area where the group would be able to rest for the night. In fact, you made sure of it that you would be able to rest for the night. While he was requested to gather materials for a fire, you began to set up wards around the abandoned courtyard. It was a curious thing, but V remembered you were the daughter of a shrine priestess (at the very least).

Griffon helped start the fire by striking the wood with his lightning and Shadow came trotting back with the butchered meat. He watched you warily eye the roasted meat before taking a bite. Both of you agreed that it was utterly vile, much to the annoyance of the crow who always screamed about the disrespect.

The man felt strange--strange about his interactions with the boy, strange about his fate, strange about you. Upon expressing that, Griffon grabbed him by shirt and unceremoniously dropped him into the fountain, taunting him about stinking like demon blood. His clothes were drenched, so you and his familiars got to work on drying them out. V figured that while he was stuck in there, he may as well try his best to clean out. He sunk into the water, thoughts filled with where he went wrong in his life, his cowardice, his ignorance towards what strength truly is. It was as if he were about to melt away; however he was once again gripped by the demon’s talons. V was scolded and talked down to like a baby, but he was still too lost in thought to really care.

“I’d barely call these dry,” V lightly complained once Griffon brought the clothes to him.

“Sorry,”  you shrugged with a dry laugh. “I can only work so hard to clean up the mess of this chatterbox right here.”

“Well, as long as it’s wearable, anything goes,” V responded while pulling up his pants. As he moved by the fire, you began to undress, complaining that you smelled as well. He wanted to give you privacy, but your bare skin was still visible from the peripheral view. A thought or two passed through his tired mind, but he shook them away.

He gave ear to the exchange you and Griffon were having, it sounded like you were revealing more of your life, and V was always curious to learn more. The fire was flickering in his deep green eyes when he noticed the splash of you moving up behind him.

“Here.” His eyes focused on the ring you dangled in his face..

“Your ring?” He questioned. “Do you need me to hold onto it while you are in the water?” V brought his hand up so you could give it to him. “Nope, it’s yours now.” You responded as he felt the ring fall into his open palm. “If you are okay accepting it of course…”

V couldn’t stop himself from turning his head to look you in the face. “Why would you give this to me? Don’t you need it for survival?” With a furrowed brow, he examined your features, searching for any trace of a joke.

“Well,” you began, “I trust you with it, and it will help keep you safe when I can’t be there.” V . “This way, wherever you go, I’ll always be with you,” you smiled.

He closed his hand around the ring, still warm from being around your finger. “I don’t understand you,” he admitted to himself out loud. “Why do you care to help me so much? You have since you met me. Even amongst all the insanity and information I have omitted, you have stuck by my side. And now you wish to give me a piece of you. Why?” The question almost came out like a plea for the answer.

“Well, it’s because I like you of course,” you smiled shyly, “As in like- like.” V heard you giggle as his lips parted in surprise. You reached your hand out of the water and took his hand, plucking the ring from his other palm. “Here,” V watched as you slipped the ring onto his pinky finger. “I was worried it’d be a bit too small, but it’s a perfect fit!” His chest hurt as he stared at it. The last time he was bestowed such a gift was on his birthday--his half of the perfect amulet from his mother. Once again, he was being given a jewel that had responsibility attached to it. “I hope you will accept it.” You said once more as your face took on a nervous expression.

V hesitated but eventually responded. “I… will accept it.” He had grabbed it a couple days ago, but never gave you the necklace. If there was a good time, it was now, and so he shuffled through his pocket. “Here,” he dangled it and you gently grabbed it. Your mouth formed an ‘O’ shape.

“This is my first gift.” He saw tears prick your eyes and was reminded of the child in his dream. Despite being naked, you leaned out of the fountain and threw your arms around his neck, burying your face in the crook of it. Slowly, he reciprocated the embrace, fingers feeling the lines of rough, scarred skin. “Thank you, V.”

“Mm,” he hummed with a nod.

You pulled back and began to stand up, to which he turned back around in response (though it’d be a lie if he denied getting a decent glimpse). V listened to you quickly shuffle back into your clothes before plopping down next to him in front of the fire. “Will you help me with this?” You turned your head away and held up the pendant for him to take.

“Of course.” V did the clasp, letting the moon of the necklace hand a little bit below your collar bones. You seemed… so happy with it.

“I love it.” You affirmed his thoughts and planted a kiss on his cheek, an purposefully intimate gesture he didn’t know how to respond to. You seemed to sense his unease. “It’s okay if you don’t want to say anything just yet. I know that shit is bad right now.”

‘Your romantic maturity is that of a child…’ Griffon’s words rang out irritatingly in V’s head, and he wanted to prove the bird wrong. “Your feelings,” he felt you stiffen, “I won’t deny that they are… reciprocated.”

“V…”

“I care for you.” It felt strange for him to say those words. “But it wouldn’t be right for me to indulge in these feelings. You’d only be hurt.” You were clearly confused. “There’s more to me than I have let on,” V admitted.

“As if I didn’t know that,” you laughed. You clapped your hands on his cheeks and leaned your face towards his with an amused smirk. “Hope you don’t mind this!”

“Mind wh--” You pressed your lips against his and after a second of hesitation, he pressed back.

[tsukuna]

New URL

💫 ghuoligans → tsukuna 💫

[tsukuuyomis]

My new Discord icon 😌🤙

Ft. My boo's matching one

[tsukuna]

Chapters: 5/?                                         NEW CHAPTER POSTED

“Ahehehe,” Griffon cackled, “Jus’ look at all ‘em roots sucking up all that blood willy nilly!” He continued to babble about how funny the roots were, as expected. You tuned back in after he said, “Ya know, I’ve been thinking…” Both you and V tilted your heads. “Shouldn’t we have helped the humans run away first? Right now they’re just sitting ducks for the Qliphoth’s roots.”

“What’s the point? No one would have believed me anyways.” Based on how quickly he responded, you assumed V thought about the situation earlier.

You scratched your head with a sigh. “There’s just too many of them. If I come across one who can possibly be saved--” not like the one you just saw “--then I’ll help.”

Griffon nodded to both your responses. “Eh, whatever, not our problem. I’m sure it’ll work out.” You couldn’t help but inwardly chuckle at the comment. It would work itself out... with the solution being the roots devouring and engorging themselves on human blood. “We should focus on that rookie instead. Ya sure he’s gonna come back? Still think we shoulda gone with.”

“Nero will come back.” You were sure of it.

V nodded. “That child’s not the type to simply accept defeat like that.”

“Oh really? Didn’t realize you two knew him that well,” Griffon teased.

“Oh, I understand him very well,” V responded to the bird. “You would know what I’m talking about if you saw the look in his eyes.” 

“Geez, I wonder who he got that from.” Griffon seemed to be insinuating something, but try as you might, you could not figure it out. 

A gurgle and slither erupted from behind. Another smelly demon. Unfortunately, it was something that you would have to get used to for the next month.It was one of the most ugly things you looked at: a bulging, insect-like head, the body of a man, spikes coming out of the back, clawed feet. To top it off, it was holding two handy-dandy, person-sized knives. The demon appeared to be stronger than the Empusas, undoubtedly, but considering they were a let down… you couldn’t imagine these guys were that much. Nothing compared to Urizen, nothing compared to Vergil.

It ran and sliced at V, only to be decapitated the next moment by Shadow. V redirected the blade away from his body, a cocky smile adorning his face while the cat growled at its body. You sidestepped the bubbling fountain of blood that gushed from its headless neck.V, however, did not, opting instead to skewer the demon with his cane. You primarily watched over him during his moments of weakness or while the two of you were resting. Despite being covered head to toe in blood, you recalled one of your initial thoughts about him. He’s really beautiful.

“I don’t understand your expression,” V’s comment pulled you out of your thoughts as he looked over you curiously.

You flushed a little in embarrassment, but decided to be honest anyways. “Ah, I was simply thinking you looked cool and beautiful.” He simply stared at you, so you added, “You smell like shit though.” Smooth. 

He sniffed himself and confirmed it. “Demon blood isn’t the most lovely fragrance.” With a sigh, you took a moment to lean against the balcony and shut your eyes. You heard a quiet conversation happening between V and Griffon, but decided not to wedge yourself into it.

That didn’t stop you from picking up what you could though. You listened to words about Dante, appearance, defeat, answers, but had no definitive answers on how they connected. However, the bits and pieces did bring you back to your dream of Vergil and of Dante. V knew about that past, but if you wanted to pry out pieces of information, you knew you’d have to offer up some pretty substantial facts about who you were. 

“Holy shit!” Your eyes snapped open at the sound of people screaming. It appeared your moment of reprieve was over. After all, you told Griffon that if you were around and could help, you’d at least make the effort. Your attention turned to V, and you were curious about what he was going to do.

“Human? ...Human,” he muttered. You quirked your brow at the words, but jumped over the railing and made your descent. Fighting was easy enough, with or without V; though part of you did hope he’d join and keep you company. How selfish and spoiled have I become? Despite the distance, you landed on your feet comfortably and gracefully, having already summoned a sword as your weapon. A brief glance over the people showed expressions of unhinged horror, eyes red from screaming and crying, face covered in sweat. The dead carried similar expressions, but theirs were unchanging. 

“What the fuck?!” You heard Griffon screech from above and saw V coming down as well. You smirked to yourself. I guess I’m getting what I wanted. “There’s no point!” Griffon insisted to V. “Just let them die!” It was a fair point, you acknowledged as you began slashing at the skeletal demons equipped with scythes. Shadow, Griffon, and V were by your side shortly. Cleaning up the demons (for now) would be a quick task. “Didn’t ya say you didn’t want to drain your powers?”

“I just have to do what I can,” he said flatly. “Even if it’s only a fraction of what I could normally do.” 

“Tch. And who’s the one who’s gonna have to pick up and re-glue your pieces?” You complained, but you didn’t truly mind.

V joked, “How could I ever repay you?”

“Let’s stay side by side, hm? That’s payment enough!” You exclaimed between swings of your blade.

“Simple enough.”

--

You and V split off from each other for bouts of time during those next two days, with Griffon typically being the one to find you and bring you to V’s location. It wasn’t always necessary though. Every once in a while a Nightmare would fall from the sky and obliterate everything as it crashed. One of those instances happened a little too close to you and loads of sharp and blunt objects alike assaulted you. You did not let V hear the end of it that day, much to his chagrin. There was a sense of delight that you (and Griffon) took in him apologizing so many times. You finally accepted one of the ‘I’m sorry’s in exchange for him cleaning up the wounds on your face. It wasn’t like you could see them to clean them, though it did make you feel a little shy to have him so delicately touching your face.

By the third day, you two had separated once again in search of food this time. Much of the city was already a.) raided or b.) destroyed. Finding food was no easy task. Only a short time ago, the group of you were eating normal food (albeit it was the cheapest available). Griffon squawked expletives while you and V made plans to cook and eat him one night. Your holy grail had been smashing machines or finding abandoned houses and restaurants. Unfortunately, they were growing farther and fewer. The search left you a great deal of time to introspect (for better or for worse). Your first thoughts wandered to your new companion V. He was generally mysterious, quiet, and level headed. But it was oh so entertaining when that facade dropped. Reveal something about yourself? V would readily offer information of the same importance about himself. Mention poetry? V could talk about it endlessly if there was the time. Griffon spewing random shit? V would get noticeably irate and even give the demonic crow a rap on the head. There were even times where you saw him smile without reservation. Every time he looked at you with that expression, you got fuzzy and warm and you couldn’t help but reciprocate.

Which brought you to your next line of thought, who was he to you and what were you to him. At the very least, you felt him to be your friend--your very first friend, in fact. You had never spent time with anyone but your mother, yet falling into comfort with him was… simple enough. Even physical touch between the two of you never felt threatening. It was the opposite, it made you feel warm. 

V could be fragile at times, and you were fiercely protective of him. While you didn’t voice the concern (it’d surely make him feel inept), you were hesitant to let him split from you. You wanted to always be with him and keep him safe. Your eyes wandered to your ring of blue opal and dark metal. It was your most precious treasure and your curse. Much of your energy was imbued within it, and a decent chunk of that energy was being transferred to V whose body just couldn’t seem to heal itself. Should I bestow it to him?

It was a sure way to make sure he didn’t crumble to pieces while you were apart. But if something were to happen to it, if it were to break… you were dead. You shook away the thought, you knew you could trust V. Especially if you explained the why’s and the how’s of it. You were certain he wouldn’t hurt or betray you, and you knew V was confident in you doing the same. You had a feeling he had also never had someone to call a friend, but you hoped he was willing to call you one. Surprisingly, you pouted and shook your head at the thought. 

It was at that moment that you realized that perhaps you had a bit of a crush. You had never had one, so perhaps you were wrong, but the ache in your chest made you doubtful. From the moment you saw V, you thought he was cute--wavy black hair, tattoos, and an aloof expression. 

His deep green eyes were another feature you could stare at. Ah shit, I think he’s hot. Despite being alone, your face flushed as you understood that you liked him. Or as a child would say, like-like him. 

But was it reciprocated? The answer to that question was uncertain. Unlike your physical reactions, V didn’t appear to ever be flustered by you; however, he didn’t mind you touching him or being close at night. But was that just him thinking it was a means for survival? Regardless of his feelings, you had to debate whether or not to share your own. You were both grown adults, and you were sure you could take rejection. And so it appeared there was nothing to lose. Perhaps you could test the waters first by giving him the ring. It was all such a mundane, human experience.

You groaned dramatically. “This fucking sucks, man,” you complained despite there being no one around on your search. Not even a demon lurked about, strangely enough. What was even more unfortunate was the lack of any sustenance in the entire area you were assigned to search. Hopefully V and Griffon had more luck. It would be incredibly lame to die to starvation instead of fighting. As if they knew your search was over, you felt the tremors of Nightmare crashing somewhere in the city, and the plume of dust and debris indicated where they would be. It was time to reunite, and so you pushed away any childish, lovey-dovey thoughts to the back of your mind to be discussed later. 

Luckily, you had divine-like stamina, so it wasn't too long or hard of a sprint to make it to them. The location appeared to be a now destroyed grocery store with a mass of demon carcasses lying around. "Uh, what happened here?"

"V here smashed the whole fucking store to get rid of the demons! And all the food with them! There's nothing here! Nada! Zilch! None!" Griffon appeared to be pissed to say the least. "All that's left to eat is these demons!"

You grimaced at the thought. "That's all there is," you asked, hoping it was a mere jest on Griffon's part. 

"Sadly," V turned around, blood smeared on his mouth. Your lips stretched into a frown. 

"I already warned V that he may get the shits!"

After a moment of silence, you sighed. "If this is all there is, this is all there is." Your eyes locked onto the biggest body. "How do we plan to transport this? Cause I am not willing to stay here, and I'll drag you away from it too if I must." 

"Hah," V let out a brief laugh, reminding you of your previous thoughts. Ugh. "I was thinking we would all work together--you and I, Shadow, and Griffon." 

You began to pick up a squishy, bloody demon's body. "Let's get a move on then."

"I still think you guys are gross, just so you know," the demon pointed out. 

"Thanks Griff, I appreciate your kindness and concern," you rolled your eyes. 

The group embarked on a new adventure--finding somewhere closer to sleep for the night. On the way, Griffon informed you that V saved a mother and child trapped in the store. The man seemed displeased about being outed but you just smiled. It was sweet and you wondered why he did so  was it simply convenient, or did he care? You sniffed around before pulling V by the hand. "There's no demons right nearby." It was a secluded courtyard with a fountain in the middle. For now, it was safe, but you pulled out sheets of paper and began to scrawl on them in case. You knew V was looking at you inquisitively. "They're wards," you explained. "They won't forever, but they will for the night and morning at least." He nodded in gratitude. "How about we have Shadow butcher these bodies outside of the little area though? Can you do that girlie," you scratched her behind the ears, and as she took bodies outside the area, you were sure she understood. 

"We could try cooking them," V offered. "I doubt that that would make them any worse."

"Let's do it," you agreed. "Think you can start gathering sticks while I put these up?" You motioned to the sheets of paper. 

"Of course," he got up and began searching while you slapped wards around each pillar. You wished you would be able to enjoy the nicer  change of venue, but it was hard to do so when you remembered the food that awaited you. And those pesky feelings. But you were a big girl, and the show must go on. 

In a short period of time, sticks were gathered, Griffon created fire by shocking them, Shadow returned with pieces of the meat, and it was cooking (and emitting an off-putting smell). You and V stabbed sticks through them once they were done and took a bite.

“So how’s the roasted meat?” Griffon asked, flapping around. 

“Absolutely vile.”

You chimed in in agreement. “I’ve had to survive on some lowly, near inedible things, but holy shit,” you held back the tears that pricked your eyes, “this is the worst thing I have ever eaten.” 

“Ungrateful! Both of you!” The demon pecked your head. “What the hell were you even expecting?!”

“Something similar to fried chicken,” V wished gloomily, which Griffon found to be absolute insanity. You giggled, they were a funny pair. You and V choked down as much meat as you could before tossing the scraps to Shadow. She purred in delight while munching. The crow complained and yelled at Shadow to not eat up all of you and V’s food, eliciting a growl. “You two are causing quite the ruckus.”

“You trying to piss me off?!” 

“No. It’s just,” V paused, “I have a strange feeling.” In the next breath, Griffon dug his talons into V’s shirt and dumped him into the fountain. 

He cackled at V, telling him to wash the stink off and strip down. While V scowled at being dumped suddenly, he appeared to agree with needing a bath.

“Gotta agree with the bird,” you smiled at him. “Just leave your clothes on the edge whenever you’re done, and I’ll help take care of them.” You added with a wink, “Don’t worry, I won’t peak.” 

“Don’t think it matters either way,” V chuckled, and you punched him in the shoulder as he untied his top. You turned around with a smile and blush. The sound of wet clothes plopping next to you happened shortly after. 

“Alrighty gang,” you turned to Shadow and Griffon, “let’s try to dry these up. Especially you,” you pointed at the bird, “Since you soaked them and all.” 

V spoke up from behind, “Just get them dry before my skin gets all wrinkly from the water.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Griffon then turned back to the cat, “Wring it out, dammit!”

“Let’s put it over the fire,” you suggested after getting the excess water out. 

You didn’t sit there long before you a “What the fuck!” from Griffon. You turned around to see him pulling V by the arm out of the water. “Hey, hey, hey! The moment I look away you start drowning? Are you a fucking infant?!” You couldn’t help but laugh at the insult. Griffon cooed in baby speech as he brought V his clothes.

“I’d barely call these dry.”

“Sorry,”  you shrugged. “I can only work so hard to clean up the mess of this chatterbox right here.”

“Well, as long as it’s wearable, anything goes,” V spoke softly as you assumed him to be getting dressed.

“If only we had the luxury of a towel.” As V came to sit back down near the fire, a sigh passed from your lips, “I should probably rinse off my clothes and bathe as well,” you started with unraveling your bandages--bloodied by now. The rest of your clothes came off soon after. V kept his gaze forward to give you a bit of privacy; Griffon however pressed you with questions.

“What’s that big ol’ tattoo on your back?” He perched on the stone in front of you.

“It’s a blooming lotus with the light of a full moon above it,” you described. “My mother gave it to me as a child. Said it was of religious importance and it would complete me.”

“Hehhh? What the hell does that mean?” He tilted his head.

“I have theories, but never questioned it. I agreed with whatever to get the rituals and experiments over with,” you mumbled uncomfortably. You placed your foot in the water and shivered, it was cold and you did not relish the thought of immersing your whole body. “But that’s enough free information for now,” you said, finally getting inside the fountain. While the chill wasn’t nice, knowing that you’d be semi-clean afterwards was a comfort. You looked to V quietly reading his book and pondered if this was the moment to admit your feelings. It may be a little less embarrassing for him to not see your expression and for you to not see his, after all. 

Timidly, you took off your ring and moved up right behind him. “Here,” you put it in front of his face.

“Your ring?” He questioned. “Do you need me to hold onto it while you are in the water?” V opened his palm for you to drop the ring in, which you did. “Nope, it’s yours now.” You added, “If you are okay accepting it of course…”

Unexpectedly, he turned his head to look at your face. “Why would you give this to me? Don’t you need it for survival?” His face scrunched, clearly concerned and hesitant.

“Well,” you began, “I trust you with it, and it will help keep you safe when I can’t be there.” V made a strange face you couldn’t discern. “This way, wherever you go, I’ll always be with you,” you smiled.

His green eyes stared at the ring, but he finally closed his hand. “I don’t understand you,” he admitted. “Why do you care to help me so much? You have since you met me. Even amongst all the insanity and information I have omitted, you have stuck by my side. And now you wish to give me a piece of you.” V’s face scrunched. “Why?”

Your stomach flopped. “Well, it’s because I like you of course.”

[tsukuna]

-Chapter 4 Posted-

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the "Legendary Devil Hunter" of a certain... negative shift in the area's energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

[tsukuna]

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