#sigh. also i got blue eye stared by dante at least once and i thought that was funny. he kinda looks like a bald eagle head-on

[skrunksthatwunk]

finished dante's campaign of dmc2!! it was bad!!! <3 and i can't tell if it's anticlimactic or a surprising show of mercy that it only took around 4 hours

[beyond-the-mirror]

The Blue Eyed King’s Gift

Finally! As promised Part 3 is now ready.

So as you have seen in the previous chapter, this fanfic was partly inspired by Thumbelina (or Thumbeline, depending on the country you’re from). In this part, however, there are a few hints for the main inspiration of this fanfic, can you guess which fairytale is it?

Be ready though, this chapter is a long one. More under the cut.

Special thanks to @cheesysquid​ for beta-reading and putting up with my amateur writing. Thank you so much for everything, o master of writing.

Pairings: Vergil x Fem Reader

Warnings: None. Pure fluff and wholesomeness in this one.

Tags: @v-vic​. If you want to be tagged let me know!

Part One - Part Two - Part Four

……………………..

Part Three

“Nooo! You pesky knights have defeated me!”

“Take that you evil dragon! You have been slain by the great knights Nero and V!”

Both twins giggled victoriously after tackling their uncle to the ground, causing the man in question to let out a hearty laugh at their adorable antics.

They were still in the middle of playing when the door opened. The boys beamed at the familiar, stoic figure that walked inside, clad in an elegant blue attire and a tired expression evident on his face.

“Papa!” The monarch welcomed the twins into his arms, their innocent smiles already soothing the stress out of his mind and body.

“My apologies for working until late little ones, there were some important matters Papa had to attend to.”

“But, you are still going to play with us tomorrow like you promised, right?” Nero gave his father a worried look, his lips forming a cute little pout that the king would never resist.

The last couple of weeks had been busier than usual for the Blue Eyed King, leaving him little to no time for his beloved children. However, all pending work had finally been solved just in time for the weekend, a perfect opportunity to take a well deserved break from his royal duties for a few days and instead spend them with his lovely sons.

“Don’t you worry, tomorrow I’ll have the entire day free so we can do whatever you two want.” The twins bounced at their father’s words, already excited for the next day to arrive. “But for now it is time for you both to go to bed.”

The twins wanted to protest in hopes of getting at least another few minutes of playtime, pouting and huffing in a displeased manner. But their attempts were thwarted by their uncle, who had a mischievous grin on his face.

“Your papa is right kiddos, it’s already late and all the good little boys must go to sleep. Unless you wish to fall victims to the monster that eats naughty children!” Letting out a playful roar, their uncle picked up Vitale, acting as if trying to munch on the boy’s little arm.

“Eww! Uncle Dante that is gross!” V giggled as he pushed his uncle’s face away from him, failing to make him stop his antics. Finally giving in, Dante lowered him on his respective bed before making his way to the door, letting his older brother tuck his nephews in.

“Now what do we say, my dears?” The monarch asked, giving his sons an expectant look while a warm smile blooms on his face.

“Good night uncle Dante!”

“G’night kiddos. See you tomorrow Verge.” The young prince smiled back at them, and with a salute, he retired to his own chambers for the night.

As Vergil tucked his sons under the soft covers however, his keen eye could notice Nero fidgeting a bit in his bed.

“Is something troubling you, Nero?”

The boy jumped at the abrupt question, hesitating for a few seconds before answering.

“Uhm, earlier you said that tomorrow we could do anything we wanted, so...” Looking down to avoid his father’s intense stare, the young boy took a deep breath before continuing. “Remember our friend (Y/N)?”

Vergil raised an eyebrow in confusion. These last weeks his children would mention her quite often, even though he knew about her existence before they even mentioned the name to him. He indeed recognized and appreciated all the good things this woman had done for the brothers, and it would be a blatant lie to say he wasn’t grateful for her kindness and hospitality. However, he couldn’t help but feel concerned after hearing Nero bringing up her name.

“I do recall her. Something you wish to tell me about it?”

The older brother glanced at Vitale at the bed next to his. He seemed unsure as to what to say, until a silent nod from V gave him the push he needed to speak out.

“Well, V and I were wondering if… we could invite her for dinner tomorrow?”

………………….

Another day, and yet the same routine.

Waking up, getting ready, cooking breakfast for your father and preparing all the goods to be sold at the market before departing.

That’s how it has been for some years now, and yet something felt different.

Lately you’ve been smiling more. Everytime you cooked, you would hum a cheery song to yourself. Your plants and crops would receive more kind words from you than usual, which resulted in better harvests, and therefore, better sales.

There was no doubt as to why there was more light in your life. Two reasons actually: two adorable little brothers that would often grace you abode with their beaming presence.

It was no surprise to receive a sudden visit from Nero and Vitale, always accompanied by their two animal friends Griffon and Shadow. Those afternoons became your favorites, when you welcomed the twins into your garden so they could play as much as their hearts wanted to. On days when you weren’t particularly busy tending to your father, you would join them in their adorable antics and games.

While your father’s attitude had sabotaged your childhood, one that you hoped could have been happier, there was no denying the bond you formed with the twins. Eventually you found yourself going through all your belongings from your childhood that you had locked away inside an aged trunk in your room. And much to your luck, you found some of your old toys still in pristine condition. An idea then hatched in your head, why not share them with Nero and Vitale next time they visited?

As you tended to your garden, you spotted a couple of familiar silhouettes approaching your family’s chateau, which brought a bright smile to your face. It seemed today they decided to drop by earlier than usual, nevertheless you still welcomed the brothers into your yard.

“(Y/N)!” They exclaimed simultaneously as they ran to you, wrapping you into a warm hug as soon as you kneeled down to their height.

“Is the bad man at home?” V whispered into your ear.

“The bad man is sleeping. Don’t worry about him.” You winked at both brothers before ushering them in and towards the garden, glancing around to make sure your father wasn’t around.

Every time you would always make sure to keep the brothers hidden from your father. It was for the best, as you figured it must not be healthy to expose such innocent children to a volatile and constantly inebriated man like him.

“So what do I owe this unexpected visit? You arrived quite earlier than usual today.”

“Actually, we came here to invite you to our house.” Nero announced in a cheerful tone.

V nodded before completing his brother’s words “We asked our father and he said he wanted to meet you. So he wishes for you to come and have dinner with us.”

“Oh…” Needless to say, the request took you by surprise. “Well I do appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure if I could really go. I don’t want to be a bother there, and I still have some chores to do here.”

A frown crossed the twin’s faces “Please (Y/N). We promise you will not be a bother, we really want you to go.” V pleaded, immediately followed by Nero.

“Yes, and we could play and have so much fun! Plus, we can show you our home and you can meet all our family and friends.”

“But…”

“Pretty pleeeease?”

‘Oh, be still my heart.’ you internally struggled as you witnessed the cutest and loveliest pair of puppy eyes you had ever seen in your life.

“Alright then” you sighed in defeat. There was no way you could resist the charm of those two. “Let me just change my clothes and we’ll be ready to go.”

“Yay! Thank you (Y/N)!” They jumped up and down in glee, a rather adorable sight for you.

And so you made your way towards your bedroom, leaving the twins in the safety of your garden for them to play while you got ready.

You rummaged through your wardrobe in search of a nice enough dress, if you were about to meet the twins’ family then it was best to dress appropriately and cause a good first impression. You opted for a light blue gown, not too elegant but not too casual, perfect for an afternoon meeting. Searching through your jewelry box, you opted for a pair of pearl earrings, a blue hair ribbon to tie up your hair, and last but not least, a beautiful choker necklace that used to belong to your mother.

The sight of it brought a nostalgic smile to your face. Your fingers lightly traced the small blue rose at the center, the single sapphire drop beneath it reflecting light ever so pretty.

Sitting on your vanity you began working on your hair, combing and styling your locks into a simple but classy updo. However, as you sat there getting ready, you couldn’t help but wonder what kind of family did the brothers have. By the clean outfits they would always wear you figured they must have a wealthy enough family. The thought made you feel nervous, would they approve of you? The daughter of a bankrupt, alcoholic noble with a terrible reputation? A once respected family name now tarnished by the actions of your father, you lamented how things came to be.

With a deep sigh, you tried to shake those feelings off. Your little guests were waiting for you, and you wouldn’t dare let those negative thoughts crush their earlier happiness. It was the least you could do for them, the little lights of your life.

………………….

“You are going to love our home (Y/N)! It’s so pretty and everyone is so nice and kind. Also, Papa has an enormous library! Right V?”

“Yes! It’s my favorite place ever. I can’t wait to show you all the pretty books!”

Nero and V bounced all the way as they pulled at your hands, guiding you to their house.

And yet you couldn’t help but wonder about where the boys lived. Your father’s chateau was quite remote, and not once did you spot another house during your trips to the village. But you shrugged the thoughts away, choosing to instead follow Nero and V while enjoying their company.

That was until you noticed they were leading you towards the dense woods.

“Shouldn’t we take the road instead? The woods could be dangerous and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

But the boys simply shook their heads. “They’re very safe, besides we always take this route.”

“Don’t be scared (Y/N). We promise you it’s going to be okay, you can trust us.” Both twins reassured you,  soothing your doubtful mind. Should it be true they have been crossing the woods to visit you, then danger was nowhere near.

“Alright then. Let’s keep going.”

………………….

A soothing peace lingered on the woodlands. Birds chirped away despite it already being past noon, flowers of all kinds painted the ground in all kinds of patterns and colors, warm rays of sunlight shone through the many tree branches and bathed the earth in a mystical aura.

Never once had you paid attention to the forest near your father’s chateau. Whether it was out of fear of the beasts that could possibly lurk there, or the scary thoughts of getting lost there and never finding your way back home; entering there barely crossed your mind.

And apparently you weren’t the only one who thought so. As vast as it seemed to be, the place appeared as unmarked in every map of the region. Just a big, nameless spot too unimportant to be considered as a landmark by locals and travelers.

So it made sense to ask yourself, as Nero and Vitale brought you along into the unknown, just what kind of family would take interest in living in a place like this?

Staring at Griffon’s figure flying just ahead, you wondered how far you were from home, and just how long you had been here in the heart of nature. It felt like an eternity, and at the same time it felt like only a couple minutes. Now that you thought about it, why did it look like the same scenery repeated over and over? The same trees, the same flowers, the same chirping birds.

What is this place?

“Here we are.” The sound of V’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts. It took a few moments to register where you were, and after blinking a couple times, you took in your surroundings.

Never had you seen something so otherworldly.

A small clearing, barely illuminated by a few rays of sunlight, laid right in front of you. The irregular terrain of the woods had now turned into a layer of soft green grass. But what truly caught your eye was what stood right in the center of the clearing: A lone stone arch was there, tall and covered in moss, looking as if it had witnessed many ancient eras that were now long forgotten.

A dead silence veiled the land, yet the mere presence of the arch weighed so heavy in the air. It almost felt as if it were alive, an ancient being filled with sorrow over being the only surviving structure of a lost kingdom. You found yourself staring at it for a bit too long, not expecting to see something so out of place in this forest.

“C’mon (Y/N)! Our home is right there!” Nero tugged at your hand, taking you towards the stone arch in a hurry.

You were about to ask what he meant, but the words never left your lips as the twins pulled you to the other side.

………………….

There was a fairytale you were fond of when you were a child, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland if you recalled correctly. There was a particular scene you remembered, one where Alice stumbled into a rabbit hole, falling deep down until she found herself in another world.

At this moment in your life, you felt like Alice. Except instead of following a white rabbit into a rabbit hole, you followed two brothers across a stone arch.

You gaped in awe at the scenery before you.

The thick forest you were once in had vanished completely, now replaced by a vibrant city full of life. Everything looked so much different from the little village you knew, from the buildings to the shops and even the clothes people were wearing. You were especially taken back by the strange carriages that ran along the streets, impressed by the fact they moved around by themselves without horses or any other animal pulling them.

Not only did it feel like a different place, but also like a different time.

“Griffon, Shadow, could you please go to our father and inform him of our return?” As V finished his request, what happened almost made you stumble back in shock.

Shadow’s body began transforming into what seemed to be ink, heavy and shapeless, before morphing into a majestic panther with crimson markings glowing all over its body. Meanwhile, Griffon enveloped itself in blue sparks, growing into a demonic avian with three beaks and three golden pupils.

Both creatures, however, meant no harm at all as they bowed before the boys before departing in order to carry V’s order.

You were still staring at their figures disappearing into the crowd when a sudden gruff voice broke you out of your trance.

“I see you have returned safely, Your Highnesses”.

“Hello again mister Morrison. This is our friend (Y/N)!” Vitale greeted back. The man, Morrison, was a dark-skinned gentleman who looked to be in his fifties, impeccably dressed in a three-piece suit.

You weren’t sure if he was a noble or a commoner, if anything the exquisite clothes he dorned seemed to indicate the former. Wanting to be on your best behavior, you curtsied appropriately and introduced yourself to the gentleman before you.

“The famous miss (Y/N) herself. A pleasure meeting the lady that his highnesses have been mentioning about lately.”

‘His highnesses?’

“Uhm, if it is not too inappropriate of me to ask mister Morrison... exactly where am I?”

The man chuckled warmly at your questions. “My apologies milady. We are not exactly used to visitors from outside, I should have been more considerate though.” Morrison took a pause before continuing.

“Welcome to the Great Kingdom of Fortuna, Lady (Y/N).”

………………….

‘Well, talk about unexpected news.’ Said the voice in your mind, still processing what you just learned so far.

You learned that you were in Fortuna, a kingdom that exists in its own dimension, hidden behind a magical barrier. Nero and Vitale were also nobles, the beloved sons of a powerful demon king that reigned over this uncharted land. How mystifying it was to be in a land whose name eluded even the most thorough history lessons you were given since birth.

And now here you were, in one of those horseless carriages you had seen on the streets just minutes ago, on the way to meet the Demon King himself. Both twins kept giving you apologetic looks, their poor souls not expecting your reaction to be so flabbergasted.

Still, you kept reassuring them that it was nothing to worry about. There was no way their innocent minds would have taken that into account.

But now you found your mind drifting to what could be waiting for you at the castle. Judging by the recent events you had gone through on the same day, there was no way this day could become any more unusual.

………………….

His fingers ran through his hair for what had to be the hundredth time that day, despite it already being as pristine as always. Vergil sighed in frustration as a few bangs fell out of place and over his forehead, his bad habit of slicking back his hair already making matters worse.

“Hey now, cut yourself some slack bro.” Dante tried to cheer his brother up, brushing back his bangs into their proper place.

“Shall I remind you how this was basically your idea, brother?” He gave a deadly glare towards Dante once he stepped back.

When his sons had suggested inviting that woman to the palace, he was taken completely by surprise. Ever since the day Vergil had decided to isolate Fortuna from the rest of the world, the idea of welcoming an outsider has been completely out of discussion.

As much as he trusted (Y/N) with his children, and as much as Nero and Vitale insisted and sobbed, his decision was absolute.

‘But papa, she lives with a bad man. Her father is evil and cruel to her.’

‘But father, we love playing with her. We want to protect her from the bad man.’

He could see it, the true meaning carried within the tears that cascaded down his sons’ faces. They only wished to make her happy, get her away from the sad reality that was dealing with a drunken parent all the time, even if just for a day.

Of course Vergil understood, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t moved by their sweet intentions. However, he just couldn’t risk not only his family’s safety, but also his kingdom’s.

And then his annoying little brother intervened.

How did he manage to convince him? Nobody would ever know, least not Vergil himself.

“I’m just trying to help here. Besides, this (Y/N) girl doesn’t seem that bad so what’s the problem of letting one outsider in?”

Vergil grunted, becoming more unamused by Dante’s words by the second. He was about to retort when his brother rudely interrupted him.

“Or maybe the reason you are nervous is because you always look at her image like a love-struck puppy.”

At his words the king became paler than a ghost. “I’m not sure what you are talking about.” He cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his own insecurity.

“Don’t think for a second I haven’t seen you watching over her and the little ones with your magic.” Dante winked in an amused manner.

Feelings for that woman? Ridiculous. Sure she may look identical to his late queen, and her mannerisms may be almost the same, but his beloved was long gone. And yet Vergil couldn’t help the way (Y/N)’s image tugged at his heart.

No. There must not be any feelings whatsoever. (Y/N) was just an outsider and that was it. Even if his brother kept bothering him about it.

………………….

As you stepped into the majestic palace, you were rendered speechless by its luxurious interior.

Immaculate walls decorated with elegant and almost endless columns, their architecture like no other you had ever imagined. Not a single stain or speck of dust could be seen on the white and dark blue marble floor, and all the furniture pieces looked to be designed and handmade by master craftsmen.

Your gaze fell on the grand staircase at the center of the entry hall when you heard a door opening, the sound making all the servants bow at the figure that had entered the room.

The Blue Eyed King himself had entered. A gentleman dressed in an elegant navy blue suit, perfectly tailored and made with the richest fabric money could afford. His chiseled face was strong and defined, like a greek marble statue come to life. His luscious white hair was slicked back, not a single hair out of place. To complete his outfit, a matching tailcoat dorned his frame, decorated in a regal silver brocade that resembled wild briars enveloping his figure in exquisite patterns.

Everything about the king’s appearance exuded perfection and beauty, but what really caught your attention were his eyes. They were an icy blue, sharp and piercing like a deadly sword. Those were not the eyes of a human but of a demon, one with the power to make entire legions kneel and submit with a single glare.

Needless to say, the king’s mere presence intimidated you. And when his eyes connected with yours for an instant, you swore your heart stopped. Whether it was out of fear or wonder, you weren’t sure.

That was until the children at your sides started giggling.

“Papa!” The brothers ran towards their father with their little arms open.

And just like that, the demon in his eyes vanished. Kneeling down, the monarch welcomed his sons into his arms, a gentle smile breaking the cold stoicism that once rested on his face. Gone was the sharp look he had just seconds ago, now replaced with a warm light at the sight of his beloved children.

You couldn’t help but smile at them. However, when the king stood back up with the twins in hand, you were quick to regain your posture.

“Lady (Y/N), I present you King Vergil Sparda, ruler of the Great Kingdom of Fortuna.” In the most refined and formal manner, Morrison introduced his lord, before gesturing at the brothers. “His sons, Prince Nero Sparda and Prince Vitale Sparda.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty.” You curtsied, now regretting your choice of attire. A more formal dress would have been more appropriate for the occasion, but then again, you definitely didn’t expect to meet a King on this particular day. A sigh almost escaped your lips, and you dared to hope no one took notice of the gesture.

“The pleasure is mine, Lady (Y/N). I am glad you have accepted our invitation, Nero and Vitale have told me a lot about you recently.”

The children nodded in agreement. “Father, can we go play with (Y/N) now? Please?” Vitale gave a timid pull at his father’s sleeve.

“We want to show (Y/N) the castle!” Nero added with an adorable bounce.

“No little ones. Dinner is almost served and we don’t want to be late.” Vergil responded in a most gentle manner, yet firm enough to get his point across.

Both twins looked like they were about to protest when their poor stomachs rumbled in hunger, prompting you to let out a soft laugh.

Kneeling down to their level, you patted their heads lovingly. “Now my children, we’ll have all the time to play whatever you want after eating. For now let’s get you something to eat, hm?”

“And then we get to play together?” Again, the boys try to sway you with those irresistible puppy eyes of them.

“As much as you two want.”

The children would have taken off on a race to the dining hall if it weren’t for Morrison who stopped them in their tracks. The twins’ antics coaxed a laugh out of you, and out of the corner of your eye, you caught the king himself letting out a low chuckle. But the moment he acknowledged your staring, he couldn’t help but blush a bit.

“Please excuse my sons’ behavior.” He cleared his throat. “Recently they have begun their training in etiquette protocols, but i’m afraid they continue to ignore them each time I’m present.”

You shook your head to reassure him “Do not apologize, Your Majesty. Such an attitude must mean they see you as a loving father rather than a ruler, a person far greater than any royal in the eyes of a child, don’t you think?”

“An interesting point indeed.” Vergil hummed, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. For a second he looked like his mind was in conflict despite the cordial smile on his face, but he was quick to shrug it off. “Please allow me to lead you to the dining hall. You must be feeling hungry after your trip from home.”

The King proceeded to offer you a gloved hand. His eyes remained fixated on you, looking as if they were piercing into your very soul.

A bit hesitant, you accepted his offer, your soft palm soon enveloped by his warm fingers. On your way to the dining hall, the pink tint decorating your cheeks never once left.

………………….

All kinds of delicacies lined the grand table in front of you, trays filled with the most delicious looking food you had ever seen.

It took you by surprise when the monarch gestured to the seat at the right of his.

“I thank you for the invitation, your Majesty. However, I do not consider myself worthy of sitting at your right side.”

“Quite the contrary, Lady (Y/N). Nero and Vitale have told me of what you have done for them, and they requested for me to invite you to our palace. This feast was prepared as a show of my gratitude for the kindness you have given my children.”

The twins smiled at you. Knowing this was their idea warmed your heart to no end.

“I.. I don’t know what to say, your Majesty, except... Thank you for your generosity.”

Vergil offered you a smile before taking his seat at the head of the table, while his beloved sons were seated at his left side.

You sat at the king’s right, feeling nervous to take such an important place at a royal’s table. However, you were even further surprised to see that the rest of the servitude, including mister Morrison, occupied the seats too. In the countless times your family was invited to a noble’s house, never were the servants allowed to sit at the same table as the patrons.

Nero took notice of your expression and immediately understood your confusion. “Years ago, we told Papa we didn’t like the table to be so empty every time we ate, so we requested him to let all our friends sit with us too.” He explained, whispering loud enough for you to hear him.

Vergil smiled with fondness at the memory before adding “It has become a tradition since then.”

It seems not only were they a light in your life, but to everyone that met them.

“By the way,” Vitale looked around as if searching for something “Where is uncle Dante?”

‘Uncle Dante?’

“Hello family! Sorry for being late!” A boisterous yell resounded across the dining hall.

Turning around, you noticed a man who looked identical to King Vergil, and yet the energy he radiated couldn’t be more opposite to that of the monarch. His hair looked tousled, a contrast to the king’s slicked back hair. He sported a bit of a stubble, and the suit he wore as well as his tailcoat were a striking red.

The man you assumed to be Dante was about to take his seat at the table when his eyes noticed you.

“Oh! you must be Lady (Y/N), sorry for my rude entry.” As Dante approached, you stood back up to offer a polite curtsy. “I am Dante Sparda. It is an honour to finally make your acquaintance, milady.”

The noble offered you a wide smile, taking your hand in a gentle hold before planting a chaste kiss on your knuckles.

“The honour is mine, Prince Dante.” Your response was a bit bashful to the mannerisms of the noble before you, so you opted for a polite smile before sitting back down.

“So what are we eating on this fine day?” Walking around the table, Dante sat himself beside the twins, who immediately jumped to his arms.

Turning to the monarch, however, his reaction was far from the joyous one the boys had. In any case, he looked more like the demon you had seen the moment you first saw him.

“Please excuse my younger brother, Lady (Y/N). Unlike my sons, Dante never had a problem with ignoring the proper etiquette.”

Trying your best to ignore the deadly look Vergil was giving his brother, you proceeded to eat the meal in front of you with a low giggle, just like Nero and V in front of you.

………………….

“Aww can’t you stay for a little longer (Y/N)?” Nero gave a sad frown.

As much as you would have loved to stay with them, the sun was already setting down in the horizon. You still needed to care for your father back home and prepare everything for tomorrow’s sale at the market.

“I’m afraid I can’t, little ones. But you are free to drop by my father’s chateau whenever you want.” You pulled the boys into a tight hug.

Footsteps reached your ears, and rising your head, you noticed that the Blue Eyed King was approaching you.

“Are you sure you wish to leave Lady (Y/N)? You are welcome to stay in Fortuna and at my palace as long as you need too.”

You offered the king a polite shake of your head. “You are very generous, your Majesty. However, I do not want to cause any more inconveniences to your family and your staff. Besides, it’s getting late and I have a few matters to attend at home.”

As you gave a warm smile, the monarch’s mind was once again transported to past memories long thought to be overcome.

‘There must not be any feelings whatsoever.’ He reminded himself, before banishing those memories from his mind.

“In that case, please follow me.”

As you were being led through the many halls of the castle, you eventually reached the royal garden. Flowers and exotic plants decorated the place, all of them aligned in impeccable designs and nurtured as best as possible. At the center of it all, was a structure that was already familiar to you. A stone arch, this one surrounded by a bed of breath-taking blue roses.

“This portal can take you back to your home.” Vergil began explaining. “Picture in your mind the place you wish to go to, and once you step inside you shall be taken there. Afterwards, the portal will close behind you, and you will notice that time will not have changed since your arrival at Fortuna. You are welcome to visit the castle as many times as you wish.”

You turned to the monarch a bit incredulous. Have you heard correctly? The King himself had just invited you to return anytime you wanted. You would be lying if you said the warm treatment you received that day wasn’t unwelcomed, after having to support yourself and your father on your own all your life this was a rather pleasant change.

“Your Majesty, I-I can’t describe how grateful I am for your hospitality. However, I’m still not sure how I’ll be able to find the way back to this place again.”

At your doubts, Vergil kindly answered “As long as your heart wishes to, the way shall always reveal itself to you. And as long as you have something from your own timeline with you,” he then gestured at the choker that decorated your neck. “You shall always find your way back home.”

You were about to say something when the King reached for your hand, holding it gently and raising it to his lips before placing a soft kiss on the knuckles. Each and every word died before leaving your lips, the feeling of Vergil’s pillowing lips on your hand taking your breath away.

His eyes fluttered open, his gorgeous eyes now fixated on yours as his lips parted from the back of your hand. All you could do was avert your eyes, a rosy blush tainting your cheeks. Never in your life had you felt so bashful, and as much as you wanted to hide your sudden shyness nothing seemed to work. So instead you turned to the children, getting down on one knee before them.

“I promise you we’ll get to play another time, alright?”

After one last hug from them, you stood back up and crossed the portal, departing back home.

………………….

Everything was exactly the way it was when you left, even your father who still remained inside his chambers in a deep slumber as usual.

WIthout any further ado, you continued with your daily activities. Tomorrow will be another day, and yet the same routine awaited you as any other day before.

Waking up, getting ready, cooking breakfast for your father and preparing all the goods to be sold at the market before departing.

That’s how it has been for some years now, but now something was definitely different.

Your thoughts drifted to Nero and Vitale, and then to King Vergil.

‘Maybe I should drop by again in a few days…’

[harlot-of-oblivion]

A Lotus In Full Bloom (Part 9)

Vergil finally confronts his feelings for his lovely rose while you untangle the thorns from around your darling devil’s heart.

It’s finally here! Hope ya’ll are ready for some angst, comforting fluff, and all the romance! 🌹😍🌹

Here’s the link to the list of all the flowers featured in this part 🌺😊🌺

If someone had told Vergil over two decades ago that he would not only be a father but also be in his son’s wedding, he would’ve laughed in their face before calling them a fool. But now, here he is checking over his suit for the big day that is only two days away. And he isn’t just part of the wedding party…he’s all set to surprise the happy couple with a violin performance during their first dance with a little help from his lovely rose.

The thought of you summons that warm feeling in his chest as he zips the garment bag up before putting it back in his closet. Both of you have met every single day since the beach party, tirelessly practicing together in your music room until late at night. You still think that your piano skills are woefully inadequate, but he has the utmost confidence in your abilities. He knows that you can perform this unique gift for his son and future daughter-in-law with him.

There’s only enough time for one more practice session before the rehearsal dinner tomorrow, Vergil thought as he finished getting ready in his room. He glances over to the hidden box underneath his bed, reminding himself to pick some fresh flowers for you before heading over to your place. The pit of his stomach drops a little at the thought, knowing deep down that he will no doubt give you the blooms without a verbal confession despite his best efforts to do so this entire week.

Ever since he shared that intimate moment with you among the waves, he has felt this sickening swirl building up inside him; it grows stronger and stronger the more time he spends with you. And every time he intends to finally confess, it crawls up his throat and stifles his words to a mere quiet gasp of frustration. He honestly does not know what’s come over him; what could possibly be stopping a Son of Sparda from admitting his intentions aloud? The very notion of hesitating at all is maddening…and today is his last chance to tell you how he truly feels before both of you get swept up in the final preparations for the wedding.

Vergil looks over at the wall mirror by his bedroom door, giving himself a nod of approval in the reflection before grabbing the Yamato. I won’t hesitate this time, my lovely rose, he vows with a determined huff while exiting his room. It only takes him a few long strides down the hall to turn around the corner by the staircase. And it is there where he comes upon a strange sight: an oafish buffoon that bears a striking resemblance to his little brother is lying across the couch in the shop’s office, groaning loudly while covering his eyes with one arm.

How…curious, he thought with a quirked brow as he descended the stairs. Dante doesn’t even acknowledge the sound of his soft footfalls nor the occasional creaks of the wood on some of the steps. Vergil rolls his eyes at his brother’s overly dramatic display, but he cannot resist asking about his little farce. “And what, pray tell, has you groaning like a stricken cow?” he snidely inquires, pausing by the foot of the stairs as he waits for his brother’s answer.

Dante turns his head and peeks up from behind his arm. “Have you kissed Buttercup yet?”

Vergil’s jaw hardens into a harsh scowl. “What I do while in the company of Y/N is none of your concern.”

“Unbelievable,” Dante mutters under his breath with a shake of his head. “She’s totally in love with you and you’re blowing it!” he exclaims, waving both arms in the air before letting them flop back down on the couch with a frustrated sigh.

Vergil scoffs at his brother’s attempt to pry into his personal life as he walks behind the desk. “I don’t see how our relationship is any of your business.”

Dante grunts as he sits up on the couch. “Just listen to your brother for once, Verg,” he requests sincerely, voice dropping down into a serious tone. “You gotta make your move soon before she gets the wrong idea.”

The familiar sickening swirl starts to coalesce deep within his belly. “The wrong idea about what?” Vergil asks stubbornly, trying his best to ignore the thick lump forming in his throat as he stares down his brother from across the room.

“Do I really need to spell it out for ya?” Dante asks incredulously as he leans back against his seat. “Man, Buttercup’s really got her work cut out for her,” he sighs with a disappointed frown, crossing one ankle atop his knee while stretching his arms out on the back of the couch as he continues talking. “Being strung along by my dumbass brother, who can’t even admit his own feelings and JUST KISS HER ALREADY!”

Vergil’s brow twitches irritably at his brother’s rowdy voice as it bellows through the shop. He can feel a surly retort forming on the tip of his tongue but just before he can spit it out, the subtle movement of something shifting out of place catches his eye. His head tilts inquisitively as he leans over and peers down behind the radiator, spotting a very gaudy piece of poster board that depicts what looks to be some sort of seaside scenery. But what really grabs his attention is the huge bold letters that make up the header of this poster:

OPERATION: GET DUMBASS BROTHER AND BUTTERCUP TOGETHER

“Dante…” he growls, feeling every last ounce of his composure turning to dust as he reaches for the poster. He pulls it out from its poor hiding place, silently seething as he reads the intricate instructions detailing some of the events that played out during the beach party. “What’s the meaning of this?” he demands, turning the poster around and pointing at the childish drawing of two stick figures holding hands with a deathly glower.

His brother has the audacity to shrug his shoulders defensively. “Whaaaaat? You needed a little push in the right direction and I just-”

“You insufferable wretch!”

Dante grunts as a couple of summoned swords pierce his chest, effectively cutting him off as the offending poster gets shredded by the blue ripple of a small Judgement Cut. “I know you’ve always loved meddling with my private affairs, but you better tread carefully, little brother…” Vergil stalks over to the couch and looms over his brother as he finishes his venomous warning. “I’m in no mood for your foolishness!”

“Maybe if you weren’t so helpless when it comes to romance, you wouldn’t need my help putting your tulips together!” Dante remarks bluntly through gritted teeth, clutching his chest as he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Look, I know that you somehow managed to nail at least one other lady back in the day, but that doesn’t mean-”

Vergil’s entire body becomes rigid as he draws back from the couch, averting his fierce gaze towards a messy corner of the shop. Dante stops short at the sudden yet subtle shift in his overall demeanor. The air becomes still and eerily quiet since the shop is absent of the jukebox’s abhorrent music for once…until one of them breaks the silence.

“Wait a minute,” Dante murmurs, resting both hands on his knees while looking up at him suspiciously. “Are you afraid of telling her?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Vergil scoffs, barely giving his brother a passing glance as the sickening swirl starts churning in the pit of his stomach.

“Holy shit,” Dante whispers, eyes widening in shock as he keeps goading him into talking more. “You really are afraid, aren’t ya?”

Vergil glares down at his little brother. “I’m no such thing!” he snarls, lips twisting into a bitter grimace while his fists ball up impatiently, one clenching around the Yamato tightly while the other pulls his leather glove taut over his knuckles.

Dante snorts with a nod of his head. “Really? Then why haven’t you swept her off her feet yet, huh?” he inquires with a knowing smirk that only grows wider at the stoic silence that answers his question. “Something’s holding you back…I can tell,” he sighs wearily, crossing his arms and leaning back against the couch again. “So, what’s scaring you off from a total babe like Buttercup?” he wonders aloud, scratching his scruffy chin while staring up at the grody ceiling in thought.

“I will eviscerate you on the spot if you don’t cease this infuriating conversation immediately!” Vergil commands with a vicious growl, lifting the Yamato to show his thumb at the ready below the hilt.

“If it’s really about making the first move, then you can’t say I didn’t try to help!” Dante points out with a wave of his hand, completely ignoring his final warning as he persists with his nosy musings. “C’mon, Verg…talk to me. Are ya afraid of commitment? Or maybe you’re scared she’ll reject-”

Vergil feels the last shred of his self-control snap as he pops the handle up with a loud metallic click. Then, he teleports in front of his brother before sinking the Yamato deep within his gut. Dante grunts from the inflicted pain as he struggles to move, but the sword’s razor-sharp edge has him pinned to the back of the couch. “I’ve had enough of your mindless chatter!” he fumes, giving his blade a grinding twist before withdrawing it with a furious growl.

Dante hisses and doubles over on the couch, clutching his belly while groaning in agony. Vergil pays his brother no mind as he flicks the Yamato clean before sheathing the blade, not caring about making an even bigger mess of the shop as he turns away from his brother. “I’m going for a walk,” he barks while marching over towards the entryway, “and if you know what’s good for you…” He pauses with his hand on the door handle.

“You will not follow me.”

And with those final cautionary words, he jerks the door open and stomps out of the shop in an awfully foul mood. He quickly steps down the stairs before unsheathing the Yamato once more. The faint rumble of thunder booms across the sky as he opens a portal to anywhere but here. His keen ears hear the shop door swing open just as he walks through the portal and some gruff cursing as it seals shut behind him.  

Vergil finds himself standing in some sparse woodlands. He has no idea where he is exactly, and he does not care to find out. The only thing occupying his thoughts now is the pure unbridled rage running through his body like a wildfire in the dead of a blistering cold night. And with no one around to witness the crack in his carefully constructed façade of cool composure…the devil inside him roars and claws beneath his skin as this white hot anger fully consumes him, triggering the transformation of his other demonic form with a loud snarl.

The leaves of the surrounding trees tremble at the force of his demonic power as it rushes through the woods. His scorching hot breath comes out in aggravated puffs as he waits for the anger to subside, but his brother’s false assumptions keep ringing through his mind…making his blood boil even hotter as he takes to the air. How dare he make such foolish claims…fear doesn’t suit a Son of Sparda! he seethes while zooming over the scattered canopy of trees.

Then why haven’t you swept her off her feet yet, huh?

Dante’s astute observation strikes at the heart of the matter just as a streak of lightning flashes through the sky. The sickening swirl is back and stronger than ever as it coils into a nauseous knot deep within his gut, forcing him to halt his furious flight as thunder crashes down all around him with a loud crack. He hovers amid the charged air, hoping that the rumbling roll of the oncoming storm would drown out the maddening thoughts of his mind…but the persistent voice of his brother keeps chipping away at his resolve.    

Holy shit…You really are afraid, aren’t ya?

Something’s holding you back…I can tell.

Are ya afraid of commitment? Or maybe you’re scared she’ll reject-

Vergil lets out a tormented roar, no longer able to stand the torrent of thoughts whirling in his head. The distorted tone of his suffering melds with the deafening boom of thunder as the sky finally breaks open. He stares up at the dark clouds and as the heavy drops of summer rain douse his armored face, he cannot help but think of the day he first spoke to you…how he found you standing in the rain moments after you brazenly bloomed before his very eyes. You were the image of pure tranquility…staring up at the sky while your lovely face glistened in the sprinkling rain.

The very thought of you drains every bit of his bitter anger out of him…leaving only misery and regret in its wake. He slowly descends towards an open area of the woodlands, no longer feeling up to flying away from the truth. His demonic form fades away with a quick flash as soon as he lands, kneeling upon the wet and grassy ground with a dull thud. The heavy rainfall immediately soaks through his slicked back hair and signature coat now that the thick armor plating is gone. But he hardly notices his drenched state while the thunderstorm raging on above, dejectedly hanging his head as he finally faces the truth buried deep within his tangled briars.

I’m afraid of getting hurt...again.

The hurtful memory of his mother leading Dante by the hand away from danger flashes before his eyes. He remembers seeing them enter the manor together from the playground…leaving him behind with the demons running amok. It was on that fateful day that he first felt the sting of rejection…being abandoned by his mother and watching her save his brother shaped his ruthless outlook on life for years to come. And even though he now knows that she not only turned back but died trying to save him…it still does not erase the pain he went through while enduring his past trauma and all the trials and tribulations thereafter.

I’m afraid of being rejected…again.

Vergil clenches his fists as another unwelcome memory comes to taunt him. He squeezes his eyes shut, hoping to bury the image of a woman clad in red back into the deeper recesses of his mind. What a strange twist of misfortune…he can recall the day she spurned his offer to stay with her, and yet he cannot even remember her face nor any other details about the mother of his only son! And with that little tryst, he learned a harsh yet necessary truth: rejection is inevitable when you’re a Son of Sparda.

But knowing a truth does not mean you have to accept it, my darling devil.

The sweet lilt of your voice shakes him out of his brooding thoughts, bringing him back down to the present. Even when you are not there with him…you know exactly what to say to pull him back from the darkest part of his crumbling soul. He blinks and wipes away droplets of rain from his eyes, but the relentless downpour of the storm blows against his gloomy face as he picks himself up from the grassy ground. The painful memories of his past slowly recede as he wanders aimlessly through the marshy woodlands, completely despondent while a litany of self-loathing spins uncontrollably around in his head.

How can a prickly devil such as myself ever be worthy of her love and affection?

I have nothing to offer her except torment and despair…

There’s no sense in delaying the inevitable.

After all, I’d only be a burden to her if I kept denying what I’ve always known since the beginning of our unlikely relationship...

I’m unworthy of the lovely rose that has bloomed within my heart.

His sulking spell comes to a screeching halt when the faint glimmer of a pink flower catches his eye. He suddenly becomes aware of surroundings; the thunderstorm has dwindled down to a light shower and the sky has grown dark with the approaching night. But the total loss of time doesn’t fully sink in as he moves in closer towards a peaceful pond, feeling drawn to the exquisite blossom upon its serene surface.  

Whenever you find yourself consumed by despair…remember the spirit of the lotus.

The soothing tone of your voice drowns out his dreadful contemplation. He recalls the day he heard those wise words pass from your lips…he shared a meal with you for the very first time among the beautiful blooms of your garden. A lotus begins its existence in the dark and murky depths, your charming voice continues to ring through his head as he wades through the pond towards the lone lotus. For it to fully bloom it must endure those harsh conditions, pushing through the mud and the muck as it rises towards clearer waters. He reaches down and cups the elegant bloom with both of his hands while your flowery anecdote ends on a happy and hopeful note.

Eventually, its resilience pays off when the lotus breaks through the surface and its petals slowly unfurl to soak up the rays of the sun for the very first time.

Vergil summons a sword and carefully cuts the lone lotus from the pond. I may have missed the practice session…but perhaps this will make up for my tardiness, he surmises while storing the lotus inside his soaking wet coat before calling for the Yamato. He finds himself facing one last truth as he opens a portal just outside the gate behind your house:

You may be better off without him…but he simply can’t let go of the lovely rose that has miraculously bloomed within his briars.

                    -----------------------------------------------------

You’ve had a pretty hectic week since the beach party: between putting together all the floral arrangements and many musical interludes with Vergil, you’ve been busier than a bee in the spring. And you’re only going to be buzzing around even harder now that the big day is only two days away! All of your time today was spent doing last minute preparations before the wedding rehearsal, making sure all the flowers are accounted for before being delivered, and squeezing in one last practice session before the imminent chaos of a wedding frenzy.

Well, that was the plan anyway, but then Vergil didn’t show up on the agreed time, which struck you as very odd…he’s always been so punctual and has even been cross with you on a couple occasions whenever he had to wait for you to join him! You tried calling his cellphone after waiting for a while, thinking that maybe he just got delayed or something…but there was no answer. And there must not be anyone at the shop either since nobody picked up the phone there either.

Your gut tells you that something is wrong, but you’re at a loss of what to do about it. You thought about contacting either Kyrie or Nero, but the soon-to-be wedded couple already have enough on her mind. Plus, you do not want to add any unnecessary stress if it turns out to be nothing at all. So, you decide to just keep an eye on your phone while putting the finishing touches on the dress you’ve made especially for the happy occasion.

I hope he’s okay, you thought, worrying your lower lip while reinforcing the floral embroidery with a needle and some thread. You try to stay focused on the task at hand, but your mind keeps going back to your darling devil. Vergil has become such a huge part of your everyday life ever since that fateful rainy day in the book café. It feels so empty without his familiar presence near you now…always watching from the corner of his eye with a soft smile or sharing a favorite passage from a beloved book. And even though your romantic feelings haven’t technically been reciprocated aloud, you know that your affection has taken root and with a little more patience…just a little more…

Another roll of distant thunder echoes through the room as the storm finally lets up, but now it has gotten dark outside. Your eyes flicker over to check the time on a nearby clock and see that you have missed dinner…by six hours! Sweet basil, I should really pay more attention! you berate yourself while cutting the thread with your teeth. You stick your sewing needle into a stuffed rose bud that serves as your pin cushion and gather up all the spare scrapes of tulle, lace, and satin. As you hang up the dress, you note that it’s so close to being complete; all it needs is some minor fixes and a good steaming before it’s ready for the wedding.

You sigh and head downstairs for a belated dinner, wondering if you should heat up some leftovers or just make a sandwich with some veggie chips. By the time you get to the kitchen, you’ve made up your mind and open the fridge to take out your homemade chicken salad with grapes and pecans. Your stomach growls impatiently as you grab a couple slices of ciabatta bread and put this simple meal together on a plate. You add some salt and vinegar zucchini chips to the plate before pouring yourself a tall glass of iced hibiscus tea.

“There…now it’s time to eat, drink, and be rosemary!” you cheer, softly giggling to yourself while taking your meal to the small dining table across from the kitchen.

You set your plate down before pulling a chair out, but the sudden ringing of your doorbell stops you from taking your seat. Huh…that’s strange, you muse with a curious tilt of your head, it’s a bit late for receiving visitors. You bite your lower lip and twirl a stray lock of your hair around your fingers while considering your options: it would be rude to not answer the door…after all, it could be someone in need of help! But then you remember the worried face of your darling devil that day in your garden when the demons attacked, recalling the promise you made to not put yourself into any possible danger ever again…

The doorbell rings once more and you finally decide to see who it could possibly be since it seems they have no intention of leaving. And besides, it could be Vergil, you reason while making your way down the hall. And he could even be hurt! you add in panic, picking up the pace until coming to a halt just on the other side of the front door. You take a quick peek through the tiny peephole and your starving stomach drops at the sight of a familiar stoic face on the other side of the door.

“What in carnation!” you gasp in shock before ripping the front door open. “Vergil? What are you doing out so late in this rain?”

The devil in question just silently stands there looking sullen and soaking wet as he glances down at you. His icy blue eyes are filled to the brim with melancholy and unspoken regret. And his perfectly styled white hair is now disheveled and framing his sodden face. He shows no sign of hearing your inquiry and continues to stare down at you quietly. You do not know what may have happened, but whatever it is…it’s shaken him to the core, and you will not idly stand by while your darling devil suffers alone.

“Here,” you whisper while offering your hand, “come inside.”

Vergil seems to ponder for a moment while his eyes dart down towards your hands. Then, he raises one gloved hand and places it upon your own warm and welcoming palm. You gently guide him inside your home, noting how cold and damp his skin is as you close the front door. “Alright,” you sigh in relief now that he is safe within the comforting walls of your home. “Now, you need some dry clothes to change into since you’re absolutely drenched!” you explain with a sweet and cheery grin.

You start to walk towards the stairs, but the slight tugging on your hands stops you in your tracks. “Don’t worry,” you murmur, looking back over your shoulder at the man who not only stole your heart, but also needs your help right now. “Let me take care of you, Vergil,” you plead quietly, reassuring him with a soft squeeze of your hand. The spark of concern within his eyes recedes as he nods his head in consent.

Your lips curl into a gracious smile as you lead him up the stairs and straight towards your bedroom. You hope that he doesn’t notice the mess in his distressed state as you usher him into your adjoining bathroom. “I’m gonna scrounge up some spare clothes while you dry off,” you explain with a gentle nod of your head. “And feel free to the shower if you want,” you suggest while pointing to one corner of your bathroom. “There should be some soap and shampoo already in there.”

Vergil looks at the glass doors of your shower and back at you before rubbing the back of your hand in understanding with his thumb. You squeeze his hand one last time before backing away towards the door. “Just uh…put your wet clothes right outside the door and I’ll take care of them,” you inform while stepping out of the bathroom, trying hard to not let your mind wander into more steamy territory. “And I’ll uh…leave those spare clothes just outside the door for you, okay?”

You give one last encouraging smile before closing the bathroom door. Your mind starts to race as you rush over to the closet and start frantically searching for anything that comes close to being his size. But all you can find is an oversized T-shirt and some baggy cotton pants that you sometimes wear to bed. Hmm…they might fit, you ponder before tossing them onto your bed along with a floral satin bathrobe you spot hanging on your vanity mirror. Then, you scurry down the upstairs hall and open the door to your childhood room, remembering that you had a large quantity of flowery fabric that you once used to make some curtains.

This will do nicely if all else fails! you reckon with a crafty grin while cutting a huge section of the fabric off the spool. You fold it up nicely and head back to your bedroom to put it with the assortment of clothing by the bathroom door. A pile of soggy blue clothes is waiting right outside the door just as you requested, so you quickly drop off the dry clothes and carefully gather up his signature coat, vest, leather pants, boots, gloves…

Your eyes widen when you realize that there isn’t any underwear to be found. You look towards the bathroom door just as the shower turns on and you find yourself thinking about all the times you spent together, wondering if he had always…you can’t even finish the thought without blushing. There’s no time for dilly-dallying! you reprimanded yourself with a shake of your head before marching out of your bedroom and back downstairs to take care of Vergil’s wet clothes.

You zoom by the belated dinner that is still waiting for you on the small dining table, but you ignore it for now and open the door to the laundry room. As you place the pile of clothes on top of the dryer, you catch a whiff of what smells like the lake in your hometown: murky and a little bit musty with a hint of fresh rain. Did he go swimming in the middle of that thunderstorm? you wonder while sorting through the wet clothes. You decide to at least wash his signature coat and hang the rest up to dry since they need special treatment to get clean.

It only takes you a couple seconds to check the pockets before putting his coat into the washer with a scoop of laundry detergent. Then, you dig up a few hangers lying around before hanging up the rest of his clothes except for his boots, which go underneath your ironing board to prevent any tripping. You walk out of the laundry room and your stomach growls impatiently as you pass by your neglected dinner again…but the sudden thought of preparing a place for Vergil to sleep delays your meal for just a bit longer as you rush back upstairs.

The only other bedroom you have is your old childhood room, but it’s more of a supply closet now for various things. And your mother’s small and quaint library would work if it weren’t for all the dust plus the lack of furniture. So, that only leaves your room or the couch in your living room…you can already feel your cheeks heating up at the thought of inviting Vergil to share your bed. But your heart tells you that despite the tempting opportunity, now is not the time to pull such a risky move since it’s obvious that something is troubling him…and you’re going to help soothe his sorrowful soul.

You enter your room and notice that the shower is no longer running as you head towards the closet again. And as you walk back out with an arm full of pillows and blankets, you note that the assortment of dry clothes you left out is now gone. You hurry down the stairs and dump the pillows onto a nearby chair so that you can lay a couple of blankets out on the couch. Then, you replace all the decorative pillows with comfier ones while looking over your handy work. But when you take in the overall size of your couch, you start to wonder if his long legs will even be able to rest on the couch comfortably.

Well, it’ll have to do, you thought with a resigned sigh while turning around to check up on your devilish guest.

“Friggin’ figs!”

The sudden appearance of Vergil quietly lurking behind you makes your heart skip a beat as you jump back a little. You clutch your chest while taking a couple of deep breaths as your eyes linger up and down his form. The floral satin robe stretches taut around his shoulders, and you guess that it must’ve been too short since the flowery fabric is wrapped around his waist and hanging down below his knees. His eyes still have a gloomy spark within their icy blue depths as they stare back at you through his damp hair. And even with that pouty frown on his handsome face, he looks a lot better than when he first walked into your home a little while ago. So, you let your usual quip about wrapping a bell around his neck die of your tongue and give him a relieved smile.

“I brought out some extra pillows and blankets just in case you needed them,” you explain, gesturing behind you towards the now ready-for-bed couch. “But it might be a bit too small for you,” you tack on sheepishly, biting your lower lip in thought while Vergil takes a couple steps closer to you. “Maybe I should just sleep here while you…take…” you gradually trail off as he brings one hand around from behind his back to reveal an extraordinarily beautiful pink lotus flower. Your heart thrums like a buzzing dragonfly as you reach out to caress one of its many elegant petals.

“Is this why you were completely soaked from head to toe?” you inquire, realizing that he must have waded out into a deep pond to pick this flower of pure devotion. He remains silent as you look up at him, but the way his eyes soften for the barest of moments before slowly blinking tells you it’s part of the reason why he’s so drenched. Your lips quirk into a fond smile at the thought of your prim and proper devil trudging through mucky water for a most wondrous bloom just so he could give it to you.

“It’s getting late,” you murmur while lowering your affectionate gaze to the offered flower, taking it from his hand and holding it close to your heart. “We need to get some rest since the wedding rehearsal is tomorrow and-”

“Stay with me.”

Your eyes widen and snap back up to meet his solemn gaze. Vergil takes another step closer to you, reaching up with one hand to cup your face. You find that you cannot deny his earnest request as you lean into his touch and shiver at his warm touch as he caresses your rosy cheek. “Okay…but let me just-”

The very loud and hungry growl of your stomach abruptly ends the tender moment. Vergil furrows his brow in confusion while you softly giggle and pat your belly. “I was about to eat dinner when you arrived,” you reveal with a bashful smirk. He frowns sadly at your words and begins to move away, but you place your hand on top of his before it can leave your cheek and press a soft kiss against his wrist.

“Let me just grab my plate and bring it in here,” you continue while rubbing the back of his hand. “I can also make you something to eat too if you haven’t had dinner yet,” you kindly insist with a small smirk.

Vergil declines your offer of dinner with a shake of his head. Your lips press one last kiss against his wrist before excusing yourself with a light pat on the back of his hand. You place the precious lotus flower on the coffee table before dashing to your neglected sandwich, which is still patiently waiting along with your now lukewarm drink. But you don’t seem to notice as you pick it all up and hurry back to the living room.

You take a seat on the couch and invite Vergil to join you by patting the empty cushion beside you with a pleasant smile. The corners of his mouth twitch into a soft smile as he sits down close to you. The only sound filling the comfortable silence between you two is the light tapping of rain against the roof of your house. His stiff posture gradually unwinds as he watches you from the corner of his eye while you finally eat your dinner. You give him a veggie chip after every other bite of your sandwich, which he always accepts despite turning down your earlier offer of food.

You ask if he still needs some company before going to bed as soon as you are finished eating your dinner. He responds with the same soft request while squeezing your hand within his firm grip. His eyes track your every move as you collect the dirty dishes before standing up, never letting your hand go until you let him know that you will only be gone for a moment. “I can’t very well sleep in this dress now, can I?” you ask with a soft giggle, slightly swinging your clasped hands while gesturing towards your pink and white floral skirt.

Vergil nods his head in understanding and kisses the back of your hand before letting it go. You walk back to the kitchen to put the dirty dishes in the sink, and then you quickly make your way upstairs to get ready for bed. Some of your daydreams about giving your darling devil a place to stay after a rigorous battle with demons start running through your mind while picking out a nightgown. You also recall one particular daydream about patching up his wounds after saving you from mortal peril…which somehow leads to you writhing in pleasure beneath him…

Your cheeks feel like they are on fire by the time you finally settle on wearing a long nightgown with a white floral pattern. You get undressed and slip on the gown before letting down your hair, pushing all the salacious thoughts out of your mind with a flustered shake of your head. After taking a few more minutes to use the bathroom and brush your teeth, you head downstairs and hurry back towards the laundry room to put his signature coat into the dryer before rejoining your darling devil in the living room.

Vergil hasn’t moved an inch since you left, still sitting motionless on the couch until he hears your dainty footsteps. He raises his head up at your soft approach, and you swear his eyes seem to dimly glow as they roam up and down your shapely form. Your body shivers at his blatant gaze as you adjust some of the pillows on one end of the couch before grabbing one of the numerous blankets you brought for him. You know…it would’ve made more sense to give him one of these instead of that huge piece of fabric, you silently admit, hiding the embarrassment of making such a silly decision with a coy smile.

You sit back down on the couch and lie back against the pillows, beckoning Vergil to come join you while holding both your arms out towards him. He only hesitates for a moment before crawling over and laying his head just below your chin while you cover both of your bodies with the blanket. His arms wrap around your waist, burying his face in the crook of your neck. You nuzzle the top of his head while your arms encircle his broad shoulders, sheathing his weary soul with the love and affection you have for him.

Both of you lie there on the couch swathed in each other’s comforting presence while the rest of the world passes by in silence. Vergil has only spoken three words since arriving at your doorstep, never revealing what exactly is wrong. But now that he’s safe within your arms, you can feel the faint trickling of tears dripping against your neck, hidden away from your view as you snuggle him closer. You do not ask why he’s crying…you know that will only thicken the prickly briars around his heart. Instead, you just let him express the inner turmoil currently raging inside him while providing a safe place for him to release all these pent-up emotions churning inside him.

The harsh downpour from earlier has now lessened to a light rainfall, barely occupying the empty air with its pitter pattering of the dissipating storm. You can still feel Vergil trying to put up a strong front despite the tears pooling in the groove between your neck and chest. Your fingers brush through his soft hair while you press a comforting kiss upon his forehead, wondering how you can possibly bring peace to his troubled mind. The only solution that pops into your head is what your grandma used to do whenever you were sad and upset: sing you to sleep with a lullaby. So, you begin to softly sing one of your favorite lullabies from your childhood, hoping that the serene lilt of your song will help soothe your darling devil’s soul:

Count to one, count to two, where do flowers grow?

Underneath the window where children softly doze

The moon shining brightly makes every petal glow

Count to three, count to four, where do flowers bloom?

Resting upon the mirror frame in mama's room,

A sweet little bud of a beautiful flower of blue

 Let us count them all, let us count them all,

All the lovely flowers blooming, let us count them all!

 Count to seven, count to eight, as we fall asleep

Every child is dreaming of fragrant flowers sweet

And momma makes a bouquet for you to keep

The soft cadence of your voice fills the room, banishing the gloomy air surrounding you with every refrain of your sweet lullaby. You feel all the tension slowly leave Vergil’s body until all that you’re left with is a totally relaxed devil sinking into your loving embrace. One of your hands rubs up and down his back while the other continues to rake your fingers through his hair, hoping that you lulled him to sleep while your eyes droop from your own drowsiness. You try to fight it off, wanting to be there for him just in case he needs you, but you feel yourself drifting off…clutching onto him while trying to stay grounded in the waking world…

                   -----------------------------------------------------

You’re not aware of finally succumbing to sleep until the first ray of dawn shines through the window. You slowly open your eyes and start to wonder why you are sleeping on the couch instead of your very comfy bed…but then you feel the soft touch of familiar lips kissing your neck. The memory of Vergil showing up at your doorstep in the middle of a storm swiftly dispels your confusion. You hug the man that makes your heart sing like a songbird in the morning while his lips leave your neck to bestow a light peck on your cheek.

Vergil props himself up with one arm and brushes a few locks of your hair away from your weary face. “Good morning, my lovely rose,” he murmurs with a fond smirk.

“Mmm…good morning,” you hum, sweetly smiling back at him while looking down with a demure tilt of your head. “Feeling any better now that you’ve had some rest?” you inquire, fighting the urge to yawn while rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

“Yes,” he replies with a firm nod. “But sleep isn’t what lifted my spirits,” he admits, softly caressing your cheek as his silver blue eyes shine with admiration.

You happily beam up at him and quietly bask in this intimate moment while leaning into his touch before asking if he would like some morning tea. He gladly accepts your offer with a slight nod of his head and sits up so that you can get up from the couch. You catch a glimpse of his bare legs in all their glory before he covers them up with the blanket. The flowery fabric must’ve come loose during his sleep, you surmise, spotting the piece of fabric in question down on the floor by the couch. Warm tingles flutter around in your stomach like a swarm of butterflies as you hop off the couch and rush towards the kitchen before you make a blushing fool of yourself so early in the morning.

It takes you a few minutes to brew a couple cups of blackberry and mint tea while pushing away all the elaborate daydreams that try to occupy your thoughts. You make your way back to the living room and hand Vergil his cuppa with a kind smile before taking a seat next to him. Both of you drink your tea in comfortable silence, enjoying the sweet tartness of blackberries while the refreshing undertone of mint banishes the remnants of sleep from your mind. You peek up at him between every other sip of your tea, wondering if you should even bring up what happened to him yesterday.

You wait until he’s about done with his tea before finally broaching the subject. “Do you want to talk about what made you so upset?”

Vergil pauses at your question while setting his cup down on the coffee table. You give him a moment to recover before continuing. “You don’t have to tell me anything,” you softly reassure with a comforting pat on his arm. “And if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to-”

“You’ve already done so much for me,” he interjects, staring down at you with dejected eyes. “And it is I that should return the favor and explain myself.” He takes your partly finished tea and sets it next to his empty cup before turning his body towards you on the couch while holding both of your hands. His thumb sweeps across your knuckles as he takes a moment to collect his thoughts. You cannot help but to admire his handsome face while waiting for him to speak, wondering if his unkempt hair always frames those beautifully blue eyes of his every morning.

Vergil takes a deep breath through his nose before pinning you down with his pensive gaze. “For a long time, I genuinely believed that my mother abandoned me during the attack on our childhood home. I’ve endured for years with that burdensome truth hanging over my head until…” he trails off, squeezing your hands while closing his eyes for a moment before going on. “It turns out that she did try to save me…she just didn’t make it before…” he pauses again as the trauma of his childhood breaks through his voice.

Your eyes begin welling up with unshed tears as he takes a shuddering breath, wanting to wrap your darling devil within your protective embrace. But he quickly composes himself with another calm and more even breath, and you resist the urge to pull him into a hug for now as he continues to speak. “And then there was this woman who I thought…” he bows his head and rubs the back of your hands with his thumbs as he tells you the sad ending of that romance. “She spurned me even after I confessed my desire to stay by her side.”

You hear the sharp pang of heartache in his words, which dredges up your own personal experiences with the painful sting of rejection. A single tear starts trickling down your cheek as you lean over and nuzzle up against his chest, squeezing his hands in understanding while he finishes his explanation. “I finally just resigned myself to living a life spent alone, vowing to never let anyone get too close again since all they ever bring is pain and suffering...until now.”

Vergil grasps your shoulder and gently pushes you back from his chest. “I find myself wanting to spend my every waking moment with you,” he earnestly confesses, bringing his hand below your chin and lifting your face up so that he can stare into your teary eyes. “The lovely rose who has captivated the heart and soul of this crumbling devil before you,” he adds with a sincere smile, cupping your lovely face and wiping away your warm tears with his thumb.

Your heart thrums within your chest like a hummingbird as his heartfelt confession graces your ears. You gaze up at the man who has cleared a path through his prickly briars to the heart and soul of his very being. You’ve longed to hear those words ever since that day in the book café where you finally found the courage to speak to him. It ended with you making the promise of only taking a small step among the briars and yet, here you are now…just one last step away from the alluring devil that has captured your heart and soul as well.

Vergil leans down and rests his head against your brow, still rubbing your cheek fondly while staring deeply into your hopeful eyes. You’re drawn to the flicker of conviction within the depth of his icy blue eyes, and you feel yourself being pulled in closer and closer…but the sudden flash of uncertainty gives you pause. You silently ask if this is truly what he wants with a tilt of your head. He sighs and takes both of your hands once more, closing his eyes before lifting his head to press a soft kiss between your brow.  

“I have nothing to offer to you in return,” he murmurs sadly against your skin. “And I’m not worthy of your love and affection.”

Your eyes widen in astonishment as you rear your head back. “But you’ve already given me the best gift, my darling devil,” you reveal, shaking your head at his silly assumption with an amused smirk.  

“Truly?” he whispers while the little crinkle between his brow that you’ve always found so endearing furrows in confusion.

“Of course!” you giggle softly, nodding your head as you lean in closer. “I’ve seen your requited love with every flower you’ve ever given me.” Your eyes glance over at the exquisite lotus flower still sitting on the coffee table near your forgotten cup of tea. “And with every soft caress upon my cheek…” You lift your arm and trace up along his elegant jaw with the back of your hand. “And with every gentle kiss pressing so sweetly…”

You lean up as far as you can without leaving your seat and press your lips just above the corner of his mouth, mimicking his previous kisses at the beach and by the camellias. All signs of lingering doubt vanish from his eyes, which only leaves a fierce flicker that sparks into unbridled desire. He leans down and wraps his arms around you while lowering his head towards your chest, pulling you closer to him until you are practically sitting in his lap. You feel his mouth moving just below your neck as he softly recites what sounds like a poem, but the intimate touch of his lips muddles your mind while his sensuous voice makes your body tremble with anticipation:

Innocent breasts, when I have looked upon them,

Would that my hands were there,

How have I craved, and dreaming thus upon them,

Love wakened from despair.

Vergil pauses and nuzzles your neck for a moment before drawing back to pull you even closer to him. You clutch the floral satin robe around his shoulders and let out a shuddering sigh as he cups your flushed cheek once more, meeting your ardent gaze while gently nestling his face closer to your own. His thumb slowly traces your gaping mouth as he continues his riveting recitation:  

Beauty on lips flaming,

Roses red with her shaming,

And I with passion burning

And with my whole heart yearning

For her mouth, her mouth, her mouth,

That on her beauty I might slake my drouth.  

A soft whimper creeps up your throat when the amorous poem comes to an end, but the feel of his soft lips crashing against your mouth turns the whimper into an enraptured moan. You tilt your head slightly while your arms slide up around his neck, letting him have more access to your lips as you kiss him back with wild abandon. All the pent-up tension of the last few months is finally released as both of your lips smack against each with feverous hunger. One of your hands slithers down his chest and slips beneath the satin robe before resting right over his heart. You let the rhythm of his passionate heartbeat lull you into a rapturous stupor, relishing the sight, the smell, the feel, the taste…just everything about the devil sets your heart aflame.  

Vergil squeezes your hip with one hand while the other rakes through your hair, cradling your head as he swipes his tongue out against your lower lip. You part your lips and softly moan as he plunges in, showing no mercy as he explores the cavern of your mouth with his devilish tongue. His movements are a bit clumsy from lack of practice, but his enthusiasm makes up for it as he guides you to lie back on the couch, never breaking away from your lips while enclosing you beneath his body. You surge forth and entangle your tongue with his own while pulling him tighter against you, greedy for more of your darling devil’s kiss after waiting for so long. The outside world fades away and time becomes meaningless as both of your lips silently beg for more, more, more…

The unexpected chime of your doorbell rings through the room, but neither of you cease your heady kissing as it rings again…and again…until a series of very loud knocking cracks against your front door. Vergil finally breaks away from your gasping mouth with a growl, glaring towards your front door with spite in his eyes. You are about to wonder who could be visiting this early in the morning aloud when a familiar voice booms through the door:

“Hey, Buttercup! Anyone home?”

Dante gives another ring of the doorbell along with some more knocking, which only deepens the vicious scowl on his brother’s face. You sigh softly and cup his cheek before turning his harsh gaze back towards you with a tender caress of your thumb. His silvery blue eyes instantly soften as soon as they peer down at your flushed face, and he smirks with pride while bending down to kiss your reddened lips. He tries to pry your lips open once more, but you gently push him back before his tempting tongue can sweep away.

“We both know that he’s not going anywhere until we answer,” you point out while the knocking gets even louder. “Plus, it sounds like he’s about to break down my door!”

Vergil remains still as he stares down you, mulling over your reasoning as his brother’s persistence makes his brow twitch with annoyance. “Foolishness,” he growls softly before sitting up on the couch so that you can go get the door. The floral satin robe loosened up a little during your heated kiss, so you do your best to not openly stare at his chest as he wraps a blanket around his waist. You pick up the flowery fabric from the floor and cloak it over your shoulders as you scamper off towards the entryway.

You open the door just as Dante is about to bang on it again. “Well, look who’s up earlier than a morning glory!” you exclaim with a radiant smile while placing a hand on your hip.

Dante nods his head in greeting before rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry for waking you up so early,” he apologizes with a sheepish grin, but you can see a glint of worry within his eyes before it quickly disappears. “But my cranky brother ran away from home and I was wonderin’ if you’ve seen him recently?” he asks while taking out a piece of paper from his coat pocket. He opens it up and shows you a poor rendition of his brother’s likeness drawn in what looks to be crayon.

“I am not some stray dog, Dante!”

You look over your shoulder at the sound of Vergil’s angry voice. He stomps across the living room towards the entryway while Dante lets out a bark of laughter at his brother’s furious remark. “Well, ya could’ve fooled…me…” he stammers, eyes growing wide with shock as Vergil appears behind you. Your head turns back and forth between them as they just stare at each other in silence, comparing Dante’s astonished grin to Vergil’s severe frown.

Your eyes glance up at Vergil as you step away from the door. “I’m gonna check to see if your clothes are dry,” you inform, gesturing towards the laundry with your head. “Just please don’t damage my front porch, okay?” you implore with a charming grin.

Vergil chortles at your humorous plea. “You have my word,” he vows with a small stoic bow before stepping out onto your porch, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Your ears pick up the distinct sound of summon swords materializing as you rush towards the laundry room. You wince at Dante’s grunts of pain echoing through the hall as you enter the kitchen. But instead of checking on his clothes, you sneak out the back door and run through your garden, not caring about the morning dew chilling your bare feet as you quickly pick the perfect flowers. Then, you hurry back inside to really check on his clothes this time; his shoes and leather pants are fairly dry while his vest remains very damp. You open the dryer and pull out his signature coat, nodding your head in approval at its crisp and clean appearance before laying it out on your ironing board.

I can’t tie flowers around the Yamato this time, but I can still surprise him in other ways! you contend while going back to the kitchen. You bind the little bouquet of flowers with some twine you cut from a spare spool before heading back to the laundry room. All the lovely memories of Vergil pulling flowers from the inside pocket of his coat plays in your mind as you hide the pretty blooms in the very same place. The front door slams shut just as you are gathering his clothes into your arms. You walk out the laundry room and meet Vergil in the hallway, exchanging a few hurried words as you lead him down the hall towards the guest bathroom.

You tidy up the living room while he changes clothes, but your thoughts are buzzing with all that has happened since late last night. The couch is still slightly warm from both of you sleeping there…and kissing there. Your lips tingle at the thought, already aching for another kiss from your darling devil. The familiar warmth of a blush dusts your cheeks as you fold the blankets and stack the pillows. As soon as the couch is all straightened out, you turn to the coffee table and reach for the teacups, but an almost fully dressed Vergil entering the living room halts your hand.

The vest must’ve been too damp for his liking, you observe with subtle gulp while your eyes appreciate the pleasant view of a disheveled devil walking towards you. The lapels of his signature coat sway with every step, revealing just enough of his bare chest for your hungry eyes. And you cannot help but to admire the alluring sway of his white hair around his gorgeous face as he pins you down with his fierce gaze. The knowing smirk curling on his lips makes you shiver with delight as he stands in front of you.

“I guess you’ve got to go now, huh?” you inquire with a doleful pout.

Vergil gives you a confirming nod. “I promised Nero that I would help him memorize his vows before rehearsal later this afternoon,” he informs while taking your hand within his gentle grasp. “Thank you for receiving me with such warm generosity despite my tardiness.” He bows his head and lifts your hand up to give the top of your knuckles a tender kiss. His adoring gaze never strays from your enamored stare as his lips linger up the back of your hand. “And thank you for the lovely flowers in my coat pocket,” he murmurs, pressing one last kiss against your hand with a smug grin.

You let out a small huff as his lips draw back from your hand. “You’re supposed to find them while walking back to the shop!” you exclaim as he reaches into his coat to reveal what you thought was a well-hidden tiny bouquet of snowdrops with a single red dahlia. “They would’ve looked prettier on the Yamato anyway,” you mutter, rolling your eyes while staring down at your feet in defeat.

“I tend to agree.”

Vergil extends his arm to the side and a sudden flash of bright blue energy surrounds his hand. Your eyes widen in surprise as the Yamato materializes out of thin air within his grasp. He hands the flowers over to you before holding the impressive sword out for you to tie the tiny bouquet to its sheath. Your face lights up and an excited giggle escapes your lips as you loosen the twine around the flowers and carefully wrap them around the Yamato. The white snowdrops add a touch of hopefulness while the single red dahlia compliments the sword’s power and strength, perfectly conveying the message you wish to send:

Never doubt my love for I’ve always been forever yours.

“There!” you exclaim as soon as you are done tying the flowers with a secure bow. “They really are quite beautiful, aren’t they?”

You feel your heart bloom as you glance up to behold his besotted gaze. “Yes,” he replies while wrapping an arm around your waist. “But it’s not their beauty that captivates me, my beloved rose,” he declares before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss.

Your mouth instantly gives into his unyielding mouth with a soft whimper, clutching the lapels of his coat while craning your neck to meet every ravenous stroke of his tongue. This kiss is more desperate, as if he’s begging you to accept every scar upon his soul, pleading that you’ll stay beside him despite the dangers of treading through his prickly briars. And you give yourself to him openly, accepting his battered and bruised soul, vowing to love every part of him despite all the thorns that may cut you along the way. Neither of you want the kiss to end, constantly taking turns drawing back only to be drawn in again for just a little bit longer…but both of you have a busy day ahead. So, your fervid kiss eventually slows down until both of you exchange a few sweet pecks on each other’s lips.

You walk with Vergil to the entryway but stop him from opening the door, claiming that he needs to give you a farewell kiss with a cheery grin. He raises an amused brow and bends down to fulfill your request, giving you the perfect opening to rake your fingers through his hair. He hums against your lips as the soft white locks stay up in his usual slicked back style, and you happily announce that he’s now ready to face the chaos of a wedding rehearsal. He chuckles softly at your cute gesture and promises to speak more about your newfound relationship after the wedding before taking his leave.

As soon as the door shuts behind him, you look through the peephole and see Dante waiting at the bottom of your driveway. Vergil walks past him and down the street, which earns an amused shrug from his brother before he chases after him. You continue to watch until both of them disappear from your view before turning around and leaning back against the door. You lift your hand and lightly touch your lips, which still tingle from your darling devil’s kiss as the significance of what just happened sinks in…and then, you let out a joyous squeal while bouncing around like a bumbling bee.

He called me his beloved rose!

This subtle change to his endearment for you may be small, but it’s enough to send your heart soaring high like a skylark. Never have you felt such sweet bliss as this…but there’s no time dawdle with an impending wedding around the corner! So, you fly up the stairs to get ready for the day busy ahead while thinking about Vergil. And as your mind wanders through many rapturous daydreams, you reflect upon a certain truth within your heart: you will gladly bear the prick of your darling devil’s pain for there will always be thorns amidst the roses.

And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Read on Ao3

My Masterlist if you want more 💖

The lullaby is Hanakazoe (Chise’s Lullaby). The steamy poem is from Carmina Burana (trans. by Helen Waddell). And I’d like to thank @furyeclipse and @twinkstimulator for beta reading my first attempt at angst 🌹😘🌹

Tagging: @drusoona @bettybattaglia @exsultry @thedyingmoon @veenus-ow @meowykittenn @fandomhell97 @vergilsangel @thenightgazer @cherryvane @yesno18 @diabeticsugarush @queenmuzz @mary-v-o-n @tinamalee @a-midsummer-nights-odyssey @ancientwhitefire @agentdedf1sh @divinity-deos @shiranyaaww @skarlet-red-rose @lucinalu219 @superluckystar

[jungle321jungle]

Forge My Heart

The Crown Prince ordered a sword from the blacksmith. He got more than he expected.

An anxceit oneshot

Taglist: @hells-missing-a-goat @angels-and-dreams @ollyollyoxinfree @gattonero17

Ao3 - Masterlist

~~~~

Forge My Heart

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“You want me?”

“Yes.”

“But- but why ?”

“Must you make me repeat myself?” The Prince gave a sigh. “You’re a skilled blacksmith who makes many swords, no?”

His eyes drifted to his father’s gaze watching from behind the Prince’s entourage. “But my father-”

“Give me more credit, blacksmith,” he said with a slight smile. “I know this is your father’s shop, but I also know that your father hasn’t made a thing in years. You’ve been doing all the hard work, while he takes your hard earned coin. So I wish to contract you personally for my birthday present... to myself. Oh besides your payment upon completion, I will provide money to buy the best materials and you can keep whatever you don’t use.” He paused before he turned to his attendant who was looking over a scroll. “Am I forgetting something, Logan?”

The man didn’t look up, “Giving him the money?”

“Right. Roman?”

One of his other attendants moved away from where he had been lingering by the anvil where Virgil’s current project laid before he had shuffled over and handed Virgil a sack of coins.

“Well?” The Prince asked him crossing his arms. “Do we have a deal?”

Virgil blinked before he nodded, “What kind of sword would you like Prince Dante?”

The Prince’s different color eyes gave a twinkle, “Surprise me.”

~~~~

“ Surprise me, ” Roman mocked as they climbed in the carriage. “Didn’t you spend the whole ride over reciting to us all you very specific details of what you wanted in a rapier?”

“I will throw you from the palace tower,” Dee responded looking out the window as they pulled away.

“Please do so sooner rather than later,” Logan tossed in. “I won’t have the guests passing by a blood stain on their way into the ball.”

Roman rolled his eyes, “Wow, for a moment there I thought you were concerned about my wellbeing.”

Logan ignored him, “Prince, next in your schedule is a hospitality visit to the children’s home. Following that you will...”

Logan’s words continued, but Dee had zoned out as he hoped the blacksmith could get it right.

“My Prince!” The blacksmith yelped as he stumbled back dropping the hot metal to the ground as he did.

Dee blinked as the young man fumbled to pick it up with tongs before setting it aside. When he had looked up, Dee could see the surprise in his beautiful deep brown eyes.

“I wasn’t aware you were coming,” Virgil  said awkwardly brushing his hands off on his pants.

“I wanted to check in on your progress,” Dee said simply.

Virgil nodded as he picked up what he had been working on and held it for Dee to see.

It wasn’t a rapier, Dee noted silently. But then again he hadn’t asked for one.

“It’s going to be a saber,” Virgil started turning over the metal. “You can’t tell right now, but once it’s acid etched you’ll be able to see the design I put into the metal- a twisted pattern. The handle will have some good detailing in it and I plan to make it as intricate as possible. Do... do you have anything specific you want?”

Dee shook his head, “Not at all. Just making sure things are-”

“Whoa! The Prince!”

Dee turned in surprise to see as a small boy entered the shop.

“Patton!” Virgil shouted in surprise hurrying over to the boy. “Sorry my Prince. This is my little brother.” He then turned to the boy, “That’s not how you greet a Prince.”

The small boy blinked before he nodded, “Sorry. Hi your Majesty. Thanks for hiring my brother!”

Dee gave a chuckle as he joined the brothers by the ship entrance. “Nice to meet you Patton. And I had to pick your brother, he’s good at what he does.”

“I’m gonna be better one day!”

“Oh?”

“Uhuh! Vee is gonna teach me!”

Dee raised an eyebrow and looked to the blacksmith, “Are you Vee ?”

Virgil gave a blush beneath his dark eyeshadow and wow Dee wanted to see him do that more. “Y-yeah,” he mumbled. “Its- it’s a family business after all.”

Dee nodded once and moved for the exit, “I’ll come back in a few days!”

“You don’t have time to be checking up on the smith,” Logan disagreed as Dee climbed in the carriage. “Do you not realize how many more things we need to do before the ball?”

“Remus is handling them,” Dee waved dismissively.

“You trust him with that many things?” Roman asked in surprise. “I only trust him to stare at Logan’s ass.”

“Well...” Dee gave a cough as he watched Logan’s stoic face. “Fine. Can I just go visit him once more this week?”

Logan raised an eyebrow, “Fine. Once more.”

“Hello Virgil the blacksmith!” Dee called as he entered the back of the shop. “I am shouting as my silence last time led to me startling you.”

Virgil gave an amused look as he looked away from his forge, “I’m sorry my Prince. Can I have one minute? I need to quench the blade.”

Dee gave a nod pretending he knew what that meant. At his affirmation Virgil put his face back to staring into the flames before he grabbed his tongs and pulled out glowing metal and hurriedly shoved it in a barrel- which immediately caused flames to fly up into Virgil’s face.

“Holy shit!” Dee yelled in response taking a step closer. “Are you alright?”

Virgil pulled the sword out the barrel and gave it a visual inspection with a bright smile, “I'm fine, why?”

“You just had fire erupt in your face.”

Virgil paused as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, “Nothing different that usual. Anyway, I assume you came for an update?”

Dee nodded, “I did. And to tell you that you are personally invited to the ball.”

“Oh, you want me to deliver it then?”

“Yes, but you are also free to enjoy the ball as a guest .”

“Oh...”

“So how’s the sword?”

“I should have it cleaned up and sharpened by the end of the day. And then I have the rest of the week to get the handle together. Should be a sword more than worthy for the Crown Prince.”

Dee nods once as he looks at the metal Virgil had set aside. It certainly looked more like a sword than the slab he had initially seen during his first day, but still he couldn’t quite picture the final product. He just hoped it would be as nice as Virgil had claimed.

~~~~

“Vee you need to go! You’re late! The ball already started!”

Virgil didn’t move away from where he was grinding at the last of the sword. “Grab me the box! And the thing!”

“What thing?”

“The thing to wrap the sword in for the box!”

He heard Patton shuffling around behind him as he finished sharpening the blade.

“It looks perfect!” Patton cheered, setting the box down.

Virgil smiled in agreement before he got everything together. “Okay I’m going.”

“But you didn’t change!”

��No time!”

Virgil arrived at the palace out of breath and, present in hand. One of the Prince’s attendants was by the door dressed in a blue suit, and a large frown on his face. “Late and underdressed Mr. Storm?”

“Sorry,” Virgil apologized, holding the present out and the man took it. “Give it to him. I’ll head back to my shop, um... let me know if he likes-”

Virgil didn’t get to finish before the man had grabbed him by the wrist and began dragging him along as they made their way inside.

“Um, sir?”

“Logan,” he corrected letting Virgil go and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hand. “The Prince wants you to hand deliver it.”

“Oh well uh-”

“Roman!” Logan called at a passing man.

The man turned and gave them both a smile before he looked Virgil up and down amused. “Couldn’t you at least take off the eyeshadow?”

Virgil’s eyebrows knit in confusion. “What eyeshadow?”

“Your... you know... eyes... Logan you needed something?”

Logan nodded once, “Go get him an outfit. And I’ll send Remus to join you, I think our Prince told him Mr. Storm’s measurements.”

“My measurements?” Virgil echoed awkwardly. “Why would he know-”

“In the meantime Mr. Storm I shall send you to clean yourself up a bit.”

“Oh, uh okay?”

~~~~

“Something wrong dear?”

Dee shook his head and gave his mother a polite smile, “I’m just wondering about my sword. The blacksmith was supposed to be here by now.”

“Well then I guess we are right on time.”

Dee turned to where Logan appeared a man dressed in a beautiful purple suit beside him. Logan stepped aside and the man stepped forward holding out the box to Dee. “Happy birthday Your Majesty.”

Dee took the box in confusion before he looked at the man. Upon opening it he saw a beautiful saber sitting in it. “Virgil?”

“Yes?”

“You're the same pretty blacksmith?”

His face flushed, “ Pretty ?”

Gone was the soot and grime from his face, and for the first time Dee could clearly see his face. Gone was this dirty clothing instead he wore a beautifully tailored purple suit which fit him perfectly in every way. And wow, if Dee had thought he was beautiful prior to this- then he wasn’t sure what Virgil was now.

“The sword?” Logan coughed taking the box and holding toward Dee.

Dee blinked and picked up the sword by its hilt, marveling in how natural it felt in his hand. It was wonderful.

“Look under the leather,” Virgil advised.

Dee lifted it confused and he froze in surprise and picked up the second sword. And wow, it was more beautiful than the first.

“A rapier,” Dee smiled, turning it over in his hands.

Virgil nodded once, “I finished the saber and realized I wanted to do something even more special. I hope you like them.”

“They’re perfect ,” Dee smiled. “Thank you so so much Virgil.”

Virgil’s blush returned as he took a step back, “Thank you for giving me such a good challenge.”

He moved to step away, but Dee put the swords in the box before moving beside the smith. “If you’re sticking around for a while, can I ask you to dance?”

“I can’t dance.”

Dee gave him a smile as he extended a hand to the man. “I’ll let you in on a secret, most people here can’t.”

~~~~

“Virgil?”

The blacksmith looked up from his feet to the Prince’s face trying not to think about how close they were. “Yes?”

“You did such a nice job on the swords...” the Prince started slowly as he whirled Virgil around with ease. “and well I think I might need a set of matching knives. One for each sword. So um, why don’t you come back to the palace tomorrow? I can- I can treat you to lunch while we discuss the designs?”

Virgil gave a large smile in response despite the blush he could feel on his cheeks, “That sounds great, My Prince.”

“Dee... you can call me Dee.”

Virgil shook his head as he looked back to his feet. “I’m just a blacksmith . I- I can’t call you by your name.”

“Then maybe you need to be more than a blacksmith?”

“What do you mean?”

Virgil heard as the Prince hummed in thought monetarily before speaking again. “I’ve got it, how about you let me court you? Then you could certainly call me by name.”

Virgil’s ears must have stopped working. He stared at the Prince’s smirking face in shock before he dropped his head again. “I...I’d like that.”

“You would?”

The Prince’s surprised tone caused Virgil’s gaze to rise to see the Prince’s slight blush. “I would,” he confirmed. “I would... Dee .”

Dee gave him a smile as he leaned forward and rested his forehead on Virgil’s in a teasing way.

[zenithlux]

Tendrils of Regret - Part 5

Read the story on AO3 here!

The next week and a half went by awkwardly. You and Vergil still went on missions together, mostly because Dante was ecstatic that you’d managed it and you really didn’t want to let him down. But you barely talked to each other more than the occasional quip or piece of needed information. Vergil seemed less willing to compete with you, killing everything quickly and leaving the bodies for you to choose between. You barely got to use your powers when he was around, something that even the vine seemed to be upset about. The pinpricks against your heart had gotten worse, and the only way to deal with it so far had been heading back out to the greenhouses. The owners called you a miracle worker, but you made sure they were never around when you worked your magic. 

You’d also slowly removed yourself from the denial phase, and now fully believed that the V you knew was never coming back. It was a tough thing to accept, especially when you continued to dream about him almost every night. But after Lady and Trish finally came clean as to what actually happened around the Qliphoth Tree, you believed them. Vergil was V. A much harsher, less compassionate V. And you had to accept that. 

It didn’t stop the grief though, as much as you thought it might. 

So when you woke up feeling particularly down on a dreary Saturday, you weren’t surprised. 

Early on, you decided just to stay in your room. You figured Vergil wouldn’t care. In fact, you assumed he’d be relieved when you didn’t show up at your usual leaving time and just head out on his own. You did try to do something with your time, whether it be reading or writing or just… anything else. But you kept finding yourself right back in bed, staring either at the ceiling or the back of your eyelids for hours on end. And you supposed it was about time for something like this. You’d been in denial for so long that it was inevitable, really. And now that the nightmares had returned, you wondered if you’d ever get another good night of sleep again. 

At one point, you glanced at the bracelets still adorning your wrists. You hadn’t had the heart to remove them, nor did you know what to do with them. You promised to hold onto them until he returned. Technically, he had. But you had a feeling Vergil wouldn’t want one. He’d never want it. Of that you were certain.

When 2pm hit, you were surprised by another quiet knock at the door. 

You stared at the wilting blue roses in front of you. The rest of the plants were in an equal state of disarray, fueled by your terrible mood. You’d be able to fix them once you felt better, but there was nothing you could do about it now. You had yet to take a shower, nor had you changed out of the pajamas you’d been wearing for the last day and a half. You really didn’t even want to answer the door, but you didn’t think you’d be able to pretend you weren’t there either. The brothers alone could probably sense you, even if Trish wasn’t home. And the only person you’d heard leave this morning was Dante. There was a chance it was Trish or Lady, but you just had a feeling. You’d been around Vergil long enough that you could practically sense him now. You didn’t know if it had something to do with him being your vine’s “master” or not. It really didn’t matter. 

Finally, you sighed and forced yourself up right. You flicked your hand and one of the vines wrapped around the knob and jerked it open. In stepped Vergil, dressed as immaculate as ever. Not a hair was out of place, and you wondered what he’d been doing all morning. Probably reading. You were convinced that was all he ever did when not killing demons or arguing with his brother. “Are you going to lie around all day?” He said. 

You glared at him as you reached for a pillow. “If you have nothing good to say I suggest you leave.” 

You heard him sigh as you rolled away, wrapping yourself up stubbornly in the blankets. “Your plants are dying.” 

You felt like crying, but held it back. “Thanks. I hadn’t noticed.”

“Which means you aren’t feeling well, yes?”

“Why do you care?” You said, refusing to look at him. “I thought you’d be happy without someone to pester you.”

You heard another sigh, followed by the door closing. What was his plan? Drag you out of bed and force you on a mission? Sit in the room until he intimidated you out of bed? What was the point in all of this? You wished he would just leave and so you could wallow the day away and hope you felt better tomorrow. But then, just as the silence was about to get unbearable, you felt something drop on top of the blankets. “Get dressed,” Vergil said. “We leave in 15 minutes.”

You flinched at the command, swallowing in an attempt to ignore it. “I’m not interested, Vergil.”

“I’m not asking.”

“Just go on your own,” You muttered. “You’ve proven time and time again you don’t need my help.”

“There aren’t any tasks today,” he said. 

“I’m not scouting either.”

“Get dressed,” he repeated. 

The vine twisted tighter in your chest, begging you to respond. You stubbornly ignored the pain. Instead, you lurched upright, awkwardly unwrapping yourself from the blankets enough to glare at him. “You don’t get it do you?”

“If I don’t intervene then you will waste the rest of the day away.”

“And maybe that’s what I need to do.” 

“But is it what you want to do?”

“Of course not,” you snap. “But sometimes life doesn’t give you much of a choice.”

“I’m giving you a choice,” He said as calm as ever. 

“Last time I checked,” You said. “You weren’t life.”

“I’m not asking again,” Vergil said, clicking Yamato. “You can either get dressed and come with me or sit there and waste the rest of your day away.” He left before you could respond, quite nearly slamming the door behind him. You glared at it for far too long but groaned when some of your plants bloomed back to life. Of course they would respond to anger. At least you knew you had the energy to fuel them. Maybe you could find the strength to get out of bed today. Or you could just ignore him and go back to sleep. 

But you found yourself… conflicted. Where could Vergil possibly take you that would make your day better that didn’t involve demons? Now you were curious, and you had a feeling he knew it. 

Curse that nosy, infuriating blue-devil. 

Finally, you got yourself out of bed. You were surprised to find that Vergil had tossed you a matching pair of clothes and your favorite jacket. Had he really been paying that much attention to you? Impossible. Even on jobs he rarely looked at you. Maybe he’d just gotten lucky with his choices. Regardless, you begrudgingly put them on, lacking the energy to find anything else, threw your hair up into a messy pony-tail and found one of your perfumes to mask the lack of a shower. At the end of it, you stared at yourself in the mirror, wondering if this was the right decision. You could still feel your bed pulling at you, but you were able to ignore it as you wandered down the stairs where Vergil was waiting. 

“So where are we going?” You said. 

He cut open a portal and stepped aside. “Go.”

You scowled as your feet twitched, aching to follow the command. “You’re terrible at this “avoiding accidental commands” thing today.”

“They’re not accidental,” He said. “Now go.” 

“Asshole,” You muttered as you found yourself unable to ignore his summons any longer. You stepped through the portal as miserable-looking as possible, but your mood perked when you saw where he’d taken you. “An animal shelter?” You said as he stepped out beside you and the portal snapped shut. “What are we doing here?”

“Dante has agreed that the shop could be a bit more lively for days that you might be home alone.” He glanced at you. “Something that isn’t fully dependent on your moods.”

For some reason, you found yourself excited. “We’re getting a pet?”

“You are, yes,” Vergil said. “Morrison has taken care of all the paperwork. You just need to pick the one that suits you.” He crossed his arms. “A quiet one, preferably.”

“Is that a command?”

Vergil sighed. “No. It’s entirely yours to pick and take care of.”

You rolled your eyes. “You got it, dad.”

Vergil scowled, but you just laughed as you made your way across the street. “Are you coming with me?”

Vergil’s eyebrow shot up. “You want me to join you?”

You paused. “It’s probably best that you do, right? Not every animal will feel comfortable around a demon, so we should probably find one that is.”

Slowly, Vergil nodded. “I suppose that makes sense.”

“Is that a compliment?”

He huffed as he walked by you, but you were quick to catch up. As the doors opened, dozens of smells almost overwhelmed you. A dozen sunflowers nearby started to grow, but you caught yourself and shrunk them again before anyone noticed. A short brunette grinned at both of you from behind the counter. “Welcome!” She said. “Here for an adoption?”

“Yes,” Vergil said, slipping past you as he reached into his coat and put a stack of papers on the table. 

The woman looked them over quickly and nodded. “Anybody in particular you’re looking for?”

“Cats,” You said. Vergil glanced at you in what might have been surprise, but you were too excited to care. “Something that loves to cuddle and play, but can also spend some time alone while we’re at work.” 

The woman nodded again. “I always love helping couples pick out their first little buddy.”

You blinked. Vergil stiffened beside you. “Oh no, it's not like that.” You said.

The woman chuckled. “It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone.” She winked as she turned away, leaving you flustered. Vergil just rolled his eyes and followed after the woman. You rushed to catch up to them. “No really, it’s…”

“Stop,” Vergil said. You froze in place, glaring at him. “Not like that.”

“How else is one supposed to stop?”

He sighed in annoyance. “Stop… stopping.”

You let go of a breath as your body released. “Stop doing that.”

“It’s harder than it looks.”

“Clearly,” You walked past him, but your irritation faded the second you stepped into the kitten corral. Various pitches of meows greeted you as numerous kittens moved toward the front of their cages and peered at you. Some ignored you completely. Others were playing with each other. You followed along the sides, peering at as many kittens as you could. “They’re so cute!” You breathed. 

“You’ll probably want an older cat,” The woman said. “You’ll find those over here.” 

On the way, you stopped at a certain cage, your heart swelling the second you saw the black cat inside. It was alone, curled up in a ball and purring as it slept the day away. But all you could see was a smaller Shadow, waiting for you to take him away. “Hey little guy,” You whispered, reaching your fingers through the cage to gently pet its ears. The cat’s eyes opened, but he just eyed you curiously, his tail flicking back and forth. 

“That’s one of our new arrivals,” The woman said. “We’ve been calling him Shadow.”

“Can I hold him?”

“Of course!” She said as she opened the cage. “He’s incredibly calm and quiet. I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t been adopted before now.” She gently pulled Shadow from his cage, handing him to you. The cat purred as you held him like a baby, scratching behind his ears.

“Vergil!” You said, turning toward him. You were surprised to find that he was waiting in the doorway, eyes locked on you. After a moment, you moved toward him, holding Shadow out. “What do you think?”

“He’s your pet,” Vergil said. “I don’t…” He trailed off as you shoved the cat into his arms. Vergil’s eyes widened before moving back to the cat himself. The creature sat up in Vergil’s arms, eyes meeting his. You swore you saw Vergil melt just a bit. His shoulders relaxed. His gaze softened. For the briefest of moments, you could imagine V standing there, smiling as he cradled the cat with the same fondness he’d given his familiars. You shook your head, dispelling the image. Vergil wasn’t smiling, but his mouth was surprisingly agape, and you wondered what he was thinking. Did he even remember Shadow? Surely something so important to his human self would have remained in his head. But he hadn’t remembered you, so nobody but Vergil knew how all of that worked. 

But you’d never seen him like this. Relaxed. Slightly surprised. Guard down. He’d always been so uptight around you, especially after the greenhouse incident. But this was more… V like. A man that didn’t care what people thought of him and wasn’t afraid of his own emotions. 

“Vergil?”

He snapped his mouth closed and his muscles returned to their original rigidity. He handed Shadow back before crossing his arms and leaning against the door. “It's your choice,” he said, but you heard a strange sense of longing in his tone. 

You looked down at the cat, only to see it staring back at you. “I think we’ve found our companion,” You said. This time, Vergil didn’t react to your wording. In fact, he almost seemed to relax. 

The woman smiled. “I’ll get the paperwork.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” Dante said when he returned home to find you playing with your new cat in the lobby. Vergil was reading on the couch behind you, but you hadn’t missed how his eyes had occasionally drifted to you and Shadow throughout the evening. Of course, he never asked to hold the cat again, and you knew he would never admit to wanting to play with him, but you knew he approved. “And let me guess. His name is Shadow. ”

“The adoption center named him,” You said. 

“But that is his name, yeah?”

You smiled as Shadow curled up into your lap, purring. “Maybe.”

Dante laughed as he plopped down at his desk. “And Vergil approved?”

“It wasn’t my choice,” Vergil said.

You rolled your eyes. “He’s said that a lot today.” You scratched behind Shadow’s ears. “But he didn’t complain when we went shopping for the toys, the food, or the crate. We got Shadow a bed too! So, I’d call that a victory.”

“Verge loves him,” Dante said as he kicked his feet up. “I can tell by the look on his face.” 

Vergil didn’t say anything, but you were more than used to that by now. “Well it’s a good time for us to get to bed,” You said, rising from your seat on the floor with Shadow in hand. The cat meowed as it yawned, approving of your decision. “When are we leaving tomorrow?”

Vergil’s eyes shot up in surprise. “What?”

“Well you have a plan, don’t you?” You said, nuzzling your cat. 

“... I’ll tell you in the morning.”

As you climbed the stairs, you heard Dante laugh. “I knew this was a good idea.”

[hazbinextgeneration]

Into The Casino Ch15

Well at least now things were starting to move along it seemed. The little naïve gal was FINALLY starting to make progress and he could actually enjoy himself while doing so. Oh she was still clumsy and tripped over her feet or misplaced a step here and there, but OH BOY! It was MUCH better than when they were first starting out and her being so tense all the time. All he had to do was put on a little swing and let her figure herself out a little ways in, not that he was complaining though. He enjoyed this just as much as anyone else and the happy smiles and laughing she was starting to give off was absolutely delightful! She was even starting to get a little better with his presence around her, she still jumped and acted suspicious of him, but the little progress was outstanding compared to months ago when she wouldn't let anyone so much as shake her hand. He was far from done believe me, but he had an idea as to what to do now. Not that his singing and dancing weren't amazing after all.~ They absolutely were astounding and she even said so herself, so why should he even worry about that bit? But he had to confess. It was nice having a dancing partner who actually knew of the dances they were doing, but don't think he was letting her dance swing, the waltzes were actually coming along much better now as well. He would have to commend Cyber for her idea later, she was no longer so reluctant to perform such dances with him...And that's one of the only thing's he was worried about. She had no problem dancing with HIM. Just him. Cyber reminded him that she might be different in a giant crowd of his peers, but he would deal with that when it came.

Right now they had to get ready. So imagine her surprise one day when she egarly got up for today's day of dancing lessons and instead found as soon as she opened the door, Cyber was waiting at the other side holding a box. Amafia blinked and only watched as she came in not even asking. The box was placed on the bed and she began to shift through it. Pulling out what looked like a kit of sorts, some kind of paint brushes, and lastly some kind of shimmering fabric of some sort. The sighed and went to rub her head before looking back to the confused looking unicorn just standing there staring before walking back over to her. She was surprised when Cyber closed the door and began pushing her towards the bathroom. "Go clean yourself up good. And hurry. Boss likes to show up early sometimes to show off." "Show up?" She twisted her neck to look over her shoulder at her before Cyber gave her a small shove into the bathroom. Grabbing the door. "Where are we going now?" She rolled her eyes. "That fancy party of course. And we're both already ready to go. Now hurry up and get groomed up I have to doll ya up before we leave, since last time you had trouble putting on plain eye shadow. Now get done will ya?" The bathroom door was closed shut behind her...and she stood there a moment just blinking at it in surprise. ..Before reluctantly turning with drooped ears to the room and sighed, this would be a long day wouldn't it? And a fancy party was the last thing she really wanted right now. All those eyes peering at her and..and like Lou suggested. He intended on having fun there as well, the sudden fear pooling in her stomach made her jump at the very thought of messing up in front of everyone and embarrassing them both. And it'd be all her fault! And what if something else worse happened from that?!...She shook her head. No, NO!! She wasn't about to fall down that rabbit hole again. Despite the wave of emotions, she sucked in a deep breath and let it out again. Not again. She told herself. She wouldn't let herself go down that path again. Once was too much of enough anyways. So the world of warm water and soap was visited for her, still with the rock in her stomach and the lump in her throat. Cyber also seemed to be lazersharp with her senses and was waiting right outside the door as soon as the door opened again and she was again dragged out and forced to sit down on the bed at she went to work. Something looking similar to a gun but sounded like a vacuum was aimed at her face before hot air was blasted into her face and she flinched back when Cyber went around her body and began shifting her hair around with a hum. Brow raised....The thing was turned off and she yelped again when a brush was yanked through her head. Cyber wasn't kidding when she said they were in a hurry and ignored her small yelps and whimpers at her hurrying through her mane of hair, seriously. Why did women insist on having this? She never understood the thought of it, long hair would just get in the way of battling for your life anyways. But that still didn't stop her from just putting it into a neat fluffed up ponytail, Lou said to make her look nice. Not extremely fancy, so this would do. Amalfia hiss and lightly reached up to poke at the handywork done before she yelped as she was pushed up from the sitting position from the bed and a blue-green blur of fabric was yanked over her head, she gave a muffled whine of surprise before it was yanked all the way down and Cyber set to work straightening it onto her. Before these strange shiny...wing like pieces were retrieved from the box as well. "Hold your arms out." ...She didn't question her at this point and just did as she was asked. Watching as the things were slipped onto her and secured onto her by the smaller female. They resembled butterfly wings with peacock markings. Shimmering blues and greens with the patterns. ..Until something was shoved onto her face and she blinked back through eyeholes through the shimmering mask Cyber was securing into her. it felt as light as the wings accessories added to her and blinked down to Cyber who took a few steps back and looked her over. "...There. God enough." She still didn't have time to get her bearings when Cyber grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door and into the hallway. Trying not to trip over the long train of the dress as she was pulled along and around the corner..Where a certain plant demon was waiting for them both. He was wearing that black cloak again, giving him the look of a true high class villain and he was currently humming and staring at himself in a giant hallway mirror in front of him. Straightening his tie and looking at himself before those red eyes blinked to the incoming two figured behind him and smiled, twirling around just at the flashes of shiny blues and greens stopped in front of him. His smile widening. "Ah! Look at you.~" His eyes glazed over her. Totally worth the souls he paid. "My, my. Now don't you look absolutely delightful.~" She blinked and looked to the mirror in front of them...and froze at what was gazing back at her. He chuckled when her hands slowly came up and touched her face delicately. Cyber did a fantastic rush job in just a short time. "Not that I expected anything less from you two of course. Shall we be going?" She paused. "W-Wait!" She looked back to him. "S-S-So soon? Now? B-B-But that seems so early for you. What about here?" "Disease and Midnight are in charge. I trust them to watch my casino for one day and night. That's how long this whole thing lasts you know, a whole day and night.~" He grabbed her arm and lightly tugged her along as he walked along. "And if anything does go horribly wrong, then we'll leave immediately. Im not stupid to leave them in charge if I didn't trust their abilities now would I?" "N-No. I guess not..b-but why so soon?" His smile curled at the ends. "Simple. The sooner we arrive the better the chances of scoping out the ...competitors we can do. I always enjoy 'friendly' competition, and Im never late to an event such as this. That would be too unexpected of me.~" She rose a brow at what he ment, and turned to Cyber, but the metal guard just straightened herself in the mirror for one quick second before obediently following behind them. Making sure NOT to step on the dress's trail behind her. The pit in her stomach formed the more she thought of all those people around her staring and not knowing what they were capable of, but she hid it relatively enough as he lead her out to the fancy limo, which he was quite eager to have her sit into minding the pieces of her dress and ducked in after her. As the engine started up she had to wonder where exactly they would be going exactly. Her scalp still lightly hurt from Cyber's quick one hour dress up game and she was tempted to rub her head, but she didn't need the guilt of having her hard work ruined on top of the build up of bad feelings already pooling in her stomach. So to pass the time, she looked out the window and watched the famous casino fade away into obliviation as the car sped up...funny, she didn't think the car could go this fast before. The run down buildings of the poor saps and other small businesses around them slowly turned into bigger ones. Much, MUCH bigger ones. She had to bend down to look at them, yup! Definitely skyscrapers along with a lot of other strange looking buildings. Most were in weird shapes and sizes but most definitely BIG. Fancy giant signs were plastored onto each and every one of them, neon signs glowing and strange puns and words were etched into them. 'Dante's Inferno: We heat your hundredth enemy for free!' 'Cat's Eye Children's Center' 'Hell-of-a Good Time'.....By the neon lady she could figure out it must've been a place similar to Rita's and she gave a small cringe at that. But there was one place that caught her eye after a good long while, she blinked and squinted her eyes at it. There was a tower a little bigger than the others, looked pretty shiny too, but what attracted her eyes to it was the spotlights shining around from it and the overall high class vibe it gave off. And she couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer thing. Lou seemed to notice her interested look and craned his neck over to peer at what she could possibly be marveling at...and he chuckled. She jumped and looked at him, not even hearing him come next to her, and he shook his head. "Typical Cyrus. Always one for the dramatics. I wonder what he could possibly have in store for THIS year." "This year?" Her eyes blinked confused at him and he chuckled. "My associate likes to invite all the big names in the second circle to his little shindigs to keep an eye on what new ideas they have and what young blood thinks can easily outthrow some of the more powerful ones. Smart move dequised as a simple high society party, but I do enjoy 'catching up' on what's going on through the grape vine.~ Can't have anyone trying anything around MY area now can we?" "Does that mean that you're..." His head slowly turned to her. "Y-You're one of t-the big cheeses around this neighborhood?" His smile got even more wider. "My dear.~ You are looking at the person who is currently the thriteenth most dangerous man in the second circle of hell." There was DEFINATELY a glint in his eyes and a growl in his tone as he spoke. "But perhaps...someday that will change." She shivered under his look and Cyber had to nudge him to get him to cut it out. "But for now I would much rather have a pleasant evening with you.~" She wasn't sure how to take that, so instead of answering she looked back out the window and watched as the building came closer and closer and just as she suspected, it actually was spotlights shining all around. All around a giant metal fence higher than any she's seen, and right behind him was an honest to goodness almost typical looking backyward. If the backyard belonged to a millionaire. A giant pool shimmered in the lights and bounced off the other expensive looking outside furniture the more the limo passed and she only stopped looking when they suddenly stopped and Lou gently but firmly grabbed her hand as the limo door popped open and he got out dragging her behind him. Cyber following close after. To say she was surprised was an understatement. She was completely caught off guard at the amount of class this building had right in front of her. Because from the moment they got out a red carpet was the first thing they stepped on and Lou didn't even give her a chance to take it in as he pulled her along similar like a mother would their child. But that still didn't stop her gawking at the impressive structure as they walked up towards it. Just like the resturaunt and Rita's club, there was a pair of bodyguards but these demons..OH! These demons looked like they could wrestle a whale and still not break a sweat, they were that big and that muscular compared to herself who was just a twig in comparison. But Lou didn't even look fazed when he reached into his coat pocket and simply presented the pink purple paper he had first showed her advertising the place to him to them. The bigger one of the two took a couple seconds to look it over before he grunted and shifted to open the door for them to enter. SHE. WOULD. HAVE. Stopped dead in her tracks if Lou still wasn't leading her around and her jaw dropped at what her eye beheld on the inside once they made it in. Oh. My. Goodness. IT. WAS. BEAUTIFUL!! You know that grand ball room every little girl dreamed about when they pretended to be a princess? Well how about the paintings of those anceint fairytale ballrooms with cinderella or some other ancient kingdom? Well this was like that. But much MUCH more better. The whole place was alive with golden lights that shined with the BIGGEST crystal chendeleir she's EVER SEEN!! It sparkled against the pure white ceilings and walls and speaking of walls. Giant stained glass windows shimmered with each window showing a different scene or picture. A woman dancing. A giant rose. A man riding into battle on horseback. They were all beautiful in their own way. But as he lead her down the massive marble staircase she instantly took notice of the other voices around them and looked down. Instantly taking notice of the maybe..Fifty or so other demons that were already inhabiting the ball room and it's magnificent floor. She blinked. She'd never seen so many fancy suits or dresses in her life as she instinctively squeezed herself a bit more tighter to Lou's side as the demon rose a brow and gave a slow look around the room. It didn't look like anyone new had joined the fray, good. He didn't have to watch out for any new blood trying their tricks...yet. But there was always threats no matter with or without new overlords making themselves present. And with his and Cyber's combined senses on high alert, he should be fine from any threats for tonight. But Amalfia could sure feel a bunch of eyes on them now as some of the demons looked over in their direction, but some turned away as soon as they saw them. Most of them were a bigger than her and she could barely see past the flurry of sparkling dresses and jewelry. From the very corner of the room there was a band with lots of different demons in tuxes dressed up and playing as one man waving around a small pointed stick stood on a step above the band. He muct've been the conductor for the band. They were playing a rather lovely victorian style-like waltz. Mostly with violins and flutes for now, very calming. And past all the people was the longest table she'd ever seen. And just now she noticed the smell of food pounding her nose. Her eyes glanced over all the sparkling glassware and plates holding MOUNTAINS of food of all kinds and sizes. A giant roast pig, chocolate fountain, rows and rows of fruits and deserts near it. Her mouth just watered at the meer sight of the glorious amount of food she hadn't seen since....NEVER!! Lou could see where her eyes went and he chuckled again. "Ah! So Mr. Early bird is late for once." Lou calmly turned his head with a raised brow to a random demon that was maybe ....THREE?! feet taller than him and covered in gold jewelry among his feathered body. Amalfia froze and Lou could feel her grip tighten around his arm at the much taller demon as she flinched. A lovely lady on either side of the tall bird demon as he rose a brow to her ..then to him. "Picked up another, eh?" She blinked up to him and Lou chuckled before waving him off. "Oh, well things can have a small bump in progress. And it does seem Im still fairly early compared to a lot of others." The taller demon hummed and shook himself out. The gold jewelry glittering among his features as he turned with the two ladies hanging off him. "None the less. I wonder if there'll be anymore surprises in store for tonight." The plant demon merely chuckled as the man walked off and Amalfia shivered at the weird glint he held. "W-Who was that?" "THAT was Cyrus." He calmly stated when he pulled her away. "Great grand nephew of one of the princes of hell and fifth most powerful being in the second circle." She blinked after him before turning to Lou. "He seems like a very flashy character." He laughed and smirked at her. "My dear. He works for his Uncle and he's VERY good at what he does. He's not afraid to show his wealth, it's one of the ways to show your power down here and can ward off comepitors and rivals weaker than you." "So..Does that mean all these demons are o-overlords and r-r-royalty?" She gave another look at the many demons around them and more were still coming in through the doors. If they were really as power hungry and strong as Lou makes them to be...she visically gulped and her ears went back. Cyber rose a brow at her reaction and shot up a look at Lou as if telling him to do something. Cyber was on edge for any blast that could possibly kill him or her. And a blast from a terrified unicorn was the last thing they wanted here, they were trying to keep a low profile after all. So Lou waved his hand around them calmly and stated. "No. No one here is true royalty not even Cyrus. And while overlords such as myself are usually here, I suspect most of these people are as simple the band at play or the cheifs that cooked his food. Most people to attend these things are just weathy business owners, you don't have to be strong persay to be weathy and have power and influence. I just happen to be a mix of the two." His eyes glanced over herself and it took her a moment to realize he was glancing at her dress. "Why do you think I asked for such a design to your dress? Not only does it look beautiful on you, if we happen to run into a certain little birdy, it'll send her into a tizzy hopefully.~ Less business for someone who throws a tantrum.~'' ........She blinked. And rose a brow. "Are you saying that...You asked them to make this dress to make fun of Rita and get her to argue with you to lose business?" "That's the point! And I don't see why you would complain. You did say you didn't like her place, and this isn't like on the surface. Down here you have to use your head. Even with clothes." She blinked and looked back around her. Well...She guessed that made sense. These were demons after all, you kinda expect fair and square to be a foreign concept down here, so it would make total sense for someone to do that and it was one way to do so without physically putting anyone in danger. In a way, it was kind of him...Rita? A feeling of guilt suddenly bubbled up in her as Charles full history lesson smacked her brain into overdrive as the memories of what he said came flying back to her. But....the guilty feeling wasn't about BEING with Lou. The guilty feeling was about about NOT TELLING Lou if that made any sense. Sure she didn't really lie to him about anything, and it certainly wasn't anyone's fault. Disease didn't know and telling him might get the snake in trouble, and even though she kinda getting tired of the guy peeking around corners at her, she didn't want him to get in trouble. And what would poor Midnight think? Sure she was always grumpy, but she really did care about Disease. In their few encounters when Disease just hugged the small which and said nothing but good things about her, there would be a red over her face or maybe once and a while a very, very small smile. She couldn't really explain it, but she had a feeling Midnight actually liked Disease's flirty words and sweet hugs for someone being so grumpy. And she definately didn't want any bad blood between the two for something she did....But not telling Lou for some reason just felt ...wrong..Really, REALLY wrong. Like telling him what she knew was eating at her. Maybe it was because Lou and Charles were enemies in life and now work rivals, but it still felt so wrong. Her stomach rumbled out and she gave an embarrassed jump at it and looked to the table, giving a hungry look towards the mountains of food avalible. She was rushed out so fast she hadn't had anything to eat for breakfast. And just now she noticed how hungry she was. Lou chuckled at the obvious look she was giving and stopped walking. "Would you like to stop and get something to eat?" She turned up a hopeful look to him and nodded and he turned their direction towards the table. "Well then. Perhaps you could stay there while I find a certain someone I've been 'dying' to do business with." Cyber blinked and almost mirrored the same surprised look the pony did at his offer. But neither said anything until they got to the table and he unfurled his arm around her, with a grin as her eyes instantly hit the small fancy desert cup and gave another look to him. "...Well. You don't need my permission to eat. Have at it!" Her eyes lit up and she excitedly but slowly took the fancy looking cake in a cup with cream and strawberries and began eating it. A plesent smile rising to her lips as she did so- He was interrupted when Cyber pulled on his side and he leaned down. "Yes, Cyber. Did you want something?" "Leaving her alone? Here? Have you gambled the last brain cell away?," she whisper hissed at him. He just calmly smiled. "Cyber. If everyone just sees me cling to her the entire night, they'll definately think Im trying to hide something and by treating her as I would normally treat any 'dates' I bring sometimes, it would be less suspicious. And it's not as if anyone would pay much attention to a small weakling like her...well weak for the moment. This party is about showing off and trying to mooch off the most greedy looking lowlives here. She is neither giving off rich or powerful auras." His smile became wider. "Besides. Nothing is going to happen if you watch her. Will you?" Cyber still looked like she wanted to protest but ultimately sighed and just nodded and Lou patted her shoulder. "See? You're worrying too much." "And I think you're worrying maybe just too little-" "Is everything alright?" He turned back up and smiled at the lady. "Of course. Everything is going to alright. But I must ask something of you, and I ask that you follow the intructions I'm about to give you." Her confusion and worry grew just a little bit more. "W-What is it?" "I have some business scouting to do for a moment or two. So I need you to stay right here and wait for me right here until I come back." one look told him she DID NOT like this idea anymore than Cyber and she opened her mouth to argue but he held up a hand, "Now, I know it sounds like a stupid idea, but you have trusted me more than one would usually do and it's only fair I would ask to cash in that same trust for myself. Wouldn't it?" She opened her mouth again...but closed it with a sigh and simply nodded. Well, he had a point. She asked him for a few things and she supposed standing and waiting in one place wasn't the worst thing to ask of her. He smiled wider. "Good girl. Now Cyber will make an appearance every so often to check up on you so you have nothing to worry about, and if someone does approach you, just act as uninteresting as possible. That usually drives them off. If not, just wave Cyber down. I promise I will be back shortly! Just trust me with this one thing." He turned on his heel and without so much as another word, walked off towards the large crowd. Cyber and her exchanged a quick unimpressed look before she sighed and began following off after said plant demon who easily disappeared off into the sea of demons wearing sparly dresses and tuxedos, not even that tall top hat being seen. And she was left all alone. With nothing but the desert cup in her hands as company for herelf. But as promised she didn't dare move from the spot and instead looked around at the demons for a couple minutes..and coughed. The smell of smoke and perfume wasn't as bad as the state at Rita's, but she still didn't like the smell of smoke or too much perfume sprayed on, so not wanting to look rude and upset anyone she just looked down and ate on the sidelines for the next few minutes, trying to look as boring and uninteresting as possible. One thing she learnt from her time down there, if you don't make eye contact and keep to yourself, you're more likely to be left alone. And it worked no one approuched her or got close except to walk around her to get to the table and she would happily silently move out of the way for the demon, but once or twice had to stop herself from snorting from any cigar or perfume shoved into her nostrils. But over all it was nice. But she couldn't help but flinch at anyone getting too close. Once and a while she'd thought she'd see a glimpse of Cyber peeking out somewhere but she couldn't be too sure, after all it seemed the talking got louder as did the music. They were playing a new melody now. Still sounded like a waltz but more intruments were added like some drums, trumpets, and she was sure there was at least one tuba but the band was blocked from veiw because all of these demons. All the different smells and sights and sounds were starting to become rather dizzy to her if she did say so herself. She also began to lose track of time. How long had it been since she last saw the two? Maybe an hour or two at most now and her nerves were certainly NOT helping in this situation. And not only that, but being alone with your thoughts had a habit of always making you remember certain things. Like that guilty feeling of still not telling Lou anything about her and Charles encounter. She had pondering it for a long time now and came to the conclusion that it would not go away until she said whatever was on her mind, and so it was decided. As soon as she saw him she'd tell him. Tell him, and ask as a 'courting favor' to her to not be so hard on Disease. It might not be the brightest thing but what was the alternitive? Letting the feeling in her gut continue to bother her? She learnt it was always better to keep your mouth shut bout these certain thing but...It was hard to explain, but she had a feeling that everything would be ok. So she just stood there patiently waiting but she did pause when she finally caught sight of a certain plant demon a little ways from her. He was talking with someone and laughed at something he said. Well, she knew she promised to stay but- Like with Disease, she gave a guilty look around but didn't see Cyber anywhere or looking at her...So. She left her spot. And started walking towards him. But a crowd of demons just HAD to move in front of her at that same time and she lost him again in the crowd. Whelp! No turning back now. So pushing into the crowd she went. The music of the giant ballroom gently flowed throughout and between the beautiful decorations wrapped around the walls. The way the candles lit up the surroundings and made the shadows beautifully dance against the walls. The way the smell of delicious food and flowers wafted through the air. The beautiful music mixing with the laughter and talking of the guests around the whole place. It was almost like a dream. Everyone having a great time behind their masked faces, no one telling who they were or maybe that was all part of the game. The fun of not knowing who you were speaking too and being able to be your own person tonight. But maybe she wasn't meant to join the fun and laughter that everyone else seemed to be having. Being maskless and alone wondering the ball was the lonely fate of the girl in the flowing white dress. Blindly walking and circles, moving around. The sounds, the smells, the atmosphere. It was starting to make her dizzy. Everyway she'd turn she would catch a glimpse of a man with red eyes. Very familiar red eyes. Her dizzied mind knew not to be afraid or excited about the way it gazed and pierced her soul. The way he looked at her with those beautiful blood red eyes. Promising only trouble ahead. Well maybe she was looking for trouble, her head was kept on a swivel, always looking around herself in the see of masked laughter. Sometimes she'd catch a glimpse of red or maybe it was just her clouded emotional mind. At this point she didn't know if she was searching for him or trying to ensure she was far from him. But however she put it, the circles and laughter was starting to get dizzier and dizzier. She barely noticed when someone tall and with a smile, bowed to her. Grabbed her hand. And lead her to dance. Maybe it was because she was temporarily blinded by the smile upon his face, or the swirls of the graceful dance they spun. But there was no mistaking those red eyes. Perhaps she was crazy. Perhaps her dizzy mind was clouding any judgement. Maybe she was under some kind of spell from those red eyes. But when those fangs smiled at her- She smiled back.

His brow rose as his body brought her's to a matching slow dance with other blurs around them. "I thought I asked you to stay put. I would've came to get you you know."

"I w-w-was looking for you actually." She wasn't even paying attention to the dance he had pulled her into. Almost perfectly going along with the slow beat.

He chuckled. "Oh really? Were you that desperate to be in my arms, or was someone bothering you?"

Her eyes glanced down for a moment. "N-No..Not someone. Something actually. I g-gotta confession to make."

She gave a small surprised gasp when he suddenly spun her before quickly pulling her back into that same slow circling motion so they could still speak while speaking. "Now what could that be I wonder. Would you mind sharing?"

She hesitated for a moment, staring down again before closing her eyes and taking a slow inhale. Releasing it back out before looking back up to Lou. "I-...I t-talked to Charles when I visited Rita's club."

They stopped. Literally stopped in place as soon as the sentence left her mouth. She stared down frozen at her for the longest time before he chuckled and asked, "Beg pardon?"

She took in another breath. "I talked to Charles about you. H-He-..He told me everything between you two..." Her ears went back. "I-I know you killed him."

"......Do you know?" His mind was already racing with ideas and possibilities from this new outcome. Certainly a lot of bad ones so he'd have to quickly recover and cover his tracks now. What would be the most sappy thing to make her feel guilty and not belei-

"But I don't beleive him." Again his brain's train of thought stopped and he blinked in surprise at her as she finally dared to give a smile back to him. "Well..Not about the killing him part. I do beleive you did THAT. B-B-But about all the other stuff about how you're nothing but a terrible person who only thinks about himself. I don't beleive he was right about that part of you, not fully at least."

.....He blinked. "And...how did you come to that conclusion?"

Her ears perked back up. "By the way you treat Cyber and the others. You put a lot of trust in them and care about what they have to say, that shows you care about them in some way or another. And you treat me as an equal person instead of some object just sitting there to look pretty, which is a glow up from the schmucks that I'm used to being around." He still didn't answer and instead a surprised look came over him. "I trust you. And you're....f-f-fun to be around. And you're polite, and treat me with kindness. ..I-I don't know what you saw in me to take an interest, but Im happy you were so kind enough to give me such a chance...You're MUCH better than Charles paints you as."

He stood there for a moment as the other demons still danced around them. Cyber was giving him a raised brow confused glance from the sidelines, wondering if maybe something had gone wrong- But he quickly cleared his throat and looked off to the side for a moment. A strange fuzzy feeling in his chest. " I-...Well that's very, very kind of you to say so. ...To be honest not a lot of people I've met has said that to me-..." Those red eyes gazed over her in a strange way. "...And if I may return your kindness, you're not as bad a person yourself. In fact, I would say your skills as my newest employee have been improving greatly!!"

Her purple eyes sparkled at the compliment. "R-Really?"

He cleared his throat. "Of course! I wouldn't lie about progress. Now shall we continue? I would like to enjoy myself before I return back to business. I almost sealed the deal with something I think would make a wonderful addition for my business,..and I would appreciate it if you stay with Cyber this time."

"I will. I promise....Hey, Lou?" He hummed. "Thank you."

"For what exactly?"

"For everything."

His 'your welcome' was a smile and leading her back into what would not be the last dance for them that night, and Cyber rose a brow further from the sidelines. Humming to herself and rubbing her chin. Thing's might get a bit more interesting.

All characters except Amalfia belongs to @palettepainter

[buns-with-a-book]

Reflections and Illusions

For Day Six of DMCWeek2020, the prompts chosen this week were Family and Belonging! They’re subjects quite close to our leading lady Cassandra. Cordelia and Anastasia (and the idea for this fic) are all from @furyeclipse

Fandom: Devil May Cry Characters: OC, Dante, Vergil, Nero (minor role), Kyrie (minor role), Credo (cameo) Tags: @nimnox​  @astral-space-dragon​ @harlot-of-oblivion​ @queenmuzz​ @i-write-fanfics-to-procrastinate

Summary: While on a mission, Cassandra hears her name and goes into a strange portal. What she finds is a world she dearly wants but cannot have.

“Jeez, all I wanted was a nice birthday-” Cassandra swiftly dodged out of the way of the demon’s attack. “And you come along to ruin it!” The demon, taking the form of a large black dog, snarled at her. “Come on, you terrible little doggie!” The demon dog let out a ferocious roar, leaping forward. She twirled out of the way, Failnaught impaling itself into the demon’s flank and ripping open a large wound. The demon hit the ground hard, turning into dust. Cassandra spun the sword-cane in her hand, sighing.

“Not how you wanted to spend your birthday?” Dante asked with a cocky grin.

“What gave you that impression?” She huffed. “This stuffy old mansion...jeez, it’s a terrible place for a birthday. Come on, let’s find Nero and Vergil and go get our pay. Maybe that local pizza place is still open at this hour-”

Cassandra…

A voice, strangely siren-like, called for her. She paused and looked around, visibly confused. She looked to Dante, who looked just as confused as she was.

“What’s the matter?”

“I...I just thought I heard someone calling for me.”

Cassandra...

Cassandra closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Maybe I should go take a look around. Just in case there’s something...you know, suspicious. You go find Vergil and Nero.” Dante nodded, silver eyes glancing around. Cassandra nodded at him before dashing off. The sound of the voice calling her was northward, she could feel it. As she dashed through the halls of the abandoned mansion, the call of her name seemed to become louder, a ringing in her head she couldn’t ignore.

Cassandra...

She dashed out the back door, looking around. The grounds were visibly overgrown from decades of neglect. Her eyes fell upon the greenhouse, windows broken and frosted from disuse. She walked over to the greenhouse, carefully opening the glass door. Planters had been thrown out, leaving nothing but a dirt floor. At the other end of the greenhouse, however, was what looked to be a mirror of some kind. It’s stone frame was covered with plants, both in motifs and actual plants. It’s reflective surface shone brilliantly, as if it was untouched by time. Cassandra slowly stepped forward, boots crushing glass and dirt underneath her. As her reflection appeared in the mirror, it seemed to...wobble? Her hand carefully rested on the glass…

And went right through it.

She yelped in surprise, pulling back her hand. She looked at her hand, noticing nothing wrong with it.

Cassandra…!

The voice was more insistent now, overwhelming her senses. Following the call, an intense ringing drowned out everything. She held her head, Failnaught clattering to the ground. The agony pounded at her skull, like a terrible awful migraine she only heard tales of from old women. She stumbled, her foot caught something, before her body fell onto the mirror’s reflective surface.

CASSANDRA!

She half-expected her body to hit the glass, piercing her skin and leaving a nasty cut. To her surprise, her body hit warm grass. She slowly opened her eyes, finding what had once been a gloomy overcast dusk was now a bright sunny day. She let out a pained groan, her head still throbbing.

“My little star!” A voice, a painfully familiar voice, made her eyes snap open. She looked up, seeing someone that should be dead staring back at her: her own mother, Stella Sagefire.

“Mother…?” She whimpered as she felt oddly cool hands help her on her feet. She looked past her, seeing Dante happily grilling like a dad (well he was an uncle, that was close enough). Nero and Kyrie were sitting at a table, happily chatting about something. Next to Nero was Cordelia, beaming at Nero like he was an older brother. Vergil was sitting next to Cordelia, but his eyes were firmly focused on Cassandra. Next to Kyrie was a man she only saw in pictures, her older brother Credo, relaxed and at ease. Her gaze returned to her mother, her hair tied up in a messy bun, strands of golden blond framing her face and clear blue eyes. It looked as if she had never been so deathly sick at all.

“Cassandra!” A second voice, another familiar voice that only made her heart ache as a more youthful woman that was near the same age as her mom stepped forward: Anastasia Faye. Her bright seafoam green eyes stared at Cassandra in worry. Her dark brown black hair went down to her mid-back. A lavender colored ribbon was tied in her hair, similar to how Cordelia put bows in her hair, but her bow was on the left side of her head compared to Cordelia keeping it centered on her head. She wore a rose gold trimmed strapless black dress that went down to her knees and brown boots to match. A necklace around her neck like V's old choker but, instead of a tooth, it was a small charm from outside the walls. She never did find out where she got it from.

“It’s your birthday, Cassandra.” Stella gently explained. “Do you not want to attend your own birthday party?”

“I...I mean...I…” Cassandra lowered her head. Something was wrong, she could feel it in her core.

"Cass sweetie, you getting overwhelmed again? You tripped over your own two feet again." Anastasia chuckled softly as she ruffled her hair. "Hmm no bumps, you're fine."

“I don’t feel fine.” She muttered. What was it that was so wrong about it? She missed her mothers so dearly, she had loved them so, but they were dead. They couldn’t be here, not in this mirror world.

You could just stay here with your mothers, in this perfect world.

That nagging feeling prodded at her, almost tugged on her insistently in her mind. She could stay, with ghosts and echoes all around her.

"You alright there, Sleeping Beauty?" Anastasia asked. She could hear the concern in her voice.

“No, this is all wrong.” She pulled away. Already, the world was starting to fade around them, mixing together like a bad watercolor painting. Despite that, Stella and Anastasia remained clear and pristine in her vision. “You’re dead. You two, you died, you can’t be here!” She didn’t stop the tears from falling down her face, she couldn’t.

Anastasia sighed softly and put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Cassandra, look up at me please." Cassandra let out a soft heaving noise, slowly looking up at Anastasia.

"I made Anastasia bend the rules a bit, again.” Stella admitted sheepishly. “I know that I promised last time I wouldn't but this time, I needed to do it for an important reason: so that your mother and I can see you free and happy, far from Eternis Brillia, happy with the azure Son of Sparda and free from that sorry excuse of a boy Draco. I'm also guessing you found Cordelia as well."  

"I'm happy that my Magpie found her way home to you." Anastasia added. “And you’ve found your self confidence again. Make sure that the azure boy knows how much you love him and how happy you are being at his side.”

"I got to finally see you again Cassandra. I'm proud that you've grown up into a confident lady."

Anastasia pulled Stella and Cassandra into a tight warm hug, kissing her head softly. “Happy Birthday Cassandra, please ever don't forget how much we love you. Before I forget, please tell my little magpie, you got her gift.”

“Her gift?” Cassandra asked tearfully. The world around them was nothing but darkness, with only her two mothers still clearly before her. Anastasia kissed the top of her head and smiled softly. Cassandra swore she felt something at her neck, arms hugging her close. “Mom...Mother...tell me, what do you mean?”

“A happy family. People who love her dearly, no matter what.” Anastasia murmured. “And it was something we wanted for you as well.”

“Cassandra, my little star, you cannot stay here.” Stella said, her voice grim. “You have to return back to the azure son, to your family, to our little magpie.” Her and Anastasia’s hand rubbed away the tears that streaked down her face. “Because we weren't strong enough to live, but you are.”

“Mom, Mother, don’t go-” Cassandra suddenly heard the sound of glass shatter before she fell backward, away from the rapidly disappearing images of her mothers. Faintly, she saw her tears fly into the dark abyss...or were they hers?

We will always love you.

She expected to hit the floor, for her arms to be cut by shattered shards of mirrors, but strong arms, Vergil’s arms, caught her and held her up. She blinked, watching as Nero and Dante stared at the remains of the mirror, weapons aloft. The mirror was now just stone and glass on the floor. Nero rushed to her side.

“Mom, are you ok?” Nero asked worriedly. Cassandra nodded, letting Vergil help her onto her feet. “What was that?”

“...a trap. It’s an illusion mirror, from Eternis Brillia. I suppose the last owner was an adherent of the Earthfaith.” Cassandra breathlessly explained. “It was still effective...I…”

“You what?”

“...I saw my mothers.” She said, trying not to cry. She had enough of that for a while, at least. Her gaze rested on the broken mirror. “It wasn’t real. They’re dead. They died years ago.” She took a deep breath, feeling Dante rub his hand against her shoulder. “That’s what the mirror does: it lures you in with what you want the most and traps you in it’s illusions.” A quiet fell between them, all eyes on the broken trap at their feet.

“Hey…” Dante broke the quiet, trying to sound easy-going, as if nothing had happened short of a job well done. “How about we get a pizza?”

“A pizza, Dante!?” Vergil growled. “That’s the last-”

“No no no, I...I’d like something stupidly greasy right now to take my mind off things.” Cassandra looked up to the trio. Dante beamed at the sound of Cassandra taking his side of things. Vergil scowled at the decision before seeming to relent. Cassandra took one last glance to the broken mirror, the damp air silent. It couldn’t be real...right?

And yet, as her hand reached up to realize that a new Rhodonite necklace now hung around her neck, she suddenly wasn’t sure if everything in the broken mirror was illusionary.

[sparkie96]

“Break the Chains” Preview

(Summary: Vergil originally came to Spain looking for something to strengthen himself after his defeat at the hands of Dante and after his liberation from Mundus. He ends up finding more than he originally intended to. 

Leon manages to get Ashley back home, but had failed to save himself from Saddler. Good thing Vergil shows up while he’s being humiliated. Rated M for Suggestive Themes, Violence, and Language.)

The sky was the same color gray it had been all morning, making it difficult to determine what time of the day it was. The road had been long and unforgiving, and Vergil hoped he would find what he was looking for when he got to the area. The demons and their weapons that he could use for his own use...or at least help him defeat his own brother, now that the threat of Mundus was no longer. 

But Dante? Defeat after defeat, time after time...it was becoming taxing. He couldn't beat him and no matter how he tried to avoid him, he couldn't shake him. Soon, Vergil would need to figure out either a new way to beat Dante...or perhaps, choose a different path entirely.

Most likely the latter if he continued on like this. 

But, here he was, traversing the backwater hellhole of Spain's lesser known areas in search of what? He really didn't know what it was yet. The Alpha was tired and he hoped he could find whatever it was he had been sent out here to find. He hoped it wasn't just a fool's dream or empty rumors. 

As he had gotten closer, he could hear laughter and music, but it wasn't like the other dozens of times he had heard either. No, the laughter was not like that of happiness...or perhaps it was but at the expense of another person's happiness or well being. Like how Mundus used to laugh when watching Vergil suffer. That sadistic type of laugh that made one's spine ice over in fear...or made one's heart light with rage. It was an evil sound.

And Vergil was plenty familiar with evil. 

He continued his trek into the village, wearing his hood lower over his eyes just in case. He had been away from the human world for a very long time, and there was no telling what these beastly creatures were like now. The ones he had encountered when he went through another nearby village hadn’t been very friendly, at least not by human standards. And he was pretty sure that humans' heads were not supposed to explode into thrashing tentacles nor were they supposed to have such deep crimson eyes. 

As he entered the town square, he noticed that there had been a small crowd, gathered around what he could not see, but he could see a sort of platform. On said platform, seated in a red throne was a man, wearing purple robes with a staff of some sort. The staff was clearly not normal, tentacles protruding from it and flailing freely about. The man in question didn't look normal either, gold orbs focused on something down below as his head sat propped in his hand. The leader, if Vergil had to guess. Why else would he be sitting higher than everyone else and seated in such a gaudy throne? 

Speaking of everyone else, the crowd laughed and mocked whatever was in the center of them. Some threw rotten fruit and vegetables, others threw coins. This made the white-haired man even more confused. Vergil managed to push through the crowd, head kept low as he made his way to the middle and then the front. He seemingly was able to blend in with them, letting him pass with ease. Once he got to the front, he wasn’t sure what he had been seeing, but he felt very disgusted. 

In the center of the circle was a petite blond male in very odd garb. Had it not been for the demeaning words in Spanish or the way the men holding him down while the one beat him and shoved him down, shoving his face down into the dirt, Vergil would have assumed the blonde to be one of the crowd and made for entertainment. It was obvious that the blond was supposed to be entertainment, but he wasn’t enjoying it and he was clearly not one of them. Dull looking eyes flickered from blue to red back to blue, staring ahead and clawing at the ground, as if doing so would get him out of this situation. 

“Still so stubborn, American.” The leader laughed, “Just submit...enjoy yourself. You know you want to. You have no reason to fight anymore.” 

Vergil looked to “The American”, feeling...something as their eyes met. It was like the blond knew that Vergil was not like the others, and Vergil wasn’t sure what to think. He shook his head slowly as the human looked at him. He felt that pang of...pain? Fear? The laughter and sounds rang in his ears, he could hear his mother’s voice in the distance, calling out and yelling his name...hearing her screams. The humans or whatever they were twisted into demonic looking creatures, leering down at him. 

He clenched his eyes shut and swallowed back another breath, trying to push back the horrifying memories. He had felt weak...he couldn’t save his mother. He met the human’s eyes and he didn’t know if it was in his head or not, but he swore the blond begged him for help, a hand weakly outstretched toward him. 

“VERGIL!” Eva had screamed, his mother’s eyes flashing before his own as he heard her blood curdling screams. 

He hadn’t even been thinking when he took out his sword, his usually calm composure melting away as he tore off the ratted cloak he had been wearing over top of his usual outfit before he began cutting down the humanoid creatures around him. He couldn’t hear the screams as he cut them down, in fact, it didn’t even sound like they were screaming at all. More so hollering in anger, even as the Yamato sliced them down. 

It made killing them that much more satisfying. 

“Get up.” Vergil commanded, grasping the blond’s arm and hauling him to his feet. 

The half-demon looked away at the blond’s current state of undress, taking off his trench coat and wrapping it around the human’s shoulders, instructing the younger to button it up. Vergil cut down more of the insane villagers. The cult leader stood above them, laughing and asking Vergil who he was and what he thought he was doing here. And why was he so intent on ruining his fun punishment of the “American Agent”. 

“You don’t even know who this man is, do you?” Saddler asked, “Leon here ruined my plans, killed my men, and let the President’s daughter flee...him and his collaborators.” 

Vergil leveled his sword at the man, watching him cautiously while standing protectively in front of this “Leon”. He growled low at the remaining villagers and their leader, settling on the pus colored gaze of the man before him. He didn’t know why...but he felt this strong need to protect the human behind him. Whether it was because he was reminded of his failure to protect his mother...or his failure to fight back against Mundus. 

And the bastard before him wasn’t helping that anger. 

He had been on autopilot when he killed this man and the remaining villagers, turning to the human before him. Leon hadn’t moved an inch, still too paralyzed with either fear or shock...maybe both. The blond looked up at him, his irises now a red color, like the others. Except this man wasn’t attacking him. His eyes seemed to fade from red to blue, Vergil cupping his chin and looking into his eyes. 

“You’re not like the others.” Vergil stated, “But you have whatever they have.” 

Leon looked up at him, nodding his head, “They infected me with the Plaga.”

Vergil hummed, “Good...I need it.” 

Leon narrowed his eyes at the man, raising a brow, “...what?” 

“The “Plaga” as you put it...I need it.” Vergil elaborated, “It made that man stronger...so I believe it could do the same for me.” 

The human was quiet for a moment, before bursting out into a fit of laughter in an almost hysteric manner. Vergil raised a brow, looking down at the younger with interest and mild annoyance. He had just saved Leon’s life...and the blond was laughing at him. Leon cleared his throat as he settled down, apologizing for laughing, but clarifying that the parasite wasn’t exactly an “energy booster”. More of something that took over and killed whatever consciousness that was left in their mind. 

“It takes over…” Leon recalled, “It makes you feel like shit...and then it takes over until there’s nothing left.” 

Vergil listened intently, “I would still like to examine it...if you don’t mind.” 

Leon took another deep breath, but then looked up at the man skeptically, “Who are you?” 

“You’ll find out when I get that parasite.” 

“...yeah...not gonna happen…” Leon replied, “It’s kind of attached to my spinal cord…” 

Now it was Vergil’s turn to raise a brow as Leon explained to the best of his ability about how the parasite attached itself to the spine of its host after it hatched. Leon also showed him the pills he took to suppress the growth of the parasite. Even after his capture, he had been able to take them and resist the parasite and Saddler’s influence over him through it. 

“Except it looks like I’m stuck with it.” Leon sighed, “Considering he destroyed the machine and the only way to get this damn thing out of me...and I’ve only got a few of these pills left.” 

Vergil looked the human over, stroking his chin as he did so, an idea coming to mind, “I think I can help in a way that we both can get what we want.” 

“How so?” Leon asked. 

Vergil proposed Leon coming back with him to his realm. He may or may not have had means to get the parasite out of him, feeling pity for the younger after all that had happened to him. He didn’t want the human to suffer anymore than necessary. When Leon questioned him about his intentions, and why the man had helped him, Vergil admitted that he understood what it felt like to be humiliated by the enemy. To be a slave to the will of another. And he wanted to help Leon “break the chains”. 

“I helped you, you help me.” Vergil said, using his sword and cutting a hole in the dimensions, “Do we have a deal, Mr…?” 

Leon held out a hand, giving a small smile, “Leon Kennedy.” 

Vergil looked down at the offered hand and then back up at the blonde, accepting it, “Vergil.” 

[imastrangeone98]

Shopping Spree

(A/N: haha you thought it was a new chpt of lost and found? No! You get a stinking one shot, that's what you get!)

Lolol honestly I'm still coming up with ideas for the next chapter so I'm doing a one shot until I come up with something XD

Warning: if you hate shopping as much as I do, this is gonna be an eyesore XD

This takes place sometime before chpt 5 of my lost and found series

"Faith. Babe. Seriously. We need to get you some better clothes," Lady muttered as she ran a finger over her friend's ragged hoodie.

"But... but they're fine!" the nephilim protested weakly. "They're still clean, and they fit me... well, kind of."

"I know, but they're just so threadbare. And hot." Walking around her friend, she carefully scrutinized each piece- hoodie, jeans, sneakers. "It's only gonna get hotter here, and I don't want you melting into the pavement!"

"I... I don't have money," she said, a pitiful final attempt to dissuade Lady from taking her shopping.

"You let me worry about that," she reassured, sneaking a predatory look at Dante, who was oblivious to the whole thing. "At least let me get you a new shirt."

And Faith knew then and there that she had lost the battle.

[...]

"Try this on! It's cute!"

Faith's arms were now piled high with clothes. She began to wonder if she was just an excuse for Lady to splurge on pretty outfits.

Dante yawned in the corner, rubbing his eye while tapping his foot to the upbeat music playing throughout the store. "Are you done? I'm hungry."

"Not yet. She has to try them on." As she spoke, she nudged Faith towards the changing room. "Now go. Go forth and dress."

With a heavy sigh, she obeyed, slipping into the small room.

The male let out a soft groan. "C'mon, Lady. Just let her wear what she wants; it's not hurting anyone."

"Trust me. She'll thank me later. There's a heatwave sometime this month, and I don't want her sweating to death. Also, thank you for actually wearing a shirt and not one of your stupid titty strap jackets."

"It's not a- it's not a titty strap!" he spluttered. "It's a gun harness!"

"Yeah, whatever. It still looks stupid. You really need a wardrobe change-"

"Holy shit," he whispered, as if in awe of something.

Unaware, she rattled on, "For a guy who's practically waist deep in debt, your obsession with red coats is-"

"So... what do you think?"

The sweet voice behind her caused her to turn around... and she gasped.

The soft, white dress flowed just past Faith's knees, the delicate gold flower designs accentuating the gentle aura that always surrounded her.

She looked like an angel.

The two companions stared at her for what felt like hours. It was to the point where she began to squirm under their gaze.

"Is it... not good?" she asked, shyly tugging at the hem of the dress.

Dante mumbled something, his face bright red. But he shook his head and gave her a thumbs up.

Lady, on the other hand, couldn't stop the compliments from pouring out. "It's perfect! It's just the right size, it's not too flimsy, and it matches your vibe!" She dramatically grabbed her friend by the shoulders and repeatedly shook her. "Please tell me you'll keep it! Please!"

Faith's brain still felt like it was rattling in her head. "Okay. Just... don't do that again, please."

[...]

They had traversed over ten shops within two hours. Faith had been rather conservative in her choices, much to the shopping lover's chagrin, but she still walked away with an impressive hoard of shorts ("Ripped shorts are always stylish," Lady had reassured her), floaty T-shirts, a dress or two, a pair of flip-flops, and- on Faith's insistence- a red flannel button up (which Dante seemed particularly happy about).

And while Lady gleefully pushed each bill into their male companion's hands, he didn't seem to mind all that much, simply taking it without a word despite Faith's constant protests that she would find a way to pay for it.

"It's fine," he said with a gentle pat on her head. "Just stick around and wear the stuff; that's payment enough."

"But..." she stammered, only to get a finger pressed to her mouth.

"No buts." With a grin, he slung an arm around her shoulders. "Tell you what. You manage to get through the rest of the trip without worrying over finance, and I'll buy you some cinnamon buns later. Deal?"

She would've argued with him, had she not remembered the smell of the sweet cinnamon glaze as they walked past the shop. Her mouth watered.

That shut her up.

At some point, their growling stomachs became too loud to ignore. They began their trek to the food court, only for Dante to point out a box to them.

"Check it out. A photo booth," he snickered. "I love those things. So cheesy."

Faith looked at it. "I've never been in one before."

He gave her a look. "Wait. What? Seriously?"

She shook her head. A small frown tugged at her lips.

"...Alright, we're changing that. Come on!" Grabbing her hand, he practically dragged her to the machine, where the trio squished themselves trying to fit in the minuscule box.

"Jesus, what were they thinking, making it so tiny?" he grumbled when an elbow smacked his cheek.

"I thought they were mainly for couples," Faith squeaked.

His blue eyes widened. "...Yeah, well, they really should take people like us into consideration, too." His voice sounded like it went up an octave; she wondered if he was just tired.

Once they finally got situated (Faith ended up sitting partially on their laps), Dante pressed some buttons on the screen and announced, "Alright, smile!"

Snap! Snap! Snap!

During each pause, they made some kind of funny pose- tongues out, then bunny ears, then a simple one with their arms around one another.

Faith laughed at some point over her friends' ridiculousness. And out of the corner of his eye, Dante watched her with a wide smile on his face.

Snap!

"Is that the last one?" Lady grumbled. "It'd better be; I'm starving!" She started pushing them out of the booth.

"Wait, the photos!" the small girl cried out.

"I got it!" He snatched up the strips of paper, sneaking a peek at them before shoving them in his pocket with a grin.

"Hey, stop hogging the goods!" Lady tried to shove her hand into it, only to get pushed aside by him.

"Quit it! I'll give you one later!" Before anyone could argue, he threw an arm around each of the girls' shoulders, steering them towards the food stalls. "I still need to buy those cinnamon buns."

"...You're gonna share those with us, right?"

"Fine."

That shut them up.

------------------------------------------------------

A/N: it's so dumb and fluffy but hey it's not like anyone's gonna read it right?? Hahaha... ha...

Anyway I'm pretty sure Mando is up next. Look forward to it my nonexistent fans!!

[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.”

[amethystaqua]

Of mugs and secrets (Or how Dante found out about your relationship with Vergil)

I finally finished after entire week of writing and editing! I never thought my first fanfic would be of 2223 words! I really hope you enjoy it! :D

The room was still dark as calmness reigned; the only sounds were the soft breathing on your ear of the man sleeping next to you. Vergil was spooning you, the warm feeling making a real struggle having to get up to start your day. You wiggle trying to move the least required, not wanting to disturb your boyfriend’s sleep, you almost made it, until he made some soft grunts. You froze fearing you might have woken him up, but he just turned to his side of the bed.

A smile found its way into your lips as you approached to kiss him ever so lightly on his mouth, then proceeding to leave the bedroom. You started to go through your day’s agenda in your head, the pendant paperwork waiting at work, visiting Nico to pick up your beloved, just repaired sword Polaris, and the appointment with a possible client. However, all your plans came to a halt the moment you notice a dark figure lying on the living room’s couch. Quietly you summon your spear Morgenstern out of thin air and approach the figure, looking around to see if something else was hiding in the shadows.

“Well now this is what I an exciting welcome (Y/N)” a sleepy familiar voice said making you jump out of the impression.

“My god… Dante! I was this close to stab you!”

“As you know, you wouldn’t be the only one sweetie” he sat on the couch while stretching his arms with an audible pop from his bones.

You met Dante when you were just a kid, with no family left, he rescued you from being a sacrifice for a greater demon since you were a Nephilim, however that seemed to be only the beginning of your problems. Demons appeared to be drawn to your blood like moths to a flame and thus, the week that you hadn’t been attacked by a demon, extremely uncommon. So instead of going to every orphanage or school you assisted to save you, Morrison decided it was for the best if Dante just adopted you. That way he could keep an eye on you, so no more civilians were put on danger, and also train you. Dante wasn’t in any sense qualified to adopting a little girl, but with your help (The motherly interventions of Lady and Trish, and some extra cash from Morrison) you two worked it out and in the process, perceived each other a bit like father and daughter.

“What on earth are you doing here?” you made Morgenstern disappear, heartbeat slowing down now that there was no real danger “And how did you get in?”

“Perks from my brand-new powers, and as for your first question… Let’s leave it I had kind of an emergency”

“Ok let’s review your concept of emergency” You leaned into him, taking carefully his face on your hands checking for any sings of cuts or bruises “does it involve injuries?”

“Not this time” he chuckled as you were still inspecting the rest of his body. After confirming the man was in one piece, you decided to head to the kitchen to start making breakfast with Dante following right behind you.

“An angry Trish or Lady?” you opened the fridge to start looking for the ingredients to make pancakes, you really stomach really needed some food now.

“Nah we just had drinks last week” he took a seat on the small kitchen table.

“Another powerful demon king about to be resurrected?” once you gathered everything you needed; you poured some flour along milk on the crystal bowl you took from the kitchen cabinet.

“Funny (Y/N) but no, not a demon, and somehow way more terrifying then one…Patty wants go out on a date with me” you almost dropped the egg you just grabbed for the batter, staring at him in disbelief on what he just said heard.

“Wait… so you broke into my apartment at” you looked at the clock next to the fridge “at 7:00 am just because you’re scared of a 19-year-old who wants a date with you?”

“I was coming back from a job! Morrison called me and he said a miss was waiting for me at DMC! Then I heard her voice on the phone! I’m not going anywhere with her when she’s faking a promise!”

“Dante…” Calm, take a deep breath you thought as you focused on inhaling deeply, he sure had a talent for making you lose your temper sometimes “are you serious? Both Morrison and I were there! I perfectly recall you saying when she’s turned old enough you would date her!

“Damn, so you’re saying she isn’t lying and I must keep my promise?”

“Yeah sure because I definitely want Patty to come on our already uncomfortable family dinners at Nero’s home” you answered sarcastically as you mixed the bowl’s ingredients “Just take her out to eat pizza or something, keep it as casual as possible so she doesn’t get her hopes up”

“Or... you could allow me to stay for a few days”

“Dante...”

“Please (Y/N) only 2 days!” he lifted up the chair and moved next to you “Just until she’s tired of stalking me!”

“Since you’re here not like I have much of a choice, do I?”

“I knew I could count on you!” Dante said while lifting you off the ground, on really strong hug just like he has done all these years since you were a kid.

“Be quiet!” you whisper loudly, squirming a bit in his tight embrace “Vergil is still sleeping!”

“Wait, what’s Verge doing here?”  he dropped you while looking at you quite confused.

Oh, you just fucked up big this time… Dante was the only one who didn’t know about your relationship with Vergil. Unknowing of your past together when he was V, Dante’s father instincts awakened, as he warned you to stay away from Vergil, after noticing the constant glances you shared with his twin, fearing his brother got interested in you just because you were a Nephilim.

“He uh... went on a job yesterday, and uh he got poisoned by a demon so he needed someone to cure him!” That was the only excuse your sleepy brain was able to scheme in those few seconds, thinking Dante would buy it… then you remembered the eldest son of Sparda never asked for help.

“So, he decided to come here was the best idea?”

“Yeah” you tried to smile at him to look as convincing as possible.

“My brother looking for you to heal him?... All right never thought I’d see the day the dumbass put his pride aside and ask for help!”

“Heh… guess he still remembers one of the times I cured him when he was V” You sighed in relief, turning your attention on the coffee machine to prepare some, thinking you got away with your little lie until…

“But why he didn’t return to Devil May Cry?”

“I-it was really late and cold outside so I suggested he spent the night here “blush adorned your checks, once you realized the size of the stupidity you just said. “Al-also, I needed to be certain I cured the wound properly.

Dante just hummed and returned to his seat, whether he believed that poorly made answer or not, he didn’t say it. You were about to change topic, but were interrupted by a growling.

“Geez...” you couldn’t help but laugh lightly “I suppose you haven't eaten anything”

“Can’t lie at this point” You smiled at him. Once the coffee machine finished you poured some coffee on 3 cups that you placed on the counter. With all the noise, probably Vergil would join you both for breakfast.

“Stay right here, and don’t touch anything” you said as walking past beside him.

A shower was really much needed. You were already a bit late and didn’t want to waste more minutes, after all, you could always buy something to eat at work if you didn’t have time left. On the hallway to the bathroom you found the elder son of Sparda already got up.

“Oh, hi I thought you were still asleep” you stood on your tiptoes to give him a quick peck on his cheek “Didn’t want to wake you up”

“To whom I must thank for making Dante grace us with his presence this early in the morning?” his icy blue eyes showing an evident annoyance.

“That would be Patty… apparently the poor girl really wants a date with your brother to the point she’s waiting for him at Devil May Cry as we speak”

“I’m afraid that doesn’t justify why he’s here” a frown taking over his features.

“Well… “you played with a loose lock of your hair “Lady and Trish aren’t home, Nico still wants to bang him and I’m not letting that happen, and finally Nero made crystal clear last time I spoke to him, he wanted Dante at least 10 mts away from Kyrie and Credo” Your best friends had just had their beautiful son, the last thing Nero needed was having Dante in their house with Kyrie so delicate after her pregnancy.

“Hmpf still he isn’t staying here” Vergil crossed his arms, his answer just as you predicted.

“Please I can’t kick him out of the apartment just like that! I bet if you were the one in his…”

“I would never find myself in such a ridiculous situation like this”

“Right, forget what I just said” you said a bit ashamed while scratching your head.

“Even if I did unlike Dante, I could find a solution on my own”

“My point is! He needs help” you cupped his face in your hands “I know we had plans but come on, it’s going to be just a couple of days” you gave him the best puppy eyes you could.

It wasn’t as frequent as you wished for Vergil to stay in your apartment, between your jobs and the constant efforts to hide the truth to Dante. That’s why those days where two of you just sat on a couch to read, or did any other silly activity together, became so precious memories.

“I promise I’ll make it up for you when he leaves” you whispered in his ear face turning red with the possible implications.

He pushed you carefully against a wall lifting you face and grazing with his thumb your plump lips.

“You should not take promises so lightly my dear angel” you melted at his words, his lips mere inches from yours “I fear you may have acquired my brother’s demeanors”

“Have I ever broken my word before?”

An almost imperceptible smile, one only you got to recognize adorned his face as he claimed your mouth on a passionate kiss, that to your perception didn’t last enough. But you didn’t complain once Vergil separated from you, the risk of being caught by Dante was way too high.

“He’s in the kitchen” you cleared your throat, trying to control your small gasps for air.

“I expected no less” he fixed his hair and clothes, erasing any sings of the kiss you just had.

“Welp I’m going to shower now, not taking long” you passed beside him and closed the bathroom’s door only to open it a few seconds later “Vergil wait! Geez I almost forgot; I left some coffee for you and Dante on the kitchen counter. I’m pretty sure you’ll know which mug is yours since your favorite mug broke in our tiny accident a few nights ago”

You winked playfully at him, but he only limited to clicked his tongue in disapproval and directed to the kitchen. Once Nico knew about your relationship with Nero’s deadbeat father (as she always called him) the mechanic wasted no time to tease, giving you a little present: a white mug with big blue letters that read I’m your daddy for your boyfriend to use. Obviously, once Vergil found out the existence of the mug, the first thing he wanted was to toss it on a trash can, but you didn’t allow it being a gift from Nico.

While you showered the guilt took over you for hiding Dante about you and Vergil. Maybe it was time to tell him the truth, after all, didn’t he always wanted for his brother to embrace his humanity and live a somewhat normal life? You stepped out of the bathroom once you finished, so deep in these thoughts that it wasn’t until you were on your way to the kitchen, that you noticed how quiet the house was. At this point you were so used to whenever the twins were together their heated conversations escalated quickly to an argument that sometimes required a third-party intervention, so the silence was really unusual.

���Ok now, is it okay for you guys to eat pan…cakes...”

Your voice lowered the volume as you looked at the scene before your eyes. Vergil and Dante were staring fixedly at each other with a murderous gaze, each one with a hand around the infamous cup, now you knew the real reason for the unusual silence, Dante must have assumed the mug was his.

“So…” you laugh nervously “I guess the cat is out of the bag.

The end

[walls-dmc5]

Walls - 7th chapter “A break”

Words: 5,5k

Warnings/tags: slight angst in the beginning, otherwise none

Synopsis: Back to the safe house. A break seems to be exactly what everyone needs, especially V. Cara and Griffon have a heart-to-heart talk.

I hope you enjoy it! 🌹

V groaned, his face contorted in pain as Nico and Cara dragged the man into the safe house. It was a difficult task with V being so tall and one of Cara’s hands being occupied with applying pressure on the wound that has started bleeding again, though luckily not as severe as before, due to the movements. Shadow was behind them, steadying V and slightly pushing him forward.

Both women made a sound of relief when they managed to take V to the couch, laying him down on his back. Though him squeezing his eyes shut and gasping in pain made Cara wince.

“Keep the pressure up. I’ll be right back,” Cara told Nico and when the woman took the cloth from her to keep it pressed to the wound Cara hastily went to the bathroom. She washed her hands thoroughly, pulling her lower lip inside her mouth to keep from making noises as she rubbed the blood off her skin. She hated it so much. It was common to see blood as a demon hunter, and she didn’t have an issue with seeing demon’s blood or her own, but other people… especially people on her team… 

She exhaled deeply, grabbed a few towels and returned to the living room with a bowl of water.

“V, we’re gonna have to open your vest to treat the wound properly, alright?”

The man nodded and swallowed, beads of sweat running down his forehead. Cara exhaled deeply through her mouth once more.

“What do you need me to do?” Nico asked with furrowed brows as Cara worked on loosening the string that held his vest together to be able to treat the injury fast.

“Maybe bring me sugar from the kitchen. I saw some there yesterday, and please, hand me the bandages from my backpack,” Cara replied.

“Gotcha.”

Cara’s brows furrowed and she pursed her lips when she finally saw the wound properly. Though she couldn’t deny the wave of absolute relief as she saw that the wound wasn’t that deep at all, and that they probably could avoid stitching it.

She winced as V groaned in pain when she poured water from the bowl onto the wound to clean it and caught the water with a towel to avoid it spilling onto the couch too much. 

“What’s the sugar for?” Nico asked as she handed it to Cara.

“We don’t have any antibiotics but sugar is such a highly concentrated medium that bacteria won’t survive.”

Nico made an “oh” sound. There simply wasn’t anything else to say in this situation. V gritted his teeth and Cara felt deeply sorry for doing this and simply pouring the sugar into the wound, but it was their best option right now. 

“Damn, V, you got us really worried there for a second,” Griffon said as the bird landed on the back of the couch looking down at the man when Cara leaned back with a sigh after she wrapped up the wound.

V made a ‘hmpf’ sound but his lips twitched upwards again at the bird.

“Didn’t assume you’d know so much about wound treatment,” Nico commented. Cara rubbed her forehead, the exhaustion now getting to her as well.

“Had to do this so often over the years. Someone always gets hurt while fighting demons.” She sighed. Truth was also that Cara dreaded this moment each time. She knew what to do if someone got injured, she could keep a cool head in these situations just as right now, but that still didn’t mean she liked doing that.

“Can I leave ya alone for a bit? I gotta go get Nero.”

Cara simply nodded at the other woman. The worst part was over. She could relax now for a bit. She would just need to keep an eye on V for a while. And he should rest. A lot.

She assumed at this point that the wound only got to him this much because he simply overdid it. He pushed his body beyond its limits during the fight. Not to mention that he didn’t seem to get much sleep and rest in general. It all just came together in this moment and crushed him.

Nico patted her shoulder, an empathetic smile on her face before she left the house again.

Cara leaned back and looked to the ground once the woman was gone. She was still crouching in front of the couch, still in front of V, but she didn’t care. She had tried not to let it get to her too much, she had dealt with wounded people so many times before, but she still was so surprised and almost shocked about how worried she had been. The moment of V fallen to his hands and knees had created a sense of dread and almost panic in her, her hands had trembled when she tried to help him, her heart had been racing in her chest…

She didn’t anticipate it, but it was obvious that she started caring about the man.

Her thoughts were interrupted with V slowly moving. He trembled as he tried to raise his upper body and seemed to reach behind him with his hand. Cara’s hands were on the leather that covered his shoulders in an instant, gently pushing the man down again.

“You really shouldn’t move right now.”

“Listen to the soldier girl, buddy, at least this time,” Griffon agreed with her, though the snarky remark regarding her didn’t escape her. She just had absolutely no energy to reply to that.

“Just,” V murmured still trying to reach his arm around to his back. Cara furrowed her brows and followed his movement with her eyes. And when his hand wrapped around an object Cara’s gaze softened. She slowly took the book from him, his fingers brushing his in the process, and put the book onto the coffee table; out of reach, out of danger of getting bent or damaged with him lying on the couch like this. He must really cherish this book.

His fingers were cold to the touch, but the feel of them still lingered on her skin just like before when she touched his upper arm.

“I suppose I owe you one. Thank you,” V spoke quietly after a moment, looking up at her out of half-lidded green eyes. She shook her head, but smiled.

“Get some rest. You need it.”

V looked exhausted. Like someone just drained him completely. And yet he still had a defiant glance in his eyes, as if he didn’t want to rest and continue their quest, but even he had to realize that there was nothing he could do anymore right now.

He let his eyes fall closed and Cara, mindful of the bandaged wound, pulled a blanket over him.

She threw her hair back over her shoulders and used this opportunity to clean up. She brought the used and bloody towels and cloths to the bathroom into the laundry basket just to get them out of her sight and she returned with a new wet cloth. She put it down on the table for a moment and put the sugar back into the kitchen before she took off her jacket and sat down on the couch across from V.

Griffon seemed to follow V’s lead and lowered his head and closed his eyes. Whatever happened to him during that battle must have been exhausting to him as well. This weird orb that appeared in his place… she would need to ask later what that was all about. Shadow laid down on the ground, her snout coming to rest on her front paws.

There was hardly a lot Cara could do right now aside from waiting, so she might as well help out where she could. So she grabbed V’s cane from the ground, where Shadow put it after she brought it with her, and grabbed the wet cloth as well again. Shadow raised her head, watching her out of curious but cautious eyes as Cara held her master’s weapon. Cara smiled at the demon, hoping she would understand and that it reassured her that she didn’t intend to do anything with the cane.

Cara was surprised that the cane was rather light in weight. It seemed so sturdy with how it easily pierced through demon’s skin and flesh, and there was a weight to it, but it was much less than Cara expected. She started to carefully clean the demon blood which was still covering half the cane; all under Shadow’s watchful eyes.

Cara looked up and she was on her feet immediately, Griffon screeching and shaking his feathers as the front door of the house burst open and Nero entered; a look of worry and anger on his face as he carried an unconscious woman inside.

Cara’s lips were parted, her eyes wide at the unexpected entry, but she recognized the woman on Nero’s arms as one of the women who entered the tree with Dante four weeks ago.

“How about not breaking down doors, kiddo?!” Griffon complained. V stirred, being pulled out his very short sleep because of the sudden noises. Cara felt a bit sorry for him.

“Shut up. I’ll bring her upstairs,” Nero said through gritted teeth and left the room. Nico followed him into the house only an instant later.

“Geez, what a day…” she murmured.

“Is she hurt?” Cara asked referring to the unconscious woman on Nero’s arms. Nico shook her head.

“No, just completely out of it. She was trapped inside a demon?! Well, don’t ask me. I have no idea what’s going on, but hey, she ain’t dead yet.”

Trapped inside a demon?! How?! Cara knew that some demons used humans to gather more energy, pretty much like the Qliphoth drained their blood to grow, but she never heard of a human being trapped inside one.

“Hey man, you feelin’ better?” Nico asked V who has woken up but hasn’t moved or said anything otherwise.

“What do you think, smartass? After bursting in here only a few minutes after you left,” Griffon said. Nico squinted her eyes at the demon and leaned closer to him.

“Next time how about you start helpin’ then instead of fluffin’ ya pretty little feathers, chickee?!”

Griffon didn’t say another word but he seemed to be pouting, a wave of shimmering energy coursing through his blue feathers once.

“Hey, Nico, take a look at her if she’s really not injured and needs anything,” Nero called from upstairs.

“You better not be staring at her again!” Nico called in response and walked upstairs.

Cara smiled as she could only her Nero’s exasperated sigh and: “I’m not. God, just get up here”.

When she looked back down to V she caught the man smirking at the almost familiar banter between these two.

Nero came downstairs a moment later and he rubbed his hand over his face before he fell into the armchair in the living room.

“Are you okay?” he asked V.

“I’m fine.”

He was anything but, however, Cara wasn’t about to say anything. The distant tone in V’s voice at least gave her the impression that he didn’t like the position he was in right now; wounded, tired, vulnerable. He has always given the impression that he did not want to appear weak despite his rather fragile looks. The walls he pulled up around him, with his confident stance, the unreadable expression in his eyes, were exactly because of that; to not give other people any reason to believe he’s weak. But now… all of these defenses were forcefully broken down. There was just a man who was forced to show other people he didn’t trust and who didn’t trust him this side of him and to put his life into their hands.

“What happened to her?” Cara asked Nero after a moment of silence.

“Lady?”

Cara nodded. The name didn’t occur to her anymore, she had to admit.

“I wish I knew. She can probably tell us more about it.”

“Urizen used her as an energy source.”

Nero and Cara looked at V who made an attempt at raising his upper body but then chose to rather stay in his previous position despite his reluctance of doing so.

“What?” Nero exclaimed looking at V as if the man had just done something absolutely stupid.

“Urizen can control a variety of demons but these demons are not sustainable without a core to supply them.”

“It doesn’t matter if the core is a demon or human or something else. It just needs to have some life energy to fuel the demon. The stronger the core, the stronger the demon, one should probably add that,” Griffon added to V’s explanation.

Cara furrowed her brows. Did that mean that other woman and Dante were also used as such a core? The possibility seemed to be plausible.

“How do you know that?” Nero wanted to know, one eyebrow raised.

“Do you believe we’ve only been in the underworld since yesterday? Have some respect, boy.” Griffon shook his head, his yellow eyes burning with annoyance and aggravation about Nero disbelieving him.

“Just… argh,” Nero ran his hand through his hair, sliding it down his face, trying not to lash out at the demon, “we’re gonna have to wait for Lady to wake up. Maybe she knows about Dante and Trish,” he finished that sentence. Cara wondered what the younger man went through on this day.

“Well, that gotta wait. She’s probably gonna be down until tomorrow.” Nico came downstairs and joined them in the living room.

“She’s fine though?”

“Yeah, yeah, just needs time,” Nico replied making a waving gesture with her hands. Nero nodded.

“What now though? I’m not gonna go out there anymore today.” Nico snorted. Cara agreed. It was getting late anyway, the sun slowly set and V was hurt, he couldn’t even sit up properly right now. Not to mention that they shouldn’t leave Lady upstairs alone here.

“We’ll continue tomorrow. We made progress today. We should all probably get enough rest to continue tomorrow,” Cara replied and she smiled to herself when the rest agreed. Nero rubbed his forehead.

“I’m gonna have to find that demon again tomorrow,” he said. Nico’s lips parted, recognition glistening in her eyes. She made a few steps forward so she could catch Nero’s eyes. There was a sudden excitement all over her. It was interesting to watch. Nico half leaned over the back of the couch on which V was laying on and the man frowned at her. He was visibly uncomfortable but Nico didn’t seem to notice, too caught up in whatever she was thinking about right now. Griffon threw her a judging look as the woman invaded his personal space as well.

“You mean that huge machine demon thing?!”

Cara had no idea what she was referring to but it was fascinating to see how excited Nico got about demons. It reminded her of herself years ago when she started gathering information about demons.

Nero nodded.

“We can’t have that thing running around like that. He’s too big to leave alone. I better take care of it.”

“Well, given its size we shouldn’t have issues finding that fella.” Nico shrugged but the grin never really left her face. Nero agreed.

“Where’re you going, honey?” 

Cara looked back over her shoulder to Nico as she made her way to the kitchen.

“I’m gonna try to make us something to eat,” she replied with a small smile on her lips. 

“Need help?”

Cara made a face and shrugged. There was barely anything in the kitchen to really make something proper, but some company and help was always appreciated. Nico followed her into the kitchen.

“So, whatcha making?” Nico asked her while Cara dug through the cupboards and fridge again.

“I might be able to make some soup actually. The veggies are not the best, but they’re still good for that,” Cara replied looking through some of the items in the fridge that were still edible.

“You hear that, chickee?! We’re making chicken soup!” 

“I’ll roast you where you stand!”

Cara laughed a bit as Nico called out to Griffon. She did find chicken, but… that was not good anymore at all. She threw it in the bin. The good thing was though that this kitchen was equipped with all the materials she needed including all the spices she could think of. So, while the actual groceries were limited in variety, she could make enough soup to last for tomorrow as well (if they needed that).

“Alright, tell me whatcha need,” Nico told her. Cara looked at her equipment for a moment.

“We’ll start by cutting those,” she said then, handing Nico a knife.

“Gotcha.”

The two women spent the next hour chopping vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, frying onions and potatoes, boiling the stock, spicing and tasting the soup until it gained the desired flavor and the kitchen was filled with the incredibly smell of a comfy and delicious food. Nico and Cara talked about what happened during that day, what Nero has experienced today with that demon that had Lady trapped inside of it, what Cara figured out while watching V fight that parasite demon. Occasionally Cara explained to Nico what they were doing right now as to get the soup as tasty as they wanted. And in the few moments of silence Cara could hear Nero’s and V’s voices coming from the living room. She couldn’t understand what they were talking about, but probably about the same topics as Nico and Cara. It was a carefree situation, the conversations came naturally, not awkward or forced, and it distracted Cara from how serious their situation still was.

Nico pulled out a crisped up bread from the oven which they found in the deep freezer and cut it into pieces while Cara prepared bowls of soup for everyone. She was quite content with the result. Nothing special, nothing fancy, but it would refresh them and the meal would hopefully satisfy everyone.

The women came back to the living room, trays with the bowls in their hands.

Cara noticed that V has sat up by now, although he still looked as if he was in pain. He was deadly pale and the way he straightened his back seemed rather unnatural as if hunching his back even a bit would cause the wound to send new stings of pain through his body. Cara hoped he intended on laying back down after eating…

“Oohoo, this smells nice. Did you pull that off, girls?” Griffon asked leaning forwards on the back of the couch and stared at the bowls of soup. 

“Yep. I did what Cara told me though,” Nico replied, patting the other woman on the back. Cara chuckled. She was a great help though.

“Impressive,” V commented. Cara smiled,thanking him silently.

“You like to cook?” Nero wanted to know. Cara nodded.

“Yeah. It’s what keeps me occupied the most in my free time,” she told the others.

“That looks good. What is it?” the demon hunter asked her afterwards.

“Potato soup with mushrooms, carrots, onions, few spices. It’s a bit improvised maybe but it should taste okay at least,” Cara explained and sat on her side of the couch again.

The all ate mostly in silence, only occasionally commenting on the food or saying something about their current situation. But Cara was just glad that no one complained about the soup.

Nero groaned, stretching his limbs after eating while he stood from the armchair.

“Alright, guess I gotta take a walk. Check up on any demon that wants to ruin our night and then gotta call Kyrie,” he said.

“Don’t get lost on the way, kid,” Griffon replied. Nero made a derogative sound, but grabbed his weapons, including these Devil Breakers, and left the house.

“Well, then I guess I check up on Lady and get to work some more,” and with that Nico went upstairs, leaving Cara alone with V, Griffon and Shadow again.

“The soup was delicious.”

Cara looked up in surprise as the man across from her raised his voice. He was genuine in his words. There was a glance in his eyes. A shimmer of sincerity and contentment, a rare display of open emotions, and she found herself trapped by the intense depth of his green eyes. 

“Thank you,” it took all her willpower to force these words out before the silence turned awkward, before she found herself in a situation she really wanted to avoid.

He nodded, closing his eyes for a longer moment in the process. He looked tired. His long eyelashes caressed his cheekbones, the shadows around his eyes created such a sharp contrast to his pale skin and only seemed to have gotten darker within the last day. Cara wondered if he had gotten any sleep last night at all. He went to sleep after her but when she woke up he had already been awake (and she was an early bird to begin with).

Cara forced her gaze away from him before he opened his eyes and could catch her staring and suppressed the urge to sigh. She really didn’t know if what she was doing was a good idea. She needed some air.

“I’m in front of the house. Call me if something’s wrong,” she said pulling her jacket on while walking outside. She left the door open a bit, so she could hear if something was off and sat down on the few stairs in front of the entry door.

“Tired of our company already?” Cara looked up as Griffon came skipping out of the door, flying up to pull the door shut with his feet before coming to stand next to her.

“You’re not that bad.” Cara chuckled.

“Thanks for the sentiment, solder girl.” The bird looked at her out of his multiple yellow eyes; there was an underlying tone of humor in his voice albeit it was a bit hard to make out. Cara smiled, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Alright, listen, I may not have a lot of respect for most of your kind but eh, credit where credit is due, I guess, so,” the bird made a pause there shaking his head, some small feathers floating through the air as a result, “thanks for today. This was the first time he got injured like that and it’s our job to make sure this doesn’t happen in the first place. So thanks, sweetie.”

Cara stared at Griffon for a really long moment. The words were surprising and completely unexpected. The demon had a foul mouth and from what she could tell he mocked and belittled everyone he came across. She didn’t expect to see such a different and honest side of him. That he came here to express his gratitude, which she assumed wasn’t easy for him, just caught her off guard. But she also appreciated it. It gave her the confirmation that all his mockery was not truly heartfelt and she… liked that thought.

“You’re welcome. It’s not a bad injury. He should be okay again soon if he rests enough.”

“Yeah about that…”

“Hu?”

“You can bet that he’s up on his feet tomorrow again. The kid has some fighting spirit, you know?! But he’s not gonna allow himself the rest he needs.”

Cara contemplated the demon’s words. In the end they confirmed what she already guessed. V looked as exhausted as he was. She wondered what his life looked like that he pushed himself so much that it affected his health in the long run. He probably shouldn’t be here right now in the first place. Or at least he should hold back on fighting and get as much rest as he could. She hoped he would get some proper sleep this night…

“Can… I ask you something? About that fight today?” she asked Griffon, her curiosity flaring up again but also an attempt to distract these depressing thoughts.

“You didn’t take enough notes?” Griffon countered. Cara raised her brow at him. The demon chuckled but told her to go on.

“What was that orb you turned into during the fight? I saw you got hit and when you hit the ground you appeared as that orb?”

Griffon looked like he was pouting, as if that memory was embarrassing to him, but that scene was what stuck most with her while watching that fight.

“It’s what happens when we take too much damage. Our life is bound to V, as long as he is still breathing we can’t die, but we can get stalemated. This sphere you saw is our core-state. We can recover in it but it takes a while. It… was the first time this happened since we made the contract with V.”

Cara nodded slowly. She would need to write this down later.

“For how long have you been a team?” she asked the avian demon after a while. 

“Ten years,” Griffon replied and Cara rose her eyebrows. She did not expect that at all. That they weren’t companions only for a few weeks became apparent when one took a look at them interacting, but a decade was also more than just a few years. That would also mean that V was probably in his mid to late twenties by now because she couldn’t imagine he made the contract with the demons when he was just a child.

“One more question,” she started and Griffon chuckled.

“Hehehe, you are quite a curious one,” he said to which Cara simply shrugged. She had way more questions than just one but she figured she should probably ask those V himself.

“Why is he in this?” she started and the blue bird stared at her, silently urging her to go on, “I mean, Nero is here because of Dante apparently, I wanna make up for my failure, but what about him? He doesn’t seem to do this out of a sheer desire to save the world.”

Griffon was surprisingly silent for a long time.

“Listen, girl, he has a good heart. He really does, but… this is all I can tell you. Maybe you will get a chance to ask him yourself on this mission.”

Cara didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t doubt Griffon’s words, but she knew now that V had some motives on his own. Now it was just a matter how much she was willing to believe the demon that V was a good guy, that there was just a wall between them that couldn’t be broken down unless V decided to do so and open up. And despite what occured up until that point on this journey they were incredibly far away from that point…

Mystery boy indeed, she thought, remembering Nico’s pet name for him yesterday.

“I see,” she finally said, “thank you for talking. Didn’t expect it, but I definitely appreciate it.” She smiled at the demon who snorted lightly in response.

“Don’t get all emotional on me now, sweetie.”

Cara’s shoulders shook as she allowed herself to laugh. She sighed when silence settled upon them again and she rose to her feet intending to go back inside.

“I am okay. This isn’t your fault, you did great today.”

She paused as soon as she opened the door and these words reached her ears.

There was V. Lying on his back on the couch and Shadow sitting next to the couch, her right paw on V’s belly, mindful of his injury, and her licking his face, a faint purr escaping her throat while doing so. V didn’t notice her coming in again right away. His eyes were half closed as Shadow displayed her affection and care for the man just as a normal cat would and there was a small smile on his face, one of his hand stroked her black shiny fur.

Cara found this so endearing that she just stood in the doorway and watched this scene, a smile appearing on her lips as her heart beat a bit faster in her chest to cope with the tenderness of the situation.

She didn’t expect to see this, to see V so open and honest in his caring and affection for his companions - despite them being demons. It made her believe Griffon’s words that V had a good heart a bit more and she found herself wanting to believe that whatever ulterior motive he may had that it wasn’t severe, that it was nothing bad, just something he didn’t want to share with people he barely knew.

“Alright, alright, Kitty, enough cuddling,” Griffon said and flew back to his previous spot on the back of the couch.

Shadow growled very quietly, laid her forehead against V’s face once more before she retreated and laid back down on the floor. V looked at Cara, though that delighted expression that was brought upon his face due to the previous moment, stayed for a while longer. He didn’t pull up his walls right away, only when the mirth of the shared affection with his companion naturally faded did that smile disappear and that glance vanish in his eyes. But Cara was extremely glad to have been able to witness that moment.

Maybe… just maybe V truly wasn’t so distant after all. These short moments of genuine emotions in his eyes, these short situations of him allowing his sense of humor, his gratitude or even his vulnerability show. Maybe he just seemed so unapproachable because he simply did not trust her to allow more of himself to be revealed in front of her.

Maybe it was also more complicated than this, but Cara sort of clung to the hope that it was just a matter of trust since that was something they could work on and overcome. And Cara found herself more and more intrigued with him and everything he’s shown her so far.

Although she could already see how she would come to regret that realisation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 V followed the woman - Cara - out of his peripheral vision as she grabbed her backpack and went to the bathroom. His eyes fell upon the empty bowl of soup again still standing on the table.

He still had the taste of it in his mouth and he felt how his body responded to it, the warmth settling around his bones, the silence of his stomach, he was comfortable, and comfort was the last thing he expected to experience during this journey, much less because of food. But the soup has been amazing, there was no way around to describe it as such. And she took the time and effort(with the help of that other woman) to prepare it for them. Just like earlier today with the sandwiches. And he figured it was only polite and appropriate to express his contentment and gratitude.

But what was he supposed to tell her? That he can’t remember eating something this tasteful before? That it was probably half a lifetime ago when he experienced so many flavours at once? So V settled on very few but genuine words. And he could see her surprise. How she raised her head suddenly, how her eyes widened slightly, shining blue orbs blinking at him for a long moment as if she had a hard time fathoming his words.

When he spotted his clean and shining cane after being pulled out of his rest earlier he probably has been just as surprised as she had been. What drove her to do it? What did she gain from it? Why would she care? V did not know how to answer these questions. He couldn’t fathom why she would care enough. Wound treatment was one thing but taking care of his personal belongings? Just like her taking the book from him to keep it out of harm’s way. Her fingers grazing his. A warm touch of another person that lingered way too long on his skin afterwards and if he focused hard enough he could still feel the tingling of his nerves where she touched his hand. Just like earlier today...

“I suppose you had an insightful conversation?” he turned his attention to Griffon to distract him from his own thoughts lingering on her for too long. Griffon laughed.

“Of course! The girl can learn a lot from me after all!”

V smirked. He knew his companion’s ego and he knew that his conversation with her was probably rather honest and deep despite what he may tried to tell V.

V heard Shadow’s yawn from the ground and the man had to realize he was rather tired as well. It has been a long and draining day; and him getting injured was the last thing he planned to happen. But there was no helping it now and he knew he should get some rest, so he would be back on track tomorrow. He hated falling asleep when he knew the people around him were still wide awake despite him knowing that they didn’t mind nor would do anything. And Shadow and Griffon were there too. He simply disliked other people seeing him in this open and vulnerable state, even more so than the one he was in right now.

But he couldn’t do anything about it and he felt his eyelids grew heavier by the second.

[spirit-of-the-void]

Ebony and Ivory (V x Reader Fanfic) Chapter 3

Authors Notes: I’m gonna cry, you all are so nice ;-; Thank you so much for your kind words and comments! I’m gonna try to keep it at one chapter a day for a while yall.

Chapter 3

Chaos burst forth in the next instant. Shadow attacking the demons in a flurry of spikes and claws, teeth sinking into a demon’s throat with a spurt of blood. Griffon cackled gleefully, flying to the nearest demon to level his own attacks. You found adrenaline pumping through your veins, tendrils whipping out to attach to the nearest demon and impale it through the chest. Several of the creatures started for you and V, who calmly strolled to the side with his eyes fixed on the spectacle. He pulled out his poetry book, hair blowing in the breeze as he dodged an attack from a distant demon, pointing his cane at the creature with an expression of cold glee. Shadow was on it in an instant, ripping at it with its attacks and bringing the demon to its knees.  

“Pin him to the wall,” V growled, darting over and quickly slamming the sharp end of his cane into the creature’s head, killing it instantly and causing it to disintegrate. You used a nearby building to swing around behind him, planting your heels in the face of a demon creeping up to attack the poet while he was distracted. It screamed in pain, swiping at your legs with a clawed hand. V’s cane whipped around in the next instant, impaling the creature’s hand and stabbing into its neck. A rush of air left your lungs as you stumbled back, skidding on your heels as the tendrils stabilized you. Holy shit. The demons were definitely fast, but there were moments where V was faster.

He took a few steps toward you, eyes tilted down to his book as he moved in a slow turn around his fighting companions, murmuring Poetry from his book as they attacked a third demon, “To see the world in a grain of sand, and Heaven in a Wild Flower. Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an Hour.”

Energy seemed to crackle ever so subtly in the air around him as he spoke, voice clear and smooth. He closed the book with one hand, dark green gaze passing over you as he teleported over to the third fallen demon, stabbing it right between the eyes before yanking his cane out with a twirl of his body. You found yourself fixed to the spot, both awed and amused as you witnessed how V fought. So different than Nero, but with a very similar dramatic flair. Both had a taste for being incredibly extra it would seem. V’s was just on a whole different spectrum.  

You thought you saw him smirk at you as he turned, pointing his cane at the two remaining demons with a command of, “Slice them.”  

Shadow and Griffon descended upon the creatures in seconds, breaking them down to nothing but crumpled husks. V had to land the killing blow on them as well—in fact it seemed his companions wouldn’t kill a single one. V had to end each one, finishing them off with a leap in the air and landing in a pirouette. You grinned a little at that, retracting your tendrils back and letting the energy calm down a bit. As soon as the final enemy was killed, whatever was blocking your paths disappeared, the breeze clear and your Foresight quiet once again. You looked around, watching the bodies slowly dissipate into the air as Griffon and Shadow settled down. V seemed pretty fucking capable on his own, if you were completely honest. Sure he looked a bit skinny, but from what you could tell he and his companions didn’t really need your power.

Or so you thought. As you looked at V, you noticed him lean heavier on his cane. It was a subtle change; one you were sure you wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t been looking for it. He griped the top of the cane until his knuckles were white, Hair shielding his face so you couldn’t see his expression. He straightened up a little bit a second later, turning with that same half smile he wore before and his dark green eyes meeting yours. You tried not to display your worry, finding yourself pretty concerned for his well-being. You didn’t know the nature of what was wrong, but you wanted to help people—it was in your nature. You were also hoping to become friends with the trio you had met so far, you wanted to be useful.

“You have quite the interesting power,” V commented, snapping your racing thoughts back to the present. You focused on him again, face heating a little when you realized you had probably been standing there staring like an idiot while you zoned out, “Your ability makes you fairly fast...I noticed tendrils appearing out of your person as well.”

You nodded, lifting a hand to summon some of the blue, feathery wisps of power to show him.

“This is essentially what my abilities look like. They’re almost like super strong threads, they're pretty versatile,” He came closer as you spoke, lifting his free hand to hover them over the tendrils. They gently wrapped around his fingers, so you took the opportunity to try and aid him a bit. Focusing your energy, you continued, “They can attach to anything, make things for me. They’re how I transfer energy too.”

He seemed mesmerized by them, curling his fingers as he enjoyed their gentle glow. You knew they felt soft to the touch, but they were razor sharp and hard as steel when needed. Born of the Void’s nothingness, its energy into physicality. The first time you used them, you remembered it burning you for days. You would vomit whale oil when you tried to extend—it took months of training to get used to it, and even longer to cultivate your own style and learn your limits.

But you couldn’t tell V that. Not now.

Instead, you let out a slow breath, focusing on the sharing of your power as you murmured, “From the Void into you.”

You felt the energy leave your body, traveling into V’s fingertips. He stared in a mixture of surprise and intrigue, watching as your energy traveled through his arm and disappeared into his body. He let out a slow breath when it did, flexing his fingertips and staring at them with his lips parted with intrigue. You hoped whatever was ailing him was at least lifted somewhat, retracting the tendrils and letting the energy inside simmer down. Adrenaline was your friend at that moment—All that time in the Void left you aching for a little excitement, it would seem. You felt practically bubbling with energy, ready to expend it on whatever necessary.

A moment paused between you and the taller male, him still looking at his fingers with an expression of curiosity. If you weren’t mistaken, his complexion had improved a bit too.

“How fascinating...” He breathed, meeting your gaze with a light smirk, “An interesting sensation to say the least.”

You rocked back on your heels, running a hand through your hair as you asked, “Feel any better?”

He paused again, glancing at you from underneath his lashes.

“...I do,” He replied, inclining his head to you in a grateful nod, “Thank you, Y/N.”

Ohhh dear. Something about hearing him say your name like that made your stomach do flips. You nodded back at him and turned away with a small smile, looking down the alleyway and trying to will your heartbeat into slowing down. That was definitely the adrenaline, it wasn’t fading any time soon. You heard Griffon let out a strange trill, wings flapping as he swooped by you again, sending your hair waving in his residual air. He landed on your shoulders as before, gentler this time as you reached back to hold his feet steady. You heard him snicker in your ear, beak closer to that side of your head.

“Ohhh someone was lookin’ starry eyed back there,” He breathed quietly at you, sounding heavily amused, “You okay girlie? Need some breathing room? A cold shower?”

You rolled your eyes at him, tapping a finger on the side of his head as you replied, “Behave, Birdie.”

He snickered again, shaking out his feathers a bit as you turned back to look at V. He was putting his book back into his vest, back to his usual demeanor of eyes focused and that wry smile on his face. Shadow shook out it pelt, letting out a low growl as it slid past you and V, sitting down nearby to lick its paw. You sighed, hating that the big cat was so standoffish to you, even after your food bribe. V was right, despite his gruff bullshit Griffon was a lot easier to win over. One piece of meat later and the bird was riding on your shoulder cawing in your ear. Mind you, that wasn’t a complaint. You were incredibly pleased to not have to fight with Griffon all the time.

“So,” You asked as you started to follow V forward again, still firmly grasping the bird by its talons as you walked, “This Dante guy, who is he?”

V turned into another alleyway, and as he did so you watched Shadow disintegrate as his feet,  absorbing into V’s tattooed body. You stared in startled shock, worried for a second until you realized V's tattoos got darker with the action. So he could take his little companions and have them inside his body? That was certainly interesting, but in retrospect it made sense considering you saw the panther pop out earlier when V summoned it. Still, it was jarring to watch for the first time up close. Not to mention your heavy disappointment when you realized there wouldn’t be a chance of you petting it while it was on its master’s body.  

Griffon, however, seemed perfectly content from his spot on your shoulders. You absentmindedly made another small scrap of meat, tossing it up to him to catch in his beak. He chirped eagerly when you did, the chomping sound pretty gnarly if you were being honest.  

V smirked again, hopping up over a piece of debris in your way as he replied, “Dante is a demon hunter, one that is a friend and acquaintance of Nero. I hired him to help...take care of Urizen.”

Huh. You hopped over the rubble as well, surprised when Griffon helped you a bit. Though you were sure he was supposed to help his master with things like this.

“Everyone seems pretty worried about him,” You commented, conjuring up a granola bar in your other hand. It occurred to you in that moment that you and V had been walking for about two hours and maybe eating something would be a good idea. You summoned another, tapping his shoulder once to get his attention and hand it to him, "Here, you should eat something."

He stared at the bar, eyebrow raised as he gently took it from you. By the expression on his face, you swore the thought of food had never occurred to him. He seemed pretty much human and humans had to eat. Unless he had a health condition of sort? But even then, he had to find nutrients somewhere, from something. There was a lot you didn’t understand about V, but you knew for energy and such food was a good way to go.

“I...” He said, hesitating a bit. You had never seen him hesitate before, “I don’t think this is necessary.”

You shrugged, taking a bite of your own and swallowing before replying, “I disagree. Food translates into energy V, and...well...no offense... You look like you can use something to eat.” It was bothering you, his state of being. He walked and fought fine, but your foresight was just...tingling in your stomach where he was concerned. You felt like you had to worry, because no one else would.

Griffon chuckled heavily at your words, eyeing his master as he sneered, “That’s French for ‘you look like shit, V’.”

You sighed, “No that is not what I meant. At all.”

“That so?” Griffon’s tone held very heavy implications, “You got some sort of feeding fetish?”

You couldn’t help yourself. You laughed.  

It must have been pent up from you containing yourself, because as soon as Griffon’s taunt registered with you, laughter burst forth from you, shocking you and probably V as well. You let go of Griffon’s talons, resting your hands on your knees as you came to a stop for a few seconds. Griffon was having a good snicker from it himself, landing on your back as you caught your breath again. You found yourself oddly embarrassed for laughing, not wanting V to see your face as you calmed down a bit. Something about the joke he made was oddly familiar to you—You couldn’t place why. Probably another lost memory from your original life.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Griffon caroled with glee, wings flapping as you straightened, “A definite yes.”

“That’s a firm no,” You snickered, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand, “I’m sorry for laughing—It's been a long time since something got me like that.” It had been a long time since you had a true, full bodied laugh.

You finally looked at V. He was watching you with an expression you couldn’t quite place—he was smiling, but the look in his eyes was curious and searching. You found your heart beating again, and this time you were pretty sure that wasn’t adrenaline.

“Please, don’t apologize,” He smirked, and much to your delight he took a bite of the food you gave him. He seemed to chew for a long moment, like he hadn’t eaten food in his entire god damn life, before finally swallowing, “Though I must admit. I am seeing quite the pattern with food and you.”

You huffed at that, crossing your arms over your chest as you replied, “I don’t have a feeding fetish,” You shrugged, adding in a playful tone, “I more so have a hand fetish over anything.”

V rose a single brow at that, “Do you?”

“No!” You laughed again, offering him a cheerful grin, “I swear. No kinks from me.” Yet.

He chuckled lightly, griping his cane and turning away again. You quickly followed along, eating the rest of your food before putting your hands out to grasp Griffon’s talons again. You kept your gaze half forward, half on V to make sure he ate the remainder of his own. It took some time, but he did eventually finish the bar. He held a thoughtful expression the whole time, chewing slowly and purposely. Externally, he seemed pretty pleased. You were certain that if he wasn’t supposed to eat it, he would have declined and explained at the start. Determination filled you now—you wanted to learn more about the people you traveled with, their mannerisms and who they were. V was a mystery waiting for you to discover, and in a way that was...exciting.

Your group continued on for another few hours, walking through the city. You only stopped a couple more times to fight demons, taking down whatever stood in your path. You enjoyed being able to stretch your muscles and energy again—the time spent resting left your body itching for activity. As you fought, your stiffness disappeared, blood pumping with every kill and Void energy burning in your hands, your lungs, your stomach. With each battle you witnessed more and more of V’s personality shining through in battles. His taunts were...interesting to say the least. He was an absolute dork, you realized that. He almost seemed like he was having fun during battle, carrying a confidence and amusement into every encounter.

You learned where to act where he would not. Support, nothing else. Like his summons, you filled in the gaps where V lacked. You watched his back whenever necessary, helping pull him out of the way of incoming attacks with your tendrils. It shocked him the first time, but after the fourth or fifth fight he came to accept when it would happen. He was a bit reckless—his taunting and confidence would have definitely got him hurt had you not stepped in. But learning to fight with a group was...fun. V was like a maestro for you, Shadow, and Griffin. For every step he took, you and the others reacted. It was interesting to see Griffon lifting his master up occasionally to get him to safety, or how Shadow fought at V’s command. They were a well-oiled machine, and your foresight told you that was a good thing. You were on the right track.

Occasionally while traveling you would see Nero in his own fights in the distance. You exchanged a wave with him a couple times while V destroyed some Qliphoth roots, you sitting on the edge of some metal steps as you watched Nero zip around in the distance. He taunted just as frequently, if not more, than V. His taunts were equally as silly, but on a whole other level. Where V had a low level extra, Nero was loud and boisterous extra. V was the goth theater kid who just couldn’t help himself, and Nero was young, dumb, and full of...well, you know.

Once V finished destroying the roots in your way, you stood again, stretching your arms above your head until your joints popped. Glancing at the sky, you calculated it was about six o'clock, soon to be seven. The sun was starting to set in the sky, casting a pink and orange hue on the land. You scanned the horizon line, seeing the occasional, small demon fly off in the distance. Not worth any time or effort. Besides, getting that far out was pretty much out of your way.

Sighing, you rested your arms on the metal railing, thoughts drifting off again as you kept looking at the sky. You were sure it would have been beautiful if not for that ugly ass tree. It seemed so monumental, so impossible. You knew that wasn’t the case, otherwise the Deity wouldn’t have sent you. There was a solution, one within reach—all that mattered was getting to it.

V walked up beside you, his gaze scanning you from your right side as he wiped the remnants of the roots off his cane.

“As unfortunate as it may be, we should stop there for the night,” He pointed his cane to the left as he spoke in his silken tone, referencing what looked to be an abandoned warehouse past some shipping containers and a bridge, “Traveling at night is neither safe nor wise.”

You nodded, offering him an encouraging smile, “I’ve slept in worse places.”

A lot of your missions lead to you resting in whatever ways you could whenever you could. And considering a lot of those missions included people who didn’t really give a damn about you...There were several cases of you sleeping in less than savory locations. Not your favorite missions to be sure, the warehouse was a welcome change

He let out a low hum in response, tapping his cane on the ground as he started moving again. You were pleased to see Shadow staying out this time, walking behind its master with a mighty yawn. Griffon soared on ahead, circling those of you down below as you neared the ledge leading to the shipping containers. You found yourself taking up the back again, contenting yourself with watching pretty boy’s hair drift in the breeze. You had already surveyed the area—there were Qlipoth roots up ahead to destroy, coiled around the bridge and budding in the center. You were wary of those. The bridge looked on the verge of collapse; a stray wind could have toppled it.

Regardless, that was the way to go. You crouched down, preparing to jump down from the shipping containers to the railroad tracks below. But your foresight stopped you, flaring up in your chest and lungs. You rubbed your chest, hissing lightly in pain and immediately sensing something was up even before you jumped down. You put your arm out to grab V, but he was already ahead, hopping down with zero hesitation. Pretty much throwing caution to the wind.

Sure enough, as soon as his feet touched the ground, demons began to appear, one by one. You winced, hating their bulbous heads and spikey bodies as they all turned to shriek at V.

You immediately hopped down behind him, steeling yourself to fight when Griffon swooped by, cawing up a storm as he circled the two of you.

“Hey Shakespeare!” He quipped, sending clouds of dust up with each flap of his wings, “You haven’t even shown the girl Nightmare yet!”

Nightmare? What did he mean by that? You heard V let out a light noise of agreement, tilting his head back to give you a light smirk.

“How rude of me,” He replied, turning back and snapping his fingers sharply. Energy crackled off of his body in the next instant, and much to your shock the black evaporated from his hair, leaving it a dazzling white.

A portal appeared above the fight, and from it a new creature burst forth. Made of swirling black energy, huge and lunky. It fell from the portal and landed right on the demons, swinging a mighty club of an arm around at the creatures and sending them flying. You let out an impressed sound, already guessing this was another companion—already dubbed “Nightmare”. V walked around the battle again, cane in one hand and book in the other as he commanded at the creature to attack. You realized right away he was showing off—Nightmare was the definition of overkill. A laser shot out from his eye, leaving a trail of exploding destruction over the group of demons. One went flying past you, a quick side step to the left dodging its broken body. V was on it in the next instant, his body brushing past you as he darted to finish it off. You saw his face in that moment, finding yourself awed again as time seemed to slow.

White hair waving about his face, an elated grin tilting his lips. His eyes were open wide, reflecting the light of the dying sun so his gaze was like glittering Jade. He looked...elated, like he was heavily enjoying himself. Like a little boy discovering play for the first time, he darted past you, sinking his cane into the chest of the creature, ripping the object up and slashing it from crotch to torso. He paused in place, hand on his face as he began to slowly laugh, the sound starting low and rising in tempo. You blinked at the display, feeling entranced as he tilted his head up, still laughing as the creature disintegrated. You were pretty sure these actions should have disturbed or unnerved you but...you found they didn’t. Instead you found yourself even more intrigued, letting out a quiet, exasperated sigh at yourself.

Your foresight suddenly flared again, breaking you out of your musings. Your gaze jerked up, seeing three demons about to jump down and attack V while he was taunting. Your power was activated on the next instant, shooting along the ground to grab the idiotic goth and yank him away, simultaneously shooting up and impale the demons in several locations. V let out a light “oof” as you swung him around; you winced when you realized you might have snatched him too fast. He rolled a little when you released him, coming to a graceful slide on his knees a few feet away. Nightmare disappeared in the next instant, the remaining demons on that side already at death's door—V's hair returned to black, so you figured out pretty fast that was where nightmare had been hiding. Was V naturally white haired then?  

You shook your head. You had to focus on the battle. You knew V could handle the dying demons on that side, so you addressed the creatures still impaled by your tendrils, summoning the energy of the Void and holding out your hands to them. They really were ugly creatures, spitting maliciously at you, claws swiping at open air and teeth snapping. Akin to bugs, with spiny bulbous bodies. Unable to be reasoned with, unable to compromise.

“From being, into Nothingness,” You felt your hair rise slightly with this incantation, one of your stronger spells. If you were being honest, you were showing off a little bit yourself. The energy of the Void wrapped around the creatures, making them scream and squirm as it ate them away, sucking away their life force until husks remained—they crumbled then, disintegrating into nothingness as your tendrils retracted back into your body. You heard the final creature scream as V cut into it, turning in just enough time to see him spin, a trail of blood following his cane as he finished the creature off. Shadow and Griffon settled themselves, the bird flying over to you as the battle ended just as quickly as it had started.

“Hey girlie, wasn’t that neat?” He squawked as he landed on your shoulders, flapping wildly, “Nightmare fucking destroyed those bastards!”  

You smiled, walking forward as he contented himself with making you his perch again, “He was very cool, I’m just sad I didn’t get to say hello.”

V approached you, wiping off his cane as he did so. He was lightly smirking again, dark eyes down on his task as he said, “There will be more chances,” he pointed the silver cane at the bridge, tone light and breath slowing from the excitement of the battle as he said, “That is our last task for the night. Let us make haste.”

You opened your mouth to reply and agree, but it occurred to you that he sounded pretty out of breath. You observed him again, noticing easily how winded he was. He was back to leaning on the cane, and you thought you saw him sweat a little. Maybe taking out Nightmare cost him a lot of energy? You frowned, looking up at Griffon with a searching expression. You were starting to realize V was not the kind of person who would say if he was hurting, uncomfortable, or tired. He wouldn’t ask for help, so you had to decide to give it without being prompted. Griffon inclined his head, eyes darting to his master with a light nod as V started forward again.  

You walked up behind, summoning your tendrils to lightly wrap around him again. His steps faltered a little at the sensation, gaze darting to you with a startled expression as you summoned your energy and sent it into him with a light murmur of, “From the Void into You.”

You gave him a higher dose of energy, hearing him release a heavy breath as it fused with his being. Shadow sat at his feet as V’s eyes closed, breathing going even as you tried to ease his discomfort. At least...you hoped you were. If this wasn’t helping, you hoped V would say something at the very least. It didn’t hurt to try and do everything you could. After a few seconds you retracted the tendrils, letting the energy settle back inside as you flexed your fingers a bit. You weren’t reaching your limit per se, but the months in the Void left you able to take less of the strain. Like going months without stretching and working out, then jumping back into those activities.

“Better?” You asked him with a smile, rocking back on your heels a bit as he opened his eyes again.

He paused, mouth half open in a thoughtful expression as he turned to look at you. Almost like he was thinking about the question. He rolled his shoulders a little, flexing his hand that wasn’t holding the cane. He held it up in the light, a curious look on his face as he stared at his fingers. You noticed he wore a ring there, silver and glinting in the sun.

“Yes," He breathed, turning to look at you again with that wry smile you had grown used to, “You could tell I was fatigued.”

It wasn’t a question, but you still answered it, “Yeah. I’ve gotten good at reading people over the years,” You smiled playfully, taking a few steps past him as you replied, “Someone has to look out for you. You’re pretty reckless, you know that?”

He paused again, something about your words making his expression shift a bit. You stopped in place, blinking as you saw a couple different emotions drift on his face. Confusion was one of them, but the others...you weren’t sure. He settled on a faraway look for a second, jade eyes reflecting the sun as he looked to the side.

Had you said something wrong? Worried, you took a step toward him again and said, “V? Are you okay?” You hated the idea of saying anything upsetting to him.

His gaze snapped back to you, and you saw him smile again. Only this time the smile looked...relieved. And a little...vulnerable?

“Thank you, Y/N,” He murmured, green eyes meeting yours, “You are very kind, and the help is welcome and...needed.”

You nodded, smiling again but still finding yourself confused by his reaction, “You know you can always ask for help, right?” You griped Griffon’s talons, realizing he was actually being polite and keeping quiet during this conversation, “If you ever feel like you need my assistance, that’s what I’m here for.”

V let out a low hum, gave his cane a light spin as he brushed past you. He gave your shoulder a light squeeze, mouth tilted up in that half smile as he met your gaze.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

You wanted to call him a liar, but you knew that would be very rude.  

Luckily, Griffon did it for you.

“Liar!” He accused in his grating voice, flapping his wings a could times as his master removed his hand and continued to walk, “You’re way to stubborn to ask for shit!”

V smirked a bit at that, but kept walking. You and Griffon exchanged another look, both of you sighing lightly. You smiled exasperatedly, summoning another piece of red meat to toss up to him to eat. Then another, to toss to shadow, who rose to follow its master. Instead of ignoring it like you expected, the cat snatched it out of the air, turning as it chewed. Well, there was another little victory, right? You giggled quietly, jogging forward to catch up with the other two as they stepped onto the bridge, heading for the Qliphoth root with intent to destroy.  

You tapped Griffon’s talons, gesturing for him to join his master as you stood off to the side, looking the root up and down. They were spiky and gnarled, writhing slightly as V spun his cane, approaching the bulbous bundle of red that you knew was its weak spot. You looked over the bridge, still pretty worried about its integrity, but knowing damn well you couldn’t just leave the root to grow and fester where it was. You quietly made your way to the side as V began to destroy the root, activating you power and prepared to act if something happened.

“Hey, V?” You warned as Shadow and Griffon smacked the bulb, “This bridge is pretty shaky—”

A loud rumble broke out as soon as the root was destroyed, disintegrating into nothingness. The bridge, as expected, began to shift and collapse underneath you and the others. Well, that root was the only thing that seemed to be holding the bridge up. You saw V slide a bit, griping onto his cane as the cart on the bridge began to slide.  

“V!” You wrapped your tendrils around him as he began to run, keeping pace with him as you both ran up the tilting bridge and leapt. Much to your shock, before you could activate your energy, you felt V’s hand grab your wrist as he jumped. Griffon appeared above him in the nest instant, grabbing V and lifting him and you up and above the debris as it crumbled into the water. You let out a shocked gasp as you were suddenly suspended in air, dangling by your wrist as V grunted and griped tighter. Too much weight, you could tell that right away. You hovered there for a few moments, Griffon huffing with the strain.

“God damn it!” He squawked as he started to descend, but you were still too high and not close enough to land, “Too heavy I can’t hold onto both of you!”

As he said so, his talons slipped off of V’s shoulders, Griffon releasing an alarmed shriek as you and V suddenly plummeted toward the ground, “Son of a bitch!”

You weren’t afraid—you knew you could handle it.

Summoning your power, you coursed the energy through yourself and the tendrils, pulling V closer as you closed your eyes. The tendrils shot out on all sides, connecting with the ground before you and V, creating a slide for you to land on and slip down. You felt one of his arms wrap around your waist, turning you both so he would take the first impact—luckily for him there would be no impact to feel. You let out a hiss, whispering out “Feather fall!” right before he hit the slide. The ability wouldn’t slow the descent, but it would mitigate any impact, pain, or damage the fall would cause.  

V hit the slide, you tucked against his side. You felt him press your head to his chest as you rolled a couple times, eventually skidding across the concrete to an ungraceful halt. You let out slow, relieved sigh, feeling V’s even breath on you as you deactivated the power of the Void. That was almost pretty bad—Though you came to a realization right away as you and V sat up, him griping one of your arms still as you shook off the shock of the fall.

You were...very touch starved.

The seconds of being held were nice, so nice that you mourned the contact the instant it was gone. Living the life you did allowed for very little affection, if any. There were several missions were you were told to assist then ignored by all those involved...like a puppet to be used, then abandoned.

But you couldn’t think about that, not right now.

Instead you let out a light laugh, meeting V’s gaze as you both caught your breath.

“V,” You said in a low voice, “Let’s both agree to plan before we do stuff like that again.” You could have easily saved yourself while Griffon saved him. Hell, you could have saved them both easy. But you didn’t want to be rude.

He let out a low hum, sitting back on his arms as he looked up at Griffon, who was descending and still cursing at both of you, “Agreed.”

You laughed again, earning a grin from the goth as Griffon came screeching down at both of you.

“I cant believe I fucking dropped you!” He shrieked as he landed in front of you both, “Fuck! I thought I was going to have a heart attack! V you know I can only handle your weight, not saying Y/N is heavy or ‘nothin’ but FUCK that was the WORST!”

You let out another light chuckle, giving Griffon a pat on the head as you replied, “You’re doing great, sweetie. Just everyone remember next time I can definitely handle a free fall.”

V let out a low chuckle, finally releasing you as he slowly rose to his feet. Shadow appeared from him once more, nervously circling your group and sniffing the ground. You looked V over, deciding he was no worse for wear and not hurt by the fall. It worked out pretty well, all things considered. V held out a hand to you as soon as you began to rise, one you grateful accepted as he helped put you to your feet. His hand was...warm. His skin felt soft, overly soft. He lingered for a moment before releasing you, turning away to look at the warehouse. You realized a second later...V didn’t have hair on his arms. The more you thought about it, he was pretty smooth all around.  

Strange, but not the strangest thing you had learned about him. You shrugged it off.

“Let’s not waste any more time,” He said, nodding toward the warehouse and giving you a kind smile, “It’s getting dark.”

You opened your mouth to reply, but were cut off by a wave of dizziness that suddenly hit you. That was certainly not good. You swayed a bit, tilting to the side as you heard the rush of wings and felt talons suddenly gripping your shoulders. Griffon caught you, holding you up before you hit the ground.

“Whoa whoa there, girlie!” He squawked as you put a hand to your face, “You feelin’ alright?”

You didn’t look up, but heard V stop and turn, approaching you in the next instant.

“Y/N?” His tone was still low, but worried now. You heard him set his cane to the side, gripping your shoulders again, “Are you alright?”

His concern made you feel good; you’d admit that through the haze. You needed to re-calibrate your limits--you must have been asleep in the Void for a long time. You had over extended a little bit--in all the excitement you hadn’t realized how close to your limits you actually were. Your stomach was rolling, nausea rising ever so slightly in you. Well, this might as well happen. You lifted your gaze, seeing V’s concerned expression as he tilted up your chin.

“You’re as pale as me,” he commented, smiling a little bit, “You said you had limits. I am going to assume you reached them."

You let out a weak laugh, surprised when Shadow weaved between the two of you, sitting on your feet and watching your face.

“I overestimated myself a bit,” You admitted, “It’s been a while since I had so much excitement. I’ll have to practice more to reach what I could before.”

V let out a low hum of understanding, “In time. For now, can you walk?”

You nodded, shaking off some of the lightheadedness as you replied, “Yeah, I can make it.”

He nodded, looking up at Griffon and commanding, “Make sure she doesn’t fall.”

“You’ve got it, boss.”

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18136193/chapters/42882194#workskin

Tagged: @silentwhispofhope @just-call-me-no-name @nightshadow4713 @slightlylunatic @efiicitia

[areyouscarletcold]

QPR!Goldenvibe, Canon Divergent Au

For my @dctvgen Bingo “Disability” Square and Day 2 of @flarrowverse-shipyard’s Rarepair Week: “Calming Each Other Down”. 

Now posted on Ao3!

The distant noise of something shattering jolted him awake first, a breathless gasp torn from his chest as sleep faded from his senses. He almost rolled out of bed to grab his gear, put on his suit and blast whoever the intruder was with a faceful of inter-dimensional energy, because that was what you got for disturbing a very nice, restful morning and -

Someone swore, low and unintelligible, and the sound was familiar enough to nag at the back of his mind and stop him in his tracks. It took a longer moment before Cisco realized the ceiling he was staring at wasn't his own.

Oh.

At least he hadn't actually raced out of the bedroom and sprung into attack mode. Not that his rising migraine was any sign of this day getting better.

Cisco rolled out of bed at a slow, normal pace - he seriously envied Barry's speed sometimes, what he wouldn't give to be able to get ready faster than he could snap his fingers together and say, "Tada!" - and ran a hand through his hair, grimacing when he felt its greasiness. Right. He'd been planning on showering last night, hadn't he?

Well, that idea went out the window, huh, he couldn't help but think bitterly.

There was another curse - likely from the kitchen. Cisco pulled on some sweatpants so he didn't wander out in Star Wars boxers, gave his hair a much more vigorous tousle, and headed to see what disaster had befallen his poor apartment.

Not his, he corrected again, bracing himself as he stumbled into the kitchen. Dios mio, he really was scatter-brained today, and he hadn’t been awake for more than a few minutes.

Another pulse from his temples caused him to suck in his teeth. He shut his eyes and shook his head as if that would help him regain control of the leftover ache brought on by last night’s less-than-successful patrol.

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Lisa said, and Cisco forced himself to grab the back of the nearest kitchen chair to steady himself as he eyed where Lisa was crouched on the floor. The jagged ceramic around her, pieces painted a yellow that was an eyesore for someone still half-awake, looked like a strange mockery of a salt circle in a horror movie. The only thing missing was a pentagram and someone chanting in Latin.

It was rare to see Lisa in such disarray. Not just with the mess before him, but the unruly bun perched atop her head, the leftover smudges from mascara and eyeliner staining bloodshot eyes. His chest twisted when he realized she was wearing his S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt, the one he’d thought he lost months ago.

Little thief.

“S’fine,” Cisco assured her, his voice a little hoarse. “You okay?”

Lisa shrugged. The dustpan in front of her was halfway full of pieces already but she didn’t look like she was in any rush to keep cleaning. “Dropped a plate. That’s all.”

He was tempted to brush by the incident, help her scoop up the remainder of the ceramic plate and leave it be, but there was a familiar tightness in her jaw, eyes glassy. “How’d you sleep?”

She smirked, but the corners of her mouth didn’t quite curl. “Well enough after last night.”

“I’m not talking about that, Lise.”

The smirk vanished and she turned away. “Don’t call me that.”

“Hey, I - ”

“I’m not in the mood, Cisco.”

“I thought we agreed to tell each other things like this. You know, be honest with one another?” He tried to keep his tone gentle without verging on patronizing.

Lisa gave a bitter laugh, picking up the nearest yellow shard and waving it at him. There was something in blue, maybe a word, scrawled across it, but he couldn’t make it out with how badly she was beginning to shake. “Yeah, well, honesty isn’t always the best policy. Besides, it’d be rather hypocritical to ask when we both know you didn’t sleep much either. Tell the fucking Flash to stop calling you out in the middle of the night, for god’s sake.”

Oh. So she hadn’t been asleep for that. “It was a street over, and I wasn’t sleeping anyway.”

“Cisco.”

“Don’t change the subject, though.” He rubbed his temples and crouched beside her. “What’s up? Talk to me.”

Lisa just stared back at him, fire in her eyes and hands trembling as she lowered the shard. Cisco fought back a sigh and reached out, grateful when she didn’t jerk away from his touch, taking the broken, garish piece from her grasp. 

It wasn’t a particularly sharp piece, aside from the large point on the left side, shaped like a toddler’s crude interpretation of a parallelogram. He turned it over in his hands, blue letters bright against the mustard yellow shard.

To Lenny.

“I didn’t realize what it was ’til I picked it up,” Lisa muttered. Something flickered in her gaze when he glanced up, the flames of her determination wavering and giving way to exhaustion. Cisco was all-too acquainted with that tired, defeated sense of grief. “Didn’t mean to wake you, I swear.”

“Lisa.” He set aside the piece and cupped her cheek. She didn’t attempt to pull away but she wasn’t quite relaxing into his palm. Cisco made a split-second decision and took one of her shaking hands in his, ignoring the urge to scrub at the migraine furiously pounding in his skull, remnants of vibing too often. “Hey. There’s nothing wrong with not being okay. Take it from someone who’s been hit by the proverbial bus one too many times.”

“I’m not - ” Lisa closed her eyes and made a noise that came off like a cross between a groan and a growl. “I’m not a child, this isn’t - it shouldn’t be new to me. It’s not new. I just...” She glanced at the shard and her nostrils flared. “He’s still fucking here after years but he’s also not and it’s not fair.”

His heart ached in sympathy and Cisco thumbed her cheek, light and slow. “I know, Lisa. I know.”

“Like he deserves to be after running off and leaving me alone, galavanting with a bunch of heroes and getting himself killed!” Lisa blinked hard, moisture gathering in her eyes. “Sonuvabitch. Always thinking about himself and dragging Mick into it, doesn’t even care if others get caught in - in the fallout.”

“I’m sure he didn’t think about it like that.”

“Never does! That’s the problem!” Lisa drew back from his touch, gritting her teeth as she glared at the shards around them. “He never fucking does! And then he leaves everyone else to pick up the pieces. For someone who claims to be so smart, god, he’s so fucking stupid and I hate him so much.”

“No, you don’t,” Cisco whispered.

Lisa whirled on him. “Don’t you dare claim to know him or me better than I do. That stupid, goddamn - ”

“I do know you, Lisa. And I know what this feels like.”

“No. You don’t.” She moved to stand, jerking away from some of the shards as her knees brushed them. “He left me, Cisco, like he always does, and I don’t need you to - ”

“Dante.” He had to swallow hard, the name quivering on his tongue, but it had the desired effect: Lisa paused, the haze of mingled fury and grief starting to disintegrate from her eyes. “You’re not the only one who’s lost a brother to some real time fuckery.”

“Right.” Her voice was quiet, nearly inaudible.

Cisco hesitated before reaching out once more, offering his hand to her. Lisa took it with hardly a moment of her own hesitation, still at war with the irritation boiling below her surface. He pressed her hand to his chest, right above his heart.

“I miss him every day.” She tried to pull back but he didn’t let her, pushing on with his words. “Sometimes I hate him for getting in that car, for not avoiding the driver even though I don’t know if he could’ve - maybe he could’ve swerved or sped out of the way or something, I don’t know. And it hurts. And all I want to do is punch him because he left me here. To pick up the pieces, as you said.” He nodded to the broken plate. “Maybe more literally than he intended.”

Or maybe there was no literal meaning, no hidden lesson he was supposed to learn by now. Maybe it was that pain was everywhere and every time you thought you were over it, the ache came roaring back, a metaphorical flood crowding you with the force of a hurricane. Maybe the simple answer was that life inherently sucked ass and the only way to get over it was to live it without a care in the world.

And with people who cared, he amended, stroking the back of Lisa’s knuckles. That perhaps was the most important part of the equation.

“Some days are harder than others," he murmured, holding her gaze. "Doesn't mean it won't hurt less, but... Well, it gets easier. To be happy. Like they would've wanted.”

“They left,” Lisa said, fighting every step of the way like she always did. This time, the tears broke free, trailing down the side of her face carving silent paths. “They left us.”

“I know.” Cisco could feel his own throat getting tight, throbbing alongside his migraine. “And it’s okay that it hurts, Lise.”

The nickname snapped something inside her, the fire extinguishing before his eyes as she sagged into him, burying her face in his chest. He didn’t comment on the dampening fabric of his t-shirt, smoothing her hair as he pulled her close. The stifled sobs shook against him and Cisco longed to tell her things would get better, that it wouldn’t hurt anymore.

But they’d agreed to be honest with each other when they started this.

Breakfast could wait. They had a mess to clean up.

[zenithlux]

Stray Hearts - Questioning

Part One - Part Three 

Part Two: Questioning

It was six months before Vergil finally decided he needed to learn more about her if he wanted to win this game. That’s all this curiosity was; a necessity. Know thy enemy. Win the war. 

But he hesitated. Not because he was scared (never that), but because he knew (from experience) that things would not be that simple. Every time he bothered to ask a personal question, no matter how small it seemed, she would turn it right back at him. If he didn’t answer, then she didn’t. And that was possibly more infuriating than everything else she’d done over the last however many months they’d known each other. So, Vergil knew he had to plan ahead. He needed to figure out what to ask that wouldn’t give too much of himself away while learning everything he needed to about her. He also had to wait for the rare day that Dante left Devil May Cry, as the last thing Vergil needed was his annoying brother taking over the conversation. 

So, when Dante finally decided that Vergil was worthy enough (his words, not Vergil’s) to leave alone with Buttercup (Vergil never called her that), Vergil found his chance. And a few hours into the almost pure silence between them, and while she was distracted organizing Dante’s ever growing mound of papers, Vergil struck.

“I’ll make a deal with you.”

She nearly toppled at the sound of his voice, much to Vergil’s amusement. “What for?” She said as she kicked the file cabinet shut and leaned back in Dante’s chair. 

“I’ll ask you a question,” Vergil said. “And if you answer honestly, I will answer the same question in return.”

She snorted. “That’s a lot of words for ‘I want to get to know you’”. 

Vergil scowled. “I believe it was you who said we should learn more about each other to be more efficient in combat.”

That time, she rolled her eyes. “I suggested that we talk once and awhile, yes.”

“Then here’s your chance.”

She crossed her arms and sighed. “Fine, but we’re playing by my rules.”

Playing? How could she possibly know the score Vergil was keeping in his head? “And what rules are those?”

“Every question you ask,” She said  as she put one finger in the air. “I get to ask one in return.”

Infuriating. That was the only way to describe her. “Were you not listening?”

“Yes and that’s silly,” She said. “Why should I only get to ask the questions that you pick?” She shook her head. “That’s unfair in about every way I can imagine.”

Vergil’s scowl turned to a frown. “Then I get to choose which answers I give.”

“Same here.”

“But that’s…”

“Not what you want?” She said. “Not everything is about you, Vergil Sparda.”

He glared at her, trying to ignore the small amount of heat that rushed to his cheeks. “Why do you insist on using my full name.”

It wasn’t until she grinned that he realized his mistake. “Interesting first question,” She hopped out of Dante’s chair and plopped on the couch a bit too close for Vergil’s liking. Though, if he were honest with himself, anywhere on the couch was closer than he wanted anyone else to be, so that wasn’t saying much. “A: because I know it gets under your skin and B: because I know you prefer it.”

“Prefer it?”

“Two questions already?”

He scowled. “Then that should count as one for you.”

Her smile never wavered. “Sure I’ll count it. And I see how you react to Dante’s nicknames.”

Vergil swallowed his surprise. “Perceptive.”

“Of course,” She said. “I’m living with two half-demons that can quite literally sense every emotion I’m feeling without even trying. I have to pay attention to keep up,” She shrugged. “I won’t count that.”

“It wasn’t a question.”

“Indeed.”

Another glare as Vergil prepared for the worst. “Yours then.”

“What’s your favorite color?”

If he were Dante, he would’ve fallen right off the couch. Though he also wouldn’t be having this conversation to begin with, so maybe it didn’t matter. “That’s your question?”

“Yep!” She held up two fingers. “And now I get another one.” She shook her head with a chuckle. “You’re not very good at this game, are you?”

“And that’s a question for me.”

When she laughed, her eyes seemed to sparkle. Curious, Vergil thought. Had they always been like that? He couldn’t remember. Had he even heard her laugh before? Yes, he quickly decided. Dante made her laugh all the time. 

Why did that bother him?

“So?” She said. “Got an answer? And no, that doesn’t count.”

“Blue,” He said. “Figured it was obvious.”

“Purple for me,” She said. “Turquoise if I’m feeling fancy.” Her head tilted ever so slightly as she met his gaze again. “Your turn.”

Vergil’s mouth went dry, but he shoved any misgivings away. Two could play at this game. “Favorite food?”

“Crispy chicken Caesar salad,” She said. “You?”

“... Crispy chicken sandwiches.”

“Huh,” She said. “Why?”

He let that one slide. “It was my mother’s favorite dinner to make.”

“Makes sense,” She said. Her smile faltered just slightly. “Mine’s just… healthy.”

Vergil thought he should have some other response for that, but nothing came to him. Instead, he said, “Where did you learn to fight?”

“That was technically my turn you know,” She said with a shake of her head. “My father taught me.” She eyed her over-used and slowly rusting sword in the corner. “I haven’t been able to buy a new weapon though.”

“You’ve made plenty off our missions.”

She shook her head. “Dante asks for most of it. And who knows what happens if you get between the devil and his pizza.”

Vergil’s eyes narrowed. He’d have to talk to his brother about “abusing the help”. Besides, if anyone had the right to the extra money from these missions, it would be the brother that was forced to go on all of them with her. But Vergil would do that. The poor woman was already stuck in a room across from Dante’s for the foreseeable future. Surely she had plans to leave, even if Dante kept denying it. 

“Why do you stay here?”

There was a long pause before she answered. “Dante’s my friend,” She said. “I met him after the whole Temen-ni-gru thing… and we just hit it off.” She shrugged. “He was really lonely back then, and it got even worse after his job on Mallet Island. I started living with him after that.”

“Have you two…” Vergil trailed off.

“Been a thing?”

“I suppose.”

She chuckled. “Honestly? No. It’s never crossed my mind.” She leaned back into the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m not sure if he’s ever thought about it. At least, he’s never brought it up with me,” Her eyes closed, and Vergil found he wanted her to keep talking. Was he actually enjoying this conversation? How? Wasn’t it meant to be an interrogation? Wasn’t he meant to be in control? “But now… We’ve been friends for almost twenty years and this is the happiest I’ve ever seen him. In the end, I guess all he needed was his brother back.” 

A shrill ring startled them both. She moved first, tossing the desk’s phone into the air before hopping onto the desk and grabbing it. It was all very dramatic, but Vergil found he was rather impressed. “Devil May Cry,” She said. Vergil heard a garbled, loud voice before she frowned and said, “Sure, I’ll be there in a bit.” She hung up and slid off the desk. 

“Where are you going?” Vergil said. 

“A job,” She said as she grabbed her sword and strapped it to her back. “Don’t worry. He said it wasn’t that bad.”

Vergil blocked her path. “Where?”

“I thought you hated me?”

Vergil blinked. “I don’t…” He trailed off as her grin returned. 

“Checkmate,” She said with a wink. “Now Dante owes me two weeks of backpay.”

“... What?”

She laughed. “I'll tell you later.” 

Ko-fi – Master List – AO3

[mahvaladara]

Face of Humanity - A DMC Fanfic “short” teaser

Fandom: Devil May Cry

Characters: Vergil, V, Griffon and Shadow.

Context: This is part of a multi-chapter fanfic I am working on the World of Devil May Cry, that happens shortly after Devil May Cry 5. A new adventure starting with the reawakening of an ancient demon queen. In the events of the story, the man known as “V” returns, not as a dreg of a half, but as a full living person.

Synopsis: Vergil was curious about seeing the face of his own humanity. And an opportunity presents itself to him.

It seemed like regardless of how hard V brushed, he could not get rid of that lavender dust that would come out from his skin. It was almost like a layer of glittering sand, covering his body at intermittent intervals. Ella had explained to him that would pass, once the Oroth was satisfied with his “creation”, but it still felt uncomfortable, as if he was covered in sand.

It itches.

The Oroth. 

He was confused at this, at his ‘creation’, as Ella had told him. He remembered the Oroth, barely, but he did. He remembered it from a time before Mundus, it was before he - Vergil - fell prey to Mundus and the Demon World. It was before Power meant everything.

He brushed his arms again, causing the sand like mist to fall off, completely, didn’t seem like more would form. He watched, at last, the swirling lines of the demons that inhabited the ink on his body.

V followed the lines. He knew them well, but for some reason, he had believed they’d be gone. Vergil had abandoned the nightmares, had left them behind to battle Dante, he remembered this. So why were they etched to his skin as if they were part of him?

Shouldn’t they be gone? Yet again, so should he.

His dark green eyes fell on the cane on the room and he wondered if they were related to the cane. But it was simple metal, even if now it was infused with the blood of the Oroth. Could it be for the blood of Vergil? Could it be that regardless of how much he accepted his nightmares, he could never truly get rid of them? And as V relied so heavily on them for his own survival, did the Oroth replicated them on his skin?

V shivered, hugging himself as he paced impatiently in the small room that Ella had given him. The night breeze slipping through the cracked glass of the windows, bringing with it the moonlight. The white light reflected on the sandy mist that stubbornly continued to seep of his body, and he sighed. 

Seemed like the Oroth was not yet fully satisfied. So he brushed the sand off again, that was starting the fade away, apparently completely once more.  

He wondered how much more of the compound was cracked and ruined from the actions of the Cultists.

At least I’m not lavender anymore, V thought to himself. He heard the cackling of Griffon on the depths of his mind and tried to cast the demon silent. It burst out of the ink, laughing maniacally as it landed on the empty dresser on the room.

“Look at you, all flustered and upset! Dear princess, do you need help?” Griffon laughed mockingly.

The bird was still the same, for the most part. Black and blue, that devious glare, though the edges of his feathers seemed tainted of white.

Suddenly V heard the door rattle and stepped back, Griffon yelped and disappeared back into the ink, his cackling on the back of V’s mind. 

The door was opened back and V felt his breath get caught on his throat and his posture stiffened as he was met by cold blue eyes, white hair cleanly pushed back. Vergil’s scowl fell on him and V froze in place. That was the last person V would ever think to see staring him in the eyes that was not through a mirror glass. 

Vergil scoffed, shaking his head. On his hands he held clothing and he walked in, placing the clothes on the bed, constantly followed and watched by V’s frightened eyes.

He cast me out? No. Then it would be ‘Urizen’, not Vergil.

“Quit glaring at me,” Vergil growled and V flinched.

“You don’t frighten me anymore,” V mumbled.

“I don’t?” Vergil turned to face him and walked over to him.

V stepped back as Vergil leaned forward, causing V to stagger back uneasily, his legs wobbly, and he wasn’t sure if it was fear or if it was his weakened state from his forced premature creation.

“For someone not frightened by my mere presence, you reek of fear,” Vergil grinned giving V one push.

Though it was a small push, it felt like V had just been slammed back, and he lost his footing, falling flat on his back with a loud grunt and thud. Instantly from the ink Shadow burst forth, standing protectively between V and Vergil, but not attacking, as if the nightmare still held loyalty to Vergil but was not about to let Vergil harm its host. V slowly sat up, holding his body up with his elbows, as he looked up to meet Vergil’s freezing glare, feeling as if all air had been pushed out of his body.

Vergil watched him, crossing his arms. His expression was unreadable. Lips pursed to a thin line, brow relaxed, eyes cold and attentive. 

“Ella sent those clothes for you,” Vergil spoke, startling V. “I took the liberty of choosing them.”

To that V lifted a confused brow. At his surprised expression, Vergil shook his head and turned his back on V, starting to unfold and set out the clothes, not aiding the man up. 

Instead, Shadow got closer to the green-eyed man, and holding onto her, V sluggishly got up, his legs trembling uneasily. He reached for his cane for support.

“They resemble the ones Griffon first picked for you when I… got rid of you,” Vergil explained. “Though these ones have a bit more tact.”

Vergil looked at him over his shoulder. Not taking his eyes from him, V walked over to the bed. Vergil handed him the clothes. A white cotton shirt, with puffy sleeves, black slacks, the black sandals, and a long dark vest very similar to the one he wore before, with the same inside pockets, held together by nicely crafted strings, and that strange corset-like vest up front. It was almost identical. 

The accessories were also similar, and V wondered why Vergil had gone through so much trouble.

Remembering something, V reached for his neck, touching the pendant he wore, the tooth and black leather string and then looked at his left middle finger, to the thick silver ring. He didn’t remember putting them on. The last memories he shared with Vergil told him these items, the pendant and ring, had been buried under the Oroth. 

Was that why he had them on? The Oroth returned them to him? It certainly gave him back the cane.

Being met again by Vergil’s attentive glance, V took the clothes and sat on the bed, slowly putting them on.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, not meeting Vergil’s watchful eyes.

The whole process of putting his clothes on, Vergil watched him, leaving V feeling more and more uncomfortable on an almost voyeuristic level. He was half tempted in asking the man to leave, but he was also afraid what that could result, and in his weakened state, he feared he proved little of a threat for Vergil.

“You’re missing your underwear,” Vergil pointed out. V looked up at him confused. 

“Underwear,” Vergil repeated pointing.

V looked at the pair on boxers over the bed as he closed the belt of his pants and starting to tie the strings of his vest. Vergil lifted a brow and grinned. The first time V hadn’t worn any, and this time he honestly hadn’t considered it.

V didn’t know what to think or say. Had he gone insane? Had he been split again and the trauma of it driven him through the looking glass? 

He couldn’t understand what was going on, or why he was even staring at Vergil.

“We-... you-” V tried to start, not meeting Vergil’s harsh glare. “Did we... split?”

“How much of my memories do you share?” Vergil asked instead.

He knew the answer to his own question, he realized at Vergil’s question. The Oroth was responsible for him being here. He wasn’t split. He was born, forcibly so, and prematurely too. That was why his body was so frail.  The Oroth had created him, but what did that mean?

Ella’s words echoed in his memory as if they had been spoken to V and not to Vergil.

You owe someone an apology Vergil, and that someone is you.

“How do you apologize to your human heart, for callously throwing it out as if it was trash?”

If you cannot apologize to them, then give the apology to the Oroth, she will give the apology in your stead.

“Everything,” V confessed, casting back the memories.

Vergil walked to stand in front of V and kneed down so he was at eye level with the man. 

Blue eyes met green eyes.

“So this is the face of my humanity,” Vergil said simply. “This is the half I hold within me. The half I threw out for it was heavy chains that bound my soul.”

V looked away, balling his hands into fists over his thighs. His body trembled as pain flooded through his every sense. 

Heavy chain that does freeze my bones. 

Was he there just to remind him that he didn’t want him? Was that-

No, no. That didn’t make sense.

How do you apologize to your human heart. He remembered that he remembered Vergil feeling that, thinking that, actually speaking it to Ella.

“I was curious to look at you,” Vergil continued. “You look so very different from me, it is frightening. Yet so similar. Have you ever seen yourself in a mirror?”

“Yes...” V answered, meeting his eyes.

Vergil smiled, for V’s surprise, though it was a frightening grin in his opinion.

“Look yourself in the mirror for me. There’s one in the bathroom,” Vergil ordered.

Supporting himself on the cane, V walked over to the bathroom and did as he was told. He looked at his own tired reflection. His hair was black from the ink of his familiars, chin length, parted to the left. His features were completely different from Vergil’s, not as harsh or stoic, softer actually, younger even. His eyes were green, instead of the blue that marked Vergil, Dante and even Nero.

You remind me I can be human, the memory spoke. He laid in bed, and she smiled at him. Green eyes, blond hair, soft smile. Her lips were pink, and she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She reminded him of his mother, the same kind smile, the smile that left behind.

But Ella’s eyes were green. And that was exactly what Vergil loved about her, her smile, her green eyes.

V held himself on the sink, as he crashed back into reality, his head pounding.

“You couldn’t be any more different from me,” Vergil stood at the doorway. “Everything you do, or have, that even resembles me is mine. Including your memories. You’re a copy. Actually, not even a copy. You’re more like a failed replica.”

Griffon, who had been cackling as the background noise on his mind tell the moment, amused at the idea of Vergil himself chewing through V, fell quiet. Deadly so. Each word of Vergil cut into him to the point V had stopped breathing and could only hear the pounding of his heart on his head. 

Breathe, Shakespeare. Griffon kindly reminded him. And V started breathing shallowly. His body reacting to the words violently.

Why was he here? He wasn’t supposed to be here. He saw it through.

Heavy chain that does freeze my bones.

A hand landed on his shoulder and with a startle V turned around on his heels, pushing Vergil back and staggering. His legs gave up under him and he nearly fell if Vergil hadn’t caught him by the wrist, holding him upright with eyes wide in concern. The cane fell to the ground clattering.

“W-why are you saying these things to me?” V asked pulling free from Vergil’s as his expression reverted to that cold seriousness that was normal of him.

V held himself on the sink. “Have you not- Do you despise me so?”

“I used to,” Vergil confessed, silencing V completely. Vergil kneeled down and grabbed the cane, handing it to V.

V stared at it, wide-eyed, not knowing if he should take it or not. Vergil just held it out, watching V, his expression as devoid of emotion as before, waiting.

Frowning, V snatched the cane from his grasp, as his initial fear and panic were replaced by overpowering anger. Anger that Vergil knew so well.

Was I not worth saving?

She went looking for you, and it was that that killed her. Dante’s voice echoed in his ears. Words spoken to Urizen, to Vergil, but not to V. Because the demon mattered, the whole did, not not the petty small humanity. No one care for him. They left him behind, dying, literally falling apart and if it wasn’t Nero...

Was he really so meaningless to Vergil that he wasn’t even worth the energy Vergil would spend on any meaningful form of expression?

Vergil suddenly spoke: “I was misguided in my beliefs. I thought that I needed to cast you out in order to reach the power I needed, but by doing it, I only made myself an easy adversary and threw myself at defeat.”

“What is this? What are you doing?” V asked, anger lacing his words.

“I nearly killed my own son for my madness,” Vergil continued. “And I nearly killed myself too. You, in this case. And you are a part of who I am. A half can never reach the potential of the whole.”

V watched him, his anger replaced by confusion. Vergil sighed as if he was having difficulty expressing himself, and for a second V knew exactly what he was doing. 

He was apologizing!

He wouldn’t say sorry, that would be admitting his weakness, and that wasn’t who Vergil was. Perhaps that was who V was, but not Vergil.  Not once Vergil would admit he was sorry, but he was truly sorry and V knew it, because V could feel it. 

V could remember it. That was why he buried the pendant, the ring. He didn’t expect to apologize to V, so he hoped the Oroth would instead.

“Ella told me, if I offered the memory of you to the Oroth, I could tell you- I could…” Vergil stopped himself when V stepped towards him.

How do you apologize to your human heart?

“I didn’t plan to meet you so soon, especially not with you holding my memories, or staring at me with such anger. You were supposed to be made new, completely new memories, new life. A chance to have what both me and my son never did. Not neglected, abused or unwanted...”

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Vergil confessed. “But, the situation required you to join the fight sooner.”

“I am to blame for your incomplete creation, as I am the one who told him to stab the tree with your cane. If he hadn’t stabbed the Oroth, it would have taken it years, maybe decades, for it to create you.”

V simply watched in silence. He knew the nightmares were as attentive to what Vergil was saying as V himself was, and it was the strangest thing V ever felt. 

This silence. And his chest actually ached, a clenching pain that persisted throughout his very breathe.

“I know,” V nodded. You were afraid. Vergil was scared, for Ella, for Nero, heck, even for Dante. He would never admit it, but V knew it. For that was the final memory. Vergil’s fear.

V didn’t dare speak that part out. He suspected if he did he’d only spark Vergil’s aggression, and Vergil was already having a hard time dealing with the guilt that flooded his very posture.

“What I mean to say is… What I mean to tell you, to tell myself is,” and he took a deep breath as if preparing to let out this small piece of vulnerability, of humanity.

“You didn’t deserve what I did to you. You were worth more than the worth I gave you. I understand that now. I could never hope to defeat Dante, not without being my whole self.”

And for this, I am genuinely sorry.

Vergil didn’t speak those last words, but they were as clear to V as they were to Vergil himself. And somehow, despite the relief he felt from this, from this knowledge, from this sudden sense of worth, from the value of this apology, V also felt his entire world come crashing down.

And all it took, was for Griffon ask, in the back of his mind:

“You know the real V is inside him, right? Real Griffon, Shadow and Nightmare were destroyed by Dante and the real V is in there. Which makes me wonder: What are we? Ghosts? Copies? Replicas? What are you? V?”

V trembled, his breathing laboured and he turned his back to the mirror, holding himself on the sink.

“What does this make me?” V asked. “I… V… your humanity. It is part of you. I am not him, am I? I am something made by the Oroth from your identity, from his identity. A failed replica, as you said? Is that what am I?”

“Only you can answer that, V,” Vergil admitted. “The Oroth has made you your own self. You don’t need me to exist, or Urizen.”

V looked at him.

“Urizen... Is that how you called him, how you called me? The Book of Urizen. ... Like a human heart struggling and beating, the vast world of Urizen appear’d.”

And Vergil grinned. “Fitting. Of course the shadow of my memories would pick that name. It was my favourite book, truth be told. Mother gave it to me.”

“And you gave it to Nero.”

“You wanted me to, didn’t you?” Vergil asked to which V nodded.

“He was the only one who helped me get to Urizen, get to you,” V answered closing his eyes. “If he did not, we’d both be dead.”

The silence extended between the two, but they shared that one thought. Nero’s humanity was what made them both realize the worth of themselves. It was what ultimately saved them, twice over.

“Finish getting dressed, V. Ella wants to meet you, the crew too,” Vergil turned his back then stopped, looking back at V.

“By the way,” he started. V looked up at him. “That that you are feeling right now is called anxiety. I advise you to calm down or you’re going to throw up or pass out. Take your pick.”

With a quite devious grin, Vergil left. And V leaned over his cane, covering his face, pushing the bangs of his hair back, the way he always did, the way Vergil always did.