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“And we are put on this Earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love.”
May 17th 2:56 A.M
In the dead of night, you made your way down the street, not even bothering to constantly sense your surroundings anymore. It’d been a long night since the invasion led by the Demon King Urizen had conquered the city, and you were running on fumes. The initial “holy shit, we’re all going to die” had worn off and you weren’t fighting to survive anymore, you were killing demons because you were
pissed
.
What a way to spend your birthday. All you had wanted was a day off from work, and well… Guess your wish was granted. With an extra gift thrown in: blood splatter on your cheek and your kitchen knife almost dull from overuse. How did a recluse office worker survive a demon apocalypse on her own with just a few kitchen knives she managed to grab before leaving? Skills learned from video games, the experience of doing gymnastics from the age of 6, and an added dash of pure rage.
“No rest for the wicked, I guess.” You sighed as blood pools began to surface on the concrete, your grip on the handle of your knife tightening. Just as you were about to move toward the Empusa, a ball of lightning shooting toward it had you frozen on your feet, your eyes moving to where it came from.
“Now what’s a little lady like you doin’ out here?” A weird voice came from above. You looked around, blinking rapidly to ensure you were still awake and somewhat sane. The sound of wings flapping had your eyes glued to a large blue bird demon. Bewildered, you checked behind you to see if there were any other possible
human being
that could have spoken to you at that moment.
“D-Did you just talk to me?” You asked the bird.
“Well aren’t you just the sharpest tool in the shed. Better hurry up and finish off that demon, or you’ll be dead!” Your jaw dropped as you gazed at the incredible specimen. A
talking bird
that wasn’t a parrot. But, your mind was quickly brought back to Earth as you looked over at the staggered Empusa. You sprinted towards it and shoved your knife straight into its fatty skull, it’s body exploding and fading into thin air.
“At least you know how to kill things.” The bird spoke.
“I’m sorry, I’m still trying to process all this. I don’t know how you can talk, but it’s kind of awesome, and you’re a beautiful bird. What’s your name?” You spoke very calmly and casual, the bird was taken aback by such a reaction by a mere human. But compared to his master, a
normal
human was a breath of fresh air, especially that it was a woman.
“I am the mighty Griffon.” The bird, now known as Griffon, spoke as he made a weird-- definitely unnecessary-- pose with his wings. Through his flamboyant display, the bird wondered how a human girl had survived through the night. His master had him and his other familiars, this girl appeared to have nothing of the sort… So, how?
What’s taking you so long? Did you find something?
A familiar voice rang as it’s source pounced down from a building. As expected, the human was just as shocked at seeing a demon panther as she was seeing a talking bird.
“And this is Shadow.”
- - - -
Caught up in his reading, V looked up to find himself alone at the abandoned phone booth. How that could happen when he had familiars he could directly control, he didn’t know. He had told Griffon to scout the area for anything useful, and he’d been gone a while. He assumed Shadow had gone looking for the bird, and he could sense Shadow hadn’t gone far. V sighed as he closed his favorite book, filled to the brim with stories he had read over and over until he had them memorized.
His cane hitting the cement was the only noise in the area, and it echoed off the building walls because of it. It was eerily quiet, he swore he would have heard his obnoxious familiar by now. Instead, a high pitched squeak pierced through the air, causing him to jump slightly and place a hand over his chest for a moment. As soon as he sensed his familiars in the direction of the noise, he threw up his cane and caught it mid-air before running toward the commotion.
What he found was the exact opposite of what he expected. He didn’t know what he expected, but it sure as hell wasn’t this. He turned the corner, bewildered to find a lone woman in such a place, but even more shocked to see that human on the ground,
petting
his panther familiar. She had squeaked due to the familiar licking her face.
- - - -
“Uh-oh, parties over.”
You raised your head at Griffon’s words, your fingers still gliding through Shadow’s misty fur, and your ___ eyes met with very confused green ones. You both blinked at each other for a moment, so quietly you could probably hear a pin drop.
“
This
is why you were gone so long?
This
is ‘scouting’?” The man spoke with no real venom in his words, his arms crossed and an amused expression on his face.
“Uh-- I can explain--” For the first time, both you and V had seen Griffon stumble his words. The chicken who always had something to say, was for the first time rendered speechless.
This girl is definitely curious.
V thought. While their banter occured, you took the chance to fix your gaze on the man’s many tattoos that swirled along his pale, milky skin. Their voices echoed somewhere in the distance of your mind, but you were too busy being dumbfounded and starstruck as you stared at the gorgeous man in front of you. When his jades orbs moved to meet your again, your heart clenched.
“So, your name is ____? It’s a pleasure to meet such a beautiful woman that’s managed to survive on her own out here. You can call me V.” V took a few strides as he spoke to you before holding a hand out to you. Your cheeks grew hot from his words, a red hue plaguing your face as you grabbed his hand and allowed him to help you up from where you sat on the concrete next to Shadow.
You observed him closely as you walked together, a few steps behind V so he could lead. He had such a confident, strong aura. You were told his body was frail so he left his familiars to do 99% of the fighting, but the way he walked… just
screamed
, ‘big dick energy’. His body swayed from side to side with each stride, everything about him was so suave. Your gaze drifted down to the intricately tattooed hand that hung down at his side. You were almost jealous of his ring, it’d been a whole two seconds and you already wished to be wrapped around his finger.
Damn your weakness of raven-haired men riddled with tattoos that look like they haven’t slept in weeks. Damn him and his gorgeous self and his kind words. Damn it all.
When you reached the town square, a van with the words “Devil May Cry” in sky blue luminescent lights and a man with short, white hair were waiting for you. At the sound of V’s cane clicking on the ground, the man turned around. Even from slightly far away, you could tell he seemed visibly surprised at your addition to V’s party.
“You never told me you had a girlfriend. Didn’t know you had it in you.” The white haired man seemed like a rough guy, but there was genuine, almost a pleasant, surprise in his tone.
It had not gone unnoticed that V neither rejected nor refuted the other man’s words that day.
“She looks like shit.” A female voice emerged from the van. Now, V had no problem with comments being made toward him, but someone making a comment toward you had him side eyeing the speaker within a millisecond. Nico continued on without a care in the world, not giving a single glance to V’s green daggers.
“You need some clothes? Come on in.” You blinked up at the woman before looking down at your torn, bloodied and downright pitiful T-shirt and jeans. If you had the energy to care, you definitely would have been embarrassed at V seeing you like this.
“Go on, she’s alright for the most part.” V spoke lowly to you as he moved a hand to gently pat your lower back. You exchanged a glance with him before moving into the van, emerging in something that felt more embarrassing than what you were previously wearing.
She only had a spare of her
own
outfit. So there you were, in jean shorts and a white crop top, and your own special touch of a tomato red face. She thought it was adorable, calling you her “mini-me” the entire time.
With your arms crossed in any way that could possibly cover your body, you listened to V introduce both Nero and Nico to you, and explain their mission, as well as Devil May Cry, from the beginning. He explained to Nero and Nico that your surviving was enough of proof that you could be useful to them, and that he would take responsibility for you. They didn’t seem to particularly care either way, luckily.
And so over the next month, you spent every day with V. You’d discovered your small house on the corner of town hadn’t gotten ravaged by demons, so anytime you weren’t out training or visiting Nero and Nico at Devil May Cry, you were both catching up on much needed rest at your house. Whether it be sleeping on the couch together with Shadow snoozing on the floor next to it, or actually making it to the bed one night and falling asleep to the sound of him reading his favorite poems to you, you were always together.
You hadn't believed in soulmates before, but you couldn't shake the attachment you felt to the man.
You’d never forget the first night V allowed you to see him in all his glory. It all had happened very fast, really.
It had been a long day of fighting with not much to show for it, a few days after your first meeting. You had assured him from the beginning it was alright to sleep in your queen size bed with you, it was the least you could do in thanks for him keeping you company and giving you a purpose in this god forsaken world, but god did you regret it. Having him within arms reach during the day was painful enough, having him half naked in your
bed
was a death sentence.
You were lounging on your bed, reading a poem from his book (which you did purely out of appreciation for him letting you even
touch
the book, he definitely gave off the impression that he never let anyone see it) while he had been showering. When the door to your bathroom opened and misty steam emerged from it, your lips parted in awe as V walked out in nothing but a towel around his hips.
“Always staring, aren’t you.” V’s sly comment through his smirk had your face the temperature of the sun within a single heartbeat.
“I-I’m sorry.” You stuttered, your eyes immediately back to the book in your hands.
“I don’t mind it. I quite appreciate it. Makes it easier to see the color of your eyes, I’ve found it’s quickly become my favorite.” He spoke honestly as he sauntered over to your side of the bed. You felt your heart clench and your throat run dry as you moved your head back to look up at him once again, your bottom lip trapped within your teeth. Was it socially acceptable to be so obsessed with someone in such a short time? Was it even humanly possible?
V paused when he reached your side, catching you off-guard when his long fingers ghosted up your neck before he ever so gently held your jaw in his hand.
“Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.” His deep voice reverberated within your ears and his sensual tone penetrated your core. His jade eyes had a mischievous fire in them, and you knew he was surely going to be the death of you.
“Tell me, is yours?” His thumb swiped your bottom lip as he spoke, to which you answered him by parting your lips to take his finger into your mouth and giving it a suck before tilting your head back to slide it back out.
Two can play at this game.
You thought as your gaze never left his crushing stare.
To this day, V’s smirk was your favorite reward whenever he fell victim to your antics. But during this time of your beginning, you were unaware of his counter-attacks, and of what a truly cocky shit he was.
His fingertips slid back down your neck and along your collarbone before he gently took his book from your hands. You had an expression not unlike a deer caught in the headlights as your eyes followed him on his silent, casual strides around the bed to his side. He had never felt so amused in his life feeling your confused stare his entire way around the room to set the book down quietly on the end table next to the pillow you had given him.
When he climbed into bed, pissing off your hormones due to the fact that he was still clad in just a towel, you had had enough of his smug expression. He definitely appeared like words were on the tip of his tongue, ready to frustrate both your heart and body, but you beat him to the punch and within seconds you had him trapped between your trembling hands and knees.
You would’ve felt nervous about being over a nearly-naked man while only wearing an oversized T-shirt, but V’s stunned expression looked so gorgeous from above, all worries were thrown away as you relished it.
“Scared?” You taunted through a smile, your tongue sneaking into the expression.
You both seemed to release a sigh of relief when his large hands engulfed the back of your thighs and slid up to sink his fingers into the flesh of your ass.
Long story now cut short, you had decided to stay home the next day in fear of your sore jello legs slowing you down, and in fear of your comrades seeing all of the marks that were mercilessly left on you. Luckily you’d never have to worry about anyone seeing the bruise of a perfectly shaped handprint on your ass that would no doubt take longer to disappear. You’d never get over Nero inevitably feeling the desire to high five V for it.
From then on, you did everything together. From killing things, to eating, to reading, to sleeping, to ‘relieving stress’, to showering… It all became the norm.
It didn’t take long for your physical attraction to become emotional. His deep voice that whispered sweet nothings and recited an endless amount of poetry, his long arms that enveloped you and made you feel safe, his instant response to step in front of you at even a hint of an imminent demon spawn (even though he knew you could probably take of yourself in combat better than he and his cane ever could). You felt like you were swimming in his aura and every fiber of his existence every second of the day, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
V really loved and appreciated your care for his familiars. He’d never imagined such a thing to happen in his life. Mostly because of demons feelings of superiority above humans, but also because of humans and their typical fear of demon beasts. You had allowed all 4 of them (yes, even Nightmare, whom you had nicknamed the ‘Cuddle Golem’ of the familiar trio.) into your heart and your home without a second thought. He had never imagined himself to fall in love with someone, much less desire to spend the rest of his life with someone, but he was happy feeling this way with you. He was satisfied mirroring your level of affection and coaxing words of love from your lips when you weren’t sheltering his heart and mind from his countless worries about the outside world.
He knew he was in deep the first time he heard the poems he spent his entire life reading and reciting more times than he could count read in your voice. He was captivated, he was addicted, he needed more. He feasted on you like he was possessed, insisting you continue reading through your mewls and begs for mercy.
Everyone at Devil May Cry had noticed the difference in the air around you two. Kyrie often invited you both to dinner with her, Nero, and Nico, and gradually over a week you both went from polite and distant to the aura of a power couple. From the side of your legs pressed against each other or V holding your thigh under the table as everyone talked, you were always touching and always in sync, someway or another. It wasn’t anything overly PDA, but anyone in the same room could feel it. Frankly, it suffocated Nero and he couldn’t stand it, but there was never enough physical evidence for him to openly complain about it. Kyrie, on the other hand, found it admirable. She missed the honeymoon phase.
But the day in which you would all go down to conquer the demon king was drawing ever closer. You knew how much V loved and valued you and your feelings, but you knew that this mission was and always will be his main goal. You knew how passionate he was, and you were prepared for this. Or so you thought.
Not far now from the bottom of the Qliphoth, V removed his arm from around your neck and kept his stare on the ground as he continued a bit forward on his own.
“This is somewhere I cannot allow you to come with.” V stated in a weak tone, his cracked face just barely looking back to you, earning an exasperated noise from you.
“What? You can’t expect me to leave you alone when you’re like this.” You moved to grab his hand, but stopped yourself in fear of actually breaking it off in his current state. You settled for the gesture of gently resting your head against his back. He moved the hand that wasn’t struggling to keep himself standing with his cane back to hold your hip.
“I have Nero, and Dante is already down there. I have to see this to the end by myself. Please understand.” His voice came out in a whisper, and you strained your ears to hear it from behind him. When he heard you sniffle, he moved his thumb back and forth to caress your hip.
Nero was indeed standing nearby, but he kept his distance because he could tell there was a way too intimate moment going on in front of him and he wanted no part of it. Seeing V’s condition, he really felt bad for you. He had no idea if V was at the point of no return, or if he was just being uselessly self-destructive, but he could never imagine putting Kyrie in your position.
V let go of you and, albeit struggling, turned to face you. You both took this chance to take in every single one of the other’s facial features, tears forming in your eyes the longer your gaze lingered on each prominent crack in his skin.
You were both so tired.
Beyond
tired. Ever since the invasion, you had been fighting day in and day out with little to no rest, and today alone you’d both been fighting for over 13 hours straight. You were well passed your limit physically, and he was
literally
crumbling in front of you. Emotionally, you kept each other sane, but now he was going to leave you.
“I love you.” You choked out, earning the best signature smirk he could manage in his exhausted state. Your eyes closed when he pressed a kiss to your lips, your tears too much to hold in anymore. You didn’t dare touch him, despite the burning desire to, in fear of making his condition worse, so you let him caress your skin on his own. He wiped your tears with his gloved hand and lifted your chin up when he pulled back slightly.
“I thank you, for everything. You mean the world to me, my love.” V pressed his lips to your forehead as a final goodbye, parting from you shortly after and carefully making his way to Nero.
“I’d curse bright fortune for my mixed lot. And then I’d die in peace, and be forgot.” V mumbled as he wobbled away with Nero holding him up.
“Yeah, yeah, shut it. I’ll have your ass dragged back here within an hour.” The white haired man huffed as they walked away, leaving you outside of the van by yourself.
- - - -
Nico had the very strong urge to say,
‘would’ya quit that shit?’
at your incessant pacing back and forth in the van since the minute Nero and V left, but she knew it wasn’t anyone's place to insult you right now. All of the girls could feel the melancholic aura radiating from you, your eyes were still swollen and your irises were void of emotion. The only thing that let them know you were still alive was your panicked pacing. They all knew Dante and Nero would be okay, but V looked pretty rough before even going into the battle.
If they had any real emotional connection to him other than him being such a prominent part of your life with them, they might’ve been a bit sad, too.
The sight of blue wings flapping in the distance outside the windshield glass had you sprinting out the door towards Griffon. Your eyes scanned to see Griffon, Shadow, and Nightmare. Their summoner nowhere in sight.
“W-Where’s V?” You stuttered in between a nervous laugh, your voice barely above a whisper. Griffon lowered himself to the ground and appeared to tuck his wings into himself as he waddled his way in front of you. You fell to the ground as your knees gave up under you.
“Shakespeare’s gone.” Your eyes were so clouded with tears you didn’t even see Shadow get so close before they nudged their head against yours.
“I’m sorry, ___. We didn’t know what was happening before we could even stop him. He joined with the demon and was gone in a flash, and then Vergil was there. The stupid bastard.” Nero appeared and patted your shoulder before heading to the van, you hadn’t even noticed him approach. He knew nothing he said in this moment would comfort you.
You sat there for a while, just processing the news. You could’ve sat there in shock for hours, you didn’t want to face the world anymore. With the ending of this demon invasion, you wished to start with over, with
him
by your side. Without him, what point is there to starting over?
Your mind was brought back to your body when Shadow nudged you again.
“What do we do now? What about you guys?” The hot tears trailed down your cheeks as you looked over at them, your fingers sliding through Shadow’s fur to comfort them.
“I… I know I’m not that strong, and I don’t have any powers because I’m not a demon, but… could you guys become
my
familiars?” Your voice was very obviously nervous. What if it wasn’t possible? What if it was possible, and they rejected you?
“As long as you don’t spout poems every other sentence, I’m in. Shadow?” Griffon flapped his wings as he regarded the other demon, your smile appearing for the first time that day.
Shadow purred for a moment before they disappeared. You were worried for a moment before you felt a piercing burn on your skin, causing you to wince and grip your thigh where the pain originated. You looked down to see a tattoo of swirls had formed almost in the shape of a garter on your right thigh.
“Well, that’s an answer, I guess. Here goes!” Griffon said before also disappearing, and a sharp burn coming from your chest. A tattoo of a bird with its wings spread appeared under your breasts. You hugged your chest as more tears fell down your cheeks while you smiled.
The ground rumbled a bit, causing you to look up at Nightmare. You smiled up at the demon, standing up and holding a hand out to him.
“Will you join us, too?” You asked, receiving Nightmare’s disappearance in reply. Only this time, you didn’t feel a burn. You blinked and looked around, wondering if he had disappeared into the ground, to see black strands out of the corner of your eye. You grabbed a section of your hair and your eyes widened at how your hair had turned black just like V’s because of Nightmare’s influence.
“Thank you for believing in me. We’ll be okay, guys. I’ll keep you safe.” You whispered to yourself with your hands over your heart, knowing they had heard you.
You returned to the van with swollen eyes, a broken heart, and a new hair color, but after the hellish month you’ve been through, you’re going to get through this. And your new familiars will be there for you every step of the way, as the new permanent member of the Devil May Cry crew.
I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.
And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.