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With a heavy sigh, Vergil saunters into the bathroom and switches on the light, bathing the tiled room in the bright glow. As he rolls up the sleeves of his blue long-sleeved shirt, he makes his way to the bathtub and turns on the water. He adjusts the knobs until the water is the right temperature. Not too cold. Not too hot. Perfectly warm. As the water runs and slowly fills the tub, he then grabs a bucket of brightly-colored bath toys. He dumps the entire bucket of rubber fish, a toy boat, a turtle, and colorful frogs. He then rummages through the small cabinet under the bathroom sink and pulls out a bright pink bottle of bubble bath. He glances at the smiling bubble masking before opening the bottle and pouring some of the translucent liquid into the water. Almost immediately, suds start to bubble in the rising water. He leaves the bathroom and makes his way down the stairs, paying no mind to his brother as he goes to the small kitchen and opens the door to the small fenced "backyard". He peers out and can't help but watch as a small boy plays with various animal toys in the dirt and grass. The sight is almost… storybook. A boy playing in the setting sun. "Nero!" Vergil calls out. The boy's head shoots up from whatever game he is playing and he immediately beams "Papa!" Vergil's heart thrums as Nero dashes over to him. Nero calling him that fills him with a strange emotion. Nero is all smiles as he runs to his father and tightly hugs his leg. Vergil is quick to notice the dirt that dusts the boy's silvery hair and is less than thrilled. He mentally tosses aside his annoyance and chuckles, saying "It's time to come inside, little one. There is a warm bath running for you" Nero nods "Okay, papa" he is about to run past Vergil to step into the shop but he is stopped. Vergil grips the boy's dirty shirt and gently chastises him "Nero. Shoes off, remember?" The child blushes "Oops!" he kicks off his shoes and calmly follows Vergil into the shop. When they reach the bathroom, Vergil hurriedly shuts off the running water before getting Nero out of his dirty clothes. He lifts the boy into the bubbly water. He allows the boy to play as he grabs Nero's "3-in-1" bottle; shampoo, conditioner and body wash all in one. Makes bath time go quicker. Taking a soft loofah, Vergil applies a glob of the wash as the scent of "blueberry smoothie" hits his nose. Without being asked, Nero holds his arm out and allows his father to wash the dirt and grime from the day. As Vergil washes the boy, Nero happily relays the game and fun he had outside. The man is all smiles as Nero tells tales of his knights and horses in a battle in the dirt against dinosaurs. "And then the horses crushed the T-rex!" Vergil chuckles "Fascinating, Nero. Close your eyes. I'm going to wash your hair" Nero does as told and closes his eyes. Vergil lathers the shampoo into the boy's soft hair, washing away the dirt and grime, turning it from a dingy tan back to that silvery white. Nero is soothed by the massage on his scalp. After Vergil is done, he rinses the suds from Nero's hair and says "All done, Nero. I'm going to put your clothes in the wash. Play as much as you like and call me when you are ready to get out" "Okay, papa" Nero hums as he immediately starts to play with his toys, allowing Vergil to pick up Nero's dusty clothes and take them to the dinky washer. He dumps the basket of dirty clothes and starts the wash cycle. He takes this moment to just… think. Think about how he got to this point. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vergil stews in his irritation as he barely listens to Dante talk on that rickety phone. It's all he had been doing ever since his plans were thwarted. Ever since Dante grabbed his hand…
Still… despite all that… he can plainly see that change in Dante's mood. He's almost more… carefree? Happy, even.
And past his own irritation, Vergil finds himself rather content. Not that he'd ever admit that to Dante.
On a seemingly random day, Vergil gets the idea to return to a certain island. Maybe even visit… her.
He leaves the shop, promising Dante that he will return.
He arrives on the island, disguised. For days, he wanders around the Order's offices, taking documents, destroying research and damaging those rather ugly statues of his father.
Then he goes to a familiar cottage.
His stomach twists upon seeing how... empty it is. He pushes the rotting door open and is met by dust and a cold emptiness. He wanders around the small house, memories of warm teas and a soft voice replaying in his mind. He stands at the bedroom doorway, reliving memories of passion.
Where is she?
He wanders around the city and he hears whispers.Whispers of her falling pregnant and the father not being in the picture.
Pregnant?
He hears some... less than savory words to describe her...
He also hears his worst assumptions being confirmed... she is dead...
But what of the child?
As he ponders on that question, he finds himself in front of the orphanage. He stares at the old building and he can sense... something...
After the sun has sunk over the horizon, Vergil sneaks onto the orphanage grounds. He creeps past windows of children and caretakers partaking in prayer, meals and play.
Then he reaches the section where the infants are and he feels the presence get stronger. He surveys the windows and pinpoints the location of the energy.
Quietly climbs up the nearby tree and gazes into the window, while remaining hidden among the leaves. His eyes widen.
In a dingy room, is a single crib. While the room is dark with little to no light, Vergil can make out the body of a sleeping infant.
As he ponders on how to proceed, the infant starts to cry. That's not what bothers him....
What bothers him is the lack of caretakers coming in to comfort the infant. Are they that busy?
Vergil hears the door open and he hides in the shadows as a caretaker steps into the room.
The woman steps into the room and she has a sour look on her face "What do you want?"
Vergil frowns at the woman's tone.
The woman stands over the crib but doesn't make any sort of effort to comfort the infant "I don't know why the sisters are keeping you alive... you are a cursed child. A whore's son"
At that moment, Vergil has heard enough. With a fanged snarl and glowing blue eyes, he lets out a loud growl, shocking the woman "Who's there?!"
Growling and keeping his hood up, Vergil breaks the window and steps into the room, The woman screams "DEMON!"
Vergil goes over to the crib that holds the crying infant. He looks down at the baby, seeing the white hair... a dead giveaway of the child's parentage.
Vergil looks up at the woman and growls "You are a poor excuse of a caretaker... treating a child like that... he flashes the Yamato "I should strike you down where you stand"
The woman screws her eyes shut, waiting for the strike from the sword.
Seconds tick by and the infant's crying gets farther and farther away. The woman opens her eyes and gasps at the empty crib and room.
Vergil leaps from rooftop to rooftop, holding the crying infant close to his chest. He stops on a building and watches Order soldiers run in the direction of the orphanage "This way!" "There's a demon in the area!" "One of you, go to the orphanage!"
Vergil watches as the soldiers get out of sight. He gazes down at the crying infant. Without thinking, he cradles the infant and whispers to it "Hush little one..."
After a short while, the baby stops crying.
"There..."
Days later, Vergil returns to the shop, baby in his arms.
What followed was five years of so much learning. Years and years of Vergil being lost when it comes to single parenthood. He found himself thankful to have Dante by his side to learn about child-rearing together.
It was a struggle, but Vergil got through those crucial years. Being with Nero for his first steps. His first words. Learning how to change diapers.
Parenthood softened Vergil. Normally his pride would scoff and wither at such a thought, but seeing those bright eyes that mirror his own…
It all made Vergil understand his father more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Paaaapaaaaaaa!" Vergil's sharp hearing picks up Nero's shouts that snap him from his thinking. "I'm ready to get oooooouuuuut!" Vergil softly smiles as he walks out of the basement as Dante tells him "Pizza's on the way" Vergil grunts in acknowledgement as he walks up the stairs and to the bathroom where his clean nestling awaits him. ------------------------------------------------------ Nero climbs into bed, not at all putting up a fight during bedtime. Having been fed a hearty meal of pizza and cheese bread, the boy is excitable tonight. As Vergil is about to tuck Nero in, the boy asks "Can we play one more game, papa?" Vergil gives Nero a pointed look "Nero. It's bedtime" The five year old puts on his saddest nestling face and pouts "Pleeeeeeaaaaaaase?" Vergil feigns deep thought before nodding "Very well. What do you have in mind?" "Have you ever had a pillow fight, papa?" Vergil thinks back on what little childhood memories he has. To his surprise, he's never had a pillow fight. He knows what entails it, but he's never partaken. He shakes his head "I have not, Nero" This makes the boy very excited "Let me show you!" he grabs one of his pillows and hands it to Vergil "Here!" The pillow fight is so, so awkward. But Nero couldn't care less as he eagerly teaches Vergil how to fight with a pillow "So you swing like this! I swing back and you have to swing to block me!" "Do you want to go first, papa?" Vergil takes up Nero's offer and in a moment of "not knowing how to hold back", Vergil takes a swing with the pillow. The swing sends Nero flying across the bed. As Nero lay on his back with the wind knocked out of him, Vergil started to panic, thinking he had hurt his only child. "Nero---?" Nero happily yells as he shoots back up and launches himself at Vergil, his pillow ready for revenge. The man is genuinely caught off guard by Nero's action and it allows the boy to hit him in the face with his pillow "I got you!" Vergil smiles as he joins Nero and "fights back", his heart swelling as the boy chortles. Nero laughs so much that he ends up falling into his father's lap. The jovial father brings the boy into his arms, his own laughter melding with Nero's. Their laughter slowly dies down and Nero's eyes slowly grow heavy. He lets out a big yawn and Vergil can't help but chuckle and ask "Are you ready to go to sleep?" Nero nods as he rubs his eyes. He doesn't fight nor move as he is tucked in and given his black stuffed cat. His little eyes grow heavy as the blanket is pulled over him. Vergil lightly pecks the top of Nero's head with a soft "Good night, Nero" "Will you stay til I sleep, papa?" Nero sleepily asks. Vergil is all too happy to say yes, wanting to savor these years where Nero will always want this attention. He takes his place at the edge of Nero's bed and gingerly combs his fingers through the boy's hair to slowly lull him to sleep.