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spirit-of-the-void · 5 years

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Ebony and Ivory (V x Reader Fanfic) Chapter 28

Author’s notes: I know Nero and Nico stick around RedGrave to clear out some demons while Dante and Vergil are in hell. But fuck that, theyre not sticking around cause I’m not writing around that

Chapter 28

(Your POV)

If someone were to ask you how long you slept, there was no way you could answer them.

Time was not a part of your life in those moments, mind lost to a fog of exhaustion and pain. You were barely aware of anything, everything mostly blank while your body desperately tried to piece together what had been so carelessly damaged. You had truly done a number on yourself, hadn’t you? You limbs were like jelly but heavy enough to be lead weights, chest hurting and stomach feeling like you had swallowed glass as it was working its way out through your throat. Even unconscious, you couldn’t escape the agony of it all. Just the thoughts and emotions, if only for a short time. Sleep was bliss, as close to non-existence as you could get in that moment. It was a blessing that you didn’t dream, for you feared it would only be of the one you lost.

Dreaming of him would hurt far more than anything.

Sometimes reality flickered in and out of focus. You could register the sound of Griffon talking once or twice through the haze, but were unable to discern what he spoke of. Just small things, like movement, being touched, warmth against your side. Quiet comforts, reminders that you weren’t alone. There were people protecting you, taking care of you when you needed it most. And that...felt strange. Like you were undeserving, but that selfish side of you refused to let go of the comfort it provided. Your mind stayed in the sleeping state, scrambling to repair you and calm the Void powers down a bit. What else could you do other than that? You had run yourself so ragged that the choice was no longer yours to make.

You consciousness waned some more, dipping its toes into waking for a few seconds of a time. Like you were floating in an ocean and skimming the glassy, clear surface just a bit. Everything sounded muffled and far away, drowned in the exhaustion pressing you down into the inky abyss of rest. But you made some things out, like the feeling of being held in someone’s arms. You were being carried, body jostled by their movements. Air was rushing past you--were they running or flying? You couldn’t make out who it was, they didn’t feel like the arms of Nightmare. They were far more normal, their body hard, firm, and warm. Like laying against a heater.

You drifted back into rest, unable to pull your eyes open long enough to find out who was carrying you. The cycle continued, body floating in and out, skimming the surface of waking before plunging back in. You heard muffled voices, sounding like they were underwater and completely impossible to understand minus the fact that you were pretty sure someone was yelling at one point or another. A new set of arms held you now--at least you think they were new? It was so hard to tell. More movement, more jostling came next with silence following close behind. The voices were gone, but you were still being cradled in gentle arms with more air rushing past.

It was then that you finally managed to pull your head above water, the gusting wind shaking you awake more than you thought it could. Your body came back in bits and pieces, the pain sharpening to a hollow point in your stomach and head first. Your limbs came next, the sensation traveling down to your toes and fingertips before you could even contemplate opening your eyes. You regretted waking, whimpering when the memories of the days events hit harder than even the pain did.

You had half hoped it was just some terrible nightmare, and that you would wake up in V’s arms still in the chapel with some molecule of hope left. But...that was not reality. You could feel the familiars resting inside you, their consciousness quiet and subdued with how much work they put in. You didn’t want to bother them with your own emotions, not when they had been through so much.

Whoever was carrying you heard the sound of distress you made, holding you a little more steadily as the air continued moving past. You registered the sound of what seemed to be flapping wings, the body holding you feeling hard and warm as well. A voice rumbled from above, warped and demonic but still...familiar to you.

“Just hold on, kid,” That had to be Nero’s voice, despite how strange and distorted it sounded, “We’re almost there. It’ll be okay.”

You shifted a little, prying open your aching eyes and blinking at the dying light of the day. The sky was darker now, casting an orange hue on...was that Nero carrying you? When your gaze slid upwards, you felt yourself quietly processing this form the Devil Hunter was in--he looked like a glorified demon, body a different color and hair long and white. He didn’t look like himself at all, down to the clear blue wings beating steadily behind him to keep you both in the air. But you supposed he was there in that jawline, in the way his brow furrowed over those demonic, glowing eyes. You didn’t know what to make of it, head already fried from everything else that had happened during the day. So...you found yourself unfazed, just taking things as they were in that moment.

“Nero?” You whispered hoarsely, throat feeling dry and raw at the same time. The instant you spoke Nero’s gaze flickered down to you, surprise in his face when he saw your tired eyes staring up at him.

“Hey kid--Sorry if I woke you,” He replied awkwardly, the wind sending his longer locks whipping back slightly as he settled his gaze forward again, “Getting used to the whole flying thing--just go back to sleep and I’ll get us to the van just fine.”

You didn’t want to rest again yet, there was a lot you wanted to know and say. You tilted your gaze slowly to the side, seeing the tops of broken buildings drift past with the tree left behind over Nero’s shoulder. It looked ominous in the dying light of the sun, illuminated by the orange glow and casting craggly shadows onto the land. But...the tree also looked like it was dying, the roots long gone and losing color fast. Like a husk filling up the sky, ready to be cut down at a moments notice.

You closed your eyes, struggling to cope with everything that tree contained within. Every terrible memory, every tragedy. To finally be free of it, in open air and heading somewhere else...it felt strange. Where would you go after this? The unknown was all you had now, the uncertainty for the future that made your stomach swirl sickly again. There was no returning to the Void, no going to a new dimension with how things had occurred with the Deity. So...what were you supposed to do?

“Rocking a new look?” You commented weakly, trying to distract yourself from the growing need to cry, “I dig the long hair.”

Nero snorted, shaking his head lightly as he replied, “It’s news to me too. Guess I had a demonic ability in me just waiting to be used all this time,” His eyes flickered downward again, probably examining your face for any sign of distress. You knew what he saw--an expression of defeat, absolute exhaustion making your eyelids droop, “You should get more rest. I promise to tell you all about the new form later.”

No rest, you cannot rest. You have to cope.

“I bet Kyrie will like it,” You murmured, ignoring his persisting that you sleep and drifting your gaze off to the side again in an attempt to fight off the unconsciousness, “Chicks...like long hair.”

Nero let out a light sigh at your stubborn refusal, eyes scanning the horizon and probably looking for Nico’s van, “It’ll definitely be a big shock for her, among other things. But she’s always been super supportive, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Kyrie sounded like a really wonderful women--you were glad Nero had her in his life.

You smiled softly, the action taking on a sad edge as you struggled to keep open your eyes, “She sounds...great...really nice…” Your words sounded a bit slurred, mouth unable to keep up with your thoughts. No sleep, you refused to sleep yet, “I...I want…”

“Kid,” Nero said in exasperation, putting his clawed hand over your eyes in an attempt to coax you into resting, “Just take it easy, alright? You’re fading in and out, just let it happen and go back to sleep.”

Your vision was dark with his hand there, body struggling to fight the sensation of that black ocean trying to consume you again. Your breath hitched in your throat, tears threatening to bubble up as you fought more and more. You couldn’t rest, now with this uncertainty looming on the horizon. What were you supposed to do now? There was nothing left, everything that you knew and grew accustomed to was drifting away like ashes on the wind. The Deity had betrayed your trust, V had betrayed your trust, and now...all that remained was Nero and the others. How were you supposed to expect anything from them, after everything that had happened?

Don’t let this take more of you, there are no more pieces left to give.

The familiars started stirring lightly when they sensed your distress, Griffon’s voice sounding quiet and distant as it traveled through your skull.

“Toots?”

You swallowed hard, ignoring him and the others as you struggled to keep down tears. There had been no time to grieve before, to come to terms with the fact that you would never be held by V again. No more hearing his gentle voice read poetry, seeing that crooked smile and the way his ebony hair hung in front of his eyes. No more soft kisses, hand holding, sharing a tender embrace and trusting each other. And that was what became the most crushing of all, finally accepting the fact that all you had now were those memories. And they would never be enough.

“I...I can’t rest,” You whimpered softly, shoulders starting to shake as a few tears dripped out from under Nero’s hands, “I...I don’t know what to do now. My Deity betrayed me...V betrayed me...where do I go now? Everything is...gone.”

V is gone. And I’ll never get to see him again.

What am I supposed to do?

The familiars were the only solid thing you had left, the only saving grace in the swirling chaos that had become your life. If all else failed, they would not leave you. They made that loud and clear, their support curling around your tattered mind like glue trying to hold together fragile pieces. You heard Nero suck in a breath at your words, hand moving up to rest on your forehead as a few more stray tears dripped out from your eyes. You looked up at his face, meeting his demonic eyes as you struggled to stomp down on the turmoil cracking through your barriers. He looked...sad, guilty, worried about you as he lifted his gaze back to the horizon line.

“We’re going home,” He replied simply, a small smile curling up his lips as he added quietly to you, “You’re in luck, Kyrie is a great cook and she always makes wayyy too much food. She wants to meet you pretty badly, I talked to her on the phone and okayed everything with her first.”

That made you blink in surprise, staring with wide, teary eyes at the demon hunter as he shifted his gaze down to meet yours again. He had told Kyrie about you? When? And whatever he told her made his fiance want to meet you, this mystery woman that Nero spoke so highly of. Something about his words made your chest ache, sobs threatening to burst out as the sensation of wanting to return home grew and grew until you felt like you might burst from it. Only now...home seemed like it was a real place, a destination instead of an idea.

And that....you were not used to.

“It’ll be alright,” Nero continued firmly, mouth quirking into a half smile that was warmer than the sun dipping over the coast, “Promise. We’re gonna go home, and things will work out. When Kyrie gets her mind set on shit, she finds a way to make them happen--not to mention Nico talking her ear off about it. We could definitely use the extra help keeping the orphanage running.”

Home.

Your eyelids fluttered shut, more tears tracking down your cheeks and lost on the wind whipping by you. You wanted it so badly, to return home finally after all these years of existing in the Void, drifting from place to place leaving pieces of yourself behind. The Void had never been your home, not really. It had been your place of power, of awakening. But it was never provided a sense of calmness, or joy. You could never return to the Void to relax and unwind, to be around people that made you smile or laugh. All that remained there was the dark, the cold, the howling voices and the Deity himself. And before all of this...that had been enough, having a guiding force that was your closest thing to a father even after living your human life. Knowing that you were alive...it had been all you needed.

But not anymore. You had tasted happiness, and became addicted to it. How many times before did this same thing happen, you finding your joy to only have it be crushed and eventually erased when you fell to pieces? Those faint, whispering pieces of memory left behind from those times you lived before told only small pieces of those tales, providing nothing but lost emotions. You wanted the solidity of reality again, of memories you could make without having them ripped away. It was why you were willing to keep them, those moments with V that now only served to hurt you. They ached, weighing down your mind like icy chains. But you welcomed them.

Because in that moment, the deep, aching agony was better than that thorough nothingness that was the alternative.

“O...okay…” You mumbled exhaustedly to Nero, voice small and barely there as your body relaxed. Floating on the pool of sleep, ready to let yourself sink back in again, “But...Nero?”

You were fading fast, barely feeling as Nero landed somewhere, turning back into his normal self in a shift of his body. You felt the familiar fabric of his jacket under your cheek, the warmth faded to a dull sensation.

“Yeah?” Nero replied, starting forward and barely jostling you with his careful steps, “What is it kid?”

You let out a soft sound, trying to gather your thoughts as they swirled on the water’s glassy surface. There was a lot you wanted to say, but there was something in particular that was bothering you that everything was said and done.

“...Pretty sure I had sex with your dad.” You mumbled, the words feeling strange on your tongue despite their technical truth. It was odd to think that V was, in a way, Nero’s parent. He was so young, close to Nero in age...a reflection maybe on how much Vergil had neglected his own humanity. V had been weak, frail, driven only by his need to return to his former self over anything else. But...he was also charming, kind, vulnerable. A bit silly, humorous and a show off like the other two males. You had no idea if that remained inside of Vergil, or if he was repressing it so heavily that no trace of it could come through. It didn’t really matter anymore, did it?

Nero paused at your words, stumbling maybe. You couldn’t really tell. There was no way that you could pry your eyes open again to look at his face.

“...Yeah, yeah you did,” Nero finally said with a rueful click of his tongue, voice edging on the side of sympathy. And awkwardness, “I don’t know what to tell you there, kid. Could be argued that you technically didn’t, could say Vergil has no place being considered my fucking father either. But…” He sighed heavily, muttering under his breath, “I don’t know. Shit is such a mess right now.”

That was an understatement. Everything was so convoluted you weren’t sure what to think anymore. But at that moment...you couldn’t begin to care as you sank into the embrace of sleep again, head gently lolling to the side as feelings began to fade from your limbs. Tired, you were so tired. The familiars could sense it, wrapping around your consciousness and gently easing you back into restfulness. Like Shadow was curled around you, Griffon’s wings wrapped around your body, and Nightmare’s arms holding you steady. They were there in the dark, a reminder that you weren’t alone. And that, in those moments of sinking down into the abyss, was enough.

“We’ve gotcha, girlie. Just let it go and sleep.”

We have you.

All of us do.

Words managed to slip past your lips before you fell back entirely, mumbled and tired. You wouldn’t remember later what you said, but Nero understood just fine.

“Let’s just...go home…” You were tired, so tired. No more pain, no more worrying and agony. Your mind had its hope, and for now its all you would focus on, “It’ll be okay...it’ll…”

But there was no more. For now...you would sleep.

(Nico POV)

The mechanic couldn’t remember a time she had been this anxious.

Worry was a close companion as she paced outside the van, her hair a frazzled mess from running her hands through it. She hadn’t know Nero for that long, and you for even less time, but she was so stressed about not knowing about your safety that she couldn’t sit still. She had grown to see Nero as the little brother she never had after these months of working with him for the Order documents, and even more so after helping him and Kyrie when he lost his arm. As for you...you had nobody, and that didn’t sit well with her in the slightest bit. How terrible, to go through all that shit and have nothing to show for it but a sad smile and some loneliness. You were family now too, despite the short time you knew each other.

Nero had given a short explanation to the three girls on what had happened with V and Vergil. About how the poet returned to his former self, leaving you behind to deal with the aftermath. Becoming his father. Christ, what a revelation was that? It was pretty easy to see Nero was a bit sensitive about things regarding his family, it left quite the chip on his shoulder. Nico could respect that, her own father was a deadbeat asshole and she only had an uncle to speak of now in regards to family. Nero had been distraught, on the edge and filled with that anger and distress she had felt herself once. Then he had left, giving no explanation to where you were or if you were coming back.

Which left the three girls to wait. And hope.

Nico was the only one pacing, Trish sitting in the passenger seat looking tired and a bit guilty while Lady sat in the van’s doorway. She looked visibly unhappy, leaning her head on her hands and staring off into distance. There seemed to be a lot on her mind, but Nico wasn’t sure if it was in regards to Nero or you. Or both. Regardless, all three were sitting in an atmosphere of silence and tense, thick anxiety. Not a lot had been said, because honestly what could any one of them come up with to describe what was going on? This bastard “Vergil” was back, he was Dante’s brother, and Nero’s fucking father--And you had been in love with someone who was apparently a part of him.

“M...maybe we should go back and look for them?” Lady suggested after the silence stretched into the setting sun, shadows cast over the ground and van where they waited, “It’s been over two hours, maybe something went wrong?”

Nico snorted, stopping in her pacing to look up at the blight that was the Qliphoth in the distance, “Oh somethin’ went wrong alright. Nero’s deadbeat daddy came back, and everything went to shit,” She turned away, scuffing her boot over the ground and kicking up some dust, “And what the fuck is that all about, huh?! Some skinny lookin’ goth comes around and turns out to be some weird byproduct of Dante’s brother? It ain’t right…!”

Truth be told...Nico was angry and disappointed. Not just in V, but in herself as well. She should have noticed something was wrong, shouldn’t have encouraged you to get so close to the poet if things were going to turn out so badly. Might as well have lead you right to a cliff, then shoved you over the side. She didn’t want to imagine what all of this had done to you--such a soft thing, loving easily and caring about everyone around you. Self sacrificing. That made her frown more, running a hand through her hair again as she kicked up more dust. They all played a part in this, not asking questions and just focusing on defeating Urizen over everything else, who just turned out to be a part of Vergil too.

Lady stared at Nico worriedly, sensing all her anger and pent-up emotions pretty easily. And judging by that flicker of regret on her face, she was feeling the same thing.

“We couldn’t have known,” She whispered, tone soft but filled with doubt as she tried to convince herself, “How were we supposed to know what he was, what he would do?”

What he would do to you, to himself. The bastard had used you, of that there was no doubt in Nico’s mind.

“All I’m sayin’ is we could have done better!” Nico snapped in response, leveling her annoyed gaze over the beautiful woman and stomping a foot, “God damn it, we could have tried! Could have cornered him and made him talk!”

They could have taken everything more seriously from the start. Your little crush seemed so innocent at first, like seeing two confused teenagers stumbling about their attractions for the first time. But...it got serious, especially when it was revealed that V was dying. You were so stressed and distraught, but there was just no time to do anything about it. No time to talk, to plan, to wait. Everything felt like it had taken weeks, but only a few days had passed after all.

“He wouldn’t have talked,” Trish said from the open window with a low scoff, making both women turn to look at her. She had her arms folded, sharp eyes staring straight ahead as she continued, “Vergil was a stubborn bastard. V never would have told you, but...he told me.”

“You knew?!” Nico’s eyebrows arched toward her hairline before snapping back down, anger taking up her expression as she stomped up to the window, “Why the fuck didn’t you tell her?!”

“Because V told me not to…!” Trish said sharply back, turning a burning glare on the mechanic that was filled with several warnings. But try as she did to hide it, the woman saw guilt in her eyes too, “He was dying, and I didn’t know anything about her. I didn’t think it mattered, she was the servant of a god so I didn’t think she was here for anything else but to do its bidding.”

Nico ground her teeth, her own warnings in her tone as she replied, “She was in love with him, you dumbass! She suffered enough, and you just let it get worse…!”

“You think I don’t know that?!”

“Enough!” Lady yelled, making both women jump and turn around to look at her. She seemed visibly angry now, multi-color eyes staring at them both as she was now standing outside the van. There was distress in that gaze, the deep shadows cast on her face from the dying sun only seemed to add her her grieving look, “This isn’t the time to argue about what we could or couldn’t have done! Even if she would have known, what would it have fixed?”

Lady sighed, walking up to Nico and sliding down to the ground next to the van. The look she wore made the mechanic feel guilty--christ, she looked tired and dejected. More so than Nico had ever seen her as she whispered, “We couldn’t do anything, not to help her or Nero.”

She was right, of course she was. They had been fairly useless in the whole conflict, forced to watch from the sidelines as everything fell to pieces. Nico let out a light sigh, exchanging a look with Trish before she too slid down the van, sitting next to the older woman with a light huff. That’s where all the anger came from, wasn’t it? This thorough feeling of helplessness, the reality that there would have been no way to save either of you from the pain. Nero would have learned eventually, wasting so much time trying to prove himself only to learn the man he was trying to kill was his father. And you...even if they had tried to talk you out of loving V, it still would have happened.

There wasn’t a thing that they could do.

“We can still do better now,” Lady murmured, tapping her fingers on her thigh and staring up at the darkening sigh, “They’re going to need us when they comes back, they’re going to need support.”

Boy, that was the biggest understatement of the century. And that was if you actually did come back. The mechanic wasn’t going to voice that fear aloud, though.

Nico puffed out a breath, tilting her head back and running a sidelong glance over the black-haired woman, “You got that right,” She snorted, scratching the back of her own dark hair as she added, “Shoot, Lady. You’re a good person, how the hell did you end up in this profession?”

Lady let out a small, sad sigh, eyes trailing down to the ground. It seemed like there was a long story hidden behind her eyes, one that she didn’t seem fond of recalling. Damn, were all devil hunters hiding some terrible past? People like Trish, Dante, and Lady--It seemed like they all shared some bad life experiences that drove them forward. Nico’s life wasn’t a cakewalk either, but she at least had happy moments. Her mother loved her before she died, and Nico’s uncle treated her well and took good care of everything. Hell, even being lucky enough to get close to Kyrie and Nero, to become a part of their family...those things were all blessings, but she would never admit it out loud.

“It’s a long story,” Laid quietly, jarring Nico from her roaming thoughts, “One that’s too long to tell. Unfortunately being kind doesn’t save you from bad things happening--just look at Dante. Being nice to people never saved him from tragedy.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Nico grunted in reply, pulling out a cigarette and patting her pockets for a lighter, “Guess all we can do now is wait for the psycho to get back, and maybe then we can go look for Y/N.”

Lady smiled a tiny smile, turning her head away and looking at the orange-splashed clouds as she replied, “Then we wait. In the meantime, why don’t we--”

“Hey! Are you guys in there?!”

All three women jolted sharply at the sound of Nero’s voice calling from beyond the other side of the van. Speak of the goddamn devil and he will--luckily--appear. He had come back, and from the sound of it he was healthy and alive. Any and all thoughts halted, each girl scrambling quickly around the van to see the white haired boy approaching from down the street, the Qliphoth a distant memory far behind him. Seeing him was a huge relief, one that made all the air leave Nico’s lungs at once. And an added, blissful bonus was the sight of you being carried in his arms. You hadn’t left, you were safe too. Nico could have collapsed with the stress leaving her body, but it was replaced with so many questions as she stared at both you and Nero.

First being that you now had tattoos lining your arms, from your fingertips dipping past your sleeves.They looked like the ones V had before, down to the black streak in your hair now. Nico rushed forward, worry filling her expression as she and the other two women now took in your sickly pallor, dark circles under your eyes and scratches on your face and neck. You looked like hell and then some, which wasn’t very comforting for the whole situation. You were unconscious, cheeks still slightly wet with tears that still glistened from your closed lashes. Crying, and not that long ago too.

Last thing Nico noticed was the fact that Nero was carrying you, which wouldn’t have been so god damn jarring if it weren’t for the fact that he wore no Devil Breaker. His right arm, which up until that day had been bearing one of her metal pieces of art, was fucking normal--Not a demonic arm like before, but a real, genuine human one. Fresh and bare of hair, like it popped out baby soft just moments earlier like a fucking daisy.

What the fuck. What the fuck.

“Is she okay?” Lady asked anxiously, hurrying forward while Nico tried to shake off the layers of shock she was feeling. The older woman stroked back your hair, eyes traveling over your limp form with a motherly gaze, “What happened to her?”

You look like you had been hit by a god damn truck, like all the life had drained out of you. Closer to a corpse than anything else--all traces of your healthy skin and happy smile seemed far off from how you were now.

“A lot,” Nico grunted, pushing past the three women and heading for the van behind them, “Is the couch cleared off? Gotta set her down.”

“It is,” Trish replied, sounding the calmest of the trio as she followed behind, her eyes lingering on those fancy new tattoos as she added, “Want me to take her?”

“I’ve got it.”

Nero stepped up into the van, easily turning and laying your body down on the leather upholstery as gingerly as he could. You didn’t bat an eyelash, head lolling around limply and body settling without waking up at all. Trish, Lady, and Nico all piled into the van as well, the mechanic closing the door with a solid thunk and rushing over to push past Nero so she could look at you again. It was easy to tell that the days events had taken a lot out of you, that was for sure. She resisted the urge to card her fingers through your hair, instead settling on pulling out a pillow to rest under your head.

Nero sighed in relief, settling in the seat across from you and leaning his head back. He looked like shit too, shirt torn and spattered with blood in places. His jacket was covered in holes and slices, which would probably have to be mended later by Kyrie. What the hell had he done while at the top of the tree, gotten into a fight with a paper shredder? But his wounds were already healing, all the way down to that bright, shiny new human arm he was sporting.

“What the fuck happened?!” Nico blurted out finally, all her pent up questions bursting forth as she pointed a finger at him, “What the hell is that god damn arm?! How the hell do you have your arm back?!”

Nero blinked, head tilting back down as he grunted in annoyance, “Can’t it wait? Get us on the goddamn road, I don’t want to see that tree again.”

They were already leaving? There was no sign of the other devil hunter though, nor was there any sign of this supposed “Vergil” everyone had been talking about. But the mechanic could read Nero’s mood pretty easily--he was still on edge from his newfound knowledge, jaw tight and eyes staring at the ceiling like he could somehow will the anger away by force. Now was not the time to press for questions, as much as she wanted too. Nero had been through enough for the day.

“What?” Trish protested, shock lacing her tone as Nico groaned and hurried to get behind the wheel, “What about Dante? Where is he?”

Nero let out a heavy, aggravated sigh, running his fingers through his messy white hair as he replied in a snarl, “The dumbass went down to hell with Vergil to clear the fucking tree roots and seal the portal.”

“Are you serious?” Trish hissed, eyes narrowing as she stared down the younger male and crossed her arms. Despite her obvious anger, there was worry and disappointment hidden underneath all of it. Dante was a friend to her, that much was obvious. And this knowledge was definitely not welcome considering all that had happened.

Lady sat down by your head, careful not to move you as she added softly, “But they won’t be able to come back.”

“You see my issue here.”

Nico felt like she was turning in fucking circles--where was she supposed to start? First, they find out Nero had a daddy, then that V was a part of said daddy. Then everything with you, Nero’s new arm, and now that the two brothers would be trapping themselves in hell to cut down the tree? It was complete madness, way too many events pressed into one day to ever make sense. To gain a family in a day, then to watch them both leave to complete a dangerous, ridiculous task such as this one? No wonder he looked so pissed off, even Nero had limits to how much he could take in one sitting.

So the mechanic ground her teeth together, obeying his wishes and starting the van to leave. It sputtered to life, engine rumbling the vehicle. She wanted nothing more than to leave Redgrave for a sizeable time period, gather their thoughts and regroup a little bit. Dante and Vergil would be on their own to fix this shit, which was fair considering the goddamn bastard father had caused the whole thing. It was better that he hadn’t arrived back with Nero--He would have gotten a solid punch to the throat if Nico had anything to say about it.

“What happened to her?” Lady asked again, Nico seeing her stroke your hair again in the rearview mirror as she drove you all down the street. Despite all the clanging from riding on a bumpy road, you didn’t twitch once. Your clothes looked a bit messed up too, like you had wrestled with a demon before finding your way there. But the gauntlet Nico made you was still on your arm. The mechanic made a mental note to take it off so you could rest more comfortably.

Trish sat by your feet, frowning heavily as she looked over you with concerned eyes, “She looks…”

“I know,” Nero muttered, eyes closing as he leaned on his arm. There seemed to be another memory of the guilt and regret party, if his face was any indication of what he felt, “She watched all the shit go down with V, and she just...lost it. Pushed herself way too hard, broke her body over it.”

Lady’s shoulders visibly slumped at his words, her gaze lingering on you as she slid your upper half onto her lap, cradling your head gently against her stomach. You barely gave any indication that you sensed being moved, other than a soft sound that came from your parted lips. That was a sound of pain, a barely there whimper that was a pretty clear indication of what you were feeling. Nico quickly looked away, heart feeling achy as she tried to focus on the road instead. This wasn’t the time to feel bad or guilty, getting you the hell out of the city and home was more important.

“Why does she got those tattoos?” Nico asked from the driver’s seat, tone sharp and impatient as she met Nero’s gaze in the mirror, “They look like the shit the goth had on him when we saw him last.”

Nero opened his mouth to reply, but something cut him off.

Black dust suddenly materialized from your form, swirling up and taking form on top of her jukebox. Everyone recognized the creature immediately, even before his strange beak and sapphire feathers had even materialized. Griffon, Nico recalled, the bird-brained familiar that belonged to V. He balanced on his talons, shaking out his feathers and puffing up like an irritable cat. He looked tired too, head drooping and eyes half closed as he met everyone’s surprised gaze, an expression close to contempt shifting his avian features.

His presence said everything she needed to know, even before he opened his dumb, bird mouth. When he left the tattoos on one side of you lightened, just like V’s did when they left him.

“She’s got them because of us,” He hissed, narrowing his golden eyes on Nero as he added, “And shit is a lot more fucked than you know about, kid.”

Trish stood, standing in front of you in a protective manner, clearly distrusting of this bird. Nico could understand why--this creature belonged to V, who was a part of Vergil now. By all accounts, they had no reason to be friendly with him at all.

Nero scowled, glowering at the creature with disgust as he replied, “Wish I could say I’m happy to see you, chicken. But I’m not,” He crossed his arms, eyes narrowing at the bird as he added, “What the hell are you doing here? Thought V was your master, why didn’t you go back when he did?”

Nico was wondering that as well. The bird and cat seemed devoted to V, following his every command and sticking to him like glue. Seeing them devoid of him felt...strange.

Griffon let out a low trill, shaking out his feathers again as he huffed in reply, “The feeling is mutual, brat. And for your information, Vergil didn’t want me and the others back--we’re his nightmares after all,” He settled more firmly on the jukebox, tone irritable with exhaustion as he added, “Besides, we have a new master now. I’ll give your little pea-sized human brain a few guesses as to who it is.”

All three sets of human eyes landed on you, staring at your new tattoos and easily realizing what he meant. It was incredibly obvious, it took no thought at all.

“Ding ding!” Griffon squawked in confirmation, a low, harsh chuckle leaving him as he added, “We serve Y/N now, and we’re all happy with the arrangement. So don’t fucking ask.”

Nico let out an annoyed sound, but she knew you. It was obvious how close you were to the familiars when the goth was around, always snuggling up to them and smiling so happily when they returned affection back. It was relieving to see that you retained something good in the end, at the very least. Griffon seemed crass and rude, but he was staring at you with worry too. He bowed his head abit, looking away when Nero glanced over at him warily. It was easy to see the bird was growing uncomfortable with so much attention on him, especially considering everyone in the vehicle didn’t feel particularly fuzzy toward demons.

Griffon cleared his throat, letting out a long suffering sigh as he flickered his eyes back over to your sleeping form, tone gruff as he said, “I know we’re a package deal now, but don’t let that stop you from helping her. Hell, we can stay in her twenty four seven if you have an issue, won’t hear a peep from me,” He looked back at Nero, tone reluctant and golden eyes serious for once, “We ain’t got no gripe with you, and we can behave provided none of you stab her in the back.”

Nero blinked, seeming surprised by Griffon’s gruff words of truce as his brow shot toward his hairline. Nico was kind of impressed, and a bit...guilty. She spent a lot of time giving Griffon shit and picking on him, but she could tell he cared about you a lot. To swallow his pride, bow his head, and prepare himself to remain submissive in the face of others on your behalf was admirable.

And Nero seemed to agree.

“Glad we understand each other, chicken,” Nero smirked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, “As long as you don’t have an issue with kids, and you’re nice to my wife I don’t give a shit if you come out.”

Griffon let out a snort, squawking in response, “I won’t be pecking any little brats, I can promise you that. I don’t have any gripes with your lady either, so me and the other familiars will be on our best behavior.”

He looked at you with his words, seeming relieved that things had worked out and there was no chance of you being denied a safe place because of them. Honestly Nico didn’t know why he was worried--familiars or not, you were still going home with them. Your body was relaxing considerably with Lady stroking your hair, her fingers dancing along your lashes to remove the remaining tears. You leaned your head to the side, pressing your face to her stomach and letting out a soft sigh. Any and all comfort for you was good--Nico would be right there with you too if she didn’t have to drive.

Nero stretched out his legs, eyes lingering on you as you continued to sleep on the couch. Nico hoped to god that resting was at least doing something to help you, because she honestly didn’t know what more could be done. Where your powers, body, and Deity were concerned they were all ignorant. Hell, the whole situation was rendering them all pretty useless in terms of healing and helping you. But Nico would take what she could get, she had always been a quick thinker and capable of planning at a moment’s notice. And like those other times, her mind was already in processing mode.

Think. Focus on the now, worry on everything later.

“Hey chicken,” She called back to the bird, keeping her tone civil despite that nickname she used for him, “Anything you can tell us about Y/N that might help? She ain’t lookin’ too hot.”

The bird let out a low trill, rustling his feather again as he huffed, “If you’ve got anything that provides nutrition and shit like that without shoving it down her throat, use it. She’s running on fumes and we ain’t doin’ much.”

That was definitely somewhere to start.

“In my chest in the back,” Nico said to Lady, sparing a brief look at the road to point, “I keep first aid and shit in there. I’ve got needles and some stuff that you can inject in a little blue bottle.”

“I’ve got it.” Trish grunted, noting probably how Lady was still holding you in her lap--it was probably wise not to jostle you too much. The blond woman turned, heading to the back of the van and trying to keep herself steady while it swayed and bumped around. Seeming satisfied, Griffon turned back into dust, swirling around and absorbing back into your tattoos again. From Nico’s point of view, it seemed like Griffon was running on empty too, only popping out long enough to say his piece and retreat back. Making sure you got the help you needed. You weren’t bothered at all by him coming and going, in fact it seemed like you didn’t notice at all.

Nico focused back on the road, trying to pull herself together with everything that was going on. Dusk was now in full swing, forcing her to turn on the van’s headlights as they passed building after broken building. What an awful day, what terrible things to have happen over and over.

Two people she considered friends had suffered badly, and for what? Some bastard to end up getting everything that he wanted. The mechanic was trying to hold onto her anger, because she felt like otherwise it would be replaced by tears. Nico didn’t like worrying, nor did she like being afraid. But the day had brought both, forced to watch her new family risk their lives over and over. Now there was only pieces left, but they were safe, right? Nero was safe, so were you. And what little good that did, considering the state you both were in mentally.

Nero hadn’t looked that unhappy and tired since he lost his arm.

“...Let’s go home,” Nico muttered, drawing the boy’s attention as she stared forward, trying to push back the rising need to scream and punch something. Focus on the road, she needed to drive and get them all back safely, right? “Let’s go home, and we’ll...fuck I don’t know. We’ll do better, we’ll fuckin’ do better.”

They would move past this.

This didn’t feel like a victory. Things were gained, but too much was lost in the long run. And she hated that. Why couldn’t this have been resolved without conflict? Had Nero’s daddy just fucking talked to Nero, asked for help instead of ripping off his arm, maybe they could have realized who he was? Called Dante, gotten Vergil a doctor or something considering the kid said he seemed to be in bad shape. Had there been any communication, they could have saved you from losing the one you loved, saved Nero from finding out something so heartbreaking before he wasted days trying to kill his own father.

But in the end, all they cared about was the fight. And it screwed up everything.

Nero appeared at her side, footsteps quiet as he sat down next to her in the passenger seat with a heavy sigh. He could sense she was upset, of that there was no doubt--her hands were gripping the wheel like a wise, knuckles paling with the strain. She could feel him looking at her with concern, but she convinced herself that focusing on not crashing was more important than meeting his gaze. In the past few months she had got closer to Nero and Kyrie then she had planned, and ended up fitting right in with them and their little ragtag family of orphans. It had been a while since she was this worried about someone, and to be honest she was still mad he just jumped out the van like he did and left her to worry and wonder what happened to him and you.

He could tell, that much was sure. Nero scratched the back of his head, other hand reaching into his pocket and pulling out a lighter to place on the dashboard for her.

“Sorry...Thanks for stickin’ around,” Nero muttered, sounding a bit awkward as he stared out the windshield at the road ahead, “Things have been rough, but...they’ll work out. And you’re right, by the way.”

Nico snorted lightly, shaking her head and pulling out a cigarette as she replied in her usual drawl, “I usually am. What am I right about this time?”

Nero smirked lightly, grabbing the lighter from where it was resting. Nico paused, looking back at you and Lady sitting on the couch for a moment. She remembered the face you made when she smoked in front of you last, that expression of quiet, restrained discomfort and a hint of sadness. After one exchanged look with the Devil hunter, Nico shook her head again, tossing the cigarette onto the dashboard for it to sit and wait till later.

“You were sayin’?” She prompted Nero, trying to shake off some of the fatigue and focus back on the crumbling streets ahead.

He let out a low grunt, flexing his new, baby-soft fingers before pulling a book out of his coat. She recognized it immediately as the book V had before, the one he was always reading from. When had he gotten the thing? It worried her, she was afraid of how you would react if your eyes caught sight of such a heavy reminder. Nero set it on his lap, tapping his free hand on it like he wasn’t sure what to make tp do with the leather-bound novel.

“We will do better,” He said finally, tossing the lighter back and relaxing in the passenger seat. His grey-blue eyes stared ahead, filled with calm determination and regret as the sun began to die in the distance. Leaving only night, and the moon coaxing its milky light up toward the sky, “We made it out safe, and for now we take the victories were we get them.”

The little victories. No one had died, technically if they weren’t counting V, which she wasn’t. Nero seemed to have his arm back, and she was sure he would explain in time. As for you...there was a home and a warm bed waiting in Fortuna, and Kyrie. If anyone could provide some sense of comfort and ease, it was her. The woman had such a healing, kind aura about her--wasn’t a soul she couldn’t fix. And that was exactly what you needed, someone who could help fix what the poet broke.

Nico always wanted a sister. Especially when she was a little kid, it was her favorite thing to imagine and think about. Never a possibility then, but she learned to take family where she could get it. Blood or no blood. Kyrie was like family, but she felt more like an older sister or a mother. Now that Nico had someone to consider a little sister, she would damn well make sure you would bounce back stronger and better than ever.

“What say you we stop for some breakfast once we clear the barriers outside of RedGrave?” Nero commented after a loud yawn, breaking the silence with some of the most normal words Nico had heard in days, “I’m willin’ to bet Y/N hasn’t tried Jack’s pancakes yet, and it would take more than the apocalypse to shut that bastard down.”

Nico chuckled lightly. Only Nero could come out of something like this and immediately think of breakfast, “Whatever you want, lil’ brother. Just as long as you’re payin’.”

“Figures.”

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Tagged: @nightshadow4713 @silentwhispofhope @slightlylunatic @just-call-me-no-name @efiicitia @raven-huntress

#devil may cry v #devil may cry #devil may cry 5 #dmc5 #dmc v #V dmc #V x reader #v x self insert #spirit writes fanfic #fanfic #chapter 28 #Ebony and Ivory #ebony and ivory chapter 28 #nero #nico #griffon

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yodawgiherd · 5 years

Text

Melting

Rating: T

>>>Read on AO3<<<

It's hot af here, so I was wondering, what if I made it the same way in my fic? HMMMMMMMMMM? Im a genius dont @ me.

It’s funny how quickly the weather changes. Few days back, he was still wearing hoodies, but now Eren was glad that his car has such a good air conditioning system, allowing him to make the trip back home from work relatively unscathed. Pulling next to Mikasa’s bike, he wondered how the hell did she survive driving that infernal machine in this heat, especially clad head to toe in black leather, her usual biker attire. The house was eerily empty, void of any activity or sounds, making Eren question if perhaps Mikasa wasn’t even home, maybe having an extra-long modeling session or working out too much, as she tends to. But then again, with how large the mansion was, sometimes too big for just the two of them honestly, he should better make sure. A quick search later, Eren was proven wrong, as his lovely fiancé was indeed here, sunbathing in the backyard next to the full pool. She was really looking like the picture of relaxation, stretched on a sun lounger, her porcelain skin in sharp contrast to the strapless black bikini she wore. Stylish piece. Nearing her, Eren couldn’t tell is she was sleeping or not, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses, but his unspoken question got answered, because when he came to stand next to the lounger, Mikasa perked up and pushed the glasses out of her face, blinking at him.

“Doing okay?”, he asked, watching her smile grew wider as she nodded at him with her half-full glass.

“I’m perfect actually.”

“You filled the pool.”, Eren observed, “How’s the water?”

“Warm, as everything nowadays. When I came home and saw what the temperature was, going for the pool was the only possible option I saw.”

“Smart.”

“I know right? Now that the sun is trying to cook us alive, I have to trade my scarf for the water.”, she snickered, “Which kinda sucks, because the new one you gave me is really comfortable.”

“It’s fine, you can put it back on once the summer is done. Plus, it wouldn’t match that bikini at all.”

“You think so?”, she looked down at her body, trying to imagine how the weird combo of swimwear with a scarf would look like. She should ask Pixis.

“Yep. No need to draw away the eyes of everyone by the aggressive red color when the stuff you wear is so elegant.”

“Aw, thanks, I wore this piece for a photoshoot a week back, the swimsuit season is starting, and I liked it so much that I bought it after.”, rolling left and right to give Eren the best possible view, she looked at him over the rim of her glasses, “Like it?”

“Love it, it suits you. Most of the things you bring home from the model agency do, did you perhaps consider that you might be developing a sense for fashion?”

“Me? Fashion?”, Mikasa gasped, seemingly outraged, “How could you!”

“The people you whoosh past on your bike surely appreciate the tasteful combinations and fitting cut of your leather gear.”

“The only leather gear I want fitted is the one I use with you.”, slowly, she traced the shape of her upper lip with the tip of her tongue, “If you know what I’m talking about.”

Taken aback, Eren just stared at her, the silence interrupted by Mikasa’s loud slurping, as she continued draining whatever was left in her glass, her predatory gaze not leaving his face. Classic.

“Since you’re already here, why don’t you massage my back? Got a few cramps that have been legit killing me.”, she offered, seeing that he was still out of words to say. So easy to get him flustered sometimes.

Shrugging, as he was always down to give her a massage, Eren motioned for her to turn over, sitting on the lounger and shamelessly abusing the opportunity to ogle her ass, as Mikasa was now lying on her front, because that thing was still simply too perfect to be true. Butt that belonged to fiction, on statues and painting, but here it was, delightfully exposed as her bikini bottom dug in-between her ass cheeks, giving him an unobstructed view. Mikasa did not skip leg day, did her squats, and it showed. Mostly to prevent himself from drooling, Eren dragged his gaze upwards, on her back where his hands were hard at work right now, opening his mind and focusing on finding the sore muscles, easing the tension out of them.

“The tattoo project coming along fine?”, he asked, mostly to fill the silence because when they were not talking, it was way too easy to slide his gaze down over the sinful curve of her body and back down to the holy land above Mikasa’s long legs.

“Mhmm. Just finishing the designs now.”, she cracked an eye open, watching him over her shoulder, “You still want it? To have the matching wings on our back?”

“Totally.”

“Then it should be ready soon.”, a bit of a dreamy expression entered her features, “It’s going to look great, trust me.”

“You’re the tattoo expert here, I’ll take your word for it.”

“Having ink on my wrist doesn’t make me an expert.”

“That’s still one more than I have.”

Not sure how to answer that, Mikasa fell silent, closing her eyes and letting Eren work out the kinks of her back, melting into his touch. It felt great, as always, and she almost fell asleep, completely relaxed under the sun. But that just wouldn’t do, as she still wanted to swim, the water was perfect after all, so waking up with a start, she eyed her boyfriend, who stood up to give her room on the chair.

“Come on, don’t stand there like that. Clothes off, the pool’s waiting!”, she ordered.

But Eren was already shaking his head.

“I don’t think I can right now, I have to….”

The feeling of Mikasa’s hands gently but very strongly taking hold of his waist stopped his excuses.

“Baby…”, she whispered, sliding out of the lounger to stand next to him, “That was not a request.”

Gaze following hers to the water surface and back, the terrible clarity of what was about to happen flooded Eren’s mind.

“You wouldn’t.”, he tried.

She grinned.

“Yes I would.”

“Mikasa no.”

“Mikasa yes!”

And then he was being half dragged half carried towards the pool, with strength he had no chance of resisting, his captor completely ignoring any pleadings. Push came to shove, Eren lost his footing, and flew over the rim, his back hitting the water surface. The sound of Mikasa’s laughter got replaced by the sound of water gushing all around him, as he submerged, whatever curse he tried shouting dying in his throat. Eren wasn’t a bad swimmer, so after a few seconds he easily resurfaced, even with the weight of the wet clothes dragging him down, just in time to see Mikasa’s elegant dive, arcing over him and hardly disturbing the water as she disappeared beneath the blue too. Eren tried frowning at her, when her head appeared above the surface, but her grin was just too infectious, making him unable to stay mad at her.

“I do hope you didn’t have a phone in your pockets.”, she winked at him, “Would be quite a loss.”

Luckily he left both phone and car keys at the kitchen’s table, but she didn’t know that.

“That wasn’t very nice of you.”, Eren grumbled, doing his best to appear at least a bit angry.

“And what are you going to do about it?”, she countered, the tease clear in her voice.

“I’ll think of something…”, eyes narrowing, Eren tried swimming closer, only for Mikasa to edge away.

“Good luck with that, since you’ll have to catch me first.”, and she bolted.

The pool was big, big enough for her to evade him basically forever, since she was both a better swimmer and Eren still had the clothes to slow him down, but after a bit of a chase Mikasa did allow herself to be caught on the shallow end, back to the wall as Eren caged her in with his arms, loving that he was finally able to stand.

“Got you now Ackerman.”, he growled.

“Oh no, whatever shall I do?”, she moaned helplessly, loping her arms around Eren’s neck.

Seeing that she was very much on board with whatever he intended, he repositioned his hands from the wall and slid them down over her back and down, finally reaching that firm shape of her butt. While watching it was great and all, touching it still took the cake. But he didn’t even get a chance to explain his evil plan, because as soon as he dug his fingers in Mikasa took it as an invitation and leaned closer, aggressively pressing her mouth on his. The water helped when she wrapped her legs around Eren’s waist, the weight of her body greatly reduced, so he could focus on licking into her mouth instead, brushing his tongue against hers. It was great, it was amazing, so Eren was surprised when the raven pulled back, fingers working diligently to unbutton his wet shirt.

“Something wrong?”, he asked, allowing her to remove his top and throw it out of the pool.

“We gotta christen the pool properly.”, she responded, hand disappearing under the surface to undo Eren’s belt, “But you have to sit on the edge, I can’t breathe underwater.”

It took him a few seconds to understand what she was implying, but when he did Eren jumped up rather quickly, taking a seat and watching as she pulled his underwear down, eyes sparkling.

“Now what do we have here…”

Hitch woke up alone, the bed next to her empty but warm, implying that Jean wasn’t gone for long. Sitting up, she wrapped herself in blanket and began her search, which was bound to be short considering that her flat was anything but big. Her lover and recent roommate was sitting in the kitchen, next to an open window, a cigarette in hand.

“I thought you quit.”, she said, sitting opposite him.

Jean followed her gaze to the burning tobacco roll between his fingers, as if he just realized that he was holding it.

“I did.”, he sighed, taking another drag, “But I found myself craving a smoke after the discussion we had. And I wasn’t strong enough to resist.”

Unearthing old pains was part of Hitch’s job, so she was very familiar with the haunted look on Jean’s face, knowing that falling back into his bad habit of smoking is definitely not a solution.

“You should look for him.”, she offered, “Try to reconnect.”

“Marco? I told you, I have no idea if he’s even alive. Waste of time.”

But when Jean tried raising to cigarette up to take another drag, Hitch reached over and plucked it out of his fingers, squishing it against the ashtray.

“Sitting here and smoking is not gonna help.”, she hissed, “What’s the harm in searching anyway?”

“Maybe I don’t want to know what happened to him.”, he murmured, not meeting her gaze, “What if I look for him and find out that he really died?”

“Closure is better than uncertainty.”, Hitch insisted. Reaching over the table, she squeezed his hand, finally making him look up at her, “I’ll help you.”

He couldn’t say no to her, especially now that they were eye to eye, and the warmth and supportiveness in her gaze were undeniable. Doing his best to smile, albeit he didn’t feel like it at all, Jean nodded at her, making her face light up even more. She stood up, tugging at his hand until he followed the motion, and together they crossed the distance back to the bedroom, because it was still late, and they were both tired. The search, whatever that might be, can wait till tomorrow.

The snakes twisting in Sasha’s stomach wouldn’t stop, no matter how much she tried to focus on her work and not on them. The rows of numbers dancing in front of her eyes did nothing to overcome her fear and worry, making even the simplest tasks of accounting nigh impossible. The bar was doing great, that was a good thing, customers were aplenty, and so far no one has suffered any dangerous consequences after drinking one of Hange’s hellish experimental drinks, straight from the lab, people actually seemed to enjoy them, a thing that boggled Sasha’s mind to no end.

But all those facts paled, when she remembered why she was even upset in the first place, fists clenching helplessly. Niccolo was gone. Ever since he tried to dig deeper in their combined efforts of finding Gabi, contact people that he shouldn’t, she hasn’t heard from him since. And that scared her. If anything happened to Niccolo, it was because of her and the stupid quest she embarked on, the young cook had no stake in the game, yet he was nothing but helpful to her. She had to do something, try and locate him on her own, just sitting here crunching numbers wasn’t going to cut it. But looking out of the window, she could see that it was dark outside, night, and beginning anything now would be rather stupid on her part. In the morning then, she’s going to find him. On her own, if she must.

#snk #aot #eremika #fanfic #fkin summer i swear to god

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