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#she walks alone in the cold looking into her phone and crying - THAT WAS MESSED UP)

letstripdotcom · 3 months

Text

what’s wrong?- matt sturniolo x fem!reader

a/n- not a song title but i hope you like. it’s definitely different than what i write.

summary: after a long week of being tired, overwhelmed, and sexually frustrated you can’t take it anymore, and you end up taking it out on your best friends.

warnings - slight argument, language, smut 🤺

fuck. i sigh getting close to the high i’ve been chasing all week. my chest heaves and i throw my head back being overcome with pleasure. “fuck fuck fuckkk” i whine when i can feel my stomach get tight. a bead of sweat drips down my forehead.

just as i get close my phone buzzes beside me. “fuck!” i yell. this was the closest i had been all week and it was ruined. i don’t know what was wrong with me, but i just couldn’t cum for some reason. i had tried everything i liked and it was really fucking with my mood.

i sigh as i answer the phone and head to the bathroom to wash my hands after what seems like the 1000th unsuccessful orgasm this week. “hello?” i say, putting it on speaker and setting it down next to me. “hey” nick spoke “me matt and chris are going to get food then go shopping and we were wondering if you wanted to come with.” “yeah i guess” i reply. “ok be there in 30. love you byeee” he hung up

the triplets arrived in 30 minutes just like nick said. i walked out to the van and went to the back seat as normal. i opened the door and my face was met with chris. “i saved you a spot in the front today” he smiled at me. i shut the door and walked to the front rolling my eyes. i don’t know what was wrong with me i was just really upset. well actually, i know exactly was wrong

“hey girllll” matt spoke as i got in the passenger. “matt” i deadpanned looking at him. “sorry” he said and backed out the driveway. i was silent for a while, ignoring the conversation the three were having.

“you okay?” matt asked squeezing my thigh, his cold rings causing me to shiver. “i’m fine” i said not looking at him. matt was without a doubt my best friend, but there were things he didn’t need to know, me not being able to orgasm being one of them. “you sure?” he looked at me “yes matt i’m fine!” i snapped “sorry” is all he said. the car went completely silent and it was like that the rest of the drive.

“i’m not really hungry” is all i said when we got to the restaurant. “y/n you have to eat something” nick said “oh my god i’m not starving myself i’m just not hungry right now!” i snapped at him as well. i sighed as i sat back in my seat knowing i fucked up.

i was an anxious mess for the rest of the day. i didn’t talk at all and i couldn’t stop shaking. “hey it’s okay” matt reassured me on the way home. i half smiled at him. he handed me is hand and i fidgeted with his rings. it was stupid, but it always helped when i was anxious.

i bit my lip trying not to cry for the rest of the car ride. when we pulled into my driveway, my first thought was to get out of the car and run inside, but i wouldn’t forgive myself if i did. “look guys i don’t know what’s wrong with me i’m really sorry.” my lip quivered and tears brimmed my eyes “thanks for inviting me” i closed the door and hurried inside.

matt’s pov

after i got home, i couldn’t stop thinking about y/n. she told me everything and she was never upset like this. i honestly felt bad about leaving her alone. i called her phone twice, but i didn’t get an answer. she lives alone and has no one to talk to. if i let her be alone, i wouldn’t forgive myself.

i told nick and chris where i was going then i left. i got in the van and hurried to her house. i knocked on the door a couple times but she didn’t answer. i knew i was being invasive, but i took the key from under the plant where she always kept it, and i opened the door, locking it back after i got in.

“y/n?” i called out for her. no reply. i walked up to her room. as i lifted up my hand to knock, i heard her sobs on the other end of the door. i opened the door with caution. “y/n?” i looked down to see her on her bed, in only her underwear and a tank top. her head was buried into the pillow, and she sobbed. “oh my god y/n are you okay?”

i sat down on the edge of the bed. “hey y/n talk to me please” she sat up and buried her face into my chest. she engulfed me in a hug and kept crying. i ran my hand through her hair, and my other one rubbed circles on her back. “it’s okay” i reassured her

y/n’s pov

i felt so weak crying for such a stupid reason, but i just couldn’t help it. “are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?” matt asked. “i can’t matt i just can’t” i cried. “cmon y/n you can tell me anything” i just cried even more. i’ve never felt so pathetic.

“i-it’s so stupid i can’t” i said between sobs. “y/n i swear i would never judge you.” he patted my back softly. i took a breath and sat up to look at him. “it’s so stupid you have to promise not to laugh” i looked at him. “i swear i won’t.” he put his hands up in surrender. “pinky promise?” i held out my pinky. “y/n is this 3rd grade” he laughed locking pinkies with mine. “ok that was so corny” i laughed

“ok let’s get serious” he said. i let out a long breath “i c-can’t umm” i sighed “i can’t cum.” his eyebrows furrowed. “i know that’s tmi but you asked and i really can’t and i haven’t been able to all week and i’ve tried everything and it’s really frustrating and-“ i stopped myself when i noticed i was rambling. i looked at him with an embarrassed expression as i waited for a reply.

“oh” he replied. i dropped my head in embarrassment “would you- would you want me to like help you?” i snapped my head up to look at him. “i’m sorry i overstepped” he sighed. “no” i said. “could you help me? please?” i asked. “you sure?” he looked at me. i nodded. “just relax and i’ll do all the work okay?” “ok” “and if you need me to stop at any time just let me know and i will” “thank you so much matt you really don’t have to do this.”

“thank me later” he smirked before kissing me. he look his time on the kiss, making it as hot but as sweet as possible. his hands glided up my body starting at my waist and coming up to squeeze my tits. i moaned into the kiss. he continued to massage my breasts while he started to work his mouth down my jaw, to my neck, and then to the exposed skin on my chest.

he then moved his hands under my top, and he pulled it off, freeing my bare chest. he latched his mouth onto one of my nipples, making me wetter than before. i’ve known matt for so long and never knew he was so good at this kind of stuff.

his hands moved down to the waistband of my underwear, playing with it before he pulled them off completely and tossing them to the side. every movement he made was so gentle but so attractive.

he then took two of his fingers and rubbed them up and down my folds, spreading around my juices. i slightly grinded down onto his hand. i tired not to be too needy, but i needed his touch so badly. “you ready for me to touch you?” he looked me in my eyes. “please matt” i whined.

he stuck his fingers inside of me, pumping in and out at the perfect pace making me moan. his thumb met my clit, rubbing it in fast circles, causing more stimulation. i arched my back off of the bed and moaned uncontrollably. “fuck mattttt” i whined. “you’re doing so good for me” he said softly. “oh god matt” i threw my head back.

“i’m wanna taste you” he said lowering his head between my legs. “can i taste you?” he asked. “yes matt please” before i could register, his mouth latched onto my clit. “oh my fuck matt! oh my god” i couldn’t control my moans. “mattttt i’m so close please don’t stop.” he continued licking and sucking my clit, as he added in a finger, making the pleasure double.

“mattttt i’m cumming! oh my got im cumming” i cried out in a state of euphoria. i had tears of happiness running down my face, as my chest heaved. “thank you so much matt i owe you big time” he came up from between my legs and smiled at me. “feel better now?” he asked

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

a/n- i hope you liked!! lmk bc it was definitely different for me

#chris sturniolo #matt sturniolo #sturniolo smut #sturniolo triplets #chris sturniolo smut #christopher sturniolo #matt sturniolo smut #smut #nick sturniolo #sturniolo

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bangchansgirlsblog · 1 month

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Heyyy, give me something angsty with Felix please🥰 like maybe she comes home really tired and he’s just mad about everything small and calls her clingy🙀 and they go to bed angry (really bad idea btw never do that‼️) and then in the morning she tries to avoid him bc she doesn’t want to seem clingy? Happy ending tho, I can’t take too much heartbreak🩵

By my side.

Warnings: Yelling and crying.

Paring: Felix x Reader.

This is my first Felix story and I messed it up lol. Anyways. Enjoy 🩷

Y/n slowly removed her shoes at the door trying not to make a sound. Her body was aching and she was extremely exhausted. She moved like a sloth as she put away everything; her coat, her bag, etc.

When she heard the sound of banging dishes she knew her boyfriend, Felix, was home from his schedules.

Never in her life did she ever think she would be so irritated by his presence. She thought she would come home to a quiet house, she really wanted to be alone since work was so tiring.

"Oh! Hey my love," Felix face lit up when he saw his girlfriend walk through the living room. He quickly hurried around the counter to give her a kiss in which she returned.

"Heyy," she said trying to be as energetic as him but completely failed. Her chest was tight and all she wanted to do was cry.

"What's the matter?" He frowned when he noticed her little pout, "how was work?"

His hands automatically land on her waist trying to sooth the not's on her back. He cringed at how stiff she was and automatically knew she wasn't in a good mood.

"Can I have some alone time babe," she shrugged his hands off and started to make her way to their room.

"Did something happen?" Felix frowned as he quickly followed behind. She let out a frustrated sigh seeing he was still going on. He heard the sigh and was a little hurt by it but decided to push it to the side and make sure she was okay. That was what mattered right now.

"Nothing, I just want to be alone Lix-"

"I made us brownies! We can eat it with ice cream and chocolate-"

"Felix! For the love of God I said it's enough! Leave me alone. You're being clingy." She screamed and slammed the bathroom door in his face. He quickly took a step back in disbelief. He was hurt and it was so obvious.

His heart ached. He didn't know what to do but stand there hearing her soft sobs. Should he say something? Should he wait outside? Should he leave?

He was overthinking it. His hands were shaking and tears filled his eyes. She never yelled at him. Never did she even try to tell him off. This was all new to him. Was she getting tired of him? He thought.

Meanwhile on the other side, Y/n's tears were streaming down her face. She felt disgusted and guilty. Felix didn't deserve any of that. She knew it, he was just trying to help.

How could she let a miserable day at work affect her home life? Her relationship? Her thoughts became foggy as she sat there. All she could do was cry and so she cried until she finally fell asleep on the cold, hard tiles.

The frantic knocks on the door were what woke her up. Her head was banging and she was freezing. She looked over at her phone and saw it had been an hour and a few minutes. All she could hear was Felix's voice in distress calling out for her.

He sounded weak, worried and tired. What had she done? She quickly got off the floor and opened the door to see what was going on.

When the door opened Felix pulled her into his arms. He was so scared that she might have passed out or did something to herself since she had been locked in for an hour.

"Are you okay my love? Don't ever do that again to me! I was so scared something might have happened," he told her off but still managed to keep her in his arms.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," she whispered, "I know you were just looking out for me and you were worried. I love you babe," she tightened her grip around his waist as she hid her tears.

"Hey, look at me," he slowly put his finger under her chin. "We all have bad days, I know you didn't mean any of it. Okay?" She nodded, "stop crying my love, you need to talk to me and don't shut me out. Please?"

"I don't know what I would do without you," she whimpered.

"Well first off, you wouldn't be able to reach the top shelves..." he trailed off and smiled at her little laugh. He loved her laugh. Her laugh made him feel warm and happy. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

"You're so silly-"

"Yeah but you love it," he pecked her lips and helped wipe her tears, "should we go cuddle and eat the brownies now?"

"Yes please, I was actually craving them when I was in there,"

"My poor baby, go lay down and I'll be back in a bit," he let go of her and made his way to the kitchen where he got busy.

Y/n sat in their cozy bed trying to figure out how she would explain to Felix what was going on and she knew he was not going to let it go unless she told him and so she did.

#skz imagines #skz comfort #skz x reader #skz angst #skz fluff #skz x y/n #skz x you #skz stay #bangchansgfblog #felix fluff #felix x reader #felix x y/n #stray kids felix #lee felix

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r0ttenhearts · 7 months

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forgotten letters

xiao x reader

synopsis: after the fallout xiao attempts to apologize via letters

warnings; angst, no comfort, abandonment, one sided

xiao licked the top of the sticky envelope, the slight bitter taste on his tongue as he sealed the envelope. the anxious feeling welled up inside of him again. the same feeling he got when he was writing the letter to the one person he missed dearly. regretting every day that passed that he didn’t greet or see with that person. that person being, you. it wasn’t a lengthy letter, he didn’t want to bother you. especially after how the last meeting had gone with you.

all of his attempts to pour his regrets and frustration onto pen and paper laid balled up in the trash can in his room. so he started small, if you’d even respond that is.

he shook off the anxious feeling, sticking his painted hands into his pocket as he walked back home. now the hard part, waiting. waiting for a response, or waiting to get ignored.

his phone buzzed with a notification from his lover. the one who was to blame for this mess. as much as he tried to justify it, he blamed her for the falling out between himself and you. he was as much to blame, but he couldn’t admit to that. not when he still yearned for his touch.

some nights when he’d lay with his lover, he’d imagine it was you. only to remember it wasn’t when she opened her mouth and the sweet sounds coming out didn’t sound like yours. nothing like yours.

but he still smiled whenever he was with her. something you fought for, but never got to see.

he sighed, clicking his phone off. his dark teal hair hitting his pillow as he had finally made it home. not even his lover could comfort him, she wasn’t what he needed in the moment. he needed you. he needed to hear you whisper in his ear that he would be okay, that you would always be there. to feel the warmth of your hugs the few times he allowed you to touch him.

his eyes closed, drifting off to a distant sleep. the dark haired boy could only dream to find peace in his slumber. but he knew he only slept as much as he did to see you. you, before the end of your friendship with him.

“i don’t want anything to do with you.” xiao spoke sternly, standing at his door. he regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. the way your face crumbled as you stood on his doorstep, mouth open slightly in shock. “you don’t mean that, xiao.” you spoke calmly but your expression showed anything but.

“i do. i have a girlfriend now and i love her. i know you’ll only cling to me and cry if i keep you around. i don’t care to entertain this anymore.” xiao waved his hand dismissively as your tears began to fall.

“fine. if that’s how you want it to be, then so be it. but i don’t want you to ever contact me or look for me when you’re alone. what a waste.” you spoke coldly as you turned on your heel. the slam of xiao’s front door was all you heard as you angrily walked away. xiao fished his phone out of his pocket, pressing on the call button to his new girlfriends contact. “hey, sorry. i was just dealing with her..”

xiao woke up in cold sweat, his body shaking as the memories of that night came flooding back. though he had said goodbye to you, he regretted every moment he opened his door to see his girlfriend, not you. he spent nights dwelling on it. the way he had told you, the way he hadn’t cared to keep you in his heart.

he wasn’t sure if he felt anything for you. the thought of you with another man, holding another man the same way you did xiao, made him feel sick to his stomach. that thought would always make its way to the forefront of his mind whenever he woke up from a dream that served as a reminder for that night.

with a heavy sigh, he turned his phone on. 56 angry texts and 10 missed calls from his girlfriend, but it was a new day. xiao slipped on some shoes and made his way to the front of his house where his mailbox stood.

he had directly put the envelope into your mailbox, and he hoped you had done the same. he hastily pulled open the lid to the metal box, finding the same card he had inserted into your mailbox, but without the envelope. he flipped over the green paper, recognizing your handwriting.

his heart swelled with excitement and anticipation as his eyes scanned over the words in your familiar script.

taglist: @samarill @whorerificstuff @scara6 @darliingyu @gh0sts0up @foxlover1144 @xiaonscaraswife @linkookie197 @lelemnh @jaderose18 @saeism @dearsumire @astrolomona @sakiimeo

#genshin angst #genshin x reader #genshin x reader angst #xiao #xiao genshin x reader #xiao genshin impact #xiao x y/n #genshin xiao #xiao genshin #xiao angst #xiao angst genshin #xiao x reader angst #xiao x reader #xiao x you

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igotanidea · 2 months

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Despite everything: Damian Wayne x reader

part 1 : Family rules

part 2: A moment of weakness

***

Damian Wayne was not the one to get scared easily.

Of course not. He was Robin, after all, fighting crime alongside Batman nearly every night, beating the shit out of the villains that dreaded at the sound of his name (as for the last part, that was more like something he wanted to believe rather than truth).

But when across the school corridor he noticed Y/N, with her face flushed (prettily though he quickly discarded that thought), eyes gleaming and walking towards him like an enraged bull, he shuddered involuntarily. His older brother(s) had enough experience with girls to give him countless advice on the girls, but there was only one Damian actually listened to.

Do not mess with a girl. Furious woman is more dangerous than all Gotham’s criminals combined.

And as for now, it seemed like he was going to experience that first-handed.

Or not-

Given the fact that before she could reach him, the school principal appeared out of thin air grabbing her shoulder and guiding Y/N towards his office, not giving her the slightest chance to slap Damian’s face or tear all his hair out. All she was capable of doing, evading the watchful gaze of the most important school official was send him a murderous glance, to which he responded with a vengeful smirk and a shrug of shoulders enraging her even more.

“Mr. Wayne!” the principal turned around following the girl’s gaze and spotting his second least favorite student. From the get go he knew Y/N Y/L/N and Damian Wayne would be giving him constant headaches and causing troubles. Maybe it was a mistake on his part to accept them to the same class. “You’ll come with us as well.”

“I refuse to be in the same school as this *** let alone the same room!”

“Miss Y/L/N! Control your language or I’ll put you in detention!” the head teacher tried to put the situation to order, failing spectacularly as nearly every student was now recording the event.

“Exactly, Y/N. I don’t understand the sudden rage of emotions in you, you are acting so irrational and erratic.” Damian smirked, once again feeling the need to take control over the situation. “you need to calm down.”

“You little prick!” now she almost threw herself at him, not caring about the comments or making a scene. He was going to pay for everything he did.

“ENOUGH!” the principal yelled. In his own opinion, the tone and volume of voice made the glass in the windows shake but in reality no one cared about the outburst. The corridor did not go quiet as expected, students did not put down their phones and Damian and Y/N did not freeze in the middle of their respective movements with shock written all over their faces. The principal sighed in the sense of ignominious failure. ‘You.” He pointed at Y/N “and you” he gave Damian a look “with me. Now. And I don’t want to hear a word.” He hissed.

“Couldn’t you have just asked?” Y/N raised an eyebrow

“Really, Sir, given your position, you should have developed better self-control.”

They exchanged glances (that were calm and friendly at first before quickly giving way to the hateful and threatening ones) and followed the principal to his den, officially known as study.

If only they knew what was going on inside each other head.

If only she knew, that under all that pose and cold exterior he was actually feeling a little guilty of getting her into this mess and getting the sudden urge to become even colder to not let her get burned even more due to becoming too attached. All because he didn’t regret the kiss they shared and actually wanted more.

If only he knew that below all that enragement, she actually felt like crying her heart out letting out all the unfairness and showing how hurt she felt because of what he did (allegedly), begging for an explanation like a broken, pathetic child. All because she didn’t regret the kiss they shared and actually wanted more.

***

“This is simply outrageous behavior! Gotham Academy has always pride itself of raising its student in the understanding of social norms and rules of decency. And you two have now put that reputation to harm.”

“Harm?” she scoffed “this is Gotham’s school. What kind of reputation are we talking about here? Last week, we had to evacuate the classrooms because of the sudden leak of fear gas.” She put the fingers in the air mocking the quote that was used in an official statement “we have zero reputation.”

“Well- um…”

“Yes, precisely. And what kind of indecency do you have in your mind, sir?” Damian smirked “this was all a pose for the press, just to gather the attention to my father’s event. Besides, are you suggesting that it was more than just a kiss, prey tell something forbidden amongst teenagers?”he mocked.

“Well- um…”

“I cannot quite comprehend why exactly are we here.” She continued, crossing arms over her chest and leaning back on the chair with a daring face expression “Do you, Wayne?”

“Not in the slightest Y/L/N.”

“You two are-“

“We are what exactly?”

“Well… um-“

“Not to be mean but I think there’s nothing you can accuse as of” she smirked, feeling the surge of victory.

“Your behavior actually make me think it’s kind of convenient to you to bring attention to your two students, isn’t it. Sir?” Damian made the same action as Y/N and neither of them realized how similar it made them look.

“So, what kind of punishment will you impose upon us? Breaking wheel?”

“Don’t be stupid, y/l/n. I’m sure it’ll be nothing less than cangue.”

“Maybe gag to stop the flow of those meaningless words out of your mouth.”

“I’ll suggest burning on the pile for you witch.”

“Asshole.”

“Dumbass.”

They both smirked again their faces full of vengeance and then their eyes landed back on the face of the principal who seemed distressed and kind of desperate, not sure how to get out of this situation while keeping his face.

“So, sir?” she smiled innocently “what shall we expect as a punishment?”

“Do not keep us in the dark sir, we will gladly submit. Just try to think what my father might do if he finds out? Stop funding the school maybe?”

“Oh my God, you had to use the wealth argument! Low blow Wayne!” she rolled her eyes “maybe my father will stop organizing the students’ internship then huh?”

“I thought you were going bankrupt?” he mocked

“Will you shut up! Take your money and choke on them!”

They both rose from their feet standing mere inches from one another, threating to wage a war if the other did as much as blink in the wrong way.

“I hate you!”

“I hate you more!”

“You arrogant, selfish, ignorant, conceited prick!”

“You reckless, emotional, distracting, competitive freak!”

“GET THE HELL OUT OF MY FACE!” the principal finally reached the limits of his patience towards those two. It was impossible to fight two students, who were this dead set on making his life a living hell. And the truth was, that he couldn’t actually hold the kiss and the press against them. He had no legal or factual ground to interfere with students’ private life and if he did, either Y/N and Damian or worse – their fathers – or the worst -their lawyers would gladly remind him of that.

All there was left, was to hope that Wayne and F/L/N would have a talk with both of them respectively about fraternizing with the enemy.

“Get back to class. I can’t stand your faces, but I swear if something like that happens again –”

They were gone before the principal could even finish the sentence, showing him exactly how little respect he held in the school.

***

“that was fun.” She laughed wholeheartedly, for a second forgetting about all the negative feelings she was holding towards him after all the press incident and actually send him such a bright smile that made his legs tremble a little bit.

“I guess we played him well enough, huh?”

“I don’t think he was the only one who got played here.” she muttered picking up the pace not wanting to see, hear or think about Damian. All she wished was to go back to how things were before the gala, the photos, the press.

But he didn’t let her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around so she was facing him again.

“Let me go…” she said, but it came out weaker than expected

“I didn’t do it Y/L/N. I didn’t leak the photos.”

“Are you explaining yourself to me now?”

“You wish.”

“Then just let be me!” her voice echoed through the empty corridor and the door to the right creaked slightly. However before the teacher could spot the source of the noice Damian dragged her to the empty classroom putting a hand to her mouth.

“Will you shut up?!”

“Get your dirty hands of me!” she barely stopped herself from biting his hand.

“You are insane.”

“Huh! You think you’re normal with all that snooty, all-mighty behavior? We’re seventeen! We’re teenagers!”

“And that exclude restraints? Look-” he sighed running fingers through his hair. “You’re mad because now the whole school is abuzz with rumors, I get it, but I’m a part of it too. And I’m telling you I didn’t leak those photos! Think rationally – why would I want to be on tongues? Especially given the fact that it was you I kissed.”

The way he said it, like some sort of insult made her heart break. Not because she cared about Damian Wayne, obviously, but because he actually joined talking shit about her.

“I guess we both made a mistake then.” She hissed “we should get back to class.”

“No, wait! I didn’t mean it like that!” Damian muttered looking down, quite ashamed that even after years of leaving the League of Assassins’ and being raised by his father he still couldn’t quite comprehend basic human interactions sometimes.

“Then how?” she looked into his eyes.

And there it was again. The same wave of emotions he felt at the gala when he was holding her to his chest. The same feelings that coursed through his body when he kissed her away from the main event. He couldn’t quite decipher what it was, but that little voice inside his head (that sounded awfully like Grayson’s) was screaming at him to clear this thing out. To not let her go feeling like he just dismissed her, having zero regards towards her.

And it was weird. And right.

Weirdly right.

With heart almost beating out of his chest, feeling the air almost crackle with electricity, breath heavy and mind fogged he leaned slightly forward, not being fully in control of his actions. Forgetting the fact that they were in school and that they were supposed to be enemies. They were hostile for long enough and he was done.

For the first time in his young life he actually wanted someone to like him for him. Not because he was family (even if adopted), a relative of sort or a useful sidekick vigilante.

For the first time he felt the need to be needed as a human being, as a boy. He wanted her to give him that smile she did a few minutes ago when they left the principal’s office. He wanted to see her eyes shine the way they did at the gala, to feel her hug him and hold him as if she was feeling safe with him.

Despite everything.

So he leaned forward.

Slowly, hesitantly, not sure what to expect but ready for everything, gauging her reaction. Giving her time and space to back out, to run away, to call him names – unlike the way he was behaving in his Robin uniform.

She was not a villain.

She was –

Someone important.

And when she met him halfway, he melted.

Grabbing her tighter and letting the whole world disappear, focusing solely on that warmth he lacked through his entire life. Her scent, her hair tickling his face, her hand on his cheek.

So good. So right. So nice.

So terrifying.

Damian Wayne was --

***

--in love.

@gabriiiiiiii @6000-fandoms @jinviktor @atadoddinnit @celestair

#damian wayne x reader #robin x reader #damian wayne x y/n #damian wayne x you #robin x you #robin x y/n #damian wayne fluff #batfamily x reader #damian wayne angst

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jayjj7 · 4 months

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chapter 33. i’m sorry (half written)

prev. next masterlist

it had been over a week since the party, over a week since you and yunjin last spoke, over a week since you felt happy, and you’ve missed her that entire time.

it was a rainy friday evening, cold, dark but you loved it. everything was quiet when it rained, outside was quiet, your friends were quiet, sadly your your phone was also quiet. yunjin hadn’t texted you in 3 days and at this point you accepted the fact that she had moved on, but you didn’t.

yunjin was left alone with her thoughts and a basket she and eunchae help make you. she saw the flowers she bought, sitting right next to the basket and couldn’t help but cry. the pain she was feeling had gotten to the point of frustration. yunjin knew she had to do something about this situation after being turned down countless of times.

“bye chaewon ill be back-“ yunjin sprints out of the dorm, basket and flowers in hand, leaving the door open with a very confused chaewon sitting on the couch.

“heyyy! you left the door open!” chaewon complains standing up to close it, swinging her arms as if it was the biggest inconvenience.

it was pouring rain and yunjin was wearing sweats and a long sleeve crop top, not appropriate clothing choice for the current weather.

but that didn’t stop yunjin. all she could think about was you, how badly she messed up, how badly she longed for your attention.

yunjin kept running even with the weird looks she would get from other people on campus, who wore raincoats or jackets, as she ran past them. she promised herself she wouldn’t stop until she reached you.

you on the other hand, were listening to music on your bed, crying, thinking about how much the lyrics apply to you and yunjin. in your mind yunjin gave up on you, in your mind you were nothing to fight for, in your mind-

knock knock knock

whenever someone knocks on the door, hanni is usually the one to open it, but this time hanni and haerin were out working on a group project with a couple other people. this meant you had to answer the door.

as you stand up the knocking continues, progressively getting louder with each knock.

“i’m going i’m going!” you yell hoping to stop the noise as you wipe the tears off your face.

you open the door and to your surprise, it’s yunjin.

“what are you doing here?” your voice is soft and shaky.

“i missed you” yunjin is panting and wet from the rain. she looks like an abandoned puppy who got lost in a storm, her chest heaving up and down. in her left hand she had a pink and white tulip bouquet and in her right is a small basket with candy, a bear, a blanket, more flowers, slippers, and body products.

after staring at each other in disbelief, yunjin breaks the silence.

“i’m sorry but i can’t go another day without talking to you i-“ yunjin was frantic to explain her side of their story but all you could focus on was how relieved you are to see her.

“come inside” you pull her in by her hand into your dorm.

“be careful i’m all wet” yunjin hesitates before walking in

“i don’t care” you bring her into a hug, not caring whether you get wet or sick from her. all you cared about in that moment was yunjin.

yunjin hesitated to hug you back but eventually she did. you kick the door closed and pulled away from the hug to hold yunjins face. you move the wet hair that was sticking to her forehead and look into her eyes. yunjin’s eyes were puffy from crying, her lips looked swollen, her nose and cheeks were red.

“i’m sorry” yunjin starts crying and hugs you tighter, burying her face into the crook of your neck.

you sush away her cries and run your fingers through her hair, practically draining the water from her hair. also fighting back tears.

“hey hey, look at me” you gently push yunjins face off of your now tear stained sweater.

“it’s okay” you wipe the tears off of yunjin’s face and take the items out of her hands to set them aside before hugging her again, this time even tighter.

“i’m so sorry, i just missed you so much” yunjin says in between cries.

seeing her like this breaks you and you can’t help but start crying again.

“i’m so sorry for ignoring you” you manage to say in between your cries.

“please don’t cry anymore, i’m right here. i’m not gonna leave this time” yunjin strokes your back relieve you of any unspoken pain.

taglist : [ @1luvkarina @thefckghost @everydayiloveyves @may-madness @modanisgf @mushroom-main @pandafuriosa60 @linnnsworld @newhairnewjeans @intothewinter @nnewjeansstuff @nimxie @haerinkisser ] (taglist is open!!)

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oneofthetorturedpoets · 6 months

Note

Hey idk if you’re still taking requests or not, but if you are could you please write one where Melissa and Reader were in a long term relationship and decided to have kids but after the first couple rounds of IVF doesn’t work, which causes Melissa to overthink and end their relationship. And after a few weeks reader starts to feel sick and finds out she’s pregnant but when she try’s to tell Melissa she finds out she’s blocked so she decides to not to not wanting to mess up Mel’s life. And after a few years they run into each other only Reader has a little red head, you can choose how you want the gaps and the rest to go just please a fluffy ending

not again

“what ever the stick says, it will be okay” you said, trying to mentally prepare yourself, melissa gently grabs your hand.

“i’m here with you, my love” you turn the test around, looking at the results. ‘negative’ written on the small screen.

“fuck” your heart drops, tears immediately filling up your eyes. melissa takes you in her arms as you fall apart.

“it’s okay, you’re alright” her hand runs down your back at an attempt to sooth you.

after hours of crying you finally fell asleep in melissa’s arms, she holds you tight as she silently cries. it’s been almost a year of you guys trying to get pregnant, the ivf treatments are exhausting, the proof is in your eyes. you’ve been obsessing over getting pregnant, trying day in and day out, hoping for something to work. you and melissa haven’t had time for each other, it’s been months since you’ve went on a date, it’s creating a hole in your relationship.

all of this thinking causes melissa to spiral, what if it’s her fault you can’t get pregnant? shes the one who brought up the ivf idea, she’s the one pushing so hard. melissa is already 55, why is a 55 year old trying to have a baby? why is she’s messing with a 20 something year old? you have your whole life ahead of you, what does she give you? melissa starts panicking, she jumps out of bed, wiping her eyes. she grabs a suitcase, stuffing it with all of her clothes and important belongings.

once she’s all pack, she walks over to your side of the bed, staring at you one last time. her hand reaches out tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. she leans down, kissing your lips with as much passion as she can manage. she pulls her wedding ring off, sitting it on the nightstand next to you, walking out of the room, leaving you there alone.

your eyes flutter open, the sun beams in your eyes. you roll over, patting the other side of the bed, you feel the cold sheets. you sit up, leaning over to grab your phone, looking at the time ‘8:43’. she shouldn’t have left the house yet.

“melissa?” you call out as you get up. no reply is heard so you make your way to the kitchen “are you here?” you continue through the house until you find a note left on the coffee table in your living room.

‘i’m sorry. i’m sorry i let the insecurities get the best of me. i’m sorry i’m leaving you like this. i’m sorry i couldn’t give you a kid. you are the love of my life, but im not yours, you’re young, you still have your whole life ahead of you. i don’t know how i got so full of myself, thinking we could work. i hope you find someone who is able to give you the life you deserve, im sorry that wasn’t me. i’ll love you forever, y/n/n’

you drop the paper, tears falling down your face as you stand still, in shock of what you just read. you let yourself fall onto the couch, sobbing into your hands.

“you’re pregnant!” your doctor says as she moves the screen to show you, your ultrasound. you couldn’t believe what you were hearing.

“w-what?” your heart fills with hope.

“you’re pregnant, the test showed a false negative. congratulations, y/n. you deserve this” she says before leaving you to sit with the news. you pull out your phone, searching up melissa’s contact. your thumb hovers over the call button before pressing it, you hold the phone up to your ear.

“the number you are trying to reach-” the phone calls out, your heart drops once again. you can’t even contain yourself anymore, crying out. how are you supposed to raise a kid on your own?

five years later.

you decided to move to back to philly, you never would’ve left if it wasn’t for melissa. walking into your new place, you breathed in the new smell, feeling content with your surroundings.

“where’s my room, mama?” your daughter, ann, asks while pulling on your pant leg.

“come on, i’ll show you!” you pick her up, walking her down the hallway.

after unpacking, you and ann were beat. you felt like your back was going to break if you lifted another box.

“can we get ice cream? please?” she pleads, giving you were best puppy dog eyes.

“hmm, i’ll have to think about it” you say jokingly, while tapping your chin.

“mommm” your daughter whines, chuckling slightly.

“alright, we can go. just because you’ve been a huge little helper” you poke her stomach, gently as she giggles and tries to run away from you.

you open the door for ann, letting her run into the shop. she’s leans onto the glass, looking over each one of them.

“calm down, baby. we aren’t in a rush” you say, picking her up so that she can see the flavors better.

Unbeknownst to you, melissa is sitting at a table. her heart is in her throat, unable to think. she can’t look away from you, was that really you? after all this time, you look different. your hair is darker, your smile lines slightly more visible. you’re much happier.

melissa stares at the kid in your arms, her red hair more vibrant than she’s ever seen. you must have the life she imagined you had.

“melissa?” in the time it took for her to gather her thoughts, you had already saw her. she couldn’t face you, not after how she cowardly left you. melissa was up and out of the store faster than she’s moved in years. unfortunately to her, you were faster, already on her tail.

“melissa! wait!” you call out, trying to sped up “you don’t get to run away this time” you grab her arm, stopping her. she turns around, her eyes meeting yours. her gaze softens, she missed being this close to you.

“i’m sorry, i cant-” you cut her off.

“you left me, in the middle of the night with a fucking note” you say, stepping closer to her.

“language, mama” your daughter says in a stern tone, your head clearing. you step back, away from melissa.

“i’m sorry, honey. it won’t happen again” you kiss her forehead “go back inside and see what flavor you want” you say, setting her on the ground. she runs inside.

“how old is she?” melissa says, her voice cracking slightly.

“four, almost five” you say before taking a deep breath “she’s yours melissa” her eyes widen as she gasps.

“she-she’s mine?” you nod, melissa walks up to the window, watching ann point at the ice cream “what’s her name?” she looks at you.

“ann y/l/n… after you” the guilt builds up in her chest, she left you with a kid to raise by yourself because she was too selfish.

“can i meet her?” she whispers.

“she deserves to know you” you walk inside before her. she lets out a shaky breath, trying to contain herself as she walks inside. the little girl turns to her and smiles at her.

“hi, i’m ann” melissa’s heart melts “who are you?” melissa looks up at you, unsure of what to say.

“baby, this is your other mama, the one i tell you about” the girl gasps.

“really!?” you nod, smiling “i’ve been waiting for you! mama says that you’ve been in outer space, helping the aliens” melissa chuckles.

“yes i have been, they told me to tell you hi” ann jumps into melissa’s arms, hugging her tightly.

“please don’t leave again” she says to her mom. melissa grabs your hand, the spark you always had years ago, came back, shocking you. you smile down at her.

“i never will, hon… not again” she says as she stares at you.

#abbott elementary #fanfic #melissa schemmenti x reader #melissa schemmenti #lisa ann walter #melissa schemmenti fic #law #law fic #wlw fiction #fem!reader #my fic #angst with a happy ending

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satuguro · 1 year

Text

*ೃ࿐TO FAULT A NET

[ ACT III: CURIOSITY AND THE CAT ]

spider-man! ethan landry x black cat! reader

#SYNOPSIS— having one (1) friend is making you a bit too soft to your liking, your dad is dead and you make too many jokes about it, and you need a new suture kit.

#CONTAINS— enemies to lovers, slowburn, antihero&vigilante reader, familial issues, implication of ptsd, gore, blood, murder, death, sexual/suggestive content (in other parts), reader is overly flirtatious

#AUTHORSNOTE— tumblr pls let me write on my phone and still be able to see the words i type thank you xx

ACT I, ACT II, ACT III, ACT IV, ACT V, EPILOGUE

the doors to the police department flew open, nearly hitting some people who were exiting. ethan, eyes heavy with bags and hair tousled from being stuck in the mask all night, pushed past people who were waiting dutifully in front of the receptionists' desk, ignoring their protests and harsh exclaims.

the policeman sitting behind the desk didn't even seem fazed, only looking up at ethan boredly as he drawled, "sir, you're supposed to wait in line—"

"where's detective bailey?" ethan asked, eyes cold as he raised his head to peer deeper into the department. when no response was given quickly, he slammed his fist into the table. "where is he?!"

"ethan!" his head snapped towards his father's voice, his eyes welling in tears as he tried (and failed) to keep himself together. but seeing his father with no evident emotion on his face besides his red eyes, completely unlike how he was when richie died, ethan couldn't do it.

he walked up to his father, trying to push past him to make his way deeper into the department. "take me to where i can see her," he sniffed, shoving his father's hands away as he tried to stop him. "dad, i need to see her," he begged, shoving his father, hard, away from him. so hard, that he nearly was knocked off his feet, his face dropping at the sudden strength his youngest child exhibited.

but ethan was too focused on trying to find out where his sister's body was being kept to care.

two policemen came between him and the hallway deeper into the department, their hands hovering over their guns while another policeman grabbed ethan's arm, urging him to leave. he was crying now, just a mess of tears and healing bruises in the police department, but they didn't care.

"she's evidence, ethan. and they took me off the case—"

"she's my sister," he seethed, tears freely flowing down his face as he looked at his father in disbelief. nothing. ethan saw nothing in his face. "don't call her evidence. i need to see her," his voice cracked as he shoved himself away from the other policeman, reaching for his dad like he always did as a child. reaching for some reaction, something, anything, even the bare minimum, only to be shoved away and ignored. and this was no different, because even as he grabbed his arm and begged him to let him see his sister, to let him talk to her, to let him say goodbye, there was nothing.

"dad," ethan cried, reaching for his hand, only for him to move it away quickly. "dad, say something. please," he sniffed harshly, "i wasn't there—"

"and why weren't you?" the detective snapped, and ethan's face fell. "why weren't you there, ethan? what was so important that you weren't there?" his words became more accusatory by the second, and it suddenly felt like he was a child again, being yelled at for something that wasn't entirely his fault. "tell me!"

"i," ethan tried to force out, but the lump in his throat was too large. why wasn't he there? why didn't he make it on time? his dad was right. he had all the power in the world to be there in time, and yet he wasn't. "dad, please," he whispered, but his father was already walking away from him.

"you'll see her soon. but not now." he couldn't even look at him as he walked away, leaving his youngest standing alone in a waiting room full of people, tears dripping onto the tile.

"ethan?"

his head turned to the entrance, finding tara, sam, and chad all standing at the doorway. he couldn't even say a single word out, tears welling up in his eyes again as he tried to force out a sentence, a word, anything, but to no avail.

without another word, tara walked up to him and pulled him into a hug. ethan couldn't even bring himself to sob, only allowing the tears to fall freely as he felt the others' arms wrap around him. since then, he didn't utter a word. usually he had a hard time not speaking, but there was so much circling his head that he felt like he could say anything. he didn't have the energy to, so he sat in silence in the waiting room, waiting for the others to be done with their accounts.

tara was the first to come back. she seemed as shaken up as he was, her shaking hands shoved in her pockets as she walked to stand in front of ethan. she didn't say anything at first, as though she had been pondering her words before she spoke. "my friend drove us here. figured it'd be safer, even though the others don't really trust her."

ethan didn't look up, his eyes dead set on his lap. his hands were moving over each other, one over the other as though he was massaging them angrily. the massaging turned to picking at his hangnails for a moment, before returning to massaging. he was anxious; too many emotions and too much happening all at once.

it was a habit that had been going on for a long time, even when he was a kid. he was an anxious child; bullied for speaking too much and made fun of for being dorky, completely unlike his brother who was charming enough that people had actually liked him. but with his new powers that heightened his senses.. ethan found that when he was anxious, everything felt like overload. it all felt like too much.

"i need air," he murmured, standing up abruptly and moving past tara, ignoring her protests of, 'but it isn't safe!'

the cold night air hit his face, bringing a chill throughout his body that he would've found uncomfortable if he wasn't so desperate to be outside. ethan breathed in the air and let it freshen up his insides, trying to focus on the feeling of air expanding his lungs rather than the fact that his father blamed him for his sister's death.

the hairs on his neck stood up, making him immediately clench his fists and look around, walking a thin line between anger and fear as he looked for what had set off his senses in such a way.

you had been leaning against the side of the police department, obviously out of your element and only mildly perturbed by it. you didn't expect to settle into bed and have tara call you moments later, talking about the attack you had been in as well and how she'd rather get a ride from you rather than take the subway or walk. her reasoning made sense, but you didn't understand why she called you all of people. but sleep had been getting harder for you as the days passed, so you reluctantly agreed to bring her and her friend group to the department.

so you tried to seem as though you weren't uncomfortable loitering around the one place you had been avoiding for the majority of your life. but as you stared at the brunette who had been panicking not even a minute before he had seen you, you realized that maybe things weren't as bad for you as it was for him.

his eyes were red and his hands were repeatedly clenching and unclenching at his sides tightly. so tight, that you could see his knuckles pale despite the lack of light. he was looking at you, you realized, his huge puppy dog eyes glassy with tears and his brows furrowed as he raised a hand and quickly wiped away his tears.

you didn't say a word (you didn't even know him, what could have you said?), choosing to only tilt your head as you peered at his face.

he felt like you were studying him. taking in his features like a painting you'd stare at in a museum, studying the red of his eyes and the drip of his tears, the light dapple of freckles that had been fading due to the oncoming winter. he found himself swallowing down his need to cry so that he could force out a small, "what?" that sounded a lot less intimidating than he wanted it to sound.

"nothing," you said, and he was surprised to hear that your voice was so smooth. you were still looking at him though, probably coming up with your own judgement of him just by looking at his messed up state. you weren't, though— you were just trying to figure out whether you should show some simple human concern for once in your life.

but was some stranger worth it? in any other circumstance, the answer would’ve been simple, but there was something so familiar about the boy that it was

"you have a staring problem," ethan said defensively, facing away from you as he stared into the street.

"better than whatever's going on with you right now." the words fell from your mouth before you could stop them, the brutal honesty in that sentence taking even you aback by them. but they were out now, and you weren't the type to apologize for stuff you said.

you weren't the type. but as you stared holes into the back of his head, having a moral battle over some dude, you found yourself saying a quick, "sorry," that made you feel like you were suddenly naked out in the streets of new york.

“it’s fine. you’re probably right, anyways.” he sniffled, wiping the last bit of tears from his eyes. “i bet you’re having a hell of a better time than i am.”

you took in his words as you shoved yourself off the side of the building, walking ahead of you so that you stood horizontally from him. there was a distance between you both as you stood there, staring at the street. the silence wasn’t uncomfortable by any means, but the tension was making the air thick; the both of you were waiting for one of you to talk.

"my.. friend got attacked." this time you could feel his eyes on you, boring holes into your side profile as you avoided his gaze. "i had to pick her and her friends up. so, yeah, you're right," you sighed, and your breath came out in white steam, "my situation is probably better. doesn't mean i'm having a good time, though."

“there you are.”

you shut your mouth again at the sound of chad’s voice, turning to the others as they came exiting the station. you watched as chad looked at ethan concernedly, your eyebrows raising when you realized; he was one of tara's friends. that's why he looked so familiar.

you had never stayed around to see them for more than a few seconds. they were tara;s friends, not yours, and to simply linger as thy approached her after her singular lecture with you was far too weird for you. so you often kept your distance, choosing to walk away before she had the chance to introduce you, turning your back before they could ask you what your name was. having one person you considered a friend was dangerous enough in your line of work.

"you already met y/n," sam said to him, looking towards you with a tight lipped smile. "tara called her to drive us after—"

"after the attack, yeah," he was still looking at you with those doe eyes of his, taking in your seemingly nonchalant front. he wasn't blind to the feeling of familiarity he got when he saw you, but knowing now that you were one of tara's friends made sense. you were the girl they always saw walking out of psych lecture with her. "i'm ethan," he said, forcing a toothless smile.

"y/n." you nodded at him in acknowledgement before turning to the rest of the group. "where am i taking you guys?" you asked, starting to walk to your car, which was parked down the street.

"blackmore dorms," chad said, making you nod. "since the apartment is a no-go.. they can probably sleep in our dorm for a little bit, if that's okay," he glanced at ethan, who only nodded. "i'll bunk with ethan tonight, you two can sleep in my room," he said to tara and sam, who only nodded. both of them looked too beat up to even try and protest.

you walked up to your car— a black porsche carrera that your father had stolen before you were even born —unlocking it wordlessly.

"this is your car?" ethan couldn't help but ask, eyebrows raising at the sight of it. it was practically new despite its age, and the fact that you were a college student who casually owned a porsche was beyond him.

"that's what i said," chad said with a small chuckle, "what do your parents do again, y/n?"

"my dad's rotting dead 6 feet below," you responded dryly, unlocking the car for the rest of them and not even bothering to look at their reactions. when no laughs followed except for tara's amused snort, (tough crowd, you assumed), you peered at them with a cocked brow. "well? are we leaving?"

"right," chad mumbled, climbing into the backseat next to tara and sam while ethan took the passenger seat.

the ride to blackmore was quiet, the most of you far too focused on just getting home and sleeping. ethan's head rested on the window of your car, his eyes fluttering closed every once in a while as he struggled to stay awake. he was exhausted, having barely slept a wink between patrolling, school, and fighting off serial killers. his mind was far too focused on getting revenge on whoever killed his sister, but as he listened to the smooth hum of the car and the soft music that played through your radio, he found himself drifting off.

"did you talk to him for a little?" sam asked you from the backseat, and you nodded, your eyes still set on the road.

"yeah. granted, i didn't do much comforting. it's not really my forte, i guess." you sighed. "he seemed like in pretty bad shape."

"it was his sister," tara said softly, looking at ethan's sleeping face with empathy. "quinn. she didn't make it."

the rest of the ride was in silence.

he was jolted awake when his senses went off, sending that jolt of energy through his body and forcing his hand to grab your wrist before it could touch him. it looked like you were just trying to shake him awake, but as his hand wrapped around his wrist, you tore your hand away (with surprising strength) from his grasp.

"shit," you breathed, sending him a look as you tried to process what just happened. "your reflexes are crazy."

"sorry," ethan breathed, eyes traveling down to where your hands were, your other hand massaging your wrist as you stared at him. "i didn't bruise you, did i?"

"not in the way that i usually like," you grumbled, making a dusting of red appear over his cheeks. "it's fine, really. you're on edge."

"still," he mumbled, warily looking at your wrist. there wasn't a bruise forming, thankfully, but ethan often times found himself cautious of his own strength. he didn't want to accidentally hurt you just because he was anxious. "'m sorry anyways."

"it's okay. really."

a beat. "where did the others go?"

"they went ahead. tara 'n sam were tired so chad offered to bring them to your dorm while i woke you up." you shrugged, reclining your seat a bit as you unbuckled your seatbelt. your eyes drifted towards ethan, who was still sitting with his seatbelt, eyes staring holes into his lap. he seemed so far away, almost unreachable. "you don't have to go now," you found yourself saying, "take your time."

jesus, what was happening to you? first you get out of bed for a friend, now you found yourself telling some stranger to take their time with getting out of your car. you were losing minutes of sleep— you could be with your cats, and yet you were sitting in silence next to a boy you only knew the name of. the silence that should've felt uncomfortable simply.. didn't. the silence was comfortable; just two strangers sitting quietly alone in a car.

"okay," he glanced at you with a forced smile. "let's go."

you locked your car behind you as you walked next to ethan, digging your hands into the pockets of your pajamas. he seemed to be more tired than distressed as he trudged next to you, arms crossed over his chest. the night was cold and far more eerie; being attacked in the past hours would do that to you.

"do you live on campus?" ethan asked. he usually hated small talk, as he was one to never shut up to other people unless they were complete strangers. but he was silently thankful that you had been patient with him through the night, even letting him have a bit of time before he exited the car. he wasn't sure why he wanted to ask you questions.

maybe he was curious about you. maybe he wanted to know you.

"no," you replied smoothly, eyes set on the pavement ahead of you. "i have my own place."

"rich family?"

"yeah, their life insurance money was great," you lied in a monotone voice, eyebrows raising in surprise when you heard him stifle a chuckle. "i'm guessing you feeling a little better than before."

"arguably worse, actually," ethan said matter-of-factly, making you hum in response. "i think i'm just too tired to fully feel everything, y'know?"

"makes sense," you said, walking up to the entrance door and opening it with your card. "that's why we gotta get you into your dorm."

"but what about you?" you raised a brow at him as you shut the door behind you. ethan's brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he just said, having just blurted it out without another thought. "who'll bring you home?"

you blinked. "my car?" you couldn't decipher that look on his face, as though he was mentally turning over a plan around and around. for someone who seemed to always have something to say, he was suddenly rendered quiet. "are you worried about me?" your tone was teasing, but you were genuinely serious as you asked.

"i'm jus' worried about your safety, that's all!" his eyes widened in slight fear when your arms crossed over your chest, your eyes becoming more unsure by the second. "i mean, you can probably handle it on your own—"

"i can handle it on my own."

"but it's a murderer!" ethan exclaimed as he began to lead you to his dorm room. "you live alone, and no one watches over you— this sounds really bad and i'm sorry —but i don't know if you've watched horror movies, but that's basically how every single one starts!" a pause. "not that i'm saying you can't handle your own or anything!"

"may i remind you that you don't actually know me. we aren't friends." you said dryly, but even that didn't change his mind. you came to the conclusion then that he was far too stubborn for his own good. anxiety filled, almost too talkative, and closed off emotionally, but he was stubborn.

"that doesn't matter," ethan said with a shake of his head. he stopped in front of his dorm room door, looking at you with a worry ridden face. "do you," he swallowed thickly, "want to come in?"

"you already know the answer to that, eth."

"i know, but—" he looked at the warning look you had on your face. “fine. it was worth a shot." he stepped into his doorway, turning around to take the door. "good night, y/n."

"good night, ethan."

".. i went through their financial records dozens of times and this was not in any of them, it doesn't make sense," agent kirby grumbled, looking up warily at the fire escapes that hung over head. the alleyway was tucked away pretty well— you had only used it a few times when getting away, primarily because most of the police didn't even know the theatre nearby it existed.

"maybe you're just not that good at your job," you said under your breath.

"who brought little miss sunshine along?" kirby asked, sending you a warning look. you only gave her a sarcastic smile in response.

"i did," tara said as she walked next to sam. "she helped us last night."

that was an understatement. you consciously rubbed the bandage on your neck, which you had hidden under your jacket. you didn't want them thinking that you had gotten it because you had attacked them.

you had woken up to a text from tara asking if you wanted to come along and investigate. she was under the assumption that you wanted nothing to do with any of the murders, but you saw her invitation as an in. it'd allow you to be able to investigate from the inside, and truthfully, your curiosity was getting the best of you. you wanted to know who was behind everything.

“i told you that you didn’t have to come,” tara said pointedly, but you only shrugged in response, peering up at the spray painted killer on the brick wall.

“what else am i supposed to do nowadays?” you sighed, "helping you avoid murder feels just like another friday at this point." tara scoffed at your words, which made a downward smile appear on your face.

gale swiped her card down at the entrance way and opened it, allowing everyone to pile in. it was pitch black inside, lest and you found yourself gripping your bag tighter to your body, suddenly aware of the knife that was hidden inside of it.

if any one from the group saw it, they'd surely think that you were the murderer. if only they knew that you just liked being prepared.

"what is this place?" kirby asked, hand hovering over her gun as she looked around the dimly lit area.

"a movie theatre," you murmured, walking away from the group to explore further, until gale turned on the energy.

"how'd you know that?" mindy asked you cautiously, eyes furrowed as she looked you. of the entire group, she was the most distrustful of you (for good reason, honestly).

"new york born and raised," you responded with a shrug, "besides; my dad showed me once."

mindy clicked her tongue. "that's only mildly suspicious."

"can't even deny that," you muttered.

"but this place isn't just a movie theatre." gale weathers (who you had only ever seen from afar, as she was usually the one reporting all your burglaries) nodded over to the official entrance to the theatre, where some gears were turning as a run-down curtain was raised. "it's also a shrine."

you swallowed thickly as you entered, eyes widening at the sheer amount of all the souvenirs inside the rundown place. what once used to be a beautiful theatre was replaced by mannequins of outfits worn during the stab killings and glass cases full of what police would call evidence. knives of different variety, all still bloodied by their last victims, were posed proudly within the glass cases right next to sketches showing how they were used. drawings upon drawings of the survivors and legacy characters of the stab franchise was beside almost every item, and based off of the style, they were all from one person.

"they've got the whole god damn franchise," mindy said in shock, peering into one of the glass cases. her face fell when she saw the shirt on display, calling out, "chad," over her shoulder. as her twin walked up to her, she looked back at the black shirt. "this is uncle randy's," she breathed. "they've got everything."

you looked into one of the glass cases full of drawings of the original killers and original victims. they were all drawn with a meticulous hand; the artist was obsessed with them enough to be able to draw them repeatedly over and over. they studied their faces, from how they looked like when they were terrified all the way until their last breath.

"the same artist," you breathed, unaware that ethan had walked up next to you and looked into the same case.

"just one person." he seemed to be in deep thought, his brows furrowed as he stared at the artwork. "do you think one person's behind this?"

"god, no," you shook your head, "but i do think one person is more obsessed than the other. or at least, someone was." you glanced at him from the corner of your eye, watching as his tongue poked at his cheek as he read all the pieces of art.

you saw spider-man doing that once. you shook the thought out of your head as you focused your attention back on the evidence; you were sure that the masked hero would love to hear about this.

but as you stood next to the boy who was studying the artwork intently, a question popped into your head.

"so why are you here?" you asked him casually, crossing your arms over your chest. he turned to you, raising a brow at your sudden question.

ethan walked closer to you, tilting his head to the side as he looked at you suspiciously. "i could ask you the same thing."

"actually, tara—"

"it was so that we could keep an eye on you," chad interrupted, making the both of you snap your heads towards him. he managed a thin lipped smile, putting an arm onto one of the cases. "both of you."

mindy pointed two eyes at her eyes before pointing them at the both of you, her face nothing short of serious. if you weren't being suspected, you would've laughed.

"the killer must've found this place before he murdered jason and greg," gale explained, "and then he.. took the masks off the mannequins. all nine, from stuart and billie to amber and richie."

ethan swallowed thickly at the sound of his brother's name, turning away from the others as he tried to focus on something else. he could feel his father's eyes burn into the back of his skull. how convenient was it that he (and later, his family) moved to an entirely new state just to forget about his brother, only for it to bite him in the ass once he got here. he barely talked about his relation to his father to the others, much less the fact that they were all related to the killer who tried to kill them only a year prior. quinn and his father wanted to move on from richie too. at least, that was what they had told ethan.

"so somebody killed these chuckle fucks and took over?" chad asked, making you roll your eyes at the words he used.

"someone who believes that sam masterminded woodsboro," gal said with a nod.

"if this were a normal stab movie," mindy began, looking at all the cloaks that were left with no mask, "this would be the killer's lair."

"which means that this isn't a normal stab movie," you said with a sigh, "great."

tara's face was unreadable as she stared at the cloak labeled 'billy.' shaking her head, she turned around and left the theater without another word, sam following close behind her.

you sat alone at the edge of the stage, tapping your fingers on the wood as you let everyone figure out what the next move was. the sound of heavy footsteps made you look up, eyes narrowing when you saw detective bailey not too far from you, turning his head away from your vicinity. you couldn't tell whether he was staring at you or not, but there was an unsettling feeling in your chest that gave you enough of an answer.

you couldn't trust anyone.

they had dropped you off before they went on to their new plan. you claimed you had a lecture; and you technically did, but you never went to your lectures most of the time.

you gave them a fake address before walking home yourself. you didn't trust any of them— to casually give them your address was like a death wish. you knew better.

the black mask fit comfortably over your face as you pulled it over. while the others had their own plan, you had your own; you'd do some patrolling (jesus, who were you, spider-man?) and watch over them from afar. you were shoving a gun into your side before you heard someone knock on your bedroom window. immediately, you took out your gun and pointed it at the glass.

it was him. dressed in his suit as per usual, looking at you upside down. his mask was on half of his face, and he managed a toothy smile that made you roll your eyes in annoyance. shoving your gun back into your side pocket, you walked over to open the window for the hero.

"what did i say about friendly visits, spider?" you asked skeptically, moving back to your desk to get your items in place. his feet hit your hardwood floor gently as he swung into your home, shutting the window behind him.

"this isn't technically a visit," he said with a shrug, coming up next to you. he watched you put on your gloves with interest. "a little birdy told me that the stab survivors needed our help."

"and which little birdy is that?" you asked, not even looking up at him. you were too busy making sure every claw was working well, but you could feel him standing next to you. his back was to the edge of the table as he placed his weight comfortably on it. his hands were holding the edge of it as he talked freely with his mask pulled up half way.

"i just used my radio and asked them politely—"

".. you asked the police if you could help?"

"i asked detective kirby if i could help," he corrected, obviously exasperated by your surprise. "i needed an in, so i asked and she told me to be on standby. we'll just be listening to them on this," he pulled out a burner phone, setting it down on your table, "and they'll tell us where some action is happening."

"some action," you scoffed at his words, "that's one way to put it."

"how else am i supposed to put it? anyways, i decided to come here and politely invite you to join me, kitty." spider-man said with a tight-lipped smile. but as his eyes looked you up and down, realizing you were already fully ready, his smile faltered. "did you have your own plan?" he asked you curiously.

"i did." you said pointedly, unsheathing your claws before retracting them again. "i wanted to watch over them. lawfully stalk them to make sure they're still breathing or whatever." there was an odd silence that hung in the air as you worked diligently on your claws. "you seem to be in a better mood than yesterday," you commented, glancing at him from your peripherals before focusing back on your weapons. "are you really feeling that way, spider?"

spider-man cleared his throat at that. truthfully, ethan was masking everything again. he wanted to feel like himself, to be able to freely joke and banter with others how he used to, but everything seemed so forced now. all he felt, all he really felt was anger. he wanted to get revenge, and for once in his life, he was willing to stoop as low as richie and kill for what he believed in.

he hated that you saw right through his act. it was as though you had ignored every forced smile he flashed, ignored how he was desperately trying to feel like himself again, and ignored his light hearted facade.

you knew he was lying to you.

ethan stayed quiet. you knew what that silence meant.

"thought so," you murmured. you looked down at the burner phone, the black screen reflecting your own face back to you. "can i ask how you knew her?" you asked him, your curiosity getting the better of you.

"who?"

"quinn." you looked up at him. "there was only one person killed in that attack. quinn bailey, the detective's daughter." his jaw clenched when he heard her name come out of your mouth, his adams apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly.

"just a friend i knew," ethan said, the lie coming out like a taboo secret. to refer to his own sister as just a friend pained him. "i was close to her. incredibly close to her and i wasn't there in time to save her. i couldn't get there in time." he seemed to be millions of miles away as he talked, his eyes set on the floor.

you stayed silent for once, letting the silence surround the both of you. he didn't continue, seemingly too deep in his head to say more about the subject, and you understood that. you knew how that felt, to be physically in one place and mentally somewhere else. "if you're blaming yourself, you're a lot stupider than i thought. none of it is your fault."

you were so nonchalant, as though your words were factual. you never truly lied unless it was for your own gain, and that alone made you distrustful, but as you casually stated his innocence in the whole scheme of things, ethan found himself looking at you with hopeful eyes. he believed you, and whether that was dangerous of not, he wasn't sure.

"don't even say anything, it'll ruin the moment," you added dryly, sending him a warning look.

the burner phone began to ring, making the hero immediately click answer (crazy reflexes). kirby's panicked voice rang through the speaker. "gale weathers' house! upper west side—"

"west 96th," you interrupted, already opening the window.

spider-man blinked as he quickly hung up, already crawling out the window. he pulled his mask over the rest of his face. "how did you know that?" he offered a hand out to you,

"i was thinking of stealing her shit before all this," you grumbled, taking his hand. he pulled you close to him, his hand finding your waist as your arms wrapped around his neck.

"typical." he shot another web up, and you tried not to scream as you were suddenly brought up into the sky, the wind whipping in your face as he began to make his way to the upper west side.

the sun had set significantly by the time you made it, your leg coming up to kick through one of the bedroom windows. spider-man came in right after you, barely making a sound as he listened for any sounds. it was so quiet. even as you stepped towards the ajar door of the bedroom, not a single sound was heard.

you crept out into the hallway, hand grabbing your gun and raising it. spiderman crawled above you as you walked slowly down the hallway, catching a glimpse of blue as you did. looking up at the hero, you nodded in the direction of where you had seen it. he nodded in response, crawling ahead quietly.

gale had seen him as he crawled up the side of her wall, his finger coming up to his mask in a 'shh' motion. she nodded, the phone still up against her ear as she spoke, "the brains and the sex appeal," she responded, turning around to try and find the killer. but all she saw was her dead boyfriend on the ground of her living room, the killer nowhere to be seen. but then she saw you, gun in hand as you pointed it around you, your eyes looking into her's and practically begging her to not say a word.

you heard the muffled talking of the killer through the phone, your gun pointed opposite of where gale had her's pointed.

"can you hold, please?" gale asked, and you raised your eyebrows, turning to her in shock. but she quickly redialed the number, making a loud ringing sound appear from the closet.

you shot it. once. twice. five times, walking closer with each step.

ethan felt that familiar chill run through his body, his eyes widening as he yelled, "watch out!"

the doors flew open as ghostface jumped through, their knife nearly piercing your shoulder as they did. you jumped back before they could reach you, shooting your gun at them and groaning when it didn't stop them. "gale, get back!" you yelled over your shoulder, watching as spider-man swung down to kick them away from you.

ghostface quickly got up as spider-man shot his webs at them, their dodges quick as they tried to lunge at him with their knife.

but as they raised it up to throw it at the hero, you shot their arm, making them groan in pain and let go of their weapon. they fell to the ground, spider-man shooting yet another web at them to stick their feet to the floor.

he was so close to getting him. he was only feet away, walking closer as he did, his hands curling into fists as anger coursed through his veins. they were stuck. they had no way of leaving, no way of escaping.

"remove his mask," you told him, the curiosity almost too much as you kept your gun pointed at him. gale stood behind you, her eyes wary as she watched the hero walk closer. "spider, remove his mask—"

he threw a punch at the killer. the mask didn't fall off, but the groan of pain he heard was enough that he wanted to keep going. ethan kicked their stomach, his anger growing at the lack of response as he kicked it again. and again.

they killed his sister.

another kick.

they slit her throat. they stabbed her and twisted the knife into her chest. they took away the person that cared for him when his dad didn't, who paid attention to him when all his father really cared about was richie. the one family member who truly loved him and cared for him like any older sister would. they killed her.

and ethan didn't even get to say goodbye.

he could feel tears burning his eyes as he grabbed them by the collar, raising them as much as he could with their foot stuck against the floor. he punched them hard, and that's when he felt it. his nerves going crazy, electrifying his body, and before he knew it, all he felt was pain.

his hand went to the hilt of the knife they had stabbed into him. right into the lower left of his torso, and your gun rang as you shot the killer in the chest. they pulled the knife out with them as they collapsed on the floor.

and as he stumbled to the ground, you caught him. "spider? oh fuck," your breaths were heavy as you immediately applied pressure to his wound, eyes wide as you tried to stop the bleeding. your heart was pounding harder and faster in your chest. he was bleeding so much, the crimson pooling into the palms of your hands as you applied as much pressure as you could.

gale rushed forward, her hand going over yours as her eyes, wide and panicked, looked at you. "you have to take him to the hospital."

"i can't—"

"do you want to save him?!" gale demanded, staring right into your eyes.

"i'll be fine," he seethed through gritted teeth, the pain growing as he tried to move. "i can't go to the hospital. i have to—" he coughed harshly and tasted iron. "i have to get him—"

"are you people fucking crazy?!" gale cried out, looking at the hero in disbelief. "you need help!"

"i'm not letting you get back at them.." your words died in your throat when you looked back at where the killer was supposed to be.

they were gone.

the hero groaned as he pushed himself up, ignoring the way you and gale tried to keep him laying down. "where are they?" he demanded, his head whipping around as he tried to look for the killer. it felt like all his hope for getting his revenge was lost in a blink of an eye. he got away from him again, and he was so close. he had him in his hands. "where are they?"

"we have to get you help," you urged, hearing the ding of the elevator as the carpenter sisters ran in. surely the police was close behind.

"i can't leave, please—" he was pleading with you now, gripping your arm tightly as he tried to change your mind, as he tried to make you forget that he was literally bleeding all over your hands. the warmth of his blood made your eyes glass over as past memories ran rampant through your head, but you prevailed.

"we need to get you help. now." you looked into the eyes of his mask, eyes serious. "please. let's go."

he swung the both of you through your apartment window, groaning as he pulled his mask over half of his face and laid on your bedroom floor. you hurriedly shut the window behind you as you ran to get the medical supplies you needed. your hands were shaking, you realized, as you grabbed your first aid kit and tried to calm your body down.

"dad? dad—" your panicked voice rang through your father's head as he stumbled into your home, his hand holding his side. you were so young, still so full of life and completely oblivious to his line of work. but a heist had gone much too wrong, and with no family, no trust is anyone, he had nothing but you, his 7 year old daughter.

"y/n, get the kit in the bathroom under the sink," he managed past heavy breaths, coughing to his side and spitting blood onto the rug of your living room. you were crying now, eyes blurring over in tears as you pressed against where his hand was, your breathing picking up when blood gushed out of him.

"spider? hey, you gotta stay with me, okay?" you said as you ran back to his side, helping him get onto your bed. you sniffled harshly as you grabbed the first aid kit.

you grabbed the first aid kit with shaking hands, the once-white plastic staining red with your father's blood. "i don't know what i'm doing, i don't know what i'm doing," you said over and over, whispering the words like a panicked mantra.

you could feel the walls of your room tower over you as you forced the box open, grabbing the gauze and bandages with trembling fingers. it was different when it was someone else. it was different when the entire situation reminded you of when you realized your father wasn't who he said he was. that he was a criminal, and after keeping it a secret from you for nearly a decade, his cover was blown.

"kitty," spider managed to say, staring at your wide, horrified eyes as you struggled to clean the blood around his wound. you looked terrified. "look at me."

you ignored his words, taking the roll of gauze and beginning to wound pack his stab wound. the red pool that seemed to grow larger and larger around him made your breath hitch.

he was bleeding everywhere. the pool of red underneath him seemed to grow with every passing moment, and you were crying. sobbing as you tried to listen to your dad's instructions of how to wound pack a bullet wound.

you couldn't think straight. it felt like you were reliving the moment again, as though you were barely 7 with your father's blood on your hands.

you heard him hiss in pain as you continued to press the gauze into his wound, but you kept going. everything was white noise to you as you kept wound packing, frustrated tears dripping from your eyes when the red continued to seep into the white of the gauze. "fuck," you muttered under your breath, grabbing another roll of gauze.

he bit down on his lip to keep himself from screaming, head falling back as he tried to focus on something. anything that would keep his mind off of the stabbing. "please, talk to me," he said, pulling his head back up to look at you. "just talk about something. anything."

you packed the gauze into his wound as you sniffled harshly. "i was 7 when i patched up my first wound. my dad," you swallowed hard, "my dad came home with a bullet wound."

"your father was the original black cat," spider-man said, groaning in pain before he could get another word out.

"he was." you had never admitted that to anyone before. "but i didn't know. not until i was patching up his bullet wound on the living room floor." you felt your heart rate slow when you saw no right of blood seeping through the wound. you had to suture him up.

you slowly began to remove some of the packing gauze, your brows furrowing when you realized his own body was healing him from the inside. slowly but surely, his own powers had stopped the bleeding. all you had to do was suture him.

"you were so young," he managed to say before letting out a whimper of pain. "fuck! sorry i can't talk that much all this hurts really bad and the fact that i couldn't get them—"

"it's fine." you looked into the eyes of his mask. you turned back to the wound, grabbing your suture kit (you really had to get a new one) and taking the needle, thread, and forceps.

"it's not fine. it really isn't fine." the needle pierced his skin and he winced, teeth biting harder into his bottom lip. "i should've thought before going to attack them, i should've removed their mask—"

"stop."

"i shouldn't have let them get away." guilt consumed his every being as he spilled his heart out to you, tears blurring his vision. "i was just.. i was just so angry at them because they killed her. they killed my sister, and i couldn't do anything about it because i wasn't there. i was too fucking late."

his sister. your actions paused when your eyes widened in realization.

"it was his sister," tara said softly, looking at ethan's sleeping face with empathy. "quinn. she didn't make it."

ACT IV, ACT V, EPILOGUE

#AUTHOR'S NOTE— pls feel free to ask me for nsfw/sfw headcanons about this series! & thank you all for being so supportive xx

#TAGLIST— @ethanlvndry , @iloveneilperry , @starsfilm , @goosenoggin , @aminatic , @wenvierismycomfort , @l5byrinth , @wroetoslut , @briefwinnerpersonaturtle , @oliviapopewannabe , @wzrlds , @raggedyoldwitch , @hotweeb , @marsyay78 , @valenftcrush , @bonkyandsteeb3000 , @bubs-world , @danis-stuff-is-here , @nuhteyam , @ravenstrueluv , @taeversity , @heartipods

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srjlvr · 1 year

Text

,, late night walkings ‘‘

“im more of a night person”

highschool student!Jake X highschool student!gn Reader

Jake’s place-to-escape is the park only at the very late night hours, he never thought he’d now have to share his place with a stranger || genre fluff, a bit of angst & comfort! || wc 2.0k+ || lowercase intended. || ✎ ᝰ . not my fav but i worked a lot on it, pls tell me what you think!

“late night walking became my favorite thing now because it’s with you”

“you’re failing your classes and you can’t do anything right! what happened to you?” jake heard this sentence a few times lately, especially from his parents and teachers.

he took a big sigh and laid back his chair. he has been out of motivation lately and barely even wants to get out of bed, he tries his best but nothing comes out of it, he’s on the verge of giving up already.

he looked at the clock on his desk, it showed 11:48PM, he has been studying up until now and lately he had been dealing with problems of sleeping as well. “guess i’ll go out for a walk” he smiled to himself, grabbed his coat and quickly made his way to the door.

“where are you going? sim jake!” his mother called him but it’s nothing new, he has been going out on these hours lately and always comes back about half an hour later, she sighed to herself, shaking her head in disappointment.

finally arriving at the nearest park to his house, he sighed loudly. “will i be able to pass this year successfully?” he asked himself, looking at the dark view ahead of him.

the park is big, there’s a river along the entire place and there are a few benches to sit in front of the river, the view is breathtaking, especially in the night when all you see is the lights from the buildings on the other side of the river and the dark water that make those really relaxing and comforting sounds. it’s certainly a hobby of jake to come here every time when he can’t seem to fall asleep.

you were just now finishing your job in the convenient store, taking your bag and a few snacks, you waved goodbye at the worker who replaced you and headed out of the store. the weather was chilly, it wasn’t too cold but it wasn’t too hot either, you loved it.

you’re working at the convenient store to save up some money so you could spend it on the things you need. at one point you wanted to feel independent and stopped asking for money from your parents, so you had to start working.

however, you didn’t expect everything to be even more stressful. your parents wants you to be successful, but you’re falling behind everyone in the class, you’re feeling like a very much disappointment to everyone.

“will i be able to make my parents proud?” you sighed and took a bite from your snack. you actually like the outside more than your own house, especially at nights so you usually just go out after work until you feel like getting back home.

you usually wake up around 6AM and finish your job around 11:50PM, your sleeping hours are a bit messed up but you don’t regret being hardworking at all. school is important to you, but you also gotta make money for living.

“i’ll go to this park today” you’ve never been in the park before, but you heard your co-workers talking about how pretty it is at night, you’re usually hanging around at the close playground just by yourself, playing some games on your phone and eating snacks alone.

slowly making your way to the park, you took out a few snacks that were in your backpack as you were feeling a bit hungry.

when you arrived at that park, you stopped for a minute. you admired the peace and beautiful view, you took a few seconds to look around and explore the whole place.

that was when you saw a dark figure, sitting on one of the benches in front of the river. “is he a stalker of someone or something…?” you asked yourself and slowly got closer to the figure.

you tried carefully not to make any noise and when you got close enough, you heard a crying and sniffing sounds. no way….is he…crying…? you thought.

you didn’t want to interrupt his cries so you sat on one of the benches that was next to his. you looked at the river without looking at him. “i don’t know you at all but i know that something’s probably off if you’re here at this park at this hour while shedding a few tears” you tried to make a joke and maybe brighten his mood but all it did was to make him stop crying.

he wiped his tears and looked at you. “your parents didn’t teach you it’s not okay to talk with strangers?” he asked. “i don’t like following my parents’ rules, i break them” you chuckled.

he was looking at you but you were looking at the river without making any eye contact with him. “i’m sorry to interrupt your crying session, if you feel like venting then do it, we’re strangers anyway so it’s better since i know literally nothing about you” you casually said.

you were right, you both really don’t know each other and honestly? venting to a stranger is better than venting to someone you know, there is no judgement from the stranger’s side so you don’t feel like you’re being judged.

“i feel like i’m disappointing my parents, my teachers and everyone else i know, school is the main reason and the problem is, no matter how hard i try i just never manage to achieve my goal” he sadly smiled. “and if you were wondering, i like this park, it’s better than my home and the only place i find comfort in” he added.

you bit your lip, his story really sounded similar to yours, “i know it’s hard, but you can do it, you’ll manage to get out of this loop, you need to learn from your mistakes and move on with the help of them.” you sighed, “you shouldn’t be too harsh on yourself, you should learn how to firstly accept yourself, and then it’ll slowly affect your surroundings” you finally looked at him and you made an eye contact.

your eyes brightened a bit, he looked really out of motivation and tired, nevertheless he was really beautiful, even if it was really dark and you could barely see him. jake feels the same too. up until now he saw half of your face, but when you made eye contact something in him softened, you looked tired as well, almost as if you were the same person in different bodies, you were absolutely beautiful in his eyes even though he didn’t see much of your face since it’s really dark.

“thank you” he whispered, “i really needed to hear that” he nodded. “im y/n” you randomly said, “if you like this place and come here everyday at this hour, then i guess it’ll be my routine as well” you chuckled. “jake” he replied. “never thought i’d have to share my park with a stranger” he added. “you know my name so now we’re not that much of strangers” you smiled softly.

you and jake kept talking and getting to know each other better, you didn’t notice the time that passed by so fast, and suddenly you heard jake’s phone getting spammed with loads of texts. “oh god, it’s like 1:30AM right now, my mom’s worried sick” he stressfully said.

you got closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder to calm him a bit, “you’ll be fine, your mother will relax as soon as you tell her that you’re alive” you giggled. he chuckled a bit and got up next to you.

that was when you figured he was taller than you expected. “woah you’re tall” you put a hand over your mouth. “told her i’m alive and breathing, let’s do a little walk around the park!” he excitedly said as he turned off his phone.

for a few more minutes, you and jake spent your happiest moments together, even if you’re both complete strangers that just met each other, you managed to find comfort in each other really fast.

around 2AM you decided to call it a night, and each of you went the other way back to your house.

the sun rise and you were already eating your breakfast, quickly getting ready for school and heading out your home. “i’ll be back home late don’t search for me” you claimed without waiting for your parents’ reaction.

jake was doing the basically same, “i’ll be back home as usual” he sighed and closed the door.

your day routine was the same, getting into school and walking out of school, you went to your convenient store to start working and jake headed home.

it was around 11:20PM that jake stopped studying, he looked at the clocked and sighed, “should i visit their work place today….?” he asked himself. yesterday you told him that you’re working at the close convenient store and invited him to visit you whenever he feels like it.

through the whole day, jake couldn’t stop thinking about you, you met yesterday but jake already couldn’t stop feeling attracted to you.

he decided to go and visit you so he took his coat and headed out, without updating his parents again. he finally arrived at the place and looked at the store from the outside.

he saw you there behind the counter, studying a bit since there was no one in the store. you looked even prettier now that jake could see you in the light. he walked in and a ringing bell sound made you look up at the glass door.

“hell- oh? jake!” you excitedly said when you saw the person. “i decided to pay a visit” he smiled.

oh man, jake was too handsome now that you could finally see him fully in the light. “thank god, it was so boring here already” you rolled your eyes and sighed.

“my shift ends in about 20 minutes, do you wanna snack some noodles in the meantime?” you offered. there was no one in the store anyway so you could eat with him.

“do you always work that late?” he asked worriedly. “guilty” you giggled, “what can i say? i’m more of a night person”. jake nodded and went to grab his favorite noodles to make.

when your noodles were finally ready, you sat on the bar that was in front of the glass walls of the store, happily eating your noodles and joking around. “i was planning to see you at the park today anyway, i even told my parents i’ll be back home late” you smiled. “i didn’t tell my parents anything, i’m probably going to get spammed again” he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

twenty minutes later and your other co-worker came to replace you. “have fun on your shift!” you smiled and went out together with jake. “to the park?” he asked. you nodded, “to the park”.

and every night it would be the same, jake coming to your work and you’re walking together to the park. it almost feels as if the park belongs to the both of you only. the same routine kept on going for months already.

jake slowly started to get his grades back in track and you did the same. “it’s all thanks to our late night walkings” you sarcastically said. “it’s true though! without your comfort that day i don’t think i’d be where i am right now” he smiled at you.

“late night walking became my favorite thing now because it’s with you” he blabbered out. “it was my only way of escaping the reality back then but ever since i met you it changed it’s meaning” he chuckled, “thank you, for turning my late night walkings into something more meaningful” he genuinely said from his whole heart, the way you two share eye contact made you feel butterflies in your stomach, even though making eye contact already became your usual thing.

“why are you saying that out of blue?” you smiled. “because i realized it’s finally the time to tell you how i really feel about you” he took a deep breath, “you know, about me liking you for a while now and these things”

#enhypen imagines #enhypen drabbles #enhypen reactions #enhypen #enhypen scenarios #enhypen x reader #enhypen headcanons #enhypen jake #sim jake x reader #jake x reader #jake imagines #jake drabbles #jake sim #jake scenarios #jake headcanons #enha jake #jake fluff #jake oneshots #enhypen fluff

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runningmunson · 2 years

Text

Sweet Honey Bee

Pairing: Single Dad!Eddie x Female!reader

Word Count:1k

Summary: Eddie calls you in a panic because his daughter is sick. You come to his rescue and remind him that he is a good dad.

Warnings: Swearing, sick child?, insecure Eddie, fluff

Masterlist

You shot out of bed to the sound of your phone ringing, rushing to answer. The clock read 2:15 AM. Who could possibly be calling you this late? You pick up the phone, “Hello?”

“Oh, thank god you answered! I didn’t think you would,” Eddie’s panicked voice crackled through the phone. He started to talk fast and began rambling. You could only catch bits and pieces, hearing the words Beatrice (his one-year-old daughter), sick, crying.

“Eddie you’re talking way too fast, I can hardly understand you. Give me 20 minutes and I’ll be over there,” you hung up the phone and rushed to change your clothes before you grabbed your keys and drove off toward Eddie’s trailer.

Beatrice Louise Munson is Eddie’s pride and joy. Her mother skipped town the second she got released from the hospital, leaving Eddie alone with a newborn. His daughter was around eight months old when you and Eddie started dating. He was open from the start about having a baby but worried you wouldn’t stick around. That wasn’t the case. You finally met her after dating for two months when Eddie couldn’t find a sitter for a date night. Now another three months had gone by, and you had grown quite attached to his sweet little girl.

When you pulled up you could hear wailing coming from inside. You pushed open the door to see Eddie bouncing a red-faced, screaming Beatrice. His hair was pulled back in a low bun with strands coming out. His eyes were sunken with dark circles surrounding them like he hadn’t slept in days. He looked like an absolute mess.

Eddie’s eyes flew to yours, and you could tell he was worried. “I’m so sorry I called. I know it’s late but I- I didn’t know what else to do. She just won’t stop crying!”

“Eddie, it’s fine! Here, give her to me, and you can tell me what’s going on,” you said to him calmly as Eddie passed over Beatrice. You took her gently with one arm secured underneath her bottom and your free hand rubbing her back, her head resting on your shoulder.

“She-she started having this cough. It wasn’t bad at first but it started getting worse as the night went on. Then she felt warm so I took her temperature and she had a fever. She won’t sleep, and won’t let me put her down. I’m so lost at what to do, she’s never been sick like this before,” Eddie said as he ran his hands over his face. You could tell he was exhausted. And just like Eddie said, Beatrice began to cough as if she were a barking seal.

“It’s more than likely croup,” you could see Eddie’s eyes go wide at the sound of that. “Croup is a virus, like a cold. We see this all the time at the clinic, it’s common in little kids. I have a few tricks to see if that might help her, and then we can take her to the doctor in the morning. I need you to go in the bathroom and turn the shower on as hot as it can go.”

Eddie walked toward the bathroom to turn the water on. You followed behind him, still swaying to try and keep Beatrice calm. Her little hands went up to grab fistfuls of your hair for comfort.

“Do you have any Tylenol? That should help bring her fever down,” you ask. He nodded his head and went to rummage in the cabinet under the sink. Her tongue stained a cherry red as Eddie gave her the medicine.

The bathroom was filled with steam, fogging up the mirror. Her cries ceased, only letting out a few whimpers here and there. She lifted her head off your shoulder and reached for Eddie, “Da-da.”

“Come here my sweet honey Bee. I got you,” Eddie pulled her close in his arms, placing small kisses on her forehead. Her head was nestled in his neck and her hand went straight up to tug on Eddie’s hair, just like she had done to you earlier. You smiled at the interaction between father and daughter. There was no denying how much he loved her.

Eventually, her stirring slowed. Eddie felt soft, warm breaths on his neck; her chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern. “Is she asleep?”

“Yeah, she is,” you got up to turn the shower off.

“Alright, let's go put this little monster to bed,” Eddie opened the bathroom door and made his way into the bedroom. He gently lowered her into her cream-colored crib, smoothing a hand over her hair. He sat down on the floor, back up against his bed not wanting to leave her just yet. He patted the spot next to his, silently asking you to sit.

You made your way over to Eddie. His hand found yours, lacing your fingers. You leaned over to whisper in his ear, not wanting to wake the sleeping girl, “You could have called earlier, you know? I would have dropped everything in a heartbeat.”

“Yeah, I know. But I wanted to try on my own. I’m her dad; I should know how to take care of her when she’s sick. It made me feel like shit watching her cry like that,” Eddie sighed. “I just want to be the only person she needs”

“Eddie, nowhere in any guidebook does it say you have to do everything alone to be a good dad. I think asking for help when you need it or don’t know what to do makes you a damn good dad because you want the best for her, even when you know that might not be something you can do,” you gave his hand a squeeze.

“Do you think I’m a good dad?” Eddie already knew what you would say but he needed reassurance sometimes to make sure he wasn’t royally screwing up his daughter's life.

You smiled up at him, “I think you’re the best dad she could ever ask for. Do I need to buy you a ‘world's greatest dad’ mug to prove it? It’s about time you started your collection if you ever want to catch up to Wayne.”

Eddie let out a laugh but tried to stifle it when he saw Bee moving around. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Now let’s get to bed, I’ve kept you up long enough.”

---

taglist: @ali-r3n , @wroteclassicaly , @lem0nb0iii , @spookyheadxeddie , @ghosttownwherenoonegoes , @1800-fight-me , @sweetpeapod , @neewtmas

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x female reader #Eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #stranger things #stranger things imagine

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bangchansgirlsblog · 7 months

Text

Broken Headsets PT 2

-Chan

Warning: A lot of Angst.

Pairing: BangChan x reader.

Summary: where he snaps at you while working.

!Not proofread!

“Baby I’m so sorry, please open up the door.” Chan’s voice echoes through the door and into the bathroom.

My knees against my chest as I was calming down from a panic attack. The sleeves on my sweater now dump from all the tears it was sucking up.

“G-go away” I cry louder. My body shaking and my salty tears freely running down my hot face.

“I don’t…I don’t want to talk to you right now!”

“Babe I’m sorry okay? I didn’t mean to snap like that. Just let me talk to you. Let me hold you. I’m worried. Your going to have another panic attack”

“BangChan leave me alone. I don’t want to talk to you.” I throw whatever was in my reach at the wooden door. Making him jump on the other side of the door. Now HE couldn’t hold back his tears. He wanted to be able to sort it out because he genuinely didn’t mean to snap Or cause anyone pain.

“Okay I’ll give you some time my love, please don’t be angry with me. I’m sorry.” His voice now low and quiet. I had no response because I was so angry and so hurt by him.

I wasn’t being dramatic right?

The sound of his footsteps disappear down the hall making me quickly but softly wipe my tears away and get up to wash my face. The cold water making my body shiver. I stare at myself. Hair up in a bun, eyes red and eye bags deep from all the lack of sleep. A fucking mess.

The front door slamming was what made me jump getting me out of the trance I was in. Had he left? I pick up the container that was on the ground due to the fact I threw it and open the bathroom door.

I find Berry sat in-front of it as if waiting for me. I give her a soft smile and pick her up.

Walking through the house looking for any sign of Chan but there was none.

I glance at the clock and it read 12:45. Anger rises up my chest once again because how dare he leave the house at this hour knowing how much anxiety I have when his out late? Such a selfish bastard!

Get home.

I send him a text and switch off my phone to look around. A mess the house was.

“Shall we clean up Berry?” I look at the dog in my hands who didn’t even seem to be bothered by anything. “I swear I talk to you more than I talk to Chan” a chuckle leaves my lips when she starts licking my face.

“Now come on let’s get started.” I place her down and pick up things and put them away. My body needing the distraction but my mind and thoughts running at a speed of lightning.

Emotions running through “my mind and soul”. Cringe lol.

2:30 am.

The sound of the clock ticking was starting to irritate me and craw under my skin.

Worry slowly crawling up my chest. Where was he? Was he safe? Was he okay? Where could he be?

I hated myself for putting my self through this because after the little stunt he pulled causing me to sit in the bathroom crying my heart out for 2 hours begging for someone to come save me. I was still sat in our living at 2:30 am waiting and wondering where he had gone too.

Did he leave me? Surely he hadn’t cause all his stuff was still here.

My feet slowly taps the floor, something I do when I’m nervous. I tag on my sweater which is now stretched out due to the constant pulling. The material laying between my fingers feeling very satisfying.

“Why do you have to do this to me Chan?” I say softly, talking to myself.

The house was quiet once again like I’m used too.

The lights were off except for his studio room led lights that were on and passing through the glass window.

Berry was now sat on my lap cuddling me because I knew she sensed the stress my body was going through. She always just knew and she always tried to cuddle of just play around whenever Chan or I where going through something.

A sigh leaves my lips. I was tired. I needed sleep but I needed to know if he was safe.

I check my phone to see if he had responded but nothing came through and when I was about to set down the phone it stars to buzz making me jolt up. Han’s name pops up with a picture of me and him when we were at an adventure park in Japan.

I quickly pick up the phone hoping that somehow Chan was with him and they were doing some project.

“Hello?” My voice rough but still soft from all the crying.

“Hey baby.” He says softly from the other end of the phone.

“Hey..”

“Are you doing okay?” He asks, I could hear the nervous tone in his voice.

“Mhm” a hum in response.

“Channie Hyung is with us in the dorms okay? He showed up here really upset so we told him to just stay over until everything is calm,”

I feel my heart break into pieces. Was he really that upset that he didn’t want to stay in the same home as me? He knew how I hated when he didn’t sleep at home.

“Oh, okay that’s alright. Thank you for letting me know,” I tell him. A weigh being lifted off my shoulder because now that I knew he was safe I could sleep or so I thought.

After hanging up the phone. I slowly put Berry aside and cleanup the cold plate that’s till say on the table and decide to finish up the dishes.

The scent of soap filling my nostrils and a warm liquid running down my face. Tears.

Who would have thought that I would be here at the age of 25 doing dishes at 2 am while crying.

My vision was blurry and my legs were weak. My heart beating fast as I could hear it in my ears.

My face was hot and my body trembled from the heart aching sobs that left it.

I couldn’t be under this much stress.

It wasn’t good for the baby.

Pt 1 ⬇️

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fillinforlater · 2 years

Text

Blonde: Chapter II

Female Reader x Kim Gaeul

Length: 2938 words

Tags: terrible day, everything goes wrong, helpful friends, saving and helping, light hearted fun, slow burn, character building, mystery toxic relationship, curse filled fight, hatred, terrible mother

TW: toxic relationship

Credit: @midnightdancingsol for editing. The real MVP behind the scenes, thank you!

(A/N: @firagaarmor bcuz of course and @ifeelsounsure0 bcuz he got me to write something fluffy. Love you two and I hope y’all enjoy this second part)

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m, I’m sorry, sir.”

It’s not going well for you today. In fact, it’s been quite terrible.

Your alarm didn’t go off as your phone didn’t charge overnight. For some reason the energy supplier cut off your electricity. Again. Is it because there was an issue with the powerline? Definitely possible, it wouldn’t be the first. It could also be because they haven't been paid last month.

A cold shower, dry noodles, and being late to school make you contemplate calling your mother and asking, no, begging for money. It's the worst form of humiliation and only has a fifty percent chance of succeeding. There is no painless way out of this, and this was only the beginning of the day.

After this disaster, you arrived at school. You are already in trouble for your bad grades and so it's a terrible look when you arrive five minutes before the lesson ends. It gets even worse when your explanation is a stuttering mess. Your teacher screamed at you for minutes straight. One more misstep and he'll let you fail.

And lastly, work. From the very first customer on, you made mistake after mistake: two items weren't scanned, three complaints with unsatisfying answers, and now, you drop a glass of jam. Luckily, the customer caught it. In his understandable anger he throws a tantrum, urging you to scan faster and faster.

"My God, is it really this hard to watch out? Every elementary school student can do this!

"S-sir, I'm sorry."

"This should not happen, I w—"

"Please, leave her alone, sir. She apologized enough already."

A soothing voice suddenly speaks up for you. Gaeul has a stern, confident glow on her features and can stand up for herself, for you, even if she's signifiantly smaller. The man backs off.

"I mean, she should just be more careful."

"I'm sure she will be."

"Okay, okay."

He scans his credit card and leaves with the usual clatter of the shopping cart.

It's just you and her now. Gaeul's blonde hair seems to glow silver-gray today, but it could just be the dirty white light above the store's shelves. She is once again carrying colorful cans, more than last time. Half a dozen.

"You, you two are more thirsty this time, huh?" you stutter your failed attempt at a joke.

"Hey, are you okay? You're crying."

"What, I'm not—"

Not yet. The tears in your eyes are like an avalanche about to break loose any second now. Gaeul can clearly see it as she softly inspects your face. No, don't cry now, you tell yourself and reach for the soda.

Pepsi. Beep.

"Yes you are and that's okay."

Coke. Beep.

"N-no, I'm not cryin'."

Mountain Dew. Beep.

"Hey."

It's too late. The can of green tea over the scanner is not only met with a beep, but also drops of rain. Your tears come down, nothing is able to stop them. Today is just too much.

Beep. Beep.

"Hm, how do I do this?"

Gaeul's breath brings you back from this freezing in place. She’s right next to you, on the side of the scanner only employees are allowed to access. Cautiously, she tries to read the words on the panel and keys, but you are in the way. Her body heat and calm breath are so close, you gasp and back off and feel something hit your elbow. A decorative vase at the back of your carrel falls over. The sound of china bursting on the stone floor makes Gaeul jump.

Gaeul scrambles awkwardly to quickly leave the carrel and walks to the pile of dirt and shards, while you try to balance yourself and look around. If your manager heard this, he will be here in less than a minute—

“What was that? Checkout three—”

“I’m sorry,” Gaeul interrupts the annoyed manager, “I must have accidentally touched it. It wasn’t on purpose and I—”

“N-no!” you interrupt Gaeul with a shocked stutter, “I, it was my fault. My e-elbow hit it when I turn—”

“She is just taking the blame for me,” Gaeul interrupts.

“Wh-what?” your manager says. He looks between the two of you.

Instinctively, you shut up and stare at the ground. Confusion keeps you from crying and instead raises questions. What is happening? Why is Gaeul doing this? What if I have to pay—no, what if Gaeul has to pay for the vase? Would she do it for me?

“Trust me, sir, she is taking the blame out of kindness,” Gaeul argues calmly. She then bows her head. “It’s my fault. I will pay for the damages.”

“Ah, no. It’s fine,” the bewildered manager responds, scratching the back of his head, “Thank you for your honesty. It was an ugly vase anyways. Just… be more careful next time.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry sir.”

You stare at Gaeul bowing again. Her upper body is covered by a simple, white t-shirt with a black cat on its front, something you haven’t noticed in your self-centered sadness. As the manager walks away, you’re still staring at her. Your heart beats faster and a warm thought arises in your mind.

This is the first time someone made a sacrifice for me.

The final rays of sunlight beam over the roofs. This time of the year, it’s your usual sight when you leave the store after your shift. You step through the employee exit, a white plastic bag in hand, and trot towards the parking lot. At this time, no one is allowed to park on the property of the store and the manager made it your job to check every evening. You scan the concrete area and as usual, no one dares to park here. If so, you’d write down the license plate number and—

“G-Gaeul?”

“Oh, there you are. Hey.”

Gaeul sits atop a metal safety pillar next to the entrance, each of her six cans lined up in a row before her. She waves and points to the pillar next to her. The sunlight reflected from the glass front behind her makes her bright hair glow brighter and you fly towards her like a moth.

“What are you d-doing here?”

“I was waiting for you. I wanted to apologize.”

“A-apologize? Why?”

Gaeul points at the pillar once more. Never not laying your eyes off of her face, you sit down on the metal surface. Through your thin skin-tight jeans you still feel its coldness. You want to jump back up and rather stand, but Gaeul reaches for your hands and you freeze on the spot. It’s not cold anymore.

“Because I had a stupid idea and made you feel uncomfortable in front of your boss? I think this warrants an apology.”

“B-but you actually helped me. I should th-thank you.”

Before you can fall back into your old habit of lowering your gaze, Gaeul brings you back with an assertive rebuttal.

“No, I made you trip and then the accident happened. It’s my fault and I am sorry. I should’ve used my brain back then.”

Gaeul chuckles. For the first time, you hear her voice as small and cute. You join her and a rare wave of warmth and appreciation overcomes all negative emotions. The rest of the day with all its burdens becomes irrelevant for at least this moment.

“Apology accepted. By the way, wh-what was your ‘stupid idea’?”

"Hm? What do you me—ah, yes! Well, uhm, I guess I wanted to help you by scanning the cans and finishing the transaction on my own. The scanning part was easy, but I had no clue how to, uhm, open the register. Hehe…”

Gaeul averts her gaze onto the cracked pavement. A faint blush turns her pastel pink cheeks rosy pink while her hand scratches the back of her head.

After a second of silence, you begin to snicker. Your mind cannot fathom why she looks so irresistibly cute when she is embarrassed, but also why she would attempt something this unnecessary. It’s nice that she wanted to help, but it was meant to fail from the start.

“I-I’m sorry, but I find this funny,” you say as your snicker continues.

“Is that why you’re laughing at me?” Gaeul asks, acting offended.

“No, no, I’m laughing because it was cute, but pointless.”

“Th-that’s why I apologized!”

Gaeul’s face jumps from the beautiful rosy pastel to the red of a ripe tomato. She buries it in her hand, making only her blonde bob—the light in the store betrayed you: it’s still as blonde as before—visible. Her body moves to the side away from you.

You stop your giggles and aim your hand at her shoulder. What was supposed to be an apologetic gesture to get back the beautiful girl's attention and explain yourself to her, turns to a shove. With too much momentum from standing up, you unwittingly push Gaeul, making her stagger and almost fall from the pillar. Luckily, she is able to put her leg down firmly and rescue the two of you from falling over.

She removes her hands to reveal her shocked orbs. They are so close to yours, a breath away. Somehow your hand is still on hers and once again, everything is silent for a second. Instead of giggling, you fall to your knees this time.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t want this to happen, really. I just wanted to—no, I’m sorry, I always do things wrong, there is always trouble and—”

“Hey. Hey! Everything is okay, nothing happened.”

“No, I’m such a klutz, an worthless idiot—”

“No, you’re not. A funny little mistake doesn’t make you worthless.”

Gaeul’s soothing voice and soft fingers on your hair guide you away from your self-loathing. The pain you so easily get lost in lingers only for seconds, but when you see her eyes, it's gone.

"You mean it?"

You did not have to ask that as her genuinity was obvious in her gaze, her expression, her gesture. She doesn’t lie, her words are not just rootless. Although she might only act out of human decency, it feels like burning compassion.

Gaeul stretches out her hand and you take it. You get up swiftly and stand next to the beautiful woman, staring at her probably a second too long. She giggles and turns her head away.

"Yeah, I mean it. Don't define yourself over such a tiny mistake. Actually, it was kinda cute."

Turn away as well. She should not see the seemingly instantaneous, almost cartoonish blush taking over your face. There is no doubt that she once again was genuine and you scramble to come up with a response, with a rebuttal, but there is nothing. Your mind is so full, yet so void of words.

A ring from Gaeul's phone puts an end to the rising tension.

"Hi," Gaeul greets after fishing out her phone. A second in and she freezes in place. Her lips lose a bit of their already light color, her knees buckle lightly.

You watch Gaeul from the corner of your eye. Throughout the call, she is reduced to repeating simple words or inconclusive phrases. A 'Yes' here, a 'Me' there, sometimes an 'I know', other than that she is just listening. Her free hand scratches her blonde hair or hides shortly in the pockets of her baby-blue jeans.

When your eyes meet, you quickly spin around. She is clearly uncomfortable and you don't want to make it worse by eavesdropping on her. In an attempt to look somewhat disinterested, you look into the plastic bag you brought along. Soda, two days past the expiration date, along with instant noodles, rice, and a mixture of vegetables that still looked edible. It'd be a waste to throw them away.

"I'm sorry, b—"

You raise your head and Gaeul lowers her hand. Little beads of sweat trickle down her distressed features. In a hurry she collects all the colorful cans splayed on the pavement and tries the impossible task of carrying them in her bare hands. They of course tumble down and you watch as Gaeul’s body trembles.

“Ah, damn,” Gaeul says in a dull voice, adding a clearly faked laugh, “I have to go now. I missed something important.”

“Wait!” you shout as she tries to jog away with the unstable tower in her arms, “take this. O-otherwise, you won’t make it home without an accident.”

Stretch your arm towards her. A light breeze makes the now empty white plastic bag in your hand sway in the wind. It’s like a flag and your arm is the pole. Gaeul hesitates.

“Are you sure? Don’t you need it too?”

“It’s not that much. Look, a couple of packets—I can easily carry those.”

“I don’t know…”

You try to make your eyes look more pleading to finally convince Gaeul to just take the bag. You definitely want to help her and although you understand and cherish her care for you, hearing the shift in her voice to sadness leaves you determined—you will not leave until she accepts your offer, even if it takes a lie.

“Gaeul, please. If I should struggle to carry this home, I can just grab another bag from inside the store. You need it a lot more right now.”

With a residue of hesitance Gaeul reaches for and fills the plastic bag with her cans. Although she whispers a grateful ‘Thank you’, her expression is trying to hide something dampening her mood. You can’t help but think that there is something seriously wrong. Some dread seems to linger above Gaeul like rain-filled clouds.

You wave after her, but she doesn’t turn around. Her walk is swift, her blonde hair bops at each step and you admire how incredible she looks in this casual outfit. Form-fitting jeans, short white T-shirt—Gaeul can wear literally anything and still look stunning.

Who would want to cause any discomfort to someone this wonderful?

Scroll through your contacts. It’s certainly not a long list and you wish most of the names displayed on the screen were just non-existent, but you can still waste time by going down and back up.

Avoid at all costs, waste as much time as possible, maybe she will call on her own.

Naive thoughts to keep you occupied, but if you want your stove top to work or lamps to shine you need to call her.

Even this late, she is still surely awake. Even after years of fighting, she will surely pick up. Even if you are formal and nice, she might make this go sideways quickly. Having to call her was always your least favorite chore since living alone, and when her receiver is lifted and the line is clear, you freeze on the spot, like you have every single time.

“What?” she groans into your ear, not hiding her annoyance. There is an obnoxiously loud TV running in the background, some soap opera characters are fighting. You always hated these shows. They were one of the most irritating parts about here, but not as irritating as the barking of a dog. Last time you called, she didn’t own one. Maybe she is at a friend’s house, maybe she is getting her life together and wants to care for a dog, but God forbid she has a boyfriend now.

There is no escaping it, you already pressed the green button. Suppress the urge to immediately tap on the red one and end the call. You have to engage in this. It's no use running away.

"I need… there is no electricity," you say firmly, even through the little slip-up, trying not to sound too cold or desperate.

"Yeah, I know," she responds nonchalantly, interrupting her response to suck at her cigarette. Even after all this time, you can still smell the disgusting odor of the smoke she always exhales in a celebratory fashion.

"What?!"

"I couldn't afford it."

"Huh? And what am I supposed to do now?" you say resentfully, unable to keep yourself from shouting. Her attitude broke you faster than even your worst fears would have assumed. The barking gets louder and your mother half-heartedly speaks over it.

"Chill out! After my boss pays me, I'll be able to pay for your bill. That motherfucker is late again."

"And till then?"

"What do I know. Can't change it."

Your hand wrapped around your cell phone trembles. You grit your teeth and keep your rage-filled tears back.

"You want me to starve? I can't cook anything. Noodles, rice—"

"Then eat something else."

"And how should I shower?"

Your voice cracks, almost crumbles as you press the speaker onto your sweaty cheek.

"You'll survive without one."

"Can you fucking care for once?! I'm in trouble, again, and you don't give a shit, again!"

"I don't have to listen to you. You wanted to live alone."

"Because I can't stand smelling you and your fucking cigarettes all day."

"Shut the fuck up."

Her voice is cold, colder than ice, colder than a murderer’s heart, colder than the vaccum of space. It’s the coldest thing in the entire universe. If hatred was transferable through phone lines, she would wince and squirm on the ground right now. Instead, it’s you who is about to fall on your knees. The weight is getting too heavy.

The beeping of your phone after she hangs up just echoes through your empty mind.

One thought however resonates infinitely in this void.

I fucking hate you.

(A/N2: thanks for reading! Btw, why is she so damn beautiful??😳🥺)

#kpop fluff #gaeul fluff #ive fluff #female idol fluff #female reader fluff #female reader insert #Female reader #female idol

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awmancreeper · 1 year

Text

ミ★Just Say You Love me </3 . 43 - I Know I love You

--★ Kai’s friends roast him for not being in a relationship since he was 12. While Y/n tries to avoid getting into a relationship every week. One day Kai spots a familiar girl hiding in a tree finding out she was hiding from her 2nd confession that week. After hearing the university’s IT girl struggles Hyuka comes up with a plan.

Masterlist / prev / Epilogue

!!written chapter!!

Your legs hurt as it was now 9 pm, most students have already headed home even the ones with clubs but here you were still searching. It was a 6ft plush-loving man you were looking for how hard could it be?

Apparently really hard seeing it’s already been 4 hours since you’ve started. After checking the math building you began walking around the school. I mean you can wait until tomorrow but what if by tomorrow he decided he’s completely done with you, especially after seeing you run away at the park?

No matter what it took you’ll find Hyuka is what you thought at the 3rd hour. Now tired, you decided if the universe wanted you two together you’ll find him and if not, the universe is mean. It was late, your eyes were swollen from crying so much that people looked at you confused on why the school’s IT girl was limping around the school.

It was time to go home.

The air was cold, and with your phone now dead you couldn’t call anyone to pick you up.

You found yourself on a familiar path of trees with the infamous fountain that held A LOT of broken hearts. Kai had told to you that he liked you, wondering if he had confessed to you near that fountain would’ve you rejected him or not?

You broke a lot of hearts and Kai’s was just another on your shelf. And that broke yours

‘Please universe help me, I know I’m a shitty person but if you give me a chance.

I’ll love him!’ you thought feeling the pain in the soles of your foot worsen

The winds blew causing your hair to go in your face. You groan moving it when you spot a familiar teal skateboard hiding behind a tree with a brown bag beside it.

Your heart jumped, it was the tree that you hid in the first time you met Kai.

You wobble over looking around but you didn’t spot him. Placing your hand on the large tree, feeling him near. A green leaf falls right in front of you.

You look up.

There he was,

on the branch laying on his back. He hummed a tune while he messed with the leaves. This was your chance, no running

“Hiding from someone?”

Kai looked down spotting you. Shocking him, he lets out a quick scream as he sat up nearly falling. “Woah!” You yelled scared for him.

“I’m guessing it’s me” Giving him a small smile, he looks away clearing his throat “What do you want?” His coldness made your heartache.

You stared at the large wall, it was so thick you didn’t know how you were gonna do it.

“I uh…” you couldn’t speak “If it’s nothing, can you leave me alone?” he said laying back down

So cold, your hands shook when you touch the wall

“i- I’ve been looking for you” nothing

His light was off and you did that to him.

“Kai I’m sorry!” You shouted feeling your eyes well up. He turned his head to look at you

Crack

“I don’t know how many times I’ve called myself an idiot today, but it’s true!

I’m an idiot”

The crack grew

“Kai what I did to you was so shitty and you totally should hate me”

“I shouldn’t even be talking to you right now!”

Tears flowed from your eyes “Everyone’s been saying to leave you alone, but I can’t..”

“Kai I like you, a lot”

His light flickered from the crack in the wall

“And I lied, I’ve never hated you and I never will because you’re an amazing guy”

The light blared through the cracking walls. You peeked threw the cracks and saw Kai but his light dulled again

“You’re just saying that because you feel bad” he turned away. “no! I’m saying it because I mean it” but he didn’t budge.

“Kai!” He ignored you “Listen to me!” You stomped over to the stump of the tree “Go home y/n” Kai bluntly said putting on his headphones closing his eyes “No I said if I needed you I’ll find you!”

The sole of your shoe was pressed against the tree while you began to pull yourselves up “I’m not letting you go!”

“I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth if I have to” you cried out. Kai peeked to see you sobbing trying to climb the tree “Hey don’t do that!” He began to freak out

“I'm a mess, but I wanna be your mess!” You gripped onto the tree “My apartment is so lonely without you and I miss your goofy text”

I miss you Kai!

And I want you”

“Y/n stop the branch won’t be strong enough for the both of us!” Your feet were killing you but you had tunnel vision.

“I can’t stop thinking about you!”

Your fingers clawed at the large breaks in the wall, trying to get the lonely boy on the other side.

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and I couldn’t believe you would want me!

I was scared! I’ve never felt this way before you give me this rush and I love it!…” you pushed up “I love..”

“You said I’m like the sky because you can’t reach me but you have it WRONG! It’s you I could never reach!!”

You began to light up feeling warm while the large wall shook.

“But I’ll keep trying because… because I love you!!!”

Kai’s eyes widen as he watched you hugging the tree crying 3 feet off the ground.

Your walls began to crumble while you made your way to the other side

“I’ll say to the world if I have to, I love you HUENING KAI!”

“I KNOW I LOVE YOU!!!!…” You stopped climbing your body freezing because of the pain as your face rested against the tree bark.

“Please just say you love me” you whispered holding your eyes shut. you heard the tree leaves shake.

There was so much you wanted to tell him but you felt so overwhelmed. “Hyuka, I’m so sorry” You whimpered trying to continue climbing but arms around your waist pried you off the tree.

He placed you on the ground turning you around, his soft eyes watered at the sight of you but a smile followed “I’ve finally reached you” was all he said

Your lip quivered embracing him. “Hyuka!” You cried out holding onto him tight, your legs finally giving up on you but it was fine because he held onto you afraid to let go.

“I love you!” Sobbing into his sweatshirt. He lifted his hand to your face holding your cheeks his fingers caressed the bark indents

“I love you too”

“Will you give me another chance?”

He just smiled and bent down pressing his lips into yours. Your stomach did flips but they were good this time. You kissed him back hands still wrapped around his waist.

Kai teared up feeling so happy while his hands got soaked from your tears. He laughed resting his forehead against yours “Stop crying” Kai joked but all you did was cry even more

“I can’t I’m so overwhelmed,” you told him grabbing his face and bringing him back down.

His light shined voluminously as you held him tight. You shined bright and warm together.

#tomorrow x together #fem reader #txt fluff #kpop #txt smau #huening kai #kpop smau #huening kai x reader #fake dating #hyuka x reader

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m0chaminx · 1 year

Text

Within Red

A few notes before we stat This fic follows the main plot of Devil May Cry 5 with addition from the accompany graphic novels (Visions of V and Before the Nightmare) This is a slow burn, I am apparently incapable of writing anything else Typical violence but far more foul language All chapters will be included but will be split by titles and headers

ROUGHLY 30,000 WORDS

OC x V

WITHIN RED; 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘯

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠:

𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒕 Elizabeth Olsen 𝒂𝒔 Rory Renan Karlo Baker 𝒂𝒔 Nero Owen McGinnity 𝒂𝒔 V Adam Cowie 𝒂𝒔 Dante Emily Bador 𝒂𝒔 Nico

𝑺𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 Ariana Diamant 𝒂𝒔 Trish Andrea Tivadar 𝒂𝒔 Lady Maxim Nazarov 𝒂𝒔 Virgil/Urizen Laura Napoli 𝒂𝒔 Kyrie Brad Venable (Voice) 𝒂𝒔 Griffin Kim Soo-Ahn 𝒂𝒔 Kat Robbins Sarah Paulson 𝒂𝒔 Scarlett Renan

Rory Renan

( Tell me your secrets, tell me your lies, at the end of the day, it is you life )

CHAPTER ONE

WHERE THERE ARE DEMONS, WITCHES WEREN'T SO FAR BEHIND. It was stronger than any other energy she had felt before. The little girl with blond hair gripped the red haired woman's hand tighter. "Rory... My feet hurt."

"You'll be okay," Rory nodded, looking down at the young girl. "We're almost there." Rory ventured through the town, asking about a place to stay. A man in his early thirties had directed Rory and the young girl, Kat, to a man down the road.

Rory slowed to a light walk and pushed Kat slightly behind her. She looked up at the old house, the garage was open a large brown van inside. A young woman played around with three kids in a yard as another woman and a man with white hair messed around with the van.

Rory walked closer to the garage and took a breath. "Excuse me," Rory called and the boy with white hair looked up. "I'm looking for Nero." SIX MONTHS LATER

KYRIE RESTED A HAND ON HER HIP AND SHOOK HER HEAD SOFTLY. "Kat be careful please," Kyrie called as Kat started to climb on the table.

"She continues to stay the most erratic of the kids," Rory laughed, taking a spoon to stir the pot.

"And to think it was Carlo," Kyrie laughed softly, shaking her head. "Now, I'll plate up, can you go get Nico and Nero please?"

"Yeah," Rory nodded and whipped her hands before walking out to the garage. "Hey, dinners ready," Rory called as she leaned on the door frame.

"Few more minutes," Nero nodded looking up from the hood of the car, a muck stain on his cheek.

"Hey, don't lose a finger," Rory suggested with a teasing smile as she slipped back inside. Nico followed a minute later, stealing a bite from the plate Kyrie was serving. Kyrie waited a minute before calling out to Nero. "Nero, the food's getting cold. What's going-?"

"Kyrie! Get back inside, now!" Nero yelled, stopping Kyrie in her steps. A split second after, a massive crashing sound rang out from the garage.

"Demons?" Kat asked, looking up at the older girls. Rory knelt down and rested her hands on Kat's shoulders.

"Stay here," Rory ordered, "All of you." Nero screamed out in pain and Rory shot to her feet. "Stay."

Rory rushed out to the garage, watching a tall man in an overly large coat step up to a portal. Rory stood in shock for a moment at the blood rushing from Nero's arm. Rory threw her arm out, red smoke-like texture covering her fingers and Nero's toolbox and tossed it into the man's back. The man stumbled and the portal closed.

"Fuck me," Rory cursed sliding next to Nero as he tried to crawl toward where the man stood. "Nero," Rory called moving her fingers around and holding the blood against his arm. "You gotta stay awake."

"Nero!" Kyrie called, rushing to Nero's side.

"I leave you alone for two minutes, what the hell happened?!" Nico yelled, standing over them.

"Call an ambulance," Rory instructed as Nero's eyes fluttered shut. ✦

RORY'S LEG BOUNCED SLIGHTLY AS SHE WATCHED OVER NERO. Kyrie stayed in the house looking after the kids and Nico helped her at the house as well as fixing up the van. Rory had a phone in her hands, spinning it between her fingers; it was the only way Rory could get Kyrie to go home and watch the others. At any difference, even the slightest change with Nero, Rory would contact Kyrie immediately.

Rory had her spell book floating in front of her, looking for any type of healing spells or regeneration spells. The red-lit smoke flipped the pages as her eyes finished reading over each word. Nero suddenly gasped and his eyes shot open as he started to cough harshly. Rory jumped up, dropping her spells and helping Nero sit straight. "Holy shit, you okay?" Rory questioned holding his side.

"Rory..." Nero huffed, his hand moving to hers. "Where's Kyrie?"

"I told her to stay home," Rory informed.

"Took you long enough to wake up," A voice sounded from the window. Rory spun holding her hand out, a bright red orb materializing itself in her palm. The man in front of her lent against the window, swirling black tattoos running up his arms and torso to the top his neck. He looked over her hand and tilted his head in confusion. "Your body seems to be just fine. As far as I can see. The front door was closed so I came through the window."

"And you can stay by the window," Rory ordered.

"Trust me, if I wanted to hurt you I would have already," The man spoke, still eyeing Rory's hand. "Please, there's no need for... that," The man pointed the handle of the cane at Rory and Nero tapped her arm, signaling for her to relax. He walked past Rory and sat on the end of the bed, leaving half a meter between them. "Call me V. That's my name."

"Any more than a letter?" Rory questioned, tilting her head at him. V sighed and turned his gaze to Nero.

"I know the demon that took your arm," V spoke and Nero's eyes widened, looking up at Rory in shock. "That demon absorbed the Yamato, that was sleeping in your right arm, gaining his incredible power. Right now Dante is heading toward that demon."

"And why the hell do you know that?" Nero questioned, squinting his eyes slightly.

"... I'm a devil hunter," V admitted. "I've been chasing that demon for... a long time. Which is how I learned about your right arm too." V paused for a moment his eyes moving up to Rory. "I also made a request to Dante. As for me defeating him alone would be simply impossible. I intended to borrow Dante's power and take him down, but he far exceeded my expectations..." V trailed off as if he were calculating a new decision in his mind. "Dante alone... might be unable to win." V took his cane and thrust the handle in Nero's direction which made Nero jolt slightly. "So come with me, Nero."

Nero huffed and swiped the cane from V's grasp holding it beside him. "Unable to win? Dante?" Nero shouted before chuckling softly. "Are you for real right now?" With Nero distracted by his own words, he didn't notice V's tattoos lifting from his body in a goop-like substance. "You make a pretty crappy comedian."

The tattoo finally tore itself from V's skin and formed a bird-like creature that flew through the air. "Boy, you are slow in the head! The point is, he's real bad news so get preparing, you dumbass!"

When the bird finally stopped circling the room to dive down at Nero, Rory flicked her hand engulfing the animal in the red light and slammed him into the wall across the room. "A bird?!" Nero shouted in disbelief.

"No, a demon," Rory corrected.

V sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and stood, leaning on the cane. "We have little time to spare. You should obediently come with me, considering what might happen if you don't. Unless..." V paused turning back to look at Nero. "You don't have the confidence to fight demons without that right arm of yours."

Nero's confused face twisted into one of annoyance ready to snap at him but Rory was quicker and flung the bird back at V, melding them back together. V stumbled and landed back on the bed with a grunt, not expecting such a sudden force so quickly.

"He's in, and so am I," Rory stated looking over at Nero. "If there's a demon threatening to tear down the world, I'm going to stop it." Nero sighed and nodded. "We need new clothes, so your gonna have to be patient, V."

CHAPTER TWO RORY STEPPED OUT OF THE HOUSE, FIXING THE CUFFS ON HER RED LEATHER JACKET. She walked to V and Nero who stood around the front fence. Nero fixed his coat properly and Rory nodded. "...My weapons are in the garage. Mind waiting?" Nero questioned looking over at V and the bird.

"I've already told you, we don't have much time-"

"Hurry up! And don't forget your hanky and toilet paper, kiddo!" The bird yelled interrupting V. Nero rolled his eyes and slipped into the shed.

V turned to look up at Rory, who was already looking down at him. He flicked out his leather coat and turned his head away. "This is a dangerous mission," V reminded, his hand resting on his cane.

Rory laughed softly and shook her head. "Your right, you should probably go home," Rory shot back, crossing her arms and leaning on the fence. Rory looked up at the helicopter, eyeing it as the loud sounds of the blades got closer.

"You're telling me that's our ride?" Nero questioned, stepping over the fence. "Talk about posh... Don't get too close, the others will wake up."

"Do I look like I can contact it right now? Try jumping and telling the piolet in person," V shrugged.

"Yeah, sure," Nero sighed, his eyes rolling in annoyance. "Rory, can you make it... less loud?" Nero questioned looking past V. Rory raised her hand to rest her elbow on her hip and wriggled her fingers, the loud whooshing sounds dying down to a soft hum

.V eyed Rory from the side of his eye, watching her hand drop back to her side. "You're welcome," Rory mumbled.

"Hey, I grabbed this as well," Nero spoke up pulling a crown-like headband from his jacket pocket. "Kat woke up, told me to give it to you." Rory took it from Nero, not giving V enough time to look at it.

✦

THE ENIRE PLACE STUNK OF BLOOD AND ROTTING PLANTS. Rory turned her nose up at the smell and eyed the path ahead. "What are we doin' wasting our time here?" Nero sighed walking beside Rory as they walked through the tree. "He's got this." Nero looked past all the big roots, out towards where the fighting and gunfire could be heard as Dante fought the demon.

"You should not underestimate this demon," V ordered as he walked in front of the two. "After all, it was he that took your right arm. And gained a great deal of power from it." V walked ahead, not letting Nero and Rory hear what they were saying.

"What?" Nero questioned, looking up at Rory's face. Rory hummed in confusion, her hands in her pockets. "You do that thing, where you squint when you're confused."

"... There's something off about him," Rory admitted, watching V converse with the bird.

"Is this your Witch talking or your paranoia?" Nero asked, watching V as well.

Rory shot a glance to Nero and shrugged, "I'm not sure yet." Rory reached into her inner pocket pulling out the red crown. Rory set it on her head and her regular clothes transformed into her witch's armor, her waist cape flowing against the wind.

"Nero, Rory... I'm leaving," V spoke up, loud enough for them to hear. He looked over Rory's crown and furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "Try to follow suit. I doubt you would get lost here, but still... I suggest you do not fall behind." Black smoke sludge covered the bottom of his feet and he sped away down the tree.

"Okay... He's an interesting guy, but he's right," Nero admitted. Nero sighed before running off, nowhere near as fast as V.

Rory sighed through her nose before running after Nero. "Let's settle the score," Rory suggested, using her crown to fly hover Nero. "I'll go ahead! Don't die!" Rory shot her power into the ground sending her into the air and landing in front of the large fleshy doors. Rory waved her fingers and the doors opened for her.

Taking a step in she was almost immediately knocked down when a body was thrown at her. Rory threw her hands out and caught the body and set him on his feet. He stood for a second before dropping to his knees too weak to stand. "Dante," Rory recognized, his white hair covered in dirt. Rory looked up and stared at the towering demon. Even as he sat on his throne he reached feet feet tall. His tentacles ran along its body and over the walls behind him and an orange ball of shard flew around him. The King, Urizen.

Rory rushed up throwing herself in the air and throwing a large blast at the orange floating shards. A few cracks covered the sharp floating thing and Rory was able to doge its retaliating attack. The large demon hummed at her power and when Rory went for a second attack a vine shot out and sent her flying backwards. Rory hit the walls with a thud and then dropped to the floor and she groaned when she hit the floor.

The crown fell off and her armor disappeared. Rory grabbed her crown and absorbed it into her hand. Rory pushed herself back up, holding her hand out. A shot of purple power surged out to shock her but Rory's shield held it back, the purple light rippling around her power and melding slightly with the smoke. Rory threw her other hand out and both surges of power shattered and sent Rory back at the wall again.

Nero walked through the gate, shooting at the two vines. One that went after Dante, one that went for Rory. "Well... Looks like this won't be a total waste of time after all," Nero called. "Hey Jackass! Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not nice to steal?" Nero pointed out, but it didn't phase the demon. "Sorry, Dante..." Nero unsheathed his sword, stabbing it into the ground and revving its engine. "I'm bagging this bitch!"

"Nero..." Rory called softly, but she just groaned in pain and rolled onto her back. Nero dodged some of Urizen's attacks, shooting him between each blast the demon sent, but he wasn't invincible. For each shot Nero dodged five more came his way, two or three hitting him each time. Nero ran in close to slice at the floating shards but Urizen sent a time orb at Nero, slowing his movements and he got hit with a large lava ball.

Rory had enough strength to cover Nero in a shield and absorb the hit of Nero slamming into the wall. Nero dropped to the floor, rolling to Rory; both battered and bloodied.

Nero huffed trying to stand, holding his side. "This is it, this is the end! It's all over!" Griffin yelled, making his and V's presence known. Rory stood up again, grabbing Blue Rose from Nero, and powering it up with an energy blast. Urizen held his hand out powering up a shot as well. Rory sucked in a breath through her teeth, moving her shot to the shards and pulling the trigger, simultaneously as Dante took his own shot at Urizen's face.

"Round two!" Dante shouted, back on his feet. Nero pushed himself up, taking the gun from Rory at the same time as Dante took his sword and activated his Devil trigger. Dante flew at Urizen slicing at the shield the demon made. The roof started to fall and Dante turned back to face the others.

"V, get Nero and the girl out of here!" Dante ordered, his voice graveled and demonic. "This was a bad move!"

"I can still fight!" Nero shouted, wobbling on his feet.

"Nero go! You're just dead weight!" Dante repeated turning his head back to the demon.

Nero went to move, pulling away from V's arm. "Back off!" Nero shouted. Rory grabbed Nero, bouncing the falling debris away with a blast, making the three stumble and fall against the floor.

"Come on!" V yelled, taking Nero by the shoulders.

"Let go!" Nero ordered.

"We must leave here! He is far stronger than we ever could imagined," V insisted. V pulled against Nero, as Rory pushed him back.

"Nero! Don't make me do this!" Rory pleaded, pushing against his strength.

"That bastard called me dead weight! I didn't come all this way for nothing!" Nero shouted pulling from the grip and rushing to climb on the rocks. Rory sighed and pulled the red light to her fingers, bring them to the side of Nero's head and clouding his mind with the red smoke; his eyes going red and his body going limp.

Rory threw Nero's arm over her shoulder and covered their body's in her powers. "You want a lift?!" Rory yelled looking at V. Griffin pulled itself into V's body and V nodded. Rory covered his body as well flying them away from the wreckage.

Rory blasted through the side of the tree, flying the three out, catching them all before they hit the floor. Once they were on the floor, Rory released her control from Nero. She helped him stand before he slapped her off. The three walked past a group of people, them stepping back once the three got too close.

"What happened to Dante?" Morrison questioned once the group was close enough to him. "Where's Dante?"

"He's buying time, but... It doesn't look good," V informed. Morrison spun back to look up at the tree. The others stopped to stare as well. Tentacle roots, with a long spike on the end, broke up through the road shooting down and stabbing through the sounding people.

"This can't be happening... Dante lost?" Morrison asked in astonishment.

Nero moved forward to fight but V held his cane out, holding the boy back. "Forget it, there's nothing we can do..." V stated. "We must go." Nero shrugged V's cane off pushing past Morrison and grabbing Rory by the arm.

"You got in my head?! I could've helped Dante!" Nero shouted.

Rory knocked his hand off, pushing against his chest. "We aren't strong enough to fight him right now Nero. Dante lost, we're up! But newsflash we couldn't fight him," Rory snapped pointing back at the tree. "We need to get stronger to stand a chance against Urizen!"

"Urizen?" Nero questioned.

"It's a god-like being," V explained, stepping up. "The demon King."

CHAPTER THREE

"WE HAVE ONE MONTH... UNTIL THE TREE MATURES. If nothing is done by then, this world will come to an end."

"Are you really leaving?" Kat questioned. She held a stuff toy of a bunny, one eye missing and its purple color had faded to grey.

Rory fixed her jacket and knelt in front of Kat. "For a bit, only a couple of days," Rory nodded and brushed Kat's hair back. "You'll barely notice I'm gone."

"Don't worry," Kyrie reassured, walking over to Kat and resting her hand's on her shoulders. "I'll look after her."

Rory nodded and stood up. "Thank you," Rory smiled.

"Don't worry," Kyrie said. "One more munchkin won't hurt."

Rory walked to the garage moving her hands out, runes covering the floor to re-open the portal in the same place the demon did. The portal rippled open, a red glow cast across the room. "Is this really a good idea?" Nero asked walking after her, the side of his face still lightly bruised. "You're gonna go take your covens power?"

"I'm taking a powerful spell book, whatever happens after that..." Rory shrugged and turned to the portal.

Nero reached out, gripping her wrist and spinning her back to face him. "What do you mean whatever happens?" Nero snapped.

Rory took a breath and Nero released her wrist. "My coven is more of a... cult," Rory explained with a shrug. "There's a reason I'm running around with a kid that isn't mine. It's not a good one." Rory stepped back and offered Nero a smile. "I'm a big girl Nero, I got this. I'll see you in a few days." Rory stepped back through the portal, spinning as she travelled to the corners of a cove miles away.

Rory made her way through the old house, taking out whatever witches came her way. It wasn't there fault, Rory thought as she set one to the ground, the wound in her side gushing blood. But they're still here. Rory turned and took a deep breath, facing her mother who pushed a mile of wreckage off her. "You think this will make it better?" Scarlett scoffed, pulling herself onto a table to stand. "Saving one child will not make up for the blood on your hands."

Rory took a long breath and tilted her head up. "Where's the book?" Rory questioned, taking a step forward.

"All the people you just killed, is that kid going to forgive you for this?" Her mother spat, raising her chin in the air. "Killing your kind, just to gain the power to fight a demon king? You think that will stop it."

Rory threw her hand up sending her mother flying across the room. "I want the book," Rory spoke again, walking over to Scarlett. "Give me the book now and you'll never see me again."

Scarlet laughed, her head rolling back. "You think I want to see you again?" Her mother ran her tongue across her broken lip and spat the blood away. "You are my blood, but not my successor."

Rory raised her hand, her mother floating as she moved her hand. "The. Book," Rory repeated. Her mother just continued to laugh.

"You don't have the guts," She spat. Rory closed her hand and her mother's body wilted, her power seeping from her skin as her bones and blood started to disintegrate. Rory let her hand release and her mother fell into disintegrating pieces of bones and ash. Rory walked to her mother, taking the necklace from her mother's neck and using the amulet as a compass to the book.

Once Rory reached the dead end of a hall, Rory tucked the amulet into her pocket pressing her hands against the wall. Rory pushed her way through the bricks, breaking the protection spells and breaking down the wall. The book stands were in the center of the room. One of the histories on witches, the other of handwritten notes on the weaknesses and best ways to kill demons, but it was the middle one she focused on. The book of the dammed.

Rory looked at the wall and grabbed one of the leather satchels, stuffing each book inside as well as a few other smaller spell books. Rory turned but stopped short when she came face to face with a group of Empusa's. "Really? Now?" Rory mumbled to herself. Rory threw her hand out, sending the closest one into the others.

Rory's power seeped through the wall and the bricks flung out to sash through a pair. Rory grabbed a chain from the side of the room, wrapping it around her fist. Rory whipped the chain around, smashing the heavy metal into the demons and making them fall to the floor, fading away as they die.

One Rory was done with the fight, the chain wrapped around her arm, the weapon ready to be summoned at a moment's notice. Rory opened another portal, taking a detour before heading back to meet Nero.

Rory walked through an abandoned garden house, the plants still growing around the broken pieces of architecture. She pushed open the glass doors and followed the loud shouting of V's bird Griffin. "Cat, just help me!" The bird screeched.

Rory paused and leaned against the entry way. She counted the Bird and the Panther and furrowed her eye brows at V's soaked clothes hanging on a statue. "So you either murdered V, or he's taking a wash in a garden fountain," Rory observed making the bird squawk in surprise. Her eyes drifted to water where the air bubbles had disappeared. "And to be honest I'm not sure what's worse... But it's both now, 'cause I think he's drowning."

The bird squawked and reached into the water, pulling him back up, V's knees and upper torso sticking out of the water. "Hey, hey, hey! The moment I look away you start drowning? Are you a fucking infant?" Griffin screeched.

Rory laughed and pushed herself off the door. "How do you put up with him?" Rory questioned walking further into the room, V looking up in surprise at her presence.

"What are you doing here?" V questioned, setting his legs back in the water. "I thought you were gaining more power."

Rory hummed, moving to V's damp clothes and setting her bag down. "Well, while Urizen was distracted by trying to kill me, our power melded and I stole a little," Rory spoke, running her hand over V's clothes and pulling the water from the fibers. She flung her hand and sent them back to the water. "I went back to my coven and killed them all and stole a few things." Rory turned away from V. "Put your clothes on, I got you a gift," Rory ordered, crossing her arms.

Rory heard the water sloshing and V pulling his clothes from the fence. "It's safe to turn around now," Griffin yelled landing on the edge of the fountain.

Rory cautiously looked over her shoulder before turning around fully. Rory scooped up her bag and stood by the fireplace V set up earlier. "Here," Rory called, pulling an old book from her bag and tossing it to V. "I doubt it holds up to yours but, give it a shot."

"What is it?" V asked turning the book over, not recognizing anything on the cover.

"An old book of powerless spells," Rory shrugged, looking up at V. "When a spell gets upgraded or refined, the old spell becomes useless. Basically, it's a big book of old poems and sayings from different covens."

V flipped the book in his hand and turned. "Why are you giving me this?" V questioned sitting on the floor, his panther behind him as a chair-like rest.

"Do you want an honest answer or the true answer?" Rory questioned, finally reaching up and taking the crown off.

"What's the difference-?"

"True answer!" Griffin squawked drowning V's words out.

Rory smiled to herself. "It's easier for me to get in someone's head if there's a connection, or you own something I used to," Rory answered with a blank stare and steady voice. "I know there's something off about you, but you won't tell me what."

V sighed running his thumb up the spin of the book, thinking over his next words. "And the honest answer?" V asked looking up at Rory.

Rory sighed and her smiled faded, her eyes darting around. "The piece of you that I want to know about, that intrigues me. Something about you makes me question things I never used to even think about," Rory admitted and looked back at V. "You remind me of someone." Rory shook her head and started to walk off. "There are no demons around! Get some rest!" Rory ordered as she left V alone with his familiars.

CHAPTER FOUR

A few weeks later

RORY RAN HER HAIR THROUGH HER HAIR AND LOOKED OVER THE DAMAGED CITY. "Why didn't I just go with Nero and Nico," Rory mumbled to herself walking along to the cathedral in Red Grave city. Rory tilted her head, the cathedral in considerably more damage than she expected. "What did you boys do?" Rory jumped off the large broken wall, landing in front of a massive hole in the floor.

Rory looked back at where she came from before jumping down the hole and landing on giant blocks of concrete. "Cat!" An all too familiar voice screeched, and suddenly V's large panther was rushing for Rory.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy kitty," Rory shouted, holding her hands up. The cat circled her, nudging the back of her knee before running back to V. Rory shook her head and stepped out of the cathedral. "Well, seems I missed all the fun!" Rory called walking over to Nero and V.

Nero shook his head and slotted Blue Rose away. "Starting to think you weren't going to show," Nero spoke up, watching Rory walk towards him.

"Well, honestly... I got lost," Rory mumbled stopping beside Nero. "Red Grave is a massive city." The three turned their heads, watching as one of the larger tree roots changed to white color and fell apart, dropping to the floor in chunks. Rory threw her hand out and sent the chunks away from the group.

"So... you think Dante's still in there?" Nero questioned turning his attention to V.

"If Urizen defeated him, then I expect he's not much more than Qliphoth pollen by now," V thought aloud as he caught a small amount of pollen in his hands, crushing it between his fingers.

"A what?" Nero questioned, taking a step forward.

"Qliphoth. It's a tree that grows in the underworld," V explained, glancing back at the pair. "It thrives on human blood and those whose blood it sucks well..." V raised his cane to point at human-like figures covered in holes, flakes of dried flesh tearing off and floating in the wind. "... Let's just say they don't turn out too well."

"Wheather he's pollen or not, we better find out for ourselves," Rory spoke up stepping between the boys. "If Dante's alive, great. If not, he's not."

Nero nodded in agreement and the two went to step away but V caught Rory's shoulder with the head of his cane. "Wait," V called and Rory turned to him. "First we need to exterminate some Qliphoth roots." V tossed the cane back into his hand and Rory glanced at Nero. Rory shrugged slight but Nero remained silent but raised his eyebrows in agreement.

The panther circled around Nero before going back to V. Griffin did the same, landing on V's outstretched arm. "V... What the hell are you?" Nero questioned, looking up at V.

Before V got a chance to answer, music blared behind them and Nico sped toward them in the van, stopping just a few meters away. Nero and Rory stayed still as V jumped back slightly. "I know. I know. I'm late. Shut it!" Nico shouted, leaning on the door. "The roads were all clogged."

Nico's eyes drifted to the tattooed V and his bird and her eyebrows dropped. "Hey, you must be V, huh?" V barely got a moment to nod before Nico kept talking. "Hey, ding, ding, right by your feet!" Nico pointed to a piece of a demon just in front of Rory. V tapped his cane on the floor and flicked the piece up to Nico, who caught it and sniffed along its scales. "Whoowee! I'm gonna make something amazing out of this," Nico called.

"Did you just sniff that?" Nero snapped, walking up to the window. "Do you have any idea where that's been?"

"Up your butt," Nico shot back.

"Focus on the mission," Nero fired back.

✦

NERO AND V LOOKED OUT THE FRONT WINDOW OF NICO'S VAN AND OVER THE FORK IN THE ROAD. "I think we should split into two groups," V suggested, moving back to sit on the couch.

"And cover more ground," Nero agreed. "Good idea." Nero nodded kicking himself off the seat and walking over to Nico. Rory hummed quietly flipping the page of her book.

"Behold my genius!" Nico shouted holding another arm for Nero in the air. Nero reached for it but Nico ripped it out of his way. "Ah! Ah! Cash first."

"All the materials that I collected for your little pet projects don't count for anything?" Nero questioned.

"My brilliant, badass work is worth every dime and you know it," Nico insisted.

"Well, your quality control sucks ass, and you know it," Nero argued.

Rory let the book floating in the air and pulled out her bag from under the seat. "Both of you stop," Rory ordered taking out a ball of cash. She stood and motioned towards Nico. "Nico takes the cash, Nero takes the arm."

"Seriously Red?" Nero sighed, waving her down. Rory rolled her eyes and brought the book back to her hands and moved to sit beside V.

"I am truly gifted. It's a work of art," Nico went on, spinning the arm in her hands.

Griffin chuckled darkly at Nico, watching her show off the arm. "Oh, so you're an artist now?" Griffin taunted.

"Yes I am," Nico snapped, spinning to face Griffin making him jump in response. "Got any questions, little chicken?" Nico spun again, facing V and Rory. "My grandmother was called the '45 Calibre Virtuoso... Legendary gunsmith. I hope to be like her someday. An artist, and a lethal artisan. Everything I create is art, whether it's a gun... Or a steel pot... to cook birds in." Nico put the arm down and took a seat across from Rory. "Any more questions? Huh?... Little chickee."

Nico flicked her lighter a few times and lit one of the cigarettes' she took out. V's lips curled in disgust and he turned his face. "I'll take my leave now," V announced, waving the smoke from his face. "And if I don't see you along the way, I'll see you at the bottom of the Qliphoth." V stepped out of the van and Griffin flew out the door.

"Stay safe Nico," Rory ordered closing her book and waving it into a cloud of smoke that absorbed onto Rory's skin.

Nero said goodbye to Nico before he and Rory stepped out of the van as well. "Come on Witch!" Griffin screeched, flying down to land on her shoulder.

"Rory's coming with me," Nero insisted motioning her along.

"Go," Rory encouraged. "You got guns and Red Queen, V's got a cane." Rory dug into her pocket and tossed Nero her mother's necklace. "If it gets too bad, smash it, and I'll come to you."

Nero reluctantly nodded and pulled the necklace on. "Stay safe, Red," Nero ordered and ran off.

"Come on Witch," V encouraged, starting to walk ahead. "Were on a time limit."

CHAPTER FIVE

"DO YOU AND THE KID REALLY THINK YOU CAN KILL URIZEN?" GRIFFIN ASKED AS HE FLEW NEXT TO RORY.

"May hope show the way and desire fly you there," Rory recited.

Griffin rolled his eyes and landed on Rory's shoulder again. "Can you translate that?" Griffin requested. "I barely can keep up with V and now you're reciting it too, fucking hell."

"Hoping can only get you so far, you need to actually work for what you want," Rory explained, stretching out her arm more so Griffin wasn't as crowded on her shoulder.

Rumbles and booms sounded from the opening of the tunnel and they looked back, the tunnel breaking and blocking their path back. "Well, for now, we have a more... pressing engagement," V reminded turning back and continuing down the tunnel. Griffin nodded and jumped off Rory's shoulder, flying ahead of the two. "We have a minor errand before we reach Urizen."

"Wait," Rory called, grabbing V's wrist and pulling him to a stop. The panther rose from the ground, growling in a way that almost agreed with Rory.

Three Red Empusa's crawled out of the ground, growling to themselves. "Ohh, genius says 'be careful," Griffin translated as he circled over the pairs heads. "Yeah, no shit, Shirley. Ain't that right, V? I mean, you are fragile at the moment. Wouldn't take too much to wipe you out in a sticky situation." V laughed to himself, his face shifting to an amused smile. "I say, we let Rory take this. You could take these guys out in seconds, couldn't you Witch?"

"He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence," V read aloud from his book. V chuckled and closed the book. "...So it is written."

"William Blake, nice," Rory hummed with a smile. "But still, sit this one out. They're weak demons anyway."

"And miss the fun? Nonsense," V ended.

"Okay, Shakespeare. Just remember this," Griffin ordered, floating down to rest on V's extended arm. "You and I like to exist. So get rid of those demons quick, 'cause killin' them ain't my shtick. I got your back, 'cause dying is whack!"

"A true poet in the making," Rory teased. Rory sent out bright lights, training the demon's gaze on her and lifted herself in the air.

"Oi, Witch," Griffin called flying next to her. "The cat and I can't kill the demons, that's up to you and V!" Rory shook her head and sent a flurry of red energy orbs at the floor, missing V and the panther and making small explosions. V stabbed at one that had turned into a sickly white color, it cracking into white shards.

Four more crawled from the ground, and Rory summoned large energy orbs to her hands. "V step back!" Rory ordered. The cat and V jumped back and Rory pulled herself back to the floor, cracking the concrete open in a large explosion, a large dust cloud floating into the air.

V coughed, waving his hand in front of his face to clear to dust. His eyes trained on Rory who had a smug look on her face, her hands crossed in front of her. "Fuck yes!" Griffin squawked. Rory held out her arm and Griffin flew down to land on her arm. "That was cool as shit! Told you this was a great idea!" Griffin flew away and the panther growled softly at her, circling her legs again.

"Good job cat," Rory smiled.

V walked over to her and the panther returned to V. "It was very impressive," V nodded and walked on, Rory following. "And so you don't have to keep calling her 'Cat', her name is Shadow." Rory nodded and looked down at the panther at her side.

V and Rory made their way up the large metal stairs, weaving their way through the Qliphoth roots that had taken over the metal. The stairs led back down to a second open area, this one lined with shipping containers and train tracks that ran over a bridge. "Descend it is..." V thought aloud, looking over the train tracks.

Rory squinted, looking over the empty space. "Yeah, I feel it too," Griffin spoke landing on the railing next to Rory.

V looked between the two, his eyes focusing on Rory. "Feel what?" V questioned.

"A fuck ton of demon energy. It isn't strong or anything, but..." Rory looked back up V. '"It's a lot." V chuckled and jumped down, landing on his feet. Rory's eyes widened and she pressed her hands to the railings. "V! Are you insane?!"

V smiled up at Rory as he threw his hand up, clicking his fingers. The remaining tattoos disappeared from his body, his hair turned white and an explosion shot from the sky and landed on the ground with a hard crash. A large monster that looked as though it was made of tar stunned all the demons immediately and V took them out within seconds. A few Hell Caina's crawled from the ground and Rory shot her blasts at them, killing them instantly.

Rory hopped off the stairs and walked up to V staring up at the large creature. V smiled and tapped his cane on her shoulder. "This is Nightmare," V introduced as the large monster looked down at Rory. "He won't harm you, but it would be best not to touch him. He causes people to witness the most horrific nightmares buried deep in their subconscious."

V clicked his fingers again and the monster dripped away dissipating in front of her eyes. "Dooley noted," Rory nodded, her eyes not moving from where the monster turned to black sludge and faded from view.

"Do not worry Little Witch," V insisted, making Rory look up at V. "He will not harm you."

"You said that," Rory reminded and moved on. "Not much use against humans then."

"He can harm humans, probably the most harm that could be done to a human is caused by Nightmare," V explained, tapping his cane against his palm.

Rory furrowed her eyebrows, tilting her head in confusion. "He means you specifically, Witch," Griffin clarified, flying around her head. V hummed in confirmation walking past Rory. Rory paused and watched him walk on, Shadow at his side. "Come on Witchy," Griffin squawked, nudging her forward. "There's roots on the bridge." Rory shook her head and ran after V, slowing to a stop when she reached the root.

"What? You waiting for me to break it?" Rory questioned.

V smirked and spun the cane once. "I feel that it would impose on Shadow to call her out for only a moment," V shot back, resting both hands on his cane. Rory rolled her eyes but summoned her chain anyway. Rory engulfed it in red light and slammed it down twice on the exposed soft spot of the root.

The roots started to turn opaque and wilted away but suddenly the bridge shook aggressively. "You didn't-?" Rory stopped her question to pinch her nose, the bridge's foundation breaking under their feet. "You didn't check to see if the root was holding up the bridge?!" Rory shouted throwing her arms out.

"I didn't realize-" V's sentence cut short when a part of the bridge fell inwards and a train rolled off. Rory grabbed V's hand and ran them up the bridge until the bridge gave out and she shot them in the air. Rory hovered for a moment, flying them over to the grass. Rory lowered them onto the grass holding her arm out and let V stand on his own. V hunched slightly, shock etched onto his features, his hands grasping his silver cane tightly.

V let out a shallow breath and looked up at Rory who stared down at him. "Thank you. And my apologies, I did not realize it was holding up the bridge," V breathed with a shaky voice, standing straighter.

"It's fine," Rory nodded, walking over to look over the edge of the broken bridge. "You're lucky. If I went with Nero, you'd be screwed." V laughed softly, but his breath still came out in uneven, shallow small pants. Rory paused. "You okay?" Rory asked, watching over V's figure.

V nodded and stood straight. "I'm fine," V nodded. "Let's go. I will not allow Urizen to gain more power." Rory nodded and followed after him to a doorway further ahead.

"Uh, V!" Griffin called flapping over a Nighogg hatchling, eating at one of the roots. "Do we need this?"

"Those are so gross," Rory mumbled shaking her head. V started to walk towards it, but Rory grabbed onto V's cane with her powers. "Good thing you have me." V looked back at Rory, furrowing his eyebrows. "I can break the roots they eat, with a simple flick of the wrist."

V nodded and smiled, stepping back to Rory. "Uh huh, just so I'm all caught up Witchy," Griffin called, flying to Rory and landing on her shoulder as they set off again. "What can you do?"

"Witchcraft, simple spells and things but they require casting," Rory explained as they stepped into a small warehouse-like building. "Then there are things that I specifically learnt like telepathy and telekinesis, which is what I use to fly."

"So the Hell Caina's you fought earlier, and the explosions you made were telekinesis?" V questioned, the tap of his cane echoing around the small space as they wandered down another staircase.

"That and it's mixed with an energy blast, that's what makes the actual explosion," Rory clarified. Rory hopped off a small ledge, V doing the same. Griffin disappeared back into V, getting tired of flapping around. The two jogged out the opened door, walking into a spray-painted alley. They barely got a few meters into the new clearing when more demons popped up. "Well, just our luck," Rory hummed shaking out her hand.

"I'll take the ones on the ground, you take the ones in the air," V instructed.

Rory nodded, starting to float up. "Sounds like a plan," Rory agreed and flew away throwing a blast at a bat spitting fire. Rory grabbed her chain and threw it down at a flying Empusa, slashing it in two. Rory grabbed a bat stunning it and throwing it at V's extended can. Two Hell Antenoras pulled themselves from the floor and Rory dropped back to the ground, shielding V; who they tried to swing at.

V stumbled slightly but Rory caught him. "You're welcome," Rory mumbled quickly and used the shield as a wall to throw the demons away. A Hell Cania swing down at V from the left and Rory caught its scythe, ripping it from its grasp and slicing the demon in half. Another bat flew down and V slid behind Rory as she threw up a shield. "Yeah, okay, stay behind me," Rory ordered bringing the scythe down like an axe and splitting an Empusa. Rory slammed her foot into the ground, splitting it and throwing the blocks at oncoming demons.

"Should I call Nightmare?" V asked, stabbing a Cania Griffin dropped at his feet.

"Wouldn't hurt," Rory mumbled, throwing V to the ground as Cania slashed along her arm. "Fuck!" Shadow knocked the Cania down and V pushed himself back up, summoning the large demon. V helped Rory to stand, wincing to himself at the large gash on her arm. Rory used broth hands to make a large orb of light and sent an explosion to kill a pair of Cania's.

Nightmare raised his fist and slammed it into the last reaming demon before it turned into sludge and disappeared. V let Rory stand and walked over to the stunned Hell Antenora, stabbing through its torso and driving it upwards in a long slash.

Rory sighed leaning against the shipping container. "How's your arm?" V questioned walking back to her. Rory grabbed a small bit of cloth that must have been torn from someone as the demons attacked and wrapped it tightly around her arm.

"Is that sanitary?" Griffin squawked, landing on the container next to her.

Rory winced as she tied it off. "Probably not, but neither is a demon," Rory mumbled. Rory looked up at Griffin, "No offence." Rory kicked herself off the container. "Let's keep going," Rory nodded at V. V nodded back and they set off again, Shadow and Griffin returning to his body.

CHAPTER SIX

"HUMAN BLOOD IS THE SOURCE OF HIS SUPPLY.... WE MUST CUT HIM OFF," V EXPLAINED. He led the way through an underpass, Rory as his side. Once they were out in the open again, two bats pulled themselves from a building.

"Do you think we can catch a break?" Rory mumbled to herself. Griffin tore himself from V's skin and started to shoot into the sky.

Rory shot at the one Griffin left unattended, stapling it to the side of a building. The second bat fell to the floor and V stepped up to it, stabbing through its head and tossing it away. Once the bats were down to more Cainia's crawled from the ground. "No, it appears we won't," V hummed.

As Griffin shot at them, Rory stole one of the shots from the sky, powering it up beneath her palms. Rory tossed it out, bowling over the demons. V smiled at her and walked to them, stabbing and slashing the creatures. "Come on, let's keep moving."

The two ran on until they came to a fork in the road. "Which way now genius?" Griffin squawked, landing on Rory's shoulder.

"Follow the demons," Rory suggested, walking towards a red Empusa. Rory flung the chain out and wrapped it around the demon's torso, tugging hard.

"And where do you know where the demons are?" V questioned walking up behind Rory.

"I know, trust me," Rory spoke dragging her chain along the ground as she rounded a corner. V sighed through his nose and reluctantly followed her. Rory stopped next to a lining of tables.

"Trust you?" V repeated walking Rory. An Empusa silently walked up next to V, and Rory stepped back tilting her head.

"Yeah, trust me," Rory agreed, nodding at the approaching demon. V gasped turning and catching its swing on his cane. V scoffed lightly at Rory as he summoned Griffin and Shadow.

"Listen Witch!" Griffin screeched in between his attacks. "I know V can be a douche bag, but help us!" Griffin flapped his wings, sending out a large electric shock. V slashed at one of the stunned demons and Rory pulled out her chain, stepping up to two Antenora's crawled from the ground. Rory raised the ground, knocking the demons off balance and swung the chain knocking them backwards. Rory flicked her fingers and spiked stabbed through the floor, impaling the demons.

"Rory! Bats!" V called, pointing above her head. Rory jumped backwards, dodging the fireball that the demon spat at her. Rory threw a shot of power at one and wrapped her chain around the other. Rory slammed the bat into the floor and V stabbed through its head. Shadow threw a Cania at Rory and she slammed her boot into its head.

Once the fight died down, Rory looked around the space panting slightly. Rory spotted a bright red phone box and headed towards it. "What are you doing?" V questioned, following behind her.

"There's a phone, I just want to see if I can reach Nico," Rory explained, taking a quarter from her pocket. "Y'know, the woman with the van. I just need to patch my arm, then we can head off again." Rory grabbed the phone and quickly clicked the numbers. "Hey Nics, I need a patch job."

"I see ya sugar, be right there," Nico confirmed immediately, clicking the phone off a second later. The line went dead and Rory hung up the phone and stepped from the phone box.

Rory turned to V, "Keep an eye out, Nico is a reckless driver." As soon as the words left her lips Nico's van drove over the edge of a broken bridge. Rory pushed V behind her and stopped the van in mid-air. "Reckless," Rory mumbled setting the van down.

"Sorry, Hun! It was the quickest way!" Nico called, smiling nervously from behind the glass of the windshield.

Rory shook her head and looked back at V. "I'll be two minutes," Rory nodded and stepped up to Van. Rory quickly stitched her arm and tossed her jacket at Nico. "When this shit is done, I'm teaching you to drive properly," Rory promised before jumping out of the van.

Once Rory stepped up to V, Rory shooed Nico off. '''"You took your time, Little Witch," V hummed walking on again.

"It was like three minutes," Rory shot back. Rory and V wandered over to the large thick root stuck in the middle of the road. "Well, this is... interesting." A long snake-like tendril, with a rose-shaped mouth, weaved out and shot out at the two. Rory flung herself into the air and Griffin grabbed V's hand, flinging him backwards. V landed on his knees his arm bent behind him as he glared up at the creature. Rory lowered herself next to V as a mutated orange human figure with a body that blended into a tendril shot out.

"You dodged me!" The gross voice spat. V pushed himself up, gripping the canes handle. "Did you dodge me?!" His body rippled with each word it spoke and we waved his spike hand around.

"Ah, Nidhogg," Griffin groaned landing on V's arm. "I never liked this guy."

"You pest! Do I know you?" Nidhogg growled, his eyes head staring down at them.

"Dumb as a box of rocks," Griffin went on. "Let's not even mess with this guy. He can't even leave the Qliphoth anyway. Just a Qliphoth parasite."

"Did you insult me?" Nidhogg questioned. "You insulted me!"

"Well, he doesn't look like he has ears, but he heard you," Rory hummed. The Nidhogg screeched and shot a tendril out. Rory threw her hands up, shielding herself and V and she singed the tentacle.

"A - A witch?!" The creature screamed. "I am going to kill you!"

"Not in this lifetime," V voiced, looking up at the critter as he stepped up beside Rory.

"Don't think he was talking to you," Rory spoke up, bringing her crown to her palm and setting it on her head, her clothes ripping into armor. "But not any less true."

"A witch!" The creature repeated. "And a human! With de- demons?!"

V summoned Griffin and Shadow and they lunged at the Nidhogg's body. One of the snake heads shot out at Rory and she hit it up to the roof and then slammed it back down into the floor. Rory covered the snake and tore its head off, flinging it behind her. The Nidhogg screamed, sending two more snakes at the two, the tendrils spiraling into a frenzy.

Rory stumbled slightly as she shielded the two and Shadow slashed at the tendrils. "Even the big bad kitty knows you got shit for brains!" Griffin taunted. Griffin flew around the Nidhogg shouting insults at the pest, allowing an opening for Rory to send a shot at its torso.

"Q-Q-Q-Quiet! You... You... You bird and cat!" The Nidhogg cried. While he was distracted, Rory sent a second shot. The orange opaque skin rippled as it took the force of the shot but the energy singed the flesh. "Ow! You Witch! Stop hurting m- me!" Shadow slashed down a snake and V flung over to it, slashing through its skin. The vermin screamed and flung V backwards. Rory caught him in the air, lowering him back on his feet.

"One more snake," Rory mumbled to herself, pulling up the concrete and sending it toward the base of the Nidhogg's infection. Griffin flapped his wings and shot out a large electric explosion. The tendril slapped griffin away, shattering his body and leaving a black and purple orb hovering above the floor.

V shot up and he dodged a snake. "Distract it," V ordered as Shadow limped over to Rory and fell next to her feet. Rory flung shots at the snake head, preoccupying it as V rushed to the orb. Rory caught the snake, holding it in place. Shadow shot back up and run up Rory's shoulder and jumped off her shoulders. Shadow landed on the snake, tearing at his skin until it went a ghost white.

Shadow jumped off and landed back next to Rory. Rory used her other hand as a conductor and tore the snake in two. The Nidhogg cried and fell to the floor, trying to hold himself up with his spiked hands. Rory walked up to the vermin, holding her hand out and sending shots of red energy all over it's body and it finally gave out and fell on its face.

Griffin flew to the Nidhogg, slashing and tearing at the back of its head. "Yeah, you slimy fuck! Not so tough now!" Griffin taunted as his slashes finally turned the creature sickly white. V walked to the Nidhogg and stabbed his torso and pulled it up to slash through its body.

The Qliphoth roots the Nidhogg was attached to cracked and shattered into green and white pollen, flying into the wind along with the snakes and Nidhogg himself. One of the larger tree roots broke and shattered, collapsing into a heap on the ground.

Once the dust had settled a massive demon wandered behind the roots, turning its head toward the broken roots. V's eyes widened in panic and Rory shuffled back slightly.

"Okay, um, all right that's not good at all. That's not good," Griffing pointed out as he flew around Rory and V's heads. "Witch, you got any ideas?" As Griffin spoke, V turned on his heel and started to walk back the way they had come. "Wait, where- where are you going? Are you running away? That, that's not a good sign," Griffin screeched.

"I'm afraid that..." V pointed with the end of his cane. "That's a little bit more than I can handle right now," V explained.

The demon raised one of it's antenna like tentacles toward the pair. "But the witch-"

"V look out!" Rory yelled throwing her hands up, bouncing a blast that demons sent into the ground. Griffin caught her as she stumbled and she pushed herself up, barely missing another shot by an inch as they started to run. More and more shots came and Rory caught up to V, trying to shield them until one finally broke the ground beneath their feet and they fell through the ground.

Rory grabbed V and threw her crown on the ground breaking their fall with a levitation spell. They hovered a few inches in the air for a moment before the crown's red power disappeared and they landed on the rubble floor. "Ow," Rory groaned, rolling V's body off her and to the side. V pushed himself onto his elbows and watched up through the large hole in the ground as the giant demon walked across.

"We're alive, we made it!" Griffin called in victory. "It's our lucky day, guys! Let's go find a game of cards."

"These Qliphoth roots... They're everywhere," V observed, looking around and the overgrown spiked roots.

"Well, we are underground," Griffin reminded.

V pushed himself up, using his cane to his advantage. "Then I guess we have some cleaning up to do," V sighed and he tossed his cane in his hand, gaining a better grip on the handle.

"And me without my garden shears," Griffin joked, flying down and tugging on Rory's sleeve. "Come on Witch." V looked back and picked up her crown with one hand and held the other out.

Rory took it and V pulled her to stand, brushing dust off her shoulder. "Here," V held out the crown between his two fingers, the others gripping the cane.

"Ah, thanks," Rory groaned grabbing the crown, it immediately turned to dust with the armor rippling away.

"Come on now Little Witch, we have a job to do," V reminded.

CHAPTER SEVEN

V AND RORY WALKED THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND TUNNELES. It was silent for the most part, however with Griffin, it never lasted long. "Can't you just fly us back up?" Griffin squawked, landing on Rory's shoulder.

"Theoretically," Rory mumbled, bruises already forming on her arms.

"Theoretically?" Griffin questioned.

"I need the crown to fly, but it needs to... recharge," Rory explained. "Because the crown caught us when we fell, I used up its magic battery. Also, what happens if I fly us straight up? Come face to face with the demon who absolutely wrecked us in three seconds flat. So it's best we find an exit."

"Well, you're going to have to hold that idea," V spoke up, tilting his head at the demons tearing themselves from the ground. Rory shot her hands up knocking the Hell Cania's off their feet. V summoned Shadow and the cat pounced on them immediately, slashing at them with quick swipes. Griffin sent electric shockwaves out at the approaching demons, the tight space making it difficult for Rory to attack without hitting one of the familiars or V.

Rory looked up and brought on the roots down from the roof, sending rubble and concrete at the demons and crushing them, but as she feared it crushed Shadow. "Fuck," Rory muttered dropping her hands at her sides. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Shadow's a tough girl," V assured, walking to the orb and pressing his hand against it. A few seconds later the orb cracked open and Shadow bounded out.

Rory reached her hand out and Shadow nuzzled against it. "Sorry girl," Rory mumbled, scratching behind her ears.

"Come on Little Witch, we still have a job to do," V called already walking on. "The quicker we get rid of the roots, the quicker we can get out of here." The two walked along the underground, following the spiked roots. "Can't move forward without breaking through these..." V concluded, poking the red soft spot with the end of his cane. "Can you-?"

"I got it," Rory nodded holding her hand over the roots and sending red shots at it until it burst into red chunks. "Gross." Rory followed the fading roots pointing over at the open tunnel. V hummed and they rushed toward it but once they entered the tunnel it shook violently. Rory looked up at V and she took the lead, holding her hand out in front of her as she led them into a large Wearhouse.

Griffin flew around their heads, looking up at where the echoing rumbles came from. "Ahhh, he's throwing a tantrum up there!" Griffin concluded, referring to the large demon that shot them down there in the first place. "Watch the ceiling guys!"

Small rubble and broken cracks of concrete fell from the roof, but nothing too dangerous. "Noted," Rory nodded, kicking one of the rocks away. V led them up to a higher level. But it had started to decay and the floor had given in in some places.

V stepped up to a root soft spot when one of the demon's claws burst through the ceiling. Rory shielded them from the support beam that fell in. V summoned Shadow and she and Griffin started to tear at the roots. Griffin went to swipe at the claw, but Rory caught him by his foot. "It can't see us, you'll just piss it off and it'll tear the roof down before we can get out," Rory explained, letting go of Griffin and letting him rest against her arm. "Just get rid of the root."

The demon pulled its arm up, banging against the side of the hole it made but left the group alone all the same. Rory dropped her hands and the shield went away. Shadow tore at the root and it cracked, withering like the others. Rory stepped up the edge dropping down with V following.

"Up and over," V instructed moving towards the large shipping containers that blocked their way. Rory threw her hands toward the ground, red power shooting out and boosting her over the containers. V smiled softly and shook his head. Griffin swooped down and grabbed his hand flying him up. As soon as V landed on the containers Hell Canias tore themselves from the ground.

Rory threw a shot out, making a gas can sitting by the demons explode. The shelving beside it gave out and fell to the floor making loud high pitch crashes. "Shit! I didn't know it would be that loud," Rory mumbled.

"You blew something up," V pointed out as Shadow and Griffin took the last of the demon's stamina. Rory looked back and the demon burst through the roof again. "We'll handle the demons, you distract that," V instructed, turning to the smaller demons.

Rory shook out her hand and pulled the broken shelf towards her and slammed it against the demon's arm. It spread open and swiped at Rory but she jumped to the side before it could hit her. Rory shot it again with quick and smaller shots. It reeled back up to swipe at her but she threw a larger one at the leg and it finally slipped back the way it came. With the remnants of her last shot, she threw it back at a bat that swung at V.

V slashed at it in mid-air, kicking off its body and flipping backwards. "Way to be a showoff," Rory teased walking up and dropping off the other side of the containers.

"Hilarious," V shot back dropping next to her. "There's another root," V nodded to the side, following the thick vine. Shadow rushed ahead, slashing down at the red soft spot. The root wilted away clearing the way for them to keep moving.

The ground broke above their heads and the group stumbled slightly. Rory and V looked up through the dust, Nero standing over the large hole in the ground. "What're you doing down there?" Nero asked, his sword slung over his shoulder.

"You didn't think you did that all by yourself, did ya?" Griffin chuckled.

Nero crouched resting his prosthetic hand on his knee. "You know, I bet you taste like chicken..." Nero teased.

"Oh, you ungrateful sonuva-"

V held his cane out, stopping Griffin from flying off. "We'll leave this beast to you," V called. "We must press on," V informed walking on again.

"Hey Red," Nero called holding out his prosthetic arm Nico made. "Powerup?" Rory twisted her powers in her palm and shot at Nero's hand, her powers rippling around the metal.

"Don't be a dumbass," Rory called before catching up to V and Griffin.

"This ship is awfully big..." Griffin recognized. The roof above rumbled as they walked through and Griffin landed on Rory's shoulder.

"Thank you captain obvious," Rory mumbled, shooting herself over some more containers. Rory looked up at the roof starting to bend under pressure. "Our friend is back," Rory spoke looking beside her at V.

The demon claw burst through in front of them, rubble bouncing on the floor. "This way," V spoke, knocking the head of the cane gently against Rory's shoulder then gesturing to the left. "We can go around." V looked over the edge, two Red Emuspa's feeding from the ground. "Follow the demons." Rory chuckled softly and they both jumped off the containers. Rory went to step out but V caught her shoulder with the cane handle. V nodded ahead and an Empusa three times the size of the other walked around the corner. An Empusa Queen.

It spotted the two Empusa's feeding from the red gurgling liquid on the floor and clicked at them. It reared back on its legs and jumped up, slamming itself back down on the small demons. V jumped back in surprise, using the handle to pull Rory back as well. The Queen shoved its face to where the others were feeding and tore a large part off, its body hide and skull changing color to bright ruby red. It straightened up and growled at V and Rory, slamming its claws against the ground.

The demon lunged at the two and Rory shot herself over it, sending a few shots at its ruby-colored back. It screeched and tried to hit her while she was in the air but Shadow slashed at the demon's stomach, allowing Rory to set herself on the ground. Griffin sent out shocks and Rory tried to keep the focus on her so Shadow could continue to land blows.

The Queen growled in the air before jumping up. Rory managed to shield herself but still took a massive blow and crashed into a shipping crate. The jump also crushed Shadow and Griffin, their orbs floating together in a corner. "Shit!" Rory cursed. The demon started to stalk towards V but Rory broke the ground under its feet making it stumble, giving an opening for V to run to his familiars.

Rory stood back up and bounced an attack off. She knocked it to the side and it smashed into the crates. Shadow rushed up and slashed at the demon letting Rory take a step back. V rushed to her as he dodged a slash. "Any ideas?" V questioned.

Rory looked around at the walls, spotting scaffolds that almost ran to the ceiling. "Get it as close to the scaffolds as possible, keep it there," Rory ordered moving back to climb up the shipping containers.

"You heard the Witch," V called directing Griffin and Shadow's attacks with his cane. It took a moment but Griffin and Shadow got the Empusa Queen in the corner. "You're up Little Witch!"

Rory held her hand out, covering the entire scaffolding with the bright red of her powers. "Get out the way!" Rory shouted. Shadow rushed back to V and Griffin grabbed his hand flinging him backwards. Rory brought the scaffolding down, impaling the demon on dozen of broken metal poles and slicing its limbs with sheets of metal. The demon struggled for a moment as the dust settled but with a final high pitch screech, its body gave out and started to wilt away.

Rory dropped back down but before she could her magic to catch herself, Griffin swooped in and gripped her hand setting her straight. "Good job Witch!" Griffin called, sitting on her arm properly.

"Yes, it was very..." V paused and brushed the dust from her shoulder again. "Impressive."

"So put compliments on a list of things you're not great at," Rory teased, turning and heading on, V close behind. "But thank you." They barely got halfway into the next room before the demon's arm broke through the roof. Rory sighed through her nose, stepping around it. "If it does it one more time I'm gonna tear its arm off, just out of sheer annoyance."

"I think you'll just enrage it," V countered with a chuckle, following her. "There must be an escape route... somewhere," V spoke as he looked around. He followed the roots again, another exposed spot growing off its side. Rory and Griffin shot at the root at the same time, destroying it in one double shot.

"Hey, what's in that hole? Should we take a look?" Griffin screeched flying around the open hole in the ground.

"Well, we can't get any more stuck," Rory shrugged, looking at V for confirmation. V nodded and they stepped off, falling down the dark chasm. Rory shot her hands down, catching herself and Griffin held V setting him down.

They looked out at more underground tunnels like the ones they wandered before getting stuck in the boat. "Great! More tunnels," Griffin whined, flapping along as V led the way.

"This way, I guess," V mumbled walking along the only clear or opened path. V slowed to a stop as they came upon a group of Hell Canias. Griffin shot at a gas can, flinging the demons in different directions. Rory turned to the two on the left and V took the three on the right.

Rory shot the closest one back against a wall and summoned her chain to slash at the other one. The first stood back up and Rory slashed at it. Both demons started to fade, breaking down into nothingness. Rory looked up at V slash through a Hell Antenora. Rory sighed looking past V's shoulder. "You got to be shitting me," Rory cursed watching a Queen Empusa crawl from the ground. Rory clenched her fist and the ground broke under its feet. Using the rubble, Rory crushed its front two legs. Shadow rolled in on herself creating a spiked wheel and tearing through the Queen's stomach. The Queen screeched and fell to the floor, its skin rippling into the pale white.

V rushed to it and stabbed the cane through the demon's head, pulling it outwards and killing it.

"How'd you kill this one so easily?" Griffin questioned landing on V's arm.

"It wasn't supercharged," Rory explained. "Y'know how the other turned that bright red, this one wasn't." Rory looked past the fading Empusa at the open tunnel. "Come on, let's get out of here." Rory continued on V close to her side. Griffin flew ahead scouting the way.

"There's a tunnel on the left, I can see the sun!" Griffin called flying back to them.

"Salvation," Rory joked as she and V started to run ahead. They made it to the top of the tunnel their surroundings lined with old architecture.

"Woohoo! Finally outside! And look at that, a phone," Griffin called, flapping his wings in excitement.

"It would be good for us to get a little rest while we wait for Nico," Rory spoke up as they walked to the phone. "And some food."

V stepped into the phone booth, flicking the phone off the hook with his cane and catching it in his other hand. V held it between his shoulder and ear as he pulled a coin from his inner pocket. V hit the number and he swapped the phone to his other hand as he waited for Nico to answer.

"Hey, I could use a hand," V requested.

"You got it. Wait right there," Nico ordered. V hung up the phone and walked to the side of the phone booth, sliding down against it to take a seat.

"Hey, if you wanna get some shut-eye, I'll keep a lookout," Rory suggested, materializing a spell book in her hands.

"You wouldn't mind?" V questioned as Shadow crawled to the top of the phone booth, already falling asleep.

Rory mumbled a spell to herself and hovered above the ground, casting a small levitation spell. "I've got some reading to catch up on so, you're all good," Rory confirmed, the book flipping open by itself.

CHAPTER EIGHT

20 minutes later

A LOUD RUMBLE ECHOED THEOUGH THE AIR AND THE GROUND SHOOK SLIGHTLY. Rory set herself down, her powers picking up on the rumble of an engine was Nico. Rory crouched in front of V and gently took the cane from under V's chin, tapping his other shoulder. "Hey, V," Rory called. V hummed opening his eyes enough to see her. "Nico's just about here." Rory stood back up letting V take his cane back.

V reached up, tapping it against the metal of the booth stirring Shadow awake. Rory held her hand out and V gripped it pulling himself up. "Nice nap?" Rory teased.

"For sleeping on the concrete floor, yes actually," V hummed, resting his back against the booth, Shadow hopping down next to her. The floor rumbled and V perked up.

"It's just Nico," Rory explained.

"What-?" The floor cracked and Nico's van burst through the floor, bouncing slightly when it landed on its tires. V looked at Rory, expecting an answer.

"The van has a protection spell on it," Rory explained waving at Nico. "I wasn't sending her out there completely defenseless." Rory rolled the van door open, hopping inside V following and standing behind her. "Hey, Nics."

"Hey Sugar, what do ya need?" Nico questioned looking over her shoulder.

"I'm raiding your fridge," Rory called, opening the small mini fridge on the counter. "Oh thank god," Rory mumbled pulling out the two bottles of iced coffee.

"Do you actually like that?" V questioned reaching over Rory's shoulder and taking the coffee from her grasp, spinning it between his fingers.

"There's a chocolate milk if you want that instead," Rory spoke, slightly teasingly, holding it up for V. V took the chocolate milk between his fingers and dropped the coffee in Rory's hands.

"Grab the chocolate bars as well," V instructed and stepped out of the van. Rory slid the coffee back into the fridge and Nico pushed herself to stand.

"What was that?" Nico questioned rushing up to Rory as V stepped away.

"What was what?" Rory questioned taking two small chocolate bars. Nico chuckled and rolled her eyes. Rory turned and spotted the girl on the couch. "Is that lady?" Rory questioned looking at the girl covered in blankets. Nico hummed softly. "Be safe," Rory called jumping from the van and slamming the door closed.

Rory furrowed her eyebrows slightly but turned to face V. "What's with the squinty face?" Griffin questioned landing on Rory's shoulder.

"Nothing," Rory mumbled. V tossed his empty drink into a nearby bin, Shadow circling around them her gaze trained on the opening archway. Rory dematerialized the food and drinks watching Shadow disappear back into V.

"Hey! I wanted that chocolate!" Griffin screeched.

"You can have it after," Rory compromised stepping up to V. "Is something in there?" Rory questioned.

V called Griffin back and he started to move toward the archway. "I'm not sure," V admitted. Rory followed after him, as V lead the way. Once V reached the corner he gasped in surprise and hid behind the wall, using the cane to pull Rory close and hide her behind the wall as well.

Rory looked down at the cane that pressed her to the wall and looked up at V. "What-?" V held his finger to his lips, signaling for Rory to stay quiet, his breath coming out in shallow pants. He took the cane back silently.

Carefully they peeked around the corner. A giant demon bird stood upon a pile of rubble, a three-headed demon mounted on top. "Malphas," Rory mumbled sliding back behind the wall. V looked at Rory, waiting for her to keep talking. Rory leaned against the wall, feeling the strength start to leave her body. "She attacked a coven not far from mine, the markings on her body, the spirals, they're runes. They weaken a witch's power to the point their powers become unusable when around her. That's why I couldn't sense her. If I get to close, I'm weaker than a human."

V looked back out at Malphas his eyes moving to the demon on a horse she was speaking to. "Search for the devil sword Sparda. You know where it is... He told me to leave it be, but I'm afraid it still concerns me," Malpas ordered the other demon. "As long as there is a blood descendant of Sparda... I can not take any chances. Do you understand?! Find it, and destroy it! Only then will his reign be truly realized!" Malphas opened a portal stepping through and disappearing.

Rory gasped slightly, her strength returning. V eyed Rory as she stood properly and weaved a light around her fingers. "Put your crown on, this might get messy," V ordered stepping out of the archway. V harshly stabbed the cane against the floor, a sharp tinging sound ringing out and catching the demon's attention. The horse turned around, and demonic hisses and huffs echoed around.

Rory summoned the crown to her hand putting it on and her clothes changing to her armor. The knight that sat on the horse shot his demonic spear out, cracking purple lightning hitting the floor.

V tilted his head slightly, noticing something Rory didn't. "I see, I know what you are," V recognized. V tossed his cane up, gripping it lower on the body and tapping it against his hand. "I'll be gentle." V gripping the handle again, pointing the end at the knight.

Griffin and Shadow bounded at the demon horse, landing swipes and shots. "Try and draw the knight's attention, we'll handle the horse," V ordered.

Rory flew into the air sending out a flurry of shots at the knight's armor. The knight spun shooting an electric current at Rory. Rory shielded herself pushing back against the power. Rory shot it against the floor and sent the broken concrete at the horse and knight. The horse stumbled slightly but the knight was unaffected and swung out Griffin and Shadow. "Weak, powerless creatures," The knight growled.

Griffin chuckled deeply sending out lines of lighting at the horse. "So? You got a comeback for that?" Griffin taunted. The horse slammed its hooves into the floor and charge at V. V rolled out of the way and the horse slammed against the wall. Rory pulled one of the cars from the roots grasp and it slammed against the knight.

"One thought fills immensity..." V read from his book.

"This is not the time for poetry!" Griffin yelled. "Wait, what does that even mean!?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way... Now let's go!" V ordered. Electric shots flung out at V but Rory managed to derail them all. Rory landed next to V, sending them back at the horse. The horse wailed and sucked in a breath, shooting out an ice-blue power that slowed time around them.

Rory pushed back against the large blue light, letting V and her speed up once again. "The power to control time... That's quite a horse," V confessed. Rory broke the tiles on the floor and flung them into the horse's side.

"But that would mean it's Geryon! I thought Dante killed it already!" Griffin called back.

Rory shielded herself and V as an electric wave came their way. "Maybe it's a copy," Rory offered, slamming the shield down and sending a shock wave back at the horse.

"A rare species, but apparently not quite extinct," V countered stepping back slightly. "Until today, that is."

"Be careful, V! He's got horsepower!" Griffin shouted. Rory threw herself into the air sending another flurry of shots at the knight. The horse reeled back charging a large electric shot.

"I'll take that momentum... And send it right back," V planned. The horse charged and ran over Shadow, killing her and making the orb float. And a second later the sword slashed through Griffin and killed the bird. "Dammit. This isn't good."

Rory slammed into the ground, breaking the concrete and making the steed stumble. "V! Be quick!" Rory called looking over her shoulder. Rory threw a power punch at the horse making the horse skid along the floor. Rory brought the ground up and aimed for the horse's legs.

The horse screamed and stumbled slightly. The horse kicked the floor shaking it and making Rory fall backwards. The knight charged his sword and fired at Rory. Rory shouted as it hit her skin but her armor absorbed most of the shot. Shadow rushed over and bit into the horse's neck and the Knight lost his aim. Griffin flew over coving Rory as she pushed herself back. V ran to her and pulled her up by her arms, dragging her back a few steps.

"Shit," Rory cursed as her armor broke away. Rory ripped the crown off and absorbed it.

"Are you alright... to fight?" V questioned pausing slightly.

Rory shook her hands out. "I'm fine," Rory nodded breaking the ground again and running back to the horse. The Knight slammed his sword down at Rory and she caught it before it could hit her. Rory fought against the momentum and pushed the sword up enough to gather an energy shot in her palm and slammed it up against the horse's neck. The horse reeled back his neck bulging before his head blew open sending the knight flying away to hit a wall.

The horse fell against the floor with a thud, fading away. The Knight stood up and rushed through the gates. V stood to follow after him but fell to his knees. "V!" Griffin yelled in concern.

"I'm fine..." V mumbled trying to push himself up, but the cane slipped from his grasp.

V shuddered his breathing coming out in short pants again. Rory dropped in front of V setting her hand on his shoulder. "V..." Rory called but he couldn't look up at her, his eyes still shooting around. Rory brought her hand up to the side of his head the red of her powers flashing in his eyes and she winced slightly. V looked up at Rory and she dropped her hands. "I didn't mess with your mind or anything, just calmed you down a little," Rory explained. V gripped the cane and pushed himself up. "...Are you alright?" Rory asked tilting her head slightly.

"I'm fine," V repeated but his eyes focused on her face. "Your nose," V pointed out watching the blood drip down her face and over her lip.

"Told you it's hard to get hard in someone's head," Rory reminded wiping her nose and turning to the archway.

"We must chase him," V spoke up, watching the rubble block the path that the Knight went. "If the devil sword Sparda still exists, it may very well be our only hope."

"V, uhhh, think about this for a minute now. What will you do if you find it?" Griffin questioned. Rory held her arm out and Griffin landed on it. "You gotta be strong in mind and body to wield the Sparda, and you, sir, are neither. Hate to break it to you, but the Sparda will just be too much for ya."

"For me, yes. But what of the boy... Nero?" V suggested.

"But what happens when you find it, you're gonna drag it back to Nero?" Griffin questioned, tilting his head.

"Rory could wield it," V spoke up looking back at you. "Couldn't you?"

"Yeah, should be. Unless it's cursed or something," Rory confirmed. V looked to the side, noticing a large demon horn on the floor.

V crouched down and grabbed the demon piece before looking up at Nero's van. "Let's go. Once we are near the Sparda, even I should be able to sense its presence." V paused looking back at Rory who grunted and held her side. "You alright?"

"The adrenaline has worn off and I can feel that lightning now," Rory confessed. "And it fucking stings."

CHAPTER NINE

V OPENED THE VAN DOOR, HOLDING HIS HAND OUT FOR RORY TO PUSH HERSEF UP. Once she was inside V quickly followed. "You can't travel through here in a car," V spoke up, his cane in his hand.

"Yeah, we know, " Nero spoke quietly. "We're just watin' on you guys. There's only one way up that tree. Hang on, I'll get ready." V nodded softly before moving his attention to Rory who still held her side.

"Let me see your side," V requested, resting his cane next to the doorframe. Rory sighed and pulled her shirt off. V tilted his head and grabbed something cold from the mini freezer and pressed it to her side. Dark red and blue scattered lines ran up her side and back.

"What the hell did you do?" Nico shouted, rushing to Rory.

"He didn't do anything, I just wasn't quick enough," Rory sighed, taking the makeshift ice pack from V. "I need another shirt, got one?" Rory asked, looking up at Nico. V gave a final look at Rory, his fingers lingering for a second before moving to sit in the open doorway.

"I'm glad to see you look so well," V spoke up, looking at Lady from the side of his eye.

"You too I guess," Lady mumbled looking away.

V sighed and held the demon piece up. "I found these. If they're of any use to you, they're yours," V called and Nico tossed the shirt at Rory's face and snatched the demon horn from V's hand. Rory set the shirt on the counter and continued to cast a healing spell.

"Wow! I can make something truly awesome out of this," Nico exclaimed with a smile. V grabbed his cane and stood up, walking away.

"Shocker... Can we trust him?" Lady questioned as Nero grabbed his sword.

"Your guess is as good as mine. He might be useful though," Nero admitted. He paused and turned his head to look down at Lady. "Enough talking, get some rest. You need it. Come on Red."

Lady looked down, nodding softly. Rory tossed away the now warm ice pack on the counter and pulled on the black shirt Nico grabbed for her. "Hey, Rory," Nico called tossing Rory her jacket.

"Thanks," Rory smiled.

"Hey, Rory..." Lady called softly looking up at her. "Be safe around V."

"He saved my life, a few times actually..." Rory spoke up, thinking back. "I think we can trust him."

"You're just saying that cuz he's got the hots for ya," Nico called slamming something on her workshop counter.

Rory rolled her eyes and jumped from the van, slamming the door behind her. Rory jogged and caught up to the boys, pulling the jacket over her shoulders. "Splitting up again?" Rory questioned, looking between the two boys.

"Apparently," Nero mumbled moving to the tunnel on the right.

"I'll keep going with V then," Rory called moving to the left tunnel with V. Griffin flew V to the tunnel opening and Rory shot herself up.

V walked along the tracks headed for the root. Rory looked over her shoulder and V tapped her with his cane. "It's better to split up, we'll cover more ground," V insisted stopping at the root and summoning Shadow to tare at the root's soft spot. The root disappeared and opened up the tracks for the two to move through.

A lizard-like demon sat atop the broken red train, growing at them. It hopped off the train and hissed at the two before rushing through an open doorway. "A Riot," V hummed still walking forward. A few Hell Canias crawled from the floor, but Rory made quick work of them, stabbing them with the broken train tracks.

V led the way as they moved through the door that the Riot went through. "Ah, it's a fuckin' maze in here!" Griffin complained as they weaved through the tunnels. "We better search every corner."

"Indeed," V hummed in agreement.

"Careful V, something in here stinks," Griffin warned.

"No 'be careful Rory'?" Rory teased looking up at Griffin.

"You're the one looking after us Witch," Griffin screeched following after them. Just as Griffin finished talking the lizard dropped from the ceiling and Rory knocked it back, smashing it against the stairs. "See? What did I just say?!" Shadow jumped up tearing at the lizard. Rory shot at its face, stunning it and V stabbed through its stomach.

They walked through to a larger clearing, a mutated egg-like flesh blob in the center of the floor. It split into two, flesh tendrils connecting it as it spawned three more lizards. "Take care of the lizards," Rory instructed and she weaved through the lizards to reach the egg. Rory summoned the chain and slammed it against the flesh parts making a dent in its side.

A lizard turned towards her, slamming a claw down at her. Rory caught its claw and flung it away pulling the wall out to stab through its torso. Rory turned back to slam against the egg two more times. It turned the ghost white and Rory used her power to tear it from its stem tossing it away.

Rory shot at a lizard that was stalking toward V and it slammed into the railing. Rory clenched her fist and the poles stabbed through the lizard's body. V stabbed through the other one's head.

"Nice job," Rory nodded. V smiled and jumped up to the next set of stairs, Rory following. They dropped two another train track, a train and root blocking one path. "If we get rid of the root we can squeeze past the train," Rory observed. V nodded and motioned to root soft spot. Rory tore the root from the soft spot, each end shriveling and disappearing.

V pulled himself on top of the train, waiting for Rory. Once Rory looked over the space noticing another flesh egg. "There's a passage behind the egg," Rory spoke up, nodding towards it. V jumped off the train, summoning his familiars as a group of Riots crawled from the pulsating blob. Rory sent a shot at the egg, halting its process and half of a mutated lizard fell out and landed on the floor with a wet splat.

Griffin sent out a large shockwave and two oncoming lizards while Shadow tore at the egg. Rory stepped back catching a lizard that leapt at her and V. Rory stunned it and V stabbed through its stomach, its innards spilling onto the floor. Shadow growled as her final scratch turned the flesh egg blob. Rory shot at it, cracking it and turning it into flakes that floated into the air. Griffin swopped down barreling into an Antenora that snuck up behind Rory. Rory punched the demon with her powers and stole its mallet, slamming it into the Antenoras head.

Griffin flew back to Rory and she extended her arm for him to land. "Thanks, Griff," Rory smiled steadying her breathing as V walked to her. Griffin flew off her arm and they squeezed through the gap between the two train carts. Rory traced along a root blocking her way until she reached its soft spot. Rory shocked the red spot until it exploded, clearing the path ahead.

"This way," V ordered, motioning Rory along. V led the way as they reached a station with large lanes of escalators. A few dozen demons crawled from the floor and sky, growling at the two. Griffin and Rory shot at the bats and Shadow stunned them when they hit the floor giving V the opportunity to kill them. "Nice job," V hummed stabbing through the bat Rory tossed his way.

"Oh so you can give compliments," Rory teased, shooting at a Cania that crawled from the ground. V chuckled side stepping an attack. Shadow pulled herself into a spike ball and ran through the line of Canias, stunning them all. Rory took the cane from V's hand and powered it up, throwing it through the line of demons.

Rory brought the cane back to her hand and passed it back to V. V spun it in his hand once before walking to the escalators. "How do these things still work?" Rory mumbled stepping onto the dividers of the escalators and watching the automatic steps roll down. Rory shot down the mutated mushroom roots that shot out electric shots.

A shrill screech wailed off the walls and a Sin, clutching Death Scissors charged at Rory. Rory bounced the scissors off but rolled down the escalator. Shadow bounded towards her, using V's shoulders as a jumping point and landed on the Sin's shoulders tearing at its neck. Using her powers, Rory gripped the scissors and ripped them from the Sin's grasp and threw them back at the demon. The scissors lodged themselves in the demon's abdomen and Rory clenched her fist and the scissors closed, cutting the demon in half.

V walked back to Rory, holding his hand out. "You alright?" V questioned, pulling Rory up.

Rory dusted off her arms, fixing her jacket. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," Rory nodded and they walked back up the stairs. Once they got to the top of the stairs, Rory let out a deep huff staring at the two flesh eggs. Rory brought a shot to her hand and tossed it at the closest egg. "Is it too small to summon nightmare?" Rory questioned tossing a lizard away, losing her focus on the egg.

V dodged a lizard swipe nearly crashing into Rory. "Just be careful. Remember what I said?" V questioned. Rory knocked a lizard down, shielding V with her other hand.

"Don't touch him, unless you want nightmares," Rory remembered trying to hit the egg again. V nodded and clicked his fingers and Nightmare crashed up through the floor, stunning a nearby lizard. Nightmare swung his arms, hitting one of the eggs away.

V rushed to Nightmare, hopping onto his back and focusing his attacks on the second egg. Rory threw a lizard to the side, bringing the wall out to stab through its body. A lizard jumped onto Nightmare and he stumbled back, allowing two more lizards to crawl free. Griffin and Shadow focused on the new demons as Nightmare handle the last ones. Rory dodged under Nightmare's arm and tossed shots at the egg until it broke away. V jumped off on Nightmare, stabbing the demons Shadow and Griffin had stunned.

Silence filled their ears, and Rory huffed slightly. "Witch look out!" Griffin screeched. A Riot dropped from the ceiling tossing Rory against Nightmare. Shadow and V made quick of the lizard before V dropped in front of Rory.

"Witch?" V questioned, sending Nightmare away. Black sludge absorbed itself into Rory's skin and she blinked rapidly, her vision blurry. "Rory?"

✦

A SMALL BLOND GIRL WANDERED AROUND THE RUBBLE OF THE BROKEN CITY. "Momma?!" Kat called, gripping the blue bunny tight in her arms. "Mom?!" Quietly a Hell Antenora crept up behind her, chittering softly. Kat turned around burying her face in her toy. "Mom!" A bright red light shot out at the demon sending them away.

A taller woman walked closer, her hand lowering and the bright red light fading. "Hey hun, what are you doing out here?" Scarlett questioned stepping up to the little girl.

"I can't find my momma," Kat whimpered, looking up at the blonde woman.

"Well, this is my daughter Rory," Scarlett spoke looking back at Rory who stepped up to her mother. "Why don't we help you find your momma." The little girl nodded and gripped Scarlett's hand. Scarlett walked over to Rory, pausing momentarily. "Find her first," Scarlett ordered in a harsh whisper.

Rory nodded and walked to the abandoned house Kat wandered out of. Rory stepped up to the rubble, waving her hand clearing the broken door from her path. "Help me please," A weak voice called, trying to push a beam of their body.

"Are you Kat's mother?" Rory questioned as she tried to move the beam off of the woman.

"Yes, yes, oh my god, is my little girl safe?" She whimpered. Rory sat back looking at the mother before moving to rest her hand over her eyes. "What are you doing? Where is my daughter?!"

"Die knowing she loved you," Rory whispered, moving her hand up and blasting a hole through the woman's head.

"RORY!" V SHOOK HER SHULDER AND RORY'S EYES SNAPPED UP TO HIM. "Witch, are you okay?" Rory huffed and stood up pushing V away. "Hey-" Rory walked through to the next room before V caught her with his cane. "Slow down. You shouldn't be walking around after that."

"I thought you said Nightmare showed you nightmares, like things that are made up," Rory snapped pressing her hands to her temples. "Not shit that's happened."

"Is that not a nightmare?" V questioned. V paused, stepping closer to Rory. "Is there something-?"

"Let's just keep going," Rory insisted, pushing past V and walking up the next flight of stairs.

CHAPTER TEN

V AND RORY FOUND THEMSELVES ABOVE GROUND STILL WALING IN SILENCE. Roots protruded through the ground and Rory hopped onto an abandoned bus to look over the scape, the demonic tree in the center of it all. Rory hopped off the bus, following behind V as he walked down the broken concrete hill.

Rory waved her hands and the broken cars moved to the side, allowing her and V to pass through. The two walked down the broken stage that was exposed from the hall it was contained in. Nero jumped over a bus, landing a few feet away from them. Nero walked over to them, leading them onto the stage.

Nero sighed looking up as a large demon jumped from the roof. It landed on the floor with an intense bang, an oversized sword in its right hand. It stared down the devil hunters with a menacing glare as six smaller demons, with shields and spears, joined the lead demon; three on each side.

Nero chuckled, looking over the group of demons. "Nice, getting the band back together, huh?" Nero taunted.

V pinched the bridge of his nose, almost as if he was in immense pain. "What evil lurks... I must destroy," V spoke in a menacing tone.

"I thought that was the plan all along," Nero mumbled, reaching and unsheathing his sword.

Rory stayed silent as the crown appeared on her head. The framing of the theatre started to crumble, shaking the floor and the roof collapsed behind them. The theatre started to slide down the hill, kicking up dust. Rory shot at the demons, separating the demons into two groups. Nero rushed to the ones on the right and V, with his familiars focused on the ones on the right.

The lead demon stepped away from the others, stomping towards Rory. Rory shot at the demon but it simply swiped the shot away with its sword. The demon raised his sword, bringing it down to stab at Rory but she stepped to the side and shot at its armored chest. The demon stumbled backwards, catching itself on its blade.

"Witch!" Griffin screeched tossing one of the lesser demons toward Rory. Rory grabbed it from the air and slammed it into the ground, bringing a spike up to stab it at the same time. Nero's sword clashed with the led demons and Rory shot the demon down. Nero spun immediately slashing through one of the other demons.

Another demon growled and stepped up to Rory. It reeled its arm back and threw its shield at Rory. Rory stopped it before it reached her and she spun, flinging it back at the demon. The demon split in half, its insides spilling onto the floor.

A shot of purple lighting was shot at Rory sending her flying against one of the broken walls. Shadow leapt towards the main demon, stabbing at it with her tail. V rushed to Rory, helping her stand. "How many times will I have to save you from lightning?" V chuckled lightly, moving behind Rory slightly.

Rory broke the floor beneath one of the smaller demon's feet and sent spikes through it. "Just focus," Rory ordered, sending shots at the final demon, making them stumble and Nero slashed through it, just leaving the largest and strongest demon.

Shadow and Nero stayed the closest to the demon, drawing its attention as Rory and Griffin shot at it from afar. Every time the large sword struck down at Nero, Rory shielded him and it gave him an opening to slash its stomach.

It stumbled away, falling against the ground as Nero's slashes caused a massive wound across its stomach. Rory walked to it, seething through her teeth. Rory gripped it by the horn and with a tug and a mumbled spell, Rory tore the demon's head off and tossed it to the side. V and Nero watched from behind, waiting for Rory to relax slightly.

Rory looked over the opening as the last of the theatre's walls started to crumble. "Jump," Rory ordered, turning to face the boys. They listened and the three jumped at once, Rory catching them in the air. The theatre ran off the edge of the cliff and Rory set herself and the boys on the floor.

"Took us long enough to get down here," Nero complained, walking closer to the edge. Nero turned back looking at V who stared off into the distance. "What, tired already?"

"I've just remembered something... This town was attacked once before," V recalled taking a small step forward.

"Is that so?" Nero questioned, watching V with cautious eyes.

"I was here... I can still see it," V continued in a shallow voice, stepping forward to inspect an old playground horse. "In fact, I was playing right here." V moved his hand down to grip the cane and motioned to a house further up ahead. "That was the house." Nero stepped forward trying to see the house better but Rory kept her eyes on V. "This is where we part ways. You go ahead."

"You're gonna miss all the fun," Nero spoke, trying to convince V to join him.

"The devil sword Sparda is somewhere close," Rory informed, finally stepping closer to join the conversation. "We need to find it."

"What? Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea, trust me," Nero warned, turning to face the two.

V hummed and pet Nero's shoulder as he walked around him. "You're not the only one who thinks so," V joked softly. "But to win this fight, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"That's suicide," Nero spoke up again stopping V from walking off. "But if you're so instant on going then Rory stays with me."

"Just go Nero," Rory urged, following after V. "We'll be fine."

The two walked for a few minutes before Rory spotted a phone. "Can we stop for a minute?" Rory questioned, nodding to the phone.

"Need to call Nico?" V asked leading them to the phone.

"I need to call Kat, I'll be quick, I swear," Rory promised, stepping up the broken phone box, with thankfully the important parts still intact. V nodded and stood to the side, passing Rory a coin. Rory pushed the coin in and held the phone to her ear as she pushed the numbers. It rang a few times and Kyrie answered with a sweet voice. "Hey, Kyrie, can I talk to Kat please?"

"Yeah, one second," The phone went silent for a moment before Kat's voice broke through the phone.

"Hey, Rory!" Kat squealed in happiness, and V looked over in surprise, hearing the voice through the phone. "Are you coming home?"

"Not yet sweetie," Rory sighed as she played with the phone cord. "I just wanted to make sure you were behaving."

"Yeah, yeah!" Kat squeaked. "I've been helping Kyrie cook and, and, and, I cleaned my room." Rory smiled to herself, shutting her eyes tight.

"I'm proud of you hun, and I know Kyrie is so happy to have a little helper," Rory spoke, moving her hand to brush through her hair. "I have to get back to work, but hopefully I'll be home soon."

"Can I say hi to the birdie when you come home?!" Kay yelled in happiness.

"Yeah, of course," Rory glanced up at Griffin who sat on V's arm. "I'm sure the birdie will love it." Rory laughed softly with Kat before saying a quick goodbye and clicking the phone off.

V walked toward her noticing her hands shaking. "Rory..." V called softly.

"I almost killed her mother," Rory confessed, looking down at the phone. "And I blew up her house." Rory looked up at V. V expected tears to fall or at least the start of her crying, but instead, Rory looked mad. "I refused to and my coven almost killed me for not killing her."

"That's what Nightmare made you see... The what if it wasn't an almost," V pieced together. Rory hummed and pushed herself away from the phone, starting to walk on again. "Go see if you can find the sword," V ordered to Griffin and the bird flew off. "The quicker we find that sword and defeat Urizen, the quicker you can go back to her."

V and Rory stopped on the edge of a cliff, looking over at the ground below. Griffin flew back to the two, stopping to fly around their heads. "Did you find it?" V questioned.

"Uh, well, I don't know what I found, but... I think I saw some demons dancing?" Griffin relayed, not entirely sure of his words.

"Well then, I guess we keep going then," V spoke up. "The devil sword Sparda is nearby." V turned to the left, leading them further into the broken landscape. V hummed to himself, walking forward. "It's coming from the Qliphoth root." Rory jumped onto a large rock, flipping one next to her on a group of Empusa. Rory waved her hands and moved the rocks to make a staircase for V to walk up.

"You're welcome," Rory hummed, stepping down the long steep hill. Two Hell Canias wandered around by a broken building. Rory built an orb in her hand but the ground shook making her look back. "Shit!" Rory grabbed V and pulled them from the track of a large demon.

It used its armored-covered head to knock the two demons to the side and smashed through the surrounding buildings. "Thank you," V mumbled, tossing his cane into his other hand. The demon Behemoth knocked the rubble to the side and stared down the two.

Rory brought the orb back to her palm and tossed it at the silver armor. It roared and rammed at her. Rory stepped to the side and it smashed into the mountain behind her. "It's dumb as bricks! Ha!" Griffin shouted, shooting at a nearby Cania. Rory waved her hand and the red lights weaved into the cracks of its armor. Rory threw her hand up and the Behemoth tipped over, the top half of its armor shattering.

The thing shouted and thrashed around knocking the broken bits of armor off and revealing two tentacles that grew in its mouth. "Well that's disgusting," Rory commented. It shrieked at Rory and charged at her again, its tongues waggling around. Rory summoned light and shot at its tongues and rolled to the side. Shadow rushed at the Behemoth, jumping onto its back and tearing at it. "It may be dumb, but it is strong as hell."

Rory summoned her chain and walked towards it as it fought against Shadow. Once Rory got close enough she slammed the chain down on one of its tongues, dismembering it. It shrieked and swung at Rory but Griffin gripped her arm and flung her backwards.

Rory brought her hands together, building up a large orb. The Behemoth shrieked again and Rory shot into its mouth. The Behemoth growled, thrashing as its skin turned white. V rushed towards it, stabbing its stomach and pulling it upwards.

V stepped back and turned towards Rory. "Nice job," Rory called with a smile as V walked towards her.

"You too, Little Witch," V nodded walking past Rory. Rory spun and followed after him. Rory cleared their path of the broken buildings and rocks. V led the way up the next part of the broken path and Griffin flew him onto the next broken platform. "Can you break it?" V questioned nodding at the fallen concrete that blocked their path.

Rory hummed and looked at the walls surrounding it. "Not without causing a landslide," Rory hummed. Rory looked back, spotting an archway lit with an orange glow a few meters back. "But that might work."

V nodded in agreement and followed Rory as she made her way to the stone archway. Rory jumped up the rocks, V getting flown by Griffin. Rory shot herself up to the next cliff above them. V followed, jumping off a flipped car with Griffin catching him in the air and dropping him next to Rory.

"Can I ask you something?" V questioned as the two walked on, only the faint growls of demons in the far distance. Rory nodded, looking over her shoulder as an Empusa fell off a cliff. "Who's Kat to you?"

"I found her," Rory answered after a moment of silence. "My mom took her, she was going to kill her. My old coven killed kids to take their power. I couldn't let that happen so I took Kat and ran. Her mother's still out there, I have to find her." They walked to the edge of the cliff and dropped down. Rory caught them before they hit the floor and set them both gently on their feet.

They jumped through another archway and landed further down the cliff. A demon with a shield like the ones before stood before them, one of the smaller ones. It's sword was bluer than the other's black swords and was smaller. It swung down at them and Rory pushed V to the side as bounced the sword off a shield.

"V, deal with that!" Rory ordered pointing to the grey demon flying around the air. V nodded and his familiars followed him. The demon swung at Rory and she shot at its torso as its sword smashed into the ground. Rory tore the sword from its grasp and pushed it backwards.

Rory gripped the sword with her powers and flung it towards the demon's chest piercing its body and slamming it against the wall. Rory huffed and turned to V, who was already watching her. "You all good?" Rory asked him, walking towards him.

"Yes, you are just, extremely talented," V hummed.

"Still not sure if that's a compliment or an observation," Rory mumbled, looking over the edge of the cliff.

"Take it as a compliment," V insisted.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

V AND RORY DROPPED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF. They walked further out and Rory hummed softly. "I'm surprised any of this architecture is still standing," Rory observed, dropping down a small ledge. V dropped next to her and Rory furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "You're unusually quiet... for a quiet guy. Those memories you were talking about... Are they still there?"

V walked in silence for a few more steps before sighing. "I'd be lying if I said they weren't. But the past is... a bitter place for me."

A spike broke through the ground and Rory flicked her wrist, a shot exploding it from the inside out. "Want my advice? Ignoring the past is just as bad as reliving it. Like trying to hide feelings by compensating with something else... like power."

"And you have experience in that?" V asked as they walked up the broken cobblestone steps.

"I told you, you remind me of someone," Rory recalled, walking under the archway and into the stone building. Bats flew around and they spat fire at the two. Rory shielded her and V before pushing them back and slamming them into the bricks.

"Do I get to know this mysterious person's name?" V questioned, following behind Rory.

"Not yet." Rory walked into a clearing, the daylight from above beaming down and illuminating the large hole in the floor.

"I've got a bad feeling about this place," Griffin called, flying around their heads. "But I think it might get us where we need to go."

"It's also the only place we can go," Rory countered, staring down into the space. "V?" He nodded and they jumped into the hole, the fall not high enough for either to be caught by Griffin.

A dozen Empusa's crawled from the ground and Shadow and Griffin dived for them. "You can't have done the one bad thing to get your entire coven to hate you," V thought aloud, dodging an Empusa's swipe. "What happened?"

"When I said past-" Rory slammed a chain down on a demon. "-Didn't exactly mean mine." Rory kicked another back and Griffin barreled into the remaining ones giving V and Rory the time to finish them off.

"Isn't that how these things work? I tell you something, you tell me something?" They dropped down another cliff, Rory catching them this time.

"Yeah, normally."

"Normally?"

Rory sighed slightly and turned to face V, making him stop walking as well. "What we do isn't normal. My past is fucked up but I'm guessing you can rival that, this isn't a teatime exchange," Rory explained. Rory sighed softly before walking on again. "We find Dante first."

"So you think he's alive?" V asked, following Rory as they scaled up another hill.

"Urizen has no reason to keep him alive. But he also has no reason to hunt him down and make sure he's dead," Rory added. "Toss of the coin really."

"Why don't you just fight Urizen? You have the skills to do so," V spoke up as they reached the top and made their way to a staircase.

"I think you forget I'm not supernatural. I'm super powerful. There's a difference," Rory clarified. "I can't heal like the others, I'm also not as fast or as physically strong. One hit and I'm down."

The two ran up the staircase where three grey Baphomets awaited them as well as three other Hell Antenoras crawled from the stone floor. "Focus on the Baphomets," V ordered Rory.

Rory slid past Shadow and shot at one of the Baphomets. Another dived for her and she used one of the torches to set it on fire as she dodged. It squealed as it hit the ground, wiggling as it tried to shake the fire off. V ran to it and stabbed through its torso and up through its head. Rory sent a shot past his head and struck down the Antenora that snuck behind him

V moved closer and Rory shielded them as a Baphomet swung down. Rory dropped the shield and kicked another Antenora away for Griffin to handle. "You know," Rory called, as she switched between firing at demons and moving to shield herself and V. "We always come up with a semblance of a plan, but it never seems to last."

V laughed softly and moved as a demon swung at him. "Why are they so focused on me?" V mumbled stepping aside and making an opening for Shadow to slash him down. Rory swung her chain out, killing the last demon and they moved into silence.

"Maybe it's because your chest is out," Rory offered. "Maybe demons are more like teenage girls. than I expected" Rory laughed to herself and moved to one of the open archways.

"What does that mean?" Griffin screeched, following behind Rory as she led the way. "Is that meant to mean- Oh!" Griffin laughed to himself.

"I don't understand," V spoke up. Griffin simply laughed harder and pulled himself back to V.

"Do you feel the sword yet?" Rory asked, skipping over V's questions.

"With every step, I feel its power growing," V confirmed.

They stepped into a large colosseum and distorted, high pitch laughter echoed around them. "Please don't tell me those are..." Rory trailed off as the masks on the brick walls were pulled into a pair of dark demons. "Sins." The Sin demons materialized scissors and flew around the air.

One swung down at the two and Rory pulled a rock from the floor and it slammed into the cement. Shadow rushed over V's shoulder and onto the Sins back and Griffin flew out to distract the other.

The Sin flung Shadow off and Rory wrapped her chain around it. Rory tugged hard and the Sin split into three different pieces. "I think you're all mixed up," Rory muttered. Griffin tossed the Sin at V and he jumped at stabbed through its mask.

V dropped to the ground and spun to face Rory. "Since when do you make quips?" V questioned tossing his cane up and walking closer to her. A Sin screeched as it pulled from the wall and they looked over. Rory took V's cane and tossed it through the Sin's head.

"I don't know," Rory waved her hand and the cane raced back to her. "Feel like if I embody Dante, we'll find him." Rory handed back to the cane and they turned down another clearer path.

"So you do think he's alive," V mumbled.

"He was always my favorite of the twins," Rory mumbled, a smile pulling at the edge of her lips.

"You know he's a twin?" V questioned as they walked into more of the stable architecture.

"Dante and Virgil, but Virgil was born first," Rory recalled. "They're in all the witch's scripture, half-demons aren't a regular thing." They walked up a long flight of stairs until they reached the stone clearing up top.

"And Dante was your favorite?" V called.

"No, too much of a goody two shoes, if you twist your definition of goody two shoes to a demon hunter," Rory looked around, looking for a place to scale the walls.

"So you liked... Virgil?"

Rory paused looking up at V before to cliffs once again. "That sounded like a personal question," Rory mumbled, turning back to look at V. Rory laughed softly. "Fucked up kid with a damaged brain, thirst for absolute power, it was my covens dream."

"You didn't answer the question."

"So it is personal." V stayed quiet as he eyed Rory. "Fucked up kid with a damaged brain, thirst for absolute power. Sounds familiar doesn't it?" Rory turned away, before moving to the phone box down the cleared path. "You think it still works?"

"You see yourself in Vergil?" V questioned, catching her shoulder with his cane. "Or Virgil in yourself?"

"Haven't met the dude, but I bet we'd have more in common than he'd think." V took a breath and let the cane fall from Rory's shoulder. "I don't need to call Nico, I was trying to defuse the conversation. So if you need anything..." Rory gestured to the phone.

V looked between her and the phone before walking on. "Come on little witch. I can feel the sword, it's just beyond the arch."

CHAPTER TWELVE

RORY LED THE WAY THROUGH AN ARCHED DOORWAY AND OUT TO A CLEARING. Three Nobody demons danced around as they looked up the cliff. Stuck into the side of a stone building was the Devil Sword Sparda. V smiled as he watched the stones on the handle reflect in the light.

"Whoa, is this some kind of ritual shindig, isn't it?" Griffin called flying overhead of the Nobody demons. "You got the dance fever for Sparda, don't you?" The demons turned to face the trio and Griffin flew back slightly. "Whoa, easy on the dance floor there, partner."

The demons hissed at them and V stepped up. "I'll be taking that back," V informed pointing his cane toward the sword. He spun the cane around and tapped it against his palm. "You know your endless worshipping isn't making the Sparda any happier."

"And your talking isn't making this fight move faster," Rory spoke up, shooting a teasing smile at V. The Nobody screeched at ran at the two but Rory shot it backwards. Griffin and Shadow rushed forwards, shooting and swiping at the other two demons. The Nobody ran back at her, swiping down its arm. Rory stopped it and sent red power over the Nobody's skin.

Griffin swooped down and barreled the demon over. "Watch out for their mask changes," Rory called to V's familiars. The Nobody shook off the red power and kicked Griffin away.

"It would be best we don't drag this out," V spoke up, still standing behind Rory.

Rory chuckled softly and summoned her chain. "Says the guy hiding behind the Witch." The Nobody ran at Rory and she flung the chain at it, splitting it down the center. The gross demon splattered blood everywhere and covered Rory's shoes. "Disgusting."

Rory weaved her fingers and the blood followed her movement as she flung it at the Nobody Shadow stunned, shooting spikes through its skin. "It's our turn to use the Sparda Sword," Rory said taking a step forward. Griffin barreled into the last Nobody, stunning it. V walked past Rory and stabbed its hand into the cement. He turned his back and took a few steps away before flinging his cane through the demon in a large explosion.

"Holy shit," Rory cursed. "You didn't feel like doing that before?" Rory walked back to V, who panted slightly. V held out the cane that glow with a slightly blue-tinted flame. "Demonic energy."

"Not a lot however, I have to be cautious," V explained.

"You didn't want to use on Geryon? Or the Night?"

"I was more focused on getting you to safety," V spoke up, his hands resting on the head of the cane. Rory hummed softly and she turned her back, looking up at the Sparda Sword. V followed her gaze and they both turned their heads to look at the pulsating roots attached to the side of the stone structure.

"Cane," Rory ordered. V held it out and Rory ran her hand over the handle, three witches' runes digging into the demonic metal. "Should bump up the power a bit." V tossed the cane in his hand before walking to the roots.

V sucked in a deep breath and jammed the sword end of the cane into one of the roots. Red and blue flames mixed together as they ran over the roots. Rory gripped the head of the cane and they pushed it all the way through the root before V tore it back.

Rory caught V as he stumbled slightly. They turned back to look at the roots as they rippled white. The root broke away in large chunks and smashed off the side of the stone building. V stepped closer to Rory as she threw a shield up. The sword fell from the building and landed a meter in front of the pair. V tossed his cane down and took a step forward. "V-"

"I have to try," V muttered. Rory sighed slightly and grabbed his cane. They walked closer to the sword and V crouched to pick it up. His hands wrapped around the handle and he tugged it up slowly, groaning as he strained against it. V held it in the air for a moment before it clattered to the ground.

Rory stepped forwards and V mumbled softly, "It seems this sword is still too strong for me."

Rory took his hands from the sword and handed back his cane. "We'll get it to Nero," Rory reminded. Rory gripped the sword handle and pulled it from the ground. Rory strained slightly and gritted her teeth as she held it over her shoulder, her power taking most of the weight.

"You can barely carry it," V observed.

"I told you, I'm not strong," Rory reminded me. Rory peered over her shoulder, strange energy pulling her toward the bottom of eh cliff. "Unlike someone else..." Rory let the sword drop slightly and she walked to peer over the edge of the cliff. "Holy fuck."

V walked to stand by her and he looked over the edge. "Dante..." V mumbled noting the white haired demon hunter tangled in the roots. Griffin flew down, tugging Dante's bloody body off of the roots.

Rory tossed the sword out, catching it in mid-air with her mind before floating herself and V down to the bottom of the cliff.

"How the hell is he alive?" Rory questioned as she set the sword down and wandered closer to the devil hunter.

"The Devil Sword Sparda was concealing Dante's presence," V pieced together, looking between the sword and Dante's unconscious body.

"How the hell did you get so much luck?" Rory mumbled.

"Can you wake him?" V questioned, his eyes not moving from the sword.

"Of course," Rory hummed. She looked up, watching V stare down the sword. Her eyes lit up red for a moment and she stepped closer to V. "V, get away from the sword." V looked up at her before reluctantly moving away from the sword and taking a seat on the floor.

Rory flicked her hands and a red fog appeared and swerved around her fingers. "Come on, you lump of muscle, we need a miracle," Rory mumbled before letting her hand move across Dante's head and consume his mind. "Wake up." Dante's eyes shot open and stared up at Rory. "Hi."

Dante groaned and sat up taking in his surroundings, mainly V and Griffin sitting by him. "You're the girl that fought Urizen. Nice catch," Dante said, recalling falling through the air and then Rory catching him.

"You're welcome," Rory spoke gently with a snippy tone.

"What day is it?"

"June fifteen, you've been out for about a month," Rory answered.

"A month?" Dante repeated, pushing himself to stand. He groaned and stretched his arms out. "No wonder I'm so stiff."

"Right, sunshine, now put a fire under it," Griffin called flying around Dante's head. "We gotta get goin', 'cause that annoying pimple Nero is making a beeline for Urizen. And if he gets there he's gonna get-" Dante grabbed Griffin by his neck, effectively cutting off Griffin's complaining. Dante tossed him away. "-Smashed like a bug!" Griffin yelled in conclusion, his voice echoing off.

"Hey, this is my gig. Leave Nero out of this," Dante ordered, walking over and looking down at V.

"If you could defeat Urizen..." V pushed himself to stand and glared at Dante. "Then I never would have dreamed of using that child."

"This isn't a gig Dante," Rory called, standing as well. "These roots, there threatening to spill out of Red Grave. Urizen is... unfathomably strong. And as much as I love the kid, Nero didn't stand a chance against him."

"So what are you doing here then?" Dante questioned. "You're not just walking around waking up unconscious men."

"We all got our reasons, don't we?" Rory stepped back but quickly spun back to Dante. "You're welcome by the way, for saving your ass. Twice." Rory turned away fully and sat on the ground again.

Dante shook his head slightly and pushed himself off the wall. "All right, enough's enough." Dante walked to the sword and slung it over his shoulder. "Can't let a boy... Do a man's job."

V turned around and chased Dante. "Hey, wait! I'm not done talking yet-" V huffed and fell to his knees, the cane slipping from his hand. Rory stood back up quickly and Dante turned to V.

"Okay, you get some rest," Dante ordered before turning back again. "By the way... I guess I owe you guys one."

Rory shook her head and knelt next to V. "You okay?" V lifted his hand and black cracks started to take over his skin, breaking off in small flakes. "What is that?"

"It's nothing." V shook his head and tried to reach for his cane but Rory tossed it away.

"Answer the question."

"It doesn't matter what it is, all that matters is I'm running out of time," V brushed aside, sitting on his knees properly.

Rory sighed slightly and brought the red light back to her palm. "Stay still," Rory ordered as she reached and took V's hand, her palm moving over his hand and the cracks retracted slightly. She moved her hands to brush his hair back and did the same to the cracks on his neck. V's pulse started to race and he reeled back slightly and Rory dropped her hands slightly.

Rory laughed slightly and stood up. "Come on V, don't tell me I make you nervous." Rory held her hand out and pulled V to stand and grabbed his cane. "I shouldn't have stopped you. You should've run the sword through his skull."

"How did you know... You were in my head," V realized.

"Your strongest emotions come through the strongest," Rory shrugged. "I told you I didn't like him very much. Are you alright to keep walking?"

V nodded before looking up at Rory. "Why do you keep asking that?" V questioned, flexing his hand. " 'Are you okay? Are you alright?'"

"You ask me the exact same questions," Rory reminded. Rory furrowed her eyebrows slightly and took a breath. "I don't know, feels right too. You ask the people you care about how they are."

V stopped suddenly, "Care about?"

Rory turned back and waved her hands, the path opening for them. "Yeah, care about."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

V AND RORY FOLLOWED DANTE'S PATH THROUGH THE BROKEN RUBBLE RED GRAVE CITY. Rory and V would stop occasionally to let V rest. Finally, they reached a road where Dante laid a naked Trish on the road. "Dante!" V called running ahead, Rory jogging beside him.

Dante slid onto his bike, calling over his shoulder, "Take care of Trish for me!" Dante revved the engine and sped off.

"Dante wait-!" V called before falling to his knees. Rory looked between V and Dante, sighing softly.

"I'm going after him," Rory announced, her crown materializing on her head.

V's head snapped up and the cane slipped from his fingers. "Rory-"

"I'll come back, I promise, V," Rory said quickly before pushing herself into the air and chasing after Dante, Griffin close behind. V looked down at his crumbling hands before grabbing his cane and standing back up. I'll come back, I promise, V. ✦

DANTE SET THE BIKE DOWN, THE LAST OF THE DEMONS TORN TO DEATH BY THE TIRES. Rory flew to the ground, a red light hitting the floor as she did. "How's that for road rash?" Dante joked aloud.

"That's a terrible line," Rory spoke up and Dante spun, his sword extended in her direction, the blade stopping an inch from her face.

Once Dante recognized her, he let the sword drop. He took a deep breath and ran a hand along his face. "What are you doing here... Kid?"

"Rory, my name is Rory," Rory cut in. Rory looked behind him and shot out a large orb knocking the Canias down.

"I need to get to Urizen, so unless you feel like dying... go home," Dante advised, turning back to the path he was walking down. Rory sighed and caught up to Dante. "Jesus kid."

"Call me a kid again and I'll put you through the wall," Rory threatened.

Dante scoffed slightly and continued on. "Well you seem to be as stubborn as ever, so here's the deal, I'll handle the demons you stay out of the way."

"That's thick coming from the guy who got himself knocked out for a month," Rory snapped, slapping his shoulder. A grey Baphomet screeched as it saw them and each of them fired at the demon. Dante's bullet melded with Rory's shot and the demon exploded.

They looked at each other and carried on in silence until a pair of armored Riots dropped in front of them. One dived for Dante and the other balled itself into a spiral and rushed at Rory. Rory covered the Riot's shell in smoke and shot herself in the air as she clenched her fist and the armor pieces broke through the demon's skin.

Rory landed on the ground as the Riot fell into a tangled mess, wheezing screeches leaving its dying body. Dante turned to face her, his sword slung over his shoulder as the Riot he faced dropped to the ground in bloody pieces. "Listen, kid-"

Rory shot him back against the wall. Dante smashed against the side of the sickly green-colored walls and he fell to his knees. He groaned and held his shoulder. "I told you not to call me kid. And don't give me that whole 'I work alone alone' speech. You came out here with Trish and Lady and V."

Dante laughed softly and pushed himself to stand, shaking the muck off of his jacket. "Well you sure live up to your word," Dante mumbled, walking closer to Rory. "I was gonna say you got skills kid." Rory narrowed her eyes and Dante laughed. "If you're coming with me I'm calling you kid."

Rory rolled her eyes and the armor rippled away along with her crown. Dante started to speak but Rory beat him to it, "It's magic, before you ask."

The pair made their way through the rocky tunnels, Rory occasionally making quick work of an Empusa. They walked to an open area with a statue in the middle, four concrete holds surrounding it. One sunk further into the floor, dark red blood filling it to the brim. "Its blood," Rory examined, looking over her shoulder at Dante.

"Blood huh, sorry you won't like mine," Dante joked. He looked up at the demon spouts that would normally flow with blood. "So you want me to kick start this thing?"

Rory shrugged. "That, or you could wait five minutes for me to cast a spell," Rory suggested. She summoned the book to her hands and opened it to a stained page. "Unless you wanna get your hands bloody."

"Five minutes?" Dante questioned as he took a seat on a stone slab. "You wanna take any longer?"

"Pity to whoever you bring home, Sparda" Rory muttered and Dante laughed dryly. Rory let the book floating in front of her and pulled four red runes from the pages.

"What are you doing?" Dante asked, sliding the sword into the holster on his back.

"Making doorways," Rory spoke softly, her hands moving out, the runes following her movement and covering the demon spouts. "I can pull from every sacrifice my coven had made."

Rory cast the last rune and Dante moved to stand in front of her, peeking over the edge of the book. "So what, demons and shit?"

Rory shook her head and slammed the book closed. "No, it needs human blood." Rory stepped back slightly and muttered a spell under her breath. The runes lit up and blood gushed from the demon heads. Dante jumped back and hundreds of gallons of blood poured out and filled the concrete pressure plates.

Dante met Rory's glowing eyes and his hand drifted up to his sword. "You're a Renan," Dante realized.

"I left the coven," Rory stated and she lowed her hands, the blood flow stopping as the slabs lowered under pressed and the statue in the middle slid into position. "I can still use the spells."

"And now what? Did you get a heart of gold? Wake up one day and wanna save the world?" Dante scoffed.

"I found a lost kid," Rory snapped. "One's whose mom sacrificed themselves because some supernatural force attacked their house." Slowly Dante's hand dropped and Rory slid her hands into her pocket. "If the world is safe, so is she."

"And she gets a better childhood than any of us," Dante concluded and Rory nodded. Dante walked past her and through the open passage the statue revealed. They dropped down and made their way down the large stone steps.

They walked past crates and different doorways. "Man... this brings me back," Dante mumbled, his eyes scanning the walls and golden torches.

"You hung out in rocky tunnels regularly?" Rory joked.

Dante laughed softly, "You'll see." He quickly jumped up the large cliff and looked over the edge once he reached the top. "Need a lift Renan?"

Rory shook her head and her red lights carry her to the top. "I think I got it," Rory nodded.

They walked further ahead and the warm lighting from the golden torches was replaced by a bright blue as the sun reflected off a small waterfall that rushed over the broken stone.

"Are we going back up to the surface?" Rory asked, hovering beside Dante as he jumped over the rocks.

"It's the plan," Dante nodded and Rory groaned. "What?"

"V and I spent three hours getting down and through here just for you to drag me back," Rory complained. Dante led Rory through the open broken wall where rain had started to pour and paused as he looked over the house. "Oh," Rory muttered. "Was this your house?"

Dante nodded and his eyes scanned the garden. "I can't believe any of it's still standing," Dante observed. The house was torn in two and vines had overrun the foundation.

Dante walked through and stood in front of the fireplace, looking up at the old, burnt oil painting. It had a beautiful blonde woman, a man with his face scrawled out and two twin boys, both with white hair. "I'm guessing, that's you?" Rory spoke up.

Dante nodded, letting the rain drip from his hair and over his jacket. "Ah! Witch! There you are!" Griffin screeched. Rory held her arm out and Griffin collapsed onto her arm, panting heavily. Griffin turned his eyes to Dante and shook the rain from his head. "Hey, what's wrong with you? Hey!"

Dante walked closer to the center of the room and Rory followed, keeping her distance at his side. "Dante?" Rory called.

"The demonic power was activated in me once when Virgil lovingly jammed this through my chest," Dante revealed, holding the bottom half of his shattered Rebellion. Donate chuckled darkly and scanned the sword. "I always wondered... Why did my father give me the Rebellion?"

Griffin went to answer but Rory quickly silenced him. "What are you thinking Dante?" Rory questioned, lowering her arm so Griffin moved further up onto her shoulder.

Dante laughed again and turned to look at Rory. "Over the years, I've been stabbed and jabbed with a number of things," Dante relayed. "But who would've ever guessed..."

Dante spun the broken sword before stabbing it through his stomach. "What the fuck?!" Rory shouted and Griffin jumped up in surprise. "Have you lost your mind?!"

Dante grunted as he twisted the blade, blood running from the wound and over his gloved hand. Griffin started to fly around the hunter, shouting ridiculously. "There's a demon to destroy! Kill yourself later! I'll help!"

"If the Yamoato can separate man from Devil," Dante said with a strained voice. "Then what about the Rebellion?" Dante stabbed it further in and the metal Rebellion into orange demonic power and absorbed into his body with crackles of lightning.

"Holy shit," Rory muttered stepping back. Red energy started to pull itself from the air and the Sparda sword started to pull away and onto Dante's body.

"You are... Absorbing the Sparda," Griffin realized. The Sparda sword completely transformed into dark red and black demonic powers and all of Dante's wounds healed as the power spread through his veins. Dante started to groan as the power took over.

"Griffin!" Rory yelled. He flew down to her and Rory grabbed him.

"What the-"

Dante yelled and rings of power shot out smashing Rory into the side of the wall, a sharp crack sounded in her side but she kept her grip on the demon bird. Dante stood in the center, his demon appearance shifted to more demonic, with bright red spikes and orange skin. "Sin," Rory muttered. Dante spared her a glance before shooting into the air.

Rory dropped back against the floor and Griffin pulled away from her arms. "Holy shit! Holy shit!" Griffin cursed, flying around. "Witch did you see that?!" Rory hummed and moved to rest against the wall. "Thanks for the cover. Why did you cover me? I'm a demon," Griffin rambled.

"Don't mention it," Rory insisted. Griffin gripped her wrist and helped her stand properly. "Where's V?" Rory used one hand to support her self on the railing as Griffin's flaps grew frantic.

"Uh, I don't know," Griffin said and fell against the floor. "I can't think I'm exhausted."

"Well, we can't stay here," Rory sighed. "I'm bleeding, I think I broke my ribs and I can't cast any spells here. I need V or a phone."

"Why do you need V?"

"The book I gave him, it has a spell I need," Rory admitted. "Can you fly us at all?" Rory asked.

"Not far, I need V to heal, then I can fly," Griffin replied and Rory straightened.

"Do you need V or any host?"

Griffin turned and shook his head. "You want to become my host?" Griffin squeaked in surprise.

"Just until we find V," Rory continued. "You get to rest and heal then you can fly us back when we get to the bottom of the hill. A temporary host."

"Fine," Griffin groaned. "But you get to explain everything to V." Rory nodded and Griffin revealed the orb that floated when he dies. "Just be easy with me. I'm fragile."

"Noted," Rory nodded. Rory held her hand out and the orb broke under her palm and a black sludge ran up over her arm.

Black and red tattoos stained her right arm and she suddenly heard Griffin's voice in her head. "I'm about to get so much more annoying."

Rory took a deep breath and limped from the house, "Wonderful. Can you fly yet?

"Sure," Griffin groaned and pulled himself from Rory.

"You need to get Nero, he's chasing after Urizen," Rory ordered as Griffin flapped beside her.

"And you're just walk around?!"

Rory groaned and pressed her hand harder against her side. "Then be quick."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ONCE GRIFFIN HAD GOTTEN NERO BACK TO NICO'S VA, HE GRABBED THE BOOK FROM V AND RACED BACK TO RORY. "I'm gettin' tired," Griffin relayed while panting. Griffin's grip on Rory's hand tightened as the tree started to break through the ground. "The fruit," Griffin mumbled.

"Griffin let go," Rory ordered as she spotted the patch of grass. Griffin let her drop and she landed on the ground with a yelp of pain that shot through her side.

Griffin flew down and landed next to her. "Witch-"

"Go back to V," Rory ordered, pushing herself up and her hand held her side. "I can handle it from here. He needs you more than I do. I have the book I can heal." Griffin spared her a glance before melding into smoke and disappearing. The tattoo's left Rory's arm and she started to walk beside a thick root.

✦

Rory walked through one of the entries still clutching her side. "Red!" Nico called, waving out the window of her van. V sat on one of the rocks, Trish and Dante by him, Nero and Lady resting against the van.

"You took your time," Dante snarked.

Rory flicked her hand and an energy ball knocked him back. "You broke my ribs." Rory hissed as she lowered herself next to V, who reached out to steady her. "You try walking two miles with three broken ribs."

"You look horrible," Trish observed.

"Thank you," Rory muttered, opening the book and starting her spell.

Dante pushed himself up and made his way to V. "Hey. Where'd that garbage god go? What is Urizen after?" Dante questioned and Trish moved to stand by his side.

"He's at the top of the Qliphoth," V relayed in a weak voice.

"It's the other way around Dante," Trish added as Dante looked up. "This is the lowest level of the Qulipoth's upper echelon. Human blood is the source of Demons' power. The fruit born through the Qulipoth is even more dense than the blood that created it. Its power is unparalleled."

"Mundus used it to become King of the Underworld way back when," Rory added as she closed her book and stood up.

"And you know that how?" Trish questioned.

"Young Rory here's a Renan," Dante answered and Rory glared over her shoulder at him. Trish straightened and Lady reached out for her gun. "Which is all a lovely story but as long as we know where to find mister demon king." Dante flicked his jacket and walked past V.

"Whoa! You... are the infamous Dante!" Nico shouted, rushing out in front of him. She bounced around nervously as one hand waved around sporadically. "Um, I'm Nicoletta Goldstein. Sound familiar?" Nico grasped Dante's hand and shook it wildly. "My grandmother is- is Nell Goldstein... The gunsmith that made all your fancy weapons you got... strapped... back there."

Dante reached into his holsters and pulled out his signature handguns. "Yeah! There she is!" Nico shouted in excitement, pointing to the small portraits on the gun handle.

Nico cleared her throat and Dante looked up at her. She smiled softly and Dante hummed, "You don't much look like her." Dante slotted his guns away and Nico nodded.

"Yeah. I got my looks from my Daddy," Nico informed. "That's about all I got from him."

"Well Nicoletta," Dante hummed. "Next time you come up with something amazing. I'm at the top of your list." Nico nodded quickly, her smile growing impossibly wide.

Dante continued on but Nero called for him next. "Dante! I'm gonna go, too," Nero stated firmly and Dante slowed to a stop.

"Why don't you sit this one out?" Dante suggested.

"Oh, let you call me dead weight again? No thanks," Nero huffed, walking closer to Dante. "I've got all the power I need. Right here."

Nero displayed his prosthetic arm and Dante sighed. "You don't understand. That's not what I mean-"

"Let him go, Dante," V spoke up. He pushed himself up with his cane, groaning slightly. "Time is a luxury we can no longer afford. We must chase after him, post-haste."

"What, does that mean you're going to?" Dante questioned.

"It means most of us are going," Rory added, walking to Nero's side. "And you don't really have the time to stop us."

"Well then Renan, that's all you had to say," Dante huffed. "I'm gonna go my way and you guys can go yours." Dante started to walk backwards and he shrugged. "Let's just say it's what's best for the cause." Dante spun and jumped off the edge.

Nero took a breath and ran off to the left side. V gave Rory a nod and they made their way to the right. They jumped off the edge and Rory caught them before they hit the ground.

They landed on the edge of a downward tunnel and V took a deep breath. "Down we go," V muttered. They dropped down and landed on the dark green roots of the tree.

A low growl sounded behind the pair and Rory stepped out in front of V. A flying dark purple and black demon, its skin moving like tar floated toward the two. "Lusachia," Rory muttered. It growled again, bearing its teeth and throwing its arms down, purple sparks dancing between its palms.

Rory shot at it, knocking it backwards. "The shield blocks ranged attacks, we need Shadow!" Rory shouted. V nodded and slammed his cane into the floor. Shadow bounded out and jumped onto the demon, clawing at it.

Shadow tore its shield down and Rory shot at it. "Watch the sparkles!" Griffin shouted as the demon charged an electronic attack. Rory slid Shadow away and bounced the electric attacks back.

It squealed and Rory threw another shot, smashing it against the wall. It shrieked and fell to the floor its skin rippled white. V rushed up and stabbed it down through its head.

V took a breath and looked back at Rory. "You didn't tell me you were a Renan," V spoke softly.

"Would you be so willing to let me follow you if I did?" Rory countered and V straightened his posture. Rory walked past him and down a tunnel. Rory looked back over her shoulder, "There's a cave down here."

V nodded and tossed his cane up, gripping it in the middle and following after Rory. Rory and V dropped down. "Riot egg," V called. "There's a root underneath."

"Deal with that," Rory ordered and stepped around V and towards the trio of Angelos. "I'll deal with this." One slammed its sword down and Rory knocked it up. She slid past another and backhanded the thirds shield away. The second lined up a slash at Rory. She dodged past it and the demon sliced through the first.

Cracking and sloshing sounds broke through Rory's concentration as Griffin broke through the last of the egg and exposed the root. Rory dodged and Angelos slash and shot the other one back. Rory brought the ground up to stab through the Angelo and Rory kicked him back. V rushed toward it and stabbed up through its back. Rory grabbed its sword before it faded and she tossed it through the final Angelo.

Shadow tore through the exposed root before returning to V. "Down another level," V spoke up, walking to the edge of the drop. Rory stepped off, V following a second later.

Riots and Nobody's pulled from the eggs and Rory groaned. "I hate Nobody's," Rory complained as she shot one away. Its hand reached out for Shadow and Rory sliced it off with her chain. Griffin threw his wings out, knocking the Riot's black with a surge of lightning.

"Take out the eggs, we'll cover you," V ordered and Rory nodded. Rory shot herself over a Riot and slid next to the farthest egg. Her chain wrapped around it quickly and she tugged it back. Rory made quick work of the exposed flesh of the root before carrying the shot over to the Nobody swinging down at V.

Shadow tore the second egg off as Griffin knocked down the final Riots. Rory tore one in half and V sliced through the other. Shadow tore the root off and turned towards the pair. Shadow nodded down the hole that opened up before diving down. V and Rory followed suit, Griffin flying around them. Once they landed Griffin did a loop of the small space before flying back to V. "Hey, guys!" Griffin called. "I'm smellin' something down there. How bout you?"

"Let's figure it out," Rory nodded. They dropped down another time, four eggs surrounding the area. They sprouted a dozen armored Riots which hissed once they saw the pair. "We need Nightmare," Rory whispered.

V nodded and put a few meters between the pair before clicking his fingers. A Riot tried to lunge at Rory but Nightmare crashed down and stunned two.

Rory quickly took the two stunned ones out as V and his companions tore into the eggs. Nightmare shot out a line of explosions over the floor, stunning another Riot and destroying an egg. Rory took out the stunned Riot and slammed her chain through another. Rory shielded herself as one jumped at her again.

Nightmare swung his hands out and knocked the demon out. He disappeared into goo before reappearing under Rory's feet. She held onto his back as he lifted her into the air. "Okay... What the fuck?" Rory muttered.

Rory pressed her hands against Nightmare's back and his tar-like skin was covered in red power and bright runes. Nightmare stomped toward an egg and slammed his fist down, breaking the egg with a slam that released a large shot of red power. "Are you controlling him?" Griffin squeaked between shots at the pair of final riots.

"No," Rory answered quickly, her hand moving away to shoot the small demon away from V. "Just powering him up." Nightmare jumped into the air and crushed the demons beneath his feet. Instead of stunning the demons like V's companions would, the burst of red power turned them to dust.

Griffin destroyed the last egg and Nightmare dissipated from under Rory. She landed on the floor with unsteady legs and V reached to steady her. "Holy shit," Rory panted, resting her hands on her knees. "How-? Why-? Why didn't I have Nightmares?"

"I'm not sure," V interpreted. "Maybe... I'm not sure." V held his weight on his cane and his hand slid from Rory's side.

Rory took a deep breath and stood up properly. "Unfortunately we don't have time to dwell on it," Rory spoke up. Rory nodded and V followed after her.

They dropped down the chasm, landing on the hard rocks. As soon as they straightened, Nero and Dante dropped moments after. "No one's dead, that's a plus," Rory muttered.

Dante turned and looked down the long hall that was lit at the end by a bright orange light. "Looks like we still got a long way to go," Dante spoke up and the others turned to follow his eyes.

As Dante and Nero moved forward the floor started to rumble, V stepped up as well but Rory paused. "Hey, guys-" Rory's sentence stopped as the rocky floor broke beneath their feet, rubble falling around them as the group dropped.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

RORY FELL THROUGH THE AIR FOR A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE COLLIDING WITH A ROCK AND SHATTERING HER RIBS AGAIN. She bounced to the side and lost sight of the boys. She slammed into the red ground, wheezing as the air left her lungs. Wordlessly she cast a spell and her body started to healed itself.

Rory used a rock to push herself to her knees and she looked around the bright red and orange space. "V!" Rory called, her throat tearing at her yells. "Griffin! Nero!"

Her voice echoed through the empty space with no answer. With a strained moan, Rory pushed herself to her feet. The rocks and roots glowed with bright red and dark oranges. Rory stumbled forward, a dull pain still nestled in her bones. Rory shook the pain out and continued through the open space and toward the open arch.

A whistling sound shot through the air and Rory jumped back. A large clawed grappling hook grabbed onto the rock side of the arch and pulled the entrance closed. Rory turned and looked up to where the shot came from.

A large Hunter demon, four times the size of Rory hung onto a rock pillar. Gangly limbs, dark grey skin and black fur down his back. "What is this?" Rory muttered. She spun around, looking for anyone standing above her. "What is this?! I've already killed this fucker!"

"Red Witch," The Hunter growled. The demon jumped down onto the stone floor, its long limbs sliding with him, too long for its own body. Rory mumbled a spell under her breath and a red wiccan flame sprouted in her palm.

The Hunter growled and ran at Rory. Rory threw the flame at its face and the long scar opened up. It yelled, whipping its head around as it shook off the flame. "I killed you when I was seventeen, you think I can't do it now?!" Rory charged a shot and threw it at the hunter's head. Its neck snapped back and its hands slammed to the floor.

It screeched and swung its long blade out. Rory stumbled back, barely dodging the slice. It slammed the blade down and Rory slid under its legs. She shot at its right leg and slammed her chain against its torso. It kicked its leg and knocked Rory back.

She caught herself, slightly winded and stood back up. The demon growled and jumped back onto the stone pillar, reaching for its grappling hook. It shot out and Rory bounced the claw of a shield, bounding herself against the wall.

Rory's hand shot out and the pillar it held onto cracked and rumbled under its hand. It fell to the floor with a harsh thud, growling again. It stood on its hind legs and ducked in a deep breath. It released it with a rumble. Black and purple spilled from its jaw and encased the room in darkness.

The blade spun towards her and she dropped back, bent at her knees. The blade spun over her head and the dagger spun upright. Rory summoned her chain and hit the blade back as hard as she could. The dagger ricochet up and slammed through the Hunters' head.

The Hunter was pinned to the wall, dripping dark black blood down into a puddle at its feet before wilting away.

Rory shook her hands out and weaved the rocks from her path. "Rory..." a woman's voice called. Rory walked further into the next room and came face to face with her mother.

"Okay, what game is this tree playing?" Rory hissed. Rory shot her chain out and stalked ahead and her foot hit a cursed rock, a red rune on the stone slab. Her mother's face distorted and the room around her shook.

The room expanded and expanded moving to an endless whirlpool of dark red walls lined with roots.

"Fuck me," Rory hissed. She stepped forward to the mirrored spell wall and looked around. Each pane of split glass reflected Rory's image.

"You've never been in the mimics Rory," Her mother's voice taunted. "Can you handle it?" The glass around Rory slammed down, broken shards reaching for her.

Rory ducked away and covered her head. Rory shot an orb out and it bounced around the glass. Each time it hit each surface another shard sprouted. Rory waved the orb away, hissing as a shard sliced her leg. "Mimics," Rory mumbled. "How do you make a mimic? How do you break it?" Rory turned her eyes scanning the broken reflections that looked back at her. Do something it can't. Rory took a deep breath and held her hands out, dark red smoke starting to flow from her palms and encasing the room.

Once the room was encased in dark smoke, blocking Rory's vision she raised her hands. She crossed the, over before throwing her arms out and shattering the glass. As the glass broke and the smoke fell out and onto the floor, Scarlett was thrown back against the wall. Rory weaved her hands and the glass followed her to slash through her mother. "Fucking mimics," Rory hissed before walking on.

✦

V RACED THROUGH THR ROOTED HALLS OF THE QULIPOTH. Shadow moved under his feet making him move quicker. "Still no sign of Rory?" V questioned as Griffin flew back to him.

"Nadda," Griffin groaned. V cursed to himself and Griffin flew to his other side. "I'm sure she's fine V, she's a witch for Christ's sake." V nodded and hopped off Shadow's mist.

He slowed to a stop and looked over his shoulder once more before down the purple-lit hall. "Runes," V muttered. "Rory can't be in there." V sighed and shook his head before stepping into the hall. "I must stay focused. My journey... is coming to an end..."

He stepped through the arch and onto a cliff hanging over an open area. V stepped closer to the edge, cautious of the demon Malphas wandering around. "If he reaches the fruit, it will all be over," Malphas spoke aloud, her voice distorted slightly. V dropped to his knees as he reached the edge. "Even Mundus failed to reign over the human world... Surely, we know he will not."

Griffin materialized himself on V's shoulder, shooting glances between the two. "Malphas! No way we can handle her, we don't have the strength!" Griffin hissed.

V raised his hand and looked down and his cracked skin. "I know," V whispered. "But we must get through this, somehow." V gripped his cane and tried to raise himself. A few rocks slipped beneath him and fell to the floor, the noise echoing around the space like a gunshot.

Malphas turned slowly and in a panic, V threw himself against the wall. Malphas turned with heavy stomps and V's breath increased in panic. "Ahh, an intruder perhaps?" Malphas taunted and V screwed his eyes shut. "I'm comi-"

A loud thunk made Malphas stop. She spun and watched one of the Rune pillars fall. She growled and turned. "Where are you?" A second pillar fell and Malphus's heads whipped towards it. A third fell and Malpas stepped away from V.

V's eyes cautiously opened and he watched Malphas stalk around. A hand covered his mouth as he gasped and he spun. Rory crouched next to him, her finger pressed to her lips with a quiet 'shush'. Rory dropped her hand and V smiled. Rory took a nervous breath and whispered, "You have to stay qui-"

"Witch!" Griffin shouted in excitement. V slammed him down and Malphas turned back.

"I don't like this game!" Malphas roared.

"Cane," Rory whispered, moving closer to V.

"What?"

"Give me your goddamn cane," Rory repeated. "I can give you enough time to get out, Nero's close."

"What? No, no."

Malpahs's steps grew closer and Rory rested her hand on V's shoulder and the other brushed his hair from his eyes. "Do as I say V, you'll be safe." V stammered as Rory tore the cane from V's hand and rushed as far right as she could.

She tapped it against the wall and Malphas turned a final time. "Quit it!" Malphas roared rushing forward.

"Rory don't!" Rory ignored V's words and ran out off the edge and landed on Malpahas's back. She stabbed the cane into the demon's hide. Malphas screeched and a purple power shot Rory back and she slammed against the wall.

"V! We have to go!" Griffin hissed, tugging on V's hand.

"Not without her," V tore his arm back and tried to move to the edge.

Malphas raised spikes and one tore through Rory's torso, she screamed in pain and for a few moments the dark purple of the chamber turned blood red. "Ohh, what a powerful witch you are," Malphas observed. "How fun..." Malphas stalked closer but stopped as two bullets collided with one of her heads.

Nero waved with his gun a challenging smirk on his face. "Id step away from the Witch," Nero advised.

Malphas turned and the spike retracted from Rory's body. "Sparda's kin... But you're nothing more than an empty shell with no power," Malphas spat. "You are as weak as your flesh, human."

"Hey, we're tougher than we look," Nero countered with a slight whine. "But... there's only one way to find out."

"I will enjoy this." Malphas weaved her hands and the bird screeched.

Griffin flew down and grabbed Rory by her arm. He flew her up and dropped her next to V. "I told you to go," Rory wheezed, her hands moving to press her torso.

The sounds of Nero and Malphas fighting echoed through the rocky space but V could only focus on Rory. "What do you need?" V questioned, his weak hands moving to press against Rory's.

"I need-" Rory hissed as she stripped her shirt off. "I need to stop the bleeding." V sat on his knees and helped Rory wrap the shirt tight around her torso.

Rory tugged at her hair as the stabbing in her side increased in pain. Her hand went to grab V's shoulder but she noticed the increase in cracks and reeled back. "Little Witch," V called and she looked down at him. "I need to get you out of here."

"You can't walk," Rory assessed, glancing down at his cracked hands, now stained with Rory's blood. Rory's head rolled back and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Witch," V called. "Rory..." V brought his hand up and held the side of Rory's face and her eyes opened. "You need to stay awake."

"I can't..." Rory whispered.

"Hey, I need you to stay awake," V ordered, his thumb running across her cheekbone. "Keep talking. Do that for me Red."

Rory laughed slightly, ignoring the burn. "Don't call me Red," Rory requested. "My friends call me Red. Call me something else." The rev of Nero's sword motor made Rory wince and shut her eyes again.

"Sparrow," V called and lifted Rory's head again. "Eyes open."

"Are you gonna die?" Griffin questioned.

V turned and glared at the bird. "Go get my cane," V ordered. Griffin squawked and flew down.

"I don't wanna die," Rory whispered, looking down at her bloody t-shirt.

"You're not going to die," V insisted, his hand raising her head again. "I won't let you. That's a promise."

"A promise?" Rory chuckled softly. "Last time you promised something was with Nightmare. That he wouldn't harm me."

V smiled softly, his face slowly moving closer. "Then I vow it Rory Renan," V said in a low voice. "The Red Witch, the devil hunter, my sparrow." V brushed her hair back, careful of the small cut above her brow. "No further harm will come to you and your life will not be threatened."

Rory took a shaky breath and reached up to hold V, before pulling him into a kiss.

V's hands were slightly rough against Rory's skin, and he spread a light touch of blood across her cheek but his lips were soft, gently. He moved softly, like dancing to a silent rhythm.

Rory's hands were soft against his face, lighter but warm. As one hand held his face the other traced down his neck, across his collarbones and down to trace the lines of his tattoos from memory.

The two tore apart when a loud thud of Malphas hitting the floor made them jump. V turned back to Rory and smiled softly. "My apologies, I was distracted," V chuckled and Griffin landed next to them.

"No apologies my poet," Rory insisted. Malphas screeched a final time and the strength returned to Rory's body as the demon died.

"You can come out now!" Nero called. Griffin took V's hand and flew him down. Rory jumped off the edge, letting herself float down. She landed on the ground with a yelp and both boys reached for her. "I'm okay, I've got a spell working," Rory muttered.

V gripped his cane tighter and turned to Nero. "I guess I owe you one," V said in a low voice. V took a few steps forward before his legs gave out. Rory rushed to him and held him straight.

"You should turn around," Nero suggested. "Your body's not gonna last much longer."

V slowly limped forward. "That, I cannot do. I must go!" V barely made it another step before collapsing.

Nero's human hand shot up, catching him. "Dammit, V," Nero cursed. "Don't push yourself. You need some rest!"

V strained as he gripped his cane and pushed himself up. "I must go... to where Urizen is," V said in pain.

Nero let go with a sigh and turned to look at Rory. "Maybe leave it V," Rory insisted. "We can-"

"I beg you!" V interrupted. V slowly looked up at Rory. "This is my last request."

Nero rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine," Nero huffed and reached down, throwing V's arm over his shoulder. Nero paused and looked back at Rory. "I can't carry you both."

"I just need support for a bit," Rory muttered. V stabbed his cane against the floor and Shadow ran around. She settled under Rory's hand as her other worked away at her stab wound. Nero and V stumbled forward, V's feet dragging slightly. "Dante's gonna beat us there."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

RORY FINALLY WALKED ON HER OWN. Shadow had returned to V a few moments ago but still, V struggled to walk without dragging his feet. "You can walk I see," V murmured, lifting his head slightly.

"Yeah, My side still hurts though," Rory admitted.

"Well that's a given," Nero huffed.

Rory looked back over her shoulder before letting out a breath. "I'm going ahead," Rory stated and Nero paused.

"What?!" Nero snapped, jerking V slightly.

"I'm not strong enough to carry V on my own," Rory explained and summoned her crow. "Just don't die before you catch up." Rory shot herself away before Nero could argue.

Nero let out a long sigh and pinched his nose. "Fucking stupid witch psycho," Nero cursed.

✦

THE BATTLEFEILD WAS BLOODY AND BROKEN. Urizen sent out a flurry of purple demonic energy but before it could reach Dante a bright red shield covered him. "What is this?" Urizen growled. A red orb slammed into Urizen's back and knocked him forward

"Well Renan, nice of you to join us," Dante taunted as Rory landed next to him.

"Yeah, yeah," Rory huffed, as they shot at Urizen in tandem. "What do you need? Shields? Shots? Power?"

Urizen yelled and slammed his fist down, cracking down and tearing the ground with red and purple power. Dante and Rory jumped back. Dante shook off the attack, his small cuts healing immediately. Rory's body shield absorbed the shot and sent it back.

"Shields and shots!" Dante shouted. He unsheathed his sword and rushed ahead, his summon swords following him. He jumped up, slicking through Urizen's torso. "Don't die!"

Rory flew up, shooting towards his head and sending the powered shots back at him. Urizen sent out a purpled power sot along the ground. Rory landed, turning the demonic power a wiccan red and turning it back on Urizen.

Dante threw his arms out, transforming into his Sin Devil and summoning his large demon sword. Rory weaved her hands and Urizen's arms covered in red power and pinned to his sides.

"Stay back Renan!" Dante raised his sword high and slammed it down in a heavy slash, his summon swords following and slicing him open. Dante flipped back, his demon form fading.

Urizen fell to his knees and Dante jumped up, slamming his sword through Urizen's centre eye. Dante drove it inwards until the fleshy eye hit the handles of his sword. Dante gritted his teeth and tore the sword out, tearing blood all over the battlefield.

Dante slid back, landing next to Rory. Urizen wheezed and fell back against the floor with an intense thud. Dante panted, his sword gripped tight in his hand.

"Dante! Rory!" Nero shouted, still lugging V beside him.

Dante chuckled softly and threw the sword onto his shoulder. "You're late..." Dante laughed. "Just finishing up."

Nero set V on his feet and the four looked at the demon king. "Is that really your brother?" Nero questioned.

Rory's head snapped towards him before looking back at Urizen. "That's Virgil?" Rory questioned.

"I'm afraid so," Dante nodded.

"So he was behind all this," Nero concluded. "Your own flesh and blood." V started to make his way forward, stumbling still with his cane.

"Right again," Dante nodded.

"How the hell did he get like this?" Rory muttered.

V stumbled forward still, growing closer to the demon. "V, get back!" Dante shouted starting to walk forward. "Things are about to get real messy."

"No! Please..." V begged, his voice soft as he held his hand out. "Let me. I want to end this battle... with my own hands." Dante begrudgingly nodded and let V walk on. V clumsily climbed onto Urizen, standing just beneath his center eye.

"I will not lose," Urizen growled after a moment of silence. "Not to Dante..." Dante chuckled softly, glancing back at Nero. "I need power... More power!"

V moved closer and knelt on Urizen's chest. The three stood back, watching V converse with Urizen closely. V raised his cane and something seemed to click with Dante.

Dante ran out, trying to reach V. Then.

V slammed his cane down, impaling the demon king and bursting a light through the dome of the Qlipoth. Dante was thrown back, skidding along the floor. The force pushed Nero pushed as well and Rory used her power to plant her to the ground. The bright blue light made the three cover their eyes and the glass started to fall and crash to the ground.

The blue beam cleared and there stood a singular man. White hair, a black and blue lined jacket and a slim Katana in his hand. He turned his head, the remaining glow of the blue light shaping his face.

"What is this?" Nero questioned.

Dante took a few harsh breaths before answering, "Vergil..!"

Vergil turned to face the three, his cold grey eyes scanning the three. They all stood in silence, waiting for someone to move first. Vergil looked away first, his eyes moving to the poetry book on the floor. Carefully he picked it up, his eyes looking over the old book.

"Ya got some pretty big cojones for comin' back," Dante hissed. Nero and Rory looked back as Dante flicked his sword. Dante rushed out, "Just don't know when to give up, do ya?!"

Vergil tilted his head to see Dante's sword headed for his face. Vergil spun, hitting his sword back with his covered Yamato. Vergil tossed the sword around and slammed the end into Dante's stomach. As Dante was tossed into the air, he tore the cover off of the Yamato and tossed it back at his older brother.

Vergil caught the cover on his sword and slid back at the force. Dante landed on the ground and slid back as well. Vergil looked up, his eyes meeting Dante's. Dante looked over at Nero and growled. "Get out of my way, Nero!"

Dante raced forward but in a flash, Vergil teleported to slam his sword against Dante's. Vergil stood tall as he pressed the katana with one hand against Dante's large demonic sword.

"Defeating you like this has no meaning," Vergil spat in a calm voice.

Dante gritted his teeth and shook his head. "C'mon, Vergil. Let's do this!" Dante hissed.

Vergil paused for a moment. "Heal your wounds, Dante. Get strong," Vergil advised. "After that, we'll settle the matter." In a split second, Vergil kicked Dante's leg out and slammed the sword into his chest, knocking him back.

Vergil turned and sliced twice through the air, creating a blue slash in the air. It expanded and pulled open, revealing a mix of the purple and black pool of endless ness. Rory's stomach twisted as she recognized the pull of reality.

Vergil sheathed his sword and looked back at Nero. "Thank you, Nero," Vergil said with a nod. Vergil stepped through and the slices disappeared. Dante slowed to a stop from the run he had started at some point.

"Dammit!" Dante cursed.

Rory walked forward, stepping up to where the portal closed. "Rory?" Nero called. Rory threw her hand out, knocking the boys back. Rory twisted her hands and her runes reopened the portal. "Rory don't!" Rory stepped through the portal, it closing behind her immediately.

Rory walked out over the top of the Qlipoth where Vergil stood in the center, his posture stright and his hands on his sword. "Did you know I'd follow you?" Rory questioned.

Vergil lifted his head slightly. "I had a feeling," Vergil admitted.

"Should I call you V? Urizen?" Rory snapped. "Or have you finally decided Vergil was enough?" Vergil's head dropped slightly again. "So it was personal?" Again Vergil stayed silent. "What you no answer? Just fucking use me then take over the world? Because nothing was real right?" Vergil stayed silent, his eyes barely moving from Rory's. "Answer me... Fucking answer!" Rory shot an orb out but Vergil sliced through it.

Rory scoffed and turned away, "You don't even fucking remember."

"I remember Sparrow," Vergil called and Rory stopped. "And it was real, I'm not foolish."

"Then why do it?" Rory questioned, turning back to him. "You... If V was always going to return to Urizen, why do it?"

"V was the human parts of me," Vergil relayed. Rory waited but Vergil never continued. Rory shook her head and turned again. "Don't leave. Don't."

"Why?" Again Vergil didn't have an answer. "Vergil, when you realize this is enough, when you can answer me... only then will I not leave." Rory walked closer to Vergil and the chain slipped from her arm and slammed it into Vergil's chest. "For now, whatever you're thinking, don't."

Rory turned and cast her runes to open the portal once again. "V's companions. Griffin, Shadow and Nightmare. They are not mine anymore, if you wish, they are yours to take."

Rory smiled, "Figure out who you are Vergil. Only then will you find me."

AAAAND THATS IT!

I hope there’s a DMC 6 because this was fun as fuck to write. I don’t write happy edgings, don’t ask for one (jokes, all jokes)

Thanks and all the loves, have a nice whatever time you read this.

follow me within red

#Within Red #rory renan #dmc x reader #dmc v x reader #DMC #dmc dante #dmc imagines #dmc visions of v #dmc vergil #dmc v #devil may cry x reader #devil may cry #devil may cry 5 #Devil May Cry Anime #devil may cry fanfiction #devil may cry headcanons

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pics-and-fanfics · 11 months

Text

Okay, but imagine it-

Y/n moved out of Loki’s part of the tower a few weeks ago, but one day she finally feels the full force of all the emotions she’s been shoving down and ignoring for way too long.

She's a hysterical mess, crying, hyperventilating, and on the “kitchen” floor of her small studio apartment, hiding behind her bed.

She can’t breathe, she feels like something is slowly crushing her from the inside out. She can barely move, can’t think, just knows that if she doesn’t do something, she will probably die because of this.

She does the only thing she can think to do.

With shaking hands she calls Loki, just managing to put her phone on speaker before she drops it, the corner of the screen cracking.

His voice floats through the phone, and the pain in her chest lessens a fraction, but she still can’t breathe, speak, anything.

Loki’s worried. Y/n called him, but all he can hear is shaking breaths.

“Y/n, are you okay? Is something wrong?”

He waits for an answer, even more worried when it doesn’t come.

His keys are in his hand and he’s driving to her small apartment halfway across the city in less than 2 minutes as he tries to get an answer out of the phone.

“Y/n, darling, just talk to me. What’s wrong?”

She sobs, regret washing through her as she hangs up. Why did she call him, why was she such an idiot?

Loki reaches her apartment in minutes, knocking on the door.

“Y/n? Are you in there? Is everything alright?”

Slapping a hand over her mouth, she tries to stay quiet, squeezing her eyes shut and praying he’d leave. She just needed to be alone, to figure this out on her own.

“Y/n? Please answer me darling.”

He’s jiggling the lock, each second that passed building his anxiety. Was she hurt? Was she- He couldn’t think about it.

“I’m coming in.”

She realizes that with each word she heard him speak, the feeling of helplessness and pain in her chest lessens a bit, letting her draw in a proper breath for the first time in nearly 15-30 minutes.

She didn’t want this, but she still couldn’t move. The pain, grief, rage, kept her on the floor, still crying, but a tiny bit more calm.

Loki finally gets her door open with his spare key, and he walks in, looking for her, hearing muffled sniffs and hiccups coming from the small kitchenette. He swerves around the box spring and mattress, the only thing keeping the former off the floor being a small, 2 inch high metal frame.

But why are we bothering with details?

Because it shows how Y/n’s been living since she moved out, away from Loki.

The only counter space in the small apartment was covered by paper plates and plastic cutlery, takeout containers, and disposable plastic cups.

The hamper on the other side of the room is overflowing with dirty clothes, the blanket on the bed is thin, and the sheets have holes. The only thing that looked clean or new was the stuffed animal on the windowsill, the one he got for her. Even the plant next to it was wilting, almost dead.

Was this how she had been living? It was… horrible. She’d been suffering in silence.

But he needed to help her.

“I’m here, darling, I’m here.”

Y/n didn’t know she needed to hear those words, but when she did, she started sobbing again.

She felt his cold arms wrapping around her, and for the first time in days, weeks, months, she didn’t know how long, she felt safe.

Safe.

I am safe, she thought, as she cried into Loki’s arms, still holding her tightly long after she lost track of time and stopped crying.

When was the last time she felt safe?

The longer Loki held her, the more Y/n felt the pain in her chest lessen.

She didn’t want him to leave her, she was miserable. She’d gotten used to Loki letting her sleep in, not waking up early every morning for work.

She was used to curling up with him in the afternoons, reading or watching a movie until she dozed off, not the sound of people screaming at her because she didn’t know where the restaurant got every ingredient they used.

She’d gotten used to the comfort and stability he provided, something she’d noticed was missing only days after she left.

She’d gotten used to him.

And as she realized all this, she came to the inevitable conclusion:

She was in love.

💊

Hey, V, remember how I said last week on Saturday that you were going to hate what I posted on my last day of school? Well, I've scheduled this to release at 12:20 on Friday (typing this saturday night) so that as soon as I'm out, y'all get to see a sneak peek!

I love y'all! Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone except homophobic/transphobic and all the other LGBTQ+-phobics a nice day. and I hope my mom chokes on a cherry pit, shes a bitch and tried to drown me then gaslight me into thinking that she didn't. same with my sister. I hope they both choke on something stupid.

ANYWAYS! I love y'all, and let me know if you would like to be added/removed from my taglist! ❤️😘

@vbecker10 @mochie85 @michelleleewise @fictive-sl0th @silverfire475 @huntress-artemiss @sheris532 @lokixryss @lokidokieokie @stupidthoughtsinwriting @crimson25 @peaches1958 @iamlokisgloriouspurpose

#angst #loki #writing #fanfiction #marvel fanfic #marvel #loki god of mischief #loki fan fic #loki x you #sas #drugs of love love of drugs #sneek peek #sneak peak #spoilers?

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morgansunflower · 1 year

Text

Stay With Me

Older! Damian Wayne X Grayson! Adopted! Reader

Dick Grayson X Barbara Gordon

Bruce Wayne X Talia al Ghul

Warnings:suggestive content, explicit language, blood injuries, and gunshot wounds.

Words:1318

Damian is thrust with a overwhelming amount of fear as he finds his lover has been shot and is intensive care.

Arthur's notes! Third P. O. V

Requested taglist @too-strong-to-lose

No. No. Dammit. No. His mind cried. Damian drops the phone to the ground, his sisters voice instantly became like a distant echo mixed with his mother's voice pleading for answers. He stands or at least he thinks he does. His heart heavies deeper and deeper with each breath. His breathing becomes shallow from the shock that thrusts into him. He had to be alone. He stepped to the doorframe to the exit of the family room

"Damian? My son answer me, what is wrong?"

"I-I-I need a moment, excuse me"

He quickly departed to his room shutting his door to block anyone from seeing his emotions swell up to his blue eyes that reflect his father. His legs become like jelly as he falls onto his bed. He feels hot tears fall down his skin. He broke sobbing into his hands. His heart was breaking. Damian tried to regain his control before someone heard him. When he was at the hospital everything seemed dark and cold. She was in intensive care and they had heard nothing as of yet. He breaths heavily in and then out. The doctors say she'll never walk again.. She is paralyzed from the waist down. Barbara sobbed holding onto Grayson while tears falling down his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose taking a deep breath, he began to stutter. They loved her so much. She was there child like Grayson was Bruce's child. They were having dinner when the doorbell rang. Y/N answered but was met by Joker. Damian felt deeply responsible for her, because he loved her. He wanted to protect her. This was his fault. That early morning Damian sitting on his bed alone. He'd been cold and distant to everyone around him. They have been in a secret relationship for almost 2 years. No one knows. During her dinner with her parents, she was going to tell them the night she was shot about their relationship. Though she never got the chance to. As the door had opened and the gun was fired, both Grayson and Barbara knocked Joker and his men unconscious. Barbara had to keep Grayson from strangling the monster. Grayson lifted his daughter from the broken shards of glass from the now broken coffee table. He lifts her up to his chest while on the ground on his knees. He begged her to open her eyes while he applied pressure to her wound to keep her alive. When the medics arrived his arms shaked as they took her away. Grayson quickly ran out the door to run after them. Barbara had grabbed his Batgirl themed t-shirt, because his own was now stained with blood. She ran after her husband as they both went into the ambulance. Damian hears his door knocking.

"go away" he coldy said to whomever was disturbing him.

"Damian.. It's Steph.. I just wanted to check on you" she opens the door

"I said go away Brown!!!" he yelled at her.

He could see she had been crying for a while. She sits beside him. He sighed deeply wishing she would go away. He can't break in front of her. He can't let her see he's deeply in love with Y/N.

She softly laughed "I look like a mess and you haven't insulted me.. yet..." her face fell "I've been so worried about her to. I know she's your best friend. I just wanted you to know you're not the only one.. afraid"

That's when he broke. She is. She is so much more to him. He covers his face with his hands trying so desperately to fight his pain. He loves her. She saw goodness in him. When her heart touches his own it's when he feels human. That he can feel things and not be weak because of it. Stephanie hugs him. He held onto his sister needing to feel a since of comfort.

"how long?" she asked "I'm definitely hurt you didn't tell me, but I'm so happy you found someone who can tolerate you"

".. 2 years" he confessed, two beautiful years it was their anniversary yesterday and he couldn't be with her.

"and this whole time I was wondering what, changed you"

Y/N's adopted parents brought her home as she began recovering emotionally and physically. She knew she needed them, even to that it would help them sleep through the night knowing that she was safe. Y/N could barely sleep from the nightmares and heart was broken. Damian had been completely avoiding her. He wasn't strong enough, he knew the second he saw he would fall apart. Months passed by it was Wally and Artemis's wedding anniversary. Grayson didn't want to miss his best friends anniversary party but he really didn't want to leave his daughter alone. Plus Barbara and Dick, wanted to have a romantic weekend after having been under much heartbreak from what their daughter was going through. Though.. What if she needed help? What if she went through her terrible muscle spasms again? Their marriage was on the rocks from the both being on edge. Y/N begged them to go. She knew they needed time to do what made Y/N's mind eternally throw up. So they took her to Wayne Manor.. unknown to the fact that Damian would more than likely be taking better care of her more than anyone else. Y/N sat in her wheelchair in the guest room watching the sun going down. Her heartbroken tears falling down her face. Damian's gut turned into knots. He wanted to wipe her tears away and prove his love to her. She sees his reflection. She stuttered under her breath as her heartbreak brewed into anger.

"where the hell have you been? Are you disgu--" he was quick to cut her off

"no!! That is far from the truth.. Dammit beloved.. Of course not, I love you. I knew the moment I saw you that I'd.." his throat shakes "I'd break, I could not let them see me break"

"I need you Damian.. I don't want to be alone" she cried looking into his eyes

"you won't ever be my love" he promised.

She, moved her hands to roll her wheelchair to get closer to him. He quickly walked to her. He leaned down to his knees, taking her hands into his own tenderly. He wraps his strong arms around her legs tightly. She could have died. He rest his head on her thighs. She wraps her arms around him laying her head on his back. She began to cry grateful she didn't lose him.. He felt the same feelings as his heart was heavy... That night Damian laid beside her holding her. With her heart close to his beating heart. She gave him peace, gave him joy. As she laid sound asleep he reached in his pocket taking out a ring. It was his grandmother's. He wanted Y/N to be his wife. For them to grow old together. As she began to stir in her sleep he smoothly placed the ring in his pocket. He kisses her neck she let out a relaxing humming sound. His heart was beating rapidly as his guilt ate at him. He lays his forehead on her own.

"I should have been there" Damian cried in a apology heavily letting his emotions be heard out to only her ears.

"Dami, no" she kisses him she wraps her arms around him, her throat shakes from the terrifying nightmare. That her love truly felt responsible "please.. I am begging you, don't blame yourself"

He only wanted to hold her, to love her with all his heart and never let her go. She was so beautiful to him, like treasure. He kisses her knuckles lovingly and then the palm of her hand. He moves to lay his head in her neck holding her in his arms.

#wheelchair #older! damian wayne x reader #Damian Wayne X Reader #talia is a good mom #Damian Wayne #Dick Grayson X Barbara Gordon #batfamily #gunshot wounds #Crying #Heavy angst #Nightmares #fluff #batfam

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