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Part 34 of The Portal-Opening Days are Over ...Not!
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Published:
2022-02-16
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2022-02-19
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Vergil and Relationships

Summary:

He is used to being alone,
But now he has a human he cares about... someone he cares too much about,
And he is still not good at handling emotions
...so he did something foolish.

--The sequel to Swap
but can be read independently, probably 🤔 Just consider a long-established relationship then someone threatened your life and Vergil had a hard time saving you because of things, so he got paranoid after everything, and here we are.

Notes:

All the episodes between ‘Swap’ and this one are just happy fluffy memories.

Check out the playlist link you will see in chapter 1 for a more immersive reading (or waiting for an update) experience.

Chapter 1: A Rift

Chapter Text

 

A portal is actually a rift between two places. 

But a rift is also a space or an interval, 

a fissure… a break… a separation.  

 

## 

 

Since that thing with Reboot Vergil had happened, Vergil had been acting weird. That was aside from his frequent nightmares. He didn’t want you both to go to the DMC World, fearing the possible dangers. So after he had recovered from that spell, you two had been staying in your world. He would sometimes space out, deep in thoughts, but if you would ask him, he would say nothing was wrong. 

 

There were times when you would catch him staring at you, when you would doze off or while you two were watching TV. If you asked him what he was thinking about, he would just show a small smile and shake his head then pull you into a cuddle and kiss the top of your head. 

 

There were also times when he looked sad, really wistful, full of longing in his eyes, but you couldn’t figure out why. You tried your usual comforting ways, and he would always welcome you in his arms, but he still seemed different. He was mostly just quiet. He didn’t joke around anymore, there weren’t any arm-slaps the past week. He was still affectionate though. If you kiss him, he would return it; if you touch him, he would respond. 

 

Vergil even made love to you just last night, that’s the term you called it, cheesy yes but that was because it was different from the usual naughty or playful ones. It was kind of serious but still full of emotions and yearning. He even held your hand when you peaked, something you thought was only in cheesy love-making scenes in old movies, but it was indeed sweet for some reason. He kissed you passionately after that. Then he held you in his arms till you fell asleep. 

 

You even remembered him whispering in your ear, “I love you, so much,” and you were too sleepy to reply with something more than a smile. You thought at least he still felt the same towards you. He might have been acting weird lately but he still loved you as much as he did before, possibly even more. 

 

But the next day he was gone. 

 

Vergil left you in your world.  

 

He just disappeared. He was right there before you fell asleep, but he wasn’t there when you woke up. Not like how he usually was – lacking sleep and awake before you, and already cooking breakfast when you wake up. Not in the bathroom, in his old room nor in the rooftop. Nowhere. 

 

There wasn’t even a letter, or at least a note. He didn’t take his things in here, and that got you somehow worried about the possibility of him just disappearing unwillingly. But he wasn’t the type to be kidnapped or so. As much as it hurts to admit, Vergil was more the type to suddenly leave without saying anything. 

 

And he didn’t portal back. 

For days… 

For weeks… 

And now for a month. 

 

But you knew he had a reason for doing this. He always had a reason for doing things. There was even a high possibility that he was thinking that he was doing this for your sake – a very stupid idea that some guys in drama series would think is best for the girl they love but is actually very selfish and dumb. 

 

Yet you still believed in him and hoped he would return. Part of you thought that he might just need some time to think of things, and you’d be willing to wait here for him, as long as he would come back, no matter how long it takes. But another part of you knew that Vergil can be stubborn when he makes up his mind on something and you weren’t by his side to convince him otherwise like usual. But still, you believed in him and waited. And cried your eyes out, of course. 

 

On some days, you didn’t want to do anything, you just wanted to listen to sad songs and cry. You even made a playlist and labeled it as ‘ Vergil Left ’, a foolishness that he would probably laugh at if he sees it. You even added memorable songs in there, the one he sang and the one you danced to in your friend’s wedding. Self-torture perhaps, but it feels better to cry with some music than silently and alone... 

 

As anyone would expect, you had been looking at his photos on your phone, both stolen photos of him and your photos together. Before, it was just screenshots from Devil May Cry and saves from Pinterest and DevianArt, but now you had the real Vergil’s photos. Of course, there were videos too, and you had a lot of them. Both stolen and proper ones. And they would all make you cry now, darn. 

 

There were even dark days when you couldn’t stand the pain, like that one when you were staring at the Mini-Yamato and you spaced out and when you came to, the blade was already touching your other hand’s wrist, and the angle was even the proper one, the angle that would really do the trick. Recalling that day made you think that maybe the demon in your bracelet was acting like a horror movie demon in this world and was possessing you or something. Or were you just too drunk that time? You couldn’t remember, really. 

 

But because of that, you recalled Vergil saying that the Mini-Yamato was made from a small part of the Yamato, and thus it can be used in opening a portal. You knew it was impossible, for the Mini-Yamato drew power from Vergil and he wasn't here, he had no power here either. You didn’t even have any power to begin with, but if there was a chance, no matter how small... even if it was just a small portal, a communication portal like what he was able to conjure before, you wanted to try. 

 

Thinking hard about it even brought you to the idea that, 'If the Mini-Yamato draws power from Vergil, well, he’s in his world right now, he has power right now.' So you tried and tried, vertical and horizontal slashes in the air, even while seated or while lying down. The whole time you kept saying in your mind, ‘Please, borrow some of his power, please Mini-Yamato...’ Sometimes you were even saying that out loud. Anyone who would see you might think you had gone insane. 

 

But no, you just wanted to see him. You wanted to talk to him, at least. Ask him why he left... Tell him that if he was afraid to lose you, this wasn’t the right way to handle it. 

 

You were hoping on this method. And was still hoping he would return. But everything is just difficult and... sad. Yep, your puffy eyes would cry out that it’s an understatement. 

 

“Vergil, you’re a fool!” you yelled after another failed attempt, then just burst out crying as you leaned your head on your arm that was on the dining table. 

 

You had been sitting there for more than an hour now; you had been trying this Mini-Yamato portal for about a week now. This was useless, really, and exhausting. You might be hoping too much.  

 

You wished you were someone who would give up easily, but sadly, you weren’t. You had always been the type to try and try as long as you could think of a method to try. And it was a pain to be that optimistic sometimes. 

 

But then you heard something, “Forgive me...” 

 

Chapter 2: The Other Side

Summary:

...was full of doubts and desires, fear and folly

Chapter Text

 

Vergil stayed in the apartment the whole time. 

 

Dante tried to visit him but as soon as he sensed Dante’s presence, he conjured a portal to go somewhere temporarily, then came back a few minutes later. 

 

It was Dante who picked him up that day, all according to his plan. He had come up with this before you two returned to your world. He had set up this schedule with Dante without you knowing, and he spent those days with you knowing those were the last. You might think he was an asshole for doing that, but planning and knowing all that wasn't easy either. It felt like his days were numbered.

 

Dante found it odd that he would leave alone, but he said he just needed to do something and would come back to you soon after it. He lied with that. Now he led Dante into thinking that he was back in your world. Dante didn’t know what he did. Dante should not know. If Dante finds out, he would fetch you. If that happens, you would be back here, you might be put in danger again. 

 

It was just a phase.  

 

I don’t deserve to be that happy. I've killed a lot of people; I've ruined a lot of lives.  

 

My life is cursed. It will always be. It might seem like everything is going fine but time will come when everything would fall apart again. When that time comes, at least you are there, safe in your world. Far from me.  

 

Vergil was well aware that having someone dear to him made him more afraid than he had ever been. He used to be alone and he feared nothing – even a bit too fearless that he once faced someone strong while not in his best state, then everything went downhill from there.

 

Now he was afraid of all possibilities. A lot of things could harm you, especially if you stay with him. Even he, himself, could harm you unintentionally if he fails to control his strength. You are bound to get hurt if you are with him. 

 

In his fight with Jin, he lost himself and even hit you. He could still vividly picture how terrified you looked that time. The spectral shield didn’t fail to show him how you were trembling in fear while you were convincing him to stop. He never wanted to see you that way again... that afraid of him. 

 

This is the right thing to do. He is a danger to you both directly and indirectly. 

 

But what would he do from here on? Aim to be stronger? For what? Is there still a point in being powerful? He could kill demons with relative ease. Is there still a point in killing demons? There would still be a lot of them anyway. If some humans get harmed, that’s just nature’s way of regulating the population. 

 

So, what now? 

 

Heh, motivation... 

 

He lay down on the bed. Your scent was still there. Everywhere in the apartment. Curse these heightened senses. He shut his eyes but that just made him visualize you more. He wanted to hold you right now, he wanted to feel you, he wanted to— to hell with this intoxicating scent. 

 

He tried to distract himself, think of what to do, even short-term goals, even just things to do today, but all he could think of was you. Are you eating properly? Are you being careful in doing mundane tasks? It has been a month there... Do you still think of him? 

 

Do humans forget easily? He hoped you do. For him it had just been about four days. There was no way he would forget you. Even if it were four months, or four years, he doubted that he would ever forget about you. 

 

But right now, he had to stop wondering about you, despite being worried about your safety. He had to stop thinking of you, despite wanting to see you. He had to stop replaying memories in his mind, despite wanting to at least hear your voice again. 

 

But then he heard, “Vergil, you’re a fool!” and he sat up instantly. 

 

Chapter 3: Portals

Summary:

...have always been what connected you two

Chapter Text

 

“Forgive me...”

 

Recognizing that voice, you quickly turned to find it. There was a small portal in front of you, one that didn’t open fully, same with what Vergil managed to make in here before, a communication portal. But it was very small, not even something you could see him with, damn all the mini versions. But at least you heard him. This was enough, hearing him was enough.

 

More tears rolled down your cheeks but you wiped them fast and hurried to think of a reply. “Vergil? Can you hear me?”

 

It took a while before you heard a “Yes.” He must have thought about it first. He could’ve stayed silent and pretended not to hear you. Thankfully, he didn’t.

 

“Why did—why—why did you--” you couldn’t form a proper sentence because of your sobbing, you might be hyperventilating now or something, you weren’t sure.

 

His tone sounded worried and strict when he said, “Breathe.”

 

But you were afraid that this mini portal might close soon so you tried to say something, anything really, whatever you could manage despite the pesky crying, anything from the top of your head, there was no time to think.

 

“You’re a fool. You're strong but you’re still afraid. You said you couldn’t last six hours without me, but how long has it been now? I’ve been waiting for a month... I didn’t even know if that’s waiting. You might have decided not to come back so there isn’t someone to wait for. You said you're afraid to lose me but you threw me away before you even lost me. You lied about everything. You didn’t really love me.”

 

“I love you.”

 

You were surprised he said that. You were actually half-expecting that the portal had already closed because you had been saying a lot but there was no sound from his side.

 

You burst out crying again, but weren’t you already crying the whole time?

 

“You’re a fool. That’s not how you love someone. Keeping them safe is worthless if you’re the one hurting them. You’re a fool, Vergil...”

 

##

 

Vergil found it strange, the portal was still there but he could not hear your voice anymore.

 

Portals, even communication portals like the one he managed to conjure before, are not supposed to be like cellphones that sometimes get a bad signal reception. This was odd. He tried to reason it out instead of getting worried, but he couldn’t. Worrying about you was already an instinct.

 

He called your name, but you were not answering.

 

He got nervous the longer he stared at the silent portal. He felt cold, him who was always warm started feeling cold. There was tightness in his stomach as his left hand instinctively reached for the Yamato, but he stopped. He had to be firm in his resolve.

 

Though it really was strange that the portal was still there but it was quiet. You, someone who had a hyperactive imagination and typically babbles on about what excites or bothers you, after a month of not being able to talk to him, would be this quiet? You were saying a lot earlier, as if scared you might run out of portal call remaining time, and for you to be this silent now...

 

Then he saw the small portal in front of him disappear slowly, and he felt like his chest crumbled along with it.

 

Chapter 4: Fool

Summary:

He knows he is one

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

‘Fool. Blockhead. Numbskull. Stupid. Idiot.’ 

 

Vergil’s mind was drifting away from fancy synonyms the longer he scolded himself upon seeing you. 

 

He found you on the floor near the dining table, unconscious. This looked like one of the recurring scenes in his nightmares. How could he let this happen? 

 

The few minutes of hesitation in opening that portal were already eight times in this world. You might have been in danger, and he'd prioritized his obstinacy. 

 

He placed the Yamato on the floor as he knelt beside you. He noticed how his hand was quivering as it reached for you, as if afraid that those eerie things that transpired in his dreams would happen, the moment he touched you. 

 

'Fool.’ 

 

He tried to be calm and checked your breathing and pulse. As soon as he confirmed that you were not in imminent danger, he carried you to the bed. He looked for the tablet and searched for ‘passing out crying’, ‘dehydration’, ‘hyperventilation’ and other things he assumed based on your pale skin, dry lips and how you sounded the last time he'd heard you speak. 

 

He realized that he should have studied these things before. Having a human as his mate would require him knowledge about human first aid. Protecting you and preventing you from getting hurt was not enough. There really were things that could slip past his overprotectiveness. He should know how to handle you when you were already hurt. He should have come to accept that fact, that you would get hurt no matter how he tried to keep you from it. Right now, it was even him who had hurt you. 

 

‘You are a big fool...’ 

 

## 

 

You opened your eyes and you saw Vergil. 

 

You immediately thought, ‘Damn you brain, don’t do this to me.’ So you closed your eyes again, even covered them with a hand, because what you had just seen got you crying again. 

 

You didn’t realize that you'd voiced that, until you heard, “You made an oath not to swear out loud.” 

 

You peeked between your fingers and the Vergil was still there. This might not be a hallucination after all, so you got up.

 

You were on the bed. That Vergil was kneeling on the floor beside you. But he might not be real, he wasn't moving. Your eyes felt heavy and your head was aching. This must be an illusion.

 

When you talked to him through a portal earlier, was that real? 

 

As more confused thoughts came forth, and as this Vergil in front of you continued to stare at you in silence, somehow, anger got to you. All the frustration you'd felt the past month, being left here without a choice, abandoned without any explanation, left to guess and wait, and yet still trying to be understanding despite all... 

 

And that made you punch this Vergil in the face. 

 

You'd expected the image to disappear, but it didn't. This Vergil just fell seated on the floor, and your hand hurt, and his nose started to bleed, and you panicked. He was real all along! 

 

How do you stop a nosebleed? You might have broken his nose. He's human in here. 

 

He tried to cover it, tried to look up, pinched it, but it still kept on bleeding. 

 

You looked around for anything that could help, but what caught your attention was the Yamato beside him. “Portal back to your world so you’ll heal.” 

 

“I can’t open a portal from here.” 

 

And it struck you. You recalled the problem that had started this all, the reason why you'd gotten to be with Vergil in the first place. Memories from that time flashed in your mind and this somehow made you cry again. 

 

“Why are you crying? You’re the one who punched me.” 

 

“You couldn’t open a portal...” you said, as you tried to stop your tears. “That’s why you were stuck here... that’s why we spent time together, we became close, we—” 

 

You were interrupted when Vergil hugged you. 

 

He was standing on his knees, while you were sitting on the edge of the bed. It wasn’t the most ideal reunion hug, but he still did so, even with just one arm, as his other hand was still holding his bleeding nose. 

 

## 

 

Recalling everything from that time he'd been stuck here, Vergil also remembered that back then, he had even been willing to stay powerless as long as he could be with you... how disappointed he had been when he'd managed to conjure a Summoned Sword... how displeased he had been when Dante had come here to pick him up. How could he forget those feelings? 

 

Now they all came pouring down on him, and it felt heavy. What was this? Guilt? Remorse? How foolish could he be? He'd never wanted to leave this world before. He had even considered staying human for good, just so he could be with you. Then he left you here just because of that horrible experience? 

 

He didn’t know what else to think or what to say. He felt like he needed to hold you, so he just hugged you. 

 

And while you were in his arms, he felt like he never wanted to let go. He had done something foolish, and he was afraid that this mistake might ruin his life again. Not just his life, but his life with you. 

 

He even ignored his bleeding nose to hold you tighter with both arms. He would just clean up the bloody mess later. He felt this need, this desire, this longing. Part of his mind wondered if this was how drug addicts would feel when they relapsed after a few days of rehabilitation. The thought made him smile a little; he was becoming like you with those random ideas. Well, your scent was his drug, so it wasn’t really random. 

 

All he could think of at the moment was that he had to hold you. He had to be with you. He couldn’t be away from you again. 

 

And so he said, “Marry me.” 

 

## 

 

“Marry me.” 

 

“What the hell, Vergil, this isn’t the right time to propose!” You pushed him as anger was starting to build up in you again. 

 

But he didn't let go — one of the rare times he was using his strength against you. You were still struggling when he shifted to kiss you. And you felt him. Damn this guy, cheating his way out with his expressive kiss. 

 

As his lips caressed yours while his hands turned from his secure grip into cupping your cheek gently with one and holding you close by the waist with the other, you felt Vergil's emotions... how messed up and confused he was, how scared he was to lose you that he'd chosen to lose you voluntarily to your world than to lose you permanently. And right now, he was being honest with what he wanted. 

 

His kiss was really something. Not just the fangirling aspect of it. It filled up what he lacked in his human communications skills. You had known that for so long, his kiss was literally magical. Is it really like this for half-demons? It's not always with words, instead, it’s in actions, in instincts? Dammit.

 

Or was it something that was just special for you two? He wasn't good at expressing himself, while you were good at sensing how he was feeling, so kiss-communication? Yeah perfect, heh. 

 

But as soon as you pulled away, he poured it all out. Words, just what you were looking for. 

 

He held your hands tight and looked at you with those sincere eyes as he said, “I’m sorry for what I did. Forgive me for being a fool. I didn't know the right thing to do. I was afraid to lose you, to hurt you, but I did it all the same. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Please just allow me to be with you again.” 

 

If half his face wasn’t covered in blood, his touching words would have made you cry. This time, it made you smile then laugh. 

 

You took a few sheets of tissue from the nearby pack and wiped his blood. His nose had stopped bleeding, so at least that was one problem solved. 

 

But Vergil still gazed at you in all seriousness. He held your hand that was wiping his face when he added, “Even if I start as a slave, I will work hard until I earn the right to be your husband.” 

 

You smiled and leaned in to kiss him. You were partly mad, partly touched, partly confused, but you still found him adorable. And your feelings for him hadn’t changed anyway. You just hoped that you could also communicate your emotions through a kiss like he could. 

 

When you pulled away, you said, “You’re a fool, Vergil... Slavergil.” And you smiled. “Start by cleaning this bloody mess.” 

 

He looked relieved and thankful before he embraced you again. He even whispered in your ear during the hug, “As you wish.” 

 

Notes:

rejoice but heed the chapter count 😐

Chapter 5: The Next Part

Chapter Text

 

...was weird. 

 

You felt a mixture of emotions. You were glad that Vergil was back, but you were also still mad at him for what he did, but you don’t want to be mad. You two are okay now, he’s being so sweet, excessively sweet, but there’s just something, it feels weird. 

 

## 

 

Vergil saw how you were with the apartment the whole month you were alone. 

 

You mostly ate ordered food. In the trash he saw a pizza box, plastic wrappers of biscuits and cookies, there was no sign of cooking a proper meal. Even the cupboards were full of cookie packs and other easy to eat instant or processed food. 

 

The room was dusty that he didn’t know how you could live here without getting your dust allergy triggered. Even as merely your roommate before, he taught you to clean everyday so as to avoid accumulation of dust – it was really for your allergies, not just because he prefers cleanliness. But you must have been crying the whole time so tears and sniffles from allergens wouldn’t make a difference. 

 

## 

 

When you two went to the DMC apartment, you realized how Vergil had been during your...separation. He didn’t clean. He didn’t eat. And from what you noticed from Dante, he didn’t tell Dante anything, so he must have just stayed in the apartment the whole time. 

 

He intended to clean up fast when you arrived, but you stopped him and Slavergil obeyed immediately. 

 

This all just lasted about four days for him, while for you it was a month… It was unfair. 

 

But you knew, from how he wanted you two to be together in one universe at a time, that he could imagine the days in your world even if it were just a few hours for him in his, and that he gets worried when he doesn’t know what’s happening to you. It must have been tough for him too. But still, it felt weird. 

 

You were mostly quiet these days, while Vergil was clingy. He just stayed where you were, holding you in his arms the first few hours, then days. 

 

After meals in your world, he would sit on the couch just cuddling you until the next time that your humanly bodies would need to eat again. It was even a plea. Every part of it. “Will you sit here with me? Please,” followed by, “May I hold you?” and sometimes even “Is it alright if I kiss you?” It was weird but at least he somehow knew his place. 

 

He calls it being a slave, though a very clingy and demanding one at that. You were not into this slavery thing that much because you remember his time with Mundus, but thinking about it well, maybe that’s exactly what he was going for – maybe he wanted to prove his sincerity that he’s willing to go as far as claiming that role. This guy is really still kind of single-minded. Still adorable though, that’s why you couldn’t help but call him Slavergil sometimes and he would smile at that. Probably because it meant for him that you are acknowledging his efforts to win you back. 

 

But for you, it even reminds you of his recent foolishness, so your smiles at ‘Slavergil’ weren’t how you would if it were one of your foolish-fun activities. It would have been an amusing thing really – ordering him around, making him do things he wouldn’t normally do, you would probably braid his hair or put nail polish on him just for the fun of it... if only it were one of those foolish-fun activities, but it wasn’t. It’s just that you’re still partly upset. Maybe. 

 

But you also missed him, a lot. And with how adorable he asks for permission, you just couldn’t say no to any of it. You were even waiting for him to ask something, and when he did, he was even more cute. “May I… touch you? While… kissing you? And then… in the bed?” If only you were good at showing a poker face, maybe he even asked permission for every step. 

 

You could easily tell how much Vergil missed you. 

 

But still, it was weird. 

 

‘Why leave me if you’ll miss me this much?’ was what you’ve been wanting to ask him, though you know the answer to it. 

 

You wanted to completely forgive him, but it’s difficult for some reason. 

 

There was no point in being mad, he’s here, you’re together again, he’s sorry, and he made sure you knew that, as he apologized almost every time you granted him permission to hold you. 

 

You weren’t looking for anything, you weren’t testing him. Maybe you just needed time to heal. Maybe you just wanted him to understand how much he made you suffer. 

 

And realizing that gave you an idea. 

 

Chapter 6: If Our Positions were Switched

Summary:

The best way to understand each other is to be in each other's shoes...or world.

Chapter Text

 

Vergil woke up in your world without you by his side. 

 

At first he thought you just woke up early and was already cooking breakfast, but you were not in the kitchen. You were not anywhere in the apartment. 

 

Soon enough, he realized, you were not in this world. He was being punished. 

 

For a month, he didn’t see you, only in his mind when he closed his eyes. 

 

For a month, he couldn’t hold you. He just covered the Dakimakura with your clothes, making sure Daki’s face was also covered to not make it weird, and he hugged Daki whenever he wanted to hold you. He knew how much you had charged Daki with your embrace, so it felt like he was indirectly hugging you this way. 

 

For a month, he couldn’t kiss you. 

 

For a month, he couldn’t touch you. 

 

It was dull. It was hell. But he knew you experienced worse. 

 

He had an idea what was happening, he knew he only had to endure the punishment for a month and you will be back. You, on the other hand, didn’t know why he left, didn’t know if he would come back, didn’t know what to do. It was more of a hell for you. His experience was mere prison compared to yours. 

 

Realizing that somehow gave him a pinch in his chest. He knew how easily you cry. He knew how hard you sometimes try not to cry but still end up doing so. He knew you end up having a tough headache after crying for a long time. If a two-hour drama did that to you, what more could a month of his foolish disappearance? 

 

He was sorry even before, for he knew what he had done wrong. But it was only now that he was realizing the details… those details, which, no matter how small, caused you pain and suffering, all because of him. 

 

## 

 

‘It was just for a few days,’ you told yourself when Dante fetched you. 

 

Day one was even spent explaining everything to ConfiDante and him cheering you up with pizza, so it shouldn’t have been difficult. 

 

But it was. 

 

You didn’t feel like doing anything or even being with anyone so you just stayed in the apartment. 

 

Just being in the room, thinking of how Vergil was doing, knowing how every hour in here was eight hours in there… it was enough to make you overthink. 

 

Is he eating properly? What if he kept his unhealthy habits as a half-demon while he’s human in there? Is he sleeping enough? You could only hope that he doesn’t pass out like before. What if he’s getting nightmares every night? He’s alone there… Just imagining it makes you teary-eyed. This is insane. 

 

And you’re not the overprotective one at that. How much more if it were him in this situation? 

 

You lay down in bed, hugging the Yamato, hoping to see Vergil at least in your dreams. “Sorry I took you from Vergil,” you even said to the katana, and oddly you thought you felt it vibrate a little. 

 

## 

 

Vergil found out some of the ways you passed the time when you were alone here. Since your phone and tablet apps were synced, he saw the playlist you made entitled “Vergil Left” and it was filled with songs that probably made you cry. He thought it was foolish to do that, listening to sad songs when you are sad. Why make yourself cry deliberately? 

 

But when he tried it, hell, it felt good. It helped release that weird feeling accumulated in his chest. But it was embarrassing how some songs brought him to tears. It was unsightly. But it felt good. Is that how humans deal with emotional pain? 

 

He edited the playlist title, “Vergil Left, Then Vergil was Punished” and he smiled a little, wondering how you would react when you see this. 

 

He also saw your videos and photos together. And when he saw your smiles in them, tears came out again. Ridiculous. He wasn’t this weak. Why was this happening. Is this because his body was human right now? 

 

No. He just missed you so much, and he couldn’t do anything about it. 

 

You even took the Yamato with you to make sure he would not cheat his way out of this punishment. It was fine with him, he trusts you with his sword. The Yamato even trusts you too. But if he had her right now, these emotions might be strong enough to open a portal. Or at least a small one, just to talk to you. 

 

And it struck him. You did that with the Mini-Yamato. You knew it was impossible, you didn’t have the power, it was in your world, but you still did it, you got through and reached him. He felt proud that you could do unexpected things with the weapon he gave you. 

 

But he still felt…sad. 

 

And it got worse when it was already over a month and you still weren’t back. That was when he started to get worried. 

 

Cleaning the whole place did not ease his restlessness anymore. 

 

What if this wasn’t a punishment all along? What if you disappeared mysteriously and he spent a month here sad but relaxed, while you were somewhere else and in danger? Realizing that made him fall to his knees. 

 

But he tried to contradict it. Perhaps you thought a punishment should be double the amount of the sin. But that would take another month to confirm. What if you really were in danger and he spent two months doing nothing? 

 

What if you don’t return? 

 

He could accept it if you changed your mind about him, if your feelings changed, if you were actually in this world but just left to go far away from him. That would be painful, but he could accept that… he would accept that. 

 

But what if something bad happened to you which caused you not to return soon? 

 

How would he know which one was the case? 

 

You must have also felt this way before. He recalled you saying, “I didn’t even know if that’s waiting. You might have decided not to come back so there isn’t someone to wait for.”  

 

Right now he was the same. And probably worse. He didn’t know if he was waiting for someone who would return, if he was hopelessly waiting for someone who doesn’t want to return, or if he was foolishly waiting for someone who’s already… 

 

No! That wouldn’t happen. Dante is there, he would protect you. 

 

But what if you just stayed in the apartment like he did, and Dante wasn’t there when something bad happened? What if those demons who had always been chasing him before coincidentally resumed their quest and tracked his scent on you or figured out your connection? 

 

You had Proto An-- Ichi with you, but what if he was not enough to protect you? 

 

You being in his world and him stuck in here was the worst arrangement. There were a lot of dangers in there and he couldn’t do anything. 

 

Not knowing what was really happening was driving him insane. Hoping for the best while not knowing the truth made it even worse. 

 

While still sitting on the floor, Vergil moved closer to the wall behind him, then he pulled his knees close and leaned his head against them. He felt this small right now. 

 

As he racked his brain for any solution, he could only mumble, “Please come back…”  

 

Chapter 7: The Foolish Couple

Chapter Text

 

Vergil was now lying on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling, as if the solution was written there. He was still wishing you would come back soon, while he went back and forth with worry and hope. This was something foolish he didn’t normally do, but right now he felt too weak to care. 

 

‘How long has it been?’  

 

‘It is dark again.’  

 

‘My body feels enervated. It must be needing nourishment. But I don’t think I have the energy to move... because my body lacks fuel... because I can’t move enough to acquire some... because I didn’t eat since... ahh, you will scold me if you find out. Where are you...?’  

 

‘Go ahead and scold me... punch me again... slap me... stab me with the Yamato... just come back to me...’  

 

‘What if she doesn’t want to be with me anymore? What if, when I disappeared, there was someone else with whom she found comfort and happiness? What if she’s with him right now? Swear to all bloody circles of hell, I will hunt and shred that guy. Ah, no, that would make her cry. Ahh... I hope that’s not what happened...’  

 

‘But if that were the case, then I... For her sake, I would have to give her up... and just watch them get married, have their offspring, then grandchildren... Then someone with white hair would take over the world out of mishandled and prolonged bitterness. And those grandchildren would try to stop the white-haired man who still looked young because he stopped aging and living when he lost his heart and... ah, I have a hyperactive imagination now too. It must have been contagious. Perhaps I should start writing fanfics too...’  

 

‘My body is already weak, why is my mind still running on full speed like this... I read that somewhere, that when a person dies, the body would cease function but the brain could still draw on energy reserves for a few minutes before it shuts down completely. Am I dying?’  

 

‘No, I'm probably just hungry. What have I been rambling about... Good thing no one hears my thoughts.’  

 

‘Speaking of thoughts... V, Urizen, are you there? Talk to me, I’m going out of my mind. Ah right, I’m human in here.’  

 

‘I can’t take this anymore...’  

 

‘Where are you... What’s taking you so long? It's been over a month... Was I wrong to assume that this was just a punishment? Are you safe? What if— Ahh, I’m heading towards the path of worry again. It’s becoming a cycle.’  

 

“Vergil! Are you alright? What happened to you?” 

 

‘Now I'm hearing things.’  

 

But then he saw you, kneeling beside him, placing the Yamato on the floor, looking so worried. It felt like this had happened before, but he was in your position... and it hit him. 

 

He sat up right away, ignoring the spinning vision and aching head, just to hug you. You were here, you were safe, you were back. 

 

“I’m sorry, I fell asleep then—” 

 

He didn’t care for the reason, he just wanted to hold you and kiss you, and so he did. He couldn’t wait for permission this time. He missed you. He was worried about you. He was losing it. 

 

When you both pulled away, you said in unison, “I’m sorry…” 

 

“I’m sorry I did that to you,” you went ahead and repeated. 

 

“No, I’m sorry I did that to you,” Vergil stroked your head as he apologized. “And thank you, for coming back to me…”  

 

## 

 

“You haven’t been eating, have you?” You stood up and added, “Let me get you a snack or a drink at least.” 

 

But before you could go, Vergil caught your arm and stopped you. Then he stood up quickly just to embrace you again. One hug must not be enough for him. It had been more than a month for him after all. 

 

Then he kissed you again, just a short one this time, and he said, “I really missed you.” Then another kiss, before he said, “I love you, so much.” 

 

He seemed a bit rattled and panicky, as if he had a lot he wanted to do and say, so you tried to calm him with a bit of foolishness, “You haven’t asked for permission to kiss me.” But he froze with that. 

 

So you added immediately, “Just kidding. You’re no longer a slave.” You grinned, and were relieved that he smiled in return. “You are promoted to boyfriend again.” He hugged you tight upon hearing that. 

 

Then he whispered in your ear, in his usual confident, teasing tone, “How about husband?” 

 

You hit him lightly where your hand was. “Only if you ask properly. Not like how demanding you said it last time and not right after a fight or while bleeding, fool.” 

 

“We didn’t fight, did we? And I’m not bleeding, so…” Vergil pulled away and took something from his pocket then knelt down on one knee in front of you. He opened the small blue velvet box he was holding, revealing a beautiful diamond ring. He held your hand then looked at you, smiling gently as he said your full name, then, 

 

“Forgive me for what I have done. I was really afraid to lose you, but I ended up hurting you. If you would allow me to, I would spend every remaining day in my life making up for this foolishness.” 

 

He looked a bit embarrassed when he continued with, “I am honestly afraid of things that are beyond my control, but I will do my best to overcome that, because I don’t want to lose you, to any threats and even to my fears. I will protect you till the moment I die. Even then, perhaps I would be a devil arm for you to equip. I am uncertain if that is how it is for half-demons.” You both chuckled when he got sidetracked. 

 

Then Vergil turned serious again. “I want to make you happy, always. I want to be with you. I never want to be separated from you again. I want to make you mine for good.” He smiled, one that looked a bit shy, when he added, “I’m possessive and overprotective. I'm a fool at times and I'm not so good at expressing myself. Having known all that, will you still grant me the honor of growing old with you, as your foolish husband?” 

 

You nodded, trying your best to suppress happy tears, and replied, “I will be your foolish wife.” Hearing that, he smiled, slid the ring into your finger, then stood up to kiss you. Vergil’s kisses were always full of feelings, but this one seemed to be the most magical of them all.