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Warmth spilled into the room with the first rays of light, the warm, sun-kissed sheets making staying in all the more tempting. Summer was fast approaching but for now the warmth was still appreciated.
V stretched his limbs before even opening his eyes. His long legs got tangled in the sheets and his arms hit the headboard, but he didn't mind. Stretching them out felt heavenly regardless.
The moment he opened his eyes he was greeted with a flurry of black ink and Griffon taking perch on the coat rack nearby.
"Mornin', V," the familiar greeted, stretching his wings not unlike V did a moment ago.
"Good morning. Is there any reason that you are up already?"
"Nah," Griffon deflected and started grooming his plumage, "might've heard some ruckus down the hall some thirty minutes ago but nothing you need to concern yourself with."
Ruckus?
It was definitely too early for the late-risers Dante and Nero, and Vergil, while an early riser, was like a ghost. He was more likely to scare the others with his sudden appearance than to cause any noise... Maybe one of the former had had to use the bathroom?
Well, whatever the case, Griffon was right: it probably wasn’t important.
V went about his morning routine, grabbing a pair of leather pants and a comfortable t-shirt. At times it was a struggle to not just grab his coat, but, unlike Dante, V had to admit that it just wasn’t appropriate indoor wear.
There was no mirror in his room. Knowing that he would get more than just one teasing remark if he got caught with his usual nightmare of bedhead, though, V brushed his hair as well as he could without one before leaving the room.
He just didn’t get very far. The moment he left his room there was a flurry of movement and suddenly he had two devil hunters right up in his face.
Uh... what…?
“Morning, V!” Dante greeted him with a cheer that was unusual for him, even in the best of his moods.
Nero grinning right next to him didn’t make the situation any less peculiar.
“Good morning…” V said slowly, “did I miss something?”
“Not yet, we just came here to tell you something,” Nero said.
'Came here’, right. It very much seemed like those two had just lain in wait right in front of his door. Maybe that had been the ruckus Griffon had heard?
“And what would that be?”
Dante and Nero looked at each other, two identical grins on their face, before they turned to V to yell as one: “Happy birthday, V!”
V startled at the sudden volume before he even had a chance to parse what they had said.
Birthday? What did they—
V paused, looking up at the bright summer sun shining through the windows of the shop. Summer. Had it really been a year already?
Unfortunately he didn’t share the others’ enthusiasm at the revelation.
“In case you forgot already, that day was not exactly a joyous event for me,” he said carefully, not wanting to ruin the devil hunters’ obvious high spirits, but neither Dante nor Nero seemed deterred by his response.
“We are aware of that,” Nero said, his grin turning softer, more like a smile.
“Which is why we have decided to change that from now on,” Dante finished for him.
V could only stare at them. Maybe it was just too early for him to make sense of their words, but more than that he was also distracted by something. Something that was missing, in fact.
"Where's Vergil?"
"Out,” Dante replied quickly, “said he had to 'go and get something'. Also said that it might take some time."
V didn’t know why that bothered him as much as it did.
"I see..." he said, unable to hide just how dejected he was.
"Now, now, none of that face. He'll be back before you know it, you'll see," Dante said cheerily, throwing an arm around V's shoulder to pull him close, "Now I heard that there’s a nice cafe down the road. It's not far and pleasantly quiet this early in the morning. Wanna go?"
"It also serves 'the best strawberry sundae in town'," Nero added in an admittedly poor imitation of the older devil hunter.
"Shut up, Nero!"
Dante made an aborted motion that was probably an attempt to hit Nero over the head before he remembered that he was currently holding onto V. He also looked weirdly embarrassed by Nero’s remark in general, but V could only really focus on one thing.
"You want ice cream for breakfast?" he asked incredulously.
Earnestly embarrassed now Dante’s face turned a shade of scarlet.
"It's not just 'ice cream', and the time of day has no bearing on the deliciousness of a fine strawberry sundae, just so you know!"
V smiled, the good mood of the other two clearly infectious despite the memory of that less than pleasant day one year ago.
"Is that so? Then I guess we would better go. Wouldn't want you to miss out on such 'deliciousness’."
Dante smiled almost sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"Damn, no, this isn't supposed to be about me. I asked if you wanted to go."
"Why wouldn't I,” V asked easily, “if you are accompanying me?"
Dante blushed an even darker shade of scarlet while Nero snickered in the background.
“Shut it!” Dante hissed without any real malice.
Nero raised both arms in a sign of surrender.
"You go and enjoy your date, lovebirds."
V blinked at him.
"You're not accompanying us?"
"Nah, still got some stuff to do. Don't think a date is all you're going to get today," Nero said with a meaningful little grin on his face.
At this point V was afraid that he might just start blushing himself if these two kept that up.
"I assure you that, whatever it is you are planning, is entirely unnecessary,” he said, smiling softly, “but it is appreciated all the same. I'll see you later, Nero."
Nero looked satisfied with that reply.
"Oh yeah, you will, trust me," he said before turning back down the hall with a nonchalant wave of his hand.
V turned to Dante.
“I guess we better get going then. Would you mind letting me go so I can grab my coat?”
“Oh! Sure,” Dante said almost startled, dropping his hand immediately, “Sorry about that.”
“It is quite alright. You can go ahead if you want, I’ll join you shortly,” V replied, hand already reaching for the handle of his bedroom door.
“Sure, I’ll wait out front for you,” Dante said before he headed downstairs to do just that.
V watched him for a moment before he returned to his own room to get ready.
- - -
They spent the walk to the cafe in comfortable silence.
It was nice outside, and there weren’t too many people about as the morning sun slowly warmed up the streets. It was promising to be a beautiful day.
Dante led V to a small establishment only two blocks from their shop. It seemed like a quaint little place, part bakery, part cafe, and the smell of coffee and freshly baked pastry filled the whole room. They were also the only customers apart from a couple standing in front of the pastry show-case. V liked it a lot.
Dante showed him to a small table for two in the back of the shop, but V was the only one to make a grab for the menu once they had taken their seats. He quirked an eyebrow at Dante, but the the devil hunter only offered a “go ahead” gesture while he settled in his chair.
V didn’t let the peculiar behavior bother him as he scanned the lovingly designed pages in his own time. Pastries, cake and a myriad of options for breakfast sets were on display, all lovingly arranged and not too expensive either. V immediately decided that he would come here more often, regardless of whether he could convince Dante to join him or not.
A young lady, looking more like a baker than a waitress herself, approached them soon after.
“Have you decided?” she asked with a bright smile on her face.
V returned her smile.
“I would like the croissant breakfast set, please,” he said.
“And I’ll take a strawberry sundae.”
V’s eyes snapped to Dante at the request, but really, he shouldn’t have been surprised.
The waitress merely smiled and noted down both orders before leaving them with the promise of being right back.
“Is that really all you are going to order?” V couldn’t help but ask Dante, but the devil hunter merely shrugged.
“Why would I waste my time with something else when I already know what the best item on the menu is?”
V tried to hide his amused chuckle behind his hand, but he wasn’t entirely successful. Dante merely smiled at him, seeming almost charmed by what he saw.
It didn’t take long before the woman returned with a small tray that she set down in front of V. It was stacked with three croissants, butter and an assortment of jam. It looked positively delicious.
“The sundae will be a moment longer,” she informed Dante with a small smile before heading off again.
V couldn’t help but stare at his order. It was simple but presented with a love that only small establishments like these seemed to offer.
He picked up one of the croissant while deciding what he wanted to do with it. In the end he first took a bite without any jam, savoring the croissant’s perfectly crispy crust and heavenly soft filling. A soft moan might even have escaped him at the taste. If Dante’s wide eyes were anything to go by, it most definitely had. V merely sent him an apologetic smile before he went about savoring his croissants in earnest.
He was halfway through his second croissant when he could no longer ignore Dante staring at him like a puppy begging for scraps.
“That’s what you get for ordering ice cream,” V said with no remorse whatsoever, but Dante was quick to defend his choice.
“Hey, quality takes its time, okay?”
“Then I am sure you can wait for your 'quality’ just a little longer,” V replied while taking another bite.
Dante’s eyes only seemed to grow bigger, his lips turning down further.
“Come on, just a single little bite?” he begged.
V rolled his eyes but relented. With a sigh he tore of a small piece of his croissant and slathered it with strawberry jam.
“There you go,” he said, holding it out to Dante whose eyes seemed to sparkle at the offering.
The devil hunter leaned across the table to wrap his lips around the offered piece. Of course he accidentally got V’s fingers as well, lapping up every trace of crust and jam before pulling away with a playful glint in his eyes.
V let out another sigh, but couldn’t deny the small smile on his lips as he grabbed a napkin to clean his hand properly.
“One might think you are starving.”
“That’s because I am," Dante replied, looking forlorn.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” a female voice interjected, making both men look up as the waitress approached their table again.
“We usually don’t have orders for ice cream desserts this early, so it took a little longer. I’m sorry,” she apologized before setting down what could only be called a small masterpiece of ice cream and strawberry sauce in front of Dante.
Dante looked at her sheepishly.
“No, no, it’s fine. I was only joking. This looks gorgeous, thank you,” he said earnestly, gaining a small smile from her.
She left them quickly after, reminding them to just call her if they needed anything else. The moment she was gone, V snickered softly.
“Come on!” Dante whined, “I didn’t know she was gonna return just then.”
V hummed in reply while he eyed the newly arrived dessert. It did look good.
"May I have a taste?"
Dante's eyes widened in mock offense.
"You want some of my strawberry sundae? The nerve!"
V smiled, but where Dante was a puppy, V was a cat, merely parting his lips in expectation of his treat.
Dante sighed but he was smiling when he scooped up a serving of cream with lots of strawberry sauce on top to carefully maneuver across the table into V's waiting mouth.
The moment V's lips closed around the treat, his eyes fell closed, humming in approval of the taste.
Dante nervously licked his lips, probably hoping that V would tone it down while they were in public, but two could play this game, and Dante had started it. That was why Dante’s hope was in vain when V released the spoon only to make a show out of licking it off, capturing even the last trace of cream on his tongue.
Dante groaned when he was finally allowed to recover his spoon.
"You're not playing fair, you know that?"
V merely hummed, the content smile on his face unwavering.
"May I have a kiss, too?"
Dante's grin returned faster than he could blink, already leaning across the table without a second of hesitation.
"You can have the world for all I care."
V smiled, reaching up with one hand to cup Dante’s face.
"That is not what I want, though."
Dante smiled at him for a moment longer before closing the distance between them.
- - -
V was practically beaming when he returned to the shop a few hours later.
It was almost a little weird to see, but when someone just returned from a rare event like Dante inviting them out for breakfast it was understandable. How rare was it to see Dante eating anything but pizza, after all, and how much rarer to get invited as well?
"Welcome back, birthday kid," Nero greeted V from where he had been waiting, leaning casually against Dante’s desk.
V averted his eyes quickly, but Nero noticed his faint blush anyway.
"Is that really necessary?"
"The pet name?” Nero asked with a cheeky grin, “Absolutely. It's only valid a single day of the year, after all."
“Yo, Nero. Are you done with your pillow fort?” Dante asked as he finally sauntered into the shop as well.
“It’s not— It’s not a pillow fort!” Nero objected immediately, “Better get your eyes checked next time, old man!”
“Sure. You have fun with your pillow fort, kids,” Dante said grinning, and kept grinning even as Nero wordlessly gave him the finger in reply.
“Just get lost if you have nothing useful to say, old man.”
Dante raised his hands in surrender for all but a second before he offered a curt bow and sauntered off chuckling to himself, leaving Nero silently fuming.
“I can’t believe that guy,” Nero muttered, telling himself to just forget it. There was no point in getting angry at Dante right now. Instead he turned back to V. “Sorry about that. What do you want to do now?"
V looked surprised, but it was likely that the whole exchange had just left him with a number of questions. Nero would answer some of them, in time. But then V’s expression turned conflicted and Nero knew he had to intervene.
"Nah, none of that today. Just tell me what you really want to do."
V smiled at him, a careful little tilt of his lips.
"I apologize if that is not the answer you were expecting,” he said carefully, “but I was hoping to get some reading done today."
"Nah, that's perfectly fine," Nero said grinning, "thankfully I expected nothing else, so go grab whatever strikes your fancy today and meet me in front of my room."
V only blinked at him when Nero delivered a soft pat to his shoulder before heading upstairs.
- - -
There were many books V still wanted to read, but since he was meeting up with Nero he had to take that into consideration.
There was a collection of Blake poems they had yet to finish reading, and after that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to switch things up a little. As much patience as Nero had for V’s love of old poetry it was probably about time V offered him some variety.
With that in mind he grabbed two books before heading up the stairs to Nero’s room where the younger man was already waiting for him.
“Hi there,” Nero said playfully.
To V’s surprise he then took a step back, pointing at the door to his room with a “go ahead” gesture. V looked at him quizzically for a moment before taking him up on it.
V opened the door slowly, not knowing what to expect, and then paused to take in what he was saw.
The room was... definitely different than usual.
It was darker, for one, a thin black curtain draped across the window to dull the bright midday sun into something more comfortable... and less likely to blind V when it hit the pages of his book. It was charmingly mindful.
To make up for the lack of natural light an assortment of candles was lit all over the room, on the desk and the shelves, but also along the floor, forming a path through the room. V quirked an eyebrow at that.
The bed was stripped of its pillows and sheets. Instead they, and an additional number that had to have been taken from other places around the shop, could be found in a corner beneath the window, shaping something resembling a throne of pillows and blankets. That had to be the “pillow fort” Dante had talked about.
V walked into the room slowly, aware of Nero following him.
"That's... surprisingly romantic," he remarked upon taking a closer look at the whole arrangement.
"It's less about that than it is about being comfortable," Nero explained, and V threw him an amused look over his shoulder.
"I'm sure it is."
"Hey! See if I’m ever being romantic again if that's how you react," Nero defended himself, and V couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. Oh, Nero.
"So it is romantic."
Nero groaned, shaking his head with a small smile.
"Shut up and start reading to me, you dork."
Nero moved past him to make himself comfortable on the pillow throne, patting the spot next to him.
V smiled down at him, and just to defy his expectation sat down facing sideways, draping his legs across Nero’s lap.
Nero merely quirked an eyebrow at him, but didn’t comment. Instead he focused on the books V had brought with him.
“So, what are we reading?” he asked, so honestly curious that V couldn’t help the flutter of his heart.
Among the three men he now shared his life with Nero was his safe haven. V couldn’t really explain it. It wasn’t like he didn’t feel safe with Dante, too. It was just something about the way Nero didn’t just quietly accommodate him but started to take an actual interest in V’s hobbies.
And Vergil, well. Vergil didn’t talk much with anybody if he didn’t have to. V wanted to change that, desperately, but so far he just didn’t know how. But that wasn’t what he should be thinking about now.
He held up the first book to Nero and those blue eyes lit up in recognition.
“Oh, we’re almost done with that one, aren’t we?”
“We are,” V confirmed quietly. “And after that I thought you might enjoy something a little different for a change,” he said holding up the other one.
Nero squinted at it for a moment.
“Modern poetry? Is it any good?”
V smiled at the question. “While it is not my preference, it is not bad. You should form your own opinion on it, though."
“Okay,” Nero grinned, “lay it on me.”
V put the book of modern poetry aside for the moment before settling closer against Nero’s chest and opening the book in his hands.
Surrounded by soft cotton all around and Nero’s warmth against him V took a quiet breath and started reading.
- - -
They read for several hours, or rather V read to him for several hours. The thermos with V’s favorite herb tea that Nero had prepared beforehand was long empty by the time the reading slowed to be replaced with discussions about what they had read instead.
At one point they stopped reading altogether. V nestled comfortably against Nero's chest while the younger man offered idle strokes through his soft, black locks. It was comfortable, peaceful, and neither felt the need to move.
The calm was eventually interrupted by the distinct sound of the front door falling shut.
Nero made a soft noise in the back of his throat, sitting up just the slightest bit straighter and feeling his muscles come alive again after being motionless for so long.
"Guess who's back," he muttered quietly.
"Hn?"
A soft confused sound left V's lips as his eyes opened blearily. Nero had missed the moment the other man had actually fallen asleep.
"No rush," Nero whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the top of V's head, "I think Vergil is back."
"Vergil?" V asked, clearly not fully awake yet.
"Yeah."
"Hm... wanna see him..."
Nero chuckled when, despite that statement, V's eyes only fell closed again.
Nero would give him another five minutes before waking him again.
At least that was the plan, but then, not even two minutes later, the door to his room opened slowly.
“Nero, have you seen—” Vergil stopped when his eyes fell upon V’s sleeping form.
“I’ll wake him in a moment,” Nero told him quietly, “where should I tell him to meet you?”
Vergil made a quiet sound that Nero couldn’t interpret before answering: “I’ll be downstairs.”
That was also all he said before leaving again.
Vergil really ought to brighten up one of these days, but all three of them were at a loss what to do to make Vergil realize that he wasn’t just welcome but also very much wanted here. It was hard to believe but Vergil was easily the most stubborn person of all of them.
Nero gently brushed some stray strands from V’s face.
“Hey V,” he said softly, “wake up.”
V hummed, the only indication that he had heard him.
“Vergil is back. You wanted to talk to him, right?”
“Yeah…" V murmured, eyes fluttering open, “He is back?”
“Yeah, he was just looking for you,” Nero replied.
“Oh.”
V sat up slowly, the book he had been reading from slipping from his lap to land with a soft thud on the floor. It was a testimony to how very out of it he still was that he didn’t even pay attention to it.
Nero chuckled softly.
“No rush,” he told V, “wake up first. He is waiting downstairs.”
“Ah, I apologize for falling asleep. I didn’t intend to,” V said sheepishly.
“It’s fine,” Nero replied grinning, “you’re comfortable.”
V blushed softly before slowly getting up. He paused then, looking a little lost. Nero smiled, having just an inkling of what might go through V’s mind right now.
“It’s okay. Go meet him. I’ll be down later,” Nero said.
V threw him a grateful little smile.
“Alright. I will see you later, Nero.”
With that he left, leaving Nero to pick up the book he had dropped.
- - -
It was almost embarrassing how nervous V was as he walked down the stairs to the shop.
He could see Vergil leaning against Dante’s desk, weirdly reminiscing of Nero just a few hours ago. Nero had been waiting here for V, too, hadn’t he?
V just didn’t know what to expect from Vergil. He never talked much, not even with V. Or maybe it was "especially"?
He knew Dante and Nero weren’t any more successful at getting Vergil to open up to them, but it still felt like a personal failure on V’s part. After all they were—
“V.”
Vergil stood up straight once he saw him approach.
“Vergil,” V said acknowledging, “you wanted to see me?”
“Ah, yes,” Vergil said slowly as if he had forgotten for a moment. “I had something to give you, I suppose.”
“Give me?”
Vergil reached for the small black item lying next to him on the desk, looking at it for a moment before holding it out to V.
V accepted it carefully, not sure what it could be.
It definitely was not a typical present he thought, staring at the black satin wrapping and the equally soft white ribbon keeping it fastened around whatever lay within. It was heavy for its size but clearly not solid, bending softly even as V held it.
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
In fact, he couldn't remember a single moment that had him more curious than he was right now.
"You'll see."
V made another curious sound before depositing the present on the desk, not wanting to drop it as he worked on the wrapping.
The moment the ribbon fell away the wrapping unraveled, revealing what lay within. V's confusion only increased as his eyes fell upon a familiar pattern, fingers carefully tracing the emblazoned "V" in the center. The leather beneath his fingers was sturdy but almost soft to the touch.
He opened it up but instead of pages he found satin lining and vertical straps of leather.
It was a book cover, a perfect replication of his most prized possession no less. Unbeknownst to him his eyes were wide and shining, marveling at the beautiful present he held within his hands, and they still were when he looked back up.
Vergil faced him for a moment before averting his gaze slightly.
"You love that book more than I ever did," he said, "but as it is it will inevitably get damaged with time. With this, at least, it should be safe from harm."
V was speechless, a foreign feeling for him but he couldn't deny it, as his eyes fell back down to the cover.
It was a commission work, clearly handmade. Vergil went and had this made specifically for him.
"I know I never treated you like you deserved," Vergil spoke up softly, V's attention returning to him immediately, "and I know some feeble gifts will never make up for it, but..."
Vergil's expression grew tense, torn, unable to find the words that would convey what he wanted them to. V returned the present to its wrapping on the desk, stepping up to Vergil instead.
Vergil looked straight at him, apprehension clear on his face, as if awaiting some sort of punishment. V shook his head, not even bothering with words, knowing they wouldn't reach Vergil. They never did.
Instead V raised his arms, seeing Vergil's eyes widen until he clearly lost the fight with himself and averted them just in time for… V's arms to wrap around him in a careful embrace.
Their chests pressed together and V could feel Vergil's heart beating, a panicked flurry like the wings of a caged bird in fright.
"I am in you and you in me..."
He felt Vergil tense at those words and V didn't need to see him to know he was blushing softly, knowing how that verse ended by heart.
"Know that I will treasure the gift you've given me always, and know that I hold no ill feelings for you. I never did."
At that Vergil pulled away, just far enough to look at him, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"I forced you to give up your own life."
V merely shook his head.
"I did not return to you out of a sense of self-preservation. I did so out of worry. Worry what might happen if I didn't. You have lost so much already, Vergil. I did not want to add to that list.”
Vergil was quiet, his icy blue eyes glistening before he lowered his head once more. V just pulled him in close again.
Something warm and wet hit his neck where Vergil hid his face and V's arm lifted of its own volition to draw soothing circles on Vergil’s back. V continued speaking softly, needing Vergil to hear and knowing he might not get another chance once Vergil built his carefully constructed walls back up again. "I never expected to have a life of my own. I honestly believed that month was all I had," V said honestly, "but I like the way it is now. It seems like you have a much harder time ignoring me when I am right in front of you."
That startled a chuckle out of the other man.
"I am right here, Vergil, and I'm going to stay. If I had any ambition to leave here, leave you, I would have done so long ago."
Strong arms came to rest on V's shoulders. Slowly, hesitantly, they held on fast.
"I need you."
V probably felt the words spoken against his skin more than he heard them, but they made him smile regardless.
It had taken him this long, huh?
"As I do you," he replied, and Vergil only held on faster. "You're not getting rid of me now," V promised.
"It's like I keep telling you, Verge!"
At the sound of Dante's voice Vergil went stiff in his arms.
"Go away, Dante," Vergil muttered, still muffled against V's skin.
V almost had to laugh at how petulant he sounded.
"Nope, no can do. You're not getting rid of me either." A heavy hand landed on Vergil's shoulder, squeezing softly. "And if anyone here really wanted you gone, they would have spoken up a long time ago."
V took a step back as Vergil straightened to look at his brother when suddenly a fourth voice spoke up.
“Yep, seems like you're stuck with us now," Nero said as he descended the stairs.
“Which is a good thing,” Dante added, “and just in time for our little V’s first birthday no less!”
Dante grinned and Vergil rolled his eyes as Nero sauntered over to them.
“So, what’s the plan for the rest of the night?” Nero asked.
Dante’s grin only grew wider.
“What else?” he asked. "Now that we’re all here... it’s time for this party to get crazy!”