Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You spent the end of your day as usual, comfortably warm and on the fringes of sleep. The plates and bowls clinked together as you washed them in your sink. Small chores were a good way to finish the night.

This part of Red Grave City suited your tastes. Quiet, though without the eerie sense of abandonment, and close enough to small stores with friendly clerks. Neighbours smiled and greeted you, though they also kept to themselves. You didn’t mind that, you weren’t the most outwardly person either.

You shut off the tap of running water and placed the last plate on the drying rack. Wiping your hands on the kitchen cloth, you stifled a yawn and you prepared to make your way to your bed.

You were content with your life despite living alone for quite some time. You admit you didn’t uphold your promise that you would ‘make friends’ when you moved to the city. Time was one thing you had. Energy on the other hand…

There was a loud sound of clanging nearby.

You immediately tensed up, the unfamiliar sound catching you off guard. Did something happen? Was someone hurt?

Something out of the daily norm always felt like a threat. When all you were accustomed to was peace, your guard immediately went up at the faintest chance of danger.

Cautiously, you peaked out one of your curtained windows in the direction of the noise. You spied into an alleyway across the street where you saw the usual pile of garbage. That was a small part of the city you disliked. Some people didn’t have the decency to place their trash in the bins, dumping it or kicking it up against the walls.

But in this case, it actually had a purpose.

In the low light of night, you spied a white-haired man, naked, stumble out. A drunkard perhaps, but they didn’t look like any of the usual men you were used to seeing walking back from the pub. The man fell to one side, leaning against the wall. They seemed terribly frail, almost at the verge of falling apart.

The rational part of your mind told you to close the curtains and ignore the issue. Maybe call the police and pass the problem to someone else. You were warned of people taking advantage of your goodwill. Stories that frightened to protect you.

But that wasn’t the right thing to do. It didn’t feel right to ignore a man in that state.

You rushed to your front door and ran towards the white-haired man. He was mid stumble and you caught him in your arms just in time. He was lighter than you expected and you were glad that you didn’t tumble to the ground with him. He looked surprised and you saw his eyes for the first time.

They were dark, not just in colour but in expression. You recognised those eyes as sadness, grief, pain- whoever this man was he needed the help you were about to give him.

“You’re alright,” you said, kneeling down to place his arm over your shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

The man could barely walk like he was a newborn deer. He appeared to be an adult but his frame was thin as if he’s been underfed his entire life. His pale skin was clammy, covered in a layer of cold sweat.

Eventually, with your limited strength to carry another person, you entered the warmth of your home and shut the door behind you.

You quickly found the white-haired man a place to sit. It was a relief to no longer feel the strain across your back and shoulders. Now that he was lit properly it fascinated you how genuine his white hair seemed.

You reached over to a basket of laundry and grabbed a blanket. You wrapped the man and he half-heartedly held onto the edge, seemingly disoriented. A small bit of life was returning to him, but you could still sense that hollowness to his presence.

This man was hurting.

You poured the man and yourself a cup of warm water and set it on the table beside where he sat. Afterwards, you grabbed a chair and sat close to him. You leaned forward, trying to catch his attention but he was barely responsive as is.

“You’re not injured, are you?” you asked, grabbing your warm drink in your cold hands. “What happened in that alleyway?”

The man pulled the blanket closer to his body, his eyes still staring at the ground beneath your feet. You sat back and gave him some space. He was obviously distraught. You could see him trying to find the words but failing.

“It’s alright, you’re fine. I’m not going anywhere,” you said.

The man reached up to brush his shoulder-length hair with shaking fingers. He seemed to acknowledge your words at least and took a few deep breaths.

“I…” he began to speak, his voice hoarse. “I don’t want to die.”

The man looked up, almost like he was desperately clinging onto something. Your body chilled. Was this man just attacked, or did he tried to do something to himself?

“I’ve… made a terrible mistake. I-”

He hesitated as he met your eyes. You welcomed him with as much sympathy and warmth as you could muster. He needed it.

“No one’s dying today,” you said, reaching over and touching his shoulder gently. “You’re safe here.”

“No… No one is safe in this city.”

The man averted his gaze shamefully, white hair shrouding his face. Poor man. What could you do to help?

Your mind briefly thought of the police but you dismissed the idea. You've heard about how the law could treat people sometimes, and the last thing you want this man to go through was a night in a cold, isolated prison cell. The lack of any identification or personal possessions didn’t help, and the… missing attire would paint him in a bad light.

“You can stay the night if you want,” you said. “And I can help buy some clothes for you in the morning. My bathroom is over there if you need it and I'll leave some food out if you’re hungry too.”

The generosity seemed to have slightly overwhelmed him but you could see the tension in his shoulders fade. The man relaxed, poking out an arm from the blanket to reach for his drink.

Buying clothes for him was a definite first priority. It wouldn't be good to keep him in a blanket the whole time.

“I thought I was dead,” he said. “I should be dead.”

“But you’re not,” you said.

“I’m too weak to fix my mistake. I failed to regain my strength.”

The wording was a little strange in what he said just then but you let it slide. You wouldn’t be surprised if the man was semi-delusional right now.

It was fortunate your bedroom had a lock on the door and you didn’t keep many valuables out. This man didn’t seem crazed, drunk, or high. He was just grieving and it should be fine to let him sleep on your couch for tonight.

“I understand that we all have our problems,” you said, standing up and making your way to a drawer. You found some unused spare sheets that you started to throw on the couch. “And eventually we all find our way through them. What you need to remind yourself is that you have time.”

You laid out the sheets evenly, patting out any creases. The man watched you silently.

“When you first encounter a problem you want to solve it as quick as possible. Believe me, I’ve been there. You want to get rid of those painful emotions, but rushing things is just going to leave you dissatisfied or put you in an even worse position. Sleep, give yourself time to think, and I’m sure you’ll get through whatever going on with your life.”

You finished laying out the temporary sleeping arrangements and glanced up at the man. His head was a little higher, his eyes a little brighter. You hoped that was a good sign that your words helped.

“And on that note, once you get that sleep I’m happy to talk more if you’d like,” you said. You knew how valuable it was to feel like you had someone that was happy to help you in your darkest times.

You went over to the fruit bowl in your kitchen and placed them closer to him.

“... Thank you,” the man said.

“It really is no problem,” you said, smiling back at him. “Just knock on my door if you need anything else. I’m heading off to bed.”

You began switching off the lights, leaving one of the lamps on for him. You gave him one final look as you began heading upstairs.

“Are you sure you’re going to be alright by yourself?” you asked, leaning on the railing slightly.

The man paused thoughtfully, then nodded. It was good to see a bit more hope returning to him. With a final smile, you retreated into your bedroom and locked the door.

You weren’t that foolish however. You didn’t trust the man entirely as you should with all strangers. As much as enjoyed helping others you had to look out for yourself as well. You had your phone ready and you wrote down a detailed description of his appearance and time of events.

You laid down on your bed. It was surreal to have encountered someone as bizarre as that. What happened to him? Where were his clothes? Why was his hair so white?

You didn’t let yourself sleep, listening out for any noises coming from downstairs. There was some faint rustling that caught your attention, followed by the sound of your shower being turned on.

It was like snooping on a person, but it felt necessary. You had to make sure he wasn’t doing anything suspicious in your house.

A few minutes later the water shut off and there was more rustling. You were expecting the sound of the lamp being switched off downstairs to come next and that he would settle down for the night.

Instead, you heard the sound of your front door opening and closing.

You held your breath, blinking in the dim light of your bedroom. You tossed the sheets off you and quietly made your way downstairs. The couch was untouched, just as you left it. Same with the food and drink. You scanned the room.

The man was nowhere to be seen.

---

After that night it was hard not to think about the mysterious white-haired man.

Was he managing okay? Did he return home?

You couldn't help but think of their wellbeing. When you were young you were told not to care about people who wouldn’t even remember you. The man probably fled back to whatever lifestyle he was living before. Still, it didn’t stop you from hoping things went well for him.

Your routine quickly fell back into the norm, going about your day doing work and chores and sleeping when it was time. You did catch yourself staring out the window and daydreaming more often. There was a faint hope that you might catch a glimpse of him walking in the street, clothed and doing okay.

But no. Nothing. Maybe he wasn’t even from around here in the first place.

You placed down your book after a somewhat long day. Your mind was too distracted to concentrate on the words so instead, you turned on the television to pass the time. News idly scrolled by, though it wasn’t the news you were used to hearing.

It was rare for anything on T.V. to grab your full attention. This was the exception.

...Citizens are urged to stay indoors as there have been more and more cases of people disappearing at night. So far, twenty-eight individuals have been reported missing to the police. They are currently investigating the disappearances...

You shivered at the news. What if V was a part of that number? Guilt sprang in your mind. Maybe you shouldn’t have let him leave. It would’ve been safer if you were more persuasive at making him stay.

You breathed out a sigh and you found yourself staring through a faint gap in your curtains. It was the window that faced the alleyway where you first found him. You stopped yourself from hoping he would simply pass by. It wasn’t worth putting yourself at risk to actively search for him either.

You switched off the television and let yourself sit in silence for a moment. The cold air almost felt heavy on your body as you wrapped your arms around yourself. You couldn’t ignore the feeling of dread, the fear of being alone and the news of danger on the streets.

What could you do then? Go on with your daily life and hope that it blows over? Things usually ended up that way, but twenty-eight missing people? That wasn’t just another neighbourhood inconvenience. This was bad.

A knock on your front door startled you.

You jumped, heart pounding in your ears, and you looked towards the noise. Soon after, another knock came, a bit more eager than the last.

You weren’t expecting visitors, and especially after the news, it felt unwise to answer to strangers.

There was a third knock, followed by a voice.

“I would like to return something to you,” a man’s voice said, muffled and familiar.

Your eyes widened, and you rushed to the door.

You grabbed the door handle and opened it. Many things raced through your mind. Questions of ‘are you okay?’ and ‘are you feeling better?’ and also ‘I’m glad that you’re safe’. A few days of speculating about the mysterious white-haired man’s fate felt like it stretched on for months. It was gnawing at you when you slept and when your mind wandered.

Though, you hesitated.

It was the man you helped all those nights ago but there were a few inconsistencies.

The man’s hair was no longer white, but jet black. He wore an outfit of the same shade, a long black, sleeveless coat with a sewn in vest with black pants and sandals. He now sported a cane which he leaned onto.

His skin stood out to you the most. The once blank, pale canvas was now painted in swirling intricate tattoos. They covered most of the top half of his body, curling up his neck and all the way down to his hands.

The man held something in his arms. A familiar blanket, though now slightly dirtied. The man smiled warmly as he lifted it towards you.

“Thank you for lending this to me. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself properly last we met. You may call me... V.”

Chapter Text

You were, understandably, at a loss for words. The man you helped those nights ago felt so different from the man you were seeing now. V (which you’re assuming is some sort of nickname) seemed more confident and present. It was an improvement from how broken he looked at first.

You took the blanket from his hands and held the bundle in your arms. Your mind scrambled to find a plausible explanation from the sudden change in appearance. Those tattoos would’ve taken months to be done. A torso’s worth of makeup to cover them up on the night you met him felt just as ridiculous as well.

“Thank you… V. My name is [Y/N], by the way,” you said, unsure of what else to say. Well. It was more like you had too much you wanted to say. You tried to find one to start with but you

V’s smile faded as you continued to stare. He shifted on the spot and averted his gaze.

“Well then. I shall take my leave-“

“Would you like some dinner?” you blurted out. There was a strange fear of him suddenly up and disappearing again. You wanted to make sure he was doing better before he left.

V considered for a moment, glancing out into the darkened streets. His posture shifted, turning back to you and smiling.

“I suppose I can stay for a bit,” he said, nodding.

You felt relieved and turned into your home.

“We don’t have time, V-!“

“What was that?”

You swore you heard another voice speaking from outside. V stepped in and closed the door behind him.

“I’m sure it was nothing,” V said.

Right… that was weird.

You went over to your kitchen and began to cook. It wasn’t the fanciest but it was enough to be filling at least. V sat patiently nearby. You noticed that he had pulled out a thin book while he was waiting. It had the letter ‘V’ printed on the cover. Perhaps it was some sort of journal, but that didn’t make sense since he was reading from it.

You set down food in front of him and he thanked you. The two of you ate silently until curiosity got the better of you. You had to know.

“Did you… are you okay now?” you asked, leaning forward onto the table.

“Not quite, unfortunately,” V said. “What I’ve done will take a while to undo. It is as you said, I need time, though I don’t have much of that at my disposal.”

“You didn’t do anything… illegal, did you?”

V hesitated and took another bite of food. The way he ate was polite, signs that he was taught manners at a young age. His posture, his words-

“You don’t seem like a criminal, V,” you said. “And if you don’t want to say anything, that’s fine. As long as you’re okay…”

… and you don’t do anything to hurt me.

You and V returned to silence except for the faint sounds of cutlery and eating. It wasn’t hard to spot the frown on V’s face. He looked conflicted, a pang of guilt in those eyes of his. You were hoping that he wasn’t hating your food that much but you noticed it wasn’t that. Instead, the emotion was more bittersweet.

He treasured the meal in some way like he was never offered food before. 

“As I’ve said before, I made a mistake,” V said, eyes averted. “And I’m haunted by the nightmare of my past. Everything feels so… overwhelming sometimes.”

You placed your cutlery down and pushed your food aside gently to give him your full attention.

“I’ve ignored my emotions for so long but now they’ve caught up to me, and all the pain I’m experiencing feels amplified and out of my control,” V said.

The dark man shook his head and sighed.

“I feel so lost.”

V didn’t look like a man who has given up entirely. You could guess from his words and emotions that he was actively trying to do something about whatever problem he was talking about. It was hard to tell without the specifics but you could still understand the emotions that he was going through.

“It’s okay to feel lost,” you said. “Problems are easier to solve if you acknowledge them.”

V smirked, suppressing a faint chuckle. You were a bit confused. Did you say something funny?

“I suppose that’s true, though things do truly feel dire at the moment,” he said, slightly amused.

V looked up, his dark hair moving out of his face.

“I’ve never opened about my emotions like this before… it’s strangely nice.”

“Of course it feels nice to rant,” you smiled, “Everyone has problems. Doesn’t mean it’s good to bottle them up,” you said.

It was common knowledge to you, but you got the feeling that wasn’t the case for V. Not everyone in the world was in tune with their inner emotions, you supposed. But this just made V seem like he’s never experienced anything good in his life.

You took note of the book that he was reading before, now placed on the table beside him. You noted how the book reflected V quite well. Mysterious, but elegant. Thin...

“Do you like reading?” you asked, gesturing to the book.

“Yes, I do,” V said, expression lighting up at the mention of it. “It’s a collection of poems by William Blake.”

Upon closer look, you could see how well the book has been cared for. It looked more than just a few years old and yet it only showed minimal wearing. It must be incredibly valuable to him.

“Well, I’m not sure if I have much on poetry but I have other books you can borrow from me if you like.”

V looked excited for a second, eyes beaming. But he stopped himself. Instead, he suddenly drew away, forming a distance between you and him. It was such a sudden shift that it made you worry.

“Thank you,” he said blankly. V took the book off the counter and tucked it away.

V seemed to hesitate at nice things. He withdrew himself as if to force himself from not enjoying the things he wanted to like.

Maybe he’s not comfortable with showing that side of him to other people yet.

You stood up and combed through the cabinet where you kept your books. You picked up some novels you had finished reading and set them on the table.

“I’ll leave these here, feel free to read them. I’m going to head to bed early,” you said.

V nodded absently in your direction and you went upstairs.

Again, you did the same thing as you did before. You kept your hand on your phone and listened out for any noise.

The sound of shuffling and footsteps began not long before you disappeared into your bedroom. He walked around, then settled down on your couch for a long time. You often complained about the thin walls of your home but they were actually useful in this situation.

You assumed he was reading the books you offered him before you woke up suddenly. You didn’t intend to actually fall asleep and morning almost came as a surprise to you.

You made your way downstairs to check if V was still there. The books you left out had been returned to where you initially left them, though you could tell they had been moved.

Everything else was left the way it was, except that you had forgotten to do the dishes in your haste to give V some space. But to your pleasant surprise, the plates from last night had been cleaned, stacked against the drying rack.

And same as last time, V was nowhere to be seen.

---

From that day forth you felt like you successfully made a friend. Some nights after a long day at work, you’d get a knock on your door. V would stay for a night of idle chatter and reading before disappearing in the morning.

It was almost like you had befriended a stray cat. Not that you minded.

In all the times V has visited he barely left any sign that he was here, tidying up after himself. It was good that he ended up being trustworthy, that made your action of helping him that night feel so much better.

You noticed that sometimes he would come back looking exhausted but enter your home looking concerned about you.

V would stagger in and collapse on the couch. But instead of complaining, he'd brush his hair aside with his hand and then ask you about your day. It was a subtle way to get across the idea not to acknowledge his problems.

You were fine acting as a distraction from whatever he was going through. Despite the air of mystery, the company was nice. 

"You know that if your life at home isn't going well you can stay here if you want," you said.

The offer came naturally considering how much he would visit and how much you liked being around him. V smiled but shook his head, idly tapping his cane.

"I wish I could do that, but no. I have a mission that I must see to the end."

"Are you really sure you haven't done anything illegal?" you joked as you pulled out another book from your collection. You would need to buy more for V to read soon.

"I'm sure," V chuckled, reaching forward and taking the book from you. "And this is…?"

"A classic romance," you said. "It's cheesy in some parts but it's a fun read overall. I don't have many other books left for you to read."

V thumbed through the pages and didn't seem to mind whatever lines he skimmed through, which was a relief.

"I've enjoyed your collections so far," V said.

"So far?"

V smirked, "I’m finding that books are an interesting way to know a person better.”

“So you’re enjoying my personality… so far?” you said, raising your eyebrow.

V chuckled and leaned back into the couch. He looked you in the eyes and did a small shrug.

“Yes,” V said, without a beat of hesitation.

That was… well, that threw you off guard. It wasn’t common to have someone outright tell you they liked spending time with you. The forwardness of the compliment felt nice. You actually felt a small blush form on your cheeks.

That fondness turned a bit into embarrassment. You realised that if V was learning about you from the books you read then he’d know you’re a romantic. The stories you read were often set in optimistic, fanciful worlds with picturesque stories. Fairy-tail settings for adults. You hoped that wouldn’t come off as childish.

“I might just ruin your impression of me when you start getting into my older books,” you said, jokingly.

“I doubt it,” V said, settling back into reading.

You turned and did you usual retreat to your bedroom, but it was also to hide how flustered you were growing. So much for an attempt at self-depreciation to feel less embarrassed. It then occurred to you as you laid in bed how you shouldn’t feel ashamed for getting a compliment in the first place. What was getting into you?

Nights of chatting and just enjoying each other's presence made hours feel like seconds. You did your best to stay disciplined with your sleep, though V always seemed to stay up past midnight.

As usual, he would disappear in the mornings but it didn't bother you as much anymore. There was a nice feeling that you knew it wouldn't be long until you saw him again.

---

One day you decided to stop by the bookshop during your work break. You didn’t feel safe going out at night with the missing people’s cases and all. Doing this in midday sun seemed like a good option.

You stopped by and picked out three books that interested you, and to that extension that you hoped V would be interested in as well. One particular book was a collection of poetry, similar to the book V already possessed. That choice was more for him than it was for yourself though you didn’t mind it.

Feeling fulfilled at the purchases, you quickly made your way back to work, taking routes you were familiar with.

When you turned the corner into a small side street the hairs raised on your skin.

Loud chatter suddenly halted as you accidentally stumbled into a group of men who stood around on the usually empty alleyway. They all glanced up at you and out of panic you quickly turned around, taking an alternate route.

Your mind and instincts had told you to avoid them. It didn't matter if they looked like any other citizen that lived here, dressing casually and looking like they were taking a break from work too. Your gut told you not to trust them.

Hurry on and pretend that never happened.

Clutching the books to your chest you hurried back to work.

You hoped they didn't get a chance to take a close look at your face. You took a few deeps breaths and tried to forget, unsure of what to do in your situation.

Chapter Text

You showed V the books the next time he visited and he looked pleased. You didn't mention that they were new, of course. You just wanted this man to have some comfort in whatever hellish life he was going through without feeling like he owes you a debt.

You didn't find a good reason to mention the intimidating men you ran into though. Maybe you were just overthinking the danger.

V was a fast reader, finishing the first book within a few hours. He placed it down and started to thumb through the second one, finger tapping on the handle of his cane idly.

“Thoughts?” you asked, gesturing to the book he just finished.

“Not bad. The plot was interesting but I feel like it could’ve been executed better. I’d discuss the actual plot with you but you’ll have to read it first.”

You cringed.

“Was it that obvious?” you sighed, shaking your head and finding a seat near him.

“Compared to your other books, the pages were much newer and the spine showed near-zero wear,” V said, smirking and looking proud of himself.

You rolled your eyes. It felt obvious now that he explained it, and you got the sense that he’d know if you purposefully weathered the books too. V placed the second book down for a moment and looked up at you.

“You don’t have to buy books for me,” V said.

“But I want to.”

“And why is that?” he asked, raising a brow.

You lifted your knees onto your seat and hugged your legs. It was a bit of an embarrassing thing to admit, but probably not as embarrassing as being called out.

“I just wanted to do something nice for you,” you said, shrugging.

“I should at least owe you something in return-”

“No,” you said, bluntly. “It… defeats the purpose of a gift. I don’t want anything in return.”

… unless it’s a friendship.

V blinked, looking touched by the gesture. That was all you wanted to see. To feel like you’ve made someone’s day brighter. He tried to hide his happiness, of course. You knew him well enough to know he felt uncomfortable with generosity.

V didn’t say anything else as he picked up the second book and began to read. He treated the book with much more care, even more so than the one he carried around with him all the time.

He likes your gift, then.

“You are aware that books aren’t the only source of stories,” V said, eyes gliding across the pages.

“What do you mean?”

V glanced up over the book.

“You could talk more about yourself.”

“Oh- no,” you said, waving your hand in the air, “I’m not that interesting of a person.”

From the looks of it, V seemed to disagree. But he simply nodded and returned his attention to the book.

“Another time then,” he said.

You pressed your lips together in reluctance but the topic passed thankfully.

Not in the mood for much after that conversation, you turned on the television and lowered the volume. The flickering of news was the first thing that came on. You noticed you tuned into current events much more than before.

Especially considering what they were covering now.

The news only got worse. Missing people cases grew into the hundreds. There were even reports of confirmed deaths though they never gave the details on the cause. The morbid nature of these announcements frightened you but you still watched. You needed to know as much as possible for your safety.

Sometime during these announcements, you noticed V would glance up at you. For a man who leaves every night you thought he would be worried at the state of the city. Instead, he seemed indifferent, unsurprised.

“Are you sure you’re fine leaving at night?” you said. “Don’t you want to wait until morning before you leave?”

V stared at the screen for a bit then looked back down at the book.

“I can take care of myself out there,” he said, thumbing to the next page.

You only hugged your legs tighter.

“It is a bit scary,” you said, “I never thought something like this could happen to Red Grave City.”

You caught V’s finger twitch at your words before almost forcing himself to turn the page. 

Quiet nights grew more intimidating, for anything outside just felt like your enemy. You grew conscious of the volume of the television and muted it entirely, only looking at the pictures of people they flashed onto the screen. You retired to bed, dreading that you didn’t end up like them.

---

You thought you ran into those men again.

It was when you were walking back home, though this time they weren’t hiding away in an alley. They were sitting around a table by the window, eating food that was being served to them by the restaurant they ordered from.

You saw them point at the people who passed by. Attention eventually moved to you as you got near, but stopped when you glared back and they continued to eat. It was risky to dine in since you’d leave yourself exposed to whatever the streets at night had to offer.

It was obvious they were up to something.

But what could you report to the police? As far as you knew these men could just be assholes making fun of people passing by. You wouldn’t believe that. You could sense that it was more than just friendly snickering and pestering. But what?

You quickened your pace and hurried home. V said he could take care of himself on these streets at night. You wished you could say the same for yourself, jumping and speculating at every little thing that didn’t seem right.

You sighed and curled up against your couch, trying to relax. You glanced to your side at the place where V usually sat, one hand on a book and another propping up his head.

Whatever V was doing now, you hoped he was going to come back safe soon.

---

“Hey, hey! E-easy now.”

V ignored Griffon, carefully dipping the glass jar into a pool of shimmering water. It glowed when he got close, ready to repel him touched it. Or rather, repel the familiars that were etched on his skin.

It still stung regardless. These demon contracts were the source of his power. If he lost that then he’d return to his original weakened state. It wouldn’t do him any good to get himself unnecessarily injured.

“Seriously, why are we even going through so much effort for that human? She’s a distraction, V! Just ditch her and-”

V summoned Shadow to swipe at the large blue vulture. The panther growled in his place.

“Some quiet, please,” V said.

Shadow curled up nearby, keeping a safe distance from what V was doing. Thankfully, Griffon did finally shut his beak. V held the glass jar by the lip as he filled it, carefully ensuring the last scoop didn’t make contact with his fingers.

V lifted the slightly heavy glass jar and set it down. He placed the lid on top and let out a sigh. Now he had to find some way to bring it to you.

“You done? Let’s get out of here. This place is really getting on my nerves,” Griffon shuddered, shaking his feathers before diving towards V. It scattered into dust and darkened the marks on his skin. Shadow did the same.

V looked proudly at the glass vial. It was smaller than the usual quantity, but it would be enough if you were to run into danger. It gave him some comfort, knowing that he could no longer patrol your district every night.

It was still just a temporary solution though.

V sighed alone in the darkness. All of this was his fault, and you would have to suffer his consequences alongside him.

It was hard to know if meeting you was a curse or a blessing. Humanity and the emotions that came with it was hard to control, like a tempest that couldn’t be stopped. It made him more vulnerable yet without it, he wouldn’t have understood the fault in his actions.

And that vulnerability ended up giving him strength. That was how he was able to meet you.

V didn’t realise how much he was craving affection and kindness until you gave it to him. He knew for a fact his old self would see you as a disposable tool to achieve his ends. Perhaps, get a good time out of it as well. It was awfully shameful now that he was reflecting on himself.

But he had something more he was fighting for. V wasn’t just stopping Urizen to fix his mistakes. He was doing it for you as well.

---

V visited in the middle of the night. The sound of urgent knocking woke you. It was a surprise, that’s for sure. He had never visited like this before.

You opened the door and saw that there was something in his arms. It looked to be carefully wrapped in several layers of rags. It appeared to be a bit bigger than your fist, and by the shape, you think it’s some sort of vase.

“Don’t go to work anymore,” V said, handing the bundle to you. “Stay at home. If you need to get somewhere in the city do it during the day.”

V looked to be in a rush. It felt strange for him to not step into your home like he usually would. It was something you had gotten used to.

You mindlessly took the bundle in your arms. The thing was heavy, and you thought you felt something swish inside the container.

“This is incredibly valuable. Doesn't work on people, but if you’re ever attacked by something else, open it and throw it on the ground,” V said.

“What does that mean? What is this?” you asked, uncertain of what to make of the situation.

“I can’t visit anymore. I have my reasons and it’s too dangerous for you to get involved,” he said. “The quicker I resolve this the more I can guarantee your safety.”

You frowned, “Just what is going on, V?”

V didn’t say. He always seemed like the sort of person who knew more than he let on, but the change in tone worried you. The package was a farewell gift and that scares you more than anything being broadcasted on the news.

V reached over to touch your hand, giving it a small squeeze before grasping it in his.

This was the first time you felt like you were truely looking at him. His eyes were locked in with yours as he gently guided you back inside your home. His dark eyes were piercing, the faintest shade of green reflecting in the light as he stepped in. You felt safe being with him, and you felt a chill at the thought of him leaving.

It didn’t dawn on you until now how handsome he really was.

“Stay safe, [Y/N],” V said. He let go of your hand and turned to leave, closing the front door behind him.

You were left there all by yourself. You rushed to your window and parted your curtain to look outside. V vanished, as usual, and you closed the curtains again.

Your home had never felt colder.

---

You did what V suggested and called your work saying you’re taking a few days off. Your boss didn’t mind, in fact, he understood why and cautioned you as well.

You hunkered down at you were told, only going out during the day to buy food. You kept your curtains shut and tried to draw as little attention to your presence as much as possible. That was hard considering that your home was on the ground level of the apartment complex. Still, you tried your best.

Your daily routine had changed drastically in the next few days. It started with waking up to the sound of your muffled alarm that you had wrapped in a towel. You then made your way downstairs, careful not to step on the boards that creaked and cooked breakfast. You avoided anything that would be loud or anything that would create a strong smell.

You sat down in the dark and ate a cold breakfast, watching the news with subtitles on.

Even without the audio, you could read the expression on the reporter’s face. Many no longer walked the streets, which left thugs to roam free. While law enforcement groups were busy trying to control and figure out the cause of the missing civilians, the reporter talked about how there were masked figures spotted on the streets and breaking into homes.

It left a bitter taste in your mouth. How could people take advantage of a situation like this?

Curfew was now officially in order, and you were deemed heavily suspicious if you stayed out beyond those hours. You knew it wouldn’t stop those thieves though.

Your gut twisted. You just hoped V was okay during all this.

You wished for things to go back to the way they were just a few days ago. It was a dream you knew you had to quickly discard and forget.

You missed V. Plain and simple.

You were about to take the last bite of your breakfast when you heard sounds of footsteps walking down the street. You were used to the rare one or two individuals that would hurry from one destination to another.

This was different. It was slow, planned. And they walked towards your home.

Hide.

You took the plate and threw it into your drawer. If you were lucky then whoever the intruders were they would think you weren’t home. You fought the urge to panic, sliding out of your seat and moved towards the stairs. You steeled your nerves and tiptoed quickly up the steps, avoiding the two particular steps that creaked.

The front door opened with a loud bang and you brought your hand up to your mouth to stop yourself from screaming. There was no subtly nor fear of getting caught in the way these thugs entered. These times favoured bad intentions.

You made your way into your bedroom and closed the door, leaving a small gap. Closing it fully would make a sound now that the intruders were inside.

Heart pounding, you slid open your closet door and tucked yourself into a large cabinet you had emptied earlier. At the time it felt like you were over preparing but now you glad you did it.

Darkness wrapped around you as slid the closet and closed the cabinet door from the inside. You were self-conscious of your breathing. Everything felt loud. Your heart, the way you swallowed to soothe your dry throat, and each exhale. Everything you did felt like self-sabotage.

You waited several tense minutes, listening to every little sound that happened from downstairs. It seemed like several people. They spoke informally amongst themselves. Nothing organised or official about them.

“She’s still at work but let’s hurry it up,” one of the men said.

You recognised those voices now. It was the men you had seen often, spying on people. 

They didn’t remember your face but they probably watched you move from your work to your home. All they had to do was wait for the opportune time to rob from you.

You cringed at the sound of things breaking and shifting in your living room but you closed your mind to those thoughts.

Your possessions wouldn’t matter if you were dead.

A few more tense minutes passed. You had begun to sweat and the air in this small space grew thick. Your back began to ache, muscles straining from the cramped position you were in.

Heavy footsteps began to file out of your house, sounds of satisfied conversation faded from your house. Then, silence.

You escaped your hiding spot, attentive at any more signs of those thieves. Pushing gently, you crawled out without making a noise. You waited a few more moments to wait for any sound. Nothing.

You stepped down the stairs and braced yourself at what you might see.

It was just as you thought. Your television was taken, along with other things miscellaneous objects of value. Your books and photo frames were left behind, though not untouched. They were scattered across the floor in a mess.

You looked to your kitchen and saw your pantry door and refrigerator wide open. They had taken all your food.

Finally, your front door was beyond repair. It was splinted in several places, the door handle busted loose and barely hanging on. You felt a pang of pain that surged from your chest. The home that you have made for yourself over time was ruined.

Now's not the time to have a breakdown.

You carefully pushed the front door closed just enough to obscure anyone who could look in and started to do a double-take on your kitchen. The obvious supplies were taken, the ones that were in your field of vision the moment you opened the pantry door or the refrigerator.

This was the last straw. You weren’t safe in this city anymore.

You were glad the men seemed to be in some sort of rush. You knew your house better than anyone, which included that one dodgy cupboard.

It wouldn’t open and would stay stuck unless you lifted it in a certain way before prying it open. It was easy to mistake it as a part of the wall’s design to those who weren’t familiar with it.

You opened the stubborn thing and looked inside. Untouched cans of food were there.

With a relieved sigh, you grabbed them all and took them upstairs.

You started preparing a backpack with a decent amount of supplies that would help you get out of the city. Money, identification, and a bit of food and water just in case. You also glanced up at the strange glass container V had handed to you. You had unwrapped it, revealing a nice glass vial containing crystal clear water.

What he meant about using this to protect you from danger, you weren’t sure. Even so, you packed it anyway.

You spent a lot of time deciding things, eventually working until the sun had begun to set. There were no more unwanted visitors thankfully. You still worked as quietly as you could though.

What you needed. What you didn’t. Things you could leave behind, and things you had to leave behind. You didn’t realise how many sentimental things you had accumulated over time. Perhaps when things settled down you could return and reclaim them.

But where could you go? Moving in any time of the day was dangerous now. What about trains or planes? Would they still be active while the news spoke about how the city was falling apart?

You’ve missed your chance to leave earlier and you felt yourself regretting not fleeing the city sooner. You needed a better plan than just walking out of here with nowhere to go.

You locked your bedroom door and hid the backpack in the bottom drawer of your dresser just in case. With that done, you found a spot in the corner of your bedroom and sat down away from the window.

You pulled out a map and began to gently outline certain routes and streets you could take out of the city. The whole thing felt like a puzzle. One that you were too shaken to solve right now. You ignored the tears in your eyes and force yourself to keep searching, hoping for the day this would all be over.

Chapter Text

A nightmare had begun to plague your mind, unlike anything you’ve experienced before. It felt surreal and you found it had to distinguish what was real or fake. You wandered the city, a blood-red haze blanketing the city as far as you could see.

Something growled as you passed an alleyway. A man? No. Something more twisted. You recognised them as the man who robbed you but their face was distorted. Their skin was pale and their eyes were hollow. Fangs protruded from their jaws, teeth too big for their mouths.

You gasped as the monster left the corpse they were feasting on and began to move towards you. They screeched at you as they charged. You were going to die.

A voice echoed through the dream.

You startled at the noise, waking up and jumping on your feet. The map on your lap slid off your body and rested on the ground next to you. You looked around.

You had fallen asleep at some point and the sun had begun to set. The bedroom was thankfully no longer covered in a blood haze but rather the warmth of the sunset. Things started to feel right again.

“[Y/N]!” a voice called again. You knew that voice.

“V?” you said out loud. You unlocked your bedroom door just as a familiar figure was climbing up the stairs.

V looked horrified and relieved. He paused at the sight of you then sped up again, running towards you and giving you a tight hug. The gesture caught you off guard. It was somewhat unexpected considering how distant the man acted in the times the two of you were together.

You closed your eyes and almost let yourself drown in his arms. You missed him. The world felt familiar again. You were done with stumbling through this alone.

V pulled away, his hands still on your arms.

“What happened? Your door, it-“

“Some people broke in and robbed me,” you said, blankly. You remembered it happening to you clear as day and all the terrors that came with it. You didn’t let the memory consume you though. Worse things could’ve happened to you.

V’s usual demeanour shifted into something dark and angry, like a storm brewing within. There was something different about him you couldn’t quite place.

“I can find them. I can-”

“Don’t,” you said.

You placed your hands on his. The grip that had tightened from his anger loosened, his fingers no longer digging hard into your skin.

“It’s… fine. It’s not worth stealing back from them for the danger. I’m just glad that I wasn’t hurt,” you said.

V acknowledged your words. He read your emotions, his anger slowly dwindled into worry.

“I’m sorry. I thought that maybe... Do you have anywhere you can stay outside the city?” V asked.

“Actually, I was just planning a way to get out of here,” you said. “But it’s not going to be easy.”

As far as you both know, you were essentially trapped in Red Grave City in the middle of a disaster. You cursed at yourself for not fleeing when you had the chance. You were afraid to leave your nice, simple life behind. This was the consequence.

“Do you know what’s happening out there? I- how are you still okay despite everything going on?” you asked.

“It’s not good. People aren’t the only thing you have to worry about. You still have my gift, right?”

“Yes, I do but…” you said, confused.

V looked torn. Conflicted by something before you spotted a moment of clarity in his eyes. He began to look around the room for something and went over to grab something.

“You still have a chance,” he said, picking up the map and markers you had out.

V acted like he knew exactly what you needed to do. It was as if he could recall the city from memory. V took out a bright red marker and drew a line down a series of roads and walkways. You’d notice some lines he drew were through sections of the city. Unmarked paths perhaps.

“If you follow this you should be able to avoid most of the danger,” V said. He then began drawing something in a different coloured marker. “Take these paths if you do run into danger. Don’t travel at night. As I said, there are worse things out there than people.”

“How do you know these things?” you asked, surprised at how knowledgeable he was. Was this man really the same person you found disoriented in a garbage pile all those weeks ago?

“I… grew up here,” V said, though he looked unsure about his own words.

“Not just about the streets, V. 'Things worse than people?' Why are you being so cryptic? What are we hiding from?” you asked.

“Believe me when I say your life is better without knowing about their existence,” V said.

What the hell was he talking about?

He looked out the window and frowned at the setting sun. The man then folded the map neatly and handed it to you, which you tucked safely away.

“You’re going to have to wait until the sun rises,” V said. “Can you sleep?”

You frowned. You had just napped. You could try, though your body certainly didn’t feel like it. It was also scary to leave yourself vulnerable like that.

V seemed to catch on to what you were feeling and found a spot against the wall in your bedroom. He sat down, keeping an eye out for your locked bedroom door.

“What are you doing?” you ask.

“I can keep watch,” V said.

“From now until next morning? I can’t let you do that. You need to rest too, don’t you-“

“[Y/N], let me do this for you, please,” V said.

He had already made himself comfortable, pulling out a familiar book. It was clear he was giving you no room for objections. You sighed and gave in. It’s not like you had any better plans in mind.

You did one final check of the bedroom door lock and took your place in your bed. You thought V being in the same room would make it uncomfortable to sleep in but that feeling quickly subsided. You trusted V, now more than ever with the lengths he was going to help you as well.

You rolled to your side and tried to release the tension in your muscles. Your mind circled with questions and regrets. If you left the city you’d never see V again.

He was the most mysterious person you’ve ever known. Meeting him in a strange twist of fate and finding that he would vanish just as quickly at night. You wanted to learn more about him.

You closed your eyes and force yourself to sleep. You breathed in deep, controlled breaths, relaxing and letting your mind wander. Sleep hit you harder than you were expecting, though it made sense now that you were thinking about it. You hadn’t had a chance to truly relax in the past few days, and for the first time in a few sleepless nights, you felt oddly safe.

As you thought, being tired didn’t mean it was easy to stay asleep for the full sunset to dawn. You woke up in the middle of the night often, tossing from side to side and drift away again. Sleep gradually began to feel uncomfortable, your body urging you to move.

You wanted to ask V how he was doing, or check if he was even still here at all. He had a habit of up and leaving after all.

Groggily, you peaked at V through a small gap you made through your blanket. Through the small slit of light that came through the curtain, you saw his hair had returned white. That was an odd sight. Maybe the light was reflecting off it brightly.

Something else caught your eye and you gasped.

Unfamiliar silhouettes stood in that darkness. Their forms loomed in the low lit bedroom, their shadows stretching along the floors. An intruder?

You jolted up, ready to confront those figures. If you were being attacked again then you had to be awake.

Your movements only startled V. You scanned the room and frowned. The figures you thought were there had disappeared. You swore that you saw someone, or rather something, in the room with you.

“What was that?” you gasped, unsure if your mind was playing tricks on you. You suddenly remembered how exposed your home was and instinctually covered your mouth.

V looked around the room as well. You noticed his hair had returned to the black shade it should be.

“I’m sure it was nothing,” V said quietly. “Go back to sleep.”

You felt your heart beating in your chest, the sudden burst of energy giving you a headache.

“I don’t think I can,” you said, whispering. The scare had woken you up and the adrenaline refused to let you lie back down.

You gave V another look. He appeared to be sleeping as well before you had startled him awake. His book had ended up on his chest which he picked up and properly tucked away. You knew that chair wasn’t the most comfortable place for a nap. There had been several times when you dozed off and waking up with terrible aches.

"Would you like to trade places for a bit? I know that chair isn’t the best to nap on," you said softly.

V sat up and raised a hand, “No. You need your energy for tomorrow. Keep sleeping.”

“That’s not how it works, V,” you said. “I’m too well-rested.”

V hesitated, but then shook his head. He stood up and sat down on the bed with you, his weight shifting the mattress.

“Then keep trying,” V said, his voice low and quiet. His eyes narrowed, softly intimidating you. It woke you up more instead of persuading you to fall asleep.

While you tried to think of a response, you realised it was easier to speak with him being this close.

It presented an opportunity. A small moment to just be you and him again. You knew the risks but if the two of you were whispering it should be fine. You needed this moment. Something that helped you feel like things aren’t so bad.

“Chat with me for a bit?” you asked. 

V considered the idea. It went against what he was telling you to do just now. Though, he still obliged, giving a small shrug of ‘yeah sure, why not’ . You shuffled over as he laid on the mattress beside you. He lifted one arm to rest his head against and breathed out.

“What would you like to speak about?” he asked.

“Well… I suppose you’re going to avoid talking about whatever the hell is going on with the city.”

V chuckled under his breath and shook his head. You rolled your eyes. Fine.

You tried to think of small topics to talk about, things that didn’t relate to the reality of the situation.

You asked about the plot of the book you didn’t get a chance to read but V insisted you’d find the time to read it yourself someday. From the general gist of the conversation, V seemed to like philosophical works more than fictional works. He spoke about fiction writers ‘not getting it right’, especially with fantasy works. That was a bit unusual though you guess everyone has their own tastes.

You tried to come up with other topics to talk about but the pain of being robbed and the city no longer being safe was fresh in your mind. Things to distract had run dry. You tugged the blanket tighter against your body.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” you began. You ducked your head under the cover and let the reality sink in. Life was never going to be after this. V took noticed and you felt him lean over.

“Are you well?”

“No. I’m terrified,” you admitted. “Can you take me out of the city? You know what you’re doing right? I…”

… don’t want to be alone.

Those words were hard to admit. You had taken pride in yourself on being able to survive alone for so long. All it took was a small amount of time with company you genuinely enjoy to make you realise how empty you actually felt.

It made you look too pitiful. Weren’t you usually the one that offered advice to V?

You curled up in your blankets and avert your eyes from V. There was a silent moment between you two until you felt a gentle hand rest on your shoulder.

“I’m… sorry you have to go through this, [Y/N],” V said.

You smiled out of his sight.

“You know, I thought Red Grave City would be so much better. Moving into a bigger and more populated area with more things to do and such. But nothing actually changed. I just came home every night and did the same thing without trying to make a difference,” you ranted. “I could’ve left when this all started. All signs were pointing me to get out of here.”

“Then why didn’t you?” V said.

“I didn’t lie when I said I enjoy your company,” you said, rolling over to look at him.

I didn’t want to leave because of you.

Your next words caught in your throat. In whatever moonlight that came through the windows, it illuminated V enough to take your breath away.

He was gorgeous.

You inhaled deeply.

“... Stay?” you asked.

V smiled, not in his usual manner but instead carrying a more bittersweet tone. You saw the hesitation in his eyes and your hopes crumbled.

“I can’t promise that. Not now,” V said. The words stung more than you anticipated but you accepted them regardless.

You closed your eyes, sighing deeply.

“I’m afraid of being alone in this,” you finally admitted. “I don’t want to lose a friend.”

“I could say the same thing.”

---

V was successful in getting you to fall asleep again. You noticed that the next time you opened your eyes that it was no longer night, the faint morning sun beginning to peek through in a soft warm hue.

There was something else you noticed, one that you did your best to hide your reaction.

V slept next to you, his arms curled against his body. His breathing was slow and peaceful as his eyes remained closed.

But that wasn’t what made you hold your breath. Things started to make sense but didn’t at the same time.

V’s hair was white and his tattoos on his skin were faded. There was no explanation for the phenomenon you could think of in your head. It was bizarre to think someone’s appearance could change as easily as this. Just what was going on with V and this city?

Was this the reason why he never stayed the night? To keep his true appearance a secret?

You couldn’t stop staring at that white hair of his. It actually made him look quite angelic. You examined his torso and could still see faint outlines of where his tattoos used to be.

So many questions, but…

You closed your eyes and tried to fall back asleep. It felt as though you had seen something private. A secret you weren’t permitted to know about. It was hard not to open your eyes and stare again so you carefully rolled over.

But you weren’t quiet enough.

V gasped awake next to you, sitting up then immediately stop. His body stilled as he tried not to disturb you right beside him, unaware you were just pretending to be asleep.

V sat for a few moments beside you before slowly sliding off the mattress. There were the faint sounds of him moving around the room, his footsteps light on the wooden floors.

“Psst, V. You done with that sleepover? We gotta go,” an unfamiliar voice said.

No… not unfamiliar. You swear you’ve heard that voice before, but how did someone enter the room while the door was still locked?

“... Let’s go. I’d hate to wake her,” V responded before his footsteps led him towards the bedroom door. There were sounds of the door unlocking before he quietly shut the door behind him.

Chapter Text

You waited in bed for a long time before you found the strength to roll out of it. Most of the time spent was thinking about what you saw.

You couldn’t think of a valid explanation of someone changing appearance at the drop of a hat, or in that case overnight.

You found yourself dissatisfied. You tried to come to terms with the fact you probably wouldn’t see V after today but it couldn’t be helped. Especially after what had happened last night and this morning.

With a sigh, you pulled out the map and started to memorise the main route, noting the streets to turn into and small roads that were pointed out. Even though you wanted answers, there were more important things to do.

You went over to your travelling backpack and heaved it on. It was time to move.

You controlled each step as you exited your bedroom, barely making a sound as you descended the steps. The sight of the place you’ve lived in for a long time in ruins pained you again but you pushed past those feelings.

You said a silent goodbye to your home and stepped onto the street.

It felt as though you were walking through an entirely different city. Store shutters were left down and prone to vandalism, and it appears your home wasn't the only one that was broken into with doors and windows smashed in.

You turned into the first street which was a tight, dirtied alley with chipped stone steps. Somewhere in the middle of this path, you noted the red line turning into a sharp left. There was a fence with a door that had the lock busted open.

You pushed it open and stepped through into an even more unfamiliar path. It felt like you were trespassing though it looked abandoned beyond the start of the city’s downfall from looking at the dust and dirt.

You passed through a small private backyard with untrimmed grass and a clutter of discarded garden furniture. You frowned. The red line told you to climb the rotted wooden fence.

You spied through a crack and saw there was another alleyway that ran alongside this property. You sighed.

Maybe you should've pointed out to V you weren't the most athletic person either.

Amongst the garden furniture was a dusty plastic table which was easy enough to move. You placed the table against the fence and climbed over. It wasn't the most elegant display with the wooden fence being flimsy and the table wobbling beneath your feet. You managed to make it over thankfully, landing on the concrete ground with a hard thump.

You hurried along, snaking through side paths and forgotten streets. It made you realise how little you knew about the city. The frightening sense of unfamiliarity unnerved you but you pressed on regardless.

As you followed the red line, you started to notice quite obviously how doors and fences had their locks broken for you to easily move through. You couldn’t help but think V had planned for this. Did he know about the broken locks or did he break them himself?

You sighed. Not like you would get the chance to ask him anymore.

As you moved along with the red path, you ran into something unexpected. There was some sort of police barricade that had been set up. There wasn’t anyone posted by it. It only seemed to prevent you from being able to get past it.

When did they set this up?

Sometime during the chaos, it seemed like the police are finally beginning to take more serious measures. The initial thought was how you were glad they were finally stepping in a lot harsher now, though at the same time you began to worry. What if they didn’t let you leave the city?

You turned around and followed the next nearest path that V had outlined for you.

The next detour required you to go through a series of other people’s property or their backyards. You hoped that nobody would be home as you awkwardly moved through them, muttering a silent apology as you left each one.

This path also led you to another police barricade. You tried to look for a way to bypass it but the thing was constructed solidly with a line of barbed wire that ran across the top. The tall structure had a smooth surface with no chance that you’d be able to climb over it. The thought was dawning on you. The city’s citizens were being boxed in.

This must be some kind of desperate lockdown. If mass murders and missing people cases were happening with no resolution in sight then no wonder why the authorities were becoming overly cautious. You winced. You had to get out before it got worse. You knew you did nothing wrong but it’s hard to know how the police would react in these times. You were afraid of what they might do.

You spent the majority of your time going to different paths, even straying from the map sometimes, to try and find a way out. Wall after wall you found yourself feeling more trapped. Your feet ached from all the searching you did, walking from place to place with no success. You were running out of options.

You stopped by another lone barricade and placed your hand on the smooth surface. There must be a way to get over these things. You looked at the barbed tops and the buildings that surrounded it. Something caught your eye and you squinted.

There was an open window on the other side.

It was certainly risky. What if people were inside the building, or the police were anticipating an escape like this? You still wanted to take your chances though. It wasn’t like you had any other option.

You circled the building and tried to find an entrance. One door looked like it had been neglected and the lock was rusted. You jostled the thing and it stubbornly didn’t move. You could try to break the lock but that would make too much noise. Besides, you didn’t have anything you could use to break it with.

What happened to all the conveniently broken locks now?

“Hey! You!”

You froze, spinning towards the voice that called out to you. Two men in dark armoured uniform approached, guns drawn and pointed at you. They wore full riot gear with helmets that obscured their faces and equipment that could take down a hoard of people.

“What do you think you’re doing?” one of the men shouted.

You panicked, unsure of what to say. Even if you did have something to say you had a feeling they wouldn’t believe it. Helplessly, you put your hands up in the air and waited for them to make the next move.

The men reached for you and confiscated your bag. V’s gift was still inside.

They harshly pulled your hands behind your back and they cuffed them together. It hurt the way they grabbed you, wincing at the way they forced your arms to move. They began to pat you down, looking for anything suspicious on you. All you could do was cringe at the humiliating experience.

One of them thumbed for their radio and it crackled.

“We found another one. Taking them to the outpost now.”

---

V watched the city from the tops of the buildings. It was easy enough to reach those places with Griffon.

He jumped from roof to roof, searching for any signs for Urizen. It wouldn’t be long until he would unleash the Qliphoth considering how overly eager empusa now roamed the city. The demons hoped to get a head start on harvesting the people but V easily wiped them out before they got the chance to.

Urizen’s plan was V’s plan once. He felt like he could predict what that demon would do. What V couldn’t predict was how successful Urizen would be in carrying it out.

Somewhere at the corner of his eye, he spotted another large makeshift prison camp. They had popped up overnight. An emergency tactic that was deployed immediately.

More and more civilians were being shoved into these facilities for whatever reason. V wasn’t sure what they would do with those people in there. Trucks were seen coming and going through these locations, though it felt too violent to be an evacuation procedure.

V winced at the sight of those things. He hoped that you had gotten out safely though the chances felt slim.

It pained V to say outright that he couldn’t visit you anymore. He knew it was a good thing he checked back on you for one last time and found you all terrified in your own home. That had to be the last one though. He couldn’t take any more chances.

V knew his mission yet he still risked it all to spend time with you. He didn’t expect to find enjoyment or peace while he tried to fix his mistake. In fact, he thought he deserved the complete opposite.

V didn’t deserve your kindness, but yet, you still gave it to him. What he would do to go back to those moments. Maybe if he succeeded he could speak to you again. But would you accept him if you knew his true form?

Griffon appeared, leaping out of his skin and stared at something in the distance. It wasn’t unusual for the familiar to scout ahead or keep an eye out for dangers. Instead, Griffon was fixated on the prison.

“Hey, V. Isn’t that-”

V looked and what Griffon was pointing out and his eyes widened.

He saw you. They cruelly bound your wrists together and nudged you to follow them probably against your will. V felt that anger again. A rage that surged from the remnants of his other half.

“Well damn… she didn’t make it out by herself,” Griffon said.

The familiar had made it clear in the past how he disliked you. Mostly because you wasted V’s time by inviting him inside for dinner and distracting him from preparing for Urizen. Griffon eventually found it in himself to consider you tolerable. Though, he still felt strongly on how V could’ve used his time better.

V sighed. There wasn’t much he could do. He knew better than to intervene with the humans and their plans.

“Let’s just hope they escort her out of the city,” V said.

He ultimately just wanted you out of the picture. V was satisfied with the idea that once you were out of the woods he wouldn’t have to worry about your safety as he dealt with Urizen.

It was the best-case scenario. Anywhere V would go, misery and destruction would follow.

Gravel shifted beneath V’s feet. The ground rumbled and he knelt, scanning the area for danger.

A wave of demonic energy suddenly pulsed through the air, temporarily suffocating him. It was powerful, nothing like anything he’s felt before.

The Qliphoth was here, but where was it spawning?

The ground next to the facility in the distance burst open as a series of roots crawled out from the underworld.

---

People screamed as something exploded from in front of you. Chunks of stone and building rained from the sky. You could only turn your body away from the falling dust and debris, your wrists still painfully chained together.

A building nearby exploded as well, sending bricks in your direction and you ducked. One collided into your arm and you stumbled to the ground.

Dazed, you looked towards the source of the explosion and gasped. Thick, dark vines shot out from the ground and began to wrap itself around the adjacent buildings. Some parts of the surface split, revealing something red and pulsing on the inside.

You followed the roots to something that stood tall in the sky. A spiralling tree loomed over the city, a haze of red surrounding it. You recognised that haze from your nightmare.

You were torn between fleeing and freezing in place. This couldn’t be real but at the same time, a part of you told you it was. Some deep instinct warned you something like this was going to happen.

There was another cry as gunfire began to sound in the air. You kept your head down as those guards began to fire into the dust cloud. It wasn’t long until you found out what they were shooting at.

Pale, insectoid monsters creatures lept out from the darkness. Their mouths split open exposing their blunt rows of fangs as they tore into person after person. Several of the roots untangled from the main mass and sprouted sharp thorns that impaled police as they tried to run.

Your bag. Where was your bag?

This was what V was talking about. It had to be. All the cryptic things he said and the way he acted. You had a strong feeling it all pointed to this bizarre event to happen. But then what about the dream you had?

You looked around for the guard that took your belongings and saw them sprawled out on the ground.

A large chunk of a building had fallen on him and crushed him to death.

The sight shocked you. He was fully armoured but you could see a pool of blood that marked his place.

Fighting the urge to scream, you took note of the situation around you. The sight of dead bodies filled your view, their lifeless bodies tossed across the street and torn apart by monsters.

Move. Get the vial, now!

You sprang onto your feet and ran towards the body, ignoring the reality of their deaths as best as you could. You saw your bag underneath the debris though you couldn’t reach for it. Not while your hands were still bound behind you.

Dammit!

You did all you could with your legs, kicking away bricks and fishing it out with your foot. You had packed quite a lot and the size had it wedged between the ground and the broken building chunk.

Something shrieked from nearby. You looked up to see one of the monsters had begun feasting on a dead body. You saw how the pool of blood beneath began to seep away, bloating the insectoid creature.

It pulled its head away and it caught your eye. It began charging towards you.

Fuck!

You tried to yank the bag free but the strap had snapped from the force. There was no way to get it out with just your feet now. You closed your eyes and grunted. What did V say about what to do with the vial? Open it and throw it on the ground? What was that supposed to do against this thing?

It’s not like you could think of any other option. You kicked hard against your bag.

Your foot collided with the glass inside. You tried again. It was hard to get a good hit but you had to break the thing now.

The creature continued to charge towards you but you refused to acknowledge it. You kicked, again and again, your foot and leg aching from the awkward angle. You heard something crack beneath your feet. You were close.

The monster let out a high pitched screech as it raised its arms, ready to pounce and kill you. You closed your eyes and kicked one final time.

The tough glass gave way to your foot and you felt the surface cave in. The area exploded in a bright white light.

Your vision hazed, blinded by the sudden burst of light that originated from your bag. You felt terrified at the idea you had just kicked an equivalent of a landmine. But as your vision cleared and your senses returned, you were glad to see that you were fine.

You glanced up to where the monster was and watched it recoil in pain. Light coated its body, burning it from the looks of it, as trails of smoke seeped out from the bright spots.

The monster soon gave out and crumbled to the ground.

Relieved though not relaxed, you crawled out from where you were kicking your bag. The poor thing was now caved in and ruined. You weren’t sure if you could salvage your belongings anymore at this stage.

You looked around for more dangers and prepared yourself to start running again.

You had won a small victory, but there was no way you would be able to get out of this alive.

More spiked vines sprouted and whipped in your direction. Some of them grew longer with each strike and nearing towards your position. Some of the insectoid monsters were preoccupied with whoever they’ve killed, but others were drawn to the commotion you had just caused.

The ground rumbled again. Vines had begun to spread violently, tearing through concrete as they latched themselves onto buildings and structures. The floor cracked and split, and you were about to be caught in it.

“[Y/N]!”

You looked up to the voice that called out for you and you couldn’t believe your eyes.

It was V. He shouted from the top of a building, looking down in horror.

The ground beneath you gave way and you felt yourself falling in. V gasped then lept from the edge of the roof. He dived towards you, black coat fluttering in the air.

What the hell? He was going to die too!

V threw his cane towards you. The metal stick flew faster than you anticipated and you briefly saw it zip past you before something else appeared in its place. Arms wrapped around you and you recognised the embrace.

How did-

In the brief moment when you were falling, you heard V grunt. Wisps of smoke trailed from his skin and patches of light flickering on the fringes of your vision.

You and V fell into the darkness below the streets. Something darker than shadow encased your vision, consuming your surroundings as the world felt like it stopped.

Chapter Text

Everything hurt. Your body ached. Your ears rang and your vision was hazy.

But you were alive.

Somehow.

You rolled over to your side as you tried to get your bearings. You were in some sort of tunnel, you looked around and saw metal rails that ran down and into the darkness. A train track perhaps?

A shot of pain spiked up on your leg and you winced loudly. You remembered you still had a part of your leg trapped as you fell. It throbbed as you stumbled back down to the ground. You’ve definitely injured it, but you just hoped that nothing was broken.

Your arms were still bound behind your back and you cursed. How the hell were you going to get this thing off?

You gasped. Where did he go?

He had dived for you from the top of that building. Would that mean he was nearby? 

Something growled near you and you shrieked in fear. A large… animal?

You were expecting another one of those blood-sucking monsters but instead, you weren’t sure if you were seeing something worse. A panther with pitch-black fur moved towards you. It didn’t have its teeth bared or looking like it was about to attack, but the sight still scared you.

Someone reached over towards the beast and gently brushed their hand against its head. You recognised those marks on their skin.

“V?” you said.

It was him. He nudged the animal aside and stumbled towards you. He knelt to grab your shoulders, gently helping you sit up. Your vision spun from the smallest movement of your body.

“Hold still,” V said. He moved behind you and grunted as he brought the cane down. The pressure on your wrists slackened. Your arms were free.

“She’s not looking too good,” a voice said. You glanced in the direction of the person talking and you were met with the sight of a large blue vulture.

Alright. You’ve hallucinated a talking animal. You’ve gone crazy.

V moved back in front of you and reached his hand up and lifted your head, looking in your eyes. He also felt like an illusion but the more he stared at you the more real he felt.

“I think she’s fine. Can you move?” V said.

V really was here. He came for you but you didn’t understand why or how. The both of you should be dead after that fall, more so V from his jump from the building.

But here he was, without a scratch on his body…?

It was odd. V looked spotless compared to you. That couldn’t be right. His arms were exposed in his coat and from your memory, he wrapped himself around you during the drop. Surely he would’ve grazed himself against the rubble or hit the track and split a part of his skin.

You reached up to grab his arm, lifting it to look for any signs of blood or injury. Nothing. No, this wasn’t right. Maybe this was a dream.

You escalated your investigation, touching his hair. Where was that white hair of his? Where did it go?

“Uh, yeah. She’s gone nuts,” the bird said. It flew down and perched beside you and you jumped. It was much bigger than you thought it was.

V gently pried your hands off of him and he smiled, though you could still see the hint of worry in his eyes. Those beautiful eyes. You were glad to see them again and you were afraid to part with them. Something delirious fueled your fears. You didn’t want to lose V again.

“Stay,” you said. It still hurt when he said he couldn't last night. Everything went so wrong after that. You didn’t want that to happen again.

V looked concerned, then shuffled to his feet.

“Come on. We have to find a safe place for you,” he said. Surprisingly, he was stronger than you thought. He lifted you in his arms with no trouble at all. He cradled you in his chest as he walked further into the darkness flanked by the two animals.

Your body was limp with exhaustion and you barely felt present. You glanced up and looked at V.

“What happened?” you sighed. You weren’t even sure if you should bother asking. A part of you expected V to dance around the question again.

You had a feeling V was going to do it again this time. He looked unsure whether or not how to answer. He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath.

“Qliphoth. It’s a tree a spawns from the underworld.”

What?

You looked up at V, surprised to hear an explanation from him.

V ignored you for a moment, looking around the corner before continuing forward. The tunnel was only lit by the cracks in the ceiling and the occasional emergency light that was still active.

“You were attacked by demons. Empusas. They serve a purpose to the tree by harvesting the blood of humans,” V said. He nodded his head towards the panther and the vulture. “And those are my familiars. They defend me.”

You tried to turn your head to get a closer look at those animals but something else caught your eye. Some parts of V’s tattoos were faded again. Like the time he was sleeping beside you.

The blue vulture flew ahead and perched on a collapsed bit of debris.

“That’s it? We ‘defend’ you? We do just more than that, you know,” it said.

V nudged you to take a look at the familiar. It was hard to see in the low light but there were details you were beginning to notice. The beak looked a little strange, and you swear the bird had several irises that stared back at you.

“This familiar in particular likes to ramble. Don’t mind him,” V said.

“Hey! Come on! That’s the introduction I get?”

V smirked, “You can call that one Griffon.”

You nodded absently. You were starting to come to, though you were still trapped in an air of disorientation and confusion.

“Did that thing kill all those people?” you asked grimly.

V’s expression dropped a little and he held you a little closer.

“Yes, that did happen,” he said.

You’ve been wanting the truth for so long you forgot to consider that he could be lying to you for your sake. But no, you saw it with your own eyes, it was all real and you were afraid to accept it until he confirmed it.

You didn’t understand everything that was happening but it didn’t matter. You pressed your head into his chest as you let him take you away.

“I broke your gift. It saved me,” you said.

“Holy water. Powerful stuff,” Griffon said. “Just keep that stuff away from me. You know how hard that idiot searched to find some?”

You glanced up at V, “You did that for-?”

“What matters is that I did find it in time,” V sighed. He looked around then moved off towards something at the side. He diverged from the main train tracks and moved towards a door.

“Shadow,” V said. The panther nodded in response then moved towards it.

The animal’s tail suddenly morphed into a thick, spiked club that slammed into the door. It opened with no resistance as it skidded across the ground somewhere inside. Shadow sat down, its tail returning to normal, and licked its paw and V moved towards the now open entry. You couldn’t help but gawk at the animal.

You felt like one of your questions had been resolved at least. V was the one breaking the locks.

You had entered some sort of maintenance room. You moved past the softly glowing machines that hummed and into the next room. A bit of time has passed and you felt yourself coming to. Pain still wracked your body, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you were covered in bruises. 

V frowned as he looked around.

“We have to find some way to go back to the surface,” he said.

“Back to where those things are?” you exclaimed, nervous at the thought of those demons.

“They’ll be all over the city in no time. What we do need to do is hire help. This situation is worse than I anticipated,” V said.

“Here’s the thing. We need money to hire people, and I ain’t seeing anyone here we can rob again,” Griffon said.

You raised an eyebrow, then looked towards V who hadn’t quite realised what Griffon had eluded to.

“You said you didn’t do anything illegal,” you said, bluntly.

V faltered slightly and Griffon laughed as he found another perch for himself.

“As far as ‘illegal’ goes, sweetheart. Robbing is pretty tame I gotta say,” Griffon said.

V sighed and looked around, finding a seat for you to sit on. You briefly put weight on your foot which flared up with pain in the small amount of contact. You tried to ignore it as V knelt in front of you.

“I did lie,” V said. “I feel like I owe you an apology for that, at least.”

“I think it’s an unwritten rule that nobody likes to house a criminal,” you sighed. “What did you steal?”

“Holy water.... and the clothes.”

“The clothes?” you raised an eyebrow, “I offered to buy you some in the morning.”

“I didn’t have time to wait,” V said.

You thought back to the first night. V still had pure white hair and his skin was blank then. Did this whole dark-haired transformation happen in the few days you didn’t see him?

“Oi, lady,” Griffon found a closer perch to talk to you, “You wouldn’t happen to have any cash on you, would’ ya?"

“I did, but if you want it we’re going to go back and find my bag. It’s also probably buried under a bunch of rubble,” you said. You couldn’t help but think about how rude the bird was acting towards you.

Griffon and V looked at each other. They weren’t seriously considering debris diving for your bag just for some money.

“We should start searching then,” V said.

“Yep.”

They were going to do it.

At least they weren’t going to rob anyone on the street.

V turned around and offered to piggyback you. You took the offer and leaned onto his back. He hooked his arms under your legs and began to walk back onto the darkened train tracks.

“About the people you plan to hire, can they really help?” you asked V.

“Considering they’re the only business around that handles this type of issue, I’d say relatively decent.”

You gasped, “You’re telling me there are real-life demon hunters out there?”

“By that definition… I could be considered one as well.”

“Just not a professional, though,” Griffon chimed in.

As much as you liked getting straight answers, everything felt surreal. The more you asked V on whatever this demonic invasion was all about, the further you felt like an idiot for never noticing how these things existed right under your nose.

You eventually arrived at where you had initially fallen. It took you a while to recognise the place considering how disoriented you were after surviving a drop like that. You didn’t need to ask more questions, just assume that one of V’s familiars saved you.

V set you down as he started to dig through the piles and piles of rubble. Griffon and Shadow helped their master as they tried to find your bag. Since you weren’t involved in the search because of your injures it gave you time to think.

One thing that was certain though was how he saved your life and how grateful you were. Being helped in a situation like this felt like one in a million. That thought leapt onto another thought. It only made your fondness for him to grow stronger.

Digging through debris shouldn’t be the most elegant looking thing, but V was still acting that way regardless. He still looked gorgeous as he raked his hand through his hair, raising his cane to point to a spot and commanding that strange panther to demolish said area.

V seemed to know a lot about the demon world and he kept most of those a secret until now. Was that a sign that V was trusting you a lot more than he did back then? Or maybe he was feeling sorry for you after you had fallen through the ground. 

V glanced over to check on you and you jumped. You’d been staring at him for a long time while you were thinking.

“I think I found it!”

You and V looked over to where Griffon and Shadow hovered by. You carefully stood up and hobbled over to the area it pointed out to. In the dimly lit tunnel, you recognised the bag though it looked like it was barely holding together.

V reached down to grab it but suddenly flinched back. The tattoos on his hand smoked, the ink on his skin looking like it recoiled.

“Watch it!” Griffon cried.

You saw a faint trail of smoke and a burn mark on the vulture’s chest before it quickly patched over. V looked confused and he glanced towards you for an answer.

“I… broke the vial inside the bag. I-it was the only way? Here, let me-”

You stumbled over to where the bag laid in a heap of stone and reached down to grab it. Most of the surrounding stone was in smaller chunks compared to before. With enough strength, you were able to yank it free.

V and his familiars watched from a small distance away as you opened it. Shards of glass clicked against each other and fell out the sides. Carefully, you poured out the contents and several things were tossed onto the ground.

Most of your things were damp and torn up by the broken glass. Your spare clothes soaked up most of it but some of it did coat your purse. There were some scratches and tears but it was still well intact. You did keep a large amount of money in there considering how you were planning to escape the city for a relatively long time.

You opened it and checked inside. Some of the notes were wet around the corners but it would still be usable once it dried.

“Yeaaah I ain’t touching that,” Griffon said.

This was good. You still had to cover your bases as you didn’t quite trust the demonic bird thing.

“Then I’ll hold onto it as we get out of here,” you said.

You tucked the purse into your pocket and looked at V expectantly. V hesitated, but you quickly caught on to what was stopping him from approaching you. You shook as much water off your damp hands and wiped them on the back of your shirt where you know it wouldn’t touch him. V seemed pleased by that and lifted you into another piggyback.

V didn’t seem phased by bringing you along at all which was a good sign though you couldn’t say the same for Griffon. You could tell the bird didn’t want you to come. It was no secret you were going to slow the group down but Griffon didn’t look to be in the mood to argue against it.

V started you carry you back down the dark crumbling train tracks. Tiredness hit you now that you had time to rest after a near-death experience.

You pressed your head against his back you felt like this was a small moment of peace with him. He didn’t seem to mind. It was nice.

Chapter Text

The train station should be up ahead. You and V had been walking down the track for a while now. Somewhere during the walk, Griffon and Shadow scattered into dust and then reformed on his skin. The tattoos that were faded before had returned to the way it was before.

When you accidentally spotted V while he was sleeping, the familiars were probably out and keeping watch in his place. It was good to have a solid theory on who those figures were that night. You hadn't turned completely insane just yet.

Not being left out in the dark was a good feeling despite the nature of the information. Plus, anything that would help you understand V more was something that you wanted.

However, there wasn’t much talking. Mostly because you were still trying to process everything, during which you began to idly touch the handcuffs that were still around your wrist.

The chain between them was broken by V before but you still felt trapped by them They made the skin underneath red and irritated, there was no good way to get them off at the moment.

The more you stared at them the more… useless you felt. Was this all you were good for? Getting caught up in problems, again and again, relying on someone else to help you out? There had to be something you could do.

You stared down at V’s skin again, letting yourself get lost in the swirling ink.

“V?” you said.

He tilted his head to the side and hummed inquisitively.

“How do I… well. How do I get a demon familiar?”

The question caught V by surprise. His brows raised for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He quickly composed himself then looked back towards the tunnel.

“You shouldn’t,” V said.

You frowned, “Why not? They seem pretty useful in a situation like this.”

“If you knew how I obtained these familiars you wouldn’t want them,” V said, “I can protect you-”

“It’s not just that,” you said, sighing. You stared down at the broken handcuffs still dangling off your wrists. The longer you thought about them the more you hated them.

There had to be more you could do than just try to hide or run away, feeling scared and hoping things would pass. What if V suddenly did his disappearing act again and you were left defenceless? Things couldn’t always be like that.

“There must be something useful I could do,” you mumbled.

V opened his mouth to say something then stopped himself. He looked as though he was about to disagree but stopped himself. You sighed and closed your eyes, leaning into him. It wouldn’t be surprising if he agreed with you, yet he’s still going through all the effort to carry your ass out of here.

“You’ve helped me too,” V said, making you open your eyes. “You let me in your home.”

“That doesn’t seem like a lot compared to saving my life,” you chuckled faintly.

“It does to me.”

V stopped and you peaked your head over his shoulder to look at him. He turned to meet your eyes as well. He was sincere.

In the time you were travelling you didn’t think much about being carried like this. Frankly, it was more embarrassing when he was carrying you bridal style. You had overlooked everything so far because it was a practical thing to do. Though now you were just realising how close you were to this man and how close those lips were to yours.

You were mindlessly fixated on them as he talked.

“I'll make sure you'll be safe, [Y/N]. When we…” V trailed off.

The moment seemed to linger as if he was frozen in time. You didn’t realise V was distracted from what he was trying to say. You weren’t sure how long it took you to realise that distraction was you.

What were you doing? He knows you’re staring. Snap out of it!

You awkwardly looked elsewhere, catching a faint smirk that appeared on his lips before you fully turned away. Trying to suddenly ignore V even was hard since he was right there carrying you but you weren’t thinking straight right now.

Thankfully, V started walking again with no move to throw you on the ground right then and there. Though, a part of you wished he did. You felt like a blushing fool.

---

It was a relief to finally see more light up ahead. You were approaching a train station after travelling through this dark train track for quite some time. The fluorescent lights of the underground metro stung your eyes as your vision readjusted.

“Thank god we can get out of-”

V suddenly halted and stepped back, lowering you off his back though the unexpectedness made you bruise your butt from the fall. You instinctually cursed but V immediately placed his hand over your mouth.

You were quick to catch onto the sudden caution and stilled. He raised his other hand over his lips and hushed.

The finger from his lips drifted over to where the train platform was nearby. It was hard to see but you eventually caught on to what he was pointed out.

There were those thick, red pulsing roots and vines again. They spread along the walls and curled up onto the ceiling. Though, there was something else that was much more concerning.

There seemed to be these large, pulp-like growths on the ground. They looked disgusting, like terribly bloated egg sacs looking ready to burst. Those insectoid creatures also patrolled near them. Empusas, they were called. In their path, you could see a scattering of corpses. They looked dried out, hollow and dull in colour.

You suppressed a gag.

V assessed the situation and peered into the distance. His tattoos began to sift away from his body and Shadow appeared with barely a sound. The black panther pawed up to you and knelt in front of you.

“Grab on,” V said, whispering. “We’re running through them.”

You blinked, half in shock. You glanced over to the egg sacs again to double-check the scenario. There were demons on the path. V caught on to your concerned and leaned closer to your ear.

“This is the safest option for you,” V said.

“I can hide, can’t I?”

“You can, but the longer we spend here and fight the more attention we’ll draw to ourselves,” V explained, glancing over his shoulder to check on the demons again. He nodded, “This seems to be the best course of action. There aren’t many in our way.”

Hesitantly, you climbed onto the panther’s back. It certainly felt real. You felt its soft fur beneath your fingertips and the shifting of muscle as you straddled the beast. Though, you assumed that wouldn’t be the case when it transformed into a weapon.

“Ready?” V asked. You tightened your grip around Shadow and nodded.

“I hope so.”

V smiled, then the three of you took off in a sprint.

Shadow was much faster than you were anticipating. Initially, you tried to be kind to the animal by not gripping on so hard. Now, you found yourself digging your nails into clumps of fur, holding on for dear life.

Shadow being a fast running was one thing, but V was matching that speed. His black coat fluttered in the wind, his hair blowing back as you passed the first set of empusas.

They immediately snapped their attention to you and hissed as you avoided them. They scurried in your direction to try and attack but you were too fast for them.

V’s tattoos fell away again, a different set fading as Griffon appeared alongside V. The demonic vulture glided in the air then spun around and disappeared from your vision, lagging behind and vanishing from your peripherals. You heard a series of explosions go off behind you.

You wanted to look but you weren’t given a chance as Shadow pounced up a flight of stairs alongside V. Griffon joined the group soon after looking unphased by whatever it did. This time, Griffon flew ahead and intercepted another small group of empusa that approached.

“Get out of the way!”

Griffon shouted as it flapped its wings in the air. Something sparked, then there was a flash of light. An explosion of lightning erupted at a point, sending demons into the air. Shadow and V ran under them as you fell. You nearly screamed from being so close to those monsters.

You were way past them when they finally hit the ground, though they tried to stand back up and continue the case.

Another turn, and up another flight of stairs. The plan was working. You were almost out of the underground tunnels. Your fingers ached from grabbing on tightly but you ignored it. It was almost over. You were going to be-

Shadow suddenly halted and you almost flew off its back. You opened your eyes to see what had happened. The stairs to the exit had collapsed. Stone and tile folded in on itself for the vines to mark its place, spidering across the walls in thick masses.

From behind, the demons were gaining on your position.

V tsked, more annoyed than worried and raised his arm. Shadow and Griffon both took that as a sign to take a step back closer to the jaws of danger. Were they going to fight here? You were feeling like a burden, unsure of whether or not you should get off the panther’s back so it could transform or do whatever it does.

You heard a snap from V’s fingers and the final set of his tattoos fade away. His hair transformed as well, turning white and shifted as an invisible force emitted from him.

It was then you finally met V’s third familiar.

Shadow’s tail raised in the air and flattened into a large shield as stone and dust rained from above. Several of the lights in the area went out, replaced by a bright glowing purple eye of a hulking golem that crashed into the tunnel. The dark stone on its form seems to shift and swirl like liquid.

It looked like pure destruction, and it lowered an arm to the ground.

Shadow pounced on the golem familiar and climbed up its arm and shoulders, dodging the shards of stone that wrapped around them. V followed behind soon after and was lifted out the opening with the help of Griffon.

All of you left behind the large familiar to its own as it was swarmed by demons.

Moments later, the entire underground erupted in a trail of purple explosions. V’s hair returned black after that, a set of his tattoos reappearing on his skin.

---

It was a few more minutes of running above ground until a safe place was found. You saw the destruction that had already been unleashed in a short amount of time. Bodies were scattered on the streets, tossed across the concrete and fall apart in a husk-like manner. Their skin was turned grey and porous as they crumbled steadily, their dust carried off by the wind.

There was nowhere that was guaranteed to be safe but you still needed a place to sleep at for the night. You had travelled through those tunnels for quite some time. On top of that, you were trying to get out of the city and injured your leg before that too.

It was true that Shadow did most of the running for that last part, but that didn’t change how your hands were shaking from the exertion. You could barely move them, fingers twitching and aching dully. You still kept them dug into the coarse fur, afraid of falling off and becoming an empusa’s meal.

V eventually found an abandoned motel. Anyone that used to man the front desk had fled the building long ago. The front door was left unlocked and the group of you strode in.

You were exhausted, and when you knew you could finally rest everything in your body shut down. You slid off Shadow’s body and slumped to the ground, finding relief on the hard surface. You glanced up in the low light and saw V walk over to you.

How the hell does this man barely look winded?

V picked up your hands and examined your trembling fingers. You had them buried in Shadow’s fur for so long you hadn’t noticed how your fingertips were bleeding. Red seeped through your cracked nails and you winced at the sight.

But despite feeling like you could fall endlessly in a loop of rest and respite, you stayed awake until V gave the call.

He carried you in his arms again. Griffon had returned to his body some time ago, leaving Shadow out to stalk ahead. V walked with you up to the second floor. Shadow was testing a door when you arrived, using its tail to test the door handle before moving on.

The panther looked at V expecting an order. All the doors on this floor were locked. V nodded and Shadow went ahead and obliterated a lock with a hefty swipe. It clattered to the ground and the door swung open.

V lowered you gently onto one of the beds, testing a lamp that was beside you. To your surprise, it lit up. Perhaps the roots haven’t ruined this part of the city enough yet.

You sank into the softness of the mattress, feeling yourself drift away when V returned from somewhere. He held out a bathrobe he took from the wardrobe. You looked down at your clothes, all tattered and covered in dust and rubble.

“Don’t sleep yet. We need to see to your injuries,” V said, tossing the bathrobe beside you then going into the other room to give you some privacy.

You happily obliged, peeling off a whole days worth of filth off your body. As your clothes fell into a heap you noticed how V couldn’t be more right. You were covered in a map of bruises, scrapes, cuts and blood.

You finished stripping your clothes except for your underwear and wrapped yourself in the bathrobe. The temptation to lean back turned into lying down. You muttered a small apology to V as you submitted to a well-deserved nap, he'll just have to wake you if he comes back.

Chapter Text

Human anatomy was different from his own. V was human now, or at least, half of one. He found himself concerned about how reliable his instincts were when he would tend to your wounds.

There were several ways to recover from a fight in his experience. The most often one was to wait it out. Give it a few minutes and any cuts V would’ve gotten would disappear. Another way was to slay a demon and regain vitality from the energy that seeped from their bodies as they expired.

That wouldn’t work for you.

Despite V’s natural vitality, he remembered some teachings from his mother. She was fragile compared to him and his brother. It was a memory of days when he used to be happy, and V smiled at the thought.

It was the basics from what he recalled, cleaning a wound and making sure it didn’t get infected. Something about using alcohol and disinfectants. A small realisation crossed his mind as he searched the motel for things he could use as bandages. Even though his mother knew he and his brother didn’t need first aid, she still taught it keeping in mind that one day someone else would need it.

It wasn’t a secret V didn’t socialise much with the other children back then. He didn’t get much of a chance to either. Still, his mother did what she could to-

V stopped himself.

This was the same mother who left his fate in the hands of demons.

V forced himself to only think about what he needed from his memories and discarded the rest. That was the trouble with humanity, it was so easy to get caught up in the past.

It took him longer than expected to find what he needed. After all, it was hard to gather things that he never dealt with. Once he was done, V stepped into the room and was unsurprised to see that you had fallen asleep.

Those wounds were still bad though. He couldn't just leave you like this.

V went over and filled a large bowl of warm water, taking one of the hand towels from the bathroom. He started to lay things out on the ground for easy access and administration before he planned to wake you.

With the things ready, V reached his hand over to touch you on the shoulder but hesitated.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to end up. You were supposed to be out of this city and he should be cleaving his way through Qliphoth roots by now. V knew this was the start of several misfortunes that you and he would both endure.

V took in your fragile body, all battered and bruised, and blamed himself for it. But even though the most rational next step was to drop you off at a safe place, he couldn’t find himself to leave you.

V treasured the moments he shared with you and now he was clinging onto the desire for more. Even now that continued to get in the way of his mission. Human emotion and irrationality told him that he couldn’t trust Devil May Cry to protect you and that he could do it all himself.

Just when V thought he should restrain his heart for feeling this deeply for another person, you had come along.

It frustrated him.

If V wasn't in this mess he would happily spend those fleeting moments at your home with you. But it was only through this situation that V exists in the first place.

V sighed and placed a hand on your shoulder. He was caught between waking you up and just letting you sleep. You looked so peaceful after all the chaos you had just endured. Necessity and desire were clashing again.

You hadn't noticed his touch, still sleeping away today's affairs. V noticed a loose strand of hair that fell in front of your face and brushed it away.

He noticed his heart wasn't beating from the familiar dangers or threats he sensed. You looked as beautiful as the night you had asked him to stay.

Frustrating.

V cleared his throat and shook you a bit more. This time he did wake you up.

---

You opened your eyes to V standing over the bed, hand on your shoulder. For a moment you thought you were reliving a past memory but you quickly realised the environment was different.

“Sit up,” V said.

That’s right. The exhaustion masked the pain of your body. Now you remembered the plans V had to patch you up.

You did as V said, sitting up and wincing as you accidentally brushed against one of your bruises. You swivelled your legs around and dangled them off the edge of the bed to face him.

You saw in the low light of the lamp he had a full arsenal of first aid supplies… though not quite.

There were bandages of different shapes and sizes. Some came in boxes and others came unpackaged. One of them looked as though V had shredded a clean cloth into several fat strips.

Then there were the bottles and bottles of actual alcohol that he had gathered. You spotted one clear plastic one that seemed like a proper disinfecting type at least.

Finally, V seemed to have gathered a miscellaneous pile of random things he thought he might need. They were out of the main pile but still there just in case. One of them appeared to be a first aid kit.

"You've never done this before, have you?" you said, trying not to laugh.

"What makes you say that?" V said, smirking.

V had prepared a damp cloth to wipe the blood off first. He gestured for your hands and you gave them to him. He got that step right at least.

They were in really bad shape. Skin looked like it was rubbed off by sandpaper while other parts looked like blisters that had popped.

V took the cloth and started dabbing the wounds as gently as he could. The pain was unavoidable and he would recoil every time you winced. You forced a smile despite how it stung to help reassure him.

Afterwards, he reached over to grab a bottle of unopened vodka and that's where you stepped in.

You guided him through on how to patch you up. Bandage for this, ointment for that, and so forth. V obeyed quietly and did quite a good job.

The bruises you told him to leave. You could apply the ointment in private. As much as you wouldn't mind V doing it for you, it was still inappropriate.

It was also around this time when it was safe to remove the broken handcuffs. V summoned Shadow for this. He helped the animal line up its claw in the lock and it suddenly grew into a long spike. They snapped it open, Shadow disappeared and V treated the red ring of skin around your wrists.

Your sprained ankle came last. Thankfully the bedsheets he tore up were well suited for that. You guided V on how to wrap the ankle. He did it too gently the first time and he undid the knot to try it again.

As much as you wanted to take over, your fingers hurt too much from touching the rough bandage. All you could do was watch this man struggle to put you back together. It was endearing to notice how he was giving you too much care, but you weren’t that fragile. Still, the gesture was appreciated.

V finished tying the knot. The bandage was better now. It was thick from how much cloth he used but it would be function. V looked up for your affirmation and he blinked.

You’re staring again.

You coughed and pulled your foot away. The bandage was a bit too thick from how much material he used but it was still functional.

“Thanks,” you said.

“Of course.”

V stood up and there was another awkward air of silence between the two of you. Those happened much than you remembered. What happened to those days where you could be in the same room with him and didn’t feel out of place?

You missed those moments. You brought these feelings on to yourself and now you’re suffering through them.

V sat down on the mattress beside you, clasping his hands in front of him and sighing.

“If tomorrow goes as planned then you won’t have to be worried about being attacked again,” V said.

You took a moment to count something in your head, staring up to the ceiling as you mumbled.

“I was about to say third time’s the charm, but I get the feeling it’s been more than that,” you said, chuckling.

V smiled at the comment but his expression faded.

“Can we trust the people at the demon-hunting agency? It sounds like you know them,” you asked.

“I know them, but... not personally. They may not seem like it but they have the resources to keep you safe,” V said.

“Are they as good at it as you are?”

“No. Not as good as me. But I suppose it will be passable to my standards.”

“I’ve never heard of a demon hunting connoisseur before,” you said, cocking an eyebrow.

“As much as I would like to be responsible for your safety, my mission will take me into the heart of the threat.”

Your amusement dropped, “In that… demon tree?”

V nodded. The mattress shifted as he stood up, picking up his cane off the ground.

“I should let you rest. Sleep well, [Y/N]-”

You slid out of the bed and reached out to grab his arm.

“You keep worrying about my life but what about yours?” you asked.

What V said about venturing into the tree made you uneasy. You knew him enough to knew he spoke with an air of nonchalant confidence. It was hard to understand a world of demons and whatever power V might have to fight against those forces, but it didn’t change your fears. You cared for his safety regardless of how capable he might be.

V didn’t respond. This mission was important. More important than you obviously. You were just a human. A bystander who got a bit too involved in a world you didn’t belong in.

You let go.

“When your mission is over, I’d like to spend some proper time with you. Maybe spend a day at a cafe or walk by the park,” you said.

They were idealistic things. The sort of stuff that happened in the books you liked to read. V probably picked up on that considering he also read them.

What was supposed to be uplifting and hopeful just made V look… torn. This wasn’t a life or death mission, was it?

V was strong. You could tell in the way he knew how to deal with those demons back at the tunnel. It made him feel like he could overcome anything but his doubts reflected onto you.

“Of course,” V said.

V strode out of the room and closed the door behind him. At least you still had tomorrow to say your goodbyes properly to him. Whatever he kept as a secret you had a feeling it was for your sake too.

---

Red haze.

It consumed your vision as you woke up.

No sun nor moonlight illuminated the room. Just a flat, shadowless room that you could somehow see in.

It felt as though you were swimming in water, half drowning from how you could barely breathe. You were trapped in a constant state of uneasiness, trying to paw your way out.

You moved, wading through the layers of blankets that pinned down your body. It was like pushing past a pile of silk. You couldn’t get a firm grip on anything, fabric sliding from your blistered fingers.

You eventually managed to make it through, sitting up against the overwhelming force that pressed down on you.

Then you saw it.

You met the eyes of an empusa that was in the room with you. Its bulbous and strangely humanoid head tilted to the side, mouth slowly opening. Blood dripped from its jaws, then chunks of flesh that fell to the ground in sloppy chunks.

You screamed and you ran.

You kicked out of the bed and as well as you could muster with your injured body. You shoved the door out of the way and bolted towards the exit.

You spun on your heel as you left the room and made your way down the hallway.

There was a demon in the room? How? Where was V? Was he safe? Did he get attacked? What if he-

Strong arms wrapped around your body and you were halted in place. This was it. You couldn’t fight back. No weapon. No familiar. No holy water.

You were dead.

“No!” you shouted. “V! V, save me! Please! ”

“It is me!”

You fell to your knees and glanced down. You recognised the markings on those arms and you felt the urge to flee begin to dissolve.

But everything still felt like a nightmare. You could turn around and it could all be a trick-

V spun you around and you met his eyes. He was panting faintly from springing out of his rest to chase you down. V looked confused and terrified for you. He reached up and cupped your cheek, looking deep into you like he was staring deep into your soul.

“What?” you gasped.

“Let’s go back into the room. You’re fine now, [Y/N],” V said.

V gently got you on your feet and you limped back into the safety of the room. He walked you back into the bedroom and sat you down on the mattress. You were afraid of entering at first, thinking the demon was still there, but when the door swang open there was nothing there.

V leaned forward to check your eyes again, thumbing your cheek and angling your head to get a better look. He let go of you and knelt on the ground in front of you.

“It’s the Qliphoth. It’s sending you hallucinations so you would run out into the open to be attacked,” V said.

You stared at the ground in disbelief. What kind of twisted tactic was this?

You wrapped your arms around yourself and shuddered. Did that mean you would never find a night’s rest without going through a nightmare? That wouldn’t do you any good considering how the plan was for you to hunker down and wait for V to complete his mission.

“Is there a way to stop them? The nightmares,” you asked.

V glanced away, “No… not that I know of. The Qliphoth’s presence is so widespread that it would be hard to block it out. I can lock your door from the outside. Make sure you can’t open the windows or-”

You reached for his hands. A desperate gesture. You held them and gasped.

“Please stay,” you said, unsure of what you actually wanted.

What you were sure of was that you didn’t want to be left alone in that nightmare again. You didn’t know if you could handle another moment of running away from danger. But you were quick to dismiss the demand in your head. You were just disoriented from the shock.

You let go of his fingers hesitantly.

“No. You’re right. Lock the door and-”

V stood up and climbed into the bed. He found a spot beside you, took out one of the pillows and laid his head on it. V glanced up at you and waited. You took that as a sign and did the same thing, lying down beside him.

Once you were in position, V shuffled closer to you and wrapped his arms around your body from behind you.

“If you try to run again, I’ll be able to catch you immediately,” V said. You shivered at how his voice felt so close to your ears.

“That works,” you said, barely able to keep a straight face. It was lucky that he couldn’t see your expression.

If your heart wasn’t running before, well it was now. V was so close to you that you could feel his breathing. You tried shifting to find a more comfortable position in V arms and sighed into his embrace. You felt the warmth of his body against your back and you let yourself relax into it.

You closed your eyes and tried to sleep. Things were easier this time around. That wasn’t the only thing that helps you sleep.

V had stayed.

Chapter Text

Another nightmare had happened that night. Fortunately, V successfully stopped you from bolting out onto the streets again.

V kept a firm grip on you as you tried to scramble free. It didn’t take him long to make you realise everything was fine. He stared into your eyes again, looking out for something as you let your desire to escape vanish. Was there some sort of sign that V was looking for?

You fell into V’s arms with a heavy sigh and tried to go back asleep.

“I’m sorry,” you muttered, head pressed into his chest.

V responded by placing his hand on your head and pulling you closer to him. It felt so safe to be held like this. It didn’t take long for you to fall back asleep again.

It was hard to tell what was real from how vivid the dreams were but you didn’t see V in them.

You were thankful that the morning had finally arrived. You didn’t know if you could handle another nightmare. V was still curled up around you, chest rising and falling as he was still asleep.

His white hair was out on display again. You remember that when he summoned that large golem familiar his hair changed that time too.

There had to be a book or something you could read about this sort of thing out there. The curiosity was really getting to you.

You did your best not to wake up by sliding out of his arms carefully. V didn’t stir, probably because he had been vigilant all night making sure you didn’t get yourself killed.

It was when you had a bit more energy and alertness to your surroundings you noticed how filthy you felt. You could feel sweat and dirt coating parts of your skin, making you uncomfortably sticky.

You made your way into the bathroom and you caught your appearance in the mirror.

You looked… well, shit.

On top of the general bruised and battered skin, there were heavy dark circles under your eyes. You slept as best as you could given the circumstances so you’ll take that over staying up all night or being dead.

You rushed to the shower and turned it on, hoping that it still worked.

Water began to run through the tap and it eventually steamed after a while. You let out a sigh of relief. This was a small luxury you were very thankful to have.

You shed the bathrobe and stepped into the shower. It soothed your aching muscles and it was heaven to wash away the aftermath of yesterday. Some of your open wounds still stung of course, but it was still worth it.

You stood in the running hot water for a while, thinking about how you were going to make it through this day. Considering how you survived the whole Qliphoth tree spawning from the underworld and whatever V had explained, you felt like you could survive anything.

But V was leaving you someplace safe today…

V was constantly tied to his disappearing and reappearing act. As much as he kept going against your expectations and returning to you, you knew it was for the best if he stopped. It went against what you wanted, but with your limited ability, there was nothing you could do to convince anyone that you could help.

You knew the situation better now. If V needs to stop the tree then you shouldn’t get in the way anymore.

You switched off the water and sighed. You reached for a new, untouched bathrobe and half thought about what you should wear considering your change of clothes have been left in the middle of a collapsed train track covered in shards of glass.

You stepped out of the bedroom and immediately locked eyes with the blue vulture, Griffon. The familiar perched on an armchair in the corner of the room. V was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did V go?” you asked.

“Scouting out the building. Don’t worry, V asked me to keep an eye on you,” Griffon said.

You nodded. It was a bit nerve-wracking to be alone with a demon again but this was different. You just hoped that demon familiars didn’t have too much of a mind of their own and attacked you.

“... And I wanted to talk. So when are you gonna stop being such a pain in the ass?”

You pressed your lips together. It still had a mind to verbally attack you.

The confrontation didn’t come as a surprise. In fact, you were glad that someone was confronting you about it now. It validated what you were worried about and now you could decide without any hesitation.

“You know how many times V circled back to that crappy home of yours to make sure you were okay? Like, geez, I get it. Sometimes people haven’t evolved from the babysitting stage and need to be watched all the time. But we’re on a time crunch, lady! We ain’t got time to-”

“I know.”

“-haul your ass through the city and… oh?”

“I said I know,” you sighed, sitting down on the bed. You wrapped the bathrobe tighter around yourself as you crossed your arms.

“Know that I’m thankful for everything you and V have done, and once V drops me off at whatever this demon hunting place is then I promise to not get involved.”

It felt like a small defeat but it was the most logical resolution. You glanced up at Griffon who looked both happy and annoyed at the same time.

“I didn’t ruin your rant, did I?” you said, smirking.

Griffon sighed, shaking its head as it took off into the air. The large vulture hovered in front of you. It was still intimidating for a creature like this to get so close to you. Griffon was examining you, looking at you up and down with those three dark pupils.

“I’ll be honest, ya did. V’s got a lot of heart, a bit too much of a softie you could say. So, you better keep to ya word,” Griffon said.

The bird flew back to its perch and silence fell in the room. You weren’t sure if you were supposed to stay put or allowed to walk around. 

“Well. That conversation ended sooner than I thought.”

“Are you going to start with some small talk then or…?”

“God no. Fuck that.”

You hummed and silence returned to the both of you. In truth, you did want a bit of small talk and get to know the demon familiar better. It was clear from Griffon’s attitude that it didn’t like you very much. Probably best not to push it then.

V entered the room and both of you sighed. The man raised his brow and Griffon flew over to his arm and perched on it.

“I hope it wasn’t too unpleasant a company,” V said, tossing something on the bed.

You and Griffon looked at each other, and you managed a half-hearted shrug.

You leaned over to pick up what appeared to be a fresh set of clothes. You were grateful for having the option to not put on the abysmal mess that was currently a pile on the floor, but still…

“It’s not stealing if they ain’t coming back for em, so move it!”

Griffon huffed, obviously annoyed at your momentary hesitation and disappeared into V’s skin. He gave a small apologetic nod to you before leaving you alone in the room to change. The vulture did have a valid point despite the aggression.

You sighed and changed your clothes.

---

You and V were on the move again. It was good to be able to walk now that your foot was wrapped up well. Despite the bandage, you were worried about being slow-moving. The two of you exited the building and kept eyes out for any dangers.

You weren’t sure how far you would need to travel, but it seemed like the devil hunting agency was outside of the city. You initially wanted to warn V about the police barricades but you quickly found that they were all torn down by demons and Qliphoth roots.

Travelling through the city was even more unsettling now that there were clear signs of infestation etched into your surroundings. Roots suffocated buildings and alleyways, the terrain was cracked and shifted in places, and you could see the aftermath of where those demons had harvested.

The most curious and disturbing were these strange husk-like statues scattered among the place. You had seen them before but this time you were seeing them in daylight. These people were killed as they fled, their bodies frozen in a moment of panic.

That could’ve been you.

Along the way, V suddenly pulled you aside and hushed you. You weren’t sure what you were hiding from until you concentrated on any sound. There were… voices.

V gave you a signal to move quietly through to pass the noise. But it wasn’t a sound of a demon. It was a female voice.

“This is a trial from the heavens. Gather around children and we shall pray for mercy. The end is here and we must purge ourselves from our sins!”

Seriously? Doomsday fanatics?

You see them get mocked on television and the news every time. It was almost an instinct to ridicule whatever prophecy they had twisted to scare the public. Though now it had just occurred to you that maybe some of these groups had some truth to them considering what they were preaching had become reality.

As you and V tried to move around them without catching their attention, you were half expecting just a handful of people.

You were wrong.

When you snuck a glance you saw several robed figures, but many of the surviving civilians in tattered clothes gathered around this small city square. Most of them were knelt on the ground and praying, clinging to any form of hope that was being offered to them.

But how were they not getting attacked? Surely, some of those cultists would’ve run into some dangers overnight. Some of them would’ve been hit by the red haze hallucinations too.

You and V passed onto the next street without a problem.

Anyone would tell you not to believe anything a cultist would say but the thought still crossed your mind. Luckily, you had a somewhat reliable source of information.

“Is the world really ending?” you whispered as you ducked into a fenced-off area. It looked to pass through an old sewage system that had been abandoned before disaster struck.

“I would hope not,” V said. “This situation is preventable. It is just convenient for those religious groups to think whatever they had been worshipping was real the whole time.”

You glanced back over your shoulder and thought back to the normal people that were praying.

That could’ve been you, too.

“V.”

He stopped and looked at you. The more you walked through the remnants of the city the more you felt so unworthy of any help you had gotten. It was crushing you more than you thought.

“I see myself in all those people,” you muttered.

It was something you had to get off your chest. It didn’t matter if it was the obvious thing to say.

“But you’re not those people,” V said, “You’re safe with me-”

“That’s not the point,” you interrupted.

You glanced back towards the religious group and thought about all those desperate people praying for help. They probably had no idea people like V existed, people that could fight back and save them.

“You can save us, right?” you asked.

You lumped yourself with the rest of the ordinary folk. That was what you were. You looked at V, unsure of what response you should expect.

He simply bowed, one hand on his chest, with a reassuring smile on his face.

“That is my mission, is it not?”

V’s confidence broke the grim air you had draped between the two of you. The gesture was so old fashioned it had caught you a bit off guard though.

“If I didn’t know any better I would’ve assumed you lept straight out of a Shakespeare screenplay,” you said.

“Should I consider that to be a compliment?” V asked, raising an eyebrow cheekily.

You huffed and playfully nudged him out of his pose as you walked past him, catching a glimpse of his reaction.

V lit up in a way that soothed your bone-deep exhaustion. It was a blessing to meet someone that you got along with this well. Maybe too well. You were afraid to put this in words, but you loved this man.

Your mind flashed to a life you would spend with him if times were better. This wasn’t the right time.

“Let’s keep moving, I think Griffon might yell at me again if we don’t,” you said, walking past V.

“I could say the same for myself,” V said, catching up and walking by your side.

---

You had ventured quite far out of the city. All the police barricades and fortifications had been ripped away. There was no backup or any attempt to rebuild control over the city at all. You wouldn’t be surprised if the surrounding cities were getting attacked already.

It was easy to just waltz out of the city, and it was easy to find a car that was abandoned and functioning. That was the result of a city that had fallen into chaos. Just yesterday your goal of escaping the city seemed like enough, now nowhere felt safe.

You followed V’s directions as you drove on an empty highway with no one in sight. You did spot the occasional empusa that hovered over a few crashed cars but other than that nothing that was a major threat.

It complicated things to know that the demon-hunting agency was outside of Red Grave City, but you hadn’t realised how the tree was affecting you until you were quite far from the tree. A mild headache you never noticed had disappeared and a bit of your tiredness seeped away. It was an invisible pressure that was designed to stress out humans, all for them to lose their minds and run onto the streets to die.

By the time you arrived in the next city, it had already reached midday. The roads were just as abandoned and you barely saw a soul walking around.

You weren’t surprised that the obscure demon-hunting agency would be located in some ordinary residential area. The brick walls had tucked away the insignificant entrance, made to be forgotten to any other passerby. 

But regardless, you had arrived. The lights were off inside, though that didn’t seem to faze V.

Together, you passed through the doors of the building marked with a dimmed neon sign that spelt ‘Devil May Cry’.

Chapter Text

The office to Devil May Cry smelt musty and un-cared for. It was a nice space though it was messy with paperwork, bottles and pizza boxes scattered about. There looked to be a display case with guns and weapons showcased inside, along with a few gaudy pin-ups of women on the wall next to it.

Most of the interior was cast in the shadow where the sunlight from the outside couldn’t reach. It made the place a lot more intriguing as you wondered what could be stored back there for a demon hunting agency.

A man sat at the front desk with a magazine in hand, seemingly unphased by the lack of light. You noticed the man had white hair, similar to V’s when he was sleeping. Was this a common trait among people with demonic powers?

“Devil May Cry, how can I help you?” the man asked, not even bothering to look up from the page he was reading.

V motioned for your purse and you passed it to him. It should be clean of any holy water residue and you were relieved to see that it didn’t burn his skin.

V tossed it quite a distance and the purse landed on the table in front of the man. He stopped and peered for one second to look at the money. The hunter chuckled and returned to his magazine.

“What’s the problem this time?” he said, flipping the page. “Just so you know what you’re offering barely covers what I usually charge.”

You frowned. Did he not notice the giant demon tree that had spawned in the middle of a city not too far from here? You couldn’t believe how he didn’t seem to take this issue as seriously as you were.

“I will tell you the details, but first, do you have a vacant room for her to stay in?” V asked, gesturing towards you.

The man behind the desk laughed and set his magazine down. He walked towards you, eyeing you up and trying to gauge the person you were. You noted his build that was covered under his red coat. He did look like a hunter or at least some sort of fighter.

“And who might you be?” he asked, holding out a hand.

“[Y/N],” you said, cautiously shaking his outstretched hand.

“Pleasure is mine. The name’s Dante,” he said, smiling. He removed himself from the handshake and then opened the front door.

“She can wait outside,” Dante said.

“No, she won’t.”

V stepped forward and shut the door with his cane. He positioned himself in a way that stood between you and Dante.

“Look. We’re not a hotel. My office, my rules,” Dante said, shrugging. He motioned towards the door again but V raised his cane and stopped him.

There was some unspoken tension between these two men. V said he didn’t know these people personally but there was a thick air of rivalry between the two of them that felt out of place.

“Now now, Dante. That’s not how you treat a customer.”

An older gentleman in a tailored suit stepped out of the darkness. He puffed on a lit cigar and walked over to the front desk where he took a closer look at the money. He acknowledged the amount then looked towards the group of you.

“Your broke ass still needs to pay the bills. And as someone who gives you probably ninety percent of the jobs you get I suggest you listen to my advice,” the gentleman said.

Dante sighed, then threw his hands in the air and shrugged. He walked towards the couch and sat down, letting the other man talk. V visibly relaxed with him further away.

The gentleman removed the cigar from his lips and released a puff of smoke.

“You can call me Morrison. You’re from Red Grave City, aren’t you? What’s happening over there?”

“How could you tell?” you asked, surprised at his deduction.

“I’ve seen enough demon attacks to know when someone has just escaped from one,” Morrison said, shaking his head.

“Red Grave City, huh?” Dante mused, “Well?”

You were sceptical at first about the legitimacy of this entire thing but things were starting to look up. Whatever the hell this is you just hope it wasn’t some scam. V looked relieved as well. He cared a lot about stopping the crisis after all.

“A powerful demon has resurrected and we need your help,” V said, “But first…”

Morrison looked at you and nodded, “Of course. Come with me. [Y/N], was it?”

“Yes,” you said.

You gave V a small look of reassurance before leaving his side. You showed him that you didn’t mind being left out of the conversation. It wasn’t your area of expertise.

There was a pause in the conversation as V and Dante waited for you to leave. You could hear the muffled chatter starting again once you were out of sight.

“Watch your step. I know we ain’t the most nice-looking business around but rest assured Dante will do his job at the end of the day,” Morrison said.

“I’m surprised there was even a business for this sort of thing in the first place,” you said.

Morrison turned and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re just a civilian, aren't you? You’ve never dealt with the demon bullshit before.”

“Yes, but you can’t say the same for V… the guy that was with me,” you said.

“Huh, I see… Well, if it’s any comfort, you’ll get over all this demon stuff eventually. I certainly have, hell, I’m running a business because of it.”

“Wait, are you a hunter like-”

“Like Dante? Hell no. See me walking up these stairs? I hand the heavy lifting over to other people. I’m just a liaison.”

Huh. So there were humans that could co-exist with the knowledge of demons and such. It gave you a small hope of being able to share a place in V's world.

Morrison opened a door into a small room. It looked to be some sort of side office though it only had the bare minimum. There were a simple desk and chair in the middle of the room. There was also a couch pressed up against one of the walls with a chipped wooden coffee table.

“You can wait here. I’m gonna head back down and see what they’re discussing,” Morrison smiled.

Before closing the door behind you, he stopped and stepped back in.

"Sorry about Dante. As I said, you're new to this sort of thing. We have a policy here to reject those who don't know what they're talking about… keeps the tourists out."

Morrison gave one final nod as he left you be.

You tried to be comfortable, but it was hard considering you were in a boring ass room with nothing soft to sit on. You ended up just pacing back and forth in the room, waiting for V to finish whatever negotiations he had with Dante and Morrison downstairs.

---

A faint knock on your door jolted you awake. The negotiations had taken longer than you were expecting. To you relief, V was the one that walked in. You stood up and approached him.

“Morrison will take you into hiding,” V said, it came off a jarring with how emotionless it sounded, “You’ll be staying with a woman named Kyrie. She’ll take care of you.”

You took a step back, “Oh. That’s good, I guess.”

You felt a strange disconnect. You should be happy, hell, you should be celebrating that you were leaving the heart of the chaos. But that didn't feel complete. You weren't the same person who was content with being alone anymore.

“What about you?” you asked, “You’re still fighting that thing?”

V stayed quiet, his hands tapping on his cane. He didn’t look pleased at all.

Wasn’t this what the both of you wanted though? V to hire Dante and you to escape the demons?

You glanced towards V as he leaned his cane against the table. V stared at you in the eyes. He had never been this intense before, his knuckles were white from how hard he clenched his fists. He muttered something under his breath you didn’t quite catch and he moved in to kiss you.

V’s hands cupped your cheeks, his fingers tangling in your hair. It was a desperate gesture which quickly softened into sweet passion. The ferocity he harnessed just a second ago evaporated, returning to his usually delicate and polite touches. His lips that collided with yours slowed into something warm and inviting, entrancing you in a moment of pure bliss.

This was what had been missing. Neither of you would’ve been satisfied with your departure otherwise.

V pulled away, though you could see how much restraint he was putting himself under, almost as if he could break himself at any moment. You reached forward to cup his cheeks and he reached up to kiss the palm of your hand. His fingers tangled with yours, clinging onto you like you were going to vanish at any second.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” you smiled, stepping into him. V wrapped his arms around you into an embrace and stayed like that for a long while.

“We’ll see each other again, right?” you said.

“... Yes. We will.”

---

It had been a few years since that night. You had started a new life away from Red Grave City and found a place where you felt like you belonged. You remembered those scary nights, staying quiet in the bunker waiting for the night and the demons to pass, but peace had returned to the world.

V had lied to you. Turns out he had lied many times for your sake. Everything he did was to keep you safe at the cost of his happiness. It gnawed at you. You wanted to prove to V that he didn’t have to sacrifice himself for your sake.

But you had to move on. Kyrie was the most sympathetic out of everyone. She held onto the hope that you would find your own peace one day. You were still waiting for that day to come.

You and Kyrie worked together to hang the laundry. It was tough work managing the orphanage sometimes but it was still rewarding. Most days, it was jarring. Your life had returned to something similar to your life back at Red Grave City, even with the same sense of dissatisfaction was there. You sighed and stopped thinking about it too much. Life wasn't perfect all the time.

“I’ll start preparing lunch,” Kyrie said, taking an empty basket with her. She was an absolute saint giving you a place to stay. It was such a contrast compared to her hot-headed husband., Nero At least he was popular with the children.

You finished clipping the rest of the sheets and sighed. Days became a blur. A part of you missed the chaos of surviving Red Grave City, but if you were being sensible it was V that you wanted to be with again.

You reached down and took the basket, making your way back inside.

“Pardon me.”

You turned towards the voice and saw a tall man approaching you. He wore a hood that was up, bits of white hair and a blue coat peeking out from the shadow. The figure wore a sword on his hip though he made no move to draw it or threaten you.

Another demon hunter?

That was common. Now that Nero was the main demon hunter around a lot of people would often ask for him.

“Nero is inside. I can get him for you,” you said.

“No, wait. I’m here for you, actually,” he said, reaching into his coat.

You watched him pull something out and you recognised it immediately. The slim shape, the reddish-brown colour, the letter on the cover. It was V’s book.

The man stepped forward and passed it into your hands. You held it like it was a priceless treasure, remarking at how the condition had barely changed at all.

“But I thought… I thought V died,” you gasped, “They told me that-”

You looked up towards the shrouded face, picking out any signs that it was him. No, it was a different appearance entirely. A stranger, although strangely familiar as well. You stared down at the book of poems, recalling the story Kyrie had told you. She was insistent that you shouldn’t be left in the dark.

“You’re Vergil, aren’t you?” you said.

The man hesitated at those words, his brows twitched and he sighed.

“I was hoping they wouldn’t have told you what happened at the Qliphoth.”

“You’re… V’s real form-”

“I am not the same person you know me by,” Vergil said, taking a step back, “V is gone, but… he would’ve been glad to know that you are well.”

Vergil avoided looking you in the eyes, his gaze set towards the ground. You barely recognised that behaviour. V was reluctant in accepting the things he wanted back then too. He was backing away, looking like he was about to turn and leave.

“Don’t pretend to be different.”

You quickly caught up to him and wrapped him in an embrace. Vergil didn’t relax in your arms, instead, he looked like he was trying to break away. You kept pushing despite that.

“You don’t have to lie for my sake. Nothing has changed between us. You’re still the man that saved me all those years ago,” you said, clutching tighter.

Vergil still didn’t move, he was as still as a statue, but he didn’t resist your embrace anymore.

“I love you. I still do,” you said.

You felt his arm shift and you squeeze your eyes shut, unsure of what Vergil might do. His hand moved towards your back and his fingers touched you experimentally. The man was delicate, hesitant on what he wanted to do. Soon his fingers splayed across your back, then his hand rested against you.

In a sudden wave of motion, Vergil scooped you into his arms and held you tight against him. Your embrace no longer felt one-sided as held you like you were the most precious thing in the world.

You smiled, feeling the familiar warmth of his body against yours. Everything felt complete now, the way things were supposed to be.