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Vergil felt the smooth texture of the rope on his wrist, looping around it again and again. The rough hands of his brother being incredible gentle as Dante looped more rope around his arm. Just the one for now.
“Colour?” Dante stopped and looked at Vergil for an answer. Vergil hesitated, feeling stupid for letting Dante talk him into this.
“Come on Verge, i'm not moving until you say a color!” Dante cajoled with an easy grin that was just for show. Vergil could see the underlying concern grow as he remained silent.
“...Green.” He muttered, feeling foolish at this entire endeavour.
Dante beamed at him and continued looping the rope, before stopping, looking down at his “handiwork”.
The rope was just twined around Vergil’s arm, not even tied, just firmly coiled around it.
“Okay, time for the other arm.” Dante announced, gently(so incredibly gentle) grabbing Vergil’s other arm and starting to encircle the limb.
Vergil just sat still, feeling nothing of the “control” Dante promised him. This was a waste of time, but Dante and his stupid eyes had begged him to at least try it out and so here he was. He would do this once, announce it as the waste of time it was and then go back to reading in peace.
“There we go, how’s the color now Verge?” Dante said, looking down at Vergil’s arms, encoiled in rope.
Grumbling, Vergil responded a muttered “Green.” hoping Dante would finish with this soon.
Dante responded by simply putting his two limbs together and looping the rope around both the arms, tying them together.
Vergil’s breath hitched as cold terror flooded his system. He froze underneath his brothers grip as everything faded and he was back in the throne room of Mundus, being dragged before him to endure further torture.
A distance voice called out a panicked “Color!?” and Vergil fought to gasp out a breathless “Red.”
Suddenly the rope was ripped away and Vergil was back in the bedroom, breathing wildly as his body shuddered at the fading adrenaline. Dante was looking at him with concern as he rubbed his brothers arms, whispering reassurances.
After a moment, Vergil got control of his breathing and taking a final deep breath, quietly said “I am fine Dante.” And for once, it was the whole truth.
Despite being thrust into a bad memory, Dante had kept his promise and the second he had uttered “Red” the rope had been torn away. Vergil could see it laying on the floor, torn into pieces by what could only have been his brothers claws.
A waste of rope, but Vergil finally felt the control Dante had told him he would feel and letting out a shuddering breath, he relaxed into his brothers embrace.
“Thank you, Dante.”
Vergil felt Dante’s smile as his brother rested his cheek on his head, his arms encircling his back, giving a firm squeeze before staying there.
“No problem Vergil.”