A/N: This is my first fanfiction so please go easy on me. Especially on the ship here. I'm aware this a very rare ship that seems impossible or 'doesn't match" but this is just a one-shot fanfiction and we all have the right of who we want to ship. So please no hate. Thank you very much.
*I do not own Devil May Cry or its characters. All rights reserved to CAPCOM*
*Nor do I own High School DxD. High School DxD and its characters all belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
Drowning.
He was drowning, Again. No matter how many times he experienced it, he reacted the same, panicked and desperate. Despite what most thought, drowning was a painful experience, especially when oxygen was a mere six inches over one's head. It was a devastating blow to the pride. So close. Suddenly, darkness took over once again.
If there was anything the eldest son of Sparda was used to, it was nightmares.
He had bad dreams for a very long time, a combination of demon attacks and his mother's death haunting his sleep for years. The time he spent as Nelo Angelo was at the top of the list of bad dreams he had, so sleep was often broken and restless.
He grew used to those dreams. Those he could shake off on his own, knowing damn well that they were long past trauma.
But not this one. This one will probably be the most horrifying nightmare and the one he feared the most.
Vergil found himself as an eight-year-old child again playing alone in the backyard of his home. The home where he, Dante, and their beloved mother lived in. Before the demons came and turned everything into hell. The young cambion sat on the grass with his William Blake poetry book and Yamato next to him. Grabbing the amulet Eva just gave to him as a present for his eighth birthday, Vergil hugged it closed to him. He was going to cherish it forever. Anyone who dared tried to take it away or touch it, they'll pay the price. Even his own twin brother. Hearing the laughter from Eva and Dante along with other guests, or their friends, Vergil ignored the tight feeling in his chest and was about to relax on the grass until a girl with long crimson red hair approached him out of nowhere.
"You should be inside. It's your birthday also." The ten-year-old girl stated in a stoic speaking manner.
Vergil resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead let out a slight "Tch" before sitting up and stared straight into her soft blue-green eyes with his serious blue ones. "Did Dante send you to fetch me? Or was it mother?" He plainly asked.
The redhead shook her head and sat next to him with her knees up, hugging them. "Dante did complain about you and Lady Eva asked about you, but I decided to come out here and join you. I'm not really a fan of parties anyway." She confessed the last part out with a small smile. Vergil raised a surprised eyebrow at the confession. The pure-blooded devil next to him isn't a fan of parties? He always thought she was since she attends them quite a lot due to her family status of Duke. So surely they must be fun right? Unless it's because of the class difference compared to the parties she attends to-
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Why don't you like parties?"
Stupid question. He should've asked a rhetorical one, but he's truly curious. After all, the redhead piques his interest and probably is the only one he considers a close friend. And to get into Vergil's circle along with gaining his trust isn't easy. Not to mention, she is nowhere near annoying and understands him. She doesn't judge him either and at least she doesn't find his interests boring, unlike Dante who constantly reminds him how boring he is whenever he's reading instead of sparring with him.
The crimson-haired girl blinked at him and chuckled softly. "The parties in the Underworld are always the same and dull. Always about politics, problems and discussing the future of devils. There's nothing fun. Don't get me wrong, the parties here in the human realm are definitely more fun and lively but I guess I'm not used to it. Used to being myself that is." Seeing Vergil's interesting look towards her, the redhead continued. "In the Underworld, if you're a high-class devil, everyone expects you to act like the heir or heiress of your household. Live up to the family name and titles. We're not allowed to be ourselves or else we'll be shunned for it." A sad smile appeared on the girl's face and she stared at the big house in front of them. "It's sad and stupid really.."
Vergil's eyes were slightly wide with shock. Forced to act like someone else and not do what you want? He can't imagine the pressure, stress, and expectations she must go through. Sure, he doesn't exactly act like himself as he used to when he was younger but for some reason, he couldn't help but feel sympathy? Sympathy. An emotion he was unfamiliar with yet here he was feeling it for the girl next to him. Shaking his head, Vergil grabbed his book and opened it. "You should never be afraid to be yourself let alone let fear control you. You're the only one in control of your life." He stated and began to read, leaving the red-haired girl in shock.
Vergil could feel her scoot close to him to the point where their arms made contact but that's okay. He trusts her.
"Will you read to me?" She asked, smiling kindly. Vergil nodded in response and read "Auguries of Innocence" to her as they unconsciously intertwined their fingers and held each other's hands tightly. It was the last time they'll ever see each other again.
"Vergil!? Where are you, Vergil!?"
He never heard her call out for him along with her last screams and cries of pain before she was killed. Vergil was kidnapped by demons and taken to a cemetery. Another memory, nightmare he was used to.
But as always, it felt so real and it hurts.
Vergil was pinned against the gravestone by Yamato and other swords. The demons that brought him here beat him and injured him gravely before impaling him. He did put up a fight but what chance does an eight-year-old child stand against a horde of demons?
Their cruel sadistic laughter and mocking insults were heard. Barely, but heard enough. Vergil was on the slip of unconsciousness as he tried to pull Yamato out from his chest. He was met with excruciating pain as a result. The demons laughed once more at the child's struggle. Did he really think he stood a chance against them? They mentioned Eva's death and possibly Dante's too which broke the young cambion's heart. Where was his father when they needed him!? Where was Sparda?
Vergil's breathing slowed down as he closed his eyes, thinking of his family and surprisingly, red hair before falling into darkness.
He found himself back in the Demon Realm where he fought Mundus. The three-eyed bastard defeated him greatly that Vergil was on the ground bleeding heavily from his wounds and completely exhausted. Yamato was somewhere and his clothes were torn. Vergil gripped his amulet tightly, ignoring the cruel booming laughter of Mundus. He had failed. How foolish of him it was to think that he stands a chance against the Princess of Darkness. Yes, he could've gone back with Dante but it was too late. His pursuit of power corrupted him and he could never go back. He also hurt "her." That, he could never forgive himself for. Vergil was ready to welcome death and once again thought of his family and "her" long red hair and smile before closing his eyes.
Unfortunately, Mundus has other plans for him.
Mallet Island. Vergil struggled against the chains that were embroidered into his skin. His flesh would rip off sickeningly that resulted in an actual hoarse cry of pain as Mundus tortured him and worse of all, experiment. He wanted to make the perfect loyal soldier, and who better than the Darkslayer? Vergil can't remember the last time he shed tears of pain. Oh, wait. The night when the demons attacked and Eva was killed. His beloved mother was killed horribly. He remembers walking back to the burned house and finding her body. Her loving warm eyes were dead and her golden hair was no longer shining like the sun. That day, his humanity died and something inside him snapped.
Another scream of pain escaped from the cambion's mouth as his body was cut open. He struggled against the chains but to no avail. Only more pain came. Vergil at this point was becoming numb to the pain he felt. His stomach and chest were cute open into a V-shape. His organs and bones could be seen and torn out. This could kill anyone. Even a full-blooded demon.
But not Vergil.
Vergil was different. His motivation, his strength, his pain, his wrath kept him alive. All he could think about were negative thoughts. Eva abandoned him and left him to die, Sparda abandoned the family, Dante was always the favorite, Dante must die, he needs more power. His organs and bones would heal regenerate, but that didn't stop Mundus from proceeding the torture. After all, to break a man and control him, you must put him through excruciating pain and break his mind. That's exactly what Mundus did. After a few years of pain and torture, Nelo Angelo was born. Vergil's exact last thought before becoming Nelo Angelo was "her" red hair and beautiful face.
The rest of the nightmares were usual. Fighting Dante, killing him, breaking free from Mundus' control, losing battles to the point where his body was literally breaking, etc. This is nothing new. Vergil would watch the nightmares unfold in front of him with a stoic expression. He knew that this is his punishment and probably forever will be. Dante shares the same nightmares, but he's learned to fight them off and have less bad dreams. "Damn you, Dante." Vergil loudly said. His little brother truly is stronger than him and he'll always envy that.
Suddenly, the nightmares shifted. Was he finally going to wake up? Or will another nightmare occur? Either possibility is fifty-fifty, but whatever it is, he's prepared.
He was wrong.
Vergil was greeted with the sight of a crimson-haired woman lying in a pool of blood with a glassy gaze, covered in blood from the injuries that demons gave her after she pushed him away to save him from an attack that her barrier couldn't hold any longer. The sight immediately reminded him of Eva. It broke him. The Darkslayer held her body and shook her, hoping that she'll blink and smile at him. She didn't. "I'm so sorry.." Vergil whispered brokenly and held her close to him, the tears threatening to escape his eyes. "Don't leave me alone please.."
"Oh, you should be sorry. After all, you're the one who killed her." A familiar deep dark voice said which startled the Darkslayer. Lifting his head up, Vergil then looked down at his body and was horrified at the sight. He was in his Sin Devil Trigger that was covered in blood. Her blood. The wounds on her body matched his claws along with… Yamato was on the ground covered in blood. "No…" Vergil looked down at the crimson-haired woman's body and placed her down, looking at his bloodied claws. What has he done? The familiar laughter boomed throughout Vergil's head that Vergil covered his ears to attempt to block it out.
"You will never change my loyal servant. You will kill her. You will kill them all. Come back to me, Vergil."
"Vergil!"
Vergil clutched his head as he desperately tried to block out Mundus' voice. He could feel the demon entering his mind and taking over. Blue veins slowly started spreading throughout his skin.
"Vergil!"
"Come back to me, Nelo Angelo!"
"VERGIL!"
Vergil woke up with a panicked gasp in the arms of his lover who was stroking his hair and murmuring nothing but sweet things to him as she kept his head on top of her chest so he could hear her soothing heartbeat. His breathing is ragged, coming in panicked pants and gasps as he struggles to root himself in reality. She was alive, she was safe, she was touching him with those soft gentle hands and staring down at him with a mix of concern and soft adoration.
"Rias…" He rasps, voice feeling strangely raw as he wraps his arms around her waist tightly, listening more to the sound of her heartbeat. "Please…tell me I didn't wake you."
She smiled at him, stroking those white locks away from his strong face as she replied, "Don't worry about me, love…just relax. Breathe. Everything is okay."
He didn't listen. Instead, he slowly broke free from her warm embrace and sat up, pressing his hand to his forehead. Rias immediately wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, letting out a soft sigh in his ear and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
His heart is still racing, the image of Rias so raw in his mind that he can't will it to slow. Frustrating. But he can feel her there, body soft and warm and her fingers tracing over his chest. That alone is a comfort, one he needs in his time of vulnerability.
She sat there with him for a few moments, gently holding him and trying to comfort him in any way she can. She had woken when she heard him grunting in his sleep, muttering her name until it came out in panicked gasps. She also saw him devil triggering and de-triggering. It honestly scared her a bit that he'd accidentally attack her, but she knows he never would nor kill her. If he tried, well, she has her power of destruction and her magic to defend herself and bring him back to his senses.
Rias knew he had nightmares a lot, but never this bad. She has offered to erase those bad memories before, he declined. He made it clear that he doesn't want his mind to be messed with again no matter what. Even if she has good intentions. She swore to never bring up the option again.
"Tell me about it, Vergil... Tell me what you need, love." She murmured to him, pressing her soft lips to his neck over and over as she held him, her arms tightening a bit more to the point where her chest was pressing against his back. "I'm right here."
Vergil lets out a low breath at her tone, turning and pulling her into his lap so he could tuck her comfortably against him. He noticed the scar on her lower abdomen and another on her back where he stabbed her in the back. Literally. A flashback of her pained betrayed eyes was seen and he forcibly pushed the memory away. He wanted to be loved and protected, and she gave him that. But he noticed too late. What a fool he was to betray her and throw her away for power.
"Promise me something, my love." He murmurs against her beautiful soft red hair, voice softer than she had ever heard it.
"Anything, my love. You know I'd do anything for you."
He knew. "…Never sacrifice your life for me."
The request sounded so broken, so specific that she guessed right away what his nightmare was about. So she stretched her arms up like a cat so she could wrap them around his neck, pulling him down for a loving and comforting kiss. She wanted to decline that promise. After all, she'd swore that she'd protect him also and fight. No one hurts her mate and gets away with it. Yet, she also swore that she'll do anything for him.
"I promise," Rias mumbled against his mouth, enjoying the feeling of his arms snaking around her waist to hold her there. Giving him one last kiss with her hand cupping his cheek, she stated, "Now lie down with me again. You need to sleep."
Vergil lets out a low rumble, closing his eyes and leaning his head on Rias' shoulder as he tries to will his racing mind to relax. He obviously isn't sleeping any time soon.
"I wouldn't hold your breath." He grunts to her.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Rias hums at that, tone taking on a bit of a purr as she suddenly rolled her hips on him a bit and dared placed one of his hands on her soft breasts. She immediately felt him register the suggestive action, sucking in a sharp breath.
"Want to try tiring yourself out? I know some ways that can help you... feel tired and fall asleep." She murmured a bit seductively in his ear, hoping that some fooling around or maybe even some bit of "fun" will help shake the dream off. If not, then at least a bit. She wants to see him calm and quite content again.
The words haven't even left her mouth when he tilted her back on the bed, a low growl in his throat as she laughed hopelessly, feeling his hands already moving around her body as he got in between her legs. Vergil's nightmares may haunt him, but he has his world of light with him. She'll always help him fight through no matter what.
