Chapter 10

Author's notes: Thank you all for your love and support! You're so wonderful, I'm so happy to keep writing this fanfic for you without stopping! Or changing anything! Isnt that wonderful? Made this chapter extra soft for you al

Upon re-entering the apartment, you were relieved to see both boys still sleeping.

And that Griffon had moved the poet to the bed. It occurred to you that someone changed the sheets at some point, because they were a different color and no longer stained with blood from his previous wound. He was now curled on his side, black haired draped over his face and pained expression lessened a bit. That made you considerably happier. As Nico and Lady took up spots on the couch, you stepped back up to the bed, carefully pulling the covers around the poet all the way up to his chin. You stared at him with a soft expression, wanting to kiss him again but knowing doing so in front of Lady and Nico was a very bad idea. You settled on a soft pat to his head, turning to look at Nero next.

You grabbed a nearby throw blanket from the couch, feeling Nico half focusing on you, and half on getting the bottle open. You tiptoed on the hardwood, gently laying the blanket on Nero's broad shoulders. Luckily, he was just as deep a sleeper as V. He barely stirred, snores uninterrupted and steady. Jesus, how many energy drinks had he consumed over a short span? There was at least ten cans, which you knew definitely wasn't healthy. A vague memory hit you, his actions somehow reminiscent of a past you, when you were human-you couldn't remember the specifics, but you knew you were just like him when you were still a teenager. Mind you, he was an adult and drinking the sugary, caffeine filled concoctions was probably bad. Still.

After assuring that both boys were covered, you moved back to the living room in enough time to see Nico popping the cork off the bottle. You contented yourself was sliding into an armchair, sitting cross-legged. The loud noise made you look at V, but the boy hadn't stirred at all. Jesus, Griffin wasn't lying. V was a heavy sleeper, and you were guessing Nero was less so, but his energy drink induced haze probably left him with a huge crash. Speaking of Griffon, the bird flew over to you and landed on the armchair. He seemed relieved to see you at least slightly more calm, cheeks tinted pink after a nice rest in the hot water. You could feel both girls watching with surprise as he settled himself around your shoulders, head pressed to your cheek.

"Look at you, Chicken!" Nico commented, looking thoroughly amused, "Didn't take you for the snugglin' type."

Griffon let out a snort, shockingly not moving away despite her taunting words-worry must have been stronger than his pride at that moment. It made you feel warm.

"Laugh it up, miss artist," He hissed, gold eyes staring coldly at her, "I ain't movin'. I'm pretty damn comfortable."

You smiled, patting his head softly. As you did, Shadow hopped down from the bed, coming over to sit on the floor in front of you and plop their head on your lap. Their support felt nice as always, warming your feet a bit as you gave a gentle pat.

"I don't mind." You reassured the girls, gingerly accepting a cup of whatever the fruity-looking alcohol was. You sniffed it experimentally, feeling a bit of wariness when it smell sweet and sugary. You couldn't help but wonder what the alcohol content in it was, but Nico didn't seem to care. She chugged down her glass, looking downright pleased with herself. You made sure to take a few bites of the food they had laid out on the table-sandwiches, probably from the fridge in Nico's van.

Griffon sniffed the glass too, making a face of concern as he asked, "Uhhh you ladies sure this is a good idea?" He ruffled his feathers when Nico skewered him with a glare, adding hastily, "Not trying to spoil any fun, just wondering if giving the girlie here booze after a bad experience is a good idea."

Griffon sounded like the only reasonable one in the room then, at least the only one that wasn't unconscious. Had you been at least semi-reasonable at that moment, you would have agreed with him. But..you weren't. The episode with the Void left you in a very bad state of mind, body hankering for some relief of any kind. You hadn't gotten drunk in a long time, but you felt like you needed at that moment, just to help forget the pain and loneliness of that dark place. Throwing caution to the wind, you tossed back the whole glass, eliciting a laugh from Nico. She seemed pretty pleased, all things considered. Whatever the booze was was sweet, delicious...strong. The taste of alcohol was definitely present.

Lady let out an impressed sound, already on her second glass as well.

"Look at you go," She hummed, propping her feet up on the coffee table, "You sure you're old enough to drink?"

You could not handle your booze well, you knew that already. Another ghost of a memory came back, not from your time as a human. From one of your dimensional trips, you went drinking with them as well. Your body composition was the textbook definition of a lightweight. One cup in and it was already warming your stomach, the sensation of being buzzed going right to your head. You shook yourself a bit to try and ward it off, letting Nico pour you another cup. You probably should have eaten more before delving into the sauce, so to speak. But your brain already wasn't at peak decision making, and it was just gonna get worse. Drinking was definitely breaking down a lot of the walls you had up, bringing out your honesty.

Which was bad. But you didn't care.

"Mmmm," You murmured softly, sipping more of the sweet liquid before you replied, "I'm probably older than everyone in this room combined."

That made the two girls look at you again, Nico blinking in shock. If you hadn't been so hazy already, you would have seen another look on her face. As if you had confirmed a thought of hers she already had.

"Really?" Lady asked, pulling her legs onto the couch and staring at you with curiosity, "How old are you?"

You had already finished that second glass, which was bad.

"Can't remember," You said softly, making sure to take a bite of food and whipping the cup to the side when Griffon tried to grab it from you. He seemed to have the good sense that you probably shouldn't be drinking. Still you continued, unbeknownst to you that you were saying things that probably shouldn't have been said, "I lost track a long time ago...the Void doesn't...really have time…"

"The Void?" Lady blinked.

Griffon snapped his beak near the edge of the glass again, making you sigh lightly.

"You're making bad choices, toots," He said in your ear, nudging your face lightly as he sighed, "You sure you wanna be doing this? I already told you I can't take more than one dumbass."

You let out a low hum, feeling very strange now that alcohol was working into your system.

"Just make sure I don't kiss V or something," You said, voice just loud enough for the girls to hear, "Just promise you'll stop me."

Before Griffon could reply, Nico smirked, waving that bottle in her hand as she addressed you.

"Got the hots for the poet, Y/N?" She gave a low chuckle, tossing back some snacks and chewing lightly, "Didn't think he was your type."

Lady frowned, letting the mechanic pour her another glass, "Pump the brakes. Can we get back to that 'Void' comment?" She asked, eyes, still locked on you as you enjoyed the end of your second glass of wine-was it wine? You had no idea, "What is the Void?"

You gripped the glass, brain even more hazy as you completely ignored the sandwich sitting on the table. All good sense gone, it would seem. The feeling of zero restraint felt good, it definitely was helping make the pain go away. But...it was also magnifying it. You wouldn't say you were the loud, obnoxious type while intoxicated. More so...soft. Alcohol made you honest, quiet, and helped take a lot of the walls away. Griffon was pretty anxious about your fight against sobriety, but you couldn't really give a damn about that at the moment. Lady had asked you a question, right? You had drank just enough booze to answer her honestly. Way too honestly.

"The Void," You murmured, eyes half closed as you swirled one last sip of pink liquid at the bottom of the glass, "Is the place I went to the first time I died."

Both girls stopped dead in their actions, gaze lifting to stare at you in shock. Griffon paused too, a startled look in his eyes as your gaze drifted down, staring at Shadow's head on your lap. You gently scratched their ears with your free hand, the sound of their purring very nice in your intoxicated state. You kind of wanted Nico to pour you more, which luckily she did when you set the glass down-she didn't say anything, which would have made you anxious before you had started drinking.

Lady was the first person to speak. She gently reached out, laying a hand on your arm as you started drinking the third glass.

"Y/N?" She murmured, eyes filled with something akin to motherly concern, "You've died before?"

You nodded, meeting her gaze with a hazy one of your own.

"More than once," Your words were only slightly slow, hand still firmly gripping the glass, "Can't remember how many times."

Nico let out a low sound of confusion, hopping off the couch so she could scoot over to you. She sat by your feet and Lady's, bumping Shadow a bit as she crossed her legs.

"What do you mean you've died more than once?" She asked, eyes alight with fascination and worry as she looked up at you, "Is it some reincarnation bullshit?"

You shook your head, eyes still half closed as you swirled the glass again. Griffon let out a nervous trill, seeming ready to grab it at any moment in case you dropped it.

"No," You mumbled, "A lot more complicated. The Deity sends me to these places and if I die I just get sent back. Minus...the first time I went there."

You were making this a lot more confusing than it needed to be, it showed on their faces.

"Can you explain?" Nico asked, grasping her bottle of booze between her hands, "Y/N..what does all that mean?"

Loose Lips. You had loose lips.

You settled in the chair a bit, letting out a light "oof" when Shadow leapt up, determined to sit in your lap. The cat was very, very heavy, but you didn't mind, letting them rest their head on your other shoulder. That was fine, you could drink around them. Shadow seemed able to sense you were off, gently licking your cheek until you gave a soft smile. You appreciated the sentiment, though in your hazy of intoxication it kind of made you sad, like you didn't deserve it.

You settled on beginning your explanation, eyes still a bit blurry as you rested your chin on Shadow's head.

"The Void," You breathed, hiccuping softly as you continued, "Is a place where broken souls go to die."

Your words made both girls pause, shock written on their faces again.

You continued, "When I was a human...life must've been bad," You closed your eyes, feeling Shadow let out a low, cat-like sound, "Very bad. No heaven or hell for me, nope...the space in between spaces. A place where...tormented souls go. Too broken for reincarnation or the afterlife," You took a sip of alcohol, eyes half opening again, "My Deity found me there, erased my memories but left the lingering...emotions, feelings. And now I...I serve him, serve his wills and wishes. No relative made a deal, that...was me."

Both girls looked quiet, like they didn't know what to say. Now that you were pouring everything out, you didn't seem to know to stop. You didn't like deceiving people, you didn't like the half-truth bullshit you were forced into. What was the point of lying if these people would end up not caring anyway? You knew you were different, you always had been. You gripped the cup tighter, eyes drifting to the side as a sad smile tilted your lips. Things always had a way of falling apart, of reminding you that you didn't belong-you were born once, your time to find your place was long gone. That world didn't work, why should it now?

"It's funny," You mumbled, feeling Griffon's slow breathes by your ear, "Gave up everything...just for one more chance at happiness. But no matter how much I break myself...it never changes anything. I just...move on, back to the Void each time...forgotten. I want to go home, but there's...no home to go to. It's a weird feeling."

You had no sooner stopped speaking when you felt Lady's arms wrap around you, half pulling you and Shadow out of the chair. You blinked in shock, Shadow letting out a low huff as you both were suddenly pressed to Lady's chest. A tender embrace. You didn't know how to react, if you should even move. You...hadn't been hugged in so long, especially not like this-Lady felt like a mom, gently stroking your hair as she sat down on the arm of the chair to hold you. You felt your breath hitch, hand slipping with the glass. Griffon had been ready, he swooped down to catch it, setting it down on the coffee table with a light trill.

You wanted to cry. You wanted to cry. Your eyes teared up, breaths coming shallowly as you wrapped your hands around her waist. It felt nice, foreign. You spent so much time comforting others you couldn't remember the last time someone went out of their way to comfort you.

Nico put a hand on your leg, giving you a rueful smile as tears started tracking down your face.

"Aww shit," She tsked, letting out a light, emotional laugh as she scooted even closer, "Our girl here is a sad drunk. Shoulda known."

Lady patted your head as you continued to sniffle, voice very firm as she said, "It's okay. Everything is okay," She wiped away some of your tears, eyes very soft as she said, "You ever need a place to call home, you come with me. I'm your family now. No fighting it."

"Bullshit!" Nico huffed, crossing her arms while you blinked in shock, "Nero and I already got dibs on her...once he wakes up at least. Kyrie's parent's house has plenty of room."

Lady let out a light sigh, "Can I at least visit?"

Nico chuckled, chugging wine straight from the bottle, "Sure, visit all you wanna. Like the weird, out of town aunt."

Shadow, pressed between two sets of breasts, seemed pretty content. You were feeling strange, unable to process their words but...it made you warm, comfortable. That sense of loneliness diminished, leaving you feeling safe and contented in Lady's embrace. The feeling of belonging was very hesitant, but blooming slowly over time-you didn't want to get your hopes up, not after every time you were crushed before. But Lady seemed honest, and so did Nico. The idea of staying with them wasn't a bad one...it was tender, nice. Like a dream, only in reality.

One you hoped was real.

Griffon let out a light huff, perched on the back of the couch now and eyeing you with that golden gaze.

"Told you guys it was a bad idea," He huffed, ruffling out his feathers, "Now she's cryin'. V's gonna throw a fit when he wakes up and sees you got her plastered."

"Mister goth can shove it," Nico huffed, refilling your glass and handing it back to you, "We're gonna get her drunk enough to bypass the sad phase."

"That's not how it works!" Griffon screeched.

Nico chuckled, flicking a pretzel at the flustered bird. He caught it in his beak, crunching with a light glare.

"Loosen up, feathers," She chortled, looking a little pink around the edges now. She was clearly holding her liquor better than you, "Girl needs to have fun sometimes-maybe you should let her smooch the sleeping prince. Bet it would perk him right up."

Griffon shook his head in annoyance, rolling his eyes back as he replied, "You ladies are such a bad influence. I promised Y/N I wouldn't let her do that," He looked at you-if a bird could smirk, that would be the expression he had, "As much as she wants to."

You hiccuped again, wiping your eyes and pointing at him, "Zip it, bird."

Lady let out a low hum, still resting on the arm of the chair, "You have a thing for the mysterious type, huh?"

Griffon huffed, settling on the table and tilting his head, "They've both been ogling each other, since fucking day one. I wanna pull my feathers out, they're both so fucking stupid," He let out a light groan, "Especially Shakespeare. Never seen him stumble over a lady before."

You hiccuped, frowning at the frazzled demon.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," You mumbled, leaning on Lady a bit, "And it's not...like that."

Nico let out a low, amused hum, tipped the bottle back and gulping more down, "Doesn't mean you don't want it to be that way. Goth seems to care a whole lot about you, it was his idea to stay behind and wait. He was pretty fuckin' stubborn."

That made your face heat up, much to your embarrassment. You liked the idea of him caring too much.

"Aww," Lady cooed, squeezing your cheeks, "What an honest reaction! It's okay to admit when you like someone, Y/N."

You let out a light huff, "So what if I do?" You hid behind Shadow a bit, tugging the cat further against you as you added, "He's kind...I think he's been through a lot, he needs someone who cares."

Nico let out a sound of agreement, nodding her head vigorously, "Sure sure. Not sayin' I don't think it would be good for him, cause it would. He needs a good girl in his life to shake him out of his shell."

Lady nodded as well, sipping her drink as she added, "Just know if he hurts you, I'll kill him."

That made you laugh a bit, her sing-song tone making you smile. She sounded like the big sister you never had, and her protectiveness was definitely welcome. Both girls started chatting about the situation, the girl talk bringing back on a strange, nostalgic feel. You couldn't remember the last time you hung out with some girls, talked, and drank. It felt so strange and normal, you couldn't really grasp onto the sensation. It felt...right, in a way. Despite your sad, crying from earlier you now felt a bit of energy settling in you, carefree now that the revelation was off your shoulders.

When you tuned back into the conversation, Lady and Nico were still discussing the sleeping poet.

"I'm just sayin'," Nico huffed, tapping her nails on the table rhythmically, "Skinny guys can be packin'. Have you checked his feet?"

Lady smirked, leaning back on the armchair and replying, "Ask me nicely and I'll go over and take one for the team."

You giggled lightly, leaning a head on Lady's shoulder as you murmured, "He has big hands, does that count?"

Griffon let out a staged gasp, narrowing his eyes on you.

"Thought you were jokin' about that hand fetish, toots," He clicked his tongue, sounding heavily skeptical of you, "First a feeding fetish, now this. You're a nasty, naughty girl."

You huffed, "I don't have a feeding fetish. Just look at him, he needed to eat."

Nico let out a light laugh, everyone looking over at the poor, unsuspecting poet. You were damn lucky he hadn't woken up yet, still peacefully snoozing away with his head pressed to the pillow. Those hands were resting near his body, his fingers long, elegant. You had to admit, especially in that drunken haze, that you had a thing for his hands. The thought made you sigh, resisting the urge to fan your face. Maybe drinking wasn't the best idea, you were getting kind of dizzy and...well, giddy. Past the phase of sad, still without boundaries it would seem. It was a good thing you asked Griffon to keep an eye on you, cause you could have definitely kissed the poet.

"Boy does need a sandwich," Nico tsked, eyeing V's skinny frame, "He also needs some pussy too."

Lady choked on wine, coughing while you stared at the mechanic in astonishment, "Nico!"

Nico shrugged, leaning back against the couch with a single eyebrow wiggling up and down, "What? I speak the truth, boy needs a good lay. Way too stuck up his own ass."

Lady, shockingly nodded at that, clearing her throat quietly after her coughing fit, "I have to second that. Though you're a sweet girl, Y/N. Don't want him using you for some passing sex."

You snorted, "I highly doubt it's the case. But I appreciate it."

Nico chugged the remainder of her bottle of wine, swaying as she rose to her feet. She let out a disappointed sigh, cracking her knuckles after setting the glass bottle down on the table with a firm thud. Both you and Lady looked up at her when she did so, watching as she started walking toward the door. She was a little tipsy, stumbling a few times and catching herself on a wall with a light snicker. You smiled-you had never seen Nico in such a state before, the mechanic always seemed pretty focused on work and put together. It was fun, at least to you, to have a some time not spent working with all of them.

"Where do you think you're going?" Griffon said, huffing lightly as he watched her struggle to open a simple doorknob.

Nico grinned, turning to wave at you and Lady.

"To get more booze."

(V POV)

~ Few hours earlier~

You still hadn't woken up from your sleep, which was heavily upsetting to the poet.

He was sitting beside you in his chair, occasionally watching your face to see if you stirred. It looked like you were heavily sleeping now, not starring with glassy black eyes anymore. Somewhere around the six hour mark, you had cleared of your symptoms, eyes closing and body relaxing onto the bed. Everyone took it as a good sign. But that was a couple hours ago, and now you were still asleep, more than likely regaining the energy you lost or repairing the damage the whole ordeal had caused. V made sure to stay by you for most of the time, only rising to stretch a few times or help Nico when she requested it. Now he was sitting again, listening to the two women quietly chat and occasionally watching Nero toss back a few energy drinks.

V had a lot on his mind. The events of the previous day had left him...hesitating, wondering what he should do. He valued your companionship, valued the closeness to you he had gained...but it put you in danger. You were willing to break yourself to protect him. You did break yourself. But he didn't want that, wanted you safe from that kind of thing. Guilt had already been gnawing at him, but now even more was piled on. It wasn't your fault, he blamed himself for not being strong enough. As always, his actions could have risked your life, it caused harm to your well-being. Maybe it would be best if he put some distance, just to keep you safe.

Nero walked over upon seeing V pondering, leaning against the wall nearby and holding a can of something that looked sugary and full of caffeine.

"What's got those wheels turnin'?" He asked lightly, sliding his gaze over to you and giving you a once over, "She's looking alright now, you should be happy."

V let out a low hum, eyes half closed as he stared ahead and leaned on his cane. He didn't know why, but talking to Nero felt...nice. Easy. The boy was very talkative, but he was alright with listening too as needed. His concern was nice, at least.

"It doesn't change that my actions got her hurt," He murmured, gripping the top of the cane and closing his eyes, "Perhaps it would be safer if she traveled with Nico."

Nero visibly paused, can half raised to his mouth as he slid his eyes over to the poet. V wasn't paying him a lot of attention, not noticing how Nero rose a slow brow. The white-haired boy clicked his tongue lightly, sliding past the poet to sit down on the bed right next to your sleeping form. V bit back a protest-you weren't jostled a lot, and it definitely seems like you weren't waking anyway. Eyes still closed, light colored lashes resting on those soft cheeks. V wanted to reach out and stroke your face, but it was highly inappropriate behavior, he knew that. But it felt so wrong not to try and do anything to comfort you after you did everything for him.

"Hey, uh, V?" Nero said, putting a single hand on the goth's shoulders, "How 'bout I give you some much needed advice?"

V blinked, unsure of where the boy was going with his train of thought. Still, he replied, "Certainly."

Nico gave a crooked smile, a bit of an exasperated look in his eyes.

"That is the dumbest idea," He said slowly, carefully, but without heat, "That I have ever heard. And as a committed, happy man in a relationship with a wonderful woman, I'm gonna tell you why."

V opened his mouth to reply, but not sure what to say to that.

Nero took it as an opportunity to continue, leaning back on the bed to look at you, "Take it from me, buddy. Leaving her behind would be literally the most hurtful thing you can do, and that's so not cool," He looked back at the poet, slate blue eyes serious for once as he met V's gaze, "You made a mistake, sure, whatever. That's fine. But don't do something that's gonna punish her just because you're scared. You stand up, brush off the dirt, and you strive to do better. Cause I'm gonna tell you now, nothing that you say will ever convince her that it isn't her fault, she's gonna blame herself for your hurt pride, and that's unfair."

V looked away, hating how transparent he appeared in that moment. Was what he was thinking really that obvious? He'd like to hope not, but the way Nero was watching him made him think the kid was reading his exact thoughts. V griped the cane, gritting his teeth a bit as he looked down at the floor. Nero was right, he knew the boy's words held the truth. You took on so many burdens, you went out of your way to help and do your best in every scenario. Distancing himself from you, especially after all that you had gone through on his behalf...he knew that it was wrong. Still, the thought of you getting hurt again was so unsettling.

Nero seemed to sense the poet battling with himself, letting out a slow breath.

"Y'know," He said in a soft tone, taking on a far away look for a moment, "Kyrie was put in danger once, and the first time around I wasn't able to protect her. She was put into a terrible situation and I wasn't able to stop it," He puffed out his cheeks with a breath of air, scratching the back of his head as he added, "But I never thought of leaving her because of my own weakness. I brushed off the dirt, I moved forward. I saved her, and I continue to strive to do better. For her."

He slid his gaze back to the poet, giving him a light pat on the back and a crooked, encouraging smile.

"So cheer up," He said simply, rising to his feet again, "Know I've got you back, and I know if anyone is gonna learn from his mistakes and move past them, its you."

V met his gaze, staring for a brief moment as an understanding silence passed between the two. V gripped his cane tighter, letting out a slow breath from his lungs as he looked away.

"...Thank you, Nero."

~Present time~

V awoke with the start, jerked out of sleep by the sound of something crashing to the floor.

His eyes whipped around, noticing right away that he was now on the bed instead of you. Panic hadn't even had a chance to bloom before he saw you, curled up in the armchair on Lady's lap. You were smiling and giggling, the sight balm on his wounded soul as he quickly sat up in place. Lady was giggling too, hell there was a lot of giggling going on in this room at that moment. Upon further inspection, several things continued to click in place-One, a couple empty bottles of wine littered the coffee table now. Two, you were very pink in the cheeks. Three, Nico was sitting cross legged on the floor, starting with a disgruntled expression and a broken vase sitting on the tile nearby. It looked like she had tossed a metal arm at some point and hit it. That was what woke the poet up.

Nero was awake now as well, sitting up at the dining table with a disgruntled expression, the indentation of his metal arm on his cheek and head-it also looked like someone had written "Dead Weight" on his forehead hastily with a pen. He was frowning at the scene, confusion in his eyes as he probably registered everything V had. Shadow was curled up on the couch, meeting the poet's gaze with a low growl, alerting the other girls to look up at him.

V blinked, feeling a twinge of unease now that three female gazes were trained on him. The look in your eyes made his heart beat faster-you looked delighted to see him, though guessing by the empty bottle...alcohol was at play here. V didn't know how to feel about that.

"Ahhh, shit," Nico hiccuped, southern drawl slurred as she stared at V, "We woke up sleepin' beauty."

V felt his brow raise, coming to his feet with the use of his cane. He kept his eyes on you, taking a few steps down the stairs as he addressed the drunken group of females.

"When did she wake up?" He said in a displeased tone, plucking an empty bottle from the table and sniffing it, "Are you women drunk?"

"As a skunk," Nico quipped cheerfully, raising another bottle that still had booze-it was pink, whatever it was, "She woke up like...an hour ago. Or two. Or three. Was it four?"

V let out a light sigh, rubbing a hand down his face. Things had escalated pretty quickly from the time he had slept to now. He looked around, frowning when he didn't see his second familiar.

"Where is Griffon?" He asked, eyeing the plastered women warily.

"Over here…!" Griffon hissed. V turned, seeing him perched on top of the cabinets, squinting down with annoyed eyes. V rose a brow at him, tilting his head as he addressed the bird. Griffon shook out his feathers, letting out a sharp squawk before snapping, "And before you ask, I'm here because Nico kept wanting to pull out my feathers while drunk. Nowhere is safe, hide your keys, hide your kids, hide your genitals…!"

Nero yawned at the dinner table, standing up and rubbing his red cheek with a groan. He walked up to V's side, an exasperated look as he glared at the mechanic on the floor.

"What the hell, Nico?" He asked, shaking his head lightly, "I leave you alone for a few hours and you get the girl shit-faced? What do you have to say for yourself?"

She shrugged, taking another sip of booze. Nero tried to snatch the bottle, but she was somehow faster.

"Back off, you dork ass loser," She huffed, squinting at him and pointing a finger, "We're having girl time…!"

You let out a low giggle at that, still firmly tucked against Lady's chest. Lady seemed the least intoxicated of the three, or at least she was very low-key about it. V saw her smile, squeezing you against her with a light embrace, totally smitten. V scratched the back of his head-what the hell had he missed? You met his gaze again, eyes sparkling with mirth and obvious intoxication. V couldn't help it, he gave a wry smile back, concern softening at the sight of you having an obvious good time. Though your eyes did look a little puffy, like you had been crying earlier-it was either that or just another sign of the alcohol.

"Oops," You murmured, eyeing him and blinking a bit, "I think V is upset-are you upset?"

He thought your eyes started to tear up, making him blink in shock and confusion.

Nico let out a low noise of warning, trying to rise to her feet but stumbling all over herself. Nero caught her, letting out an exasperated sigh as Nico slurred, "Uh-oh, she's goin' sad again. You better shut that shit down, pretty boy."

"Bed. Now." Nero commanded before V could move, looking over at all the girls with an exasperated smile.

Nico huffed, "You can't make me."

"I'll call Kyrie," Nico replied, tugging her toward the door to her van, "She'll make you."

"That threat doesn't work on me…!" She struggled, letting out a shriek of annoyance as she tried to reach for the arm on the floor, "I have to finish my repairs on Sweet Surrender…!"

"For fuck's sake Nico, let it go," Nero groaned, lifting her up by her waist and dragging her, "Why that arm of all of them?! Just stop strugglin' and get your ass to bed!"

"I wouldn't have to make that arm if you could find the clitoris, dumbass!" Nico's voice faded with the closing of the door, their arguing cut short. V let out a light sigh, turning in enough time to see Lady pulling you to your feet. You were swaying a bit, wiping your eyes sleepily and easily losing your balance. Lady caught you when you started to fall, both of you giggling as you steadied. V was about to move forward, concern prickling in the back of his mind as he watched this happen. How does one go about handling intoxicated women? He couldn't ever remember being in this situation before.

"Bed time, sweetie." Lady hummed, eyeing V with an amused look as she suddenly pushed you in his direction. You squeaked as he suddenly caught you, your weight resting against his long form. What was Lady doing? V held you up with one hand, looking at the woman with a confused expression and heart hammering in his chest. You were warm against him, a far cry from what you had been while ill earlier. So very alive, healthy now. Your hair looked freshly cleaned, drying in waves over your shoulders. If V wasn't mistaken, he caught the scent of mint and rosemary-it must have been the shampoo Nico uses.

"I'm going to bed," Lady yawned, lying down on the couch with a small grin, "Make sure she gets to sleep, okay V?"

She left no room for argument-V definitely sensed shenanigans here.

Regardless, he clicked his tongue, wrapping an arm around you to help carry you to the bed. Griffon launched himself from the cabinets, latching onto your shoulders to help. You had your eyes half closed, blinking blearily and putting up no fight at all, the opposite of Nico. You also let out a light sigh, leaning your cheek against his chest, making the poet realize he was still without his vest-coat. The sensation of your lips brushing his skin made him feel like he had to clear his throat, gently setting you down on the bed.

"Are you alright?" He murmured, tilting your chin up gently to get a look at you, "You're flushed. Absolutely wasted."

You smiled lightly, closing your eyes and saying quietly, "I'm okay," You then paused, face slowly switching to what he recognized as guilt as you let your gaze drift away, "I…I'm sorry."

V's lips parted, his expression softening a bit as he stared down at you, "Why are you apologizing?" He asked gently, cupping your jaw a bit to turn your gaze back to him.

Your eyes teared up, a sight that made his heart ache terribly.

"Everyone had to wait a day because of me," You hiccuped lightly, words slightly slurred, "And I...I lied to you, earlier. I'm...sorry."

V paused, breath catching as Nero's earlier words echoed in his head. No matter what he said you were going to blame yourself. Clearly you were, the guilt was very obvious on your face while you were drunk. You looked like you were about to cry, eyes a little misty and a definite look of vulnerability on your face. V couldn't remember a time when he had seen you like this, on the verge of tears and so sensitive. And soft. He could tell a few of your walls had been broken down, everything was different after the entire ordeal. Something about it made him want to draw you into his arms and hold you, cradle you to his chest and dry your tears. He could feel Griffon watching you both, unusually quiet from where he perched on the bed post. But...still.

V tilted your head back up, wiping some of the tears from your eyes with his thumbs. He pressed his lips to your forehead, just like did earlier. Your skin was warm, and soft. You sucked in a sharp breath, shoulders relaxing a bit and eyes closing gently. V thought he heard Griffon chuckle, but the bird looked away, humming lightly like he was minding his own business. He definitely wasn't. Still, V tried to ignore him, pulling back from you softly so he could murmur in your ear.

"It was my error," His voice was low, breathy, "Please don't worry yourself-we all needed today, I think. And tomorrow is another day."

You let out a low murmur, cheeks adorably pink as you replied to him, "O..Okay…"

V smiled softly, smoothing some of your hair away. He then turned, walking to the other side of the bed so he could lie down beside you-luckily this bed was big enough to accommodate you both easily. He stretched out his form, reaching out a hand to grasp your hand and tug lightly. He expected you to lay down further away from him, facing the opposite direction as you had that first night. But you, as always, were full of surprises.

You turned, eyes already half closed as you slid under the covers, directly facing him. You looked completely out of it, eyes a bit hazy as you laid your head down on the pillow..inches from his own. He blinked, breath catching lightly as his heart pounded in his chest. Somehow, being this close to you was...he couldn't describe it.

You were still holding his hand, pressing it gently to the underside of your face as your eyes began to close, cradling it tenderly. V couldn't stop himself, he stroked his thumb over your cheek. You looked so gentle, and peaceful. A far cry from the pain and fear earlier, it set his heart at ease. He wanted to say something to you, but he didn't know what. He wanted to bridge the gap between you, but didn't know how. He was at a loss, unable to shake the feeling of urgency his mind was telling him.

Griffon curled up on the bed beside his head, seeing his expression and letting out a low chortle. He leaned over, hissing in his ear, "Look at you, lover boy. Like a deer frozen in the headlights," He nudged his back with a claw, adding in an encouraging whisper, "She's had a rough day, lover boy. She was cryin' earlier. She can use the support right now." His tone had a meaningful edge, borderline a warning for the conflicted poet.

You had been crying? He desperately hated the fact that he hadn't been awake to help you, but he couldn't change the past. He could only change what happened now.

So he swallowed his fear, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you closer. You let out a light murmur of confusion, now right against him and blinking blearily. Your hands cradled between your bodies, pressed to his chest, both of his arms holding you. The embrace felt right, warm, and gentle. He rested his chin in your hair, inhaling the light scent of mint and rosemary as he counted your breaths. He thought he heard you let out a soft sound of relief, body relaxing against his and face nuzzling into your chest. You were smiling now, he could feel that, your gentle breathing brushing his skin with every passing second.

"Goodnight." You mumbled softly, legs gently stretching against his.

V felt his heart calming, he knew you could hear it. He felt Shadow curl up behind you, then Griffon behind him-both seemed pretty content as well.

And for once in his life, so was he.

"Goodnight, little sparrow."