Aloha! Sorry for the long pause. But I'm back :)
Here's some new stuff for ya! I might be able to post chapter 11 right away, because I wrote so much, I had to split it up :D

As always: rate and review and of course enjoy!

Chapter 10: Bewilderment

Walking, waiting
Alone without a care
Hoping and hating
The things I can't bare
Did you think it's cool to walk right up
To take my life and fuck it up
Well did you, well did you

I see hell in your eyes
Taken in by surprise
Touching you makes me feel alive
Touching you makes me die inside

(KoRn - Slept So Long)

„...and you are correct. Dante- he had always dealt with human matters in a more … socially accepted way, than I have." I was striking a chord right there.

Was this cocky guy just admitting defeat to me in answering my obviously stupid and unnecessary question? Or maybe, he was just playing with me again... anyway, his serious and more lively tone in his deep voice was unexpected, but not unwelcome...

...

...

It was getting chilly in my little bedroom and I wrapped my free hand around my middle.

The clock in my living room was faintly chiming as it struck 2 pm.

Vergil still sat next to me, his figure straight, his left hand resting on his thigh. Meanwhile I was rotating his right hand in front of my face to get a better look on it. He didn't seem distracted by that, he just was too busy staring off into the distance with a bitter note on his face. He seemed to remember something, that somewhat pained him.

As I noticed that bit, my attention left his hand and followed up to his eyes. He was indeed hard to read.

„I have to agree." I said carefully.

His blue eyes shot up in confusion meeting my dark green ones.

„You seem to have a hard time dealing with people." I snorted, referring to past incidents and his obvious rowdiness. „But hey, at least you show some remorse, that's rare for someone like ...you." I cleared my throat unconciously.

He narrowed his eyes at me and suddenly pulled his right hand away from my grip in one swift motion. My hand was still hanging open, grabbing nothing but air.

„My deeds had never been regrettable, ergo there is no remorse." He stood up hurriedly and walked over to my high frame window crossing his arms behind the back. He demonstrably turned away from me, peering through the curtains wordlessly.

I, in the meantime, sat baffled on my bed, my mouth hanging open, the sentences I wanted to say couldn't be found.

Was he sulking? I couldn't help but smile furiously. I swallowed my upcoming giggles before they could unfetter themselves. I had to correct myself. He was actually easy to read. Well, at least easy to upset. It was a start.

It's all about weaknesses. I thought, mentally making a list of things, that I discovered about his character.

„Everyone can change y'know." I spoke absentmindedly while erasing a few extra lines on my sheet.

Silence fell between us for quite a while. To my surprise, there was no cocky remark about my naive thinking. Something seemed to bother him, but I didn't dare to ask him, what it was. Softly sighing, I began to elaborate the shades on my study.

„It is getting late. You should rest."

I was startled by his concerned tone, that came through clenched teeth.

„I can very well handle some night work. Thank you very much. Besides, this isn't going to finish itself." I wagged my sheets of paper with my study on it in front of my face.

He turned around half way, looking at me from the corner of his eye. He understood my indication and slowly sat down next to me again. He didn't face me as he just raised his right hand, not making any more moves.

It was farther away from me than before, so I had to lean over quite a bit to reach it.

Before I did so, I waited a few heartbeats to see, if he actually intended to make me take his hand to put it back on my knee, where I needed it to be. He sat there, completely still with his right hand lazily hanging in mid air.

And he did make me.

I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed by his sassiness and stretched over, aiming for his arm.

Unfortunately he pulled just an inch to the side, when I almost had him in my grip and I lost my balance in the process. I nearly slumped against him, but caught myself on his shoulder as I grasped his raised wrist with my right hand.

It was a rock, that my hand met. Vergil didn't flinch, nor speak a word about my mishap.

I grunted fretfully and brought his hand down with me.

As I looked up to peer into his averted face, I could see the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

Bastard...

Frowning, I moved as far as I could without letting his hand slip from my knee, away from him and grabbed my pencil again. Fully concentrating myself, I began to work on the knuckles of my hand study.

„How come, that a lab rat is living a free life now, rid of its gray cage."

His dark voice had a curious undertone swinging along, that made me look up for a brief moment.

Processing his words, I smiled bitterly.

Vergil was talking about me and the gray cage obviously was HEXAGON. He just used a more poetic form of saying it, which made me think. He didn't know me that well, but could already see, that my former supposed home was indeed nothing more than a cage for me. And I was doing my best in that moment to ignore the insult.

„I made a deal. It was my father after all, who runs the show." I shrugged.

This seemed to catch Vergil's attention. He gazed straight at me, blatant disbelief reflecting in his eyes.

….

Vergil mustered her.

She was different from many humans he had crossed path with.

Joelle. He remembered. Names didn't matter to him. But this one. This one seemed to stay for some undiscovered reason. She had sparked his interest. In more than one way. She was just a walking ape to him, but still. Her hidden grace and energy seemed to encompass her. And it transferred to him.

Right now, he found himself listening to her story in the middle of the night.

He had always done, what he wanted to do. And in that moment, he wanted to remain. Just were he was. There was no real need or desire, just pure instinct, that told him to stay. And he had relied on his instincts in so many situations.

Is this what madness feels like? He thought to himself, as he watched her quick strokes over the sheet of paper in front of her.

Something inside of him was battling. And he couldn't draw the line between the two opponents, he didn't know were to start. He sat next to her, again. His mind racing with possibility and chance.

Everyone can change...

Her simplistic thoughts suddenly happened to unlock strange emotions inside of him. Something, that had never been there and never needed to be.

Was she trying to understand him? To reflect on his past?

No. He shouldn't let her get this far. She was merely a tool. To use, when he needed her power.

...

Her dark eyes suddenly met his.

Some time ago, he had started to wonder. Somewhere in his subconscious mind, he probably had always wondered.

What would forgiveness feel like?

For all the souls, that he had taken, he never felt regret or remorse.

They were impediments and his actions just simple reactions to a caused problem. Those souls vanished without witnesses, so there had never been a situation for actual regret or apology.

Because were his path had stridden, nobody was left alive.

Up until now. And his only survivor was sitting right in front of him, drawing the outlines of his deathbringing fingers with a sharpened pencil.

Vergil couldn't help, but quietly smile at the irony.

He had asked himself, how he still could be looked at, when he was the one, who brought destruction upon a humble and innocuous life. And his body reacted with utter blankness. There was no emotion stored in a file ready to be called out to let him quiver and shake in mental pain.

But when he thought of her, seeing him like the monster, he had so evidently displayed in the past, his body began to stir. He had never expected to meet her again, after all the time and changes, that happened.

„How come, that a lab rat is living a free life now, rid of its gray cage."

He had more stated than asked into the silence, that pleasantly floated through the room.

„I made a deal. It is my father after all, who runs the show."

Her shoulders moved shortly upwards.

„You were imprisonated by your own flesh and blood?" It was an honest question.

„This sounds more dramatic, then it actually was." Her delicate fingers tucked a lock of red back behind her ear as she coated her lips in concentration.

Vergil couldn't help put peek over her shoulder to check on her progress with the drawing. To his own bafflement, her study was wellnigh perfect.

„I just happen to be born with some abilities, that forced me to stay at home after school and not go play with the cool kids." She gave him a crooked smile.

„You are denying your own true powers. It is absurd."

Vergil ignored the slight spark, that spread pleasantly around his chest and stomach as he watched her smile. He knew, what was coming over him, but clamped on the thin straw of denial and self-restraint. He averted his gaze lazily.

He was not like his brother. Weak and needy.

Clenching his jaw, he looked up to her again and awaited a reaction. Vergil had somewhat grown intrigued by her impulsive and stubborn manners of retorting his remarks. It amused him.

„I'm not like you." It was a mere grunt as she raised one finger to point it at his sitting figure.

„True." He paused as he scrutinized her face. The little muscles, that moved under her eyes and around her nose, as she was planning her next response were quite fascinating. A pure involuntary movement and so uncontrollable. So human, and yet...

„But neither are you completely different."

„Stop speaking so cryptically, damn." Another grunt.

„It is honesty. In fact..." Vergil rose to his feet as he paced away from her and continued as he looked out of the window:

„We are not of the same kin. Still, that power you hold, is of infernal origins."

He turned around and was a little surprised to look into big green shocked eyes. He didn't expect such a harsh reaction of her. A low click! Was heard, as her pencil met the bedroom floor.

„You are lying."

„What benefit would give me that? Think before you accuse somebody a liar."

Vergil watched as her pupils widened itself just a bit more after he had turned around incredibly fast to stand in front of her. His cold voice was hitting her like ice spears.

She gulped hard as she gathered herself. Her body stretched while she picked up the pencil from the floor. Playing sheepishly with it between her fingers, she began to talk.

„... I don't know, where I got it from. My talent I mean. I can remember, that I could open vents since I was born. And I've seen demons since then. Nearly everywhere. But I wasn't aware of its true origin. My father told me, that I was just a special kid and also very ill. That's why I had to stay inside that … gray cage for my whole life."

She looked up to meet Vergil's eyes. His aggressive posture involuntarly began to soften at her glance and he turned away again. The turmoil inside of him started to rise and he could feel it vibrating through his whole body. His face was blank and he forced his mind to be likewise. Remaining silent, he indicated her to go on.

„I can't control it. They trained me to use it, but I just can't. It's best to let it pass and ignore it, I guess." She snorted as she picked up the pencil properly and continued to draw.

„How could you possibly say such a thing? You should watch your foolish mouth."

Disgust painted Vergil's voice as he hissed the words.

The sudden stern look in her eyes almost silenced him. Almost.

„I've hurt people, I nearly killed someone because of my abilities. I'm still taking the blame for that night, when you-..."

She paused to breath. „Look, I believe you don't really give a shit about human lives, so you won't understand. But trust me, those powers will never be used again." She mimicked his voice at the sound of „power" and focused back on her drawing.

He breathed through his nose to calm himself. Assailing her would only cause a disaster. It would probably result in the actual use of her abilities and he was dragged back into Limbo again. Not where he wanted to be right now, exactly.

„We'll see." He mumbled to himself, quietly enough to not make her notice. Dropping the argument was wise, she would only try to escape further and with her abilities in such a raw state, he just wasn't prepared enough.

...

„Now, I want to ask you something. You went first, now it's my turn."

Vergil sighed in response. He picked a lively one to play bodyguard for.

„How did you wake up that day? I saw you, when you were roaming Limbo, but you were de-..."

„So it really was you after all." A grim smile played around his lips.

Her eyes widened a bit by the sound of his voice.

„Wha- well, I was more or less sent to connect with you, but..." She creased her eyebrows while thinking about the strange first encounter. „I just found pure darkness. And a blue flickering light, that was about to die out. Your soul, I believe."

A sarcastic snort escaped Vergil's nose.

After a long pause he finally spoke: „I'm afraid, I have to thank you for that." He mumbled, nearly inaudibly.

„You're afraid, huh." Spreading her arms in a playful manner, she continued: „Anytime, let me know, when you need your ass dragged back out of hell again. Oh, it might not work this time, though. You should read the small print as well before using."

Silence fell between them again as Joelle continued to draw and Vergil observed the streets with no particular target. He enjoyed the moment of dissipation, before an urging question came to his mind. Since there were no better options than a barely adequate conversation, he played along.

„Who trained you?"

She understood his drift and answered immediately.

„Scientists mostly. HEXAGON staff. And my dad."

He nodded faintly, his back still turned to her as he spoke.

„Since you know the story of my father, you should give me the decency to let me know more about yours." Vergil let it sound more like a command, than a plea.

„Mh. There's not much to say actually. I believe I never really knew him myself completely." A grim, sad smile played around her lips. Something in her eyes was unsettling, when she looked up briefly. „He might be my biological father, but he never acted as a dad figure for me. He is just a cold hearted bastard, that cares more for his research, than his family and friends. He didn't raise me, he was just there to order me around. And sign the permits for experiments with me." A dry laugh escaped her mouth.

For the first time in years, he didn't choose the silence by himself, that spread the room. Something inside of him prohibited him from speaking. It clung to his lungs and nearly took his breath away. He could feel that this situation was getting to him and he wasn't the superior one in this challenge.

Where did this pain come from all of a sudden?

From her. His only survivor.

It wasn't a physical wound he could grab and pull the blade out, that had caused it. It was something, that sieved through his hands, untouchable and far more critical. He tried to ease his mind and scrutinized her again. The jolt of pure ache disappeared, when his eyes suddenly met hers.

She smiled, and he watched as a faint fluster crept to her cheeks.

What an insecure little human...

„Go to bed. It is late."

And with that, Vergil strode out of the bedroom without a second glance.

Even without any physical exhaustion through fighting or the use of his powers, he was spent. Though normally, he was used to extreme exercise, he never needed more sleep than a few hours. But tonight he felt like he could sleep for a good whole night.

...

Calm down, Joelle.

Left in my way too hot bedroom, I took a moment to breath.

I could still feel the intent glare of Vergil's almost white eyes on my face as I spoke about my past. His emotionless expression nearly made me scream. It was impossible for me to judge, what he was thinking and why he was intrested in something so trivial such as my father.

He probably just wanted to kill some time. Even demons can get bored.

I looked at my drawing of his hand. Some lines where still quite conceptual, but I was satisfied. It turned out better than I had expected. He really had distinct knuckles and tendons, that popped out on the back of his hand. It spoke of strength ... and he had probably a solid grip with that...

Escaping my thoughts quickly, I rose to my feet and made my way over to the window to fully open it up.

I stood there for a while, letting the cool night air hit my heated face. Listening into the silence, I heard a soft rustle coming from the living room. My bedroom door was just halfway closed, so I was able to peer into the next room. It was completely black without any light source. Did he go to sleep as well? Do demons even sleep...

Maybe this was my chance to escape now.

„Nah, I should wait a few hours more. I still have some work to do." I whispered to myself in thoughts.

Settling myself back on my bed, I grabbed the pencil again and worked on the outlines of the drawing once more.

…

The minutes passed slowly, but when I turned to take a look at my clock, it struck 4 pm. Time to act.

…

Grabbing a second jacket and my cell phone I turned off the lights to let my eyes get used to the darkness, so I wasn't forced to turn them on while I ventured through my flat. Besides, I knew that some demons had great hearing and increased sensual abilities, which made my escaping quite difficult, I took my chances. No risk, no reward. I had to try.

I knew now, he didn't plan on harming me, but I really didn't want to be a prisoner and definitely not in my own home. With him as a guard next door in an addition.

I began to tiptoe through my room, slowly, steadily, when suddenly...

Thud!

A loud hollow sound echoed through the living room before me. I froze to the spot and listened again. Not another sound. Calming my breathing I sneaked forward. What the hell was that?

As my eyes got used to the darkness I shoved the door carefully open to enter the living room, where my intruder had probably settled to rest. Also I wasn't so sure anymore, if he was still sleeping.

Sneaking in direction to the couch, I found a big form slumped on the soft cushions.

Vergil laid stretched out on my three seater, sound asleep.

How strange... what was that noise?

My eyes darted around, when I suddenly found a book laying to my feet.

It was opened and had probably fallen from Vergil's hands. I picked it up carefully.

Well, if this didn't wake him, then...

Looking up to his face to check, if he was really sleeping, I exhaled slowly in relief.

I could only see the outlines, but his pale skin and white hair reflected the bit of light, that came from my opened window, quite well. He looked strangely peaceful with his eyes closed and his mouth very slightly open. Soft puffs of air followed deep, calm breaths, that made his chest heave in a smooth rhythm. His arms were crossed, the sleeves of his button down shirt were rolled up, revealing his wiry forearms. He had pulled his coat over his long legs, the sleeves hanging to the ground. His right hand was hanging open, probably from the book, that left it earlier.

The next thing I noticed, after I took a closer look, was to my own bafflement.

Small goose bumps covered Vergil's arms and probably continued up under his dark sleeve. He was freezing.

„Would ya look at that..." I whispered in my fascination phase. As soon as I spoke the words, my free hand went up to reflexively cover my mouth. I braced myself for Vergil's reaction, but was surprised with a small, but annoyed grunt, that came from his still sleeping form. I waited a few seconds more and then ventured back to my bedroom to silently place the book on my bedside cabinet. I had to sort it into its shelf tomorrow.

I sighed slowly.

He might wake up sooner or later, if he continued to freeze that badly. And I couldn't risk him being on my heels again. He would find out eventually, that I had escaped, but at least he might've slept some more hours and wouldn't be so grumpy then.

And eventhough I didn't want Vergil to be here, I didn't need to be a bad host. Without him I'd be dead already.

...Well, you might be dead with him before you know it, too!

I shook my head. Taking the spare blanket from my dresser, I carefully slipped through the half opened door into the living room again. I needed a clean conscience, if I really wanted to escape this deadlock.

Making my way over to the couch with light steps, I unfolded the blanket and carefully spread it across Vergil's huge sleeping form. Again his height impressed me, because his feet still met pure air, while the rest of him was covered under the blanket.

I giggled inwardly, as he sighed and took the extra sheets in.

It was so absurd and fascinating at the same time. I kind of felt like the hero, who was able to put the huge, fire-spitting dragon with his magic flute to sleep. Except I had no flute. And I was no hero. At all. Still, it amused me and I found myself standing there and just watching him, drawing in deep breaths for a few heartbeats.

A dim, reddish light caught my eye. It came from Vergil's throat.

Something like a necklace or...

….an amulet. Shaped like an oval with some strange iron carvings decorated around it.

Of course, I just came to notice it now, he had been wearing some sort of silk scarf the past hours, we had been together.

My fingers wandered up to the golden cross, that hung around my neck reflexively.

The light shimmered so oddly, it looked like it was pulsating, but to what rhythm?

I inched forward carefully to get a better look on it.

His heart.

I gasped softly in realisation. The steady and calm rhythm of the pulsation matched the throbbing of his heart. Mesmerized by its movement I caught myself, as I reached a finger out to touch it. I hesitated early enough and got back up.

Stick to the damn plan! I mentally lectured myself.

But before I could make any other move, strong hands gripped my wrists and pulled me down. My surprised yelp was cut off by the sudden lack of air in my lungs, as something heavy pressed down onto me. I was not the ground I felt against my back, but the pillowy surface of my couch. I forced my eyes to open.

Dark met bright, as Vergil's gaze pierced me against the cushions. I struggled for some air underneath him and when he understood my problem, his grip loosened around my neck just a tiny bit. I now came to notice that something ice cold was just dangling mere inches away from my face in mid air.

There were those ice spears again, he could summon. This time, they were pointed exactly at me. No holds barred. I couldn't suppress the fear, that now crept up to my face and heated it up. My eyes grew wide as I was forced to focus on the razor sharp edges of the icy blades. The coolness was emitting from them and tickled my hot cheeks.

They were so close.

A frustrated, deep grunt escaped Vergil's mouth above me. He had caged me with his body and pinned me down, so I couldn't escape.

„Don't you ever dare to sneak up on me. Again." He stretched the words, while he clenched his teeth. Veins came forth on his throat, throbbing with anger. The threatening tone in his voice sent shivers down my spine.

„S-Sorry." I stammered nervously.

Heftily shaking his head, he lowered his guard and let his hand slip from my throat. Vergil got back to his feet and took a few steps away from me.

I rubbed over the sore spot on my neck and tried to get up, but was blocked by his illusive swords.

Clearing my throat, I found my voice to speak:

„Did I startle you?"

„No. You merely reminded me, that I shall apply your bedroom door with a lock, secure enough for any prying, ignorant dolt, just like you."

His eyes sparkled with fury through the darkness.

I still couldn't get up completely, because three big ice swords monitored my every movement and were still pointed at me.

Vergil hesitated a bit longer, but withdrew them with a lazy hand gesture, that caused them to shatter into tiny little glistening pieces. It reminded me of snow flakes, that danced slowly and gracefully to the ground.

So beautiful, but so deadly at the same time...

I looked up at Vergil again. His gaze remained unflinching, as he stood there, his whole form trembling with tension.

Finally I rose to my feet and picked up the blanket, that had been tossed across the room in the process. This was going to be a long, sleepless night.

...

...

Thank you so much for reading!

As I stated before, the next chapter should be coming up soon. I'm still caught up in the middle of some exams, but I can manage both :)
Have a nice week and until next time!

Lisa
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