I felt like the previous couple of chapters were just downright awful so I need to make it up to you guys.

Warning - some lemony stuff in this chapter

"...That person who enters your life out of nowhere and suddenly means the world to you."

...

...

"Ah, this must be your mate. Lucy, was it?"

As the six-armed giant peered at them inquisitively, Lucy hid behind Vergil and clutched his arm. "He is addressing you." Vergil said, turning to her slightly.

Nervously, Lucy slid away and Tubal-cain tilted his head to the side. "HAH! Just because I'm a six-armed giant, I'm not going to hurt you so there's no need to be scared. Come closer so I can take a better look at you."

With that, Lucy took a few steps and gawped up at the man. "Hello. I've heard a lot about you from Vergil, Mr Tubal-cain. Thank you for helping us."

He barked with laughter and the entire cave shook. "Excellent. I want Mundus dead as much as Vergil does so this is the least I can do." He said, "Good for you, Son of Sparda, she's a pretty little thing. I like her. I bet he's hard work, isn't he? High maintenance, I reckon?"

Lucy couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter in response whilst Vergil's expression darkened slightly. "You got that right."

In a good mood, Tubal-cain howled even louder with laughter and Lucy found herself wobbling until Vergil grabbed her by the shoulder firmly. Once he stopped laughing, Tubal-cain picked up Vergil's charred coat and his blunt sword next. "Right, onto business now. Now, your coat...Hmm, it's still in good shape. I'll be able to mend this in no time. Same goes for Yamato. I'll repair the damage it's sustained." He glanced to the Phoenix next, "Excellent work. I was right to entrust you with this task."

"Thank you, Lord Tubal-cain." He murmured. Vergil stared at the massive fire bird before he shifted his glance to Tubal-cain who was now hanging up the cage high in on one hook dangling off a pillar whilst the other arms were busily crafting away at a weapon over the heated forge.

Lucy was still being held firmly by Vergil; she didn't even know why she was here, but Vergil had asked her to come with him. He took the Phoenix with them too, and she still could not believe it was her friend, Pheebs, who'd taken human form. Apparently she had tricked her master into a deep sleep for five years, and snuck into the human world. Tubal-cain would wake up five years later to find her missing...

"Vergil said you were working a menial human job and you were even frolicking with a human male." Tubal-cain said, obviously directed to the Phoenix. "Tell me, what was that like? True love. That's what you wanted, wasn't it? Depressing, I presume, with their pitiful little life spans and their lust-filled, greedy human hearts."

Lucy listened, a little awkwardly. Hello! There's a little human down here who can hear everything you're saying! Sigh...

"Far from it. You can mock me for all I care." The Phoenix retorted.

"Phoenix. You deserve punishment but since your Burning Day draws near, I see no point. I am a merciful master and always have been. Live the rest of your days here where you are unburdened and at ease."

The Phoenix flapped her wings in response before folding them, flames gathering. She was the shape of a typical bird with beautiful red feathers, a fluffy chest and a long swan-like neck yet her head resembled more of a lizard. Her talons were also the color of gold. "Very well."

"You've had your fun." Tubal-cain muttered, "I hope it was worth it. Did you learn anything? See anything interesting?"

"I saw lots of things of interest."

"Such as?"

"I saw their houses and their cities and the machines they use to travel in."

"Pathetic, isn't it? After all those years of evolution and that's the best they can come up with, hah!" When the Phoenix said nothing, he let out a sigh and added, "What was the human's name? Nathan? Shall I bring him here and squash the little maggot in front of you?"

"No. Do not do that, master. Please. He did nothing wrong."

"He left you after he found out what you were. Instead of calling you the most wondrous creature on this universe, he screamed and ran away."

The Phoenix said dejectedly, "...He was the first human I met when I arrived. He was kind to me, when I knew nothing about them. If you hurt him or killed him, I would be very sad."

Tubal-cain snorted. "Suit yourself, Phoenix."

Lucy watched the interchange curiously until Vergil said impatiently, "And the reward you promised?"

Tubal-cain seemed annoyed by the question, "Come back in three days, Son of Sparda. I'll have it ready. Until then, you are welcome to stay here. Indra!"

With a snap of his fingers, one of the stone pillars in Tubal-cain's forge came alight and the dragon that was etched on it emerged and hovered in the air, now a living, breathing dragon. "My lord?" said the dragon, and Lucy let out a rather horrified, awe-struck gasp.

"Show our guests to their room." Tubal-cain said, and the dragon appeared before Vergil and Lucy in a tumbling fireball; they had to take a step backwards when the fire dissipated away and a handsome young man dressed in robes complete with armor stood before them – Indra's human form.

He smiled at them both warmly. "Greetings, Son of Sparda. Miss Lucy."

Whilst Lucy gawked at the dragon-turned-man, Vergil said, "Indra."

"Follow me."

Vergil followed Indra and Lucy trailed after him. She stayed close to him the entire time as they walked through the massive and hot, molten lava cave. Lucy threw a quick glance over her shoulder to the six-armed giant and the Phoenix. The bird turned to her and she stared into its wet, beady eyes. She could see the desolation, the sadness and the despair.

...

He didn't really like having Yamato in someone else's care but he had little choice. As he contemplated, Vergil heard echoing footsteps returning and glanced over to see Lucy at the foot of the rocky stairs with a smile on her face.

"Vergil, I had a look outside and there's a hot spring," She exclaimed, a little cheerfully for his liking, "Do you wanna go first?"

However, Vergil stood at the rounded table where two small glasses were for their use along with a glass pot. Who knew Tubal-cain could be so hospitable? Lucy walked over to the bed and sat down on it, testing the firmness of it only to sink into the mattress completely. It was so soft she almost disappeared inside it. He'd been given one cave that was fitted with a king-sized bed and lined with red candles, making it somewhat nice and cozy; Indra had left them to rest and returned to the blacksmith although he did mention that he would come back in the morning.

"He only had one guest cave?" Lucy said, and Vergil settled the glass back over the table and turned to her.

"This is not an inn." He said quietly, "This will suffice."

Inn, she snickered at his choice word. "I'll sleep on the floor tonight since I don't see any chairs around. You can take the bed. I don't mind."

"I don't need to rest."

"We'll be here for three days."

"Then I won't rest for three days."

She was annoyed he wouldn't mention anything about sharing the bed so she said, "Alright, we could just share the bed. That could be your side and this will be mine." When his eyebrow rose in response, she added, "I'm fine with that." When he gave her a brief nod, her cheeks went warm. Oh my god I'll be sharing a bed with Vergil. "S-so? Are we going to talk? That's what you said, right?"

"It will be meaningless. You're disappointed, if I recall."

It was irritating talking to him halfway across the cave, so she stood up and strode over, stopping just a minor fraction away from him. Maybe she had been too harsh...

"And you are also angry at me for what I've done to your friend." He added.

"She dies in a few days, right?"

"Correct." Vergil said, "And it is best if she is here with her master. As you can see, he is the only one who truly cares for the creature."

"What about Nathan?"

"Ah, the so-called true love. Well...I expected nothing less from a human."

She frowned. "I think he was shocked, that's all. He'll come around. He loved her."

"So you are insinuating that perhaps we bring him here to see her whilst she is on her deathbed?"

"Yes. That's probably the least we can do."

"We owe the Phoenix no favors, Lucy." Vergil growled, clearly annoyed with the self-serving attitude she had adopted, "And what will happen if we reveal anything more to that human?"

"I don't know, but she's going to die in a couple of days. It's too sad."

"She is a deity and he is a human. The Phoenix has given up, so you should too. Abandon your preposterous ideas to reunite them." He muttered sourly under his breath.

"You seem against their relationship; what about your parents?"

"What about my father and my mother?"

"Your father was Sparda, and your mother was human. They never gave up or-or..."

"Yes, and because they never 'gave up', demons hunted down my brother and myself, and also my mother whom they tore to pieces – " When he stopped, Lucy looked at him a little worriedly. Maybe she'd taken this too far. Vergil didn't seem intent on finishing his sentence. Instead, he said, "Why do you do this? It's as though you enjoy baiting me."

Lucy bit her lip as she contemplated his words then she said, "...Sorry. Um...can we talk about where you went after we - well...you know - and why you went hunting for a Phoenix?"

"Tubal-cain's messenger spoke to me that night. I left with urgency for that reason. I apologize I had not been able to stay to tell you or inform you where I was headed...but I didn't require you to needlessly dote on my well-being or prevent me from going, as you would have."

"Dante misses you."

He scoffed in response. "Dante wishes me to co-manage that dreadful business of his."

"Why not? It was good to see you two working together and Dante was happy that you were helping him."

Now he seemed irritated all over again at the mere notion. "Yes, I helped him for a week. It was generous, but I cannot offer assistance anymore."

"What will you do when he gives you the...the Kusnagi?"

"Kusanagi." Vergil corrected her.

"Kusanagi." She repeated after him, the word rolling off her tongue, "...What will happen?"

"I will train. Here, probably...under Tubal-cain's guidance, or I'll find my own way. Then I will go after Mundus."

"It sounds easy. Too easy, perhaps?"

"Yes, it does." He agreed, and finally, she turned from him, fists clenching. The cave went silent until she let out a light sniff. He narrowed his eyes in response. "Lucy."

"...What?" She croaked out.

Striding to her side slowly, he peered down at her tentatively to see that she was crying. With his thumb, he brushed away the wetness rolling down her cheeks gently as she stood still. "Are you shedding tears for me?"

"I...No, I'm not – I don't...I don't know. Maybe. I'm... I'm kind of scared."

"Of what? That I will not succeed? That Mundus will enslave me once again?"

She shook her head. "...No."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"You make promises and you don't keep them." Wrenching away from his hand, she hastily dabbed at her eyes and sniffed louder, but he took her by the chin and made her look up at him again. "What?"

He gazed intently at her tear-streamed face for a while, and she stared back at him, hiccuping and blinking blankly.

"What?" She said again, only for Vergil to lean down and his lips were over hers in an instant. It was so sudden she froze on the spot and when he pulled away, he was looking at her expectantly, his clear blue eyes gazing into her own. Lucy stared at him in response until he realized one of his marks appeared to have healed and the rest were gradually becoming fainter and fainter. He released her then, frowning somewhat. "What is it?" She breathed out, panting slightly.

"Your marks are fading."

"You were gone for more than week."

"I know. You need new ones."

"What?!" She tried to wriggle away from him but he kept a firm grip on her and he was nibbling on her skin in seconds. Lucy squirmed as his hair tickled her cheeks and he pulled her up against him firmly. When he bit down harder, she couldn't help but dig her fingers into his shoulders as she winced. "Ahhh, no..."

Finally, he pulled away from her nape to glance up at her, "No? But you belong to me." He murmured, before he kissed the new mark on her neck tenderly. He felt her hands relaxing on her shoulders before she gave him a lopsided smile in return. "What are you smiling about? You are still to be punished."

And the smile dropped. "What punishment?" She choked out in shock.

"I went to that dismal bar, and you were still there. I briefly recall you promising me that you would leave. Did it occur to you that you aren't able to fulfill promises, either?"

"Oh. That. W-w-well, I needed to find a new job before I quit that one..."

With that, she heard him emit a quiet sigh.

Looks like we're both hopeless in terms of keeping promises, she thought to herself. The cave fell silent once more and Lucy glanced at him inquisitively. "Vergil," She said; he was watching her keenly now, and she added, "I'm not disappointed in you." He gave her a questioning look in response to her confession. "And I missed you."

Vergil was silent, although he did subject her to a somewhat long, testing look before he leaned forwards once more and captured her lips with his. His lips were gentle and inviting, making her want more and more as he nibbled on her lower lip. He was touching her a lot more than usual too, his hands moving from her hips to every inch of her body. His touch sent numerous chills down her spine, making her writhe and squirm in excitement and as though she was attempting to entice him.

Maybe Vergil's missed me too. I missed this so much. God, I missed him so, so much; I missed everything about him. He drives me crazy but I think I'm in love with him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, their bodies pressed together as they kissed urgently and deeply and his hands wandered under her skirt and her panties. He promptly slipped his hands in between her legs. "You're wet." He murmured as she pulled away with a gasp; pressing his hand against her firmly, he dipped a finger against her folds, pressing into her purposely and eliciting another gasp once he found her sensitive spot. "Say it."

She was breathless as she clutched onto him helplessly, her knees about to buckle. "Say...what...?"

"You want me." He said silkily with his lips by her ear, as he slipped another finger into her intimate area, "I want to hear you say it."

A sharp gasp escaped her throat, "I want you."

"Good girl." He purred, and then he lifted her onto the table and after he freed himself of his pants, he settled himself between her, spreading her legs apart to receive him.