Well, here it is. The first of the post Blazing Tempest/Through the Ashes series. The beginning of the shenanigans in Vergil's new domestic life. So, to my returning readers. Welcome and I hope you enjoy! (And, preemptively, the song referenced at the end is Mercy Mirror by Within Temptation, if you'd like to hear it. )

And to those who have no idea what Blazing Tempest is, fear not! It's just the story that leads into this new series. You'll still understand most of the things in this story. However, it contains major BT spoilers (obviously), and is built off of the character growth and relationships from that piece. So, if you're interested to see how we got to this point, there's where you'll want to start.

I'll include small summaries at the start of each story, but I think I'll keep them all as one "story" to make them easy to find and follow.

Anyway, enjoy the fluff!

A Week With You

When Nero demands that Vergil take a week off to spend time with his wife, what he expects is a boring few days of reading and quiet time in the house. What he gets is a hectic schedule, a strange robot in every corner of the house, conversations with his eccentric human half, and the realization that his priorities may need some... fine-turning.

Calling Vergil's schedule "busy" was an understatement. Though he certainly kept himself busy, he didn't really get to "plan" anything. When Nero called with a job, he was there. If Nico needed back-up, he was there. If Dante wasn't satisfied with his own devil hunting or sparring with Nero (heaven forbid), Vergil was there. And one of these things often led to another, spiraling into a day of helping his family, and using Yamato to portal back and forth between cities to get everything done. Then, he'd get back sometime between midnight and 3am, read a book for a few hours, and inevitably start all over again before the sun was up.

And for a month and a half after Nero's wedding, the controlled chaos worked for Vergil. Except for one, glaringly obvious oversight; he had a wife now. And said wife got very little of his attention.

Credit where credit was due, Ashira never complained about their lack of time together. She always made him coffee in the morning. Always had dinner miraculously reheated whenever he walked in the door (though he was certain her Phoenix fire helped with that). She even indulged him in his more… primal needs, That's not to say she didn't enjoy fulfilling those either. Because she did… a lot. And he always ensured she wanted to spend that kind of time with him. So Vergil - honestly and accidentally - hadn't thought about their relationship too much.

Then Nero smacked him over the head with his devil wings one night with a disapproving scowl that rivaled Vergil's greatest glare.

"Sometimes," Nero proclaimed. "You're a real asshole."

Vergil stared at him, calm on the outside, but positively bewildered within. His demon half growled in annoyance, taking the unwarranted assault as a challenge. The human side of him managed to form a somewhat coherent sentence. "I don't follow."

"I didn't even ask for your help today." Nero said. "Yet, here you are. In the middle of the night, for no apparent reason. Why?"

Vergil sheathed Yamato. There were still a few demons nearby, but they seemed disinterested in the family drama around the corner. "Nicoletta told me that there was more than one portal, and you would likely need assistance."

Nero groaned. "She was the one who recommended we not call you."

"... Why?"

"We were giving you the day off." Nero said. "Considering the last time you've taken one was for my wedding." He rubbed at his temples in a way that Vergil had come to recognize as a begrudging acceptance of something Nero thought was obvious. "I should have told you."

"Things have been busy." Vergil said. "I have no issues with…"

"Stop." Nero said. "You're missing the point."

Vergil's eyes narrowed. It was moments like this where he wondered if Nero thought he was the parent of the two. But, Vergil always bit his tongue (at least, most of the time), as Nero's concern was always genuine. He seemed to have life figured out, and - considering Nero's advice was often related to human things - Vergil often valued his insight, even if he could never say it. So, he forced his other half to ignore the blatant flip of power that any other demon would have killed him over. Because, as Nero had beaten into him more than once, "humans don't act like that."

Honestly, Nero was lucky Vergil had mellowed out since splitting himself in two, or he would have already thrown himself back into the Underworld.

"Tell me this, father." The sarcasm in the usage of such a formal title that Nero had moved on from was not missed. "What are Shy's plans for the day? Or for the week? Anything you can think of?"

For the second time that conversation, Vergil was baffled. "Why would I know those details?"

"Really, Vergil?" Nero said with a disdainful sigh. "Please tell me you're not that hopeless."

"Shira is quite capable of handling herself." But, even as he said it, Vergil doubted himself. All he could imagine her doing was sitting at home, trying to relearn the piano by using her feathers or listening to V read her a story. Surely that wasn't all she was doing. And, if it was, then she must be bored out of her mind.

"So," Nero said. "I've been out since about 8am, yeah?"

"I am fully aware." Vergil said. "And you got home close to midnight." Vergil had been the one to drop him off, after all, before Dante had called him away for a corrupted demon that Calcifer hadn't been able to handle. "But how does that…"

"And you haven't seen me message or call Kyrie once, right?"

"... No."

"Thirty minutes after I left," Nero began. "Kyrie went to a Zumba class with some of the other volunteers because they want to offer it to the older kids after school. At 10:30, she went to get her hair cut. 11:30 she met Nico and Lady for sandwiches and smoothies at her favorite store in Corona, and likely dragged Shy out to join them as they are prone to do." Vergil held back a snort. Shira must have been thrilled about that. For she, much like himself, did not appreciate the lack of forewarning on his family's plans. "Then, she went home and started reading through a book series called the Lunar Chronicles, because we met a new child from Corona named Sofie who only talks to people who read the kind of books she does. Then, her volunteer work started at 6pm, where she stayed until 10." Nero glanced at his watch. "Which was almost an hour ago."

While Vergil was starting to get the point, he stubbornly waited for Nero to just say what was on his mind. Beating around the bush was too much of a Dante thing for Vergil's liking. "You've lived with her for years." Vergil said. "Surely her schedule does not change that much."

The glare Nero gave him would have made Vergil proud, had it been directed at anyone else. "Actually, she started working less hours at the orphanage to spend more time on her personal studies." His glare turned to a cocky smile. "Nursing, by the way. She's taking three classes right now, and will likely begin working at the Children's Hospital in Corona in about a year."

While Nero's knowledge of Kyrie's life was impressive, it was also a sharp reminder of how little Vergil knew about Ashira's. Was he truly so absorbed in his own work that he hadn't been paying any attention to her? And Nero must have noticed the hint of guilt on Vergil's face, for he immediately went for the kill. "You're taking Shy for granted."

Vergil bristled, suddenly defensive. But he swallowed it back down. While brutal honesty was what he wanted, it was a blow to his ego all the same. "I make sure she is well taken care of," He said, aware that he was reaching for useless excuses. "And she has always been happy when I come home."

"Oh gee, Vergil." Nero said. "I wonder why."

"If you are insinuating that…"

"One week." Nero said, holding his finger up both to make his point and silence Vergil. "Set your phone to emergencies only, and I will make sure that no one but myself calls you. And if I do call you, the world's ending."

"I don't see how…"

"One week." Nero said again. "You're going to act like a human. No jobs. No teleporting around with Yamato. No sparring with Dante. No demon hunting unless it's close to Corona, with her, and absolutely no one else can manage it. And don't say your finances can't handle it because I know how much you make, and how much you've been saving, so I ain't buying it." Vergil scowled at him, but more to hide his own weariness.

"To do what, exactly?"

"To learn how to be a better husband."

That gave Vergil pause. Nero must had mistaken his silence for hesitation, for he continued. "Offer your time to her. See exactly what she does. If she stays home all the time, encourage her to go out. If she has a life, find out what it is."

Vergil sighed. He had thought their relationship was stable compared to most. But he had also focused entirely on his blood relatives and not her. So, clearly, Nero was right. "She has never expressed unhappiness."

"Honestly, Shy and Kyrie are similar in that regard." Nero said as he leaned against the wall of a nearby building, arms crossed with a far away look in his eyes. "When we first became an actual couple, and not just childhood friends, I spent a lot of time outside of the house dealing with demons in Fortuna, church problems, or whatever else came up. And I thought I was doing the right thing. Keep Fortuna safe, then Kyrie would be safe. And she was always there to greet me when I got home, usually with dinner and a smile no matter when I got there." He sighed. "It was Credo that made me realize how blind I was. Of course Kyrie wouldn't tell me she was sad or lonely, 'cause she believed that my work in Fortuna was more important than her. She kept herself busy, but was never truly happy until I started making time for her."

Vergil averted his gaze, unwilling to admit how eerily similar Nero's story was to his own. "Don't feel too bad." Nero said, his voice was gentle. "It took me awhile to figure out all this relationship stuff out, and I still mess up. I can't imagine transitioning from living together in the Underworld to an actual marriage in this world with responsibilities and all this other stuff to focus on." He pushed himself off the wall and put his hand on Vergil's shoulder. "But there's three of us now. Dante doesn't have a lot to do, and plenty of debt to pay off. I've spent years training other devil hunters to handle smaller jobs. And you…" He hesitated. "I want you to enjoy life too."

Honestly, Vergil hadn't felt unhappy. But he also hadn't given it much thought. "I'm…" He trailed off to give himself a moment to think. "I'm trying to make up for lost time."

"You can always do that later." Nero said. "But you and Shy are going to be together for a long time. And if you don't establish a strong relationship from the get go, things are going to be a lot harder in the future, you know?"

Slowly, Vergil nodded. Nero meant well, and Vergil would be a fool to ignore such honest advice. "I'll head home then." He reached for Yamato, but stopped himself. "Is Nicoletta awake?"

Nero laughed. "I'll give you one free portal home, but that's the last one, deal?"

"That's acceptable." Vergil said, but he glanced back regardless. "If there's an emergency…"

"Go home, Dad." Nero said. "And maybe take some flowers. One week."

It was just after midnight when Vergil walked into his home. It was dark and quiet, with Calcifer sleeping on the counter and Ajura on the couch. V, who was reading a book on his personal recliner in the corner, raised a curious eyebrow. "You're home early." He said before returning his attention to his book.

"And you are... here."

V chuckled. "I've learned to summon myself when she is sleeping, but I usually retreat before you get home." He snapped the book closed. "Flowers and a teddy bear? You must have done something wrong."

Vergil scowled. "I can bring my wife gifts whenever I so choose."

"Of course." V said with a shrug. "She is upstairs at the moment. Went to bed about an hour ago, but I'm certain she'll wake up if you ask her nicely." He sat his book on the side table, snapped his fingers, and vanished. Vergil stared at the empty chair for a moment longer, before forcing himself to walk up the stairs - as that's what a human would do - and slipped into their bedroom.

As expected, Ashira was curled up on her side of the bed in her favorite, blue nightgown. Instead of using the perfectly good blankets, however, she was buried under one of his old coats. Curious. Vergil thought as he sat down beside her. Did she do this often? He usually found her without any blankets at all. Though, admittedly, he had noticed his jacket on the floor more than once.

He swallowed another hint of guilt as he set his gifts aside and gently pushed on her shoulder. "Shira." He whispered, almost hesitant. Maybe he should go back downstairs. Let her sleep for now and talk with her in the morning. But as he started to do so, he felt her stir as her soul flickered in recognition. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked up to meet his gaze without moving.

"Vergil?" She said, tired. As she started to sit up, he eased her back down. She took the hint, and simply rolled slightly to better meet his gaze. "What time is it?"

"Midnight." He said. "I apologize for waking you."

"No, no." She said with a yawn. "I forgot to set dinner up for you. Let me..."

"No." He said as he slipped off his jacket. "It's best I... relax for the night."

The look she gave him was a strange mix of confusion and happiness. "You want to sleep? What time do you have to leave in the morning? I can be up and..."

"I'm taking the week off." Vergil said, resisting the urge to brush through his hair. A very Nero habit he had picked up rather unwillingly over the last few weeks. "And I wish to spend time with you."

She blinked, surprised. "I can cancel my plans. Except for the shopping, since we're running out of food."

"No." Vergil said again. "I... realized that I am... unaware of what you do while I'm gone, and I wish to rectify that mistake."

That time, she did sit up. "You want to... follow my schedule, then?"

Vergil nodded. "Whatever you usually do, I wish to accompany you. If it helps, I can simply observe, or hide somewhere, if you'd rather not..." He trailed off. Rambling was supposed to be her nervous tick, not his. "Whatever you'd prefer."

Ashira was positively beaming as she gave him one of the most excited smiles he had seen in a while. "I would love for you to join me." She said. "But uh..." She laughed awkwardly. He wasn't sure why. "You might be... surprised at a few things?"

He tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"It's difficult to explain." She shook her head. "You'll understand. I hope." Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Just... go with it, okay?"

Vergil nodded, confused but willing. "What should I expect in the morning?"

"Chaos." V's voice echoed from the other side of the room.

"It's not that bad." Ashira said.

"You're not the one who deals with most of it." V said with a lazy grin.

"I do what I can."

"Don't worry." V said, his gaze drifting to Vergil. "I'll teach him everything he needs to know."

For a brief moment, as Ashira tossed away his coat to curl up under the blankets with him instead, Vergil wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into.

The first thing Vergil learned about life at home; everything was controlled by some robot woman named Alice.

The 8am alarm actually startled him awake. Partially because it was a loud song he didn't recognize, but mostly because he hadn't let himself sleep longer than a few hours in awhile. Being pulled out of it so suddenly was jarring. But Ashira, who was clearly used to it, only yawned and said, "Good morning, Alice"

The noise stopped, and Vergil realized it had come from a small, black box on the bed-side table table. Blue lights lit up as a voice said, "Good morning, Ashira. Would you like to set a timer for your morning routine?"

"Yes, please."

The same voice echoed from the bathroom. "Your thirty minute timer starts now."

Ashira sat up and stretched, only sparing him an amused glance when she realized how confused he was. "Nico set up a bunch for me a few weeks ago. Really useful, and each one can connect to the others in the house. But, don't say her real name unless you want to talk to her." She hopped out of bed and snapped her fingers.

V appeared. "Same as usual?"

"For a Wednesday, yes." She grabbed a towel that was hanging off the door of their bathroom. "I wasn't able to finish the list yesterday."

V chuckled, glancing at Vergil. "Where better to start?"

Vergil stared at him as Ashira disappeared into the bathroom. V gave him an exaggerated bow, and Vergil briefly wondered if this man was actually his human self, or a demon that had fooled them both. "We have about half an hour before we have to head to the train station." V said as he moved through the open door. He disappeared, and Vergil saw his soul in the kitchen a second later. "Make haste, me."

Vergil scowled, but changed regardless and headed downstairs. By the time he made it, V was already preparing toast, cracked half a dozen eggs, and was humming classical music to himself. "I usually make breakfast." V said. "Makes it easier on her." He pointed to the bookcase in the living room. "You'll need the planner and notebook, both blue, top shelf, And grab the binder while you're at it, black, bottom shelf, to finish the list." He then glanced at a second black box on the wall that Vergil hadn't noticed and, rather smugly, said, "Alice, play some classical music." Except that it wasn't his voice that came out, but Vergil's. And, as the latter stared at his human self, the box started playing what he asked for.

"You can use... my voice?"

"Of course." V said. "Among other things."

Vergil's narrowed his eyes. "Such as…?"

"I am a familiar, technically." V said with a shrug as he poured the eggs into a pan. "My form is flexible, but limited."

"But why my voice?"

"It wouldn't do you much good if she couldn't respond to you."

Ashira appeared downstairs, wrapped in a robe with a frown. Her hair was a soaked mess, and Vergil couldn't remember the last time he had seen it like that. "Where is my shampoo?"

"You ran out yesterday."

"Impossible. I planned just enough to make it to today."

"Just use his." V said, gesturing toward Vergil. "You've been doing that more often anyway."

Ashira blushed. "It smells nice." She muttered. "Fine. Add it to..."

"The list." V finished. "Already done." She huffed, before disappearing again. Vergil stared at the spot she had been, both confused and impressed.

"She's been practicing." V said. "Now pick some recipes out of the binder, and make a list of everything you two will need to make them. Don't worry about spices, sugar, or flour. You've got plenty of that. I've added all of the non-food items, but feel free to write down anything else you think you need." After a brief moment, he changed voices again and said, "Alice, what are my plans for dinner tonight?"

The music went silent as the robot voice kicked in again. "The dinner on your schedule is hamburgers and fries."

V hummed to himself. "That's all we have left I think." He peered into the freezer. A moment later, he tossed a frozen bag of ground beef onto the counter-top. "That will be defrosted by the time we get home." Then he went back to the eggs as the song changed without him telling it to. "Only four recipes then. And don't forget breakfast."

Vergil eyed him, uncertain if he should be irritated at being bossed around, suspicious at why V knew some much, or amused. "You are quite prepared."

"I exist to assist her." V said. "And I aim to do so as exceptionally as possible."

"You're a... caretaker, then?"

"You could say that."

Vergil hesitated, unable to ignore the gnawing feeling in his chest. He is a better husband than I am. He swallowed a hint of inadequacy. V lived in her head. He only existed because she did, and could only go where she went. Surely he would know exactly what she needed and would provide accordingly. And he wasn't replacing Vergil... right?"

V glanced over his shoulder. "She is not using me as a stand in for your romantic life, if that's your concern."

The heat that rushed to Vergil's face was hotter than any he had felt before. Leave it to himself to fluster him more than anyone else could. "What?"

V chuckled. "I may not hear your thoughts, but I still think like you."

Vergil shook his head with a scowl. "I'm not concerned."

"Good." V said as he popped the toast onto a plate. "Trust me. You have nothing to fear, as you'll soon see." He went back to the scrambled eggs. "Now finish that list before Ashira comes down or we'll be late."

Calcifer hopped onto the counter-top. "Ms. Alice!" He said.

"Yes, Calcifer?"

"Can you get me some chicken?"

There was a pause, and then, "There are five stores nearby that deliver chicken. Where would you like to order fro?"

"Stop, Alice." V said quickly as he put a plate of chicken in the microwave. "What did we tell you about abusing her, Cal?"

The dragon sulked away, muttering something about how "she's really nice" as V set a timer. "No," He said, glancing at Vergil. "We don't know how she recognizes Calcifer's voice, nor do we know how to stop it. We suspect, however, that Nico may be involved."

Vergil glanced at the box on the wall. "Alice," he said with a hint of hesitation. "Set a timer for twenty minutes."

"Sure." The voice said. "Setting a timer for twenty minutes." Then the music began again, as if she hadn't been interrupted at all.

"Strange." He muttered.

"Useful." V said.

"... We'll see."

The second thing Vergil learned about Ashira's life; she took the train literally everywhere.

Honestly, Vergil wasn't aware that Corona had such an expansive railway network. Not that he had spent much time in the city beyond teleporting to demon locations and back. But thanks to the view from their apartment, he knew that it was much larger than Redgrave. Actually traveling through it was a strange adventure he'd never considered. Just getting to the grocery store was going to take over an hour. Yet, Ashira was well prepared, and had clearly taken this journey many, many times before. He figured that out when V had him grab one of her backpacks - purple for Monday and Wednesdays, Blue for all the rest - only for it to be about twice as heavy as he expected it to be. Even so, he didn't miss the rather endearing, blue dragon wing key-chains on both, a clear homage to his own.

"I had it custom made." She said when he asked her about it. "Nico has some interesting acquaintances."

But once they were actually on the train, Vergil was surprised when multiple attendants greeted not just her, but him by name. After the third time someone said hello and Vergil had barely been able to respond in kind, Ashira had pulled him past, proclaiming that he was just tired. A spirit-form (and thus, invisible to the human eye) V led them both to a private suite all the way in the back. Inside were two comfortable benches, a table in front of one, and a curtain in front of the other. And as he shut the door, Ashira had already pulled out a book for V and an oddly large book of her own, with bumpy looking pages.

The second he sat down beside her, he understood. "Braille."

She nodded. "I spend about three hours a day on this train, so I try to get as much out of it as possible."

"She went to a few meetings at the University about a month ago." V said as he settled on his own bench and flicked through the book. "Gave her all the resources she needs to start learning, and connected her with a few students who have the same disability. Even offered her a scholarship to take some entrance exams."

"You'll get to meet Sarah today too." She said. "She works for the city and helps out around the house. Today is the day that she meets me at the grocery store, delivers and stores all the food, then tidies up anything I or V might have missed."

Vergil raised an eyebrow. "You allow someone into our home?"

"I saved her from a demon attack." Ashira said. "She offered her services to me, the city pays her, and I know her soul. Even if I didn't trust her, she would be a fool to try anything." She shrugged. "I have to work with what I have, Vergil."

How did I not notice any of this?

As the train started moving, he put his arm over her shoulder and brushed his lips against her cheek. A silent apology. She hummed in response and nuzzled him back. "Don't worry about it." She said. "I know you've been busy, and I'm just glad you're here now."

"Teach me." He said, nodding to her book.

"I'm still learning." She said.

"Then we'll learn together."

She grinned. V chuckled in the corner. "I'm excited to see his reaction to your newest hobby."

Again, she blushed, not looking at either of them. "That's not until Saturday."

"Should I be concerned?" Vergil said.

"No..." She said.

"Just go with it." V said. "And follow my lead, if need be." He grinned at Vergil one last time before burying his eyes back into his book. The latter just shook his head and focused on Ashira. He'd see whatever she was too embarrassed to tell him soon enough.

The next three days went by in a blur. Any notion that Ashira was living a boring life went right out the window the more time he spent with her. Even the shopping was eventful. It had taken them about three hours in the grocery store alone, mostly because V spent extra time showing Vergil exactly how to shop for Ashira's incredibly detailed and well coordinated list. Afterwards, he met Sarah, and was quick to approve of her help, as she instantly reminded him of Kyrie and clearly cared for Ashira's well being. Loading the bags into her car took less than a few minutes and she was off, promising to have everything ready before they got home. And, a few hours later, Vergil learned she kept her word and had even shaped the hamburgers for dinner.

The next day, Ashira took him to the park where a small devil-hunting group gave jobs from a bulletin board. Some were mundane. Others involved actual demons. But she collected payment for the ones she had done a week prior, and picked up half a dozen other jobs. However, with Vergil interested to see how these "jobs" worked compared to Nero's, they cleared them within a few hours and made it back before nightfall. The hunters had been dumbfounded, but paid her regardless and told her to come back next day after that, they had ended up at the university, where Vergil was more than happy to explore the extensive library while she met with the other blind students that V had mentioned a few days prior.

At every point, Vergil found a reason to enjoy himself. Nothing felt like a chore, and it was all just a chance to spend time with her. Vergil knew he wouldn't be accompanying her everywhere when the week was over, as she had plenty to do on her own. But, it was apparent that she needed his help more than he had realized. As confident and self-assured as Ashira had become while navigating the human world, there were still many things that she hadn't figured out yet. It was no wonder why V spent so much time in his human form. Even simple things, like walking through a crowd on the sidewalk, finding the train station, shopping, or crossing the street was a challenge Ashira had to overcome. And while she had some more freedom with her ability to see souls, it was clear that even that was overwhelming from time to time. More than once, Vergil had guided her out of the way of something. And she was always embarrassed by it, even though he didn't quite understand why.

Friday nigh, he told V, in no uncertain terms, that he would find a way to take over for the more involved parts of Ashira's life. And, unsurprisingly, V had just chuckled and said, "That was the goal, was it not?"

But it was on Saturday when Vergil learned the last, and probably the most important thing about Ashira's life that he had missed out on. When she set her mind on something, she pursued it with a fervor that Vergil recognized in himself. And at some point since the wedding, she had gained a passion for dancing.

"This is it." She said as they left the train station on the far side of Corona. "Luca's Dance Studio." Even though she said the words with pride, Vergil could feel the nerves radiating off of her soul. For days now, both she and V had avoided telling him of this hobby. And as they walked into the building with a duffel bag over his shoulder and spirit V floating ahead, he understood why.

"Shy!" A tall man in a fancy black suit that was a size too small, mismatched socks, and black boots greeted her at the door. "And Vergil! I was starting to worry you wouldn't make it this week."

"I apologize, Luca." Ashira said, clearly for Vergil's benefit, as he had never seen this man in his life. "The train was delayed and I wasn't able to call you. I hope the studio is still available?"

"Always for you two." Luca said. "I don't have any extra bookings tonight either, so feel free to stay as late as you like." V hovered by the hallway at the far left of the room, beckoning to Vergil. Luca walked away, yelling the words "honey bun!" much too loudly for his own good. Vergil heard the light giggle of a woman in another room as Ashira wrapped her arm around his and V led the way.

"He's a bit of a character." She whispered.

"Noted."

After walking for a good ten minutes, V led them into a room that was clearly detached from the rest of the building. There was a small entrance with a few chairs and a locker overlooking a well maintained dance studio. Once they were inside, V's human form manifested and he leaned on the railing. Ashira gently pulled Vergil toward it. "We have official access to this room three times a week for about three hours, but I don't think Luca rents it out to anyone else."

"Do your small hunting jobs cover this?"

She shook her head. "About a month ago, I decided I wanted to try something new. And this district of Corona has everything. This place. An Ice-skating rink. Art studio with some specialized classes for people with my disability, and so on. So, V and I came out here so he could make sure I ended up in the right places, and I could talk to people on my own.

"But a portal appeared just outside of this building while we were down the street. And, as far as Luca knows, you and I defeated the pack of demons that tried to take the building down, then put up wards to keep the others away. Demons don't bother the area anymore, and we get a free dance studio."

Vergil paused. "When you said "we", I had assumed you meant yourself and V." He glanced at his other self who gave a knowing smile without looking back. "That isn't the case, is it."

Ashira took a slow, nervous breath. "No... it isn't. But I..." She looked away.

V shook his head. "Your communication skills are as lacking as his, I'm afraid."

Ashira sighed. "I'm working on it."

V looked to Vergil. "It was her hope that whenever you wished to spend time here, that you would be able to step into the things she did easily, should you want to. So, she and I went to a lot of effort to make certain that whatever man people saw her with was you, not myself." As he said that, his form shifted. For a very brief second, his skin turned as dark as Vergil's familiars had been as it morphed into something new. Then, Vergil was staring at a perfect replica of himself. V brushed back his new hair with a gentle sigh. "I'll never get used to this body, I'm afraid." He said, echoing Vergil's voice back at him. "And I may have made you seem a bit more... eccentric than usual."

Suddenly, everything made sense. For a moment, Vergil tried to imagine how a regular human would feel when presented with such a situation. But he quickly found that this wasn't one of those moments when that mattered. He was touched by the gesture. He had spent weeks neglecting her (albeit unknowingly and certainly not on purpose), and still she had thought of him. She had made certain that he always had a place in every part of her life, even though he hadn't done the same for her.

"I'm sorry." Ashira said. Her voice was achingly quiet, and Vergil resisted the urge to pull her to himself. That would be a disservice to whatever she was hoping to say. "I should have said something." Her eyes drifted to the ground. "I was going mad staying in the house all day... and I was really lonely. I thought if I threw myself into hobbies and learning and what not, that it would help. But I couldn't do it by myself, and the last thing I wanted was someone to think I was with him… or see you and I one day and think I was unfaithful." She bit her lip as Vergil's heart lodged somewhere in his throat. "So, when V and I figured out that he could look like you, that's what we did. But I realized that I may have gotten you involved in things you might not be interested in... so..."

That time, he did pull her in if only to press his forehead to hers. "I'm afraid I've been a rather poor excuse for a husband."

"No, no." She said. "If you weren't working, then we'd be back in Redgrave." She shuddered at the thought, and he couldn't hide a chuckle of his own. "And they're your family. I didn't want to take you from them. Not after so many years." She took another shaky breath. "At the end of the day, I'll happily be by your side for a very, very long time. But families sometimes drift apart..." She trailed off. "But I still should have talked to you about it. And for that, I am sorry."

After a moment of silence, Vergil kissed her before pulling away. "Is this something you wish to do with me?" He said, gesturing to the studio.

She blushed. "Well there are other options, as I've mentioned. This is just something V convinced me to try after we got the free studio."

"And you've been enjoying yourself." V said with a satisfied smirk.

Ashira scowled at him, but her lips twitched in the ghost of a smile. "It has been fun, yes. But..." She looked back to Vergil. "I was hoping that maybe you and I could find something to do together, once or twice a week. Something we can get really, really good at, so that even your brother doesn't have a hope in hell of catching up."

Vergil laughed at that. How long it had been since he had felt so relaxed. So content. And he was interested. If V was capable of whatever they had been practicing, then Vergil - who had significantly more strength, more practice with Yamato, and arguably more pride to maintain - could figure it out. "Then show me your best." He said. "And I'll decide from there." He didn't tell her he had already made that particular decision.

But V's grin implied that he, at the very least, knew Vergil's intent. "I don't know." He said with a click of his tongue and a shrug. "I doubt you'll be as good as me, other me."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Of course." V said, shifting back into his own form. "Who better to compete with if not yourself?"

"You don't stand a chance."

"I have been practicing." V said, tapping on his chest with pride. "And I'm afraid your time with Yamato is nothing compared to what we've accomplished."

"But I am the improved version of you." Vergil said. "Therefore, I will be better than you."

"Prove it, Vergil."

"Easily, V."

Ashira laughed, holding her stomach for a brief moment as she tried to catch any semblance of breath. "You two." She said between fits of giggles. "Are such dorks." They both looked at her, one perplexed, the other trying to hide his embarrassment. But she simply wiped a tear away and grinned at Vergil. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Suddenly, V smirked as he leaned his back over the railing. "Hey Alice." V yelled. "Play our dancing playlist."

"Okay!" The robot echoed back from the wall beneath them. "Playing Ashira's dancing playlist."

Vergil shook his head, baffled. "She's everywhere."

"And very helpful." Ashira said.

"... I swear I"ve heard that before" He said, glancing at V. Then, he lifted Ashira into his arms, smirking when the latter squeaked in that way she always did when he caught her by surprise, and carried her down the stairs. V burst into laughter as he hoped the banister, disappearing back into his mark on the way down.

Nero and Kyrie were making dinner when a portal appeared in the center of his kitchen. Both he and Julio, who had been stirring the vegetables after begging to help for nearly half an hour, had almost hit the ceiling when Vergil stepped out as calm as usual. Kyrie only chuckled as Nero glared at the intruder. "Have you ever heard of the front door?" Nero said, holding back a swear as he shooed a wide-eyed Julio out of the kitchen. "Just knock. Someone would have answered."

"The task you gave me is complete." Vergil said, tugging on his gloves and ignoring Nero's complaints. Nero blinked, surprised when he didn't see the expected smug, victorious smile that Vergil usually gave him or Dante when he won. But his father looked more composed than ever, and Nero suspected he had only dropped in to announce his success because that's what he assumed Nero would want.

"And?"

"I will be taking Wednesdays off from now on." Vergil said. "As well as Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I will also not be taking anymore calls after 11pm, or before 9am."

Nero stared at him. While he had hoped for something like this, he was still surprised at how curt Vergil was being. Clearly, he had thought this through. But such specific times were far beyond what Nero expected. "Alright." He said. "Easy. I'll add that to Nico's schedule and let Dante know."

"Dante is already aware." Vergil said. "And will likely be asking you to spar more often."

"Great." Nero said. "I could use the practice." He hesitated for a brief moment, then said. "It went well, then?"

"Your advice was both helpful and appreciated."

Nero felt himself blush as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Good." He said. "I'm glad."

There was a moment of silence before Vergil tilted his head in slight confusion. "Are you upset?"

"No!" Nero said with a laugh. "Honest. I'm actually..." He took a deep breath and swallowed a moment of anxiety. "I'm proud of you, Dad."

While Vergil's expression didn't change, Nero caught the slow blink of surprise. One of Vergil's very few signs of genuine emotion when Ashira wasn't around. At least Nero was getting used to it now. The first few weeks had been difficult, as Nero had been convinced that the concept of expression wasn't in Vergil's nature. But, after he fully accepted that his father would never be as obvious with his emotions as his Uncle, Nero started noticing the little things. The hint of smiles, and the obvious frowns. The tenseness in his shoulders or, in this case, the way they rolled back, relaxed even as he stood as straight as ever.

"I… appreciate it."

"Mr. Vergil?"

He glanced at Kyrie. He had told her a few times not to call him that, but had given up when she insisted anyway. "Thank you, for humoring us."

Vergil raised an eyebrow. "I was unaware that you were involved."

"I…" She looked away. "I'm the one who asked Nero to speak to you. When I spoke to Shy the other day, I just…" She trailed off, but Nero wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment, or simply because she didn't know what to say.

Vergil, however, hummed in understanding. "You heard yourself."

Kyrie's eyes snapped up. "I… yes I suppose I did."

Vergil was silent for a moment, pondering. Then, "Never apologize for wanting to assist someone else." He met her gaze, and Nero is impressed when she held it, despite her obvious blush. "Your intuition and empathy are better than most people in this world." She stared at him after that, unable to come up with a response. Vergil nodded once, satisfied as he reached for Yamato. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an important event to attend."

Nero rolled his eyes. "The word you're looking for is date."

Nero heard a quite "ah" of a revelation as Vergil opened a second portal and disappeared. Nero shook his head."You were right, as usual." He said to Kyrie. "All they needed was a little push."

She laughed. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Two Weeks Later

Nero was baffled by the man in front of him in more ways than one. This "Luca" person who Kyrie had asked him to meet with her was strange in every sense of the word. Today, he was wearing a pink leotard with tight sweatpants and a pink sweatband that held back his hair at an odd angle. But his wife, Carolyn, was in a pink dancing outfit of her own. So, at the very least, Luca was committed to that relationship. But Kyrie was enthralled by the studio owner's charismatic personality. Even Nico seemed impressed, and was enjoying a lengthy conversation with Carolyn on the building's architecture, or something (Nero honestly wasn't sure). And on the drive to Corona, Kyrie had told Nero that Luca was the best possible person to help run her new dancing classes. "The kids love him." She had said.. "And he offered to pay for a studio outside the orphanage."

It was quite difficult to say no to that.

"Every type of dancer walks through these doors. Young children. Competitive. The elderly. You name it, they've been here." The man was beaming with pride as he wrapped his arm over his wife's shoulder. "I would be honored to help bring the happiness of dance to your children."

"We were considering planning bi-weekly trips out here to give the kids some new experiences." Kyrie said. "Can we rent a studio?"

"All but one are rented on an hourly basis, but you'll have to call in advance for the larger ones."

"All but one?" Nero said.

Luca nodded, his smile widening. "That is reserved for a special couple who saved this place awhile back. They used to only come once a week, but now I see them all the time." He pointed to the hallway on the left. "I've gotten to watch a few of their routines, with their permission of course." He put his fingers to his lips and kissed them with a dramatic "mwah." "It's art, I tell you. So much emotion!" He leaned back with a far-away, but passionate look in his eyes. "I've invited them to a few competitions, but I think the husband is a little too shy."

A strange feeling settled over Nero. One he couldn't quite explain, yet he felt obligated to go down that hallway. "Are they there now?"

"Yep." Luca said. "You might be able to catch a routine or two, but they like their privacy."

Nero glanced at Kyrie, but she had already moved to stare at the pictures on the wall. "So much history." She whispered, and Nero knew he had lost her attention for at least half an hour.

And Luca was all too happy to oblige. "My wife and I would be happy to take you on a tour if you'd like."

"I would love to." She grinned.

"I'll catch up." Nero said. Kyrie nodded as she, Nico, and the other two were already walking away. After everyone's voices faded, Nero spun on his heels and power-walked as casually as possible down the hallway. Within a few minutes, his demon hearing picked up on the beginning of a somewhat somber song. A few steps later, the lyrics started.

We are,
forever as one in what remains.
You're in my blood
From the cradle to the grave...

Nero tilted his head, trying to pinpoint the song. He thought he had heard it before, as Kyrie listened to practically everything under the sun. Especially music with strong, female voices. But this wasn't one she had sung as far as he was aware. He reached the door as it shifted to the chorus.

So take a look in my mercy mirror
I need you more than I have known
So look in my mercy mirror
'Cause I'm not ready to let you go...

Taking a deep breath, Nero quietly pushed through the doorway. And while a part of him had expected what lay on the other side, he still froze in the entrance as his eyes fell on his father, Ashira in his arms, gliding around the dance floor without a care in the world. Nero would dare to call it beautiful (but certainty not to Vergil's face). The two were so close. So clearly lost in an intimate world of their own that Nero almost felt like an intruder. But he had never seen Vergil like this. So… carefree. Nero dared to move closer to the glass, unable to look away.

It's a wicked game life plays...

Vergil spun Ashira twice, so quickly that Nero almost missed it.

How it gives and takes away...

He pulled her in for that one, and she gently pushed him back.

No turning 'round, touching ground
What we had was so much more than I realized...

Vergil pulled her back, lifted her into his arms, spun both of them, and had her back on the floor before the last word. Then, they both paused, peering directly into each other's eyes as the song slowed for a brief moment.

If I could, I'd embrace...
Embrace you.

Then, Vergil threw her.

Nero jumped back in shock, narrowly missing the chair. The toss had been so fast and entrancing. For a moment, Ashira looked weightless, spinning sideways in the air at least four times before landing right back in Vergil's arms, unafraid and confident as ever. He tossed her out one way, flipped back another. The second her feet touched the ground, Vergil was by her side again in a moment so fast Nero was surprised he couldn't feel his father's devil magic propelling him. But it looked so natural. So... human. Two, very powerful humans, yes. But still human.

Now I know,
Now I know.
I'm not ready to let you go.

Vergil spun her again, but each spin brought her closer and closer until she landed perfectly against his chest. His arms wrapped around her back. Her's over his shoulders. Her head tilted until their lips nearly touched. He leaned her back just a bit. The music slowed to its final beats.

I'm not ready to let you go...

Nero thought his heart might fly straight out of his chest. Ignoring the sheer level of embarrassment - that was his father. Dancing very intimately with Ashira - Nero was awestruck. When Vergil had asked for the days off, he hadn't really thought about what they might be doing. Even so, he never imagined they were practicing this. And hadn't Luca mentioned multiple routines? Nero wasn't even aware Vergil could dance, much less with real passion. It was as if all the emotions he kept from everyone else were saved just for her. Just for this time they shared together.

Nero was well and truly baffled, and knew that this was a secret he would take to the grave unless Vergil himself said otherwise.

"Your spying has been duly noted, son ."

Nero shot out of the room, ignoring the quiet laughter that followed after him.