A/N: To GBAboy313, you make good points about Blitzo and Alastor. However, my depiction of Alastor's demon form was inspired by a NSFW pic of Charlie and Alastor that was bit… violent and sexual, let's say that. But the artist did a phenomenal job of depicting Alastor in a wendigo form, and I felt like it'd be cool if he had one, so that's another change that may or may not ignore canon.
As for Blitzo, I will admit that yes, a lot of authors do make some characters look good by demonizing others, and I may be doing that without intent to do so. Believe me, Blitzo won't be portrayed as some one dimensional jerk, but due to her own experiences with him, Verosika has no reason to really see him as anything but, and for the moment, she's the only character introduced in the story that actually knows him. Vortex has barely said a few words to the guy, and no one else except Arya even knows who, or what, he is.
Unfortunately, I'm not the best writer, and as much as I love this story, quality wise it's nowhere near my best work.
However, your points are valid, and I thought I'd acknowledge and respond in kind. I'm glad you, and everyone else are enjoying this story in spite of it's probably obvious flaws.
With that said though, on with the story!
It had been a good few hours since Charlie and John had arrived at Grundy's Plaza, and John, Beartrap, and Razor had all come down to join the others in Andre's apartment.
Now, the group of them were all sitting in a circle, Razor and John having pulled over chairs from the dinner table while Beartrap took a seat on his mother's lap, the seven of them sharing stories, though mostly Charlie was simply hearing old stories from the group.
"Wait, he did what?!" Charlie was giggling like a madwoman as the family of hellhounds and imp recalled a particular story involving John, Beartrap, and a one Sir Pentious.
"Oh yeah!" John nodded with a grin on his face. "Little fella over there had his jaws clamped down onto Snakey's tail, and we're just sitting there watching him run around like a bat out of hell trying to shake him off."
"Mommy says that once my jaws clamp, not much can pry them open!" Beartrap boasted eagerly, looking at the Princess with pride on his face.
"Yeah, I learned that the hard way." Arya muttered in agreement with her son, unconciously rubbing her breast as she recalled when Beartrap's teeth had started growing in.
"You should've seen it!" Razor laughed like a madman, cackles filling the room as he nearly fell out of his chair. "Fucking bastard's crying 'PLEASSSE! GET HIM OFF!'"
Charlie's hand covered her mouth out of habit as her giggled turned to full blown laughter, the mental image being conjured something out of a saturday morning cartoon. "How'd you get him off?"
"Made him agree never to show his face around here again." Andre said with a chuckle. "Told him that John wasn't gonna pry Benny off till he agreed."
"'YESSS, YESSS, JUSSST GET HIM OFF!'" Madrox recalled, mimicking the lisp, if it could be called that, of snake-like inventor. "Bastard agreed real quick with those concrete teeth on his tail."
"Then these assholes got to watch me chase him around cause he wouldn't stop running!" Though his tone sounded frustrated, the smile on John's face spoke more than his tone ever could. "When I finally snagged the jackass, I had to step on his tail so that I could pry Beartrap's teeth off him!"
"We ain't seen scale nor slime of him since." Andre remarked, giving a light chuckle. "Last we heard of him was that battle in Pentagram City." He gave Charlie an amused glance. "Pretty sure that was the same time you were battling that Katie Killjoy on live television, wasn't it?"
Charlie's laughter stopped short as her face turned red out of embarrasment at that particular incident being brought up. "Uh… oops?"
A cacaphony of laughter from everyone echoed through the room.
"Do you all have to be so loud?" A new voice groaned out, catching everyone's attention as they turned towards the door that had been closed for the past few hours.
A hellhound with grey fur walked out, rubbing at her eyes tiredly as she looked towards the group settled in the main room. She wore a purple T-Shirt, and a pair of loose joggers were around her legs. Her right eye had the same scared birthmark/deformity that Andre carried.
Though Charlie was curious as to the newcomer, John raised an eyebrow. "Well, good evening, sleeping beauty." He teased with a grin.
Andre, however, had a stern gaze. "You should've been up hours ago, Viviene, and you know it." His tone booked no room for argument as he looked at the hellhound.
Viv let out a sigh as she stretched, giving a smile that was a mix of tired and sheepish. "Sorry, Dad." She apologized. "Me and Laney got caught up in the-wait a second!" The hellhound perked up as she finally processed who all was present, and her eyes immediately zoned in on John, who grinned and gave a small wave.
"Hey, Viv."
"JOHN!" With speed that astounded Charlie, Viv immediately dashed for the sinner, leaping up and wrapping her arms around the spikey behemoth's neck with an excited smile as she pressed her face against his.
John let out a chuckle as he hugged her back to the best of her ability, considering she was hugging him from his side. "Good to see you too."
"When did you get back?" Viv asked when she finally let go, looking up at John with a smile. "I didn't know you were coming!"
"He got back a few hours ago." Madrox said with a smile, watching the scene with a raised eyebrow. "Came to visit for a few hours, surprised all of us. Even brought a guest!" He gestured towards Charlie, and Viv's eyes widened in surprise when they landed on the Princess of Hell.
"Hi." Charlie greeted with a smile. "Nice to meet you." She said as she offered her hand to the hellhound.
"You too…" Viv whispered, just barely managing to raise her arm and shake the Princess's hand over the shock of just who she was looking at.
Andre rolled his eyes at his daughter's behavior, though he had a smile on his face this time. "Pick your jaw up off the ground, Viv. You'll be seeing a lot of her some time soon." He said with a shake of his head at his daughter's antics.
Viv nodded. "Right, sorry." She said with a blush, brushing her hair back behind her head. "I'm Viviene." She introduced herself properly.
Charlie nodded, smiling at the girl's embarassed demeanor. "You can call me Charlie." She said with a smile.
Viv nodded at the Princess's words, before turning to look at John. "How'd you manage this?" She with a raised eyebrow.
John smirked as he looked at Charlie with a raised eyebrow. "She made a bet with me."
Viv turned to look at Charlie with a sympathetic smile. "You poor, poor soul."
Charlie rolled her eyes at the hellhound's words, though the smile was still on her face. "Where was this warning when I made the bet?" She asked with a shake of her head.
John let a chuckle escape from his own lips. "Oh, please, Vaggie guessed what it was the moment I told her what I did to win."
Charlie's eyes widened in horror. "You wouldn't dare."
"What did you have to do?" Razor asked with a curious gaze, though he had a grin on his face.
"I had to-"
"SHUT UP!" The speed with which Charlie moved managed to leave actual flames on the ground, as she was sitting up on John's shoulders with her hands over his mouth, eliciting laughs from everyone present. "You will tell no one!"
"Looks like the Princess may have messed up even with a warning." Madrox chuckled, looking at the site with a raised eyebrow, noting the look of amused surprise on John's face as he looked up at the Princess on his shoulders.
"You don't- EW!" Charlie almost immediately pulled her hand away from John's mouth, a trail of salive connecting her hand to John's tongue, which was currently sticking out of his mouth. "Did you just lick me?!"
"Yep." John admitted without shame, looking up at the Princess with a grin. "How'd you manage to get up there without getting your pants stuck on my shoulders?"
Charlie's eyes widened at his words. "Um…"
"Oh no…" Andre chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Charlie…" Arya giggled, along with her youngest son, who was laughing in her lap.
True to their guess, Charlie went to move her legs, only to find them tugging on John's shoulder spikes.
John let out a groan. "Charlie!"
"I'm sorry!"
It took the efforts of everyone there, Madrox and Viv holding Charlie by her shoulders while Arya, Andre, and Razor all tried to get Charlie's pants dislodged from John's shoulders.
"OW! Arya, pull the pants, not the spike!"
"Sorry!"
"Ralph, you want to get the pants off, not rip them!" Andre instructed as Razor tugged at Charlie's pants.
"Ow, ow, ow." Charlie muttered as John's shoulders poked her legs.
"Next, time, think twice, woman." Madrox groaned, since his short height meant he was holding his arms up to keep Charlie level enough for the others to dislodge her pants.
Viv rolled her eyes, before looking over at Charlie with a smile.
"Welcome to the family, Charlie."
In spite of her predicament, Charlie smiled.
Finally, after some struggle, they'd managed to seperate her pants from John's shoulders, allowing Madrox and Viv to pull her off and let her bring her feet to the ground.
"I'm an imp, woman!" Madrox groaned, hands on his knees as he recovered, though he was smiling with amusement. "I shouldn't have to hold you up like that!"
Charlie blushed, rubbing the back of her neck out of embarrasment. "Sorry…" She muttered.
"Tell that my aching shoulders." John said with a groan, rolling his shoulders a little. "These spikes are tough, but it hurts when they're tugged at, dammit."
"Consider it payback for the ride here!" Charlie retorted, giving the behemoth a playful glare.
John let out a chuckle. "Okay, I deserved that."
The sound of the doorbell ringing caught everyone's attention, and Arya was the first to respond.
"I got it." She assured as she moved towards the door, while everyone else moved to take their seats again. She had a slight bounce in her step, hoping their new guest would make the day even better.
When she answered it though, she couldn't help the disbeleif that ran through her. Her hands came up to her mouth as she starred at the person on the otherside of the door.
"Hey, Mum…" Verosika Mayday waved nervously, a small smile on her face, a far cry from the public persona everyone else knew.
"Rose…" Arya whispered in disbeleif, before the elation of seeing another of her children, adopted or otherwise, overtook her. "My baby's back!"
"Who is it, Arya?"
At the sound of John's voice, Arya's eyes widened as she realized the implications, before she called back towards him. "An old friend! Give me just a sec!"
The hellhound stepped outside of the door, forcing Verosika to step back as Arya shut the door behind her.
"Was that John?" Verosika asked, the tone of her voice an equal mix of nervousness and hope.
Arya nodded. "It was." She said with a smile, staring at the succubus for a moment, before pulling her into a hug. "I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Mum." Verosika whispered, gladly hugging the hellhound she considered her mother as she tried to keep tears from falling from her eyes. "I'm sorry…"
"It's okay, sweetheart." Arya assured, pulling out of the hug as she let her hands rest on Verosika's shoulders. "You're here now."
Verosika fought back with every fiber of her being against the tears that wanted to spill, the feeling of comfort that she hadn't felt in two years crashing over her like a tidal wave. "I've missed home so much… I shouldn't have left. Not like I did."
Arya's face fell at the reminder of why Verosika left in the first place. "I'm glad you've done well for yourself, Rose. But you told me you didn't know if you could face everyone again." She recalled one the past conversations they'd had after Verosika's departure. "What changed?"
"I…" Verosika's voice was quiet, soft, shy… a far cry from the boisterous and confident pop star that both the living world and Hell knew her as. "I've been thinking over it since Blitzo… since he did what he did." She admitted, averting her gaze, ashamed to look her mother in the eye. "But I was too scared… of Andre, Madrox, Razor, Viv… of John… Vortex… how all of them would react."
"Sweetheart…" Arya couldn't help it, her heart was breaking at the pitiful site of her child. She looked so scared, sad… it was a site no mother would want to see on her child. "Everyone was disappointed, but they all missed you just the same." She assured her.
"Even John?" Verosika couldn't help it, the question escaped her before she could even think of putting it back in.
Arya almost answered 'yes' on instinct… but she would be lying. As kind and nice as he was, John could hold a fierce grudge, and his remark regarding Verosika… well, she was very clearly a sore spot for him. "I…" She was honestly unsure of how to answer, because the honest answer would almost definitely break Verosika's heart.
But Verosika got the message all the same. "Oh…" She couldn't help but to look down as the unsaid message was made clear to her.
Arya could only look at her daughter, so heartbroken, hurt… she would do anything she could to take away that pain…
But John was family too, and she couldn't just ignore how this might affect him.
"Is John what brought you back home?" Arya asked, her face turning stern, as best as the snow-colored hellhound could manage anyway.
Verosika gulped, but she nodded all the same. "I… At the time, I didn't understand it… but I truly regret what I did to him." She admitted, looking her mother in the eye. "I can't begin to tell you, or anybody, how much I wish I could take it back."
"Rose, how did you even know John was going to be here today?" Arya couldn't help but ask. "He's been gone for the past week."
Verosika's eyes widened in surprise. "He… he has?" She was genuinely surprised, as she had not been made aware of this.
Arya's eyes widened, before her gaze softened once more. "You didn't know?"
"Vortex wouldn't tell me anything when I asked him." Verosika admitted, causing Arya's eyes to widen at the mention of Andre's son. "And… I didn't think you would either. And I didn't think it was my place, anyway. All Vortex told me was to find him, and I assumed he'd be home like usual."
It had stunned Arya, admittedly, the pure coincidence of it all. John and Charlie were only staying to visit for a few hours, and Verosika had absolutely no possible way of knowing not only that, but that he'd been gone for the past week at Charlie's hotel.
"I… I know I don't deserve it, but I want to apologize." Finally, the dam burst, two years worth of emotions, regret and anguish, pouring out of Verosika's eyes. "I just want my best friend back." Her voice was a high pitched whimper as she spoke.
It broke Arya's heart.
She truly regretted it.
Regardless of them keeping in contact, they didn't talk much, may once every few months. Arya never could've imagined that Verosika carried so much guilt over a stunt that she'd carelessly shrugged off at the time.
"I… I don't know…" Arya said, rubbing the back of her neck, feeling a stab of guilt herself at the way Verosika's face managed to fall even further into despair. "You hurt him, Verosika. You hurt him in a way he's never felt before. Even bringing up your name almost instantly destroys his mood." She admitted, looking at her daughter with a soft gaze. "You… you know that he may not want to see you at all, right?"
Verosika gulped. Admittedly, she had considered that highly unlikely possibility.
But she didn't have it in herself to leave it be.
"I have to try, Mum." Verosika whispered, though Arya's ears easily picked it up. "I'll never be able to live with myself if I don't."
Arya looked at Verosika for a moment, her expression conflicted, before she let out a sigh.
"I'll go get him." Arya said, turning back towards the door, opening it, and stepping inside, out of Verosika's view.
Verosika couldn't help but to fidget, nervousness building in her with every passing second she stood outside the door alone. She felt like she was a cramped closet with no way out, the feeling of utter dread and discomfort suffocating her.
But she wouldn't back down. She wouldn't leave.
She wanted her best friend back. At the very least, she wanted that. She wasn't a fool to think what she had with Blitzo was anything compared to what she had with John, she knew that now. And dear god would she love to fix things between them. But she doubted that would ever happen. So at the very least, she could settle for having him back as her best friend.
She could hear shuffling from behind the door, causing her to perk up, though out of anticipation or nervousness, she wasn't sure. Maybe both.
Finally, Arya opened the door up…
And John stepped out. Obviously, he had to crouch down some so that his horns could clear the top of the doorframe, and his own large frame obviously didn't help.
He looked just like she remembered him. His peircing blue eyes filled with mirth and joy, his razor sharp teeth molded into a friendly, maybe excited smile. Even the gashes and spikes covering his body did nothing to mar or inhibit his hansome features, which contrasted so perfectly with his long, unkempt hair.
John looked exactly like she remembered, like she'd dreamed, every night.
And then his expression quickly changed, all forms of positive emotion leaving him as his face changed to one of shock, and then one of anger.
"What the fuck, Arya?" John snapped, turning to look towards the snow-colored hellhound, none to pleased with the site of girl who broke his heart. "What the fuck is she doing here?"
"It's her home too, John." Arya reminded the giant gently.
John let an annoyed scoff. "Oh, right, let me rephrase that: Why in the hell did you bring me to talk to her?" He corrected, his entire persona radiating anger.
Verosika tried to speak up. "John, please, I-"
"I'm not interested in a single word from you, Verosika." John interrupted, his tone striking through Verosika's being as he snapped his glare onto her. "I don't have anything to say to you."
Verosika. Not Rose. Verosika.
"John, please, she wants to apologize." Arya tried in defense of her daughter.
John snorted, shaking his head. "Two years, too late, Arya." John replied without a trace, looking down at Verosika, his angered eyes meeting her own without a single hint of remorse. "I'm not interested."
Verosika could only look at his face, completely at a loss, unsure of what to do in this situation. She knew that John would be furious, but a part of her had hoped that…
No, she knew this was the likely outcome, she just didn't want to admit it.
"This was a bad idea." Verosika whispered, averting her gaze from John's own and towards the ground, causing John to raise an eyebrow and Arya to snap her gaze towards her. "I'm sorry, I never should've come here."
With a shake of her head, she turned away, keeping her head down so as to hide the tears as she made her way towards the steps, intent on leaving.
Arya didn't want her daughter to feel unwelcome in her own home, but what could she do when the one who's forgiveness she sought was so dead set on his hate?
"John, please." She begged, turning to look up at the giant. "For the love of Satan, just talk to her."
"I've said my piece, Arya." John said without emotion, staring down the steps and at the girl he once loved.
"John, she regrets it, she truly regrets it." Arya assured, examining every little detail on his face as best as she could. "I love her, but I wouldn't have came and gotten you if she didn't feel even the slightest bit remorseful."
"After two years-"
"For fuck's sake, John!" The sharp tone in the usually playfully hellhound's voice startled John, and he found himself looking down at her in surprise. "I know your hurt, and you have every right to be angry, but with all the good you do, why do you have to draw the line here?! Can't you just have a civil discussion with her?"
"But-"
"No!" Arya shut down any objections immediately. "You don't have to forgive her, and you definitely don't have to start dating her again, but all I'm saying is to please… please… just talk with her."
John looked at Arya for a moment, studying the poorly hidden desperation under her frustration, before turning his gaze back down the steps and towards Verosika, who was approaching the door with every second that passed.
And in spite of his anger, his hurt, his grudge…
"Ah, fuck me." John sighed with a roll of his eyes, before quickly rushing down the steps and towards Verosika, leaving Arya to watch. "Hey, Rose!"
Verosika's head snapped up on instict, turning back towards him, and he could see the tears in her eyes that she was trying so poorly to hide.
John froze at the site, and old instincts he'd thought he'd buried were bubbling to the surface, trying to cause him to act once more.
With a sigh of frustration, his fists clench as he stopped himself from crossing a line he wasn't quite ready to, he looked at Verosika. "I'm not gonna even try to pretend I wanna talk. I'm pissed, I'm hurt, and you're the cause." He told her bluntly, causing her to look down once more. "But there's no call for me acting like a child, and… well, Arya wants me to at least talk with you, so there's that."
Verosika felt hom fell her at the possibility that John would let her speak. "You mean it?"
John raised an eyebrow. "You know me. You think I'm lying?"
In spite the fact that he didn't look amused whatsoever, Verosika couldn't help the giggle she let out as she tried to wipe away her tears. "Good point."
"Come on." John said, gesturing up the steps with a tilt of his head. "We'll head to my apartment."
"Okay." Verosika nodded, anticipation and trepidation running through her as she followed John back up the steps, and towards his own apartment that was often left unoccupied.
She wasn't sure if she was ready for it or not, but she didn't have much of a choice.
When they reached his apartment, a wave of nostalgia hit Verosika. She thought she'd never see the place again.
It was a studio apartment, one giant room with a small bathroom off to the side. John didn't really have much in it. A TV, a game system with pretty much all known games on it, because Hell, a stand or two with valuables on it and a couch that folded into a comfy bed.
She'd know it's comfy. After all, they'd spent many a night on it.
"Come on." John said, waving along towards the balcony the sat on the otherside of a large glass sliding door at the other end of the window. "Let's go."
Verosika followed him without a word, watching as he opened the door and crouched down so that his horns didn't hit the top of the doorframe, before stepping through to the other side. Verosika stepped out behind him, shutting the door behind them. One thing she remembered about John, he had a quirk where doors that were usually left closed stayed closed, and doors that were usually left open stayed open.
"You got a cigarette?" John asked as he leaned over the balcony. "God only knows we'll both need one for what's waiting." He said with a sigh, just barely sparing her a glance from the corner of his eye.
Verosika looked at John for a moment. Smoking was a habit that John loathed with a passion, and you'd be hardpressed to find him with anything in his mouth.
Her presence alone really had stressed him out.
Without a word, she stepped up next to him, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and opening them, taking two out before putting the pack away.
"Here." Her voice was quiet as she spoke, offering John the cigarette as she put her own in her mouth.
John took it without a word and stuck the filter in his mouth, raising his index finger and allowing a small flame to light at it's tip. He lit the cigarette with ease, and took a long puff, before exhaling out a trail of smoke between his lip without even removing it from his mouth.
Verosika pulled out her lighter as she stuck the cigarette in her mouth, only for a dull spark to come out of it.
"You gotta be kidding me." Verosika couldn't help but mutter, trying the cigarette with irritation, only to receive the same weak spark.
John watched with a raised eyebrow as she leaned over the balcony, struggling with the lighter, and in spite of the circumstances, he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "Here." He raised his hand, igniting a flame from the tip of his finger once more.
Verosika looked at him for a moment, almost as if afraid that she'd anger him, before leaning towards him as she put away her lighter, allowing him to light it. She took a good long puff of it, before pulling away as she removed the cigarette from her lips and exhaled the smoke.
The silence between them lasted for what felt like minutes, neither really sure where to begin, before John let out a frustrated sigh, refusing to look at her.
"Start from the beginning." He finally said with a shake of his head. "How you met, who you met… and how it led to you on your back."
Verosika looked up at him for a moment, before she let out a sigh of her own, filled with shame, as she averted her gaze. "I was over in Pentagram City. I was at that sleaze Valentino's club, and you know how he is. As long as it was a paying customer, he didn't care what you were paying for, and he wouldn't mess with me because he feared you."
John said nothing as she spoke. He wanted to hear every word, before he said his piece.
"There was this guy, an Imp. His name was Blitzo. Well, he has everyone call him Blitz, but I don't know if that was how you say the name or just what he preferred." Verosika continued with a shake of her head. "He was there to kill someone, apparently. Paid Valentino in advance, so that the sleazeball would allow it. But… we had a few drinks. We talked about how Hell just sees me as a slut, a being for pleasure, and how he's just some punching bag."
"And this led to you cheating on me?" John inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"No." Verosika denied, shaking her head. "He… seemed like a good guy." She admitted. "I thought we'd become friends. A few weeks later, we were hanging out, I didn't lie when I told you that night that I was going to see a friend."
"You just neglected to mention it was a fuck buddy." John interjected rather heatedly.
Verosika flinched at his tone, but said nothing to correct him. "We were just hanging out, talking, watching some movies… then a sex scene came on. My hormones kicked in, and you know how they work."
John didn't say anything. He knew very well how they worked. When a succubus activated her hormones, whether by will or through their own arousal, they tended to affect anyone and everyone in the immediate vicinity. Though, it was still the recipient's decision entirely to act.
"I saw him with a boner, I was horny, and we just… fucked. Right there on the couch." Verosika felt the guilt and shame crushing her as she recalled the very action that had led to their breakup. "To me, it was just sex. Not making love. I thought there was a difference."
"And then right after, you called me." John recalled with irritation. " 'Hey, just wanted to let you know, me and my friend just had sex.' "
Verosika couldn't bring herself to look John in the eye as her turned his head to look at her. "I didn't… I didn't see what the big deal was." She admitted. "I thought you were overreacting, being a jerk. I mean, you knew- know, I'm a succubus. Sex is my thing."
John scoffed, finally bringing the cigarette away from his mouth for a moment to flick out the stub. "So that makes it okay." He muttered sarcastically as he brought the stick of tobacco back to his lips.
"It didn't." Verosika finally acknowledged out loud. "I know that now."
"So what happened with ol' boy? Blitzo? That was his name?" John asked with a raised eyebrow, turning his gaze back out towards the streets of the Hell Hole and away from Verosika.
"We got closer. I fell in love with him. Or… I thought I did, anyway. We got together, even got his name tattooed on my shoulder."
"Still got mine?" John couldn't help it, the question left his lips before he could even think.
Verosika looked up at John with a smile, finally meeting his gaze since they'd come to the balcony. "Always." She assured, turned her back towards him and raising her shirt.
In the middle of her back was a tattoo, with a heart around it, a pair of spikes jutting out as horns, was writing.
A gift to my first love: John Gallagher
It was written in beautiful, artistic cursive, and John couldn't help the genuine smile that came to his face at the memory. He had been there when she'd gotten the tattoo.
"Still got mine?" She knew the answer would most likely be no as she let her shirt fall and turned back towards him, but Verosika couldn't help the hope in her voice.
John's smile dropped at her question, and he looked at her for a few moments. Verosika's face fell with each passing moment that he didn't respond, before he sighed and reaching over to his right arm, the one closest to her, and raised up his shirt sleeve to his shoulder.
A similar tattoo was on his own, but rather than the spikes, a small little succubus tail was drawn at the bottom of the heart, curling around the center of the text.
A gift to the most important girl in my world: Rose Mayday.
"It was a reminder of our time." John admitted, finally smiling a little. "No matter how hurt or angry I was… I couldn't get rid of it."
"It's a good thing that Hell's tattoo shops don't need to penetrate the skin, huh?" Verosika couldn't help but remark, smiling fondly at the tattoo that matched her own.
"Yeah…" John said as he let his sleeve fall once more, before he let out a sigh. "So? What happened with ol' boy? Still talk to him?"
Verosika's eyes darkened, and John was admittedly shocked by the look on her face. It was one not even he had ever seen on her face. A look of pure and utter hate.
"I wouldn't go within ten feet of him if I didn't have to." She snarled, looking back over the city and taking a long, calming puff of her cigarette. "But just my luck that my recording studio is right across the hall from his company office."
"What happened between you two?" John asked, genuinely curious. "I've never seen you with so much hate for anyone, not even Valentino, and you know what he tried to do to me."
Verosika shook her head, her eyes falling closed as she brought her hand up to her head in frustration. "I asked him to marry me. He said yes. And then the next morning-"
"He stole your car and your credit card." John recalled, remembering that particular phone call, and the cold words he'd spoken. "After three months, I was the first person you called."
"You once told me that you'd always be there for me." Verosika recalled John's own words, a year before they'd gotten together, when they were still best friends. "That you'd always be a shoulder to lean on, a friend to talk to. When we got together, you said it'd still be that way, even if we broke up." Verosika's look of frustration turned to one of sadness and remorse. "Instead, you said never to call you again."
John's face was expressionless. Admittedly, he was torn.
He had said that. He had promised her that.
But she had destroyed his heart in a way that he'd never felt before. Taking into account all of his experiences, both in life, and in Hell, Verosika was only his second girlfriend, Maddie was his first. And he'd never experienced an actual breakup with Maddie, his death had done that for them.
"That was the first time I felt true regret." Verosika admitted, and her voice cracked, as she tried to hold back tears from falling. Her emotions were bubbling through, but she wasn't going to try and manipulate John with tears. "That was when I realized what I did to you. How I'd truly hurt you."
John nodded, taking a puff from his cigarette as he tore it from his lips once more, tapping to bump the stub off once more.
"I wanted to come back. I wanted to come home, beg, plead, anything to get you to forgive me." She added, taking a long breath and a puff from her own cigarette as she tapped out the stub as well. "But I was too scared. I was too scared to face the anger, or another cold response."
A part of John felt guilt welling inside him, because he knew, her fears were warranted.
Even if she'd managed to somehow get through to him, with no help at all, let's assume, she'd have faced unimaginable scorn from him before she ever managed to break to break through to him.
He would've faced with so much hate in himself towards her, that much of it may not even have been deserved, no matter what anyone said, and she would've been left as nothing more than a bawling mess.
He would go too far. With his words alone.
Because god knows he could say cruel things to people when he was angry. No one was ever safe from it. It was a fault of his own, no one elses, and he acknowledged it. Unfortunately, it wasn't something he could fix so easily, and he's tried hard in the past.
Because the truth is, not everything said when one is angry is bullshit. In fact, quite the opposite. More often than not, what's said is the truth, and it's said in a harsh, cruel way, just to hurt someone's feelings.
"I called Mum after I called you." She admitted. "And she… she was disappointed, but she still tried to make me feel better when I finally managed to tell her what Blitzo had done." Verosika let a sniffle escape her, suppressed, though audible nonetheless. "And all I can think of now is that I didn't deserve it."
"I heard Vortex agreed to be your body guard." John recalled the hellhound's words. His brother's words. "Said you weren't like you used to be, but you could still be a bitch."
"I don't know how puts up with me." Verosika admitted with a shake of her head. "God, he's not wrong. I'm such a bitch to him, practically everyone nowadays, that it's a wonder he stayed after the first week."
"He cares, Rose." John reminded her, flicking his cigarette once more as he put it back in his mouth. "He cares for you, they all do. Beartrap was torn to hell when his big sis didn't come home. Viv misses her best friend, Madrox felt like a failure, and the less said about Andre, the better. Vortex missed you, but he knew nothing was his fault at the very least. I'm the only one who didn't- doesn't care either way."
"It was Tex who finally conviced me to come back, you know, to face you." Verosika revealed, looking up at John. "When I found out he'd seen you, I begged him, pleaded with him, I got down on my knees and I think I actually ripped his shirt." She recalled the moment vividly in her mind. "But he told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to know, to find you myself."
"Really?" Though he didn't know if he could ever admit it, John was truly touched. In spite of what she did, she had truly cared for him all this time. Though he was the one who broke up with her, obviously, he'd always felt like she'd discarded him like a piece of trash. Now to know that wasn't the case…
But it still didn't change what she did.
"I was still scared… I am still scared… but I knew I needed to face you eventually… because if I didn't, god only knows what I'd have done to myself." Verosika threw her cigarette over the balcony, nothing but the filter remaining at this point, as she finally turned to face him fully. "I know what I did to you. I know there was nothing okay about it. It wasn't right, it wasn't just sex. I betrayed you."
John stood up, his brow furrowing, in what was either confusion, disbelief, or satisfaction, he didn't know, as he listened to her speak.
"I treated it as if it were something normal, no big deal, when it meant everything to you. I threw your feelings to the side for my own satisfaction, and I've had two years to realize that. I can't begin to tell you how much I hate myself for it." She averted her gaze for a moment, trying to stiffle her tears, her emotions, her own instincts…
But one's emotions can only be held back for so long.
"I'm so fucking sorry!"
John's eyes widened and he instinctually tensed up, his arms raising in surprise as Verosika suddenly closed the already small distance between them, wrapping her arms in his shirt and gripping it with enough force to tear it even more than it already was, burying her face into it as the dam finally burst and tears came flowing out of her face.
"I'm sorry! I can't say it enough! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so-o-orry!" Her voice broke, cracked, and rose in pitch with each word as the guilt and shame finally consumed her. "I never should've hurt you like that!"
"Rose…" John's voice was firm, hard as he brought his hands onto her own, trying to tug them away from his shirt, but her grip was firm.
"I'm sorry!"
John flinched at her tone, and his own tugging at her arms lessened slightly. His resolve was breaking, and it was breaking down fast. No matter how much he wished it weren't so, the hatred and fury was dissolving quickly as his heartbreak from simply her's ate at him. "Rose…" His voice was still stern, but it wasn't as firm.
"I'm sorry!"
"Rose…" John's voice finally wavered some, but he still attempted to stand strong.
"I'm sorry!"
Everything had a limit.
"Rose, stop!" Finally, he tugged her arms from his shirt, gentle enough not to hurt her, regardless of his shirt, but hard enough to cause her gaze to snap to his own.
And then he realized his plan backfired, as he was forced look at her face.
It was the symbol of pure and utter regret. Of complete heartbreak.
Rose Mayday was broken.
And what little resolve remained was shattered in that instant.
"I'm sorry too." His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but she heard it nonetheless.
"Wha-What?" She stuttered out, looking up at him in surprise. "Why are you-"
"It may have been your actions that caused this, but I did nothing to help the situation." John explained himself. Regardless of whether it was well deserved or misplaced, the behemoth finally felt guilt bubble to the surface, and it wasn't even his fault for the situation. "Your fears were justified, and I felt satisfaction in your pain. I thought you didn't care, I treated you like another third rate whore, and I didn't care less for what happened to you."
He admitted all of it. Every word was true, and he couldn't help but feel even more guilt as he looked at her, so broken in front of him.
"I never tried to find you. I never tried to set things straight, I never cared if you were okay. I just assumed so much, and didn't care if it was true or not, and for that, I am so sorry."
"John, you have nothing to-"
"I don't care, Rose!" John snapped, letting go of her wrists as he brought them up to his head, leaning back over the railing. "It doesn't matter if I actually have anything to feel bad for, I'm sorry too!"
Silence followed the declaration, John too ashamed of himself to look at Verosika, while the succubus looked at him in complete and utter shock.
"I'm sorry too." John's voice was barely above a whisper, and it was broken, but it was nothing but sincere.
Verosika wasn't sure how to respond. She'd expected to be thrown out. She'd expected John to hear her out, say a few things of his own, and then leave. She'd expected rightous fury, cold words…
Nothing could've prepared her for the site of John Gallagher feeling guilty over his own treatment of her for a vile act.
John's shoulders shuddered, and Verosika found her disbeleif growing as she spotted a small droplet slide down his hand and fall to the streets below.
And then another. And another.
John was actually crying.
"I'm so fucking sorry, Rose." He whimpered, unable to bring himself to look at her. "It's stupid, I know… but I am."
He stood up, letting out a sigh as he removed his hands from his face, showing his eyes wide open as he looked up in the sky for a moment, before looking down at her, trying to wipe his face.
"I'm sorry about what that cocksucker did to you. And I promise that if I find him, I'll tear him apart." He assured her, trying to dry his face, to no avail. "I'm sorry you didn't feel welcome home. Hell, this was your home long before it was mine, and if anyone has a right here, it's you."
Verosika looked up at John for a moment, before she finally spoke again. "I just want you to forgive me." She admitted, her voice a high pitched whimper.
John nodded. "I do, by god, I do, Rose."
And it was the truth. He'd heard enough.
Verosika knew she'd fucked up. She knew she'd hurt him. And she truly regretted it.
And after letting go of a wall of hate, that was enough for him.
For the first time since they'd arrived Verosika gave a happy, though tearfilled, smile. "Can I have my best friend back?"
John smiled, sniffling a little, before he leaned his face down, closer to hers.
Verosika's eyes widened as she felt John's hand on his waist, before John's lips was on her own.
And just like she that, she felt an immense weight off of her shoulders, and she felt an amount of joy she never thought she would've again as she melted into the kiss.
It lasted only a moment, before John pulled away.
"If you'll have it… you can have your boyfriend back."
Verosika smiled, more happy than she'd ever felt in her life. "Oh god, yes yes yes!" It was more than she was expecting, it was more than she deserved.
But it was everything she'd wished she could've had back.
And she'd gotten it.
Her hands came up to his face, before she pulled him into another kiss, eliciting a grunt from the giant, before he gladly submitted himself to the act of love, pulling her as close to him as he could manage.
Unconciously, Verosika's tail wrapped itself around John, and it was a feeling that for two years John was unable to admit he missed.
And they seperated once more.
"I love you." Verosika proclaimed. "And I'm sorry I hurt you."
"I love you too." John returned, his thumb rubbing her tenderly. "And I am too."
The two stared at each other, nothing but love in their eyes.
And then John's nose sensed something.
"Are you hormones going off?" He asked in surprise, his eyes wide as he looked down at her.
Verosika blushed, but nodded, a small smile on her face. "You know I can't help it." She muttered softly, leaning into his chest.
John's expression became playful, and he smirked. "Who said it was bad?"
Verosika let out a squeal of surprise as she was suddenly lifted into John's grip, his own lips smashing hers as he carried her, backing towards the sliding glass door.
And then through it. Literally.
Neither of them were sure when they reached the couch.
Neither of them were sure when their clothes had been removed.
They just knew that for the first time in two years, nothing else existed, except for them.
And they were happy with that.
A/N: So a few things have occured here, but I feel like not everyone will understand John's sudden switch in behavior.
John's feelings for Verosika never faded. It's the reason he kept the tattoo. He just locked them behind a wall of hate and pain. And his own guilt, whether deserved or not, is a very realistic trait. It's one of the few things about myself I've incorporated into the character, and it's that he feels guilty for any wrongdoing he's done to someone, whether deserved or not, a result of my own life experiences.
Though not much of John's past has been revealed in this story, John's actual existence, per say, is years old. This is one of three iterations of the character so far that I have in a story on my fanfic account, and the original story for the character was on Fictionpress, but is currently going through a rewrite.
John has suffered much in his life, before and after he got his powers. His strength is so prominent not just because of his abilities he had when he was alive, it's a symbolism of his inner strength. The world of the character has been thought out in my head many times over, and he does have his own world of characters that are still alive in this story. The names I've thrown in and the things he's experienced weren't just random things I've thought up for the character, there things I've decided the character will have gone through long before I even put this story on fanfiction.
For those of you interested in the characters backstory prior to this, because not all of it will come up, PM me, and I will send you an overview of characters and a general plot outline for the original story that I'm currently in the process of rewriting, but for those of you who aren't just remember: regardless of the character development here, I've developed the character for years, and there's a lot to his life that hasn't been brought up or discussed yet. The only iteration of the character that has no real ties to this version is the one from my AOT fic, The Three Guardians, as that one was heavily altered to fit that world.
That being said, I felt like I should make that clear that John wasn't developed for this story, and so a lot of his character developement hasn't even been shown to anyone. He will go through character development, don't worry, but he already has established developement by the time this story takes place.
Anyway, that's all for this A/N. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in this one.
Add-On: Verosika being a part of a harem with Charlie and Vaggie wasn't originally planned, and I haven't quite decided if I'm going to add her or not, so don't get your hopes up of her staying on the harem for good. Just wanted to give that little warning. This chapter is not confirmation that they'll be together for the entirity of the story.
