Familiar Taste of Poison

by blinkingfox

Vergil has been poisoned and it's up to a human woman to heal him. Through the journey, the two end up learning about themselves and each other. (Post DMC5. Vergil/OC. I want to dig into Vergil's character now that his mind has been cleared of the nightmares and he's more accepting of his humanity. Just for fun.)

22. Hero

Yo I went through this so many times fixing random crap that I'm driving myself crazy lol. Not perfect, but enjoy! It's the longest chapter yet and i'm mega excited for sharing future chapters! Thank you so much to reviewers and all the follows/favorites I got since my last chapter! Really excited to hear what you all think. I also love theories ^_^

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2 February 2:14pm

The plan for tomorrow would be to deliver medicine, leaving Cyra with an entire day to prepare. She was at her desk, organizing what needed to be sent out. It was a bittersweet process this time. Normally she'd be eager to bring medicine to people, but this time it felt forced like she wasn't doing it out of the goodness of her own heart, but out of obligation. Maybe Vergil was right saying they'd only view her as a medicine dispenser. With the added news of having a secret cult, it felt like she was perpetuating it. Maybe this would actually be the last round of medicine she delivered. That still wouldn't stop the vendors from selling fakes, possibly endangering people.

Was there a way to fake Panacea's death?

Cyra's eyes settled on the alchemy book Eileen gave to her. She hasn't even had a chance to look through it. Talk about being overwhelmed with everything... The vital stars Eileen gave her wouldn't last very long and while she was a competent alchemist, Cyra never felt comfortable relying on people that way. How long would it take Cyra to be proficient in crafting something like vital stars if it took Eileen 100 attempts?

Cyra opened the book, inspecting familiar yet unknown text and symbols. Uncertainty washed over her again along with memories of previous failures. It wasn't even that long ago. Less than three years, considering she started dabbling in it shortly after Gabriel's death. No, vital stars could never bring him back, but if she had them back then, he possibly could have been saved… Her days of being a licensed doctor ended shortly after her introduction to alchemy. Who would have thought sneaking in demon parts she found on the black market was illegal in the practice? Justice was a lie - Even though Cyra meant well, using her knowledge to attempt to help people, laws and protocol always mattered more according to society.

Amelia caught wind of her antics and while she hardly encouraged Cyra to continue her pursuit of recreating vital stars- a reason Cyra still has yet to discover, her drive to help humans despite losing her medical license is the reason she was a suitable "student." Making holy waters in secret shouldn't have been a surprise to Amelia, and it may not have been, but it was always with good intentions. There was no reason to prevent her from learning to alchemize more items. Jealousy and feeling inferior could have been two reasons. But Amelia was a sorceress, there was no reason for her to feel inferior to a human who knew a bit of alchemy.

Cyra's eyes started to glaze over the symbols in the book. The familiar feeling of failure was coming back. Even if it took 200 attempts, she'd learn. With or without Eileen's help. It was more than just making vital stars, it was to prove that she was capable enough of making such an item. Not just capable, but better. Vital stars could save lives. There was a certain level of confidence one must have behind all that power, after all.

"Cyra…."

A man's voice called out. Gabriel? No, it couldn't have been. She was dreaming. But if she knew it was a dream, why wasn't she waking up? When did she even fall asleep? The alchemy books weren't that exhausting, were they?

"Cyra, we're waiting outside!"

"Who's there?" Cyra called out, her voice echoing between the walls. She was no longer in her bookstore. But where was she? It looked empty. She wasn't anywhere. No walls, not even a ceiling. The floor was illuminated perfectly around her.

"You can't leave me waiting!"

Gabriel? "But you're dead."

"Where did you get a silly idea like that? Are you having nightmares again?"

"No…"

"Come on, I'm at home in Red Grave! Hurry!"

Red Grave? But Urizen destroyed that part of Red Grave… didn't he? "I haven't lived there in three years. Plus, Urizen destroyed our old home."

"Uri-who? You and those nightmares…."

Cyra shook her head, trying to make sense of everything. This had to be a dream, "What about Vergil?"

Suddenly at the mention of Vergil's name, silence surrounded her. The room turned cold, even though she couldn't feel the temperature on her skin.

"Hello?" Cyra called out.

This time it was a woman's voice, "Gabriel will be disappointed to hear you say his name. That demon feigns loyalty to you because you cured him. Pathetic, really. He'll kill you soon enough. Forget about him and don't ever mention his name again."

"What's going on?" Cyra asked out loud.

A bright flash blinded her into shutting her eyes tight. She slowly opened them back up to see Nero standing awkwardly in front of her.

"Uh, hey, sorry to show up unannounced. I don't really know how things go around here," Nero said, rubbing the back of his head, feeling awkward. Why did being around her make her so nervous? There was a certain level of acceptance he wanted from her, but he wasn't sure why.

An awkward stare between the two was shared until Cyra broke it so she could briefly look around. There was no Gabriel. The voice certainly didn't match Nero's. It was a strange dream after all…

"You okay?" Nero asked her.

Cyra shook her head quickly, trying to erase the awkwardness she created, "Yeah, um…Just sleepwalking I guess," Cyra answered, unsure, "Anyway, what's up?"

Nero straightened himself out a bit, finding confidence in knowing that she wasn't annoyed with him, "Just wanted to see if you were okay after earlier."

Cyra was dumbfounded, responding with a deer in headlights look, "Um… Yeah, i'm fine," She said, not instilling enough confidence to make Nero keep still. He went back to being shifty eyed, and Cyra could tell, "S-sorry! Just wasn't expecting you to be worried about me," She smiled.

Nero let out a chuckle, "I know we didn't get off on the right foot, but anyone can bond over Vergil being an asshole, right?"

Cyra laughed, "I suppose so. I'm fine though. He's, um… very confusing, but…" She trailed off. What was the 'but'? "Nevermind."

"Hey, if you want to say something, just say it," Nero said casually.

Cyra snorted a laugh, "You sound just like him."

Nero hardened his face and tore his attention away for a moment. There's no way he would be similar in any way to that asshole, he thought, but if only he knew.

Cyra curiously noticed his face changing, "You really don't like him, huh?" She asked.

"It's complicated, and, not worth talking about, don't worry about it," Nero said, remembering what Dante said. He'd give Vergil his stupid chance.

"Okay," Cyra said quietly, nodding.

"There is something I wanted to ask though," Nero added.

"Yeah, anything," Cyra said.

"I help run an orphanage in Fortuna-" Nero began.

"Oh yeah! Dante mentioned," Cyra added, letting Nero know she was aware of his situation.

"That saves me some time," Nero chuckled, "Anyway, they get sick, being kids and all, and I wanted to ask if you'd make medicine when they needed it? I feel awkward asking, but don't do it for me - do it for them and Kyrie. She's the hardest working person I know, and-"

"Nero," Cyra interrupted with a smile, "I'd love to help out. Anything you need, I can get done with priority service."

Nero relaxed, "Really? With what Dante's said about you, you seem to keep busy taking care of the locals in this city."

Vergil helped her realize the locals never appreciated her, and now she was seen as some deity. She didn't need a full song and dance every time she made medicine. A simple thank you would suffice. Maybe even treating her like a person instead of a god would be nice, too, "Yeah, maybe it's time I shift my priorities. Helping kids is a lot more rewarding," Cyra said.

Damn, she really was nice. How Vergil got a girl like her to give him the time of day was beyond him. Nero felt bad for retroactively doubting her, "Thanks. I appreciate it, and I know it'll take a load off Kyrie's shoulders."

"Hope to meet her sometime!" Cyra smiled

"You'd love her!" Nero was excited. He loved introducing people to Kyrie as long as they weren't a threat. Poor Kyrie was always so busy with the kids and Nico, she hardly had a chance to hang out with other adults and make new friends.

Cyra thought for a moment. Kids really do get sick often. Cyra went back to her desk and checked the shelves. She pulled three bottles and went back to Nero, handing them to him, which he gladly accepted, "Here's something to start with. The two white ones are for colds to ease their symptoms. Common medicine. Green one contains antibiotics just in case there's an emergency, but please call me before you use it to make sure it's safe. Parents tend to overreact when it comes to infections and taking any ol antibiotic isn't a good idea."

"Hah, you just described Kyrie. She worries over the smallest rash if it doesn't go away fast enough," Nero said.

"That just means she's great at her job, and I'm great at mine, too," Cyra's lips stretched into a smug smile.

Nero smiled back, pocketing the pill bottles, "Sure as hell seem like it. Thanks again and sorry for how I acted before… Kinda jumped the gun and forgot who I was really angry with."

"Who were you really angry with?" Cyra couldn't help but ask.

Nero's intention wasn't to bring up Vergil again, fearing it'd lead to a conversation he wasn't allowed to have, but he couldn't help it. Either way, he dismissed it, "Dante. Just don't like being treated like I'm useless. Don't worry about it."

"Water under the bridge?" Cyra asked.

"Sounds good to me," Nero said and a strange silence fell upon them. It seemed like they both wanted to say something to the other, but wouldn't, "Well i'll leave ya be. See ya around?" Nero asked and headed out the door. He opened it only for Cyra to interrupt.

"My dad ran out on me, too," Cyra said, stopping Nero. It wasn't just the way he spoke in regards to Vergil. It wasn't what he said. It was his mannerisms, the struggle in his face to find the right words or feelings. Nero felt familiar, even if Cyra wasn't entirely sure why.

Nero froze. It took a moment to compose himself before he turned back to look at her, letting the door close. Confusion spread across his features, "So he told you."

The response wasn't exactly what Cyra expected, but she wasn't sure she expected anything. She just went out on a limb asking him that. Between her quick assessment and overhearing what Lady said, it made sense. Cyra shook her head, "No. You just did."

"Pretty good guess," Nero said.

Cyra eyes cast down to his arm, briefly acknowledging it being a big factor in his dislike for Vergil, though it was only for a moment before she was staring at nothing in particular, "Between your attitude towards him and his responses in return… and why your arm even had his sword in the first place, I, uh, guess the answer was just there." Silence filled the air, Nero unsure of what to say while Cyra was still trying to process it, "I wonder why he didn't tell me…" Cyra said, fully realizing it was something he'd never tell her. There was being quiet, and then there was Vergil.

"Dante said it's because he's overwhelmed with everything else," Nero said as if he still didn't believe it.

Cyra let out a chuckle, "Overwhelmed is probably putting it lightly. He looks like he's a ticking time bomb sometimes."

"Not really a comforting way of describing him," Nero said lightly.

"Oh, not like that," Cyra corrected her mistake, "He just won't talk about anything and bottling everything up is just… adding to his stress. I finally got him to tell me one thing. Who knows how many other things he's got going on in that stupid head of his."

"Well he's pretty lucky to have someone like you who'll deal with him. I don't really understand you two, but Dante seems to believe in it, so I guess I have no choice but to do the same," Nero said.

Cyra blushed, "Is it cliche to say you don't know him like I do?"

"Very, but I can say the same to you," Nero said.

Cyra bit back the urge to tell him that she still knew him better and longer than he did. Vergil's disappearance from Nero's life was probably a big factor in hating him. Throwing that in his face would probably only add her to whatever list Vergil was on. But still, it was both Lady and Nero who would still hold onto the old Vergil they thought they knew - even though both versions between them were different enough. Vergil was indeed quiet, but Cyra knew him. His eyes and actions spoke volumes sometimes, "Nero, um… I know you don't know him the way he is right now, but I know he is different. I can't see him ever admitting this to you, but you helped him. Whatever you said to him when he was V, it mattered. You matter to him and I'm sure he'll prove it to you once everything calms down," Cyra said.

Nero wasn't sure. He's spent months wondering if Vergil ever did plan to come back and get to know him or maybe make up for what he's done - not just to Nero, but to humanity in general. He still had his poem book, remembering Vergil's contemplation on whether or not he'd give it to Nero. As a memento or something, Nero wasn't sure, but it was still in his possession. He still remembered Vergil's final words to him: I won't lose next time. Hold onto that until then.

That meant he had something for their future planned, didn't he? Maybe his words did matter, but his human side, V, seemed to take care of that for him, "Guess I'll just have to take your word for it."

Cyra smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Nero."

Nero nodded at her gratitude, but didn't continue out the door just yet. He had to examine her face. There wasn't a hint of doubt on her face. Not that Nero was the best at reading people, but Cyra also seemed like a horrible liar. Everything seemed genuine or at least with good intentions. Once again he was wondering how the hell Vergil got her attention and why she'd even give him the time of day, "Now that you know, we can mess with him," Nero smirked.

Cyra rolled her eyes, but laughed, "Trying to provoke the ticking time bomb?"

"Nah, just something to make him paranoid, ya know?" Nero suggested.

"Hmmm that might be fun. Call it payback for being such a jerk," Cyra has a devilish gleam in her eyes.

"It's the least he deserves!" Nero said and left shortly after.

The door closed behind Nero and Cyra stood there dumbfounded yet again, finally letting everything sink in. Vergil had a son? Vergil had a son. Who was an adult. He must have been born before Vergil fell to Mundus' enslavement, obviously, which was 25 years ago? Oh god, Nero wouldn't see her as a mom, would he? Why would he, he's a grown ass adult! She's barely 5 years older than him! 6? 7? She just went out on a limb asking Nero the question. She wasn't expecting to come out of that interaction with the knowledge that Vergil had a son. Keeping that she knew a secret from him might be harder than she first anticipated. Too bad she didn't make this her night to drink.

3 February 11:21am

Cyra went to a man in front of a shop. She had the medicine in a small crate and wrapped up in cloth so it was easy to carry.

Vergil watched from a block away, from the corner of the building. He observed the man who Cyra was talking to as well as the people around her. As if his suspicions of others weren't enough, the knowledge of her having a cult following amplified that. Either she was that brave, or that unaware of the dangers of the cult. What surprised him even more was how comfortable she seemed to be around her male client - or associate, he wasn't even sure. It wasn't even a month since he'd known her, and not even two weeks since she was seemingly too afraid of talking to men, and now he couldn't even notice. Unless she just started to get comfortable around that particular man.

The man she was speaking to sat down and ordered her to grab something that was behind her. Doing as she was told, Vergil switched his attention to the stranger and noticed his eyes landing on her backside. Despicable human…

Whatever Cyra handed to the man was of no importance, but he grabbed it and turned his attention back to his lap as Cyra waited patiently. A new batch of medicine requests, surely.

Cyra's posture visibly sank, confirmation that Vergil's guess was right. She started heading back where Vergil waited, keeping his attention on the store keeper. Eyes were still glued to Cyra's backside as she walked away, unsurprisingly. That shameful man wasn't even trying to hide where he was looking. Vergil spoke first when Cyra approached him, "Seemed he got much more from you than you anticipated."

Cyra grimaced, "Don't tell me he's staring… Ugh he told me I was wasting my body by being a doctor."

"Did he now..." Vergil glared at the man and noticed the awning above him and his stand was dipped low. Knowing it rained that morning meant it has been filled with water. Vergil smirked, "I have just the solution," He readied his blade, setting his hand on the hilt.

"Vergil, it's nothing to kill him over," Cyra said with a hushed tone.

"Hm," Vergil hummed. Without further warning, a blue sword manifested next to Vergil's head. It then dashed toward the awning above the man Cyra just spoke to. The impact caused the awning to burst, dirty water and leaves dumping all over the man and his stand, drenching everything around him. People nearby shrieked out of shock when some of the water and debris splashed over to them.

Cyra let out a high pitched chuckle out of surprise, but tried to suppress it to no avail. Her chuckle turned into a laugh until the man yelled out, "Dammit, Gary, I told you to fix the awning!"

"Come on," Vergil chuckled with her, pulling her arm for a moment to get her to run. Even though it was light, his laugh was music to Cyra's ears and eyes, really. Cyra couldn't help but feel butterflies whenever he looked genuinely happy.

They slowed their pace, knowing no one would come after them, but Cyra's attention went back to where they came from, though she kept walking to keep up with him, "That was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!"

"I'm sure with all the attention you're getting from scum like him, you'll see plenty of my abilities," Vergil smirked.

Cyra blushed and pulled her arms behind her back, "You trying to defend my honor?" She couldn't help but flirt.

Vergil smirked, "And if I am?"

Cyra's confidence started faltering when he flirted back with her. She was just expecting him to change the subject again, "Well you'll probably have to be around a lot more for that," Cyra said, voice wavering slightly.

"Is that a problem?" Vergil asked, intrigued at her unsteady voice.

Cyra's face blushed, wishing she could have the composure he did, "Not to me, but I thought you said being around me was too dangerous."

"Well it seems like being away from you is just as dangerous when you get into these undesirable situations," Vergil said.

Cyra's grin widened even further at his response. She was still preparing for yet another outburst suggesting he leave her alone. There must be a reason for his change of heart.

Vergil's face slightly cringed, uncomfortable that she was staring right at him, "What?" He asked softly, yet defensively.

Cyra's smile softened, looking more neutral now, "It's just… Do you only care so much because I cured you?"

Vergil creased his brows, making him look annoyed. In reality, he was just uncomfortable. Hasn't he already told her how he felt about her? Hasn't it been clear enough? Although he supposed plenty of events happened since then, they could have casted her doubts. The thought of having to express those thoughts again made him feel nervous - Christ, he felt like a teenager - or at least what he could imagine most lovesick teenagers felt. He didn't have the same upbringing as most other teenagers, but he still experienced some bashfulness in his time.

Cyra regretted ruining the moment, "Shit, wait-" Before either one could say or do anything to appease the situation, their moment was interrupted with the sky turning dark. They both tore their attention away from each other to look up in the middle of the plaza where the clouds were swirling a dark crimson. Vergil protectively stood in front of her, even though the threat would have come from above, "Demon? One of Amelia's?" Cyra asked.

A figure was standing on top of a building near the portal. A figure Vergil immediately recognized as Gabriel. No doubt it was Amelia's demon now. Just then a large humanoid lizard demon jumped from above, crashing into the plaza. The patrons around started screaming, dispersing out of the demon's way. Anger and frustration washed over Vergil's face. They waited two days and it was enough for Amelia to recover enough to summon demons and puppet Gabriel. Luckily it was enough time for Vergil to recover and even reclaim some more of his own energy, as slowly as it was, "Seems we've run out of time," Vergil growled through his teeth and looked back at Cyra, "Leave. Run to Devil May Cry if you can," Vergil demanded to her and wasted no time dashing toward the demon to fight it.

Cyra watched him dash off so quickly she didn't even see him leave, he was just suddenly attacking the demon with the Yamato. Cyra took that opportunity to look around the plaza to see everyone still running away. Fear struck a lot of people as some struggled to stay upright as they ran off, but it looked like everyone got out of harm's way.

A child's crying distinguished itself from everyone else's. Cyra's ears perked, trying to see if she could find the child from the alley's point of view, but to no avail. Shit, Vergil would get mad at her again if she got in harm's way. If he was busy fighting the demon with no problem, then she'd be fine. Running ahead to the main plaza, she got knocked over by someone who just came from around the corner, running for their own life without any regards to Cyra's wellbeing. She couldn't fault them if they were scared. Most people would only look after themselves, but she was just shocked to see they just ran past a child. It was a young boy with dark hair. Cyra pushed herself off the ground, arm giving out from under her out of pain from landing on it with such force.

The child wasn't too much further. She managed to stand up, but people kept pushing into her. Running along the side of the building to reduce traffic, she caught up to the child. She outstretched her hand, "Hey, let me get you out of here," Cyra said loudly, but soothingly.

"My foot is stuck!" He cried.

Cyra's eyes cast down to his foot to see it was stuck under a table that fell apart around him. She hurried to the planks of wood and tried to pull it up, "Try moving your leg!" She yelled, voice straining along with her muscles.

The kid managed to pull his leg out, but he fumbled forward. Cyra let go of the wood and crouched over to the boy, "Can you stand?" She asked.

"My ankle hurts," He said holding it.

Cyra looked back up to see Vergil still fighting the lizard demon, spitting bouts of fire balls. Cyra looked back to the boy and turned around, "Get on my back, I'll carry you."

The boy obliged and Cyra made her way back through the alley in which Vergil originally told her to stay back in. Cyra looped around back through the front where humans were waiting around. Cyra's arm was already in pain from when she fell on it, but she managed to get to a safe distance before setting the boy down. She sighed and crouched back down to him, slightly out of breath, "You alright?" The boy nodded, "My name is Cyra. What's yours?"

"D-Desmond," The boy hiccuped through tears.

"Alright, Desmond. We'll wait for your parents," Cyra said and looked back through the plaza to see Vergil finally kill the demon. That was fast. The demon looked strong. Without any more time to waste, Vergil landed down near Cyra and walked up to her. He crossed his arms, but he wasn't prepared for what was to come.

Citizens were approaching him, chatter difficult to distinguish, "You saved us!"

"Thank you!"
"Do you work with Dante?!"

"You were amazing!"
"He's pretty handsome, huh?"
"Do you think he knows Dante?"

Cyra didn't have to see his face to know he was uncomfortable, which was putting it lightly. Attention was the last thing he was looking for. Suddenly, she started to understand how this city could develop a cult so quickly and feared Vergil was going to have a new fan club. Something inside her awoken, like an intense desire to protect him from all this attention. Maybe even jealousy? Cyra turned to Desmond, "Stay close to me," She instructed, holding his hand as she walked off to the side of the street, away from the rest of the crowd.

Vergil ignored everyone, walking past the collected compliments and questions. The last thing he wanted was to fraternize with any of those people. As he approached Cyra, she could see the silent pleading from his eyes that Cyra couldn't help but grin at. Awww, was he shy? He crossed his arms defensively, "How does Dante stand this?"

"He probably leaves before anyone gets to him," Cyra shrugged.

"Hm," Vergil noticed the child at her side, "I see you've managed to find a child in the 30 seconds I left you."

"He needed help!" Cyra defended.

Vergil chuckled, stopping her, "I didn't think for a second you'd listen to me. You've become predictable."

"You're not mad?" Cyra asked.

"Doesn't matter as long as you weren't harmed over him," Vergil said.

Cyra felt awkward talking about the kid when he was right there, so she turned to him and crouched down, "This is Vergil, he's going to help us find your mom. Do you see her?"

Desmond looked around for a moment and shook his head, "I came here with my grandma," He said.

"Okay, what does she look like?" Cyra asked.

"Ummm…." Desmond looked at Cyra, "She looks just like you."

Cyra's face paled and almost glared, "I look… like your grandmother?"

Demond nodded. Cyra could almost hear Vergil laughing behind her. She quickly stood up to stand as tall as possible, seeing Vergil with his arms crossed, but one hand was balled up, covering his mouth. Cyra glared, "Problem?" She asked, causing Vergil's smirk to widen behind his hand . Cyra kept her glare for a moment before a wave of pain shot through her arm when Desmond pulled on it. Trying to play it off was a failure, but she looked down to Desmond.

Desmond looked up to Vergil, eyes wide, "Are you a superhero?"

Vergil scoffed, "No."

Cyra could have laughed at his blatant response, but it wasn't unexpected. She turned to Desmond, "That's exactly what a superhero trying to hide their identity would say."

Vergil glared back at her and Cyra smirked in return. She felt Desmond tug on her arm, causing her to wince at the sudden movement. He pointed in the distance, "There she is!"

Cyra and Vergil's attention peered over. Cyra quickly noticed Nathan in the crowd with an older woman, both looking around, "Grandma!" Desmond yelled, waving his arm frantically, but did not leave her side.

Cyra looked at the woman next to Nathan to see a grandmother with dark hair tied into a bun, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She looked 60. Cyra's shoulders slouched, "Seriously?" Cyra muttered, Vergil finally unable to hold in his laugh, although it was quiet. Cyra wanted to mention the fact that he was almost actually a grandfather if Nero was close to having any of his own kids, but she couldn't spill the secret. She'd let Vergil have his fun while it lasted.

"Desmond!" The woman called out and picked up her pace to run to Desmond, so then ran up to hug her, "Where were you? Are you alright!?"

"I'm alright!" Desmond said and ran back up to Cyra, "This nice lady helped get my foot unstuck!" Desmond explained, tugging on Cyra's arm out of excitement again.

"Ah!" Cyra yelped, this time unable to hide the pain. All eyes were on her, but the only one she was concerned about was Vergil's, "I, uh… Just landed on it funny. Don't worry."

The grandmother looked up to Cyra and Vergil, "Oh bless you both for saving my Desmond and taking care of that demon! I looked away for a second and the crowd pushed us apart and I lost sight of him!" Nathan strolled up but hasn't said anything yet.

"I'm glad we were there to help," Cyra said, rubbing her arm.

"Truly heroes, both of you," The grandma said.

Cyra looked up at Vergil, who probably wasn't handling the praise very well. Vergil a hero? Cyra would have loved to help and direct the conversation to something else, but she'd consider it payback for laughing at the grandma comparison.

"Yeah, thanks man. Made our job a lot easier," Nathan said, reaching out to shake Vergil's hand, who sent him a glare back. Nathan took the hint and retracted his hand, "Alright then," He said.

The grandmother dug into her purse and pulled out a purple bottle, handing it to Cyra, "I don't know how else to thank you, but I have this Elixir that will heal your arm! It's Panacea's!"

Cyra's eyes immediately honed in on the bottle as she grabbed it, then snapped her attention back at the grandmother, "Panacea doesn't make Elixirs," She would know, after all.

"She absolutely does! It's helped cure the nastiest ailments, it'll take care of your arm pain no problem!"

Cyra bit her tongue to stop herself from speaking. It was dangerous to let her pretend this Elixir was anything she thought it was, but Cyra wasn't ready to get into an argument. Cyra remained silent as Desmond's grandmother grabbed his hand again, "Well, thank you again for saving him. We must be off now," She smiled and walked off.

"Bye!" Desmond waved back as they walked off.

"Gonna try to clear out the rest of the crowd before it becomes a safety hazard," Nathan muttered and walked off, but threw a glance back to Vergil for a moment.

Cyra watched them walk off and let her eyes cast down to the bottle in her hands. Cyra twisted the top off and took a quick drink of the strange concoction.

Vergil noticed and snatched the bottle away from her, "Did you land on your head as well?"

Cyra glared with the liquid in her mouth, swashing it around. She turned and spit it out, away from Vergil, "It's just apple cider vinegar, lemon, and grape juice," Cyra said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "Healthy ingredients, but it won't save you from anything."

"You don't say," Vergil said sarcastically.

"People are really out there thinking this is going to help them just because they think it's Panacea's…" Cyra mumbled.

"It's not your fault," Vergil said to her, quietly, mostly because he didn't want anyone overhearing.

"It is. Things like this only exist because of me," Cyra said, taking the bottle back from Vergil to inspect it. The bottle even had a fancy label stating it was an authentic Panacea product, whatever that meant. Her own medicine had nothing more than a plain label with the name and instructions.

Vergil tapped the bottom of her chin to look up at him, "You simply made medicine to help people. You can't control what they think beyond that."

"I inadvertently created monsters," Cyra said. Whoever was making these knock offs certainly had ill intentions, and all signs pointed to Amelia if not just to ruin her reputation. No, Amelia still cared about humans and wouldn't let them get their hands on fakes… right?

Vergil chuckled darkly, "This may sound hypocritical as a demon, but humans have been monsters long before you came into play."

"Maybe, but-!" Cyra said.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Forgive me for interrupting," Vergil said.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better. If it was anyone else, you'd agree with me," Crya crossed her arms.

Vergil sighed, "I don't understand you."

"Yeah I'm the confusing one," Cyra quipped.

"You excuse everything I've done, yet you find ways to blame yourself," Vergil said, ignoring her last comment.

The thought never crossed her mind. It wasn't so much that she excused his actions, she was just willing to focus on the man in the present rather than the past. However she did agree that she blamed herself, though she never realized it until that moment. But he didn't understand. Panacea's phenomenon was her fault because she created it.

Vergil noticed and wanted to continue consoling her, which was a strange feeling. It was the desire to be needed by her and not let her down. The thought was fleeting, because Dante strolled up to talk to the two.

"Oh good," Dante said, approaching, "Look at you taking my job."

Vergil instantly crossed his arms as if he was ready to put up a professional yet competitive front around Dante, "Don't get used to it."

"It's not over yet. There's been attacks all day," Dante explained.

"You think it's all Amelia's doing?" Cyra asked.

"Could be. Don't really know, but another portal opened up outside the city," Dante shrugged, but then pointed over to his brother, "Mind if I borrow Verge here?"

And leave Cyra? Well he couldn't say no to Dante without seeming like he's trying to abandon responsibility for a woman. He'd also have to leave her alone, which was more dangerous. Vergil glanced over at Cyra for some sort of assist in the situation, but thankfully his excuse came natural. He turned back to Dante, "I'll meet you at the portal after I take her home."

Nathan seemingly came up out of nowhere to put his arm over Cyra's shoulders, "Hey, I can take her home!"

"Nathan? Where did you-" Cyra asked surprised.

Nathan thankfully retracted his arm from her shoulders, "I've been here. Your friend's hero stint was appreciated, but it made for some congested foot traffic. Had to make sure people cleared out. What kind of cop would I be if I didn't?"

"You alright with him taking you home?" Dante asked.

Cyra tried to sneak a glance at Vergil who's eyes were trained on Nathan, "Y-yeah, that's fine."

"Cyra and I go way back!" Nathan said and lightly knocked the back of his hand against Cyra's arm, "Right, dollface?"

Cyra glared at Nathan, trying to telepathically warn him to shut up. It wasn't even a couple days ago that she warned Nathan not to try to make Vergil jealous. Although she supposed he didn't know who Vergil was just yet.

"Alright, well we got some demons to take care of then! Can't let Nero and the others one up us. See ya later," Dante said and started walking away. Vergil followed without another word.

Nathan watched Dante walk off and quickly turned to Cyra after a few moments, "You know Dante!?"

Cyra was startled out of her lingering thoughts of Vergil, "Yeah?"

"I can't believe you didn't tell me! Do you have any idea how cool that is!?" Nathan said.

"I mean… I guess?" Cyra questioned.

Nathan exhaled, steadying his excitement, "I've looked up to that guy for years!"

Cyra lifted an eyebrow, suddenly enjoying how much of a fanboy he's turned out to be, "Really? Dante?"

Nathan's face reddened a bit due to embarrassment, though Cyra didn't notice, "The other guy? Really? Is that who you were telling me about the other day?"

Cyra responded with a surprised noise, leaving Nathan grinning, "No."

"Did you not see the look that guy was giving me? If that wasn't him, then I'd be worried!" Nathan said.

"You should be anyway for that dollface comment," Cyra muttered angrily, "Didn't I warn you making him jealous would be a bad idea!?"

"So it was him!" Nathan said, "Didn't peg him as your type…"

"I don't think that's any of your business," Cyra turned and walked off to head home, knowing Nathan will follow her, which he did.

"Dang, still can't believe you know Dante!"

Meanwhile….

Dante felt awkward tearing Vergil away from Cyra just to leave her with… competition, was it? Not even Dante knew what to make of this Nathan, but he was sure Vergil considered him an enemy, "If it weren't for the multiple portals being open, you know I wouldn't need your help, but I can't be in two places at once."

"It's fine, Dante. This is my responsibility, after all," Vergil reassured.

He seemed calm and collected, which is a state Vergil was usually found in, although lately that composure faltered, but with certain circumstances, Dante thought he may be a little too calm, "You sure seem okay leaving her side," Dante taunted.

And Vergil knew his endgame, "Why wouldn't I be?" Vergil asked.

"I know you think I'm a dumbass, but will you stop treating me like one?" Dante asked, shrugging.

"Then stop being one," Vergil retorted back.

Dante smirked, "So is that the cop she went on a date with yesterday?"

"Why don't you ask her?" Vergil said.

"Hm, maybe I will. Unlike you, I'm not afraid of talking to her," Dante taunted.

Vergil tightened his grip on the sheath of the Yamato, "I'm not-!" He stopped when he realized Dante was successfully getting under his skin, "Nevermind, let's hurry with these demons."

3 February 1:16pm

Cyra was still angrily marching home, Nathan lightly jogging to catch up with her, "Look, i'm sorry for the dollface comment! I couldn't resist!"

"Yeah, you're sorry," Cyra scoffed.

"Just tell him I was kidding, what's the big deal?" Nathan asked.

"It's not that simple with Vergil," Cyra sighed.

"Well Vergil should learn to lighten up," Nathan said.

Cyra stopped and turned to Nathan, who stumbled at the sudden cease of movement, "He's been fighting himself over something, and I thought I was getting through to him, but you probably just pushed him back a few steps. He thinks he's dangerous for me, so I'm sure the thought of you in my life, someone who isn't dangerous, is now in his mind, and I don't think I'll be able to convince him otherwise."

"Uh…. what?" Nathan asked.

Cyra rolled her eyes and continued her walk home, "Forget it."

"Wait, wait, wait. So you're saying he thinks you and I would be better together?" Nathan asked.

"Knowing him, that's what he's trying to convince himself of, yeah," Cyra said.

"Why would he be dangerous?" Nathan asked seriously.

Cyra kept walking, but she turned her attention to Nathan, "He's a demon, after all."

That wasn't a surprise to Nathan, seeing what he was capable of when he was fighting that demon in the plaza, "Well, so is Dante. He doesn't seem dangerous. He just kills what's dangerous."

Cyra turned her attention to the ground in front of her, suddenly realizing she was at her bookstore, "Yeah…"

"Something tells me there's more to the story?" Nathan asked.

Could Cyra really confide in Nathan? It was nice to see a familiar face, even if it was related to Gabriel. But it didn't affect her anymore. Seeing Nathan three years ago would have been painful, constantly reminding her of Gabriel's death. Now, it was more relieving, like a reunion. Although still slightly cautious considering he was a police officer. There was just a murder outside her home and she's currently making medicine and unholy waters without a license. Deciding she could confide in him, she had to remember there was a clear boundary. Cyra gestured to the front door, "How much time do you have?"

3 February 3:47pm

Hours went by as Dante and Vergil took down the remaining demons that emerged from an unknown portal.

"Seems that takes care of this side. Hopefully the others haven't had too many problems on their end," Dante said.

"Yet no lead to that witch's whereabouts," Vergil said bitterly.

"Seems she's a lot stronger than we thought. Hate to admit it, but I think she caught us in her little illusion act," Dante said.

Vergil whipped the blood off his blade before he sheathed it, "No ordinary sorceress is capable of this much power."

Dante tightened his lips, "Yeah, I wasn't going to be the one to say it. You sure you don't know her?"

"If she's been in the human realm for as long as I've been in the demon realm, no. Perhaps Trish may know her," Vergil suggested.

"She woulda said something if she did, but there's still time for her to slip up, I guess. Good thing you were in the plaza earlier," Dante said.

Vergil let out a hum in response.

Dante eyed him curiously and smirked, "Who woulda thought? Vergil saving the day!"

"Are we finished here?" Vergil asked without skipping a beat. He wasn't going to stand around and be taunted.

"Ah, yeah you got Cyra to get back to!" Dante said.

"No," Vergil muttered and looked away, off into the city.

"No?" Dante asked.

"She's fine. We have to exhaust this sorceress' power while we still can," Vergil reasoned.

Dante crossed his arms, "Do you… sense any?"

Vergil glared, "Not here. I will patrol on my own."

"You wouldn't be happening to make excuses not to see her because you're jealous or anything, would you-" Dante said, but Vergil didn't even humor his would-be question by already cutting into a portal and walking off, leaving Dante alone mid sentence. Dante snickered, "That's a yes."

3 February 3:50pm

Cyra explained everything as vaguely as possibly, while leaving out some details.

"So your former mentor of a demon trauma center turned out to be a witch stealing Vergil's… demon energy... and now is after you simply because of association? For helping a demon she hates?" Nathan summarized what Cyra told him.

"Pretty much," Cyra shrugged. It was all he needed to know, at least. He didn't need to know that Cyra dabbled in alchemy or further science to create unholy water. He also didn't need to know that she got caught in the practice and lost her medical license. The mention of her alter-ego, known to the public as Panacea, wasn't necessary either. Vergil's history as Urizen or summoning Temen-ni-gru was also completely avoided.

"Wow, wish Gabe was around to hear this," Nathan muttered.

"I don't think he'd like to know I'm associating with demons," Cyra forced a chuckle.

"Nah, I mean everything else. You really turned his death into something positive by helping others. Plus, you seem… I don't know, different now. Confident? He'd be proud of you," Nathan said. Their eyes met and shared a brief moment of understanding without needing to speak.

Cyra straightened up a bit at his words, "Your turn. What's with you swooning over Dante?"

"I-I wasn't swooning! The dude's really cool," Nathan defended himself.

"You're totally swooning!" Cyra said.

"I'm not swooning!" Nathan repeated, causing Cyra to laugh, "Look… it's… When I was a kid, Dante saved me from a demon. He just looked so cool doing it. Of course at that time I didn't know he was a demon and had all these powers, but it's what made me want to be a cop. I wanted to save people the way he saved me," Nathan said, feeling more embarrassed as he explained the story, rubbing the back of his head, "It sounded a lot less cheesy in my head."

Cyra smiled, "No, it's nice! I had no idea… Have you ever talked to him?"

"In passing. Professionally. When there was a demon problem, he came in a lot to deescalate the situation. Never was able to thank him for what he did for me - my whole life," Nathan explained.

"Well when we deal with this problem and have more time, I'll be happy to introduce you to him," Cyra said.

Nathan started stammering, "Oh god, uh, ya sure? What would I say?"

Cyra chuckled, "Well you got some time, why don't you rehearse? Treat it like a play. I'll be Dante!"

"Har har, no thanks," Nathan replied, "Alright, back to you."

"What about me? I told you everything," Cyra answered.

"Yeah, you explained what's going on, but you still haven't told me about YOU," Nathan said.

"I don't understand?" Cyra said.

"Maybe it's just because I haven't seen you in a while and you're different now, but I don't know, you seem sad?" Nathan said.

"Sad?" Cyra said, looking down. Stressed, overwhelmed, scared, worried - she never considered she was sad. Too busy with other emotions.

"Am I wrong?" Nathan asked. The look on Cyra's face was stern. Nathan walked up closer to her, "It's not because of… Vergil, is it?"

"What?" Cyra asked, lamely.

"Has he ever hurt you?" Nathan asked.

Cyra's eyes widened and took a step away from him, "How dare you! He's never laid a hand on me!"

Nathan held up his hands, "I'm a cop, okay, I'm used to seeing the signs, and he's a demon. I'm sorry. I just had to ask."

Cyra quickly calmed down, "Y-yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that..."

"Hey, it's okay, you said you were stressed," Nathan said, "Truthfully, I just never seen you look like this, I guess."

"Yeah, cause you knew me so well," Cyra deadpanned.

"We were friends, weren't we?" Nathan asked.

"Please, we knew each other, but only because of Gabriel. It's not like we ever hung out," Cyra said.

"Still considered you a friend, you know," Nathan said.

"Oh yeah? Then why haven't I heard from you in the last three years since Gabriel died? We're speaking now merely by accident," Cyra said.

"You think I didn't look for you?" Nathan asked, "I tried! I asked his family, other people we knew, and no one heard from you. I looked up your name and found no records. Maiden name and everything! I tried, Cyra, but after enough time went by, I just felt that you didn't want to be found…So I gave up," Nathan trailed off, "And with what you said earlier, it makes sense. You've been a big secret."

Cyra felt a pang in her heart. She had no idea, "Why?"

"Why, what?" Nathan asked.

"Why did you look for me?" Cyra asked.

"Like I said, we were friends," Nathan said.

"It had nothing to do with Gabriel?" Cyra asked, eyes drifting to the floor.

Nathan knew what she was getting at, "I made a promise to Gabriel that I'd look after you if anything happened to him. That was a part of it, sure, but if you really didn't think I'd come looking for you myself, then I should feel insulted."

Cyra nodded, "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, you didn't know," Nathan said.

"No, I mean… You were his best friend. Of course you were struggling, too, and I was just thinking of how it affected me. I'm sorry I didn't reach out to you, either. It's just… after he died, I thought forgetting anything associated with him would help me heal faster," Cyra explained.

Nathan was silent for a moment, "Did it help?"

Cyra thought about Vergil in that moment. Disassociating with Gabriel's familiars didn't help, it just made the void deeper. Though at the same time, if she didn't start fresh, she couldn't imagine who she'd be dependent on instead. If it wasn't Gabriel, it may have been Nathan, or worse, Gabriel's family. Though she didn't heal faster, she deemed it necessary. After all, Vergil helped her heal and she'd never have met him if she kept her old associations, "Kind of."

"Just hope this guy you're pining over isn't making things worse," Nathan said lightly.

"To be honest, I guess I am sad and never realized it. I just want Vergil to trust me, and he still has a big wall up, even from me," Cyra said quietly. She began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Nathan asked slowly.

"You know, now that I think about it, it's pretty familiar," Cyra said and walked over to the picture of Gabriel she had in her desk.

"Gabe? That guy couldn't put up an emotional wall to save his life!" Nathan chuckled.

Cyra smiled, "Maybe not… But I could. Gabriel and I weren't always happy, even though I pretended everything was fine. I just wanted the best for Gabriel, so I was fine hiding how I felt."

"What do you see in Vergil anyway?" Nathan asked, casually, trying not to make it sound prying.

Cyra looked from the photo of her and Gabriel to Nathan, her smile faltering. How could she answer a question as loaded as that? She saw everything, yet he tried so hard to hide himself away from her. She saw the little things that made him human. His laugh, the way his face scrunched when he was uncomfortable. It was such a human look, it made her laugh. The thought of a powerful demon like him being uncomfortable in mundane situations. There was a certain look in his eyes when she would call out any of his good traits that he wasn't sure he had. It was a look of relief that someone finally paid attention to him and not his former mistakes.

Cyra put the photo of Gabriel down and pushed past Nathan to the exit, "I gotta go!" She had to find him.

3 February 4:39pm

Cyra walked to the rock spot where she thought Vergil might be. Cyra haltered her run into a walk until she stopped abruptly when she noticed Vergil wasn't sitting there. Cyra sighed, but continued to walk to the rock anyway. Admitting she needed a break, she sat down and looked beyond the trees into the city. With the sun setting, she could really notice how beautiful the view was.

"Am I going to need to find a new place to find solace in?" Vergil's voice startled her.

Cyra relaxed her shoulders and smiled, "I'll just invade that one too."

"Well if you'll be there anyway, perhaps you don't need to go alone. Unless you really enjoy making yourself a target," Vergil said casually.

"Were you looking for me?" Cyra asked, standing up, hopefully.

Vergil paused, scrunching his brows together for a moment, "For once, no. Shame on me for assuming you'd be staying put at home."

Cyra didn't know what to say at first. Should she apologize? For what? "I had to find you."

"Hm. Why?" Vergil asked.

Cyra shrugged, "Life is suddenly starting to feel pretty different without you."

The bluntness wasn't expected, so Vergil didn't say anything at first. Cyra thought she made a mistake being so open, but his words changed her mind, "Why do you think I try so hard to keep you safe?" He asked as softly as he could before his tone changed to be more neutral, "As difficult as you make it for me."

Cyra couldn't help but let out a chuckle, strange to find herself finding humor in the situation. Which reminded her, "You know, today is the second time I've seen you laugh."

Vergil raised an eyebrow, "When was the first?" He humored her.

"Mmmm when you corrected one of Dante's stories," Cyra answered.

"Ahhh, his memory is difficult not to ridicule," Vergil said.

"You know, now that I think about it, I may have seen you almost laugh when we were sparring?" Cyra asked coyly.

Vergil smirked, "I think you may be misremembering, grandma."

It took Cyra every ounce of herself to stop herself from reminding him that he was in fact much closer to being a grandfather, considering he had an adult son, but she bit her cheek and took the insult, "You know what, I think I do believe Dante's stories," she said as confidently as possible before sitting back down, crossing her arms. She wanted to slap that smirk off his face or better yet, kiss him.

Vergil maintained that smirk and walked over to her, sitting beside her, "Oh come now, are you that upset by what a child said?"

"How would you like being called grandpa?" Cyra asked. She knew he wouldn't particularly care, but she tried segueing the topic to Nero. Maybe messing with him would be fun.

Vergil's face did harden for a moment, the plan falling right into place with him none the wiser. He did think about admitting his relation to Nero in that moment, but decided against him, "I've been called far worse."

Cyra sighed, "Yeah, maybe I'm overreacting, but you adding to it doesn't help."

Vergil smiled, "Apologies for finding humor at your expense."

Cyra chuckled, "That's a pretty nerdy version of 'sorry for teasing you'."

"Hm. Maybe you deserve it after all," Vergil said.

Cyra just laughed and looked over to Vergil, seeing him smile back at her. The closeness to him made her feel dizzy and she'd stumble if she weren't already sitting down. Before he could stop her, or she could change her mind, Cyra reached out a hand to rest along his jaw and brought her lips up to his. Vergil did not protest and after a few moments, he reciprocated. He moved an arm to wrap around her back, resting lowly on her hip.

But it didn't take long before his senses kicked in, "Cyra," He muttered against her lips as he pulled back. Cyra opened her eyes and let her hand fall down to rest on Vergil's knee.

"I know," She said, "But if only you knew what it was like kissing you."

"If only you knew-" Vergil began, but Cyra shushed him with her finger.

"I know, "If only you knew how dangerous I am" blah blah," Cyra mocked, removing her finger from his mouth.

"Well, I agree, but that's not what I was about to say," Vergil said.

"Oh?" Cyra asked, encouraging him to continue.

"Too late, you'll never know," Vergil said.

"Oh come on! You never tell me anything!" Cyra protested.

"Should have considered that before you interrupted," Vergil smirked.

Cyra glared, "Sometimes I just wanna slap that stupid smirk off your face."

It was either the unexpected bluntness of it, or how casually she said it, but Vergil snorted back a laughter, which only caused Cyra to laugh in return. How was Vergil supposed to stay away from someone who made him feel this way? Perhaps everyone was right, even his subconscious who had the misfortune to sound like Griffin. It was just his current nerves of being in a weakened state that worried him of his capability of protecting her. If he were stronger, he'd never have these thoughts. Dante certainly read him like a book, though he'd never admit any of that to him. As for his own subconscious, well, he couldn't really argue with himself, could he? Griffon was right. It's not that he dreamed of a life that his own parents had, but he longed for a day he could feel loved and important around someone. To feel comfortable.

This time, it was Vergil who leaned in to kiss her. Cyra couldn't help but smile through the kiss. The wall that Vergil had up must have come down. Although she was waiting for him to change his mind at any moment, she just wanted to enjoy the moment.

When they separated again, Vergil kept his eyes closed for a moment longer to take in the moment. The breeze of the outdoors made it colder, even more so since the sun was setting. Her scent and presence made him feel warm all the same. The fear of everything disappearing and revealing itself to be a dream when he opened his eyes again was prominent in his mind. He just wanted to savor the moment just as much as wanting more moments like it, even if he was ashamed to admit it. Feeling undeserved, he sighed and opened his eyes.

And his nightmares came true. Cyra unconscious next to him, skin cold; a knife sticking out of her chest, blood pooled in her lap and seeping through his fingers.

Vergil pushed himself away and stood up, distancing himself from the sight.

Look what you did!

"No!" Vergil growled, a sharp pain shooting through his head. Like all the other times, he was unable to stop his hand from applying pressure to the ache pounding through his head.

"Vergil?" Her voice. It was calling to him in an echo.

Vergil's eyes snapped open and Cyra stood right in front of him, face laced with worry. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looked back over to the rock they were previously sitting on. No corpse, no blood… Eyes snapped back to Cyra, his breath ragged.

"Hey, you're okay," She consoled, touching the side of his face.

Vergil quickly gripped her upper arm. It wasn't tight, but he just had to touch her to prove she was real. He let it soften after a moment, but his hand was shaking.

"What happened?" Cyra asked softly.

Were these his own nightmares or were they influenced by Amelia in some way? Cyra had asked him if what he tried to purge once before had returned, and he feared that they did. However it was a new fear, and he wasn't prepared for learning how to deal with it. Losing Cyra wouldn't only be a detriment to himself, it'd be another failure. Failure to protect something he loved. Wait, loved? Vergil dropped his hand from Cyra's arm and pushed past her, "Let's go."

Cyra nearly rolled her eyes, "If only you saw yourself just now. You really think I'm going to act like nothing happened?"

"No, but I'd prefer if you did," Vergil said, not turning around. He crossed his arms, back still turned to Cyra.

"I can't help if you won't let me," Cyra said.

"I never asked for your help. Come on, let's get you home," Vergil said.

"No, I'm staying here until you tell me what just happened," Cyra said.

Vergil finally turned to her with pain spread across his face, even if it was subtle, "Not now," He said quietly.

Whatever was causing his pain, Cyra feared she may never know, but more importantly she feared that she'd never be able to help. Maybe this is really what it'd be like with him for the rest of their lives, or as long as they had the fortune to know each other. Cyra would let him handle things at his pace, she decided. It was all for him.

Cyra walked to her bookstore, looking back to see Vergil further back, "For my sake, will you please stay in for the rest of the night?"

Cyra forced a smile as a response. Vergil accepted the agreement and attempted to walk off, not without Cyra calling out to stop him, "Did you want to come in?"

Vergil stopped and glanced back noticing the slight blush on her cheeks. That blush gave away her intentions and it took every ounce of him not to say yes to her request. He even found himself almost agreeing to it. With a sharp inhale, "It's best if I don't."

"Says who?" Cyra asked.

"Don't make this more difficult than it is, Cyra," Vergil said.

Cyra rolled her eyes, "Sorry for not wanting to follow your arbitrary rules."

"Arbitrary?" He repeated with a question, "Anything I do is in your best interest, I assure you," Vergil said.

"Yeah, well, it's in my best interest if you stay," Cyra said, much too proud of herself, thinking she got him.

"Is it really me you want, or do you just not want to be alone?" Vergil asked, sounding a bit cold. He rarely used that tone with her.

"Excuse me?" Cyra asked.

"You have a much more willing candidate for the company, isn't that right, dollface?" Vergil asked.

Cyra's mouth opened in shock, unable to think of a retort back. So he was jealous of Nathan? What was his motive? For once, she wished he'd just speak his mind without any riddles or filters. When Cyra didn't respond, Vergil took this opportunity to walk away, but not before saying his goodbyes, "Get inside. Sleep well."

Cyra tightened her jaw. Sleep well? He just insulted her and told her to sleep well. Cyra could have gone back inside her bookstore and just forget all about Vergil, sure. Inviting Nathan over just to spite him seemed extremely appealing at the moment, but knew it wouldn't bode well in the long run. Vergil was already outside the doors of Devil May Cry, ready to walk in, before Cyra started her stride over to him. If he wasn't going to tell her what was on his mind, then Cyra would.

It was late and Cyra had no qualms about hitting the doors to Dante's shop open. She caught Vergil outside the kitchen, turning with a mild expression of shock on his face.

Cyra was livid and she wasn't trying to hide it.

"Tell me why!" Cyra yelled.

Vergil sighed, "Why what?"

"You know why!" Cyra said.

"I'm simply upholding my end of the agreement," Vergil said.

"There is no agreement! You decided this all on your own!" Cyra yelled back.

"Calm down, you're causing a scene," Vergil said harshly through his teeth.

Cyra briefly looked around, "There's no one here!"

"Uh, actually," Dante said, peeking out from the kitchen.

Cyra sighed, "Dante, will you please give us a moment?"

Dante glanced between Cyra and Vergil. His lips flattened into a thin line and hit the back of his hand onto Vergil's arm, "Don't say anything you'll regret," He said quietly and walked away, giving Cyra a wide grin on his way out.

Cyra glanced back at the door to make sure he left and whipped her attention back to Vergil, "Tell me the real reason!" Cyra said.

"I don't know what else you want me to say," Vergil narrowed his eyes.

Cyra's shoulders relaxed a bit although her frustration grew stronger, "You know, you're breaking your promise to me. You said we'd talk things through instead of having you ignore me all the time!"

"I remember no such promise," Vergil said.

"Bullshit," Cyra said, "You're a horrible liar. That or I've gotten to know you too well."

"Hmm," Vergil absentmindedly responded. He let his gaze linger on her for much longer. She was angry, almost to the point of tears, he noticed. It hit him that he could only tell that because he knew her too well, just as much as she probably knew him, despite how introverted he tends to be. Having her know him so well… He found it welcoming. He liked it. It was like she could read his mind or his soul. An experience he wasn't sure he'd ever have with anyone other than Dante and that was mostly due to them being twins - or at the very latest, family, "Perhaps you have."

Cyra relaxed her shoulders a bit at his tone calming down, "Well? What is it?"

"Since you know me so well, why don't you tell me?" Vergil said.

Anger washed over Cyra's face. He was mocking her, "God damn you, Vergil!" She found herself unable to hold her frustrations at bay any longer, "You're never going to tell me anything. You're always just going to play hot and cold on me…I can't do this anymore."

Perhaps he's gone too far, "Cyra…"

"Just tell me… Something. Anything! Or I'll walk out and I better not see you ever again," Cyra's voice wavered as she said it, lips quivering. She only half meant it. It was more of a threat - a test, although she isn't proud of playing mind games with him. But if he was treating her this way, she needed to be strong.

Vergil slowly walked up to Cyra, making her nervous. She didn't know his intentions. She feared that he'd just walk right past her. Not this time - he was walking right for her. He stopped directly in front of her and cupped her cheek, not wasting any time before he crashed his lips on hers.

It took Cyra by surprise and as much as she enjoyed it, it angered her. Thankfully her rage and willpower didn't dissipate by a mere kiss.

She pushed Vergil off of her, "No! I don't know what that means! Tell me words!" She tried to argue, "I can't understand you!" She raised a fist with the intention of hitting him on the chest, but she let it falter midway and just ended up pushing against him. She did it again and looked up at him, "It's just me, Vergil. Why are you so afraid of telling me what you're thinking or feeling? Haven't I made it clear enough that I care about you?"

Vergil slowly raised his hand up to rest it on her hand that was balled into a fist against his chest. Say something! He scolded himself. He didn't know where to begin. What did she want to know first?

-Gahhh, just tell her you love her and be done with it!-

But nothing came out. He certainly wasn't going to admit a particular feeling to her, but he struggled with what to say. Cyra was understanding, patient, but seems both traits were finite and Vergil exhausted it already. Supposed it was his own fault for constantly confusing her on where he stood, although he wasn't quite sure of it himself. Well, he was sure of his feelings, but it wasn't just that easy. He had many things to consider. The danger of being associated with him, his own personal demons he still had to work through… What were the other ones? Perhaps the list was smaller than he thought if he couldn't remember them at that moment.

"Cyra!" Her voice was called out, everyone turning their attention to the source. Nathan. Dante was right behind him, holding back a cringe. He mouthed the word 'sorry.' Nathan ran up in a slight panic, voice out of breath as he continued, "Cyra… I'm glad I caught you."

"Are you alright? More demons?" Cyra asked.

"I…" Nathan was struggling for words, "I know this is going to sound weird, and believe me, it is, but…"

"Yeah?" Cyra asked when he wasn't continuing.

"I saw Gabriel," Nathan said.

Cyra's eyebrow raised while Vergil glared over to Nathan. No, why would he tell her that!? Was this Amelia's doing?

"What do you mean…? Like, just now?" Cyra asked.

"Yes, right in front of me," Nathan answered.

"But he's…" Cyra said unable to comprehend it.

"I know, Cyra, but I'm sure I saw him," Nathan said.

"Nathan, there's no way. It must have just been a look alike," Cyra reasoned.

"I know what I saw! Come with me, I can show you where-" Nathan started.

"If you plan to further upset her, then I suggest you leave," Vergil interrupted him.

"I wasn't talking to you, hero," Nathan said.

"He's right…" Cyra said quietly, "You should go."

"Cyra please, I can't deal with this alone. He was my best friend, basically my brother. You understand, right?" Nathan asked, stepping closer to Cyra to put his hand on her shoulder.

Vergil could have pushed him back for touching her, but Cyra didn't flinch or look uncomfortable by his lack of personal space, considering he was a friend. He was still keeping a close eye.

"I understand that he's dead," Cyra deadpanned, staring at the ground.

Nathan sighed and removed his hand from her shoulder, "What's going on?" He asked quietly, "I know I saw him, but why? How?"

"Demons have been pretty common lately. Some of them can really mess with reality," Dante said.

"Why would one look like Gabe?" Nathan asked.

Cyra crossed her arms, "I-I don't know. Maybe… he is…"

"Is it something to do with that witch you told me about?" Nathan asked.

Dante and Vergil's attention both went to Cyra and she cleared her throat, "I didn't tell him everything," She said quietly.

"There's more?" Nathan asked.

"Nothing else you need to know. But you're right, maybe it is Amelia's doing," Cyra said and thought about it. If it could get them closer to Amelia, it might be worth looking into. Cyra stepped closer to Nathan, "Where did you say you saw him?"

Vergil grabbed Cyra's arm stopping her, "It's not him."

"What, you're now going to start talking to me?" Cyra asked, pulling her arm away.

"I'm asking that you trust me," Vergil said.

Cyra narrowed her eyes at him, "Why? What's going on?"

Vergil threw a glance at Nathan, wishing he weren't around, "Whatever you do, if you see him, do not go near him."

"Wait… Have you seen him?" Cyra asked.

Vergil knew she was going to be angry he didn't tell her, "Yes, he's-"

"You knew and you didn't tell me?" Cyra asked, voice raising.

"Cyra, please, I need you to trust me," Vergil almost pleaded, although he masked it with his usual cool demeanor.

"Trust you…" Cyra repeated incredulously, "Trust the guy who won't even talk to me," She stared deep into his eyes.

Dante and Nathan shared glances at each other, feeling uncomfortable.

Vergil knew he hurt her and possibly betrayed her by leaving out this vital information, "I'll answer any question you have as long as you stay away from anything that looks like Gabriel."

"Why?" Cyra asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"The sorceress is controlling him like a puppet. I believe it's either to hurt you or turn you against me and Dante," Vergil explained quickly.

"What!? You knew all of this the whole time and you didn't- AH!" Cyra felt a sharp pain in her head, stopping her from continuing. She brought up both her hands to hold her head, hopefully to lull the pain, "My...head!" She struggled to say. Her knees started buckling. Vergil inched closer to her, lightly gripping her upper arm to keep her steady, but she quickly pulled her arm away.

"No!" Cyra shouted. Quickly, she removed her hands from her head, seemingly feeling better, but she was visibly filled with rage, "How could you not tell me!?"

Even Vergil was taken aback. He's seen Cyra when she was angry and frustrated. This was new to him. Was she even capable of harboring this much anger? The rage behind her eyes was unrecognizable. No, this wasn't Cyra.

Dante stepped up, and reached for Cyra to calm her down, "This is all Amelia, we were just trying to-"

The moment his hand touched her shoulder, Cyra brought up both hands to push him away from her. A shockwave emanated from her hands, pushing Dante much further back than she normally would have with her own strength. Dante had to keep himself from falling as he recovered from the imbalance.

Everyone froze. This was well above anything Nathan has seen up close, even fighting demons. It's never come from this shy girl his best friend was married to. Vergil felt the shockwave push him back a bit as well, but he stood his ground near her.

Slowly, the rage dissipated from her eyes, returning back to the normal - the eyes he recognized; calm, with the slightest bit of fear, only this time, they were filled with fear and confusion. Cyra looked from Dante to her own hands, shaking. Looking back up at Dante, "I-I'm… I don't know… how- I'm sorry!" She could have cried if she weren't consumed by everything else instead.

"Are you okay?" Dante asked.

How the hell would she be okay?

Nathan looked between Cyra and the twin devil hunters, "I, uh, assume she doesn't normally do that?"

She was afraid to turn around and look at Vergil in the eye. But why was she afraid? She couldn't pinpoint it, but she knew she hated the idea of being vulnerable around him. She was supposed to be strong for him, either to impress him or support him, she didn't know, but it felt embarrassing knowing she was seen as a mess. It must have been how he felt when he was weak, and then she understood why he can be so aloof. Without answering any question, she attempted to run out, but with one step forward, pain surged through her whole body again, bringing her down to her knees before the pain was so overwhelming, she passed out.

This time, Vergil crouched down towards her, reaching to push her hair out of her face, letting his fingers linger on her face for a moment before he retracted his hand and balled it into a fist.

"That was Amelia's energy…" Dante muttered, "But how was she using it?"

"Cyra explained that witch can transfer energy. Is that what happened?" Nathan asked.

"More or less. I don't know what she told you, but it's best you let us handle it," Dante said.

Vergil stood up, "Nathan, was it?" Nathan suddenly felt nervous for whatever reason, but he nodded at his name. Vergil continued, "Where did you see Gabriel?"

"O-o-on my way home," Nathan said before taking in a deep breath to settle his nerves, "I took Cyra home and we talked. She left so then I walked back home... That's when he jumped in front of me."

That confirmed that Amelia was using Gabriel's body specifically to target Nathan knowing he'd talk to Cyra. She had everything orchestrated, "Anything else?" Vergil asked.

"Uh…" Nathan tried to think. Despite it being a mere 20 minutes ago, the recent events made it hard to focus, "He looked… different, I don't know."

"He's dead, make no mistake. That… witch is using his body. Should you see him again, kill it or don't let it hurt anyone else," Vergil said.

"Like some kind of necromancer…" Nathan muttered and started chuckling, "Wow, this is so beyond a normal workday."

"And hopefully that'll be the end of it. Look, we know you're a police officer, but we're not going to let a human endanger themselves. That means you," Dante said.

Nathan was star struck for a moment as Dante spoke to him before he realized he was finished with his sentence several moments ago, "N-no wait! I want to help!"

"No disrespect, but this isn't something you can really help with," Dante said, glancing over as Vergil picked up Cyra to carry her over to the couch.

"But I can! Look... You said she was a witch, right? Does she have anything to do with that Panacea?" Nathan asked which caused Dante and Vergil's attention to pique. Now Nathan was getting interesting, "I've been keeping tabs on her. The legends, the medicine, the cult, I have her almost figured out and-"

"Panacea as you know it is a myth. She isn't anything more than a medicine dealer. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but that won't help," Dante explained.

"Wait, you know who Panacea is?" Nathan asked.

"Well, I know she's not a demon or a witch, and that's good enough for me," Dante said.

"Panacea is dangerous. I need to break one more big case and I get promoted to detective. Officially. There's some recent murders that aren't leading anywhere, so this is my big lead. If I get you any information on this other witch, will you trade me Panacea's identity?" Nathan asked.

Dante sighed and crossed his arms, "Depends. What would you do with that information?"

"Expose everyone to the truth that Panacea isn't a witch - or a god, or whatever. If you say she is just a regular doctor, then that's good enough. But the problem is, there are people who believe she's so much more and that's dangerous," Nathan explained.

"And Panacea? Will she be safe or arrested?" Dante asked.

Nathan paused, "If it means that much to you, I can keep her safe."

Dante let out a chuckle, "Keep yourself safe. I'll tell you who she is if you can prove you'll stay out of this," Dante explained. Nathan let his shoulders slump, but Dante continued, "It's our job to take care of demons."

Nathan glanced over to Cyra's unconscious body on the couch, "And her?"

"She's our friend, too, we'll take care of her. This isn't our first time you know," Dante said lightly, "And that guy won't let anything hurt her in a million years," Dante added quietly so that hopefully only Nathan would hear.

"Right," Nathan dismissed as his eyes shifted to Vergil, who was sitting on the arm of the couch next to her. It still wasn't clear what either of them meant to each other. There was a part of Nathan that assumed it was a one sided infatuation and that Cyra was obsessed with a man who wouldn't give her the time of day but Vergil's attitude that he expressed in the last few interactions told Nathan otherwise. But what were they fighting about? Cyra seemed like she was in high spirits before meeting up with him, "I'll hold you to it," Nathan finally said.

Vergil could have scoffed. Was that a threat? Nathan looked back to Dante once more before he walked out. Dante let out a long sigh, "This isn't your fault, you know."

Dante's words did nothing to instill confidence or reassurance for Vergil. He pushed himself off the couch and without another glance to Cyra, headed for the door, "Will you say?" Vergil asked, pausing at the door.

"You sure you don't want to?" Dante suggested. Vergil responded with a swift exit, leaving Dante to sigh again as he glanced over to Cyra. Echoes of his boots filled the otherwise quiet room as he approached her peaceful form. Remembering her havior mere moments ago left him to wonder what exactly this Amelia was capable of and why Cyra seemed to possess that energy, "What have you gotten yourself into now?" He muttered to himself.

Vergil not wanting to stay wasn't entirely unexpected. There was no doubt he will blame himself for any harm that comes Cyra's way, no matter how invalid his reasons are. Vergil was always one for responsibility, even if he went about it the wrong way. He felt responsible for their mother's death because he was too weak - which only led to his pursuit of power.

Dante left the room to grab the blanket from the spare room, dragging it down the stairs to rest it over Cyra's body to keep her warm.

"Wa...er," Cyra croaked as she shifted under the blanket.

"You need water?" Dante tried to decipher her attempted words. Without another moment, he left to go into the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water. Walking back into the main room, he suddenly realized he was alone. The blanket that was resting over Cyra was now bunched together on the floor, with no woman in sight. Dante glanced over to the bathroom door seeing it was wide open, signaling Cyra wasn't there, "Shit," Dante growled when he realized he'd been tricked. Darting for the door, he had a certain woman to find before Vergil found out.

3 February 5:43pm

Vergil wasn't sure why he was tailing Nathan, but the chances of running into Gabriel could be slightly higher. Although Amelia already got what she wanted; the damage was done. There was no reason for Gabriel to show his face around Nathan again.

Nathan's radio went off. Muffled voices sounded out of it, it was too far away and unclear for Vergil to hear, but he could hear Nathan's response, "The cathedral?"

And suddenly his attention was piqued.

"Well there've been demon attacks all day… You think that's the source?" Nathan asked. A response came through the radio, but Vergil interrupted it by jumping and landing next to Nathan, startling him.

With quick reaction, Nathan pulled out his gun and aimed it at Vergil, but lowered it when he recognized who he was. Nathan relaxed, "Don't do that to me, man. I'm already on edge."

"Are the police going to the cathedral?" Vergil asked.

"Yeah we got an order to keep the demons at bay," Nathan answered, "Were you following me?"

"Demand they pull back. Anything associated with the cathedral isn't for humans to meddle in," Vergil said and began walking in the direction of the cathedral.

"I can't exactly make that call, and you know we have guns, right?" Nathan fought back, following Vergil.

"Useless against a sorceress with a demon army," Vergil said.

"Guessing this isn't your first time?" Nathan asked sarcastically.

"Keep that up and you'll make detective in no time," Vergil answered.

Nathan rolled his eyes, "Wait a second, I couldn't make a deal with Dante about Panacea, but can I make one with you?"

"No," Vergil answered simply. He was still pressed on heading to the cathedral.

"Come on, Panacea is-" Nathan began, but a large beam of energy erupted off into the distance that Vergil was walking in, causing both he and Nathan to stop their advance. Within the beam lay debris, slowly rising as if it was absorbing the ground into the sky above it. Nathan suddenly had no choice, but to believe Vergil that his team was useless.

Vergil left without another word to run to the cathedral. There could only be one cause for this and it was Amelia. Nathan watched him run off, but he shortly ran after him, pulling out his radio, "This is Officer Graves. The cathedral is the scene of possible demonic activity and we are advised to stay cautious! Do not approach!" He spoke through it.

When Vergil turned the corner, a figure hit him briefly before he regained his composure seeing it was Eileen. He grabbed her upper arm to steady her before she fell over. Eileen gasped at the much taller man in front of her, but she was quickly relieved when she realized it was him. Only for worry to wash over her face, "It's you!"

"Are you alright?" Vergil asked. Nathan ran up beside him, although he wasn't acknowledged.

"C-Cyra, she-!" Eileen tried.

Vergil furrowed his brows, "What about her?"

"S-she just appeared outside the cathedral and vanished! It looked like she just walked into thin air- and then…!" Eileen was shaking, but she raised her arm out to point to the beam of light, "That happened!"

Vergil looked over to the beam. It was a portal. Cyra was here? How did she get here if she was unconscious at Devil May Cry? He had other things to focus on, he could wonder that later. Vergil looked to Nathan, "Both of you, go to Devil May Cry."

"You sure I can't help you here?" Nathan asked.

"No chance. Go. If anything happens to her," Vergil said gesturing towards Eileen, "I'll know who to find."

Nathan held his hands out, "Cop, remember? I'll keep her safe."

Vergil nodded between the two of them, but Eileen grabbed his sleeve before he could walk off. There was a darkness washed over Eileen's face. It was a combination of fear, concern, regret… confidence. It was as if Eileen had all the answers as to what was going on, but didn't have the time nor the capability of speaking it. She peered directly into Vergil's eyes, "Lady Amelia is much more powerful than any of us let on…" She warned.

Vergil looked back at her, into her eyes. It was then that he realized she shared the same cold eyes that Gabriel had. Dead. He didn't understand Eileen's existence.

"You will very likely not make it out," Eileen continued, "Which means every single cell of your body; your power; will be hers," She finished and let go of his sleeve. The rest was his decision now.

The portal was a trap. Everything was Amelia's plan. Getting Gabriel's corpse to send Nathan to Cyra, to potentially tether her which caused her meltdown - only for her to be left alone and controlled however sorceresses do. Somehow she managed to bring Cyra here to lure Vergil in. To steal his power, and to kill him. Amelia thought her dream was about to come true.

But there was no ounce of him that thought about staying back. He certainly wasn't about to let Amelia treat Cyra like a pawn, or let her assume that she had won. He wasn't about to lose to Amelia, and he most certainly wasn't about to lose Cyra. There were too many things he still wanted to tell and share with Cyra. Without another word, he ran off towards the cathedral remains and zapped into the portal.

---

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