Chapter Eight: Unoccupancy

Note: Logging onto A03 and seeing so many comments in my inbox brought me such joy. Thank you all so much for reaching out every week and talking about the story with me. It's always the highlight of my week, especially since my job still isn't really open again yet. Having something fun to look forward to every week is great. Truly. Thank you!

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It seemed as though the very air held its breath as they approached, a gentle but damp breeze shifting the leaves in the trees that lined the street as a coating of misty rain drenched the outside of the buildings. Trails formed by droplets of water ran down the windows of every building on the block, staining the glass and trickling down onto their attached ledges before finally plummeting towards the pavement below. Decades old yet well maintained gutters helped transfer any water that dared make its way onto the roofs of the homes to its proper place in the city's storm drains. This was the historic district of town and everything from the ornate metal benches that dotted the block, to the vintage street lights and tree planters reflected that. Every row house was slightly different from the next and it was somewhat impressive how well kept the area was, not to mention how quiet it was considering its proximity to downtown.

And that was the matter that brought them to the front steps of the building standing before them. It was a three story Edwardian townhouse clad in dark grey brick with white stone trim around the windows. Due to it's placement on the very end of the block, it was almost twice the size of each of the nearby homes, since it wrapped around the block and faced the corner on both sides. The outside of the spacious home was just as well kept as the rest on the block, aside from the now empty planter boxes on each the windows that had more than likely once housed purple flowers if their remnants were anything to go by. They were small and white, seemingly metal and held by ornate holders made from black iron. Black stone stairs with grey tops and a black metal rail that matched the window boxes tied the building together beautifully. The thick green leaves that snaked around the house in healthy vines draped down over the ornate dark purple front door, lending the house an age that it's condition didn't show. All and all, a stately and sizable dwelling.

V looked up at the imposing but beautiful structure, totally awestruck by it. While every building on this street shared a similar monochrome color pallet, this was the only one with a colored door or matching dark purple dragon scale shingles. There were little things about it that made it stand out in his mind, and he couldn't help but appreciate the aesthetic. To say that it didn't appeal to his darker sensibilities would be a lie. he considered this for a moment before noticing that Magnolia has started to make her way up the flared stone steps, the window wells on either side forming a sort moat to the front entrance that made the stairs seem even more grand. It was like crossing a bridge, and he was somewhat surprised that a house this tall possessed a basement at all. Was there an attic as well?

"Well, this is it, Dear," Magnolia said as she inserted a key into the lock," Sorry for the mess. No one has lived here in a very long time."

As he crossed the threshold and stepped into the house, V did an internal double take at the sight that unfolded before him. They were standing in a foyer with tall arched doorways on either side of them. A rounded spiral stairway curved up to the second story gracefully, belying an abundance of space just out of sight. A balcony looked down from above them, but nothing else could be seen from where he currently stood. The room was large for a townhouse, but not oversized. As they stepped in the room to the left, the two of them were greeted by a large corner bay window on the far side of the room that sat in the middle of where the street corner would be from outside. The fireplace to the left of the bay window seemed as though it had not been used in a considerable time, much like Magnolia had indicated when they'd arrived moments ago. A few pieces of furniture sat in scattered parts of the room covered by cloth tarps in an attempt to keep out the elements. Besides that, he couldn't glean much more about their condition without uncovering them.

Magnolia walked over to the window and pulled open the tall curtains that adorned the walls. The ceiling height in the room had to be close to fifteen feet, and that coupled with the position of the window made for a blinding amount of natural light despite the rainy conditions outside. Medium grey wall paint was paired with a white trim that somehow made the room seem even larger than it already was. V could only guess how large the rest of the residence was. The young summoner was rapidly coming to the conclusion that magnolia might be secretly wealthy.

"I'd offer you a place to sit, by my siblings took all the best furniture when my parents passed away," She gestured to the room around her, somewhat downtrodden as her normally chipper voice took on a slightly somber tint," I want to show you something in the back of the house. Care to follow me this way?

V followed after he with a diligent nod, still taking in his surroundings. Her parents had lived here then? What had they done when they were alive to amass the kind of wealth required to possess such a stately property? The two cut through the kitchen that sat in the back of the house. There were no appliances, but everything else was still intact. At most, the room seemed to just need a good dusting and maybe a new coat of paint due to its apparent age.

When they reached the far side of the kitchen, they entered what had probably been some sort of combination mudroom and laundry room before going through a door that led to the outside of the townhouse. V hadn't considered the possibility of a yard while touring the residence with her. He'd been too preoccupied with the rest of the house. While it wasn't huge, the remnants of what had once been a garden grew up the far wall next to another door. This one, unlike the front door, was black and wan't arched despite sharing a similar design overall.

"That's the garage I parked in when we arrived. We walked around the front," She stated, noticing that his attention had been drawn there," My little sister and I used to spend hours out here as teenagers. She doesn't come around anymore. Too busy with family affairs to bother actually interacting with her family. I hardly recognize the lass anymore."

V couldn't help but notice that she seemed more sad about that little revelation that she did upset. Had that happened a long time ago? Or had she just lost the motivation to be upset about it anymore? He wasn't going to ask her either way. It wasn't his place to bring up something like that. If she wanted him to know more, she'd tell him. That much he knew from personal experience with his own inner thoughts and struggles.

"... I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Magnolia." V said quietly. The last thing he intended to do was be impolite," You grew up here?"

A somber smile crossed her face as she shook her head. "No, we only lived here together for about two years. Maybe even a little less. I inherited the place after they passed away. They were asleep when the lodge they were staying at during a vacation caught fire," She fell silent for a moment, seemingly needing a second to collect herself before continuing," My two younger sisters and I went to stay with an aunt shortly after, so no one has set foot in this place for at least a decade. This entire block had just been built around the time you were born, I suspect. It's a pity, but no one in our family wants to live here. We lack an emotional attachment to the place. Everything that meant something to us we took out a lifetime ago. If I let my youngest sister have her way, she'd probably have it torn down or something just so she didn't have to think about it."

For a moment, V recalled the furniture that had been covered up and left to sit in the main room. While the concept of a family home was something foreign to him, he understood the concept and was more than capable of comprehending how someone might become emotionally attached or detached to a building. Still, it was a strange thing to him to imagine holding contempt towards a house that nothing bad had happened in. He assumed that her reasons were her own and decided to leave it at that for the time being. There were other matters to attend to. "What motivated you to bring me here if you haven't been here in so long?"

Magnolia's eyes brightened slightly as a small smile spread across her face. She looked out across the yard in silent contemplation for a moment before returning her attention to him, folding her arms around herself in an attempt to keep the warmth inside of her peacoat. "... I met your father shortly before they passed away. We were both young and I was focused on my studies, but watching my sisters terrorize him was always such a hoot! In his own way, I think he liked being here. Vergil never said as much, but he kept coming over until we stopped living here. And although they didn't interact with him much since they were rarely here, I think my parents saw him as the son they never had." She paused for a second, thinking of how she wanted to phrase what she said next," I thought that perhaps if this place wasn't meant to stay in my family, that it was only right that it become a part of yours."

V gave her a curious look, not quite comprehending what she was trying to tell him. Had she offered to sell it to Vergil since he'd known her parents? Why had she brought him here to tell him about it other than to show him around? Did she assume that he and Vergil were going to be living together at some point in the future?

"That's very kind, but I don't think I quite follow you." V said almost sheepishly. He suddenly had an irrational fear of upsetting her in her deceased parents home that he hadn't possessed before she'd tried to explain her intentions to him." What are you trying to tell me?"

Magnolia laughed slightly, seeming to pick up on his discomfort. "Sorry V, I'll be a little more straight forward this time. Were you considering moving in the near future? I feel that I may have not been entirely forthcoming as to my motivations," She shifted slightly, seeming to share his trepidations but not for the same reasons," I think that we could both use a fresh start. To know that my parents legacy of philanthropy lived on through gifting this property to you would bring me… release. That is the best way I can put it into words, dear. All I'm asking is that you consider it. It's been paid off for years, so you'd only have to worry about taxes, and they aren't much. Estate tax and all that. A truly broken system, really."

V paled at her words, suddenly feeling the blood rush to his face. Had she really just offered him this place? He was positive at no one had ever tried to give him a gift this expensive or personal in his entire life. It was unheard of and he was struck silent trying to comprehend the proper reaction and response to it. Sensing his distress, Griffon materialized and fluttered around the small outdoor space, coming to a stop on his shoulder. He shook his head, failing the urge to repress his snickering.

"Sorry, but I think you broke his brain a little. If I'm being honest, It's not really that hard to do. Nice to meet cha!" The mouthy bird made himself comfortable as V's brain tried to unlock itself.

"Ah, an avian familiar then," Magnolia said, unfolding her arms and nodding to herself," How lovely! I like your style. Might I pet you, little one? I simply adore your coloration!"

Griffon fluffed himself, ducking his head down and pulling his wings up. He wasn't expecting to be doted over. "Watch the feathers, and your fine," Griffon said, trying to hide is mild embarrassment by tucking his head under his wing," You could learn a thing or two from her, V. You know, show your appreciation a little more from time to time."

V shot his feathered companion an unappreciative look, his brow furrowing. "Perhaps Shadow is hungry. Why don't we check?"

The vibrant blue bird fluttered away with a squawk, landing on a half wall near the garage. Shadow surged forward, scampering after her feathered companion. She intended to capitalize on the open space and privacy that the yard afforded her. Magnolia glanced over at the demonic panther, seemingly impressed. "That's quite a powerful demon to have in your repertoire. They are not normally so obedient. I heard you used to have three different familiars?"

The young summoner nodded, his thoughts now less foggy than they had been. Having a moment to process her generosity had been beneficial to him. "That's correct. I currently have two now, however." He took a moment to think about the proper way to express what he wanted to say before speaking,"... I will have to take some time to think about your offer, Magnolia. I hope I don't seem ungrateful."

She shook her head. "I wouldn't expect you to give me an answer right away. This is a lot to take in, dear. Please don't feel forced to say yes just because I asked. Get back to me when you're ready," She said with a warm smile as she headed over towards the inside door," That being said, I should show you the rest of the house. Nico is probably wondering where we disappeared to right about now. But I'm guessing that you're going to want to see what's left of the library before we leave."

V craned his head to one side as he followed after her, his familiars following after him as he headed inside. "... Did you say there was a library?"

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Quarantine has officially ruined my sleeping patterns. One day I wake up at 5 am and the next at 8 pm. Sometimes (like today) I wake up at 10 am and decide I can stand to get a few more minutes of sleep and wake up AT MIDNIGHT. And that is why my uploads are so wishy washy in terms of upload time. Sorry about that. I hope you all enjoyed this little intermission chapter. Next week is the start of the "beach arc" so get ready for that! It's gonna be super fun!