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That is an excellent guess from your example, and money could very well be part of it, [he says, sounding notably pleased with this answer. It could be easy to assume he's merely pleased by the sincerity alone and that's not an entirely false assumption. But Vergil is glad to see Nero using context to find the meaning. That's more important to him than the accuracy of his response.] Scruples are your moral compass. They are the things that tell you right from wrong. To the priest you were mocking, those come from his faith and he would likely deem those who turn away from it to be without scruples. But you well know that religion is hardly the only means of developing morals for oneself.
So, knowing that, if I described someone you had not yet met as being scrupulous, what would you assume about them? What do you assume they would be like were they to be faced with a difficult choice?
So, knowing that, if I described someone you had not yet met as being scrupulous, what would you assume about them? What do you assume they would be like were they to be faced with a difficult choice?
[Ugh. School flashbacks. He's being called on in class and the teacher knows he was drawing or looking out the window and that he isn't going to be able to answer this without sounding fucking stupid in front of everybody...
Well. No. It's a little swell of those old feelings, but it's not so bad when it's Vergil. He can hear the way he's tempering his voice so he doesn't sound condescending or like this is beneath him to explain.
Still doesn't make him like being asked questions like that, or keep him from squirming just a little bit.]
They... do what they think is right? Whatever that is?
Well. No. It's a little swell of those old feelings, but it's not so bad when it's Vergil. He can hear the way he's tempering his voice so he doesn't sound condescending or like this is beneath him to explain.
Still doesn't make him like being asked questions like that, or keep him from squirming just a little bit.]
They... do what they think is right? Whatever that is?
[Vergil smiles. On anyone else, it would probably appear to be an understated, little smile of approval. But on Vergil, it might as well be a beaming, proud grin.]
Exactly right, [he says with a small nod.] Someone who is scrupulous is generally considered to be incorruptible. They follow their morals closely, and often without deviation. However, if a situation arises that challenges their morality, they may struggle more than another person with a more flexible sense of morality. That lack of flexibility also gives the word an additional meaning of meticulousness depending on its context.
But the classic example you will most often see in literature of a scrupulous character is usually one struggling between what they've been raised to believe right and wrong, and a desire or temptation of some kind. Some of the books your mother favored often involve strong, genuine feelings of love for a man that the heroine should not love due to the societal norms they were raised with. Although in those stories your mother loved, love triumphs over all, not every author writes such happy endings and reaches the same conclusion as that priest.
[For as quiet as Vergil is, he becomes immediately and incredibly verbose the moment he's allowed to discuss something like this. Of course, this sort of chattiness is not a particular issue most of the time, but with that shortness of breath, Vergil leans a little towards the coffee table for his glass of water to have a drink by the conclusion of his words.]
Exactly right, [he says with a small nod.] Someone who is scrupulous is generally considered to be incorruptible. They follow their morals closely, and often without deviation. However, if a situation arises that challenges their morality, they may struggle more than another person with a more flexible sense of morality. That lack of flexibility also gives the word an additional meaning of meticulousness depending on its context.
But the classic example you will most often see in literature of a scrupulous character is usually one struggling between what they've been raised to believe right and wrong, and a desire or temptation of some kind. Some of the books your mother favored often involve strong, genuine feelings of love for a man that the heroine should not love due to the societal norms they were raised with. Although in those stories your mother loved, love triumphs over all, not every author writes such happy endings and reaches the same conclusion as that priest.
[For as quiet as Vergil is, he becomes immediately and incredibly verbose the moment he's allowed to discuss something like this. Of course, this sort of chattiness is not a particular issue most of the time, but with that shortness of breath, Vergil leans a little towards the coffee table for his glass of water to have a drink by the conclusion of his words.]
[Nero is now used to Vergil's longwindedness. He's learned to try and follow along as best he can and offer the occasional nod or "huh" or other indication of understanding. And though his dad does probably go a bit overboard with the definition, Nero can't deny he does get it, and the multiple examples do help it sink in.]
Yeah, okay... that makes sense.
[He refrains from cracking wise about Vergil needing a drink after that. Since you know, he's the one who keeps interrupting for word definitions.] Thanks. You're better than a dictionary. [He reaches back to give Vergil a fond pat on the leg, then picks up his book again to fit the meaning of "scrupulous" into the sentence.
Ah, okay... though he still thinks "balls" would work. Like, metaphorically maybe!]
Yeah, okay... that makes sense.
[He refrains from cracking wise about Vergil needing a drink after that. Since you know, he's the one who keeps interrupting for word definitions.] Thanks. You're better than a dictionary. [He reaches back to give Vergil a fond pat on the leg, then picks up his book again to fit the meaning of "scrupulous" into the sentence.
Ah, okay... though he still thinks "balls" would work. Like, metaphorically maybe!]
Such high praise, [Vergil says with a slight wrinkle of his nose. But even with his light deflection, Vergil knows it's sincere from Nero after the months he spent reading Vergil's books in secret and relying on a dictionary to help him grasp at the meaning. Not to say a dictionary can't be of some use, but Nero doesn't have to then potentially start looking up words used as part of the definition. And a dictionary lacks the ability to place it into context that will make the meaning truly stick the way Vergil can. Vergil sets aside his glass of water once he's done with it, and settles back into reading alongside Nero.]
[The little disruptions slow Vergil's reading down a bit as he must pause in his reading to either provide the definitions or help Nero reason his way through it, but he hardly minds it any more than he does when Nero ends up wiggling his way into a different position. If anything, the disruptions are helpful in their own way as Vergil comes to realize that the shortness of breath is apparently not the only bit of fatigue he's liable to experience throughout the course of this illness. It's a strange and foreign experience, but his eyes begin to feel increasingly fatigued with reading words on a page. The little breaks to explain something to Nero provides him with the opportunity to take a break and prolong his ability to read for just a little bit longer.]
[What's doing him less favors, however, is Nero's nearby warmth and weight.]
[Vergil fights against it for as long as he can. When he doesn't have Nero as a distraction, he opts to look away from the page, refocus his eyes elsewhere for a moment before returning to reread the paragraph again. He slows his pace down considerably, trying to make the words stick in his mind and grasp at their meaning. But there's only so much fight he can put up. Vergil eventually sinks a little further into the couch during some of Nero's fidgeting into another position, more reclined than he was before. Rereading a paragraph becomes rereading a sentence, a word as drowsiness has him blinking in and out of consciousness.]
[There's a light thump as his grip on his book loosens to near total release, the novel falling onto his chest. But Vergil does not so much as stir let alone suddenly jerk awake over it dropping.]
[So, it turns out that under the right circumstances Vergil may, in fact, nap after all.]
[The little disruptions slow Vergil's reading down a bit as he must pause in his reading to either provide the definitions or help Nero reason his way through it, but he hardly minds it any more than he does when Nero ends up wiggling his way into a different position. If anything, the disruptions are helpful in their own way as Vergil comes to realize that the shortness of breath is apparently not the only bit of fatigue he's liable to experience throughout the course of this illness. It's a strange and foreign experience, but his eyes begin to feel increasingly fatigued with reading words on a page. The little breaks to explain something to Nero provides him with the opportunity to take a break and prolong his ability to read for just a little bit longer.]
[What's doing him less favors, however, is Nero's nearby warmth and weight.]
[Vergil fights against it for as long as he can. When he doesn't have Nero as a distraction, he opts to look away from the page, refocus his eyes elsewhere for a moment before returning to reread the paragraph again. He slows his pace down considerably, trying to make the words stick in his mind and grasp at their meaning. But there's only so much fight he can put up. Vergil eventually sinks a little further into the couch during some of Nero's fidgeting into another position, more reclined than he was before. Rereading a paragraph becomes rereading a sentence, a word as drowsiness has him blinking in and out of consciousness.]
[There's a light thump as his grip on his book loosens to near total release, the novel falling onto his chest. But Vergil does not so much as stir let alone suddenly jerk awake over it dropping.]
[So, it turns out that under the right circumstances Vergil may, in fact, nap after all.]
[The book does have some vocabulary words in it, but not so many to make it unreadable. The beginning part is a tense scene where someone is following the hero through a dark subway at night. It's exciting and well-paced, barring the words Nero keeps tripping on, and he gets into it enough to skim over a few words he'd otherwise ask Vergil about.
And then there's this shit: "The police arrived at the station in a macabre parade."
Muh caber? Ma sabre? Mackabray?
He almost feels bad interrupting again after a long pause without, but...] Uh... what is...
[Then he hears the little thump. A telltale slow breath. Nero shifts very carefully to look up and see that Mr. No Naps has fallen asleep. Well, good! Stubborn bastard needs the rest. He looks almost cute with that book on his chest...
Nero waits a few more minutes to ensure his wiggling and movement doesn't stir Vergil, because you just know the idiot will never allow himself to fall back asleep if that happens. Once he's pretty certain he's steadily sleeping, Nero sits up, setting his book on the coffee table. He gently moves Vergil's book to join it, then grabs the throw off the back of the couch and unfolds it (Kyrie lives with them now, of course they have a throw on the couch.) Gently tucking it around Vergil, he leaves him to nap on the couch and goes to tidy up the living room, including putting Vergil's book bag back in his room and closing the blinds to make it a bit darker.
Sleep tight, old man. Nero will protect your nap like a mackabray guardian.]
And then there's this shit: "The police arrived at the station in a macabre parade."
Muh caber? Ma sabre? Mackabray?
He almost feels bad interrupting again after a long pause without, but...] Uh... what is...
[Then he hears the little thump. A telltale slow breath. Nero shifts very carefully to look up and see that Mr. No Naps has fallen asleep. Well, good! Stubborn bastard needs the rest. He looks almost cute with that book on his chest...
Nero waits a few more minutes to ensure his wiggling and movement doesn't stir Vergil, because you just know the idiot will never allow himself to fall back asleep if that happens. Once he's pretty certain he's steadily sleeping, Nero sits up, setting his book on the coffee table. He gently moves Vergil's book to join it, then grabs the throw off the back of the couch and unfolds it (Kyrie lives with them now, of course they have a throw on the couch.) Gently tucking it around Vergil, he leaves him to nap on the couch and goes to tidy up the living room, including putting Vergil's book bag back in his room and closing the blinds to make it a bit darker.
Sleep tight, old man. Nero will protect your nap like a mackabray guardian.]
"Low bar. I mean, what... I guess you just kind of... showed up... kicked around Red Grave for a month..." Nero drifts off, realizing he is only mostly sure of the timeline of V's existence. He was comatose for part of it, after all. Thanks, Dad. He's also not sure how lighthearted remarks about it will be taken.
"Anyway." Change subject, quick. "I will. You know where I could get some goddamn sedatives? The two of them are the biggest, whiniest babies in the world right now and one afternoon of peace and quiet could do us all a favor. Talk about manflu."
Nero pauses. "De-manflu. Heh."
"Anyway." Change subject, quick. "I will. You know where I could get some goddamn sedatives? The two of them are the biggest, whiniest babies in the world right now and one afternoon of peace and quiet could do us all a favor. Talk about manflu."
Nero pauses. "De-manflu. Heh."
It's not a sore topic for V. He'd gladly share that the local riffraff made themselves known attacking him so that he could steal enough of their money to hire Dante. Dante still took money, even if Nero hadn't. After they parted ways, Red Grave City was worse off than before. However, the fewer people made it easier when the demons weren't attacking him. If the food worse. Don't eat demons, kids, not if you can help it.
He says none of it because Nero veers away into another topic entirely unrelated. Nero doesn't have to know more than he wants to or be reminded of anything unpleasant, like the reason he was in the hospital in the first place. The question makes him consider the individuals he's interacted with and the various people offering services.
"Could check out the hospital wing at Amrita Academy," V says, "People keep recommending I go there." Except his health isn't an issue so readily solved at a hospital. They can't fix a soul being ripped in two, and V doesn't want them to fix it if they can. Vergil and V in Folkmore may be awkward, but two Vergils would be undoubtedly worse.
He smiles and shakes his head a little at the pun. It sounds like something Griffon would say. "Have you considered hitting them over the head really hard? That could do the trick."
He says none of it because Nero veers away into another topic entirely unrelated. Nero doesn't have to know more than he wants to or be reminded of anything unpleasant, like the reason he was in the hospital in the first place. The question makes him consider the individuals he's interacted with and the various people offering services.
"Could check out the hospital wing at Amrita Academy," V says, "People keep recommending I go there." Except his health isn't an issue so readily solved at a hospital. They can't fix a soul being ripped in two, and V doesn't want them to fix it if they can. Vergil and V in Folkmore may be awkward, but two Vergils would be undoubtedly worse.
He smiles and shakes his head a little at the pun. It sounds like something Griffon would say. "Have you considered hitting them over the head really hard? That could do the trick."
[He lifts his head, it could be described, aggressively to meet her hungry kisses. At the same time, he plants his feet on the bed to give him more leverage, grinding back up on her in a clumsy, greedy rhythm. Quickly he realizes it doesn't work, and refocuses to get them closer.
Lifting his hips, he tilts Kyrie forward, cupping her face through the kisses with one hand and sparing the other to tug at the waistband of his boxers. It's a bit of a struggle with physics, so determined is he not to move her or make her get off of him, but with a few bucks and wiggles he manages to inch them down until he can kick them off victoriously. There comes the usual extension of his blush all the way down to his stomach as Kyrie gets a glimpse at all of him, rock hard and aching for her.
Fortunately, it's mostly a physical reaction at this point. For him it's been nine months, man...]
God, please, touch me.
Lifting his hips, he tilts Kyrie forward, cupping her face through the kisses with one hand and sparing the other to tug at the waistband of his boxers. It's a bit of a struggle with physics, so determined is he not to move her or make her get off of him, but with a few bucks and wiggles he manages to inch them down until he can kick them off victoriously. There comes the usual extension of his blush all the way down to his stomach as Kyrie gets a glimpse at all of him, rock hard and aching for her.
Fortunately, it's mostly a physical reaction at this point. For him it's been nine months, man...]
God, please, touch me.
[Kyrie meets his kisses eagerly, greedily, touch starved and desperate for everything he has to offer her. Unfortunately, the failed attempt at getting them closer only serves to knock her balance and she wobbles atop him, laughing against his lips until he tilts her forward and shifts their position. She cools her assault on his mouth when she realises what he's trying to do, trying to be helpful in whatever way she can.
Helpful would probably be stopping her attempts to kiss every inch of his mouth but she doesn't want to do that, she'll just restrict herself to sweet little nibbles and kisses as he concentrates on shedding his clothes. It's in her best interests not to distract him here.
Her very limited show of patience is rewarded as she glances down at Nero's completely bare body beneath her and it's safe to say that any residual cold she might have felt from her escapades in the mountains is completely banished at the sight of him straining for her to touch him.
Who is she to deny him?
Her touch is soft, careful and tender as she takes him in her hand and strokes him gently, eyes fixed on his face and his reaction as she does. No matter how many times they do this, how often she gets to touch him, she never gets tired of his response or the way he feels in her hand.]
I've missed touching you, feeling you like this...
[She trails her kisses to his neck, down to his shoulder. Her hips still astride him as she devotes her focus to moving her hand up and down along his length.]
Helpful would probably be stopping her attempts to kiss every inch of his mouth but she doesn't want to do that, she'll just restrict herself to sweet little nibbles and kisses as he concentrates on shedding his clothes. It's in her best interests not to distract him here.
Her very limited show of patience is rewarded as she glances down at Nero's completely bare body beneath her and it's safe to say that any residual cold she might have felt from her escapades in the mountains is completely banished at the sight of him straining for her to touch him.
Who is she to deny him?
Her touch is soft, careful and tender as she takes him in her hand and strokes him gently, eyes fixed on his face and his reaction as she does. No matter how many times they do this, how often she gets to touch him, she never gets tired of his response or the way he feels in her hand.]
I've missed touching you, feeling you like this...
[She trails her kisses to his neck, down to his shoulder. Her hips still astride him as she devotes her focus to moving her hand up and down along his length.]
[It occurs to Nero that this could be much, much easier now that he has four arms at his disposal. But uh... Kyrie's kind of had a big day already. He thinks the revelation of Nero's new... tricks can go ahead and wait for another time.
He wets his lips as she starts to stroke him, relaxing back against the bed so they can both indulge for a moment. Digging his shoulders back into the mattress stops him from wiggling too much, helps him resist grinding back against her hand out of sheer desire for more of her touch.]
I missed your eyes. And your smile. Your voice... and how warm you are...
[Nero's hands find her thighs, squeezing affectionately, working up and down to encourage her.]
He wets his lips as she starts to stroke him, relaxing back against the bed so they can both indulge for a moment. Digging his shoulders back into the mattress stops him from wiggling too much, helps him resist grinding back against her hand out of sheer desire for more of her touch.]
I missed your eyes. And your smile. Your voice... and how warm you are...
[Nero's hands find her thighs, squeezing affectionately, working up and down to encourage her.]
[She writhes a little under the pressure on her thighs, sighing happily against his ear as she adjusts her grip to hold him a little firmer, a little more insistent.]
I miss waking up beside you. [A fact that is going to be remedied very soon!]
I can't be mad at you like that ever again, I can't bear not having you near me, I couldn't sleep knowing you were nearby and I wasn't holding you. Wasn't touching you... wasn't letting you touch me where I wanted you to touch me.
[Is that a hint? It might well be. She kisses his throat, then along his jaw back to his ear, and whispers bashfully:]
I miss you inside me.
I miss waking up beside you. [A fact that is going to be remedied very soon!]
I can't be mad at you like that ever again, I can't bear not having you near me, I couldn't sleep knowing you were nearby and I wasn't holding you. Wasn't touching you... wasn't letting you touch me where I wanted you to touch me.
[Is that a hint? It might well be. She kisses his throat, then along his jaw back to his ear, and whispers bashfully:]
I miss you inside me.
[He knows he entirely deserved the brunt of Kyrie's wrath... sneaking out of the hospital to go aid Dante's fight against Urizen was a big, stupid risk and didn't end up paying off anyway. He spent the whole month afterwards seething at his failure and knowing full and well he deserved Kyrie's anger... but also knowing that he had no choice but to go back and try again. He deserved it, but that doesn't mean it didn't fucking suck in every way imaginable.]
I'll never make you mad like that ever again. [Or at least, he'll try really, really hard not to. It hurt like hell, disappointing her that badly on top of everything else.] Guh-
[His thighs twitch at a particularly good stroke, and he turns his head to give her more room to kiss his throat. Laid out flat for her enjoyment... there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
With one exception, which Kyrie kindly mentions. Nero turns absolutely crimson, reaching to slide his fingers back through her hair, turning his face to whisper back to her.]
Please, baby. I need it right now. Let me...
I'll never make you mad like that ever again. [Or at least, he'll try really, really hard not to. It hurt like hell, disappointing her that badly on top of everything else.] Guh-
[His thighs twitch at a particularly good stroke, and he turns his head to give her more room to kiss his throat. Laid out flat for her enjoyment... there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
With one exception, which Kyrie kindly mentions. Nero turns absolutely crimson, reaching to slide his fingers back through her hair, turning his face to whisper back to her.]
Please, baby. I need it right now. Let me...
[Her whole body flushes white hot at the sound he makes, a reminder of how much his pleasure affects her even when she's getting very little out of it in return (except the knowledge that she is the source of that noise, which is an extremely empowering thought.) She murmurs happily, but her hand stills on him as he slides his fingers through her hair and he announces his intentions. Well... all but begs.]
Yes. Yes please, always... I'll always...
[She slides off his lap and nestles against the pillows, splaying her legs ever so slightly. There's one tiny obstacle in the way which she's all too keen to do away with as she starts to slide her panties down over her hips. She fixes him with her gaze, molten and longing in equal measure.]
Help me with these and come into me.
Yes. Yes please, always... I'll always...
[She slides off his lap and nestles against the pillows, splaying her legs ever so slightly. There's one tiny obstacle in the way which she's all too keen to do away with as she starts to slide her panties down over her hips. She fixes him with her gaze, molten and longing in equal measure.]
Help me with these and come into me.
[Nero all but scrambles up to his knees when she slides off of him, perhaps a little desperately grabby in his eagerness to help. He leans over her, gazing warmly into her eyes... which does make his fingers clumsy as he assists with her panties. Once they're off, he tosses them off the side of the bed to be found later.
Then as he climbs over her, one hand slipping between her thighs to stroke her, he gets distracted and drawn into another long, luxuriant kiss. Nearly sidetracked, in fact, until the slide of bare skin over skin brings him blinking back to the present moment and the task at hand. He draws his hand back and nudges her thighs apart, easing between them, leaning in to touch their foreheads as he lets out a held-in breath.]
Ready for me?
Then as he climbs over her, one hand slipping between her thighs to stroke her, he gets distracted and drawn into another long, luxuriant kiss. Nearly sidetracked, in fact, until the slide of bare skin over skin brings him blinking back to the present moment and the task at hand. He draws his hand back and nudges her thighs apart, easing between them, leaning in to touch their foreheads as he lets out a held-in breath.]
Ready for me?
[Sometimes the build up to the main event can go on for much, much longer between them, but tonight is not the night for that. Kyrie has no idea how long they'll have the house to themselves and she's determined not to waste a second of that time.
She whimpers as his hand finds her between her legs and she arches off the bed at his initial touch, breathing shallow and all but a lost cause when he kisses her again. She writhes against his hand, ready and aching for more, their intimacy this evening having already worked wonders for her readiness for him.
She reaches for his hands, guiding one down to his cock with hers so she can help lead him home. Her eyes meet his.]
Make love to me, Nero.
She whimpers as his hand finds her between her legs and she arches off the bed at his initial touch, breathing shallow and all but a lost cause when he kisses her again. She writhes against his hand, ready and aching for more, their intimacy this evening having already worked wonders for her readiness for him.
She reaches for his hands, guiding one down to his cock with hers so she can help lead him home. Her eyes meet his.]
Make love to me, Nero.
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