With her Help

Chapter 5

You wake with a startle, biting your bottom lip to stop the scream that was trying to crawl up your thought. You look around panting brushing your forehead of the sweat that had collected through your sleep.

Looking around the van you saw everyone still asleep. Nico was in the driver seat leaning back all snuggled into her blanket, same with Nero in the passenger side, V across from you on the extra couch. Griffon was even out on the jukebox face tucked under his wing. Shadow was laying under you next to the couch curled up.

You rub your eyes trying to wake just a little. That.. memory was something you had long since forgotten. You are certain the tree sprouting up was what is triggering your memories. You throw your legs over the side of the couch careful not to hit Shadow with them, her tail twitches but she stays asleep.

You carefully move and open the door to the van so slow that it doesn't make a sound and you step outside. You didn't stray far, just leaning on the van near the door to get some fresh air and calm down.

~~~~~~~~~~

When morning came Nico was up making coffee and working on some new weapons for you and Nero out of those orbs you had gotten from the Geryon. You hadn't gotten anymore sleep after waking up, you came back in to try but you just couldn't

You were tossing and turning all night after that. You sit up as she passes you.

"Mornin sugar." She greets her attitude of you changed once you brought her something new to use on her weapons and sparked inspiration.

"Mor-yawn-ing." You rub your eyes again before going to the coffee and pouring a cup drinking it black.

"You don't look to good, you sleep ok?" She looks over at you before going back to working.

"Yeah, just woke up a few times last night for some reason." You sip again.

"What for?" She looks at you a bit concerned. "We don't need you going out and getting hurt, maybe stay in and try to catch some more Zs'."

"No, no. I am fine. I am not that tired." You argue, though it was a bit of a lie.

She looks you over with a hum. "Alright then, just be careful." She heads to the back and works on the weapons as the others still sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Look out idiot!" Griffon shouts from above as you yawn and nearly get chopped in half Shadow stabs the demon before jumping it and shoving it away with a growl and stabbing it repeatedly till V delivered the final blow.

He turns to you once it is dead and dissolved "You are off today, what is wrong?" He leans on his cane as Griffon lands on a pole nearby and Shadow walks circles around you both.

"Just not a good day I suppose." You mutter.

"Oooh no you don't!" Griffon starts. "You are not gettin away with this, you were nearly killed at least 6 times in that last fight! And 4 before that!"

"I didn't know you could count past 2, Griffon." You muse. He squeaks in offense and goes to retort but V holds his hand up to stop him.

"(Y/N), please. I can not keep going if I have to look back and make sure you haven't fallen behind or collapsed, you are clearly exhausted." V speaks staring you down. His eyes weren't harsh in any way but they were... well they were making it clear he was both worried and a bit annoyed at you.

With a sigh you fall to your knees and just sit there rubbing your eyes. "Sorry... I, I didn't get much sleep last night...." You confess, a pregnant silence follows you words then the shuffling of feet before V sits on a bench nearby that creaks under his weight but does not give out from under him. "Why did you not say anything? or just stay with Nico to get more rest?" He sets his cane in his lap looking you over.

"I am use to it, I don't need sleep all the time... plus I didn't wanna be left there with her while she worked that would have been boring." You kinda give a pout, it was like he was silently scolding you, but trying to be an adult about it.

"Poor princess needs a nappy time. Hah!" Griffon laughs flapping his wings a bit.

"Don't call me that you over grown chicken!" You grab a rock and toss it at him but miss completely and end up overshooting the throw over his head, he just laughs again.

"Ya know you fucked up if you fucking missed me! Haha oh man!" He flies off and over to you landing nearby and strutting over with a smirk on his beak "Let me get closer to you so it's easier for you, ya highness." Shadow growls and gets between you two staring him down.

"Shit! Bad kitty!" He takes off and over to V like that would save him. Shadow huffs and sits next to you looking you over.

"What is the reason behind you not getting enough sleep? Was the couch not comfortable? We can switch our sleeping arrangements if you wish." V opens his book and reads a while

"Wasn't... that." You sigh and pet Shadow who purrs and tilts her head over so you can pet more.

"Then what was it?" Griffon narrows his eyes at you looking you over. "Did you need someone to cuddle you and feel safe?" Griffon snarks, you send him a death glare he actually cringes back a bit and shuts up.

"Nothing like that either. If you must know, I had nightmares." You scoff and turn your head.

V looks up at you shocked, he never took a moment to really get to know you since you have been teamed up, so of course he would never take the time to notice something like that. He blinks then closes his book. "Speaking about nightmares makes them lose their hold on you, do you wish to talk, about them?" He hums tilting his head, more so out of curiosity now, he knew of his own nightmares, he could assume any from Dante, and the other 2, he didn't care to know. But since you go here something was... off. About you.

Something different.

He wished to dive deeper and find what it was.

"If I did that, I'd have to kill you." You look over at him with an innocent face. He blinks in shock, not expecting that at all.

"Try it!" Griffon puffs and raises his wings, Shadow looks up at you but back over to them.

You hum a moment before slowly reaching out and hugging Shadow around her neck. "Tell me... do you have any idea why Shadow likes me so much? I am a stranger, yet she comes to me like a child to it's mother." Your voice had become sultry in a way, low and soft.

"I will admit I have no idea. But I respect and trust her judgement, so I am sure she had a reason for it." He racks his fingers over the handle of his cane. He felt like you were playing him, he did not like how it made him feel.

"I use that Child/Mother term, literally." You muse.

You hadn't had this much fun toying with someone... and it had been so long since someone knew who and what you were.

He tilts his head and scrunches his eyes a bit thinking. "You are no demon mother... surely." He smirks looking you over before placing a hand on his knee getting up.

"Oh but I am." You pet Shadow who has her eyes closed purring.

"From my blood all demon spawn."