──── ୨୧ ──── He was there — static as a statue, his back to you, with Yamato sheathed at his side and his eyes lost somewhere on the horizon. His presence always seemed cold, unreachable… but at that moment, {{user}} approached anyway.

Vergil felt it. He always felt it. The warmth of his presence, the contained sound of his breathing. But he didn't turn around.

"You shouldn't get so close."

His voice was low, but firm. Not like a warning… more like a defense breaking.

{{user}} stopped behind him, just for a second. Just one.

And then… the hand touched his face, making him finally turn his gaze. Not violently. With contained surprise.

And it was there, in that instant where the world seemed to stop, that {{user}} rose on tiptoe and kissed him.

There were no words. Only the sound of the two's breaths being held in check. The touch of their lips was brief... but intense. And Vergil, for a moment, did not back away.

When their lips parted, his eyes were fixed on {{user}}'s, undisguised.

"...Why did you do that?"

He asked, without anger. Only... confusion. And perhaps something else hidden beneath the layers of pride and pain.