[Vergil places a hand on his brother's shoulder as Dante curls up closer to Vergil. He doesn't answer Dante right away, although with as close as his brother is, he no doubt feels Vergil draw the breath to answer. It's not that he wishes to deny the responsibility. Vergil does not carry doubts about his commitment to his family. His resolve remains firm. But there is something a bit different about having one of them so blatantly looking to him for protection like this that he doesn't know how Sparda did it, how Nero and Dante do it now. Because it's not a matter of lacking resolve or desire to fulfill that duty: it's that fear of what happens if he fails. Foolish as it is, he does wish Sparda was there to ask since it's not exactly a question he can pose to Dante (right now, at least) and certainly never to Nero. Vergil lets the breath go.]
I won't let it happen. So long as there's breath in my body, [he says, giving Dante's shoulder a light squeeze,] I won't let it happen.
[He can do nothing about the matter of Dante's sense of control over himself. Not without Dante accepting a degree of tutelage from him, and even that still remains up to Dante to do it. But he can at least pose as an obstacle to prevent the worst from happening should Dante lose control.]
no subject
I won't let it happen. So long as there's breath in my body, [he says, giving Dante's shoulder a light squeeze,] I won't let it happen.
[He can do nothing about the matter of Dante's sense of control over himself. Not without Dante accepting a degree of tutelage from him, and even that still remains up to Dante to do it. But he can at least pose as an obstacle to prevent the worst from happening should Dante lose control.]