[ she moves closer and pets him,
if he lets her, of course. ]

I don't see what he's got to gain from this. Brownie points with Vergil? Ha. I don't think I'd be here if that were the case. And maybe I'm turning a blind eye to the obvious, but everything, lately, has slowly but surely been turning into a never-ending source of misery, so I'll take whatever bit of reprieve I can sink my claws into.