Chapter Text
Dante had been messing around upstairs when he heard the door open. Immediately he was on alert, no one even knew of his shop yet after all.
He poked his head out and looked down from the landing. There, in the middle of his shop, was a woman. She was looking around in interest, like somehow his empty shop was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.
She looked up at the landing, and a touch bizarrely, had to look down until she made eye contact with him. It was like she knew he'd be there just not where she thought he’d be.
Her eyes were two different colors and he was mesmerized immediately.
“You here on behalf of Morrison?”
“No.”
“Enzo?”
“No.”
“Ok….then why are you here? I just moved in and those are the only people who even know I'm here.”
The woman sighed and seemed to consider how to answer for a moment.
“Truthfully? I don't know. And I don't mean that how you think, I truly don't know how I got here because I wasn't here five minutes ago.”
That had Dante coming up short. He made his way downstairs now intrigued. He paused however as soon as he reached the bottom step.
He'd thought it weird he couldn't really smell her like he could everyone else. But as he took in another breath, it clicked. She smelled like him. He'd thought it was just the shop masking it but no, she just smelled like him.
That shouldn't be possible he'd…he'd never met her.
She just watched him impassively.
“What's your name?” He asked as he finally walked to stand in front of her.
She was older than him, though he couldn't tell by how much. But to be fair he'd turned eighteen not too long ago so the bar wasn't particularly high.
“Lady.”
He blinked.
“Lady? What kind of name is that?”
She just raised a challenging brow back at him. “Mine.” She drawled, clearly unamused.
He threw up his hands. “Ok ok fine whatever, your name is Lady.”
She hummed before going to perch on his desk. Immediately he started to complain because really? What was this woman's problem? She just walked in acting like she owned the place. She didn't blink at him and so he followed after her.
“Ok so what do you mean you just appeared here?”
“What I said. Though I suppose it's only technically true.” She mussed.
Amusement danced clearly in her eyes, and Dante felt like he was being duped.
“Straight answers please.” He nearly begged.
She seemed to take pity on him as her mismatched gaze softened.
“Fine Dante.”
He jolted slightly at his name, considering he'd just recently started going by it he wasn't sure how she'd know it. Tony sure, but Dante?
“I was here, but more like years in the future. When this place has a name and reputation. Suddenly I blink and I'm back here before…well everything.”
That brought Dante up short. “The future?” He couldn't help how dubious he sounded.
Lady rolled her eyes. “Is that really so hard to believe?”
“Uh kinda yeah.” He shot back as he crossed his arms.
She leaned forward and he pointedly did his best not to look down at her unbuttoned shirt and the great view she was giving him.
“Yeah ok Sparda, sure time travel is a touch too far for you.”
He jolted back and scowled down at her a growl rumbling low in his chest.
“Don't call me that.”
“Aww and what are you going to do about it? You don't hurt humans, besides you're just a baby.”
He sneered down at her and she didn't so much as blink. Instead she put a finger on his chest and pushed him back. Or at least tried, he didn't budge.
“It's impressive how riled up you get over a simple title. I forgot it was Vergil who owned it so easily and you were the hold out.”
He flinched back violently, finally out of her reach, and she watched him go impassively. He pulled out Ebony and Ivory and pointed them at her.
She didn't even blink, just raised an eyebrow.
“Really now? Can't even have a conversation, this is embarrassing Dante.”
“How do you…. you're a demon.”
“If I were a demon you would know. You can sense them after all, or have you forgotten?”
“You could be something new.” He was sure that even she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
“But I'm not. You, Dante, youngest son of Sparda, are just paranoid. I would have thought you'd have questions if anything, but apparently not.”
“Yeah and what would you know?” He half snarled.
“Quite a lot actually considering I've known you for two decades.” She shot back.
That brought him up short. It was a lofty claim if nothing else.
“Prove it.”
She shrugged before turning the photo on his desk.
“You're mother Eva who died protecting you at eight, leaving you in a closet to go find your brother.”
Dante swallowed hard.
She pointed to his sword propped up against the wall. “Rebellion the sword you inherited in contrast to Vergil getting Yamato.”
She stood finally and walked towards him before grabbing his amulet and looking up at him. He swallowed hard at the certainty in her eyes, the mismatched gaze daring him to deny the facts she somehow knew.
“The gift from your mother that you and Vergil got.”
She let it go before gesturing to where he holstered his guns.
“Then Ebony and Ivory custom made by Nell because you kept breaking all the others. She gifted them to you in her dying moments.”
Dante felt like he couldn't breathe. He'd never told a soul any of this, yet here this woman was saying all of his deepest secrets as if they were common knowledge.
Lady turned on her heel before going to perch on her desk once more and fixing the photo back to how it was.
“You're my best friend you know.” She said thoughtlessly.
It felt like a punch to the gut but he… he believed her. He hated it and wanted to scream, but he couldn't help but believe her. She wouldn't know all that if it wasn't the case.
“Vergil…he's not dead?” Is what he managed instead.
The woman shrugged. “No, not now at least, maybe not ever if I can help it. I don't like him but…he means a lot to you.”
“Tell me.” He begged, stepping forward as his voice shook.
“He's going to raise the Temen-ni-gru to get your father's power. You're going to stop him and he's going to jump into the demon world.”
Dante tries and fails to find something to say but comes up short.
“He's going to be used by Arkham and that man will play us all for fools. You must kill him and not let him get my blood.”
“When?” He breathes.
“Soon enough.” She shrugs.
He doesn't like the lack of answers, and she seems to know it.
“Look I don't know what more to tell you, or if you'll even remember. I was young and on a suicide mission and you were so hot headed and stubborn.”
“This is my family.” He said forcefully as he leaned over her. But yet again she didn't blink and was completely unmoved. If anything there was something close to pity in her eyes.
“You can't scare me, you don't even have your full powers yet.”
He was brought up short once more, this woman really needed to stop doing that.
“Honestly, I can't get over the fact you have a shirt on.” She said without prompting a moment later, sounding like she might just laugh.
“Huh?” He blinked down at her.
He wished half-heartedly she'd fear him, just so he could get more satisfying answers. Alas he was left constantly on the back foot, and he didn't think that was going to change.
She shrugged. “When I picture you this young I always picture you without a shirt considering that's how we met.”
He smirked. “I can take it off if you want.” He played up the bravado he definitely didn't feel.
She snorted, taking the wind out of his sails immediately. “Please you don't even have chest hair yet you're a baby, there's not much worth looking at.”
He perked up. “But there is in the future?”
He couldn't help the hope that crept into his tone. The woman was smoking hot, he wasn't blind, and he couldn't help but be impressed by how unfazed she was by him. She just looked him up and down and he forced himself not to puff up like a bird trying to show off.
“Sure, you put on more muscle and gain a few more inches of height.” A pause then decisively. “You grow into yourself.”
That strikes something within him, and she seems to realize it as her gaze softens slightly before it hardens once more.
“And you get a good purpose. Eradicating demons, vile creatures they are. I'll only be happy once all those things are dead and gone.”
The hatred that laced her words brought him up short and wilted his tentative hope.
“But you've always been different.” She added on like she knew already what he was thinking, and he was starting to believe she did.
He flinched slightly and brought his eyes up once more to meet hers from where they fell to the ground.
“Hell, you're even tolerable once you get over yourself.” She admitted with a wave of her hand.
“You get your ass in gear, you're head on straight, and I might even dare to call you noble. Perhaps even to a fault considering how much debt you're in because you refuse to take pay half the time.”
He opened and closed his mouth dumbly as he tried to find the words. Him? Refuse pay? He'd been living off of scraps for most of his life sure he was picky with his jobs but to refuse pay? He was supposed to believe that would change?
His incredulity must show because she just laughed, and ok he might be a touch in love.
“Oh you have no idea. You owe me so much damn money it's embarrassing.” She purred and leaned forward once more.
This time he let himself look. She didn't get on his case so he took it as permission. She was a damn dream with that smirk on her face as she eyed him up like a challenge.
“And you want to explain why you smell like me?”
Was it in the vain hope it would throw her off? Possibly, but it was also eating him alive. Was it just that she hung around the office often? From what she'd said it was definitely possible. Was he hoping for more anyway? Absolutely.
She put a finger under his chin forcing complete eye contact once more. He forced his eyes up to meet her own that swam with mirth. She offered him a smirk and shuffled closer making it to where he was standing between her legs.
He swallowed harshly, and with the way her eyes sharpened she hadn't missed that little detail.
“What do you think?” She asked, and he was surprised at how genuine it was.
“I-” He actually wasn't sure.
He knew what he wanted to be the truth, but she'd called him her best friend. But she hadn't got on him for ogling her either, and she was doing...whatever this was now. Lady just chuckled and tilted her head, smirk clear on her lips. He sucked in a small breath which just made her smirk grow.
“God you're adorable, so unlike the man I know.”
“What…what are we?” He asked a touch desperate.
She cupped his cheek and pulled him close before nuzzling slightly against the side of his face. She pulled back too quickly for him to return it in full as his instincts demanded and just whined slightly in protest.
“Like I said, you're my best friend.” She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
He leaned into her touch like a cat, a purr rumbling low in his chest. She ran her fingers though his hair thoughtlessly.
“You're going to be the best man I've ever met one day. But you have some growing up to do first. Just remember my warning yeah?
He nodded and hated himself for leaning more into her. It had been so long since he'd gotten any, dare he say, comfort like this.
“I'm going to hate your guts at first, but just be you and it'll turn out fine.”
“Promise?” He breathed.
“I wouldn't lie to you Dante.” She answered in turn before placing a barely there kiss on the corner of his mouth.
He tried to return it but she pulled back too quickly, and he was left to stare into mismatched eyes that swam with everything he’d ever wanted. And Dante couldn’t help but believe her.