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It was the dead of the night when you awoke. Nothing in particular had stirred you from your slumber, any dreams that had occupied your unconscious mind vanishing before you could recall them. Dante was fast asleep to your left, face smushed into his pillow. You figured he wouldn’t be woken easily—not that you blamed him. He’d had a difficult job the day prior, and he needed his rest.
You carefully slipped out of the bed, stealing a glance at the clock as you did so. 1:19AM. Well, you’d just make a quick trip downstairs for a glass of water, then you’d be right back to sleep. Easy enough.
You didn’t dare put the lights on as you made your way to the kitchen, not wanting to risk waking your fiancé. A soft smile touched your face as you thought of him; you and Dante had been together for eight years at this point, having gotten engaged last spring, but you had been friends since before you could talk. You’d supported each other throughout your whole lives, through the good and the bad—even though it was admittedly difficult to be there for a half-demon devil hunter sometimes. You did what you could, though, and the falling in love part had just been so natural.
The water was cool and refreshing and it woke you up a little, though not enough that you wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. Dante was incredible. Sure, the legendary devil hunter had a fearsome reputation, but that was hardly the only thing that attracted you about him. He also knew exactly how to put a smile on your face during your bad days, and he was endlessly kind, a mixed bag of quirks all rolled up into one handsome, stylish half-devil man.
Finishing your drink, you moved to place the glass into the sink, only to catch your hip on the edge of the counter. Yelping, you managed to steady yourself, but your glass wasn’t so lucky, shattering on the ground with a deafening crash, and suddenly, you weren’t at Devil May Cry anymore.
Smoke and ash filled the air, the grass beneath your tiny hands scorched and splattered with a red liquid. It was the stuff you knew was meant to be in your body, so why was so much of it outside? Where were your mama and papa? Why weren’t they answering your cries?
The house had gone up in flames, and though you desperately wanted to look for your parents, you at the very least understood that that was too dangerous. Instead, you cried, wrapping your arms around your body as you gently rocked yourself back and forth. It was going to be okay, your mama and papa were going to come get you soon, and everything would be okay…
A voice calling your name reasserted your present reality, though tremors still wracked your body, fresh tears dripping down your cheeks. Your throat was raw and nothing felt real as you squinted at the strange figure before you—no, not a strange figure. Dante.
“Dante?” you whispered, voice cracking. He was crouching beside you, concern clearly painted across his features as his hands hovered nearby, uncertain if it was alright to touch you. “Dante, the demons, they…”
“Shh, it’s okay, it’s not real,” Dante reassured you, his voice washing over you like a soothing tide. “There’s no demons here, and if there were, I would’ve kicked their asses six ways to Sunday. Try to breathe, okay? It’s okay, I’m here.”
You followed his instructions, slowly beginning to try calm your hyperventilation. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. As you begin to get a grip on your breathing, your shaking began to subside, and soon you were starting to feel okay again, minus a bit of the lingering panic.
“Okay to touch?” Dante murmured. You nodded, and he scooped you into his arms bridal style, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Come on, babe, let’s get you back upstairs to bed.”
“The glass,” you began to say, trying to pull Dante’s attention to the shattered fragments, but he just shook his head, pressing a finger to your lips.
“That’s a problem for tomorrow me,” he replied, and you noted that he specifically said ‘me.’ God damn, would this man ever cease to amaze you? “Right now, you and I are going to cuddle until you fall back asleep.”
Wow.
You really loved him.
You had no hesitation about saying as much. Dante chuckled.
“I love you too, babe. Now, try to relax; that’s the only thing you’ve got to do.”
How could you say no?