Chapter Text
“ That’s stick number three Ms. Lady. “ Nico called from the back of the van. Hands busy fine tuning another craft in the works, the gunsmith's attention couldn’t have been more focused at the situation taking place.
“ Don’t you know? Third times the charm. “ Trish mused, just about as entranced by the spectacle as Nico. Crossing one leg over the other she eyed the first two plastic test sitting on the countertop. Double lines. Clear as day in their bright pink glory. A slick grin crawls on the woman's cheek. Though she won't admit it, at least not when it was obvious the other was in a cluster of mixed emotions, Trish had expected this day to come. Frankly, waited on it far too long in her opinion.
“ Can the both of you shut it— “ Lady huffed. Heavy booted steps pacing up and down the aisle of the van. 'This wasn’t happening. The first two were just cheap defectos is all. They sit too long and they’ll come out with false positives— nothing uncommon...' That’s what she tried to convince herself.
“ Y’know, I really expected this to come from Nero and Kyrie. Those two lovebirds always macking on each other all the time, disgusting. -but Lady and Dante? Didn’t even think the two of ya were screwin. “ Nico scooted out of her work bench to meet the two hunters in the middle.
“ Oh, they’ve messed around alright. “ The lightning demon whistled.
Trish was no fool. She had caught onto their little game from the start, well from the start of her coming into the picture. Lady knew Dante way before Trish joined their side and through a passing comment she learned because of Lady DMC founded its name. As much as Dante bitched and moaned about the jobs passed onto him by the human devil hunter, she had more to do with him than just business. Trish always picked up on the faint perk in his attitude after her visits. A smile would creep on his face as he got back to his readings and if Lady didn’t come by for weeks at a time then came a foul mood pungent in the air. If you asked her, she wouldn’t be all too smiley to see the person she owe’d thousands of dollars to if that’s all there was between’em.
Then there was their first throupled job. Admittedly at the time Trish had still heavily doubted Lady’s devil hunting skills. A human devil hunter seemed rather confounded and when she’d raised concerns about the practicality of a mere human playing in their stomping grounds Dante’s immediate defense still lingered in Trish’s memory. The confidence he had in her and the words, albeit playful, but calculated when he describes her. Respect. Love. For years it played like that. Small cues and gestures that hinted to more despite their back and forth jesting. Lady may have always acted abrasive towards Dante but Trish tuned to the veil in her tone. A pair of idiots, the blonde would title them. Both so reclusive in showing their feelings not even aware to how clear as day it was, (to her at least). Trish didn’t have to wonder how this would play out, she knew exactly where this lead despite her comrades panic.
‘That child is going to be unconditionally loved’
“ Alright, five minutes are up. Hand it over. “ Palm open casually, Lady passes the stick to Nico for the southern belle to read. It was easier to hand it over to her, Nico held no punches nor sugarcoated anything. Like ripping off a band-aid.
“ Third test, and—-“
“ Get it over with, just tell me.” Lady drops onto the couch hiding her face with gloved hands.
“ Well, Ms. Lady, your eggo is preggo. Looks like you and Dante are expecting yourselves a lil demon baby. But hey! Look at the bright side- your tits are gonna look fantastic. “ Goldstein lays down the white stick next to the others and leans against the fridge with delight.
Trish nearly hides the snort at Nico’s comment. An added agreement failing to breech glossed lips.
Swapping one leg over the other, the blonde leans back in her seat. “ So, what now....? You know you’re going to have to tell him. ”
There's a choking sensation at the base of her throat. The idea of being a mother hadn’t crossed Lady’s mind before, it wasn’t something she thought would happen at all in her lifetime- until now. From the moment her own suspicions were raised, Lady pondered her choices. Three routes she could take and each carried their quarrels.
She could terminate, let it go, and move on without saying a word.....Nothing would change, she'd go back to work and live as she always has. Its a reasonable plan. It made sense. But...for once there was a trigger she couldn’t pull. Despite her grievance in the moment about the situation there was a part of her that was...happy?
When would an opportunity like this ever happen again? While the words would never slip from her lips, she was getting older....
They were getting older.
And all that time slipping through their fingers wasn’t coming back anytime soon. It’d never stop them from their work that’s for sure, but that window of opportunity for a family was beginning its end. If she didn’t take it now- would there ever be a next time?
And then it came down to two choices. She could keep it and raise it from harms way. No association to Devil May Cry, or any of the Sparda’s. Let their daughter or son have that dream of a normal life. Go to school, make friends, safe and happy...but it wasn’t as easy as she'd wish. Knowing somewhere down the road it would all catch up. Knowing one day he or she would grow into their demon bloodline, confused, struggling as to why it was happening. It wouldn't be fair to them. Keeping something so important from them-- would he or she resent her for it? Did Nero resent his parents for it?
There came that wave of sickness in her stomach once again.
And Dante....
It wouldn’t be fair to him. To keep his child away from him? Lady knew how much that would hurt him. It’d practically be jamming a stake into years of trust and loyalty.
She couldn’t do that.
Then there’s the third choice- her choice; she would tell him the truth. She was pregnant, it was his, and she intends to keep it. They’d accommodate for a new addition to their DMC family however they can. Sure their life was dangerous. Not exactly an ideal situation to raise a child in that's for sure. Posing demonic threats that could occur at any given moment and a pair of demon hunting parents didn't bode for a normal childhood. Something the two hunters never got in their ill fated paths...
....but they never got both of their parents either....
Life may not be ‘Normal’ but their child deserved that at least... Their parents. A family. Albeit a chaotic one.
“ Hear me out, ya order a pizza and break the news in the cardboard box. First surprise, ‘ Hey a pizza!’ Surprise numero dos, ‘Welcome to fatherhood’. It’s foolproof. “
“ That is... so cheesy. “ Trish side eyed.
“ Maybe, but this is Dante we’re talkin about. Man is practically made of cheese what with all that pizza he eats.“
Between Nico's ‘elaborate planning’ and Trish’s chatter that sparked between them, their voices drowned out as Lady’s thoughts continued to meander and shifted into that fateful night she and Dante had gotten together.
——
A midnight return to Devil May Cry after a long afternoon dealing with a finicky client. Once again another case with undisclosed details turned what should've been a quick buck into a process. Nevertheless, the job was done and Lady made sure they got their money’s worth. A few beers were tossed In celebration with casual talk of passed memories and the occasional jab towards one another. Somewhere down the line of reminiscing Dante’s old attire, there came that look as he meandered from the Jukebox. The look that made crystalline blues glimmer with heat.
Lady barely noticed the change of music til she caught that glint in his eyes. That wordless cue of "time to work my magic".
‘Of all songs, Creep, really?’
Lady eye'd him back with a headshake. No way was she falling for it. As suave as Dante perceived himself that Devil Charm was all but corny. You’d think over twenty years he’d master the craft.
And still, she sat on his desk with a simmered grin spread on beer stained lips. Mismatched eyes being persuaded by devil blues as he drew closer. Placing himself between the arsenals legs, calloused hands found the clasp of her leather chaps and hastily undid its locks freeing him to gently caress the curve of her bare thighs, fingers hooking at Lady’s knees to draw her closer.
“ Y’know it’s been a while....” Dante mutters, head creeping near her neck, lips just gracing ivory skin fully tempted to go in and leave his mark. Tempted to paint her with shades of red and blues.
Lady rolled her eyes, body leaning back to cut him off. “ Strange, it’s almost like there’s probably a reason for that. “
“Oh c’mon, this about the Hell thing? Or you still mad at me about Kalina Ann? I already got Nico fixing it at her shop-“
“A fix I’m going to have to pay for, Dante, and is getting added to your debt!” Lady huffed. She should have expected it the moment Nico tossed it over to him. And while the whole staying in Hell thing should have taken a front seat in her heated fit, it was a separate can of worms she wasn’t going to get angry about again. Frankly she didn’t have the energy to argue about it- not while she was drunk.
“ Yeah, Yeah, yeah.... “ Dante dismissed carelessly, shushing her as he caved and pressed lazy kisses at the corner of her jaw.
That damn ‘debt’ of his. He was just about unbothered by it anymore, whatever job he took, high salary or not, the demon was still going to owe her something. If he didn’t know any better this debt of his was simply a placeholder for wedding ring. ‘Til debt free do us part’ as Dante liked to joke to himself.
As if either of them would be rid of each other any time soon.
Lips trailing down ivory skin, tracing tinted scars among flesh, hands furthered it’s path around her waist, pausing only to further persuade her in his favor.
“ C’mon... can’t you find it in that big soft heart of yours to forgive ol’Dante? “
Try as she might, between that months old gruff facial hair of his tickling at her skin and the caress of his lips, Lady couldn’t resist a smile. ‘Forgiveness, huh?’
Snatching the cut of his jaw before he could resume, a single digit keeps the Sparda’s chin up allowing her a moment to sit upright again. “ If you can give me three reasons, then maybe, maybe, you can have yourself some playtime. “ She was ready to hear whatever bull he could muster up. Of course it’d have little impact on Lady’s decision but still— she could use the amusement.
“ Three, huh....Well- “
“ I can’t wait to hear this.” Lady smirked
“ I did save your ass earlier from a few of them Fury’s— “
Mouth agape Lady about near unraveled herself from their position in insult until Dante cut her off swiftly, arms lifting her right up from his desk and against him with a slight groan in his voice “ — And, Nero’s taken Virg with him for the night which means we’ve got the whole place to ourselves. And honey, I’ve got an itch only you can scratch. “
‘ This idiot.’ and that snarky smirk of his.
Arms tying around broad shoulders, gloved hands play at the end of white locks bringing an anticipating hum to the devil. Lady examines him over, full lips pouted and eyes hazy, taking her sweet time to mull it over. It had been a while... months actually... between the chaos the summer had become and the aftermath that left sturdy feet to fault just a bit, sex had been the last thing on the mind. Lest she forget about the other Sparda who made himself right at home leaving a lot less privacy, who knew when the next time the recluse would be out of the building again. She relished the days when their only concern was Trish coming around unexpectedly.
“ Fuck it. “ Shedding the white leather jacket and tossing it onto the desk, Dante rejoiced to himself and wasted no time setting her down for a brief second to lock the front door. That excited grin of his— twenty years may have gone by but it still retained that boyish charm.
“Time to get busy! “ Dante excitedly scooped the petite woman before she was ready carrying her up the stairs and into his room. The bedroom door slamming shut as an audible fit of laughter seeped through old wood.
————
“ Lady? Earth to Lady! Ya still there? “ that southern drawl breaches even the deepest of thoughts and like that, the arsenal is reeled out of her head. Hands melting back down to her sides, nervous eyes pass by the other two and she sighs. “ Yeah. I’m still here....”
“ So, What’s the plan? “ Trish looked to her friend with a smile. Nude gloss stained lips bringing a sense of reassurance. “ Whatever happens, we’ve got your back. Right, Nico? ”
“ Right. No matter what. “ Nico crossed tattooed arms with confidence beaming. “ But I ain’t changing no diapers that’s for sure. Leave that to Nero. “
Lady chuckled and picked her head back up,
“ Thanks you guys, really. “ Their energy was all too much to dismiss and despite the overwhelming anxiety sitting in Lady’s chest a wave of relief allowed her a second to breath.
“ Guess we go tell him. “
“Back to home base it is then. Y'know we still have some time to do the pizza plan...“ The gunsmith offered making her way to the drivers seat.
"No, no pizza plan. " Trish interjected, “ However, Anyone else hungry? “
Instantly the other two shot up,
“ Starving.” Nico whined
“Hell yes “ Lady chimed in.
“ Alright, it’s decided. Food first then back to Devil May Cry to drop the baby bomb.“ Nico laughed igniting the roar of the RV’s engine.
“ S’What’re y’all feeling? Cause I’m thinking Burgers.”