Chapter Text
The world was so cold despite the flames. Dante couldn’t stop his crying. His mothers dead body looked up at him with a smile as the flames devoured her.
“Where’s Vergil Dante? I have to find Vergil. Where is he?” His mother’s voice was hollow and echoing. It sounded wrong. He couldn’t remember how to make her voice sound right again. He could barely remember her voice at all.
“I’m sorry- I’m so-sorry M-m-mom!” Dante was a child again. He was so small against the burning body of his mother. He gripped at her flaming dress, trying to ground himself, “Vergil’s gone! I’m so sorry!”
“And whose fault is that Dante?” Eva’s face fell before it changed.
Dante was older suddenly. He is 18 years old now. He no longer held his mother’s dress but a different outfit.
“Tony,” Dante looked up, his mother was gone, the burning body was now Nell Goldstien, “I’d still be alive if you didn’t lead that devil to me y’know.”
“No… No, Nell I’m so sorry I’m-“ But Dante couldn’t finish his poor attempt at forgiveness before an unseen hand pulled at his shoulder.
A bandaged face stared down at him, laughing.
He held something in his hand.
It was Grue. It was his head.
“My dad is dead Tony.”
Dante turned. The burning body was gone. Now Jessica stood behind him. There was so much rage in her eyes.
“I- I didn’t know. I’m so sorry Jessica I’d take his place if I could-“
“Then why don’t you!?”
Dante wanted to grovel, to say more useless apologies but Jessica was gone when he blinked the tears from his eyes.
This time he was 19. Lady stood with her back to him. Her father dead at her feet.
Dante’s hand bled. A cut was across his palm. The wound wouldn’t heal.
“Maybe a Devil May cry when he looses a loved one…” Lady turned to Dante so he could see her face. It was covered in blood.
“Will you cry when you cause my death Dante?” Lady took a step towards him and more wounds appeared on her skin, “What will you do when you kill me just like you killed your mother, your friends, and-“
Lady moved her hand in a swiping motion, splashing blood in Dante’s eyes, blinding him.
By the time Dante could see again it was no longer Lady who stood accusing him, but someone much worse.
“- Your brother.” Vergil stood before Dante. Finishing the sentence that Lady started. He was covered in wounds that Dante had inflicted.
He couldn’t remember his own mother’s voice but he knew the exact wounds he inflicted on Vergil 12 years ago.
The blood flowing from Dante’s hand flowed faster, filling the room. Theres so much blood. Dante was swimming in it.
Vergil was unaffected. Staring at his twin with a cold glare. No, he wasn’t staring at his brother he was staring at his killer.
Dante swam up, pushing his head above the surface.
“Wait! Vergil I’m sorry! I just couldn’t let you use your power like that, all those people caught in the crossfire?! You know that’s not right!” Blood splashed into Dante’s mouth, he spit it out quickly, “Our souls are at odds but I never wanted you dead! Please! You gotta believe me!” His voice quaked in desperation but Vergil just stared.
The blood washed Dante away but Vergil stayed where he was.
When Dante pushed out of the water he found himself in a familiar place.
Mallet island.
Not this place. Anywhere but here.
A familiar amulet was on the ground in front of Dante.
An even more familiar shadow fell over Dante as well.
The devil hunter turned his gaze up. It was Vergil again. No, it was Nelo Angelo.
Dante didn’t know that Nelo Angelo was Vergil. How could he?
Dante was just defending himself. Wasn’t he?
“I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry Vergil…”
Nelo Angelo just stared.
This was the worst part. The silent stare. It seemed to go on forever.
The warped body of his brother, the empty eyes looking down at him, the blood staining his armor. This all could have been avoided if Dante wasn’t so… so weak. Maybe he could have saved his brother.
“You found Vergil!” Dante couldn’t look at where the voice was coming from, but it was distorted and familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
Mother.
Her corpse walked up to Nelo Angelo. She was burnt to the point Dante could barley recognize her.
“You found Vergil Dante!” Her voice was still warping and changing.
She walked behind the hulking suit of armor, emerging from the other side changed.
“You found Nelo Angelo,” The voice was familiar now. The body was no longer charred. No dress draped the body but rather black leather.
“… Trish…” Dante wanted this to be over.
“I’m not your mommy Dante, you killed her a long time ago, and if you don’t let me go, you’ll kill me too,” Trish was harsh and straight to the point as per usual.
“I… I don’t want to be alone,” Dante could feel tears go down his face.
“How pathetic,” Trish wiped away Dante’s tears with the loving touch of a mother, “How selfish.”
Trish blocked the view that Dante had of Nelo Angelo now. When she moved it was no longer the warped form of his brother.
No, it was worse.
“You’ll kill him too y’know,” Trish walked up to Nero, patting his head.
“You really think after everyone you killed, all the pain you’ve caused, that you could raise this boy?” Trish laughed but it sounded wrong. It was too deep.
Dante was pushed backwards by an unknown force, he felt the same invisible force grab at his wrists and ankles, trapping him in place.
He looked up at three eyes.
“You’ll damn this child.”
Nero sat in the open palm of Mundus’s hand.
“LET HIM GO!” He may have failed Vergil, but he can do right by Nero. He can’t save his brother but maybe his nephew could still be saved.
Mundus crushed Nero within his grip, smiling down at Dante as he screamed.
Dante knew he was screaming. He felt the pressure in his throat. Yet he heard nothing.
When Mundus opened his palm again Nero was there again. It wasn’t Nero though, not really.
He was warped just like his father was before he died. Black armor enlognated the boys limbs unnaturally. Glowing purple veins traveled across Nero’s face. A face that was stuck in an expression of horror.
An Angelo soldier, just like his father.
Ring.
There was a phone ringing now. When did a phone find its way to Mallet island?
Ring.
Oh. This is a dream. Right.
Dante’s eyes shot open and he moved in panicked motions, almost falling out of his desk chair he fell asleep in.
Yawning and doing the best he could to snap out of his dream, Dante kicked his desk, knocking the still ringing phone into his hand.
“Devil May Cry, how may I be of assistance,” It was probably another prank call, or Lady demanding he pay his debt he ignored.
“Hi Dante, It’s Principal Julie from Capulet middle school again, how are you?” Oh shit, not again.
Dante groaned and looked over at the clocked, it was 1:00. Nero didn’t get out of school until 3:30 today, “Oh God, what is it this time?”
“Well your son-“
“-Nephew.” Dante was not a father.
“-Nephew,” Julie corrected herself with an annoyed huff, “Is in my office for the 3rd time this week for fighting! During lunch he thought it’d be a good idea to attack some of the other kids.”
Yeah sure, he definitely attacked them, “Look Julie, what do you want me to do here? You sending him home again? Why don’t you just give him detention like the other kids who start fights?” The school sucked ass but the kid needed his education, Dante wishes he had that opportunity.
“Oh he has detention for the rest of the school year, and his lunch period will be in my office,” Her voice was stern, she was serious about that, “But I cannot allow him to return to class, it’s been a whole hour and he’s still… unstable.”
“Unstable? What’s that mean?” Dante reached for the pizza box left out on his desk from last night. Still one more slice. Nice.
“… Your nephew is still… upset about his punishment, he’d be a disruption to the other students trying to learn if I sent him back to class. You need to pick him up,” Based on the many times this has happened in the past, Dante knew that Miss Principal Julie was just scared of the kid, and the damn kid couldn’t get that scowl off his face if he tried.
“Look let me ju-“
“Now!” Julie cleared his throat after her outburst, “Now Mr. Dante. You need to get your son now.”
“My nephew,” Dante corrected, “And fine, I’m on my way.”
Dante slammed the phone on the receiver before Julie could respond. He’s so sick of dealing with shitty teachers and principals. He thought it’d get better as Nero got older but it’s still the same type of shitty people who single out the “different,” kid. The same adults who turn a blind eye to said kid getting bullied but punish him for fighting back.
Dante wishes he had money to put Nero in private school but public school is the only option he’s got for the poor kid.
Dante started up his busted red convertible and drove down to the school. Usually Nero would ride his skateboard to and from so the drive in the car was short.
It’s still the middle of the school day meaning Dante had to sign out the kid through the office. God, going from nightmare riddled afternoon nap to having to deal with the servants of hell- public school receptionists- must have been divine karma for all the bad Dante has done. He wouldn’t wish this shit on his worst enemy.
Dante had to duck to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe. He looked at who was working the student sign out today. Dorace. For lack of a better word, she was a complete cun-
“Dante,” Dorace’s voice was raspy from years of smoking. the saggy skin on her arms dragged against the desk as she moved her hands from the keyboard to her lap, “Back again so soon.”
Dante sighed. He had to be nice to the people who worked at Nero’s school. He can’t have a repeat of Nero’s 5th grade where cps got called when Dante called Nero’s teacher a walking shitstain. Plus Dorace hasn’t even said anything bad yet-
“Here to pick up that little terror you’re stuck with? Surprised you haven’t ditched him yet or stuck him in boot camp, you ain’t the responsible type are ya?” The devil spoke too soon. Dorace was always ready to say something bad huh?
“Yeah yeah whatever, just let me sign him out,” Dante didn’t have time for verbal abuse today, it didn't fit into his schedule.
Dorace scowled and handed Dante a paper on a clipboard. No pen but Dante expected that and took out his own. He filled out all the paperwork since it was second nature to him to do this now and roughly put the clipboard back onto the receptionist desk.
“There, done. Now go get him,” Dante crossed his arms expectantly.
Dorace glared up at Dante for a few seconds, she reached over to her phone and typed in an extension without breaking eye contact
with Dante, “He’s here,” Dorace hung up.
Nero and the school nurse were walking out a door not a few minutes later, Nero dashing ahead when he saw Dante, leaving the nurse behind him in the dust.
Nero grabbed onto Dante, burying his face in Dante’s torso.
“Drive safely,” Dorace said while waving, but she sounded far from genuine.
The nurse walked up to Dante, a small ziplock bag with ice wrapped in a thin white paper towel in hand, he was new, Dante hadn’t seen him before, “Excuse me sir! You’re daught-“
Dante glared at the nurse.
“-I mean son,” He quickly corrected.
“Nephew,” Dante also corrected.
“Ah right… well… he… has a bruise on his arm and leg from the earlier altercation with other students,” He offered the shitty ice pack to Dante, “Sh-He refused to ice it but I-“
“Don’t need it,” Dante pushed the so called ice pack away and turned to leave, “He’ll be fine, we got actual ice packs at home.”
Dante did not like this new nurse.
Dante walked to the convertible with Nero practically glued to him. His face was still buried in Dante’s side even as they walked.
“Hey kid,” Dante ruffled Nero’s hair gently, “We’re at the car, you can let go now.”
Nero pulled back with a sniffle and Dante looked down to see little boy snot on his vest. Great.
Nero climbed into the car, actually opening the door unlike Dante who just hopped over it into the driver's seat.
He looked over at Nero, still sniffeling, “Hey.”
Nero looked up at Dante, the puffy nose, red cheeks, and bloodshot eyes made him look so sad. It also made his eyes look even more blue somehow, “Why don’t we get some icecream huh? Make you feel better.”
Nero just shook his head, saying nothing.
“No icecream? Okay then…” Dante thought for a second, “How about we go to the comic book store huh? Get you some fantastic four comics? Maybe some X-men?” Nero didn’t respond, “Hellblazer?” Nero didn’t even read Hellblazer, that was Dante’s favorite.
Nero silently pointed in the direction of the Devil May cry office. He wanted to go home.
Dante sighed, “Alright kid.”
Dante started up the car and drove home, he was barely parked before Nero was unbuckled and bolted out of the car to the front doors of the shop, which of course were locked. By the time Dante got out of the car, Nero was using his own keys, fumbling with the lock but clearly needing help. Kid was useless with keys.
“Here let me-“ Dante said calmly and reached over the kid only for him to hit the door in frustration, dropping his keys in the process, only making him more frustrated.
Dante paused, looking down at his nephew. He’s had bad days before but usually he’s just a bit moody, not a full on tantrum thrower.
Dante unlocked the door, Nero running past before he could even realize. Maybe his demonic blood gave him superspeed? Or he’s just an upset child who wants to go to his room.
How long had Nero lived with him now? He’s 12. So close to being a moody teenager. He was only 9 when Dante got that letter in the mail, letting him know of his existence. Dante and Vergil being twins meant they had the same genetics. Meaning Nero showed up in the system as his kid. Legally he still was. Vergil’s been “missing” and considered dead since he was 8.
He died much later though.
——-
Four years ago.
Dante held the sleeping child in his arms. Apparently they found him on some boat that made an unplanned stop on some island off the coast called Fortuna. Some cut off religious islands where phones were a rarity.
A DNA test came up with very few blood relatives. The only living one was Dante.
Dante looked down at the kid. He said his name was Nero. Weird name but it might have been the norm in this Fortuna. Cps workers said he ran away from the island by being a stowaway and threw a screaming crying fit when they offered to take him “home” to Fortuna.
He was quiet. Too quiet for a kid his age. He looked up at Dante with those big scared eyes that seemed to soften slightly when he saw the color of Dante’s hair.
His chubby little finger pointed at Dante’s head before pointing at his own, “…Same…” His voice was unconfident and soft.
Dante kneeled down. He never knew what he was doing with kids, but Grue always insisted his kids loved him, so he guessed he wasn’t terrible about it.
“Yeah… Same,” Dante smiled, ruffling the kids' hair.
The lady working said he was a girl. Nero did not like that. Insisting he was a boy, so boy he was.
Paperwork to get custody took way longer than Dante thought. Not to mention one of the workers kept insisting Nero pick a different name, one more… graceful? Was that the word she used? She really meant feminine.
The kid probably took to Dante so well because he wasn’t a total dick. He was not a father figure in the slightest and was far from ready to take care of a kid full time, but he couldn’t just leave him there. The foster system was horrible and if the kid decided to run away again who knows what could happen. He got lucky this time but what if he ended up like Dante did? What if Mundus caught his scent? Another descendant of Sparda to pay for the crimes committed on demonkind.
Dante had to protect Nero. No one else would.
He placed the sleeping kid in his bed. Looks like Dante would sleep on the couch, not that he usually didn’t. It was better this way, and he could save money on furniture by giving Nero the bedroom anyways.
Kids are expensive. He couldn’t live off of cold pizza and strawberry sundays. Dante needed to go grocery shopping. The kid needed clothes too.
Dante was a one day work-week kind of guy, but that just isn’t realistic with that kid now was it?
Shit.
Dante wasn’t ready for this.
——
Present day.
Nero had locked himself in his room for about 3 hours before he slinked out. Dante was sitting on the couch, looking through an old edition of slap n’ tickle magazine.
“Did’ja nap?” Dante asked, not even looking up at the 12 year old.
“… no…” He was so quiet, Dante could barely hear him.
The devil hunter put the magazine down and looked up at Nero. Patting the couch space next to him, “Sit.”
Nero sat.
“Wanna talk about it?”
“No,” The kid’s face was all red and puffy. He should rinse his eyes out with water so the salt of his tears wouldn’t start to make them sting.
“It might make you feel better,” Dante put a comforting hand on Nero’s back, which he instinctively leaned into.
“…” Nero thought for a second before looking up at Dante with blue eyes full of woe, “Do I look like a girl?”
Dante shook his head, “Why would you think that kid?”
“… The kids at school called me a girl at lunch and pushed me.”
“Is that why you got into another fight?”
Nero shook his head, “No, I ignored them, because they suck ass.”
Dante smirked and ruffled Nero’s hair, “Hell yeah they do, but don’t say that at school again."
“I won’t, not after last time,” Nero sighed before continuing, “I saw them push Matthew and he scraped his knee,” Nero frowned
“That’s the kid that got held back right?” Dante felt bad for Matthew, based on what Nero said he was nothing but kind. Other kids didn’t seem to care about that though, he was dumb in their eyes and that meant he was an easy target.
Were kids always this evil?
“I went to help Matthew up and I told them to leave Matthew alone… but they just pushed me and broke my headphones,” Nero looked like he was about to cry again.
“Why didn’t ya tell me sooner? We’ll go out and get you another pair. How about that?” Nero needed the noise canceling headphones just to survive a school day. Makes sense why he was so “unstable” in Julie’s words.
Nero frowned, “But they're expensive…”
“So?”
“I broke them.”
“No, you just said some bullies broke them, it’s not your fault Nero.”
Nero looked unsure.
This was the hardest part, knowing what to say to cheer the kid up. Must have been Sparda’s genes to make everyone in this family so stubborn. Vergil was the same way and Dante definitely had his moments.
Dante sat closer to the kid, putting a hand on his back, “Hey, why don’t we go out for dinner? I bet you're hungry since you haven’t eaten since lunch huh?”
Nero still had that guilty look on his face, “I don’t know…”
“C’mon kid! We’ll go out to that Korean barbecue place you like,” Dante wasn’t a fan of Korean barbecue. What’s the point in going out to eat if you just have to cook your food there huh?
Nero lit up upon hearing that, “Really Uncle Dante?! You mean it?” The kid was practically buzzing with excitement.
“Yeah, now go put your shoes on,” He slapped Nero on the back lightly, “Let’s go now, beat the rush.”
Nero was already out of the room, running faster than his small body should be able to. Was it demonic speed? Or just an excited 12 year old