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You hear a noise that sounds like a metal lid crashing to the ground, followed by someone cursing. Ears cocked up, you creep out of the abandoned storefront you’ve been calling home to explore the sound. A man, whose back is turned to you, kicks at the garbage can sprawled over onto its side. The stink of its debris hits your nose, making it scrunch up.
Eyes flitting from the pile of trash back up to the man, you stand at the shadowed entryway and watch him. His red coat and white hair stand out tremendously, even for a place like this. Demons run rampant in this part of town, which doesn’t bother you all that much. Being a hellhound comes with its own perks sometimes.
He curses a little louder and tosses his arms up in the air. It makes you giggle, and that grabs his attention. Turning around, he places his hands on his hips and gazes at you. You take in his stubbled face and pretty blue eyes. His black shirt looks unbuttoned, hints of his chest and clavicle peeking through, and his black pants look dusty from being outside. Surprisingly, you notice his boots are clean, although he kicked over the trash while wearing them.
“Well, what have we here?” He rubs his chin, head tilting to the side.
You mimic his movement, head cocking until your ears flop to the side. A puff of amused air escapes him, and he hums.
“A pup, huh?” He muses, not expecting an answer.
You walk a little closer, curiosity blazing a path in your mind. Sniffing, you catch a whiff of something different. He doesn’t smell like a demon. But he doesn’t smell like a human. It’s an odd mix, but you don’t dislike it. You stand a few feet away, and taking in his bemused expression, you give him a shy grin.
“Hi,” your voice comes out soft, not wanting to scare him away.
“Hi,” he repeats back. “You doing okay out here?”
“Yep!” Your tail wags back and forth. “I live there.” You point to the busted-up store behind you.
He cringes a little before shaking his head. “Well, there are worse places, for sure.”
You nod in agreement, soft ears bouncing with the movement.
Sighing, he turns back the way he faced earlier. “Well, it was nice to meet ya, kiddo. I gotta head back.”
He flicks a two-finger wave at you without turning around and begins walking down the derelict sidewalk. You easily follow behind him, wanting to stick to this strange man who’s been so friendly.
Pausing, he cranes his head back to look at you, one eyebrow raising in surprise.
“Hey, stay there.” He points back to the cracked storefront facade. “Go, stay there.”
You sit down, eyes following the line of his finger to glance back at the place you live in; hearing his footsteps start up again, you quickly shift your attention back to him and stand up, following him once more.
You both make it a few more feet before he stops in place to turn back to you. Tail wagging, you pant happily, a big smile crossing your face. He rubs a palm across his jaw, blowing air from his nose in a whoosh.
“Stay put,” he calls out, and you sit down on your haunches. “Good girl.”
You wiggle in place, giddiness at the praise making you feel warm and mushy. The red-clad man steps back without taking his eyes off of you. Seeing that you haven’t moved, he gives you a thumbs-up and spins around. As he walks down the sidewalk—again—you clamber onto your feet and quickly fall in behind him.
This repeats itself until you’re standing outside a building next to the older, white-haired man. The neon sign glares down at you, casting a halo of light. You cock one ear, eyes roaming over the letters. Devil May Cry.
“Dante!” A dark-haired woman slings open the wooden doors, looking nonplussed over at the man in red. Her heterochromatic eyes latch onto you, and her blank face fills with interest.
“Where’d you find the puppy?”
Dante sighs, “I didn’t. She followed me home.”
“Well, don’t just stand there, bring her in!” She shoves the door open wider, gesturing at you both.
Bouncing on your toes, you eagerly pad into the place, eyes jumping around to try and take everything in at once. Tons of different smells assault your senses, but the one underlying scent is Dante’s, and it makes you happy and relaxed.
Making your way to the big wooden desk near the back, you catch snippets of a conversation between him and the woman who invited you inside. Seeing as Dante looks at her fondly and you don’t feel any true animosity coming from the lady, you go back to snooping around the desk. A picture of a regal-looking woman sits near the corner, and you gently pick it up. She’s smiling warmly from the glass frame.
“Let’s be careful with that one, pup.” A glove-covered hand eases it from yours and places it back down in its place.
“She’s pretty.” You smile at him, and he gives you a small, genuine one in return.
“That was my mother.”
“Ohhh,” you breathe out, tail drooping a little. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He ruffles your ears, his smile still in place. “Well, since you made your way here, how about I show you around?”
“Yes, please!” You chime, tail wagging softly.
That was your first night at Devil May Cry, and you’ve been here ever since. There were some definite adjustments (especially on Dante’s part), but it didn’t take long at all before it was somewhere you could easily call home.
Today, you decided you’re going to give Dante a surprise gift! Roughhousing with Nero outside attracted some low-level demons, but he took care of them in half a second flat with you watching on in awe. (He really is the coolest big bro—you tell him all the time, but it always makes him flustered, so you’ve tried to tamp it down).
After such a fiasco, it only seemed fair to keep part of a leg to show off to Dante later.
”Daddy! Daddy! Look what I brought you!!” You practically yell, excitement buzzing through your body so strongly your tail is a wagging blur. Tossing the mangled leg up on his lap, you clasp your hands together. “Don’t you like it?”
An ‘oomph’ escapes his mouth when the weight of the limb hits his lap. Picking it up, he turns it back and forth, his brows pinching together.
”I’d have to say this is the best one yet, sweetheart.” Wrinkling his nose at the smell, he stands up from his chair. “How about I just set this outside for now, okay?”
Bobbing your head, you agree. “Sure, Daddy!”
”Good job.” He rubs your ears as he walks past. “Now, Trish is stopping by later to keep an eye on the place. You going to be good while I’m gone?”
Pouting at his words, you scuff the floor with a sigh. “I guess so. Do you really have to go?”
He drops the leg outside on the front step, closes the door, and walks back over to you. Tugging your tail playfully, you snort a puff of smoke at him, flames tickling the back of your throat.
”Daaddy,” you whine.
He chuckles and pats you on the back. “I’m sorry, pup, but duty calls. I won’t be gone too long, though. I promise.”
A sharp rap at the door rings out into the room before it pushes open and Trish steps inside the shop. Kicking the door closed, her blonde hair swings with the movement, temporarily distracting you from Dante. She holds up a box of pizza in one of her hands and grins over at you two.
”I thought I’d make it a fun night for us girls.” She winks at you, and you smile back.
She’s no Dante, but you consider her a packmate all the same. You like to team up with Trish to pick on your daddy; she knows all the best hiding places. Perking up a bit, you still nuzzle into Dante’s side, wordlessly asking for pets. With a low chuckle, he strokes your ears.
”See? You’re gonna have a great time, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
”…okay,” you huff.
Giving you a half hug, Dante takes off for the afternoon, leaving you and Trish behind. Once he’s gone, Trish sets the pizza down on the desk.
”I was going to invite Lady over as well, but she’s got a mission tonight.”
Clapping her hands, she turns to you with a wide smile. “But no matter, we’ll just have to have even more fun without her. I was thinking about manicures.”
She shows you the back of her hand and wiggles her fingers. “Mine are long overdue.”
Tail wagging energetically, you nearly dance in place. “Do I get to pick the color?”
”Of course!” She steps back behind the desk and gestures for you to sit down. “I’ve got to grab my stuff, and then we can get started.”
Pausing in place, she purses her lips. “What do you think about pedicures?”
Rumpling your nose, you shake your head. “I don’t like my feet to be touched.”
She nods. “Okay, got it. Wait here a tic!”
The afternoon passes quickly, like Dante said, with you and Trish hanging out together. She tells you stories about their missions or just silly moments involving everyone in their ragtag family. True to his word, though, he doesn’t stay out too late, and he’s even back before bedtime. Trish is helping you with some of your chores when he returns.
”Daddy!”
You barrel into his arms, dropping kisses across his face and ears before nuzzling into him. He laughs and lets you pepper him with smooches before pulling you away.
”Let me go get cleaned up, then I’ll tuck you in,” he uses both hands to scratch your scalp. “Don’t think you’re gonna get to stay up just cause Trish is here.”
”Alright,” you pant happily, letting him slip away to wash up.
Trish wraps one arm under her breasts while the other cups her cheek; she smiles at you. “You guys are cute.”
Feeling bashful, you drop your head. Before you can say anything, Dante comes breezing back into the room.
”Thanks again, Trish.”
She claps her hand onto Dante’s shoulder and gives your ears a quick pet. “Yeah, I’ll catch you guys later.”
”Night,” you call out to her as she opens the door.
”Goodnight!”
Dante double-checks the locks on the door, then joins you at the bottom of the stairs. “Bedtime then.”
You cling to his side, happy he’s home again. Guiding you to your room—right next to his—Dante leads you over to your bed. You climb into the fluffy mess of sheets, burrowing underneath them all, your head finally popping out near your pillows. He tucks you in as best as possible with the nest of blankets. He drops a quick kiss on your forehead.
”Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
You giggle, “I won’t let them.” You snap your teeth at him, and he grins.
“Thatta girl.”
He walks over to the door and cracks it nearly shut, letting the hall light filter through the gap. Listening, you can hear his footsteps carry him into his room, also leaving his door partially cracked. Rolling around in your bed, minutes tick away with you unable to get comfy. You know there’s no bedbugs… but what if there’s one of those gross demon bugs you’ve seen outside? Shivering, you snuggle deeper into your blankets.
However, the thought won’t leave your brain. Circling and circling and circling, until all you can think about is if there isa gross bug underneath your bed, then it would be super easy for it to get into your bed. You shift around some more, pillows and sheets falling off, until you finally raise up with a huff. Blowing out a tongue of flame, you frown down at your blankets. Deciding enough’s enough, you climb out of bed and tiptoe over to Dante’s—avoiding the creaky floorboards on the way.
Creeping into his room, you see a lump under his covers. Pausing, you tilt your head to listen. Not hearing his breathing change, you sneak closer. You gently shake his shoulder.
”What’s a matter, pup?” His voice sounds scratchy with sleep.
Wincing, your shoulders pull inwards. “Can I sleep here? There might be bugs under my bed.”
”S’okay.” He raises up with a yawn. “There’s no bugs in your room, I promise.”
”Can I sleep here, pretty please, Daddy?” You widen your eyes, giving him your best hangdog expression.
Shaking his head, he hums in amusement. “Get up here.”
Yipping happily, you clamber up into bed with him, crawling under his sheets and snuggling into his side. “Thanks, Daddy.”
”Of course, sweetheart.” He pats your back, his hand slowing as he drifts back off to sleep.
You sleep like a log, only waking up when you smell food cooking. Yawning, you stretch your arms above your head.
”Aww, big stretch,” Nero teases you from the doorway.
Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you stick out your tongue. “Meanie.”
He leans against the doorjamb, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “Dante sent me up to see if you were awake and to tell you breakfast is ready.”
”Oh, goodie!” You smile, quickly slipping out of bed and joining Nero to walk downstairs.
”Hey, kiddos,” Dante calls out to you two, and you laugh when Nero rolls his eyes.
”Good morning, Daddy!” You chirp, bounding over to drop a kiss on his whiskery cheek.
”Did you sleep alright? No bugs?” He grins at you, and you roll your eyes, mimicking Nero exactly.
He laughs out loud and scruffs your neck. “You’re too fun to tease.” He drops a plate in front of you before fixing one for Nero. “Eat up; I don’t want you getting cranky on me later.”
”That was one time,” you sniff pridefully.
”And I’ll never forget it.”
Nero laughs, and you ignore him, digging into your food. Dante plates food for himself, and once he sits down, Nero joins in, and all three of you eat breakfast together. Looking around for the salt, you snatch it up from in front of Nero before he can get a chance to reach for it.
”Hey now,” Dante’s stern tone makes your ears droop. “We ask for things; we don’t just grab them. Okay?”
”I’m sorry,” you meekly apologize.
”I know.” He pats your hand. “Just try to practice good table manners. I know it can be tough.”
”I’m sorry, Nero.” You hand out the salt to him, and he takes it with a smile.
”It’s okay.” He nods at Dante. “Like he said, it can take time to learn. He’s not the best example.”
Dante snorts under his breath. “You’re one to talk, kid.”
The two of them start to bicker back and forth—your eyes ping-ponging from one to the other until you grow tired of it and go back to eating your food. Once they calm down, Nero gets a call and has to leave. You bid him goodbye, feeling restless once it’s just you and Dante in the shop. He goes to his desk and begins to work on some paperwork Lady left for him—leaving you to your own devices. Being a pup means you still have energy to expend, and with your big bro Nero being gone and Dante being busy, that means one thing: zoomies.
It starts out small enough; you just pace around from room to room, sniffing and exploring. Once that wears its welcome out, you move on to chasing your tail. That’s an easy game to play, so after a few times, even that’s old and boring. Next, you go see if Dante is finished. Seeing him sitting at his desk, you sigh internally and go back to pacing. The pacing turns into loping, and before you even realize it, you’re zipping around from room to room. With each pass, you try to get faster and faster until everything is a blur and your tongue lolls out. You’ve run back into the lobby and started on your next lap when Dante’s hand snags your bicep.
”That’s enough of that,” he murmurs, not unkindly. “How about we go for a walk to the park?”
”Sure, Daddy.” You nod excitedly. “That sounds like fun!”
“One sec.” He heads back over to his desk and grabs one of your toys from a drawer. “Can’t forget this!”
Yipping happily, you follow along next to him, closing the shop’s door behind you. It’s a short walk over to the park, but you stay next to Dante’s side the entire time and don’t run off. Sunlight streams through the trees, blanketing the grassy open field; people gather in cloisters, some with pups of their own. Sticking to the footpath, Dante leads you two a little deeper into the park. You smile cheerfully at the strangers you pass, not yet noticing the bewildered looks you receive in return.
He stops at an open area and turns to look back at you. “Do you wanna play with this?” He holds up a frayed rope toy. “Or do you want to play tag?”
Eyes squinting in thought, you angle your head up, gazing unseeingly at the sky as you debate internally. Nodding once to yourself, you grin brightly at him. “I wanna play tag!”
He chuckles and sets the toy down onto the grass. “My knees aren’t what they used to be, but I think I can win a game or two.”
Tail swishing behind you, you chuff lightheartedly. “I’m going to win, silly daddy.”
You see his eyes flicker, and he laughs. “I’m sure you’ll give it an honest shot, pup.”
Balancing on the balls of your feet, you hold Dante’s stare for a second before taking off across the grass. “You’re it!” You yell back at him, laughter in your voice.
You can sense him chasing after you, but it only pushes you to go faster. Laughing joyfully, you zigzag around the field and trees until Dante finally catches you and lightly taps your arm.
”Your turn, kiddo!” He blows out a breath, placing one hand on his hip. “Giving me a run for my money.”
“Daddy, you have to run if you want me to catch you.”
”I know, I know.” He rolls his eyes. “Ready?”
Nodding so hard your ears flop, you shoo him forward. “Go, go! Let’s play!”
This time, as you run across the field after Dante, you see people pointing over at you and staring. Confusion pinches your brows, but you shrug it off. Maybe they want to play tag, too? It takes you longer than you thought to catch your daddy, but soon it’s your turn to be chased. A few more rounds of tag take place before you realize Dante’s lagging behind.
”Wanna play with the rope?” You ask, pointing to your toy still lying on the grass.
”Sure, kiddo,” he sighs. “Definitely need to work on my cardio.”
You giggle and lope over to your toy. Bending down to pick it up, you notice a group of people whispering, eyes locked onto you. Their staring makes you uncomfortable, but you paste on a smile. Grabbing your rope, you hold it up, intending to ask if they want to play, but a few of them flinch at the motion. The stink of fear wafts in your direction, and your nose scrunches in distaste. Spinning around, your ears lay flat on your skull, eyes hurriedly seeking out Dante. Making your way back to him, you try to relax and ignore the strangers behind you.
Playing tug of war with your daddy helps take your mind off of things; the simple act of playing boosts your spirits. However, thoughts creep into your mind and make you tense. The park is fun, like always, but you start to notice that you’re different from a lot of the other pups around. It didn’t really bother you at first, but you see more and more looks from the other people playing with their puppies; it makes you self-conscious and anxious.
You catch a couple more people whispering and then pointing at you, and it makes embarrassment burn hot in your chest. That burning careens through your limbs until it finally combusts. A shoot of hot flames envelops your body, and once it disappears, you’re a big ball of fluffy fur—the truest puppy form of a hellhound you can become. Dante drops the rope in surprise, and like a shot, you’re off, running away from him and the people nearby.
You haven’t had this form since being a young pup; it makes you feel even more embarrassed and out of place. Hiding in thick brush at the edge of the park, you burrow deep to get away from prying eyes and whispering tongues. You’re not sure how long you stay like that, trying to camouflage your hellhound form, before you hear Dante calling out for you. Whimpering, you’re torn on wanting to go to him and wanting to stay put. He makes the decision for you both when he pushes apart the brambles and sees you hunkered down.
”There you are,” he coos, and you launch yourself at him. He falls back onto his butt, holding you against him. “What happened?”
Snuffling into him, your tears soak his skin. He rubs your back and croons nonsense, holding you for as long as you need.
“Why do people talk about me?” You whimper. “I saw them earlier.”
There’s a long pause, long enough that you wonder if he’s even going to say anything. When he clears his throat, you tilt your head back to listen.
“I don’t have a good answer for ya, pup. Some people only think of themselves. Some people are just straight up mean.” He strokes your fur. “But just know that they can’t affect you in any way that matters.”
“But I’m d-different,” you sniffle, tears wetting his shoulder. “I’m not l-like the other p-puppies.”
”Aww, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “Different doesn’t mean bad.”
”B-but I’m not like anyone else,” you openly cry. “Even back home, I was the only one of my kind. I don’t have anyone else.”
”You have me,” his firm tone draws your eyes to his face. “And you have the rest of your family from the shop.”
”Daddy… Don’t you ever feel different?”
He gives you a crooked grin. “Even in my own family. But that’s okay. It’s okay to feel that way. It doesn't make you any less special or loved. And you are very much loved, kiddo.”
He pulls you into a hug, and you go willingly. Eventually, your crying jag tapers off until you’re just left with a stuffy nose. All the while, Dante rubs your ears, gently massaging your scalp at the base of each one.
Feeling better and bolstered by his words, you nuzzle the side of his face.
”Daddy, will you hold my hands while I morph back?”
”Of course, sweetheart.”
Closing your eyes, you relax, breathing in Dante’s comforting scent, and let yourself change back to the form you prefer. He helps you climb out from the bushes, dusting off the leaves from your tail.
”Good job, pup,” Dante praises, and it sends your tail wagging. “You wanna head home? Think Nero said he’d be back later with Vergil and Nico.”
”Really?” Your ears perk up. “I haven’t seen Nico in a long time.”
”She’s been busy according to Nero.” He laughs good-naturedly. “When is she not, though?”
You giggle. “I hope she’ll be there!”
”How about we call when we get back and just make sure, hmm?”
Nodding, you link your arm with Dante’s. “Let’s go home!”