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If there was something Dante had learned through his recent formed relationship with Vergil, it was not to expect grand displays of affection. Especially those that were more obvious to the public eye.
It was not contrary to his own expectations to start with. Vergil had always been the reserved and evasive partner; avoiding contact and overly romantic conversations.
Sometimes Dante himself doubted how their relationship had blossomed from a platonic bond into whatever they had now.
Yet somehow, Dante had to rely in reading beneath Vergil’s subtle actions to realize how much Vergil actually loved him. Brief glances, reserved touches and weird compliments. All undeniably Vergil’s type of affection.
Dante’s displays of affection, on the other hand, were clear and direct. Perhaps his second love language after the violence of their sparring sessions, of course. If Vergil liked it or not, he never said. Regardless of that, Dante enjoyed being clingy as hell and insistent with his own shows of affection.
It started the first time Dante began sneaking into Vergil’s room in the middle of the night just to curl up beside him and enjoy the closeness. Other times, Dante started calling him by cursi nicknames—that under any other circumstances would have been embarrassing. In the end, the pet names slipped from his mouth before he could stop them.
Vergil never denied or complained about Dante’s mushy behavior. Most of the time he ended up accepting the closeness through gritted teeth and with traces of awkwardness. In any case, Dante could see through them—the lingering smiles drawn across his face and the pink tint staining his pale skin whenever Dante used affectionate pet names.
Over the course of their relationship, Dante learned there was an apparent reason for Vergil’s avoidance. It was not that Vergil did not love him that way. He seemed to be restraining his emotions for some reason Dante didn’t know.
Dante’s senses were simply trained enough to see the way his brother’s face lit up every time he spoke with him. Vergil, in truth, simply did not know how to show that affection; he kept it buried inside until it consumed him.
It was a boringly ordinary day when it happened for the first time. Dante’s eyes were fixed on a classic magazine—obscene magazines that Vergil deeply hated—his legs stretched across the desk in complete ease. His concentration was interrupted by the sharp sound of the front door slamming shut.
Dante lifted his gaze through his lashes.
“How was the job, babe?” he asked; his lips curled into an inevitable smile as he felt Vergil’s presence. A kind of happiness that never failed to fill his chest.
Vergil did not respond. A brief silence spread through the room; only the sound of hurried, firm footsteps could be heard.
“Vergil?” Dante tossed his magazine onto the desk in concern only to find himself face to face with his brother.
His shirt was pulled roughly; almost a violent snatch to bring their lips together in a desperate kiss. A kiss far too harsh that left him breathless, his own pulse quickening over and over again.
Oh. This is new.
A wider smile slipped onto his lips during the kiss. Vergil didn’t loosen his grip until he was satisfied; and as if that weren’t enough, he left a small bite on Dante’s lip, enough to cause a slight sting. He pulled away shortly after, acting composed and unfazed as though he hadn’t left Dante delirious.
“Good evening,” was the only thing that left Vergil’s lips. His uneven breathing was proof the kiss had affected him just as much as it had Dante.
“Well, that’s a way of greeting.” Dante grinned. “Missed you too, sweetheart.”
Vergil didn’t answer back. He walked toward the kitchen with calm steps, probably searching for the tea he had gotten used to drinking after exhausting jobs. Dante followed behind him, still brushing his lips with the tips of his fingers. The kiss had been more than an effective tactic to make him dizzy.
“Lovely kiss, still want to know how was the job” Dante questioned from where he sat, leaning back on his hands while watching Vergil move around the kitchen.
“It was a regular job. Nothing too difficult, although the place had a particularly disgusting odor,” Vergil said. Dante could make out the wrinkle of his nose in disgust. A cute expression that almost drew a smile from Dante’s face.
“Yeah? Well, I don’t think demons ever smell good, babe” Dante laughed, leaning a little further over his arms. “Are you tired?”
“I am” Vergil admitted, though Dante was sure it was more mental exhaustion than physical. Vergil kept stirring the spoon in his teacup with domestic familiarity.
“Alright. I’ll leave the bigger bed alone for you tonight” Dante said through a yawn.
The phrase caught Vergil’s attention instantly. His eyes left the teacup to fix on Dante’s in a look that was anything but comforting.
“No” he said, setting the teacup on the table. “You are sleeping with me tonight.”
Dante arched a brow. Suddenly, his sleepiness vanished. “So you wanted to take me to bed. It’s so early into the relationship for that, y’know” Dante grinned playfully at the implication.
“That’s not what I meant, Dante.” Vergil exhaled tiredly through his nose.
“Alright, alright. I get it. I’ll wait for you.”
It only took a few minutes before Dante dozed off at the kitchen counter, blinking instinctively only for his head to fall onto his arms in exhaustion.
Wakefulness shook him late into the night for no apparent reason. But Dante felt the burning warmth of Vergil’s chest against his back. His brother’s arms wrapped around his waist like a belt, and his soft breathing against Dante’s shoulder, dangerously close to his neck. There wasn’t a single space between them, and it felt unbelievably good.
Under the influence of lulling sleep, Dante didn’t think much about it. Instead, he let himself rest in Vergil’s arms. And if that was the greatest display of affection he would get in a long time, Dante would cling to them with claws.
Apparently, Vergil’s loving —and dramatic— attitude didn’t end that day, it only got worse.
The next day Dante woke up to the sound of the phone ringing in the distance; but he was still trapped beneath the weight of Vergil’s arms. It was already strange enough that his brother was wandering around the shop and complaining about something. Dante sighed fondly before shaking the arms off his waist only for them to tighten even more.
“Stay” Vergil murmured, his breathing very close to Dante’s neck.
“I shouldn’t be the one saying this, but there’s work to do” Dante sighed. “You surely are being clingy for nine in the morning.”
The word “clingy” was enough for Vergil to untangle his arms from Dante’s body; as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. He got out of bed to dress in his classic vest and put on his boots.
For a moment Dante thought he had ruined everything, but when he looked at Vergil’s face he could only notice a reddish tint adorning his features.
To make matters worse, the call turned out to be Nero offering an invitation to exterminate demons near Fortuna. Dante didn’t seem thrilled by the idea; it was a job Nero could have handled on his own without help from Vergil or Dante.
Even so, the kid had been restless over the last few months, complaining and throwing it in their faces how he had been abandoned by his idiotic family. It hurt Dante to admit he had a valid point, so he accepted the offer.
On the other hand, Vergil seemed strangely enthusiastic about the idea. For some reason, his face shone a little brighter than usual and often softened into affectionate expressions. Dante didn’t dwell too much into it, although it was strange by nature.
There was something different about this Vergil, and he would have to figure it out.
The confirmation of his suspicions came during the hunt alongside Nero. A demon infestation had claimed several lives near the city, causing disturbances and panic. A nest had formed near the area, hidden among tree branches and rocky walls in the distance.
They were only low-ranked demons, boring ones that couldn’t even make Dante break a sweat. It was so ordinary that he started playing with them and provoking Nero in return; grabbing the demons and throwing them toward him while laughing loudly. Worst of all, Nero was not immune to the provocations; the boy reacted with increasing irritation at Dante’s childish attitude.
Vergil gave warning looks to both of them but stayed out of their childish fight. Certainly, his brother had developed some resistance to Dante’s impulsive behavior and now simply limited himself to watching. Of course, he tried to scold them when the moment required it, but he never interfered.
It was in the middle of one of those pointless fights that Nero grabbed two demons, which Dante recognized as Furies based on their color, and threw them toward him with deafening force. The demons flew toward him and Dante prepared to dodge the attack.
Before that could happen, the blade of Yamato sliced through them sharply, tearing them to pieces with brutality. The demons that approached amid the chaos were violently cut down in a bath of blood.
“That’s enough” Vergil said, sheathing Yamato. Its blade drenched in drops of blood for some reason. “You two could’ve gotten hurt. Stop this nonsense.”
“He started it!” Nero defended himself.
“C’mon, we were just playing. You know those two weak demons wouldn’t do anything to me.” Dante said.
“Of course. I wouldn’t allow it.” Vergil replied almost immediately looking at them. Especially at Dante.
Nero straightened at the cold words; truly like a son being scolded by his father. Dante shuddered under the scrutiny of Vergil’s gaze, but he did not read anger in it.
Vergil approached him, analyzing every corner of his body as if it were a medical inspection. He didn’t stop analyzing Dante as if he was a test subject; even checking beneath his coat. Vergil took his face, moving it from various angles until he was satisfied with the assessment.
Dante’s chest stirred with a mix of restlessness and affection. It wasn’t uncomfortable because the gesture was strange—Vergil had always taken care of him, in his own way—but this was far from a classic attitude.
How strange.
“Why are you only checking on him!? He literally did this to himself” Nero asked in disbelief.
Dante smirked, waving a dismissive hand. “Boyfriend privilege. Sorry kid”
Promptly, Vergil moved to check on Nero, briefly whispering something to him along the way that made Nero’s face flush with pride. Even so, it was audible to Dante. Vergil had said something like, “You are my son, you are sufficiently strong” and Dante smiled to himself. His brother truly felt a deep bond with Nero, no matter how much he wanted to hide it.
During the rest of the walk, Vergil stayed glued to Dante’s side. Not metaphorically; he stayed extremely close to Dante in an almost clingy way, killing every demon along the path until they finally destroyed the nest. Dante didn't try to correct him; if Vergil craved attention, Dante wouldn't deny it to him. It was just one more clue that something had happened to his brother during that job, and probably even Vergil himself wasn't aware of it.
The moment they arrived at the shop and Nero disappeared from sight, Dante collapsed onto the couch with domestic ease, a tired sigh leaving his lips. Shortly after, he felt Vergil’s weight on top of him; almost like a demon trapping its prey.
Vergil still had traces of blood on his face; practically a bloody mess, something that was even too much for Dante. Despite Vergil’s fondness for cleanliness, he seemed very at ease and comfortable, showering Dante’s neck with affectionate kisses.
Dante felt the hair on his neck stand on end. If Vergil continued with such obvious displays of affection, the situation would end up becoming something different. Even so, he let himself enjoy the tender contact of Vergil’s lips, exhaling softly against him.
“What’s gotten into you? Did someone change my brother?” Dante asked, caressing the strands of Vergil’s hair, now disheveled and far from his usual style.
“I like being around you” Vergil murmured; still clinging to him.
“Mm, am I your personal plushie now?” Dante asked with a knowing smile.
“Yes” Vergil replied as he covered his face in the curve of Dante’s neck.
“You are acting clingier than usual. When are you going to tell me what happened during that job?” Dante inquired; seriously this time.
Vergil lifted his head and frowned towards Dante. He seemed taken aback; almost as if he wasn’t thinking about his own actions. Dante could feel the nuts and bolts of Vergil’s brain moving rustily, which made him understand that his brother hadnot noticed his outward behavior.
“I don’t mind the affection. Just wondering” Dante added before Vergil lost his mind. His fondness for Vergil’s behavior was something he didn’t say.
Vergil stayed silent for a minute, looking at him before avoiding his gaze. “I don’t know what is happening to me. Suddenly I feel…” He stopped as if he was afraid of saying something that would reveal a little too much.
“You feel what? You can tell me, whatever it is”
Vergil thought about it, seemingly puzzled about how to express this. “I feel… less in control around you. I am trying to keep self-restrain. It seems I no longer have a filter”
“No filter? That’s good, then. You got me worried for a sec”
Dante took advantage of the frown on Vergil’s face to gently kiss the bridge of his nose. It was a well-timed move which earned a cute reaction. Vergil kissed his lips again in a desperate gesture as if he was starving.
“Hey…” Dante let out a shaky breath, overwhelmed by Vergil’s eagerness for the first time. “Easy there. One of these days you’re going to rip my lips off”.
Vergil seemed terrified by his own actions and quickly pulled away with embarrassment “I apologize. It was not the intention”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart” Dante cupped his face and pulled him to another tender kiss.
For the rest of the night, neither of them said a word. Despite their uncomfortable position, they both slept on the couch, curled up together as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The following one was even better still. Apparently now the simple fact of being separated caused Vergil extensive emotional damage because he followed Dante everywhere.
Dante decided that, in any case, he should take advantage of Vergil’s clinginess down to the very last drop. That day, Dante found himself dragging Vergil through the now crowded streets of the city. Holding his hand and walking through the shops until they found a restaurant to Dante’s liking and, unfortunately for him, one refined enough for Vergil’s tastes as well.
After what felt like an eternity of walking, they found an Italian restaurant sophisticated enough for Vergil, yet ordinary enough for Dante to order his classic pizza. The food did not take long to arrive and, in fact, disappeared sooner than expected. More than merely eating, Vergil ended up watching Dante enjoy the meal as if he was something precious. Even though Dante didn’t mind, he still wanted Vergil to eat something.
“I’ll be happier if you eat too, you know” Dante said.
Vergil tilted his head slightly. “I don’t enjoy human food that much”.
“Would you do it for me?” Dante asked, exaggerating a pout on his face.
The question seemed to cut it because Vergil started eating eventually. Not a lot, but it was a start.
Just as they were finishing their meal, two women approached them, tall and eye-catching in every sense of the word. Vergil completely ignored them at first, focusing on looking for money that, for some reason, he had saved. Its origins still unknown.
In any case, one of the women nudged the other with her elbow, smiling mischievously. And for some reason, Dante knew that wouldn’t end well.
“Hey—sorry if this is weird, but my friend here thinks you’re gorgeous” She started saying. “Could she maybe get your number?” She asked, clearly addressing Dante.
Dante looked them up and down, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. A faint smile crossed his face in an attempt to ease the tension.
“No.” Vergil voice cut through the air, sharp and cold.
Dante shook his head inmediately, staring at Vergil.
“He is not single”.
Dante just thought it was better to get sliced by Mirage Blade or Yamato, than being stared like that. This was almost like a death sentence drawing through Vergil’s eyes.
“He is mine” Vergil finally added before reaching for Dante’s hand beneath the table.
Oh God. This is going to be the death of him.
Dante had to catch his breath to not choke with his drink.
“Oh, I am so sorry—” The two ladies looked awkward and mortified. Dante couldn’t blame them “We didn’t know” They offered apologies again and left shortly after.
Vergil stood up from his chair, visibly irritated, before paying and taking Dante’s hand to get the hell out of that place. Dante let out a little chuckle and simply walked beside him. When they finally arrived at the Devil May Cry shop, Vergil seemed to have calmed down slightly. Before he could storm off toward the room, Dante took his hand, pulling him toward himself in a dramatic spin.
“Are we addressing the elephant in the room?” Dante grinned glaring at him. “You big jealous sap”
Vergil avoided his gaze with a slight blush crossing his face. “I know the reason for my weird behavior”
Dante pushed him slightly, tilting his head in a question sign. “Oh? You do?”
“Yes” Vergil never looked back at him; his eyes wandering around the room.
“What’s it, babe?” Dante asked again.
“I encountered a strange plant in one of the jobs. It happened to be a delicate flower near the demon’s nest. Vergil paused; inhaling deeply before continuing “A blue hyacinth.”
“Okay… what’s so special about this flower?” Dante simply said; confused still.
“The pollen was contaminated with emotion-altering spores. I researched it. Apparently, it removes emotional restraint. It discloses sincerity”
Second after, the realization stirred Dante’s chest with different emotions.
So this is what you’ve been hiding
Dante almost laughed at the absurdity of the explanation. He looked at Vergil with delight and fondness.
“So, all this time…” Dante paused “This is what your feelings look like when you don’t repress them” Dante said as a statement; chuckling with the simple idea.
Vergil stayed there, hiding his face in Dante’s shoulder while gritting his teeth in frustration. “It is annoying” he finally said.
“No, it’s not.” Dante said, messing with his hair. “It’s adorable. It’s driving me crazy that you are as gone for me as I am for you”.
The idea of Vergil being completely clingy, possessive, and jealous by his side must have altered the mechanisms of his brain, deeply. This wasn’t some sudden emergence of feelings out of nowhere; it was raw and pure honesty. A reflection of what Vergil never said but felt vividly deep down. It filled his heart with warm.
Dante pressed a kiss to Vergil’s hair, and even through the slight height difference, it felt right.
“Tell me the effect is going to last forever” Dante asked; bringing their tangled bodies to the couch with care.
“Foolish Dante” Vergil shook his head and pulled away from Dante’s shoulders. “My feelings for you will not disappear so easily” Vergil replied as if it was the most logical reasoning.
“Lucky me then” Dante said before reaching for his lips once again.
During the following days, the effect of the pollen gradually faded away; but Vergil remained affectionate as a result of years of repressed feelings. He still kept reaching for his hand in public, kissing him at random moments, and losing his mind whenever someone flirted with Dante. It was awkward in Vergil’s very nature; but it was that honest vulnerability that made him a precious treasure only Dante understood.