Work Text:
It was the six-month mark, right around the time Nero was getting ready to head back home for longer than a week when it happened. He'd been sticking around in Capulet and Redgrave to help with the cleanup (and perhaps wanting to see the twins or at least Dante come back home).
And by some act of fate a week before he was going to call it the shop door swung open to reveal the twins. Everyone who'd been hanging out in the shop stopped dead. Then chaos reigned as everyone started talking over one another at once.
Dante just grinned while Vergil stood a few steps behind him looking more like a spooked cat.
Eventually everything calmed down enough for an actual conversation. Apparently it took them a lot longer than expected on account of the constant fighting of not only the demons but each other. But now they both just wanted food, a shower, and to sleep for a week.
Burning off the gunk only did so much and Vergil claimed the first shower, not that Dante seemed to want to argue it. No, instead the younger hybrid just found his brother a pair of clothes before coming back downstairs to check on how everything had been going topside.
Trish had given Dante a side hug before hassling him for leaving them hanging. The hybrid just shrugged and admitted he'd missed the pizza and that's why he called it quits and decided to come home.
He then turned his attention to Nero. And he hated himself for the joy that swelled deep and violent in his chest. He'd wanted to see that this asshole was ok since he'd disappeared. He'd not been thrilled to have the whole topside's responsibility unceremoniously thrust upon him, even if he understood the necessity.
He'd been thoroughly unprepared for what that meant and just how much work it was going to be. Even with Trish and Lady it had been a nightmare, and he'd been running out of steam.
Dante walked up to him and raised an eyebrow. Nero just scowled at him but didn't back away. The hybrid just chuckled before wrapping a thick comforting arm around him and pulling him flush to his chest. Nero went easily, he smelled of gunpowder, smoke, and leather (also blood mixed with sulfur, though that was to be expected from his extended time in the demon world).
He felt tears prick his eyes despite his best effort. He missed the bastard as much as he loathed to admit it. Then Dante’s free hand unceremoniously made a fist and bonked him on the head. He'd love to say it pisses him off more, but it just made the tears try harder to fall. Damn this asshole of an uncle and fuck him for not telling him shit.
Eventually he pulled away and thankfully no one mentioned his state. Though Nico was definitely going to poke fun at him later, but that was ok. At least he could shoot right back about her fangirling of the same loser.
Dante then turned to Lady who hadn't stopped scowling since he'd walked into the shop. Nero was honestly surprised she was the most pissed (he'd like to think he should have claim to that). Though perhaps it wasn't so surprising.
When he had appeared back at the van sans the twins, she'd looked spooked.
Though after explaining she'd gotten mad, not at him but at the whole situation. She had only been held back from going after them by Trish as the demoness started speaking quick and low to her while keeping her in a firm grip. Nero and Nico hadn't been able to parse out what was said over Lady's own shouting, but whatever was said seemed to work.
The huntress had gone slack against her friend in defeat and hadn't said a word more during their escape. After however? Well Nero had gotten used to the civil war over the shop. He'd thought it was just a visceral reaction in the moment over ‘losing’ her business partner.
Now however….
Dante turned to look at her and she pointedly avoided his eyes. The hybrid just chuckled before walking over to stand in front of her. Lady tried moving away but a hand clamped on her shoulder stopping that.
“Come on Lady don't be like that. I'm sorry.”
She said nothing and looked down scowling. Dante continued unaffected.
“I'm really sorry you know I am, but there wasn't another option. Besides, I've been stuck in there before without Yamato and got out. You really think I'd not make it back this time?”
Nero blinked, he'd not know that.
Lady was still unmoved and Dante just sighed before releasing her and with a fizzle of energy two rocket launches appeared in his hands.
“Told you I'd bring it back, even got your original. That's two for two on Kalina Ann returns.”
Lady looked up at that, her eyes sparkling. Go figure the walking arsenal would care more about her weapons. Dante laid them both down carefully before pulling her into a hug. He buried his face in her hair and let out a low purr. The huntress melted into him immediately despite her anger.
Nero heard creaking and looked to see Vergil coming down the hall. Oh he was going to beat the fuck out of him later.
“I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.” Dante finished.
Nero glanced back over to see Lady finally pull back before scowling up at him. Her eyes were wet, and she was clearly nowhere close to being happy with him. However she gripped the back of the hybrid's neck and pulled him close. He went easily and met her in a kiss.
Nero blanched, and he felt more than saw Nico lean forward in disbelief.
The kiss didn't last long before Lady pulled back and slapped him across the face. Dante just chuckled not protesting in the slightest.
“You're a shit husband, you know that?” Lady snarled.
“Yeah, but I'm yours.”
Nero could do nothing other than blink dumbly at the scene. Since when?! He'd not even met Lady in a real way before this whole mess and she was what, his aunt? He looked over to Trish who was smiling at the scene, and ok she knew.
He heard Vergil make a vaguely confused noise behind him. Clearly this was news to everyone here except the demoness.
“I'm sorry you're married?” Nico asks, and Nero has never loved her more.
“Tax benefits.” They both responded in unison.
Trish snorts to herself.
Ok, so clearly it was more than that.
“You kissed him.” Nico was unconvinced.
The pair blinked at one another for a moment before Dante shrugged. “Two things can be true at once.”
Never mind Nero was back to hating him and his vague cryptic bullshit. Lady too for that matter, because she was apparently just as guilty.
“Go take a shower and shave that mess off your face.” Lady told the hunter pointedly before shoving him away.
Dante didn't argue and disappeared down the hall with the final warning to his twin to behave. Lady and Trish eyed the older of the hybrids but said nothing. Clearly no one was happy he was here, but also no one was going to argue it, at least not right now.
Lady retrieved both Kalina Ann’s and started looking them over. But her peace didn't last long in the face of newly discovered information.
“I'm sorry, but since when have you been married to him?” Nero asked, because he wasn't about to get over that any time soon.
Lady shrugged. “Wasn't long after Mallet.”
Vergil flinched somewhere off to the side and Nero had many more questions now.
She continued on seemingly not catching the reaction. “We'd joked about it pretty much since we met. Ended up deciding to go through with it on account of helping us both with taxes. He's still in my debt just unofficially.”
Trish butted in then.
“It also gave her another excuse to check up on him.”
“NO!” Lady disagreed vehemently.
The demoness just rolled her eyes. “I've literally watched you walk in and play that card. Everyone knows Dante feels obligated to certain things.”
Nero glanced over to Nico to confirm he wasn't going crazy. Thankfully, the look she shot him back is proof enough he wasn't.
“And is Trish the only one who knew?” Nero fished.
Lady shook her head. “Morrison was our witness and I think Patty has a hunch.”
“You kissed him.” Nico repeated her point from earlier, and Nero pointed at her in emphasis.
Trish hummed an amused note. “Oh they've done more tha-”
“TRISH SHUT UP!” Lady yelped, her face flushing as she lunged at her friend.
The demoness danced away and just laughed. Nico looked like her world was tilting on its axis while Nero was just confused. Trish didn't tease anymore, instead busying herself with ordering pizza.
Not long after Dante made his way back down the hall looking much more put together, though his hair was still longer than it had been before their little jaunt. Vergil the vain fool must have used Yamato to clean himself up because he'd looked fine from the minute he walked in the door.
“Pizza?” He asked unprompted.
“On the way.” Trish answered.
The man just grinned. “Love you Trish.”
The demoness just flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Obviously, but don't go making Lady jealous.”
Lady just groaned despairingly while Dante snickered. “Oh I'd never.” He crooned as he suddenly appeared behind Lady and draped himself over the huntress before rocking back and forth.
“Get off of me you overgrown lizard!” She hissed, pulling out a gun.
He just tisked at her. “I just showered! Do you really want me to have to clean off blood again?”
“You know I will.”
Dante just chuckled low in his chest before burying his face in her neck and breathing in deeply.
“I missed you.” He spoke lowly enough that any regular person wouldn't be able to hear it. His tone a touch shaky, and emotional enough to be telling.
Lady relaxed marginally in his hold “I'm still mad.” She grumbled, though clearly her heart wasn't in it.
“I’m happy to make it up to you.” He purred.
Lady just rolled her eyes and finally shrugged him off. “Pervert.”
Nero was once again left stunned. It's not that he didn't believe that the two were together, at least not after the kiss and Lady's reaction to Trish’s teasing. However there was something so much more real about that interaction. Dante rarely, if ever, got serious. Hell, Nero can count on one hand the number of times he'd seen it.
But that had been real, real in a way he'd never expected. Dante loved her, truly loved her, and it was reciprocated. And if the surprised and baffled looks Vergil and Nico had on were anything to go by, he wasn't alone.