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It had all been going well until it wasn't. Which may as well have been the story of all their lives. It was a relatively small hell gate, but they just couldn't find a way to close it and the endless stream of fodder that was pouring from it didn't help.
Nero who'd just happened to be around for the week kept having to divert his attention to the biggest things that managed to sneak past. While Dante seemed to be having a blast on his side of the field, paying no one else any attention.
Trish and Lady were holding their own without much issue at all, but the main problem was still the gate. Which was nearly impossible to focus on due to the current situation.
However the endless fodder, while not causing any issues in of themselves, were still inevitably going to wear them out. Lady was the first to start flagging though it was barely noticeable. However the longer the fight went on the more clear it became.
Eventually, the huntress got tired enough to shout over the cacophony.
"DANTE YOU GOING TO DO YOU'RE JOB?!"
In response the wave of heat that blasted over the battlefield was their answer. All the demons close enough to the hybrid were disintegrated and a moment later a roar shook the air.
A streak of red zipped past, and moments later the portal was gone. Where it used to be Dante stood in full trigger, his wings folded back and rebellion covered in enough blood to be dripping off the hilt onto his clawed hand, each drop sizzling as it hit the scales.
From there it was simple, and the rest of the demons were dealt with in minutes.
Lady's shirt was in tatters and barely hanging onto her body. Damn sin scissors. She scowled down at the state of her clothes, and Trish let out a low whistle. Those were expensive, and she would know they bought them together. No doubt the woman would have Dante paying for the next outfit she bought as payback.
Nero had politely diverted his gaze from her figure as she walked up. Even her bra was sliced up just short of falling apart. There had simply been so many demons, damage of some kind had been more of an inevitability than anything else. She herself was barely hurt however, only having a few superficial cuts and grazes.
Lady was clearly pissed and if Trish had to bet it was probably mostly about her jacket that she'd had to shed halfway through. Dante now back to his normal self, let out a low whistle as he took in her state. Lady raised an eyebrow back in challenge, clearly unimpressed with his lack of initiative.
"Anything funny to say?"
"Not out loud." He sniped back with a smirk.
Dante checked himself over for a moment before grabbing Rebellion from its place sheathed on his back. He leaned the long sword on a wall before pulling off his coat and throwing it to her.
"Till you get home."
Lady grabbed it out of the air and looked it over. It was relatively clean, which seemed to be good enough for her. Hells only knew it was a fall evening and getting colder by the minute. The huntress pulled it on and the thing swallowed her enough to be comical.
But she didn't complain, just adjusted it enough to suit her and picked up Kalina Ann. Dante twirled Rebellion in his hand before propping it on his shoulder. With that their little ensemble started heading back the way they'd come.
Dante had contented himself with an unusual silence as he seemed too busy soaking in the sight of Lady to make his usual conversation. Trish glanced around and upon seeing no one paying the hybrid any mind, she made her way over.
The huntress laughed quietly to herself at the nearly mesmerized look on one of her closest friends.
"Enjoying the view?" She teased.
Dante scoffed out a small puff of smoke and elbowed her. "Shut it Trish, I don't want to hear it."
"No? Come on, I'm not blind let alone stupid you've been enamored with her since before I met you."
The hybrid shrugged.
The demoness just elbowed him back. "You love seeing her wearing something that belongs to you, especially the jacket."
The man just rolled his eyes. "Of course I do, demons and devils are possessive by nature. It comes with the territory. Same way I'd like it if you wore it."
Trish laughed outright at that.
"You're funny Dante, but we both know that's not true. It wouldn't be the same because you don't see me the way you see her."
He remained silent at that which was answer enough. Trish just shook her head lightly, sometimes she wished those two would do something about the thing they had going on. God knows they'd be happier if they did.
oO0Oo
Nero walked in to observe the usual sight. Dante napping at his desk, his feet propped up and magazine covering his eyes. He didn't even bother greeting the man, it wasn't like Dante didn't know he was here. Dante may pretend to be wholly unaware of the goings on around him, but Nero knew it couldn't be further from the truth.
He simply took a seat on the couch and pulled out his phone. He needed to text Kyrie and tell her he made it over safely and preferably crash in the guest room soon. It was late, and he was exhausted.
He felt himself drifting off not ten minutes later when the door slammed open. He immediately reached for Blue Rose but came up short as he watched a drenched Lady storm in. She was visibly fuming, and Nero winced in sympathy. It was pouring outside and he knew she rode her bike pretty much always.
Dante had also found himself sitting up and wincing himself, then frowned for a moment in thought and winced again. Nero already knew that what he was going to say next wouldn't be well received.
"The water heater is busted." He informed the poor woman.
Nero thought for sure he was going to get a bullet between the eyes for that. But Lady seemed too miserable for even that as she kicked at the pool table instead. She looked like a drowned cat and was shaking violently.
"Go dry off and change. A pause, then Dante added. "You do have a change of clothes here yeah? If not, you can steal mine."
Without another word she disappeared up the stairs.
Nero looked over to the other hunter and after a minute of silence asked. "How long has the water heater been busted?"
Dante gave him a sheepish look. "About a week."
Nero just stared at him, unimpressed.
"You're literally a handyman."
The man just shrugged. "Anyone who cares about it wasn't around." He defended.
Typical, but before he could scold the hybrid further, Lady appeared again at the top of the stairs. Nero could only blink dumbly at her. She was being swallowed alive by clothes that definitely weren't hers. The sweatpants had been scrunched up, and the shirt she had on could have been a dress, the long sleeves also having been folded enough times to be comical.
It was then Nero heard it, faint and nearly indistinguishable under the sound of the jukebox, but there. A low purr coming from Dante, one Nero could identify as pleased.
Lady finally came down the stairs. She was still shivering but looked considerably less miserable. She however, was scowling still, and Dante had the good grace to duck his head in acknowledgment of his misdeed.
She finally took a seat in the chair next to the couch, and Nero was worried she was too cold. Lady was only human after all, the toughest one he'd ever met, but still human.
Dante without prompting, got up finally and walked over. Lady refused to look at him, perhaps petty, but Nero could definitely sympathize. Dante however, didn't try to justify himself or anything of the like he simply shucked his jacket and threw it over her.
Nero was left once again stunned. Lady blinked at it for a minute then with a huff pulled it over her like a blanket. The thing was definitely big enough to be one.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you." She hissed at his retreating form.
He simply waved her off. "I know I know."
He took his place back at his desk, and Nero was left once more to observe. Lady was warming up under the layers and Dante was now flipping through the magazine.
As the time ticked on Nero didn't miss the looks Dante kept shooting her way. The fondness in his eyes when he spotted Lady curled up in his clothes and jacket. It tickled something in the back of his brain. Most anyone else would have simply written it off, after all Dante wasn't as ambivalent as he would like everyone to believe.
He cared deeply about all his friends, coworkers, and companions. But Nero was also not completely human, he had the same instincts as Dante, even if they didn't seem to be as potent.
When Kyrie wore his clothes it pleased the demon side of him. The clothing more clearly marked her as his, his to protect, his to love, his his his. She'd make fun of the apparently stupid look on his face whenever he stared at her when she wore anything that belonged to him.
And Nero was sure now that he knew what she was talking about. The aching fondness in Dante's eyes was hard to miss. Lady didn't seem to notice or perhaps care as she scrolled through her phone. But Dante couldn't seem to help himself as he kept looking over.
Nero was half tempted to make a joke about taking a picture, but he did in fact value his life that Lady would definitely end if he dared say anything. So instead, he contented himself with simply observing. Despite it being nothing much it was still somehow beyond entertaining.
Eventually he was having a hard time fighting off the sleep that was trying to claim him once more. He got up and Dante's attention went to him.
"Guest room or?"
Dante waved him off. "It's yours kid."
Lady waved him goodnight as well and without any more prompting he made his way upstairs.
oO0Oo
Patty entered Devil May Cry and took in its state. Surprisingly, it wasn't completely trashed even if there was a clear line of destruction she could follow. Dante surprisingly wasn't in his normal place instead in the kitchenette. He gave her a smile greeting her as he normally did.
He was in a dark henley and his leather pants, but his jacket was nowhere in sight. Odd but for all she knew it had gotten trashed on a job. It wouldn't be the first time and definitely not the last if it were the case.
He always whined and complained when it happened. It was an expensive garment she'd give him that, especially when it was as heavy duty as he preferred. But he never started complaining about it, which was again odd. She'd dare even say he was in a better mood than normal.
He pulled his pizza out of the microwave and headed back to his desk. Patty followed on his heels, chattering about celebrity drama and the new clothes she bought. He didn't huff and brush her off which had her even more suspicious. Something was definitely off, and she would figure out what.
He reclined at his desk as he ate, and she went to get her cleaning supplies. God only knew if she didn't keep this place clean, no one else would. And despite how much of a fuss she made about the whole thing, she enjoyed it. It was her own way of giving back and thanking the man for everything he did not only for her but everyone. Of course she'd never admit it out loud, but she suspected Dante knew anyway.
She sniped at him as she cleaned and Dante just rolled his eyes and snarked right back as he always did. Eventually Patty discovered a shirt on the floor, she blinked at it for a moment confused. It was definitely Lady's, had Dante needed to patch her up or something?
It wouldn't have been the first time, but usually there was nothing left indicating it. She picked it up and turned to the hunter.
"This is Lady's yeah?"
He blinked at it for a moment then sighed. "Yeah, give it here." He held out a hand, Patty did without thought before going back to what she was doing.
It ended up taking an hour, but eventually she was pleased with the state of the office. She dropped onto the couch with a groan and could almost feel Dante rolling his eyes at her.
She sat there for a moment before a shuffling noise upstairs caught her attention. Patty looked up to the landing and sees Lady, not an unusual sight even if it's a bit late for her to be getting up. However, what was unusual is to see her wearing Dante's jacket like a robe with nothing else on if the skin she could see was anything to go by.
She blinks at her for a long moment, and Lady blinks back clearly not expecting her to be there. Patty looks over at Dante with wide eyes. The man in question was smiling almost goofily up at the huntress.
Oh, well that made a lot of sense. She finally laughs and can't help when it starts to become hysterical.
"Finally." She manages to barely splutter out between cackles.
The two are watching her with wide eyes, which only makes her laughing worse.
Dante tumbles over his words as he tries to explain, his eyes showing near panic as his attention snaps between them both. Lady also makes a choked noise herself that Patty barely catches.
“Excuse me?” Dante finally manages to stutter out in a pitch a few octaves too high.
In response Patty drags her hands over her face as she desperately tries to collect herself. Eventually she manages as she crosses her arms and squints at him.
“I'm not dumb you know. The first time I met Lady and realized you two weren't dating I was confused. You guys are literally made for each other.”
Dante opens and closes his mouth a few times but can't seem to find the words. Eventually he just buries his face between his arms on the desk. And Patty is delighted to see the puff of smoke that rises from his defeated exhale.
“Patty, you have no idea.” Is eventually what he mutters out.
And she's sure it's an understatement. Probably one for the history books if the look in his eyes once he raises his head again is anything to go off of. Without another word Dante throws Lady's shirt up, and the woman snatches it out of the air before disappearing, presumably back into Dante’s room.
A few minutes later she came back out now clothed, though she still wore the red jacket. Dante purred happily at the sight and Lady scowled at him. Patty just giggled and tactfully didn't mention the soft smile that had half crawled onto Lady's face as she looked at the hybrid.
She'd always hoped the two would figure it out and even better Morrison owes her. Oh, she's not going to let him forget this for years!