This is just a little fic to get me back in the mood to write once again. Right now, I'm slightly stressed and I need a good warm up story before I begin writing again.

Also, this fic will be set before Nocturne May Cry with Naoki reminiscing about his little moment with Chiaki two years ago before the events of Nocturne. And there will be a special appearance by our famous devil slayer at the end.

Enjoy!

Even a Demi-fiend May Cry…

The school bell rang, signaling the end of their children's glorious break. Sighing and complaining, they headed back to their next class. However, not all of them were whining about their situation, two boys and one young girl to be specific. They had good reason to, for their next class would be with their favorite teacher, Ms. Yuko Takao.

Once they made it inside the classroom, they took their respective seats, one of the boys sitting near the window while the other boy and girl sat next to one another.

The boy near the window looked at the boy across the room next to the girl. "Hey, Naoki! When are your folks comin' back from their trip? I really want to see those pictures of New York."

Naoki and the girl turned to the boy near them. Naoki smiled as he reclined in his chair. "Relax, Isamu. They just left yesterday, so they're obviously not coming back for awhile."

"Don't you miss them?" asked the girl.

Naoki shook his head. "Not really. But what about you, Chiaki? Do you miss your mom now that she left for New York as well?"

Chiaki snorted. "Get real. It's not like she's divorcing from my dad or anything. She's just looking for some 'space'. She can go to the North Pole for all I care and I still wouldn't give a damn."

"And there goes the emotionless beast known as Chiaki," muttered Isamu, turning around in his chair. He smiled in a jovial fashion. "But we hear those cries of help of yours. And Chiaki, we're here to help."

Chiaki glared at Isamu. "Drop dead, you imbecile. At least I can part with my parents for a few days without crying like a little baby."

Naoki chuckled at Isamu and Chiaki's intense glare fight. "Things never change between you guys, do they?"

Upon hearing the footsteps of their teacher, the class became quiet. Everyone focused on the beautiful face of Ms. Takao, but saw something they had never seen before, a frown and even a tear sliding down her face. Everyone grew concerned for her.

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she said, "I am sorry, but I must talk with both Chiaki Hayasaka and Naoki Kashima, alone. For today, those of you without another class may go home while the others proceed to either take a break and study. Dismissed."

Both teens had a bad feeling of what was going to happen as they followed their teacher out of the room. Chiaki could see the beads of sweat coming off Naoki's head as he breathed heavily. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, assuring that everything was going to be alright.

Naoki weakly smiled back. "You're right. Nothing that bad could happen anyway. Not to us."

They entered Ms. Takao's office and took a seat right in front of her desk. Ms. Takao gulped and nearly cried again, unable to bring this type of news to two of her favorite students. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for the both of you."

"Naoki did it," Chiaki quickly spat out, receiving a playful glare from Naoki. "I tried to talk him and Isamu out of it, but you know how they are."

Naoki chuckled at Chiaki's joke, but Ms. Takao couldn't even muster up a smile. This only made Naoki's current fears seem true. He had always had a bad feeling when his parents went to New York, but he never thought that they would die. He kept praying that they would come back just like they promised, getting him excited with exciting tales from New York and even going on a family dinner for his 15th birthday.

His eyes were cast to the floor below him. "Is it…about our parents?" he asked with a dry and broken voice.

Ms. Takao nodded, much to Naoki and Chiaki's dismay. "You see, there was a plane crash near the airport."

Naoki's mind and body froze after hearing that. "No…they can't…no…"

Chiaki's reaction was nearly the same, only she was able to recover long enough to ask the question on everyone's mind. "How? How the hell did the plane crash?"

"There was…" Ms. Takao tried to resist the temptation of turning away from both of them. "There was a madman on board. Your father tried to stop him, but the madman shot the pilot and…" She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "No one could pilot it in time, so they…died. I'm so sorry."

Chiaki shook her head in shock from discovering this news. "No…no…She can't be gone…My father…they never even got to…"

She got up from her seat and proceeded to walk out the door. "Follow me. I'll drive the both of you to your homes."

After a long silent drive in the car, Naoki and Chiaki got out of the car and were about to head inside Chiaki's mansion. Ms. Takao was a little concerned about this, but she knew that they now needed each other more than ever in times like these.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" she asked like a concerned parent. "I could call your father so he could—"

Chiaki shook her head sadly. "No. I just…need some time to sort out all of this."

"Understandable," She looked at Naoki, who was still as silent as ever. "Naoki? Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

Naoki remained silent, but Chiaki answered for him. "He'll be alright. I'll let him stay for the night. Goodbye, Ms. Takao."

"That is very kind of you. Goodbye, Chiaki. Naoki. Both of you should take as much time as you need to recover." She drove away, leaving both teens alone.

Chiaki opened the door for Naoki. "Come on. You can use one of the guest rooms for tonight." Looking back, she noticed that Naoki still remained emotionless. She grabbed a hold of his arm and dragged him inside. "Sheesh! There's no need to act like such a lump!"

Naoki picked his head up and slowly said, "I'm sorry…"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You should be." She sighed after a couple silent seconds. "No, I'm sorry. It's just…I don't know."

Naoki headed up the stairs. "I'm going to bed."

Chiaki grabbed a hold of Naoki, by his arm, pulling him towards the couch. "Come on! It's only 2:15. Let's…umm…" Chiaki pinched the bridge of her nose in deep thought. She then came up with an idea. "I know! How about a movie?"

Naoki remained emotionless, not moving a single inch. Chiaki grew concerned for him. She had counted on him being able to take this news like a man, but now he was nothing more than a lifeless shell. Yet despite this, she continued to dig through her collection of DVD's, trying to find something that would cheer him up. Still, it was times like these that she was with Isamu so that he could be the one doing this.

She held up a DVD box with the cover of what appeared to be a large lizard like creature in front of Naoki. "How about this one? I know it's one of your favorites."

Naoki's eyes were cast onto the floor, staring at the carpeting below him.

Chiaki sighed as she opened the box, only to find a note inside. Staring at the chicken scratch that was the handwriting, she realized that it was Isamu. "That dumbass just had to steal my DVD…" She looked at Naoki, hoping to see even a chuckle. But he continued to frown. Chiaki, unable to control her anger anymore, unleashed everything upon Naoki. "Damn it, Naoki! Cut me some slack! It's not like I'm freakin' Santa Claus and am able to bring you fucking joy!!! Just grow a pair already!!"

Naoki picked his head up, staring at Chiaki with the emotionless face of his. "I never asked for you to even try to comfort me." Naoki turned away from her, heading for the door. "I want to be alone now. I don't want you following me."

Chiaki gripped Naoki's hand as he was about to leave. "Listen to me! This isn't just about you! I lost someone too and—"

Naoki suddenly turned around and pressed Chiaki against the wall, giving her a deadly glare. Chiaki felt all of the breath in her lungs was taken away in one fell swoop as Naoki held her. The glare alone made her shake in fear.

"Then quit acting like it's nothing!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "And at least you still have your dad! Everyone I love is gone! You hear me!? Gone!" He stormed out of the mansion, leaving frightened Chiaki slowly sliding onto the floor.

Naoki walked through the rainy streets of Shibuya, ignoring its various citizens that roamed the streets. Some were talking to friends while shopping, others held hands as they walked. Naoki couldn't even pretend to care about them anymore.

"Happy moments don't last," he muttered to himself. "There is no such thing as a happy ending, is there?" He walked in the middle of the streets, ignoring the cars that drove around him. "But if I…I die…will there still be…that ending…"He turned to see a honking car barreling towards him, brakes squealing. He faintly smiled. "Will I…still be…getting my present, mom? Dad?"

He closed his eyes, awaiting the car to run over him and kill couldn't wipe the smile from his face as rubber squealed on pavement, ever closer. There was no trace of fear as he was awaiting the Grim Reaper to take him to heaven.

"NAOKI!"

His eyes snapped open as he felt his entire body being pushed to the ground by an unknown force. He soon found Chiaki on top of him, her hand clutching to his throat.

"Out of all the stupid things you have ever done…" She tightened her grip around Naoki's neck. "This is by far the dumbest thing ever!" She got up and dragged him to the sidewalk by his throat. "I expected this kind of thing from…NO!" She straddled his hips and slapped him harshly across his face. "Even Isamu wouldn't fucking do that! Why are you doing this in the first place?"

"I want to die…" he replied. "My family…I could finally be with them…"

Chiaki grew confused, but that didn't stop her from punching Naoki in the face. He spat out some blood beside him and felt Chiaki bring him up by his now torn jacket.

"Idiot! You are a fucking idiot!" She grabbed Naoki by his throat and began to choke him, robbing him of his oxygen. "You really want to die so badly!?"

As he was being choked, Naoki noticed Chiaki was crying. He reached out, his arm flailing slightly before he was able to wipe the tear off of Chiaki's face. "I'm sorry."

Chiaki's grip loosened and her eyes widened. She broke down and cried on top of him, unable to hold in everything. "You…you're supposed to be the strong one."

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Huh? But you're the one who held everything in all this time."

Chiaki shook her head, mixing in the tears and rain within. "But you're able to get through anything! When you fail a test, you toss it aside. Whenever I get into a fight with Isamu, you merely laugh! Both of those things nearly make me blow a freaking blood vessel in my brain, but I knew as long as you could handle it, I could too! But now…" She sniffled as more tears came. "If you can't do it, then how the hell am I supposed to!? Huh!?"

"Chiaki," Naoki sat up and hugged Chiaki as she continued to cry, stroking her back in comfort. He really felt like a jerk after the way he had been treating her, despite some minor pain on his cheek. "I'm so sorry."

She got off of Naoki and helped him up, only to start crying again on his shoulder. Naoki placed his arms around her and they both stood in the rain in each other's arms. Naoki soon started to cry as well, finally unleashing his emotions in front of Chiaki.

After a couple of minutes, and a few questionable stares from various people, they walked back to Chiaki's mansion. Once inside, Chiaki rushed upstairs and then brought a box wrapped in a blue and white wrapping.

She threw it to Naoki. "Catch."

Naoki caught the object with ease. He looked high and low in curiosity, even shaking the present and listening with his ear. Chiaki came over and flicked him on his forehead for his "stupidity."

She sighed. "Just open it. Think of this as an early birthday present."

He did as he was told and found a purple hooded jacket that seemed to be just about his size, maybe even a little bigger. Behind it, he saw a small face of a monster, which most would actually consider cute. Before Chiaki could ask if he liked it, he immediately took of his old torn one and put on his new gift. He smiled at Chiaki. "Why give this to me?"

Chiaki shrugged. "Well, I wasn't going to at first since your taste in clothing is a bit…odd to say the least. But…I…" Chiaki blushed lightly. She shook it off and glared at him. "Well, now you owe me. And I won't settle for some cheap trinket. Got it?"

Naoki laughed. "Got it!" He hugged Chiaki, feeling the warmth spread through his body. He smiled when Chiaki returned it. "Thanks, for everything."

"Don't mention it, Naoki."

"Hey, kid!"

Naoki snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing Dante's voice. Looking at his tattooed arms and legs, he realized that he was still in the Vortex world. "Great," he said sarcastically. "I'm still in the mouth of hell!"

"You okay?" asked Dante, impatiently tapping his foot. "You've been sittin' and cryin' for a good twenty minutes after we killed your girlfriend."

Naoki suddenly recalled the battle with Baal Avatar. Though it was a bitterly-tough fight, he had managed to prevail by finishing off Chiaki himself with a last minute help from Dante's sword. Then he remembered something about wanting to be alone for a little while. He should have known better that wouldn't have stopped the crimson devil slayer from checking up on him.

But he didn't recall crying, that was until he felt something warm trailing down his cheek. He didn't want to admit that he was crying. After all, he believed that demons shouldn't cry since he had never seen one. And if killing several of them and his friends proved anything, they prove that he should be beyond this. Hell, even Baal Avatar told him that he was beyond the point of tears.

"Devils never cry." He told Dante.

Dante chuckled, then burst into a complete laughing fit. "Man! I wish I had a dollar for every single time I heard that line!" When Naoki didn't respond, he walked over and placed his hand on the demi-fiend's shoulder. "You should know by now that even a devil may cry when it loses a loved one. Killing your friends in order to restore the old world, that takes a lot of guts. It's pretty obvious that you would cry if you not only lost them, but if you're the one who killed them as well. No one is beyond the point of tears." Dante walked away.

"Wait."

Dante turned around, moaning the entire time. "What now? If you expect some more comfort, go to Pixie or Paravati, or some other female demon I don't know."

Naoki smiled. "I just wanted to say thanks."

Dante snorted. "Yeah, well, hurry your skinny ass to the next room. I'd like to return to the normal world and get me a nice slice of pizza." He walked away from Naoki. "I swear, this trip is almost as bad as the last time I was in Tokyo. At least this one is a tiny bit more fun."

Naoki looked back at the pieces of Baal Avatar that was once his friend, Chiaki. He sighed before walking out of the room himself. "Chiaki, I promise I'll make it up to you and Isamu."

"You better."

Naoki's eyes widened after hearing Chiaki's voice. He closed them as he smiled. "You should know I always stay true to my word."

And with that, he left the destroyed demon in the room, taking the small item that fell from it. He met up with his various demon companions and began to ascend the tower to begin their final battle and restore the world to the way it once was.

Dante spun both of his guns before pointing them at the incoming angel and devil resembling demons. "Now then, how about we make the angels scream…"

Naoki smirked. "And the devils cry!"

--

There! I think that'll do for the moment. Special thanks to Serial Ravist for beta-reading. Now review!