Summary: After their encounter in Fortuna, Nero and Dante went their separate ways. Nero was exalted from the town and moved to an apartment with Kyrie who still visits Fortuna constantly. Nero works in a crappy department store when an unexpected visitor finds him and makes him an offer he can't refuse.
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, the characters or any of the stores mentioned in this Fan Fiction. If I did…the world would be a very scary place.
Might be OOC in some places…Kyrie DEFINITELY is. I'm tired of everyone being nice and making the sweet girl she is, so here she's not so great. Don't like, don't read. Simple. As. That.
Chapter 1-Fedora
"Goddamnit, where did that boxer cutter go?" He murmured, gazing around the tight space as the lights above him flickered.
"Looking for this?" He spun on heel, right arm almost slipping out of the sling he had tucked it into that morning. "Sorry, I used it on the plastic wrap for some dishes we got in."
Nero shrugged, reaching out with his left hand and taking it quickly. "No problem; thanks Patrick." The dark haired teen nodded and slipped back to his side of the stock room. Nero slid the blade out and shucked open another box, tugging the flaps up and glaring at the dolls inside. "Fuck," He sighed, slipping the box cutter into his khaki pants pocket. 'More goddamn baby dolls? How many do we need?!' He tossed them into their appropriate bins and flattened the box as the intercom cut off the music and his friend's voice interrupted.
"Nero to customer service please, Nero to customer service; thank you."
He rolled his eyes as Patrick's face appeared above a stack of boxes. "They're calling you up again? I swear, that boss of yours just wants to punish you."
"I know…" The white haired teen shrugged out of the tiny space and pushed his way through the double doors; maneuvering quickly through the thick throngs of people. It was after all; a Saturday night and he only had an hour left before he escaped the shit-hole.
"Where do you think you're going?" A hand grasped at his shoulder and turned him around in the middle of the men's department. 'Shit!' Nero cursed inwardly as he forced a plastic smile onto his face. It was Laura…his store manager.
He gestured with his chin to the front of the store where Maddi gazed anxiously around the floor, waiting for him to pop up and help her. "They called me to customer service." Laura glared at him briefly and held tightly to his sleeve.
"Look Nero I've been…not spying on you but, watching you. We have to watch all of the Associates here at TJ MAXX to make sure they're doing their job right. And we've noticed that you're so…focused…on work that you haven't been smiling or greeting the customers."
'Fuck, now I have to pretend like I care.' He swallowed his tongue and smiled acidly. "I apologize, I had no idea." After all, no matter how shitty the job he needed the money to support him and Kyrie since he had been exiled from Fortuna.
"Yes, well we noticed shop lifters that were practically all around that you didn't seem to see at all. We'd like it if you weren't so focused. The rule is that if the customer is within ten feet you have to say hi with in the first ten seconds." She nodded as if she were god and crossed her arms.
His jaw clenched at her condescending tone and his heart was bursting with words to throw at her…but his logical side won over and he nodded in agreement. "Yes ma'am; I'll try harder."
She smirked at him and began walking away."That's what I thought." A low growl rumbled from his stomach as a hand gently touched his back.
"Chillax man; it won't do you any good to hit her now." He nodded and thanked Jon softly, turning on heel and walking quickly to the front of the store.
"You need me Maddi?" He paused at the customer service desk and she nodded.
"There was a guy looking for some help in the men's department."
He gave her a flat look and sighed. "So?"
"So…go help him."
"Well where is he?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure, he just sort of wandered back that way." She pointed towards the tall rack of hats.
"What does he look like?"
She grinned. "He's cute. Um, he's got blue eyes and he's tall…the only guy walking around by himself pretty much."
"Hm, okay." He shrugged and brushed hair from his eyes.
"Hey, I've got a question. Why do you always wear long shirts under your work shirt? And what's with the sling?"
Nero grimaced, his back to her as she spoke. "I've got tattoos on my forearms that are offensive for work. And… I had shoulder surgery." He lied quickly and darted to the men's department, searching for a guy walking alone. The top of a Fedora popped up over a white shelf, and the arm of a red coat flashed by the side. 'Must be him…' "Anything I can help you with sir?" He asked, still on the opposite side of the shelf. He moved around, the tail of the red coat striking a nerve in his memory.
"As a matter of fact, there is." He could hear the smile in the man's voice; the gravelly, deep voice that stuck with him this past year. "Does this hat make me look fat?" He spun to face Nero; head bent down so only the top of the Fedora could be seen along with a trim of white hair. Slowly, his head tilted and light from the fluorescence washed upon his lightly tanned face. "Hey kid, long time no see."
Nero paled a moment…just before his cheeks flushed with a brilliant red and a wide smile set up shop on his lips. "Dante!" He lunged forward and promptly glomped the elder man with one arm. He chuckled, patting Nero on the back quickly before the teen pulled away. "Shit, what are you doing here?" He asked glancing around the floor with a deep blush of embarrassment. He never wanted Dante to see him in such an awful place.
"I'm in town on business and thought I'd drop by." He smiled and removed the Fedora which did in fact look good on him… at least Nero thought it did. He began to scowl and stared at the teen. "What're you doin here kid?" He stared at the sling and, for the moment, bit his tongue.
"I-I was kicked out of Fortuna after…you know." He scratched his nose in embarrassment and shifted his arm in the sling. "This was the only place I could get a job, and it barely pays for anything." He shook his head in slow realization and stared at the ceiling. "My life is shit, Dante. Total shit."
The elder frowned, staring longingly at the exposed column of flesh. "And Kyrie; how is she?" Nero scoffed loudly and let out a dry chuckle. "That good huh?"
The teen glared softly at him. "All she does is bitch and moan about how horrible things are. We don't get along anymore…I don't know how long it's going to last with us."
Dante was slightly taken aback, ideas forming quickly in his mind. "Why is that?" He asked hesitantly, taking a small step forward towards the boy.
"I don't love her. I never really did I guess, but-"
"Nero! What are you doing? I told you to help the customer not talk them to death." Laura sidled up to him and glared deeply; then quickly turning her rabid mask of bitch to a disgustingly fake smile as she turned to Dante. "Hello sir, I'm sorry about Nero he's-"
"No, don't be." Dante placed an arm around Nero's shoulders and smirked at Laura. "He's been very helpful actually; I've decided on the Fedora but I have more questions. Mind if I use him as my personal assistant for the time being?"
Nero held back a smile as Laura gawked. "Actually sir, this boy has a lot of work to do before he leaves, but I'm more than happy to help you." She smiled once more and quietly hissed at Nero, "Don't screw this up or you'll be out." She nudged him with her shoulder and quickly waddled away, dragging Dante by the arm.
The elder gave him a pleading look and mouthed, "I'll wait for you."
Those words somehow made a strong shiver run up his back as he turned away and picked his way through the coat rack. 'Fucking bitch…'
***
Nero trudged to the break room an hour later and clocked off, slamming his locker shut before tugging his red hoodie on awkwardly. He held a Mountain Dew in his left hand as he searched the sales floor for the familiar crimson trench coat. A thick frown appeared on his lips when he couldn't find the elder. With his head down, hood up and head phones on, Nero shouldered his way through the double doors.
A hand grasped his right bicep, causing him to react on instinct and spin around aggressively. Dante! Nero grinned and shoved his headphones off, blasting Atreyu into the air. "What are you doing out here?"
The white haired slayer grinned and adjusted the black pinstripe Fedora. "I told you I would wait. Wanna grab some dinner? I'm starved." Nero gave him a sheepish grin and shook his head no. Dante felt his morale drop by thirty degrees at the rejection. "Why not?" He couldn't hide the hurt in his voice.
"I haven't got any money for food Dante. I don't even have a dollar for the bus…" He shrugged and sighed, feeling awkward. "I mean, thanks for the offer but I need to start walking home now if I want to get there before dawn."
"C'mon kid, it's on me." He gave Nero a swift pat on the shoulder, leading him to a sleek, 1978 Harley Davidson Soft tail. "You'll have to ride bitch." Dante shot him a suggestive grin and slid on to the front seat. Nero hesitated for just a moment, before climbing on and wrapping his arm securely around the elder's waist. Their body heat meshed, creating a wave of calm to wash over Nero.
The wind whipped through his hair and battered his face; Nero bent his neck and rested his forehead between the elder's shoulder blades. Unknowing to him, said man grinned into the wind and melted into the teen's body behind him. Dante slowed the speed of his bike and turned left into Paggliochi's Pizzeria. He stopped in the parking lot, waiting a moment for Nero to move first.
When the teen's head finally moved from the spot on his companion's back, Dante grinned over his shoulder. "Pizza okay?" Nero nodded quickly and made a swift flip from the bike, landing lightly on the balls of his feet. "How long has it been since you actually ate a meal?"
The teen blushed and Dante noted the tired bags under his eyes, and though he knew that Nero was well built underneath all those layers…the kid was thin enough to be a toothpick. "It's been a while." He muttered, kicking at a few pebbles.
'Poor kid…hope I can do this right.' "C'mon, let's get some grub."
They grabbed a classic pepperoni and stole up to a dark booth in the back corner of the restaurant. The bulb in the lamp above their table was out, casting them only in the moon's glow from the window. "So, what are you really doing here?" Nero asked, glancing up at Dante through thick lashes as the elder chomped on a slice of pizza.
"Whadda ya mean?" He asked thickly, trying desperately to swallow the cheesy mass.
Nero let out a small chuckle and took a bite, savoring the taste of real food for the first time in…months. "You wouldn't stop by a random department store in the middle of Bum-fuck-Egypt just to say hi to someone you haven't seen in a year, while you're out on a mission, so…I'll ask again. Why are you really here, Dante?"
Said man let out a loud sigh and dropped the remains of his slice onto the crappy paper plate. "When the fuck did you become so damn perceptive?" Nero merely grinned and took another bite, waiting for his answer. Dante bit his lower lip, glancing at the table one last time before meeting Nero's awaiting eyes. 'I might as well come clean, he'll find out sooner or later.' "I came here for you."
His eyes widened; the bite he was about to take hovered in the air for a moment before plopping back to the plate. He tried to swallow the emotion building up in his throat, the lump of shock in his windpipe…"Wh-what did you say?"
Dante nodded and wiped his mouth with a napkin, tossing it to the greasy pile of soiled utensils. "You heard me. My brother went sociopath again and made his way back to hell…I've got a feeling he'll be there for a while." Dante's eyes glazed over for a moment before he snapped back to reality at the sound of Nero's voice. The kid didn't need to know that Vergil left him seven years ago.
"What does that have to do with me?" Nero picked at the pepperoni, his appetite turning from a hunger for food to-
"I need help at the shop." It was only a partial lie…'Okay it's a total lie, but who the fuck cares?' "Business is running smoothly, with the exception of the women who keep stealing my money." He grumbled, taking a deep swallow of his beer. "I've got a lot of work to do and I want help." 'Actually, I want to fuck you into my mattress until there is a permanent imprint of your ass.' "What do you say?"
Shyly, Nero shook his head and sucked his lower lip between his teeth. "I couldn't travel that far every day Dante…It doesn't make sense. I mean, I don't have a car, you know?"
The elder was grinning ear to ear now. "Come live at Devil May Cry. I could give you a job and your arm can go to use…the way it should be used. You said yourself that things with Kyrie were goin' down the shitter."
Nero felt a tug on his heart strings at the note of concern in Dante's voice. "I couldn't…" He shook his head, trying to find a reason not to do it.
Dante let out a low chuckle and, as if reading his mind said, "Give me one good reason why not."
For a long moment, they stared at each other; Nero feeling as though he could lose himself in the bright pools of ice. "Dante-" He hesitated a moment, the elder's breath hitched in his throat as he waited for the answer. Finally, the teen let out a low sigh and closed his eyes. "How am I going to tell Kyrie?"
The white haired slayer grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll tell her if you like." He winked, popping a slab of cheese into his mouth as Nero sighed and rubbed at his temples. "What's wrong kid?"
He raised an eyebrow at the elder. "Why pick me Dante?"
"Why not?" He envied the cup Nero was drinking from. "You're the only other half demon I can trust."
The teen rolled his eyes and gazed out the window. "Dante, I'm the only other half demon you know besides your brother."
"My point exactly." He nodded with a trademark smirk.
"Dante-"
He slid a hand across the empty space full of possibilities, and clamped it over Nero's mouth. "Please Nero… Don't make me beg you for this."
That was the first time in a year his name had rolled off those lips and it sent a strange chill down Nero's spine. The hand stayed where it was as the teen gave a small smile and said, "Okay." Finally, the palm moved from over his mouth and the hand grasped more pizza. "But, you have to give me at least a day. I've got to get back home and pack and talk to Kyrie…shit, she's not even in town until tomorrow night." When Dante shot him a questioning look across the table Nero sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck, judging it safe enough to remove his arm from its sling. "She takes frequent trips to Fortuna since Credo is no longer there to take care of the church." He flexed his fingers and stretched his shoulder out. "Where are you staying tonight?"
Dante's eyes became wide and he took a deep swallow of Coor's. "Uh, to be honest I hadn't thought about it…" He really hadn't; some how logic had escaped Dante when he thought about seeing the boy.
Nero shrugged and took a small bite. "Stay at my place. I mean, it's not big but at least you'd have a roof over your head."
Dante smirked. "Sure, why not." He slapped a few bills on the table, much to Nero's dismay, and grabbed the leftovers. They made their way back to the bike, Nero snuggling close to Dante and resting his chin on the elder's shoulder. His lips brushed against his companion's ear as Nero navigated them through the winding streets and darkened sky. Dante shivered every time hot breath caressed his neck, relishing in the closeness and glad he hadn't brought the car.
After twenty minutes of Dante trying desperately to fight off a hard-on, he pulled up to a pot-holed parking lot surrounded by a broken chain link fence. "This it?" He asked, pulling the trench coat over his leather bulge.
He heard the teen sigh audibly, feet crunching over the gravel leading to the first set of stairs. "Yeah, home sweet crap." It was more of a flat than an apartment; one big hall with small doors leading off to even smaller rooms. Nero shouldered the door open, taking four steps into the tiny entryway and stopping. "To the left is the bedroom, directly in front of us in the bathroom." He turned right and paused again. "The doorway here to my right…with no door…is the kitchen." They moved forward a few more steps and stopped just after the corner of the kitchen. "Here's the living room." An old 20 inch television sat atop a cruddy brown table to the right of the sliding glass door. A love seat to the right, a three cushion couch to the left, a chair directly across from it and a glass coffee table in the center. A tiny space had been made for a walkway from the kitchen to the sliding glass door that led to a three person patio looking out over the highway and golf course. Nero dropped his hoodie and sling to the chair, stripping his red polo and black long sleeved shirt from his over heated skin. "Make yourself at home, old man."
The slayer smirked and turned to face him, breath catching in his throat as his eyes grazed over Nero's naked torso. Even though the kid hadn't had serious food in a while, he had still been working out. "We needa put some meat on your bones, kid." Nero blushed, rubbing his bringer over the tight abs as he glanced away at the floor.
"Um, the TV works…kind of. We only have about fourteen channels and even those get sketchy." He tossed his shirts to the hamper and turned his back to Dante, walking down the hall. "I'll be right back." His hands slid to the button on his khakis, flipping it open and letting them drop to the floor in the middle of the tiny hall. He kicked them off, tossing them into his bedroom, pulling a pair of jeans and a black wife beater from the hall closet adjacent to the bathroom.
Dante swallowed thickly. "How long is Kyrie supposed to be gone again?"
Alright, first chapter!!! You guys excited??? I am! So, please review the first chapter. I know it's starting out really weird but I promise you will like it better as it goes on. Thanks guys! Also, at the end of each chapter I'll post the play list for it.
1000 Good Intentions-Rise Against
Bother- Stone Sour
Close to the Flame- HIM
Fer Sure (Remix)-The Medic Droid
Like The Angel-Rise Against
The Crimson-Atreyu
Miss Murder-AFI