Irrevocable

By: Mikami Yuriko

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All characters below belong to CAPCOM.

WARNING: ANGST, WAFF, LIME, LANGUAGE

A/N: Pls note that the character I've followed for Trish is based on DMC1 and there she's noticeably a bit…emotional unlike her demeanor in DMC4.

xxxx

She didn't exactly know when it had been that she had sprouted wings, grown a conscience…and fallen in love with him.

She didn't exactly understand how it had happened or why.

All that she knew was that there she was, on a warm bed in a mediocre bedroom in the city, populated only by humans and pathetic mortals whom she unconsciously and silently envied… But strangely though, calling it…home.

Home.

She tilted her head to the side slightly in deep wonder. The word was so foreign to her that it sounded strange, impossible, yet she felt it to be the world's most undeniable truth.

She stiffened for a moment as she heard a rustle outside her bedroom, followed by the slight creaking of the floorboards.

She blinked; it was only him.

He had been the sole reason why the dump of a place was bearable in the first place. He had made it home.

She smiled bitterly.

He had been her primary target before all of this. He had been the sole attention of her concentration and hidden fury. She had been created in order to bring him to his knees; his mental faculties a total wreck, his spirit on the brink of irrevocable despair.

Again, she smiled bitterly.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

She looked just like her. Didn't she?

'Eva…' she thought with utter scorn.

She looked just like his mother.

'I may look like her, but I'm not her. I'll never be her…' she thought with utter distaste.

She was supposed to be the cause of his downfall.

But then again, it had been him who had caused hers, hadn't it?

xxxx

"Hey Trish, what do you say we get some pizza?"

She raised an eyebrow at the question. Pizza. It had been his favorite, hadn't it?

"Sure. Whatever." she replied without much enthusiasm, "Hey, it's not like either of us can cook anyway…" she trailed off dismissively as she walked towards the window of their office.

"Useless hag…" he muttered under his breath.

Sharply, the blonde turned and glared at platinum-haired man, "I heard that." she said lowly, her eyes with a dangerous glint in them.

Dante laughed, "You did eh? I better work on my subtlety."

She rolled her eyes; she knew he was kidding. But then again, she just felt annoyed at what he had said.

In fact, everything about him annoyed her.

His posture.

'Trying to be charismatic is he?' she thought sarcastically.

His way of dressing.

'Ugh…Too gaudy…and bright!' she thought; imagining him to be a male bird.

The way he held his gun.

'More like him giving a hand-job…'

The way he ate.

'…Just like a pig…'

His face.

'Does he think himself to be the most attractive man alive?'

And most of all, his eyes.

Yes. Those seemingly endless pools of his that don't appear to have a bottom.

'…'

No; she hadn't any nasty or cynical thought about those…

How can she when she simply thought they were perfect?

She shook her head.

This just couldn't go on.

xxxx

She quirked an eyebrow as she watched him trying to get rid of the pizza box.

"Why don't you just incinerate it with Ifrit? It'll be quicker and more effective." she suggested casually as she crossed her arms.

He stopped and looked at her for a second before proceeding to shove the box inside the wastebasket and stomping it down with his foot.

"How astute." she commented sarcastically.

When he had been done demonstrating his refined and gallant gesture, he turned to her and gave her a sheepish smile, "It worked though."

Rolling her eyes, the blonde turned and spoke, "Yea whatever. I'm turning in." she said as she began to walk away, not noticing Dante's eyes pinned on her retreating form.

xxxx

Trish walked into her bedroom and felt a sudden need to yawn and stretch her limbs.

'Sleepy already?' she thought.

'Ah, I've really gone a long way from being…'

She didn't want to finish that sentence.

What she had been in the past, what Mundus had intended for her to be was history. A deep frown suddenly found itself drawn upon her full lips as she reminisced that she failed to notice the door to her bedroom slowly open.

"Trish?"

The blonde stiffened as she heard her name being spoken and she quickly whipped around to see Dante inside her room.

"What is it?" she asked with haste, thinking that something had gone awry.

Dante said nothing but scratched the back of his head, "Nothing's wrong. Relax."

"Then what do you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing. You didn't need to bite my head off, you know?" he drawled with his arms crossed, leaning back against her bedroom's wall.

The blonde felt a tinge of remorse but shrugged it.

"Sorry." she replied. "Anyway, what is it that you want?"

"Nothing in particular." he said offhandedly as he straightened himself and took a step towards her.

"I just noticed…That's all."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Noticed what?"

He turned away from her, "You can leave any time you want you know?" he suddenly said.

Trish's eyes slightly widened at that.

"What?"

"I said," he began, "you don't have to stay just because you feel like you owe me something." he told her firmly; his eyes boring into hers, attempting to decipher what it was she was really thinking.

"And what makes you think that I feel like I owe you?" she challenged him haughtily, her chin tilted upwards.

He shrugged and paused for a moment before resuming, "I'm not blind Trish."

"And I'm not stupid."

"And I'm not her." she retorted hotly; half surprising him and half surprising herself in the process.

She internally cursed herself for letting it slip…But what was done was done. And what was said was said…

Dante stiffened as her words hit him, their meaning and implications imbedding themselves into his skin and flesh and finally burrowing themselves within his bones.

"I never thought you were…" he defended; his eyes now meeting hers.

"…Liar." she muttered darkly. "I'm not blind Dante. And I'm not stupid." she repeated.

The venom in her voice was evident. And at that point, he felt that he partially understood now why she had acted the way she had the previous weeks.

He sighed a bit and took another step closer to her, "Trish, I…I never thought that you were her. And I never once thought that you could ever be a substitute for her either. You are…you." he finished lamely.

Such sincerity in his voice should've sent any woman in her stead over to the stars and moon, swooning. But not her; never her.

She said nothing but continued to stare at him with utter distaste, scorn, and bitterness, daring him silently to prove what he had claimed only moments before.

Dante seemed to have read the challenge in her eyes as he advanced towards her evenly.

She didn't budge.

She stood her ground and was as still as a statue. Her muscles stiffened as she continued to watch his slowly advancing form towards her body, his sights fixated only on her eyes.

At that point, as she registered mentally that the silver-haired demon hunter was not going to retreat, the tiny blonde hair on the skin of her arms began to stand in trepidation.

Her breathing completely stopped as she suddenly found him standing right before her, his eyes still on hers, his face merely an inch from hers.

Despite her growing nervousness at the close contact that she wasn't accustomed to, she raised her arrogant eyebrow at him and spoke with a whip-like tongue, "What are you going to do?" she asked with a low tone, her voice almost in a low whisper.

"Nothing I'd regret…" he trailed off as he slowly began to draw his eyes to a close, leaning down towards her, anticipating to capture her seemingly soft and moist lips with his own. And he wasn't disappointed.

His lips connected with hers in that instant. He felt her cringe at the contact and he knew that she was going to pull away as if she had been burnt, her flesh being scorched by hot flames…

And so, he held her still, his strong arms enveloping her in a firm but gentle hold.

Her mind reeled as she felt his lips upon hers. She knew nothing of what she was to feel at that point. What she had been previously was nothing more than a heartless demon. And so, what was a demon suppose to do at such an unheard of occurrence?

Dante slowly opened his eyes as he withdrew from her. He supposed that what lay before his steely orbs were of no surprise to him.

Cold air.

Nothing but cold air.

xxxx

The morning that followed suit as the twilight hours had receded was something that the blonde loathed; much to her surprise. Another day, and another play that must be performed; much to her dismay.

What had transpired between herself and her partner was still as fresh in her mind as a festering wound and it wasn't going to be leaving her anytime soon.

What had occurred between them the previous night was…confusing to say the least. Why did Dante do what he had done? And she…?

She closed her eyes in silent contemplation, her heart slightly beating faster as her mind was suddenly flooded with the emotions that she had felt the night before as she reminisced.

She remembered stiffening in his arms as his lips connected with hers. The feeling of having someone clamp their lips on hers was strange and unfamiliar, and uncomfortable.

However, as she remembered the hot flames of heated passion envelop her being as he continued to kiss her, and at the same time feeling the chilly and prickly feeling of his icy fingertips on her arms, did she realize that the feeling was…powerful…

It goaded her body to respond; to return his kiss…to press her body against his at the tug of a seemingly primordial and primeval instinct that has lain dormant within her.

She wondered at that point; had such an overwhelming feeling of desire really been within her all this time?

She shivered at that point, wrapping her arms around herself unwittingly as she was completely engulfed and engrossed within her own world…seeing herself in the reverie beginning to weaken her resistance against him…against his kiss…lowering down her guard; lowering her fortress' gates in order to welcome him…

And then…

'Don't be a bloody idiot.' a sharp voice within her mind pierced through her soul, taking the blonde back into the waking hours of the day. Sharply, the dream vanished and faded, replaced only by the acute prickle of reality. Nothing but the blue skies lay before her. Her eyes narrowed slightly and a quaint pout placed itself on her full lips as she was reminded of her conundrum.

And what was that?

"…"

She sighed.

"Me…I'm the problem." she spoke miserably.

It had been her, hadn't it? She simply didn't know how to fit herself in his life. Why did he take her in his home? Was it a feeling of camaraderie? Was it generosity?

Or was it pity?

She felt her heart sting at that thought.

What did he exactly see her as? She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes further; tightly, as her eyes blazed. He claimed to her the night before that he saw her simply for who she was…

And not as his deceased mother.

He had kissed her but she had run from him…She had taken flight. Why? Because she was afraid. Did he really speak the truth? Or was it a well portrayed rendition of a hideous lie? A horrid hoax for both her…and himself?

Well, no matter. She wouldn't be fooled any longer. She wouldn't be used for someone else's benefit and interests any longer.

She gritted her teeth now as she remembered Mundus and his plans. He had created her for the sole purpose of using and abusing her. Once she had outlived her usefulness, who knew where she would have been.

'Just washed up at the shore…Just the rotting corpse of a horrid beast by the beach.' she thought bitterly.

Well, that would be the first and last time that she would be used and beguiled.

No one would hurt her again. Not Mundus and most especially not Dante. Her eyes momentarily softened as she heard his name echo in her mind.

'Dante…' she repeated, choking a bit as her breath seemed to have gotten caught up in her throat.

And why not Dante…?

Because…

Because she realized that she loved the silver-haired demon hunter.

She may not realize how to fit herself into his life, but she knew all too well that the uncouth and complacent Dante had carved a fine niche for himself within her heart and soul…

And she knew, with much bitterness at that, that his presence within her shall never really truly depart; no matter her efforts to exorcise himself from her. Never.

And that was problem, wasn't it?

She loved him; as much as she knew how to love. And he? Did he share her sentiments? Did he feel the same? Or was he, too, using her as his safety cushion to ease the guilt that he felt for failing to protect his mother…?

Her head spun as confusion, anger and bitterness jumbled all of their essences within her already chaotic mind and perplexed heart.

She sighed as she chose to close her mind's avenue from the aforesaid issue. She crossed her arms now and looked into the horizon once more.

'You can't stay up here forever.'

'Yes I can…' she argued with herself.

"No you can't." a solemn yet quirky voice said. She stiffened as she had come to realize who it had been standing beside her. She whipped her head around and saw a coyly smiling Dante hovering above her.

"Morning." he greeted her cheerfully.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. How was it that this man who was so full of passion the night before be so nonchalant the morning after? As if nothing in the slightest had been amiss? As if nothing had occurred between them that was anything but normal?

"Want some breakfast?" he asked, still in his cheery mood.

What she wouldn't give to wipe that fox-like grin off his face. But nonetheless, she sighed, nodded and jumped from the roof, landing on the dusty ground as graceful as a feline.

Dante could just look on after her; his smile still on his lips, concealing his sentiment of worry. 'So she's still pissed at me eh?' he asked himself as he jumped and followed her inside his office.

xxxx

Breakfast was uneventful and lunch was even more so. The two spoke not one word toward the other. Dante just wanted to disappear.

'Heh. Fighting monsters is any day better than this crap.' he thought lazily; a bit annoyed as he surveyed his overall situation with Trish.

There he was trying his best to her make stay with him as palatable as possible, giving her all the respect that he could muster and there she was being the drama queen! He gritted his teeth at that.

Oh yeah; monsters were definitely a better option than this.

'They'd probably make better housemates too…' he thought, grumbling a bit.

And where was his aloof drama queen?

'Where else? Shut up in her room.'

He sighed.

When did things get complicated? Why did it get complicated? When they had escaped Mallet Island he never thought for a second that things between them could ever go askew.

'Shows what I know about women.' he snorted.

But be that as it may, he couldn't let things be as they were. He needed to fix it. He ran his hand through his hair and released a breath. He was going to fix it.

xxxx

Night had come.

He didn't bother to knock before entering her room. True enough, she was there; seated on her bed with a malicious gleam in her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" she asked venomously.

If he had been a lesser demon he would've been petrified on the spot. But he wasn't a lesser demon and he'd be damned before he would subjugate himself before her.

"We need to talk." he told her firmly.

She raised her eyebrow haughtily.

Ah, was he playing Mr. Sensitive?

Well, whatever trickery he was planning would not work on her.

'Not this time.' she internally vowed.

xxxx

Moonlight peeked through the window, illuminating his angelic face gently as he slept. So his trickery did work on her. One word led to two. A step led to another…

A look became a gaze…A touch turned into a caress. The hold transformed into a kiss…

The kiss morphed into sheer passion.

Right under her nose.

Her chest tightened as she beheld him. She didn't exactly understand what she was feeling but all that she knew was that it was unpleasant. It was similar to pain…and yet, a feeling of joy…completion also invaded her senses.

Such contradictory notions…

But they both existed within her…

She let out a heartfelt sigh as she continued to behold him, hosting a trembling smile, knowing that what he had given her only moments before was anything but demonic.

It was nothing but raw heat and immeasurable passion between them…

He had treated her as a human being; he touched her as an enamored man did and made love to her…believing she was a woman…even if just for a little while. She didn't fully fathom all of the fleeting sensations that passed through her mind and heart as they joined their bodies as one.

However, she did ascertain that one such emotion felt…pleasant. Perhaps it was similar to what mortals called bliss…

Complete and final euphoria.

And she had been surprised to find that she too had reciprocated his sentiments; meeting him in each kiss, holding him tighter with each caress, matching him thrust per thrust…

Oh how she sighed when she heard him whisper her name lowly as they reached the pinnacle of their human dance…

And that was where pain had once more eroded her senses.

Stifling a cry from her throat, she ran her slender fingers across his face, tracing his skin gently, as if to memorize him. She released a breath, looking at him tenderly.

He had told her that she was wrong. He had told her that she was her own person and had her own choices. She had what humans called "feelings", "emotions", "free will"…

He had told her that he felt strongly about her.

He had asked her to stay…

And she wanted to.

'But I can't…' she thought painfully.

He had awakened her heart at that island and she was eternally grateful…He had made her a woman only moments before. But it wasn't enough. She needed to find her new reason for being…

She wanted so much to be human for him…To be completely human; to shed her demon's leathery wings…but she knew she wasn't; she knew she couldn't. And whatever it was that he might say, it wouldn't change anything. She would still be a monster hidden behind the veil of his mother's beauty.

But there she smiled ruefully as she pressed her bare body against his, embracing him for the first and last time. She will do everything within her power to achieve her humanity. She will purge herself of her weakness and cowardice.

And perhaps, when she fully understood what and who she was… finally come to accept her whole being and ultimately find joy in that knowledge, will she finally truly be human.

Then and only then when she had conquered demons of her own will she return to him…And perhaps at that time will she be able to say those words to him…those three damnable words.

"Goodbye Dante…" she whispered, leaning toward him.

She let her lips settle on his for but a moment before vanishing into the night.

xxxx

When he had awakened alone in her bed, he knew that his lover had departed long since the ungodly hours. He felt a prickle in his chest as he thought of her although he still held that cheeky smile on his lips.

Albeit unpleasant at the moment, there lay a feeling of consolation. A promise; a silent promise that she will return. She didn't say goodbye and she didn't leave a note but he was certain that she will come back. He felt it.

He knew from the way she kissed him…from the way she held him…

Those little things were what separated humans from devils…

And while neither she nor he can deny being either demon or human, he only supposed that she would understand one day that being human didn't always mean the human genome or having two hands, two feet and a nose.

Human.

It was but a word; a label.

A name.

'What makes a man…' he thought, 'isn't his appearance Trish. It's what he feels…'

The ability to hate, to love, to cherish, to forget, to laugh and to cry…

To be conscious of one's mortality…

And that was irrefutable and irrevocable.

And he was certain that somehow, deep within Trish, she believed it too.

He looked at the sky through the window lazily, "See ya soon Trish."

xxxx

The woman looked up at the signboard as she put her hands on her hips, "Devil May Cry…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

"Dumb name."

She entered the shop and raised an eyebrow as she saw Dante seated on his chair with his legs crossed up on the table, reading a seemingly boring magazine.

'Tch. The bastard's still out of work eh?' she internally grinned.

"Dante. What're you doing lazing about?" she asked casually.

Dante needn't look up to know who it was.

"Hn…" he grunted.

So the pest had returned eh? Well, there was only one thing he could do to remedy the situation. And that was to…

"Eh? Are you ignoring me?" the woman thundered, making Dante's ears ring…

'Might bleed too…' he thought with a sweat-drop.

Forgiving to the ignorant and stupid, Lady calmed herself and retracted to her previous cheerful demeanor.

"What's this? No work today?" she asked, taking in the dull surroundings of the office.

"And where's that blonde thing you picked up a few weeks ago?"

At that, the silver-haired demon hunter looked up to see an expectant Lady and shrugged his shoulders before returning to his magazine, "Didn't know you swung that way." he said, feigning his unenthusiastic countenance.

Lady's eyes blazed and blood rushed to her face in embarrassment at the implications of his words. "What the hell are you talking about! Why can't you just give me a straight answer!" she thundered.

Knowing that Lady would probably trash his office lest he appease her, Dante looked at her flustered and vexed facial expression and spoke, seemingly bored, "She took off. Said she needed to do some exploring or something…"

She snickered at that, "Probably couldn't stand how much of a slob you are…"

He said nothing and paid not an ounce of attention as Lady continued her seemingly unending babble, her mouth speeding like a runaway freight train.

He sighed though.

'Hurry back Trish…Or I'll just have to run after you…' he thought, quelling the noise from the background with all the willpower he could muster.

xxxx

FIN