And I'm back! …Sooner than I expected considering that I can't seem to finish anything that I start, but happy to finally be able to write one-shots (I was completely unable, before)!

Warnings! This is slash, which means a boyxboy relationship, if you don't like it, then please don't read it.

Disclaimer! For as much as I would LOVE to own them (who wouldn't!), I do not, CAPCOM does, so let's pay them some respect!

On with the story!

The Bet

By Darkyu

"No way…" the disbelieve was clear in his voice. The whole world as he knew it was about to end and all he could do was stare skeptically at the damned cards in his hands while trying to change reality or at least snap out of it. The chuckle coming from his companion was not helping either. "No fucking way!"

"Oh! Come on, old man! It's not as if you usually win this things, anyway." Replied Nero totally amused. This had just become one of the few moments in Nero's life where he definitely wouldn't get tired of reliving it in his head over and over again. It was simply priceless the way Dante's eyes kept surfing over the table looking at the result of the poker game as if it was showing what was about to happen. It seemed that he was desperately looking for some kind of hope.

"This is not possible." Dante stated for the thousandth time. His mind going over the moment when he thought that he finally had Nero under his sleeve: the confidence that he felt when he dared to think that no one could beat his hand, the smugness, the way he thought that he didn't even had to bluff anymore, the way he threw his hand on the table almost dancing in victory, the joy… that was whipped away by five stupid words… 'Not so fast, old man'.

"And yet, it happened. Big surprise there, by the way." Nero added sarcastically. That smirk on his face that seemed to have taken place since the beginning of the game was really starting to piss the eldest off.

"You cheated, you damned brat!" Dante just knew that the smug little rat had something to do with his horrible luck! No man can lose as embarrassingly as he did.

For Nero, Dante's need to come up with something, anything, no matter how stupid it sounded was hilarious in many ways, but the younger one had enough of it.

"Give it up already." As much as he was having a blast over Dante's reactions while in denial, he wasn't about to lose any more time letting him dwell any more over it. He wanted his prize as soon as possible. "You sure had enough time assimilating it, so let's go on with it."

"Wait, brat!" Dante almost shout when he saw that Nero was rising. He tried thinking a way of stopping this or at the very least delaying it. "I want a rematch!"

"Hell no!" Nero easily denied now a little annoyed at his fellow half-demon's obvious intentions. "You had your rematch. Twice! And then a bonus rematch with your stupid 'all or nothing', you even swore that it would be the last time no matter what. I think it's time you take it like a man and keep your promise, old man."

"It was a stupid bet." Tried Dante for the last time. At least he tried.

"YOU were the one who suggested it!" Nero said pointedly. "Have you gone senile on me, already?"

"I just suggested it because you wouldn't shut up about it!" Dante defended while crossing his arms. "Besides, I'm eldest; I have the right to decide this kind of things."

"It's because you ARE old that you should leave this kind of things to the next generation." Nero returned smugly. Everything that Dante could throw at him, he could easily turn it back; it was something that he had been thinking in for a long time, he wasn't about to let senile pride get in his way. "You just need to lie down and relax and everything will be fine. How hard can that be?"

"Of course you'd say that! You won! You won't be the one with a stick up your ass!"

"Grow some balls, old man. A bet is a bet. And until you don't win against me in a fair hand, the bet stands, so stop whining and let's go." This time he ignored the sigh of resignation that escaped Dante's lips knowing that he had won in more ways than one, and stood up to walk towards the bedroom. Before he opened the door, he turned around and added, "Who knows? You may even come to enjoy it."

That was when Nero wondered what would happen if Dante ever came to realize that he had cheated on the last three games. The first one he had won fairly trusting his own abilities in poker that had given him something to eat more than once, and Dante's complete and utter lack of luck. But he wasn't about to risk failure when he realized that Dante wouldn't accept it as easily as he would've liked.

"Are you insinuating that I won't be able to win ever again!"

Not that the outcome had been any les entertaining. And with this thought, Nero stepped into the room leaving the door open in a silent invitation.

'More like obligation' Dante thought grudgingly as he slowly stood up and followed.

Who would've ever dared to think that the great Dante, son of the infamous Sparda, lost a bet due to a poker game which made him the bottom of a relationship as long as his luck would allowed it?

And let's just say that his luck isn't that great.

What Dante didn't count on, though, was the fact that Nero may be right after all; the damn kid surely knew how to make someone lose their head in bed. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

The end.

Or is it not?

Dante probably didn't pay too much effort in their games after that ;-) Not that he needed, thought, as Nero would cheat as he sees fit, won't you agree, SirenaLoreley? No way in hell he was giving up the opportunity to top the strongest among the strongest (without mentioning sexiest)! XD

Well, I hope you liked the little one-shot, the rest I'll have to leave it to your imagination as I'm sure you have plenty. Or maybe I'll write some more about this couple, who knows?

I'll be waiting for your opinions and suggestions for another one-shot! Thank you for reading!

Darkyu