Well. One-shots. Popular they are O3o

Before The Darkness

O3o Here! Don't come kill me!

General Zargon

Well, I'll see what I can do about that. =w=

Sirena Loreley

Oh, darn. That's why I need a Beta reader/editor =w=

Anonymous(?)

Er, thanks? You left no name, I no know who you are.

The party had been a nice change of pace for the shop, but now it was quiet and dark. Everyone had gone home and Dante and Nero were cleaning up.

"Hey, old man," Nero said as he was piling boxes into a trash bag.

"Yeah, kid?" Dante knew the name upset his young counterpart, and couldn't help but call him that. The blasted kid looked so cute when he was angry.

"…. Thanks," said kid called, "That was really…. Really nice of you."

"What can I say? I guess I'm not as bad a person as everyone makes me out to be."

Nero didn't give a snide response and Dante figured that the kid was truly grateful for the event.

Soon, the shop was cleaner than it had been when the party started, and as Dante took out the trash, Nero found himself, sitting on the couch, stretching out. He hadn't gotten any sleep, and it was now slipping into three AM. He was still rather surprised that Patty had stayed awake nearly the entire time.

Nero figured that he'd fallen asleep, since Dante was gently shaking him.

"Hey, kid, don't go to sleep yet. I have a gift for you too," the elder was saying. Nero swatted his hands away sleepily.

"Alcohol breath….. Lemme 'lone," Nero grumbled sleepily. He caught Dante's laughter and glared.

"Don't pass out," Dante warned. Nero grumbled, watching the elder retreat upstairs. When he took a little longer than Nero would have like to return, the youth let his eyes slide closed again, his chin slumping into his chest.

"Kid."

There was that incessant calling again.

Nero cracked an eye open to see Dante crouched in front of him, balancing a box in Nero's lap.

"Oh, so you are awake," the elder grinned.

"Y'know—" Nero started, but Dante pressed a finger to his lips.

"Just open the damn box."

The youth grumbled softly, but was really glad Dante had actually gotten him something. The box was small and wrapped in blue paper, a bright red bow on top. The youth looked to his elder curiously, and Dante only grinned.

Curiously, Nero tugged the paper from where it was taped down, grinning a bit when he saw Dante frown at that. Dante had encouraged Nero to rip open all his presents that night, but he never did.

So, it was met with a satisfied grin when Nero used his claws to shred the paper open.

Nero stared at the now brown box in his lap, curious.

"Dante?"

"Open it."

The youth obliged, tearing the box open with the claws from his Devil Bringer.

"…. A key?" he asked, pulling it from the box. It looked shiny an new, but was an old ornate key.

Dante nodded excitedly.

"…. Well…. What's it go to?"

"That, you have to figure out," the elder hunter said, going to stand. As he got to his feet, Nero saw the flash of a golden chain around Dante's neck.

"….Whats….?" he asked curiously, reaching up to tug it out from under the collar of Dante's black shirt. The chain felt heavy, but Nero soon pulled out a heart-shaped locket and looked up at Dante. The elder hunter never wore anything feminine. Unless….

Nero looked at the key, still clutched in his hand.

"…. Dante?"

The elder hunter leaned forward, capturing Nero's lips in a gentle kiss.

"Happy birthday, kid."

That one was fun. =w=