Chapter 15

A/N: I took a moment to upload this as I was working on other things and dealing with life's everyday craziness lol. Don't worry y'all I'm fine lol. Anyways, let's get into this chappie now shall we?

Vergil's blinking slowly, tired and sluggish as his niece sits in his lap. She was brought into his bedroom by Dante who teases him about having a special visitor. She paws his smooth face, he grumbled in sleepy annoyance until her father returns with his grubby paws outstretched to take her.

"Thank ya for watchin' her." Dante teases and kisses her head before kissing Vergil's and he grumbled a second time as he tiredly watched Dante leave.

He hears him talk to Nico in the hallway but couldn't decipher what was said. He only hears muffled laughter until it disappears out front. It's almost been a week since little Angel was brought into his life. It felt like years since she's warmed his stoic self though.

He gets up and dons his robe. Though it's open and still exposing his bare chest and abs to all who ogle. His slippers are on his feet this time and he walks to the front office. Dante's at his desk with Angel sitting on it. Nico's on the couch but Nero was apparently gone.

"Where's Nero?" Vergil's voice is so hoarse.

"He went to get us some break." Dante tells him.

"I thought he didn't know how to drive." Vergil admits.

"He does. But his dumb ass too lazy to get behind the wheel. I thought him how to after his arm grew back some. Still bad at parking though." Nico tells the older twin.

"As long as no scratch or dent is on it I'm fine." Vergil rumbled just as Nero enters the shop with bags of breakfast.

"Hey guys! Mornin' dad. I brought breakfast." Nero smiles a bit.

"Thank you Nero." Vergil said as his son walks past him.

Dante scoops Angel into his arms and takes her to her high chair. Nico got up and joined the others at the table.

'It's almost been a week since Angel stayed at the shop.' Vergil thought as he was handed his food. 'It feels like forever.' His thoughts are interrupted by the loud disgusting belch that came from Dante. 'Really?' Vergil thought. 'Typical foolishness.'

"'Scuse me everyone." Dante chuckles. He's patting his belly and grinning like a buffoon.

Vergil ignored him and slowly ate his food. He's not a fast eater and he's definitely not one to pig out like everyone around him. He washed the dishes and escapes to his room. Dante sets the young one on the carpet of the living space before he gets down on his knees and messes with his child.

He making silly animalistic sounds as he chases her around the place. Vergil's irate when he realized the disturbance is Dante playing with his niece. He warns Dante to keep the noise level down or he'll separate him from her. Dante squeaks, taking the infant in his arms and holding her close as he pouts.

"Why so grouchy Uncle Verge? Doncha wanna play with her too?"

"No. The floor is hard and dirty." Vergil complains. "My knees would be screaming on that hardwood."

"That's funny." Nero snorts from the couch.

"As long as you or her don't get too loud I'm fine. If I come out here again, you're too disruptive."

"Yes sir! We promise we won't be loud!" Dante says with a salute. Vergil narrows his eyes briefly before leaving. As soon as he did, Dante's up on his feet with the young one high above his head. He plays airplane with her all the way until they're on the other couch with him using his hairy face to gently rub over her adorable cheeks.

"Don't rub too hard or you'll scratch her." Nero warns with a smirk. Dante looks up at him.

"I won't." He tells his nephew. He goes back to blowing raspberries all over her.

The sound of glass breaking startles the three. It's Nico who had dropped a glass as she was putting things away.

"Sorry y'all." She apologizes with her Southern drawl.

"Ya fine Nico." Dante calls out. "As long as that's not Vergil's favorite glass ya good."

It wasn't Vergil's favorite glass thank the Good Lord Above. Still, he would've gotten mad anyways because of carelessness.

Nico gets the broom and cleans it up and joins the boys with Angel at the couches. Dante's still messing with his baby until the phone rings and he's stumbling to get to the phone. Again, no password, so no job.

"I can't pay the bills if I can't get any business…" Dante mumbles to himself. He slides a hand down his scratchy face.

He's going back to the couches and sitting next to Angel as he sighed. He looks so exhausted.

"No gigs?" Nico asked.

"No gigs." Dante answers.

"Aw, don't feel bad Dante." Nico says as she went to give the crusty devil hunter a hug. She ignores the smell of pizza, strawberries and his cheap cologne as he returns the hug as he chuckles.

Nero smiles. Nico always did the same for him when he's down 'cuz of no gigs. That or he's whining and complaining because he's just so stubborn to admit he enjoys attention.

Angel's adorable babbles get everyone's attention and they're smiling at her as she smiles back at them. Dante's rubbing her head before returning to the desk. If anything's gonna cheer 'im up, it'll skimpy bikini-clad women on dirty magazines.

Vergil's suddenly coming out from the back with his brow furrowed and a mail in his hand.

"Dante." Vergil's tone was stern. "This bill is past due."

Dante sets his book down and takes the mail from his bro. It was your typical bill and it didn't matter which bill it was, Vergil was very strict when it came to paying them.

"Relax bro. I'll pay it."

"Don't tell me to relax." Vergil snaps and his tone cracks like a whip through the shop. It scares the younger ones at the couches as they silently watch Dante sink in his chair a bit.

"This damn bill needed to be paid a month ago!" He slams his hand down on the desk. "You'll get me in serious trouble!"

"V-Verge…." Dante nervously says with his paws up. "You're scaring me and the kids. I'm-I'm sorry…"

"You're sorry? If you're sorry this would've have happened!" Vergil storms back to his room.

Dante's straining to sit up while Nero, Nico and Angel go up to him.

"Vergil looks pissed." Nero said. "What happened?"

"Oh it just…a bill that I forgot to pay and now he all mad 'cuz I forgot." Dante tries to explain.

"Not surprised to see somethin' like that settin' him off." Nico adds.

"He was scarin' Angel. I thought we'd have to take her to the back." Nero says as he holds his cousin close to his chest.

"I'm sorry guys. I'm sorry Angel." Dante apologized. "I know Verge isn't used to…life now that we're 'family' again." Dante sighs as he leans back and puts his feet up.

"Verge just needs to open up more and he'll be alright."

"Alright then." Was Nico's reply.

X-X-X-X

Vergil ordered Chinese for himself, leaving Dante to order pizza for him, Nero and Nico. The older twin dined in his room leaving the three alone at the table with Angel. Dante sent the bill out that made Vergil lose it and now he just needed to wait.

They spent the afternoon watching flicks until late evening. Dante bathed the little one and put her to bed. Vergil hadn't left his room since his takeout came and was presumably asleep.

Dante checks on him and as he predicted, Vergil was asleep—snoring softly as the fan blew in his face. Dante's still considering recording him snoring but leaves him be otherwise. He showers and relaxes in the couch until he falls asleep himself.

XXXXX

Nero wakes up removing the covers from his sweaty self as he goes to use the bathroom. He returns to his uncle's bedroom where he's flopping into the bed and turning the fan on it's highest setting. It was hot. It was miserable.

Nero grumbled into the pillow before deciding to head to the main office and fumbled about until he found the switch to kick the A/C into gear. He stood in front of the A/C and enjoyed the freezing blast as he tiredly smiled in contentment.

"Hmm? Huh?" Dante huskily mumbles as he sits up. "Nero?"

His nephew can't hear him. Dante's confused as to why Nero turned the A/C on then realized how sweaty himself was. He tiredly smiled before laying back down. The amusing mental image of Nero in his boxers under the A/C easing his mind. He was clothed in shorts and a tank top but it was still amusing to the older hunter.

XXXX

It's 6 in the morning. Vergil's up and realizing it's cold as hell in the shop again. Did Dante turn the air on again?! Of course, he didn't knew Nero was to blame, but regardless he knew the bill would be through the roof if it continues to be on all night every night.

He was going to install A/Cs in all the bedrooms. He'll buy 'em and have some idiot install them. That way, if anyone's hot they can have their own A/C on and not the whole shop have to freeze.

The elder twin heads for the bathroom and returns to his room to slip into his covers. He will confront his idiot brother when he gets up in hours time.

XXXXX

Angel's cries alert Nero to rush to her side and he tends to her needs. He's changing her diaper and patting her little bum as he hums to her softly. The fatherly-like instincts he has for her makes him turn red at how true his actions were but he brushed it aside and puts the infant back into the crib.

He's snaking into the front office where Dante is surprisingly up early. He's sitting up with his feet on the coffee table and slouching so comfortably and lazy like the fool he was. His shirt was off exposing his hairy self to the world as he watched the early news.

"Mornin' Dante." Nero greets with a tired little smile.

"Mornin' Nero." Dante returns said greeting.

"You're up early." Nero comments as he takes a seat next to him.

"Yeah well, ya know what they say: the early bird catches the worm." Dante chuckles lightly. Nero does so too.

"Yeah you right."

The two males sat in silence after that. They watched the news until Vergil woke up and came in grumbling to himself.

"Why you turn the A/C on again?" Vergil asks Dante.

"It was Nero. I saw him getting air. He left it on, not me." Dante says.

"Fine then." Vergil grumbled as he sips his coffee.

"Sorry Dad. I was just hot." Nero apologies. Vergil shakes his head.

"It's fine, son. As long as it's not Dante raising the electric bill I'm fine." Vergil seemed to attempt humor in his words but Nero didn't laugh. Dante mocked hurt though.

"Brother! I thought you love me!"

"Enough. Not this early in the morning." Vergil reprimand. Dante huffs and pouts but he was obviously playful as he did so. Nero was slightly amused but nonetheless remained neutral with his facial expressions.

It wasn't long 'til Nico was up and was carrying Angel in her arms as she lets the little one waddle off. She goes straight to Vergil and babbles at him as he sat at the table. He hesitated before patting her head.

"Hello my dear." Vergil rumbled.

"Angel! Angel! Angel! Come to me my little Princess!" Dante says so stupidly from the couch that Vergil grumbled.

"She's not a dog." Vergil snaps tiredly. "Come get her if you want her."

"Fine man." Dante pouts. He was still playing but Vergil's brows were knitting together.

Dante picks her up and carries her to the couch making her laugh loudly and irritate Vergil to the point he slams his hand on the table scaring everyone.

"It's too early for her to be screaming!" Vergil yells.

"Woah Verge, chill." Dante says holding Angel to his chest. "You're scaring her and everyone else man."

"Dad, don't be so harsh. You know he loves her." Nero interjects as Nico nods. Vergil takes the time to breathe through his nose before standing upright.

"I apologize." He says as he puts his cup in the sink to wash later. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."

He turns on his heel but is stopped by a spectral claw on his shoulder. Vergil's tired gaze looked down at the blue claws gently touching his shoulder before he turned around to face its owner.

"Dad, have you even played with Angel since she's been here?" Nero asked curiously. Everyone's attention was on the older twin now, and he sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No. Not in the way you, Dante or Nico does." Vergil admitted. Nero looks to Nico and smiled.

"Aw, well, come on over and let's all play with her." A spectral claw grabs Vergil's wrists pulling him over to the couch where Dante and Angel are. The younger twin's smile annoys Vergil as he's made to sit next to him as Nero and Nico sat on the floor.

Dante hands her over to Vergil who reluctantly takes her and sighs.

Everyone watch Vergil with warm smiles until Vergil's clearing his throat.

"Aren't any of you guys going to play with her too?"

"We will. Once ya start." Dante says teasingly. Vergil grumbled but nonetheless, looks into his niece's eyes and lifts her to his face, nuzzling her nose with his.

"Aww, he likes her." Dante teases making Vergil growl. He stops to give Dante a glare with was only smiled at by the younger twin.

He sets her down on the floor where Nero and Nico are. Dante abruptly slides off the couch and begins barking like a crazed dog making everyone but Vergil laugh as he, Nero and Nico played with the baby like animals.

Vergil stands up and attempted to leave but a hand grabs his ankle making him look down with the nastiest glare he could muster. It was Dante's grubby paw grabbing him like some zombie.

"Dante!"

"Don't leave bro!" Dante whines. "Come play with her!"

"I've nuzzled her, didn't I?" Vergil groused.

"You haven't shown true love to her like I have. You ain't going back to your room 'til you get rough and crazy." Dante tells him.

Vergil couldn't respond because he's suddenly pulled down on the rug and Nero and Nico watch in amusement as Dante playfully wrestled Vergil who wasn't in the mood for shenanigans. Dante's giggling like a man-child and Vergil's growling like a demon who's cranky. Angel slips from Nero's lap and crawls to the two.

"Angel!"

The baby gets too close to the two brothers and she's almost crushed when Nero used his spectral claws to grab her. Dante sees this and stops suddenly when he's thrown off by Vergil.

"Angel! Did I hurt her?!" Dante asked with worry.

"No. Almost though." Nero tells him.

"Vergil's struggling to get up to the point he gives in and falls on his back in exhaustion. Nero lets Angel crawl to her exhausted uncle and Dante makes it worse by flopping her onto his belly.

"If I vomit on her I'm blaming you." He rasps. Nico elbows Nero.

"Nero said the same thing when I did that with her a few days ago." Nico says with a toothy grin. "Y'all related to the bone."

"Nico." Nero's bright red from the artisan's comment as he sheepishly whines. He's blushing harder when his spiky hair is ruffled and his burning hot cheek is pecked.

Dante smiles while Vergil simply looked at the baby pawing his chest. He groaned as he sat up and held her. She's toothlessly smiling at him and he tiredly smiled back, only for Dante to put his crusty face in his as he grinned at him.

"What are you doing?" Vergil groused.

"You're smiling. You never smile."

"I'm not now. Get your dirty face away from me and her. Your breath is horrid and you smell of sweat and body odor."

"Ugh, really?" Nero says disgusted.

"He's just mad cuz I caught him smiling." Dante says with a serious look. He smiled straight after. "Verge was so grumpy that even our adoptive mom had a hard time making him smile."

"I wasn't grumpy I was just more stoic than you."

"I remember trying to tickle him once and he slapped me."

"I was reading and you was annoying me like always."

"Well, I just wanted to make ya happy." Dante whines.

"Well you only made me happy when you left me alone." Vergil grunted, annoyed.

"Man, you so mean! You big meanie!" Dante continues whining. He was obviously teasing though.

"Enough." Vergil grumped. He's so sore in his lower back. He strained to sit up and lean against the couch. "Just interact with her and leave me be."

"When the last time you actually cracked a smile?" Nero asked his father.

"The last time was a few months ago when me and this buffoon was about to fight but was interrupted." Vergil answers. To his silent amusement Nero's blushing; he knows he's being referred to.

"Awright."

"Vergil hadn't laughed since either. He's shown his teeth but not in a smile." Dante chuckle.

"Nothing hadn't amused me since." Vergil dryly answered.

"Ya know what they say: the one that laughs last, laughs the best." Nico chuckles. Dante smiles mischievously.

"You right, Nico." Dante says cooly. "Vergil has the best laugh."

"I think Angel does." Nero comments. "It's so cute." Dante smiles down at her and tickles her briefly making her giggle.

"You know, let's see who laugh the best." Dante smiles as he wiggled his fingers.

"Oh boy don't tell me this is gonna be a—" Nero was about to groan.

"Tickle fight!"

Everyone started laughing like children as they all but Vergil engaged in a tickle fight. Nico found Nero's tickle spot on his ribs under his newfound human hand sending him into hysterics. Dante pinned her down and tickled her sides making her squeal out. Nero threw himself on Dante and tried tickling him but Dante threw himself on his back and used his weight I pin the younger male under him as he tickled the Devil outta Nero.

Angel laughed on the sidelines and Vergil bolted out of there before someone dragged him into the fray of silliness. Nero's screaming like a gal as he was tickled by both Nico and Dante all over until he shrieked 'uncle' and they let him off. Everyone's catching their breath, smiling and laughing.

"Vergil ran off. I knew he would." Dante croaks, wheezing because his sides hurt from laughing so hard.

"My sides are busted." Nero wheezed. "Y'all got me good."

"I can't remember the last time I had true fun like this. With family." Nico said.

"Well Nicoletta," Dante begins as he sat up, "we're the closest thing to family you'll forever now have. Get used to it, I'mma hug ya like no tomorrow everyday."

Nico chuckles. "Really? Thanks D."

"No problem ma lady." Dante answers with a wink.

"I'm here for ya too." Nero says. "Even Kyrie. We all for ya Nico."

"You are so sweet Sugarplum." Nico tells Nero who's now red as Dante's overcoats. He's sputtering out cute little giggles as he's tickled just a bit by her and sighing (with a smile) in exhaustion when she stops.

Dante's smiling at his nephew before Angel catches his attention. She too came out unscathed by the crazy tickle session and he sets her in his lap. He's kissing her head so tenderly and sweetly.

"I love you." He whispered. "We all do in here."

Everyone stays on the floor afterwards playing with the baby.

XXXXX

Vergil's running his fingers through his hair. He's been irritated to the bone by his bother's antics. He wished he'd grow a brain cell that was smart enough to tell him to stop being so damn annoying.

"I almost lost myself to his foolishness…." He mumbles to himself. He sets his hands on his knees and squeezed them.

"I know that child needs my affection, but I can't bring myself to show how much I feel for her around them…"

"Maybe…." Vergil ponders, "maybe if I find a way to express myself better they'll know."

Vergil decided to lay on his thoughts and get a quick rest in. Maybe he'll feel better afterwards.