This one's for you Chris, you would have fucking hated it, gotbless. Wish I could've ruined dmc for you

Chapter Text

The kid's eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp. Dante swore loudly and immediately checked his pulse. He moved two fingers to press against the underside of his jaw. Nero seemed to still be alive. For now, anyway. His breathing was weak but it seemed steady enough. The blood that pooled at his side was definitely not a good sign, though. It seeped at alarming speed, harshly contrasting the pale dusty ground beneath him. He should really do something about that, kid was getting paler by the second. So Dante grabbed his coat from under Nero's head and tied it around his abdomen in an attempt to staunch the flow. It didn't seem to be doing enough so he slid a hand under Nero's back to lift him up and then peeled the kid's jacket off of him as carefully as he could. The coating of blood had caused it to stick to his body something awful. He did his best to turn the blue jacket into another makeshift tourniquet.

"So, what now?" He said stupidly.

It wasn't often the old noggin blessed him with an idea and he doubted he'd have another one anytime soon. Vergil was staring at the horizon, head held high and his back straight like he was posing for a royal portrait or something. His fingers traced the notches of the Yamato's sageo absently. He was pointedly looking everywhere but their direction.

"Medical attention, I would presume," Vergil said with measured calm.

Dante hoisted the kid up carefully into his arms. It took a lot of manoeuvring, but he finally managed to get Nero laying princess style in his hold. It was extra hard with him being all limp and floppy (a deadweight joke might've been appropriate under different circumstances) but he got it eventually.

"So you think any of these demons got an MD?"

"Obviously I meant that we should leave here. Where to?" Vergil turned his body slightly towards Dante, but he still didn't look at either of them.

"Good question," Dante answered.

He scratched his stubble pensively and almost dropped the kid in the process. It must've hurt but Nero didn't even stir. Not a great sign.

"Got some human friends who'd have more of a clue with this shit. Take us to my shop," he continued.

He might even have a first aid kit rattling around too, if he was lucky. Vergil nodded and carved out a portal with two elegant swipes of the Yamato.

"What, you're not going to take Nero from me and nurse your baby boy back to health?" Dante quipped as he followed behind him.

He was trying not to be disconcerted by how Nero's head lolled almost violently with every motion. He readjusted his grip on the kid, trying to support his neck. He didn't need a broken spine on top of everything.

Vergil didn't even give him a reaction. Dante would've thought he would've gotten a summoned sword or something.

"And who, pray tell, would be opening us a portal? It certainly wouldn't be you," his older brother answered.

Shit, he had a point, Dante hated when he did that. Vergil continued his impression of a stone statue as he waited for his little brother to carry Nero through. His arms were folded across his chest and he was inspecting the sky as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. But he must have been paying attention regardless, because he followed the two of them through the portal almost immediately. Once Vergil had arrived on the other side, the gateway shut neatly behind him.

Dante's shop was filthier than he remembered and Vergil did not fail to comment on it. He pressed his lips together as he examined the empty pizza boxes and old clothes strewn across the interior of Devil May Cry. But his arms remained folded as Dante cleared a space on his sofa and laid Nero down as gently as he could on its surface.

"See if you can get a first aid kit, willya?" Dante called to Vergil as he began dialing Lady's number.

"I am not your servant. "

"No but you could make yourself useful anyway. Unless you want to call Lady?"

"Fine. But I can't promise that I'll find anything. I'd wager your shop puts the Bermuda Triangle to shame. "

Dante's retort was cut off when Lady picked up with a grunt.

"Hey, I need you," he said in lieu of a hello.

"Last I checked, three in the morning is not within business hours. "

"Well, since you're awake anyway, how about a midnight stroll?"

"Dante-"

"Lady. I need you. Please. "

"Ugh. See you in ten minutes. "

"Thank you, seriously. Oh and be sure to bring any medical supplies you have rattling around."

"What'd you manage to get yourself into this time, dumbass?" Then she added a "Fine, but it's going on your tab. "

"I know the drill. "

The line went dead, which hopefully meant that she'd be there soon. In the meanwhile...Despite his complaints, Vergil had managed to scrounge up some first-aid. Dante took the box gratefully and set himself next to Nero to work. He untied the two jackets from the kid's midriff, dropping them to the floor with a heavy thump. They were both absolutely sodden with blood and Dante had no doubts that his couch was soon going to follow suit. The blood had stopped flowing so freely now but whether that was due to Nero's healing finally kicking in or because he was quickly running out of the stuff was anyone's bet. Dante stripped off Nero's shirts and bit back a curse. It was still a deep, nasty gash in his side. Didn't look like it had healed much.

"Don't think a bandaid is quite gonna cut it. "

Vergil was examining the weapons in the shop with a bored expression on his face, like his son wasn't fucking dying in the background. Hell, Dante wasn't the touchy-feely sort and he wasn't much of a caretaker but at least he was trying. He'd be more than happy to kill his older brother right now, but the kid was his first priority. He did his best to bandage the wound but he wasn't sure if it was right. Was it too tight? Too loose? Should he have cleaned the wound first? Where would he even start cleaning something so big? His shop door was slammed open to announce Lady's arrival.

"Alright, where's the fire?"

"Lady, that was fast," Dante stood up to greet her.

"Yeah, well, you sounded pretty desperate so I-"

And then she finally noticed Vergil. He had been standing near the wall, inspecting Dante's sword collection with his hands clasped behind his back. He briefly turned to look at Lady when she entered, but his attention was soon drawn away again. Like she was beneath him. Which, knowing Vergil, he probably thought she was.

"You," the amount of venom in her voice as she addressed Vergil should have been enough to kill a man.

Vergil acknowledged her with a brief nod. Lady reeled on Dante.

"You didn't think to mention the teensy little detail that your psycho mass murderer older brother was here?" She stabbed her finger into his chest to emphasise her point.

Shit. He probably should have considered the history between them. He'd made his peace with Vergil but she clearly hadn't and he couldn't blame her, not really.

"It didn't cross my mind," he answered honestly.

"Didn't cross your mind? "She asked incredulously.

"Perhaps not your brightest moment, little brother," Vergil mused.

"You keep your fucking mouth shut, you sick bastard!" She hissed. Her hand immediately flew to the gun at her hip.

Vergil's fingers brushed the hilt of his sword in response. Dante placed himself between the two of them and splayed his arms out.

"Hey, hey, look. I know, I know, alright? I get it. But we're getting sidetracked. The reason I called you here, it's Nero," he gestured his hand towards the couch.

Lady's mismatched eyes followed his gaze and she drew in a breath as she examined the blood soaked bandages. She slowly approached him and unwrapped it, her frown deepening with every layer.

"Dante, he needs a hospital. There's nothing we can do for him here. "

"No, hospitals ask too many questions. Haven't you got any friends who can help?"

Her fingers grazed Nero's forehead and then she drew back quickly, as if burned.

"Sure I do, but they don't keep the cleanest places and it feels like he's already dealing with an infection. Kid needs a sterile place with people who know what they're doing. "

She was right and he hated it. Dante pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Alright. I'll get Morrison to forge some paperwork, then. "

"I'll see if I can call Kyrie. She'll want to know. Yo, asshole, Vergil, whatever." She clicked her fingers at him and he turned to her with a frown. "His bandages need changing. Hop to it. "

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are," she hissed at him.

Dante moved the phone away from his ear and fixed his twin with a look. "Verg, just do it. "

His grey eyes flitted between the two of them, as if weighing his options. Eventually, he conceded with an icy "very well. "

Soon, Nero's wounds were re-bandaged, Kyrie had been informed, and Morrison's fake documents were on their way. Dante willed with all his heart for the kid to hang on until then. Nero was so, so young and brimming with promise. He couldn't die, Dante wouldn't allow it. Not when he still had so much life ahead of him.

Just a little longer, Nero. Please.