Chapter 10: Just Like Fire and Ice

Chapter 10

Nero managed to get out of Fortuna's headquarters with a small bag containing most of his belongings. Good thing he was never the one to hoard, he kept to his bare minimums. Growing up in an orphanage had taught him that he could indeed do without many of the things most people treasured, including his real parents. It wasn't as if he didn't care or wish to have had his parents with him. He wanted nothing more than a house and loving family of his own while growing up, however it wasn't long before he learned that his life was not going to be like most of the kids' of Fortuna. He didn't know where he came from, anything at all. He was a stray cat, a mutt and the likes as most kids used to poke fun at him while growing up. Some even suggested his mother was a common trollop back in the day. It saddened him while growing up, so he decided to bury those feelings in the depths of his being. Now it was time to fish some of them as he was going to become a father himself.

Even under hard rain he managed to change his once tight navy blue uniform and put a plain black T-shirt and some jeans.

He then started his 5 hour journey to Devil May Cry, having no idea how his life would be from then onwards, as he never ever imagined himself as a father, let alone being only 18. But he had to do what was best since Kyrie didn't get pregnant by herself. He wondered how would he make money to keep a family now, where would they live since he wouldn't live at Devil May Cry forever, and most importantly how would he be able to help Kyrie raise and educate a child. He didn't seem the fatherly type, he was still a young man, had no worries in mind...until some hours ago. He was taking under the wings of a kind family, however it would never be the same of having his own parents around to teach him right and wrong. He was content he was going to be a father with the girl he loved, but he also felt empty and slightly lost. He had no complete reference as of what a father should be like. He was in for a journey, oh boy was he ever!

xxxAt Devil May Cryxxx

Anne was dusting the living room, since her masters weren't home. She was distracted doing her chores when she randomly heard some knocks on the door. She could barely hear anything due to the heavy rainfall.

"Who would be on the streets under this rain, I'd better see who it is.", she thought before opening the main door only to find a soaked teen no older than twenty, white hair, blue eyes, fit body, soaked duffel bag in hand.

"May I help you Sir?", she asked uncomfortably since he was far from being a "Sir" as she formally put it.

"I'm Nero...and Dante told me Kyrie would be here, so I came to see her."

Anne figured he was Kyrie's boyfriend, but never did she imagine he would have those blue eyes and silver white hair, "No wonder she wanted her child to have his eyes...", she thought to herself before inviting him in and asking him to wait till she brought Kyrie over. It was due time they saw one another again.

Anne then went upstairs in order to find Kyrie. She was in one of the guest rooms Dante told her she could have. So then Anne knocked on the door and told Kyrie someone wanted to see her.

Kyrie automatically knew who it was, and didn't even finish her bath nor dressed properly, she stormed downstairs. As she saw Nero, her first reaction was to jump him and kiss him very, very passionately.

Nero got surprised, first she was all wet with some shampoo still in her hair, she was wearing a bathrobe and the moment she touched him he felt her pregnant belly poke him around his abdomen. He didn't bother about the extra wetness, after all he was wet himself.

"I was so worried, Nero did you get hurt on the mountains, how did you manage to arrive here...and did you go to Fortuna?...you are drenched", her worries hit full force seeing his bag full of clothes.

"You are all wet too", he said smirking on an attempt to make her less worried.

"Nero, I was so worried...", she said as some tears were sliding down her face.

Nero just kissed her tears away and started explaining how everything happened, from the moment he met Dante to the moment he arrived in Fortuna.

"Did Credo see you?"

"We argued, as always, do not worry, I didn't do anything to him."

"Did he do anything to you, though?", she saw how reluctant he was when she mentioned Credo.

"Kyrie why don't you forget your brother for a while and let me ask the questions instead? That's my turn, you know", he said as he rubbed her stomach for the first time.

"Ok", she sighed, "I'm sure you want to know how I got pregnant, I just hope you didn't get angry or anything like that, I never thought it could happen...I, I never intended it to happen this soon…I mean…".

"Kyrie, you didn't get pregnant on your own, it takes two to tango, right...and I didn't get angry, that's not the word, I just, I was just...unh...surprised, that's all. I would never blame you because you got pregnant, I'm the father and hold as much responsibility as you do.", he said while carefully touching her face and auburn hair.

"So...you want me to… keep it?", the last part she said full of reluctance.

"Absolutely, have you ever considered I would want you to get rid of it?"

"I thought you would get angry, since you've always worried about wearing protection when we ...she blushed...did it, so..."

"It happens...and now that it happened, both of us will take care and love him or her.", Nero stated as he held her to his chest and gave her a deep passionate kiss.

They only broke it when Dante and Vergil opened the door, all wet as well. The couple blushed hard, not even having time to apologize.

"Hey, seems like today is 'damp party', huh?, everybody dripping water all over the place.", Vergil no longer was in the room, leaving Dante and the new couple to talk.

"Sorry Dante, I was taking a bath when Nero arrived...I got carried away and did this to your floor...sorry."

"Hey, no need to apologize about it, and you what's up buddy, already got used to the idea of a 'bundle of joy' on the way?"

"Kinda", he said smiling reassuring Kyrie everything was going to be fine.

"So, go take a bath and clean up, you're as stinky as a street dog...don't know how your girl could stand to kiss you pal.", he said as he held his nose making a disgusted face.

"As if you smelled like flowers, old man.", Nero retorted, knowing he was just messing with him.

"I don't have anyone to smell me as you do, so hurry and take a shower, so you two can cuddle, without your girl passing out from your garbage truck smell."

"Very funny", Nero said before being guided by Kyrie to take a nice hot bath.

xxx later that night xxx

While Anne was on the kitchen doing the dishes and idle chatting with Kyrie, Nero took the chance to thank Dante for everything he did for his girl. He also had another question for the man.

He wanted to ask the devil hunter if him and Kyrie could be there for a while until he found a home of their own. He even offered to pay Dante rent but Dante didn't accept.

"Hey kid, stay as long as you like. No rush.", Dante replied nonchalantly, as if it was no biggie at all.

Furthermore he told Nero he could stay for as long as he wanted, and invited the young man to be his partner together with his not so willing twin brother.

Nero accepted without a second thought, never imagining that 'old fart' could be nice and help him with his personal problems. Deep down he knew Dante had a good heart.

Dante then told Nero they would be partners in demon slaying and in exchange of his work, Nero would receive some money so he could help his girlfriend and child, he also told him they may have to work before dawn or even visiting strange places to accomplish their jobs successfully. It was also a rule that they kept themselves low. No one was supposed to know what they did for a living. The only people that knew were Trish and Lady.

In the meantime Kyrie was talking to Anne about baby clothes, boyfriends and so on and so on.

"So do you have a boyfriend, Anne?"

"No, not really. To tell you the truth I've never had a serious relationship. My parents passed away when I was 16 so I've just studied and worked. I had no time to have a boyfriend or anything of the sort...I'm not the outgoing kind of girl, so boys didn't even look at me." (or so she thought.)

"I see, but do not worry you'll find someone someday, just like I did."

"Yes, who knows. Now I'm worried about jobs and money, so later I can have a chance on this dating stuff.", she giggled, it wasn't an easy subject for her to talk about, just odd...yeah, very very odd.

"Is Nero Dante's cousin or something?"

"No, they just met last year in Fortuna, while Dante was on a job."

"I guess I was wrong then. They just seem so… alike...Must be because of their hair and eyes."

"That's true."..."Anne do you think Dante's brother mind us living here, I mean me and Nero?"

"I don't think he minds it, although it can be hard to tell as he isn't the one to talk. It's as if he doesn't even live here at all."

"They're totally opposites, just like fire and ice."

"Yeah, just like fire and ice.", Anne concluded thoughtful.