"No! I refuse, FULLSTOP!" The walls of Devil May Cry shook.

Lady tried to get away from Dante but just ended up being thrown back against his chest. He grinned.

The short of the situation was that Lady and Dante couldn't seem to move more than roughly a metre away from each other without being thrown violently back together. Though Dante had joked it was his sheer animal magnetism, Lady was adamant it must be some sort of curse. Dante had proposed they search for a solution after showering and some breakfast.

Lady wasn't having it.

"I am not going to stand around while you are naked in the shower, and there is no way in hell I'm going to take one with you in the room." She stood with her hands on her hips looking furious.

"Come on, babe!' Dante whined "I can't wake up with a hangover and go without a shower; I'll never wake up properly." He actually pouted and Lady wasn't sure if it was cute, annoying, or just plain disturbing.

"No." She said firmly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well, if we don't shower then we're gonna be enjoying each other's company less." Dante pointed out.

Lady paused, realizing she had no idea as to how long they were going to be spending stuck together, and an unclean Dante would be even harder to stand than a clean one.

… Damn.

"Oh, alright! But you'll have to come up with a blindfold or something, because there isn't any way in hell you'll get me into that shower if you can see me."

Dante frowned "It's not like I haven't seen you naked before." He said and Lady's cheeks went red.

"Nothing happened, demon!" She hissed and he grinned.

"Whatever. I bet you actually remember and just don't wanna let on that you liked it."

Lady through a roundhouse kick at his head, and though it didn't really hurt him, he let himself fall. This of course activated the curse and Lady was pulled on top of him in the second he hit the floor. Eyes widened, she scrambled off him, muttering obscenities in her frustration.

Dante picked himself up, grinning and Lady glowered at the ivory-haired hybrid.

"Nothing bloody happened, and if it had, I highly doubt you'd be walking straight." She said, attempting to walk past him. Dante grabbed her wrist

"Whoa, what are you saying?" Lady had managed to arouse his curiosity. Perhaps not the usual thing she aroused, but still, he was interested.

Sighing, she removed her hand from his grip "I'm saying that if we actually had done anything then I would have bested you in every way, shape and form."

Dante's eye twitched "Hey, did you just imply you're better in the sack then I am?" He wondered if she was flirting with him, but he felt too insulted. That, and she was continuing on in a deadly serious tone.

"No, I didn't imply it, I said it."

He snorted "I don't think so, babe. Nobody is better than me. Human, demon or hybrid. I take the cake." Dante sounded so sure of himself (and ridiculous) Lady almost laughed. Instead, she shook her head.

"Nah-uh, I am better. I would have made sure you were using a walking stick for the next three weeks." The second she'd said it, Lady wished she hadn't. Sometimes her ego just got the better of her.

Dante walked towards her, his icy-blue eyes glinted playfully. Lady took a tentative step back, not wanting to be thrown onto him when he was looking like that.

"Oh, yeah? Prove it." He challenged, backing her against the wall.

Lady refused to be intimidated by the half demon, and placed a hand against his bare chest, preventing him from advancing any further. Using the wall as a brace, she stood on her toes so she could look at him eye to eye.

"In your dreams, pervert." She said and moved around him. Dante smiled and followed her towards the bathroom. She thought she had gotten the better of him…

Wait until she found out there was only ever enough hot water for one shower.

Entering the bathroom, Lady leaned against the sink. Dante stared at her and she stared right back.

"What?' She demanded "You showering or not?" Dante raised a silvery eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I thought you didn't want to see me naked?"

Lady then realised she was staring right at him and looked away, her cheeks flushed scarlet. Grinning at her embarrassment, Dante quickly discarded his pants and boxers and stood in front of the shower.

"Hey Lady, The shower only ever has enough hot water for one person, you wanna join me?"

Lady whirled around, furious, and was about to open her mouth when she remembered he was naked. She focussed on his face, trying not to let her eyes venture downwards.

"Why didn't you tell me before, you idiot? I could have had the first one!" She cried.

Dante frowned "How the hell is sticking me with the cold one fair?" He asked.

"Ladies first." She stated simply. Dante rolled his eyes and flashed her a toothy grin.

"Chivalry the hell, babe. How 'bout we just share?"

Lady scowled "I'd rather be covered in demon dust."

Dante's grin went from lecherous to just plain evil "You get the cold shower, then." He said, but almost choked at what he saw her do next.

Lady began yanking her borrowed shirt over her head "Hell no, I am not freezing my ass off because you suck." She said.

Dante couldn't believe what she was doing, though she turned away from him as she removed the shirt.

Even her back is sexy…

He was disappointed when she wrapped a towel around herself and finished peeling off her underwear. She turned around and glared "Move it, demon."

Dante didn't budge "I'm not gonna let you leave me with a cold shower"

She walked right up to him "Move." She said again.

Still, he ignored her demand "No."

Lady's mouth twitched for a second into a smile evil enough to rival Dante's and pushed him inside the cramped shower stall.

"Slow down, babe!" Dante laughed.

"I'm not doing anything, demon! I'm just making you move so I can take my shower!" She growled, making him turn away from her and turned on the spray.

Dante grinned as he heard the shower curtain rustle as she pulled it shut and he tried to turn.

She slapped him.

"Ouch…" He moaned, facing the wall, disappointed.

There was a moment of silence in which Lady became very aware of Dante's form next to her in the shower. Not really thinking, she let her eyes travel down his muscled back for a second.

She gulped, he was attractive, so what? It didn't change the fact that half his blood was the same as the thing she hunted daily. Surely that was reason enough not to be interested.

Naked in the shower with Dante, pray this is just a nightmare She thought grimly.

"Hey, Lady?" He was still turned away from her "Can you wash my back for me?" He asked.

She blushed "No! What kind of a stupid thing to ask is that?" She demanded.

"Well, I can't turn around or you'll slap me and even if I could reach the washcloth, if I touched you by accident you'd kill me." He said.

Alright, so he had a point and his tone sounded serious, but Lady would bet anything he was grinning like a maniac.

"Fine." She growled, maybe he'd regret it when she scrubbed him raw…

Her thoughts changed immediately when she took another look at his pale back, the compact muscles slick and gleaming with water.

It seemed almost criminal to damage something so good looking, even if he was a demon.

Half demon She corrected herself, but then immediately told herself to shut up.

Lady took a nervous breath, and began to tentatively wash his back, hardly able to believe she was agreeing to do it. She would just have to try and think about it professionally.

Dante closed his eyes and sighed at her touch so quietly, human ears wouldn't even be able to pick it up. Lady easily finished the top half of his back, but hesitated on washing any lower.

"What's wrong?" Dante asked, opening his eyes and just barely stopping himself from turning around.

"Uh, Dante? I'm not washing any lower." She said and his face fell.

"Why not?" He asked, though he knew why.

"Because!" Lady knew he was feigning ignorance, but still felt embarrassed.

"Well can we at least change places so I can rinse?" He asked.

"I'm not turning my back on you, you'll look at me." She answered, still hot with embarrassment.

"You won't have to. I'll just move around so I'm not lookin' at you. It's simple, babe."

Lady glared at his back "Don't you 'babe' me." She muttered.

As Dante moved so did Lady so she was always facing his back, making sure he wasn't sneaking any sly looks.

Dante chuckled "See? No problem, you just have to go and make a drama outta everything, huh? Man, all chicks are the same."

Lady had had enough of his smartass attitude "Shut UP!" She raised her hand to punch him but Dante turned faster than any human could and grabbed her wrist. He leaned in slightly so Lady was trapped against the shower wall

Lady struggled against him but stopped when she looked into his eyes. He actually looked pissed off at her.

"Would you do me a favour and stop trying to hit me? Look, I don't know how long we're gonna be stuck like this, so let's just try to be civil, okay?" He said it quietly and seriously, right next to her ear. Lady tried very hard not to shiver at the close contact and nodded. Her heart felt like a trapped butterfly, it's wings fluttering inside her chest.

Dante grinned, the normal humour returning to his eyes "Good girl." He said, releasing her. Lady actually did shiver then, the loss of his body heat somehow unexpected.

Lady often forgot how easy it was for Dante just to dominate… Well, pretty much everything. The last time she had been on the receiving end of that was during their fight in the library that time… She actually still bore a few scars from that. However, every time Dante caught sight of them, she couldn't help but notice the softening look in his eyes. Maybe even he forgot just how powerful he was compared to her.

Lady shook it off and regained her usual composure "Don't patronize me, you pervert demon." She muttered.

Dante just sighed, so much for being civil. Then again, being constantly insulted sure beat the hell out of being smacked in the head by a chick.

Yep, it's all the clichés you love and love.