Alexander felt a pang of nervousness, and it wasn't because his original plan to get his invention back had literally gone up in smoke…

"YOU FREAK! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! I'LL KILL YOU!" that was why.

He didn't have a death wish; if he did he would have in fact opened the aforementioned door and dealt with the wrath of a seething, smoking, and medium-rare Dante.

He hadn't quite managed to dodge all of the fireballs that were thrown at him. Well, he'd been doing alright until Celia nailed him in the face.

Ouch.

Dante had gone into devil form and escaped by way of air, or rather skipping over people's heads with Lady unconscious in his arms. Alexander felt that Dante should be thankful he was alive (and forget that it was his fault), that way he could just remove his invention from Lady, and pay them their money… Oh, and try to do something about the curse.

… Maybe.

The door splintered and then flew off its hinges. Alexander cast a glamour to stop it from breaking his nose, resulting in him getting tickled by rose petals instead. He had always been one for the more flamboyant spells…

Dante threw Lady at him.

Alexander blinked as her weight sent him flying into a shelf and he ended up hitting his head and having several potions pour onto him. He yelped as his hair grew longer and changed from silver to hot pink.

"My hair! My precious hair! Look what you did!" the one thing that made Alexander loose his cool was damage to his prized silver locks.

"YOUR HAIR? WHAT ABOUT MY SKIN? YOU FUCKING SADIST!" Dante yelled, yanking the warlock up by his now stained purple jacket. Alexander started wondering why he had told Dante just where he could find him…

"Fix her,' Dante growled, jabbing a finger at Lady "And give us the money."

Alexander pouted, he was very upset about his hair, but if he refused Dante's requests… Demands, then it were likely Dante would ruin more than just his hairdo.

"Alright… If you could just, err, remove her from my leg first…" Dante looked down to see Lady snuggling up to Alexander's leg as if it were some sort of plush toy. Dante growled again and nudged her with his foot, she stirred but didn't awaken form her drunken slumber. Rolling his eyes, Dante nudged her harder, this side of kicking and she moaned "Mmm, Agni… Rudra…"

Dante's eyes widened and he dropped Alexander "I choose to ignore that." He said and leant down to whisper in her ear "Vergil in a thong."

Lady's eyes shot open and she started screaming bloody murder until she accessed her surroundings and noticed there was no immediate threat.

And no Vergil in a thong.

"She's awake, fix her." Dante said, glaring at Alexander who was running his hands through his hot pink hair in dismay. He looked at Lady mewling like a kitten, biting the leg of Dante's pants.

"Alright, but first you have to promise that whatever you see next, you won't kill me for…" He said nervously.

Dante folded his arms over his chest (after unsuccessfully trying to swat Lady away), "That depends; what exactly am I going to be seeing?" He got ready to draw out Ebony and Ivory.

Just in case…

Alexander examined Lady closely, causing her to stare at him and start tugging his pink locks. "Ehehehe, you look like a girl." She giggled manically.

"Umm, well… If I tell you, you might not let me… Perhaps I'll take my chances." Alexander replied to Dante and with that, took Lady by the shoulders and kissed her.

Dante indeed tried to kill him, but not before falling over in shock that is.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? GET OFFA HER, YOU FREAK!" He aimed Ebony at Alexander's head, the Warlock manoeuvred Lady in front of him as a shield.

Alexander eventually parted from Lady, who was now staring at him in shock "It was necessary to get my spell out of her, there was no other way." He said and Dante was just about ready to let it slide when Alexander added "But I must say it was pleasant, she just has the softest lips…"

Dante's fist was about ten centimetres away from Alexander's face, but Lady got there first.

And, for the second time that night, Alexander flew into a book case, hit his head and had potions pour on him. This time his hair went lime green with red spots. "NOOOOOO!" He cried like a stereotypical Hollywood movie fashion.

Dusting off her hands, Lady then wiped her mouth and glared at Alexander "You perverted little warlock, you'd better pay as our damn money." She growled.

Dante would have cried from happiness, but both his healing tear ducts and macho persona restrained him "Thank god, the normal Lady is back." He muttered.

"Just what the hell were those people thinking? Why would whatever that spell was help them with world domination?" Lady asked, her hands on her hips.

Alexander sniffled and pulled himself into an upright position "It changes your personality around… Makes you act the opposite of how you usually do, that is to say. Of course, it's imperfect. It tends to block other enchantments while in effect. Have you noticed how you were able to move apart?" He said. Dante's eyes widened

"Damn it, the first freedom I have in ages and I don't even get to enjoy it…"

He frowned, but then winced as some of his charred skin cracked "Ouch… But why would that help them?" He asked. Alexander shrugged.

"I don't know, but I suppose if everyone were cursed then it would probably turn the world upside down… Think about it, perfect, sweet and innocent angels would turn into serial killers, ect, ect… God knows what would happen to the economy."

Dante nodded "Yeah, okay… Whatever. Pay us." Lady was looking at Dante with curiosity "What happened to you?" She asked.

Dante glared at her "I am making sure you never drink again." He answered.

Alexander handed them both sheaves of money "Here is the cash, please leave and never return." He said to Dante.

Dante and Lady Death glared™.

Gulping Alexander backed away "Oh, and err, the curse… Yes, well, it will extinguish at midnight… You have an hour left of each other's company." As the two turned to leave, he added "Use it wisely."

They frowned, not knowing what he was getting at. Can you say; 'Clueless'?

"And Miss Lady," Alexander called "You can visit me again, if you wish." He winked and Dante blackened his eye.

They began to walk in silence, both tired and not really having much of an idea where they were going.

Lady watched Dante's skin healing before her eyes "Does it hurt?" she asked, gently touching his arm. He paused, looking at her hand intently.

"Nah… It's okay." He said.

"Do I want to know what happened when I was out of it?" She asked and he shook his head.

"It's better for my image if you don't." He said, giving her a half smile. She laughed a little.

A sudden thought came to mind and Dante looked into her eyes "Hey babe… You owe me an explanation…" He said and she became aware of how close they were standing together.

"Uh…" she was still stuck for words; she hadn't had time to think about what she was supposed to say. Dante frowned "Come on, Lady… I need to know." He put his hands on her waist and gently pushed her against the wall of a nearby building.

Lady gulped, she thought about stopping him, but she knew she had to keep her promise and explain just how she felt about him. Dante wondered what would happen if he kissed her then, if it would help her along…

He tried it then, taking her by surprise.

It just served to make her mad, and she pushed him back "Jesus, could you wait? If you rush me, I'll just say the wrong thing!" She yelled.

"Well, quit stalling!" He yelled back, frustrated.

"FINE! Don't blame me if it's not what you want to hear!" She exploded then took a deep breath…

And said the following;

"I do have feelings for you, okay! I don't know if I want to, but I just do! I didn't really like much about you at first, but since I've had to spend so much damn time around you, I think I might have forgotten why! I totally have the option of killing you, but I don't! I'd rather not have to go through the stress of this, but as I said, I don't have a fucking choice! I blame you entirely! I wish I could hate you! I've tried! I've tried to go back to the ways things were, but you just HAD to try and get along with me, didn't you? You had to be so damn difficult! Do you have any idea how hard it is to be near you, plus have to deal with all your teasing and sexual suggestions? Do you know what it feels like to not have your body obey your brain? How many times have I shot you in the head? I bet if I had a cent for every time, I'd be a goddamn millionaire by now! And did it help? No! Did it make me feel any better? No! Did it make me even more angry and frustrated? Yes! So when this curse goes away, don't try to call me, I won't pick up because you're unimportant and I hate you!"

She paused, looking shocked are own words.

"W-wait! I didn't mean the last part! I meant that… ARGH! Who am I kidding?" She sat down in the middle of the pavement, gasping for breath.

Dante just stared at her "So… You came up with all that just now?" He asked.

Lady nodded miserably "I think I'd just like to go home now…" she mumbled, stumbling to her feet but overbalancing. Dante caught and held her to his chest, gently yet firmly.

Lady's breath caught at the feel of his warmth on her skin and she wondered just how it would be to wake up every day with that warmth next to her. Dante's hands traced soothing patterns on her back as he rested his face against her head, inhaling the scent of her hair "Lady… Do you want to…? Would it make you happy to be with me?" He asked her softly.

Lady thought about his words. She thought about how liberating it would feel to stop pretending, to stop closing herself off from her feelings… And how it would feel to love him and be loved in return.

Just saying 'Yes' wouldn't suffice, and Lady took his face in her hands. She smiled into his eyes and moved in to kiss him "It would make me the happiest person on earth." She whispered, and very willingly pressed her mouth to his.

Alexander watched them through his spirit mirror, wearing a paper bag with eye holes over his head and talking into a phone "Yes, it's all worked out just fine. They just broke the curse themselves… Yes, if they hadn't admitted their feelings they would be stuck like that forever… No, well, yes. I suppose it is like a Chinese finger trap… You're talking a bit fast, I don't understand you… So… May I please have your word that you will stop harassing me?"

On the other end of the line, Riko giggled "Nope! It wasn't my idea to curse them, ya know. That was all you, I just happened to figure out how it would work to my advantage. Now you have to pay for cursing them!"

Alexander gasped "What? That wasn't part of the deal! You said specifically you would leave me alone if they got together and they have! Just because you think it's like some sort of romance fan fiction to manipulate people into admitting how they feel for each other does not mean I have to suffer!" He whined.

Riko twirled the phone cord around a pink nailed finger "No, but you were going to let them stay like that, right?" Alexander sighed.

"Yes… If you don't mind me asking, why did you think a man such as Dante had to have your help in, well, getting laid?" He asked.

Riko giggled again "Because Onii-chan has rotten luck with women!"

Alexander had to smile, despite his hair "Well, I think his luck might be turning." He said, glancing back at the spirit mirror…

Dante sneezed all of a sudden and Lady wiped her face "Eeew, don't tell me you have a cold." She said, holding him at arm's length.

Dante glared at her "No, I don't get sick…"

Lady smiled "Somebody must be thinking bad stuff about you." She said and brushed some hair off his face. He caught her hand and pulled her against him.

"Don't tell me it's you." He said, running a finger across her lower lip.

She kissed his finger lightly "Me? Perish the thought…" He leaned in to kiss her again

"So honest, that's why I love you." He said, relishing being able to say it.

With her lips almost touching his, Lady whispered "I love you too."

And funnily enough, now that the curse was gone, Dante and Lady never wanted to be apart again…

Until the next morning when Lady woke up, not remembering where she was and punched Dante in the face. So, they were kind of back to square one, but it didn't matter really, because at least they finally knew how the other felt.

And why did they awake together on the fateful mourning when this tale started? Well, we owe that to our good friend alcohol, the cause, and solution, to all of lives problems. Oh, and let's not forget a certain pink-haired menace who has a key to Dante's office.

End transmission! (I've always wanted to use that…)

So… you're not disappointed are you? I can always write a sequel… When I come up with an idea and feel like it.

By the way, did anyone notice my lame, half-assed attempt at trying to cover the mistake I've been trying to avoid for the entire story? Yes, I did accidentally say Lady moved more than a few feet away from Dante… Whoops… But at least I noticed before anyone told me, and I did in fact hit myself over the head saying "I am so bloody stupid! Yes… Well, hope you enjoyed it, I may get my sister to help me write some songs and I can do Devil May Cry: The half-arsed musical (yeah, it's never going to happen!)

I love that term; half-arsed, Hee-hee; you wouldn't get too far with half an arse!

Adios for now!