Summary: His family shattered before his eyes, the first time he ever took a life. The events that would steal Dante's innocence, making him the hunter he is today...

Disclaimer: I do not own squat. I know the twins, but I cannot claim ownership over them. Only the almighty Capcom can dare to do that, which is reasonable. They own the games, after all.

No Presents

Boys! Dinner!"

Dante shut the comic book carefully and vaulted onto the floor with a resounding thump. Vergil waited until he had landed before he ventured out of his bed; he'd been hit by his brother's flying body enough times to know to wait.

They thundered down the stairs and into the kitchen, sliding across the linoleum floor on the dishtowels they left out for this exact purpose into the dining room. At the edge of the carpet they jumped off their towels, and flew into their seats like two good little boys.

Eva had already seated herself, and watched their antics with amusement. They both started to reach for a hamburger and bun when she stopped them. "Boys, not until we say grace."

"Do we have to?" Vergil moaned. "I hate saying grace."

Both his brother and his mother stared at him. "Vergil we always say grace!"

"When did you reach this conclusion?" Eva asked, to forestall another argument.

"We're the sons of a demon. Doesn't that automatically mean that we're doomed to go to Hell?" Vergil asked. "God wouldn't want us because we're of the bloodline of his worst enemies."

Dante looked at his mother, almost pleading with her to prove his twin wrong. Eva reached out to take Vergil's hands. "Nothing is automatic, Vergil. Yes, you are the sons of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, but that doesn't mean you are going to go to Hell. If you say your prayers and say grace, you won't be going anywhere other than Heaven." She squeezed his hands, and folded her own. "Now then. Let's say grace so we can eat. I'll say it this time.

"We praise you, Lord, for providing us with the meal before us. In Your Holy Name, we now partake of thy nutritious bounty."

"Amen," they all said in unison.

"Now, let's eat!" Dante and Vergil each grabbed two burgers and scooped out as many fries as they could fit on their plates. Vergil layered lettuce and tomato and mustard on his burgers while his brother loaded the buns with cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup, and one tomato slice each. Eva merely placed a slice of cheese on her burger while they smeared on the condiments.

She waited until they had settled down and began to eat before she began the conversation. Some nights she allowed the twins to watch TV. while eating dinner, but usually they sat around the table and talked. "So, tomorrow is your twelfth birthday."

They both looked at her. She had their full attention.

"What do you want to do to celebrate?"

"Video arcade." Dante bit into his burger.

"Movie. Or a nice dinner." Vergil swirled a fry in ketchup and popped it into his mouth.

"I see." She sipped her water. "Could I trust you boys to stay together at the arcade if I leave you there for a few hours while I ran some errands? Would you stay together and not fight?"

"We'll stay together, but we can't promise that we won't fight," they answered in unison.

Well, at least they were honest. Eva decided to tease them a little. "So, I suppose you will be wanting presents with your breakfast."

"Jeez, Mom, do you even have to ask?" Dante moaned. He finished his first burger and grabbed the second. Both of them had stomachs like bottomless pits.

"How do you know I even got you birthday presents? Maybe I didn't get you anything this year." She fought to hide her smile.

They stared at her with open mouths, utterly shocked. As if they had choreographed the maneuver, they both got up from their chairs and leapt onto their mother, bearing her and her chair to the ground. They tickled her mercilessly while shouting "Say you got us presents! Say it!" over and over.

Laughing so hard that tears streamed from her eyes, Eva gasped for air to speak. Seeing this, her sons stopped and waited expectantly for her reassurances. "I…." she giggled. "I cannot….seem to recall….No, I didn't buy you any presents!"

Dante and Vergil shrieked, and began their ticklish assault once more. Eva suffered their attentions a short while longer, then pulled them down beside her. Happy now, they snuggled against their mother, certain that she had only been joking. She hugged them to her, ruffled their thick white hair and rubbed their backs.

"Oh, my sons. What would I ever do without you?" she wondered aloud.

Dante lifted his head. "Carry the groceries home by yourself."

Vergil didn't reply. He merely listened to his mother's heartbeat, the easy rhythm of her breathing, and felt that only his father's presence could make this moment better.

But Sparda's seat at the other end of the table remained empty, as always. He hadn't been home for two years now.

Eva ruffled Dante's hair again. "Yes, I suppose I would. I think I'll keep you both around a little longer. After all, I can't carry all the groceries by myself. And I know I can't eat all these hamburgers by myself." She kissed their heads, then let them go. "Okay, get off me. Dinner's getting cold. As for the presents, you'll find out tomorrow."

The boys went back to their seats, and resumed eating. Eva righted her chair, and watched them eat for a while. How she loved her sons. She knew she wouldn't have them forever, but she hoped to see them grow and find wives, to see her grandchildren.

But that was a long way in the future. For now, she still had them to herself.

With that thought in mind, she got up to go get the cookies and ice cream.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Queen: Sorry the last transmission got cut off, folks. There was a black-out due to yet another demonic attack on our house. Didn't take too long to solve the problem, thank God.

Vergil: Just a lousy Oranguerra. Not a big problem.

Dante: So says the guy who got launched straight into the air when it kicked him…

Vergil: Just winded me, that's all.

Queen: That's not what I saw…

Vergil: Queen…

Queen: Can we argue about this later? I still have to get dinner on the stove.

Dante: Just get us some grub, and I'll get some ice for him. And end the transmission already.

Queen: Already done.

(transmission ended)