The room was getting crowded..

it was too crowded in fact that she find it was getting harder to breath, even for someone who doesn't need to. Trish felt like she's right in the middle of two colliding boulders. Vergil's cool exterior seemed like a mock to Dante who, in order to relieve the tension, found himself parched for some alcohol. So he raised his glass of champagne, and was about to drink the light amber liquid, when suddenly Lady held his arm.

He looked at Lady, eyes questioning, glass raised to his lips in a pause. "Don't' drink it" Lady instructed with glistening eyes, she was radiant as always, a smirk quite in the bounders of an attempt at seduction or just a plain "trust me". Either ways, she was just as sure of herself, "It's peach champagne, you're allergic to peach, did you forget?" Lady smirked.

With a sigh of submition and the thought of the previous encounter he's had with peach champagne, Dante gently dropped his glass, lost his appetite and more. Why does Lady always have to be right? he thought to himself.

"We don't want our groom swelling up now, don't we?" Auntie laughed, cheerful and unable to see the display right in front of her. Well, not only did Lady saved Dante from swelling, but at the same time, it was a slap on Trish's face, the bride to be, when Lady made it clear yet again that she knows Dante better... better than she'll ever do. Clearly, it was the bride's job to know things about the groom others may not be aware of. Trish saw Lady giving her a sideway glance from her peripheral vision. Her insides were shaking.

Lady raised her glass, "for the bride and the groom", so did everyone else, everyone except for the bride and the groom.

In Ben's eyes however, it was all clear. The conflict, like a midsummer night's dream, minus the faeries and the ass. Elena was text messaging secretly, passing all the juice to Evie, who could have died just to be there and witness the drama. "May I be excused?" Trish asked, a woman on the verge of doing something clearly.. who knows? "I really don't feel good" Trish rubbed temples with her fingers to look more convincing. Vergil knew the fact that Trish is a horrible actress, but Dante leaned in to her, concerned.

Auntie's smile faded, eyes grew with somber, as every loving mother should. She was about to hover over Trish (just like moms are with when their kids are sick) when Ben tapped his lips dry with a napkin and said, "Of course" he knew Trish wanted the space maybe worst, the boundaries, and that he will soon have to face Evie's nags when she gets here for the lack of information about Lady and her relationship with Dante, so much for being secret service and internal officer, but Ben was more than that, much much more than that. Auntie nodded as Trish gracefully stood up and walked away. Not bothering to look at anyone in the eye. Her movement was swift, elegant and to Dante, endearing. The ever faithful ChanLu tried to keep up with her.

A battle perhaps Lady might have won, for the mean time. And Auntie refused for her to go, so she insisted that Lady should stay here and join the family in celebration of the Masquerade,

....

"I mean" Trish snarled, walking through and fro inside her room. The night was incredibly chilly, and so her tiny queen elaborate fireplace crackled with warmth and hearth, ChanLu sat timidly right on the middle of her bed, her feet dangling (because she was much too short to reach the carpeted floor), hands locked on her lap, "Could you ever believe that a man like that would have allergic reaction to- of all things peach?! that's ridiculous! it's preposterous!!" Trish threw her hands in annoyance, face crimson with fury. "Isn't it?" she stopped, waited for ChanLu's reply, "Am I right?" she pressed on, the rise and fall of her chest was rapid.

"yyyes" ChanLu replied startled and afraid.

"I thought so" Trish went on again, "Why the hell am I so mad?!" Trish wailed, if there was one person she learned how to curse from.. yeah its Dante, she sounds a lot like a woman who wanted to tear some brunette locks off of someone's head. But as ChanLu sees it, the mind of an imaginative yet childish girl, Trish, with cheeks puffed up and pink Chanlu's mind drifted off to another cartoon character.

Trish remembered the look on Lady's face, the smirk was belittling, her eyes..gleaming, "ChanLu" Trish called, ChanLu immediately snapped away from her thoughts as her eyes, round yet slanted the same time, peered at her mistress. "Do you remember that time you did that thing with the flower?"

ChanLu nodded her head, eager to help out her beloved mistress. Trish, who seemed to be doing a good job of calming herself down, knelt in front of ChanLu and held the tiny girl's hands, "Would you do it again? for me?"

ChanLu could have cried with happiness, "ChanLu is ready to do everything Young miss tells ChanLu to do!" she answered with determination.

"Thank you!" Trish said appreciatively as she stood up and brisk walked out the door, when she came back, she was carrying a vase full of yellow chrysanthemums, Chanlu's jaw dropped, "Can you? please?" Trish asked again, hoping Chanlu wouldn't change her mind, the five petal crab apple was too easy, but a vase full of chrysanthemums... herculean.

ChanLu swallowed, motivation filling her up, eyes full of determination, "For young miss!" she said with finality, not this arduous task could bring the small Asian chick down.

...

The next day proved to be a whole lot more lighter for Trish, specially now that she was able to compose herself, she a got a little out of character last night, she promised that wont happen again. wiping the steam off the huge mirror with her hand, a small towel wrapped around her curvaceous body, she smiled. A wicked yet teasing smile, "It's on.." she smirked with a raised brow, as far as she knows, a classic cat fight or maybe just the game of love would always call for the best clothes.

Lucky for her, she was all geared up, so with her best clothes on, hair as light and long as ever, she walked out of her chambers, pumps echoing through the marble floor of the common room as she saw ChanLu seated by the ashen fireplace, Gatorade bottles scattered on the floor, yellow and white chrysanthemum flowers everywhere, "He loves you, he loves you not, he loves you, he loves you not" she went on, Trish was about to ask her to rest for while when ChanbLu gave her a look, the blonde was taken back, ChanLu looks like a zombie, a really messed up zombie who clearly needed some sleep,

"maybe you should rest...?" Trish bit her lip.

"No!" ChanLu cried, "He loves you, he loves you not, he loves you, he loves you not.." and so on she went, faster and freshly motivated, plucking the petals like she was born for it. Trish sighed, maybe this wasn't such a good idea, she should considers things she asks ChanLu to do next time.

Just as she was about to leave for the exit , Dante emerged from his room and saw Trish, gorgeous as ever, hair tucked neatly, her make up was flattering, and her clothes, a short dress over silhouette shirt, Evie would be most likely to throw a party when she sees Trish.

"Hey babe, why so dressed up for me?" Dante teased, torso bare, wearing only a gray pair of jeans, but Trish didn't even let him finish the sentence when she walked away, head up and clearly not interested.

Dante got confused, "What did I do?" he asked ChanLu, seeing the little Asian chick so preoccupied, he sighed, "never mind.."

...

Vergil...

He succumbed himself into solace, his defeat against the dark prince... where was his pride? where was his fire? it was forever gone. Now he is but a slave, a dark knight clad in his armor of shame and depression. "Death would have been better" he muttered to himself over and over, and indeed.. it was. But no, he had to obey, obey the hand that held his life, the evil hand who gave him his life in exchange for his loyalty, a lifetime servitude and most importantly, it was a curse. How he never failed to accomplish the task set out for him by the dark prince, he was by far the most skilled in his line of warriors. this routine of this meaningless life went on and on for Vergil, with his sword as his sole companion, he went on and deleted everything that might have to remind him of his past. Vergil was long gone, he was now.. Nelo Angelo, a name that wasn't random, a name that he had been thinking to himself for quite some time, a name that he would have given to his son, but how truly unfortunate...

But the moment he laid eyes on her, a beautiful creature, the dark prince's new creation. Clad in a silken cloth, eyes wide with curiosity as she looked at him, he felt a sense of shame, he wasn't worth looking at, his eyes couldn't even meet hers, but how could he help himself? she was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, she was an angel... And no sooner than he has expected, they became attached. It was only days before she started talking, and who was she to talk to but Nelo Angelo, and his replies were a nod, a grunt, and perhaps a silent smile. She was like a child, when she's not under the jurisdiction of the prince, she'd rush off to his chambers and talk and ask him questions where in the end she'll find the answer to herself. His once dark and obscure world finally had some light, she was his hope, that maybe this life has more to it after all, maybe he's got a chance to free himself...

he wanted that... to free the two of them from the darkness, and he promised her they can live in the outside after all of this is done, "just one last mission" he said just before Trish was set out on her task to find the demon hunter, "This would be your first and last.." he said to her, "after this, leave it all to me and we'll be freed"

....

"You look like a cake" Vergil said to her, right when she was about to meet him by the veranda, Trish's black laced tights and some dolce vita mary-jane pumps, was oh! too pretentious of her! to fit into Vergil's liking, he knew Trish could have settled for less, that she could live with a worn out tee and a pair of washed up jeans and sneakers. And yet here she is, looking more like the woman Evie could have ever dreamed of.

"A very cute cake" Trish corrected, fixing the ruffles of her collar, Vergil was seated on a black steel chair, stack of books on the table, shaded by a big maroon parasol. he started twirling his pen as he observed Trish who sat on the chair next to his, peering at him with a smile. "What are you doing?" she asked,

oh that smile..

"Sudoku" Vergil briefly replied, "What are you doing?" he asked her back

"Hanging out with you" she cheerfully answered.

"Oh" was all Vergil could say, a moment passed by.."... and why exactly are you doing that?" he asked once more, not really bothered, but more like confused.

"Because we never get to hang out together" Trish maneuvered.

"and why should we hang out?" Vergil rested his elbow on the white table, putting away his pen and book, getting a bit more amused.

"Well.." and finally the struggle to keep up with Vergil, "because we might never hang out like this again after I get married". Trish uttered, eyes bashfully dropping down the surface of the table.

Vergil sighed, he was expecting Trish would come up with something unexpectedly funny, not something humorlessly true. But Vergil knows, "Are you here with me because Dante and Lady are together? and you don't want to feel left out? or is it that you wanted to get back at him? or simply just because you missed me, for old times sake?"

Trish held her temples, shaking her head slowly, face weary "brain..can't process..need..coffee..must...eat.."

Vergil laughed to himself privately, not even sure if Trish heard it, "I think we should grab something outside"

Trish nodded with a coy smile, so why was she hanging out with Vergil anyways? well.. because he was always there for her...

...

They were by the balcony terrace, servants at hand as they played their game, Lady was a dominatrix at this, and oh how Dante hated this, she made her move, she always tend to surprise him, he paused..

"You can't do that?" he protested.

"I just did.." she said with a sexy smile..

He looked into it closer, tried to find other ways and means to get out of this sticky situation, was it happening? the dreaded thing..

He was running way out of moves.

He sighed, HOPE! , he saw his ray of light as he made his move, a desperate escape. And she on the other hand..

"Check.." she smirked..

"Unbelievable" Dante frowned as he continued to curse to himself, Chess sucks, "Why are we playing this game?" he bellowed "this game is so Vergil, it's gay"

"You're the one who suggested it" Lady laughed, and so now she can find the reason to laugh at his jokes, and Dante was surprised too, usually Lady would just roll her eyes at him and tell him how lame his jokes are.

He smiled, it wasn't really hard to please Lady, sometimes, she just tends to be really difficult.. make that most of the times, Just as they finally had a moment, a moment that so rarely did they savor during the times when Lady was the only woman in his life.

Dante heard Trish's laughter, her laughter which reminds him of a four year old's giggle, sweet and adorable. He looked over from the balcony and saw Vergil and Trish with take out from a local cafe.

"I cannot believe he did that" Trish remarked, still laughing.

"I've seen worst" Vergil followed, remembering that little incident they had earlier outside with a man and his wife. And so Trish laughed harder, human behavior can be so delightful sometimes that Vergil was trying to control it, but he was all smiles, which was... surprising enough since Vergil wasn't the type to smile.

"Whats wrong?" Lady asked, wondering why the sudden austerity with Dante, it was then she saw the pair, Vergil and Trish .What Dante saw wasn't really Trish and Vergil. Instead, it was Trish and an image of him, what could have been him if he was with her right now. what he wanted the two of them to be, if only.. she'd give him a chance, if only he got the balls for It and accept.

Passionate as Dante is, jealousy must have taken its right place, but the little voice in his head cried out with protests of rationality. Lady sighed, still competing for the attention, but it seemed like Vergil was on her side, though he's not really helping.

"Let them be.." Lady said comfortingly, "It must have been years since the last time they were together.." she reasoned out, rubbing Dante's back, he closed his eyes together he fumed. The way Lady was rubbing his back felt awfully nice. But it would have been better if it were from someone else.

"What the heck are you talking about" he said coldly, "I don't even give shit.."

....

Later that afternoon

The ballroom was full of people doing the decorations since the venue was moved to Auntie's place, so the servants, the designers, the caterer were all buzzing here and about the majestic room, including Elena who seemed to be taking orders from Evie through her phone. "I asked for them already" Elena assured Evie, "Yes I called for Trish and Dante! stop yelling Evelyn!" Elena scorned.

Trish and Vergil came to the ballroom from the veranda where she was busy with Vergil's cube, while Dante and Lady came in from the terrace, talking to Lady about guns... yeah guns, the topic is always guns if not women.

"They're here" Elena said, as Trish and Dante approached her , "gowns?! what gowns?!" Elena asked, alarmed. She gave the couple a gesture to wait while she walked up the steps and started yelling in Italian.

And suddenly Vergil shot Lady a look, it was a mere nod, an invitation for a private conversation. Lady folded her arms with a smile and a soft sigh. Vergil walked away, leaving Trish speechless because she caught sight of Dante glaring at her, Lady followed the elder brother close by as they left the couple.

"Hey" Dante said to Trish.

"Hey" Trish said back, not looking at his eyes, looking up at the dome shaped ceiling.

And Dante.. he was just so tired of this, "Why were you with Vergil?" he asked, rationality .. rationality.. it rung inside his head,

"We both wanted coffee, how's Lady?" Trish asked, not a hint of concern or whatsoever.

"She's good..amazing really" he replied, looking through her sapphire eyes.

"thats nice.." she pursed her lips, crossing her arms over her chest.

... several seconds past, "Fuck this!" Irrationality ... irrationality, "Whats wrong with you?!" he held out her arm.

"Whats wrong with me? whats wrong with you!" she pulled her arm back.

"You've been avoiding me all day since last night, and you've been hanging around with that.. that..Vergil!" he blared.

"Well its not my fault that Vergil was there and you weren't!" she frowned

"Well it's not like you want to be with me in the first place Trish!"

:"Well thats cause Vergil is far more sensible compared to you"

"Oh yeah? well Lady is far more mature and there is nothing i would like more than a mature and sophisticated woman"

"Well there is nothing I want more than a man who knows how to handle a longer sword!"

Ouch!

"And there is nothing I want for in a woman than someone who can handle a big launcher! A really really BIG launcher!!"

"Oh yeah?!"Trish refuses to give up, "well he taught me Soduku!"

"Oh did he now? Why Trish, you forgot all the things I taught you?" and Trish fell silent, the way Dante said it, was no longer childish and argumentative. He was serious and yet, teasing. Her cheeks went pink.

"I hate you!" she flared.

"Well guess what? I don't care" Dante scoffed.

A few seconds passed and.. a sudden epiphany came over Trish, her lip pulled up in a grim smile, eyes sparkled with understanding.

"What?" Dante frowned, hands over his broad chest.

"I get it.." she smiled with understanding.

"Get what?" he pressed.

"Lady.." Trish answered, just like she solved a Nancy Drew case.

"Oh you get her? Good for you, cause I really don't.." Dante yawned.

"You're making me jealous!" Trish said, wide eyed and all smiles, "You're with Lady because this was your way of making me jealous!"

Dante swallowed, "Excuse me? me? make you jealous HA!" Dante laughed, "why the hell would I do that?" Oh shit..

"Because.." Trish paused, "Because you like me!" she accused with a wide smile, "You like me, admit it!" which was way too out of character for her since she was oh so good with ignoring everyone's feelings for her.

"What on earth... I DO NOT like you!!" Dante said defensively,

"You like me, get over it! You think I'm gorgeous.. you want to hug me, you want to kiss mee.."

"Dream on Trish, really" he swallowed.

"You like me, I can read what you're thinking right now, you want to hug me, you want to kiss me, you want to marry m--"

He pulled her up in a kiss, a forced one. His lips crushing on to hers, felt really..really good.. before she came back to her senses and pushed him away. They both knew how much they enjoyed it..

"I cannot believe you just did that!" Trish snarled, noticing how everyone stopped dead on their tracks, watching them.

"So..Wanna do it again?" He teased, for he knew, he knew, he felt it, how she kissed him too, that before the struggle to push him away, there was some moment where she could have fallen for him right then and there.

"OMG" the petite blonde who have just arrived (she came home in a hurry because of Elena's stories) remarked, Evie stood frozen by the entrance, eyes were wild with astonishment, not really sure whether her dropped jaw would turn into a grimaced line or a wide smile.

..........................................................................................................................................................................

AN

IM SO SO SORRRRYYY!!!!!!

I'M Studying and working at the same time!

And I freakin lost my noteboook!!!

I'm so sorrry guys will update soon!!