They had killed the demons blocking their way and they continued walking. And the whole place is not an alley; it looks more of a building. There are too many doors and the whole place is definitely big. Dante is not sure if the place is really an alley or another headquarters. Either way, the place is not safe. They continued walking down the alley, going to another room only to find an ambush of demons.

"Dante."

Wow, that's the first time Nero called him by his name today.

"Hmm?"

"This bugs me for a long time."

"What's that?"

"What is Lucy doing in your shop?"

Dante laughed so loud that can be heard throughout the whole room. Nero glared at the elder.

"What's so funny?" He asked in a stern voice. Dante looked at Nero while smirking.

"I can sense jealousy in your question, kid." Dante answered that made Nero blushed. He pulled Dante using the Devil Bringer and looked straight to Dante's eyes. Dante was mesmerized by the ocean eyes of the teen. It was beautiful, especially the anger and embarrassment flowing in his eyes.

"I am not jealous, Dante." Nero tried to clarify, but Dante's still in doubt. He raised his one eyebrow to the teen. The grip in his shirt became tighter.

"Oh, really, Nero? You're clinging on me tightly." Dante told Nero. Nero's eyes widened and let go of Dante. He avoided the elder's look. Suddenly, they heard someone walking outside the room. They became alarmed. They slowly made their way outside the room and Dante blocked Nero from walking outside.

"Kid, keep your gun." Dante smiled. "It's a friend."

Trish walked towards them. She crossed her arms and raised one of her eyebrow to Nero. His boots started making a tapping rhythm.

"Going to kill me, young one?" Trish asked Nero. Nero hid his Blue Rose back to its holster. Dante putted his Rebellion on his shoulder and chuckled.

"Hey, Trish, better forgive the kid. He's a bit paranoid, I must say, can't control his instincts." Dante said in a teasing voice that made Nero's eyebrows met and his teeth clenched because of annoyance. Trish grinned at Dante. She threw a key towards Dante's direction. As Dante caught it and looked at the object Trish threw, he was surprised that it's the key to his bike and to Lucy's bike.

"What are these for?" Dante asked Trish.

"Well, Lucy gave it to me. He told me that the bikes can be a useful object later." Trish turned around and walked away as she waved. "Bye. I got some business here." That's all she said before Trish was out of the two demon hunters' sight. Nero pushed his way outside.

"I'm going to kick your ass later, old man." Nero threatened. Dante gave Nero a surprised look.

"What did I do?" Dante innocently asked. Nero pointed his Blue Rose to Dante's forehead and stared coldly to the older hunter. Dante started hearing a voice. He looked around.

Take care of Lucy, please.

"Did you hear that, kid?" Dante asked. Nero rolled his eyes.

"Geez, Dante. If this is your way to get away from this, I'm not going to buy your act." Nero answered. Dante motioned his hand towards Nero to lower his gun.

Save me. I'm in this place.

It was a voice of a man, no doubt about it. The question that revolves around Dante's head is who the hell that person talking to him. Dante waited for a couple of seconds for it to talk again, but no answer. He decided to continue his journey. Nero shoots him in the shoulder that made him stop.
"Damn you, old man." There was a hint of anger and hurt in Nero's voice before he continued walking, passing Dante. Dante wondered, why is the teen sounds so sad and hurt? What did he do wrong? Maybe Nero's having his periods, then he remembers guys will never undergo periods. Well, maybe Nero is a bisexual. Or… He did something wrong, he have to admit that now. But, what could it be?

"Nero, wait up!" Dante yelled. He ran towards the young man but he was blocked by an Alto Angelo. Dante clenched on his Rebellion and gritted his teeth. Now, what? Demons are popping up when he wants to say something to Nero or Nero wants to say something to him. Fuck.

Dante wasted no time and slashed the Alto Angelo in half. Nero used his Red Queen to rev up and kill the remaining demons. It really looks like the teen is in the bad mood because he's violent while using his Devil Bringer and slashing the demons. If what Nero's killing is a human, Dante's sure as hell blood and organs will splatter everywhere.

"Kid, that's not a salmon to turn into a sushi." Dante's starting to feel pity to the demons. Nero threw the other Bianco Angelo to the other one. Nero, looking he had calmed down for a bit and eyed the elder before he turned around.

"Hmph. I should have aimed your heart back then, bastard." Nero whispered to himself as he continued walking. Dante is now confused and followed the teen.

"Kid, slow down." Dante jogged for few steps before he walked again. Nero rolled his eyes.

"Too old that you can't catch up?" Nero answered back. His voice is really pissed to the elder.

"Nero, please." There was a hint of pleading in Dante's tone. Nero stopped. Goddamn it, Dante! Next time, don't call my name so sweet and loving! He thought. He sighed heavily before turning around.

"What's the problem, Nero? After that conversation with Trish, you got so pissed off." Dante asked and placed his hand to Nero's left shoulder. Nero averted his eyes and shrugged the hand away. He looked at Dante with sadness and hurt in his eyes. Dante's conscience hit him hard. Did he really do something that hurt Nero this much? If so, he's really sorry about that. Dante felt like an asshole the more he stared at those ocean blue eyes. He matched those eyes with the crystal blue of his own.

"Nero, talk to me. We're not going to do this mission right if we can't communicate properly." Dante said in a gentle manner. Nero's features soften for a bit.

"None of your business." Nero answered in a low tone. Dante's starting to get angry.

"What do you mean it's none of my business? What the hell, Nero?! What's gotten inside you that you started to act so cold towards me? What did I do?! I'm doing this because I care for you!" Dante yelled to Nero. The teen made a sarcastic grin to the elder.

"You care? Really?" Nero frowned at Dante. "If you do care, then, get your ass back down to your business. I'll take care of my own shit, hear me?" Nero ignored Dante and walked away. Dante, getting pissed off, let the younger hunter roam without his presence.

"Fine. Don't run to me when you're on your life line." Dante yelled for Nero to hear and entered another room.

OoOoOoOoO

Riselle walked her way towards the church, pulling the two bikes using the chains. As she gets inside, there are dead bodies around. She didn't suspect Dante and Nero to do this, but, she's sure as fuck that if the Order saw this, they're going to blame the two for this. What else is new? She's sure that Dante's used to this.

"I wonder where the way is." Riselle mumbled under her breath as she walked around the area. Riselle spotted the ruffled red carpet at the altar. She ran her way towards the altar and saw a door. She grinned.

"At least I know that Dante's not a sloth bag." Riselle ran her fingers through the slide. At least the Order knows how to have fun going to an alley. She first slid the two bikes before she jumped and slid her way to the alley, not knowing that Kyrie saw everything. Kyrie's eyes narrowed and walked her way back to the Order's headquarters.

OoOoOoOoO

"Wow, man. This place is pretty cool." She muttered and changed her weapons to the Piercer. Oh, how she loved the rush in her veins while she's an archer. She shoots the ceiling of the alley, finding a group of Mephistos swarming and making their way towards her. She grinned. Riselle ran towards the wall upward and did a full somersault, hitting a Mephisto through her heels and shot someone using her bow. She did a triple shot that pierced Mephisto's heart. Riselle looked around as she finished killing the demons and walked her way.

Riselle was surprised to see the doors at the alley. Must be their tactics for those who enter this, she thought. Riselle continued walking as she felt two demons in different directions. Riselle decided to follow Nero's scent.

OoOoOoOoO

Nero slammed his fist to the wall hard, causing it to crack. The teen is trying to calm himself down. How could he act like a total jackass in from of the person who gave him home? But, he was badly hurt on what Dante's saying about him these past few weeks. Nero doesn't know why he's acting all sensitive about his feelings. For fuck's sake, he knows he's not this sensitive before!

He's hurt on what Dante's saying about him. He's hurt hat few minutes ago, Dante acted like he didn't exist. He's hurt from the fact that Dante's only nice to him when it's only the two of them. He's hurt from the fact that Dante have a deep emotion towards Lucy while he's only looking on him as a punk. He's hurt from the feeling that Dante's looking onto him as a substitute for Lucy when the pink-haired boy is not around. He's hurt from the fact that Dante seems not to see any good points about him and shoving the bad traits of him in his face. It left a deep cut in his heart now that he's thinking about it over and over again. Great, how is he supposed to stay focus on finding the way out now?

Nero was caught off-guard at a demon ambush. His reflexes saved him from his head getting crushed. Nero turned around and got pissed off more. There are 4 demons and he had never seen them before.

"Give me a break here." Nero whined as he studied the new demons. They are like the faceless Spartan warriors with a cut mouth, minus those metal helmets. They're spinning a basher connected to a chain that made Nero frown.

Nero dashed his way towards the bashers and started killing them. The problem is, his attacks seem not enough to kill them. Suddenly, a hammer hit him from behind. He yelped from the pain and turned around. The basher hit him in the face, hard. So hard that he flew and left a big crack on the wall. Nero stood up, shrugging off the debris in his jacket. Ah, fuck. Now, he's really mad at those bashers. Nero was about to use his Devil Trigger when one Basher had spun the chain around him tightly. Nero struggled, but the other bashers did the same. They went to opposite directions pulling the chains that it felt Nero's getting crushed and numb. Someone shot one Basher in the head. The other demons looked at the direction. Nero saw Lucy smirking as he used his Piercer.

"Hey, Nero." Lucy greeted. He's still on his charade uniform and his eyes were red, meaning his demons eyes are on. "I guess you need some help?"

"Thanks, Lucy. Nice timing." Nero answered. "I'm getting pissed off here."

Lucy's smirk widened as he dashed and shooting the demons one-by-one, freeing Nero. Lucy pulled the bikes again that made Nero surprised.

"Woah. Pulling those all by yourself seems hard." Nero commented. Lucy gave him one of the chains.

"Then, help me." Lucy answered. Nero shook his head slightly as he smiled and started pulling Lucy's bike. They continued chatting while walking down the alley, making all the pain Nero felt go away for a bit. Now that he thought of it, Lucy seems different from his father, far more different.

"How's the charade?" Nero asked. Lucy scoffed.

"I was forced to lie that I'm going to kill you." Lucy answered that made Nero chuckled. "It stings in my tongue, you know?"

"Oh, really? That's so sweet of you, Lucy." Nero teased. Lucy matched his grin.

"Yeah, so sweet that I almost shoot you few minutes ago." Lucy answered. They both laughed. Nero's devil bringer glowed as they passed a certain room. Nero's brows furrowed as he stopped. Lucy looked at him with confused eyes.

"What? Something's wrong?" Lucy asked. Nero pointed the door, immediately, Lucy knows what Nero meant. Lucy let go of the bike and so did Nero as they entered the room. The place was dark, cold, and quiet, just like any other room he entered, except the place is darker and colder. Nero shook his head and turned around.

"Come on, Lucy. This is just a confusing room." Nero said. Lucy held his hand, stopping him from going out. Nero turned to Lucy and he saw the other teen is pointing at the direction of the ceiling. Nero looked up, only to find out a flaring Gargoyle looking down on them with bloodshot stare.

"Oh, shit." Nero mumbled as the gargoyle growled and flew his way towards them. Nero defended using his Devil Bringer, causing the Gargoyle to fly back. Nero's eyes narrowed.

"Lucy, stay back." Nero ordered in a stern voice. The Gargoyle seems interested in Lucy.

"What?" Lucy asked in a confused tone.

"Just let me do this, please." Nero smiled at him. "I'm going to shove in Dante's ass that I killed a Gargoyle without your help."

Lucy sighed. Nero felt sorry to himself for lying to Lucy. But, oh well, he's doing this for the pink-haired teen's sake.

"Fine. But, if the situation gets worse, I'm going to interfere." Lucy answered. Nero nodded and walked for a few distance from Lucy. He glared at the Gargoyle who growled.

"Sorry if we interrupted your sleep." Nero taunted. He revved his Red Queen and prepared for a battle. "I'm going to let you sleep for eternity."

The Gargoyle screeched and its fire from the horns and wings flared up more. Nero and the Gargoyle ran their way towards to each other and successfully blocked each other's attack. Nero jumped back and so did the Gargoyle before it growled.

"Heh, I'm surprised." Nero rubbed his nose using his arm. "I'm going to have some fun."

He loaded his Blue Rose and shoots the demon first before he threw his Red Queen towards the Gargoyle. Lucy stared at their fight, wondering that there's something off with the Gargoyle. The Red Queen had stabbed the Gargoyle in the heart, usually one of the weak parts of the demons and cause of their deaths. Nero and Lucy's eyes widened when they heard the Gargoyle groaned and threw the Red Queen as it take it out. Nero tumbled and used his Blue Rose to stall some time to take his sword. Lucy started studying the Gargoyle. It's not the usual demons he had met back then in hell.

Lucy roamed his eyes to the demon that is busy fighting Nero, a good way to stall the demon and let him study his weakness. He saw how Nero's trying to slash it, but it was no-good. The thick skin is hard to penetrate. Nero managed to near-miss the breathing hole at the Gargoyle's forehead, causing it to flinch a bit. Lucy got it now right.

"Nero!" Lucy shouted. "Focus on the hole in his forehead! That seems to be his weak point!"

Nero did. He distracted the Gargoyle before he threw his Red Queen right to the hole. The Gargoyle screeched and screamed in pain. Nero loaded his Blue Rose.

"Go back to hell and do the flight there." Nero taunted before he fired his Blue Rose to the hole. The Gargoyle exploded and turned into pieces.

"Ew…" Lucy whispered to himself as he watched the flying guts from the Gargoyle. There was this pain again in Lucy's left hand. A new brand was written down.

Horror.

Lucy tried not to show that he's not in pain. His glove-covered hands made it easier to hide the writings. Great, two writings in his right, one in his left. Just great. Ah, fuck. All he knows is that something's wrong with him and he's a key for something. He had overheard Duisternis before he left. Duisternis did mention he is the key to his dad. And that's it. Oh well, he can still come back. The Order thinks he's an ally, anyway.

Nero walked towards him with a big grin in his face.

"Thanks." Nero said. "I almost lose my control from fighting that thing."

"No problem." Suddenly, Lucy's phone from the Order rang. He picked it up.

"Riselle speaking." Lucy greeted.

"Riselle?" Nero shook his head while trying to hold back laughter. Lucy covered the receiver of the phone and frowned at Nero. Lucy putted it back on his ear.

"Riselle, where are you?" It was the voice of the officer.

"Finding the vigilantes?" Riselle answered in a sarcastic tone.

"What is this report I got from Kyrie?" The officer said. Lucy rolled his eyes.

"You believe in that crazy woman? Wow, I'm trying to do my job here, sir. You gave me the authority to do this job my way and I'm doing it." Lucy answered.

"It's Duisternis who gave you this job, lady."

"He has more power than you, which means, you have nothing to complain about that I'm doing this on my way." Lucy answered. "You're interrupting my investigation, sir. Goodbye."

Nero grinned in disbelief and amusement as Lucy putted down the phone.

"Wow, you've got more attitude issues than me in the Order." Nero commented. Lucy shrugged.

"That's me." Lucy opened the door. "We're going to find Dante. Let's go."

OoOoOoOoO

Author's notes: Whoo! This will be the first boss in the DMC 5! (Praise the Lord, I was thinking of a boss good enough for battle.) OH MY GOD! More followers! Thank you everyone! I love those people who had favorite this story! I love you all! Someday, we're going to drink coffee and beer with Dante and Nero! Buwahahaha!

SirenaLoreley: I hope this answers your question about the key. Love you, girl! You're the one who's filling up the reviews in my story. Hahaha! ^_^

carolinarubi: (I had to use Google Translate because I quite don't understand Spanish, sorry) Yeah, well, who could blame Dante? Nero is adorable and cute. :D