Dante watched as Kyrie stood in front of him to face Nero. He listened to her words and felt sorry for the kid. It was when Nero stated his reasons for leaving that Dante felt his stomach drop and his heart beat madly in his chest.

The way Kyrie said his name tenderly was when Dante decided to bow out. He steeled himself and figured good for them. He was back at his shop in a flash and at his desk.

He knew it was over. Everything he had with Kyrie was done, that was just how his life generally went. For a while things would be good, this time he had had with Kyrie had been wonderful, but it was all past already.

Dante knew that she would forgive him, at least that was what he told himself. He wasn't to surprised when she came back in. He could tell the kid was hot on her heels.

He willed himself against her good-bye only to have her vehemently deny it, she didn't care about Nero, allegedly. Dante assumed she was confused. She didn't know what she was saying in her state of high emotion.

The words that came out of his mouth were automated responses to shield himself from the inevitable. He didn't deserve her, he never really had had her. The last thought stung him more than any weapon ever could so he turned away from her.

Undaunted Kyrie grabbed him and he closed his eyes feeling her lips fall on his. It however wasn't a soft kiss that he had become accustomed to, no, it was full of rage and possesiveness.

Her soul screamed out to him from her body, he was hers and she was his. Dante couldn't respond in any way. His entire being seemed to freeze on the spot.

Kyrie finally released her grasp on him slightly and Dante felt the wet trails fall down his cheeks. He hadn't realized his eyes had welled up until he opened them.

His tongue was a dry stump in his mouth as her features softened towards him and he knew that she wasn't going anywhere, she really cared for him.

Her words made him take her in his arms where she belonged and he buried his face into her hair wetting it slightly. Dante breathed in her scent feeling bad for upsetting her more than she already was.

He let out a deep sigh allowing his body to relax. Lightly he placed a kiss on top of her head. Kyrie buried her face deeper into his chest and tightened her grip around his torso.

"I'm sorry." Dante said simply.

"I don't blame you." Kyrie replied gently. The couple disentangled themselves from each other and brought their attention to the doors that led into the shop. Nero was standing outside of them.

"Go wash your hair sweetheart." Dante said. "I'll invite Nero in and you two can talk out whatever you need to."

Kyrie nodded her head once making her way upstairs. Dante waited until she had closed the upstairs door before going to sit at his desk. "Hey kid! They're not gonna open themselves." Dante shouted because he'd be damned if he was going to be opening doors for him.

Nero pushed open one of them slowly peering his head in. He took in the place cautiously before stepping foot in. He glanced around his surroundings and cocked an eyebrow.

"You live here old man?" Nero asked hesitantly as if he were walking in egg shells or into a trap.

"Appears that way." Dante replied curtly.

"And Kyrie has been here for..." Nero wondered aloud fishing for information.

"A while." Dante stated. Nero walked closer to the desk that sat towards the desk. He stopped a good distance away from the elder hunter however.

Despite Dante's insecurities from earlier Nero knew who's territory he was in. He was playing it safe but at the same time trying to figure out the extent of their relationship perhaps.

Dante didn't feel it was his place necessarily to go into detail with the kid the little nuances of it. Nero had to hear it from Kyrie.

"Is she happy?" Nero asked after a few minutes had passed. Dante sighed and nodded his head.

"Yeah, far as I can tell." He replied.

"That's good." Nero said softly. "Look, I know what it looks like, me being here and all, but I didn't know Kyrie was in this city...hell I didn't even know you were here." He brought his human hand up pushing his hair back out of his eyes. "I mean I was looking for her but she wasn't the reason I was here."

"Kid, I'm not the one you should be telling all of this to." Dante stated. Nero looked up somewhat embarrassed and swiped at his nose with his devil bringer.

The door for the upstairs opened and closed. Nero brought his attention to the stairs as Kyrie descended. She had changed her clothes and her hair was a bit straighter albeit shorter than what Dante had cut hastily away.

Nero didn't make a move or a sound as Kyrie approached him a few feet away and motioned for him to follow her. She walked around the back of Dante's desk and rested a light hand against his shoulder.

"We'll be in the back." She said.

"Sure thing sweetie." He replied. Nero walked behind Kyrie as she led him to the back of the shop into what looked like a storage space. Wooden crates were piled to the ceiling with different runes painted on them what appeared to be red paint.

The pair were quiet for a moment before Nero cleared his throat. He shifted his weight and fidgeted slightly. Kyrie smirked at his actions.

"You never could hold still, especially when you're nervous." She commented.

"Yeah." Nero agreed. "You know me."

"I thought I did." She said gently.

"Okay, what happened was I got myself backed into a corner. I was in serious danger and the last thing I needed was them catching wind of you and I being together." He began.

"Them?" Kyrie asked.

"Yeah. They were after Yamato. They were powerful and I couldn't risk you." He said.

"So you decided that chasing me away was in my best interest." She stated.

"That's what I thought." He replied. "I guess I figured you'd see through it somehow and wait for me."

"Nero...words can't describe how I felt that day and every day since." Kyrie said. "It felt as if someone had died, that's how much I grieved for us. I lost you but it wasn't just you that I lost, it was our future." She took a moment to steady her voice and how to explain her emotions. "It was all of the days that I had thought we would have that were gone, that was what hurt the most. We were a family and then we weren't. We were going to be married, trying to have a baby and then we weren't."

Nero stood quietly glancing away guiltily every so often. Kyrie began to take in his appearance and he looked as if he had been through hell. He was thin with dark circles under his eyes and lines around his mouth. Nero almost looked older than Dante.

"You should have told me to wait. I would have waited." She said.

"Dante treat you good?" He asked bringing his gaze back to her.

"Yes." She said.

"Good." Nero said. "I love you Kyrie."

"And I love you Nero but I'm in love with Dante." She replied.

"I'm happy for you." Nero said sincerely.

"I hope that you find someone Nero. Please don't become bitter or sequester yourself off." She said.

"I won't Kyrie." He said smirking lightly. "You know something? I'm glad that you went off and found your own place in the world."

"Thank you Nero." She said walking closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Nero returned the embrace and held on tightly. It didn't last long but was enough. Kyrie had her closure.