"Hello-o." Patty called out as she opened the door for the small upstairs apartment above Devil May Cry.
"Hi Patty." Kyrie called from the left, she was in the kitchen. Patty walked in stopping in her tracks. "Wow."
The old dingy kitchen had been remodeled it seemed, new linoleum lay on the floor that resembled cobble stones. Oak cabinets lined the small wall space along with a wall oven and microwave next to it.
Patty walked over to the counter top laying her hand against the smooth granite that was made to look like marble and stared at the small breakfast table. "It's been a while since I've been up here. This is awesome."
"Oh well, when I began staying here Dante said I could do what I wanted with it so I did." She replied with a shrug. "Even though I didn't plan on living here I figured it might have prompted him to cook more when I left."
"Now there's nothing to worry about." Patty said settling down in a chair. "You're part of the team, here to stay."
"It looks like Nero is too." Kyrie replied cocking a side glance at the other woman and smirking slightly.
"Yeah...about that." She began. "Um, Kyrie, I have a question and I don't really know how to ask it."
"Okay." She said rinsing her hands from dish soap and dried them hurriedly before sitting down across from Patty.
"So it's about Nero...obviously or well maybe not, I don't know but uh, so I think I might...like him?" Patty stumbled before venturing into territory she wasn't familiar with.
"Okay." Kyrie said again encouraging her to continue.
"See I don't know if he likes me back." She brought a finger to her lips tapping it in thought. "I don't want to make an idiot of myself and say something and then have him feel bad and want to stay or say something back that he doesn't mean..."
"Nero likes you." Kyrie said once Patty had sat back further in her chair exasperated. "If he didn't like you he wouldn't have slept with you to begin with."
"Now when I say I like him I mean that I really, really like him." Patty emphasized.
"And he really, really likes you." She said with a smirk.
"How do you know?" Patty asked quietly mulling over what Kyrie said. "How can you be certain?"
"Because he used to really, really like me and all of the little things he's doing, the way he talks about you and acts towards you...just trust me...he cares about you more than a friend." She replied assuredly.
"Well, this didn't become awkward or anything." Patty said somewhat to herself.
"I didn't mean for it to be." Kyrie said giggling a little. "Sorry, I guess it just kind of is."
"Yeah no kidding." She agreed smiling a little. "Alright then, thanks for the insight and I guess I'll be seeing you. Wish me luck."
"You don't need any." Kyrie said. "He already likes you, the hard parts over."
"Thanks Kyrie." Patty said getting up and walking downstairs. Kyrie followed her soon after finding Nero lounging on one of the sofas talking about something or other with Dante.
"I don't even think my mother knows where this place is." Patty said.
"She should remember." Dante chided. "She came here a few times when you two were first reunited."
"She did?" She asked receiving a nod from the elder hunter. "Why would my mother come here?"
"Um, well just to thank me for watching out for you." He said a little to quickly.
"Thank you. More than once?" Patty questioned slowly.
"Maybe it was once, I don't know it was a long time ago now." He said defensively.
"You didn't." Nero said from the couch eying Dante suspiciously.
"Did what?" Dante quipped defensively. "Implying something kid?"
"Shut up!" Patty whispered out in disbelief. "You didn't."
"I'd really like to know what you kids are thinking because I'm kind of in the dark here." He said throwing his hands up as if he were giving up.
"That's low, even for you!" Patty yelled finding her voice again. "Let's go Nero!"
"Thanks a lot old man." Nero said sarcastically. "Now I get to listen to this for god knows how long."
"Hey Patty." Dante called out as the couple neared the door to leave causing her to turn. "Say hi to Nina for me." He winked at her making a clicking sound with his tongue.
"You suck!" She screamed opening the door wide before storming out. Dante grabbed his magazine laughing loudly and shaking his head.
"Really Dante?" Kyrie said trying not to laugh herself. "Did you really sleep with her mother?"
"No." He said between chuckles. "I just like messing with her. It's fun, especially now that Nero's around. They get each other all amped up, it's almost to easy to pick on them."
"I've noticed that you seem to enjoy torturing her." She said sitting on his desk to face him.
"I don't torture her." He replied. "I just like messing with the kids."
"So if they're kids then what does that make me?" She asked curiously. "I mean I'm younger than Patty but a year older than Nero."
"You're my honey." He said proudly with a large smile.
"Do you really think he slept with your mother?" Nero asked once Patty had seemed to calm down somewhat.
"No." She quipped annoyance clear in her tone. "He was just being an ass."
"I wouldn't put anything past the old man." He said under his breath. "Are you alright? You look distracted."
"Uh, yeah I'm fine...perfectly fine." Patty replied. "Actually Nero, there's something I wanted to ask you. Are you planning on staying with me for a while or..."
"Are you kicking me out?" He questioned turning his full attention to her as they walked.
"No, no, no!" She said quickly. "I was just curious what your long term plan was."
"Honestly I haven't really given it much thought." He stated. "I could get my own place here in the city. I think after everything that happened with Yamato and Dante's brother he wants me to stay close in case shit were to go down again."
"So you're going to stick around then?" She asked receiving a nod. "Nero I like you."
Nero stopped walking turning to face her. She appeared nervous and fidgety, he knew that feeling. "I like you too Patty."
"No I mean I really, really...oomf." In a flash Nero had wrapped his arms around her and captured her lips in a kiss. It was tender and soft, not like how they kissed during sex. It wasn't frenzied or passionate, it was nice.
"You're such a brat." Nero said when he broke the kiss. Patty blushed slightly burying her face into his shoulder. "You know you're awfully cute when you want to be."
"Yeah well, lets go devil boy." She replied straightening herself out and holding tightly onto Nero's hand as they walked down the street.