Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Morning on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day the day for lovers and those harboring secret affections to bare their hearts. For many, it’s a time for grand confessions, romantic gestures, and sweet moments. But not for everyone. For some, it’s just another day, void of significance. Take, for instance, one particular individual—no, one particular half-demon with silver hair who resides in this very city…

At the Devil May Cry office, infamous for its demon-slaying business, Dante, the proprietor, was sprawled across his favorite chair, a magazine featuring scantily clad actresses draped over his face. His desk was a chaotic mess of documents, unpaid utility bills, credit card statements, empty pizza boxes, and drained glass bottles. The soft whirring of the ceiling fan combined with the occasional creak of old machinery filled the office with a quiet, almost melancholic atmosphere. It was a stark contrast to the bustling excitement of Valentine’s Day outside.

That is, until the office door swung open.

The newcomer was an older man dressed in a familiar dark purple velvet hat and a well-worn suit—Morrison. The sharp scent of his cigar smoke wafted through the air, tickling Dante’s nose and eliciting a sigh of exasperation.

“It’s Valentine’s Day, Morrison,” Dante grumbled from beneath the magazine, his voice tinged with irritation. “Nobody works on Valentine’s Day. You know that, right?” Despite his complaint, the devil hunter remained motionless, refusing to stir from his relaxed position.

Morrison chuckled, leaning on his cane as he stood at the edge of Dante’s cluttered desk. “You’ve skipped out on three jobs already, Dante,” he replied with an amused smirk. “And let’s be honest—Valentine’s Day ain’t exactly your day, is it? Don’t give me that excuse, kid.”

Dante groaned louder, finally pulling the magazine away from his face. He sat up in his chair, giving Morrison an annoyed side-eye. Clearly, the old man wasn’t leaving without getting what he came for.

“Fine, fine. Stop nagging me, old man. What’s the deal this time? Let me guess—some demon Cupid running around shooting love-struck idiots?”

“If it were just a demon Cupid, I’d have handed it off to one of the other hungry hunters in Redgrave,” Morrison said, flicking the ash from his cigar. “But this job—oh, you’re going to want to hear this one, Dante. It’s… different. Especially with how topsy-turvy the whole ‘romantic’ aspect of it is. You’re the best fit for it.”

Dante raised an eyebrow. “Romantic? You think I’m the right guy for something romantic? Seriously?” He let out a laugh, dripping with disbelief.

“Trust me,” Morrison replied with a sly grin. “Hear the details first, and you’ll understand why.”

****

Dante, arms crossed, stood beside the broker, exuding a sense of readiness for the mission. Both men waited for her response.

"The pay is pretty decent. So, are you taking the job?" Morrison prompted.

“You’re saying this demon is trying to use rose pollen to make people hate each other, even to the point of killing their loved ones? Especially if those people are in love or romantically involved?” she questioned.

Morrison nodded.  “Exactly. The pollen corrupts their emotions, turning love into rage. Their eyes turn crimson, and they start acting violently, not just toward their partners but even their own families. The unaffected are usually those who aren’t in love or don’t care about anyone romantically one of the reasons I picked you and Dante.”

Lady fell silent, clearly weighing the situation. Seeing her hesitation, Dante couldn’t help but tease.

“What’s the holdup? You never shy away from jobs with high pay and low risk, Lady. But if you don’t want in, that’s fine. More cash for me”

She shot him a glance, unamused.

Idiot.

Ignoring his taunts, she turned back to Morrison. “Are you sure there’s no one else you could send?”

Morrison shook his head. "Trish is out of town and won’t be back for another two weeks. We can’t afford to wait that long. As for Nero, the kid’s got a girlfriend, doesn’t he? If he gets hit by the pollen and goes back to Fortuna, it’ll be a disaster waiting to happen. Better not take that risk. Besides, other hunters aren’t exactly skilled at dealing with curses like this." Morrison paused, a sudden thought crossing his mind. “Unless you’re hesitating because you’ve got som—”

"No," Lady interrupted quickly, knowing exactly where he was going with that. "Fine, I’ll take the job. Happy?"

"Valenstine’s power and his roses’ pollen are strongest at midnight. My sources say he’s hiding on the outskirts of Redgrave’s eastern district. The exact location is unclear, but it shouldn’t be beyond your capabilities to find him." Morrison nodded, satisfied. "Alright, good luck to you both. You know where to collect your payment once it’s done." He adjusted his hat, bid them farewell, and left. Dante watched him walk away before turning to Lady, still in her casual outfit.

"Like Morrison said, we should wrap this fairy-tale-gone-wrong mission up quickly before the café girls breathe in the pollen and come after me with pitchforks, Lady," he quipped with a chuckle.

Lady shook her head in exasperation at his unchanging ego. "If they really managed to kill you, I’d be grateful," she muttered. "Give me ten minutes to get ready. And you," she said, raising a hand to stop Dante as he tried to follow her into the room, "wait here."

"Seriously? But I’m thirsty, Lady!" he whined as she slammed the door shut. "This isn’t fair! You crash at my place like it’s your own house, but I can’t even step inside yours?"

****

Ten minutes later, Dante was lounging lazily at the base of the stairs leading to Lady's room, propping his chin on his hand with a bored expression.

Finally, the door creaked open. "Alright, let's go, Dante," said the dark-haired huntress, stepping out in her demon-hunting gear, Kalina Ann slung confidently over her shoulder.

Dante rose to his feet, spinning around to face the petite yet deceptively strong woman. Her white jacket and the rocket launcher perched on her shoulder had become so synonymous with her image that Dante rarely pictured her in anything else. Casual clothes or the skimpy outfits gracing the pages of his magazine collection? Practically unheard of.

But this time, something new caught his eye, making him arch a brow. "What's with that?" he asked, pointing at the black mask covering her face.

“It’s for protecting myself from the pollen of the demon roses,” she replied flatly.

“And why do you even need that?” Dante snickered. "It’s not like you’ve got a boyfriend or are swooning over someone.”

Lady cleared her throat. "I’ve just been... allergic to pollen lately."

"Allergic to pollen?" Dante crossed his arms, suspicion creeping into his tone. "Didn’t you once tell me you liked flowers? What’s with the sudden allergy? Or...are you hiding something from me and Morrison?"

"There’s nothing to hide," she said, dismissing him as she shoved a water bottle into his hand. "Here’s your water. Drink up so we can get moving."

Dante shrugged, deciding to drop it for now. She wasn’t going to spill the truth anytime soon. "So, where are we starting?" he asked, twisting the bottle cap off and downing the water in a single gulp before tossing the empty bottle into a trash can nearby."I noticed some of those creepy demon roses popping up around the buildings on my way here. Luckily, the pollen hasn’t spread much yet."

"Morrison said the source is in the eastern outskirts. There’s a dirt road leading to a small village out there. We’ll start there," Lady explained.

"Then we’re taking your bike," Dante announced, snatching her motorcycle keys. "Come on, I’ll drive. No way I’m sitting behind a lady!" Grinning, he strolled over to her cherry-red bike parked beside the rental room.

Lady sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose."Don’t tell me your bike’s broken again."

"Bingo." He grinned unapologetically, straddling her bike and revving the engine. "Don’t worry, I promise not to wreck your baby this time. Now hop on!"

Lady sighed in exasperation but couldn’t hide a smirk as she climbed on behind him. "You better not, Dante. I mean it." her arms instinctively tightening around his waist as he gunned the engine, sending them speeding toward their destination.

This is going to be a long night.

****

As the sun dipped below the horizon on Valentine’s Day, the streets of Redgrave City bustled with couples. Florists thrived, and restaurants brimmed with lovers young and old alike celebrating the day of affection. There were even pockets of singles throwing anti-Valentine’s parties here and there, but the city's joy was palpable.

Yet, that joy was not shared by the infamous demon hunters of Devil May Cry. For Dante and Lady, their Valentine’s evening was dedicated not to love, but to a mission-one that could save the very happiness of Redgrave’s citizens.

A nameless village on the outskirts of Eastern Redgrave

At last, The silver-haired devil hunter and his sharp-eyed, heterochromatic partner arrived at their first destination. The once-pristine racing bike they rode in was now coated in a thick layer of dusty brown grime. Removing their goggles, the pair stepped out to face the grim scene awaiting them.

“Damn… Looks like the demons just had themselves a buffet,” Dante muttered, his voice tinged with grim resignation.

The village was awash in crimson. Blood soaked the streets, and a fine red mist hung in the air, drifting from monstrous thorned roses that grew unchecked across rooftops, streets, and even the sewer grates. The unnatural flowers seemed to mock the once-peaceful homes they now consumed.

“The pollen from these demonic roses,” Lady murmured, adjusting her mask to fit more snugly over her face, “that’s what’s driving the villagers mad. They really did start killing each other, just like Morrison said.” She drew her pistol, the weight of it familiar in her grip, as she and Dante cautiously ventured into the heart of the village. Amidst the sea of lifeless bodies—dozens, maybe more—the eerie silence was broken only by their footsteps. The stench of fresh blood, mingled with the sickly-sweet scent of the demonic pollen, hung heavy in the air. Even through her mask, Lady felt her stomach churn.

“Guess they went berserk, used anything they could grab to turn on each other. Brutal.” Dante rubbed the bridge of his nose, his senses overwhelmed by the nauseating cocktail of scents. Then, faint and barely audible, his ears caught a sound—a child’s frightened sobs coming from a nearby house.

“There’s a kid,” he whispered to Lady, gesturing toward the source of the sound. Without hesitation, he motioned for her to follow him as he headed for the house.

Dante reached the door and slammed it open with practiced force. Lady, ever-alert, had her gun at the ready. Inside, a disheveled blond boy with freckled cheeks clutched a baby girl tightly in his arms. Both children were dirty and tear-streaked, the boy’s face smeared with blood and grime. His wide, terrified eyes darted toward the intruders.

“Stay back! Don’t come any closer! Demons! You’re demons!” he cried out, his voice trembling as he called desperately for his parents. “Mom! Dad!”

“Whoa, easy there, buddy!” Dante raised his hands in a gesture of peace. “Relax, we’re not here to hurt you. We’re demon hunters.”

“Demon hunters?” The boy’s voice wavered with a fragile hope. “Then… can you help my mom and dad?”

Lady crouched down, softening her voice as she met the boy’s gaze. “Can you tell us what happened here?”

The boy hesitated, glancing between Lady and Dante, before taking a deep breath. “Three days ago, these strange roses started growing in front of our house... and everyone else’s too. They grew really fast, and their smell… it was so nice. Everyone loved it.”

He paused, swallowing hard. “But today… today they started spraying red stuff everywhere. And then… everyone’s eyes turned red. They all went crazy and started fighting.”

Dante and Lady exchanged a knowing look as the boy continued. “Even my mom and dad… they started yelling at each other. On Valentine’s Day, of all days!” His voice cracked, but he tightened his grip on the baby in his arms.“I grabbed my sister and hid inside. I peeked out the window... everyone was like monsters, hurting each other. Even Mom and Dad…” Tears streamed down his face as the weight of his words overwhelmed him, and Lady instinctively pulled him into a comforting embrace. “It’s okay. You’re safe now, both of you,” she assured him, her voice gentle. Then she turned to Dante. “Dante, you said the roses have started appearing in the city too, right?”

Dante scratched his head, sighing. “Yeah, looks like we’ve got a big mess on our hands. We need to call Morrison.”

****

After a quick phone call using the boy’s landline, Dante relayed the news. “Morrison’s on it." he said after ending the call. "He’ll get the authorities to quarantine the areas with these damn flowers. As for this village…” He sighed, his gaze heavy with the weight of the scene outside. “They’ll send a cleanup crew at dawn. Our priority now is finding that bastard Valenstine and putting it down for good. Once we do that, everything should go back to normal.”

Lady nodded before speaking to the boy, “We have to go stop the demon behind all this before those roses poison the people in Red Grave just like they did here.” The two-toned-eyed huntress stroked the heads of the boy and the baby gently. “Stay here with your sister. Keep quiet and don’t go outside. We’ll be back soon, okay?”

The boy’s freckled face tightened with worry. “But… what about my Mom and Dad?”

Dante and Lady locked eyes. After a moment, Dante said carefully, “We’ll do our best to find them. But, kid… I can’t promise they’re still alive.”

The freckled boy lowered his head, trying to steel himself. “If… if they really are gone, then please—kill that demon for me… for all of us.” He lifted his gaze to Dante, his eyes filled with sorrow but laced with a glimmer of vengeance. Dante could feel it.

A smirk crept onto Dante’s face. “If it’s about that, leave it to me, kid.”

After promising the heartbroken boy, Dante and Lady prepared to set out on their mission to track down and eliminate the vile demon, Valenstine, once and for all.

Suddenly, Dante halted mid-step near the exit. “....” His piercing blue eyes locked onto the door with a seriousness that made Lady uneasy. He summoned the Devil Sword Dante into his hand, ready for a fight.

“Dante? What’s wrong?” Lady asked, feeling the oppressive aura radiating from him.

“The bastard’s here,” he growled before throwing the door open. Outside, darkness greeted them, and Lady’s eyes widened at the sight. Thorny vines now covered everything—the ground, the walls, and the rooftops. The crimson roses seemed even more vivid than before, as though they had been nourished by the blood of the village’s victims.

"What the hell…?" Lady muttered, pulling out Kalina Ann, her rocket launcher ready for action.

“A red carpet just for us.” Dante sneered. “What do you think, Lady? Is this demon trying to woo us?”

"Quit the nonsense, Dante!" Lady snapped, her expression hardened. “Where is this demon, anyway?”

"Right in front of you," Dante said, pointing with his sword at the writhing vines. "This thing's already swallowed the entire village." He drove the Devil Sword Dante into a nearby vine with force, and a piercing, inhuman scream echoed through the air. The ground trembled, and Lady clutched her ears as the thorny vines lashed violently, whipping like serpents. The vines began pulling in the scattered corpses, wrapping them tightly into massive, egg-like pods bristling with sharp thorns. Blood seeped from the grotesque pods as they twisted and transformed into a towering humanoid figure.

Chapter Text

The huntress with mismatched eyes was locked in a fierce battle, fending off waves of Valenstein's rose minions. There were too many, pressing in from all sides. Wherever she turned, the air was thick with floating crimson pollen, obscuring her vision. She could barely make out her half-demon companion, who was locked in a struggle with massive tree roots. These roots, resembling the monstrous arms of Valenstein himself, were conjured to crush Dante into nothingness.

"Damn it…!” Lady cursed under her breath. Her gun was almost out of ammo. She made a snap decision—thankfully, she hadn’t forgotten to bring other weapons. Quickly pulling a few grenades from the holster on her hip, she yanked the pins and hurled them into the demon horde. In an instant, explosions rang out, shaking the air. The blast tore the minions apart—some were reduced to smoldering ash, while others were flung in all directions.

Seizing the opportunity, Lady fired the bayonet from Kalina Ann, embedding it into the wall of a distant building. Using the cable as a zipline, she swung onto the rooftop, finally escaping the choking cloud of crimson pollen. She exhaled deeply, relief washing over her.

“Dante!” she called out to the crimson-clad demon hunter. “These things might be demonic, but they’re just overgrown weeds! Fire is the key to taking them down!”

Dante, currently sprinting along the length of one of Valenstein’s massive roots, dodged another sweeping attack. Using his Devil Sword Dante as leverage, he propelled himself out of harm’s way with practiced ease.

“Yeah, I got that part, Lady,” he shouted back, his voice tinged with exasperation. He landed on an unstable stone platform, eyeing the sprawling roots below. “On top of that, this bastard’s rooted itself deep underground. The only way to get rid of it is to burn this whole damn village!” Another vine lashed out toward him, and Dante swung his blade, cleaving it in two. “Problem is, I didn’t bring Cerberus with me!” he added, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and reckless glee. “But don’t worry—I’ve got a plan!”

Lady grimaced as she noticed a new wave of smaller rose demons scaling the building she stood on, their bladed limbs glinting in the dim light. “Enough talk, Dante. What’s the plan?” she barked, switching to her shotgun and blasting a few climbers off the ledge.

Dante’s laughter carried over the battlefield. “Still all business after twenty years, huh? Alright, here’s the deal: you grab those kids hiding in that house and get them out of here. I’ll handle the big guy.”

Lady glanced at the house he mentioned. It wasn’t far, but reaching it would require her to swing through another gauntlet of enemies.

Before she could respond, Valenstein’s icy, mocking voice cut through the air. “If you mean the filthy little brats hiding in that house,” it sneered, “I’m afraid you’re too late.”

The ground trembled violently, and with a deafening crack, massive roots erupted from the earth, lifting the house skyward. Thorns and blood-red roses enveloped it, creating a menacing cage around the terrified children inside. Their screams echoed across the battlefield.

“You burn me,” Valenstein taunted, “they die with me.”

Lady’s eyes widened in horror. She looked up and saw the boy and a baby in his arms peering out of a window, their eyes pleading with her for help. the blond-haired boy cried out desperately.

“Big sister!” the blond boy called out.

“You bastard…” Lady gritted her teeth. She had to do something, or those two wouldn’t make it—if they didn’t burn to death, they’d be strangled by those thorny vines instead. “Hold on! I’ll get you out of there—”

“Lady! Behind you!” Dante’s voice boomed as he shouted to warn his raven-haired friend. She was caught off guard as a slimy green thorned vine lashed around her leg, yanking her into the air upside-down. Suspended high above the ground, Lady looked down to see a sea of rose minions swarming below her.

“Hey, Lady! You alright?” Dante called, his tone wavering between concern and amusement.

“What do you think, genius?” she snapped back, pulling a knife from her thigh holster to cut herself free. “Don’t worry about me! Save the kids!”

Taking her command to heart, Dante darted toward the massive vine encasing the house. Moving with inhuman speed, he dodged Valenstein’s relentless attacks, slicing through smaller vines with his sword as he climbed. Reaching the house, he slammed the blade into the thorn-covered door, tearing it open. Inside, he found the boy and the baby, their small forms huddled amidst a writhing sea of vines.

“Stay still!” Dante ordered as he hacked through the vegetation, finally reaching the children. Scooping them both into his arms, he reassured them with a smirk. “Hold on tight. We’re getting out of here.”

With a mighty leap, Dante slashed through the roof, creating an exit. Launching himself into the air, he landed outside the village, setting the children down near Lady’s bike. “Stay here and keep your sister safe. It’ll all be over soon,” he reassured the boy, who nodded bravely.

Dante wasted no time, dashing back into the battlefield. When he returned, he was relieved to find Lady standing amidst the burning remains of Valenstein’s minions. The ground was littered with ash, but the air was still thick with red pollen and gunpowder, creating an acrid stench that made Dante wrinkle his nose.

“Looks like Valenstein got a taste of your Kalina Ann,” he remarked, smirking as he approached her.

Lady wiped sweat from her brow. “Don’t let your guard down. That bastard’s still out there, waiting to ambush us.”

Dante’s sharp blue eyes caught something unusual—her pollen mask, torn and discarded on the ground. “Hey… your mask. It’s ripped.”

Lady froze, her hand instinctively flying to her face. The moment she realized Dante was right, panic twisted her expression. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath, piecing together what must have happened—probably when one of Valenstein’s thorny vines snagged her during the fight. The thought hit her like a punch to the gut. Had she inhaled the pollen? Were her eyes already changing? Would Dante notice?

Her breathing quickened as she stepped back from him, turning her head away in a futile attempt to shield herself from his gaze.

“Whoa, what’s up with you?” Dante tilted his head, arms crossing in bemused curiosity. “You’re acting weirder than usual. Spill it what’s going on?”

Lady stayed silent, avoiding eye contact as much as possible. Her silence only deepened his suspicion. Dante stepped closer, reaching out to grab her wrist before she could retreat any farther. “Hold on a second. Don’t walk away. What’s wrong?” His sharp gaze bore into her, searching for answers.

And then he saw it.

Her eyes—those familiar, beautiful mismatched eyes he had known for decades—were changing. The colors he knew so well were now tainted with an ominous blood-red hue. He hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “Lady… your eyes. They’ve turned red.”

Lady wrenched her arm free from his grip, backing away even farther. “I shouldn’t have taken this job,” she muttered through clenched teeth, her voice cracking under the weight of regret. “I knew it was a mistake.”

Dante frowned, his tone growing sharper. “So you knew these pollen could mess you up, but you didn’t bother telling anyone? Not me, not Morrison? What else are you hiding, huh? Because this feels way bigger than some stupid demon spores.”

Before Lady could snap back, a massive vine shot between them, forcing them to leap in opposite directions. Lady rolled smoothly across the ground, landing on her feet in an instant, while Dante sliced the vine clean in half with a single swing of his sword.

Valenstein’s cold laughter echoed across the battlefield, filling the air with malice. “I must say, I’m impressed. To think a mere human could resist my pollen for so long without succumbing to madness. Truly remarkable,” he taunted. His gaze shifted to Dante. “And you, half-demon. Are you enjoying the show? Watching her battle my pollens—and herself?”

Dante gritted his teeth, ignoring the demon’s taunts. Instead, he turned to Lady, shouting over the chaos. “This conversation isn’t over! You hear me, Lady? I’m not letting this go!” He sidestepped another attack, his voice rising with frustration. “Your eyes, these spores—whatever it is you’re hiding, just say it! Stop dancing around it and tell me!”

Lady’s grip on her Kalina Ann tightened. Her hand trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the overwhelming frustration that threatened to bubble over. She wanted to yell at him to shut up, to let it go, to pretend none of this was happening. But no words came out. Instead, she did the only thing she could think of—she drew her knife and slashed a deep cut across her left forearm.

The sharp pain pulled her mind back to reality, grounding her against the invasive pull of the demon pollen. The blood flowed freely, staining her arm and dripping onto the ground.

Dante froze mid-motion when he saw what she had done. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Keeping myself together,” she snapped through gritted teeth, her voice taut with pain. She fired Kalina Ann into a cluster of rose demons, obliterating them in a fiery explosion. “And if you don’t shut up, you’ll be next.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” Dante muttered, parrying another vine attack. “But threatening me doesn’t explain why you’re acting so damn weird. Or why you won’t just admit you’ve been keeping secrets. Maybe it’s because—oh, I don’t know—you're in love with someone?”

Lady’s patience snapped like a taut wire. “Love?!” she shouted, turning to face him with a glare sharp enough to cut. “What the hell are you talking about, Dante? I’ve been stuck with you for twenty damn years! You really think I’d have time for someone else? Use that thick skull of yours for once!”

The words hit Dante like a freight train. He froze, his brain struggling to process what she had just said. “Wait… you mean… me?”

Lady fired another rocket, her actions as forceful as her words. "You’re supposed to be a demon hunter, but you’re blind as hell when it comes to anything outside of the weapons in your hands! Just like Trish said!"

Lady’s words lingered in Dante’s mind, connecting fragments of memories like scattered puzzle pieces finally finding their place. Twenty years of shared missions, arguments, laughter, and those quiet nights at the bar when words weren’t needed, and their understanding of each other ran deep.

“Dante, you’re such an idiot,” Trish had once said, her voice tinged with amusement.

“Lady’s not like me. I don't need to use money as an excuse just to see you.” At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it. But now, it made perfect sense.

“Since when?” Dante asked, his voice softer than before, as he slashed through a wave of demonic minions. “Since when have you… you know, felt like this? About me?”

Lady growled under her breath, partly out of frustration with herself and partly to suppress the vulnerability rising within her. She swung Kalina Ann with wild ferocity, slicing through another vine. Her movements had become primal, almost feral—a side effect of the pollens coursing through her. “How the hell should I know? One day, I just woke up and realized I couldn’t leave your stupid, trashy shop behind! Pathetic, isn’t it?”

Dante couldn’t help but smirk, a small, unconscious quirk of his lips. “You could’ve just told me, you know.”

“Told you?” Lady let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head as she dodged another attack. “Yeah, right. Like that wouldn’t have destroyed everything we’ve built over the years. Great idea, Dante!”

He ducked as another vine lashed out at him, his mind racing faster than his reflexes. It wasn’t as though confessions were new to him. He recalled Lucia, the fiery demoness who had wanted him to return her feelings so badly her grandmother had begged on her behalf. But Lady was different. She had stood by him for years without asking for anything in return, burying her feelings so deeply that they had become her best-kept secret. And now, thanks to Valenstein’s cursed pollen, that secret had been dragged into the light.

“You didn’t have to keep it to yourself,” Dante said again, his tone gentler this time, nearly drowned out by the chaos around them.

Lady clenched her teeth, her patience snapping. “Keeping it to myself is better than ruining everything we’ve built together, isn’t it?” she snapped, firing Kalina Ann at the demons advancing toward her. Her voice was sharp, cutting, and resolute.

Dante deflected another round of thorny vines, his mind just as turbulent as the battle. He wanted to say something—anything—but what could he say? No one had ever laid their feelings bare to him like this. Not like this.

“Listen,” Lady said, her voice strained but steady as she pulled the trigger again. Her breaths were labored, a testament to the effort it took to fight both the demons and the spores trying to overtake her. “You don’t need to worry. I never expected you to feel the same way. Not once.” She paused, her voice softening, almost breaking. “And after this job… I’m leaving. I’ll go somewhere far away from Redgrave, from Devil May Cry.”

Dante froze for a moment, her words cutting deeper than any of Valenstein’s vines. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice tinged with anger. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“This is the best solution for both of us, Dante. Trust me,” she said, her tone firm despite the crack in her heart. “You’ll be better off without me hanging around your life, and I can stop pretending that I don’t feel anything for you.”

The thought of Lady disappearing—leaving his life entirely—twisted something deep inside Dante. He had taken her presence for granted, never questioning how integral she had become. The idea of her being gone felt… wrong.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, slashing through another wave of vines. “If you think I’m just going to let you walk away like that… you’re crazier than I thought.”

Lady rolled her eyes, her frustration flaring. “This is my decision, Dante. You don’t get to stop me!”

“Are you sure about that?” Dante retorted, his voice softer but no less determined. The smirk on his face hadn’t faded. “You’ve been stuck with me and my shop for twenty years. What makes you think I’m going to let you go that easily now?”

Lady stared at him, her chest tightening with a mix of anger, exhaustion, and something else she didn’t want to name. "You don’t get it, do you?” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re why I have to go. Staying here, staying with you like this—it’s hurts too damn much.”

Her words hit him harder than any blade or bullet. Dante could only stare at her, his mind racing, his heart heavy. She had carried this burden alone for so long, and now, for the first time, it was out in the open, raw and painful.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his voice steady, resolute. “I don’t care how messy or painful it gets you’re not leaving, Lady. Not like this.”

Her eyes widened, emotions flickering across her face hope, fear, and something else she couldn’t name. “Dante, you—”

“I mean it,” he interrupted, cutting down a vine with a precise swing. Valenstein roared in the background, seemingly forgotten for a moment. “If you want to leave, you’ll have to fight me first.”

To be Continued.

Chapter Text

“I don’t see why you two should bother arguing over this,” the rose demon scoffed, its tone laced with boredom at the melodrama unfolding before it. “That human woman will disappear from your life soon enough.”

With a sneer, Valenstein lashed out, sending a barrage of thorny vines hurtling toward the dark-haired woman, aiming to end Lady’s life in an instant. She should have been able to dodge with ease—her reflexes were second to none. But suddenly, her entire body shuddered violently. Her heartbeat stuttered out of rhythm, and her crimson eyes blurred. A sharp, searing pain pierced through her chest as if a thousand needles had impaled her heart.

Before the vines could tear her apart, Dante moved in a flash, yanking her out of harm’s way just in time. Without breaking stride, he kicked off a demon’s head, leaping over the remaining creatures and landing on the rooftop of a still-intact house. The moment he set her down, his concern flared into frustration.

“What the hell was that, Lady? Just standing there waiting to get shredded—are you out of your damn mind?!”

But his scolding cut short as Lady suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, the crimson liquid staining her trembling hands.

“Fuck…” Dante cursed under his breath. His sharp eyes caught the eerie green veins bulging around her eyes, creeping down her pale cheeks. A sickening realization struck him, and without hesitation, he grabbed her blood-stained white shirt, pulling the collar down just enough to confirm his fears.

His breath hitched. The venom was spreading—fast.

“That bastard’s got some tricks up his sleeve…”

It was clear now. Lady had been poisoned by Valenstein’s pollen. That damn rose demon wasn’t content with simply using humans as mindless puppets to kill one another. No, its pollen was a deadly toxin, a venom that could claim a victim’s life within mere hours. And midnight was the deadline.

"I told you, she’ll be gone from your side, just as she wished," Valenstein taunted. "Isn’t that what she wanted all along?"

Lady convulsed as another violent cough wracked her body. Dante caught her before she could collapse, his grip firm yet careful. The poison had likely already reached her lungs, creeping toward her heart.

Even now, she still had the strength to push against him weakly, wiping blood from her lips. Sweat beaded along her forehead and neck.

"I just… let my guard down for a second," she muttered, voice strained. "Let me go."

Her crimson eyes locked onto his ice-blue ones, unwavering despite the pain. Dante had always known Lady to be razor-sharp, hot-headed, and one of the toughest humans he had ever met. She had fought demons just as fiercely as he had—perhaps even more so, given that she lacked the supernatural advantages he possessed. Her body bore the scars of every battle she had waged, but to her, those wounds were nothing. A trivial price for saving innocent lives.

This was still the same Lady he had met in Temen-ni-gru—The same fierce woman who never asked for sympathy from anyone.

And that damn attitude of hers never failed to piss him off.

Dante exhaled sharply, gripping her shoulders and forcing her to sit back down, keeping her from making another reckless move. “Listen, Lady, we’ve got unfinished business,” he said firmly. “You can yell at me all you want later, but if you move around any more, that poison’s gonna hit your heart even faster. And I’m not about to let you drop dead over some fairy-tale reject.”

His voice softened—just slightly—as he brushed the blood from her cheek with surprising gentleness.

“Besides… I don’t really want you to see what I’m about to do next.”

His voice turned cold as he straightened, turning away from her. Lady blinked up at him, momentarily confused. What the hell was he planning now?

“You understand me, don’t you?”

For the briefest moment, she could have sworn his eyes flashed crimson. Or maybe she was just seeing things.

But that didn’t matter. What mattered was the way he stood there, exuding an unmistakable intensity—dead serious, furious, and absolutely determined.

Seeing that she wasn’t about to argue back, he smirked, satisfied. Then, summoning his devil sword into his grip, he swung it downward with devastating force. The sheer power of the attack split the ground apart, reducing the remaining demon minions and thorned vines to dust in an instant.

Resting his sword against his shoulder, he glanced back at her. "Stay put. I’ll be back. Don’t even think about running off."

And with that, he leapt back into battle.

Lady watched him go, shaking her head. "Stubborn bastard…" she muttered before her body finally gave out, collapsing into unconsciousness.

Dante landed with a heavy thud, facing Valenstein once more. But this time, something had changed.

The air around him felt different.

The rose demon cocked its head, intrigued.

“Oh? Something’s shifted in you, son of Sparda.” Its lips curled into a smirk. “What, are you heartbroken? Watching that pathetic human woman wither away because she fell for a worthless half-breed like you?”

It laughed mockingly, but Dante didn’t react.

His face was void of expression.

Silent.

Unwavering.

And before Valenstein could utter another word—

Dante had already closed the distance. His sword thrust forward like a spear, aiming straight for that wide, mocking mouth.

A guttural scream tore through the air as Dante’s blade impaled its maw. Valentinstein flailed, its vine-like limbs lashing out wildly in an attempt to shake him off. But Dante held firm. With a brutal twist, he ripped its jaw apart before kicking himself free.

A crimson spray burst from the demon’s gaping mouth. Valenstein howled in agony, staggering backward, thorned tendrils flailing wildly in its desperate attempt to regain control.

Dante landed lightly, rolling his shoulder before flicking the demon’s blood off his blade. His ice-blue eyes burned with fury. The usual cocky smirk that never left his face... was gone.

This wasn’t a fight for sport.

This wasn’t just another job.

This was personal.

"You’re not laughing now, are you?"  The silver-haired devil hunter pointed his sword at the demon, his lips curling slightly, though his voice was as cold as steel. "My bad, went a little overboard. Guess I messed up that big mouth of yours, huh?"

"You…!" Valenstein’s gaze burned with fury. Even with its mangled mouth, the plant-based demon's regenerative abilities were remarkable—vines slowly crept over its wounds, stitching its flesh back together.

"Tch. A mere heirloom from your daddy won’t be enough to kill me, boy."

"Yeah, I figured." Dante smirked. "That’s why I made sure she stayed far away from our little dance." He hoisted his massive sword, the very sword Valenstein had mocked. "Because I’m gonna need a hell of a lot of space to take down both you and this whole rotten mess."

With that, Dante drew in a deep breath—then, without hesitation, plunged his demonic sword straight into his own chest, piercing his heart.

Damn it. He hated doing this.

Because every time he transformed, the pain was absolute hell.

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted.It was heavy. Suffocating. Terrifying.
Any normal human would’ve collapsed under the sheer weight of the overwhelming presence.

But Dante had no reason to hold back here. There was no one else around only him and the bastard who took pleasure in hurting people. Who had hurt Lady...

Debris and rubble scattered across the ground began levitating, caught in the immense crimson pressure surging around him. The energy pulsed, growing denser before finally dissipating—revealing a towering, armored form, scales of black and crimson gleaming, molten gold energy coursing through its veins like fiery lava.

Black wings, vast as those of a colossal dragon, unfurled from his back. With a single beat of those monstrous wings, the sheer force of the wind nearly sent the remaining structures around him crashing down. His face now purely demonic bore razor-sharp teeth lined like jagged spikes, twin ominous horns curving from his skull.

This was Sin Devil Trigger.

The ultimate demonic form Dante had awakened not long ago. And honestly, he had never wanted to use this form again, not even once. No matter how cornered he got, this was a form he never wanted anyone to witness. But Valenstein, that bastard demon, was one of the few that made Dante truly lose his temper. And now he would be forced to use this hidden form to deal with it, to get back at it for daring to mess with him and make Lady... bleed like that.

"You... You can take on a full demon form?" Valenstein gawked at Dante’s towering shadow."Of course, you must be able to transform. Your father's blood runs strong." It laughed, raising its enormous root-like arm. Slowly, its limb morphed, transforming into a long, glistening blade, sharp as death itself.

"Alright then, kid. Let’s see what you’ve got." It sneered at Dante’s monstrous form.

"....."

Dante exhaled, a plume of scalding steam escaping his maw, drifting into the air. He spun his demonic sword in slow, deliberate circles, shifting into a firm stance before launching forward with a speed that shattered the sound barrier.

The clash of their weapons sent a shockwave through the air, the sheer force shaking the ground beneath them.

Dante remembered well this bastard was a plant-type demon. Its bark-like armor was tougher than stone, stronger than steel. But plants burned.

No matter how many times he severed its limbs, the damn thing could regenerate endlessly.

"That’s all your fancy demon form can do? What a disappointment."

Their swords locked in a deadly struggle.

Valenstein scowled as he saw the corners of Dante’s mouth curl into a chilling, inhuman grin. A low, guttural laugh rumbled from his throat—dark, menacing, and utterly unnerving.

"What the hell are you laughing at? Have you lost your mind?"

But Dante didn’t respond. Instead, he twisted his sword, forcing the demon’s arm wide before driving his knee into its gut.

The impact sent a tremor through Valenstein’s entire body, its wooden frame groaning under the force. Dante followed up instantly—his clawed hand seizing the demon’s twisted face before slamming it down into the cracked pavement below.

The ground shattered. Fury twisted through Valenstein as he let out a monstrous growl.

How dare this half-breed humiliate him like this?

With a snarl, thorned vines lashed out from his body, whipping toward Dante in an attempt to bind him. But the instant they reached for him—

He vanished.

Vanished from sight.

Valenstein’s glowing eyes darted upward just in time to see Dante hovering above, his black wings spread wide, his golden gaze gleaming with pure, predatory amusement.

A devil’s gaze.

Dante tightened his grip on his demonic sword. Then

He dove.

Like a blazing meteor crashing down from the heavens, he descended his Devil Sword Dante aimed straight for Valenstein’s chest.

BOOM!

The impact sent tremors through the earth, carving out a massive crater beneath them. Beneath the cracked, broken ground, tangled roots and thorned vines lay exposed Valenstein’s desperate attempt to keep himself anchored, to drain the village below.

But it was futile.

Slowly, The thick bark, like the demon’s supreme armor, began to crack and shatter from the force.

Breaking.

"Looks like you're finally starting to feel the pain," Dante’s demonic voice was deep and raspy, yet laced with amusement. He planted his demonic boot firmly against Valenstein’s gut, pressing down as the demon struggled to rise. "I gotta admit, plant-type demons like you sure know how to take a beating." He leaned in harder, making Valenstein let out a pained groan.

"You can't kill me," Valenstein rasped, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Even if you pierce my heart, that alone won't erase me. No matter how many times you cut me down, I will always return."

A low, sinister chuckle escaped him. "The seeds I have sown in Red Grave, your precious human city will be my new home. You will never be rid of me, half-demon."

Dante bent forward, his golden eyes glowing with demonic power, locking onto the grotesque face of the cunning rose demon. "Yeah, I've heard that a lot already, but listen, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too," Dante said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Without warning, his demonic claws shot out, gripping tightly around Valenstein's neck, lifting him off the ground.

Valenstein's smugness wavered for the first time as Dante’s aura shifted. The air around them grew heavy—crushing, suffocating. A deep, unnatural pull formed at the center of the crater, distorting reality itself. "What... what are you doing?" eyeing Dante's intimidating posture. This guy didn't even look like a half-demon. No, he looked far too much like a full demon. The heavy aura emanating from Dante's demonic form was nearly...

It was almost like Sparda’s. No doubt about it.

Dante showing his fangs, then raised his sword. A raw, wild demonic power surged, cracking and exploding with violent energy, a wave of immense power radiating from the center of the crater, spiraling outward.

Dante activated Demolition.

A spiraling vortex of darkness erupted from the Devil Sword Dante, expanding outward like the maw of an abyssal beast. The pull was inescapable. Valenstein's body convulsed as the force ripped through him from the inside out. His bark-like flesh cracked apart, petals, thorns, and vines fracturing into dust.

"You...damn you bastard!" Valenstein screamed, his voice sharp and sickening as his entire form was torn apart. The roots that had deeply anchored him beneath the village, his final lifeline, were sucked down into the depths of Hell, torn apart before it could expand any further.

"Game over, Valenstein. Hope you enjoy your next life as a potted plant."

With one final, violent tremor, the demon was erased completely. Not even a trace remained—not a single petal, not a single floating speck of pollen. Just silence. And the distant echo of a night that would soon be forgotten.

The battle was over.

As the fight ended, Dante let the Sin Devil Trigger fade, reverting to his human form. He dropped to one knee, exhaling heavily as exhaustion hit him. His human body wasn’t built to handle that kind of power for long. He shook his head, trying to shake off the fatigue. “Damn… guess I’m too old to be pulling that off.” He grumbled, rolling his shoulders and dusting off his coat. Then he remembered—

Lady.

“Shit.”

He glanced at the sky. Midnight was creeping closer. Hopefully, he wasn’t too late.

When Dante arrived at the spot where he had last left the raven-haired woman, he rushed toward her unconscious form, Kalina Ann still lying by her side. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he carefully lifted her, turning her over. He held his breath, then let out a relieved sigh upon seeing that she was still breathing—faint, but steady. The traces of the deadly toxin that had once marred her delicate face were gone. His gaze traveled downward to her slender neck… and a bit further… okay. Everything was clean—except for the dried blood.

Satisfied with what he saw, Dante let out a breath, though Lady still hadn’t regained consciousness.

"…This is probably the first time I’ve touched her and not gotten shot for it," he chuckled dryly, glancing around at the destruction surrounding them. Ruined buildings, craters evidence of his Sin Devil Trigger rampage.

"She’s gonna chew me out for this," he groaned, scratching the back of his head. The repair costs were gonna be a nightmare. Maybe he could pin it all on Valentinstein…

As if on cue, a soft groan escaped the woman’s lips. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing those striking heterochromatic eyes he had grown so familiar with.

“Dante…?”

A smirk tugged at Dante’s lips. Relief washed over him as he took in her eyes—back to their usual heterochromatic hues. No more sickly red. No more traces of the corruption. Just the same piercing gaze he had always known.

“Hey,” he greeted. "I thought I'd have to wake you up like some fairy tale princess. Ah, what a shame."

Lady shot him a deadpan look, clearly not in the mood for his teasing.

“Where’s Valentinstein?” she asked instead, ignoring his usual banter. She tried to push herself up into a sitting position, scanning their surroundings. No trace of the rose-themed demon remained—not even a single speck of its crimson pollen, which had once blanketed the air. It was as if the creature had been erased from existence. The village, however, was still a disaster zone.

"Where did he go?"

“Gone,” Dante answered simply. “I sent him back to where he belongs. As for whatever’s left of him in Red Grave… we’ll have the authorities burn it all.” He sighed before shifting his focus back to her. “You think you can stand?”

Something in his tone was surprisingly gentle, and Lady raised an eyebrow at him. She decided not to dwell on it.

“I’m fine. Thanks,” she said curtly, swatting his hand away when he moved to help her up. Now that the pollen’s effects had faded, the full brunt of her injuries came crashing down on her, sharp and unrelenting. Especially in her left arm, where she had stabbed herself earlier just to stay conscious.

She moaned as the pain finally surged through every inch of her body. Seeing that, Dante shook his head. “You’re as reckless as ever.” he muttered. Without waiting for her protest, he sprang to his feet and effortlessly slung her slight frame over his broad shoulder—as if she were nothing more than a light bag of sand—Kalina Ann hanging off his other side.

“Huh?! Hey!” Lady cried out in shock when she saw him carrying her around like some trinket. “Dante! I can walk just fine, you damn idiot!” she yelled, pounded her fists against his back, but it did little more than make a dull thud against his coat.

“Shut it,” Dante grumbled. "Stop acting tough and just stay still." He gripped her waist firmly on his shoulder. “Besides, I’m not about to let you get the chance to whack my head and run off.” With that, he strode across the creaking, cracking tiles and then leaped down to the ground once more.

Lady frowned at his tone. “What are you even talking about? I wouldn’t do something that stupid.”

Dante let out a low, almost amused laugh that carried a note of irritation. “Weren’t you the one who said you were going somewhere far away from me?”

“.....”

Oh... that. Lady’s mind flashed back to the time that damn demon pollen had screwed her over, leaving her raw emotions spilled out for all to see. And yes, she wanted nothing more than to get away from his life, away from Redgrave, away from that rundown shop. “I’m not running away,” she said. “I just can't keep pretending anymore. When are you ever going to understand something simple?”

Lady’s sigh was barely heard over the frustrated grumble from the man in red. "And here I thought you were the kind of woman who liked to keep things straightforward," Dante remarked with a trace of disappointment. “But you’re the one who’s making everything so damn complicated.”

By now, they had reached the village’s outskirts. His sharp blue eyes scanned the area until he spotted the blond-haired boy and his little sister, still huddled together. The kid’s face broke into a relieved smile the moment he saw them.

The boy waved, and Dante strode over, his burden still slung over his shoulder.

“Listen, kid,” Dante said, “take your sister and wait somewhere safe till the Red Grave authorities get here.” He gestured toward a nearby bench. “I’ve got a little something to sort out first.”

The boy hesitated, glancing between Dante and the woman dangling from his shoulder.

“It’s grown-up stuff, kid. You wouldn’t get it,” Dante added with a knowing smirk. “Now, go on.” With a gentle nudge on the boy’s back, Dante sent him on his way.

Once they were alone again, he finally set Lady down—dropping her onto the seat of her parked motorcycle.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “And what exactly was that supposed to mean?”

Dante folded his arms and fixed his gaze on her with an intensity that made her feel… strangely exposed. “You decided all this on your own, and you think that’s fair to me? To Trish?” His voice deepened. “You think if you leave Devil May Cry, everything will get better? Huh? You’re being so selfish!”

Lady’s mismatched eyes blinked rapidly at his outburst. The way Dante was acting right now was something she’d almost never seen before—like a kid (albeit a giant with head-to-toe silver hair and a face crisscrossed with claw marks) having a tantrum, being told not to do whatever he wanted, which she found oddly funny.

Then, almost provocatively, she asked, “So… what exactly do you want me to do?”

Dante ran a hand through his hair, huffing. He hesitated. Of course he did. They both knew this wasn’t something easy to explain.

Twenty years.

For over twenty years, their lives had been intertwined in one way or another. Just the thought of her being gone tomorrow, out of his life, made it almost impossible to keep himself together. The half of him that was human could pretend to be fine, but the half of him that was demon? That part was already losing control.

“I can’t just let you walk out of my life, Lady. Damn it,” he muttered. He met her gaze again, frustration bleeding into something more raw. “I don’t even know how to say this right.”

She exhaled a quiet, humorless laugh. “And you can’t handle my feelings, either. Can you?”

Dante went still.

Lady gave him a knowing smile, tinged with something bittersweet.

“You built this wall around yourself to keep from getting hurt,” she said. “I know that better than anyone. Because I do the same damn thing.”

Dante clenched his jaw, but before he could interject, she pushed further.

“You’ve never dealt with this kind of thing before—not with anyone. Am I right?”

His expression darkened, but he didn’t answer.

"If I am, then that’s all the more reason why I need to go."

"That’s bullshit. There’s nothing I can’t handle," he shot back, grumbling under his breath.

She shook her head, chuckling under her breath. “No, Dante. You really can’t.”

With a sigh, she let the cool night air brush against her skin. For the first time, she felt exhausted, truly exhausted. Not from hunting demons, not from fighting them, but from fighting him. From fighting her own feelings.

Dante scoffed, rubbing his temples as if Lady was giving him a massive headache. Her words hit him like an entire train crashing down on him. He had fought countless demons, yet this—this—was something he had never truly fought head-on. These goddamn feelings.

“Do you really think I never cared?” His voice was quieter now, rough around the edges but lacking its usual bite.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she just looked at him. At the tension in his shoulders, the frustration burning in his blue eyes. This time, her voice was soft. "I think you care too much."

That struck him harder than any blade ever could.

Dante chuckled dryly, dragging a hand down his face. “Yeah. Guess you got me there.”

His voice lacked the usual cocky bravado. This time, it was just honest.

"I just... I just don’t know what the hell to do with this kind of thing. And it’s easier if I just don’t deal with it at all. If I don’t say anything, don’t think about it... maybe I won’t have to hurt when it’s gone."

Her heart clenched. Because for years, she’d done the exact same thing.

Pretending.

Pretending she didn’t care. Pretending she wasn’t tied to him in any way. Pretending she could walk away whenever she wanted and it wouldn’t matter.

Pretending it wouldn’t hurt when she did

“But for fuck’s sake, Lady,” Dante murmured. His icy blue eyes locked onto hers, piercing through every carefully built defense she had.

“How the hell did you convince yourself that leaving would be good for me?”

She swallowed hard. “I… I don’t know. I just thought it’d be the easiest way.”

Dante let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Easy? For who? For you? For me? That’s a joke."

Before she could react, he leaned in. His arms braced on either side of her, caging her in, his hands resting firm against the seat. Close. Too close. She could feel the heat radiating from him, could see every detail of his face—his furrowed brows, his lips pressed into a thin line, the storm in his eyes.

And then, his voice dropped into something barely above a whisper.

"If anything," his voice dipped lower, rougher, raw in a way that made her breath hitch. "You leaving would just… it’d make everything worse. It’d hurt more."

The words hit harder than she expected.

"We’ve been through too much, Lady." His eyes didn’t waver, locked onto hers with something fierce, something unshakable. "You’re one of the few people I trust. One of the few I’d put my life in the hands of. And if you really think I could just let you walk away like none of this ever mattered…" A pause, just long enough for the weight of it to settle. "Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do."

She swallowed hard, heart hammering against her ribs. “…Dante.”

He shook his head, cutting her off before she could say anything else. His gaze burned steady, unguarded, stripped of any cocky bravado. This wasn’t arrogance. This wasn’t some act. This was just him.

"Stay." The word was simple. No fanfare. No bullshit. "Not for the shop. Not for Trish. Stay for us."

Lady had never been one for sentiment. She didn’t do soft words or grand confessions. Feelings never held the same weight as action. But this… this was different. And for once, she didn’t want to fight it. Hell, she was tired of fighting it.

Slowly, she let a small smile slip through. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed the collar of his coat, yanked him down, and pressed her forehead against his. Her voice was barely a whisper, meant for him and him alone.

"So basically… no matter what, you’re not letting me go, huh?"

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Over my dead body."

She huffed a quiet laugh, warm breath ghosting over his skin. "You’re such a damn brat, old man."

Dante’s smirk softened just a little, something more genuine flickering beneath it. Damn it, when did he start liking that sound so much?

He chuckled, voice low and sure. "You love that about me."

And just like that, the space between them closed—not rushed, not forced, just steady. They didn’t need grand declarations, didn’t need pretty words. Because in that moment, in the quiet between them, everything had already been said.

———————————