The Nightmare (A DMC fanfic)

[†Arisen†]

Attention

I'd only been in town for a day and found that it was more than enough time to find the address I was looking for. So I went sightseeing.
I made sure the man I was looking for’d notice me. I needed help and there were a few ways a girl who never attracted attention could get his eye.
I bought clothes I'd never wear again, even if he begged me.
A short black skirt and matching tight tank top.
Hell, I'd burn these after I got his attention.
But my alternative to this would have been to flash him.
I took the latter. Clothes wouldn't wound my pride if he started laughing. Or if he jumped on me.
I shuddered and pulled my jacket closer.
But, I did need his help, no matter the cost.
And I heard his help didn't come cheap and I only had enough money to by a fairly nice dinner. About $50. I hoped it was enough.
I'd also been told that if he was at his office that he was usually sleeping and to beware the mess.
I knew a lot about him, the locals were surprised, and the others I'd heard about.
At first, I'd gone to the Order of the Sword for help (They were the closest to home). The rather snooty assistant told me that they'd look into it.
That was two weeks ago.
I decided that if I was going to get help, I needed to be active about it.

It was easy to find the building I was looking for. On the bright neon sign, the 'D' kept flickering.
I sighed and walked for the door, "Here goes nothing."
I pushed the door open slowly, “Hello…?”
It was quiet and semi-dark. I could see the piles of trash in the room and I recoiled. Disgusting.
Ever heard of a maid?
I swallowed the thought and walked in slowly, “Hello?”
“We’re closed. See the sign?” A voice grumbled from behind the desk.
There wasn’t a sign on the door. Sure, there was a ‘closed’ sign, but it was turned to ‘open’.
“Get out,” The voice rumbled again.
He was drunk. He sounded drunk. And this was the man I’d come to beg for help. This drunk, perverted, never-cleans-his-shop, sorry son of a—
“What do you want?” He grumbled, “Since you obviously aren’t leavin’.”
I blushed and closed the door.
‘Focus,’ I told myself, ‘You need his help.’
“I-I came looking for the Devil Hunter.” God, why did I sound terrified? Why now? I’d practiced this before.
I heard his feet slid from his desk and thud on the floor.
“Who are you?”
“S-Shayde,” I managed after a few moments, “Shayde Benington.”
“Benington?” He grumbled. I saw his shape sit up, watching me. I could feel those icey-blue eyes running over my skin.
I shuddered.
“I know that name,” he continued, “Your old man.”
“M-Melbourne? Y-yeah. That’s him,” I gave a small sigh of relief.
I’d also been reminded that this man forgot names easily.
“So, he wants a favor?”
“N-No. I need your help because something happened to him.”
“He needs me to bail him out of something?”
“Yes… and no,” I played with the hem of my skirt nervously, “About a month ago, they were all killed. My parents and my brother.”
He was silent for a moment and I was afraid he had fallen asleep sitting up.
“Have a seat. Tell me what happened, kid. By the way, name’s Dante.”
I smiled and moved to the chair in front of his desk as he began to throw old pizza boxes and crumpled beer cans to the floor. Every now and then, I saw his red sleeves, the flash of his white hair. Then he got up and pulled open the blinds. I gasped softly when I saw him.
He was taller than I thought. He wore a red leather jacket and red chaps over his black jeans. Or what I thought were jeans. I didn’t want to stare there. My eyes made their way to his chest, he was wearing a black zipped up shirt, part of his collarbone exposed through the open zipper. His hair was a snowy white and his eyes were such a pretty blue. Although, he looked as though he hadn’t shaved in a few days.
I felt unbelievably small as he walked back to his desk and sat back down. I played with my hair, which I’d put in a ponytail and recently died black.
“So, kid—“
“Shayde.”
“Shayde. Tell me what happened to your family,” He said as he sat back down, throwing his feet up on the table.
And I began to explain.

[†Arisen†]

The Reason

"It started a month ago. My father was getting a lot of phone calls. He never told us why, but disappeared into his study during each.
"Then, one day while I was with a friend. I got a phone call from the police. They'd been murdered. All of them," I played with the hem of my skirt again, "I got home as soon as I'd heard. They didn't determine the cause, but I saw what they'd missed.
”My father had been studying demons, so I knew the signs of a demon attack. No one has believed me."
"Where you from, kid?"
"Fortuna. The Order of the Sword... They didn't help."
“I’ve heard of them. So, you came here next?”
“Yes. You’re the only other Devil hunter I know.”
“What about Lady?”
“Couldn’t find her.”
“Trish?”
“… If I knew where she was, I wouldn’t be here. She could probably find those demons and fry them.”
“Why do you think they came after Melbourne?” He leaned forward.
“W-Well, he was studying demons. I thought that he might have learned too much about one of the tribes he was studying….”
“You don’t believe that,” He said simply, as though he had already figured it out.
“What should I believe?”
“Melbourne,” He stood then, walking around to my side of the table, “Wasn’t so careless.”
He turned my chair, gripping the arms of it and leaned closer to me.
“What do you think happened?” He asked again. I could smell the alcohol on his breath.
“I told you what I think,” I challenged, glaring at him. He smirked and stepped back, pacing over to the pool table. Which, surprisingly, was free of trash.
Unlike the rest of this dump.
“So, you don’t know too much about your parents, do you.” Dante stated, grabbing a pool stick.
“What are you talking about?” I snapped, standing.
“Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit?”
“I needed to find a way to get your attention.”
“I’m not that perverted.”
“That’s not what I was told,” I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. I swore he grinned as he started to play pool.
I didn’t want to know if was my attitude or what I was wearing that caused that grin. I knew I didn’t like it.
“So, will you help me?” I demanded.
Once again, he was silent. Only the clinking of the stick hitting the cue ball told me he was still awake.
“How much do you have?”
“Enough for a nice dinner.”
“How much?”
“$50.”
Once again, it was all but silent.
“Well, girl. I’ll tell you what,” he walked over, pool stick in hand, “You give me the 50 and you help me on this case.”
“What!?”
“Or its no deal. Don’t you want to find out who and why Melbourne was killed? Besides,” he leaned against me, “I come cheaper that the Order of the Sword. And I’m much prettier than anyone who works there.”
I glared and shoved him away.
“So,” He continued to grin, “Do we have an accord?”
I, however, continued to glare as he offered his hand for me to shake.
“You want something else.”
“Something else? What would make you think that?”
His smirk sent shivers up my spine. And not in a good way.
“Because, you’re Dante. Tales of you have reached even Fortuna.”
“Oh. I must be popular,” He sounded surprised.
“Tales of your womanizing.”
“Oh. Then I must have a fan club.”
I rolled my eyes.
How stupid could he be? Didn’t he understand that I was trying to insult—
Wait. Why was he still grinning? Wait.
I glanced down at my outfit. No, nothing had moved. My hair was still up.
“What are you looking at?” I snapped.
“A little girl,” he walked past me and muttered, “With a woman’s fire.”
I blushed furiously and glared at him, “Well, what does that make you?”
“What indeed,” he murmured, playing pool a bit longer, tapping the cue ball half-heartedly, “So, wanna get some dinner?”

[†Arisen†]

Water Is Cold

Dante sat opposite of me, slowly reaching for a new piece of pizza. He’d already eaten over half of it, so I didn’t understand why he was still waiting for me to grab a slice.
“Why don’t you eat?” He asked.
“I don’t like pizza,” I shrugged. He gasped and it looked like he’d heard that the world was going to end. “What?”
“How… Can you…Not like… Pizza?!” He gasped. I shrugged.
“Just don’t, too greasy.”
“Impossible! Your dad—“
“I’m not my dad,” I said, pulling my jacket closer. It had gotten colder since we left and I was regretting not stopping by my hotel.
Dante huffed then and pulled the pizza closer.
“I prefer Chinese,” I grinned, just to see what he’d say. He watched me for a moment, horrified.
“Chinese!?”
“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?”
“No,” he said then grumbled something about how he couldn’t believe that I didn’t like pizza.
“By the way,” Dante said suddenly, “You’re paying.”
“What?!”
“It was the deal.”
“No, it wasn’t!” I squeaked.
“Oh well. You get to pay.”
“You’re broke, aren’t you?” I blinked.
“How’d you guess?”
“Figures,” I sighed, “Fine, I’ll pay.”


When Dante was done and I’d found somewhere I could eat, we walked home. We’d walked to the pizza place because I was not about to get in a car with him. Especially since he’d been drinking. I’d just told him the name of the hotel I was staying at and I was about to tell him how to get there when he objected.
“You should stay at the Devil May Cry.”
“Why? I have a hotel…”
“But if those demons come after you next, I won’t be able to get to you in time.”
“But, Dante—“
“No, you’re staying with me.”
We were standing on a bridge, one of those ones that didn’t have any side rails.
“Fine,” I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest. It was getting colder and the water underneath us looked unfriendly.
“Good,” he smiled, wrapping an arm around me, “It won’t be as bad as you think, Shayde.”
I opened my mouth to respond when I felt something wrap around my ankle. I blinked for a moment before I felt myself hit the bridge. I saw Dante reach for me as I suddenly fell into the water.
‘Wait… I can’t swim…’ I thought absently. I loved swimming all my life but now I found that I couldn’t kick my legs and the water was numbingly cold. My vision started to blur and go black as I felt the air rush from my lungs and as I saw Dante’s shape dive into the water. Then, I blacked out.

[†Arisen†]

Evil Angel

I woke when it wasn’t numbingly cold any more. I felt someone pressing on my chest, then lips against mine. I wasn’t sure if the other’s lips were freeing or if mine were.
“2… 3…” I heard the slow chanting in time with the weight on my chest, then the lips.
“Breathe, damn it.”
Was that Dante?
“C’mon, Shayde, breathe!”
The rhythm started up again.
“Breathe!” His voice was shaking, like he was cold.
I felt water rush through my lungs and I started coughing, opening my eyes.
“Thank God,” Dante sighed. He was dripping wet, his hair clinging to his forehead.
“W-What…?”
“You fell in,” He said, brushing his hair out of his face. He jacket was lying next to him, and I noticed that his shirt was long sleeved and pushed up to his elbows, “Be glad I can swim.”
I nodded, then shivered. I was drenched and my jacket didn’t help.
“Lets hurry back. You’ll catch pneumonia if we don’t.”
I nodded and he helped me stand. His lip was quivering from the cold, and that was it. He seemed fine otherwise.
I however, was frozen. I wore a miniskirt and tank top and I fell in the water. It wasn’t cold earlier, it had been really nice. I was worried about the fact that it had gotten so cold so fast, but Dante told me not to worry.
“What happened? How did I end up in the water?”
“You tripped,” He said, taking my hand. He was wearing gloves. (Why did that not surprise me?) But, he’d lied to me. I felt something grab me, and I knew Dante wouldn’t trip me and make me fall just to go save me. Right…?
Then again….

We got back to the Devil may Cry fairly quickly. Dante changed his clothes, putting on baggy black pants. Yeah. That was all he changed into. Low riding black pants.
Does God hate me, or something? Because it gave me a very good view of his well sculpted chest. If he were to start flirting now, I’d—
“Here,” He handed me a towel, “I’m sorry, I don’t have anything for you to wear. Everything is either too big or covered in bullet holes.”
“Its fine,” I walked back to his bathroom and stripped down and wrapped the towel around myself. It was nice and warm in here.
Dante was sitting in his chair when I came back, talking on the phone. I sat on the couch, focused on keeping the towel around me and NOT staring at Dante’s chest.
“Sorry ‘bout that, kid,” He was saying, “She came here.”
There was muffled yelling on the other line.
“Its not my fault The Order is slow…. Bitch all you want; it’s not going to change it… Fine, come over then…. WHAT?! Tomorrow?!” He sat up suddenly, “… N-No, that’s not a problem… yeah, see ya.
“Damn it,” He sighed, hanging up the phone.
”Business?’ I asked.
“Nope. An old friend is coming over,” He stood.
“From the order?”
“Yep. Let me get you a shirt or something,” he said as he headed toward and up the old rickety stairs in the corner. The creaking made me wonder how old this place was.
“Here,” A shirt dropped on my head and I glanced up. Dante was leaning over the railing and grinning. I pulled the towel tighter around my chest.
“Too late,” He grinned, “ I saw.”
“Dante! You pervert!” I screeched. He laughed and I hoped he’d break through the rail and fall. I didn’t care how hot he looked, if he saw me naked I was going to make his life a living—
“Put that on. I’m pretty sure some of your clothes may be dry enough to wear.”
They’d only be dry because I had the bright idea to wring everything out and hang it over the old heater that had been housing a few of Dante’s old jackets.
When he vanished behind the rail again, I went to find that my underwear had dried. That was a good thing.
I went back into the bathroom and got dressed. The shirt Dante gave me was huge, not that I thought it wouldn’t be, but this was crossing the line. It was almost down to my knees.
“What size shirt does he wear, anyway?” I murmured to my reflection.
I walked back out to find Dante, pacing around the room, occasionally glaring at the old jukebox in the corner, as though he had been arguing with it.
I didn’t doubt he had been. I even bet the jukebox won.
“Hey,” I said, “Where should I sleep?”
“My room, I guess.”
“Is it safe?”
“… More or less.”
“Did you even know what I meant?”
“Its just messy. Don’t worry.”
That was some relief, “All right.”

Dante was wrong. His room wasn’t messy. It was FILTHY. I groaned, kicking some magazines out of my way. Thankfully, there weren’t any old pizza boxes or beer cans in here. What did worry me what the wooden box in the corner. Who knew what was in there?
Besides that, it looked like a normal room. A messy teenager’s room, but a normal room none-the-less.
“Get some sleep,” Dante said, “Nothings gonna bite you.”
I snorted and curled up on his bed. It had his musky scent and dust mixed in, but it was warm. I smiled and fell asleep quickly.

~~~~~~

Dante was amazed at how fast Shayde had fallen asleep and was a little jealous. Then a thought struck him.
‘Where am I gonna sleep now?’ He scratched the back of his head. Shayde had left him enough room on the bed…
He shrugged and moved her over a little bit more and stretched out in his bed, smiling.
Dante, too, soon fell asleep.

[†Arisen†]

Not Better Than One

When I woke up the next morning, I bumped against something next to me. I had already guessed who it was before I glanced over my shoulder.
Dante. I knew it.
He was still sound asleep, so I lay there, thinking about more important things besides how cute Dante looked while he was sleeping—or with just his mouth shut.
There was a knock downstairs and Dante jumped, his body thudding on the floor. I held back a snicker and pretended to sleep. After a moment I heard the bedroom door close and the door downstairs open.
“You’re early,” Dante said.
“You slept in,” Another voice accused. It was male, but higher. Younger than Dante’s.
“Its not noon.”
“Its ten.”
“You wake up early,” Dante said.
“Where’s the girl?”
“Upstairs.”
Did someone come looking for me? Was I a suspect in my family’s murder?
“I didn’t do anything with her,” Dante objected suddenly, “if that’s what your thinking! She’s sleeping!”
“In your room.”
“I don’t have another room here!”
“Yes, you do,” Creaking came from the stairs.
“I do?” Dante sounded puzzled.
“You’re getting oblivious in your old age, old man.”
“Hey!”
I sat up now, combing my fingers through my hair, trying to straighten it out.
Then, the door opened. The man standing there was around my age, with hair as white as Dante’s and eyes just as blue.
He wore a long blue jacket that had an insignia on the one rolled up sleeve. He wore another red jacket underneath it. His pants were blue with brown boots that went to his knees.
“THIS is the girl?” He asked, incredulously.
“Now, Nero—“
“Hey! I have a name!” I objected.
“Hay’s for horses,” He glared. I returned it. I knew I wouldn’t get along with—
“Nero, this is Shayde. Shayde, this is Nero. He’s from The Order.”
Oh. Joy.
“He’s going to be helping us,” Dante continued.
“NO!” I stood now, “I REFUSE to work with him!”
“Same here,” Nero said, crossing his arms over his chest. The arm that had the sleeve rolled down had a glove covering it and was glowing faintly.
What the…?
“Too bad. You both have to stay now too.”
“No! I refuse! Dante!” I whined.
“Too. Bad,” He repeated, “Now, play nice you two. I’ll go get your stuff, Shayde.”
I watched Dante walk out and close the front door, while I still glared at Nero.
After a few moments, Dante returned, sticking his head in the door.
“Uh….”
“45th street,” I said, still glaring, “3rd floor. The keys are in the pocket of my jacket.”
“Thanks. Be nice, you two,” Dante said, stepping out. Nero snorted and I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest.
If this Nero wasn’t going to be nice, neither was I.

~~~~~~

Nero glared at the girl, Shayde.
What the hell was with this kid? Not many people could stare him down. Hell, not even Dante could. And yet this kid, this mortal girl, stood there glaring back at him.
He ran a hand over his nose.
She had a lot of nerve that was for damn sure. He was SUPOSSED to be the one watching her and she came here. To Dante.
Then again, The Order told him about Shayde only yesterday. Weeks, apparently, after she’d stopped into their office.
But to have the nerve to stare Nero down…. Well, that was too much. If she was a stubborn as himself or Dante, there was going to be some problems.

“I’m back!’ Dante called from downstairs. At least half an hour had passed and neither of them had moved, still glaring at each other.
Dante’s footsteps creaked up the old stairs, “Nero, get out and let her change.”
“Yeah,” He muttered distractedly, backing out.

~~~~~~

I glared at Nero, even as he left, then moved my gaze to Dante.
“Whoa, save that for the kid. Leave me out,” He set my bag down, “hurry up and change. I wanna eat.”
“Not pizza again,” I groaned.
“Hell yes,” He smirked back. I groaned again.
“Get out. Let me change.”
“You sure you don’t need—“
“Out!” I shoved him and slammed the door and started to change, fuming over Nero the entire time.
You know that old phrase: Two heads are better than one?
Two guys are NOT better than one.

[†Arisen†]

You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid.

Dante managed to get both Nero and I to the nearest pizza parlor. However, he also had us sit on the same side of the booth. So Dante was sitting by himself.

Nero sat stubbornly beside me, his arms crossed over his chest. Every now and then I caught a glimpse of him glaring at me.

“Why don’t you two eat?” Dante asked, reaching for another slice of pizza.

“I don’t like pizza, remember?” I said.

“You’re pizza isn’t even pizza,” Nero sighed.

“How can you say that?!” Dante cried, pulling the pizza box closer.

“You treat it like crack,” I pointed out. I saw Nero smirk.

“You’re so mean!” Dante cried again.

“You act like you’ve been drinking,” Nero grinned.

“He probably went to a bar on the way back to the shop,” I smirked.

“You little punks,” Dante growled.

“Oh, he is sober!” I giggled, Nero chuckled, and Dante glared.

“Damn kids,” Dante growled, grabbing another slice of pizza. I grinned at Nero. To my surprise, he grinned back.

Maybe Nero wasn’t such a bad guy after all. After all, Dante made a bad first impression too.

[†Arisen†]

The Orphan

After the loads of pizza and beer Dante had, he passed out. Which, Nero and I both expected. Thankfully, Nero was strong enough to lift the older man.

So, we returned to the Devil May Cry and Nero put Dante to bed. I sat downstairs on the couch, playing with my hair and smoothing out my clothes. Since the mini skirt was soaked (Thank GOD) I’d decided to wear the usual: Black jeans, long black tank top, and I’d let my hair down, fluffing it out around my shoulders.
Nero returned downstairs sighing, “We got him home just in time. He was hitting on me.”
I stifled a snicker, “He was?”
“Yeah… When he gets like this, he thinks I’m a girl,” Nero sighed, running a hand through his hair. I noticed the ring he wore and the leather bracelet.
He still didn’t roll up the other sleeve of his jacket or take of that glove, despite the heat of the shop.
“Really?” I grinned,
“Laugh all you want. He asked where you were too,” Nero said, sitting on the other end of the couch.
“Oh, God.”
“Yeah. You can imagine how that went.”
“I don’t want to,” I said.
“Smart thinking,” He grinned at me.
Then, it came.
The dreaded Awkward Silence.
“So….” I started nervously, “Did you know my father too? Melbourne Benington?”
“No. I’ve heard of him before though.” He sounded bored.
God forbid that someone finds ME boring.
“You’re probably tired. I’ll jut go up—“
“If Dante’s drunk, I wouldn’t,” He said.
“…” I thought about it for a minute, “You’re probably right.”
“He has a hide-a-bed. You can stay down here.”
“What about you? Where’re you going to sleep?”
“The floor.”
“Nero…”
“What? It doesn’t bother me.”
”You take the bed.”
“Where would you sleep then?” He sat up.
“Uhm….” I paused for a moment, “Compromise. We’ll both sleep on the hide-a-bed.”
He blushed suddenly and I smirked.
“What’s the matter, Nero? Haven’t you been in a bed with a girl before?”
“I have. Its just that…”
“Girlfriend?”
“Yeah. Her family adopted me in and… well…”
“I see,” I said, “Well, If it bothers you that much, you can sleep on the floor. You’d be welcome to join me.”
“Thanks,” He smiled.
“So, uh, tell me more about this girl.”
“There’s not much to tell. Her family took me in when I was young. She had an older brother but he… he passed away a few years back. He even gave me the job with The Order.”
“Demons?”
“Yeah.”
“… Tell me about her.”
“Her name’s Kyrie. She sings for the Order’s festivals.”
“She sounds really sweet.”
“She is,” Nero grinned, excited as though he were a young child, “She’s loving, thoughtful… She’s a great friend and I… I just love her with all my heart.”
I smiled, though, I was a little disappointed. My mother had always been telling me that I should try and find a date.
I had terrible luck with me.
“You’d really like her, I think,” He continued, “Everyone who meets her likes her.”
“She’s the sun on a cloudy day, right?”
“Yeah,” Nero closed his eyes and smiled at a memory, I guessed, of the last time he was with Kyrie, “When I go back to Fortuna, wanna propose to her.”
“If you love her as much as I think you do, you should,” I said, playing with my hair. He opened his icy blue eyes and watched me for a moment.
“This is making you uncomfortable, isn’t it?”
“Well… A little,” I said softly, “Back home, I’m not noticed.”
“Never been kissed?”
“Yeah. Pretty much.”
He stood and walked to the wall where the pool sticks were I swore he muttered: “If I didn’t have Kyrie, I would.”
I felt myself blush and ran my hands over my face as he turned to me.
“You OK?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” I said, “I’m gonna change and go to bed.”
“I think I will too,” He yawned. He had grabbed a pool stick, but set it back down.
I had a feeling it was to distract him from the thoughts running through his head. Whether they were of me or Kyrie, I had no way of knowing.
Either way, I had a feeling I was falling for the orphan before my heart knew it.

(Hopefully this makes up for the last short chapter! ^^)