Truth, Dare and Demons

Nero headed home and showered, he couldn't for some reason get away from that last look that the priest had given him. It hadn't been so much a condemnation of sinful behaviour about both their parts, the more he thought about it the look wasn't just about their behaviour it seemed utterly focused on him. He also felt quite sure that he knew him, he was very familiar... Nero was still thinking about it as he stepped out of the shower and then slapped his hand over his face.

“Vergil!” He knew it, just knew it, how had Dante missed it?

Or had Dante picked that fucking place knowing it full well, he smashed his demonic hand into the mirror, the pieces scattering on the white tiled floor. Was he being played again and this time instead of anger the bastard had another trick?

When he had collected himself he ended up on the sofa with whisky watching re-runs of crime shows and silently debating what to do about it all. In the end he decided he would confront Dante, the guy must have known.

Dante however had no idea whatsoever, he had gone home, ordered take out and sat down to clean Rebellion up before a planned nightly visit to the local bar. The local barman knew enough to let Date drink in silence at the end of the bar, he had done the same that night unaware that the silent drinker was actually his brother Vergil.

Vergil settled down to drink, he knew his brother's routines well. He climbed up out of hell with a desire to retrieve Rebellion but it had gone awry thanks to the brat. It had crossed his mind that he was old enough to be the kids father, then with another drink pushed it to the back of his mind. He heard Dante's footfall and then the confused hitched breath from the barman. Dante looked over, without the black hair dye it was immediately evident that it was his brother.

“Well..” Dante nodded at the barman for his usual, “this is unexpected.”

“Oh not unexpected, just prolonged.” Vergil smirked, he swilled the brandy around the glass and sniffed it. “And I really think you underestimate me at times. Hell might be one hell of a terrible excursion but if a soul's not destroyed it can eventually restore itself to a body. I have learnt this and I have exacted it.”

“And used like a ton of words to say, hey fucker 'tis me.” Dante grunted, he drank the JD down instantly and then tapped the bar for another. “You were at the church and Nero knew it. I was trying to hope it was my paranoia, but no.”

“It's really quite simple brother.” The last word came out almost venomously. “You can either hand me Yamato back or we can make this a terrible journey. I want what's mine.”

“It's not yours any more.” Dante looked at him with cold eyes. “That sword was given to Nero, and he restored it. It's his and it will remain his.”

“Yamato is mine.” Vergil snarled at him. “You took enough from me, you will give me what is rightfully mine!”

“Damn it Vergil.” Dante sat beside him. “We were so close as children, and I wish you'd stop this. You're doing all this harm to yourself and for what? I always win and you always end up angrier. This is a cycle that has to stop.”

“You're fucking a man who could be young enough to be your son, have you even looked at him? Narcissistic much, in fact he could be your bloody son for all I know.” Vergil snorted that last part derisively.

Dante punched him, of course he wasn't his kid. Dante hadn't been the kind to play around and not think about doing it safely and he had noticed his likeness, he was a descendant of Sparda and they knew that but he wasn't human looking like they were.

The demonic arm was a trait that hadn't come from either of the boys and even though Sparda was their father and he'd like to think they were the only boys it wasn't likely to be true... and demons and humans' well that was a fact of life. If he had been born of a demonic mother maybe he would manifest those things. Dante sighed, why was he even worrying about that shit, yeah Vergil was already under his damned skin.

“I'll have my sword back Dante.” Vergil grunted as his brother put a ten dollar bill down and drank the second glass on the way out.

Dante headed up into the night air and took a deep breath. He didn't know what to say to Nero but he knew he'd need to warn him about it.