Shadow Games

Disclaimer: “Devil May Cry” belongs to Capcom, not us. We have no money, so don’t sue us. ^.^ Zithantharis “Zi” is an original character—please be considerate and do not borrow him without permission. This fic was written as a one-on-one RolePlay, so the POV switches just about every paragraph.

This is a continuation shortly after the first game.

Thanks for reading and please enjoy!


Shadow Games
Chapter Two


When Dante awoke the next morning, he decided he was well overdue for a day off. Trish was still asleep in the next room, so he took his time in the shower, and dressed afterwards in some old, baggy jeans and a white wife-beater. He didn’t bother with socks. Yawning, he trotted down the stairs, and nearly swallowed his heart when he saw a glint of red from across the room. “Shi--ah. Ah, it’s just you.” He chuckled and swiped at his hair. “Scared the shit out of me.”

Zithantharis blinked slowly, raising his head at the other’s appearance. He was a bit taken aback—he hadn’t expected to see him in such casual clothing, without shoes and hair sticking up. He reached up and rubbed the back of his ear. “I didn’t mean to,” he answered softly. Shifting, he lay his head back down on the armrest, though he didn’t take his eyes off the other.

Dante was about to say he wasn’t used to having a demon in the house, but then he heard Trish stirring upstairs, and rolled his eyes a little. “Don’t worry about it,” he assured with a wave as he disappeared into the tiny kitchen. “You…don’t want something to eat, do you?” He wasn’t used to playing host--and he doubted demon cats liked beer and eggs for breakfast--but he felt he might as well make the effort.

He sat up once more at the question, head cocking. “Do you have milk?” he asked after the man. Zithantharis finally pulled to his feet and followed him into the kitchen. He crouched down in the doorway, glancing around with great interest.

Dante glanced back, shaking his head a little when he saw the other’s pose. “Yeah, sure.” Guess he’s a cat after all. Smiling to himself, he pulled open the fridge and grabbed a half-empty jug. “Now the question is,” he teased, “do you go for the saucer, or the glass?” It was a little weird, how comfortable he was with the other already—he was a demon, after all. And maybe he was being foolish, but he didn’t mind. He could tell, after all, that Zi wasn’t about to go medieval on him.

Zithantharis stood, walked over, and calmly took the jug from the taller man’s hands. Without a word he returned to his spot on the floor and opened the container. He cast a quick smirk at the other before drinking straight from the carton. I haven’t eaten real food for some time--I intend to drink it all. He pulled back with a sniff, wiping at his mouth. “This is getting old.”

Dante gaped at him a moment, then made a face. “Little brat.” But he was admittedly amused--Trish never let him drink from the carton. He turned back to the fridge and pulled out a beer for himself, along with some eggs. “Well, now that you’ve had your drink,” he drawled, “do you eat eggs?” It’s kind of weird, having another guy in the house. Or…something like a guy.

He shrugged. “I don’t eat human food much,” he said. Most demons don’t. He took another long drink from the carton. “I don’t mind it, though. Once in a while.” He slipped a bit closer, still watching. His tail twitched back and forth.

Dante glanced at him again before returning to the preparation of his own meal. “You know…I really should buy you something to wear,” he mused aloud. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of a naked guy crawling around on his kitchen floor like that. Or crawling anywhere, for that matter. He pursed his lips at the bad images that thought produced, and cracked the eggs into a pan.

Glancing down, Zithantharis studied himself a moment. “That’s right,” he mused. “Humans don’t like showing their bodies.” He gazed up at the man innocently, blinking slowly. “Do I make you uncomfortable, like this?” His tail swished across the floor.

Dante choked on his beer. “Ah--no. No, not exactly. Just….” He frowned down at his eggs, and broke one of the yolks in retaliation. “It’s just weird, you scampering around down there.” He glanced up as he heard the shower start upstairs. She’s gonna be a while. That means…. His expression grew serious a moment as he remembered some of his concerns from the night before. “Hey. Zi.”

He gulped down the last of the milk, frowning when no more followed. He shook the bottle, but nothing came out. Frowning, he set the empty jug on the counter. “What is it?”

“What you said before. About….” Dante hesitated, poking at the eggs with disintegrating interest. Come on, this is the only chance you’ll get to ask. You wanted to know, right? “…about Trish,” he finished with some difficulty. “About the copies Mundus made. You…didn’t know any of the originals, did you?” He clenched his teeth tightly shut as he waited.

Zithantharis grew solemn. “You mean Beatrice,” he murmured, eyes dimming as he watched the man. He nodded. “I…did know her. We were together during…everything.” How much should I say? I can’t chance him throwing me out or….

Dante closed his eyes briefly against his imagination’s new concoctions. Damnit. God damnit. “So that means, your scars,” he said, his voice growing strained. “She went through that, too.” He was silent a moment, then cursed aloud, tossing his yet half-filled beer can into the nearby trash. It sloshed a bit onto the floor with the sudden movement. And though he knew this was the last question he should be asking, he said it anyway. “Was she in pain?”

He finally had to look away, staring out a nearby window. “Yes,” he said softly, honestly. “But she was strong--fought them the whole time. She…was kind.” Zithantharis lowered his head in his own mourning. “Despite everything, she would not give in, and she was…kind to me.”

“That’s enough. That’s….” Dante scowled bitterly, but he couldn’t hold onto that anger for very long, and he sighed as he turned off the stove. He stepped away from the counter a moment as if to wait until his emotions had settled a little. Still, his voice rambled on without him. “She really was something. She…was wonderful, wasn’t she?”

He needs to hear this, I suppose. Humans need the closure as much as we do. “She was,” he answered softly. “She spoke of you, and your father. She was one of the biggest reasons for me leaving.” He shifted a bit closer, watching the man once more. “If there are more humans like her…then I can see why Sparda chose what he did.”

Dante smiled weakly. “Yeah.” He passed a hand over his mouth and returned to his breakfast, spilling the eggs onto a plate. “Thanks, Zi.” He didn’t trust himself to say any more than that, so he leaned back against the counter and devoted himself to his eggs. He was, however, a lot more subdued than before.

He watched the other for a long moment. That look doesn’t suit him. Zithantharis pawed faintly at the man’s leg. “I thought you were making me some,” he reminded.

Dante glanced down, and he couldn’t help but smile a little at the other. “Like a damn cat,” he chuckled. “You gonna sit up and beg for it?” He stabbed one of the eggs with his fork--one with a firm yolk--and held it up for him to see.

Zi sat still, glaring up at the man. “I’m not a dog,” he muttered. “Or a cat.” He stood and turned back towards the living room; he could hear movement from upstairs, and he wanted to be out of the woman’s way. “Nevermind. I’ll do without.” He returned to the chair, sitting and curling up, as he was still a bit chilled.

Dante watched him leave, a little disappointed at the abrupt exit. With a quiet sigh he kept eating. Damn, now I’m in a bad mood. He finished the eggs up quickly and dumped the dishes in the sink to be cleaned later. On the way into the next room he paused at his stereo, selecting something hard. Today was definitely going to be his day off.

Zi initially flinched at the loud music, but after a moment he began to appreciate the deep, echoing beat. His tail began to twitch in time. He watched Dante’s progress curiously. He still looks upset. Not that I can do much, I suppose…. He felt…bad. He shouldn’t have been the one to tell the man about his mother. Not with…that copy still in the house. He continued to train his gaze on the other, quietly waiting.

Dante glanced up when he felt the eyes on him; it was still a bit chilling to raise his gaze to bright crimson. It sent his heart beating a little faster as if in ready for a fight. He managed to smile, however, when he saw the other’s flipping tail. I guess he’s not so bad. “What’re you looking at, huh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He leaned against the desk and rotated his shoulders lazily, trying to ease out some of the tension.

He blinked. “You,” he answered simply, not averting his gaze. He’s not so bad, for a human. Or half human. He’s so strong…. Zi could feel the man’s power, even from across the room, radiating like a banked fire. He arched his back faintly before settling once more.

Dante returned his eyes with amusement. “Huh. Didn’t realize I was that interesting,” he laughed and straightened his shirt a little. He nodded his head vaguely with the beat of his music. It had been a while since he’d indulged himself in something like this, now that there was a woman in the house. But…. He glanced mischievously at the drum set in the corner. “Maybe I oughta make sure Trish is awake,” he said to himself.

Zi followed his gaze, ears perking with mischief at the other’s implications. His lips curled faintly. He is interesting. I…like him. His tail swung a bit more as he waited to see what Dante would do.

Encouraged by the other’s expression, Dante strode over to the drums and fell easily onto the stool, positioning himself. “Okay, boys, let’s see how we do, hm?” He listened to the song a bit longer, remembering all the old rhythms, before starting along suddenly. Sorry, girl, he thought with a grin; he could just imagine Trish’s face.

Zi smiled, scratching at his nose. It was strange that he was enjoying himself as much as he was. The whole situation got even better when Trish appeared looking quite upset. He met her eyes briefly as she passed into the kitchen. I suppose I’m not being fair, not liking her. But…I went through too much to be easy with her, either. Especially knowing what happened to…. He shook the thoughts away, looking back to see if Dante was as amused by the woman’s glare as he had been.

Dante smiled to himself as Trish fell out of sight, devoting himself back to his music. He knew better than to keep it up for very long, though, and at the end of the song he leaned back, snagging the remote for his stereo as he turned the volume down. “Morning, sunshine!” he called.

“Same to you!” she called back, and he snickered to himself at the venom in her voice. At least she was awake, though.

Zithantharis grinned to himself, enjoying the woman’s tone. After everything, it’s strange to be in such a relaxed place. But so long as I’m here, none of Mundus’s would dare come. Dante may think he’s protecting people by keeping me here, but he probably doesn’t know how good this is for me. Zi brought his left forearm before him, staring at one of his more recent wounds just below his elbow. As long as I can heal a bit, I’ll be able to escape when I need to, depending on what the Hunter decides to do with me. The injury had gotten dirty the last few days, and he set to licking at it, hoping to clean it out a bit.

Dante replaced his drumsticks and pushed off the stool. He was drawn curiously by the site of Zi licking himself. Sitting there curled on the chair like that, he really did look like a cat. A naked cat. He rolled his eyes. “Well, I suppose I’d better take you out,” he said thoughtfully, looking him over. “You can borrow something of mine until I can get you something to wear.”

Trish peeked out of the kitchen. “Dante?” She fixed him with a serious eye. “You’re not taking him outside, are you? He could easily--”

“Oh come on, Trish, it’s just to get him something to wear. We can’t have him looking like that when people come in, can we?” He flicked his hair back. “They’ll think you’re our pimp or something.”

Zi glanced between the two with interest, amused by their conversation. “Why do people need to see me?” he asked, tail flicking. I…don’t want to wear human clothes. They’ll just get in the way. “I can just change.” Without giving the pair a chance to respond, he changed his form back into that of a shadowy beast. But as he did he drew in his power, shrinking his body so he now resembled a good sized cat, blinking at them with crimson eyes. “What’s wrong with this?”

Dante blinked back. Though he had been startled a moment when Zi began to change, when he saw the outcome he couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “Huh. I guess that’s fine.” But he’s still naked. Pushing those thoughts aside, he glanced back at Trish. “Y’think?”

Trish rolled her eyes and disappeared back into the kitchen. “It’s fine, as long as he doesn’t scratch the place up. Hey…are we out of milk?”

“Uh…yeah. I’ll pick some up later.” Dante cast a smirk in Zi’s direction and moved to change his CD.

Zi slipped back into his previous form, ears twitching. These people…are strange. He kicked me before for doing that, and now he’s laughing. He sighed, returning to his wounded arm. It only took a moment for his rough tongue to get the injury bleeding again, and he continued to clean it around winces. Damn you, Mundus. I can’t believe…I actually trusted you.

Dante slipped something a little easier into the player, now that he was feeling better. I am glad he told me. About my mother, but….. He slid a hand through his hair. C’mon, Dante. You know better than this; it’s been a long time now. Glancing briefly back toward the kitchen, he flopped down into another chair across from Zi and reached for a magazine. Days off were great, but sometimes a little boring. If I could take him out, at least that’d be something to do.

The bleeding finally stopped, and Zi lay his head down with a quiet sigh. His eyes landed on the Hunter, and he took to watching him once more. The casual situation was still so strange…. Though he does look good. For a human. His ears flattened at the thought, tail twitching back and forth. Almost…beautiful. Zi snorted, scolding himself for his distracted thoughts. I should be worrying about how chilly it is in here and not what he looks like. He curled a bit more in the chair, pressing into the cushions.

Dante read through a few articles--well, skimmed, really--and turned his attention back to Zithantharis. He looks like he’s shivering. With a slight frown he stood once more, retrieving his coat from near the door. He’d already decided to get it dry-cleaned when this whole ordeal was through--no harm in lending it out again. He stepped forward casually and spread it out over the other. “You looked cold,” he said over his shoulder as he turned back to his chair. Damnit, I must be really easy today.

Zi turned his head and sniffed at the material, nudging it with his nose. He turned his eyes back on Dante. “Thank you,” he muttered softly. He tugged the fabric a bit tighter around his shoulders. I wonder…. “If you always keep it this cold…maybe I wouldn’t mind trying your ‘clothing.’” It might give me a chance to look around the area. Maybe get away from the woman for a while.

Dante raised and eyebrow. “Oh really? ‘Cause to tell the truth, there isn’t much else to do around here on off days.” He leaned back and smiled a bit, as if proud of being so lazy. “You…might look good in something black. Maybe some leather.” He laughed a bit at the thought. “With a choker and everything.”

Zi wrinkled his nose. “I’m not a pet,” he replied, sniffing haughtily. He tilted his head as if considering. “Though…black would be nice.” He sat up, arching his back in a stretch before turning to the other expectantly.

Dante opened his eyes a little wider. There was something strange in the way the creature moved, all smooth curves and animal-like grace. It was…distracting. Dante shook himself as he pushed to his feet. “So, what’d’ya say? I’ve got a few things upstairs. You never know--you might like it.”

“I might.” Zi slowly uncurled and stood, letting the man’s coat drop back onto the chair. He passed a hand faintly over his face. This…should be interesting. Zi moved a bit closer, eyes still locked on the other’s red gaze. “Okay. Let’s try.”

That unfaltering stare was beginning to get to Dante a little, but…not in the usual way; not like he wanted to punch his face in or anything. The red gleam set him on edge, and he kind of liked it. “All right, then. Follow me.” With a bit of a triumphant grin he led Zi to the stairs and started up. It might be fun to do the kid up a little--make him a little more presentable.

Zi followed easily, taking in everything as they entered the man’s room. He studied the posters with great interest, peering at the old books on his shelves and the tangled blankets on his bed. He kept his face carefully calm even as his tail was almost wagging. “Well?”

Dante viewed the other’s demeanor with his own amusement. He’s something, all right. “Well, let’s see….” He tugged the closet doors open and peered about, digging out some old things he’d saved tucked away. A pair of old black leather pants that didn’t fit him anymore, some old shirts, a few belts…and, as he’d hoped, a choker with spikes, from his gothic days. He chuckled to himself as he threw it all onto the bed.

Zi poked through the materials, sniffing curiously at the leather and eyeing the choker with doubt. Humans are strange. “And you want me to wear these?” he asked. He was intrigued, though, lifting a high neck, black crop top.

“Of course. Well, not all of them.” Dante returned, shifting through the different articles. “Keep that top. It’ll show off your six-pack.” He poked Zi in the stomach with a tiny smirk as he studied the pants. He hadn’t worn these in a long time-it would probably fit the skinner man. Beast. Whatever. The hard part would be the tail.

He caught the man’s eyes on his tail and nodded faintly. “Gonna be hard to hide it. Or my ears, for that matter.” He pointed to his head. “Maybe people will think it’s part of the outfit,” he added suddenly, holding up the choker with a sarcastic grin. “You wouldn’t happen to have a leash, would you?”

“Actually, I might,” Dante laughed. “I was a little out there when I was younger.” He viewed the pants critically, then headed again for the closet. “I can fix it so your tail has room,” he said as he dug into the back, unearthing a long black coat and a pair of gloves. He tossed them onto the bed. “That should cover it up reasonably.” This…is kind of fun. Like dressing up a little brother or something. His thoughts caused him to pause a moment, and he pushed them quickly aside.

Zi nodded his approval of the additions, touching the fabric. “All right.” He began to remove the dark bands from his wrists, ankles, and chest, finally reaching to slip out of the rest of his clothing. He shivered a moment at the touch of cool air. If these things keep me warm…I’ll put up with them. Zi picked up the short shirt, trying to figure out the best way to put it on.

“Whoa whoa whoa--” Dante turned swiftly around when he realized that Zi was stripping down completely. Thankfully he hadn’t seen…too much. Well, he had, but…. He dragged a hand over his face. “Geez, warn me before you whip it out, okay?” He shifted his hands to his pockets. “Just…lemme know how it fits.”

Zi glanced back at the man, amused. “So I do make you uncomfortable,” he murmured around a sly smile. “Interesting.” He tugged the shirt over his head and reached for the pants. They were difficult to get on, and finally he had to form his tail into a spike and pierce a hole through the back. “There. Much better.” He twisted to try and see himself, admiring the way the fabric shifted and caught the light--not unlike his alternate form.

Dante glanced back through his fingers warily, then turned about once it seemed Zi was clothed enough. “Hey, it looks pretty good on you,” he said easily, thumping him playfully on the chest. “And don’t worry about me. It’s just a human thing.” Feeling unnaturally friendly that morning, he ruffled the top of Zi’s head, flicking at his ears. “You’ll knock the ladies out.”

Zi ducked away from the other, swiping at his hand, though…he wasn’t upset. Not much. He snorted at the other’s words. “Ladies. Sure.” His tail cut the air faintly. Turning back to the bed, he scooped up the collar and put it on, twisting his head about to be sure the spikes wouldn’t hurt him. Two belts followed, then the gloves and coat. I have to admit, it’s not too bad. He glanced up. “What about the ears?”

“Well, they stick out, but it’s not that bad,” Dante said thoughtfully, reaching to flick at them again. He liked watching them twitch to avoid his hands. “Maybe if we stuck a few piercing in them, we could really get people talking.” When Zi’s face reflected the resounding negative, he chuckled. “Just kidding. They’re all right--I’ve seen worse in this city.”

He shrugged. “If you say so.” Zi watched him quietly a moment, a bit perplexed by the constant contact. He’d have expected Dante to be more wary of him, not playing dress-up. It wasn’t that it was unpleasant--it was a completely new experience for the beast, really--but he wasn’t sure what exactly the man was getting at. “Are you saying you’re going to let a demon like me wander the city?” he asked, head cocking.

Dante blinked dumbly. He hadn’t really thought if it like that, but…. He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly nervous. “Well, I can’t say I really trust you all that much--not enough to let you wander out alone. But….” He plunked down on the bed with a quiet sigh. “But I guess I know better than to not trust you just because you’re a demon. There’s not a full-blooded human in this house, after all.”

Zithantharis crouched down at Dante’s feet, leaning his shoulder against the bed as he continued to watch the man. “I don’t want to kill any humans,” he replied softly. “I don’t need or want any attention--not from people, not from demons. I’m….” He blinked, ears drooping slightly. “I’m tired. After everything…I want to leave it. I don’t care about Mundus anymore, not after what he did…to me….” His head finally lowered, scratching his ear in a pretence of indifference.

Dante’s eyes thinned a little, but he smiled, and reached down again to touch the top of his head. “All right,” he said, his voice just as low and sincere. “I understand. I think…we’re all tired.” Zi looked young just then, talking like that, and…it wore on him a little, making his smile grim. It seemed like in the end Mundus had hurt them all. And maybe he was being foolish to trust a full-blooded demon so openly, he couldn’t think of a good reason not to. He kind of liked the guy, even.

Nodding faintly, Zi raised his head once more. He didn’t want to dwell on all that, now that he’d convinced the Hunter. He eyed the hand on him and playfully snapped at it. “I would like to see some of the city, though. Especially before it gets dark.” When the demons come out. I don’t want to have to face any of them, and the chances of them being out in broad daylight are slim.

Dante smiled. “Sure, all right. I’ll show you around. There isn’t anything all that exciting this time of day, but oh well.” He was about to stand up, but paused, watching Zi’s ears again. He couldn’t help it--they were too amusing. He scratched faintly behind his ears before pushing to his feet. “Maybe we can get you some catnip or something.”

Catnip? Zi stood as well, following the other back out the room and down the stairs. He greatly enjoyed the surprise on the woman’s face when they returned.

Dante managed to find enough things to show him to take until the sun was setting. He wouldn’t say it aloud, but he’d had a good time. The city was very busy, and Zi was looking forward to when he was strong enough to explore it on his own, at night. Once inside, he plucked at his coat and turned his bright eyes on his guide. “Should I just stay in this, or change back to my ‘uncomfortable’ wear?” Maybe watch you get flustered some more.

Dante made a face. “Whatever you want,” he said with a careless wave of his hand. “Doesn’t matter to me.” Though he really would have wanted him to stay at least partially clothed, he wasn’t about to say that. Would say even less that he…might not have minded either way. He was, after all, not bad-looking. For a demon. Damn, Dante, you need to cut that out. Now. Shaking his head, he ventured into the kitchen to put some of the leftover Chinese food in the refrigerator.

Zi shrugged and headed for the stairs.

A few minutes later he returned, wearing an oversized, black tank top and black silk boxers. The pants were on backwards, allowing his tail to poke easily out the back. “That woman was up there,” he said as he entered the kitchen. “She said it would be okay for me to borrow these.” He crouched down in the doorway, watching Dante expectantly.

Dante turned to see, and nearly bit through his beer can. “Those are my--” He broke off, glaring at the ceiling to where he knew Trish was probably grinning over her childish revenge. He rolled his eyes. “It’s all right.” Damn, I’m never wearing that pair again, he thought in exasperation. “Hope you like’em, at least.”

Zi shook his hips a bit, testing the fabric against his skin. “They’re okay,” he replied, eyes fastening on the man once more. His eyebrows perked at the other’s expression. “You’re face is red,” he pointed out.

Dante sputtered again. “You’re wearing my damn boxers,” he tried to explain. “Of course it’s embarrassing.” He leaned back against the counter and scratched faintly at his chest. “I mean, hey, it’s not like…I’d want anyone getting the wrong idea.” Not that there was anyone around to get the wrong idea. He buried his face back in the can and took several long gulps.

Humans are more amusing than I thought they’d be. Zithantharis shrugged. “I can take them off, if you want,” he offered, reaching down to tug the fabric off.

“No!” Dante said quickly, turning his head away with a blush. “No no, it’s fine. Wear whatever you want.” Damn brat. He really hated being this flustered, but geez, Zi had to have been doing it on purpose. “Just keep something on, all right?”

Very amusing. “All right then.” He stood up and stretched his arms over his head, arching his back. Zi moved back into the living room, seeking out his chair and curling up in it; it had been a long day, and he was a bit tired. He turned his attention to his arm--it had begun to ache again--licking it softly to try and calm the slight pain.

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