A Frequency Of Me And You

I drop down onto the couch in the lobby, both mentally and physically exhausted to the point that I don't even bother trying to revert to my human form. The couch protests, not quite able to hold the entirety of my demon form, but I ignore it and shut my eyes for a moment. Mother has been taken care of and I don't expect to be bothered again, if ever, so now is the best time to give Dante what he needs.

Devil Sword Dante materializes in my hand, the black organic metal that makes up his blade seemingly perfect, untouched by the blast that had destroyed his body. I run my fingers over the flat of his blade, tracing the dips and grooves of the lava-like crust running the length of him, and he hums faintly in response. His reaction is sluggish, no doubt from being drained of the energy sustaining him.

I turn Dante over in my grasp and press my bare palm to his edge, splitting it open as I draw my hand back up along him. He absorbs my blood almost instantaneously and the hum that he's giving grows stronger. After just a few seconds his blade splits open, a red glow ensconcing his entire form, and then a familiar weight settles on my right shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Dante whispers and he wraps his arms around me from behind. "I knew he was lying but I just couldn't bring myself to do anything about it. I couldn't attack mom's body."

"I know." I make another pass along the edge of his blade with my palm, ignoring the drain on my energy as Dante absorbs more of my blood.

"Verge, that's too much," Dante states worriedly and tightens his arms around me. "I don't need any more blood."

"It's not enough, Dante." I can't let him fade again. I can't risk it. "Just a little more, okay?" I go to slide my palm against the edge of his blade one more time only for him to catch me by the wrist in a firm grip. "Dante, let go."

"If you give me any more blood while you're like this you'll be cutting into your lifespan." Dante squeezes my wrist and pulls my hand away from the edge of his blade, leaving me with little choice but to acquiesce. "You need to rest too, Vergil."

"I need to make sure you won't fade again," I state quietly even as I gently set him to my right, leaning him against the couch.

"Verge…" Dante lets go of my wrist and for one alarming second his presence vanishes entirely. He reappears straddling my lap, his expression pensive as he studies me.

I try to not crush him against me as I wrap my arms around him. I know that doing so won't hurt Dante in the slightest but he is in his human form and I still fear the possibility of harming him. A laughable notion considering that he is dead. "I can't risk losing you again."

"Vergil, you know you're stuck with me, right? I'm bound to you, permanently, so even if I fade for a while I'll still come back." Dante reaches up and brushes his fingers against the bony ridge of my jaw before he leans in to touch his nose to mine. "Cutting into your lifespan to feed me won't help, okay?"

"Okay," I whisper, nuzzling my nose against his.

Dante smiles with a hint of sorrow in his eyes and brushes his fingers along my jaw again. "Get some rest, yeah?"

"Only if you don't mind me sleeping right here." I don't have the energy to move from the couch, as inadequate as a location as it is for sleep. By the way that Dante's smile widens it is safe to assume that he approves of my decision to stay put, not that it was much of one to start with.