The Devil's in the Details.

[Minaarchangel]

Iris shook her head, "Don't be worrying about work right now. It's not your job to worry about new band members, that's Benny's job. And you're not even involved in the video shoot tomorrow. That's all me tomorrow, so you can rest at the hotel room and just relax for a bit. Then we still have another week in this city before the last concert and moving on again. Stressing out about the music isn't going to do anything but make you more upset."

She frowned a little, "A what?"

Vergil glanced back at them, "The bow that goes with the violin is hidden away. We'll be going to find it in a few days after Mara has rested."

For a moment she was shocked. It was more words than Vergil had ever said before, at least in her presence. She had a feeling that he had said a lot more to Mara, verbally and with his eyes which were no longer quite as cold and angry. Maybe a little frustrated, but not cold. Not any more. Iris looked down at Mara and gave her a smile.

"See? You'll take care of it when you feel better."

Getting up, she moved to Mara's side when she swayed, and nodded, putting Mara's arm around her shoulders, "Let's go upstairs. We'll get you taken care of while Dante's getting us something to eat."

Vergil turned to watch them go, Iris helping Mara upstairs slowly, and he then went to stand by the steps, close enough to listen for trouble, but far enough away to give them some privacy. When Dante kicked the doors in, in his typically rude fashion, Vergil did his best to not roll his eyes. It was probably enough that he was just kind of glaring at his brother, as he always did.

"They are upstairs. Iris is helping Mara bathe."

And even he could feel a little stir of something in his groin at that thought.

~~~~

Iris took Mara up each step slowly and got her into the apartment, swearing someday soon she was going to help Dante clean it up. The bathroom was easy to find, and she had Mara sit down on the toilet lid, after first having to put down both lid and seat. She then leaned over the bath tub, which was surprisingly not scummy, and rinsed it out before running a warm bath, checking the temperature of the water with her hand occasionally to make certain the hot water did not run out or block out all the cool. She then smiled at her friend, moving to the side of the dress where the zipper was and helping her.

"I don't think I'm going to leave you alone while you take your bath. You're tired and healing and I can't just leave you in a tub of water."

She smiled and gently helped her remove what was left of the dress and tossed it aside, "It's okay, it got his attention, so it did its job."

With careful hands, Iris then helped Mara into the tub and found towels and wash cloths under the sink. She got a wash cloth wet and began sliding it along Mara's back slowly, the skin perfect and smooth, free of the marks that it would have had if Iris had not healed her the previous night. She then got to work on Mara's arms, chattering about baby stuff to take away from the embarrassment the situation might have had.

"I hope it's a boy. Or a girl. Either way, its name is Wren. I don't know why, I just love that name and it feels right."

The wash cloth went into the water and came out clean, moving to the other arm, "We'll buy a little house and I'll buy a little one right next to it for you and Vergil, and we'll live in some small town and pretend I was never famous. It's all I really want now. A chance for a real family. And Dante's given me that."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

“Kinky.” The devil hunter teased his twin, but he meant no harm in it. There was no way he would ever try to envision the mother of his child naked in a bath with her equally pretty best friend. Though, it was tempting. Curiously, Dante watched as Vergil shifted slightly in his chair though he looked somewhat uncomfortable. He wondered, for a moment, if it was something he’d said. Then, he thought better against it.

Despite Vergil declining his need for anything, Dante strolled over and distributed a small back into his lap along with Mara’s soup. “Here, don’t say I never gave you anything.” With his brows raised, he pointed at the stoic swords man and set down the rest of the Chinese food while stuffing an egg roll into his mouth. “I told ‘em, put some extra spring onions in the soup, because Squeaky’s not feeling so good. That s**t is good for upset stomachs, mostly ‘cuz it’s just chicken broth.”

Plopping down at his desk, he allowed an awkward silence to pass through the room before he finished his egg roll. His thoughts briefly strayed to Mara. “…She’s gonna need a lot of therapy.” He informed Vergil. “You know, you can sit there all you like and tell me you don’t feel a thing for her, but I can’t tell you any different. It’s all up to you what you do. I’m just gonna tell you like it is.” Leaning back in his seat, he put his feet up on the desk.

His gut churned though and he felt a lot of Prentiss’ words starting to weigh on him. “…I need ya to help me out.” He uttered, swallowing his pride and grumbling slightly. “I uh…gotta do right by Iris. That means, making sure she’s not just…my baby’s mama.” Outstretching his arms a bit, he didn’t look at Vergil as he spoke, trying to hide how much he hated doing this. Asking his brother for anything was like pulling teeth. “We both know you’ve been…more financially secure than me…so, I’m only going to make this request once and I don’t expect anything out of it.” Sighing, Dante ran a hand over his face and sighed. “…I need you float me some cash.” He could practically feel himself cringe a bit in disgust at how it felt like he was begging. “Not a lot, just some…Featherhead is…kinda comin’ down on me about “doing right” by Iris. So…I need to get her something special, to make things okay.”

He pursed his lips, sucking in a breath. “I know, sentimentality is not your forte, but it’s the only thing I’d ask from you…because even though we’re both assholes in our own ways, we are brothers. We don’t have to like each other…but we still gotta give some semblance of s**t about the other.”
--

“Never in my life…did I ever think,” She kept her tone soft and low. “that Vergil would ever come to my rescue.” She shivered a bit as Iris removed the remains of the gown. Briefly, Mara was torn over the loss of the beautiful material. Fenix had completely ruined it and she was at a loss because her best friend spent so much money on it. When she looked down at her naked body, she felt exposed. The reminder of the open wounds covering her flesh scared her and she covered herself up, almost ashamed at the memory.

She bit back a sob that escaped her as Iris helped her into the steaming, hot, waters and gently scrubbed her skin with the rag. Her knees pulled up to her chest as she gently washed away the rest of the dirt and grime left behind. Vergil had done a good job on her arms and legs, but the water still developed a reddish hue from the remnants of dried blood.

Her head pressed against her knees and she gently rocked against the water rinsing down her back. “…Wren.” She murmured softly. “I like that name too.” Lifting her face up, Mara gave Iris a small smile but it soon faded at the mention of her buying a home for herself and Vergil. Her cheeks tinted pink for a brief moment. “He…he doesn’t feel that way about me. He’s just…he’s protecting me and…he feels guilty for allowing harm to come to me.” She pulled her knees up a bit tighter to her chest.

“I mean…” She trailed off and sighed. “I don’t think that it’ll happen for us, Iris. The dress got his attention…but I doubt it was much.” Whenever Mara was in denial, she always had a tendency to make up excuses. Well, that and the fact she had never been in love before. “I…I do like him though, but…I don’t think he likes me that way. I mean…I grew up with the twins,” She glanced at the popstar. “I never told you that, because…I had all but forgotten them and, I guess Vergil’s first impression sort of ruined my memories of him. He didn’t…used to be that way.”

She pursed her lips and sniffled. “…demons got there mother, Iris. Just like they got mine, only…she was all alone. My parents…they, they went to the scene and they couldn’t recognize her anymore.” A lump formed in her throat. “…I sometimes worry, when this is all over…that when Vergil, if you give it to him, takes the key…he will leave and I will never see him again.” Her hands balled into little fists. “I’m scared, Iris. I’ve always been scared.” She confessed. “I’ve just…lost so many people I love that, I have built up defenses in order to avoid getting attached.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she smiled a bit wider at her best friend. “And then you came into my life…and I couldn’t bear seeing anything happen to you.”

Her arms came around the auburn haired girl and she cried softly. “You are…my best friend and I love you so much. I’m just so afraid…to lose you.”

[Minaarchangel]

Vergil took the bag with Mara's items in it, and looked it over, making certain it was her soup. She needed to eat more than the protein bar that he had given her. But he did not want to rush her. So he sat and listened to Dante prattle on, his face impassive as he thought about it. He knew he cared about Mara, Dante did not have to tell him that. So he turned and looked at him for an uncomfortably long time, before he finally chose to speak.

"Stay out of it."

When Dante asked him for the money, Vergil supposed he should have turned him down, should have separated himself from it all. Instead, he got up and left the soup behind, heading out of the office and down to the ATM just down the street. He took a slender wallet out of his pocket and removed a card, taking out a thick stack of cash. Vergil then returned to Devil May Cry and set the cash on the desk, two thousand dollars in fifties. That should be enough to buy a ring, at least in his mind. He then went back to sitting in his chair, not one for chattering with his brother. Or anyone really.

Upstairs, Iris smiled a little, "He might not be able to say how he feels, Mara, but he left no doubts that he was going to be the one going for you. He didn't even give the choice of Dante going instead. So don't be so surprised. Who couldn't care about you? Even Vergil has a little good in him somewhere. If he didn't, he would have forced me to give him the key by threatening you, just the way that Fenix tried to."

She reached down into the water and drained it, filling the tub once again so that it was clean and she kept washing her friend off so that the dried blood and dirt was finally gone, and then she stroked her back gently, "I don't think you're giving him enough credit. He's a hard man to know, but I doubt he would have spent the entire night by your side if he didn't care about you. He would have been outside on the roof with Dad. Or even hovering around me so that he could get the key. He hasn't even said anything about the key for a long time."

Iris held her friend gently, stroking her hair, "There's nothing to be afraid of, Mara. Dante is not going to let anything happen to me, and I'm not going to go anywhere. I'm going to be here for you as long as I can be."

Rocking Mara gently, Iris smiled a bit, "I love you too, Mara. As if you and I were sisters, and not just friends. You're the first person that I've ever felt that way about. Dante may be the father of my child, but you're family too. I want you to know that I care as much about you as I do him, just in a different way. I never want you to feel that he might be usurping you in any part of my heart."

Getting the towels, Iris helped Mara out of the tub and helped her dry off. Then she got some of Dante's clothing for her, a t-shirt and shorts with a draw string, as well as a pair of his socks that she was almost certain were clean, and she then helped her friend get dressed. When they were at the top of the steps, Vergil appeared, and he came up the stairs, taking Iris's place.

"You shouldn't be doing lifting, you are pregnant."

With that, he helped Mara down onto the couch and gave her the soup, unwrapping the spoon for her. Iris wandered over to Dante's desk and hopped onto his lap, taking the egg rolls from him and beginning to eat, "You should have taken my card and paid for the food. You know I don't mind that."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

“Man…she’s got you whipped.” He grinned.

It was a funny thing, Vergil in denial about his love life. He was hooked and there was no way he could escape it. Despite how badly Dante wanted to tease his brother for giving into human emotions, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The smile on his face faded at the warning and he simply said nothing more, until that huge wad of cash was set in front of him.

Eyes widening, his hands slammed on the desk and he tilted his head to the side at his stoic twin, mouth gaping open. “Vergil, what the ********?” His question was rhetorical, despite his curious and slightly annoyed tone. The follow up was what he really wanted answered. “How the hell do you have so much money?”

He didn’t get a chance to press further, because Iris was bringing Mara down the staircase. Quickly, he took the bundle of bills and put it in the bottom drawer of his desk. Putting a big grin on his face, he outstretched his arms and gestured to the violinist. “Aw, there’s the Squeaky we all know and love. She’s back to her clean and tidy self again…” He trailed off when he saw that she was wearing his clothes. Oh boy, he was sure Vergil was going to love seeing her in his brother’s pajamas. “…Iris, is that my Black Sabbath t-shirt you put…on Mara?”

Making a face a Dante, the violinist stuck her tongue out at him before stopping short of the staircase. Self-consciously, she gave a light tug at the bottom of the t-shirt and stood there in silence. The familiar logo and the memory of the type of music her father listened to flooded her mind. Yet it was cut short by Vergil’s.

As much as Iris wanted to help her down the steps, her guardian was highly against it for some reason. For a moment, she stood there marveling at his genuine assistance. He was there so swiftly, she’d barely seen him coming. The only excuse he could muster was something that sounded believable, but she knew he was full of it. Her confidence slowly returned and a smirk twitched at the corners of her lips as he helped her down the staircase.

“Thank you…” She whispered, reaching up to take the takeout bowl from him while nudging her head in his direction at Iris. Oh my gooood. Look at him. He’s just so…so sweet. It’s weird. The plastic spoon was warm in her hands as Vergil carefully unwrapped it and for the first time in what felt like days (even though it had only been about 18 hours). Mara slowly began to eat her soup, getting her digestive tract back to normal. Unconsciously, she found herself leaning back against the swordsman in an attempt to relax as the warm broth and taste of onions ran down her throat.

Watching the scene unfold, Dante couldn’t help but find the interaction funny. Every bit of attention given to the sweet violinist, he saw Vergil emanating their mother. Though, he was certain there were slight aspects of their old man in there too. It’s definitely mom, look at him unwrapping that s**t for her… Chewing on his egg roll thoughtfully, he let out a light “oof” when Iris plopped herself in his lap.

With the egg roll in his mouth, Dante wrapped his arms around Iris middle and rubbed a hand over her stomach. “I wonder what the kid’s gonna make you crave when you start getting a bit rounder in the belly.” He gently patted the soft fabric of his shirt and grinned at her. “I tried getting your dad something for lunch, he…respectively declined. He cited that he already ate, but I’m calling bullshit and saying he just doesn’t like Chinese.” Shrugging his shoulders, the devil hunter reached into the bag for his box of fried rice and hunan chicken and with one arm around Iris, and the other with the chicken, he picked at it with his fingers. He smiled at her, talking with his mouth full. “I know, I’m an animal.” He winked , knowing eating like this was a bad habit. “So, what’s on the agenda today? I know you gotta shoot that video again, do I gotta put on the same suit I wore in the last one?”

Reaching up, he brushed his fingers against Iris cheek, and swallowed his mouthful. “Cuz, I gotta say. I didn’t like the one last night, but I could definitely do the other one again, as long as I got breathing room. ” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mara roll her eyes.

Sipping on the broth, Mara glimpsed Vergi out of her peripheral vision. Wondering for a brief moment if he was watching her, she couldn’t help but smile again at him and hold some of the soup out in offer for him, considering it was a bit quart. “Hm?” She asked, chewing on a piece of tofu before setting the container down. It was crucial she pace herself in the event she might make herself sick. “Iris…are we going back to the hotel today, or…are we laying low here for the next few days.”

“Yeah, she’s right. I mean, my place isn’t a whole lot of fun. Not unless you like rocking out to the juke box and playing pool.” Gesturing to the t.v, Dante made a face. “Plus, the tube only gets one channel. I mean, if we’re gonna just relax, we might as well enjoy ourselves doing something, right?”

Mara glanced down at the change of clothes she was wearing and brushed her hands against the shorts, feeling a bit vulnerable in terms of exposure. “…I’d do a little shopping if I wasn’t so wary about going outside right now. Is…your father still patrolling outside, Iris?”

[Minaarchangel]

"I thought you said you wished for a loan. I have provided that."

Vergil was not going to answer the other question, and was saved from having to do so by Mara appearing in Dante's clothing. At first he was irritated, then he realized that it was probably all she had to wear, so he let it go. It was not as if they had arrived with packed bags. So he simply helped her with the soup, shaking his head when he offered her some. There was nothing appealing about Chinese food to him, it did not have the honorable vein as Japanese or haute cuisine had that he enjoyed. But he did not begrudge her the food she enjoyed.

He remained near her as she ate, listening as Iris planned things out. Vergil could admit that she was good at strategy, and reminded them all things that did not need to be so hard with her around. She actually cared, even about him, it seemed. Which disturbed him, but only a little. If she was going to be his brother's wife, then by extension, Iris was going to be his sister, and certainly a sister that he could respect. A family member he could like.

Iris looked at Dante, shaking her head, "I'm hoping for ice cream eaten with a beef jerky spoon, honestly, but little he or she will probably want something gross like meat flavored jello."

Just by watching the two of them, Iris could tell that Vergil cared more about Mara than he let on. Which was fine, that was the kind of person he was. She personally kind of liked his cold, chilly exterior, considering there was more under it than she thought. And his dry as toast sense of humor. So if he wanted to be with Mara, she was okay with that, really. He had more to offer than a lot of people out there.

"It's okay, Mara. I'm just going to call and have Benny send us a car so we can go back to the hotel and put our own clothing on."

Glancing at Dante again, she kissed his cheek, "Your part of the video is done. Tomorrow it's just me for a lot of scenes. The band was only going to be in the wedding scenes too. So Mara doesn't even need to go if she wants to rest at the hotel."

She coughed slightly as he suggested the pool table, her cheeks turning pink as she leaned over to whisper into his ear, "We uh...ruined that pool table. Remember?"

Her attention turned to the door and she nodded, "Yeah, Dad's still on the roof. Not sure how I know that, but it's true, I really do."

Vergil glanced up, "I assume it's the same way that Dante and I can feel other demons around before we see them."

Iris looked at Vergil, who never volunteered information. But it was kind of nice that he did. She nodded with a smile, accepting that as a good reason as to why she knew her father was around. She was more in touch with her angelic side than she had been. Knowing he was around was just like knowing Dante was in the room when she as not on his lap. She ate her chicken with her chopsticks, and went for her noodles afterward.

When they were finished eating, she called for a limousine and had them all picked up at the office. She had put on her gown again, so that Dante could keep his clothing, and they were taken back to the hotel so that there was no stops along the way, the driver a trusted company driver. Iris just let her head rest against Dante's shoulder as they were driven back to the hotel, and she ignored the fans outside trying to get a glimpse of her and went inside the hotel lobby. She wanted to lie down on a comfortable bed, strangely tired, and got in the elevator, heading upstairs. The suite was tidy and neat and the fridge re-stocked, so Iris was ready to go upstairs.

She touched Dante's hand and glanced at the steps to the bedroom, "I think I'm going to go take a shower."

Vergil stayed with Mara the entire trip back to the hotel. He was not going to let anything else happen to her, and when they got into the hotel, he opened the door to her room and nodded, "You need to rest. I will be right out here."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

This week had proven to be the most exhausting experience ever: an epic proportion of ********. Between his budding relationship with Iris, reuniting with his brother, and discovering he was going to be a father, Dante had his hands full. It also didn’t help that Prentiss, his future father-in-law, was watching down his neck like a hawk. ******** hell, he probably thought every second of the day that the devil hunter was going to drop and run from commitment with Iris.

The entire ride home drove him nuts just thinking about what kind of ring he was going to get his girl and propose to her with-Oh s**t! How the hell should he plan to propose?” He had a wad of cash from his brother stuffed in both his pants pockets and pockets of his trench-coat literally undetected by Iris. How in the hell was he going to find the perfect way to set this whole thing up for Iris?

He couldn’t have been happier to get back to the hotel, where the familiar faces of the staff awaited them. Despite the delicious lunch they had, Dante could already feel the craving for a strong drink coming on, and just as he poured himself a shot of wild turkey, the soft coo of his girlfriend echoed into his ear. ”I think I’m going to go take a shower.” The temptation to follow after her was just too great to resist.

[******** me. He stood at the kitchen counter for a brief moment, pausing to glance at his brother leading Mara off to her bedroom. While it was fun to watch Vergil unfold at the hands of this girl, he could feel his desire for Iris growing. His mind focused on the soft coo of her voice and the delicious invitation of sharing a shower. “Mmm…” He gave a hard swallow, throat running dry at the idea and his lips pursed together, struggling to hide is erection. “I’ll be back...” He muttered, hurrying from the living room towards the bedroom upstairs.

A quick knock was his cue to let her know he was coming inside. Unable to stay away from her for too long, Dante came up behind Iris quickly and wrapped his arms around her middle from behind. Face burying into her shoulder, he inhaled her scent deeply and gave a soft groan of delight. “Mmm…have I never been so glad to have privacy and a clean bedroom…” He growled softly into her ear, hot breath whispered against her neck slightly. One hand pressed lightly against her stomach and the other crept its way up against her breasts. “God…you are gonna drive me insane.”

He needed to de-stress himself from the hell he had been through this week. While he certainly had response for Prentiss, despite the bullshit he was being put through, he couldn’t ignore the urges he had for Iris. He could not avoid holding back his feelings. While it was easy to control other obvious emotions, in privacy with Iris he could release all of that because he trusted her and she brought out both the best and worst in him. It was only because of her that he could maintain equilibrium. “God, I ******** love you…”

--
She hesitated in the doorway, observing her bedroom and noticing how different it felt coming “home.” Even if the hotel was not really a settled establishment, seeing her bedroom brought a desire for that special place. The bed was cleanly made, but she could not really call it her own. All of her things were neatly rearranged on the vanity, but she knew that each time would be different the longer they stayed here.

A lump formed in her throat and she chose not to enter just yet. It was not because she feared entering into the soft, down, comfort of her bed, it was simply that fact: it wasn’t hers. Delicate fingertips rubbed up and down against the doorframe of her room and she stood there tense for a moment. Dante’s muttering in the background was a brief distraction, but when he was gone she drew away from the bedroom and simply came to wrap her arms around Vergil’s middle. Her head rested comfortably against his chest.

For a brief moment, she took the chance to inhale his scent and take in the foreign familiarity of it. “No.” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper as she stood there alone with him. “I’m tired…of resting.” She bit her lip. “I’m tired…of traveling, I just…I just want to go home.” Her fingers grasped onto his coat, the rush of cinnamon, mint, and leather filled her nostrils. God, why did he have to smell so good? “And…I’m with you…or near you and…it’s the closest thing I can remember to being home.” Sure, the violin brought her closer to her father, but home…that was different.

Her fingers smoothed up and down his back, in an almost soothing manner. “…I don’t want to lay in bed all day when I know it’s not really mine. Please, Vergil. Don’t make me…”

[Minaarchangel]

Vergil rolled his eyes as Dante went chasing after his mate, knowing he was not so easily controlled. He took Mara to her room, but she turned around and wrapped her arms around him and he was not particularly inclined to push her away. But she did not want to go to bed, and he had to explain something uncomfortable to her, though his cheeks might have turned the faintest of pinks.

"...I am not...I do not...not before..."

He was furious at himself for not being able to say it, so he waited a moment before speaking, "Physical intimacy should be saved for serious commitment."

There, he had managed it. But he frowned, hoping he had not hurt her feelings, "It is not aversion to you. It is how I feel about the situation."

After that Vergil frowned a bit, "Would you like to change your clothing then, and play your music? Or sit on the couch?"

Still uncertain of what to do, he put a hand gently on her upper back, so that she did not think that he was uncaring, but he was certainly not going to indulge the way his brother did. That did things. Like get women pregnant. He was not particularly interested in having a child currently, though it was not out of the question in the future if their relationship, and there was one it seemed, got to that point.

"If you wish to change I will take you down to the amenities of the hotel and you may relax there. I believe they are going to engage in things we do not need to listen in on."

~~~~

Iris went upstairs and sloughed off her gown, as well as her panties and went into the bathroom nude, shutting the door as she brushed out her long hair. Dante knocked on the door and he came into the bathroom, his hands immediately finding her skin, his face buried in her shoulder. She reached up and stroked his hands, one hand drifting to the back of his neck, stroking his hair, her voice soft.

"I love you too."

And it was true. She did love him, even if it seemed impossible. She loved him and she was going to have his baby and it felt strangely idyllic. Iris turned around in his arms and began undressing him slowly, her mouth dropping gentle kisses along the flesh revealed to her, leaving what was left of his tuxedo on the floor. She then took his hand, and walked them both into the bathroom and instead of turning on the shower, she began running a hot bath in the large bathtub. They probably had the time for it, and she imagined Vergil was going to find a way to get out of the room.

She got Dante into the tub first when the water was up to a good level, and then she got in, sitting in his lap, the ends of her long hair drifting in the water. She had taken out the extensions, but the tub was deep enough to touch the ends of her hair, turning them dark copper and plastering it against her back and shoulders. Iris washed off his skin with a soft sponge first, and then her own, so that he could watch as water slid down the curves of her breasts, between the crest of flesh, along her currently flat stomach and down her legs.

"There we go. All clean."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

What was he mumbling about? Her head lifted up from his chest and green eyes gazed into his, curious to their meaning until he made it clear in his way of speaking. If he thought his cheeks could turn colours, than he was in for a rude awakening. Her mouth parted open in a mixture of shock and confusion. A bright red flush spread across her face and she babbled incoherently for a moment. “I…No. That’s not…um…” She parted from him briefly, scratching he back of her head and placing a hand at the side of her cheek, noting how warm she’d become from the result.

“Uh…” She stammered for a moment longer before shaking it off and composing herself again. “No…I didn’t mean…that. I…I’m sorry. I should have been…a bit less cryptic.” Her hands folded in front of her and waved them in the air briefly. “Uh…I just meant being in this hotel just feels…so unfamiliar now. I look…at that bed and I know I cannot rest in it because…it’s not my own. It’s…like homesickness.” It was the only, straightforward, way she could describe it. “Like…when you’re away from what is familiar to you and you just…want your own bed and your own room…” Gesturing at him, she hoped Vergil would get the gist of what she was trying to explain.

Sighing, she reached a hand forward and brushed her fingers against his cheek. “…but um…it’s…nice to know you aren’t ah, repulsed by me or…um…the idea.” Her hand drew from his face and she twiddled with her fingers nervously. Her gaze flitted back and forth between Vergil and the bedroom upstairs, knowing Dante and Iris would not be quiet for long.

“Let me go, change and maybe you could take me downstairs to the uh, hotel amenities. And…afterwards, so you...and I don’t have to hear uh, Dante and Iris being naughty,” She linked her arm with his, leading him to stand outside of the bedroom. “Ice cream…or…teahouse?” She suggested, warily testing the waters to see if Vergil would go for it. “Is…is any of that out of the question?”

She closed the door behind her, leaving enough room for him to speak as she sorted through her wardrobe. It would probably please him if she was in her own clothes as opposed to the ones Iris gave her at Dante’s. Her face fell at the selection, wondering what would be appropriate or…”acceptable” under Vergil’s interpretation.

She opted for the cute, dark green, caplet dress in her closet. Making sure it was buttoned at the front and her shoes matched the outfit before poking her head out the door. Again, she cautiously glanced up above at Iris bedroom and cleared her throat “…have they started humping like gorillas yet? If not…um, let’s get out before they…uh, do.”
--
“…You know something?” Dante mused while soaking in the tub with Iris. His hands occasionally wandered to her stomach. He gently rubbed the soft, damp, flesh with his fingertips. “…I always thought that, I would turn out to be a worse you know, lover than my old man.” He confessed, the steam in the bathroom was enough to ease the stress in his muscles.

Stretching out in the full length tub, his arms came to rest around Iris, and she fit so comfortably in his grasp. Head resting on her shoulder, he inhaled the scent of citrus and her perfume from the night before. “…I mean, he left us when we were kids. So…” Sighing, the hunter shrugged his shoulders. “Mom was always looking over her shoulder and being paranoid for us, so we didn’t have to. I guess…I worry I’ll become too much like him.” He pulled the girl closer against his naked body. Lips pressed tenderly against her throat, lazily dragging long tender skin. “…but I know better and I promise I’ll be better than he ever was.”

With one arm safely securing her, the other ventured down to her stomach and he chuckled softly. “So, You got your heart set on, uh, Wren huh?” He asked, running his fingers over her stomach and he tickled her a bit. “Boy or girl? What you think we’re havin’?” Grinning, he couldn’t stop teasing her. “Come on, what’s it gonna be, little blue or pink blanket?” He laughed. “Ahhh…” He nipped at her earlobe. “…Mmm.”

Holding her closer, almost afraid to let her go, Dante exhaled a breath and attempted to relax a bit more. The arm wrapped her around her briefly parted so he could search for the damn button for the water jets. “So, how much longer til we buy that little house in smalltown-nowheresville?”

[Minaarchangel]

"Either place is acceptable. You may choose which ever will make you feel better."

Vergil stepped back, stoic expression back, no anger apparent, just his normal resting face, which turned out to be just as angry looking as his angry face. But he nodded quietly when she said she wanted to go change, so he changed his clothes as well, getting back into the black leather pants, sleeveless undershirt, brown boots, leather armored vest, and his blue coat. He was ready for Mara to reappear when stepped out in a pretty dress, and he shook his head at her question.

"Not that I have noticed. I have not been attempting to listen though."

Yamato hidden in his coat again, he turned to walk to the door and opened it for her, so she could step out first, but he had always been a gentleman. Nothing strange about that. He then walked down the steps with her, and took her outside, checking the area before he got them a cab, and had them take the two of them wherever she wanted to go, except for the library. She was not well enough to go after the bow yet, not that he would have been letting her do anything, really. He would be the one wh fought whatever was guarding it.

After a few more moments of silence, he spoke, "Dante wishes to be as little like our father as possible. He will not abandon her or leave her and her child alone."

Not that he knew if she was worrying about that, but it was something he could soothe her over.

~~~~

In the tub, Iris leaned her head against Dante's shoulder, sighing softly as she curled against him, "I know you won't leave us. I know what kind of man you are, and you're certainly not your father."

She took his hand and put her own against it, palm to palm, staring as she smiled over how much larger his hands were compared to her own. Hers were soft, his were rough. Her nails were manicured, his were trimmed almost down to the quick. His fingers could easily curl over her own, the pale morsel in his palm showing edges of his flesh on all sides. But Iris liked that. She felt safe when she was in Dante's arms.

Nodding a bit, she smiled, "Wren is perfect for a boy or a girl. It works for both genders, but to tell you the truth, I think I'm having a boy. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. I feel like it's a little boy with white blonde hair and violet eyes like his mother, and he'll be a heartbreaker just like his daddy."

Iris kissed his shoulder, "But we'll be doing the baby's room in dark green and gold. No blue currently."

The jets went on, and she sighed softly, "That's nice. I suppose I have to finish this tour, and the next one, before I can at least semi-retire. I won't tour anymore, but I might release new music. Because I love the music, I can't just give it up. But I know you understand that feeling. How would you feel about moving to a small coastal town? Maybe a little house on the beach, where we could play in the sand and the surf all day long during the summer, and roast marshmallows over a firepit in the autumn."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

How could someone so…statuesque in personality (at times) be so handsome?

Every single time he dressed into that tell-tale blue coat and vest, Mara found herself staring at him. It wasn’t as though she wanted to gape, but the glide of the elegant trench coat hiding his muscled arms always stunned her.

Swallowing the lump of nervousness in her throat, Mara politely nodded to him and slid into the taxi cab. She eyed the driver who glimpsed the couple awkwardly, he was probably wondering where on earth they were going. As soon as the door closed, he turned in the seat. He paused for a moment before speaking, a slight crack of nervousness in his tone. “Uh, so where to?”

Glancing at Vergil momentarily, she opened her mouth to speak in regards to his brother but was faced with interruption. “Um…” It took her a few moments trying to decide between ice cream and tea. Her throat still throbbed occasionally when she spoke. The soreness in it was starting to get to her. The car’s engine, the noise, started to get to her. The reminder of the screech of the demons clawed at the back of her mind. The low rumble of the engine brought back the low growls of the monsters and her hands wrung together. Her head swam just for a moment until the driver’s voice snapped her out of her stupor.

“Pot luck?” The man asked, turning his attention to Vergil. “Anywhere within city limits?”

“N-No!” Her voice shook when she finally answered him. “N…no. The Teahouse…on 8th Avenue.” She rubbed her fingers against her throat, straining to get the answers out before she rested back in the seat. “2230…8th Avenue. Please.”

Leaning back against the seat, she watched the driver nod and pull out from the hotel driveway. One of the hands in her lap moved to grasp Vergil’s, if only to remind herself that this was the now. This wasn’t some pain induced dream and she was safe. Her eyes fluttered closed as she took several deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. When Mara finally regained her composure, she turned her gaze back to the man sitting beside her. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand in an effort to reassure herself.

“And here I thought you had so…little faith in your brother.” It was kind of nice to hear though. Vergil was giving Dante some of the credit. Yet, despite his stance on how his twin was going to treat Iris and their baby, it made her wonder about him. What kind of man was Vergil in terms of…a relationship? The question hadn’t meant to slip from her lips, but there was not much she could do after she’d voiced her concern. “…And you?” It sounded a bit tense, wary as she ventured into undiscovered territory that was his mind. “…Who do you strive to be like? Your…own person? Someone else?” What are you doing? Stop it. This is not the time. “I mean…my first impression after…12 years of not seeing you since we were kids, you…were pretty ambitious. Then again…you were quite…insistent when we were children. Well…both of you were insistent actually. Dante always wanted me to play princess…but I had other plans.”

She tapped her fingers against her knee nervously. “…You probably don’t remember much.” Brushing a few dark locks behind her ear, Mara gazed straight ahead to watch where they were going. “I remember the last thing was we had stopped to say good bye.” Her throat was dry again and her voice cracked a little. “And we all ran…to hide somewhere, so I didn’t have to leave.”

--

There were so many comparisons to him being like his father. Whether it was the way Vergil referenced his lack of responsibility or the way Nevan sultrily whispered how handsome he was like his old man. A chill always ran up his spine and at times he found himself visibly disgusted. Dante would sooner shoot himself in the head than have someone mention how much he was like Sparda, one more damn time.

Silently, he sat in the tub and groaned softly as the jets came on in the water. His fingers idly stroked up the span of Iris’ thighs. “Wren…” He mused quietly in her ear as she went on about their little house and roasting smores over a fire on the beach. “Eh, it’s growing on me.” He murmured, rubbing his thumb over the navel on her stomach. “We can keep that name.” Warm lips pressed against the nape of her throat and he allowed a deep rumble to come from within to massage against the soft flesh.

“Ya know, I can’t actually remember when I got a chance to soak in a tub, in a hotel, with a beautiful girl in my lap that didn’t cost like…3000 smackeronies a night, you know?” A fond smirk touched the corners of his lips but it faded when she referenced what their kid might be like. He buried his face into the crook of her shoulder. “I want our kid to be whatever they want to be like, preferably someone good in their life. They don’t have to break hearts just cause of me.”

Leaning back in the tub, Dante could only wished his childhood had been anything like Iris was planning. “…I’m gonna try to be better than my old man was to us.” It came out a little quieter than he’d expected and he cleared his throat, raising his tone a bit louder, firmer. “I always worried about stuff like this. You know, but most of the time it was in the back of my head. I often didn’t give too much of a s**t about it because…I didn’t care, I living my life and loving it.” Stroking the soft flesh of her belly, he sighed. “…but now…” He uttered softly and inhaled her sweet citrusy scent. “I have to care, because I want to.” He murmured. “…so, whatever to make us happy, I’ll do it. Whatever free time we get, in the event demons don’t attack us, we’ll sit on that ******** beach. We’re gonna make a s**t ton of smores for the kid and roast marshmallows.” He rubbed her back and rested his head atop hers. “…I got one favour to ask though, can I wear the flashy tux from the video shoot? Please? He asked. “I need arm room, babe.”

[Minaarchangel]

Vergil watched her flounder and get nervous in the cab, as if he was not there, her heart pounding so hard that he could hear it. When she took his hand, he held onto it gently, knowing she needed the comfort, but he did very little else to show her he cared. It was different, being in public, and Vergil hoped that she would understand that he was not a man who gave in to shows of sentiment. Instead, he simply allowed her to do as she required while they headed for the teahouse.

He glanced at Mara when she asked him what kind of person he tried to be, "...There should be no one like me in the entire world."

Granted, he was re-thinking his priorities where the key was involved, considering she was now as good as a sister to him. But he did not consider himself like anyone. His father was not nearly ambitious enough. His brother was far too casual. His mother, too human. Vergil wanted to be Vergil, and while others might try to be like him, they would never manage to be the same man. Ever. He would make certain of that, if only because Mara would be with him now. Somehow, she was in all his plans for the future, and he considered what he might have to do to keep her safe in the future.

"Dante allows others to sway him far too easily. Being told he is like our father will anger him, being told he is not good enough for Iris will bother him. If he believed in himself as completely as he should, he certainly would not be so easily swayed."

His eyes looked out the window, "The angel, Prentiss, got to him. To the point that he asked for my help so he might propose to Iris."

Vergil's mouth curled into a frown, "I suggest not speaking of that to Iris. It might hurt her feelings or make her angry, or however women feel about such things."

~~~~

Iris lied on his lap and chest for a while, speaking softly to him, "I never met your father, but I can't imagine you're anything like him from what I've heard. There are plenty of other mildly pretty women in the world, it doesn't mean I'm anything like them."

She snorted softly, "Well maybe I should start charging for it then."

Her hands came up to run through his hair when he buried his face in her shoulder and she smiled, "Even if Wren can't do anything but make Jell-o salad really well, I'm sure we'll love him or her just as much as if he or she had become a doctor or a diplomat or a devil hunter or a world-famous pop singer."

Gently, her head came to rest on his chest once again, "You are going to be an amazing father, Dante. And there are going to be countless nights where we put a baby into a crib and rock him or her to sleep. Where we'll get to sit up and watch infomercials because Wren won't sleep unless he or she is being held. The sky over the beach will get dark, the stars will come out one by one, and the moon will light the sand and surf with its pure white light. And we'll love it all."

Leaning up, she looked down at him with a smile, "Why would you need to wear a tuxedo? I think you'd prefer some swimtrunks if we were going to be on the beach."

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

“I have nightmares.” His confession came out of the blue. Stupidly, he wanted to blurt out that he dreamt about constricting tuxedos and not being able to breathe, but he knew she wouldn’t buy into it. “…about the past sometimes, my old man left us when we were younger. So…it was just Vergil, mom, and me.” He stroked his fingers through her damp hair, sinking lower into the tub. “I’m gonna be a dad…and I’m always gonna worry about the mistakes I make, babe.”

Tilting her chin up, he stroked the soft flesh and reminded himself that Iris was very real. She wasn’t going anywhere and he definitely wasn’t dreaming. “…I mean…” He trailed off, trying to draw away from the depressing topic of his past. “Are you really going to let me wear swimming trunks the day of our uh, ya know…wedding, ugh. It sounded so tacky coming from his mouth. When we get hitched.” He smiled at her, charming as always.

His fingers stroked from her hair down her back where he began to massage the soft feel of her skin. The creamy scents of citrus and lavender filed his senses and he relaxed a bit more in the tub. “Think the kid will fall asleep to some rock music playing in the background?” He smirked, then started laughing. “Holy s**t…can you imagine. If the infomercials and the rocking doesn’t work, maybe we can set the kid next to the jukebox. The vibrations from the side will put baby right to sleep…after a week of sleepless nights.”

He grinned, trying to fondly assess the situation before dread set in. “Oh holy s**t, we’re gonna have to make Vergil godfather, ain’t we?”

--
”There should be no one like me in the entire world.”

--
”Daddy, do all daddies turn into big kitties like you?” The question, like many, came out of thin air from his little girl. He’d noted the car ride back had been a little quiet since his recent visit with Sparda, it would nearly be…the second to the last.

Hands clenched the steering wheel a bit tighter in his grasp for a moment before he eased his tense state. “…Honey, remember how daddy said…he’s not like other daddies?” His question was tepid, a bit strained and he cleared his throat. “Well...I’m the only one that can do the things I do. There’s no one else…that’s quite like me. Like…” He trailed off, trying to set an example. “Say, hypothetically, I went away…and you got a new daddy.” Heaven forbid.

“But I don’t want a new daddy! You’re my daddy!” The little girl gasped from the backseat and internally, Ralcosel was kicking himself. “You’re going away?!”

“No, Mara.” His tone was firm and he eyed her from the rearview mirror. “No. Hypothetically, it’s a word that means…imagining stuff from a different point of view. Say, I wasn’t around…and mommy remarried. You’d have a new daddy…but…could your new daddy do all of the same things I can?” He shrugged his shoulders, and watched his daughter warily in her booster seat.

Her gaze averted from him and she slowly shook her head. “You’ll always be my daddy. There’s no one else that will be like you. A’sides, who’s gonna cut the crusts off my sammiches and read me bedtime stories and tell me to go to the dictionary when I don’t know certain words? Mommy won’t. She’ll just remind me.”

A small smile touched the corners of Ralcosel’s mouth but it was bittersweet. “Daddy’s done bad things in his life sometimes, but he’s a good man.” He assured her. “And that’s okay. I will never be able to do good things one hundred percent of the time and the same goes for you. So, no matter what…there is no one that will be quite like you or me. Got it, kiddo?”

“Yes.” Mara nodded in the back seat, smiling at him. “Can you turn into a kitty again for bedtime stories?”

“Uh…we’ll see honey.”

Her head lifted up and for a brief moment, Mara gazed at him fondly smiling at his words. The stoic tone of his voice held an underlying quality that the power trip was gone. He was no longer after the key. At least, she hoped he was not still trying to gain it from Iris. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she leaned against him and closed her eyes for the remainder of the drive.


She kept quiet, serene, as she leaned against her. Her gaze would occasionally open to settle on the driver’s movements. Understandably, Vergil was not going to be the same man in public as he was in private with her. Mara, willingly, could accept that. Maybe (if they let them), the staff at the teahouse could give them a private booth where they wouldn’t be disturbed by other customers. Only then would she see that genuinely more attentive side of him.

It’s was so odd listening to him point out Dante’s faults but from a more understanding point of view. It seemed that Vergil really did have some care for his brother, even if it was minute at best.

Her expression changed to one of concern though when she realized just how hard the demon hunter was on himself. It especially pained her to know that Iris’ father was being so hard on him, then again wouldn’t any father?

Hell, what about her father? What would he say if he knew that she was with Vergil of all people? “...He doubts his abilities, because he fears he will be too much like your father. He worries…he will become him, is that it?”

Yet, he continued to surprise her. The very notion that his twin even considered helping him out of this…proposal rut tugged at her heartstrings. It warmed her to think that Vergil, even for a moment, had such sympathy in his little teeny, tiny, icy heart of his. Well, at least for Dante. “Consider it between us then, I’m sure he’ll pick out the right diamond.”

When the cab finally pulled to a stop, she slid out of the passenger seat and paused to allow Vergil to pay the man. Once the driver was gone, the violinist leaned towards him to press a kiss to his cheek. She allowed herself to linger, but for a moment, before pulling away. “…I would not want you to be anyone else but yourself.” A smile curled at the corners of her lips and she gently drew her fingers along his jawline. “…and I would not expect you to do anything less than what you feel is right.” Her hand left his face and she detached her grip from his own before walking beside him into the teahouse.

The smiling hostess was looking down at the reservation sheet when her head perked up and she grasped a few menus from her stand. “Two?” Her gaze flitted to Vergil momentarily while Mara’s arm linked through his. Maybe it was just her nature to draw herself closer due to her trauma, but she didn’t want to admit the slight tinge of jealousy. The girl at the counter was quite pretty and blonde at that. Her grip on his arm tightened a bit, some of her anxiety returned but she held steadfast onto her guardian and exhaled a deep breath. “Y-yes.” She answered quietly. “Some…where private, please. Quiet, if possible.”

[Minaarchangel]

Iris stared down at him a moment, realizing what he had been talking about. Her cheeks turned red, and she looked away from his face, her voice soft.

"I didn't...I wasn't assuming...I mean, you haven't proposed yet, so I didn't assume we were getting married. I just thought you'd want to be in the baby's life and that you'd want to stay with me is all. I hope you didn't feel pressured with all that talk."

She looked down, "I'm sorry, I was taking it for granted that you had asked to stay with me before. I didn't mean to make you feel like we had to get married or anything. I just want you to be happy. I got excited over everything, because I knew the moment I found out about this baby that I wanted it. I might have questioned the wisdom of it, but I still wanted it. I haven't even asked you if you wanted to be part of our lives."

Looking up at him again, Iris felt a little bit of her heart breaking, thinking of Dante just going along with things because he did not want to hurt her feelings. Or even worse, because her father had been harassing him about it. Truthfully, she had hoped to be married some day, but she did not have to be to still be happy. It was just a piece of paper, and granted, it would make giving her entire estate to Dante much easier in the event of her death, but she could still do what she wanted with her money, even if they never got married.

Moving up in the water to get out of the tub, she reached for a towel, "I want it to be your decision. Not because you think I expect it, or if my father's been bothering you about it. I know he loves me and means well, but when he died, I was three. He probably still thinks I'm three and not a grown woman who can make her own decisions and who can obviously take care of herself, at least financially. I know I'm stupid when it comes to people."

~~~~~

Vergil paid for the cab and nodded slightly to Mara's question, "Our father abandoned us, and because he was not there, our mother died horribly and I was taken. Dante fears letting down the people he cares about in a similar fashion."

When they got out of the cab, her fingers slid across his cheek and jaw, and because they were not in complete privacy, he pretended like it did nothing to him, meant nothing to him. Anyone watching would see her touch him and him stand there as if it were just the breeze rustling his coat a bit. But Vergil was inordinately pleased with the gesture, and instead of cursing himself, feeling like he had to deny all that was good about it, he just memorized the feeling. Should she leave him, and lord knew he would not be able to keep her, he could remember it later.

They went into the teahouse, and he ignored the pretty woman smiling at him. As if someone's outward appearance mattered to him. Certainly, Mara's beauty was attractive, but he preferred the woman inside more. So he did not smile back at the hostess and they headed to the quiet table, where he made a point of pulling out her chair for her. Then he glanced at the menu when they were left alone.

"What would you like?" he asked, knowing he would order his normal orange pekoe if she did not have any objections to it.

[MadxHatterxTeapot]

The anger at himself crept over Dante and he had to avoid clenching his fists. He quickly averted his gaze from hers and exhaled a sigh of exasperation. Part of him knew that Iris’ father had gotten to him, but the other half was blatantly aware that he wanted to be a better man than his father. He didn’t want to go around not doing the right thing because it was “right.” He wanted this because he wanted it, not because of anything else.

He silently was cursing Prentiss right now and how much her father probably would have been happier if she was pregnant by someone else. But the singer was special in his heart and the least he could do was show her that she was important to him. Mine. Only he didn’t hear the demon half in his head, it was his own conscience.

“Iris…” His hands lifted up from the tub, almost in a mixture of confusion and apprehension. “That’s not…” Dragging himself from the depths, he drained the water and stood on the sponge mat. Both hands came up to place on her shoulders and he pulled her back against his chest gently. “That ain’t the case.” He assured her. “Look…if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t.” Very tenderly, he tilted her chin up towards him, blue eyes gazed down into hers with a hint of disappointment. “I…” He trailed off. “…I want to do this because I wanna. You know…I don’t need to have an underlying reason or…pressure because…it’s my decision.”

He didn’t care if he was standing, naked, without a towel. Iris mattered to him, even if he sounded like some sappy jackoff right now. “I want this…not just for me though too, for us. You know, every kid deserves to have their parents together. I wasn’t fortunate enough to get that.” His head rested atop hers and he stroked up the length of her back with his hand. “And, I want that. Not just for me…but for all of us.” He pursed his lips and briefly parted just enough so he could still hold her in his arms.

“Iris,” He began softly. “I wanna do everything in my power to be…less like my old man and more…like me. You know, I’d never thought I’d actually have a steady gal in my life. I never thought I’d have her old man on my back.” He laughed at the last part. “…I never thought I’d ever have a kid.” He confessed. “…but I guess life is funny that way and…honest?” He quirked a brow at her and smirked. I’m really…liking the idea of…catching a break, settling down…relaxing.” His arms slid up hers and he leaned into press a kiss to her lips.

“I’m always…” He trailed off. “Gonna have worries about stuff I might do like my dad. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression, Iris and think…I don’t want any of this.” Again, he tilted her chin up and smiled. “And you’re not stupid; you just have a big heart and think so much about others before yourself.” He kissed her again. “So…I think Vergil and Squeaky flew the coop…” He purred, moving in closer. “Maybe…we can have a little fun while they’re out.”
--
It was unbelievable, in the face of such a pretty girl, Vergil had even so much as batted a look in her direction. After a while, the hostess seemed to give up her charms and simply went back to her duties at the counter.

Maybe it was a bit silly to assume a mild sense of jealousy, but Mara had never been one to casually date other guys before on account of her busy schedule. To say Vergil was the first was an understatement. He was the only one.


As Mara browsed over the menu, she couldn’t help but allow a small, meek, smile to touch her lips. "...At least now I don't have to pretend you're going to contemplate skinning me and...what was it you said? "That's a third date activity?" Was this...a date?"


“I am content to have a warm tea, something citrus to soothe my throat.” She rubbed the base of her neck and glimpsed at the menu. “…They have banana loaf.” She mused to herself before her gaze widened slightly at the idea of the warm special in her tummy. “…and serve grilled cheese.” She practically melted at the idea of having something more comforting to eat in her system. “It’s the special with soup.” She nodded to the menu in regards to the regular tea sandwiches.

“…I love grilled cheese.” She confessed, her gaze flitting back to the menu again as if it may have been a bit silly to tell him. How else was he supposed to know if he was to continue guarding her 24/7? “…For future reference.” In that moment, their server was approaching the table. A clean and pleasant looking young gentleman appropriately greeted them.

“Afternoon, I’ll be taking care of you today. Are we ready to order?”

[Minaarchangel]

"Dante..."

He pulled her back against his chest and she felt the warmth of him seeping through the water on their bodies. She wanted to believe that he was doing what he wanted to do, that she was what he wanted, whether she was having his child or not, but preferably with that child, too. Iris took a slow breath, and turned around in his arms when he moved her, nodding a bit. He said he wanted to be there with her, and that they were getting married because he wanted to give their child the family that he never had, that they both hoped he or she would get to have.

A smile touched her lips when he mentioned that they were all alone, and it went without saying that they were already naked and had missed out on anything fun for a few days because of the party and the preparations before hand. Iris was in the mood to tease him though, the towel in between them as she looked up at him, a saucy smile on her face.

"Oh? So you want to play Uno? Or maybe just Crazy Eights?"

Laughing softly, she dropped the towel and sauntered out of the bathroom completely nude, not that she cared much about that. The hotel room was empty, and their room itself was closed off from the rest of the suite. She knew that Dante would follow her, it was just a question of whether he would be gentle about it or pounce on her as quickly as possible. Either way, she was close to the bed when she turned back around to glance at the bathroom door.

~~~~~

"Not currently," he said, glancing at the menu, his voice deadpan. "But the day is not over."

A slight smile, very slight, barely visible, curled at the corners of his mouth, so she would know he was joking. His humor was a little dark, always dry, but it was fun and he liked it that way. When the waiter arrived, Vergil took her menu, because the gentleman always ordered, and nodded to the waiter.

"The lady will have the grilled cheese and soup. With a pot of oolong tea, and honey. Lavender if you have it."

The waiter nodded, writing all of that down, "And you, sir?"

"Orange pekoe, orange blossom honey. And..."

He frowned a moment, then pointed to something on the menu, so he did not have to say it. The waiter nodded and wrote something down, and Vergil gave him the menus, once again stoic and quiet. He was not used to having to behave in public, but it was hard to not be drawn to Mara. He had given up the fact that he would never actually dislike her. In fact, he had taken up the idea that he was fond of her and allowed that to continue. She was sweet and kind and fiercely protective, even if she was not very good at it currently. And while Iris had soft edges that would smooth his brother, Mara's refined temperament matched his.

When the waiter returned, he had the tea for both of them, and for Mara, a little treat. A cookie with a marshmallow on it, pink in color, with a lifesaver stuck in the side and a chocolate nonpareil on top. It was a small treat that looked like a tea cup. Obviously he could not order it out loud. It was called a fairy cup on the menu. But he hoped she might like the whimsy of it.