to see a world in a grain of sand

[kowase]

WHO: Dante, Vergil, Nero, and any visitors to the Auguries within the month of June.
WHERE: Auguries of Innocence
WHEN: Throughout June/July
WHAT: Different logs/stuff that happens at Vergil's apartment-slash-shop
WARNINGS: General sparda family stuff, they talk about demon stuff idk. there'll be a birthday party at the end of the month too.



[ A three-story building with a shop in the bottom-most floor, a sign that is overtly fancy and gilded with silver, Auguries of Innocence. In the window, there is now a smaller, just as fancy, but red glowing sign that says Opening Soon: Devil May Cry.

The second floor a storeroom filled with crates of items unsorted and damaged alike, things Vergil has collected for numerous years and hasn't finished restoring, or is just holding while not ready to sell. The floor also has a number of crafting tools in it for restoring broken items or refurbishing damaged ones.

The third floor is a minimalistic, mostly grey and silver apartment with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a study, a kitchen, a livingroom and a dining area in it. It's covered in antiques, with some weapons hanging on the wall. The furniture looks styled more for looking at than it is for sitting on, which is annoying, at best.


For the Montshs of June/July, Vergil and Dante have forcibly kidnapped Nero to live with them while he's dealing with some rather unfortunate memory issues -- and this post will be used for any threads involving the trio + any visitors while this mess goes on. ]

Comments

[advivo]

He did, did he? [ dante might grill wolfwood on that later, when things have grown quiet again and people have left, for now, he puts it aside and keeps his focus on the mirror image in front of him.

the man who leans into dante's touch, who hooks an arm around dante's waist in a display of closeness that is as much of a surprise as it is welcomed. the younger all but melts into the hold, tension draining from his shoulders as he leans forward to lightly bump their forehead's together. the question isn't a surprise, it's been sitting heavily in the air between them for the past few months, unspoken and disregarded. it was only a matter of time before it was broached before it was dragged from the darkness out into the light.

dante feels tired, suddenly, wanting little more than to drag vergil back to his room and curl up with him. he sighs heavily, his hand slipping down to the line of his brother's jaw cupping it lightly. ]

No, [ it's a simple answer and yet infinitely complicated at the same time. ] You're not a shadow, Verge. You're not a replacement, you're not a cheap imitation, you're none of those things so you better put them out of your head right now. [ dante lets his thumb brush against vergil's cheek, the motions gentle and soothing. ] Doesn't matter if you don't remember everything, there's some shit in our lives that you're better off not remembering.

I haven't lost anything, I've got you right here and now. [ and i love you. ]

[kowase]

[ thoughts to the desert idiots can be spared later, later when vergil is forced into socializing, when he's got a few more drinks in him. when he ends up dropping his shoulders and letting himself relax because theres no other choice anymore; a captive in his own home, and there's no struggling against a flowing waterfall.

but that's for later. in a few hours time, after a few more glasses of champagne and wine. for now they're in the quiet of his study, his personal safe space, while the muffled sound of music comes from the other room; ignored for what's in front of him.

the words he finally let slip past his teeth are ones that have been present for a while. maybe even first developing when he'd originally told dante he could live with him; avoiding bringing them up as if the words could split and feay the new strings tied between them.

the strings were tighter now, made of steely wire that felt hard to break. and that's why he finally let the question tumble loose. it felt like he had nothing to lose; like regardless of what the answer was, dante would stay.

dante would stay.

theres another memory that flickers under his eyelids as his mirror image shifts closer. foreheads pressed together as his response comes like a wall of fire, burning up doubt and insecurity, pushing away dusty concerns like a brittle moth's wings, fluttering uselessly in their attempt to remain in the metaphorical attic of Vergil's mind.

it was the answer he wanted. selfish as it was, even if a part of him imperceptibly whispered you did nothing to earn this, quietly in the ever-present malestrom of his mixed-up memories.
where did vittore end and vergil begin?

it didn't matter.

much like how on the day of their first meeting, how dante raced across the floor of vittore's shop to embrace the stranger with his brother's face
Vergil's arms are moving with a speed and strength they hadn't had until months ago.
all but pulling the other into a perfect mirror image of that hug he'd recieved when he had first met this man. a crushing embrace that spoke more powerfully than any words could. ]

You are the perfect image if a hopeless fool.

[ he mutters, quietly. no argument, no pushing the idea that he felt, until this moment, a cheap replacement. he'll take the easy out. ]

Which is frustrating, given you are all but my mirror.

[advivo]

[ what?

dante blinks surprised, metaphorically knocked right off-kilter as vergil's arms wrap around him with speed and strength that he honestly did not expect. dante is normally the one to initiate affectionate touch, normally the one who drapes all over vergil, who wraps his arms around his brother. for vergil to be the one to pull him in close, to wrap his arms around dante tightly as though the very thought of letting him go terrifies him - it's a surprise. a welcomed surprise.

it makes his pulse race, chest ache, and he wraps own arms around vergil tightly. a hug so reminiscent of the one dante gave him the first day he stepped into the auguries, relief high in his throat. it's different now, affection burning in his veins, stinging his eyes. ]

Yeah, I know.

[ vergil isn't fighting him on it at least, and dante can't help the smile that finds his lips. ]

Guess that makes you just as hopeless as me, huh Verg?

[kowase]

[ maybe, just for once, he can return the gesture. It's dante's birthday, maybe he's earnt this. Maybe Vergil wouldn't make a habit of it (especially not if dante starts complaining that he doesn't do it again for a long time), but for now, it's fine.

Showing the other at least a little bit of something kinder than his usual treatment isn't going to end the world or anything (one would hope), and as Dante's pulse picks up and Vergil can nearly feel the man's heart beating close to his, he can't help but to smirk. Just a little. Hiding the expression as he rests his chin on Dante's shoulder. ]

We are twins, after all. [ he decides on this answer, with a quiet, curt nod. ] If one of us is a fool, it would only be ordinary to assume that the other is just as bad, as well.

[advivo]

[ maybe he should make a habit out of it, at least when there is no one around and he can let his guard down. dante wouldn't mind it, he'd welcome it even. he is the most tactile of the two, after all, when it comes to people he cares about - when it comes to vergil - desperate for whatever touch he can take, as though starved.

he can practically feel the smirk on his lips, but dante decided to let it go for once, to just enjoy the contact while he has it, as though it may slip through his fingers at any given moment. the rational part of his brain knows that won't happen, not here, but the irrational part screams louder at this moment. ]

Can I get that in writing? [ he hopes his voice is steady. ] It isn't every day you're willing to call yourself hopeless.

[kowase]

[ dante already drapes over him and sits on him often enough as it is!!! how many times has he tried to get up off the couch, only for Dante to flop over onto him?
How many times had he been trying to cook, only for Dante to come out of nowhere, wrap around him and try to get his attention while he was trying to sear off some sort of meat dish?

how much more 'used to' this did dante have to get!! As if the man didn't start sleeping in vergil's bed instead of the couch after the first few days Nero started staying over. ]

Absolutely not. You would pull the receipt so often if I did, it would soon start to look about as worn as mother's photo. [ his voice isn't steady at all.

Vergil's going to pat his cheek.] So just remember the moment instead.

[advivo]

[ he doesn't want to admit that part of it is because dante needs to make sure he's still there, still physically there. that sometimes he doubts his own eyes because it sure as shit wouldn't be the first time they played tricks on him, it wouldn't be the first time that dante had imagined his twin back in his life, in his space, only for him to realized belatedly that it was nothing but a delusion. it's not the only reason, of course, dante really just more of the touchy one of the twins, but when it comes to vergil? yeah, it's that which spurs him to find some way to touch him, to hold him, to remind himself that vergil is here and not some figment of his imagination.

which he isn't he is very much real. ]

I'd only pull it if you gave me a reason to, Verg. [ at least he isn't commenting on the unsteadiness of dante's voice. little victories. dante breathes out a laugh, leaning into the pat on his cheek. ]

Fine, but you better not gaslight me into thinking you never said it.

[kowase]

[ he doesn't want to think about it. The difference between Nero--Nox, and Dante. Nox was like him; born into this world and here to stay. Dante was a traveller from another world--the man could slip through his fingers, and he doesn't want to think about it.

He just wants to assure himself the man is here to stay, because what other choice was there?

No. He's betting on the man staying at his side into the future.
Not that he's ready to say such a thing aloud, yet. ]

I am sure I could give you plenty of reasons to. [ contrarian. ] ...and of all things, I would not gaslight you about this one thing in particular.
I will give you that much grace.

And not an inch more. [ because you'll take it. greedy brat.]

[advivo]

[ if dante has any say in it he wouldn't be going anywhere, but something deep in him knows that in the end of the day he has about as much say in the matter as a speck of dirt. the threat is always there, that he'll just vanish back to where ever he came from. that the comfort of friends, family, and loved ones will be replaced by the stench of the underworld. he doesn't talk about it, of course, because it is one of those things that does not need to be talked about.

but for now, while his feet at planted solely on kaisou's soil? he isn't going anywhere, he's staying right here at his brother's side where he belongs. where he is always meant to be. ]

You right, you totally would. [ he chuckles, cocking his head to the side slightly. ] Look at you being generous, I'm almost worried.

But I appreciate it, really. [ he will definitely take it, without any shame. ]

[kowase]

I can afford to be generous. On all days, perhaps this is the day you deserve it.

Even if you let that strange red man invite so many people into my home. [ he's not actually mad about it, he just wants to give Dante shit. As usual. ] The minute tomorrow comes, if they're still here, making noise, I will be throwing them out the window.

[ he sounds so serious about that, too.

Loathe as he is to finally let go of dante, he does. ]

...I suppose I should release you back into the party.
Before they get too suspect of us being gone so long.