Sparda fumbled wearily with the key to the door, struggling to unlock it so he could hopefully collapse on the bed within. Ever since he'd secured the money needed all he'd thought of was finding his way to a soft bed and long sleep.
Finally he managed to coerce the door into opening for him, shoving it open and stepping quickly though. Almost immediately shutting it behind him afterwards.
The reason for his difficulty in the simple task of opening a door was suddenly obvious as he shifted his other arm, glancing down to check the sleeping face of a silver haired child in his hold, partially covered by a large jacket to warm him. Sparda dropped the keys down upon a dresser and gently touched his fingers to his sons face, stroking the soft cheek. In response he was given a soft sigh, but nothing more.
Content that Dante was for now at peace he walked over to the large double bed in this single room and laid him down upon it, watching carefully to see that he settled into the cotton covers before he moved away. The tall devil ran a hand through his dirty silver hair, wondering if he could muster the energy to shower before curling up beside his nestling. He didn't think he could, but then again...
Years worth of blood was dried on his skin, hidden carefully beneath a glamour to human eyes but still there to his sensitive nose. Contrary to popular belief devils didn't enjoy coating themselves with blood and gore for the fun of it, they quite preferred to be clean except for when they were actually engaged in the act of hunting, barring the lower races of course.
He gave into the desire to be clean, casting one last look his son's way before walking through the door to the adjoining bathroom.
The hot water felt sinfully good against his skin, burning away at the evidence of his pain. Like a merciful balm to every wound he'd suffered, how he'd missed this delightful human invention. He swiftly made use of almost the entire bottles of complimentary shampoo and soap, only catching himself at the last moment when he considered that his son was covered in soot and blood himself.
He wasn't sure how long he stood inside the small cubicle, ten minutes, an hour. He knew at one point he hit the tiles pretty hard, leaving a long crack as he chocked back a howl of pain. Eventually though he emerged, drying himself with a towel languidly.
He reluctantly pulled on his soiled trousers once more and stepped out through the door. Swift panic flooded through him for a moment when he saw Dante was no longer on the bed.
The trailing end of the sheets was what calmed him before he could act foolishly, the white material trailed across the floor to the shadowy depression beneath the window. He saw the reflected light in blue eyes and sighed in relief.
"Dante." He said soothingly, coming to crouch down before the child wrapped in white. "Come away now, it's safe."
"You weren't here." The first words he'd heard from Dante in years.
"I know, I'm sorry." He nodded, "I went to wash, I was horribly dirty you see."
Dante's large eyes blinked at him from beneath the blanket. "You weren't there earlier either."
"No…" he breathed out, "I wasn't, I'm sorry for that too."
A sniff and the cloth fell to completely cover Dante's face, "Mommy... she's really gone isn't she?"
Sparda hung his head, "I'm afraid so."
"And you're my dad?"
"That's right." he placed a hand gently on Dante's head, rubbing through the cloth like one would to a cat, a gesture the twins had loved when they were very young. He at least didn't recoil.
"Where's Vergil?"
"I don't know." he answered truthfully.
"You mean he's dead!" Dante spat out and scampered under the bed as fast as his arms and legs could take him. Sparda let him go, following a moment later to sit cross-legged before the dark space.
The Devil leaned forward to peer into the shadows, for a moment he contemplated lying, but it wasn't in his nature to do so. He also knew Dante wouldn't believe him, he didn't want to give his child a reason to distrust him. "Its... very likely Dante." he heard the resulting whimper. "You're not alone though, I'll protect you now." he reached a hand under the bed. "You're safe."
He heard shuffling, but Dante wasn't coming out. He smiled sadly, "Alright, we'll stay under here then if you like." Dignity didn't matter when it came to your young, so the tall devil squeezed himself under the bed, no easy task. Wide blue eyes greeted him as he settled down, he could tell Dante hadn't expected him to anything of the sort. "Cosy under here isn't it?"
"Not really. You're a lot bigger than me too." The forthright answer almost made him laugh.
"True, but I can manage." Sparda pillowed his head on one arm, "Mind if I share some of that blanket?"
Dante hesitated, but then unwrapped himself and tossed some of it his father's way.
"Thank you." Sparda pulled it over his side.
Quiet reigned between them for some time, Dante curled into a ball and making a show of squeezing his eyes shut. Sparda made himself stay awake, he wouldn't sleep until Dante did. It took a while, but eventually he heard the boys breath become deeper and slower, his face smoothing into a more peaceful expresson. He reached over and stroked Dante's hair before tucking the blanket tighter around him.
Finally Sparda allowed himself to close his eyes, giving up the fight against the tide of exhaustion. Tomorrow would soon be here.
Woe to the angst XD Just a little after fic to the first part. I should do something happier for the next one.