not_every_mage | Holiday Inn, Limbo City, Friday Evening

Holiday Inn, Limbo City, Friday Evening

Anders had booked and paid for the room, ignoring the clerk's dirty look at the blood and muck on their clothes. They wouldn't be the only people caught in the day's devastation looking for someplace to sleep tonight

He'd silently followed Dante through the hotel halls to their room, and placed a quick order for pizza before he took off his boots and crashed out on the bed. The thousand bruises and scrapes of the battle stung his skin.

He should shower. He didn't want to move.

He turned to Dante, still registering faint surprise at the newly white hair. (He supposed they were lucky if that was the worst permanent change Dante saw.) Words failed him when it came to addressing the true horror of the day, but he should at least say something

"They said the pizza should be here in about half an hour," he said. "I'm actually impressed it's not longer, considering."

[OOC: For one, NFB.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Anders frowned too, surprised by Dante's choice of target. Of all the things that bothered him about Vergil, disrespect for Kat was not at the top of the list.

It was easy to see the similarity to certain past conversations.

"Sounds like you're talking about what Kathy did to you," he noted. "That betrayal."

It wasn't just disrespect, in Dante's book. Like a fundamental unwillingness to admit Kat meant anything, was a person.

Which didn't mean that Anders hadn't just hit a nerve.

"Maybe," he said slowly. "Like... do I just attract this shit?"

"I don't think so," Anders said, wanting to be honest. "I think it's something you're sensitive to. And I think it's a really awful thing to do, treating somebody like they're just nothing."

"And ditching people 'cause you think your way's right," Dante said quietly.

Hey there, ceiling. He hadn't looked at you in at least half a minute.

"And that," Anders agreed. "Vergil even said he loved you, but he was ready to fight to the death as soon as he found out you didn't see things the same way. That's a weird kind of love."

"The kind that only counts if you're on board?" Dante asked. "Yeah."

He sucked in a deep breath. Then he turned over, sliding an arm over Anders' shoulders.

Anders squinted at Dante, smiled, and reached out a hand to touch his hair.

"It's going to take me a while to get used to this," he observed.

Dante's mouth gave a little twitch. "Think it suits me?" he said. "What a way to get a dye job, right?"

"Anybody else would just go buy some peroxide, but you had to do it the hard way," Anders said, barely biting back a smile. "But it looks good."

"Hey, cool," Dante said. "'m not getting dumped over my hair today."

He ran his fingers up through Anders' hair again. "And you're stuck with me for a while."

"Looks like it," Anders agreed, tracing a thumb over Dante's mouth. "I'm selfish enough to think that almost makes everything that happened to the city today worth it."

He knew that wasn't quite right, morally speaking. One life against half a city destroyed? It shouldn't have felt as balanced as it did to him.

He decided not to question his feelings too much. Not right then.

Dante let out a quiet breath. "It wouldn't have been worth it if it was just for me," he said.

"My mind knows that," Anders nodded. "My heart's the one that's just happy to have you, and doesn't understand the cost."

He said this cautiously, as if worried how Dante would judge him. He was feeling it out for himself.

"Huh," Dante said, sinking back onto his back to think about that. Not in a judgy way, just... thinking about that for a second.

He finally shifted, looking up at Anders. "So... how are you feeling, anyway?"

Anders frowned. "I'm not sure," he said honestly. "Relieved, mostly. Glad to have you without a sword hanging over your head for the first time. But the kind of power you and Vergil were throwing around ... I'd be lying if I didn't admit it was scary. Scary but beautiful, I suppose. Like lightning."

He poked Dante with a finger. "Your turn. How are you feeling?"

Dante snorted softly. Yeah, hadn't seen that one coming. "Fuck," he said. "I don't know either. Angry and sad and relieved and tired and kinda hungry?"

He'd never been great at verbalizing, though Anders had a habit of making him want to try.

"I thought I'd be happy," he said. "Didn't think I'd lose--" Something. Vergil.

"You're always hungry," Anders said fondly, rolling to his side to check the clock.

Five more minutes before they could expect the pizza.

"It was messy," he said, after a pause. "You won one big thing and lost something just as big."

"Yeah," Dante said. He shut his eyes. It still hadn't quite landed. "It's like I'm happy and sad, so... I just land in the middle. Kinda?"

A pause. "Being here helps."

Anders' steadiness was calming.

"First thing that's felt normal all day," Anders agreed. He stretched, feeling the bruises along his back as he did. "Something to eat will help, too. And a shower when I feel like I can walk."

Dante turned his head abruptly and frowned at him. "... Are you okay?" he checked.

"Sore," Anders explained, sounding a little dismissive. "I got banged up. It happens when you go up against demons three times your size. I haven't bothered healing it yet."

"You need some old-fashioned help with that?" Dante said. "Maybe they have band-aids or lotion shit or something..."

"My pride wants me to say no," Anders said slowly. "The rest of me says that sounds amazing. I'll even take my shirt off for you."

He shrugged the shirt off to reveal a torso splotched with various bruises and scrapes, with one bright red claw mark wending along his abdomen. He looked at it in some dismay. "I thought that one missed me."

Dante winced, reaching out to trace a gentle line right above the mark. "Can you heal that?" he said. "Or are you too tired?"

Maybe he could give Anders a boost, or something...

"I'm tired," Anders said, considering it. "But maybe ... remember how we figured out you can make me stronger? We could try that, if you're up for it."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject