#nerov kids | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jjkmagic · 5 years

Text

Chained Heart Ch. 1 - NeroV Fic

Title: Chained Heart

Pairing: V/Nero Rating: M (will change in later chapters)

Word Count: 7707 Summary: "Devil May Cry" is the name of a bar located in a remote part of the town. Not many know of its existence, and even less are aware what "kind" of bar it is. Nero, too, only learns of its existence by talking to a regular online. At said regular's insistence, and admittedly his own curiosity, Nero decides to check it out. Tags: Human AU, BDSM, Dom/Sub, Collars, Light Bondage A/N: This is actually the first DMC fic I wrote, but of course I had to start a multi-chapter xD So, to celebrate the 2nd chapter that I’ll finally post tomorrow, I decided to post it here on tumblr as well^^ Can also be read on AO3.

Chained Heart Chapter 1: Of Angels and Demons

It was well past ten when Nero arrived at his destination. The night was quiet in this remote part of town, far-off from the popular club scene. He had been told that the location was intentional, to avoid unknowing stragglers stumbling into a place they had no business being.

Nero, however, had business being here, of that he was sure. With the lingering bitter taste of disappointment on his tongue, he hoped—no, yearned— to finally find what he was looking for.

Though he had left home when the night was still young, his nervousness had made him idle in a common bar down the road until the hour grew late. He knew what he wanted, and yet, the mere idea of finding it sent his mind into a jittery mess. There was always the possibility of him screwing up this last chance as well.

So he had taken a detour to borrow just the faintest flush of liquid courage. Nothing to impede him, but enough to heighten his senses, to eliminate the "What if?" and strengthen the "I can do it. I want this!"

With that thought guiding his hands, Nero pushed open the bar’s door in front of him. There was no bouncer present and no line. With each step, he left behind the quiet of night and the neon sign of the bar that had guided him, the letters glowing a deep red against the darkened stone of the building.

At first glance, there was nothing of interest to see: only a small set of stairs that led up into a bigger—presumably the bar's— main room. It was surprisingly quiet, Nero only catching a faint bass reverberating in the background, the actual music practically inaudible from where he stood.

The bar was lit up in a warm, but not overly bright light, the dark—possibly black but he couldn't be quite sure—walls absorbing part of the illumination. It wasn't unpleasant; he might even call it cozy, but he didn't want to start praising the establishment before he had seen what he was really here for. He made his way up the well-worn stairs and took a first look at the room that lay beyond.

It was longer than it was wide, with a well-stocked bar to the right and an alcove equipped with tables and comfortable-looking sofas on the left. Nero barely noticed the man behind the bar, who looked up at his arrival; his attention was caught by one of the sofas instead, or rather, the people occupying it.

Reclining comfortably on the couch was a light haired man: tall, broad-shouldered and the epitome of relaxation. He wasn't who caught Nero's attention though; no, his gaze was drawn to the second man sitting to his right, if sitting could even be used to describe his position. He was practically sprawled across the other man's lap, head lowered to rest on the man's shoulder, eyes closed in bliss as the other’s hand carded slow strokes through his hair. The collar on his neck glimmered even in the muted light of the room.

Nero swallowed, for a moment overwhelmed by want, but he could feel the man behind the bar watching him stare, so he forced himself to look away and approach the counter. As Nero did so, his eyes caught light spilling out from what, at first glance, he had thought to be a wall, but turned out to be a room divider consisting of broad straps of what looked like leather, if the way they glinted in the light was anything to go by.

He had the sudden feeling that the actual bar was beyond there, seeing as except for the couple on the couch, the room was devoid of customers. The music, that had only grown faintly louder, also seemed to be originating from the other side.

He was distracted by imagining just what he might find behind that wall, until his gaze met that of the man behind the bar, and suddenly he couldn't look away anymore. There was just something about him, an almost palpable aura of confidence. It was as if the man's gaze alone demanded that Nero look at him.

The man was smiling, but it did not quite reach his eyes. His expression wasn't unwelcoming, but guarded in a way.

"A new face," he said in lieu of greeting. "What brings you here?"

At that point, Nero couldn't shake the feeling that the man was somehow skeptical of him. Maybe he suspected that Nero was unaware of what kind of bar he had just entered, even though Nero knew all too well.

"I was told this place might fit my... expectations, so I came to take a look," Nero told him, watching the man's face somehow grow more guarded.

"Do you have a name?"

At that, Nero paused, a sense of dread growing in him. Was this place possibly invitation-only? If so, the guy who had almost exuberantly encouraged him to check it out had clearly neglected to tell him that tidbit of important information.

Ignoring the dread settling firmly in his gut, he decided to answer honestly. What else could he do?

“The name's Nero.”

And just like that the man's expression changed, his smile growing wide and earnest. "Nero! Glad you could make it! You didn't sound too sure about coming when we wrote the other day.”

Oh. Apparently this was the very man he had thought about just a second ago. Nero hadn't expected to actually meet him when he had decided to take him up on his offer. Not wanting to seem rude, he wracked his brain to remember his name. "...Dante, right?"

"The one and only!" the man proclaimed with a grin. "I apologize for the rough greeting. I take full responsibility for everything that happens in this here establishment, so I like to know who I’m letting in beforehand." Dante sounded genuinely apologetic, even as he gave Nero an obvious once over, making the younger man take just the tiniest step backward. Dante just kept grinning, leaning on the top of the bar in a display of nonchalance. "So, you're looking for someone to show you the reins, yeah?"

Heat rushed through Nero's body at the implication. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure that included his face as well. He cleared his throat, lowering his head slightly in an attempt to make his sudden flush less noticeable. "You could say that."

Dante laughed, somehow managing to sound earnestly amused instead of degrading, prompting Nero to meet his eyes again.

"Don't worry, only decent folk around here, that I can guarantee," he vowed. "You got any experience, kid?"

Nero couldn't suppress the groan that slipped from his lips at the question, unfortunately still remembering said “experience” all too clearly. "Only ah... calls and such." Horrible, horrible calls he very much wanted to forget, thank you very much.

The pity that shone from Dante's eyes at his words told him the man understood exactly what he was talking about. "Sorry about that kid, lots of black sheep hanging about on those kinds of websites." He looked visibly chagrined by that fact.

"Yeah, I figured. But I didn't want to meet anybody when I couldn't be sure—” Nero stopped himself there, suddenly feeling unsure about his own reasoning. “It... just seemed like the better option at the time."

"No, no, no, you did the right thing, kid. Well, the best thing would have been coming here right from the start, but you can't help what you don't know, right?"

Nero thought that he was trying to be supportive, but the grin that seemed almost etched onto Dante's face at this point didn't exactly help the matter.

After a moment of silence, Nero received what he figured was supposed to be a pat on the shoulder, but Dante's hand lingered, and Nero wasn't entirely sure what to make of that.

"But now that you are here, well, welcome to Devil May Cry," Dante said, the hand not resting on Nero's shoulder moving with great flourish toward the admittedly unimpressive bar interior. Then he leaned in, suddenly very close to Nero. "Also, I don't wanna hear any comments about the name, okay? I, too, was young once, you know? Anyway."

At that, Dante stood up straight again and his hand, thankfully, left Nero's shoulder.

Don't get him wrong. Dante didn't seem like a bad guy. Nero just couldn't read him at all, and the nerves he had tried to drown with a few cheap beers earlier were already starting to resurface. He didn't like it. Dante probably meant well, but at the moment it was just a little too much.

"You can probably already tell, but this here area is the lounge bar,” Dante told him, drawing Nero from his own thoughts. “People come out here when they just wanna sit back and relax, or talk to little ol' me. Just kidding. I'm usually in the back myself, just keeping an eye on things, you know?" he asked, as if Nero actually could know, leaving him to nod along as Dante continued talking. "But V's back there right now so I figured I could take a little break,” Dante went on, but Nero honestly wasn't even listening anymore. His attention was drawn to the black leather separating Dante's so-called "lounge bar" from... well, what exactly Nero didn't know, but he knew that he very much wanted to.

"Yeah," Dante said suddenly, a knowing smile on his lips, "that's where the real music plays, not just literally, if you know what I mean.” But suddenly his smile faltered, as if he had just remembered something."It's a little late though, so most folks will already have found their playmate for the night."

"No, I know," Nero assured him quickly. After all, it had been partially intentional on his part. "I don't–"

"No, it's fine," Dante interrupted him. "Feel free to talk and mingle. Or, you know, if it's a little much, it's okay if you just take a look for now, too."

Nero's eyes widened in surprise, wondering if he was that obvious or if the other man was just that good at reading people. If Dante's grin was anything to go by it was probably the former.

"Look, I got this Dom here, practically a local celebrity at this point, so it's difficult to get a hold of him, but I’ll see if I can get him to talk to you. Not making any promises though. It's still up to you to convince him.” Dante winked at him, so quickly that Nero wasn’t sure if he hadn’t just imagined it. “He’s not a bad guy though, definitely qualified for the job.”

Job? Nero hadn’t been aware that he was suddenly considered a “job” now.

Dante just shot him another grin, which Nero quickly came to recognize was one of the man's trademarks. Was Nero really that easy to read?

“Don’t worry, darling. Go on, take a look. But–” Dante paused once more, looking at him. “Dress code’s black, I'm afraid.”

Nero blinked, needing a moment to process that statement after everything he had just been told.

“Oh, right,” he said, a little dumbly, when he finally caught up, unzipping his favorite blue jacket and letting it slip off of his shoulders.

He hadn't known if any specific dress code was in place, but black was always a safe option, so he had chosen pants and a plain tank top both of which he happened to own in that color.

“Is there anywhere I can put this?” Nero asked, jacket now in his hands.

Dante seemed almost surprised for a moment, before smiling again and reaching for the garment. “Sure, you can leave it with me. I promise I'll take good care of it.”

Nero handed the jacket over and Dante put it somewhere behind the bar, out of sight. Then he turned around, looking at Nero once more, and that grin, well, Nero tried to ignore it. But it was impossible to ignore Dante's comment. “Looking good there, honey, go have some fun.”

Nero was about to do just that, when he paused once more, against his better judgment.

“What about you?” he asked, and Dante's eyes widened in confusion. For a moment Nero felt proud at having caught the man off-guard, but it didn't last long. “You're a Dom, aren't you?”

He honestly wasn't sure why he was asking. It was obvious in the way Dante held himself, the way he seemed able to tell Nero what to do without needing words. Yet, he hadn’t even mentioned it, immediately suggesting Nero find someone else, in fact going so far as to offer to find someone for him. Nero just didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

Dante just stared at him for a moment, and then he started laughing. “Me? No, no, no, kid. I'm not taking on any new Subs. I’m getting old, you see? It's difficult enough to entertain my own Subs at times,” Dante told him, adding a secretive wink that, again, didn't really tell Nero anything.

Dante was clearly exaggerating. He was in no way older than 40, but Nero let it go.

“If you say so…”

“I do. Now, shoo, I've got a business to run here,” Dante said, thusly ending the conversation, and proceeded to… sit down and grab some magazine that he had apparently lying around behind the counter.

‘Business my ass…’ Nero thought to himself, turning his back on the other man, and finally stepping through into the adjoined room.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he found there. It was too much to take in all at once, and not just because of the sudden change in color scheme; Nero suddenly found his world dipped into a dark red hue.

The room was surprisingly massive in size, especially compared to the little lounge area he had just left. Nero saw the red hue of the room changing somewhere further in, turning a dark shade of purple towards the middle and a dark blue at the other end of the room. But most of all, the room was full; men and women, dressed from top to bottom in black leather or hardly dressed at all, were spread all across the room. Some were only sitting and talking, some openly engaged in noticeably different activities, but most noticeable of all was a small crowd a little further into the room to his right that seemed to have gathered around a man being tied to the wall.

All of it combined had Nero overwhelmed with conflicting feelings. He was completely out of his element and yet… he also felt like he had finally come home.

One thing was for certain: whether or not he fit in right now, he would make sure he did so as soon as possible. He was fed up with having to consider who he could and couldn't trust with his preferences. Apparently there was nothing quite as eye-opening as seeing a room full of people engaging in exactly what he had been repeatedly ridiculed for in his past to realize that it really wasn't much of an issue at all, not among the right people at least.

He had always figured that at least Kyrie wouldn't judge him if he ever were to tell her, but that still didn't mean he was eager to do so. Seeing this, though, it seemed almost… easy, like it wasn't even particularly worth mentioning at all.

And just like that, Nero was excited, eager. He regretted that he had wasted so much time, had all but lost his chance to delve deeper into the world that had just opened up before him.

The more realistic part of his mind reminded him that he would have had no idea where to start either way, and that coming earlier wouldn't have equaled knowing what he should do with the gained time. So he figured it was fine, no harm done. Now that he knew, he could always come back.

With that, his shoulders, that had grown tense without him noticing, finally relaxed, and he stepped further into the room to continue his exploration.

The walls were lined with the occasional sofa, each one probably big enough for a person to sleep on. The rest of the room was filled with small tables and chairs arranged in no discernible order, which led Nero to the conclusion that the visitors probably moved them themselves, to suit their respective needs.

Nero stopped for a moment where the apparent bondage show continued to draw an even bigger crowd. The man was fully tied at this point, the black ropes around his arms and upper body offering a stark contrast to his skin, which appeared almost red in the light of the room. The man responsible for the display seemed to be in the process of checking the ropes, and Nero could see him talk quietly to his partner, though he was unable to discern what was being said.

As curious as Nero was to see what would happen next, that was not what he was here for. In fact, his interest in bondage specifically was limited, and he couldn't imagine ever having the patience for all the knots to be tied and secured, let alone a full harness. They were nice to look at, he supposed, but ultimately not worth the hassle. There was no point in denying that Nero tended to be rather impatient.

He left the show behind him, even, unhurried steps leading him deeper into the room until the surrounding red hue faded to purple. Nero wondered for a moment if it was caused by the red and blue lights mixing or if there were additional purple lights to emphasize the effect, but he didn't care enough to check. After all, there were much more interesting things to see and find out.

There didn't seem to be too many people in the immediate vicinity, most of them drawn to the attraction going on somewhere behind him most likely. Nero almost dismissed the sitting area entirely until he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t say what it was exactly that drew his attention, but once he turned to look, he found himself completely blindsided by what he saw.

One of the large sofas on the wall was occupied by a man that put everyone else in the room to shame. A dark curtain of hair hid most of his features from view. His skin seemed almost ghostly pale in the room’s light, highlighting every jet black line of ink running across his body—and there were so many of them. The man was reclined, somehow both seeming relaxed and overly aware. There was a book held open in his hand that Nero couldn't imagine could be easy to read in the limited lighting, and yet it seemed like that was exactly what he was doing.

His behavior was both surreal and so ordinary that Nero really couldn't be blamed for missing the other two people with him at first. And yet there was a woman quite obviously resting on the man's lap, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he was paying more attention to his book than to her, if the content smile on her lips was anything to go by. And then there was a man, not so much on the sofa as kneeling in front of it, with merely his head resting on the dark-haired man's knee. The hand not busy holding the book open rested on the kneeling man’s head, stroking in even, soothing patterns, not unlike one would do for a pet.

The kneeling blond wore a collar while the woman didn't, and yet in this moment there was no doubt that both of them belonged to him, though to what extent Nero couldn't even begin to fathom. Were they together or just “playmates”? The only certain thing was that both seemed perfectly content right where they were.

It was clear that the dark-haired man was in complete control, but it seemed so effortless, so easy, that Nero couldn’t help but compare him to the “Doms” that he had the misfortune of getting to know. They had never made Nero feel at ease, so intent on trying to get him to listen to their every word that it was obvious that even the tiniest bit of back talking completely threw them off.

It seemed like Dante had been right: Nero really never should have bothered with those “BDSM” websites. There was no way he ever would have found a man like the one right in front of him there.

Nero's gaze was transfixed; it didn't even occur to him to look away. The dark-haired man alone seemed otherworldly, an aura not unlike Dante's, yet so much more intense, surrounding him. But the whole scene in front of him was simply surreal, and Nero… really wouldn't mind being a part of it.

Nero swallowed, an almost feral longing hitting him full force, and he finally made himself look away and continue walking. The moment he did, Nero thought he saw the man look up at him, but when Nero glanced back the man hadn't moved, still engrossed in his book. Nero sighed. He could really use a moment to calm his suddenly racing heart.

The room turned a cool blue towards the back, and Nero had to admit that the calming color was really appreciated. As if sharing his sentiment, the people back here were engaged in quiet conversation amongst themselves, and Nero just stopped to look around. He had just started to do so when a sudden touch on his shoulder startled him, and not a moment later he came face to face with a woman practically clinging onto him without warning.

“Hey, pretty thing,” a sultry voice purred into his ear as pretty, delicate fingers ran down his arm, “you look lonely. Is there maybe something I could do for you?”

Nero was caught so off-guard by the situation that he needed a moment to process what was happening, and even longer to realize that the woman, despite being obtrusive, held her head lowered, pointedly looking up at him from below with half-lidded eyes in an obvious display. Nero balked when he finally realized what was happening.

The woman seemed to realize her mistake at almost the same time, her eyes widening and her lips forming a perfect O in surprise. She straightened a moment later, her grip loosening, though she didn't let go entirely.

“Oh my God, I'm so sorry. That was presumptuous of me,” she breathed, finally letting her arm slip off of him, as well. She didn't seem too bothered though, since in the next moment she was smiling conspiratorially at him. “You're on the hunt yourself, huh?”

“Uh…” Nero uttered stupidly, having no idea how he was supposed to react to the sudden turn of events. Her eyes widened once more as her smile turned soft. Oh God, he really was that easy to read, wasn't he?

“Oh my. I thought you must be new, but it's really your first time, huh honey?”

“Uhm, I guess…” Nero replied vaguely, not sure if he wanted to continue this conversation at all, but the woman just laughed softly.

“Oh honey, no need to be ashamed! The beginning’s always difficult but, believe me, it's worth it,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Something must have shown on his face again because she was suddenly leaning closer, like she was about to tell him a secret. “Let me just give you a tip: just because we like following orders doesn't mean we're weak, quite the opposite in fact.”

Nero had to admit at this point he was curious, especially when she continued, “Just think of the lengths your Dom goes to to make sure you're satisfied. All you have to do is behave and you'll be treated like royalty.”

Was that how it really was? Nero couldn't quite imagine it; not when his memory was filled with raised voices and slurs when he did not obey immediately (but of course he hadn't, he had no interest in obeying just anybody, after all.)

Nero was snapped out of his thoughts when the woman, whose name he still didn't know, was suddenly right back in his face. “Oh honey, you look traumatized already. Don't worry, everyone around here knows how to treat a Sub with respect. We deserve it, don’t let anybody tell you any different!” The glint in her eyes was fierce, as if she was about to jump up and prove what she had just said, and Nero couldn't help but smile.

That was the second time today that he had met someone who, despite being a little much, was unconditionally kind to him. It felt good not to be judged, and made him infinitely more sure that this was indeed the right place to be.

“Thanks,” he said a little belatedly. “I didn't realize it before, but I think I needed to hear that, so... yeah, thank you,” he added and was rewarded with an arm around his shoulder pulling him into a one-armed hug.

“Anytime, honey!”

It was then, when he was practically close enough to touch, that he noticed her collar for the first time, and ended up staring at it probably longer than was necessary, and definitely long enough for her to notice.

“What?” she asked before following his eyes. “Oh yeah, I have a partner but he is busy, so I have to find someone else to play with in the meantime,” she sighed. “I seem to have lost my touch though, when I'm even jumping Subs now. Sorry about that again.”

But Nero stopped listening after the first sentence, a little floored by the implication. “Your partner doesn't mind?” he asked.

“Of course he doesn't. He knows he's the only one for me, and this,” she said pointing at her collar, “ensures others know, too. He doesn't want me to grow bored in his absence though, so it's fine. A little playtime here on the main floor is usually enough to get my spirits up,” she explained with a smirk.

Nero believed her, basically, but it was still a foreign concept to him. There was a differentiation between “partner” and “playmate” for a reason he supposed, and he was a little embarrassed at how little he really knew.

“Hey,” she said to get his attention again. “Let me give you one more piece of advice right away: doesn't matter if you're going steady with a Dom or just playing around, basically everything is possible if you communicate it beforehand. Tell them what you want and don't want, listen to what they want in return and everything will work out just fine, believe me. But—” and there, she paused to look at him meaningfully, “find the right Dom first, before you worry your pretty little head about everything else.”

She actually ruffled his hair at that, but Nero was quick to escape her grasp. She merely laughed.

They continued talking for a while longer after that, until she eventually looked at her watch, and, declaring she'd given up for the night, said her goodbyes.

Nero took a deep breath once she was gone, realizing that he, too, didn't have much to do at this point. The room was slowly but surely growing more empty, and so he eventually returned to the lounge.

Dante was still there, but he had stopped reading and looked up when Nero came in. “Hey,” he greeted him with a grin, “did ya have fun?”

Nero shot him a wry look. “Not like that,” he said as he sat down on one of the chairs lining the counter.

“Oh, and what might that be?” Dante asked, his grin turning challenging. Nero just sighed and didn't honor that with a reply at all. “Okay, okay, but did you like it? It’s totally fine if you didn't. There are other bars I can recommend to you in that case. Though they're not actually as good as mine, of course.”

“No, no, it's fine. It's great, just—”

“Not the right time?” Dante finished for him. “As I said, it's late. V should leave soon, too, so now would be the only time to talk to him.”

Nero had honestly almost forgotten about that. He remembered Dante mentioning the same name before, and, really, what kinda name was “V”? But it was late, and it was his own fault, so he really didn't want Dante to go and annoy one of his customers for Nero.

“That's really not necessary. I'll just—” But Dante cut him off with a stern look that brightened again the moment Nero stopped talking.

“No,” Dante said once he was sure he had Nero’s attention, “I said I'd help, and since you didn't find anyone on your own, as I suspected, I'll do just that. Now, before that, though, I have just one question.”

“And that would be?” Nero asked skeptically, seeing the man's expression turn unusually serious for a change.

“Do you want to play or do you want to get off?” Dante asked him, “V's very... thorough in his sessions, so I need to know if that's what you want. No point in introducing you two if it's obvious you're not compatible.”

Nero was a second away from choking on air. Really, what was it with people and their sudden, intimate questions? He had the feeling he would need to stop blushing like a damn virgin if he ever wanted to be taken seriously around here. “N-no, that's fine…” he said eventually.

“That's fine?” Dante repeated incredulously, and Nero wanted to hit himself, remembering an all-too-recent conversation about the importance of communication. Nero was aware that he wasn't exactly stellar in that regard. It was about time he started working on that as well.

“No, I mean—” he stopped himself before he could start saying something dumb again and started over, facing Dante. “I want that, so it's fine.”

Dante's eyebrows rose further before his lips split into a grin again. “Learning quickly, eh? Keep that up and you'll fit right in in no time,” he said with hardly hidden praise, and Nero couldn't help the flush that formed on his cheeks at that. “If that's settled,” Dante spoke up again, lifting a part of the counter so he could get out, “why don't you wait in my office while I go fetch V.”

Fetch? Nero couldn't help the feeling that this might be a bad idea after all, particularly if Dante was involved.

Dante merely pointed at a door behind the bar, that Nero hadn't noticed until now, not even waiting to see if his instructions were being followed, before stepping into the other room.

Doms, right? There was nothing else Nero could do, except maybe walk away and ruin not only his slowly budding—dare he say friendship?—with Dante but also every chance at ever coming back here again.

Nero sighed, before moving behind the counter, closing the latch behind him, and entering the indicated room.

It took only a moment for Nero to realize that Dante most likely didn't enter his “office” on a daily basis, if ever. The room was illuminated when Nero walked in, but it was bare save for a suspiciously empty desk and a shelf propped against the wall that contained a few folders, each covered in a thick layer of dust. Dante presumably wasn't a big fan of paperwork. It seemed like a miracle that he managed to run an establishment at all.

There wasn't even anywhere to sit in the “office” except for a single chair behind the desk. Nero wasn't that presumptuous, so he opted to keep standing, preparing himself for a both mentally and physically stressful wait.

It was as if the present was just catching up to him. He was about to be introduced to a Dom, with the very real possibility that he might just become Nero's first Dom.

Strictly speaking, he had talked to Doms before, or at least people who claimed to be, but Nero was willing to wipe the slate clean, start over, open up that spot for someone who actually knew what they were doing. Dante, at least, seemed certain of that, and Nero's heart started beating faster without his say-so. It was too late to freak out now. God, why was he suddenly so anxious again?

It turned out he didn't have to wait long at all before he caught the deepest, most sonorous voice Nero had ever heard in his life approaching the room, threatening to make Nero's knees weak from the sound alone. Unfortunately it didn't sound exactly amused, and so the first thing Nero heard that voice say when the door opened was: "I don't have time to babysit."

Nero felt red hot indignation rising within him, forgetting all about how that voice sounded as he turned towards the source to tell them exactly where they could shove their—!

But instead he froze mid-motion, eyes widening and heart suddenly painfully still.

It was him, the dark-haired artwork of a man he had seen earlier, and up close the man's choice in attire offered a splendid view of exactly how far those tattoos spread. It was quite possible that there was more ink than skin on display and Nero couldn't breathe.

The man looked exactly like before, just as breathtakingly beautiful—quite literally so—despite the frown marring his features. There was a silver cane in his hand that Nero hadn't noticed before, and the man's grip on it tightened, turning his knuckles white, as he turned to Dante, who was following him into the room, saying something that Nero almost didn't catch.

"Don't be too harsh, V. You haven't even talked to the guy."

"I don't have to," V said in response, “I have Subs.”

“Yeah, and last I heard they were out of town, so you should have some time to spare, right?” Dante replied, wearing that same unapologetic grin that Nero had faced earlier.

This was turning into a straight up nightmare.

Nero was entirely unprepared when the man's— V's— attention suddenly turned to him, not even deigning to respond to Dante’s words.

Nero had the strong feeling that V was someone who didn't show his emotions openly. Considering that it was quite obvious to Nero that he wasn't happy to be here, at all, probably meant that he was really pissed off.

Nero had never felt smaller in his life than at that very moment, with that judging gaze resting on him. He barely even had the time to swallow, though, before V seemed to lose all interest, and turned around again.

And Nero knew V was likely just about to tell Dante once more exactly what he thought about “babysitting”, but at that moment it just looked so much like he was about to leave. Nero's heart plummeted and he was overcome with the sudden need to act, now, before it was too late!

"Please wait!"

The words left his mouth before he had any chance to think of a follow-up.

The truth was there was nothing he could say. What could he possibly offer to a Dom like V? Nero couldn't even really call himself a Sub yet, at least not with any confidence. He had Sub tendencies, that he had been sure of for years, but that was a far cry from having any real experience, or even understanding the full extent of the expectations that came with the term.

But that was why was here. He wanted to know. He wanted someone to teach him, and right now he wanted V to teach him, the man who commanded all of Nero's attention so effortlessly, who had both the beauty of an angel and a voice as sinful as the devil’s.

And those eyes, jade green and striking; Nero knew he wanted those eyes on him, preferably always. But for that to happen he needed to succeed, needed some way to prove he was serious.

He saw V reacting to his sudden outburst, but before the man could even finish turning towards him, Nero took a step forward and fluidly dropped to his knees.

When Nero lowered his head, all he could see was V's feet, black leather sandals clinging to flawless skin. They were pointed towards him, the only indication Nero had that the man had indeed turned. Nero only hoped that it was also proof that V was at least willing to listen to him.

It still didn't change the fact that there was literally nothing he could offer the man, though, nothing but his desire to prove himself.

"Please,” he implored, lowering his head all the way to the floor, “all I want is a chance. I won't waste your time."

His request was met with silence.

It probably only lasted a few seconds, a few unbearable seconds, that ended with a soft sound from V, the meaning of which Nero couldn't even begin to fathom. He could only hope it was good.

Those leather clad legs took a step forward, so close that Nero felt tempted to lean in just to know what they would feel like against his skin.

"I suppose he has a certain charm," V said, and with the prior disdain gone, the sound of his voice was sweet and smooth like honey. "Look at me."

Nero was quick to follow the request—no, command —raising his upper body to look at V. A moment later, a single digit placed under his chin lifted his head even higher until he had no choice but to gaze straight into the other's eyes. Nero knew he was being examined, those green eyes seemingly piercing his very soul.

For a while nothing happened, and eventually that single point of contact between them disappeared, but Nero didn't dare move yet as V straightened from where he had leaned down to examine him.

There was scrutiny in that gaze, even now, but eventually V spoke, though his words were anything but what Nero had expected.

“I don't fuck my Subs. I have toys to do that for me. Do you have any objections to that?”

Nero blinked, unable to process all the implications in that statement at once, but he forced himself to respond quickly lest the man lose his patience. “N-No, none.”

Those eyes remained fixed on him, as if trying to discern the truth behind that statement. Nero didn't know if V found what he was looking for when he rose to his full height again.

V lifted a hand, and Nero couldn't help but track its path upwards, past intricately inked skin and one pink, rosy nipple—he really wasn't wearing much at all, was he?— to reach inside his coat and procure a single slip of paper.

Nero almost fell over in his haste to take it as V held it in his general direction.

“Tomorrow, 5 PM. If you have any other appointments you'd better tell me now.”

As Nero examined it, he saw that the note contained a single address and nothing else.

“I'm available,” he replied, almost without thinking. He knew it to be true, and even if not, he would find a way to clear his schedule.

He didn't need to know V any better than he did right now to know that, for him, Nero would do almost anything.

There was the faintest upturn to V's lips when Nero’s attention returned to him. Unfortunately, he had no idea what had caused it to appear.

“It's a business meeting. Dress accordingly, black, but show your neck,” V instructed curtly, and Nero tried to keep up, the sudden dawning realisation that this was actually happening slowing down all other thought. “Being late is the same as not showing at all. You might as well not bother then.”

“N-no, I'll come,” Nero assured quickly. The mere thought of missing this was making his skin crawl.

“Of course you will,” V replied and, if Nero wasn't imagining things, there was just a hint of amusement in his voice. “Otherwise you'd be wasting my time. And I don't believe in second chances.”

“I only need one. I'll be there,” Nero said with all the conviction he could muster.

V's gaze remained unmoving, and Nero couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness under such intense scrutiny.

“Hm,” V voiced wordlessly, before turning around, apparently having nothing left to add to the conversation. Instead, he turned to Dante, who Nero had all but forgotten was there as well. “I'll be taking my leave now.”

“Sure. Later, V,” Dante replied so casually that Nero almost balked, but V neither reacted nor turned before he left the room.

The moment the door closed behind him Nero all but collapsed, all tension leaving his body at once.

He had made it, somehow. He had a date—an appointment?—with a Dom. And not just any Dom, but one so beautiful and awe-inspiring that it was hard to believe he was even real.

“You okay there, kid?” Dante's question pulled him back to reality and Nero sat up properly, not yet daring to stand lest his knees fail him.

“Yeah... I'm good.”

Dante grinned at him, looking unfairly amused at the whole situation. “Got quite a presence, huh? Don't be ashamed, he's brought tougher men to their knees.”

Dante winked at that, and Nero really didn't need Dante to tell him for him to believe it. To Nero, it was hardly surprising, and exactly the reason he was so jittery in the first place.

“Even you?” he asked instead, trying to distract Dante as much as himself.

Dante laughed. “Not my style, kid. If I ever felt like trying though… why not?”

“Really?” he asked in surprise. That was not the response Nero had expected.

“Listen, kid. I mean what I said, okay? He knows what he’s doing. As long as you don't act like a complete dick, which I don't think you will, I'm sure you two will get along just fine.”

And again, Dante proved to be way more insightful than he let on. Nero sighed.

Could it really be that easy, though? V didn't seem overly patient and Nero feared that the smallest slight on his part might ruin everything. God, and here he had no real clue what he was doing to begin with.

He heard Dante mirror his sigh and soon after a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, shaking him softly. “Relax, kid. He knows you're an amateur and he still accepted. He's not going to suddenly expect that you won't mess up ever. As long as he can see you're trying, you'll find a solution that you're both satisfied with.” Dante sounded so sure of every word that it was hard not to believe him.

“You really think highly of him,” Nero said, as that realization finally sunk in.

“Sure I do, and I'm by far not the only one. He's not as popular as he is because he's an asshole, that's for sure.”

It made sense. But there was something else, a recent memory that still buzzed around in Nero’s mind. “Is it true though?”

Dante looked at him, and, sensing that Nero had calmed down somewhat, removed his hand from his shoulder. “Is what true?”

Nero looked to the side, promising himself that sometime soon he'd stop acting like a virgin whenever the topic came up—the result of growing up in an environment where it was very much considered normal to have sex but very much abnormal to talk about it. But that time had not yet come.

“That he doesn't fuck his Subs? You said—”

But Dante made a quick “hold up" gesture that Nero saw even from the corner of his eyes, so he stopped, turning to the other man again.

“I said he is thorough. What exactly other Doms get up to during their sessions is not something I pry into. For now, you should just take his word for it.”

Nero just blinked. No closer to a satisfying answer in that regard, he settled for trying to make sense of everything else that had happened so far. At least that was his plan, until Dante suddenly stepped in front of him, forcing Nero to look up.

“What you should also do is stop looking like a wet rag,” he proclaimed and proceeded to grab Nero's arms to pull him onto his feet. Nero could do nothing but make sure he didn't lose his balance at the sudden movement and stumble into Dante.

“Much better.” Dante grinned, and Nero was suddenly aware of how exhausted he was that he didn't even have it in him to be annoyed at the other man. “Go home and get some rest. You want to be fit for your date tomorrow, right?” Dante gave him a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

Nero could only roll his eyes and hold onto his jacket as it was suddenly thrust at him from God knows where.

“You're welcome, by the way,” Dante added, and Nero’s grip went slack for a moment.

“Yeah. Thank you, Dante,” he said honestly.

He hadn't expected anything like this to happen when he came here, but now he was really fucking glad he did.

“Now don't get all mushy on me. Shoo, shoo.”

“I won't,” Nero promised as he pulled his jacket over his shoulders, “but thank you anyway. I'll be back.”

Dante was smiling when Nero looked back at him one last time, more honest than his usual grins, and Nero gave a quick salute before leaving.

Once back outside in the cool night air, Nero took a deep breath.

Well, so much for not being successful tonight.

With a single slip of paper grasped securely in his hand where it rested inside his pocket, he started his way back home. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you liked it, please like and/or reblog, and feel free to yell at me via asks or messages if you want^^The second chapter will be up tomorrow, so stay tuned!

#devil may cry 5 #devil may cry v #nero/v #vnero #nero #v #fanfiction #jjkmagic

8 notes · View notes