🦇

*     !!

!!

/  !!

[        >  @corvids <        ]
            
                           dante  swivled  in  the  chair,  the  legs  creaked  in  protest.  he  turned  to  face  the  voice  that  had  just  announced  itself  from  the  corner.  —  “surely  your  prices  can’t  be  that   bad.”  —  he  started,  relaxing  his  back  in  the  chair,  a  cool  and  laidback  composure.  —  “i  may  look  incapable,  but  i  swear  i’ve  got  funds …  at   least  for  now.” 

{  the young dragon was specifically told by his father not to let anyone near here , and yet he had failed tremendously at his job of being an intimidating dragon }
            
            i'm right here !
            
            { came a  voice from the corner , a chubby little boy with messy hair in a braid , hands on his hips as he frowned }
            
            didn't you hear me ?

[        >  @xiaoliangs <        ]
            
            
                           dante   twisted   his   body   to   the   sound,   feeling    lost    upon  not   being   able   to  see   anyone   around.  —  “hello?” —  he  called  out,  gaze   drifting   around   in   search,  somehow   this   was   more   fun   than   looking   for  a   demon.  

[      >  @heartstringss_  <      ]
            
            
                        “climb  shelves?”  —  he  repeated,  like  he   was  testing  the  idea  and  already  finding  it  ridiculous.  his  gaze  flicked  upwards,  then  back  to  her,  a  brow  arched  slightly.  — “that  is  your  grand  idea?”  — he  stepped  toward  the  aisle  she  had  been  eyeing,  nudged  the  shelf  to  check  how  sturdy  it  was.  the  wood  called  out  in  protest.  —  “real  solid  plan.  what  could  possibly  go  wrong?”  —  he  muttered.  and  then  — without  warning — he  reached  up,  grabbed  the  book she  had  been  eyeing  and  turned  back  to  her.  — “faster.”  —  he  echoed,  a  smirk  tugged  at  his  lips  as  he  tapped  the  book  on  her  shoulder.  “i  would  have  paid  to  see  you  climb  the  shelves  … but  hey,  afterthought  tells  me  i  would  have  had  to  probably  catch  you  fall.”  

    “ you’re so frickin’ tall already. can’t imagine also needing to use a ladder. i just cheat and climb the shelves. “  moving her sunglasses to the top of her head she shrugged. it hasn’t let her down yet. “ it’s faster too. no need to hunt down a ladder. “
            
            @devilmaycryy 

[     >  @heartstringss_  <      ]
            
                       — the  comment  makes  him  halt  his  movement,  brief  but  noticeable.  there  is  a  flicker  of  amusement  in  his  expression  as  he  lowered  his  hand. —  “is  that  your  way  of  asking  for  help?”  —  he  slowly  slides  down  the  ladder,  each  step  deliberate  and  careful.  

[     >  @gmblersriot  <     ]
            
                       —  dante  followed  her  gesture  toward  the alley,  then  looked  back  at  the  body  …  then  back  at  her.  —  “…  you  want  me  to  take  the  trash  out?”  —  he  asked,  brows  lifting  as  if  she  had  just  assigned  him  a  part  time  job. he  shrugged.  — “eh  …  could  be  worse.”  —  without  much  ceremony,  he  grabbed  the  man  by  the  collar  and  swiftly  hoisted  him  up.  the  movement  was  practice,  smooth  even.  not  his  first  time  cleaning  up  a  mess. — “relax.” —  he added  over  his  shoulder,  —  “i’ll  even  put  him  somewhere  scenic.  maybe  give  him  a  nice  view.”  —  the   casino   noise   swallowed   him   for   a   moment   as   he   pushed   through  a  side   exit,   the   neon   glow   bleeding   into   the   dim,   quieter   alley   outside.  the   shift   in   atmosphere   was   immediate  —  cool  air,   distant   traffic,   and   that   familiar   /wrongness/   that   didn’t   belong   in   a   normal   city   night.

“ really ? you hate rude ? ” she said dryly before gesturing to the situation in front of her “ and this didn’t cross you as rude ” she said with a silent , barely noticeable sigh. “ it doesn’t matter ,  just get rid of him. there’s an alleyway ” she said pointing to the general direction “ go dump him there or anywhere , just get it out of my sight ” she added , clearly not in the mood for this tonight 

[       >  @gmblersriot  <        ]
            
                          — dante  glanced  down  at  the  body  like  he  had  almost  forgotten  it  was  there,  then  back  up  at  her,  completely  unbothered.  — “alright …”  —  he  admitted,  lifting  both  hands  in  mock  surrender,  —  “that  one’s  on  me.”  — a  beat.  —  “in  my  defense,  he  started  it.”  —  he  nudged  the  fallen  man  with  his  boot  lightly,  —  “rude,  too.  i  hate  rude!” —  her  irritation  didn’t  go  unnoticed,  if  anything,  it  seemed  to  amuse  him  even  more.  

“ tag along? “ her brows furrowed. that wasn’t anything what she expected to hear. it made her confused and somewhat frustrated but at least she was able to go now. grabbing the bag again and hauling it over her shoulder. she only had a few hours to get rid of all of it then get ready for dinner. “ i don’t need supervision … “ she was mainly saying it to herself. this was a deep and personal act she performed on her own. to have an audience in this manner wasn’t something she was prepared for. killing the men and women who wronged her was one thing, collecting their eyes was specific enough. to have someone watch? definitely frazzled her. what was worse? he said he’d find her. that was just … phenomenal. “ whatever. i’m only accepting because i’m almost to the end of my list.” which meant there wouldn’t be a lot of time where he’d get to watch. “ can’t promise i won’t disappear. kind of the point to so i’m not found.” 
            
            @devilmaycryy 

[      >  @act_two  <      ]
            
                         —  he  went  quiet  after  her  little  speech.  then,  unexpectedly,  he  lets  her  have  the  bag.  — “alright.”  —  simple.  easy.  — “you  can  go. on  one  condition,  though.”  — a  smirk  creeps  back  in,  slower   this  time,  almost  as  if  he  knows  she  won’t  be  liking  his  offer.  —  “you  don’t  disappear.”  —   he  stepped  back,  finally,  giving  her  the  space  she  needed.  — “you’ve  got  a  list,  don’t  you?” —  he  tilted  his head.  not  a  guess.  —  “a  reason  like  that  doesn’t  stop  at  one  body.”  —  he  gestured  loosely  towards  the  corpse. —  “so  here’s  the  deal:  you  keep  doing  whatever  it is  that  you  do  and  …  i  tag  along.”  —  he  lets  out  a  faint,  almost  amused  exhale.  — “not  tonight,  i’ll  let  you  enjoy  your  dinner.”  —  his  gaze  flickered  to  her  — “but   next  time?  i  find you.   and  i  watch.”  —  a  small  pause  — “think  of  it  as  supervision.  or  a  date.  you  seem  like  you’d  prefer  that  version.”  — he  turned  slightly,  already  half  walking  away  as  if  the  decision  had  been  made  for  them. 

“ i almost feel intimidated. “ her grin widens only a fraction. debating if she should tell the truth or come up with an elaborate lie. all in all it was slightly frustrating that he put himself in her way. kind of made things more drawn out and definitely put a delay on her plans. “ it’s kinda hot actually.” her head would tilt, her hands folding behind her back as she kept her focus on his face. he stopped her from grabbing her bag and leaving. “ i did what i did to that man because he deserved it. just like the others. because i’m tired of breathing the same goddamn oxygen as those scum. no cop would do anything about them. no judge would listen. who else is there?” her head moved again. her smile fading until there was no emotion present. though she did send a swift kick in the direction of the body, for fun. “ anyways!  if you don’t mind i’m going to be late to dinner. i’m quite hungry. can i take my bag or you going to try to hold my hand again?”
            
            @devilmaycryy 

[      >   @legallyblcnde   <      ]
            
                         —  his  body  turned  to  face  the  sound  that  had  somehow  ricocheted  in  the  loudness  of  the  space.  his  little  glass  of  vodka  stood  still,  and  his  expression  became  weary.  —  “do  you  want  to  see  my  ID  or  something?  i  am  whole  grown  man,  what  stops  me?” —  a  frustrated  groan  passed  his  lips,  and  he  weighed  his  elbow  on  the  wooden  table. 

[      >  @cryptiicloss  <      ]
            
                        — at  the  mention  of  ancient  texts,  dante’s  body  jolted  in  excitement.  almost  as  if  it  was  a  beckoning  that  urged  him  towards  it.  he  turned  towards  the  pointed  hand,  and  nodded  shortly.  —  “to  be  honest,  i’m  probably  more  excited  about  the  archives  you  just  mentioned.  think  i  can  view  that  stuff?”  

@devilmaycryy ;;
            
            “Hmm…” Vincent pauses, looking toward another section of the library ahead of them. He brings up a hand, gesturing to the shelf that pressed against the back wall.
            
            “Over there, actually. We have a selection on the history of demons, some religious texts, and a few other similar categories,” he explains, beginning to walk toward that section. “However, if you need something a little more specific outside of general research, I’m sure we have something within our archives; it holds much older, almost ancient information, and it’s where I spend most of my time.” 

[     >  @cryptiicloss  <     ]
            
                       —  he  spun  with  ease,  the  recent  expression  of  confusion  and  skepticism  was  replaced  with  a  cool  collect  look.  his  gaze  lingered  first  on  the  cart  full  of  books  and  then  to  the  man  pushing  it  —  perhaps  the  librarian,  he  thought. —  “maybe.”  —  he  muttered,  cooly  tucking  his  hand  in  his  trouser  pockets.  —  “books  about  demons  or  half  demons?”  

[      >  @blqndiee  <      ]
            
                         “  i  don’t  think  i  do.  how  did  you  get  here,  lady?”   dante’s  gaze  drifted  around  the  place,  unsure  when  the  woman  had  stepped  into  the  room  at  all  —  the  room  that  he  considered  his  thinking  space,  the  backrooms  of  his  favorite  pizza  joint.