Author's note: This story was created from some very old and discarded random ideas I jotted down on paper. Forgotten but not destroyed, I wondered if I could ever use those scribblings for a story. Enter Devil May Cry 4, some thinking, the threat of those papered ideas heading in the direction of the shredder --which really would have sucked-- and at last... liiiiife! Stoked can't truly describe how awesome it is to use ideas long thought impossible! Ideas, of course, which are based off characters and settings which don't belong to me but Capcom.

Fic takes place post-DMC4. Feedback is most heartily appreciated.

Sharpness of Strength

"Nero, um, Nero, can you help out?" A perky little girl with a coiled bun in her hair stared up at said man's working form.

"Yes?" Fortuna was a blaze of sun and more sun today. Nero tiredly set down a stack of wood loaded in his arms. He didn't like to work in public without his glove over his Devil Bringer arm, but this afternoon yielded a ton of extra work. Wearing the glove felt restrained. He needed the extra power of his arm, even if it meant scaring the occasional bystander or two who happened to stare at it uncomfortably. Remarkably, the small lady speaking to him seemed unfazed by it, in fact, glancing at it with interest and not fear.

"I was asked to ask you if you can move the barrel over there? It was too heavy for me when I tried." She pointed to a knee high barrel a few feet away in the middle of a mess.

"Sure thing, peach pie." The endearment floated out of Nero's mouth before he realized what he said. He didn't typically say those things to strangers. Oops, he was getting hungry. Meanwhile, the child giggled and waved at him before running off.

Restoring Fortuna after the hectic battles from the monstrous Savior and other weird beings from the Hell Gates was trekking along. People banded together to rebuild structures, shops, even monuments.

As Nero toted the hefty barrel to the edge of the construction mound it was in the way of, he heard his name called. He set the barrel down and turned to see Kyrie holding a bottle of water. Instead of her usual white long dress with the Order emblem, she donned a short-sleeved buttoned shirt and a long skirt, appropriate for the baking weather. Her killer laced boots were apt for not accidentally stepping on a stray nail. Nero smiled at seeing her neck, at the gold necklace he had given her. Inadvertently, his gaze strayed farther down to her shapely bosom but with her watching him his stare kept to a minimum and it flew back up.

He went to her and she mutely held up the drink. Grateful for a thirst-quencher, Nero thanked her and greedily gulped. Today was pretty warm. His coat had to be taken off almost as soon as he began work; the heat of the sun really beat down.

"Is it break yet?" the chestnut-haired woman asked after he returned the bottle, looking hopeful.

"Totally. I'm done for the day." Even for a part demon like himself, some fatigue was setting in his bones. Nero rotated a crick in his left shoulder. How much lifting did he do today? He didn't want to remember.

Kyrie quirked a playful brow at the movement. "May I assist in relaxation with a shoulder rub?"

How could Nero turn that amazing offer down? "Lifesaver!"

They found a cozy bench --ok, it was practically nailed planks of wood-- and sat. Kyrie kneaded her finger magic into his tired muscles. Nero jerked when she began, accidentally pressing too hard. Then she got going... ooh, Nero wasn't going to complain. His neck muscles were already loosening.

"Hey lovebirds, am I interrupting?"

Nero glanced up in surprise to find Dante in front of them, a cocky grin and a heavy black case slung on his back. Kyrie politely said hello and Nero did the same. The receiver of the massage added jokingly, "What's your excuse for coming here?"

Dante played along. "The fabulous cuisine."

The silver-haired hunter reminded Nero of his forgotten appetite. The massage felt amazing enough to put aside hunger for a moment. "Oh man, I'm starving."

"Actually, there was another reason."

"Hmm?"

"I also came for you." A lopsided grin tugged the corner of Dante's mouth.

Taken aback, Nero's eyebrows shot up near his hairline. "Huh?"

"You heard me." Dante crouched down to eye level and tipped up the chin of the relaxed man with a pointer finger. "I couldn't resist setting my feet in Fortuna to see you again." His tone radiated huskiness.

Nero frowned in awkward confusion and his back stiffened. The heck?!

Kyrie, hearing Dante's confession, possessively looped her arms around Nero's neck from behind, effectively forcing Dante to remove his finger from beneath the other man's chin. "Hey, no trading." She sounded mistrustful.

"Oh, but I simply can't resist him. Just look at him." His eyes roamed Nero's sitting figure. Was Dante checking him out? This behavior was wholly not his style. Or maybe it was; Nero didn't know Dante that intimately. The Fortuna resident did attempt to kill him for a while after he assassinated Sanctus.

"I do. Everyday. Right, darling?" Kyrie squeezed her arms slightly for emphasis.

Was Nero in a soap opera? Multiple people pining for his affections? Possible murder if he said yes and no to the wrong people? And there was a guy to boot! When had Dante developed, er, romantic feelings for him? Did Nero feel flattered? "Uh, yeah, absolutely," he muttered, unsure.

Dante rose and kept staring at him with a half-lidded dreaminess that bordered on lust. He continued to watch while Nero just sat there in discomfort with the real love of his life draped over him.

They were awaiting a sign of life from the monkey-in-the-middle and Nero cleared his throat nervously. "Dante, that's, uh, nice of you to tell me. I didn't think you were- I mean, those girls you told me you worked with, you..." Damn, now he was sputtering. Confusion was running in circles around Nero like a hyperactive, screaming kid. Stupid Dante!

Kyrie jostled her significant other. "Nero, being with him is wrong. I'm already with you." Her heated breath was swiftly next to his ear. "You like me, don't you?" Throatiness lowered her question, sparking a trill down his spine and shooting blood to various parts of his body he'd rather not think of. When did his pants suddenly become so tight?

Dante seemed offended. "I'm offering my heart to you, Nero. Don't toss it away like it's nothing."

The baffled male was stunned. Dante called Nero by name. He never did that.

Kyrie swam in Nero's peripheral vision. "You and I. We're the ones meant to be together."

Fantastic, what was Nero going to do? He wasn't sleepwalking in some drug-induced hallucination, was he?

His friend --or potential lover, Nero strangely entertained the thought for a microsecond-- burst out in wild laughter. Dante clutched his stomach and pointed at him. "Oh man, I need a mirror! Your face is twisting in unimaginable ways!"

Burning red with embarrassment and feeling very weird, Nero would've lodged a bullet in Dante's forehead were the seated man, well, not seated. His revolver couldn't be reached with Kyrie's curvy body pressed against his back. So instead, Nero glared deadly daggers at his unfunny comrade. If only those proverbial daggers were real. "Yuck it up. You're the only one who thinks you're a comedian."

A discreet female titter sounded. Nero glanced miserably over his shoulder. "Aw, not you, Kyrie!"

"I can't help it. You did go through some adorable thought processes there." The brunette kissed Nero on the cheek. He felt a goofy grin form. Ok, that made this peculiar conversation with Dante a mite better. Nero aimed a kick at Dante, anyway.

The man in red finally quit snickering when he dodged Nero's boot. "That was a good laugh."

Nero groaned, but perked up when Kyrie resumed her massage. "But really, why the drop-in?"

Dante smiled, sincerely now. "Honestly, I'm here to see how Fortuna is coming along. The Savior wrecked a lot of the town. I did assist you in saving this place. Dropping by seemed appropriate."

Nero appreciated his visit, though, he'd never tell Dante even if he was a certifiable grade-A dork. "Cool."

"Shall we eat?" Kyrie suggested. Her hands moved off Nero's shoulders, to his knowing disappointment that she had to stop tending.

Nero agreed. "Yeah, you haven't dined in Fortuna yet. Naturally, I will poison your meal after that stunt of yours." He and Dante shared haughty looks, all in good jest, of course. He hopped up from his position and regally held out a hand for Kyrie to take to stand. The fact he was using his demonic arm didn't register. He was comfortable enough showing it around her compared to flashing it to strangers. She smiled and accepted it.

She rose and suddenly cried out. Clutching her chest, Kyrie moaned. She would have fallen if Nero's quick arms didn't wind around her waist to support her.

"...get it." Her mumble was hardly a whisper.

"Kyrie? What's wrong-" Alarmed, Nero began to question her, but halted when Kyrie raised her eyes to his face. The pretty brown orbs that normally shone in friendliness flashed gold. The odd color remained behind briefly, like the ghost image on a TV right after it has been turned off. Auburn eyes were staring back at Nero again. Kyrie leaned heavily against Nero's chest.

Tilting his head curiously and in concern, Dante quipped, "I take it that's not normal for Fortuna citizens?"

"Definitely not." Nero shook his head. He tapped lightly on his dear girl's cheek. "Hey, are you all right?"

Her breath sounded labored and her eyes were closed. "Pain. It's getting a little better."

Nero didn't like the sound of her admission one iota. He looked apologetically at their visitor as he balanced Kyrie the best he could against his hip. She was beginning to slide south. "You don't mind coming along with us for a doctor's visit, do you?"

A quirky grin grew on Dante's face. "Nope, I don't mind. I rarely see them enough as is. It's sort of an interesting fixation. Y'know, demon advantage of immunity and all." He flexed his arm.

"Thanks." Nero hoisted the slumping Kyrie in his arms and hurried to the residential area.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was probably half an hour that passed as the local doctor checked on Kyrie, but with the way Nero was whirling endless possibilities in his mind the wait felt like a day. He and Dante were killing time outside the medical tent that was setup for the workers. Nero paced like a ferocious tiger impatiently trapped in its cage. Dante even had to ask him to settle down which Nero ignored.

The doctor, an older fellow with a gruff voice and a curt disposition finally pushed back the opening flaps and approached them. He examined the men with a squint-eyed appraisal. "The lady is fine physically for the time being. She had another incident. You'll need a specialized person for this."

Nero glared at the useless moron. "You can't figure out what's wrong with her? Are you really a doctor?"

Dante smirked at Nero's insubordinate questions. The doctor cleared his throat and condescendingly spoke at Nero as though he was explaining his diagnosis to a very naive person. "I deal with human ailments, sir. Body and mind of human beings. Not rabbits, not dogs, and not chickens. By specialized, I meant someone who is versed in the supernatural."

As Nero digested this information, the doctor informed him that the currently defunct Order used to have such doctors who researched the paranormal in strange illnesses. It was merely a rumor that passed his ears and he wasn't sure there was any truth. One of the supposed doctors had a vast knowledge who could possibly be useful. Kyrie's doctor couldn't give an exact name for he didn't know himself. He looked at Nero in consolation and left.

The two men entered the tent. Kyrie lay on a cot, a weak smile forming when she saw them. Nero sat at the edge of the makeshift bed and took her hand. "Feeling better?"

She nodded wanly. "The worst of the fit has passed. I'm sorry to have interrupted our meal. We were going to show you around." She directed the last part to Dante.

He held up his palms face-up. "No worries. Interruptions are daily occurrences for me."

Nero watched Kyrie. She was still smiling despite being holed up in here. She was either faking happiness or trying to make him feel better. Or both. "Has this weird stuff happened before today?"

He expected the denial at this type of question but when Kyrie wouldn't meet his gaze and looked at the far wall instead, Nero's fingers unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. "Kyrie?" Uttering her name sounded low and dangerous, even to his own ears. Like he dared her to defy his assumption that this seizure was the first of its kind before today.

"Two days ago." Her reply was quiet. She looked apologetically at Nero. "It wasn't much. I thought... maybe it was something I ate. Or I twisted something while helping out with construction. I have been awfully busy."

He was about to demand why she didn't tell him, but common sense stopped him. There could be loads of reasons which weren't important now. "You were okay after the first attack?"

Kyrie nodded again.

Something she had said before bothered Nero. "What did you mean by 'getting it'?"

"When did I say that?" Kyrie looked puzzled.

She didn't remember? Was this some sort of amnesia? Was she really ok? "You told us those words."

She contemplated silently, brows furrowed. "I don't recall. Sorry."

Raising his head to meet Dante's eyes, Nero mused, "I should check out this doctor who has the info we need. Can you stay with her until I get back?"

Kyrie jiggled her hand which Nero held. "I'm okay, really." She obviously was not.

Nero released her hand to let her demonstrate. "Can you sit up?"

Staring at the ceiling, Kyrie concentrated to push herself up, but confusion crossed her forehead in a wrinkle when her limbs wouldn't respond. She chuckled embarrassingly. "Um, give me a minute."

Dante and Nero exchanged silent affirmations and switched positions while Kyrie sighed. Nero told his farewell and left. He had to pick up a few choice items in his newly improvised room before he went. He had setup a temporary workstation to save traveling time to retrieve his belongings when he helped around town.

One long navy coat, his Blue Rose double-barreled revolver in his holster, and a sharpened Red Queen blade affixed to his back later, Nero strode to his next destination. His long coattails trailed behind him like hell's fire. He wanted answers and if it meant going to a dilapidated place he hated, he'd do it. For her.

Fortuna castle.