popcornxgif | Complicated homecoming...

Entry tags:

alastor,
lady

Complicated homecoming...

It had been years since Alastor had last seen this town, bustling with humans and reeking of demons. It was almost comforting...if not for the fact that he knew his master was here. The master he'd abandoned without a word, who would be fully justified in striking him down for his insubordination. But it wasn't in Alastor's nature to run. He'd had his taste of freedom, now it was time to face the consequences. If he was lucky, maybe he could come out on top this time and be truly free.

But that would be once he entered Devil May Cry, something he would wait until daytime for. He didn't want to catch his master just returning from a demon hunt and ready to shoot anything that had fangs and claws. So in the darkness of the desert night, he stood atop a building across from the Devil Hunter's shop. His senses were attuned for any hint of magic approaching him, but he might not register an ordinary human right away.

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She doesn't say anything. There wasn't anything to say to that sort of comment. Instead, she rocks on her heels, she never stands still this long, even when in Dante's office she's moving around at least a little bit as she gives him the details on the latest job she needs him to do. Honestly he just looks sort of sad which she's only really seen in Dante before.

"He won't be back for a couple more days."

"Talk about bad timing..."

He huffed quietly and glanced out over the city. He didn't...really have anywhere else to go. And if he went back to Movieland, he had no way of knowing how much time was passing in the outside world. He'd just have to figure something out while he was waiting...starting with food.

"In that case, you know where a guy could get a bite to eat around here?"

"There's a few, though I only have Dante's pizza place on speed dial if you want something fast."

Please no comments, she knows just how ridiculous that sounds that she has his pizza place on speed dial. Granted most of it has to do with temporarily cutting off his pizza tab, but she had it.

He wrinkles his nose and curls his tail in obvious disgust.

"No thanks. I want food, not cardboard covered in grease. How about a decent burger place?"

"There's a place a few blocks over," she offers. She hasn't been there herself, but she's heard good things about it. Granted it was quick snippets of conversation while walking in the street, but that counted, right?

She half turns pausing just a moment to see if he'd follow as she headed back to the fire escape and then continuing as if she hadn't paused at all.

"Sounds good."

There's a flash of light before he follows as he shifts to his human disguise. It's not perfect, he knows, but it should be good enough to keep people from getting uneasy.

"Thanks."

She nods to acknowledge he spoke but otherwise keeps moving. It's sort of a long and annoying trip down the fire escape. She only takes a quick peek back over her shoulder to see what the flash of light was about and then she was on her way down. Well she really shouldn't have expected any less considering the demon she keeps company with.

He could take the fire escape. But that would be no fun. Instead he jumped off the edge of the roof, manipulating the air currents to keep his stole in place even as his clothes billowed with the wind of the fall. Just before he would have hit the sidewalk full speed, a glowing circle of purple runes appeared beneath his feet for a fraction of a second, just long enough to bounce off of it before landing quietly.

Drama really is a demonic trait.

She pauses and just watches him. Eyes rolling as he passes. Demons always showing off. Is it too much to ask that they don't all flaunt their powers in other people's faces? She moves quickly down the rest of the fire escape dropping the last few rungs of the ladder to the ground.

"This way."

Out of the alley and into the dim yellow lights of the street as she led the way to the burger place. And she's just going to ignore his wardrobe change since it at least makes him stand out less.

"After you, then."

He gestures the way she pointed with a faint bow. As she leads the way, he follows with his hands in his pockets, black eyes flicking around the street.

"I'd almost forgotten what this city felt like..."

She wasn't kidding about it being fairly nearby. A couple turns back to the main street and then after another block off it again to the brightly lit restaurant, complete with a neon sign announcing it as the home of the best burger in the city.

She shrugs, "It hasn't changed much the last few years." Not that she has a real idea of when he took off, but a large window couldn't hurt right?

Well well, it's like something right out of Movieland. He can already almost imagine Joe drooling. He shakes his head to dismiss the thought, focusing instead on his current company.

"The place I've been was pretty different."

He nods toward the restaurant with a friendly smile.

"Care to join me? Call it thanks for telling me about it, my treat."

There's a moment of hesitation. Clear in the way her steps seem to halt entirely for half a second. She recovers quickly, tilting her head to the side as she stares at him.

"I don't usually eat with demons."

His face falls at that, and he glances away. He should've figured...this isn't Movieland, people here don't knowingly tolerate devils.

"Oh...well...uh...thanks, anyway."

Don't look at her like that. Could he look anymore like a wounded puppy? One she'd just kicked as hard as she could with six little words.

She sighs through her teeth, eyes closed as she angles back putting space between them as if she might catch a worse case of the guilt if she stayed as she was.

"Look it's nothing against you personally." Sorry?

"I know...humans and demons...we don't mix."

Now he remembered why he'd so consistently hidden his true nature in the old days. A god of the sky was welcomed, praised, thanked. A storm demon was feared, hated, even hunted. He'd hated to lie, but that was just the way it was...still is.

"That's just the way things are."

She chews her lip, that wasn't what she meant.

"It's not that humans and demons don't mix." Well not entirely. She spends a likely unhealthy amount of time with Dante. And there were plenty of people in the city that sought out demon company for their own wants and desires. She just drew a line where she was concerned.

"Just that we don't mix in ways any decent person would want a part of."

He shakes his head and starts toward the door.

"Whatever. I'll see you around, maybe. If I don't end up spending another two-thousand years gathering dust under some seal, anyway."

"I didn't say that." She sounds frustrated. There were so very few decent people in this city.

"Wait, why would you spend another two-thousand years gathering dust?" And yes that took her by surprise as she stood there watching him head into the restaurant. But there's genuine curiosity in her voice.

He paused, turning back to her with a raised eyebrow. Did she really not understand the implications of what he'd done?

"I defied my master by leaving without permission. Most people I know of would consider a servant like that a dangerous wildcard and do something to make sure they can't escape again and maybe be an actual threat."

Sealing him away was the least he was expecting.

She can't help it, her eyebrows going up as her demeanor shifts.

"You have met Dante? He's pretty wildcard himself." So very amused at him right now. It's a miracle she isn't laughing.

"I fought with him on Mallet. But just because he's the rebellious type doesn't mean he'd be alright with a servant who's proven willing to defy him. It's only natural to worry that they'd go against your interests, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Shrug. She'll let him figure out why on his own. She can't really see Dante being terribly upset unless he was terrorizing humans while he was gone.

"We'll see..."

He still doubted he'd be able to get away with just wandering off again, even if Dante didn't decide to punish him severely. But maybe he would get lucky and still have a chance to see moonlight again, maybe even daylight.

"If we bump into each other again, I'll, uh...see about paying you back for the suggestion. If you're willing to accept a favor from a demon, anyway."

That 'if' seems to shift the atmosphere of their conversation. She can't put her finger on exactly how it shifted, but his words...they just feel so final. It's tugging at her and that is bugging her.

"You don't have to. You asked where to get something to eat, I showed you it really isn't that big of a deal." Unlike how she flat out told him she doesn't eat with demons, this is said more like one would tell a grateful stranger they don't need to pay them back for the dollar to make a phone call. It really is fine the way things are. No payback necessary.

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