Unleashing fifteen grand in a single shopping spree for a small apartment looked simpler than you'd expect. Boxes upon boxes filled the apartment—fresh clothes, cookware, essential gadgets, and even a sleek espresso machine for his caffeine needs. And loads of bubble wrap.
"Where the hell do I start?" Dante muttered, scratching his head as he glanced around. The apartment was a mess before he came here, and it was a bigger mess now.
He caught Death lounging quietly on the brand-new couch, her long legs stretched across the cushions. It was a sight to see Death completely at home in his apartment, bobbing her head to the screeching death metal blasting from his new television.
'Death and death metal. That's just poetic.'
She glanced at him, sensing his gaze, then turned away. She'd been distant since their run-in with Felicia, the class cold shoulder treatment. The ordeal with Felicia upsetted her, though she was more upset that he had taken Felicia's side despite knowing how much she cherished the cosmic balance.
He would've ignored anyone else. But Felicia... She wasn't just anyone. Black Cat had always been one of Dante's favorites, and it only took a few minutes to change her fate. He'd given her enough hints to prove that Death wasn't just some woman in black. What she did with that knowledge was her choice. His help started and ended with that simple advice. Everything else depended on her own effort.
'Black Cat is here, but Spider-Man won't be for seven years. Maybe this world's Spidey isn't the MCU version.'
He took out his phone and searched for any superhero related news and rumors. Nothing came up.
'It doesn't matter.'
Superheroes like Iron Man and Captain America would soon take the stage to deal with worldly and otherworldly troubles. He'd be here, enjoying a cozy life with Death while doing the side quest of becoming stronger through the Null Repository.
Dante turned back to the apartment. The bedroom was first on his list. He ripped off the old wrinkled sheets and tossed away the dusty pillows. New, clean sheets covered the bed in no time. He opened the windows to let in the winter breeze and moved from room to room, dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and organizing everything.
Hours slipped away, and only around 9 PM did Dante finally stretch, muscles sore but heart satisfied with the results. His apartment looked cleaner, smelled better, and felt like a comfortable place to live. A place to be called home.
'Home sweet home.'
After a quick shower and change of clothes, he dropped onto the couch beside Death, who hadn't moved an inch. "Still mad at me?"
She sighed and finally turned her gaze down toward him. "Companion, I am not mad. I am… disappointed."
"Disappointed?" He asked in surprise, never expecting such words to be directed at him. "What did I do?"
"Ever since we met, I have been straightforward with you. I kept nothing to myself. But you… You've kept secrets. Many, many secrets."
He stared, realizing she was right. Maybe he'd hurt her trust without meaning to.
"This is about Felicia, isn't it?"
"Yes," she said with a slow nod. "You acted like you knew her. But you don't, not really. You also know more about me and Norman Osborn than you should. Companion… What are you hiding from me?"
He knew he couldn't dodge the question forever. Rubbing his cheek, he hesitated, then said, "You won't believe it even if I told you. The truth is just that absurd."
She showed a serious expression. "I trust you. Say the words that can shake the heart of Death."
After a long pause, he did.
"How is that even possible?!" Death's eyes, which had always been calm, carried a look of shock. "Where does it put your Null Repository? What exactly is it?"
He shook his head. "I have no idea. But I have a feeling the answer will be revealed in the future."
Death gazed at him for a long moment before some calmness returned to her face. "This will not change anything, Companion. It matters not who my Creator is. I am Death, and I will continue to carry out my purpose. For me, this multiverse is real."
He rested his head carefully on her lap. Her thighs were warm, comforting beneath him—a strange yet welcome change from the cold body he felt in her realm. Now, she was as warm as a normal person.
"What about me, then? Am I real, or just a fabrication?"
She placed her hand over his chest. "Despite your artificial vessel, you are as real as this world you're breathing in… Which will make your soul all the more satisfying to claim."
"What…?"
A cold shiver went down his spine. He felt like he did something to piss her off again. Otherwise, she wouldn't say such words with a scary face. They were way past the stage of Death wanting to kill him.
"If I upset you... tell me, Death. I'd rather we scream at each other than complete silence."
She seemed surprised at the request. Then her gaze softened, and she smiled, drawing a circle over his heart—the smile was a sign he had survived a disaster. "Dante, you can sleep with whoever you wish, love them, even impregnate them. But you are never to put anyone over me. You're my companion first… even if you were reluctant."
"I was reluctant?"
She poked his nose, pouting. "My senses don't work on your emotions and thoughts, but even I can tell your offer was an attempt to save your skin… Death is not that stupid."
He never thought he'd see Death pout over a trivial matter, yet here he was, watching her pout over a trivial matter.
"I was a bit unwilling at first, but now, I like spending time with my beautiful companion. Wouldn't give it up for anything." He took her hand, kissed it softly. "You know, jealous Death is just so cute."
"You're the first man to call Death 'cute'. I wonder if you would feel the same when I come to claim your life?"
He winked. "You can check it now."
"You have yet fulfilled your responsibilities as my Companion." She crossed her arms and looked out the window. "That said… I hope that moment doesn't come any time soon."
"I'd rather not die if living is an option." He stretched his legs and made himself comfortable. "I'm going to sleep now, and you'll stay like this all night. This is my reward for doing everything while you were lazing on the couch."
She arched her brow, but a soft laugh escaped her. "Rest to your heart's content. This vessel is more than prepared for such hardship."
A few minutes after he closed his eyes, he felt something soft and wet pressing against his lips. He had a tiny bit of impulse to tease her for sneaking a kiss when he was "sleeping" and calling her the shyest cosmic being.
'She's got a human side.'
It relieved him to see that she wasn't immune to desire. She got jealous and cared. But he couldn't rush the relationship. Death wasn't someone you pushed. One wrong step, and he might vanish, erased from existence.
Besides, there were other desirable women in this world. The first one to cross his mind was Silver Sable and the second was Felicia Hardy. One with a steady and mature mindset about life and responsibilities and the other whimsical and chaotic. Mingling with them was inviting trouble. Sable had the burden of a whole nation as its sovereign and Felicia had her fated death to defy.
'Let's stick with Death for now.'
***
Dante woke to the quietest morning he'd ever known in this world. The clock on the wall had ticked a little after five. He shifted and realized his head still rested on Death's lap. She leaned back against the cushions, eyes closed with a peaceful expression. Her breathing was so soft it almost disappeared.
He found himself watching her for a long while. The embodiment of death had no business being this beautiful.
'Is she actually sleeping?'
His fingers brushed his lips, recalling her gentle kiss. He eased up, careful not to disturb Death's sleep, and pecked her lips. A faint blush colored her cheeks.
'She woke up.'
He couldn't help himself with a second kiss, then a third, each one longer than the last. That was enough teasing to make her beet red.
Peeking out the window, Dante saw the city wrapped in the stillness of early morning. He still found it hard to believe that this world, these people, everything came from the pages of comic books and movies.
Grabbing a towel, he headed for the shower. The cold water pelted his skin like needles, waking every sense and clearing the leftover sleep from his system.
Back in the bedroom, he unpacked the laptop Sable had paid for. She had made good on her payment, so it was time to deliver. He scanned the files and sorted everything into neat folders. It took nearly three hours, but by the end, the information was packaged just the way a professional like Sable would prefer.
When Dante returned to the living room, Death was gone. The only sign she'd been there was the impression on the cushions.
"Death?"
Her voice reached him like a distant echo. "I'm still here… just not by your side."
"What happened?"
"A minor disturbance in another universe."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Anything I can help with?"
"It's a mad titan. He is obsessed with me and wants to impress me. To make me his. He is claiming lives to do so, which is ruining the balance here," she explained. "You are still too weak to interfere."
Dante arched a brow. He knew that story. The universe where Thanos claimed the Heart of Universe and wiped every life to impress Death. Without life, Death lost her purpose and the reason for existence.
In the end, Thanos became the most powerful, but he couldn't get the only thing in his heart.
But it should be an alternate reality, not an actual universe.
"You seem to know about him," she murmured.
"I do. This world's Thanos will be a big problem too."
"You can overpower him once you reach a higher link with me. Don't neglect your body or your study of the Null Repository while I'm not there."
"Don't be gone for too long. You'll miss out on a lot of fun."
"I'll be back soon. Be safe, Dante."
And just like that, she was gone.
Dante stood a moment longer, then shook his head. Worrying about her safety was pointless. Only cosmic beings of her level could challenge her. As for killing her, only a few beings could achieve it. He could better use that energy on finding the immediate threats in the surroundings.
First of all, he texted Silver Sable to get her business out of the way.
[Dante: Package's ready. When do you want it?
Sable: 2 PM. Same place.
Dante: Got it.]
After having a quick breakfast, he sat cross-legged on the floor. "Null, are you there?"
A familiar prompt appeared inside his mind.
[Null Repository status: active. All centralized data is properly secured and connected to the main core.]
Death or Null—talking to both made him seem like a lunatic since the world couldn't see either.
[Neural status: Stable. No abnormality detected.]
"...I know I'm mentally stable. Null, when can I use those powers without a link?"
[Administrator needs to achieve 100% Resonance with a Character to make use of Nexus feature. It will allow you to use one of their abilities outside of Resonance Link.]
"Only one?"
[The number will increase as you finish more Resonance Links.]
"And what's my current progress with Death?"
[Resonance Link (Death): 1.9%]
He groaned. "It's going to take forever."
Understanding a cosmic being, especially one like Death, was beyond difficult. Having a romantic connection with her would ease the difficulty since it'd let him see many sides of her.
"How do I progress faster?"
[Two requirements must be met for a complete Resonance:
1. Understand your target's psyche in full.
2. Logically analyze and comprehend their abilities.]
The second requirement was new, but it made sense since a target's abilities were also a part of them.
"The less complex they are, the easier it is to complete their Resonance Link, right?"
[Correct.]
Dante crossed his arms, thinking through possibilities. It was impossible to 100% Death's link any time soon. He needed another target. Captain America was an easier link to reach completion as his psyche could be summed up with a few words: Selfless, brave, loyal, and heroic.
Then a slow grin spread across his face. Why would he settle for Cap's superhuman strength when he could resonate with someone who was millions of times stronger with just as easy a psyche to comprehend?
"Null, search Hyperion in your database."