On their way home, Dante repeatedly uses his Devil Trigger to light the way, scare demons, and playfully help his friends melt some marshmallows. This takes their minds off the exterminated serial killer, especially when it takes melting several marshmallows all over his sleeves before they get the hang of it. 

 

“Well, at least my arms smell good,” he shrugs while Harley chortles over the chocolate she accidentally got all over her face in the dark.

 

“At least you burned it off, my arms are about to be covered in chocolate, guys.”

 

“You’d think we never had any table manners,” chuckles Killer-Red.

 

Beep! 

 

“D’awwww-son of a monkey’s uncle, my stinking phone’s going off again. Can one of you fellas pull it out of my pocket for me? I’m too sticky.”

 

“Yeah you are,” Killer-Red jokes inappropriately.

 

“TA-HA!” Harley blurts.

 

“It’s a text from Vergil,” Dante scoffs, upon retrieving her cell. “He says your job is ready for you and your penthouse is finished. Do you… still wanna work for Vergil?”

 

She frowns, “Um, I dunno.”

 

“It’s okay if you do. Remember I told you, you’re allowed to have nice things.”

 

“I still think I can share those things with you guys and maybe, maybe make things better from the inside?”

 

“Maybe,” Dante nods. “You… wanna head his way?”

She sighs, wiping her face.

 

“I guess.”

 

“You don’t have to,” he reminds her.

 

“I don’t really want to but-” a snowflake lands on her nose. “Hey, is it snowing?”

 

“Shit,” Dante grunts. “It’s probably gonna freeze tonight by the woods. I hate to say this, but you’ll be safer in the Hub.”

 

“Then let’s stick with our plan. I’ll go to the Hub and get settled and really learn my way around, and you stay with Dante, Killer-Red.”

 

Will do,” agrees Killer-Red. “We’ll drop you off and if things go down the toilet, call us and we’ll pick you up in the morning.”

 

Dante breaks into a jog.

 

“We’re only about a mile away from the Hub. Let’s move it, before it gets too cold.”

 

They speed up and follow him to the Hub, where they don’t have but a few seconds to wave goodbye. The air is starting to chill the two Gothamites like a couple of ice pops. In a flash, Harley slips inside and the guys split.

 

Hurriedly, Dante and Killer-Red dash through the Wood of Suicides, taking out a few thrashing trees and rushing into the church, where it’s still heated enough to take time to come up with a plan.

 

They ultimately decide to both sleep in the office, Dante offering to take the floor. After quickly preparing for bed, they reconvene in this small space and realize that they’re going to need a lot of body heat to protect the human from freezing to death. 

 

Jason insists…

 

“Stop making it weird. We can both fit in this bed, man. The closer we are, the warmer it’s gonna be. I mean shit, Dante, what’d you do the last time it got this cold? Tell me the truth.”

 

“I used my Devil Trigger to make it warm in here.”

 

“So you didn’t sleep.”

 

“No.”

 

“And you think shivering on the dirty carpet is gonna be an improvement?”

 

“When you put it that way, it does sound kinda stupid. Probably cause it’s been a stupidly long day.”

 

“All things considered, I think it’s been a good one. Let’s share the bed and spoon.”

 

“You’re underaged.”

 

“Look, I know you don’t believe me because Hell made the outer reflect the inner, but we’re consenting adults.”

 

“You’re right, I don’t believe you.”

 

“You saw what I really look like when you Angel Triggered, I know you did. Besides, we’re roughing it, trying to stay alive. What’s the alternative, stay up all night to keep me warm by wasting your powers? Come on, before it freezes.”

 

Dante takes his jacket off and hands it to him.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Wear my coat. It’s clean, I swear.”

 

“No, I know it is. Thank you.”

 

He accepts the coat, puts it on, including the hood, then hops into bed.

 

“Heh, it smells like sugar. You know it’s not enough though.”

 

Sigh. “Fine then.” 

 

Dante caves and joins him, maneuvering around him so his own back is to the wall. With Jason still able to stare at the black sky out the window, he relaxes as his friend initiates the spooning.

 

“Better?”

 

“Yes,” Jason exhales, his breath fogging from the dropping temperature. “You’re really freakin’ warm.”

 

“Good.”

 

“It’s so much better like this. I think we should probably do this from now on because I kinda love it.”

 

“When was the last time you shared a bed with someone?”

 

“Good question! Most people called her, Jinx. Jinx was cute.”

 

“What’d she look like?”

 

“Pink hair, spunky smile, cute in the same way Harley is cute.”

 

“I wasn’t expecting her to leave so soon.”

 

“It’s a good thing she did though because you called it. It’s a winter wonderland out there.”

 

“What happened to Jinx?"

 

“We broke up. She’s a great Devil Hunter though. Metas usually are.”

 

“What’s a meta?”

 

“Someone extraordinary.”

 

“How so?”

 

“For me, it was the sex. Sex with Jinx was magical and made the suicidal feelings go away.”

 

“Sounds awesome.” 

 

"I don’t remember enjoying cuddling with her as much as I’m enjoying this, but I mean, she wasn’t an angel so, yeah.”

 

“Is that really how you see me? You’re wrong, ya know. I’m Nephilim.”

 

“You’re wrong, and you don’t know what angels are, and you don’t know what Nephilim are.”

 

“That was bold.”

 

“It was. Are there any stars in Hell?”

 

“No.”

 

“When was the last time you saw the stars?”

 

“Years ago.”

 

“Do you remember what they looked like?”

 

“Not anymore.”

 

“I used to sleep sometimes in the asylum. Sometimes Joker would knock me out with a crowbar and I would sleep for a little bit. I had a recurring dream about floating in space, with the stars. It was quiet and warm and nothing evil could touch me. That’s how you make me feel.”

 

“I make you feel… at peace?”

 

“You put me back with the stars.”

 

“Wow. Yeah no, I forgot what stars look like.”

 

“If there’s a way I can bring you to Gotham, I know a few spots where you can see them real well. Heh, at one point, there was a rat that kept running by. He didn’t stay, didn’t like the roaches. Ever been so excited to see a rat?”

 

“When I lived on the streets as a kid. They used to let me pet them before they mutated. Now I have to kill them. It sucks.”

 

“I wanted to talk to it but I knew if Joker saw it, he’d kill it with that crowbar. At least I got to see it a couple times. I got used to waking up in that place. Sometimes I miss waking up to all that pain. It’s the only thing I can count on.”

 

“You can count on me.”

 

“You’re different. You’re special to me.”

 

“Did anything besides a rat calm you down back then?”

 

“One time I heard crickets, that calmed me down for a little bit.”

 

“I haven’t heard a cricket in a long time.”

 

“When was the last time you saw a butterfly?”

 

“Maybe once, a while back in the Wood of Suicides? I think?”

 

“What about a rainbow?”

 

“When I was a kid.”

 

“What about a seashell?”

 

“I dunno.”

 

“A flower?”

 

“Years ago.”

 

“If we ever get a chance to go to Gotham, I promise I’ll take you where you can see all those things.”

 

“Honestly… if I think about it too much, the idea of seeing those things again, makes me wanna cry.”

 

“Oh man, I know how you feel.”

 

“I’m sorry. Nobody should have to feel this way.”

 

“If all that torture and rejection happened to me, all so I could be with you, and feel your pain with you, then I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

 

“That makes me sad.”

 

“I hope in a good way. Dante, I really do know how you feel. It’s gonna be okay, my friend.”

 

“Thanks. I mean it.”

 

“Listen, I’m gonna restore this church no matter how long it takes. One day, we won’t have to worry about it being too cold in here.”

 

“That’d be nice.” 

 

“And hey, if it’s an excuse to be this close, then I’m glad for it. We’re already in Hell so it’s not like we’re gonna be damned for acting gay.”

 

“You’re making it like you deserve to be here. You don’t.”

 

“Neither do you.”

 

“I chose this.”

 

“You chose to never see the stars again? No you didn’t, Dante.”

 

“No but I choose to be here, in this shithole. It’s rotting away, but at least it’s safe.”

 

“Does having me here make it a little better at all?”

 

“It makes it worlds better.”

 

“I choose this too. I want us to always be together. I love you a lot.”

 

“I love you too. Goodnight.”

 

“Goodnight."