One Shot: Late Nights - Dante

Stella leaned forward, rubbing her eyes. Staring at a computer screen for hours on end had strained them, especially so in the darkness. She was often up late, alone; trying to gain any information she could to help Vergil and his cause. She had come to align herself with his side vehemently if only to ensure no one had to suffer the way she had.

A heavy sigh left her. Stella leaned forward, placing her elbows on her desk. Numbers, texts, and codes alike ran on her screen though she paid them little mind. Breaking through codes was difficult enough and it kept her up late at night.

She caught herself nodding off. Shaking her head, she tried to keep herself from falling asleep. She needed to finish all of this before she could manage any sleep. That was, if she could sleep at all. Some nights, even days, she had trouble slipping off into a deep slumber.

The warehouse was quiet. Even those who normally stayed up late had wandered off to bed, fully aware they needed some sleep. Stella sometimes wished she could follow after.

When footsteps rang out, she focused on them briefly. She thought nothing of it however. People wandered sometimes. It helped their nerves or to get themselves to sleep. When hands rested on the back of her chair, shaking it a little did she straighten up.

“You’re still up,” Dante’s voice rang out, his tone a bit dull and low, “you’re gonna run yourself down doing this.”

Stella waved a hand, dismissing his words. A slight groan left her, now aware of her head starting to pound. Staring at the screen and staying up so late did take their toll. She just didn’t want to admit it.

“Dante, I’ve got to get this done,” she argued. She was well aware of the grogginess in her own tone, “I’ll go to sleep right after, I promise.”

He hadn’t left yet but that fact didn’t surprise her at all. While he normally seemed laid back, he was rather persistent. He’d gotten to be so a little after she confessed why she had aligned herself with Vergil in the first place. Maybe he sympathized or maybe it was something else. She couldn’t really say and never had it in her to ask.

Finally, she felt him shift slightly, leaning his weight against the chair. “You told me that about three hours ago,” he pointed out. Indeed, she had said something like that. She hadn’t really expected him to check up on if that would be true or not.

“It’s taking a little longer than I expected. Just give me another hour.” If she could just break through this one, she would do whatever he asked.

She heard a short hum leave him. Stella’s hand ran over her face as if that would keep her from nodding off any better. Stella held out hope that he’d just leave her be for the time being. Instead, he jerked her chair away from the desk. A startled sound escaped her briefly, trying to regain her balance.

“What are you doing?” she asked, glancing up at him. He was wheeling her away from her desk and someplace else, probably one of the rooms nearby.  

“Taking you to bed,” he replied.

Stella would have pointed out his choice of words if she had the energy to. Instead, she brushed them off, simply rubbing her eyes. She couldn’t really bring herself to stop him.

As she had thought, he stopped at one of the rooms used more or less a place for people who stayed over to sleep. Stella finally got out of the chair, trying not to sway on her feet. She hadn’t even realized it was that bad. Stella tried to shake it off, using the door frame for balance.

She spared a brief glance Dante’s way, trying to spare a smile. It was a tired on though, neither was surprised by this.

“Thanks,” she said, watching as he scoffed.

“Go to bed, Stella,” was his dismissive reply.

Away from her work, she could settle her head a little. Dante would no doubt be keeping his eye on her sleeping pattern now. If he planned on keeping this up, she wouldn’t get much work done. Stella wouldn’t complain for the moment. In a way, that showed his concern.

Stella sighed, lying back against a couch. Her forearm covered her eyes, blocking out any light. Sleep came surprisingly quick after that. That seemed to be for the best.