Dante sent a challenging, impish grin across the invisible line at his twin. Vergil responded with a perfect mirror image of the smile, his little t-shirt ruffling in the warm wind of the small clearing. The whole sunny place was framed by red coloring trees, glowing with soft sunlight from the light blue sky high above. Near the edge of the trees Eva sat on a small wooden bench, a book placed on he graceful lap as she watched her husband and sons with a kind smile. Her richly flowing golden brown hair wove over her shoulder and fell far down to her side, completely loose from any ties.
      Behind Dante Sparda towered even while crouching, his usual formal attire replaced by loose relaxing clothes. His mop of shining silver hair was a perfect match to his two little sons, but was swept back smoothly over his head rather than simply hanging close to his eyes. But Vergil didn’t look at him now. His small, crystal silver-blue eyes were fixed on his brother, who held the football against the ground between them.
      “Down, set, HIKE!” Dante yelled, tossing the worn ball under him towards Daddy. Sparda caught it easily and stood up, looking as tall as the world to little Dante and Vergil.
      Immediately Dante was in motion, trying to feint past his older brother. Vergil lunged for Dante but missed, and he bolted for the far end of the field. Regaining himself quickly, Vergil dashed after him, the deep green grass ruffling as he passed with speed far beyond any human.
      “To slow!” Dante called over his shoulder.
      “We’ll see!” Vergil shouted back, pushing his legs to thud faster against the ground. He could never resist or ignore a challenge from his little brother.
      “Yeah? Then come and get me, Verg!” Dante retorted, turning with his hands open for the ball, his grin triumphant.
      Glancing back quickly, Vergil saw Daddy hurl the football towards them. It flew through the air, its path aimed perfectly for Dante. As it came down towards them Vergil leapt into the air, soaring high above his speeding brother. Stopping suddenly, Dante crouched and launched into the air as well, one arm trying to reach past his brother for the quickly nearing ball. A loud thud sounded through the clearing as the ball hit Vergil square in the chest. Not gasping from the impact, he tried to tuck it safely to his side.
      Before the ball was completely in his grasp he felt Dante’s hand close over his ankle. The twins’ identical eyes widened simultaneously as their impossibly high assent was suddenly stopped, and both yelled as they started to fall backwards. The ball popped out of Vergil’s grasp and went flying for the ground off to the side. Dante’s powerful pull brought Vergil down faster, and he smashed into his brother before they reached the ground, knocking the wind out of the both of them. Tumbling and laughing, they crashed into the ground with Dante under his older brother.
      Rolling off of Dante, Vergil threw himself at the fallen ball, his laughing replaced by a triumphant grin that was the perfect match to Dante’s earlier one. Grabbing the ball off the ground and tucking it between his arm and chest, he sprinted for the lonely oak that marked the goal. Behind him he could heard Dante in rapid pursuit, his feet thudding against the ground in unison with his own.
      Vergil shouted a triumphant, “Yes!” as he passed the oak tree. Stopping suddenly, he turned to face his brother with a cocky smile. The smile quickly disappeared when he saw Dante speeding for him, unable to stop his lightning-fast legs. He scrambled to get out of the way, but it was too late. Dante collided with him with a loud boom, sending both brothers tumbling and rolling through the grass, their winded laugher ringing through the clearing.
      They finally came to a stop, but kept on wrestling.
      “You can’t beat me, Dante!” Vergil taunted, rolling over so that he had his brother pinned to the ground.
      “Yeah? Bring it!” Dante said, kicking Vergil off of him and diving to keep him on the ground. Vergil’s slightly ruffled silver hair fell into his face as he struggled under his brother, whose hair was also partially blocking his eyes.
      Suddenly a huge shadow fell over the brothers, and they both froze and looked up. Daddy towered above them, smiling in that quiet way he always did. His hair was slightly windswept, shining bright silver in the sun.
      Their grins only growing wider, the twins looked at each other to confirm their shared thought.
      “Get Dad!” they both shouted, leaping up into their father. He let out a playful ooof, and fell to the ground with his sons laughing on top of him. Sparda’s angular, angelically handsome features were still creased in a warm smile as he let out the appropriate grunts and ouches as Dante and Vergil ran over him, battering him with their tiny but powerful blows.
      By the time Eva reached them, Sparda, Dante, and Vergil were sprawled over the ground, the two little twins curled up on top of their father, all filled with still evaporating laughter. She smiled, “Okay, you two, I think your father’s had enough.”
      “Oh, Eva, let them have their…” he ooofed as Dante punched him in the chest and flashed a strained smile, “fun.”
      Vergil rolled over and pretended to put his father in a choke hold. “Gotcha, Dad!”
      “I’m done for now!” Sparda said, reaching up to ruffle Vergil’s now messy silver hair. His son shook his hair back into its usual, partially smooth place and rushed over to Dante’s side.
      “They are very scary little warriors, aren’t they?” Sparda said to his wife.
      “Yeah, but I’m way cooler,” Dante said, looking up with a huge grin on his face.
      “You wish!” Vergil said, pouncing on his younger brother. The two tussled around on top of their father for a few moments, swiping each other with blows that would have winded a human adult. Finally, both tired and gasping for breath through their laughter, they fell down on top of Daddy.
      Eva smiled down at her family and bent down to join them, laying next to her winded husband. He wrapped his hand under her slim back and drew her close, resting his chin over her shining golden head. Dante fell gradually into the tiny gap between his parents, snuggling under Mommy’s free arm. Vergil curled up on top of Daddy, who wrapped his arm around the little twin in a protective, unfailing embrace. Mommy’s hand closed over Vergil’s little one, soft and warm.
      'This is the way it should be, forever,' Vergil thought happily as his family huddled close under the glowing sun.