"Well. That was intense," Kanashi chuckled. "Looks like the two lovebirds are gonna go and talk a bit," he grinned.
"Lovebirds?" Yashiro asked sceptically. "What makes you think that they're 'lovebirds' as you say?"
"Because. I say so," Kanashi said defiantly. "But really, the two are gonna be head over heels for each other and when they come together and realise it, it'll be a great and long awaited moment."
"And I'm asking, what makes you say that?" Yashiro deadpanned.
"Because, you should've seen how much Minato was tripping over his words like an idiot when he was talking to Nyx at Yakushima," Kanashi laughed.
"Oh really, was he?" Yashiro raised an eyebrow, no sign of laughter or anything in his expression.
"Yeah," Kanashi nodded. "It was hilarious!"
"…right," Yashiro rolled his eyes.
"You don't believe me?" Kanashi grinned. "It's true."
"No, I'm just torn on the fact that you thought that watching Minato stumble over his words was amusing," Yashiro explained. "But on the other hand, I guess that would be a bit amusing."
"Not just a bit man, not just a bit," Kanashi chuckled.
"Right. Anyways, now that you've brought up such an opportunity, I wonder what's going to happen between the two of them when they talk from now on," Yashiro said.
"Heh, I dunno, but I'm sure it'll be good," Kanashi nodded. "I'm pretty positive there."
"I have a good feeling about it too," Yashiro agreed.
Koromaru walked over to them and barked happily.
"Do you think so too pooch?" Kanashi said as he patted Koromaru's head. The Shiba-Inu barked and nuzzled Kanashi's hand. "Oh yeah. I wonder how Minato feels about this. Nyx isn't the only one involved here after all."
"That is true… he did look pretty bad when his attacks were cut off by Erebus so easily," Yashiro sighed. "I haven't really seen him like that. He's usually too powerful to be caught like that, so it must've been really surprising."
"To be honest, neither have I and you're right about that," Kanashi smiled. "But I think that just proves once again that Nyx and Minato are lovebirds and they'll be swooning for each other sometime soon."
"If you say so," Yashiro mumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. "So, Kanashi."
"Yeah?"
"Would you happen to have a 'lovebird' of your own?" Yashiro asked with an amicable, yet blank face.
…
Minato sighed heavily as he trudged upstairs, new and terrifying thoughts weighing deeply in his mind. Erebus was too powerful for even him to handle. He could feel it. For once Minato felt so damned useless, and he decided that he didn't like the feeling. No. He hated it. He felt empty and hollow.
Minato couldn't figure out something though. Why did he act when Erebus didn't even seem like he was attacking Nyx in any way? He even knew, and Nyx had reiterated a solid fact many times before: She was fine defending herself alone.
Yet, he immediately acted and tried to fight Erebus off despite those facts.
There was a reason; an irrational, peculiar reason, but a reason nonetheless.
He knew, he was worried. That much was clear if he wanted to jump in on the situation and actually help Nyx more than she would have needed him to.
More. More than she would have needed?
…Nah, that can't be right!
He raised his hand to open the door to his room, and he walked inside. He was about ready to go to sleep after everything that had happened, but he couldn't. His hand was being held onto.
Minato bit his lip and turned around to face Nyx with his usual blank expression. "What is it?" he asked slowly, and surprisingly enough, softly.
Nyx looked up and let of his hand. "I was just worried about you," she admitted as she looked down at the ground, as if she didn't want to meet Minato's gaze.
"Y-You were worried about me?" Minato asked, almost hopefully as he felt his heart skip a beat. Again, it was happening!
"Um yeah… you didn't look very well after what happened," Nyx nodded.
Minato breathed out slowly and smiled a little. Why did he smile? Why was he smiling!? And why couldn't he stop? "I see…" he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm fine," Minato reassured, placing a hand on Nyx's shoulder.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Minato nodded a little. "But um… thanks for worrying about me."
"Is that… what friends do?" Nyx asked, dragging out her question as she wasn't sure.
Minato felt something take a hold of his heart around his chest when he heard, and he opened his mouth to answer. "Y-Yeah… friends worry about other friends…"
"So, we are friends?" Nyx said.
"Yeah… we're friends," Minato agreed, although he felt like a grimace was going to show through his smile.
"Is that what it feels like…?" Nyx mumbled. "Well… I see," she nodded, although it still looked as if she wasn't sure.
"Yeah," Minato nodded.
"Okay… well, you don't look like earlier, so good night," Nyx said before heading out of Minato's room.
"Good night," he said after her before promptly lying down on his bed.
…
Nyx sighed as she left Minato's room, and just as she left, she heard a 'thud' sound, probably from him falling onto his bed. She began her way back to her room to get some rest. If she didn't know any better, the day after, SEES was going to discuss what they were going to do about the assassins, what their course of action was, and what they were going to do about Erebus.
There was no doubt that it would be a difficult job just to get rid of the assassins. Granted, the members of SEES could deal with them to an extent, but it still stood that they had managed to get away and come back completely healed every time that they attacked. In that respect, they were still tough, and there was no telling about the strength that the other, unknown assassins wielded.
And then, there was Erebus. Not even Minato could match up to Erebus, and she could feel it clearly. Without the Universe Arcana actively powering him, he could never fight him back. Of course, his power relied on bonds, and that was infinite. She had witnessed it herself from the seal that Minato created before to guard her from Erebus.
Maybe Minato could have a chance against Erebus, but only if he had the Universe Arcana and those bonds that he had on his side. And she couldn't sense it yet. Nyx idly wondered whether the Universe Arcana actually had a sort of trigger to be usable. What was it?
In any case…
…she was still thinking about Minato. He seemed fine, but she wondered why he was stammering and talking so slowly before when she was checking on him. Not to mention, his voice was a lot softer than usual and it seemed as if he was trying to hide something. Maybe it wasn't something about Erebus. Something different.
Well, whatever it was, it seemed to affect him quite a bit. Or was she reading into his emotions a little too much?
…but he had been like this before at Yakushima when she was talking with him. The things that he was saying and the things that he did seemed a lot more awkward than usual. Was it because of her?
But how would that make any kind of sense? He was perfectly fine around her before.
What was happening to Minato?
She still hoped that he would be okay. Just by him being by her side, Nyx felt like she didn't need to bring the Fall. He always listened to her questions and he listened to her problems when she needed some help. He wasn't the same as the other boys that she met. And she couldn't deny that he was physically attractive, though she could imagine that a lot of fan girls would've thought that already. There was a reason why they existed after all.
He answered to her questions and sated her curiosity. It made her happy to know more. The pursuit of knowledge was a never ending journey. She wondered whether she could ask him about this new, strange feeling that ailed her heart so.
Nyx wondered what it could be. It wasn't something that she had really felt before. But something about this new feeling somehow made her happy.
…
Minato finally let his grimace come through and sighed as he thought about what he felt about Nyx. Some time had passed before he had tried to be friends with her, and he could see that she was starting to understand what friends did for each other. Friendship wasn't something tangible or easily explained. You just felt it, and you knew that you were friends, or you didn't because that person wasn't friends with you.
…it was the same with love, wasn't it?
Was Minato friends with Nyx? Or… did he think of her as something even more?
Maybe he did.
But what then? Minato smiled as he closed his eyes, laughing to himself about it. He hated her before, but now he was starting to realise how amazing she actually was. Nyx was the most beautiful thing that he had ever laid his eyes on. She listened, she was curious. She wasn't the same as the other girls. She was too goddamned cute for her own good. She was naïve. She was wise and smart. She was starting to care about him.
And then, she was Nyx, bringer of the Fall, and a goddess. "What are you doing Minato?" he chuckled dryly, laying his arm over his eyes to cover up the light from the moon that filtered in.
"What have you done, what have you gotten yourself into?" he laughed some more, feeling tears build up. "You idiot," Minato smiled, letting his tears spread over his arm as he squeezed his eyes shut.
"You idiot, for falling in love with her. Dammit… Goddammit… Why'd you fall in love with her? Why did you fall in love with her…? You weren't supposed to…"
AN: No, I'm not joking, there is a part 2 to the song Tears Don't Fall. It was what I listened to while writing the fluff sections. Also, look who realised that he was in love with Nyx? Ehhhh? I feel accomplished.
Plz box me yo thoughts and imma see ya guys later.
Nights: We won't know until we get to it, won't we?
I'll try.
Yoshikunitsu: Hahaha, there's more fluff.
I'd say that they don't.
I'm not really planning on putting in the Velvet Room anytime in this fic. It's up to your imagination what happens to Elizabeth. However, Minato was only sealed away for a few hours. I think because of that, Elizabeth may not go on that journey to try and free him. It doesn't really work when he's already free.
Raidou: If there's anything that we should know about Erebus? He's messed up. But that's what happens when you're powered by the collective wishes of mankind to die I guess. Or is there another reason? Hehehe.
Anakin: You know what? I'm just going to ask now. What're you counting down?
Q/A SECTION
(Minato) Convo 1: To Yoshikunitsu.
Minato: I really don't want to get used to this.
Minato 2: He's going to become a normal thing if you hang around him for too long. *munches Crunchie*
Makoto: I don't resent that.
Minato: …I've been trying to keep her away from the alternate selves. I know. But I wasn't thinking clearly because it's Nyx and… *sighs*Headbutt huh? I'd rather not…
(Nyx) Convo 2: To Yoshikunitsu.
Nyx: Kiss Minato? Why?
Minato: *rubs back of head slowly*
Nyx: Uh, Minato, are you okay?
Minato: …only kiss me if you really want to, that's all.
Nyx: …What do you mean?
Minato: *closes eyes* …Exactly what I mean.
