"Whoa, where you been?" Akihiko asked as Nyx walked back into the dorm.

Nyx had half a mind to shrug off the boxer and snap, but she sighed, feeling the fatigue from walking around finally catch up to her. "To be honest? I met with Erebus for a little bit."

"You met with Erebus?" Akihiko blinked.

"Yeah," Nyx nodded.

Akihiko scrutinised Nyx's calmness. "What did he say?" he asked.

"He basically wanted to catch up with me after a few thousands of years of separation," Nyx replied. "Seemed to be about the same as the last time that I saw him."

"…what's 'about the same'?" Akihiko wondered aloud.

"Well, he's a whiny, selfish brat, although I can't really talk," Nyx said. "That's basically it though."

"Hm… you seem different," Akihiko mumbled. "But I'm not really sure why I think that."

"Well, Akihiko… I'm trying to use something called empathy so that I can understand humans better," Nyx replied. "I don't know if it's working though."

"If I didn't know any better, if you didn't use it before you probably woulda just snapped at me and stormed off upstairs," Akihiko said, taking a sip from his protein shake.

"Huh, probably right on that," Nyx agreed. "Oh. I'm just wondering something."

"Hm?"

"What are you drinking? I get that it's a protein shake that has supplements and minerals to go along with what you usually eat and is useful for training and other such things… but what brand, I suppose, are you using this time?" Nyx asked.

"Eh, just something light this time. Apparently it's called 'Sustagen' or something," Akihiko replied with a happy grin, obviously happy that Nyx wanted to talk about his protein shakes.

"…that's light?" Nyx blinked. "I'm no expert, but I doubt that this Sustagen is anything but light…"

"You think so?" Akihiko asked.

"Well, this is coming from a person that doesn't drink protein shakes so take my opinion or leave it," Nyx shrugged. "I need to get some sleep. Good night Akihiko." With that, she walked up the stairs to her room.

"Huh," Akihiko mumbled. "Maybe I should research the protein shakes that I use…"

…

As Nyx went upstairs, she passed by Minato. He bit his lip when he met her gaze and looked down at the ground before going downstairs without a word.

Nyx thought that he must've still been feeling really awkward about how he snapped at her constantly that morning. Not to mention that he probably hadn't sorted out his feelings about her yet. But Nyx wasn't quite sure what she should feel about Minato. Granted with the way that he had been acting around her, she shouldn't really have liked him at all. She probably should've hated him.

And yet, she didn't.

She thought it had something to do with the remorse that she was sure, she felt from Minato when he passed by. He looked quite ashamed and sad when he looked at her. And when he did happen to look at her, she had a fairly blank expression, not unlike Minato's face when he didn't show any emotion.

What was that she was feeling? Was it remorse? Or was it something else? No, she didn't feel that sad when she looked at Minato's face. That was just the thing; she didn't feel anything at all.

…Obviously that feeling called for more thought.

That night, she couldn't fall asleep like she usually could. She wasn't feeling bored but she was indeed feeling restless, like Minato had put it earlier. Nyx wondered whether he was at the rooftop. She was reluctant to want to talk to him, but there wasn't anyone else that would answer her questions. Actually, she didn't want that rift that had opened up to open up any more either.

She got up and made her way to the rooftop.

Nyx quietly opened the door, and she searched around the roof, trying to see if Minato was there.

And he was.

"…sometimes I go up to the roof if I have a lot of stuff on my mind…"

Right.

Nyx stepped to where Minato was sitting and sat down next to him wordlessly.

"What's up?" Minato asked nervously.

"I had a lot of thoughts with me," she answered.

"I guess. It's kind of a thinking night this time," he sighed. "It's really warm, but I guess that's what happens in summer. The heat can keep you up."

"And you have to deal with this every year for three months? That's pretty long," Nyx smiled slightly. Wait, was she smiling?

At that moment, Minato was looking at that gentle smile, and he couldn't help but smile along with her. "Hey um… you look nice when you're smiling like that…" Actually, didn't everything about that moment just look too perfect with her hair blowing in the wind, her upturned lips, and… her eyes… Her eyes… they gleamed.

What? What was he thinking?

But she really did look nice when she smiled!

"Really?" Nyx looked at Minato incredulously. "I… um… thank you?" she fidgeted, not really sure how to react to the compliment. When had she ever heard anything like that before? Certainly, if she had, it wasn't from Erebus, and certainly, not for a long time.

"Uh… maybe you should smile like that more often," Minato continued. "I mean, if you frown a lot, you could get wrinkles and stuff…" he said unsurely. Why did it sound like he was trying to flirt with her? He honestly wasn't, he was just trying to… make her happy?

"R-Right…" Nyx said, biting her lip. "I was actually going to ask you about some stuff… Because I didn't know what this new feeling was."

"Oh, right. What was it?" Minato asked.

"Well, you see, when I was looking at you, and we passed by each other, for some reason, I…" Nyx started, verifying what she didn't feel before going on. "I didn't feel angry at you."

"You didn't feel angry at me?" Minato said with his eyes widened.

"Yeah. And I was just wondering why I didn't feel that way," Nyx continued. "Because with everything that you said, I know that I shouldn't have liked you at all, but I didn't feel anything instead. I thought that I didn't because I saw, on your face… I thought I saw you get sad when you looked at me. I saw that you felt remorse."

"Nyx… I…" Minato stumbled over his words. "I don't know whether this is right or not. I don't know whether I could really say… so, um…"

"I know. Humans aren't fully aware of their own feelings sometimes either," Nyx nodded.

"I guess I have to explain something called forgiveness," Minato said.

"Forgiveness?" Nyx said, trying out the word. It felt… like a light word, not like words that meant sadness. It just felt whole, and great, in and of itself. But she didn't know why it did.

"If you forgive someone, then you sort of… you accept what they did wrong. And you let go of any bad feelings that you might've felt for whatever they did wrong," Minato tried to explain. "Do you kinda get it?"

Nyx looked at Minato for a while, mulling it over. She did understand why he was like that, but somehow… maybe it wasn't quite right. "I get it, but I'm not quite sure if it's right yet."

"How so?" Minato said anxiously.

"I guess, I accept what you did wrong, but I still feel sad when I know you hate me," Nyx said quietly.

"I would… I felt sad when I knew that you felt sad… especially since it was my fault," Minato sighed. "But…"

"But what?" Nyx asked.

"But, I think I also felt happy when you were happy," Minato smiled. "When I saw you smiling from what I said, I felt good, seeing it."

"I… You feel happy when I smile?" Nyx said with a sceptical face.

"Yeah," Minato nodded. "I realise that I think I might've been holding onto the 'fact' that I might've hated you because you were the reason I could've been sealed from ever meeting my friends again… It was stupid, and-"

"I don't know whether I can understand why having friends makes humans so happy… maybe not yet anyways, but…" Nyx began. "I can accept that reason."

"I see…" Minato nodded. "I guess I'm not done, am I?"

"You still have a lot of work to do," Nyx agreed.

"Then… would you mind if I tried to be your friend?" Minato asked awkwardly.

Nyx's eyes widened, and she almost swore that her heart started racing when he said that. She wasn't even sure why it did. "Of course not… I don't know what it is yet," she laughed. "So, I guess you have to show me what friends are. Or if you can't, you have to show me what friends can do."

"I'll try," Minato nodded. "Um… Nyx…"

"What is it?"

"Um… I guess I might not have realised this before, but… I care about you because I feel better if you're safe," Minato admitted. "I know, it's still kinda selfish, but that's the best reason I can think of…"

"What's your reason now then?" Nyx asked.

"I care about you now because I'd like it if I could see you happy," Minato answered. "Heh, putting that out there like that still makes it sound kinda bad…"

"No, I don't think so… neither of those reasons is bad. I don't think so anyways," Nyx smiled. "Because I think feeling happy is good for me as well."

Minato nodded. "I don't know why feeling happy is a good thing. But somehow, it just feels like it is."

"Yeah. I don't get it either," Nyx replied. "I have to admit though… I called you selfish before, but I think there was something that I overlooked, and I realised it when I was talking to Erebus before."

"What was that?" Minato asked.

"I'm actually really selfish as well. I can't lie, and I have these powers at my disposal, but I'm still selfish," Nyx laughed. "Maybe… humans and gods aren't so far apart."

"I feel the same way," Minato laughed. "Putting it this way, I'm this close to you now, aren't I? I'm close to the night sky, aren't I? So yeah, maybe gods and humans aren't that far apart."

"Okay, okay, that was well said," Nyx giggled. "You know what? Maybe I won't go to war with Kanashi like I thought I would. I haven't really done anything about what he did for a while anyways."

"Don't tell me you're forgiving him for that as well?" Minato chuckled.

"No, thinking about it still makes me mad. But there was a reason behind it. I think I can feel it…" she mumbled.

AN: *wipes tear* That was some good fluff. Hehe, that made me feel good and fuzzy inside. No, they won't come to love each other until later, but they're friends, and that's just another step closer, right? :D

Plz box meh yo thoughts and imma see ya guys later.

Raidou: Indeed it did. Oh you would!

Nights (Because I'm too used to calling you that): Mmhm, and yes.
He will later. Hehe.
Sure will.

Eivexst: Hahaha… why? And I guess. Neither has her heart yet. Not at all…

Anakin: *sweatdrops* Gomen?

Law77: Huh… interesting. I just didn't know what it was called, so thanks! No problem.

Yoshikunitsu: Fluff, 'nuff said.
Indeed, and good luck!

Q/A SECTION

(Ken) Question 1: Do you realise what they were talking about?

Ken: Yeah… I just didn't know why they were mentioning it… *sighs* There goes thinking that my senpais are mature…

(Minato) Convo 2: To Anakin. (PS, soz, I was in a bit of a bad mood.)

Minato: Eh um… I dunno. *twiddles thumbs*
*clears throat over-the-top-like* PERSONA! *accidentally summons Messiah* Oh. Whoops.

(Nyx and Minato) Question 3: So how much to you two think you'll be able to trust one another at this rate? (PS: Nyx, I for one am hoping you're not alluding to something perverse by bringing up Zeus, but if you are, it's in the past so I can't change it.)

Nyx: Well… considering what Minato can do if he actually puts any effort into hanging out with other people, I suspect that we may come to trust each other quickly. But that's just estimation on my part.
Minato: You flatter me. But yes, I'm kinda hoping I don't mess up again.
Nyx: And …Well, perhaps I was, and you can easily put it in that context if you would like. However, Zeus, despite his… expenditures, is still quite selfish in other matters too.

(Nyx) Convo 4: To Technodude458.

Nyx: Like? And no duh captain obvious. *sighs*