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Within this den of demons, there was a tranquility that didn’t exist elsewhere in their warring states. While whole populations were slowly decimated and the era of war continued, the demons who should have saved it were picked off until sole members of their clans survived. Once proud clans became defined by their only heirs. Healing demons were methodical and stoic guardians. Shapeshifting demons were benevolent and passionate eccentrics. Howie’s clan seemed likely to be filled with strategic and diplomatic leaders. Was Brian’s clan full of comedic and thoughtful spiritualists? Or was that just Brian? The other members of his clan seemed to have vastly different personalities; his own grandfather, for instance, seemed more like a stoic and diplomatic conventionalist. If this was the case, then it seemed likely that if another celestial demon existed, they would never be the same as Nick, the plucky and gentle knight.

Minako slowly opened her eyes as they adjusted to the dimness of the room. She shifted within his warm embrace and beneath the heavy linens. Though he continued to sleep, Nick reflexively relaxed his grip around her, but leaned his head closer to her. She smiled as she caressed the membrane of his wing wrapping her shoulders, causing both wings to flutter lightly, then smoothed the hair back at his forehead.

Nick, I wanted this too. I wanted to be wrapped up in your arms every day while we did boring things like sleep or cook or run errands. I’m glad we’re together again, but I hate that it’s hurting you. I hate that as more things from your past come up, you have to take time to worry about them as you work through them. But you’re still looking at me with that same gentle smile. I’d do anything to make you smile all the time. Right now, it feels like we’re back where you came from, another really dark cave…

I wonder what you slept like there? When I first got there, you slept in my lap… but you never seemed completely relaxed. And when we first started traveling together, you always fell asleep sitting up, like you were ready to wake up at any second. And if you did sleep better, you always curled in a ball and wrapped your wings around your body. Now you’re constantly wrapping your wings around me as you hold me tightly. I wonder if you’re comfortable or if you’re more worried about what could happen to me… Maybe both?


Nick stirred.

She smiled and brushed his hair at his forehead again as she gave him a small kiss. Can I make you breathe easier if you know I’ll take care of you?

“Minako…”

“Go back to sleep,” she whispered as she kissed him again.

He kept his eyes closed, but brushed her hair behind her ear. “You too…”

“Can’t sleep.” She smiled.

He blinked a few times as he opened his eyes, then held her cheek lightly and gave her a kiss.

“You can keep sleeping if you’re tired.” She rubbed her fingers on his hand lightly.

“I’m awake.” He smiled. “What do you want to do today?”

“Whatever you want.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled closer to him.

He brushed her hair behind her ear again. “It’s a break for you too.”

“You pick.” She grinned.

“Aohouseki seems like it’s far away, so we can’t go there… Brian said the mountains are beautiful, we could go for a walk and see them? We kind of saw them before, but he obviously meant this part...”

“Okay! Do you want to do that now?”

He leaned his head on her shoulder as he smiled.

“Nick?”

“Sometimes I think about when it used to be just us and I wish I felt the same way that I do now. All the things I would do differently back then…”

She brushed his hair back again and gave him a warm kiss.

“Do you remember when we would look up at the clouds? You always tried to tell me they were shapes and I didn’t understand.”

“It’s boring when a cloud’s just a cloud.”

“I’d try harder to see them like they’re magical.”

She giggled. “Of course they’re mundane to you, you’re magical.”

He gripped her chin and kissed her. “You’re magical.” He smiled. “Do you remember when we’d look up at the stars and you would tell me about all the things you wanted to see? Like those falling stars?”

“Do you mean shooting stars, Nick?”

“Falling… shooting… You said they made wishes come true. I would have made quiet wishes with you.”

“They don’t come true if you say them out loud.”

“I know, you told me. I tried to remember everything you said, even back then. I felt like one of those ordinary things you made extraordinary.”

“Nick, you’re always amazing.”

“You are.” He smiled. “Do you remember when we went looking for things to eat? That first time... when your stomach made that weird noise?”

She covered her face in her hands. “You’re making fun of me... Stop…”

He pulled her hands away from her face. “Don’t hide your face, I’m not trying to tease you. I was so embarrassed that you peeked out of your fingers and saw me laughing. Even when I was sulking, I kept thinking about how you were probably still starving. I felt terrible!” He started laughing. “But of course, I was so fixated on the fact that you had seen me cry, sleep, and laugh that I would have never told you that I was worried about you not eating.”

“When did you find the time to process me seeing you yell, worry, smile, yawn, or sneeze?” She giggled.

He grabbed her cheeks as his gaze pierced through the space between them. “You’ve seen me sneeze?” He bit his lip.

Minako laughed harder as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled herself closer to his chest. “You hate that too! I’m sorry for giving you another thing to worry about!” She smiled at him brightly.

He smiled sheepishly. “You always see right through me. It’s okay if it’s you seeing it… even if it was a while ago...” He brushed one hand through her hair, then moved it back to her waist. He continued to rub his thumb on her cheek as he smiled gently. “You’ve always seen me. Even when I hated something, you were still looking at me with that warm smile… like you were telling me it was okay to hate it. But when you smile at me like that, I don’t want to hate things like that anymore.”

“Nick…”

“When I laughed, then sulked, you waited and welcomed me back like it was okay to laugh and then run away… And I thought, I wonder if I could laugh and stay instead… Would she still smile that way, like she was accepting whatever I did? I didn’t think that anyone would do that… just accept a monster...”

“You’re not a monster, Nick. You never have been.” She ran her hand through his hair. “Obviously I prefer when you don’t laugh at my stomach making weird noises, but you’re allowed to laugh at things you think are funny.” She beamed at him. “Any feeling you have, you can show me all of them.”

He gave her the same gentle smile he always did, as though she were the brightest star in the sky that lit up his world. “I always mean it when I tell you that you mean everything to me. I don’t feel like a monster anymore… Or… I guess I’m trying my hardest not to become one if I’m stronger… But you know that.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“I think you really made me want to try to be open with them. I thought that if you would accept me, maybe they would too…” He laughed. “They already said meeting me was… interesting... I wonder what it would have been like if you hadn’t smiled at me first…”

“Probably like when you met me.”

He laughed quietly, then glanced away.

“Nick?”

He kissed her. “Brian said the mountains are most beautiful at night when they look like sapphires. That’s when I want to go with you. Just you and me.”

“And until then?”

“I’m still tired…” He yawned, then let his eyes close gently. “I was just awake because you were. Do you want me to stay awake with you? I will.”

Minako kissed him. “Not if you’re tired. Do you want me to go back to sleep with you? I will.”

“Not if you’re not tired…” He smiled. “Hasn’t Madeline wanted to see you? Why don’t you see her? Or maybe Kevin needs help with Erik? I know that you like helping him.”

“Are you sure? I’ll really stay.”

“I’m fine. Just come back and find me when you’re done.”

Minako scooted closer to him and kissed him, then he pulled her into his arms as he kissed her.

“I love you, Minako.”

“I love you too, Nick.”

~*~



Kevin frowned as he sorted through dried ingredients on a high shelf.

The large room seemed ready to accept and combat the ailments of any number of patients, but was filled with an empty silence instead. Several rolled mats lined the corner of one wall, an entire second wall was lined with shelves of labeled and sorted ingredients with a table below them, a third with all manner of medical equipment. At one edge of the room, stained ruby armor had been pushed against the wall. A single mat covered with thick linens held the lone inhabitant of this room, the injured and unconscious Eric. Madeline sat on the ground beside him.

Minako stood on her tiptoes next to Kevin with her hands clasped behind her back. “What are you looking for, Kevin?”

Kevin continued to frown as he pulled the containers from the shelf and set them back gingerly. He mumbled something as he pulled another container from the shelf.

“Kevin?”

“He gets like that in here.” Madeline glanced at Minako, then back at Eric.

Minako beamed. “Of course he does! He’s very dedicated to his craft.”

“Minako, you don’t need to defend my actions, you and Madeline are both right that I am focused on my work.” He furrowed his brow. “It seems they don’t keep a stock of it.”

“What are you looking for?” Minako bounced on her tiptoes again.

“Moringa…”

“What does that do?”

“It keeps the wound from being infected and helps with blood. The plant will also still grow in a drought. It’s very hearty.”

“Does Erik need that?” Minako frowned. “Can’t you just heal him with your powers?”

Kevin crossed his arms and paced around the room. “It’s certainly been helping, but I learned a lot about healing cardinal demons from taking care of Nick.” He glanced back at Minako. “It seems that I’ll have to become stronger for my powers to be most effective; they may also be a bit weaker on ruby demons than sapphire demons.”

“Was that frustrating that Nick’s wound kept reopening?”

“Extremely.” He pressed his lips into a thin line. “At first, I was concerned that my powers were weaker from disuse, but it seems that cardinal demons may be more resistant to the powers of other demons in the same way that a minor injury could be more detrimental to a human or regular demon if it goes untreated.”

“You think that cardinal demons’ bodies have stronger capabilities to heal themselves?”

Kevin glanced at Erik. “Perhaps I should stop reminding Nick to be more careful with his body.”

Minako’s nose crinkled as she gritted her teeth. “Kevin…”

“I don’t intend to use Nick as an experiment for my own strength, Minako.” He shook his head. “Still, it would be helpful to know if that’s the reason.”

A sad smile formed on Minako’s face. “I’m sure if you told Nick that was the reason, he would gladly participate.”

Kevin glanced back at her with a similar smile. “I have considered his possibly favorable reaction, but decided not to ask... especially after our recent conversation.” He knelt next to Erik and began untying the bandages from his chest.

Minako sat across from him and next to Madeline. “Is that the only way to get stronger for you?”

“Training and practice? Isn’t that the only way to get stronger?” He chuckled as he lifted Erik’s body. “Unless, you’re hoping we can all get stronger just by wanting it?”

Minako pressed her lips into a thin line as Kevin passed her the rolled bandage, then unrolled more of it before handing it back to him. “No… But what about using your powers to attack?”

Kevin furrowed his brow. “I don’t like to use them to attack. It’s contrary to how I envision my purpose.” He fixed his stare on hers as he handed the roll of used bandage back to her. “However, I will do what is necessary for all of you.”

“You and Nick are really similar sometimes. Really stubborn, but really devoted to everyone you care about.” Minako smiled.

Kevin knitted his brows and frowned as he narrowed his eyes.

She giggled. “You handle it better because you’re older and have had more practice.”

“Nuance is not for the young.” Kevin chuckled and shook his head as he patted her shoulder. “It’s easier to grow from your shortcomings as you age. You and Nick will both get there.”

“Are you admitting that you also shouted a lot when you were younger?” Minako grinned at him teasingly.

Kevin smirked, but said nothing as he set the bandages aside and began removing the dressing from Erik’s chest wound.

“Kevin… Is there something we could do instead of just sitting in here helping you?” Madeline clenched her hands against her jeans.

“Another member of our group that hates waiting.” He laughed as he glanced at Minako before gazing past her head to the ingredient shelf. “If you could get me some Moringa, I would appreciate it. Their medical staff here have offered to provide a barrier demon to accompany me in a search for any medicinal ingredients.”

Madeline tightened her grip on her jeans. “Is Erik… not okay if you don’t want to go? What are the other demons doing that are normally here?”

Kevin furrowed his brow. “Erik will need more time. The barrier demons that normally staff this wing have exhausted their knowledge and have left direction of his care to me. They are monitoring his overnight care as well as the times I must step away to attend to my other duties.”

“Couldn’t they get this plant you want if you feel like you need to be here?”

“They could, but you offered to help.”

Minako held Madeline’s hand. “We’ll go get it, Kevin! What does it look like?”

“It has a whitish-gray bark, yellowish-white flowers, and brown seed pods.”

“Let’s go, Madeline! You wanted to do something and it will probably be more fun than waiting! Unless you need our help for something here, Kevin?”

“I appreciate your help. Bark, flowers, leaves and seed pods would be helpful. If you can get them easily, roots and sap would also be helpful.”

She gripped Kevin’s hands. “We’ll definitely get them! You can count on us!”

~*~



“Do you think these trees are really tall, Madeline?” Minako clutched her large basket tightly as she brushed away a few stray branches before her dress caught on them. They trudged through the grass at the base of the mountain as a young barrier demon followed a few feet behind them.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I’m not super into plants. I kill everything I touch.”

“Just plants or all living things?” Minako grinned broadly.

“I’m not frigid! I’m just not good at growing things!” Madeline crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders as she glared at Minako with a crinkled nose, letting her empty basket dangle loosely from her hand. “How come I fight with one guy and get accused of being terrible forever? What terrible things do they say about you?”

Minako shrugged. “Nothing. I’ve never heard anything about myself. I didn’t really hear much about Bri or Renee either, so maybe your spirited personality stuck out to everyone?”

“Why couldn’t people just talk about me and Jacob or Erik or Dan or Trevor? Why does it have to be Ashley that determines who I am?”

“Well, what was it like with them? You never really talk a lot about the rest of them.”

Madeline lowered her head. “It was fine. You know Ashley, he was always in charge, rallied the others, and jumped into anything. Jacob was always really calm and went along with whatever anyone else wanted. He was always pretty supportive. Trevor had a bit of a temper, but he was always fun and energetic. Dan was also calm like Jacob, but he was also calculating and strategizing. He always tried to take care of us.” She bit her nail. “Erik was… a lot Nicky.”

“Really?” Mianko pursed her lips. “Jacob talks about Nick like he’s a tiny Ashley…”

“Not the temper or the action over planning… The devotion is more what I mean… No matter what happened, Erik was always willing to stand by me.” She glanced at Minako, then bit her nail again and stared at the ground. “And I liked the attention, but he just didn’t... Ashley drove me absolutely crazy all the time...”

“You liked fighting with him?”

Madeline buried her head in her hand. “It sounds so stupid to say it now. I loved every moment of him fighting with me. It didn’t matter if it was the vulgar and angry fights or the fierce and passionate ones, I loved it.” She straightened her shoulders, then swallowed before giving Minako a shaky smile. “But now I look at the way Nicky watches you… like you’re a sunrise lighting up the dark... and... I’m a little jealous... I wish someone looked at me like that. That sounds selfish too, but I wish that I hadn’t been so selfish the first time.”

Minako pressed her lips together. “Is it selfish to choose someone over someone else?”

“It’s not just that.” She shook her head. “This place… sucks sometimes. Of course all of the death and the killing and the terrible lifestyle sucks… But it sucks that we’re forced to become these almighty goddesses who only think about other people and never ourselves. And it sucks that there’s no one to really share it with.” She groaned. “Not that we’re not sharing it with the demons, but it’s not like I could have asked them who was a better guy to pick and they don’t have that same perspective on everything that we do where we wanted to go home… They’re just still worried about themselves… It just sucks… And you never know what’s going to happen until it happens… And I’m not a goddess at all…”

“I’m not either.” Minako glanced at the ground.

Madeline ran her hand through her hair. “You never felt like you should be selfish? Like everything sucked so you should just do what you wanted?”

“Maybe at the beginning, but I mostly worried about going home… It was really scary here, being surrounded by death…” She clenched her hand at her heart. “But I had Nick to keep me safe… He was all I really wanted. I didn’t want to help everyone, I wanted to help him and our friends… But mostly him… Maybe that’s selfish.” She looked up at Madeline with a hesitant smile. “And in the end, I thought the best way to help him was by helping everyone even though it wasn’t what he said he wanted. Deciding for him felt really selfish, but so did choosing what he wanted... Because all he kept saying he wanted was to stay with me, the same thing I wanted...”

“Minako…” Madeline stopped, dropped the basket, and pulled her into a tight hug. “That’s not selfish! You still made choices because you wanted to help them.” She leaned her head on Minako’s shoulder. “When I say I’m selfish, I did things for me. I chose Ashley because I had a crush on him for his looks over Eric who treated me like the world. I picked fighting with him because I wanted my way all the time, even more than he did. I became a priestess because I wanted to go home. And if I had the box, I probably would have wished for things like that.” She raised her head and smiled as she cupped Minako’s shoulders. “You wanted to give Nicky one of your wishes without him asking. That’s really selfless.”

Minako frowned. “I wanted him to feel like everything was possible for him, but I took that away from him in the end to help everyone… And now, it feels like I’m putting him second again.”

“Because he doesn’t want you to be around us?” Madeline mirrored Minako’s expression.

A gentle smile crossed Minako’s face. “Nick would never say that to me, even if he hated it. He trusts and supports me to make my own choices and respects them, even if they’re not what he would pick for himself. If it’s something that involves both of us, we decide together. It’s not...” She glanced at the ground as she pressed her lips together. “We should keep looking for that tree… But can I ask you something about your relationship with Ashley?”

Madeline picked up her basket and put her free hand in her back pocket as they started walking again. “Yeah, sure.”

“Was it just… Did you…” She hung her head and swallowed.

“Huh?” Madeline cocked her head as she blinked, then a sly smirk formed on lips. “Did Ashley and I ever have sex? Is that what you want to know?”

Minako nodded quietly.

“You and Nicky haven’t? I just assumed you don’t get a lot of alone time from the others to do it that often.”

“You’re right, we’re all together most of the time, pretty much since we met Brian.” She covered her face with her hand. “The day we got married, we probably would have… But that was the day we met AJ and the day we ended up in the castle.” She glanced up at Madeline.

“Probably would have like you planned on it?”

“Probably would have, but AJ wanted to talk before he joined us.” She glanced at the ground again.

Madeline laughed. “He owes you and Nicky one.”

Minako stared ahead of them and ran her hand through her hair. “But then we got in the castle and figured out that the priestesses are sacrifices, so… Knowing that… Even though we want to… There’s a chance I wouldn’t have any of these priestess powers any more… or worse, that I would get sent away… It would be okay if I didn’t have powers anymore, but I don’t want to be separated again. Nick agrees and says he wants what I want.”

“Are we supposed to be virgin sacrifices though? You’re still here and you got the box.” She shrugged. “I don’t understand why virginity is a symbol of purity anyway. It’s not like being a virgin means you’re more likely to hug puppies or help old people cross the street. It just means you made a choice about your body and it’s fine either way.”

Minako pointed ahead. “Look, there’s a tree with brown pods and white flowers. The bark looks kind of gray too!” She ran ahead to the tree and set her basket down as she started pulling the seed pods from it.

Madeline shook her head as she followed behind her. “Maybe getting the box just means that you’re more likely to care about all of the demons being happy. Not sure why you’d need to be a virgin for that either...”

“Madeline?”

She pulled one of the flowers from the tree and cupped her hand around it. “I wasn’t a virgin when I was first here, but not because of Ashley. And I don’t think virginity is a requirement because then Bri definitely would have gotten the box, but you did.” She glanced up at Minako. “I know you want to do things the right way. You’re constantly worried about them, even this errand Kevin asked us to come on.”

“I just… want to help.” Minako smiled warmly as she continued pulling seed pods from the tree. “They feel like family. I would do anything to help them.” She frowned. “And I promised Nick that I would stay.”

Madeline laughed. “Minako, you’re acting like this is some kind of covenant with God. It’s not. You said that a demon brought us back, and if being with the person you love isn’t purer than the grudge of a demon, I don’t know what is.” She shrugged. “So don’t be a goddess, be selfish.”

“But--”

“If I can be selfish this whole time and still be a priestess now, then you can still be a priestess who helps her demons even if you do give all of your kindness, love, heart, and body to Nicky and get the same back from him. I don’t think you’ll get sent away.”

“But--”

“I promise. There’s nothing more pure than love.” She smiled. “But I feel like I should warn you, it’s rough.”

“Sex?”

“Sometimes.” She winked. “Maybe it’s just Ashley, but I assume they all have a similar build, so…”

Minako’s face flushed as she stared at the basket of seed pods in her hands.

Madeline smirked. “Although, since Nicky holds you like you’re going to break, maybe he’s more gentle.”

Minako swallowed as she hunched her shoulders and leaned into her chest. “Did you… have powers in the castle?”

“When they died? Yes, I had powers like them...” She set her basket on the ground, then crossed her arms. “Demonic power is weird… It messes with your head like a poison and hurts… It felt… sort of empty and exhausting every time I used it...”

“I felt okay… But you still got to use the powers you had before?”

Madeline frowned. “Before?”

“Nick said you had powers with a bright red light… I had something similar from the beginning, but blue… obviously...”

She picked up her basket and furrowed her brow. “I guess that didn’t start happening until after Ashley and I had sex… But I was able to use their powers in the castle just fine. And I’m still here just fine. Is that why you’re asking?”

“Can you use their powers now?” Minako pressed her lips together as she pulled leaves from the tree.

“I don’t know… I haven’t tried… It hurt too much… Like I was being ripped apart…” She glanced at Minako as she picked up the basket. “Can you?”

“That’s how Nick and I helped Erik, I made a little barrier like Brian.” Her brows knitted together. “I’m glad you’re okay. I wonder why it hurt so much… The only thing that ever really hurt me was hearing their names for the first time, but it was fine as soon as I told myself that I was going to help them.”

Madeline rubbed her hand on the back of her neck, then shook her head and smiled. “Maybe I’ll try it your way and focus on helping Erik. Maybe that's how priestesses get stronger, by really wanting to help their demons."

Chapter End Notes:
So I mentioned over in the forums a while ago that one of the chapters I was writing was getting me thinking about the beginning of PBox and the time skip that I just glossed over in favor of getting to the other Boys, which comprised Nick and Minako's growing friendship as they walked to the capital (the missing part of Chapter Five, really). This was that first chapter that made me really think about it. I'd always had a vague idea of the types of things they did and their interactions, but writing them out here (and a few other times in this chunk of chapters) made me really want to write it down and make it part of the story and their story officially.

I won't post all the changes I've been making to the novel (post-editing the fanfic version; that version is yours to keep here), for obvious reasons, but I'm willing to share this chapter with y'all if it's something you'd want to see. Let me know. I think you can email me on here? But the forums are always the easiest way to reach me whether it's about this or if you just want to chat all things PBox, our Boys, or just writing in general. See you next Wednesday.