Albaer awoke in the morning with the sense of the utmost contentment, his entire body felt as if he slept on a cloud, whatever the dream had been, though he couldn’t recall it, he knew it was marvelous. He slid his legs over the side, taking a moment to look first, lest his roommates had moved somehow or for some reason while he was asleep. Then seeing that they weren’t there, he set his feet down, scrunched his feet over the off-white carpet, and stretched his arms above his head while arching his back with a groan.

“That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a very long time.” Albaer said and walked over to check. He found a ruby eyed demoness looking up at the ceiling, and an angel lightly snoring beside her.

“Well, we did it, we went back to ‘Square One’. I assume my sister told you?” Raziel said in a quiet, scratchy voice.

Albaer stared straight down at her, “Uh, yeah, how did-”

Raziel’s lips moved at a glacial pace, “Because of course she would tell you. I love my sister dearly, but she is hopelessly predictable. Predictable, and far too trusting.”

“She said while lying helpless on her back beside that same sister.” Albaer pointed out.

Raziel wheezed out a laugh, “I’m one to talk, aren’t I? I’m lying here the same as she.”

“Can I ask, if you’re so naturally suspicious, why not do it separately, one of you go back to ‘Square One’, let the other protect her, and then the other one does it?” Albaer asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Because we bonded in order to perform the summoning for Kami. Our ‘Squares’ were linked, or stacked, maybe like links in the chain, you can’t shorten it without breaking it.” Her head flopped to the side and she looked up with the one she had available. “She couldn’t go back to ‘One’ unless I did, and I couldn’t unless she did. We either went together, or not at all, and from what I’ve read about your world, and what we’ve seen with you, we won’t survive unless we do it at all.”

“So now that you’ve done it, what happens?” Albaer asked.

Raziel was very, very quiet. Only the snoring of her sister broke the silence.

If it was possible, the demoness went even more limp. “That’s up to you. We’ll have a few days where we’re completely helpless, our strength resets to barely enough to speak. We can’t feed ourselves, we can’t drink, we can barely turn our heads. In my world…”

“Yes?” Albaer asked and sat cross legged close by her so it would be easier for her to see his face.

“In my world, going back to ‘Square One’ is the deepest possible form of trust. Usually it’s only bonded pairs, or family, or the closest of battle comrades that will be trusted to be present because any horrible thing can be done. There are all kinds of stories even so, of mates who have slain their own, comrades or even family members who took advantage of that vulnerability. Even once someone can move, they lack most of the skills necessary to protect themselves. So someone bigger and stronger, which is most people, can get away with a lot.”

Raziel let that hang while Albaer soaked it in.

“That means the person taking care of them while they’re helpless, also acts as a bodyguard until the reseted person can grow strong again in new ways.” Raziel explained and took a deep breath.

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“Why me, then? We barely even know each other really.” Albaer asked.

“Because we don’t have a choice, you’re the only human we know. I doubt we can find someone else, even if they exist we’ve got no way to know who they are. You’re it. Plus, you were my first ‘sharing’. And you bled for us, you knew it was dangerous out there, you knew you’d get beaten down, but to help us, you went. I guess what I’m saying is, I have every reason to trust you now.” Raziel tried to move her arm, but the mere weight of her sister’s hand over hers prevented more than a very slight shake.

“Take my hand, would you, Albaer Babtiste Lamark?” Raziel asked.

A chill washed over him as the gravity of the situation for them hit home, he took her hand and folded it in his. Her hand was very, very warm, and her fingers moved only a little, the sharp talons barely more than a light scratch.

“This wasn’t easy for me, or for her. All I can do is hope we made the right choice, I’d be lying if I were to say it isn’t scary. I’ve seen your internet, there’s a whole genre of hentai based on this exact situation.” Raziel was not smiling when she said it, nor did she laugh, and neither did Albaer.

“You did.” Albaer said and patted her hand, “You did. I promise. No harm will come to you. But I will ask that you be careful about what internet websites you go to, viruses are a problem.”

Raziel gave a half snort, “If I was at all unsure, I’d have said something along the lines of, ‘Just take me and leave my sister alone.’ But if I had to say that sort of thing, we wouldn’t have done this in the first place.”

“I suppose not.” Albaer added and patted her hand again, “How do I take care of you? I’ve never taken care of a demon or an angel before.”

“At ‘Square One’, we need life energy from living things, we can take food, but it’s faster and safer with the life energy of others. Obviously, it has to be freely given. We can’t exactly take it by force.” She managed a weak little smile at that.

“Safer how?” Albaer asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Our bodies are very weak, so food contamination could hurt us more than it otherwise would.” She explained, and Albaer gave a sharp nod of understanding.

“Right, but giving you life energy… how do I do that and is that dangerous?” Albaer asked.

“Just relax, stay how you are, and I’ll do the rest. And it can be lethal, but only if I take too much at once. You’ll replenish it on your own over time.” Raziel explained, and Albaer cleared his throat, shifted his posture a bit, and bowed his head with a deep breath.

“Do it.” He ordered.

“I’ll go very slow so it doesn’t hurt, it might even feel good.” Raziel said, and she began, it was a light tingle in his hand, barely noticeable, but warm, comfortable, a steady flow almost like blood ran through his system, and he felt himself, and she sighed while taking his essence into her body. “That felt great. Just do that for me a few times a day for the next two or three days, and we should be on our feet again soon, we should even have a few basic ‘Squares’ open to us.”

“I really want to ask about those squares, but one other thing comes to mind… and given what just happened, it’s going to sound bad.” Albaer said and furrowed his brow.

“Yesss…?” Raziel could barely adjust her facial muscles, but he detected a distinct tension in her voice.

“How do we handle… you know? The bathroom situation? That would be uncomfortable even if I were a woman, I guess. But I’m definitely not.” Albaer gave his head a vigorous shake of denial.

Raziel’s inability to blush did nothing whatsoever to disguise her immediate discomfort, nor take any of it out of her voice when she replied simply.

“Oh.”