Linky's Fics

I Wake Up And You're There

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It all felt so, so real as the memories rushed on back. Playing in crystal clear detail down to the littlest of things.

The sounds of swords clanking behind him as his classmates fought for their lives. Daiki’s warmth slowly fading away in his arms as he muttered his final words— which imprinted onto Minato’s soul forever. The very sight of Daiki losing his life to that cube, as the sounds of a body thunking across tile and the crunch of bone echoed across the hall. The stench of death all throughout the air, so thick it was near suffocating.

He could never be able to escape it. This was his doing. This was his fault. To be the very cause of such heinous things. To end a whole generation of promising young alchemists, is to be bound to a life of eternal suffering.

And rightfully so.

Minato felt him speak once more right in his ear, the voice of Geryon as clear as it could be. Whispering to him how if he made the right choice this wouldn’t have happened. How everyone would have been spared of such a horrible fate.

Why didn’t he make the right choice? What was wrong with him?

So much. So very much.

This is why such a fate was cast upon them, upon him.

Minato didn’t deserve to be alive right now, when nearly his entire class, all of his friends— were gone forever. Those bright futures ahead of them, snatched away within an instant. The flames of their lives, snuffed out.

Everything that had happened that fateful day was because of him. And he would have to live with the sins of his actions for the rest of his life.

As much as he wished to have forgotten it all at one point, he could never be able to.

Such mistakes must be etched into his thoughts, his being at all times.

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Minato jolted awake and let out a scream. Every part of his body was drenched in a cold sweat. His heart pounded as he gripped at his chest, eyes darting around the room for objects to attempt to ground himself with. It barely did anything for him, but it was worth a shot.

Spanner swiftly got up, awakened by Minato as he laid next to him on their bed.

This wasn’t anything new to Spanner. Time and time again Minato would have nightmares embedded with the trauma from his past. While Geryon might have been defeated, healing from such an event would take time.

And there was a very real chance these sorts of nightmares would follow Minato for the rest of his life.

But Spanner wouldn’t ever think of leaving Minato over these times. Despite it all he cared for his senpai. He was going to stick by him, dammit.

Even if for a moment he wasn’t one hundred percent sure just what to do right now.

Spanner was still learning how to navigate these moments. When it came to anything with emotions, he still wasn’t the best at handling it.

Which was understandable given his circumstances. To have years worth of one’s own trauma repressed under a set of armor placed atop you, even done with the best of intentions, would do that to a person. But he was determined to do what he could.

In the times before the council ran away, back when they worked him like a dog, Minato was always there for him.

A fellow man of his rank who was there to support him in good times and bad. The bond that was forged between them was something quite special. As the students would focus on capturing the chemies, they dealt with those imbeciles in their ivory tower together. Being adults in the alchemist world and ones of high ranking no less, they had their own problems that they could only confide about with one another.

Together they were able to understand each other. To help each other through these difficulties that only they were both truly able to fathom. And they would help each other out too, even outside of that context.

Spanner thought back to when he’d have times like this when he was a child. To be forcibly awakened by his own trauma, even if the specific memories around it were sealed away from him. But even so, the wounds from the deaths of his parents were still there.

And still so very real, still hurting.

Kyoka did the best she could in those circumstances. Even though a part of him was still pissed at her for suppressing those memories, as time went on he did develop an understanding of why she did what she did. It was a situation nobody could envy her for being in.

Even still, it frustrated him to no end.

As a guide of sorts for trying to help Minato through these episodes, Spanner would remember the various ways in which Kyoka would help him in those moments.

Trying to help ground him as best as she could. To be a shoulder to lay on. Sticking by his side through it all, showing her support until the end.

Spanner took one of the blankets next to him into his hands. He gently and carefully wrapped it around Minato. “Is this okay?” He asked quietly. Unsure if it would do much, or if it was the right thing to do in the first place. But he remembered how it would help him when Kyoka did it, it was worth a go.

Minato was still trembling, but he silently nodded in response. With an exhale he began to try and breathe in and out in another attempt to calm himself further.

After several minutes, he was able to muster the ability to speak up. “Thank you.”

Spanner could see Minato’s hands still shaking as they gripped the ends of the blanket. But thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it was before.

Tentatively he began to wrap an arm around Minato. Waiting to see if he would accept the touch before going any further, which he did. Slowly, Spanner brought Minato to his chest. He felt his body gradually begin to relax a little as Minato felt Spanner’s chest, his warmth. Which was another good sign.

They sat together in comfortable silence for a while. Spanner held Minato close, with a gentle but confident grip.

At one point Minato made himself snug against Spanner, initiating a cuddle. The heat that was radiating on his cheek from Spanner’s skin felt so nice. It helped ground him in the present moment. Focusing in on that current sensation of a comforting warmth from his boyfriend, someone who would always be there for him, instead of being haunted by the ghosts of his past.

Spanner spoke up, “Do you feel any better, senpai?”

Minato looked at Spanner. Gently kissing him before leaning back. “A bit. Thank you again.”

That was a relief to hear. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Just staying like this is perfect.” Minato laid his head against Spanner’s chest again. Enjoying his warmth once more, zoned in on nothing else but the present moment. And enjoying the company of someone who truly cared about him and loved him no matter what.

Spanner was more than willing and ready to stay in this position for as long as Minato wanted. Even if it was going to be for the rest of the night.

And that they did.

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