survivaltricks | [Reverie Inbox]

[cal missed her chance to develop THAT arc!!]

Mmm. . . [a bit sadly] Yeah, me too.

[and then, slightly awkwardly]

Have you— uh. Spoken to Fran?

[ ...? He tilts his head at that, curious. ]

Not since we got out of those rooms. I spoke to her briefly when we made it into the Velvet Room.

Why do you ask?

[rubbing the back of his neck, sheepish]

I haven't talked to her since she left. I plan on it— I'm not avoiding her— I just know things have been. . . er.

Busy?

[ oh my god Akira.

Minato props his hands on his hips at that. ]

She's gonna want to see you before you leave, you know.

— what's that mean??

[somehow he wasn't expect Minato to respond like that??]

[ ??? he has no idea why akira's struggling with this, but. it's cute. ]

You guys have been together from the start.

. . . well, yeah.

But—

[gestures?? he's come to appreciate Fran but somehow he struggles with the idea of her appreciating him]

[ ...? ]

But what?

[huffs a little. he can't put it into words]

Nevermind. I didn't want to spend all our time talking about Fran, anyway.

... Well, okay. If you say so... so long as you go talk to her soon.

[ IT'S IMPORTANT, OKAY. ]

You're way too concerned about this, but don't worry. I will.

[just to ease Minato's fears!!]

I'm not way too concerned.

[ POUTS. ]

I'm just the right amount of concerned given the situation, and that it's about you and your possession--

[shoves a hand (playfully) in Minato's face]

Shhhh. No more Fran.

[ and, grumbled around Akira's hand: ]

Okay... okay... I get it....

[hmph!! lowers his hand to the side, reaching for Minato's fingers, twining them together with his own]

. . . besides, there's something I want to ask you.

[though he doubts it'll be a surprise at this point]

[ yeah, not at all. Minato grows more serious in response, squeezing Akira's hand gently--

Though he'll give Akira the space to ask it. ]

Okay. What is it?

[he gives Minato a gentle smile, quietly grateful, even as he draws Minato's hand upwards to press a kiss against his knuckles]

Will you come home with me? Back to my time-- to. . . your future?

[ ... it's a hefty choice to make. If Minato went back to his own time, with the miracle that they could now make happen... then he could grow up with his friends. He could see his Social Links again.

Maybe his death could be ruled as a... a fluke, or something like that?

But at the same time, he thinks--maybe that's selfish. He died. He made that choice. Akira's here now, and he knows that his friends are still alive and fighting to make each and every day better in the lives they have now. He doesn't want to derail that by showing up suddenly after he died.

... Minato drags in a shaky breath.

At the same time--there's Akira. He loves Akira. He could stay with him, and they could grow up together. There's no way he can ask Akira to wait seven years for him. It'd never work out that way.

And this is the start of a new Journey. Just as this place gave him the Fool... he has to embrace that he's beginning a new path, not falling back to his old one.

So, shakily... Minato drags in that breath, and then a second... and then he dips his head. ]

... Yes. I will.

I'm... ready to start a new life, I think.

[ he's ready to finally really accept that he can live again. ]

[and at the end of that shaky breath, that purposeful pause, that contemplative internal narrative. . . Akira lets out an exhale he hadn't realized he was holding, relief settling warmly on his shoulders]

[it's true, that Minato had told him he was ready to look forward to a new future. and it's true, that Akira had asked that question somewhat expecting an affirmative response. but. . . there was a part of him. . . that wondered if Minato really wanted to return to a time that wasn't his own. that perhaps Minato would prefer to go back to the year of his death, to reconnect with his team, to pick up where he left off. something Akira wouldn't have blamed him for. . . nor argued against]

[so to hear that Minato is ready and willing to start over-- with Akira, of all people-- has his heart soaring]

Minato. . .

[and his smile widens, shining brilliantly like the stars in the sky]

. . . I'd-- like that. I'd like that a lot. You'd-- you'd totally fit right in. You can stay with me-- [HAVE YOU ASKED YOUR PARENTS ABOUT THAT, AKIRA] -- and go to my school, and--

[okay now he's getting ahead of himself]

[ It's worth it. In every way, shape and form, it's worth it. Seeing that expression on Akira's face, hearing his excitement and exuberance, and being able to think of that future that Akira can so easily envision for them...

It was a hefty choice, but that's all it takes to get Minato to smile again, expression and shoulders both settling as he does. It's calming, now that the choice has been made, and he thinks--that means it was the right one.

So instead of responding, Minato just takes both of Akira's cheeks in his hands, leans in, and presses their lips together firmly. ]

[-- well. that cuts him off rather quickly, and it takes but an instant for Akira to melt into that kiss. a content hum escapes his lips, eyes fluttering, fingers burying themselves into blue locks. . .]

[okay. maybe he was getting ahead of himself. for now, isn't this enough. . .? for now. . . can't they just enjoy this moment?]

[the logistics of everything can wait, right?]

[ they absolutely can just enjoy this moment. For now, what Minato knows for sure is that he has a future ahead of him, a future where he can breathe and feel his heart beat and exist and grow, and he wants to be by Akira's side for all of it.

The rest, he's sure, will fall into place.

Just as things fell into place here.

So he's content to linger in that kiss, and when he finally pulls back... it's just to press their foreheads together, even as he laughs softly. ]

... I'm really happy.

[Akira isn't quite ready to draw back from the kiss, but. . . he can do so with the knowledge that he'll have plenty of them in the days, months, years to come. . . right? he cracks his eyes open again to meet Minato's gaze with his own, fingers carding through the other wild card's hair gently]

Yeah. Me too.

[happier than he thinks. . . he has ever been, honestly]

[but there's more to this, isn't there?]

I figure. . . you know. Just asking you to come with me isn't enough. So I also thought--

[and with that, he stands up straight, dips one hand into his pocket, and pulls out. . . a Universe card!]

[ ... Yeah. He thought that was coming. Akira's been alluding to this for so, so long, and now here they are.

Quietly, he drags in a breath, tilting his head into Akira's touch. ]

... Just like you promised... you found a way to save me after all. Without putting the world in danger.

[. . . a soft snort]

I don't think I "found" it as much as it fell into my lap. I didn't think these wishes would actually work. Part of me still doesn't think it will.

[he holds the card up though, examining it underneath the light of the morning sun]

But. . . well.

It's worth a try, right?

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