[I've always been curious about what happens after Mink's good ending, and I've always wondered about how Mink and Aoba would address their past in a committed relationship. So this started out as writing down a headcanon for exactly that but one thing led to another and then fanfiction happened.

The beginning is a little choppy, because that's where it was still a headcanon. Two paragraphs later it turned into a fic because I am loosing control of my life.]

Mink wakes to whimpering, Aoba crying in his sleep. Immediately Mink tries shakes him awake, what's wrong, Aoba, what's wrong. His body jerks and his eyes fly open, but he's still stuck in the dream. He looks at Mink with such horror; suddenly Mink knows what Aoba must have been dreaming about, and god does that hurt, hurts because he probably deserves Aoba's fear, hurts even more because even though he knew he should, Mink still never expected it from Aoba.

He lets go and gives Aoba space on the bed, scooting away so he sat on the very edge. Aoba is sobbing now and god, that hurts Mink even more than the horror in Aoba's eyes.

Finally, Aoba- he doesn't calm down exactly. He's still shaking and crying and there's no doubt he's still afraid; he flinches every time Mink so much as shift is weight, flinches and then sobs even harder because dammit, Aoba doesn't want to be afraid.

He hears Aoba talk a deep breath, hiccuping on the inhale, breath shaking on the wait out. And he calls in a soft voice (dim, clouded; not quite awake. Suddenly Aoba's lingering fear makes a lot more sense) that Mink normally would have missed, but it's such a welcome relief from the sound of Aoba sobbing that Mink picks up on it instantly.

"Mink?" his heart clenches. Aoba sounds so pathetic, trying to hide the tremor in his voice, but somehow that only makes it more noticeable. Mink turns his head to look at Aoba and shifts closer to him, just a few inches. Aoba doesn't flinch, but his eyes squeeze shut and he turns his head away. Mink supposes that hurts too, but he's more focused on Aoba than he is on the tightening in his chest (or the hollow feeling in his stomach, or the way his hands keep shaking).

"Aoba," he says back; just his name, but it's enough. He wants to say more, to apologize again even though he'd said it a thousand times, even if Aoba kept insisting he was forgiven - Aoba was angry once, but he's kind, so kind; when Mink begged forgiveness, Aoba gave it, immediately and without hesitation.

But forgiving didn't necessarily mean forgetting. It still haunted him. The both of them.

Aoba takes another deep, shuddering breath and he too inches forward. They're still not touching, still practically on opposite sides of the bed, but it's a step closer and Mink feels his heart stop with relief. Aoba isn't scared. Or at least… he's trying not to be.

"I'm- I'm okay," Aoba manages between tiny sobs (he's trying to muffle them now, and it's almost working). Mink thinks Aoba is most definitely not okay, but he says nothing.

Aoba places his hand in Mink's and he nearly bolts out of bed at the contact. He wants to get up and leave, give Aoba space, or he wants to wrap Aoba in his arms and tell him over and over again that everything is alright. But he does neither. He closes his hand tightly around Aoba's, and though he wants to do more, this- for now, this is enough.