Dreams are made from White Strings [Kimblee x Reader]

13.: Being strong and being weak

You immediately knew that Winry was here as a hostage, but somehow, you ended up befriending her anyway.

Along with four other bodyguards, she was brought to Fort Briggs by Kimblee, and was instructed to share your chamber.

After a short chat about your occupations - and a monologue about auto-mail by her - your conversation changed to Kimblee.

"He's a nice man isn't he?", she asked you. "He even picked me up himself, just to make sure I arrive safely to change Ed's auto-mail!"

You wanted to think of her as being naive, but then you remembered how you, at the beginning, had pictured Kimblee as a kind man as well. His polite behaviour and intelligence made it an easy task to deceive people, so you couldn't judge her at all.

"Well...", you said, not sure how to answer to that. "It depends... Anyway, Ed is the Fullmetal Alchemist, right?"

You had heard about him and that he was at Fort Briggs at the moment, but you hadn't met him personally yet.

"Yes, he is", Winry said beaming, and you couldn't help but think that he must be important to her. Otherwise she wouldn't have any value as a hostage, so that made sense.

And then, you felt something twitch in your heart, a soft feeling of loneliness. you had never felt that before. Isa had always been everything you had wanted and needed, there had never been the time of the need for a boyfriend. But now that you saw Winry so obviously in love, you somehow wanted to experience the same.

•

"(Y/n)!!", Isa screamed into the phone when you finally had found the opportunity to call her.

"Isa", you said, voice full with affection. "How are you?"

"I'm great! I've never felt better! I have so much energy, and I haven't even had a seizure since the first treatment."

"That's wonderful!", you beamed. It was good to know that the treatment that you sacrificed everything for was at least working.

"What about you, (y/n)? How are you? When are you finally coming back?", your little sister asked you.

You tensed up and stayed silent for a second.

"I'm in the North at the moment", you told her softly. "It might be a while before I'm coming back. But don't worry, I'm working hard for Kimblee, so when I come back, your treatment is fully payed!"

"Is Mr. Kimblee a nice man?", Isa asked with curiosity in her voice.

"Yes", you said, banning certain images from your head. "He's a very nice man, Isa."

•

When Kimblee picked up Winry to go and see the Elric brothers, you accompanied them to the door to the cells.

You were instructed to stay there, and just before he closed the door, Kimblee shot you grin which you couldn't read, but, as always, you felt your heart beating hard in your chest. After the door had closed and he was gone, you visibly relaxed.

"(Y/n)."

Miles had just turned around the corner and was eyeing you intensely. In the last few days, you had spent a lot of time with him and had gotten to like him a lot. He was like an anchor, holding you in place in the stormy sea that was your momentary life situation.

"Major Miles", you said and saluted, but your face was grazed with a smile.

"Would you like to go for another coffee?", he asked. A strange undertone was in his voice, and for a second you thought it might have been... concern?

"Yes, sure", you took his offer and followed him.

When you were standing in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee to brew, Miles took off his glasses, walked closer to you and spoke up again.

"Here in Briggs, we practice the survival of the fittest. But still, (y/n)..."

He walked closer to you and placed his hands firmly on your shoulders. Surprised, you looked up to him.

"You are allowed to show weakness! Sometimes you have to, you can't be strong when bottling up all your problems!"

There was obvious concern in his eyes.

"And you've got some quite serious problems... I've watched you the last few days. If you don't want anyone to know, then just show your weakness to only me and nobody else! But please, allow yourself at least one moment, because otherwise you'll end up not being able to take it anymore! And because..." His grip on your shoulders tightened, "I'll protect you."

"Major Miles...", you said in astonishment, looking into his with sincerity glistering eyes. You were allowed to show weakness...?

There was nothing you could do against your body starting to shake slightly and your eyes beginning to water. You tried to prevent your meltdown, you really did, but Miles exuded such a supporting aura, that you decided to just give in. Your hands grabbed his uniform and you leant forward, into his chest.

Everything you had suppressed up until now came rushing back with full force. Isa's illness. The pressure lasting on you. Your transformation and all the dead people from the failed experiment. The men you had killed. The way Kimblee treated you. How he had so much power over you. How he had forced you to... And how, despite everything, you still didn't seem to be able to escape his dangerous charm.

Your body trembled with irrepressible sobs as Miles' arms found their way around your back. You hugged him back and pressed your body into his even further.

"Shhh", he said as one of his hands rubbed your back soothingly. "Everything's gonna be alright."

"I-It's not", you cried. As if it were that easy!

Miles didn't say anything after that, he just comforted you silently, showing you that he was supporting you. And you were thankful for that.

After a seemingly endless time of crying, you had finally regained your composure. Feeling strong enough again, you softly pushed yourself from him and wiped your eyes.

"I'll help you, (y/n)", he said, but you shook your head.

"I chose this myself", you retorted. "I'll see this through till the end. But thank you, Major Miles."