Here is my very first DM fanfic. I decided to put the minions' words in reverse since nobody understands minion language. Enjoy!
It had only been 2 days since the Minions had been rescued from El Macho and restored to normal after the effects of the PX-41 serum. But in the nights that followed, those who had been transformed into the monstrous purple creatures struggled to find peace. Many of them showed signs of distress—be it nightmares, panic attacks, emotional breakdowns, or an unshakable unease.
Some Minions would wake up screaming and crying, trembling from dreams they couldn't shake. Others huddled together, unable to sleep at all. Even the most playful among them were quieter now, their usual mischief dulled by something heavier, something they didn't have the words to explain.
Kevin, however, had it the worst.
He hardly slept at all. When he did, the nightmares came—flashes of violet rage, uncontrollable hunger, the feeling of losing himself completely. Each time, he woke up gasping, his small chest rising and falling rapidly as cold sweat dripped down his yellow skin.
This night was no different.
Kevin's breathing hitched as his body jerked awake. His vision blurred, the shadows in the room twisting into monstrous shapes. He gripped his head, trembling. "N-nam…" He meant to call for help, but his voice barely came out.
Across the room, Bob stirred, hearing the faint sound. His two-colored eyes fluttered open as he blinked sleepily. Then, noticing Kevin's shaking form, his drowsiness vanished in an instant.
"Kevin?" he whispered, crawling closer. When Kevin didn't respond, Bob's worry deepened.
Without hesitation, he shook Stuart awake. "Stuart! Stuart! Kevin si gnihtaerb drah!"
Stuart groaned, rubbing his eye. "Huhhh…?" But when he noticed Kevin's hunched-over form, his usual carefree attitude dropped.
"Boss," Bob whimpered. "Ew deen Boss!"
Stuart nodded and scrambled off the bed, bolting for the door.
Meanwhile, Gru was asleep, snoring lightly with one arm draped over Lucy. For the first time in days, the house was quiet—or so he thought.
A sudden banging on the bedroom door shattered the silence.
"Boss! Boss!" Stuart's frantic voice rang out as he pounded on the door. "Emoc kciuq!"
Gru's eyes snapped open. Years of villainy—and parenthood—had trained him to wake up fast when something was wrong. He sat up immediately, blinking away the grogginess.
"Ugh… what is it now?" he mumbled, rubbing his face. Then he heard Bob's worried voice from the hallway.
"Kevin! E's gnihtaerb oot tsaf!"
That woke him up completely. Gru threw off the blankets and rushed to the door, swinging it open to see Stuart and Bob looking up at him, their eyes wide with panic.
"Kevin?" Gru repeated, his voice firm but laced with concern. "Where is he?"
Lucy stirred beside him, her voice groggy with sleep. "Gru? What's happening?"
"No time to explain," Gru said quickly, already stepping into the hallway. "Kevin's in trouble."
Lucy sat up, instantly more alert. "Wait, what?" She threw off the blankets and hurried after him.
Gru didn't waste another second. With Bob and Stuart leading the way, he rushed toward the Minions' room. As soon as he stepped inside, his gaze locked onto Kevin—hunched over, gripping his chest, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. His entire body trembled, his normally confident expression replaced by pure panic.
Gru's face softened. He had seen this before. He knelt down in front of Kevin, keeping his voice steady. "Kevin, Kevin, look at me. Breathe, okay? Just breathe."
"I… I… I tna'c…! I t'nac…!" Kevin gasped, his eyes beginning to well up with tears. His whole body trembled as he clutched at his chest, struggling to pull in air.
Gru placed his hands firmly on Kevin's shoulders. "Hey, hey, Kevin—listen to me," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Just follow my lead, okay?"
Kevin squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head rapidly. "T'nac… t'nac…!"
Gru kept his grip steady. "Yes, you can," he insisted. "Look at me. In through the nose… like this." He took in a deep, exaggerated breath through his nose and held it for a moment before slowly exhaling. "Now you try."
Kevin's breaths were still uneven, but he hesitated, his glassy eyes meeting Gru's. Bob and Stuart stood nearby, watching anxiously, while Lucy knelt beside them, ready to help.
"Come on, Kevin," Gru encouraged. "I know you can do it."
Kevin then started to follow Gru's coaching, though his breaths were still shaky. He inhaled through his nose, but it hitched halfway, and he let out a choked whimper.
Gru gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "That's okay. Try again. Slow, easy."
Kevin clenched his eyes shut, focusing as hard as he could. He took another breath—this time, a little steadier. He exhaled slowly, just like Gru had shown him.
"There you go," Gru said, nodding. "Keep going."
Kevin continued, each breath becoming a little more controlled. His body still trembled, but the tight grip on his chest slowly loosened. Bob and Stuart exchanged hopeful glances.
Lucy, watching closely, added in a soft voice, "You're doing great, Kevin. Just take your time."
Kevin opened his eyes again, still glossy with tears but now filled with something else—relief. His breathing wasn't perfect yet, but he could feel himself calming down. His gaze flickered to Gru, who gave him a small, firm nod.
"See?" Gru said. "You did it."
"B… Boss…" Kevin whimpered as he fell into Gru's embrace, his small body still shaking. He buried his face against Gru's chest and started crying quietly against the fabric of his sleep shirt.
Gru didn't hesitate—he wrapped his arms around Kevin, holding him close. He wasn't always the best at this kind of thing, but he loved his minions like a caring father. And right now, he didn't need words. He just let Kevin cling to him, rubbing slow, steady circles on his back.
Bob sniffled, his eyes welling up as he hugged Kevin's arm. "S'ti yako… S'ti lla yako…" he murmured, trying to comfort him.
Stuart, unusually quiet, sat beside them, giving Kevin's shoulder a gentle pat.
Lucy watched, her heart aching at the sight. She reached over and placed a comforting hand on Kevin's back. "You're safe now," she whispered. "It's over. You're home."
Kevin's sobs slowly faded into quiet sniffles. His grip on Gru loosened just a little, but he didn't let go. He wasn't ready yet. And Gru? He just held on tighter.
"I'm going to assume you've had another panic attack about da incident from earlier?" Gru murmured, keeping his voice calm but firm.
Kevin nodded weakly, his grip tightening for a moment. "I tsomla truh Margo… Edith… Agnes… Enoyreve… Deyortsed tsomla gnihtyreve… I ev'dluoc dellik enoemos…"
Gru sighed, his expression softening. He gently pulled back just enough to look Kevin in the eyes. "Listen to me, Kevin. That wasn't you. You weren't in control."
Kevin lowered his head, guilt still weighing heavily on him. "Tub I llits did esoht sgniht… I t'ndluoc pots flesym…"
Gru shook his head. "You weren't yourself, okay? That serum… it changed you. But we got you back. And nobody blames you for what happened."
Kevin's lip quivered, but he still didn't look convinced. Bob clung to his arm tighter. "Ew lla evagrof uoy, Kevin. Esaelp… on erom gnitiripsid."
Kevin swallowed hard, his eyes glossy with fresh tears. He wanted to believe them—he really did—but the memories wouldn't leave him alone.
"Kevin…" Lucy chimed in softly as she placed a hand on the Minion's back. "Honey… you're not a bad person. What happened wasn't your fault."
Kevin sniffled, his shoulders still trembling. "Tub I saw ti… I tlef ti… I dah on lortnoc."
Lucy nodded understandingly. "I know. And that's exactly why you can't blame yourself. You didn't choose to hurt anyone, Kevin. That serum took away your control—it forced you to do things you never would've done."
Gru gave Kevin's shoulder a firm pat. "And we fixed it. You're back to normal. Safe. Home." He motioned to Bob and Stuart, who still clung to Kevin, their eyes full of concern. "Look at your brothers. Do you really think they would be here if they were afraid of you?"
Kevin hesitated before glancing at Bob and Stuart. Bob gave him a small, tearful smile and nuzzled against his arm. Stuart nodded, strumming an invisible guitar like he always did when he didn't know what to say.
Kevin's breath hitched, but this time, it wasn't from panic—it was from the overwhelming warmth of knowing they were still here. That they still cared. "No… reven…"
Gru sighed, squeezing Kevin's shoulder. "Exactly. Never. You're still Kevin, and they know that. I know that. And you know that."
Kevin swallowed hard, his body still tense. "Tub… eht smaerd… yeht leef os laer…"
Lucy rubbed his back gently. "I know, sweetheart. Nightmares can feel real, but they aren't. They're just your mind trying to process everything that happened."
Bob nodded eagerly. "Yeht t'nac truh uoy… Ew evah uoy!"
Kevin blinked at them, his breathing finally steadying. The weight on his chest still lingered, but it wasn't as suffocating as before. He wasn't alone.
Gru gave him one last reassuring pat. "We'll get through this. Together. But for now, you need rest."
Kevin hesitated before finally nodding, exhaustion settling over him. He wasn't sure if the nightmares would return, but for the first time, he believed that maybe—just maybe—he wouldn't have to face them alone.
"Hey… Fi uoy ekil, em dna Bob nac peels htiw uoy rof eht thgin," Stuart offered, his usual playful tone replaced with quiet sincerity.
Bob nodded eagerly, still clutching Kevin's arm. "SeY! Ew'll peek uoy ynapmoc!"
Kevin looked at them, his eyes still glassy but filled with warmth. He hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. "I… I dluow ekil taht…"
Gru smiled slightly, ruffling Kevin's head. "Good. You need some real sleep."
Lucy stood up, stretching. "And if you need us, we're just down the hall, okay?"
Kevin nodded again, and with that, Bob and Stuart helped him settle back into bed. Bob curled up right beside him, while Stuart plopped down on the other side, arms behind his head.
As Gru and Lucy turned to leave, Gru paused at the door. He glanced back at Kevin, his expression softening. "You're safe now, Kevin. No more worrying, okay?"
Kevin blinked up at him, then, for the first time in days, managed a tiny, grateful smile. "Okay, Boss."
Gru gave him a final nod before quietly shutting the door behind him. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he and Lucy walked down the hall.
"He'll be okay," Lucy reassured him softly.
"Yeah… I know," Gru muttered. "But it's going to take time."
Lucy nodded. "And we'll be here for him. For all of them."
Gru glanced back at the door one last time before exhaling deeply. "Yeah… we will."
Back inside the room, Kevin lay between Bob and Stuart, staring up at the ceiling. His mind still felt heavy, but the warmth of his friends beside him helped ease the weight, little by little.
Bob yawned and nuzzled against Kevin's arm. "Thgindoog, Kevin…"
Stuart mumbled something incoherent before turning on his side, already half-asleep.
Kevin hesitated, then finally closed his eyes. "…Thgindoog, Bob… Stuart…" he whispered.
And for the first time in days, as sleep slowly pulled him under, the nightmares didn't come right away. Instead, he drifted off to the quiet sound of Bob's soft breathing and Stuart's occasional snores—safe, surrounded by the ones who refused to leave his side.