AN: I cannot take credit for the idea of using the alphabet exercise, because it isn't mine. The original idea for it was Sedentary Wordsmith's. I took to the idea so well, that this popped out.

Another Day

As harsh rays of belittling sunlight washed down from the sky, Alphonse couldn't help but notice how it reflected quite unnaturally on his older brother's automail. They were artificial limbs, made of refined metals and bolts with screws, but most of all, they were fake.

So about six months had passed since Al's soul was returned to his rightful body, but Edward retained his stride, unchanged and unchanging. Things were supposed to go well, and they did…for the most part. But even as the past few months sped by, there was always a feeling of guilt that resounded with his heartbeat. Sure, his brother had felt this before, trembling in fear of being hated by his younger sibling, but it couldn't have been a feeling such as this one, could it?

"What are you doing Al? We're supposed to be at Colonel Bastard's office in five minutes!" He heard Edward's frantic voice, peering over his shoulders as he constantly waved arms in the air. "You're walking slower than Winry in a mechanical store!"

He smiled slowly and strode along behind his older brother.

There was snow outside, chilling his bones to the marrow, but that only made him think of his guilt even more as he observed the Fullmetal Alchemist in front of him who was painfully rubbing his right shoulder. The metal in his prosthetic limbs tingled sharply whenever it rained or was too cold, and to think, it was all Al's fault, right?

His brother sacrificed his right arm to attach his soul hastily onto a nearby suit or armor and very nearly bled to death. Again, that was his fault. His brother sacrificed his chance to retrieve his own arm and leg back from the Gate in order to regain his little brother's body back. And that was his fault too.

But as much as Alphonse voiced his opinion to Edward, he wouldn't have it, saying things like, "I'm your elder, so that means I have to protect you," or "Don't worry about it, Al."

By then, the whole routine became redundant, and it seemed all the more pointless to question Ed's motives. After all, Fullmetal was notorious for being unpredictable or rash. Who's to say what would happen tomorrow, or their next assignment, or even what would happen at this very moment? No one could ever know, especially in the presence of someone as prominent as him.

"Are you coming or not?"

Al finally looked up from the ground, only to realize that they had finally arrived at the Colonel's headquarters. The door was uniformly ajar and an impatient Edward was standing on the steps with a curious glare in his golden eyes. "Hey, if you want to stay outside, it's fine with me. I know I'm not. My automail is killing me!"

Although he said this, Ed finally noticed that his brother was unusually quiet.

"Hm," he sighed as he looked at Al up and down, "There something wrong?"

Hesitant to answer, the younger family member knew that there was no going around the subject any longer; he would have to say something sooner or later.

"No, I was just thinking about how it's snowing today. We used to look forward to it when we were little." His eyes wandered across an unseen landscape as he continued, "And you were the best right-handed snowball pitcher out there…"

"Oh, I see," Edward comprehended, "You're feeling guilty again, aren't you?" When there was no answer, he went on, "You know I think you shouldn't."

"Brother, I'm—"

He held up a hand. "I attached your soul to the armor for a reason, Al. At that moment, all I wanted to do was save my only little brother, and I don't regret getting your body back, or not getting my body back to normal." He took a breath and observed the puff of chilly smoke that appeared before his cheeks, then—

"It's equivalent exchange, Al, my body for yours, and I'm happy with it."

And as Alphonse watched his brother turn around with a grin to enter through the open doorway, he couldn't help but feel a little less blameworthy for the predicament that they were in. After all, there was something exciting about gaining a new assignment from the Colonel after a while.

"Use your legs, Al, remember that, and then maybe you can walk into another day."