Distance Measured
Fullmetal Alchemist fan fiction

Genre: gen, Elric!kyoudai
Rating: G (K)
Word Count: 2000 or so
Summary: The times they are a-changin'. And with them, the world and the people around Alphonse Elric. Al-centric. Post-series.
Notes: Dedicated to Jessie – happy birthday, love!

This is a series of phone calls between restored!Al in Risenburg and Ed (who is off doing whatever it is State Alchemists do). Ergo, it reads like you're eavesdropping on Al. Eh heh.

--

H-hello. This is Alphonse Elric, and I was wondering if I could possibly speak to Edward Elric, the Fullmet-

Oh! Brother! I didn't recognize your voice. I'm just so used being with you, instead of one the other line. I –

Wait a second. Why are you answering Colonel Mustang's telephone in the first place?

You can't have 'known' it was me. It doesn't ring a special way just because I call!

I guess it doesn't really matter; just as long you're not torturing the Colonel for the hell of it. Anyway, I called to tell you that Winry helped me install a brand new telephone system in the house I made. The extension is #1008, area #56-443.

Call whenever you like. And visit anytime. I miss y– WHAT? What do you mean, 'I didn't think he'd break through so fast'? What are you doing? Hold on a moment!

Wait, you can't hang up on me just like that. Tell me what you're –

Brother, you idiot. I won't ever forgive you if you come home in a matchbox. The Colonel would probably be doing us all a favor, though.

--

Hello? Oh, hi, Brother! I was just about to call you, actually. It's sort of pathetic that I have to write a letter to Central just to remind you to call. No, I know; and no, I'm not mad. Wouldn't it be cool if they made these things portable, though?

I know the military uses something like that, but do you have any idea how much money that would cost?

'Military-Issue Teleportation'? That's a bad joke. Even for you, Brother.

But then, the brass does a lot of strange things. Did you know they're planning to put an Ishval Rebellion Museum here? Of all the places! I mean, I guess there was some fighting in the eastern part of town. But why don't they put it in Liore? Or a semi-important city, at least?

So far all they've done is rented out that old farmhouse across the river and tacked up a bunch of old news articles and photographs – State Alchemists, the previous Fuhrer...you know. Winry looked like she was going to burn it down; I swear. She's probably off writing angry letters as we speak. When you come home, you can destroy it for her!

What? No, I couldn't! I'd get in trouble! I guess you might, too, but you'd snake your way out of it. You know you would!

Oh, hang on. Mm. Aunty Pinako has to call a patient. See you soon, Brother!

--

Guess what! We got our very first street light!

What do you mean 'hm'?

'It was bound to happen eventually'?! This is exciting, Brother. This isn't like Central, where there's a streetlight on every corner. Risenburg, Brother.

Risenburg with a streetlight. Risenburg with a street!

They've started paving it; it's going to take them a while to get it flat enough to keep the cement from cracking, though. I think they're trying to make that rut path that runs across the train tracks Main Street. At one end there's a big plot of land that the government bought, and in the middle there's the train station, and then at the other end there's the street light!

The pole is made out of iron and it's got some pretty fancy curlicues at the top. Sure, the iron quality is crappy, but you can't really blame them. They made it themselves – tempered it and everything. The light bulb is insanely bright, though. It casts a spotlight twenty feet around; I swear!

Hm? Uh huh.

Well, yeah.

I guess.

I know we could.

But why would we want to make a streetlight, Brother?

They're kind of boring, anyway.

--

I drank my first glass of lemonade today, Brother. I know; you and Mother never liked it. But I always wanted to try, and they're tearing down the old orchards on the other side of Risenburg, so I figured it'd be my last chance. Apparently, the government is interested in adding in a new housing division here. And the soil's just about bone dry, anyway, so it's okay. At least, that's what they said; it seemed fine to me. The soil, I mean. Of course I don't know what soil's supposed to have in it, but… Er. Right. Sorry.

The whole town got together and started harvesting the lemons. It took the entire day; you should have seen all the barrels we filled! Nelly cried when they started chopping down the trees. She cried and cried and wouldn't stop.

So finally Winry promised she'd craft a wreath out of some of the branches, and Nelly ended up staying for dinner. Afterwards, she showed me how to make lemonade for our dessert. The taste was amazing!

Hm? Oh. It was… It tasted like freedom. Like change.

I'll bet you know how that tastes.

No, I'm not castigating – that's a little extreme. I –

Talk to you later, Brother.

Bye.

--

Hello? Oh, hi Brother! Good thing you're still there. Sorry I just missed you calling; I got tangled up.

Well, I knew it was you because you're the only one who ever calls this number. Winry is just down the street. Who else do I have to talk to?

But anyway. How are you?

'Fine' isn't a very enlightened response, Brother. Are you having fun?

'Making it' doesn't count, either.

I guess I'm not exactly having fun, either. I'm happy, though. Are you sure you're not ready to come by and visit?

But why not? I haven't seen you in months. You only call every few weeks. It doesn't sound like you're doing anything particularly engaging. If you don't want to stay there, then why don't you come home? It's the only other option!

Isn't it?

What do you mean, 'it doesn't work that way'?

…I know. I – I just want to see you again. I'm sorry. I knowIknowIknowIknow. It's okay! Everything's fine. No, just forget about it. Everything's fine. It's okay. Everything's…fine. …Can we talk about something else?

Well, I've been doing well enough, I guess. I'm learning how to knit – I've finished part of a sweater so far. It looks awful!

It reminds of when… Well, do you remember that day when we found one of Mom's sweaters in the coatroom? It still smelled like her – and a little bit like wet coats, but that wasn't important – so we both tried to climb inside it at once. I can't believe we actually fit! And we just lay in there, breathing in Mom, until it was time for dinner at Winry's. The poor thing was so stretched out afterwards it looked like a pink-wool squid.

Hm? Oh. Winry taught me. It's funny how that works; she hates it, but she knows how to do it and she can just teach it to someone just like that. She did not already teach me! Oh, wait. Then. I don't actually remember th–

I know you don't need reminding. I was just –

And what's wrong with that? So she's trying to make things as they were. If you're so hung up on things 'like they were' then why shouldn't she? It'd certainly make things a lot easier for m–

You're not making any sense, Brother. I think we should hang up now, before… You know.

Love you. Bye.

--

I think it's going to snow soon here. I'll bet the gutters in Central are already filled with ice, huh? You always loved the snow.

We haven't been doing much here – mainly just checking the dams, covering the trees, that sort of thing. …I guess I kind of broke my arm but –

BUT –

IT'S OKAY –

WILL YOU SHUT UP FOR A SECOND?

No, really! It's okay. Stop shouting. Winry was right there, so it was fine. I'm okay; it's not like I lost it – I mean.

Sorry. But I really am okay.

I know it could have been a lot worse. I just slipped on some ice, is all.

On the roof.

For the love of – ! It's not like I meant to fall. I was just putting up the lights.

…Oh. Well. It was in an article I read. Some inventor was playing around and made light bulbs that were different colors and displayed them on his house. I wanted to try it. I know, I know – that's sort of lame.

I wanted to see if I could make them flash. If I could make a sort of strip with metals that expanded at different rates, and cut off power to the bulbs at different intervals –

No; it doesn't do anything. But I thought it'd be fun. Look, I'm sorry.

I don't see what you're so worried about, though. It's not like I'm dying or anything. So I fell off a roof. We used to jump off our roof all the time! Into a bush, sure, but I fell into some leaves and mulch this time, so what's the difference?

I've been trying. I've been trying to listen to you, trying to make you happy, trying to – I don't even know! How much do I need to do? Is there a certain level of dedication I need to pass before you'll deign to come home? Sure, I could come visit you in Central. But you don't want me to.

You tell me! I've been trying to figure that out as well – I honestly have no idea why you operate the way you do.

Please stop making things difficult. We're… getting harder to fix.

I need to go now. Bye.

--

Hello? Oh, hi, Brother. I didn't think you'd be in – Westerville, was it? – so soon.

Wait, Winry never called? Are you sure?

…I thought Winry was going to talk to you about the new houses – the lemon grove ones. Lemon Grove Commons. She promised me she would, so I wouldn't have to talk to y–

I'm sorry, Brother. I just… People buying the houses are coming to Risenburg to settle down. Start over. Make things right again.

Bye, I guess.

--

Hi.

…Hello?

Brother?

I've missed y– I'm going to m–

Brother. I wanted you here, you know. With me.

…I guess after this I won't need a phone anymore.

It's time to say goodbye.

-fin

I'm unsure of how well that worked. I'd like to think it conveyed change, and deterioration, and all of that good stuff, but I could be horribly mistaken. Constructive criticism is applauded!