A/N: Takes place after the promised day before Al takes off to study with Mei.
Lonely
The night was chilled, the hour late and streets deserted. He walked slow, careful to let his journey linger, each step strengthening his resolve. It felt good to stretch his muscles and utilize the very things he had once resigned to do without. The aroma of dirt and wet grass filled his nostrils and he was grateful for the simple pleasure of doing so.
Two years of being back together, two years of working to help build back a life they had all sort of put on hold. They were a trio, the three of them, two brothers and the girl next door. It had once been his childish dream to live together for all their remaining days but somewhere along the way he had realized that in growing up they would eventually grow apart.
The train station was coming into view now and he was reminded of all those times they had plunged headfirst into their quests. The recklessness had become a standard issue of their uniform and a map to their wanderings. It was a miracle they had even found this second chance to turn things around. The sun would be coming up soon and the early train would take him as far as he needed to go for the moment.
It felt strange to be walking along this road by himself on a journey that was of his own making. He could have company if he wanted but this was just something he needed to do alone. Solidarity was not his aim, but independence was a new desire and assertion of himself he had yet to claim.
His idle body had been aching for movement and his mind had been enchanted by a curiosity of a place and a culture that had enraptured him. It was a new force that guided him towards future goals he had yet to make. Uncertainty plagued his mind but he had matured over the years and now was as good of a time as any to take that final step into adulthood.
That place next to his brother and Winry would always be there, but the bonds between them had changed and he was adapting. Al had once fought over the idea of getting to spend forever with their best friend but he was of a different mindset now. She was his oldest friend, asides from his brother, and he was happy to keep her as the closest thing to a sister he would ever get. As for his brother, he was well aware of a certain promise between them, but that didn't mean he still wasn't annoyed that Ed hadn't acted on it sooner. As much as his brother's immaturity irritated him, he knew Ed would do things in his own time.
He thought about the three of them. He thought about how far they had come since those days of play along the river bank and even the burning of their childhood home. Sure there were rough edges to their rather young lives but he imagined it was those very things that made him different from the rest, stronger and wiser.
But there was no denying that it was lonely watching his brother and Winry fall in love while he became a spectator. They were two very passionate people and when they were together it was like lighting a match in the midst of gun powder, but he figured that was part of the reason why they were so right for each other. Of course they were dense, enthusiastic and entirely too abusive towards one another but they were in love and he wasn't about to fault them for it. It wasn't the kind of love born from seduction or lust but the kind that grew over the years, built on a friendship and bloomed into a devotion he knew had been put to the test and come out better each time. And yet he wasn't a boy anymore and watching something like that made him question what it was he should be looking for. Was there something out there he would give up everything for?
Leaning back against the wooden bench he stared at the stations platform. Maybe the word lonely was a little strong; it was closer to absence. A missing piece inside that he was sure needed to be filled and his only clue for doing so was in another country.
With a smirk he closed his eyes and thought about the stack of letters he had in his pack. Anyone who wrote with that kind of passion and devotion was surely someone he needed to take a closer look at. He was going to visit some people and then it was time to tie up his own lose ends. Help those two chimeras try and get back to normal and then he would spend the rest of his trip studying with Mei. Warmth filled his chest as he thought of the hours upon hours he planned on spending with Mei. Lonely was not an emotion he was likely to be feeling anytime soon.
Once he was boarded on the train he noticed something sticking out of his pack. His lips curled up at the handwritten letter. Winry really was something; he sincerely hoped his brother manned up soon and made her his wife. His brother had been staring at a tiny black box that looked an awful lot like something a ring might fit in but he wasn't going to put his money on it.
Unfolding the note he smiled at the short message.
Alphonse Elric,
Leaving at night to avoid a sad goodbye? You really are Edward's brother but you better not have adapted his sense of communication. I put some snacks in your bag for the train ride. We all love you and hope you find what you're looking for. Be safe and give Mei our best! Don't forget to come home now and again.
Love,
Winry
Smiling he watched as the train finally pulled in. He didn't need his brother or Winry to stand by his side in order to move forward. They would always have their spot in his heart but it was time he grew strong enough to walk this earth by himself. It wouldn't be lonely embarking on this journey without them because there were people to meet and things to do.
Sure, he was brother to the hero of Amestris and the son of a legend, but he was also Alphonse Elric and he was going to ensure that he made that worth something on its own.