(A/N: Hey guys I thought I would put out this fanfic as a tribute for 3 Oct. 11. It only comes once every 100 years so I had to do something. I am a little nervous though because not only is this my first FMA fanfic, but also my first oneshot. The fic was inspired by the Elric's burning their house down today. I hope you all enjoy!)
Another hotel, another town, and another sleepless night none of it was new for Alphonse. Often during the night Al would try to read anything that might help further their quest. His brother always worked so hard Al felt it was the least he could do to contribute. Occasionally, if they were far enough out in the country side there would be no libraries, book, or even newspapers Al could get his hands on. It was on these nights Al was left to his thoughts.
Most of the time when Al was left to himself he watched his brother sleep. He was glad Edward would finally be resting his body. There was so much Ed had to do to maintain that precious vessel. Al would have to remind himself he too had to do the same a few years ago. If was with that thought that would lead him to think about the small pit of jealousy that would manifest itself. For a few hours every day Ed could get away from himself and the world. It felt like a different life Al got to indulge in that same pleasure.
Tonight, Al slid down that slope of jealousy. His bouts never lasted too long or even festered inside of him to breed resentment. When he would stare at Ed's disheveled body that could never be contained under the sheets Al would force himself to really look at Ed.
What always jumped out at Alphonse first was always the automail glimmering in the moonlight. His arm and leg was the first reminder of what Ed had to pay for keeping his body. Then, Al would look at Ed's chest laced with angry pink scars. Al remembered how each one of them came from their journey. Alphonse thought of the nights he would sit by Ed's bedside hoping his body would be able to mend itself completely because his brother was the most precious thing in his life he could never lose. Al always kept in mind how equivalent exchange was a basic truth.
Alphonse almost felt like he shuddered thinking such morbid thoughts. He wanted to think of something else if he didn't want to work himself into a state that would last through the day. He may have been a suit of armor, but Edward could always tell when Al was upset. Alphonse didn't want to Ed to feel guilty if he found out he had a bad night.
For whatever reason Al couldn't stop thinking of Ed's fragility. He looked up at the sky and saw how black it still was. There was no tinge of blue threatening the suns arrival. Alphonse still had his human sense of sight and sound. Maybe indulging both on a night walk would calm him down. Edward had gotten very little sleep the past few nights, but tonight he looked very peaceful. Al doubted Ed would wake up and realize he was gone.
Al crept surprisingly well for being in a suit of armor. The small creaks he did make didn't disturb his brother in the slightest. Al turned right before he left the doorway with the smallest whisper, "I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."
Ed woke up with a start. Something was wrong. It only took a few heartbeats to realize it was far too warm in the room for sleeping in his boxers and no covers. In just another instant Edward heard distant crackling and realized what was happening.
"Al there's a fire we…" Ed trailed when he turned to the corner where Al was supposed to be.
His hear sunk when there was no glistening armor to hear his worried call. Edward jumped from bed rushing to put his clothes on and glanced around the room not seeing Alphonse anywhere. Why would he not be in the room? Was he mad at Ed and decided to leave?
Ed let out a small cough and looked over to the doorway watching small amounts of smoke seeping through the cracks. Edward glanced out the window knowing he could probably make a two story jump and be alright. When he went to grab his pocket watch he realized what that meant.
He was a state alchemist and it was his duty to always protect the people. He had to check the hotel and make sure everyone was out and safe. He could worry about Al later. Whatever happened Al was not weak against fire and Ed knew he could take care of himself.
Ed went to grab his canteen of water and doused himself in it. Ed touched the door distressed to find it a bit warm. He took a deep breath and flung it open. When he looked down the halls all the guest rooms were flung open and abandoned. He ran down the nearest stair well and yelled through the hallways listening for any responses.
When he got to the first floor the flames were much worse and several beams already fell down and were strewn across the floor. The air was hot and thick with smoke making it very difficult to breathe much less yell. Still people's lives could be on the line so Ed ran and called anyway.
It was then he heard a very small, "help!"
He ran to a shut door, "I'm coming hold on!"
"There's a burning beam blocking the door," the voice called desperately.
Ed clapped his hands and quickly transmuted the door. A young girl around nine or ten sat on the floor with a tear stained face. Ed jumped through the flames feeling some of his clothing and skin singe. He grabbed the small girls hand with his flesh to be sure he wouldn't burn her. While Edward was carefully navigating to find a way out the flames had almost encircled the perimeter of the room.
The girl cried as Ed was trying to think, "Uncle said he would be back from his errands before I woke up. He needed to get the customers their food for the morning."
Ed finally saw there was a small patch of wall not being consumed by flames yet. He grabbed the girl and transmuted the wall. They were led into a part of the hotel that looked like an office.
He found another wall not covered in flames yet and transmuted that. When he looked through it there was the lobby and a clear shot to the exit. When Edward turned around for the girl he saw she was still on the other side of the room too scared to move.
Ed ran back toward her, "come on there is a door now with a straight shot to the exit!"
Edward grabbed the girl's hand which gave her the courage to run next to him. Just as they were about to exit the burning room Ed heard a snap and saw a burning beam about to fall on them. He pushed the girl ahead of him and tried to jump out of the way, but the beam fell on his metal leg.
"Get out of here! Go on without me!" Edward ordered the girl in his most severe tone. "I will be right out."
She hesitated for a moment but gave a tearful nod and flitted away. More and more of the room crumbled and burned around him. His leg was heating up fast and burning his thigh badly. Ed was trying to think through the pain and lack of oxygen. He could cut off some more of his leg but then he would have to crawl and lose a lot of blood in the process. With how freaquently the beams were falling he doubted he could get far.
Ed yelled out in pain feeling where each one of his nerves was connected to hot metal. It was worse than any automail surgery because it only got more intense as time passed. He wanted to transmute his automail off but the log and flames were too close to where his skin and metal connected.
He sat up and tried to see his leg, but only saw skin slowly being burned away and a sickening stench filling his nose. The port area was oozing blood and it started to pool around him. Ed transmuted his arm to cut off his leg since he was sure anything would be better than the pain. When he started to sink in deep Ed stopped unable to force his own arm to inflict more damage on his body.
Edward let out a few more screams of desperation. Not too long afterward he was out of breath from the smoke. Blackness crept upon him and he couldn't stop to fight it any longer. He didn't even notice his blade slide out of him or how he hit the ground. He only thought of Alphonse and hoped he could forgive him for this.
Al hadn't gotten very far out of town when he noticed an abnormal orange glow ripping through the night sky. He realized the glow was coming from that small town and the only thing to produce light like that was fire. He sprinted for town hoping it wouldn't be the Inn.
When Al got to town his fear was realized. A throng of people idled and chattered before the building. There were a few singed people but it seemed most of the hotel, and town, were out of harms way. When he scanned the crowd and couldn't find a red trench coat Alphonse could swear he had a stomach and it fell to his feet.
"My niece," Al heard a panicked voice, "has anyone seen a little girl?"
Before Al could feel bad for the frantic man a little girl came out of the fiery building. She was sobbing when her uncle picked her up apologizing profusely for leaving. She didn't seem to hear him at all though.
All she did was sob, "Uncle, Uncle."
"I'm so glad you're safe," he hugged her and whispered into her hair.
She tried to squirm away, "no please you have to do something! There is a boy trapped inside your office. He saved me with his magic, but his leg got caught under a burning beam. Please help him!"
Alphonse pushed toward the girl, "where is your office?"
The man looked shocked, "it's to the right when you enter the lobby. You must not go in though. You'll just get killed too."
By the time the man was giving his warning Al had already started running through the door, Of course Ed would stay behind and save someone in trouble. Why had Al left? He hated himself for it. If he'd been there Ed would have been safe. Did Ed stay in the building to look for him because he wasn't in the room? Was this his fault?
It was one of the few ties in his life Alphonse felt grateful he couldn't feel the flames licking his skin or the smoke clog his lungs. He saw through the smog and noticed a hole in the wall he guessed was Ed's work but when he went through the door though he quickly revoked his earlier gratefulness. His brother wasn't moving at all, and pools of blood seeped out from him.
Alphonse flung the log off and cradled his older brother in his arms as he sprinted for the exit. Al used himself as a shield for Ed against the flames. If he could cry he would probably be hysterical right now. It was so much like that night. Al had no way of knowing if Edward was alive then or not either. He could not feel a pulse or shallow breaths anymore.
He had gotten them out safely and saw a man looking over people who Al presumed was a doctor. Alphonse ran up to the man and presented his brother, "please you have to help him!"
The doctor's eyes grew wide for just a moment before nodding, "of course. We'll have to take him to my house though. I don't have the equipment I need here with me."
They dashed to the house which, thankfully, wasn't far. Alphonse placed his precious brother on a table as the doctor flitter around him.
"He's still alive right?" Al's voice quivered.
The doctor didn't stop working, "yes, and I am going to keep him that way."
Al couldn't look away from Edward. So much had changed on his body since he last saw him earlier in the night. His automail arm had a blade protruding from it and, presumably, Ed's own blood stains on it. The blood on his arm made Alphonse look at Ed's automail leg and noticed how deep the cut on his thigh was. Al was sure he would have thrown up if he had the appropriate organs. The skin around the port of his leg was a sickly brown black color. His eyes kept drifting toward the cut and marveling at how deep it was.
Al tried to imagine his brother caught under a burning beam with a metal leg. He wondered how how much pain Ed must have been in to have resort to such desperate acts. The more he thought about Edward the more Al felt supremely guilty for being away. He hated himself for ever being jealous of his brother and thinking he suffered less because he had a human body. Alphonse's mind kept drifting back to the night that set them on this journey. Fear burrowed deeper and deeper that Edward would abandon him tonight, and Alphonse would have to live with that forever.
"I would give anything," Al whispered so quietly the doctor standing only inches away from him didn't notice, "just please don't take my brother away from me. He's all I have left."
After a while the doctor stopped and let out a long sigh, "I've done everything I can for him. Now he just needs to rest. I want him to stay here until he wakes up. Can you help me to move him to a bed?"
"Sure. I can carry him," Al was a little possessive of Ed at the moment. Though the doctor just saved his brother's life he still didn't want him carrying him and risk dropping him or something.
Al placed Ed in a pretty nice bed and cozy room, "thank you for all of this. It's very kind of you to let us use your home like this. We will be able to pay you back I just need my brother to…"
The doctor stopped Al, "don't worry about any of that. I heard how your brother saved Avery's life. He wouldn't have been hurt like he was if it wasn't for that."
"He's always like that…" Al trailed.
The doctor smiled toward him, "he's always selfless like that then? I figured as much it's either in a person or not. Emergencies show that side of a person. You're just like your brother in that way saving him."
"He is going to get better right? He just needs some rest is all right?" Al clenched his gauntlets.
"Right now he looks good. I need to see how his lungs are doing he did inhale a lot of smoke and how his leg heals." The doctor lowered his voice to a croon, "it looks like he has already been through his share of trials. He is a strong boy I can tell. Do you want a bed as well?"
"No I want to stay by his side," Al felt nauseous thinking of leaving Ed's side again.
The doctor nodded, "I figured as much. Try to get some rest yourself."
The doctor left the room leaving Al alone. He wanted Edward to wake up soon and smile at him with his cocky and reckless demeanor demanding they continue their quest and stop wasting time here. Instead, Al was forced to listen to Edward's breathing that would too frequently turn into a hacking cough. A deep blue was touching the sky and night was waning. Alphonse's heart still felt as heavy if it was the middle of the night.
The sun just started to rise when Edward started to move in his sleep. At first it was small movements like his fingers twitching or tossing his head. These movements gave a bit of relief to Alphonse knowing his brother was alive and had enough energy to make them. Then, Ed started to mumble and thrash in his sleep.
Ed's incoherent mumbles turned into something audible, "no please…give him back. Al…"
Alphonse didn't have to hear more of what Ed was saying to understand what he was dreaming. Through the years Ed had gotten that nightmare less and less, but trauma must have stirred it up again. Or, Al realized, it was the fact Ed didn't know where Al had gone when he woke up.
Ed started to thrash too much and a small trickle of blood came from his leg wound. Al needed to calm him down, but didn't dare wake him knowing he needed his rest. Instead, he rested his hand on Ed's chest for a moment. Before Alphonse could move it Ed relaxed and threw his arm around Al's forearm slightly curling into it. Not long after Edward fell back into a deep sleep. Alphonse only pulled his arm away when Ed started shivering from his cold armor. Al still felt a bit more hopeful he could at least provide some small comfort to his brother.
Everything was so heavy. It felt like gravity got twice as heavy and became solid blackness. Edward fought his way through and soon his eyes were overwhelmed by white. A few more labored blinks and things started to take shape. There was a perfect white ceiling he was staring at not a burning building. It took a lot of effort but Edward turned his head and saw Alphonse waiting patiently by his bedside.
"Brother?" His voice held currents of both hope and fear.
Ed smiled up at him, "sorry to keep you waiting. I hope you weren't too worried."
Before Alphonse could say anything Ed started to sit up and try to get off the bed. Al didn't even get the chance to yell at his brother to rest before Ed's muscles seized up in pain and he gritted his teeth.
"Brother what are you doing you have to rest!" Al stood next to the bed and put his arm on Ed's shoulder.
Ed let out a slow long breath and Al watched his muscles relax. Ed's golden eyes were fixed on the sheets, "Al I'm so sorry."
"It's alright you have nothing to apologize for," Al words flew out of his mouth.
Ed shook his head, "I always hold us up from completing our search. It's always my fault and each day I waste is another you have to suffer because of my mistakes."
Al put his hand on top of his brother's, "we both made the decision to try and bring back mom. It wasn't just your fault. I trust we'll find a way to restore our bodies. You shouldn't be so upset at yourself you did the right thing. You saved that little girl's life. If anything I should be apologizing for not being in the room. If I was there maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt so badly."
"What…" Ed gave an unusual pause and clenched the sheets tighter. "Why did you leave?"
"I just wanted to go for a night walk. I usually read at night and was bored. I thought I would be back before you woke up. I wasn't mad or anything," Al reassured Ed.
Al noticed a tear fall to the sheets, "Alphonse you know I love you right?"
"Of course! I love you too, but why are you crying?" Al cradled Ed's face in his hand. It was rare for Edward to cry even in front of his little brother.
"When I was back in the fire I thought I was gonna die before I ever got to say that to you again. I was so scared of what would happen to you if I died," Ed confessed. "You were the one who had to save me right? I can't even protect my little brother like I am supposed to."
Al sat on the bed next to Edward, "it's alright. Please don't worry so much okay? We just watch each other's back okay?"
"I don't know if I can Al," Ed hadn't looked at his brother the entire conversation. "I don't think I can move my leg anymore."
"What?" Al couldn't believe it.
"I can't even move my toes," Edward swallowed hard. "How are we supposed to continue our research if we lose military support because I can't walk anymore?"
Ed was burying if face in his hands so Al lightly shook him, "hey it's okay. The damage might be temporary or you just need time to heal. Brother I know you want to make things right again. I do too, but you can't let yourself get upset about something we don't know about for sure. You're an alchemist Brother and you always think things through logically. Even if you couldn't move your leg it wouldn't be the end of the world. The only way we wouldn't be able to move forward is if you were dead."
"You're wrong Al," Ed looked stern right into his brother's eyes. "Even if I died you would be able to get your body back. You would just have to do it alone."
"What are you saying that for? You're not planning too," Al's voice was turning more desperate with each word.
"Don't worry. I am not planning on doing anything that stupid. I want to live a nice and long life with you and I have every intention of getting you your body back. I am just reiterating what you told me. You are an alchemist too Al and you need to think logically. I am in the military and there is a chance I might get killed. It's naive to think I couldn't be. I got the job knowing that. I just have to let you know you need to keep searching for a way to restore yourself because even if I were to die it doesn't doom both of us. There is still Granny and Whinry to think of," Edward kept his voice even.
Al's voice cracked and Ed knew if he had a body he would be crying, "why are we talking about this? You don't think I haven't thought about what would happen if you were to die every time I have to sit by your bedside not knowing if you will ever wake up? You're not allowed to die no matter what. You made me a promise we would get our bodies back together. You have to keep that no matter what."
Edward let a soft smile on his face and just went in to hug his brother, "I'm sorry Al. I am sorry I worry you so much."
Al carefully hugged back, and once they parted he stood up, "I am going to get the doctor to look at your leg."
The doctor came in and had to unscrew some of the automail to look at the nerves. Edward shuttered at the thought of what Whinry would do to him if she knew someone other than herself was looking at her work.
In a few days the brothers were back on another train. Edward had gotten full use of his leg again with the proper treatment. Alphonse knew they would be staying in another hotel and be faced with another long night. He knew as long as he had his brother by his side though he would never have to feel alone though. He just couldn't wait for the day to return all the smiles his brother gave him.