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THE LONG DARK NIGHT
Alphonse had been scared of the dark when he was little. Well... maybe scared was the wrong word - apprehensive would work better. Though in the beginning there had been too much worry for Al to be apprehensive of the dark as he once was. Worry for his brother who had protected him from the dark. And by the time the worry had faded, too much time had passed for Al to be scared anymore.
But even as the apprehension faded the loneliness remained. The loneliness hadn't faded at all. Even as years went by, it stayed. Stayed sitting in his heart and refusing to leave. Occasionally Ed would need to work late into the night but he would eventually fall asleep at the desk. Al knew Ed never really need to work at night but it did make him feel better – the night wasn't so long then.
The loneliness was easier to bear as time passed but it never faded. Sometimes during the long dark night Al would think back to the adventures he and Ed had experienced in their short lives – short! He was ever so careful not to mention that word.
But he would love a short night...