Ed hadn't applied for college until the second year after his graduation. He just couldn't bare to leave Al on his own. Now that the boy almost out of school, however, Ed was finally ready to go. Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your P.O.V., Edward and Al's father had came home a few years ago. Al seemed to have forgiven him, but Ed would never. Not since his mother's last breath.
"Oh, look at this one, brother!" Ed blinked, glancing over to an application Al was raising to his face. It was a school called 'The Gate'. Weird. Ed set down his paper for 'Yale' and studied the paper with intense golden eyes. Al smiled warmly and stood up, going over to the fridge to get himself a glass of orange juice. Ed tilted his head, finding out that not many students have gotten in over the past three years. He had to research colleges, and he distinctly remembered this being on the 'low-population' list.
Perfect.
Ed took his ink pen and wrote across the paper so fast, it would put Light Yagami to shame. "This seems acceptable," Ed muttered, standing up and folding the paper as he got an envelope, ready to mail to application. "I thought so, brother. I'm going to make sure dad's still asleep." Ed nodded, the put the letter on the end of the counter beside the kitchen sink, where many others laid. He was about to leave for his last day of work anyways, so he'll take the letters out with him.
~
Al was being unusually quiet ever since Ed got back from work, and with groceries~. "Hey Al, can you help me put these away?" The smaller brother nodded and helped as much as needed, then he went back to the living room and sat on the couch. "Hey, Al, is something wrong?"
"Did you know dad had a girlfriend?"
"Do what?"
"She came home last night with him. I didn't know until I checked on him this morning. She looks just like-"
"Good afternoon~!" A light voice chimmed from upstairs, making Ed and Al glance in that direction. Edward twitched as he found a woman in his bathrobe. What surprised him more, was the fact that she looked just like their dead mother. The only difference was that the woman's eyes were a light blue, and her hair was an inch shorter, layered. She looked as young as mother did when she died.
"Who are you?" Ed asked rudely, already knowing the answer. She blinked, seeming a bit confused. "Oh, you must be Edward! My name's Lilly! My, aren't you just cute?" She walked over and pinched his cheek, earning a death-like glare. "And you are Alphonse, right?" She cooed to the younger sibling, who sunk further in the couch. "Al, common. Let's go for a drive," Ed muttered, glaring at the woman as his brother, still acting childish, ran over and clung to Edward's arm. "Oh, well, goodbye boys!" Lilly chirped as their father came down the stairs. Edward was already out the door, with Al trailing behind.
~
"You need to go to school, brother. Don't worry about me," Alphonse said, starring at his brother, who was focused on the road ahead. "You know telling me that is like talking to a rock, Al." He pulled into a caffe' he was familiar with and exited his slick Volo, coloured a dark, crimson red. They entered the shop and sat by a window, so Ed could watch the rain as it began to pour. "I would like an espresso, and a coffee for him," Al said to the waitress, who blushed at both of the boys. Ed glanced over to his brother. "You can have her number, you know I'm more into guys," Ed told him. Al shook his head with a smile. "I have a girlfriend, remember?"
"Oh right, Winry." The conversation stopped there, and the rest of their time was also spent in complete silence. In Edward's mind, though, there was an argument going on. I really want to stay here with Al, but I do need to go to college. My life in the military depends on it. I don't want to be a stupid solider, I want to be a genius! Ed sighed and sipped the last of his drink, glancing out the window, just in time to see a passing car. His eyes widened as he caught long green hair whipping from the back of a pick-up truck. He had never seen such hair before. "Brother, what are you starring at?" Al tried to see, but the car was long down the road. "Nothing," Ed replied, taking a good look at the dark sky. "Brother, I love you," Al said, shocking Ed as he also gave his older brother a hug. Some people working gave a small 'awww', making Ed roll his eyes.
"Love you too, Alphonse."
