Disclaimer: I own not Fullmetal Alchemist.

Notes: I'll probably make this the home to my AlHei (or HeiAl) drabbles that are unrelated to my two sets of prompts for them (one is yet to be posted; the other is called Our Rainbow if you are interested).

This one was written in five minutes after reading the doujin Doppelgänger by the circle Vital Songs (pm me if you're interested) – which is the only doujin to ever make me cry.

The title of this collection of drabbles was provided by Jennifer Darknight.

This also has some brief EdHei in it…but I digress. On with the story.

Goodbye

I remember dreaming about my brother's face those two years, always. But I always knew that it wasn't my eyes I was seeing through, that it wasn't my eyes he was looking into with so much love.

Edward loved those eyes, definitely, and I could tell, by the dreams, that he was obsessed with them – even when I started having dreams about them making love I could tell that my brother was intently focused on those eyes.

I'd sometimes dream about their daily life, too, and I'd see Ed's happy smiles. Sometimes the man I was seeing through the eyes of would look into a mirror, and I'd see myself – but it wasn't me.

I felt connected to him, always, and I couldn't deny that, one bit. Our bond was so extremely close…

When brother returned to me I knew I felt a jealousy there – I was sure I was jealous about this man – this other me – taking my brother away, but I soon realized that it was quite the opposite.

I was jealous that brother had had him.

I was jealous that I never even got to meet him.

I feel the bitter autumn wind cutting at my flesh as I sit there on the grass, staring at the grave that bears a name so similar to mine, and I see the picture below the grave, a picture of my own smiling face – but it's obviously not me.

Brother smiles sadly and tells me that I look more like him now that I've cut my hair…

…I can't bear to tell him that that was the point.

I sigh, and look up to the sky now, as brother walks away, and the breeze becomes warmer, and I could've sworn I heard a voice speaking to me…

I can't help but smile then, and I feel like warm, strong arms are wrapping around me, and I bask in it, even as the tears stream down my face, curling around the edges of my smile.

I feel watched over.

Protected.

I smiled one last time as I rise to my feet, and turn around, casting a wave in the direction of the trees and the skies.

"…goodbye, Alfons."