Edward went into a fight like he did everything else; he threw himself completely into it, almost obsessive with his actions. Nothing else mattered, just that he attack – Now! Through the opening, before it's gone. Never stop moving.
It was the one time Ed didn't follow every detail. He would walk out of some fights with no idea how he got some bruises. He had scars he hadn't known about until they had almost faded away.
So when he fought Envy – fluid, snake-like Envy – the fight wasn't so much about dodging and parrying or any of that. He just had to keep moving – never stop moving because it will strike and strike hard – and attack.
Attack. Attack. Attack.
And when the snake struck, it wasn't its fangs that he felt or its venom in his life blood. It was the sensation of falling.
Falling falling falling.
So very slowly and oh so fast. It was as if he was being pounced on by a lover of all things. Pushed firmly and swiftly down, but so gently, so gently, he wasn't even sure of the ground.
And then his brain registered Pain.
This wasn't like getting his automail reattached. It wasn't even like when he had the ports put in. Even the deconstruction of his limbs – deconstruction, second in the sequence of alchemy, how could he forget? how could he ever forget – even that was nothing compared to the snake's bite.
And Edward had always known how much blood the human body contained. How much blood could be lost.
But he had never known. He had never known how much blood was in him. Now he did, now he felt every drop and it was pounding pounding pounding which was odd. So odd.
He hadn't felt it, didn't feel it now but for an ache, dull and not throbbing not pounding not pumping.
Envy had torn through his heart.
So it was odd how the blood pounded in his veins even though he felt it stop. It was odd how much aware he was, how much he could feel and what he couldn't.
He had never invoked the name before and even now it meant nothing to him but God it hurt. It hurt and he hurt and he was dying. Why wasn't anyone there when he was dying?
Where was Al? Al could help. And Russel had been in the church earlier. Rose was there. She was there! She was there! Right there! Why wasn't she doing anything?
What was it that Mustang had said? To trust him and come to him for help. But he couldn't go and Mustang wasn't there and he never was. He never was. It had been funny. Funny. A moment ago he had finally punched him and now where was he…
Al was here and he could help and it hurt so much.
Envy was looking at him and they weren't brothers, no matter what anyone said because Al was his brother. Al would help
Brothers don't kill each other.
They sacrifice everything.
Everything.