WARNING! This story contains some violence which involves cutting of someone's wrists and blood, though not by self harm, this can still be anxiety inducing content, proceed with caution. Also note that the relationship between the brothers here is platonic, please no comments possibly alluding to anything else. Thank you.

Alphonse honestly hadn't meant to, he really didn't.

But he did.

It was an instinct, it was what he always did.

But he really should have known better.

He was only trying to help.

Yet it only seemed to make things worse.

Al sat alone in the room he and his brother shared, letting tears fall quietly, reminiscing on the scary events of the day.

After it happened he'd been rushed home to the horror of Winry and Granny Pinako.

He'd gotten chewed out by all three of his family members and was left alone to cry himself to sleep. Yet for some fucking reason, his body just wouldn't allow it.

He sniffled even more as he was once more reminded of what his body wouldn't allow.

Earlier that day, he and Ed had gone down to the marketplace to pick up some things for dinner that night. Ed was quite excited cause they were getting things for stew.

They got all the vegetables, milk, and other ingredients before deciding that they wanted to have some dessert too.

They walked through some stand into a dark area behind a building as a shortcut to the stand that sold the ingredients necessary for baking.

Though they never got that far.

A man charged at them with a sharp, long knife, going right for Ed.

Al did the thing he'd have done many times before without consequence.

He instinctively leaped in front of Ed and used the back of his wrists to shield his brother.

He hadn't expected the pain.

He froze in shock and the knife continued to swing, slicing up his wrists and spilling blood.

He didn't hear his brother cry in anger as the man was stumbling back. Ed jabbed him once more, before right hooking him. The man was on the ground when Ed knocked him out with his left leg.

Al was stuck in a state of dissociation as his brother scooped up his swaying body and rushed him home, the groceries abandoned.

Al had passed out halfway home and woke up with his wrists bandaged and his family surrounding him.

"What happened?" he uttered, bringing a hand to his forehead.

Ed gritted his teeth, "Why don't you tell us Al?!" he sounded deeply emotional and his short phrase seemed to have over a thousand words.

As Al looked to his wrists, it all came back to him and he looked downwards in shame, realizing his mistake. "I- I'm sorry I just, I just, I'd done it before and it was instinct, I had to to prote-"

"Alphonse." Ed's voice was deep and exhausted, "You're body… I was so happy you didn't have to suffer any scars from those years of hell, but you-" his voice cut off as his chest quivered and he excused himself.

He was gifted a moment of silence before Winry spoke, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"I-"

"Let me finish damnit!" she closed her hands into tight fists, "Your brother, spent so damn long, fighting, doing everything he could to get your body back. Then you go and do this?!"

Al was silent.

"I can't believe you would be so stupid and careless with the body you cared so much about." she looked down and swiftly left the room.

Granny only said "They need time to process what you did."

And he was left alone.

'What he did.'

It was his fault wasn't it?

It had been a few hours and he wasn't sure if dinner had been made at all. His stomach rumbled, though he didn't feel very hungry.

He shouldn't have done that. He really shouldn't have.

So why?

Was it really instinct?

Or his own stupid decision.

Did he think about how it would hurt everyone?

He honestly couldn't remember.

That caused more tears to creep down his face.

He felt disgusting, like he needed to shower and never get out.

He felt numb all over.

Just like the armor…

Just like…

Had he ever left it? Really?

Where was he again?

Alphonse felt scared.

If the emotion was even real.

It was too much.

Too much.

Too…

He couldn't even hear his own sobs.

That scared him.

Though, what didn't scare him?

He was shaking.

His thoughts seemed… shorter.

Maybe it was good.

To keep it short.

Simple.

Numb.

Al's mind didn't register the door creaking open, nor a worried and concerned voice.

When he came too, he felt himself wrapped in warm arms, soothing words being whispered to him, and the warm smell of macaroni and cheese nearby.

He didn't feel as numb anymore.

Al soon identified the voice speaking to him as his brother's, and the warm arms wrapping around him the same. He willed his body to move, yet only his fingers could grip his brother's shirt as he began to sob.

Ed's grip tightened, "Oh Al, I'm so sorry."

Even though Alphonse felt like it, he couldn't sob forever. His face was buried in Ed's shirt, now soaked with tears. His hands twitching as he whimpered in shaky breaths. The soothing action of Ed rubbing his back was welcome. As well as the hand that ran through his hair accompanied by soothing words.

Once the whimpers had died down into quiet breathing he all but melted into his brothers embrace, nuzzling closer into Ed's shirt.

He whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean to brother, I promise."

Ed's own lip wibbled as he hugged his brother closer, "I know, I know, I'm sorry I reacted the way I did, I was just… so scared." he sniffled, "I thought my baby brother was gonna die, that the knife was gonna kill him." he tightened his grip as if Al would disappear, "I can't have him leave me… I-I can't."

Tears flowed down Ed's cheeks as Al's own eyes grew wet once more, "Brother, I'm right here, I'm still here." he sat up a little and wrapped his arms around Ed's shoulders, "See?"

"I could have lost you, there was no time to react, no time for either of us. So you did the best you could, and it scared me to death." Al pressed his cheek to his brother's and nuzzled, Ed leaning into the embrace.

"I promise it won't happen again brother, I'll never put myself in that kind of danger again." he murmured, his head finding a way under Ed's chin. "I promise…"

Ed's chest swelled with emotion once more as he carefully moved them downwards, so they were laying beside one another.

They faced one another as Ed lightly rubbed his hand over the bandaging, "That's probably gonna leave some scars."

"Yeah," Al exhaled, "Sorry."

He touched his forehead to Al's, "No apologies, everybody's got some." he murmured tiredly, kissing the younger's nose.

Al nuzzled his face into his brother's loose hair and hummed contently, "Thanks brother, I love you."

Ed sighed happily, replying, "Love ya too." as he cuddled closer. They laid there in the warm embrace until Al's stomach made itself known with a loud gurgle. Ed slowly sat up and grabbed something on the nightstand and handed it to Al.

It was a white bowl covered in tinfoil to trap the warmth in, accompanied by a fork. Al took it with a grateful grin, "We had mac and cheese tonight, and I didn't want you to go hungry." Ed explained.

Al nodded as he took a bite of the warm and cheesy meal, it felt wonderful as it warmed up his chest.

Once Al's meal was finished, he and Ed were both exhausted and decided sleep wasn't a bad idea. So Ed set the bowl on the floor next to the bed, and gave Al a glass of water he'd brought and made sure the younger drank it.

Then Ed deemed it safe to turn out the lights and snuggle up together in bed, holding Al closely and having a more peaceful rest than the day he'd lived.

Winry awoke the next morning with a massive weight of guilt on her shoulders that lead her right to the brothers' bedroom. In the early hour of 5:30 am, she realized how her words must have hurt Al, and now felt worse than when she screwed up someone's automail.

She went to turn the knob but halted as a noise was heard.

"ACK! FUCK!" Ed's voice yelled.

"What tis' it brother?" Al's tired voice asked.

"I stepped in the damn macaroni bowl!"

"You're the one who put it there." Al reasoned.

"Yeah but this isn't what I wanted to happen when I got up to piss!"

"Just do your business and get back to sleep brother." Al mumbled as Ed huffed, heading towards the door.

Winry turned and headed back to her room, she could apologize later...