In their small apartment, Alphonse was padding back and forth across the kitchen floor, dividing his attention skillfully between several pots and pans. Edward was reclining back against their sofa, which faced away from his busy brother. He read the daily Munich paper without a sound, inhaling the sinfully delicious scents filling what was surely the entire floor. He knew it was a roast that his brother was slaving over, so he was particularly elated. And starving. Al always made the best.
When he heard Alphonse pull the roast from the oven, Edward shot up from his seat and stretched generously, a childish grin plastered across his face.
"Hey, looks great, Al!" he complimented, beginning to pick out silverware for their very tiny dining table.
"Oh, thanks, Brother," Alphonse replied warmly, but was still focused in on tending to the other dishes.
Edward was an alchemist. He was rightly then an intellectual; a scholar, a philosopher, and someone who questioned everything that his eyes beheld. He speculated in depth and asked the tough questions. Not necessarily in that order.
"Al, what's your theory on love?" Edward casually asked his younger brother, not pausing his chore to make eye contact.
Alphonse was leaning proudly over the roast when he asked, testing its doneness by chewing on a small bite. He blinked curiously, but never missed a beat.
"Well," he began matter-of-factly, sucking juice from his finger and reaching up toward a cabinet, "I think love is a good thing. Er, a great thing. It makes people do wonderful... unbelievable things for each other. It makes people smile and live... joyously. I think that happiness comes from within, although when you have something... or someone, to love..." His soft face grew somehow just a little softer as he trailed off, "That's when you really live as the best version of yourself." He paused and smiled gently, as if satisfied with his answer. "But..." Alphonse stopped moving. His features contorted into something much darker. "Love is what made us..." He stared at the floor emptily, clutching their best plates.
"Hey... Al..." Edward's eyes widened as he reached out to his brother, touching his arm.
Alphonse quickly drew in a steady breath as color returned to his cheeks and his ashen eyes became fervid. "Love..." he began again, "...is what made me come through that gate for you."
Edward just gazed at his little brother for a few moments, emotion washing over him. The devotion was crushing. He slowly came closer and brought Alphonse into an embrace, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm so sorry. Alphonse... I- love you, too."
And then, Alphonse laughed. Loud, bright, and sweet. It made his older brother's whole world bottom out.
"Sit down and have dinner with me, Brother. I've been working on it all afternoon."