It was just there! I just suddenly had this thought, and it made me giggle.

Continuation from Closure, but it still makes sense without it.

An Awkward Conversation

He had tried everything he could. Al hadn't been able to get in contact with Ed this whole time, so he had to simply take a chance. He suspected him of going home to Resembool anyway for Winry. Al snickered. Ed was always to stubborn to admit how much he loved her.

It was Ed's Birthday. Even if it wasn't, Al would have wanted to see him again. They had never been separated for this long before. They hadn't even been in the same country! It would be good to see everyone again.

"Granny!" Al called as he opened the door. Den came rushing over to greet him with enthusiastic barks. Al left his umbrella outside and gave his muddy boots a thorough wipe.

Pinako peeked her head around the corner. "Well, we really will have to have a party," she said through her old, husky voice. "I can't say I was expecting you home, Alphonse."

Al squatted on the floor and scratched Den's belly. "It's brother's Birthday," he reminded. "I couldn't get in contact with him, so I was hoping that you had heard from him."

"You think I'm baking this cake for me?" she joked. "He went down to the basement to see Winry."

Al's eyes lit up. His brother really was here! He headed for the stairs.

"Al." Al turned back curiously. "Knock first." Al descended the stairs, a little more cautiously now. There was something about the tone in Pinako's voice that worried him. The door at the bottom of the stairs was open. There was no one down there. Al went back up and climbed to the second story.

"Ed?" he called timidly. "Winry?"

He could hear indistinct voices coming from Winry's room. He tip-toed over and lightly rapped on the door. There was a strange shuffling sound, and he managed to make out some words through light whimpers.

"Please!" came Winry's muffled begging. "No, not there!"

Winry was in trouble! Al threw the door open and revealed the unexpected scene.

"Your eyes tell a different story."

Winry's eyes grew wide. She stared at Al, her mouth chattering with no words coming out. Ed frowned in confusing and turned to follow her line of sight. He cried out with shock, freeing Winry from her frozen state and causing her to scream. Al screamed back. Ed and Winry covered themselves with the blankets, and Al covered his eyes. He turned to run away, but he smacked head-first into the doorframe and fell back onto the floor, catching another glimpse of the two in the bed. He screamed again.

"A-Al!" Ed stammered.

Al scrambled out of the room and slammed the door shut behind himself. He sat up against the wall, panting heavily with his eyes the size of beach balls.

He wished he could un-see those few seconds of horror, but they were burned into his brain, refusing to leave. He buried his face in his hands and shook his head furiously. No one should have to see their brother and childhood friend in that position. No one should have to face the sheer torture of locking eyes with them... during.

The door slowly creaked open, and Winry emerged, now dressed. "Al?" she breathed.

Al glanced up at her, but he knew he would never be able to see her the same way again. He had seen her... everything. He peeled his eyes away from her and stared at her feet. He saw Ed come out of the corner of his eye. He had seen his everything, too!

Ed knelt down with his brother. "Are you okay, buddy?" Al didn't say anything. "Was it just a shock, or are you angry with me?"

Al finally looked up, his bones trembling and his bottom lip quivering. "I'm not mad," he snivelled. "I knew it would happen."

"I love your brother," Winry confessed, seemingly regaining her composure, bending over with her hands on her knees. Alphonse didn't mention it, but he could see down her shirt. "You don't need to be embarrassed about what you saw. It would have been better if you didn't see it for yourself, but..."

Upon closer inspection, Al could tell that they were more embarrassed than he was. It wasn't really their fault, but Al thought of a way to make himself feel better. "I don't get it," he said innocently.

Ed had never had a discussion like this with Al before. Just imagine it! Ed couldn't have "the talk" with Al! If he didn't, who would? It's not like their mother would have told them at that age. To Edward and Winry, it seemed perfectly plausible that Al, going on fifteen, still didn't know quite what happened when the lights went off.

"W-what don't you get?" Ed squeaked nervously. Al simply nodded his head towards the bedroom.

"Well, that is..." Winry trailed off.

"What happens is..." Ed attempted.

"When two people..."

"Who love each other..."

He had gotten them to both say the L word now. Even if they had already confessed, it still shouldn't have been that easy to say it yet. That was proof that they had no idea what nonsense they were spouting. Al had to bite back his smile.

"Boys and girls are different in certain ways..."

"They were made in such a way that..."

"Coming, Granny!" Winry shouted and walked off, pretending Pinako had called her.

"Coward!" Ed mouthed silently.

Ed and Al just sat there, staring at each other. Al eventually grinned from ear to ear and snickered cockily. Ed smirked and ruffled his younger brother's hair. "Have some respect for your older brother," he said. "You really had me freaking there."

"It helped me get the image out of my head," Al beamed. Ed had missed that smile for all the years his brother was in that suit of armour.

The two stood up and laughed as they suddenly remembered each other's awkward expressions.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Ed asked, lifting Al's fringe to check his forehead. "You hit the wall pretty hard."

"I'm fine," Al assured. He made his way to the stairs and started his descent. "Oh, and, brother?" Ed raised his eyebrows inquisitively. Al wasn't sure if he should say it. He normally wouldn't have, but everything in their lives just seemed so casual now that if he didn't say it, he would surely explode! "Mine's bigger." He trotted out of sight, leaving Edward as white as a ghost with his jaw hanging on the floor.

Never saw that coming, did ya, Eddie? Huh? You're brother turned on you a li'l bit there.

Ed: Shut up.

Al: I was slightly OOC.

Me: Yes. Yes, you were. Times have changed, Alphonse. You no longer have to be the level-headed, nice one. You can tease your brother as much as you wish. It's not like he can use Alchemy to beat you up or anything anymore.

Ed: Now you're just being mean. I'm starting to miss your obsessiveness.

Me: Okay! *glomp*

Ed: Yay! I'm loved again!