A/N: 1/11/13. Have you ever heard of productive procrastination? It's where say, you have to study for a test but instead, clean your room spotless. That's what I'm doing here. I have another story to complete and here I am, writing a short one shot.
This little slice of AU FMA:B life takes place after my other story, Diversion in Drachma. Al's got some "splaining" to do.
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Confession
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"I'm sorry, Brother. I never meant for it to happen." Alphonse coughed after his confession earning a pained look from his older brother.
Ed couldn't comprehend what he had just been told. He didn't know how to react, but it didn't stop his love for his younger sibling. He traveled all the way to Xing after all.
"Please say something? I can't bear it."
"What do you want me to say?" His eyes turned glassy as he faced his brother. "I forgive you?"
"I don't expect you to. I don't forgive myself." Al didn't know why he told Edward. He planned to take this little bit of information to his grave. However, Mei told him that he could not carry on with a clean conscience unless this burden escaped him. She understood him completely. She forgave him only after giving him a good pummeling. He thought that Ed could do the same and they'd both feel better. When his brother simply walked to the balcony and dropped his shoulders, Al knew that his conscience may have to wait a while longer before becoming spotless. He joined Edward on the ornate palace balcony.
"Do you love her?" Ed's voice quivered at the end of his sentence as if he were bracing himself for a positive answer.
"Of course I do. But, but not the same way I love Mei." He sighed. "I don't think I ever loved her in that way. It took me a while to realized that, Brother." He placed his hand on Ed's shoulder and the elder turned to face him. "There were dire circumstances, stresses, I don't think you could understand."
"I understand STRESS!" Edward shook Al's hand off. "I don't think it ever made me do THAT!"
"Does it help that she has no idea?"
"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? That makes it worse!" He couldn't believe his brother.
"Ed, she kissed me. It just…sort of happened." He sighed. He knew there was nothing he could say that would absolve him nor anything he could do which could make his actions forgivable. "But, please, don't be angry with her, please…she, she thought I was YOU!"
"Still not better!" Ed placed his hands over his ears.
"She was so ill, I was worried. Her delusion scared me…but…but,…I like the kiss." He lowered his head. "I liked it a lot. I can't help it. I just got my body back and damn-it, I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to experience it all."
"You sound like Greed." Ed growled. "You wanted THAT and you wanted me as well?" His eyes glared. "You can't have it all, Al, you just can't." He turned and started walking back into the room, he stopped and without looking at this brother continued. "One question. You have to tell me…"
"What?" Al was holding back his tears.
"Did she like it?" He almost couldn't speak the words, he heard his brother gasp quietly as he took a minute to answer.
"Yes." Alphonse's voice was barely audible, but Edward heard him clearly.
"Did she come?"
"Ed?"
"Answer me!" He still didn't turn to see Al's face.
"Yes. But she said YOUR name…it brought me to my senses and it was over."
"You suddenly developed MORALS after doing that with MY fiancée?"
"I can't defend my actions, Ed, you know that! And yes, it brought me to my senses and it was over." He rushed to his brother's side and spun him around. When he did, he came face to face with Edward. Although Al was on the verge of tears, Ed's stoic face was shocking.
"Then, you saved her life?"
"Yes…we later found you and brought you home." Al took his left sleeve and wiped his eyes. "Please forgive me…if not now, someday? I really want you and Winry in my life, I couldn't bear it if you won't forgive me."
"I don't know." Ed's voice trailed off. "It's going to be strange. Why the fuck did you even tell me?"
"I couldn't marry Mei with this guilt. I wanted to come to her clean, does that make sense?"
"Does Mei know?"
"Yes. She beat the shit out of me." He smiled.
"I'd do the same if you weren't getting married in a few hours."
"If you'll forgive me, I'll let you afterward. I'm sure Mei will hold me down for you."
"That'd be too easy." A small smile turned the corners of Ed's mouth.
"So, you don't hate me?"
"I could NEVER hate you, Al, I'm just hurt, that's all. I don't know how to really deal with this." He put his hands in his pockets. "But, you're my brother…I supposed I have to."
"Ed?" Al tried to hug his brother, but Ed shook him off.
"Don't. I'm still pissed and you are really going to get an ass whooping after the reception. I'm not holding back."
"I'm sure you won't." Al sighed and realized his honeymoon might consist of ice packs and recuperation, but if that's what it took to keep his family intact, he'd endure it.
"Alright then we have a bigger problem to figure out." Ed sighed.
"Huh? What's that?"
"Al, this is serious! Now that you've told ME, I'm the one with a guilty conscience! You JERK!" He made a fist and almost regretting saying he'd wait until after the wedding to clobber his younger brother.
"Why should your conscience be guilty? You didn't do anything wrong!"
"Not now, but you know, if I don't tell HER, I'll start to feel guilty! Our next problem is: Do we tell Winry?" He started sweating.
"Shit!" both brother's said in unison and Al realized that Ed would be a pussycat as compared to the wrath of the wrench-welding automail mechanic.
He wondered if he'd live to see his honeymoon.