Okay, this is a... basically slightly edited scene from FMAB, it's episode 20, 'Father Before The Grave' (and a thank you to Bec for finding which one I needed), so if you haven't watched this episode yet, don't read this one-shot as it contains spoilers.
This more or less follows what actually happens in the scene, I only changed a few things so that Ed hugs Al, because that was what the request asked for, so... I don't own FMAB, and I also don't own most of the events and dialogue that happens in this one-shot.
This is dedicated to kash30032000
Hope you like what I did!
EdAl Family:
Ed and Winry listened to Al in amazement, the revelation that the spirit inside the body they brought back had been Al, Al's relief that they hadn't hurt anyone else in trying to bring back their mother.
There was knock at the door and the three in the room turned towards the sound, "Mr. Elric? You have a telephone call from Izumi Curtis."
Ed's face was passive as he listened to his former teacher, "I did some research, Sig and I looked up our family lines and well, the child that I transmuted, it couldn't… it didn't have a single physical trait that could have come from us. You're onto something aren't you?"
Ed kept his face blank as he replied, knowing that Al was watching and listening nearby, "yes, I've come to the conclusion that death is permanent." He heard a sigh from the other end of the line, "so not even transmutation can change that fact. All this time, I thought that I must have missed something, but it was impossible to do in the first place."
"Ed!" the voice came out sharp and sudden and Ed instinctively straightened up, as though Izumi was standing in front of him and could see the action, "yes ma'am!" There was silence on the end of the phone for a moment, then, "thank you," and she hung up.
Ed stared at the phone in surprise for some moments, "so what did teacher have to say?" Al asked, Ed turned to his younger brother, "well, I'm not really sure why," he began, placing the phone back on the receiver, "but she said, thank you."
They were headed back up to their room; Ed was halfway up the stairs when he heard Al stop behind him. He turned to see standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Al?" Al was silent for a moment, before saying in a slightly trembling voice, "this entire time, I've been blaming myself for what happened," Ed gazed at his little brother, saw his hands trembling, but he remained silent, letting him finish what he wanted to say, "I thought it was me, I thought I was the one who killed mum a second time."
Ed gazed at Al with a forlorn expression, "and so did I, Al" he told the younger one, who covered his face with his hands, "thanks brother, thank you." His voice sounded full of tears now as he went on, "I wasn't the one who killed mum after all!"
Ed looked down at Al regretfully, before saying, "but still, none of this changes the fact that I'm the one who put you in that body, and I don't care what it takes, I'm going to make you normal again."
"Brother, I was right there with you, and I knew that there were risks, so quit trying to shoulder all of this on your own," Al spoke over him, "I can't watch you suffer like this, not on your own," he clenched his fists, "I can't just stand back and watch other people get hurt over what I've done, like what happened to Mr. Hughes."
Ed wanted to protest that Al hadn't done anything wrong, the reminder of Hughes, and hearing the guilt and pain his younger brother had been going through, made tears threaten to fall, but he held them back.
"I felt like it was my fault when I found out he was dead, and I told myself that if it meant other people getting hurt, then I don't even want my body back!" Ed nodded, he could understand why Al would think something like that, even though it wasn't Al's fault, Ed would have thought the same thing in his situation.
Al looked up at Ed, "brother, I've met other people who weren't exactly human," Ed could tell Al was thinking of the human chimeras they had run into in the past, along with the homunculi, "but they still managed to live their lives with a purpose. And even in this body, it hasn't stopped other people from treating me like I'm still human. This body could reject me at any time, but it's the same with being human, you never know when you might get sick or die in an accident. So I can still get by like this," Al looked at his hands, "I can live a somewhat normal life and that's how I managed to keep going." Al had lowered his hands and was looking at the bottom of the stairs, Ed forced himself to keep silent and continue to listen to Al, to not protest that he deserved to get his body back, this was something he needed to hear, and something Al needed to tell him.
"But now, I can't take it anymore," almost without thinking, Ed began to move down the stairs again, towards Al. "Because… I can't… I can't take all the nights by myself! It's too lonely, and that's why I have to get back to normal!" And Ed could tell that if Al could, he would be crying now.
Ed stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the armour, as high as he could reach, "don't worry Al," he told the boy, though he knew he couldn't feel the hug itself, he would understand the gesture, even as he spoke, he could feel the boy's trembling cease, remaining silent for some moments, "we'll get your body back."
Al's voice was filled with trust and hope when he spoke, "really?" he stepped back and lightly rapped Al's armour chest, "definitely," he replied confidently.
He turned and ran up the stairs, Al following close behind, "and we'll get your arm and leg back as well brother!" He heard Al call behind him, grinning he replied, with a "sure!"
'But you first, Al.'
And tada!
By the way, Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this, though it's actually a few days late.
Hope you liked what I did with this, review and let me know!
Next up is a requested EdWin kiss scene (fufu, this'll be fun F3)