"I thought you said that medicine was going to make him better." Al turned from the doctor to his sleeping brother.
"It will. It takes time, unfortunately it doesn't work overnight and with him having a hard time taking the medication orally, as well as not eating, it's going to slow it down a bit. His body is fighting the illness as best it can with so little fuel to go on. If we can get him to take something, it could only help. He's not willing to try it and I can't force him." The doctor explained.
"He's been sleeping all day and his fever hasn't come down at all. You said he would be here for a day or two, that means he should have some improvement by then, he had no energy at all the last two days, he- it doesn't seem right." Al said replacing the cool compress on Edward's head.
"It's also evening now, temperatures rise the closer you get to this time of day. Right now, if he needs rest, he should get it. When he does wake up, maybe you can talk him into eating something light. We can bring in soup." Al sighed, he didn't know when his brother would wake, but waiting was difficult.
"You promised to get better, why aren't you doing that?" He smoothed out the blanket around his brother.
"I wish you would wake up now, I know you're sick but it kind if scares me." Al admitted. "I know you need sleep but I have no one to talk to and I miss you brother." Al sat back in his chair with a sigh.
Mom did this too. He thought to himself. The sun had descended below the horizon, Al had asked for a bowl of soup brought to the room, if Ed didn't wake on his own, Al decided he would wake him. Moments before the younger boy made an attempt, Ed stirred sleepily. It seemed for a moment that he would settle back into sleep.
"You have to wake up now, you can go back to sleep soon. I need you to try to eat something." Al said gently.
"Too tired...too cold." Ed complained weakly.
"I know, please just try. If you can't that's different. I think you can at least take a little bit...for me."
"Al, don't start this with me, I feel terrible and I just can't deal with all this right now." Ed moaned.
"So don't deal with anything. Just take a little bit, I have some soup, it'll warm you up Brother." Al knew it was the fever beginning to take over.
"N-Not now." Al sighed.
"If you don't do it now, you'll go back to sleep and won't eat at all, we both know that. You'll get some of your strength back."
"Please Brother, you have to, I need you."Al pleaded.
"I haven't gone anywhere Al. You still have me."
"Not much longer if you keep this up. You said you wouldn't leave me."
"I won't. I'm just sick right now and I-"
"You'll feel better if you do, you're probably feeling this way because you haven't eaten anything in a while. Just try it."
""m too weak to even think about-"
"Then let me help you."
"You shouldn't have to-"Ed coughed harshly, groaning in pain.
"Are you alright, should I get the doctor for you?" The ill alchemist shook his head.
"I'll live. It's no worse than before. I'm sorry Alphonse."
"You shouldn't be, You're sick, you didn't get Pneumonia on purpose." Al lowered himself down onto the edge of the bed.
"No. But I don't exactly make this easy on you. I don't mind if you wanted to go-"
"Are you kidding me, listen to you. This isn't like you and you need me. Someone has to take care of you. You said you'd get better but besides letting the doctor give you medicine and sleeping, you haven't tried to make yourself better, you know what happens when you don't eat or drink as much as you should."
"Why would you do this?" Ed's question surprised the younger boy.
"What do you mean, you're my family. If you're sick I want to help you, I told you that before."
"I did so much to you, you lost your body because of me, it's my fault that you-"
"I'm here because of you. You didn't have to bring me back, I was right there with you, I wanted mom back too." The fever seemed to be forcing the guilt to resurface.
"I'm the older brother, I'm supposed to protect you Al, I didn't. I deserve all this and more."
"Stop it, You don't deserve any of this, I'm not angry at you for what happened. Even though there's no reason to say this, I think maybe you need to hear it." Al carefully slipped his arms around Ed, pulling him close.
"What are you-"
"Brother, I forgive you." He said "Make it up to me by getting stronger so I can have my body back and you can have your-"
"You shouldn't forgive me., I took away-"
"Just don't let my brother be taken away too."Al requested still holding onto his brother.
"Al, I-"
"Shh, let's get you well again, okay?"Al released Ed and the older boy nodded weakly.
"I don't know how you expect me to eat, I don't have any strength left, it feels like it was just sucked out of me."
"I told you, I'll help you." Al reminded, he stood up and made his way over to the chair, he took the extra pillows over to the bed, setting them on the bedside table.
"I'll take care of it, trust me."
"I always trust you Al. If you can't trust your brother, who can you trust at all?"
"No one I guess." Al slipped a hand behind Ed, leaning him forward, he rearranged the pillows behind him, adding the extras. He then leaned Edward back, propping him up against the pillows before pulling the cover closer to his body.
"Are you sure you want to do all this?" Ed asked, watching Al take the soup in his hand and sit back down next to him.
"I'm sure. We promised each other that we'd always take care of each other, we need to keep that promise because we're all we have." Al attempted to put the spoonful of soup close to Ed's mouth, only to have him turn his head. By this time Alphonse had had enough.
"Alright Brother, I know you're really sick and that means you're tired and just don't feel up to doing anything, I'm trying to be understanding and patient with you, we just talked about this. I need you here and that means you have to do what the doctor says and I talked to him today. You're feeling sicker because your body's having a hard time fighting the illness because you're not eating right. Losing weight and things like that aren't good when you're sick like this, you have to stay strong."
"Sorry Al, I don't think I can do this right now."
"Edward Elric, you're going to take this soup and eat it. I'll sit here all night if I have to, but you're going to get better!"Al cried, surprising Ed.
"Y-you know Al, you're starting to sound like Mom."
"Good, then maybe you'll listen." Al again raised the spoon to his brother's lips. This time, Edward took it without a word..
"No more back and forth now. I can only do so much for you, you have to do the rest for me okay, we'll do this together." Al said. Though Ed only managed to take three spoonfuls, Al felt slightly better and began to relax. He could see his brother trying and that was all he could ask of him.