The night before a big, save-the-world-or-die-trying fight is never peaceful. Most people choose to spend it chasing sleep, which is seldom found.
Ed and Envy knew better. They wouldn't be able to sleep; who could, with thoughts of attacking Father the next morning? Instead, the couple opted to spend what could be their last night together awake, enjoying each other's company.
Early on in the night, the odd homunculus-alchemist duo crept out the window and onto the roof of a deserted warehouse. Though Alphonse was physically incapable of sleep, neither wanted to disturb him.
Envy, understandably, wanted to spend the night together. After all, he was never one to ignore desire, and if he wasn't with Edward tonight, what if he never got the chance again?
But Ed talked him out of it. He didn't know that he was ready, and a quick night of passion in the face of fear wasn't what he wanted. It would be infinitely better to have celebratory sex with Envy after this mess was over.
And so they spent the night merely talking, cuddled up together. Envy wanted to get to know Ed better, starting with all of his favorites; this, in turn, prompted Edward to ask the homunculus the same questions, to which he had no answers. Envy had never really considered things as trivial as which colors he liked and which he didn't.
The couple watched the sun begin to rise. "Ed," Envy whispered softly, pressing his face into the alchemist's hair. "Please don't die. I know you have a tendency to put yourself at risk for others, but…watch out for yourself a little more than normal, okay? I don't want to lose you…"
Edward was slightly more confident, though he repeated the same warning. "You too. I know we can win, but I don't want you to act like Mr. Invincible just because you have lives to spare."
"I'll be good."
"We should go," Ed murmured. They both stood up. "I'll meet up with Al."
"And I'll grab Greed."
"And…I'll see you when it's over." Though both of them would be fighting side by side, it was an unspoken agreement between them not to get too close for the duration of the battle; should one be in distress, the other might become too distraught and get distracted.
Plus, if one of them didn't make it, they didn't want to watch the death.
Envy wordlessly grabbed Ed, giving him a swift kiss before leading him off the rooftop. Once on the ground, they parted ways, clinging to each other's fingers until the distance between them was too great.
It was time.
Envy led the attack party through the still-deserted streets of Central; it was too early for anyone to be up. Ed, or even Roy, was perhaps better equipped to do so, but Envy knew the way to Father's hideout. Besides, the appearance of the homunculus might serve as a distraction.
Edward gulped audibly as he entered the tunnels under Central, and Al placed a calming hand on his shoulder. They brought up the rear, with Roy and his team sandwiched in between the homunculi and the Elric brothers. Two homunculi and eight people were all that would stop Father from destroying Amestris.
A bright light almost blinded the group as they stepped into the main room of the hideout, where Father sat, alone.
"And the cavalry appears…"
They wasted no time in initiating the attack. As Envy had explained, there was no way they could actually defeat Father by force; the only thing they could do was make him use up his Philosopher's Stones, thereby making him mortal. As such, though guns were completely useless against such a powerful being, Roy's team began the barrage with a flurry of bullets. Each ricocheted off an unseen shield before they could hit Father, but this too was using his power.
As the team reloaded, Roy himself entered the attack, shooting bursts of flame in Father's direction. Of course, he fought back, and Roy was forced to dart around, evading the most serious missiles sent his way.
Taking his cue, Edward began to transmute the ground, throwing stone fists at Father from every direction, and then closing him in as another round of bullets fired. They bounced off the shield and the stone, coming at Father countless times before ceasing. Once this ended, Ed took down the walls and ran hard to avoid getting crushed by a rock, courtesy of Father's own alchemy.
Roy shot out one more jet of flame, and then Envy, Greed, and Alphonse jumped in, attacking via close combat. Every time one of them was pushed back (which happened frequently) Ed, Roy, or the team would insert a long-range attack.
This plan worked, more or less, except Father began to anticipate what would happen. He was angry now, and his attacks became more vicious. One well-aimed blow brought Roy to his knees, his gaze unsteady, and another knocked both of Alphonse's arms off with one go. Edward was becoming bruised, and Greed had lost a few lives, taking away his cockiness.
Envy himself lost more lives than he would like to think about.
But despite these setbacks, Father was weakening. He spent more time attacking, and a few miscellaneous hits, flames, and bullets snuck through his defenses.
Then, suddenly, he cried out, dropping to the ground. He made no move to attack, and Envy moved forward, a sadistic smile on his face.
"Hey, Father. You know, they say being over-controlling with a kid makes them more rebellious later in life."
The homunculus thrust his hand straight through Father, and liquid stones began to leak from the wound. "How does it feel, being killed by your sin, no better than anyone else?" Envy whispered.
And with an almighty moan and shocking suddenness, Father died.