Draped in Wires
by. Poisoned Scarlet
Theme 052: Duty Calls
"Brother, do you honestly have to go back to work so soon?" Al asked, disappointed as they both climbed up the stairs. The girls had retired to their room two hours previous while they had stayed up discussing some alchemical theory Alphonse had come up with, as well his job occupation while they were at it. It had been a long five days; the most Mustang had allowed him after the wedding was a week.
"Yeah, I'll be back in my officer Monday sharp," he sighed. "I have to leave in two days..."
"Does Winry know?"
"She was the first to know, Al." Ed dryly responded.
"Well, that's good!" Al smiled, pausing in the hall. "You're finally trusting someone other than me! It's a really good thing!"
"Whatever, it's not that important of a fact, anyway," he muttered, dwelling on his words a little longer. Alphonse had made a point, as usual, to his wry approval: he had become significantly more trusting with the girl over the course of their relationship. There was still the few things she did not know from his past, such as the mine shaft incident with Kimblee and perhaps a few explorations in the beginning of their quest for the Philosopher's Stone, but she was mostly aware of ever single development in his life just as he was aware of what went on in hers.
It was a little nice.
But it was also frightening: he was becoming far too attached, far too close, to her. He also discovered that he wasn't backing down, he wasn't resisting, and for a dark, brief, moment, he wondered if he would once again become a grief-striken mess if something happened to her.
He didn't want to think about that.
Losing her would be unbearable now, of this he was positive.
"When will you be coming back?" Al asked.
"Mustang said he'll let me come back every weekend for the next month or so," he heaved a sigh. "I don't go to work on a daily basis but there's not enough time between when I do and when I don't to drop by here."
Al pursed his lips. "Regularly, how many times a week do you go to work?"
"Around four, sometimes three."
"So what do you do when you're off?" Al asked, curiously. He would admit that being out of his brother life so frequently was unsettling him: he wanted to keep the fond familiarity and not distance his older sibling, as their duties laid in completely different countries for long periods of the time.
"Sometimes I run the phone bill up high when I call Winry," Ed shrugged. "Other times, I just spend it sleeping at home or reading a book or something." There was usually a lot to do during his time off from his work, like bugging Roy Mustang or helping him out with his work if he felt merciful enough...
He would admit he preferred just sitting there watching the man grow frustrated with his stare and just barely restrain himself from using his pen as a combat weapon.
"Well, I see you still haven't corrected your bad habits," Al chuckled in relief. There had been no big significant changes aside from the glow he now bore from the news of being a father and the fact that he now held more trust in Winry than ever before.
"They aren't hurting anyone," Ed shrugged. "I hardly consider them bad habits."
"So you say, brother," Al playfully replied, smiling when Ed rose a brow at him. "I guess I'll just stay here to keep her company, huh?"
His amusement subsided at that. "Yeah... thanks again, Al."
"For what?"
"Coming all the way down here for such a long time." Ed replied, wearily. "You must have your own agenda back in Xing and to be ripped away from it so abruptly...I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, Ed." Alphonse smiled, reassuringly. "I usually don't do much. Being a diplomat under Mei isn't very stressful and the pay is really good..."
Ed froze. "Diplomat?" he wheezed, snapping his head to his grinning brother. "You're a diplomat? Since when?"
"Recently," Al innocently replied. He shook his head, amused by his brothers glare. "I'm serious, I've barely had a month working! I used to have minor jobs here and there just so I wouldn't laze around the house when Mei left to attend her royal duties, but Ling offered me a job as an Xingese diplomat since I wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. I accepted and my first assignment was meeting up with a few Amestrian advisers to discuss a few concerns regarding Xing-Amestrian trade..."
Ed pressed his lips together. "Then you shouldn't be here."
"Huh?"
"You're a diplomat, Al." Ed's brows creased. "You should be back in Xing in a conference room with some uptight, Amestrian, politician or something! You can't be here wasting time – I think you and Mei should go. I really appreciate you coming here and all but if it gets in the way of your job then it won't benefit anyone!"
"Ed, relax." Al placated. "Emperor Ling allowed me the visit himself. Apparently, I have a substitute for now, although if something big does arise, which I doubt," he added when he caught the flash of uncertainty on his brothers face, "then I do have to return immediately. But I think the country can go a few months without any major catastrophes, right?"
"You'd be surprised." Ed muttered.
"Just be grateful I'm here." Alphonse smile widened as he spoke his next words: "You'll need it. Handling a pregnant woman is harder than it looks!"
"Nah, as long as I pretend she's right everytime we fight, I'm fine!" Ed smirked.
"Oh, really?" Winry's annoyed voice came from behind him.
He cringed, shooting a dark look when Al snorted a laugh. He pressed his lips tightly together, barely resisting a laugh when Winry said: "Then consider yourself right in this fight: you probably should sleep in the guest room tonight."
"What? I never said—!"
"If I find you in our bedroom then I'll go in the guest room myself." Winry warned absently, walking down the stairs and ignoring Ed's gape.
"Still find it easy?" Al asked, amused.
"I should really learn to keep my mouth shut, huh?" Ed groaned.
"I've been tellin' ya' all the time but you just don't listen!" Al laughed at his sour face.
"I didn't have a reason for listening," he grumbled, eying the guest bedroom. "So much for cuddling to night, huh?" He sarcastically said.
"...You cuddle?"
"I was being sarcastic, Al!"
"Nu uh, I think you were being honest and it's okay, Ed," Al grinned, teasingly: "You always seemed like the cuddling type – in a weird, rabid, way."
"ALPHONSE!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Al laughed, dodging a playful punch. He walked into the room he shared with Mei, glimpsing his brother walking down the stairs to no doubt persuade Winry to reconsider her decree. His smile became gentler at the thought of his brother having someone other than himself as a confidant; a person who would neither ridicule him nor ignore him should he have a problem he could not face alone.
It felt nice but at the same time it was saddening.
Winry would be taking his place.
She would be there when he woke from a bad nightmare, not him.
She would be there when he needed help, not him.
She would be there when he got into trouble, to calm his rage and watch out for him – not him.
He stood at the foot of the bed, gazing out the tall window. The night was dark, cool, and he should be under the covers beside Mei, but the thoughts he had pushed away for so long were becoming noisy in his head.
He wouldn't be there to laugh at his brothers snide remarks anymore – Winry would.
He wouldn't be there to witness his brother stumbling out of bed, half-awake, and sigh when he crashed into the ajar door of the bathroom.
He wouldn't be there to watch him mumble in his sleep.
He wouldn't be there to watch him devour his breakfast, his lunch or his dinner and receive the grinning thumbs up of, "I'm stuffed!"
He wouldn't be there to help him out every step of the way when his child came along – Winry would.
Winry...will always be there now.
Not me.
Tears pricked his eyes against his will. He sat on the edge of the bed, bracing his head between his arms to calm the sudden despair that clutched his heart. The thought of separating from his brother so much was hurting, debilitating so, because he had always been the one to help him; to watch after him and to hold him when he needed it the most. Handing the job to another person, a person who rightly deserved such a responsibility, was difficult after so many years with the title.
It hurt.
"Alphonse, are you okay?" Mei's soft voice reached him.
He gasped a little, raising his head and turning to the woman who sat up in the bed. The slant of moonlight that came from the window was just enough for her to see the twinkling streaks of tears down his cheeks.
"Alphonse.." She crawled out from under the sheets and reached out to him with her hand, quickly pressing him against her chest and wrapping her arms around his neck. "What is it? Why are you...crying?" She hadn't seen him cry up to date and the concern to know what caused it was urgent.
"I'm alright." Al sighed, chuckling at his own sensitivity. Ed and he always joked about his rather sensitive personality; it was a running gag they both enjoyed to the fullest. His amusement dwindled at the thought of being unable to experience that joy with his brother... "I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself. I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep, I'll be okay in a little bit..."
"What's on your mind?" Mei frowned. "It is not like you to cry...right?" She sounded testy, rather hesitant.
"No, I don't usually cry, Mei!" Al laughed a little. "I'm not that sensitive! It's just...I just realized that brother...doesn't need me anymore." Al's voice subdued again. His eyes lost their twinkle again. "He has Winry now. He—I won't be needed for much longer and it just...just kind of hurts to know that." He was choking up again. He refused to cry in front of her so he breathed in deeply to stop the spreading sadness that made his throat constrict.
"It is true that Ed-kun now has Winry-chan," Mei agreed with him quietly. "But while Ed-kun and Winry-chan have each other, you also have me. If you think about it...while Winry-chan takes your place, I am taking Ed-kun's place." She smiled softly at his lowered eyes. "And he discovered this far earlier than you."
At this, Al looked up. "What?"
"Do you remember the days a few months ago?" Mei began. "When he would not quiet about me 'stealing you from him'?"
"Yes, but..." His eyes widened in realization.
"He knew," Mei smiled. "He might have doubted it would be me but he became aware that you will no longer need him – that you no longer needed him. You had carved your own path, away from his own, and his sadness was palpable in the way he always pulled you closer to him when I was around and how he tried to spend as much time possible with you..."
"Brother... knew?" Al whispered. A rather rueful smile crawled on his face. "Of course he knew. He must have always been thinking about it... we always used to talk about what I'd do when I got my body back. He—always said I'd travel, meet a bunch of girls and have fun with my restored body," he chuckled at that, remembering how his brother used to laugh when he squeaked in shock and blushed. "And he never...he never included himself..."
"Mmhm," Mei hummed in response, pushing away stray locks of hair from his eyes. "He always knew."
"No," Al grumbled, pressing his lips together. "He always knew he'd die getting my body back! I wasn't dumb, I knew that was what he thought...I never gave up hope he'd bring me back alive but he always doubted himself.."
"He did?" Mei replied, surprised. "He always seemed so sure of himself when he retells the story!"
"Nah, don't let that fool you," Al smiled a bit, his sadness gradually receding. "He was always doubting and scared, kind of like me but he hid it better, I guess. He hid it behind his tough-guy act, I always knew...Winry and I were probably the only one's who knew but I was the only one he'd go to when things got too tough for him to handle."
Mei gently turned his head up at her. "Letting go is hard and often painful," she encouragingly smiled, "but you will find that with letting go comes a new sense of worth. You will no longer carry the burden of loving him – now Winry will, and you can only hope that she will never falter and continue as you had."
He smiled fondly. "Are you quoting Xingese philosophy again?"
Mei threw her head back in laughter and he grinned in response, pushing her back on the bed, where he pulled himself beside her and wrapped her in his arms; his smile widening when she only cuddled closer to him.
"I guess I have you now, huh?"
"Until you say otherwise," Mei replied, gazing at the ceiling.
"Nope, never!" He buried his face in her shoulder and she giggled, glad to have been of some assistance to him in his darkest hour.
A/N: I wanted to focus a little more on Al and Mei. Perhaps I will focus on Roy and Riza in a furture chapter to add development as well :3
A shocking thing happened today, while I was editing this chapter for posting: Draped in Wires got nominated for a GoldWorth Award in the 'Best After Story' category! So, my dear readers, please vote for my story? You can vote at the fmagoldworthaward website on April 23rd, when voting begins. Just Google that and click on the first link and search for the 'Best After Story' category! :)
Scarlett.
