Title: Thoughts on a Train (1/1)
Author: Sailor Seraphim
Archive: FanFiction dot Net and Sweetly Sour. All others please ask.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of its related characters. If I did, the series would be chock-full of tasty shounen ai goodness. I do, however, own the situations which occur in this fic.
Notes: Drabble request written for Mikkeneko on LiveJournal.
Feedback: I take all constructive criticism. No flames, they leave nasty scorch marks on the carpet.

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''Niisan pushes himself too hard,' Al thinks to himself as he looks out the train's window and at the scenery zipping past. It's nothing he hasn't seen so many times already on these trips; pasture, cows, small towns, more pasture and cows. And so, it isn't any wonder that his thoughts drift; actually, sometimes Al thinks that his thoughts are the only things that really belong to him anymore, even this armor body is borrowed.

But his brother... Al looks down at where Ed lays tucked against the train seat, eyes closed in sleep. His brother is the one who really suffers. Al can't feel pain or tire or hunger, but Edward can. And Al knows that Ed pushes himself far too hard, if the shadows under his eyes are any indication.

The train lurches a bit as it crests the top of a hill and Ed's body slumps from where he propped himself up. Immediately, Al is reaching out, gently steadying his brother into a more stable and comfortable position -- laid out over the bench, head pillowed against his coat on Alphonse's thigh. Al reaches down, leather gloved hand quietly petting and soothing away the frown on Ed's face from being jostled.

"... are we there?"

"No, 'niisan. Just go to sleep, I'll wake you up when we get to Central."

Ed curls up again, and Al continues to stroke his brother's hair, his gaze drifting out the window again with his thoughts.

-- Owari --