Oops, I kinda forgot this the first time...
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA.
Brother is mute.
I remember the night on which it happened. It was a blur, with the end result the most devastating. We were on a mission...there was a fight... brother got hurt...I had to take him to a hospital really, really fast or he would die...
But I remember the panic. Hoping, dreading and thinking, ' He can't die, we haven't finished what we started...
..He's the only brother I have!'
And when I was allowed to see him after he was taken to the hospital...everything became crystal clear.
He was pale, from blood loss the doctor said (although I was hardly listening) but he would be fine. Although I couldn't help but disagree when I saw the bandages on his throat.
They said the voice box was infected, they had to take it out. Brother would never speak again but all his other wounds would heal. They apologized, and I couldn't bring myself to blame them for not saving his voice. They had done their best to save brother and succeeded, what more could I ask?
They were also kind enough to let me stay the night by brother's side. At this point in time I have forgotten their faces, but never the fact that they had saved my brother's life. I will always remember that.
The next morning I felt so relieved to see brother slowly opening his eyes. I knew the doctors had said he was in a stable condition, but still... I worried at how pale and still he was in his sleep.
He looked at me and after recognizing me smiled slightly. If I could have I would have responded in the same way.
" Brother." I remember saying, " you're awake."
He tried to say something back as he sat up. Nothing came out, and looking puzzled he tried to again, probably a question in my direction. Still nothing. He started to try even harder, mouthing a single word over and over, faster and faster and increasingly hectic.
It would only be afterward that I realized that he was trying to say my name.
" Brother!" I exclaimed, putting a hand on his arm and he stopped. No doubt by the feeling of the cold metal of my body, "Calm down. Your voice..."
It was so hard to say it, to tell my older brother he had yet again lost something he couldn't recover. I felt like it was my duty to tell him as I was his brother, but I didn't know how. I tried to go with my gut instinct on what to say and just let it come out of me.
" In the fight your voice box became infected, because of the wound..." I pushed on, " They had to take it out... I'm sorry brother. I couldn't save you in time."
Brother looked shocked. As if he couldn't believe it he tried to say something again with no result. Then he looked at me and tried to get out of bed. I started:
" No brother, you've got to heal-"
I was interrupted as brother suddenly sprung out of that bed before I could stop him and hugged me. He winced slightly at the sharp edges of me pressing on some of his wounds, but didn't let go. I hugged him back, gently so I didn't hurt him. A part of me wished silently that I could feel him, although I knew it was selfish to think such a thing when brother needed comfort.
" It'll be okay." I said to him, and that's all. It would be okay, because we would go through it together. We'd learn together, comfort each other, and heal together. We always have, we always will.
That's what what brothers are for.
After he healed and we returned to Central I did brother's report to the colonel for him. I wouldn't let him relive the experience despite his protests, which were on notes that he wrote to me. He is learning sign language and me alongside him, but at this point we only know the alphabet, so it takes too long to communicate. He turned it in, looking slightly sad after he came back. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he just wrote that we were going to Risenbool for a while. I agreed instantly, we both needed to visit home after this.
So this is where we were now. At the train station waiting for the train to come so we can go home.
I hear a banging on my armor. It's brother, trying to get my attention. He looks slightly apologetic, he knows I don't like to be reminded how my metal body can't feel. I understand, if I'm lost in thought it's the only way he can get my attention now.
" I'm sorry brother." I say softly, " I was thinking."
His eyes soften. What can he be thinking? Then slowly he starts trying to sign. It's slow and he pauses between each word so I know what the words are. But I understand.
' Dont...
worry...
Al...
it's...
not...
your...
fault...'
Brother looks slightly embarrassed and I don't know what to say. Yet a small part of me feared that he held me accountable. Those were the words I needed to... see. Yes, see.
We both hear the whistle blowing, the last call for any passengers wanting to go on the train to Risenbool.
I start panicking, " Brother, we've got to go or we'll miss the train!"
He gives me a look quite clearly saying: 'That's what I was trying to tell you!' and and starts sprinting to where the passengers board the train. I sprint after him.
We will be fine.
Well, that's the very unspecific way that Ed lost his voice.(sweatdrop) Thank you for your reviews on the first chapter. Although you can't really call it that, these are more of one shots focusing on the same idea from different perspectives. If I did anything wrong with Al's or Ed's characterization, please tell me, I'd love to hear it. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the fic!