Edward Elric closed his eyes. Shunning the harsh sunlight leaking into the room. It wasn't working. Ed flipped his body around and attempted to tug the blankets around his head, but they wouldn't budge.
Grumbling, he squinted his eyes open and found himself staring into a pair of owlish brown eyes. He nearly leapt out of his skin at the intrusion of the wide innocent eyes interrupting his sleep. But the eyes were all too familiar.
"Ed," the boy said in a small, hesitant voice. "I couldn't sleep."
Ed sighed and shook his head, "It's okay, Al. You just surprised me is all." He said with a laugh. Al's eyes lit up and he snuggled up close to his brother, his little arms twining themselves around Edward's torso and his head burrowing against his brother's scarred chest. Ed rested a hand in the nest of Alphonse's hair and his arm pulled his younger sibling closer.
The brothers fell asleep like this and were awakened a few hours later, by a heavy knock against the door. Ed unhooked himself from Alphonse and pulled on a pair of loose black pants. At the door an exuberant Winry greeted him.
"Guess what Ed?" she piped, and without letting him answer, "I got the new automail I ordered. So, now I can really get to work on fixing up your arm and leg." Ed glanced down at his rust layered elbow and his bent back finger.
He glowered up at Winry. "Fine, can it wait until I get dressed and take care of Al?"
"Sure," Winry said. "I'll just wait in the workshop." With that she skipped off with a wrench swinging along with her calloused hands.
Ed smirked to himself as he closed the door and headed upstairs. She's definitely something, he thought to himself. In his room he found Al staring into the wooden rafters in the ceiling. His arms and legs were in the same odd mess that Ed had left them in after untangling himself from his brother.
"Al?" His brother didn't move, or adjust his gaze in the slightest. "Great," Ed mumbled to himself. "Now I have to do everything the hard way." First going to the closet, he pulled out a small black shirt and loose red pants. Ed laid them out on the bed and hauled his brother's motionless body up into a sitting position. He pulled the oversized shirt over his brother's head and dragged Al's arms through the sleeves. The he lay Al gently onto the bed. He pulled a pair of underwear over his brother's legs and then repeated the motion with the pants.
"Sorry I don't have time to bathe you this morning," he told his brother. "But I need to go see Winry." The former alchemist didn't know why he was still talking to his brother. Alphonse never listened to him. He had shut himself off from the world and his older brother's words didn't register any reaction. "Fine." Ed said exasperated by Al's unresponsiveness.
After carrying Alphonse downstairs and placing his pliant body into a sitting position on the couch, Ed fetched a few oranges and apples and placed them on the end table within Al's reach. He also placed a few books next to him on the couch along with paper and a pen already filled with ink.
After making sure everything Al needed was within arm's reach, he pulled on his coat and headed out the door. Edward was instantly met with a strong gust of warm wind. Glad it was autumn and not yet winter, he proceeded to Winry's house.