The days were long, hazy, full of laughter and smiles, sparring and scrabbling and easy bickering.
People often took for granted all the small things that made up a homey, everyday life. They made light of the constancy of presence from their family, friends and loved ones. Took for granted the simplicity of taste, touch and expression. They disregarded the beauty of the early sunbeams spilling forth from wide windows, the cool breeze riding along the winds and the smell of fresh grass or baked bread.
And so, the Elric brother's lives began anew.
Alphonse was in the water now, floating along the lake in some shorts, smiling up at the sun and sky, feeling the joy in his heart bursting out of him, making him glow much like the same sun that shone down upon him.
His brother, the elder Elric, sat on a rock just on the edge of the bank, flesh leg dangling into the water and flesh arm propped onto the heated automail leg that had been sitting in the sun for the better part of the morning and afternoon.
He gazed at the perfect body of his brother with warm golden eyes. He couldn't help but feel happy as he looked upon the long wheat honey-hued tresses that floated out in the water, at the nubile and pale flesh that glistened with moisture.
Finally, after so much pain, after so much sacrifice, they were at last reunited.
He was lost in old thoughts, so when something cold and wet touched his foot, he started, barely held back a yelp. "Al!" He scolded and frowned at the grinning boy, hair plastered to his skull, teeth flashing with a wicked grin. "Afraid to rust in the water brother?" teased that melodious voice, at last void of that empty hollow quality.
Al chuckled and hauled himself out of the water, dripping wet and spraying water everywhere. Ed squawked, "dammit Al!" he scooped up water with his flesh hand and flung it at the boy, then let his eyebrow twitch when Al just laughed, "It sort of defeats the purpose if I'm already wet Brother." was the wise-ass retort.
So he stewed in righteous sibling indignation as Al toweled himself off, snarled irritably when a wet towel was flung over his head, "Al, I'm warning you-" but he trailed off when he looked up to find somber gray staring down at him, brows creased and quivering, lower lip caught up into his teeth.
Then the words were tumbling from his lips, unbidden and full of an urgency he could no much control than understand, "I love you like crazy. I don't know, cant imagine what life would be like with out, I cant even THINK about it, I feel cold and empty and sick, a lot like when I was in the armor, but this time, there isn't a brother with me, isn't a loud voice demanding food or swearing about some slight concerning his height, there aren't gold eyes that shine like the sun looking up at me warmly, making me feel whole and ALIVE." he dint know when the tears had begun to fall, didn't realize his voice was whisper soft and thick with tears.
He was therefore grateful beyond words when arms opened to him. He flung himself at his bother, babbling incoherently, the wave of emotion spilling forth like a broken dam.
All he could do was cling to the flesh and metal arms wrapped around him; all he could feel was the warm, solid strength that was his brother.
Words of affection were hard to fall from Edward Elric's lips; he wasn't as eloquent or coherent when it came to his feelings, least of all his feelings for the boy sobbing into his scarred chest.
He tried to soothe with his hands, his touch, his lips, tried to kiss away the tears slipping down his baby brother's cheeks. He used his good hand to touch his cheek, cup his jaw and stare intently into wide slate-gray eyes.
"I can't say all the pretty words like you do Al, all I have are simple feelings. Love, anger, guilt. I owe you five years of sensory deprivation. I owe you two more years of failing to see you grow into who you are now- you weirdo, why the hell were dressing up like me?- all I can tell you is that It was hell without you. You are my center, the person whom I will always depend on to steady me in the face of whatever chaos surrounds me."
He took a deep breath, let out slowly, "do you really need to hear the words? Then I'll tell you; I love you, will always love you. No matter what." and those sharp golden eyes softened, a small smile curling the tips of his mouth up, "I cant believe you've turned me into a sap Al." But it was said with lazy affection and the slightest hint of teasing.
Al simply smiled through his now drying tears, settled himself more securely into the warm embrace and sighed as he pillowed his cheek against a firm flesh shoulder.
"We'll always be together wont we brother?" he didn't mean for that small quaver to slip into his question, but after being apart so long, it was hard for him to believe that it was real. That they were actually together and would be for the rest of their lives.
He felt fingers slide into his hair, a mouth pressed to his temple and a smile tipping the lips up in a smile, "How many times are you gonna ask me that? Nothing can keep us apart Al, not even Death."
And so Al knew, KNEW beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he would never be apart from his other half.
"That's right. Thank you Brother. Thank you."
And as their hands met, laced, held, gripped. They settled back into a comfortable embrace, gazing out over the lake, watching as a pair of ducks wadded around, listened as the birds sang their songs of life.