Edward acted differently around other people than he did with his brother. He was…guarded, tense, like a dog that had been beaten one too many times and had come to expect the next blow. The tension was sometimes imperceptible to everyone…except Alphonse. Al could read his brother like an open book, every slight change in expression, every seemingly insignificant movement spoke volumes. When Edward was around others, he was pleasant enough, but there was always something he held back, some little part of himself he kept close to the vest.
But when Edward was alone with his brother, there was quite a difference. His body was relaxed, and his tone had a softer, smoky quality to it. He was more prone to touch, more compliant to allowing Alphonse to have physical contact with him. He had at first protested, but Al insisted that it helped him feel closer to his brother, feel human. Al had a propensity to braiding Edward's hair, and the blonde tolerated it, though the small grin that played on his lips said that he more than tolerated it. Because the fact was, that Edward enjoyed being touched for the same reason; it made him feel more human. And if he closed his eyes, for just a moment, he could pretend he was six years old again and playing with his brother.
Alphonse wasn't sure, but he wondered if perhaps the reason Edward was more relaxed around him was because he trusted him in a way he didn't trust anyone else. Alphonse wondered sometimes if Edward was even capable of trusting anyone like he trusted Al. Edward's trust was a fragile thing, and Alphonse took great care not to do anything to shatter it. Edward's trust had been sorely tested when their father had left, and nearly broken when their mother died. The experiences they had been through had only proven to completely destroy his trust in anything other than his own strength and his brother. And Alphonse lived each day to ensure that that trust was not misplaced.
-Fin-