Title : Whispers of a Nightmare
Genre : Anime/Manga
Category : Full Metal Alchemist
Disclaimer : Nope, this one belongs to someone else as well.
Summary : Takes place after the incident with Nina. Something's wrong with Ed, and Al just can't quite figure out what it is. Serious situations and angst ensue.
Warnings : Angst, mild language, violence, and other issues that shall go unnamed for now. I don't want to give away too much of the plot just yet, now do I? ;)
Rating : T
Chapter 16 : Distorted Visions
He could hear himself breathing, quick and fast, so fast he almost couldn't catch his next breath. Edward tried to tell himself not to panic, not to think about the fact that he couldn't move a single damned thing on his body, except for the quiver of his lips every now and then and the tiny, childlike whimpers that were breaking through his clenched jaw. Other than that, nothing, absolutely nothing.
What the hell is going on? Al! Al! Help me!
But he knew the cries in his head were fruitless, just as fruitless as the constant struggling that he continued to do, the pain transforming into a dull, edged ache. It felt like his entire body was turning into a rock, hardening and tightening with each passing second. His jaw was clenched so tightly, the thought of it actually breaking streamed through his head.
His golden eyes drifted from the fireplace to the front door, it slowly swinging open, the steady creak of its hinges echoing through the twelve year old's head. His breath caught in his throat as he watched something slowly peak its head through the door, the something being a formless, black colored void, a shadow so to speak, only three dimensional.
All he could do was observe as it peered around the room, a shape quickly forming before him. It locked his terrified gaze almost immediately, a smile shimmering across the face that was gradually appearing in front of his eyes. The boy was dead still as the shadow transformed into the image of his little brother, color and texture threading through it. Standing a few yards away, an eleven year old Alphonse stood, a grin he had never seen on his younger sibling creeping up the corner of the boy's lips.
Golden eyes quickly darted back to the armor that sat at the foot of the couch, still slumped in a resting position. At that moment, all Edward wanted to do was cry; cry and scream, though the harder he tried, the worse the pain was.
He tried to keep from looking at it, knowing full well that that thing couldn't possibly be Al, and that this was just a dream, a complete and utter figment of his highly overactive imagination. But the harder he tried to refrain from looking at it, the more his gaze was directed toward it, the inability to control his sight frightening him all the more. He had no control over himself whatsoever.
The eleven year old stood strangely still, just staring at the blonde. The grin widened once more, horrifying Edward, remnants of Lydia LaShea entering his train of thought. He couldn't help but try and squirm again, though he still wasn't getting anyway. However, he had managed to squeeze a few tears down his cheeks, the beat of his heart continuing to thump in his ears.
Laughter filled his head, Al's childlike laughter, though it didn't sound anything like his little brother. The tone was too high, and much too hateful. Edward's body continued to shake, pain stinging almost every inch of his small frame. He tried so hard to turn his head, just so he wouldn't have to look at the thing, but he couldn't, couldn't even close his eyes.
He was forced to watch as the imposter slowly crept toward him(the grin still in place), his movements hurried, but slow, and twitchy in a way. But within seconds, it flew towards him at an alarming rate, its movements nothing like he had ever seen before. He managed to crack open his mouth, but all that came was a low cry, barely even audible.
What if this is real? What if this is real, and that thing's going to kill me? Oh, god… Al! Al! Please…
But he knew he could plead and scream all he wanted, and the only one that would ever hear him was himself, the thought making a few more tears trickle down his distraught cheeks.
Before he knew it, the thing was standing straight over him, giving him the widest grin it could, and as he gazed into its eyes, he saw no life in them. They were the same color, but completely blank and deprived, no soul to window. It smiled even wider as though it could hear his thoughts, nodding its head a bit and even letting out a low giggle. Then moving once again at seemingly the speed of light, it was inches away from his face, staring directly into his terrified golden orbs.
At that moment, Edward saw his life flash before his eyes, knowing that the thing was surely going to kill him and he'd be helpless to stop it, his body still in a state of complete paralysis. He waited a few seconds, but nothing happened, silence drifting between breaths. But then it suddenly knelt down a little more, its lips now touching his ear, and then he heard it whisper in Alphonse's voice, only making him want to cry even more.
"This is what I could've been, Brother," the hum from its mouth vibrated his ear, though there was no breath coming from it. "But you took this away from me and made me into that," it stated, turning its head slightly as Ed's was seemingly forced to as well, the "real" Alphonse entering their sights. "Do you think you actually saved me, Brother? Do you? Because you didn't. The only thing you did was make me hate you." It laughed a little at that, then continued.
"You ruined my life, Brother. You ruined it. You don't know what it's like…to be trapped in a hallow shell like that. To be unable to feel, taste, or touch; I can't do any of that thanks to you. I'm numb, completely numb, Edward; and I hate it. I hate it," its words resonated through the twelve year old's head, hating himself more and more the longer the other boy's words circled through his brain.
"I hope you never get your arm and leg back. Then you'll have to live the rest of your life like that; but even in that state, you still won't be able to understand what it's like to be me. But at least with those mechanical limbs, you'll have to suffer," its eyes bore holes into Ed's, whimpers escaping from the boy's tightly clasped mouth.
"Equivalent exchange, right, Brother? And you think by getting the Philosopher's Stone that you can bypass that law, right? Think again." It paused, but only to laugh in his ear, the vibration sending pain instead of chills down the young alchemist's spine. "That stone may very well give me back my body, but I'll destroy it before you can even think of getting yours. Then you'll see."
It backed away from his face, Edward hardly even able to breathe. He was forced to watch as it then moved directly in front of Alphonse, his soul-filled eyes closed at the moment. But what happened next was something that made the twelve year old open his mouth, no matter how much pain electrocuted his jaw. Only to his dismay, all that came out were a few slurred words, the ability to control his speech temporarily lost as well.
His golden orbs moved back and forth quickly as the sight burned his eyes. The imposter flashed him another devious grin before taking off Al's helmet and sliding into his interior, his younger brother starting to stir as the helmet was put back into place.
Red, soul-filled eyes came into Edward's frightened vision, his lips quivering violently. Alphonse slowly turned towards him, the metal eerily shifting. The eleven year old rose to his feet, casting a glance down at himself. As soon as Ed heard the laughter emanate from it, his vocal chords finally decided to kick in, a blood-curdling scream vibrating off the small house's walls.
"No one's going to save you this time, dear Brother," Al stated, towering over his older sibling. "Not even me." And then the gloved hand crashed directly into the boy's face, knocking him completely off the sofa. He fell to the floor, unable to move as the beating continued, one more terrified scream pouring from his lips before he could see no more.
&&&&&
He was in a state of peacefulness, as he usually was at that time of night. In this state, he could still hear the outside world around him, though it was almost as though he could turn its volume down, only letting in as much as was needed.
Images flashed before him, images of childhood and youth, the things he most missed. And then sometimes, there would even come pictures of his mother and her smiling face, gazing down at him longingly as she did when he was a kid. He missed her so much, though it wasn't something he usually communicated with Ed. It was just one of those things that was understood between them. And they both knew, she was never coming back.
At first, it was hard to come to terms with. After all, they were just children. But even though he knew it was hard on himself, for some strange reason, the thought of it being even harder on Edward came to mind. He couldn't quite figure out the reasoning behind the thought, but as he recalled a distant memory that had edged its way to the far depths of his mind; he remembered how terrified Ed was of losing her when Winry's parents were killed.
He would always be concerned about her, and do anything she asked of him, even if it was something he hated to do. And after she got sick, Alphonse could see that fear gleam in his brother's eyes every time he smiled. But the worst was the fact that after she died, he didn't cry, not even at her funeral. It was as though he had shut off his emotional valves, at least temporarily at the time. But all that soon changed after the failed transmutation. After that, Edward took every burden upon himself, even if they weren't his to carry.
Alphonse knew his brother's routine by now. Put on the smiling face or the determined face, just to hide the pain that was hiding underneath his skin. Only now, it seemed as though that practice had multiplied tenfold. Nearly every smile that curved the twelve year old's lips was forced or fake, Al could see right through it, though he still didn't know exactly what was bothering Ed.
They used to tell each other everything, be as close as could be; but now, Edward was being more secretive about things and keeping more to himself. Alphonse didn't say it, though that fact alone bothered the hell out of him. They were brothers, barely a year separating them. They weren't supposed to keep secrets from each other, especially if they could hurt someone or worse.
More thoughts continued to pour through his mind, but faded when a faint sound made its way into his hearing. It was soft, yet piercing, enough to get his attention. He stirred, turning towards his older brother who was trembling violently, the heavy blanket cast to the floor like a forgotten toy in their youth. The boy's face was contorted into a deep expression of pain and fear, his teeth clenched together so tightly the sound they made forced Al's armor to flinch in response.
"Brother…" Al's voice drifted slowly through the eerily still air, the fire place cackling behind him, sounding much farther away than it truly was. The eleven year old never felt so bad for his older sibling in his life.
The elder boy was laying flat on his back, appearing as stiff as a board, his arms wooden at his sides. Sweat poured from his brow, his loose golden locks soaked with the saltine substance. Low cries uttered from his crimson lips, tears mixing with the perspiration, both sliding down his cheeks and wetting the pillowslip below. His forehead was narrowed in a grimace, tiny lines surfacing just above his eyebrows.
This was not the same twelve year old and older brother Alphonse knew. No, this boy was a small, fragile human being who appeared to be at his weakest; not a drop of the strength he normally carried with him apparent. This person held none of the superficial confidence that Edward Elric, the Full Metal Alchemist did. He was just a boy, terrified of the images that he himself was forcing his own eyes to watch; and still not understanding the reasoning behind them.
Al couldn't take the sounds anymore, the sounds that a wild animal made when it was close to death, or scared to death for that matter. He quickly reached over, shaking Edward as hard as he could without hurting the smaller boy. But for some reason, it wasn't working, Edward continuing to stay in his unconscious state, pain still emanating from his lips.
"Ed, wake up!" Alphonse tried again, gripping the boy's shoulders tightly, attempting to get him to sit up. But with each touch, the smaller alchemist's body grew more tense, his teeth grinding together, creating that awful noise again.
Panic quickly befell the large suit of armor, now huddled over the older boy, his metallic knees clanking on the floor. Edward had always waken up when he shook him like that, but even though he knew he was squeezing too tightly and there would more than likely be a bruise or two on the flesh arm, it still wasn't working. He was starting to run out of ideas.
"Brother! Brother! Wake up, Ed! It's just a dream! Now wake up!" his voice was shrill now, fear dripping from every single syllable. His voice was quivering just as much as his hallow body was, though his mind wasn't even considering the loud clanking of the steel. Going into an Edward-like mode, he felt his gloved gauntlet move practically without his given consent, the heavy leather connecting with the cheek of the older boy. Suddenly, everything stopped, and golden eyes were looking into his.
"Ed, you're awake!" the relieved voice emanated from the armor, his grip loosening considerably on Ed's other arm.
The blonde didn't speak for a minute, his golden eyes flashing with fear and terror, his mouth creaking open in horror slowly. The scream sounded again from his lips, he now scrambling to get away from the large armored suit, falling to the floor in the process.
"Ed?" Alphonse asked unsurely, moving slightly towards his older brother, only to hear another frightened cry part from his throat. He stood back, watching Edward crawl on his hands and knees into the corner of the room, pushing himself against the wall as far as his small body could be smashed into it.
"Stay away from me! Just leave me alone! Don't come near me! You hear me? Stay away!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he shoved his hands over his ears, tears riveting down his cheeks. "This is a dream. It's just a dream. It's just a dream," he repeated in a broken whisper, his voice quaking.
Al stood speechless less than ten feet away from the frightened twelve year old, wanting so badly to comfort the brother that needed it, but staying where he was, his only hope that Edward would quiet down enough so he could get a word in. A stream of guilt leaked through the metal armor, the soul in it sinking down into it slowly but surely. A gentle, patient sigh wafted from the steel suit, knowing that this was just the calm before the storm. It would only get worse from here, for the both of them.
"Just go away. Just go away…Al…come back," the blonde whispered, his golden eyes wide with the most fright Alphonse had ever seen in them. "Come back, Al…I need you," the woe-filled tone carried from his quavering mouth into Al's hearing, the last plead being the final straw.
"That's it," Al mumbled, going forward even though the other boy's whimpers and cries started to grow louder. "Stop it, Ed. That's enough. I don't know what kind of dream you had but--"
"Get away from me!" Edward screamed, his automail digging into the wall behind him, nasty scratching noises resonating off of it. "Stay away, you monster!" he exclaimed, a trickle of his old self appearing, if only for a second. There was terror aplenty in the twelve year old's eyes and he wasn't having any of what his little brother was saying. That "thing" wasn't his brother, or so he was convinced.
"Edward Elric, I am your brother!" Al retorted, a commanding tone taking over his voice as he stepped within a foot of the older boy. "Now calm down and shut up!" the eleven year old ordered, his voice squeaking in the process, his soul-filled eyes locking evenly with Ed's.
There was complete, still silence for a moment as the two took each other in, the younger hoping he wouldn't have to resort to yelling again, though for some reason, Edward was seemingly making him do it more and more often as of late.
"A-Al?" Edward asked, his big, golden orbs glimmering with fear and unsureness, his small body still being wracked by faint tremors.
"Yes, Brother, it's me!" the frustration poured from the younger boy's hallow shell. "Who else would I be?" he questioned, his gloved hands going to his metal hips.
Ed was quiet for a moment before he replied. "No-no one, Al. No one," he muttered, his eyes drifting to the front door, weary as hell and still not moving a muscle.
"Who were you expecting? Mom?" the words shot out of the armor, both freezing at the last one. "I'm-I'm sorry, Brother," Al tried quickly to retain his innocence, not knowing where the hell Mom came from. "Ed…"
"No, it's alright," Edward shook his head, a lost look still present in his eyes. Absentmindedly, he pushed himself up off the floor, his leg threatening to give out the minute he put pressure on it.
"Here, let me help you," Al offered, reaching out a gauntlet for Ed to grab a hold onto; but instead, the older boy refused, pushing him away.
"No, thanks, I got it," the small blonde murmured honestly, limping heavily on his flesh leg back towards the sofa, quickly pushing himself past his little brother without so much as another word.
For some reason, the snub made Al even more angry and standoffish. He was supposed to be there for his brother, not some type of guilt trip that Ed carried around with him just to remind himself of the awful thing he had done. The more and more Alphonse thought about it, the more the heated and held back anger grew.
"I knew this was a bad idea!" the words exploded from the steel suit, his metallic arms flying to his sides. "I knew I shouldn't have agreed to let you go on this dumb mission. All it's caused us is trouble; trouble, Ed, and you know it. Hmm, let's see, in the last twenty-four hours we've managed to defy Colonel Mustang's orders, be on a train that derailed oh-so-mysteriously, and get lost only to wind up in the middle of nowhere! Now is this all going according to your master plan? Because I don't think it is!" Al shouted, immediately regretting every single word he had just let fly out of his hallow shell. It was as though he just couldn't control it anymore, the irritation at Ed's stubbornness and not planning ahead for anything getting the better of him. Though it couldn't have come at a worse time, the elder boy appearing to absorb every single bit of it in, feeding the hate that sequestered itself within his soul.
He blindly sat down on the cream-colored sofa, his eyes balancing on the edge of lost and afraid. He didn't speak as he reached for his dry clothes, merely pulling off the pajama top and placing it aside, sliding on his black undershirt, the piece of material hanging loosely on his ever-shrinking frame.
Al was deathly soundless as he watched Ed dress himself, the tear stains drying on the boy's cheeks due to the heat from the fire. He didn't even flinch as he pulled on his pants, easily yet shakily sliding them over the wound on his leg, the thing looking only slightly better than it did the day before.
"You need to get that looked at," Al reminded the twelve year old, his voice faint with concern, his eyes staring at the floor.
"Yeah," Ed mumbled automatically, pulling on his heavy boots, but stopping suddenly and looking around. "Where are we?" he asked, his voice hushed and mild, completely unlike his normal tone.
Al sighed, still not looking up from his metal boots. "After you passed out, a man found us and took us in. I almost forgot where we were at," the eleven year old muttered, glancing at the doorway to the man's bedroom, the door still closed, no visible light coming from the room. "He said we could stay here, but I think we've caused him enough trouble for one night."
Ed didn't speak as he stood to his feet, his right leg inevitably wobbly and unstable as he pulled on his over shirt, his hand shaking as he zipped it up. "Let's go then," he returned quietly, picking up his red jacket, stopping when a door creaked open. He immediately jumped, nearly falling to the floor at the sound.
Rian entered the room, looking slightly disheveled from the substance he had consumed in the night's previous hours but otherwise alright. Dark circles encased his navy orbs, years of too many sleepless nights finally catching up with him. A few strands of his jet black hair hung in his face, stubble hinting at his taut cheeks. That same familiar expression that he had worn on his face when they had first ran into each other was there, but not as strong as it had been. He looked hesitant to speak, though the words finally came.
"There's food in the kitchen if you want it," he stated, his voice sounding a bit rough, obviously from the few hours of rest he had managed to attain.
"We're sorry, sir," Alphonse's apologetic tone emanated from the steel suit. "We didn't mean to wake you. He was just having a nightmare is all," he explained, earning a glare from his older brother.
"Thanks for the offer, sir, but we really have to get going. We were supposed to be in Kiase by now, so it's probably better if we get an early start," Edward interjected, his nothing's-wrong-with-me-everything's-fine mask sliding right back into its usual spot.
"Even if you leave now, you still won't reach Kiase by nightfall. It's still more than sixty kilometers from here, and there's not a place to eat for at least another thirty. But that's your call," he grunted, trying his best not to stumble as he made his way into the kitchen area.
"Thanks, but-"
"Of course, sir. That's very nice of you," Al interjected, cutting off Ed's nonchalant speech of "Thanks, but no thanks."
"Al," Edward hissed through grit teeth, his golden eyes burning with the fire of a thousand suns. "Let's just go."
Alphonse hesitated, careful not to go off on his older brother again just yet. Slowly, he bent down, low enough for Edward to hear what he had to say. "The only thing you've eaten in the past three days was a bowl of broth I fed you while you were sleeping last night. I don't care what you say, Brother, but you're going to eat something whether you like it or not. I'm not just going to stand around and watch you do this to yourself." And with that, he left a speechless Ed behind him as he followed Rian into the kitchen.
&&&&&
"I didn't think the air could get any more stale than it was the last time we were here," Mustang commented as he exited the car, inhaling some of the fine air of Kiase.
Hawkeye gave a curt smile at his choice of words, never expecting anything less from the Lieutenant Colonel. "We have two rooms booked in the same inn as last time, sir. Just in case," she added, walking up next to him.
Mustang glanced down at his watch, the familiar smirk teasing the corners of his lips. "Since I don't expect the boys here for another day or so, the rooms should come in quite handy," he stated, taking another look around the place.
It appeared almost the same as it had the last time they had had the opportunity to visit, dreary, bleak, and desolate; of course, the time was around six in the morning so perhaps it was best to say the town just wasn't fully awake yet.
Roy sighed, glancing back at Hawkeye as he made his way towards the inn. "Before sleep comes to enthrall me, I believe I'll make a few phone calls," the Lieutenant Colonel announced, opening the door for the First Lieutenant. "Oh, and do find something to entertain us while we wait on the boys. From the looks of things, there's a possibility of boredom with a slight chance of annoyance heading my way," he added, sarcasm aplenty.
"Yes, sir," his blonde comrade replied, not being able to hide the small but noticeable smile that played out on her lips. "I'll make the necessary arrangements for our rooms," she noted before disappearing into the lobby.
Mustang made his way over to the phone, quickly dialing the number Maes gave him before he departed from the crash site, knowing the man was too damn interested in the mystery of the situation to go back to Central.
"How nice of you to call so early, Roy," a familiar voice greeted on the other line, his tone notably sleep induced.
"Well?" the Lieutenant Colonel questioned impatiently, his fingers already resisting the urge to snap.
"Well what?" Hughes asked, sitting up from the makeshift cot he'd fallen asleep on. He cringed as he reached for his glasses, Roy's tempered voice shooting through the receiver and into his now throbbing ear. "Whoa, whoa, calm down there, pal. Sounds like you had a lovely drive. How's the Misses' holding up?" he joked, immediately regretting it.
"I'll say this one-and only one more time; have you found out anything new or useful or should I just go ahead and hang up now?" the angered man inquired through carefully grit teeth, the usual vein throbbing in his forehead.
"Well, now that you mention it…," his voice trailed off, but quickly restarted again upon hearing his name being threatened through the line. "Actually," he began, his voice taking on the serious tone it did when he had something critically important to say. "I don't know how I could have been so blind before, Roy. And even though I'm not a State Alchemist, I can tell when something's been transmuted, and that's exactly what happened to the track. I really don't know how to describe it other than that," he finished, putting his glasses on, though nothing could hide the weariness that was plastered across his face. "Now that most of the wreckage's cleared and the rain's stopped, I think I'm gonna do a little more investigating. See if there weren't any witnesses that actually saw what happened outside of the train."
The other end of the line was silent, the man holding the receiver to his lips contemplating the many ways that Edward Elric and his little brother could have been involved. "Perhaps you should question the conductor. He would have had the ability to see what was going on outside, right?"
"Oh, of course he would, there's just one simple problem," Maes replied casually, looking around for something to drink.
"What's that?" Roy questioned incredulously, his brow still narrowed, his gloved hand squeezing the phone a little too tightly.
"He's dead," the Major replied, his eyes landing on a steaming pot of coffee, it laying just out of reach due to the small phone cord.
"I'll contact you again tomorrow. I presume you'll still be there?" he queried uncertainly, sleep now becoming the major factor on his mind, a yawn tugging at the corners of his tightly closed mouth.
"Yeah, I probably won't be back in Central for a few more days. Kiss the Misses' for me!" The hazel eyed man couldn't help but grin as he heard the phone slam down in his ear, a hot cup of military coffee finally within the confines of his hand. "You'd better find those boys, Roy. You're their only chance in whatever mess they've managed to get themselves into this time," he muttered, hearing the pitter-patter of rain lightly beat on the tent. He was almost afraid to keep investigating, giving something he might not want to discover the light of day.
&&&&&
"We appreciate you doing this for us, sir. There's no way we would have figured out where we were going on our own. Our map was lost in the accident," Alphonse stated in the most positive voice he could muster, the old man grunting in response as he stood up, clearing the dishes away from the table.
Their conversation that morning had mostly consisted of the things that had been going on in Kiase, though needless to say, due to the lack of alcohol in the man's system, his answers were a bit less informational than the night before. But Edward had different plans, his voice and mask put back into place.
"Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything else you've heard?" the twelve year old asked, sitting up in the hard wooden chair that was silently killing his back.
"I've told you all I know, kid," Rian answered, placing the dishes into the sink, his back turned to the two more than interested boys.
The stubbornness that Alphonse had nearly come to loathe yet love in his brother was starting to show through the semi-antsy twelve year old, he not ready to give up yet. "Does the name Lydia LaShea ring any bells?" he questioned, not able to see the man's eyes narrow at the mentioned woman.
"Can't say that I do," Rian replied, rinsing the dishes off, careful not to drop them. The anger was rising off of the man just like the steam from the dishes. Obviously, Ed was hitting a nerve.
"Alright, what about Kania LaShea?" the boy tried again, his golden eyes widening then squinting as Rian turned around abruptly, the slippery glass falling out of his hardly noticeable shaking hand and to the floor.
"If someone tells you no, that means no!" he shouted uncharacteristically, his jaw clenching. "Apparently you're too young to understand that!" he exclaimed again, his navy eyes burning with an anger Edward knew he had seen somewhere before.
A tiny smile hinted at the twelve year old's lips, inwardly knowing he had struck a chord within the old man. "You know something," he prodded, the mysterious ghost of a grin not wanting to dissipate. For some reason, he just couldn't help himself. This man obviously knew something and just wasn't willing to tell. The kid couldn't just let it go.
"Curiosity isn't always a good thing to have, boy," the man stated, a threatened look in his cold eyes, his body tense with anger.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ed went on, a small smirk playing out on his lips, the superficial air of confidence that always rang within his tone ever-present. He leaned forward on the table, ignoring Al's hushed pleas of, "Brother, stop," an eyebrow raised in almost a mocking way, to Rian anyway. Without even seeing him coming, the older man was at the boy's face in seconds, the crunch of glass not making it to his hearing until the man was already too close, his slightly age-lined hands gripping the State Alchemist by his collar, nearly breaking the zipper that held the two pieces of material together.
"This is the only warning I'm going to give to you, kid, then I want you to get out of my house and on your way," he stated, his dark eyes glowering. "Some things are meant to be kept quiet. And if you go around sticking your nose into other people's business, you will regret it." His tone was quiet yet forcibly sharp, a scowl falling across his visage. "Now be on your way," he ordered, releasing his grip and turning away, not giving either of the boys a second look as he disappeared into another room, the door slamming behind him.
The two stood there for a moment before Edward received a swift smack to the back of the head, his hair flying around his face as he fell forward slightly. "Hey! What was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Why do you always do that, Ed? We'll never get anywhere if you keep talking to people like that! And he even let us stay in his house!" Alphonse scolded shrilly, heading for the front door.
"He knows something, Al! And there's a reason why he's not telling us! And I want to know why!" Edward shot back, nearly tumbling down as he stood to his feet, the wound still clearly troubling him. Alphonse stopped upon hearing his brother's automail hand clasp onto something for support.
"Brother," his voice came out in a semi-whisper, his soul-filled eyes taking on a sad, worried expression. He made his way back over to Ed, reaching out a gloved hand.
The blonde stared at it hesitantly, his stubbornness making another appearance. "I'm fine," he muttered, letting go of the chair and taking a step before Al caught him.
"You were saying?" his little brother questioned in a matter-of-fact tone, still holding onto the smaller boy.
"Let's get going," Edward muttered, a pout forming on his lips. "And I can walk on my own, thanks," he stated, pushing himself out of Al's reach, an exasperated sigh leaving the metal armor's shell.
Al watched as his brother limped heavily over to the sofa, grabbing his red jacket and small suitcase, obviously in pain but too damned proud to admit it. He'll never change, the thoughts circled through him as he followed the small boy out the front door, the road to Kiase obviously going to be longer than they thought.
Author's note : Sorry for being a day late, but yet again, my brain just couldn't stop my fingers from typing. Hopefully, I didn't make Al too OOC or anything, but I feel at this point, his patience level with Ed is around below zero. And even though they're close, fighting is inevitable at this point, and I have a nagging feeling it's only going to grow worse so… Hey, at least no cliff this time, right? ;D
Well, I know I say this after every chapter, but THANK YOU all so much for reviewing. You all are so incredibly supportive, and I'm very thankful to have faithful reviewers such as yourselves, so seriously, THANK YOU. And now I shall list your names : Goku's Mistress, hyperdude, Kagome92111, Akamori-chan, Dark Mage Makai, Legendary Chimera, Lyemi, agent000, ThePatheticWriter, ssj2raider, totallyinlovewithed, Harryswoman, Aemilia Rose, DarkAmber112, Roy-Fan-33, Shattered Mirror01, CrystalMind, JChrys, vampirelf, marufu-chan, TelevisionGod, Annabele Lee, and every single one of you who has put me on a list of sorts. Sorry I couldn't list all of you but I'm short for time. L
Hopefully, this chapter quenched your thirst until I can complete the next one. Let me know. ;)
P.S. One, possibly two one-shots on the way, so stay tuned. ;)