"I've been thinking a lot lately Ed," Al said after Winry and Elysia left. He was standing by the couch looking out the window. It was a bright sunny day but Al wasn't feeling cheerful by the nice weather as he usually did. He had a lot on his mind and had been holding off talking to his brother. Now he could no longer hold it in.
"Are you sure about this?" Al said still looking out the window a little afraid to face his brother. "About you and Elysia. You left Winry and you've never been one to commit before. Are you sure this is for real? I won't have you hurting Elysia. You're my brother and I love you but she's still very young."
"Come on, have a little more faith in me," Edward said slightly hurt by Al's doubts in him. "I know I'm not perfect but I haven't thought about being with any one else, other than Elysia."
"I just find this a little hard to accept," Al admitted.
"Why?" Edward demanded.
"You really hurt Winry when you left. It took her a long time to get over you. I don't see how you never realized it."
"I did," Edward said defending himself. "I cared for Winry but my feelings for her were not as strong as what she felt for me at the time. That's just the way it is."
"I know Ed. But really, Elysia is like a little sister to Winry and for you to fall in love with Elysia and Winry having to watch..."
"Winry is married and happy," Edward interrupted.
"Sure, but you can't think that this doesn't affect her," Al continued.
"What are you trying to do? Ruin this for me by dragging up the past. You're going to hold my mistakes over me like Mustang?"
"No. I just want you to realize what you're doing that's all. You don't always stop to think. You just rush into things. I sometimes wonder if you really gave it any thought about staying in the military when you were offered the promotion from Roy."
"I did think about it," Edward said his voice rising in anger. "It was the hardest choice I ever made."
"Was it?" Al questioned starting to get angry himself turning on his brother. "Was it as hard as deciding to keep the automail when we promised to get our bodies back together?"
Edward winced and looked away from his brother. He had hoped Al had gotten over that. He thought they had moved on but he guessed he was wrong. But he didn't want to be wallowing in the past. He had something good for once and he didn't want to be reminded of his mistakes when he was finally happier than he had ever been since seeing Al back in his own body.
"So you still haven't forgiven me for that, have you?" Edward said through gritted teeth trying to mask the years of guilt that had started to creep back.
"Wait, Ed, I'm sorry," Al said sensing he had just crossed the line with his brother, not wanting to get him worked up when he hadn't fully recovered yet. "Don't get upset."
"It's too late for that," Edward said his voice rising. "I'll admit it was partly my ego that made me keep the automail. And at the time I used the excuse that I was needed to help with the Drachman invasion. But honestly, I did love Winry but I wasn't in love with her. At least not enough to stay with her. I'm sorry if I hurt her but what should I have done? Stayed with her and have her realize I wasn't in love with her. That I only stayed out of some obligation to her. We both would have been miserable. Leaving and accepting the promotion was just a way for me to run away so I didn't have to face the fact. It was childish, but I was still a child and at the time. I thought it was best if I just removed myself from the situation so Winry could move on. I didn't know anything of love."
"Why didn't you ever tell me this before?" Al asked getting upset now. They were brothers. They were supposed to tell each other everything.
"You're my brother and we've been through a lot together," Edward explained harshly. "But eventually we had to each choose our own path and make our own decisions without always explaining ourselves or consulting with each other."
"Our own path..." Al said now just as upset as his brother but for a completely different reason. He was upset that his brother had moved on before him. They had always done things together and when Edward left it was the first time he had done anything without talking it over with him. It had hurt Al and he had not been able to get over it.
"You just left Edward. Not just Winry but me too. You left us for the military and to wallow in your self pity. You just didn't want to be around those that would remind you of your mistakes. So you leave, get promoted and become a General. A hero. But look what it did to you. You're an alcoholic who sleeps around and now you think you'll suddenly change for Elysia. The least you could do for her is leave the military. It hasn't exactly done anything for you in return."
Edward didn't say anything. Al was right but it still angered him. But he didn't blame his brother for saying the things he did. He had hurt Al too when he left. He knew he had made mistakes in his life. But he also felt he had paid his dues. But once again someone was trying to get him to choose between Elysia and the military.
"Why don't you just go now," Edward said looking away from his brother wishing he had his arm and leg back so he could get away from Al. He wasn't ready for a verbal or emotional battle with his brother. Talking about the past brought up more restrained feelings that had been buried deep and Edward did not want to deal with those at that moment.
"Wait, Edward, don't push me away," Al said rushing over to him. "Just hear me out. I just want you to think about what you're doing. You're reckless and you'll always be a target as a General. Do you really want to put Elysia through what her mother did when Hughes was killed? And I'm tired of worrying about you when you're off on assignment. Please, just resign."
"And do what?" Edward asked looking up at his brother. He didn't like seeing Al look at him with worried eyes. He wanted to make Al happy and ease his worries but did he have to do so at the cost of his own happiness Edward wondered.
"I don't know, teach alchemy. I'm sure any of the universities would love to have you. Or if you want to stay in the military, become an instructor for one of the academies. Anything, just so we don't have to worry about you," Al pleaded.
Suddenly the door banged opened and Elysia came stalking in staring wildly at Al with her green eyes flashing. She startled Al and Edward. They looked to each other then back at Elysia. Edward has seen her upset before but he could tell she was beyond upset and it wasn't directed at him. It comforted him knowing he would not have to face Elysia but he felt sorry for Al because he knew what was coming.
"How dare you Alphonse Elric," Elysia said as she came towards him. Al stood up and backed away from Edward. He had never seen Elysia like this. It was completely new to him. He looked over at his brother but Edward was looking the other way with a little smirk on his face.
"So you were trying to make him choose too?" Elysia demanded. She had been standing outside the door, listening to most of their conversation. She tried to maintain her temper but she couldn't stand listening to Al trying to get Edward to make a decision he didn't want to and she had finally had enough.
"Just like Roy, getting involved and trying to keep us apart. I had to withstand Roy and my mother trying to force me to like someone else. Have you even considered what I would want? I waited for two months knowing Edward could either come back alive or dead and I had accepted that. I thought you would be the one person to understand but it looks like I was wrong. It looks big brother Al has to protect sweet, innocent Elysia from the harsh realities of the world. She's just too young to know what's good for her! You know what Al? I think you're jealous of your brother. I think you were jealous that you couldn't do anything for Winry because she was in love with Edward and not you. I think you're jealous that Edward was promoted and is a General now. Especially after you helped support him for five years when he first became a State Alchemist. Edward should not have to choose. The only thing he has to do is NOT cheat on me. Right Edward?!" Elysia said turning on him unexpectedly.
"Yes Elysia," he answered immediately.
Al looked from Elysia to Edward in shock her words stinging but he knew he deserved the tongue lashing. He knew Edward was in love with her but he hadn't realized the extent. Elysia had Edward wrapped around her finger. He would do anything for her and Al realized Elysia would do anything for Edward. Al looked back at Edward who was trying to hold back a smile. He could see in Edward's eyes the pride and love he had for Elysia.
"Now go," Elysia said sternly. "Come back when you're prepared to be a real brother to Ed."
"Uh yeah," Al said feeling like a scolded child. But when he thought about it, being scolded really wasn't such a bad thing. He and Edward grew up without parents to guide them. They had to take care of themselves and what adults they knew had always treated them as adults. He realized it was kind of nice to have someone to straighten them both out. It was what they needed. He skirted around Elysia, trying to leave as much space between her as he could and left the room. As he walked out into the hallway he saw Mustang standing against the wall in front of him.
"So you've faced the wrath of Elysia," Roy said with a little smile stepping away from the wall.
"Yeah," Al said as he joined Roy and they walked away from Edward's room. "I guess I made it through all right. I just hope to never have to do it again."
"Same here," Roy said. "Though I didn't have to endure the verbal abuse, just silent bitterness. She's a lot like her father. Hughes could be a goofball but he didn't survive the Ishbal war being soft."
"When I looked into her eyes, it was scary how much she looked like him in that moment," Al said. "I think I realized that Elysia wasn't just this little girl we would visit once in a while. She's become her own person."
"I'm ashamed that I didn't realize it either," Roy said. "I had been so preoccupied with introducing her to Jol Haren that I didn't stop to think about what she would want. I happened upon them together in the park one day. They looked very happy together. Edward called me out on it, said I was more worried about losing him as a General. Only looking out for myself he said. And he was right. And I think like you," Roy said nudging Al in the arm. "Maybe a little jealous of him too." Al laughed.
"She can really dish it out," Al said.
"She's not weak. I read the statement from the man who shot Ed. Said he was more afraid of Elysia holding a gun in his face than he was about being taken to prison. He was hoping someone would come and stop her. Said he never seen eyes so deadly serious," Roy said.
"Really?!" Al exclaimed. "Elysia held a gun to him!"
"And fired," Roy said. "Ed managed to create a wall between them just in time."
"I guess she's seen the worst that could happen with Edward," Al said. "And she's not afraid to face any other challenges that could come between them."
"After all the trouble we gave them, I'm sure they can handle anything," Roy said proudly. "I think we were a bunch of fools to get in their way."
"I hope you're not including me in that bunch of fools," a familiar voice said behind them. Roy and Al looked to see Havoc approach them.
"What brings you here?" Roy asked.
"Came to bring the boss some paperwork to sign, and then got kicked out of the room," Havoc explained. "Get the fuck out of here! I don't want to see that shit!" He said imitating Edward. "So who got Elysia all riled up this time?"
"Al," Roy said smugly.
"I didn't mean to," Al said indignant that Roy would sell him out like that. "I was talking with Ed and she overheard."
"I hope you learned your lesson," Havoc said. "I learned that it's best not to get in the way of those two. You didn't see her at the ball when she was upset with Ed. I swear I've seen friendlier eyes behind the barrel of a gun pointed at my head."
"I know," Al said. "She's just like Ed, maybe worse because what she says really cuts like a knife and Ed's just full of shit. I take it you have no problem with the two of them being together."
"Hell no," Havoc said. "With Ed out of the way, that means more young ladies for me and a better chance to win some money at the tables."
"You know he cheats right?" Al asked jokingly.
"Yeah, but let's see you try accusing a General of cheating. Especially one gifted in alchemy," Havoc said.
"Well, I think Elysia is right. I wasn't acting like much of a brother," Al said feeling himself go red. "I said some really awful things to him."
"Don't worry Al," Roy said patting him on the arm encouragingly. "You know Ed won't hold it against you. It's Elysia you have to worry about."