As a request from Hyper V, here's another chapter for this! If anyone has more requests, I'll be happy to consider them!

Of Infantile Habits

II.- Of Teddy Bears And Pacifiers

The night had fallen, and the skies were stormy. The clouds were ominous and threatened to let down a rain that would wash away everything that stood on its way. The land of New Zealand was once again being flushed down by the water. It wasn't that much of a trouble; everybody was at home, enjoying the safety of their houses. It was just a bad rainy night.

Inside his room, lying on his bed was a brunette teenager sleeping. However, he looked a little bit distressed. He was sucking on his thumb, and hugging a pillow, gurgling babyishly as he breathed. But he didn't look that calm at all. He seemed as if he were having a bad dream.

There was a thunder and lightning, and he woke up.

He got his thumb out of his mouth and looked through the windows. He saw the stormy clouds and the menacing sky and couldn't help but feel a pang of desolation run through his nervous system. He was once again taken over by that feeling that everything was wrong; once again he had that feeling that nothing would be alright not matter how hard they tried.

Alphonse sighed and got up from his bed.

The teenage boy walked out of his room, wondering why he was going to his older brother's room at all. He always did that whenever there was a stormy night; when he was wakened up by the roaring sound of thunder. He knew it was infantile, but he relied on his brother to comfort him.

Even if he was fourteen years old with the memories of an eighteen year old.

As he entered his brother's room, he found the older blond boy soundly asleep. He was even snoring, with his shirt tugged up so he was showing his bellybutton. Alphonse smiled, knowing that at least is brother was having a good time sleeping. At least Edward was free from the haunting memories.

He crawled into the bed of Edward and hugged him.

Edward slowly woke up, feeling a pressure over his abdomen. He looked at his side and saw his younger brother hugging him with love. "What's wrong, Al?"

"This night, reminds me of the night she died…" said Alphonse with a sad tone of voice, cuddling closer to his brother, if that was possible. "It is always awful to remember that night, or the night of the Transmutation. Do you mind if I sleep with you?"

The older boy nodded. "Not at all."

It pained Edward that his brother was still haunted by the past, that his chance to be a normal kid was spoiled by the clutches of death and hardships. Edward always regretted the loss of innocence his brother had to carry for his entire life. He was a kid; he should have enjoyed his time as a kid.

Then he remembered something.

He gently pushed his little brother, earning himself a look of confusion from the younger boy. "Brother?"

Edward got up from the bed in just his underwear and a t-shirt. Unlike his brother, he didn't wear pajamas; he liked to sleep in just his underwear and a t-shirt. He wasn't as sophisticated as his younger brother.

The older boy walked towards the closet and got a package wrapped in paper. Alphonse raised his eyebrow, confused. "What is that?"

"A little midnight present!" exclaimed Edward with a smile as he handed him the wrapped package. "I was planning on giving it to you on your birthday in a couple of days, but you could do with it today."

Alphonse smiled. "Let's see."

With curious hands, he unwrapped the paper, revealing a very unusual present. Usually Edward would give him a novel as present, or an interesting technical book. But a teddy bear and a pacifier? Now he raised an eyebrow, looking at his older brother as if he was joking.

Edward smiled, putting a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "Well, you can guess what the pacifier is for. That thumb-sucking habit of yours is really cute; thought I could make it cuter. Al, ever since you were ten you've been forced to fend for yourself, you've been forced to become an adult. I want you to take these presents as a peace offering to your past. I want you to be a kid again, grow up at normal pace. I want you to be happy, to get your innocence back. I love you little brother."

Alphonse's eyes were watering, he was really touched. He hugged his brother tightly, "I love you, big brother."

The older boy laughed. "Well, now that I'm mature, I can afford having a 'baby' brother!"

"Next time you know it, you'll put me in diapers." said Alphonse with a laugh as he stuck the pacifier in his mouth and started sucking on it.

Both brothers crawled into bed and hugged each other, with the teddy bear in between them. Alphonse was happy now, he had a caring big brother who would take care of him. Everything would be okay now.

He closed his eyes and started sucking.