Of Days Long Gone By~
Characters: Edward Elric [braided_genius] & Alphonse Elric [bloodseal_soul].
When: After this takes place.
Where: On the roof of Ginia's Bar.
Rating: PG13, just to be on the safe side.
Summary: Alphonse needs to have an important talk with younger!Ed about exactly what he remembers after being pulled here.
Al stayed where he was on the rooftop, until he heard his brother struggling on the tree below. Al slid down, reached out with one long leg and planted himself against the long branches, reaching down with one hand to pull him up.
Ed had somehow managed to find his way to where his - and he shivered as this thought passed through his thoughts - now OLDER brother had said to come. It was just so weird, to meet up with Al and he was... a different age then he. When he saw the hand from above the branches of the tree, he grabbed hold of it, putting his trust at that, within its grasp.
Al was almost shocked at how small the hand was compared to his, and... and that it was his brother's RIGHT hand. A chill that he wasn't sure was good or bad went down his spine before he strongly grasped the hand and lifted Edward to where he could latch an arm around his waist, then scoot backwards until they were both safely away from the edge.
The young Ed made a meeped noise as he was taken hold around the waist and pulled up and above, onto a firm rooftop at last, next to his brother. He blinked a couple of times, a tiny tad on the nervous for a good lot of reasons - but he put up his brave front and remained calm, giving his brother his sturdiest of looks.
Al grinned back, a conspiratorial smile in which it would be easy to see the boy Edward remembered. Al had ended up looking like a very handsome version of their mother. Baby fat gone, a little more mature, but still same old Alphonse. "There weren't any rivers nearby," he said by way of explanation, almost jokingly.
Ed took in Al's smile, the way he just looked like himself... but older... it was still very odd and weird to him, but he knew this was his brother. There couldn't be many other explanations... unless his brother had done some serious talking. He smiled mildly when Al mentioned the river, however - he'd always run off there whenever they had fights. "Looks that way," He added lightly, a little unsure of how to continue. "You.. wanted to talk?"
Al's eyes widened, and a soft blush appeared on his cheeks in the darkness, though the moonlight showed it quite plainly. Apparently he hadn't changed in the least bit, if he was still so blasted easy to read. Al unhooked his arm from around his brother, and hugged his knees, staring off over the skyline of the Safezone. "What's the last thing you remember?"
Ed watched Al carefully, noting all of his mannerisms; there was nothing to compare anymore. This was as much of his brother as he remembered, grew up with - but so much older. It was hard to believe at first, but with everything said and done, this is how things were... at least in this reality or so. The question that Al proposed made him furrow his brows. "Why?" He asked, cautiously.
The "older" of the two rested his arm across his kneecaps, eyelids falling sadly. In the dark he had no cues, no way to search for telltale scars that would mark events. The biggest thing he needed to know was whether Edward had the memory of their mother dying. He almost hoped he would, because he was terrified of Edward beating it out of him. He was a horrible liar and Ed could always, always get things out of him when he had a mind to. "So I don't tell you what happens in the future on accident," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.
Ed remained silent for a few seconds, trying to figure now that this Al was older than he, so he... he knew what was to become of him when he got older too, didn't he? Damnit if this couldn't get any more weirder. "Uhn," He thought or a brief second, trying to pull the nearest memory to him that he'd had. Ed could see it now, the memory still fresh in his head; it really had felt like only a matter of seconds since he'd been to that time. "We were at Winry's house, and she was telling us..." He paused, but continued after slowly. "..That her parents died because of the war." He allowed a small laugh to come through after that sentence. "Then Auntie kicked us out of the house 'cause I was going on about human transmutation."
Alphonse remembered that all too well, felt the tears prickling at his eyes as he stared off into the distance, fighting not to look at the almost magnetic quality of his brother's expressions, his innocence. He remembered that horrible afternoon when the news of Winry's parents came, remembered he and Ed running home to bury their faces in their mother's apron, remembered being so afraid of losing her, being so happy she was home and safe, so they wouldn't ever have to fear her dying. "I remember that," he whispered, and his voice was husky, the edges of tears touching it. He glanced away, discreetly wiping at his face before looking back into the magnetic golden.
The young Ed watched quietly as Al sort of kept to himself, cuddled into himself and whispering after a moments time that he remembered that. It must have been a long time ago for him... His voice didn't sound right though; it sounded kind of like he was sort've... sad? Something felt off and Ed could just feel it within the almost tense air around them, swaying back and forth. "Where is she?.." And moments like that tended to bring about questions of that sort - the kind you never wanted to answer.
A strike of pain went across Al's eyes when his brother asked the question, and if Edward had been older, that would have been the end of that. He would have known without Al saying a word. Al could only look quickly away and hope his brother wasn't so smart now as he was when he got older, mind buzzing with white noise as he tried to think of an acceptable answer that wasn't an outright lie, and though he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Instead he looked like a deer caught in headlights. After a moment he closed his mouth, and tried to avoid those damn eyes.
Edward waited for Al to respond to his question, his mild concern kind of growing a huge lot when he saw that his brother literally had no words to explain with. He seemed to WANT to talk but... coundn't and this only served to make Ed's golden eyes widen; curiosity as well as growing worry fueled. "Al, where is she?!" He demanded more this time, force within his voice raising more. Why wasn't Al talking?! What happened to Mom?! Oh no, oh no...
Al's eyes squeezed shut, fists clenching, knowing there was no way to get out of this, but how do you tell someone their mother was going to die? Shakily, Al reached out and grasped Ed's small hand in his, gathering himself as he stared out at the skyline for a few more seconds, taking deep breaths. When he finally met Edward's gaze he seemed somehow a little boy again, and impossibly old at the same time. "... she's gone, brother," he whispered. "She died."
The few seconds that Al had taken to tell Ed seemed like a slow, endless lifetime of waiting for the younger. The amount of fear and doubt and anxiety would built only to be taken down by opposite forces, his other side trying to rationalize. Yet there was only so much a kid could manage and take hold of, the rest... He couldn't handle hearing this if it were anything other than 'She's fine.' Something deep within himself, however, knew that stage had already long floated on past - there was a reason Al wasn't talking.
"Gone?" He echoed, ghostly after Alphonse had told him in that manner, his hand in Al's hand - the manner in which adults used when things were deathly serious, grave. The boy suddenly felt like he'd aged at a far faster rate than how Al did, his body growing instantly numb and his mind terribly blank. "You mean like -" He was going to say gone from here, this Adstringenwhatever but oh... it was far worse. Ed felt his emotions and everything suddenly rage into an overloaded trigger and all he could think of was run, get away. He didn't like this reality! He yanked his hand away and made a mad dash for the tree.
"Brother!" Al gasped, and made a reach for him, but stopped himself short as the younger boy made for the tree, scrambling down the branches and probably scraping himself raw in the process. He couldn't blame his brother for his reaction, but he also just... tears flooded Al's eyes, and he made himself stay on the roof, even as he watched Ed take off running through the streets. He tracked him with his eyes, but eventually Edward disappeared. His brother wouldn't want him to be there, but... Al was struck cold as the thought came to him, recalling his brother's thought processes, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before he bolted for the tree.
Al privately thanked their time on Yock Island for learning to follow tracks of all sorts, and thankfully the layer of dirt and dust on everything made it much easier to follow the smudged footprints. When he finally happened on his brother, he slowed, down, hesitated, and if Edward would allow him, knelt down, reached out and pulled his brother to him. "I know what you're thinking of," he whispered softly. "I know what you're thinking of and you need to stop thinking it, because it won't work."
He'd ran as fast as his legs could carry him, far away from that Alphonse who knew far too much, far too much of his life then he wanted anyone at all to know. His legs were sore and cut-up from the way he just slid carelessly down the tree; but Ed didn't care. Nothing really mattered right now, expect Mom. Mom. She wasn't meant to die - how, how had she died?! What was the cause? Why?! All sorts of mass confusion and hurt poured into his head as he flew down the streets bore with high rose rubble and assorted building chunks.
He had to fix this, but how? And then the thought struck him, his entire physical side freezing momentarily. Human transmutation. They said it was forbidden, said it was a taboo, off the lists - a sin. But Mom... he had to bring her back, there was no - thought processes were cut off as he realized that the little place he'd decided to hide out in had been found out. He scowled, open his mouth to defend his purpose; but Al beat him to it. He sucked in his lower lip, trying to brave it out instead. "Y-you don't! Just leave me alone!"
Al's eyes slid closed, and a shudder went through him, because he'd guessed right. He'd guessed right, and he could prevent it this time. This time, he could do the right thing and stop him, spare him the pain and the guilt and the terror of it. Even if everything went back to normal, which he knew it would, at least this time he could do it right. Instead of obeying his brother, despite the snapped command, the type of which he usually obeyed, Al set his jaw and hugged his brother harder - for a moment burying his face in Edward's shoulder. He was so small... they really had been so young, and it hurt... it hurt to think about it. Then Al grabbed Ed's biceps and pushed him back at arm's length to look at him, deadly serious, tears in his eyes. "I know EXACTLY what you're thinking, because the first time I went along with it. We tried to transmute mom back to life and it nearly got us KILLED, do you understand me?!" A tear escaped him, raced down his cheek. "We almost DIED!"
The hug that Alphonse gave set Edward off guard for the second time that night. He certainly hadn't been expecting his brother to hug him, of all things to reciprocate. The younger blinked several times rapidly before trying to regain his composure; yet again Al had beat him towards it though with holding him an arms length away. The tone grew even more serious, more so than had - which had to be some hell of a feat considering he just learned that his Mom was dead, or going TO die. He felt an inhuman shiver snake down his body as Alphonse told him eerie words, words that seemed to shake him to his core... Al knew exactly what'd been planning, they'd.. oh.. they had done this before?!
Almost killed, could've died - and here he was, about to attempt to do it all over AGAIN; history repeating itself in an altered reality. If Alphonse hadn't been here... it was becoming too much to think about. He had to fight with himself, holding back some mositure that had formed within his eyes as well; he dared to shallow after. It was so hard not giving into his urges to try and resurrect Mom.
But with everything Alphonse just told him... He.. He... Ed hung his head, his look as well as intent seeming to defeated. "I can't believe-" He choked slightly, "-that."
Al's right hand slowly released Ed's shoulder, he lifted it to momentarily touch his cheek, a tiny, gentle gesture that said much more than words ever could. He didn't have to tell him he wouldn't lie to him, especially not about something like this, he'd never lie about something like this. He could see his brother trying to hold back the tears, trying to keep his cool, and instead of saying anything out loud Alphonse pulled his brother close again, much more gently this time, arms curling around his back, fingers stroking his hair. He couldn't help but remember that day, clinging to their mother's apron, the tears of panic, and their mom's words - Edward, you're a big boy now, what's gotten into you...? Ed never thought it was okay to cry, even if he couldn't help it he hid it from Al, the guilt compounded by the fact that Al couldn't do it. But now... a child, without that on him... Al settled a hand in the soft, messy blonde hair. "You can cry," he whispered, his own voice quavering. "I won't think less of you. Ever."
Being pulled into older Al's arms made the weight of the loss he felt right now soften, if only a little. Carefully he allowed his arms to wrap around Al's back, pulling his much smaller self in and allowing his head to snuggle securely against Al's shoulder. For a minute, all he could do was simply rest his head against the shoulder, waiting, thinking, the hurt within expanding and fluctuating. It really was an odd scenario that was taking place.
He heard Al speak again and say that it was okay to cry - it was okay... He didn't really feel like he was, no- He wasn't going to cry... Ed tried to hold back slightly, feeling slightly embarrassed for it, but when he felt Al's hands come up and bury themselves into his hair the way Mom used to... Hell, hadn't she just done that? Before he'd been pulled here? It was too much emotion to hold in, too much sorrow to bottle away. It hurt, more than anything in the world... so he did what people can only do sometimes when they've had enough wear and tear - he cried.
When: After this takes place.
Where: On the roof of Ginia's Bar.
Rating: PG13, just to be on the safe side.
Summary: Alphonse needs to have an important talk with younger!Ed about exactly what he remembers after being pulled here.
Al stayed where he was on the rooftop, until he heard his brother struggling on the tree below. Al slid down, reached out with one long leg and planted himself against the long branches, reaching down with one hand to pull him up.
Ed had somehow managed to find his way to where his - and he shivered as this thought passed through his thoughts - now OLDER brother had said to come. It was just so weird, to meet up with Al and he was... a different age then he. When he saw the hand from above the branches of the tree, he grabbed hold of it, putting his trust at that, within its grasp.
Al was almost shocked at how small the hand was compared to his, and... and that it was his brother's RIGHT hand. A chill that he wasn't sure was good or bad went down his spine before he strongly grasped the hand and lifted Edward to where he could latch an arm around his waist, then scoot backwards until they were both safely away from the edge.
The young Ed made a meeped noise as he was taken hold around the waist and pulled up and above, onto a firm rooftop at last, next to his brother. He blinked a couple of times, a tiny tad on the nervous for a good lot of reasons - but he put up his brave front and remained calm, giving his brother his sturdiest of looks.
Al grinned back, a conspiratorial smile in which it would be easy to see the boy Edward remembered. Al had ended up looking like a very handsome version of their mother. Baby fat gone, a little more mature, but still same old Alphonse. "There weren't any rivers nearby," he said by way of explanation, almost jokingly.
Ed took in Al's smile, the way he just looked like himself... but older... it was still very odd and weird to him, but he knew this was his brother. There couldn't be many other explanations... unless his brother had done some serious talking. He smiled mildly when Al mentioned the river, however - he'd always run off there whenever they had fights. "Looks that way," He added lightly, a little unsure of how to continue. "You.. wanted to talk?"
Al's eyes widened, and a soft blush appeared on his cheeks in the darkness, though the moonlight showed it quite plainly. Apparently he hadn't changed in the least bit, if he was still so blasted easy to read. Al unhooked his arm from around his brother, and hugged his knees, staring off over the skyline of the Safezone. "What's the last thing you remember?"
Ed watched Al carefully, noting all of his mannerisms; there was nothing to compare anymore. This was as much of his brother as he remembered, grew up with - but so much older. It was hard to believe at first, but with everything said and done, this is how things were... at least in this reality or so. The question that Al proposed made him furrow his brows. "Why?" He asked, cautiously.
The "older" of the two rested his arm across his kneecaps, eyelids falling sadly. In the dark he had no cues, no way to search for telltale scars that would mark events. The biggest thing he needed to know was whether Edward had the memory of their mother dying. He almost hoped he would, because he was terrified of Edward beating it out of him. He was a horrible liar and Ed could always, always get things out of him when he had a mind to. "So I don't tell you what happens in the future on accident," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.
Ed remained silent for a few seconds, trying to figure now that this Al was older than he, so he... he knew what was to become of him when he got older too, didn't he? Damnit if this couldn't get any more weirder. "Uhn," He thought or a brief second, trying to pull the nearest memory to him that he'd had. Ed could see it now, the memory still fresh in his head; it really had felt like only a matter of seconds since he'd been to that time. "We were at Winry's house, and she was telling us..." He paused, but continued after slowly. "..That her parents died because of the war." He allowed a small laugh to come through after that sentence. "Then Auntie kicked us out of the house 'cause I was going on about human transmutation."
Alphonse remembered that all too well, felt the tears prickling at his eyes as he stared off into the distance, fighting not to look at the almost magnetic quality of his brother's expressions, his innocence. He remembered that horrible afternoon when the news of Winry's parents came, remembered he and Ed running home to bury their faces in their mother's apron, remembered being so afraid of losing her, being so happy she was home and safe, so they wouldn't ever have to fear her dying. "I remember that," he whispered, and his voice was husky, the edges of tears touching it. He glanced away, discreetly wiping at his face before looking back into the magnetic golden.
The young Ed watched quietly as Al sort of kept to himself, cuddled into himself and whispering after a moments time that he remembered that. It must have been a long time ago for him... His voice didn't sound right though; it sounded kind of like he was sort've... sad? Something felt off and Ed could just feel it within the almost tense air around them, swaying back and forth. "Where is she?.." And moments like that tended to bring about questions of that sort - the kind you never wanted to answer.
A strike of pain went across Al's eyes when his brother asked the question, and if Edward had been older, that would have been the end of that. He would have known without Al saying a word. Al could only look quickly away and hope his brother wasn't so smart now as he was when he got older, mind buzzing with white noise as he tried to think of an acceptable answer that wasn't an outright lie, and though he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Instead he looked like a deer caught in headlights. After a moment he closed his mouth, and tried to avoid those damn eyes.
Edward waited for Al to respond to his question, his mild concern kind of growing a huge lot when he saw that his brother literally had no words to explain with. He seemed to WANT to talk but... coundn't and this only served to make Ed's golden eyes widen; curiosity as well as growing worry fueled. "Al, where is she?!" He demanded more this time, force within his voice raising more. Why wasn't Al talking?! What happened to Mom?! Oh no, oh no...
Al's eyes squeezed shut, fists clenching, knowing there was no way to get out of this, but how do you tell someone their mother was going to die? Shakily, Al reached out and grasped Ed's small hand in his, gathering himself as he stared out at the skyline for a few more seconds, taking deep breaths. When he finally met Edward's gaze he seemed somehow a little boy again, and impossibly old at the same time. "... she's gone, brother," he whispered. "She died."
The few seconds that Al had taken to tell Ed seemed like a slow, endless lifetime of waiting for the younger. The amount of fear and doubt and anxiety would built only to be taken down by opposite forces, his other side trying to rationalize. Yet there was only so much a kid could manage and take hold of, the rest... He couldn't handle hearing this if it were anything other than 'She's fine.' Something deep within himself, however, knew that stage had already long floated on past - there was a reason Al wasn't talking.
"Gone?" He echoed, ghostly after Alphonse had told him in that manner, his hand in Al's hand - the manner in which adults used when things were deathly serious, grave. The boy suddenly felt like he'd aged at a far faster rate than how Al did, his body growing instantly numb and his mind terribly blank. "You mean like -" He was going to say gone from here, this Adstringenwhatever but oh... it was far worse. Ed felt his emotions and everything suddenly rage into an overloaded trigger and all he could think of was run, get away. He didn't like this reality! He yanked his hand away and made a mad dash for the tree.
"Brother!" Al gasped, and made a reach for him, but stopped himself short as the younger boy made for the tree, scrambling down the branches and probably scraping himself raw in the process. He couldn't blame his brother for his reaction, but he also just... tears flooded Al's eyes, and he made himself stay on the roof, even as he watched Ed take off running through the streets. He tracked him with his eyes, but eventually Edward disappeared. His brother wouldn't want him to be there, but... Al was struck cold as the thought came to him, recalling his brother's thought processes, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before he bolted for the tree.
Al privately thanked their time on Yock Island for learning to follow tracks of all sorts, and thankfully the layer of dirt and dust on everything made it much easier to follow the smudged footprints. When he finally happened on his brother, he slowed, down, hesitated, and if Edward would allow him, knelt down, reached out and pulled his brother to him. "I know what you're thinking of," he whispered softly. "I know what you're thinking of and you need to stop thinking it, because it won't work."
He'd ran as fast as his legs could carry him, far away from that Alphonse who knew far too much, far too much of his life then he wanted anyone at all to know. His legs were sore and cut-up from the way he just slid carelessly down the tree; but Ed didn't care. Nothing really mattered right now, expect Mom. Mom. She wasn't meant to die - how, how had she died?! What was the cause? Why?! All sorts of mass confusion and hurt poured into his head as he flew down the streets bore with high rose rubble and assorted building chunks.
He had to fix this, but how? And then the thought struck him, his entire physical side freezing momentarily. Human transmutation. They said it was forbidden, said it was a taboo, off the lists - a sin. But Mom... he had to bring her back, there was no - thought processes were cut off as he realized that the little place he'd decided to hide out in had been found out. He scowled, open his mouth to defend his purpose; but Al beat him to it. He sucked in his lower lip, trying to brave it out instead. "Y-you don't! Just leave me alone!"
Al's eyes slid closed, and a shudder went through him, because he'd guessed right. He'd guessed right, and he could prevent it this time. This time, he could do the right thing and stop him, spare him the pain and the guilt and the terror of it. Even if everything went back to normal, which he knew it would, at least this time he could do it right. Instead of obeying his brother, despite the snapped command, the type of which he usually obeyed, Al set his jaw and hugged his brother harder - for a moment burying his face in Edward's shoulder. He was so small... they really had been so young, and it hurt... it hurt to think about it. Then Al grabbed Ed's biceps and pushed him back at arm's length to look at him, deadly serious, tears in his eyes. "I know EXACTLY what you're thinking, because the first time I went along with it. We tried to transmute mom back to life and it nearly got us KILLED, do you understand me?!" A tear escaped him, raced down his cheek. "We almost DIED!"
The hug that Alphonse gave set Edward off guard for the second time that night. He certainly hadn't been expecting his brother to hug him, of all things to reciprocate. The younger blinked several times rapidly before trying to regain his composure; yet again Al had beat him towards it though with holding him an arms length away. The tone grew even more serious, more so than had - which had to be some hell of a feat considering he just learned that his Mom was dead, or going TO die. He felt an inhuman shiver snake down his body as Alphonse told him eerie words, words that seemed to shake him to his core... Al knew exactly what'd been planning, they'd.. oh.. they had done this before?!
Almost killed, could've died - and here he was, about to attempt to do it all over AGAIN; history repeating itself in an altered reality. If Alphonse hadn't been here... it was becoming too much to think about. He had to fight with himself, holding back some mositure that had formed within his eyes as well; he dared to shallow after. It was so hard not giving into his urges to try and resurrect Mom.
But with everything Alphonse just told him... He.. He... Ed hung his head, his look as well as intent seeming to defeated. "I can't believe-" He choked slightly, "-that."
Al's right hand slowly released Ed's shoulder, he lifted it to momentarily touch his cheek, a tiny, gentle gesture that said much more than words ever could. He didn't have to tell him he wouldn't lie to him, especially not about something like this, he'd never lie about something like this. He could see his brother trying to hold back the tears, trying to keep his cool, and instead of saying anything out loud Alphonse pulled his brother close again, much more gently this time, arms curling around his back, fingers stroking his hair. He couldn't help but remember that day, clinging to their mother's apron, the tears of panic, and their mom's words - Edward, you're a big boy now, what's gotten into you...? Ed never thought it was okay to cry, even if he couldn't help it he hid it from Al, the guilt compounded by the fact that Al couldn't do it. But now... a child, without that on him... Al settled a hand in the soft, messy blonde hair. "You can cry," he whispered, his own voice quavering. "I won't think less of you. Ever."
Being pulled into older Al's arms made the weight of the loss he felt right now soften, if only a little. Carefully he allowed his arms to wrap around Al's back, pulling his much smaller self in and allowing his head to snuggle securely against Al's shoulder. For a minute, all he could do was simply rest his head against the shoulder, waiting, thinking, the hurt within expanding and fluctuating. It really was an odd scenario that was taking place.
He heard Al speak again and say that it was okay to cry - it was okay... He didn't really feel like he was, no- He wasn't going to cry... Ed tried to hold back slightly, feeling slightly embarrassed for it, but when he felt Al's hands come up and bury themselves into his hair the way Mom used to... Hell, hadn't she just done that? Before he'd been pulled here? It was too much emotion to hold in, too much sorrow to bottle away. It hurt, more than anything in the world... so he did what people can only do sometimes when they've had enough wear and tear - he cried.