ACTION ☣ TWO

[alchemyisppl]

[wandering through the hotel, just looking around and taking stock of the different themes; currently on the Oriental floor, trying to figure out exactly what culture the theme is from]

This place...is far too strange.

[takes a peek inside the public bathhouse at the end of the hall, then walks up to a piece of decoration in the hall, thoughtful

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[alkahestic]

[stepping out of the bathhouse, with a towel wrapped around him, when he sees the glow of alchemic light]

...Brother?

[alkahestic]

[places a hand on Ed's leg, giving him a earnest and sincere look]

I never hated you, Brother. You... You sacrificed a part of yourself to save me then, and then... You sacrificed all of yourself to save me again... To give me this body back...

Brother, you made me; kept me alive... How could I hate you for that?

[alchemyisppl]

[looks up at the touch, taking in Al's expression; stares for a brief moment, then turns away again]

Yes- but- ...I mean, seeing you now, knowing you were able to get your body back after all...makes it all worth it, but...not even back then? The thought...never crossed your mind to hate me? I...I put you inside a cold, senseless prison for years, with little hope of ever changing your existence as a soul bound, trapped, to the world...

Did you never...wish I had let you go? You never thought that I had been selfish to keep you with me?

[alkahestic]

[shakes his head]

No, not even then. Just thinking about how much it must've hurt... to... [moves his hand down to Ed's automail knee, gently tracing the metal carvings through his pant leg] Winry said that... that it must've hurt more than... And you did that for me, Brother. I could never hate you for that.

why does using the <small> html amuse me so? |D;

[alchemyisppl]

[shivers; the scarred tissue just above the metal port is extra-sensitive, and with Al's touch through the fabric of his pants, it takes his breath away]

A-al...

[lifts his head up and leans his forehead against Al's shoulder]

Losing you...even the thought of losing you...hurts more than any physical pain. The pain from my automail doesn't even add up to paying you back for the loss of your body; a loss that was...entirely my fault.

|D i-idk, my bff ed?

[alkahestic]

[pulls his hand away tentatively]

A-ah... sorry, did I...?

[reaches for Ed's real hand, entwining their fingers together]

It wasn't your fault, Brother... I helped too, remember? If anything, I should've stopped you because I know I was the only one that could've. But I went along with it because... Because I wanted to seem Mother again too. And that's in the past now. What important is that we have each other, right? We're together again...

Прости меня, младший бра - *is shot*

[alchemyisppl]

[curls his fingers against Al's hand, clenching tightly]

You wouldn't have if I hadn't been the stupid, stubborn one to suggest the idea in the first place, Al! And it was my arrogance that robbed you of your body... It may be in the past, but I...I still want to make those lost years up to you...

don't cry for the past now, brother mine~

[alkahestic]

[pulls him close, leaning against him]

Don't think about it, Brother. Neither of us are free from blame... Besides, it is in the past and we're together again. And... And I can... I can feel you again, Brother...

my brother, i was a fool...

[alchemyisppl]

[stiffens, then relaxes into the embrace, closing his eyes and shaking his head]

I know it's the past for you, Al, but for me...I just saw you, not two days ago! Still trapped in the armor, still...still deprived of the life I took from you... I want to forget that all, Al, but I... I can't.

[pulls his hand out of Al's and brings it up to lightly touch his brother's cheek]

It is so nice to feel you again, though...

clinging to the past, i shed our blood~

[alkahestic]

Brother... you didn't take anything away from me. I promise. You gave me the chance to live after we both made a foolish mistake. We flew too close to the sun, remember?

I... I can't make you forget, but... you shouldn't focus on just that. Shouldn't we live now? We both have our feet and we can still walk... and we're together.

[sighs softly, leaning into Ed's touch]

I... I missed this so much...