Fanart by crucified-serpent on Tumblr.
wahhhh this was originally so cute but I LITERALLY TOLD MYSELF TO MAKE IT SHORT SHORT SHORT AND WHAT DID I DO?? MADE A 10,301 WORD ONE SHOT THAT'S WHAT ;-; So actually I ended up just posting that as a completely separate fic and decided to do a shorter one instead, with a more basic and straightforward plot. Really broad prompts like the one I had hopes for tend to take on a mind of their own because of how many branching details can be added.
So if you'd like to see the original plan I had for this, the book is called "It's Not Alchemy, It's Chemistry*" (kind of a play on words, eheh). Anyway, enjoy this little drabble for now I guess. It's completely different from the first idea I had, so yeah.
p.s: Please don't throw bottles at anybody in the comments over this pairing, no one's obligating you to read it. Kindly skip to the next chapter if it's not your cup of tea.
"Edward Elric."
The blonde looked up from his comfortably positioned sketchpad to see another body.
"You have been across this train car from me for the last half an hour. And you won't let me see what you're drawing at all."
The artist shrugged in response, nonchalantly bringing the notebook's face to his chest. "Maybe I don't want you to."
The younger sibling rolled his eyes and took his previous seat. It had been a nice holiday weekend at Winry's, and now it was time to resume the back-achingly long work week in Central.
"Y'know, Mom always said... Share your happiness... Because it's contagious, after all..." Al attempted (poorly) to sound casual, whistling innocently as his brother paid no mind.
"Maybe one day, but not anytime soon." He replied through his teeth, which were holding a few art supplies for him. "It's more like a cold that you don't wanna catch."
A giggle came from the opposite side of the car. "I'm only joking. I could never ask you to do something you're not comfortable with."
Ed looked up for a moment, stared at his brother for a solid five seconds, and went back to work.
The clacking of the rails filled in any silence that attempted to hang in the air. It was always a soothing sound to Alphonse. Having traveled with Edward his whole life, it was nostalgic and comforting. Railroad noise was almost more homely than Resembool.
"You have the work ethic of a motor when you're drawing, you know that?"
"Yeah."
Alphonse hummed to himself as he stared aimlessly about the car; the fabrics seams of the seats, out the window, back at his brother. Despite the fact that Ed was virtually absent from any conversation, it was still nice to have someone to travel with.
The train began to slow to a quiet stop. It was getting darker out by the minute, which meant that the mosquitoes would be a thousand times quicker to greet the passengers than any escort.
"Who do you think it'll be today?" Edward questioned, folding his sketchbook gently, a pencil behind his ear.
"I don't know." Al extended a hand for his sibling to stand up, who took it graciously. "Maybe Lieutenant Hawkeye today."
"I sure hope so. She's twice as good a driver as that new guy."
The two chuckled and stepped outside the train car, greeted with a rush of late-night spring wind.
"You're late." A familiar, harsh female voice rang in the empty station.
Alphonse provided an apologetic look, and the body next to him shrugged.
"Not our fault."
Riza, appearing annoyed, muttered a "Fine, let me drive you back to headquarters." and lead the boys to the familiar black car.
The ride back to Central HQ was long and awkward as usual, what with Ed and Riza's uncanny inability to make a small talk. At one point, the blonde haired woman wondered out loud what the boys had been up to for their weekend, and a thankful Alphonse was ready to answer. That is, until his brother cut him off with "None of your business."
Finding decent parking outside of HQ was always tricky, but nearing midnight, ample spots were available. Everyone hopped out of the car, eager to finally settle in for the night.
The two stepped in the elevator and rode to the second floor, shivering down the cool hallway to the familiar door. Edward's face flushed once reaching it. He sighed and wiped the little hanging whiteboard clean of its marker. Each door had one, only theirs was often 'decorated' with choice words by a childish colonel.
Alphonse sighed and entered the cold flat behind his brother. " 'Bromos'? Really?"
"Yeah, real mature."
Edward sighed, throwing his sketchbook carelessly onto the breakfast table and now exiting to the showers. As the door closed behind him, a few pages fluttered back, falling to the most recently drawn.
Speechless, Al took the book in his hand. He leafed through a few other pages, all with similar pictures.
Al.
Al as a suit of armor. Al gaining his body back. Al as a young child, beaming directly at the viewer. Al weeping in front of a puddle on the ground.
"Brother..."
He quickly snapped the cover shut and placed it back on the table, afraid of what Edward would think if he saw his brother looking through it.
Edward returned to the room, towel binding his waist and damp hair ticking his back.
Alphonse wore a plastered smile. His brother knit his eyebrows and closed the door behind him, sending the notebook's pages flying open.
"This damn book..."
He ran over to the table, swiftly closing it and throwing it under his bed, when he felt a pit in his stomach.
Edward turned back to Al.
"You saw them..."
Face burning, the blonde rushed to the apartment's bathroom and barricaded himself inside. Alphonse stood up from the chair and walked slowly to Ed's stronghold.
He sighed and held his hand up to knock, but a voice stopped him.
"I'm sorry." The voice grew shaky.
Al's smiled softly. "It's alright, brother. I lo--"
"Stop."
Though the door was completely opaque, Alphonse could tell that his sibling was seated with his back against the door.
"I think you're beautiful. And I'm ashamed that I say this about my sibling. But you... You mean more to me than all the stars and the planets in the sky, and all of the constellations that connect them. A rose is just as sweet by any other name. You are just as kind, intelligent, and wonderful and splendid and magnificent and pulchritudinous... Whether you're my brother or not."
Alphonse provided no response. He felt a similar pit in his stomach. This was the brother he looked up to?
I mean... People have always commented that we're a little close for brothers, but we sort of had to use each other for comfort once Mom passed away...
Alphonse whispered to the door. "Ed?"
"Go away."
The younger rolled eyes and cracked the door, sliding some clothes in for his brother. "Not looking."
Once Edward changed, he still remained in the bathroom. Alphonse knew he couldn't just ask someone else to help him come out of there, and it was already one in the morning.
It's not like the bathroom door was lockable, but Ed knew that his brother respected boundaries too much to just barge in. I wish I could stay in here forever. Or sneak out somehow and run away from him. P
"Edward." Al sighed, flatly. "I'm not coming in. So you're going to have to come out."
He could tell Ed was shaking his head in response, despite the lack of verbal reply.
That's when he got an idea. Al walked away from the door, and over to the window. He screamed, "Who are you? Why are you in our--No! Let me go!"
Ed rolled his eyes. He cracked the for to the bathroom, and entered the room, head down, smiling. "You always were an atrocious liar."
Al smiled. There was an awfully long pause between the two.
"What are you staring at?" Ed covered his reddening face.
"Well, did you happen to think anything pertaining to what I thought about you?"
Ed looked back to his brother. He as right. He didn't even acknowledge what Al's take on the situation might be. He just assumed that his brother would leave him for dead after that.
"Alright, then... How do you feel about all of this?" Ed sighed, matching his younger sibling's tone.
Al tried to smirk, and then broke out laughing. Once he calmed down, he looked back to Ed, and tried again.
"I want you to draw me like one of your French girls."
Al continued to laugh hysterically while his brother lightly punched his shoulder over and over. "Hey! Stop that! That's not funny!"
"The smile on your face says otherwise."
Ed rolled his eyes again and shook his head. "Al. For real. Be serious."
He calmed down, and panted heavily from all of his giggles. "Phew, okay. You know what I think?"
"I think..." Al reached for his brother's hand. "I love you too."
Ed ceased examining the floor for a moment, a smile spreading across his face like a wildfire. It had been a long time since he'd had that expression, and both of them knew it. He reached a free hand to Al's face and brushed a wisp of hair away before locking eyes.
The next thing Edward knew, he was launched into a sweet kiss on the lips by his brother, arms finding their ways around both bodies. Al pulled away and held his head to Ed's chest.
"You're so good at art. I wish I could draw you like that." He muffled.
"I know." The blonde sighed. "Maybe I'll teach you."
"Would you?" The younger looked back up from Ed's chest.
"Of course." He smiled back and kissed the top of his head. "Anything for you."
Uwahhh so sweet. >.< I feel so bad for shipping these guys honestly I can't apologize enough