Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Our Brothers ❯ Acceptance? ( Chapter 13 )

Our Brothers

By: joyfulmusic

 

I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. None of it… Ain't that just so sad?

Warnings: A few small spoilers. There are some thoughts of suicide, and there will be an eating disorder... or two.

 

 

Chapter 13: Acceptance

 

Edward sat in one of the kitchen chairs. I'd turned it to face toward the hallway. Cleaned up he looked quite handsome. Still, I could tell that his missing arm and leg worried him. That was part of what had scared his little brother that morning. Now as the sun faded he prepared himself to face his sibling again.

 

I knocked on the bedroom door. “Al could you come out here?” Stepping back I prayed his reaction would be better than it had before.

 

The boy opened it and looked at me. I could see the slight fear in his eyes. He wanted so much to please me, just as much as he wanted to accept his brother. But it was hard for him. Ed had seemed to age nine years in a span of time he wasn't able to measure. His sibling had lost an arm and leg. It was like seeing a whole other person.

 

I watched as he turned to face Edward. Their eyes locked, a hopeful smile passed over Ed's face. He seemed hesitant to reach out. I knew he feared being rejected again. To him his brother had been resurrected, brought back to life. Now they stood, only a foot apart, but with years between them.

 

Al's lip quivered a little. His eyes passed from his brother's face down to his missing arm. He stared at it for a moment. Then moved down to where a leg should be, again he hesitated. Slowly his gaze rose back to his face. Apprehension was hanging thickly in the air.

 

Ed's eyes scanned his brother. Noting every little detail; his gray eyes, his hair, hands, features. Memories seemed to be coming back, bringing with them tears of joy. I watched as he stretched out his arm calling his brother into a hug. Hoping against hope that he would be given a second chance.

 

Tears ran down the young child's face. He turned to me, his look questioning `This really is brother?' As I nodded he turned back to Edward who was crying now. His eyes pleading for acceptance.

 

Al ran into his siblings embrace. “Brother.” He sobbed into the young man's shoulder, his grip as tight as he could get it. “I missed you so much.” The voice of the boy broke.

 

Ed kissed his brother's head. “I missed you too Al.” Sobs racked through him as he held the young boy. Tears of joy spilled forth from his eyes. He seemed to whisper a prayer of thanks to the heavens above.

 

I turned to walk into the bedroom. This was no time for an extra person. I didn't belong. Yet as I started through the doorway I felt something. In an instant Alphonse had come and was hugging my waist. “Ona it's really him! It's brother!” I kneeled down to embrace him tightly.

 

Looking over I could see a smile on Edward's face. He knew that I needed to care for this young boy as much as he did. I closed my eyes and hugged him close. “Yeah Al, it's him.” Finally someone would be able to experience a happy reunion, even if it wasn't me.

 

He backed away from me slowly. Then turned and went to stand before his older brother. “I'm sorry, about this morning.” He mumbled, hands behind his back, his face full of sorrow.

 

Ed ruffled the child's hair. “I'm sorry too. I should have found you.” He pulled Al into another hug. “I don't know how to make it up to you.” Al didn't pull away. Instead he whispered something about it being ok.

 

I leaned against the wall, watching them. There were tears in my own eyes. They deserve another chance. After all they've been through. Maybe this time things will go better for them.

 

 

That night Al helped me make a special dinner. We had steak and potato salad along with a few more vegetables. I sat them out on the table, careful not to burn myself in the process. Everything looked just right for the occasion. Al had folded the napkins perfectly before setting them out.

 

After the prayer the boy looked up at his brother smiling. “The cake is really good. I added chocolate chips to the batter!” I smiled, remembering Emery's cupcakes.

 

Ed grinned, “That sounds great Al.” He picked up his fork and began eating the potato salad. Then he took a bite of vegetables. I watched as he ate around the steak, not saying anything to either of us.

 

He can't cut it with the fork, it's too tough. Immediately I felt bad at my choice for the main dish. I'll have to remember that. As I started to over to help Alphonse stood and walked over to Edward's side.

 

“Don't worry brother, I'll help you.” He moved the plate in front of him then picked up the knife and fork. Slowly he cut it into bite-size chunks. Then he moved it back before his sibling. “There, that's better.”

 

Ed smiled down at his plate. “Thanks Al.” He took the first bite slowly. “Mmm. This tastes wonderful Ona.”

 

Al nodded in agreement, moving back to his own seat. He sat down and took a bite of his meat. “Yeah sis, it's fantastic!”

 

I looked to Ed, afraid that Alphonse calling me sis would be a problem. Yet, to my surprise, he didn't seem to mind at all. He didn't even look at me, or seem to acknowledge it. He was acting as though it were something perfectly normal. I was grateful for his response, or lack there of.

 

“You know what brother?” Al was talking with his mouth full. “When I first got my body back sis and I made a cake to celebrate!” His pale face beamed with pride. “We made the icing and even dropped two eggs! But sis didn't mind at all.”

 

Edward nodded to him smiling, and then he looked at me. I could see something in his eyes. It was a type of gratitude I'd never been shown before. I'd never done anything to deserve such a look. It felt odd, having been able to help a little boy so much, after having failed Emery.

 

“We walked to town and got ice-cream last week.” Al was enjoying himself thoroughly, completely forgetting about his dinner. “I can take you later, and we'll get some. They have so many flavors, you just won't believe it! Oh and you have to see the stream! It's so cold but I had fun playing in it anyway. And we can catch fish even though sis doesn't like them.”

 

His brother was eating and nodding thoughtfully. There was a hidden pain in his face that the child didn't seem to detect. Ed couldn't walk with him to all the places he was speaking of. He could hardly get in and out of the truck. I was sure that was the source of the pained look in his eyes.

 

“Al.” I stopped the boy, placing a hand on his. “You're food is going to get cold and so will the cake.” I sounded like my mother had so many years ago.

 

He looked up at me with realization dawning over him. His head bobbed up and down concurring. Then he quit talking and began to eat, a little quicker than he should have. He obviously wanted to get on with the dessert.

 

 

As Al cleared the dishes, I got out the cake and sat it on the table. The hidden hurt in his brother's face was still there. It pained me so I whispered into his ear softly, “Don't worry, I'll fix it.”

 

Al brought back the plates and forks. “It's going to be great! I added a whole bag of chocolate chips!” He proudly cut the cake using a spatula then dipped some out for each of us. The icing was thicker than I'd planned it to be. But Al had wanted to make the cake himself, so I had let him.

 

“Where is everyone going to sleep?” Al questioned me as he took his first bite, icing sticking to his top lip. He licked it off instead of using a napkin.

 

“I'll pull out the cot and put it up in the bedroom. One of you can sleep on it while the other sleeps on the bed.” I took a bite before finishing. Somehow he'd gotten the icing perfect. “Then I'll be in here on the couch.”

 

“I can sleep on the cot.” Ed volunteered, tasting his slice of cake.

 

Alphonse frowned at the remark. “No.” His voice was hurt. “You need the bed. I can sleep on the cot.”

 

The elder turned to him. “No Al, really, I'll be fine. You need the bed, the way you used to toss and turn. I bet you still do.” He smirked making him look like the child I'd seen in the old newspapers.

 

“No.” Now the boy sounded resolute. “You need the bed. I'll be fine brother.” Ed started to protest. “Please brother, let me do something for you.” He gave his sibling the puppy-dog look.

 

I looked at the young mans eyes as the child spoke. They lit with happiness; Al was apparently the same as he remembered. “Who says you get to chose?” He started joking. He was certainly still a child at heart.

 

Al picked up on it immediately. “I say I get to!”

 

I watched, smiling, as the two quarreled over who would get to help who. In the end it was decided that Edward would get the bed, and his brother would be sleeping on the cot.

 

 

Al set up the folding bed and went to sleep early. The day had been long and hard on him. His body still wasn't used to being lived in. While it had become stronger, stress tended to exhaust him easily. Which can happen to children anyway.

 

Edward and I sat on the couch listening to soft music on the radio. Everything seemed so peaceful. The stars shown though the windows. The moon was full. The dishes were done and I had nothing left to do but relax. It felt so good.

 

“He's exactly like he was when we were children.” Ed was gazing into space, a smile on his lips that made him look so young. “It's like nothing ever happened.”

 

I watched him. My heart was already starting to be pulled from the cage I'd locked it in two years prior. “I'm sorry about dinner. I guess I just wasn't thinking.”

 

His gaze moved to meet mine, golden eyes shining like diamonds. “It's alright.” Ed took in a deep breath. “It was nice, having him willing to help me. But everything he's wanting to do… I can't.” His voice had turned soft and sad, causing me to frown slightly.

 

I laid my head against the back of the couch, my eyes closed. “I can get you a wheelchair.” I whispered softly. “It won't be much help around this small house, but it would do for going places.”

 

“They cost money.” He murmured, laying his head back and turning it toward me. “You shouldn't have to buy me one. I'll just have to speak with Al about it.”

 

I shook my head smiling. My eyes were still shut and my breath had become soft and drawn out. “I'm not gonna buy one. The guy that made Al's body has some. He won't mind giving you one.”

 

Edward was yawning when I finally opened my eyes. “I think I need to lie down.” He moved to get up. Then he smiled back at me “Night Ona.”

 

“Night.” I whispered, watching him go. Then I closed my eyes and fell asleep.