armoured | Open RP Post

[It's just like Ed to downplay the amazing thing that he's done. But Al knows that his brother is a true hero, and very few people would actually have given up such an intrinsic part of themselves to save someone else.

He wants to say these things, but the words get lost on the way to his lips when he sees Ed's tears. He reaches up a wafer-thin arm and touches his brother's cheek. His fingers tremble just from the mild exertion, but he doesn't allow his arm to drop down.]

Wow.

[He sounds awed, and a little bit like a child at Christmas.]

I forgot what wet felt like. [He laughs suddenly. Short and sharp and joyful.] I can't believe I forgot what wet felt like!

[ Ed would give up his entire life if it meant saving Al. He'd do anything to see his brother happy, healthy, whole. He feels strange, knowing that if he tried to perform alchemy of any kind, nothing would happen. It's still a strange knee-jerk reaction to use it when his soul no longer holds the ability. ]

Al, I'm --

[ but then there are fingers against his cheek -- shaky, weak, too-thin fingers -- but they're Al's, full of warmth and tenderness that the armor could not have come close to providing. ]

Wet? [ Maybe it's the realization on his brother's face, the joyful laugh, but Ed finds the tears fall even harder. ] This is real, isn't it? [ he reaches to take Al's hand with his own, squeezing it gently, holding it in place. ] You're lucky I don't go throw you out in the fountain right now, let you see what really being wet is like. I'd say that'd be fun, don't you?

[It's easier with Ed holding his hand in place, it means he can relax his straining muscles and put the burden on Ed. It seems like a perfect allegory for their life in the last few years, Ed making sure that he's always there to help shoulder things when they get too heavy.]

Yeah, I'd really like that, but I think the doctors might frown at you.

[It's still so surreal to him. He's been used to being a powerhouse - no pain, no fatigue, just strength to carry on. And now he's bed bound, weak as a newborn kitten, and with a long road of recovery ahead.]

I can't wait to have a bath, and to feel the rain... I can't believe how much wet there is that I forgot about.

Edited 2015-07-21 11:06 (UTC)

I think they'd do more than frown at me. They're still waiting for my arm to fall off, I think.

[ He flexes his fingers absently, expecting to hear the clink of metal. That will take getting used to, knowing that his arm is no longer so easily fixed. But it must be even worse for Al. ]

Whoa, whoa, slow down, Al. Don't go too crazy. A whole bath? I think that's too much.

[ he carefully sets Al's hand back down, every touch gentle, careful. ] We'll have to look at that list of food, too. I'm sure I could come up with one or two things you can have while you're in here.

[Al's fingers curl inside Ed's when his arm is lowered, and his eyes slide down to lock on the sight of those impossible fingers interlaced. Two new arms pulled from nothing, the long nails and paper-thin skin telling the tale of how hard the battle to get them back had been.]

--Food!

[His eyes open impossibly wide. He's startled by the realisation that he can actually eat now, even if his stomach probably isn't prepared to accept any kind of solids yet. Surprise fades quickly into excitement, and he grips Ed's hand a bit tighter.]

Do you really think you could get me some, Brother? I don't even care what it is, just... please?

Maybe not right away, but I will. Have to get you nice and strong first, okay?

[ with that, Ed shifts at his place on the bedside, doing exactly what the doctors frowned upon by wedging himself in the small space left on the bed without moving Al. he reclines, leaning back to lay beside his brother, like they used to. ]

What do you think you'll want first, huh? Granny's stew? [ he teases, squeezing his brother's hand in return. he tugs his hand away only to rub at his new arm, still surprised to find warm flesh instead of metal. ]

Or an ice cream sundae? We'll do that and more, okay? I promise.

[Al wants to shift aside a little bit to give Ed more room, but somehow his body feels simply too heavy to move. It almost makes him laugh, the stupid juxtaposition of his body feeling so heavy when he's so dangerously underweight, but he forces his mind to stop chasing tangents and pay attention to his brother.

He compromises by turning his head more to look at his brother properly. Even that small movement causes bits of hair to snap off. It may have grown long over his time in the Gate, but it's also brittle as hell from the malnutrition, it's been breaking off ever since he got to the hospital.]

Mm, that all sounds so good, I can't believe I still have to wait to eat it, though.

[He sighs, even if he's still too enamoured with his body to be truly disappointed in anything.]

I always thought my first day with my body back, I'd spend it stuffing my face full of all the food I could get my hands on.

[ Al is so unhealthy, unwell, and he knows he shouldn't wedging himself into a small space of the bed, but they haven't been able to be like this, just brothers, for a long time. they've always been Alchemists, the boys fighting for their bodies back. now they're just Al and Ed. simple. ]

I'm sorry, not too long, though. Then I'll make them bring everything in for you to try, okay? A whole feast at your bedside. What do you say?

[ whether the hospital staff will allow it or not, Ed doesn't care. if his brother wanted to eat a whale, he'd find a way to get the thing in the room for him. ]

There's so much we didn't know, Al. [ he wishes he could have kept Al's body healthy. it's his fault after all that Al spent so long from it, and the guilt will forever tug at his chest. ] You're just stuck with me a while longer. [ he sees where the strands of hair snap so easily and he frowns. ] You'll get healthy and we'll get you back on your feet and fed and then nothing will be able to stop you. I'm not going anywhere, Al, I promise. Besides, they want to poke and prod at my arm, anyway.

[ he has his metal leg still, though whether Al knows that or not it's difficult to say. even laying here, Ed's body still throbs from the strain of the battle. ]

I know.

[He can see the guilt clouding Ed's amber eyes and it wrenches painfully inside his chest. This should be a day for celebration, they've finally achieved their goals, but he can see that Ed feels responsible for every tiny imperfection.

Al, however, smiles beatifically. His own eyes are warm and soft and full of love, and his tone is as proud as can be.]

I don't care that we didn't know, and I don't even really care that I have to wait to eat something, because there's so much I still have now. My bones and muscles hurt, and that's... it's amazing! I keep moving my legs under the sheets just so I can feel them ache. And I can feel the cold of the air, and best of all, I can feel your skin when you touch me and it's so warm.

You gave this to me, Brother.

...Thank you.

[ it's not easy to shake the guilt, the shame, the uncertainty of it all. it's partnered well with the joy, filling his chest to near bursting. he tries not to let it reach his face, but he's never been one to hide his feelings that easily, not with his brother around.

he rolls onto his side, so he may look at his brother more completely, and see the sunken cheekbones, the brittle hair, the sallow skin, and yet when he gets to his eyes? it's Al, the bright, earnest younger brother he watched die years ago.

Al's talking again, about the pain, the cold, the warmth, everything new he's experiencing and Ed's sure he hears it, that behind the strange pressure in his ears he's understanding it all, despite the hot tears that roll down his cheeks again. he's not sure if they're from fear, if they're from relief, fatigue.

how long has he shouldered the weight of his sins? and suddenly, they've reached absolution, absolved of their crimes, offering everything to save each other, to save the world. if they hadn't succeeded in killing Father, what would be left? it all comes down to this hospital bed, to two brothers so happy to be whole and alive. suddenly, Ed laughs through the tears, bright and happy and sounding more alive now than he has ever before. ]

Anytime, Al. [ he rubs at his face to clear it of the tears. everything will change now, and it's what they've been hoping for. ] I guess if I tried to fight you right now, I'd win for a change, huh? [ a sigh, a shrug. ] You should rest, Al. I bet they'll have a long few weeks ahead for you, but it's going to be worth every bit of it.

[His eyes light up all of a sudden as if Ed has just given him a present of incalculable worth.]

You're right, Brother, I should rest.

[He sounds so excited. He's probably the first person to get this enthusiastic over the possibility of sleep, but it's been so long and the nights had been the hardest time for him. Now that's over. Now, for the first time in six years, he'll be able to close his eyes and sink into unconsciousness. He suits his actions to his words and closes his eyes at once, still smiling like an idiot. However, once his eyes are closed, it doesn't take long before he's actually asleep.

--

Al does little more than sleep for the next ten days. His body is weak and fragile beyond belief, and he needs all the rest that he can manage. His periods of wakefulness are brief and scattered, but somehow he always sees Ed as the first thing whenever he opens his eyes. It's a very gradual process, but eventually he starts staying awake for longer and gaining a small measure of strength.

Fifteen days after coming into the hospital, he's finally deemed ready to have his first actual solid food. He's sat up in bed waiting in a state of high excitement for Ed to bring back the tray of mystery food.]

[ the things that Ed has taken advantage of over the years, the things he knows Al could not take part in are perhaps the things that surprise him the most even still. Al's unusual need for rest, the lack of energy -- things that Edward never once considered as a product of their human transmutation.

they'd tried to remove him from the room the first night, sneakily pry him from his bother's side on the small hospital bed, but Ed woke with fire in his blood, ready to fight. they tried for several more days but after much grumbling and complaint, a second hospital bed was brought to the room, one for Ed to stay on, as he too still needed some mild monitoring and treatment.

but this day? oh, even after two weeks Ed has stayed there long after he'd been dismissed, unwilling to leave his brother's side unless Granny or Winry were there to see to him from Resembool. it just so happens they're in town for a few days now, and when Ed walks in the room, he has a tray with a steaming bowl on it. ]

Close your eyes, Al, no peeking! [ he toes open the door, and walks up to Al's bedside, setting the tray on the little table made just for these kinds of situations. ] Take a deep breath first, and tell me what you think it is. I bet you'll guess right off. [ after all, hadn't he missed Granny's stew? ]

[Al does as he's told without any need to be asked a second time. Long and thin fingers cover his eyes, but they don't fully hide the massive smile that's splitting his face from end to end.

He inhales deeply.

Then he inhales again, and again, and again. He's just savouring the scent and being able to smell at all. He never realised before this just what a reaction the smell of food could bring out. He feels his mouth start to water, and his stomach contract with sudden anticipation. He's so lost in enjoying the scent that he almost forgets to actually reply to his brother.]

Stew... it's stew.

[He's been waiting for this for years, literal years of nothing, and the anticipation is almost killing him.]

You really brought me stew, brother!

[ Ed is sure he will never get enough of seeing Al's smile -- not just hearing it in his voice. it's taken some getting used to, turning to look over his shoulder and seeing the boy and not the armour. to hear the pureness of his voice, not swallowed by metal and echoes. so he gives pause when he sees Al's smile, the thin fingers pressed over his eyes.

he waits at Al's bedside, feeling perhaps just as excited as Al is. he waits, letting the boy drink in the smells, until he finally gets it. ] You got it! It's even Granny's stew, she and Winry are going to come by later, okay?

[ he sits on the edge of the bed, grinning. ] Go on then, try some. Take it slow though, okay? Eat too fast and you'll make yourself sick. This isn't Granny's full stew, but you've got to get your stomach back to digesting normal things, now. You're doing great, Al, really.

[He drops his hands and blinks down at the tray, hardly able to believe that the time has finally come for him to try and eat again. The bombshell that Granny and Winry are in town hasn't quite sunk in yet, he's too focused on the innocuous bowl of stew waiting for him.]

Mm, it smells so good.

[He takes the spoon and hurriedly shovels a mouthful in, chewing for a half second before the bit of meat plops back into the bowl. Al's eyes are wide in astonishment before he begins laughing with his tongue hanging out a little.]

I burned my mouth!

[He forgot he could do that, and he's so delighted by the revelation.]

[ if Ed hadn't cried so much in the past few weeks, he might be tearing up now, but even so the smile on his face is broad and bright. his own body has finally healed, the aches and pains of battle gone, his new arm growing stronger every day. ]

Yeah, you're lucky I didn't eat it before I got it to you! [ not that he would ever deprive Al of anything, not now certainly. he sits in his token place beside Al on the bed, and fears for a moment something is wrong when Al's widen. However, he's unable to help but laugh when he sees the meat fall from his brother's mouth and into the stew. ]

Careful there, don't want to burn all your taste buds just when you got them back! I'd never hear the end of it from Granny, you know. Letting her stew be the end of you. That's signing my deathwish!

[ he teases, flopping across the foot of Al's bed, watching him. ] Blow on it this time, then tell me how it tastes, okay? I want every detail! Should I get you a notebook for that?

[He chuckles when Ed flops across the foot of the bed, feeling a contentment spread through his chest that warms him more effectively than any stew ever could. This is what they fought for, and he's going to savour every single second of it.

Doing as he's told for once, Al raises another spoonful to his lips and blows on it this time to cool it off. It's still hot and it stings his newly burned tongue when he puts it in his mouth, but that only lasts for a second or two before flavour explodes in his mouth and nearly overwhelms him.]

It's... it's good.

[Wow, is that ever an understatement.]

It tastes just like I remember it, it tastes like....

[He struggles for a second or two of silence, trying to find an adequate descriptor for the enormity of actually tasting again. Eventually he smiles, wistful and happy.]

...it tastes like home.

[ strange how normal this all is, and how foreign it feels. they'd been fighting for so many years to get their bodies back, to find peace in Amestris and here they are, talking about stew. no more homunculi, philosopher's stone, battles... ]

Yeah? Granny's stew is always good, Al. It's why I knew it had to be your first meal. Couldn't let you go a day longer without it, you know.

[ he sits up on his elbows when his brother begins to describe the taste, curious to see what he comes up with, and the impact of the word home, without the sound of metal or distance to Al's voice, strikes him like a blow to the chest. ]

Home. Yeah, I... well, I guess it does, doesn't it? [ to the place they grew up, learned so much, and burned it all away. Ed had to do it then, couldn't constantly look back and feel tied down somewhere, but what about now? Where will they go with idle hands and minds now that they've finally become whole again? he breaks from his thoughts, looking to his brother again. ]

You have to eat it all, Al, remember. Don't eat too fast, but we've got to get some strength in these bones again, okay? [ he reaches to give one of Al's feet a fond little shake for emphasis. ] Can't tell everyone you refused to eat and now I can beat you in a fight, it would ruin your reputation.

That's not fair, Ed, wait until I get stronger again and then I'll beat you.

[He wriggles his toes inside Ed's gentle squeezing fingers, enjoying even the muted sensation of pressure and fabric on his skin. He won't argue with Ed's analysis, he's been told much the same thing by the doctors. Malnutrition has really done a number on his body - atrophied muscles, impossibly brittle bones, and the strength of a flea.]

I know, I know, I'm going to eat it all. I would never waste any of Granny's stew!

[But, no matter what he says, he only actually manages another four mouthfuls before he starts feeling bloated and uncomfortably full.]

It's perfectly fair! How many fights have I lost to you, huh? I can win one at least!

[ he huffs, but feeling Al's toes wiggle under his hand he grins, daring to tickle the sole of his brother's foot. it's a fleeting, quick gesture. he doesn't want him to spill the soup after all! ]

But fine, I'll wait. I guess that's what good brothers do. [ he's surprised how quickly Al stops eating and he sits up again, his hair beginning to fall from its braid, the tie loose at its end. ] Hey, four bites, that's great. Before long you'll be eating us all under the table. [ he slides off the bed to move the tray to the beside table for him. ]

Don't push yourself, Al, okay? It's frustrating, but just think if you heal right the first time around, you'll be back on your feet and out into the world in no time, okay? I promise. I'm not leaving this place without you.

[There's a single moment where Al looks disappointed with himself, he had badly wanted to do well and remove some of the worry from Ed's eyes. He knows his brother is as happy as Al is himself, but he can also see an undercurrent of worry and guilt behind Ed's eyes. Al knows his stupid older brother blames himself for everything that's wrong with Al's body.

But it passes quickly, and he is soon smiling again, even twitching with a momentary jolt of shock when Ed tickles his foot. He pushes the bowl towards Ed, giving him a firm sort of look.]

I know, so you need to eat too in order to keep your strength up. I'm not the only one who needs to take care of himself now, and I'm going to make sure you leave here glowing with health too.

[ unfortunately for Al, Ed will always worry. there will not be a moment in their lives where Ed will see his brother and not feel the weight of the past somewhere deep in his mind. at least not until his brother was well and healthy again, of course.

but this gives him an idea, one he shouldn't entertain but Al has gotten stronger -- strong enough to at least move a bit on his own. ]

I've eaten plenty, thank you. I am the paragon of good health. [ he makes a face, daring his brother to say he might actually grow taller (though he has!), but instead he sighs. ] I have an idea, Al. [ the look on Ed's face is nothing but mischievous, a side Al likely hasn't seen for the duration of their hospital stay. ]

Wanna go see the garden? The door's right down the hall. Just for a little while -- what do you say?

[Al's face lights up with almost painful amounts of hope and delight. He hadn't imagined that he would be allowed out of bed for a while yet, but he's already eagerly pushing his sheets aside before Ed even finishes speaking.]

Mm, that sounds great!

[He swings his legs over the side of the bed, astonished at how cold the air feels and how tiny they look poking out from the bottom of his hospital gown.]

Did the doctor say I could, or are we sneaking past them?

[ Ed gives Al a very distinct look. the doctors would not allow Al out of his bed for a long while, and Ed knows his brother's tenacity, knows that he's not as weak as they think he is. besides, Ed's listened to their conversations -- they think he's hardy enough, but they're not brave enough in case something happens to Al. ]

I'll carry you, okay? You can't stay locked inside all day, Al.

[ he stands and stretches, paying particular attention to his "new" arm, before standing in front of Al and crouching. ] Put your arms around my neck, okay? You don't have to do anything but relax. Sounds pretty good, huh? [ he looks over his shoulder to his brother, grinning. ] It's a nice day out, and I think you deserve to feel the sun.

[This is why he loves his brother dearly. Ed is always pushing him, always telling him that he can and not that he can't. It's that attitude that has kept them both moving, and that determination that has given Al strength on more occasions than he could possibly name.

He winds his arms around Ed's neck and slumps against his back, cheek nestled in slightly messy golden hair.]

Okay, I'm ready. You better not do this too often or I'll start to get used to you carrying me, then I'll get lazy.

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