IC Inbox

[armoured]

This is the IC inbox for Alphonse Elric at Snowblind.

Network name: @LELRIC

This is the place to contact Al over the Network. Contact by voice, text, or video is all perfectly acceptable, and there is no need to plot with me prior to posting in this inbox.

Comments

@Spoiler ; audio ; Day 184

[spoileralert]

[ She's been crying too much to use video, but there's no point hiding the weakness in her voice. He'll know it's there either way. ]

Al? Zach left. I don't know where he's going, but will you keep an eye out for him?

[armoured]

[He stops what he's doing immediately when the call comes in, trotting a short distance from Ed to keep this private.]

What, why? What happened?

[spoileralert]

His eyes are still all, all weird. And mine and Kes' aren't, and he thinks he's going to attack us or something. I couldn't talk him out of it.

[armoured]

...I can understand why he feels that way. It's probably because he cares about you both so much that he's left.

[spoileralert]

He cares so much that it doesn't matter how I feel, or that he doesn't trust me to take care of him.

[ Yes it's irrational but she is SO UPSET, AL. And scared. Mostly scared. ]

[armoured]

That's not-- It's not my business, but I think I would have done the same. Put yourself in his shoes, Steph.

cw: suicide talk

[spoileralert]

[ She can put herself in his shoes. And in his place, she killed herself before allowing herself to hurt the people she cared about. It doesn't make it any easier. ]

I'd have stayed with someone I knew could take me down.

cw: suicide talk

[armoured]

And maybe he doesn't want it to end like that!

[Whoops, too much of an emotional snap there.]

[spoileralert]

[ It's like a slap to the face. She doesn't want it to end like that, either. She just doesn't see how they have many options.

She opens her mouth and closes it several times, looking for a cutting response. All that comes out is a quiet, whimpering sob. ]

[armoured]

I'm sorry, Steph, but you can't look at it just from your point of view. He's scared and he doesn't want to hurt you, give him some time and he'll come back.

[spoileralert]

And what if he doesn't?!

[ She knows she's shouting, and she tries to lower her voice. ]

What if he gets hurt, or killed, or we get separated even more? What if I never see him again?

[armoured]

You have to trust him.

[His voice gets firmer.]

I know it's hard to let go of the people we love, especially if they might be going into danger. But we owe them our trust that they can handle it, and that we'll see them again before long.

[spoileralert]

[ Sometimes she hates being clever. Especially when it means that she knows he's right even though she doesn't want him to be.

She sniffles. ]

Things were going so well. I just don't want to lose everything I worked so hard for.

[armoured]

You're not going to, and that's just being self-pitying now.

[Come on, Steph, you're better than this.]

Don't you trust and respect Zach to let him make his own decisions?

[spoileralert]

[ Hey, she's allowed a little self-pity! And at least one stubborn ] No. [ But that's maybe a little harsh. ]

Yes. I let him go. I just... I'm scared too, you know? He's not the only one.

[armoured]

I know you are, we're all scared. That's why we have to do our best to trust each other, please... I know it's hard, but you can't hold someone against their will, especially not if you care about them.

[spoileralert]

I didn't! [ She definitely thought about it, though. ]

I just. Yelled at him a lot.

[armoured]

Then maybe you need to apologise.

[spoileralert]

[ Wait how did they get to this point ]

W-well, maybe I will.

[armoured]

Good.

I'll talk to you later then, Steph.

[Go and apologise, Mama Al has spoken.]

[spoileralert]

Okay. Talk to you later.

[ sHE WILL THINK ABOUT IT. THAT'S ALL. ]