Nightmares and Kisses

Nightmares and Kisses

Ever since their mother died, the Elrics were forced to find comforts elsewhere. Naturally,
they turned to one another.
Before their mother died, every time one of the brothers were either sad, or sick, Trisha
would kiss them on the cheek and say, ‘Feel better.’
After her death, they tried their hardest to mimic her habits, just so that they could once
again feel that warmth.   

- - -

One night, not long after Trisha’s death, Alphonse woke up to his brother screaming. He
quickly rushed to his bedside, only to realize the boy was having a nightmare. Frightened, he
began to shake him out of his slumber. “Ed? Ed! Wake up!”
As soon as Edward opened his eyes to see his brother, he flung himself into Alphonse’s
arms. Tears fell down his face, even though he squinted his eyes shut in an attempt to keep them
at bay. “Al... Al, it was her! She said... She said it was my fault!”
On impulse, Al kissed Edward’s cheek. “Feel better, Brother,” he muttered.
Ed’s eyes widened, and he pulled back a little. Al pulled him back into his embrace,
holding him close.

That was the first time they feel asleep in each other’s arms. It happened like that almost
every night after that. It seemed Edward was quite prone to nightmares.

- - -

After the brothers’ attempt at human transmutation, Edward’s night terrors became worse.
This time though, no one kissed him on the cheek and told him to ‘feel better’. Al couldn’t, and
Winry didn’t know. No one could help him. He was left alone to drift on the river of shadows
and terrors.

Al couldn’t sleep while in that suit of armor. On nights when everyone was asleep, all he
could do was think. It was during the night when he truly learned to appreciate humanity.
His mind always seemed to wander to the last places he wanted it to go. In the night time,
he was forced to face all his sins, all his regrets. Then he would also be tormented by Edward’s
screams. That was all he could hear or think about at times.
Al could still hold his brother, but it wasn’t the same. Cold metal could never take the
place of a warm human body. It could never hold the same comfort. Though Edward learned to
find a little comfort in it, it made both the brothers all the more determined to get their bodies
back.

- - -

Traveling together, living together, feeling pain together... Both brothers suspected
something neither would admit to: Brotherly love is not so far from romance.
Both kept their minds on their goal, though. There was no time for anything else. Life is
too short to be stuck in artificial bodies...

- - -

Alphonse Elric looked down at his older brother’s lifeless body. It was then that he knew,
then that he had to take action. So he sacrificed himself to bring Edward back to life. Ed had
saved his life once, it was only fair. Equivalent Exchange prevails yet again.

When Ed found out what Al had done, he didn’t even stop to think. He knew what had to
be done. There was no option number two. He could never live knowing that it was at the cost of
his brother’s life. So the cycle began anew...

- - -  

Living in a strange world, so close to strange, and yet familiar faces.. It was unbelievably
painful. Even more so after he met Alfons Heiderich. A mimicry of the brother he held so dearly
in his heart. Still... A mock Al was better than no Al at all...
The nightmares hadn’t stopped for Ed. In fact, it was possible that they had grown even
more horrific; even more terrible.
Alfons wanted to help, he really did, but Ed wouldn’t allow him near him. He wouldn’t
let anyone near then- when he needed them most. He would not have comfort from his
nightmares. Not until he met Al again...

- - -

When Ed first saw his brother’s human face again, he honestly thought he had gone
insane. It was just too good to be true - He couldn’t even react.
Then there was the war. Ed knew he had to be strong, for Al’s sake. He knew there was
no time for tears or hugs.
Actually, it wasn’t until they both wound up in Munich that it finally clicked in his mind
that he had to do something. He knew what people would whisper though, and he didn’t want to
cause any problems for his little brother.
So, like any rational eighteen-year-old man, he waited until they got home. Then, finally,
the tears fell. In an instant, he was in the comfort of Al’s arms once again. In a distorted
reflection of a day years passed, they cried in each other’s arms.
Al timidly kissed his brother’s cheek. “Feel better,” he said with a smile, though his own
tears continued to fall.
Ed didn’t say anything, but somehow his found his lips colliding with Al’s. He quickly
pulled back. “Yeah.. You too...”
They were both blushing furiously. Ed was lost in confusion, but Al wasn’t. He knew. He
had known for so long now...
So he softly kissed his brother. It never occurred to him that it was wrong. Of course,
even if it had, it probably wouldn’t have mattered.
Maybe doubt would have came, but then Ed kissed back, and all thoughts disappeared. Al
was in heaven, and he found nothing but that feeling mattered. Not what other people thought,
not the fact they were brothers, nothing. After all, this was love, and that’s just how love is...