Edward's first day back in Resembool was terrible.

He had gone full panic mode when Winry had attempted to meet him with a 'friendly' wrench to the skull, and he had been trembling and flinching away from any sort of contact for a good few hours. He didn't even know why he was flinching from his brother and their fiance, as he had never, not once, feared them in any way shape or form.

They seemed hurt by his reactions, and Winry seemed crushed when he merely picked at his food, taking one or two bites before excusing himself with a muttered apology.

He had crawled into bed, curled inwards on himself and held his knees close to his chest with his arm as tears dropped from his eyes.

A hour or so passed before his door opened and Al peeked his head into the room. "Brother..?" He murmured.

Ed raised his head, eyes red and puffy from crying and mouth turned down into a sad frown. "I'm a mess, Alphonse." He said simply, sounding scared.

Alphonse's eyes widened. His brother...scared..? Sure, he knew that his brother had had his moments of fear when they were younger, but he had never been so open...so vulnerable about it before...

Then again, Alphonse had to remind himself that his brother was in a war, and that he had killed.

Alphonse moved quietly into the room, and sat next to his older brother, pulling Edward into his arms and holding him in a light hug. "It will be okay, brother. You'll be okay. Trust me." Alphonse whispered, and felt his brothers shaking against his chest.

"Okay..." Edward whispered, sounding almost childish as more tears pooled in his eyes. He didn't let them fall, blinking repeatedly until the pesky things went away. "Can you tell Winry I'm sorry..? I can't eat much..."

This instantly set off alarm bells in Alphonse's mind. "Why not?"

"I...its nothing..." He sighed, seeming a bit uncomfortable.

"Brother...please tell me...that's why I'm here, so that you can talk to me..."

"It's nothing, Al, seriously!" Ed said, starting to get annoyed.

"But-!"

"But nothing! I don't need or want to tell you! You'll just worry and I don't like it when you worry!" Ed said loudly before he froze, curling in on himself again. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to yell..."

Al sighed. "Its okay, brother...I'm sorry for pushing you...Want me to stay for a bit?" Eds reaction was almost immediate, a quick nod of his head, almost frantic. Maybe if his brother stayed he would sleep.

And Al sat with him for almost an hour, until the trembling had nearly stopped and his brother was fast asleep. It broke his heart to know that even asleep the fear of...something, kept his brother trembling an a small, pained frown on his face.

Slowly, he moved his brother so he was laying on the bed, and pulled the blanket carefully over his shoulders as he stood.

The blanket would be kicked off sooner or later, but for now, Ed's unconscious form clutched to it as though it were precious.

--

Al walked quietly to Winry's work room, knocking softly on the door that was cracked just barely. She immediately looked up from her work. "He okay?" Her voice was hushed, and there was a deep worry in her cerulean eyes.

Al hesitated to answer, and that was all Winry needed. "He never can get a break, can he?" She said sadly.

"Winry...he was crying. He was scared...I didn't know how to deal with it...All I could do was hold him until he fell asleep and even then he was shaking..." Al let out a ragged sigh. "I'm worried about him..."

"I am too, Al, but all we can do right now is be there for him." Al nodded, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on the lips, before smiling slightly and pressing one to her forehead.

"I'm going to bed, night, Winry." He smiled slightly, and received a goodnight in return as he turned to exit the workshop.

--

Four hours later, Al was roused from a restful sleep by an absolutely terrified sounding scream. His first thought was that it was Winry, before realizing that she had was sitting up next to him, blearily rubbing at her eyes.

Also, the pitch was too low, definitely male.

His face went pale. Edward.

He scrambled out of bed, not minding in the least that he was dressed only in a pair of boxers as he nearly sprinted to his brothers room, only for his brother to lurch out and rush to the bathroom.

Al followed quickly, paling further when he heard the sound of violent puking.

That wasn't good...Edward could choke!

He opened the bathroom door, and ignored Edwards weak attempt to push him away in between bouts of vomiting and dry heaving and coughing as he pulled Ed's hair gently out of the way.

There was almost nothing in the vomit besides acid, and yet still their body would not stop wishing to purge, as if it would somehow stop all of the memories and emotions.

Winry ventured in with a glass of something, presumably water, and a cool rag.

The next hour was Alphonse convincing Edward to try and go back to sleep, and sitting with him until he did.

--893 Words--

Its six in the afternoon and I'm tired. Dunno why by I'm going to sleep. ~The_Sin_Pride