Disclaimer: If I owned FMA, Al would be very different than he is. Not so likable, I think. Rather a good thing I don't own FMA, I suppose. But still… Al is entitled to some vestige of… character. And he might get mad at his brother some times. Which would be painful for Ed, considering Al is entirely metal and Ed is only partially so.
Chapter 1Al burst in the door, picked his brother up, and swung him around in a circle. Ed was disconcerted. For one thing, Al didn't act like this. For another, he certainly didn't act like it when Ed was in one of the moods where he tried to be dark and brooding and stare out of windows. And nobody acted like this after a visit with Colonel Mustang, particularly after the annual you're-so-talented-why-aren't-you-a-State-Alchemist-like-your-brother nobody-cares-you're-a-giant-suit-of-armor speech. It was routine. Al listened and nodded and said he'd think about the exam and then went back and played Monopoly with his brother.
He didn't pick said brother up and swing him around with an enormous grin on his face.
"Brother, do you know why I am so glad you're a State Alchemist?"
"No-o-o…" Ed admitted carefully, having been unaware that Al was particularly pleased with this. That anyone was particularly pleased with it.
"I'm in love."
Ed gaped. The non sequitor was bad enough; that his little brother was in love? Impossible. Absolutely not possible. And Ed was starting to feel queasy. Al didn't appear to notice.
"Put me down?" He gasped after a moment, and wove over to the bed after Al did so. "What do those have to do with each other?" He added after his stomach was quite settled.
"Nii-san!" Al objected. Apparently he thought Ed could read his mind. Ed couldn't. Mind-reading was Al's job. Ed stared levelly at Al, an expression he had picked up from the Colonel; stare at them and eventually they'll elaborate.
"In love. With Colonel Mustang." Al elaborated, and Ed managed to fall off the bed from the very middle in a completely prostrate position.
"You will take me with you to the meeting tomorrow?" Al confirmed, helping Ed off the floor.
"Meeting? Tomorrow?"
"Yeah – the Colonel said he wanted to see you." Al got a dreamy look.
"Uh… yeah. Right."
(0.0)
"Fullmetal, why is your brother here?" Colonel Mustang asked. His meetings with Edward were generally more private.
"If I'm going to be dealing with you, I need moral support, Colonel…" Ed remembered his brother's campaign against his language just in time. "Colonel Bad Word."
Roy was perfectly used to Ed's usual name for him, and usually let it slide. "You never – Colonel what?"
"Colonel. Bad. Word." Ed enunciated through his teeth, managing to exude Don't Ask very nicely.
Right. Roy thought, and managed to proceed. "You never needed moral support before." He commented.
"Prolonged exposure to you has that effect on anyone."
Roy mentioned his subordinates. Ed raised his eyebrows. Roy suddenly felt himself getting covetous. Ed was taking all his expressions.
"Point taken regarding my subordinates' sanity." Roy admitted. He felt odd. Ed was staring at him coolly, for one. And for another, there was a helmet, turned attentively towards him, and he knew, he just knew that there was absolutely nothing inside, and yet someone was listening. And just staring at him. Just… staring…
"Regarding the purpose of this meeting…"
When did Ed start using big words? Roy complained to himself, but he managed to push these thoughts under the enormous baseball cap where all other irrelevant thoughts went, to return later when paperwork loomed, and get through the meeting. With both Elrics staring at him.
At least Ed looked away sometimes. At least Ed said things. At least Ed could be provoked into a rant as a change of pace…
Colonel Bad-Word? The baseball cap emitted. Roy hiccuped.