Description: Ed and Al get caught in the rain. Relationship not specified, so it's up to you. Just sibling affection, or something else?

AN: First Fullmetal fic. *Shrug* I wanted to do something for them. I've actually had this idea almost since I learned that Al was hollow inside, and am rather surprised that I've never seen/read anything about this. (If anyone knows any…)

Warnings: … … … none? Holy-!

Edward Elric looked out at the sheets of rain that were poring down from the sky. It pored down from the thick, angry grey clouds like an impossible waterfall. He pulled his knees up to his chest, trying too ignore the ice-soaked clothes that clung to his body. He was going too catch a cold. A bad one at that. He closed his eyes.

"Alphones…?" He asked quietly, his voice amplified by the metal around him, the only way his voice could even be heard under the storms beating.

A child-like voice came in response, the young sound coming from all sides of him. "Yes, Big Brother?"

The youngest state alchemist opened his eyes again, looking at the falling water. Al didn't have too do that. He didn't have too let Edward sit inside, and protect him from the elements. He didn't have too, just because he couldn't feel the rain, or the cold. He didn't have too just because he couldn't feel anything.

It was Ed's fault.

"What is it Brother?" Al repeated when Edward didn't respond. He tilted his head down, towards the opening were his chest plate should be. Even without that, he could see the way his brother was huddled up inside him. He could see out of any part of his armor that he willed, but it was still instinctive too try too use his eyes. It worried him to think that there could be a day when that started to change.

Ed shook his head to himself, looking down at the drowning blades of grass being pelted by the rain. "Nothing… never mind."

Al fell silent, not wanting too press him. His brother would talk to him when he was ready. Instead he listened too the rain pounding against his head, trying to remember what it felt like. He hadn't let rain fall on his head to often back when he had his body, because he had been worried about catching a cold. Now he wished he had experienced it more.

The silence that rolled over them was depressing. They couldn't go anywhere as long as it continued to pore like that. Edward rubbed his metal leg, wincing. The rain always made his joints ache. Al knew that. Maybe that was why he insisted on being so close that day. To comfort him.

Ed sighed, dropping his head against the side of the metal shell. "I thought you only let girls and cats in your armor, Al?"

Al would have smiled at his brothers attempt too brighten the mood. "I was just teasing you Brother. You know that I don't mind if it's you."

Ed forced out a laugh. "Yeah… I know." His words echoed hollowly around his metal shelter, as he continued to rub his leg. He could have easily made a shelter for them. It was only Al's suggestion that his way would be easier, that had him sitting there. Ed looked over his shoulder at the blood rune. The small circle of his own blood that bound his brother's soul to the old suit of armor that had been aging in their fathers study.

They still had no leads on the philosopher's stone. They had been searching for so long, that he found himself starting too lose hope. What if they never got their bodies back? They had committed the taboo, the ultimate sin. Trying to bring back their mother from the dead.

It was his fault. He was the one who insisted they could do it. It was his idea. Al was just following along! He didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve to lose his body for his older brothers mistake. The blond pulled his knees to his chest forcing down the emotions he'd been restraining since that day.

"Big Brother?"

Edward twitched, wondering again if he still deserved to be called that. The answer was 'no'. He had failed to protect him like a big brother should. "It's ok, Al. I'm fine."

Al looked at him, seeing his brother curled up like a frightened child. Edward was still a child, no matter how mature he acted. "Don't worry about anything, Brother! The rain will stop soon and we can keep going." He kept his tone light, and optimistic, which sounded clear despite the metallic resonance his voice had gained.

Al acted more like the big brother then Ed did, most of the time. Al took care of him. Reminding him simple things like when he needed to take a break, and not to sleep with his stomach out. Edward was thankful. His little brother was the only thing that kept him sane through it all, and without him, Edward was sure he would never have made it through anything that had happened. He wouldn't have had anything to keep him going.

He sighed. "Yeah."

Wind began too blow, and Ed shivered. The icy metal under his head didn't really help. "You're cold…" He whispered.

Al let out a surprised sound, before his metal shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry…" He could keep the rain off, but any form of heat was beyond his artificial body.

Ed touched his automail arm, the cold metal numbing his shoulder, the other doing the same to his hip. "Don't apologize…" He whispered. "I'm cold too."

The wind began too howl. Franticly coming to attention as the gust blew rain through the opening, Edward spun around and covered the blood rune so that it wouldn't be damaged. Al grabbed the breastplate and hooked it back on, plunging the other into darkness.

The lack of light didn't bother Ed. He closed his eyes and changed his position so he could lean back. It was probably better that way. His body temperature would warm up the small space, except for what was absorbed by the metal.

"Brother, you should get some sleep." Alphones told him, seeing how tired he looked.

Edward shivered, but his body was adjusting. "I don't think I can." He replied. Falling asleep was something that usually made him feel guilty, because with the body Ed had given him, Al couldn't. On top of that, the rain hitting his brother bothered him. He clapped his hands together and pressed them against the inside of his brother's back, transferring his alchemy to the scrawny pine Al was leaning against. The tree would forever look deformed, but he manipulated the atoms to pull outward, forming a good roof over them. "That's a little better…" He muttered, returning to his position. "Remember Al, you can rust know. I'll fix you up, if it happens, but you should still be careful."

Alphones would have smiled, if he'd had the face muscles too do so anymore. "Sorry, Brother. I forgot. Will you go to sleep now?"

Edward yawned, ignoring his wet clothes and the chill in his bones; focusing on how tired he was. "Oh, all right. Good night, Al. Love you."

Al wrapped his arms around his stomach, hoping the gesture would comfort the older alchemist, even if he couldn't see it. "I love you too, Edward." It didn't take very long before Ed had faded out of consciousness. Alphones sat like that for a long time. It was normal for him too be awake while his brother slept, and he was used too it. He was happy that he got the chance too watch over the boy, who was always watching out for him. It was one of the few advantages of his fake body. Not that, that specific benefit was worth the exchange. He couldn't even provide his brother with a little bit of warmth. He couldn't even feel him.

Alphones held on tightly until the rain stopped and the moon came out. At some point during the storm, the sun had set. He brushed as much of the rain off as he could and carefully pulled Edward out, and onto his back. If he was careful, he could reach the next town without Ed even waking up.

'You're wrong.' Al thought, standing up as slow as possible. 'Even without a body, Big Brother, I can tell that you're very warm.'

The clouds looked down on both of them, as Alphones started towards their next destination.

This started out as a scene in something much longer, but I ended up just pulling it out and sticking it in here. Short and sweet! …why are there so many short FMA fics…?

Tell me what you think please!

FMA © Not me.