This is an idea I've had in my head for a while. It just wouldn't leave me alone until I'd done something with it. Minor spoilers for volume 13 of the manga, or episode 26 of the Brotherhood anime. As always, thanks for reading!

Sustenance

Animosity welled up inside Edward as he glared at the enemy standing before him. This challenger was unlike any other he'd faced – perhaps not stronger, but definitely trickier. He'd walked into this arena feeling confident enough, but now that the moment of truth had arrived, he feared he couldn't go through with it.

He was utterly disarmed. For all his genius in alchemy, none of it could help him right now. There was only one way to secure triumph over this foe. Ed knew it, and the thought of it made him sick to his stomach.

He could probably escape without suffering too much trouble. In fact, he was certain he could. But he wasn't here for his own sake; he was here for Alphonse. The idea of running away from any battle was already despicable to Ed. Running away when his little brother's well-being was on the line was inconceivable.

Ed sighed heavily. There was another problem at hand, and it was that he didn't even know for sure if winning this fight would help Al. It only carried a possibility. But then, the same applied to virtually everything he and Al had done in the past few years. The lack of guarantees hadn't stopped them from burning down their house and setting out on a mad quest to achieve the impossible. Yes, uncertainty was never an excuse when it came to the two of them.

The enemy was still and silent. Only a few seconds had passed, but Ed's thoughts were whirling so quickly that he felt like time had slowed down. He gathered up his hatred for his opponent, as well as his devotion to his brother. The two emotions mixed together into a heady storm that urged him to move. Now was the moment to strike –!

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What?" It was as if someone had yanked his head out from underwater. Disoriented, Ed looked at the waiter standing beside his table.

"Are you okay?" the waiter asked. "You've been giving that glass of milk an awfully intense look."

"Yes, everything's fine."

"All right, then."

After the waiter left, Ed returned his eyes to the enemy on the table. First, he re-summoned the appropriate storm of combative emotion. Then his arm lashed out like a whip and he grabbed the glass, bringing it to his lips and gulping down the contents as quickly as he could without choking. As soon as he finished it, he went to his plate and tackled the rest of his meal, trying to bury the putrid taste of milk.

He didn't know why he just did what he did. Actually, he did know, but he still couldn't believe it. He'd feuded with milk his whole life. Under normal circumstances, there was practically nothing in the world that could make him drink it. It was absurd how other people kept trying to tell him that milk – this weird white ooze secreted by a cow – was nutritious. He'd never believed that, not even for a second . . .

But ever since that day when he saw Al's frail human body at the Gate, his dreams had been haunted by visions of the boy wasting away into dust.

It was those visions that brought him to the restaurant he sat in now. Ed's mind turned to Al and the theory they had about their bodies being connected. If it was true that Al's body was receiving all its sustenance from Ed's, then it fell upon Ed's shoulders to preserve Al for the time being and keep him from rotting. Certainly it was far from the most difficult task Ed had ever taken on, but lately he'd been distracted by worries about whether or not he was doing enough to maintain Al's condition.

Ed glared at the empty glass on the table. You had better do your job, he threatened it silently, and sustain my brother until I can rescue him.