Categories > Anime/Manga > Full Metal Alchemist > Disjointed Thoughts
Title: Cauterize
Author: evilkat
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ed/Al
Warnings: Angst
Challenge: "Ash"
Edward Elric stood beside the empty suit of armor that now contained his younger brother's soul, watching as the only home they ever knew slowly burned down to the ground. They had walked to the edge of the property to be safe, but even at that distance; Edward could feel the heat from the blaze on his face. But Al couldn't. Al couldn't feel anything anymore.
Ed squeezed his eyes shut tightly to prevent the tears from spilling out. You're doing this for him. This isn't about your arm or leg anymore...this is for Al.
For his little brother, he had agreed to become the military's dog, to always be at their beck and call. The thought that he would be under the command of others made Edward grind his teeth together. He was never very good at following orders. But at this point, he would have agreed to anything if it brought him one step closer to restoring Al back to his original body.
The windows in the front sitting room exploded from the heat of the flames. That was where the two if them had started the fire. It was the same room where their mother would tell them stories in front of the fireplace when the nights were cold. Edward thought about how the fire was now eating away the pretty wallpaper with the little blue flowers on it that decorated the walls in that room, or the pictures of him and Al as babies that lined the foyer.
He heard Al gasp, it sounded so incredibly vulnerable, as the roof began to collapse inward with a horrible groan. The wooden support beams splintered and gave way. All their memories, everything that didn't fit into the suitcase at his feet, were going to be gone forever. Ed swallowed hard at the finality of it.
In a strange, macabre way, the sight of the bright orange flames dancing and weaving their way through the rubble was almost beautiful. Edward's scientific mind computed the elements and equations it took for such an event to occur.
Wood is composed of 79% combustibles and 21% water and ash. First, the water boils off, and then at 450°F, the wood particles begin evolving volatiles. Carbon ignites between 765°F and 1115°F, the volatiles, which include Hydrogen, Methane, Ethylene, Ethane, Benzene and Carbon Monoxide, ignite within a range of 1000°F to 1300°F...the floor in the kitchen was wood. The stairs were wood. Everything in the house was wood.
Hours later, when their home was reduced to nothing but smoldering ash, Edward forced himself to turn around and begin to walk away.
"C'mon, Al, let's go."
Edward heard the heavy footfalls of his brother behind him as he trotted to catch up. They had both agreed that burning away their ties to the past would force them to keep moving forward, but that didn't quell the tightness in his chest. Edward wondered what Al was thinking at this moment and would it compare when he had no physical reaction to his emotions anymore. Another stab of guilt tore through his gut.
I will fix this, Al...I promise.
"Brother? Do you think we should have kept something? A picture of Mom, maybe?" Al inquired softly as he walked beside Edward.
"We have our memories. That will have to keep us going," he answered flatly, eyes fixed on the road ahead of them.
He didn't tell Al about the picture that he had hidden in the lining of the suitcase. He had taken it from the table inside their father's study because it was the only picture of the entire family together. Perhaps when the feelings weren't still so raw, he would take it out and show Al, and they could remember what it was like before all this. Remember a time when Ed's smiles weren't forced like they were now, and his golden eyes weren't so haunted. Maybe on that day, a pair of grey eyes and a head full of dirty blonde hair would be able to reminisce with him. That was the reason for doing all of this, after all.
-End-
Author: evilkat
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ed/Al
Warnings: Angst
Challenge: "Ash"
Edward Elric stood beside the empty suit of armor that now contained his younger brother's soul, watching as the only home they ever knew slowly burned down to the ground. They had walked to the edge of the property to be safe, but even at that distance; Edward could feel the heat from the blaze on his face. But Al couldn't. Al couldn't feel anything anymore.
Ed squeezed his eyes shut tightly to prevent the tears from spilling out. You're doing this for him. This isn't about your arm or leg anymore...this is for Al.
For his little brother, he had agreed to become the military's dog, to always be at their beck and call. The thought that he would be under the command of others made Edward grind his teeth together. He was never very good at following orders. But at this point, he would have agreed to anything if it brought him one step closer to restoring Al back to his original body.
The windows in the front sitting room exploded from the heat of the flames. That was where the two if them had started the fire. It was the same room where their mother would tell them stories in front of the fireplace when the nights were cold. Edward thought about how the fire was now eating away the pretty wallpaper with the little blue flowers on it that decorated the walls in that room, or the pictures of him and Al as babies that lined the foyer.
He heard Al gasp, it sounded so incredibly vulnerable, as the roof began to collapse inward with a horrible groan. The wooden support beams splintered and gave way. All their memories, everything that didn't fit into the suitcase at his feet, were going to be gone forever. Ed swallowed hard at the finality of it.
In a strange, macabre way, the sight of the bright orange flames dancing and weaving their way through the rubble was almost beautiful. Edward's scientific mind computed the elements and equations it took for such an event to occur.
Wood is composed of 79% combustibles and 21% water and ash. First, the water boils off, and then at 450°F, the wood particles begin evolving volatiles. Carbon ignites between 765°F and 1115°F, the volatiles, which include Hydrogen, Methane, Ethylene, Ethane, Benzene and Carbon Monoxide, ignite within a range of 1000°F to 1300°F...the floor in the kitchen was wood. The stairs were wood. Everything in the house was wood.
Hours later, when their home was reduced to nothing but smoldering ash, Edward forced himself to turn around and begin to walk away.
"C'mon, Al, let's go."
Edward heard the heavy footfalls of his brother behind him as he trotted to catch up. They had both agreed that burning away their ties to the past would force them to keep moving forward, but that didn't quell the tightness in his chest. Edward wondered what Al was thinking at this moment and would it compare when he had no physical reaction to his emotions anymore. Another stab of guilt tore through his gut.
I will fix this, Al...I promise.
"Brother? Do you think we should have kept something? A picture of Mom, maybe?" Al inquired softly as he walked beside Edward.
"We have our memories. That will have to keep us going," he answered flatly, eyes fixed on the road ahead of them.
He didn't tell Al about the picture that he had hidden in the lining of the suitcase. He had taken it from the table inside their father's study because it was the only picture of the entire family together. Perhaps when the feelings weren't still so raw, he would take it out and show Al, and they could remember what it was like before all this. Remember a time when Ed's smiles weren't forced like they were now, and his golden eyes weren't so haunted. Maybe on that day, a pair of grey eyes and a head full of dirty blonde hair would be able to reminisce with him. That was the reason for doing all of this, after all.
-End-
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