(As much as he'd like to be active, his body needs a lot of rest. He's been straining it, after all, trying to regain weight as well as restarting his muscles after years of atrophy.
Not to mention how much he's been using his brain, their house akin to a library with how many books they've been devouring.
Well. Alphonse is sleeping, so he doesn't listen to the knock, just snuggling against his pillow a little harder. Have fun talking to Ed, Kratos.)
[It's funny. One might assume that because Alphonse has his body back, Ed might not sleep or eat nearly as much as he did previously -- after all, they're not sharing his nutrients anymore, right? Wrong. It's a particular technicality that neither of them probably gets right now, but technically, Ed still is Al's source of nutrients. Because in his timeline, Al's body is still at the gate.
So what I'm trying to say is, Ed is passed out. But being closer to the door, he hears the knock...and groans.]
Al. Who's at the door? [Said sleepily, before...he remembers that Al is able to sleep now. And he shoots upright in bed. Since Al still seems to be sleeping, and Ed sure as hell doesn't want to interrupt that...guess he's going to get the door. And he sees...that old guy from before??]
[Oh shit, they were both asleep? Is it a weird time to visit? Kratos hadn't thought it was that late. SORRY KIDS.
He'd met Alphonse all of once, but Kratos already found his positive attitude endearing... and his physical state very concerning. He really didn't want to be nosy, but he did want to make sure the young man was settling in well enough. So, here he was, knocking on the door. Apparently in the middle of the night??]
Ah, hello. I'm... sorry for coming over so late, I wanted to see how Alphonse was doing.
(Alphonse does listen to the Al, albeit faintly, he might as well have dreamed it, isn't that fantastic? He stretches in bed a little, his index finger rubbing a golden eye before he sees the talk at the door.
His tiredness does not dim his happiness, waving excitedly.)
(After God knows how long speaking to people, Al puts his medallion away.)
I've talked to someone who's been home. She said she's been here before, and she doesn't remember ever being here in the first place... And someone else said his friends know things from the future, but he's never mentioned this place to them where they're from.
Mhm... No one knows anything, but there are others who have discrepancies too. One told me that events happened extremely differently for him and a friend, so I guess... We're in luck, all things considered?
(Al's busy. He's made a list of everything they needed in their home, bowls, plates, utensils, chairs, and he gathered some of the materials with the help of some locals, since he can't carry everything back.
The blue light is characteristic, and soon, a few utensils made of metal take form on the table, and everything seems fine, it's working good, he's not tired, all is we--
Meow. From the spare room that they don't use, since they share.
His sweat down his neck is cold, which is thrilling, but also, oh no. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no.)
[Ed is helping, of course -- twice the hands means half the work, right? (Was it Granny or Winry who used to say that? Or maybe Mom...?) It's tedious work, but it'll make things a lot easier on them in the long run. Plates, utensils, bookshelves, even some basic tools, just in case: saw, hammer, screwdriver, things like that.
You never know what you're going to need.
He's just finished a couple of things when he hears...a sound. Coming from the back room. He stops. Looks at the door.
... Ah! There it is again.
He looks back at Al, who looks...suspiciously sweaty.]
[Al, you really need to work on your poker face. As in, you don't have one. Ed kind of gives him a look, one of the ones that says he clearly doesn't believe a damn word of that.]
So if I go into the spare room, that's what I'm gonna find? Nothing?
[It's unusual for Al to be so shut down, and it worries Ed. It takes him right back to that time, right back to their argument, and it makes him feel all kinds of uneasy.]
You did what?!
[--So this isn't what he was expecting when Al is finally ready to talk.]
[Fffffucking. Hold on. This is a lot to process all at once. His head is going a mile a minute, going through every promise they ever made to each other, every solution they had talked about coming up with, and now Al hits him with that bombshell? Not to mention that request. What the hell? Look, it's not that he's not going to talk about it, it's just that he does so much dumb shit you gotta be more specific--
al + ed + kratos
Not to mention how much he's been using his brain, their house akin to a library with how many books they've been devouring.
Well. Alphonse is sleeping, so he doesn't listen to the knock, just snuggling against his pillow a little harder. Have fun talking to Ed, Kratos.)
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So what I'm trying to say is, Ed is passed out. But being closer to the door, he hears the knock...and groans.]
Al. Who's at the door? [Said sleepily, before...he remembers that Al is able to sleep now. And he shoots upright in bed. Since Al still seems to be sleeping, and Ed sure as hell doesn't want to interrupt that...guess he's going to get the door. And he sees...that old guy from before??]
Oh. It's you.
[??? quel confuse]
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He'd met Alphonse all of once, but Kratos already found his positive attitude endearing... and his physical state very concerning. He really didn't want to be nosy, but he did want to make sure the young man was settling in well enough. So, here he was, knocking on the door. Apparently in the middle of the night??]
Ah, hello. I'm... sorry for coming over so late, I wanted to see how Alphonse was doing.
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His tiredness does not dim his happiness, waving excitedly.)
Sir Kratos! Come in!
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Sir? This old guy?!
[Sorry man, he's a rude little shit. Still, he steps aside to let Kratos through.]
So you guys have met, huh?
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I've talked to someone who's been home. She said she's been here before, and she doesn't remember ever being here in the first place... And someone else said his friends know things from the future, but he's never mentioned this place to them where they're from.
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So it's happened before, but not often enough to know what to do about it. Okay. What's the good news, then?
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today he dies
The blue light is characteristic, and soon, a few utensils made of metal take form on the table, and everything seems fine, it's working good, he's not tired, all is we--
Meow. From the spare room that they don't use, since they share.
His sweat down his neck is cold, which is thrilling, but also, oh no. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no.)
RIP
You never know what you're going to need.
He's just finished a couple of things when he hears...a sound. Coming from the back room. He stops. Looks at the door.
... Ah! There it is again.
He looks back at Al, who looks...suspiciously sweaty.]
Al. What is that sound?
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(Al is not a great liar, and the lack of expressionless steel makes it even harder to hide the blush on his cheeks, the one that screams GUILTY.)
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[Al, you really need to work on your poker face. As in, you don't have one. Ed kind of gives him a look, one of the ones that says he clearly doesn't believe a damn word of that.]
So if I go into the spare room, that's what I'm gonna find? Nothing?
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... Why don't we seal it so the nothing doesn't escape...
(Hands together, hands to the ground. The light comes, and the floor raises to create a wall between Ed and the damn room.)
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... What's up? Everything alright?
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(WHAT AN EXCUSE.)
It's a surprise.
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[he doesn't deny it...!]
A surprise? [uh oh] Alright, fine. When'll you be back?
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Eventually, he can't keep it in anymore. He just blurts out:)
When you were fighting Father, I had May break my seal and send me to the gate in exchange for your arm.
(Nothing but honesty and determination in his eyes.)
Now I've told you a secret. You can give me yours in exchange.
(Don't think he didn't hear you.)
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You did what?!
[--So this isn't what he was expecting when Al is finally ready to talk.]
Al! What the hell?! Why--
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Ah. So it's something like this, huh? Equivalent exchange. It's only fair. He doesn't look resistant, but he does look confused.]
What secret? What are you talking about?
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(DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT?? Al looks like he is about to yeet Edward from the window, don't test him.)
... Seriously? Nothing about knowing what using your own life force feels like? Alright.
(Cool, he ain't mad at all.)
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... What Al said finally hits him. Oh. Oh.]
I thought you were asleep.
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