“Eternity”

The last thing Alphonse remembered was his brother’s terrified eyes. The look of the glistening gold as they brightened and shimmered with unadulterated fear marred Al, and the devastating truth burned in his very being.

The armor rejected his soul.

When the armor rattled in the inexorable shudder, Al screamed, “B—Brother!”

unsure of what Ed could do that he couldn’t.

Then, when he realized the fear Edward’s eyes held, he immediately wished he had remained silent and died alone. He didn’t want the last image of his brother to be of those eyes, holding so much emotion that never needed to be said but Al always knew.

And he knew his death would kill what all the homunculi didn’t.

Air exploded from Alphonse’s mouth as he pushed to sit. Lungs heaving, his frantic eyes ricocheted about, looking everywhere and anywhere for his brother.

“Welcome back.”

Alphonse whirled about, glaring at the white outlined figure before him.

“I knew you’d return to here someday. How was your parole?”

Alphonse pushed his stubborn lock of hair out of his eyes—His golden eyes immediately widened. His calmed breathing once more heaved out of control. His hair. His fingers curled long strands of blonde hair about his nimble fingers. He held his hair—and the smooth pads of his fingers felt foreign—and at the same time undeniably comfortable—as they rubbed against each other.

A jubilant giggle caught in his throat before hysterical laughter overtook his entire being. Tears trickled from his eyes as he bowed his head and wrapped his arms tightly about his own torso, his hands clamping onto his shuddering shoulders and relishing in the feeling of being in his own skin for the first time in five years. He shook his head to feel the bristles of his hair prickle across his back and tickle his collarbone.

He blinked downward and immediately squeezed his legs together.

He was naked. How the hell did he lose his—Wait. When was the last time he wore clothes—other than that loin cloth?

“Are you done yet?”

Hesitantly, Al raised his teary eyes to stare bleakly at the white figure. The leering tone in Truth’s voice struck something deep within Al, unnerving the already shivering teen.

“Your soul might as well get comfortable here.” Truth smirked and motioned behind Al. “Your body and spirit’s already.”

Alphonse glanced over his shoulder and came face-to-face with the Gate. He stood suddenly, then looked behind Truth to see a second door—his brother’s door.

“B—But Ed pulled my soul through the Gate!”

“And your armor rejected it.”

“But…then shouldn’t I be dead?”

Truth let out a braying laugh, causing Alphonse to tense and turn, his hand clenched at thigh height. “Your brother said it best. You were taken, Alphonse Elric, not killed.”

Alphonse glowered, the fury in his eyes burning white hot. “Taken for what purpose?”

“What else? Equivalent exchange.”

“This isn’t equivalent exchange!” Alphonse shrieked. “This is kidnapping!”

“No, no, my little alchemist. You and your brother attempted human alchemy, and for the ‘life’ you were given, I took yours. For your soul, I took your brother’s arm.”

“But I’ve gotten my body back! What did you take for that?” Alphonse demanded.

“What else? All your brother wanted was to get your body back and see you smile,” Truth revealed, lifting up Ed’s arm on his whitened figure. “I took you.”

From Ed, Al gasped, fresh tears staining his pallid face. Denial rush through his the very fibers of his being, and he sunk to his knees, his fists slamming into the ground. No. He gained back that smile Ed followed to get—only for Ed not to be able to see it.

“Don’t worry, Alphonse Elric. You are only here for eternity.”

“No!” Alphonse raised his chin defiantly and glowered at Truth. “My brother will come for me.”

Truth strode over gracefully to bend on one knee and glare—even though he didn’t have eyes—into Alphonse’s shimmering orbs. “How? He doesn’t even know you are here.”

“No! Ed—”

“—thinks he’s lost you now, too.” Truth ran a hand through Al’s hair with his brother’s fingers, then touched Al’s cheek, causing the boy to quiver away. “You are mine, Alphonse Elric—body, spirit and now soul.”

Alphonse continued to glare at the floor long after Truth left, tears dripping off his chin. Finally, he collected himself enough to stand. His legs, weak and gel-like, took him successively across the floor to the door opposite his own. There, he sat down, cross-legged, and prepared to wait for his brother for eternity.

Not the End