Reflection
Cephied Variable

Roy had always had difficulty seperating Alphonse from his brother. It wasn't that they were anything alike, of course. It was simply that he had never been given the chance to know the younger Elric brother the way he had known Edward.

The day Alphonse Elric strolled into his office in his brother's clothes, attempting to wear his brother's daredevil grin, Roy wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. It wasn't quite like seeing a ghost. Rather, Alphonse had become a distorted reflection of his brother- all stretched and imperfect because of the ripples in the water.

Alphonse was always polite, courteous and considerate. He was just as intelligent as Edward, but his intellect was a learned thing. Measured, mathematic, logical. Edward's genius had always apparted from thin air. Alphonse tried cocky and self assured and failed. He tried sly and sarcastic and failed. He tried to echo the depths of Edward's relationships with those around him, but without his memories he failed at that as well.

When Edward had tried to kiss him, Roy had been shocked and nearly regreted pushing him away when the boy fixed him with a sour glare and scoffed out a bitter: "Hmph, should have know better." Roy was almost expecting it when Alphonse threaded his fingers through the loopholes in his lapels. However, Alphonse only sighed at the rejection. Edward had fumed silently beneath flashing gold eyes- denied, but not satisfied. Alphonse's eyes were not as brilliant as Edward's. They were softer, calmer and he wore his hurt like a chain rather than weilding it like a weapon.

Really, there was no comparison.

fin.