Author's note:: I own nothing but the basic idea here. Alternate Universe, strong language out of character is a result of AU. Yaoi and Shounen-ai pairings pending.

Beta'd by Muzai Yuuzai

Equivalent Exchange : To Gain

By Tsumi

Energy burned around Edward Elric as he passed through the gate. He was nearly blinded by the intense light surrounding him. Throwing his arms up over his face to ward it off, they felt slow, sluggish. He fought hard against the oppressive force, pushing down on him. Suddenly an odd sensation hit him; he heard a sound like a woman singing.

The sun shone cheerily though thin gauzy curtains covering the large windows of the room. It was a simple room with heavy wood furniture. Across from the bed, was a wall covered entirely in bookshelves, haphazardly stacked. Opposite the window was the door, which stood slightly ajar. Near the windows stood a wardrobe and a full-length mirror. Upon the four poster bed lay a young man with long blond hair pulled into a braid. He wore only a long white shirt, that bunched up at the collar as he shifted. His eyes were tightly closed as he tossed slightly in a fever dream. plain white sheets and dark blankets covered the sleeping form.

Beside the bed in a wooden chair sat a young woman in her thirties, she had slightly curly brown hair and silver-bronze eyes in a sweet face that was always smiling. She was wearing a simple blue dress covered with a white apron she was peeling an apple and humming a lullaby to her baby who lay in the bed. In the doorway a younger blonde with eyes like the woman's watched, petting a small tabby cat in his arms. Reaching out Trisha Elric, smoothed down her son's unruly bangs and then went back to the apple.

Ed stirred slowly, his cracked his eyes open.

Panic gripped him; he had no idea where he was.

Before he could react he heart the soft humming echoing in the room.

Only one person had a voice like that.

His eyes widened, fearfully he spoke.

"Mom?"

The woman stopped singing, she put the apple and knife down on the nightstand. Standing she leaned over the boy.

"Oh. Ed, you're finally awake. You had me worried." she smiled sweetly at him.

"About time." A voice muttered from the doorway, Ed turned his head slightly. Two blonds stood in the doorway. One, whom could have been none other than Al his dear brother, dressed in brown shorts and a blue shirt. The other whose face he had seen once before just before Envy's fist had slammed through his heart. This time though, the face was lined with worry as he looked at Ed then his mother.

"You had us all worried baby brother."

"Envy?" Ed asked truly confused.

"What?" The man's brow furrowed, "Don't talk Edward, you aren't making any sense."

"What?" He tried to sit up, but the gentle hands of his mother stopped him. He lay still and she resumed stroking his hair.

"You were in an accident." His mother told him gently.

"Oh." That explained nothing, but an alchemist never learned anything by refuting information, at least until he had more to go on.

"And you shouldn't do things like that."

"Will." their mother admonished.

"Sorry Mother," he said quietly. "But now that Ed is awake, you should rest, Al and I can keep an eye on our brother."

"All right, Will, behave though." She said at last. Leaning down she kissed Ed softly on the forehead.

"I will." Replied William.

Mom kissed his cheek and headed for the door, Al went with her making sure she made it to her room.

William on the other hand sat on the edge of the bed next to his half brother's head and gently smoothed back his bangs. What was it with this family and hair? Ed held perfectly still trying not flinch. Luckily, William seemed preoccupied and didn't notice.

"You are an idiot you know making us all worry like that. We all know you already surpass father, you don't have to try some crazy experiment to prove it, I should kick your ass for that."

"Big brother, don't." Al said coming in again, the tabby dogging his heels. The cat proceeded to jump up on the bed and cuddle up against Ed's side.

"Fine, I'll kick his ass after he's completely better then." Relented William.

"I guess that's the best we can hope for." Al Answered sitting on Ed's other side. He touched his forehead gently. "The fever is broken."

Ed stared at the two for a moment, he had no idea what was going on here. These people looked like people he knew but they couldn't be those people. For one thing, Envy was an enemy and this man who looked like him was nothing like him. Though his mother was gone and Al had been given back his body in their world and this had to be another side of the gate though not the one he had been in before. He must have taken the place of this place's Ed. This meant his mom... He nearly cried the though of his mother, Nevertheless, she wasn't his mother not really, she was this world's Ed's mother, not his. But it was nice to hear her voice after everything though. This was so odd.

"Good." Envy- no William nodded. This place would take some getting used to.

"Do you feel any better brother?" Al asked him.

"Kind of, but what happened?" He needed to find out everything he could.

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"We were doing an experiment we found in one of dad's books. We must have done something wrong. There was an explosion and you threw me down, so you got the whole brunt of it. You were knocked out and have been out of it for nearly a week, last night you got really bad and were barely breathing. But now you're fine, it's a miracle." Al hugged him slightly as if afraid he was going to break.

"More like that nurse Father brought in did know her stuff." Will said smirking.

"I guess."

"I do feel better, can I get up yet?"

"No not yet, I'll go get you some breakfast. Al make sure our brother stays in bed will you."

"Okay, but bring me food too."

"Right, the three of us will eat up here, be right back." he got up and left.

After Will had left Al cuddled up next to Ed on top of the covers. Ed put one arm around his shoulders. It seemed strange, feeling flesh on both arms. His toes were a bit cold, from the moved blankets. Yeah, a lot to get used to.

"I'm glad you're okay big brother." He murmured.

"Me too Al."

"Want me to tell Roy you're awake after we eat?"

"Huh?" Colonel Bastard? "Uh Sure."

"Good, he's been nervous about you know and he can't say anything to mom or father since he's so much older than you."

"It's not that much."

"He's eight years older than William, making him a full thirteen years older."

"So?"

"You never listen to me about it."

"Do you listen to me about love?"

"Only the part where you say love is love and no one should fault you for yours."

"I see."

"It was actually funny though, Roy was pacing all over the place, it was driving Will nuts."

Will entered just then, with a tray interrupting them. He smiled as he sat down next to his brothers, Al especially and they dug into the food. Al ate slowly, Ed like his parents had been starving him and Will stole things from each plate. Which Ed didn't take too kindly to.

"Why are you eating so much, little brother?" Will teased. "No mater if you eat like a bear, you always be a shrimp."

Which almost started a fight, Al did his best to circumvent. As Al tried to placate Ed, there was a knock and their father entered. He was a middle-aged man with dark blonde hair and gold eyes. He wore a brown suit with a white shirt. He smiled at his sons.

"Edward, I'm glad you're awake." He stepped over to the bed, Ed tried to sit up and both brothers held him down.

"Father." He greeted not being able to do anything else. This man looked like his father and was smiling as he looked over his three sons, this man didn't abandon his family it seemed. But he was Hohenheim and Ed was unsure of what to say.

"I'm sure William already gave you threats about what happened, so I will remain silent. I hope you can get up soon." He patted Ed's head softly. But I have students to teach, and I need my assistant."

"Coming father." Will said getting up. "Take care shrimp don't get up without me or Al, okay?"

"Who are you calling a shrimp?"

"Who do you think?" He smirked and followed their father out.

Once they were alone again Ed watched his brother. This was odd and he had no clue how to act in this respect. This was not his world and it wasn't the life had had known, he didn't have a clue about how he should act. But this was Al... Surely there couldn't be that much difference could there?

"Uh Al?"

"Yeah brother?"

"I'm kinda tired still."

"All right, I should go, I have a few classes myself I'll let the others know you're up." Al smiled hugged him again, collected the dishes and slipped out of the room taking the cat with him.

Ed lay back on the pillows after his brother had left, this was too much to take in he was lost here but these people were so much like the ones he knew and he had no idea what Al had meant by him and Roy. Mustang was a bastard and his superior officer, what was he to him here? As he leaned back and sighed he felt a lump in the pillow; reaching for it, he found a small leather bound book under his pillow. Cracking it open he found it was in his handwriting. Probably a journal, by the looks of it.

"I kept a journal huh, at least this should help." He flipped the pages randomly and read the entry.

Today sucked, not only can I still not beat Al in a sparring match but it's Russ' birthday, it's not fair that he's a year younger than me and taller. At least Fletcher is shorter. Arrgg it's bad enough my baby brother is taller my best friend should have the manners to not be taller then me. stupid best friends I should kick his ass of course I also can't beat him in hand to hand either the only ones I can beat are Michael and Fletcher and they're just kids.

"My best friend? Russell's my best friend, man this world's me has weird tastes." He looked over the next page.

New student today, well actually he's an old student of father's and he's a friend of Wills, man he's hot I wonder if he'll introduce me if I ask him too. He's in his twenties and he's great at alchemy though his specialty seems to be fire. I really like him. I guess I like guys, though mom's gonna be upset, she always wanted Winry and Me to get married.

"So Russell's my best friend and I have the hots for the bastard great." He muttered. "This is going to be weird." he slipped the journal back into its hiding place.

This world was all together odd. It seemed like the bad things that had happened to him in his world had never happened here. Then he got upset as he thought about his Al and the others on his World. But he had his mother even if she wasn't his mother she was just like her, and his Al had no one but their friends and their world. He sat up and tried to get off the bed but lost his balance as he tried to stand up.

"Stupid legs." he muttered rubbing his now flesh left leg, which he was not used to yet. He was used to the odd motion of the Auto-mail limb and had over compensated. One more thing to get used to in this place. He pulled himself up shakily and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked over the flesh limbs, he even had the same scar on his upper arm from where before a fox had bit him but he had no clue how he had gotten it here. Hopefully everyone would just think the memory loss was an effect of the accident. He could learn all about whom, he was here and these people. He stood shakily and walked over to the bookshelves using the bed to get there. On one of the shelves were pictures, mostly of him and his brothers or one of his parents. Another picture had him, a guy who was obviously Russell, William, Al ,Winry in a flowery dress, a younger boy who looked like Wrath, and Fletcher, they were all posing together. William had his arms around his baby brothers Winry was leaning down with her arms around Wrath's shoulders. Fletcher was trying to give Al bunny ears while his brother was trying to push him away. Obviously they were all friends. He smiled at the picture this world was perfect but there had to be something wrong.

As he was looked at the picture, there was a knock and he fell onto the bed.

"Yes."

The door opened and a woman entered she had short blonde hair and wore a nurse's uniform.

"Mr. Elric, I heard you had woken up I need to look you over."

"Who are you?"

"Your nurse Clara, but then you were unconscious when I came here first." She smiled and approached him.

"Please sit up and open your mouth, I need to check your throat."

He did as he was told, for once, and let her look him over. She was quick and efficient not ever breaking the professional cheerfulness she showed. Her bedside manner was impeccable and she was done quickly.

"You should stay in a bed another few days Mr. Elric and light exercise after that nothing strenuous for at least a month."

"Fine." he sulked as she left letting her think he would actually listen to her.

After she had left he pulled out the journal to see if it could tell him anything else.

William introduced me to Roy today. He is a great guy, but a total flirt. We are going into town tomorrow night, Together, I wonder if he'll kiss me...I might have to hit him if he does though, I can't seem too eager to be with him, even if I am. He really is a great guy though.

Just got back from town and had to write this down. I just had my first real kiss. Roy's a great kisser, too bad Will caught us, and he threatened to punch Roy when he saw us kiss, and bad timing is a talent of his. Good thing Al was there too or he might have actually hurt him.

Ed sighed, his double here had obviously been obsessed with Roy. Though with the way everyone was going on about him, he might not be the bastard he was in Ed's world. He shook his head this was way too much. The journal was replaced and he lay back again hoping someone would show up and he could at least get a book or something.

He was dozing off when the door pushed open and the tabby kitten wandered in and jumped up to lay next to him again. She nuzzled his right hand and ran her head under his fingers.

"Hello, so Al finally got a cat huh? So what's your name?" He looked for a tag and found it on a small brown collar "Mittens? Cute and so him, he's not any different is he?"

The cat merely purred and rubbed against his hand, begging for more attention. He absently scratched the cat as he stared at the window to his room. How many times had this Ed slipped out that window he wondered. If he was anything like him it had no doubt been a lot along with his brothers, most likely. He fell asleep to the cat's purr and his own thoughts.

A couple of hours later Al was looking for the cat and found her asleep on his brother's bed. He smiled to himself and left them alone. A snicker got his attention and he saw his oldest brother in the hall.

"Checking on Ed?"

"No, I was looking for mittens, she got out of my room again, and as usual she got into Ed's room she must have gotten in there while he was asleep again."

"You know he likes her Al, he just acts like that because he can." William told him. Putting an arm around Al's shoulder. "Come on then we should see about lunch for our poor bed-ridden sibling."

"All right." The younger blond followed the elder down the hall.

In the kitchen, their mother was working at the stove humming softly. Russell was over in the corner peeling potatoes as a punishment for shirking a class.

"Hey Will, Al." He called seeing them, Trisha turned to look at them.

"Hello boys."

"Hi mom,."

"Hello mother, we figured we should feed the shrimp." Will smiled.

"I wish you wouldn't call him that, Will." Trisha told him, stirring the large pot simmering on the stove..

"Aww mother, I only call him that so no on else can." He explained.

"Of course you do William." she sighed and turned back to the stove

While William and Trisha talked, Al wandered over to Russell.

"So how's Ed doing?"

"Better, he seemed kind of out of it when he woke up, but he's been out cold for weeks probably had some weird dreams."

"Yeah, so when can friends bother. I mean visit him?"

"Tomorrow after classes, I guess."

"Right Fletcher will be happy to hear that."

Alphonse smile as he accepted a potato from the conscripted laborer,

"I'm sure Ed will too." He said handing the tuber to his mother.

William with a tray in hand called to his brother as he moved for the door.

"Let's go, if the shrimp doesn't eat pretty soon he may turn on Mittens."

The look of shock crossed the youngest Elric's face and he passed his brother rushing for the stairs.

Russell and William shared a look and laughed.

Younger brothers were always too gullible.

Much to Alphonse's is relief Edward was still asleep when they arrived. Mittens was safe, purring quite contentedly against his chest.

"Hey Ed wake up we brought you lunch." William sang out.

Edward groaned and rolled over making the cat move. She walked to the foot of the bed and sniffed at him before settling down to groom herself..

"Come on Ed you need to eat. you haven't eaten in a few days." Al pleaded.

Ed rolled over and looked at his brother's from under the blanket.

"Why?"

"Because if you don't eat, you'll never grow and we'll forever be loosing you in the front yard when the grass isn't cut."

"What?!" the infuriated glare was lost under the blanket, but William laughed anyway.

Al shoved him slightly and sat down beside his recuperating sibling.

"Because mom made it and she's worried about you."

Ed seemed to think it over before relenting.

"Fine." He sat up and Will set down the tray on the side table. "But I need to do something besides lay here."

"You can have a couple of books, but you know dad will expect you to do some homework if you have paper."

"I'll do it, anything but sleeping, you can't have any fun in bed."

Al blushed brightly as Will laughed, Ed glared at him and he calmed down.

"You know at sixteen, you really should know better than that little brother." Will told him ruffling his hair.

"That's not what I mean!" Ed yelled at him turning, almost as red as Al was. "Besides the nurse said I couldn't do anything strenuous." He huffed.

"Brothers." Al groaned and his elder siblings stopped glaring and laughing to look at him.

"Yes Al?"

"Can we just eat now?"

"Aww we embarrassed our innocent baby brother." Will teased.

"Stop that!" Al demanded and Will pounced him to tickle him.

Ed laughed and the two turned on him, forgetting about the fact he was supposed to be resting, they sprung on him and an all out tickle fight began. At first, it was Will and Al against Ed. The table soon turned when the younger brothers went up against their elder. Soon William was begging for mercy and the bed was a mess. When no one could breathe, they stopped and all three laughed struggling to catch their breath.

"Even a few days of being stuck in bed and you're better than me." Will panted with a sigh.

"That' because I'm the best." Ed preened.

"Sure you are, now eat your lunch it's gotten cold."

"Yes mom."

"No your mother is downstairs"

"You're right; you'd look bad in a dress."

"Damn straight, I would."

Ed looked at him and shook his head. These two were strange in some ways, but they were technically his brothers. He dug into the soup still hungry as ever. William still managed to steal food as they ate.

It was an easy camaraderie for Al and Will, Ed found himself relaxing a little as they joked about silly things. Will teased Ed about his height again, but this time Ed just stole his bread. Al told Ed about Russell's punishment and he laughed.

"No wonder these potatoes seem weird, Russ has no kitchen skills." Ed mused poking at his potatoes.

"True." Will agreed trying to get back his bread, but Ed took a huge bite out of it and Will merely pulled another piece from the tray for his soup. "We should go Izumi Sensei's class is this afternoon, you should feel lucky you don't have to get your ass kicked today."

"Like I'd rather be languishing about all day. Without anything to do its sheer torture." He waved his arms for emphasis. "Bedridden, bored to tears and being mauled by Al's cat."

Mittens yawned from the rug, having sought refuge during the minor scuffle. Al had already gone to the bookshelf to retrieve something for his brother. Setting a small pile on the nightstand, he was rewarded with a grateful smile. William picked up the tray and left in its place a pen and a notebook.

"Here you go little brother, just don't blow up your room again."

"I won't." he promised, unsure how he could have possible done so in the first place.

"Okay."

His brothers left and Ed was left to his thoughts. Reaching over he picked up the first book, quite content to read for the rest of the day.. It was a book on Alchemy of course, and he sank into it.

After awhile there were shouts outside and he struggled over to the window to see what was going on. He smiled when he saw what looked like Izumi yelling at William, Alphonse, Russell, Fletcher, the Wrath look alike, and a couple others. Each time they attacked, they were thrown back. Al and Fletcher caught the boy, most likely he was the Michael mentioned in his journal. They tried a three-way attack and were batted away easily as she taught out of the book she held. Russell and Will were any better, caught in a tangled pile and struggling to rise.

While they trained, two older men watched from the low stone fence. One was a large man, not fat but heavy muscles covered his frame. He was blond or at least the few hairs on his forehead and the large mustache he bore matched it. He was dressed simply in black slacks, a white buttoned shirt sat across his broad shoulders. By no means was this anyone other that Alex Louis Armstrong. Ed hoped he was nothing like the Armstrong of old he doubted his newly acquired arm could take such an exuberant greeting. The other was even more familiar with short black hair that hung just over his jet black eyes. Roy wore blue pants and an undershirt, a white T-shirt hung draped over his shoulder. From the look of things, they to had suffered from Izumi's tender ministrations and were now resting.

By chance, the man who would be Armstrong saw him perched in the window. Smiling broadly, he waved, alerting his companion. Roy's head shot up and he followed his friend's line of sight and found Edward. His features softened and he too smiled, though not as cheerfully as Armstrong had. It was a gentle look, one Ed was unused to and he found himself smiling back. Before he knew it, he offered a small wave to the man. Roy easily returned the gesture in what was almost a salute and he felt relived. It sudden dawned on him and blushed suddenly. Dropping from the window, he smacked himself in the head. What was he doing? This was Roy of all people. Why the Hell was he playing Juliet?

Seizing the journal, Ed set about filling in his thoughts. He wrote what he knew so far down, he had to remember everything he had learned, after all he was stuck here, for now and he was going to have to be these people's Edward Elric. He would just have to slowly become accustomed to this place and these people.

An hour or so later they all headed inside probably to shower and go to another class, he seemed to be living in some kind of school, he supposed his father had started it to teach alchemy though how he had gotten Izumi to help teach he had no clue. He wondered who else he knew who was here. Not to mention how different they probably were. Not that so for most of them had been.

He leaned a little out the window now that no one was really out there to see him do so. He could see a vegetable garden below him the stone fence that Armstrong and Mustang had been leaning on surrounded it. Below his window, which was apparently on the second floor, was a door, which probably led into the kitchen. To the left of his windows were two more sets and to the right was one slimmer window. He could see the road a little as it curved around the hills of the familiar countryside, it looked just like Resembool but a few more buildings dotted the landscape. He did see the river though with its stone bridge. He could even see the house, which was probably Winry's. Mitten's shifted on the bed and jumped onto his lap blocking the notepad demanding love. He scratched her and put her back on the bed to note a few more things before returning to his bed as he heard footsteps in the hall. They stopped at his door for a moment and ran on. He picked up another book to read and drifted off.

The light was a blinding blue white flash. It glowed around him as strange black things grabbed his arm,

"Brother!" Al was just a head he could almost grab the younger boy's hand but it vanished just as he touched the fingers. His own leg dissolved in front of his eyes.

"Al!" he yelled sitting up and looking around. The light outside was fading and he looked at his arms both still flesh again, he then threw off the blankets to reveal two flesh legs.

"Brother?" Al came running in, followed more sedately by Will who carried a tray that probably held his dinner.

"Are you all right? "Al asked seeing his brother trembling.

"It's nothing Al just a bad dream that's all." he tried to calm down. It had been the gate that day but why was he having that nightmare again?

"Are you sure Ed? You sounded really scared and you did yell Al's name." Will asked.

"I can't remember why it's already gone." he told them.

"Okay, here we brought you up dinner but dad wants us to have dinner downstairs because we have company we'll be back up later."

"I have to eat alone?"

"Yeah but tomorrow you might even be able to come down for lunch at least." Will told him lighting the lamp closest to his bed as the sun was setting.

"Okay." he dug into the tray as they left. At least he was getting the same food as everyone else, and not invalid foods.

After he ate he picked up the book again. A little while later the door opened again. Trisha entered smiling at her son.

"You're looking better Edward." She said.

"Thanks mom I guess all this bed rest has helped, can I get up yet?"

"tomorrow." she promised kissing his cheek and taking the tray out. "I'm sure you'll be much better then."

"All right."

Soon Al carrying a small wooden box opened the door again this time.

"Hey brother."

"Al what's that?" Ed sat up.

"the chess set, want to play a few games with me I might even let you win." he smiled and sat on the bed placing the game between them.

"Let me win? I'm not that bad at chess."

"You're not that good either." he said as he set up the board.

They played a few games Al wining the majority of the games like he always did Ed had no real mind for strategy preferring to barrel in and get it done and on more than one occasion this left his king defenseless. Al was really good with strategy though carefully moving pieces to where they'd be the most effective. The two played for hours until yawns Punctuated moves.

"You should get some sleep Al."

"Not tired." he said yawning.

"I am then go to bed."

"fine see ya in the morning big brother."

"night."

Al put the game on the chair and put out the lamp grabbing mittens he closed the door behind him.

TBC...

Well there it is the first chapter in my first actual Full metal alchemist fic, that is not a lemon or a drabble. Hope you liked it and chapter 2 should bring more revelations about this place