Red Roses2: Exactly nine pages. For a first chapter, this is a record for me. Hopefully, this means that future chapters will eventually get to be about twice as long. It's how it worked for the now finished Don't Hurt My Little Knight. If any of you like yaoi, Elricest, and Alphonse vs. Alfons, then I suggest you check DHMLK out. If you don't like yaoi, I'm fairly certain this is the story for you. I don't have anything planned, mainly because this story is really just a tragedy. I prefer platonic relationships when it comes to the Trigham brothers.

Summary: Fletcher fell to his knees, the tears in his eyes breaking loose from their dams. Blood seeped through the plates of Al's armor. "What did you do? What did you do to me!?" Al screamed, unable to identify the dead body now sitting in his armor.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. It belongs to Hiromu Arakawa.

!#$%^&*()_+~

The sky shone with pink and yellow as Ed and Al trekked on the road into Xenotime. Al's armor creaked as he turned his head towards Ed, Ed starting to cough. The cough racked his small frame, the sound blaring like an elephant.

"Brother, are you all right?" Al asked.

Ed nodded, a grimace on his face.

"Let's just get to an inn or something."

Al's helmet creaked into a nod, and the two continued on. Slowly – for they paused every time Ed coughed – they came into town. Some kills stood in the distance, and the ground was hard and rocky. They kicked up dust with every footstep, but it wasn't a desolate town. On one hill sat a mansion, surrounded by an abundance of grass and trees. The rest of the town, however, looked just like a regular gold mining town.

As Ed stopped to cough once more, a scream shot through the air. The brothers looked in the direction of the scream. Deep in the steep mining ditch, stood a crowd of adults huddled around a tipped-over cart.

"Elysa!" cried one of the adults.

Even from up on the trail, Ed and Al could hear the sobs of a little girl. The brothers shared a look, nodded, and abandoned the road to help them.

"What happened?" Ed asked, his voice coming out rough.

"My daughter's trapped under the cart!"

The little girl whimpered. Ed furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, but another cough snuck up on him.

"Al, could you - ?" Ed managed, holding his arms close to his chest to keep his body from shuddering so much.

"Got it," Al said, clapping his hands together. He touched the cart, and it transmuted into a decorative statue, firmly stuck in the ground.

Ed gave Al a grateful smile as he got his cough under control.

"Elysa, are you all right?"

"I'm okay, Daddy."

"Thank you so much for saving my daughter!"

"Heh. It was nothing," said Al.

~!#$%^&*()_+

Al wasn't sure how they got roped into having a meal at Elysa's house, but it would have been rude to turn down their offer. And Ed really looked like he needed a place to rest.

Two plates full of food sat before Al and Ed. For the former, it was normal. But for the latter –

"Aren't you hungry, Brother? You haven't eaten anything since we left Aquroya."

Ed shook his head and rested his chin on his palm.

"So you're brothers?" Elysa asked.

Ed nodded, staring at the salt shaker.

"And you two are alchemists, right?"

"Yes," Al said. "Brother's even a state alchemist."

The family oohed and ahhed together. Al couldn't help but giggle.

Ed looked like he was having difficulty staying awake.

"Maybe you could help Mugiar with the Philosopher's Stone!" said one of the men.

Ed managed to look up with a slightly curious expression.

"Philosopher's Stone?" Ed muttered.

"We can put a good word in for you two. What were your names again?"

Excitement filled Al's soul. Maybe this was their chance! Maybe they could get their bodies back!

"I'm Alphonse Elric, and my brother is Edward Elric - ," A coughing fit struck Ed. "Brother?"

Ed held up a hand – as though he were trying to tell Al that he was okay – and with his other hand, he covered his mouth. He shook, gasped, wheezed, and coughed some more.

The faces of the civilians went from surprised, angry, and pitying in a matter of seconds. Elysa went to the sink to fetch Ed a glass of water. Once Ed stopped coughing, she handed it to him.

"Thank you," Ed rasped, pressing the glass to his lips. His eyelids drooped, and his grip on the glass was precarious.

Elysa looked at Al, finding herself unable to say it to Ed. "The Elric brothers are already working with Mugiar. Why would you tell such a lie?"

"Huh?" Al said.

Ed looked at her through a haze of exhaustion.

"I'm not entirely sure what it was you just said, but is there an inn near by? And when does the nearest pharmacy op - ?" Ed covered his mouth and coughed, this time more gently. Once it ceased, he smiled, embarrassed. "Sorry about the cough. It wasn't this bad a few days ago."

"There's no inn, but my uncle Belsio has plenty of room." Elysa suggested.

"Is that really okay?" Al asked. Ed nodded absentmindedly, then he fell sideways. Al scrambled to catch him. "Brother!"

Al watched Ed's chest move up and down. The younger brother sighed.

The doctor in Aquroya said it was just a cold. But what if he was wrong? What if Ed had caught a flu? Al had never taken care of a sick person in his armor before. And the last time he had taken care of an ill Ed, Izumi-sensei had been there to tell him what to do. What if Ed needed a wet towel on his forehead? What if Ed had a fever-induced nightmare? What if he needed blankets? What if - ?

"You two can stay here, tonight," Elysa's father said, sympathy shining in his eyes.

~!#$%^&*()_+

The next morning, Al stared at the water glass set aside on the bedside table for Ed. He couldn't be sure, but did this water have a red tint to it? He didn't ponder about it for very long. Ed groaned, and his eyes fluttered open. He shifted slightly, his golden eyes landing on Al. A small smile graced his lips.

"Morn - ," and a cough interjected.

"Do you still have the prescription you got in Aquroya?"

Ed moaned something, tried to sit up, but he winced, and Al immediately made him lie back down. Ed didn't object.

"That's okay. I'll find it, Ed."

Ed nodded, snuggled back into the covers, and closed his eyes. Al rummaged through Ed's suitcase as quietly as he could.

Ed had two suitcases: the one with his clothes, fresh underwear, hair brush, hair ties, toothbrush, toiletries, small books, and random suvoniers for Winry; the other Al wasn't allowed to open. Al assumed it was full of military documents and clues to the Philosopher's Stone, and maybe a precious book or two. Al knew Ed would never put the prescription in the suitcase he wasn't allowed to open, but part of him wanted to check anyway. He stalled for a moment and glanced at Ed, back to sleep and trusting Al to bring medicine soon. Guilt crept into Al's soul as he turned his back on the forbidden suitcase. He couldn't betray his brother's trust like that. Ed told him almost everything. There must be a very good reason for not letting him look in it.

It if was military documents, did that mean Ed didn't trust him enough to not lose them? If so, what could possibly be that important that it couldn't sit in Mustang's desk instead?

Or . . . maybe Ed finally decided to start acting like a real teenager and bought porn when he wasn't looking and just wanted to protect Al's poor virgin eyes? Al nodded, happy with that conclusion. Ed deserved to wind down some, and he had overheard Havoc say that sexual release of some sort was great for that.

It just went to show that Al had no hormones when a fourteen-year-old boy turns down the prospect of naked women with big breasts (or maybe it was muscular men – Ed didn't show signs of being interested in either gender and yet he blushed at seemingly the most randomest of moments, like Havoc patting his shoulder or Hawkeye giving him a small smile.)

Either way, Al explored the rather uninteresting suitcase for the prescription.

After what felt like forever – but what probably was just ten minutes – Al hummed thoughtfully, the suitcase's entire contents scattered around him.

"Where could it be?"

"Where's what?" asked Elysa. Al's armor creaked as he glanced at her. The girl held a fresh glass of water.

"Brother's prescription. I can't seem to find it."

Elysa took the red-tinted water and replaced it with fresh water.

"Maybe he doesn't need it. We can look at the generic stuff when Daddy and I go for my medicine."

"Huh? You need medicine?"

Elysa nodded. "I have a bad cough, too. Not as bad as his, though . . ."

They both gazed at Ed for a few moments. Ed groaned in his sleep, his cheeks shining.

~!#$%^&*()_+

The pharmacy was littered with coughing patients. Al scanned the dingy room. Mold grew between the windows, and he could barely see through them. The floorboards squeaked under his feet. And what that sound termites? He fancied that he might just be able to smell damp wood, but it was probably his imagination. He couldn't smell in his armored body.

"Why are there so many people?" Al asked. Elysa's father ignored his question.

"Thank you," he said as the old woman handed him Elysa's medicine.

"And what may I do for you, young man?"

"Uh, my brother needs medicine for a cough. I think he has a fever, too."

He might have imagined it, but everyone in the room tensed.

"Does he have a prescription?" the old woman asked.

"We lost it," Al admitted.

The only woman hummed thoughtfully. She peered into the back room.

"I'm afraid I'll have to order the generic stuff. What's your brother's name? I'll need it to label it."

"Edward Elric."

Everyone froze for a moment, then glared at him. Al leaned backwards slightly.

"What is it?" Al said.

The old woman's glare intensified, and Elysa's dad sighed.

"I'm sorry about him. If it wasn't for his brother's condition, we would have run them out already." Elysa's dad apologized. "The boy really is sick, though. Can barely keep his eyes open."

"What are you apologizing for?" Al asked. "What did I do?"

Elysa's dad looked at him straight in the eye – and glared hate into his soul. Al faltered.

"Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, and his brother, Alphonse Elric, are already working for Mugiar. You filthy liar." He turned his eyes away from Al. "To be honest, I'm willing to bet your brother lets you get away with it only because he's too out of it to notice."

Al bowed his head, the idea of two imposters running around in his head.

~!#$%^&*()_+

"Imposters, huh?" Ed wheezed, lowering the glass of water from his lips. His face scrunched up in disgust. "Why does this water taste so bad?"

"Do you want me to find something else?"

Ed shook his head and set the glass back on the bedside table.

"They're the ones working on the Philosopher's Stone, right?"

"Yes," Al said.

Ed pulled the covers off and touched it his feet onto the floor. Al stood up, his arms outstretched.

"Brother? What are you - ?"

Ed slowly slipped his coat on, grimacing at every significant move he made.

"We're going to confront them. At least learn why. Maybe call Mustang."

Al gasped.

"Ed?"

His brother would never willingly ask Colonel Mustang for anything. He knew they'd end up owing him something, and Ed hated being in debt.

Ed swayed and stumbled, grabbing hold of the doorframe. A small groan passed through his lips.

Al chased after Ed, Ed managing not to fall down the stairs.

"Ed! We can't confront them! What if they hurt you?"

Elysa and her parents looked up as the two brothers walked past.

"We need to find out if they really made a Philosopher's Stone. Find out how they made it. See if - ," Ed coughed again, his body trembling.

"You can't go like this!"

"Can too."

The elder stumbled, but reached the front door.

"Just – very . . . slowly," Ed admitted, tripping over himself.

Al watched him go, then caught up with him. Elysa stared out the window, her eyes following them.

~!#$%^&*()_+

Darkness covered the land, and stars twinkled high above them. The wind blew gently, rubbing the tree branches together. Ed covered his mouth, his cheeks puffed with air. HE gestured at the mansion all. Al sighed, clapped his hands, touched the wall, and created a hole. The two brothers walked through it, and Al transmuted the wall back. Ed gasped for air, and a coughing fit attacked. He tried to muffle the sound, but he only succeeded in making small trumpet sounds. His eyes wide, his body shaking, his automail hand grasping at his chest, Ed looked positively terrified.

"Who's there?" demanded a commanding voice.

Ed's coughing worsened.

A door opened, light poured into the room – which Al now realized was a private library – and two figures stood in the doorway. One was tall, his shoulders thrown back and his head held high. The other was significantly shorter – almost as short as Ed – cowering behind the taller one.

"Who are you?" said the taller one, the owner of that strong voice.

Al hesitated, glancing at Ed. Ed still coughed, his eyes screwed shut, as though in pain.

"Uh, we – we're - !" Al didn't know what to do, what to say. Ed couldn't concentrate on his alchemy like this. And he didn't want Ed to get hurt! He knew this was a bad idea. He knew it! Why did he always let Ed hurt himself like this? This was just like when they tried to resurrect Mom – except now - !

Ed reigned in his coughing temporarily.

"We're the real Elric brothers," Ed rasped. "Care to tell us why you're using our names?"

The taller one narrowed his eyes. The shorter faltered.

"No, we don't," the taller said, walking into the room. Now that the light wasn't bearing down on the taller's back, Al could see he was blond, blue-eyed, and wearing a white shirt and suspenders. His bangs fell in front of his right eye, and a dangerous look refracted in his eyes. "Actually, we'd rather you just go away."

Ed shook his head, then winced. He grabbed his head and groaned.

"Are – are you ill?" the shorter asked, also stepping into the room. He was also blond, and wore suspenders, and blue-eyed, but he wore a strange green hat and Al could see that he trembled – in fear?

Ed gave him a look.

"What was the tip-off?"

Another coughing fit interrupted him. The shorter imposter frowned.

"Look, we're not here to fight. Just to talk. We want to know abut the Philosopher's Stone."

Ed's eyelids drooped as he spoke, and he leaned on a bookcase to keep himself from falling over.

"We don't feel like sharing," the taller said. "So go home."

Ed looked at him hard –or as hard as he could manage with his cheeks shining red.

"Identity theft is a serious offense. I can have the military arrest you. Unless you tell us how you're making it and how you've progressed."

The taller smirked.

"Or I could just kill you. Yo're in no position to protect yourself in any way. All you've done is made yourself a target."

The shorter imposter sucked in his breath. Al moved to stand in front of Ed.

"You'll never hurt my brother," Al said, putting his guard up.

The taller imposter's smirk widened.

"Little brother, why don't you get the guards?" he said.

Al faltered and looked back at Ed. Ed sighed.

"Fine. We'll leave." Ed coughed again. "But we'll be back."

The taller imposter's smirk turned into a grin.

"Thought so."

~!#$%^&*()_+

Ed lay on the bed, asleep, his fever much worse. Al paced back and forth in the kitchen, back and forth, back and forth. Elysa, her parents, and her uncle Belsio watched him pace.

"I knew we shouldn't have gone! I knew we shouldn't have! Now we can't do anything about it or they'll hurt Ed! What are we going to do? We can't leave with him so ill. But what if they try something?" Al went on and on like this for hors. What if, what if, what if, it's all my fault, my fault, my fault. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. He didn't stop pacing until Belsio clamped a hand on his shoulder. Al's helmet creaked as he turned it to look at him.

"Concentrate on helping Ed get better. I called the military a few minutes ago and told them the identity mix-up. They'll be here in a few days. Meantime, we'll work on getting some fluids into your brother." Belsio smiled at him. Al bowed his head. "Come on. Let's bring Ed some of this lemonade."

Al nodded. "Okay."

Belsio handed Al a plate of buttlered and salted spaghetti noodles, in case Ed was hungry, and Belsio himself carried the tall glass of lemonade. They climbed the stairs, Al falling into his former line of thinking. What if, what if, what if. And it would all be his fault.

Belsio opened the door.

"Ed? We've brought - ," Belsio dropped the glass. It shattered, the lemonade seeping through the leather of his shoes.

The door swung wide open – and Ed was no where in sight.