Life was such a bitch sometimes—Ed had a steel arm and leg to prove it, not to mention a slowly rotting heart.
And such a strong heart…what a waste.
The only faith he had left was sucked out of him, leaving the boy dry. This feeling wasn't too familiar to him; it wasn't until later he recognized it as home—or at least the home that never was. And his only hope?
His brother.
Oh, yes; Al, right? He was what was helping Ed cling on to the ounce of sanity he had left. But unfortunately, Al was going insane, too. He didn't have a clue why his brother was so…determined. Everything blew up in their faces—whether it'd be a batch of cookies they were baking with their mother, or some God-forsaken night they hadn't spoken about for what seemed like forever.
What makes this time different from the rest? They're going to end up disappointed, anyway.
It wasn't Ed himself that was keeping Al from going utterly crazy—it was this false hope his older brother had. But at the time, he didn't know it was false; it just didn't feel like it was.
But then again, how could someone who doesn't know what it's like to feel know the sensation of misery or emptiness?
They weren't going to give up—ever. Their lives depended on it. Their faith depended on it.
…They should just end this little journey of theirs—they road they're traveling isn't going to end. The only thing they'll gain from this is even more helplessness.
False hope can get people so far sometimes…
---
Fletcher looked up from his work in that stuffy little lab at his older brother;Russell was across the room, engrossed in his research. "Brother…?"
"What is it, Fletcher?"
"Should we…" The boy looked down at his lap, tracing the brim of his pants with a shaking fore finger. "…really be doing this? Those Elrics…they seem to be…worse off than us…"
"We've already gone through this." Russell didn't even look up during this scolding. "We're not going to become like those morons—we're not hopeless…and we're not going to end up disappointed and alone. They will, got it? If there's any justice in this world, they will."
"If there's any justice in this world," Fletcher whispered to himself, "the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother will end up reaching their goal…whether it'd be on false hope or not." His emerald green eyes landed on his brother yet again, who had resumed his work.
Am I keeping you from insanity too…Brother?
The End.
A/N: I just LOVE those Tringhams--don't you? Before Russell starts judging Ed and Al, he should just take a good look at himself and Fletcher...Well, that's what I think, anyway.