Rating: PG/mangaverse-style!restored!Al

Darkened Dreams

It didn't come as much of a surprise to anyone when they discovered Al's revitalized fear of the dark. Sure, the dark had scared him as a small child, but as with all children they grow up and the silly fears ebb away. However, with the trauma that Al's body and mind had sustained within the Gate, it was only natural that the fear rebounded as a phobia.

"Remember to leave the hall light on, Nii-san!" Al called nervously from his blanket cocoon, feeling much safer when there were mountains of soft blankets piled around him.

With such sensitive skin as his, it was very pleasurable to have the chafing of fluffy cloth surround him. He enjoyed it much more when his brother had the gumption to join him under the covers, but it seemed that tonight Edward was planning on sleeping in his own bed. The first few weeks after Al's restoration had left the boys inseparable, but after some thought, they decided to slowly graduate to sleeping in their own beds again.

Alphonse wasn't too fond of this transition, but if it was Ed wanted…

The older teen yawned loudly; his pink tongue poking out just a smidge and both arms outstretched over his head despite the fact that only one required that necessity. His lithe, yet muscular form was silhouetted by the light pouring in from their open bedroom door. Al felt his breath hitch as his stormy optics drank in the sight of his golden angel. He blushed slightly and curled into himself a bit more as he watched Ed remove his shirt carelessly and tossed it unceremoniously to the floor. Al would've rolled his eyes and chided his brother had he not been so captivated by the mere image of him.

Ed blinked a few times when he saw Al gazing at him, yet with all the obliviousness in the world… he mistook the adoration as simple inquisition. "Don't worry, Al. I left the light on."

"…right. Thank you, Nii-san." He sighed, finally tearing his eyes away from his brother.

The rustling of bed sheets and nightclothes lulled him into a peaceful state, especially when Edward's snoring finally accompanied it. It wasn't unusual for the elder Elric to fall asleep before him, especially since every time Al closed his eyes he'd be shrouded in darkness.

There wasn't a speck of light anywhere, unless the myriad of eyes staring at him maliciously were to be counted as light. While they were gleaming, they offered no comfort or reassurances to Alphonse.

His fingers were bleeding where the nails had ripped off as he clawed frantically at the looming Gate before him. His throat was raw from screaming and his stomach felt like it was eating itself. Hands grabbed at his paper thin flesh and tore at his limp hair. The door wouldn't open, but he had to get out. He had to get out of the darkness.

"Nii-san! Nii-san, help me!" he wailed as he pounded on the thick stone slabs. "Nii-san!"

The door opened, but there was no light on the other side. Other than the gleaming, sharp teeth and vicious violet eyes. There was a deafening roar and Al shrieked as the darkness pulled him down and down and down…

It was the second roar of thunder that jolted Al from his fiendish nightmare. He panted heavily and watched as the sheets pooled around his waist. Except that he couldn't see them. There was a flash of lightning and the horrible sound of rain smattering against the rooftop. The sweat made his pajamas cling to his overheated skin; tears and sweat and blood mingling when he realized that he had bit his tongue in his panic.

Silvery eyes widened as tears spilled out from their recesses. There was no light. The light that had been on in the hallway was off and it was so dark. At the next roll of thunder, Al clamped his hands over his ears and sobbed. His skinny frame trembled as each intake of breath made his body heave violently.

Skin met skin and Al's wails increased at the invasion as his eyes squeezed shut to block out everything. But then he saw sharp teeth and violet eyes and he was falling towards it with all those hands touching him everywhere and pulling and ripping and-

Despite its chill, Al had never been more grateful for automail. Collapsing into Ed's arms, Al bawled like a baby as the storm raged on and the darkness didn't cease. Anyone and anything found in the Gate could have a flesh hand, but the combination of the smooth and familiar texture of the automail and the warmth of flesh revealed to Al that his big brother was there and would never let the dark gobble him up.

"Shh…" The softness of his savior's voice could barely be heard over the rain and his heavy breathing, but Al heard it all the same. "I'm not going to let them take you, Al. Don't be scared, I'm right here. Everything's going to be okay."

With the flesh hand that was smoothing back his sweat-drenched hair and the reassuring automail rubbing against his back, Al managed to cease his sobbing and just trembled and panted. "Nii-san…"

He clung tightly to Ed's chest, wanting to bury himself in the comforting warmth. His cheek was pressed against the well-toned chest that was now sticky from countless tears. Al nuzzled against him, his soft hair tickling Ed's own touch-deprived skin and caused him to lose his breath for a moment. Catching himself, the older brother gently lowered both their bodies so they could curl up side by side.

Liquefied amber orbs gazed tenderly into twin silver pools, his flesh hand cupping Al's cheek and brushing away the drying tears. Alphonse hiccupped, his lower lip quivering as blood from the bite to his tongue trickled down to his chin. Ed frowned at this and leaned in to lap the blood away. He felt his younger brother shiver in his arms, the warm tongue against his cool skin felt delightful.

When Ed pulled back, he was still dissatisfied to see Al's lip trembling. Tipping the younger boy's head just slightly, Ed's smooth lips brushed over Al's chapped ones in an affectionate kiss. Al melted into the kiss, clinging tighter to Ed's sturdy form as he whimpered against lips molded to accommodate his own.

The kiss was broken and Al's lips were no longer quivering as his eyes were no longer leaking tears. Ed smiled gently, pleased with his work in comforting his brother, only surprised to have Al bury his face into his neck with another sob as the thunder roared again. Two mismatched arms pulled Al tight against him and two mismatched legs tangled with his brother's. The blonde nudged Al's head so he could pepper loving kisses all over his face. Every single inch that he could reach received a feather-light kiss.

"N-nii-san…" Al sighed, reaching up to tangle his fingers in Ed's silky, unbound hair and relished its texture. "Why are you kissing me?"

A different kind of fear gripped the older brother, but he managed to stave it off, "Because you're scared. And… because I don't… I don't like to see you scared …"

"It's the dark and the storm." Al whimpered softly, wanting to soft kisses to continue.

"I know, Al." There was a slow intake of breath on Ed's part, "I'll stop… kissing you… if you want me to…"

The brunette shook his head, "Please don't stop… I feel safe when you do."

Their lips met in a chaste, yet electrifyingly beautiful, kiss. Then several more followed suit with breathy confessions of harbored love and sweet nothings in between kisses. They were short and soft, but that was all they needed.

"I'll be your light when you're trapped in the dark."

Down and down and down into that sharp mouth. The darkness was going to consume and keep him until he rotted from the inside out. Just as his body was about to break from the impact, there was a blinding light.

The hands ripping at him fled and the mouth and eyes vanished; all were screeching in pain as if the light burned them into nothingness. He reached out to grasp the light, knowing that it was there to save him. Instead of falling into the endless oblivion of darkness, he fell into the warm arms of his brother.

And then there was light and love.

-Oyasumi