Spoilers: None

Pairings: None

Author's Note: This is an interesting excersize I made for myself. Each section starts with the sentence There was a day I realized I don't want you to die. I don't know if that's grammatically correct, but I like it XP Each section begins like that, describes the day, and then ends with a conclusion of the importance of that day.

They're not in any particular order, chronological or otherwise, but most of them go in pairs. For example, the first one is by Al, about Ed. The second one is by Ed, about Al.

I don't know when Al's birthday is, but I decided to make it be in spring sometime. Judging from the windy weather on the night their mother dies, and how Al says he's cold at her grave, I'd say she died in the fall. Al was nine when she died, so his ninth birthday was before Mom died. So...yeah. This is Al overreacting XP

There was a day I realized I don't want you die, Brother.

It was one of those sunny, glorious days in spring, one of many that Risenpool sees. I was happy because my birthday was the very next day, and we were going to have a party. You, Mom, Winry, and Granny Pinako. We were all going to eat a huge meal, with a big cake. Nine candles were going to be on it, and Mom promised she would make blue frosting this year.

I woke up early in the morning, but you were still asleep. I didn't want to wake you up, but everything looked so fresh and wonderful outside that I couldn't wait to be out in that spring morning. So I dressed as fast as I could and let myself out the back door. Everything was beautiful and sparkling, the dew like diamonds on the grass. The sky was the color of Winry's dresses, the sun just a sliver of burning gold. I felt a wild pleasure to be out in this morning all by myself, not having to talk to anyone and not having to do much of anything but stare around at it all.

I ran through the dew-speckled grass, over the hill and down to the river. I walked along, listening to the birds as they woke one by one and began to sing with all their might. I stayed outside until the sun was all the way up, and then my stomach started to rumble and I ran all the way back home for breakfast. Mom was standing in the kitchen, stirring a bubbling pot of porridge. I made a face - it wasn't my birthday yet.

"Alphonse!" Mom cried in surprise, looking over my shoulder and seeing that I was alone. "Where's your brother? I thought he was with you."

"Brother's so lazy," I said with a little laugh. "He's prob'ly still in bed."

Mom laughed and said, "Well, go wake him up then; breakfast is almost ready."

I clattered up the stairs to our room and burst in, yelling, "BROTHER, MOM SAYS WAKE UP AND-"

But then I saw you: lying very still on your bed, your face so pale it was almost grey. I stopped shouting immediately; I could tell something was wrong. You only groaned feebly, keeping your mouth shut tight. I hurried to your side, murmuring, "Brother, what's wrong?"

"Al..." you muttered in a shaking voice, and then you were sick all over me.

I couldn't remember ever being more scared in my life. I'm sure I must have screamed. You were always so healthy; you hardly ever got very sick, and here you were, sicker than I'd ever seen you. "MOM!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "MOM, MOM, MOM!!"

Mom came running and took control immediately. She washed us both up, took your temperature, and sent me down to eat breakfast. But I couldn't eat, because I was too worried about you. I sat on the landing for most of the day while Mom stayed with you, and I listened as almost every hour she helped you into the bathroom. I listened to the sound of retching and your weak sobs, always followed my Mom's soft, soothing voice.

Once, when you were sleeping, Mom came out and saw me sitting on the landing. She told me to run off and play at Winry's. There wasn't much I could do for you. So I went out the back door again and slowly walked through the grass, unable to believe that just a few hours ago I'd been feeling so happy. I was scared, Brother. Very scared. I can't tell you how scared. I thought you were going to die.

I didn't go to Winry's that day; I just wandered about by myself, going to all our favorite places to play and thinking of all the days we'd spent together. It had been such a short time, and I realized I hadn't been nearly thankful enough for you, Brother. We had fought so many times, and I'd told you I hated you more than once. I thought maybe this was a punishment for that. Maybe God was taking you away from me so I'd realize how important you were.

I wasn't excited that night, like I usually was on the night before my birthday. Mom told me to sleep on the couch in the living room, so I wouldn't catch whatever it was you had. Normally, I would have found this extremely funny, like a sleepover in my own house, but this only made me more scared than ever. What sickness could be so terrible that I couldn't even sleep in the same room as you?

The next day was my birthday. I played with Winry and Den, but my mind was back in the house with you and Mom. When we had vegetable soup for lunch at Winry's house, it only made me think of how much you would've liked it. I didn't ask for seconds like I usually did. That night, we had all my favorite foods, but I wasn't hungry. Even when the cake came out, all lit up with those nine candles, I didn't feel very happy. Mom kept on leaving the room to check on you, and every time she did I got a horrible sinking feeling, like I'd swallowed a rock. When I closed my eyes to make a wish before I blew out the candles, I wished you'd get better.

I tried to act normally when I opened my presents, and to thank everyone for the things they gave me. But when I opened your present, Brother, it was hard to swallow. You'd given me a little stuffed cat, with very soft fur. I buried my face in it and burst into tears. No one could understand why I was crying, but I couldn't stop. I knew then, as I cried into the fur of the stuffed cat, that I didn't want you to die. It didn't matter that Mom assured me you only had the flu. It didn't matter that you got better the next day and laughed at me for being so worried. I had realized that I didn't want you to die, and I still don't. I don't, Brother. I don't want you to die.