InsaneJournal

A/N: Post CoS

                                                                         Just The Way You Are

Alphonse smiled to himself as he watched his brother fuss over the stove, determined to make the best breakfast Al had ever eaten, despite the fact that he couldn’t cook to save his life. Al had to admit that as entertaining as his efforts were, they were just another manifestation of the jittery tension that had filled Edward’s every move since they’d been reunited. His brother was nervous, and Al was starting to think he knew why.

A loud clang echoed from the direction of the stove, followed by Ed’s irate voice.

“Ow! Goddamn piece of sh-” He stopped abruptly and cast a guilty look over his shoulder.  Swallowing nervously, he rubbed his burned hand on his hip for a moment before turning back to the frying pan. His back was ramrod-straight, whole body tense, and he was biting his lower lip in the way that he always did when berating himself. Al suppressed a sigh and rolled his eyes.

Finally Ed brought the food to the table and began to dish an enormous amount onto Al’s plate. Alphonse tried to keep his eyes on the food, though it was hard when he knew his brother’s eyes were searching his face anxiously for approval. When he was finished Edward picked up his own plate and sat next to him. He scooped a mountain of eggs onto his fork and had them halfway to his mouth before he met Al’s amused eyes and quickly set it down in favor of a much smaller, polite bite.

Al frowned. He knew his brother, and one of the things he was not was polite. A few minutes passed in silence, until Edward finally spoke up.

“How is it?” he asked, nodding to the food before him. Al finished chewing and swallowed before meeting his gaze.

“Terrible,” he replied. “The eggs are runny, the pancakes are goopy and the bacon is mostly carbon.”

Edward glanced around uneasily before looking back down to poke at his own breakfast.

“Sorry about that,” he said, trying to sound casual.

“I love it.”

“What?” he asked, looking warily at his little sibling. “You just said it was terrible.”

“It is terrible, that’s why I love it. I can tell you made it.”

Ed frowned, and Al heaved a sigh.

“Listen, brother. I don’t know why you suddenly feel like you have to do everything perfectly, but you don’t. Just relax. “

“I’m not-”

“Brother.”

“There isn’t-”

“Brother.”

“…Yeah, okay,” he muttered in defeat. “I just…I just want to be-”

“A good older brother,” Alphonse finished with a smile. “You already are, Ed. I don’t care that you swear when you’re mad, or that you can’t cook to save your life.”

“Hey,” he growled half-heartedly.

“All I’m saying is that you don’t have to try to be somebody perfect. I came here to be with you, rough edges and all.”

Alphonse suddenly found his hand had been grabbed and was being gripped painfully tightly beneath the table, though Ed was carefully looking at his plate.

Al smiled and squeezed back.

“It’s okay brother,” he said after a few moments. “It’ll take a little adjusting, that’s all. We’ve been apart for a long time.”

He nodded and took a deep breath before releasing Al and picking up his fork.

“Well, if you’re going to bitch about the food you can cook.”

Alphonse grinned.

“It’s a deal.”

Don't go changing to try and please me        
You never let me down before
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore

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