damned_institute | Night 70: M1-M10 Hallway

After exchanging radio numbers, Uryuu picked at the salad in relative silence. Once sure he really couldn't be bothered with another bite, he set about arranging his things for the night. The sound of the intercom stirred his attention, and he looked up, waiting for the static. As ever, a nice addition to the atmosphere. He could still appreciate that, despite himself.

Grateful, indeed. Nook or cranny probably referred to the newly found passage in the library, which stirred Uryuu's curiosity further. Tomorrow, perhaps, unless Kratos-san did the unexpected and really did call. The very thought had his mouth curling with dry amusement, which failed to reach his eyes, narrowing with irritation. The doctor's spiel was the usual, and yet...

"Someday," he groused, "I'm going to put an arrow in that man's throat."

Uryuu said it, but did not swear -- not to his pride as a Quincy, not to anything. Not because he doubted he could, but because it wouldn't be practical in the moment. Much as he would aim to maim, not kill, to make speaking impossible, that would be a problem. They would want him to speak, after all.

As gratifying as imagining that future was, it only wasted time in the moment. The door unlocked, and almost simultaneously, Uryuu felt the pressure of the spirit particles filling the air. He reached, seeking Inoue-san, and felt nothing like. Pressing his teeth together, he nodded to Tsurugi-kun (expecting him off) and stood, to set about changing into the uniform. It was an obnoxious thing to have to choose, but unfortunately, better than the sweater and ill-fitting pants he'd be forced to wear during the day. Placing the toy radio in his pocket alongside the key ring and two pens, he lifted his pillowcase turned bag(with its two sweatshirts, journal, and his room radio) and slid it over his shoulder.

Wasteful as it was, he left the bat in the closet. Vantas-kun seemed to have disappeared as well, and it had never properly gotten to Inoue-san. Tonight it would just get in the way. Ready, he started into and down the hall, clutching his flashlight switched off.

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Ed also yawned. "Yeah. I wanna get out of here."

Then his mind wandered off on the subject of getting out and he frowned a bit. Given that problems he's caused for the both of them, there was a part of him that wondered if maybe he deserved this.

Al eyed his brother for a moment as he fell silent, frowning. "...Brother, is there something you wanna talk about?" Maybe he could get him to talk about what had been bothering him at the ice cream parlor.

Ed shook his head. "Not really."

Not that he really expected Al to leave it alone.

Of course not. If he doesn't badger Ed like this, it'll just get worse.

"Come on, you were acting weird at the ice cream parlor, too. You know you can trust me." Al sat down at the foot of the bed with a worried expression.

Ed sighed and pulled out the chair at Al's desk to sit on it, looking down as he clasped and unclasped his hands. "The acting weird in town was because of you reminding me that it had been years since you could eat ice cream."

Al sighed, reaching over the desk to take his brother's hand. "Brother, you shouldn't blame yourself for that. I had every chance to stop what we were doing, but I didn't take it. I'm just as much at fault for what happened to us. You don't need to beat yourself up for what we've been through."

Ed pulled away from Al. "I should have listened to you."

Al's brows furrowed, and he stood up to go over to Ed and put his hands on his shoulders. "And I should have tried harder. We can argue this forever, Brother, but it still doesn't justify you taking fault for all the things I've been without! I've never once blamed you for putting me in the armor--you saved my life doing that! If we hadn't been taken here, you would have found a way to get me my body back, I'm sure of it!"

Ed's shoulders hunched in, as he continued to not look at Al. "What if I didn't?"

Al shook him for a moment, trying to get Ed to look at him. Tears pricked at his eyes, and his voice gained a rough edge from holding them back. "You would have! I know you wouldn't have stopped trying, not for anything! And even then, I still had you, Brother. That's all I ever needed, was for you to be with me. I mean it."

Ed finally looked up and his own eyes are bright. "I wonder if maybe I deserve this for doing such a crappy job."

Al scowled, looking right into Ed's eyes. "Brother, if you ever say something like that again, I'll punch you. You are the best brother I could ask for, and anyone who says otherwise can answer to me."

Ed bit his lip, resisting the urge to protest.

Al sighed and leaned forward to hug Edward close. "Don't do this to yourself, Brother. None of us deserve to be trapped here, okay? Especially not you."

Ed bit his lip harder as he leaned into the hug.

Al just held his brother for a while, wishing he could just rip all the stupid guilt out of his brother's head.

Unfortunately, Ed's about 75% guilt.

Ed just closed his eyes and finally started hugging Al back, still not saying anything.

Edited 2013-05-13 20:28 (UTC)

Al smiled when Ed hugged him, holding it a while longer before pulling back. "Think we should take the rest of the night off, actually get a bit of sleep?"

Ed managed a faint smile for Al, not really feeling it. "Yeah."

Al bit back on a sigh, easily seeing through Ed's act. This wasn't a new issue for him by a long shot, but the situation had thrown a whole heap more of guilt into Ed's lap that was going to take Al a while to convince him was a load of bullshit.

He straightened up and went about clearing the bed of his stuff, storing the new grenades carefully so they wouldn't break on accident and leaving the radio where he could easily grab it in case Anise contacted him. "We haven't even been here very long, and it already feels like we've fallen into a routine."

"Probably because we do have a routine. One that's been forced on us by the people working here," Ed said as he watched Al clear things off for them.

"True." Al looked over at Ed, then beckoned him over. "C'mon, unless you want to pass out in the chair."

Edited 2013-05-13 20:55 (UTC)

Ed got up and headed over to the bed, curling up on one half of it. "I was just waiting for you to get stuff out of the way."

Al grinned, then reached over and started tickling Ed's side.

What? It would distract him from moping!

Ed yelped as he rolled off the bed to escape. "Al! Stop that so I can sleep!"

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