It was raining hard on the way back to Central. The Elric brothers had been on a run with bad luck all morning, starting when the elder refused to get out of bed, begging over and over for another ten minutes. When Alphonse had finally managed to get his braided brother up, Edward insisted on showering at that moment. Al could have sworn the hotel bed sheets were soiled with i something /i , he figured that with the way his brother had been thrashing about all night, that it was just sweat, but sweat wasn't normally that... sticky.

When the brothers arrived at the train station, they were informed that the only train going to Central had left only minutes before. In a bout of fury, Edward took it upon himself to make the decision that they were ti walk back to Central. It was only a five, maybe six, hour walk anyway, so they should have been able to reach the city right around sunset.

After a quick bite to eat, (at least for Edward. Al only ordered something to give to a stray cat he had seen the day before) the two headed out of the town and North towards Central. Only one hour after their departure, the sky which was clear when they left started to fill with overcast. Edward tried to convinve Al, and himself, that it would pass over them and they would be fine. It wasn't that dark either... at least not for another half hour.

When the day began to look like night, they agreed to find some kind of shelter for the upcoming storm. They were lucky that they hadn't left the hill country quite yet. Just as the coulds opened up and let down their first trickles of rain, Alphonse spotted an empty cave not too far from the main road.

Alphonse went to check the cave first; after all, if there was an animal of some kind inside, it would be less likely to attack the one lacking human flesh. It was to their benefit that the cave seemed to be an abandoned hideout of some sort. There was a little cott, and a little cabinet with canned provisions. The floor near the cott was decorated by many cigarette butts and burnt matches.

By the time Alphonse went to signal to Edward that it was safe, the rain was already pooring down. He found his older brother in ill humor, soaked down to his socks. Alphonse stammered apologies as he ushered the cold youth into the cave. At one glance, he could see how badly Edward was shivering.

Once they were inside, Edward slapped his hands together to dry his clothes, though it was in vain since the rain was so heavy that the inside of the cave was almost as wet as the outside. Edward even attempted to block off the entrance to the cave, but he was reminded that he needed to keep it opened enough so that there would be a sufficient supply of air for him and a fire if they could make one.

After some searching, Alphonse found an old blanket bundled up under the cott. He transmuted it into a cloth screen that could catch some of the water and wind. Before he could even set it up, Edward, who had already taken off the first layer of his clothing for better comfort, started stacking up some leftover firewood and started up a cozy, little fire to keep himself warm.

Alphonse was glad to see the look of relief across his brother's features. Something wasn't right, though. Edward's face looked a little more pale than normal and his step was a little off. Al watched as Edward sat and huddled up into a little ball of shivers next to the fire. He hadn't even dried his clothes yet. Upon further inspection, Alphonse noticed that Edward's eyes looked a little distant.

"Niisan? Are you alright? Your clothes are still wet..."

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll just take them off..."

Alphonse was a little surprised; not by the logic, but by the weak sound in Edward's voice.

"Niisan, you're not alright. You'd have transmuted your clothes by now."

Edward's lips curled into a slight smirk, "Yeah, I know. You caught me... I feel a little sick, it's nothing serious. It's just that wen I used alchemy just now, it made my head spin."

"You must have a fever... don't worry. I'll take care of you! You get your wet clothes off, I'll get your extra set." With that, Alphonse opened Edward's suitcase and took out the spare change of clothes and Edward's sleeping bag. He set up the sleeping back while his brother obeyed his request. It was strange to see Edward acting so quiet and mild. It was a little scary, and disheartening.

Once Edward was stripped down to his boxers and stood, still shivering, near the fire, Alphonse carried over the change of clothes and insisted on helping Edward dress. "You've got to change your boxers too, Niisan, or you're going to stay wet."

Edward nodded and followed Alphonse's lead, slightly laggingly. He breathed out a heavy sigh that became a mist of white as it was evaporated into the air. That must have been the reason that Edward got sick so suddenly. It was much cooler outside than he expected it was.

When Edward was changed and lay wrapped in his sleeping bag and blanket, it was appearant that he was already feeling a little bit better. The palor on his cheeks was already being replaced with a pink blush from the fever. Alphonse sad down next to his older kin, watching him as he rested, making sure that there wasn't a sudden change in his condition.

"Mm, Aru... you don't have to baby me, you know."

"Yes, I know, Niisan. I just want to sit here with you."

"Alright..."

Alphonse understood that he could not be much comfort in a physical sense to his brother, but he wanted to do i something. /i He put his hand on Edward's back, very gently, stroking his back through the thick blanketing. He saw as his brother's eyes fluttered open in mild shock. When he noticed the golden eyes fix their heavy gaze on him, he paused his actions. "Niisan? Is this alright?"

It took Edward a moment to answer, a sad smile appearing on his face. "Yeah, it's fine..."

"Are you sure?" Alphonse started to pull his hand back, geeling that he had done something wrong. How could he be so dumb to think that Edward wanted him to do that? He didn't have what it took to make his brother comfortable anymore...

"Don't stop. I was just thinking, that's all. I liked it..." Edward looked at him until he was done speaking, then his eyes closed once more.

Alphonse straightened up slightly upon his brother's words. He liked it? Hearing that gave him all the courage he needed. He started to rub on Edward's back once more, scooting a little bit closer this time. "You like it when I touch you, Niisan?"

"Yeah, don't be stupid. Of course I like it, why?"

"When I was doing this before, you looked a little scared..."

"It's nothing."

"I want you to tell me, Niisan."

"Why...?"

"I want to know what you were thinking about."

"I... don't want it to hurt."

"What hurts?"

"You. I don't want it to hurt you."

"Oh. Tell me, please, Niisan."

He heard the defeated sigh of his older brother. "Alright. I was thinking about that day. It was raining hard and we were on Sensei's island. I was thinking about then..."

"You had fever on that night too, didn't you, Niisan?"

"Yeah, I did." Al saw the sides of Edward's lips curl up in another little smile as they both remembered. It was like Ed was smiling for the both of them. "It was raining, and it sounded the same as it does now."

"I don't remember it as well as you do, Niisan."

"Well, I was older, so that makes sense. I was thinking about how you were taking care of me that night, too. The reason I looked at you like that... it was because you touched my back, and it was so gentle, it felt just like when we were in that tent."

"Really?" Alphonse felt bad for scaring his brother, but he was a little glad about it too.

"Yeah, it's the same touch. Even though we're like this... it's still the same touch. You're still the same Aru."

Alphonse paused again, but only for a second. If he could have been smiling, he would have been. "Niisan..."

"It's true, Aru. No matter what body you're in, you're Aru. You'll always be like that."

Shortly after their discussion, Edward fell asleep. The next morning, he was feeling much better and the rain had stopped. Alphonse secretly thanked the rain, even if it made his brother a little sick and that scared him a little bit. The rain helped them both remember something important.

As the brothers left that cave, Alphonse held his head up a little higher than before, and his step was a little lighter. Edward had unknowingly given Alphonse back a little bit of his humanity that night before.