foolishwren | IC CONTACT (Victory Road)

[She's too smart, tbh. And he'd be relieved to know this conversation is staying entirely private even if he didn't really give a damn to make sure it was in advance. Honestly, riling Envy up a little was hardly the first thing on his mind.]

I know that you were all in a train car together, like that wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

[And well, she knows what Ed saw in that train car. Al in close proximity to Envy, like it wasn't a big deal. Laughing at their fight and his threatening behavior. It was clear that even if Envy had been riled up, Alphonse was comfortable, and that alone was weird.]

... and I know when I bring it up, Al goes into a guilt trip a mile long but doesn't tell me what's actually going on.

Look, I don't want to put you in the middle of things, I just- I can't ask him again, not with the way he reacted.

_{[When he elaborates about what Al is doing, she drags a hand down her face. Because ughhh, of course he is. She feels for the kid, she really does. Family members coming here is complicated even when the relationships aren't riddled with violence and hatred. But at the same time...]}

God, Al...

No, no, it's fine.

I'm already in the middle of things, so I'm kinda used to it.

See, Envy and I have both been here for almost a decade. So we knew each other for a number of years before Al arrived-- and when Al did arrive, I mean. I'm... no stranger to peoples' pasts coming back to bite them, and we'd already talked about... you know, what happens when someone you have a shitty history with shows up. What not to do.

Things got kind of touch and go for a bit there, but what had to happen was some kind of truce, because we all knew the same people and them having to interact sometimes was inevitable. Like... the way they act now? Where they can sit in the same room like normal people without just constantly trying to kill each other?

That took years.

At this point, they get along. Bitchily, but they get along.

_{[A pause.]}

... Or, well, did.

Envy's not exactly happy about how Al was talking about it on the train.

He's... come a long way, when it comes to how he and Al interact, and... I think after all this time it kinda hurt his feelings.

_{[... Realizing how that could come off, she holds up a hand.]}

I'm not... expecting you to like, care about that or anything, I know he was an asshole to you guys where you come from, I'm just... you know. Saying that's kinda where we're at right now.

[He's watching her at that exclamation. It was still weird to think about the number of people that knew Al, who he'd never even met.]

A decade-?

[Okay, so that's a REALLY LONG TIME. This place just feels more and more alien, the longer he's here. The next is practically whispered, as if more to himself than her.]

How many years has he been here...?

[He makes a face at that, which she might detect as a mixture of confusion and concern - but it quickly disappears as golden eyes narrow thoughtfully. At the last part he's kind of .... not looking at the 'Gear anymore.]

He's changed a lot, hasn't he? Envy, I mean.

[Honestly, he figured that out from day one. Those texts were ... not as expected. He didn't think the Envy he knew would ask for his help, even if he was dying so for him to casually ask him for information as if Ed would willingly share- it was strange.]

The things we had to go through because of him-

[Ed might actually sound angry there, but he stops himself. He's less concerned with the fact that Envy murdered him than the fact that Al gave up his own life to bring him back, if he was going to be honest about it.]

I'd say asshole is an understatement.

Yeah-- well, almost.

This is our eighth year here.

_{[A lot can happen in eight years, and a lot did happen in eight years.]}

Al... got here-- god, when was it... I want to say about... three years ago, maybe. ... Or was it four? ... Something like that.

... But yeah, he has.

He really has.

_{[Her first time ever speaking to him had involved watching him try really hard to kick his Pokemon around. It's like night and day, the difference between then and now.]

[Of course...]}

I don't know the exact details of what happened.

Based on what I do know, I doubt anybody would ever expect you or Al or anybody else Envy hurt to be on good terms with him. I mean, I sure don't. God knows there's plenty of people I wouldn't forgive and play nice with even if I had a gun to my head, so I definitely get it.

... But whatever else he may have been in your world, here he's... we're all just trying to do better than we did where we all came from.

And that's why he and Al were sitting in a traincar trying to be normal, whatever Al might have said.

[He's clearly thinking at that response. He had just seen Al not long before arriving here, and Envy died not too long before that so- even though he knew in theory they had been here awhile, it still took him by surprise to hear exactly how long.]

The timeline in this place isn't ... normal, is it? I was just with Al before I arrived, so for him to be here three years- it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[It's not so much disbelief as an interest in clarification. By this point he's assuming that this situation is normal for newcomers to deal with.

He listens quietly to Heather's words, this was all a lot to take in at once, adding the length of time they'd been here to the concept of Envy trying to do better- but the last part is what gets a response. Quietly.]

He said he still hadn't forgiven him for killing me. That was it.

[Nothing else, really. So frankly, in Ed's mind, nothing useful to figure out how they'd gotten here. The pleading expression on his face had stopped the older brother dead in his tracks though, he wasn't about to push him for an explanation when Al had been looking at him like that.]

_{[She shakes her head.]}

It's not. I don't bother trying to make sense of it-- once, my own father showed up here, and he was fresh from the year I was born. But we were both here at the same time-- he had no idea who I was.

_{[JUST... AS AN EXAMPLE.]

[But as for what Ed says next...]

[Heather's expression barely changes. She blinks a couple of times, the corners of her mouth tightening just a little bit... and then she lets out a looooong breath through her nostrils and pinches the bridge of her nose.]

[God, Envy.]}

... Well, I'm sure he hasn't.

_{[Forgiven Envy for that, that is.]}

[Well, that certainly got his attention. He's not sure how he'd react if his own father showed up without knowing who they were, just that it would definitely be more fuel to the fire.

The reaction surprises him, but honestly he wouldn't know what else he'd expect -
so he's quiet for a moment, before her words bring him back to focus.]

No, but... It's not the response I was anticipating.

[He wasn't sure what to think, actually. An explanation sure, but that... When Ed himself hadn't been able to bring himself to even be mad over the whole thing... That certainly wasn't where he thought that conversation was going.]

_{[Yeeeeah... it was. Hm. Uncomfortable was probably the best way to put it. Fortunately, he'd shown up again later from the right year, but whoof. That first time had been rough.]

[There's a few seconds of thoughtful silence before she speaks up again.]}

I... don't know Al as well as I do Envy.

But I am real fond of him. He's a good kid.

_{[Would it be weird to tell Al's ACTUAL sibling that she kind of sees him as a little brother? ... Yeah, probably-- at least for now. Maybe once things aren't so tense.]}

If I had to hazard a guess about what's going on in his head, I'd say that he's more worried about you being disappointed in him for... fraternizing with the enemy or whatever than he actually needs to be.

Just based on how he's always talked about you, it's obvious he cares a lot about what you think.

[The idea that someone would be more familiar with Envy than Al, as if he was more open or something, struck him as odd - but he reminded himself they were around twice as long, so that would definitely impact things.

He might get a little territorial at that statement, but- he's also logical enough to know he'd be overreacting. Still, definitely best to save it for another day.

Ed takes a moment to respond to that last part, there are a buzz of thoughts going on in his mind and he needs to settle on one before he can respond. There is definitely something in response to the idea of being told how Al thinks by a perfect stranger, but knows she's only trying to help.]

We're all each other have...

[For a moment it might seem like that's the only response she's going to get to that statement, but he exhales slowly, before adding the last part. To say he sounds hurt might not be accurate, but there's definitely some emotion there and he is trying to curb it.]

I just... don't understand why he'd think I'd be mad- for doing what he had to, to survive here.

_{[Y E A H, if the roles had been swapped and she'd been getting to know Al for eight years instead of Envy? Things would definitely have gone differently.]

[As it is, Al is still a bit of an enigma in some ways. She's gotten to know a lot of his quirks, but... by no means all of them. Not even close.]

[If Ed had voiced some territorial sentiments, she honestly wouldn't have begrudged him them. It's... perfectly understandable. Coming to this world is enough of a shake-up all by itself. Coming to it and needing to catch up with family members who have been here years longer than you have is another thing entirely.]

[After all... that's what her father had gone through when the truth had finally come out about who she was.]

[It hadn't been easy for either of them.]}

... I don't totally understand it either.

But I know that when my dad came here, I... worried about stupid stuff that probably should never have even crossed my mind. Even though... yeah, we were all each other had back home, too.

[Al's just like that. The quiet one that everyone sees as overly polite until they get to know him, but also keeps more secrets than his brother in some ways.

The thing about Elrics is that they always bounce back. After everything they'd been through together, Ed hardly expected this place to be the thing to come between them, but he couldn't deny the awkward even to this day. It wasn't as if that conversation was an isolated incident that was breezed past once they were together again. Whether or not Al even realizes it, the whole thing stuck with Ed and he was trying to make sense of it without asking questions... it just wasn't working.]

So, that's it then. They learned to get along because they had too many friends in common, and this place- ... is different, like that.

[He got the feeling there wasn't much room for old baggage in this place, with everyone just trying to get by as best they could in the different environment. Having just anyone from your own world had to mean something, which is probably why he made a point of talking to Lust of all people when his own brother was also here. Things didn't really seem any different with her, it was ... safe, in a way. None of this complicated drama.]

_{[THAT'S AL ALL RIGHT...]}

Basically, yeah.

_{[And hell, she's one to talk. She's on speaking terms with a member of the Order. Something that even ONE year ago she thought would only ever happen over her dead body.]

[Not that she doesn't have her reasons for it, but... still.]

[This place, as Edward put so eloquently, is different like that.]}

... As corny as it sounds, for a lot of people, this place is like... a second chance.

That's how most of the people I've known over the years see it, anyway.

_{[A pause-- she doesn't want to wax too philosophical to an essential stranger. She's never really been the sort to do that. This is awkward no matter what way you cut it, especially since she's not from the world Edward and Envy and all the rest came from to begin with, no matter how far she'd managed to stumble into their affairs.]}

... Did you... wanna know anything else?

_{[Obviously she's not going to share anything ludicrously private-- or tell Ed that she and Envy are involved (after how ALPHONSE reacted? YEAH, not dealing with that right now, even if this brother probably wouldn't give nearly as much of a shit) for that matter-- but wellp.]

[SHE WANTS TO MAKE THIS EASIER ON EVERYBODY.]}

[He pauses at the second chance comment, seeming to consider it for a moment before speaking again.]

For someone like Envy, it must be.

[Because he's dead. Ed still can't wrap his head around it, even if he had been brought back once himself, it was different. Envy was alive here, but he was also back to his usual form. Without their powers, there was no way he was doing that intentionally.]

No, that's fine for now.

[After a pause he smiles, even if there's still something reserved behind it. There was still more to this, but Ed didn't know the right questions to ask to understand it better. When he did, he'd be back, sorry Heather.]

Thanks.

Yeah.

_{[The word carries a solemn note that hasn't quite been present from her anywhere else in this conversation, despite the fact that it's been a serious one. Because yeah... yeah, this is Envy's second chance.]

[And that's not actually something she'd have expected to hear from one of his dreaded half-brothers. Not even Al, who she's watched slowly inch towards something like an understanding over the course of several years.]

[Edward is... hm. Edward is something, that's for sure.]}

And hey... no problem.

_{[She offers him a grin. Like his own smile, it's a little subdued, but there's a quirk to it that suggests she's got a sense of humor under normal circumstances.]}

Being president of the Family Feud Damage Control club is a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it. My office hours are on the business card.

[He's dead, Heather. He's super dead and Ed's more aware of that than anyone, having watched it happen, so there's no going back for him. This was it, this was his second chance and he wasn't getting anything else. It was a sombering thought, but having just recently seen him killed - it made his perspective much different from Al's, who probably didn't even know the full weight of what happened to him.

At the last part Ed just blinks, because what. It takes him a moment but he offers a grin, almost sheepish that she had to deal with all of this.]

I'll keep that in mind.

Edited 2017-08-04 07:37 (UTC)

_{[YEAH, she... she knows he's dead. They both know he's dead.]

[Unsurprisingly, they... don't like thinking about it.]

[Who would?]

[But getting a grin in return is generally a good sign. At least, that's what Heather usually goes with. Hasn't steered her wrong yet.]

[She has a feeling the conversation has run its course, but there's oooooone last thing she wants to get in before that awkward hang-up moment.]}

Just gonna ask one favor, though-- give Al a good old-fashioned hair-ruffle from me if you get the opportunity.

_{[He needs to know that not even being in a different region will protect him from the chaotic messy hair agenda. Of which Heather is also the president.]}

[That's an odd request, but after a brief moment of surprise Ed just grins.]

Sure... and thanks again. Really.

IC CONTACT (Victory Road)

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