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Edward checked the clock. 9:45. Shit.
Alphonse had left almost around 8 promising to be home in an hour. However, almost 2 hours later and still no sight of him.
Edward knew Alphonse could handle his own, but it didn't mean he wasn't freaking out. It was going to rain soon, he could tell. His ports ached and his head throbbed. He had a fog slowly building up in his head that he blamed on the weather too.
He knew it was useless to go looking for Al, he didn't even say where he was going, but he had already made up his mind. He nearly fell face forward when he got up from the chair he was sitting in. The rain must be affecting him today.
He managed to stumble his way over to the wall where his coat hung and collapsed against it completely winded. Was he sick or something? He was probably just tired. He could sleep after he found Alphonse. But his scent glands were acting up too, probably from the stress.
He struggled with the sleeves while trying to put his coat on and eventually gave up, throwing it on the ground and walking out the door.
He nearly fell again while trying to walk down the stairs, having to use the handrail as a lifeline to make it down. This was getting old, why was he stumbling everywhere? This has never happened when he was sick, had it? His brain was too fuzzy to remember. Oh well, he'd be fine. He was Edward Elric after all, nothing could stop him once he set his mind on something.
Walking down the sidewalk was difficult. His legs felt heavy and the road was too narrow and it felt like the world was closing in on him. A car drove past him and he almost fell over when the lights got too close. Shit, this was too much.
Everything was too much. He could smell all the people who walked by him, their scents assaulting his nose. The closer he got to the city the worse it got. There were too many sounds, too many scents, hell, he couldn't even tell where he was at this point.
Edward started hyperventilating, wishing he was anywhere but here. Wishing he was at home in his nest.
Nest...
Fuck.
He was in heat.
Oh god, he was in public and he was going through heat.
Edward fell to the ground, his legs no longer able to support him. He needs to get back home, and fast. There were some… not so good people out there that could take advantage of him in his vulnerable state. The thought made him want to throw up. He couldn't let that happen. He and Al were already going through enough, they didn't need-
Al.
Shit, where was he? That's the whole reason he went out in the first place, right? What if Al came home and found him gone? What would he do? He couldn't leave Al all alone like that, he had to get back. But he couldn't move anymore. His muscles wouldn't allow him to. Edward did the only thing he could, he laid down and curled in on himself.
And just as things couldn't get any worse, it started to rain. First only a few drops, then turning into a downpour. He was soaked within seconds and all he could do was lay there shivering.
He could only imagine how he looked from the outside. A wet, useless, weak omega who could do nothing but ball up when things got bad. He hated that thought, it felt nothing like the person he was in the military. Quick-tempered, stubborn, and strong. None of those features could be equated to what he felt right now. He felt useless.
Suddenly, he heard a yell and footsteps running towards him. Oh no… someone had found him. He couldn't even smell them as they got closer. In the back of his foggy mind, he swore there was a familiarity to those footsteps, but the rain downed most of the sound. It did little to calm his terrified state.
Then there was a hand on his shoulder and whatever little composure he had left crumbled. He let out a wail and the figure removed their hand quickly. He choked on sobs as the person tried to speak to him. A hollow sound that called out to him..
"Nii-san, it's okay! Please calm down!"
Nii-san..
"Alphonse?" His voice sounded much softer than he intended.
"I'm here Nii-san, are you okay?"
The obvious answer was no, he was not ok. He was out in public going into heat soaking wet, and almost had a panic attack, but just hearing Al's voice and knowing he was there made his worries melt away.
Edward didn't even get to answer as Alphonse scooped him up and into his arms, cradling like a baby. Edward wanted to protest, but instead, he snuggled closer into his brother's arms.
"What are you doing out here? Do you know how scared I was?"
"I'm sorry…" He choked out. He had scared Al. He had forced him to run out in the rain all because he couldn't stay put. By now Edward was a sniffling mess. Tears dripped from his eyes and Al wiped them away, all the while whispering soft encouragement.
"Nii san, let's go home, okay? I'll carry you."
Edward couldn't have come up with a better solution. He grunted in response as Alphonse stood up and began walking fast. Ed was shivering like crazy and Al seemed to notice as he gave Ed's arm a light squeeze and picked up the pace.
It took nearly 10 minutes before they reached their dorm. Edward couldn't believe he got that far from home, it felt like only a block to him.
Al opened the door and what he saw inside could only be described as a massacre. It seemed that someone- presumably Al- had torn apart the whole house looking for something. Or someone.
Alphonse laid Ed on the couch, ignoring his grumbles that the couch would get wet. He didn't mean them anyways, he was just glad to be home and safe.
"I'm sorry about the mess… I was just scared when I couldn't find you and it didn't even cross my mind until later that you had wandered out and I messed up the house and-"
"Alphonse" Edward interrupted "It's alright. We can clean up later, okay?"
Alphonse blushed and looked away. "Y-Yeah."
Just as Edward thought things were starting to get better, he lurched forwards in pain. The cramps had started. Great. Alphonse was immediately by his side once again, putting his glove over Ed's hand in a comforting sort of way.
They stayed there for about 15 seconds as the cramp died down. Ed removed his hand but Al did not, instead sliding it up to his forehead as if he was checking for a temperature.
"Nii-san, why did you leave the house? Do you know how scared I was when I got home? I thought you might have been taken."
Edward let Al's words sink in. He hadn't meant to cause his brother so much stress, in fact, he was trying to do the opposite.
"I went looking for you, you weren't home yet…" he trailed off, realizing how pathetic he must sound. Alphonse had to come to his rescue once again. All because he had wandered off.
"Why would you go out in your heat? Do you know what could have happened if I hadn't found you?" Alphonse was shaking at this point, his metal rattling as he let his emotions overcome him. "You're lucky I didn't call the police or the Colonel, they might have put you in a heat room."
"I…I didn't know. I didn't realize I was in heat." Edward responded softly, his eyes cast downwards.
"How did you not know? Why else would Colonel Mustang give you the next 2 weeks off?"
Yeah, looking back he had no idea how he missed it. The signs were all there. He was more grumpy, very territorial, and only let Al leave the room if it was to get him something. He felt so stupid.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." It was barely audible, which was so uncharacteristic of him. Usually, in this situation, he would fire back excuses, anything to keep his pride. But right now he didn't care. He had scared Alphonse, the only person in his life who would always be there.
"It's okay Nii-san. But now you need to take a bath. Can you undress yourself or do you need help?"
Edward blushed hard. Of course, Al had seen him naked before many times, but it was still embarrassing. Especially after their confessions.
"Um...yeah I uhh…"
He couldn't even get the sentence out, but Al understood and giggled in response.
"I'll go draw the bath, ok? Put your clothes in the basket when you're done." And with that Al left to begin Ed's bath. He couldn't feel the water to know the temperature, but after almost 5 years in the armor, he had learned how Ed usually did it.
Meanwhile Ed was struggling to take off his clothes. They kept getting stuck and were heavy due to the water that was still soaking them. He shivered as his skin was exposed to the chilly air and began moving faster. After a while, he managed, but it seemed to have sucked the energy right out of him. He sat there panting for a good while before attempting to walk over to the basket.
He took only 3 steps before his legs gave out and he fell to the ground with a yelp. The world around him spun as he tried to pull himself together. He didn't get the chance to, though, as not even 2 seconds later Alphonse was at his side again.
"Nii-san! Are you okay?"
"Yeah 'm fine. I jus' wanna rest…" his words slurred and all of a sudden he was suddenly very stressed. He needed some kind of scent, something to assure him he was okay, but there wasn't any scent. Al didn't have a scent. Al didn't have a scent because he didn't have a body. That was his fault, he put his baby brother in a metal cage and-
"NII-SAN! BREATHE!"
Edward gasped for air, air he didn't even know he was missing. His lungs stung as they tried to recover from whatever he'd just done to them. Alphonse pulled him into his lap and grabbed his hand gently.
"When I squeeze, breathe in. When I let go, breathe out."
Alphonse squeezed his hand, he took a deep breath in. Alphonse released, he breathed out. They continued until Edward could breathe on his own again. This wasn't anything new. He had panic attacks before, but never one during his heat.
"There you go. Good job. We should get you into the tub so you can relax." That sounded so nice. There was only one problem…
"I don't think I can walk." Alphonse looked at him funny.
"You don't say, Nii-san." He let out a chuckle and stood up, Edward still in his arms. He would never admit it, but he loved being carried by Alphonse. Whether in his arms, on his back, or even inside his armor. It made him feel secure. He could let down his guard because he knew that Al would be watching over him, keeping him safe.
It took Al only a few steps to reach the bathroom. The door was still open and the water was still running. Al let out a gasp, set Ed on the ground, and hurried over to shut it off. He let out a sigh of relief before reaching into the tub to pull up the drain, letting some water out so it wouldn't spill over when Ed got in.
Alphonse turned around to pick Ed back up when he noticed him grabbing his automail leg. His eyes were shut in pain and his teeth were clenched. He knew that it was better for Ed to ride it out on his own. The feeling of someone touching him while he was experiencing Phantom pain was something that Ed hated.
Ed completely collapsed, sweating and slightly panting. He let out a groan as the pain subsided, leaving him completely exhausted once again. Today was just not a good day.
"Are you okay?" Alphonse asked softly, not wanting to stress his brother out any more than he already was. Ed couldn't even respond, only managing to furrow his eyebrows in pain. He hated seeing Ed like this, but there was no way to help the pain. They simply had to wait it out.
"Can I touch you now? I think getting in the bath would help." Al didn't want to push Ed, but the quicker they got him into the bath the faster he could recover. Thankfully, Ed nodded his head. Al moved quickly to place him in the tub. Ed sighed as the warm water surrounded his body. Immediately all of his muscles relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief. It was perfect. Alphonse truly was the best person in the world. He sank in lower, causing his knees to rise above the water as he dunked his head in.
He hadn't showered this morning either. He was too busy sleeping. Ed removed his head from the water and looked up to see Alphonse was gone. In the logical side of his brain, he knew that Alphonse hadn't disappeared and abandoned him. But his heat-muddled brain freaked out.
He decided to stay put. Alphonse was probably doing something important and would be back soon. Besides, he didn't want to cause him any more trouble than he already had. Edward had always been protective over his brother, and they just kept getting closer. From their transmutation, the day that changed their lives forever, to the day he presented as an omega, and most recently their realizations that they like each other as more than brothers. They were always together. They had never spent more than a few days apart.
Edward was so lost in thought he didn't hear Al enter the room. He only noticed when he smelled tea. He immediately sat up in the tub as Al handed him the cup wrapped in a hand towel. The tea was black, just how he liked it. No flavoring, just the bitter taste that always makes him calm.
Ed didn't know how much he needed the tea until he took a sip. Immediately it felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He sighed as the hot liquid moved down his throat. Ed removed one hand from his cup in favor of holding Al's hand. Al simply watched him over the next 10 minutes as he finished his drink before collecting the cup from his hands and taking it back to the kitchen where it could be cleaned later.
When he re-entered the room, Edward was attempting to grab the soap off of the shelf. It was honestly kind of funny. He wasn't leaning forward at all, just trying to get his arm to stretch farther. He must be getting out of it.
"Nii-san? Would you like to be washed?"
Edward quickly dropped his hand back into the water with a splash and nodded his head. Alphonse let out a chuckle before reaching over to Ed to grab the soap. It was a 3 in 1, something Al didn't quite understand. It's not like they didn't have any money to buy 3 bottles of soap, they were doing just fine there. Maybe it was because Ed was so lazy. He decided that he didn't really care.
Al grabbed a washcloth and dunked it in the bathwater before putting a good dose of the soap on top and rubbing it together until suds formed.
Al gently lifted Ed's left leg out of the water with one arm while the other began to softly scrub. Edward let out a hum of approval as he scrubbed. He had to wash Ed all the time after the transmutation, so was quite familiar with how his brother liked it. He slowly moved the soft cloth up and down his leg, making sure not to put on too much pressure. When his leg was done, he set it back into the water. He decided to move to Ed's arm next because it would save the hassle for later. Ed lifted his arm on his own as Al began the same motions.
Now came the tricky part, washing the rest of Ed's body. He reached his arm around Ed's waist so he could lift him out of the water and wash him. The thing was, Ed is very ticklish. The moment he started to wash his belly, Edward started to giggle and splash. Al could tell he was trying to stay still but was ultimately failing. While it did make Alphonse happy that Ed was giggling, what didn't make him happy was the water that was going everywhere.
Soon enough his stomach was cleaned and Ed seemed to be completely worn out from his laughing fit. Alphonse thought he looked absolutely adorable like this. Half asleep and with a big smile on his face. He couldn't wait until the day he could smile back. Finally, it was time to wash Ed's hair.
Al absolutely loves washing his brother's hair. He loves feeling Ed fall apart underneath him, of Ed putting so much trust in him that he completely relaxes. Alphonse knows that they both love the act, but sometimes Ed can be picky about where and when he is touched, even by him. He felt it was probably best to ask first.
"Nii-san, can I wash your hair?"
Without even responding to the question, Ed dunks his head underwater in order to get it wet again. When he re-emerged, he immediately turned his back to Al, presenting him with his hair. Alphonse was practically glowing, it made him so happy that Ed trusted him this much.
He reached for the soap once again and applied a sizable amount to his hand as Ed's hair was fairly long. He rubbed his hands together to distribute the soap before reaching up to place his hands on Ed's scalp. As he began to work in the soap, Ed let out gentle hums of approval.
Al peaked around to look at Ed's face, only to see that his eyes were closed and he had a smug smile on his face. He looked completely satisfied which only spurred Al on even more. He gently moved his hands down Ed's hair, trying his best to untangle any knots that his finger got caught on.
Finally when Ed's hair was thoroughly cleaned, Al guided his head back into the water so he could rinse it out. The bath was officially a success. Now he had to get Ed out. Alphonse reached into the tub to pull the drain, only to receive a whine from Ed in the process. He turned around to grab a towel
"I'm going to get you out now, okay? Then I'm gonna dry you off so that we can make your nest."
At the word 'nest' Edward seemed to perk up, and when Al turned around, he saw Ed trying to climb out of the tub on his own. Al let out a gasp and quickly ran over just as Ed slipped. Al grabbed him just in time, letting out a sigh of relief as he lifted him out of the tub and onto the rug.
"I know you're excited, but you're too out of it to do that on your own. Please let me help you."
Although Al wasn't sure that Ed understood the extent of his worries, the quiet 'sorry' that Ed let out was enough for him. They tried to figure out a comfortable position for Al to dry him off, but Ed seemed to be restless and constantly squirmed away. In the end he had to use alchemy. He clapped his hands together and touched Ed's back as a puff of steam released off of his body.
Unfortunately this seemed to scare Ed, the sudden switch of sensations catching him off guard. Ed quickly spun around and clung to him like his life depended on it. He should have known Ed would react like that. His brother had dried himself with alchemy many times and said it was probably the strangest sensation he's ever felt. Al pulled him closer and slowly stroked his hair as he mumbled soothing words to him.
It was always surprising to see Ed like this, so willing to accept comfort. His heats were different every time, but they all ended with Ed in a vulnerable state, putting all his trust into Al to keep him safe. He was glad that Ed had his heat at their dorm, it was a bit nerve-wracking when they happened during one of their travels.
Though he could have done without Ed running away. When he came home to an empty house, he almost lost his mind. The fear of someone hurting Ed stressed him out even more as he ran out looking for him. Al was very lucky to find Ed so soon, he had only been looking for about 20 minutes when he spotted his brother.
Ed had looked so frail. He was curled up in a ball, violently shaking from the rain, and when he finally got close enough he could hear him whining. Sometimes Al wished he could smell. Well, he wished that all the time, but specifically in times like that he could smell his brother and be able to scent him. He wished that he could do more to help him, but there was really nothing he could do with his metal body.
Al felt Ed shift in his arms, the scare had probably worn off and he was back to being tired. He slowly caressed his arm before picking him up once again. Ed gave no protest, all too eager to make his nest. Al left the bathroom door open so that the steam could clear out.
Instead of heading directly to their bedroom, Al moved into the kitchen to grab the snacks, only to remember that they were scattered on the ground when he knocked them over in his attempt to find his brother. With a sigh Al walked over to the couch so he could set Ed down and pick up the mess. However he only got about two steps away before Ed started whining. Al was starting to get kind of annoyed at this point, but when he turned around to see his brother in a complete daze, eyes glazed over and a worried expression on his face, he realized how scared he must really be.
Al has been with him through almost every heat, he knows how hard it gets for Ed. It makes it even harder when in his confused state he tries to find a scent on Al. Which is what he's doing now. Ed is trying to find Al's scent so he can feel safe. He begins to whine more when he can't find one, his eyes darting frantically around the room, even though Al is right in front of him.
It hurt Al, but he could never blame his brother. His mind was muddy and he was running on instincts. He could barely even talk, how was he supposed to remember that Al doesn't have a body? Despite knowing all this, it still stung a bit every time Ed got to this point.
"It's okay, I'm here. I'm grabbing snacks so you don't go hungry"
He knew Ed wouldn't quite understand what he was saying, but just hearing his brother's voice seemed to calm him down. Ed let his head flop back against the armrest and Al took that as a sign that he could continue. He quickly picked up the bags from the floor and gathered them in his arms before heading to their bedroom and setting them down on the dresser. He dragged the case of plastic water bottles out from under the bed and over to the dresser. He knew that it wasn't the best source of water, but Ed tended to have panic attacks when he left the room during his heats so it was their best course of action.
Al came back into the living room to see that Ed had his eyes closed. His brother looked so at peace, finally calm after all the events that night. He tried to pick him up as gently as possible, but Ed woke up anyway. It was worth it to watch his brother curl in closer to him. He nuzzled his chest piece before closing his eyes again. If Al could blush his whole face would be red.
Alphonse carried Ed into the bedroom and sat on the ground, Ed still in his arms. This is usually the part where Ed gets up and makes a nest, but he wasn't moving. Al gave him a nudge but that only made Ed latch onto him. He waited there with Ed in his lap for about 5 minutes, before taking matters into his own hands.
Al lifted his brother onto the bed then took a step back to let him do his thing. However, that's not what happened. Instead, Edward gave Al a terrified look, then screamed. A wail that would startle even the strongest of soldiers, and it was coming from his brother's mouth. Al had no idea what to do. His brother was sobbing his eyes out and he had no clue why. It shook him to his core.
Al ran over and picked Ed back up and grabbed a blanket. Ed was crying so hard he was barely breathing, flailing and trying to get out of bed. The moment Al touched him, Ed latched onto him once again, only harder. The tears didn't stop as Al stroked his hair but the wailing sobs turned into hiccups and sniffles.
"Please…" It was so quiet Al barely heard it.
"What's wrong Nii-san? Do you not want a nest?"
Al knew for a fact that almost all omegas need nests during their heats. It's a form of stability. That's why you never enter, touch, or remove any item from a nest without permission. It could cause even more stress and if done too many times could lead to a mistrust in others.
Edward mumbled something quietly and blushed.
"Can you repeat that? I couldn't hear."
Ed spoke a bit louder, but it was too quiet for Al to hear.
"Nii-san I can't understand. Can you pl-"
Suddenly Edward sat forward before practically ripping off his chest piece and attempting to shove the blanket inside. Al was in shock. Was his brother really doing what he thought he was? Was Ed trying to build a nest inside him? He knew Ed liked riding around inside his armor, but this was almost a little too much. He wasn't sure there would be enough room to make a suitable nest.
"I-is that where you want your nest?"
Ed let out a whine in response, finally getting the blanket inside. Oh, that must have been why Ed freaked out, Al was part of his nest. He felt awful for not realizing sooner, but at the same time how was he supposed to know what Ed wanted? Speaking of Ed, he was making grabby hands towards the bed where the rest of the blankets laid in a heap. He looked like a baby. Unable to speak properly, whiney, and eager to take a nap. Al found it absolutely adorable.
He leaned forward and pulled the pile onto the floor, handing Ed one of the blankets. He watched as Ed lifted it to his nose, took a deep breath, then slowly and expertly placed it inside of his chest. It looked kind of odd, despite the fact that Al knew exactly what he was doing. He was smelling the scents on the blanket and placing them in his nest accordingly, but it still looked funny. Edward, however, seemed to be having the time of his life. His smile grew wider with each blanket that was added.
Speaking of inside, Ed was practically glowing as he moved and placed the new blankets in his nest. Al couldn't feel anything in the armor, but the thought alone of Ed arranging their blankets inside of him sent shivers down his nonexistent spine.
Finally, it seemed his brother was done. The bed was empty and Ed was nuzzling Al's arm, something he often did when in heat. His armor was cool which felt good when Ed got hot flashes. Though Ed didn't seem to be going through one of those right now, he was merely showing affection.
Al reached down to run his fingers through Ed's hair, something that seemed to please the omega eminencely. He let out small hums as Al stroked his hair. They sat there for a few minutes in comfortable silence, both basking in each other's presence.
Ed looked absolutely beautiful like this. His naked body left nothing up to imagination, something Al was very glad for. He loved every bit of Ed. From his long blonde hair to his golden eyes, even his automail looked beautiful, despite not technically being part of Ed. He loved his brother's scars. While he obtained most of them doing stupid things, it was a sign he had lived and grown. Well, grown in maturity that is.
Ed had decided he couldn't wait anymore. He moved from his position cuddling Al's arm to his chest. Al watched for a few seconds as Ed tried to get any kind of leverage to pull himself into the armor. He looked adorable. Ed let out a whine in frustration and Al decided to help him. He carefully bent down before gathering his brother in his arms and moving him inside his armor.
Ed had ridden around in his armor plenty of times, but this time felt different. He could almost feel as Ed shifted and rearranged his nest. It felt warm, it felt soft. It made Alphonse absolutely giddy. It wasn't like he actually felt it, he could just… sense it in a way. Maybe it was their Elric telepathy.
Ed seemed to have found the perfect spot and buried himself deeper into the nest, pulling some of the blankets over himself. Suddenly, he felt a slight rumble from inside his chest. But Al wasn't moving, so it had to be Ed making that odd-
It was a purr.
Ed was purring.
Al had never heard Ed purr before and thought he never would. He just wasn't that type of omega. But here he was, curled up inside his chest and purring. It was music to his ears. He couldn't quite see all of Ed, but his face was close enough to the outside that he could see the satisfaction on his face.
Al reached down and stroked his cheek which only served to make Ed purr louder. Finally at rest after a stressful night. After only a few minutes Ed closed his eyes. He usually had a hard time going to sleep, even on his heats. There was always something off. But this time it was all okay.
This time it was perfect.