Stand Up and Walk

The World is Shaking

"I still have too long a life ahead to get rid of these feelings, right? I want to try doing over the things I've left undone. I thought I was running after something carried over from my dreams, yet I'm stumbling into people on this narrow, winding road. It's not like I want to go back to the way things were back then; I'm just searching for the sky I've been losing. Here's hoping you'll understand. Stop making that sad face as though you were a victim. Sins don't end in tears; you have to carry the pain forever. Who am I waiting for in this maze of emotions with no way out in sight? I want to purge myself more simply, as if writing in a blank notebook. What is it I want to escape from? ...Is it reality? It makes me want to scream that we're alive for things to come true. Can you hear me? I can't put up with playing it safe. ...I've got nowhere to go home to! I'm always grateful for kindness; that's why I want to grow stronger (I'm on the way). I even welcome this pain for the things I miss."
—Yui, Again

...

Ed writhes on the bed, becoming tangled in his sheets. He thrashes, whimpering, mumbling nonsense in his sleep. Suddenly, he flinches so violently, he nearly falls off the bed.

With a loud gasp, he sits bolt upright. His hair is hanging loose around his shoulders, and in that instant, he looks so open, looks so...vulnerable, that you almost want to cry.

Panting, he ducks his head wearily, allowing his golden locks to hide his face. He brings his automail knee in, up to his face, curling in on himself.

You sit softly on the edge of his bed, pausing for a moment to see how he'll react. When he doesn't shove you back or try to run away, you slide next to him slowly, carefully placing on arm over his shoulders. He leans into you immediately, burying his face in the space where your shoulder meets your neck.

You can feel his shuddering breaths, and you trail your fingers silently through his hair.

You're okay.

I'm here.

...

Ed lifts his hand to rap on the wooden door, but then stops suddenly, leaving his hand hovering awkwardly in the air near it. You shoot a glance at him, but before you can say anything, Riza pulls open the door.

"What's the matter, you three?" she asks, furrowing her brows slightly. "You're up awfully early."

"We..." Ed murmurs, pausing as he seems to collapse in on himself. "We need to know...what's going to happen to Tucker and Nina."

Hawkeye flinches at the mention of their names, and you are suddenly sure that something terrible has happened. Tears pool in the corner of your eye as Riza carefully composes herself. "Mister Tucker was scheduled to be stripped of his certification and to stand trial for what he did to Nina," she says tonelessly. "But...they're both dead."

Your heart nearly stops. "Dead?"

Riza clenches her jaw briefly. "You'll find out anyway," she reasons, "so I might as well tell you. They've been murdered."

Hawkeye starts walking away, fixing her collar as she speaks. "What?" Ed chokes out. "When? By who?"

Any other time you'd correct him. 'By whom', you'd say with a dry grin.

But not now.

"I don't know," Riza says. "I'm on my way over to inspect the scene now."

"We're coming with you," Al states, marching after her immediately.