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That... that's rough. It would have killed me if the same thing had happened to Neil, that he kept appearing and disappearing like that. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

I really hope that doesn't happen to you here... or anyone. That's just cruel.

[And now flowing the with topic change]

So... he could be back and literally pick up like it was yesterday... or whenever he went home?

[He doesn't say it, but he'd like if that were true]

Cruel is something you get used to in Purg.

[At least when it happens to you, and not you doing it to someone else. Not a topic he's going to approach with Lyle, though.]

Yeah, there's always another chance to reconcile your differences here. He could show up again at any moment.

[Ed doesn't really know the details of why they weren't talking back home, he just knows the relationship was tense and Lyle had shut him down for trying to encourage him to talk to his brother. As in, actual communication.]

Based one what you've told me, I'd agree.

Well, I wouldn't say no to that. It's not like I got to spend a lot of time with him back home.

[Yes, he wanted to talk to Neil, but he also didn't particularly think that he was the one who should be the one to apologize or make justifications. He had tried back home, but been rebuffed so he'd stop trying]

[He had to laugh at that, pretty much everyone would agree.]

I was never really aware of the details, honestly. Lyle kind of mentioned it and then seemed to immediately regret that decision. I learned to mind my own business.

Let's just say it it was related to his "job" and involved a random card once a year and no other way to to hear from him.

[Okay, so maybe more than once a year, but it was so infrequent that it didn't really matter]

[Edward made a face at that, glancing away as if embarrassed.]

I was a lot closer to Lockon in Purg, Lyle liked to keep his distance-

[It was getting a lot easier to see this Lyle as a different person from the previous one he knew. Which was an unsettling thing to grow comfortable with, even if he had done it in the past with others.]

it's kind of weird to think it was him that stayed away the whole time.

[He supposed it shouldn't have been though, even if he was awkward about it, Lyle was the only one of the two that even approached the subject at all nevermind talked about it being something to fix. Honestly, it made him mad, to do something like that by choice - he couldn't imagine it. He also felt a little guilty about the whole ordeal, if Lyle had just told him that instead of getting defensive the whole conversation might have gone differently.]

I guess it makes sense... Lockon was the one trying to act like everything was normal, I only know they weren't close because it was Lyle that pointed it out.

[Perhaps it was that time had changed Lyle a bit depending on how much this other version of him knew. It was also possible that he had stayed away because of Ed's connection to Neil]

I know now it was because of Celestial Being. He couldn't let on anything, maybe couldn't be seen in our area, who knows. But to hear nothing for years was not something I'd wish on someone else.

[It had hurt... a lot to only receive random letters or cards here or there. The letters had nothing of reliance and the cards were standard cards. He didn't want to admit he still had all of them because that had been his only contact with Neil for years]

[Ed winces slightly at the last part of Lyle's words. He probably wasn't much better in that regard.]

Al had to deal with something similar. I don't know much of the details since it hasn't happened to me yet, but I know we were separated for two years.

[He doesn't look happy about admitting the next part.]

.... and once we're back together, apparently I up and leave again.

So, according to your brother you do leave him, but you personally don't know that you do or why?

[He wasn't quite sure what to think at that. Seemed like anyone could just up and decide to leave family members. Of course he would have never thought that Neil would have done that to him either]

Back home I sacrifice myself to save Al. Instead of dying I go through the Gate, which is where I apparently stay for two years.

[It wasn't really a choice to leave Al so much as bring him back, but the second decision was the one that Ed had trouble coping with.]

When we're reunited it starts a war between the two worlds, our's and the one I'm trapped in.

I managed to get back home, but in order to stop the war I go back through the portal to break it down from that side. Al followed me through the portal, the one in Purg had already been in Germany before he arrived, but this Al didn't get that far before arriving here instead.

At least that's what I've heard.

[Lyle is just kind of stunned at that story. Ed has a wonderful way of doing that. Just about every conversation includes a good healthy dose of "what the heck is this person's life?" This one included

And here he had always thought he had weird problems with his brother. His problems with Neil were kid's stuff compared to some of the issues Ed had]

I can't ever say that I've had this problem before and I doubt I ever will.

[And you thought you had him with that flower story, Lyle. Nothing is weirder or more suffering than the life of an Elric, clearly.]

It's another one to add to the "wouldn't wish it on anyone else" pile.

[He offers a weak smile at that, as if it was a joke.]

Al didn't deserve any of that, after the life I put him through- he might have been better off with just a card.

[Lyle makes the mental note of this: Ed's life is insanity beyond what he can completely comprehend]

Yeah, sounds like it. I know I wouldn't wish it.

Card? Like Neil randomly sending me a card?

[He looks kind of apologetic at the question.]

Yeah. I know it probably doesn't feel like it, but... anything's better than what he went through.

[Your brother could have made you lose your body nearly getting you killed, Lyle. Silver linings.]

Edited 2017-09-12 06:22 (UTC)

[Lyle gives Ed a sad smile]

Neither is good. Of course, he wouldn't know how good he had it just receiving a card if none of that had happened.

[He knew better now too]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Honestly he wouldn't wish either situation on anyone, and here it had happened to two people that he actually cared about.]

I'd probably feel terrible either way, too. Since neither of us would know any better.

[A pause.]

At least you got that closure now though, right? That he did it because he probably didn't have much of a choice...

Yeah... I do know that he didn't really have a choice. I understand why, but it doesn't help at the time.

The same for you and your brother. There's a reason for it, but its hard to figure out at the time.

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