@LELRIC; audio; morning of 187; cw: malnutrition

[armoured]

[Al really isn't sure how he feels about this.

On the one hand, he's horrified that he's been revived at all and he knows this body will only be a burden in an environment like this. He's already cut his feet up to ribbons on the snow, and his atrophied muscles can barely keep him upright. But on the other hand, this is his original body. He's wanted this for so many years, and it's just as wonderful as he always dreamed it might be.

The pangs of hunger, the ache all over, it's wonderful in every way.

He's panting hard when he starts the audio feed, but his voice is the same as ever.]

It's Al, I'm-- I'm back. I'm sorry to anyone I worried, and sorry I was so stupid and got myself locked out. Please, has anyone heard from my brother? We were together, but he wasn't there when I, uh, woke up this morning.

[If his stupid time keeping lost him Ed forever, he'll never forgive himself.]

If anyone is near the chapel and has some clothes they don't need, please-- mine don't fit me at the moment.

[Not going to explain why.]

[Filter: All doctors of Norfinbury]

[He could just ask one or two, but at this point it's a pot luck which ones will actually be helpful, so it's easier to just ask them all.]

I'm sorry, but I need a doctor's advice. It's about-- about what they did to me when I was brought back.

Comments

@Spoiler ; private audio

[spoileralert]

Al.

[ And here we are again, face soaking with tears, shaking with sobs. But this time she's overwhelmed by relief. ]

private forever;

[armoured]

Stephanie...

[His voice is immediately smaller, guiltier.]

I'm so sorry, please don't cry.

@hawkguy, audio

[awwnoun]

Remember what we said about stupid? [ Clint says first off. He sounds massively relieved. ] We're headed out of the Pass, we're not far. Can you walk?

private;

[armoured]

[He's so grateful that he could cry, at least one of the nicer people he knows is heading his way.]

Kind of, but not for long. I'm doing my best to get to shelter tonight, but my feet-- Are you sure it wouldn't be too much trouble?

@fullmetal; audio (Private)

[renkinjutsu]

AL! [Shouting, Ed. Jesus. At least Al won't have to wait too long for anyone to give him an update on his brother. He's Loud and as well as can be counted, considering his own loss.]

Where the hell are you? Are you okay? [There's a pitch to his voice that exposes just how worried he's been, even if he himself has only been awake a few hours. Sleeping in a police station morgue just wasn't going to happen. Getting kicked out as soon as morning came was a blessing in disguise even if it's cold outside.

Wait, he'd said something about chapel. He's probably going to have to pull that up on the map, but it doesn't stop him from asking the stupid question before he already starts to look]

private;

[armoured]

[He's so relieved to hear Ed's voice that all he can do for a moment is struggle to hold back the tears. His throat is scratchy, his eyes feel hot, it's... so absorbing, he forgot what it felt like to really be near tears.]

Brother, you're-- did you wake up this morning? What did they do to you?

[He knows nobody wakes up without a price.]

Calm down, I'm okay, I'm not hurt.

@zachtastic; audio

[majorlazer]

Al!

[A pause.]

I'm not far. I can backtrack. I'll lend you some clothes.

[armoured]

You're not with Steph?

[He sounds sort of stern. HE ASKED YOU TO DO ONE THING, ZACH.]

@notasidekick; audio

[nursetemple]

[Well, Claire hadn't realized that Al died, but she is extremely glad to hear his voice again.

But obviously, the last part of the message gets her attention.]

Hi, Al. Can I help?

private;

[armoured]

[It takes him a moment to place her, but then he remembers that she's the woman who made the medical guide.]

Yeah, I hope so. I need some advice on atrophied muscles, and helping get them working as soon as possible.

@featherydouche; text; private

[mrcreamsicles]

[Seeing Al back should be a relief, and in many ways it is one. He never wanted Al to die, and since he did he carried the worry that that would be it from him, that he might not come back at all. But at the same time, it tugs on the guilt inside him. At least part of his relief comes from knowing he won't have to take care of the guide, and how is that fair? It takes him a while to find how to respond, and when he does it's privately in text.]

are you ok
you sound like youre breathing pretty hard out there
did you lose your armor

audio; private

[armoured]

What?!

[He can't help the exclamation, utterly gobsmacked.]

How did you-- how could you have known that?

@hotstud_xxx; text; all doctors

[rubikscomplex]

you have a trauma surgeon, a nurse, an i don't know what her specialty is, and a nephrologist/infectious disease specialist
you're gonna need to be a little more specific on what kind of advice

@cutthroatbitch; text

[wilsonsheart]

Interventional Radiology

[Just chiming in briefly, hello. She's paying attention.]

audio; all doctors

[armoured]

I'm not sure, sorry.

It's my body. [He makes sure to add just the slightest emphasis on that, since House will understand.] It's a little different now I've revived, I'm not in the best shape.

[There's a hesitation, voice dipping.]

Thanks... for answering me, I mean, you didn't have to.

[Especially after he only just got done telling him to never darken his doorstep again.]

@cutthroatbitch; text; filtered post

[wilsonsheart]

I'm in the ice tunnels. It's not too far--I'll come to you if I'm closest, if you can wait. But if any of the other doctors can get to you first, I'll leave it to them.

[They already have two other doctors asking what's wrong specifically, but this has yet to be addressed. But don't worry, Al, she's paying attention.]

audio; filtered post

[armoured]

Oh! Dr. Volakis, I'm really glad to hear from you again.

[He hasn't heard from her since they ran into each other at the hospital.]

I think there are people closer than that, but I'm not sure if any of the doctors are.

audio; @dreamsnhonor

[heroproceeding]

[ It's been a rough few days since the Elrics had managed to lock themselves out. In the end, there's nothing that could have been done. It happened. It's over with. Move on as best as he can- help whoever he can as best as he can.

It doesn't erase the hurt though.

The only thing that could possibly erase that is the sound of the familiar- if not out of breath -voice of- ]

Al!

[ It's probably the happiest he's sounded in a full week. He also might need to actually backtrack and listen to the rest of the message, but he's a bit caught up in the moment, okay? ]

[armoured]

Zack!

[It's such a relief to hear Zack's voice, to hear all the voices of his friends, it means he hasn't been gone too long. That's such a selfish thought, he shouldn't be happy to be back at all, but a small part of him is.]

Where are you? You sound out of breath.

[Pot meet kettle, considering Al is panting as he's moving.]

@twilighttown; text

[passingmemories]

[Roxas was actually worried when he saw Al's name on the obituary. They haven't talked much, but he knows that Alphonse was curious about his world hopping experience, and didn't seem like a bad guy.

So yes, he's happy you're back!]

I don't know where the chapel is, but I've still got the coat they gave me. I can come find you if you need it.

audio

[armoured]

Oh, wow, that's so kind of you.

[He's really and genuinely touched.]

But you shouldn't give that coat away, you'll need it.

[armoured]

I think a few people are nearby, Mr. Anderson, so I've been lucky.

[He sounds pretty cheerful, anyway. Cheerful and in pain, an odd mix.]

I'm glad to hear from you, though, I've been wondering how you've been doing.

@godsend, audio

[termineur]

Welcome back, Al.

Sounds like you've got help coming your way already, but- you doing okay? Other than the clothes situation?

audio; private

[armoured]

[There's a wave of distrust that rises, but he squashes it down. He's trying to help Gabriel, that's only going to happen if he treats him like normal.]

I guess so. Walking is a little difficult at the moment, but I'm managing.

Private; @betterhalf; text

[darkincrement]

Looks like you got your brother killed. Again.

[ Did you miss this? ]

private

[armoured]

[WOW.

Al's voice is instantly hard and unyielding.]

We both made the decision to go to that gate.

[He's not playing this guilt game.]

@zd; voice

[swatsflies]

Al! Welcome back!

[ He sounds very excited to hear from his friend again. ]

How are you? What's wrong with your clothes?

[armoured]

Zell!

[He sounds so pleased to hear from him too, voice growing exponentially warmer.]

It's just, uh, they were taken when I woke up. [He chuckles awkwardly.] Kind of a silly price, huh?

@adamantine; audio

[escutcheon]

Ouch. Not sounding too hot there, my friend.

[ Her tone is deceptively light-hearted, but the concern is there. Lurking. Being generally 'I'm not worried, you're worried. shut up' levels of awkward. ]

Don't know about clothes, but if you need other supplies I can leave a few a fair distance around the school neighborhoods. Non-perishables, of course.

audio;

[armoured]

[There's a voice he hasn't heard in a while, and he perks up because she had seemed nice when they spoke last. It's always good to hear from people here, it means they're still fighting.]

I'm not as bad as I-- I'll be okay.

[Okay he is that bad, but fighting through.]

I'm lucky so many kind people have offered me help, thank you. Are you sure you have enough to spare?