Indie RP for Edward & Alphonse Elric A Study in: Grief, Being a child soldier, Trauma, Survivors guilt, Family, Determination Transmuted by Chibi
styofa doing anything

tannertan36
d e v o n

if i look back, i am lost
No title available
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
Monterey Bay Aquarium
almost home

祝日 / Permanent Vacation
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
One Nice Bug Per Day
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
wallacepolsom
Today's Document
occasionally subtle
Keni
Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
NASA
Cosimo Galluzzi
trying on a metaphor

seen from Malaysia
seen from South Korea

seen from United States
seen from Canada

seen from Germany

seen from Singapore
seen from France
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Canada
seen from France
seen from United States

seen from Singapore
seen from T1

seen from Argentina
seen from Malaysia
seen from Spain
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States

seen from Singapore
seen from Greece
@cursedalchemybrothers
Indie RP for Edward & Alphonse Elric A Study in: Grief, Being a child soldier, Trauma, Survivors guilt, Family, Determination Transmuted by Chibi
"We don't have guns like Amestris. There are canons on ships and tanks, but our armaments are all built around firebending. It's the same in the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. We don't need weapons when we are the weapons—err—were the weapons. Bending itself is something we're born with, and how strong a bender you are has a lot to do with your spirituality and your chi."
"Guns are technically just...handheld cannons? I guess?" He squinted as he thought about that concept. mm. Not one he particularly liked. He didnt like it at all actually.
"We arent born able to do alchemy, its just somethin' you study and learn. You can have an affinity for it? Like me and Al do...but pretty much anybody can learn it if they really want to. " He scratched his neck absently with one hand, face slightly scrunched up. "That sounds like something that old crackpot father cornello would say."
"I mean state alchemists are government weapons too but the colonel and others still have guns. Mustang can't use his flame alchemy when it rains."
"Are eclipses here special or something? I mean they're a cool thing as far as the science goes but they arent exactly...special? They happen a few times a year, both solar and lunar."
"Firebenders draw out energy from the sun, when an eclipse blocks the sun we can't firebend. During the war it was a weakness so we have to fortify the city and go into hiding, but now that the war's over, there's nothing to hide from."
"Thats...weird." He couldnt really think of a better word for it than weird. "Oh yeah you guys arent in active war anymore---Amestris keeps starting wars with people"
"Is that bending thing just a widespread thing here? I don't think I've seen a single gun on any of the military ive seen. Not that I'm complaining, but its unusual."
The boys were finally reunited after their chaotic entrance into the world and they were doing some brother bonding....setting off fireworks with additives to change the colors.
Edward whooped when the firework exploded in a shower of blue, green and purple sparks. "Yes!! Good one Al!! That went off way better than the last one!"
It didn’t take Zuko long to find the source of the fireworks. All he had to do was follow the obnoxious sounds of teenage boys hooting and hollaring, which led him right to Edward and Alononse.
He stood there, arms crossed and expression set in a scowl as Edward prepared for another round. He almost let him set it off, too. Almost.
“Having fun, boys?” He asks, voice low and stern. That frown he wore setting deeper.
"Yup we are! Thanks for checking" Ed grinned, clearly not at all put off by the scowl on Zuko's face. "Its a major pain this place doesnt take amestrian money though!" He was still fussing with the angling of the firework, mentally calculating trajectory and other factors while he dolled out the chemical additives for the colors.
Al on the other hand, froze. Blinking at Zuko as his eyes squinted in a sheepish smile. "Hello, sir." He was clearly more focused on possibly being in trouble than his brother was.
"I think I'd like to spend this eclipse actually seeing it. My family has always locked ourselves underground, so I've never gotten to experience one outside."
"Are eclipses here special or something? I mean they're a cool thing as far as the science goes but they arent exactly...special? They happen a few times a year, both solar and lunar."
Zuko stood with his arms folded tight across his chest, jaw clenched as the sky exploded overhead and colorful fire rained down in thunderous bursts, each crack echoing for miles. “…This is exactly the kind of reckless use of fire that can burn down a city,” he muttered, eyes tracking a spiraling plume that burst far lower than it should have. “Unstable launch angles, inconsistent spacing, way too much powder—who approved this?”
Another deafening boom rattled the windows. Zuko flinched despite himself, his scowled deepening as he scrubbed a hand down his face and exhaled sharply. “Do they have firebreaks? Spotters? A suppression team on standby?” He paused, eyes narrowing as another shower of sparks drifted far too close to a tower. “…Of course they don’t.” Another blast lit the sky. Zuko turned on his heel, already heading for the stairs.
“I’m shutting this down before someone loses a hand—or a district.”
The boys were finally reunited after their chaotic entrance into the world and they were doing some brother bonding....setting off fireworks with additives to change the colors.
Edward whooped when the firework exploded in a shower of blue, green and purple sparks. "Yes!! Good one Al!! That went off way better than the last one!"
“You’re telling me you’ve never seen the ocean before? Like—ever? The big blue thing that covers most of the planet? Waves, tides, fish? That ocean?” He gestured toward the door as if they could somehow see it through the blizzard outside. “Yeah, we live here all the time. Born and raised right by the water. My people fish, hunt, and travel on it—it’s kind of our whole thing.”
He grinned then, a flicker of pride slipping through his sarcasm. “Wolf Cove’s been here for generations of harsh winters, no sunlight for weeks at a time, freezing winds that could take your face off—but, hey, we’ve got some of the best dried seaweed in the world.” He winked. “And, obviously, top-tier muktuk chefs.”
The grin softened a little as he looked between the brothers again. “You two must’ve seen a lot to end up this far north. People don’t usually just… wander into a snowstorm unless they’re running to something. Or away from it.”
"Not till recently. Amestris is landlocked. Like Al said we hadn't ever seen the ocean before traveling here, the closest coast is probably Aerugo and thats on the other side of another country from us." Ed shrugged with crossed arms.
Ed's face had subtitles clearly---the scrunched nose and skeptical expression plainly saying what he thought of the description Sokka gave. It sounded horrible.
"Dunno what Muktuk is but I was told to come here by my commanding officer. They said to go make nice with the elemental nations as an in person connection from Amestris, we just got a bit turned around cause no one warned us about all the snow."
"Theres really no daylight for /that long/?" Al asked with a startled tone--well a mix of bewildered and fascinated. "I think I've read about that happening in Drachma but its not nearly that long."
"What is /that/ supposed to mean?" Ed grouched, scowl back in full force. Though he didnt really expect an answer and was more focused on getting warm.
"Um....steel?" Alphonse answered in a rather baffled tone. He found the question rather odd. What else would armor like his be made of, other than steel? "Do you not have steel armor in the elemental nations?"
Once he was free of snow and ice, Al took a seat by his brother. Though a bit further back from the fire, considering the light glared off his armor in a way that made Edward squint.
“It means you sound like you’re hauling a whole ship’s anchor through my house,” he says without missing a beat, a teasing grin tugging the corner of his mouth. “Relax, buddy, it’s not an insult. Just—y’know—loud.”
Sokka tossed another log on the fire as he knelt down close to the pot that hung over the flames. The broth was bubbling and starting to thicken, filling the small home with the salty scent of sea oil, meat, and spices.
When Al answered, Sokka’s brow furrowed. “Steel?” He repeated. “You mean that’s you in there? Not…armor—armor?” His gaze flickered between them again. One small, cranky and clearly human, and the other a walking fortress who somehow sounded like a kid. The logic didn’t track. Then again, He’s seen Toph move literal mountains before and Zuko shoot fire from his hands so maybe he shouldn’t be surprised anymore.
"Im not sure what you mean by 'armor-armor' sir but it is me in here" Alphonse giggled. "Its okay brother I know im loud when I move."
Ed shifted when the scent of the broth started to spread, watching what Sokka was doing curiously. Cooking was kind of a luxury with their lifestyle so it wasnt something he watched very often.
"These trips are the first time we've ever seen an ocean, you all live here all the time?" Al asked, not paying the food any mind.
“Alchemy,” he repeated under his breath, like the word might rearrange itself into something that made sense if he said it slower. It didn’t. He tilted his head back to look up at the metal giant towering over him and apparently not freezing to death despite standing ankle-deep in snow wearing a literal suit of armor.
“Okay,” he said, dragging the word out. “So… you built a wall with your brother, woke up here, and now you’re worried he’s doing something stupid?” His brows arched as he shoved his hands into the folds of his parka, exhaling a misty sigh that fogged the air between them. “You’re definitely not from around here, Alphonse. And for the record, this is the Southern Water Tribe. The South Pole. So if home for you isn’t made entirely of ice, then something went seriously weird with your wall.”
He glanced toward the distant smoke rising from the village and jerked his chin in that direction. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere out of the wind before your armor really does rust. I’ll have someone send word to the hunters to keep an eye out for your brother. Blond kid, red coat—hard to miss out here.”
As they started walking, Sokka shot him a sideways look. “You said you’re not cold? Like… at all? Not even a little chilly? Because I’m wearing three layers and can’t feel my nose.” He grinned, “Guess that makes you officially the toughest lost guy I’ve ever met.”
"Uhhh---yes? Or is it alkahestry here like in Xing?" Maybe thats where the confusion was?
When Sokka went through what he'd said, Alphonse nodded along. "Yes, sir. My brother can be....impulsive and he has a temper. Especially when we're separated. I'm worried he's gonna get himself into trouble." Which wasn't far off from what'd happened in the past, which fueled his concerns considering he couldnt find any trace of Ed. "Afraid I've never heard of the south pole or southern water tribe before...I'm from Amestris, I've never seen the ocean before."
Al followed Sokka's gesture, nodding. "I was following the smoke, I'm glad youre friendly. Thank you for keeping an eye out for Edward" He followed the older man, careful not to overtake the other so purposefully keeping his steps small.
The young alchemist giggled. "No, not at all. I don't get cold easily. I have to worry more about sinking in drifts and getting stuck than getting cold. Im not used to snow, it only snows around Christmas where I'm from and never this much"
Every transmutation sent new cracks through the city; walls reshaping, tiles shattering, the faint hum of that unnatural blue light pulsed with each strike of his palms. The Fire Lord’s jaw tightened. He could see the boy's panic. It was making reasoning with him impossible, and if his rampage continued, it could level a district if left unchecked.
“Hold positions,” he ordered under his breath. Around him, the Yuyan Archers stayed perfectly still, bows raised and eyes locked on their mark.
The boy shouted again, his raw and hoarse voice cracking with grief and rage. The sound carried through the streets. Zuko exhaled slowly through his nose/ “He’s not listening,” he muttered. “If this keeps up, he’ll bring half the city down.” He turned slightly to one of the Yuyan perched on the neighboring roof; their leader, distinguished only by the dark trim on his armor and the faint blue marking across his mask. “Sedative arrow. Left shoulder. Don’t miss.”
The archer gave a silent nod, pulling an arrow fitted with a narrow reservoir of sleeping draught potent enough to drop a komodo rhino from the special lacquered quiver.
Zuko watched the boy running himself ragged, his desperation making him feral. There was no way to reason with him, much as he wanted to do things another, he had no other choice. He raised his hand, palm held outward in a silent signal.
The archer released the string and the arrow vanished into the air until a heartbeat later when it found its mark —a clean hit in the boy’s upper arm. Zuko’s hand fell back to his side. “Get healers ready,” he ordered/ “When he’s down, make sure he’s not hurt and take him to the infirmary. I want him under guard, but unharmed.”
Edward wasn't a machine despite his fire and his spite, the only thing currently keeping him going was adrenaline, and protective panic for the only family he had left in the world.
Had Ed been listening to what was happening around him in any capacity he could have argued his alchemy wouldnt destroy anything and he could put it all back just fine, but he was too focused on listening for and finding his brother. Anyones impression of alchemical damage was the last thing on his mind.
He knew the sound of transmutations, knew the sound of gunfire, he wasnt familiar with the sound of a composite bow firing so didn't know what had happened until the sharp pain radiated from his upper arm through his shoulder.
"FUCK!" The teenager yelped and swore in pain, twisting to look at what hit his arm when he'd stopped, gaping wide-eyed at the arrow. The shock morphed quickly to a furious scowl as if offended by the very fact someone had shot an arrow at him, reaching up and yanking it out. He'd dealt with worse injuries, that would be annoying but not life threatening---but Zuko and the archers had now gotten his full attention.
It hadn't even been a full ten seconds since the arrow had hit, but trying to focus on Zuko and the Yuyan archers was now difficult. Why couldn't he tell how far away they were? His face scrunched, visibly confused as his vision blurred. His limbs felt heavy. The boy only managed a single step before he collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, unconscious before he hit the ground.
Oh it was loud, but a different kind of loud than he'd just been in. Why couldn't he move? He blinked, trying to clear what he thought were fuzzies from his vision but then...they were moving. Falling, actually. Was that..snow? It didnt snow in central this time of year.....what was going on?
"Brother? Are you ok?" Al called out as he pushed himself up, grunting as his hand sunk into the snow. The wind was making the ponytail on his helmet wave back and forth like a very sad little flag.
Huh.
Where was Edward?
When they'd moved together to shield themselves from Envy they'd been together then....they'd passed out? They was impossible...Alphonse wasn't capable of losing consciousness. He didn't have a brain after all.
"Brother? Brother!" He called, now rather worried. They werent ones to wander away from eachother in strange places---and they were just in central so he didnt even know HOW or where they were in the first place.
He supposed the first thing he should do was...find someone. This place reminded him of the north of Amestris.
Once he managed to get to his feet, at his full height he spotted smoke, and headed in the direction of it. Only able to hope that whoever was at the source was friendly.
@moonlovcr
The wind had picked up again by the time Sokka spotted the shape moving across the ridge, metal catching the faint blue of the twilight sky. He squinted against the flurries, hand braced above his eyes. Whoever that was, they were definitely not from the tribe. Not with armor like that. He adjusted the strap of his fur cloak and trudged up the incline, the crunch of snow beneath his boots loud in the quiet expanse. His warriors had stayed back by the sleds on his order. Chief or not, Sokka wasn’t about to send someone else to check out a potential problem that might just be a traveler lost in the storm.
“Hey!” he called out, his voice loud enough to carry over the wind. “You’re either really lost or really bad at picking vacation spots.”
When he got closer, he realized the guy was huge, towering over him by at least a head and a half, and that definitely wasn’t a parka. It looked like armor, but not anything he’d ever seen before. Sokka slowed, his instincts prickling even as curiosity took over. “You, uh… okay there, big guy?” His tone stayed cautious but not unfriendly.
Then he noticed the faint confusion in the figure’s body language, the way the head turned slightly, searching. Sokka took another careful forward step forward. “Name’s Sokka. Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.” He nodded toward the smoke in the distance from the village’s hearth fires. “You’re safe here. But you should probably tell me what you’re doing wandering around in the middle of nowhere before you freeze your… uh, armor off.”
"Yes! Yes Im okay I think sir!" Al called back, his voice as always shockingly small for his immense size. "I...I think im really lost." He elaborated, looking around at the snowy landscape. "Its nice to meet you, chief Sokka, sir. My name is Alphonse."
"You...havent seen a teenager about yeh tall...blonde with a red coat have you? Hes my older brother." His hand gestured about the height of his chest, the height of his brother.
"Me and my brother were well...home, put up a wall with our alchemy to protect ourselves against someone we were fighting then I woke up here with no sign of my brother. Im alright, Im not cold. I just dont want my armor to rust and I wanna find my brother before he does something stupid."
Zuko had been in the center of Caldera when the explosion of blue light [nothing like any bending he’d ever seen] arced across the stone like lightning trapped inside veins of glass and split through the plaza like a thunderclap. The shockwave sent people scattering, and the scent of scorched stone filled the air. Within seconds guards surrounded the square, weapons half-drawn, waiting for the Fire Lord's command.
“Contain the area!” Zuko ordered sharply, his voice cutting through the chaos. “No one in or out until we know what that was!”
He strode toward the origin of the disturbance, a crater in the street, cracks spidering outward from where a boy knelt, hands pressed to the ground and eyes wild. The glowing sigils etched into the pavement were still fading, humming faintly with an energy Zuko didn’t recognize.
The boy shot upright suddenly, shouting for someone named Al, panic fraying every word. Before Zuko could speak, he slammed his palms into the ground again, and the earth itself responded as stone columns rose and buildings shifted unnaturally.
“Hold your positions!” Zuko barked to the nearest soldiers as several moved to attack. “Don’t strike! You’ll make it worse!”
He launched himself upward with a burst of flame, landing on a nearby rooftop as the boy tore across the cityscape, transmuting rooftops into bridges and streets into walls. The air filled with frightened cries from below.
Zuko tracked his movements, golden eyes narrowing. Whoever this was, his control was slipping and his power was dangerous.
“Yuyan Archers!” he called down, and in moments, half a dozen figures in crimson armor and masks appeared from the shadows of the rooftops, bows already strung. Their presence alone drew murmurs from the crowd.
“Surround the district!” Zuko ordered. “I want eyes on him from every angle. No one fires unless I give the command!”
His blonde braid and signature flamel-branded red coat were swept back as he ran full tilt across the rooftops of the city homes. Every transmutation was still calculated despite his panic, they had to be--no one was hurt... but property was another matter entirely.
Commands, new people in his peripherals , it didnt mean anything to him. "Al!!" He checked every alley, every street before he passed over it. "ALPHONSE!" He paused, shouting as loud as he could manage, hands cupped around his mouth. Chest heaving, he waited. Listening for any response.
Nothing.
He'd tear across the entire city, however big it was, if he had to. He didnt care! Though he also didn't know where he was going---but that seemed like a later problem.
A clap of his hands, slamming them against the roof and he had another bridge to keep going. Even fumbling the next jump didnt slow him much, considering rolling a artificial ankle didnt actually cause any damage.
It didnt seem like he even realized Zuko or the archers were there.
He had to stop again, look, think. Was....did Envy cause this? Was the homunculous watching him? Taunting him? Had Envy /taken/ his brother? The thought made him snarl in fury. Oh he would make the damn palmtree PAY if he got his hands on them!
Down the alchemist went to street level to get a different vantage point, but he didnt slow much looking down every alley, street, and into any gathering space for any sign of his brother. Dodging any people still in the area or using alchemy to vault over them completely.
Oh it was loud, but a different kind of loud than he'd just been in. Why couldn't he move? He blinked, trying to clear what he thought were fuzzies from his vision but then...they were moving. Falling, actually. Was that..snow? It didnt snow in central this time of year.....what was going on?
"Brother? Are you ok?" Al called out as he pushed himself up, grunting as his hand sunk into the snow. The wind was making the ponytail on his helmet wave back and forth like a very sad little flag.
Huh.
Where was Edward?
When they'd moved together to shield themselves from Envy they'd been together then....they'd passed out? They was impossible...Alphonse wasn't capable of losing consciousness. He didn't have a brain after all.
"Brother? Brother!" He called, now rather worried. They werent ones to wander away from eachother in strange places---and they were just in central so he didnt even know HOW or where they were in the first place.
He supposed the first thing he should do was...find someone. This place reminded him of the north of Amestris.
Once he managed to get to his feet, at his full height he spotted smoke, and headed in the direction of it. Only able to hope that whoever was at the source was friendly.
@moonlovcr
They'd just been battling one of the homunculous. Envy was such a pain in the ASS! Why couldnt the homunculous just leave them alone?
It was hard and a pain but almost a new normal.
Envy had thrown them--it was always so much stronger than it should have been. Why was it so strong? The alchemy...it felt different coursing through his body--then nothing. That familiar sparking of blue then. Nothing.
Ed's golden eyes flew open with a panicked gasp, sitting up and touching his chest, looking over his limbs. Okay he was ok, nothing was broken...he was fine. But where was he? This wasnt the dilapidated storeyard they'd been fighting in, it was....a city? This wasn't Central it didnt look anything like central! There were no cars for one...no military. Wait. He was alone. Where was Al?
Where. Was his brother!!??
The young alchemist jumped to his feet, paying no mind to anyone near him. "AL!? Al where are you!?" He called, expression panicked. "AL!!!!"
No response. No familiar clanking of armor or flashing of alchemy. Absolutely no sign of his baby brother.
No. No No No NO!
Both palms are slammed into the ground so hard his automail hand causes micro cracks in the pavement. The alchemical blue crackles of light flash across the street, a column of stone shooting him up over the level of the nearbye rooftops. He ignored the screams. Ignored the shouts. Heart pounding in his ears too loudly for him to even tell if they were just yelling generally, yelling words at him specifically, or to someone else.
Edward jumped to the nearest roof, landing heavily on his prosthetic. He ignored the sound of cracking roof tiles and kept running, shouting Al's name all the while. Every time he came to a break in the homes that was too far for him to jump? More alchemy. Streets turned to walls he ran across or roofs morphed into bridges. He didnt care how the alchemy damaged what he was using!
He needed to find his brother!
@honorforged
"Yeah..yeah 'lright." Had it been Mustang? One of the other men on Mustang's team? Armstrong? Ed would have been spitting venom and likely would have dodged away from the hand by now. He got to his feet, feeling a slight stick in his automail that said it needed oil.
He'd take care of that when they werent outside anymore.
Being in entirely new nations, and out of an active warzone at that, cooled some of his hair trigger reactions.
A slight snort. "Yeah dont need Winry's personality double after me. Stairs sound way better anyway."
Zuko’s lips twitched and the faintest hint of amusement broke through the steady, paternal composure he’d been holding. “Trust me,” he said, tone dry but fond, “I’ve seen Katara mad before. You don’t want to find out.”
He rose as Edward did, giving him a quick once-over, his gaze flicking briefly to the automail leg when he heard the faint catch of metal. “You’ll want to fix that when we’re inside,” he remarked, matter-of-fact but not unkind. “Last thing you need is a jam.”
Then, with a quiet exhale, Zuko tugged his cloak tighter around his shoulders, glancing toward the horizon where the ground finally looked stable again. “Stairs it is, then,” he said with a wry smirk. “If anyone asks, we’ll say we were just… testing the terrain.”
He started forward, a steady presence beside the boy. “Come on. You can tell me more about this Winry double of yours on the way back so I know who to hide from if she ever finds out what almost happened.”
"If all girls end up like Winry? I'll have to get even better reflexes." Ed rolled his eyes.
"I knooowwwww i know im gonna oil it soon as we're inside. No one here seems to know how to work on Automail....plus Winry would kill me if anyone else touched her precious creation." He harumphed, though Zukos smirk did pull a crooked smile from the teenager. Following along beside the firelord without any fuss.
"Winry Rockbell, blonde with a ponytail, always in mechanics clothes." Ed chuckled. "Shes my automail mechanic. Shes more likely to throw a wrench at you than come after you with her fists...ask how I know." He rolled his eyes.
"Her and granny installed my automail"
Zuko’s grip on Edward’s shoulder remained firm, the cloak draped around him like a shield from the elements. His golden eyes scanned the boy, taking in the tense muscles and rapid breathing, and he let out a low, controlled sigh. “Alright,” he said, voice calm but carrying authority. “Let's get you somewhere warm.”
When Edward made joke about Al, Zuko let out a small, dry chuckle. “He’d be angry, sure. But honestly…” His eyes flicked upward for a moment, then back to Edward. “…I’m more worried Katara would’ve killed us both if you’d fallen. So next time maybe stick to the stairs, huh?”
"Yeah..yeah 'lright." Had it been Mustang? One of the other men on Mustang's team? Armstrong? Ed would have been spitting venom and likely would have dodged away from the hand by now. He got to his feet, feeling a slight stick in his automail that said it needed oil.
He'd take care of that when they werent outside anymore.
Being in entirely new nations, and out of an active warzone at that, cooled some of his hair trigger reactions.
A slight snort. "Yeah dont need Winry's personality double after me. Stairs sound way better anyway."
Zuko let the tension in his muscles loosen just enough to bend toward Edward. “Easy, easy,” he murmured, his voice softer now, steadying. He draped his travel cloak around the boy’s shoulders, pulling it snug to shield him from the wind and the chill.
“Look at me,” He said gently, placing a hand on Edward’s shoulder to still the trembling. “You’re really safe now.” He scanned him quickly, checking for cuts or bruises. His eyes were soft but focused. “Nothing broken, I don’t think… just shaky. That’s normal after a scare like that.”
He settled beside the boy, keeping his hand lightly on Edward’s arm. “You don’t have to be a soldier right now. Just breathe. In… and out. That’s it.” His tone was firm, but careful, each word was meant to reassure. “You did well, Ed. Even if it doesn’t feel like it.”
Zuko wrapped the cloak around him like a protective cocoon as he kept a vigilant, quiet watch.
His ears were ringing, his whole body wound tight like a taut wire; every muscle rigid and tense. Bright golden eyes fixed on the cliff's edge as though something was going to come up from over it to come after him.
The touch of the cloak overtop his own signature red coat and the hand on his shoulder made him jump--having been too focused to notice Zuko moving. Looking up at the bender, pupils blown wide---it took a second for everything to mentally come back online and catch up instead of just being a cacophony of white noise in his head. Blinking several times as though physically rebooting his mind. Was he injured? He didnt think so. Though that might have been the surge of adrenaline dulling any pain signals.....
He mentally took stock of how his body felt. Familiar adrenaline---ok thats what was making him shake. He felt clammy...another side effect of the adrenaline, he was familiar enough with that sensation too. "No....no I think I'm ok." Slowly curling and uncurling his fists, shifting his legs to a more comfortable position. Nothing really hurt other than the slight burn of worked muscles.
Breathing.
Right that was a thing the human body needed to do in order to function. He hadnt realized he'd been holding his breath, now letting the air out and taking another breath to calm his still racing pulse.
"Al would'a killed me if I died the one day so far we arent together" Ed attempted to joke.
Part of him, that stubborn and volatile part, wanted to snap he didnt need to be babied or coddled. He'd stared death in the face before and it probably wouldnt be the last time he did so but he didn't.
Didn't snap, didnt shove the cloak and touch off despite how edgy he could be with physical touch. Just sat and breathed so it didn't feel like a car was sitting on his chest.