It's as though someone is reaching into Al's chest cavity and tugging on his heart, ripping it out piece by bloody piece. It shouldn't hurt so much, how was it possible for an empty space to be aching so much? Al wants to cry, he can feel the scratchiness in his throat, another impossibility, and the way his voice wobbles is impossible to cover up.

"It's okay, calm down."

He raises his hands in a gesture of peace to show he isn't armed, and he even takes a step backwards so as not to crowd Ed even though his instincts are screaming at him to go to his brother's side and help him up from the floor.

"Please, I promise I don't mean you any harm. My name-- my name is Alphonse, I'm your brother, you got hurt. Please-- please just get back into bed."