[Al was up late as well, though for much less emotional reasons, curled up with Eddie and a good book he just couldn't put down. He's surprised when the Gear rings (no one ever calls him this late), and even more surprised to see who it is.]
[His voice is so different, Al almost wonders for a moment if someone stole Envy's Gear. He listens to the message in silence, confused before he scrolls back through the network's history and--]
[...oh.]
[Al had never known quite what to feel about Envy and France, even after he got used to the surreal idea of a country being embodied in a human like that. He'd always been watching for something more sinister at play, some hidden taint that maybe the others had missed, but aside from the fact that one of them was Envy they'd been a perfectly normal and loving couple. Disconcerting to say the least, but a small part of him had...been glad, that Envy could find something like that. That there was still a shred of a decent person that could still love in a healthy and unbroken way in him.]
[And now he's lost that, and even Edward would be able to see the hurt and pain in those few words choked out to a close friend. There was no true 'first reaction' for Al; the petty feeling of vindication and reveling in twisted karma was muddled and twisted up in a sympathetic worry and urge to comfort, say something to put balm on the wound. It made Al's stomach twist up uncomfortably, made him wish he hadn't listened to the message, made him wish he'd noticed sooner.]
[It's a few minutes later that Al sends a text back. It's easier to stay civil with that barrier in place.]
no subject
[His voice is so different, Al almost wonders for a moment if someone stole Envy's Gear. He listens to the message in silence, confused before he scrolls back through the network's history and--]
[...oh.]
[Al had never known quite what to feel about Envy and France, even after he got used to the surreal idea of a country being embodied in a human like that. He'd always been watching for something more sinister at play, some hidden taint that maybe the others had missed, but aside from the fact that one of them was Envy they'd been a perfectly normal and loving couple. Disconcerting to say the least, but a small part of him had...been glad, that Envy could find something like that. That there was still a shred of a decent person that could still love in a healthy and unbroken way in him.]
[And now he's lost that, and even Edward would be able to see the hurt and pain in those few words choked out to a close friend. There was no true 'first reaction' for Al; the petty feeling of vindication and reveling in twisted karma was muddled and twisted up in a sympathetic worry and urge to comfort, say something to put balm on the wound. It made Al's stomach twist up uncomfortably, made him wish he hadn't listened to the message, made him wish he'd noticed sooner.]
[It's a few minutes later that Al sends a text back. It's easier to stay civil with that barrier in place.]
I'll send her your way.
...I'm sorry.