Drawing in a slow breath, Ed exhaled it just as slowly, closing his eyes for a long moment. He leaned into the hand on his cheek, drawing strength and comfort from it. Albrecht was his rock, always there when he needed him, steadying him when everything became too much. Those episodes were fewer and farther between now, they still came when he least expected them.
And despite Albrecht's thoughts, he would always need him, his protection, his presence to keep him steady.
"I want to make sure they can never do that to anyone else again. By whatever means." he said without hesitation. He didn't want to see them all dead, but he wanted to see their work destroyed so that it couldn't be repeated. He knew that had he been stuck as an owl for very much longer, he would've lost himself in it. And who knew how many others had suffered like he had? He leaned down, breathing slowly before claiming Albrecht's lips again.