Rendezvous
He slams his hands forcefully together.
A blade extends.
His blonde ponytail is tossed over his shoulder as he calmly looks around. The sun is shining brightly down, eclipsed by the trees he stands under. The branches, full of newly replenished spring leaves, fliter the light out, leaving only small rays to softly penetrate the foilage. Soft ground is underneath his feet, a mixture of dense grass and decomposed leaves. The smell of pine drifts through the air, carrying across his nose and beyond. The sound of a small stream comes from the distance, but he can not see it. Surrounded by a spectrum of brown trunks, green foilage and dim sunlight, he leans back against the largest tree, taking a whiff of the air.
It seems peaceful.
But he is being watched.
He smiles knowingly. He is perfectly aware of who would follow him, and what their reasons are. With a small lean forward, he extracts his back from its resting place on the trunk, and a slight, almost unnoticable wave of his arm blade is a beckoning call to the watcher.
His red coat is cast off; in its stead, his black ensemble serves as his clothing. The onyx-colored jacket and black undershirt flank his chest and upper body. The gray collar at the top is undone. Long black pants extend from his waist, stopping short of his ankles, where large boots with red undersides begin. The golden eyes that are so much his trademark and so captivating are slightly diluted, as a product of his resting state. Etched across his face is a grin. He is ready.
A small twig snaps.
The sound is a precursor to his follower's appearance. He tenses up. She steps out from behind a thick brush, revealing herself to him. With a smile, he relaxes and takes a step back.
She is the ultimate contrast to this bright, happy setting. As luminsescent rays penetrate the leaves, she darkens the scene with her cold eyes, unfeeling attitude and unhappy posture. A tight outfit blacker than his surrounds her, traveling up from her ankles to stop just short enough to display an inordinate amount of cleavage. Her skin is pale, an almost pure shade of white. It is unnatural, yet so alluring. She stands in heels that match her outfit, adding to her bewitching appearance. Her hands are at her chest, her arms folded. Her fingers rest innocently on her forearms, but he knows better. They are daggers that know only death, and they can be summoned at a moment's notice. Eyes that seem empty stare into his own, a pink-tinted shade of violet that not a soul can tear their eyes from.
She takes a step forward. He does not move.
Sensing her oppertunity, she moves forward once more, and then once more again. Slowly, she moves across the soft ground unil they are at arm's length. It is not until she unfolds her arms that he insinctively turns and raises his blade.
With a seductive smile, she tells him that it is okay. She has not come to kill him today.
He does not relax.
Once more, she asks him to make her a human being.
Again, he replies that her master can do it for her.
She notices his eyes running over her body as she speaks, and is aware that he can not help himself. No man can. It is only natural to lust for that which takes the name. Using this to her advantage, she shifts her hips and leans forward into the light, offering a view that is simly mesmerizing, and asks again.
He answers with a no, but it is not as firm as he would have liked it to be.
She is seductive, desirable in every sense of the word. But as he waits for her to make a wrong move, his mind wanders, and he realizes that this is not the reason all of their meetings are so charged, so tense, nor is it that her mission will eventually be to end his life. Is it possible that their relationship runs deeper than that of enemies, than that of human and Homunculus?
Why is it that she comes to him constantly, asking him to make her human, when there are so many other talented alchemists in the world?
She moves suddenly, and before he can prevent it, she is in his ear, whispering words passionately. She tells him that if he makes her into a human being, she can be his forever. Regardless of the effect she intended the words to have on him, he blushes profusely and stumbles backwards.
With a scowl, he answers that nobody lives forever.
She smirks sadly. Defeated, she shrugs and turns to go.
He calls out to her, and asks her to wait.
He says that he's impressed that she would defy her master and come to ask him such things. She thinks for herself and that's an admirable quality, he continues.
In the back of his mind, he realizes that it's possible.
That she's different from the others.
Different from anyone else.
He states that they don't have to be enemies.
She turns around, and this time her smile is real. It is devoid of the seductive edge she uses to get what she wants, and absent is the small curve that signals the smile is more like a grimace. In a flash she is beside him once more. Suddenly, the forest is alive with the sound of swirling leaves. She raises her arm, and the nails extend from her fingers. He scowls angrily and drops to the ground, rolls to the left, and then stands and swings forcefully. Air compresses and shatters as the gleaming blade whirls in front of her face. She jumps back, and the point of the blade barely misses her.
They are at a standstill for minutes that seem to drag into eons.
In the background, running water can still be heard, but not seen. The sun still drifts in where it is allowed, illuminating the forest.
He draws in a sharp breath and charges, his blade raised and outstretched.
But he is stopped when she lowers her arms and her head drops. She has given up.
Slowly, his run comes to a walk, and the distance between them closes. She, in turn, shortens the gap even further. Once again, they find themselves at arm's length from each other. This time, she does not ask him. She does not smile. She leans in, and he brings his blade back, ready to defend himself.
Her lips brush against his cheek, and then she steps back.
The small peck shakes him to his core. His arms fall to his side, and he stares at her in disbelief.
She turns to go, but offers a few words over her shoulder.
They are short and sweet.
She says, simply, that she will always have the desire, but he will always have the choice. Whether she intended to speak about her want to be human, or something else, the meaning is left ambiguous, and before he can sort out his thoughts, she departs. Suddenly, it is quiet, save for the unseen stream running nearby.
A blush spreads across his cheeks, but he straightens up and regains his composure, staring into the distance.
Yes, she is different.
And after ascertaining this fact, it is with a soft smile that he realizes the possibilites are endless. He is a human. She is a Homunculus. But she has just shown him that they are not truly enemies. Maybe things run deeper than that. After all, the world isn't black and white.
The sun slowly dims. Clouds swarm over the sky, blocking out most light and casting shadow over the world below. In the forest, it becomes dark. Drops of rain start to fall. A sinister wind blows, and the forest becomes a swirling mass of shifting branches and loud shuffles. The animals vacate their places and disappear. Suddenly, the ground starts to feel much more resistant. He slips his hands into his pockets and leaves, watching the peace of the forest disrupted with a sad smile.
The stream comes into view.
Fin
A/N: Yes! Continuing my EdLust fascination/exploration, XD. I'm not going to say that I like this one better, but I think I liked writing it better. When I finished, it made me smile the way Kanashii.Umi said Unknown made her smile. I like them both, though, and I hope you all do too. This one contains a bit more situational action, whereas the other contained much more debate and information-giving with a small situation implanted. I think both styles suit me well, and I might think about trying some new ones.
I'm having a lot of fun with the imagery in these things. The smart observer would have noticed that in Unknown, once she accepts Ed's lifestyle and thinks that maybe she can go with it, the rain clears up and the sun comes out. I enjoyed doing that. Let's see if you guys can spot how that works in this one.
Let me know what you all think! My joy will be augmented by reviews! I made a few slight edits, as well, from my original version.
And don't hate this pairing, it's quite interesting. -wink-
Thanks all!
LL