Title: People Are Strange

Author: S J Smith

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: Were I to own anything of this, I wouldn't be writing fanfic.

Summary: Lunchtime just got a little more interesting.

The boys and Winry had been playing all day, and Trisha thought it was time for them to come in and eat. She stood outside on the stoop, yelling for her sons, not at all surprised that there were to additions. Winry was a regular, and, if she wasn't here at their house, the boys were most often with her. The other tow-headed boy tagging along, a hopeful expression on his face, rotated in and out of whatever household might take him in. His mother gone, his father distracted, Pitt could take care of himself up to a point, but a home-cooked meal had to be a rarity for him. Trisha smiled and beckoned him in with the other kids. "Wash up," she reminded. "With soap, this time!"

Edward grumbled but led the way to the mud room. Trisha heard them chattering as she set an extra plate, bowl, utensils, and a glass out on the table. There were enough sandwiches, and plenty of soup, and watermelon for dessert. The kids trooped back to the dining room, taking their seats with only a little squabbling – mostly over who was sitting next to Winry. She rolled her eyes and asked if she could sit next to her Auntie Trisha, and Trisha smiled, and said she could.

"Thank you for inviting me to eat with you, Mrs. Elric," Pitt said, spreading a napkin over his lap.

"The pleasure's ours, Pitt." Trisha began passing out sandwiches to all the kids, then doling out soup in everyone's bowls. "We have milk to drink."

"Eww," Edward groaned.

"Milk's good for you, Ed!" Winry piped up, glaring at him.

"Milk's nasty!" Edward snapped back.

"It'll help you grow up big and strong," Trisha soothed. She poured milk for each of them, making sure to set the glass a little closer to Edward.

He stuck his tongue out at it. "It's so gross."

"Maybe you need to mix it up with something, Ed," Pitt said.

"Nothing makes milk taste any better!"

"You don't know that, Ed," Trisha said. "What do you mix into your milk, Pitt?"

Alphonse piped up with, "Does it taste good?"

"Uh huh!" Pitt bobbed his head. "Really good."

"What do you need to mix with your milk?" Winry asked.

Pitt hopped off his chair, walking around the table. He checked in one of the crocks on the table, then the other, and picked up the second crock, carrying it back to his chair. Alphonse stopped chewing to watch. Edward narrowed his eyes, his chin set stubbornly. Winry supped her soup, not about to let Pitt's milk concoction take away from her meal. Trisha shifted on her chair. "Pitt, are you sure you want that to mix with your milk?"

He nodded, serious, and spooned the up the ketchup, dumping first one, then two, then three goopy spoonfuls into his milk. Trisha glanced up in time to see Edward's cheeks poof out, and he dropped his sandwich, flinging himself out of his chair and racing out of the dining room.

Pitt stirred the ketchup into the milk, turning it a sickly pink color. Alphonse averted his eyes. Winry ignored him, still eating her soup. Trisha got up. "I'm going to go check on Ed."

"You should take this to him, Mrs. Elric," Pitt said, offering her his glass. "He'll like it!"

Trisha smiled, ruffling Pitt's hair. "It's all right, Pitt. You drink that." She headed off to the bathroom, mentally shaking her head. Of all the weird things the kids put together to eat, this was probably the strangest pairing, ever.

~ end ~