How Edward taught me English
CHAPTER ONE
"Books"
Sometimes I feel jealous of books.
Weird, right?
Well, you'll see; it has been one year since I met him for the first time. His blond hair, his golden eyes, his great imagination… I'm talking about Edward Elric.
We have lived together ever since he woke up one morning and his father, Van Hohenheim, left him behind without even a single note to calm his older son. Soon he came to look for me in Munich and I consider myself lucky ever since then.
He's a cool guy, intelligent, good worker and always looking forward with a small smile across his face.
But he's in love with books… well, not literally, but I don't know another way to call his obsession with learning and reading every single day without resting.
At morning, he reads.
In breakfast, he reads.
When I arrive from work, Ed's reading.
At dinner, he reads…
And before sleeping, he reads again.
What scares me is that every time it is a very different book. But, with the passing months, I have learned to live with this and now I ended up admiring him…
That's why every 15th of each month I take him to the closest book shop and give him a small quantity of my money so he can get a new book to read and for me to admire.
-Are you sure you want me to expend all this money on books? - He asks me like every passing month, showing his concern in me and the cash I worked for. –I mean, we could need it later if we run out of soup and starve for days like we did last November.
-Edward, it's fine. I'm old enough to organize myself and see in what I'll like to spend my cash. - I announced with a small smile in my face as I placed my hand on his left shoulder and looked directly at his golden and bright eyes. –Take it as another gift from me, if it bothers you that much.
He bit his lower lip and looked down as his gloved hand where the money rested waiting for being expend. Ed sighed and nodded. –Fine, I will. If you insist that much…- He said as he placed the bills inside his brown pants pockets and looked back at me.
Noticing he had accepted my request I smiled and silently sighed turning my head to the bank next door where a giant clock announced that soon it will be time for me to start working.
I turned on my heels and gave Ed a last look over my shoulder until I started walking in direction to where my job leads.
-See you at dinner. - I said as I looked forward, feeling those golden eyes on me as I walked away.
-Yeah…- I heard Ed said, making me feel confident that I was doing the right thing to spoil him in that way.
I AM USED for work to be hard everyday, I have never complained, however, because I feel sure it worth every sweat drop I spill. I love rockets, working with my team to please the sponsor, to get money for keeping our dream and success making the first rocket is my passion and almost the only reason why I wake up each morning with a smile.
Yet it made me so tired with the only desire to arrive home, eat and sleep.
-I'm home…- I announced closing the wooden door behind myself and took off my light brown coat and place it on a hook at the wall. –Edward?
No response where heard and I walked toward the stairs assuming my partner was in his room sleeping. –Now that's weird…- I whispered not used to find Ed sleeping this early.
On the second floor I walked cautiously toward Ed's room trying not to make anymore sound to disturb my friend. I opened the door slowly and looked by the crack from the door and I found him reading on his bed, lying on his back as he moved to the next page.
A sweat drop slide down my head. –Why I didn't thought about this…? - I muttered.
I entered his room without knocking; knowing he didn't bothered and walked right next to his bed. –I'm home. - I told him but he didn't even noticed me.
My brows wrinkled and I grabbed his book away spontaneously from him, that's when I finally got his attention.
-I was reading that. - Ed told me as he managed to glare at me, I laughed silently and nodded placing my eyes on the book he was reading before and noticing the pages seemed old.
-Is this your new book? - I asked with curiosity but he just shook his head and folded his arms across his chest as he relaxed his body. –Then which book you bought?
-None.
-None?!
-Yup.
-But then what did you do with the cash I gave you this morning?
-Bought a book.
-I think I don't understand, Edward. - I admitted taking a seat on his bed at the moment he sat beside me, crossing his legs in front of his body and nodding at his last words.
-I bought a book… - He repeated and stood up from the bed, walking toward his desk, opening one of his drawers and taking out a thick book wrapped with plastic. He looked back at me. –… but this book is not for me.
-Then for who? - I asked.
-This book is for you. - He finally said as he showed the book's cover to my eyes and, for a moment, I could swear I stopped breathing.
-For… me? - I asked just gaining a nod from him and that just made me smile…
He walked back to me, the sound of his metal leg against the floor echoing in the room as it's used to. Edward still was holding the book to my direction and it was my turn to grab it and look cautiously at its cover.
-It's a book about astronomy. - He announced. -If you are going to make rockets and fly into the space, I think you should first get informed about the stars, the moon, and all that things up there.
I managed to take the plastic away from my new book, the gift Edward gave me, and ended up opening it with the purpose of starting reading.
That's when I saw something was not right.
-English…- I muttered.
-What? – He asked as he sat back on his bed and looked right into my blue eyes.
-It's in English. - I repeated flipping the pages hopping I could find something in German but failing in that instant. –I don't know this language, Edward.
Was this gift a waste of money?
At first he stood there in silence, looking at me like if he something was out of place and trying to fully understand what the problem with that book was. Then he scratched his neck and silently sighed when he finally took the book from my hands. He opened it in the first book and his golden eyes stared at the words in the foreign language.
-I thought you did. - He admitted feeling somehow ashamed for his mistake.
-No, learning another language is not easy when you don't have the money. - I said with a small smile in my face in a way to letting him know I was not mad for the mistake. –I am still amazed you speak German and English that well.
-I got some help. - Ed admitted and I knew what was coming next. –The gate gave me the knowledge when it took me to this world.
A sigh came out of my mouth and looked away nodding slowly. –You always say that. About another world, the alchemy, your brother that looks just like me and your hometown Resumbul.
-It's Risembool.- He corrected, leaving the astronomy book on the bed as he grabbed my shoulder to make me look at him. –And with your body language I can understand you still don't trust me.
We exchanged looks for some seconds until I finally sighed. –It's hard, you know.
-But it isn't impossible, Heiderich.
-I know, and I do want to believe you but still…
-… you still think I have a great imagination and that I rather write a book about all this shit than try to go back home, right?
I stood in silence and felt guilty in my chest. In his golden orbs I could see how much this meant for Edward. Thinking that I might be his only friend in Munich and that he has no one else makes me feel I have an extra responsibility with him. So that's why I can't take Edward lightly…
-Risembool, huh? - I asked gently. –And what language do you speak there? English?
He shook his head and I swear that his eyes got brighter. –Armestian.
-Whoa! So you know three languages?!- I asked amazed. –God, you are a prodigy.
He laughed and smiled warmly. –I'm used to hear that…
AFTER HAVING DINNER, in a peaceful silence, we both walked to our respective rooms in the second floor. I took my suspenders off, trying to relax my body. Sitting on my very own bed, I rubbed my left shoulder and yawned. There it was when I saw the Astronomy on my small desk beside my bed.
I stared at it by brief seconds until I decided to grab the book and skimmed through it pages without understanding a single word from it.
-I wish I could understand all this…- I whispered as I stared at one of the pictures the book had inside. My finger tips traced the image until a thought crossed my mind. –I know how.
I stood from my bed and, with the book under my arm, I left my room and went right to visit a certain "alchemist" that night.
-Teach me English. - I said minutes later in front of a very sleepy Edward.
-W-what? - He asked while rubbing his left eye. –Heid, it's almost midnight.
-Come on, Ed. - I insisted. –At least at much so I can understand a small sentence.
Edward looked at me for several seconds with his tired golden orbs, analyzing my desire to learn and every detail in my face. It took him seven seconds to sigh in defeat and nod at the end. –Ok, get in.- He said moving from the door and letting me in. Besides, it didn't hurt him to teach me a few words before sleeping.
"Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere.", he read with a perfect pronunciation the first page of the thick book.
Ed looked back at me. –"Astronomy" is the English word for Astronomie.
I nodded silently with all my intentions of giving my best shot to understand his words.
-As "Stars" means Stern…- He added later and stared back at the book.
I don't know when I stopped listening to his words and stared at his mouth speaking. His apparently soft and pinkish lips moving with each sound they created, his voice echoing in my ears, his eyes staring at the book like if it was the center of the universe…
I shook my head quickly. I wanted to learn, right? Then, what was I thinking?
-You didn't understand what I said? - Edward asked with his golden eyes on me as he thought that I meant a "no" when I shook my head.
-Ah! I didn't mean that! - I nervously corrected as waving my both hands in front of my chest. –I do understand! I do!
Edward stared at me for a few seconds and then he sighed, a smile appeared slowly in his face and then I again found myself lost in his pink lips.
-You have any question? - He asked looking back to the book.
-Yes, one question. How do you say Lippen in English?- I asked unconsciously.
-Eh…?- Edward said surprised and I could feel how my cheeks turned light pink when I realized the question I made. –"Lips". - He answered hugging the book against his chest. –But Heid, that does not has something to do with Astronomy…
'Damn it.', I cursed mentally nodding ashamed at his words while looking away. –Yeah, I'm sorry. Don't know where that came from…
Edward closed the book and left it on the bed once again, he made me look at him as using his index finger to push my chin toward his direction. I gulped.
-Were you even paying attention? - He asked and I just laughed nervously.
-I was. - I said and just got a pissed look from Ed.
-Yeah right. - He started crossing his arms on his chest. –You know, I was supposed to be sleeping an hour ago but I thought you wanted to learn some English this night.
-I do but…
-But you got bored? - He asked, raising an eyebrow. –Learning can bore you if you are not interested on doing it, you know. Stop wasting my time like this.
-Edward, I'm really sorry. - I apologized scratching my neck as my eyes fell to the bed, suddenly the bed's quilt seemed so interesting. –I got distracted. If you do want to stop teaching me, I understand…
-I will teach you whenever I think you do want to be taught.- He answered and then a yawn escaped from his lips, I had this feeling he was now sleepy so I stood from his bed and nodded.
-Thanks, then I'll wait till then. - I said as he laid down back on his bed. –I just have one last request…
-Hmm?- He asked with his two arms folded behind his head, being used as a pillow for that golden haired boy.
-Can you tell me how you say: "Können Sie mich küssen?" in English? - I whispered as I mid-closed my eyes, waiting for his answer.
-"Can you kiss me?"- He answered without even realizing what words just had escaped from his lips.
"OK." was what I answered before I dared to kiss Edward Elric that night.
To Be Continue?