Gen, slight angst, G. Spoilers for episode 51.
Something,
Nothing
by Maaya
Edward stares at the paper on the table and the pencil beside it, having fallen from his grip. He doesn't hear the door softly being opened or the footsteps across the wooden floor.
He realizes it only when Hohenheim is suddenly peering over his shoulder. Starting, Edward almost knocks over a stack of papers, just barely managing to hide the reaction. Somehow he feels like a kid caught stealing in a sweetshop. He frowns to hide not-quite embarrassment. Being uncomfortable sounds vaguely better.
"What is that?" Hohenheim wonders, sounding somewhat amused. Definitely teasing. He is awkwardly invading Edward's personal space by tugging at the paper, not quite able to remove it because--
Edward blinks as he realizes he has put his hand over it, trying to hide it. How stupid. He still hesitates before removing it. When he does, the side of his hand is blue and the ink, which hadn't had enough time to dry, in smeared on the paper.
But it is undoubtedly an array, a simple one, drawn without requiring any thought at all. Edward recognizes it from many occasions from before and he remembers it as one that Alphonse had liked to use.
Hohenheim sighs.
Edward refuses to look at him, rather stares out the window at a grey Munich street.
Edward doesn't have any hope that the array will work, doesn't put his fingers against it even if habit tells him to.
"It's nothing," he says. With only a little hesitation he grabs it, crumples it in his hand and lets it fall into the waste-paper basket with a slight rustle.
end