" Dad." Ed paid no heed to the voice as all his attention was poured into the task of fixing the broken shingles on the roof. Since Risembool was open land, the wind here was sharp and cutting. It was one of the inconveniences to living in the countryside but Ed didn't mind, he grew up here after all. In fact, this task seemed to have fit right in his normal routine of roof-top gazing, a habit he picked up after The Promised Day.
"Dad..." The voice repeated, this time an exasperated sigh accompanying it. The sigh worked; it lured him out of his concentration. Ed snapped his eyes to his son, Alex.
Alex was not yet a man, but not a boy either but he did not carry the teenager title well-a young adult, perhaps? Well, he was seventeen.
It was so strange to be a father, Ed had to admit. He was old now, almost pushing forty! So everytime he looked at son, he saw the reflection of his youth. To be fair, Alex is undoubtedly Alex, but man was the resemblance uncanny. His son did have a bad temperament ( which Ed argues that it could have been inherited from Winry, not him).
" Good timing, I could use a hand." He flashed a smile at a pair of rolling eyes. The young man crawled up to where his father sat, on the middle of the roof. There was a biting remark but it was too soft to hear so Ed let it slide.
" Actually." Ed gazed into the red sky with a soft smile on his face before turning his attention to Alex.
" What?" His son grumpily asked, probably bitter that he was the one sent up to retrieve his father.
"I think I'll take a break, what's up Little Al?" He asked.
" Come on. Al's just fine. It's not like Uncle is here to cause confusion, either." The snapping fury on his son's face made Ed's smile grow wider.
" Sorry, it's just that you two grow up so fast. Old habits die hard." Though, he would never admit out loud that his son had more class than he did when handling his height insecurities.
" Whatever. Anyway. Mom has a surprise for you so she told me to get you." Alex squirmed a little, Ed noticed, like if he were hiding something or lying. Then, with the message sent, Alex started to make his leave.
He paused and said, " She says if you keep daydreaming any longer, she'll come up here with her special wrench. Old man."
Ed paled at this, the image of his death playing before his eyes. Death had more weight than a petty insult thrown at him. Then he scrambled to his feet, and as if he were like a cat, he gracefully moved past his son who was crawling towards the latter.
He wondered what the surprise would be.
...
" What do you mean Alex wants to become a State Alchemist!?" Ed yelled, his gold eyes bulging out of their sockets in disbelief. Winry, like always, put her hands to her waist and met his relentless glare head on.
"I don't understand the confusion, Edward." She said.
With a heavy sigh, he broke his gaze with his wife and shifted it to his son. Alex shrunk back into his chair,while Mina, his daughter, sent assuring glances.
" Alex. Tell me why." He asked, forcing to keep his voice level.
"Because," He twiddled his fingers. " I really want to."
" Because you want to," He felt his eye twitch in disbelief, " You want to throw your life away? There are other things, better things in life than that! " Edward watched both his son and daughter recoil at the harshness of his voice that trademarked his anger so well.
"No," Alex said softly," It's just... I've always wanted to be great like The Fullmetal Alchemist." His son leveled his eyes with his, and there again Ed saw a fire burning.
Winry moved closer to her son, not bothering to spare a glance at the dumbstruck Edward.
He was the Fullmetal Alchemist, keyword: was. But Ed was lucky. And yes, he owed it to the Colonel. No matter how much of a bastard that man was, he still treated Ed and Al right especially considering the Colonel's understanding in what the taboo he and Al committed long ago.
Would his son be so lucky to be placed in trusting arms?
He carved a legacy. To those who didn't know about the Truth, which was just about everyone, he was revered as a boy genius. Alex would have to live up to those unrealistic expectations.
There was a standstill, and the room paused. Even the sound of breathing had hitched and any commotion outside was numbed. Was he being the irrational one here? Alex was seventeen after all, he couldn't just baby him. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully like he always did when the gears in his head started spinning. His family watched him tentatively.
"Fine. I'm sure with Mustang in charge it can't be that bad." Alex smiled.
"Thanks, dad. I'll make you proud."
Edward hoped he didn't make a huge mistake.