Disclaimer: If I owned it I would let Ed grow magically overnight, for everyone's sake. Since that hasn't happened yet I guess it is obvious that I don't own it.
The Things We Paint
" 'Pretty petal pink' number 356," he read off in monotone format. As he lowered the card from in front of his face the blond haired teen glanced at his sibling. "Al, are you sure that we need this many shades of pink?"
"Yes, niisan." Selecting the correct can of paint, Al added it to the accumulating pile in the cart. "Winry is a girl. Girls like pink. So we need lots of pink."
Ed sighed as he lifted the next card in the pile to where he could read it. "Yeah, but how do we even know she likes pink?" Al gave him the 'I can't believe you just asked me that I already told you look' (or he would have if he could have created a facial expression...Ed got it anyway) and moved farther down the aisle. "Alright, alright. Let's see. 'Light Rose' number 359..."
Several aisle, 15 cans of paint, and a 300 dollar bill (that was charged to the military) later, the boys were safely back at Winry's.
"Niisan! I don't think you are supposed to stand on that!" Al's paint brush lay forgotten on the tarp covered floor and he focused on his older brother who was currently precariously balanced on a tarp covered rocking chair and attempting to paint the ceiling. The older teen simply gave his younger brother 'the look' and then carried on painting. "Ed I can just paint the ceiling for you-"
"Are you calling me so small that I will never be able to reach the shortest of spaces!?!"
"No, Niisan!!" Al frantically waved his hands in front of his face in an effort to calm down his now fuming brother who happened to be shaking the chair he was standing on.
"Alphonse, I get this enough from everyone else!" Ed gestured wildly with his brush in one hand and an open can of paint in the other causing his perch to move even more violently. "In fact I am-" At that exact moment the chair decided it had had enough and pitched its occupant forward and off of it. In the process of falling said occupant released both objects in his hands to free them to help catch him self, which he did marvelously. The paint can, however, had no such limbs to aid it in it's landing so it chose to use the blond head of the one who did. With a soft thunk and the sound of spilling liquid the paint can landed upside down on Ed's head. Baby blue paint streamed down the black clothing of the boy. The paint brush, of course, landed harmlessly beside him. Glancing down at his now colorful clothes, Ed shot the evil, evil paint the worst glare he could muster.
Meanwhile Al was stifling the 'I told you so' that wanted to come out. The small giggle, on the other hand, was unable to be stopped by the metal boy and immediately drew the attention of the, now blue, brother.
Shifting his glare from the paint to his sibling Ed found the most menacing tone he could and put it to use. "Do you think this is funny Al?"
"N-No Niisan," Al mumbled between giggles.
"Then why are you laughing?" Ed grated out.
Instead of responding with something along the lines of 'I'm not laughing', which would have been the smart thing to do, Al broke down into full blown laughter. While intensifying his glare at his little brother, Ed searched for the room for an adequate weapon. Finding the nearest can of paint, he snatched it up and whipped it in an ark in front of him. This caused the liquid to come flying out and coat what ever was in its path. The unlucky objects were unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who's side you are on) Al and the wall behind him.
"Niisan!" Al exclaimed in surprise. Judging by the liquid that he had seen coming towards him, he was now sure that his entire front plating was colored neon pink. "That was uncalled for!"
"Nope I'm pretty sure that that was just about right," Ed snickered as he tossed the empty can of paint to the side.
"Take that back niisan." Al gritted out.
"What is wrong you tin can? Do you have a problem with being pink?"
"No. Do you?" Al whipped the can of 'Light Rose' that had been sitting behind him at his brother. Reacting on instinct Ed blocked it with his right arm. The impact of the can hitting the metal caused the can to bend and break spattering automail, boy, and wall with paint.
"Al." Ed growled from behind dripping pink and blue bangs.
"Yes niisan?" Al asked sweetly having already rearmed himself with another shade of pink and a paint brush.
"This means war!" Scooping up the nearest can of paint and his previously abandoned paint brush, Ed uttered a war cry and charged his sibling.
Twenty minutes later both boys were found sitting back to back on the floor. Neither one had any of their original colors that their bodies were supposed to be showing through. Both were covered in light pastel colors, primarily pink, and dripping it onto the tarps that they sat upon. The walls were doing no better. They looked as if a three year old had decided to turn the entire room into his artistic master piece.
"Hey niisan?" Al mumbled tiredly.
"Yeah?" Ed responded panting lightly with exhaustion.
"Won't Winry be back soon?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Niisan, her room doesn't look like anything normal. I think she would be mad if we left it like this..."
Ed cracked open one eye to glance at the wall in front of him. "Yeah you're probably right..." Sighing he climbed to his feet. "Hey Al, pass me one of those cans will you." Al promptly tossed Ed the baby blue paint can that had started it all. After briefly studying it Ed tossed it to the side. "Well here goes." He clapped his hands together and then placed them gently on the wall. As his hands glowed a soft blue the paint started to become something more recognizable. A designer's nightmare slowly shifted into gentle flowers and an entire hillside painted on the wall. For creative touch Ed designed a border of wrenches that ran up by the ceiling on all four walls.
Once he was satisfied Ed removed his hands from the wall and dusted them off. "There."
"Cool niisan."
"Thanks Al. Now hold still." Clapping his hands together once more Ed placed them on his brother. Using alchemy he instant dried the paint, forced it to loose its adhesiveness and then flake harmlessly to the floor.
"Thanks," Al mumbled as he climbed to his feet and helped his brother gather up the empty paint cans. After removing them and folding up and removing all the tarps, Al noticed that his brother was still covered in paint. "Ed why don't you just transmute the paint off of you like you did me."
"Because there is a good chance I might loose a layer of skin by having the paint dry so fast on me. No thanks Al, I'll just wash it off."
Ed did just that. He had just enough time to shower and get dressed before Winry returned. As she walked in the door she found Ed seated on the floor with Al sitting behind him running a brush through his hair.
"What have you two been up to?" She asked as she deposited her bag on the floor.
"Oh nothing much. Just lazing around like normal." Ed stated nonchalantly.
Winry gave him 'the look', grabbed her bag, and moved off towards her room. "Maybe you two should do something useful for-"
Ed grinned knowing that she had just noticed her room. Al quickly finished braiding his brother's hair. He had no sooner tied it off before both boys were on their feet and standing at the doorway to Winry's room.
"So what do you think?" Ed asked as he leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed.
"Do you like it Winry?"
"Do I ever, Al!" She was busy hustling about the room with sparkles in her eyes and she looked at her new walls. "Oh this is so cool! And the wrenches by the ceiling! Even better!" she squealed. Ed and Al practically beamed with pride.
"Happy Birthday, Winry." The boys said in unison.
"Thanks guys." She spared enough time to give them both a quick hug before she moved off to admire her room once more.
One month later
Alphonse was quietly playing fetch with the dog on the front lawn. He and Ed had decided to stop in for a quick tune up for Ed's automail, not that anything was wrong with it. Lately the reaction time had just been a bit slower then usual. Nothing to worry about. Although when Al heard, "ED!!!! WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!?!" screamed from inside in an angry female pitch he began to think other wise.
Not two seconds later Ed came barreling out of the house. He wore a look of terror on his face. The front plating to his automail was removed and Al could see just what the screaming was about. There, in Ed's right arm were brightly colored pink and blue wires, in many shades. As soon as it registered in Al's head how it had gotten that way, a large wrench came flying out of the house and struck Ed in the back of the head. Stunned, the elder Elric fell flat on his face in the dirt.
The irate wrench wielder came storming out of the house, grabbed Ed by the foot, and began to drag him back inside mumbling all the while. Al blinked at their retreating backs and then at the shuddering door as is was slammed. "Uh...Niisan..."
Maybe after a while when Winry had a chance to calm down a bit Al would launch a rescue mission. That was a good plan.
"ED I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!" sounded from inside.
Maybe in a very long while.
AN: Let me know what you think!