Alphonse arrived home at 10:38 a.m. later that morning, a forlorn look set upon his face. Edward was at work and Kala was up on the third floor—"her" floor—working on getting the new kittens housebroken.
"Al! Is that you?" Kala shouted and started down the stairs. Alphonse took off his shoes and walked over to sit at the dinning room table. Kala came down the last turn of the stairs and saw Al sitting at the table looking pitiful. "Al, what's wrong?" she asked and came to sit next to him.
He sighed and looked at her, trying to apologize with his eyes. But the message wasn't conveyed and he looked away out the window, then down at the table. "I didn't get the job. I was too late."
Kala gave an exasperated sigh and rested her head in her arms on the table. "Oh, Al. What happened this time?" Her voice was slightly muffled from the table and her arms.
"I was late for the meeting, so they declined me entry. I stayed there in the waiting area until they were done, to see if I could talk to them after, but was declined then, also."
"Ugh! Alphonse, you have to stop taking in stray animals! From now on, we're not accepting anything. Not a cat, mouse, dog, or horse, Alphonse. No, never again a horse." She muttered the last part to herself.
"But, Kala! What if it's an animal that is in real need of attention and help!" he protested.
Kala grabbed Alphonse's shirt and pulled him close so they were a few inches apart. "Listen, here, Alphonse. No. More. Animals. If there's a cat or dog laying sick and dying on the side of the road then we'll take him or her to a vet or animal center or ACU department center. But not here. Do you understand, Alphonse?" Her voice was low, hushed, and overflowed with malice. Alphonse knew she was moody, but not like this. She's really ticked off, he thought.
"I-I understand." Kala let go of his shirt and stood.
"I need to finish training those rascals upstairs," she said dully and eyed Alphonse. "Would you like to help?"
"Yes, please. It's the least I can do." He stood, too, and left with Kala for the third floor.
"I'm home!" Edward entered the townhouse and locked the door. When there was no reply, he called again, "I'm home!" No reply. "Where the hell are those two? It's seven, god damnit." He took off his shoes and climbed the stairs. First he checked Alphonse's room. No one there. His room had a key to it, so he didn't bother looking. It was only when he started to climb the stairs did he hear any noise. He heard mewing. "What?" he mumbled and climbed the stairs faster. The first thing he saw once he reached the top was Arlen, the grey cat.
"Meow!" she cried. Edward laughed and picked up the cat. All the kittens were stuck up on the third floor, too afraid of going down the stairs by themselves.
"Where's Al and Kala?" he asked the kitten. She only started nibbling at his right index finger. Edward laughed again. "Won't find anything tasty in there, now," he stated and pulled away his right arm. "Kala? Al?" He opened the door to Kala's room to see the spoken girlon her bed, sleeping with Rohan, Neoma, and Aurelio. Alphonse was not in view. "Al?"
The door to Kala's personal washroom opened up. "Yeah?" Alphonse asked. He was holding Doria on his arms and Bretton was still in the washroom.
Edward stared at him for a moment, then looked at Kala. "When did the little brat get knocked out?" He let Arlen push off from him to the floor. She walked to Kala's bed and curled up with her to sleep.
"A few hours ago. I hope none of those kittens decide to use her bed as a litter box," Alphonse said and bit his bottom lip, looking at the bed.
Edward laughed. "That would be amusing; I'll have to be there when it happens."
"It won't be funny when she's using your bed, brother." Edward stared at Alphonse with slight surprise. Who knew Alphonse would say such a thing to his brother?
"Al, whoever said she'd use my bed?"
"No one, but I bet she would. And you know it."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going downstairs to watch TV. Wake her up at eight for dinner."
Alphonse looked at his brother. "You're cooking tonight?"
"Yeah, what of it?" Alphonse smiled.
"Nothing. I'll wake her up by then."
"Okay, then. Thank you, Al." Edward turned and left for the sanctuary of the kitchen. Alphonse continued to smile and picked up Arlen then walked into the washroom.
"Brother's being nice, now, isn't he?" Alphonse laughed lightly and crouched next to the litter box. "He won't be so kind when he finds out I failed to get that job…"
The phone rang. And Kala's phone was loud. Alphonse jumped and Arlen ran out of the room. He quickly got up and ran to the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, is Kala Itzel there?"
"Um.." Alphonse looked at Kala sleeping on the bed, then rolled over, Aurelio laid across her stomach. "She's sleeping right now, can I take a message?"
"Ehh, sure. Tell her Amanda Detina called and that her article was accepted into the magazine. Thank you. Bye."
The line went dead.
Alphonse hung up the phone and turned to stare at Kala. "Since when did she write?" he mumbled as he walked towards her bed and sat down on the edge. How much more did she hide from them?
"Al! The food's ready! Come down at anytime now!" Edward called from below, then left for the living room. He was done already? Must've been something easy to prepare.
Alphonse turned to look at Kala, then back to face the window in front of him. "What else could she be hiding from brother and I?"
A warm pair of arms snaked their way around Alphonse's waist and soon he felt a heated breath upon his neck. The pair of arms tightened slightly as cool words were spoken into his ear. "What else? How about a whole world beneath my eyes?" She then rested her head on his shoulder. Alphonse shivered and laid his head back onto her shoulder then sighed.
"A whole world beneath your eyes?" He chuckled. "I'd love to see that." Alphonse could feel Kala pressed against his back and smiled as he rested his hands on hers. "How long do you intend to stay there?"
Kala shrugged lightly. "I don't know. How about when you decide to end this pose?"
"And what if I never do?"
Kala smiled and laughed lightly. "Then we'll remain here like statues."
"What if we get tired?"
"Then we'll lay down to sleep."
"Together?"
"Oh, who knows?"
There were sudden footsteps coming closer to the room door. Then a swift knock. "Hey, guys, I think it's time you two come down to eat. I bet the cats are hungry, too."
The two broke apart almost instantly and Kala went to get the door while Alphonse sat there and stared out the window. She opened the door and saw Edward. "Hi, Ed! Dinner's ready? What'd you make?" She started walking out of her room and closed the door behind her, pushing Edward in front of her.
Edward was a bit surprised at her sudden reaction, but continued along with it anyway. "Ehh, I made pasta."
"Oh? What kind?"
"Macaroni and cheese."
Kala laughed. "Easy and simple, right? Did you put anything in it other than cheese?"
Edward looked at her oddly. "Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know… hot dog? Ham? Just something else!"
He thought a moment. "Well, err, no."
"Then I'll add something, if you don't mind, Eddie-boy." She pushed in front of him for the last few steps and dashed into the kitchen. She took out three hot dogs, chopped them up into one inch sizes, then microwaved them on high for 30 seconds. She took them out and dropped them into the pot of macaroni and stirred. "Yum," she said as she took a spork and scooped out mounds of food on a plate. "Here ya' go, Ed." She put the plate on the bar counter.
"Eh, thank you… are you feeling alright, Kala?"
Kala stopped scooping food onto another plate to look at Edward. "Wha? I don't understand the meaning of your question. It is uncalled for. I am fine." She continued to scoop food and then placed the plate at the dining table.
"Really, Kala. You seem excessive." Alphonse came down the stairs and took a seat. Kala had frozen for a moment to watch, but continued to prepare her plate, then scooped up the leftovers and dumped it all on Edward's plate.
"No such. Now eat." She handed him a spork, and handed Alphonse a spork, as well. She had her own on her plate already as she carried it with her to sit next to Alphonse.
Edward watched her for a moment, worried by the sudden weirdness of Kala's personality, but started eating. Alphonse ate as soon as the spork was handed to him, saying nothing; not even a thank you.
Kala stood up, suddenly, drawing attention to her. "Oh… I forgot. Would you boys like something to drink? Water? Juice? Milk, Al?" She walked over to get a glass of juice for Edward and milk for Alphonse, water for herself.
Edward sat through dinner carefully watching Kala's actions. Alphonse seemed a bit off, too. What did they do? What happened that would make them behave this way?
The only thing Edward could come up with was sex. But, of course, they couldn't have, right? Kala had answered the door quite fast and fully dressed. Her clothes weren't ruffled or undone in anyway that would say sex, only sleep.
As for Alphonse… he just wasn't being as talkative. He was more emotionless.
Kala finished first. She cleaned her dish and walked to the stairs. "Wash your guys' plates, please. I'm tired, still. I'm going to bed," she said before walking away.
"Al, have you noticed Kala acting strangely? What did you guys do after I left?"
Alphonse stiffened a bit. He couldn't tell his brother what he and Kala did. He knew how much Edward cared for Kala; and why. He knew the reasons behind why he let Kala get away with things when Alphonse, his own brother, couldn't. And the reason why Edward bought her pretty things. Alphonse could never do such a thing to his brother.
He never even knew he had these emotions that suddenly surfaced.
Truth be told, neither had Kala. She always thought that Edward was the one she was falling for, but when she saw Alphonse all alone like that, she couldn't help herself. And Alphonse couldn't hold back the words he said.
Kala felt like she just had just cheated evilly.
"I'll be back, Al. I'm going to see what's up with Kala." Edward left his plate and ran up the stairs.
"Natural attraction?" Alphonse muttered.
