TO BE KING—A FMAB FANFIC
A/N: This chapter contains some references to the country and the people Ed and Al met in the movie "The Sacred Star of Milos". There's nothing you would need to know beforehand as I will explain the mentions in the story itself.
And wow, six reviews and it hasn't been twelve hours since the story's online. Thanks for reviewing, people. And just because you guys have been so cool, I posted this chapter hours after the first.
The more reviews pile up, the quicker will be my updates...hehe..
CHAPTER 02: LULLABY OF RESEMBOOL
5 YEARS PRIOR TO THE PRESENT DAY, TWO MONTHS AFTER THE PROMISED DAY
RESEMBOOL, AMESTRIS
Dear Diary
It feels odd writing a diary but Brother won't listen to me—he read somewhere and apparently Sheska too supported the fact that writing down my emotions would make me feel better. But why do they not understand...I am already better. I got my body back and my strength too is returning. Though Brother still won't let me carry heavy objects or do anything strenuous, I can feel the muscles of my limbs getting stronger. Then I get this giddy feeling—I have got my body back! I know it has been two months but it is yet to sink in. It's finally over.
I sometimes catch Brother clapping and placing his palms on the floor, no doubt attempting to perform alchemy. But Truth is certainly bitter—and I feel guilty. After all, I am still able to perform alchemy and I have all my limbs intact. Brother's left leg is still automail, though. He jokes about it, telling me Winry would get depressed if she couldn't fuss over him but I know better. Then, I don't feel happy at all.
Brother sometimes catches me having these mood swings, and gives me a sharp whack on my head—telling me to get such morbid thoughts out of my head. After the Promised Day, the very fact that we along with the ones we love escaped unscathed is something to be cherished and he didn't mind losing his alchemy.
He said it was his choice. And he did not regret it.
N.A.Z.R.A.T.H
"Ed! Al! Dinner is ready! And yeah, there's no milk!"
Al grinned at the pout on Ed's face as the four of them sat down at the table for dinner.
"Wow Granny! Chicken quiche, vegetable stirfry and apple pie! Smells heavenly!" Al exclaimed as he inhaled the aroma. He cherished the fact that he could smell at all, and refrained from taking things for granted. For someone who's fourteen, he sure grew up quickly.
"Keep inhaling and admiring while I clear up the dishes Al," Ed smirked, cutting up a piece of the quiche for himself.
"Hey! That's unfair, Brother! You know it is!"
"The last one loses a second helping of the pie!"
"You are cruel, Brother. I hate you."
"No you don't. You are just a sore loser, Al."
Winry couldn't help but giggle at the sight. She had waited so long to see them quarrel like this again.
"What'cha grinning at, Winry?" Ed asked, his mouth filled with quiche.
"Nothing Ed, nothing."
N.A.Z.R.A.T.H.
After dinner, Al saw Ed go up the roof. Having nothing else to do, he followed him. The older Elric was sprawled over the sloped roof, gazing at the skies as the stars twinkled merrily.
"Stargazing, Brother?" Al asked, lying down next to him.
"Of sorts...I missed these stars in Central," Ed said, a misty touch to his voice.
"Mom and Dad must be somewhere up there," Al suggested, stretching out his finger to draw the constellations.
"Yeah...I hope the old man's alright—I guess we owe him that much."
"Uh-huh. You are right, Brother. We do owe him that bit of happiness."
The brothers lay there in companionable silence for some time, reveling in the quiet and proximity to each other. Reveling in the fact that they do not have to rest with an ear perked up to register any sign of danger.
Some time later, Granny Pinako yelled at them to come in, saying they would catch colds or worse. Ed gave her a childish frown as he slid down the roof, muttering about how people hated minding their own businesses. That earned him a whack on the head from Granny and a wrench from Winry. Al laughed at the scene—for all the old or experienced Ed got, he still didn't lose the ability to piss people off.
As they climbed up their rooms, Ed asked in a soft voice.
"Hey Al, could you help me with something?"
Al looked puzzled; Ed rarely asked people for help.
"Um...sure. Why wouldn't I?"
They were standing at the door to their bedroom, Ed shuffling his foot while Al still stared at his brother in bewilderment.
"Um...don't laugh or anything otherwise I will knock you out cold...but the thing is...I think...er...no, no, I don't think, I know...well, at least I think I know...I guess you know too..." Ed began babbling, making Al's eyes go round in slight alarm.
"Ed, what's up? You are scaring me," the younger Elric said in a slightly alarmed voice.
"Al, I think I like Winry...a little..." Ed said quickly.
Al was shocked.
He froze in surprise.
Then one corner of his lips went up.
Followed by the other corner.
And then he muffled his mouth with his palms so that his roaring laughter wouldn't wake up the subject of discussion and her grandmother.
"Seriously Ed? After all this time? At least we should thank God you got over your oblivious phase and really accepted your feelings," Al grinned, laughter still shaking his frame.
Ed frowned at his laughing brother, huffing away in indignation.
"Now, that's not fair, Al," he pouted.
"Okay, Brother, I am just pulling your leg. Let's talk tomorrow morning."
N.A.Z.R.A.T.H
TWO YEARS AFTER THE PROMISED DAY, THREE YEARS BEFORE THE PRESENT DAY
RESEMBOOL, AMESTRIS
"Propose?"
"Yep. I am finally going to tell her about my feelings."
Al rolled his eyes as he packed his suitcase. His strength had returned fully and he now looked a handsome sixteen-year-old boy on the cusp of adulthood. The rehabilitation had been successful and already he was raring to go out and explore the world. Al would be leaving for Xing while Ed was travelling to Creta and some parts of Drachma in search of what he termed as the Milosian Alchemy. Al remembered visiting the West once—the Table City where they got embroiled in the war between the Milosian refugees and Cretan army. They also had a couple of friends there.
Al would depart for Central first where he would join up with Jerzo and Zampano before departing for Xing. He patted his chest pocket—yep, the letter from Ling permitting him to visit the country was sitting there safely. A letter with the Emperor's seal would make border woes a breeze.
"About time, Brother. I was thinking that you are going to take your feelings to the grave."
Ed pouted at this.
"Seriously Al, where did you learn to be so snarky?" he asked.
"Company, Brother," Al shrugged, mischief gleaming in his eyes.
Ed looked positively livid.
"So Ed, wouldn't you be dropping by Central?" Al asked quickly in a bid to change the subject and finally shutting his suitcase.
"No, I don't think so. It would be an unnecessary detour—besides, Colonel Smartypants already sent the required documents by post, eliminating the need to stop over there," Ed shrugged, fishing about in his cupboard in search of his nightclothes.
Ed turned to give his brother a soft smile.
"Hey Al?"
"Hmm?"
"Take care, okay? It's the first time you would be going alone..."
"Ed!" Al said, a slight exasperation evident in his voice. "I am not alone—Jerzo and Zampano will be there with me. And besides, I did complete the journey from Briggs to Central on my own, didn't I? You worry about yourself—you don't have your alchemy to save you now."
Ed scratched his head, trying to figure out a witty retort.
"You got me, Al," he said sheepishly.
Al's face softened at Ed's sheepish look.
"You worry too much, Brother. Time you relaxed a bit."
N.A.Z.R.A.T.H
Ed waved as Al's train disappeared in the horizon, jumping at the sudden sniffle next to him. To his alarm, Winry was crying.
"Winry..." he began, at loss as to what to say.
"I am not sad, Ed," she said quickly. "It's just that I am going to miss him."
Ed wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"I will miss him too."
The duo walked back to the Rockbell house in silence which was broken by an occasional sniff from Winry. Ed felt a bit awkward—he wanted to hug her tight and yet was embarrassed to do so. And the ghost of that obnoxious wrench still preyed on his mind.
"Hey...um Winry..." Ed began as the house drew closer.
"I am fine, just give me a minute," she said, wiping away the tear-tracks from her face. Her cheeks were flushed as her eyes shone with unshed tears. He stood awkwardly on her side as she composed herself. He knew she didn't want Granny Pinako see her bawling her eyes out.
He permitted his lips to curve up in a small smile—they were more alike than they thought.
A sudden pain in his chest threatened to release a gasp from his mouth—but it was gone before he could contemplate it fully. He bore it down with a forced grin; these attacks were becoming more frequent as of late and he was secretly glad Al didn't know of this. Though he had a small idea about the reason, he needed to research more if he wanted some straight answers.
It was time he left Resembool.
As he followed Winry into the house, he found his conscience praying to all powers that be—let this human live.
N.A.Z.R.A.T.H
"So, where are you going anyways?" Winry asked.
It was a week since Al left for Xing and if Ed believed the postcard, he was well and apparently happily received by the Xingese welcome council.
Dear Brother
I reached Xing safe and sound. The journey across the desert was a bit tiresome, all the more since I took a detour to visit the ruins of Xerxes—it was just the way you said, Brother. Amazing how such an advanced civilisation thrived some five centuries ago. Ling's really enthusiastic to have me here and is adamant that I accompany him on his visits throughout the country. Though I am not complaining—Xing is an amazing country. You should visit it, Brother.
I met May yesterday—she's grown quite tall. She almost reaches to my shoulder now. And Xiao-Mei is cute as always and trusts me as much as she trusts Mei. Ling misses you and sends his hi. He's planning to visit Central by the end of this year for some diplomatic convention and wants to meet you if possible. Fun aside, he says it's serious. I don't know what 'cause he's not telling me.
Did you confess to Winry yet? Tell me all about it.
I miss you, Brother. Hope you are well. Say hi to Winry for me.
Al
"Al's having the time of his life in Xing, it seems," Ed said, staring away in space. "It's more to do with May, I guess. He thinks I am dense while I knew all along that he was crushing over that Ching girl."
Winry laughed lightly as she recalled the times she saw the Xingese princess and Al together. And how the girl used to be jealous of her camaraderie with Al.
"I see what you mean," she nodded, swinging her legs to and fro.
The duo was sitting on a bench in the Resembool station, waiting for Ed's train that would take him to West City.
"So, back to my original question. What are you planning to do, Ed?" she asked.
"For now, I will visit Milos and get in touch with a couple of my old friends. One of them has research notes on alchemy which is way different from our alchemy and Xingese alkahestry. Then after that, I am planning to go to Drachma—there are rumours of them practising some sort of remote-based alchemy. I have no idea about it so I will go and check it out," Ed replied, clenching and unclenching his right hand. The second line from the last in Al's postcard increased his nervousness ten-fold.
Did you confess to Winry yet?
What if she flat-out rejected him?
Made fun of him?
Or worse, hit him with that omnipresent wrench?
Blood drained from his face as he considered the last option.
"Ed, are you okay?" Winry asked, poking his pale cheeks.
Ed nodded absently. This was the last time he would be meeting Winry face-to-face in many months. He swallowed, willing himself to steel up. He had to do this.
The whistle and chugging followed by the familiar smell of burning coal announced the entry of the train.
"Train's here," he sighed heavily, standing up. He realised he was taller than Winry now which made him recall a really old discussion in the military dorms.
"Hey Winry? You remember that fight Al and I had as to who would marry you? Al won but you rejected him. Why?" Ed asked curiously.
Winry and Al stared at each other before answering simultaneously.
"I said I..."
"She said she..."
"...hated men who are shorter than her!"
Well, he did overcome one obstacle.
He was about to enter the carriage when he stopped.
"What happened Ed?" Winry asked, puzzled at Ed's behaviour.
He whipped around, his face bright and pink.
Now or never.
He sucked in a deep breath before yelling.
"THIS IS EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE! YOU GIVE ME HALF YOUR LIFE AND I WILL GIVE HALF OF MINE!" He said quickly, huffing after finishing.
"Huh?" Winry cocked her head to one side, confused. Then as the implication of the words hit her, she slowly turned pink and finally was on the verge of emitting steam from her ears.
"WHAT SORT OF PROPOSAL IS THAT, ALCHEMY FREAK?" she yelled, anger overpowering embarrassment for a moment.
"How about I give you all of my life? Would that be fine?" she added, a bit softly.
Ed looked startled at the statement before a wide smile spread over his face.
"You are a genius, Winry! You turned the complete Equivalent Exchange law on its head and you are still correct!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining.
"Wait, wait wait! Not all my life!" Winry began hurriedly as she started counting off her fingers. "Sixty percent? No that's too less? Ninety percent? Nope. Eight-five percent? That sounds okay..."
Ed began laughing loudly, clutching the door handle to keep himself upright.
"You are a gearhead, Winry," he chortled, wiping away the tears from his eyes.
"But you are my gearhead, if that's okay with you," he continued in a more sober note, looking straight into those blue irises.
She nodded shyly.
At that moment, Edward Elric felt he was the happiest man in the world. As he stepped forth and hugged her tightly, he felt he was home at last.
A/N: I didn't want to change the original way in which Ed proposes to Winry, it was too cute and hilarious and just the "Ed" way of proposal. I won't be changing the major plotline of the series-I am just planning to fill in the gaps.
Can you guess the source of inspiration for my titles? The first one will get an OC named after his/her choice!
AllINoIsImNotAwesome: I am thinking on that track...let's see what happens!
NightmareFlame: I too love angst-y Ed stories...it's nice to know Ed's human too.
Taisiya Yuyu: Thanks for liking the first chappie! :)
a Mysterious Illusion: More drama in stock for upcoming chapters...continue reading!
Guest: Updated just for passionate reviewers like you.
edward fangirl: yep, me too an angsty Ed fan.
Stay tuned!
