Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, sadly. I really wish I did.
Chapter Rating: T for swearing.
Genre: Family, Comfort, ect.
Warnings: AU-ish.
Word Count: 1,598 (not including this)
Summary: Growing up with people that love you - care for you, and are there for you - is something William doesn't know if he could live with...He knows they're not his immediate family, but they're all he has.
Thanks To: Arakawa-sama for creating such incredibly smexy guys!! And all my readers who have kept with me though my laziness! And a BIG THANKS to Burakku's Shadow for helping me write this chapter!
Pairings: Brotherly!EnvyXEdward.
Author's Notes: OMFG I'M ALIVE! XD Sorry I haven't uploaded in foreva! I've been busy, and lazy. I started Role playing on Gaia again...That takes up most of my online time...Then I got a Kitty!! Her name is Charlie, and she's soooo adorable and kind and petable...Then there's school and mid-terms...That's basically all I did. Next update should be Lab Rats (I've only realized the other day that most of it was already written down, and I must've forgotten it...My bad -laughs nervously-)
Feel free to add me on Facebook! If you want to, PM me and I'll tell ya all the details.
R&R?
We Are Your Family
Chapter One
Ages:
William: 10
Edward: 7
Alphonse: 6
It didn't take long for the boys to get cleaned up for dinner. They even had a little fun while doing so, splashing each other with the water, and making soup-bubbles with their hands. After a few minutes, Edward and William raced downstairs and into the dinning room - the eldest of course winning.
"Maybe if your legs weren't so short, you'd win for once" William cooed, winking at his half-brother before sitting at his chair at the table.
Edward fumed. "What was that, girly boy!?" he challenged, fisting his tiny hands.
Alphonse, who was already cleaned up and sitting at the table patiently, glanced between the two nervesly.
William caught this, and glanced over at the boy, a small smirk on his lips. "Say, Al. Do you think we need to fetch Edward here a high chair? I really don't think he'll reach the table..," he trailed off, looking back over at the shorter boy. "Maybe even that isn't high enough."
"Uhm..," Al said, half off the chair in preparation to run and get his mother.
Ed's face was red from anger. It took everything he had not to go up and punch his smart-mouthed sibling. He decided to stick to yelling. "WHOAREYOUCALLINGSOSMALLTHATTHEYCOULDN'TEVENREACH-"
"Edward!" Trisha cut in sharply, her tone of the warning kind. Edward quickly stopped yelling and looked up at her, gulping loudly. "Inside voices, please!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Her eyes softened as she watched him hurry to the chair across from William, and she let out a sigh. The Elric house was never quiet with William's taunts, and then Edward's loud outbursts. 'It's gotten to the point where I could tell if some thing's wrong if everything is quiet...' she thought as she walked over to the clothed table.
Dinner tonight consisted of a small, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, buttered bread, and mac-n-cheese. Trisha smiled to herself, proud of her home-cooked meal. As usual, her sons looked at the food longingly, while as William looked quite bored. She frowned, but pushed the thought aside as she gave each child their serving.
"So..," she started casually after her first bite. "How is school going for the three of you?" Green eyes observed her children warmly, and gave Al a smile when he volunteered to go first.
"Really great, Mom!" He beamed, putting his fork down for a moment as he explained.
Alphonse, though the youngest, was the kindest and most likely more mature than the other two boys. Trisha had received many compliments from friends and family on how well mannered and behaved he was. He continued on talking, and she nodded when it was deemed appropriate. He spoke of his friends, teacher, and how much he had learned through the year so far.
When he finished, she gave him another smile, and turned to the eldest. "And you, William?"
"Pft," he huffed, rolling his unnaturally gold eyes. "Fine."
Trisha's smile faded quickly. She knew school for William wasn't the...best at the moment, but as long as he was trying, it didn't matter how bad or good he behaved or done in school. She was always proud of him, and that all that mattered.
Edward snickered. "Which is code word for he's doing poorly in school," he added.
William narrowed his eyes. "Watch it pipsqueak. No one likes a tattle tail."
"Who are you calling short, you freak!?"
"Edward! William! Please no fighting at the table!" Trisha cried desperately as the boys stood to lunge at each other. Both growled and glared once more at the other, before obaying and sitting back down on their chairs.
Alphonse looked at both of his brothers, frightened. He hated them fighting just as much as his mother did, but knew that it could not be helped. With a frown, he pushed at his mashed potatoes. A tense silence followed, and he did not have to look up to see that his brothers were glaring at each other as they tried to beat the other in an eating contest. After a moment, he placed down his own fork and pushed his dish away a little.
Trisha, concerned for the child that never complained, put down her own fork and looked over at him. Her soft lips wore a frown. "Alphonse? What's wrong?" She asked, and looked down at his plate. "I thought Mac-N-Cheese was your favorite?"
The dirty blond haired boy stared down at his lap, his fingers fumbling with the end of his shirt as he tried to find the courage to speak. "Mom?" he asked, finally looking up at her. "...Have you heard from Dad?"
Alphonse could not help but flinch visibly as he heard Edward's fork land on the dish, and William's chair dig into the wooden floor as he suddenly stood. His brother's reaction to his question did not bother him as much as his mother's did.
Trisha's eyes were dull with a bit of sorrow, but it was clear she was trying to hide it from the boys. She shook her head a little, a sad smile on her lips. "No, not yet, honey," she explained, and looked over at the other two boys. "Now, let's all finish eating so I can get you three in bed."
Edward's golden eyes narrowed at his plate, but picked up his fork, and started mushing his mashed potatoes and Mac-N-Cheese together. He payed no attention to his half-brother, who remained standing - bright hair covering the emotions of hate William's eyes probably held.
"I hate that man," the middle child mumbled, stabbing a macaroni with the metal utensil. He pretended it was Hohienhime, and cut it in half right down the middle.
"Don't talk about your father like that, Edward," Trisha said, standing up from her chair. "He's a great man."
"Oh, yeah; great man," Ed mumbled under his breath, looking up at his mother as she picked up his finished plate. He watched her carefully as she picked up Al's, and then William's. "He hasn't even sent a letter or anything in months! Some father he is...I bet he forgot about us, the bastard."
"Edward! Watch your mouth!"
"But, Mom," he tried to defend himself, but she had already disappeared into the kitchen.
"Ed," Alphonse said quietly, speaking up for the first time in ten minutes. "Dad promised that he'd write to us as soon as he could. Maybe he's just busy..."
The elder Elric boy's eyes softened at his brother. It was no use trying to get Al to understand - he had only been a toddler when their father had walked out that door. He thought that their father was the greatest man that ever lived - but Ed knew better than to fall for such lies, even though he had been only a year older than Al when their dad did leave.
"Yeah," Ed agreed, his voice softening as he saw his brother's sad eyes. Al had always been his weakness. "Maybe you're right-" he found himself cut off by a rather loud thump, and both of the Elric boys looked over at their half-brother.
"Don't you idiots get it?!" William snapped, clenching his teeth in pure anger. "He's not coming back! Ever! He's left you here for good. He's left all of us here to fade away without him! That bastard's nothing but a coward! A fraud - full of lies!"
Alphonse whimpered, and Edward flinched as the elder boy slammed his fist onto the table once again. The leftover dishes and glasses shook with the sudden shake.
Ed gained his confidence back, and narrowed his eyes back. "Shut up! You don't know anyth-"
"Oh? I don't?" William echoed, his voice like deadly poison. "Did that bastard ever promise you anything that he kept? Did he promise you that he was going to stay with you? That he was never going to leave you, and then go and dump you with a bunch of asswhipes you couldn't even stand being in the same country as them!?"
His voice grew louder, raspier, as he ranted on. Hot tears stung his eyes, and he raised his tiny hands to furiously wipe them away. With a choked sob, William ran out of the dining room - but not without giving Edward a shove.
Ed stumbled a little, but found himself frozen when he regained his footing. He listened as small feet hurried up the stairs, almost tripping in the process, before a loud slam could be heard as William closed his bedroom door.
He stared at the floor, feeling guilty, as his mother hurried after the upset boy. Alphonse started crying softly, and Edward walked over an came him a comforting hug.
