Childs Play
Edwards's standard military basic training was not scheduled to begin until after the weekend, that meant he had two more whole days to adjust with life with the Hughes.
Even though Ed dreaded the training, he was somewhat relieved that he would have something to distract him for his 30 days. There was just something about living with a wonderful loving family while being separated from Al that made Ed's feel angry.
"Big brudder!" There was a sudden tug on Ed's sleeve interrupting his private thoughts. He looked down to see Elicia innocent face.
"Can you play with me Pleaaseee!" hope danced in her eyes as she clutching a lemon yellow ball in her hand.
Edward had spent most the afternoon yesterday sleeping and had still not been in a very pleasant mood for most of the morning.
He looked down at Elicia preparing to say no, when he felt a pinch of guilt as he recalled a certain blue crayon hidden under his pillow. he sighed feeling he owed it to the three-year-old.
"Alright," he finally answered. Elicia jumped up and down with excitement and grabbed Eds white gloved hand and pulled him out into the front yard.
Before long, Gracia looked out her kitchen window and saw a laughing Ed and Elicia tossing a ball back and forth to each other. She shook her head, Edward may behave much older than 15, but he was still a child deep down inside.
"Hey Elicia watch this!" Ed said grinning from ear to ear, as the ball flew toward him Ed clapped his hands together, sparks of alchemic energy shot out as his fingers, made contact and the ball's surface and rippled. The balls color suddenly changed from yellow to a bubblegum pink.
Elicia squealed with delight as the newly colored ball was tossed back to her!
"Again AGAIN!" she shouted and threw the ball at Ed. The young alchemist laughed and clapped his hands together preparing to change the color of the toy once more.
This was a very basic form of alchemy; he was surprised how much it seemed to entertain the child. It reminded Ed of a similar exercise Izumi had taught him and Al. except instead of a child's rubber ball, it had been a metal block…and instead of changing its colors, they had to change its shape. Ed shook his head at the memory still smiling.
The second time, Ed changed the balls color to a sparkling emerald green. Elicia was positively thrilled and bounced it in the air a couple times before firing it back at Ed.
"I hope you like Rainbows!" Ed grinned, jumping up and grabbing the ball, as soon as he did the ball suddenly glowed bright for a second, and a swirly rainbow pattern emerged on the surface.
"Yeah!! Throw it throw it!" she cheered. Ed let the colorful ball fly. Elicia in her excitement jumped too soon and the ball sailed right over her brushing her fingertips and bounced once on the grass then rolled toward the edge of the yard.
"I'll get it!" Elicia shouted as she turned around and began chasing after the ball. Ed watched as the glittery rainbow balls momentum carried it past the edge of the yard and into the street.
"Elicia Wait!" Ed yelled in horror as the little girl didn't break her pace and continued to follow the ball into the road as the thundering sound of an approaching car roared down the street.
Ed's world suddenly seemed to move in slow motion. In a panic he raced to reach Elicia before the car did. "Elicia NO!!" he screamed as the ball finally came to a stop in the middle of the street followed by Elisa who was so intensely focused on her colorful goal that she, neither saw nor heard the car approaching.
Ed could see the vehicle rapidly approaching out of the corner of his eye and It was becoming increasingly clear that he wasn't going to make it in time.
There was the sudden horrifying screech of brakes and without thinking Ed thrust himself out into the street toward the three-year-old wrapping his arms around her pressing her closely to his chest throwing himself into a hard roll out of the way of the vehicle; the force of the landing knocking the wind out of him. He gasped painfully as he sat up clutching Elicia in front of him.
"Elicia, are you ok!?" he said his voice strained and out of breath. He looked her over hoping that she hadn't broken anything. Hughes would never forgive him if Elisa got hurt. The little girl looked up wide-eyed, both of her pigtails askew on her head.
"I got the BALL!" she unexpectedly sang out blissfully holding the ball over her head in triumph.
Ed gaped at the child speechless. Did she have any idea of how close to death she had just come!? Edward suddenly had the strong urge to yell at her, when the sound of a car door slamming shut made him jerk his head up.
"Elicia Marie Hughes." A booming voice called from the direction of the vehicle.
"H-hughes?!" Ed stuttered seeing the Lieutenant Colonel standing by his car that was stopped in the middle of the road, a good 10 yards away from where Elicia had been standing, Ed was sure the car had been a lot closer a few seconds ago.
"Daddy!" Elicia said with utter delight as she jumped up from Eds lap and blindly crossed the street toward her daddy. Ed brought his palm up and smacked his own forehead; Elicia's complete disregard for street safety was unbelievable.
As soon as Elicia was in arms reach Hughes reached out and firmly took the little girls hand in his and started marching her toward the house.
"Daddy is very upset at you young lady!" Hughes said sternly, though he was not yelling, his voice carried a tone of severity. "How many times has Mommy and Daddy told you not to run out into the street!"
Watching the two heading for the house, Ed stood up and crossed the street after Hughes, double-checking the street for cars as he did, feeling suddenly self-conciouse about street safety.
Hearing the serious tone in which her daddy was speaking to her seemed to sober Elicia up.
"This many times." she said holding out two fingers. "But I didn't want to lose my ball!" she added in her defense, feeling that it was a reasonable excuse for breaking the rule.
Ed watched as the two reached the doorway and abruptly felt a moment of awkwardness; he wasn't sure what Maes wanted him to do. Did he want him to follow them? Was he in trouble too for not watching out for Elisa better?"
Maes seemed to sense Ed's anxiety and turned around seeing the boy standing frozen at the front of the step, a pained look on his face. He gave a nod then proceeded inside with Elicia still in tow
Ed wasn't entirely sure if that nod meant he was in trouble or not, but the fact that he had acknowledge him was enough to make him quickly scoot inside the house after them.
Elicia seeing that they were now heading in the direction of her Daddy's study, suddenly interjected with a tone of concern
"I'm really sorry daddy." she slowed her pace a fraction
"I'm sorry too Elicia, I wish that you had obeyed me" Hughes said looking down seriously at his daughter. "But I think you and me need to have a talk."
Ed wasn't sure how things worked around the Hughes house but he had a very good idea judging by the tears that had just formed in Elicia's eyes, and her reluctance further punctuated by Maes last statement.
Ed stopped short of the living room and watched the door to the study close on the father and daughter. Ed suddenly felt like now would be a good time to catch up on his reading in his bedroom. He started for the staircase but no sooner did his foot reach the first step then he heard the distinct sound of a sharp rythmatic swat, followed by a wailing cry.
Ed sat up in his bedroom. He was still shook up by Elicia's close call in the street. He realized that they had both been lucky that the person driving the car had been Hughes, and not some reckless, speeding driver who was not paying attention to the road.
Then he wondered if Hughes was going to hold him responsible. He wouldn't blame him if he did. He felt guilty enough as it was. Ed reached under his pillow, pulled out the blue crayon, and heaved a heavy sigh.
There was a sudden knock on the door, Eds heart leapt in his throat and he shoved the crayon back under the pillow, subconsciously he realized he was being an idiot for harboring a crayon, but he couldn't seem to rationalize the impulse.
Hughes face was revealed as the door opened and Ed shot up from the bed in a fluster.
"Mr. Hughes I am really sorry about what happened with Elicia, I should have been watching her better, I promise it wont happen again." Ed rattled out, his stomach churning.
"Ed, Ed, calm down I'm not upset," Hughes said placing a calming hand on the boys shoulder. Ed stopped and stared at Hughes.
"Y-your not?"
"Of course not, I actually came up here to thank you for watching out for my little princess. Of course I expected nothing less of you." Ed fell speechless, he had been all prepared to take the blame, expecting the man to yell at him or worse.
"You know Ed its funny how when you're young how unaware of danger you can be. Your focus is on what you want, and you ignore all the signs of trouble." Ed looked up at Hughes and blinked, feeling that Maes was not just referring to Elicia's last adventure "That's what makes the job of a parent so hard, its easy to teach a child the joys of life, much harder to teach them the reality of it."
"Teaching reality didn't seem to hard for my old man." Ed heard himself say with a bitterness that shocked himself. He had not even been thinking, when he said it.
Hughes shrugged and turned for the door.
"Supper is ready if you want some, oh and Edward." Hughes trailed off looking back at the moody young man in the room. "If you happen across a blue crayon, be sure you give it to Elisa she has been looking for it."
Authors note
If you are enjoying this story please let me know by way of commenting, this is my first real attempt at a chapter Fan Fic, and I really have no idea how many chapters there will be.
I sort of picture this as a long running story, with no true ending, just a following of Eds 30 days with the Hughes family.
Of course, this thing with Ed and the Blue Crayon is something that will have to be confronted soon.