My amber eyes opened several hours later. From the lack of light outside I guessed it was still early in the morning. I sat up in bed for a minute before realizing where I was. 'I'm home,' I sighed mentally. Then the memories of last night hit me. I gripped the white sheets when images of Envy came to me. My stomach did tiny flips at the thought of him. I then realized it was no use to deny it; I loved my enemy. I yanked on a black sweater and my pink slippers. I quietly slipped out the window, needing to visit my mom's grave. 'Maybe then I can finally make sense of this situation,' I thought. As the green grass crunched slightly under me, I shivered at the cold morning air. The sun was slowly rising, reflecting off the dewdrops on the tiny blades of grass. I finally reached the cemetery, freezing when I saw a man in front of my mom's grave. He wore a suit, his long blonde hair in a hair tie. He was kneeling on the ground, facing my mother's grave.
''Excuse me? Who are you?'' I asked, hesitant.
After last night's events I was hesitant to talk to any stranger. The man jumped slightly, clearly not expecting my presence. He turned and our golden eyes connected. I let out a gasp, my body paralyzed. The man's golden eyes widened. ''L-Leah?'' his strong voice asked, confirming my thoughts. My jaw shook, as did my fists. I couldn't move. It was like I was in a dream.
''D-Dad?'' I whispered shakily.
The man who I hadn't seen in so many years stood there. The man who raised me stared at me with such shock. The man I called father. ''It is you,'' he said. His eyes watered with unshed tears. I nodded slowly. I then ran full speed at him, punching him in the jaw. ''Ow!" he yelped, falling on his ass. I glared down at him, tears running down my face. ''You bastard! How could you leave us?! How could you do that to mom?'' I whimpered. His eyes softened. He got back up, dusting himself off. ''I never wanted to leave your mother Leah, I loved all of you. Please, forgive me,'' he said softly. I glared at the ground but noticed something. Next to the bouquet I had brought my mother yesterday, was a beautiful white rose. He had brought it for her. I remembered how much he loved her, how much he loved us. It only hurt more when I thought of the day he left us. I looked up into his eyes. ''I'm sorry I wasn't a father to you,'' he apologized, tears running down his cheeks. My lip trembled. I wrapped my arms around him, my head hitting his chest.
''Shut up! Don't say stupid stuff or I'll kick your ass!" I sobbed.
My father smiled sadly, returning the hug. As we stood there, crying, we allowed ourselves to show weakness this one time. The sun appeared over the horizon, the sun's warmth embracing us. Nearly an hour later, my father was kneeling down to my mother's grave as I stood aside. ''I take it you wrote this on her grave,'' he spoke quietly. I nodded. ''With my alchemy,'' I explained. ''You always were skilled with your shadows,'' he chuckled. I nodded. ''Dad, I need to tell you something,'' I hesitantly said. I looked at the palms of my hands. 'Should I tell him I'm immortal?' I questioned. He turned to face me, telling me to go on. ''You wouldn't believe me if I told you,'' I sighed.
''You're immortal,'' he said, making my eyes widen.
''H-How did you-,''
''I can sense the Philosopher Stone within you,'' my father explained.
''Dad, I swear I didn't use humans,'' I quickly defended. ''I know, I wouldn't believe that my little Leah could do something so cruel,'' he offered a smile. I sighed, relieved. ''How can you sense my stone? You'd have to be an. . ,'' my eyes widened in realization. ''Immortal as well? Yes, I am,'' he sighed sadly. I tensed. ''A-Are you one of the Homunculi?'' I asked, fearing the answer. ''No,'' my father replied and I felt the fear flow out of me. ''But I do need to tell you of my past, why I had to leave you guys,'' he said, eyes full of determination and sorrow. I nodded, sitting on a stone bench a few feet away. ''Are you sure you want to know, I'm not going to lie it's a lot to take in and I understand that this already is a lot to process,'' my father said sadly. I leaned forward, my hands clasped together as they rested over my mouth. 'I need to know why he left. But can I handle it? Can I handle the truth for once?' I thought. Would I be able to accept my father? Am I strong enough to move forward? Was I fit to save Amestris from whatever evil phenomenon that was occurring? For that matter, was I fit to be the Shadow Alchemist?
'Yes,' the souls deep within me cried out.
I looked up at my dad, sitting up straight. I nodded, eyes firm. My dad sighed and proceeded to tell me of how his immortality came to be. He was a slave in a place called Xerxes. From his own blood, a thing called the Dwarf in the Flask Homunculus was created. Through thousands of human lives, King Xerxes was determined to achieve immortality. However, the portal backfired drastically. Everyone, including the King and his men were used to create a giant Philosopher Stone. Unwillingly, my father's body was made from those souls. Unfortunately, so was the father of the Homunculi. He was determined to stop him at all costs, to avenge the people of Xerxes. Years later, he met my mother and fell in love. He had me and my brothers. He left to continue his vengeance. By the time he finished his story I sat, staring wide-eyed at the grass. ''Leah?'' he asked worriedly. ''This can't be real,'' I whispered, my hand holding my mother's necklace. ''Unfortunately it is, I'm so sorry,'' he whispered, ashamed of himself.
''Tell me this; did you love us? Did you love my mother?'' I asked, determined to hold in my tears.
It was silent for a few seconds and my fists clenched, taking his silence as his answer.
''I loved you guys more than anything in this world,'' he said shakily.
My eyes met his to see him holding in his tears as well. ''Then why didn't you sya goodbye?'' I growled, remembering that day all too clearly.
''Do you want me to wake them?'' my mother's voice woke me up.
'Wake us? For what?' I wondered, yawning as I got out of bed.
I woke up my brothers as well. I held Ed's hand and he held Al's. As we quietly waddled to the front door, eyes still squinty from sleep, I heard my parent's speaking softly. ''No if I see them I might cry,'' I heard my dad sigh sadly. I quirked a brow in confusion. Where was daddy going? ''Momma? Daddy?'' I hesitantly called out. They both turned, surprised that us three were up. ''What are you three doing up so early?'' my mother smiled. ''Al had to go pee,'' Ed yawned. ''Aw and you two were looking out for your baby brother, you're so helpful,'' my mom patted our heads. I didn't look at her though, I looked at my father who was at the door, holding his suitcase.
''Daddy are you leaving?'' I whimpered.
I saw him tense and I was afraid I had made him angry. His eyes just stared at us. By now, Ed and Al were wide awake. All three of our golden eyes locked with our father's. Tears weld up in my eyes as I reached out my arms. ''Daddy,'' I whispered, reaching out for him. My mother gave me a heartbreaking look as she took me in her arms. ''Daddy has to go now dear,'' she whispered sadly.
''But if daddy leaves he won't see me practice my alchemy!'' I cried out still reaching for him.
However, my father didn't look at me. He opened the door and left. It was as if he didn't see me reach for him. Like he didn't hear me cry out for him. My mother simply held me, hugging my brothers and I tightly. She held us as if we would leave her as well. She held us, but unknown to me she was crying just like us.
My hair shielded my face as I took a deep breath to prevent the tears. ''I cried for you! I reached out for you! And you just walked away!'' I yelled. Thank God no one else was around to see us. My father just stared at me, giving me the saddest look I had ever seen. ''Just tell me why you didn't say anything, please,'' I whispered, calming down. He bowed his head in shame.
''I didn't say anything. . .because if I said goodbye, I wouldn't be able to leave.''
Envy's point of view:
I sat at the lair, my mind on Leah and only Leah. For some odd reason I couldn't get my mind off of her. If I wasn't thinking about last night, I thought of anything else that had to do with her. Like her long dark brown hair, her golden eyes, the way she blushes when she's frustrated or embarrassed, or even her beautiful smile when she saw me. 'Stupid human, making me weak,' I scoffed mentally. As much as I hated to admit it, Leah was my one true weakness. Well, besides my envious nature.
''So Envy, have you found any information on the Shadow Alchemist?'' Father asked suddenly.
I tried to hide my surprise when I noticed all eyes were on me. Well except for Greed, he was long gone. ''No, she isn't a real threat for now,'' I lied through my teeth. Father nodded. ''Still, perhaps we should end her now before she becomes a problem in the future,'' he wondered. My violet eyes widened. End her? Like hell! ''Maybe we could get her to become our ally?'' I suggested. Father quirked a brow in confusion. ''Why should I allow a pathetic human to team up with us?'' he scoffed. Lust then decided to speak. ''Well Father, she isn't a pathetic human,'' she said, making me tense. 'I'll kill Lust if she gets Leah killed,' I growled mentally. Father looked at Lust. ''What do you mean?'' he questioned.
''Not only is she extremely powerful as a human, but it appears she now is an immortal. Apparently her heart is made of one giant Philosopher Stone, made up of the souls of the Ishvalans and deceased,'' Lust defended Leah, making my jaw drop.
This clearly caught Father's interest. ''She's immortal? So why shouldn't I just rip out her heart and kill her right now?'' he asked. I felt my fists clench in worry. I couldn't let them kill Leah. ''She's too valuable. If we kill her, we'd lose a perfect opportunity to gain an ally,'' Lust defended. Father looked back to me. ''Do you agree Envy?'' he asked. I stared at him, trying my bets not glare. ''Yes, she's too valuable to kill,'' I spoke seriously. Father pondered this for a moment or so before nodding. ''Very well, she will be your responsibility,'' he said to me. I resisted the urge to scoff. 'She's already my responsibility,' I thought. I nodded. As he dismissed us and we parted ways, I approached Lust.
''Why the hell did you defend Leah?'' I growled.
''Ooh first name basis now are we?'' Lust smirked.
I glared, warning the wavy-haired woman. Lust shrugged. ''What I said is true. Leah Elric is far too important to kill. If we ended her life, it would blow up in our faces later on. Besides, if we killed her, you would be heartbroken,'' Lust said with a genuine smile. I glared heatedly. ''I do not care about the girl! I am a Homunculus, we do not feel!'' I snarled. Lust smiled sadly. ''You're so wrong Envy. We were made not to feel. We can't help it if we end up developing human emotions. We might be Homunculi, but we can feel,'' Lust spoke softly. It only angered me more. ''Don't say stupid lies like that. I do not like, let alone love, Leah Elric. She's simply a toy,'' I growled. But somewhere deep within me, I knew I was the one who was lying. I turned on my heel, exiting the lair.
''No Envy, it is you who is lying. Leah is too valuable to kill. She's too valuable because she made even a heartless Homunculi like you fall in love with her.''
Leah's point of view:
I sat on the roof of Granny's house. She and my father were currently chatting. I for one, had enough excitement for the day. It was night and I gazed up at the stars. I briefly recalled my brothers and I laying out in the open fields, gazing up at the sky as children. ''Back when I was human,'' I scoffed. Life was so much simpler back then. It was a time where Al had his human body. Where Ed had his normal arm and leg. Where we were naive about the world around us. A time when I wasn't the Shadow Alchemist. ''Mom, did I do the right thing?'' I sighed, looking at the stars. Millions of them sparkled like diamonds. I sighed sadly, my lips pulled into a sad smile. ''Of course I didn't, I never do,'' I whimpered. ''I'm just a stupid girl,'' I whispered.
''Glad you finally admitted it,'' a voice spoke, making me jump.
On a tree branch, a few yards away from me was Envy. ''Do you enjoy appearing at random times, scaring the crap out of me?'' I sighed, sitting up. He shrugged with a smirk. ''I try my best,'' he jumped onto the roof, sitting next to me. ''Why you up here?'' he asked, looking at the sky. ''It's the only place I have solitude,'' I muttered. Envy quirked a brow but chuckled. ''I wouldn't call this solitude if I'm right here with you,'' he scoffed. I smiled slightly. ''Envy, I need to tell you something,'' I sighed shakily. He nodded, letting me know he heard me. I clenched my hands, terrified.
''I love you,'' I finally spat out.
I noticed him tense visibly. His violet eyes widened in utter shock. He was debating what to say to me. I smiled sadly.
''But I know you can't return those feelings, I'm ok with that,'' I smiled, making him look at me.
''You a-are?'' he asked huskily.
I nodded.
''I mean I am sad but I don't care. I know Homunculi can't love, but I can't help how I feel. I love you Envy, and having you right next to me is enough for me,'' I spoke softly.
He stared at me with such shock, I was afraid I gave him a mini-heart attack.
''I'm sorry I shouldn't have said- mmf!'' I yelped when he suddenly crashed his lips onto mine. One of his hands held the back of my head as his other arm wrapped around me waist. I closed my amber eyes as I returned the kiss. I knew he wouldn't be able to say 'I love you back'. He was too proud to admit such a thing. But I knew, somewhere deep down, this was his way of letting me know he returned my feelings.
