Side By Side

Chapter Ten
of Homesickness and Tea

The ice coated tree branches, bushes, windowpanes, mailboxes - everything in sight - creating a peaceful, frozen tableau. Sparkling ethereally in the morning sun, its fractures glimmered with rainbow lights. The only sound came from the bustle of cars from the main street, with the slush of black tires stirring up the dirty snow on the side of the road. A fragile chill imbued the morning air and seeped into the house, causing Edward Elric to curl up further into the blanket. The navy blue comforter enveloped him completely, with only the top of his head sticking out. His blonde bangs spilled across his pillow as he scrunched up his eyes against the morning sunlight and yawned.

He had had the weirdest dream. It had featured Envy, an electric keyboard, and chicken noodle soup. Slowly, wincing as his thighs protested (they were still sore from Roy's karate workout), Edward swung his legs out of bed and sat up with his feet on the floor. He shook his head. Hopefully, he thought, when I get back to Germany my dreams will be normal again.

That idea made him pause. Did he really want to go back? In Germany, the only people he really knew were his dad, Al, and (sometimes) Russell. And he couldn't rely on any of those except Al. Here, in Japan, he had made great friends even in the first few weeks. He could count on Pinako and Winry to take care of Al, and - here he gave a slight smile - Envy and Roy to take care of him. He already trusted Gracia-sensei, Falman-sensei, and Maes Hughes more than he had ever trusted any teachers before, and he knew Izumi-sensei had a soft spot under all her posturing.

Sighing, Edward flopped back down onto his pillows. It was nice to be able to start fresh, without having to drag gossip and rumors with him. His peers at Central High didn't point and whisper about Ed being 'that one with the metal arm and leg' or 'the one that survived that huge fire'. The underclassmen didn't shy away from him in the halls because of his 'violent' reputation and the seniors didn't try to pick fights. Russell didn't smirk at him whenever they passed because of that 'incident'. (It was an accident! Ed thought vehemently. It was dark out! I thought he was a girl!) But then again, Russell wasn't there to help fight off the seniors or stand up for him to the teachers.

In Japan, Ed had Roy and Envy for that.

Grinning at that thought, Edward sat up again and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. He still had two more months before he would have to pack up and leave for Germany, he reminded himself as he stood up and headed to the bathrooms.

Two months was a long time.

"Where were you?" Winry demanded through a mouthful of food. "Sleep in much?"

Ed looked at her through a curtain of dripping hair. "I was showering." he deadpanned.

"Here you go, niisan." Al, smiling, offered him a steaming bowl of rice. "Pinako-san is busy today, and she said we would have to make our own food."

As he accepted the small bowl, he raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Did you cook this, or did Winry?" he asked jokingly.

"Hey!" the blonde protested from her seat at the table. "I can cook just fine!"

Alphonse laughed. "I cooked it, niisan. Winry was still sleeping."

"Good." Edward replied, sitting down at the table. "I'm glad I don't have to worry about food poisoning, now."

"Heeey!"

Grinning, Ed contemplated the rice he held clumsily in his chopsticks. (O'hashi, he mentally reminded himself.) The white grains gleamed stickily under the kitchen lamp. They looked almost like bugs. Edward's grin faded to be replaced by a slightly wistful look. Rice was nice and warm, and filling enough, but he would give nearly anything for a hearty bowl of stew.

Ed's inspection of his breakfast was interrupted by the harsh ring of the phone.

"I'll get it!" Pinako yelled from the garage. Moments later, she hurried out, cradling the receiver and covering the mouthpiece with her hand. "Gracia-san called and said she was heading into Central today to do some errands." she said. "She wanted to know if I needed anything. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you three taging along. You could give Ed and Al a tour, Winry."

Winry looked around excitedly at the brothers, then turned, bouncing happily in her seat. "That would be awesome!" she cried happily. "Is that okay with Gracia-sensei?"

"Let me ask." Pinako replied, putting the telephone back up to her ear. "Gracia-san? Yes. Would you mind taking Winry and the boys with you down to Central? No, they'll be fine. Uh-huh. Thank you so much!" After hanging up, she turned to the trio, who were watching her excitedly. "She said she'd love to take you brats. Get ready - she'll be here in less than ten minutes."

"All right, guys!" Winry shouted, scrambling to her feet. "Hurry up! Grab something warm, it's cold outside! Come on, let's go, this'll be so much fun!"

Gracia-sensei's car, a silvery Mitsubushi, was nice both on the sparkling clean outside and the pale leather inside. It reflected the principal's personality, Ed mused as he reverently opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat. He was afraid of messing anything up - the car was to perfect to be real.

Once everyone was sitting and safely buckled up, Gracia started the car and backed out of the driveway. "I'm an awful driver." she confessed to them as she turned onto the main street. "This is my third car in four years."

Ed blanced. That was comforting, he thought, grabbing tightly onto his armrest as the principal swerved wildly while making a turn.

"Whoops." she said sheepishly, taking a hand of the steering wheel to rub the back of her neck and causing the car to make an even wilder change in direction.

"Um..." Winry said nervously from the backseat. "Maybe you should keep both hands on the steering-wheel, Gracia-sensei."

She gave a nervous laugh. "I guess so." After a few minutes of concentrated silence, Gracia spoke once more. "So, Edward, Alphonse. How are you liking it here in Japan?"

"It's really great, sensei!" Al chirped from the backseat. He was unfazed by the principal's random swerves and overcorrections. I guess it pays to have a slightly insane older brother, Ed observed, not realizing he had just insulted himself.

"And you, Edward?" Gracia asked, smiling at him.

Ed managed to unclench his teeth enough to manage an affirmative reply.

"I like Japan a lot better than I like Germany." Alphonse continued, making up for Ed's monosyllabic reply. "I've made a bunch of friends, and Ed has two good friends. That's more than he's ever been able to make before! Usually, he just ends up scaring them off, or punching them, or something..."

"Shut up, Al." Edward muttered, bright red. He could feel Gracia's sympathetic eyes on him and he hated it. He absolutely detested other people's pity.

Oblivious to his brother's inner fury and embarassment, Al chattered on. "It was really hard back there. Our dad's a really famous chemist and he has to be gone a lot, because of work. And when he's home, it's not much better, since he doesn't really know how to take care of us and Ed still blames him for the fire."

Edward could feel the pity level rising by the minute, and it almost choked him. Trying to get rid of his blush, and reminding himself to have a long talk with Al about what was and what was not acceptable to reveal to others, he hastily changed the subject. "How about you, Gracia-sensei? How did you get to be the principal when you're so young?"

Gracia smiled, and Ed was grateful that she allowed him to salvage what little pride he had left. "Well, I went to college at Harvard University in the USA. I graduated rather young, and I came back to Japan and applied for a teaching post right away. Since the former principal, Golio Comanche, had just retired, they picked me up right away." Here she paused, and sighed. "Some of the teachers do resent me for getting the post so young, and with so little experience. It was the Harvard credentials that did it." Gracia gave a silvery laugh. "Falman-san helps me out a lot though, and most of the faculty are very supportive. I don't suppose you would understand, but it can be very hard, running a school."

Winry replied sympathetically, and soon the two females in the car began commiserating about life, love, and (especially) men, leaving Ed and Al feeling rather left out. But hey, Ed thought. At least it's better than having Al spill our whole life story to the principal.

After seemingly forever - How long could two women compare hair tips? - Gracia pulled up in front of a traditional Japanese building called the 'Suzaku Teahouse'. "I'll meet you guys back here around... three o'clock." she said, checking her watch. "That means you have around five and a half hours to do whatever you want."

"Thank you, Gracia-sensei!" Winry said, smiling. The Elric brothers also muttered 'thanks'.

As she was about to pull away, Gracia suddenly stopped (blocking the flow of traffic completely), and rolled down the window. "Oh, and Winry?"

"Yes?"

"If you want to take them on a tour, I suggest starting here. They have beautiful traditional gardens in the back."

"I will!" Winry cried. "Thanks, sensei!" After Gracia's silver car had disappeared into traffic, she turned and smiled exuberantly at the boys. "Isn't she so sweet?" Winry gushed. "I just love her. She's the best principal ever." Without waiting for them to reply, she marched up the entryway and slid open the rice-paper door, Al following at her heels.

Ed took his time in walking up to the doorway. Gracia was very nice, and he did trust her, but he really didn't feel comfortable with Al just spilling their whole back-story. I mean, if he told Gracia that much, what has he told his sophomore friends? How many rumors are circling around about me, or my fights, or our dad? Shaking his head, he dismissed his worries. He trusted Al to have at least some discretion.

On the inside, the teahouse was tastefully decorated with a series of monochromatic Japanese prints accented with touches of pink and green. The tables were low and cushions were provided for kneeling. Thin rice paper walls separated the kitchen from the rest of the building, and the counter boasted several bonsai - miniature trees - shaped into twisted versions of their leafy counterparts.

A smiling man was waiting in the front to greet him. He had messy brown hair and shockingly purple eyes (they were even a more dramatic color than Envy's), and was dressed in a navy blue kimono. As they walked in, he bowed. "Welcome to the Suzaku Teahouse." he said formally. "My name is Asato Tsuzuki. Are you here for a traditional tea ceremony, or would you prefer to have your own table?"

Winry blushed and stammered, taken aback by his politeness. "Um... Well... We were hoping to have a tour of your gardens. A friend told me that they were very beautiful."

"Oh, of course!" Tsuzuki replied, smiling. Winry's reply seemed to have broken the ice, Ed thought, watching the man straighten up and bound over to the counter. There he conversed with a solemn looking boy who was manning the cash register (which seemed rather anachronistic among the antique teacups and sake bowls. Finally, he disappeared behind the rice paper divider.

"He's a very interesting person." Al mused, also looking around.

Edward was about to reply when Tsuzuki reappeared, leading a ponytailed Ling, clad in a pale orange and cream kimono. As soon as the cheery junior saw Ed, he grinned and waved. "Tsuzuki-san said some teenagers were here, but I never expected you, Ed! I'm supposed to give you guys a tour of the gardens."

Ling led them through a maze of tables and rice-paper partitions until they came to an artfully hidden sliding door. "This is awesome, guys." he said, as he slowly and dramatically opened it.

The door, Ed thought, opened onto a paradise. A softly gurgling stream flowed into a pond near the entryway, filled with brightly colored koi. A solid, wooden bridge crossed the water and led to a path made of dark gravel that contrasted sharply with the pale sand on either side. A willow tree was artfully positioned to one side of the pond, and its drooping branches trailed in the clear blue-green shallows. Upon closer inspection, the sand appeared to be raked in straight lines that were occasionally interrupted by swirls, spirals, or carefully placed rocks. Smaller, graceful maple trees dotted the winding walkway, and their bare branches only enhanced the calming aspect of the outdoor haven.

"Hey, Ed." Ling called, waving a hand in front of Edward's face. "What're you waiting for?"

Blinking, Ed realized that Winry and Al were already standing on the bridge, admiring the multicolored fish. He had been so lost in the beauty of the garden that he had forgotten their purpose. "Heh, sorry Ling." he replied, walking alongside the Chinese boy.

"By the way," Ling said in an undertone. "Who are those two?"

Ed gave him a look. "You didn't introduce yourself?"

"Uh... no."

Rolling his eyes, Edward grabbed Ling by the sleeve of his kimono and dragged him up to the bridge. "Guys, this is Ling. He's in my grade at school. Ling, this is Al, my brother, and Winry. She's part of our host family."

Ling smiled and waved. "Hello." he said. "I suppose I had better give the official tour, or Hisoka-kun will get mad at me again." He took a deep breath. "This is a traditional Japanese garden, modeled after those from the Nara period in Japanese history. The sand exists to calm the mind and seem like a miniature landscape, the rocks serve as resting points for the eye and also appear as mountains. The sound of the water is soothing and the fish add color. In the autumn, the maple leaves are red and orange, and they complement the colors of the koi. Um... let's see..." The ponytailed teenager grinnned sheepishly. "I kinda forgot the rest. Tsuzuki didn't give me time to grab the pamphlet."

Winry laughed. "Why don't you just take us through the garden?" she asked smiling.

As they walked through the garden, Ed was confronted by masterpiece after masterpiece of landscape architecture and planning. Ling told them that this particular garden was designed by a Buddhist monk to give a calming respite from the rigors of day-to-day life. Now, with the ice coating the bushes and trees, it looked like something out of a fairytale.

When Ed spotted a bench facing a miniature version of the large raked-sand garden from the front of the garden, he took a seat. "You guys can go all the way through." he told Ling, Al, and Winry, who were waiting for him impatiently. "I'll wait for you here, okay?"

"Aw, come on, niisan." Al whined. "You're no fun."

"Go on." Ed replied, waving them off with his hands. "I'll be fine."

Shrugging, Ling led the other two onwards. As soon as they were out of sight, Ed slumped on the bench, staring morosely at the stack of rocks in the center. To his surprise, he was feeling slightly homesick and out-of-place. The serene, alien beauty of the garden only compunded his feeling of alienation. Sighing, he turned so that he was lying flat on the stone bench. The chill seeped through his black coat as he closed his eyes against the too-bright midmorning sun and tried not to think.

"You're not allowed to lie down on the benches." came a cool, slightly detached voice from above him.

Ed opened his eyes, squinting. The brown haired boy, who had previously been mannning the cash register, was staring down at him. "Sorry." Ed muttered, slowly rising back into a sitting position.

"Thanks." the boy said, preparing to move on. But something in Ed's gaze arrested him, and he turned back. "Is everything all right?" he asked curiously.

Edward shrugged. "I suppose."

Taking that as an invitation, the boy sat, making sure he never touched Ed. "My name's Hisoka." he said.

"Ed."

"I noticed your friends aren't with you. Did you have a fight?" Hisoka continued awkwardly.

Edward shook his head. "No, I'm just feeling homesick... I guess."

"Mm." the boy replied. It seemed as though he didn't communicate with people well, because there was a long, awkward pause before he spoke again. "I get homesick too, sometimes. I'm actually from England, but my parents didn't want to raise me and so they passed me off to Tsuzuki. Apparently he was the son of one of my father's business partners, and he was looking for someone to help him with work. Figure that one out." He laughed bitterly. "It's funny that I still get slightly homesick, since it's so much better here."

Ed also smiled, glad that someone could feel the same way as he did. "It wasn't that great back in Germany, either. My dad's such a great scientist that he's always traveling, and he never has time for us at home. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't know how to treat us."

Hisoka nodded. "It's strange, isn't it? Sometimes it's so different here that I can't help but wish I was back where I used to live. I can't even call it home anymore, but sometimes I miss it. Especially in places like this. I guess rock gardens make you think. That's what they're supposed to do, after all."

"I suppose. I haven't been this homesick since we got here, but now... I don't know. I guess it's just because I have time to think, and realize how different it is over here." Edward wrapped his jacket tighter around him, suddenly feeling even more lonely now that he had confessed his feelings. "I want to go back, but at the same time, I want to stay here forever."

The boy gazed at him with brilliant green eyes, then went back to examining his the white cranes that patterened his indigo kimono. They were silent for a few minutes, then Hisoka got to his feet. "I don't know if it comforts you much, but I feel exactly the same way. Sometimes, knowing someone is lonely like you can help a lot."

Edward blushed slightly, and smiled. "Thanks for listening to me."

"No, thank you." Hisoka replied seriously. "I know it's selfish, but I'm glad that you were able to understand my feelings. Tsuzuki tries his best, but he's very dense. He's lived his whole life here in Japan, and he doesn't understand how I could miss my old life." He turned to head down the path. "Goodbye, Edward."

As he disappeared from sight, Ed turned to gazing at the rockpile in the center of the swirling sand. But now, instead of feeling frozen inside, he felt warm.

After meeting back up with Al and Winry, they headed into the teahouse to eat lunch. Instead of Hisoka, as Edward had hoped, they were served by a smiling, bespectacled man with long blonde hair, called Watari. Once the steaming miso soup and tonkatsu (pork) had been devoured, they headed back out into the bustling streets of Central.

Ed was struck immediately by the stark contrast between the quiet, airy teahouse and garden and the overcrowded, energetic sidewalks. As they walked further into the city, the small buildings and restaurants were replaced by gleaming steel-and-glass office buildlings, which soon gave way to a multitude of colored signs and glowing advertisements. Even at two in the afternoon, giant TV screens broadcasted endorsements for Coca-Cola, Sony, and Dublith Village's newest semi-professional baseball team. Just imagining what it must look like at night gave Edward a headache.

But something nagged at him even more than the obnoxious ads. They were surrounded by black-haired, one-hundred percent Japanese people. Nowhere else did Ed see a blonde or even a brunette, barring the teenage girls walking past with orange and chocolate-colored streaks in their hair. He knew he, Al, and Winry stuck out like a sore thumb, and finally he voiced the question that was nagging at him.

"Why aren't all the kids at school black-haired and brown-eyed like this?" he asked Winry. "Aren't they all Japanese, too?"

The blonde giggled. "After World War II, the area around our school was an American military base. After a while, lots of the American soldiers started marrying Japanese women, or they decided that they liked it here and that they would stay. So a bunch of kids there are half-Japanese or not Japanese at all, but they've adopted the culture and the language. Also, when people from Europe or Africa or other areas move to Japan, they feel more comfortable in a district with a bunch of different ethnicities, rather than a mostly-Japanese place. So they end up living around our school too." She smiled. "Got it?"

Ed shrugged. "I suppose..." he said, still slightly confused. "That did explain a lot."

Al looked at his watch, then tapped Winry on the shoulder. "We should get back to the teahouse." he told her. "It's already almost three."

Winry nodded and grabbed Al's hand. "Come on, Ed." she called over her shoulder, oblivous to Al's blush. The three ran down the streets until they reached the teahouse, severely out of breath and fifteen minutes past the appointed meeting time.

"There you are!" Gracia cried in exasperation as they skidded to a halt in front of her, red-faced and panting. "I was so worried!" To Edward's surprise, she was accompanied by none other than Maes Hughes, who was solicitously holding her bags.

"Hey, Ed!" the ubiquitous janitor greeted with a smile. "So this is the girl I heard you were living with? Nice catch." He grinned at Winry, who giggled.

Ed rolled his eyes. "She's from my host family." he explained slowly.

"Ooh, you hooked up with your host?" Hughes asked curiously.

"You manage to twist everything I say!" Ed cried, not sure whether to laugh or to punch him. He ended up doing neither, and instead introduced Winry and his brother to the cheerful man.

Winry smiled at him. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." she said politely, Al echoing her sentiments.

As soon as the introductions were finished, Gracia cleared her throat. "I'm really sorry, Hughes-san, but I need to take these three back to their house." She held out her hands for the bags, which Hughes handed back to her reluctantly.

"You'll meet me for dinner, though?" he asked hopefully. "Seven o'clock, the Twin Gates restaurant? My treat."

The principal smiled and blushed a bit. "I'll do my best." she replied.

While they pulled away, Ed turned around to wave at Hughes, who beamed and gave him the 'V for victory' sign. Grinning back at him, Edward made a mental note to talk to Envy and Roy about their manager's little crush.

Later that night, as he lay in bed, Ed contemplated the day's events. Stroking Den - who had managed to worm her way under his covers and was now taking up more than half the bed - he replayed Hisoka's words in his head.

"Sometimes, knowing someone is lonely like you can help a lot."

And it did help. Even though he would probably never see the brown-haired boy again, his words warmed Edward. To have found someone who could sympathize with his homesickness made Ed feel grateful beyond words. If he hadn't met Hisoka, he would have probably kept his feelings bottled up inside him until he exploded. After all, Alphonse was having the time of his life, with no regrets and without looking back. Envy probably wouldn't have been able to comprehend his alone-ness, and the same went for Roy, Winry, Hughes, and Ling. And all he would have gotten from Gracia or Riza was a sympathetic smile and a promise that it would all get better soon.

Den's warm bulk pressed against him as he rolled over and pulled the covers back over him, causing the dog to whuffle in protest. Curling up and burying his face in the pillow, he let the hollow ache in his chest subside as he cried.

However much he tried to deny it, Ed did have feelings, and he did miss Germany - the food, the smells, the cities, the dirt, Russell... even his dad, a little bit. And knowing that he wasn't alone in feeling alone, something loosened inside of him. He would never tell Al that he had cried for Germany - hell, he would never tell Al that he cried at all - and he would never tell Russell that he missed him. But just for now, in his heart of hearts, he could acknowledge that some part of him would always be back there.

Back home.