CHAPTER 11: Azureth in the House Yo!
Weeks had past fast and the something unusual would happen after the morning routine of Ed.
"Aaah…" Ed yawned widely. With the use of his fingers, he wiped the small tears coming from his eyes. He looked around the room. Al wasn't there. He set out of the room and he could smell the cooked fried eggs, bacon and the toasted bread. As he was approaching the kitchen he heard laughter and giggles, even the barks of the dog. He smiled at that idea, despite of the fact that he wasn't seeing them that time. He missed the family in its truest sense. He skipped fast and arrived in the room, then eventually stopped.
"One, two, three, four, and five…" he counted the presence of all around the table.
"Oh, look who's here, join us Ed," Winry said inviting him.
"So where do you think I can put myself here?" he was pertaining to where he would be seated. "SOMEONE occupied my spot here."
"I'm finished here, I have to do something with the sink," Pinako offered him a seat.
Ed responded immediately and pulled the chair. The result, Ed was facing them all, Al on his right and Winry with Azureth on his left side that made his brows went to one line.
"Don't look at me like that," the unwanted visitor said.
"Are you for real?" still his eyes were glued at her.
"Ed, it will be nice to welcome a new member of our family, now stop being rude," Winry said while slicing the bacon on her plate.
"What? Okay, I think you're losing all your minds people. She, in our family? You didn't even consult me with this issue. I vote that she drag her ass out of here, raise your hands if you want it to…" nobody seemed to like his idea. He then glared to his little brother.
Al was afraid to his brother, although it was against his verdict, he chose to come along with him, but Winry let out her weapon tapping it to her other hand. She was actually threatening him not to follow his brother. In the end, even Al wouldn't be hurt with the wrench Winry was holding, it somewhat motivated him to do what her really wanted.
"Hey! I saw that! You're intimidating my ally! That is forbidden!" Ed complained.
"As if you didn't do it earlier than I," Winry admitted in a not obvious way.
"Then the dog is with me!" he took the paws of the canine.
"Hello! You're still outnumbered!" Winry was tired of the morning fight. Azureth just kept her eyes on tracking the people who were talking while sipping milk from the tall glass.
"Then I'll raise my two hands together with my feet and the dogs paws," he said. "Enough Ed, you're not funny anymore."
"I agree," Azureth second the motion.
The dog bit his automail, "Fine, I think just a vote is good to send her to other family."
Scenes fast and Winry gave her a nice meal for the day, a taste of her wrench.
"Ouch! What was that for?" he cried.
"Fixing your head I guess…" she blew the tip of the metal like it was a pistol and slipped it in her pocket.
"I'm done here," he went out. He hammered the house's front door just to say that he was distressed.
"Brother…" Al stood up.
"Let me handle him Al," Azureth rose and still on her hand was the glass of milk.
"… but," the only word came out from Al as he watched her following her brother.
"We know they are not in good terms until now. Do you think she can really make him calm down?"
"Negative if your brother is stubborn as always or positive if his temper will lie low… very very low," Winry reasoned. "Why he finds it hard to forgive someone? I thought everything would be all right but look what happened." she continued.
"I can't blame him though… but sometimes he's being unpredictable, maybe things will turn the other way around, let's just wait," Pinako walked in the kitchen.
"Are you my shadow to stick with me wherever I go?" he was obviously annoyed of her.
"Wrong! Even if you want badly your shadow or the reverse of it, in times of darkness you won't be able to see each other always," then and she beamed at him.
"Stop preaching," he snarled at her.
"Me preaching? Of course not! What I did is a joke. Your shadow doesn't leave you even in time of darkness. You may not able to see it but it is actually there. Tell me how can you see if everything's black like your shadow… and how can a shadow see you if it has no eyes?" she chuckled. She looked straight to Ed afterward who was now facing her. "Oh, I didn't know that you're slow Ed. You didn't get it?"
"It's not even a worth of a laugh that's all."
"Then I'll do it by myself," and she giggled there like a crazy one.
"Nonsense," then he started walking again away from her.
"Hey wait!" she ran beside him, "… so that put me to a conclusion that we both have something in common," she said.
He wrinkled his nose, "I doubt it."
"Well we're not good as clowns. Remember you made fun about the dog? Including him in the vote? I thought it was amusing too but turned out to be not, and a moment ago, I made a joke and wasn't funny either. See we're same on something," she explained.
He took deep breaths, "First it's not my ambition to be a clown, so don't dare to compare me with them and second, I'm not kidding a while ago, understand? Now get lost stray cat."
"Serious?"
"I'm dead serious! Do you think I'm lying?" he pointed his face, he was just an inch away from her face.
"Uhm, I think so…"
The Mt. Edward erupted again but took a hold of it when he saw Azureth's pouted red lips and memories of their first meeting flashed again. He was shaking his head hardly until he went dizzy just to get the thought out of his head.
"Are you alright?" she was trying to reach Ed but he flinched.
"Don't touch me."
Things went like these, Ed kept on walking to unknown destination but Azureth was there behind him still following. If he was running, she would do the same and if he would look at her, she would look up at the sky or at different direction except on his way.
"What do you want? Why you're after me?" he said irritably.
"We're on a problem I suppose," she replied.
"Then the only answer is with thi-" he was about to transmute the things around him when Azureth threw scalpels to his clothes and nailed him to the trunk of the tree.
"Dammit!" he was struggling there.
She took steps going to the tree, "I didn't mean to hurt you," she began to pull the surgical tools. Ed was freed and she rubbed the part of the wood that was damaged. It was weird thing he felt that she really cared to nature. He sat under the shade of the old tree.
"We do really have a big problem from the start," it was Ed.
"It's foolishness that we let it to live long between us. I know that you're hard to deal with, but I guess we can make sense this time," then she gulped the milk.
"You're still with that?" Ed was pertaining to the white liquid.
"You want? Here," She offered.
"Nah, I don't drink from someone's drink."
"Come on! You won't like it if I'll be the one who'll put this to your mouth!" she was insisting but Ed refused it.
"We already kissed and you're still uncomfortable with me?"
He coughed suddenly, "Don't dare to broadcast it again! I buried it deep down the earth and don't dig it up again!"
"And still you're affected! HA-HA-HA! Perhaps it's good to tell it to Winry, but I'm giving you a chance for my plan to change… let's see… how about this milk? Then we'll imagine that this is an alcoholic drink and we'll talk of sensible things," she was brushing the rim of the glass with her hanky.
"I'll take it," and he drank it straight.
Azureth started the conversation, "Ed I wonder if I can make some sort of an operation to your head and make your particular gland to release growth hormone?" she said seriously.
"Now look who's saying sensible things now. Are you making fun of me?" he snorted.
"You didn't laugh so I'm not making joke about you, anyway if that's your decision not to have a free safe operation then so be it. In case you change your decision, I'm ready anytime."
"The truth is… that idea didn't cross my mind."
"Maybe because this is the only time that you heard that with the help of operation it could awaken your growth hormone, so you could be taller, I mean tall. What really crossed your mind is that you were having regrets that you should have offered both of your legs so with the help of the automails you could even customize the height you wanted. Say, that's better! Why don't I cut your another leg so you can have the automail legs instead?"
"Don't make me a laughingstock… and for your information, I don't need any operations just to enhance my height, I would prefer the natural way on how to be tall!" Ed's nose and ears were blowing up smoke.
"What natural way?"
"Well, I'll just eat I guess, the food rich in calcium."
"There's no calcium in meat. You should drink more milk. Make it as your water."
"Okay Doctor Krueger."
"Going to the main topic… even it is awkward to open it up after our exchange of thoughts… uhm, I apologize for causing too much trouble," her emotions shifted to serious one.
"I'm not that type to forgive easily…" he said dismissively.
Azureth sighed, "So you like more of killing each other?"
"You don't understand. If you want to be part of a family, you need to have concern on them. Being a part of a family, you will have the responsibility that you won't let them worry to death, don't solve your problem by yourself!"
"Even if it's revenge I want? You can help? I won't let someone kill people for my sake," she paused and crossed her arms, "I'm only after your forgiveness because that's what I promised to Al, moreover, I don't want to be involved to anyone's family."
"You're rejecting it? You know that you'll regret it. Striving to live by yourself is nothing," he said.
"I don't care. I hate sacrifices but it keeps on chasing me. I had families and they all died as if there's an evil upon me making those tragedies. I can't afford to lose one again…"
"Whoah… you're scared? Why don't you put that aside and let us all shoulder it? It's better to share everything even it is burden, much easier to solve it."
"I'm only attach with you by your father's story and with that small reason the consequences of what you're talking about are at high risks," she picked the flower beside her.
"So you have that stigma that you really carry the 'curse' you've been talking about? Then you've already bestowed it on us. So running away is not an option, facing it is the only choice," Ed closed his hands.
"What if I fail?" she whispered.
"I know this one is a cliché, but it's the truth that you should give your best shot than to do nothing. At any rate, I can't see any trouble since you came here."
"It's just not the right time Ed, it is the curse that will be looking for us, not us searching to it."
"Anytime is the right time, enough of this curses, because how can you say that you're carrying one? Things happened before for it was meant to be, not because it was your fault."
Azureth laughed, "You said that you were not forgiving me for unknown reason and now I think you want me to be part of your family? You're confusing me Ed."
He turned his head above then to Azureth, "The truth is, before they embraced you as a member of our family, I already recognized you as one… saving me, Al, curing Winry's hands even if you were the one who caused that, and not beating up the old bat. What I didn't like is your disappearance after the last encounter to Scar, then showing up all of a sudden. You shouldn't do that. You were well wounded and alone at the same time. It would be hard for you to tend your cuts by yourself. Just imagining it, I don't think that I can make it by myself, you must be pretty tough after all."
Azureth let those words one by one sink into her head. Definitely she was touched by what the guy told her. "Thank you, but do you think I deserve that kind of treatment?"
"Nothing more, nothing less. Welcome to our amazing family, your new life. Now, we will go home because I'm starving, I didn't know that this stuff would be harder for me and even my stomach suffered. After that there'll be a series of chores that you have to do, your schedule in the household," a curve formed to Ed's lips showing his teeth. He rose and lent a hand to Azureth for her to get up easily. Their hands joined together.
"Now I know my role… as your maid. I should have known it earlier." They both laughed as they headed home.
"I was looking for forgiveness and in return I got something that so precious to my memory. A new journey with new people. I didn't know that Ed could turn out with that smile that so impossible for me. Now I want to experience my life with them. I'm sooooo excited! "
Azureth closed the door at her back. It was early in the morning when she went out.
"How's your first day?" Ed was scratching his hair.
"First day? This is my second," she said to him.
"Whatever… anyway how was your first day and how is your second day?"
"Great! Free food, shelter… why you're early?"
"I should be the one asking you that," he returned the question.
"I can't sleep so I went somewhere to unwind and think."
Ed's brow raised, "Are you not used to us? You don't have to mind all the things, just go with the flow."
"You don't understand, anyway, are you going to Central with Al?" she assumed where he was going.
"Yeah… but my brother won't accompany me. I'll just pass the papers from our previous mission and I'll be gone home too," he informed.
"I see… so I can talk to Al while you're not here! I can't wait for that to happen… will you now leave please?"
"Silly! You can tell him anything you want even I'm around. Forget what I said before."
The sun was finally up and Ed was ready to set off.
"How are you?" Winry sat beside her in the porch of the house.
"I'm at my best condition. Anyway do you really think that I'm just spoiling my days here, because you're the second in line who asked me the same thi-."
The door behind opened and Al emerged from it, "Good morning people! Hey Azureth are you enjoying your staying here?"
"Uhm, well yes definitely, nothing to be sorry of," she saw Pinako approaching them. "Er, are you going to ask me too if I'm fine living at this point?" she told the woman.
"I think I heard enough," Pinako simply replied.
"Well then it ends your concerns from now on." She said.
"I don't think so…" Winry interrupted. The dog barked facing them and ran toward Azureth that made her to fall her back on the floor. The dog licked her on her face while wagging its tail. "He's probably telling you if you're okay too," Winry continued.
All of them laughed aside from Pinako who were watching the kids and the dog that was still patting Azureth.
"This is real home," Azureth thought.
"So that kid is once here again. I told you she wouldn't be that weakling to go beyond that incident," Roy was talking to his lieutenant.
"You can't blame me if I'm worrying too much." Riza walked out of the office.
"Now, the term papers I need?" he stretched his arm to get it from Ed.
Ed threw it on the table, "I bet she'll visit her, how about you?"
"What for? For them to point their fingers at me? The mere news that she's okay and alive, I'm at ease now."
"You said it huh? Anyway no one's stopping you from coming over to our house. Or is it your pride that's hindering you?"
"Don't talk as if we're friends." Roy turned his way toward the window.
Ed sighed, "Oh come on, it's fine that you drop by to Risembool. I'll be going now general."
The full metal alchemist wasn't there but Roy kept quiet. He faced his table and opened the drawer. He got something on it and put it back from where it was before. He clasped his hands and closed his eyes.
i'm still grieving over the 4 chapters with no line breaks cause it might really confuse the readers *_*...cause every document here being uploaded only lasts for 60 days, and considering my absence here in for a year... it's very obvious that i will not be bale to retrieve that. T_T
