26: Perfectly Flawed

"What are you doing?" Edward asked the next morning. A very large mess of books and papers was scattered all over the couch and surrounding floor. Christin was curled up on the floor in the middle of it.

"Whazzit? Oh, I was studying alchemy… or trying to," she yawned. "I figured that they might use Al's alchemy against us, so I wanna be prepared."

"But this stuff is purification arts, not alchemy," he stated, picking up a book. Not that there was that much of a difference between the two.

"Hey, I don't know what's going to happen, so I figured I better learn what I can while I can," she stood up and stretched. "Oh, my back is stiff…"

"Whatever…" he shrugged, loping off to the kitchen for coffee.

"Hey, I'll have you know that I actually can do a bit of alchemy, even though the stuff in the book makes no sense to me at all, even after reading five times," she sassed, following him.

"You make no sense to me at all sometimes…" he grumbled.

"Am I bothering you?" she asked as he sat down in a chair.

"Not really; it's just too early for your crap," he replied, pulling her onto his lap.

"I is sorry…" she chuckled.

"About what now?" he mumbled.

"For… well, everything I guess. Sorry… I keep apologizing for the same things. I must be getting on your nerves," she giggled nervously. His face was very close to her chest and it was making her more than a little uncomfortable.

"I'm used to it," he replied, kissing her. They heard someone coming down the stairs, so she instantly leaped off his lap and hurried over to her mess of alchemy stuff. She randomly and probably pointlessly tried organizing some papers, but got frustrated and left.

"What'd you do?" Pinako demanded.

"I didn't do anything. She's just… I don't even know anymore," he sighed, clonking his head on the table.

"Your relationship is going to stay where it is if you don't go talk to her," she chided.

"But I don't know what the problem even is!" he whined.

"Did you ever think that she might miss her home world? Yes, she has us as friends, but she has no real family. Think how hard that must be, how you would feel if Al was gone from your life forever," the old woman said.

"Granny's right, Ed. My master is all alone in the world," Saru chimed in. "She has trouble expressing her emotions and ends up hurting herself as a way to release them. The best way to help her is to just be near her; she'll talk when she's ready."

"She is not alone: she has me," Edward said firmly before leaving.

"Ah, young love…" Kelsie sighed dramatically. "Oh, don't tell me that you hadn't noticed, Pinako."

"He's growing up to be quite a man," she smiled. She knew he liked her, but how much… well, she'd know when they knew.

"You can't keep running from your problems, you know," Edward said. Christin jumped.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture," she grumbled.

"I'm not going to lecture you," he insisted. "I just wanna talk."

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure," she mumbled. 'Talk' probably meant 'I'm going to be nice about my complaints as to why you're such an idiot'.

"Do you miss your world?" he asked gently. Christin blinked in surprise.

"Well, I don't really remember it very well anymore… how can you miss what you've forgotten?" she chuckled. Edward's intense stare got her. "I guess I do. There are so many things I can't talk about with you guys because most of those things don't even exist yet, and I don't know if they'll ever exist, but with me coming here, who knows? Maybe someone will copy the technology from my ipod and make their own. I don't really care either way."

"If you want… I could try to help you get back to your world," Edward offered.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"Why? Umm… because I want you to be happy," he replied.

"You don't have to do that. It's been... what, three years since I came here? I'm doing fine. It's only material things I miss like T.V. and Dance Dance Revolution. Well, those things and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I've got all my friends here or at least people who are so much like my old friends I sometimes forget that these are different people," she continued. "And there's one thing I have here that I never had back in my world."

"Super cool powers?" Edward chuckled.

"Well, yeah, but that isn't what I'm talking about," she grinned.

"Alright, what do you have here that you didn't have there, besides super cool powers?" Edward humored her.

"I have you," she replied. "… and that makes me happy. I don't need to go back to my world because you aren't there. I know that I kinda depend on you a lot, sometimes for really stupid things, but you're the first person to show me affection. Not even my family did that," she mumbled. "They were all talk. My father hated me cuz I wasn't like my obnoxious brother, my brother hated me probably because he was jealous that I was older and so much better at everything than him, my mom was the only one who showed hints of like, but even then she'd call me stupid and worthless and stuff. I guess I never really got over that."

"So you've basically become emotionally inept," he concluded.

"I was, but you and Al fixed that. Back when I was in high school and stuff, I'd say that I liked a guy just because I was lonely. Thinking I liked someone made my crappy existence seem better, but I was still invisible. Not many people noticed me and I had very few friends and I never really found a place where I could fit in until my junior year, but then I Jumped and came here. Then everything turned upside down, but I found people who cared about me. And I decided to stay here," she stretched out on the ground and held up a hand to block the sun.

"Saru wasn't kidding when she said that you'd talk when you wanted," he chuckled.

"But I'm not okay, completely. I've been thinking I'm worthless for so long now that it's hard for me to accept that someone really cares about me. I guess that's kinda why I won't… commit to you. I mean, yeah part of it is from the rape, but… if I … you know… I'm just going to get more and more attached and dependent on you," she admitted.

"It's cute how you can't actually say it," he muttered, putting his head near hers. "You can depend on me. I won't hurt you, I promise." He watched, slightly bemused, as she stood up quickly and walked away a few paces. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.

"Because every time I get near you I get turned on!" she blurted, clamping her hands over her mouth not one second after speaking. "No, you didn't hear that!" she floundered.

"I guess that means you think I'm sexy," he laughed.

"I'm… going back inside," she mumbled, dashing for the yellow house.

"You're so cute…" he chuckled to himself.

"Is something wrong, Pinako?" Christin asked as she walked laps around the house to calm down.

"I was thinking about re-painting the house, but I don't know…" she sighed.

"I could do that," Christin offered.

"You'd have to go pick up the paint I ordered from the station," Pinako noted.

"No big deal," Christin shrugged. "I'll have it done by tonight." With that she Jumped to the station. She had only been there once to see Sheska off to Central, but she only needed to go someplace once in order for her to Jump there. After picking up the paint and paying for it (with a bit of difficulty as she had never quite figured out how much sens were worth) she Jumped back and began working. Hopefully, she'd be able to keep her mind off Edward. She looked around quickly to make sure no one was watching and, after concluding that no one was, flew up to the roof.

"What are you doing?" Lin's voice asked. Christin startled and nearly lost her balance.

"I'm pretending to be a gymnast," she replied.

"On the roof?" Lanfan asked. Christin nodded. She had controlled the paintbrushes to do the work themselves, leaving her free to goof off.

"What's up?" Edward's voice joined them. That made her lose her balance completely and she fell off the roof. "Apparently not you anymore. What were you doing up there?"

"I was being a Goofy Goober," she replied gruffly. "Ew, that's going to leave a mark," she groaned as she hauled herself off the ground. She dusted herself off and looked up.

"What are you looking at?" Lanfan asked.

"It's gotten so dark already…" Christin mused.

"What kind of ditz are you?" Lin asked. Christin glanced at him.

"The kind that will give you a headache," she grinned. "So Ling how're Yao and Chin Po?"

"My name is Lin, and I've never met anyone by those names," Lin replied.

"But in the movie you've already met them before you met Mulan, who is standing right beside you. Or do you two secretly know each other before you joined the army?" Christin continued. Lin sighed and stomped away. Christin's smug grin wilted and she sighed deeply. "Why couldn't I be like this back when I needed it?" she whispered to herself.

"You say something?" Edward asked. Christin shrugged and matched his pace.

"Ed… you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but… is it possible to be agnostic and be a god?" she asked softly.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"Because I've become the very thing I don't believe in," she answered. "I always thought that God didn't care about me and that was why my life started sucking. After a while, I stopped believing he was real. Then I come here and find out I am one. Ironic, isn't it?" they tromped through the house up to their rooms, bidding anyone present 'goodnight'.

Edward watched as Christin stopped walking. This was really bothering her, that much he could sense.

"Why would someone so flawed have to become something so perfect?" she asked bitterly.

"Nobody's perfect," he muttered. "Not even you; but that's another thing I like about you. Our flaws make us human and I think you're more human than most of us."

"But I'm supposed to be this perfect being that can do anything! I can barely tell someone how I feel about them!" she slumped against the door to his bedroom. "I have such a hard time… I can't even tell you that I love you sometimes!" she sobbed.

"I don't care what you're supposed to be, because I love you just the way you are, flaws and all," he kissed her forehead. "Christin, there's nothing wrong with being human. When you're human, you have emotions, which is really just another flaw. Would you really want to become some supreme being that feels nothing or a less supreme human who can feel emotions?"

"I just… I just really want…" she mumbled something so quietly Edward missed it. "I just want to be with you forever…" she repeated when he didn't respond.

"And me with you. There, we solved the problem," he chuckled softly. "We're not going to leave each other, so let's just kiss and make up."

"I want more than that…" she mumbled.

"Well if that's what you want, all you have to do is ask," he replied.

"I can't! It's embarrassing!" she whispered.

"Say it…" he prompted. "If you can't even talk about it, do you really expect to get any further?"

"Alright, alright… just… don't make me get down on my knee or something stupid like that…" she sighed. "Edward… um… will you… will you h— argh, I can't!"

"Since you're so incapable of asking me, I think I'll go to bed. Would you be so kind as to move?" he asked trying to open his door.

"Oh no, you're not going in there without me," she blocked his way.

"I'm waiting…" he sighed impatiently, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Dammit, Edward, will you just have sex with me already?" she burst, biting her lip afterwards.

"See? That wasn't so hard…" he smiled as he kissed her. Christin felt her limbs go weak and accidentally opened the door, making them tumble inside the room. "Graceful…" he muttered, still smiling.

"Shut up…" she mumbled as she stood up and closed the door. "… Do you think I should lock it?" she asked.

"Well, let's see… we're about to engage in sexual intercourse, which can be extremely awkward if someone walks in, so I'm thinking yes, you should lock the door," he answered sarcastically.

"Sorry, it's not like I actually know what I'm doing," she hissed.

"Says the one who has experience… of sorts. I'm the one who should be worried about what I'm doing," he hissed back.

"I was paralyzed. I can honestly say the only thing I felt that time was this awful stinging when the paralysis crap wore off. But that's just me. I don't know it might be different this time," she said.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, resuming their interrupted kiss.

"Because you're not Robin," she replied, "And I want it this time."

They fell back on Edward's bed and Christin wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing his head more into her neck as he trailed hot kisses. He chuckled when his right hand slid up her shirt and made her twitch. She pulled him back up and began unbuttoning his shirt, just barely letting her fingers skim across his skin in the most awful taunting way. Soon enough both shirts were discarded and both were breathing rather heavily. Edward loved the way her body was a perfect contrast to his: soft and smooth whereas he was hard and rough. Even the countless scars on her body were smooth. It was very dark now and the only light came from her tattoos, as the moon hadn't yet risen, and it all made for a very intimate feeling. He jolted a bit when her hands slid down his chest and worked on unfastening his belt. Honestly he was a little scared. Christin moaned when he kissed her neck and that made him smile. Well, that and the fact that she was wearing a skirt, which meant less work for him. She sucked in breath a little quickly when he squeezed her breast. This was definitely better than the rape, by a long shot. His hand was rough and warm and she liked that he was touching her. Somehow he had gotten rid of his pants, but was still wearing his boxers. Her own clothes (or what she was still wearing, which was just her skirt and underpants) were mostly off, so she sped things along a bit, essentially scattering the molecules/cells (she never knew exactly which they were, but right now she didn't care) and then reassembling them somewhere else. She wrapped her legs around his torso and he plunged into her. It hurt and she bit her lip to keep from crying, but overall it was a good kind of pain; she wasn't scared anymore, that was for sure. After a while the pain faded and he began moving his hips back and forth, slowly at first but picking up speed as things progressed. He climaxed just as he thought he was about to explode, her following not long after. His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of her. She smoothed his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. He rolled onto his side, keeping one arm wrapped around her waist.

"You're crying," he stated.

"I am?" she asked, touching her face then wiping it with her arm. "You're trembling," she replied back.

"I'm exhausted," he corrected, giving her a tired smile.

"You know what's stupid?" she asked breathily.

"Hm?" he responded, nuzzling into her neck.

"How people call it 'sleeping with someone' when the only actual sleeping happens after it's done," she said. "They also call it 'making love' but love isn't some physical thing you can actually make. People are strange."

"You're strange," he grinned. She turned so she was facing him, watching his expression in the light from her tattoos. His golden eyes were tired but shining in a very happy way. She sighed deeply and snaked an arm around his waist, pressing her head against his chest. She was suddenly very tired. He pulled the sheets over them, the cool fabric caressing their bare bodies.

"Thank you, Edward," Christin muttered sleepily. Edward smiled. Neither of them had ever felt so happy in their entire lives.

A/N: whelpers, Ed and Christin have done it. Hurray for romance! Sorry, I'm kinda buzzed on green tea right now. Have you ever noticed that it isn't really green? Anyways…yeah. What do you think will happen next? No one knows, not even me, which is stupid cuz I'm the one writing the story. Thanks for sticking with me for so long; I heart you all. Read, review, PM me with ideas, you should know the drill by now.

Until chapter 27…