A/N on time~~ now to bed before I get too tired for college ^^;;
What is this MASSIVE REVIEW WAVE I see?! I love all you guys so much. As such I won't be replying here, I shall reply to you all in due course, I'm rather bogged down with school at the moment ^^;;
Only five chapters left to go, I can't believe it. But I wont trouble you with my surprise and my moping. I'll just let you read the chapter ^^
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Sin's Child
Chapter Fifty-Five: A Mother's Love
June 9th 1913
One aspect of his act that Pride had not thought much about was how he was to be perceived health wise, though he could not grow and was unable to stretch his container's skin for long periods of time height was not the issue, rather was he proven to be fit and well? All children who attended some form of education were expected to undertake a physical examination in school or visit a doctor at least once a year. Of course Pride would have only accepted the latter, and Wrath had hand waved the issue away as the Bradleys had a family doctor now, no doubt Father at work ensuring everything went smoothly. As such, Wrath had agreed to his wife to take dear Selim to his bi-annual examination in the basement.
"So, Wrath, how did my family doctor get here? Did you escort him down here first?" They walked along with brisk but relaxed steps. This was a minor inconvenience for the both of them, Wrath had work he should have been doing and Pride, well, Pride would have found something better to do, like rearrange his new wardrobe. Wrath shook his head.
"I was told by Envy that he would be escorting your doctor here."
"Oh, Envy did?" Envy had trouble dealing with humans on the best of days, Pride severely doubted he would have been able to direct their corrupted human through the mansion well enough without getting too irritated. "Are you sure it will not merely be Envy himself in disguise?"
"Perhaps it will be. I doubt the examination result papers would be too difficult to forge even for Envy." Pride smirked at the dripping sarcasm, and Wrath almost cracked a smile too. Their genial, mutual respect for each other that allowed them to partake in such pleasantries almost made Pride forget the he was only living here to monitor Wrath's behaviour lest something go awry with the Plan because of him, and it was an enjoyable, if brief slip of priorities. It had been too long since they'd last spent any time together.
At last they reached the basement door, and not sure what part he should be playing Pride slipped into his act immediately, bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet. It was warranted, if it was only Envy he was dealing with then he could put up with his act as a brotherly teasing, and if it was a human it would disarm them enough to properly fake his results once they realised the truth, if they were not aware of it already. Pride knocked twice on the basement door and stepped away, waiting patiently. Immediately the door swung open and a blur of white stepped out.
It wasn't Envy. It definitely wasn't Envy. Pride recoiled so violently he smashed into Wrath, who didn't react in the least. It couldn't…it just couldn't be…
"Ah, hello there Bradley, it has been a long time since I saw you last." As the Doctor's misaligned eyes fell on him Pride tried to push himself even further back, but Wrath wouldn't budge at all. "And you, Number 316, it has been even longer, how nice it is to see you again. You haven't aged a day." How could this be, humans hardly lived past seventy never mind being still alive half a century after they had first met! This wasn't supposed to happen; Pride had never thought he would see this human ever again after he had repented to Father. The countless whys of it all buzzed in his head until he could hardly think straight at all. "I was led here by your ambiguously sexed sibling. I shall have to thank this Envy as soon as we meet again. Now, I do believe your Father has called upon me to forge a medical examination. Let us waste no time with reintroducing ourselves." The Doctor's hand crushed tight to his wrist and dragged him along, no matter how hard Pride dug his shoes into the floor.
Having twisted himself around to try and resist in everyway for as long as he could, no matter how degrading he saw Wrath, saw that Wrath hadn't moved an inch from his spot. Their eyes met but there was nothing, just blank and unable to feel anything beyond his own selfish shock.
"Wrath…" It came out as a mix of a desperate plea and a hateful hiss. He didn't react at either aspect.
Pride continued to fight to no avail, still waiting for Wrath to protest, even as he was halfway through the doorway he hoped that he would leave his daze and realise what he was doing. But he never did, and as the door slammed shut Wrath still looked on.
0 * 0 * 0
September 15th 1913
"Selim, what can you discern from the description of the Occeals cat about its personality?" Pride leafed through back through the book a page or two to where the strange smiling animal had first showed up. It was hard to have opinion on his designated book, except that it was completely random and unusual to a fault. If it wasn't this strange Alice girl running into a grinning cat she was trying to look after a baby that hated pepper and ended up turning into a pig. While he didn't understand the reason behind any of it he could appreciate the fact that it was never boring, there was always too many things Alice was getting herself involved in for it to be anything close to boring.
"Well, the cat considers itself to be quite mad, as with the other people who live in Wonderland, and it tries to prove this by recalling that unlike the 'correct' manner of behaving, it growls when it is pleased and wags its tail when angry, though since Alice considers this to be purring and quite sane it can be seen as contradictory." It was Alice's own fault for being nothing but a petulant child, being ignorant to her studies and following that white rabbit wearing a waistcoat. "As it smiles like a cat should not it can be seen as rather unique and interesting, and Alice is curious of it. It also gives her helpful advice about how to meet everyone else, so it can be nice too." Why it smiled was another question entirely, one that Pride was quite sure would never be answered. Though Occeals was a district bridging the North and West areas of Amestris, maybe the breed of cats there could smile somehow? "But then it disappears without much warning so maybe it is quite rude in that respect as well."
"Hm, satisfactory. Let us continue reading." Pride returned to the correct page, and lazily followed the text, barely focusing, but catching enough to understand where the erratic plot was leading. He'd never had a tutor before, one that was just for him and no one else, the instructors at the Facility were spread thin over the six classes and cared as little for each of the candidates as much as Pride cared to separate them. They were cold but efficient, and the same could be said for his own tutor now, he supposed.
Miss Minerva Wespe was not a pleasant woman by any means, severe and icy like she had a general dislike for everything she set her beady, sharp spectacle covered eyes on. With her neat burgundy jackets and long skirts she tried to exude something of warmth to no avail. Maybe things might have been different had Wrath not chosen upon being stubborn and selecting his own human, with the younger Wespe daughter taken by Phillip perhaps Wrath would have caught sight of the older, plainer sister. Her skin was puckered and tight with age and her secret hate for having never married. To be working in such a place, with the Fuhrer and his wife and their adopted child, perhaps it was not the best she could have wanted to point out her own errors, but Pride knew her well enough to know that she would have never desired children. Given her hate for them it was a wonder she was a tutoress in the first place. At least she had patience for him though, but him being the very image of a well behaved and for the most part attentive child how could she not, especially given his status- the son of the Fuhrer paled to the unmarried sister of Phillip Armstrong's wife.
The quiet creak of the door caught Pride's attention enough for him to raise his head a fraction. Wrath's wife poked her head in, smiling as she saw him.
"Good afternoon, Selim. I brought you some lunch while you read. I just know Mrs. Wepse is teaching you well." She stepped in through the door holding a small tray carrying a small plate and a glass of water.
"It is Miss Wespe, Madam." His tutor seemed to have no problems with speaking up when she clearly wasn't talking to her, but it was a quieter, more restrained and less cold, which was a welcome change. Wrath's wife didn't notice the impudence, and nodded.
"Oh, Miss Wepse of course. Sorry about that." She set the tray down on his desk, and Pride pulled the book open onto his lap to make room. Beside the glass of water were a sandwich and a small bunch of red grapes. Such care had gone into their placement and construction, with fluffed edges of lettuce and tiny circles of tomato poking out around the bread crust, no doubt there was a slice or three of ham embedded somewhere in there as well.
"Thank you, mother." He took an enthusiastic but still refined and proper bite of the sandwich, smiling wider as he chewed it happily. For her to think so much of him to go out of her way and make lunch for him when she could have ordered the cook to make it for him was peculiar, when he wasn't even her child.
She just fluffed up his hair and told him to have fun reading. Pride watched her leave curiously, still not understanding why she was the way she was. He still didn't see why Wrath valued her so much; she wasn't extraordinary in any way. Still, Wrath had spent almost thirty-five years married to her, so there must have been something.
Pride smirked at the devious thought that bubbled up in his mind. She had spent so much time fussing over him in the few months he'd been here that she didn't spend as much time with Wrath anymore. If Wrath valued her so much then he would surely miss her attention before very long. Pride remembered Wrath's disgusting and inconsiderate behaviour those months before, how he had just watched and not said anything at all. It was shameful. Wrath deserved to be punished, and what better way to do so than with friendly competition for his wife's affection?
0 * 0 * 0
November 1st 1913
Pride had to admit that his methods of stealing her attention away from Wrath had been numerous and less than satisfactory. While at home he could run away from his duties as Fuhrer and come to visit them for snippets at a time whenever he pleased. Pride needed something more extended, that prevented Wrath from seeing his beloved spouse for most of the day and for when he saw her again it would be with him by her side preventing her from going anywhere near him until he was sent to bed. He would be obedient and perfectly well behaved while Wrath would be his usual seething self and she would think less of him for being jealous of his adopted son. It was too perfect a plan that Pride was sure that only he (or Father should an unusual enough circumstance ever arise) was capable of concocting it.
The plan seemed to be working effortlessly, he had woken and dressed that morning and padded downstairs to find that Wrath had spent the night in his office because he was bogged down in his work. With no tutor to waste his time Pride had requested that they have an outing to buy toys and what not, pleading that it would help his room feel more like his own. Even now a small part of her remembered that he wasn't her child and that he could still be grieving over his parents, so she allowed it.
They walked along the path hand in hand, the weakening autumn sun throwing their shadows across the floor in stunted blobs. Wrath's wife had chosen that they walk so as to enjoy the nice weather, as well as the fact that the most high quality shops clustered around Central Headquarters anyway. Pride felt himself scowling as the sound of their united, even steps was constantly interrupted by the heavy footfalls of those two trailing behind. Pride could understand the reasoning behind it, Wrath's wife was a very high profile woman, and she needed to be protected, namely by the two irritating body guards following them. Pride didn't care to distinguish them with names or differences in appearance, their identical black suits were all that matted for Pride to discern who they were. They were efficient to a fault in everything they did and Pride dreaded the time when Father would wish to see him as it would be almost impossible with those two roaming around. When he had started to sleep in his bed throughout the night and not return to his way of sleeping on the floor Wrath's wife would check on him, though now occasionally that duty was extended by one of them, who would noisily creak the door open wide three times every hour and more often than not wake him when they did. He had every right to dislike them; they hardly did anything beneficial to anyone. Still, they hardly made conversation and tried to keep themselves unnoticed, but that wretched sound of them hitting the pavement prevented him from forgetting about them entirely.
"Did you like your new short trousers, Selim?" She asked him as they wandered along to find a toy shop. It had been necessary to spend as much time as possible on their outing, and Pride had grown bored with his grey shorts. They were rather drab and clashed with the image of the child he was supposed to be. So, they had purchased some warm brown ones instead, sewn in braces included, unfortunately. Even in the facility he'd despised the things. He was happy to leave the grey ones for other occasions (and it was certainly not because his grey ones made it look like he was wearing his candidate uniform underneath his jacket, of course not, how absurd…). Perhaps the guards were actually useful for something- carrying the baggage of their gratuitous spending, the shorts, a couple more red ties and his many spare white shirts.
"I really like them; I can't wait to wear them tomorrow." She smiled at his enthusiastic grin.
"That's nice darling. So, where do you want to go now?" He paused for a moment to think, even though he already knew where he was going.
"Well, after we go to the toy shop can we go to the park? Oh, we might even see the Tiny Alchemist there, that would be amazing if we did!" In his own special childish way he had given this ridiculous nickname to that small human that Wrath had told him about a while ago. The idiotic teenager had most certainly performed human transmutation for an equally idiotic reason, and from that had seen the Truth. But the fact that he had done so was far more important than the reasons, and so he was of the utmost importance to Father as a confirmed Human sacrifice. He, along with Hohenheim and that Doctor Marcoh who had gone missing after the war in Ishval, would come to be especially useful to them on the Promised day. Wrath also had suspicions about the boy's armour clad younger brother, which would be even more helpful to Father's Plan. His admiration of the boy allowed Pride to keep tabs on them without being considered suspicious; it was all so convenient that way. "Edward is so cool, becoming a state alchemist so early; I can't wait 'til I'm old enough to learn alchemy, then maybe I can become one too!" The actual possibly of there being such serendipity of them encountering the brothers was slim to none. They seemed obsessed with travelling around the country whenever possible in their desperate search for something or other that was probably childish and trivial, and indeed Pride had no desire to meet the countryside-born alchemists. She just gave his hand a caring squeeze at his gushing, chuckling a little, and waited until he had calmed down before replying.
"If we have the time we can, Selim. We'll need to use the car though. The park is quite far from here and you might get tired walking all that way." Pride nodded. "Oh look Selim, there's the toy shop." Pride hurried along, and they pushed open the doors into the shop together.
Half an hour later the two of them stepped back out, and a few moments later Pride's two bodyguards followed, holding three more small paper bags by the handles along with their previous two. However much she had spoiled him with the dozens of trinkets and gifts (and the enthused shopkeeper had been all too happy to show off everything in the shop for him to entice him into buying even more) it wasn't enough, there was still too much time left to waste until Pride would be satisfied. He could hardly recall what they'd bought at all, a mix of clockwork animals and wooden people, and a model of a market place with tiny pieces of food in stalls. Part of him enjoyed getting doted upon in such a superficial way, as the son of the Fuhrer it was only right that he be a privileged child who wanted for nothing, who had only the best of education and sources of amusement. Thinking of another distraction he tugged at her sleeve.
"Hm, what's wrong?"
"I'm hungry. Please can we get something to eat?"
"Of course we can Selim. Would you like something in particular? I'm sure there are lots of shops near here." She glanced around, her gaze settling on the small lace canopy hanging over the shop entrance. "Oh there, a cake shop, how lovely. Would you like a slice of-?" He ran off without warning, dragging her along with him by the hand. This would be a suitable distraction for now, they could eat a slice of cake together and then go to the park, and even after that he could think of something else for them to do.
From afar there was some sound like a deep humming; he didn't turn his head towards to noise, ignoring it, far more focused on thinking up a later activity to do for their outing. Something jolted in his head suddenly, and burst into life with a pained shout.
It's coming, Pride! Please listen!
The voice from all those years ago, that had been obedient and silent for the past fifty years, that had grown faint and faded away after his dream in the tunnel with Sloth. Why had it decided to return now?
What do you want?
Please please please stop, don't go. Don't do what I…I…
Its usual terrified ripple ran up through up, and it looked like it was shivering. They both stepped out into the road together, his left hand still tight around hers, and she trailed the one step behind him. The humming sound got louder, but still he kept walking, not paying it attention, still too far away for him to fully notice.
And louder and louder and louder, Pride!
The voice shrieked again. Pride didn't have the slightest idea what it was talking about, and they were almost across the street now and that was far more important.
The metal horse, metal…horse-h-h-horse Pride. Don't. Don't. Please.
A much louder noise bleared through the air, and Pride turned his head, curiously. Oh, it was a car, a car coming this way, and at him. Pride froze in place, suddenly afraid and alone and his feet wouldn't move an inch no matter how much his mind and the voice screeched in unison.
Move Pride, move! Don't be so stupid or scared! You aren't ignorant like I was! Why won't you-!
"Selim watch out! There's a-!" What could he do, he wouldn't bleed or get injured in anyway, everything would be ruined and they'd all know. Could he burst the tires with his shadows without anyone noticing? But wouldn't be necessary if he could just move. Why was he being so pathetic and weak?! He couldn't feel the warmth of her hand around his anymore, he really was alone now.
Something barreled into him, not the car, but something else. Through his sight above whatever the thing was wrapped tight around him he saw the car swerve and smash itself into a lamppost. Pride realised the thing was Wrath's wife, and she was crying.
"I was so worried, Selim. Selim…thank goodness you're alright…thank goodness…" She sobbed into his shoulder, squeezing him like she never wanted to let go again. She…she'd protected him from the car? Why would she do something like that, when she could have been killed herself? Humans were selfish creatures, only interested in themselves and their own needs and wants. But what had she to gain from almost killing herself to shield him? Did she care that much?
The voice softened, sighing.
She truly does love you, Pride. You should be happy that she cared so much that she would risk her life to protect you.
Content, it faded away into silence once again. Pride didn't understand, it made no sense, humans weren't supposed to be like this, all he had ever known and come to trust made no sense when it came to her and what she'd done. She held him there for what seemed like forever, and Pride did nothing to prevent her, laying his head on her shoulder, staring out but not seeing, confused and bewildered beyond what he could comprehend. For her to have such an endless, boundless love for him… Is this what it was like, to have a mother?
"I'm fine, Mother. I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" The outing could be cut short, neither of them were in a fit state to continue.
0 * 0 * 0
November 19th 1913
"Height- forty four inches tall, same as always. Weight…I suppose I'll be required to lie for that one again. How is forty six pounds? That would be a healthy weight for a boy your age." Pride didn't give him the pleasure of replying, giving a half nod as he stepped away from the scales and trudged his way towards the table. Outside the barely changing height and weight everything else could remain the same. The eye and hearing test and the check for scoliosis didn't need to be done, that would only waste the precious hour they had to spend together. He wished it to be over already.
The Doctor watched him, just out the corner of his eye as he scribbled nonsense over his examination report. From the brief glances it was nothing but an unintelligible, barely legible scrawl of repetitiveness, like always.
"Have you settled in yet? At the facility it took you over nine months until you had adapted to living there. I remember it well, near to the time you ate Number 22, you suddenly stopped failing in your studies. I wonder how that could be; did you absorb some of 22's knowledge? With a container as peculiar and unusual as yours I am sure it is capable of so many hundreds of other things I am not yet aware of." His constant smile quivered in the corner, like he was upset with him over something, but even so he scratched at his clipboard with his pen like there was nothing wrong at all. "You always were unwilling to share anything with me, even though your Father trusts me completely." The Doctor poked and prodded, never willing to let him forget that and how much of value he was to Father even now, to point out that there was nothing he could do without it reaching Father no matter what. "It's a shame really; science could develop greatly from studying your container, or those delightful shadows of yours. But you care little for such human matters, don't you?" All the required examinations completed as far as anyone would know the Doctor passed the clipboard to him, and Pride gripped the very edge with the tip of his fingers and daintily pulled it away from him. But even then the warmth and the damp of the Doctor's fingers were still tangible through the board, but he suppressed the desperate urge to cringe and shiver and throw the wretched thing as far away as possible. But he couldn't.
"I believe everything is plausible for the most part. Your pretence as Selim Bradley shows you to be a bright, healthy, but by no means extraordinary nine year old. Rather stunted in height with appropriate weight for such, but that can be explained away rather simply. Males tend to mature later than females, so it will be assumed that you will grow much taller at a later stage, and by that time the Promised Day would have already passed. It is nothing you should worry about." Pride scanned over the results to be sure, and everything seemed to be in order, information about him scattered about over the page in the required boxes, and the jumbled spray of ink blots at the bottom that Pride assumed was supposed to the Doctor's fake signature. He couldn't make anything through the mess out anyway.
"Why would you doubt that I would be anything other than perfect in my act with Wrath?" Pride spoke it quietly but with no rise or fall in his voice, calm and even and emotionless as it should be. He couldn't show anything else, anything else would only make things worse. The Doctor had completed his examination now and only ten minutes had passed, there was still too much time left until he was free to leave, far too much…
"I did not doubt you for a moment. I have seen for myself how effortlessly you can form your façade against humans. Jacket off." It began with every bit of abruptness as always. Every part of him screaming not to react he still froze in place, teeth clenching with inward disgust. "Of course, cracks do form in that façade sometimes, accidents happen…Word echoed down from the third laboratory that you were almost struck by a car." The Doctor knew he would be stubborn, and dragged him to the table's edge by his ankle. It wasn't like it used to be, the Doctor's vice like grip weaker than he remembered, hand discolored and speckled with liver spots, but still strong enough to pull along his container without him feigning its weight. "I wouldn't have thought someone such as yourself would have been so irresponsible." The Doctor almost loosed a quiet chuckle at the shame of it, while he pushed the first pale blue button of his blazer out, dragging it out. "You're being awfully quiet, do you not like living with Number 12 and his human?" Pride didn't answer, staring out the corner of his eye, turning away as the Doctor unbuttoned the others, merely pulling his arms of the sleeves when he tugged at them and hugging them to his waist.
"It is what Father has asked of me." There was nothing else that needed to be said on the matter. He had no opinion on his stay with Wrath's wife; he had no need to think anything of it except that it was Father's will, even after what she had done for him back in September. It…it didn't mean anything, no matter how peculiar. The Doctor threw his blazer over the table's edge, where it slipped and no doubt fell into a horrible blue heap on the floor. Neither paid it any notice, Pride already anticipating the worst, trying to force his mind to cloud with distractions, with whatever senseless thing to make him forget where he was and why he was here at all. The two sharp jerks as the Doctor tore his shoes from him brought him back before he could even force a daydream. The socks came with them, and the deathly November cold ensnared him even in the basement.
"I see. Well, I'm sure you will be content in spending the rest of your time with them. Two years, is it? You only spent a scant eighteen months within the facility. It doesn't feel like it was fifty years ago, does it?" It had felt like fifty years just being here. He shouldn't think about that, shouldn't think lest he remember the isolation, the pain and the endless memories that might have been his or Number 22's or Number 105's but he never could tell and they all washed together into a filthy, stagnant puddle regardless. But how could he, with the Doctor already at his knees and pulling curiously at the edge of his shorts. Something like shame burned inside him, but it twisted and solidified into the tiniest indignation.
"Brown short-trousers instead…are you trying to subvert who you once were by changing your attire marginally?" The scoff he needed to force out died before it could even form. How absurd it was, that wasn't the reason, he wasn't as weak and pathetic as that to be affected by such a trivial thing as his clothing, no matter how much he looked like he did back then without his blazer to hide it…
The slight indignation grew, and set alight into the most venomous of loathing, the loathing that had formed in that single moment all those years before. It pushed at the edge of his mind, to no longer be the meek, pitiful thing he was when he was required to repent. Father had forgiven him so why should he still accept this. Pride forced himself to ignore it.
"Grey is… too cold a colour to wear for such a cheerful child as I am pretending to be. I shall only be wearing them for more… f-formal occasions." He wasn't faltering. It wasn't threatening to burst and lead to him doing something far from sensible.
"You do not consider this a formal occasion? How interesting, Three-six-" and it burst.
"I hate you, you know that, right?" Pride turned to face him, staring with his wide, pure and innocent eyes of his act, whilst the deep fire of his loathing raged and flared behind them, threatening to emerge with every second. "And if you know that then you know who I am. Oh, but you called me three-sixteen, but three-sixteen has no shadows or eyes or teeth for you to study, so why would you…?" The feigned attempts of being nice died mid sentence and he couldn't stand the thought of pretending to be so a moment longer. But still he forced the shadows in his throat to remain tight around his vocal cords. The Doctor didn't deserve to hear his true voice. "My name is Pride, you insolent, vile, detestable waste of human flesh. I am not one of your bygone candidates for you to continue to debase. My role there ended over fifty years ago, as will yours on the Promised day and when that day comes I will dispose of you. You have no place being…you don't deserve to become part of Father!" The last of his outburst echoed in the cramped room, and Pride caught his breath, still glaring, the fire still burning even now and painfully evident in his constant glare replacing his usual icy indifference. Pride let out a sigh, but still set his head back, savouring his personal victory. There, now the Doctor would know his place and this ridiculous farce could end without incident. Father would not mind that he had done such a thing; he was no longer repenting so-
"Oh, I would anticipate it should I know that it would be you doing the honours, Pride." The Doctor was leaning right in front of him, roughly cupping his cheeks and he far too close too close too close! "I have always longed to see those ever so fascinating shadows of yours, if this is to be the only way then so be it." The utter delight oozed from the Doctor's voice like he was pleased that Pride had promised to kill him, as if his hate validated his worthless little life somehow. Pride only shivered and squirmed at the sound of it until he understood, and bile bubbled in this throat.
This was exactly what he'd wanted; he'd been pushing him, to force him to snap just to hear his screeching true voice and his shadows that would gladly rip him to bits given half the chance if he wasn't important to Father. And that was what he wanted. Pride crumbled, his personal victory rebounding into the complete opposite. Some part of him still bleated feebly, to defy him even now, to prove that he was wrong.
No you wouldn't Iwillmakeyousufferdon'tyoudaresayyou'llenjoyitIwilltearyouapart…
But that would only encourage him, and for once Pride caved, and relented, slouching in defeat. Ever so pleased with himself the Doctor inched closer with his constant gold cubed grin, sitting behind him on the table.
"I look forward to it, Pride." He may have misinterpreted the Doctor but that didn't mean he still could not hate with every fibre of his being. As he did, as he always would. For now though, there was nothing he could do but bide his time.
Breath on his ear. Only two more, and then it would be over.
Hand in his shirt. Everything would be over soon enough.
He accepted it. Like there was anything else he could do. Pride was silent.
The Doctor slid his braces down.
0 * 0 * 0
As much as he had stopped mourning and become little more than an ordinary child, that wasn't to say it was unusual for him to be allowed his privacy. She seemed to understand that sometimes he would like some solitude in his own room and not constantly clung to her side. A boy his age needed some independence. At times like this he appreciated that more than anything, curled up on the floor, halfheartedly doing something that could be considered playing quietly should someone disturb him.
She spoiled him, his large toy chest that could double as a stool stuffed to bursting with all sorts of things: clockwork carts with donkeys attached, a large toy car with working wheels, a soft stuffed rabbit with a blue waistcoat from that children's book, a wide array of wooden, exquisitely and delicately painted animals. It was probably ungrateful of him, that he had chosen to gush about those Elric brothers who could only be drawn, favouring a pencil and paper instead of the expensive toys that any other child would have done anything to possess even one of. Not tonight though, tonight he would sit on his stomach and hug the little brown rabbit under his arm, create a path with his wooden blocks to watch the clockwork birds hop around with tiny mechanical jerks. Their intermittent whirrs and hums were almost soothing when all five of them did so together, and as he watched them he pushed the car lazily along with his spare hand.
It was far too early to go to bed, and it wasn't worth the effort to pretend he was ill to do so. With a sigh Pride pushed at the edge of his shirt beneath him, tucking its loose edge back in, while no one would notice it wasn't worth the risk, he didn't need her worrying about something else because of him behaving oddly. He was not so sloppy. Growing bored with pretending to play Pride pushed himself to his feet, leaving the rabbit doll in his place and wandering over to his window. The soft, pale light of the full moon washed over him in its slow ivory waves. It was only just beginning to rise over the wall; the sun had only just begun to set when he had been ushered away to the basement for his examination. He stared up at it wistfully; it had always had a way of calming him, even when he was young however many centuries ago, when there were no facilities or acting or examinations, just Father and doing anything he could to make him happy. It might have been the same now but it was all so…complicated. However inappropriate and immature he appreciated the simplicity for once of just gazing up at the moon with a smile, it wasn't much of anything, but it was better than nothing. Anything would be better than leaving him with nothing else to think about but the-
"What are you doing?" Pride winced and spun around. It took him far too long to realise who it was, but when he his arms that had folded themselves tight across his chest slackened, and he nodded towards him.
"Oh…hello." He wasn't sure which name he wanted to use, and settled for neither.
"How was the examination?" Like Wrath cared, like he could even understand anymore.
"It went as well as expected, Wrath. I left the results in the dining room on my way back up." Wrath nodded, and he looked at the scattered toys at the foot of the bed.
"Playing by yourself, Selim?" He usually hardly tried at attempting to act, but it seemed that he was actually making an effort this time, how odd.
"There is nothing unusual with a child wishing to play in their room. Most high class children have their own nursery and have a nanny to look after them instead of their parents, if anything it is you who are being unusual by visiting me at all and taking such an interest in me." He was doing nothing wrong by wanting to be alone for a while, and surely Wrath could understand that and stop trying to irk him.
"Not all children have Lenore as a mother, who cares about you, and will worry about you if you go skulking off until bedtime every time you have your examination. She may get suspicious." Pride scoffed at the idea. Like he would allow such a thing, or would be caught doing anything to warrant such suspicion to arise at all. Something shifted ever so slightly in Wrath's posture, his moustache twitching, curling down at the very edges, but whatever it was eluded him and he tried not to think anything of it. "Come to the tearoom, Pride. There's no point in you wallowing down here. You'll feel better there, and she'd be happy to make you anything you'd like if you get hungry before bed. She truly does love you, and you like to pretend that you can't see it, that it doesn't exist at all." As much as Pride knew that he had already grown bored with wasting time, it would have been far too shameful to agree with Wrath, to even admit that he was sulking, when he wasn't sulking at all. Wrath just didn't understand. He'd never understand again. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of agreeing to-
"Ok, Wrath." The words slipped out without him realizing, maybe he had meant to but had been too caught up in denying to notice. Yet, as the words faded into the air the tense, slightly heated atmosphere melted away into calm, and Wrath smiled at him, not smug, not revelling in forcing him to give in, only…almost happy. Wrath didn't say anything, and left the door open for him as he felt the room silently. Pride followed him curiously out the into the corridor, not sure how to react to what Wrath was doing, or even trying to do by forcing him to spend time with them in the tea room. But there was nothing better he could do so he'd might as well. Any other time he would have not gone along with Wrath's senseless suggestions, of course he wouldn't.
Once he'd climbed the stairs and made his way along to the tea room Wrath was nowhere to be seen, having not waited for him to catch up. Pride waited beside the door frame, scrutinising every part of his attire to make sure it was perfect, that nothing was even the tiniest bit out of place lest she grow suspicious of him. He fixed his collar and retied his tie, pushing the crease at the top out just like she did, brushing lightly through his unruly stuck up fringe to make sure it looked presentable, pulling his socks up so they were aligned and parallel in height. How could he have ever allowed himself to get into such a state? Satisfied with his adjustments Pride nervously poked his head in through the gap in the door Wrath had left for him.
Wrath's wife turned her head towards him at the loud creak from the door opening further as he leant against it, half surprised as she saw him, had Wrath not told her to expect him? Her expression softened immediately into a smile.
"Hello Selim, I wondered where you'd gotten to, but your father said that you were downstairs playing so I didn't want to disturb you. How was your examination, you know how I worry about those things."
"The doctor says I'm fine, Mother." Even saying the word burned, but it was necessary, he had stopped mourning and her taking the place of the one he had lost was required, so he could ignore the word and all it stood for. "The report is in the dining room, do you want me to bring it for you?" Pride started to inch his way back out, remembering how the boredom and solitude of his room might have not been so bad after all. She waved the idea away in an instant.
"Oh no, it's fine, Selim. Thank you anyway, such a helpful boy you are." She ushered him closer, already pouring him some tea in a spare cup, dropping two sugar cubes and a large splash of milk into it just the way he liked. Pushing his reluctance aside he stepped cautiously down the two or three steps and over to the couch "Thank goodness everything came back ok, I don't know what I'd do if I found out there was something the matter. I never had to go through any because I never went to school, but I'm sure it must be strange, all of the students queuing up to see a doctor like livestock. I'm happy we have a family doctor for you so you don't have to leave home just for something like that." At the facility there had been no need for medical check ups, any issues were weeded out and either remedied or eliminated as soon as they were discovered. He hadn't thought much about actual examinations. They were probably brief, simple, meaningless affairs every year or so during the lower class's time at school, though with his tutor he knew that he would never have to attend such a place so the lack of consideration was warranted, and he thought nothing more about it. "I will have to meet him someday and thank him for being so punctual and helpful." Pride almost chocked on his tea at the suggestion, she couldn't, she couldn't. She might have been easily fooled by the both of them but she was not blind to the obvious. He resisted shaking his head, glancing at Wrath to do something, anything; surely here he could understand that he could do nothing here without her figuring out what was wrong. Thankfully Wrath managed to quash his no doubt identical reaction, and looked over to her with a serious yet still somehow…caring expression. He couldn't understand, why did Wrath care for so her much? He wasn't supposed to be able to even feel such ridiculous things.
"He's a very busy man, dear. He only barely managed to get to see Selim today; I don't think we should keep him from his work with such pleasantries. I'm sure he knows how much we…value him." She mulled it over, perhaps thinking of a retort, but she nodded in the end.
"That's true, Dear. You're right. Well, it's nice to see you here again, Selim. I'll tuck you in like always in about an hour." Wrath's wife stood up, and wandered over with her still warm smile, coming to sit beside him on the couch. "You're so considerate of your parents, Selim, wanting to spend time with us when you could be by yourself playing. We must seem boring to you but we still love you very much." She pulled him close to her, wrapping her arms around him.
"No, I…I like being with you, you aren't boring at all, Mother." Gazing up at her he smiled and pushed himself closer, affectionately inclining his head under hers. So close to her he could feel the fluffy cotton of her shawl, and beneath it and her chest the weak little rhythmic patter of her ever so human heart, while under his own was cold and silent and empty save for the darkness. He leant his ear to it, listening as his eyes slid shut, his arms coming to wrap around her too.
'It's warm.' 'The thought drifted through his mind like one of those dandelion clocks in spring, bobbing gracefully about in a calm breeze. Something fluttered contently inside him, and he felt himself relax and he sighed. There was no pretence with her, she had even risked her life to protect him, when he wasn't even hers and never would be… she loved him that much…At the same time it felt completely and utterly wrong. He shouldn't be feeling this…whatever it was.
A deep blush rose up in his cheeks, he wasn't sure if it was in embarrassment at her fussing over him or shame of blushing at all and this foreign feeling of what he couldn't understand. He caught Wrath looking at the small fracture in his act, the quirk in his moustache where he was smirking. And how dare he, how dare he know about this dreadfully human emotion and then smirking at how flustered he was becoming. No, no, he couldn't let Wrath see him falter like this…this wasn't affecting him at all…it wasn't…
But he couldn't bring himself to deny that it wasn't pleasant, that he didn't yearn for her warmth and love and attention more than anything else at that moment. He didn't even care if Wrath was mocking him if it meant that he could stay here, like this.
After that, this was completely the opposite, this was kind and gentle and sincere and he hated the fact that he relished in it so much. It wasn't right, it wasn't, it wasn't….but…why should he have to endure that without anything to balance it out? After that, he needed something like this, whatever it was.
Accepting his shameful affinity for her peculiar human type of love just this once, Pride fell asleep in Mother's arms.
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Wheee~ nice fluffy ending for you alllll~
Poor Pride, Wrath was too brain broke to help him, and couldn't see that Wrath was sympathizing with him without being too expressive : (
Now, I had to rename the Cheshire cat obviously because we're in Amestris. So, as Cheshire is a county in the Northwest of England, I chose a name that combined the latin word for North 'borealis' and West 'Occidens', so that could be an area of Amestris that covered the north and west too ^^
I so wanted Pride's tutor and Mrs. Armstrong to be related, they look so similar except Pride's tutor looks a little older and doesn't have the Armstrong curl. Just check out chapter 45 if you don't believe me. Also I do just love tying things together ^^
Oh yeah, I know that Pride was lying when he said that when he was almost run over he could 'have moved at any time', since if he could there was no way he wouldn't have, the speed limit in 1910 was 10-15mph and the max cars could go was 20-30, so he must have froze like a deer in headlights for him to have not managed to move out of the way ^^
Phew, next chapters will be a little shorter and not as cramped, so I'll definitely be on time again ^_^
