Disclaimer: tsimehclA latemlluF nwo ton od I.
Warnings: Takes place post-series. Use of the word "whuffle" which Microsoft spellchecker insists is not a word. I beg to differ.
This was written for Acey Dearest, who needs to know that I had a ridiculous amount of fun writing this.
Peace
Pinako sat quietly in her rocking chair by the low fire, by all appearances, snoozing. Her eyes were closed against the warm light of the glowing embers. A well-worn wool blanket was draped over her knees to keep the chill away. Her breathing was calm and steady; glasses just a bit askew; pipe forgotten on her lap. Den whuffled in his sleep at her feet, paws chasing dreams and fantasies with meanings understandable only to those of the canine persuasion.
Al was found in front of the fire as well, soaking up the heat. He loved to watch the light play on his skin and to feel the gentle waves of warmth on his arms and face. Now, however, not only could he watch the fire, he could feel it. With his eyes closed, he felt his cheeks glow with the heat of the coals. It was all he could do to just stand there and revel in the sensation.
All was calm and peaceful. Pinako had given up her relentless teasing and verbal banter in lieu of a fireside nap. Al had decided to take advantage of this rare moment of serenity to re-accustom himself to the wide range of sensation and perception of the human body.
Yes, indeed, all was very tranquil in the Rockbell household.
Too much so for a certain wrench-throwing, vivacious young mechanic who had had just about enough sitting around and waiting for her short life, thank you very much.
Unfortunately, she observed, the others in the house did not share her impatience. She did not wish to invite any irritated scolding by waking up her grandmother, nor did she feel it was her place to interrupt Al's meditation in front of the fire; he'd waited too long to be able to experience his body at will.
Her grandmother, watching beneath lowered lashes, however, did not share this sentiment.
It had been a long time since anyone had made the mistake of thinking Pinako to be anything less than a mischievous, lively personality, even in her old age. Winry had never made that mistake; and as a consequence, Pinako found herself with precious few opportunities to catch her young charge off guard.
Which is why she was profoundly pleased to see her granddaughter so immersed in her observation of young Alphonse that she did not pay attention to exactly how close to her impish grandmother's chair she was walking. All Pinako really would have to do would be to shift slightly in her sleep…
Just like that actually. A very slight stretch and…
Winry, her foot taken out from underneath her, collided quite spectacularly with the young blond before the fire, who was caught very off guard indeed.
Alphonse, also quite spectacularly, used muscle memory gathered from years of protecting kittens from his rough and tumble lifestyle (which he had thought long-gone) to agilely fall with Winry on top, protected from the hardwood floor.
He had a brief moment to contemplate exactly how one developed muscle memory when one was a suit of armor.
He then had another moment to watch in amusement as Winry sat up halfway from her position on his stomach (now fluttering most persistently) to shoot her grandmother a scathing glare, which soon changed to confusion, and then amusement when she found the woman was still asleep.
The next moment, in which Winry turned back to her floor cushion…ahem…the younger Elric brother with a decidedly mischievous look (disturbingly reminiscent of her grandmother if he had cared to notice), passed in slow motion. He really couldn't understand how her face seemed to be getting so close to his, or why it felt like her fists were tangled up in his shirt, or how exactly his hands had gotten to that particular spot on her lower back…
And then Alphonse stopped counting the moments. He was slightly distracted by the marvelous feeling of being kissed by his Winry, and the tingling on his scalp when she ran her hands through his hair, and the way her hips were just the right shape to fit his hands, and the thought that it would be really nice to take those hands lower, to her wonderful, round…
Slap.
"ALPHONSE ELRIC!"
Peace is a really very fragile thing in the Rockbell household.
As Pinako finally relinquished her charade so as to be able to watch the ensuing wrench throwing with open amusement, she realized she wouldn't have it any other way.
FIN
As I said, I had way too much fun writing this. I have also discovered an inexplicable love for mischievous Pinako. She might be showing up again.
Acey Dearest: Here ya go! Thanks for reviewing and the request.
Dominus: Ah! Glad you're better now.
Anime Monster: Yeah, I kind of used that as my experience basis for the shaving one. Guys are so lucky all they have to shave is their face…
Fireun: Glad you're loving.
Genkai-chan: Thank ya muchly.
Mandy 138: Oops. Sorry. Go ahead and post anyway, it's not like I own the idea. Great minds think alike! So…if we think alike, must it follow we have great minds?
Phishy Chan: Awesome! The father-son relationship was EXACTLY what I was going for, but I didn't want to come out and have to say that's what it is. Your review made me so happy…
Shale 101: Mmmm. I like sweet.
Look! (points) A drabble a day for the last 3 days! Yippee!
