I'm back from A-kon! ...well, I got back almost a week ago, but I've been lazy...
A silly chapter, but too good to let go.
/Ding-dong/. Roy rang the doorbell to the Elric brothers' apartment, wondering if Ed was alright. The boy had called to say he wasn't coming in that day, and Roy was worried that he'd gotten sick. Not that he'd admit it, of course. He had a legitimate excuse, a rare alchemy book that Ed had been desperate to borrow.
Roy waited, and waited… and finally, when he was about to either ring again or break the door down, it slammed open.
"/What/" Ed snarled, white powder all over his face, hair, and clothes.
Roy had not expected to be greeted in this manner, and took a step back. "What happened to you, Fullmetal?"
Al popped out of the kitchen wearing a frilly pink apron. "Hello, Colonel! I'm teaching Ed how to bake. Would you like to join us?"
Roy stifled a laugh, nodded, and stepped inside. Who was he to pass on a spectacle like this?
The brothers' small kitchen had turned into a war zone. Flour and sugar everywhere, eggshells littering the floor, and, for some inexplicable reason, a small potted plant with an electric plug sat where Roy assumed the toaster once was. He was not going to ask just what had spawned that particular transformation.
"Niisan, you have to keep stirring the batter. It's not mixed all the way yet." The older brother began stirring, a decidedly sulky look on his face. "Not that hard! You'll spill it!" Al turned to Roy. "Could you hand me the chocolate chips?" Roy looked around before noticing the bag wedged behind the plant.
"Mm, cookies?" he asked.
"Yep," Al said, pouring the chips into the batter.
Ed stirred those in, grumbling that his arm wasn't working properly and that Winry would kill him if he'd gotten flour in his joints.
Roy reached out to try and get a fingerful of batter. Something hit his knuckles and he yelped. Al stood over him, brandishing a wooden spoon. Roy could have sworn the suit of armor was frowning at him. "You can wait until the cookies are done!"
Roy sat meekly in a chair.
The batter was finished and balls of dough were relegated to the oven. Al then relinquished his guard post and let Ed and Roy share the batter sticking to the mixing bowl.
They sat and talked as the cookies baked and Ed picked flour out of his automail.
Finally, the timer dinged, and Al pulled the cookies from the oven.
Roy and Ed both snatched one immediately, Roy juggling his from hand to hand as he waited for it to cool a bit, Ed getting melted chocolate all over his metal fingers.
Both declared the cookies a culinary masterpiece, despite the mess they had caused and Ed deciding Al was the official chef from then on.
When Ed returned Roy's book later that week, he left quickly before the Colonel could open it. Roy would kill him for the sticky chocolate fingerprints all over the pages.
Three little things down here:
1. Yes, I know that according to equivalent exchange, a toaster can't turn into a plant. My excuse is that Ed doesn't always eat all his vegetables, and is pretty creative about hiding them. ...the toaster got pretty full. (the excuse for the excuse is, it sounded good in my head.)
2. Mad kudos to the breakdancing Envy cosplayer! I've got pictures, and as soon as I can get them developed, I'll post some on my deviantart account.
3. A challenge announcement! (like anyone will do this...) I want people to write a story pairing two characters that you feel don't get enough love from the fans. They don't have to be from the same series, or even from anime. Please someone try it, so I don't feel stupid for putting this up... Review or email me to let me know if you're doing this!