Listless
Chapter 4; Our Ready Pride
Bane; " I seem to notice that few of you are bothering to review anyway… Review? Make an authoress happy? Mmm… Hey! Taking a vote; if you'd prefer this to go EdRoy instead of EdWin, state so in your comment. Mmm-hhhm! It'd be a lot easier than EdWin, but hey. The readers rule. If necessary, I can do two; one with either match.
"Oh, and by the way… No, for those that wonder. Ed cutting is out of the question. However angst is still yet to come. The next chapter will come about ONLY when a pairing has been voted on by AT LEAST 3 people. I'm depending on your guys. If no votes are made within the next week and a half, I can choose to chuck out the thought of romance altogether.
One more mentioning; I assure you that there is no EdxRiza. Their communication is strictly proffessional. Now; you feel oddly compelled to read on without and implications of such a couple…. Ahhh… the compelling….mind…m-m-meld…."
Within my rhymes aplenty,
How quickly silence reigns…
These faded thoughts of wounded souls,
Leave nought but aged blood-stains.
---
The beating of a thousand hearts;
The loss of one alone…
How fate could choose, to take just him;
For exchange of flesh and bone…
-Bloodstains; Blood in Water
Edward clutched the spoon in a subtly trembling hand, sluggishly feeding the dependant creature before him. It gulped down the sodden nutrients with little trouble. However, getting it to allow the food into its mouth willingly in the first place was proving difficult.
It took a little over an hour to coax the child to consume a small amount of nutrients. Disheartened, Edward washed up, and left soon after. He left to compose himself often. It was difficult to live with his mistakes for too long. The streets were shadowing over, and he observed in silence as passersby gave him curiously heavy glances.
It was his fault really; he hadn't been looking where he was going. In his state, one may have ovserved that the sidewalk seemed peculiarly mesmerizing to him. Edward strode into something firm, and was knocked backwards. The paled, orange sky met him, and for a moment, he felt lost within it. Then he was being pulled up, and there stood a slightly indignant-looking Hawkeye.
"Oh, Hey."
He didn't know what else to say. It wasn't as though he could think about anything else other than Al. Shaking himself subtly, he founds his manners.
"Eh, sorry about… wasn't looking where I was…"
She gave him a wry smile, but it faded swiftly after a moment. Is something wrong with him? The temper was gone. That flare… in his eyes… But surely he would have told the military if something had gone amiss? After a minute's contemplation, however, she answered her own question. I guess not.
Just as he was turning to head in the opposite direction, she hesitantly inquired—maybe she could get some kind of an explanation…
"Edward?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you like to come get some coffee?"
He turned to look at her, hoping that she couldn't see the reluctance with which he accepted. However, her eyes followed the way he edged away, as though being near any human presence burned… perhaps now, it did…
"How do you take your coffee?"
"Wha--?" He started, tearing from his own deep inner-chasm of thoughts. Edward was quick to regain his composure, finding that he had walked a good block with the lieutenant. They were in a purple café, odd, but strangely calming. The walls were a distinct violet, but portrayed a contrast that Ed rather liked. He decided that, for now, he would forget that he should have died in that accident. That he shouldn't have been there—when his sibling wasn't.
"Oh.. Black; no milk."
He offered her a crisp billfold to pay for the beverages, but she shook her head lightly.
"On me."
A forced grin was plastered on his face, and he mumbled a quiet "thanks".
They sat across from eachother in a booth; Riza averting her gaze to give him room, as he was staring intently at his coffee.
"You know, Edward, just because I bought it, it doesn't mean it'll shoot you."
He offered a thin smile. Since when had she been aware that she shot everything that moved? Must have been those 'How-to-Have-Compassion' books that Havoc dared to give to her for Christmas…
"So says you."
He took a sip from his mug, but didn't really taste it. He never did. Not since… but reminescence was pointless…
All sense had lost its appeal. He could touch things; but never bothered to truly feel. He could hear and vaguely comprehend, but never sought past the blurry cacophany of a distant world he no longer wished to be a part of. And all taste had been lost on him. It was all just food that kept him alive; kept his blood running for one more day in the hopes that the creature he had made of his brother would come alive again… Would wake again…
But he never did.
Bane; "Want the next chapter? (Which I have a HUGE plot twist for, by the way...) Then vote for a couple, and review, if you please!"
A: "Review requirment? 4, this time."
Bane -huggles- "I love you guys!"