-.-.-.-.-. notes -.-.-.-.-.-.-
I do not own FMA, nor do I wish to. Seems like it'd be a lot of trouble. I'm just writing for fun, no money is being made.
I probably should have re-read this a few more times to correct and edit. But just like all my other work, i didn't.
-.-.-.-.-. story -.-.-.-.-.-.-
It was raining again.
Actually, "again" was inaccurate, "still" was more precise. Still raining, Central City, day 12.
It didn't help that there were currently no leads on the philosopher's stone and criminal cases were low, likely because the whole city was staying indoors to avoid the weather.
Ed, like the rest of the city, hadn't wanted to come in to work today. It's not like she really had anything to do and she was running out of things to wear. Being on the road was one thing, but stuck in a building with others for two weeks required some regular changing of clothes. Ok, sure, to begin with she only had three sets but the more it rained the more humidity was in the air and the less likely it was that her washed clothes would be dry when she needed them. Today would be the last day before pajamas-to-work was a fact of life and she'd run out of wraps for her chest yesterday. Today was a jacket-done-up-all-day fashion statement..
She wouldn't actually wear pajamas since she was still hiding her true identity from the world, but it was her brain and she could think what she wanted.
She grumped at her paperwork, putting her head down on her crossed arms. Mustang, the useless wet match, didn't even seem to be perturbed by the weather. And he was most affected by it! Asshole. His apathy at the weather situation was annoying her. Everything was annoying her. Trapped inside this office while her brother was in the library researching. Gate be damned! This was useless! Paperwork was Mustang's job. She lifted her head and took a breath in preparation of berating him when he beat her to the punch.
"FullMetal."
She almost choked on her own air as she tried to turn her frustrated rant to a question. "Keh?"
Mustang looked at her with a raised eyebrow but ignored her awkwardness, "The river is close to breaching on the north side. You're good at walls. Be there in two hours."
He'd walked over to hand her the paper before she'd managed to get her thoughts in order so she only managed a "Kay" as she snatched it from him and took off.
The team watched as Ed left.
Havoc's cigarette was hanging from his lips, "That was weird. He didn't even yell at you for giving him orders."
"Hah!" Mustang struck a pose, "It's because I'm a professional leader!"
Hawkeye rolled her eyes at them.
-.-.-
Ed was off and running through the rain, first to get Al- wait. Al shouldn't come. It was raining and she would be next to the river, while either one was ok to deal with on its own, combined they were dangerous to a blood seal. If she didn't need him to come, she'd leave him a note at reception. Then she'd head out.
It turned out that it was good she hadn't procrastinated, because even though it only took 15 minutes by car, there were no rides available in this weather and she'd had to jog. So Ed arrived onsite on-time, annoyed, wet, and uncomfortable.
On the plus side, she'd been able to glimpse the river periodically on the way and had a good idea about where she'd need to reinforce it. She stopped close to a section of the bank that was getting closer to breaching with every new gust of wind, squinting against it to get a good look at her surroundings. Gate-dammit! This weather was awful! As if to prove the point, the wind grabbed her coat and ripped it open and back with a ferocity that hurt her real arm.
With one last look she stepped back about 10 paces. If it kept raining like this or if more water came down out of the mountains there'd need to be a pretty thick wall, sturdy too so it didn't wash away. Probably about 5 feet tall just to be safe. How long though? Ed looked up and down the river. Well, she could add more to it as she travelled south along the bank to make sure it held up.
*clap* *slap* Wall: exists.
Ed worked her way along the river in 30 meter intervals, higher thicker wall when the river came inward, lower wall when the river wound away. It was kind of relaxing actually, the wall stopped the wind and she had a nice walk sheltered from the rain. Mostly, she was happy she wasn't inside.
-.-.-
Mustang was starting to get anxious, he'd sent Ed out just before noon and the kid hadn't come back yet. Half the reason he'd sent him out was because he was good at walls, but the other half of the reason was that the Colonel knew the kid was about to explode from inactivity. And maybe just a little bit because it would be funny to see him come back looking like a half drowned cat, hissing and spitting.
Now though, now he was concerned. It was 5 hours later and he hadn't heard anything from FullMetal or Al. He heard the wind pick up speed. It would be dark soon.
Damn. He sighed and his shoulders dropped. He'd have to go out there.
Mustang heard his keys jingle and looked at Hawkeye hopefully, she handed them to him with his coat and shook her head. "You sent him, you go. I have a dog to walk."
His long-coat seemed extra heavy and as he stepped out of the office, hearing at the same time as Al rounded the far corner, the Colonel was temporarily taken aback. "Where's Ed?"
Al stopped walking, "He's not back? He left a note saying you sent him out but he didn't come back to the library so i thought he might be here."
Mustang grumbled to himself and marched off to the car. "I'm going to get him."
"Should i come with you?"
"No. Stay here. I don't want to be responsible if your blood seal gets washed away." Mustang sighed again and noticed that Al wasn't fighting him. He raised a brow in question.
Al retreated a step, "Well, the wind is coming in sideways but we've done walls before so i'm sure he's fine. Just distracted…"
Mustang shook his head in disbelief as he heard a small purring sound coming from Al's chest cavity. Sometimes he forgot they were kids.
-.-.-
Ed had noticed the sun going down, she just didn't care too much about it. She also wasn't even in a bad mood and was distracting herself by trying to figure out if she was warm from walking and working, or if she was numb and slowly freezing to death. Likely option 2 since she was having to kneel in the wet ground to transmute the wall. Which, she had to admit, was taking more out of her than she had originally thought. The riverbank was not a straight line and required lots of little curves. Curves that sometimes appeared out of nowhere as the earth washed away, again, she narrowly managed to avoid falling into the cold water a third time. The soggy ground was giving away under her feet and washing into the river and consequently she'd had to reinforce the ground at the same time as the wall went up. If she forgot a section then the whole wall would wash away from under itself.
Even though the wind and rain and cold tried to put a damper on her mood, she was proud of herself. 20km of wall had gone up. The eastern bridge was stable and high enough out of the water. Everything looked great as she worked her way passed it and continued on. Only about five km more to go.
Her automail leg started sinking into the ground again. "Dammit" she pulled herself free and jumped away from the mudslide. Lingering too long in any one place was becoming hazardous. Finishing the small inlet curve she walked to the end of the next clump of land, jutting out.
Bad idea. The entire mini-peninsula broke away and started to wash itself down the river. "Shit." Ed ran for the break and leapt over the gap, mostly. Her body splashed into the muddy water as her automail hand clawed into the grass on solid ground. The chunk of land she'd been on sank into the maelstrom behind her as she let the water wash around her. Automail firmly anchoring her to safety. Her energy levels were quickly depleting and she debated hanging there for the week until some lowly peasant found her and sold her automail for parts. Winry would be so pissed.
She sighed and started hauling herself out of the river. Then, half way out, she was startled by Mustang and almost fell back in. She hadn't even seen him standing there. He grabbed the collar of her coat and hauled her the rest of the way out. She was sure she looked like a drowning cat, especially the way he had her by the "scruff" of her coat. But half hanging in her jacket she felt the last of her motivation and resolve give away at the sight of her commanding officer, maybe he could take over. "Can i stop now? I think I'm cold." Her legs started to give and she slowly collapsed into the soggy grass.
"Dammit Ed." Mustang's brain was delayed trying to process what he was seeing and couldn't shift his grip off the collar of Ed's coat fast enough to grab any part of her. At least he could slow the fall to the ground. Face up so she didn't drown in the muck.
The intent was to pick the kid up and haul him over to the car. This though, this wasn't a 'him'. Mustang stared at his subordinate, lying half sideways in the mud and rain. Legs half bent up. Automail shining wet.
Automail. Ed's automail.
Ok, so this was definitely Ed. But at the same time, not Ed. A girl Ed. Though, she didn't look young enough to qualify as 'girl'. Her wet clothes stuck to her like a second skin and the jacket had fallen open when Mustang had let go.
The crack and boom of thunder in the distance snapped him out of his stupor, another storm was on the way. He scooped Ed up, he could contemplate this while driving.
The car wasn't very far, Mustang propped Ed against the side of it to remove her coat, throwing it on the floor of the car and wrapping his own military issue long-coat around her before settling her across the back seat. Then darted for the driver's seat before he was completely soaked through.
The drive had been an exercise in self control. Mustang's emotions ran from anger to sadness to intrigue to mistrust over and over again until he arrived at his house. Which he realised as soon as he parked was a very ...possessive thing to do. Why not the hospital? Ed hated hospitals. Why not the dorms, or Hawkeye's place? They didn't have fire. His initial decision to come here was because only he had a fireplace. Which his conscience let him get away with if he called both Al and Hawkeye immediately.
He bundled Ed up and carted her indoors, leaving his coat around her he placed her on the couch in front of the fireplace and started it instantly. Time to make some phone calls.
Al first.
He answered on the first ring, "You found Ed?"
Mustang sputtered. "Yes. How did you know it was me?"
"It's raining Colonel, it's been 5 hours. You're due to call and literally no one else calls this number."
"Oh, well. Yes. I found her."
There was a moment of silence on the other line. "Is she ok?"
"Frozen through and waterlogged. I've got the fireplace going at my house if you'd like to stop by."
"Thank you sir. For taking care of her. I'm going to stay here though. I won't be able to contribute anything and she'll be ok. It's Ed after all."
Mustang wasn't sure what to say. Ed without Al? Al without Ed?
Dead air hung between them until Al spoke again, "Let me know if i need to come get her." Then he hung up.
Mustang stared at the phone for a moment before calling Riza.
"You found Ed?"
How did everyone keep doing that? "Yes."
"Does Ed need clothes?"
"Yes."
"I'll be by in 10." Riza hung up.
That was odd, he didn't even get to tell her what to bring. Then an unpleasant thought crossed his mind. Hawkeye knew.
A small sound drew him back to the living room. Ed was having a dream. He settled himself into the chair near the couch, positioning it so he could see both the fire and the girl, then fell into his thoughts.
He didn't hear Hawkeye knock or come in. He didn't even register her presence until she was waving a hand in front of his face.
"Could you move her upstairs so i can change her out of her wet clothes? Or, could you leave the room for a few minutes?" He nodded and went to the kitchen while his Lieutenant sorted everything out.
When she called for him to return, Ed was dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt. A blanket had been placed over his sleeping charge and Mustang's long-coat was hanging to dry. He remembered Ed's coat in the car and ran out for it, returning to the warmth of the house quickly.
"Keep her automail away from the flames, if the metal heats up too much it'll burn her." Riza seemed to be packing things up to go as he hung the red coat next to his. "If i hear you touched her the wrong way i'll shoot your fingers off and surgically attach a pen in their place."
He nodded. The threat and accompanying imagery jarring him out of his thoughts long enough to acknowledge her departure.
Settling himself back in the chair he decided to wait. He wasn't sure he'd wanted Hawkeye to leave but he hadn't said anything to stop her and now he was stuck being Ed's care-giver.
The blonde mumbled and curled in on herself on the couch. Gate she was so tiny. She could fit on one couch cushion if she tried hard enough.
He got up to place another blanket on her, checking her temperature with his hand before settling back down in the chair. No fever. Good. Looks like he'd got her warm before the chill had settled in and she'd be healthy when she woke up. And probably angry she was in his house.
That confrontation could wait until morning, this was going to be a long night.
-.-.-
Ed woke up in a dream state. Her favourite dream! She was cozy and warm in Mustang's house, the fire was roaring. Perfect. She sat up a little groggy and looked around. The only light was from the fire and she could see Mustang's sleeping form slouched over in the comfortable looking chair to the side. She loved these dreams. Ed stood up and staggered a little before settling herself in her blanket on his lap and curling up against his chest, a knee on each side of his thighs, effectively straddling him. And just like in her dreams, he leaned them both back and wrapped his arms around her as she drifted off again.
Mustang awoke with a jolt and only years of military training prevented him from actually moving. The jolt was to his brain. He'd passed out while watching Ed and the fire, obviously. But how had this happened. Ed curled in his arms, sleeping on his chest? He was beginning to panic, if she woke up like this he was going to be murdered, by at least 3 people.
He did the only thing he could think of before it was too late; get Ed back to the couch before she woke up. Fortunately she slept like a rock and he was able to lift her and her automail out of the chair and back over to the couch, but ran into trouble trying to extract himself from her grip. Her automail hand was holding tight to his shirt and when he finally managed to pry it off she let out a small cry that might as well have been from a scared kitten.
He shook his head to keep focused and tucked her back into her blanket. Crisis averted.
Mustang knew he wouldn't be able to sleep after that and wandered into the kitchen to make breakfast. His alarm for work would be going off soon and he wanted to sort through his thoughts before Ed woke up. He couldn't shake his panic when he'd thought she'd fallen over the river's edge.
He'd just finished the waffles when the alarm went off and he plated them and set them on the table before heading to the living room to get Ed. She was slow to wake and he took advantage of her confusion to stop the alarm and carry her to the kitchen, plunking her down in a chair before she was able to question anything. Her stomach won out and she started eating before griping at him so Mustang decided to do the same. The silence was nice while it lasted and he could even swear he saw a blush on her cheeks while she ate, avoiding his eyes.
Plates finally finished Ed met his gaze, "Alright Mustang, apology accepted. But why am I here and how the hell did I get into these clothes? You've got 10 minutes to explain before I flatten your house with you inside it."
Mustang was low on sleep and his temper blew through his calm facade quickly and easily.
"First of all Edward," she flinched, "I'm not apologising, I'm feeding you. I hauled your dumb ass out of the river where you'd decided to have a nap. I brought you here because you hate hospitals and I have a fireplace. I called Al and Riza to come help you; Al said you were fine and Riza brought the clothes and changed you. Second of all What the Fuck were you thinking?! You scared me out of my mind Ed! I saw you walk around the corner and then the earth started separating from itself. You came running back around the corner and jumped. I saw you miss the bank, I thought you'd been dragged away by the current!"
Ed stared at him, mostly unapologetic. She couldn't control the ground. Ok, well she could. But it wasn't her fault the rain had ruined the structural integrity of the earth. She was slightly more apologetic about hiding her identity though. But since it was easier to focus on the river incident, she did that instead.
"I'm not a weather wizard Mustang, i can't stop it from raining."
He ignored her, "When i ran toward the bank and saw your hand just hanging there i thought it had ripped off! Then i get close enough to see you're just floating there?! Enjoying yourself?! Are you insane?! It's 10 degrees out! Are you trying to commit suicide?"
A funny thought occurred to her and she couldn't stop the question before it left her mouth, "Are you scared of losing me Mustang?"
He choked on his anger and tried to redirect, "Third", he cleared his throat, "you've been lying to me."
She waited for more but after a moment realised that that was it. He wanted an answer to a question he hadn't asked. Why?
Ed sighed and wandered back to the couch, hoping she could hide under the blanket again. Mustang followed her but stayed silent, sitting beside her and surprisingly not yet pushing the issue.
Safely out of view she decided to spill. Everything. Why they'd done it, who she really was, their real ages. Mustang took it all in quietly until she was finished then pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her. "To answer your previous question. Yes. I'm terrified of losing you."
Ed's heart jumped. Maybe they could stay inside the house today.
-.-.-.-.-. Notes -.-.-.-.-.-.-
I think i have a sequel to this but i've lost the energy to write it. And it doesn't have a point yet. It would just be more of this sappy crap.
also, i have a story that ends very similar to this one but i'll probably try to write a few short fun ones before i post another of these 'wistful type' chapters.