Chapter four

Riza was fairly certain that Ed had just experienced some kind of flashback episode, but she had really only been expecting that to happen sometime. For a brief second, she thought she had even seen a speck of vulnerability in those golden eyes.

...And she was pretty sure that it hadn't just been her imagination.

Now, however, Ed was acting as disconnected from his softer side as when she met him thirty minutes ago, and was back to glaring at her, having released his right shoulder.

"Thank you for the ice cream," Alphonse said quietly, looking down into his lap now that his brother seemed to be fine again. It was clear that he wasn't unused to Ed reacting that way.

And if Riza were to make a guess, then she'd say that Al hadn't tried to help snap him out of it because Ed didn't like him to. Ed seemed like the type of protective older brother that would stay strong for his little sibling, and definitelydidn't want Al feel that he needed to help him, because that was Ed's job and not Al's.

"You're very welcome," Riza told him kindly. "Well, boys, I guess we should get going."

She didn't get a single word out of them on the walk back to the flat. She was very curious as to how they would react to it. Riza hoped they'd like it, but she doubted that they would. Al seemed too scared to actually make up his own opinions and would just let his brother decide and then have Ed express how they felt about things.

Riza had a feeling that they were actually very nice boys and the fact that Edward had sacrificed his arm to save Al, only told a story of bravery and deep affection for his little brother. That didn't sound like he really meant to be the way he behaved, but was putting on some sort of act in order for them not to get hurt again.

She only hoped that she'd be able to break through that protective shell soon.

Riza unlocked the door to their flat and walked inside, turning on the lights before stepping back and letting the boys walk past her. Al lifted his head to take in his surroundings whilst Ed instantly scoffed. "You weren't kidding about it being cramped."

"I'm sorry about that, but we'll just have to make do. I had already bought the place before I knew about you two."

"So when were you told, then?"

"Three days ago."

"So how much did the lady bribe you for taking us in?" Ed was obviously fishing for evidence of her being forced into doing this just so that he could torment her further. Riza would not fall into one of his distrustful traps. In a way she thought the boy would be glad to hear the truth, but she would not give it before he asked. Otherwise she might come across too eager and that would make him think she pitied them, which Ed clearly hated.

"Nothing. I took you in of my own free will." Riza had done something potentially very, very stupid by asking that she weren't receiving any additional money from the State to basically just make the boys feel less like chore. And so it was lucky that her grandfather had already offered to help her out if necessary.

"You did, huh? So what did she say about me?"

"That you have nightmares, and after some prompting, the way you lost your arm." Riza only said it as the fact it was, no pity or concern in her voice, just utter indifference to show that she didn't think it had anything to say for Ed's worth as a human being.

"And what did you say to what she told you?" He raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking that he'd got her now.

"Word for word? 'So they figure that because he is traumatised and has lost his right arm, that he's too much work? That he's faulty? And you expect me to think so too?'" Riza wondered if using the word 'traumatised' had been a bad idea, but she couldn't start out lying to this kid. Not without having him jump down her throat for doing so. "I was frankly disgusted by their way of treating you two, and I decided to take you in on the spot."

"So you're trying to save us, is that it?"

"Edward, Alphonse, let's sit down so I can tell you something." She gestured towards the couch. When only Alphonse seemed inclined to move, she added, "please."

They moved over to the couch and sat down. Riza knew things would get awkward if she decided to sit down next to them, so she dragged a kitchen chair over and sat down on the other side of the coffee table, looking at them kindly. Ed leant back with a scoff, crossing his legs, obviously thinking that she was wasting their time.

"Ever since I was eighteen, I've known that I wanted to be a mother. That was when I met Will Phillips. We were a very happy couple and we were sweethearts for a couple of years before we decided to get married when I was twenty. He was twenty-four at the time. We were talking about having children since around the time of engagement when I was nineteen. And we tried for two years, but somehow we couldn't get any. It turned out that Will was unable to have children, and so we thought about adoption. However, I couldn't get myself to go somewhere and just pick a child, leaving all the others behind like they were merely guinea pigs in a pet shop. That was why we settled for being a foster home instead. That way I would have been able to help children who really needed it, but where I didn't really have to choose between them myself." Riza smiled kindly at them, even if a lump was forming in her stomach at the memories. But Al was slowly looking up at her now, and so it seemed that she was at least getting somewhere. "The only children I have chosen were the first ones presented to me, which means you two. And I am happy that I said yes. You two seem like great kids that had something happen to you that never should have. I don't pity you, because I work with things like this on a nearly daily basis. I just wanted children that I could look after and love. That's all. I merely want to watch you two grow up. I am not trying to be your mother if you don't want me to. I am after all, only twice your age, Edward." Riza gave them a little smirk. "So how about we say it like this, you two can see me as your big sister?"

"I still don't know why you wanna take us in. What do you get out of it?" Ed said, seemingly unimpressed, but he still hadn't interrupted her once.

"What do you get from being Al's brother?" Riza asked almost immediately.

Ed frowned, getting ready to make another snide remark, only to realise the truth of her statement and actually blush ever so faintly.

"So what do you say, can Big Sister Riza work?"

Al looked her directly in the eye for the first time, before he smiled faintly and gave a tiny nod.

"Whatever," Ed said, clearly not pleased with being outsmarted and overruled.

Even though Edward just remained on the couch and watched, Alphonse seemed to be interested in helping to unbox Riza's possessions to see just what their new life would contain. He didn't talk to Riza, he was still too shy, but he seemed to be pleased with her speech earlier and saw her point enough to be willing to form his own opinion of her. She was very happy about this because she really hoped to get Alphonse talking a bit more soon.

Things didn't go so well that night, however.

They went to bed at ten, only for Riza to be woken up by the sound of loud cries of pain and fear at two in the morning, and so she made her way to the bedroom only to find it locked. She knocked twice on the door and the crying only increased. The screams of pain were gone, although there were loud sobs still coming from inside the room. Two sets of them. "Boys? It's Riza, please open the door."

"NO! GET AWAY!" It was Edward.

"Edward, Alphonse, I can't leave you like this in good conscience."

"YES YOU CAN!"

"Edward, if you are in pain, I can slide some painkillers under the door."

"SCREW YOU!"

"I'm not going to leave until you two open this door."

"THEN YOU'LL BE STAYING THERE FOR A LONG TIME!"

And so Riza grabbed herself a book and a couch pillow and sat herself down next to the bedroom door. She wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that the two boys were scared and crying. Besides, judging from a slight peek through the keyhole, they had actually pushed their chest of drawers in front of the door, which meant that she couldn't just kick the door open. And however much she wanted to, she couldn't just shoot the lock either. She had a feeling that it wouldn't work well with them.

She would have to talk to them about this later, but first she needed to actually get them to open up the door.

And so the first hour went by without them even moving by the sound of it.

Then the next.

And the next.

By eight in the morning, there was finally some movement to be heard from inside the room and she put her book down as she heard shoving noises and the click of a lock.

Next second Al sprinted across the hallway and into the bathroom.

Then the door was immediately locked again and the chest of drawers was pushed back against it with an annoyed "traitor."

Well, she would just have to wait for Ed to need to go to the bathroom too.

Problem was, now Al had locked himself inside the bathroom instead.

And he didn't seem to plan on moving from there any time soon.

Riza could see why, he was obviously afraid of being punished for this. She stood up and knocked on the bathroom door. "Alphonse? I swear I won't punish you if you come out. I only want to talk to you about this and nothing more."

There wasn't any sound from the bathroom until an hour later, when a quiet voice asked, "Promise I won't get into trouble?"

"Yes."

Thirty seconds later, the door was unlocked and Alphonse came out, looking tearful and tired. "Sorry," he muttered.

"That's all right, Al. We're taking small steps here."

Al nodded once.

"How about we make ourselves some breakfast?" Riza asked. "Feel free to join us, Edward."

"Go to hell."

"Like I said to Alphonse, I only wish to talk."

"Don't care."

Riza moved into the kitchen together with Alphonse and made an omelette so that Ed could have some breakfast too when he came out of the bedroom.

They ate, yet Ed made no move to come out.

Riza was getting worried. She didn't want to deny the boy food. Besides, it had been more than twelve hours since the boy last used the bathroom.

She looked over at Al who was helping her with doing the dishes. "Al, you know Ed better than I do, but don't you think he needs to go to the toilet soon?"

"No. Brother's been peeing out the window."

Riza paused in the middle of cleaning a plate.

Well, he certainly was stubborn.