Hello again.
I own nothing.
Roy glanced up as the door opened to reveal a surly-looking blonde teenager. Edward, having not had the time to grab his usual jacket and gloves, had his automail on display for once, and Roy found himself feeing slightly queasy as the little bit he knew about automail from the reports on the news came back to him.
"Sit down, Mr Elric," said Riza. "We'd just like to ask you some questions, please answer as fully and truthfully as possible."
Edward sat down opposite them and nodded. "Alright. And it's Ed, thanks."
"Okay, Ed. So, can you tell us what you know about Dante Bolton, please?" asked Maes.
Edwards shifted in his chair. "I know she's Envy's mother, and I know she's responsible for..." he tapped his automail arm. "This."
Maes nodded. "Anything else?"
Edward shrugged. "And she's dead. I don't know anything about her, really. The old man dated her, go ask him."
"Right, okay then. Where were you between the first and eighteenth of august?" Maes rattled off the now-familiar question.
"Camping with Al, Envy and the basta- old man."
"You don't like your father very much. Why is that?" asked Roy. Edward stiffened in his chair.
"He left us," he muttered.
"Is that the only reason?"
"Isn't it reason enough?" snarled the teenager. "He left us right after the bloody accident, he left her all by herself to look after us. I was bloody disabled, she was ill, she needed all the help she could get and he still left! That's why I don't like him, okay?"
"Okay, Ed, we understand." Maes said soothingly, sending Roy a warning look. "Let's change the subject, hm? Now, we've been seeing a lot about automail in the papers lately, talking about a breakthrough and so on, and we know that it can take a couple of years to get used to- but you've only had it for a little over half a year now, is that right?"
Edward nodded.
"We were just curious as to how you learnt to use it in such a short time."
He shrugged. "I'm a fast learner. Wouldn't you be? I was fed up of not being able to do anything by myself."
Maes nodded. "That's understandable. How do you know the Rockbells?"
"Winry's a childhood friend. Do you really need to know this?"
"Ah, I'm sorry. Just trying to figure something out," he said with a bright smile. "So, can you tell us a little bit about your family, Ed?"
He snorted. "I don't know much about the old man, but I can tell you about Envy and Al."
"Please do," said Maes.
Edward shifted into a more comfortable position in his chair, and leant back a little, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Envy... when we were little me and Al that is, he used to really hate us, constantly fighting and arguing with us, and I don't mean the way brothers fight, I mean he really, honestly hated us. When he was thirteen, he dyed his hair green, dressed like a girl and told us to call him Envy. Mum and the old man wouldn't hear of it at first, but he just ignored them until they did. He still hated us... until the accident."
He paused, and when he continued, his voice was quieter, softer. "After that, he... well, he wasn't nice, but he stopped being a jerk. And after Mum died... he looked after us. I know he didn't want to, but he did. He could've just left us, people kept telling him it was okay, he was too young, but he stayed anyway."
That's... interesting, thought Roy. I didn't think he'd be the type to stick by them like that...
"And what about Al?" asked Maes.
"Al's the nicest person you'll ever meet," Ed responded almost instantly. "He'd never hurt a fly. He's not bad-tempered like me and Envy, he's forgiving and kind and... he's just... he's Al." a soft smile had crept over his face as he spoke, and his voice was warm and fiercely protective. "He's my little brother, and he means the world to me."
Maes nodded. "I'm sure he does. You sound proud of him."
"I am," said Ed. "He's... he deserves better than this, a better family, a better big brother... one who doesn't muck things up for him at school, one who doesn't scare people away and get pissed off about stupid things like my height. He deserves so much better..."
"Edward," Riza's voice was sharp and stern, and the blonde teen's head whipped upwards to look at her. She gave him a rare smile.
"I'm sure Alphonse doesn't feel that way. You obviously love your brother very much, and he would never ask for anyone else."
For the first time, Edward directed a smile at them- not a surly glare or a cautious, considering glance, but a real, genuine smile.
"Yeah..." he said, and glanced away. "You're right, I know he wouldn't... I just sometimes think that... thanks."
Riza nodded. "You're welcome, Edward. Maes, Roy, I think that's enough for now."
Maes nodded. "Alright. We might have to call you in again, Ed, but that's all for today. Thanks for your help, Ed. Maria!" he called.
Maria Ross stepped into the room and offered Ed a smile.
"WPC Ross will lead you out. Bye, Ed."
Edward was guided out of the room by Maria, leaving the three officers on their own.
"That family has not had it easy," murmured Riza.
"No," sighed Maes. "No, it has not."