There is a shamless rip-off from Road to Perdition in this chapter. I couldn't help it, Michael Jr. reminded me so much of Ed.
Maes Hughes awoke and poured himself some coffee. It was a long night and because it was the weekend, he allowed himself a few hours of sleeping in. He looked at the clock on the microwave and saw that it was a quarter to ten. He checked his watch to ensure that it was what it appeared to be. Ed was usually an early riser, so Maes had a right to be confused. He downed the remainder of his coffee when Winry walked in. She wore pajamas with little wrenches on them. The man offered her a cup and despite the heat, she drank it all without pausing. She set the mug down loudly and leaned back.
"How did you sleep?" the man asked politely. He glanced at the clock again wondering where that boy could be. She didn't answer but asked him a question of her own.
"Ed wasn't in his room this morning, couldn't find Al either. You know where they are?"
The older man coughed and looked at the girl, he had no idea that they were anywhere but in Ed's room. He shook his head and smiled. "I'll bet I know where they went."
Maes led Winry out the front door and pointed towards the footprints leading the separate garage. She groaned and walked back inside after grumbling, "God, they are such boys!" Maes walked down the path formed by Al's large footprints. He opened the door on the side and saw the pair standing in front of Ed's beast. They hadn't even noticed his entrance. He listened to them talk.
"It looks fast, Brother."
"Yeah…I like that color."
"when can you drive it?"
"I need Havoc to teach me first. Should be here soon."
"Hmm. When can I drive it?"
"Um, how 'bout never!"
Maes couldn't help but smile. He acted just like that when he got his first car at eighteen. Gawking at it with his friends and talking about it. He walked up to Ed silently and placed a hand on his shoulder. Ed yelped and spun around.
"How long have you two been out here?" the man asked, genuinely curious. Ed looked at the time on his cell phone and his eyes widened upon seeing it. Al started laughing and continued to even after a few kicks in the armor shin from Edward. Hughes started laughing too and paused when he felt his own phone vibrate. He grabbed quickly for it before the ringtone started playing "cat party," but it was too late. He answered it ignoring the boys laughing on the floor. "Hello?" he drawled into it.
"Hey, Lt. Colonel. It's Havoc."
"Ah, what can I do for ya, my man?"
"I just wondered if was okay if I stopped by to teach Edward to drive."
"Of course it's okay. We're in the Garage already, just walk in." Hughes snapped the phone shut and stared at the kids still laughing at his feet.
They three men heard a rumble and snow crunching beneath tires. Ed looked at the door and to Hughes with a confused look.
"Havoc's here to teach you to drive Ed." Ed smiled brightly and ran to the garage door and tried to lift it, but something kept him from lifting it all the way. (he's short!) Al used one hand to lift it the rest of the way, exposing Jean Havoc smoking a cigarette and with a goofy grin on his face. He tossed Ed a set of keys with a red lanyard with his name on it. Ed clumsily caught it and was a bit unsure how to proceed. Havoc laughed and pushed him gently towards the Pontiac. He sat Ed in the passenger seat and told Hughes that they'd be back in a few hours. He also explained quietly that he was taking him away from the city for the good of the nation. Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough because they heard muffled objections and saw the windows fog up. Havoc smiled and drove Ed and his car away.
"Now, do you know what the clutch is?" asked Havoc.
"Of course I know what the clutch is." Answered Ed smart-assedly
"What is the clutch?"
"The clutch…" Ed paused, "It clutches." Havoc sighed.
"Yeah, that's right, it clutches. Which one of those pedals is the clutch?"
Ed licked his lips and took a wild guess. The engine roared in response.
"That's the gas…gas." Havoc corrected. He pointed to the far left pedal.
"That far left one there? That's the one that does the clutching." Ed pressed it a few times to test it. Havoc explained that it had to be pushed all the way to work. Then, after Ed's confused look, explained what the clutch actually does.
"You can go ahead and start it now. Push in the clutch, and see it the stick moves loosely. If it does, it means it's in neutral. Try it now."
Ed did as he was told, but his foot didn't quite floor the clutch, so the engine grinded when he turned the key. Havoc sighed and regretfully told Ed to move his seat forward.
"But- but I don't need to!" argued the boy. Havoc grumbled and forcibly pulled the lever and moved the chair forward. Ed was about to protest, but he found he could reach the pedals much easier this way.
Ed managed to turn the car on and off easily enough. Now came the most painful moment in the poor car's life, Ed was going to try and drive it. Havoc patiently sat back and watched Ed recite the steps. He heard Ed mumble every instruction the man gave him.
"Hold in clutch, start, shift, gas, release clutch, SHIFT!" Ed was cut off when the car moved a few feet forward and screeched to a halt, stalling the engine. Havoc patiently shifted it back into neutral and sat back.
"Can I make one suggestion?"
"No! I'm doing this!" snapped Ed. He started the car and began again.
A few minutes later, Ed was driving by himself down the empty road.
"Okay, good. Fifty-five's a little fast, though. Oh! Watch out for the tractor." A tractor came into view once Ed turned, and Ed showed no signs of slowing down.
"Alright, Ed. Tractor's coming up now…Ed, watch out for the tractor…watch out for the tractor! WATCH OUT FOR THE TRACTOR!" Ed had just missed the tractor by a few feet. He turned around to see the boy chuckling.
"Haha, we made it!" Ed snickered.
"Yeah, yeah, we made it!" Havoc sighed and directed Ed home.
They passed mustang's house and much to Ed's liking, the man was outside getting the mail. He pulled up next to him and rolled down the window. Mustang looked through the window at Havoc, but not at Ed.
"Wow Havoc, how did you manage that? Driving from the passenger-Oh, Fullmetal! Sorry, didn't see you down there." Ed leaped out of the car and was about to bash his superior's face in, when he realized he'd left it in gear. If Havoc wasn't in the car, the car would've surely coasted straight into the park. Havoc reached over and opened Ed's door.
"Get back in here!" he growled. Ed blushed furiously and obeyed. Ed started the car and left. However, he made sure to choke the laughing colonel with some exhaust fumes as he departed. Ed kept stealing glances at the older man who looked ever so pissed. Havoc could see the boy's guilty expression, so he lost the frown.
"I'm not mad, Ed. It's just that what you did was dangerous. You get that, don't ya?"
"Yeah," Ed sighed.
"I'm not going to tell the Lieutenant Colonel, but you need to be more careful." Ed sighed in relief and smiled at the man.
They pulled into the garage and Ed killed the engine. They sat quietly for a moment. The metal in the engine ticked as it cooled. Ed opened his door and was about to step out when Havoc's hand landed on his shoulder.
"For the record, you figured it out a hundred times faster than I did." Ed looked around, made sure that there was no one around, and gave Jean a massive hug. The man returned the gesture and got out.
Maes opened the door for the two men and granted them entry. He led them into the kitchen where Al and Winry were.
"So boys, how'd it go?" the blonde girl asked. Havoc and Ed exchanged looks and Havoc spoke.
"A couple more lessons and He'll be an old pro! Damn, I wish I could be as fast a learner as he is." Ed smiled up at him.
He was looking forward for the next lesson.