Chapter 10: Prying Minds

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add).

Seren mumbled incoherently as a ray of sunshine slipped through the drawn curtains and smacked her in the face. Covering her eyes with a down-stuffed pillow, she counted to twenty before shaking off her blankets and rising. Stretching luxuriantly, she made up her bed and tiptoed down the hallway, wondering where everybody else was. On the little kitchen table, she found a note.

To Seren and Ed,

We went shopping for some more food.

Don't eat the apple pie, it went bad.

Al says Hi.

Winry

P.S. Ed, we should really look into those

things called refrigerators. Even though Mustang

helped to design them, it isn't any reason

to not at least try one out. I for one

am getting tired of the food spoiling.

Glancing at the trash bin, Seren shuddered before opening the icebox and drawing out a few slightly flaccid carrots. She looked around for the water pump, but couldn't find anything near at hand. Noticing a swiveling handle above what appeared to be some type of hole in the counter, Seren walked over and pushed it to one side. Water began to spew out of the faucet and down the drain in what she now realized was a sink.

Clapping excitedly, Seren lifted a small paring knife off of the side of the wall and chopped off both ends of the carrots. After running them under the water, Seren turned the faucet off and contented herself by sitting in a chair facing the windows and gnawing on her mid-morning snack, enjoying the day. Finishing the last carrot, she walked back over to the sink and washed her hands, drying them on the small towel laying on the counter. As she walked back towards the couch, Ed's voice sounded from down the hall as he tripped over something.

"Gah! Why does Al leave his stuff everywhere?" There was a brief pause as Seren heard him pick up something and continue, "He keeps a diary? Odd.. I wonder what he was writing about."

Pages softly rustled as Ed flipped through a few pages. Ed recited, "I found a small kitten the other day and.." His voice went considerably higher as he continued in a singsong voice, "she was so cute! Her owner ran up a few minutes later, though, so I had to give the kitten back. Brother.." Ed's voice went back to normal. "never seems to like it when I bring home strays cats. I guess he doesn't like cute things that are.." His voice rose into a shriek, "small, because he feels threatened!"

Ed growled, "Al is dead when I see him."

The pages rustled again and Ed let out a sharp whistle. " Yesterday, I met a girl in the park who seemed to be my age. I haven't ever seen anybody who looked quite like her, besides Lust. Lust doesn't count, though."

Ed skipped a few pages and continued, "After the fiasco at the bar, I rode in the ambulance with Seren. Whatever type of alchemy she used on Mustang must have drained her quite a bit, because she was still pale." Ed wondered aloud, "She's an alchemist? I'll have to ask her about it later."

Seren sighed softly and sat down on the couch, eavesdropping on Ed.

He continued, "I was afraid for her, but I didn't know what to do. The entire ride to the hospital I.." Ed's voice dropped slightly, "held her hand."

Seren blushed, a tingle running down her spine. Ed snorted as he flipped a few more pages over and closed the book with a snap.

As Seren heard him move towards the bedroom door, she decided to lean against the counter. Ed stumped into the kitchen and stiffened as he saw Seren, an amused look on her face.

He stuttered, "W-what did you hear?"

Seren giggled as she dryly replied, "Everything, my friend."

Ed stuck his tongue out at her and opened the icebox, looking for something to eat. Not seeing anything remotely edible, he slammed the door shut. With a crack, the upper hinge snapped cleanly off. Ed glared at the offending object before clapping his hands and pressing them against it. The blue light from the alchemical reaction glowed briefly as the door reattached itself to the frame. Finishing his transmutation, Ed snapped his fingers as he remembered something.

"Seren, don't you know how to use alchemy?"

She glanced around before replying with a brief, "Yes."

Ed proudly asked, "What type of alchemy do you specialize in? Even though I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, I can transmute plenty of other stuff. I'm a prodigy!"

Seren grinned slightly before clearing her mind and focusing on the icebox. Ed gasped out loud as the icebox was engulfed in a brief flash of blue light. As the light faded, he could clearly see that delicate carvings of various animals now covered its wooden exterior. His eyes widened in surprise as he also noticed that the hinges were now made of a silvery metal and that the wood was teak from Aerugo.

He quietly stated, "You didn't move when you transmuted the icebox."

Seren shrugged as she replied, "Can't you? I only ever clap when I can't focus my mind enough to use a transmutation."

Ed repeated her words under his breath and sighed as he muttered, "No, I can't."

Seren quipped, "Maybe only tall people know how to, then."

Ed cried out, "I'm not short, I'm just vertically challenged!"

Seren giggled as Ed gave a brief start at what he had just said and murmured it to himself.

She asked, "Did you just confess to being short?"

Ed's face reddened as he shot back, "No!"

Seren waved her hand negligently as she stated, "Winry seems to care from you, in the short amount of time that I've been around both of you. Why haven't you.. Ermm.. Asked her out?"

Ed gaped at Seren in disbelief, but then remembered that she had come from a civilization over four hundred years ago. Still, he thought, I'm surprised that she was able to see so clearly!

Aloud, he said, "I will, just not anytime soon. We're happy with our relationship as it is."

Seren nodded slowly to herself, envisioning Winry and Ed walking through a park, holding each others hands. Smiling to herself, she was only dimly aware of Ed speaking until she snapped back to reality with a jolt.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

Ed raised an eyebrow at her as he repeated, "I was saying that Al seems to like you, too."

Seren blushed, thinking about what Ed had said aloud earlier when reading Al's diary. Glancing at the clock, she frowned.

"I wonder when they're coming back. I'm hungry."

-Spacer.-

"Al, put that little bottle of milk down! You know that Ed hates it."

Al sighed as he took the bottle of milk from the cart and put it back inside the refrigerated dairy section of Central Store. Winry gazed longingly at the frosted doors, but pulled herself away and began making her way towards the produce isle.

She muttered, "I wonder when Ed is going to get rid of that dumb icebox. Don't you think that I could just.."

Al cut her off, as he absently stated, "No, Winry. He of all people would be able to figure out why wrench-shaped dents covered the entire thing. Still, we do need something else."

Winry glanced at Al, trying to figure out what we was thinking. He wasn't exactly sullen, but he seemed to be moping about something. Winry thought, Maybe he's trying to figure out.. Oh, that must be it!

"Al?"

"Yes, Winry?"

"What do you think of Seren?"

Al blushed and turned away from Winry, struggling to keep a smile off of his face. Winry crowed silently to herself, I nailed it! Passing the lettuce, she put a few heads into the paper bags conveniently located near the pile of leafy greens. She peered at the carrots and selected a handful, placing them in the bag with the lettuce.

Al finally said, "I don't know. I just met her, and yet it seems as if we've known each other for awhile!"

Winry grinned broadly as she saw Al shifting uncomfortably out of the corner of her eye, wrestling with his thoughts.

She stated, "You do know that Seren seems to be attracted to you, right?"

Al gave a start and jumped into the air. Winry giggled as Al landed on the ground and gaped at her. She thought for a few moments and then turned the cart around, heading back towards the dairy isle.

He asked, "Are you sure?"

Winry clutched her chin with a hand and dryly replied, "I would say that it's safe to assume so. She always stares at you whenever you're around, and you don't do much to deter her."

Al opened his mouth to talk, but Winry interjected, "Spare me the trouble. You don't do anything to deter her. If anything, you seem to welcome her attention, am I right?"

Al nodded at her, his eyebrows rising. Winry chuckled as she continued, "I thought so. As such, I also believe that Seren is even now talking with Ed about me."

Al shuddered and asked, "How do you know what she's thinking of?"

Winry grinned and mysteriously replied, "I'm a woman. We have our ways of knowing things." In an offhand manner, she added, "Besides, it's what I would've done in her position."

They stopped walking and Al glanced around.

"Umm.. Winry? This is where the milk is."

Winry grinned impishly as she gleefully stated, "I know! I told you to put back that little bottle of milk, soo.. Get a huge jug of it! I'll make Ed get the refrigerator this way, trust me."

Al rolled his eyes as he opened the door and got a jug of milk.

"How are we going to pay for this? I didn't bring any money."

Winry shrugged and stated, "We'll put it on Ed's tab. The accountant should get a chuckle out of seeing the milk purchase."

When will Ed buy the refrigerator? When will Seren demonstrate her alchemy even further? What will happen when Ed sees the milk? (Two of those should be in the next chapter.)