I actually planned on submitting another prompt other than this one, but it's not done.
Expect the next one after this, or the one after the next, to be quite large in size.
o0o
Okay, now; another one, and this time it's a not-so-original idea.
But I couldn't help myself. I just needed to write.
It's probably quite rushed. I did just finish this at 11:30PM at night.
Drabble 4: Gender bender
Edward has being hiding the fact that he is actually a she.
Warning(s) (?): innocent!Alphonse; Hughes knowing about the Elrics' human transmutation incident. (A hint of RoyxFem!Ed, if you want to interpret it that way)
"-and she is just so cute in this dress! Look!"
Colonel Mustang suddenly found himself with even more photos of little Elicia Hughes shoved into his face. His hand slowly retreated into the pocket of his military-issued pants, the tips of his fingers brushing against his trademark gloves.
"Gracia made that dress for her! Isn't it adorable~?" Mustang could practically hear the little heart at the end of his companion's sentence. "The green polka dots really bring out her eyes, and the bow tied at the back just makes her look like a princess out of a fairytale book!"
Roy had finally had enough, "Hughes!" He snapped - both verbally and with his now-gloved hand. "I have had enough!"
Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes let out a shocked cry and clutched his precious photos to his chest as a small ball of flame threatened to turn them into ashes. He sent a dark glare at his old friend, who merely raised his hand in front of him, ready to attack again.
"Put those away, or I'll burn you along with them."
"..." If Maes wasn't a man he would pout - but he did pout, anyway. He carefully organised the photos and placed them in his wallet. "You're a heartless bastard, Roy Mustang. What would Elicia think if she knew? Her uncle Roy doesn't like her!"
Roy rubbed his forehead, trying to ward off the potential headache coming up. "I like Elicia just fine, Maes." He replied in an exasperated voice. "I just don't like it when you shove those photos in my face!"
"But that's exactly why I do that- um," Maes started sweating under the very frightening glare Colonel Mustang was currently giving him. "Ah ha, ha... Um..."
"Hughes..."
"Ah... Now, c-calm down, Roy... We're in a hospital!"
Roy, much to the Lieutenant Colonel's immense relief, did so in a reluctant manner, but that death glare was still there. Maes let out an almost inaudible sigh, silently thanking whoever was up there that he wasn't going to be barbequed anytime soon.
Colonel Mustang lowered his hand back to his side, still keeping the glove on just in case, and continued walking down the relatively empty hallway of the hospital. He spotted the hulking figure of Alphonse Elric, sitting down on the down with his back to the wall outside the hospital room they were looking for. The soul in the suit of armour looked up as the two men approached, and nodded in greeting.
"Good afternoon, sirs." Alphonse, the ever-so-polite gentle giant, greeted with his metallic-sounding voice.
"Hey, Al," Maes grinned, bent down and clapped the armour on the arm. "We're here to see Ed."
"Uh, Brother...?" The armour shifted slightly closer towards the door. "Um, he's... not done. He's getting a check-up."
Roy and Maes exchanged dubious glances. No matter how much the young Elric tried, he couldn't lie to people he knew and liked.
"There's no need to lie, Alphonse." Lieutenant Colonel Hughes admonished gently. "Now, why won't Ed take any visitors? Did you two have a fight?"
Al slowly shook his head side-to-side. "No... He's just changing." The two adults knew that the young alchemist wasn't lying this time.
Roy raised an eyebrow, "Why'd you lie about that, then? If he's changing, then you should've just said so." He stated logically. The man paused, as if realising something. He chuckled and shook his head.
"...What?" Maes asked his friend warily.
"Oh, I get it." Roy chortled, suddenly looking terribly amused. "Ed's busy in there, isn't he?"
Brief silence.
"...Huh?" Alphonse's red glowing gaze blinked in an innocent manner.
"Roy!" Maes hissed and punched his friend in the arm. "I don't think it's that, you pervert. Ignore him, Al. He's being an idiot."
"...Um, okay?" His helmet tilted to the side, reflecting his complete and utter bemusement of the situation.
Maes grabbed Roy's arm and turned them away from Alphonse. "Roy, why would he know what you were talking about?" He muttered lowly. "He's fourteen!"
"And every fourteen year old male should know what I'm talking about." Roy replied.
"But you're talking about a fourteen year old soul without a body - without hormones. Mentally, he's still nine years old. And knowing Ed, Al's mind is still as innocent as it was back then."
Roy rolled his eyes, but he understood. Maes nodded and they turned back to the suit of armour.
"Sorry about that," Maes smiled.
"It's okay." Alphonse shrugged.
Roy stared at the door Alphonse was 'guarding'. "I'm going in." He decided and put a hand on the handle.
"B-But he may be indecent, sir-!"
"This is important business, Alphonse. Fullmetal will need to hear this. And for goodness sake, it shouldn't take him this long to get changed." With that, Colonel Mustang opened the door, despite Alphonse's protests.
But the room was empty. The hospital bed had obviously been used - the sheets were rumpled, and Edward's clothes were laid on there - more specifically his red coat, black jacket and pants. His boots were caked with mud, and were placed next to the bedside table.
The window was shut tight; Edward definitely didn't sneak out. The thought of the blond sneaking out in a hospital gown was hilarious, and the Colonel quickly dismissed that imagery before he started laughing out loud. Dark eyes scanned the area.
"...Fullmetal?" Roy called, entering the room with Maes and Al trailing behind him. Maes perked up and turned towards another door within the room, hearing the telltale sounds of water hitting tiles.
"He's in the shower." The Lieutenant Colonel stated. Alphonse visibly sagged with relief.
But that relief didn't last long. The squeaking of a tap turning gained their attention, and the sounds of water eventually slowed down to a complete stop. They could all hear the distinct drip, drip of stray droplets hitting the tiles, and the clank of Ed's automail foot.
"Al? Is that you?"
Roy raised his brows at how odd Edward sounded just then. Maes blinked and frowned.
"Did he catch a cold?" Fatherly instincts took over and his voice was tinted with concern. "His voice sounds awfully high-pitched."
"N-No... I don't think that's it..." Alphonse uttered wearily. But before he could warn Edward not to open the bathroom door, the inevitable happened. Steam billowed out of the bathroom, and the light coming through the dense fog outlined the form of a teenager as he walked out of the bathroom.
Roy froze, as did Maes and Al, at the sight that greeted them.
'Full...metal?'
The teenager in front of them was definitely not a male. Slightly hourglass-shaped curves were clearly outlined by the towel wrapped around her body, long clean legs decorated with various water droplets from her recent shower - the left calf made of automail.
Long golden blond hair let loose from its usual braid, dripping wet with some loose strands plastered on her cheeks, forehead, shoulders and collarbone. Roy eyed the slight swell of her breasts under the towel for a moment before averting his eyes hastily.
No, no, no; he was not checking out his subordinate! His underaged subordinate - now that was just inappropriate. Wait; was this girl even his subordinate? Was this girl really even Fullmetal? Roy knew the answer to that, and whether he liked it or not the answer was a definitive, glaring, all-in-capital-letters 'YES'.
This brings them back to the inevitable question...
"You're a girl?" Colonel Mustang exclaimed, taking a step back in shock.
Edward - if that is her real name - stared at the males in her hospital room with wide, blank amber eyes, before letting out a high-pitched and indignant shriek.
"What the fuck?" She yowled and clutched at the hem of her towel. "Al! I thought you were guarding the door!"
"I'm sorry, Ed!" Alphonse wailed. "Th-They wouldn't take no for an answer..."
"Out!" Ed ordered, waving an automail fist at them threateningly. "Out! Let me get changed! OUT!"
"I expect a complete explanation of this, Fullmetal-" Roy tried to begin, but Maes grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room in a rough manner, Al following dutifully behind.
As the door shut behind the trio they were left with an awkward silence.
"...Ed's a girl." Roy repeated, attempting to fully grasp the situation.
His mind could not wrap around the fact that the bane of his existence was a girl - a female, a woman. He did not argue with women, he did not insult women - this went against how he was brought up. Roy was taught to be a gentleman, dammit!
"...Um, yeah..." Alphonse uttered in response, looking quite lost and unsure of what to do next.
Roy rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on. His dark eyes glanced at his old friend, wondering how he was reacting to all this.
With some incredulousness and amusement, Roy noticed that Maes was taking this pretty well. No surprise there, the alchemist thought, Hughes just went with the flow most of the time.
...This made it quite irritating for Roy at how casual the bespectacled man was being. Sometimes he envied how Maes could do that (1).
"So!" Maes chirped, clapping his hands. "I'm gonna get lunch for us. Who's up for grilled chicken sandwiches?"
Roy sighed. Maybe he was being too casual about all this.
(1) - OH SHI-
...This little piece of irony was entirely unintentional. Really.