Every rose has it's thorn

Summary: Alphonse finds another one...

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters, I'm just giving them a companion.

Written by: The Castle in the Clouds


"Hey Win, have you seen Al?"

Winry looked up from the stove, continuing to stir a pot of noodles. She gave a thoughtful look before shaking her head.

"No, actually I haven't. Did you check his room?"

Ed stepped into the kitchen and nodded as he buried his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, he wasn't there."

Winry returned her attention to cooking, setting down the wooden spoon and reaching for a jar of sauce.

"Well did you check outside?"

Edward slowly sneaked up to the pot she had been stirring. "Yeah, I check all over." A grin formed on his lips as he grew closer, trying not to catch Winry's attention as she dumped some sauce in a smaller pot.

"Are you making stew by chance?" Ed asked with a twinge of hope. Winry sighed and turned around, giving a startling yelp when she saw how close he had snuck.

"No!" She wacked him with the wooden spoon, making Ed retreat back to where he originally was. "It's spaghetti Ed! Noodles and sauce!"

Edward rubbed his arm as he frowned. He really wanted stew.

"Damn... just asking."

Winry chuckled as she retuned to her cooking. "If you don't like it then you'll have to go to bed without dinner. Or just make some yourself..."

Ed frowned, his empty stomach disagreeing with both suggestions.

"Did you check your room?"

Ed rubbed his chin before face palming. "No, I never thought to check. Thanks Win!" Ed smiled and disappeared to find his brother, leaving Winry to cook in peace.

"He doesn't give his brother enough credit... Even I would know that he wouldn't check his own room." She smiled as she turned the heat up on the stove, wondering what Ed wanted with Al anyway.

Edward climbed the stairs, skipping every other one to speed up his pace. Reaching the top he walked down to his room, opening the door and finding Al sitting on the floor with his back to him.

"Al, you ok?"

Alphonse, caught off guard, quickly turned around and gave a suspicious smile. "Oh hello brother! How are you?"

Edward stepped into the room, putting his hands on his hips as he gave his brother an untrusting glare. "Alphonse, what are you doing in my room?"

Al tried to maintain his smile of innocence, but Ed's glare went right through him. He sighed and turned back around as he let his shoulders slump. "Its no use trying to hide it... I just."

Ed walked up and looked over his brother, revealing a small orange and brown cat sitting in his lap.

"Al! Another one!"

Al looked up to his brother with a weak smile. "I know you and Winry don't like when I bring home strays, but he was cold and alone out there. And the sun was setting and he was going to be in the dark. And..." Al gave a deep sigh. "I named him too."

Ed gave a small chuckle as he sat down next to Al. His little brother had such a big heart, filled with so much love and compassion. Why was it so bad to keep this one. I mean sure, if they kept every stray Al brought home the Rockbell house would become a rescue shelter instead of an auto mail shop. But this one? What was the big deal?

"Well, what did you name him?"

Al looked to Ed with bright eyes, happy that he was even entertaining the poor cat. "Well when I found him he was under a rose bush, licking his wounds from the thorns. So, I decided to name him Thorn."

Ed nodded and even smiled. Thorn was a tough enough name, and it had a story behind it too. I mean hell, its not like he could do any better.

"I like it. Listen, Winry has dinner almost ready. I think you should bring him out and show her."

Al nodded and stood up, holding the cat in his arms as he stroked its back. "You sure she won't mind?"

Ed stood up too and patted Al's back. "Nah, she'll be fine. Just don't tell her the story behind its name."

"Why not?"

Ed laughed as he followed Al to the kitchen.

"Because knowing Winry, she would have named it Rose instead of Thorn."