A/N: This chapter can take place in either the FMA or FMAB universe, pre-series/during a flashback. It features Hohenheim and Ed again... I'm in a rut of angsty Father-son goodness...? XD
3. Sand
The boys make it a point to ask once about a jar of sand on top of a stack of alchemy books in Hohenheim's study.
Trisha picks up the jar gingerly, gazing at it and smiling in a way Al doesn't recognize.
But Ed does.
"It's something from him, isn't it?" he questions softly, trying to keep the resentment out of his voice for their Mother's sake and failing miserably.
She pulls back from her daydream to stare at him for a long, hard moment before reaching down to ruffle his hair and grin, if a little sadly.
"Yes, Edward. It is."
Beside him, Alphonse brightens excitedly.
"Can you tell us about it? Where did he have to go to find it all? Did it take a long time to get there? Were we born yet when he gave it to you—?"
"All right, Al, we get it!" Ed spits out, annoyed and angry, roughly thumping his brother on the head. "Why do you wanna hear about that anyway?" He glares at the floor, fists clenched at his sides. "Why do you wanna hear anything about him at all?"
He runs for the door then, slams it shut behind him. Looking out the window, the two left behind can see him heading to sit beneath his favorite tree.
Trisha, smiling sadly after her unforgiving son, turns to his less abrasive counterpart.
"You still want to hear the story?" she settles gently, and Alphonse's beam is back.
"Yeah!"
Climbing up onto her lap, the child listens raptly as she tells the tale of the jar of sand.
A/N: This is the first time I've written Trisha, and really Ed's hatred for Hohenheim in actual dialogue and scene... XD So if I got it wrong, sorry!
Thanks for reading, as always!