UGH. IM SO SORRY PEOPLE. I KNOW I SUCK. BUT LET ME EXPLAIN. I'm doing my GCSEs right now, the only reason I got this chapter written was because I'm on an exam break right now, and over the next two weeks, I'll be back doing them again. But after they're over, I'll have plenty of time to work on this, and Truth too. (Truth may have to wait, it has much more of a plot than this.)
Thanks to everyone that faved this story! I was really quite pleasantly surprised! And the reviews too. Reviews are what give me the motivation! Constructed criticism is also very encouraged. Thanks so much.
So anyway, here's the second chapter! Enjoy!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edward regained consciousness around 12:54 pm.
Slowly, and with effort, he cracked open his eyes. Immediately, his keen senses noticed something was wrong.
He was pretty sure the ceiling of his room wasn't that colour when he went to sleep.
Edward then made an attempt to lift his head, which was quickly aborted when pain oh shit penetrated his skull. He decided to lie there a little longer. It probably was still early.
He tried to remember the dream he had last night, it was hazy, but he was pretty sure Al had been in it, looking the age he would be had the-
Oh hang on.
Pissed. He'd gotten pissed last night hadn't he. That explained the mind-numbing headache. Now if he only could remember the actual reason he'd got himself into such a state?
He'd been wandering the streets, because…? Because… Fuck. That's right, he'd been chucked out onto them. And then…and then… Things were sort of fuzzy after that.
So. Where the hell was he now?
Hmm. If last night hadn't been a hazy dream then…
He was most likely in the home of the Al-that-wasn't-Al. He groaned and forced himself to sit up, pushing himself up with one arm, the fake one appeared to be unresponsive. Shit… he must of broken it last night. Hopefully the inn hadn't chucked all his spares. His leg, luckily, was still in working order.
God. What would have Al said if he saw him now? Edward smirked a little, he could imagine it perfectly.
Brother! Look at the state you're in! You should go easy on the drink, you only pay for it in the morning.
Or not, Al would have most likely dragged him home before he went overboard. Or maybe they would have gotten drunk together? Brothers enjoying a quiet drink?
Nah, he couldn't imagine Al drinking, he was just a kid.
"Oh, you're finally awake."
Edward turned to see the Al-that-wasn't-Al standing in the door frame. Only this time, he could see it really wasn't Al.
He'd always seen Al as a kid, in no way immature, but a kid. It was hard to see him as anything else when the childish, unbroken voice echoed within the vast armour. This man, though he had a round, boyish face, was most likely around his age. And he was tall. Annoyingly so. His eyes were bright blue rather than silver, and his hair was a washed out blond.
There was no mistaking that concerned look though. He was quite clearly this worlds Al.
Edward opened his mouth, but found himself unable to form words.
Fake-Al seemed speechless too, and shied away from the eye contact.
"Um. I'm Alfons." He blurted out finally. "You seemed sort of…lost last night. So I brought you here."
Edward swallowed around his parched throat and finally managed to speak.
"So… you just randomly take in drunkards you find on the street?" He croaked.
Alfons blushed scarlet and looked mildly mortified.
"N-no…I don't usually do this sort of thing! In fact, I never have. You just looked so… like…"
Edward found himself laughing. "Like a stray cat?" He supplied.
Alfons found himself returning the smile, albeit sadly however.
"Something like that."
A few more rather awkward seconds past before Alfons spoke again. He rubbed the back of his neck in distracted embarrassment.
"So, I asked around, and found out where you were staying. The inn still have your stuff."
Edward wasn't really the type to be struck speechless. He could rant at random strangers, discuss theories of alchemy for hours and poke witty jibes at the colonel for as much as he wanted. But now, he honestly had no idea what to say, he just couldn't take his eyes off Alfons. His features were just so…heartbreakingly similar, and yet, even the littlest differences were contrasting and disparate.
"…So…I just left it all there. The staff didn't exactly tell me much."
Edward shook his head slightly, willing desperately that his brain cells would get going already. He'd met these look-alikes before, jeez, it wasn't that long ago that he'd met the Hughes-that-wasn't-Hughes. The shock and pang of remembering had passed quickly, and he'd found himself conversing normally, a feeling of pleasant nostalgia washing over him.
But with Alfons it was different, not only was he his brothers alter, he'd also invited him off the street and into his home and displayed the same selflessness that Al would. It was really… His thought must have been written all over his face because that wretched look of concern graced Alfons face once again.
"Are you really alright?" He asked.
"I'm sorry!" Edward blurted suddenly. Alfons paused, looking taken back. Then he smiled again, understanding evident in his expression.
"It's okay, you weren't yourself right?"
"No…no, I'm… sorry." Edward's eyes looked anxious, but they didn't hold the unhinged look they had the night before. "I'm sorry for…everything."
You're saying sorry to the wrong person.
Edward's eyes dropped to the duvet, he knew, he knew. But he wanted to hear it.
"Do…you forgive me?"
This is so pathetic. What happened to you?
Alfons placed a hand on his human shoulder. And said it.
"Its okay! Really, people do crazy things sometimes, its just the way people are."
Edward swallowed around his dry throat again, and looked up. Alfons nodded and shot him another smile.
"So you don't have to worry, okay?"
Edward nodded, and managed the croak an affirmative reply. Then Alfons stood up and left the room, saying something about making food.
Edward Elric, The Alchemist Of The People, The Fullmetal Alchemist.
Ed buried his head in his hands. He was supposed to be stronger than this. Getting drunk on the street? Apologizing like a baby to this…this stranger? Only he wasn't a stranger, not really.
Suddenly filled with an old determination, he jumped out of bed, and hurrily made his way to find the kitchen. Once there, he found Alfons preparing some food. Edward summoned all his strength and seized a frying pan. He wasn't some wuss, he would show Alfons the real Edward Elric, the genius prodigy who was famous throughout Amestris!
Alfons stared at Edward with a new puzzlement.
"Uhh, what are you doing?" He asked, his voice carrying overtones of confusion.
Edward abruptly spun to face him, fire burning in his golden eyes. He pointed the frying pan at Alfons.
"I'm going to make you breakfast."
So caught up in the passion of regaining his former glory. Edward didn't realise that he'd have to accomplish all this with one arm, he also didn't realise that he was technically making lunch. After refusing Alfons' help for the fifth time, he finally sullenly muttered that it would probably be best to pick up his things from the inn first.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After getting over the initial shock that Edward was missing an arm and a leg, Alfons found that Edward was a very interesting person.
Perhaps a little eccentric, but very interesting.
Alfons didn't want to be rude and didn't ask how he'd managed to lose his limbs. After all, such a thing might be a sensitive subject and he certainly didn't want to pry, or cause Edward to descend into something reminiscent of the mess he had found himself in last night. But upon the absence of the question, Edward gave him a curious look. Still he didn't ask.
The inquisitive glances were aimed at him for the rest of the day, all the way back to the inn, and all the way back. Alfons wouldn't have been bothered, apart from the fact that every time Edward shot him a look, his heart sped up a little.
When they finally arrived back at the apartment and the doors were shut. Edward finally blurted out what he wanted to say.
"Don't you want to know how I lost my limbs?"
Alfons was startled by the question, Edward looked quite startled himself, and more than a little embarrassed and not in the least bit cute damnit.
"Well…I presumed it was none of my business?" Alfons replied, an infliction of questioning to his tone.
"Well, it's just that most people are dying to know when they find out." Edward shrugged.
Well, yeah. To be honest Alfons was dying to know. It was plain morbid human curiosity. But he wasn't going to tell Edward that.
"Those fake limbs are quite remarkable." He observed instead.
"Nahh, they're actually fairly shit." Edward grimaced "The ones I had back home were miles better."
"Oh, I presumed you weren't German. Where are you from then?"
"Ris-" Edward caught himself, looking rather stricken. "England." He finished.
A Brit? What the hell was he doing here if he was British? Why would he come over to Germany when Britain had unfairly beaten them in the war? Alfons felt a little uneasy at the fact. But then, his German was fluent, it was possible that he'd lived here for a while, probably before the war had even broken out. Yes, that had to be it.
"So, how long have you lived here?" He asked.
"Not long, a few months." Edward said.
What.
"But, why would you immigrate here?" Alfons couldn't keep the incredulously out of his voice. "After Britain won the war? Ruined us with the Treaty of Versailles? The economy isn't exactly blooming here you know!"
Edward shuffled his feet a bit. "Oh…I didn't get into much of that…war stuff."
War stuff? Had Edward spent the entirety of the Great War under a rock?
Alfons shook his head a little.
"So why did you come here?"
Edward sighed and looked distant. "I was in Transylvania for a while, I've come here to study rocketry."
Edward's statement was met with Alfons exclamations of coincidence. It had turned out that come next month, they would be working together. Difference in nationalities forgotten, they soon found themselves enthusiastically discussing theories and conclusions based upon the subject of rocketry.
And God, Edward was smart. He could do complicated calculations in seconds, and some of the ideas he had were just… pure genius.
In other circumstances, Alfons would have been riveted. But he kept getting distracted by Edwards features, first it was his hair, which he was sure should NOT look as appealing as it was supposed to. Then it was his mouth.
He only caught himself when he realised he had been captivated by Edwards gold eyes, Edward himself had trailed off talking and was looking straight back at him inquisitively. Feeling a blush rapidly spreading across his face, he abruptly stood up and blurted something about going to finish that breakfast.
When he was safely in the kitchen, he cursed himself violently. What kind of weirdo must Edward think him? Staring into his eyes like that. Oh God, what must his face have looked like?
Trying abolish his thoughts, he finally got started on the breakfast that had been promised hours ago now.
And forgot that it was in fact late afternoon by now.
Little did Alfons know, that back in the other room, Edward was also cursing himself and thinking almost the exact same thoughts.
It seemed that Edward Elric would be staying longer than a night.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So…how was that? I think I need a beta myself. I hate it when I upload and read through again and find a bit I don't like…
So, please leave a review, because your opinion makes me write better! (THAT'S NOT A BRIBE, REALLY)
I'll update as soon as I can, thanks for being so patient!