run, i'm a natural disaster

21. Running

Jean Havoc is mighty impressed with walking now. Admittedly, he has to use crutches, and can barely manage a few steps, but he used to be able to run for miles with no effort, and the pure skill that walking is, he is almost reverent to those who can. Automail therapy should last for three years, and he knows why. Having his legs back is brilliant, but they are foreign bodies to him, and don't respond as they should. They are heavy and leaden, and he can't even imagine what sort of horror it is to have them be made of metal.

So when he sees Ed, he sort of does an awkward walk-jump-skip with his crutches, trying to catch up with him. "Hey, Boss! Wait up!"

He almost stumbles when there is a bounce and ripple of flesh. A grinning face meets his flustered one, and a girl runs up and hugs him. "Havoc! Nice legs!"

He blushes, though he's not really sure why. It's Ed, just… more expressive, and curvy, and stunning. He curses his luck, remembering that this is the kid he's known since the short-ass wandered into the colonel's office with a suit of armour behind him.

"Umm… Thanks? I think?" Ed snorts, and they keep pace with each other. After some meaningless chatter, Ed turns to him. "So, what was it you wanted, Havoc?"

Havoc leans against the wall, lights a cigarette and scratches the back of his head. "Can- can you tell me how you manage to run, damn, even walk with an automail leg?"

She doesn't ask him to explain, nor look at him in sympathy. "You do it because you have to. It becomes your leg, a part of your body. One you have absolute control over. You just have to find the right way of connecting to it."

She suddenly flashes a million-watt smile at him. "Try and run before you can walk! It becomes so much easier!" And with that, she swirls away, a slight clank to her walk but an impressively smooth gait.

Havoc smiles at the carefree look on Edward Elric's face, reminisces about the bounce and then berates himself, before dropping his crutches and charging at an impressive speed (for an ex-cripple, he means).

It feels like he is flying, and later that night in his hospital bed, he thanks the girl that showed him the way.

[If she had been male, he could never have asked for, let alone followed the advice. It would have been far to damaging for his self esteem]

A.N: Sorry I'm so late guys! GCSEs, swimming camp, mocks and all that wonderful jazz have culminated in screwing up my updating schedule. Dx

Before you say ~boo Havoc is a sexist arse~, remember that some people respond better to gently voiced advice from the other sex in order not to get filled with Testosterone and go all alpha wolf "i'm right u suck, small balls".

THIS IS MY LOGIC.

Also, Havoc is awww worthy. C: Such a sweetie~

Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoyed

-Tom

[Thanks to: Catstar Hawthorn, , Hyper V, aeva elementia, Fluehatraya, Roy-Mustang's-Girl; for reviewing- all who are awesome]