run, i'm natural disaster

28. Spilt Milk

"Do you ever wonder," asks Greed, as he and Ed sit back lazily on the shabby table, watching as Heinkel and Darius manage to somehow be a hit with the girls at the dark tavern they are staying at, "what would have happened had our first meeting gone differently?"

Ed raises an eyebrow. "Differently how exactly, Greed? You kidnapped my brother, hurt my teacher, then fought me and we both got pretty beat up- you totally cheated by your weird healing powers you know, you arsehole- and then you got the shit beaten out of you thoroughly by Fuhrer King Bradley, and your chimeras were slaughtered by Amestris' soldiers. What in that pile of shit could have gone differently?"

Greed glares at her, and then pokes the top of her head lightly. "I mean, Stupid, that we probably could have met earlier. I mean, you were in Dublith for a relatively long time- for you anyway- and ran around town quite a lot. I remember hearing about you from a few of the regulars at the 'Nest, actually."

"Oh?" She raises the other eyebrow, a smile hidden behind the dusty glass of an odd liquid that used to be fizzy but had been left open for far too long, and had too much sugar to really be good for her.

"Yeah, little blonde brat who the crazy wife of Sig Curtis was training- overly protective of a younger brother, big eyes that got him out of everything, and a genius at alchemy." He smiles, a tinge of pain to the smirk that shoots across his face. "I was curious- I almost went and collected you for myself."
'Your life would be so different' Greed thinks.

Images of Martel, mothering Ed with a determination and an odd mix of tough love and softness appear in his mind. Dorchet would have loved Ed, he knows that he would've, and the two were (are) very similar. Dorchet would have been his older brother, and taught him all that he needed to know. Roa would've protected him with a soft tenderness, hidden behind his immense strength. And Greed himself?

Well… He probably would have made Ed loyal to him, and only him, but definitely waited a few years before he could satisfy the other part of his avarice.

Then again, that Ed would never have clap alchemy, never discover the Promised Day and try and save Amestris.
He may have died when the soldiers came, or maybe would have just shut down because of being taken away from his brother (and at that time, his mother- even one that was rotting in a grave).
Ed may never have become female (now that really would be a shame- a perfect creation of alchemy gone- although maybe he would have been equally as handsome as she was hot).

Greed looked up into Ed's smiling face. She brought the heel of her palm onto his forehead in revenge, before ruffling his hair cheekily.

"No point worrying about all the what-ifs now, Boss. I'm here now, anyway, so you would have got me eventually. Moving forward is the key."

The old pain from a wound that never really healed is visible; so to reassure her, Greed lightly squeezes her hands, meets Ed's eyes and matches her smile; before a particularly loud giggle from one of the girls causes them both to laugh.

"Shall we?" Greed asks, offering her his hand. "I think they'll be a while, and we can start getting the plans ready."

She pushes his hand away with a childish delight. "Race you upstairs!" She yells, and the golden plait is all he can see as she sprints away. Greed sighs, throwing his dignity to the wind as he chases after her. For some reason, he's glad that events turned out this way.

A.N: Oh hai. I am back. I think instead of weekly, I'm going to aim for at least every two weeks, updating as and when possible.

In other news, I have 48 exams. My friend at another school has 6. WHAT IS THIS RUBBISH?
And I have to devote a day of my hard-earned half term into going back into school, and I've already spent two days doing COURSEWORK. Really.

But, as always, the light of my life is your reviews. So it is with many thanks [and a wow, you're not in brackets this time!], I give you the wonderful reviewers:
* For chapter 27: , Hyper V, Fluehatraya, aeva elementia, and the guest I think is Roy-Mustang's-Girl
* For the pre-published chapter 28: and Dashita Tichou.

May thanks and I hope you enjoyed,

-Tom