Hi everyone! Good to see ya'll again! I finally got my ass to finish this chapter so I've posted it for your enjoyment. This chapter deviates from canon to give everyone a breather from all the heavy plot chapters. So sit back and enjoy the original content before we gotta dive back into the heavily informational chapters.
After trucking our way back through the desert we managed to find a dirt road dug out through the sand leading north towards a little city named Postrium. It seemed quaint, bordering the north and east a few miles out of the way in the desert terrain. It was smaller than Lior but still stood on its own merit. It had shops and homes, just about everything you'd need for a thriving community. We chose to skip straight to the station there, figuring the sooner we got on a train the sooner we could all cool off. Staying on the train, the tracks would pass a couple of towns before eventually heading to East City. Apparently, the boys needed to report there to a "headquarters" as Edward put it before we could set out to hunt down Dr. Marcoh who I'd mentioned before.
I'd chosen to stay in my wolf form for the majority of the travel, finding it more convenient for navigating through the desert, but it took a little convincing the car attendant that I was a service dog as part of Edwards military duties and needed to stay in the main seating area with him and his brother. Luckily for me, Edward was quite persuasive, and with a wave of his shiny pocket watch the coachman apologized for the rudeness and let us sit down without much more of a fuss. It was kind of amusing to watch the man squirm and backpedal over his behavior beforehand. It seemed like something these two were used to as Edward hardly said much else after the attendant left. I laid quietly on the floor next to Al's feet as he sat on the bench opposite Ed and I tried my best to be as inconspicuous as possible. Although being a wolf of my current size didn't exactly help in being unnoticed. A small huff escaped my nose and I rested my muzzle on my outstretched legs in front of me. It wasn't exactly comfortable but I hadn't had time to shift into my human form before we made it to the train station, and even if I did, I didn't exactly have access to a change of clothes… I didn't wanna cause a scene so I'd continue to suffer until we at least made it to our next stop in East City.
"Are you doing okay down there? Is it uncomfortable?" Alphonse asked from above me, leaning down slightly so he could see over his large form. I contemplated answering him. I didn't want to raise alarm to the passengers around us. But maybe if I'm quiet, it might not be noticeable.
"I'm okay, just a little big for this small space is all," I said quietly, looking around the aisle adjacent to us to check in on the empty booth across from it. Al had offered to sit there to give us more room, but Ed insisted it wouldn't be a big deal. It felt kinda awkward to switch spots now so for the first few hours of the train ride we didn't say much to one another.
"Why didn't you just turn into your human form? Would have been a lot easier if you had. Wouldn't have had to deal with that guy back there." Edward commented, his eyes glued to the window as he spoke. I hadn't been around him very long, but already I could tell he did that a lot. Watching the world pass by seemed to be a comfort of sorts. Or made it easier to think maybe.
"I didn't exactly have time to shift before you rushed us on the train…maybe I would've if I had the privacy to do so…you know I can't just transform out in the open.. as you said, I'm a chimera, not exactly normal ." I huffed, turning my eyes to scan anything else along the train floor that might be interesting. If only to keep my mind occupied while I was stuck down here. 'What's his problem anyway? He was perfectly nice before.'
"And…I don't exactly have clothes on underneath all this fur." I added blandly my ears picking up the sound of shifting from above. Probably uncomfortable. 'Hey, not my idea, I didn't ask for it to be like that.'
"Well, even so, I can't keep up pretending you're my pet when we get to the headquarters in East City. Mustang won't buy it for a second, and besides that, I can't take you anywhere around the city being the size you are." Edward replied, folding his arms over his chest while his legs remained crossed over one another as he sat. I lifted my head to look at him. His bangs partially concealed his face. ' Is that a blush…?' Shifting my weight a bit, I let my back legs splay out beside me, giving my body more room to stretch.
"Yeah…sorry 'bout that…" I said even quieter, wondering even more if traveling with these two was even worth it. I offered to lead them to the lab in hopes maybe I could learn a thing or two about the Philosopher's Stone. Maybe I could undo what happened to my body, be human. But I couldn't ignore the creeping fear that leading them back to the lab could be dangerous for me. ' What if I take them there and they just dump me? I'll be back into the hands of my oppressors all over again.' My stomach felt sick just thinking about it. I guess all I can do is hope it won't turn out that way. They seemed nice enough. My ears twitched forward as I tested what I wanted to say.
"I'll stay in my human form on one condition," I said, Edward and Alphonse turned their heads to look at me and I continued. "You take me somewhere to get some new clothes. I'm gonna need something to wear if I'm gonna be walking around the city as a human…" I trailed off as I finished, feeling a little uncomfortable at my request, but if he wanted me to use my human shape, I can't exactly be running around naked. Although it certainly would be a story to remember when I'm old and withered. If I ever get that old. If I could have found a way to hold onto the clothes the lab provided me, I would have. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option at the time. I didn't exactly feel too comfortable in them anyway, so maybe I could get in something more suitable for my body.
Edward gave a small sigh of defeat and nodded.
"Alright fine, once we reach East City I'll take you to a shop somewhere and we can pick out a couple of clothes. But don't go thinking you can go on a shopping spree, we're on a time crunch. I wanna get in and out of East City as fast as possible." Edward's eyes closed dismissively and I couldn't help but chuckle a little. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was talking to me like I was a kid or something.
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that. To be honest, I've never shopped before. I don't even know what I'd pick." I said, tail flicking softly at the thought of trying on clothes for the first time. Being nothing more than a lab experiment, my lab mates and I were only ever allowed to wear the clothes provided by the scientists, and that was if you were lucky enough to be offered clothes in the first place. I don't remember if there were ever any clothes they put us in that weren't restrictive black contraptions. I hardly would consider them clothes myself. They were made to be easily accessible, but it left me feeling very vulnerable and suffocated. I will not miss those damn things.
"Don't mind him, we'll have plenty of time for you to figure out what you like, and we'd be happy to help you pick some things out, right Ed?" Alphonse asked, resting his hands on his knees as he turned his helmet to face his brother with a small clink. Edward opened his eyes at the question and glanced at the two of us before continuing to look back out at the world whirling past us beyond the window. I could have sworn the small blush from before had turned a shade darker as he did so. But what would I know?
"Yeah," Edward fell silent after that, probably to ward off the sudden rush of heat to his face if I had to guess. Alphonse turned to look down at me again and chuckled softly.
"Don't stress about it, It'll be fun." I turned my head to look into Alphonse's eyes. I'm sure if he could smile, he would have. The thought made my tail wag, and this time I didn't try to stop it.
It was a couple of hours later, the sun rising after the passing of nightfall when I arose to the sound of the train whistle blowing. The train car jerked as we pulled into the station and my heart jumped at the sudden stop. I'd fallen asleep sometime after the sunset, figuring there wasn't much else to do than to catch some sleep. It seemed I wasn't the only one as Edward awoke with a start, a small dribble of drool clinging to his chin before he wiped it away thoughtlessly. As the car settled, I rose to my paws slowly, slipping out from under the bench to shake the sleep from my body. I don't know why, but shaking in canine form felt good. Probably an evolutionary thing. I padded out into the aisle and waited for Edward and Alphonse to get up from the booth.
"Ah man, about time, I was beginning to think we'd never get here," Edward said with a stretch of his arms over his head as he stood up. Alphonse was quick to stand as well, ducking slightly to avoid hitting the storage compartment above the seats. Edward stepped past me and we followed him out of the train car, onto the station floor. There were crowds of people as they zigzagged past each other, like some strange dance I'd never seen before. When I escaped the lab back in Central, it was late at night and there were hardly any people out, to see this many was a bit jarring. The brothers started to move into the crowd and I scrambled to keep close. I was beginning to see how people get trampled in situations like this.
"Awfully busy this morning you think there's some kind of event going on this week?" Alphonse asked from beside me as we navigated the throng.
"Who knows, there's always something going on in this stupid place, let's just get to the market so we can get this show on the road," Edward responded, and took a sharp right turn, slipping past people who shuffled around in a blur. To say my stomach dropped was an understatement. 'Barely made it into East City and already I've lost him!' I whirled my head around, searching urgently amongst the unfamiliar faces for something, anything that might be familiar, realizing Alphonse was no longer by my side either. Damnit. 'Where the hell did they go? There's too many smells in this place to pick them out!'
As a rock began to settle in the pit of my stomach I pushed my legs to move ahead of me and trotted through openings between people, dodging legs and strollers left and right. Keeping my line of sight straight ahead, I ignored the startled gasps and grunts of annoyance as I weaved quickly through the unfamiliar chaos. Ahead of me, I could see a wide opening between bodies and I braced myself for a jump. I thrust myself forward through the gap and to my uneasy heart I made it out on the other side with relative ease. I gazed around me taking in the sights of the station as the landscape widened out towards the rest of the city. I must have made it just outside of the train station. God damn.
"HEY!" A voice rang out from above the cacophony of voices throughout the station and I snapped my head, ears perked towards the sound as footsteps and the clanking of metal rushed towards me and my heart settled slightly at the familiar faces.
Edward came to a slow jog before stopping a few paces in front of me to grasp his knees as he leaned over to catch his breath."Where the hell did you go?! Don't you know better than to run off?" Edward's annoyed puffs of air between words made it evident he was a bit miffed, to say the least. Alphonse stood close by, looking down at him probably curious why he seemed so winded.
"Don't do that again, we could have lost you, idiot ." He panted out before straightening up again as he gained his bearings. 'How much was he running?' A low growl escaped my throat and the two of them looked at me a little surprised.
"I didn't run off! You guys went ahead without me and I couldn't find you through all these people!" I huffed through my nose, my ears twitching a little annoyed. "And don't call me an idiot, it wasn't my fault."
Seeming a little surprised by my aggression, Edward took a moment to look me over before rolling his shoulders with a sigh, pivoting towards the outstretch of lush land and buildings beyond the station.
"Whatever, just stay close. We can't afford for you to get lost." Stepping towards the stairs, Edward swiftly descended the steps towards the unfamiliar district, leaving Alphonse and me to follow him quietly. As we continued to walk, I made an extra effort to keep his red coat within my peripheral as I glanced around at my surroundings. East City was actually quite pleasant, save for the gloomy sky above. The sun was snuffed out behind dark clouds thick with rain in the sky above us, leaving small puddles strung across the brick road beneath us. The surrounding area was littered with life and just so. much. green. Nicely trimmed hedges lined the cool paths towards monuments like the station and statues to commemorate history long since passed. Trees stood tall reaching for the sky, the shade they offered keeping the benches placed neatly underneath them dry in the wake of the current sprinkle. 'This place is probably quite beautiful when its sunny out. ' I thought to myself as I padded around the dark puddles. There was more to look at however as the people only added to the sights. Despite the rather depressing weather, people dressed in bright vibrant colors I didn't think were possible. They strode past us with warm smiles on their faces and not a care in the world. It all seemed so… peaceful. 'Is the outside world always like this?'
"I'm sorry about my brother," Alphonse said from above me and I craned my neck to look up at him as his words pulled me from my thoughts.
"He's a bit frustrated with how things went down in Lior. We were hoping Cornello's stone was the real thing and our search could be over. But it seems nothing comes that easily for us." Alphonse said with a solemn laugh and I couldn't help but be intrigued by him. He had the self-awareness to laugh about his circumstances even despite everything. It was admirable. I turned my head away to peer over at the older brother as he strode ahead of us, shoulders drilled forward in determination. 'Did he always walk like that..?'
"It's okay. I can only imagine that kind of disappointment. It sounds like you guys have had to deal with a dead end a couple of times." I replied sensing some ease wash over Al as he let out a soft chuckle in return.
"You could say that." Alphonse turned his helmet back towards the path ahead as we walked. I continued to feel something strange coming off of him. It was almost as if I could smell the soul inside his armor. But that was ridiculous. Sure animals could sense emotions from humans and even other animals, but that was just a response to chemical shifts in the body it was radiating from. Pharamones the body produces in times of stress, fear, and a multitude of other emotions mammals could experience. Surely his soul wasn't able to emit the same reaction, was it?
My thoughts were swept from my mind as a flash of red stopped in front of me and I had to rear my head back not to run into Edward as he stood ahead of me. I lifted my head to look at him before stretching my neck to the side of his frame to look out at the new sights ahead.
A long stretch of road paved with dark brick that seemed to go on for miles was aligned with rows of buildings flanking the right and left sides of the street. Shops stood open and welcoming on either side of us and I let out a slow breath I didn't realize I was holding. Edward continued to lead the way, saying something along the lines of 'keep up' before walking with purpose into the bustle of city life. Alphonse followed suit as per usual, and I tried to keep close to him. The last thing I need is to get lost out here. At least the station had walls. The three of us made our way through the crowds once again, plunging deeper into the market mass in search of a decent clothing store. I didn't have the first clue what that kind of store looked like, so I left it up to the brothers to keep their eyes peeled for it, choosing instead to take in the sights and sounds of the hustle around us. The city, all be it beautiful, was kind of overwhelming to put it simply. Loud shouts of store owners marketing their goods, customers purchasing and talking amongst themselves, the screeching of cars and honked horns sounding over the street as traffic pulsed through the city and…
.
Dogs.
As we reached an open pocket amongst the throng my head snapped up to the blaring sound of a dog barking. The prudish well-groomed pup ahead snarled and growled relentlessly as its beady eyes locked onto me and it took a great deal of effort for the owner to tug on the leash and halt the screeching beast. 'Stupid mutt' I thought to myself and my ears perked at the sudden sound of Edward as he groaned and scratched his scalp irritably.
"Jeez, what's that dog's problem? Someone ought to shut that thing up." The latter half of his sentence was quieter than the first which I assumed he planned for no one else to hear. Unlucky for him, my hearing was quite good. We stepped off to the side onto the sidewalk in front of a couple of storefronts to sweep out of view of the enraged dog and I looked over my shoulder at where it was still barking.
"He's barking at me. Dogs don't really like wolves. Or at least that's been my experience.." I said just loud enough for the two brothers beside me to hear and Edward halted his scratching to look back around at where the owner was surely backing away from the crowd to attend to the crazed canine.
"Huh." Was all he said in response before shifting to look back at what was in front of him. "Well, this looks like a good place to start," Edward announced and I lifted my head to peer up at the assortment of garments and other goods inside the store we'd stopped at.
Clothes of many different styles and sizes aligned walls and racks flitted about the store and I was gently ushered Inside by Alphonse with a 'go on' and a light chuckle.
Padding into the building, I took in the sights and smells of the new scenery. It was a small little shop carved out of the lineup of buildings surrounding it, a couple of stories above it which I could only assume were rooms of some kind. The inside was lit with warm orange and yellow hughes from lamps scattered throughout the store to contend with the gloominess of outside. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the commotion from outside dwindling into a low mumble of city life. As I craned my neck to look at all the different options I started to feel a pressing concern that I knew wasn't going to be an easy conversation. Looking back over my shoulder to peer into the eyes of my companions I couldn't contain the little sigh that escaped my lips.
"I don't suppose you guys know how we're supposed to dress me…I don't exactly know my size." I let out a shaking breath as the discomfort rose in my chest, watching the two boys give each other an uneasy look. Taking a deep breath and forcing his composure Ed let out a puff of air at the conundrum before shaking off the issue to the best of his ability.
"Well, guess we'll just pick a section and go from there. Sound good?" The two of them looked to me for a response and Edward gave a small smile. Even still my heart didn't stop drumming in my chest but I nodded my head before walking deeper into the store. Standing awkwardly in a random section that seemed relatively appropriate, I tilted my head up scanning the selection while Edward shuffled beside me. Alphonse stood close behind and Edward placed an arm over the rack of clothes labeled "s" and peered down at me expectantly as he waited for my reaction.
"Not in the slightest." I huffed softly but I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped my lips as I said it and Edward just shook his head with a small grumble before moving over to the next section and doing the same thing. Again he patiently awaited my response and I just shook my head.
"I don't think so." Another small chuckle escaped me but it was becoming hard to differentiate between amusement and discomfort. Edward said nothing, keeping his face clear of emotion as he repeated the action with the following rack, now labeled "L" and I had to take a gulp not to let out a small whine of distress. I simply shook my head 'no' and this time Edward made a swift glance over at Alphonse before continuing and all I could do was lower my head down a bit as my heart clenched with anxiety and a bit of despair before quietly peeping.
"Probably.." It wasn't an exact yes but based on the short hum from above me, it was accepted and Edward began to rummage through the clothing rack as he looked through the options. My heart continued to beat up into my ears and my stomach churned as I dared to lift my head up at the rack, searching for options as well before Edward's hands grazed a black fabric shirt and I almost barked as I looked at it.
"Wait, what's that?" Edward stopped abruptly with a raised brow as he pulled the simple fabric off the metal rack and presented it. It was a simple black tank top with thick straps that were made to hang over the shoulders and a neckline that hugged the base of the throat. The fabric was a ribbed texture that I could tell was soft. I lifted my nose to it and Edward lowered it slightly for me to investigate it, my cold nose lightly ran along the fabric, it smelled faintly of flowers and some other chemical that made me reminisce about the chemistry beakers from the lab. I could also smell the faintest whiff of the hands that had handled this garment when setting it onto the rack. It smelled, feminine.
"I like it," I said softly, pulling my nose away sheepishly when the two boys gave each other another look, this one a lot more at ease. Edward smiled softly and turned his gaze back over to me.
"Alright, looks like we're getting somewhere. Let's check out the-," Edward was interrupted by a sudden voice that appeared on the other side of the rack and the three of us snapped our heads over to the sudden company. A tall woman stood dressed in a simple button-up shirt, black pencil skirt, a thin black belt, matching heels of the same color, and a pair of purple glasses. Everything about this woman said poise and grace, other than the chaotic bundle of hair tied atop her head and it bounced when she tilted her head.
"Hello Gentlemen, can I help you with anything?" Her voice was sweet and light, she couldn't be much older than 20 and she smiled at the two boys in front of her. Even her smile was graceful.
"Um actually, we're helping pick out clothes for our friend. She's uh, visiting town and didn't bring enough clothes for her trip." Alphonse all but blurted out shakily in an attempt to answer the woman's question and the suit of armor scratched the back of his helmet nervously as if he could actually feel it.
Oh fuck.
My heart lept into my throat and I pressed my body tightly against the rack of clothes, trying to disappear as the three exchanged information. I whirled my head in multiple directions desperate to look for some kind of room or wall I could hide behind so I could shift forms when my eyes caught a glimpse of a large crack under a door that seemed to be some sort of changing room. "Thank God."
Quickly I raced for the large gap under the door that was slightly ajar, realizing it wasn't the smoothest way of entry, but it was better than explaining why a wolf was in her store. Focusing my mind on shifting, I felt the familiar change in my bone structure and the fall of my internal organs as they dropped softly into my now-human stomach cavity. It never ceased to make my spine shiver unpleasantly. I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to the feeling. Now regaining opposable thumbs, I reached for the door that had creaked open a little wider from the abrupt shuffling of my furry body under it and I closed it, careful not to slam it in my haste. Firmly latching it shut, I let out a shaky breath, adrenaline still coursing through my body fiercely.
"Ah, I'm in here guys. Everything alright?" I called out trying to keep my words steady and I pressed my hands against the door as my breathing slowed a bit.
"Oh, I wasn't aware someone was in the changing room, my apologies. Is there anything I can get you miss?" The woman asked from the other side of the room and my mouth dropped open as I tried to think of a reply.
"Uh actually…could you grab some undergarments for me, please? I seemed to not bring enough for me and I'm a little tied up at the moment." I lied quickly, realizing it might be best to have a pair of underwear and a bra beneath the regular clothes. I heard the woman click her heels from the other side of the door and she chuckled softly.
"Of course hun, any preference?" her voice flitted through the door with practiced professionalism and gentleness I hadn't expected and I held my breath as I tried to think of the words again.
"Uh n-no not really. Just something simple, please," I paused and my heart sank as I quickly peered down at my very naked body. Sucking in a breath, I tried to will the churning in my stomach. "And could you bring a couple of different sizes? I'm not sure what size I am right now.." I wanted to wince as I waited for her to respond and she only hummed sweetly.
"Sure thing dear, hang tight." I listened as her black heels clicked across the floor and out of earshot as she went to collect the items requested. I let out a sigh and was startled when a couple of pieces of cloth were thrown over the lip of the door and landed on my head and shoulders unceremoniously.
"Here, we picked out some different pieces for you. Go ahead and try 'em on and see what you think." Ed said from the other side of the door before stepping back aways I assumed to browse and give me some privacy.
"Okay...Thanks." I said slowly as I picked up the fallen pieces of clothing off my shoulders and the floor before assessing my options. The clothes all looked fairly simple. A couple of pairs of pants and a couple of different shirt options that I was almost sure wouldn't fit. "This oughta be interesting…" I huffed to myself disheartened and I was about to set the clothes down when the woman came back and generously offered several different garments, leaving promptly after to let me try everything on. Shuffling everything awkwardly in my arms, I spread the clothes out on the bench against the back wall of the small space and tilted my head up to peer into the body-length mirror that hung above it. Slowly, I observed myself in the reflection.
Long thick-knotted black hair framed a round face and fell down past broad shoulders, and blueish-grey eyes sat inside soft tired eye sockets. A little further jutted a pointed nose that dipped into small pink lips. Beyond that were wide arms wrapped around a moderately sized bust in an attempt to hold them up. A squishy belly hung slightly below them and thick thighs held steady beneath everything. Long sturdy legs with muscular calves finished off the shapely figure that made up my body. I was by no means tall, but for a woman, I was considered above average. Or so the doctors had said when we were subjected to regular physicals back at the lab. There were a lot of things they said about me during those physicals. Things that I hoped would never be repeated in my presence.
After a couple of minutes of trial and error, I opened the door tentatively and I hid behind it as I peered around the side to spot the brothers not too far away talking amongst themselves. With a loud clear of my throat, and a crawling blush rising to my cheeks as they turned to face me, I took a deep breath and slowly stepped out into their view. I chose the simple black tank top and a pair of deep blue jeans that felt soft but secure. I grabbed a simple black belt that got thrown in the mix as a bit of an afterthought, but I ultimately liked how it looked. Stepping lightly, I approached them and couldn't contain the rising anxiety that bubbled up into my throat as I spoke.
"Well…?" I asked slowly, Feeling my cheeks and ears flush when they continued to stare without saying anything in reply. Edward stepped forward, mouth agape as he looked me up and down.
"Y-You're taller than me…"He finally breathed out and he swiped a hand over our heads for comparison. I followed the trail of his hand before looking back at his face a little unsure what to say.
"Oh…Yeah, I guess I am." As if he couldn't possibly get any more expressive, Edward dropped his head, a heavy sigh escaping his lips and Al looked down at his distraught brother.
"Son of a bitch…"He whined out quietly and I couldn't contain the small giggle that escaped my lips as Al patted his brother's back lightly, dodging the swift smack that soon followed it as Edward grumbled something over to him. After a bit of back and forth and running around the store to collect a few more items, I stepped out into the street, my new shoes feeling a bit strange on my unfamiliar feet. I rolled my ankles around as I studied them.
"Are they bothering you?" A soft voice asked and I turned to look up at Alphonse who stood next to me as we shuffled out into the busy street. I ran a hand through my ponytail that I was able to tie back and I smiled up at him.
"They're alright, I just need to get used to them," I said scratching the back of my neck. A sudden loud grumble broke between us, my starved stomach begging to be noticed and I visibly paled.
"What was that?" Edward asked coming to my other side, brow raised at the surprising sound.
"Was that…Your stomach?" Alphonse inquired with a point toward my abdomen and my face flushed hotly once again, I covered my stomach feeling a bit insecure.
"It has been a while since I ate something last…I guess my body's tired of being starved.." I sighed abashed and a small nervous giggle escaped my lips as they turned to each other with a small look.
"Well, I could use a bite, why don't we find somewhere to take a load off for a while? No reason to rush into the command center right away." Edward smiled, looking between the two of us for our opinion.
"You just wanna avoid the Colonel don't you brother?" Al commented knowingly, looking over to his brother. His red eyes seemed to dip slightly, almost like he was…smirking?
"I'm just not in a hurry to get chewed out. Especially not by him. The bastard." Ed growled quietly with a fold of his arms over his chest and Al chuckled, straightening slightly.
"We better feed you before you do something reckless." He continued to laugh when his brother reeled on him, snarling up at the younger Elric.
"What was that? You wanna run that by me again Al!?"
"Nope!"
"You two are definitely brothers…" I said quietly to myself as they continued to bicker, stepping past them to take in the sights of the gloomy mid-day sky. It was still sprinkling as the clouds blanketed the blue expanse above us and I took it all in.
The three of us wondered for a little while, Ed and Al continuing to bicker over something until eventually one of them seemed to gain the upper hand on the conversation and went quiet. Nobody spoke until something seemed to grab Ed's attention, him stopping where he stood and he sniffed the air.
"You guys smell that?" Edward looked around and I raised a brow as I took in a deep breath of air through my nose.
"I smell rain, and people. You being one of them." I quipped and Edward turned his sights over to me to glare halfheartedly.
"Har har." He turned his focus back to whatever it was he was smelling, a waft of something warm flitted past my nose and I breathed it in deeply.
"Wait, there is something out here…something yummy. Is that what you were…uh? Where's he going?" I asked as Ed started to move, picking up his pace as he stepped through the stone streets again like back at the station and I had to sigh. 'Yeah, worries about losing me out here.' Al and I shared a confused look before following after him, weaving through passers-by as I tried to keep my sights on him.
"What is he, some kind of bloodhound?" I asked through bated breath as we dodged different people and Al clanked beside me with a laugh reverberating through his armor.
"When it comes to food, he might as well be." We both shared a laugh again and it wasn't long until we met up with Ed, soon being ushered into sitting down at a little booth against a window inside the restaurant. I wrapped my arms around myself, tugging on the sleeves of the new jacket I'd received alongside the few other items I got from the shop earlier. It was more like a hoodie, needing to be slipped over my head to put on. It was a bit of a struggle to get it on at first and Al had to help me untangle myself while Ed snorted from across the table at my expense. I shot him an embarrassed glare and that seemed to be the end of it, cause he stared out the window again as the air between us died down quietly.
It would be a couple of minutes later when a waitress came to the table and took our order, I hadn't had time to really pay attention to the menu so while I stammered, Ed took it upon himself to order for me and I was left feeling embarrassed all over again. I was really struggling to get these social interactions under control, talking to others has always been a challenge, especially strangers and I was almost sure it was obvious now. If I don't start figuring out how to speak up, these two were gonna have to answer for me indefinitely. That would be embarrassing. A sharp inhale from across the table alerted me to the waking world, and I turned my head to look at Ed as he rolled his metal shoulder with a hiss.
"Damn rain, my shoulder's getting stiff." He groaned softly as the metal clinked at his movements. The white glove he wore over his hands made me almost forget it was metal.
"Does rain make your shoulder hurt?" I piped up with curiosity, eyes gliding to look along his outstretched arm as he flexed the metal appendage. He gave me a thoughtful glance, probably not expecting the question before letting out a sigh as he leaned back against the seat.
"It can. The atmospheric pressure makes my joints hurt. Leg included." He answered smoothly like this wasn't the first time he's had to explain it. I wasn't sure whether to feel bad for the guy or be even more curious. Automail was still a really new thing for me as it wasn't a regular thing around the lab and I couldn't help but stare as he shrugged off his coat sleeve and pulled out a piece of cloth from his pocket. Reaching into the jacket sleeve between his shoulder and collarbone, he rubbed the cloth into some compartment I couldn't see as Al chirped beside him.
"You should take better care of your automail brother, Winry'll have your neck for abusing it so much." Ed groaned almost comically beside his armored brother as he finished what he was doing, shoving the damp cloth back into his pocket unceremoniously as he stiffly slipped his arm back into his red coat sleeve.
"Don't remind me.." He bit out as another shoot of pain seemed to course through him, but he didn't let on how badly it must have actually hurt as he rested it on the table immediately after. I raised a brow as I glanced between the two at the mention of another unfamiliar name.
"Who's Winry? She a girlfriend or something?" The immediate reaction Edward gave me to the question was so expressive I wasn't sure whether to laugh or run for my life. He gaped at me almost angry, but the blush on his face said plenty before he swallowed back whatever it was he was gonna retort instead.
"She's just my automail mechanic. Nothing else." He gritted out as he rested his head between his folded arms on the table, Alphonse chuckling beside him at his brother's embarrassment.
"She's been our friend since we were boys, back in Resembool. She's been Ed's mechanic since before we first came to Central. She's like family." Alphonse explained cooly, Ignoring Edward as he seemed to bury his face deeper into his arms, grumbling something incoherently.
"She sounds kinda abusive.." I commented slowly to which Al raised his hands up in defense of his friend.
"It's not like that, she's just very… protective of her work, that's all." He said seeming to vibrate where he sat, laughing or scared I couldn't say. I looked around the room as I rolled that one around in my head. Tan walls encased a simple diner, dark mahogany wood benches with deep red cushions made the booths that lined the walls all along the perimeter of the room. Brown diamond tiles made up the floor below us and I found myself tracing them as my eyes wandered along the floor. Something in the back of my mind rang faintly like a memory that sat just out of my peripheral vision. No matter how much I tried to focus on it, it just wouldn't come into sight. 'What is that…? Why can't I see it…?'
Stewing on my sudden déjà vu, I had been completely spaced out as the waitress from before swung back into view and my eyes were snapped back into the present as she slid two plates and a couple of drinks onto the table and said something about enjoying the meal, but I still wasn't really listening. I stared at the food steaming on the plate in front of me when a voice finally drew me fully from my thoughts.
"Everything Okay Em?" It was Alphonse, even though his helmet made him expressionless, I could feel a sense of concern wash over him as my eyes moved from my food over to him and I blushed softly as the two boys looked over at me.
"Uh, yeah sorry…I just felt like something was familiar, that's all." I shook my head as I tried to shake the feeling away and I offered a weak smile. I'm sure I didn't seem all too convincing, but they didn't respond and I just looked back down to my food again. What was it that Ed called it? A burger? Weird name that's for sure…what even is it? Meat and cheese were sandwiched together between a helping of lettuce and two pieces of bread.
My stomach grumbled again loudly but I couldn't bring myself to eat it as I studied it wearily. My eyes drew up from the weird food again as I watched Ed heartily bite into his own without any shame at all and I suddenly felt jealous. How can he just dig in without a single care about how he's eating? Must be nice not thinking about what others might say. It was a couple of uncomfortable minutes before Ed stopped the hungry conquest of his meal with a raised brow in my direction.
"What? Something wrong with it?" He asked a bit confused and I had to tear my eyes away as my stomach started to plummet in despair and anxiety.
"N-No…It's fine I just…Um.." 'Damnit Em, come on, it's not that big of a deal, it's just food. You can eat it, they aren't gonna judge you.' I internally cringed as they continued to stare at me and the minutes ticked by unaware of my internal struggle.
"Are you too shy to eat in front of us?" Al asked inquisitively, broaching a subject I didn't think he'd realize. 'Blessed Al, you're so smart.' I nodded my head embarrassed, my ears and cheeks flushing against my wishes and the two brothers looked to each other again in their silent communication before Edward couldn't contain his small snicker and I frowned.
"You don't have to be shy or anything, it's just food." It was clear to me he didn't seem to understand how I felt and I inhaled deeply, willing my nerves to calm. Al nudged his brother in the elbow, Ignoring how he hissed at him and his soft voice flitted through the armor again.
"What my brother is trying to say is, don't feel embarrassed about eating. It's fuel and it's important to eat when you can. We have no room to judge you. So please, don't hold back on our account." He said gently and while I wanted to shrivel up and die from the conversation, Ed seemed to pick up on the problem and offered a small smile.
"Yeah, besides I don't have a problem putting it away, so you shouldn't either." A laugh bubbled out of my lips and I didn't try to stop it as my heart lifted a bit and the air seemed to as well, Edward smiling a bit triumphantly at my laugh. Self-deprecating humor didn't seem to be his taste, but if he wanted to get me to laugh, it worked. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Edward went back to his meal without prompting and slowly, I indulged in mine as well, the flavors lighting up my tastebuds like I never thought possible and it was safe to say, I enjoyed it thoroughly. When our meal was done and Edward paid, I picked up my bag and we left.
It was rolling closer to evening as the sun hung lower in the sky, barely a glow behind the dark clouds that shielded it from the surface below. I paced alongside the brothers as we strode down the street toward our destination. The rain was coming down harder now, the sprinkle turning into a steady shower and we pulled our hoods up over our heads, my ratty hair stuffed awkwardly into the fabric pocket. I tilted my head up at the sky again, blinking when the raindrops hit my eyes and face, but I didn't pull away. No matter the cold, or the dampness that seeped into my clothes, this was living.
I could tell that this was a turning point. I don't know where following these two is gonna take me, but wherever or whatever it is, I know I can count on these two to make it interesting. I just can't wait to see where it takes us next.
So? What did you guys think? Ed's kind of an ass right now huh? Go ahead and sound off in the comments, I'm ready for it haha. As always your support is deeply appreciated! If you wanna keep up with this story please follow the story and if you want alerts for future stories from me, consider following me. Have a good one! :)