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Post by chibinaru on Dec 20, 2005 21:05:41 GMT -5
Ah, I REALLY like this story! FMA makes me happy. You made Ed so cute!
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Post by LadyRiona on Jan 10, 2006 13:48:31 GMT -5
Aww, poo! I just realized a seriously skipped a part. The second half of Chapter 2. Lemme post that and then I'll post the second half of Chapter 3. Darn...I feel stupid now.
Expect the Unexpected Chapter 2, Part 2 (misplaced): Never Take Friendship Personal
Winry sat down on a very overstuffed beige sofa. “Sit down,” she said softly, gesturing to the seat behind Ed. She rested her elbows on her knees and clasped her hands together. Slowly, he sat down and pulled his small notebook out of his shirt pocket. “Would you like some coffee?”
Mentally, Ed started to take notes on first impressions. “Yes, please.” Best be polite he figured, and try for a good start. They would be together forquite a bit oftime, perhaps; they didn’t need to be going at each other like a cat and mouse. But if that turned out to be the case, who would be the cat and who would be the mouse?
The butler approached him. “How would you like your coffee, sir?” he asked.
Ed looked at the man. “Black,” he answered. “I’m lactose intolerant.” It was a lie, but it would keep cream out of his coffee.
Then the much older man looked at Winry, unmoved by Edward’s feint. “And you, Miss Rockbell?”
“Some tea, please, Primus.” Winry hung her head down and stared at the floor. Then she looked up, almost shocked. “I’m sorry, my manners have run away. It’s obvious, but I’m Winry Rockbell.” She attempted a smile, but it came as more of a grimace.
“It’s fine, Ms. Rockbell. Ed Elric.”
“Just call me Winry, please.”
Ed looked down at his notebook and began his notes once more. “Mm-hmm.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Winry leaning over like she was trying to see what was in his notepad. “What are you writing?” she asked.
“Notes…” he mumbled.
“Already?”
Ed nodded as Primus came back in. The white haired man set a saucer with a deep blue tea cup in front of Winry. Then he placed a miniature pitcher containing cream and something else containing sugar. Ed had no clue what they were called. Then the butler brought a mug the same color of Winry’s cup in front of him. “Your coffee, sir. Black, as you requested.”
“Thank you.” Ed nodded to the man.
The butler looked at Winry. “Do you have anymore need of me, Miss Rockbell?” he asked.
“No, Primus.” She looked down at the floor again and sighed. “Thank you.”
When the butler was a safe distance away, Ed launched into his plan. “How long has Mr. Primus been working for you?” he asked.
She thought a moment. "For about…six, seven months?” she answered.
“How did his résumé look?” Ed wanted to know.
Winry looked up at him seriously. “Are you implying that Primus could be the one sending the letters?” she demanded.
Ed simply shrugged. “In this game, Miss Rockbell, everyone’s a player,” he said, “whether we want them to be or not.”
“What am I in this ‘game?' ” she dared to ask.
He thought a moment. “You are the victim.”
“And what are you?”
Ed smirked. “I am…I am the moderator, in case things get rough.”
Winry smirked as well. “Quite modest, are we?” she asked sarcastically.
“I tend to think of it is as being confident. Anyway, to start this off, I’d like a list of all of your friends, family, and acquaintances,” Ed requested. “As soon as you can compile it.”
“Why?”
Edward hated that word. Inwardly, he cringed. “I’m going to run background checks,” he suggested. “Remember, everyone is a player, and one or more of those players are culprits. It’s my job to keep you safe and find outwho is trying to hurt you.”
She seemed to be contemplating his order. “Fine. But I’m not putting my family down. They did everything they could to get me where I am today. They wouldn’t try to take it away.” Winry’s voice seemed adamant of her decision.
Ed sighed. “Do you have any siblings, Miss Rockbell?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, but I don’t see what they would have to do with it.” Now she sounded annoyed.
“Brothers or sisters?”
A scowl made its way onto her features. “Shouldn’t this have been in your file over there?” Winry asked, pointing at the manila folder on the couch next to him.
He looked at her with a calm, slightly mocking smile on his lips. "Brothers or sisters?" he repeated.
She sighed. "Two sisters, two brothers, all older," she replied finally.
"Any of them have a spectacular talent that, if it were known, would make them famous?" He lifted an eyebrow as the butler walked in front of the door and then off to some unknown part of the house to do who knew what.
Winry squeezed the bridge of her nose tightly as though to relieve a headache. Ed could relate, though it wasn't a headache. It was the ache in his limbs. The smell of rain was heavy in the air."My oldest sister could sing as well, but she was very shy."
Ed snapped his fingers. "Bingo, a motive. If she were jealous enough, she could be the one doing this." Before Winry could protest, he quickly added, "So, see? Everyone's a player."
"She wouldn't think like that! She was happy for me!" Winry argued in defense for her sister.
With a dismayed shake of his head, Edward closed his notebook. "My little brother, a great guy. He's twenty; very smart. He knows all this stuff about metal working and armor. He can draw, too...God, he's smart," he said admiringly.
"What's your point?"
"Al makes armor...sometimes, he makes more money that I do off of one suit of armor." Ed looked at Winry pointedly. "I get jealous of my younger sibling. I'm the one supposed to bring home money enough to feed us, not him."
Winry was silent. Ed looked at his watch out of habit. He didn't realize that it was already eleven o'clock. His stomach hadn't even complained yet. So he stood up.
"Miss Rockbell. There is a lot of work that will have to be done, including that list from you." He paused. "I live about an hour away. If something were to happen to you here, I couldn't make it in time, driving so far."
Winry stood as well. "What are you suggesting?"she asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"In order to protect you how my boss would want me to, I would have to live here." Ed looked around him. "It looks like you have enough room for a boarder or two."
"Two?" she echoed.
He looked at her seriously. "I just can't let my brother live alone in Central's slums. Plus, he'd kill me if I didn't ask." There was a pause. "For him to meet you, I mean. He's a big fan."
She nodded skeptically. "Right. The one that makes armor?" she asked.
"One in the same. He's the only family I have surviving." Ed smiled halfway, albeit a little painfully.
Winry made to say "Oh," but no sound came out. "Well, if you must to do your job correctly," she relented.
Ed nodded, grateful, as his cell phone rang. It was immediately present to him, procured from his coat pocket. Edward furrowed his brow a little before answering. "Ed Elric," he said curtly into the phone.
"Hey, Brother." It was Alphonse. "You busy?"
Ed rolled his eyes. "What if I was in a very important meeting with Captain Mustang about a promotion?" he returned. To Winry, he mouthed "Younger brother." She nodded.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll call you back." The younger man sounded genuinely sorry.
"Wait a second, Al. I didn't say I was in a meeting. I said what if. Big difference. What do you need?" Then Ed pulled the phone away from his ear.
"Brother! The Handbook has something to say about tricking me!" Al yelled.
Ed looked at Winry, who appeared faintly amused. "What's up?" he asked casually. To Winry, he said, "What are you doing for lunch?"
She looked at a loss for a moment. "Nothing. Primus was going to make chef salad, I think."
"Al, meet me at the diner in town, all right? You know the one." He motioned for Winry to wait just a second. "Be there in thirty minutes." Then he hung up his phone.
"What was that about?" Winry asked.
"You're doing something for lunch now. Al wanted to meet you, and I figured that I should let him as soon as humanly possible. He can be a pest."
Winry looked at him as if she was about to blow a head gasket. "You can't do that!" she exclaimed.
Ed paused, midway pulling on his still-damp coat. "Can't do what?" he asked, looking at her over his shoulder with his notebook between his teeth.
She took a step forward and snatched the pad of paper away. "You can't just schedule a lunch for me at God knows where and expect me to be ready to go in five minutes!" she told him heatedly.
Ed looked aghast as he pulled his coat on the rest of the way. "Guess what, Miss Diva? I just did. My little brother really wants to meet you and now isthe best chance. If you don't get ready in five minutes, I won't be a gentleman and pick up the bill," Ed threw back, just as heatedly.
They glared at each other for a moment. The first one to move wasn't Ed.
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Yeah, I hope it makes better sense now. Feel free to review the first part of Ch3 before continuing...
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Post by LadyRiona on Jan 10, 2006 13:56:42 GMT -5
Okay...
Expect the Unexpected Chapter 3, Part 2: Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous
Al peered through the rain at his brother and almost fell over. His brother, the cold-to-anyone-outside-their-small-family-network was being polite to a complete stranger? More so, where had he found said complete stranger? It wasn't like Ed to show kindness to someone he didn't know. Unless there was something in it for him, that is. It was shallow, but Al couldn't make his brother do anything.
With a closer look, Al stumbled over his own feet. That wasn't just some stranger. It was Winry Rockbell! He literally felt his jaw drop. Edward hadn't told him Winry would be with them for lunch! Al had merely dressed in a sweater and nearly holy jeans! That was nothing to wear to meet someone famous.
"Hey, Al," Ed announced when they were all on the sidewalk. "Winry, this is my brother Alphonse, better known as Al. Al, Winry Rockbell." He gestured between both of them as he spoke.
Al smiled nervously. "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Rockbell," he said as politely as he could.
"A pleasure, Al," she replied. "Just call me Winry, please. Ed has told me plenty of good things about you."
They both looked at Edward. Al was more curious. "Oh, really?" Edward immediately fumbled and rubbed his neck, blushing.
"Let's go inside. It's cold and rainy. I don't need Miss Rockbell getting sick," he muttered, still blushing as he headed towards the entrance.
"Oh yeah?" Winry smirked. "You look a little warm. Your cheeks are flushed. Maybe we should be worrying about you getting sick," she called at him.
Ed didn't respond. He merely opened the door and disappeared inside. Al and Winry grinned at each other. She seemed like a very nice person, he thought. All of the attention her being famous brought hadn't gone to her head, it appeared. Al was happy. One of his friends that hadn't breathed in too many toxic metals might turn out to be someone famous. How ironic... It brought a smile to his face.
"Well, he's right. If we stay out here, we'll catch our death," Winry said, breaking into his thoughts.
Al nodded and started towards the door. He opened it for the blond woman with a smile. When they were all sitting down at a booth, Al watched his brother study the menu fervently. A little while later, Ed shoved the slip of lamenated paper down the table to Winry. It wasn't like they needed to look at the menu; they had memorized it long ago. Al knew his brother was thinking the same thing when he pushed his hair back from his forehead.
"Brother!" Al exclaimed suddenly. Ed looked at him, surprised. "What happened to your forehead?"
The golded-eyed man reached up to touch his forehead. He winced when his fingers came in contact with his skin. It took him a moment to remember what had happened, it seemed from the way he hesitated. "Oh. I ran my car into Miss Rockbell's gate and banged my head on the steering wheel." He shot Winry a look.
"There's a bruise there already," Al pointed out.
Edward rolled his eyes. "Lovely. Who knows what comments the guys will make about it," he grumbled.
Winry leaned over and looked at him. "Wow, there is a bruise. That must have just come up since you parked your car," she mused.
"It'll go away soon," he growled.
Then a new voice entered the conversation. "Well my, my. Look what the storm blew in," a sultry voice said. Then the possessor of the voice became visible. "Edward Elric, I haven't seen you in quite a while."
"Hey, Quintus." Ed looked up at the woman and smiled warmly.
Al caught his breath at the same time as he looked up at Quintus. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long, full black hair that hung down below her waist. Her skin was pale and only looked more so against her dark makeup. She had a low, silky voice that could make a man mad if she willed it. But she wasn't the best person to forge a relastionship with, and Al knew that just from looking at her. Though there had been something - Al didn't know what exactly - between her and Ed. Al could tell for two and more reasons, those two being that Ed and Quintus had seen a lot of each other about four months ago. And, there was this almost tangible connection between them. Anyone who could miss that could also miss hitting the broad side of a barn with a large rock.
When Al tuned back in, it was to see a grumbling Edward sitting across from him. Al looked at Winry, who was smiling, and then at Quintus. She looked a little surprised, or at the very least taken aback, to have Winry Rockbell sitting in her diner.
"It was raining, okay?" Ed suddenly spoke up. So they weren't discussing Winry's presence. They were discussing Ed's driving abilities. "And it still is! See?" He gestured with his right hand towards the window. Then time seemed to slow down as the button on his sleeve cuff came undone. It was a natural reaction for people to look where someone was gesturing, and Al had no clue if his brother had told Winry about his...condition.
It seemed Edward noticed his cuff, too, since he brought his hand back in quickly, shooting a quick gaze at Winry and then at the table as he buttoned his sleeve. There was an awkward silence before Ed cleared his throat, a sure sign to get anyone's attention. "Well, are you two ready to order?" he asked.
"Right." Winry looked at the menu. She seemed to understand something odd had happened, but hadn't been sure what it had been exactly. It appeared they hadn't gotten around to Ed's limbs yet. Al doubted they would, since Edward didn't like to talk about that subject, even with his younger brother. "Um...a salad?" Winry asked, smiling at Quintus.
"A salad it is," the obviously older woman said and wrote it down. "What type of dressing would you like?"
"Italian, please."
"And you, guys?" Quintus looked at them.
Ed and Al exchanged looks. "The usual," they said simultaneously.
"All right. I'll be back with your orders soon. And Edward," she said a little louder to gain his attention. "I'll bring out something to cover up your bruise." She winked at him.
Al looked at his brother and saw him sink down in his seat, grumbling. It was really a funny sight. His brother was twenty-one-years old. Occasionally, he acted his age, but usually he acted like a teenager. It was pretty amusing most of the time since Ed still looked like a teenager. Which that was a good thing for him...if it wasn't for his boyish looks, then Edward would have a hard time finding someone to settle down with because of his foul attitude. Sometimes Al even wanted to yell at him from him being so obstinate.
A few minutes and some small talk later, their food was brought out. Quintus set a stool beside Ed and pulled a little zipper bag from her mini-apron around her waist. "Don't eat yet," she started to say, but Ed had already grabbed his hamburger and taken a bite out of it. The other people at the table laughed at him.
"Oops." He offered a grin over his full mouth and continued chewing. He was so intent on his food that he didn't realize what Quintus was doing until he felt a sting on his forehead. "Hey now! What are you doing?" Al looked at her and saw a little palete of skin colored cream. She held a spongey looking mat in her other hand.
"I'm covering up your bruise since you were complaining about it earlier," she informed him. "Now be quiet. And wipe your mouth."
Al and Winry laughed at them. But Al couldn't help noticing the way that Winry kept looking between them. She noticed their connection, too. Did it bother her? If it did bother her, why would she have a problem with it? It didn't appear that she liked Edward overmuch. Or did she?
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Jan 10, 2006 15:31:27 GMT -5
You oughta know what I'm gonna say. More please.
I love the way you write Al and Ed. They are very much in character. And I can't wait to see Winry's reaction to Ed's arm and leg.
M.
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Post by LadyRiona on Jan 10, 2006 15:42:22 GMT -5
Thanks M. I'm glad you like it. They get more into character later, though, and they develop more of a character, as well. A little differently from the anime, but it's because I put them through some different events. >.>;; Hrm, the automail part comes along in a few more chapters. I think in like...chapter 5? I can't remember. haha It's been such a long time since I wrote it. I'm working on chapter 23...
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Post by LadyRiona on Feb 9, 2006 22:52:10 GMT -5
Pardon moi for my laziness again. This time, M has actually seen 30+ epis of the show. o.o Haha...
Disclaimer: Dun own it. Leave me be.
Expect the Unexpected Chapter 4, Part A: Slippers
Winry sat back as Ed pulled up at his house a short while after the lunch with her and Alphonse. Quintus had joined them for a while until more customers had come in. Then she’d left to attend them, leaving a comment about the meal being “on the house.” Winry had smiled then. She had seen the connection between the woman and Edward, blatant as it was. There had just been a way that they talked to each other and how they had related to everything the other had said. The way Ed had looked at Quintus had spoken of the strange affection they shared. He didn’t seem like the type who showed too much of his feelings, if any at all. If he ever did show them willingly, Winry figured whoever was receiving the words would have to sift through them to find the meaning.
When she heard him take the keys out of the ignition, Winry looked at Ed. He was giving her a stern look. “Stay,” he told her firmly. Then he climbed out of the car into the cool air. She watched him shiver as he rounded the hood and approached her door. She sighed when he opened it and she slid out.
“You know, I’m fully capable of opening my own door?” she asked, adjusting her sweater on her shoulders. It had stopped raining, but the scent of it was still in the air.
Ed looked at her. “I know. But I can open it, too,” he replied. “This is my house, nothing extravagant. Two men live here, so it isn’t going to be the cleanest place ever.” He started toward the house when Alphonse pulled in.
She started after Edward when she noticed something strange. He was walking with a limp, favoring his left leg. She wondered why.
“Did Ed warn you about the house?” she heard Al ask from behind her. He sounded faintly amused, yet a little nervous at the same time.
Winry turned around so she was walking backwards. “Yeah, he did. He also told me earlier that we were only here to pick up a few things, and that I had to stay in the living room,” she answered, grinning a little.
She saw Al roll his eyes. “Yeah, well…he’s probably right. The house is a mess, even though I tried cleaning it today. I was up at about six in the morning with nothing better to do after eating breakfast and checking my work downstairs.”
“Oh yeah, you work with armor, right?” Winry asked, smiling at him. She saw Al visibly wince. A laugh escaped on its own accord.
He nodded when they reached the front stoop. “Yeah. It’s fun, but there isn’t much to do right now. There aren’t any fairs I have to make armor for, or repair, so business is slow.”
Winry looked around the living room when they entered the house. She heard Al shut the door behind them, but she was too busy taking in her surroundings to acknowledge anything further. The house may have been messy, yes, but it didn’t take away from the place. The living room looked very homey, with bookshelves lining the wall to the immediate left. And sure enough, those bookshelves were put to good use as there were books taking up every bit of space, and then some on the available surfaces in the room. There was a spot near the center of the wall left open for the TV to sit against.
To her right was a bare white wall. A couch and recliner were a few feet away from the wall, but not far enough to be in the middle of the room. Further in were countertops enclosing the kitchen with space enough cut away to be the walkway through. There were cabinets hanging from the ceiling above the counters. The same set up was all around the kitchen. In the far corner of the room was a door, which Winry assumed led to a laundry room of some sort.
From what she could see, Edward’s claim of “nothing extravagant” was a very modest statement. If she could have chosen a small house to live in, a place like Edward's would be her first choice.
She saw Edward walk out of the door in the far corner, a scowl she found was his usual expression resting on his face. When he looked at her, she offered him a smile. Just because he was a grumpy person didn’t mean she had to be one, too.
“Don’t touch anything,” he told her sternly. Then he seemed to soften a little, visibly, as he gestured to the couch. “Have a seat, watch TV.” Then he ensconced himself in grabbing whatever he needed.
Winry smiled to herself when she took his offer to sit. He was perhaps the most impossible person she had come across, but he had a nice house. She had to credit him with that.
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Over the next couple days, Edward and Alphonse had been accustoming themselves to living in a house with a female. They were also working on moving in the few belongings they had brought along. Alphonse, since he claimed he wouldn’t be around much in the mornings, had brought a couple books to read. He was a very easy to please person. Edward had packed the case files he’d had lying around his home and very few other miscellaneous items that would keep him occupied when he wasn’t researching. He had found on the second day in the house that Winry had an enormous library and he was more than happy to hide himself there. Other than the fact that they were now living with a woman, things were great.
Winry kept her house slightly cool for the winter time, so Edward had no problem keeping his prosthetics hidden beneath socks and his custom made glove. It was the color of his skin and had the appearance of skin, but was made of waterproof suede. If anyone ever asked, he would answer that it was a glove to help rebuild strength in his hand because of a previous accident. It was true. But when he was hiding, no one really sought him out. Al knew why he was gone, and Winry just didn’t want his company half of the time.
And at this very moment, Edward was hidden away in the library, studying some case file that Mustang had yet to solve. It made Edward laugh inwardly. But at the same time that he was doing something useful, he was also cheating on his own rules terribly. He was sitting with his right side to the door and his left foot on the floor. He would tap his toe on the floor to some unknown beat in his head. Yes, he had no sock on, either.
It wasn’t his fault he enjoyed the sound of his prosthetic on tile and wood floors.
And if someone decided to burst into the room he could bring his foot up and sit on it until they left, hopefully. His leg wouldn’t go to sleep, but it could become powerfully uncomfortable sometimes when he sat on it too long. He would usually walk with a limp afterwards to show for his stupidity. Al would always ask if he’d fallen asleep at his desk again. Edward could only growl, since that would be the case half of the time.
Suddenly the door opened, startling Ed. Immediately, he pulled his foot up under his right thigh and then gazed back down at his papers importantly. He peeked out of the corner of his eye and saw it was only Al to come in. With a bit of a frustrated look at his brother, Edward lowered his foot again.
“Brother, you know that’s risky,” Al pointed out. “Winry could have been right behind me.”
Ed looked out the door behind Al. “Is she?” Al shook his head. “Then we’re okay. I was feeling a little….” He trailed off, unable to find a decent word to explain how he was feeling.
“Contained? Trapped?” Al supplied.
“Hidden. So I had to escape. Plus, I like the sound my foot makes when I walk.” To prove his point, Ed tapped his foot on the ground, grinning.
Before Al had a chance to respond, the phone rang. Ed reached to the handset and waited until it stopped ringing. When he was sure someone had answered, he turned the phone on and listened. He had been monitoring all phone calls, in and out. The phone had a nifty little device that let him know if someone was on the phone if he hadn’t been paying attention. And until he could get a crew out to wire the lines, he was stuck listening to them and recording them all on his own until then.
The phone conversation Edward began recording was a slightly strange one.
dun dun dun....cliff hanger
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Feb 10, 2006 5:55:53 GMT -5
Oh evil cliffie. Evil, evil. You are gonna force me to go over to ffnet and read the rest of this aren't you? The urge is too tempting. Arggggg!!!!!!
Anyway I love all the description you are giving to Ed. You are really developing him nicely. I wish I was patient enough to develop my characters this well. But your writing is teaching me to try to take some time with it. Who knows, I might get it someday.
M.
P.S. I finished episode 36 last night.
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