Categories > Anime/Manga > Full Metal Alchemist > The Heroes of Amestris
Just as the morning sun peeked over the horizon, Mustang took a seat at the simple—and noticeably rickety—wooden table in the kitchen. While his eyes surveyed the rough patches that were obviously missed by an incredibly inexperienced carpenter, he addressed the blonde.
“Just how much of this house did you build?”
Edward continued preparing the coffee, his back to his guest. “Most of it, actually. Even most of the furniture.”
“I can tell,” he smiled, running his fingers lightly over the unsanded sections.
“I know, it isn’t much.” Edward turned and gave him a sheepish grin. He was clearly embarrassed.
“Not at all. I’m very impressed.”
The younger man seemed satisfied. “At any rate, the furniture was kind of a rush job. I spent a lot more time and effort on the house.”
He returned to his work with the coffee. Mustang sat in silence, watching the muscles in Edward’s back flex and shift through his shirt as he poured the ground beans in the machine.
Clearing his throat quietly, Mustang continued. “But I do wonder… What possessed you to rebuild on top of your family home?”
Edward paused, then slowly spun around to face him. “It’s simple, really. You know how Al and I burned our home down as a symbol of our resolve?”
“Yeah, I remember that.”
“Well as far as that goes, we accomplished our mission. Al has his body back and I got most of mine back,” he said, indicating his automail leg. “So there’s nothing to turn back from. But there’s something else.”
Roy narrowed his eyes, studying Edward’s face for this hidden reason.
“I didn’t want to run from what I did anymore. I burned down my mom’s home to hide from what I had done. And in order to truly face it, I thought it would be the best place to start my own family.”
Deliberately, slowly, he questioned, “What do you mean ‘start your own family’?”
Edward smiled happily. “Winry and I are getting married. The wedding’s not for a few months still, but now that the house is finished I’m finally ready.”
Mustang’s dark eyes widened a minuscule amount, barely betraying the rancid taste flooding his mouth. Hurriedly he masked this by an overly ecstatic reaction.
“Edward! That’s… That’s wonderful! I’m jealous! I’m still stuck living the bachelor’s life. Congratulations!”
“Thanks, Roy!” Ed’s grin couldn’t get any bigger. He showed Mustang his back again, dealing with the brewing coffee.
Mustang struggled to manage his composure. Get a hold of yourself, dammit! He gripped the leg of the table, hiding his shaking hand from view. Forcing a still overly-cheerful disposition, he attempted at teasing him playfully. “So where is the lucky lady? I can’t imagine her not wanting a say in the furnishings of the place.”
“She’s finishing her apprenticeship in Rush Valley. Her involvement as a hostage before the Promised Day set her back.” He set two steaming cups on the table and sat down. “She has a lot of things to wrap up with her customers before she can officially come back home.”
“Well that’s good. Good for both of you.” Roy was at a loss of what to say. Never could he remember feeling so dumbfounded.
“Yeah. Well I think I’ll head into work a little early today.” Ed raised his arms above his head, stretching his muscles.
Mustang looked at him, surprised. “You work?”
Ed gave him a quizzical look. “Of course. I mean, I had a lot saved from working for the military, but I spent it all and more on building this house.” He gave Roy a boyish smile. “A man’s gotta make a living.”
“Right. So what do you do?”
“I’m the chief engineer at this new factory that opened up at the edge of town.”
“So that’s what all of those research and science books are for?”
“Yep. I’m trying to come up with the best way of going about things. Plus, I love learning other sciences. It’s like a hobby of mine. They don’t measure up to alchemy, but they come close.”
Both men laughed, but Mustang was dying inside. The former alchemist pushed back his chair and stood. “Will you be alright here on your own?”
“Of course.”
“All right. I have a meeting today with the owners of the factory, so I might not come back til late.” Grabbing up his coat, he placed his empty cup in the sink. “Make yourself at home.” Without waiting for a response, he strode through the house and headed down the hill.
Now that Edward was gone, Mustang hung his head. Of course. I’m such an idiot. Of course Ed has a life. An upcoming marriage, a job, a house… And I just barged into all of it. How presumptuous of me to think I could just come here and-
Come here and what? What exactly was his intention in coming to Resembool? Guilt and shame took the form of the flames of hell, licking and curling at his back. The answer was there in those flames. He wanted him. Mustang had thought that for once he could take what he wanted.
It seems that The Truth had taken more than just my eyesight when I opened the Portal. It took my hopes for happiness as well. And you can’t bring that back with a Philosopher’s Stone.
The man slumped in his seat, burying his face in his hands. Shame and helplessness were all that defined him now. His hellfire engulfed him as he sat there in the bright and sunny kitchen.
“Just how much of this house did you build?”
Edward continued preparing the coffee, his back to his guest. “Most of it, actually. Even most of the furniture.”
“I can tell,” he smiled, running his fingers lightly over the unsanded sections.
“I know, it isn’t much.” Edward turned and gave him a sheepish grin. He was clearly embarrassed.
“Not at all. I’m very impressed.”
The younger man seemed satisfied. “At any rate, the furniture was kind of a rush job. I spent a lot more time and effort on the house.”
He returned to his work with the coffee. Mustang sat in silence, watching the muscles in Edward’s back flex and shift through his shirt as he poured the ground beans in the machine.
Clearing his throat quietly, Mustang continued. “But I do wonder… What possessed you to rebuild on top of your family home?”
Edward paused, then slowly spun around to face him. “It’s simple, really. You know how Al and I burned our home down as a symbol of our resolve?”
“Yeah, I remember that.”
“Well as far as that goes, we accomplished our mission. Al has his body back and I got most of mine back,” he said, indicating his automail leg. “So there’s nothing to turn back from. But there’s something else.”
Roy narrowed his eyes, studying Edward’s face for this hidden reason.
“I didn’t want to run from what I did anymore. I burned down my mom’s home to hide from what I had done. And in order to truly face it, I thought it would be the best place to start my own family.”
Deliberately, slowly, he questioned, “What do you mean ‘start your own family’?”
Edward smiled happily. “Winry and I are getting married. The wedding’s not for a few months still, but now that the house is finished I’m finally ready.”
Mustang’s dark eyes widened a minuscule amount, barely betraying the rancid taste flooding his mouth. Hurriedly he masked this by an overly ecstatic reaction.
“Edward! That’s… That’s wonderful! I’m jealous! I’m still stuck living the bachelor’s life. Congratulations!”
“Thanks, Roy!” Ed’s grin couldn’t get any bigger. He showed Mustang his back again, dealing with the brewing coffee.
Mustang struggled to manage his composure. Get a hold of yourself, dammit! He gripped the leg of the table, hiding his shaking hand from view. Forcing a still overly-cheerful disposition, he attempted at teasing him playfully. “So where is the lucky lady? I can’t imagine her not wanting a say in the furnishings of the place.”
“She’s finishing her apprenticeship in Rush Valley. Her involvement as a hostage before the Promised Day set her back.” He set two steaming cups on the table and sat down. “She has a lot of things to wrap up with her customers before she can officially come back home.”
“Well that’s good. Good for both of you.” Roy was at a loss of what to say. Never could he remember feeling so dumbfounded.
“Yeah. Well I think I’ll head into work a little early today.” Ed raised his arms above his head, stretching his muscles.
Mustang looked at him, surprised. “You work?”
Ed gave him a quizzical look. “Of course. I mean, I had a lot saved from working for the military, but I spent it all and more on building this house.” He gave Roy a boyish smile. “A man’s gotta make a living.”
“Right. So what do you do?”
“I’m the chief engineer at this new factory that opened up at the edge of town.”
“So that’s what all of those research and science books are for?”
“Yep. I’m trying to come up with the best way of going about things. Plus, I love learning other sciences. It’s like a hobby of mine. They don’t measure up to alchemy, but they come close.”
Both men laughed, but Mustang was dying inside. The former alchemist pushed back his chair and stood. “Will you be alright here on your own?”
“Of course.”
“All right. I have a meeting today with the owners of the factory, so I might not come back til late.” Grabbing up his coat, he placed his empty cup in the sink. “Make yourself at home.” Without waiting for a response, he strode through the house and headed down the hill.
Now that Edward was gone, Mustang hung his head. Of course. I’m such an idiot. Of course Ed has a life. An upcoming marriage, a job, a house… And I just barged into all of it. How presumptuous of me to think I could just come here and-
Come here and what? What exactly was his intention in coming to Resembool? Guilt and shame took the form of the flames of hell, licking and curling at his back. The answer was there in those flames. He wanted him. Mustang had thought that for once he could take what he wanted.
It seems that The Truth had taken more than just my eyesight when I opened the Portal. It took my hopes for happiness as well. And you can’t bring that back with a Philosopher’s Stone.
The man slumped in his seat, burying his face in his hands. Shame and helplessness were all that defined him now. His hellfire engulfed him as he sat there in the bright and sunny kitchen.
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