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canyouhearthelight · 4 years

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The Miys, Ch. 109

Happy Spooptober, everyone!

I’ve been planning since about February to do another camping trip this month, for the season. I was super fortunately back in May to have some stories left over to share, that I didn’t have the opportunity for last time. So thanks go to @catolicabuena for your submission, and to @dierotenixe for the PERFECT character to add to this chapter.

As always, thanks go to @zazen-rabbit, @baelpenrose, and @charlylimph-blog for being the beta readers and cheering section I need every day, no matter what.

As a reward for the clear, focused argument Charly gave in favor of Shalt-kri’i/Ekomari hostilities being over cultural misunderstandings earned her a reward of her choice. I don’t know what Arthur expected, but part of me expected her to ask him something like throwing the class a party, showing up to teach class in sparkly footie-pajamas. Her response, instead, left me convinced there was a conspiracy between her, Conor, and other mysterious parties to keep track of the Terran holidays.

“It’s almost Halloween,” she immediately pointed out.

How? How did she say that so certainly? I wasn’t even sure it was Friday.

Oblivious to my thoughts, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Today’s Tuesday - “ See!? “Which means Halloween is just under two weeks away? I think?”

“Your guess is probably better than mine,” I admitted. “Between the extra long days, artificial light, and consistent temperatures, I have no idea anymore.”

“She’s spot on,” Tyche confirmed, without even looking up. We were sitting in my living room, digging into ice cream while all the guys were at work.

“How - “ I sputtered. “How are y’all keeping track of this?”

Tyche rolled her eyes, while Charly snagged my wrist and shook it. When my datapad popped up, she gave me the deadest stare I had ever seen on her face. “There is a calendar on this thing. You do know that, right?”

My face and neck burned so hot, I was surprised my hair didn’t catch on fire. “I keep it on the daily view, so I can see all my appointments.”

“Which is why she has me and Alistair,” my sister pointed out lazily before scooping up another spoonful of dessert. “By the way, this pumpkin ice cream is pretty good.”

I nodded, having had a scoop earlier. We had been trying every flavor we could think of.

True to form, Charly’s was a screaming purple that honestly scared me, sprinkled with gummy bears and some kind of acid-green syrup. Every time she leaned my direction, I couldn’t repress the flinch. “Pumpkin is a good point. We should go camping again, and carve pumpkins.”

I could almost feel my ears pick up. “You mean like jack-o-lanterns?”

“Duhhhhh,” she scooped up a large enough bite to convince me it probably wasn’t toxic. “I know we can’t have open flames in the lab, but we can still put emitters in them.”

“Where are we even going to get pumpkins in time?” Neither woman would look at me. “What did y’all do?” I sighed.

“We did nothing,” Tyche insisted, chin jutting out stubbornly. “Now Sam….”

An audible smack sounded when I dropped my forehead to my palm. “How big?”

Charly gave me the widest puppy-dog eyes she could. “How big are what?”

“The pumpkins…”

“Pretty big,” Tyche smirked. “I don’t think I’ve seen even you carve any this big, honestly.”

I wasn’t a professional carver by any means, or even competitive, but I had done some pretty big ones in the past, so I was a little excited to see these.

A couple nights later, sure enough, several of us were carrying our camping gear to the now-less-eerie clearing where our previous camping trip had taken place. Even though Sam had decided not to join us, we were greeted by the sight of six enormous pumpkins around the edges of the space. In awe, I approached one and ran my hand over it - I actually had to lift my hand, seeing as the thing came nearly up to my hips. “How long has he been growing these?” I asked.

“Just over three months?” Conor huffed, setting down our gear. “The things love our best guess of Von’s environment, turns out.”

“No shit,” I whispered before clearing my throat. “I don’t think we have large enough containers for the guts and everything in these.” The deal with camping in the Lab was that we had to take out everything brought in with or for us. While Grey agreed to allow the jack-o-lanterns to decorate the area for the next two weeks - ostensibly as a study of decomposition - if we couldn’t remove the waste from the pumpkins, we couldn’t carve them.

Something that felt like plastic beaned me in the face. While I rubbed my face, I glanced down at my feet where whatever-it-was fell.

Maverick started apologizing before I could figure out what I was looking at. “Oh god, Sophia, I’m sorry! I meant to toss that on top of the pumpkin!”

With a joking scowl, I glanced at the vegetable between us. “How bad does your aim have to be to miss that thing?”

“Are you okay?”

“Only if you tell me what just hit me in the forehead?” I tried leaning over to pick them up again, but Conor beat me to it.

“They’re composting bags,” Maverick admitted. “I brought them just in case. They were the only thing large enough and portable enough to at least get in here.”

“It looks like a roll of garbage bags,” Simon pointed out skeptically, poking the roll of pseudo-plastic Conor was holding.

Conor smiled and shrugged. “Pretty similar.”

Soon, we were spreading out and setting up our gear in a familiar pattern. Just as the last bit of gear was stuffed into the tents or spread on the ground, Antoine’s head snapped up and over his shoulder. “Does anyone else hear that?”

Silence fell as we strained our ears to listen. The others started looking around, searching for something, before I was able to actually catch what they were hearing. Finally, I was able to hear what sounded like music, but it was in a minor key that sent shivers up my spine. It was another minute or so before I could make out words drifting through the trees.

“ - a year, and then

A few weeks, doubled, and tripled again,

A fire was struck by a warrior’s band

Meant for food, warmth, and a place to stand”

“What the - “ Tyche started wandering toward the music, clearly expecting us to follow. “It’s beautiful, but so sad.”

Reluctantly, I followed, reminding myself that this was a lab, that the faerie ring we were standing in was manufactured as a prank.

“Yet one bough too many was placed inside

The flames roared to life as they screamed and cried

Tore down the trees as the warriors fled

And only ceased by the river’s bed

The warriors slain, charred skulls and bone

Have remained in the forest for years, alone

Yet a magic imbued in their ashen remains

That entered a child who hid in great pain”

I glanced over my shoulder, and saw about half our group behind me, including - “Arthur, why do you have your sword?”

“Because it’s steel,” he shrugged, like that actually answered my question. “Which means it has iron in it, and we’re in space, so any fucked up space-fae might not know the difference.”

“In order to warn those who may stay

In the trees embrace, and walk away

The girl reads the thoughts of those who stand

On the ashes of noses, bowels, and hands

She sends them away with a haunted scream

That tears into souls with a power unseen

No one has entered who has not fled

Only to drown in the river’s bed”

Because that line was reassuring as I realized we were getting toward the artificial lake. Totally want to hear about drowning in a river bed, on a Halloween camping trip, sang by a creepy voice I didn’t recognize. A voice that we were steadily getting closer to, no less.

“For what place is safer from fire and flame

Than the rushing of water, a power untamed

The danger evaded, the human is saved

As their lungs are filled with a liquid depraved

To step foot in the forest is to invite death

For though the child has drawn their last breath…”

Tyche came to a sudden stop, both hands abruptly on her hips. She glanced back at me, one eyebrow arched, and twitched her head toward the lake. The voice was incredibly close to us at this point, so I peeked past her as carefully as I could.

Even in the low light of the BioLab during simulated-night, I saw a bright gleam of silver trailing through the water, interrupted only by a thick, red-gold cable draped halfway down.

“Their soul remains as though chained to the ground,” Nixe smiled with her eyes as she wound the song to a close. “And they’ll tear you apart until you are drowned.”

“Very funny,” Tyche half-scolded. “You did that on purpose.”

A lazy flick of her tail accompanied a cool glance over the surface of the water. “Perhaps,” she replied calmly. “And perhaps not. I often swim at night. And I like to sing, it’s in my nature.”

“But a song about ghosts, and vengeance, and drowning?”

“I’m a siren, Administrator Reid.” A bright flash of teeth that my brain told me were sharper than I knew they were. “All of my songs are about love, and revenge, and how else do sirens take revenge?” Another lazy splash. “I can’t exactly burn people at a pyre.”

“I loved it!” Charly spoke up from behind me. “We’re camping for Halloween, so it was perfect!” I had to admit, at least to myself, that she had a point.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one. From over my shoulder, I heard Arthur murmur “Siren or not, you’re insane.” A brief pause. “But I love the spooky music…”

I couldn’t be certain that she heard the comment, but Nixe’s eyes suddenly snapped over my shoulder to the side where it sounded like Arthur was standing. “Iron has no effect on me, Educator,” she stated firmly, flicking her tail to make a point. “But I mean none of you any harm, so please put the blade away. One near-death experience is plenty, thank you.”

A metallic rasp told me Arthur had acquiesced. “Apologies, I didn’t know it was you.”

“Were it anyone else, you still wouldn’t need that sword.” She tilted her head. “I would be there first.”

“Okay!” I interrupted, trying to break the tension. “Nixe, we’re camping and carving pumpkins. Did you want to join us?”

Another smile, this one less terrifying. “I appreciate the invitation, but I have plans tonight. I do apologize for interrupting your evening.”

“We were just surprised,” Charly explained. “But it was beautiful and perfect and thank you!”

With a nod, Nixe turned her body toward the artificial lake. “I am glad the song was appreciated. Good night.”

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#the miys #found family #aliens #science fiction #original science fiction #humans are weird #hfy #earth is space australia #apocalypse #fiction #humans are space orcs #spoopy #october #siren #mermaid #my writing

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renegadewangs · 6 years

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Chapter 25 preview

Wow okay, I am definitely not going to get this chapter done before the move starts (which is tomorrow). I’m pretty far in, but it’ll probably be another long one. Since it’s been a week since my last update, here’s a preview to keep you in suspense! --I mean... To make you totally happy and content, and relieve all worry. Nothing bad is happening here. Nope.

(obviously there are huge spoilers for the Dai Gyakuten series here.)

----

There was something to be said about awakening from a state of 'nothingness'. It held blissful ignorance to it; something pure and pleasant, unhampered by the influences of reality. Such a thing could never last, of course. Tick tick tick- The first thing Yuujin became aware of was a splitting headache, which presumably spread itself out from the throbbing pain in the back of his skull. He was cold, he realized soon after. He was on the floor. His wrists hurt. This was not home. He must've collapsed. Tick tick tick- Something had happened. Something awful enough to fill him with tense, overpowering dread, even when the details failed to come to him. What was that blasted ticking sound? ...No, it was more than ticking. There was whirring and creaking. Where...? His eyes opened to a blur, further intensified by the haze of semi-darkness. Neither blinking nor squinting did much to relieve the problem, at least not at first. The process of the world coming into focus was a gradual one. He attempted to move his hands to the back of his head, only to run into an immediate problem: his wrists were bound together behind his back with thick rope. Tick tick tick- A pair of black leather shoes stepped into his field of vision, their progress aided by a hardwood cane so smooth that traces of light danced along the surface. With that, he remembered. While he'd fallen unconscious in Baker Street, he was no longer home now. Fighting his way through the numbing pain and the protest of his muscles, he moved himself up into a kneeling position and looked upward. Moriarty was standing less than five feet away, watching him with such leisure, he gave off the impression of someone enjoying the sight of a caged animal at the zoo. Yuujin would have none of that. “Where is Iris?!” was the first thing to come to mind, and thus the first thing he blurted out. “Detained,” Moriarty said, entirely too calm. “Where is Iris?!” Yuujin tried again, putting more force behind his words despite his obvious disadvantage. A loud tisk, then Moriarty raised his cane and jammed it straight into Yuujin's chest, just below the ribcage. The pain was so fierce that it caused him to double over and even then, the cane wasn't removed. Moriarty leaned against it with most of his weight, pressing it firmly into Yuujin's abdomen. “Don't you dare raise your voice to me,” the man hissed. “You are lucky to live up until this moment. The both of you. Bait doesn't serve its purpose unless it wriggles about in a helpless manner. So long as there is even the slightest hope you may survive, Holmes will avoid doing anything impulsive.” For a moment, Yuujin assumed that Moriarty was speaking of the younger Holmes brother, only to remember that it could pertain to Mycroft as well. Either way, it caused him to grimace. His response came in something of a wheeze. “If that's what you believe, you don't know him as well as you think. Impulsive behavior is guaranteed.” “Regardless, once you die, there is nothing stopping him from taking this entire building down in order to eliminate us,” Moriarty said, and Yuujin thought that was a fine hypocrisy from the man who destroyed a slaughter house less than a day ago. The tip of the cane was finally removed from his abdomen, allowing him to breathe easier, and with that, Moriarty took a step backwards. He was off balance in the left side of his body, Yuujin noted, making the cane more than a luxury item. It was an opportunity in the making. If Moriarty suffered from such an obvious physical problem, he would be easy enough to overpower. How unfortunate that a better glimpse of their surroundings ruled that option out. Koroshiya was standing near a window, leaning back against the wall, still as a statue. Mycroft and the others were supposed to have been tracking him, which had Yuujin wonder just how long he'd been unconscious and just how much he'd missed. Where was he now? The origin of the ticking and creaking became perfectly clear; despite the overall appearance of a library, its bookcases holding nothing but dust, there was clockwork all around them. Enormous cogs and gears led all the way up into a high ceiling. Never before had Yuujin seen so many things moving in unison. Glass plating of a clock's backside took up one particular portion of wall, allowing Yuujin to tell that it was past three in the morning. This wasn't the Chief of Justice's office- it couldn't be- and yet... “Disorienting, isn't it?” Moriarty asked, having noticed Yuujin's stare. “One must give Hart Vortex credit for his complete and utter absence of taste. One out of ten, I would've graded it. This monstrosity of a building was to become the new headquarters to Scotland Yard's forensics department. Can you imagine the amount of money he invested? ...No, I doubt someone like you could ever hope to comprehend it. Now it's been left to rot, as Vortex's disgrace has set criminal investigation back by several decades. And whose doing was that?” “Hart Vortex was an integral part of the very problem he was attempting to fight. We've lost nothing of value in his disgrace, just as we lost nothing of value in yours,” Yuujin snapped back at him. About a second of silence, then Moriarty burst into roaring laughter. It was as disturbing a cackle as it'd ever been. “All these years,” he began through his snickering, “and you still cannot pronounce the letter R the way one ought to! Why you still bother with the pretense of your English gentleman front, I will never understand! Though, I suppose returning to your backwater country for another decade has sent you straight back to where you started!” Yuujin felt his cheeks flush with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “The very same backwater country which sheltered you for a good decade, Professor. Or should I address you as 'Common Criminal' instead? The title of Professor is mine now after all.” “You'd better watch yourself, Mikotoba.” Moriarty pressed the tip of his cane up against Yuujin's throat and while he didn't apply too much force this time, the threat was there nonetheless. “The more you antagonize me, the more painful your death will become. I'm quite looking forward to it already.” Yuujin waited until the cane was removed before he dared to speak again. “What is this about? This twisted plan for revenge? It seems as if you are risking everything for a petty grudge. Had you remained hidden, you could've continued to live the easy life in this opium empire of your own making,” he pointed out. Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say. “The easy life?!” Moriarty roared. “Simply because I have money, my life is meant to be easy?! Do you believe this is what I dreamed I would become?! What use are all my diplomas and titles now?! Years of hard academic work have been wasted! Even my own reports and theses were discarded as if they'd been plagiarized! My former colleagues viewed me nothing more than an imbecile!” “I-I...” “Do you know what it feels like to have a bullet pierce your body at a sideways angle,” Moriarty growled, prodding at Yuujin's gut with the tip of his cane, “searing through flesh and muscle, not coming to a stop until it collides with the inside of your hip, fracturing bone in the process? I know it quite well, thanks to Sherlock. The pain was unfathomable. I was convinced I wouldn't live to see another day, and so, dragging him down with me was the least I could do. Imagine how much my body protested when I fought him. Imagine my disappointment when I lost track of my target by the river. Imagine my agony as I struggled to fight the current and clamber onto shore.” Yuujin didn't want to imagine it. Not one bit. He said nothing. “The bullet is still in there. I could hardly chance a visit to a doctor at that time, after all. I had to focus all my efforts on recovery, even as I was whisked away from my home country. It took two years until I could walk with crutches. Three years until I was limited to a cane. Even now, the pain persists and my only relief is to be found in the very opium I peddle. Do not fool yourself into believing I live an easy life, Mikotoba. The punishment I suffered was quite severe, and so, my revenge shall be far from petty. I will destroy you, I will destroy Sherlock... And I will destroy the one who tricked you into action- that despicable brother.” With that, Moriarty withdrew himself a second time. He stumped over to a nearby table, where several cups of tea had already been set out, and took a seat. While Yuujin found it difficult to sympathize with a thief who'd had his own students assassinated, it did allow him to understand just a bit better how far their opponent was willing to go. The more hardship Moriarty had gone through, the more he would take it out on them.

#clocktower showdown hell yeaaahhhh!#and there's still a big twist coming up too #I've created a monster #writing woes #legendary aiwoes #dgs spoilers #dgs2 spoilers

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smartgirlsaremean · 7 years

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My Heart’s in the Highlands - Chapter 10

Fandom: OUAT, Hamish Macbeth

Pairing: Bellish

Rating: T

Summary: With Rumplestiltskin gone, Belle can't face going back to the Enchanted Forest without him. She leaves Storybrooke forever, travels the world, and ends up in a small village in Scotland, where she meets a constable with a very familiar face.

For ghostwriter107, who said "I really want to see Neal and Emma visit Belle. I would love to see Neal's reaction to Hamish and his uncanny resemblance to his father. How would he react? Would he think his father is alive and pulling some trick on Belle? Would he get emotional, because Hamish is more like the Spinner Rumpel that Neal idealized and adored as a boy? How would Henry and Emma react?"

This chapter doesn't answer all those questions, but it does answer some of them.

AO3

Chapter 10 - When the Vision Dies

“Mornin’, Belle.”

“Morning, Hamish. What can I interest you in? Is today the day you finally give in and read Austen?”

“That day may come, but not yet.” He handed her his book. “Just droppin’ off, today.”

Belle took the book from his hand, her fingers brushing his lightly as they always did. Her touch sent a little shiver up his arm and down his spine.

He never used the bookdrop.

“Any great plans for the weekend?”

“Oh, aye,” she grinned. “I have another date with Will tonight.”

He smiled. “Oh? An’ which ay his tales will he be regalin’ you with this time?”

Her teeth caught her lower lip. “Macbeth. ”

“...Oh.”

Belle’s lips twisted in a smirk. “Mmhmm. Just me, a glass of wine, and a mad Scotsman.”

Shite. Was that a line? It sounded like a line.

He so wanted it to be a line.

“That's your idea of a good time, is it?” he asked, leaning towards her a bit across the desk.

She smiled impishly and mimicked him so that their faces were only half a foot apart. “Definitely.”

Her lips were so close and surely, surely he wasn’t imagining that hitch in her breath. Hamish leaned a little closer, catching a whiff of her flowery perfume, watching as her eyelids fluttered and her eyes dipped to his mouth.

The library door swung open and Belle practically flew backwards, her cheeks flaming. Hamish bit back a growl and kept his back to the newcomer, hoping whoever it was would bugger off.

“Excuse me, has anyone seen a lost little koala in these parts?” The American accent sounded grossly out of place to Hamish’s ears. He looked up just in time to see Belle light up like a Christmas tree.

“Neal!” she squealed. “Oh my God!” She raced around the desk and Hamish turned to watch as she launched herself into the arms of a darkly handsome man. They hugged and laughed, and Hamish felt his gut cool and harden as he took stock of the intruder. A couple of inches taller than him, dark wavy hair, twinkling dark eyes with just the smallest hint of crow’s feet at the corners, and a million-watt smile that he imagined would weaken the knees of any female in a ten-mile radius.

Hamish hated him.

Belle had drawn away from “Neal” and was gazing up into his face. “You look amazing,” she said. “New York agrees with you.”

“You look pretty great, too,” Neal said, squeezing her shoulders.

“How’s the family?” she asked.

“Good. Missing the others, y’know, but mostly we do okay.”

“Right.” Belle seemed to get lost for a moment staring into the man’s face, and Hamish wanted to hit something. He settled for clearing his throat. Both of them turned to look at him and the man froze, his face flashing the same disbelieving expression he’d seen on Belle the first time they met before she fainted dead away.

“Oh, God, sorry, where are my manners? Hamish, this is Neal Cassidy. Neal, Hamish Macbeth. He’s the constable here.”

“So you’re, uh...you're Hamish, huh?” Neal shook his head slightly, stepped forward, and held out his hand. His voice was oddly hoarse and his eyes were fixed on Hamish's face as if he were trying to see through his skull. “It’s, uh...it’s good to put a face to the name. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Och, really?” Hamish gripped the man’s hand tightly before immediately dropping it. “Wish I could say the same.” Neal’s eyebrows rose, the strange expression fading slowly to be replaced by faint amusement. “What brings you here, Mr. Cassidy?”

“Just checking up on Belle,” he answered, slinging an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. He still hadn't looked away from Hamish's face. “I know she’s smarter than pretty much anyone around and can take care of herself, but she said this place was home, so I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Belle prodded.

“Oh, yeah. Reminds me a bit of my hometown.”

“Where is that, exactly?” Hamish asked.

“A little place you’ve never heard of.”

“Try me.”

Neal finally looked away and rolled his eyes. “Longbourn.”

Oh. He really had never heard of it. Damn.

“Well, I suppose I’ll leave you two tae...catch up,” Hamish said quietly, hoping the man had a car parked outside. He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode out the door, tension in every muscle. There was a car, and Hamish stood in front of it for some time, debating his options. There was what he could do, what he wanted to do, and what he should do, and the could and wanted were winning the fight in a big way.

But he’d been trying, since losing both Alex and Isobel, to control his less...refined...instincts. He couldn’t help wanting to punch Cassidy in his handsome swarthy face, and he couldn’t help wanting to break every lamp on the bloody car, but he could walk away instead. So he did.

“Holy crap, you weren’t kidding.”

Belle, who had watched Hamish leave with a slight frown on her face, turned to Neal and saw that he looked shaken.

“You said he looked like my father, but...I mean, that is just really weird.” His eyes looked misty and Belle put a hand on his arm.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” He took a deep breath. “I haven’t seen him in...how old is he, anyway?”

“Late thirties, at a guess.”

“Papa was thirty-six when I was born.” Neal’s voice was strained. “I never got to see him when he was...I mean he was never rich but there were better days when he was happy...when I knew him he was always poor and sad and…”

“He’s not your father.” Neal blinked and shook his head, and Belle took his hands and squeezed hard until he met her eyes. “Neal, he isn’t. He was born in this land, in this town. His name is Hamish Macbeth and he has never stirred from this corner of the world his whole life. Glasgow and Lochdubh, that’s all he knows.”

“But he looks...and he sounds… I kept waiting for him to call me 'Bae.' I swear, Belle, he..."

“I know. Believe me, I know. But they’re not the same man.”

At last Neal nodded, breathing deeply. “Sorry. I didn’t think he'd be so…or that I'd...”

“It’s okay.”

“You said it would be a shock. I feel a little dizzy.”

“I fainted, if that makes you feel any better.”

Laughing, Neal pulled her into a tight hug. “God, you’re the best. Show me around this town of yours.”

The town was abuzz with the news of the visitor. Belle had closed the library at midday in honor of escorting her guest around town, hanging on his arm and laughing at his jokes. Try as he might, Hamish couldn’t escape them. If he didn’t seem them personally, he heard of them from the townsfolk. Speculation was rampant. She’d never mentioned a boyfriend, but perhaps she hadn’t expected to see him again. It was all anyone talked about.

Later that night, Belle and Neal treated the entire village to a demonstration of the fact that handsome blokes from the city had the upper hand over short constables from the backcountry. They weren’t at all physically affectionate - even sat on opposite sides of the table - but they talked and laughed and smiled all through dinner, and Hamish was fairly sure he was going to be sick.

He’d been at the bar for nearly two hours before Belle apparently noticed him, and then all of a sudden she was at his side, all breathless smiles and glowing eyes, and begging him to join them.

“You really should,” she pressed. “I think you’d like Neal a lot. You have so much in common.”

“I’ll bit we dae,” he muttered, draining his glass of whiskey. “Nae thenk ye, I’m braw whaur I am.”

“What?” she leaned closer to him. “I can’t understand you when your brogue gets that thick.”

“I said,” he enunciated carefully, “leave. me. alone.”

Belle drew back as if he’d slapped her, and he felt a little bad about that, but then he was a little scared because her face hardened and she gripped his shoulder and pulled him off the stool. “Get outside,” she snapped. “Right now.”

Shite, she was terrifying like this. He squirmed away from the painful pressure of her long fingernails as she half-pushed, half-pulled him out the door and onto the sidewalk. “Jesus, hen, yer hans ur loch claws!” he hissed.

“Oh.” Her anger dissipated to be replaced by concern, and she released him and rubbed his shoulder tenderly. “I’m sorry, I...I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Well, I’m out now. Whit dae ye want?” He tried to be unaffected by the gentle pressure of her hands soothing away his hurt.

“I want to know why you were short with Neal this morning and downright mean to me just now.”

Oh, hell. He wasn’t even close to ready to have this conversation. He shrugged. “Bad day. Sorry.”

Her eyebrows lowered. “You were perfectly pleasant until he showed up.”

Well, yeah, when he thought he was finally going to get to kiss her, he’d been practically jolly. Hamish shrugged and looked at the ground, feeling like a child receiving a scolding for bad behavior.

“Hamish, you’re not...you’re not jealous of Neal.”

Of course he was. He was so jealous he could hardly see straight. But he couldn’t tell her that.

“No, ay course no',” he muttered, digging the toe of one shoe into the pavement.

“You are.” Belle sounded awed and remorseful all at once.

“Shouldnae be,” he said a little more clearly. “It’s no' as if we...we…”

Belle took a deep breath and tugged on his arm, leading him across the street to sit on the low wall there. She dropped her hand from his sleeve and folded her hands in her lap. “Neal isn’t my boyfriend or lover or anything like that,” she said calmly, looking past his shoulder and out at the sea. “He’s my...well, I guess you could call him my stepson.”

“Eh?” Hamish twisted his head until he could look into her eyes. “How’s that? He’s your bloody age!”

Shrugging, Belle began to fidget with the hem of her shirt. “I know I’ve mentioned a man in my past. He was...well, he was a bit older than me. We didn’t have the chance to get married, but I got used to thinking of Neal as my stepson.” She smiled shyly at him. “He’s married with a kid, so I guess I’m a step-grandmother, too.”

“Hell,” Hamish breathed. “I’m sorry, Belle.” He felt like an ass, spoiling her reunion with someone so important to her.

“Me too. I should’ve told you about him. Of course,” she added wryly, “it’s hard to find a casual way to work your grown sort-of-stepson into the conversation.” He snorted a laugh and silence stretched between them for a few minutes.

“You ne’er talk about him, y’know,” Hamish said at last.

“Neal?”

“Nah, his dad.” Hamish racked his brains for the man’s name and came up empty. “I dinnae think ye’ve even told me his name.”

Belle dropped her gaze to her hands and was quiet for so long Hamish worried she was angry. “Gold,” she finally whispered. “His name was Roderick Gold.” He didn’t press her, and it was another minute or so before she spoke again. “He didn’t have the best reputation. He was wily and manipulative and cunning and ambitious. Everyone said so. But with me...with me he wasn’t like that. I mean, he was , but he was also sweet and gentle and generous and loving. God, he had so much love to give, but he was convinced no one wanted it. It took him ages to realize I really loved him.”

“You said he died?”

“Yes. Two and a half years ago.” Belle’s eyes glazed over as she stared out to sea. “Protecting us. Neal and me.”

“From what?”

He didn’t know what he was expecting - muggers, fire, killer bees - but her words knocked him breathless. “His father.”

Anger bubbled up in him. “Mean bugger, was he?”

“He was a foul, evil man,” Belle whispered, pulling her arms around her body. “He hated Roderick, really, actually hated him. His own son. How does someone do that?” Hamish shook his head and draped a tentative arm across her shoulders. “They hadn’t seen each other in years, but Malcolm showed up one day and...and wanted something from him. Roderick wouldn’t give in, so Malcolm went after me and Neal. Roderick stopped him but only just, and the effort killed him.”

“Christ, mo ghraidh,” he muttered pulling her closer. “I’m sorry.”

“At first I couldn’t fall asleep without reliving it all,” Belle sighed, “and it was terrible, but...I think the first day I woke up and realized that I hadn’t thought about him once the whole day before was worse. I know I’m supposed to heal, to move on, but it still feels wrong, y’know? To go days or even a week without thinking about the day my life changed forever, or imagining his response to some remark, or thinking I just heard him come in from work. I loved him so much.”

Hamish took a deep breath and squeezed her in his arms. “Thank you for tellin’ me,” he murmured.

Belle pulled away from him and studied him seriously, her eyes growing sadder and more thoughtful by the second.

“What is it?”

“There’s something else I should tell you, because Neal might slip up and say something eventually, and if he brings his family out here, Emma and Henry definitely will. Not much of a filter with those two.”

“Okay.”

“I’m just afraid of how you’ll take it.”

“I’ll try no' tae overreact.”

“Not sure that’s possible,” Belle muttered, and then cleared her throat. “Do you...do you remember the night we met?”

“When you fainted on me? Aye. Difficult tae forget, that.”

“Well, I wasn’t sick or dizzy or suffering from jet lag or highway hypnosis or anything like that,” Belle sighed. “It really was you. You surprised me...scared me.”

“What?” He was flabbergasted. “What did I dae to scare you?”

“Nothing.” Belle fidgeted. “It’s just that - apart from the fact that you’re at least twenty years younger, you look enough like Rum to be his twin.” He turned to stare at her. “And I don’t just mean the same coloring and height. I mean you’re identical in every way except for the length of your hair...and that his had some gray.”

“So when you saw me on the road…”

“It was like he’d come back from the dead.”

Hamish was silent, absorbing this information, and he felt the overreaction she feared growing inside him. Was this why she appeared to like him? Because he resembled her former lover? When he flirted with her did she imagine Gold before her using his face and words? When he touched her hand did she think of him? Had she meant to replace Gold with a newer model? He glanced up and met her eyes, which were huge and dark with worry, her teeth scoring her lower lip painfully, and he took a deep breath. He knew the answers to all those questions, of course. Belle was too smart to delude herself, at least not for long. She knew he wasn’t Gold, and she either wanted him or not. Same as always, right? Either a woman wanted you or she didn’t. Of course, in his experience mostly she didn’t, not for any significant length of time.

“Small wonder he looked like I’d slapped him,” he said at last.

“Yeah, it...it was a shock.”

They both stared at the moonlight on the water for a few silent moments, and then Hamish turned to her. “You should go back in. I’m sorry for being an idiot.”

“You weren’t, it was a perfectly natural assumption to make.” Her eyes flitted over his face for a moment. When she kissed his cheek, he finally had the nerve to reciprocate and tried not to grin too broadly when she blushed. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Always.”

#bellish #hamish macbeth #fanfic #bellish fic #belle french #neal cassidy #hamish macbeth fanfic

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lady-charinette · 5 years

Text

The Night before the Promised Day - Edwin

Taken from my one shot collection “One Shots” (Fandom: FMA) on Fanfiction.net (under my other name ScarletRedfox)

The Night before the Promised Day

“Gosh, you’re so annoying Winry!” Ed slammed the door shut behind him, grabbing his shirt on the way.

He failed to hear Winry’s hurt voice,” Edward…” her blue eyes were sad, feelings of hurt welled up inside her. She clenched her fists and set her jaw tight, she would not cry. She promised him she would cry tears of joy the next she did, now was not the time.

Ed was stressed for the big battle tomorrow, of course he would be on edge but…did he have to be such an insensitive moron?!

Winry let out a frustrated growl, throwing her wench in the corner, hitting a vase by mistake and breaking it into thousands of pieces.

Oh, oh, Granny would have her head for this. Winry sighed heavily, looking at the door, in the direction where Ed just stormed out of.

--------

Ed growled lowly deep in his throat, his shirt over his shoulder as he was walking down the stairs. He spotted Greed leaning against the wall at the stairs, his eyes closed as if deep in thought.

But Edward knew better.

“Oh man, she’s a peach.” Greed opened his eyes, a wide grin stretching over it, teeth and all, “Sounds like she wants everything, my kinda girl.”

If possible, Ed’s mood only darkened further at Greed’s comment. He didn’t particularly hate the Homunculus, in fact, he was the only one whom he could tolerate and even liked, well alright…like may be too much, but something like that.

“That kind of want is dangerous, it’s not how reality works.” Ed lifted his automail hand, his frown darkening, “Take a look, this is what I got for wanting something unrealistic.” The painful memory of that fateful night of his first attempt at human transmutation rose like bile in his throat. His human hand clenched his shirt tighter, his jaw set tightly.

He was caught off guard by Greed though, “I disagree. You wanna bring back someone that you lost, you might want money, maybe you want women, or you might wanna protect the world. These are all common things people want, things that their hearts desire.” He had enough of this.

He certainly didn’t need a lecture from Greed of all people, Homunculus or not, Ed was prepared to leave before he did something he may regret, well he couldn’t say he would regret if he punched Greed in the face, but he would feel bad for Ling.

“Greed may not be good but it’s not so bad either.” Greed continued to talk, not bothered that Edward was obviously peeved at his lectures and started to leave, “You humans think greed is just for money and power, but everyone wants something they don’t have.”

Greed watched Edward carefully, his keen eyes noticed the way Ed stopped for a minute, his words seemingly having impact on the young alchemist. Greed knew better than to expect a verbal reply or any at all for that matter, but the brief hesitation Ed showed him was enough.

His words got through to him, that was all he wanted. Greed’s grin vanished but his smirk remained.

“Aw, hell, those kids are giving me a headache. Wonder how ol’ granny’s even putting up with that bunch, I would have kicked them outta the house a long time ago,” Greed commented in his mind, mentally communicating with Ling.

“Don’t be so harsh Greed, Ed’s having a hard time now, tomorrow there will be a big fight and none of us knows how it will conclude. We don’t know who will live and who…” the prince paused, letting the words linger in his conscious.

“Tch, if ya ask me, I wasn’t direct enough. I can hear the Rockbell girl crying a mile away and the stupid blonde’s just too dense to do anything about it, guess good ,old Greed needs to shine once again,. Greed sighed and smirked, pushing himself away from the wall and heading upstairs towards Winry’s room.

“Greed, don’t you dare do something.” Ling warned and Greed almost physically felt the restraints Ling put on him, causing him to falter by the next step, however Greed easily brushed it off.

“Calm down princy. I ain’t doing nothing, can’t a greedy homunculus even have a nice little chat with a lady once in a while?” Ling scoffed in displeasure and Greed shrugged, not about to apologize for his words.

After all, he wasn’t done lecturing just yet.

----------

“Stupid Greed. Stupid Winry. Ugh, why do they all need to be so damn noisy?! Can’t they just take care of their own business and not butt into mine?!” Ed growled, kicking a rock from the path in anger.

He sighed heavily, looking up at the dark, starry sky, lost in his scrambled thoughts. Ed shook his head when an image of his childhood friend appeared in his mind and he continued walking aimlessly, observing the quiet landscape around him.

“She is sobbing you know?” the voice of his little brother startled him, Ed whipped around looking up at the suit of armor that hosted his brother’s soul.

Golden eyes widened, “W-what?” his voice was quiet, unsure. Hearing that Winry was sobbing, possibly crying…because of him no less…it tore at his heart.

“She isn’t crying but…” it made no difference to Alphonse, but knowing of his promise to Winry, thought he should add it before his brother completely lost it.

Edward being Edward, ever the stubborn guy since he was a toddler, he turned his head in the other direction, huffing in annoyance, resting one hand on his hip while still holding his white shirt with the other.

“Tch…she thinks it’s all so easy, defeating a guy who claims to rival God, fighting against the Homunculi…we are only humans Al, we may have Greed on our side but that can’t turn the tables in our favor. She has to realize there is a chance for us never coming back.” He paused, “She didn’t fight them Al, she doesn’t know their power, Father’s power, she has no idea what we are up against and yet she has the guts to just tell me to come home safe and sound?!” he crossed his arms in anger.

He could hear Al sigh behind him, “Brother…Winry is just worried about you, you know that.” Ed’s head lowered slightly, enough so his golden bangs covered his eyes.

“Yeah…I know…” he sighed and turned to face his little brother, “ But does she have to be so damn noisy? And bossy?! That annoying woman! Remember that one time I bought her a new wench? Because apparently I broke her old one because I have such a thick skull! Thanks to her throwing random wenches at me!

You remember what the first thing was she did with it right Al? She threw it at me when she saw my arm wrecked and you in a cart, demolished, General Armstrong just kept striking those weird as hell poses… Of course, when somebody buys you a new wench the first thing you do with it is throw it at someone’s head and try to kill them with it!” Ed’s nostrils flared in anger and Al swore he saw steam coming out of them.

Ed sighed heavily after a while of growling in displeasure, he rubbed his face and ran a hand through his hair.

With his automail arm.

Edward paused to look at it, to really look at it. He saw the careful detail dedicated to it, the strong, very durable metal used here, reinforced, adjusted so it wasn’t too heavy but also that it could endure a good beating. The shape looked very human-like, aside from the visible bolts and screws of course but otherwise if it was covered by cloth it looked like a normal, human arm.

Ed remembered all those times where he returned to Winry and Pinako, all beat up, either his automail arm or leg gone, or even both after a very hard fight. He remembered all the times where Winry scolded him, threw her precious wenches at his head, attempted to kill him, chased him around the house.

Remembered all those times where he learned that when he bought her jewelry, most notably earrings, she wouldn’t be so quick to anger or physically lash out at him or Al – though it was obvious Ed took the main beating every time. It wasn’t just about saving his ass from her wrath either, he had enjoyed seeing the look of pure affection and joy in her face, similar to when she saw another mechanic’s work which was superior to her own.

“You know…” he scratched the back of his neck, feeling embarrassment creeping up on him, “Maybe I….maybe I had been a bit too…hard on her…” Ed smiled softly then, “I mean, she always stuck with me, even if I was unbearable and kept annoying the screws out of her, she still stuck with me and fixed me up. No matter how bad I wrecked her automail, she always pulled countless of all-nighters to get them fixed and never complained about them once.”

He looked back up at the stars, saw them twinkling brightly, others more so than the rest.

He made a decision.

Ed closed his eyes and smiled, he turned around and wordlessly passed his brother, heading back in the direction of the Rockbell home.

“Where are you going brother?” Alphonse asked, watching as his older brother walked toward the old house.

“What does it look like? I gotta tell some stuff to my mechanic after all.” Ed grinned and turned briefly to look at Al.

Only to see his brother having a chibi smirking face, he could almost see the hearts swarming around his head and that cat-like smile on his face.

“K-knock it off Al!!” Ed shouted out in embarrassment and Al just giggled, watching in amusement how Ed was now firmly walking toward the house, with intent.

Al sighed, the smile still present even though you couldn’t see it.

“I hope he uses the right words…” well, there was no point in standing there any longer, he could only hope that his brother wasn’t forced to share Den’s dog house again after his talk with Winry.

---------

Ed was smiling, he finally knew what to say. As much as he hated to apologize first, he knew it was his fault in the first place.

At times he had to make sacrifices in order to prevent further chaos.

When Edward closed the door behind him, he saw Pinako sipping what looked to be tea with what Edward dubbed as their squad. Granny spotted him standing at the entrance and sent him a sly grin, raising her mug slightly in his direction.

Ed swore the woman knew too much at times…far too much.

He ignored the knowing look from her and continued up the stairs, he briefly wondered where Greed/Ling had disappeared to, since he hadn’t seen him downstairs with the others and he wasn’t leaning against the wall anymore either.

He shrugged, he didn’t want to dwell on it too much longer.

Edward didn’t bother to knock, though he should have.

He definitely should have.

What he saw….Winry with….with…with

Greed.

And they….they were….oh my god…they were…

Talking.

A shiver ran up Ed’s spine, his human hand twitched, itching to transform his automail into a blade and make Greed make a run for his money.

What the hell was the Homunculus doing here? Inside Winry’s room? With Winry?

The two noticed him, Greed had already spotted him from the window, going back to the house. Winry however, was more than surprised to see him here back so soon.

She was sure he would be too mad to even look at her and only offer her a dry goodbye the next morning before they left.

“E-Edward? W-what are you doing here?” she blinked, utterly confused.

Greed then decided it was the best time to smirk, with a devilish aura surrounding him.

Ed suddenly wished he had some sort of weapon, similar like Winry with her wench, to throw at Greed’s grinning face. Oh how he wanted to bash in his ugly mug-

“Ed?” Winry interrupted his murderous thoughts, looking at him expectantly.

He was still standing by the door, Ed’s lips drew into a thin line, straightening to his full height, locking gazes with Greed.

The mischievous Homunculus loved to rile up the older Elric brother, his reactions alone were priceless. Though he had enough common sense to notice when it was the time for jokes and now was not the time. He sensed the alarm and wariness coming from him, he had to talk his way smoothly out of this before the other man suspected the worst.

“Well, then, thank ya for telling me how to harden my Ultimate Shield further toots. Now not even Fullmetal can beat me,” he offered a rebellious grin, winking at Winry before casually walking past Ed and outside.

“By the way, don’t be too loud kids, the walls are thin and we Homunculus have good ears ya hear?” Greed chuckled deeply, “’Sides, no need to give ol’ granny a heart attack so early already.”

“Who are you calling old?!” it seemed as if Granny Pinako heard him, because a second later, there was a deep yelp, followed by continues “ow” sounds coming from Greed. At least Pinako was brave enough to discipline the Homunculus.

“So…what was Greed doing here?” Ed asked suspiciously, eyeing Winry up and down. It seemed like she was fine, the greedy bastard hadn’t hurt her or laid a finger on her as far as Edward could see.

“We just talked Edward, he said he had to be at his best tomorrow so he told me what the problem was with his Ultimate Shield. I told him a couple of things and he said he was willing to try them out,” Winry crossed her arms, annoyed at Ed for interrogating her like some criminal.

Ed could see this was quickly going out of control and not into his favor. He cleared his throat, before he could utter his next sentence, he noticed the broke pieces on the floor, behind Winry’s feet. He recognized it as the vase that had been resting on the desk…had been…

He felt his heart constrict slightly, Winry was so angry that she broke a vase? Because of him? She had been known to violence, mostly though towards him, but he hadn’t really taken into consideration just how strongly she felt about all this.

Edward wordlessly approached Winry, he kneeled down and began to gather the larger pieces of the vase, Winry, without saying anything as well, kneeled next to him and helped him pick up the pieces.

By the time they gathered all the broken pieces, not a single word was spoken between them.

“I’m sorry…” surprisingly it had been Winry who apologized first, Ed clenched his fist in anger, anger at himself. He had made her suffer so much…and in the end it was her who had to apologize first?

It certainly went against his firm beliefs of alchemy. She had given him so much…and he had taken more than he deserved, far more. It wasn’t fair, those definitely weren’t the laws of alchemy he had sworn to uphold and go by in his life…

“This isn’t equivalent exchange…” he muttered, standing tall before Winry, who was now slightly shorter than him.

Her blonde head quickly shot up to look at him, blue eyes wide in surprise, before she frowned, “Ed, I’m really not in the mood to hear about alchemy right now,” before Winry could wave him off and leave, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her dead in her tracks.

“Listen Winry…” Ed took a deep breath and turned to look at her, releasing her wrist, “You were always there for me and Al, you and Granny saved me after our failed human transmutation, you fixed me up after I came home and wrecked your automail, you actually went out of your way and endangered yourself, just so that we were one step closer to finding the Philosopher’s Stone.” He could see how surprised she was at the direction where this conversation was taking them.

“I always complained, kept annoying the hell outta you, never thanked ya for repairing my arm and leg, never showed gratitude when you would pull all nighters just to fix my automail, I always left you behind, I was so hell bent on getting our bodies back that I completely neglected all the people supporting us this whole time,” Ed grit his teeth, his gaze directed at the floor. He was still hell bent on getting their bodies back, especially Al’s, but he realized just now, years later, what severe mistakes he had been making by ignoring his family and friends around him.

“Ed…” Winry didn’t cry but her voice shook slightly, her emotions getting the better of her.

“Please, just…just let me finish,” Ed took another deep breath, finally looking into her eyes, “The things you said earlier…about coming back alive after the battle…” he hesitated and this time Winry cut him off firmly

“I know it’s not that easy Ed, I know you may as well all die tomorrow and that I’m left alone with the flashbacks and memories here with grandma and Den. I know that Edward! And that scares me! This is different than when you and Al would go on your journeys, I had faith you would come back, beat up but alive because I know you would kill yourself before you let anything happen to you two. But….but…” she bit her lip hard

“And you think I won’t do the same now?” he watched as her eyes widened a fraction, looking at him astounded, “We may face powerful opponents, possibly the most powerful ones we ever faced. But we have back up Winry, we have friends; Greed, Ling, Lan Fan, Mei, Major Armstrong and his sister, Mustang, Hawkeye and everyone from the military.

There is a chance we…may die, but I’ll damn make sure it’s a small one! After all, I promised you the next time you cry, it would be tears of joy right?” he grinned at her, his expression warm and reassuring.

Emotions overtook Winry’s entire being, she released a half sob, half laugh, rubbing furiously at her eyes to not cry.

“Ed…” Winry sighed, before she could tell him something though, Ed suddenly stepped closer to her and grabbed her hand with his automail arm, bringing it to rest against his chest.

She could hear the strong beating of his heart beneath her hand, his muscles as they contracted and relaxed, she looked up at him, her face pink.

“I won’t break our promise Winry, I’ll do my best not to.” He nodded, fixing her with a serious expression. She wasn’t sure when was the last time Ed had looked so serious at her but she believed him, believed that he and everyone else would make it out ok.

She nodded ,unable to speak, she was afraid she just may break down into tears. It seemed like he understood, because Ed rested his other hand on top of her head and pulled her against his chest.

They said nothing, just stood there, Winry in Ed’s embrace.

She was starting to become sleepy, she vaguely registered Edward picking her up bridal-style, pulling the cover away and laying her gently into bed, covering her with the blanket again.

She felt his automail hand slipping from her grasp, so she tightened her grip, afraid he would leave and that this was all a big, cruel dream.

“Heh, figures, you’re such a automail freak,” Ed lightly teased her, before she moved to leave room for him so he could lay in next to her. There wasn’t much room, but it seemed like both didn’t mind.

Before succumbing to sleep, Winry managed to tease back, “Alchemy freak…” the last thing she heard was Ed’s deep, warm chuckle and both his hands tightening on her own.

-----------

The next morning came all too quickly, when Winry shot out of bed in a panic, she kept searching everywhere for the familiar figure of one Edward Elric. He must have already left…

She bit her lips hard, intent on not crying. It wasn’t the time for crying, not until Ed and Al came back in their own bodies.

She got dressed and as she finished, she saw the vase, the same vase that was in broken in shards on the desk, was now fully repaired.

Winry smiled, “Ed…” she could hear her grandmother saying something, it sounded like she was outside the house.

Wait…that meant…

Winry quickly stormed outside, just in time to see Ed, Greed and the rest telling their goodbye’s. Ed’s gaze softened upon spotting Winry storming out of the house, Pinako just grinned with the pipe in her mouth.

Greed shot her a smirk and a reassuring nod, Winry smiled at him.

“Ed!” Winry shouted, stopping next to the short, old woman. There were so many things still unsaid between them, mostly on her part, Edward had been doing much of the talking yesterday after all. Words failed her though, she didn’t know what to say.

“Wait for us with a freshly baked apple pie. Deal?” Ed said, looking back at her over his shoulder with a warm, happy smile.

Winry’s expression softened, she blinked back the stubborn tears, “Deal!” those were the last words they exchanged before they departed on their journey, though small and insignificant to everyone else, to Winry they meant the world.

Ed would come back. She was sure.

--------

“Say Greed, what were you really talking about with Wintry last night?” Ed casted a sidelong glance at the Homunculus inside the prince’s body, carefully analyzing his facial expressions.

Greed was well aware of that, so he kept his face neutral, “Whatcha mean kid? I told ya, we talked about how to harden my shield and make it so my old man couldn’t penetrate it as easily. Gotta say, she’s a smart girl your mechanic.” He grinned.

Ed smiled, “Yeah…my mechanic sure is amazing,”

-------

Conversation between Winry and Greed

There was a knock on her door and then it opened, Winry, out of sheer anger at Edward, thinking it was him, threw her wench straight at his face.

Only instead of a pained yelp, there was a resonating metallic sound. Wait…she hit metal…?

Winry turned around fully only to not spot Edward but Greed instead, his hand having caught her wench, which was protected by his Ultimate Shield.

“Honey, I’m Greed the Avaricious, the guy with the Ultimate Shield, you gotta do better than that to hurt me,” he smirked, setting the wench on the desk beside the door.

Winry blushed in embarrassment,” I-I’m sorry! I….I thought you were…someone else…” she frowned, huffing in annoyance.

Greed’s easy going grin dropped, he closed the door and sighed approaching the Rockbell woman.

Winry regarded him with curiosity.

“Let me guess – the kid has no idea how to read women and you’re pissed at him that you let the poor man sleep outside huh?” he half joked, expecting a slap, a punch or another wrench. However, nothing came.

He blinked, the woman really looked hurt…

“Tch, he’s just so…insensitive! Such a jerk! All he thinks of is getting their bodies back! I understand that he’s doing this for Al, but how can he even think that Al and everyone else will be happy if he dies by trying to bring their bodies back?! He’s so reckless! Always destroying my automail, making me worry, he’s….he’s…” Winry groaned in frustration, running her fingers through her hair.

Greed observed her quietly and sighed, pesky humans.

“I see. Sounds like you want everything, huh?” he shot her a sidelong glance, the brief, mostly one sided conversation with Edward surfacing in his mind.

“What?” she looked at him aghast, “N-no I don’t! I don’t want money or fortune or anything at all! I just…I just want them back…safe and sound…” she clenched her teeth

His earlier words fell from his lips, “You humans think greed is just for money and power, but everyone wants something they don’t have.” He smirked when her wide, blue eyes widened only further in recognition.

“Admit it, you’re greedy just like everyone else. Whether it is the desire to have money, to be surrounded by women, to have power like no other…or simply to have your family home with you…that’s all greed. Greed comes in many forms and most of the time, humans don’t even know what it’s true form.”

“You mean like you?” that took Greed entirely off guard…what?

“Oh, she’s good,” commented Ling inside his – their – mind.

Greed snapped at him mentally:” Shut the hell up princie! I wanna hear this!”

“Don’t know whatcha talkin’ about toots,” he regarded Winry warily, his arms crossed. Where was she going with this?

“You are the embodiment of greed itself, you have many forms to show too. The bodies you host, the facades you show to people…what is your true personality like Greed? Is it really just a monster lusting after power?” this time she smiled, though her smile was soft and understanding.

Greed frowned, “Now, now, where did this come from? Guess there is something else inside that pretty head of yours besides screws and bolts eh?” he tried to rile her up, but she stood her ground, fixing him with a glare.

“Don’t try to ignore the question, Greed.” The Homunculus sighed heavily

“You know…I can tear you apart with only one swipe of this,” he showed her his hand, now coated in the Ultimate Shield, sharp claws upon his fingers, to his surprise it didn’t even faze Winry.

“You wouldn’t hurt me, if you wanted to you would have hurt Granny and everyone else long ago,” Greed’s shield disappeared and he smiled, not a smirk or grin, but just a normal smile.

“Damn…you’re more perceptive than I thought. Women and their minds, not even the greatest Alchemists or doctors can figure out what you’re thinking,” he flashed her a teasing smile, before turning serious again, “The kid is like that too, he has many layers but doesn’t show em all. He’s as loyal to you as that dog of yours, maybe even more. He was on the verge of death countless of times, from what I’ve gathered, you and the tin can were the main reasons he kept going on,”

Winry’s shocked expression didn’t deter him, “I know he messed up, bit time, but forcing him to promise something none of us are sure could be fulfilled…isn’t that greedy too?”

“…You still didn’t answer my question, Greed.” His back was turned to her.

He paused, contemplating his answer, Ling was oddly silent this entire time, sans for his little comment earlier before he turned to face her again.

“Looks like that will have to wait a little longer huh? Let’s just say I’m not a complete greedy son of a bitch alright?” he sent her a wide grin before he heard the doorknob turn.

Winry smiled, Greed may have many layers, but she figured it wasn’t so bad either.

She was happy to see that Ed had entered, she wanted to talk to him anyway.

“Thanks…Greed,” as if the Homunculus heard her thoughts he sent her one last wink before he left her and Edward alone in her room once again.

“Kids these days…man, my medical bills are gonna be damn high from all those pills I gotta chuck down to get rid of that nasty headache,” he smirked, descending the stairs to join the loud bunch in the kitchen.

“You did the right thing Greed, I’m actually surprised,” Ling commented, arms crossed with a satisfied.

“Oh really? What, having such low opinions of me eh? I may be Greed the Avaricious but I ain’t like my old man,” Greed paused before he again, talked to Ling in his mind with a devilish smirk, “Ya think I should have tried to grope her rack? Maybe that would have done it too…after all the kid caught a glimpse of em’…”

Greed winced when Ling’s loud, enraged voice rang in his mind, raging at him to shut up and to quench his perverted demons.

Greed just grinned and laughed.

#fma #fmab #fma fic #fanfic #fanfiction #fic #edwin #edwin fic #Edward elric #winry rockbell #greed the avaricious #before the promised day #fullmetal alchemist #greed being a supportive git #ling the sensitive soul #ed gets socked with a wrench #edwin romance #edwin hurt comfort

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