FIC: I'll Be Here Always
Title: I'll Be Here Always
Author: drummerdancer
Verse: None
Characters/Pairings: Edward, Pinako, mentions of other(s)
Word Count: 549
Rating: K+
Summary: She didn't approve...but she'd be there for them. Always.
Edward grabbed at his knees, hugging them close to his clothed body. The cold was trying to seep through his body, zapping any warmth he gathered from the fireplace and leaving him to shiver in its wake.
“Here you go, Edward.” Granny Pinako laid a blanket over his shoulders. He nodded his thanks, grabbing quickly at the edges to prevent more heat from being whisked away. It helped some, but Edward knew the real source of the problem; the new automail limbs were freezing, and they were taking away any heat he could muster from the outside sources.
Al and Winry were outside playing in the snow. He had been right behind them when Pinako stopped him and told him he couldn’t. He had angered against her, telling her that he felt fine and that it hadn’t snowed in years and he wanted to play, damnit. But Pinako refused and made him stay in, ushering the other two outside and slamming the door behind them.
In hindsight, Edward was grateful she had told him no. The temperature had continued to drop the longer it snowed, and his enthusiasm for the cold quickly waned as his stumps had begun to ache and his body had slowly dropped in temperature. It was all he could do now to rock back-and-forth quietly, grateful for any heat that dropped his way.
“Here.” Pinako had left and come back with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Edward reached his flesh hand out and grabbed it, bringing it closer to his body as he closed the gap in the blanket.
“Thanks.”
She nodded, then stooped down to eye level. “How’s the automail feel? Does it hurt?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah. And it’s making me cold.”
A sad smile graced Pinako’s features. “I’m afraid that will never go away. Automail doesn’t adjust to differing temperatures well. You should keep that in mind if you boys are really planning on traveling the country.”
It was the first time Pinako had ever openly acknowledged their plans. After that Mustang guy had left, the State Alchemy program had been all that Edward could think about. It was constantly on his mind. Al had been hesitant about it, but Edward was sure that he, too, would come around to it. Only Winry and Pinako were openly against it, though Edward doubted that they’d ever be comfortable with the two of them pursing jobs in the military.
But now…
“…right. I’ll keep that in mind.” His automail hand twitched accidentally; he was still getting used to consciously thinking about moving the metal limb to make it move. But he would make it work, for Al, for Winry,…even for Pinako. This was all his fault, and it was his responsibility to restore Al back in the flesh. He would stand the extreme heat and extreme cold, for it was nothing compared to what Al had already given up.
Pinako seemed to be resigned to their choice; she stood back up a moment later, then waved a hand behind her.
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be here.”
The statement echoed throughout the room as Pinako left, and a bittersweet smile graced Ed’s lips as the word she left off added itself in the repeat.
“I’ll be here…always.”
Double posted @ 12_daysofficmas
Author: drummerdancer
Verse: None
Characters/Pairings: Edward, Pinako, mentions of other(s)
Word Count: 549
Rating: K+
Summary: She didn't approve...but she'd be there for them. Always.
Edward grabbed at his knees, hugging them close to his clothed body. The cold was trying to seep through his body, zapping any warmth he gathered from the fireplace and leaving him to shiver in its wake.
“Here you go, Edward.” Granny Pinako laid a blanket over his shoulders. He nodded his thanks, grabbing quickly at the edges to prevent more heat from being whisked away. It helped some, but Edward knew the real source of the problem; the new automail limbs were freezing, and they were taking away any heat he could muster from the outside sources.
Al and Winry were outside playing in the snow. He had been right behind them when Pinako stopped him and told him he couldn’t. He had angered against her, telling her that he felt fine and that it hadn’t snowed in years and he wanted to play, damnit. But Pinako refused and made him stay in, ushering the other two outside and slamming the door behind them.
In hindsight, Edward was grateful she had told him no. The temperature had continued to drop the longer it snowed, and his enthusiasm for the cold quickly waned as his stumps had begun to ache and his body had slowly dropped in temperature. It was all he could do now to rock back-and-forth quietly, grateful for any heat that dropped his way.
“Here.” Pinako had left and come back with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Edward reached his flesh hand out and grabbed it, bringing it closer to his body as he closed the gap in the blanket.
“Thanks.”
She nodded, then stooped down to eye level. “How’s the automail feel? Does it hurt?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah. And it’s making me cold.”
A sad smile graced Pinako’s features. “I’m afraid that will never go away. Automail doesn’t adjust to differing temperatures well. You should keep that in mind if you boys are really planning on traveling the country.”
It was the first time Pinako had ever openly acknowledged their plans. After that Mustang guy had left, the State Alchemy program had been all that Edward could think about. It was constantly on his mind. Al had been hesitant about it, but Edward was sure that he, too, would come around to it. Only Winry and Pinako were openly against it, though Edward doubted that they’d ever be comfortable with the two of them pursing jobs in the military.
But now…
“…right. I’ll keep that in mind.” His automail hand twitched accidentally; he was still getting used to consciously thinking about moving the metal limb to make it move. But he would make it work, for Al, for Winry,…even for Pinako. This was all his fault, and it was his responsibility to restore Al back in the flesh. He would stand the extreme heat and extreme cold, for it was nothing compared to what Al had already given up.
Pinako seemed to be resigned to their choice; she stood back up a moment later, then waved a hand behind her.
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be here.”
The statement echoed throughout the room as Pinako left, and a bittersweet smile graced Ed’s lips as the word she left off added itself in the repeat.
“I’ll be here…always.”
Double posted @ 12_daysofficmas