Prompt 137, Firelight, "Survival Instinct"
Title -- Survival Instinct
Author-- lepharus
Series -- Manga/Brotherhood
Word Count-- 653
Rating -- PG
Characters--Edward, Ling
Summary -- Is the boot finished cooking yet?
Warnings -- None
Author’s Note -- I'm not really sure where this came from, but it was all I could think of when this prompt showed up. Also, I think we were cheated out of an amusing scene in the anime.
Edward put the finishing touches on the fire, then sank back onto his heels with a sigh.
"I'm not really sure how long we're supposed to cook this for," he said, eying their setup skeptically. "Until it's tender?"
"Shoe leather might never get tender," Ling replied. He sat a few feet away, legs and arms crossed, seeming perfectly at ease and not like he was trapped in an endless void of doom. Ed could tell that Ling had perked up now that food was in his future. Ed himself was looking forward to a full belly, but not the prospect of eating his own faithful boot.
"That shoe and I have been through a lot together," Ed said as he reached forward to stir it. "I never thought things would end this way."
"I'm sure your boot didn't expect this either," Ling said dryly. "C'mon, it's not like your metal foot actually needs protection."
"Maybe not, but I'm gonna look weird with only one shoe on." Ed looked down at his perpetually mismatched feet. "Edward, I'm the only one who can see you. I do not mind your naked foot. Especially because it sacrificed its clothing to feed me. Is it ready yet?"
Edward poked dubiously at the mass in the pot.
"I don't think so. It still feels too much like a shoe."
The two of them were quiet for a moment, the only sound the crackling of the numerous fires around them.
"Sure was lucky for us that those flames got swallowed," Ed said. He didn't like to think of how much worse it could have been if he had shown up in an endless void where he couldn't see a damn thing.
"You really are an optimist," was Ling's reply. Shortly after that, Ed audibly heard the rumbling in the prince's stomach. Ling shifted impatiently.
"Alright, I guess it's as ready as it'll ever be," Ed said before Ling had a chance to ask again. He scooped out their dinner- which wasn't hard to do, because it was still a boot-shaped lump, and Ling stared it down dubiously as Ed transmuted the ladle into a knife.
"Back in Xing, every meal was at least three courses. We had cooks who were brought up in the art of food since birth. It was magnificent." Ling let out a shuddering, nostalgic breath.
"But when I traveled across the desert, I understood that I was giving all of that up, at least for a little while. Thank you, Ed, for cooking your footwear so that I can live."
Ed gave Ling a strange look as he sawed the leather in half. "You're really taking this in stride, aren't you? I'm impressed."
Ling shrugged. "I'll do whatever it takes. I'll never learn the secret of immortality if I starve to death here."
Ed couldn't argue with that. He managed to cut the boot into reasonable enough proportions, and passed Ling's over. Both of them took a moment to stare at the shriveled, pathetic strips that were supposed to pass as a meal.
"Go ahead, Ling," Ed said. Ling scowled at him.
"I think you should have the first bite, seeing as it's your boot," he said.
"You're the one who's starving to death," Ed retorted.
"How about we both go at once?" Ling suggested.
"Fine." Ed looked down at his share and picked out the smallest piece. Ling did likewise. Almost as one, the two of them took their first bite. Ed watched Ling's fire lit face go through a gamut of emotions. Curiosity. Disgust. Frustration. The leather was springy in his mouth and impossible to chew. Ling finally swallowed with a grimace, while Ed choked down his own piece.
"That wasn't too bad," Ed managed.
"Edible, at least," Ling said with a resigned sigh as he picked up the next piece. "And if this isn't enough, we can always eat your pants next."
Author-- lepharus
Series -- Manga/Brotherhood
Word Count-- 653
Rating -- PG
Characters--Edward, Ling
Summary -- Is the boot finished cooking yet?
Warnings -- None
Author’s Note -- I'm not really sure where this came from, but it was all I could think of when this prompt showed up. Also, I think we were cheated out of an amusing scene in the anime.
Edward put the finishing touches on the fire, then sank back onto his heels with a sigh.
"I'm not really sure how long we're supposed to cook this for," he said, eying their setup skeptically. "Until it's tender?"
"Shoe leather might never get tender," Ling replied. He sat a few feet away, legs and arms crossed, seeming perfectly at ease and not like he was trapped in an endless void of doom. Ed could tell that Ling had perked up now that food was in his future. Ed himself was looking forward to a full belly, but not the prospect of eating his own faithful boot.
"That shoe and I have been through a lot together," Ed said as he reached forward to stir it. "I never thought things would end this way."
"I'm sure your boot didn't expect this either," Ling said dryly. "C'mon, it's not like your metal foot actually needs protection."
"Maybe not, but I'm gonna look weird with only one shoe on." Ed looked down at his perpetually mismatched feet. "Edward, I'm the only one who can see you. I do not mind your naked foot. Especially because it sacrificed its clothing to feed me. Is it ready yet?"
Edward poked dubiously at the mass in the pot.
"I don't think so. It still feels too much like a shoe."
The two of them were quiet for a moment, the only sound the crackling of the numerous fires around them.
"Sure was lucky for us that those flames got swallowed," Ed said. He didn't like to think of how much worse it could have been if he had shown up in an endless void where he couldn't see a damn thing.
"You really are an optimist," was Ling's reply. Shortly after that, Ed audibly heard the rumbling in the prince's stomach. Ling shifted impatiently.
"Alright, I guess it's as ready as it'll ever be," Ed said before Ling had a chance to ask again. He scooped out their dinner- which wasn't hard to do, because it was still a boot-shaped lump, and Ling stared it down dubiously as Ed transmuted the ladle into a knife.
"Back in Xing, every meal was at least three courses. We had cooks who were brought up in the art of food since birth. It was magnificent." Ling let out a shuddering, nostalgic breath.
"But when I traveled across the desert, I understood that I was giving all of that up, at least for a little while. Thank you, Ed, for cooking your footwear so that I can live."
Ed gave Ling a strange look as he sawed the leather in half. "You're really taking this in stride, aren't you? I'm impressed."
Ling shrugged. "I'll do whatever it takes. I'll never learn the secret of immortality if I starve to death here."
Ed couldn't argue with that. He managed to cut the boot into reasonable enough proportions, and passed Ling's over. Both of them took a moment to stare at the shriveled, pathetic strips that were supposed to pass as a meal.
"Go ahead, Ling," Ed said. Ling scowled at him.
"I think you should have the first bite, seeing as it's your boot," he said.
"You're the one who's starving to death," Ed retorted.
"How about we both go at once?" Ling suggested.
"Fine." Ed looked down at his share and picked out the smallest piece. Ling did likewise. Almost as one, the two of them took their first bite. Ed watched Ling's fire lit face go through a gamut of emotions. Curiosity. Disgust. Frustration. The leather was springy in his mouth and impossible to chew. Ling finally swallowed with a grimace, while Ed choked down his own piece.
"That wasn't too bad," Ed managed.
"Edible, at least," Ling said with a resigned sigh as he picked up the next piece. "And if this isn't enough, we can always eat your pants next."