I think I've been forgetting to post my stories recently
Let's do something about that.
Title: Secrets Not Worth Telling
Author: evil_little_dog
Word Count: 500
Rating: Teenish
Characters: Hoheheim, Pinako, Dominic
Summary: He lets her keep his secrets.
Disclaimer: Do I look like a Holstein to you…? Wait, don’t answer that.
Warning: Pre-Manga.
A.N.: Thanks to cornerofmadness for looking this over.
* * *
Pinako was running a scam, Hohenheim was sure of it. No one was so lucky to win that many hands of poker in one game. The fact that Dominic couldn’t keep up - either with the game or the beer - put him against the odds for being her partner in crime. Unless, of course, he was a very good actor, but Hohenheim just didn’t see it. Dominic seemed too in awe of Pinako for that sort of thing. Well, ‘awe’ might not be the right word, but Hohenheim thought it worked, at least until Pinako decided what she was going to do to the man. With that wicked grin glinting as she raked in the latest pot, Hohenheim decided he really didn’t want to know her decision. She was a big girl; she could take care of herself.
That decided, he held up his hand before the cards were dealt. “You’ve taken enough of my money tonight, Pinako.”
“You just don’t like losing your sens to a woman.” Her pipe burned gently, haloing her head in thin wreathes of smoke.
Grabbing Dominic’s shoulder, Hohenheim shoved him back in his chair. “Maybe the game’s turned sour.” His nose wrinkled as Dominic belched, the acrid fumes polluting the air. “Or maybe it’s just Dominic.”
Pinako waved a hand in front of her nose to disperse the stench as Dominic landed, face down, on the table. “So, do we leave him here? I’d hate to have to carry him.”
“It’s not really right to leave him behind, is it?” Hohenheim prodded Dominic’s shoulder, making the man snort. “Besides, the bartender doesn’t look like she’d allow Dominic to sleep here.”
Her mouth turning down, Pinako glared at the bartender. The other woman glowered right back, a silent clash of wills that should’ve sent sparks flying. Hohenheim decided never to get between a pair of women who looked like that. It even made the air feel close and stuffy and Hohenheim took the better part of valor and shifted back out of the way.
“You can leave him on the sidewalk, for all I care,” the barkeep told them, “but he ain’t stayin’.”
They hauled up Dominic between them, Pinako’s strength surprising Hohenheim though he shouldn’t be shocked; Pinako worked with metal; hammering, cutting and shaping it into replacement limbs. She was strong and her blue eyes held the secrets that Hohenheim allowed her - they first met when she was just a child, Pinako was too smart for her own good and recognized what Hohenheim had never let others see - that it was impossible to hurt him; that he didn’t change, even through the years she’d known him.
It was a gamble, letting her know even that much, but Hohenheim trusted her. As if she could read his thoughts, Pinako’s eyes turned toward his, a dangerous little smile lighting her face. “Let’s dump him off and go have some real fun, Hohenheim.”
He groaned, shifting Dominic’s dead weight. “You’ll be the death of me one day.”
* * *
Title: Stupid Boy
Author: evil_little_dog
Word Count: 247
Rating: Anyone can read.
Characters: Edward; Alphonse, ghost of Winry past.
Summary: He’s given up looking for her.
Disclaimer: Do I look like a Holstein to you…? Wait, don’t answer that.
Warning: Post-That Movie fic. (Have I mentioned how much I hate That Movie?)
A.N.: Thanks to cornerofmadness for looking this over. Written for the “trace” prompt at fma_fic_contest. Yes, the title is taken from the Keith Urban song.
* * *
Edward’s not quite sure when he started looking for Winry’s double in the machine world, only that he no longer follows up on every trace of long, ash blond hair. It doesn’t matter that he never found her. It wouldn’t be the same if he had. What would he do, fall at her feet and beg for forgiveness for leaving her again? She’d think he was crazy. Better to not find her, then, and completely avoid temptation.
Alphonse doesn’t see it that way. He wants to find her; at least befriend her. He misses the comfort Winry offered. Alphonse says things some nights, when it’s just them talking, stories that make Edward want to cover his ears, not listen any more. Tales about how Winry took care of him, how she’d never lost hope that Edward would come home. How hard she worked on her automail, wanting it to be perfect. (It’s understood why.) Alphonse cries, sometimes, remembering how he told Winry he’d bring Ed home, and that they’d all be together again.
Edward blames himself - he should have known how much she cared. The automail limbs he bears should’ve told him that much, if every other thing Winry had ever done for him and Alphonse hadn’t. But he was stupid and now, there was no returning home; no way to make amends. No way to fix all the pain he’d left her with.
Edward only hopes Winry’s skills are up to repairing her own heart.
* * *
Title: Secrets Not Worth Telling
Author: evil_little_dog
Word Count: 500
Rating: Teenish
Characters: Hoheheim, Pinako, Dominic
Summary: He lets her keep his secrets.
Disclaimer: Do I look like a Holstein to you…? Wait, don’t answer that.
Warning: Pre-Manga.
A.N.: Thanks to cornerofmadness for looking this over.
* * *
Pinako was running a scam, Hohenheim was sure of it. No one was so lucky to win that many hands of poker in one game. The fact that Dominic couldn’t keep up - either with the game or the beer - put him against the odds for being her partner in crime. Unless, of course, he was a very good actor, but Hohenheim just didn’t see it. Dominic seemed too in awe of Pinako for that sort of thing. Well, ‘awe’ might not be the right word, but Hohenheim thought it worked, at least until Pinako decided what she was going to do to the man. With that wicked grin glinting as she raked in the latest pot, Hohenheim decided he really didn’t want to know her decision. She was a big girl; she could take care of herself.
That decided, he held up his hand before the cards were dealt. “You’ve taken enough of my money tonight, Pinako.”
“You just don’t like losing your sens to a woman.” Her pipe burned gently, haloing her head in thin wreathes of smoke.
Grabbing Dominic’s shoulder, Hohenheim shoved him back in his chair. “Maybe the game’s turned sour.” His nose wrinkled as Dominic belched, the acrid fumes polluting the air. “Or maybe it’s just Dominic.”
Pinako waved a hand in front of her nose to disperse the stench as Dominic landed, face down, on the table. “So, do we leave him here? I’d hate to have to carry him.”
“It’s not really right to leave him behind, is it?” Hohenheim prodded Dominic’s shoulder, making the man snort. “Besides, the bartender doesn’t look like she’d allow Dominic to sleep here.”
Her mouth turning down, Pinako glared at the bartender. The other woman glowered right back, a silent clash of wills that should’ve sent sparks flying. Hohenheim decided never to get between a pair of women who looked like that. It even made the air feel close and stuffy and Hohenheim took the better part of valor and shifted back out of the way.
“You can leave him on the sidewalk, for all I care,” the barkeep told them, “but he ain’t stayin’.”
They hauled up Dominic between them, Pinako’s strength surprising Hohenheim though he shouldn’t be shocked; Pinako worked with metal; hammering, cutting and shaping it into replacement limbs. She was strong and her blue eyes held the secrets that Hohenheim allowed her - they first met when she was just a child, Pinako was too smart for her own good and recognized what Hohenheim had never let others see - that it was impossible to hurt him; that he didn’t change, even through the years she’d known him.
It was a gamble, letting her know even that much, but Hohenheim trusted her. As if she could read his thoughts, Pinako’s eyes turned toward his, a dangerous little smile lighting her face. “Let’s dump him off and go have some real fun, Hohenheim.”
He groaned, shifting Dominic’s dead weight. “You’ll be the death of me one day.”
* * *
Title: Stupid Boy
Author: evil_little_dog
Word Count: 247
Rating: Anyone can read.
Characters: Edward; Alphonse, ghost of Winry past.
Summary: He’s given up looking for her.
Disclaimer: Do I look like a Holstein to you…? Wait, don’t answer that.
Warning: Post-That Movie fic. (Have I mentioned how much I hate That Movie?)
A.N.: Thanks to cornerofmadness for looking this over. Written for the “trace” prompt at fma_fic_contest. Yes, the title is taken from the Keith Urban song.
* * *
Edward’s not quite sure when he started looking for Winry’s double in the machine world, only that he no longer follows up on every trace of long, ash blond hair. It doesn’t matter that he never found her. It wouldn’t be the same if he had. What would he do, fall at her feet and beg for forgiveness for leaving her again? She’d think he was crazy. Better to not find her, then, and completely avoid temptation.
Alphonse doesn’t see it that way. He wants to find her; at least befriend her. He misses the comfort Winry offered. Alphonse says things some nights, when it’s just them talking, stories that make Edward want to cover his ears, not listen any more. Tales about how Winry took care of him, how she’d never lost hope that Edward would come home. How hard she worked on her automail, wanting it to be perfect. (It’s understood why.) Alphonse cries, sometimes, remembering how he told Winry he’d bring Ed home, and that they’d all be together again.
Edward blames himself - he should have known how much she cared. The automail limbs he bears should’ve told him that much, if every other thing Winry had ever done for him and Alphonse hadn’t. But he was stupid and now, there was no returning home; no way to make amends. No way to fix all the pain he’d left her with.
Edward only hopes Winry’s skills are up to repairing her own heart.
* * *