Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Orphaned ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

After breakfast, Al informed Ed that he was going to try and get in the shower before everyone else. Ed just nodded a little, still staring at the empty plate of food before him. Winry saw that the older brother seemed to be spacing out, and walked over to him, "You still hungry, Ed?" she asked, reaching for his plate.

Before she could take it from him, Ed stood up, snatching the plate out of her grasp, "No." he replied, then proceeded to take the plate out to the kitchen, and throw it in the sink with a loud CLANG. Winry winced, and just smiled as Ed sulked past her. Before he could make it up the stairs, the front door opened to reveal an old lady. She smiled at Ed, and looked to Winry, "Hello, are you the caretaker here?"

Winry smiled, "Co-caretaker, but yes, I am. Can I help you?" she replied.

"I called earlier about adopting a child. My name is Pinako..."

WInry brightened, "Oh, of course, I remember you!" She remembered her quite well for one reason; she seemed like the kind of person Ed would get along with. She was soft-spoken, and she wouldn't hurt a fly. Winry glanced around and spotted Ed on the stairs, "Ed?" she called out, grabbing the young boy's attention.

He turned, and looked at Winry, "Yeah?" he asked, hoping the old lady didn't have her sights set on him.

"Could you come here for a moment?" she asked, and smiled as the older brother obeyed without any complaints or objections, "Ed, this is Pinako." she informed the blonde-haired boy, then turned to said lady, "This is Ed, the one we spoke about."

Pinako smiled at the taller boy, "Ah, so you're Edward." she said, extending her hand, "How are you?"

Ed just glared at the hand, "It's Ed, not Edward," he corrected her, "and I'm not in the talking mood."

Pinako frowned, and Winry sighed as the boy walked off, done with the conversation, "I'm sorry, Ed is a little withdrawn." she explained in apologetic tone. She had lost count of how many times she'd said that exact phrase or one just like it.

"It's alright." Pinako said, "Perhaps there was someone else?"

Winry nodded, "Of course, follow me." she turned to the living area where most of the younger children were, Pinako in tow.

Ed headed back up to his room, sighing as he surveyed all the other children. They all looked so...happy to be here; interacting with others their own age, making friends. Ed didn't understand it at all; how could they be so trusting of each other, wasn't there anyone else like him, who was so withdrawn, as Winry had put it? Then, he heard a very familar voice, "Hey, I was playing with that..." the voice objected.

Ed turned to see his brother, who had obviously not gotten to the bathroom in time for a shower, and another, older kid. They were fighting over a toy, which Ed thought was a little childish, but then again they were children. Well, it wasn't so much fighting as the older kid, who Ed recognized as a boy named Jimmy, simply took the toy Al had been playing with, and Al was now trying to convince Jimmy to give it back. Jimmy laughed, "Well, you're not playing with it anymore, are you?" he asked, grinning cruelly at the younger boy.

Al frowned, "Why can't you find another toy?" he asked. He didn't want to start any trouble, but he didn't want to be a complete push over, either. He saw what happened to people who let others walk all over them, and he didn't want to be one of those people.

"Because I want this one." Jimmy growled, "Now get out of here."

Not wanting any trouble, Al nodded, "Alright." he said, turning, "I can find another toy..."

"Hey." Ed spoke up, having joined the two, "If Al was playing with that, give it back to him."

Jimmy looked Ed up and down, "And why should I do that, shrimp?" Jimmy asked. He was only a year older than Ed, but almost a foot taller.

Ed's glare intensified, "Because, if you don't, I'll kick your ass." he informed the older boy.

"Brother, don't get in another fight." Al suggested, knowing that Ed wouldn't listen.

"Why do you have to be such a push over, Al?" Ed asked his younger brother, "You have to stand up for yourself."

"It's not that big of a deal..." Al started to object, but was cut off.

Throwing the forgotten toy aside, Jimmy approached Ed, "You'll kick my ass, will you?" he asked, mockingly, then laughed, "Not a chance."

Without any warning, Ed threw a punch to Jimmy's jaw line. The older one was much faster, though, and easily dodged the fist, grabbing Ed's wrist and pulling the smaller boy foward, bringing his knee up to collide with Ed's stomach. The younger one let out an 'omph' as he felt the air being knocked out of him, and sank to his knees. Hearing Jimmy's cocky laugh brought him back, and he shook his head and stood up, "I won't be that easy to take down." Ed challenged.

The laughing stopped, and the older one glared, "You've got a backbone, I'll give you that, but you've got nothing to back it up with." he informed Ed as he backhanded the younger one.

Ed growled as the force from the slap sent him to the ground. Winry picked that opportunity to see the two, "Jimmy, what are you doing?" she asked, horrified.

Said boy looked up, feigning fright, "Miss Winry! Ed started attacking me, I had to defend myself!" he lied.

Al looked to Winry, "Ed didn't even hit him!" he objected.

Ed stood up, brushing himself off, and glaring at Jimmy. Without a word, he ran past Winry, ignoring her questions of what happened. In his bedroom, he flopped down on the bed, burrying his face in the pillow. He forced the tears away, 'She'll believe Jimmy. Why shouldn't she, I threw the first punch.' he thought. He winced as he pressed his face into the pillow and rubbed the spot where he had been hit. There would most likely be a bruise there tomorrow, but he honestly didn't care. There was no one that he was trying to impress anyway, and maybe people would start to leave him alone if they thought he was trouble. That's all he wanted, people to leave him alone, 'No one understands, anyway.'