Leave A Scar

To say today had been a long day would definitely be an understatement. The train ride back to Central was short—or at least it felt fairly short. I woke up to the tilted sight of Al smiling at me, hand gently nudging my knee from his seat across from mine. Ed was looking over his shoulder, suitcase in hand as he stood in the aisle, smiling as well.

Definitely long, but I was glad it was almost over.

The Brigadier's office was as big as I expected it to be, but I really didn't think for it to have couches. I was thankful though, trying hard not to fall asleep as I sat down. Al quietly took the armchair as Ed flopped down beside me, arms fanning out to rest along the back.

"Alright," he was saying, "Let's get this stupid lecture over with, Mustang."

I focused, turning to see Mustang raise an eyebrow from his place at his desk. "I'm not scolding you, Fullmetal. You're old enough to know what you did wrong." He moved a paper from the top of a pile, sliding it in front of himself with two fingers. "Which, in this case, wasn't a lot of things."

Ed shot him an irritated look. Mustang just smirked, continuing to speak.

"So tell me about this case." he said. "After you all left for Lautoxan, what happened?"

"Well, we started going door-to-door," Ed began, looking to the ceiling, "Seeing if anyone remembered a State Alchemist being there."

Mustang nodded, like he agreed with the action.

"We got a little bit of a lead from that; someone told us what the guy looked like and what he took from their house."

Mustang's thin eyebrows rose. "What he took?" he repeated.

Ed nodded, allowing Al to fill in his reply.

"He was going to every house he could and getting different items from them."

"Using the watch as leverage." Mustang mused. "Okay, go on."

"And then..." Ed suddenly stopped talking, and he looked down, a slight blush coming to him as he scratched the side of his nose. "Uh..."

I realized what he was thinking of; the drawing he did when we stayed at the hotel. I grinned through my own embarrassment, seeing Mustang's gaze lift to me, welcoming an addition.

"And then the next morning, when we were eating breakfast, we saw him."

"The imposter?" Mustang asked.

I nodded, seeing Ed recover and continue on. He leaned forward, arms hanging past his knees.

"And when he ran off, Al and I chased after the bastard." A hand passed along his mouth, an irritation coming to him. "Figured out he was using bombs, too."

"But by the time we had really pieced everything together, he'd already struck an attack on a church."

My hands curled, grabbing handfuls of my skirt. I was glad nobody got hurt, but just seeing that building up in flames like that...

"Nobody was injured," Al chimed in, "But our imposter fled the scene soon after we got there."

"You trailed him, right?" Mustang asked.

"Obviously." Ed replied, kicking his weight back against the couch. "We got some information out of the bastard and the rest is up to the authorities he was handed to."

Mustang nodded. "Was he working with anyone?" he asked. "Any signs of an accomplice?"

Ed shook his head. "No. Basically spat in my face like he was insulted I'd even ask."

Al suddenly turned to me, remembering something.

"Your sketchbook." he said. "You wrote everything down in that, right?"

"Oh." I pulled it out of my bag, holding it in front of me. "Yeah, you're right." I looked to Mustang. "When we went door to door, I wrote down everything that was taken."

Mustang looked down to my sketchbook. His hands dropped from their place in front of his mouth, arms stretching behind his head as he stood up.

"We'll need to keep that for a few days." he yawned. "Crucial evidence."

"Yes, of course." I stood up as well, scooting past Ed as he needlessly pulled his legs in for me.

I approached Mustang as he stood to the side of his desk, waiting for me to hand the book to him. The weight of the sketchbook left my hand again, though unlike the time I handed it to Al, the feeling was... Lighter. Not as dark as it was before.

A blush touched my face as I realized Ed's drawing was still in there. Mustang must have seen something in both Ed and I's faces because his stare was shifting between us.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

Suddenly beside me, the alchemist cleared his throat with a fist, smiling as he tried to act casual. "No, nothing!" I saw a bead of sweat on his temple as he continued on. "There's just a little doodle I made in there. Nothing really worth mentioning!" He gave a horribly weak laugh as Al came up behind him, connecting his fist with the top of his older brother's head.

"How many times do I have to say it, brother?" Al scolded, putting his hands on his hɨps. "That drawing is SO not a doodle!"

My heart leaped as Mustang gave Ed a suspicious look, flipping open my sketchbook.

"That can't be right." Mustang was saying. "Your drawings are always terrible."

Ed gritted his teeth, one fist raised in front of him. I saw a blood vessel bulging against his skin.

The sketchbook's pages suddenly stopped, an expression of surprise coming to Mustang. He studied the page for a few moments before glancing up at me.

"A simple doodle doesn't cover it." he mused, looking back down to Ed's art. "You could probably sell this drawing."

"Um... I... Uh..." Ed blinked, obviously at a loss for what to say.

"Hmph." Mustang quickly drew his fingers together and shut the book, straightening as his other hand found the pocket of his uniform. "Maybe I should've reconsidered your State title." An open hand passed in front of him, a rare expression of a full smile with shining eyes. "'Just Short' Alchemist!"

That expression was closed off, reduced to nothing but a smirk as Ed yelled at him.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLIN' SO SHORT YOU GOTTA LIE DOWN ON THE GROUND WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS AND SQUINT REAL HARD TO TRY AND SEE THEM?!"

Mustang made a talking motion with his hand as he walked back to his desk, sketchbook tucked under one arm. "We get it; you don't like being called short. Write some new material for the next time we see each other, alright?"

Mustang suddenly stopped walking, surprise coming to him.

"Oh." he began. "And Fullmetal?"

We all stopped, turning back to the Brigadier as he continued.

"You'll be happy to know there's rumors of a Philosopher's Stone in Dublith."

Despite the fact that I was holding his metal arm, I could feel the rest of Ed's body tense. Al spoke, bringing Mustang's attention to the teen bound to the armored suit.

"What's a Philosopher's Stone doing in a place like Dublith?"

"I dunno." My sketchbook was placed on Mustang's desk, on top of that paper he was looking at before. "But I'd think it's something you two would be interested in."

"Well, yeah, of course!" Al responded.

Ed swung himself up and out of our grip, both hands finding the pockets of his coat.

"What're they sayin' about the stone?" he asked.

Mustang shrugged. "People've just reported an influx of strange happenings around. Said there's people claiming to be selling stones."

Ed and Al's expression both flatlined into disbelief.

"Selling... Stones?" Ed repeated, one eyebrow twitching.

Mustang fell back into his chair, putting his feet up on his desk. "Yeah, that's what they're sayin'. Mind checking it out for me?"

With a large sigh, Ed spun himself around, walking past Al and I.

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Before he stepped out the door, Ed stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. I waited beside him, tilting my head in question.

"What's wrong?"

Ed continued to stare at his superior. He stepped through the door, fingers slipping away from the frame as he passed through.

"He didn't give me a lecture..." Ed said softly.

Al and I walked beside him as we moved down the brightly lit hallway, retracing the path we had come.

"Well, he did mention you being old enough not to get one..." I remembered.

"Yeah, but still..." Ed's back was hunched, and his boot scuffed against the floor in a light kick as he kept walking. "That's something he's always done."

Why was he so down about that? Shouldn't it be a good thing Mustang was treating him like an ȧduŀt? I was about to ask this second question when Al spoke.

"He did make a few comments." Al was smiling with his eyes; he was trying to make Ed feel better. His hands were hovering by his brother, as if he wanted to reach out and hug him.

Ed just made a light ticking sound with his teeth. He was still depressed, and I hated seeing him like this.

Without thinking, I took his arm with both of mine, smiling as I spoke.

"You wanna to go get something to eat? I'm sure there's an ice cream shop open somewhere." I grinned a little more, my conscious screaming at me as I added, "I'll even let you pay!"

Ed just looked at me, and I was relieved to see the frown on his face gone. I was even more relieved to see his mouth spread into a grin. He straightened, hurrying up as his arm hooked inwards a little, securing my hold.

"You're damn right I'm paying!"

I laughed, moving one hand away from him to muffle the sound against my lips. I heard Al laugh with me, relieved his brother was back to normal.

It seemed that all the lights in Central City were on, and it looked even more amazing than it did in the daytime. I watched the street lamps pass by as we made our way down the sidewalk, feeling a child-like excitement that I hadn't experienced in a long time. Much too long, actually.

I smiled to myself, but as time went on, my thoughts eventually led me down a path I'd always been dreading. This case was DONE. It was basically over with. So why was I still here with them?

'Where else would I be?' I asked myself.

Ed called my name. I looked to him, noticing we were at the entrance of an ice cream parlor before noticing the light concern on his face. I had already relaxed the expression of worry that had crept up onto my face by the time Ed spoke again.

"You okay?"

I smiled brightly. "Yes, of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged one shoulder; the arm I wasn't holding onto.

"Your hold just kinda got a little tense." he commented, glancing down to his arm. "That's all."

"O-oh." I immediately let go. "Sorry."

"No," Ed replied, "It's alright—"

The door to the ice cream shop opened up, a worker in a colorfully striped uniform ringing a bell as he shouted, "Ice cream, ice cream, get your half-priced dairy dessert right here! That's right, half-priced, but only for a limited time!"

Distantly, through an open apartment window, another voice rang out. "Shut. Up! I'm trying to sleep!"

The guy just hooked an arm past himself in gesture, yelling again. "Well, you might sleep better with some wonderful frozen milk in your stomach!"

Ed grimaced. "Eck. I forgot ice cream has milk in it..."

I stared at him. "You... You have to be joking..."

He looked to me, that frown still on his face. "What? I've always hated the stuff."

Al crossed his arms. "You'll never get taller if you don't have milk, Brother."

Ed just stuck his tongue out, giving a brief raspberry. I sighed, putting a hand to my face.

"You really haven't changed at all, Ed..."

I didn't mean for the comment to come off as anything close to a challenge, but the next thing I knew, Ed was looking to me again. His hands were back in his coat pockets, golden eyes narrowed at me as he tilted his head upwards.

"You really think I haven't changed, eh?"

I blinked, caught a bit off guard by the sudden shift in his demeanor. After a quick grimace, he suddenly pointed to the ice cream guy still standing outside the door.

"ALRIGHT, SCREAMING ICE CREAM GUY!" he shouted. "GIVE ME EVERY FLAVOR YOU HAVE; I'LL EAT 'EM ALL!"

The guy blinked at him for a moment, allowing the silence to be filled by the apartment shouter again.

"Oh, my god! Trying. To. Sleep here!"

The employee finally grinned, overjoyed as he swept one foot in the air behind him, pushing the door open wide.

"Yes, yes, come in!" he was gushing. "Remember, all flavors are half-price!"

Ed just shot me a mischievous grin. I looked away, failing to suppress my own smile.

"You are paying for this, after all."

After eating all 23 flavors of Mr. Melvin's Marvelous ice cream, Edward Elric—renowned alchemist, certified genius—got a stomach ache.

He let out a groan from his place on the couch, holding his engorged stomach.

"Why'd you talk me into doing that?!" he asked me.

I kept my jaw in my palm, other arm resting on the back of the couch as I rolled my eyes. "You were the one who started it."

Ed rolled onto his side, curling into a ball. His mouth was in that frown again, expression tense. He whimpered, and for a few moments I felt sorry. I was about to reach my hand out to his hair before a sharp grin shot onto his mouth.

"I did it, though." he said. One eye opened, looking at me with that grin still on his face. "You thought I hadn't changed."

Surprised, I leaned back, hands falling away from the couch as he followed me up. He rested one elbow on the couch's back, still grinning as I replied, flustered.

"I-I..." My fingers stopped pushing against each other, a grin of defeat on my face. "Well, I guess I did say that."

Ed laid back down on the couch, hands comfortably folding across his stomach. "So what do I win?"

I looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "It wasn't a bet, Ed..."

He just grinned, laughing a little. "I proved you wrong. That has to count for some kind of reward, right?"

I briefly raised my eyebrows like a shrug as I turned away. "I'll pay for the next meal, how's that?"

I stopped walking, looking behind me as Ed suddenly sat up. He pointed at me, shouting a little as if that could distract me from the shade of pink tinting his cheeks.

"Next time we pass by an ice cream shop!" he told me. "We'll have some, just the two of us!"

A blush of my own came to me. I opened my mouth, then closed it again, my knuckles coming to rest against my lips. Was he implying what I think he was?

My hand moved itself away from my mouth, allowing me to reply.

"But..." I tried to keep myself from talking, but the words wouldn't stop. "What about Al?"

Hearing his name, Al poked his head out from one of the rooms.

"Your tea's almost done, brother!" he called with a wave. "You should have your stomach feeling better in no time!"

Ed kept his head down, hand behind his hair. This position made it so his arm hid most of his face from me, and I only saw part of his lips move in an absentminded reply.

"Yeah, thanks, Al."

My foot shifted back. "I'll go see if Al needs any help with anything."

Ed didn't reply. He just dropped his hand away, arm landing heavily against his ŀȧp. The impact went straight to my heart, and I felt nothing but guilt. What was I doing?! I needed to say something; yes, I would love to go for ice cream with you, Ed‼

But the words wouldn't come. My feet turned me around and kept moving me further away; before I knew it, I was stepping out of the hallway and into the room Al was in.

He looked at me, the bed sheet parachuting down from his whipping gesture.

"What're you doing, Al?" I asked.

He smiled. "You never know how dirty these sheets really are!" he told me. "I was just putting on a fresh set for you!"

I smiled back, raising my hand to the back of my hair. "Oh, Al, that's so sweet of you! You didn't have to do that!"

"It's alright." He was smoothing out the middle of it and quickly tucking the corners underneath the mattress. "I know how great it is to sleep in fresh sheets."

I smiled, feeling that sad weight settle in my heart again. My hands came up to hold my arms, watching as he bundled up the old sheets that were on the floor.

"Thank you." I said.

He just smiled at me again, nodding.

"Of course!" he replied, carrying an armful of white sheets. I stepped to the side, allowing him to pass by me and walk into the hallway.

"I think your tea's done, brother." Al was saying.

I leaned against the wall, keeping my stare low to avoid looking out into the living room. I heard Ed reply, his voice quiet and defeated as he told Al to give it to me; I'd probably like it.

"What?" Al asked. "Why? I thought your stomach was hurting!"

"Doesn't hurt anymore."

I looked down even more, bowing my head. I had to say something... What was I doing, leaving him to dwell like this? What kind of friend was I?

'A horrible one.' I answered.

He doesn't need this... He doesn't need to be dealing with me on top of everything else.

"Ed..." I stepped out of the room, out into the hallway again.

The couch was empty. I looked around, only seeing Al stare at me from behind his shoulder, pouring tea into a mug.

"He went out for a walk." the younger Elric told me.

I felt like punching the wall. I stifled my sigh, allowing the weight to move my shoulders down a bit more.

"A-alright..." I responded quietly. "I'll wait up for him, I guess..."

But by the time Ed had gotten back, fatigue had gotten the best of me and I'd fallen asleep on the couch.