Just a Piece of the Puzzle (Edward Elric x OC)

Chapter 11: When Guilt Collides

💭Hi babes!! Thanks for reading again!! 😘😘
~livia
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*next day*

Ed, Al, and Ana arrived back at the apartment after a long day of research at the military's library.

Moastly, Ana and the brothers kept to themselves, Ed and Al reading their strange records, histories, and alchemical novels while Ana fiddled with books on the brain, memory loss, and one other topic.

The philosophers stone.

She was positive it was the only thing that could bring back all of Ana's memories, and after she escaped from amestris and over to xing, she could really start her research.

Also, Ana's thoughts repeatedly fell back on the topic of Alphonse Elric, which always seemed to be nagging at her mind.

How'd he end up this way? It- maybe it has something to do with Fullmetal's arm? It's literally fullmetal...hah. That's where his name comes from!

The thought brought a small tilt to the corners of her mouth. It has been happening more and more, lately.

She would smile.

Only briefly, however.

"I'm hungry!!" Edward groaned, entering into the apartment doorway. Alphonse entered after him, and finally, Ana.

She said a polite thank you to Ed as he held the door open for her. He nodded in response.

"What do you want to eat, brother? Maybe we could go to a cafe or something."

Ana blocked out the brothers conversation as she walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, her back facing the two boys. Ana ran her smooth fingers over the indentation on her hand, remembering Ella and her father.

"Whatdoyouwannadoana?"

Ana jerked her head up, clearing her head of thoughts.
"What?"

"I said." Ed smiled, "what do you want to do for lunch, Ana."

"Ummm..."
I don't know, you idiot! I'm just the prisoner, after all...

"Okay then," He said monotone. "How about we clean up then go out to eat?"

No.

"Okay."

Leave me alone.

Edward took a shower and she and Alphonse were left to themselves. Ana eased out of her boots and light jacket, rubbing the sore muscles in her feet and neck from the research that day.

In a completely out of the blue sort of way, Ana suddenly asked Alphonse a question.

"Al, why don't you have a body?" Ana was ready to know, if they were ready to tell her.

Alphonse seemed to tense up in his seat on one of the two chairs.
"H-how do you know about..me?" He asked.

"In the alley, your head came off. There's nothing inside of that armor of yours. How?"

Her tone wasn't judgmental or unkind in any way, but curious. Curious and soft, like when a child asks its mother of it can hold a hurt baby bird. Innocent.

"I- um.."

"It has something to do with fullmetal's arm, doesn't it?"

"And his leg..."

Ana was confused. "What?!"

"His leg.." Alphonse started. "Brother's leg is half-automail too, like his arm."

Really!?!?

Wow, okay.

"Oh...I- didn't know..." Ana was suddenly regretful of her straightforward attitude towards Alphonse. He had always been kind to her even though she was ishvalen, and the military's prisoner.

And hated his brother.

Hate...was a strong word....hmmm

"You- don't have to say- if you don't want to, Al-"

"No, it's all right. The topic comes up quite often, actually."

Ana's face relaxed a little, her blue eyes sparkling and her white hair framing her pale face. She sat cross cross apple sauce on the edge of her bed, Al in the chair across from her.

"You see, Ed and I never really knew our father. He just up and left when we were children..and never came back, despite what our mother believed."

His tone of voice led Ana to believe that this was a touchy subject for the boys.

"Al, you really don't have to-"

He cut her off as if she wasn't speaking at all.

"Our mother got sick after a while. One day, she collapsed and left me and Edward all alone. We- we were alchemical protégés, though. We believed in equivalent exchange."

Ana could see where this was going...

"We tried to bring our mother back to life. Human transmutation."

Ana jumped. It wasn't Al who spoke, but Edward. He was in the process of tying his now-dry hair back into the usual braid.

"Ed" she breathed.

His face was utterly sorrowful. But one more emotion, much more masked but definitely there, was also visible to Ana. She could see it on his cave because it was in her's every time she looked in the mirror.

Guilt.

"Al lost himself, and I lost my leg. I bound Al's soul to that suit of armor by sacrificing my arm. We've been trying to get our bodies back ever since." Edwards voice was rough and strained as if he was being...Choked...with each word as he spoke it.

"I...uh.." Ana didn't think their history was that bad...

She'd been wrong.

She bowed low to each brother, her hair creating a small curtain between the brothers and herself.

"I- I- I'm s-sorry.." She shuddered.
"It was w-wrong of me to ask when-"

"You would have found out sooner or later. Just- don't go passing that around...please."
Ed.
Always protecting.

Ana climbed off of the bed, facing Ed, Al on her left.
"Don't worry, I promise."

She took a few steps past Edward, heading for the bathroom.

She turned back.

"Edward." She said in pale sounding voice.

He stopped, and turned. She was suddenly hugging him, her arms around his torso and arms.

When she pulled back, Ana and Ed looked at each other, both seemingly utterly confused about what just happened. A flush rose at a steady pace up Ana's neck and face.

She turned and scurried into the bathroom, sliding down and sitting, knees against her chest, against the back of the closed door.

Wha- what just happened?

💭hie babes
Livia here..umm..thanks for reading??

I don't know.

Comment.
Vote.

I AM ALMOST ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELPFUL CRITISIZM as long as you are blunt and to the point, please. Good and bad are appreciated.

Thanks readers!!!!

~Livia

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