The Water Alchemist

Heavy Interference

Welcome back to The Water Alchemist. I don't own any of the intellectual property of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter Sixteen

Heavy Interference

*** 

"Man, I'm beat," Ed said, flopping onto the bed, still in his coat and boots. He was exhausted, having searched the whole day, and half the day before that. Al made a dissatisfied sound.

"Ed, boots," he scolded, like a mother to her child.

"Give me a break, would ya?" Ed groaned but sat up and kicked his shoes off anyway.

He threw his coat across the room, and it landed on the arm of the couch. Al – who had perched on the green sofa – took it and folded it nicely. There was a knock at the door, and Al rose to get it as Ed turned over, not in the mood for visitors. He still had a lingering nervousness about Marina's whereabouts that he couldn't quite shake, regardless of the guard he put up. No matter how many times Al reassured him, Ed couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for her disappearance. He knew he had to find her, and soon if he wanted to be rid of the ever-growing pit in his stomach that threatened to swallow him whole. The salty aroma of grilled meat entered the room before their guest, and Ed's empty pit growled. He hadn't thought much about eating, but now that his nose was captivated by the smell, he noticed that he was starving. He couldn't help but salivate as he sat up to see who had brought something that smelled so good over.

"Winry!" Al exclaimed, hugging their childhood friend. She laughed as she hugged him back, her cheery nature livening the space. "What are you doing here?" She held up a covered dish, no doubt the source of the delectable smell.

"Mrs. Hughes insisted that I bring over her chopped steak for you boys. She feels quite bad about..." she trailed off, noticing the way Ed's face contorted. "Anyway, she sent me to make sure you ate something good."

"That was very kind of her," Al said, taking the dish and leading Winry inside.

Ed rose from the bed and greeted her properly. Al set the dish down on the small kitchen table, and Ed took no time at all to dig in, setting a massive dollop on his plate. Al went to place another plate in front of Winry, but she waved him off.

"You aren't going to have any, Winry?" Ed asked, chewing a mouthful of juicy beef.

"No," she grimaced, appalled at his lack of table manners. Al put the plate away, and Ed scooped more meat onto his plate. "I already ate with Elicia and Mrs. Hughes."

"Mr. Hughes didn't join you?" Al asked, making note of the tasty looking food in his notebook.

"No, he was working late tonight," she said, pillaging a piece of beef from Ed's plate and swallowing it before Ed could react.

"I thought you ate already," he protested as he wrapped his arms protectively around his plate, taking another bite. She ignored him and turned to Al.

"So, was there any luck finding Marina?" she asked. Even without a face, Winry could read Al's discouraged expression. Ed chewed considerably slower.

"Nothing yet. We're going to look again tomorrow," Al said, twiddling his hands.

Winry touched her hand over his and gave him a sympathetic smile. The boys were aware that Winry had been filled in shortly after she had returned with their train tickets. Hughes had said that he told her the entire conversation, in hopes that she'd have some insight on Marina's whereabouts. Of course, she didn't, which she seemed frustrated by. Ed didn't want her to take responsibility for his mistakes. Winry seemed to pick up on his guilt trip.