The Water Alchemist

Sweet Naïveté

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

Chapter Twenty

Sweet Naïveté

*** 

The conversation wasn't mine to have. I accepted that. But it felt awkward to sit in the bedroom and wait on the outcome. I had finished my reading for the day shortly after the boys began their training, and when I went out to join them, Izumi had already discovered their secret. Our training halted after that, and Ed and Al were currently downstairs talking with Izumi and Sig. I had excused myself, not wanting to intrude on matters that quite frankly didn't concern me. I knew, vaguely, what was said anyway. I sat back on the bed, watching the sunset over the houses from the window, an assigned book from Izumi resting in my lap. It focused on the decomposition step of alchemy, explaining its importance in the cycle of creation, but I could barely concentrate on the material. They had been talking for a long while, and I was starting to worry. Had it taken this long in the anime, or did it just feel longer living it? I couldn't tell. The door opened suddenly, and I stood, facing it. Ed walked in, followed silently by Al. Ed picked his suitcase off the floor and flung it on his bed, haphazardly throwing things into it without a word. I looked to Al worriedly, who explained.

"We're leaving. We were... expelled," he said quietly. Ed seemed to tense somewhat but continued packing.

"But we can't leave," I protested. "I just figured a way to dodge Izumi I wanted to try out."

"It can't be helped," Ed said, latching his suitcase shut, finally facing me. He looked defeated, picking up my backpack. "Here's your bag."

He attempted a slight smile, but it wilted soon after as he tried to hand it to me. I furrowed my brows. I left the room, Ed and Al calling after me. I found Sig by the door, likely waiting to escort us to the station, and I walked up to him.

"Mr. Curtis, could you please talk some sense into those two? They're trying to leave," I said. He gave me a curious look, then glanced past me to the boys, who had followed me with our bags in hand.

"Sorry, Sig. We're ready to go," Ed said, darting a glare at me. I looked to Sig with pleading eyes.

"You idiots!" Sig scolded, catching them off guard. "You're so busy pouting you can't see what your expulsion means. You're not her students anymore. You're finally free to speak to Izumi as equals. Unless, of course, you're too chicken to try." Sig crossed his burly arms, blockading the door. I quirked a smile as the realization hit them.

"Ah, damn!" Ed exclaimed, smacking himself in the face. He looked at his brother. "Al, we haven't done what we came here to do. Thank you, we'll talk to her right now!"

Ed tossed my bag to me, and Al dropped the luggage he carried right there in the foyer. I caught my bag just by the straps as they ran to the other end of the house.

"Don't let her kill you," Sig called after them, but they were already gone. I looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Thanks for saving us a trip to the station," I said, nodding to the door.

He looked down at me and patted my head, his own kind of affirmation. He released me and seemed to head for the shop. I began for the room, wanting to make myself scarce in case Izumi's fury spilled out from the kitchen. I scooped up the abandoned luggage and hiked our bags back up the stairs. I heard a knife hit a wall and the girlish screaming of Edward.