The Claws Of A Boy, Grasp Onto What It Was. ; Chapter 2

🜘 — The claws of a boy, grasp onto what it was. ; Chapter 2

Havoc wasn’t able to pry Edward out of his arms, so he had to drive on with the boy in his lap; Thankfully hidden for the most part due to the white clothing that he was draped in, which became all the more apparent to being a long coat of sorts. The sleeves used to tie Edward’s detached automail arm to his back, where it sat limply — or as limply a metal limb could get — , looked thick and bulky despite nothing being in them. Regardless, Ed had been mostly silent on the drive. Only making a small raspy noise when the car was to run over a bump or turn a street corner too tightly. 

Thankfully the drive wasn’t too long, though it was a place that Havoc had only been to once; He couldn’t head to the military barracks, even though that’s where his dorm, as well as Ed’s old dorm, was. So, he headed to a person he knew would be safe. Other than the rest of Team Mustang, as he knew that any sort of reunion with them would be emotionally overwhelming — on both sides really. 

“Alright, we’re here. Just hold on a sec’ longer big guy.” Havoc murmured, parking the car on the side street before opening the door; Sticking his leg out of the car as his hand moved and pulled the keys out of the ignition, pocketing them, before getting a better hold on Edward. Who just grunted quietly, his clawed hand gripping onto Havoc’s blue uniform jacket tighter. The dirty blonde soon got himself out of the car, using his booted foot to shut the door as he adjusted the bundle of Ed in his arms; Keeping him entirely hidden from view as he walked along the sidewalks. He left Ed’s detached automail arm in the car, as he figured there was no reason to carry it around. It wasn’t like he knew how to reattach it. Or if it was even in good enough condition to do so safely, but by the looks of it; It seemed out of commission.

It only took another moment before Havoc ascended a few steps and stood on a porch that was unfamiliar to the still somewhat out of it Elric in his arms. He moved, putting one arm on the lower part of where he held Ed while raising the other and balling his hand into a fist. Turning his hand, and using his knuckles to gently knock against the wooden door he stood in front of. 

“‘S just Second Lieutenant Havoc, we need to talk.” He drawled, just loud enough for whoever was on the other side of the door to hear him clearly, moving his free hand away from the door as he put it into his pocket, fishing around in it before pulling out a small, cardboard box. With a simple swipe of his thumb, he pushed open the top of the box; Raising it to his mouth, and using his lips to pull out a cigarette. As he pulled it away, shut it and slipped it back into the safety of his pocket, the door opened. Havoc smiled, apologetically, keeping the butt of the cigarette clenched between his teeth. In front of him stood a very confused looking Maria Ross, her eyes looking between Havoc and the bundle of.. Well, she might not have known it to be Ed. 

Ed knew it was her though, even if he wasn’t looking at Ross; He could just tell. It could’ve been his sense of smell — she smelled warm, like the tulips mom used to grow just out front of the house and like a summer breeze, it reminded him of his mom, and it made him calm but antsy at the same time — could’ve been the specific way she sighed, like she did back when she had tried to comfort he and Alphonse before they snuck out to figure out what the hell was up with Lab 5. The boy shifted in Havoc’s hold, making a small, raspy sound as he tried to uncover his face and look for himself; Though his hold on Havoc didn’t lessen, so it just seemed that he was wiggling around impatiently.

Before Ed could reveal himself, and before Ross could question just what it was Havoc was carrying, the man pushed past Ross. Stepping into her home without permission.

“Hey! Havoc, what the hell is going on? What’re you carrying?” Ross began to question, sounding baffled and a bit annoyed as she quickly shut her front door and followed Havoc. It was the middle of the night, Ross was officially off duty for the night, so she had no idea what business the other second lieutenant would have with her at this ungodly hour. Her footsteps were softer than Havoc’s against the hardwood floors, she was barefoot whereas Havoc had boots. Thudding, thudding, the sound was dull but so much louder than they should have been. The steps held a sort of authority, urgency, it was rather unlike him. 

Havoc was always a sort of laid back guy, the only time he was serious was when those he cared for were in danger or the situation generally called for it. 

“Just– Where’s your bathroom?” Havoc would start, only to cut himself off and change his low words into a question. A question that seemed so ordinary and didn’t fit the situation that Ross thought of. He rolled the cigarette in his mouth around, an anxious habit of his, before lightly grinding his teeth against the filter. She blinked, her blue eyes looking into Havoc’s as her thin brows pinched together. As much as she wanted to question it, the brunette knew it would be quicker to just point to the bathroom and ask questions later. 

And so she did, her arm lightly smacking Havoc’s as she pointed down a small hallway in her home. Her home was small, being only a townhouse that she rented out with the help of her co-worker. It was two stories, with two small bedrooms on the second floor, a kitchenette, a small bathroom, small dining room and a living area on the first floor. It wasn’t much, but Ross felt content with what she had. She watched as Havoc walked through the small hallway she gestured to, stepping into the bathroom before waving his free hand outside the door. Beckoning her to come into the bathroom.

When she did come, she found that Havoc was seated on the edge of the tub; Not focusing on Ross, but on the creature he held. The creature had an armored carapace that faced her, partially hidden away by the white cloth that encased its body. It had only one furry arm, that appeared to be partially armored with the same scutes that covered its back, that had three fingers on the hands end. Long claws that looked to be for digging were on their ends, clinging tightly to Havoc’s jacket. Desperately and shaky, as though the being thought Havoc would up and disappear if it didn’t cling to him — if he didn’t cling to him. Ross felt even more baffled the longer she looked at the back of the creature. At the circular ears that rested atop its head, against the golden locks that loosely hung from its head. Wavy, oily, dirtied. Like a human’s hair rather than an animal’s. It wasn’t the looks that made it apparent just what — or rather who — the being was. It was Havoc’s soft reassuring murmurs. 

“You can let go, Ed, ‘m not going anywhere. You remember Ross, yeah?” Havoc was saying, only to cause Ross to look even more confused, ‘Ed? Surely that’s not the Ed I know.’, Ross thought, blinking as she crouched on the bathroom floor to be at eye level with Havoc and Ed. 

“R.. Ross?” Ed echoed, a stammer in his slowed down words as he moved his head to look toward the woman kneeling behind him. The boy’s snout wrinkled slightly, his lips curling back almost on instinct before his face relaxed. Nose and whiskers twitching, clouded over golden eyes blinking. He looked nervous, but not so much so that he’d flee. It was an odd sight, even more wrong with how his body seemed to have changed, to see him so.. Frightened. 

The second lieutenant froze up as Edward turned to face her, her eyes widening as she took in his appearance. He looked like those creatures she and the others, a part of the rescue team assigned to find both Elric brothers, had seen back at Lab 5. She swallowed, her eyes darting between Havoc and Ed. As if to figure out if this was some sort of joke, or prank, or something. 

“Ed?” She asked, her voice wavering slightly as internal pain began to cramp in her chest. Ed didn’t loosen his grip on Havoc, but he leaned a bit away from him and closer to Ross; His round-tipped ears flicking slightly as he tilted his head to the side, watching. Watching. Before pulling away from her and offering her a lopsided, awkward smile; Sort of smile, it looked strange with the snout he had. He looked overly relieved, relaxing slightly on Havoc’s lap. 

Ross blinked again, surprised by his small movements and non-verbal acknowledgment. She felt overwhelmed suddenly, her heart racking against her ribs which felt all too crushing. Too tight. Too much, too much, but she pushed that all down and looked directly at Havoc. She couldn’t afford to panic now, there wasn’t even a plausible reason for her to, yet looking at Ed made her feel.. Sick. Her gaze hardened, though she wasn’t angry in the slightest, more concerned and determined to know all that Havoc did. 

“Does Alphonse know? How long have you found him like.. This?” She began to question, not unkindly, as she addressed Havoc. Ed seemed completely fine with not being acknowledged, seemingly not really registering the conversation for now, simply facing forward again on the blue pants he sat on. Slowly blinking as his grip loosened slightly on the blue military uniform. Havoc chuckled sheepishly, his hand moving to Edward’s armored back as he looked at Ross. 

“I only just found him, when me, the boss, lieutenant Hawkeye, an’ major Armstrong were looking for Scar. No one else knows,” Havoc started, pausing as he rolled the still unlit cigarette in his mouth once again before continuing, “I kinda came here first.” The admission wasn’t too big nor surprising, Ross had been demanding to know if anything came up regarding Edwards disappearance. But she would’ve expected Havoc to head right for Alphonse, wherever he was. Ross had offered to shelter Alphonse while everyone searched for Ed; But he turned her down almost in an instant. Realistically, she hadn’t seen Alphonse since then, though she had heard he was visiting colonel Mustang’s office regularly.

“I, also,  was going to suggest that we keep him here, at least for now. I can’t take him with me to the dorms.” Havoc added on with a wry grin, cigarette bitten down on more roughly, his free hand moving to rub at his nape. He chuckled wearily, the sound causing his chest to vibrate slightly against Ed’s clawed hand. It made Edward jolt initially and tense, before blinking and relaxing again. He seemed to be trying to keep up with the conversation.

“So, let me get this straight, you come out of nowhere and just expect me to suddenly be able to take him? Denny’s here too, you know.” Ross retorted, shaking her head in exasperation. Her own hand raised to pinch the bridge of her nose, thought her eyes never left Havoc. Ross had darker eyes than Havoc, they were blue but more like the blue of an old toy with chipped paint. But, like Havoc’s, they were kind and soft in all the ways that mattered, still keeping a firmness that screamed protectiveness instead of scorn. Loving, even to those that she barely knew, to those that needed it; Like the Elric brothers themselves.

“Wouldn’t he be happy to see Ed though? I know this should probably stay low profile, but you two were the ones who last saw–” Havoc began, his tone more pleading though never losing its casual nature. He stopped as he was interrupted, looking down at Edward who began to move a little as his narrow jaws opened. Trembling slightly as it floundered for a moment, a noise emitting from Ed’s throat before he shook his head and tried again.

“Al?” Ed’s voice rang out quietly, croaking with effort, his brows drawn together in annoyance at himself. He seemed to have caught up with what Havoc had said earlier. He wanted his brother, he wanted to see him and to make sure he was ok, to make sure he was safe. The creature blinked, moving to look at Ross as well; She was frowning, looking back at Ed but not saying anything just yet.

“Al’s in Dublith last I checked, seeing your teacher I think?” Havoc said, his shoulders rolling slightly as he shrugged. Ed turned back to face him, his mouth twisted into a comprehending frown. Blinking, watching, before he huffed slightly and let go of Havoc’s military jacket. Ross sighed slightly before moving to stand up, her hands brushing against her legs as she looked at the two. 

“You can take the second room upstairs, I’ll let Denny know he needs to take the couch.” Ross said first before silently mouthing ‘ill call Al’; To which Havoc nodded and gave a small, appreciative ‘thank you’, watching her leave the room. Leaving himself and the creature in his arms, Edward as he has to keep reminding himself, alone in the bathroom.

[ 1 , 3 ]

this is the experience of years of being told manga/brotherhood is the best story ever told when it absolutely refused to confront any of its themes or more interested ideas and then (re)watching fullmetal alchemist 2003 after a decade and a half and seeing the adaptation actually take these ideas and run with them so hard

@saturnaous ; you like knights right? Boom, knight kitty

Ok ill go ahead and post all three chapters here then! I'll do three separate posts and then add on whenever I add the next chapter (which is ch 4 now, I haven't started it yet)

New # for better finding!! #chimera ed fic <- will be it.

Like a post, I dunno how to explicitly say it right.

hi hello. Greeb (for ask meme)

Hi hello!!

How I feel about this character

-> Greed is my bbg, we're married. My gredy guy. Seriously though, I like his character (I can say I honestly prefer him in 03 BUT Greed in fmab isn't all that bad neither).

-> I honestly love his role in 03, being used for Ed to understand how to kill homunculi and why it is nessicary for him to do so. I'm sad that he died, sure, but I think it was a nessicary cause and that Ed will never forget how he killed him; He won't be forgotten, and that's the best part.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

-> Myself/j

-> Uhhhhgh.. I like the ship of him and Bido, and of him and Dolecetto! I don't have much to say on the ship, though, bc that's my ship feelings with FMAB (Though I really like Greed and Dolo in 03 with how loyal Dolo was to him before getting killed. Good dog, best dog in fma I'll say).

My non-romantic OTP for this character

-> Greedlinged! The soul brothers!!! Greed, Ling, and Ed are just stupid silly guys. Honestly I throw them at a wall and see how they stick. I genuinely think that ut was very cool that Greed, in fmab in his final death, was at peace with his death and that he found something he was looking for; Family, friends. Well, new ones because his old friends/family all fucking up and died.

-> Greed and Martel. Shut up. Shut up. His bi, t-swag ass and her cool lesbian-ness. They were best fucking buddies your honor.

My unpopular opinion about this character

-> Greed, when he is apart of Greedling, is overrated. There I said it. I like his character when he isn't apart of someone else, I love Ling he's a great stand alone character he doesn't need fucking Greed to be cool, more. Like in 03!!!!!!

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

-> I wish Greed got to meet 03 Wrath. That's all I have to say on the matter.

-> I wish that we got to see more of *how* Ed was affected by killing Greed and how he basically led to the deaths of all those chimeras in the Devils Nest, sure this isn't exactly Greed but I still wanna see.

-> I wish we had more time with Greed and his crew, I'm still fucking sobbing over Martel and dolo. No I'm not ok.

I’m controlling those suits of armor. I transferred a portion of my soul into them. For some reason, it seems easy for my spirit to leave me.