The Empath Alchemist {Edward Elric X Reader}

19

When (Y/n) told Granny that they had to leave, she instantly felt bad when she caught a glimpse of the disappointment that flashed across the elderly woman's face.

Five days flew by faster than the Rockbell could think, and she'd forgotten how much she missed having those kids running around her home and keeping her company. Granny didn't mind living alone with Den, but she internally admitted that it would get lonely from time to time. Winry was always so busy with work, and seeing her granddaughter passionately and independently putting her time into something she knew that she loved was nothing short of refreshing. Even so, the joy Granny felt when she heard the blonde mechanic rave about her long days at work over the phone didn't make her miss the child any less. Nevertheless, she understood. Her children weren't babies anymore. They had much bigger things to concern themselves with, and it seemed that Granny herself had a hard time understanding what the Elrics and (Y/n) had been going through.

The pain from the death they'd experienced, the exhaustion that came with the constant bouncing across the country, and the looming paranoia that Edward and (Y/n) had tried so hard to hide from Granny were clear in their juvenile faces. Those juvenile faces that only seemed to be maturing each time Pinako laid her eyes on them... Bless their hearts, for it was obvious that they were trying to protect her from something. Pinako was smart enough to understand that as long as Hohenheim was around, trouble followed. It would have been no surprise to her if the kids were somehow involved with his business as well. She just wished that they'd all stay safe, and that whatever Edward had rushed to call Alphonse for was not as serious of a situation as she felt it was.

Granny was grateful for the time she had spent with the two. She'd gotten to rest, knowing that the young alchemists were safe under her roof. Now that they were leaving again, she'd be left with her motherly worries. She'd stress herself out over when she would see them again. Were they to return weeks later, with faces that depicted their untimely mental and physical aging? Or would she see the months from now? She at least hoped that she'd see Winry soon. Whatever she'd heard Hohenheim and the kids discuss in the kitchen from her room was nothing of her concern- she just hoped that Hohenheim would finally settle down and rest with a smile on his face.

Granny thought it was odd when (Y/n) asked if she had any spare crates lying around, but she asked no further questions and brought the girl with her to the backyard to search for wooden boxes that she'd forgotten to rid herself of when she finished unloading the eggs and other produce from them. Edward and (Y/n) had already packed after the talk had ended in the kitchen and after Edward called Alphonse, telling him to bring Winry to the north. The Fullmetal Alchemist had been happy to talk to his younger brother, but he could also tell that something was bothering the fourteen year old as he spoke to him. Alphonse sounded tired, like he was trying to pretend everything was all well and good when in reality, it wasn't. Ed unfortunately didn't have the time to sit with him and talk about it, especially considering that they were now in a bit of a rush to get out of Resembool, but he reminded himself to bring it up as soon as he saw the tall, metal suit of armor again. Al expressed his confusion when his brother asked him to call Winry for repairs, but he didn't question it much either upon detecting the way Edward stepped around his words. The golden eyed boy didn't feel comfortable explaining everything to him on the phone, and Alphonse understood the unspoken message clearly and did exactly what his older sibling had told him before they ended the call.

Ling grabbed (Y/n)'s belongings and lugged them out to the porch while Edward did the same with his. Now, the two fifteen year olds were waiting for (Y/n) and Granny to bring the crates around to the front yard before they bid the Rockbell house adieu for the time being. Edward leaned against the white railing on the porch, his elbow propped up against the wood as he watched Ling sit at the bottom of the steps. Edward sighed and tried his best not to roll his eyes too harshly when he felt his father creep up behind him.