The Empath Alchemist {Edward Elric X Reader}

25

"But I barely even finished mopping your damn office!"

The sound of Edward's complaints grew clearer the closer (Y/n) was led to the exit of the Fort. She rounded the corner, Miles and Olivier leading her and Alphonse to Edward, who was picking a fight with Captain Buccaneer. Winry stood beside him, looking drained by the boy's overdramatized behavior. Folded over her arm was Maes' blazer that the mechanic had waited to return to (Y/n), and the (h/c) haired girl thanked her excessively for both the clothes she'd gifted her and for taking care of the one piece of material she held dear to her. (Y/n) pulled her arms through the material, oblivious to the pair of golden eyes that watched her movements carefully after the owner of them had been shut up by Olivier's menacing voice.

The kids hadn't even been given the time to completely finish all of their tasks within the Fort before they had been told that running into town to purchase supplies was now their top priority. Olivier had mentioned that the infirmary was in dire need of some newer, fresh material, but none of the teens had been expected to be sent out into North City so last minute. Granted, it was around noon and (Y/n), Edward, and Al had spent about six hours tending to chores. A part of them was glad to get out of that ginormous fort, which had ironically begun to feel stuffy. But it was still a bit out of character for Olivier to willingly send those kids away when they hadn't fulfilled their duties, even if the thing they were being sent to do was a chore she had mentioned earlier on. It could have only meant that she was trying to get them out of the way while she took care of things that she didn't want them to be involved with. The Elrics and the Mustang instantly came to the conclusion that she was preparing to lower men into the Homunculus- made tunnel, and she didn't want them snooping around if they were not willing to provide her with some kind of lead.

The kids figured it was fair enough, but they almost regretted wanting to go outside when the bitter air blasted into their faces. Winry bundled her scarf tightly around her neck as her boots crunched into the snow, and Alphonse made sure to stay on her right side as they walked in order to block the sight of Sloth's iced, lifeless body with his large, metal figure. The location of the cars parked in a path paved free of snow meant to lead them into the city was far across from the spot where the Homunculus' body lay, but Alphonse was aware that Winry could accidentally catch a glimpse of it with a single wandering glance. The less involved Winry was with his and his brother's twisted world, the better. That's why he breathed a sigh of relief when Winry managed to step into the passenger's seat of one of the vehicles without seeing something she had no business seeing.

The Rockbell had been invited to tag along for the very same reasons the other three were sent out: so that she could stay out of the way. The nurse in the infirmary and Buccaneer, who tagged along with Miles in order to supervise the little bastards, noticed that the kind blonde girl had a knack for nursing and automail repair, considering her parents were doctors. Winry had been given the list of things the nurse needed, which the brown eyed sixteen year old took complete pride in holding on to and keeping track of. Now because Winry was a part of this short excursion out into the city, two cars needed to be taken in order to fit everyone. Alphonse and Winry would be driven by Buccaneer in the second car, and leading them down the mountain and back into civilization would be Miles, carrying (Y/n) and Edward. When Olivier depicted the arrangement, Ed and (Y/n) visibly stiffened and looked off to opposite directions. Being alone together in enclosed spaces never bothered them before, but of course, they had to deal with the fact that they had kissed the last time they were by themselves. Stuffing them into the back seats of an automobile wouldn't kill them, but it certainly wouldn't do them any favors. Feelings had been addressed and practically confessed, yet there was still this lingering unfinished business the two of them decided to wait on terminating. That made for a tad bit of awkwardness.