Kiomi & Éclair Destroy the World (A FMA Fan-Fic) [With AnimeNerd_36]

Two Steps Back

It wasn't long after their quick escape that everyone reconvened at the inn, including Trevor, Vapor,  and Winry, all of which did not participate in the drilling of Eric, the trashboy.
"Everyone okay? No one got lost or anything on the way here?" Éclair asked as she worked on catching her breath.
"We're good, I just forgot how much I hate running." Ayumi sighed, rather out of breath. "I don't know how you do it every day, chasing your problems or running away from them."
"Adrenaline, and a lot of practice." Éclair smiled, "Ed, you're okay right?" She asked, looking over to him. Éclair brushed aside her rather overgrown bangs so she could see the rest of her friends and account for them.  She seemed rather relieved that everyone had made it back to the inn as fast as they did.
"I'm fine, just fine." Edward muttered the last part before smiling lightly back at Eclair. He didn't seem as upset as either which brought Eclair some relief.
Éclair smiled as she sat down on one of the couches on the first floor of the inn, "Good, we're all okay and we all made it. Now just to figure out where we go from here." She then sighed, "that ex-prince Shan is as elusive and useless as always. When things get bad he splits and waits for things to clear up instead of punching the problem in the face. Ugh, decent person but worst coworker ever."
Ayumi thought aloud, "If he's an ex-prince, aren't you on the same level as him, seeing as you're still in denial about being—"
"Hey! At least I have the decency to stand up to my problems and punch them in the face!" Éclair snapped back before she shook her head, "what's the use? We're going back to Xing anyway and I hope we don't encounter any more big problems when that idiot keeps deciding to split."
"I don't know Eclair, I mean he seemed alright but he also had something weird about him. I mean it doesn't make sense as to why he would be wandering about and happen to find you after not seeing you for years and now he suddenly appears? Doesn't that sound even a little sketchy? And not to mention he seemed so sudden when he invited us to Xing like he planned it almost. But maybe that's just me." Kiomi shook her head slowly.
"It's not you. Everything you said has a bad feeling to it. Feels like a set up, but also that's how that idiot operates too. So yeah, it probably is a set up, definitely a trap. But what other options do we have? We have no leads and I don't feel like hunting down the deadbeat dads club yet." She shook her head, "but while being an idiot he did let me stay with his family and train with me. He may split quickly from conflict like a coward, but he's never done anything to harm me so it can't be too bad. And although he may be flaky, sketchy, and whatever else you feel like calling him, his father is not and refuses to let him play his stupid games. Let's just see what he wants tomorrow and go from there."
Kiomi pondered the issue, "I suppose you're right, we'll just have to refrain from not trusting him. Looks like we have a whole nother train ride to sit and get to know him maybe."
"If he talks to us. He'll either be fascinated with you and Kiomi or he'll just sit there on his own unamused." Éclair told Edward and Kiomi. "Stupid freeloaders."
"Ah, so he's another Ling. Great, now we have another freeloader on our hands." Edward huffed, crossing his arms. Alphonse shook his head, "I think you two are being a little paranoid. I'm sure he will be fine. He didn't threaten any of us or do anything yet. Just trust Eclair about him." 
"Trust...is a strong word." Eclair even admitted, "I'm more saying proceed with extreme caution."
"I suppose we could." Kiomi agreed.
"Just be wary, if things get bad we're cleaning up his messes. And it sucks!" Éclair grumbled. "Other than that, Xing itself isn't too dangerous. Ayumi, I'm sure you'll like the fabric there."
Ayumi smiled "I have been looking for more new fabrics to try! Al has just been too lazy and won't go fabric shopping with me."
"She thinks all I'm good for when I do that is carrying all her fabrics she likes."
"You're very good at your job, my personal shopping assistant!" Ayumi smiled.
"You know Yumi, you're very lucky Al wouldn't do that for just anyone." Edward chuckled as Al pouted.
"And that's why he's the best!" Ayumi grabbed onto Alphonse's arm, "And I think he knows it too."
"If only all boys were as chivalrous as Al. " Kiomi laughed lightly, "Speaking of which, why aren't you Ed? Did it miss you by an inch?"
"Hey!I can be chivalrous too! Just ask E-Eclair!"
Eclair turned, "huh? You?" She then thought for a moment, seeming looking Ed up and down, "mmm can't see it."
"What?!I'm chivalrous all the time!"Edward protested.
"Ahaha, hey chivalrous knight you shouldn't yell at a lady of Eclair's stature." Kiomi shook her head with a laugh, the others joined in and Ed only frowned with a glare.
Eclair began to laugh, "Me? A lady? Mmm can't see that either."
"Not a lady but a he-she." Edward mumbled, "I'm chivalrous, remember that time I carried your bag for you or carried you?"
"Nope." Eclair stated initially before she turned around and kicked one of her boots off, hurling it directly towards Edward, "And that's for calling me a he-she!" The boot smacked him straight in the middle of his face. "Betcha no lady could do that now, huh?"
Edward fell back grabbing at his face, "I wouldn't have if you would just admit I do chivalrous things for you all the time." Edward grumbled before chucking her boot back at her.
Eclair caught her boot and shoved it under her arm. "I wouldn't have said no have you done it." Eclair responded, fixing her sock on her right foot, which kicked her boot off. 
Edward crossed his arms, "Well maybe I won't be any more then since you clearly don't think I do."
Eclair shrugged, "Not like it's going to make a difference since you don't do anything in the first place." She then put her boot back on her foot, "Looks like since we leave tomorrow, we can use the rest of today to prepare for anything that we need to prepare for...and I hope we don't run into Bradley or anyone there."
Kiomi stood up after Eclair, "We could probably go pick up any extra things you might need before we leave so you have them then instead of worrying later.  And come on Ed don't be mopey."
"True, I'm going to take inventory again, then I guess it's best we gather them and get a good night's sleep before dealing with who knows out there." Eclair agreed with Kiomi's statement.
"Dealing with whatever idiot you decided to trust." Edward huffed before pushing past Eclair and disappearing down the hallway to the room he shared with Trevor.
Eclair stormed after him down the hallway, "What do you mean whatever idiot I trust?!"
Ayumi just sighed, watching the two go at it again, "And they were so close. So so close. And now....it's like we're back to square one again."
"They'll stop circling eventually...eventually." Vapor told Ayumi, "I'm sure they will. I think someone's just a little jealous that an old partner decided to show up."
"I thought he's also upset because the other person can't see he's upset." Kiomi sighed before watching the two.
Edward didn't even turn to look at Eclair, just shaking his head, "Just be quiet!" he growled before opening the door to his room and slamming it shut before Eclair could enter.
"Then just answer my question stupid! If I trusted idiots I would be just like Bradley and I'm nothing like him!" Eclair shouted back at the door before punching the wall next to it. "There's a reason I don't trust very many people!"
Trevor sighed, "And she's back to using her fists again. I don't know how she hasn't noticed anything yet. I knew she was dense when it came to feelings, but I didn't know she was that bad at noticing them in others."
"Or she's just blind, 'cause love is blind." Ayumi commented, "Normally she knows what to say, knows how to manipulate things to her advantage, but she doesn't act like that around him at all."
"I'm not answering anything!" Edward snapped back; they could hear him kick the wall as well.
"We better be careful, we might have to separate them until they can figure out how not to use their fists on each other." Kiomi noted, shaking her head.
"Do you want me to break down that door?! Because I will break down that door!" Eclair shouted back, "A door can't stop me!"
Trevor huffed, "Honestly I don't know if that'd even do anything at this point, maybe we should just let them go at it. I'm sure if we told others they'd totally come and watch."
Vapor laughed, "we could make it a big event, turn a profit for compensation for putting up with all their arguing and shenanigans!"
"We'd probably make millions, I don't know but I feel like for some reason that they might actually be figuring it out...well Ed is at least."
"With that money, think of all the new fabrics I could get!" Ayumi smiled.
"All the new fabrics that I'll have to carry around oh no." Al sighed shaking his head thinking of all the fabric he might have to carry.
Ayumi giggled, "Nah, you wouldn't have to carry them I'd be able to hire someone to do that for me. There'd be way too many for you to carry anyway. Ah, and I could finally get a workshop studio to work in too!"
"Why haven't we thought of this earlier?" Trevor asked. Kiomi laughed at the two of them, "Trevor might be able to fix up his shop ."
"And alchemy proof it too!" Trevor added.
"That's it, I'm coming in there say no more to the door!" Eclair shouted as she clapped her hands and throwing them at the door before kicking it down.
"Uh should we do something about that...?" Vapor asked.
"We should fix it later, just watch and make sure they don't get too violent--" Kiomi began to say before Eclair quickly realized that Edward was no longer in his hotel room.
"What the hell?!" They heard shouting from the room and things getting shifted and tossed about. Soon, Eclair emerged from the room before heading back to her own, grabbing her gloves and her dagger case, securing it onto her left leg. She seemed irritated as she fixed her hair.
"Uh oh that doesn't sound good."
Eclair emerged from her room and slammed the door behind her, fully dressed up like she normally does while on missions. She had undone all the remaining bandages and headed out back to leave as she shoved her oversized notebook in her coat pocket she made large enough to fit.
"What the hell was that all about and where's Ed?" Alphonse questioned.
"I'll let you know when I drag his sorry ass back here when I find him!" Eclair sneered as she headed out the front door and slammed it.
Trevor looked to the others, "So, I don't want to be the one to go after her, but that look she had in her eyes, that was not okay. I know we joke about her being as emotional as a brick wall but I honestly have no idea what emotion that was."
Kiomi shook her head, "I'll go I'm sure Edward didn't get too far and they might kill each other right now if she sees him. I'll be back just be careful if they come back before me." Kiomi said as she scratched her head and sighed.
"Here's to hoping you find them before they find us, and this place." Ayumi gave a nervous smile.
"If I do, I'm smashing their heads together, maybe it will knock some sense into them for a bit."  Kiomi then waved before heading out the door to go after Eclair.