Beauty and the Armor- Alphonse x Reader

Chapter 14- Missing Teacup

It was different without (Y/n) and Winry there. Before they had come, Alphonse was so used to being by himself, it had been normal.

But now it just seemed lonely.

"You did what!?" The main group of servants, including Roy, Riza, Alex, Maes, Mrs. Hughes, and Sheska had simultaneously asked Edward after he gave the two girls permission to go.

Alphonse stood nearby, silently looking at the ground with Spook in his arms. He was glad he still had something to remember her by until she returned. That is, if she truly did return.

"I let her go," Ed said quietly.

"But- but why!?" Alex questioned.

"Because, I love her."

"How are we supposed to be human again now?" Sheska asked, desperation apparent in her voice.

"And how is Alphonse taking it?" Maes said quietly.

They all looked over at him. He was silently petting the now sleeping kitten's head. He could feel their stares burning into his metal body, even without looking.

"I think you did the right thing, brother," Alphonse spoke, barely above a whisper. "I-if they had found out their grandmother had gotten sick, a-and we had learned about it a-and did not let them go to find her, I don't think they would have ever forgiven us."

"B-but, now you're both all alone," Alex pressed. "Are you sure you don't regret your decision, Edward?"

"Even if I did, it's too late now. We don't know where they live. If they come back, it will be by their own choice. I honestly would feel better about that than dragging them back here against their will."

"Y-yeah. I-it's like the old saying goes. I-if you l-love something, s-set it free," unseen tears could be heard in Al's voice. Soft sniffles in the middle of his speech, him audibly choking up.

(Y/n)'s absence was affecting him a lot more than he was letting on.

And the same thing was happening to Edward with Winry.

About a week after the two girls had left, something started happening with a few of the servants.

Mr and Mrs. Hughes to be exact.

It started to become apparent to Alphonse when he was in the library, reading as though (Y/n) was still there with him. Spook had been very clingy with him, now that one of her favorite people was missing, moved to an unknown place for an indefinite period of time.

But Al didn't mind the company at all. In fact, he loved it. There wasn't anything he could think of that could be considered a negative side effect to it, to be honest.

Whilst he sat sitting, reading one of the books he had seen her reading multiple times, he heard the library door open. He looked up eagerly, half expecting (Y/n) to have returned already. But disappointment soon found him as he realized it was only the Hughes family.

Only then did he notice something important.

One of them was missing. An adorable little teacup to be exact.

"Where could she have gone off to?" Maes worried voice was asking.

"Honey, calm down. She couldn't have gone far," Gracia tried to comfort him.

"Excuse me, is Elicia missing?" Alphonse asked, walking over to the couple.

"Yes she's missing! And we haven't seen her since Winry and (Y/n) left!" Maes shouted.

A moment of silence preceded them, realization slowly dawning on all of them.

"You don't think," Gracia started.