Every Visit Counts | FMA

Chapter 1

The Boy With Blonde Hair

Your POV

[Resembool, Amestris, you and Ed are 5]

You watch the small summer bugs whiz around you, the grass swaying in the warm wind. A few crickets hummed a joyful tune, and the clouds ahead were fluffy and full.

Most would envy such beautiful weather and scenery, but this was just another typical day in Resembool. You like to take time to enjoy the temperature, but what with your busy family life, and your nose constantly in an alchemy book, there wasn't much time to do so.

Suddenly, with a cry that tore through the silence, you heard someone yell your name.

"[y/n]!" 

You look to see a boy your age, with longish blonde hair and golden eyes. For whatever reason, he looked upset. You sigh slightly; it was Edward.

Your best friend.

"Ed!" you reply, as he runs and plops next to you, causing dandelion fluff to fly everywhere. You could hear his every panting breath while you were so close to him.

"[y/n]," he breathes. "I needed to get outta the house, so I found you!"

You look him over with concern. Other than the fact that he was obviously out of breath, he was slightly dusty from the dry dirt road that lead to this oasis, and his expression was that of a hurt kid.

"What is it, Ed?" you ask worriedly. You couldn't help but feel anxious about your childhood acquaintance, as you were anxious about everything.

"My daddy left this morning," he sniffs. "And I dunno if he is coming back..."

"Sure he'll come back!" you comfort uncertainly. You felt bad that you couldn't provide a for-sure answer for the stunned Edward. 

"How do you know?" he demands. You didn't know how to reply to that, so you just smile. Sometimes, smiling was the best thing to do in your eyes.

"Hey, do you wanna see something I learned?" You changed the topic because you didn't like talking about saddening things, and Edward didn't seem to mind.

You began to draw a circle in the dirt, starting to draw intricate designs within the shape. Edward watches you with an amused expression, and you set your hands on the circle. 

You felt your energy flow through your hands and into the ground, until you heard a small noise. When you took your hands off, you saw a small figure made of dirt.

"Alchemy!" Edward excites. "I've been trying to learn this for a long time!" 

"It's a piece of cake!" you giggle, smiling at your friend's look of awe. You felt proud of yourself, especially since Edward was so impressed.

"Can you please please please teach me?!" he pleads, clinging to your arm for effect. You feel another laugh bubble in your throat.

"Of course, silly!"

Edward's lips pull upwards into a large, happy, content smile. He just looked so happy, and when he was happy, you were happy.

"Show me now!!" he orders, though not in a bossy sort of way.

"Here!" You take his small hand in yours, and make it so that he had his pointer finger out. Then, you help him dig lines in the earth, creating a circle with him. He followed along almost reluctantly, like he wanted to do it on his own, but he didn't pull away.

"Okay, and then you think ONLY of making something," you instruct. "Nothing else!"

Only, Edward had too much things on his mind. As he set his hands down, it completely backfired. Mud splattered both of your faces, clothing, and bodies.

"Ed!" you moan, as you didn't particularly enjoy getting dirty. Especially when it came to your hands; which were the most caked in mud.

"GAAA!" Edward yells. "Lemme try again!"

The more he tried, the more it backfired. And the more it backfired, the more completely covered you both became. It didn't take long for you both to be bickering.

You were both loud enough not to hear the smallest of footsteps behind you. The slightest amount of rustling grass.

"Bro- EW YOU'RE ALL DIRTY!"

You both whip around to find Alphonse, Edward's little 4 year old brother. He was staring at the two of you, his little nose crinkled.

"Hi Al!" you wave cheerfully, standing and dripping mud all over the ground. Edward sighs and stands behind you.

"What do you want?" he greets his brother, much less nice of course. Alphonse looks at the ground, and then looks up timidly.

"Mom says it's time to come home..." he informs Edward. "But she said you can bring [y/n]!" he adds hastily, upon seeing Edward's look of disappointment. He brightens right away.

"Okay!" he says happily.

"Brother," Alphonse says, taking on a parental tone despite his young age. "Don't you need to ask her?"

"Right!" Edward exclaims. "Uh...[y/n]? Would you maybe wanna come back to the house with us...?"

"Yes!!" you blurt, then blush slightly with embarrassment. Your family always taught you to be elegant and gracious, yet you seemed to always say things too hastily.

"Then lets go!" Edward laughs. He starts to run, and you attempt to catch up with him. The two of you were short enough as it was, despite your reluctance to accept the fact, though you both ran very fast. Poor Alphonse was left behind in seconds.

"W-wait for me!" he calls, attempting to reach the two of you. "Brother! [y/n]!"

Edward smirks mischievously as you laugh, smiling at the struggling boy and his insane older brother. They both made you so happy, Edward in particular.

There was nothing in the world that could replace your friendship between the boy with the blonde hair.

Because of Alphonse's whining, you and Edward slowed to a walk so that the younger boy could catch up (at last). When he did so, a certain house was already within sight.

"Aw, it's my little men," Trisha, Edward and Alphonse's mother, smiles at the three of you. "And a young lady. Hi [y/n]."

"Hi," you say wave shyly. Trisha smiles a warm smile, and the boys ran up to hug her. She accepted Alphonse's embrace right away, but she looked at Edward hesitantly.

"Why are you so dirty?" she frowns. "[y/n] too! Go wash up, and then I'll make some dinner."

You, being a completely polite and obedient person, immediately agreed. Edward, however, was rather reluctant and argumentative.

"Mom, I dun wanna!" he groans. Trisha gave him a stern sort of look, crossing her arms in a scolding sort of position.

"Don't you want food?" she reminds him, warning in her voice. 

"Not if that means I have to wash up!" Edward says stubbornly. Trisha looks over at you, as you were washing up at the faucet, listening in discreetly. She suddenly got an idea.

"Well, I could send [y/n] home, and not give you any dinner," she shrugs, causing a look of horror from Edward.

"Okay okay I'll wash up now!!" 

And he automatically obeyed, just to prevent you from having to go home. And, the thing was, Trisha was just too kind to just send you back.

But Edward didn't know that.