An Elric Cat-astrophie!

Cat Naps

Given how cute Genevieve was, Ed was expecting a cute little girl's room, something more to show she was young like Roy had said. In this sense he was disappointed as her room was very.... minimal. The house was old so the room still had a fireplace in it, in the dip in the wall between the door and the fireplace there was a book case. It fit there nicely and had a wooden but comfy chair with cushion on it for extra comfort and in the opposite alcove nearest the window and furthest from the door there was a wardrobe. There was a writing desk in the opposite corner in the perfect place to catch the best light, but the main feature was the wrought iron four poster bed in the middle of the room, opposite the window.

In the amount of things in the room, it wouldn't normally be classed as 'minimal' by anyone's standards, but Ed was quick to recognise that most of the things belonged to either Roy or Madam Christmas. The majority of the books were CERTAINLY Roy's without a doubt! And the furniture was old so had been in the house a long time before Genevieve had arrived. "It's nothing special and I don't have anything to really call my own but what's mine is yours ok Eddy?" she said, interrupting the creaking of the floorboards by doing so. She put Ed down as she spoke and he instantly turned his head to glare at her and found his fur stuck on ends at hearing her call him 'Eddy' again.

"Don't be like that. I know it's not what you're used to but, who knows? you may grow to like it?" she said softly. "And anyway, if it's me you don't like then don't worry yourself too much because I doubt they'll keep me here for long." she smiled as she stood up again, having knelt to put him down. Ed looked at her a little confused as he sat down, with his back to her still but looking over his shoulder at her. She walked back towards the bed and let herself fall backwards onto it, her legs still dangling over the edge. "So... since what's mine is yours you can sleep on the bed if you want ok? I won't tell Madam Christmas or Roy so don't worry." she said. Ed scowled at her, thinking bitterly 'I'll sleep where I like whether you want me to or not!' and turned his back to her grumpily.

Ed continued to keep his back to her in a defiant way until she had left the room and then come back. He glanced at her as she walked over to him and found that while he'd been grumpy she'd changed into her night clothes, which consisted of a tank top and shorts, and probably been to the bathroom as she smelt of mint as she bent down to pet him good night. He glared at her as his ears moved under the gentle touch of her hand and the tip of his tail twitched. He felt like hissing but wasn't ready to demote himself to sounding like a cat.... if he could help it that is.

"Well, goodnight Eddy. Sleep well and sweet dreams." she said and went to the window and opened it just enough so he could go out through it. "Mr. Mustang and Mr. Alphonse assured me that you wouldn't run away if I let you out so I'm trusting you ok?" she smiled. Ed continued to glare, his eye twitched at her name for him and his tail flicked at the very subtle hint that he might go outside to use the bathroom like a normal cat... because he WASN'T a cat!!

She flicked the light off and got into bed, lying on her side and facing the door but with enough space between herself and the end of the bed nearest the door for another person to lie there. Ed continued to sit and watch her. He waited a good hour and a half, having judged the time by the sound of the clock in the hall, a handsome grandfather clock he had managed to glance at on his way to her room in her arms. Then he got up and slowly walked to the door, watching the edge of the bed as he went as he could no longer see her lying down. He still would never admit it to anyone but he was still short, even for a cat he was still small enough to sit comfortably on one hand.

Once at the door he stopped and sat down to listen. Only when he felt certain she was asleep, judging on her breathing, did he use his paws and claws (and even teeth) to pull the door open. It was made easier by the fact she hadn't closed it properly otherwise he wouldn't have managed to get out this way at all. He stopped, with the door a jar, and listened again before going out into the dark hallway and making his way downstairs. As he did so he continuously thought about how lucky he was that Roy and Al couldn't see him as he had to hop slowly down every single step as they were just a bit higher than he was. If they had seen he would have never lived it down and his older brother pride and well regarded alchemic genius pride would be in tatters.

When he got downstairs he made his way into the front room, then the library and then the kitchen but Al was nowhere to be seen. Ed felt thoroughly fed up. Where could Al have gone to? And why wasn't Roy around either? With all the stories Ed had heard concerning Roy's 'antics' and from what Roy had said himself, he expected his C.O. to be wide awake though he also figured he was probably out drinking too. Al was underage and he didn't give Roy much thought unless it concerned Ed so there was no way that Al would be out drinking with Roy.... not that he could drink as a suit of armor anyway. When Ed heard the clock chime three in the morning he finally gave up. Genevieve had gone to bed around half past nine. He'd waited until eleven to go downstairs and had thus spent the past four hours looking for Al or Roy and any sign of either!

He mentally promised himself he would give both Al and Roy hell when he saw them next then made his way, slowly back up the stairs as he had to leap up each one. At the top he felt exhausted and went back into Genevieve's bedroom. He push the door open slightly with his head then sat by her bed, looking up at the mattress top. He practiced extending his claws a few times before trying to jump. He'd seen cats climb up things before so knew it was possible but he didn't want to jump in blind. Once he felt certain he could get his claws out he took a running jump at the bed and..... missed. He skidded straight under the bed to the other side where a gentle hand caught him and lifted him up onto the bed.

Genevieve placed him on the pillow beside hers and smile sleepily, "All you have to do is ask." she whispered sleepily, her eyes still heavy. Ed stared at her, his golden eyes catching the little moonlight that managed to find its way into the room, his soft unintentional purrs interrupting the silence of the room. He was trying to be serious and tried to remember how angry he was at not finding Al or Roy but fatigue soon over took his emotions and he yawned and settled down to sleep beside her without another complaint. She was warm, quiet and relaxing so for now he decided to sleep.

'And who knows?' he thought to himself as sleep slowly took him, 'If I can wrap her around my little finger the way I've seen other cats do to Al then I might be able to use her to my advantage while I'm like this?' he mused to himself before falling into a peaceful deep sleep.