Our Halcyon Days || Reader x Tanjiro | RESUME 2022!

x F M A : B

Minor spoilers abound.

If you haven't watched Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood yet, please do! It's always ranked up there for a reason.

This isn't a typical one-shot, more like little sneak peeks into the crossover world. The first one is long, the subsequent ones are shorter. If you all like this, I can consider writing more.

I apologize for the delay on Chapter Thirty! I know we were at a good part, haha. I wrote this to clear up some writer's block on the fight scene — hopefully, it will be out within the next few days.

With that, enjoy!

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"I'll be back before midnight!"

Tanjiro, the eldest of the two Kamado siblings, worked long hours in his late father's absence. The family lived in a quiet little town some ways off from Youswell, a coal mining settlement on the Eastern Amestrian Frontier — as the land they occupied was owned by Lt. Loki, they subject to his high taxes.

Tanjiro did work there, and took a train to and fro. He was an oddball. His warm smile, amicable nature, and youth — not to mention, his Xingese heritage — helped him stand out against the worn faces of the Youswell residents. Even Halling, the proprietor of the main inn, would offer Tanjiro a drink on the house, only to be kindly refused. The boy was well-liked; a welcome face in such a dreary atmosphere.

Tanjiro's sister, Nezuko, and mother, Kie, came to see him off. The light of dawn had barely cleared the trees.

"Be careful!" Nezuko chirped, wrapping her shawl tighter around her shoulders. It was snowing that day. "Don't slip and fall. You know how the roads are during the winter."

The fifteen-year-old boy grinned and nodded. "Ah," he added, "and Mom. Don't feel pressured to work today. You need rest."

Kie laughed and ruffled Tanjiro's hair. "Don't worry. I have other plans for today... Take care, my dear."

After her son set out for the train station, Kie's smile faded. Sensing a change, Nezuko tugged her sleeve playfully.

"Mom. When will you start teaching me alkahestry?"

Though conceptually similar to alchemy, alkahestry, its Xingese counterpart, wasn't exactly the same. Specializing in healing, alkahestry was useful for doctors, but with her own limited knowledge of the art, Kie could not be proficient. She barely made enough as the local healer to pay off the taxes.

"When I save enough to get us out of this awful place, I'll have the liberty of teaching you, my darling Nezuko."

Nezuko pouted. "If you taught me now, I could help you and Brother. I could take the train to Youswell with him and help the miners. You know how horribly that Low-key guy treats them."

Kie only smoothed down Nezuko's black hair and replied, "Learning it takes many years and good resources to learn from. I am not enough." Nezuko frowned at this. Kie gave a gentle smile.

"What you can do for me now, though, is gather some firewood! And check up on our neighbors; ask them if they need anything. I'll have a surprise ready for you when you come back."