Guess who's back!
Man, this place isn't updated much anymore, is it? What happened to the demand for fluff?!
Rowan's around ten in this one. ♥
"I'm sick of you being so stubborn on this subject, nii-san!! You can deal with it yourself! Good night!"
"Yeah, well, what made you think I couldn't anyway?! Fine!!"
SLAM.
Rowan cautiously eased himself around the corner from the kitchen so he could peer into the living room. His father sat slouched on the couch with shoulders hunched, his hands shoved into his pockets, and a scowl that pulled down his whole face. The black mood coming from him was so palpable that Rowan was surprised he didn't see a little black stormcloud above his father's head, shooting out lightning bolts.
A moment passed while he tried to work up enough courage to break the stormy silence.
"Um, Dad?"
"What."
His father's voice was gruff. It wasn't often that his dad and his uncle fought, but when they did, the sulking matches on both sides could last for days.
" . . . Did you and Uncle fight a lot when you were kids?"
Ed seemed to pull partway out of his mood and gave his son a strange look before looking away again. This time, his voice was a little more normal. "Yeah. We did."
"Over what?" Since his father seemed to be less angry now, Rowan went over and sat next to him on the couch. Ed put an arm around him.
"Lots of stupid things. We'd fight over toys, snacks, books, Winry--"
"You fought over Aunt Winry?!"
Ed's lips twitched. "Yup. Just once. Al won that one, like he won most of the rest. But I still beat him sometimes!" He flexed his arm dramatically, causing Rowan to giggle, and smiled. "Of course, there were more serious fights, too, especially when we got older." The smile faded briefly, then returned. "But mostly it was stupid stuff."
Rowan thought about that for a minute. "I wish I could have a little brother," he announced.
Ed ran his fingers through his son's hair and gently mussed it. This time, his smile was sad.
"I wish you could, too."
Rowan's around ten in this one. ♥
"I'm sick of you being so stubborn on this subject, nii-san!! You can deal with it yourself! Good night!"
"Yeah, well, what made you think I couldn't anyway?! Fine!!"
SLAM.
Rowan cautiously eased himself around the corner from the kitchen so he could peer into the living room. His father sat slouched on the couch with shoulders hunched, his hands shoved into his pockets, and a scowl that pulled down his whole face. The black mood coming from him was so palpable that Rowan was surprised he didn't see a little black stormcloud above his father's head, shooting out lightning bolts.
A moment passed while he tried to work up enough courage to break the stormy silence.
"Um, Dad?"
"What."
His father's voice was gruff. It wasn't often that his dad and his uncle fought, but when they did, the sulking matches on both sides could last for days.
" . . . Did you and Uncle fight a lot when you were kids?"
Ed seemed to pull partway out of his mood and gave his son a strange look before looking away again. This time, his voice was a little more normal. "Yeah. We did."
"Over what?" Since his father seemed to be less angry now, Rowan went over and sat next to him on the couch. Ed put an arm around him.
"Lots of stupid things. We'd fight over toys, snacks, books, Winry--"
"You fought over Aunt Winry?!"
Ed's lips twitched. "Yup. Just once. Al won that one, like he won most of the rest. But I still beat him sometimes!" He flexed his arm dramatically, causing Rowan to giggle, and smiled. "Of course, there were more serious fights, too, especially when we got older." The smile faded briefly, then returned. "But mostly it was stupid stuff."
Rowan thought about that for a minute. "I wish I could have a little brother," he announced.
Ed ran his fingers through his son's hair and gently mussed it. This time, his smile was sad.
"I wish you could, too."