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Whumptomber Day 3: Found Family
“Miss Gracia’s quiche, it looked a lot like Mom’s, huh?” Alphonse commented to his brother as the two sat in the Hughes’ guest room.
To think the Lieutenant Colonel would host them while they stayed in Central for the day.
“Yeah, almost as good too.” Ed praised, something he rarely did when it came to food.
Usually, he would mutter his complaints under his breath as he ate.
“Really? In that case, I’m definitely adding it to the list of things I’m gonna eat once I get my body back!” Alphonse scribbled into his notepad, looking at the list he had composed over the year since he obtained his metal body.
It wasn’t that long of a list, but every little dish and snack he had written so far, he couldn’t wait to try them!
“Right! Put it on there, right near the top!”
Alphonse complied, smiling internally as he stared at his list, especially the newly added quiche.
I wonder if Ed is right…will Mrs.Hughes’ quiche taste just like mom’s?
-
Alphonse stood in front of Gracia’s door, his hand looming over it. He quickly pulled it and himself away from the door, taking a step back from it.
It’s been months since the Promised Day, Alphonse being urged by his doctors to become less reliant on his cane and to try and walk on his own two feet.
Ed was quick to fight the doctors and advocate for him.
“My brother will do what he goddamn pleases and when he feels like he is ready, he’ll stop using his cane! So stop your pestering and let him use his cane before I start whacking you with it!”
Alphonse let out a huff of laughter as he remembered the day, having to calm his brother down and coming to a compromise with both parties.
He’ll start waning his use of his cane when he can. But if he’s traveling a long distance, then he’ll “carry” a foldable one in case the journey becomes too stressful on his body.
Seeing this as favorable, his doctors let him do as he pleased with Ed grumbling that he should’ve let him at them.
Alphonse laughed at the memory, then remembering why he was here in the first place.
It's been years since he last saw Miss Hughes…he wanted to show her…that they moved on…just like Maes would’ve wanted them to do after his death.
Using that as courage, he finally knocked on the door.
He heard small footsteps rush to the door, the knob clicking as it turned and opened with a small squeak.
“Dad-” Elicia shouted as she opened the door wide open. She slowly started closing the door when she saw Alphonse, letting a small gap remain between the two of them. “Who are you?”
Ah, that’s right…she never saw him like this before…
Alphonse crouched to her eye level, hoping she would feel less intimidated by his new appearance.
“Good afternoon. I’m looking for Mrs.Gracia Hughes. Is she home?”
Elicia lit up upon hearing her mother’s name. “That’s my mommy! Mommy, there’s someone at the door.” Elicia waited as her mother quickly rushed to the door, placing herself between the two.
“Elicia!” Gracia reprimanded, “What did we talk about answering the door without- Edward?” Gracia asked as Alphonse stood up. “No, you’re not Edward…yet you look just like-Alphonse!” Gracia concluded, hugging him. “Oh my! It’s been so long!”
“Hi Miss Gracia! And it has!”
“The last time I saw you was all those years ago…shortly after Maes’...” Gracia let go Alphonse, stepping back to get a good look at the boy she saw years ago, gently holding his face in her hands. “He would’ve been proud of you boys.”
Alphonse could only hum in response, feeling a lump form in his throat as he placed his hand over hers.
What would he have said if he saw me in this body? Would he have also hugged me with such warmth?
“Mommy, who is he?” Elicia asked, her cheeks slightly puffed. Gracia laughed at her little girl’s jealousy, picking her up to soothe her.
“Remember the big brothers who stayed at our house a few years ago?” Elicia nodded. “Well, he was the tall big brother, the one with the shiny metal armor. His name is Alphonse.”
“Alphonse?” Elicia repeated, Alphonse smiling when she said it. It took a few seconds but they watched as something clicked in her mind. “Big brother!” Elicia squealed, jumping into Alphonse’s arms, causing Gracia to laugh. “Where have you been?”
Gracia gestured for him to enter.
“Well,” Alphonse walked into the apartment, Gracia following suit. “After we left your home, my brother and I got on a train and visited Liore…”
-
Alphonse had taken it upon himself to entertain Elicia while Gracia worked on dinner, stating it would be ready in another hour.
As Alphonse retold the adventures he had with Edward these past few years, he slowly grew aware of the aroma slowly filling the Hughes’ home…a gentle aroma he had long forgotten about…
He then remembered about the promise he told himself years ago shortly after meeting the Hughes: Mrs.Hughes’ quiche will be one of the dishes he has to try once he got his body back…
But he didn’t think the opportunity would come this easily and quickly…and in all honesty…he wasn’t prepared to try it yet…not yet…
“Miss Gracia’s quiche, it looked a lot like Mom’s, huh?”
“Yeah, almost as good too.”
He watched as Gracia placed a piece of quiche in front of him and then another for Elicia and one for herself.
“Thank you for dinner. You really didn’t have to.”
“You came out of your way to visit us all the way from your hometown. Dinner is the least I could offer you. Better yet, food always tastes better with guests.” Gracia said with a smile.
“Granny says the same thing.” Alphonse replied, wondering how much he could stall before taking a bite from the quiche in front of him.
Before he could even start his stalling, Gracia got up.
“Oh! I left the potatoes in the broiler.” She took a few steps, only to stop. “Alphonse, Elicia. Go ahead and eat. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay!” Elicia chimed, Alphonse barely able to utter a word before he watched her disappear into the kitchen.
Now there was no reason to stall, no eyes to watch him as he struggled to take the first bite.
He stared at the slice placed in front of him, his heart thumping in his ears as he watched the steam rise from the warmth of the freshly made quiche.
“You have to eat it when it’s nice and warm!” Elicia told him with a grin, snapping Alphonse from his trance. “Like this!” He watched as the little girl stabbed her slice and whisked a piece quickly into her mouth.
She winced a bit but soon smiled as she savored the quiche. “It tastes funny once it gets cold so hurry!”
Alphonse looked back at his plate and stabbed his fork into the quiche, tearing a piece off of it. “It’s getting cold.” Elicia teased, and that was all the courage Alphonse needed to promptly stuff the bite into his mouth.
He instantly felt the prickling in his eyes, the warmth of tears threatening to spill as he took another bite.
The flaking of the crust, feeling pieces of it stick to his lips and roof of his mouth. The way the aroma of the sprinkled thyme filled his senses until he chewed into the filling.
The soft custard melted into his mouth, the cheese taste lingering on his taste buds as he continued to chew.
It tasted just like Mom’s…almost exactly like it.
“Alphonse. Why are you crying?” Elicia asked, Alphonse looking up, attempting to see the girl through the haze in his vision. “Mommy! Mommy, Alphonse is crying!”
Elicia got off her chair and sprinted to the kitchen, allowing him to venture back to his childhood.
He could hear his mother’s laughter as Ed insisted on getting another piece despite not finishing his first slice.
“Ed, we still have a whole pie left! There will be enough left after you finish your slice.”
He watched as his mother turned to face him, bursting into giggles upon seeing him. “Why Alphonse, how did you get so much custard on yourself? Do you like it that much?
Alphonse?”
“Alphonse?” Alphonse jumped, dropping his fork as he turned to the voice that had called out to him. “Alphonse, is everything okay? Elicia-“ Gracia took one look at Alphonse before giving him a soft smile. “You know,” she took a seat next to him, taking a napkin and began to pat dry his tears. “Hughes was always worried about you boys.
Always worrying about who was watching over you while you two served the military despite being so young…
He’d come home late a night and sit on the couch for hours, asking himself what else he could do to make sure the two of you stayed safe.
He’d talk about how messed up our country was to allow two children to enroll into the military and treat them like hounds…” Gracia pulled Alphonse into a hug. “He’d wonder how strong the two of you were to not break under the pressure, to be able to survive the hell that came with being a state alchemist…
But seeing you like this…you two went through so much…haven’t you?”
Gracia tightened her hug. “You’ve done a good job. Of holding onto. Both you and your brother…”
Alphonse felt the lump in his throat grow bigger, biting his tongue to stifle the sobs that dared to come out of him. “I’m proud of you boys…so very proud of you.”
That’s all it took for him to ease himself into her embrace, crying into her shoulder until he could no longer shed another tear.
-
After his crying session...Alphonse found himself having to call his brother.
Alphonse waited as he heard a click on the other side of the call.
“Miss Gracia! Is everything-“
“You were right Ed.” Alphonse softly cut his brother off, hearing Ed become quiet. “Miss Gracia’s quiche,” Alphonse let out a sniffle, wiping his new tears away with the palm of his hand. He felt a knot form in his throat. “It really…tastes like mom’s.” He managed to force out of himself, his throat feeling hoarse.
“It does, doesn’t it?” Alphonse nodded, as if his brother could see him.
Silence filled the line until Alphonse found his voice again.
“Hey Ed.”
“…yeah?”
“I really miss her.” Alphonse heard snuffling on the other side, followed by a sniffle. “I miss mom.”
“…I miss her too Al…” Ed confessed. “Every day.” Tears spilled from his eyes, Al wondering if his brother was crying too.
He stood by the phone for what felt like an eternity, wiping away the last of his tears.
“That’s-that’s all I needed to say…I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.” Ed replied in a hoarse voice.
Oh. So he was crying. “Stay safe. Call me if you need me.”
“Okay. I will.” Alphonse replied. “Bye.”
He hung the phone and walked back to the dining table, wondering if Miss Gracia would give him the recipe.
It would be nice to learn it while he travels and hopefully, one day, he’d make it as good as Mom’s. And if not, at least as good as Gracia’s.