Man even though it was short it really struck a cord

What the hell are you taking about? Hoenheim Is anything but selfish. You conveniently left out the part of him AND Xerxes people were being manipulated by Father and was horrified by what happened and never intended for this to happened at all and lived with the guilt and pain for centuries. He also didn’t create Father, only his blood was used by his alchemist master to create it which was taken from because he was a slave since birth. And sorry if wanting to grow old and actually live and die with his family is apparently greedy and congratulations yet again leaving out the part that he left to ALSO stop Father from enacting a another Nation Wide Transmutation which everyone in Amestris including his sons would have lost their lives to. So with all that in mind how can you say this a man who cares more about his own wants than others.

I don’t think Hohenheim is a selfish person. Just a bad father. He left his family because he discovered Father was planning to sacrifice all of Amestris, including his family, and needed to stop it. He also took the time to learn the names and personalities of each individual soul in him. That’s pretty selfless. However, he falls flat on fatherhood because he rarely made time for his boys when he was around, and when he left, he chose not to explain why to his boys for his own selfish reasons. In addition, he never kept in contact with his family. He even admitted at the end of the series that he could have been a better father.

I really like this story. I agree with your interpretation of Hoenheim - I respect him as a character, and I feel bad for the losses he's gone through, but at the same time, I don't feel like he should be completely forgiven. Either way, great story, I really enjoyed it! :)

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lolol I can't even, your commentary at the end! Mustang isn't a candidate for Father of the Year! HELL NO! But I do agree, he has been more of a father to them than Hohenheim. I don't think I feel quite as strongly towards him as you do but I like the points made in this little fic, and I do like that he didn't really get his "happy ending". At least not fully. Like, he got to see the boys again, and whatnot, but he didn't get to make up for the things he'd done and in the end, Roy WAS more of a father to them. *sigh* Anywho, all that to say I really enjoyed this! Nice job!

Ohhh this fic touched me deeply. Nice perspective of Hohenheim there! The emotions and feelings are so raw and in character for the most part, it honestly felt like it was him who was narrating his feelings.

But uhhh... how is Hohenheim selfish? I mean, he wanted a family, but he also wanted to be mortal. But I don't remember him ever being selfish or anything (I finished watching the anime, but never read the manga).

Other than that, nice job

YES! Oooh, this one shot gave me an EVIL idea. Stemming from this if envy and greed took hold strong enough, he could snap and do the, if I can't have it, no one can. If, while there, he tried to force Ed to care first, go up and try talking when he's by the river, begging, demanding even before, maybe in response to Ed's hatred for leaving them or a comment about how at least the Colonel didn't wait 10 years, he could push/punch/shove him into the water, the automail, weighing him down too much to really swim well, would put him in danger and Roy, no doubt reluctantly wondering where Ed went to now and not wanting him to get caught by the army, could have seen it in the distance and... oooooh, Papa mode. Heehee. OK 10/10 (Idea up for grabs, I love different people doing the same idea because they always have different takes just PM if you post it)

I agree with your thoughts on Hoenheim! So, so much.

I love this fic more than I could say. Seriously, this got to be the only one where Hoho doesn't get absolution in one form or another when it come to his relationship with the boys.

It's one thing when the writer show Hoho exert effort on fixing things up, but some fic made it all like the bastard is entitled to Ed's forgiveness...as if Ed's issues with the man is his fault and Hoho has done no wrongs.

My problem with Hoho is the same as yours, the man never put anyone or anything above himself. I actually am an advocate of selfishness, but when it come to love you was suppose to put your loved ones first at least sometime. Not all of course, but there has to be times you do things for them and not for yourself. I see no evidence of Hoho doing anything FOR anyone.

OK so leaving is necessary, but their first reunion just goes to show that it's him he care about. In fact, every interaction henceforth show that while Ed and Al are on his priority list they will never come before him.

So yes wonderful fic, you don't get something from nothing, Hoenheim.

ah Hoenhiem, you brought this on yourself. Equivalent Exchange. You don't get without giving, and you weren't part of their lives, so you don't get to be part of their lives in return.

Great fic, I love seeing that Rotten Bastard realize what he missed out on by abandoning them.

I like your opinion of Hoenheim. I agree with what you wrote and I love this story. There aren't enough stories like this in my opinion.

Fave. I hate him ( Hoenheim ) but I love him too, for what cause also be mistaken as pity and sadness.

I completely agree with you where Hohenheim is concerned. That might actually be one complaint I have where Brotherhood is concerned: they gave Hohenheim a forgivable, completely understandable excuse. I liked this fic a lot, you did a good job on it.

Mm. I had never thought of it that way. An enlightening view, indeed. Hoenheim was always a big fool, no matter how intelligent he was.

Nice prose and the rhythm of the story is steady. A very good work. (: