Amoroso
AN: This is just a collection of short one-shots(yes, again!) about Edward, Winry and piano lessons. Because I think it's way too cute to resist! Slight mention of one of my previous stories, Play For Me. (By the way, the title means loving in Italian - it's sometimes used as a performance direction in piano pieces.)
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist does not belong to me!
CHAPTER ONE: Piano
It was a quiet day in Resembool, as all days were apt to be. In the Rockbell home, two teenaged brothers were busy doing nothing. Edward was sprawled across the couch, a leather-bound alchemy tome covering his eyes, while Alphonse was curled up in an armchair, staring dreamily across the room. After the hectic events of the last few years, both Elric brothers were more than happy to take things easy – even Edward, who usually 'got all fidgety' at the thought of actually relaxing.
They had returned to Resembool three weeks earlier, after Alphonse had been let out of the military hospital in Central. The damage to his body hadn't been anything irreparable, and the boy's pure joy at having his body back more than compensated for the gruelling months he'd spent in the hospital, reusing atrophied muscles and generally restoring his body back to its original physique.
After a period of time – neither of them could bother to remember the exact time anymore – Alphonse spoke up, turning his eyes to his napping brother. "Big brother... where do you think Winry went?"
Edward's only response was a snore. Alphonse bit back a smile at the sight of his ever-messy older brother, his stomach predictably uncovered. It was then that his ears picked up the soft sound of a piano being played.
Alphonse smiled fondly, remember the time he'd taken an impromptu piano lesson from his childhood friend. Her notes sounded more certain – maybe she'd gotten a chance to get some sheet music during one of her visits to Central. Alphonse hopped out of the armchair and lightly jostled his brother.
Edward awoke with a start, his words barely coherent as he grumbled at his brother. Alphonse rolled his eyes and grinned teasingly.
"You can't sleep the entire day away, big brother. C'mon, I want to show you something!"
Edward swung his legs off the couch and got to his feet, digging into his ear with one finger. "What's that?" he questioned, albeit in a slightly slurred voice. "Sounds like music."
"That's what I want to show you – hurry up!"
Alphonse led his brother to the small guest room on the ground floor of the Rockbell home. Edward stood at the doorway as Alphonse ventured in and sat next to the blonde mechanic on the piano bench. Winry paused, her fingers hovering over the keys as she turned to smile at her friends.
"Hey, guys. Did you finally get bored of just hanging around?" she teased gently, eying Edward quizzically. The young alchemist still hadn't ventured into the room, and while Alphonse was more than comfortable with his surroundings, Edward seemed strangely hesitant.
"Something wrong, Ed?" she questioned, and Alphonse turned to stare at his brother. Edward blinked and shook his head.
"No, nothing... it's just... I don't remember this being here," he responded quietly. Alphonse laughed, and Winry smiled indulgently as she covered the keys.
"I don't blame you – I didn't remember it, either," Alphonse admitted. "But we used to play here sometimes. Remember?"
Edward frowned at his younger brother. "You sound like you've been here recently," he spoke dubiously. Alphonse nodded, a gleam of mischief sparkling in his golden eyes.
"A couple of months ago... I came here at night when Winry was playing. She gave me a lesson!"
Winry bumped her shoulder against the younger Elric brother's. "You were pretty good, too! Let's see if you remember, shall we?" She uncovered the keys again and got to her feet to let Alphonse take up the entire bench. The boy squinted in concentration as he picked out an easy melody on the keys, his fingers stiff and uncertain.
"Not bad at all, since you didn't have much time to practice!" Winry praised, beaming at Alphonse. The younger Elric brother ducked his head, blushing slightly.
"It's fun. I like being able to make music, just like that."
"Why don't you give it a go, Ed?" Winry turned to the older Elric brother with an encouraging smile on her face – a smile that faded at the expression on Edward's face. She couldn't quite make it out, but he didn't seem terribly excited to try.
Edward set his jaw and surprised her by saying "Sure, why not?" He moved towards the small upright and sat down, jostling his brother to get more room. With a look of utter concentration on his face, Edward flexed his fingers and abruptly slammed them down on the keyboard, creating a jarring combination of notes. Alphonse winced, and Winry clapped her hands over her ears. Edward continued to pound down on the keys, looking completely determined. Finally, Winry decided she had to stop him – in a subtle way, of course.
"Stop!" she shouted, moving towards him and yanking his hands off the keys. "You'll break it, you idiot!"
Edward looked startled and wrenched his hands out of her grasp. "What are you talking about?" he protested. "I was just doing what Al was doing!"
"Brother, maybe you shouldn't be so rough with it," Alphonse suggested, his ears still ringing from Edward's attempt at playing the instrument. Edward scowled at his younger brother and folded his arms across his chest.
"It sounded fine," he muttered sullenly. Winry fought back a grin at Edward's sulking face and shook her head, leaning forward a little so that her fingers could brush the keys.
"You just need practice," she reassured him, trying to stop laughing. Edward glared at her, looking as if he couldn't decide whether to be insulted or not.
"Fine, then you show me how to do it," he challenged. Winry let one last giggle escape her and straightened, smiling confidently down at the young man.
"I was just about to suggest the same thing," she replied. "Your lessons start tomorrow."
AN: Just a little intro-type thing. Slow, boring, but the thought of Ed being violent with a piano made me laugh. xD
The chapter title doesn't refer to the actual instrument - it refers to the Italian word for 'soft'. Another performance direction!