Somnial: Relating or pertaining to dreams.
Dad - Edward
Daddy - Alphonse
For the sake of keeping clear who's who, sometimes they will be referenced by just their first name, even if it isn't a common thing for a child to call their parent.
Enjoy! And all the "main" author comments are at the end.
It was well past yesterday, the outside slowly turning into morning, with the stars still winking overhead. A hundred, million, chorus of insects and manners of things that crawl and fly were singing outside my window, but their song was in vain. I still couldn't sleep…
The covers were pushed far over my head, with me buried underneath, carefully reading by candlelight. A sad story with lovely words, the one I had read so much I almost had it memorized, but it soothed me to sleep almost every single time.
I heard footsteps in the hallways and began to panic. I blew out the candle with one sharp breath and crawled out of my cave of blankets, pretending to be asleep and burying the book under my pillow.
My door opened and one of my guardians entered, the one with glowing yellow eyes and hair so long it almost brushed against the ground. He crept over to my side and examined me, I was torn between being worried and laughing out loud. I held my breath and sealed my eyes shut.
I felt him reach under my pillow and pull out the forbidden book. My inside began to squish up, the feeling every child gets when she knows she has done something wrong. He tickled my nose and caused me to sneeze, and my eyes flew open to a smiling face.
He propped me up on his lap, turning on my light again, cleared his throat and began to read.
My name is Nina Alexandra Elric. I am now thirteen years old, going on fourteen. I live in a small, cozy house tucked away in the heart of Rizenbool with too many cats and two fathers who love me.
My elder father is Edward Elric, the ex Fullmetal Alchemist, famous in his time, so I've heard. My younger daddy is Alphonse Elric, a real softie actually, and the most caring parent any mother could have been for me. They love each other very much, even if they do quarrel about silly things often, but I'm pretty sure they would do just about anything for each other. And for me, of course.
When I was almost three, they told me they were brothers.
Brothers? I thought at the time, what does that have to do with anything? Is it something important? What are brothers anyway?
I didn't understand what they were telling me, my mind was still too small to understand. After that my third birthday passed with minimal excitement, but I went to bed that night wondering why they looked so sad…
One time I read a story about two boys who were brothers. They had the same parents, they shared the same blood. The story was good, but all throughout I was wondering why they only talked with each other. Where was the kissing and hugging and snuggling like my brothers, my fathers, did? Didn't they love each other? It made me very confused.
I dug around and read three more stories about brothers, but they were all the same. That's when it began to dawn on me that maybe these stories were the norm of all things, while my parents were…not.
Incest was a word I stumbled upon by pure accident. I had overheard a conversation one day where that word was mentioned, it was such a funny word I wanted to know what it meant. My parents have always praised me for being so bright with reading and words, so I decided to look it up all by myself.
"Sex between close relatives." I didn't know what sex was, but I knew what "relatives" meant. I read on and it said it was a "serious taboo in most societies." Taboo? Another funny word, I thought, so I flipped to the T's and ran my finger across the glossy page.
"Forbidden to be used."
My insides felt a little funny after reading that. Forbidden meant to me that no sweets were to be eaten before dessert, to not walk on the nice carpet with muddy shoes. But something told me it ran a little deeper than that. It seemed like a…stronger type of forbidden, if that made any sense.
Maybe I'll figure it out later, my head is starting hurt…
I scampered outside and thought of it no more.
Nightmare.
I leapt awake upon the dreadful visions of wolves and wild animals and shadows filling my dreams. My eyes were dizzy and I dashed out of the covers, heading straight for the comfort and safety of my fathers' bed.
I shyly stopped outside their door as many children do, seeking admittance to snuggle up next to their parents. I creaked the door open and poked my nose inside.
It was dark, but I could still make out the distinct lump that was in their bed. Yet something was a little…off. I could hear their voices, quiet whisperings, murmurings, soft, shallow breathing, not the normal sounds I heard when they were asleep. The bed was moving slightly, the sheets distorted at strange angles.
I had no idea what was happening, and that I didn't like. What was going on? Am I still asleep? Was I still in a bad dream?
Upon that notion I burst out crying, loudly, a shrill sob that caused the figure in the bed to jump. I bawled even louder and felt fat tears rolling down my cheeks, staining my nightgown. I heard frantic noises now, and the rustling of clothes and blankets.
Then suddenly Alphonse was there, cradling me and holding me to his chest. "Nina, Nina, darling, oh…sweetie don't cry. I'm here, see?"
My sobbing softened, but only just. I buried my nose to his chest, inhaling his sweet scent of dust and sugar and soap.
"Is she okay?" Another voice, it was Dad.
"Yes, she's fine, I think she just got a little…spooked."
I heard Edward mutter something, then felt his long hair brush against me as he kissed my head. "Poor baby," he whispered, "Nina, do you want to sleep with us tonight?" I nodded.
I was a little wary at first, waiting until they had both drifted off before I finally relaxed. After a while I slipped into an easy sleep, and dreamed of dark things no more.
Exactly two months, ten days, eight hours, fifteen minutes, and forty five seconds later, I discovered I had a fondness for math.
And hair. Dad's hair, to be more specific.
It took much coaxing and pleading and stomping of the foot on my part, but when at last he gave in to my begging, I knew he enjoyed it as much as me.
He would sit on the floor and unravel his endless, miles of flowing sunny hair, let it cascade down his back. Then I would get on my knees and take out my precious collection of ribbons and bright bands, and begin to work. I combed his hair all out and started braiding it, some braids as thick as my arm, others so small and fragile they could balance a pin. And he would still sit there patiently, maybe read the paper or a book, letting me decorate him. Alphonse would come in once in a while, praise me on my handiwork and tell Dad how absolutely lovely he looked. Then he would disappear again, and in a while I could smell a lovely aroma coming from the kitchen.
When all the ribbons and bands were gone, Dad would stand up and shake his great mane until my colorful things flew in all directions, all my careful braids unraveled. I would playfully scold him for ruining my hard work, but still be delighted none the less.
Then he would sit back down, I would collect my ribbons and carefully count all of them, then start all over again.
Today I discovered a book in my father's room, "Fundamentals of Alchemy" was its title. Alchemy? It sounded wondrous, so I began to read.
The breakdown of molecules to their simplest level, then rearranging them to another material of similar properties. It made sense, it was like baking a cake or something. My Dad was a rather famous alchemist in his days, so I had heard many, many times by his mouth, maybe I had a knack for it like he did. An Elric family trademark, perhaps.
So I studied, and studied, and practiced until my hands were sore and covered in white chalk. It was frustrating at times, but finally…
My first test came one evening at dinner, Daddy had made broccoli, and if there was something I hated as much as Edward hated milk, it was broccoli. Yuck!
Both of them had already finished with their meals and were in the other room. "You're not leaving that table until you eat your vegetables Nina," Daddy had told me sternly. I sulked, but they refused to be swayed.
I glared at the vegetable before me and hissed, "Disappear, why don't you!" But when I opened my eyes it was still there.
Then I got an idea.
I took a piece of chalk from the pocket of my dress and drew a circle under the table. I pressed a shaking finger to it and held my breath. A tiny blue light erupt from the table, for a second it was too bright to see, but when I looked down again there were four, fat and juicy strawberries on my plate. Thrilled, I happily gobbled these down and proudly presented my empty plate to my dads.
I had a bit of knack for alchemy after all, at least enough where I could repair a glass or make a tiny doll out of mud. When I finally showed my fathers they were a little wary at first, whispering to themselves that I might get into trouble as they had done, whatever that meant, but soon they sang songs of praise for me for nearly a week.
"A real prodigy! Just like her old man!" Dad proclaimed loudly.
"We're so proud of you Nina, so proud," Alphonse told me.
The only thing I had to do was glow.
When I was nine years old…
Ugh…I don't even want to remember what happened. It was awful, a living nightmare, or the memory of something unpleasant wrapped around your leg. Something like that.
See, all of us were walking through town, minding our own business, looking at the surroundings. It was snowing and the sun was behind the clouds, but it was so lovely and crisp it took your breath away. It was nearing Christmas and we were browsing around for gifts for our friends.
I scampered on ahead and pressed my nose to the glass of the candy shop, my breath fogging up the misty glass. "Can I get something?" I pleaded in my sweetest voice, mimicking the sugar-sweets, all warm and gooey, that I was starring at.
"Maybe, honey, but you had hot chocolate not twenty minutes ago!" Alphonse said.
"Aww…but they look so good! See? See Daddy? Look at that one, it's covered in nuts and caramel! And that one is filled with cherries!"
Dad pressed my nose next to mine and said, "Mmm…you're right, they do look pretty good…"
"Ed, don't encourage her!"
"C'mon, Daddy, pleeeasee?"
"Yeah! Please Al?" Edward made a pleading face that was equal to mine, I did my best to keep from laughing.
Alphonse sighed, "Okay, but only one thing, and one thing only!"
He reached down and ruffled my head, both of them taking each of my hands and starting to head inside.
Suddenly we heard a screech from behind us. "Thieves! Help, police get over here!"
We all spun around. "What was that? What's going on?" Daddy asked, gripping my hand tightly.
"I don't know, hurry, let's get out of here."
"What's that woman yelling about Daddy?"
"I don't know, but let's go home now okay? I can get you a big slab of chocolate cake once we get there."
"Okay…" I was a little disappointed, but I didn't really want to stay either.
The yelling still continued, though, and was starting to turn into indistinguishable screaming. I turned and watched her as we quickly walked away, a policeman had finally ran up and was trying to calm her down.
"Ma'am, ma'am! Please, slow down."
"Them! They're thieves! Kidnappers!"
"Please! Who? Where?"
And she pointed right at us.
It took over an hour of careful and tedious explanation, to both of them, that they were indeed my rightful parents. It just couldn't seem to register in their heads that these two men, these two young men, were indeed my guardians, my fathers. It was…scary, I was terrified that these strangers were going to suddenly take me away. At one point the crazy lady tried to grab me away from my daddies, and I started crying.
That's when Edward got really angry and started shouting, threatening to take them to court and the Fuhrer and anything else he could think of. Finally the mess was rather awkwardly cleared up, but neither the policeman nor the woman apologized.
That lady gave us a look like she had smelled something vile all the while as we walked away.
"The nerve of some people," Dad grumbled angrily, pulling me along tightly.
"Daddy," I pleaded, jogging along to keep up with Edward's angry strides, "Why did that lady think you weren't my parents?"
"Oh, um…sweetie not now, wait until we get home okay? Edward slow down!"
When we finally did get home, and after Edward had calmed down, Alphonse fed me a huge chunk of cake and sat me down next to him on the couch.
"Honey, well what happened just now… you're a very intelligent girl, Nina, and I'm sure you've probably realized most parents aren't the same as, well, your father and I."
I nodded my head. "Yeah, most kids I know have a dad and a mom, a girl parent."
"That's right. And some people, like that lady at the market, aren't used to seeing two daddies with a child. So she…thought, that your father and I had taken you from another mom and dad."
I blinked. "That doesn't make any sense."
He sighed. "I know, but some people just think like that."
"Then those people are stupid."
"No no, not stupid darling, just… close-minded."
"What does that mean?"
"It means she's not accepting of things that are different. Do you understand?"
"Yeah I get it, but Daddy…" I wrinkled my nose, "This probably won't be the last… uh…. close-minded person I run into, huh?"
He sighed again. "I'm afraid that's right… Oh, Nina, people haven't been giving you a hard time at school or anything…?"
"No, I'm okay."
"Good, but promise you'll tell me if something does happen."
"I will!"
"Good girl, now its way past your bedtime, go brush your teeth and hop in bed. Ah wait! Goodnight kiss!"
"Aww… ookaay…" I smooched his cheek and scampered off for bed.
A little later, Dad came to tuck me in.
"Dad?" I asked timidly.
"Hm? What is it?"
I looked up at him and said, as seriously as I could, "Don't be too mad at that lady, okay? She's just close-minded."
He looked surprised, but then his face melted into one of smiling pride. "You're absolutely right. Goodnight Nina, love you."
He tucked the covers snuggly around me, snapped off the light, and quietly shut my door.
Hm…
Hmm…
After many hours of thinking… after that one little incident…
Many hours of careful calculation, tedious research, and sometimes a little underhanded snooping…
I think I've put together most of the puzzle surrounding my small and very, dare I say odd, family.
The lady at the market was upset because I didn't have a mother, because instead I had two fathers. Two daddies, who also happened to be brothers. This fact is fine with me, I love my parents even if their relationships is considered "abnormal." I don't know why it's abnormal, or who says it is, it seems like something that's a "just because."
However…
If I have two fathers, then how was I born?
I learned independently that dads can't have children, they just can't. It takes a mom to have a child. And if that's the case…
Doesn't that mean I have a mom out there somewhere?
A mom! It was a boggling notion. A mom was something I had encountered many times before, but I'd never experience the "phenomenon" for myself. I don't see how a mom could be any different, but still…
It'd be nice to know once and for all that I had one, maybe she was even someone my parents actually knew. So one day I decided to get to the bottom of this and ask them.
It wasn't hard to find them. They were on their usual spot on the couch, getting all cuddly and kissing… yeuch… but this was for science! I went over to them and tugged at Alphonse's pant leg.
"Hm? Oh! Nina I didn't see you there, do you need something?"
"Yes," I said plainly, flopping down between them. Edward looked like he was about to say something, but a glare from Alphonse silenced him.
"I've been thinking…" I began, "I remember one time, see, when you and Dad told me that you were…. Brothers, right?"
"Y-yes, that's right sweetie," he replied, his smile flickering for a brief moment.
"Okay, and from what I've gathered… it isn't very common for Brothers to have a family, huh?"
"No, generally, no. I suppose it isn't."
"Al…" Dad hissed.
"Edward, she was going to figure it out eventually…" he whispered back.
"Huh?" I puzzled.
"Nothing, nothing honey, please continue."
"Um, 'kay, anyway where was I? Oh yeah! So you wanted to have a family, but neither you or Dad can have a baby, for some reason… So, I guess I must have a mommy out there somewhere, right?"
Alphonse's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Um, well…"
"Yes," Dad interrupted, "You do have a mom out there, actually, the woman who helped us have a baby so we could raise it. That baby turned out to be you, Nina."
"I knew it!" I proclaimed, nodding my head, feeling very wise.
Daddy just continued to stutter. "Um, Nina…"
"Now, now Alphonse, like you said, she was bound to figure it out eventually…" Dad said, his voice strangely flat and serious.
I scratched my head and continued, "Well, I just wanted to tell you that I understand you needed a mommy to help have me, and I don't care if you're, uh, "Brothers," or not. I'm not mad or anything." They both looked a tad mystified.
"And… it'd be cool to meet her one day? But I don't have to. That's all, I really just wanted to figure it all out."
They still seemed a little stunned to say anything, which was strange I guess, so I hopped up off the couch to let them be.
"Wait Nina," Dad said, scooping me up again and placing me on his lap, "Thank you for telling us all that, we're both very happy with you."
"Really?"
"Absolutely, that was some impressive detective work you did."
I beamed. "Thank you! It wasn't easy ya know."
He cleared his throat. "And, if you ever happen to change your mind about meeting your… mother, one day, that'll be perfectly fine with us."
"Wait, so you do know her?"
"Yes, we do."
"Oh… but like I said, I don't really want to meet her yet."
"Why?" asked Alphonse, who had remained silent throughout this conversation.
"Well, 'cause I already have you two!"
Now both of them were smiling, I guess I had said something to make them happy.
"You're absolutely correct. We love you honey, now why don't you go play outside for a while.?"
I grinned and eagerly nodded my head. "Go play outside," was always code for "we need to talk about something we don't want you to hear."
I hurried outside and pounded my feet on the ground to make it sound like I was running, but then I carefully doubled back and pressed my ear to the door. I held my breath as I craned to hear them.
" –don't know about you, Brother, but I'm almost relieved she figured it out by herself."
"Hn, we're just lucky she figured it out instead of being spoon-fed blasphemy by some, what did she call them again… ah, close-minded nutcase."
Alphonse chuckled. "Well remember we did try to explain it once, but she was far too little to understand."
"Yeah… but that was what, ten years ago?"
"Almost eleven."
"Wow… and she figured out the "mom" aspect all by herself. She acted so mature about the whole thing… But I'm surprised she didn't, I don't know, maybe feel a little resent we didn't tell her she had a mother."
"She said she wasn't mad, remember? I guess she doesn't feel she needs one."
"Yeah… aww Al our little girl is growing up so fast!"
"Hn, you sounded like Hughes just then."
"Heh, or Roy."
Laughter, then the sound of a kiss.
"Yep, we've really raised something to be proud of, eh Alphonse?"
"Definitely."
"Yeah… you hear that Nina? We're very proud of you!"
I jumped. Shoot!
The front door flew open and I almost tumbled forward on my face.
"Uh, hi Dad…"
"Nice try kid. I'm on to all of your little tricks, I know, I used to do them."
"Heh heh… I'm not in trouble, am I?"
"Not if you actually hurry on outside and get some sun."
"Going!"
"Good. Be home for dinner!"
"Okaay!"
I ran at full speed toward the lone tree that stood away from the house, only pausing once to catch my breath. I looked back and saw how small our house had become, nearly a speck that I could cover up with my fist. My cheeks were rosy and my hair was in my face. I looked at the sky, toward the sun, knowing I would be drawn back home any minute, when I caught the faint scent of something cooking on the stove, my fathers smiling faces looking at me across the table.
I relaxed on a sturdy branch and closed my eyes, letting the air around whisper in and out of my ear. I felt lucky to have two parents who loved me so much, lucky to be alive, now, in this place, lucky, lucky, like a star.
Wow, this world was beautiful…
Of course it doesn't end there.
I'd continue to get older and older, blossom to full bloom, go through life quietly with my two constants always there, steady and strong for me if my boat got rocked too much.
And at night I would dream, of trees and stars and bright ribbons and candy, my faceless mother, my two fathers who loved each other, and me, unconditionally, until the day time finally stopped.
I would dream, and dream and dream, all dark things banished from my mind.
I decided to keep all my author ranting until the end this time. Hehe…
I've wanted to do a fic like this for a very long time. The idea of Ed and Al being parents to an adorable little girl was just too cute to pass up. I wanted to try and write their rather "unique" relationship through the eyes of a child, what it was like being raised by two brothers, so I wrote this!
I want to thank Rowan and Sakura for writing their "Darling" fanfiction, as this fic was entirely based on the characters and ideas from it. If you haven't read it, GO NOW.
I'll be switching back to "Verboten" after this, so you can expect an update soon, hopefully before the month is up.
Cheers!
-ATA