soul_logs | [Closed] Every whisper of every waking hour

Characters: Edward Elric and Hades
Location:the Ukraine
Rating: PG-13
Time: Feb 26th
Description: Ed somehow convinced Hades to go on another mission with him.

Hades had called him greedy and questioned his sanity, and frankly, Ed didn't think he was so far off the mark for pursuing another mission with the so-called God of Death. He was used to being called crazy, and he was one to admit that hubris had a way of taking ahold of him. But he also told himself that if he wanted to raise his power level in this place and use anything close to alchemy, he couldn't do it alone, and Hades ironically happened to be someone he was actually good at resonating with.

Besides that, it was a matter of pride. They'd been beaten in their last mission, and Ed couldn't just sit back and let Hades think he couldn't fight. He would prove to the god that even out of his element, he could still win.

The spot they'd stepped out of the mirror was quiet, the steps of the Potemkim Stairs seeming to lead on forever. Ed stared up them in wonder, gazing around as the coldness of the area hit him. He was glad to have worn a long jacket, but it still was intensely cold here.

"They say we have to hunt them down," he muttered to Hades, eyes returning to the abandoned steps. It was too far into the evening and the recent sightings of what the people believed were Baba Yaga had cleared out the area.

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He turned to him when the mortal suddenly shouted his name, half-expecting some sort of rebuke or any other display of human emotionality in reaction to his lack of empathy.

What he hadn't expected was that sort of question. For a good moment he ended up only standing there, in midst of the chaos they had caused and staring at the Meister, dumbstruck.

"..... Me?" Edward knew what bad luck he brought and how much his assistance cost, not once but over and over again. Not even the other gods were masochistic enough to seek his company for long. Yet this little, short-lived one wanted it?

For a moment, Ed stayed where he was as if moving closer would make the declaration any more real. He could either backtrack now, get out of this situation and just play it off as a moment of enthusiasm for the fight. But then he'd be back at square one, and if Ed was good at anything, it was charging forward--always moving forward.

Crossing the treacherous ground over to where the tall Weapon stood, he looked up at him, jaw set in a frown. "You said you'd never refuse me. So be my Weapon." It was as much a command as a request with the demanding tone of voice he used.

Now that he was verbalizing it, the reality of it was setting in on Ed and he was becoming more convinced this was what he wanted--which meant he would pursue it, even if it meant putting up a fight.

He stared at him for another moment, his dark eyes searching for any treacherous sign of insecurity in Ed's. But there was no faltering for even one moment, not the slightest hint of hesitation - they were eyes, all set on him.

For a moment that realization sent a cold tingle down Hades' spine.

How long it been that somebody had looked at him like that, fully knowing what he dealt with and yet ready to charge on with a force that not event the immovable Depths of the Earth that he embodied could stop that person? The last time must have been when he himself was still young and impressible.

Slowly, very slowly, his lips pulled up and into a smile, his eyes narrowing lightly in approving amusement. It would be interesting to see where this new change from the pattern would lead them.

"Hmph. At least you didn't pull my hair this time."

Ed blinked, then his expression seemed to change completely, lighting up almost. He wasn't used to getting his way quite so easily, but early on he and Hades had seemed to establish this type of exchange: Hades denied Ed nothing, and in return Ed paid the price. In the back of his mind, the alchemist felt a very real danger in this type of agreement. Hadn't he already given up too much to get back some amount of power? But it was only himself he was bargaining for here, not Al. In that respect, he was far more reckless.

"Does that mean you'll agree to it?"

"Hmph. I guess it is, is it not..?"

He made a point of looking over the human's head and into the darkness beyond the stairs. Camaraderie wasn't something he felt he was very skilled for.

Looking back at Ed, he decided to change the topic. "We should leave soon."

Letting his gaze drift over to the place where the kishin egg had fallen, the smile faded slightly from Ed's face. Having Hades as his partner... it would mean more fights like this, and alongside someone who had no regard for life, human or not. Again and again they would destroy the kishin eggs and Ed knew he would bear the burden of killing them by himself. These things were dangerous, taking lives, so it was the right course of action to destroy them, wasn't it? But then again, they had once been human themselves, or at least their souls had been.

Feeling the weight of the day and what had happened, Ed's shoulders sunk a bit as he nodded, exhausted suddenly. Unconsciously, his hand almost went to grasp the loose part of Hades' braid, but he stopped himself and simply fell behind the god as the portal opened, smiling very softly at his own childishness.

"Let's go."

Following his gaze, he nodded once. Things like this... would he learn something new? Or had he just made another foolish step towards his own rotting, fueled by emotions he should know better than to allow influencing his decisions.

Catching Ed's glance backwards, he frowned inwardly while his face remained a neutral mask. Worrying about death and guilt... They were such human emotions. He would have to be careful with them and how the Meister reacted to it. To Hades an end was simply an end and a death simply a death. But humans broke themselves above that.

Reaching out, he touched him very lightly on the shoulder. "After you. Leave taking care of what comes after the End to me." He wouldn't break over it.

A shadow passed over Ed's face, something akin to guilt and shame at making someone else clean up after him, but this part really wasn't his.

Giving a short nod, he turned back to the portal and gave a look over his shoulder at Hades, catching his gaze.

"See you back there."

There was something more meaningful in it now, because they wouldn't just be meeting randomly anymore, but held to each other now.

"Of course."

His reply was as smooth as ever, albeit there was also a small hint of acknowledgment in it. The situation between them had changed once more. For the worse or the better? He wasn't sure about that, but he knew that he didn't regret anything about it happening.

Waiting until his Meister had left through te portal, Hades slowly moved towards the floating soul of the kishin egg and caught it. Raising it in front of his face, his expression fell into a rare frown. He really disliked having to eat anything.

[Closed] Every whisper of every waking hour

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