Bonus Track - Stacy's Mom

[princeofjunes]

Action - The Park - Shortly after this thread - for unexculpable

[True to his word, Yosuke's been scouring Mayfield for signs of Ed - and of course he'd find him in the park. He runs up, to the blond, waving]

Ed! I've been looking everywhere for you!

Comments

[unexculpable]

[Good thing he caught him when he did, Ed was just about to go run. He was getting out of shape (never mind that his standards were ridiculous) He stops mid-stretch, brows furrowed.]

Hm? What's up?

[princeofjunes]

Well, uh... I need to give you a message. But don't freak out, okay? I need you to not freak out.

[unexculpable]

Why would I freak out?

[princeofjunes]

Because it has to do with someone you know being here and that's never easy to take.

[unexculpable]

[You had his attention before, but now you REALLY have it]

What? Who's here?

[princeofjunes]

Ed, I need you not to freak out, okay?

Just... try and stay calm, because I swear she's fine.

[unexculpable]

[She...?]

Wait, do you mean Winry? I already know she's here.

[princeofjunes]

[And he's derailed just for a moment]

Winry? That's your not-but-totally-girlfriend, right? She's here too?

[unexculpable]

[JFDKSLAJFSD YOSUKE. D< ]

Yeah. Showed up yesterday.

[WOULD SCREAM AT YOU, BUT. MORE IMPORTANT THINGS.]

I guess you're not talking about her then. So who is it?

[princeofjunes]

I, uh...

[He swallows hard]

I just got off the phone with your mom. But she sounds totally okay! She's fine! Just worried about you.

1/? sobsob idk

[unexculpable]

[unexculpable]

[Every ounce of color just drained from his face.]

[unexculpable]

You...

[unexculpable]

I don't...

[unexculpable]

But --

[unexculpable]

[Suddenly Ed's pained expression vanishes and he is all up in Yosuke's face, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him down sharply to look him right in the eye. He means business -- there's anger in those eyes. Anger and disgust and hurt]

You fucking bastard. Why... damn it! What the hell is wrong with you?!

[princeofjunes]

[Yosuke's fast, but he can't move when he doesn't know something's coming. And why would he even think something is? Sure, it has to suck, but he's not expecting this kind of reaction]

The hell? Wrong with me? Shit, what's wrong with you?! Your mom was worried sick, so I came to find you! She's at 1649 Albright Lane.

[unexculpable]

[He has to be lying. His mom is dead. She's been dead for years there's no way. She can't be here. She can't. She's dead and it's not safe here and fuck this has to be a lie it has to be IT HAS TO BE.

He doesn't know why Yosuke would lie to him about this, doesn't know and doesn't care because he's not thinking rationally right now. He's pretty much stopped thinking in general and right now he just wants to punch something. Like Yosuke's face.

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Ed's fist shows up to shut him up.]

Shut up! What, is this some kind of joke to you?

[princeofjunes]

[WHAM]

[Once the fist connects, Yosuke's thoughts follow in this order: That son of a bitch, I'll kick his ass! I bet that leaves a black eye. ... Dammit. Wait, calm down. He's just emotional. After all, it's his mom. But I'm not going to sit here and let him use me as a goddamn punching bag! Time to get creative]

[A card materializes in mid-air next to Yosuke, and once more he finds himself emulating Souji as he grabs it from mid-air, crushing it in his palm. Susano-o's up! But Yosuke doesn't want to hurt Ed, so the burst of wind that comes between them is only enough to separate the two, giving Yosuke some much needed space to recover]

Why the fuck would I joke about something like this?! It's not like I'm glad you're mom's here, but shit! If this is how you react that's the last time I do you a favor and tell you something important!

[unexculpable]

[He'll feel guilty about it later. Right now he gives no fucks. NO FUCKS AT ALL.

Ed stumbles back a few steps, but quickly manages to regain his balance. His fists clenching at his sides.]

How the hell would I know?

All I know is that my mom has been dead for twelve years. She can't. She can't be here. She died, damn it, my mom is fucking dead.

[princeofjunes]

[And now Yosuke looks absolutely bewildered. Congratulations, Ed! He's completely and totally confused, and once more off his guard because that doesn't make the slightest bit of sense]

[... except when he thinks about it, it does. Because people can come from different times and -]

[Oh shit]

Ed, I... shit... I swear, I had no idea-

But I'm not joking! I really did just talk to her!

[unexculpable]

[He shakes his head, stumbling backwards until his legs hit the bench behind him. He plops down on it, leaning forward with his head in his hands. LOGICAL THOUGHT PROCESSES WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU PLEASE COME BACK.]

H-how...? I don't... How can she be here?

[princeofjunes]

[On the one hand, he wants to comfort Ed. On the other? Not eager to get punched again. So he only takes a few steps towards him]

The same reason any of us can be in this fucked up place. The same reason my girlfriend's technically thousands of years older than me. None of the rules matter here.

[unexculpable]

[Ok. Ok, ok, ok. Calming down now. Breathe. Deep breaths. DEEP. BREATHS. BREATHE EDWARD, BREATHE. Ok. Now just think. Take a minute and think. He doesn't want to believe it, even considering it makes his stomach writhe, but...

Yosuke was right. Nothing about this place made sense. Greed was here and he was dead. Lust was here and she was dead, too. Why not his mom? Why not Trisha?]

I just...

This town is fucking sick.

[princeofjunes]

[Ed looks less murder-y, and Yosuke is forever a bro, so he moves closer and puts a hand on the blond's shoulder. It's not much, but it's what he can do right now]

It is. It really is.

But... come on, Ed. Your mom's here. And whether it's fucked up or not, she's worried about you.

Isn't that what matters right now?

[unexculpable]

And she's looking for a five year old kid, too. And Al, but she'd just assume he was with me, so....

[he swears under his breath, rubbing his temples and taking another deep breath]

Yeah. Yeah... you're right. I should... I'll go look for her.

[princeofjunes]

[He nods]

You can help her adjust. Get her settled into this place.

[unexculpable]

[Ed rubs at his face as he sits up.]

I guess I'll get going then.

[He pushes himself up off the bench and hesitates before walking away]

... Thanks for telling me, Yosuke. [And he means it.]

[princeofjunes]

... yeah, no problem. I'll see you later, Ed.

[And demand an apology then. Now is not the time]

[unexculpable]

See you.