On the roof of the dorms, late Monday

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

Edward is sitting out on the roof of the dorms, staring off into the night and brooding. He's got a cup of coffee and an older, ratty notebook beside him but he doesn't seem to be very interested in either.

[Open to any and all interaction, he prolly needs it.]

Comments

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

After his misadventure (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomhighdorms/376157.html) earlier, Walter was feeling restless.

He was rather disappointed he and Pippi had failed in setting a record. Maybe next term.

Taking advantage of the fact that Principal Smith had permitted him to keep his wires despite his misbehavior, Walter was using them to do a bit of climbing. He wasn't expecting a young man who bore a strange resemblance to his roommate.

"Oh. Hullo."

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie was, well... practicing. As a ninja, it behooved her to know the alternative routes around the school. That and she always found finding a way up and around really fun. With an old building like this there was plenty of nooks and cracks for hand-holds or to step on, and she easily found her way up onto the roof.

She seemed to beam with pride for a moment before she noticed she wasn't alone. Her head cocked to the side as she looked at the kid on the roof, her hands on her hips. "Hey there... you okay?"

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

Edward looks over in surprise, he hadn't really expected anyone else to be out here. "Hello," he nods at the stranger.

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

He started in surprise. A second person, this was unexpected. "Ah. I guess." He kinda shrugged at her.

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie didn't seem to believe him, but only held her hand out to him. "Well, I'm Yuffie. Yuffie Kisagari. Nice to meet you." Yuffie looked at the other climber, nodding to him with a bit of apperiation of talent.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"I'm Walter. I'm on the third floor." Hoisting himself up over the edge of the roof, Walter dangled his legs and lit a cigarette. "I didn't expect to find anyone up here."

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

Edward took the offered hand and shook it gently. "I'm Edward Elric," he said, kind of absently. He resumed staring off at the sky for a long moment, before asking abruptly; "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

What Walter had expected even less than someone on the roof, was someone coming up in a somewhat similar manner to his own. "Hi. I'm Walter." He stuck out his hand and smiled.

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

"It's a good place to come looking for quiet." Edward is quietly amused that was the opposite of what he found. "Plus, you really can't beat the view."

"I'm Edward Elric," he added, almost as an afterthought. "I'm on the second floor." Finally remembering the cup beside him, he picked it up to take a sip.

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie took a seat, looking up at the stars. "Naw...My mom died when I was a kid, so it was just me and dad." While her voice sounded airy, like it was no big deal, there was a slight edge of... maybe not saddness, so much as longing.

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie gave Walter a grin and shook his hand. "Yuffie, nice to meet you. And good form." She winked, a huge grin on her face.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"Elric?" Walter frowned. Alphonse hadn't mentioned having family here, but... "Are you any relation to my roommate, Alphonse Elric?"

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"Thanks. Yours, too. I'll have to ask you to show me how you do that sometime. I cheat." He winked and smiled broadly to go with that admission.

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

"Mm," Edward said thoughtfully. "My mom died when I was pretty young, too." He winces at that, and rubs his right arm absently. "I miss her."

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie grinned. "Super sekrit ninja skillz, yo. If i told ya, I have to kill ya"

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

Edward actually winced at that, but managed miraculously not to spill his drink. "I guess so," he said, setting the coffee mug back down. "I mean, I am but I'm not...."

Frustrated, Ed scrubbed both his hands over his face. This was completely the root of his problem. "Augh, I don't know."

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"You wouldn't be the first to try." Walter laughed and took a drag from his cigarette, kicking his feet and looking at the lights reflected in the water around the island.

"I'm getting Arthur's money's worth out of this place already."

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

"Sorry to hear about your mom." Yuffie was quiet, thoughtful for a moment. "I don't really remeber my mom. I was only, like, 5 when she died. Just... weird little things, like.. I know she taught me orgami. And i remember she used to smell like jasmines." Yuffie grinned a bit, before her smile faded. "I don't so much miss her as.. wish I had known her."

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie laughed herself. "Maybe sometime we can race to the top." She suddenly looked thoughtful. "You know... we could probally get people to bet on it. Make some cash out of the deal..."

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Walter turned away from the view and looked at Ed. His first thought was that it should be a relatively easy question to answer, but Ed's behavior made it clear that wasn't the case.

"You know, if I'm prying, you don't have to tell me anything, but why don't you know?"

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

"That's horrible, that she died when you were so young." Edward glanced over at the girl and offered her a small smile. "At least I had a chance to know mine. I'm glad you have good memories of her, though, small as they are."

For a brief moment he was envious of her, maybe if his mother had died earlier, maybe before they had progressed so far.... Edward felt horrible, guilty and sick to his stomach at the thought so he glanced away, staring at the dark water instead.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Walter's eyes lit up, not so much at the money as at the challenge. "That sounds brilliant! Now how would we pull the punters in...? Are you new, too or would people around here know your skills?" If it was a challenge between an established quantity and a newcomer like Walter, that might attract interest. If they were both new, they might have to find a way to stir things up first.

[alchemic-bean.livejournal.com]

Edward sighed again. "It's complicated, but... I did something really badly stupid several years ago, and my brother and I were both ... punished for it. His punishment for my sin was very, very obvious and your roommate ... doesn't bear it." He looked at his coffee mug.

"The problem is, though, I know just by looking at him, and hearing him that he is my little brother. But he's not, because I just recently talked to him and he still ... bore the mark of our sin."

Edward shuts up, figuring he's not making any sense anyway.

[ninja-brat.livejournal.com]

Yuffie shrugged a bit, picking up a pebble on the roof and throwing it. "Well, I bet you have lots of good memories of yours. I suposed that what matters." Her face was still thoughful as she looked out at the ocean and she pulled her legs up, resting her chin on her knees. Maybe if mom had lived dad wouldn't have turned into such a coward, letting Shinra turn Wutai into nothing more then stupid resorts.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"You didn't say he was your brother." Walter squeezed his eyes shut for a second trying to wrap his brain around that. "Alphonse said he had no idea where his brother was. You say he's not your Alphonse, but he's an Alphonse. So he's sort of your brother, but not... oh my. No wonder you look like you have a headache."