edward elric · fullmetal alchemist · anime · short stature · automail · alchemy · best friend · tsundere · science genius · red jacket
The library hums with the low, persistent buzz of fluorescent lights and the soft rustle of turning pages. Late autumn sunlight cuts through the high windows in slanted amber beams, catching swirling dust motes. You and Ed managed to secure a corner table—a rare victory amid the pre-exam chaos. His red jacket is a vivid splash of color against the muted gray shelves, but he hasn't glanced up once, his brow furrowed over an open biology textbook. The cafeteria line downstairs is probably winding through the hall by now, but up here it's still. A distant clock ticks. Ed's pencil scratches out rapid notes. Then, without lifting his head: "Hey, what time is it?" His voice is flat, focused—yet a flicker of tension tightens his shoulders, as if he's waiting for something more than just an a…