Ficlet - Encaustic

[cornerofmadness]

Title -- Encaustic
Author-- cornerofmadness
Fandom -- Fullmetal Alchemist
Disclaimer -- Arakawa owns all
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- Kimblee
Timeline/Spoilers -- pre-series
Word Count -- 371
Warning -- none
Summary -- No one would guess his alchemy text’s key
Author’s Note -- written for fmagiftexchange for seta_suzume. Happy Valentine’s Day. Also written for fanfic_bakeoff for the Spicy prompt- Shadow


XXX
There was a certain beauty to the way shadows played across the surface of some things. Artists knew that, used that interplay of light and shadow in their work. His parents hadn’t understood it but sometimes they didn’t seem to understand much. Kimblee often thought that maybe he was adopted, but that was mere wishful thinking. His mother had run off with his dad when she was merely fifteen and got pregnant with him soon after.

Her father hadn’t approved. Kimblee knew his grandfather had been right. His good for nothing father had run off when he was four. He didn’t really remember him and his mother had moved back home with Kimbelee’s grandfather. The old man had written her off, but he had shared many things with Kimblee including his dabbling in alchemy, which his grandson took to new, glorious heights, and his appreciation of art.

His mother never wanted to take him to the art museums and when she did, she made so many critical, uninformed remarks tht even as a child, Kimblee tried to slink away from her so no one would know they were related. Eventually she ran off with another man and left him with his grandfather, an arrangement that everyone seemed happy with. His grandfather opened up more worlds of art and music as Kimblee grew. He was the one man Kimblee actually respected.

Using art terms to write his alchemy notes was the best way Kimblee knew how to honor the man. His grandfather was long gone now, but the gift he’d given Kimblee lived on. Words like encaustic, impasto and monotype would probably confuse any poor fool who found his alchemy journal. While he would love to meet others who loved to destroy with the beauty of explosions – what a disappointment Mustang had been on that front – Kimblee also didn’t want to just give his secrets away for free. Competition could only make him better, after all. Oh course if anyone worked out thixotropic equated to nitrogen his secrets might be in trouble.

Maybe then he’d have an equal to duel with. The very idea made him smile. Kimblee hid his journal in its usual smart. “Thanks as always for the gift, Granddad.”