The Florist

Summary: Two irate blondes are not what Alphonse had in mind when he went out shopping. First in the 'Stranger' series

"Um…excuse me?"

The blonde girl turns to look and pauses.

"Er…"

"Up here,"

Al would have sighed if he had lungs. He was getting used to people staring. This stranger was staring in a mix of disbelief, shock and amusement.

"I should know you shouldn't I?" she says, blinking. Al recognizes the look. She's trying not to giggle.

"Have you seen my brother?" Al asks. Ed had gone off somewhere while Al had been off in the metaphorical clouds, and now Al was trying to find him…with little success. He'd fallen to asking strangers, and a blonde florist with a chirpy disposition was as good as anyone.

Although, admittedly, 'anyone' probably covered at least one person who wasn't hiding a grin the size of the national library. And even if that 'anyone' were, they'd probably be doing a better job than her.

"That depends," she says, covering a giggle with a cough and clasping her hands behind her back, "How much of a family resemblance is there?"

Al would have repressed another sigh.

"Okay, he's blond,"

"That covers about a third of the population,"

"Young,"

"How young?"

"Twelve,"

"That's pretty young,"

"Um…wears a red coat? He's uh…" Al looks both sides, trying to keep his voice down, "…Kinda short,"

The florist looks at him, and now she is giggling.

"So no family resemblance then?"

"Hey, it's not funny!" says Al, "I need to find him!"

"Blond, young, red coat and short," says the florist, getting a hold of herself, "I think I might have seen him,"

"HEY!" yells an all-too familiar voice, "Who are you calling a puny little pip squeak found on the bottom of a shoe?"

Ignoring the fact that she's a girl, and probably quite a bit older than him, Ed moves to pounce on her. Al puts his face in his glove-this really isn't going to end well.

All Al hears next is a 'oof!' sound like the air getting knocked out of someone, and a shifting of cloth. When he next looks up, he sees the blonde girl has him draped over a shoulder, and now she looks irritated. Al, confused, suddenly realizes that the reason for her annoyance is obviously that Ed knocked some of her stand over.

"Alright then!" she says, obviously put out. Ed starts struggling, but if it's doing any good, Al can't spot it, "Hey, big guy, pick up those flowers, and I hope you have some money, cuz you're paying!"

"What were you doing Brother?" asks Al, stooping to pick up the drooping flowers.

"Trying to sneak up on you. And I'm NOT SHORT!" the last part was declared very loudly to the general populace, who got on with their day, ignoring the pouting blond.

"Where do you live?" the florist is irritated, "And how about next time you warn me that your brother gets snarky when he's called short? And how about next time you make sure your brother isn't pulling a prank on you!"

"A prank?" asks Al, confused. Ed grins, despite himself, and Al suddenly resolves to take a cape with him if he ever goes out with Ed again.

"Come on, metal head!" snarls florist, "Sooner we get out of here the sooner you give me the money your owe for that tipped over display!" as she continues to snarl and complain about how long it took to put it together, Al can't help but wonder whether all blondes are this way, and is suddenly thankful that he doesn't have hair anymore.

A/N: A couple of notes of the 'Stranger' series...

There is no set order with which to read them. Simply the order I write them in. There will be as many of them as I think.

Those of you know me well will wonder why these aren't going to be in one happy junk. The answer being that each of them deals with different things, pairings and ideas. Some are fluff. Some are humor (as above). Some are angst. Some are gay. Some are straight. Some are totally utterly hot with a capital 'w'. Some are boringly demure. I want to put them in seperate places in order that I don't lose half my readership by offending somewhat halfway through a chapter.

You will be warned.