I wish you would write a fic where... ed elric is deaf! (au or not)

“I wish you would write a fic where… “

ooo! Interesting.

The first thing that comes to mind is that instead of his leg Truth took his hearing during the original transmutation. He would still lose his arm bringing Al back.

The last thing Ed heard was screaming and Truth’s voice

Ed would have to learn sign language…with one automail hand. So when his automail broke it would be a double wammy for him, losing some of his ability to communicate as well as a limb.

Al and Ed would learn sign language, because while Ed can kinda read lips Al doesn’t have any so…at first Al can’t talk to Ed without writing it down/having Winry or Pinako mouth it very very slowly to him. (Which doesn’t help much in the beginning when he’s new to reading lips, and even when he isn’t it’s hard to do, so sign or writing is just easier)

Winry and Pinako would make extra sure that Ed’s automail hand was dexterous enough to sign well, especially the fingers.

I guess maybe with the tech the fma world has you could make the argument they might have a type of cochlear implants available and Ed could get that instead of an automail leg. But for this particular au let’s say the tech isn’t there yet.



This is an interesting coincidence of an au ask because i once had a fic idea where Riza’s mom was HoH so Riza knew some sign for some reason? I forgot why/what the fic was about but i’m bringing the idea back because I can

Anyways Riza hasn’t used it in many years and even when she did she wasn’t especially fluent but she’s better than not knowing any.

Hm, or I guess with all the guns Riza could be HoH too…anyways. But then Roy would’ve learned sign already because of course he would

Anyways so Roy and Riza come along and Roy writes everything down. Ed accepts the offer, as in cannon. Says he’ll get automail+recover+and learn Amestrian Sign Language all in a year.

Riza teaches the Elric+Rockbells a few basic signs before they leave, to begin with.

In that year Roy tells his team that they’re all learning sign language. He says so that when the young alchemist prodigy becomes as State Alchemist he’ll have to be put under his command if they all know sign. Guaranteeing a genius alchemist under his command to make him look good and totally not because he’s trying to be nice to the kid. Oh no, it’s all for cold hearted career advancement.

Roy might’ve footed the bill for a private Sign Language instructor to go to Resembool for a few months. It would be inconvenient if the kid didn’t manage to learn sign language, after all. You can’t prove anything. It was an anonymous benefactor, shut up.

They would totally incorporate sign into some of their team codes too.

Things would basically continue as in canon except Al would have to translate a lot of stuff for Ed. Especially when they had to use the phone.

Instead of recognizing Nina’s words Nina would try to use Ed’s name sign that he taught her but she can’t manage it because she doesn’t really have hands anymore but Ed recognizes the attempt and things proceed as in canon.

I don’t know what Ed and Ling would end up eating if Ed’s foot wasn’t made of metal. Oh well, they’ll have to endure the possible foot bacteria I guess.

There’s a lot of possibility for miscommunication in battle though, when there’s no time to sign or read lips. And Ed can’t hear so if he can’t see/smell/etc. something it can catch him by surprise, especially from behind. And if he’s with Al or someone with team mustang their hands are busy with alchemy/guns so they can’t sign to him. And he can’t hear stuff like “look out” or anything so…things can get dicey.

You know that post about the argument in sign where someone accidentally signed ‘don’t yell at me’? That totally happens to Ed and Roy and Ed doesn’t let Roy live it down like, ever.

Ed learned the hard way to take care of his automail or he’d have a hard time signing, so he’s better about maintenance than in canon, at least on his hands/fingers.

Like, yeah he can talk but it’s weird for him to not to be able to hear himself. So Ed talks still, but he signs just as much, or both at the same time.

You know that scene where Ling uses the “I don’t speak this country’s language” excuse and nopes out? Ed does that all the time but with sign language, including in that scene, because he’s a little shit like that.

Man, imagine immediately post-promised day if Riza couldn’t speak and Roy can’t see and Ed can’t hear that would be a lot of fun for all of them to try to talk to each other.

Ed totally just turns around when he doesn’t want to deal with people. Out of sight out of mind.

After the fight with Scar it really sucks for him because Al can’t sign so they can’t talk without someone translating for them.

Ed will sometimes ask Al what people’s voices sound like, and Al will ask Ed to remind him what things feel/taste/smell like.

So Pinako, Winry, Al, and Team Mustang all learn sign. Izumi and Sig start to learn the second they find out that Ed’s hearing is gone. They’re busy running a business and trying to save the country but by the time the promised day comes along they’ve got some of the basics and can finger spell everything else.

The next time Ed sees Truth, Truth signs at him instead of talking.





That’s all I got. Very interesting idea!!!