Gah! I'm sorry this took so long, I've had it uploaded for ages and I kept forgetting to post! *smacks self with old tomato* stupid exams... which is where I'm off to now- joyous sociology. I hope you enjoy my attempts at minor angstyness and so sprry about the sappy Elric moment- its Trisha- she makes me do it I swear!
Chapter 4- Sunday
"Oh heya Ed, Winry's up stairs fiddling with whatever gadget Mum gave her yesterday. I'll call her for you."
"Thank you Mr Rockbell," Ed replied, stepping inside the Rockbell home.
"Winry! Ed's here!" the blond man shouted up the stairs. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed across the ceiling and Winry appeared in the stairway. The glint of metal was the only warning Ed got before he had to duck out of the way of a projectile wrench. "Honey, try not to wreck the house." Winry's father said nervously.
"Sorry Dad," the mechanic replied before rounding on her customer, "Edward Elric you are an hour late! Where the hell were you?"
"I'm sorry! My alarm clock didn't go off- I only got up about fifteen minutes ago!" Ed shouted back defensively.
"It's midday! How much sleep do you need?" She exclaimed.
"I'm a growing boy!" Ed whined.
"It doesn't look like it from here."
Ed scowled furiously, "why you…!" he clenched his fists.
"Are you coming up or not?" Winry asked pointedly. Ed growled in response and stomped up the stairs.
"See you kids later," Winry's father called cheerfully as the two disappeared from view.
Ed stared round at the girl's room with a raised eyebrow, "did you clean in here? I think I can see some of the floor." He said, stepping around some metal thingiemajiggy and tapping a piece of technological stuff out of the way so he could sit down on a chair and rest his right arm on an amazingly clear table.
"Haha, very funny," Winry replied with a glare. "Well come on then- off with the shirt, some of us don't have time to laze around you know."
Ed glared back, but it was missed as the girl turned her back to start sorting through her box of tools. "I told you- that wasn't my fault," he retorted as he pulled his black jumper over his head, and placed his arm back with a metallic clank.
"Oh so you weren't up all night, pouring over some ancient tome of alchemy that you'd found in the depths of the library?"
"How do you know?" Ed replied incredulously.
Winry sighed, "you are so predictable Ed." She turned back round and came 'face-to-face' with his chest.
"Jesus Ed!" she exclaimed, "You look like you've been used as a punch bag!"
"Yeah, yeah," Ed replied and he ducked his head to stare at his feet, unable to decide whether to be angry at her interference or to be ashamed of the lifestyle he'd been getting himself into.
"I'm serious Ed! How many fights have you been getting into? …Or is this all from just one fight…?" The girl's expression flickered through disbelief, worry and anger.
"It's nothing Winry, don't worry about it."
"It's obviously not nothing," she muttered as she crossed over to the table and sat in the chair opposite him. "Nothing does not leave bruises stretching across your ribs." She lifted his metal arm from where he'd sprawled it across the surface and ran her eyes rapidly over the framework. When Ed didn't reply she pursed her lips sternly and made a more studious examination of the machine-works in front of her.
"What are you doing?" Ed asked gruffly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"I'm admiring my handiwork- is that a problem?"
"No," Ed scowled at the wall.
Winry placed the arm back down on the table and glared at him, "you're always so ashamed of this arm."
"I am not!"
"Don't lie Ed. You always hide it away beneath sleeves and jackets and gloves- even in the middle of summer. You always glare whenever anyone asks you about it. You hate coming to have it maintanenced- you'll delay it for as long as you can-"
"-I told you- it was an accident!" Ed protested, but Winry just raised her voice.
"-AND you never tell anyone how it happened." she finished irritably.
"Well that's none of their business!" Ed retorted, a protesting anger bubbling inside of him as the conversation took an unwanted twist.
"Most people would be proud!" Winry rejoined with frustration. "You lost your arm to save you're younger brother's life! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"All it means was I wasn't fast enough! He's still got the scars Winry. If I had been faster they never would have got hold of him!" Ed argued, his automail hand curling into a fist. He glared at it balefully.
"You were twelve years old Ed. You were up against a group of backstreet thugs that had spent their whole lives going from one crime scene to the next- what do you think you could have done?"
"I could have been faster," Ed muttered stubbornly.
"Oh for-! If Al could hear you know he would beat you senseless!" She told him, jabbing a heavy wrench in his direction. "They'd just hacked off your whole fucking arm and you still managed to destroy the ground beneath their feet! I didn't even think the kind of people who could do that existed outside of a TV screen," she huffed and pulled his arm back towards her.
"I just severed some of the molecular bonds." Ed answered sulkily.
"Ed- I don't even know what that means now and you were a twelve-year-old whose only alchemic education had been a couple of old books you'd found in the study. When are you going to realise that you did more than anyone could ever have imagined?" Winry sighed and fiddled with some delicate piece of wiring.
"It doesn't matter what anyone imagined Winry. I could have been faster and because I wasn't I lost an arm and Al got his chest sliced open. How is that something to be proud of?"
Winry gave a frustrated sigh, "why do I bother?" she asked rhetorically.
"Because you don't get it." Ed informed her darkly.
"No, no I don't." Winry looked away from the arm and back up at her friend, "just think about it Ed." She sighed again, "You're done. Remember to keep it oiled and stop getting into so many fights."
"Yeah, yeah I know." Ed replied as he stood and slipped his jumper back on. "I'll see you at school."
"See ya." Ed could feel her eyes on him as he walked out the door.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
Al stared down at the boy gazing up at his window with a somewhat dumbfounded expression. Wrath was once again curled beneath his tree and despite the miniature gale ripping through the suburb he was still wearing much the same outfit as yesterday- only in blue. Al bit his lip and wondered if he could sneak the boy in without his mother noticing before deciding that no, he couldn't, because being a mother the woman obviously had eyes in the back of her head. But he couldn't leave him out there without doing anything, especially considering he'd been the one to ask him back.
Al slipped down the stairs as quietly as he could and crept over to the door, adopting the customary teenager creeping-crouch.
"Al is that you?" his mother called from the kitchen.
Al inwardly cursed, "err yeah" he called back, straightening up and turning towards the voice's origin.
"Could you pop out and get me some milk, love? I'm not feeling very well and we're running short," Trisha asked.
Al blinked at his good fortune and agreed eagerly.
Five minutes later he was standing on the opposite side of the front door, with the wind whipping enthusiastically at his short hair and long red coat. He watched nervously as Wrath, holding his gaze, slowly climbed to his feet. Al shuffled over, fighting against the forceful gusts of air, and tried not to stare at Wrath's bare limbs.
"Hello." Wrath stated duly.
"H-How the h-hell can you be w-wearing th-that in this w-weather?" Al asked incredulously. Wrath looked down at his attire as though seeing it for the first time.
"What do you mean?"
"Aren't you cold?" Al shivered and rubbed his hands together in a desperate effort to create some warmth.
Wrath shrugged, "No."
Al stared at him, "do you have s-some kind of i-in-built r-radiator?"
"No," Wrath replied, he eyed Al oddly, and the blonde had to restrain the urge to stick his tongue out childishly. "If you're so cold why don't you go back inside?"
"I h-have to go to the sh-shop." Al answered, "M-Mum needs m-milk."
"Oh."
"Do… Do you want to come with me?" Al asked hopefully.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
Al glanced over at his companion as the two of them walked silently down the path, their footsteps falling in an irregular sync, and his thoughts strayed to what Ed had told him last night.
Al licked his lips and the wind dried them immediately, "I- err- I heard that all the people in your family have the Ouroburos tattoo. Is it true?" He asked pseudo-casually, finally over his cold-induced stammer.
"All the kids do," Wrath confirmed.
"Where's yours?"
"On my foot."
Al winced, "didn't that hurt?" Wrath shrugged. Al bit his lip before he asked his next question, "…can I see it?"
Wrath shot him a guarded look, "why?"
"I… well it's just that… I've never one up close- I'm just curious you don't have to-" Al rambled. Wrath frowned and came to halt before pulling up a foot and unlacing his boots with perfect balance. Al's eyes widened, "y-you don't have t-to do it here! You'd probably get frostbite or something!" He exclaimed worriedly.
Wrath watched him uncertainly as he replaced his foot slowly on the floor, "where am I meant to show you then?"
"Well... when we get back to mine you could come in…" Al trailed off shyly.
"Won't your mum mind?" Wrath asked.
Al hadn't thought of that, "Err… well I…" he replied uselessly, watching as Wrath nodded to himself. Before Al could protest he slipped his shoe and sock off.
"You didn't have to do that," Al told him softly. Wrath shrugged stiffly, holding his foot up for inspection. Al lowered his gaze hesitantly and peered down at the circular tattoo, his curiosity rising. As Ed had suspected there was an alchemic symbol in the centre, "synthesis," Al whispered quietly, his eyes roving over the simple character.
"What?"
Al jumped and straightened rapidly, "its just err... your tattoo- it-it has an alchemy symbol in the middle," Al replied. He swallowed nervously as he planned the conversation's course.
"So?" Wrath retorted.
"Well Ed… Ed said Envy has one too but it's different. His is metamorphosis." Al licked his lips only to have the wind dry them again. He could feel his curiosity racing towards his final question and felt himself being helplessly dragged behind it.
"I know," Wrath replied his tone guarded.
"Ed said that he…" Al gestured faintly and tried to find the right word, "…morphed," He tilted his head to look up curiously at the other boy, hoping for a response that would satisfy his inquisitive nature before it reached its final destination- which Al knew was bound to land him trouble. He had years of experience on that storyline.
"I see." It was the wrong answer.
Common sense made Al try to stop his next question, but it jumped out of his mouth before he could do anything about it, "…can you do anything?" was delivered to the air with an aplomb that made him wince and he slapped a hand against his mouth as though hoping the action would take the words back.
Wrath glared at the boy.
"Sorry!" Al exclaimed, muffled past his flattened hand.
"You ask too many questions," Wrath told him as he yanked his footwear back on.
Al removed his hand slowly and ducked his head. "I know I'm sorry," he replied embarrassedly "its just… sometimes I get interested in something and I…and I… ask questions." Al tried to explain helplessly.
"And… you're interested in me?"
Al felt his cheeks flame and fingers fidgeted together, "well… I guess." He admitted.
"We should get going." Al's head darted up as he watched the teen stroll away. He hurried after him, "I can do something." Wrath said when he caught up.
Al's eyes widened, "w-" he slammed his lips together to break off the question. He watched in confusion as Wrath pulled a pale green leaf off a hedge as they walked past and balanced it on a finger. Suddenly the other's hand began to glow like an activated transmutation circle and Al watched in awe as the skin bound itself to leaf, wrapping flawlessly around the edges until it had become a part of the external organ- Al could see veins pumping blood beneath the thin surface. He stared in wonder as Wrath held his finger up for inspection. "Synthesis," the alchemist breathed in awe. "That's… that's… wow that's amazing- how…?"
"I don't know." Wrath replied, "Dante said it was something to do with the tattoo ink."
"The tattoo ink?" Al frowned in confusion, "how could that have anything to do with it?"
"I don't know." Wrath repeated.
Al's brows furrowed and his lips pursed, "Maybe if I could…" he cut himself off again, "ah- sorry."
"What for?"
"I was… it's none of my business." Al replied, looking away.
"I told you, didn't I?" Wrath frowned
"Well… err- yeah but…" Al stumbled through his words.
"You can take a look one day if you'd like," Wrath proposed.
Al looked back at him in surprise before a slow smile slipped shyly across his mouth, "I-I'd like that." He admitted softly.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
"Blondie!" Ed froze mid-step in a busy high-street of Amestris and spun round slowly to face the club-owner.
"Greed." He replied unhappily. A grinning Greed, followed by Martel, Dorochet and the man Ed had seen behind the bar, strolled towards him through the crowds.
"Well ain't this a pleasant surprise?"
"What do youwant?" Ed sighed.
"I'm hurt Blondie. I just wanted to say hi." Greed pulled the 'hurt' expression off his face and slid a grin onto it instead, "I noticed you didn't come back with that letter," he continued meaningfully.
"You said we had a week to reply." Ed responded guardedly and resisted backing away a few inches.
"Oh you did reply- but they sent some guy who kept showing off pictures of his wife and kid. It didn't go down well with the punters I'll tell you that now," Greed chuckled. "I was wondering if you'd like to come instead?"
"No way- I'd have to be crazy to do that!"
"Blondie! You wound me!" Greed exclaimed with an expression of mock-betrayal.
"Right," Ed drawled, unconvinced.
"There'd be free beer?"
"No."
"Women?"
"No!"
"Ooh so you're gay?"
"I am not!"
Greed laughed, "Fine then. Just do one more thing for me as compensation…"
"Compensation?" Ed asked confused.
"Yes, compensation for the customers I lose when this Hughes guy comes around."
"Hey! How is that my fault?"
The Homunculus chuckled as his reply and reached into his jacket, pulling out a thick envelope.
Ed crossed his arms at the sight of it. "What am I? Your messenger boy?" he retorted stubbornly.
"Just take it Blondie." Greed replied with an amused smile.
Ed eyed the letter warily, "And you expect me to believe that you just happened to put that letter in your pocket this morning by pure coincidence?" he asked suspiciously.
Greed laughed again, "sharp as ever Blondie. Let's just say this ain't information I'd want getting into the wrong hands so make sure it gets to the person it's meant to." Greed pushed the letter towards Ed again, who finally snatched it away, "See ya around Blondie!" He winked and disappeared back into the city crowds, his bodyguards following after him.
Ed glared after him, "I am not gay," he muttered to himself, "Envy is a… psychological thing." Ed nodded his head emphatically before looking down at the letter in his hands.
He gaped at the name scripted on the front.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
Lust glared past the Chimera bouncers that were scattered in front of the desolate entrance to the Devil's Nest. If he thought he was being discreet the object of her ire was greatly mistaken as Lust had clearly seen him slink to the end of the alley in front of her and lean against the wall. But that could just be because she had been waiting for him.
This was the third day the man had come looking for Kimberley. He hadn't bothered to speak to anyone since the first time, he just stood and stared; Lust knew that he could see her just as well as she could see him because when she shook her head he'd leave. She didn't know what to make of his trust of her- or why she kept helping him- but something inside her must have thought it was good thing as she was back here for the third time too.
She wondered when he'd started searching for Kimberley- it had been twenty years since the Ishvalan War yet he looked only 23- and how he knew it was Kimberley he was searching for. She was intrigued by his conflicting attitudes: religion and revenge, opposing poles forcefully juxtapose and kept in place with just a piece of string. All that was left was to wait for the string to snap.
The sound of a door opening and closing carried down the dim corridor to her ears and the patter of uncovered feet told who was coming up to meet her.
"What are you doing?" the disdainful voice of Envy asked.
"What's it to you?" Lust replied; turning her head to him as the other came to a stop beside to her.
"You're behaving weirdly." Envy frowned.
"Worried about me?" Lust smiled mockingly, she knew from experience that Envy had little worry for anyone besides himself. As long as they were breathing it was either a good or bad thing to Envy, depending on who it was.
"Not you, I'm worried about me. You're behaving weirdly is generally a sign of PMS and last month I had to somersault out of the way of your bloody spears!" The smile dropped from Lust's face and her beautiful features were marred by an angry glare.
"If you care to think a little harder you might remember the reason why you had to somersault out of the way of my 'bloody spears' was because you had stolen all my underwear and strewn it over the entire house!" She retorted furiously. "Sometimes I wonder if it is you, not Wrath, who is the youngest of our household!"
"Oi!" Envy shouted irately, but it seemed he head no comeback. Lust turned away and noticed that the Chimera bouncers were edging away from the arguing pair. Useless idiots.
Lust sighed, "he's back again." She eventually said.
Envy frowned his confusion, "who?"
"That scarred man."
"Oh, the bible-basher?" Lust frowned and Envy returned it insolently, "what?" he asked.
Lust shook her head, "I don't know what else I expect; you've been this way since the orphanage."
Envy smirked before looking across at the dark figure that had been the focus of Lust's attention earlier. "Why are you watching him anyway?" his voice had returned to its usual disdain.
"I'm waiting for him to do tricks," Lust retorted sarcastically and ignored the older boy as her peered at her oddly.
Out of the corner of her eye she watched Envy huff, cross his arms and lean against the wall. "This is what I mean."
"What makes you think I'm acting so weirdly?" Lust asked, genuinely curious, it wasn't as if sarcasm was an unusual act for her.
"I've known you for 10 years Lust, I know when you're acting strange."
"10 years… that was when you arrived at the orphanage. You were a real ass at seven." She smirked at the memories the thought evoked.
"Hn. You didn't seem to mind." Envy replied with a sideways look.
"Yeah well- you were cute at seven too. Hair like-"
"-Shut it." Lust snickered. "You were aptly named weren't you?" he added sardonically, "even at seven you were a slut."
Lust brushed the insult off without so much as much as a flicker of emotion. "I hardly call a peck on the cheek equal to slut-dom." She replied calmly.
"It was my first day!" Envy argued.
"Yes, and I was young and stupid." She gave him a minute for the insult to sink in.
"Hey!"
"I'm going back in." She informed the brash teen. She shook her head surreptitiously at the man who was still staring down the alley at her before turning with a cascade of black tresses and sashaying back down the dark corridor.
"He's leaving," Envy's surprised voice floated after her and small smile tucked itself against the corners of her mouth.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
"Th-Thank you for coming with me." Al's voice was hesitant as he stood on the steps to his front door.
"You're welcome." Wrath replied duly.
Al gave him a smile that made his stomach roll peculiarly and fumbled with the door handle behind him. "See you tomorrow? You know, at school?"
Wrath nodded as Al finally opened the door and stepped backwards over the threshold into his house.
"Al?" a quiet voice called from the back. "Al, where am I?" Wrath watched as the blond froze before slowly rotating. "Al?"
"Mum?" Al replied, his small voice thick with worry. A tall brunette woman had appeared in the doorway of what Wrath assumed was the kitchen- she was wearing an apron.
"Al? Where am I?" The woman asked. "I'm so cold and I don't know where I am." She said plaintively.
"You're home, mum." Al answered concernedly and Wrath could imagine his wide eyes watching her warily. Suddenly the woman swayed and collapsed against the wall next to her. "Mum!" Al ran to her side, and the bag carrying the milk fell from his hand. Something gave and a thick coating of white blood spread rapidly across the laminate flooring. "She's burning up!" Wrath wrenched his eyes from the still-growing mess to where Al was staring at him helplessly.
"Call an ambulance." Wrath found himself saying as his eyes slid down to examine the woman now sitting on the floor. Her skin was the colour of ash and she had pulled herself inwards, shivering. Wrath was aware of Al's rapid footprints, and then of his frantic voice as he spoke to the emergency operator, but it turned to background noise when Trisha Elric turned her confused eyes to his. They looked like Al's- the grey of an overcast day- but hers glinted bright with fever.
"Who are you?" She mumbled bemusedly.
"No one," Wrath supplied helpfully. He wasn't sure if telling the woman his name would really be a good idea.
Trisha frowned and shook her head with a soft moan, "can't be no one…" she informed him with a continuing mumble.
"Mum?" Al had returned to his mother's side and was kneeling beside her, grasping her hand.
"Al?"
"The paramedics will be here soon ok?" he told her, biting into his lower lip almost brutally. Wrath crossed over to them softly and knelt down on the opposite side of Al's mother before leaning over to free Al's lip before he drew blood. Al stared at him in surprise and a fear for the woman between them.
Wrath sat back on his haunches, he didn't know what he was supposed to do so he settled for staring. Al's cheeks took on a pink glow and he ducked his head back at his shivering mother speedily.
It took nine minutes and 13 seconds for the ambulance to arrive; Wrath had counted as he'd watched Al stroke his mother's hair anxiously and whisper soothing nothings which didn't quite hide the tremor in his voice. The paramedics were a blur to Wrath as he watched Al dart his eyes between them frenetically and speak at a speed almost too fast to understand. The paramedics nodded, replied calmly, and pried his fingers from around his mother's hand. They loaded Trisha onto a stretcher and Wrath turned to watch them carry her to the ambulance van.
A tight grip around his hand made him glance down and he saw that Al's strong fingers clutching at the back of his hand, and that Al's knuckles were almost white with the force of them. Wrath dared a look at Al's face but the boy wasn't looking at him. His grey eyes were pointed directly at the scene over Wrath's shoulder. Wrath heard the slam of a door and suddenly found himself being jerked up by the arm.
"Wait!" Al yelled to the paramedics, "take us with you!" He pulled the surprised Homunculus after him as he raced down the path.
One of them, a female Wrath noted, jerked her lips into an unsure expression. "You're her sons?" she asked nicely.
"Yes," Al nodded enthusiastically, "please let us go."
The woman furrowed her brows into an almost pained expression before finally relenting, "ok- but stay out of the way." She ordered.
"We will!" Al exclaimed breathlessly and climbed into the van, dragging the unresisting Wrath behind him.
The trip to the hospital took 734 of the racing heartbeats Wrath could feel against his skin through the press of Al's thumb. By the time they got there Al was a rigid bundle of nerves beside him and Wrath was forced to lead him by the hand into the waiting room they were directed to.
The two boys sat silently on the badly-cushioned seats of the white-washed room and Al was yet to release Wrath's hand from his grip. Wrath twitched his fingers gently as he tried to force more blood through his constricted arteries.
The sudden shrill sound of an artificial meow made them both jump and Al finally pulled his hand away to shove it in his pocket. He drew out his methodically meowing phone and flipped it open.
"Hello?" he asked, his voice somewhat hoarse, like he'd been shouting or crying instead of sitting staring dumbly at the floor.
"Al? Where are you?" Wrath heard the muffled tone of Edward Elric hum through the air.
"A-At the hospital…Mum… she-she collapsed…" Al voice was tight and his free hand was curled into a fist.
"I'm coming." Ed told him sharply. The phone clicked faintly and Al slowly pulled it away from his ear, snapping it shut. He continued to stare at the floor.
Wrath knew there were things to say in these situations but for the life of him he couldn't think of any of them. Instead he peered sideways at the water shimmering in Al's eyes and tugged his hand back into his. Al looked up at him in surprise.
"I don't mind if you cry." Wrath told him quietly, causing the boy's features to contort into something between a grimace and a confused frown.
"I don't-" a knock interrupted Al's sentence and the two looked up at the white-coated man as he entered the room.
"You're the Elric brothers?" he asked kindly. Al nodded and, after a moment's hesitation, so did Wrath. The doctor nodded back, "I am Doctor Knox. You'll be relieved to hear that your mother is stable." Wrath heard Al expel the breath he'd been holding.
"What- What's wrong with her?" the blond asked softly.
"She has septicaemia. A cut on the palm of her left hand had become infected and the disease had spread." Al's expression turned pained. "She will have to stay in hospital for some time, but the disease has been caught early so she may be able to return home in just a few days." The doctor smiled, "she's going to be fine."
Wrath felt Al slump against him and turned his head sharply towards him. "Thank you doctor," Al finally expelled sincerely.
The doctor just nodded again, "you'll be able to see her in a few minutes," he informed them before leaving the room.
Al peeked up at Wrath through his heavy bangs. "I'm sorry," he said, "I dragged you along without even asking," he blushed lightly, "and I think I almost broke your hand." He gave a small, nervous laugh before unwinding his fingers from around the abused appendage. Wrath missed their presence acutely.
"You're welcome," Wrath replied, taking the apology as an Al-esque, nervous thank you.
"Oh," Al's eyes widened, "yes, thank you of course." Wrath blinked. "What?"
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
'General' Olivia Armstrong was not known to be a compassionate woman; however this did not mean that she was incapable of understanding. Therefore when she informed her friend of the events of his household she did allow him a few moments of irrationality.
"So you are planning to march straight into a hospital which is certain to house at least half a dozen Chimera and demand to see a wife you abandoned 12 years ago?" She inquired politely.
"Yes!" Hohenheim retorted, grabbing his coat from its old-fashioned stand and yanking it on.
Olivia waited until he'd completed the act before replying, "Do you think Dante has forgiven you?"
Hohenheim froze, "what?"
"Well as I recall she was very good at keeping grudges." Olivia watched him carefully as he studied her. "Sit back down Hohenheim, you're not going anywhere."
"I-!"
"-left your wife to protect her." Olivia finished for him forcefully.
"I know that!" Hohenheim shouted with frustration. Olivia didn't like being shouted at.
"So what do you think would happen if you turned up at her bedside now?" she asked frostily, "As it is Trisha and your sons are safe because Dante believes you couldn't care less for them- going now would jeopardise that protection."
"But…" Olivia watched as the man sunk down on to his chair in defeat.
"I'll go Hohenheim, I am their neighbour after all." She told him. He looked up her pleadingly and she sighed, "I'll be back soon." She turned on her heel and left the room briskly. She had no wish to look at her broken boss for any longer than she had to; 'General' Olivia Armstrong was not known for her compassion- and she wanted to keep it that way.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
"…I should go." Wrath finally said.
He stood up from his seat next to Al and the boy looked up at him in surprise, "why?"
"Your brother…" Wrath frowned as he tried to formulate the rest of his sentence, but it wouldn't come.
"But… how are you going to get home?" the blond asked unsurely.
"I'll walk."
"Oh… right," Al's fingers fidgeted in his lap and they both fixated on them as a distraction. "Erm… then thank you for… for coming with me. Again." Al said hesitantly as he looked back up, a small smile wavering across worried lips. Wrath nodded briskly in response and an awkward silence crept between the pair. Wrath racked his brain almost desperately for the social protocol of the situation and his mind grasped onto something he'd seen in a movie at some point.
Hesitantly, he held out his hand.
Al stared down, his eyes blinking with his surprise. Wrath felt a rush of embarrassment rush to his cheeks and he dropped his hand rapidly as he turned his head to blush. He nearly jumped at the tentative brush of Al's fingers as the slid across his palm and curled around the edge. His touch was warm and gentle and lingered disquietingly in the corners of Wrath's mind cosily close to the way Wrath's stomach behaved when he caught a flicker of a smile on Al's lips.
Wrath pulled back quickly, "…I should go." He repeated as he watched the other somewhat warily. Al's eyes were wide with surprise at his rapid withdrawal and his mouth was parted invitingly. Wrath backed away from the boy as though it would stop the strange thoughts pouring into his head and found himself pressed against the door. He opened his mouth to say some kind of goodbye but nothing came out and he stood frozen for a moment as Al watched him with anticipation. He shut his mouth with a click, pulled open the door behind him and darted out.
Wrath slipped past doctors, nurses and patients unnoticed as he progressed to the door. He felt weirdly reluctant to leave Al alone in the cold, impersonal room with nothing but a few old magazines thrown carelessly across a pine coffee table to keep him company and that unnerved him. Wrath was not used to feeling anything other than relief when he'd managed to find an excuse to leave another's company.
Wrath was pulled momentarily from his thoughts when a flash of blond rushed past him and disappeared down the corridor Wrath had just come from. He pushed down the sudden, irrational idea to following the blur back to where Al was and forced himself to continue moving in the opposite direction, right through the revolving front doors into the cool dusk air outside. An involuntary shudder ran down Wrath's spine as the tendrils of a cold wind glided over his heated skin and he quickly stepped back into the 25º Celsius of the hospital behind him. If anybody had been looking they would seen his skin glow as he synthesised the surface organ with the warm molecules of air around him, making himself a barrier which he could keep warm with his own circulatory system.
He stepped back out and the wind immediately buried itself in the strands of his hair, pulling them after itself as it raced off to the left, but Wrath couldn't feel its chill anymore. His eyes snuck a backwards glance over his shoulder and the glance quickly turned to glare as he realised what he was doing. He yanked his head forwards before starting to stride purposely away from the tall, concrete construction and towards the rush-hour streets of Amestris.
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
"Al?" Ed called as he wrenched open the door he'd been directed to.
"Brother!" Al exclaimed, he jumped up at from his seat and Ed strode across the cheap beige carpet to envelope him in a hug
"How's mum?" Ed demanded, still catching his breath from his run through the hospital, and pushed his brother to arm's length.
"She's gonna be ok" Al informed him with a small smile. "The doctor said we can see her in a minute."
Ed's features relaxed and he closed his eyes to let the feeling of relief wash over him, "and you? Are you ok?"
Al smiled and nodded as he replied, "yeah I'm fine, the paramedics made sure I was okay…"
Ed beamed at him, "good. So what was wrong with mum?" he asked as he let himself drop onto the hard chair beside him. Al joined him.
"Septicaemia- from the cut on her hand."
Ed stared at him in surprise, "but that was… how did it get infected so fast?"
"I don't know."
Ed frowned and was still frowning when the door was opened by a bespectacled middle-aged man with black stubble and a long white jacket. He held a red clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other.
"Doctor Knox," Al greeted the man keenly, "can we see our mother now?"
Doctor Knox gave the pair a confused frown, looking between one to the other, "you… are the Elric brothers…?"
"Yes," Ed confirmed, the man seemed uncertain of the answer and Ed had to wonder why- the family resemblance between him and Al was hardly minor.
Doctor Know finally halted his flickering glances and fixed his gaze on Al, "what- what happened to the other boy?" he asked hesitantly.
"What other boy?" Al replied curiously, his brows furrowed in polite confusion.
"Err… ah… I must have been thinking about someone else," the doctor answered slowly, "it's been quite a long day…"
"It's alright." Al smiled softly in a way that always reminded Ed of their mother. "Can- can we see our mum now?" Al asked with restrained impatience.
This seemed to pull the man away from whatever puzzled thoughts had been circling his brain as he suddenly smiled. "Yes you can." He told them, "but not for long I'm afraid- she's going to need plenty of rest,"
"Right!" Al nodded earnestly "where is she?"
Doctor Know smiled at the younger boy's enthusiasm and threw an amused glance at where Ed was reclining. Ed smiled back. "She's in ward 3." Knox answered, returning his gaze to Al.
"Thank you," Al replied, and was already at the door before Ed had gotten to his feet.
"Hey Al slow down," Ed laughed, "you'll leave me behind at this rate."
"Well hurry up then," the sixteen-year-old called over his shoulder.
"Oi!" Ed exclaimed and strode after him, leaving a bemused Doctor behind them. "I'm you older brother- you have to do what I say!" he demanded once he'd caught up.
"Since when has that happened?" Al replied smartly, sneaking a sideways look at his brother.
"Hey when you were younger you used to follow me around everywhere!" Ed rejoined, "You were cute back then. Now you're just insolent!"
"Well you're a brat with an inferiority complex who swears too much." Al retorted neatly.
"Hey! What do you mean 'inferiority complex'?" Ed returned defensively.
"Short."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT?" Ed raged loudly. The people surrounding them in the wide, white-washed corridor stared at them with expressions varying from shock to disapproval. "Err… sorry…" the blond apologised embarrassedly.
"That's what I mean." Al informed him as he walked away from the scene Ed had created.
"It is not an inferiority complex!" Ed retorted furiously. "It's everyone thinking I'm short just because they're all so freakishly tall!" he exclaimed.
"Right," Al drawled and pushed open a pair of pale doors labelled 'Ward 3' before stepping inside. There were two women sitting behind a curved desk to the left but Al evidently didn't think he'd need their help to find his mother in an open ward as he walked straight past them. Ed hurried after him, still insulted over the 'inferiority complex' comment but deciding that his brother could be dealt with later- when he least expected it.
They stepped into a ward lined with chequered green and white curtains shimmering with a plastic sheen. Ed peered into each one as they walked past, checking for soft grey eyes and rich brown hair, and nearly missed her. Lank, dark hair was splayed across the stark white pillow and her eyes were hidden behind colourless eyelids. Her eyebrows were drawn together in discomfort and the pasty skin of her face glistened with sweat.
"Mum!" Al exclaimed as he saw her. He ran to her side with wide eyes and grabbed a hand lying prostrate beside her weakened form. Ed watched the colourless eyelids open slowly and those soft grey eyes he'd been looking for appeared.
"Alphonse," Trisha whispered hoarsely, dry lips breaking into a smile. She turned her head slightly and looked directly at Ed, "Edward." She reached out her free, white-wrapped hand to the standing boy and he shuffled forward obediently.
"How you doing Mum?" he murmured as he slipped his fingers through her warm digits.
"I'm ok," she replied, her voice still low and cracking slightly.
"Do you want some water?" Ed asked concernedly.
"Yes please," Ed turned to pour her a glass but Al had beaten him to it and was already placing the cool glass in her reaching hand. She brought it up to gulp greedily and the two brothers exchanged a worried look over her head.
"Are you sure you're ok Mum?" Ed pressed. The infirmed woman pulled the vessel away from her mouth guiltily and placed it on the flimsy, plastic tray/table in front of her and shook her head.
"Not yet… the doctor said it would be a few days at least before I'll be better," she admitted as she stared down at her newly bandaged hand.
"Yeah he told us that too," Ed told her gruffly, he pushed his hands in his pockets.
"What happened, Mum?" Al asked from the other side of the bed. Ed glanced over to him before returning his glance to his mother who smiled sheepishly.
"I forgot to wash it," she confessed, lifting her hand slightly.
Ed sighed and smiled. "Idiot."
"Oi!" she exclaimed, "don't talk to your mother that way!"
"I'll talk anyway I like to a woman who can't even remember to wash her wounds!" Ed replied hotly, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. In his corner Al began to laugh, causing Ed to throw glare over, "what are you laughing about?"
Al grinned at him, "you."
Ed opened his mouth to inform him just what he thought of boys who mocked their older, superior brothers but was caught short by a new arrival. She was blonde with ice blue eyes which could certainly give an icy stare. Even at 5' 9" she cut an imposing figure and you always had the disconcerting feeling that she was concealing a weapon somewhere when you were around her. Her face was beautiful but just one look told you all you needed to know on how glacial the woman beneath could be.
"Hello Olivia," his mother greeted their next door neighbour with a smile.
"Trisha, how are you?" Olivia Armstrong replied, keeping her position at the end of the bed.
"I'll be ok. I forgot to wash a wound and it got infected but I'll be fine after a course of antibiotics that I can't pronounce and some penicillin," Trisha replied with a soft laugh.
Armstrong seemed to take this into careful consideration. "Well that explains why your house was so warm yesterday." She deliberated. All three Elrics stared at her with identical looks of bemusement, "you must have had a fever."
Ed watched a light dawn in his mother's eyes. "How can you not realise when you have a fever?" He demanded disbelievingly.
"I only felt cold!" Trisha defended.
Armstrong cut across the familial quarrel brusquely, "when will you be getting home?"
"I'm not really sure yet," Ed's mother admitted. "Hopefully before the end of the week."
"Right. I'll leave you to rest then." The general told her just as brusquely as she'd asked her question.
"Yes of course. Thank you for coming Olivia."
"You're welcome." The blonde woman always strode, Ed noticed, no matter where she was going.
"You should probably go too boys, you've got school tomorrow." Trisha suggested as soon as Armstrong's footsteps had disappeared beneath the chattering and machines of the ward.
"But Mum-" Al began to protest.
"No Al. You still need to eat dinner; I know neither of you has packed your bag; and one of you is bound to have homework that needs doing. If you don't go now, you'll be up so late you'll miss first period tomorrow morning." Ed wondered if it was a skill of mothers to be able to lecture even when lying weakened in hospital bed.
"Boys?" Ed turned to see who had interrupted them again- it was a nurse. "I'm afraid it's the end of visiting hours- you'll have to leave, but you can come back tomorrow." She smiled kindly at them.
"See- God's on my side." Trisha almost smirked.
"You don't even believe in God," Ed grumbled under his breath.
"I can take a sign," his mother replied accommodatingly.
"Come on Ed, we've got to go anyway," Al told him. "I'll see you tomorrow Mum." The youngest added, kissing his mother on the cheek.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Ed reiterated, his hands sliding back into his pockets.
"What no kiss?" Trisha inquired teasingly.
"No," Ed answered with a scowl.
Trisha laughed, "Oh my big boy's all grown up- he doesn't love his mother anymore."
Ed glared at her, "shut up. I didn't say that."
Trisha laughed again, "I know," she smiled softly. "I'll see you boys tomorrow."
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
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