Alfons came home from the market with a single brown paper bag of groceries. He hoped that the food would last for a few weeks, though he doubted it. With Ed's appetite, the food would be gone within a few days. He sighed as he sat the bag on the kitchen counter and made his way, upstairs, to the bedroom.
He found that the door was already slightly ajar, so he pushed it open a little and peered into the room. To his surprise, Ed's bed was empty, and the covers hadn't been moved at all. He walked into the room and looked at his own bed, though he knew Ed wouldn't be resting on his bed. Where was he?
Alfons' heartbeat sped up as he quickly walked out of the room. He knocked on the bathroom door, but he received no answer. He pushed the door open, but no one was in there either. Fear and panic gripped his heart as he raced back downstairs, not caring about the coughing fit that was surely coming on.
"Ed? Edward? Hello?!" Alfons' voice rang throughout the otherwise silent house. He darted around chairs and tables in the kitchen and ran into the living room. No sign of Ed. He doubled over and coughed into his hand a few times before he resumed his search.
He nearly sprinted into the study room as he wrenched the door open. And there he was, with his head resting on a set of blueprints on the wooden desk. Alfons let out a relieved sigh and managed to stifle his cough. He panted, trying to catch his breath as well as calm his frantically beating heart. He leaned on the doorway and watched his friend sleep for a minute or two.
His friend.... Alfons would never admit it to anyone - hell, he could hardly accept it himself -, but he held a strange fascination for Edward. He often would catch himself staring at the young man while they worked together, or when they were getting dressed for the day. He knew it wasn't right - that it was socially unacceptable....
"But no one has to know," Alfons whispered to himself before walking out of the room.
He trudged up the stairs, listening to his shoes clack on the wooden steps. He reached the bedroom and grabbed the blanket off of Ed's bed. He held it close to his face for a moment and stood still. He let out a shaky breath and tucked the blanket under his arm, as he headed out of the room and downstairs once more.
He reached the study and smiled at the still-sleeping Edward. He draped the blanket over Edward's sleeping form, barely letting Ed's head poke out from under it. He reached out to touch Ed's golden ponytail, but quickly retracted his hand.
"What's wrong with me?" Alfons asked the room, hoping for an answer. Of course, it didn't come. He sighed and shook his head. His blue eyes rested on Ed's face for a moment. He gently touched Ed's left shoulder.
"Good night, Ed," he murmured softly, before he turned away and walked out of the room, quietly coughing into his hand....
"'Night, Alfons," Ed whispered back.
