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Pain-Physical discomfort or suffering caused by illness or injury.

Synonyms- suffering, agony, discomfort, torture, torment, ache... the list could go on and on. If he wanted to Ed could list every synonym of the fucking word. He knew pain. He knew agony. He knew what could make a grown man break, he knew it all.

Over the years you would think that the pain would have lessened, that the blade digging into his very being would have become dull with its use. But you would be wrong, over the years, through the many battles with various foes, the pain only seemed to grow sharper, deadlier with it's accuracy and strength. There was no relief, no break in the endless torment that seemed to bombard his very essence, his very soul.

Surely there had to be something more than pain and anguish left in the young man, there had to be some good points in his short life. And there had been, there had been amazing moments that seemed to line up and have some semblance of stability, but all those moments, those little pieces of clarity, had been dirtied by his mistakes. His mother, Nina, Al... they had all ended up victims to his very presence. He had killed them simply by knowing them.

It was all his fault, every bad thing in the world, that had ever happened to anyone, was his fault. All the famine, disease, war... hatred, it had all stemmed form him being born into this cruel world.

He couldn't help but feel this way, he had never really had a huge success in his life, just minor ones. And every major thing he tried to accomplish, somehow fell apart in the end.

Human transmutation... Studying for his Alchemic License... Not Paying enough attention to the details. In general, being naïve to the worlds tricks and tendencies. He had been ignorant and he had paid the ultimate price.

Ed struggled to open his heavy eyelids, waking to the blaring alarm clock next to him. Groaning he reached towards the noisy device, feeling around for the damn snooze button. Failing to find the accursed thing, he rolled out of bed, yanking the alarm clock out of the wall as he went.

Finally, peace... since I'm up, might as well shower.

Limping towards the bathroom, he cursed the man still lying on the bed. Jackass, always being so damn rough. Last time I lend him my services.

Stepping into the shower he gave a hoarse chuckle, trying to recall the guys name.

James, John,...Jack. That was his name. The married man who lived down by the river on Kimball Ave. Three kids, a dog, and a white picket fence, yet he still comes here... guess he doesn't realize just how good he has it. Doesn't realize how a simple miscalculation or oversight can change everything. He's playing with fire.

I guess the question.. Why on Earth does the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, have a married man lying in his bed... may be going through your mind. Well, it's a little known fact that Edward, on his days off, is a whore. He wasn't really a whore to begin with. After Al...passed, he would do anything to drown out the pain. For a while alcohol had kept the demons at bay, then pain killers seemed to work for a spell. Finally, after seemingly nowhere else to turn, Edward turned sex into his vice. The whole exchange of money had just been a bonus, not that he really needed the cash, he was an alchemist after all. The cash he earned just covered the expenses for the rented room, and clothes that needed replaced/repaired by his more passionate customers... like Jack.

Stepping out of the shower, Ed gave himself a quick glance in the mirror, he'd lost weight again. Stepping closer he also noticed the blooming bruise just beneath his collar bone.

Swinging the bathroom door open he stomped back into the room, quickly yanking the sheets away, exposing the man between them.

"Dammit Jack! How may times have I told you not to leave any marks above the waist! It's fucking a hundred degrees outside and now I have to wear a damn jacket! You damn asshat!"

"Ugh, you're so damn feisty in the morning, are you wanting to go for a round two or something?"

"No way in hell, I'm almost late for work and you need to go back home to your FAMILY."

"Ehh come on, just a little oral, surely you have time for-"

Intercepting the arm reaching for the towel swung lowly around his waist , he gave it a quick twist, showing his disapproval.

Yelping, the man on the bed, leapt up, trying to right his arm.

"You little fucker!" The man shouted readying himself for a right hook.

Clapping, Ed quickly encased the man in a blanket prison, restricting the violent movements.

"Fucker, let me out."

"No"

"Goddammit, you little piece of..." the man rambled on for a good ten minutes as Ed dressed and prepared himself for the rough day ahead. The throbbing in his ass wasn't lessening any, and he knew the walk to work was gonna be hell, especially if he had to run any errands during lunch. He definitely wasn't looking forward to the day ahead.

Realizing the man behind him had quieted, he gave a quick glance in his direction. Meeting the steely blue eyes of his captive, he realized that he was probably gonna have to let him go before leaving for work.

"If I release you are you gonna behave, or do I have to gag you up and leave you here the whole day?

A quick, "I'll be good" was grumbled, before a flash of blue set the man free. dressing hurriedly, the man made for the door.

"And Jack..." the man paused, one foot outside the door," don't come back here again. Our business is finished." The younger man said, in a deadly quite tone.

A quick nod, and the man was gone, leaving Edward with his thoughts.

Today really is gonna suck.

I decided to rewrite this story because it need a little freshening up, hope you didn't see the original :/ it was kinda sorta awful.

~Tempest