FULL METAL ALCHEMIST

HOLLOW

Chapter I: Numbness

By: Jetlaggy

(Rated T)

Foul language, and adult nudity.

Rating may change.

Summary:

"After Edward disappears forever, and returns Alphonse's body back to flesh, Alphonse falls ill, and doesn't tell anyone that he's sick. Eventually, all the searching he does for his brother overcomes his frail state, and he collapses one day, and is rushed back to Central for urgent care. Roy comes to find out he's sick, and decides to care for the young boy."

Warning this story contains character death, yaoi, between an older man and a young boy. Reader discretion is advised. If you do not like the sort of thing, then do not read it. Also, this is an AU Roy x Alphonse fic. If you do not like this pairing, I suggest that you press the back button on your browser. Otherwise, enjoy reading.

Flames with be put out with my hose.

It had been one year since they had heard the name "Full Metal Alchemist". It had been one year since anyone had seen the ill-tempered, talented young man. No one knows what happened to him. No one knows where he went. And no one wanted to tell Alphonse that it was a possibility that Edward Elric was dead. But even if someone had, Alphonse would never listen. He'd never give up on his brother. He was just stubborn that way, just like his brother. He was going to find him. That was his mission in life. To find his brother, and to bring him home to Winry and grandmother Pinako.

That's an easier said than done situation. Alphonse had been searching for the past year for his older brother. But every lead, every rumor he had dug into, it all led to nothing but a disappointment and a heart full of sorrow. But just because Edward wasn't in this town, doesn't mean he wouldn't be in the next. It didn't mean that possibly, Edward was just playing a game with Al, a very big game of hide and go seek. If that were the case, if he were to find him in that scenario, he'd have to bludgeon him with a very big stick for making Alphonse spend hundreds or thousands of dollars, and traveling to almost every town.

But nevertheless, Alphonse would still rejoice for finding his long lost brother. And when he did find him, he would ask him all kinds of questions. Questions that Alphonse figured he deserved to know.

Alphonse shifted in his seat, sitting in the usual spot that Edward would sit on the train, elbow on the windowsill, chin in hand, watching the world pass him by.

Alphonse puffed a sigh of air, and continued to day dream. He didn't want to make himself feel depressed again. He knew it couldn't be entirely Edward's fault…everyone has their reasons for hiding. They really do. And usually, they give reason to why they are hiding to their brothers and best friends.

This thought made Alphonse want to scoff, but that wasn't in him to do that. Alphonse knew deep down that Edward would eventually someday come back. It was just a matter of time and patience.

But, Alphonse didn't know if he even had that kind of time. Every day ever since he'd woken up, Alphonse had felt an ache in his body. Not a dull ache, but the kind of ache that just made you want to lie down, and not move. Or possibly curl up in the fetal position, and sob. Either and or. That's what Alphonse felt like right now. He didn't feel like moving, or getting up to get off the train. If he had the choice, he'd curl up on the chair and just sleep. He just felt so tired all the time. He didn't understand why. But he couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't like he was having insomnia at night, either. He would sleep, and sleep. If it weren't for having to go to the bathroom, or some loud noise waking him, he'd probably sleep forever.

'Sleeping forever…'Alphonse thought. 'I can't let that happen. I need to make sure somebody wakes me up…I…I don't want to sleep forever.'

Alphonse face fell. Just the thought of death made him feel even more terrible, and very saddened. But sleeping forever wasn't necessarily dying, it was just sleeping. And if someone woke him up, it would all be okay.

With that thought, Alphonse relaxed, blowing out a sigh of relief. 'Stupid thoughts…'

Out the window, Alphonse could see the outskirts of the next town. He groaned inwardly, knowing that he'd have to get up and move again. But it was for a good cause, and this thought made Alphonse feel more in tuned to move his body.

In what seems to be minutes, the train begins to come to a stop. This wakens a dozing Alphonse. The boy sighed and stretched, even if his aching body tells him not to. He stands up, and gathers his briefcase from overhead, and stands in the line of people getting of the train.

With all the hustle and bustle, and between his mind being groggy from his small nap, Alphonse forgot where he had stopped at. Alphonse quickly looked for some sort of a sign that told him exactly where he was located.

Ishval

"Whew…" Alphonse sighed, relieved. "Now to find some place to stay for the night and I'll start my look tomorrow."

Ever since Roy's reign as Fuehrer, he had been trying to make a truce with the Ishvalan's. Some of the Ishvalan people agreed, and some just flat out refused, calling the "new order" a pack full of lies, and revolted at the idea of a new alliance.

The paper work on Roy's desk couldn't be higher because of this. Roy works double time, nowadays, trying to get every person happy, or healthy, signing for health care, and cutting costs of this, and that. It seemed to be a lot of work to others eyes, but Roy found this job to be a refresher. It may still include the paper work, but with this position he was able to really make a difference. He could actually give the order to help, if people were in need. Roy was proud of his work, and of his new position.

The man smacked his lips together, trying to get some moisture back into his dry mouth. He'd been sitting in the same chair for the past eleven hours, writing, and signing. His dreary eyes grazed over to the clock that read "11am".

"…"

Well, maybe he'd been here in this dull room longer than eleven hours. All he knew is that he was dead tired, there were bags beneath his eyes, and he was about to make a pillow out of his desk, and a blanket out of his papers. He leaned back into his chair, and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

"Well…May as well call it a night." He mumbled wearily to the walls.

Roy stood from his throne of paper and pens, grabbed his long black coat of the rack, and walked out.

"Leaving, Sir?" asked the woman, who was behind a desk his new secretary, typing away.

"Yes." Roy replied after a few moments. He wasn't really paying attention, because he was too busy fighting sleep. He was surprised with himself that he had least had this much responsiveness..

"I'll call a car around to drive you home, Sir." The woman told him, quickly picking up the phone.

"Thanks." He responded, and walked over to a chair and plopped himself there until his escort got there.

Moments later, a young man walked in. "Fuehrer? I'm here to pick you up, Sir." The young man said.

"Good." Roy uttered with sleepiness, standing up.

"Right this way, Fuehrer Roy." The man said, walking behind Roy just to make sure the poor, tired man didn't fall over on himself.

Roy got into the back seat, and leaned his back, relaxing.

Finally, sleep.

By the time Alphonse had found some place to sleep, it was 10pm. Way past his bedtime. But he didn't care, really. He had used the entire day to search high and low for his older sibling. But the turnout was a bust. No one had seen the Full Metal Alchemist.

Alphonse was finally getting to sleep, his eyes drooping, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He turned to the side, and groaned out painfully. Alphonse eyes closed, his face contorting in pain. He began to pant heavily. He needed a doctor. So with all his strength, Al stood up and walked out of the small make shift area they called a room. An old man noticed Al, and walked over to him.

"Eh, are you ok?" the gruff old man asked. Al could only turn and look at him, before collapsing before the man.

"Oh! Somebody! Hurry! This boy is hurt!" the man shouted.

All Alphonse could remember were people gathering around him before everything turned black.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang.

Roy was in a dead sleep. But not anymore, thanks to the phone. The tired man was getting fed up with it. He was about to throw the damned thing out the window.

But instead, he crept one arm out of the nice warm cocoon he had formed with his blankets, and answered the phone. Not so nicely, of course.

"What the hell are you calling me for?" Roy screamed into the phone furiously.

"Sir, it's Alphonse." The voice on the other end said, worry marrying the voice.

"Huh? Al?" Roy said muddled. "You don't mean Alphonse Elric, right?"

"Yes, Sir, that's exactly who I'm talking about." The voice informed him.

"What's wrong?" he sat up in his bed, now fully awake.

"Mr. Elric was on the East side, in Ishval, doing business…"the voice trailed off.

"And?" Roy demanded.

"He- he just collapsed on the ground, sir." The voice told him.

"What!" he jumped, baffled. 'He's sick?'

"Have him brought to Central immediately. And keep me posted!" Roy ordered, and slammed the phone onto the receiver.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Alphonse Elric…?" Roy wondered aloud.

"Your brother would have my ass." He scoffed, and got up to change into his uniform.

Well, that is the first chapter. Please review, and be honest!