Face Down
AN: This was inspired by a video on you tube. I do not own FMA or any of its characters.
Chapter 1: Intervention
"What now, Ed? I warned you, didn't I? I told you this would happen."
Edward remained silent as Envy backhanded him across the face again. He'd grown accustomed to the almost nightly beatings. This time it was because he hadn't hidden the marks well enough. Winry had gotten suspicious and come to check. She'd been so persistent it had only made Envy angrier which worsened his beating. Somehow, he felt it wasn't enough. This must be some form of punishment for his immense misdeeds, yet he felt it didn't hurt him enough. It wasn't nearly close enough to what his brother had endured without a body for so long. He winced as Envy pulled him up by his braid.
"You're quite fond of this hair of yours. Aren't you pipsqueak?"
Edward didn't show any feeling and avoided the homunculus' gaze. Envy laughed low in his throat. His unoccupied hand started to glow and change shape until a blade took form.
"Cherish it while you can. It won't be there much longer."
Envy brought the blade up and sliced through the thick hair at its base, letting Edward drop to the ground. He looked up where his half brother held the woven mass of golden hair in his hand. The braid was tossed to a corner of the room and Ed was lifted by the front of his shirt and thrown out the front door of the apartment. Envy spit at him.
"Tch. You're pathetic. Find somewhere else to sleep you ungrateful little bitch."
The door was shut. Ed heard the lock click into place. Well, it looked like he was at Al's tonight. He dragged himself up, bracing himself against the wall, and started for the elevator. He limped with each step, his real leg having gotten quite a bit of abuse tonight. It was just like any other time. He would go to Al's and Al would give him a lecture and dress his wounds. Then, later, Envy would call and apologize, tell him he loved him and promise it would never happen again. Edward managed to get into the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. Once the doors were shut, he slumped to the ground. Reaching up, he felt the back of his head where his braid used to be, now shorn and uneven. He felt the sting of tears prick at his eyes. His hair was one of the few things he secretly prided himself on. He always took very good care of his hair, and had grown it long for a reason. The ding of the lift sobered him up. Once the doors opened, he struggled up and made his way out of it and the front lobby. Once outside, he took a moment to rest when he heard a familiar voice.
"Brother?"
Ed gasped. No. Al couldn't see him now. Not until he'd composed him self enough to ignore the pain, to bear it as silently and emotionlessly as he had when he'd received the injuries. He stood straight even though it sent a wave of pulsing agony through his form. Al ran up to him.
"Brother, what are you doing out here? Did he kick you out again?"
Ed smiled. Al was the only one who knew other than Envy and himself. The kid was just too intuitive. He'd figured it out for himself quickly, and Ed was just as quick to make his brother promise never to tell anyone. Not Winry, not Pinako, not even Roy could ever know about this. Al had reluctantly agreed. He was thankful to the boy for giving him a place to stay any time he found himself with nowhere to go. Nights like tonight. Al gasped when he caught sight of his brother's hair.
"Oh, Brother…"
"Don't worry about it, Alphonse. Okay?" Al dropped his head.
"We should get you to someone who can make that look a lot better."
Ed followed Al to his car that was parked at the street corner. The car pulled up in front of a hair parlor. There, he got his hair fixed so it looked like he'd purposely cut it. He wouldn't let them touch his bangs though. After that was taken care of, they started for Al's house. When they were a few blocks away, Al turned to Ed.
"Brother, you can't take much more of this. You may not see it, but I see it, and so does Winry, and everyone else. This is slowly killing you. Even if they don't know why, they do know you're changing. You can't hide it forever."
"Oh, really? And why can't I?"
Al sighed. "I figured it out. And the colonel and lieutenant aren't stupid either. They'll figure it out, and you know how angry Mustang will be. You really need to break it off brother."
"Don't tell me how to live my life, Al" Ed growled out. "All I'm doing is taking my punishment, and I'm taking it with pride."
Al hit the brakes and the tires squealed to a stop. The enraged boy whipped his head toward his brother. His face was hard and scornful.
"THIS IS TAKING IT WITH PRIDE!!? GETTING KICKED OUT AND RUNNING TO ME WITH YOUR TAIL BETWEEN YOUR LEGS FIVE NIGHTS OUT OF THE WEEK!!? IF THAT'S PRIDE, THEN I WANT NONE OF IT! AND WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU DESERVE THIS?! WE MADE THE SAME MISTAKES BROTHER!!!! IF THIS IS YOUR PUNISHMENT, IT SHOULD BE MINE TOO!!!"
Ed stared at his little brother. He'd never looked at or spoken to Ed like that before. The older blonde sat in astonishment. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Al's face softened and he sighed in defeat.
"Don't worry, Al." Ed started. "I can handle this my…"
"But you don't have to. Can't you understand that, Brother? You don't have to do everything on your own. It's okay to ask for help sometimes. Now, you really need it. You're just too stubborn to see that."
Ed groaned. "How many times are we gonna have this conversation."
"However many times it takes for you to leave him." Al said decisively.
"Can we continue it later then?"
"Fine, but it's not gone for long."
Ed lay there on Al's couch in his cat filled apartment, the newest cat, an unusually small kitten named Neji, was curled up on his chest sleeping. Every so often he'd lift a hand to run his fingers through his freshly cut hair while staring blankly at the TV. He remembered why he'd worn it long. At first it was because they didn't have enough money with them for him to spend on his hair when they were starting their journey. Then, once they'd made it to central, once and only once, the colonel had told him it made him look cute. He'd thrown a hissy fit then to keep up the illusion that he hated the older man, but instead of cutting it, he started taking better care of it then he ever had. Even Al hadn't known that. It was one of his most well guarded secrets. But that was all water under the bridge now. His pride and joy was gone and he deserved it. His thoughts were interrupted when Al picked Neji up and replaced him with a phone. Ed, knowing who it was, picked it up.
"Hello, Edward Elric speaking."
"Hey, Pipsqueak," came a guilty sounding voice from the other end. "I wanted to apologize…about before. It's just been really hard for me to find a new job. I've been so frustrated lately I guess I've been taking it out on you a lot."
"I understand. It's not your fault." Ed answered.
"No. It is. I'm sorry. That's never going to happen again, I promise. You want me to come take care of you, Babe?"
"It's alright. Don't worry about me. Al's got me wrapped up already and I'm really tired."
"Alright then. Get some sleep and come home tomorrow straight after work."
"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow. Night."
"Night, Sweety." There was a click and the line cut off. He turned the phone off and handed it to Al who glared at him.
"What?"
"You're an idiot."
"Love you too, Alphonse"
Alphonse turned away so Ed wouldn't see the guilty look on his face. 'You won't love me tomorrow' he thought to himself.
Ed walked into work with a bruised cheek, a limp, a new hair cut, and a well rehearsed excuse. He was heading to his desk when Havoc approached him.
"Hey, Ed, the colonel wants to see you in his…wow. You look like hell. What happened to you, Kid?"
"Fell down the stairs in my building. Just paid for the hair cut and I would've had to pay medical bills too if Al didn't know his way around a first-aid kit as well as he does."
Havoc looked skeptical, but let it go. "Well, the colonel wants to see you. You'd better get going." He walked away, smoking like a chimney as usual. Ed grumbled. What did Roy want now? He'd been through too much shit in the last twenty-four hours to deal with his crap right now. He made his way to the colonel's office. He knocked and heard the deep voice on the other side mutter "come in". He opened the door and walked in.
"You wanted to see me, Mustang?" He said, flopping down on the couch.
"Fullmetal, it appears you've had an accident lately." The colonel said, assessing the extent of his injuries "and a hair cut." He stated with a slightly disappointed undertone. "I understand you've started dating the homunculus known as Envy."
"Oh. That's sweet colonel. I never knew you took such an interest in your subordinates' love lives."
"I do when their well-being is at stake. This," he gestured toward Ed's injuries "Was no accident. Am I right?"
Ed glared at him. "I fell. That's all there is to it."
"Hm. That's interesting. Hawekeye," he addressed the lieutenant, "have you ever known Edward, with his cat-like reflexes, to be injured this badly by falling down stairs?"
"No sir," she answered. "I don't buy it. Especially considering how many times he's used that excuse already. Now, Edward, care to tell us what's really going on?"
His eyes narrowed at them. "I don't have to explain myself to you."
"Oh yes you do," Roy corrected. "I'm your commanding officer. My word is law, and I say I want the truth and I want it now." Ed turned his head away.
"Edward," Hawkeye tried in a more gentle tone. "We just want what's best for you." He still refused to look at either of them. Roy stood up from his desk and walked over to the blonde boy, putting his face in front of Edward's. "He's hurting you, Edward. Isn't he?"
He still remained silent. He looked back and forth between them. "I don't have to tell you anything. It's none of your business what I do with my life. You're just as bad as Al."
Roy glared at him. He pressed on Edward's leg making the boy hiss in pain and flinch away.
"It seems awfully tender for a simple fall. I seem to recall an extensive lack of leg injuries thus far.