Victimized
By: Song
Summary: Because there's a difference between love and sex. Non-con, rape.
A/U: I must say, I am disgusted with you people. Do you have any idea how many fics there are with the words 'rape' in the description and 'romance' as the genre? There is NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CUTE, DESIRABLE OR ROMANTIC ABOUT RAPE. One out of every SIX women, and one out of thirty three men have been raped or sexually assaulted. One in FOUR girls and one in SIX boys under the age of 18 will have experienced a sexual assault- most of these assaults happen between ages seven and thirteen. LESS THAN 30 PERCENT OF ALL SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE REPORTED; that means that these numbers could, and likely are FAR under the actual statistics. Survivors are far (THREE TO TWENTY SEVEN TIMES!) more likely to suffer things such as drug abuse, depression and panic disorders. Rape destroys lives.
Wake up world. THIS IS NOT OKAY.
One eye cracked open at the sound of the door. Gracia was still curled into his side, fast asleep.
It was very late at night. Or early in the morning, depending on perspective. Maes Hughes rubbed his eyes extricating himself from the bed and stumbling to the door. Who in their right mind would be calling at this time? He yawned, wishing he wasn't such a damn light sleeper.
Whatever fatigue he had left when he opened the door.
It was Ed. His nose was bloody, his lip was split and one of his eyes was just about swollen shut. His coat was missing, and his cloths were in tatters.
"Ed, what are you doing here!" He asked in shock.
"I-I'm sorry... I just didn't know where else to go, an-and I don't want Al to know... and... I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll go now.." He trailed off, turning.
"No! Ed, I'm sorry, just- shocked. Come in- come in." He chauffeured the boy through the threshold, directing him to kitchen table where he could get a better look. He pulled out a chair for him while he set to work making some hot chocolate. When he turned around he was surprised to find Ed standing, despite looking dead on his feet.
"Ed, why don't you sit down..?"
"I.. I can't." He whispered, mortified.
"Ed..?" Maes' voice was weary with trepidation.
"It hurts," was the simple answer.
"If your injuries are that bad Ed, you should be in a hospital, not a house."
"NO! No hospitals! Please..." Ed cut him off. God, he looked so small. "I'd... I'd rather have you do it."
Against his better judgment the decision was made. "Let's get you cleaned up. The bathroom is the first door-" but Ed was falling. Luckily he was close enough to catch him as he collapsed. He was bewilderingly heavy, for such a little person. Maes supposed it was the automail.
The bathroom was not far away, and it did not take much effort to deposit Ed there. With one hand he threw some towels on the floor to cushion Ed from the cold tile, gently resting him on the makeshift bed. Ed was unwilling to let go. "I'll be right back Ed, I just need to inform Gracia." He coaxed.
Ed nodded reluctantly. Maes got the sense that the new waves of pain were all that Ed could comprehend at the moment.
When he returned Ed was staring a little hazily at the bathtub.
"Can... can I take a bath?"
"Alright Ed. Do whatever you need."
He tuned on the bath, checking the running water as he always did for Elicia reasoning that Ed would need his help in much the same way as his daughter.
Satisfied with the temperature he met Ed's eyes. Humiliated tears were leaking from them. He was too weak to undress himself- as Maes had expected.
Maes eased off Ed's cloths careful not to jostle anything, casting away the soiled cloth as a lost cause while making a mental note to bag them for evidence. It didn't escape his notice that Ed's underclothes were missing. He held back any reaction as he saw the state of Ed's body. Despite Ed's unsuccessful attempts to cover his exposed genitalia, it was obvious to Maes what had happened. His thighs were bruised and blood was running down the inside of his leg. His automail was dented and what looked like bites littered his flesh. This was as bad, if not worse than many of the crime scenes he had investigated.
Because it was too close to home.
Distancing himself Maes surveyed the situation. The boy was naked before him, far skinnier than he had ever imagined. He must not be taking care of himself. Maes was incredibly grateful that he had some experience bathing another human, else he might be completely lost. Though, giving a squirming toddler a bath and this were bound to be totally different experiences.
When the water had reached a sufficient depth he moved Ed from the cocoon of towels to the tub. With the little strength he had Ed clutched Maes' arms as his only lifeline. Once Ed was settled he went to remove one of the oldest and softest washcloths from the cupboard. Maes began to wash the golden haired child, teasing away the blood and other bodily fluids from his skin and down the drain.
Ed's eyes were closed as he rested his abused back against the cool wall. He didn't say a word throughout the entirety of the bath. He tensed when it came to cleaning some of the more severe contusions, particularly the various ones to Ed's nether regions.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Ed. I just need to make sure that there aren't any more injuries that need attending to. It won't take more than a minuet, I promise."
He received only the slightest confirmation from Ed, who was gritting his teeth. In pain or humiliation or both, it was unclear.
Indeed, Ed's most intimate areas were red and inflamed- but there would be no lasting physical damage. The only lasting damage would be to Ed's psyche.
"Its all done Ed... its all over now, I'm here..." he comforted as he lifted Ed from the tub more gently than he would even his daughter. Ed held to his chest with what little strength he had left. Gently wrapping the boy (because really, that's all he was) in the warm blanket he had retrieved while talking to Gracia he moved from the bathroom to the couch before situating Ed lovingly in his lap.
He was crying in earnest now. Chocked sobs that made his whole body shake. Maes' just rubbed comforting circles on his back. "It's all right... just let it all out...
"Oh Ed..." Maes said, holding the child close and rocking him. "There is a difference between love and sex. Anyone who wants to hurt you does not love you, no matter what they say."
"But it hurts... it hurts so much..." Ed mumbled.
"I know Ed, I know... Someday Ed, you'll find someone wonderful. Just for you. Someone to love you, and pamper you, and be your entire world. Someone you can love back. Someday, you'll have a family all of your own. Someday, all of this will be behind you. All the hurt and pain and humiliation. You've gone through a lot in your life Ed. You've gone through trials where many grown men would have given up. You'll make it through this as well.
"You are not a victim, Edward Elric, you are a survivor. Never forget that, Ed. Never."
Fin
Well, I hope you have learned something today. Check out my dA (Not-Think) for empowering stamps like the last lines of this story.