Sick Leave
Italic is thoughts of the characters
Ed had been feeling horrible since he arrived at central, six hours ago. 'Only two more hours
until I can go home.' Ed sat at a desk directly across from the colonel's. Ed kept glancing up
from his papers, either to look at the clock or at Roy. 'He looks like he's working hard, but he's
not. Damn show off.' They had been working quietly for half an hour but the silence was
interrupted by a very loud and distracting sneeze followed by coughing. Roy looked at Ed with
an expression of worry and annoyance. Ed was really milking the coughing. There was only and
hour and a half left but Ed wanted to go now. "Just go Full metal." Ed stopped his coughing and
looked at Roy to make sure he wasn't kidding, but he had already diverted his attention back to
his paper work. Ed didn't waste any time, he grabbed his coat and headed out the door.
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Roy arrived home later then usual, he had stopped by Hawkeye's office to deliver paper work.
Roy took off his coat and boots and headed into the kitchen. On his way there he heard
moaning coming from the bathroom. Curiosity got the best of him and he went down the hall
to the bathroom. The door was ajar, the light was on and the shower was running. Roy pushed
the door open and stepped inside. Roy pulled the curtain open to reveal Ed on the floor curled
up in a ball. "What's your problem?" Roy asked him flatly. "I feel horrible, my nose is stuffed,
my head hurts, I'm cold, I threw up and I'm tired." Ed groaned and held his sides. Roy sighed
and grabbed a towel from the rack next to him. "Come on." Roy said as he held out his hand for
Ed. Ed stood and turned off the water, his whole body was shaking. Roy noticed and wrapped in
the towel. Roy then lifted Ed and started carrying him to the bedroom. Ed was tired and when
he was tired he got loopy and mumbled strange things. "You take such good care of me." Ed
stated as he clumsily ran his hand down the side of Roy's face. Roy put Ed down gently on the
bed and started going through a drawer looking for Ed's pyjamas. Ed sat on the bed in a daze,
he started tipping over but he steadied himself and decided he had something to say. "I am not
going to *cough* to work tomorrow." Ed smiled triumphantly as if he had completed a great
feat by saying that. Roy found what he was looking for and went over to Ed who was still
smiling like an idiot. Roy pulled the towel that was around Ed's shoulders down and shoved a
shirt into his chest. "Put that on." Roy directed. Ed tried to do the buttons up on the light green
shirt but he kept coughing and falling over. Roy let out a frustrated sigh and smacked his hands
away. Roy started doing up the buttons on Ed's shirt for him. 'He's like a child he can't take care
of himself! He-' "You have nice eyes." Ed stated, he still had that dopey grin on his face but his
eyes were sincere. Roy's expression softened and he finished buttoning up his shirt. Roy then
held a pair of boxers in front of Ed's face. "Can you handle putting this on yourself?" "Of course
I can, I'm not a child." Ed grabbed the shorts and lifted his chin defiantly. Roy sighed and shook
his head, but he was smiling all the same. Roy left the room to go and hang up the towel and
shower him self.
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When Roy returned to the room Ed had slumped over onto his side at the bottom of the bed
with his boxers around his knees. Roy chuckled inwardly and headed over to his younger
companion. Roy pulled the boxers up the rest of the way and lifted Ed up and placed him under
the sheets. Roy put the back of his hand on Ed's cheek, Ed had a mild fever. Roy's brow
furrowed with worry. Roy put on a pair of boxers, turned off the light and crawled into bed.
When Roy woke up the next morning at seven Ed was still asleep. Roy slowly eased out of bed
and headed down stairs to the kitchen. He went straight to the phone and dialled Hawkeye's
number. *Ring. Ring* You have reached the office of Riza Hawkeye, leave a message.
Lieutenant Hawkeye, it's colonel Mustang. Edward Elric is rather ill and I will be taking him to a
doctor today therefore neither of us will be coming in today. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
'No I'm not.' I hope to be in tomorrow. Roy hung up the phone and busied himself making
breakfast.
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Roy put the scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice onto a tray and carried up the stairs to the
bedroom. Ed was still asleep but Roy figured he could wake him up to eat. Roy put the tray
down on the side table and shook Ed lightly. "Ed. You last ass wake up!" Ed opened his eyes
slowly. "Ugh, what time is it." Ed looked very confused as he searched the room with his eyes.
"It's seven forty nine." "Hmm." Ed rolled back over to go back to sleep but Roy grabbed his
shoulder and forced him to sit up. Ed leaned back against the headboard and coughed loudly.
Roy smacked him in the side of the head. "Didn't anybody teach you to cover your mouth when
you cough." Ed rubbed the side of his head and gave a rather unhappy look at Roy. "Here." Roy
held out the tray for Ed to take. Ed looked at the food before him and wasn't sure if he was
hungry or not. Ed took a small bite of eggs, he took his time chewing. Roy stood staring at Ed
with his arms crossed. Ed finally swallowed his food and looked up at Roy. Ed looked down at
the tray and mumbled something. Roy didn't make out what he said and gave Ed a look of
confusion. Ed looked up at him again and sighed. *ahem* "Um thanks for the food." Ed then
took another bite of the eggs. Roy gave a small smile and went back downstairs to the kitchen.
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Ed was awake and sitting in bed. He had been awake for quite sometime and now he was
bored. An idea popped into his head, and he suddenly jumped out of bed and started
rummaging through a drawer. Ed had been digging for a few minutes when his eyes caught
what he was looking for. Ed smiled and looked at the open door. Roy was reading on the couch
when he heard a light ringing noise. Roy diverted his attention from his book and looked at the
stairs. The ringing stopped. Roy was just looking back at his book and the ringing started again.
Roy closed his book and stood. He climbed the stairs and went into the bedroom to find Ed
sitting in the middle of the bed with a small silver bell in his hand. A look of annoyance passed
over Roy's face as he clenched his jaw slightly. Roy turned to leave but Ed was out of bed and
blocking him before he could reach the door. Ed put his hand on Roy's chest and let it slide
down to his waist. Roy closed his eyes and let out a breath of air. "I'm feeling better now, but
there's one problem. I'm bored." Ed gave Roy a sad puppy dog look. "Roy didn't move or speak.
Ed then undid the belt on Roy's pants. Roy grabbed Ed's hand to stop him. "Roy don't ruin my
fun." Ed whined as Roy dragged Ed back to bed. "You still have a bit of a fever and a cough. No
fun, until your better." Roy then turned and left the room again.
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Later that night Roy did the dishes, took out the garbage and took a shower. He hadn't heard
from Ed since the afternoon, when he rang that damn bell because he was thirsty. The only
thing was he wasn't thirsty for a drink. Roy went in to the bedroom and found Ed on his side of
the bed polishing his automail. "Do you have to do that on my side." Ed looked like a child that
had just broken his favourite toy. He hurried to put away the polish and moved over to his side.
Roy put on a white t shirt and boxers and climbed into bed. Roy turned off the light and lay
down on his side away from Ed. Ed remained sitting up and staring at Roy. Roy let out a sigh.
"What do you need now?" Roy kept his eyes shut while asking this question. Ed thought about
it then replied quietly. "No." Ed then lay down to facing Roy's back. After a few minutes Roy
sighed again, he then rolled over and wrapped Ed in his arms. "There happy now?" Ed smiled. "I
think I'm better now." Roy smiled too.