I'm so sorry for the late update! So, so sorry! But here it comes!

Someone said that this story reminded Loveless (anime/manga series) and I have to admit that this was inspired by it. Though I'm trying to create the story my own and just let it be inspired by it. It is a great series after all. And when I ended PR I was starting to watch/read it so that's why this has been so affected by it.

And thanks for the amazing reviews, I really appreciate them. Thank you!

And now I have to mention that I'm having some complications with this fic. Writing about Ed that's not really Ed is kind of difficult. I thought it'd be easy, but it's not. So this is a challenge for me. And after PR I wrote Protect which had a very different style (for example it wasn't even nearly as hilarious as PR) it's hard to try to come back to this style. So... not so much humour yet. I'll see when I'll catch up with it!

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

SWALLOWED BY LIES

Chapter 2
Curiosity

Ed tiredly sensed the warming thick blankets on him as he buried his head a little deeper in his pillow. He sneezed, still not opening his eyes, and hawked as he stretched almost cat-like and sat up. His eyes finally fluttered open as he looked out of the window. It didn't seem to be that late yet; the sky was still really dark. He squeezed the blanket as he walked to the door and turned the lights on. He looked at the clock… 8:00. Now that wasn't late. But it already meant that his father had left for work. He sighed. Now he was all alone in the darkness. Now it was something he'd have to face on his own.

He walked slowly around the house, turning all the lights on and avoiding looking out of the windows. When he was finished he sat down to one of the chairs around the table in kitchen. So, it was seven. Last time he had looked at the clock before falling asleep had been… 5 a.m. So he had slept for two hours. He yawned as he stretched again, trying to reach the chairs on the other side of the table as he whimpered quietly. Well, two hours was something. He'd take a nap later.

Today was Friday. Friday was a boring day. He had pretty much nothing to do. Of course he could go to the library again. He had already finished half of the books he had borrowed. He'd need more if he wanted to have something to do.

He laid his head on the cool table and closed his eyes for a while. It felt like the table was a magnet. He really should get more sleep. But he wasn't really in the mood yet. He looked at the picture on the table. It was one of the very few ones that had been taken before the accident. He took it in his hand and examined the him before. His smile… it was a little twisted looking. It had a lot of energy in it and a few teeth were to be seen. He was wearing a red coat and black jacket and shirt, and so he could see, brown belt and black pants. Probably leather. What kind of person he had really been? His father seemed teasing yet gentle. Well at least he was still the way he had been, though he seemed to be a lot more drawn back than in the picture. Probably because of him.

There weren't many pictures in the house. A few pictures taken in the three months he was able to remember and then about seven others. In most of the pictures he was fifteen. There was probably one picture of him with Roy's crew, pouting, when he had been around 13. And still the same outfit.

He had tried to examine his former personality through the pictures. Problem was that no matter how malicious he had looked in the pictures, like he had just put someone's pants on fire, he couldn't bring himself acting like it. How could he ever be so mean? He had been probably a nightmare to handle. How could people miss that? Well… the others were pretty wild too. Maybe he was slowing them down a little too much or something.

He put the picture back to the table and looked at the clock again. He should probably get back to sleep, he thought while he rubbed his sleepy eyes. He could sleep to midday before going to the library again. He took in a deep breath and walked back to his own bedroom, still avoiding looking out of the dark windows, and crashed to the bed, leaving the lights on.

He buried his head in the pillow as he pulled the blanket on. He turned his head to his left to see the room with his tired eyes.

There wasn't anyone protecting him when no one else was at home. He was all alone.

Lieutenant, you've got to be kidding", Roy stated as Hawkeye walked in with a huge pile of papers. She put them on his table and sighed.

"I'm afraid not. And this was just one third of them. I'm going to get the rest now", she said as she tapped the papers and turned to head back, grabbing Falman from his sleeve to help her. Roy paled.

"Why the hell do I get this much work!? With this speed I won't get home until summer!" he complained as he grabbed his pen and started furiously signing the papers. "Why all the other groups get all the missions at nowadays? It's bloody annoying! I deserve some too! The higher-ups are driving me crazy!"

"Calm down, Chief. And it's a lot safer to sit here and do paperwork than run after a dangerous criminal. You might get a few extra years for living", Havoc answered as he lightened his third cigarette of the day. Roy snorted and wondered if the smell would ever leave the room.

"Few extra years are pain if you're insane, Havoc", he answered. "I'm stressed out already. I don't need this much bloody paperwork to make it worse!"

Riza and Falman arrived with even thicker piles and Roy slammed his head in the table, immediately regretting the action as the pain caused him a headache. Havoc laughed.

"I think I read from somewhere that slamming your head in the wall burns calories. I can't remember how much. Try to do that", he said as he quickly snatched the paper he had been reading from the table just before ashes from his cigarette would've fallen on it.

"Pretty much everything burns calories, Havoc. And are you trying to tell me that I'm fat?!" he snapped and Havoc looked at him mockingly.

"Well you must've gained something. You've been too busy to go to the gym for the latest four months I'd say", he said. Roy felt a huge urge to set his subordinate on fire but tried his best to push the feeling aside. Breda noticed it.

"Don't burn Havoc, Colonel. It's not worth it. He'll be a pain even after he dies."

"You'd have to go through court. You might get put in jail", Fuery continued. Falman straightened himself and opened his mouth to give a detailed and clear explanation on what would happen but Roy raised his hand and motioned for him to stop.

"It's okay. I'm better with this suppressing anger thing", he said as he took the first file on his hands. The others looked at each others worriedly but let it slide away.

"If you say so. But now", Hawkeye said as she took her gun from her pocket, "if you want to be able to walk, I'd suggest you to get back working."

Fuery, Breda and Havoc quickly took the first papers their hands could reach and started reading them.

Later that day, Ed stepped out of the library again with a bag full of books and hurried towards the headquarters on the slippery, icy road. This day it wasn't snowing but instead of it the snow was melting slightly and everything around him was wet. When a car drove past him the dirty wet snow was sent flying in the air, making him quickly jump further away from the road.

When he reached the headquarters he swiped most of the snow away and sat down to the cleaned part and took his bag on his lap as he searched through the books he had borrowed and decided to read one of the science books. Hoping that it wouldn't be too complicated for him he opened it and started reading, taking in every word and memorizing it for later.

He had reached page 20 when someone sat next to him. He quickly looked up to see a tall man looking at the road. He didn't feel comfortable around strangers but didn't want to move away so he raised his shoulders to be at least a little less noticeable and kept reading, his senses alerted for the man's every single movement. The man leaned back and looked at him.

"You should keep something on to warm your hands. It's cold in here", the man said, making Ed quickly look up to examine the man better. He had blonde hair pulled back on a ponytail, just like he had except for the fact that he had bangs hanging openly, and almost cat-like yellow eyes that stared at him behind the glasses. Ed shivered.

"I forgot them at home", he answered as he moved his glance away and went back to reading the book but couldn't help noticing how hard it was when he felt so awkward because of the person who had sat next to him. Maybe he should just go and walk home?

"Is your name Edward?" the man asked, making his head snap back to him and move away from the man, ready to get up and run.

"How'd you know? What do you want from me?" he asked. The man smiled.

"I lived in Resembool", he stated. "You looked like someone I knew then."

"You are from Resembool?" Ed asked curiously. "What's your name?"

"Hohenheim. Hohenheim Elric", the man said. Ed stared at him for a while trying to remember where that name belonged to. He was sure he had heard it before! …Wait…

"You were Alphonse's father, weren't you? You moved to Xing about seven years ago?" he said excitedly. "You sure look like him from the pictures I've seen. I knew there was something familiar in your face."

"…Yes, I am Alphonse's father", the man answered and nodded. Ed scratched his neck.

"How is he doing? Have you moved back in Amestris? Is there a chance I could meet him?"

Hohenheim drew a smile. "You sure are a curious boy, just like when you were young."

Ed looked quickly down, his shoulders rising. He blinked and swallowed for a few times to calm himself. The man next to him looked at him worriedly.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked. Ed looked back to him and faked a smile which was something he had gotten used to doing.

"No. Nothing at all. You knew me when I was young? What was I like?" he asked. He didn't mention his loss of memories, nor the fact that his father avoided telling him much probably because he didn't want to give Ed a clear picture he could fake. He felt like he had just found his golden cave.

"Well, like you said I left when you were little…" Hohenheim started but the look in Ed's saddening eyes made him sigh. "Let's just say you were a mischievous boy."

"Say more!" Ed pleaded. That he had already figured out from all the pictures they had.

"Well… You had a lot of energy and pretty much no one could stop you", Hohenheim went on. Ed smiled hesitantly.

"I must've been horrible…" he said. Hohenheim laughed.

"You could say that. But that was just you. Your energy was pretty catchy. It was good to have something alive in the countryside", he told him. "What are you reading?"

"Laws of science", Ed responded as he showed the man the book. "I'm trying to catch up with others around me. They seem to know more than me about everything."

"How can that be? You're such an intelligent boy."

"It doesn't matter, I'll catch up with them soon", he answered. He bit his lip as he remembered that his dad had told him not to talk to strangers. But if he knew this man then he wasn't a stranger, right? If he really did know him… He couldn't prove it. But he was having fun.

Well… his dad didn't have to know about everything, did he?

"Do you read books?" he asked. The man seemed surprised.

"Me?"

"Do you see anyone else in here?"

"Now that you mention it, there's a guard behind the gate", Hohenheim answered. Ed narrowed his eyes.

"Well do I appear to be randomly just talking to the guard?" he asked. "…And his name's Pete."

Hohenheim tried to suppress his laughter. "Well, if you know his name then I sure could say so."

"…I've been bored! Don't look at me like that!" Ed yelled. "What are you, some kind of pervert?"

Hohenheim shook his head. "No. I love Trisha."

"She's Al's mum?" Ed asked, the subject of their conversation changing again. "I'd say it sounds familiar but it must've been so long ago."

"Apparently. But what are you doing sitting in front of the Central headquarters all alone?"

Ed shrugged. "Waiting for dad. He works there. That way I get a ride home. I don't have anything to do there all alone so it's no problem for me. And now I get some fresh air."

Hohenheim nodded. "So your dad works here?"

"I just said so…" Ed answered, slightly annoyed by the fact that everybody had to make him repeat what he had said. "So if you're a pervert, I suggest you to run for your life. He sets people on fire."

"Really?" Hohenheim asked, seeming thrilled. Ed rolled his eyes.

"I just said so. He can do other stuff too but that's what he does the most with alchemy."

"Can you use alchemy?" Hohenheim asked. Ed stared at him blankly for a while.

"…I've never really thought about that", he answered truthfully. "Do you think I could?"

"Well it does run in your family", Hohenheim answered. "And when you were little you used to break into your father's study and read books. I can still remember the focused look on your face."

Ed smiled. "Well, maybe I should try it out some day."

Hohenheim looked at his watch. "I better get going", he said as he got up. Ed stood up too.

"Are we going to meet again?" he asked, forcing the adult to look in his piercing eyes. Hohenheim shrugged.

"Do you want to?" he asked, receiving a hesitant nod from Ed.

"And if it's possible I'd really like to meet Alphonse too", he said. "We haven't really seen in a while."

Hohenheim looked at him sadly. "He's gone. There was an… accident."

Ed froze. "I… I'm sorry, I didn't know. Forget that I ever asked. I'm so sorry."

Hohenheim patted his shoulder. "It really makes you think what you value the most in your life. But I'm sure we'll meet again."

"Okay", Ed said. "I'll be here from Monday to Saturday around this time. Just in case you happen to walk by."

Hohenheim waved his hand as he left. Ed sat down, taking the book to his lap again but instead of reading it he stared at the cars driving by.

It had been an… unusual afternoon.

"Lieutenant, I'm done. Could you take these forward?" Roy said as he sighed deeply. "I'm late already. Ed must be getting really bored and cold."

"How has he been?" Hawkeye asked. "Feeling better?"

Roy rubbed his forehead. "From what he used to be… Yes. But otherwise… pretty much the opposite."

Hawkeye looked at him angrily. "Explain."

"Well, you know, he's going through hard times. Trying to find out who he is, who he should be, who he was and all", Roy said as he put his gloves on. Hawkeye still looked at him with eyes that looked like they could nail him on the wall. He gulped. "Okay, okay, maybe it's a little my fault too!"

"And how exactly is it your fault?" she asked as she handed him his black coat. Roy took it gratefully but felt uneasy.

"You know it's been hard to me. Depression's catchy", he said. "I've tried explaining the situation to him but he doesn't understand it."

"Just make sure it doesn't get out of hands", she said. Roy looked at her concerned face and smiled.

"If you think I could do that you have lost all your faith on me. Trust me", he said. Hawkeye sighed, smiling slightly. Then she straightened up and got the strict look on her face again.

"Make sure you feed him well, he doesn't sleep too little or too much, he exercises so his body won't have to be dragged in the hospital and doesn't spend all his days reading", she said. Roy rolled his eyes.

"I'll do my best", he muttered as he walked over her and headed to the door.

As he walked downstairs he thought about her words. He hadn't really looked after Ed so he'd know if the kid was physically alright. He should pay more attention to that. He's grip had started to slip.

Well… then he just needed another, stronger grip, right? He'd sort this out.

As he stepped out he looked at the blue sky.

Why did it feel like Ed had died when he hadn't?

"Dad!" Ed yelled and waved at him. "Took you long enough!"

He smiled. Ed definitely wasn't dead.

There you got chapter 2. I'll see when I can get chapter 3 up but I'm having some tests at school... actually I have Swedish test tomorrow... I'm not good at Swedish and I haven't read at all so I better go and read now. Thanks for support, I'd love to get reviews!