Sleepwalk

Chartre

Note to Ed: Never attempt to drink even a little alcohol after dark.

Ah, the occasional drinking session in the evening hasn't done much for the older man sitting behind the wooden polished desk. He used to have his drinks with Maes Hughes, but unfortunately, the news struck long ago has yet bothered the man as he dosed. Moreover, no, the captain wasn't around to watch him get all sentimental about it, nor was she to join his sessions after work. She had left by then.

Alcohol was not taking effect on him too much, considering he had it almost twice a fortnight. His body had gotten used to it. Even it was some sort of a drug to others in case-scenarios, alcohol was his anti-drug—the ecstasy maybe; also something to keep away from work.

One night, an alchemist dropped by to submit his full report for the day. Underage he was, and Roy was to blame for the further aftermath.

Edward Elric walked in without much ado, saluted and handed out his work to him. At this point, the colonel could still tell between his eyes, though a little deluded they were. He took his paperwork and read them incoherently. He raised a brow, trying to put some sense into what the Fullmetal submitted. Well, his mind wasn't making sense…

Edward mentioned about the depth of the sinking city Aquaroya. Little by little, the city was sinking at least an inch under water, he said, and that it may take another five years for it to at least move again at another point—oh, how things pass.

The colonel placed the paperwork under a weight and took another sip. Edward waited for his approach. Roy lifted another glass into the air, handing it over to the underage boy.

Edward pounced back, obviously surprised and dumbfounded. Too young, he said, waving his hands in front of his face. Even as stubborn and sometimes devious as he may come, Edward still knew his limitations.

However, no, Roy insisted, pushing the glass towards him. Now Edward was thinking whether he was just the type to let little kids fall under the wrong side of the road, or he was just plain drunk. No matter how Edward tried to refuse his offer, the colonel still insisted. Now he poured a quarter into the glass. The ice floated…

Edward looked at the glass filled with the odorous alcohol, knowing it was no good for him. He heard how it relieved stress for people like the colonel, and how it actually tasted crisp and… interesting—maybe a little sip wouldn't hurt the boy.

Edward grabbed the glass and played with the bottom, shaking it passively. He looked at the ice colliding with each other in it, then looked up at the colonel—who seemed to be waiting for the boy's first taste of legal drinking—and back at the drink.

"Here it goes…"

Note to Ed: Never attempt to drink even a little alcohol after dark…

Roy only had himself to blame; letting the boy take a little sip of the pungent wine—who knew he would have wanted more. Apparently really drunk and swept away, Edward had fallen asleep in the colonel's office the night before, thus Roy had to carry him all the way to his own house.

He was thankful the boy was small for his age; he wasn't a real burden being carried on his shoulders from Central Command to his house.

"Colonel…"

"Yes?" he muttered, looking back a little awed that the boy could still speak.

"Colonel—you know you shouldn't be working—working so hard late in the evening!" the boy hollered into his ear.

Alright, he was able to speak—without making any sense, that is.

"Fullmetal,"

"Colonel!" he chided like a little boy. "You're such a womanizer, you know that?" he continued ranting unconsciously in his sleep. "You should learn tah—to concentrate more on your work than—than spending all your time with them women you keep spending all your time with…"

"Ok," he replied instinctively, curbing his laughs under his breath.

"And also!"

"Yes?" he looked down at his feet, calming himself from guffawing. Whatever he was going to say next must probably wake the neighborhood up, courtesy of Roy himself.

"Why can't you love me enough, eh?" Ed urged to lift a finger idly.

Roy stopped a few meters away from his home, listening to the boy's murmurs. Of course, they were not meant to be; he was a drunken boy, he wouldn't make such sense out of anything he says! However, for a thought, Roy never heard the boy tell him those unattainable words from his mouth, considering all he would hear are those spiteful comebacks.

The boy continued to speak as he listened to his pointless ranting. "You're always going everywhere telling your women—you love them and all, but you never—tell me you like me… Don't you know it'd be nice if you'd think of me for once?" his voice cracked in between words.

Now Roy knew he wasn't drunk, and that he was hearing these things from Edward, though thoughts still manipulated him into believing Fullmetal was probably high. "You should…"

Roy felt a cold drop on his shoulder. He inevitably looked up; no trees, no rain, it seemed to be the usual cool night. Where did the cold drop come from?

Now he looked back at the boy. Right there he found it started to rain.

"Fullmetal," he called out, watching unconscious tears trickle down his cheeks to his chin. "Colonel…" he muttered again, sniffing briefly this time.

"You should really think of me once in a while… and consider how much I…"

Roy looked back down at his feet, feeling his weight was coming down to the notch. Then Edward forced himself to continue: how much he had…

"Alright, that's enough from you Edward, I don't want to hear any more of your senseless tirades," he chuckled, forcing a smile on his face. "I think you drank too much."

Roy shifted to lift the boy higher a bit. He saw it was enough for the night, and a few more meters away until his house. Edward would have to stay there for the night.

In those hours the dark, with only a few lit lampposts to guide them home—the whole incident—Roy would have to forget them all and get on without remembering. That night, when he put the boy to sleep on his own bed, he muttered silently on his lap.

"Colonel…"

Roy resisted trying to get annoyed at the boy's endless yap. "Yes, Edward?"

"I feel drunk…"

And then there was silence. Roy never got to his own bed that night, as the boy slept soundly on his lap.

To be continued…