Food
Edward eats because he's hungry. Okay, so he's usually hungry! He really enjoys it to; it's practically a hobby. He eats when he's thinking hard, or tense, or nervous. He eats when he's upset, annoyed, irritated, lonely…. Food reminds him of his mother's cooking; of dinner at the Rockbells' with Winry and Pinako. Food is home. A full stomach helps him sleep; it frees his mind up for other things. It's a reminder and an escape. Eating is a painful reminder that his brother can't. Al never complains, but Ed gets everything they buy, anything they catch, and Al will even help cook. So he eats for his brother too.
It's sustenance, that's all. At least that's what Edward tells himself, what he's always told himself. Growing boys are always hungry, especially teenagers. Everyone knows that. Fighters burn a lot of fuel in battle; that has to be replenished. Alchemy uses a lot of an alchemist's energy too, even with the gate, and those stores need to stay full so he doesn't get tired. Anyway, if he's not getting taller, and he's not getting wider, obviously it's not too much! He's no glutton. Really. And yet, for all the things it does, and all the things it can't replace…somehow it never seems like enough.
