Chapter 4

-Coming Home to Awkwardness

Edward hobbled down the hospital's hallway, his flesh hand grasping a silver crutch to help him walk. His automail leg was stiff, he made a mental note to oil it later. Bur for now, his mind focused on checking out of the hospital. As his boots clopped down the pure white hallway, he couldn't stop his thoughts lingering back to his tin can of a brother. Ever since his surgery was a success, the younger Elric was acting slightly weird.

Ed finally made it to the front desk and shoved the paper that gathered dust in his blue jean pocket. The nurse read it over before nodding and shaking his hand.

"Remember Mr. Elric, you're still recovering. So no rushing off into anything dangerous for another month."

"Dually noted." He stiffly agreed before turning on his boot's heel and rushed towards the door. But as he walked, a hand grabbed him. He turned back to give the arm's owner a questioning look. "Yea?"

The nurse, holding a clipboard will papers strapped to it, gave him a gentle look haunted with a twinge of solemn emotion. "Mr. Elric, I'm dead serious when I instruct you to slow down. You're injuries have healed, but your heart is still weak. One more accident like this, I guarantee you'll have a much higher chance of heart failure. Now please, go home to your brother, stop making him worry."

Ed nodded sheepishly as he pulled out of her solid grip and hobbled outside as fast as he could. Sighed, he clasped his metal hand over his head when his thoughts drifted to his younger brother. Al had no idea he checked himself out and was coming back, no doubt his sibling was going to yell at him. But something else was bother the state alchemist.

For the past 3 days, Al was prohibited to come into the room, since Ed was in such an unsure condition. He hated seeing Al like that, so he requested the nurse to send Al home and rest. Reassuring the hovering armor that he'll call the second he needs something. Though this was merely just a ploy to get rid of the over protective sibling, cause Ed could barely stand seeing him grieve over his body—broken over his own stupidity.

He was going to call Al to come get him, but the weeks of remaining helpless in a hospital bed had burned his pride down to merely nothing. Stubbornness won with little effort as he decided to take himself home. Not like he couldn't manage a simple block, his illogical side would reason.

As the alchemist walked, his mind wandered back to recent events that led him to major befuddlement. Even if he wanted Al to calm down, something about his behavior had changed. Two weeks after his major surgery was a success, Al seemed to become less tense. While Edward was grateful for that, it was a kind of relaxed state he couldn't explain. His brother would sit in his room, holding the alchemist's hand, but wouldn't take his eyes off the window. Like something or someone was distracting him.

Ed shrugged, maybe he'd figure this out. For now, he had to focus on getting back to his apartment. He was curious, because a few days ago, his brother made a mention he had a surprise to show when Ed got out. Now the eldest Elric wondered what it could possibly be.

After dragging his healing body a few more miles, he finally made it to his door step. Carefully strolling up the concrete steps, he made it inside and climbed the second air of steps. The wound forever attached to his torso screamed out from the pressure of too much movement. Ed gritted his teeth, but fought on with his walk till making it to his and Al's dorm in apartment room.

Pulling out his key, his mind already started playing out a visual of what was to come when opening the door. He steps in, proudly announces his recovery, then Al would leap up in shock, and ready to lecture on his eldest brother's stupidity for not calling. Shrugging, Ed twisted the deadbolts free and pushed the door open. Standing at the ready for the words waiting to fly, surprise hit him when nothing but silence lingered in the air.

Stepping further into the room, Ed spotted Al's bedroom light peeking out from his closed door—every other light in the house was off. Scratching his chin, he limped in and moved some books, papers, and markers out of the way with his feet. Something about the furniture moved around caught his attention. Smelling something of foul play, Ed quietly called his hands together and summoned the large wrist blade from his automail. Sneaking through the dark room, he reached Al's door. Grabbing the knob, he gingerly cracked the door to peak in. Thought what he saw, he was not expecting.

His brother, unharmed, laid on his bed he never needed to use. Lying on his right side, the metal back was facing Edward, obviously unaware of his entrance. The mattress bowed under the empty armor's weight, a blanket draped over his side, like he was sleeping.

Alertness shot through Ed's radically beating heart. Stepping further in, the sound of his feet hitting the floor aroused Alphonse from his silent state. Before he could turn around, a new face popped up from Al's shoulder. Onyx eyes attached to a pale Xing face widen upon locking onto caramel gold ones.

Mei and Ed stared down for a few seconds, both trying to register each other's existence. Alphonse broke the silence by sitting up, still not seeing his brother. "Mei, what's wrong?" Turning his helmet on his lose neck join, soul red eyes widened upon seeing the familiar face.

"Brother!?"

"Edward!?"

Mei and Al yelled in unison as the Xing princess flopped out of bed, feet sticking up in the air. Al tugged the blankets over him as if to hide his body—as if he was actually nude.

Now it was Ed's turn to throw down in the shout off. "What the hell is going on?" His words rang so loud, it dwarfed the couple's voices with ease. He jabbed a gloved finger at the stunned girl strung out on the floor. "What the shit is she doing here!?"

Al waved his hands in attempt to calm down the crazy eyed Alchemist. "Ed, it's not what it looks like, Mei was just staying the night!"

Seeing the Xing girl wearing nothing but a chest wrap and loose black pants told Ed an entirely different story. Feeling his face heating up, another explosion revving up to burst. "Al, what did I say about sneaking guests into the apartment!? Why did you—blech!" Like his teacher when she threw a fit, blood trickled down his mouth, shutting him up.

Seeing this, Al raced to his feet, forgetting his loin cloth discarded on the floor. "Brother—why are you not in the hospital?" He grabbed Ed's shoulders to steady his wobbling frame. Then his red eyes tensed up, shooting a glare down at his brother who stubbornly pushed his gauntlets away. "Did you sneak out of the hospital again?" The Armored Alchemist's voice tinged with anger.

Ed wiped the crimson from his mouth, eyes boiling over again. "Of course, I was ready to leave so I checked myself out!" He yelled a little too strongly. "Don't change the subject, why the hell is Mei here!?"

"Don't you change the subject!" Alphonse yelled back, forcefully getting his hurt brother and making him sit on the bed. "Why did you check yourself out? Dang it, you should've called me!"

"Well glad I didn't, seeing as you were pretty busy here I see!"

Before they could continue to shout, Mei awkwardly stooped up and rubbed the back of her head. "I guess I'm just gonna head out—?"

"No!" Both brothers yelled, making the Xing warrior jump out of her skin. She twiddled her fingers and scootched aside to dodge the heat wave blasting out from all directions.

After a few more seconds of verbal brawls, Al finally won and forced his brother to relax. "Ed, you shouldn't have walked here all the way from the hospital. What if your wounds opened up? My god, why are you so stubborn?" Worry replaced the anger in his soft voice. Running leather fingers down his sibling's back with distress. "But I'm glad you okay."

"Okay okay, sorry for not knocking." Ed waved his hands, trying to steer the topic back to what started the shouting match. "Can you please explain to me why Mei is here?"

Rubbing his metal neck, Al emitted a sound that resembled a tired sigh. "Mei's been up for the past three weeks since you've been in surgery. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you."

"Well walking in on you two half naked surely was a surprise worth remembering." Ed sourly responded, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

Al shook his head before patting his brother's back. "I didn't know you were being discharged from the hospital today. Still, regardless of what you saw, you still have no right to be angry as I do. Not even bothering to call me."

Sighing, Ed forced his head down in defeat. "Sorry, guess I'm just feeling a little cranky for being cooped up in bedrest for three months." He looked over to Mei who gifted him an awkward smile, but still a smile.

"Well, glad you did come to support my brother, Mei." He stood up, stretching his arms and yawning. "But now that I am back, I plan on staying."

Grabbing his loin cloth, Al clipped it back on his waist as Mei followed his example. Getting his brother's arms again, he led the older one outside to sit on the couch. "Wait here, I'm going to make you something to eat."

"I can cook you know, I'm not handicapped." Ed snapped, gritting his teeth.

"Alphonse, why not let me cook? Ed, you're hurt, so stop being stubborn." Mei offered kindly, face contorting to a stubbornness similar to Ed.

Al looked back between the two as if they were both aliens from other planets. Knowing Ed and Mei's proneness to accidents and danger, he smacked his forehead. "No thanks, seeing as I'm the only one here who doesn't set everything I touch on fire—I will cook. So please, both of you sit down and be quiet." He went back into the kitchen shaking his head.

Ed and Mei shared crossed looks while facing in opposite directions and pouted. Al couldn't contain a small chuckle. Ironic, now he had both the people he loved the most back in his life, and already he wanted to kick them out.

He shook his head, humored by their grumpy behavior while dropping some fresh shrimp onto the stove. Watching the grease sizzle as he used a fork to turn the raw pieces of meat over. Knowing both his fiancé and brother's reluctance to eat healthy. So he made it a habit to make at least one heart clogging appetizer while making the main course healthy.

A/N: Sorry grammar mistakes and shortness of the chapter, i was in a rush.

Anyway, hoped you enjoyed it, please review, and stay tuned for chapter 5.