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Edited for spelling mistakes.
Disclaimer which disappeared again: I. Do. Not. Own. Fullmetal Alchemist.
PARENT'S RESPONSIBILITY
Chapter 10
Living counting machine and a forbidden call
A little longer than an hour later Roy was sitting with Ed in a cheap restaurant. The kid's eyes seemed haunted and his eyelid vibrated. Not a fun sight before you while trying to eat.
"Ed, can you stop that and relax? Eat something. It'll make you feel better", Roy sighed. Ed shook his head slowly and trembled. When he answered his voice was trembling.
"I'm not hungry. I feel like shit-"
"Watch your language Ed or I'm putting you in there for the rest of the day", Roy warned. It was good to know how to get control over Ed. Though seeing Ed like that was very irritating…
Ed drew a breath in before continuing. "I feel horrible. I'm like some stupid counting machine. This food costs-"
"Stop in there Ed. You don't have to count anymore, OK? Stop counting. Eat."
"Roy, you do know that there's seven days in a week, right? And 168 hours…" Ed asked. His thoughts seemed to be somewhere far away. Roy felt shocked hearing his voiced thoughts.
"Of course I know. Everyone knows that. You're letting the numbers take hold. Forget them and think about… well, flowers for example."
Ed smiled dreamily. "There were 23 flowers on the other side of the building and only 21 flowers in the other side."
Had the kid really gone crazy? Maybe he shouldn't have putted him with the Führer for that long time. It seemed to bring only problems for him. He was trying to escape from work during his lunch breaks and now he had some… living counting machine with him, for goodness sake! How depressing!
He smiled like Ed was a crazy person who could kill him if he treated him wrongly. "Sounds nice Ed. You sure do know how to count. But what if you'd just forget the numbers, alright Ed? Can you do that?"
Ed smiled back like a little kid. "I think so. Do you know that you have 13 peas on your plate? I have 27!"
"No, Ed, I didn't know. Thanks for pointing it out." Ed would drive Roy crazy if he kept acting like that. He would never leave Ed alone with the Führer again.
"You're welcome Roy. Oh, you have to be at work after 5 minutes and 21 seconds… 19, 18-"
"Can you count it in your head?" Roy whined. Ed nodded three times… Hey, he couldn't start counting as well! Urgh! Ed was driving him crazy! For even once he didn't want to know what was going on in Ed's head. Probably some headache making complicated equations.
Roy put his fork and knife down. He had eaten only half of his portion but Ed's dreamy look, twitching fingers and silent chuckles were making him lose his appetite. Ed hadn't even touched his food. He had probably been too busy counting the peas… and now that he looked at the kid's eyes again, they seemed to be focused on his grains of rice which he was slowly spreading on the plate. No, please no, not with the rice! Roy shook his head. He was going to take Ed out of this place. A waiter walked past him and Roy snapped his fingers.
"Can I have the bill please?"
"Alright Ed, sit down and stay there while I work. Try not to think of any numbers, OK? Your life does not depend on them, even if it might seem so right now-"
Ed nodded furiously. "I know. I know. I'll stop… I'll… dam-"
"The language Ed."
Ed blinked. "Eh? Did I change the language? I didn't notice, I thought that I can talk only one-"
"The numbers Ed."
"Oh. Yeah, right! I had to stop thinking about them like you said about ten seconds ago-"
"The counting Ed."
"Oops. I really didn't notice, sorry! I'll stop it, just give me a second to get rid of them… or two… or three…"
Roy sighed. "Whatever Ed. Whatever. Just try, OK? And if you really need to count, please do it in your head, do not talk. Understood?"
"Yes Colonel, the one and only bastard!" Ed said smiling happily.
"THE LANGUAGE AND THE NUMBERS EDWARD!"
"WHY ARE YOU YELLING TO A CHILD, COLONEL?" Riza yelled when she stepped in the room. Roy looked stunned so Ed decided to try to help a little.
"A child means one human who's underage, which means under 18 years old, most likely still very young but it can also be connected to someone's child in which point age doesn't really matter-"
Roy growled angrily. It took all his self control not to hack Ed and answer with as nice voice as possible which was still trembling. "Thank you Ed. I think I got the point."
"Oh. Nice that I can help you so many times! How many has it been, one, two…"
At this point Riza raised her eyebrows to Roy. "I think I need to discuss with you privately, sir."
Roy rolled his eyes. "Wait a second, I'll mislead Ed's thoughts for a while…" He kneeled next to Ed and snapped his fingers to get Ed's attention.
"Huh? You snapped once, does that mean that-"
"I want to talk to you, yes. You know, I was wondering how many seconds does it take to be 14. of March in year 2016 if the time would freeze for two hours three times but those seconds would still be rolling and in year 2008 a second would be cut half, so from that on a second would be only half of what it is now. Can you count that?"
Ed fell in his thoughts, muttering numbers, counting with his fingers, growling and shaking his head at times. Roy smirked. His little plan worked perfectly.
Riza seemed surprised. "I think I really need to talk to you. What the heck is wrong with Edward?"
Roy scratched his neck nervously. "I think I left him with the Führer for a little too long time… He can't stop counting."
"Can't stop counting? How can that be?"
"I don't know, OK? And he acts strangely, I think his mind got a little too messed up. Though I have to say that the boy can really do maths…" He glanced at Ed who was whispering by himself, fingers raising and going down one after another with an incredible speed. He had to hurry up.
Riza looked at Ed too. "Seems so. But he can't count for the rest of his life. You have to figure something out to mislead his thoughts from maths."
"I've tried, but I can't make anything up… I just have to wait if he can sleep over it or something."
"If you do that, I hope it works. Just…try to snap him out of it it's strange to watch-"
"Roy! Can you give me some paper and a pencil, the equation is just so long…"
"Of course Edward. Here, take these. How's it going?"
Ed started filling the paper with incredible speed. "If I can keep this speed up it should take only 46 seconds to complete."
Roy blinked. "…Only 46 seconds?"
"44 now."
Roy turned back to Riza. "Do you have any ideas how to… well… 'snap him out of it' like you said?"
"No… what about a shock or something? Scare him. Or knock him out. Or drug him with medicine that makes him relax."
"How could relaxing help this? Maybe it would slow him down but… I don't think it would really make him forget counting."
Riza rolled her eyes. Ed raised his hands up out of happiness. "Roy, I got the answer! Want to hear?"
Roy's jaw dropped when two bullets flew over Ed's head. The kid froze.
"You alright Ed?" Riza asked nicely and walked over to him. Ed blinked. She shook him gently. "Earth calls Edward. You there?"
Roy shook his head. His subordinate really had no sense of humour…
"I think two bullets just flew over my head with an incredible speed", Ed answered. He shook his head with widened eyes. "Is here a murderer?"
"No Edward. It was me."
"…Oh."
"Alright. Is he normal lieutenant?" Roy asked and stepped closer as well. Ed raised his eyebrow.
"Normal? Are you talking about me? Why wouldn't I be normal?"
"At least he doesn't seem to be counting anymore. My ways usually work. But now you need to go back to your work." She walked on the door but stopped after she opened it. "Oh. I almost forgot, I think you might want this information." She walked back and handed Roy a little paper. Roy raised his eyebrows and read it.
Heya Roy! Ed's mechanic is Winry Rockbell. You can contact her by calling to number 088 920 7132. Just thought you might want to know!
Oh, and look at this picture of my cute little Elysia! Isn't she just so adorable! You can keep the picture and put it on your wall so she can cheer you up always when you're feeling down! No need to thank!
-Maes
Oh, and when are you planning to return my books about teen-agers? Have you read them? Of course you haven't. Bad, bad, Roy. READ THEM!
Roy sighed and took the picture in his hand. How many had he already gotten? He would have to burn all of them. Too many were just too many.
"Thank you lieutenant. You're dismissed."
Riza bowed and walked out of the room. Ed was lying on the sofa.
"So what did she give you? Chocolate maybe to avoid feeling so bad to spend all your time with me. You might need it…"
"Just a note from Maes and a picture of Elysia as usual. Nothing for you to worry about…" Roy muttered. He would have to call to this Winry. Once he just got one moment away from Edward…
"God, Ed, you stink! When was the last time you got a shower?" Roy complained when he watched the TV while Ed lying on his couch.
"When I got to the hospital. Had to get that blood out…"
"You haven't showered after it!? God, have you ever heard about personal hygiene?"
Ed yawned. "I think someone mentioned it a few years back."
"God, Ed, you really need to take a shower. You stink. Have you ever heard that teen-ager sweat more than normal?"
Ed's eyes widened. "We do? Thank god, I've been worrying for years if my state was getting worse… I did extra exercises all those years…"
Roy looked at him. "Nobody ever told you?"
Ed looked at him weirdly. "Why would've anyone told me? It's not like I stayed long in one place or anyone had the responsibility…"
"OK, I got it. Can you just go and take the damn shower?"
"Why can you talk like that if I can't!?"
"Talk like what?" Roy asked.
"Say 'damn' and along those lines!"
"I'm an adult. That's why", Roy muttered the answer. Ed snorted.
"I'll follow your example. If you talk like that, then I do as well. If you don't then I can stop too. But I'm not going to stop something you do as well."
Roy growled. "Just take the shower."
Ed smiled wickedly. "I can't really do that with only one leg. I might fall. You just have to stand this smell."
Roy really had to call to Ed's mechanic… and he had to do it fast.
"Will you be alright?" Roy asked worryingly when Ed crawled under his sheets.
"Stop asking. I can sleep on my own", he snarled. Roy crossed his arms.
"I need a night when I can sleep. Hearing your cries is not relaxing to a light sleeper."
Ed blushed and curled his arm around his pillow. "Whatever you say. Just go to sleep."
"OK. Good night."
"I hope you have nightmares, bastard."
Roy's eye twitched. He smiled to Ed. "Same goes for you. Bye."
He closed the door and sighed. Ed could sometimes be so difficult…
Which reminded him of Ed's mechanic. If he'd talk quietly on the phone the boy wouldn't notice it…
He walked to the phone, picked it up and took the piece of paper out of his pocket to read the number. He had to wait for a while before someone picking it up.
"Rockbell automail, Winry on the phone. How can I help you?"
Roy squeezed the paper nervously. Something in the girl's voice made her sound… incredibly dangerous even though her tone wasn't threatening at all. "Hello Winry. I am Colonel Roy Mustang from Central-"
He heard the girl draw a terrified breath in. "I knew this would come someday. How bad is it? Are they alive?"
"Let's just say that things aren't good. Al's gone and Ed's… well, he's not well. Physically he's OK and healing fast but mentally… well, you know."
"…Al's gone?" the girls almost teary voice came. Roy remembered that she was a childhood friend and felt immediately incredibly sorry for her.
"I'm sorry Winry. I know you're their friend."
"Why didn't that irresponsible brother of his never call me!? How long ago?"
"Four days. I'm sorry. It took me time to find out who you were and how to contact you. He needs new limbs. And I would say that he needs you, even if he doesn't admit it. He's not well."
"…That fool. Is he in Central?"
"Yes. He's staying with me. You can report of your arrival to the Head Quarters. Ask for Colonel Roy Mustang. I'm dragging Ed to work with me."
"OK. OK. I'll get there… I'll get there…" Roy could hear the girl starting crying in the other line.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! It's just… I'll get there. Bye."
Roy heard the sound of slamming the phone shut and sighed.
Ed was going to kill him for that one single call and its consequences when he'd find out. It would take a long time to get his forgiveness. But Ed needed new limbs and that Winry needed to know…
Why were things always this complicated? He opened Ed's door quietly and peeked in to see Ed sleeping in the darkness.
Yes. He should get some sleep as well. He had to gather courage before being able to confess Ed for what he'd done.
Done, thank god, our visitors are arriving any minute... I made it! Yes! I can't even remember how long I've planned to get Winry in...
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