Author's Note: I must confess I almost forgot about this chapter, because the next one has eclipsed my entire mind and inspiration (...you'll see what I mean when we get there). At first, I assumed the prompt was talking about some kind of protection against flame, which is surprisingly fitting for these two. But just to be sure, I looked up the word in the dictionary, and actually it's a fever medicine o.0 I'm not sure if that was the original intention or if it's a miscommunication of some kind, but I was rather disgruntled since I've already covered the scenario of one of them taking care of the other when he has a fever from every angle I can think of. Then this idea hit me out of nowhere, and I ran with it. I couldn't figure out any way to make this fit in seamlessly with the canon storyline, so take this as an AU offshoot sometime after the battle against Lust, so they know about the underground lair and the Homunculi and everything, but events haven't quite started leading towards the Promised Day yet.
Timeline: Midseries (AU)
Theme 51: Antipyretic
Roy stealthily crept down the narrow, dark hallway, keeping his back pressed against the cold stone wall. Both hands were poised to snap at a second's notice, and he kept glancing over his shoulder. They'd gotten separated, and Envy could be lurking behind any corner. He never appreciated Hawkeye watching his back as much as he did when she wasn't there.
He peeked around the next corner. Nothing. He jumped out into this adjoining corridor, knowing he was hopelessly lost but prepared to face anything.
"Mustang! Thank goodness!"
Roy whirled around when he heard the voice behind him, relaxing slightly when he saw Edward standing there, hands inches away from each other as though he'd been about to attack.
"Full Metal?"
Edward started to rush forward, but Roy raised his hand again. "Huh?"
Roy narrowed his eyes. "How do I know you're not Envy?" It was a worry that had been eating at him ever since he, Hawkeye, and Edward had gotten separated and Envy was out of sight. How could he know for sure?
"Are you serious?" Edward angrily swiped his hand through the air. "This is hardly the time-"
"Stay where you are!" Roy barked as Edward tried to come forward again.
"Hey Mustang, what're you-"
Roy whipped his head around at the familiar voice behind him. Edward stood there, looking confused until he spotted the other Edward in front of Roy. Immediately he got into a fighting stance and snarled, "Envy!"
"So that is Envy," Roy said, turning back to face the first Edward.
"No, you idiot, he's Envy!"
"Are you crazy? Can't you tell I'm the real Ed?"
"No, I'm the real one! You've known me for four years and you can't even recognize me?"
"He's just trying to trick you, Colonel!"
Roy looked between the two boys in confusion, beginning to doubt. He pointed one hand at each one, looking between them for some clue as to which one was real. But they were identical, right down to the stubborn bit of hair sticking up in front and the glares they were sending his way. No one moved for a moment or two, Roy caught in doubt and the Edwards unable to move for fear of his alchemy. He gazed into one Edward's eyes, then the other, trying to detect some hint of malice or humanity or something. But whichever one was Envy, he was doing an excellent job of imitating the glare Roy was so used to seeing.
One of the Edwards narrowed his eyes. The other's eyebrow twitched. Finally one of them growled, "Hurry and make up your mind!"
Was that gravelly undertone normally in Edward's voice when he was angry? Roy turned to face the Edward he had first seen. "Caught you, Envy."
Just as he snapped, sending a rush of flame down the hallway, the imposter threw his arms in front of his face and yelled, "No, you idiot, behind you!"
Before he could turn around, a thick, greenish arm wrapped several times around his neck like a boa constrictor. As the air was squeezed out of his lungs and he gripped the tough green arm with both hands, trying to loosen its hold, the flames died away. But not before they had hit Edward and sent him sprawling.
Envy, still wearing Edward's face though his arm was far longer than it should be, leered over Roy's shoulder, pressing the boy's face close to his. It looked just like Edward, but with a manic grin made of teeth that were far too sharp. "I just love to see you pathetic worms wriggle around in confusion," Envy gloated. "For all you humans talk about love and loyalty, you can't even recognize-"
Out of nowhere, a stone fist hit Envy in the side of the head, sending him sprawling to the ground, which greeted him with welcoming arms that wrapped around him and pinned him to the floor. Envy, now in his usual form, struggled and shouted various foul names, but Roy was focused on trying to get his breath back. He looked up at Edward, lying on the ground and cradling his left hand against his chest. The palm was an angry red from where it had touched the searing metal of his right hand. Half of his clothes were burned away, though his face seemed adequately protected from his arms shielding him.
Appalled at what he had done, Roy hurried over to the boy and knelt down at his side. He cast his eyes briefly over Edward's body, assessing the damage. The entire left side of his body lay exposed, the charred remains of his clothing still clinging to him in places. Thankfully, the spurt of flames had been brief and quickly extinguished...but it looked bad. "Full Metal...?"
Edward cracked his eyes open long enough to croak out, "You're a real jerk," before he passed out.
Running footsteps approached, and Roy tried to rise, ready to snap again, but it was just Hawkeye. She glanced around, assessing the situation. Her eyes widened when she saw the burn marks on Edward's body, then she pressed her lips together, as ever focusing on what needed to be done. "We need to get out of here, fast."
Roy hung his head, then gathered the boy into his arms, struggling to his feet. "I've done it again."
Roy nodded briefly to Hawkeye, passing her in the hallway on her way out. They had brought Edward back to his house, since it was the closest safe place they could get to. He had briefly thought of going to the hospital, but...as usual with the people he burned, that wasn't a very good option since it would lead to far too many questions. So now he and Hawkeye took it in shifts to watch over the boy, hoping they could avoid too much suspicion until Edward was at least well enough to return to his usual hotel room.
Alphonse was sitting at Edward's side as always, murmuring a soft greeting as Roy stepped into his bedroom and set the latest dose of antipyretic on the bedside table. The boy was doing pretty well, considering the less-than-professional treatment he was receiving, but he'd been running a fever for several days. He lifted the cloth from Edward's forehead and felt it with the back of his hand. Satisfied, he told Alphonse in a low voice, "His fever seems to be breaking."
"I thought maybe it was," Alphonse said with obvious relief, "since he was sweating a lot and seemed to be sleeping easier. But I couldn't tell for sure, because..."
Roy nodded, brushing a few damp locks of hair off Edward's forehead and put the cloth back. The only way Alphonse would be able to tell how hot Edward was would be to use a thermometer. He pulled up the other chair and sat down with a sigh on the other side of the bed, looking glumly at his unexpected patient. This was all his fault. How could he have been so rash and stupid?
Edward gave a soft moan and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times and looked around, taking in his surroundings. His eyes still looked exhausted and feverish, but he seemed more lucid than he had since Roy had burned him. "Al?" he groaned, and Alphonse leaned forward with a clank, taking his hand immediately.
"I'm here. How are you feeling?"
Edward considered for a moment, then said, "Okay, I guess." Then he glanced back at Roy. "Did you get Envy?"
Roy shook his head. "We had to get you out of there as soon as we could and get you some treatment."
Edward frowned. "Is it really that bad?"
"You were burned all down your left side, Brother," Alphonse said in a tiny voice.
Guilt twisted cruelly in Roy's stomach. He found he couldn't quite meet Edward's eyes when he said, "We couldn't give you expert medical treatment, so it's probably going to scar."
Edward smiled at that. "Hey, now we'll be matching."
Roy's side seemed to twinge as he remembered the twisted scar curling around his own left side. "That...was different. I had to cauterize my wound to keep myself alive, but...I had no reason to burn you. I was...I was foolish and rash, and I'm sorry." There. He'd said it, and it sounded so flat and inadequate now. He hung his head, waiting for Edward to berate him.
"S'okay," Edward mumbled through a yawn. "Gonna go back to sleep now."
Roy's head came up in confusion. "What? That's it? You're not...angry about it?"
Edward pried one eye open. "Huh? 'Course not. It was an accident, wasn't it? You thought I was Envy, that's all. Sheesh, you worry about the weirdest things, Colonel." He rolled over onto his side, snuggling deeper into the pillows and falling asleep almost instantly.
Roy smiled, his heart lighter than it had been all week, and readjusted the cloth over Edward's forehead again. "I guess you're right."
