sorry there is so much time between chapters! so much writing, so little time!
The current situation, had it happened under any other circumstances, would have been horribly inappropriate. All things considered though, it was some sort of improvement. At least there wasn't any crying.
Ed's face slumped down to his hands and he peered at the empty glass in front of him in drunken contemplation. "Hey, bastard colonel…"
"Brigadier General." Roy reminded him, proud that his voice contained hardly a hint of the rather heroic volume of brandy he had ingested.
" 's too long." Ed complained, waving an unsteadily dismissive hand. "Bastard, how do you deal with it?"
"You get used to it after awhile really. Hardly notice it is gone. And like I said, the women love the patch."
"Not the eye, you ass." Ed glared at him, golden eyes drunkenly glassy. "People…how do you deal with….losing them?"
Those eyes…Roy failed to suppress a shudder. The completely distant lack of expression in Ed's eyes, even though he realized it was due to the alcohol, was too close to when he had crawled back to Central for comfort.
He wanted to tell Ed it was simple, that there was a never fail, painless way of making it all better… but if there was, he hadn't found it. "Same as the eye, Ed. You just get used to it being gone."
Ed cocked his head to the side slightly. "Does it hurt any less? I mean, do you still miss Hughes? That's the only thing close to what Al and I meant to each other that I can think of…so I thought…maybe…you could help."
"I have not had enough to drink to be discussing this." Roy muttered, reaching for the brandy bottle beside him, only to discover to his dismay that it was rather on the empty side.
"Coward." Ed muttered.
"What was that?"
"Said you were a coward. Hiding behind fucking….drink." Ed knocked his cup aside. His rolled from the front step to shatter on the walk way. He stared at it for a second, face twisting in dismay, and then the tears started, accompanied by silent, shaking sobs.
"Ed?" Roy reached out, touching the young mans shoulder gently.
"I broke Gracia's cup."
It was such a mundane, minor thing…Roy hauled the unresisting Ed into an awkward embrace. "It's alright. I'm sure Elysia has cracked her share."
"She can. 's her daughter." Ed's voice was muffled against Roy's chest, but the desolate tone came through.
"Edward, listen to me." Roy pulled back a bit, forcing Ed to look up by applying a firm hand to his chin. "As far as Maes was concerned, you and Al were family. You still are. I don't think Gracia is going to fuss over a glass."
"She most certainly is not."
Roy looked back over his shoulder, trying his best apologetic smile on Gracia. "I hope we aren't keeping you up."
"Not at all. Though, Edward, Elysia woke up and asked for you. Something about a promised slumber party? She filled the bed with all her favorite bears. Said they would keep you company. She is curled in a nest of blankets on the floor."
Roy watched Ed turn to look at her, saw a heart wrenchingly young expression cross his face, and then he shifted a bit and reached his arms towards Gracia.
Gracia cast a look Roy's way, warning him to stay silent, and bent down, gathering the young man into practiced arms. "Let's go see Elysia, hmm? She is waiting for you."
Roy watched Gracia carry Ed off, no mean feat considering the weight of the young man's automail, and realized just how sound a decision it had been to settle Ed in her care. There was a hole in the Hughes household still, a quiet one apparently only in the almost wistful air that sometimes haunted Gracia's expressions, in the way Elysia hated to see anyone leave. Perhaps…a healing Edward was just what they needed, just as that family might prove to be the support that would allow Ed to heal.
Roy scratched at his eye patch thoughtfully. Maybe he wasn't as useless, as powerless these days as he felt…