Roy was watching as some soldiers take away a criminal for stealing Shou Tuckers research on Chimera's, if anyone cracked that code then they'd know how to make a Chimera with humans. Roy had destroyed that evidence before they stole it. It was raining so Roy put Chiko in his pocket so she could be dry, Roy shivered under the rain because of how cold it was and this morning when he went into the office after going to the bathroom someone put a water bucket on the door ledge so when Roy opened it he was completely soaked to the bone including Chiko. Apparently Monroe had placed it there after everyone was distracted and Roy went to the bathroom, everyone else thought it was a harmless prank until Chiko got involved. Roy explained that Chiko loves water but not cold water, apparently her old owner used to make her swim in cold water and she gets nightmares just by touching it. Chiko cried when they got soaked and everyone except Hawkeye got a taste of what happens if you got Roy mad for making Chiko cry, even if it was just a harmless prank.
When Chiko got dried and calmed down, they were called about some stealing Tuckers research before Roy got a chance to dry his hair. He put Chiko in his front pocket so she wouldn't be in his cold wet hair, to make matters worse it started to rain. Roy rubs his arms to warm himself up, Hawkeye looks at him worriedly. He had gotten a little pale for the past twenty minutes and he had a little cough, Roy rarely got sick and when he did he'd brush it off like it was nothing. One time he came back with pneumonia and they literally had push him out of the office. After the crooks were taken away, they went to the car for shelter. Roy leaned his head on the door, hoping the headache he has will go away. Chiko peaked out of his pocket and looked at him worriedly after he gives a little cough as well as Hawkeye.
As they drove towards to central command Roy's nose started to twitch, he tried to hold it in but instead. "Ah... Ah...ACHOO! ACHOO!" This made Chiko so Surprised that she fell back into the pocket, Roy groans while rubbing his nose he barely caught that. Hawkeye looks at him and says. "Bless you." "Ugh, that did not help my headache." Roy rubbed his temple as he wiped his nose. His sneezing made his headache worse. Roy laid his head back on the door and close his eyes, hoping the cool surface would calm his headache. "Sir?" Roy opened his eyes and looked at her. "Mhm?" "We're here." Roy looked and saw that she was right, central command. "Oh, so we are." They open the door and got out but Roy staggers getting dizzy.
He holds on to the door of the car to keep from falling, he holds his head to rid of the dizziness. Hawkeye looks at him concerned and asks. "Are you okay sir?" Roy looks at her and says. "Yes Lieutenant, just stood up to quickly." 'My heads getting worse, it feels like tiny hammers banging my head.' They walked into the command center, as they walked into the halls, Roy says. "Lieutenant, I-I thinks I-it's best if-if you...ACHOO!" Roy sneezed into his elbow before sparing her from the blow. Hawkeye looks at him questioningly and asks. "Bless you and What was that sir?" Roy looks at her with watery eyes and says. "I said it'd be best if you changed out of those wet clothes Lieutenant, you don't want to get sick." 'How ironic.' "I think you should take that into consideration sir. You did get soaked by cold water this morning and was out on the cold rain." "I'll be fine." They continued walking to the office, when they got there everyone looked at them.
Falman saluted and said. "The Elric brothers are here sir." "G-good. E-everyone get b-back t-Ah, Ah, AHCOO!" "Gesundheit sir." Roy rolls his eyes and says. "Everyone get back to work." "Yes sir!" Roy rubs his sore throat as Hawkeye looks at him worriedly and ask. "Shall I make you some tea sir?" Roy shook his head and says. "That won't be necessary Lieutenant, you should go get changed Lieutenant." Hawkeye nodded and saluted saying. "Yes sir." "I'll take a look at your report now Fullmetal." "Whatever, come on Al." "Okay brother." The Elrics followed Roy to the office as Hawkeye left to go get changed and to make Roy his tea.
In the office Roy was trying his very best not to sneeze. Alphonse had asked where Chiko was and right after he said her name she popped out of the pocket she was in and gave Al a wave. Al blushed at how it the sight was and waved back but it was ruined when Roy sneezed and Chiko fell back into the pocket. So right now Roy was trying not to sneeze very much so Chiko could come out since Roy's hair was still wet Roy explained that Chiko hates cold water so that's why she's in his pocket. Hawkeye came back with dry clothes and a mug in her hand, she set the mug down and Roy looked at it. He grabs it and asks. "Whats this?" "It's tea sir, I thought you might've needed it." "Thank you Lieutenant that's very nice of you." Roy took a sip of his tea and sighed in relief, the steam made his nose come unclogged and the heat made his throat feel better.
Edward got up from the couch and placed his report down. "I'm done bastard." "G-good Fullmetal-ACHOO!" Roy barely had time to catch it but he did and sneezed all over his hands. Ed grimaced and shuffled away saying. "I'm gonna go and get a hotel, I don't plan on getting sick." "Good Idea." His words were muffled because of his clogged up nose. Ed and Al left with Chiko waving at them, then she went back into Roy's pocket. Roy got to work but it was hard to concentrate because of his headache. His vision started getting fuzzy and he could barely concentrate. 'No, I will not pass out doing this. I will finish this.' But Roy's headache didn't allow him to concentrate, Hawkeye looked at him worriedly and says. "Maybe you should change out of those wet clothes sir?" Roy looks at her with unfocused eyes and says. "Good idea Lieutenant." Roy gets up and walks to get changed, everyone watched as he leaves. Havoc leans in towards Breda and says. "He looks sick as a dog." "Don't get me started with those beast. But I agree he does look sick."
'Great.' Roy rolled his eyes and thought. 'It's not even the afternoon and their already gossiping.' Roy went to the lockers to get dried and changed. When he got there, he grabbed a towel and started drying his hair. He took off his jacket and threw it on the bench, Chiko moved inside it and came out of the pocket. She looked at Roy to see him trying not to pass out, she knew he was sick and was very worried. Roy slowly changed into dry clothes but kept getting dizzy. His head was killing him, he kept swaying back and forth. After he was done changing, he was about to leave when he opened the halfway but stopped suddenly. 'Wait? What am I forgetting?' He checked all of his pocket but didn't feel anything. 'Didn't I have something in my pocket that's important?' Roy looked at his clothes and saw a white fuzzy thing on top of his wet jacket.
Roy made an 'O' expression on his face remembering Chiko. Roy went to Chiko and stretched out his hand to her. "Sorry Chiko, my head hurts and I'm very dizzy." Chiko nods in understanding when she got on his hand. Chiko made her way to his head and hid in his hair now that it was dry. Roy walked back to the office but his steps were heavy and he swayed sometimes. 'Great, now everyone's staring.' He finally made it to the office. He slammed the door and walked into his office everyone stared at him as he stumbles into his office he looked so weak and tired that it was weird seeing him stumble but Monroe thought it was a perfect opportunity to hurt him for causing his fathers death when he finds the colonel alone without Chiko.
When Roy shut his door and went to his chair, he tried to do his work but couldn't because of his headache. Roy looked at Hawkeye and said. "Lieutenant, I don't feel good." Hawkeye looked at him and felt his head, he was burning up. "You do have a fever, I'll take you to the infirmary. Think you can get up?" Roy nodded and tried to stand up but staggered when he got dizzy. He held on to the table as to not fall. Hawkeye ran to him and put his arm around her shoulder, she looked at him and said. "Maybe we get you home and call the doctor." Roy let out a tiny cough and nodded, Hawkeye led him out the door and all of the subordinates looked at them with worry seeing their commanding officer with his arm around Hawkeye with his head down and looking weak. "Is everything okay Lieutenant?" Fury asked very worried, Hawkeye nodded and said. "Everything's fine Fury, I'm just taking the Colonel home." "Need any help?" "Yes actually Havoc, he's quite heavy." Roy lifted his head up and looked at Hawkeye and slurred. "I'm not fat."
His head fell limp as everyone chuckled at that, Havoc wrapped his arm around his shoulder. They started walking to the car, luckily it stopped raining so it was a breeze. Hawkeye and Havoc placed Roy in the car, before they could buckle him up he fell to his side. They Situated him on the seat and buckled him up, they shut the door and Hawkeye says. "Go sign the paperwork saying that colonel Mustang is taking a leave of Absence." Havoc saluted and said. "Yes ma'am! Tell the colonel we hope he gets better." "I will." Hawkeye gets in the car and drives off, Roy was passed out asleep with his head tilted to the right dropping a little, Chiko came out of his hair, onto his shoulder and looked a him worriedly. She didn't like her owner being this weak, Hawkeye stops in front of Roy's apartment and turns off the car.
Hawkeye came out and opened Roy's door, she unbuckled him and got him out. Hawkeye walked him to the door, she grabbed his spare key and unlocked the door. She dragged Roy towards the upstairs to his bedroom, when they got there she opened the door and placed him on the bed. Chiko moved to his pillow and patted his head hoping to comfort him, Hawkeye took off his coat, his jacket and then his boots. She put him under the covers and felt his head, he was burning up. She looked at Chiko and said. "Chiko, I'm gonna go call the doctor keep an eye on his fever okay?" Chiko nods and goes back to petting his forehead. Hawkeye leaves and goes call the doctor to see how Roy was doing. When she got back Roy started mumbling in his sleep. "No... stop leave me alone." Thinking it was about Ishval, Hawkeye walked to his and tried to wake him up.
"Sir? It's okay it's only a dream." "Please just leave me alone... I didn't do anything to you Monroe so just leave me alone." Hawkeyes eyes widened at, Monroe? Why was Roy dreaming about Monroe? So many questions entered her head she missed what he said next. "Please stop hurting me and ruining my life, I didn't kill your father." Hawkeye went to the bathroom and poured cool water over a wash cloth. She wring it out and put it over Roy's head to cool him, she had taken his temperature earlier and it was one hundred and four. That was scary, it was high. The doctor should be coming soon until then Hawkeye was gonna take care of Roy.
Roy woke up hearing voices. "So what's the prognosis?" "He has a case of the flu, it's coming around this year and it seems he contracted it. I've had multiple patients that has have this and some of them didn't make it. I recommend him get lots of rest and stay in bed until he feels better and keep him quarantined." "That was the plan and we will." Roy opened his eyes with a moan to see Hawkeye and a man in a white coat, who he assumed is a doctor, leave the room. "What, happened?" Roy heard a squeak and saw Chiko on the nightstand looking at him worriedly. "Chiko? What're you doing here? You heard the doctor, I'm supposed to be quarantined." Chiko tapped her mouth and Roy noticed that she had a mask on to keep her from getting sick. Roy sweat drop at this as Hawkeye came back wearing a mask of her own. "Glad you awake sir, I took the liberty of making Chiko a mask so she wouldn't get sick." "Can she even breathe through it!?!"
After awhile Hawkeye started soup for Roy with Chiko eating her lunch. She was still thinking about what Roy said in his sleep, why did he want Monroe to leave him alone? Does Monroe know something about Roy's bruises and the scar? So many thoughts went through Hawkeye's head she didn't even notice that the soup was done, when she did she immediately moved it so it could cool off. Chiko watched as Hawkeye poured the soup into a bowl. Hawkeye put it on the tray to bring to Roy, she opened the cupboard and grabbed a cup. She poured water into it and placed some ice in it, she placed it on the tray and Chiko got onto the tray to come with. As she walked she looked at Chiko and asked. "You wouldn't happen to know where the colonel got those bruises and scar? Or why he asked Monroe to leave him alone, do you?" Chiko just looked at her confused and Hawkeye just shook her head with a smile. "Never mind." They walked back into the room to see Roy awake.
"Glad your awake sir, I was gonna wake you up." "Couldn't exactly sleep with this fever of mine." "I'll get you some medicine after you eat." Roy groans but sits up anyway and takes the soup from her, he notices Chiko on the tray looking at him. Roy looks at Hawkeye and asks. "Did she eat?" "Yes sir." Roy smiles at her and says. "Thank you Hawkeye, I appreciate it." She nods as Roy starts eating with Chiko and Hawkeye watching. After awhile Roy was done and went to sleep, Chiko snuggled into Roy's hair and slept with him. Hawkeye left to get some medicine but had Havoc watch him, who was ordered not to smoke.
"Come on colonel, if I can't smoke then you can't sleep." Roy opens his eyes and glares at Havoc. He pouts and says. "Your mean." "It's only fair." Roy rolled his eyes and tries to stay awake, his fever was not helping him think. The medicine wasn't helping, his fever just stayed. After awhile Hawkeye came back with the medicine. Roy was finally able to sleep, Havoc told Hawkeye that Roy had a nightmare and what was strange to him was that he was asking Monroe to stop. Hawkeye told him about what happened when they got here and that the same thing happened. Why was the colonel scared of Monroe? What did he do? Those questions were left unanswered as Havoc went back to work and Hawkeye stayed.
It was nighttime and Roy had taken his medicine, Hawkeye looked at Roy and said. "I'm going home now sir, I'll come back in the morning to check on you. I'm leaving a bowl of ice water on the nightstand for your fever, just soak the rag in that when your feeling warm." "Yes Lieutenant (coughs) I'll make sure to do that." "Goodnight sir, Chiko." "(Raspy voice) Night." Chiko waves to the Lieutenant and she leaves, Roy looks up at the ceiling with Chiko on the pillow next to him. "The fever is making me so warm that I can barely see. Hopefully some sleep will make it go away. (Yawns) Goodnight Chiko." Chiko gives out a squeak and they fall asleep.
During the night Roy and Chiko were fast asleep but Roy turned his head making the rag fall off his head. After a few minutes Roy's fever got worse and he started moaning in his sleep. "Mhm, so hot." Chiko popped her eyes opened at that and looked at Roy, he was having feverish dreams. Chiko hopped towards the other side of him and tried to moved the rag but it fell off the bed. Chiko panicked and looked at her owner, he's breathing became ragged and his cheeks were bright red. He even started coughing, Chiko looked to the nightstand and she knew what she had to do.
She climbed up the nightstand and jumped into the cold water, she climbed out of the bowl and jumped onto the bed. Chiko climbed onto Roy's forehead and laid on it. She stroked his head and fell asleep. After a couple of hours Chiko got dry and Roy's fever spiked again. Chiko went to the nightstand, climbed it, jumped into the bowl, jump onto the bed, climb to Roy's forehead and fell asleep. This action repeated itself all night, Chiko didn't hesitate to jump into cold water and get soaked in it because she knew that Roy would get better with cold water. She'd do anything to help her owner but would he do the same?
In the morning, the full bowl of water had reduced into a puddle. Roy opened his eyes with a groan, he yawned and sat up. He saw Chiko slid off his head and he grabbed her before she could fall, Chiko was still asleep and the impact woke her up. She blinked awake and gave out a big yawn, she looked at Roy and gave a curious squeak as if asking if he was okay. Roy smiled at her and said. "I'm fine Chiko, I know it must've been hard for you to soak yourself in cold water all night but I'm grateful for you Chiko. Thank you." Roy kisses her on the head and says with a smile. "I love you Chiko." All Chiko did was give a sneeze with snot running down her nose. Roy's eyes widened at this and realized something very horrible, Chiko got sick taking care of Roy.
Currently Hawkeye is sitting at the table looking at Chiko with a towel wrapped around her tiny body and Roy who is faced down on the table with anime tears going down his eyes because he feels guilty about getting Chiko sick. "You know nobody could foresee this right Colonel?" "But If I had just used my rag last night then Chiko wouldn't be sick." "But Chiko tried to get the rag back on but it must've been to big for her Colonel, Chiko wanted to help you even though knowing that cold water brought back some unwanted memories, she didn't care." Roy sighs and looks at Hawkeye asking. "You think so?" "I know so. In any case, I'm glad your fever went down colonel." "Me too. Hey Hawkeye?" "Mhm?" "I didn't say anything, weird? Did I?"
Hawkeye thought about when he kept saying Monroe's name and thought it was weird but just said. "No not really." Roy sighed in relief and said. "I'm so glad I didn't say anything embarrassing at all, I was so worried that I might've said something to offend you." Hawkeye shook her head with a smile, Roy looked at Chiko and put a hand on her head. Roy smiled at her when Chiko started to squeak and rub her head against his palm. 'It's nice seeing the colonel smile every once in awhile.' Hawkeye stood up from her seat and says. "I'll be going to work now sir, try to get more rest. Your fever might spike again." Roy looks at her and nods saying. "Yes Hawkeye." "That includes you too Chiko, try not to strain yourself." Chiko gives out a weak squeak with a nod and Hawkeye leaves, as soon as she leaves Chiko gets out of the wet rag and goes to the edge of the table.
She points to the backdoor, indicating that she wants to go outside. Roy sits up and looks at her confused asking. "Are you sure? Your still sick and need to rest." Chiko just keeps pointing to the door and Roy sighs saying. "Okay okay, we can go outside but first we need to wear something warm." After awhile Chiko was now wearing a tiny hat and little booties to keep her warm. Roy blushed at the sight and says. "You are just so cute!" Roy stretched out his hand to Chiko and she got on, they went outside and Roy shivered at the cold. Chiko pointed to the ground while squeaking, Roy lowered his hand down and Chiko hopped off. Chiko hopped away from the house a little before finding the right spot. Chiko started taking off her hat and booties as Roy raised an eyebrow at that. 'What's she up to?'
Chiko placed the hat and booties on the ground with care then started digging. Roy looked at her in surprise. 'She wanted to dig a hole? Weird.' She kept digging until she was completely in it, she was buried. Roy's eyes widened at that and was taken aback by this, maybe this was her way of getting better? She is a Shikigami that Roy knows nothing about, before he could think any further the wind picked up and he shivered. It was getting colder and Roy was still sick, he looked back at the hole Chiko buried herself in and decided to go in but before that he grabbed her hat and booties taking them inside. He started a fire and stayed by it to get warm, he stayed in his living room to keep an eye on Chiko if she wanted to come out.
He started reading a book while thinking. 'I wonder how long Chiko's gonna stay in the hole for, it's getting pretty lonely without her.' Roy stomach growled indicating that he's hungry, he took out the soup in the fridge and heat it up. While he ate, he looked out the window to the little hole Chiko was in, Roy placed a rock next to it as to not lose where Chiko was. 'She's been in there for an hour, when she comes out she might be hungry.' Roy took out some apple, nuts and rice and made Chiko a little lunch. He read some more before looking at the window again, Chiko was still there and Roy was getting tired. He let out a yawn and laid down on the couch with his blanket, he closed his eyes to rest for a bit but ended up falling asleep.
At the office everyone was working hard while Roy was sick. They cleaned any area that he touched so they wouldn't get sick, as they worked Monroe asked. "Hey where's the colonel? Don't tell me he's slacking off." Havoc replied without looking at him. "I already told you yesterday Monroe, he's sick and the Lieutenant told me that he had the flu." "You sure? What if he's faking it?" "I called a doctor to see what it was and he confirmed it's the flu. Why are you so bent to ask if he's faking it or not?" "Just wondering so he wouldn't slack off." Breda looked at him and said. "You know maybe if you hadn't done that prank then maybe the colonel wouldn't be sick and didn't threaten to kill us for scaring Chiko." "How was I suppose to know that? And besides I asked the colonel to take a shower because he looked greaser but instead he threatened me! I was just trying to help." "I saw the colonel before you did and he didn't look greaser, he takes a shower before work everyday." "Maybe he forgot?" "He wouldn't have because I saw him."
Monroe 'tchs' and gets back to work, thinking it was the perfect opportunity to ask with Roy not here. Hawkeye asked. "Monroe?" "Yes." "During The Colonel's fever induced dreams he said something about you, why is that?" Monroe froze at that and looks at her asking with a nervous smile. "What do you mean Lieutenant?" "He was asking you to stop something, like he was pleading. Why is that?" Monroe stuttered and said. "P-probably asking me to stop being a baby is all." "Mhm." Hawkeye went back to work and Monroe thought she believed him. 'What an idiot. She thinks I'm an innocent, naïve baby but In reality I'm hurting her boss and she doesn't even know. And they say nothing gets past the hawks eye.' But unknown to Monroe, Hawkeye was thinking. 'He's hiding something and I will find out about it.'
Back at Roy's place, the sun was low. Roy moaned and opened his eyes, he sat up and stretched while yawning. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around, he noticed the sun and mutters. "How long was I asleep?" Roy gasps in realization and says. "CHIKO!" He sprintes to the back door and opens it in hope that Chiko was awake but to his despair, Chiko was still in the hole. Roy had a sad look on his face and went back inside, only to come out a couple minutes later with his coat, boots and a scarf on. He sat on the last step on the stairs and looked at the hole, he took out the book he brought and started to read while occasionally looking at the hole. 'She must've been really sick if she stayed this long, it's six now. Hawkeye should be coming in about 30 minutes, I wonder how I'll explain this to her.'
Roy finish's the book and puts it down to look at the hole, he was worried about Chiko. He's never been without her before and it scared him, without Chiko his life feels empty. Tears rises into his eyes as he tried to hold them back. 'I, i can't lose another friend. I can't imagine a life without Chiko. I need her.' Tears fell from Roy's eyes as he cried as he said out loud. "I love you Chiko, I need you." Just as he said that a familiar white furry head popped out of the ground and Roy jumped at that with the tears stopping. Chiko gets out of the hole and shakes away the dirt, the dust gets to her nose and she coughs. Roy is staring at her in disbelief as she hops to him with glee, Roy snaps out of his trance and goes to her. He scoops her up in his hands and brings her to his face. "Oh Chiko. You scared me, I thought I'd never see you again." Chiko hugs his cheek and Roy started crying again as she did that.
Roy was truly scared about losing Chiko, he didn't want to think about what would happen if she died.
Hawkeye opened the door and went inside, she closed it and went into the living room. She gets surprised but smiles at the sight, Roy was on the couch next to the fire playing chess with an energetic Chiko. "Looks like Chiko's all better." They look at her and greet her. "Hello Lieutenant, yes Chiko is feel allot better now. How was work?" "Boring and not interesting." Roy chuckles and says. "Well then let's hope I get better soon to change that." "Yes. Have you eaten in awhile sir?" "No, not yet. Chiko ate dinner already and I'm not that hungry." "Mhm, well regardless of that you tend to not eat when your sick. So I'm gonna make you something to eat."
Roy sweats drops at this and says. "Yes, thank you Lieutenant." Hawkeye puts her bag down and goes into the kitchen, Roy looks at Chiko who moved a piece and says. "She acts like a mother instead of bodyguard sometimes." Chiko tilts her head in confusion as Roy just shakes his head while chuckling and moves his rook. Roy recalled the conversation he had with the Elric brothers, he told them about how Chiko buried herself in the yard and came out feeling better. Alphonse told him that was how Shikigami heal themselves, be in the earth and also said it was a test. When Shikigami owners say I love you to them, they get sick and bury themselves to see if their owners miss them. They congratulated him on completing the test and hoped he got better, Roy thanked them and hanged up.
Roy watched as Chiko slide the knight to its place when he realized something, Chiko's immortal. She can't die, only Roy can die and when he does. She'll be all alone and her old owner might find her and Chiko will be alone again. That scared Roy but he knows she'll be alright, because he's gonna make memories for her to remember all the good times they've had together. 'I promise Chiko, I'll make you happy.' Roy promised to himself as he moved a piece taking Chiko's pawn. Roy knew that he'll die someday but he'll make the most of it with Chiko.
To be continued