Sicktember Day 15: Quarantine
Word Count: 1391
Author: aquietwritingcorner/realitybreakgirl
Rating: K/G
Characters: Alphonse Elric
Warning:
Summary: After getting his body back, Alphonse has to be in quarantine for a bit. At least he's not alone though.
Notes: Heavily based on some headcanons that both Al and Riza would have been high risk infection patients following the Promised Day. Al for the state of his body and being in what was basically total isolation for years, and Riza because of the blood loss. Sticking the two of them together in a room for a bit just made sense (and gave me an excuse for a touch of Mama Hawk)

Quarantine

Alphonse looked out the window and sighed. He could see it all out there. The trees, the grass, the blue sky. The sunlight streamed in through the window, warm and bright, and he basked in it.

But it wasn't enough.

He wanted to be out there.

He wanted to be in the world.

He wanted to feel it.

He sighed.

"Something wrong, Alphonse?"

The voice that spoke was quiet, rough, light, but it was enough to get his attention, and he looked over at it. Lieutenant Hawkeye was in her bed, a book held in her hands. She was carefully propped up on pillows, her neck supported with a special pillow. Alphonse gave her a smile from the small bench he was sitting on.

"I'm fine, Lieutenant," he said.

She lowered her book and smiled at him. "Alphonse. You're not a suit of armor anymore. I can read your face. What's bothering you?"

Alphonse sighed. "…I'm tired of being in here," he said. "I want to go outside. I want to feel the grass and the trees and the wind. I want to feel the rain and hear the birds and the sounds with my own ears. After so many years of not feeling anything, I want to get out there and feel it all."

She smiled at him, an understanding smile. "I get that. I can only imagine how anxious you've been. I won't go back over what the doctors have told you. But you don't want you feeling that to be the last thing you feel, do you?"

She was right, and he knew it. After years of his body being kept in what was, as far as they could tell, a sterile environment, they were concerned about his immune system. It was vulnerable, weak, even without the weakened state of his body. They'd put him in quarantine. For anyone to come see him, they had to scrub their hands and gown up. Lieutenant Hawkeye was also at risk for infection after losing nearly half her blood volume, and with all the injuries from the Promised Day, hospital beds had been hard to come by. He supposed that he was lucky that they had decided to give him company by putting her in here with him. At least he wasn't all alone in his quarantine.

"No, you're right. It's just hard. I waited for so long to feel things again. I'm just anxious to do it." He glanced at the table and the dishes of bland food that were sitting on them. "I'd at least like to eat something with more flavor and substance."

The Lieutenant laughed, although it was mostly just her breath. "You and me both."

Alphonse laughed with her. "Maybe soon we both can."

He wasn't allowed to eat much more than liquids and very soft food, all of it bland. It was supposed to be to acclimate his stomach to food again. Lieutenant Hawkeye was on a liquid and soft food diet while her neck healed. The doctors were being extra cautious when it came to her neck reopening.

She closed her book, and it caught Al's attention again. "What were some of the main things you wanted to feel again, when you were waiting to get your body back?"

Al tilted his head, thinking. "…familiar things. Grass. The breeze. The sun. Fur on pets. Hair. The warmth of other people. The feel of a book in my hands."

She hummed. "Maybe you can feel some of those things. You at least can feel the warmth of the sun there."

"That's true," he said, turning his face to the window again, and closing his eyes for a moment.

"We can't do much about the grass, the breeze, or fur." She said after a moment. "But as for the others…"

She trailed off, and Alphonse looked back over at her. She seemed to be thinking. He waited, and after a moment, she started speaking again.

"If you're up for it, you're welcome to any of my books here. They're mostly murder mysteries. If you want to read them, you can."

He smiled at her. "I'd like that," he said. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"I told you—you can call me Riza," she said with a smile. Her smile dropped into a bit of a frown, though, as she thought. "As far as hair and the warmth of other people…"

She hesitated a moment, then looked back over at him. "I know that I'm not who you meant, and that I'm not the warmest person around, but if you need some human contact, I'm fine with that. I understand how much the touch of another person can mean. And as for hair, well, it's hard for me to get the back of my hair and brush it well without straining my neck or moving it too much. I could use some help, if you want to give it."

Alphonse blinked at her, a little stunned. It wasn't that he had ever thought of Lieutenant Hawkeye as cold, but she didn't seem the snuggly type. And he had to wonder what she meant by understanding how much the touch of another person can mean. But still, to let him that close, offer to let him brush her hair—he understood that she was opening up to him.

He grinned, giving her the biggest smile, he could. "I appreciate that Lieu—Riza." He hesitated. "I… that is… would you mind if I come over there now?"

Her smile softened. "No, not at all."

Carefully, Alphonse stood up and made his way over the Lieutenant Hawkeye's bed. He had to move slowly, his muscles still not that strong yet. The lieutenant's bed was covered with several blankets, and there was stack of books on her bedside table. He looked for a place to sit down, but there wasn't much need for chairs while they were both quarantined.

"Here—just let me—" She carefully scooted herself over in the bed, taking care of her neck, and gestured for him to join her on the bed. Alphonse did, and he felt her arm go around his shoulders, giving him a squeeze.

It warmed Al's heart, and he leaned into the hug. It felt warm, safe, good, and he couldn't help but want to cling back. She allowed it, and they sat like that for several minutes.

"I… I'm sorry, Lieutenant," he said after a moment. "I know this isn't quite appropriate—"

She cut him off. "Nonsense," she said. "Alphonse, I view you and Edward like… I'm not sure of the exact relationship, but like family. Close family. I don't know if it would be described more as younger brothers or sons, but either way, you're family. It's alright if you don't feel the same way. But know that this doesn't bother me in the least."

Alphonse smiled. "No—No, brother and I… He'd never admit it, but we felt like all of you were family too. Especially you and the colonel. After mom… Granny Pinako, she's not really our Granny, but she feels like one. Teacher was the closest thing we had to a mother after that. But while we've been in the military, you've been the closet we had to a mom. I think… I think you and Teacher have been good stand in moms for us."

She was quiet for a moment, but he felt her arm tighten around him.

"…that means a lot to me, Alphonse. I hope I've been good to you boys. I didn't have the best example growing up, but…" she paused. "…Thank you."

Alphonse snaked an arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze back. "What were you reading?" he asked her.

"I just started it. It's about murder on a train on the way to Xing."

"Sounds interesting." He paused. "You know… it might be fun to read it together. Want me to read some of it out loud?"

She smiled. "That would be nice."

Alphonse picked up the book, the lieutenant helping to support it, and started reading it aloud, both of them settled on her bed and under her warm blankets. Al was still anxious to get out of here and experience everything again, but, if he had to be in quarantine, being here with Lieutenant Hawkeye wasn't so bad.