Ed was sitting up in the bed, arm wrapped protectively around the incision that ran from just under his chest, along his ribs, and crossing his side to his back. His hospital bracelet bounced as he poked absentmindedly at the food on his plate.
"You need to eat, Ed." Roy commented, watching the kid who normally had an insatiable appetite looking ill at the sight of food.
"I feel too sick to eat. I feel like I'm gonna barf." Ed grumbled, barely holding back a shudder.
"Roy's right, Ed." Maes chimed in, a concerned look on his face. "If you don't eat you're not gonna get better." Ed sighed and set his fork down, he gingerly laid back against the bed.
"Leave me alone. I feel sick, more of me is metal, there's a tube sticking out of me and hospital food is nauseating to begin with." He griped, his skin pale and clammy. Roy frowned, thinking of the man who was responsible for all of that.
"Ed, why didn't you tell anyone that Stratton had been bothering you?" He asked softly. Ed grimaced.
"Wasn't important." He murmured, turning his head away from Roy and looking out the window. Roy sighed through his nose.
"Ed, it is important. That guy is a bully, he always has been. If he was giving you a hard time you could've told one of us, we could have helped you." Roy told him, earning nods from Hawkeye, Hughes, and Havoc. Ed sighed and rolled his head back around to look at them.
"He's just an ass. I would have told you if he was beating the crap out of me, but he wasn't, not until today." He explained, chuckling lightly, wincing at the movement to his sore chest.
"Well, you won't have to worry about him anymore. The Colonel is going to file an official complaint against him, he'll probably be court-martialed." Havoc assured him, crossing his arms. "I just can't believe it. I mean, I knew the guy was a scumbag, but this is low." He added, furrowing his brow. Ed shrugged lightly.
"I don't really care what happens to him, as long as he doesn't send me to the hospital every time I see him in the hallways." He sighed.
"Ed, trust me when I say this will never happen again. Not on my watch." Roy reassured him, a determined look on his face. Ed smirked.
"Good, because this hurts like a bitch." He hissed, a smile on his face. They all chuckled lightly at that.
A mousey-looking nurse then entered the room, a white styrofoam cup in each hand. She smiled warmly at Ed.
"Hello, Edward. I figured you wouldn't be feeling up to eating anything much, so I brought you a slushy and some jello." She explained, placing the two cups on Ed's tray, along with a straw and a spoon. Ed grinned.
"Mindy, you are the best." Ed exclaimed breathily, looking at Mindy as if she had a glowing halo. He stabbed the straw into the lid and took a large sip, sighing in contentment.
"No problem, Ed. Get better soon." She giggled, leaving the room with a wave. Roy raised a brow at Ed.
"You know her?" He asked, confusion evident in his voice. Ed nodded, scooping red jello into his mouth.
"Oh yeah, that's Mindy. She's usually here whenever I am. She's a saint." He mumbled through a mouthful of jello. Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh.
"You know Ed, for someone who hates hospitals you sure are in them a lot." Hughes remarked, scratching the back of his neck. Ed shrugged.
"Exactly why I don't want to be here more than I need to be." He replied, sipping the blue slushy. "Speaking of, when can I get out of here?"
Hawkeye raised her brows. "You just had invasive surgery a few hours ago, Edward." She reminded him.
"So?" He asked casually. "I still don't want to be here."
Roy let his head fall into his hands. "You are something else, kid. You know that?" Ed shrugged.
"It'll be at least five days, Ed. Probably a week. Get comfortable." Hughes explained, a sympathetic look on his face. Ed groaned.
"Don't worry, Edward. We'll be here to keep you company. Al will be here sometime tomorrow as well." Hawkeye declared, hoping to help reassure him. Ed stiffened at the mention of Alphonse.
"You called Al?" He asked, his voice tight. He stared at Roy with wide eyes. Roy creased his brow. He would have figured the kid would be ecstatic to see his brother, but he looked fidgety and anxious.
"Yes, I called Al as soon as you were taken into surgery. He said he would take the first train here." Roy answered calmly. Ed put an automail hand to his forehead with a sigh, letting his eyes fall shut.
"He is so gonna worry about this! And nag me! He'll probably cry!" Ed rambled, sitting back against his bed. Havoc cocked a brow.
"Uh, chief? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Alphonse incapable of crying?" Havoc inquired, scratching his head. Ed shook his head, his hand still pressed against his forehead.
"But he does. He does this choked sob thing and it makes me feel so bad." Ed explained, wilting into himself.
"Don't worry, Ed. Alphonse would be much more upset if you didn't tell him about this. He'll be much happier here with you than anywhere else." Hughes comforted. Roy was thankful that his best friend always seemed to know what to say, as Ed appeared to relax at his words.
"I guess you're right, but still." Ed continued, letting his arm fall slack beside him. "I just hate making him worry." He murmured to no one in particular as he stared into space.
"He'll worry no matter what, Ed. That's what brothers do; I know you worry about him all of the time as well." Hawkeye added, her voice quiet and soft. Ed nodded.
"I know. I just wish he'd worry about himself for once. That's why I was so glad that he decided to take some time off by himself with Winry and Granny, he deserves it." He stared off into the distance as memories played back through his dazed eyes. "Then I went and screwed it up for him all over again." Ed mumbled, a sour look on his face. Roy frowned.
"This is not your fault, Ed. This is the fault of Colonel Stratton, and he will pay for this, trust me." Roy stated, anger evident in his eyes. Anger not towards anyone in the room, but towards the man who had put Ed through so much.
"Yeah, I guess." Ed muttered, looking unconvinced.
"Bottom line, Ed, Al is really looking forward to seeing you. He only worries because he loves you." Hughes added, a soft smile on his face. Ed smiled back.
"Yeah, I love him too."