Oh my god, you guys! I need to stop doing this to you! Don't worry, I'm not giving up with this story. I was just busy with drawing! I'm enjoying my drawing tablet and I've been drawing these past few days for hours on end, non-stop. Sadly, my fingers were starting to hurt. I guess it's bad to draw for hours on end each day. I kinda got carried away! Anyways, if you guys are curious, I can link my DeviantArt page so you can see my drawings (warning: They are sucky and cringy) (oh well). Anyways, this is a suggestion from Patsy Koala. Onto the story!

Summary: Edward ends up injured and in the hospital, again, after a mission. Alphonse is upset and decides to complain to Team Mustang about his brother's recklessness. One walk later Al comes back with a fluffy ball of joy.

Idea Came From: Patsy Koala who suggested it

Timeline: Edward is 13 and Alphonse is 12, Roy is still in Eastern Command

Rated: K+ for mentioned violence and blood

Notes: review replies at the end

Story 17: The Joy of a Cat

To no surprise, Edward ends up in the hospital. Again. For the second time that month due to having been hurt on a mission. They had been in close combat with a group of rogue bandits who specialized with using daggers and short blades of the like. Which forced the two brothers to fight in close combat. Not that they were complaining, the boys are used to all types of fighting styles. They had been taught by none other than Izumi in fighting in all different scenarios.

So, it came as somewhat of a surprise when Edward had been taken advantage of. Though, seeing as he had been significantly smaller than the six foot, buff attackers, it doesn't look so surprising to the outside eye. So when Edward had been given a solid kick to the gut followed by a quick stab to the shoulder and leg, it wasn't so surprising that he ended up in the hospital. Again.

Edward is currently sitting upright in the hospital bed, arms crossed defiantly over his chest as he currently wears the regular hospital gown he's grown to hate over his year of working with the military. Alphonse is currently sitting in one of the chairs against the wall, making a point to not acknowledge his brother. At all.

"Come on, Al, I said I was sorry." Ed groans out, which only earns a pointed glare from Alphonse as the boy glances at his brother. "I didn't mean to get hurt! I wasn't expecting-"

"That's the thing, brother!" Al suddenly shouts as he quickly stands up. He stays where he is, though, instead of walking over to the bed. "You're always like this! Acting like it's never a big deal when you get hurt, saying that you'll just walk it off. But it's not true! I can see it in your eyes, your wounds hurt! Don't try to hide it from me!"

"I'm not hiding anything!" Ed snaps back, narrowing his own eyes. His body tenses out of instinct, which sends another dull throb of pain through his arm and up his leg. "I told you already, I'm fine!"

"See? You just did it again!" Al shouts, probably alerting a few nurses in the process as the two continue arguing with one another. "You're always getting yourself hurt because you grow too reckless! You let down your guard when you think you have the upper hand! That's why you didn't expect the guy to kick you! Which resulted in you getting stabbed!"

"I'm sorry, okay? What else do you want from me?"

"I just want you to live!" Al suddenly blurts out, breathing heavily, his cheeks a slight tint of red with anger. "Seriously! You could have died! If I hadn't been there to stop him from finishing you off, you would have died! And then what? I would be all alone! I can't risk losing you, brother! Not when you're the only one I have left. That's why it kills me to see you hurt!"

Edward stays silent for a long time. The brothers just stare at one another, their eyes swirling with different emotions. Alphonse's eyes burn with anger and frustration, though there is also fear and concern mixed in with it. Edward's own golden eyes shimmer with guilt at the fact that he puts his brother through this much stress.

"I'm sorry," Edward finally whispers out, looking down at his lap. "I don't mean to worry you. I just...I don't want you to stress about whether I'm in pain or not. And I didn't mean to get hurt, I don't mean to get hurt. I'm-I'm sorry."

Alphonse's eyes soften as he gazes sadly at his brother. He sighs and walks over to the bed, shaking his head. "I know, and I'm sorry for yelling at you. But you have to understand, whether you're in pain or not, I'll still worry, no matter what. It's my job to look after you, just as much as it is your job to look after me. It only makes sense, seeing as we only have each other."

"Yeah," Ed chuckles weakly. He holds out his fist, smiling up at Al. "So, truce?"

Al only rolls his eyes and fist bumps Ed's fist, though something flashes through his golden eyes as he swallows. "Truce."

Alphonse had been ushered out of Edward's room twenty minutes ago when his brother had fallen asleep. Though he didn't want to leave, he knew it was for the best, seeing as Edward needed rest to recover. No matter how much Edward would deny it.

So, here Alphonse is, wandering down the halls of Eastern Command to Colonel Roy Mustang's office. He doesn't know what had pulled him here, just that he can't make himself focus on researching. He can't make himself focus on anything, seeing as his mind still trails back to Edward's injuries. He had seen them firsthand. He had felt the blood of his brother soak into his clothes, he had seen the way Edward had slowly started pailing as the blood left his body. He still remembers the fear clear as day when his brother had passed out.

He pushes open the door and everyone in the outer office looks up upon his entrance. They look surprised at seeing Alphonse and not Edward.

"Alphonse? What're you doing here?" Fuery asks with confusion as he sets down a screwdriver onto his desk. He had currently been trying to disassemble an older radio.

"Where's the chief?" Havoc asks, which earns a heavy sigh from Alphonse as he makes his way further into the office after closing the door.

"Brother is in the hospital," Alphonse answers dully, shifting from one foot to the other. Riza raises an eyebrow at this while the others glance at one another. "That stupid idiot! Why isn't he more careful? He's so reckless at times."

"Wow Al, that's...something," Breda comments with surprise at hearing the younger call his older brother stupid. It isn't normal that they would see Alphonse lose his sweet and gentle composure. Edward must have done something pretty dumb to rile him up this much.

Roy chooses this moment to come from his office, holding a stack of papers. His eyes had been on Riza, probably wanting her to do an errand, but he stops when he sees Alphonse standing in the middle of the room.

"Alphonse? What brings you here?" Roy asks as he straightens, clearing his throat. "Isn't Fullmetal supposed to be in the hospital?"

"He is, I just...wanted to get some fresh air." Alphonse lies awkwardly, glancing away. It isn't completely a lie, more like he can't be around his brother right now with how angry and frustrated he feels. Despite the fact that Alphonse had forgiven him, he can't just forget how wreckless Edward had gotten with fighting those bandits.

"I have a feeling there's more than that," Roy comments all knowingly as he continues walking over to Riza. He hands her the stack of papers and gives out a few orders before turning to face Alphonse again. Riza leaves the room, carrying the papers.

"It's just..." Al trails off, struggling to find the words. He can feel his face slowly grow warm as the familiar sting of tears settles in his eyes. He can feel his heart clench and he sighs, shoulders sagging. He tries not to let his bottom lip quiver as his body trembles at the strain of trying not to cry. "I'm sorry, Ed just...he's always so reckless!"

Roy watches silently as Alphonse slowly crumbles under the stress of it all. The boy promptly bursts into tears, surprising the occupants of the room as they watch the young Elric try and fail to compose himself. It isn't often that Alphonse cries, despite his more gentle nature.

"Brother is just so reckless at times!" Al cries out between hiccupping sobs, trying and failing to wipe away the falling tears from his cheeks with the backs of his hands. He looks very much the proper twelve year old he is. "He got hurt because he let his guard down! He's always doing this! He's always getting hurt because he drops his guard too soon! He's so stupid sometimes!"

"Alphonse, where is this coming from?" Roy tentatively asks, not wanting to upset the boy any more than he already is.

"I just...I don't want him to die!" Al sobs, despite his best efforts not to. Holding his emotions in check had always been Edward's strong suit. Alphonse had to learn how to along the way, and sometimes his strong, patient, gentle front breaks away into the scared and sad child that he really is. "I don't want him to suddenly die on one of these missions! I'm scared that one day he'll go too far. He'll push himself or he'll drop his guard and...and he'll die. I don't want him to leave me alone like that! I can't be left alone! Not when he's the only one I have left!"

The whole room grows silent, the only noise coming from Alphonse as he tries to get ahold of himself. Roy finally sighs and walks over to the young twelve year old, shaking his head lightly.

"Alphonse," he says as he gently rests a hand on Al's shoulder. "Walk with me?"

"What?" Al asks, voice trembling as he looks up at Roy with wet eyes. He sniffles, wiping a cheek with his sleeve.

"Walk with me," Roy repeats himself, glancing at the others. "I'm sure some actual fresh air will do you good instead of some stuffy office air."

"O-okay."

The two make their way outside and start walking down the street. Much to their relief, there aren't that many people on the streets. It would be fairly strange to see a military officer walking with a regular citizen of Amestris.

"You know," Roy finally says after a while of just walking. The cool, fall air is relaxing and the different colors are calming. Much to the relief of Al's shot nerves. "It's inevitable that Edward will get hurt on missions."

"But he always does something stupid, which ends up with him always getting hurt," Al replies, small hiccups in between his words here and there, followed by a sniffle. He had calmed down somewhat, but that doesn't mean he is completely calm. He is still stressed and worried and frustrated with his brother.

"I know," Roy says with a chuckle. "That's Fullmetal for you. Always getting too cocky for his own good. It's best to just let him do his thing and step in when he needs the help. Whether he asks for it or not."

"It doesn't help that it's frustrating," Al comments sadly. "He always puts everything on his shoulders, acting like he has to carry the burden of everything. But...but it's not his responsibility to do so."

"Yeah, but that's what older siblings do. They take the blame to protect their brother or sister." Roy replies with a shrug. "They always act like the strong one to comfort the younger ones. Sometimes they don't realize that it's okay to share the troubles with their friends and family."

"You talk as if you have experience with this," Al comments skeptically. "Do you have any siblings we don't know about, Colonel?"

"No, but I grew up around girls," Roy replies with a chuckle as he ruffles Alphonse's hair. "I tended to pick up a few hints here and there. Let me tell you, women are better at giving good advice than men. Either that or I'm pretty bad at it."

"No, I think you give good advice." Al chuckles as Roy stops ruffling his golden bangs. "Thank, Colonel. You've done so much for us, I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"Don't worry about it," Roy chuckles with a smile.

They pass a pet store soon after, which quickly draws Alphonse's attention. He quickly stops and walks over to the display glass, smiling in at the playful puppies that roll around one another and play with a rope. Roy stops and turns, raising an eyebrow at Alphonse.

"Alphonse?" He asks as he walks over to where Alphonse stands, hands pressed up against the glass as he stares in the store with excited eyes. Much like a child would. Which doesn't surprise Roy, given the fact that Alphonse is an animal lover-especially towards cats-and that he is a child.

"Sorry, I get carried away when an animal is involved." Al chuckles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Brother doesn't like it when I bring home stray cats off the streets."

"You wanna go in?" Roy asks, walking toward the door. Al looks surprised as he timidly follows after.

"Really? Don't you have to get back to work?" Al asks as Roy holds the door open for the younger Elric.

"Nah, I'm sure Hawkeye will understand," Roy comments with a chuckle as Al hesitantly enters the shop. Roy follows after and gives a quick nod to the cashier as she greets them. "Besides, you look like you need a break."

Alphonse can't help but smile gratefully at the Colonel as the two wonder the store. They look at birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, tarantulas, puppies, ferrets, guinea pigs; until finally, they come up to a display case holding little kittens. They are all playing with one another; happily rolling around balls of yarn and play fighting.

One smaller kitten sitting in the corner catches Alphonse's attention. It has long fluffy fur that looks soft to the touch. It is almost a jet black color with a white chest. The back paws are white, as well as the tip of its tail. The kitten has striking forest green eyes and it stares at them with curiosity, though it doesn't move from the corner. It's pink nose twitches as well as its white and black whiskers.

"It's a runt," Al says as he walks over to the corner where the kitten sits, almost forgotten to the world. Roy watches with interest as Alphonse carefully scoops the kitten up, hands working tenderly as he slowly holds the kitten up for him to carefully examine. "It's a she."

"What makes you think she's a runt?" Roy asks curiously as he walks over to stand beside Alphonse.

"From the looks of her, she's a Maine Coon," Alphonse answers as the kitten lets out a little "mew". "They tend to be a good size, even as kittens. And, I'm guessing from the looks of the others, they're all Mane Coons as well. Though, from the varying colors, I'd say from a different litter."

"How can you tell the breed of a cat just by looking at them?" Roy asks, raising a black eyebrow as he looks to Alphonse's face.

"I like cats." Is all Roy gets as an answer. Alphonse chuckles as the cat rubs her face against his hand, requesting attention. He gently scratches behind her ear and the cat lets out a contempt purr. "I'm guessing that she hasn't been adopted because of her color. Black cats seem to be one of the least adopted out of all the colors."

"Huh, interesting."

"It's sad, she seems lonely in that corner," Al comments as he continues petting her silky fur. His golden eyes flash with a tenderness Roy has never seen the boy hold in his gentle eyes before. It pulls at his heart and he lets out a sigh, walking over to the sign to read the prices. He fishes his wallet out of his pocket while Alphonse watches curiously.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm paying for her," Roy says as he picks out the appropriate amount. He turns and smiles at Alphonse. The boy looks surprised, his mouth hanging open as Roy stuffs his wallet back in his pocket. "We can't let her stay here forever, right?"

"But-why...?"

"Because I care about you, Alphonse. Believe it or not, I have a heart." Roy replies as he walks over to the cashier who seems contempt that they are buying something instead of just wandering around. "I know that a cat will make you happy. And if Fullmetal has any problems with it, send him to talk to me."

"I-I don't know how I can possibly thank you," Alphonse says, his heart feeling lighter as he hugs the kitten close to his chest. She mews playfully and rubs the side of her head against his green shirt. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it," Roy chuckles as he grabs a few cans of wet kitten food and a bag of dry food on the way to the cashier. "I'm happy to help, Alphonse."

Once the food and the cat is paid for, they head out of the pet store and start walking back to the Command Center. Roy is carrying the plastic bag holding the food while Alphonse plays with the little kitten. His smile is of pure joy, and Roy can't help but smile.

That's all, folks! I'm so sorry it took this long to update. Again, I got sidetracked with drawing. I can't help it! It's just so fun! Anyways, onto the responses!

Guest (Nov. 21)- thank you! I'm glad that I got their personalities right. As for your suggestion, I think it's a good idea! I'll get right on that! Hopefully, it won't take as long this time...heh heh

HA- thank you!

Ree- Do you mean you ship Roy and Riza? Because if so, I do too!

Lady Jessica Mustang- I'm glad you liked it! And that's an interesting suggestion, I'm sure I'll have fun writing it! And I'll also come up with something for the kids to do something worse, involving the parents.

That's all for today! Don't forget to leave suggestions for what you want me to write in future chapters. Thanks for reading! Have a nice day/night!