I hope I'm updating quick enough for you guys, cause I'm working as fast as I can without damaging the end result!

Yay, more reviews!

SoSickOfNyQuil: You like NyQuil? O.O Then why the name?

E.Mahiru: Yes, that is rather contradictory, but you're right. D: STOP GUESSING THE STORYLINE!! You're WAY too close for comfort. XD So there's no need to bang your head on the desk. And I totally could make Roy sleepwalk...thinks about it...not in the near future, though, cause I have a part of the storyline mapped out. Maybe later, though. :D

I love Malfoy as a ferret: Thank you for feeding my ego. It makes me happy to know I hooked you on my story.

And a little teaser for everyone who's reading; the romance is coming soon. ;)

But not yet.

And now on to the story!

Chapter Six

Bed Rest

Edward woke up not to the sound of cooking, like he normally did, but to the sound of a phone ringing.

Briiinngggg, briiinngggg.

Who could be calling at this hour?

Briiinngggg, briiinngggg.

Why wasn't the colonel answering the phone?

Briiinngggg, briiinngggg.

Groggily, Ed reached over to the bedside table and picked up the receiver.

"H'lo?"

"Mr. Elric?" It was Riza. "What are you doing at the Colonel's house?"

"Oh, uh," Shit, shit, shit! "We're, uhm, cousins."

"Oh? I wondered why he would hire an assistant so young."

Edward coughed nervously. He would have to tell Roy that he had said that they were cousins now to avoid confusion. "Was there something you wanted, Riza?"

"Oh, yes, is the colonel there?"

"Hold on a second." Ed put the receiver down on the bed and walked across the hall to Roy's bedroom.

His bedroom was as plain as Ed's, just a room with a bed and a dresser. Edward assumed the lump in the bed was Roy. "Roy? Riza's on the phone." Ed walked around the side of the bed and looked down at Roy.

His breath caught in his throat.

Roy was sick. His face was flushed and is lips were chapped. Ed felt his forehead and Roy stirred slightly. He had a fever.

"Edward?" His voice was hoarse, too.

"You're sick, Roy. How the hell did you get this sick overnight?"

"I'm not sick…" Roy growled and attempted to sit up, only to fall back down from the lightheadedness.

"Not sick, eh?" Ed rolled his eyes at Roy's dazed look. "How did you catch it?"

"Maes…caught something…from his daughter…maybe from him?" It was painful for Roy to talk. He winced at the sound of his own raspy voice.

Ed sighed. "Well, you can't go to work like this. Just lay back and rest, and I'll take care of you today. I'm gonna go tell Riza that you're too sick to work; she called this morning." Ed stood up and walked to the door. "Oh, and that reminds me; we're cousins now. I couldn't think of a better explanation for being over here."

Roy had no chance to respond as Ed walked out the door and back to the phone.

"Roy's really sick, Riza. I don't think he can come to work today."

"Oh, really?" Riza sounded only slightly concerned. "That's too bad. I was just going to thank him for getting so far ahead in his paperwork, even after goofing off for a bit with Maes and Fuery."

"I'll be sure to give him the message for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Elric. Help him get better fast, wont you?"

"Yes, Riza, I'll take good care of him."

"Well, goodbye then."

"Goodbye."

Ed hung up the phone and walked back to Roy. He knelt beside the lump on the bed.

"Hey, Roy, what do you want to eat?"

"Soup," Roy rasped. "In the cabinet."

"Okay."

Ed got up and walked through the hall to the kitchen. Soup in a can couldn't be that hard, right? He opened the cabinets…and fisted his hand to his mouth to keep from laughing. Apparently, Roy either got sick a lot, or he really enjoyed soup. The entire cabinet was filled with chicken noodle soup.

Well, at least it was simple. Easy directions on the back, the pot's right there, you just have to heat, stir, and serve. I can do this.

And, lucky for Ed and Roy, it really was just that easy.

xxxxx

Ed brought Roy the soup on a tray he had found in another cabinet, along with some orange juice. He set it down on the bedside table and helped Roy prop himself up on a couple of pillows. Roy smiled gratefully and thanked Ed as he set the tray on his lap, and Ed blushed.

"Just eat, okay?" Ed sat on the end of the bed and watched Roy eat. Roy didn't notice as he slurped his soup down, feeling the comforting warmth spread through his body.

Soon, Roy finished eating, and Ed stood up and took the tray back to the kitchen. When he went back to the room, Roy had fallen asleep. Smiling, Ed sat down on the end of the bed to watch him. If he woke up, Ed would ask him if he wanted anything.

xxxxx

When Roy woke up, it was dark outside his window, and he felt much better. He tried to swing his legs out of bed, but there was a heavy weight holding them down. Sitting up slowly, so as not to get dizzy, Roy saw that Edward had fallen asleep on his legs.

Roy smirked at the boy's ruffled appearance. He wore an old shirt of Roy's to sleep in now, and it hung down to his knees as he lay curled up on the bed. Ed's hair was tangled and sticking up in random directions because he hadn't combed his hair (or changed his clothes for that matter) since he woke up that morning. He was laying his head on his arms, and his arms were lying on Roy's knees. This explained Roy's immobility.

Smiling, softly, Roy gently rolled Ed off his legs. He stood quietly and lifted Ed into his arms, carrying him into his own room. He tucked him in, and Ed rolled over and fell into a deeper sleep, dreaming of an angel of fire. Roy gazed for a moment at Ed's peaceful face, and then went back to bed.

He would have to give Edward a really good gift for Christmas to thank him for this.

hint hint