It wasn't until later that afternoon that Edward found out what had happened to Envy. He had learned it from a shaking Fletcher and Russell, who had come to him after finding out about the news themselves. Edward had rushed to the small infirmary immediately, along with the other two blonds.
When he saw a very awake Envy lying on the small, rusty bed, he himself shook with anger as well. They hadn't washed him yet, even though it had been several hours since they had found him and there was blood everywhere. A blanket was covering his lower half, though his upper half was completely naked, with tiny goose bumps forming themselves on his arms from the cold. The older boy was grinning, yet it was forced and not the same as the one he had a couple of hours before the event—he was sitting straight, watching them coming inside and raised a hand.
"Hey Shorty, Blondie, Flippy," he said cheerfully. Edward decided to let the 'Shorty' comment slide this time and instead raised an eyebrow at Russell who shrugged.
"I have no idea why he calls my little brother 'Flippy'," he replied, answering the unspoken question. Envy didn't seem to have heard it.
"You've come to visit little old me? I'm so flattered," he continued, pretending to hold his heart. Edward sighed and sat down on the edge of Envy's bed due to lack of chairs. Russell and Fletcher decided to just stand in the doorway, not really knowing what else to do.
"Are you… okay?" Edward asked tentatively, his brows knitting together as he saw the dark look Envy was shooting him. It was amazing how the palmtree could go from cheerful to full out anger, though Edward supposed he had already been angry in the first place (what a genius, huh?).
"Do I look okay, Edo?" Envy hissed angrily.
"No," the blond answered truthfully. "You look like shit, but I just thought it was polite to ask." Envy blinked, before he grinned at him again.
"Well, no need to be polite around me! After all, I'm just a worthless bitch, right?" The grin became forced again and a touch of bitterness laid in his voice. Edward shot him a pitying look. "Heh, no need to feel sorry for me Edo, I knew it all along. Even my mom didn't want me, so I'm kinda used to this—at least I won't be homesick!" he continued cheerfully.
"I'll be with you whenever I can from now on, okay? I mean, I won't let this happen again, I swear it," Edward said seriously. Envy barked a laugh, not believing it one word. He ruffled the blond's hair, who looked indignant at that, but didn't say anything.
"I don't need a bodyguard, so no worries. I can defend myself," he said firmly.
"Then at least let me ask one of the guards to watch out for you. And I wouldn't try to say no, Envy, 'cause I'll do it anyway, whether you like it or not," Edward added quickly, seeing the look of protest the green-haired boy had on his face. Envy shrugged.
"Whatever, if it makes ya happy," he replied. Edward gave him a small smile. "Uh-oh, here comes the nurse," he suddenly whispered, shuddering. "She's so annoying and demanding. She's taken about five blood tests already, if she takes another one, I swear I'll stick that needle up her ass." Edward snickered.
"Visiting hour is over, now shoo! The patient needs rest, he needs to be out of here in the morning," she said, shooing the three of them out the door. Envy gave them a small wave, eyeing the needle in her hands with a pensive look. Edward, for a moment, was scared he really was going to stick the needle up her ass, but shook his head. Even Envy wouldn't be that crazy, right?
…Right?
"We'll see you tomorrow Envy!" Russell called out, before the nurse slammed the door to the infirmary in their faces. They stood there for a couple of seconds, until they heard a high-pitched scream coming from inside, followed by a thud and a triumphant cry from Envy.
The three of them looked at each other.
"…I think we'd better go," Edward finally said.
The others could only agree.
"Did you hear about that guy you called a palm tree?" Edward asked as he caught up with Roy Mustang's long and quick strides. Havoc and Falkman were walking in front of them and briefly turned around to see which prisoner it was that was talking to Roy. They both gave a small nod to Edward, who nodded in return, and turned back.
"I only heard rumours," Roy answered, shrugging.
"He was raped. I think it was Greed," Edward said softly, looking around to see if nobody had heard him. Roy looked at him sternly.
"Those are some dangerous accusations, Edward. You should know better than that. I'm sure Mr. Bradley will do anything in his power to catch whoever has done that to… Envy, was it? Until the real villain has been caught, please refrain yourself from making such accusations." Edward was about to reply, yell at him for being such a bastard, before Roy's eyes flickered to the left. Edward followed them and saw a security camera, pointed directly at them. The blond nodded in understanding.
"I understand sir, I'm sorry. I must be upset about the whole affair." Edward made a small bow, all the while gesturing with his hand to the outside grounds, where there were fewer cameras. Roy nodded again and Edward, relieved that Roy understood him, stood up straight.
"Good, do not let it happen again or I'll be forced to put you in isolation." Edward nodded again and dashed off, to the play area where there weren't so much camera's.
Once he was there, he waited patiently for Roy, who came walking not ten minutes later at a leisurely pace. Edward became slightly annoyed, but didn't want to draw attention to himself, so decided he should refrain himself from yelling 'Hurry up old man, I could've grown a beard by the time you arrived'.
"You should be more careful, Edward, you could get us both into trouble," Roy said, his voice calm, but his eyes betraying his worry. Edward nodded in understanding, though not really taking note of it, before he started rambling about how Envy looked like.
"—And I think it was Greed, because it happened near the West block and he was one of the few guards assigned there. The other ones couldn't have done it, because they're not pervy enough for it," Edward shuddered briefly. "You remember how he tried to get me too, right? It was only two months ago, after all…" A dark look crossed Roy's face.
Yes, indeed he did remember.
He was walking down the dark, cold hallway on his usual route. Well, not exactly his usual—he hadn't seen Edward today yet, so he was trying to find him, ask him how things were, if he was better yet since he had a cold the day before and just plain hear his voice again.
He shook his head, chuckling lightly. He sounded like a hopeless, romantic, little schoolgirl. What an utter idiot he was.
Roy halted near a corner when he heard voices—one filled with lust and the other one filled with fright.
"Stop struggling, it'll happen eventually," the husky one said, his breath heavy and fast. There was the sound a body slamming against the wall and a loud yell.
"S—Stop it! You bastard! Let go of me!" Roy's eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice—Edward. The other one suddenly yelled in agony.
"Argh! You'll pay for that, little brat. Just for that, I'll make it hurt so bad you wish you were never born," he said menacingly. Roy turned the corner, deciding Edward needed his help and deciding that whoever it was would definitely die, for touching Edward. Hell, even threatening the blond would be enough of a reason for Roy to kill someone.
He held up his hand and snapped his fingers together, but not before he took a good look at the scene; Edward was being held up against the wall, his eyes closed and on the brim of tears, while the new guard, Greed, was holding him up with one hand and clutching his crotch with his other one. Roy figured Edward had kicked him good and hard there with his metal leg and was briefly quite proud of him for doing so.
Greed screamed when he felt the heat of flames on his back and let go of Edward, who didn't hesitate one minute and punched him again, but this time with his metal arm. He ran to Roy, panting, and Roy swung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer towards him.
"So, why did Bradley didn't want to fire Greed again for that?" Edward asked, resentment evident in his voice. Roy snapped out of his memories . "Ah yeah, because there wasn't enough evidence right? Che, retard," he muttered angrily. Roy agreed. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you, could maybe someone keep an eye on Envy for a while? You know, just in case he comes back for more or something… I don't want it to happen to Envy again, it's bad enough he has to stay in this place." Roy nodded.
"I'll make sure Havoc watches him for a couple of months." Edward nodded, grinning at the guard, who gave him a smirk back. "Though, a little midget like you should have a private guard as well." He closed his ears for the upcoming rant.
"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULDN'T EVEN FIGHT OFF ANTS! HUH!" Roy's smirk grew.
"Why, Edward, I never said such a thing. Wherever did you hear that?" Edward began muttering several obscenities, before stomping off. Roy watched him leaving, his smirk turning into a smile, as he remembered that he had sworn he would watch over him and would make sure Greed could never touch him again.
Several weeks later things had settled in Central—Envy was his cheerful self and acted as if nothing at all had happened, though he was still being followed by Havoc as Roy had promised. Envy did know it himself and decided he should occasionally prank his new shadow. Havoc wasn't a happy camper.
On the other hand, he hadn't been harassed by Greed ever since, which was a good thing. It most certainly was a relief for both Russell and Edward, who had started to consider Envy a friend. After all, in a place like Central, it was good to make friends and form a front against others; you needed others to keep yourself sane there.
And Edward truly was glad that Russell was a normal guy, who had almost as much willpower as he did—most kids his age had already given up and decided they would die in Central sooner or later. Russell wasn't that kind of guy; he was determined to get himself and his little brother out of there no matter what. It was only too bad that Envy didn't think that way.
"Hey, I got nothing to go back to. Might as well just die here, got nothing to live for," he had said, with a grin on his face as if it didn't bother him. And maybe it didn't, Edward figured. Maybe he had given up long before Central. But even so, if Edward would someday find a way to escape, he decided he would take Envy with him no matter what—even if he had to drag him along by that long green hair of his.
It was on a cold Monday that Edward had to go to the dock again to welcome the new arrivals, along with Roy, Maes, Jean and several other guards Edward was familiar with. There was, however, something wrong with the way Roy looked at him with pity, the way Maes shook his head whenever he made eye contact with Edward and the way Jean looked at him curiously, as if he was on the verge to answer him some sort of question.
The wind was blowing heavily, so the boat was late by twenty minutes and so this went on for twenty minutes longer, until Edward finally couldn't take it anymore and he exploded.
"Okay, what the hell is going on! You guys have done nothing but stare at me for the last hour! Will someone finally tell me what the hell is wrong?!" he howled at them, the wind muffling his yells. The guards looked at one another, before Roy decided it was best he would ask the question they had been dying to ask after they had seen the list of young alchemists that would be arriving.
"Edward, do you know an Alphonse Elric?"
Edward froze to the spot, his hands hanging limp to his sides, his eyes focusing themselves on nothing at all. As the guards looked at him expectantly, he swallowed.
"H—He's my little brother. Why?" They all looked at each other again, Jean with surprise, Maes and Roy with pity. "Why!" Edward shouted again. "They didn't get him, did they?! Tell me, Mustang!" he pleaded when they didn't say anything. Roy didn't say anything; couldn't say anything, because of that broken look Edward was giving him. His brother and mother had been the only reason he wanted to get out of Central, if he would tell him… then he would crush that metal will of his.
"They got him, Ed. He'll be arriving today," Maes answered instead, his face serious.
And as Edward saw the boat coming closer and closer, he felt his knees wobble. He was about to hit the ground when strong arms caught him and held him up.
"I'll do anything I can, Ed. Anything," Roy muttered and a small part of Edward felt relieved. He vaguely heard Jean whisper something to Maes, which sounded like 'You think we should tell him the other thing too', but decided not to pay too much attention to it.
Because Roy was just so warm.
Author's Note: Aw, some RoyEd fluff x3. Yay! Finally an update, huh? T.T Sorry it took so long. Anyway… eh… o.o Got nothing else to say. Damn. Hope you review! And yeah, the plot has finally begun moving. When Alphonse is there, we can start… -grins- Because you didn't honestly think Ed wasn't going to try to escape, did ya? x3.