Thank you to all those people that reviewed, favorited, and followed. There's nothing better than knowing other people are as crazy as you.
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Prompt: (Now Starring: First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye.) Ed falls asleep in the car a few months after being in the military. Riza tells Roy to let him sleep.
Warning: Another short little bout of intended PARENTAL!RoyEd. Cheezy, fluffy, cracky FLUFF. I would say I tried to keep them in character, but who am I kidding? I took several liberties with this one. Just like the last one. So everyone is probably pretty OOC. 'Tis the nature of "screw it I'm writing what I want to write." Once again, I will claim free write with purpose. NO PLOT.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Please enjoy! Or don't! I'm crazy. I don't really care. (I totally do though...)
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"He's sleeping, sir." Hawkeye informed him after checking her rear view mirror.
Mustang twisted in his seat and looked behind him. Sure enough, the young State Alchemist was passed out. His eyes were closed, his mouth was slightly open, and his entire upper body had listed to the right, and now lay slumped against the rear passenger side door. He opened his mouth to rouse him, but that was as far as he got because Hawkeye had grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to the front.
"You should let him sleep, sir. He seems exhausted."
"Of course he does," Roy drawled. "He's in the military now. I never told him it would be easy."
"True, but you have to remember he's only twelve, sir. Pardon my saying, but I think you need to take that into consideration more than you do." The woman was a highly attentive driver so her eyes never once left the road or her mirrors, but Mustang could tell by the tone of her voice that she wanted to make eye contact, give him a pointed look, and make sure he'd heard her.
Mustang looked back at the blond again, and then turned back to the front and resituated himself so he was comfortable again. He leaned his elbow on the window sill and let his chin rest against his fist. "Ok, fine. He can sleep. Are you happy, Lieutenant?" He asked sarcastically.
"Immensely, sir," she deadpanned back.
They rode the rest of the way to the hotel that the boys were staying at in relative silence. And when they arrived, Hawkeye slowed to a stop, quietly put the car in park, and shut off the engine. She turned around to check on Edward with her own two eyes, then reached her hand back and softly brushed a few strands of hair out of his face.
"He must be so tired," she cooed. Ed would've shouted in protest had he been cognizant, but right now he was at the blonde woman's mercy. "I don't have the heart to wake him up now that we're here."
"Just leave him in the car and lock the doors then," Roy suggested. "I'll walk you home."
Riza gave him a look. "Sir, I'm not leaving a child in my car over night."
Roy snorted. "Fullmetal is many things, but he is not a child. I'm waking him up." He opened his door and got out. Riza sighed disappointedly.
He looked through the rear window before opening the door. He wasn't so cruel that he'd want the blond to fall out into the street. Then he'd have to help him up.
"Fullmetal," he called quietly. He reached over and undid the seatbelt buckle before giving Ed a small shake. "Come on, the Lieutenant has to go home. And so do you."
Ed released a high-pitched whine of protest, surprising all present except of course himself.
Recovering, Mustang gave him another shake. "Come on. Up, Fullmetal." He sounded like he was talking to a new puppy. Which...he kind of was.
Ed moaned again and his heavy eyelids opened languidly.
"Good morning, princess," Roy teased. "Get out of the car. We're at your hotel."
Ed blearily looked around, then slowly slid out of the car. He leaned against the car, enough out of the way so that Mustang could close the door. He was so tired. And the car was actually pretty comfortable. He leaned his head on the metal frame. He felt himself slipping back into dreamland.
"Fullmetal, you have to wake up," Mustang said, poking the boy in the shoulder. 'Hey. Are you listening?" He didn't look like he was listening...
Mustang was talking to him, but it was all fuzzy. He sounded far away. Ed's jaw creaked when he yawned. So tired. Just close my eyes for a couple seconds, he thought. His brain shut off then and he was lost to the conscious world. Ed's body relaxed and his knees buckled instantly, sending him plummeting.
"Woah!" Mustang couldn't help but shout. He quickly caught the small alchemist by his underarms and hauled him back to a standing position, except instead of standing, he was the one supporting all 91 pounds of tiny State Alchemist.
Riza reached over and rolled down the window. "Sir?"
Roy looked at Fullmetal, who had swayed forward and was now leaning heavily against him, then to her, and then his mouth fell open at a loss for what to even say, so he went with the obvious. "He, uh, didn't wake up."
Riza quickly appraised the situation, then slowly started to smirk. "I have a suggestion, sir."
"Please. I'm all ears."
"I think it would be best if you just picked him up, sir."
"No. Different suggestion, Lieutenant," he said instantly.
"Sir, the hotel is right there," she pointed for emphasis. "Unless you don't think you can carry him." They stood for a moment in silence, which she broke with a sigh. She unbuckled her seatbelt. "Don't worry. I'll do it, sir. He can't weigh that much. Even with the automail," she challenged, already knowing she had won.
Roy unconsciously pulled his charge closer to him. "Wait, no. There's no need for you to get out, Lieutenant." He cleared his throat. "You're right. It's just right there. I'll do it."
He deftly twisted the twelve year old around and lifted him up by his armpits.
Roy's eyes widened as soon as the kid was in his arms, because despite being so very passed out, Ed's arms had reached and fastened themselves around his neck. Ed's legs had hugged his hips and now hung on either of his sides. And Ed's head had slowly settled and was resting on his shoulder.
Mustang was bearing most of the weight on his forearms which were securely tucked under the kid's rear, but Ed was somehow helping him because this did not feel like 91 pounds. The movements had been an instant reaction to being held. And it kind of freaked him out. Was that normal?
He looked at his most loyal of subordinates, hoping she could offer some advice.
She was laughing.
"What?" he asked warily. He wasn't sure he really wanted to know.
"I'm sorry, sir, but your face." She choked on another laugh and snickered, tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "Your reaction, sir. It was priceless. In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you look so...so...startled? Confused? I can't think of a good word for it, but I'm never going to forget that look now."
"Well, I'm so glad, I'm able to entertain you, Lieutenant," he shifted Ed over to his right side, hiking him a little higher in the process. "I take it you knew that grabby-clutchy thing he did was going to happen? How? Is he faking?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Riza's chuckles had died down and she shook her head. "He's not faking. He's still asleep, sir. That was a reflex. It's something children," she hung onto that last word a moment, "just do. It's natural. He feels lighter than he is, doesn't he?"
"Well, yes, but not by much. This," he pointed with his eyes, "is still almost 100 pounds."
"Of course, sir. And that's...quite a bit, I'm sure. May I suggest you drop him off with his brother now?"
Mustang turned and started walking towards the building. "Best idea you've had all night. Be right back."
He still couldn't believe he'd agreed to this, he thought as he once again adjusted Edward, who snuggled his head closer to his neck until warm breath was ghosting across the surface and the slender arms held on just slightly tighter than before. He guessed that was a reflex as well and sighed.
Riza was right. Edward Elric, one of the most talented and formidable alchemists in the military, really was a child. How did he not see that most days? Because right now it was rather obvious. Asleep like this, the blond was quiet and-though it felt wrong to say it-he was vulnerable.
And that scared Roy. It scared him that he could feel the rise and fall of the boy's small chest against his own broader one. It scared him that the boy was so light, being half his own weight. It scared him that the boy was so small in general. Hawkeye may have been joking when she offered to carry him, but he had no doubt that with her height and training, she could have done so with great ease. But worst of all. It terrified him that deep down-deep, deep down-he really didn't mind doing this. He felt needed. He felt like he was the only person who could protect this child in his arms. He felt like, if there was another opportunity to provide this small service to Edward, that he wouldn't think twice.
But that couldn't happen. This was not his child. Well, it was in a way since he'd actually had to sign a paper before letting Ed join, but Ed would never know that. The boy would likely be furious if he ever found out. No. This was not his child. This was his subordinate first and foremost. And he had to be ready to give orders and enforce proper discipline. If he got too close, he would become lax, and that could lead to death. Death of a civilian, death of a comrade, or death of the boy himself. This boy didn't need any more death in his life. No more loss.
So for the sake of preventing the loss, the breakdown of good order and discipline, this would be a one time deal. Because it had to be. Not because he wanted it to be. Though if it happened again, he really wouldn't mind.
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A/N: So...where did this idea come from? (Nobody cares, a voice far off in the distance shouted.) Well from carrying my cousins of course. They automatically somehow know where to grab and even though I swear one of them was 40 pounds and five, she wasn't. Apparently, she's about 70 pounds and almost nine now….God, I am a horrible judge of ages. I mean, my grandma has been 65 for like 15 years now. Also if you think Ed is too old to be carried, I disagree. I think anyone can be carried. Hell, I gave my friend a piggy back ride just last weekend. My friend is 22. It's just nice to be carried and to carry sometimes. Makes people feel loved. Anyway, Thank you very much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you didn't I'm sorry. Elle, oh Elle.
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"You will never be too old for me to carry you. Too big, perhaps, but never too old." ~ Anonymous Loving Mother