Over the next few days, Ed never quite awoke. He would stir sometimes, and realize form the feel of sheets and pillows that he was in bed, but mostly his mind floated free of his body, drifting in and out of disjointed versions of the same dream…
He was walking along a small crumbling wall, his arms spread to balance himself, and looked down at his younger brother smiling, wishing every day could be as good as this.
They had been out with Winry all day by the river making little fishing rods out of sticks and blades of grass tied together, but of cause they hadn't caught anything but it was still fun. After they're fishing, they had gone swimming in the small lake, though Ed and Alphonse had stayed in the shallows having a splash fight and giggling as if there was no tomorrow, when Winry swam over to them, slightly out of breath.
"It's getting late should we go home now??" She asked; Even though she was the oldest, she still asked them.
Edward looked up to the pinkish sky and looked back down at Winry, Al looking at him waiting for him to answer, "Yea" He replied "I Think we should, I don't want mum to mad with us"
Al turned to his brother "Nii-san, mum's never mad at us" He said giving his brother a puzzled look.
"You never know Al, thing's change." Ed said quietly turning away from Al and Winry.
With that they all dried in the evening sun in silence until they were dry enough to walk home without getting a chill from the shade of the trees they would have to pass.
"Come on, let's go, race you!" Then Ed ran off with Winry at his heels.
"Hay!" Al shouted starting to run after them "no fair, you got a head start!"
Ed laughed and ran hard and fast. Had always been faster that Al and Winry but he made sure Al and Winry always won the races they had together, He didn't know why, he just did. As Winry's house came into view She shouted her goodbyes to Ed and Al and sprinted to her house.
After a while Al started to fall behind, and Ed slowed to a walk so Al could catch up with him, when he did, he was panting hard and looked very tired.
By now the sky had turned red and the sun was set over the trees and Ed sawa littlewall and climbed the small thing to walk over. Occasionally looking down at his younger brother he loved dearly.
It was then that they saw the flashing light that there mother flashed for them when she wanted them homeand Ed and Al stopped and looked at each other smiling, then began run at the same pace towards there loving home and mother.
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This time Ed awoke almost fully, feeling strangely calm as he always did when he dreamed of his innocent childhood even though he should be scared of what they would do to him. It was times like this that Ed was most aware of his surroundings, and he didn't feel the harsh stone wall he was usually chained to, he felt comfortable, the word even sounded strange to him in thought.
He took a shaky breath, fully awake now,trying to concentrate on were he was. He soon realized that he was no longer in his dark and dank, rat-infested cell and was in fact in a bed with sheets and pillows with soft noises coming from close by.
When Ed finally worked up the courage to open his eyes, he was greeted once again by a blinding white, and quickly closed them again. After a few more minutes he opened them again slowly so his eye adjusted to the light that he happened seen in so long. Ed looked around the room taking in everything he saw…white floor, white walls, white sealing… After a couple of seconds Ed eyes adjusted once again and he was able to see some more defined colours.
His eyes scanned the room once more and they rested on the single window, where rain was poring down like little rivers, grey light shinning in duly. Ed felt something leave his heart at that point and tears stung his and he let them fall freely, as the feeling of being safe washed over him for the first time in what felt like years.
He stared at the window for a long time, completely lost in a thoughtless daze, until the figer next to him, which he hadn't noticed till then, moved and grunted slightly.
Ed froze, fear creeping back into his heart slowly, until he realized the person was asleep and he willed himself to relax. He stared at the person who turned out to be a man, with jet black hair that hadn't been cut in along while, looked uncomfortable sitting in a cruelly straight backed chair, sitting right next to his bed, his face turned away from him.
He stared at the man who was wearing baggy jeans with a lose crumpled blue button down shirt. He looked to skinny, like he had lost a lot of wight in a short space of time and, from what Ed could see, hadn't shaved properly in days.
The young alchemist then looked down at him self. First he held out his hands glancing at a few broken fingers, then to his right wrist that was set in a cast. He shifted slightly and was able to feel bandages covering his back, chest and stomach. Ed looked further down to his legs to see his right leg in a brace and his left ankle also in a cast. His first thought after looking himself over was that he should be in a lot of pain, not only form what was on the out side, but form what damage had been done on the inside. His second thought was that he must be on a lot of painkillers.
Ed shifted again trying to sit up slightly, which cause the man next to him to groan at the shuffling noise he was making. Ed stayed still and watched as the man straightened and yawned then slumped back down in his chair, glancing over his shoulder to look at Ed with black tired eyes and look back.
The man stiffened and slowly looked back at Ed, eye's wide with surprise and mouth hanging open dumbly.
Edward's own eye's widened slightly as he realized just whom his man was. Seeing though the Simi-long hair and sunken face with a poorly grown beard, he could see a man full of concern and angst for him, something he thought he would never see in the eye's of Roy mustang. But it was there.
The minutes ticked by as they stared unspeaking at each other, until Mustang finally spoke.
"Edward…?" His voice was low and fully of concern and worst of all, pity. Ed didn't want or like pity from anyone.
Edward opened his mouth as if to speak, But Mustang cut in.
"Shh, Ed its okay, your safe now, they won hurt you ever again" He cooed softly and reached out to touch Ed's cheek, but stopped suddenly when Ed flinched slightly.
Ed looked back at Mustang and opened his mouth and rasped, "don't…touch…me," his voice sounded rough from disuse.
Mustang felta tug in his heart at the boy's wordslooked away with tears in his eyes, When helooked back atthe traumatized blondebut couldn't meethis eye's as he said "Okay Ed, whatever you want. Do you want me to get a nurse?" And moved towards the door, wanting to get away from hisscarred friend,before Ed answered.
Ed watched that man go and felt panic start to rise, he didn't want to be alonek, not again.
"No…please… don't go." He pleaded with the man making him stop and half turn to Ed.
Mustang looked at the pleading man and bit his bottom lip. I should really get a nurse he thought…but Ed needs someone, after everything he's been though because of me he at least deserves this. He turned fully around walked back to Edward, turned his chair so he was facing him and sat down, fighting back tears.
He smiled at the man, "Okay, I'll stay" he whispered to him placing his left hand on the side railing of the hospital bed.
Ed's lip twitched as if trying to smile, but couldn't quite manage it, instead helooked down, with a pained expressionat Mustangs hand for a few seconds before lifting his own right hand, which was in a cast, and placing It on top of Mustang left and squeezed lightly before closing his eyes and turning his head away.
Mustang looked at his hand clasped in Edward's before looking back up to see his head turned away form him.
The black haired alchemist leaned back against his chair, keeping their hands clasped,sighing.
After some time, he noticed he was starting to fall asleep again and looked over at Ed who, Mustang smiled sadlyat this, was already asleep his chest rising and falling slowly.
Mustang turned to look out the window, tears coming to his eye's again and this time letting them fall. Letting the world know that , Edward Elric, was his only weakness.
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sigh REVIEW PLEASE!!!!! flideredy gib gib!...Its windy today! yay!
