Me again, just letting you know I'm still alive :)
This isn't amazing but I've had a bit of a busy week. Better than nothing, right?
"Well?" Edward asked after a long pause.
"Well what?" Roy replied with a puzzled expression etched across his features, looking to his subordinate as if the teen had just spoken a foreign language. The blonde in question rubbed his temples weakly in frustration.
"We didn't come here for a chat" Ed said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Quite right FullMetal, quite a bright one aren't you?"
The teen replied with a growl and surrendered to his aching muscles by collapsing into an exhausted heap on the floor, not even battering an eyelid as his head skimmed the brickwork. He was far too tired to complain any further and decided to rest while he still had the opportunity. Not that there was anything pleasant about trying to get some shut eye when the campus was being blown into god knows how many pieces. The loud ringing explosions and fire arms would be forever etched into his memory.
"Well?" Roy asked his subordinates, frowning as he was greeted with a rather unhelpful silence.
"Excuse me Sir" Risa said through clenched teeth, "It's rather difficult to conduct a plan due to the given circumstances"
In all truth, they were too tired to function, minds staying to the more important question at hand, when would it end?
Jean watched as Fuery tried to summon the courage to speak, shyly hiding behind Breda, like always. Sometimes Havoc wondered if there was a cause to the man's sheepish behaviour, Ishbal perhaps. Since those many years ago Kain tended to stick to the safest jobs he could do best at, tapping the systems. He couldn't blame him. It was enough to shake even the strongest willed people.
"Spit it out Kain" Jean smiled, watching the man's eyes bulge behind his spectacles.
"Don't be shy now" a noticeable blush tinted his cheeks, his gaze shifting nervously to the floor as the team focused their attention towards him.
"W-we should ..." he paused after another loud bang, the distant flash of flames piercing the horizon of the black and violet sky. "We s-should check east..." he trailed off, beginning to doubt his own thoughts and self confidence sinking back to rock bottom.
"There's hardly been any commotion there... it's a little suspicious don't you think?"
"Let's get moving" Roy smiled; he couldn't help but broaden his grin as he noticed how Edward slouched further down the wall with a loud groan, craning his neck lazily to his superior. He honestly couldn't blame the teen for his lack of enthusiasm. They'd passed the eastern wing on their way to meet Armstrong, which inevitably meant going all the way back again and taking a small detour.
"Something wrong Edward?"
"Nothing" the blonde spat through clenched teeth, pulling himself to his feet. "Everything's just... peachy"
Leaning onto the wall with his right hand, Ed could feel his body protest angrily. Muscles wreathed sorely in agony and the blood hammered demandingly through his veins, ears ringing and head pounding repeatedly. It didn't surprise the teen that he was straying far behind. He had to force himself forward before his colleagues disappeared from sight. Luckily for Ed, Armstrong was incredibly hard to miss.
As team Mustang approached the court the air became thicker, clogged with thick smoke and ash, the black power fell softly like rain. Breda scowled as he brushed the black from his hair, an ugly black smudge appearing on the palm of his hand.
Jean lazily trudged behind not far from Edward, hands in his pockets and a miserable expression plastered across his features. His head throbbed dully, a reminder of each passing second spent listening to the noise and commotion grate painfully through his eardrums.
The Colonel paused as he reached the battered and abused grass, lumps of turf in heaps and mounds across the yard. It was suspiciously quiet. Not a single soul to be seen or heard. A pair of onyx eyes scanned the area with precaution. Roy continued to walk, his boots sinking into the thick mud as he went. Risa and Havoc sheepishly followed Breda, Armstrong and Fuery following without batting an eyelid.
Edward emerged from the dark shadows, growling in frustration as he approached the familiar scene, nursing his sore ribs and grimacing at the sight of his mud caked foot. As amusing as it was to see his odd footprints trail behind him, the teen really had to force a laugh from his pale lips. The team were already nearing the dirty pavement, leaving Ed to walk to the other side alone, hauling his heavy limbs with each ounce of remaining energy. When the blonde reached the body of a familiar man without a gun his lips curled into a smug smile.
"Bastard..." he muttered tiredly with a weak kick to the soldier's bloody temple, cold body rolling aside. The smirk didn't fade, not even when the kick knocked the teen off balance, his body protesting as his heavy limbs neared the floor dangerously. With a few more weak steps, Edward looked at the remaining distance between himself and the pavement, cursing as his wonderful superior began to disappear from view. Another step, his legs buckled, the heavy metal pulling Ed to the ground with a sharp tug.
As he awoke, Edward was all too aware of the cold ground beneath him, the lumps and bumps of earth digging into the back of his head and spine. The wind whipped at his bare arm and neck, the teen pulled a flesh arm to his chest, cradling it tightly in hope of gaining some warmth, failing miserably. He opened an eye, squinting as the light stung his golden pupil. Scanning the land for any sign of life or landmark confirmed Ed's suspicion. He was lost and confused.
His memory's were filled with small gaps, not too many, but just enough to frustrate him. Each recent memory blurred, jumping to another event. Remembering his return to the gate certainly didn't answer any questions. Was this London? He sincerely doubted it. There wasn't enough noise or traffic.
Propping himself up with an arm, the blonde realised he was still wearing his abused black and red attire, ridden with rips and holes, fingers poking through the end of his gloves. A shadow loomed from behind him.
"Edward?"
"Edward?" the teen sincerely hoped his mind had quite finished its trip to memory lane for one night. It was becoming rather distracting. He moved his gaze to the smug looking superior looming over him, craning his neck from his collapsed spot on the floor.
"Come to laugh at me?" Ed narrowed his eyes.
"Help you" the Colonel replied simply, "You're lucky I didn't leave you" he smiled.
"You'd be tired too if you weighed as much as me..." the blonde looked shyly to the gloved hand being offered to him, hesitantly taking it in his own. Roy wrapped a strong arm around the teen's waist, holding tightly as they trekked across the uneven ground, a faint blush tinting the Elric's cheeks.
"That's not the first time you've saved my ass tonight..."
"I'll try not to make it a habit" the raven haired man smiled, ignoring the growl emitting from his young subordinate. The moon was at its highest peak, the bright white showering the earth and the sky. It was just as well the night was full moon, especially since the lamps were not fully functioning. Occasionally, there was a flicker or artificial light, followed by the buzz of electricity and darkness. Roy's ebony hair blended nicely with the lack of light. If Ed hadn't been latched onto the man he would have been undetectable.
As the two alchemists approached the eastern block several heads turned to give FullMetal a visual examination. The blonde could have squirmed as several pairs of eyes scanned him from head to toe, lingering at his bruised neck and torso. He cursed as a familiar stinging settled in his chest, clinging to his lungs with each rattled breath. Ignoring the concerned glances Ed tugged the Colonel along with him, determined to keep going forward. He feared if he paused for too long he'd struggle to get moving again.
"Edward, I really must-" Risa was silenced by a single finger.
"Save it" Ed said through clenched teeth, leaning onto the door with a metal hand. The glass strained under the weight, creaking as the teen shifted himself. He craned his neck to the others, who were still gathered on the pavement, the cracked concrete digging into their thick military boots. Without uttering a word the blond turned back and continued to walk, a strong arm supporting him and giving the odd comforting and reassuring squeeze.
"Any idea who's causing this?" Ed asked, stopping as the corridor split into two separate hallways.
"I'm afraid not Sir" Breda replied, "We didn't get much information, the just called us out"
Edward looked to Roy, both nodded in understanding.
"We need to split up" the Colonel looked back at his subordinates, mentally sorting them into two groups. "If where ambushed together it would make things difficult, we can cover more ground this way"
The team looked to one another silently, knowing full well the flame was right. They were far too tired to complain anyway.
"Havoc, Breda and Armstrong, you'll be heading left" a gloved finger signalled. Jean looked pleadingly back at his superior, beginning silently not to be paired with the Strong Armed Alchemist. Roy merely smiled in reply smugly. He couldn't have two injured men on the same side, even if Jean only had a scratch, there was no telling if the damage went further than that.
"Hawkeye, Fuery, you'll be coming with me and FullMetal" he turned to Armstrong's team, "If you see anything give us a sign"
"A sign?" Jean asked dumbfoundedly.
"I'm sure you'll come up with something"
"Nice guidelines..." the blonde muttered, following Roy into the stretching corridor.
"Think he'll forgive me?" Roy smirked.
"I wouldn't count on it" Ed replied as if he had spoken from experience.
I admit it wasn't the best, but things will start moving now, and I will start posting! I'm an idiot and working on two things at the same time, Ballroom Chores will be released sometime this week : ) Thanks again for reading : )