Roy walked into Edward's room first. He was arguing with a nurse, but he stopped as soon as he spotted the man and launched into an apology.
"Look I know it's wrong, I'm sorry—"
Roy held up a hand to silence him. "It doesn't matter," he said, tired and tense. "I brought what you wanted."
"What…?" Ed was confused, his eyes widening as Envy bounced into the room, raising his eyebrows and grinning.
Alphonse was the first to speak. "What the hell did you bring him here for, Colonel?" he asked, standing in front of Edward's bed defensively.
Envy answered, leaning around Al to speak directly to Ed. "I hear you wanted to see me, Shorty."
Edward couldn't handle all the emotions rising up within him. First, and most acutely, embarrassment. So Envy knew he wanted to see him…Ed felt his face color. Of course, there was happiness mixed in; little as he wanted to admit it, Edward liked seeing Envy again. A wave of anger and hatred rose up as well, directed inward as Ed acknowledged once again his attraction to the homicidal homunculus.
Before he had to make up an explanation, the nurse interrupted, seeming unfazed by the entry of the (as always) scantily clad Envy. "Look, Mr. Elric, I have to change these bandages now. I have other patients to get to."
Edward looked around, surrounded by Envy, Roy, and Alphonse. He gulped, not sure he wanted them to see; Al had already, but Roy and Envy…
The nurse cut down the back of the gauze on his right wrist, and—oddly enough—it was Envy who gasped.
Envy hadn't been told what it was the pipsqueak was in the hospital for. Honestly, he didn't care; this was just an opportunity to annoy someone he loved to pester. So what if Mustang was threatening his life? It wasn't the first time.
When Envy walked into the room, his eyes had been drawn to the stark white bandages on the shrimp's arms. Alarm bells started to chime, but he didn't really believe it until he saw the wrist unwrapped.
Whereas once there had been smooth flesh, now there were a myriad of cuts, some deep, some shallow. One stood out, just below Edward's hand, that was held together by black stitches. Up to his elbow, the cuts made a ladder, some leaking slightly. It was so strange, even to Envy, who loved pain. He just couldn't imagine the pipsqueak doing this to himself. Eyes straining, he saw faint scars under the new cuts; this wasn't the first time.
The nurse didn't even hesitate, wrapping the wrist in fresh gauze and moving to the next. The left was much worse than the right, with several lines of stitches running along Edward's wrist. Envy watched the shrimp closely, seeing him wince slightly as the gauze was pulled around his wounds.
He relaxed, thinking it to be over, but the nurse hiked up the pipsqueak's gown—causing him to squeal and hastily pull enough of the cloth down to cover himself—and revealed bandaged thighs.
There were more old scars on Edward's legs than there had been on his wrists, and plenty of fresh cuts as well. These were leaking worse, and some were producing streams of blood, having reopened completely. The boy, Envy noticed, wouldn't meet any of their eyes, instead staring at the floor.
Envy looked to his right, and saw Mustang clenching his teeth. The brother, Alphonse, looked like he was going to throw up.
It was strange, but Envy could relate.
The scene made him want to puke. He loved violence, loved the screams and the blood and the sudden silence when a victim succumbed to their wounds…but this struck a chord within Envy.
He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but Envy knew a thing or two about hating yourself, wanting you hurt yourself. Of course, that didn't do much when you regenerated moments after being injured. Still, Envy couldn't say he hadn't tried, couldn't say he'd never hated himself enough to want to bring destruction upon his own body.
They were emotions Envy couldn't believe would dare manifest themselves in someone like Edward. That stupid little pipsqueak, who was always so hopeful and caring and strong…who was someone Envy was insanely jealous of. How could he ever want to do this to himself?
Envy's eyes narrowed and he scowled, realizing now why Mustang had been so insistent that he not say anything to hurt the shrimp. How irritating, to be in front of your enemy and not be able to insult them.
Worse, to not want to.
Envy rubbed his head and sighed, earning a small glance from Edward before the boy looked away again, the nurse finishing up her duties. He shouldn't have agreed to come here.
Edward was silent as he watched the nurse go. When no one else filled the quiet room with speech, he began to fidget, running his hands along the new bandages and through his hair. He made a face, and spoke. "Can't anyone get me a hair tie?"
"Brother, are you supposed to have them?"
Ed snorted. "What can I possibly do to myself with a hair tie? It's not big enough to fit around my neck."
His brother jumped a bit at his bluntness, but Edward knew that was why he was lacking so many things in his room. The doctors and nurses were afraid he would try to hurt himself, or kill himself, and had to take precautions. Honestly, it was probably a good idea, but really, hair ties?
Al reached out and clapped, touching the corner of Ed's blanket. He handed him the newly made tie.
"Thanks," Edward murmured. Again, silence ensued, and he found it hard to continue to avoid Envy's gaze, as he had since the homunculus entered the room.
Almost as if he were magnetized, Ed looked at Envy, directly into his purple eyes. He was nervous about what he would find there, but it was mostly shock, with only a faint edge of something else. Whether the mystery emotion was sinister or not, Edward could not say.
Envy frowned slightly, and batted his hand at Roy and Al. "I think I need to have a talk with Shor—Edward."
Ed raised his eyebrows, surprised to hear Envy correct himself and call him by his name, almost like the homunculus was trying not to upset him with insults to his height. He needn't have worried; Edward was too preoccupied with more important issues to worry about being small.
Roy glared at the homunculus, and Alphonse became defensive. "No way!" he protested. "I don't even know why you're here. I'm not leaving you alone with my brother!"
Envy rolled his eyes, and gave Al the middle finger. "He's the one who wanted me here. I just want to talk to him."
Maybe Edward was simply too infatuated. Maybe he was too eager for harm to come to him. Whatever the reason, he found himself murmuring, "It's okay, Al. You go get something to eat with Roy, or something. I'll be fine."
"Brother!" Alphonse insisted. "He'll kill you! I—I know you might feel like you want that, but I won't let it happen!"
Ed winced at the words. Envy huffed.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt him. He's done enough of that himself. Besides, your Colonel here has informed me that he'll murder me if I try, and I do have some desire for self preservation."
Roy leaned down and whispered something in Al's ear. Alphonse's eyes widened, and he clapped a hand to his mouth, staring at Edward. Ed had a sneaking suspicion Roy had just informed Al about Edward's feelings towards envy.
The man straightened and suggested a compromise. "We'll stand out in the hall," he suggested, gesturing towards the windowed door to the room, "and just watch."
"Fine!" Envy hissed, impatience making his pupils dilate. "Just get out already!"
Edward had no idea why the homunculus was so eager to talk to him, and tried to ignore the flips his stomach was doing.
As soon as Roy and Al closed the door, worried faces appearing in the window, Envy asked the question: "Why the hell would you do this?"
The idea of telling him the truth didn't even cross Ed's mind. Instead, he looked away, muttering, "It's none of your business."
"The fuck it isn't!" Envy insisted. "You wanted me here for whatever reason, so you made it my business."
Edward glared up at him, trying to work up enough anger to look menacing. He probably just looked scared. "I'm not telling you."
"Well I can leave then, right?" Envy began to walk towards the door.
"No!" Ed jumped up, grabbing Envy's arm and wincing at the tearing sensation he felt in his thigh. He'd reacted without thought, and shuddered to imagine what Roy and Al were thinking, watching the tiny spectacle.
The homunculus allowed himself to be stopped. "Why not?"
Edward looked down, pressing his free hand on the small spot of blood blossoming on his fresh leg bandages. "I just want you here," he whispered, pressing harder. The red moved faster, spreading across and staining the perfect white. "What else do you have to do?" he continued. "Why can't you stay?"
Ed was grimacing now, pressing his fingers into the reopened cut as much as he could, his breath beginning to quicken.
Envy realized too late what the pipsqueak was doing. "Ed! No!" He yanked the boy's arm away from his leg, ignoring the whimper the action caused.
Envy didn't know what was eating at Edward so badly that he would resort to this, but even a sterile environment was evidently not a safe place for the boy. He would hurt himself just with his bare hands. Hell, the shrimp was desperate enough to do it in front of other people.
"Fine," Envy sighed, keeping a tight hold on Edward's hand. "I'll stay."