This chapter made me smile...it was long, but it was funny and cute all at the same time.
At the end there's going to be a series of ideas that I was going to go with, but didn't. I'll have the reasons there as to why I didn't go with it. So don't be frightened by it's length:)
Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. There's little or no romance...except for the little kiss right there...but I'm saving anything good for the next chapter...and if you read this...you'll see what I mean. :) Enjoy!
Chapter 30 - Awkward Questions
Al's eyes fluttered open as he weairly regaind his bearings on where exactally he was. He remembered going into the operating room, laying down on the table and then nothing else. He figured he just fell asleep right away, he was quite exauested. Looking off to the side he saw that the sun had come up and was shining in the room. Right in front of the window was Aria. She was wrapped up in a hospital issue flanel blanket with her head resting on the back of the rocking chair that swayed slightly beneath her.
He smiled, and it wasn't a forced smile. He felt better, and that was the main thing that made him happy. Though seeing Aria sitting there, her faux-red hair sparkling the the early morning light and the cute little shadow that her nose made on the rest of her face made it all the better. "Aria...that can't be comfortable." Her neck looked as though it had a bit of a crick in it.
Aria's eyes slowly opened and she rubbed them. Dr. Heston led her to Al's room that he woud be staying in and allowed her to nap on the rocking chair till he was done. It was almost four o'clock then; she checked the clock, it now read ten after seven. "Morning Al." She stretched, the blanket firmly wrapped around her feet got stretched along with her. "Feeling better?" She smiled a semi-sleepy smile eyes stil being restricted by the 'sleep' still in them.
He nodded. "Yeah, still a little groggy, but I feel great compaired to last night." He attempted to sit up but was met with a great deal of pain in his lower right side. "Ow...What in the world?" He lifted up the blankets and slightly tugged down the hem of the pyjamas he mysteriously aquired while unconcious. "Oh right." He smiled, seeing little strips of steril surgical tape over the stitches. "They cut me open didn't they..." He rested down on the bed and relaxed.
Aria examined the little small four inch cut that was stiched and covered. "Looks sore, I guess that's why they told me to tell you not to try to walk. You might tear the stitches."
He nodded. "That wouldn't be very good at all." He thought for a moment. "Oh, right. Did you call home and tell them where we were at?"
Aria shook her head. "Yes and no...I did try to call but Winry kind of hung up on me...she sounded like she was still half asleep. She thought it was someone I was talking to, rather than me calling, I think."
Al laughed a little. "Sure sounds like something she'd do. Oh...ow." He held his side. "Laughter kind of hurts too. I guess I'll be in here for a day or so."
She thought about it. "Maybe, they haven't really said anything about how long you'll be staying. I Guess they're waiting for your dad to show up. Namely, someone with money." She stood up and folded the blanket and rested it on the arm of the rocking chair. "I should go and call them again, they should be awake by now. Or at least one of them should be up."
Al nodded. "Alright." He smiled that ever cute Elric smile.
Aria smiled in return, it was quite heart warming to see Al back in good health. Even if he had to stay in the hospital for a day or so, it was good to see he was alright.
"You know what?" Ed and Hohenheim turned their attention to Winry. "I had this weird dream that someone called the house last night looking for Aria."
Ed laid his juice down on the table. "That wasn't a dream Winry. Don't you remember me asking you who it was?"
She thought about it for a second. "Come to think of it...I don't...I must have been sleep walking...except sleep-answering-the-phone." She laughed.
"Maybe. But someone did call, who was it?" Ed questioned.
Hohenheime sipped his coffee and was about to speak when the phone rang.
Winry stood up. "I'll get it." Se left the room to answer the phone.
"Edward..." Hohenheim began.
"Yeah?"
He thought about it for a second and then continued. "You stayed on the coach last night because Al was sick, right..." Ed nodded. He had snuck back down earlier that morning to throw off anyone who might have thought he snuck back up, in which he did. "If you were down here, how would you know if Winry answered the phone?"
Ed's mind immediatly went into panic mode. "It just that..."
"WHAT!?!?" Winry exclaimed form in the hall. Hohenheim and Ed turned their attention to Winry who had just screamed bloody murder. She skidded in front of the door in her sock feet. "Al's in the hospital!"
Their eyes both widened. 'Saved.' Ed thought to himself.
"It was nothing serious." Aria coaxed as she guided Ed and his father down the hall. "And he's perfectly fine now."
"Why didn't you wake any of us?" Ed was slightly annoyed.
She shrugged. "Al told me not to bother you guys."
Ed nodded and smiled slightly. "That does sound like him, alway considerat." Whenever Al was sick when they were kids, he would always sleep in the living room downstairs in fear of disturbing Ed's sleep. It was also less of a walk to the downstairs bathroom if need be, and it was quieter. Al was always so thoughtful, not wanting to inconvience anyone.
"Right here." She pointed to the room. Upon entering Ed let out a blood curteling scream and hid behind the frame. Not a girly screem, but pretty close.
"Good to see you too brother." Al said scarastically as one of the nurses stuck a needle in his arm and evacuated the contents. He snickered a little. "Oh right, you don't like needles."
"There you go, that should get rid of the headache and the pain in your side for a while." The nurse stuck a bandaide on the small bead of blood that formed when she removed the needle. "And don't try to get up on your own, call one of the nurses and they'll help you."
He nodded. "Thanks."
Hohenheim stepped aside to let the nurse go by. Ed moved out of the way too and then quickly slinked into the room. Hoping no one there would remember that he didn't get his twelve-year boster shot, he laid low in Al's room.
Al lay there, quite content in his hospital atire, feeling back to normal.
Ed shivered at the thought of the needle. "I don't know how you stand those things."
Aria looked at him. "You don't like needles I take it." He promptly shook his head, Aria laughed.
Al smiled. "I don't mind them. And she was giving me pain killers for the stitches."
"Stitches? Where at?" Hohenheim inquired.
Al once more tugged the blankets down and then revealed the stitched wound. "It's kind of sore."
Ed gagged a little. "That looks nasty."
The older man nodded. "Agreed. But, at least you're doing better. Oh, and I spoke with the Dr. Heston, she said you can either stay the full week or three days, provided you get plenty of bed rest at home."
Al thought for a moment. "Three days? But then I'll miss the boat trip."
Hohenheim held up a hand. "I've already called Gertrude, she said she'll wait till you're better to take us out."
Al sighed and replaced his blankets. "That's good, I've never been on a cruise before, I'd hate to miss it."
Aria nodded. "Me too. I've never sailed before in my life, I'm all excited about it."
Ed looked over his shoulder. "Yeah...umm, what was it that was in that needle?"
Al thought for a second. "A pain killer, I think it was morphine." He rubbed his eyes. "I actually feel kind of funny."
The nurse that administered Al's shot peeked in the room. "I'd hate to bother you, but visiting hours aren't till after lunch. He does need his rest ."
Hohenheim nodded. "Right, we should let you get some sleep. Do you want us to come back?"
Al nodded. "If it's not too much trouble."
Hohenheim smiled and gave Al a pat on the shoulder. "Alright, let's go." He waved and turned to leave.
Edward, who was at the foot of the bed waved as well. "Later." He smiled and left the room behind his father.
Aria was about to get up and leave when Al caught her attention. "Uh, Aria."
"Yes?" She smiled at him.
He made sure his brother and father left the room completly. "Did...uh, did you figure out in that book what a prostate was? You were reading it for a while, I was just wondering if you looked that up too."
Aria blushed. "Um...well...I did..."
Al stared in anticipation. "What is it then?" He looked slightly confused.
Aria poked her pointer fingers together. "It's...an organ that only males have...and...it." She stalled for time, trying to think of the least embarassing way to say what she needed to say. "It stores seminal fluid before ejaculation." Failed.
Al blushed from head to toe. He averted his vision to another direction to avoid eye contact. "Oh...really...so it's a..."
Aria nodded. "It's an internal sex organ..."
Al laughed slightly, this time, not enough to hurt himself. He looked back to Aria, who's face was red as a beet. "Good to know I suppose. So if they ask me if I want my prostate examined I know to run."
Aria snickered. She composed herself and walked over to his bedside. "I should be going." She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. She stood back up and placed a finger up to her lips. "Shh, don't tell anyone."
Al had a red tint to his face and a slightly shocked expression. He then smiled. "Sure." With that said, he watched Aria turn and leave the room.
"You still didn't answer my question." Hohenheim looked over to Ed who was walking beside him.
Not making eye contact, he spoke. "What question, I don't recall you asking a question." He lied.
The older man shook his head. "I'm not stupid Edward."
Ed smiled. "Having good self esteeme is a great quality isn't it?"
"Don't change the subject Ed." He narrowed his eyes. "What were you doing in Winry's room?" He asked, a rather bland tone in his voice; almost as if he was waiting for some bull excuse to come at him.
"I wasn't doing a damn thing!" He scolded his father.
"So you admit you were in there?"
"Stop twisting my words! I was not!" He shouted.
Hohenheim pointed at his son. "Really? So what are those marks on your neck from?"
Ed blushed and placed a hand up to the left side of his neck. He looked around and ducked into the bathroom they were passing by. Leaning in to examine himself in the mirror, he noticed the small little indents made from someone's teeth. A couple of them spanned his neck and a little onto his left shoulder. Thinking quickly he came fully back into the hall, only to see his father with his arms crossed arms and a skeptical look on his face. "Their dog bites..."
He shook his head. "I don't think Winry would appreciate you calling her that...just don't let Pinako find out. Lest you want to be chased by an old lady with a shotgun."
Ed, his mouth slightly ajar, watched his father continue walking. 'He doesn't care?' Shrugging it off, he looked behind him to see if Aria was catching up. Indeed she was.
She speed walked up to him. "Hey, what's going on, you look troubled..."
Ed shook the thought of Pinako pointing a shotgun at him out of his head and repllied. "Uh, nothing. Let's go. Did you eat yet?" They walked along side one another.
She shook her head. "No, hospital food never did appeal to me. I can't wait to get breakfast." She thought for a moment. "By the way." She gave him a sly look. "Why weren't you on the coach when Al and I left last night?"
Ed blushed again slightly. "Not you too." He sighed. "I know you won't tell...I snuck up to Winry's room again."
She laughed a little. "I knew it. You better be careful, you'll get caught."
Ed shrugged. "Apparently...now I'm not all too sure...but I don't think dad cares..."
Aria's eyes widened. "Ooh...he find out?" Ed nodded. "How?" She watched him point to the little marks on his neck.
"Wow...thoses are teeth marks...teehee...kinky." She laughed a little.
He snickered. "Really though."
Aria then thought of something. "Hey Ed...did you and Winry." She poked her pointer fingers together, much like she did whenever she spoke of something that might be considered embarassing. "Have you to...done it yet?" She hated being nosey, but just needed to know.
Ed sighed. "No...sadly." He blushed deeply. "I bought..condoms for us to use...but there were no instructions." Thankfully Aria was roughly the same age as he was, so talking to he wasn't as awkward as he thought it would be. Though that last sentence, he struggled to get it out.
"Really?" She was confused. Looking up ahead to make sure his father was far enough out of listening distance. "Why not talk to a Doctor here. Dr. Heston really helped Al and diagnosed him right away."
Ed's eyes brightened. "Right...I could ask him. Where's Dr. Heston's office?"
Aria shrugged. "Go ask the front desk, they should know."
He nodded and held up his hands in front of his chest. "You go wait for the cab with dad, I'll be right with you guys. I'll go as quickly as possible." With that, he took off in the direction he came from in search of the front desk. They had come in the side door, so the front desk was in the other direction.
Aria smiled. "Safety first I guess." With that, she caught up to Hohenheim.
"Dr. Heston is out for a few minutes, but if you'd like to wait in the office, that should be fine." The secretary pointed off to her right. "Dr. Heston's office is two doors down."
"Thank you." Ed said politely and walked off. "This looks about right." Reaching his destination, he knocked on the door, it was slightly ajar. Even though the secretary said the Doctor wasn't in, he saw it polite just to knock just incase. "Hellooo?" He poked his head in, upon seeing an empty room, he enterd and sat down.
He looked around the room and saw the placks on the wall above the desk. "Dr. Kelly Heston." He read out loud. "Looks like he has quite a few degrees." Ed sat down on the chair in front of the desk and immedatly noticed the picture of a man, a woman and a little girl. He smiled. "And he's got a pretty wife too." The taller man in the background had his arm around his wife's side and his free hand on his little girls head. The wife had medium length hair of a dark brown chocolate color and from what he could make out, bright blue eyes.
She was indeed a pretty woman, fit for any rich doctor to be married to.
"Edward?" A woman's voice resonated from the door. "There you are...Alphonse's older brither right?" Just as in the picture, only with her hair tied back, was the exact same woman. Immedatly he thought that maybe him and his wife praticed together.
"Hi. Yeah, I am." He smiled.
"So what's troubleing you today Ed?" She asked as she shut the door behind her.
Ed looked confused. "Um, where's Dr. Heston?" He asked.
She pointed to herself. "I'm Dr. Heston."
Ed, for the second time that day, inwardly panicked. "Wait! Kelly Heston...that's a man's name...isn't it?"
The Doctor nodded her head. "It could be, but Kelly is also a girls name too...is there a problem with that."
Ed felt quite awkward. "Well...I was kind of hoping to talk to a male Doctor." He watched Dr. Heston round her desk and sit down.
"You know Ed, just because I'm a woman, doesn't mean I'm any less qualified." She spoke in a slightly offended tone, but with the way society worked, she was somewhat use to being descriminated against.
Ed frantically shook his hands in front of himself. "No, no, no...Of course not. I wouldn't think that for a second...it's just that the question I have...it's kind of awkward to ask a...married woman...Sorry." He lowered his head in shame.
Dr. Heston couldn't help but laugh a little. "I assure you Ed, I'm very professional."
Ed nodded. "You, yes." He pointed to himself. "Me...no..." He sighed.
"Let's try anyway. Remember, anything you say will not leave this room...provided you're not endangering yourself or other's." She coaxed him. "What's on your mind Ed?"
Ed inhaled deeply, a bright red blush taking over his face. "My girlfriend an I...wanted to...be together..." It hurt so bad to speak, Ed was never good talking about things like this. He hadn't felt that awkward since he found that book on human sexuality in Izumi's library. Then having to listen to her talk about what it all meant.
"You mean you want to have sex?" The Doctor needed to clairfy what he was talking about exactly.
If Ed would have been made of glass, he would have shattered. "Yes..." His voice cracked a little, clearing his throat, he corrected himself. "Yes..."
"You're still young Ed, so I hope you plan on using protection." She folded her hands on her desk.
Ed nodded and looked up to her, still blushing. "Yes, of course...that's actually why I'm here. I bought condoms...but they didn't have any instructions...and neither of us had a clue how to use them...so she suggested for me to ask a doctor who would know about this stuff. Thus, here I am."
She smiled. "It's good you deicided to come talk to a profesional Ed, it show's maturity." Ed nodded. "I'll show you just how to put one on, it's quite easy."
Ed blushed. "Show me?" He was slightly confused.
Dr. Heston reached into her desk. "Yes, show you. We have educational tools for just such an occasion."
"Here he comes." Aria looked out the cab window.
"What was he doing?" Hohenheim questioned.
Aria had to think quickly, too quickly even for her to come up with something creative. "Not sure." She failed to cover for him.
Ed, in a sprint disguised as a fast walk, rounded the car and got in behind the driver. "Alright, let's go." He said quickly.
"What were you in there for?" Hohenheim questioned form the front seat.
Ed looked at Aria who in turn shrugged, he was hoping she covered for him, but to no avail. He could see her mouthing the word 'sorry'. "Nothing in piticular...kind of private though." He folded his arms.
Hohenheim peeked in the rear view mirror at his son. "Winry's not pregnant is she?"
"NO! She isn't!!!" Ed screamed. "She can't be..." He said with a slighlty disapointed tone. Ed could hear the cabby snickering. "You stay out of this." He bit his bottom lip.
Hohenheime snickered along side the cab driver. "I'll take your word for it Ed. We can go now." With that the cabby pulled away.
Driving only for a few minutes, Aria leaned in close to Ed so his father couldn't hear her. "So...how did it go, did you find out what you needed to?"
Ed nodded. "Yes...and I'd rather not talk about it." He whispered back.
She was intrigued. "Now you have to tell me...what happened?"
"First off." He was still whispering. "You neglected to tell me Dr. Heston, was a woman."
Aria held a hand over her mouth, not only in shock, but to stifle a giggle. "Oops...sorry."
Ed continued. "Things were going fine until she took a 'visual aid' out of her desk to show me just how to 'properly put on a mechanical contraceptive'." He said with his fingers making quote marks in the air.
Aria tried to stifle the laughter but she couldn't help it. "Wait...you mean, she had a modle of a..." She said through a giggle.
"Yes! She had one in her desk." Ed was disturbed.
At that moment, she broke and began a rather loud kind of laughter. "That's wonderful Ed!" She said, keeling over in laughter.
"It's not funny!" Ed said, a blush creeping back up on his face.
Aria nodded and calemd herself. "You're right, you're right." There was a few moment's of silence and then, once more, she broke. "It's hilarious!" And thus proceeded to laugh. Obviously, neither of them were whispering anymore.
"Did I miss somthing?" Hohenheim asked from the front seat.
Aria fanned herself with her hand, still laughing. "Probably." She said, whiping a tear from her eye. She went back to whispering. "So she actually put it on the little modle?"
Ed nodded. "Yes, I said...glad to see you're being so mature about all this." He folded his arms tightly around his sides. Aria continued to giggle.
She probably wouldn't have found it so funny if not for Ed's reaction to the whole thing. It's always funnier when someone get's hurt isn't it?! But that's what makes Ed so lovable. :)
Yes, the random ideas I wanted to put in but didn't...
-I was going to make Hohenheim be more of a bar-go'er
Reason: I didn't really think it would be in his character...and having him sleep around would make the whole 'relationship with Ed' thing just go out the window. Him replacing his dead wife with a floozy wouldn't be nice too.
-I was going to have Riza marry Maria
Reason: Now, I'm not homophobic or anything...but it's just that I've never seen it done, and I wanted to have a little diversity with the marraiges. But Poor Roy, he'd be all alone if not for her...or rather going to bed every night with a woman he didn't love. Also...I don't think it would have been that popular, nor would it have gone over well in the fic itself. I just didn't really NEED it to be there, so I just didn't put it there.
-I was going to, at one point, kill a main character
Reason: Too soon for that...and the only two characters I could think to kill was Aria or Cathrine...and then if I did that, ShadowCloud would have hunted me down and slaughter me, and poor Havoc would have comitted suicide...and that's just not a fun thing to write about anyway. Hehe...ahem... That, and once more, I didn't really have to. It's suppose to be based around romance, not tragedy. For now...(shifty eyes)
-Give someone a drug addiction
Reason: Once more, didn't really need it. I was going to make Al start to smoke pot, just to help him regain the weight he lost while stuck in the gate...but I don't think it would have been in character for him to do so...yeah...though it would have been funny to write Al baked out his mind. "The kitty's so soft, it feels like it's made out of love and happiness." (Proceeds to rub cat on face and giggle) ...Anyway...we'll just leave that one be. Al can spar with Ed and drink protine shakes to gain weight. The natural way!
-Make Roy gay!
Reason: 1. Roy's not gay 2. Havoc was taken 3. Overdone!!! 4. All of the above. Ok, if I was ever posessed enough to write Roy gay, he'd have to be with Havoc. Cause Havoc is just one big piece of sexy! Aside from the smoking thing, he's perfect for him. Nor am I fan of Yaoi...so there. XP
-Roy and Riza get divorced
Reason: Aww...I couldn't do that. They're too sexy together! XD That, and I really wanted Roy to SOMEDAY have offspring. He's gonna be 29 on his next birthday, perfect time to be having kids.
There you have it. All the ideas I remember that scrapped to keep you guys happy...right, ShadowCloud...don't worry! I won't kill her...now put the knife down...please...
Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! Leave a review for me please! I wanna know what you think! And yes, to my random reviewer, I will add in more romance from here on out.
Review please :)
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