This chapter is dedicated to all those reviewers who sent me reviews when I least expected them, and begged, demanded, and politely requested that I update soon. And of course, it's also for all my long-time readers who stick with me even when I terribly neglect my stories. It jumps around a bit.
--
Roy was dozing when he heard Ed shift in the bench across from him. He opened his eyes a bit and watched Ed cross the gap to his bench and lay down with his head on Roy's lap.
"Done gossiping about me?"
"Nn." Ed burrowed his head into Roy's leg.
"The two of you whispering is very annoying," Roy informed Ed and Al. Al just stared at him and Ed snuggled Roy's leg some more. Al got out a book. Roy stared at Ed, willing hte boy to feel his stare through the side and back of his head. Ed rolled a little, to eye Roy with one peeking orb, grinning sheepishly. Roy gave the boy a poke in the ribs and he wriggled.
"Annoying," Roy reminded Ed.
"Don't care," Ed yawned, "you're still a good pillow."
Roy was tempted to shift his leg from under Ed's head, but out of the kindness of his heart, he did not.
--
"Omigod, Al! AL! Alphonse!" Winry's eyes were watering before Al even managed to hug her. Roy smiled at the sight, squeezing Ed in his arms to wake him. He hadn't had the heart to wake him on the train, and had simply picked the little blond up and carried him off the train, Al carrying his luggage. Roy thought Ed should see this moment, and turned the boy around in his arms so he was facing out away from Roy. Ed sighed happily, then turned, trying to get back into his original position.
"Didn't you get enough sleep on the train? Say hello to Winry at least," Roy chastised.
"Hello..." Ed mumbled at no one in particular.
"Ed! Can't you walk? Is something wrong with you?" Winry asked loudly.
Ed blushed a little, waking more fully.
"No, nothing's wrong with me," he said shortly.
"You're such a baby," she snorted. Ed growled without moving. Roy was suddenly unsure of whether he agreed with her or not. A moment later, he realized that Ed had clearly decided he would rather be a baby than walk, and there was no good reason to go against that decision. He shot Winry a warning glare that silenced her, at the cost of her glaring right back at him.
'Feisty little thing,' he thought absentmindedly as he began walking toward the road he remembered leading to the Rockbell house. Al and Winry followed after a moment, Winry taking one of the suitcases from Al.
"I can't wait to see Granny's face," Winry tittered joyfully. Al agreed and Ed began to stir to actual wakefulness listening to Al's happy voice chatter back at Winry. He nuzzled the underside of Roy's throat softly and mumbled something incoherent. Roy decided to interperet it as appreciation.
"Waking up?" he murmured to Ed's ear.
"mmgh-hm..." Ed nodded and yawned. He stretched, almost causing Roy to lose his grip and drop him.
"Ready to walk?"
"Are you getting tired?"
"I can make it."
"I'll walk now." Ed shuffled himself to the ground and took Roy's hand in his own.
"Why so cuddly?"
" 'Cause I am." Ed seemed a little offended by the question, so after a moment, Roy, feeling fairly hoky doing so, said, "Well it's very nice."
Ed turned red, stiffened, and refused to make eye contact. Roy suddenly became aware of Winry walking right behind them. She as giving Roy a fairly sardonic glare, one eyebrow raised. Al just looked disgruntled. Ed snatched his hand away from Roy's and stormed ahead, reaching the Rockbell house long before the rest of the group. Pinako was standing on the porch, pipe in mouth, waiting.
"Edward. Leaving everyone behind, huh?"
Ed glanced up, meeting her eyes but saying nothing. He marched past her into the house. She followed him, managing to grab the back of his shirt a few steps past the threshhold.
"Hold it right there, young man."
Ed turned a little and looked at her over his shoulder.
"What are you all upset about?" she demanded.
Ed lowered his gaze to avoid hers.
"I haven't seen you in months, Edward! No way to greet me," she grumbled. Ed pulled his shoulders in, shrinking.
"Hi, Granny." Leaning down to hug her gave her the opportunity to grab the end of his braid and pull him down to eye level.
"What in the hell are you so moody about?"
"I'm just embarrassed," he muttered reluctantly.
"Granny?" Winry called, coming in the door, "You said you'd be waiting on the porch."
Pinako released Ed's braid as Roy, Al and Winry set down suitcases. She pinned Roy with a stare, something that said, 'I'm watching you," or something similar. Roy was completely bewildered. Winry led Al and Ed to the patient bed room, and Pinako caught Roy before he could follow.
"Ed sure seems upset."
Roy sighed, half relief and half exasperation. "He didn't care when he embarrassed himself, but God forbid I should do it."
Pinako smirked. Ed scurried into the room, the look on his face speaking of escape. His eyes locked on Roy's, toggled to Pinako, then went back to Roy as he scurried over next to the colonel, looking humiliated. Pinako raised her eyebrow. Ed pouted.
"I've been looking after you since before you hit four feet tall. I hope whatever you want from him is not so shameful that you have to hide it from me."
Ed inhaled, then grabbed onto Roy's arm. Roy looked down, alarmed because he had no idea what Ed wanted. Ed simply stood there, both hands securely fastened to Roy's arm. Pinako frowned at the strange behavior, making Roy antsy.
"Ed?" he asked softly. Ed growled and pressed himself into Roy's side.
"Quit looking at me," he snapped. Roy forced himself to calm down and think of the best way to deal with Ed's current mood. He scooped Ed up and balanced him on his hip, which served to change Ed's mood from snappish to shy in a matter of seconds. Roy glanced at Pinako, their eyes meeting as Roy tried to convey to her through eye contact alone, that he and Ed needed to be alone. Heading into the next room, Roy bumped into Alphonse, coming from the bedroom, Winry on his heels. Ed tensed up and almost doubled in weight, causing Roy to grunt, which caused Al and Winry to take a step back, allowing Roy to enter the room. Roy glared a little at the blonds as he passed, silently telling them to scram. He spotted a padded rocking chair and headed for it, shifting Ed around from his side so he could sit down with the boy in his lap. Al and Winry scooted out into the front room. Roy gathered Ed up in his lap and started rocking back and forth. Ed relaxed and rearranged himself, legs hanging over the arm of the chair and head resting on Roy's collarbone. He snuggled against Roy and sighed.
"Feel better?"
Ed squirmed a little and stiffened.
"Shh, I'm not making fun of you. ...You're embarrassed because you think Al and Winry don't approve of you being so cuddly, am I right?"
"Yeah... I can tell. And Al's been kinda mad at me anyway lately..."
Roy tucked Ed's head under his chin, concerned, and Ed relaxed further, his eyes fluttering closed.
"Why are you so cuddly? There's nothing wrong, is there?"
"Nno. Not really."
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing's wrong. Just... you were mad for a long time and I didn't get to."
"You wouldn't let me," Roy argued. Ed just nodded. Roy rocked for a few more minutes and Ed started to doze off.
"You're really tired, Ed. Did you stay up late last night?"
"No." Ed shook his head.
"Hm."
--
"That's so weird," Winry hissed. Pinako shot her a look as Al whispered, "They're always like that lately. It's so annoying. I don't know why Brother lets Roy treat him like that all the time."
Pianko shot Al a look, too. True, Ed's behavior was strange, but she didn't like the malicious tone of the whispers between Al and Winry. Sensing that it was unwise to talk there, the two blonds left the house and continued their conversation as they strolled down the road.
"They're always like that? Why?"
"I don't know! But Ed acts like such a baby around Roy sometimes- it's so Roy will pay attention to him or something." Al was frowning hard.
"I just wish he didn't climb all over Roy while we're watching..."
"Well," Al balked, "Ed was asleep on the train and instead of waking him up, Roy just picked him up..."
"Yeah, but." Winry sighed angrily.
"I know. Trust me I know. I just don't understand why he's so in love with Roy when he wouldn't even give Dad a chance. It makes me so mad..."
--
Ed sniffled. Roy glanced at him. Ed froze. Roy looked back to Pinako and opened his mouth. Ed sniffed loudly. Roy looked at him, shutting his mouth. Pinako raised her eyebrow, waiting for a response.
"We really only learned about it when our superior's started using it as a story to boost our determination and brainwash us further," Roy said quietly. Pinako blew out a cloud of smoke and Ed sniffed again. Roy frowned at him.
"Ed-"
"What!"
"Stop sniffing and-"
"I am not!"
"go blow your nose."
"I'm not-"
"Ed!!"
Ed groaned and Roy stood threateningly. Ed shot to his feet, chest-to-stomach with Roy, glaring at him. Winry and Al exchanged a glance, wondering if they'd been wrong; maybe Ed was still capable of acting normal around Roy.
"Go blow your nose."
"Why should I?"
"Because you're sniffling."
"I am not."
Al rolled his eyes.
"Don't deny it."
"Deny what?"
Roy grabbed Ed by the scruff of his neck and Ed got worried.
"Royyy!"
"The colonel's right you know," Pinako told Ed, "You need to go blow your nose."
"You are such a -a shithead," Ed snarled, trying to throw off Roy's hand. Roy gripped tighter and Pinako shook her head.
"Winry, Alphonse, come help me clean up the kitchen."
The two blonds were still exchanging nervous glances, uncertain of Ed, and uncomfortable watching his power struggle with Roy. They followed Pinako to the kitchen where they silently washed and dried the dishes.
--
"Ed, why are you being stubborn again?"
"Because you're being bossy and so what if I'm sniffling a little?"
"It's annoying. It's like military personnel meetings where the generals are constantly clearing their throats."
Ed tried, but was unable to stop from cracking a smile. "Remember the one I went with you to? I thought Hakuro was choking on a mint."
Roy laughed and nodded. They looked at each other for one moment...
"Go blow your nose."
"Fine, Bastard. But only 'cause I'm too nice."
Roy choked on his own spit, and Ed, who thought he was being mocked, ignored Roy, leaving him to clear his airways in relative isolation.
--
"Ed's running a fever," Winry reported to Pinako, who was draining a pot of boiled potatoes.
"Is he now?"
"Yeah. He fell asleep on the couch and he was sweating so I took his temperature."
Pinako did not for a moment question Winry's reading of the thermometer. The girl knew what she was doing, especially with so regular a customer.
"Did you cover him up?"
"Yeah. If we eat at the small table, he'll probably sleep through dinner..." (The small table being located in the kitchen instead of the living room.)
"Did you tell Roy?"
"No," Winry snapped, "and I'm not going to."
"Why not?" Pinako turned to face Winry angrily.
"Because," the girl stalled.
"Because what?" her grandmother snapped.
"He'll just start being totally babyish and pathetic and he never even gave his real dad a chance, anyway."
Pinako frowned at Winry strangely, then sighed. "You're letting Al get to you."
"What?"
"Don't think I don't know. Al wants Hohenheim back and he doesn't understand why Ed doesn't. As for Ed being pathetic, so are you around Russel. Ed's had Al's attention since Al was born, whether or not he wanted it. But for him, Roy is still new and he wants all the attention he can get. It's like the difference between newlyweds and old married couples."
"You're talking like they're going out," Winry said, making a face.
"Oh, I don't think they are. They'd better not be. Roy is a father to Ed."
"...How did you know Al felt like that?"
"Because I've been around the block and I know all of you better than you think. Al wasn't old enough to experience the kind of pain Ed went through when Hohenheim left. Because he wasn't mature enough, he doesn't realize that Ed was, and that Ed and Hohenheim rarely got along peacefully. Where Ed has bad memories, Al has none. Al just doesn't realize how true that is."
Winry bit her lip and looked away, thinking of her own parents.
"Now. Ed needs a father. He needs someone to keep him in hand, and the colonel out there has valiantly stepped up to the job. Maybe he's affecting Ed in ways you don't really like, but I think he's doing his best and I want you to go and tell him that Ed is sick."
Winry sighed and walked into the living room, but was saved the trouble of locating Roy as she found him sitting next to Ed with a hand on the blond's forehead.
"He's running a fever. I took his temperature."
"Explains the sniffles," Roy muttered.
"Oh...yeah." Winry had completely forgotten about Ed sniffling yesterday.
"We're gonna have dinner in the kitchen so he can sleep."
"That's a good idea." Roy calmly smoothed out the blanket, stretching it out enough to tuck it around Ed securely, then commenced petting his head softly. Tears pricked in Winry's eyes, her young mind filled with conflicting, but strong, emotions at watching Roy's treatment of her childhood friend. She stalked away quickly under the pretense of finding Alphonse.
She felt protective of Ed, wanting to tell Roy, 'Back off, my parents were doctors. I can make him better. You don't know how.' But she was also jealous. When was the last time anyone had treated her so tenderly? Pinako had looked after her, raised her, it was true, but she never treated her so gently anymore. And then there was Russel, but he always had to be prompted to do anything besides kiss. No wonder Ed was such a baby to Roy.
'All that attention must be nice. Maybe even nice enough to suck up the way Ed does...'
"Winry! What's wrong?" Al hurried in from the porch to hug her. She hugged him back, holding on tightly to the soft warmth of Al's body. After several seconds, he began to rub his hand up and down her back and she clung to him even tighter, greedy for hte comforting stroke of his hand.
"What's wrong?" Al asked anxiously. She didn't trust her voice. She shook her head, her face rubbing against his shoulder.
Al held her for several minutes, but in the end, she never regained control of her voice enough to explain herself to him. Pinako called them in to dinner, and she said little during the meal or while cleaning up. Ed woke up after dinner while Al and Winry were still cleaning up and Pinako and Roy were talking out on the porch.
"Al? Is there food?" Ed's face was red and his hair s tuck to his face or frizzed out around his head, depending on each strand's personal preference.
"Yeah, I think..." Al looked to Winry who turned to the oven and pulled out a plate for Ed. He took it to the table and devoured it singlemindedly, Winry staring at him. Al watched Winry, furrowing his eyebrows and trying to decipher her expression. After a minute, she went out on the porch and sat down, merging into the conversation.
Al sat down next to Ed, who had slowed his consumption to a normal human rate.
"How do you feel?"
"Pretty shitty."
"Are you still running a fever?" Al reached for Ed's forehead. Ed shied a little, then aquiesced, letting Al's head cover the top half of his face. Al sighed and pulled Ed's sticky hair off his sticky face. "You need a shower."
Ed moaned thoughtfully in response.
"Jeez. You're really sick. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Since I felt this bad? Kinda, yeah..."
Conversation lapsed and the room was silent except for the bits of sound floating in from the porch.
"Winry was looking at you really strangely when you woke up...earlier she was crying, but she wouldn't tell me why..."
Ed stiffened. "Don't blame me. I thought she'd be happy to have us come but I guess the only one she can stand anymore is you."
"Ed! How can she be happy to have you here when you're always clinging to Roy?!"
"I! I am not! Clinging to Roy," Ed stumbled out. His body, especially his shoulders, was stiff with embarrassment now.
"Yes you do! You're even more clingy than usual!"
"I am not clingy!" Ed snapped.
"Then what are you? Magnetically stuck to him?"
"What does that even mean, Al? And why won't you stop trying to make me feel guilty about Roy?"
"Because you're always clinging to him! How do you think I feel, always being the third wheel around you two?"
Ed's jaw was slack, his mouth agape, breathing quickly in pain. Because Al was right and he had always known that he was too physically close to Roy in the deep, dark recesses of his mind. He had no comeback, no argument, no reasonable denial. Just a torn feeling and the looming fear of choosing between Al and Roy. Thank God, he knew what his decision would be, that he would never turn his back on Alphonse. In the same moment, he knew with frightening certainty that turning his back on Roy would leave a hole in him and in his heart. Al sighed heavily.
"I hate seeing you look like that. I know you love Roy..."
" 'M sorry," Ed whimpered.
"I'll run a bath for you, OK?"
Ed nodded obediently. Al stood and headed for the bathroom and Ed cleaned his plate and wobbled to the sink in order to wash it. Pinako came in to refill her pipe and frowned at Ed.
"If you're so weak, you shouldn't be standing."
"I'm going to take a bath..." was the only thing Ed could think of to say.
"Don't run it too deep and drown."
Ed glared weakly at her and headed for the stairs.
"Should I call Roy to carry you up?"
"No! I can do it myself."
Pinako walked out onto the porch and sat down.
"Ed's all weak and shaky and he's trying to climb the stairs. He says he can do it himself," she said to no one in particular. Roy immediately rose to go rescue Ed from his own stubbornness. Winry watched him go and Pinako didn't fail to take note of it. The girl realized she was being watched and pulled her eyes up to meet her grandmother's. After a few moments, she let her eyes down to her knees.
"Ed is lucky to have Roy," she said. Pinako nodded slowly and began to smile.
--
Did anyone notice my pathetic attempts to use semi-actual paragraphs toward the end? Yeah, I know I fail... I'm good at spelling and punctuation, but somehow putting things in paragraphs just... isn't easy for me.
R&R please!! It's you reviewers who remind me in the middle of my busy homework and extracurricular schedule that I still have fanfiction to write and type!
Yeah, it's going up un-spell-checked. Please point out the typos so I can fix them. XD