Ah, ha! Bet you guys thought I forgot! But no, here's the update. It's a teeny bit late, but it's here. Hope you like.
"You're Alphonse Elric?"
Al glanced over curiously at the boy who had just exited Edward's room, raising a brow in question, "Yes, I'm Alphonse."
"Edward's brother?"
Once again, Alphonse was confused. He didn't know how this teenager was connected with his brother, but a smile went to his face anyway, trying to be kind to the boy, "Some would call me his brother."
"Okay."
The boy was silent for a moment, standing to the side of the door much like Alphonse was, standing and waiting. It was a few minutes that had passed when Alphonse saw the move move, shifting around for only a moment before pushing himself off his rest against the wall. Wide green eyes glared at Al as he walked in front of him, only managing to look slightly intimidating as he stood a good foot and a half shorter than Alphonse.
"You are an asshole." Giovanni started, his anger nearly overflowing as his lips formed a tight line, his hands quivering and knuckles white, "Do you know that, an asshole! You shouldn't even be able to call yourself an Elric!"
"What?" Al stood up straight, gaping at the teenager standing in front of him with the angry scowl. Al never quite knew what to do in situations like this, as he stood wide-eyed. He always prided himself on being a pacifist, so it wasn't often that the fight was brought to him, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Edward, asshole!" Giovanni started again, spitting out his words with a fury, "You are such a complete ass to him, and you have no clue what he's going through!"
A mixture of guilt and anger went through Alphonse. He'd always had mixed feelings about his brother, the words they'd said to each other. They'd always been so tight, and after what they went through together, they were the family that everyone thought would stay together forever. But it was astonishing how much damage a few words can do, how hurtful just a few phrases can be. Alphonse was hurt, hurt by his brother, but he was sure it was worse on Edward's end. Alphonse had thought about apologizing multiple times, but every time he went to the phone, he'd either think about his brother, or Winry would speak to him, and his anger would be reinforced with a vigor. Before he knew it, it had been two years.
"How do you know what any of us are going through?" Alphonse questioned the boy, raising his brows and looking away from those accusing green eyes, "Mind your own business."
"I am Edward's business!" Giovanni screamed, hoping that maybe Edward wouldn't hear him yelling on the other side of that door, "I'm his apprentice, and I have a right to call you an asshole, because you are such a dick, you asshole! Edward's lost everything, and you pushed it in his face!"
"I lost just as much as he did!" Alphonse argued back, trying to not raise his voice, trying not to validate himself on having a fight with a thirteen-year-old boy, "You know nothing."
"I know enough to know that you weren't there for him when he needed you the most." Giovanni took a deep and shuddering breath, his eyes already misting over from their confrontation, "Who gives a shit that you two had a little argument, he's tried to get past that! All you've done is push him away!"
Al glared, his voice caught in his throat as he tried to think of something to say. How could this little kid know so much? Edward sure was bearing his soul to such a small teenager, "It's not my fault if he's lonely."
Man, teenagers could punch hard. Al cried out, reaching up to grasp his cheek where Giovanni struck him, and could barely mask his confusion as the boy stomped down the hallway, his back arched in anger.
What the hell was that?
He could see his breath as he panted, his legs aching under him as he continued to jog. It was a chilly afternoon, and his jacket was fluttering around him, doing nothing against the cold. He held a long briefcase gently against his chest, holding it as if it were made of spun gold and silver, which, according to him, it was. He could see his destination far in the early morning mist, and his sigh of relief was evident.
The car's engine rumble grew louder as he approached, slowing his stride, before bending to glance in, "Mustang?"
It was only a man with spiked hair, a cigarette, and a smirk, "Nah, we're gonna go get him, though."
He nodded, opening the back door of the car, and sliding in slowly, his thighs and calves singing in happiness as he slid across the leather, settling the case across his knees. He ran his fingers over the metal happily, sighing at the gratification in his chest, glancing up at the driver of the car.
"Mika Orken, right?" Havoc questioned, not bothering to take the turns lightly as he spun the wheel violently, throwing the occupant of the car against the window, tires screeching against the concrete.
Mika thanked his lucky stars that there were no people on the streets tonight, or they'd be getting nowhere due to murder charges. Whoever this man was, Mika suddenly regretted getting into the car without first insisting to drive. Holding the case against his chest again as he was thrown violently to the other side of the car, letting out a loud yelp.
He was unable to answer, instead choosing to gain purchase on the leather he was currently sprawled out across. Scratch that, he regretted getting into this car in the first place without insisting to drive, and he regretted not immediately putting on a seatbelt.
Havoc merely chuckled as he laid his arm across the headrest easily, twisting around the steering wheel once more, glancing backward amusedly as Mika was thrown upright again, slamming against the door. Havoc turned back to the road, smirking around his cigarette, "Sorry, Major General's orders. Get to the train station ASAP. We got a hospital to get to."
He didn't understand why this blonde psycho maniac insisted on trying to talk to him, as every time Mika tried to open his mouth he was thrown across the car, leaving him practically speechless.
With one final twist of the wheel and a slam on the breaks, the car slid and drifted, pressing Mika against the side. With one final jolt, the car came to a slamming halt, dust billowing around the wheels and a soft sheen of must in the air.
The passenger side door of the car was thrown open and Havoc had his foot on the petal before Mustang was even fully in the car. Roy glanced over his shoulder at Mika, smirking at the image of the man using one arm to hold the long briefcase against his chest, the other holding onto the handle of the door, one leg up against the back of Havoc's seat, his eyes wide and his breath coming in heaving puffs.
"That's a good look for you, Mika." Roy smirked, laughing as Mika sent him a rather scathing glare. Roy's eyes focused on the long rectangular briefcase that Mika was holding onto like a lifeline, his smile disappearing quickly and a particular thump ringing in his chest, "Is that Edward's leg?"
"Yes, it is!" Mika nearly screamed as the car was thrown to the side again, tires screeching and bringing up more dirt as Havoc turned a sharp corner, "A-and!" He yelped as he tried to balance himself, "It's a work of art, I'd like you to know!" He gulped, his eyes wild, "Your man's driving is going to send me to the grave!"
"I thought it was indestructible." Roy smirked as he leaned back, "You would dare give Edward Elric a leg that would break from a few jostles?"
"No! But that doesn't mean I won't break!" Mika screeched again, watching in distain as Roy proceeded to stay completely stationary, "What do we need to be in such a hurry for, anyway?"
Roy didn't answer, his fingers pressing against his chin as he stared forward, his heart still thumping painfully. It seemed the closer they got the hospital the more it hurt, the more his feet wanted to move, the more he felt as though he couldn't sit still. Knowing that those men were in Central Hospital, finding Edward, that was enough to make Roy tighten his fingers in anticipation.
"Geez, you guys." Mika groaned, grunting as he was thrown again, watching as the hospital came in the distance, luckily for him, a straight shot, "all you do is stare and stay silent. It's obvious you're thinking about each other."
Roy just glanced over his shoulder silently, glaring for only a moment before he sent a glance toward Havoc. The blonde smirked, bringing his hand down and twisting the wheel violently, spinning the car around to drift in front of the hospital doors.
Edward jumped as he heard a large slam come from the other side of the door, eyeing the door in question as he softly closed the book that had been in his lap. Giovanni had been in the bathroom for a better part of half an hour, and Ed was starting to worry in the slightest. The boy could act weird sometimes, he knew that, so it wasn't strange for Gio to do something out of the ordinary or on a whim.
"Alphonse?" Armstrong questioned lightly, stepping around where Pinako was leaning against the bed, looking inquisitively at Edward's new port. Alex slowly placed his hand on the doorway, leaning forward, "Alphonse?"
There was a swift clap, and something churned in Edward's stomach as he saw the soft blue light filtering from under the door. It hurt so bad that he didn't even know what to do with himself, and he'd even begun to get used to it with Giovanni using alchemy around him so often. But that clap was his undoing, it brought back memories like a tidal wave. His hands clenched against the fabric of the bed under him.
The door was flung open and Alphonse was on the other side, his eyes wide, "Armstrong! There's someone..."
Armstrong's front changed immediately, turning to the men standing around the room, "Men, get ready."
The men outside the hospital room struggled against the hold they were put in, the blue light of alchemy creating things from the ground. Armstrong watched as they slowly were released from their holds, all of them holding at least three weapons, guns and swords alike. There was an estimated ten of them, tall and strong, all worthy Aerugian men, but Armstrong wasn't worried.
That was, until the men started talking. Shifting around, one of the taller men reached behind his back, bending down and throwing a small object forward, smirking before he reached to cover his mouth.
"Men, take them down!" Armstrong yelled behind him, tightening his fists with the metal around his knuckles. There was a particular urgency to this battle, and he would have none of his men slacking, "there are ten men."
Edward gaped as he heard many sounds from outside, the clapping pressure of Alchemy, the struggle of many men. Jumping up in his seat, he tried to look out into the hallway, but he couldn't see much more than the smoke.
Grunting as he slammed against the ground, partially glad that the hospital had already been evacuated, Armstrong tried to train his ears against the intruders, but the smog was thick, and these men were trained to not make a sound, despite how large they were.
He heard a loud clap, and the blue light of an alchemical reaction barely hit his ears. He couldn't see what Alphonse transmuted, but it shocked him that Al could even see what he wanted to transmute.
"I've opened a door in the wall. The smoke is going to filter out. You're positions are going to be revealed!" Alphonse yelled out, and even as he spoke the smog around them thinned lightly. This situation was very particular, and while Armstrong knew this would be no trouble for them, but within the cramped corridors of a hospital with Edward to watch over, it was interesting.
Armstrong slammed his fist against the ground, causing a loud explosion and showering large pieces of debris in front of the doorway leading to Edward's room, turning and twisting to try and find Alphonse, "Al! Get to the room, get Pinako and Edward out!"
"But Alex-" Al started, shifting and clapping his hands when he felt someone to his side, not having the time to produce a transmutation, instead using his fists to hit whatever he could, but the other got away quicker.
"Go!" Armstrong yelled, trying to keep at bay the silent attackers, wondering where his other men were. They'd disappeared into the mist, and now he could hear them, but as far as he knew, they were having no luck at all. They had no advantage against these guys, they knew nothing about the Aerugian army because they'd never fought against them before. They didn't know how Aerugo battled or how they thought, but they were in such a hurry for Edward's protection that they didn't have time to research the Aerugians.
As a man slammed into his side, he marveled at the strength of these enemies, his feet shifting from under him as he pushed back. They were strong, he'd give them that, and quick. The man shifted away from him before he could attack back, and with this smog, if he tried attacking with his alchemy again, he'd end up destroying the entire building.
Alphonse quickly ducked down under the smoke, taking a deep breath and moving forward. He could get to the room, but he could hear the multiple footsteps of maybe twenty people all crammed into this hallway, spacing all the way down to the waiting room. He didn't know which of those feet were allies, but he assumed all of them, because the Aerugians weren't making a sound thus far.
As he came to the doorway to the room he could see the soft light filtering from within, and he could hear Pinako's frantic voice asking what was going on. Cursing slightly to himself at the sound of the woman, he knew that he had to get her out of here, and quick. Clapping his hands as softly as he could, he pressed them against the debris, wincing with the harsh sound of the transmutation and the light that lit up the smog all around him. Due to his makeshift window, he could now see into the smog just a bit when it lit up, but he couldn't see much more than a few silhouettes.
"Pinako!" Alphonse ran forward into the room quickly, clapping and closing the door before any of the enemies could enter after him. He didn't miss the wide eyed and positively agonizing look Edward sent him after he transmuted the wall. The look was gone in a blink of an eye, changing back to Edward's usual defiant scowl, his brows knitted in annoyance at his inability to help in the situation.
Alphonse quickly reached down and lifted the elderly woman in his arms, taking her cane as well, ignoring her squawk of disapproval. Sending one look in Edward's direction, he strutted toward the far wall, keeping a good ear on the tussle forming outside, "I'm going to make an exit."
Edward flinched at his tone, wishing nothing more than to get up and go out there, help Armstrong against the people that were attacking the hospital. Were these the Aerugo insurgents that he had heard so much about? He was still confused about why they were attacking here, but it was lost on his mind as he nodded, turning his head away to not view the transmutation. He heard the sizzle and felt the cool afternoon air on his skin.
"Come on." Alphonse turned toward his brother, already stepping over the ledge of the hole and down the ladder he'd made, "Let's go."
Edward hobbled to his feet, but Alphonse didn't miss the shake of the head his brother gave him. Keeping a tight hand on the wall, Edward made his way toward the closed off door that Alphonse had put, placing his hand against it and closing his eyes. He hated asking for help like this, and the thought of it made him uneasy in itself, but he turned to Alphonse anyway, "Open this door."
"Edward, stop being the hero!" Alphonse screeched angrily, his eyes alight in fury at his brother, "There's nothing you can do to help them out there! You're missing a leg, idiot!"
"I know that!" Edward yelled back, his shoulders tight in anger, his fingers almost painful in the way they were clutching at the white wall in front of him, "you think I don't know that?"
"Well, then what the hell are you trying to do!" Alphonse growled, rolling his eyes at his brother, his teeth clenching as the anger overtook his previous worry for his brother, "Always the hero, Edward Elric. What are you going to do? There here to protect you and you're just going to run out there, fists flying? What the hell do you think you can do? You have no leg and no alche-"
"Don't even say it!" Edward yelled, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths, his mind overrun with anger and sorrow, the conflicting emotions in his chest as painful as anything he'd ever felt, "Don't you dare say it, Alphonse."
He turned toward his brother, trying to muster up the glare he knew he could give.
"I know..." He sighed deeply, his attempt of a glare only coming off as a scowl of hurt and resentment, "I know I can't do anything anymore. I'm useless without alchemy, Alphonse. I can't do anything for anyone anymore, what use am I? But I've got to try." He pursed his lips, "If not now, then what?"
Alphonse heard those words like a punch in the face. He could remember Edward's face all those years ago, when Alphonse was taken over by a fit of rage. They'd both yelled then, yelled and screamed about everything they'd held in their minds for all those years. Edward's look those two years ago was identical to the headstrong and almost broken man that stood before him, and he knew - Edward was still Edward. That brother that he'd loved those years ago, was still here, just it had taken him a while to see it.
A clap resonated the room and the smoke was billowing in, the men on the other side must've thrown another smoke-bomb. Taking a deep breath, Edward glanced over his shoulder at Alphonse, a small smile and a twitch of the brow, "Thank you. I'm going to find Giovanni."
Alphonse snorted cynically to himself at the thought of the boy. Nodding to himself, he almost regretted that he didn't get to say 'I'm sorry' to Edward before he left the room. For what, he didn't know, and he knew that years of resentment couldn't be cured just by a small conversation in a war-torn hospital. It took much more than that, and Alphonse wasn't so sure he could do it. He'd talked to Winry many times about the idea, but she was always adamant against it.
He deserved to lose the alchemy. I'm glad he lost the alchemy.
Alphonse gaped at the hole his brother just left through, his heart thumping in his chest at the memory of their conversation.
"Giovanni!" Edward yelled out as he grunted against the wall, the whole hopping routine he'd taken gaining him no more than a few yards down the opposite hallway, but according to the boy, he'd merely gone to the bathroom, so it couldn't have been that far. He'd wished that they'd allowed Mika to bring the leg today, so he wouldn't be hobbling around like a damn pogo stick. Grumbling to himself, he hopped again, seeing the doorways leading to the bathrooms come into view, "Gio!"
He heard the commotion behind him increase, and the sound of Armstrong's alchemical fist hitting the ground. The smog from the next hallway over was slowly slithering around his ankle, causing an uncomfortable chill to go down his back. As much as he hated to admit it, he was completely useless in this situation. He was a gimp in every sense of the word, and he didn't know what he'd accomplish by trying to find his apprentice by himself, but at least when he did find Giovanni, the kid would be able to use his alchemy to fend off the men, for the time being.
"Gio!" He yelled again, hearing a shifting sound coming from behind him, only barely being able to glance before he was tackled to the wall, pushed roughly against it by a mystery man wearing a cloth over his mouth.
The man started screaming in a foreign language, holding Edward around the throat and pressing his other arm into Edward's chest. Growling to himself, Edward surged forward, slamming his head against the others, punching his good fist into the man's stomach as hard as he could, before swinging around and bringing his hard cast down on the man's head.
Hey! Edward grinned triumphantly, looking down at the man lying unconscious on the floor. If that wasn't a ego booster then he didn't know what was. How great was he if he could defend himself, rather well he might add, against guys twice his size with an arm in a cast, no leg, and having no use of alchemy. Edward pumped his fist in the air once more, hopping down the hallway with extra vigor, "Ah, ha! I haven't lost my touch!"
Hopping forward again, he finally reached the restrooms, pushing open the door and peering inside slowly, "Giovanni?"
His voice echoed off the tile of the empty bathroom, the stalls of the toilets thrown open and the lights off, the dark room glowing from the setting sun outside. Edward's eyes searched the empty space quickly, not finding head nor tail of his young apprentice. With a sigh, he closed the door slowly, backing out with a few sliding hops, his hand still trailing the wall. Shooting a glance over his shoulder, Edward pursed his lips as the smog faded enough down the hall for him to barely see the outlines of the commotion going on. Armstrong's men were holding their own against the men, but they were having trouble.
But that's not what Edward was worried about. Aerugo was smart, they had one of the largest armies of the countries surrounding Amestris, coming close to outnumbering Drachma even, if it weren't for the sheer size of Drachma. Aerugo wasn't stupid, and they wouldn't send just ten people to get something they needed. Those men were in Aerugo military garb, so this was the work of the Aerugo army, and they wouldn't be so stupid. Ten men was ridiculous.
"Giovanni!" They could be around the hospital, where Giovanni was. Edward was worried, and while he knew that the boy could handle himself well enough, Gio wasn't as physically fit as Edward would have liked and while his alchemy was good, he wasn't the quickest. His lips pursed in nerves as he searched around the empty halls again, knowing that Giovanni could get himself into something deep this time. He also knew that he shouldn't be yelling, but he needed to find the kid, and quick.
"Go around the corner."
Edward froze at the sound, pressing himself up against the wall at the voices. He didn't recognize the voice, and his breath picked up when he heard the thumps of footsteps coming up the hall just down from him, slowly heading up to his hiding place. Edward took a deep breath, closing his eyes and listening closely.
"How are the men doing?" Another voice asked, this voice deep and foreboding.
There was a deep chuckle, and the footsteps slowed, "The men are doing their job. The military of Amestris is miserably predictable, they fell for our bait."
"Always, sir." The laughter met Ed's ears again and he shifted away slowly, knowing that if he were caught there would be no chance that he'd get away. The man continued to speak, "Sir, are we really going to find him? The Fullmetal?"
Edward's breath was stolen violently from his chest and his face went stark white, his eyes wide as he continued to listen to their conversation with bated breath. They couldn't...He took a shuttering breath, they couldn't possibly be talking about what he thought they were...
"Of course." The man answered, "High Lord Irving said it so. It's going to happen, we're taking our salvation."
"Yeah..." He seemed almost awe-struck, the other man, "Do you think he actually exists?"
"Yes...yes, of course." The man seemed as though he were convincing himself of the fact.
Edward's eyes were trained on the ground as the new information ran rapidly through his head, his eyes wide and terrified. This was so much more than he could have ever thought. This was more than keeping a little secret, they were keeping everything from him.
Edward was just stark still, almost to the point of staying there until the men found him, until he heard one of them grunt and sigh.
"What are we going to do with this runt?"
Edward gasped, his mind instantly clearing as he whipped his head to the side, golden eyes squinting as he saw a flash of color around the corner. He could hear the muffled yells of someone struggling against the men's holds, his hands clenching in anger. He put two and two together, and was instantly forming an idea in his head.
"Get rid of him."
They rounded the corner slowly, their faces coming into view as Edward stilled against the wall for only a second more. Their green and brown uniforms were almost blending in with the walls and the smoke, tight against their skin. It was no wonder they could maneuver around so quickly, their uniforms looking very sleek and strong. They were tall, almost incredibly so, which it seemed like all Aerugians were, and their chests were broad.
Edward pursed his lips before crouching down slowly on his one leg, fingertips gliding down the wall, his breath bated as he hid in the smoke below. If they could use this smoke to their advantage, then so could he. Sweat pooled down his cheeks and neck, and he watched with glittering yellow eyes and they walked mere inches in front of him, completely unaware to the fact he was hunched down. Giovanni was held in the shorter man's grasp, under one arm like a piece of luggage. He struggled against the hold, but was no match against the military official.
Edward slowly lowered his body to rest his weight on his metal port, pressing the steel against the ground. There was a soft click of metal against tile, and Edward smirked as the two men stopped in their tracks. Be it because of the failed comrade they saw splayed across the floor in front of them, or their military trained ears had heard the soft click, he would never know. He slid forward slowly, bending down on his arms and slowly bringing his other knee up to his chest, ready to pounce.
"What's going on here?" The taller man spoke, his lips pursing in a frown as he hunched down to check on his fallen friend, a certain edge of relief going through him when he saw his friend was still living. His fingers traced the ground, looking for any sign of who might've done this, glancing all around himself.
He was barely able to see the glowing glint of gold, a bare flash of a smirk, before he was tackled to the ground.
Edward reared his arm back, ready to strike the man with his cast, ignoring the dull ache he'd received from the first time he tried to use his cast as a weapon, and brought it down. His attack was cut short, though, as the man under him brought his fist quickly, punching Edward's stomach hard. It was usually something he could recover from, and while he didn't particularly like getting punched in the stomach, Edward could usually deal with it and get up to continue fighting.
But this punch was like a ton of lead, spreading through his stomach and into his chest, stealing his breath and making it seem like his very blood was ice in his veins. His eyes were open wide, mouth gaping, and with all his power he barely managed to take a breath before he was roughly shoved from the man. Slamming to the ground in a pitiful heap, Edward truly realized why they'd been keeping him in the hospital for so long, his chest constricting and tightening in pain, just barely lifting enough to let him breathe. His arm was throbbing in pain, obviously still broken under it's cast.
"Ouch! You little brat!"
Edward heard the crumble of a body falling to the ground, and the quick footsteps of someone running. He managed to open his eyes wide enough to see Giovanni crouching down next to him, and he smirked, pushing himself up with much trouble.
"Teacher!" Gio yelled, kneeling next to Ed and glaring back at the two who had managed to grab him. After his confrontation with Alphonse, he'd gone to cool down for a bit, and before he knew what was going on, he was caught between a rock and a hard place, almost literally.
"Guh, guess I should listen to the doctors sometimes, huh?" Edward chuckled, holding his stomach where he'd been punched, watching as both men started to slowly get up, one holding his hand where Gio had bitten, one rubbing back of his head. They didn't look too happy, either, as they immediately sifted the smog to finally find Giovanni and Edward.
"Teacher..." Giovanni gulped nervously as he backed up closer to Edward, pressing against him while he eyed the man advancing on him with wide eyes, "What are we going to do?"
Edward chuckled morbidly, his hands twitching on the cold tile, his breath still coming in pants although the pain of his previous encounter was slowly fading. Gulping once more, Edward tilted his head to the side with a smirk, "It's not what we're going to do, Gio. It's what you're going to do."
Giovanni barely sent a glance toward Edward, before returning his gaze to the tall man talking with the other for a moment, before advancing on them again, his strides purposeful.
"Run..." Edward pushed Gio away, struggling to bring his foot around and under him, to push himself up on the ground. He was tired, and his body was shaking more than it should, but he still managed to get his foot on the ground. His hands were planted in front of him, his knee pressed against his chest although the pain was flaring again, and he sent one last glare towards Giovanni, "run!"
And he launched himself at the man, twisting and using his shoulder, slamming the Aerugo attacker right in the sternum, making him stumble back and fall into his friend, both of the men falling to the ground in a heap, Edward right on top of them. It didn't hurt as much as Edward would have immediately thought, and instead of wasting time taking account of what hurt and what didn't hurt, he quickly looked back over his shoulder at Giovanni.
"Move!" Edward grunted as the man under him punched him square in the jaw, making him fall backwards on the ground, slamming hard. The man's comrade loomed over him, unscathed by the previous attack. The world seemed to slow as the man's boot connected with Edward's side, making him gasp loudly, his head thrown back in a silent scream.
Giovanni stood stark still, his eyes wide and scared as he took in the sight before him. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and as much as he wanted to do something, his feet wouldn't move. He was petrified.
Edward rolled as much as he could, grabbing the man's leg with a pained scream, pulling and watching in satisfaction as the man went to the ground again. As long as he could keep this up, then Gio could get far enough away. Glancing back at his frozen student, Edward rolled his eyes, his glare evident as a thin trail of blood seeped out of his mouth and nose. He could keep this up, but if Giovanni didn't get his scrawny ass moving, he wouldn't be able to keep these men from killing him.
The taller man, his eyes enraged and his mouth formed in a harsh scowl, reached down and grabbed Edward by his thin shirt, wrenching him up and glaring at him, fist already surging to punch Edward in the stomach.
"You are brave, for such a small person." The man smirked, regarding Edward with a condescending tilt of his head.
"Who..." Edward pursed his lips, all signs of pain leaving his body immediately. "Are..." He slowly lifted his head to glare straight back at the man, his golden gleaming eyes filled with pure and unfiltered rage. "You..." He reached up to grab the hand holding his shirt. "Calling..." He finally met the other's eyes, his purely evil smirk stretching across his face as his eyes darkened.
With one final breath, he surged forward, slamming his head against the man's with all his power, at the same time reaching back and slamming the man across the temple with his cast, with a final bellow of: "Small!"
As Edward crumpled into a heap in the ground, he lost the feeling in his arm, and his head was throbbing painfully, but he was rather proud of himself. He was sure that the men down the hall fighting Armstrong's men had heard his yell, and it would be a matter of time before they came to help their comrades.
"Giovanni!" Edward yelled at the still petrified boy, slamming his good hand on the ground loud enough to make Giovanni snap to attention. He glared, his eyes hard and determined as he rode through his waves of pain, "Listen to me, okay? Listen."
Gio shakily nodded his eyes still wide.
"You need to go, okay?" Edward gasped as he felt his chest tighten, blood still pouring from his nose, even as he swiped at it angrily, "You need to go and find someone. Get help, okay, Gio?"
Giovanni gulped, before shaking his head from side to side, his hands clenching in front of him tightly, "No! I can't...I can't just leave you here!"
"Yes, you can!" Edward sighed, his hand clenching tightly as his other was practically immobile by this point, "I'm useless to you now, Gio. You need to go. You need to get out of here while you can, get help, okay?"
"But..." Gio couldn't take his eyes from the form of his teacher, fear and anger sifting through him as he saw Edward's now dead arm, face covered in bruises, bleeding and breathing softly and painfully, crumpled on the ground. He was obviously injured, but his eyes told Gio that the pain was nothing, he'd felt much more pain than this before. But more than anything, there was a spark of protection in Edward's eyes that Gio couldn't comprehend.
"If you want to help me, you'll go get someone." Edward's brows drew together, his breath coming out in gasps. He smiled softly, snorting cynically as he looked at the boy, wanting nothing more than for Gio to get the hell out of here and save himself, "Please, get out of here."
His eyes clenched shut painfully, a thousand thoughts were racing through his head. It felt as though his blood was ice hold, every fiber of his being was shaking violently, his breath was tight in his chest. It hurt, every part of him. But even as he clenched his teeth and shook his head painfully, his body was already turning around, sprinting down the hallway.
Edward jumped when he felt a hand on his cheek, his eyes shooting open, gasping as much as he could although it felt like his lungs were made of lead. His vision was fuzzy, so fuzzy in fact that he could see no more than a few blurry outlines and splotches of people standing over him. His throat tightened, seeing a flash of green, military garb of Aerugians. He brought his hand up tiredly, trying to swing at the men in front of him.
"Edward!"
He gasped, his eyes clearing a bit the more he blinked, his breath slowing as he saw the forms of blue and black appear, before the calm and warm eyes of Roy Mustang appeared in front of him. It was astounding how happy he could get just by looking in those eyes, feeling those warm hands on him, and seeing the soft and concerned glint in Roy's eyes.
"Roy..." Edward gasped, his chest rattling as he let out a strangled chuckle, his eyes falling closed as his whole body fell into his sigh of relief, "Dear god, I thought you were one of the Aerugians."
"Edward..." Roy couldn't describe what he was feeling, not to a good extent anyway. They'd entered the hospital in a rage, to find most of the Aerugo insurgents already taken care of, but Edward's room was empty. It scared him, more than he'd like to admit, and finding the man sprawled in a hall like this, bleeding and partially unconscious, he almost lost it.
Edward felt those warm hands on him again, and he let out another sigh, this time one of happiness and joy, those hands taking away his pain. He opened his eyes again, meeting Roy's, smiling as the man leaned over him, closer. He tilted his head to the side, every bone in his body either in pain or completely immobile, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Well, I heard that they'd attacked the hospital." Roy chuckled, not bothering at all that his hands seemed to have a mind of their own, and were glued to Edward, "came to see if you could take care of yourself. Did a pretty good job, Elric."
"Damn good job." Edward groaned as he attempted to lift himself, but it was as if his bones were made of jello, and not the good kind. He groaned, wiggling around on the ground, his uncomfortable glare landing on Roy, "Wanna help me up, Major General?"
Roy pursed his lips, shaking his head and glancing down Edward's body, noticing how the cast on his right arm was completely cracked and torn, the whole arm loose and unmoving. The blood on Edward's lips was still wet, but drying, and his breath was shaky, at best. Roy's voice was much quieter when he answered, low and worried and strained, "What...what happened?"
Edward sobered as well, slumping back against Roy's arms, which were slowly making their way around Edward's shoulders and waist, keeping him up and off the ground, "It...It's a long story."
"Edward..." Roy tightened his arms a fraction around the other, his hand drawing through the golden locks, staring straight into those deep and glowing golden eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner..."
Edward shook his head, trying to pull off an indignant look while his face was covered in a deep and glowing flush, "I handled it...plus, you have business for yourself to deal with, right?"
"You are my business, Ed." Roy shook his head, his heart almost stilling when Edward raised a single and quivering hand to rest on his chest, "Ed...I should have been here sooner."
"It's..." Ed's lips pursed together, nervously keeping eye contact with Roy, although the other man's gaze was intense and piercing, "Umm...I mean..."
Roy smirked, his heart swelling at how adorable the man was, before moving forward again. His heart and mind were swimming, but if there was one thing shining true through all of it, it was that he had to do this. He might not get another chance for a while, and it was as though his whole body was screaming at him.
As Roy slowly pressed his lips against Ed's, it felt as though it was the one right thing he'd done in a while. It was soft and sweet, his eyes fluttering closed, his body thrilling when he felt Edward softly press against him. The hand on his chest tightened and pulled, gently, making his whole body sing.
Ed, on the other hand, felt as though all the pain in the world couldn't compare to the sheer amazingness that was this kiss. He'd never been one for sap stories, and while he'd been interested in Winry for a while, the idea of a romantic relationship with anyone hadn't been that forefront in his mind, that is...until Roy started to come and see him. This kiss was everything he'd heard a kiss should be like, amazing and powerful and soft, and while the situation and place weren't ideal, he couldn't imagine anything better. The broad shoulders under his hand and the warm and strong arms holding him up were empowering, and he felt completely at Roy's will. Roy's lips moved against his, and he finally had the thought to push back, succumbing to the kiss and pressing against it, forgetting what was all around them in leu of the amazing man that actually wanted to hold and kiss him.
"Ahem."
Edward froze, slowly pulling back from the kiss, his lips already feeling cold from the loss, and glanced over Roy's shoulder, his eyes widening in shock and mortification as he saw Mika standing not two feet behind him.
"As much as this moment calls for an 'I told you so', I'll hold back." Mika rolled his eyes, shifting to hold the metal case closer to himself, glancing around almost nervously, "Now, I suggest we get somewhere safe, away from Aerugian invaders, perhaps? I've got a leg to attach."
Yet another piece of good news in a sea of bad, Edward smiled brightly at the mention of his leg, glad to get back on his own two feet. He glanced at Roy once, a smile and a blush covering his face, before he allowed the other man to raise him to a seated position, his face contorting into a grimace.
"I don't think I can walk." Edward chuckled softly, his hands shaking as he tried to take in a deep breath without much trouble, hoping that Roy didn't notice most of his pain. He shrugged, "I mean, the whole no leg thing is putting a dampen on my strutting skills, but that beating I took makes it hard to do anything in general."
Roy didn't like hearing that at all, if the constriction in his chest was enough to go by. Quickly swooping down and encircling his arms under Ed's knee and shoulders, he lifted the small man in his arms, standing on steady feat, although his heart was anything but steady.
Edward closed his eyes as his head swam when Roy lifted him, his chest screaming at him. He couldn't bring himself to argue to Roy about the way he chose to carry him, because he didn't mind and he didn't really think he could get himself around any other way. But his face still flushed again, despite his best efforts, and he shot his gaze to Roy, who was sporting a rather amused and smug smirk.
Leaning against the broad chest, Edward took a few deep breaths, both to get his lungs to stop aching and for the blush to fade off his face. The embarrassment was a good distraction for the pain, which was slowly creeping back into his mind. His arm in the cast was numb, and as he held it delicately to his chest, he knew that more than a cast would be needed to fix it this time. His lungs were aching as well, and every once in a while he'd get a mouth-full of blood that was getting harder and harder to hide from the others.
"Edward." He jumped again, his eyes taking another moment to focus as he took in the darkened room, a storage room by the looks of it. He was on the ground, sitting next to Roy, partially leaning against the man. Mika kneeled in front of him, his brow drawn in worry, "Are you alright, Edward?"
"Yeah, fine..." Edward shook his head, blinking heavily for a moment, before shifting to get a better purchase of his seat, absently leaning heavier against Roy, "Where are we? I don't remember getting here."
"It's just a small storage room on the other side of the hospital." Roy answered, slipping his arm around Ed's waist, his hand squeezing at the boy's hip, "You went unconscious for a while."
"I need to attach your leg." Mika's voice was hesitant, but he took no time in kneeling at the blonde's side and setting the case down, clicking open the latches and slowly pushing open the case, acting as if the contents were made of glass.
The room they were in was dark, but Ed could still see the glint of the metal as Mika took it from the case, his hands running over the smooth limb. Even Edward was dumbfounded, looking at the leg, the metal gleaming in the dull light. It was sleek but sharp, bold but subtle, making Edward wonder at how astonishingly different two seemingly similar things could be so different. This automail was sophisticated and strong.
"Whoa..." Roy voiced his sentiments, leaning forward with wide eyes as Mika brought down the limb. There were fine engravings along the flat of the metal, twisting with the metal and forming along the back, and right on the flat of the kneecap was a intricate transmutation circle.
"I'm sorry for the engravings, I always try and add an artistic flare." Mika laughed, but even that couldn't lighten the mood. He'd hoped there would be a more acceptable unveiling of his work, but he guess he couldn't be picky in these types of situations. Plus, the awe in Ed and Roy's eyes was enough to boost his ego for the time being.
He chuckled at Ed's raised brow, "Okay, okay, that's not all. This will make it stupendously easy for me to repair."
Edward definitely liked the sound of that. The leg looked like it was made of silver, strong and amazing, just what he needed in a situation like this. He couldn't wait to get out there and kick some Aerugian ass.
Mika shifted around until he was kneeled in front of Edward, the leg poised at the port, aimed to attach. He was hesitant, almost, and he could feel his fingers start to grow damp on the metal. Edward was injured, his lungs were infected, his arm was probably broken again, and not to mention there was a slew of other possible problems. So, needless to say, Mika was hesitant. Did Edward need this leg that badly? So badly that they couldn't wait until this whole fiasco was over with?
"Hey..." Edward leaned forward, his brows knitting together as he watched the play of emotions over Mika's face, feeling a nervous tinge of his own, "What's wrong?"
"I just..." Mika shook his head, but took a deep breath. He had to do this, this was Edward Elric, and he was sure he'd get his ass handed to him if he kept the great Elric from his leg any longer. He met Ed's eyes with confidence, his hands tight on the automail, "I'm afraid you might go into shock when I attach the leg."
"W-what?" Ed gaped, his chest constricting again. He could feel Roy still next to him.
Mika shook his head, almost jumping out of his skin when he heard the sounds of commotion outside of the room. No, this was no place to sit and have a chat. His breath caught in his throat and his teeth clenched, but it was a split second decision that he had to make, he had no time to weigh the consequences.
So, with a quick shove, Mika attached the leg to the port, snapping it into place.
One hand raised to muffle his own scream as Edward's breath left his chest. He never remembered the attachments being this painful, his whole body quivering, feeling as though every nerve was on fire. He couldn't take in any breath, his skin felt clammy and dry, but he could feel Roy's hands on his body, pressing against his chest and neck.
"Dammit!" Mika cursed himself as he watched Edward's body constrict, moving forward and pressing his fingers to Ed's neck. His movements were swift as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen, biting off the cap and looking at Roy, "take off his shirt."
Roy didn't have the time to be embarrassed as he grabbed the hem of Edward's shirt, his hands shaking as he saw the sweat pooling on the man's chest, Ed's chest raising in quick and short intervals. Ripping open the front of Ed's shirt, he quickly replaced his hands on Ed's cheek and neck, trying to look the other in the eye while keeping his own distress at bay.
All the while, hearing the subtle sounds of the enemy outside their door, searching them in the blackened halls.
The choice to go back for his teacher was decided when Giovanni was standing in between the main gates of the hospital, his shoulders shaking as he looked up toward the sky. He'd been standing there for the better part of five minutes, but the entire time was spent in anguish and guilt. He'd really just abandoned his teacher, the only man to look at him like he meant something, the only man to take him under his wing and teach him.
And he'd abandoned him.
So, the decision to go back was an easy one. He'd just drag his teacher out if he had to, despite the probable uproar his teacher would cause. He didn't care, Edward needed to get out of there, and as far as Giovanni knew, he was the only one who could help him.
So Giovanni ran forward, away from the hospital, his mind set as he sprinted down the streets. Never before had he been more grateful to live a single block away from the hospital, that meant he could run home and back in ten minutes.
Ooh, whaz gonna happen? The suspense is killing me, guys! I can't handle it! Thanks for reading.