Part Two of OT3 longfic (sorta)
Title: Lead And Follow Part II
Author: automailvariant
Pairing: Roy/Ed/Pride
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Rating: G for cute
"There's not much more we can do for his cracked ribs than wrap them for support. He's on acetaminophen for the pain."
Roy fingered the metal rail on the bed momentarily, then nodded, offering his hand. "Thank you."
"Glad I could help," Dr. Stevenson replied, giving Roy's hand a quick shake. "There'll be a nurse by in an hour or so to check up on him."
Another nod, prompting the doctor to leave, and Roy was left alone with Edward in the hospital room. He watched the blonde sleep for a moment, then took his flesh hand and squeezed before his fingers slipped away and he departed, already late for work.
* * *
You could have killed him.
He knew it was a bad idea to be out in the open- Roy had said it so much, and Ed had agreed- but when he was invisible, no one cared. Pride hadn't known where he was going when he'd fled the house, but he'd found his way into the business district, then past the park near the middle of the city. The homunculus finally stopped and curled up at the side of a stoop across from the military base, his tears still falling even after so long.
Dead, gold eyes trailed along a path that ended at the entrance of Central Headquarters, and Roy's words hung in the back of his mind, seething like poison, dripping down the back of his neck and pulling his chest tight.
You could have killed him.
His subliminal concentration wavered, and he flickered into view for a moment as he stood, then disappeared once more as he stepped toward the base, intent on a new goal.
* * *
Ed looked like he did when he fell asleep on the couch with a book splayed across his chest. It was peaceful, moreso than he had been when they'd been in the backyard, and-...
The homunculus flickered again, then stayed solid, hesitating a fair distance from the hospital bed where his blonde copy lay. It had been easy, once he'd watched other visitors enter, to find Edward's room. But now, he thought it a bad idea to be here.
If he was a monster- If he could only 'play,' as he and Envy had-...
He took a step closer, then another, bare feet silent on the white tile floor, until he was standing at the rail, much like Roy had hours ago, watching Ed sleep.
A tentative hand rose from his side and pressed lightly over the flesh of the bedridden blonde's, then curled around it and held on. Fresh tears marred the pristine bed sheet, and Pride couldn't bring his gaze to Ed's face as his whisper broke the silence in the room.
"...Sorry."
He leaned down, bringing Ed's hand only slightly from the place where it rested, and pressed his lips to the knuckles. A moment passed, and suddenly, Edward's hand moved, brushing against Pride's cheek. The homunculus only managed to raise his eyes because of his surprise, but they met identical, tired gold, though there was a smile that shone through.
"Hey, Pride," Edward said softly. "Y'not s'posed to be outside."
A frown tugged at the corners of Pride's mouth, and he gave in to tears again, dipping his head and kneeling at bedside, the other blonde's hand still held carefully in his and face buried against the thin blanket.
"Sorry- sorry... sorry."
"Hey, no worries, alright?" Ed brushed at Pride's hair, taking shallow breaths to speak and trying a watery smile. "S'okay. Not like I'm gonna die or anything."
That brought a shudder to the surface, and it made Ed's face wrinkle up in slight confusion. But instead of asking, he just pushed Pride's bangs aside and said, "C'mere."
The homunculus looked up again, and Ed wiped his tears away, tugging on his hand. He stood, then climbed up onto the bed, using Ed's flesh arm as the offered pillow, curled up against his left side.
"It's okay."
* * *
The door to the hospital room opened quietly, and the nurse crept in, hoping to leave its occupants undisturbed.
The sight she was met with surprised her initially, but a warmth softened her eyes, and she simply went about her business.
Her quick check complete, she looked over them again and took the blanket from the end of the bed, draping it over the blondes, then picked up her clipboard and exited as quietly as she had come.
After all, she hadn't had the heart to wake either of the sleeping boys, especially not the one who looked so tired, curled against Edward's left side. And Edward didn't seem to mind at all; there was no pressure put on his ribs, and she'd had to smile at the protective hand around his visitor's back.
Author: automailvariant
Pairing: Roy/Ed/Pride
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Rating: G for cute
"There's not much more we can do for his cracked ribs than wrap them for support. He's on acetaminophen for the pain."
Roy fingered the metal rail on the bed momentarily, then nodded, offering his hand. "Thank you."
"Glad I could help," Dr. Stevenson replied, giving Roy's hand a quick shake. "There'll be a nurse by in an hour or so to check up on him."
Another nod, prompting the doctor to leave, and Roy was left alone with Edward in the hospital room. He watched the blonde sleep for a moment, then took his flesh hand and squeezed before his fingers slipped away and he departed, already late for work.
* * *
You could have killed him.
He knew it was a bad idea to be out in the open- Roy had said it so much, and Ed had agreed- but when he was invisible, no one cared. Pride hadn't known where he was going when he'd fled the house, but he'd found his way into the business district, then past the park near the middle of the city. The homunculus finally stopped and curled up at the side of a stoop across from the military base, his tears still falling even after so long.
Dead, gold eyes trailed along a path that ended at the entrance of Central Headquarters, and Roy's words hung in the back of his mind, seething like poison, dripping down the back of his neck and pulling his chest tight.
You could have killed him.
His subliminal concentration wavered, and he flickered into view for a moment as he stood, then disappeared once more as he stepped toward the base, intent on a new goal.
* * *
Ed looked like he did when he fell asleep on the couch with a book splayed across his chest. It was peaceful, moreso than he had been when they'd been in the backyard, and-...
The homunculus flickered again, then stayed solid, hesitating a fair distance from the hospital bed where his blonde copy lay. It had been easy, once he'd watched other visitors enter, to find Edward's room. But now, he thought it a bad idea to be here.
If he was a monster- If he could only 'play,' as he and Envy had-...
He took a step closer, then another, bare feet silent on the white tile floor, until he was standing at the rail, much like Roy had hours ago, watching Ed sleep.
A tentative hand rose from his side and pressed lightly over the flesh of the bedridden blonde's, then curled around it and held on. Fresh tears marred the pristine bed sheet, and Pride couldn't bring his gaze to Ed's face as his whisper broke the silence in the room.
"...Sorry."
He leaned down, bringing Ed's hand only slightly from the place where it rested, and pressed his lips to the knuckles. A moment passed, and suddenly, Edward's hand moved, brushing against Pride's cheek. The homunculus only managed to raise his eyes because of his surprise, but they met identical, tired gold, though there was a smile that shone through.
"Hey, Pride," Edward said softly. "Y'not s'posed to be outside."
A frown tugged at the corners of Pride's mouth, and he gave in to tears again, dipping his head and kneeling at bedside, the other blonde's hand still held carefully in his and face buried against the thin blanket.
"Sorry- sorry... sorry."
"Hey, no worries, alright?" Ed brushed at Pride's hair, taking shallow breaths to speak and trying a watery smile. "S'okay. Not like I'm gonna die or anything."
That brought a shudder to the surface, and it made Ed's face wrinkle up in slight confusion. But instead of asking, he just pushed Pride's bangs aside and said, "C'mere."
The homunculus looked up again, and Ed wiped his tears away, tugging on his hand. He stood, then climbed up onto the bed, using Ed's flesh arm as the offered pillow, curled up against his left side.
"It's okay."
* * *
The door to the hospital room opened quietly, and the nurse crept in, hoping to leave its occupants undisturbed.
The sight she was met with surprised her initially, but a warmth softened her eyes, and she simply went about her business.
Her quick check complete, she looked over them again and took the blanket from the end of the bed, draping it over the blondes, then picked up her clipboard and exited as quietly as she had come.
After all, she hadn't had the heart to wake either of the sleeping boys, especially not the one who looked so tired, curled against Edward's left side. And Edward didn't seem to mind at all; there was no pressure put on his ribs, and she'd had to smile at the protective hand around his visitor's back.