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Ed and rain didn’t get along. At all. He used to quite enjoy it as a child, running in the garden with Al and tracking mud into the house to their exasperated mother who greeted them with a shake of her head and a dry towel.
Not anymore though.
Ever since he had lost two limbs and had them replaced with hunks of metal (but he would never say that in front of Winry, she would murder him), the rain had been associated with far more negative connotations. The rain brought with it a chill that permeated Ed’s bones and an ache in his missing limbs that sometimes got so painful, he couldn’t even get out of bed without dropping to the floor in pain and promptly throwing up (speaking from experience).
It was raining today but Ed didn’t get time off as a soldier. The war might be over but the country still needed rebuilding and he hadn’t wanted to be honourably discharged at a time like this, not when his alchemy could be of better use. After the war, he sacrificed his arm once more to bring Al’s body back: equivalent exchange, and now Al was in his regular body, all limbs intact.
Ed awoke to the ache, laid in his bed in Central with an arm thrown over his eyes. He really did not want to get up right now, but alas he had work to do and Mustang would never let him live it down. He could practically hear his voice in his head right now, mocking him and telling him to get up (he ignored how encouraging it sounded on occasion).
So, he forced himself up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing as the automail leg twinged and grit his teeth as the pain pulsed in both his leg and his arm. A deep exhale and then he hauled himself onto his feet, releasing a swear when he was standing and braced himself on the bed frame. He just needed to get warmer, surely he would feel better then.
A quick check at the time showed he was awake early, no doubt the rain and cold had woken him up. So, he decided to take advantage of the extra time and take a hot shower after laying his clothes out on the lid of the toilet and stood beneath a hot spray, sighing in relief as some of the ache faded. After his shower, he got dressed and dried his hair, quickly tying into a braid with experienced fingers.
Now came the hard part: going outside. He didn’t live to far from Headquarters but he still needed to get there from his flat and it was raining quite heavily and the last thing he wanted right now was to get wet and end up more cold and in pain. He tossed a raincoat on over his regular red coat, cursing himself for not buying a new umbrella after the last one broke but the raincoat would have to do for today considering it wasn’t windy.
He already knew the walk would not be fun, feeling the ache returning to his limbs as he trudged downstairs, the warmth from the shower and his flat fading as he opened the door to the building and braved the weather.
By the time Ed arrived to Headquarters, he was limping a little and his automail arm was slightly stuff, he couldn’t move it fully but that was nothing to do with the mechanics, it was just the pain. He had to hand some paperwork to Mustang so he went to grab it from his own office, a little room barely big enough for his desk but it was his room and his alone, a privilege for the Fullmetal Alchemist who saved the world.
The paperwork was right where he had left it the night before, so he hung his raincoat on a hook behind the door and tapped his boots to the side before tugging his slightly wet gloves off, stuffing them in his pocket and picking the stack of paperwork up.
His next destination was Mustang’s office. Mustang’s office was preceded by a larger room where his team all had their desks but only Hawkeye was in currently, and Ed suspected the rest of them were either taking today off because of the rain or coming in after it cleared up. But he, unlike them, would never take the day off for such trivial matters and it seems neither would Hawkeye or Mustang but he expected that.
“Good morning, Edward.” Hawkeye greeted when he walked in, not smiling at him but she had a pleasant expression on her face. He could never understand how someone like Mustang ended up with someone as wonderful as Riza Hawkeye but maybe he was biased. “Those for the General?”
“Yeah, had them finished last night but he was already clocked out.” Ed scowled. Maybe if he had given them to Mustang last night, he would have debated not coming in today but that was a stretch. He just wanted to find things to blame.
“He’s in his office, I can take that to him if you want to sit here. I’m sure he’d like to discuss them with you after he’s done looking them over.” Hawkeye stood, reaching her hand out for the papers and Ed handed over them over with a suspicious look. “You can sit on the sofa, no one’s coming in here today.”
“Okay…” Ed edged back and sat down, staying straight-backed and stiff until Hawkeye disappeared into Mustang’s office and then he relaxed into the soft leather of the sofa. It was a little weird the way she was acting but he wasn’t going to question it, maybe Mustang had infected her with his weirdness. Gross.
Before he realised it, he had leaned his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes, telling himself he was just resting them for a second. Just for a second.
Roy looked up when Riza entered his office and raised his eyebrows at the pile of papers in her hands. “Paperwork I missed?”
“No, this is from Edward.”
“From Ed?”
The nicknames had greatly lessened over the years and they’d devolved to Ed and Mustang, although Ed did pull out an occasional Bastard or Bastard General.
“He said he finished them last night but you had clocked out already so he came by just now to give them to you.” Riza put the papers down on Roy’s desk and fixed him with a look. “He’s doesn’t look very well.”
“Is he sick?”
“I don’t think so.” She mused. “He didn’t say anything but he was limping a little when he came in. I’m pretty sure rain and cold are not good for amputees and especially those with prosthetics and automail. It must be bothering him.”
“Then why would he come in?” Roy groaned, rubbing his face with gloved hands. “That kid –“
“You know Edward, you know he wouldn’t call out of work. He probably doesn’t consider this very serious.”
“I swear –“ Roy stood. “Do I have to force that kid to go home?”
“Force is too harsh. Persuade.” Riza advised, moving aside to let Roy leave the office first. He opened the door and stepped out into the bigger room, his eyes instantly zeroing in on the head of blond hair peeking over the back of his sofa, he opened his mouth to call out but Riza put a hand on his arm and shook her head. “I think he’s asleep.”
Roy approached Ed, circling around the sofa, and standing in front of him. He was indeed asleep. His head was leaned back against the sofa and his mouth open slightly. Both of his hands were crossed over his chest and his legs stretched out slightly. It can’t have been a comfortable position. “I should move him.” Roy murmured and gestured for Riza to come closer. “Help me lay him down.” He instructed and she simply nodded, taking his feet while Roy cupped his head in his hands and they moved.
The second Riza touched his legs, he jolted up, eyes wide and a choked gasp escaping his lips. He went to move his legs but an involuntary whine sounded and he screwed his eyes shut, squeezing his hands into fists. “Fuck.”
“Ed?” Roy asked, going to reach out but then thought better and retracted his hands. “Are you alright?”
“I’ll… I’ll be fine…” Ed forced out through gritted teeth, forcing short breaths out. “Just… give me a second.” Ed dropped his head back against the sofa and slowly his fists unclenched and his breathing evened out gradually and eventually he opened his eyes and forced a smile onto his face.
“Edward? Are you alright? Your leg…” Riza began.
“It’s fine.” He said quickly. “It’s… it’s fine. Just sore. I’m fine.”
“It’s raining, Ed.” Roy raised an eyebrow. “Of all people, I’m the last one you should be ashamed in front of for feeling worse in the rain.”
“You –“ Ed looked like he was going to argue back but the energy seemed to sap from his body. “Whatever.” And if he wasn’t already concerned, that would have sounded the alarm bells for Roy.
“You can rest.” Roy said seriously.
“The rain makes your arm and your leg hurt, doesn’t it?” Riza said softly. Ed seemed to hesitate before he nodded sharply. “That’s not something to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not – I’m not ashamed.” Ed sighed. “It’s normal, this happens. I can just move on with my day and it’ll be better tomorrow. There’s no need to make a big deal out of nothing.”
“But it’s not nothing, Ed.” Roy said more firmly. “You’re in pain, you can admit that you can ask for rest or time off or a break. In fact, as your commanding offer, I’m ordering you to rest. Now.”
“Mustang –“ Ed started to protest but Roy held up a hand, stopping him.
“No arguments.” Roy turned his head away, aware he was probably acting in a way unbecoming of a general but he wasn’t afraid of pulling dirty tricks, especially with Ed. “Sleep here, no one’s coming in today, no one will see you. Riza – Hawkeye and I won’t say a word, we saw nothing, right Lieutenant?”
“Of course, sir.” Riza nodded.
Ed gave them both a scrutinising glare, scanning their expressions as if looking for something out of place, looking for a lie but he found nothing and his body seemed to relax into the sofa further. “I’m not sleeping, I’m just resting my eyes a little because I was up late doing paperwork for you, Bastard General.” He shot at Roy.
“Of course.” Roy nodded, holding his hands up in surrender, watching as Ed lifted his own legs onto the sofa, boots and all and laid back with a wince, closing his eyes. The boy may have claimed he was resting his eyes but Roy noticed the moment he slipped back into sleep, the moment his breaths evened out and his body sunk into the sofa, his hand falling off his chest and coming to rest on his lap.
“I’ll get the blanket in your office.” Riza disappeared and reappeared moments after with a soft blanket that Roy took from her and draped over the sleeping alchemist. He ruffled Ed’s golden locks absent-mindedly.
“My office feels too stuffy, and I think there’s a leak. I think I’ll work here today.” Roy said decidedly.
“Of course, sir.” Riza hid a smile retreating behind her desk and watched Roy disappear into his office and come back with piles of papers and a pen, before he settled behind the desk right in front of Ed, and she pretended not to notice how frequently his eyes left his paperwork to seek out Ed.