Fic - Sorrow's Dark Array Ch 33
Apr. 16th, 2009 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessSorrow’s Dark Array
Author -![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cornerofmadness
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding byevil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.
Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
Chapter thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Days of absence, sad and dreary, Clothed in sorrow's dark array, Days of absence, I am weary; She I love is far away.” – Shakespeare
Chapter Thirty-Three
Where my foot steps down is where it’s home – Michael Nesmith
“You don’t have to help me, Alphonse,” Riza said, shaking out the sheet, making Al chase after the end of it as they made up the downstairs guestroom’s bed. “You are the walking wounded, after all.”
“My head hardly hurts and once we get this room ready for Dev, I’m going to go lie down with a book and just read, enjoying the silence. Winry will be with Edward at the hospital all day.” He smiled. “He came through the surgery just fine, which was the only thing worrying me.”
“I’m sure.” Riza tucked in her side of the sheets while Al did the same. “Though it won’t be completely quiet. Most of Roy’s family is roaming around. Roy, naturally, is somewhere he’s probably not supposed to be, doing stuff his men could be handling or Alex Louis and Hughes. He’s never going to heal up at this rate.”
“Given his nature, you’d think he’d want to be at his finest for the wedding night,” Al said with a very Edward-like smirk.
Riza slapped a pillow onto the bed. “Don’t remind me the wedding is this close. That’s all anyone wants to talk to me about.”
Reaching across the mattress, Al touched her arm. “You’re not having second thoughts are you, Riza?”
She didn’t answer at first then slowly admitted, “There’s something frightening about marriage.”
Al nodded, sitting on the freshly made bed. “I know. As much as I wanted to marry Ziata, I was still scared to death. But you and Roy, you’ve known each other forever.”
“Which just leads me to want to kill him some days, like today.” Riza sighed, leaning on the dresser. “Don’t worry, Alphonse. I’m not having second thoughts. But on days when Roy is being Roy, the thought of ‘what the hell am I doing?’ does cross my mind.”
Al snorted. “You’re better off talking to Winry on that score. I’m sure she can commiserate.”
“No doubt.” Crossing over, Riza sat next to Al, her hand resting on his knee. “How are you really doing, Alphonse, or are you as tired of that question as I am about wedding talk?”
“A little but I appreciate the concern.” He touched his bandaged head. “Oddly, this wound is what really made me feel like I was truly home. We were back in the thick of it again, instead of being head down scratching out a living on Earth. Yes, I would have had a happy life with Ziata but deep down, even with Ed there and Hughes’ double, I would have always been thinking about home, missing it. I regret that I won’t be there to visit her grave but this is where I belong.”
“We’re all very glad to have you back. Roy might not say it but he is, as well.” Riza gave his knee a pat.
Al smiled, getting up. “I know. Roy doesn’t hide his emotions as well as he thinks he does. Don’t worry about me, Riza. I know I’ll get sad from time to time when I think about life back on Earth but I’ll be okay.”
Standing, Riza embraced him. “I know you will. Okay, I think we’re done here. I think I can sneak out of the house before someone snags me for a wedding detail that needs attention now and slip down to the shooting range.”
“Maybe I should take that up as therapy, every time Edward acts up.” Al laughed.
“Works for me. Keeps me from killing the real thing.” Riza echoed his laugh, heading out into the hall. She was surprised to see Roy and Hughes in the living room. “When did you get back?”
“Just now,” Roy said.
“And why do you smell like a bar?” Her eyes narrowed “It’s barely lunch time.”
Roy kicked his feet up on the ottoman. “I was showing Maes all the places he should know since his counterpart did. And then Havoc and the guys met us for lunch and were discussing where to have my bachelor party.” At her arched look, he added hurriedly, “We thought we’d better get it done a few days before the wedding since if I show up hung over to that, there will be a funeral instead.”
“Funeral?” Xue-Fang asked as she and Huang came in carrying tea cups. Al took her tray from her.
“If he shows up hung over to the wedding then yes, there will be,” Riza’s tone left no doubt.
“So knowing that, the guys have lined up an evening of fun about a week ahead of time. We’re waiting until Alphonse, Edward and Dev are well enough to take them out drinking and to the show,” Hughes added, waggling his eyebrows.
“Show?” Al perked up. “As in burlesque?”
“Oh yes, not that I’ll be looking,” Roy assured Riza who looked utterly unconvinced. “But it’s tradition and all.”
“You planning on wearing that patch over your good eye?” Riza asked drolly. “Why are there always naked dancing girls?”
“I’m invited right?” Huang demanded.
“Always have been, always will be.” Xue-Fang sniffed, eyeing her husband. “They never change.”
“I was doing research in France without Edward. There was this show with a woman who did this dance with balloons…” Al sighed happily, his eyes rolling upwards.
“Oh, this’ll be good. Edward will be as red as that coat he used to wear,” Riza said.
“And you’ll be bringing Huang home all wound up.” Xue-Fang glanced over at her husband then pointed at her grandson. “You had best take him with you.”
“I’m officially disturbed.” Roy shuddered.
“One day, you two will be old and wrinkled like us,” Huang replied. “You’ll be thankful you still have a love life.”
“I’m with you on the disturbed.” Hughes cleaned his glasses, a distressed expression on his face.
Riza threw up her hands. “I’m heading to the shooting range. Alphonse, you’re in charge.”
“I can’t come with you?” he pleaded.
“You brought up the dancing balloon girl, you stay,” she said, heading for the door.
“So, how many times do we think she shoots me today?” Roy pouted.
XXX
Vashti stared at the prison, not daring to get any closer. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Her sister was inside and even if she got in to see Anah, what would she say? What scared Vashti most was that she thought she could follow her sister’s reasoning. The bombs made a statement. We don’t need Amestrian help and those who take it are weak and useless. But why shoot poor Dev? He was harmless.
Realizing her sister was lost to her, Vashti started walking away from the prison. There was nothing she could do about the things Anah had done but she could try to repair things with her friends. She needed them to know she hadn’t had a clue what Anah was up to. That fact embarrassed her but it needed to be said. Whatever their feelings about Anah’s involvement, Vashti felt she should clear her own name, as much as she could.
By the time she got to the hospital, she had no idea what she going to do. Her relationship with Dev had been strained long before Anah got her hooks into him. Vashti hadn’t realized how much she had hurt her friend. Why he had ever kept talking to her was now a mystery to her. Would he want to see her now? Would they even let her in to see him because surely he couldn’t be alone?
Would they think she was a spy, or worse, come to finish the job her sister had started? Vashti wondered if maybe she shouldn't have tried to talk to Dev's one-time girlfriend first, make sure it would be all right to visit. Or, better yet, Aris. But she was here now, and she didn't want to turn away. It was time for her to face her friend.
She counted herself lucky seeing his mother leave his room. Vashti watched Hala head down the hall, presumably following the signs to the cafeteria. This would be her best opportunity. Sucking in a deep breath then letting it trickle out, Vashti peeked into the room. Dev’s face was turned away from the door so she rapped lightly. When he turned to look at her, his eyes opened widely. “May I come in?”
He shrugged but said nothing. Her legs shaking, Vashti slunk in. “I know you might not want to see me, Dev, but I needed to see you, to…” she tossed her hands up. “I just needed to see for myself you were going to be okay.”
Dev nodded to the chair. “Sit, if you want. I don’t blame you for your sister, Vashti.”
With a broken sob, Vashti flopped down in the chair, covering her mouth. “I didn’t know, Dev, not about any of it.” A shiver ran through her. “How could I not have known?”
“You were always just the kid sister. Did she ever confide in you?” he asked wearily.
“No, but how did I not see she was running around town with bombs?” Vashti wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “I knew something was wrong when she tried to seduce you.”
“Oh?” His tone could have frosted flowers to death.
Vashti blanched. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just that…she never showed any interest in you. She didn’t even understand why we were friends.”
“I had wondered about that myself,” Dev admitted, picking at a loose thread on his blanket, doing anything but really looking at her. “Her sudden interest in me.”
“I did ask her but she never really answered. Guess I know why now.” Vashti studied his pale face. “Maybe if I were a better sister, I would have known. If I had been a better friend, I might have been able to keep you from getting hurt. I’ve been a lousy friend, I know what. Lousier still since you took this job with Mustang.”
“You have,” Dev replied, his tone emotionless.
Vashti would have rather he hate her. That she would have known how to handle. She let the tears trickle. “I am so sorry, Dev. I can’t even tell you why I was so mean. I guess I thought I knew what was best for you, even if you couldn’t see it. But I was wrong about so very many things. You did need to work with Mustang. The blind could see this has been good for you. And it looks like good things are going to come out of your work. You have every right to be proud and we had no reason to be so hard on you and Winry. I’m not stupid. Your so-called friends were ninety-percent of the reason you’re no longer with her.”
“There was more to it than that.” Dev looked down at the blanket, his voice softening a little. “But it did hurt that none of you accepted her.”
“I sorry. I truly am and I’m sorrier that I didn’t accept you. I had no idea how deeply I hurt you and I can’t even say why I said the things I did. I think I was afraid.” Vashti started crumbling forward, head in her hands. “Now I’ve lost my sister and my friends.”
Dev shifted on the bed, rubbing her back. “You haven’t lost us, Vashti. Rotem is still your friend and I haven’t given up on you guys, now have I?”
“No,” she muttered, sitting up slowly, looking over her shoulder. “You’ve never touched me with that new hand before.”
Dev smiled wanly. “I can’t roll over enough to use my real hand. I’m getting the hang of the automail. Does it bother you?”
“No.” Vashti glanced down to his suspended, bandage-wrapped leg. “Will your leg be all right?”
“Don’t know. Hope so. I’d hate to be in a contest with Elric as to who has more automail.” Dev grinned.
Vashti brushed away the tears. “When you get out of here, I’ll come to your place and cook you a nice traditional dinner. Invite all your new friends, even Mustang and Winry. It’s time I got to really know them.”
Dev looked surprised but he nodded. “That would be very nice. Thank you.”
“No, thank you for not giving up on me,” Vashti whispered. “I’d better go now. Uzziel told me not to go too far. I think they have more questions for me. I’ll get Rotem and we’ll come back later. Maybe bring in a game of Seeds and Bowls and we can complain about how Rotem always cheats.”
Dev yawned, nodding. “I’d like that.”
“You rest now.” Vashti kissed his cheek then left the room, feeling just a midge of hope.
XXX
Winry finished taping down the gauze over Ed’s torso. She had taken off the first of the post-operative dressings to change them out with something that wasn’t blood-soaked. “The incisions look good. Once they heal, I’ll reattach your arm.”
Ed studied her with pain-filled eyes. “Can’t I get it now?”
“No, you can’t stress the port. You know that.” Winry pulled off her gloves, tossing them before sitting next to his hospital bed. “I wish you’d let me give you something for pain.”
Ed shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”
She snorted. “You and Roy. At least Dev and Al don’t have anything to prove. They take their medicine.”
Sighing, Ed slinked down further in the bed. “I just want to go home.”
“You can’t. Replacing a port is bloody work. You have to have another unit of blood. Besides, your blood pressure is too high. Of course, if you’d take some damn painkillers, it would drop because your body would be less stressed.” Winry narrowed her eyes at him.
“Winry,” Ed whined.
She stroked his hair. “I know you want to go home and you will, tomorrow, hopefully. You do need to rest, Edward. That means no picking on Roy when you get home.”
“But, that makes me feel better,” he wheedled, his lower lip quivering for effect. “You want me to feel better.”
Winry rubbed her brow. “He’s a bad influence on you. And I did notice you have him to thank for some newfound freedom, Edward.”
“Huh?” His bleary golden eyes blinked slowly.
“While you were naked in the operating room, I couldn’t help but notice you had your leg covered with dragons a lot like Roy’s. He’s the only reason I’m tolerating it but you weren’t supposed to go with your thug-automail unless I said so. Imagine how I felt when the nurses saw that.” Winry slumped in her chair melodramatically.
Ed snorted then winced, his hand trailing up to his dressed shoulder. “I didn’t expect my arm to get blown off. I just didn’t have time to draw the right array to fix it. It’s a lot harder than you think, having to use just one hand to draw.”
“I should just take your leg off and work on giving you one that fits your height and leave you here unable to get far.” She tapped his nose. “That way you’d get a proper, decent leg back and have time to heal.”
“I’d probably just go slithering down the hall to find something to do before I died of boredom,” Ed said, running his hand over her arm.
Winry leaned down and kissed him. “I’ll have Al and Roy alchemize a little cage for you.”
“What am I? A pet?” That brought the fire to his eyes again.
“No, our pets are better behaved.” Winry grinned and he stuck out his tongue. “See? Why do I love you? You’re a brat.”
“Brats are irresistible, witness Riza’s bizarre affection for the flaming idiot.” Ed tried to scrub a finger up under the bandages and Winry swatted his hand. “Besides, we’d do anything for you. You know that, right?”
Winry kissed him again then pulled a syringe out of her pocket. “I’m sure you will. So roll up on your side so I can give you your pain killer.”
“Winry,” Ed whined.
Winry rolled him up and tugged his pajama bottoms down. “You want to come home. You want to do anything for me. So you will take your medicine so you can do both, right, Edward?”
“Is this just a plot to look at my butt?” He smirked.
“No, that comes after you take your medicine and heal up nice and fast.” Winry smiled.
Ed waggled his hips. “Give it to me and keep in mind I hate needles.”
“Poor baby.” Winry gave his buttock a caress before wiping a patch with alcohol but she had to chase his backside across the bed before she could get the needle into it. She brushed a kiss over his shoulder after covering him back up. “You sleep now, Edward. I’ll be back later.”
Ed sighed, letting his eyes droop. Winry had to admit, there was something sweet about seeing him being vulnerable. That might be wrong of her but she didn’t care.
XXX
“There are too many people in this house.” Roy pointed to the floor and Hayate got off the bed just before the master bath’s door open.
Slipping out of her robe, Riza got under the covers with Roy. “That fact is hard to miss.”
“So one more won’t be noticed.”
Riza propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at him. “What do you have in mind?”
“Instead of putting Pinako in the remaining guest room downstairs, I thought we could put her up in Dev’s usual room.”
“And put Dev downstairs?” Riza smiled.
“His apartment is on the second floor. It’s going to be hard for him to get up there. We’ll have Pinako, Winry, Li-Ying and Miao-Yin here. All of them can change a bandage and his mother will probably be around. It makes sense since he’s going to be wheelchair bound for a while,” Roy said, knowing that Riza wouldn’t say no. She just wanted to hear him laying out his plan to be a decent human being.
“I think it’s a very good idea.” Riza leaned in for a kiss. Roy pulled her down on top his chest. “What if Dev doesn’t recover enough to do the wedding ceremony?”
Roy gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Aris will do it. Don’t worry, getting well enough to officiate will give Dev a goal to shoot for.”
Riza chuckled. “True. And the homecoming gift you got for Alphonse seems to be a go. When do you plan on giving it to him?”
“When Ed gets back from the hospital. It needs the full effect.” Roy smirked.
“You’re a wicked man, Roy.” Riza kissed him.
“That’s why you love me.”
“Hmmm, Roy, I thought you said the house was too full.”
“I did.” He caressed her back.
“Then explain this.” Riza’s hand floated down his belly, heading for his obvious intent for the evening.
Roy rolled, carrying her under him. He nuzzled her neck. “I can be quiet.”
She giggled. “Since when?”
“Since I have to celebrate being forgiven in a house with more people than a platoon.”
Riza willingly gave him a chance to prove himself.
onto Chapter Thirty-four
Author -
cornerofmadnessDisclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding by
evil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
Chapter thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Days of absence, sad and dreary, Clothed in sorrow's dark array, Days of absence, I am weary; She I love is far away.” – Shakespeare
Chapter Thirty-Three
Where my foot steps down is where it’s home – Michael Nesmith
“You don’t have to help me, Alphonse,” Riza said, shaking out the sheet, making Al chase after the end of it as they made up the downstairs guestroom’s bed. “You are the walking wounded, after all.”
“My head hardly hurts and once we get this room ready for Dev, I’m going to go lie down with a book and just read, enjoying the silence. Winry will be with Edward at the hospital all day.” He smiled. “He came through the surgery just fine, which was the only thing worrying me.”
“I’m sure.” Riza tucked in her side of the sheets while Al did the same. “Though it won’t be completely quiet. Most of Roy’s family is roaming around. Roy, naturally, is somewhere he’s probably not supposed to be, doing stuff his men could be handling or Alex Louis and Hughes. He’s never going to heal up at this rate.”
“Given his nature, you’d think he’d want to be at his finest for the wedding night,” Al said with a very Edward-like smirk.
Riza slapped a pillow onto the bed. “Don’t remind me the wedding is this close. That’s all anyone wants to talk to me about.”
Reaching across the mattress, Al touched her arm. “You’re not having second thoughts are you, Riza?”
She didn’t answer at first then slowly admitted, “There’s something frightening about marriage.”
Al nodded, sitting on the freshly made bed. “I know. As much as I wanted to marry Ziata, I was still scared to death. But you and Roy, you’ve known each other forever.”
“Which just leads me to want to kill him some days, like today.” Riza sighed, leaning on the dresser. “Don’t worry, Alphonse. I’m not having second thoughts. But on days when Roy is being Roy, the thought of ‘what the hell am I doing?’ does cross my mind.”
Al snorted. “You’re better off talking to Winry on that score. I’m sure she can commiserate.”
“No doubt.” Crossing over, Riza sat next to Al, her hand resting on his knee. “How are you really doing, Alphonse, or are you as tired of that question as I am about wedding talk?”
“A little but I appreciate the concern.” He touched his bandaged head. “Oddly, this wound is what really made me feel like I was truly home. We were back in the thick of it again, instead of being head down scratching out a living on Earth. Yes, I would have had a happy life with Ziata but deep down, even with Ed there and Hughes’ double, I would have always been thinking about home, missing it. I regret that I won’t be there to visit her grave but this is where I belong.”
“We’re all very glad to have you back. Roy might not say it but he is, as well.” Riza gave his knee a pat.
Al smiled, getting up. “I know. Roy doesn’t hide his emotions as well as he thinks he does. Don’t worry about me, Riza. I know I’ll get sad from time to time when I think about life back on Earth but I’ll be okay.”
Standing, Riza embraced him. “I know you will. Okay, I think we’re done here. I think I can sneak out of the house before someone snags me for a wedding detail that needs attention now and slip down to the shooting range.”
“Maybe I should take that up as therapy, every time Edward acts up.” Al laughed.
“Works for me. Keeps me from killing the real thing.” Riza echoed his laugh, heading out into the hall. She was surprised to see Roy and Hughes in the living room. “When did you get back?”
“Just now,” Roy said.
“And why do you smell like a bar?” Her eyes narrowed “It’s barely lunch time.”
Roy kicked his feet up on the ottoman. “I was showing Maes all the places he should know since his counterpart did. And then Havoc and the guys met us for lunch and were discussing where to have my bachelor party.” At her arched look, he added hurriedly, “We thought we’d better get it done a few days before the wedding since if I show up hung over to that, there will be a funeral instead.”
“Funeral?” Xue-Fang asked as she and Huang came in carrying tea cups. Al took her tray from her.
“If he shows up hung over to the wedding then yes, there will be,” Riza’s tone left no doubt.
“So knowing that, the guys have lined up an evening of fun about a week ahead of time. We’re waiting until Alphonse, Edward and Dev are well enough to take them out drinking and to the show,” Hughes added, waggling his eyebrows.
“Show?” Al perked up. “As in burlesque?”
“Oh yes, not that I’ll be looking,” Roy assured Riza who looked utterly unconvinced. “But it’s tradition and all.”
“You planning on wearing that patch over your good eye?” Riza asked drolly. “Why are there always naked dancing girls?”
“I’m invited right?” Huang demanded.
“Always have been, always will be.” Xue-Fang sniffed, eyeing her husband. “They never change.”
“I was doing research in France without Edward. There was this show with a woman who did this dance with balloons…” Al sighed happily, his eyes rolling upwards.
“Oh, this’ll be good. Edward will be as red as that coat he used to wear,” Riza said.
“And you’ll be bringing Huang home all wound up.” Xue-Fang glanced over at her husband then pointed at her grandson. “You had best take him with you.”
“I’m officially disturbed.” Roy shuddered.
“One day, you two will be old and wrinkled like us,” Huang replied. “You’ll be thankful you still have a love life.”
“I’m with you on the disturbed.” Hughes cleaned his glasses, a distressed expression on his face.
Riza threw up her hands. “I’m heading to the shooting range. Alphonse, you’re in charge.”
“I can’t come with you?” he pleaded.
“You brought up the dancing balloon girl, you stay,” she said, heading for the door.
“So, how many times do we think she shoots me today?” Roy pouted.
XXX
Vashti stared at the prison, not daring to get any closer. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Her sister was inside and even if she got in to see Anah, what would she say? What scared Vashti most was that she thought she could follow her sister’s reasoning. The bombs made a statement. We don’t need Amestrian help and those who take it are weak and useless. But why shoot poor Dev? He was harmless.
Realizing her sister was lost to her, Vashti started walking away from the prison. There was nothing she could do about the things Anah had done but she could try to repair things with her friends. She needed them to know she hadn’t had a clue what Anah was up to. That fact embarrassed her but it needed to be said. Whatever their feelings about Anah’s involvement, Vashti felt she should clear her own name, as much as she could.
By the time she got to the hospital, she had no idea what she going to do. Her relationship with Dev had been strained long before Anah got her hooks into him. Vashti hadn’t realized how much she had hurt her friend. Why he had ever kept talking to her was now a mystery to her. Would he want to see her now? Would they even let her in to see him because surely he couldn’t be alone?
Would they think she was a spy, or worse, come to finish the job her sister had started? Vashti wondered if maybe she shouldn't have tried to talk to Dev's one-time girlfriend first, make sure it would be all right to visit. Or, better yet, Aris. But she was here now, and she didn't want to turn away. It was time for her to face her friend.
She counted herself lucky seeing his mother leave his room. Vashti watched Hala head down the hall, presumably following the signs to the cafeteria. This would be her best opportunity. Sucking in a deep breath then letting it trickle out, Vashti peeked into the room. Dev’s face was turned away from the door so she rapped lightly. When he turned to look at her, his eyes opened widely. “May I come in?”
He shrugged but said nothing. Her legs shaking, Vashti slunk in. “I know you might not want to see me, Dev, but I needed to see you, to…” she tossed her hands up. “I just needed to see for myself you were going to be okay.”
Dev nodded to the chair. “Sit, if you want. I don’t blame you for your sister, Vashti.”
With a broken sob, Vashti flopped down in the chair, covering her mouth. “I didn’t know, Dev, not about any of it.” A shiver ran through her. “How could I not have known?”
“You were always just the kid sister. Did she ever confide in you?” he asked wearily.
“No, but how did I not see she was running around town with bombs?” Vashti wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “I knew something was wrong when she tried to seduce you.”
“Oh?” His tone could have frosted flowers to death.
Vashti blanched. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just that…she never showed any interest in you. She didn’t even understand why we were friends.”
“I had wondered about that myself,” Dev admitted, picking at a loose thread on his blanket, doing anything but really looking at her. “Her sudden interest in me.”
“I did ask her but she never really answered. Guess I know why now.” Vashti studied his pale face. “Maybe if I were a better sister, I would have known. If I had been a better friend, I might have been able to keep you from getting hurt. I’ve been a lousy friend, I know what. Lousier still since you took this job with Mustang.”
“You have,” Dev replied, his tone emotionless.
Vashti would have rather he hate her. That she would have known how to handle. She let the tears trickle. “I am so sorry, Dev. I can’t even tell you why I was so mean. I guess I thought I knew what was best for you, even if you couldn’t see it. But I was wrong about so very many things. You did need to work with Mustang. The blind could see this has been good for you. And it looks like good things are going to come out of your work. You have every right to be proud and we had no reason to be so hard on you and Winry. I’m not stupid. Your so-called friends were ninety-percent of the reason you’re no longer with her.”
“There was more to it than that.” Dev looked down at the blanket, his voice softening a little. “But it did hurt that none of you accepted her.”
“I sorry. I truly am and I’m sorrier that I didn’t accept you. I had no idea how deeply I hurt you and I can’t even say why I said the things I did. I think I was afraid.” Vashti started crumbling forward, head in her hands. “Now I’ve lost my sister and my friends.”
Dev shifted on the bed, rubbing her back. “You haven’t lost us, Vashti. Rotem is still your friend and I haven’t given up on you guys, now have I?”
“No,” she muttered, sitting up slowly, looking over her shoulder. “You’ve never touched me with that new hand before.”
Dev smiled wanly. “I can’t roll over enough to use my real hand. I’m getting the hang of the automail. Does it bother you?”
“No.” Vashti glanced down to his suspended, bandage-wrapped leg. “Will your leg be all right?”
“Don’t know. Hope so. I’d hate to be in a contest with Elric as to who has more automail.” Dev grinned.
Vashti brushed away the tears. “When you get out of here, I’ll come to your place and cook you a nice traditional dinner. Invite all your new friends, even Mustang and Winry. It’s time I got to really know them.”
Dev looked surprised but he nodded. “That would be very nice. Thank you.”
“No, thank you for not giving up on me,” Vashti whispered. “I’d better go now. Uzziel told me not to go too far. I think they have more questions for me. I’ll get Rotem and we’ll come back later. Maybe bring in a game of Seeds and Bowls and we can complain about how Rotem always cheats.”
Dev yawned, nodding. “I’d like that.”
“You rest now.” Vashti kissed his cheek then left the room, feeling just a midge of hope.
XXX
Winry finished taping down the gauze over Ed’s torso. She had taken off the first of the post-operative dressings to change them out with something that wasn’t blood-soaked. “The incisions look good. Once they heal, I’ll reattach your arm.”
Ed studied her with pain-filled eyes. “Can’t I get it now?”
“No, you can’t stress the port. You know that.” Winry pulled off her gloves, tossing them before sitting next to his hospital bed. “I wish you’d let me give you something for pain.”
Ed shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”
She snorted. “You and Roy. At least Dev and Al don’t have anything to prove. They take their medicine.”
Sighing, Ed slinked down further in the bed. “I just want to go home.”
“You can’t. Replacing a port is bloody work. You have to have another unit of blood. Besides, your blood pressure is too high. Of course, if you’d take some damn painkillers, it would drop because your body would be less stressed.” Winry narrowed her eyes at him.
“Winry,” Ed whined.
She stroked his hair. “I know you want to go home and you will, tomorrow, hopefully. You do need to rest, Edward. That means no picking on Roy when you get home.”
“But, that makes me feel better,” he wheedled, his lower lip quivering for effect. “You want me to feel better.”
Winry rubbed her brow. “He’s a bad influence on you. And I did notice you have him to thank for some newfound freedom, Edward.”
“Huh?” His bleary golden eyes blinked slowly.
“While you were naked in the operating room, I couldn’t help but notice you had your leg covered with dragons a lot like Roy’s. He’s the only reason I’m tolerating it but you weren’t supposed to go with your thug-automail unless I said so. Imagine how I felt when the nurses saw that.” Winry slumped in her chair melodramatically.
Ed snorted then winced, his hand trailing up to his dressed shoulder. “I didn’t expect my arm to get blown off. I just didn’t have time to draw the right array to fix it. It’s a lot harder than you think, having to use just one hand to draw.”
“I should just take your leg off and work on giving you one that fits your height and leave you here unable to get far.” She tapped his nose. “That way you’d get a proper, decent leg back and have time to heal.”
“I’d probably just go slithering down the hall to find something to do before I died of boredom,” Ed said, running his hand over her arm.
Winry leaned down and kissed him. “I’ll have Al and Roy alchemize a little cage for you.”
“What am I? A pet?” That brought the fire to his eyes again.
“No, our pets are better behaved.” Winry grinned and he stuck out his tongue. “See? Why do I love you? You’re a brat.”
“Brats are irresistible, witness Riza’s bizarre affection for the flaming idiot.” Ed tried to scrub a finger up under the bandages and Winry swatted his hand. “Besides, we’d do anything for you. You know that, right?”
Winry kissed him again then pulled a syringe out of her pocket. “I’m sure you will. So roll up on your side so I can give you your pain killer.”
“Winry,” Ed whined.
Winry rolled him up and tugged his pajama bottoms down. “You want to come home. You want to do anything for me. So you will take your medicine so you can do both, right, Edward?”
“Is this just a plot to look at my butt?” He smirked.
“No, that comes after you take your medicine and heal up nice and fast.” Winry smiled.
Ed waggled his hips. “Give it to me and keep in mind I hate needles.”
“Poor baby.” Winry gave his buttock a caress before wiping a patch with alcohol but she had to chase his backside across the bed before she could get the needle into it. She brushed a kiss over his shoulder after covering him back up. “You sleep now, Edward. I’ll be back later.”
Ed sighed, letting his eyes droop. Winry had to admit, there was something sweet about seeing him being vulnerable. That might be wrong of her but she didn’t care.
XXX
“There are too many people in this house.” Roy pointed to the floor and Hayate got off the bed just before the master bath’s door open.
Slipping out of her robe, Riza got under the covers with Roy. “That fact is hard to miss.”
“So one more won’t be noticed.”
Riza propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at him. “What do you have in mind?”
“Instead of putting Pinako in the remaining guest room downstairs, I thought we could put her up in Dev’s usual room.”
“And put Dev downstairs?” Riza smiled.
“His apartment is on the second floor. It’s going to be hard for him to get up there. We’ll have Pinako, Winry, Li-Ying and Miao-Yin here. All of them can change a bandage and his mother will probably be around. It makes sense since he’s going to be wheelchair bound for a while,” Roy said, knowing that Riza wouldn’t say no. She just wanted to hear him laying out his plan to be a decent human being.
“I think it’s a very good idea.” Riza leaned in for a kiss. Roy pulled her down on top his chest. “What if Dev doesn’t recover enough to do the wedding ceremony?”
Roy gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Aris will do it. Don’t worry, getting well enough to officiate will give Dev a goal to shoot for.”
Riza chuckled. “True. And the homecoming gift you got for Alphonse seems to be a go. When do you plan on giving it to him?”
“When Ed gets back from the hospital. It needs the full effect.” Roy smirked.
“You’re a wicked man, Roy.” Riza kissed him.
“That’s why you love me.”
“Hmmm, Roy, I thought you said the house was too full.”
“I did.” He caressed her back.
“Then explain this.” Riza’s hand floated down his belly, heading for his obvious intent for the evening.
Roy rolled, carrying her under him. He nuzzled her neck. “I can be quiet.”
She giggled. “Since when?”
“Since I have to celebrate being forgiven in a house with more people than a platoon.”
Riza willingly gave him a chance to prove himself.
onto Chapter Thirty-four
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Date: 2009-04-17 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-17 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-17 11:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-18 02:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-18 03:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-17 02:01 pm (UTC)And Roy is so typical Roy at the end....
Loving this and cant wait for the wedding, which for sure is going to be interesting
no subject
Date: 2009-04-17 05:39 pm (UTC)Roy is what he is, brat
I'm so glad that you're enjoying this.
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Date: 2009-04-17 07:54 pm (UTC)Roy gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Aris will do it. Don’t worry, getting well enough to officiate will give Dev a goal to shoot for.”
Actually, I think such a goal would want to make him put off getting better. He didn't want to do it in the first place did he?
no subject
Date: 2009-04-17 08:28 pm (UTC)thanks
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Date: 2009-04-18 01:59 am (UTC)Umm...are you aware that this chapter on ff.net doesn't have any quotation marks?(im sorry if you already took notice)
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Date: 2009-04-18 02:55 am (UTC)glad you liked it
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Date: 2009-04-22 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-23 01:25 am (UTC)Yeah Vashti is in a bad spot
thanks for reading