HoS: Recoil
Riza could feel her heart leaping into her throat as she rushed frantically down the corridor. All of them had been searching for Ed, keeping an eye out here and there. The military certainly took care of its own, and had been keeping an eye out as well. A kidnapped national alchemist was not something they could allow, had been a problem they had needed to fix. The past few weeks had been hell, not knowing what had happened, if he was all right or not. The house had been unnaturally still without him, none of the rest of their admittedly offbeat family having the will to break it. Riza had almost given up hope of ever seeing one of her favourite boys ever again…
Then Roy had called. It had been her turn to stay by the phone, to wait while the others searched, so that a note could be left for the others if their missing lover should reappear. Riza had no idea what she had written, had only scribbled something swiftly before grabbing her purse and dashing out the door, was only certain that it had the address of the hospital written on it.
The nurse had given her a surprised look when she arrived, desperately seeking information about Edward’s room number and pulling her gun when the woman had tried to refuse. It didn’t matter if she got in trouble for that. Some things were worth it, Riza thought as she dodged around an orderly, who gave her a dirty look for her troubles as he shouted something about slowing down.
Left, left, up the stairs, down another hall, she ran faster than she had in some time. Roy hadn’t said much, had barely stayed with her long enough for her to know that Ed was alive and was here. She wasn’t entirely certain he knew more himself, had been the one to find Ed or had merely been the first of the four located by the military, couldn’t blame him for wanting to be near him. Through the double doors, into the sitting room, turn right - Roy!
She flung her arms around him tightly, leaned against him, felt his hand stroke her hair as she buried her face in his chest. Shudders shook her body as he mumbled quiet nothings to her, holding her gently. Slowly, he pushed her backwards, and she stared up at him with wide brown eyes that shimmered as their unshed tears caught the light.
“He’ll be fine.” Roy said, managing a smile for her. The creased lines around his mouth belied his words, though, and she knew him well enough to know it, knew he knew her knowledge, knew she saw through him like she always had. Gently, his hand caressed her cheek, ruining his left glove as he brushed the tears from her cheeks.
She bit her lip, and stared at him for a moment.
“Riza?” He asked, his voice soft and tender.
“What aren’t you telling me?” She asked quietly. He looked stunned. “There’s something more. What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing! The doctors say it’s just some bruises and scrapes, though it looks like whoever had him didn’t bother to properly feed him. They want to keep him for a little while longer, but only as a precaution. He’ll be fine.” Roy replied smoothly. He sounded calm, if a bit - off, for lack of a better word. She inhaled deeply.
“Can we see him?” Her voice came out softer than she’d intended it to, cracked a bit as it swung upwards.
“He’s sleeping right now, but you can look in on him.” He gave her a little nudge towards another corridor. “Go ahead. Room 503. I’ll wait here for the others.”
She studied his face for a moment longer, noting the slight narrowing of his eyes and the tension with which he held himself. She threw her arms around him for another quick embrace, then hurried in the indicated direction.
Ed looked so small as he lay there, she couldn’t help but think. His limp body lay frailly upon the bed, hair limp and dim from lack of care fanned beneath him. She bit back a sob, recalling the last time someone she loved had been in a bed like this. Gently, she stroked his hair. Riza bent slowly forward and kissed him tenderly.
“Welcome back, Ed. We missed you.” She whispered. Then she pulled a chair closer to the bed, and captured his hand in hers. She squeezed his hand softly, drawing as much comfort as she could from his presence here beside her.
She didn’t move until the others arrived at last.
Then Roy had called. It had been her turn to stay by the phone, to wait while the others searched, so that a note could be left for the others if their missing lover should reappear. Riza had no idea what she had written, had only scribbled something swiftly before grabbing her purse and dashing out the door, was only certain that it had the address of the hospital written on it.
The nurse had given her a surprised look when she arrived, desperately seeking information about Edward’s room number and pulling her gun when the woman had tried to refuse. It didn’t matter if she got in trouble for that. Some things were worth it, Riza thought as she dodged around an orderly, who gave her a dirty look for her troubles as he shouted something about slowing down.
Left, left, up the stairs, down another hall, she ran faster than she had in some time. Roy hadn’t said much, had barely stayed with her long enough for her to know that Ed was alive and was here. She wasn’t entirely certain he knew more himself, had been the one to find Ed or had merely been the first of the four located by the military, couldn’t blame him for wanting to be near him. Through the double doors, into the sitting room, turn right - Roy!
She flung her arms around him tightly, leaned against him, felt his hand stroke her hair as she buried her face in his chest. Shudders shook her body as he mumbled quiet nothings to her, holding her gently. Slowly, he pushed her backwards, and she stared up at him with wide brown eyes that shimmered as their unshed tears caught the light.
“He’ll be fine.” Roy said, managing a smile for her. The creased lines around his mouth belied his words, though, and she knew him well enough to know it, knew he knew her knowledge, knew she saw through him like she always had. Gently, his hand caressed her cheek, ruining his left glove as he brushed the tears from her cheeks.
She bit her lip, and stared at him for a moment.
“Riza?” He asked, his voice soft and tender.
“What aren’t you telling me?” She asked quietly. He looked stunned. “There’s something more. What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing! The doctors say it’s just some bruises and scrapes, though it looks like whoever had him didn’t bother to properly feed him. They want to keep him for a little while longer, but only as a precaution. He’ll be fine.” Roy replied smoothly. He sounded calm, if a bit - off, for lack of a better word. She inhaled deeply.
“Can we see him?” Her voice came out softer than she’d intended it to, cracked a bit as it swung upwards.
“He’s sleeping right now, but you can look in on him.” He gave her a little nudge towards another corridor. “Go ahead. Room 503. I’ll wait here for the others.”
She studied his face for a moment longer, noting the slight narrowing of his eyes and the tension with which he held himself. She threw her arms around him for another quick embrace, then hurried in the indicated direction.
Ed looked so small as he lay there, she couldn’t help but think. His limp body lay frailly upon the bed, hair limp and dim from lack of care fanned beneath him. She bit back a sob, recalling the last time someone she loved had been in a bed like this. Gently, she stroked his hair. Riza bent slowly forward and kissed him tenderly.
“Welcome back, Ed. We missed you.” She whispered. Then she pulled a chair closer to the bed, and captured his hand in hers. She squeezed his hand softly, drawing as much comfort as she could from his presence here beside her.
She didn’t move until the others arrived at last.