Come Back To Me🪭 ✔️

Sharp Blades Can Be Too Sharp

It was still a couple of days before the funeral for the Colonel and Havoc had suggested to Alphonse that they let Edward lay low for a while, giving him some space to come to grips with reality and get back to normal. It would be hard for all of them to get back to what they considered normal but as always with death, it is best to move on than try to continue on. As a precaution, Alphonse decided that he wanted Edward to stay in a place that would monitor him during the night. Dr. Chambers said that he would be honored to watch over him and they made arrangements for him to sleep in a small room that had a two way mirror in it.

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"Why can't I go home with you?" Edward asked, watching Alphonse move the table out of the way and set some blankets down.

"Because I think it would be best if someone watched over you."

"You can watch over me."

"I'm not skilled enough to know if things get haywire."

"But you know me enough, don't you?"

"Of course, Brother. I'm not trying to get rid of you, I'm just worried about you. I don't want to screw anything up."

"I don't think you could screw up anything more than me..." he said, looking down at his hand where the ignition glove was still there.

Alphonse looked at his brother sympathetically (although no one would know) and knelt down to him.

"I don't blame you for anything that was done. You got me back and I am thankful that you saved me. I know eventually I'll get my body back and that it will take time, but for your sacrifice, I would never think of you as a screw up."

Edward smiled a little and Alphonse started to leave.

"Hey, Al?"

"Yes, Brother?"

"You... You don't hate me, do you?"

"Of course not. I could never hate you for what you did for me."

"I meant about the Colonel."

"Oh. No. I don't."

"Thanks..."

He left and Edward stared into the darkness of the room, trying to go to sleep when he heard something crackle on.

"Edward."

Edward sat up and looked over at the two way mirror, finding Riza standing on the other side. He got up and went to the window.

"Lieutenant?"

"Was that all you had to say for yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"'I wasn't thinking'. Was that it?"

"That's... all there is..." he said, looking down.

"Then I guess you assume responsibility of the Colonel's death."

"Yes. It's my fault." He looked up, looking at Riza. "Are you mad at me?"

"I can't describe what I am right now. I know that I'm looking at my superior's murderer, that's for sure."

Edward was taken aback by Riza's sudden angry nature. She was usually not this confrontational. Sure she got angry and said things, but she was being unusually aggressive.

"I... I didn't mean for it to happen."

"The fall, yes, but the pipe? Come on, Edward! You're the Fullmetal Alchemist! You performed the taboo! You know anatomy more than anyone else in the military! How could you not know how to deal with the way a foreign object enters a body and what happens?! You couldn't have been that stupid all of a sudden!"