Martyrdom ♡ Fullmetal Alchemist

Martyrdom

If Ed were given an opportunity to cut one season out of the year, it would be winter. 

He’s freezing his ass off in central, wrapped up in a scarf and his coat, basically trying to crawl into his own damn body to flee the cold. It’s not this cold in Resembool– in fact, during winter Resembool rarely dips below freezing, given its proximity to Ishval and the desert. If he could, he’d definitely be out there, sitting in front of the fireplace, wrapped up in a heap of blankets trying to forget snow is even a thing, but he can’t. He and Al’s research can’t be put on pause just because Ed isn’t a fan of the cold. What they’re doing is far too important, and Ed fears their time to bring back Al’s body is limited.

The thing is, though, that Ed wouldn’t have had to be in Central under normal circumstances. No, he and Al could be flouncing around far away from this city, continuing their research into the philosophers stones and just what the military was making them for. But Mustang, that asshole, had demanded he return to Central for some bullshit that was supposedly important. Personally, Ed isn’t convinced of that, but he’s been pushing it with his behaviour recently, and he’d prefer that the man didn’t finally make good on his threats. If he had to do another mine inspection, he may just go take a swim in a nearby lake.

“Hello Lieutenant Hawkeye!” Chirps Al at his side. Ed’s too annoyed to greet her as well, even though she doesn't deserve to be treated that way. It's not her fault that Colonel Dickhead decided to interrupt their research to call them in. He's busy considering stomping his boots to clear them of snow, but in the end decides otherwise. He’d wait to do that on the Colonel’s stupid, fancy rug. 

Was that a petty act of revenge? Yes. Would it be worth looking childish? Also yes.

“Goodmorning, Alphonse. Welcome back to Central.” She replied, looking them up and down.

Havoc rolls backwards in his office chair to get a peak at him, a mug of coffee in his hand, grinning at Ed with raised brows.

“Woah there, Chief! It’s not that cold out, you know! Isn’t all that a bit much?” 

Ed huffs out a breath into his scarf. “If you think it ain’t cold out, you’re insane. ‘S freezing out.” The soft wool muffles his voice a bit, but he isn’t about to untuck his face from its warmth.

“It’s negative eight!”

“‘N that’s too cold! Whoever decided it should– should get all cold and wet and gross sucks and should be fired, because they suck at their job!”

At his side, Ed can hear Al sigh.

“Brother, that’s not how it works.”

Ed scoffs. “Doesn’t matter. The hell were we even called down here to begin with? We’re kinda busy.”

“Oh!” Fuery straightens up a bit. “That’s right, the Colonel wasn’t able to talk to you about it over the phone. Um, hey, speaking of the Colonel, where exactly is he…?”

Ed’s immediate assumption is that the prick has gone and found somewhere to skip out of work and take a nap. He knows that’s the reason Hawkeye banned him from the file room. There aren’t too many other places to hide in the building, however, so he's left to guess.

“The Colonel has just gone to get coffee, he’s got a meeting in an hour.” Hawkeye replies coolly.

Havoc scoots himself back to his desk and leans backwards, arms folding behind his head as he relaxes. “Ah, yeah. I get why he’d want to be as juiced up as possible for that…” 

“So, what, we just wait here and hope he’s not found some fuckin’ closet to nap in?”

Al quietly chastises him for his language, sounding nothing short of exasperated.