It is What it Is (FMA Fanfiction)

As Thick As Blood

Story: It is What it is, Chapter 8
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA

Sometimes, it's very hard to remember that Edward is actually Riza's superior. (haha.)

I'm back, but I haven't been able to write a lot, because I now have a worker coming out to get me and taking me places. I'm also soon going back to school, so I'm preparing for that. And, unfortunately, the doctor didn't want to cooperate, so I'm stuck with a constant headache and drowsiness(as well as stomach problems) still and unfortunately, Ibuprofen and Peptobismol isn't doing much at all for me *sobs* (and my hypothyroidism certainly isn't helping me feel any more energetic). I was also saving up the credit on Swagbucks so I could get some amazon gift cards to get a Fullmetal Alchemist bag, since my normal bag has food smashed in it. It shipped off and is headed here, I'm rather excited to receive it.

All that aside, I'm also looking for a job, which is basically becoming an act of congress, since I don't have a high school diploma.

Needless to say, there's a lot going on and I'd like to thank all of you for being so patient with me.

Nextly, in regards to this chapter, I hope Roy doesn't seem out of character or anything, this chapter is fully based off of personal experience (more than some of the others, so try to be understanding.) (There's an author's note explaining everything at the end of the chapter.)

Beep.

Edward had never particularly liked hospitals that much. But if there was one specific thing he hated about it, it was the waiting. The silence. The pure consternation and anxiety.

Beep.

Occasionally, he could hear people walking by outside the door.

Nobody had said anything for the past thirty minutes and it was driving him crazy.

Were they mad at him? He knew they were disappointed in him, at the least, after the shit he'd pulled.

Beep.

The only sound that could be heard in his hospital room was the beeping of the machines. He'd had a blood transfusion a short while ago, and most of the color had returned to his skin, but mentally, he wasn't feeling that much better. His arm had been bandaged and he had been given a short sleeve hospital gown to wear. Feeling exposed, he'd used a quilt to wrap it around himself and hide his arm from sight, including his own.

One of the nurses had wanted to take his automail from him to prevent him from harming himself any further, but Roy had surprisingly been the one who said, "That won't be necessary."

Maybe he knew that if Edward really wanted to hurt himself badly enough again, he would find a way, so taking his automail from him would be pointless.

He didn't face them.

Especially not when Roy finally spoke, breaking the silence after what felt like hours.

"Explain." the man said in a tone of voice that came out harsher than intended.

In all honesty, a part of Roy couldn't help but feel a certain responsibility for this; for not speaking up on his suspicions sooner.

Perhaps, it had been pride that had stopped him from stepping out of his comfort level to truly confront him on his strange behavior. Perhaps, he didn't want to believe it was the truth, so he simply dismissed it. Perhaps, he'd been too afraid of dredging up bad memories of his own past. Or, maybe, part of him simply hadn't wanted to get involved, because he felt that Edward should have somehow been able to fix the problem on his own. More than likely, it had been a mix of all of them, but Roy knew that his reasoning had been selfish and he couldn't just turn away anymore. Seeing Edward covered in blood made him realize just how scared he was of losing the kid.