Chapter Text
Flick. Click. Flick. Click. Flick. Click. Flick. Click. Flick. Click. Fli-
Edward violently shut the lid of his watch as he sat beside the comatose 4th Division Commander. It wasn't that he was hiding, but... who was he kidding, he was hiding from the rest of his new “family”.
The former State Alchemist sighed and leaned back against the backrest of the frankly uncomfortable chair which seemed to be normal for hospitals everywhere. Here, there was no one intruding on his thoughts or asking questions or anything. It was just him and the steady beeps of the monitor. And the nurses, but they let him stay since he was actually being quiet unlike some people. And he let them check on his burns. It was a small sacrifice for some peace and quiet.
“I thought I'd find you here, yoi.”
The amber-eyed alchemist tilted his head back and to the side to look at his fellow blond with a dispassionate look, before sighing and leaning forwards, resting his elbows on his knees “What do you want, Phoenix?”
The Zoan quirked an eyebrow, but didn't comment on the address. Ed had been using titles instead of names whenever he could, but no one really knew why “Why do you keep avoiding us? We're family now, yoi.”
The eldest living Elric sighed, closing his eyes before opening them again and leaning against the backrest, eyes resting on the ceiling “Little brother, little brother...” he sighed “That's what they keep calling me...”
Marco stayed silent, patiently waiting for him to continue, and he did.
“I've never been anything but a big brother. That good for nothing father left when I was five and mom died soon afterwards, leaving just me and Al... Al became my responsibility and that was fine. But now...”
Marco hummed “I see.”
He did? Good, 'cause even though he'd spoken, Ed sure didn't. Being called little brother... he didn't know how to handle it.
The younger blond sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his bangs falling around his eyes like a curtain “The last time someone took care of me... of both of us... Hughes was the only one I let in... but he dug too deep and the next time we heard anything, he was dead... because he felt responsible for us...” he chuckled as he brought his flesh hand up to rest his face against “It's stupid... but I'm afraid if I let someone be the one responsible for me... it'll happen again... and I'll lose another person close to me.”
The 1st Division Commander stood silently for a moment, before he stepped closer and ruffled the pale gold locks of the Alchemist, who looked up at him with tired eyes.
The man smiled slightly “It's not stupid, yoi. But I think we've already proven we don't go down that easily.”
Nothing more was said and soon enough, Ed was alone in the room, falling asleep to the steady beeps of the heart-monitor. He didn't notice the other occupant stirring momentarily before stilling again.