For Her. For Him.

A/N: Thanks to the kind reviewers. I wanted to try something different, and I appreciate that you have all been patient for some citris-y moments. Anyway, there was a question about if this was a mangaverse. No, I'm basing it more on the anime than the manga, though I am familiar with both. Basically, I changed things, and after Hughes death, while Ed, Al and Winry were out of Central, a rebellion broke out, lasting for 4 months and keeping them in Central and everyone else out, with minimal contact to the outside world.

Chapter 5

Friends?

Winry left to stay with Gracia and Elysia Hughes about five minutes ago, afraid that if she stayed any later, it might disturb the four-year-old’s sleep. Roy was grateful Gracia had still been willing to take the girl in, unsure if he, himself could manage to have the daughter of those two doctors in his home. He still hadn’t gotten up the nerve to tell her he had been the one in Ishbal, the reason she was orphaned, and he honestly wasn’t sure what would happen if she realized it while still at his home, what kind of arguments might ensue, and worst of all, what Fullmetal would think of him if he knew.

Instead, he got to pass one more day with that hanging over his head, and one more day where he didn’t have to face it, thanks to Gracia.

The teenage girl had confessed she hadn’t known of Maes’s death when she called Gracia asking to stay. Four months had passed battling the rebellion in Central after Hughes’s death, four months where she had no contact with either Ed or Al, as they were ordered to return from their trip to the automail Mecca with Winry to fight the rebellion, which seemed to ebb and flow like the tide. No sooner did any in the military think it was over than it was started again. Honestly, Roy thought it was a convenient distraction away from uncovering his friend’s death.

Not knowing had not been her fault, but Roy had called Gracia to make absolutely certain that she was fine having the teen stay, feeling a pang of guilt that in those last four months, he had hardly spoken to his friend’s wife. Gracia, always kind to a fault just like Maes, had said she was glad to have Winry at her house, and that since she had asked, it had been all Elysia had talked about. Roy was not about to argue.

Al had escorted Winry to the Hughes’ house, and Roy was honestly grateful that, for at least an hour, he was trapped in his home with only one alchemist that hated him, musing that said alchemist wasn’t Ed. Strangely enough, his arguments with the teen had been reduced to the occasional teasing and glares, and even these had lost their edge.

Roy wasn’t exactly sure what to call his relationship with the teen. Friend was closest, but Roy seriously doubted there was a dictionary definition for it. Sitting on the leather sofa beside Ed, occasionally looking over at him, the colonel wondered if Ed had any idea how often he absent-mindedly rubbed his stomach. It was rather touching, and Roy realized that every time he saw the young alchemist do it, he felt the need to smile, even giving in to that need every so often. He tried hard not to imagine it was Riza, not to picture her in Ed’s place, and just be grateful that this friend was willing to go through all of this.

Izumi was still lecturing Ed when the alarm clock beside the sofa went off, startling the large butcher and making the teacher raise an eyebrow. With the resignation of a week’s habit, Ed rose from the sofa, despite the fact that Izumi was still yelling at him.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“It’s time for my medicine,” Ed answered, flatly, straining to extend his left arm. Roy rose and followed him into the kitchen as Ed was removing his long-sleeved black shirt, looking down at his arm. Roy followed his gaze and saw how bruised the limb had become.

Fullmetal looked up at Roy. “I’ve got to get Winry to improve my fine motor skills.”

“You’ve been bruising yourself like this, and you didn’t ask for help?” Ed shrugged. “Give me the syringe.” The teen looked at Roy doubtfully. “My fine motor skills are perfect.”

Roy could feel the teen’s eyes on him as he took the syringe and measured out the prescribed amount of the hormone. “How long until you go to a pill form?”

“Couple of weeks.”

Roy turned to Ed and looked at the arm. “This whole thing’s blue. I can’t find a vein in this. We’ll have to try your leg.” Ed winced. “I’ll be careful.” Ed began unbuttoning the leather pants. “I never thought I’d see the day that you willingly took a needle.”

“I’ve done it enough over the last few days. It’s just a little prick.” Ed twisted his face as it grew red, something Roy had noticed was happening more frequently. “Not a word, Mustang.”

“Never, Fullmetal.”

Ed struggled as he pushed down the pants. Roy couldn’t help but notice how tight the things were becoming. His eyes lingered a little longer than probably necessary, which he blamed on realizing he was going to have to lend the shorter alchemist some of his own, possibly even take him shopping. After all, his body was absolutely changing, and clothing designed for a teenage boy would not cut it much longer. Roy was going to have enough problems when people found out he had a subordinate living with him, he couldn’t afford to have him naked, too.

As the teen’s pants pooled around his ankles, Roy knelt behind him, searching for a vein, finding one at the back of the blonde’s knee. “Will you get me some alcohol on cotton? I’ve found a vein.” Fullmetal complied, handing the wet cotton ball to the Flame Alchemist, who rubbed it along the back of the teen’s leg. With a smirk, Roy looked up at Ed. “You’re ticklish.” He ran the cotton ball around the knee joint again, enjoying the sight of Ed’s twists.

“Stop it. Just use the needle before I kick you with my left leg.”

Roy grabbed the syringe from the table and lightly smacked the back of Ed’s leg.

“What the hell?”

“Bringing the vein out, Edo.” Roy began pressing the needle into the young man's flesh.

“I told you not to call me that, Colonel Bastard. And you smack me again, I swear I‘ll deck you.”

“All done.” Roy rose and allowed Ed to pull his pants back up.

“So what kind of stomach medicine requires injections?” A voice asked behind them. They turned to find Izumi scowling at them.

“He caught a nasty virus.” Roy explained, hoping he didn’t completely screw up the long medical name that Dr. Knox had given Ed’s made-up illness. He remembered the symptoms, treatments, everything, but somehow, he felt this woman was less willing to believe than the military brass had been.

Roy gathered up the hormones and needles and placed them back in the medicine cabinet in the kitchen as he finished the speech he’d learned by wrote.

Roy guided Ed back inside the main room, where Sig remained seated in Roy’s favorite chair. Izumi followed the two state alchemists into the room and watched them strangely. “Edward, you are going to tell me what the state’s dog was injecting you with. Was it some kind of steroid? Something to make you more powerful? What?”

“He told you it was medicine,” Ed said, scooting back in the sofa, darting his eyes at Roy who had yet to take a seat beside him.

“Do you even know what it is?”

“Yes!” Ed looked over at Roy. Ed wanted to tell her, but was waiting for permission, actually seeking Roy‘s approval, to do so.

“They are hormones,” Roy said.

“Growth hormones?” Sig asked.

“What the hell does that mean?” Ed said, jumping from his seat. “You’ve managed to stay quiet this long. Hell, I haven’t even seen you since I was a kid, and the first real thing you say is a damned short joke?” Roy saw as Ed stumbled, and the colonel ran to catch him before he fell. The gold eyes looked up to very worried obsidian. “Damn, this has got to stop.”

“And you wanted to know why I was sending your brother with Armstrong and making you do desk work?” Roy said lightly, though he was, in truth, growing worried at the blonde's dizzy spells.

“Bastard,” Ed said, half-heartedly.

“Yeah, I know.” Roy helped Ed get to his feet, guiding him back to the sofa. “Are you all right?” Ed nodded. Roy no sooner had Ed on the couch than he felt a swift kick to his kidney, buckling him to his knees.

“What did you do to Edward?” Izumi demanded. “Why is he taking hormones? What kind of hormones? And why is he so weak?”

At that point, Roy really was in no condition to answer.

“He knocked me up,” Edward said.

“Fullmetal,” Roy groaned, exasperated and in pain.

********

“You said you wanted a distraction,” Envy said, sitting cross-legged on the fuhrer’s secretary’s desk. “I gave you a distraction. I call it a success.”

“I wanted that damned colonel out of the picture, or at the very least, focusing on something else.” The brunette glared at the youth on her desk. “You turned Central into a war zone. I could get nothing done. Worst of all, that colonel called Fullmetal back to Central, and he stopped following leads on the Philosopher’s stone. How is that a success, Envy?”

“I had a good time.” Envy began picking at his nails. “Besides, how was I to know that once I got the rebellion started, it would keep going all that time? Not my fault. Blame Pride. He should be able to lead his army. And, the colonel is going to be a bit absent-minded anyway. His precious lieutenant died.” Envy pointed to his head before imitating a gun going off.

“You had better hope this doesn’t drive him on, Envy. The philosopher’s stone needs to be created.”

“And our common relatives would make excellent ingredients.”