||You Came Back||
Summary: The shot rang out loud and true. The bullet flew through the air towards its intended target. But then it was intercepted. Pairing: Edward Elric x Reader Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Mention of blood and injury, near death scare. A/N: Not proofread. Will do it later. We love these sort of requests and such does that make us weird? Then again weird is good :P This is for you @potatodog
"I am not gonna leave!"
"Brother, visiting hours are over, we can come back tomorrow first thing."
"No. And if anyone is stupid enough to ask me to leave again, I'll make sure they-"
"Threatening the staff that helped saved your girlfriend is not the best way to go about things Fullmetal."
"She is not my girlfriend!"
"Really? Even now? When she almost died, you're still gonna ignore your feelings for her?"
A retort formed in your mind, and the opportunity was too good to loose.
"He's too short. His feelings are too big for him to store anywhere so he thinks ignoring them will make them go away."
Four pairs of eyes snapped in your direction. Raising a shaky hand from where it rested on your abdomen, which, you noticed, was wrapped in bandages you gave a small smile.
"Hey guys." You said, your voice hoarse and weak. "Can I get some water please? Dying of thirst here."
Roy was the first one to recover. He let out a bark of laughter as Riza moved to comply to your request, helping you sip water from a straw. "Trust you to joke about dying when you nearly just did." Though there was humor in his tone, there was a seriousness in his eyes as he watched you. You shrugged, wincing slightly as the gesture had your entire body aching with a dull pain.
"But I didn't." You pointed out, even as your heart seemed to sink at the thought of what had almost happened.
You looked to your right and blinked at a pair of familiar, piercing golden eyes, you couldn't help but think that you would do it all over again.
Though with the way Edward was glaring at you right then, you wished you were still pretending to be asleep just as you had been doing a few minutes ago.
"What's the verdict then? How bad was I hurt?" You asked, looking towards the Colonel instead. He cleared his throat, breaking whatever silent conversation he had been having with his Lieutenant. "The doctors were able to get the bullet out. Luckily it missed any important arteries and organs. You've got some luck on your side Kid." He added with a small, thankful smile. "Though with how much you were bleeding, we really thought you were a goner."
If looks could kill, Roy Mustang would already be ten feet under.
Every eye turned to catch Edward now glaring daggers at his superior who had the presence of mind to wince at his poor choice of words. Riza sighed, shaking her head at her Colonel's lack of tact. It was rare to see him slip up. Maybe this was just a sign that he had been worried about you as everyone else had been.
The sound of metal against metal echoed in the suddenly quiet room as Alphonse walked to stand beside your bed, reaching out to take your hand in his. "How're you feeling Y/N?" He asked, his voice echoing through the armor that made up his body. His voice was full off concern and worry, to which you smiled back reassuringly. "Like I just took a bullet." You said, trying to dispel the sudden tension in the room.
"You think it was funny?"
The sharp voice rang out, and everyone's attention turned to Edward who was once again glaring at you.
You licked your lips, sighing before speaking. "I was just trying to lighten the mood." You offered, to which Edward took an almost threatening step forward. "Lighten the mood?!?" He hissed, and if anger could set anyone on fire, he would be blazing right about now.
"Sir! I believe there is some paperwork waiting for you on your desk. And Alphonse, you need to finish filling out the papers with the Nurse." With those words, Riza all but dragged Roy and Alphonse out of the room, despite their protests, allowing you and Edward the privacy that you needed for the conversation that was about to happen.
The door clicked shut behind them, leaving you alone with a very angry Alchemist.
You sighed. "Edward." You began, but stopped short when he held up a hand. "No!" He declared. "No more jokes Y/N. What in the world were you thinking?!" He was still standing at your side, but had moved forward slightly so you wouldn't have to crane your neck to see him.
"I wasn't." You admitted after a beat of silence, your gaze never wavering from his. "I just saw that bullet and your back was to it." You frowned slightly as the memories began to surface. "And I just jumped."
You remembered the way you had screamed at him to get out of the way. Remembered how you had all but flown through the air, cutting off off the bullet.
You also remembered the sharp pain that came next, before you had crumpled to the floor, your body twitching with pain, pain that was so much that you couldn't even scream.
It seemed Edward was recalling what had happened as well. Though his memories included the sight of you laying on the ground, unmoving, with blood pooling under your. "I could've handled it." He objected despite knowing it was a lie. There was no way he would've been able to dodge it. And you knew it as well as you shook your head at him. "No, you couldn't have."
He pursed his lips, and you watched how his nostrils flared with barely controlled anger. An arm raised as he pointed at you. "You don't get to risk your life Y/N. Not for me, not for anyone."
Now it was your turn to be angry as you glared at him. "It's my choice Edward." You threw back, pushing his finger out of the way so you could look at him properly. "It's my life. I decide who I should risk it for." His hands clenched at his sides. "Well if you're gonna go around taking bullets for people than maybe you shouldn't be in charge of your life."
You blinked at him. "That doesn't even make any sense!" Your voice had begun to rise slightly in volume. It seemed the situation was leading to one of yours and Edward's epic screaming matches. "Well it doesn't have to!" Edward retorted at an equal volume. "No more risking your life for anyone! I forbid it!"
"You forbid it!? What're you going to do? Lock me up?!"
"If that means keeping you from doing something like that again then yes!"
"You lit-OW!"
As your argument had risen in level, your anger and annoyance had eclipsed the pain that still lingered in your abdomen. Which was what you forgot about as you made to sit up. However, the slightest bend had a sharp pain shooting through your body which was why you cried out, tears of pain burning behind your eyes as you squeezed them shut.
"Y/N." You heard Edward call out in worry, as he reached out to grasp your hand, the other resting against your shoulders as he slowly guided you to lay back down. Your chest rose and fell in sharp gasps as you tried to regulate the pain with your breathing.
"I'm okay." You managed to gasp out, even as tears slipped down your cheeks from behind closed eyelids. With one final deep breath the pain began to settle into a dull ache, prompting you to finally open your eyes, and blink away the blurriness from the tears to see Edward hovering over you. "I'm okay." You whispered softly as your heartbeat slowed to a normal pace and you managed to tilt the corner of your mouth in a small smile.
The hand that had been resting against your shoulders slid from its place but didn't pull away. Instead he used his thumb to gently wipe at the remaining tears that escaped you. You blinked up at him, lips parting slightly in surprise at the gentle gesture.
It was then that you noticed his eyes. He wasn't glaring at you anymore. Quite the opposite. His eyes seemed to shimmer with something else entirely. Something that you felt as it landed against your cheek, wet and warm.
A tear.
Your hand rose to trace the droplet with the barest of touch, not really wiping it away. "Edward." You whispered, reaching up with the same hand to rest it against his cheek after a brief moment of hesitation.
"You jumped in front of a bullet meant for me." He said, the hand that was holding yours gripping it tightly. "You-You could've died." He dropped to his knees from where he was hovering over you, as if the very thought of what had almost happened was something he couldn't physically comprehend. Your hand pulled back from where it had been cradling his cheek, but the hand that held his didn't move from its place. You turned your head, wishing so much that you could reach out to wipe away his tears.
"How could you just do that?" He finally said, to which you gave a small sad smile. "I thought I was obvious." You replied, your voice soft as you finally pulled your hand from his, only to gently run your finger along the side of his face.
When it came to the ladder of emotional maturity, there was no denying that you were on a wrung higher than Edward Elric. You had made your feelings for him obvious from the very start. Though you hadn't confessed outright, there were signs that most everyone who knew the both of you had picked up on over the years you had known one another.
And though Edward had never said it outright just as you hadn't, you were sure there had been signs of his feelings for you.
Or at least that was what you had observed.
Maybe you had read too much into it?
Thinking that perhaps you had, you moved to pull back your hand, only for him to reach out and grasp it in both of his. Startled, you blinked at him, seeing the tears in his eyes be replaced by a look of determination.
"You were." He confirmed. "I was just being stubborn and an idiot about it."
You opened your mouth, ready to defend him from himself.
But you never got around to it.
For he was hovering over you once again.
And this time it was not a tear drop that startled you, but his lips as he pressed them against yours tenderly.
The kiss didn't last long.
Though he did pull back, his lips lingered close as you both shared a breath, inhaling softly as he pressed his forehead to yours. His hands were still holding on to yours. Your eyes opened, a smile pulling at your lips when you saw him looking back at you.
"Next time you want to make your feelings obvious then they already are," He spoke, his nose gently nudging against yours. "Do something not life threatening like baking a pie." You scowled. "You do remember I can't cook right?" He chuckled before nodding. "I know. Which is how I'll know you were trying to get my attention."
You hummed as if you were deep in thought. "How about I just say I love you?" You giggled, watching in delight as a blush stole across his cheeks and he pulled back slightly, flustered and taken aback, but not at all displeased at your indirect confession.
He shook his head as he chuckled. "That works. Or we can just do this." Now it was your turn to be taken aback when he kissed you once more, gently cradling your face with one hand just as you had done him moments ago.
"Sounds like a good deal." You whispered against his lips, smiling in delight when he laughed.
"Yeah. It does."
