FicWad

"You ass. Where have you been?"

There were some things that just weren't possible. Ling's voice coming from behind him was one of those things. There just wasn't any damn way...Ed turned, slowly, unwilling to face the fact his brain was most likely messing with him out of sheer desperation.

Ling was there. Leaning against the doorframe, cocky, crooked grin firmly, familiarly, in place...

Ed choked out an embarrassing sort of sob and stumbled forward, one arm outstretched, reaching.

There was an odd smell in the air he noticed as he staggered forward, a disgustingly sweet smell hidden under the spicy musk that usually hovered around the Xingian. Its source became apparent only as Ed closed in for a clumsy embrace and noticed the bloodstains and tears marring his fastidious lovers clothing. It was the smothering, nauseating smell of infection, of flesh dead and rotting...Ed lurched back, trying desperately to avoid contact with the one person he had been so frantic to find...

Ling turned a sad look down at his repulsed lover. "What took you so long, Edward?" Ling's breath smelled of mold and rot, his tongue was black, and he leaned in for a kiss...

Ed woke into the echoes of his own strangled scream, the taste of bile harsh in the back of his mouth. He could hear Havoc shifting on top of the jacket that served as clothing and bed in the corner of the hut that had become, over the last two days, their impromptu base of operations and knew he had woken the other man.

And for once, he really didn't care. He didn't have the emotional resources to coddle his pride; he didn't have the energy to pretend it was nothing...not this time.

"Fuckfuckfuck..."

"You alright over there, boss?" Havoc's voice was quiet, utterly devoid of its typical teasing tone.

Ed ended his string of oaths in an open mouthed sort of panting, his lungs convinced he wasn't getting near enough air. Then the loamy smell of the ground under him caught his attention. The wet, earthy smell was too similar...His stomach clenched and Ed only barely managed to roll to the side so as to not vomit onto his makeshift bedding.

Crap. Ling. No, just a dream...just a dream...Ling....

As his stomach ceased its convulsive ejection of everything possible, Ed became aware of the fact Havoc had moved to his side, and was patting his back with a practiced awkwardness that implied the action was familiar, but the circumstance most definitely was not.

"Maybe next time we should get a couple drinks into you before go to bed." Havoc mused.

It seemed such an utterly nonsensical suggestion...Ed rolled his head, ignored the dizzying way that made the room shift, and eyed the older man. "What?"

"A good hit of booze does wonders against nightmares." Havoc explained. Then, seeming to want to clarify, "it's gotten Mustang through some tough times, and I know Maes swore by it..."

Ed caught himself in mid-reflexive sneer. The thought of sinking so low as to have to drink himself to sleep... then the image of Ling's mutilated body, the smell of his rotting flesh, worked wonders towards changing his mind. "Do...do you...have any...?"

"Sure thing. Don't leave home without it." Havoc administered one last encouraging pat and moved to rifle through his scattered belongings. "And ya know what, boss, it does wonders to get that damn puke taste out of your mouth."






"Yes sir. I know. Sorry about that." Al reflexively scratched at his head, a motion he had most likely picked up from Ed, and winced as metal grated on metal. "Ah, nothing sir. Just me." He paused, listening what Roy had to say before leaning a bit aggressively into the phone. "I understand why you are upset, sir, but...he's my brother." Another pause, and more anxiously aggravated little motions on Al's part. "With all due respect, sir, I am wasting time. I know he is with Lieutenant Havoc, but like I said, he is my brother, and I am worried. He had been...upset. No. Mustang, sir, you don't understand. I am going now, sir." Al replaced the receiver with a bit more emphasis than was strictly necessary, and reclaimed the suitcase he had left sitting on the floor at his side.

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

The older gentleman whose phone Al had just borrowed smiled in gentle gap-toothed pleasure. "No problem. Good luck there."

"Thank you." Al dipped his head slightly, turned and continued after his brother.

At least he was getting close. There were only so many short blonds with equally short tempers who also possessed a rather unique red coat. For once Al was desperately happy his brother stuck to such an obvious bit of clothing.