#greed!ed

     “Then, who is that?” Her voice trembled, but her gaze never wavered, turning pointed and threatening.

     “The name’s Greed, sweetheart,” Ed replied, voice smooth, grin sharp and wide. Winry had never seen such a predatory look on him before. Her skin crawled and shivered.

     “Where’s Ed?” she whispered. Ling leaned down further.

     “He’s still there-”

     “Where is he?!” She shot up, the chair tipping back and crashing to the floor. She stormed to Ed, eyes ablaze and shoulders tensed. She reached out, fisting her hand into the collar of his shirt and yanked it down. A startled expression passed over Ed’s face. It was so Ed-like, a flicker of hope rose in Winry’s chest, but the look was quickly covered by cold annoyance, not the heated, burning kind she was so used to seeing on him.

     “Hey, hey, lady,” he growled. “Watch the shirt.”

     “Where’s Ed?” she pressed again. Ed’s eyes rolled, purple with a slitted pupil. Winry’s chest ached at the loss of gold.

     “Listen to what the prince says,” he spat. “That little brat is still in here.” He tapped the side of his head. Something on his hand caught Winry’s attention. She snatched his wrist, turning it until she saw the back of it.

     “What is this?” she hissed.

     “An ouroboros tattoo,” Ling supplied. “It’s the mark of a homunculus.” Winry’s fingers dug into Ed’s wrist.

     “Woah, woah,” Ed stammered, twisting his arm under her grip. “Geez, lady, you’re strong.” He ripped himself away, smirking. Winry glared back.

     “I want to see him.” Ed blinked, eyes widening, smirk falling away into confusion.

     “What?”

     “I want to see him,” Winry repeated. Ed’s brows furrowed as his lip curled.

     “Look, sweetheart, it’s not that simple,” he scoffed. “What, do you think that brat and I just switch out whenever we want-?” He cut off, eyes squeezing shut, teeth clenching closed with a snap. He hunched over, groaning. Winry took a shaking step back.

     “What’s going on?” she demanded. “What is he doing?”

    “Don’t worry,” Ling rushed forward. “This happens sometimes. Give it a minute.” They waited, the air stiff and stifling. Ed remained where he was, body trembling. Suddenly, he snapped up, snarling, face twisting in fury.

     “Fuck off, Greed!” he screamed. “This is Winry, let me talk to her!” He stared distantly at the ground. “I was patient. You’re just greedy, you fucking homunculus.” His scowl intensified. “Parasite!” he yelled, seemingly to the air.

     “Hey, Ed!” Ling called out in a cheerful greeting, waving and smiling. Ed’s gaze snapped to him, clearing. His shoulders loosened.

     “Hey, Ling,” he sighed. “What-” His eyes fell on Winry, his sharp intake of breath cutting him off. He gulped, shoulders re-tensing. “Oh, uh,” he gave her a sheepish smile. “Hey, Winry.” Her blue eyes pinned him to his place, emotions flickering through them, a thousand a second. She took a step towards him. Ed’s legs locked, stiff and unmovable. She took another step, well into his personal space now. Ed swallowed, eyes trapped in hers. He couldn’t have looked away even if he’d truly tried.

     Winry reached up, fingers brushing against his face.

     “Ed?” she whispered. Ed exhaled a trembling breath.

     “Hi, Win.” Her eyes shimmered, tears filling them. She brought her other hand up, cupping his face, staring into golden eyes.

      “Oh my gosh, Ed.” She flung her arms over his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. “Ed. It’s you. It’s really you this time.” Ed clung to her, closing his eyes as he absorbed her warmth, the comfort soothing his racing mind.

     Greed, trapped within him, quieted, allowing Ed to have one moment of peace. He silently promised to thank the homunculus later.

     Winry pushed him back, trembling, hands fisted into his shirt.

     “What did you do?” she growled. Ed blinked, a part of him aching for the comfort she’d given him just a second ago.

     “I didn’t do anything!” he cried, glaring down at her.

     Wow, what a way to lie to your girl, Greed chuckled, unhelpful as always. Ed decided to take back his personal promise.

     “Shut up,” Ed barked. “And that’s not a lie. It was that fucking Father guy’s fault for sticking me with you.”

     “Ed.” Ed snapped himself back to the present. Winry watched him, brows peaked and eyes cautious. “Who are you talking to?” Ed fidgetted, hesitant to answer.

     “It’s Greed,” he muttered. “I can still hear him. He’s... an ass.” Winry nodded, her gaze turning confused.

     “So, you two...” she swallowed, mouth opening and twisting as she tried to find the right words. “You’re just... stuck together? Forever?” Ed bowed his head, nodding.

     “Yeah, pretty much,” he shrugged. “It’s not so bad. I mean, it could be worse. I could be stuck with Lust or something.” Winry flinched, brows flying up.

     “What?” she squeaked. Ed quickly waved a hand, shaking his head.

     “Forget it, sorry.” He looked her over, hoping to change the subject. “So... how are you?” Winry blinked, surprised expression falling into a scowl faster than Ed could transmute a spear.

     “How am I?” Her voice grew from a rumbling growl to a trembling scream. “How am I?! I’m fine, compared to you! We are not changing the subject here, mister. How did you get another... person inside you? Why do you both have to share the same body? What-” she choaked, head falling to his chest, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt. “What happened to you?” Ed pressed her closer, resting his cheek on her head. Something warm soaked into his chest. Panic clawed up his gut.

     “Woah, wait, Winry,” Ed tried to lean back to get a look at her face. “It’s ok. Come on, I promise. Please, it’s-” She brought her head up, tears trailing down her face, reaching her chin and dripping off. Ed watched them fall, mind scrambling for a way to stop them.

     “I’m sorry,” Winry sniffed, wiping her face. “I know I promised I wouldn’t cry until you and Al- I just... Ed, this is...” A sob broke free from her. Ed pulled her back to him, closing his eyes.

     “I know,” he murmured. He rubbed a hand up and down her back. Her sobs were quiet, muffled in his chest. They stood together, supporting one another.

      “Look, sorry to break this up,” Darius spoke up after a few minutes. Ed and Winry flinched, having forgotten the three men watching them. “But the Promised Day is tomorrow. We need to get out plans moving.” Heinkel and Ling nodded in agreement, the latter giving Ed a sympathetic look.

     “They’re right,” Ed found himself saying. Winry’s grip on him tightened. She didn’t move, and Ed made no motion to do so either.

     Winry buried her head further into Ed’s chest. She felt him tense under her before the hands at her back grabbed her shoulders, gently pushing her back.

     “Ok,” he growled, voice foreign and strange. “Cuddle times over, lovebirds.” Winry snapped her head up, catching purple eyes again. Her stomach twisted, flipped, and dropped. “He said we gotta go, so we gotta go.” Winry nodded, releasing her grip.

     “You’re right,” she sighed, wiping her eyes. Ed, or Greed, Winry guessed, blinked at her, eyebrow arched in surprise.

     “Oh, I was actually talking to the brat,” he admitted. “He’s throwing a fucking fit because I didn’t let him say goodbye or something like that.” He rolled his eyes, sighing. “The hug was enough, kid. You don’t need to waste time with more shit.” He turned on his heel, grabbing the bright red coat that hung on a chair. “Let’s move out, boys!” he called over his shoulder. Darius and Heinkel followed behind, grumbling at the order. Ling brought up the rear, patting Winry’s shoulder, face apologetic.

     Winry trailed behind them until she reached the porch. She clung to the railing, watching the bright red, black flamel back. The wearer suddenly halted in mid-step. His three companions paused, looking back at him with various expressions of concern and curiosity. Ed turned, gaze meeting Winry’s. He raised a hand, a small smile gracing his lips.

     “Have an apple pie ready for us when we get back!” he called. Winry beamed, a final tear trickling down her cheek as she waved back.

There we go, Greed!Ed. Just wondering what would happen if Father had chosen Ed instead of Ling. Intrusive thoughts are annoying (especially if they’re from a homunculus).

~

Ed rolled the dice and grinned. “Hell yeah!” His grin turned into chuckle. “Tonight’s the night ’m gonna kick your ass.” That roll had been his best all night. Greed still had the advantage, but now he stood half a chance of winning. Backgammon had been a game he had always heard about growing up but never got around to playing until recently. Games like this were a good deal about luck, though there was some skill involved.  It wasn’t like chess, though. That was all skill, and while fun, no where near as engaging as the anticipation of not knowing whether or not he’d win or get his ass handed to him.

Either outcome was fine by him. They had fun, and Ed had discovered playing games with Greed often led to something he really wanted to see. Greed laugh. Not the regular one that most people saw. This kind of laughter was different. This time it reached Greed’s eyes. Win or lose, that made the night worth it, and sometimes made it a little harder to catch his breath.

He sat up and braced himself on his arm. Ed moved his chips across the board, scooting forward on his knees to reach the five spaces for the second move, and waited to see what Greed would roll.

~Moonlight had woken him up. Given how much light spilled into the room, it must have been full tonight. Ed’s head laid against Greed’s thigh, his one hand tucked under his chin and the other on Greed’s knee. He pulled his hand out from under his jaw, yawned, and then glanced in the direction of the clock even though it was too dark to see the time. He must have fallen asleep on the floor.

Ed vaguely remembered sitting between Greed’s legs and reading. The blanket he had pulled up over his legs was still in place with his left foot uncovered. He lifted his head up and looked behind him. Greed was still sitting in the chair, only his eyes were closed—Ed had never quite figured out if he actually slept or only rested his eyes. Ed couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the sight Greed’s face calm and relaxed.

He could get up and go to bed, but the moon was out, and it was late enough into the night that his body protested any thoughts of moving. Regardless of the fact that he’d wake up sore, he snuggled back in, brushed his lips across Greed’s knee, closed his eyes, and settled back to his original position. This felt comforting and safe. The possible stiffness in his joints tomorrow didn’t matter. Tomorrow seemed so far away.

Though, Ed knew it would be awhile before his mind shut down enough to go back to sleep despite the warmth of the blanket. Not with his stomach knotted up so pleasantly, surrounded by Greed’s scent.

~

As much as he tried to be inconspicuous about watching Greed, Ed knew his stealth was lacking. Still, that didn’t stop him from periodically looking up from the book in his hands and getting in as many sneaky peeks as he could. Some days, Greed sat on the bed or the floor, or next to the window simply enjoying the view outside or maybe refining his plans to take over the world, but today, he had taken a seat near the window, looking out and clearly deep in thought. That happened now and then, and it made Ed curious about what thoughts were running through Greed’s mind.

It had taken some getting used to at first. Not that Ed tried to compare Greed to the one from his own world, but it was impossible not to notice differences between this world and his. The thoughtful contemplation had been the thing to ensnare him the most. Because, whatever dark thoughts were passing through Greed’s mind, Ed knew they made him sad. Was it so wrong to want to fix that?

The answer to that seemed so simple and yet… he hesitated. It took him a considerable amount of self control not to fuss. Or prod for more information. Greed would most likely hate the fussing, and prodding might get him pushed further away. He wasn’t sure he could handle that. Not anymore. Whenever he imagined leaving or being asked to leave, it made him feel sick to the stomach and his heart hurt. Ed could take care of himself fairly easily, at least physically. Taking care of his heart often proved to be a struggle. He worried. Ed couldn’t help himself. He tried not to many times and failed. Logically, he knew that was stupid. Greed kept his possessions, and people fell into that category.

Given their situation, probably.

Ed turned back to his book, turning pages but not really reading. He’d give Greed space, but that wouldn’t stop Ed from trying to work out a way to make him feel better.

~

He didn’t want to get up. The bed felt incredibly warm, and it smelled good. The sheets and blankets smelled like Greed. Ed stretched out his arms and closed his eyes. He had spent some time trying to pinpoint that particular scent down, and came to the conclusion that it was unique to Greed. Maybe because this wasn’t his own world. Or maybe he had never bothered focusing on how others smelled before coming here other than noticing whether or not they smelled good.

It didn’t matter how it started only that it had started, and he couldn’t make that need stop. Whenever they had sex, he wanted to stay instead of going to his own bed. Ed wanted to stick around and feel Greed’s warmth, press their bodies together so that his heartbeat could be felt. He wanted fall asleep with that pleasant scent next to him and wake up entangled in it. He didn’t need to say it, but he craved the chance to show how much he needed it. So he allowed himself a few minutes to bask in the warmth their bodies created.  

Ed knew that wasn’t fair to stay too long, though. Greed had every reason to want to keep things simple. It made perfectly good sense. Greed was immortal and Ed wasn’t. This wasn’t his world or his home. Al might find a way to bring him back.  He wasn’t sure he could tell Al no if the gate opened again. He wasn’t sure.  He couldn’t trap Greed like that.

His eyes opened back up. Ed looked at the ceiling and exhaled softly. His heart was still beating hard in his chest, only now for a different reason than it had moments ago. Violet eyes were watching him, carefully, maybe even cautiously. The thumping in his chest sped up, and his fingers dug into the mattress. Ed manged to pull off a smile in hopes of ridding that dazed look off his face because with the way he felt caught in that gaze, he must have appeared stunned and maybe a little lost.

He let his eyes settle on Greed one last time before reaching down to grab his shirt off the floor. By the time he grabbed his pants and pulled his shirt on over his head, he was already out of the room.