Part 2 of the fic "Home for the Holidays".

In the cold, blank cell of one of Drachmans solitary confinement chambers, Edward could hardly believe what he was seeing. He barely glanced at the blank grey walls and he paid no more than a cursory look at Warrant Officer Farman, the much older man having positioned himself to the side of the door. No, all of Edward’s attention was focused on the very middle of the room, where Armstrong’s large uniform jacket had been laid on the cold cement as a makeshift sheet. More importantly, he was focused on the naked and limp form of Russell Tringham that was tenderly placed there. Russell was coated in blood and burns and welts, so beaten and battered that it took Edward a moment to realize that he was still desperately clinging to life.

“…He’s still breathing,” Farman said as a greeting, “but he’s in a comatose state. He has yet to wake up.”

Edward Elric knelt beside Russell, brushing the limp blond bangs out of his lover’s eyes. Then, as his eyes swept over Russell’s marred flesh, he weakly asked, “…what happened to him?”

“When I found him, he was suspended from the ceiling with steel shackles. You can see,” the Warrant Officer knelt on the other side of the Red Water Alchemist, pointing at the young blond’s wrists, “swelling and discoloration there. I assume that he’s been in that position for an extended period of time.”

As he heard those words, Edward gently held one of Russell’s hands with his own. “How long?”

“Impossible to say; his legs aren’t swollen, so I assume that he’s been moved frequently. The question is ‘how often?’”

“No… the question is, ‘Is he going to be all right?’ What do you think?” Edward glanced up at the older man, and for just a moment, Warrant Officer Farman could see the sheer depths of concern and worry mirrored in that young face.

But… he couldn’t bring himself to give anything but the truth, as bleak as it might be. “I don’t know. He’s suffered a lot; he might have permanent injuries from this. At worst, he might have broken under the pain. I won’t be able to say until he wakes up.”

Edward’s grip on his lover’s hand tightened, and he fiercely whispered, “Russell’s strong, he won’t have broken. No matter what happened to him. He can’t have broken!”

“…I’m sorry, but the Drachmans have made torture a fine science. With enough time and effort, they could break through anyone’s defenses. It all depends on how skilled they were and how strong Major Tringham was.”

“It doesn’t matter how good they were! Russell’s going to be fine!”

Despite the dangerous tone in Edward’s voice, Farman evenly countered, “Look at some of the injuries he’s sustained; especially this one.” The older man lightly lifted up Russell’s right shoulder, where a deep cut had been gashed into his flesh. “See the edges of this wound? They’ve ground some desiccating agent there; he’d be in intense pain even after each session was over. As well…”

He gently moved Russell so that the young man was on his side, and Edward stood at Farman’s position so he could see his lover’s back. Namely, the horrible welts that crisscrossed the once-flawless skin; the small circular burns that pocked his flesh; the marks that Edward couldn’t even identify…

“See how thorough they’ve been? Everything from cigarette burns to whips, electrical charges, burning, bruises from simple beatings; from how thin he is, I’d surmise they’ve even starved him… I’d guess that they got furious with Major Tringham, and possibly the Warden made him a personal project. I can’t say if that’s good news or bad.”

“It’s good, means that he was the same cocky bastard we know and love.” Despite himself, a fond smile crossed Edward’s face as he gently laid Russell back out on the jacket. “According to the Warden, he took my name again. Must have done it after he was captured, for some stupid reason; if he had just used his own, he wouldn’t have gone through all of this.”

“Possibly not.” Farman nodded slightly, then asked, “How are we going to get him out?”

“The two of us are going to carry him out, Al and the Lieutenant Colonel can cover us until we get to the Brigadier. Once we get to him it’ll be his job to get us out.”

“All right, I suppose that we can both get one end, and then we’ll-“

Edward shook his head, and his voice fell to barely above a whisper. “Hey, Warrant Officer… mind giving me a minute with him? I want to see if I can get him awake.”

“…it’s unlikely you’ll be able to. Deep catatonia generally requires-“

“I know, I know. But I’ve got to try, all right?” Edward kept his eyes focused on his lover, but did nothing until he heard the Warrant Officer’s boots stepping outside and the door closing behind him. Then he softly whispered, “You hopeless bastard… how many times have I told you not to do anything stupid, and now you just go and get yourself hurt? I shouldn’t have let you go, I shouldn’t have been so stupid…”

His voice choked, and he could barely force out, “I shouldn’t have let you go alone, damn it! How am I going to explain this to Al? Or to Fletcher? Damn it… how am I even supposed to even look you in the face again? Can’t believe I let this happen…”

But even as he spoke, Edward wrapped his arms around Russell’s abnormally thin frame, muffling his voice against his lover’s throat. “Come on,” he whispered after a moment, “wake up for me. Let me know that you’re all right, and I swear I won’t make fun of your stupid suspenders again. Anything; a word, a gesture… even a look at those eyes of yours would work…”

Russell didn’t answer. His body remained slack against Edward’s, and his limbs limply lay on the cold floor. After another long moment, Edward hissed, “Stop yanking me up and down like this, damn you! You’re fine, you’re not, you’re fine, you’re missing, you’re captured, you’re rescued, you’re shot, you’re not, you’re fine, you’re fucking unconscious… just stick with one or the other! Just be fine, that’s all I want!”

Still no answer. Edward brushed the limp blond hair out of Russell’s face once more, and he softly whispered, “You know… after you recover, I’ll have a lot of lost time to make up for. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Just you and me, with enough time that we can take it nice and slow…” He leaned forward, so that he was whispering right into his lover’s ear, “I’ll even be nice and let you have your way with me; you can do anything you want, just wake up and claim it…”

The fact that Russell Tringham, whom Edward knew was utterly insatiable and never missed an opportunity to have control, didn’t so much as miss a breath, was what finally made Edward give up. With one last penitent gaze, he stood up from his lover’s body and strode to the door.

But he stopped cold when a weak, worn, and to Edward’s ears, utterly beautiful voice rasped out, “Wait…”

The short blond slowly turned around. He could hardly believe the sight that greeted him; Russell Tringham’s soft blue eyes were open despite the swelling and an expression of despair was on his face. “Don’t… even if… you are a dream… please stay?”

At that, Edward closed the distance between them, gently pulling the younger blond into an embrace. “I’m not a dream,” he assured, “and we’re not going to stay here much longer. I’m going to get you out of here, I’m going to take you to a hospital and get you healed up, and then you’re going home where you belong.”

“…home?” Despite how desperately Russell ached to be reassured, and despite the spark of hope that had been rekindled for what seemed to be the hundredth time, Russell couldn’t wrap his arms around his lover. “Can’t… can’t even move…”

“You think that’s going to stop me? I dragged along Mustang’s entire unit, you’re getting out of here or none of us are. Right?”

The younger blond thought about that, his mouth working for a moment before the words would come out. “Thought… all a dream. Wake up… you’d be there… maybe Fletcher… are you a dream?” His blue eyes narrowed at that thought, and he hoarsely accused, “You’re… going… to leave me. Wake up… Start all over again…”

“I’m not a dream, Russell. Besides, if you were dreaming, don’t you think you’d at least dream yourself strong again? That’s what I’d want from you, at least… you shouldn’t look like this.”

“Prove… won’t go…”

With a soft smile, Edward cradled his lover’s head with a warm, real arm; Russell’s always-slight weight seemed like nothing at all to Edward, so thin from his suffering that Edward was filled with concern all over again. But that smile didn’t change at all as he softly whispered, “All right… I promise I won’t leave you.” With those words, he pressed a gentle kiss against Russell’s lips.

Since it was intended to be warm and reassuring, Edward didn’t press too hard or too far; just a gentle pressure against his lover’s lips, just a soft tracing of one of the few pieces of Russell’s body that wasn’t marred in some way. And yet, for all of that, it was everything Edward wanted; a firm reassurance that his lover was safe again, safe in his arms and so wonderfully alive. He could feel Russell’s breath weakly breezing against his face, he could feel subtle motions of Russell’s muscles and body, he could even hear a soft sound from the back of Russell’s throat; the same one, albeit far weaker and with a far different meaning than what it usually signified. For that brief moment, as their bodies connected again, all of the suffering and pain just melted away, as though the months of separation hadn’t happened, as though they were back in Central…

…but the moment had to end. Edward gently pulled away from Russell’s mouth, still smiling that same reassuring smile. “There, see? That’s better than any dream you’ve had, right?”

“Right.” Russell struggled to put a teasing smile on his face, a faint blush on his cheeks. “But you should… wait before… trying to get me naked… Don’t feel like this yet…”

For a moment, Edward could only stare in disbelief at Russell; then he burst out laughing and hugged his lover even closer. Those words, as weak as they were, were a sign that Russell was still the same Russell that Edward had known and loved, the same insatiable and cocky Red Water Alchemist that Edward had feared was lost forever. “I can wait and you know it! Besides, you’re already naked!”

Though the Fullmetal Alchemist had intended for his words to be just as teasing as Russell’s had been, a look of sheer shock crossed the younger blond’s face. Mustering every ounce of strength he possessed, he managed to raise himself out of Edward’s embrace. That shock slowly switched to horror as he looked down at his own body. “Edward… all of this… They really…?”

“…yeah, they did.” Taking advantage of his now far-superior strength, Edward gently tugged Russell’s head forward, so that the younger blond’s face was nuzzled against Edward’s throat. More importantly, it meant that Russell couldn’t see what had happened to him. The older man just wanted to soothe away those pains, to make Russell really know that he was finally safe again. “But you don’t have to worry about it, all right? Not now, anyway; right now, let’s just focus on getting you dressed and out of here, and home in time for Christmas. All right?”

“…almost Christmas? I… didn’t know… how long have I been here?”

“A little more than two months; we’re going to get you cleared from the hospital, and then our brothers are going to join us in celebrating Christmas. Here.” He gently draped Armstrong’s uniform around Russell’s thin body, frowning at just how many times he had to wrap the voluminous outfit around his lover in order to get it to stay, but not letting the conversation lull for a moment. “You’ll love what Fletcher’s done to the house, you know. He’s put a lot of effort into it, all of us have; you’ll have to work hard next year if you want to live up to what we’ve made.”

Russell weakly laughed, straining to remain upright. “I’ll love… just getting home… Home with you… and Fletcher…”

“And Al, too. He and Fletcher are going to be cooking the biggest Christmas dinner you’ve ever had; sounds good, doesn’t it?”

“Home… for Christmas…?” A shudder of pain went through Russell’s frame, and for a moment he struggled just to keep himself conscious. His hands clenched harder on Edward’s shoulders, only slowly releasing his grip as he mastered himself. “I’ll be… home for Christmas?”

“Yeah, home for Christmas. Fletcher’s even getting presents for you!”

Through the pain, through all of the struggling he had, a smile of pure peace spread itself on Russell’s face. “Home for Christmas… everything’s going to be all right…”

“You’re going to be all right.” The older one clapped his hands and secure the uniform with alchemy. “Turkey, ham, stuffing… enough mashed potatoes and gravy to drown an army… and I’ll even be making my famous jelly!”

The sound of Russell’s stomach rumbling could be heard in response to that, the younger alchemist weakly resting a hand on his belly and faintly protesting, “Don’t tease… starving… Haven’t had a good meal in forever…”

“I know, you’re even more thin than usual.” Edward lightly poked Russell’s stomach for emphasis, even through the feet of fabric. “That means we’ll just have to work hard to get you back to your usual beautiful self, right?”

“…hate you,” Russell weakly pushed Edward’s finger away, but with the smile that betrayed him not being serious. “Been poked enough already… finger’s too cold…”

Edward’s expression evened as he lightly began helping Russell to his feet, and he reminded Russell with a serious tone, “It’s only going to get colder. Can you stand up? I’ll ask Al for his coat until we get out of here; we’ve got some warm clothes waiting for you on the way back.”

“…can stand up.” The younger blond tried to stand up, but his muscles betrayed him; only Edward’s strong arms kept him from sprawling out on the ground again. Despite this, however, Russell only gritted his teeth and tried again. That attempt was no more successful than the first, and with each motion, searing pain shot through his thin body; his muscles so abused and neglected that he simply couldn’t force them to obey his will.

Edward softly shook his head as he watched his lover trying to get up with his own strength, but he wouldn’t do anything to interfere; Russell was trying so hard on his own that he’d only resent any intrusion.

But all of that struggling and effort wasn’t enough. One mis-timed motion made some of the medals on Armstrong’s uniform dig into the deep gashes on Russell’s body. The sheer pain was so intense that Russell blanked: his entire body went limp, only the force of his will keeping him from passing out entirely. And yet, while Edward hated seeing Russell in pain, it was with a sense of relief that he gently rested his lover on the ground and readjusted the uniform’s jacket. The simple fact that Russell still had the strength to struggle and strive, and still possessed the determination to keep trying, was enough to over joy the older alchemist. After the younger blond recovered a bit, Edward softly whispered, “It’s okay. You’ve been keeping yourself going for so long, just let me hold you up, all right? I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“I know.” Russell forced a smile onto his face, but it twisted because of the pain. “Just… promise… don’t leave… Can’t… protect myself for a bit… Can hardly keep up…”

Edward shook his head, exasperated at yet fond of the younger alchemist. “Didn’t you just hear me? I’m going to protect you; just let go and rest for now. When you wake up, it’ll be better for you, I guarantee it. You’re safe now.”

“That’s… good enough…” As his blue eyes slowly slid shut, Russell softly whispered, “Missed you, you know… dreamed about you…”

With a small smile, Edward brushed the bangs out of his lover’s eyes once more. “…I dreamed about you, too,” he softly admitted, voice so low that no one could possibly hear.

No response from Russell; he was already out, no longer able to hold on. So Edward stood up and went to the door, opening it… and surprised by who he saw there. Namely, Brigadier General Mustang, the older man with a pronounced frown on his face. “Fullmetal, would you kindly explain why my own subordinates are keeping me from seeing one of my other subordinates? More importantly, why are said subordinates here, and why aren't they in the extraction zone?”

“I found Russell.” Edward said this as though it explained everything, then turned to his brother. “Hey Al, do you have an extra fur coat that I-“

“Fullmetal, please tell me that you haven’t kept us locked out of the cell for the past however many minutes for no reason!” Roy’s gloved hands were clenched, and the stench of smoke and fire clung to his uniform; he had been forced to use his alchemy quite frequently in the course of the mission.

Edward turned to his superior, then shrugged. “Yeah, I did. Are you going to get to the point, or can I get back to what’s actually important?”

Of course, Roy was used to the blond’s casual insubordination, but that hardly meant that he approved of it; especially considering the danger of their situation. “I ordered you to extract Red Water, not to spend quality time together. Lieutenant Colonel, secure Red Water and prepare for our withdrawal. As for you, Fullmetal…” His one good eye narrowed, “…what were you doing in there?”

As the Strong Arm Alchemist strode into the cell and gently balanced Russell in his arms, Edward answered, “I needed to make sure he was all right. After what Warrant Officer Farman said…”

“He’s given me a full report.” Roy nodded slightly to the Warrant Officer, whose squinting eyes were still focused on one of the hallways. “And Fullmetal… I do want you to know that, whatever you might have learned in there, Red Water still suffered a severe trauma. He may never recover.”

“…leave it to you to not only know when I’m relieved, but just how to squelch it. Bastard…” Edward crossed his arms and lifted his chin defiantly at his superior officer. “But like I said earlier, he’s strong. He can scar, sure, but he’s not going to let that get him down. Not if I can help it.”

Roy said nothing for a moment. Then, abruptly, he smiled. “That’s exactly the attitude I was hoping to hear from you. Red Water’s going to need all of the help he can get to recover from this ordeal.”

Though only Edward’s clenched fists and his narrowed eyes betrayed his emotions to the outside world, on the inside he was shouting, He’s copying me! I’m not sounding like him, I’m not! That’s my damn phrase, he can’t just use it whenever he wants!

As though he had no idea what Edward was thinking, Roy continued, “Therefore, I am offering you an additional two weeks of leave after this mission is complete. Call it my Christmas gift to you and Red Water.”

“…you’re the only officer in the entire military that gives presents that don’t actually cost you anything, you know!”

By that time, Armstrong strode out of the cell, the much younger blond safely cradled in his arms. He glanced down at the nearly-broken Red Water Alchemist, then softly asked, "Were we too late? If I had spent less time planning this operation, then perhaps the worst of these wounds could have been avoided."

"Don't worry." Alphonse softly smiled as he walked to the much taller man, pulling of his thick outer fur and gently tucking it around Russell's frame. "You did what you had to, right? And if Brother says he's going to be fine... then I believe him. And I believe in Russell's strength, too. I, well… Thank you. If Russell is saved, it'll be because of your planning and your defending him all by yourself. Um... you will be all right, won't you? That wound looks like it hurts..."

Armstrong chortled, and the air around him seemed to brighten as his mood did. "It's merely a flesh wound; nothing compared to what Russell Tringham has suffered."

"You keep saying that," Edward softly interrupted, "but if you hadn't been there, then Russell would have died before Al and I could have reached him…"

"...while I hate to interrupt this touching scene," Roy broke in, his words quelling Edward’s response to the inadvertent insult, "we are still in the middle of a Drachman prison, and neither we nor Red Water are safe quite yet. Fullmetal, Alphonse; protect Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong as he brings Russell to the extraction point. Warrant Officer Farman, you and I will stay here and intercept the Drachman reinforcements from the far side of the prison. After Red Water is safely extracted, we'll rendezvous with Lieutenant Havoc, then make our own escape. Understood?"

The hallway rang with energetic variations of "Yes, sir!"

Edward instantly dashed down the hallway, intent on securing the escape for his lover, but Roy's voice arrested him. "Fullmetal!"

The young blond spun around, scowling. "What is it now?"

Roy's face remained absolutely inscrutable for a moment, as he glanced first from Russell's now-clad form to Edward’s face. “I won’t be granting any additional medical leave, so try to avoid getting injured. I’ll expect the both of you back the first day of the new year, understood?”

Silence descended for an instant as Edward pondered that, then he shortly laughed as he dashed off. “Right, and a Merry Christmas to you, too!”

“Ah, Brother!” Alphonse had to dash in order to keep up with his older brother and Armstrong, so he could spare only a moment to pause and call out “Please keep safe, Mr. Roy!” before he disappeared around the next bend.

After a brief pause, Warrant Officer Farman called out a warning. “I can hear them coming, sir; we should get into position.”

“Right.” Roy unconsciously adjusted his pyrotex gloves as his one good eye focused on the hallway, poising his fingers to snap and blast any Drachman reinforcements into oblivion. Here, even his lack of depth perception wasn’t a disadvantage; the hallways were so narrow that he could fill it with flames and incinerate anyone he chose. The amount of casualties would be enormous, if Roy so chose it. That was, of course, assuming that one lucky bullet wouldn’t abruptly end his career and his life. After all, he was standing nearly alone against all of the reinforcements from the far end of the prison; considering the layout, they would have to get by him in order to have a chance of intercepting the others. All of that meant that both sides couldn’t afford to lose, and therefore they’d have to use any means necessary in order to win.

So it was with a sardonic smile that he whispered, “And Fullmetal thinks that his precious vacation time with Red Water isn’t going to cost me anything…”

---

It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and a low buzz of conversation filled the hallways of Central Military Medical Clinic. Those personnel who had been wounded by conflict were being visited by friends and relatives, the spirit of Christmas very much alive and well in the wreaths that decorated each door and the tinsel-shrouded trees that were placed in every open space. More than that, though, it was alive in the sheer joy that filled the warm words exchanged.

It was also very much alive in the room of the Red Water Alchemist. Russell, who had recovered rapidly from his ordeal, rested on a bed; his drowsy eyes drifting from window to blank walls to the small pile of presents that Fletcher and Alphonse had left earlier. The memory of that meeting, of his little brother holding on to him as though they would never again be separated, warmed his heart even when he was all alone again.

Yet he didn’t remain alone for long. A cursory knock on his door announced a visitor, and said visitor quickly invited himself in. As soon as he saw a red jacket and golden hair, a warm smile crossed Russell’s face, and he forced himself into a reclining position. “Edward.”

“Russell.” The older blond was carrying another gift box in his arms, a similar smile on his own face. “How are you holding up? The staff still treating you okay?”

“Yeah, they are. Food’s awful, but Fletcher made something for me earlier, so there’s no problem there. Other than that, it’s been quiet. Except for one time, but that’s all right.”

“No no, tell me.” Edward took a seat next to the bed, and gently asked, “What happened?”

Russell weakly chuckled. “Carolers. They walked up and down the whole hospital at least a million times. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many people singing so off-key in all of my life.”

With a teasing smile, Edward countered, “They must have been really bad, if they sounded worse than you do.”

“Ah, and here I thought you would miss my sweet voice. Let’s see… ‘On the first day of Christmas-‘”

“Don’t you start!” Despite his interruption, though, the smile on his face didn’t diminish in the least. “Besides, I’m not giving you fucking birds for Christmas.”

“Mm… don’t know what I’d do with rings or other people, either… Well then,” he added with mock decorum, “I must insist that you let me see what you’ve picked out.”

Edward nodded and offered the present to his lover, resting the carefully-wrapped package on Russell’s lap. “There; I won’t tell anyone that you didn’t wait until Christmas if you don’t.”

That soft smile on Russell’s face slowly faded, however, as he gazed at the package. “Edward… could you open it for me?”

“…sure. But don’t you want to open it yourself?” Edward’s eyes narrowed in concern as he took up the package and started ripping through the wrapping paper. “Al said that you were a lot better now, so I thought you’d… you know.”

Russell thought about this, then softly whispered, “I didn’t want him or Fletcher to know. And I don’t want you to tell either of them what I’m going to tell you. All right?”

Edward plaintively whispered, “But… nothing should be wrong with you… I rescued you, damn it, there isn’t supposed to be any problems now!”

“…and that’s why I originally didn’t want to tell you. But I have to tell someone.” Russell gazed down at his hands. The marks of his shackles were still clearly visible, having only slightly faded in the short time; both of them knew that the other marks on his body would never really go away. “Promise me that you’ll keep it a secret.”

“I… I promise.”

Russell’s eyes slid shut, and he leaned back against the pillows. “I… the doctors… ran a couple of tests on me. To see what kind of lingering effects there were, I mean. And… they found that…” He had to take a deep breath, the words just not leaving his mouth the way he wanted them to. “…I… the handcuffs… there’s permanent damage to my wrists. I… I can’t actually make a fist or grab anything.”

“…no.” Edward couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he shook his head to emphasize his denial. “No, that’s not possible. You’re strong, you can’t have any fucking ‘permanent injury’!”

The younger blond’s entire body slumped at that, and he weakly protested, “I guess… I’m not as strong as you had thought, then… I’m sorry, Edward.”

At that, Edward put down the present and grabbed one of Russell’s hands with both of his own, urgently whispering, “Don’t apologize, it’s… you aren’t to blame for any of it.” It was the fact that Russell’s fingers didn’t curl or intertwine around his, instead remaining as limp as a corpse’s, that really brought the knowledge crashing down on Edward’s shoulders. “…shouldn’t have waited for Mustang’s damn plan. If I had been there earlier, then-“

“Wouldn’t have mattered. They’d said that this is a long-term injury; I think it probably started after a week or two there.” He shivered violently, his voice getting weaker and weaker. “That was when they started keeping me standing for days at a time, on the tips of my toes so I couldn’t-“

“Don’t.” This time Edward pulled his lover into a warm embrace, silencing both the words and the memories with a soft, gentle kiss. “Don’t think about that, all right? You’re here, and I’m here, and that’s all that matters.”

For a long moment, Russell said nothing. Just being there, in his lovers arms, was worth any amount of residual pain. He rested his head on Edward’s warm shoulder and whispered, “They said… that there might be a way to restore my hands. Some alchemy technique, try to repair the nerves and bones from the inside… they aren’t too optimistic, though.”

“Fuck them. If they can’t find a way, then damn it, I will! Besides, alchemy can rebuild an entire body, your wrists shouldn’t be any problem. Right?”

“Yeah, I know… but it still can’t restore your arm. I guess… we’ll have to wait and see, hm?” Despite the bleakness of his future, a pleased smile crossed Russell’s face. “And I know you’ll find a way if they can’t. Maybe we could go on a journey, just like you did with Alphonse… you and me, going anywhere we want…?”

Edward said nothing in response to that line of reasoning. Instead, he proclaimed, “The doctors’ll find a way to cure you! And then you’ll come back to the unit, and we’ll go right back to what we were doing earlier. You and me, getting paid to fuck around in trains and all around Amestris… doesn’t that sound good?”

“It does… but it’s probably not going to happen.” A wry expression appeared on Russell’s face, and he quietly explained, “They did a psych eval on me a little after that. Right now… it looks like I’m going to be declared emotionally unfit for duty. They have this strange idea that I was traumatized.” That expression became bitter. “Unless I can convince them that I’m not a helpless child, I’ll be honorably discharged. How’d you like that? Your lover gets kicked out of the military, just like that.”

“…first of all, I don’t think that you’re going to be kicked out. I’ll have Roy pull in his favors, and you’ll prove just how stable you are, and soon you’ll be back and ready for more. But if it doesn’t work out… then that means you won’t be a military officer, which means you can’t commit fraternization. And that means…”

“…I can live with you?”

“Right. Hell, I could get myself a research job instead of being on active duty, and I’d never have to leave Central if I didn’t want to. How’d you like that? I might even make you a special research subject; experimenting on you for as long as I want…?”

A faint, almost unnoticeable, blush appeared on Russell’s face at those words. “Don’t tease,” he whispered, a bit out of breath, “I think I’d like having all of your attention…”

“I know you would.” A broad smile crossed the older one’s face as he continued, “And maybe you’d like having me exploring every inch of you, too. Touching you everywhere, making you want more… I think I’d have to tie you down just so I could keep teasing you.”

Russell’s reaction was far, far different than what Edward had expected. Instead of liking the thought, he weakly tried to push Edward away; instead of encouraging him to continue, Russell whispered, “No. I don’t want anything like that. Never again.” The younger man was shivering… but for a vastly different reason than what Edward wanted.

“…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said something like that. I… well… you’ll be the one in control, all right. Always. If you ever want to stop, or slow down, or whatever, just let me know and I will.”

After a moment to regain his composure, Russell nodded, ever so slightly. “I will. Let’s just… take it slow. It’s Christmas Eve, we shouldn’t be thinking about something like that anyway. We should talk about… presents. Especially the one you brought me.”

“Ah, right.” Edward pulled back from Russell, then retrieved the parcel from where it had fallen off of Russell’s lap. “Here; thought you might get cold without me around, so…” He opened up the present’s box for Russell, revealing a red coat emblazoned with a black flamel and sized just right for Russell’s long, lean frame.

A look of wonder and amusement crossed Russell’s face as he gazed at the gift. Though he couldn’t grab it with his fingers, he gathered the coat into his arms and let it rest on his shoulder. “It does get kind of cold here. I… thanks. It’ll keep me warm, give me something to look at… and it’ll remind me of you whenever I need it.” With a teasing smirk, he added, “Someday… I’m going to borrow more of your wardrobe, too. Imagine it… me, wearing this and tight leather pants and nothing else, ready and waiting for you…”

“And I thought you were the one who said not to tease.” Edward chuckled, then leaned over to his lover. “But I kind of like that thought; you need to get better so I can make up for all of the time we’ve lost. I’ll be very thorough, too.” His lips just barely not touching Russell’s, he heatedly added, “I’ll make up for everything you’ve been through…”

“Don’t. Just… stay here, and be you; that’s what I want.” With that, Russell mustered up the strength to close that gap, pressing his lips against his lovers. Though he barely had enough strength to stay up, he managed to make the kiss warm and close and possessive; as though the experience had only sharpened his desire, not lessened it. He briefly traced the line of Edward’s lips, reacquainting himself with what he had missed for so long… but his body finally gave out, and he sank back to the bed.

But Edward sank down with him; wrapping his strong arms around his lover’s thin body and pressing into the kiss, he made it last all the way down. Soon Russell was reclined against the pillows, and Edward took the initiative; touching and kissing the younger man, making up for Russell’s weakness with his own strength… and not parting until he was too light-headed and out of breath to continue.

When he looked down, he saw a pleased smile on Russell’s face, the strength of his blush rivaling the color of the coat on his shoulder. After regaining his breath, Edward claimed another kiss; this one slow and gentle, just a light pressure to soothe the sensitive skin. “Merry Christmas,” he whispered as he broke the kiss, “I just want you to know that I don’t care what happened to you, all right? No matter what they did… it’s over now. And I’m not going to stop until you’re back to your normal, healthy self.”

“I know you won’t. And I couldn’t ask for anything more from you.” Russell’s eyes slowly slid shut, his voice regretful now. “But I don’t know if I can live up to that kind of love… I can’t even get you a Christmas present, much less promise that I’ll recover for you.”

“You will. And as for the present… I don’t care about that, either. You’re here, and you’re you, that’s all I could ask for.” Edward rested his head on Russell’s shoulder, making sure to stay at his lover’s side so that there wouldn’t be any straining. “I’m… going to stay here until they kick me out, if you’ll let me. I just… missed you so much.”

“I did, too. And stay as long as you want; but I should warn you that if you stay too long, I’m going to subject you to my best.” He forced another smirk onto his face. “Those carolers gave me some new ideas to use, too.”

“…do your worst,” Edward answered with a smile, settling in and making himself comfortable. “Right now, it’s you and me; just the way we like it.”

Russell laughed softly, then cleared his throat. Though his body was wracked with pain and he was fighting off exhaustion, though his future was uncertain and it was likely that he would never again be the man he was… his voice was still strong.

“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…”