Day 71: Sun Room

[lighthearted]

For the first time in a long time, Sora woke up in a comfortable bed outfitted with sheets and pillows. It wasn't like the Landel's standard beds were even that nice, but after sleeping in various places in Farwell (generally not in anything bed-like), it was definitely a change.

Sora's eyes opened slowly -- blinking once, twice, and then taking in the white ceiling above him. Of course, he'd expected this. He'd asked for it, even. Now that he was back in the institute, though, he had to admit that he felt his stomach churn with the knowledge that he'd been caught once again, even if it was by choice.

That feeling was what got him up out of bed, but as he stood up he heard something fall to the ground. Right, it was that bone bracelet that the skeleton had given them! He'd said that it would take them right back to that underground lake area, which meant that Sora would be able to return to Farwell pretty easily. The question was, would he be able to take someone with him?

For now, though, he was really only focused on one thing, and that was getting back to his friends. Speaking of which, one such friend was laying in the bed opposite his. "Link," Sora said quietly, but he knew that he probably wouldn't be able to wake up his roommate. He'd just have to catch him later on in the day.

Instead, Sora quickly hid the bracelet, making a face as he was reminded of where the materials for it had probably come from. There wasn't much he could do about that, though.

A nurse stepped into the room and sent him a bright smile. "Matthew!" she greeted, as if he had never been gone. "Where would you like to go this morning, the chapel or the Sun Room?"

Sora needed to get to the bulletin board first and foremost, so the answer to that question was easy. The trip from his room to the Sun Room was one that he still remembered in perfect detail, but it was weird having to fall right back into this routine when he'd had a break from it for a few days.

Once there, Sora moved over to the bulletin, grabbing for a pen as he started to draft up a note. He was really looking forward to seeing all of his friends again, so it was too bad that none of them were here yet...

[For Tsurugi.]

Comments

[fullmetalheart]

"Yeah," Ed said, leaning against him again and petting the cat.

[armoredsoul]

The cat purred and leaned into Ed's hand, and Al's smile widened. "...could be worse, though."

[fullmetalheart]

"Yeah. It could be just one of us here alone."

[armoredsoul]

Al grimaces at the thought. "Yeah. I'm not sure I could deal with that."

[fullmetalheart]

"I don't think I could either," Ed said softly. "Not with not knowing what was happening to you, given when we were pulled from."

[armoredsoul]

Al nodded, leaning against Ed. "...I think we got lucky, given all of that. Who knows what the homunculii would have done with me."

[fullmetalheart]

Ed swallowed hard. "Yeah. And they'd probably have a sedative iv drip in me or something."

'They' being the nurses, obviously.

[armoredsoul]

Al can't help a weak laugh at that. "And you think I'd be doing any better if it were me stuck here alone?"

[fullmetalheart]

Ed also laughs a little. "Not really."

[armoredsoul]

Al sighed, closing his eyes and still petting the cat. "...I wonder if Scar and Lust even could come back home. Nevermind that there are plenty of reasons they wouldn't want to..."

[fullmetalheart]

"I have no idea," Ed admitted. "And even if they could, Scar's still gonna have problems."

[armoredsoul]

"No kidding." Al frowned. "The tattoo is gone, but he's still got the scar on his face. Even with him being listed dead, I don't think he could make a new life."

[fullmetalheart]

"Yeah." Ed tilts his head to let it rest against Al's. "Maybe we can all go somewhere else, keeping in touch with those we want to still talk to."

Mostly meaning Winry and Pinako.

[armoredsoul]

"Maybe, once we make sure the homunculii and whoever else can't keep messing with people."

[fullmetalheart]

"Well, obviously," Ed replied. "And dump the keeping an eye on things after on the Colonel. Lazy bastard could use something keeping him busy."

[armoredsoul]

Al laughed. "Getting back at him for sending us on missions at the drop of a hat?"

[fullmetalheart]

Ed laughs. "You know it."

[armoredsoul]

"You really know how to hold a grudge, you know that?"

[fullmetalheart]

Ed blinked a bit. "Are you just now noticing, or restating for the record?"

[armoredsoul]

Al just laughed and reached up to scrub at his brother's hair. "Just checking to see if you were self-aware enough to know!"

[fullmetalheart]

Ed yelped and flailed at his brother, startling the cat and making it shoot off.

[armoredsoul]

Al felt a little bad for startling the cat like that, but he was a bit busy fending off his brother's retaliation to do much about it. He flopped back out of Ed's reach, grinning impishly.

[fullmetalheart]

Ed slumped back against the couch with an annoyed grumble after catching his nurse's disapproving stare.

[armoredsoul]

Al stuck his tongue out at the nurse, then sat up again. He noticed a folded bit of paper under his note on the bulletin board and grinned, standing to go check it out. "I'll be back in a second, Brother."

[fullmetalheart]

"All right," Ed said, taking the chance to hog the couch.