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“I can’t believe you’re making me do this. I don’t see why I need them!” Ed’s hood was covering his golden cat ears, but his tail was flicking in annoyance.
“Unless you want the process to start again, you need the shots.” Ed didn’t need to look at the man’s face to know that he was smirking. “But maybe it’ll do you some good.”
“Bite me.”
The dog turned towards the cat sitting by him, “Don’t tempt me kid.”
“Oh I will .” He gave the man a shit eating smirk.
“You are so glad that you have your hood up.”
Ed felt his counterpart shiver at the statement. Please no. Ed pulled his hood down and started petting behind the cat’s ears.
“You seem to be getting along with your counterpart.”
“Might as well, the little guy isn’t that bad.” He felt the slight rumble from his chest, and smiled at the feeling. Any normal human would probably start freaking out at the feeling, but Ed didn’t mind it anymore; it felt nice.
“Well that’s always good.” The man’s voice sounded indifferent, but Ed could tell he was happy for him.
“I mostly did it so every time I do something vaguely cat like, I won’t lose control.” It was still a problem, but it wasn’t that bad.
“Whatever makes you two get along.”
“Shouldn’t I be doing this to understand it and I don’t know.. except myself.” He put the last bit in quotations.
“Yes, but dealing with it is the first step for you I guess.” He parked the car, and pulled the keys out.
Looking out the window Ed almost hissed at what he saw, “This is a veterinarian office.”
“They also treat Presenters.”
“Bastard if this is some kind of joke, I will take ten years off of your already long life.”
He made a small growling noise, “I wouldn’t drive you out here if it was a joke. There’s not many hospitals that will treat Presenters, so we have to get things like shots from vets.”
“That’s not very inclusive..” His ears folded back, slightly angry at the idea of that.
“Most doctors won’t go to school longer than necessary. Plus you need a heavy understanding of how we work.”
“Why’s that?”
“Basically because of our genetic mutation, we can be affected by things our counterparts can, but it really depends on how much we got from the transformation. Hughes has trouble sleeping at night because he is a nocturnal animal. I can only have a little bit of stuff like chocolate before I feel physically sick.”
“Does that mean if I drink milk I could get heartworms?”
“What, no. Cats don’t get worms from milk, and you don’t drink it anyway. You’re on the same boat as me, you shouldn’t be eating things like chocolate. It could actually kill you.”
“WHAT!” He didn’t eat it often anyway but he still likes it.
“Hey, I don’t know if it will, but you shouldn’t take that risk.”
“Must you ruin everything !?”
He made a hand motion that said to get out, “That’s part of my job.”
Opening the door he felt his ears flatting on his head, trying to blend in with his hair. He hooked his finger under them trying to lift them back up.
“You alright?”
“Yeah, it’s kind of subconscious, my ears won't stay up.”
The raven haired man walked over and put a hand on his head, almost making Ed swipe at him, but then he started rubbing at his ears. And Ed decided to tolerate it, he may dislike the man, but he wasn’t one to pass up free ear rubs. They also felt different coming from someone else.
The man didn’t comment on the fact that worked , he just went back to making his way to the building, and Ed followed suit.
Walking into the building Ed’s eyes locked onto a fish tank. They probably had it for small children to look at as their lifetime friend gets checked out, but both sides of him just saw moving snacks.
He could stop himself from walking up to it, and putting his hands on the glass; watching as the fish swim around. Not only were they going to be tasty, but they were also entertaining! He started slightly tapping at the glass. It was such a simple thing, but the fish were fun to watch. He didn’t even care that the dog was laughing at him, he had new prey!
“Look mommy, he’s like Jack!”
His fun was short-lived as he heard a sound of disgust, and looked over to see a woman covering her son’s eyes.
“Excuse me, could you cover up your..” She paused looking for the word, “Extra bits.”
Extra what..?
Don’t ask me. “No?” He really didn’t want to. He felt his ears flatten in his head, his tail stopped swaying with playfulness, going limp and almost hitting the floor. “Why should I?”
If looks could kill, then Ed would be dead ten times over. “It’s unnatural, and you shouldn’t be showing children that! It could influence them!”
That’s not how science works, right?
Yeah, she’s completely wrong. “Miss, that’s not how-“
“Alright Fullmetal, I think you're settled in. Did you steal any fish?”
“No..”
He eyed the kid for a second, before ruffling his hair, “Alright then.”
Ed swears to every god he doesn’t believe in, he will hurt Mustang if he keeps doing that. It not only messed up his hair, but his ear fur as well! So they were ready to kill! He bared his teeth at the older.
That got a chuckle out of the man,”Oh no, an overgrown cat,” he sat down in one of the chairs, “What ever will I do?”
He felt his eyes slitting, but he sat down by him anyway; his tail flicking back and forth.
Meanie.
Ed laughed at the childish insult. That was the best part of having a Presented side, he never was truly alone. Even if there wasn’t anyone else around, he still had a kitten in his head. “I would like to give you a message.”
“Alright.”
His meow caught most of the waiting room off guard, but no one's reaction could compare to the mean lady’s. Her face shifted to one of horror, and she covered her son’s ears.
The Colonel took a second before laughing. His ears started drawing back a bit, and once again ruffling his hair. “You’re something else aren’t you?”
“I am taking that as a compliment.” Ed started to straighten out his ears again, letting his purrs rise in volume. Not letting the feeling of hatred filled eyes ruin this moment of peace. Before he had to straighten his fur up because he hid them, now it was just because he moved around a lot. It became routine, he always did his ears when he brushed his hair.
That was the other thing about his fur, it was actually changing his hair a bit. It wasn’t that noticeable, but white and lighter blonde streaks mixed into his hair; making his ears, tail, and hair match.
“Edward Elric.”
His ears perked up at the sound of his name; knowing what was about to happen. They were going to give him shots, and then he’ll die! Well that last bit was a little dramatic, but that’s what it feels like! He felt the older man grab his sleeve and pull him up toward the back offices.
“Hey Colonel, let's think about this for a second! Do I really need those shots?” He dug his feet into the ground.
“Yes Fullmetal, you need them. Do you want to develop other cat-like things?”
“Sure why not!?”
“Edward.” His tone was one of warning.
But Ed didn’t want to back down, “I won’t destroy another building for the rest of my life; just please don’t take me back there!”
The man sighed, “You should be doing that anyways, but no; you need them and you’ll feel good.”
“I feel fine.”
Roy stopped, lifted up the arm he was holding, and gently pressed the tips of his fingers.
That action caused Ed to hiss, and try to get his arm out of the man’s hold. His mouth also was hurting, especially his canine teeth.
The man kept walking along and shared greetings with the doctor. But Ed started his plan to burn the building down, change his hair, and be renamed Johnny Wilker!
What’s so bad about shots? The voice was kind of quiet.
Nothing too bad, I just don’t like getting them.
How about I front? That way you won’t have to deal with them..
I can’t ask that from you. He felt the cat worming his way to the surface.
Really I insisted. I can take it! Besides, it’s kind of my job to protect you.
Ed couldn’t stop the kitten from taking his spot; hoping that the little guy won’t cause too much trouble.
.
Roy thought Ed fell down as a last ditch effort to avoid the shots, but instead it was because the kitten is still not used to walking around as a human.
The kitten looked around, his pupils slitting slightly. “W-why are the lights so bright?”
“Hospitals are usually like that.” He grabbed his hands and helped him up.
“Thank y-you.” Oh the stutter, that Truth forsaken stutter.
Roy nods, and holds onto his hand as they catch up to the doctor. Walking in the office he helped Ed onto the examination table.
“Alright Edward, I heard you're here for some shots?”
The kitten’s head tilted to the left, “Didn't Mustang tell you that?”
He couldn’t help the snicker from coming out, “Ed it’s a rhetorical question..”
The words proceeded through, and Ed’s face went red. “Oh..”
The doctor laughed, “It’s quite alright.” The man pulled out a needle, “How old are the both of you?”
Ed looked as white as a sheet, his ears pressed against his head, his tail flicking, a low warning noise escaping his chest. “Thirteen..”
“Both of you?”
Ed shook his head, once again that low warning sound coming out; only this time it was a little louder.
“Edward stop, he’s not going to hurt you.”
“But..”
Roy pulled Ed to his chest, “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. This will make you feel better, I promise it’s not what you think it is.” He looked over to see the doctor pull out a different needle, and slowly creeped up behind the kitten. “What’s so scary about a bit of metal?” Roy felt claws lach into his jacket.
“It h-hurt my insides and I died. They pricked my neck.”
Can you handle this? I really don’t understand what it’s like. Roy backed off a bit letting the dog take the lead for this one.
“Sounds awful. Humans really don’t get how much damage a little bit of metal can do.” He watched silently as the doctor krept a little closer, and he felt bad. Every part of him wanted to growl at the guy, but he wasn’t allowed to. He held on tight when the terrified ‘yowl’ filled the small room with noise. “It’s okay, everything will be okay.”
“Alright, that will calm you down, because I need you completely calm for this next one.”
“Why did you let him do that?” The stutter was gone, so the drug must already be working.
“It’ll make you feel better kitten, trust me if it was going to really hurt you, I would put a stop to it.” He licked at the golden locks, hoping that it would make the little one feel better. He felt bad, so so bad. He wasn’t supposed to be bad, if he was he was going to be… He licked the kitten again.
He’s just a little upset, it's fine. We both know it’ll make Fullmetal feel better.
It’s true, it really was, but he just couldn’t get it through his head. Almost like a bullet.. They trust us, I don’t wanna break it.
A few little shots won’t break that.
“Colonel, could you put Ed on his back?”
He detached Ed from his spot on his shoulder, turned him around and slowly slid him down. He smiled when he felt a flesh hand tap at his face, golden eyes too lost in a fog to know what’s going on, but seemed pretty alright with it. Rubbing the dandelion ears, Roy smiled at the soft purrs radiating off of the kitten.
“Seems like his glottis is pretty healthy.” The doctor smiled at the kitten’s playful behavior, writing something down, he lifted up Ed’s shirt.
That caused a clawed hand to swipe at the man, that low sound of warning coming back at full force.
“Instincts seem to be working well, he hasn’t gone too far into development, and he’s developed claws.” The doctor was probably telling Roy this just so he could know, but it was strange. “Alright Colonel if you could lean him against you, then I can check a few more things and we can give Ed his final shot.”
He did as he was told and propped Ed up, his head leaning into his shoulder. “We’re almost done kitten.”
“I’m sleepy.” The meow was quite, probably not meant to be heard by anyone.
“You can sleep on the way back.”
The man looked into the fluffy ears, “There seems to be a little damage, it’ll go away, but do you know where it could have come from?”
Roy felt anger at the thought of what happened, “Incident with a dog whistle, happened a while back.”
“Alright. Ed can you open your mouth?”
Ed did as he was told, revealing his slightly sand papered tongue and sharp canine teeth.
“Alright before I give him his last shot I have to ask this by law. If Ed is getting this shot he needs to be under adult supervision for at least 24 hours.” He picked up the needle, “Remember that this won’t take away his instincts, but stop new attributes from showing up.” He turned over to the pair, “I have to ask this, but what do you plan on doing after I give him his shot?”
“He’s going back to his dorm, where he will sleep off the medication and where I can keep an eye on him.”
“Are you going to get his characteristics removed after I give him this?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Do you have plans to do that at all? Because if you do, you can get it done here.” The doctor kept his voice professional, but there was a hint of sadness.
“No, we are not removing any characteristics.”
With that the needle was stuck into Ed’s arm, and the medicine went in; locking the process up. Ed couldn’t develop anymore characteristics.
He could stop hurting.
“It was a pleasure meeting you two, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” The doctor gave the kitten a small pet and was out the door.
“Well Fullmetal, you did it. Now I won’t have to worry about you harboring cats while you’re away.”
“Alphonse would do that.” His face was pressed into his shoulder, ears laying down, almost like they were too heavy to keep up. “Do people really do that, get rid of their characteristics?” The question was a small meow, like the kid was whispering a secret, almost like if he spoke louder it would be true.
“Sometimes.”
“Sounds awful. I don’t know what I would do without my tail or ears..”
“Most people like that are deft, because they lose their ears. The old ones don’t work.” He starts petting the kid, feeling his distress. “Nothing you should worry about.”
“Would we disappear? If they fix themselves do their counterparts go away?”
Roy thought about it for a second, he really didn’t know. Neither of them did. “I don’t think they ‘fix’ themselves, they really just hide the fact they presented.” Running a finger over the soft ears, he gave a small lick on his forehead, “I don’t think their counterpart would be happy about it.” He felt a small lick on his neck.
The man walked back in, papers in hand, “Alright, you two are ready to go.”
“Thank you,” He folded up the papers and stuck it in Ed’s pocket, then proceeded to pick up the small child.
“Um.. Colonel?” The way he held himself was completely different from the way he was not even a second ago, “Would you get rid of them? If it was in a life or death situation?”
The question drew him aback, both parts of him actually running it through his head. Would he actually cut his or Fullmetal‘s ears off? Or the kitten’s tail? “No, I wouldn’t. I don’t care what the situation is, I’m not putting myself and especially not Edward through unnecessary pain.” He felt Ed relax against him, probably tired from this long day. “There’s always a way around doing that.”
“You’re pretty protective towards him.”
“Most Presenters are to the younger ones.” It was just a fact, any Presenter with a younger counterpart around them will be more protective. But that wasn’t it, Roy was protective of Ed before he presented. “May I ask why you’re asking this?”
“I was just curious is all.”
“Alright..” Roy walked into the hallway, and he swears that he heard a slight whimper as he left. But he didn’t have time to think about it, and just walked out of there.
Opening the car door, he gently puts Ed down, and once the kid was secured he buckled him in. Walking to his side he looked over at the sleeping kitten, the soft breathing, the small smile, the way his ears were twitching, it just made Roy smile.
It was a collective feeling, he really couldn’t tell which part of him was happy about this, and honestly, he didn’t care.