Absolution of Sin - Chapter Five

[carnation]

Title: Absolution of Sin
Chapter: Five
Pairing: Roy/Wrath
Rating: R/NC-17
Warnings: None yet

Here we are, an update for this story as well today!

bloody: I hope this helps cheer you up some.

 

Chapter Five

There was a vow I had you make, just a few days after we first made love. And to this day, you’ve kept your promise. Even though you didn’t quite understand why I requested this of you. Because in all truth, you were very careful about not disturbing me. My reasons for asking this of you obviously changed over the years. But that’s beside the point.

But that next day, that is what set it off. You and your damn cleaning spree.

And damn that child-proof thermos. If I ever find it, I am storing all the lube in it and sacrificing a night of pleasure for my own amusement.

Stop snooping in my journal.

X

Roy walked into Wrath’s room early the next morning. He was armed with a mop, and a bucket filled with cleaners, towels, and sponges. He had finished cleaning the rest of the upstairs yesterday, namely his own room and adjoining bath, the extra bathroom, and the hallway. After he’d stitched Wrath back up he’d had plenty of time to clean. Especially considering the fact that halfway through Wrath had passed out cold.

He wasn’t sure if the teenager had woken up anytime afterwards, but from the looks of things, he hadn’t.

Wrath was still lying face down on the bed, chest rising and falling slowly in sleep.

“I bet that’s the last time you rip out stitches.” Roy mumbled under his breath as he set the bucket down and then propped the mop up against the wall. He left the room only to grab the bucket of soapy water for the mop, and when he returned Wrath hadn’t moved.

This room was the last that needed a thorough cleaning, and while he’d have loved to have put it off until Wrath was able to do it himself, he couldn’t risk those wounds becoming infected. After all, this house hadn’t been lived in for quite some time, and the layer of dust told the tale.

“I miss the snow and ice.” He sighed and grabbed the mop to dunk it in the soapy water. Squeezing out the excess he began to mop the floor. He knew it was rather the opposite way one should work when cleaning, however he wanted it cleaned first. A bit of dust on it later wouldn’t hurt. But if Wrath tried to walk again and fell down, well, he didn’t want the floor to still be covered in dust and whatever else.

So he emulated that old phrase, and put his back into it.

Once the floor had been mopped to his satisfaction, Roy left with both mop and the bucket of soapy water. Dumping the soiled water outside he tipped the bucket upside down to dry and propped the mop up against the side of the house to do similarly.

When he returned Wrath was still asleep, and Roy was beginning to wonder if homunculi hibernated. He should publish a research study on this if the homunculus in question slept much longer.

Shrugging, he didn’t have to look around to see that the wood in the room had since lost its varnishing. He’d have to fix that, but that was for a later project. Home cosmetic repairs like that could be done when Wrath was able to help him. He was not about to re-varnish all the wood in the house on his own. So he grabbed up the bottle of wood polish and gave it a shake to mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and water together again. Then spraying some on one of the cloths he began to wipe down the wood, being sure the oil distributed evenly.

Wrath slept through the entirety of that.

Roy cast him a bemused look. Surely even a teenager couldn’t sleep this long, even if said teen was supposed to be recovering from a serious injury. He just might have to start publishing that theory that homunculi hibernated.

Deciding to save the walls for last, Roy grabbed the bottle of glass cleaner and stepped over to the windows. “If this doesn’t wake him up, there’s something wrong with him.” Roy’s tone was amused as he began to spray the water and white vinegar mixture onto the window panes.

Personally, he hated the smell of vinegar in all forms. But in small quantities it worked wonders on windows, so who was he to complain? His windows were filthy.

Wrath stirred in his sleep, his nose wrinkling as he smelled something terribly foul. And suddenly all dreams flew out the metaphorical window as he shoved his eyes open and gagged. “What the – eugh!”

Roy chuckled to himself and continued cleaning the panes. “Good morning, I see you’ve finally decided to join the world of the conscious.”

“What the fuck is that smell?!” Wrath complained as his stomach rolled unpleasantly.

“White vinegar.” Roy replied blandly, and now shoved the windows open so the room could air.

Wrath turned himself over onto his side so he could face his trusted tormentor. “And why are you spraying that nasty shit in the room?”

Roy shook the bottle at him. “It cleans the windows. And trust me, they needed it.”

“You couldn’t have waited until I was awake? Or better yet, not in the room?” Wrath choked on the air as he pushed himself up into a seated position there on the bed. He had clamped one hand over his nose and mouth, not that it was doing much good.

“Nope.” Roy said, and crossed the room to put the bottle and corresponding cotton cloth aside. “Not my fault you were still asleep. You’ve been asleep over fifteen hours now. That’s more than half a day, you needed to wake up.”

Wrath scowled, and grabbed one of the pillows on the bed to hug it to him one-handedly. “I believe you’ll find that our definitions of what I need do not coincide.”

“How are you feeling?” Roy asked conversationally as he rummaged around to find the baking soda and a sponge.

“Like I want to hurl.” Was the honest reply. “Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to cause you more cleaning work, I am suffering of an empty stomach. Must you seriously continue? Go away so I can sleep and let my stomach settle.”

But whatever he was expecting Roy to do, it was not at all what the man did.

Roy abandoned his search for the sponge, having located the baking soda. Standing up sharply he walked over to the bed and swatting away Wrath’s hand that moved to stop him, he placed the back of his ungloved hand on the young teenager’s forehead. “You feel a bit warm. No wonder you want to sleep so much. Your body is spiking up the temperature to try and heal you.”

“I have a fever?” Wrath frowned in his confusion. What was Roy up to? The man almost could pass as concerned, but there was that little factor of Roy not trusting him.

Roy drew his hand away only to place it along Wrath’s neck in order to feel his pulse. “I wouldn’t call it a fever, but your temperature isn’t normal.”

Wrath snorted, “it isn’t a fever. I wouldn’t get one, I’m not human like that.”

“Well,” Roy continued to mentally count with ease, even while focusing on their conversation, “I doubt that if I feed you frozen red gelatin in the shape of small rocks, that it will qualify as a red stone.” He said nothing about Winry’s theory that the absence of red stones in Wrath’s body was slowly making him mortal. That wasn’t something he felt he should broach with Wrath now, if ever. But by what he’d already observed, the woman might very well be correct. “But it will help your body temperature, and give you something easy on your stomach.”

Wrath shuddered. “I don’t like gelatin.”

Roy drew his hand away. “I’ll bring you water then. What would you like to eat? Nothing too rich.”

“I want–” and Wrath paused uncomfortably, but readied himself for the ridicule, “another fruit smoothie. It was very good before.”

Roy suddenly knew all about why Wrath looked uncertain, and it took a gallant effort not to smirk. The teen was almost endearing like that. And he stood up to pat Wrath on the head much like he might pat a dog. “I’ll be back soon then. Don’t fall back asleep.”

Wrath gaped at the man as Roy vanished out the bedroom door. Just like that? No teasing? No arguing? First Roy could almost pass as concerned, and then the man was being civil? “Maybe Winry was right…” he mused, as impossible as it seemed. But he’d continuously been exercising faith in Roy, trusting him with his safety, and he hadn’t been disobeying recently. And it was like Winry had said, he was definitely amazed and more than a bit perplexed at how Roy responded. “But he still doesn’t trust me.” And Wrath hugged the pillow closer to himself.

Roy was busy humming to himself in his amusement as he finished making Wrath’s breakfast. He wasn’t exactly worried that this time they’d have any issues with the drink being thrown at him. Even if he did still intend to stay in there and do more cleaning, which was clearly against Wrath’s wishes. So as the blender went about its task he pulled down a thermos, and stretched as tall as he could to locate the lid he was looking for.

He found it, and eyed it with a smirk before setting it on the counter and switching the blender off. Pouring the smoothie into the thermos he set the blender aside before shaking the thermos itself to get the mixture to settle. It allowed him to get the lid on easier.

And he fastened the lid on with smirk renewed.

Then, humming to himself a cheery tune, he grabbed a glass of water as well as the thermos and turned to head back to where his patient awaited.

“Here we are.” Roy announced as he walked back in the room. He walked over to set the glass of water on the bedside table, the thermos he passed to Wrath who’d been watching it eagerly.

Wrath took it, and the eagerness faded a bit from his face as he looked at the lid. “What’s this? I don’t need a lid. Where’s the straw?”

Roy hid a chuckle behind a hand as Wrath began to try and pry the lid off. “That’s something I used to put on Elysia’s drinks. Nice and childproof.”

“What?!” Wrath gaped at him, offended. “I’m not a child!”

Roy arched an eyebrow. “Really.” He shrugged, his smirk returning, “it’s got that little sippy-cup thing. A bit the same as a straw, you just have to tip it upside down and suck. None will come out otherwise. So no more messes for you to make with it. I blended it thin enough.”

Wrath wasn’t sure he could gape any more than he already was. And he felt a petulant wave of anger rise up within him. “You gave me a sippy-cup lid?!” All of a sudden he was trying to wrench it off any way possible.

Roy looked on, trying to keep his laughter hidden, but still smirking. “Yeah. I did.” And not bothering with any more explanation of it, went back over to grab that baking soda and resume trying to find that sponge.

Wrath growled in frustration, curses spilling from his lips as he tried fruitlessly to get the lid off. “Did you glue it down?! I’m not a child, I should know how to open childproof things!”

Shaking in silent laughter, Roy found his sponge. “It’s going to get all nasty. Drink up.”

Wrath ignored that, and tried every trick he could think of. Push down and twist. Find secret catches. Find instructions or little arrows. Anything! “Damn thing.” He snarled as he wrestled with the lid.

Roy was busy cleaning the walls of stains as he listened to Wrath’s activities with an amused grin. He was rather pleased with himself to say the least. And at least this was giving Wrath some exercise. But he knew the homunculus wouldn’t win against the sippy-cup lid.

When he ran completely out of ideas, Wrath took to glaring at Roy’s back. That lasted for only about two minutes before hunger got the best of him. Growling to himself about the injustice of this and the humiliation, he put the opening to his lips and tilted the thermos back so he could begin sucking out the small amounts of liquid one by one. He felt like a stupid calf suckling for milk, and his dark aura showed his unhappiness about it.

Roy glanced back when he heard the streams of under-the-breath curses stop, and smiled as he saw Wrath had given in. Though it was clear that the teenager was not at all pleased about it. Yet hunger had won out, and Wrath was sucking for all he was worth trying to get food. Turning away, still smiling, Roy put his attention into his cleaning.

It was a dull clunk almost half an hour and three walls later that made Roy turn.

Wrath had dropped the thermos onto the floor, and was glaring at it. Though his glare seemed to have lost intensity.

“Are you still hungry?” Roy asked kindly as he looked on.

Wrath shook his head. “I didn’t mean to drop it. It slipped out of my hand.” He muttered as if embarrassed, and looked up to meet Roy’s eyes.

Roy nodded and abandoned what he was doing to cross the short space between them and pick up the thermos. He set it on the bedside table before easing himself gently onto the edge of the bed and taking the water glass in hand. “Drink this too. Just a little bit if you must, but you need some water as well.”

Wrath accepted the glass, trying not to feel churlish. “I wouldn’t have thrown that one at you.” He said, nodding to the thermos before taking a small sip of the water.

“I won’t put it on again if you continue to behave while you’re eating and drinking.” Roy informed him with a serious look. “I don’t want to have to treat you as a child. But what you give, you get back. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Wrath mumbled, staring down at his hands.

“What?” Roy prompted.

Wrath looked up to scowl at him. “Yes. I understand. But I won’t apologize for throwing the one I did at you.”

Roy smiled faintly and stood up from the bed. “I never plan to ask you to.” He replied, and walked back to where he’d abandoned his cleaning materials.

“Must you keep cleaning? The room looks fine. And now it smells terrible in here.” Wrath complained as he eased down a bit more into his bed.

“Yes, I must.” Roy informed him without apology. “I’m nearly done, if that makes your delicate nose feel any better. And then I need to check the wound on your leg. I gauzed it up last night after you passed out, I want to see how it looks.”

Wrath shifted uncomfortably in the bed. “I didn’t pass out.”

Roy smiled as he resumed his cleaning activities. “No, of course not.”

Wrath sighed, and figured he’d at least watch the man. So he did, he watched until Roy had finished and took the bucket out with him to do as he would. The room still smelled a bit of vinegar, but really it had aired out by now. The open windows and the baking soda he’d been using had done marvelously at soaking up any odors.

When Roy reentered the room he automatically scooted down all the way in the bed so he was lying on his back before flipping onto his stomach.

Roy sat carefully on the edge of it. “I’m going to pull the blanket up from that leg.” He warned ahead of time, not wanting to do anything that Wrath might deem improper. There was just a certain etiquette for dealing with someone who was in a bed and not there as one of his one-night stands.

Wrath relaxed, but turned his head to the side so he could watch Roy. “Go ahead.”

Drawing the blanket away from that leg, Roy left it covering the rest of Wrath’s body. His hands immediately began undoing the gauze as gently as he was able until it was all rolled up in his hands and away from the wound. “Fortunate. As long as you don’t jump into my arms before I tell you you can start trying to exercise it again, we should be all good.”

“I’m so glad you added that last part.” Wrath snorted. “As I have no intention of jumping into your arms even if you ask me to.”

Roy smiled, far from offended. “Be nice.” He chided and leaned forward to inspect it more. The wound was definitely healing. And at a normal rate… for a mortal. No, he didn’t think he’d share Winry’s theory with Wrath. But he was beginning to seriously wonder just how immortal Wrath still was.

“That was the nice way of putting it.”

“Be still my heart.” Roy muttered under his breath, and began to gently feel around the wound, checking for heat.

“Tender!” Wrath sing-songed out at one point.

“It’s supposed to be tender.” Roy pointed out, as if this should be obvious. “You nearly sliced your leg off. So take the tenderness like a man. You could be in excruciating pain, you’re fortunate.”

Wrath harrumphed, but didn’t complain about it again the rest of the time Roy spent examining the wound. And when the man was done, and rewrapping the wound in fresh gauze, he finally spoke again. “You know, Winry missed you when you were gone all those years.”

“Did she.” Roy continued his redressing of the wound.

“So did Al.” Wrath continued. “Why’d you never contact them?”

Roy glanced up towards him briefly. “Pride didn’t just leave physical scars on me, Wrath.” And he secured the wrappings. “It was for the best that I was secluded until I recovered.”

Wrath frowned, his interest stirring. “And are you recovered now? From what?”

“From what isn’t important.” Roy told him and covered Wrath’s leg with the blanket again. “Not anymore. As for if I recovered… yes. I like to think so.” And he stood up. “Finish the water.”

Wrath pushed himself up on his automail elbow as he saw Roy head for the door. “Wait, you’re… leaving?”

Roy turned back at the doorway, one hand resting on the door he was about to close. “I’ll be back up to check on you and give you lunch. Rest. I put a book in the drawer of that bedside table for you last night.”

And then he was gone.

Wrath blinked after him, and let himself flop back down face first. A long sigh fled his lips before he eased himself into a seated position and found the book Roy had mentioned. Settling it on his lap he began to read, thankful to finally have something to do.