Can you feel the love tonight?
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA
Alright guys. This entire story was inspired by the song "Can you feel the love tonight?" from the lion king.
Riza and Hughes sat together in the office, listening passively to the two yelling at each other once again. Roy and Edward had a habit of yelling at each other, and ever since Alphonse had left it had only gotten worse. Alphonse went back to Resembool and Edward was 19 now.
Of course, they were arguing about something Roy was trying to do because once again, they had different opinions. Roy was trying to get Edward out of a draft. Being older than 18, he was eligible. Of course, being part of the military already made him eligible. It was bound to come up sooner or later, and sure enough, it was sooner.
Not that the blond boy seemed to care. Riza could tell just how much Roy cared for Edward's safety, but Ed didn't want to be 'babied'.
"I can handle myself!"
"Will you shut up and listen to me for once, Fullmetal? You don't know-"
"I know a lot more than you're giving me credit for, damn it! Stop treating me like a kid!"
"I'm not treating you-"
"Yes you are! You always do! Telling me what I can and can't do as if I can't do it for myself! What do you-"
"It's called looking out for you! You wouldn't know what you were getting yourself into if it bit you! E-"
"I know what I'm doing! There's not much you can do for it-"
"I can try! I can try to get you out of it if you would stop fighting me every step of the way!"
"Damn it, Roy! Just stop!" Roy gritted his teeth together.
"Fine! If you want to deal with everything yourself, then deal with it!" Roy stood up, pulling his coat on and putting the papers he'd been showing Ed in the shredder. "Don't ask me for anything in the future!" He walked out the door, not bothering with Riza or Hughes.
"I didn't ask you for anything to begin with!" Edward left as well, looking more irritated and irrational than usual. Hughes smirked to himself and Riza looked over.
"What? I've never seen them yell that much…"
"Can't you see it?" Riza blinked.
"No… what are you talking about?"
"I've always told Roy to find a wife but…" He let his eyes trail to the door, leaving his sentence unfinished.
"You don't think-" Hughes nodded. "But that doesn't make any sense…" Riza felt her heart sink slightly. She had fallen prey to the same qualities most girls did. She found herself falling in love with her superior.
"Why not?"
"They fight too much. Besides, Roy himself said he-"
"Wouldn't get tied down? But, what if he doesn't realize it? I don't think either of them realize it. They're clueless!"
"Really?" Hughes nodded and Riza looked out the window at Roy who was getting in his car. That mysterious man.
"But… If he likes Ed, and he winds up telling Ed-"
"Ed might wind up being his newest obsession."
"And we might lose Roy…" Riza let her words trail off. Hughes gave a small nod.
"Edward, damn it!" He got Ed's attention by using his first name. "Please, just don't do this! I don't want you to leave! You don't know what it's like-"
"So you keep saying. I'll be fine, Roy." They were outside Central, those who were going to fight were getting into trucks. "I thought you said you were going to stop."
"Edward… Ed… I don't want to lose you out there… You've never been in a war before. I have." Roy was holding Edward's real hand, begging him not to leave.
"I'll be fine!" Edward didn't want his superior to see the slight blush on his cheeks. He could handle himself. And if not, oh well. He was out of Roy's hair anyway, right? Why the hell was the bastard so worried?
"Then I'm going with-"
"No you're not! You're staying here with the rest of the team! You weren't drafted-"
"But I can talk the higher ups into letting me go! Someone needs to look out for you!" Roy was definitely known for looking out for and taking care of his team, with or against the higher ups.
"I don't need to be baby-sat!" Edward pulled his hand out of Roy's, taking a step back. "I'll be just fine! I don't know why you're worrying so much." His characteristic smirk formed on his face, despite how flustered and scared he really was. "I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist! I'll be fine." Never mind the fact that he'd never shot a gun before.
"Edward! That's not going to pull you through!" Roy knew Edward wasn't going to be fond of the idea of shooting a gun, let alone killing someone. He didn't have what it took to survive a battle ground. Roy heard the trucks starting up and knew Ed had to go. He saw the slight look of fear in those marvelous hazel eyes as the trucks started. That was hardly the last look he wanted imprinted on his memory. "Edward, please let me talk to them!"
"I'm fine!" Roy went to grab Ed's hand again but Edward evaded. "I'm going, Roy. I don't know why you're so worried." It's not like the bastard cared about him anyway, right? Edward turned and got into his seat of the truck as the door closed. Edward looked back out at him.
"Damn it Ed! Promise me you'll be back! I'll see you when you come back!" Edward gave a weak smile, but his eyes were riddled with fear, a fear that was only amplified as the trucks began rolling away. That would be the image Roy was left with. For the first time in a long time, Roy felt he wanted to cry. He felt a sting of loss he hadn't felt in a long, long time.
Roy sat in his office, unable to concentrate. It was now 10:48 and he had unfinished paperwork. He kept looking out the window, wondering how Ed was doing. If the boy was taking care of himself. "What the hell did he mean 'why do you care'?" Roy sighed, looking down at his hands. "Why do you care? He's just some stubborn brat that has you running around to cover his sorry ass every time he does something the state doesn't like." Roy looked back out the window.
"Sir?" Roy was startled to hear his first lieutenants voice.
"Riza." He turned in his chair to face her. "Yes?"
"Are you alright, sir? Would you like some help?" Roy shook his head, waving his hand dismissively.
"I have it handled, lieutenant. It's just papers." She nodded, but remained in the doorway. "Is something else bothering you, lieutenant?"
She stood silent for a while before nodding. "Permission to speak freely?" Roy nodded.
"Permission granted."
"Sir, I would like to know why you're still sitting here."
"I have paper-"
"No. Not that." She looked up at her superior, attempting to do what her heart dreaded. "I meant, what are you still doing here at headquarters? I thought you would have been on your way to the battle field by now." Roy looked over at her.
"I don't follow you, lieutenant."
"I'm not sure if Edward quite grasps how to carry himself in a situation like this. I think he needs you to go look out for him, even if he wont admit it. Sir, I'm surprised that you aren't already there looking out for him. I'm surprised you haven't asked either me or Hughes or Havoc or anyone else to do your paperwork. You know full well that we would do it without hesitation, and that no one would question you."
Roy stood up, going over to Riza. "Lieutenant, I-"
"Roy. Hughes and I were talking a while ago and-"
"You were talking with Hughes. Well this should be interesting." Roy crossed his arms over his chest, listening to what Riza was about to say regarding the conversation.
"We were discussing you and Ed. Based on the conversation, I can't imagine why you're still here."
"I'm still here, lieutenant, because it's none of my business to be on the field."
"Edward is down there, Roy, which makes it your business."
"Based on your conversation with Hughes?" Roy wasn't quite up to admitting anything to anyone yet.
"No." Riza felt her courage rise a little, but her heart sank. "Based on what I've seen, from both you and Edward." Roy stood in silence, his arms remaining crossed before he decided to play ignorant.
"What are you implying, Riza?"
"I'm implying that you like Edward, that Edward likes you, that you're both complete idiots, and that he's going to die while you're just standing around here!" Riza's courage had bubbled up a good bit as she spoke, though her heart no longer had any say in anything. "That's what I'm saying, Roy. I'm saying that everyday you're too stubborn to go help, there's a better chance he's going to get shot!" Riza stopped herself, seeing that Roy was no longer looking at her.
After a minute of silence, she spoke again. "I can handle your work, Roy." He gave a small shake of his head, and Riza sighed. She walked out of the office. She shouldn't have expected Roy to listen to her anyway. He didn't deny the Edward bit, though, which is all she wanted to see. "He really does like the boy…"
She got outside and to her car but stopped, hearing footsteps on the concrete behind her. Running. She turned around as Roy put his hands on her shoulders. "Can I borrow your car? Mine's at my house." She gave a small nod, holding her keys out. "Thank you Riza! You're absolutely right about me!" He jumped in her car, starting it and driving off to the battle field.
"Riza's right!" Roy had never been happier to be proven wrong by a girl. Now all Roy had to do was hope Ed wasn't already dead.
Roy was running through the alley's of the evacuated city that served as the field for war. Of course Edward was on border duty tonight. Roy continued running, staying as silent as possible. There was no one around that he could see, and he had his gloves on just in case.
He found Edward, just fine thankfully. Edward was sitting on the ground, his back against a building right on the border. He was holding a gun in his hand, looking at the tops of buildings. He didn't notice Roy yet, and Roy smiled. He ran over, stopping several feet away to catch his breath.
"Edward." The boy looked up, surprise filling his golden eyes.
"Colonel?… What are you doing here?" Roy could see tear stains on his cheeks, though they weren't fresh.
"I came… to check on you…" Roy stopped talking. That wasn't the right thing to say. They had already established that Edward didn't want to be looked after. How the hell was he supposed to explain this? "Not that… you can't look after yourself… I mean… we established that… well… you established that…" Roy stopped himself again.
Edward looked at him confused and slightly irritated. "Yes, Colonel… I can handle myself. That doesn't answer my question. Why are you here?" Roy stood up straight, having caught his breath.
"Well… I'm here because Riza said I should come. I mean… I was going to come anyway. Well, I actually was debating it. I didn't know if I was going to come or not…" Roy was trying to figure out how to dance around the subject of what Riza had told him. He wasn't entirely sure, regardless of Riza's words, how Edward would react. It was a delicate subject.
Edward watched Roy stumble over his words, irritated, confused, and slightly amused. They both were. He said something about Riza and Ed sighed. "So you're here because Riza told you to come?…"
"No. Well… sorta."
"Colonel, do you want to sit down?" Edward wanted him to relax and say whatever was getting jumbled up in his brain. Roy nodded, sitting down next to Ed on the ground and leaning back against the building.
"Edward, I came here because Riza suggested it. But I was already considering it." Edward rolled his head over, looking at his superior.
"Okay… and you listened to her? You've got no reason to be here…"
"Yes I do." Roy rolled his head over as well, locking onto Ed's golden eyes. "It's the same reason I didn't want you to leave in the first place…" Roy stopped himself again, determining how that would sound to Edward and how he would go about the subject.
Edward could already tell his superior was trying to say something, but at the same time, was trying to avoid it. Was the famous flame alchemist unsure about something? Edward felt a smile creeping to his lips as he looked into Roy's onyx eyes. Roy remained silent, just staring back at Ed. "What? You're smiling… I haven't said anything worth smiling at yet…" Roy gave a small laugh at Edward's face as he continued smiling, just staring at his superior.
"You're absolutely right. Continue." As if Ed had been the one to cut him off in the first place. Roy sighed, rolling his eyes.
"You're confusing, you know that?"
"Yeah. You know you're dancing around whatever you're trying to say. I can tell. You're actually not sure of what you're trying to say for once!" Edward sat himself up off the wall, not taking his eyes off Roy. Normally, he wouldn't have been so open to his superior's presence, but he needed to see a familiar face. The people there that he knew had died or moved divisions.
Roy felt his gaze harden a little, staring into Ed's golden eyes. "I know exactly what I want to say!"
"But you're not saying it." Roy sat up off the wall as well, leaning forward a couple inches and placing his hand on the ground between himself and the boy.
"Would you like me to say it?" Edward felt his heart flutter seeing Roy lean forward slightly. Say no. Ed knew he should say no, but he desperately wanted to know. He wanted to hear Roy admit he didn't need to be looked after. He wanted to hear Roy say there was another reason. But the Colonel was probably going to say something to make Edward pissed.
All the more reason to leave it be! He wouldn't have to be pissed at the first face he was happy to see! So he would say no. Edward fought the logic out in his head and made a decision. He made a decision completely opposite of what he answered. He nodded his head.
Roy smiled slightly, seeing Edward's nod. Roy opened his mouth, but double guessed himself. On one hand, he could say it and make a fool of himself if Ed doesn't like him. If Ed does like him, all's well. But, if he didn't say it one thing was for sure. Edward would go on about how Roy didn't know what to say.
It was better to take the chance probably. "I came here because I care about you. I want you to be alright. I-" Roy felt his voice hitch. Sure, they were words he'd said time and time again, but never like this. Edward was astonished at what Roy had said already. He'd never even dreamed Roy would say this much to him.
"You… you care about me?…" Edward didn't quite buy it. He was still looking Roy in the eyes, though. Those wonderful onyx eyes. Roy gave a small nod.
"Yeah… Which is why I'm here. I'm going to be staying out here with you through the night until border duty is done, and then I'm making sure you come back to Central."
Roy smiled at Edward, who didn't seem to reject him at all in the slightest. He seemed rather thrilled, actually. His eyes lit up, and he smiled the way he did when he was truly happy. Not the way he had when he was saying good-bye to Roy days earlier.
Roy looked at Edward's smile and stopped trying to explain things. He leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Though neither of them would admit it, there were 'sparks'. Edward closed his eyes, pressing his head forward and his and Roy's lips together even more. He wanted to be closer to Roy, though it wasn't physically possible.
Roy reached his hand forward, placing it on Edward's. He pulled his head back for a moment, leaving his eyes closed. "Edward, I-" He was cut off, but not by Ed. There was a deafening 'boom' that resounded through the air. He felt Edward fall forward through the little space between them and onto the ground in front of Roy. Roy let his eyes fly open, his war instinct taking over. He looked around, seeing a gunner on top of a building. He stuck his hand out, snapping and killing the target.
There was adrenalin and panic pumping through Roy's veins. If one gunner were there, others were bound to follow. "Edward, we've got to get going." Roy turned around, looking at the crimson stained ground and Edward, laying there motionless. He was on his stomach, his braid getting stained by the blood puddle forming around him.
"Edward… Edward!" Roy grabbed Edward, ignoring the bullet wound on his back and rolling him onto his stomach. It missed his spine and his rib cage, going through his stomach and out the front. Roy could see the exit wound in his stomach and his shirt. "Edward! Damn it, Edward! Can you hear me?" Edward's eyes were clenched shut, and he was breathing unevenly. "Can you speak? Edward, we have to get out of here."
Roy went to pick Edward up, but Edward smacked his hands away shaking his head. "Edward, we have to move." Edward was turning very pale. Roy took off his jacket, wrapping it tightly around Edward's wound.
"Stop it! That… hurts." Edward couldn't even speak an entire sentence in one breath.
"Edward, I need to get you out of here." Roy tied the sleeves together to secure the jacket as a tight bandage.
"I said stop." Edward's eyes remained closed. "Roy, others… are going to be coming… you need to get out of here…"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"I'm telling you to, Roy!" Edward smacked Roy's hands away. "Go back to the base and tell everyone there that there are gun men out here…" Roy shook his head.
"I'm not leaving you, Ed." Roy looked down at Edward's unmoving face. "Ed!" Roy had tears streaming down his face. "I said I'm not leaving you! Edward, I love you…" Edward still wasn't moving. "Edward! I love you and I'm not going back! I'm not living without you!" There was no chance of Edward making it even if Roy carried him. He'd already lost too much blood.
That precious blood. Edward had seen his own so many times before, but Roy had never seen it. Now, he was sitting there in it, letting it soak him. "Edward, I wont do it! Answer me, damn it! You can't be gone already!" Roy's tears weren't stopping as he sat next to the boy, trying to get some sort of response out of him. There was nothing.
Roy pulled Edward's body into his arms, holding him tight. He wasn't sure if he was trying to act as a human bandage for Ed or if he was trying to vanquish the feeling of not having Edward with him anymore. He was crying, and he didn't care. He hated not having Ed with him and alive. Exactly what he had feared would happen had happened, and it only happened because he came.
After several minutes, Roy heard footsteps in the far distance. He refused to move. He knew what would come, but he would see Edward. He would be with Edward. He refused to wait any longer, and he could take whatever heat Edward would give him.
The footsteps got closer and Roy's vision hazed. At one point, he had feared death. Then, at another point, he thought he would welcome it. Hughes taught Roy to respect it again, and Roy found himself welcoming it. Funny cycle.
Roy closed his eyes, holding Edward. He'd done his fair share. He'd left his mark on the world, as had Edward. It's not like there was much else to do. He would be welcomed in whatever came next.
Hughes and Riza stood next to each other, hours after everyone had left. Hughes was standing still, holding Hawkeye as she cried. Every time she thought she'd cried herself out, more tears formed. Hughes remained still, looking at the two graves next to each other.
"He's gone… he's really gone. I can't believe it…" Riza was sitting in Hughes' arms, looking at the graves. The tear marks were drying on her face, but more would come for sure.
Hughes nodded. "Yes he is. Him and Ed."
"I can't believe I did that…" Hawkeye was crying again, burying her face in Hughes' shoulder.
"You didn't do anything, Riza."
"I convinced him to go, and I let him go. I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's not your fault. No one could have predicted that. Perhaps it was meant to happen. He and Edward are together, after all."
"I didn't want this to happen!…" Riza couldn't calm down. Roy had been such an influence on everyone's lives, and Edward had come in and thrown everyone off. The funeral for the two of them was one of the biggest funerals to come, and Riza and Hughes were the only remaining ones there 9 hours later. Neither of them would move. Not yet.
"I know you didn't. I didn't either. No one did. Don't you think we'd all have liked to see them again? See them smiling? See them happy together? Everyone loves a happy ending, Riza, but perhaps this is their happy ending. Perhaps they're happy together, somewhere else. He fell in love, Riza." Hughes pulled Riza in tighter, trying to stop her tears. "You helped bring the two of them together, and helped bring them to their happily ever after. Perhaps… perhaps he's better off."
A/N: Yeah, I know. It's sappy. Deal with it. I've never written anything sad like this before, so tell me how I did. Please Review!
A/N: The place I originally had song lyrics is where the lines are and a couple other places. Go look up the song or the lyrics, they're really cool!