A Painful Duty
He really did not want to do this, just thinking about it made his stomach turn over, but he had made a promise, and as a Colonel in the military, he made it his part of his code of honor to never break his promises.
Fullmetal had done it again, made another bone headed impulsive mistake, and now an entire building had been leveled. Granted no one had been hurt…this time, but the fact that the 12 year old was so reckless with his Alchemy was need for serious concern.
Roy had considered his next course of action very carefully, he had talked to Hughes about it, he had talked to Riza, heck he had even asked Armstrong for his advice, but it was ultimately up to him. He was the one that would have to carry out the deed.
The mere fact that Edward was as young as he was made this so much more delicate of a situation.
The military had rules for State Alchemist, if said persons broke them it was an easy fix, court-marshal.
Mustang ran his fingers through his jet-black hair and sighed. But Edward was 12, a court-martial would be cruel, especially considering the circumstances, yet Mustang could not allow him to believe it was all right to disregard the rules of the military.
That's when he had first said it. In a moment of frustrated anger at the boys jaded attitude after causing a warehouse collapse after nabbing a suspect. Roy had glared at the young blond headed alchemist.
"I swear Edward, do that again and I will personally spank you myself!" at the time he had been delighted to see a look of fear sweep over the cocky kids face. At that moment, it was very evident how much a child Ed really was to feel frightened at such a threat. But that was then, and this was now, and when it came down to it, Mustang felt no more capable meeting out that threat now as he did then.
But he had made a promise, maybe it HAD been out of frustration, but he had made it just the same.
He had sent Edward to his dorm to wait for him. There was no way he was going to do something like this in his office where everyone could hear. When he had informed Edward what form his discipline would take, the boys face burned bright red for a second then visibly twisted to one of pure loathing.
"You're doing the right thing sir." Riza had said after Edward had been dismissed to wait for his punishment. "He is still a child and needs a firm hand. He may not think so now, but he is desperate for someone to set a boundary for him." Rizas words were of little comfort to him now as Mustang walked the hallway to Ed's dorm. A light strap gripped uncomfortably in his gloved hand.
The strap had been Armstrong's idea; it of course had been an Armstrong tradition for generation to raise their boys to the tune of the strap.
"Did me a lot of good, kept me in line and out of trouble all my life." Armstrong had said proudly flexing his muscles. Roy quickly tried shaking the ghastly image from his head.
He finally stood in front of Eds dorm door. He paused bracing himself, he was sure Ed was on the other side, a raging fit of anger.
But right before he took the knob, he was sure he heard the sound of smothered sobs. Carefully Roy opened the door and saw Fullmetal lying on his stomach on the military standard cot, his face buried in a crisp white pillow. His shoulders were shaking, and it was very clear now that he was crying.
"Edward?" Mustang said in a question stepping inside the room and closing the door behind him. Fullmetal was a stoic kid most of the time, usually showing shades of anger rather than tears. It was almost unsettling seeing him look so vulnerable.
"W-well what are you waiting for?" the muffled voice of Eds sounded from the pillow. "Go ahead start beating me, its what you came here for right!!"
Roy sighed, the boy may have been crying but he still had not managed to lose his attitude or dramatics, oddly enough that in it self was comforting to Roy. Cursed be the day that Eds spirit could be so easily broken. Roy said nothing at first then walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. He reached out placing a hand on Eds shoulder.
"Sit up Fullmetal, you may be a dog of the military, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give you a senseless beating." Ed sniffled once more in his pillow and sat up, his eyes red and puffy.
"There that's better, now we can better discuss the your actions that have led to this unfortunate disciplinary action."
At this point, Ed noticed the strap still held Mustangs hand and he gaped his eyes wide.
"I thought you said you weren't going to beat me!?"
"You misunderstand me, I never said I wasn't going to spank you, I said I wasn't going to give you a senseless beating, and yes, there is a great difference between he two.
Edward looked red faced again and was ready to argue the point. But Roy held up his hand.
"What I am going to do is a basic law of alchemy. As a result of your actions today, you are about to gain some wisdom. I am going to impress upon you in a forceful manor the exchange for the consequences of breaking a rule."
"Equal exchange" Ed muttered under his breath testily. Apparently annoyed how Mustang had put it.
"In a manner of speaking." Mustang said, glad to have managed to explain it in a way that Ed could understand. In all actuality saying in that way helped him feel the courage to carry it out.
"Now then unless you would prefer an official court-marshal." Mustang let his words hang in the air, he did not like playing the 'court-marshal card' very often but sometimes it was the only way to impress on the boy how serious he was. Edward of course shook his head and stood up, his face truly somber, like a man condemned to the gallows.
"Alright then lets not belabor this any longer." Mustang said standing to his feet.
"Unbuckle that belt and bend over the bed Fullmetal." he said putting a comforting hand on Eds shoulder and guided him into position. The Colonel then tugged at the boy's sturdy pants down just low enough to expose the two pale white orbs. He wanted to give the boy as much dignity as possible. He then took a step back, now came the hard part for both Edward and himself. He repositioned his grip on the strap, his heart racing. Ed looked so small across the bed, he was suddenly very afraid he would hurt him.
"Now, Edward" he said sounding much more confident than he felt. "I want you to think about what you did, you not only put others in danger, but yourself as well. And this is the consequences of your actions." Mustang saw Eds head bob up and down showing that he understood. There was nothing left for Mustang now but to follow through with his dreadful duty.
"SMACK!"
The sound of the leather encountering Fullmetals backside was dreadfully painful for both parties. Ed gave a small cry and Roy flinched. He was not even using a full swing. But it was as clear as the hot pink splotch on Ed's backside that it had been plenty painful. Roy watched Ed's legs tense up bracing for the second stroke. But mustang had been so shook up that he had almost forgotten what he was doing, but he quickly refocused and landed another.
"SMACK!!"
Roy watched Fullmetal take the second stroke with a jerking sob. Roy could feel his own chest tighten holding back a sob of his own. Biting his lower lip trying to keep it together Mustang decided it was best to finish this as quickly as he could. He had already calculated what he felt was an appropriate number of swats; even though he had not voiced that number, he was keeping count.
"SMACK!!" "SMACK!!" "SMACK!!"
Sang the leather strap to a tune that was devilishly painful, Ed was now kicking his legs and crying loudly pulling at the blanket on his bed. Mustang was now hoping upon hope that this lesson would stay with Edward for the rest of his life because he never wanted to see the boy cry and thrash like this ever again. Ed's wiggling was not making Roy afraid he was going to miss his target, and hit something vital.
"Edward, hold still!" he commanded, more out of fear of accidentally hurting the boy. He watched Fullmetal still crying use a reserve of self-control and Roy took a breath eager to be done with this draining act.
"SMACK!!" "SMACK!!" "SMACK!!"
Edward backside was now a bright fiery red, and he was now sobbing so loud Roy was sure all of Amistres could hear him. Let along everyone in the whole building. Eds cries sounded so pitiful Roy was sure his heart would break if he didn't stop. It took every bit of will power to deliver the last two. Thus bringing the total to 10, Roy was sure 10 was more than enough for Ed to get the message. And he hoped that the boy would never put him through that sort of torture ever again.
"SMACK!!" "SMACK!!"
Over, it was finally over. Roy stood frozen in place watching Ed continue to cry.
Mustang felt miserable. He was the top commanding officer there in East city, Hero of the Ishbaln war…and today he had been reduced to spanking a child to tears.
If Fullmetal didn't hate him before, he was very sure he did now.
For the longest time Roy stood there feeling horribly guilty. Fullmetals backside was glowing red, and he was responsible for that. He was not proud at all.
Mustang felt that the least he could do was help the kid up, he was still crying so hard and hadn't moved from the bed.
Carefully Roy sat beside Edward. He didn't even know what to begin to say to him, he reached a hand over and gently pulled Eds pants up over his well spanked bottom when he heard something unbelievable come from Eds mouth.
"I-I'm sorry Mustang." Roy's heart almost stopped beating for a second. Had he actually heard right? Ed then stood up from his bent position and before Roy could respond to the boys first statement. Fullmetal had wrapped his arms around Roy and was hugging him.
Instinctively Mustang returned the hug wrapping his own arms around the boy securely, he could feel Edward still sniffling away his tears as he held him.
"There, there its alright." he heard himself say. He was still in shock; he has been convinced that Ed was going to hate him forever. But here he was, like a child starved for attention. Could Riza been right in saying the Ed was begging for boundaries? It didn't make sense to him, but here he was. And there they were. Like a Father and Son in a warm shared embrace.
end