May I Have Your Hand?
A/N: I got inspiration for this on philosophy class when the teacher shortly mentioned those times when it was obvious that if a boy wanted to get married to a girl, the boy would ask for the father's permission to do it… So ofc I thought about Ed and Roy, as always. : D This is slightly AU since Hohenheim has been around for a while and Ed is getting along with him, Ed has gotten Al's body back yadayada. If I want to write another fic about proposal, it will be Ed who's proposing!
Roy: Huh, why?
Ed: Because I'm not the damn girl in this relationship!
Roy: Bullshit! You're the one with long hair, the one who's shorter and the one who's like a girl having menstruation when you bitch!
Ed: So what? I'm the one who's top.
Roy: …
Me: IN YOUR FACE :D
What the hell am I doing, Roy wondered yet again but still he inhaled and finally raised his fist to knock on the door when suddenly it was opened. And Roy saw the face of the man who was Ed and Alphonse's father.
For a moment, Roy was speechless and he forgot the little speech he had made up in his head, every single word he had rehearsed a while ago in front of that door, vanished away.
"I thought I heard someone talking… I guess I was right. What can I do for you, colonel…?"
"Mustang," Roy said and felt embarrassed. Obviously he had been talking aloud…
"I need to talk to you. About Ed – Edward." Hohenheim raised his eyebrows before he sighed and let Roy in. "I hope my son hasn't done anything reckless… no, forget I said that, of course he has."
Roy smiled a bit, feeling himself relax a little. It was always hearing someone talk about Ed like that – knowing that they knew Ed's character perfectly well.
Roy followed the man inside the house, to the kitchen.
"Sit down. Do you want something, coffee perhaps?"
Roy shook his head. Even thinking of coffee made his stomach turn around. He was sure he couldn't keep it down, he was so nervous. Roy didn't even remember the last time he had been so nervous. He actually had to wipe his hands against his trousers because they were so sweaty.
"No thanks. But I wouldn't mind a glass of water," Roy said, realizing his throat felt a bit dry.
Hohenheim poured him some water and sat down against Roy, watching as Roy gulped down the water, waiting for him to start talking.
"I'm not sure how to say this… well, you see; the thing is that I –uh like your son. A lot. I mean, he's a great person. Well, he can be very difficult and he never seems to think, he just rushes into things but… he has a huge heart. Not to mention that he's the most intelligent person I know."
Hohenheim smiled a bit. "Yes, I know."
Roy coughed a bit, continuing as Hohenheim didn't say anything more: "As you might know, I'm Roy Mustang, I was his superior for 8 years while he was trying to find a way to get Alphonse's body back."
Hohenheim nodded. "I know a lot about you. You were the one who made Ed go on with his life and get up from that wheelchair."
Roy blinked a bit. "No… not really. I mean, I just gave him an option. He was the one who decided to fight for it. Did I mention that he's also the strongest person I know?"
Hohenheim laughed a bit. "Don't go telling me that, it's Ed who thinks that you gave him a choice."
Roy had never imagined that Ed thought it like that… but it seemed that Ed himself had said that. Somehow it made Roy feel really good, even though he was sure that it all was thanks to Ed's determination, and that Roy had a little to do with it in reality.
"Anyways… I've known your son for many years. And I'd like to be frank with you: I'm in love with him; I have been for quite some time. So… I came here to – to ask you for permission to marry him."
Roy swallowed and felt his heart beat like crazy when Hohenheim just sat there and stared at him with no expression. "I see," he finally said.
Roy furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't you have anything else to say…? Uh, sir?"
"You can call me Hohenheim. So… colonel…"
"Roy is good."
"Well then, Roy… As I said, I've heard a lot about you. Alphonse says that Ed refers to you as 'a bastard'."
That took Roy by surprise. When he had imagined that situation, he had never thought that Hohenheim would say something like that. Even though it was true. But even when Ed had called him a bastard and hated him in the past, Roy was sure that nowadays things were different. They got along.
Roy knew that he just couldn't be the only one to feel the attraction between them. And it was more than just that. They could just sit and talkfor hours and when they had to separate; neither of them were willing to. And what about that time when that cute girl asked Ed out and Ed turned her down, saying that he was already seeing someone, even though he wasn't? And after that he had came back to Roy.
"How should I put this…?"
"Apparently my son thinks you're very arrogant and an annoying person who only thinks of himself."
"I – "
"Well, that's what he claims. But I'm not an idiot. He talks about you all the time. Alphonse is the one who knows him better than anyone. And I believe when he says that Ed has never been as happy as he is now. He seems very happy whenever he's with you. And I believe it."
Roy couldn't help the smile that spread to his face. Joy rushed through his veins. He was happy, spending time with Ed and obviously it was same for Ed too.
"But… Even if you make him happy now, it doesn't mean that you will always. It isn't always enough, to make someone happy…"
Roy swallowed, wondering what the man meant. "I just want to do it, to make him happy," Roy said, his voice breaking a bit.
Hohenheim sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Of course you do and I appreciate that. But as I said, it's not always enough. He's so much younger than you. He's just a kid; he doesn't know what he wants."
Roy stared at the table, feeling all the joy vanishing, despair filled him. He was wrong. Even if he was Ed's father.
"Look, I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you. Maybe I'm not related to Ed but I've known him since he was 11 years old. And from that day I met him, I've been certain that he is one of those people who know exactly what they want. When Ed wants something… he will achieve it, never changing his mind. And, I have to admit… that in that matter, we're both the same. When I want something, I will give anything to have it."
Roy inhaled quickly before continuing: "I want to spend the rest of my life with your son. I may not be the best candidate, I can't promise him a family, and I can't promise you grand-children. Hell, I can't even promise that in the future, when I grow old, Ed won't have to take care of me. But I can assure you that I promise to try and give him everything he needs. Maybe I can't give him everything he wantsbut I will love him, I will protect him. That's all I can promise."
Hohenheim was silent for quite a while before he finally raised his gaze and smiled.
"I was hoping you would say something like that…"
What the hell…? "And I have to disagree with you. For I think you are the best candidate. You have my permission to marry my son. Though… I'm pretty sure if you would've asked him, he would've done it without giving a damn about mine or anyone else's opinions. But I appreciate it."
Roy had no idea what he was supposed to say. What Hohenheim meant. Just a moment ago, it had seemed that he was completely against Roy marrying Ed and now… he was agreeing?
"Sorry about that. I just wanted to make sure you're serious with him. That you are suited for him."
Oh so that's what it was…? Now that Roy thought about it, it made sense. Of course any father would want to know if the person who wanted to marry their child would be suitable.
Hohenheim got up. "Now… I'd like you to go to Ed and propose to him."
Roy stared at him for a while before he got up too and smiled. "Yes, I will."
Roy turned around, ready to leave when Hohenheim said: "There's one more thing…"
Roy glanced at him, waiting for him to say whatever it was he wanted to say. "Take care of him. Please. That kid really needs someone to look out for him, even though Edward would never admit it. Alphonse will have his own family soon… so it's a relief for me to know that you'll be there for Edward."
Roy nodded. "I will."
Hohenheim nodded too. "And… don't leave him. Unless there's absolutely no way of being with him… but if there's something – anything… that makes you think that he's better off without you… don't do it. You'll only regret it, how much you hurt yourself and especially him… Love conquers everything."
Roy swallowed, looking at Hohenheim who was staring somewhere distant, being in a place where no one else could reach. He was talking about himself, Roy realized.
"I'll remember that," Roy said.
"Good. That's all."
Roy left and wondered about the things Hohenheim had said while he walked to his apartment. When he got there, it didn't take long to find Ed sitting on his favorite chair, reading some book. Roy smiled at the sight because it was so mundane and yet Roy loved it. Loved him.
"Ed?" The mentioned raised his head and Roy felt warm inside when Ed's face lighted up, when he smiled the way he smiled just for Roy.
"Hi there. Where have you been?"
"I went to have a talk with your father."
Ed furrowed his eyebrows. "With my old man? Why the hell? If you two were planning a birthday party for me, then you kind of ruined the surprise…"
"I asked him for your hand."
And that was the moment when Roy got down on his knee before Ed whose eyes widened.
"Marry me?"
Roy's heat beat 100 times faster than when he had asked for Hohenheim's permission. And his hands were shaking when he saw the uncertain look in Ed's eyes. Maybe it wasn't a good idea after all… What if Ed didn't want it because his parents' marriage hadn't been the happiest? What if he was sure that Roy would leave him and he would have to sit around waiting for him for the rest of his life? What if he was too afraid to do say 'yes'?
For a moment there, Roy was sure that he would be turned down. But then… Ed smiled.
"Yeah."
And that was the moment Roy skipped a beat. "Really?" Ed smiled more widely. "Yeah!"
"Holy shit… Holy shit!" Roy got up and pulled Ed up too, lifting him up, spinning him around and they laughed like a couple of crazy people.
Even though Roy realized that Ed was supposed to feel heavy thanks to the fact that he was all muscles and bones and he had two automail limbs… but still, in that moment, Ed felt completely weightless in Roy's arms. Roy was sure he could really move a fucking mountain, if he wanted to.
When they calmed down a bit, they rested their forehead against each other's, breathing in each other's mouths. "You really asked my old man a permission to marry me…?"
Roy nodded. "I did."
Ed shook his head. "That's so fucking romantic. Ridiculously romantic. Something only you could pull off."
Roy smiled. "Yet you can't deny that you like it."
Ed grinned. "So… what did he say? Well, obviously he was okay with it…"
"He made me promise that I'll believe that love conquers everything."
Ed stared at him. "You promised?"
Roy pressed a chaste kiss on Ed's forehead. "Of course I did."
Ed shook his head once again. "Roy Mustang, you're pretty fucking corny."
"I am. But you know what, Edward Elric? It's all because of you."
And when Ed smiled to him, his eyes oh so beautiful, everything in him… so damn beautiful, Roy was sure that Hohenheim was right: love would conquer everything.
A/N: Holy cow, this turned out to be soooo fluffy! Hurry up and read something horrible/realistic/pessimistic or else your brain will be eaten by all this cuteness! : D And sorry if there's mistakes, I didn't have a lot of time to check them because I had to hurry if I want to start writing my NaNoWriMo-novel in a few minutes. ^^