Best Served Cold
"EDWARD!" I jumped with a screech that put a cat's cry to shame. After my initial shock wore off I glared at the intruder standing in my bedroom door seething. My younger brother stood in all his five foot nine foot glory. His honey golden eyes, a few shades darker than my own, were alight with anger and his normally clean cut short sandy blond hair was a mess. (As much as a mess short hair can be)
He wore a simple white t-shirt underneath a baby blue short sleeved button up shirt and a pair of khaki cargo pants. I on the other hand was only clad in a pair of jeans because of the sweltering heat of the mid July afternoon.
"Geez Al, trying to scare me into an early grave?" I asked him removing my hand from were it rested over my heart. I had been researching arrays again, so deep into it that I hadn't heard my brother's enraged steps. I turned around in my seat and threw my messy ponytail over my shoulder. I hadn't had the patience to braid it that morning.
"What is the meaning of this!?" He shouted as he threw a tattered book at me. I blinked but caught the red covered volume. There were claw marks on the cover and chew marks on the corners.
"Hey! Don't pin this on me, it's your stupid dog's fault!" I retaliated holding the book aloft. He marched in and took said book from my hand and waved it in front of my face.
"Roy's a good dog he wouldn't chew on my book! And it is your fault for leaving it out!" I snorted at that. The Drachman Shepherd was exactly like his namesake, a total bastard. Why Al picked a dog over all those stray cats that he insisted on feeding I'll never know.
"Brother I'm serious!" he said snapping his fingers in front of my face to catch my attention.
"Al, you do realize who you named the dog after, and exactly [i]why[/i] you named him thus?" I smarted off smirking at my angry lithe brother. He huffed/growled and slammed the book down on my drafting table, disrupting the array I had been drawing. Pencils, erasers and my protractor landed in my jean-clad lap adding graphite to the pale blue of the denim material.
I accidently kicked the leg of the table causing my Galileo thermometer to topple over and thankfully not break. The sound of metal 'thunk' against wood caused me to wince out of habit. I had lost my leg in a car accident ten years ago when I was twelve.
"AL~" I growled at him throwing the book off my stuff. It landed somewhere near my messy full-sized bed.
"I don't know why you're complaining, you can just fix it with alchemy." I told him a little angry, trying to fix the graphite lines of the array. He crossed his arms, the right one automail from the elbow down and the other flesh, over his chest and glared at me.
"No I can't." he argued. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I stood up feeling quite odd for my five foot five stature against his five foot nine. I was the older brother damn it!
"There is nothing wrong with the content Alphonse, it's just the cover."
"That's not the point! You left it out for the dog to chew up knowing he chews things up!" he continued to argue with me.
"HA! So you admit that Roy is an evil bastard and should be etherized then stripped naked-" I started but he cut me off in the middle of my rant.
"Ed…since when did this conversation turn to Mr. Mustang?" I blinked at Al for a second before I felt the familiar heat on my cheeks. 'Mr. Mustang' was our next door neighbor. He was a player and a playboy. He had money, charm, and loyal friends that would go to the end of the world for him.
I was on that list but I wouldn't go that far for the bastard, he owed me. He was a twenty four year old who stood at five foot eight and was Xing in ethnicity. He however, had been born and raised in Amestris and was an Alchemist just as Al and I were.
His specialty was with fire and he tended to threaten people with his special gloves when angered. They were made of a thick material that created sparks when he snapped his fingers together. The array on the back allowed him to control the oxygen in the air to make flames.
"Brother? Is there something I should know about Mr. Mustang that you're not telling me?" Alphonse cut off my inner thoughts and I stared blankly at him.
"Getting paranoid Al?" I asked with a wicked flash of white teeth.
"Brother…" Alphonse whined. I smirked, crisis averted. He forgot completely about the book, which, I had left out on purpose because he shrank my favorite pair of jeans in the wash. Hey, revenge is best served cold right? I noticed his honey golden eyes glancing over to the clock and he let out a very uncharacteristic curse.
"I'm going to be late!" and with that my little brother was gone. I chuckled to myself before picking everything back up. I stopped mid reach when the glint of silver from my automail caught my eye. It was so sudden, the assault of memories that I sucked in a horrified breath.
Flashes of fire, twisted steel and darkness assaulted my vision. I choked back a sob when my world came back. My throat constricted with the searing pain through my heart. I jumped when a pair of warm arms encircled me and the smell of cinnamon and ash filled my nose. I instantly relaxed.
"It happened again didn't it." The smooth baritone of Roy Mustang half whispered in my ear. It was a statement, not a question. One I would have had trouble answering anyway. I nodded my head and he pulled my fully into his arms. The sobs came unhindered now as I buried my face in his neck. My tears soaked his crisp white button up shirt but I knew he didn't care.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked and I shook my head. He took me over to the bed and laid me down before toeing off his shoes and climbing in behind me.
That terrifying night had happened over ten years ago…but every now and then I was transported back to that night, and every time the pain, fear, and sorrow were fresh in my mind. The sobs left me feeling drained and numb but the constant warmth of Roy behind me set my soul at ease.
"Edward." He said, catching my attention. I turned around and looked into his soulful coal black eyes and sighed.
"It's getting better, I haven't had an episode like this for almost four months." I mumbled lowering my eyes.
"What caused it?" Roy asked as he threaded his fingers through my honey golden locks.
"Stress? I don't know…" I trailed off closing my eyes at the feel of his fingers through my hair.
"Were you arguing with Alphonse again? What about?" He asked still playing with my hair. I loved it when he did that. I hmmed at him but didn't reply to his second question.
He stopped playing with my hair and I cracked open a golden eye at him when I felt his hand caress the line of my jaw. His lips found mine in a sweet gentle kiss sending sparks of pleasure down my spine. I ran my hand down his clothed chest as he deepened the kiss, my mouth opening eagerly to allow his tongue entrance.
That's exactly how my little brother found us.
"Uh…" I jerked back in horror at the sound of my little brother's voice. I accidently kicking Roy's shin as I flailed off the bed, taking the covers and sheets with me. Roy hissed in pain and massaged his injured limb. My golden eyes met his confused bronze and I felt like dying.
"Hello Alphonse." Roy mumbled causing the awkwardness in the room to skyrocket. I felt my face flame up and covered it with both of my hands.
"Ed?" Al asked unsure, hesitance in his voice.
"I uh.." I started but shut my mouth with a click when nothing came.
"I…I don't understand brother…I thought you hated Roy…" my brother said…thankfully Roy chose to remain silent.
"Well…it's not exactly hate…per say…It's complicated." I tried to explain, my face grew even hotter as I watched the emotions cross Al's face.
"Oh…" He said, more sure. He chuckled then drawing a bewildered look from both me and Roy.
"Damn…I owe Jean money…" My confusion and embarrassment turned to red hot fury and I would have jumped my little brother if Roy hadn't grabbed me. Jean Havoc was one of Roy's many friends, and I had to agree he was also good friends with me and my brother as well.
"What do you mean you owe Jean money?? You were betting on my love life?? And here I thought you were going to reject me! Stop laughing it's not funny bastard!" I screamed enrage. Roy had decided to join Alphonse in his laughter and I felt humiliated and embarrassed all over again. I couldn't believe him! My own innocent little brother had bet on my love life! And he bet against me! My own brother!
"Let me go bastard…" I growled under my breath.
"Now Edward," Roy protested holding me tightly. I growled before biting out calmly.
"Let. Me. Go." I felt his grip loosen but before he released me I quickly bit out.
"I'd run if I were you Al, this is the only warning you get." My brother paled before he took off in a dead run to the door. I waited three seconds after the door had slammed shut until I burst out laughing. Roy was tense for a few more minutes before he leaned against me and chuckled into the nape of my neck.
"You're evil you know that?" he spoke softly and huskily. His warm breath tickled the hairs on my neck.
"Not as evil as when I finally decide to get payback." I chuckled wickedly before I turned around and captured Roy's lips in a kiss.
Oh yes, revenge was always best served cold.
…