Maes was lucky. He had the best cover anyone could ask for. Make no mistake: He dearly loved his wife and daughter. But his wife understood him. As long as he came home to her without bringing 'company' she was okay with what he did. She completely understood that there were some things she just couldn't do for him.
This was how he was able to spend a few evenings a week the way he did. Very few of those that saw Maes Hughes on a daily basis knew that the man was bisexual. Roy and Gracia pretty much made up the entire list. He would lose his job, and his reputation, if anyone in the military found out. Outside of a few privates and others of lower rank it just wasn't done.
Maes was careful of how he indulged himself. After all, he wasn't stupid. A smaller club on the far side of town, usually on tuesdays or thursdays. He did have a family that he loved after all, and to risk more than that wasn't worth it.
Besides that the older he got, the less the men he met in the 'club scene' interested him. There was a time that it was almost like clockwork that he would either be on the giving or receiving end of a parking lot blowjob at least once a month. Now he was just bored with it. He was ready to be done with this whole scene and this was going to be one of his last visits to the club. He was finally ready to completely settle down with his Gracia.
.oOo.
Ed was depressed and bored. Al was back home with Winry after getting over the guilt of "stealing his brother's girlfriend" as he so elegantly put it. Ed finally had to come out of the closet to Al to convince him it was ok.
Ed heard there was a gay club on the other side of town and was curious. He was old enough for the bar scene now and if the military decided on a dishonorable discharge oh fucking well! He honestly didn't expect to hook up with anybody, but at least it was a place to sit and get drunk. If Roy Mustang was anything to go by it would take Ed's mind off things.
He stood outside for a minute and just looked at the sign. The bar was named Manny's and the front was painted to look like the windows of an old fashioned candy shop. He shrugged his shoulders and walked in. The space was kinda large with high tables along one wall that were like boxes with glass tops. Inside each of the tables were different decorations. The bar itself came out of the other wall like a u-shape. There was a spiral staircase in the back corner that was painted black and reminded him off a fire escape.
He sat down at the bar and ordered a slow comfortable fuck. He had no idea what was in it, but he had heard Mustang say he had gotten wasted on them so it was probably a good place to start.
Before the bartender could get the drink an older man, probably the owner, stopped him. "You old enough to be in here, baby?"
Ed assured him he was and no more questions were asked. He took a swallow off his drink and nearly gagged. He didn't know what he expected but it certainly wasn't that. After a few more sips it went down smoother.
"Hey sweetie, I've never seen you here before." Ed looked at the stool next to him to see another man sit down. He was slightly older with a few grey hairs and piercing blue eyes.
Ed stammered a bit. "Um, yeah well, this is my first time here."
The other man smiled. "My name's Ryan."
"Ed."
"Nice to meet ya."
Ed and Ryan made basic small talk while Ryan bought Ed several more drinks.
Ed had lost track of how many he had when he saw a familiar face coming down the staircase. Hughes was followed by another man who kissed Maes deeply before grabbing his ass and leaving.
Ed's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Oh, shit. I'm dead."
Ryan looked over to see what Ed was starting at. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Ed just shook his head. "Fuck! I gotta go." He stood from his seat and his legs gave out under him. This drew the eyes of half of those in the bar to him. Including those of Maes Hughes.
"Oh, fucking hell."
.oOo.
Maes normally wouldn't have noticed the ruckus of someone falling off a barstool, but for some reason it got his attention. Ed want wearing his trademark red coat, but it was definitely Ed.
Maes looked again, but this time at Ed's 'drinking buddy' and his heart jumped into his throat. It had to be Ryan. Almost any other man in this place Maes would have trusted. But Ryan had a reputation off taking advantage of younger men. It couldn't be proven, but rumor has it that he wasn't above drugging drinks to get what he wanted.
He rushed over to Ed and helped him off the floor, giving a dirty look too Ryan in the process. "You ok, Ed? How much did you drink?" Ed just shrugged as Maes pulled him off the floor. "What the hell are you doing here anyway?"
Ed looked up at his friend with a smirk. "I can ask you the same thing."