Give Guidance or Counsel

Family

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist

So… It's been awhile huh? Again, I took my sweet time writing this didn't I? I hope I still have fans in those who read Door Handles and also Cats, but I also hope to recruit new readers to the wonderful world of ObsessiveDevil Fan fiction (because of course we can not be too full of ourselves now can we?)

Anyway, sorry for the wait, I really hope you enjoy this as much as you have enjoyed Door Handles and Cats before hand.

Chapter 1 - Old Habits Die Hard

THREE YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS OF CATS

Friday the 17th of October

"She's fully grown now you know."

"Well, it has been almost three years since we found her."

A laugh ran through the courtyard.

"I just never expected her to get so big." Chubby was more like it. Roy was definitely over feeding her. He shrugged. "She's still a little madam though."

Al grinned at his brother.

"I still wish you'd have let me keep her." he pouted slightly. "You get to see her a lot more then I do."

Ed laughed, glancing in the direction of Central College's gates.

"You could always come visit more often you know." He went to ruffle his brother's hair, but as soon as he made it to the gate he was swept away by strong arms. He grimaced and tried to push away as his face was targeted by a bunch of slobbery kisses. "Damn you perverted dog." He mumbled, making his fiancé laugh.

"You're the one making it sound like we've already moved in together." He teased, having heard the conversation between the two brothers. Ed shrugged.

"Three more days." He reminded, trying to keep the excited tone out of his voice. Roy nodded, though it seemed like there was still something missing, something he was worried about. He confirmed this when he said:

"I still don't see why we couldn't do this Sunday, that way you wont have to take any time out of college."

Ed sighed.

"We've been over this a thousand times." He rolled his eyes, "The only guy willing to do our type of ceremony is booked before Monday. Now stop making me feel guilty about my wedding day old man. Aren't you excited at all?"

Roy opened his mouth, presumably to retaliate to the old man comment with some form of reference to Ed's height, but was cut off by a recognisable voice from the side of the group.

"No one can rival you in excitement Ed." It said. "You sure you want to marry a puppy Mr Mustang?"

Roy grinned. Well, he'd always said how much he adored dogs. Still, there was a problem.

"Stop calling me that. None of you are my students any more." It makes me feel even older he added in thought.

"Old habits die hard." replied Al, wrapping an arm around his girlfriends waist. Roy nodded his agreement, making the boy grin. "Though I suppose in three days time I'll have to start calling you brother."

The eldest member of the group couldn't help but shiver involuntarily.

"It might be best to just stick with Roy." he stated, flipping out his keys and clicking the button to unlock his car. "Who wants a lift?" he asked, expecting the answer he got; three teens nodding enthusiastically. Central College was even further away from their street then Amestris High was. All piled in and Roy - his driving as precise and careful as ever - took them back. On arrival Al and Winry said their thanks and left the couple alone on the vehicle.

"You coming over tonight?" Roy asked the boy next to him. Ed simply shook his head.

"Sorry, I got work. I'll see you Sunday morning though." He gave the man a quick peck on the cheek, a brave move from the emotionally inept teen if ever there was one. Roy, however, frowned.

"Somehow that feels like ages away… and even then I'll only get to see you in the morning."

Ed patted his lover's head condescendingly.

"You poor thing." He cooed, making Roy snort in amusement. "We can only see each other in the morning. It's tradition."

"We're having the most untraditional wedding in the history of Amestris."

Ed rolled his eyes.

"You will have a bachelor party and you will enjoy it." he demanded. Roy grinned, saluting.

"Yes sir Fullmetal sir!"

Ed's door suddenly flew open to reveal Al, Winry and, surprisingly, Russell. Russell shifted his eyes to the side.

"I dunno what type of weird foreplay that was, but if you don't hurry up you'll be late for work."

The blonde inhabitant of the car blushed and Roy gave a half-friendly wave at the non-Elric related blonde. The was still a little rivalry between the two men, and while Ed and Roy's relationship was now semi-public, Roy still wasn't very happy with the idea of Ed and Russell actually being friends.

When Ed had enrolled in Central College Roy had decided to ask Ed out 'officially', much to his embarrassment and Ed's amusement, causing a lot of teasing about lecherous old men from Roy's work colleagues. They were generally accepted, although at the beginning there had been a lot of speculation about Roy's choice of work and whether this was morally acceptable. Roy was the first to admit that, no, it wasn't. But heck, he'd fight through every layer of hell for Edward, as cheesy as it sounded. Only a select few knew that the two had in fact been 'dating' whilst Ed still attended the school. For the most part it was just two men who had met under bad circumstances, but had found happiness. Or something stupid like that that you'd find in a bad romance novel. They were due to become 'civil partners' on Monday.

Roy leant over, gave Ed a peck on the cheek that was waved away by the sociably worrisome teenager, and ushered the boy out of his car.

"See you Sunday." He said, waving, and pulled away when Ed shut his door. Russell sighed dramatically as soon as Roy's bumper was out of sight. The tall blonde held a hand to his forehead.

"I wonder if you would have been that cute if you'd chosen me instead of him." He voiced allowed, making Ed grimace.

"I wouldn't be."

"So you admit you're cute?" Russell grinned.

"I admit you're a creep." He mumbled, shooting the boy a glare. "Why don't you get yourself a girlfriend?" He asked, trying to ignore that he sounded way too much like Maes Hughes for his liking. Russell whined dramatically.

"But both you and Winry are taken!"

Al tightened his grip on Winry's waist. Ed should really talk to him about his possessiveness…

"There are other people in the word you know." The shortest of the group pouted.

"But none so pretty as you." Russell winked. He went to sweep Ed into a hug but was pulled away by the ear from the other couple.

"I'm getting married on Monday!" Ed seethed, but Russell just laughed.

"I'm only teasing." he chuckled. "As much as it pains me, I have realised you have committed yourself to that oldie."

Ed frowned.

"He's not old." He retorted, despite having used that insult against the man a million times himself.

"Coming up 30" Russell teased, but as Ed was about to make another come-back, he waved his hand for silence. "As it is, I do have my eyes on a girl. A real pretty one too."

Ed, about to shout again, blinked in surprise.

"Really? Who?" He asked, natural curiosity getting the better of him.

"She's at university at the moment. I met her at a carnival and she told me what she was doing. She was such a cutie. So I went to the university open day and met her again."

Ed blinked again.

"Why are you going to University open days? You're barely even in your first year of college!"

Russell shrugged in a non-committal way.

"It's a curse being this tall."

Ed started shouting again.

- X -

"You leaving already?"

"Yeah." Ed replied, fingering the envelope in his hands. "Don't tell Izumi."

"Going to meet with Roy?" Russell asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. Ed shook his head, trying not to blush at what Russell might be suggesting.

"I'm sending a university application."

Russell nodded.

"Where you applying to?" He asked conversationally. Ed bit his lip, eyes roaming the room.

"Um… Drachma."

There was silence in the shop. Russell swept at the floor a couple of times, not really making any progress in the cleaning, but making him feel more like he was doing something.

"That's a long way away." he stated, eventually. Ed made a sound in the back of his throat which sounded somewhat agreeable.

"It's a really good university." He defended.

"I've been told." Silence washed over them again. "You know, a lot of people make the decision on where to study based on where their loved ones are." A statement. Ed shrugged.

"I've heard something like that."

Russell also shrugged.

"I figured since you and Roy were going in for the civil partnership and all, then you'd be in Central forever."

Ed, heading for the door, paused just before opening it.

"Be in Central forever?" He scoffed. Again, Russell shrugged.

"Well, yeah… Mustang is coming up 30 now. He's not gunna wanna move around a lot just 'cause you wanna study in places like Drachma." He sighed. "Besides, he's got responsibilities here."

Ed swallowed.

"I know that." He pushed his way out of the door. "Be in Central forever…? Ha."

I did it! I actually finished it. It kind of makes me sad to think this is the last one in the series… No more Give Guidance or Counsel after this I guess…

Still, I have two different Royed AU's planned. Well, one of them is actually an Edroy! Le Gasp! Anyway, I really hope you enjoy Family as much as Door Handles and Cats. Please review.

~Od