Summary: A situation of pride leads to the breaking up of a lovely relationship. One can move on, but can the other? (Implied Fuery x Falman; Falman x Fuery; FxF)

Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist or any of it's characters. Full credit for the characters belongs to Hiromu Arakawa! I do not own 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' because it's by Poison and Bret Michaels sings it.

Italics: Are, more often than not, lyrics to the song.

Warning: If you do not approve of shounen-ai, boy love, or anything of the sort, then I suggest leaving.

Please!: Leave feedback, I'd like to get better; so anything will help!

The Roses' Thorns

The gray-haired man stood alone in the Central Command Center, the office in which he worked was deserted. He tried to keep a stern face, but Vato Falman couldn't resist. He let a slow tear break through his eyelid, sliding slowly down his face. There was no way he could go back to the dorms that night, especially after what he'd told Kain Fuery earlier that day. He continually thought about his decision, was it the right choice? Did he screw up the best thing he'd ever had in his life? He pictured the face of the young man as Kain would lay on his bed in the soldier's dorms. Falman's once emotionless face wore an expression of complete sadness, facing the window that faced out to the rainy streets. Quickly turning on his heel, he headed for the door, hesitantly grabbing it with a shaking hand. Falman twisted the door knob erratically and stepped out into the hallway, when he heard a light squeak of a voice.

We both lie silently still
In the dead of the night
Although we both lie close together
We feel miles apart inside

"Vato?" The voice said softly with a little crack in the tone.

"Kai- Master Sergeant Fuery, what are you still doing up at this hour?" He asked, looking to his left – Kain was standing to the left of the door frame – and resisting another tear while he looked at the shorter man, knowing full-well why he hadn't gone back to the dorms.

"Please… don't call me that…" The boy with glasses said, his voice cracking once again as a few tears began to slide down his already stained cheeks. He reached a small hand up to the taller man's cheek, but Falman slapped the hand away.

"I'm sorry, MSG." And with that, the Warrant Officer turned on his heel once again and slowly walked off. The short boy's eyes welled with tears.

"… Fine…" He muttered to himself, sitting down against the wall, hugging his knees to his chest.

Was it something I said or something I did
Did my words not come out right?
Though I tried not to hurt you
Though I tried
But I guess that's why they say…

The taller man stared ahead of him, though he was awake, he seemed distant, not down to earth like he usually was. He was tempted to turn around and hug the young man, but he couldn't. He needed to show he knew he made the right decision, even if Fuery didn't agree. He recalled what had happened only hours ago as if it were only minutes ago. He'd brought Kain over to a corner in the office, after everyone had taken a break for lunch, and looked him in his brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Kain. I can't live like this anymore."

"What do you mean?" The young man had responded, quirking an eyebrow in question.

"I can't keep us a secret anymore; besides, I think Breda is catching on to us. I can't risk it."

"You can't do this to me, Vato!"

"I'm doing it for us."

"You're not doing it for either of us! You're just afraid to admit who you really are!"

He had raised a hand to slap the MSG, but he resisted. He resisted the tears welling up being his emotionless mask, resisted walking away. He resisted a lot of emotions flooding through him. Kain flinched slightly at the raised hand, but stared at Vato with a slightly depressed and angry stare, blinking a couple times before grabbing his hand softly and reducing his gaze to an utterly upset one.

"I don't care if someone finds out… I love you, and that's all there is to it."

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn
Yeah it does

Fuery had looked at him with such determination; Vato could do only one thing. He pulled Kain toward him in a tight hug and connected their lips for a moment before he pulled away and let go of Kain. "I'm sorry, Kain."

He had turned away from the short man and shook his head, resisting the tears.

"I'm not afraid of who I am, I want you to accept who you are, too."

"Kain! Enough! Return to your duties, I'm going to go get something to eat." He tried to cover up his sadness with anger before he'd walked as quickly as he could to the cafeteria. Kain had been silently sobbing the last time he'd seen him. After that, he hadn't seen the short officer for the rest of the day.

"Did I really destroy the only person I've ever loved?" He asked himself, stopping his walking half-way down the hall, wondering if he should turn back. "No. No, I saved him. He and I… our secret will be forever safe."

I listen to our favorite song
Playing on the radio
Hear the DJ say loves a game of easy come and
Easy go
But I wonder does he know
Has he ever felt like this
And I know that you'd be here right now
If I could have let you know somehow
I guess …

The fact he was gay, the fact he and Kain Fuery were gay was their secret. Falman believed soldiers should not feel such feelings toward other men. He knew many people disagreed, but he was a man of the past. He believed that being gay was disgraceful for a military man. Vato had always tried to hide this fact, and even tried dating, but he couldn't find 'the one.' When Fuery had finally said 'I really like you, Vato,' he felt like he'd be happy for rest of his life. He never knew what it was like to fall in love until the day he'd seen Fuery in the office, smiling a bright smile he almost always had. Perhaps he had just destroyed the only thing that could make him calm down at night, the only thing that made him feel like he had something to look forward to on a day off, instead of his constant loneliness.

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Maybe it was because of his ethics; maybe it was because of his constant strictness. Perhaps it was the fact he couldn't accept the fact that someday someone would find out why he had stopped trying to date females. Falman's mind raced. Should he go back and allow the young man to tell him what he needed to? No, that would make the situation worse… unless he wanted to get back with – No! That was out of the question! If Breda found out about their secret relationship, then he'd blab it out to Havoc, who would gossip with the Colonel and Miss Hawkeye. No, no way. No one could know. That's why he had to break it off.

Though it's been a while now
I can still feel so much pain
Like a knife that cuts you the wound heals
But the scar, that scar remains

But he still loved Kain. His heart always skipped a beat when he saw the cute brown eyes of the officer, and the short but perky body of him made him smile every day. How badly he wanted to go hug that poor boy, but he couldn't! He would not allow his emotions to get in the way of his duties. Falman walked ahead, not stopping once, not even as the words "Falman" and "Stop" echoed through the empty hallways. He didn't, instead he picked up his pace and walked faster away. He stayed in the hallway, walking aimlessly passed empty offices on his own. He would not turn around; he would not go back to the dorms. He would, however, ignore Fuery until the man with glasses would finally leave him alone. Another tear finally slipped its way passed his cold expression. He listened as the distant foot steps stopped, and he was finally alone. Alone to continue walking aimlessly for the rest of the night. Maybe he should request a commander transfer.

I know I could have saved a love that night
If Id known what to say
Instead of makin' love
We both made our separate ways

Vato knew the young man would move on, even of he, himself, didn't. Falman wasn't on loves good side, knowing he wouldn't be able to find someone new. His standards were too high, his mind set too strict. He would never allow someone else to fill the void in his metaphorical heart. His gaze remained on the floor, and tears began to well up behind his barrier of eyelid. What was he doing? Falman sighed heavily, trying to clear his mind. He couldn't get the face of the upset, little man out of his head. Holding his forehead with both hands, Vato stopped walking, leaned against a wall, and slid down it until he was sitting on the floor.

But now I hear you found somebody new
And that I never meant that much to you
To hear that tears me up inside
And to see you cuts me like a knife
I guess

Falman rested his head on his knees as he pulled them up toward his chest, beginning to cry silently. What had he done? He'd just made the worse decision of his life. "You're just afraid to admit who you really are!"

The man kept his face on his knees and muttered, "You're right, Kain, I am." Lifting his head up once more, he forced himself to stand up with a sniffle in his nose, he strained to make his tears stop flowing before he muttered his last words of farewell; "I love you, Kain."

The tall man inhaled through his nose quickly and turned away. Kain would be just a friend – no, just an acquaintance he worked with.

That was it.

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn
Yeah it does