Title: By your side
Chapter/s: 1/1
Pairing/s: Roy/Ed
Summary: Based off the ending of Conqueror of Shamballa, Roy just can't let go.
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is a manga created by Hiromu Arakawa and is in no away affiliated with this fiction. The plot however, is a product of my own intellect, please do not duplicate or repost anywhere else without my expressed permission. Thank you.

Two years ago, Edward Elric, also known by the state and the people as the Fullmetal Alchemist disappeared to the other side of the gate. It had been two long years and Roy Mustang, striped of his status as General by his own accord, was patiently waiting. Two years Roy wallowed in his own self pity and loathing. His lost eye a physical reminder of all the wrong doing he had done for the good of the state. Hughes was gone, no longer around to pick him up and force him to keep going, Ed was gone too, he constantly wondered when he would see his insolent smirk and hear his stupid smart ass remarks again. He knew in his heart that Ed was still alive, at least he hoped he knew Ed was alive, he couldn't bear to think that Ed had left him too.

Sometimes in his moments of reflection he felt guilty for abandoning his men, especially leaving Riza behind had been hard but he knew he could never look at her the way she looked at him. It became too much of a mental burden to be the Flame Alchemist. All Roy wanted was to sink into the bowels of the earth and wait. Roy truly was a broken man, he had enough of the terrors and bloodshed he had seen in his lifetime. It was too much for a man to bear with no one by his side.

Ed was an outlet for Roy, since the time he became a state alchemist Roy felt a need to watch over him and protect him. He was always watching as Ed, so full of life ran ahead of him, his golden braid bouncing off his red coat. Ed never looked back at him, not even once. Perhaps Roy was just jealous that Ed would never allow him to get too close to even help him, all Ed needed and wanted was his brother.

Roy knew the moment he heard of the simultaneous earth quakes that racked Liore and Central that Ed was closer than ever. When the sun set and the moon rose to force the stars from hiding, Roy felt him there with him. Some nights Roy swore he could see him sitting by the fire he started with matches, staring at Roy with a quizzical expression - wondering why Roy had given up alchemy during his years of isolation. Those nights brought a certain comfort and gnawing sadness to Roy's mind. It took Roy two years, two agonising years to make him realize just how much he missed Ed.

Ed could be childish when it came to his height, Roy always loved to bringing it up and watching the resident hot head blow up. However, when Ed thought no one was watching, his usual confident smirk was wiped away and replaced with a sad, contemplative stare. He was a young man wise beyond his years, just as tortured as Roy was, Roy saw himself reflected in him. Ed gave him a sense of purpose, his presence filled a space he didn't know was there.

Roy felt himself again as he strolled down the ranks of Central barking out commands to his subordinates, Ed was back and Roy was elated.

"Way to bring your trouble home with you Fullmetal, really nice."

"Huh, smart remarks already General? Nice patch by the way, though it should have covered your mouth too!"

Oh how he missed the familiar banter they shared. Ed was already off and Roy was bringing up the rear supporting his every step. He had grown in the two years and was even more handsome then Roy had remembered. Alphonse had emulated his brothers clothes and look but the real Ed was just another thing entirely, as corny as it sounded - he brought light to the world through Roy's eye.

He watched Ed grin at Al and Al smile back, the two of them were the perfect team, perfectly in synch with one another. It was a crime to have them separated. No one on this earth or beyond the gate could get between those two, they were one another's first priority and Roy knew - however begrudgingly that he would have to accept that.

The battle was over nearly as quickly as it began when Ed and Al joined, it was a beautiful thing to see the two together again. Ed, selfless and reckless as ever attempted to force Al and himself to stay behind to close the gate while he himself returned to the world he didn't belong too to set things right.

Al was screaming that he just got him back and that they had sacrificed so much for them to be together, it was Roy's responsibility to remain composed and hold Al back. Inside Roy was also screaming, 'Don't you dare leave me behind again Ed, not this time. Don't you fucking dare!'

"We'll take care of things on this side Fullmetal." Roy's heart was breaking all over again, but who was he kidding. His heart was already broken, one hundred times over.

All around Central a blinding flash of light could be seen and all who knew what was happening knew that Ed had gone again, the light receded just as quickly as it came - it was just like Ed.

The chairwoman was dead, shot down by the other Hughes, Noah was coddling Alphonse's still warm body when Ed appeared from the ship's wreck.

"Ed... why did you come back? To this world?"

"It's... hard to explain Noah" Ed himself didn't know why exactly, he was already second guessing himself.

"He did it to close the gate" Al's muffled response echoed through the suit of armour he was hiding in.

"AL?"

The head of the suit of armour fell to the floor with a clang and Al emerged, "Oh I'm sorry General Mustang." Al grimaced as he stumbled forward and away from the pained grunt that also emerged from the suit of armour.

"GENERAL MUSTANG?" Ed was recovering from the shock of discovering his little brother had followed him to be bowled over after discovering that Roy had also tagged along.

"What in the world are the two of you doing? Who is going to close the gate now?" Although Ed was happy to see Al, he was disappointed he had followed him, his face betrayed none of his feelings on Roy's being there.

"I want to be by your side brother, I want to feel all the things I felt during those four years we were searching for the stones. They were the best years of my life brother!" Al smiled happily, slinging an arm around Ed's shoulders.

Ed smiled gently at his younger brother and hugged him back tenderly, Roy was ignoring the stares he was getting from a dark skin girl who looked eerily like Rose and he refused to look at the man who looked identical to Hughes, his fallen best friend. He had to deal with Ed before he dealt with a familiar ghost from his past.

Al was already assimilating with the girl now known as Noah and the other Hughes, the poor boy looked shaken at seeing the other world's version of himself dead in Noah's arms.

"Mustang what are you doing here? Who will close the gate now? You told me you'd take care of it."

"It was a last minute decision but I wrote down specific instructions in chalk on some of ship materials and transmuted it into a hot air balloon that will float down to Central command. Someone will no doubt get the message and take care of it for me."

Ed's eyes were narrowed in suspicion, "What are you doing here?"

Roy couldn't wait any longer, Ed was in front of him in the flesh he had to confirm for himself that he wasn't a figment of his imagination and that he was truly back. Without answering Ed's question, Roy swayed forward suddenly and enveloped Ed in a tight hug. Ed's body stiffened considerably, no doubt not expecting such informal contact between them.

"Mustang?"

"I too, want to be by your side Ed" Roy whispered, he had to close his eyes so that his emotions wouldn't betray him. 'I need you'

Ed's arms slowly encircled Roy's body, "Okay"

Roy was aware of the eyes that were on them, to hell with them he didn't care what anyone thought of him anymore, he was with Ed and that was all he needed.

"Uhhh..Brother? General Mustang?"

Roy had to hold back a sigh of disappointment as he felt Ed pull away to address his body, he could feel Ed's cheeks burning with embarrassment and he dipped his head to hide the smile that graced his features. It had been a very long time since Roy had smiled so fondly, no one could take that moment away from him. Ed was letting him remain by his side, and that was all Roy could ask for. It had been two years, two very long years but Roy felt as though he was finally at home.

A/N:
Oops I'm rusty, what even is english? R&R, be gentle with me - this is not one of my best but I finally finished watching FMA and FMA: COS and I needed to put something up no matter how bad it was. Yolo0O00O0oo