Central was undoubtedly Edward's favorite city in all of Amestris. Of course, Resembool, as his home, was nice…but it was all farm. Ed loved the hustle and bustle found in Central, loved the knowledge contained in the libraries, loved the people he had met here.
And when he did feel like relaxing, collecting his thoughts in nature, Central had some beautiful parks to offer.
Edward Elric found himself in one such park now. It was early morning, too early for anyone else to be awake and walking the paths. Even so, seeking solidarity, the alchemist lay down in the shade of a large tree, hoping to blend in.
He wasn't mad, though one might call him upset. Ed wasn't sure he had any right to be mad; after all, it wasn't as though he and Roy had actually fought.
It was just that Edward didn't appreciate his lover leaving for work at such a horrendous hour, even though Ed had slept over.
Sighing quietly, the alchemist rested his flesh hand in a bed of flowers, before plucking one and holding it above his head. His mind flashed back to his childhood, before his mother had died, even before his father had left. Winry had loved to play a game with these flowers, often with Alphonse or Edward himself as the object.
Almost unthinkingly, Ed raised his automail arm and plucked off the first petal, speaking the words aloud.
"He loves me."
Along with the words came a memory: the first time Roy had asked Edward to go out.
Roy called him into his office, seeming slightly frazzled. Ed went over his report, and bantering ensued as always, but then, just as Edward was about to leave, Mustang called him back.
"Fullmetall…"
He turned around to see the famous Flame Alchemist looking more nervous than Ed had ever seen him. The words spilled out of his mouth almost too fast to catch. "Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"
Edward had been shocked, obviously. A blatant womanizer suddenly becoming interested in him? Impossible. But Ed had agreed, and that was the beginning of their relationship.
A gentle tug and the next petal came off. "He loves me not."
This time insecurity gripped the alchemist as he recalled seeing Roy flirting with some woman, just the day after their third date.
Angry tears of betrayal washed over Edward as he slumped against a wall. The sight of his—what, boyfriend?—handing flowers over to a too-pretty airheaded girl hurt more than he expected.
He was ashamed of himself. Obviously Roy—no, Mustang, he shouldn't think of the man by first name if he cared so little—hadn't meant anything by their dinners.
Later, after Roy had confronted Ed as to why he wouldn't speak with him, the alchemist had realized that Mustang was simply trying to get some information passed along. But still, similar incidents would occur with just enough frequency to make Edward wonder if he was really enough for the man.
The third petal. "He loves me."
A knock on Edward's hotel door, the day before he was leaving for some little town in search of the Philosopher's Stone once again. Sleepy-eyed, Ed sat in bed as Alphonse rose to get the door, before announcing: "It's for you, Brother."
Roy Mustang himself stood at the doorway, smiling widely at Ed's bed head."What are you doing here?"
Laughing, Roy answered. "I took the day off work to spend with you, silly."
Roy never took off work, and Edward had been delighted to know he was special enough for such a cause, and to meander around Central with the man of his dreams.
The sun was beginning to rise, and a bird took off from a tree branch over the alchemist's head. "He loves me not."
Immediately, days like this morning filled Edward's mind. All the times Roy had said, "I'm sorry, but I have to get to work." Ed wondered if Mustang cared more about him, or his ambitions.
Eyes tearing up, Edward quickly tore off the next petal. "He loves me."
A blush crept up his face at the next memory.
Roy was on top of Edward, kissing him continuously, the size of his couch leaving Ed nowhere to go—not that the alchemist wanted to move.
It was the first night Edward had agreed to sleep over, and he had no idea where it was going to go.
However, he did not expect Roy to stop so suddenly. Mustang kept their positions the same, but allowed their panting breath to fill the room in lieu of continuing where he left off.
After a moment he bent down and whispered into Edward's ear. "I love you…"
Ed had never been so pleasantly shocked in his life; it was the first time Roy had ever said this, though he repeated it often now.
Edward gazed up at the single petal left on the flower, unreasonably sad that his little game was going to end on such a sour note. The petal fell, and the next memory did nothing to cheer Ed up.
He whispered, "He loves me not."
The third or fourth time Edward had stayed over at Mustang's house. He was curled up in bed with his boyfriend, content, until Roy woke up screaming with sweat pouring down his forehead.
Obviously, the alchemist was concerned. "What's wrong?" He repeated the question over and over as he held on to his lover's midriff.
Eventually Roy calmed down, but all he would say was, "It was just a nightmare. Go back to sleep."
Edward had guessed that the nightmare was about Ishbal, and that Roy had been trying to spare him from sharing in the misery. But still, how could you say you loved someone if you weren't willing to be open with them?
Tears were now welling up in the alchemist's eyes as he stared at the empty flower stem. Unconciously he repeated the phrase he ended on, sadly, fearfully.
"He loves me not. He loves me not. He loves me not…"
"Actually, he loves you. More than anything."
Ed shot up into a sitting position to see Roy walking towards him, then sitting down alongside him.
Sniffling slightly, Edward found himself not able to quite believe that. "I thought you had work to do."
Roy smiled sadly. "I did. But I know you were upset this morning, and I do that to you too much. I feel terrible…"
Giving in, Edward buried his head in his boyfriend's chest, feeling strong arms wrap around him.
"I'm so sorry, Ed. I know I can be an ass, and I work too much, and I'm definitely not the perfect boyfriend…"
Roy planted a kiss on his lover's head. "But I do love you."