A Day in Town
based on
"Nightfall" 1945
"Let's go to the museum."
"Now why would we do that?"
Ed gave him "the look." Everyone has seen the look somewhere. Everyone knows the look. Only a few people, however, can pull off the look perfectly, giving them the ability to bend even the strongest to their will, and of course, Edward was one of those people. It was the look of puppy-dog eyes and pouting lips combined with an air of disappointment and hurt. This look means dangerous territory and is never good for those resisting.
But, always one to resist, Roy just glared back down to the younger's face. Roy Mustang was a general in the US Army, and with his dreamy dark hair, coal black eyes, and overall dashing good looks, he was obviously a lady killer. He used to be known as New York City's womanizer, but those days were behind him. He had fallen head first for this short, stubborn, irritating, beautiful blonde man, Roy's opposite in almost every way. Where Roy was outwardly calm and analytical, Ed was hot tempered and reckless. All they used to do after they met was fight. Actually, it was Ed who screamed and threatened while Roy just smirked and poked fun at the smaller soldier. When Ed was honorably discharged from the military because he lost his leg in a battle, their relationship changed for the better, gradually becoming what it is today.
Right now, though, if one was to randomly break into their third floor apartment, one would presume that a staring contest was in occurrence, and Roy was obviously losing. With sweat pouring down his forehead and laughter threatening to burst from his mouth at any moment, Roy struggled to keep his smug mask on.
Finally, realizing defeat was inevitable, Roy sighed and turned toward the bedroom. "I'll get my coat."
Fifteen minutes later they found themselves in an ageless museum looking at an old painting with a red haired girl standing next to a man in suspenders behind a wooden fence.
"What do you think she's looking back at?
"How would I know?" Roy was still sour about losing the argument.
"Oh, come on. This is fun. I used to do it all the time with my brother. We would make up stories about the people in the picture."
"Sounds stupid." There was a little more warmth in the statement, though, as if he had found the idea intriguing.
Ed smiled up at the older man. "I'll do this one, so you can see what I mean." He looked back to the portrait on the wall. "I think the man is the girl's father. Her name can be Cheyenne. You see the light in the house?" Edward pointed to a small house in the corner of the painting where Cheyenne was looking. "That's where the mother is. She's signaling a message to her daughter, telling her whether or not the coast is clear. The man, let's call him John, has been cheating on the mother-"
"Wait, wait, wait. He's cheating on her? It's the nineteen-forties! People didn't do that!"
"Shh! It's my turn. You get the next one. Plus, people have been doing that for almost all time." Roy just folded his arms with a huff and looked back at the painting, a small smile trying to crack on his lips. "Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted," Ed continued, "the mom's name is Naomi and of course she's pissed to high heaven. She tells her daughter to go for a walk with her father, and whenever they would stop to look back for a certain signal that'll
tell her if it's safe to kill him yet."
"That's horrible, you gruesome little monster!"
"Who are you calling short, old man?!"
"Old?! I'm not old! I'm not even forty, yet, Shrimp!"
"You-"
"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" Roy swore under his breath. The manager had come over. They hadn't even been fighting for two minutes!
"No, sir." Edward gave the old man the most charming face he could muster. "Just having a heady conversation." The man was doomed. Ed's beautiful face could cause even the straightest of all men to turn tomato red and hope he could somehow get this angel to smile at him once more.
The manager nodded and hurried away, a furious blush staining his cheeks. Roy folded his arms again but was in an entirely different mood now. He looked down at Ed with one of the most reprimanding looks he could must. While Ed could cause people to break down by looking gorgeous and vulnerable, Roy could make one feel so guilty and ashamed, he would do anything to get those disappointed (or in some cases angry) eyes off of him. When he finally turned toward the dark haired man, Ed's look of humorous achievement faded to one of a kicked puppy.
"What?"
"You know what."
"Oh, Roy. You know you enjoyed that, too. Didn't you see his face?" Ed tried one last time to make humor of the situation.
Roy struggled to keep a stern face on; only Ed could make him jump from one end of the emotion spectrum to the other. Fortunately, his anger out weighed his amusement and he walked
past the blonde to the next painting. Head down, Ed followed him, preferring to gaze at the floor instead of the portrait.
"I…I think this guy was crossed with a salad bowl or something," Roy said after a few moments of strained silence.
Ed looked around, curious and confused. "Huh? Where?"
Roy pointed to the picture hung in front of him. It was of a man whose entire being was made of fruits and vegetables. Ed looked back at Roy, and as soon as their eyes met they started laughing. It was so stupid, really, but at that moment it was the funniest thing in the world, making them suffer from a lack of oxygen and stomach cramps. After two or three failed attempts, they finally calmed down enough to make their way over to a wooden bench in the middle of the exhibit. Leaning against each other, they gazed at the fruit-vegetable-man or whatever it was and tried not to look at each other lest they fall into another fit of giggles.
"So…" Roy started after a couple of minutes, reminding Ed of their first date, "You want to go to lunch or keep making fun of beautiful works of art?"
Ed snickered. "Do you really have to ask? You know how much of a black hole I am when it comes to food." His stomach growled almost as if to attest to the fact.
"Lunch it is, then."
XxXxXxX
After they were seated and Ed ordered half the menu, Roy locked his eyes out the window. Edward would have stared at Roy all day, the man was so beautiful, but he was worried.
"Roy?"
"Hm?" He looked over to Ed, still not fully there.
"What's wrong?"
Roy looked surprised for a moment, then, almost embarrassed, looked back out the window. "Nothing, really. Same old stuff. Ow!"
"If you don't want another shin-full of prosthetic foot, then you better tell me the truth, Roy Mustang."
Roy winced, rubbing his lower leg tenderly. "Why'd you have to use your fake leg?"
"Because you wouldn't listen quite as well if it was my real foot. Now, talk."
Roy chuckled. "You read me far too well. I was just thinking about the manager back at the museum. He must have been following us the entire time we were there. Probably saw us flirting or something." Ed understood immediately.
Ten years ago, around year 2036, the United States government passed a law legalizing same sex marriage. Even though many supported the law, there were always those who were still prejudiced.
"You would think that after so long people would learn to be at least a little respectful but…"
"You know as well as I do people take their sweet time changing. There are still KKK members spread throughout the states, and who cares what they think? I love you. Isn't that enough?"
"Ed, don't say that! You know it's enough for me. These things just irritate me, just like when people tell you the truth about your height."
"Soba noodles with crab?" Roy was saved from physical discomfort by the waitress's impeccable timing. Now that there was food in front of him, Ed did not care about the usually humiliating jab.
"Where would you like to go after dessert?"
"Actually," Ed slurped out between gulps of the Japanese dish, "I heard there's this really cool sci-fi showing. It's about these guys who accidentally summon demons or something."
"Sure. As long as I get to chose where we go next."
XxXxXxX
"Those had to be the oddest demons I have ever seen. Did they ever say why that one was wearing a hula outfit?"
"I don't think so. Now, where are we going and why in God's name did you blindfold me?"
"It's a surprise. Just make sure you keep ahold of me. I don't want you to walk into a wall or fall."
Roy was guiding a newly blind Edward to one of his favorite spots in town. It was hard, considering how many people stayed up until four in the morning in New York. Well, at least all the twisting they had to do to get through crowds left Ed disoriented.
About five minutes later, the streets got considerably uncongested and quieter. They were almost there. Ed could feel it in the way Roy was vibrating more and more, but whether it was from excitement or nervousness, he could not tell.
"What was your favorite part of the movie, Ed?" Even Roy's voice was shaking with the unknown emotion.
"Um, I guess it was when that wolf-guy bit off that man's head."
"I thought it'd be something like that. What is it with you and death?"
"We're close drinking buddies. How about you?"
"What, me and death?"
"No, you're favorite part of the movie, genius."
"Ah." Roy slowed them down to a halt and sat Edward down on what felt like a cold bench. "I think it was when he did this," Roy kissed him on the forehead, "And he said…"
Ed gasped. Did he really mean…?
Roy removed the blindfold, revealing a moonlit Central Park. The bench held the perfect view of the pond, gently caressed by evergreens and lightly falling snow. Ed's breath came out in a puff of fog and he looked down to see his dark beloved kneeling before him with a small velvet box.
"You are my best friend and worst enemy. My chill pill and adrenaline rush. You read me like a book. I couldn't last a day without you. We might die tomorrow or live to be two thousand years old. Either way, I want you to be by my side, and I by yours." Roy opened the box to show a plain gold band with three small diamonds curving up the side. "Will you marry me?"
"Good God, Roy, yes!" Ed launched himself at his new fiancé, causing them to roll down the hill, powdery snow flying in their wake.