Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own FMA. I'm poor. ;.;

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Roy was the one who had found them.

Ed and Al, wrapped up in each other's arms, holes in each of their chests, directly over their hearts. Dried blood stained both the bed underneath the brothers' bodies, and the silver knives in their hands.

Roy wanted to scream and cry, like a child that loses a prized toy, at the sight of the now cold, lifeless bodies that had once held the lively souls of two people he cared for dearly.

Struggling to control the urge to throw up, Roy noticed a book resting in Al's pale, limp hand. Something seemed to draw him towards it, and he grabbed the book before racing outside and introducing his lunch to the bushes.

The thick book stayed on Roy's coffee table until the day of the double funeral, where Ed and Al were buried next to their beloved mother.

Roy came home that same afternoon, throwing his tie and jacket on the floor before collapsing onto the couch and pouring himself a tall glass of wine. When he brought the glass to his lips, the book caught his eye, and he sat the glass back down without taking a sip.

Roy picked the book up and studied the cover. Tiny droplets of dried blood stained the corners, but he pointedly ignored them and instead fixed his gaze on a man and a woman, obviously madly in love with each other.

The name on the cover was one Roy had only heard once or twice in his early teen years at school. He vaguely remembered the man being a playwright, and a quick flip through the pages confirmed that.

He opened it to the first page and began to read.

He finished hours later, after night had fallen. Roy closed the book and swallowed heavily against the lump in his throat, barely noticing the sobs that shook his body and the tears that cascaded down his cheeks like rain.

Roy closed his eyes and thought back to a day almost two years ago...

Roy, Hawkeye, and the rest had at first been shocked when the recently restored Ed and Al had entered the spacious office, holding hands. While the soldiers watched with wide eyes, Ed removed his hand from Al's grasp and instead wrapped his arm around the younger one's waist almost defiantly, before placing a quick kiss on Al's lips, making the brunette blush. Ed had then turned to stare back at the others, his familiar devilish grin seemingly daring for them to try and say something vicious or disapproving.

It had been Hawkeye who talked first, after clearing her throat. "Uhm...congratulations."

The others had sprung to life, nodding and voicing their agreement. Because after the initial shock wore off, the same thought invaded their minds:

Each and every one of them had always suspected this to happen, and also knew that no one could ever make a better couple. It seemed Ed and Al were meant for each other.

The last person to see them alive had been Roy, almost a week and a half ago. He had run into the brothers, and the three decided to eat dinner together.

For Roy, it was amusing to see the looks on the other diners' faces when Ed and Al took each other's hand, lacing their fingers together. It was especially amusing to watch their reactions when Al kissed Ed's cheek.

The three spent dinner talking, laughing, and basically just having a good time enjoying each other's company. They even continued after they'd finished eating, and were shocked several hours later when the waiter rather politely stated that people were waiting for a table and that they needed to leave very soon.

After Ed, Al, and Roy had walked out of the restaurant and onto the sidewalk, and were about to go their separate ways back to their homes, Ed turned back around and told Roy, "I just thought I should tell you that even though I say that you're a bastard, I've always respected you and considered you a close friend."

Roy's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. "What brought that up?" he inquired.

Ed just gave him a sad smile and continued, "If anything were to happen to me, I want you to take care of Winry for me, okay? Or atleast just make sure she stays out of trouble. You should also take care of Lieutenant Hawkeye, and start doing your paperwork so she'll stop shooting at you."

In his surprise, all Roy could say was, "Nothing's going to happen to you."

Three days later, Roy entered the Elrics' home to get an excuse for their absence from work for the past few days, and found that Ed and Al had both committed suicide.

Roy could barely see through his tears now, but it didn't matter. The book still held a clear image in his mind. And as the play's words ran through his head, Roy knew now both the reason for Ed and Al's suicides, and the reason Al still held the book after death.

For Ed and Al were like the couple in the old play: two star-crossed lovers with eyes only for each other. But no matter how strong their love, their relationship was unaccepted, and they would both come to commit suicide in the hope that Death would bring freedom for them to be together.

Roy looked up, and for the first time in his life, he prayed. He prayed that wherever Ed and Al were, they were together. He prayed that they had found peace, and freedom to love and cherish each other forever more.

Roy also prayed that Ed and Al had found the two lovers of William Shakespeare's famous play; the ones would ultimately give the brothers courage to make such a decision, all because they wanted, needed, to be together. And now, they were free to do just that.

Always and forever.

Together.

---Owari----