Chaperone Duty
"Stop frowning. You're scaring the kids," Maes said, clapping Roy on the shoulder so hard it's a wonder the man didn't spill his drink.
Maes saw Roy fight the urge to roll his eyes. He won, but just barely.
"I'm not frowning. I'm chaperoning. That is why I'm here," he said, standing ramrod straight as he took a sip of his drink. His laser eyed focus scanned the gym, checking to make sure students didn't get too wild and crazy with their fun.
"Roy, we're not just here to chaperone. We have a mission, and not as Mr. Hughes , counselor extraordinaire, and rock star gorgeous Principal Mustang. No, tonight we're just Maes and Roy, an out and proud gay couple here to bolster the courage of one shy student in his goal to obtain his heart's desire," Maes said, one hand on his heart, the other pointing one finger dramatically in the air.
At Roy's deadpan look, Maes sighed and tipped his head just slightly toward the new kid Fletcher Tringham, who stood talking animatedly with Alphonse Elric. Fletcher caught their eye and gave a cheerful wave.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Roy said.
"Well!" Maes said, raising his eyebrows in exaggerated shock.
"No, seriously. Who made these brownies?" Roy asked.
"Oh, uh, Vice Principal Hawkeye did. Sorry, forgot to warn you. She drew the short straw this time for baking goodies," Maes said, pushing his glasses back against his nose.
Maes wasn't sure if it was a curse or prayer Roy muttered under his breath, but either way he patted Roy's stomach in sympathy.
Maes was great at juggling his attention. So far, he had kept one eye on the students (no sneaking away for a smoke Greed, no you cannot show Winry your new automail leg in private, Paninya), one eye on Roy, chatting it up with the school security guards, Havoc and Breda, and both ears on the conversation between him, Maria Ross and Denny Brosch. About fifteen minutes later, he made his way over to Roy just as Breda started on his second plate of hot dogs and Havoc finally worked up the nerve to ask Hawkeye for a dance.
"Roy! Having fun yet?"
"Please tell me again why I'm here, Hughes," Roy said on a sigh, pressing two fingers to his temple. He closed his eyes as if imagining himself at home already.
"To help fulfill teen love?"
This time Roy did roll his eyes.
"Because you're the principal?"
"That's why I send Hawkeye to these things," Roy said. He pursed his lips in what Maes would call an adorable pout and Roy would adamantly claim was a disdainful frown.
"Seriously Roy, why the bad mood? It's only been forty-five minutes," Maes said, nudging the other man just slightly with his shoulders.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Hughes. I'm having a delightful time fending off propositions from hormonal teenage girls and boys," Roy said warily returning a wave to said group of teens who were calling his name and waving at him with near manic enthusiasm. Maes swore he actually saw one of the girls swoon in response.
"I especially enjoyed stopping Ling and Lan Fan from sneaking off for, I kid you not, a ménage à trois with that new kid Russell," Roy added, inclining his head to his left. Maes grinned as all three kids stared with wide, terrified eyes at Alex Armstrong flexing his muscles as he talked about something. Roy had his ways of keeping the kids in line, effective ways, but oh so evil.
"But I must say, the absolute best part of tonight so far was, as always, Edward Elric. "
"Oh no", Maes said on a sigh. Most of the time Roy was like Yoda to the kids of Central High: calm, firm in his discipline, but sincere in his care for them (and a helluva lot prettier to look at). Unfortunately, Ed was one of the few people who easily got under Roy's skin. To his credit, Roy never let the kid see it, but boy did he bitch about it in private. Usually Maes just distracted him with lots of inappropriate touching.
"Oh yes!" Roy exclaiming, drawing his attention back.
"I greeted Elric, like any mature, civilized adult would do, and in response, he simultaneously managed to kick me in the shins and spill his drink on me. And, on top of that, he's been glaring at me for the last 5 minutes straight," Roy said. He very pointedly did not look in Ed's direction, but Maes found the boy easily enough in the small gym. He was sitting at one of the tables with his younger brother Al, and his pals Winry and Rose. And, sure enough, he was glaring at Roy. However, he quickly turned away when Maes caught his eye, the glare instantly replaced with a telling blush.
Maes bit the inside of his cheek and firmly told himself not to laugh. He had a little theory about why Ed gave Roy so much trouble, but decided not to add to his lover's headache. Instead, Maes slung his arm around Roy, and steered him away from his volatile student.
"Okay, it's been a little rough, I'll give you that. I've got a present for you though. Here, have some punch," he said. Said punch had appeared miraculously in his hand courtesy of one Rebecca Catalina, their home economics teacher.
"I don't want punch. I want to wring that little-"
"Roy, drink the punch."
"I don't-"
"There's alcohol in it."
"..."
"..."
"One cup."
"Good man!"
The dance was nearly over. For the most part, all the students managed to behave themselves and still have fun which is really all the teachers and staff at Central High dared to ask for. The kids were much more settled after seeing their teachers make silly spectacles of themselves on the dance floor (Armstrong's dance to "I Will Survive" seemed to be a special favorite among the students).
As things wound down, a slow, deliciously smoky song came over the air, just the kind he knew Roy liked. He gave Roy the side eye, noting the slight flush on his skin, and the relaxed way he leaned into Maes. He again silently thanked Rebecca for her special punch, knowing damn well Roy had had at least two more cups.
"Wanna dance?" he asked, holding his hand out to Roy. Roy arched an eyebrow at him. Maes gave him his best "I promise to behave" smile and Roy was just relaxed enough to believe it as he let Maes lead him to the dance floor. He pulled Roy close, settling one hand at his waist, and taking his hand with the other. The slow croon of music in their ears, along with the dim lighting, wrapped them in a pleasant intimacy that made it easy to block the students out for a little while. It also didn't hurt that Maes tended to lose himself the longer he stared into Roy's eyes. He hadn't even realized he'd moved closer until his forehead bumped lightly against Roy's.
"Stop looking at me like that here," Roy murmured.
"You first," Maes said, not missing the way Roy's eyes kept flicking down to his lips.
"Incorrigible," Roy said, laughing softly
Encouraged, Maes drew Roy flush against his body. On the one hand, it had the nice effect of Roy trying to muffle his groan against Maes' shirt front. On the other hand, it also caused Maes to go cross-eyed with desire when their manly bits bumped together. Without thinking, his hand traveled a little lower, treading into not so proper territory. Leaning down, he whispered into Roy's ear exactly what he planned to do to him once they got home. For emphasis, he bit the tender lobe of the other man's ear, pleased when Roy failed to catch his groan in time.
"Bastard," Roy said smirking up at him.
"Guilty," Maes said.
Then Roy said the words Maes had been waiting to hear all night.
"Let's go home already," Roy said.
Maes pretended to give it due consideration. "What about the others? We can't just leave them to clean up, can we?"
Roy's look said he wasn't fooling anyone. "They can handle it. Although, what about that student you were trying to help?"
"Oh I wouldn't worry about him. I think he'll be all right," Maes said. He wrapped his arm around Roy's waist, and blatantly ignored the stink eye from their colleagues as they left the gym.
He didn't bother to tell Roy that Fletcher had "obtained his heart's desire" two weeks ago. Not when Roy was getting him out of chaperone duty early and promising some great sex later if the hand squeezing his ass was any indication.
Maes was only too happy to oblige him.