A Comforting Flame
Disclaimer: My name is Anemone, not Hiromu Arakawa, so clearly I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
Dedicated to Sly-sama, my tea loving partner in crime.
The smell of chalk coated the air. He had agreed to let Alphonse draw the lines for the transmutation circle, but after sneezing several times, he was starting to regret it. He watched as his younger brother erased several lines in the array for the fifth time and, with a sigh, he took the stubby piece of chalk and shooed the boy away.
"Go get the ingredients ready," Edward suggested.
"Okay, brother," Alphonse said. His golden eyes held worry.
"Don't be scared, Al. This is going to work." The blond's voice held a ring of assurance.
"Mmm," was the only response as Alphonse poured different elements into a metal bin in the center of the half-drawn array.
Quick and skilled fingers mapped out the transmutation circle with almost no effort just as the last ingredients were mixed together. Standing from his crouched position on the stone floor of the basement, Edward asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yes, but, brother…" Alphonse trailed off, worriedly chewing his bottom lip.
"Spit it out, Al." Edward snapped.
"It's just-. What about the soul? The body content seems right, but what are we gonna trade for mom's soul?"
"Just hold out your finger." Edward instructed as he pulled the small knife from his pocket and made a small incision in his finger.
Alphonse flinched slightly as the cool blade pierced the soft skin of his index finger.
"This will work." Edward vowed as he took his place at the edge of the circle. He pulled his little brother to the floor and they simultaneously placed their palms onto cool stone. An ominous breeze blew through a small window and a knot of foreboding formed in his gut, but the blond ignored any warning signs.
A light yellow light swirled from the bin of elements that would combine to produce their mother's body. It enveloped the room, lightly touching the two boys, before it turned into a light purple. The gentle breeze turned harsher and brought goosebumps across the skin of Ed's arms.
"Brother, something doesn't feel right." The slight quiver in Al's voice caused Ed to glance at him.
"Don't wo-." He began to reassure, but his words caught in his throat as the giant vortex opened in the center of the array. The large eye that looked out at them blinked and spewed out greedy black hands that latched onto Alphonse and pulled him into its depths.
"Brother! EDWARD!" Al's voice echoed in a screeching plea off of white walls.
"Al! ALPHONSE! Wait! Please no!" The words tumbled from Edward's mouth, golden eyes filled with horror as Al's body disappeared into the vortex. He made to get up, wanted to rush forward to rescue his brother, but the staggering pain that shot through his leg held him to the ground.
Honey golden eyes pulled away from the blinding white light that had spilled from the eyeball vortex. He looked down to see those greedy black fingers ripping at his leg. He watched as the shadowy hands tore the appendage away molecule by molecule. Lips pulled apart, gaping as silent screams raced through his throat.
Suddenly, with an unimaginable force, those hands gripped him. He tried to struggle, tried to scream out protests, but those fingers just clasped over his mouth. Before his thoughts could catch up with him, he was hurled through the vortex.
Onyx eyes slid open when he felt the light breeze tickle his skin. Raising sleepily and propping himself up on his elbow, he looked down at his younger lover. The golden haired boy was twisted in the white sheets and light blue duvet, light trembles wracked his body. The corners of his mouth pulled into a scowl.
It was clear that the nightmare had invaded the youth's dreams yet again. He had shared a bed with the boy long enough to know when it happened. The bedding would be wrapped around his body as if the material could keep the memory from surfacing. His body would break out in a cold sweat, goosebumps would erupt onto his skin and he would curl into a tight ball.
Shifting slightly, Roy got up and walked to the window on the other side of the room. Judging by the light that slipped through the blinds, it was almost daybreak. He knew how much his young lover loved the period just before sunrise, and he knew the sight would calm him, so he pulled the blinds up in one fluid motion.
Just as the small whimpers began to escape the male's lips Roy made his way back to the bed. He straddled the boy putting all his weight on his hands as he leaned over the sleeping form. Slowly, he leaned down to whisper into his lover's ear.
"Fullmetal," he whispered softly.
The Fullmetal Alchemist turned his head further tangling blond locks.
"Ed," Roy's voice grew louder this time.
Ed's small whimpers turned to words. He mumbled, "This wasn't supposed to happen," as tears slipped from closed eyes.
Roy's scowl deepened. He hated when those golden eyes were filled with tears. As fingers lightly whipped the escaping liquid away he said, "Edward!" His voice was pleading yet it held all the authority of a commanding officer speaking to his subordinate.
Edward's small body shuddered as he said, "I'm sorry." A flesh fist clenched the blankets tightly as automail fingers tugged at his blond locks in sorrow and frustration.
Carefully, Roy unwove steel fingers from soft hair. "Wake up pipsqueak!" It was commanded as the last of the tears were wiped away.
Golden eyes snapped open. A fire of anger flickered in them as the boy demanded to know, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO SMALL HE CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS? YOU JERK!"
Roy's scowl slipped into a teasing smile. "I should've just tried that line first," he mumbled.
The signs of distress still showed in Edward's body language. He still clutched at the blankets and small shivers of fear still ran through him. "It happened again, didn't it?" Roy asked softly.
"Yeah, it gets more vivid each time." Golden eyes brimmed with tears and his voice quivered slightly.
"Shhh, don't do that Edward," that cool voice murmured softly. With a small intake of breath, he connected their lips in a searing kiss.
Edward's sobs caught in his throat. Roy's lips were like fire. His kisses were always full of passion, and they held a flame that could dispel any fearful memories that plagued Ed's mind.
Skilled lips ghosted over soft and curious ones. The kisses started light and insistent but morphed into hunger-filled needy presses. As a sly tongue trailed the boy's bottom lip impatiently, he opened his mouth to let it inside.
Roy took a few seconds to marvel at the taste of the boy. It was sugary and sweet, like cotton candy mixed with oranges. His tongue began to sweep an area that he knew well. The cavity was warm and his sly tongue swept over every tooth, traced gums and glided along the inside of his cheek. Their appendages danced in a graceful tango.
Edward's flesh hand laced into the Colonel's raven locks as he fell deeper into the kiss. Metal digits found their way to a bare chest and danced over old battle scars and rigid muscle. 'Mustang is the only one who can make me forget the pain. He makes me feel normal.'
The golden eyed teen wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he didn't have to hide from his commanding officer. Maybe it was because Roy also had sins to bear, because they walked a similar path of hell. He really couldn't put his finger on it at the moment because the pleasure was starting to cloud his mind. Whatever the reason, Mustang was a flaming inferno and Edward found comfort in the burn.
The End!
AN: This was supposed to be a continuation of Accustomed to Comfort but, I decided that since it was so long, it should be by itself. Tell me what you think?
