Fullmetal Alchemist: Tides of Fate
A one-short by Proffesser Lupin
He ran down the alley, gun raised waist-height. Gunshots was all he heard, his own feet was all he saw, his eyes were glued to the ground. He spun around for a mili-second, firing his gun. And he kept running. He ran, quite literally, for his life, whizzing his way down the alley, trying to outrun the people shooting at him. His breath was hot, appearing at steam in front of his face. Blood dripped from his right arm, it flopped limply at his side, stinging with every step.
" Damn it, Roy-... Where are you? " He muttered, turning a corner. And he ran into more people. " Dammit-! " There was a gunshot and he felt an explosion in his chest. He imediatly topled to the ground, screaming. Everything was suddenly blown away with a bang, and he lost his vision.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
He opened his eyes, his heart thudding like crazy. He was sweating, and as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve, he looked around, studying his surroundings. He then noticed there was-... his alarm was going off. He groaned, swinging his arm over, slamming his hand down on the snooze button. He paused, rubbing his eyes. He stood up, yawned, and began to get dressed. He paused, looking back to the bed. His wife was sound asleep, wasn't bothered by the siren-like alarm. He smiled, and bent down, kissing her cheek gently.
It wasn't long, but he was soon walking into Command Center, greating people as he passed. He stepped into his office, and sat down, sighing.
" Hughes-...? " A man strode into the office, a bright smile on his face. Maes Hughes looked at him a little confused, but he smiled back, asking what was up. " Oh, nothing. " His smile fell from his face, almost like someone wiped it off. " Just wanted to say good morning. Good morning! "
" Uh-... Good- morning-... H-hey, Roy? " Maes placed his elbows on the desk in front of him.
" Yeah? " Roy Mustang answered, looking out the window watching the people run around, trying to escape the rain that was coming down in slanted sheets.
" I had a dream last night... " He paused, a grin slipping onto his face. " ...about the good old days. "
Roy paused, refusing to look at Maes. He snorted. " What good old days? " He asked, a small hint of anger in his voice.
" In Charlltina... remember? "
Roy still didn't turn, eyes only for the bad weather. " Good-...? Old days, I agree, but good-...? " He snorted again. " I think you're crazy. "
" No, those were the days we could do anything! " Maes argued, slightly raising his voice. " We didn't have to worry about anything-... "
" Except what our next meal was going to be, how to get it, and the cops. " He turned, his arms crossed. He paused, waiting for Maes to answer. " Am I right? "
Maes sighed. " You overreacted, Roy. So I got shot, what does that mean? "
" What does it mean?! You got mesed up pretty bad, blood was everywhere- " Roy brought a hand to his face. " You'd do anything to go back, wouldn't you? " He lifted his head, and moved his fingers, looking Maes in the eye. " Maybe this time I'll leave you do die. "
Maes smiled. " You wouldn't do that. "
" Your lucky I wouldn't, or you'd be dead right now. " Roy said, and the verge of yelling at his best friend. Damn him-... Roy gritted his teeth as unwanted forgotten memories entered his minds eyes, replaying themselves no matter how much he didn't want them to.
- - - -
He sat on a box, a cigarette in his mouth, and a hand on his head. The building was beginnig to fall apart, and it was cold, a wild breeze flowing in, from the cracks in the walls. Blood covered his clothes, his hands, and the floor. It was everywhere... Smoke billowed out his mouth, as he took the cigarette in his hand.
His partner was lying on the floor, bleeding non-stop from the chest. A huge bullet wound... He shivered, and Roy took off his jacket, drapping it over his friends body, making a make-shirt blanket. But his friends hand came up, and he wrapped his fingers around his arm. " Take it back. You'll freeze. "
" You're the one who's dying, Maes. Take it. " He said, pulling his hand away gently.
Maes smiled weakly. " You're too nice for a murderer, Roy. "
Roy didn't answer, he only stood up, putting the cigarette back in his mouth. He walked back to the box, and sat down, looking at Maes, who was staring at the ceiling. There was a long moment of silence, neither saying anything to the other. Roy finally sighed, and said. " Maes-... " Another pause. Maes turned his head to look at him. " I-... I don't want to kill anymore. "
There was a pause. " What? " Maes tried to push himself up to his elbows, but failed.
Roy shook his head, lowering it into his hand again. " I don't want to kill anymore people, Maes! " He yelled, brushing a hand through his greasy, black hair. There was another excrutiating moment of silence. Roy sighed, and shook his head, taking a shaky breath. " Do you think-... " Another breath. " Do you honestly think-... God would forgive us for what we've done? " He asked quietly.
Maes stared at him, and he didn't utter a word for the longest time. Eventually, his eyes softened, and he said. " No. "
- - - -
Roy stood, rocking back and forth slightly. There was a buzzing in his head, he could hardly see, he couldn't even feel his own body. The gun was lying on his desk inside, placed there not a moment after he had tried to use it. To take a life. His own goddamn life. He didn't know if he was crying or not, the rain mingled with the tears, if they were there. He was wet - soaked - the rain falling onto his head, which rested in a raised hand now. The sky was a single dark cloud, stretching across the horizon...
Roy looked at his hands, looking at the bullet in his hand, still feeling like he hand a knife in his heart. He clenged his hand shut, and spun around, going back into his apartment. He reached for the gun and the phone when he got into his house, dialing Maes' number. His hair dripped onto some paper, proberly important, but he ignored it, waiting for Maes to pick up. " Hello? " Roy was surprised that Maes sounded wide awake, ignoring the amount of time it took him to answer.
" Hey Maes, it's Roy. " Even Roy's voice was shaky-...
" Hey, Roy- " Maes said, sounding a little confused, but going along anyway.
" Do you remember-... what we always used to say about a bullet? " He asked, getting straight to the point. He now looked at the gun in his hand, and the bullet, that was on the table, where he carefully placed it. " How a bullet always tells the truth? "
" I-... rememeber... " There was a pause. " Roy, what did you do? " Roy could hear the panic rising in Maes' voice.
It was Roy's turn to be silent for a moment. " How many times have you had a bullet-... not work? " He asked quietly, after the short pause.
" Uh-... you mean like a dud? " Maes sounded concerned, but he answered the question. " Never. It's suppose to be good luck, or a sign... "
" A sign? "
" Roy-... did you... What did you do? "
" A sign of what, Maes? " He sounded so serious.
Silly, really- Roy heard the fear rising in Maes' voice as he answered. " Answer my question first! "
" N-nothing, Maes. Don't trouble yourself with it- "
" You-... " Maes hesitated. " You tried to kill yourself didn't you? " His question was answered in silence, Roy didn't answer. As the silence dragged on, Maes' fear only grew. " You don't-... You didn't have to kill yourself, you damned fool. You didn't have to... " His voice had become softer, milder. " I'm coming over. "
" No, no your not. " Roy finally answered flatly, a hint on anger in his voice. Why had he even called Maes? Roy knew this would- he knew what Maes would say! Damn him, damn Maes and his way of- " You don't have to come over. I'm fine. " Even as he said that, he knew he didn't sound too convincing.
He heard Maes snort. " No, you're not, you cheeky bastard! " Maes said furiously, trying to keep his voice steady, but failing miserably. " You can't say your fine after you've tried to kill yourself! Jesus Christ, it's like I'm talking to a lunatic! "
" You are, Maes. "
" Shut up, Roy! " Maes growled through gritted teeth. " You're not a lunatic, not matter how fucking crazy I know you are. "
" You said the bullet was giving me a sign-... care to enlighten me? " Roy's chuckle did remind Maes of a lunatic-
" You know the answer to that. It's showing you the truth. " Maes responded, almost reluctantly. " It's telling you you aren't suppose to die yet. "
- - - -
" When will this war end? "
Everything was either blown up, or on fire, the flames dancing in front of his eyes. Bodies were scattered around him, and blood-... the blood was on him again, staining his already broken soul. Drowning him-... The flames didn't hurt him, maybe he just didn't feel the blistering heat. The fire refletcted on his obsidion eyes, they were almost like two black pits. A gun was in his hand, and his gloves held the familliar array on the back of his hand.
Kill in fear of being killed... Killed because of killing. Roy thought, watching the growing flames. " Is that the real reason of war? " He whispered. Most of the bodies were hardly reconizable, burnt to the bone... Their blood staining Roy's hands. The flames slowly approched him, the heat rising, but Roy didn't move. Maybe he wanted death to come, maybe he just couldn't move...
" Roy, you look like an angel of death standing there. " A voice cut through his museings, making him look up. Someone appeared beside him, smiling at the carnage. The horror-... the destruction Roy created.
" A demon. " Roy corrected, his eyes falling back to the flames. He felt sick to his stomach, the smell of burnt flesh filling his nostrils.
" Huh? " Maes glanced at him, confusion on his face.
" An angel-...? " Roy shook his head. " A demon of death. A demon standing amongst the dead... "
Maes saw the reflection of the bodies, the flames, in Roy's dark eyes. " It's what your good at, Roy. " Maes argued, gripping Roy' shoulder tightly. " You specialize in death. Isn't this proof enough? " He said, waving a hand at the flames that leaped higher into the sky.
" Are you saying that's all I'm good at? " He smiled coldly, sending a tingle down Maes' back. " What are you doing here, Hughes? "
" Looking for you. They were too short manned to arrange a search party and the skirmishes are keeping everyone busy. I was able to get permission to check this section for survivors. I'm guess you're the only one? " Maes's face grew hard as he peered around at the bodies Roy had yet to add to his battlefield funeral bonfire.
Roy looked into the orange blaze and said, " Are you surprised? Once again, they gave their lives for me. These men, these boys, were given the job to watch my back so that I could save them all, but where they succeeded... I failed. Now there is no one left to watch my back nor does it deserve watching. "
Maes sighed, rubbing the back of his head. " Roy, listen to me. " He pointed at Roy, his finger an inch away from Roy's face.
" It's rude to point. " Roy said before Maes could continue, a tiny curve appearing on the edge of his mouth, even when it showed what might be hope, it frightened Maes to the bone, making him shudder.
" Shut up, Roy, I'm trying to be serious! " Maes dropped his hand none-the-less.
" You shouldn't. It doesn't work for you. "
" Listen to me, Roy. " Maes crossed his arms, getting back on track. " You may specialize in death, it's what you've been doing all your life, but it's not all your good at. " He turned back to the firey death in front of them. " There's plenty of things you do. "
" I tend to forget these thing I do. Remind me. "
" Stop sounding so solemn, and allow me to refresh your memory. " Maes replied, annoyed. " How about your amazing drawing ability? "
Roy gave him a stare. " You call that useful? We're in the middle of a fucking war, Maes- "
" I know that! I'm saying- " He sighed. " Nevermind. " And he continued. " You-... have this tendancy, Roy, to lose sight of who you are. You blind yourself with all the bad stuff that's happened, and you allow it to drag you down. You are not the monster you think, Roy. I believe in you, like I believe that one day this will be a distant nightmare that we will remember, but only vaguely as an act of evil necessary for everyone else to live normal, happy lives. You and I? We're heroes. "
Roy let his head drop and snickered. It was completely inappropriate and wholly insane sounding, but the laugher convinced Maes even further- Conflicting with what he had said before... years ago. " Heroes, Maes? And here I thought those were people who protected the weak and fought the wicked. I'm no hero Maes, because there are children in that fire; small, helpless and afraid, but now burning. What kind of hero burns children? "
" The kind that will rise to the top so that no other hero will be forced to perform such an act again. We are dogs before anything else and dogs need watching. So here's the deal, you keep your eye on your goal and I will watch your back while pushing you up. I will be your hero so you can be everyone else's. "
" That's the most fucked up thing I think you've ever said. "
- - - -
" Roy-...? Roy! " Roy blinked. He was in Maes' office- He sighed, shaking his head, trying to force the memories back out, but failed.
" You know- now that I think about it-... " He hesitated, trying to figure out how to start. " But-... you have to agree... they weren't good memories, most of it was-... horrible. Are you trying to convince me Ishbal is a nice memory? " He didn't pause, didn't give time for Maes to answer. " But- There were those dark times. The kind, that when I was drowning, you pulled me out, getting me back on my feet. Pushing me from behind. In those days I hated you for it. I wanted to die, so badly, but you always had my back. You always conviced me, no matter what, that my life was worth something. Even if it's worth something to nobody but you. " The edge of his mouth curved up, the exact way it did years ago, showing the tiniest smile. " But you were an asshole, the whole way through. "
Maes couldn't help but grin at this. " Roy, you were right. " He answered, an understanding tone in his voice. " You are a lunatic. " He flashed Roy a smirk. " But a damn smart one. "
" Shut up, Maes. "
" Get back to work, Flame. "
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Some sentances taken from the Fullmetal fanfic 'Just Like This', whose author escapes me right now. But they were just so good, and I've altered them slightly((From Roy asking "What are you doing here Maes" to "nor does my back deserve watching)) ((From Maes saying "I beleive in you", to the end of that memory)). And the part where Roy asks Maes if he remember's what they always say about a bullet always tells the truth was from 'Man on Fire'. Giving credit where it's needed.
Honestly, just a series of idea's that entered my brain late in the night. I stayed up the whole night-... But I must say, the results were worth it, huh? Just-... so- tired-... -snore- But! I really hope you liked it, and comments are always welcomed!
((This is one-shot that will not, and I think cannot, be continued. Thank you! .))
Lupin