Burn
Losing a loved one always hurts. But losing a second loved one will leave you emotionally...and physically burnt. EdxRoy. Oneshot. Character death.
I just heard this amazing song. As I was listening to this song and watching the music video this idea came to me for a oneshot. Please enjoy. Took me three hours to write it.
Telling yourself that you will never allow another one of your loved ones to be hurt again you take it seriously. It was a vow of friendship and love and no one goes back on their word. And Roy Mustang is no stranger to keeping his word. But when it happens again you lose yourself, spiraling down another pit of failure, hopelessness and broken promises.
It hurts more than anything in the world to lose someone you loved.
Years passed and he was just getting over the death of his best friend Maes Hughes, with the help of a certain blonde alchemist. It made his days seem shorter instead of longer. Not anymore was he craving the taste of alcohol to dilute his memories of Maes, the only thing he started craving was him, Ed. Day in and day out Ed was like his antidote from the world, his fix he wanted to keep for the rest of his life. And that's what Edward did. Rain or shine he just kept coming over to slowly heal the wounds of Roy's heart.
They would just sit there, cuddled up in each others arms. Slowly listening to each others hearts beating proving they had seen and survived all of hells wrath and they would be happy once again.
Walking down the streets or Central he dragged one foot after the other not even watching where he was going. He just had to keep moving, not wanting his mind to catch up with him he just kept on walking like Edward had told him to do so if things went wrong. But, where was he walking to now. No hand to hold, no one to follow anymore, he was like a lost dog missing his owner.
His eyes had bags under them like he hadn't slept in weeks. His body seemed thinner and his uniform hung loosely around some parts of his body but they still maintained their shape. Hairs stood on the back of his neck and his face, little pricks of hair sticking out like he had missed a few days of shaving. To put it simple, Roy looked like hell had ran him over. Like he had been shown the gate over and over again not stop. That would make any man go crazy.
His movement came to a halt when he noticed a car was coming and waited for it to pass. While he waited he noticed a familiar alleyway just out of the corner of his dull eyes. He watched that alleyway like his mind was replaying the events that happened in there.
Leaning up against a wall Ed had his back against the brick wall just staring up at his familiar co-worker and superior officer. His golden eyes held a stern look, yet his mouth was threatening to go from an irritated frown to an amused laugh.
"You want to know what?" Ed asked almost shocked at what he had heart. Roy hands were on either side of head almost towering over his subordinate.
"How did you do it, get over the death of your mother?" Roy asked in defeat needing to find a way to settle this on going process in his mind. Ed was almost angry at him and wanted to punch him for thinking he 'got over it' but when he heard the tone and the look in his eye he just sighed and refrained.
"Mustang...I never get over things. I move on, dwindling on the past will bring you nothing but misery. I keep thinking to myself my mother wouldn't want me in pain, she would want me to be happy. Find a meaning in life, and that's what I did" Closing his eyes for a brief second to brace himself before he looked up wanting to see Roys expression. But he was completely silent, not looking Ed in the eyes, instead looking at the ground.
"Roy...this is about Hughes isn't it?" Ed asked as he slowly reached forward and grabbed both sides of Roys cheek gently raising his head to make him look up. The dark haired males eyes slowly rose from the ground staring into the golden pools. "My mother never gave me a goal, a meaning, or anything like that. I never got to ask for one before she left us I was too young to even think of such things.. But Hughes, he gave you one. He told you to become Fuhrer no matter what happens, that he will always be beside you right under you pushing you to the top" Ed could tell he was getting to Roy finally.
"You're not going to let Hughes presence fade from within you if that's what you are worried about. Follow that goal he has set out for you. Because if you don't I am sure he will rise from the dead just to shove a knife in your ass" A small curve in Roys lips formed like the life was filling back up inside of him.
"Geeze Fullmetal...when you did you become a fortune cookie, you definitely are small enough" Before Ed could react Roy wrapped his arms around the male holding him close. One arm around his shoulder and the other on the back of the blondes head just above where his ponytail was. "Thank you..."
Thunder had snapped Roy out of his memories as he looked up at the sky. The clouds were rolling in and it would rain pretty soon. Everyone around him seemed to move quicker with their errands to avoid the pending rain that threatened to fall at any time now. But he was in no hurry. Stepping down from the sidewalk he walked across the street shoving his hands in his pockets.
His fingers ran over the specially woven gloves with the stitching going in a transmutation circle. He kept his hands on them crinkling them up as if he was protecting them from something. He had to be more careful because if he got these wet on more time Riza wouldn't be making him anymore until he can be 'responsible' in her words.
Soon the place he was headed came into view, a simple flower shop. Time to put on that happy smile he he hated to fake so much.
"Ah good evening sir, out doing last minute runs before the weather turns nasty? What can I get for ya" The elderly woman said walking over and Roy's eyes glanced over the different flowers she had in stock. His eyes had stopped the ones he was after. A simple flower, the Peruvian Lily. These flowers had many colors, but the ones he adored were the golden sunset ones mixed with the colors in between gold and red.
"Ah I see you have good eye. Peruvian lilies are rare to this area of the country. Took me weeks to get these over here in this good of a condition" She said.
"I'll take a bouquet of those please" The woman nodded her head grabbing white wrapping paper and began cutting the stems making them at a nice slant so they could fit inside a vase. But Roy needed no vase.
"Do you know what a Peruvian Lily means, not many people are fond of these because they are not most common" She said as she was just ranting, that's what old woman are best at.
"Yes I do..." Roy added digging out his wallet getting reminded of another memory.
Laying on the familiar couch in Roys office Ed was nose deep inside a new book he had just gotten from the library. His legs gently tucked up using his knees as a place to set his book as he read it. Time seemed to stop for him whenever he got into a good book. He was so far gone that he didn't realize Roy was stepping into the office. Without even raising his head he flipping another page and pushed his hair to the side hanging down on his shoulder getting his bangs out of his face.
"How's the book" Ed jumped in shock as he stared at Roy who had taken a seat right in front of him on the couch.
"Damn it Mustang I told you to not do that while I am reading!" Ed grumbled and went back to his book. But his eyes seemed to catch something that caused him to completely forget about what that book was about. Roy held out a bouquet of flowers. Such odd flowers indeed. Sitting up he put the book face down and gently grabbed the flowers that looked like they absorbed the suns color.
"What are these for?" Ed asked shyly as he held the flowers up passed his lips smelling them, but to also hide the blush that was forming on his cheeks.
"Just cause, a woman said that were very rare to this side of the country" Roy said, "They are Peruvian Lilies. Do you know what they symbolize?" Ed quickly shook his head no.
"Peruvian lilies can say to a companion or loved one that you will always be there for them and that you trust in their lasting bond" Reaching in Roy gently grabbed the stem of one that was the biggest and in full bloom. Leaning over Roy brushed the blondes hair out of the way and gently stick it behind his ear before pulling back and examining Ed. "These dazzling flowers will always attract attention because of their unique appeal" Ed seemed to get the message and it made his entire body light up like a match had been lit with in him.
"I-uh I mean.."Roy began getting all jumbled as he looked between the flowers and Ed. "I mean is..that you are like, this flower and I thought I should deliver the message...of what they mean..to you. I mean what they mean to me" Amused by his sudden loss of composure Ed just sat up and sat Indian style on the couch leaning in.
"Roy...think and then speak" Ed chuckled just teasing him.
Sighing Roy just let his shoulders slump before closing his eyes. A few seconds passed and he opened one just staring at Ed.
"Like what these flowers mean...will you create a bond with me..."
"Thank you and come back soon!" The woman said eagerly as he managed to swindle Roy out of more money then he even needed for these flowers. But to Roy you cannot put a price on them. These flowers were now his whole reason for living.
As he reached the end of the city, where the tall building seemed to get smaller and the space between the houses seemed to grow larger. Cement roads now turned into gravel as he walked up passing the white gates and stepped onto a path he never wanted to enter ever again.
The grass was perfectly cut here, not a single faded piece of grass. Everything was perfect and full of life. Well almost everything was full of life if you didn't count the hundreds of caskets 6 feet under ground. The pure white headstones with carved names sent a chill down Roy's spine. Counting back the rows, 6...7...8...9. On the 10th row he took a left and counted the headstones until he arrive at his goal.
'Edward Elric'
Hero of the People, brother, friend and lover.
1899 - 1919
No quotes, no fancy writing, nothing unique about this headstone. It matched the countless of others going in all directions. But it was just like Ed to not make a grand spectacle of his death. Even in his last moments of life he didn't even cry. Even when others around him were.
Roy stared down at the headstone and clutched the flowers firmly in his hand, which was visibly shaking.
"What now Ed..." Roy began to speak as he just stared at the ground fighting the urge to cry. "Just like Hughes, you die before I had reached my goal..." The fighting going on between Roy and his tears were happening and Roy was losing. Dropping to his knees he sat down and just held the flowers with both hands, tears rolled down his cheeks like a steady stream, curving to all the lines and curves on his face.
"You promised...you promised our bond would last a lifetime and far beyond that. But your gone now and there is no bond left" Roy said as he picked one of the flowers and put it on top of the headstone before laying the others down right under his name.
Roy snapped over and over again. Trying to get a spark from his damp gloves, but like everyone said he was useless in the rain. So why did it have to rain on this day. If god was punishing him for his sins in Ishval, He picked a hell of a time to punish him now. His body visibly shaking as he snapped his fingers over and over again. Tears flowed down his face, or was it just water? He didn't know he was soaked to the bone.
His body in pain on the ground hurt and wounded badly from a terrorist attack on central. People around them were screaming, running from the smoke and flying debris. Blood flowed down the side of his face.
"No no! Ed run! Get out of here now!" Roy was trapped, under a pile of fallen wood from houses. Those men who attacked the city were fighting Ed right now, Using a metal pole Ed had found he did his best attacking and defending from the invaders. Once again he tried snapping. But no flames were coming. His eyes did his best to follow the movements of Ed trying to figure out if he was winning or losing. Metal on metal clashed as he managed to kick the guy in the stomach sending in him into crates breaking on smirked and flicked his nose in victory. A moment of relief that had rushed over Roy vanished in a second.
"ED!" Roy yelled and before he would even say his entire name. Ed whipped around from the second attacker and then they froze. Ed's back facing seemed like hours until Roy finally say what happened. Blood dripped down from between Ed and the terrorist. But who was it coming from.
In slow motion Ed dropped to his knees, a pool of blood forming from his stomach and dripped down mixing with the rain water underneath him. Roy's entire life shattered when he saw Ed hit the ground, not speaking, not fighting, not even wincing in the other had suffered a wound to. The terrorist fell from with the metal pole forced through his stomach falling back. In shock all the noise were drowned out from Roy's ears. All he could hear was his heart beat as he forced himself out from under the wrecking not caring if it broke his leg in the process. Limping over there he dropped to Ed's side and gently put an arm under his neck supporting his head and pulled him close out of the pool of blood.
"Ed...Ed no..no stay with me" Roy said as he grabbed his hand squeezing it. When Ed squeezed back he was happy, but it wasn't firm at all. His golden eyes opened as blood was dripping out of his mouth.
"I-Im sorry...Roy...I wish I could...stay...but I'll keep...our bond alive...with me and you...must keep it too" Ed said as he reached up and wiped away Roys tears accidentally smearing a bit of blood on his cheek.
"R...o...y...I love...you" Ed said as he closed his eyes and Roy could feel the body go limp in his arms adding the extra weight. His shoulders shook as he pulled Ed close to him not wanting anyone to take the boy away from him. He cried holding Ed's head on his shoulder as he rocked him gently hoping he would wake up. But he never did. Seeing the bloodstained gloves he ripped them off and just stared at them like they were the devil.
"WHY COULDN'T YOU MAKE A SPARK! THAT'S ALL I NEEDED TO SAVE HIS LIFE...but no...I had to go and bring them out in the rain...when, when I knew I would be useless..."
Pulling out the gloves from his pocket he slowly slipped them on and his eyes glanced over the bloodstains. Ed's blood, he never got rid of them and never wore them after that day until now.
"These gloves...all they do is kill. It's funny the very thing I created to help save people...only takes people away" Another clash of thunder boomed as animals fled for cover. Rain was coming.
"At the end of today...they will take one more life...and then world will finally be rid of flame alchemy" Roys tears finally stopped like he could finally be at peace. Raising his hand he held his fingers together...and snapped. Lightening at struck across the sky at the same time as a circle of flame alchemy traced around Roy and the head stone. The flames grew brighter and strong as Roy sat there in the middle of the circle of fire. The heat came first, then sweat. Smoke filled the air he was breathing until he couldn't handle it anymore. His body fell down to the earth a thud.
The flowers left for Ed burned up, Along side the Flame Alchemist Roy Mustang.
Wow...I didn't know I could write something...something so depressive. I am actually wondering how my sanity is after writing this dark fic xD Now I must leave before I get attacked by angry crying EdxRoy fans.
REVIEW!
Oh and by the way the song I was listening to was Unconditionally by Katy Perry. And don't ask me how I got this fic out of listening to this song...my mind works in mysterious way lol