So this was a bit of an experimental writing for me. I'm not confident in how I portrayed Roy here but I hope I get some rise out of you all when you read this. I'd love it if you'd review and tell me what you thought. Thanks for checking this story out.
For those of you who read and follow my other stories, I assure you that updates are arriving soon and I apologize for the long wait. I won't try to make excuses, I'll just tell you that updates will be coming regularly from now on.
It had all happened so fast. Faster than Mustang had been able to comprehend or swallow because if any one of their opponents had moved a bit slower, then they wouldn't be in the situation they were in right now. If he or his other subordinates had moved the tiniest bit faster, then Mustang wouldn't be feeling this heart-wrenching guilt and denial.
He wasn't even sure how it happened. All he knew was that Fullmetal had been gone for eight days, not a single trace to be found of him anywhere. It had been eight days since Alphonse had gotten into a fight with his brother and Edward had stalked off.
It had been six since Mustang had received a call from a frantic Alphonse, crying and murmuring into the phone about how his brother hadn't been home for days. It had been four since Mustang had started his search, three since the boys' mechanic found out and appeared, two since Mustang had gotten a call from a mysterious man claiming he had Fullmetal, one since they had finally found something to get them on the right track.
Mustang wished that he could rewind the clock, back to the day Fullmetal had arrived back from his latest mission.
Four hours had passed since he, Hawkeye, Hughes, Alphonse, and his other subordinates had finally found the place where Edward was being kept. Two since they found him, chained against a wall with blood dripping from his chest and arms, where lash marks stood out like a lantern in the oily darkness. One since they had been confronted by Edward's kidnappers, and ten minutes since Edward had thrown himself into the path of a dagger meant for Mustang. It had been three minutes since Ed had closed his eyes and two since he had stopped breathing.
"Fullmetal. Fullmetal I need you to open your eyes," Mustang ordered, barely registering the fact that the fight was just now ending, that they had won, that the others stood around him now, each holding their breath.
There was no answer from Edward and Mustang gripped him a little tighter. When had he grabbed him? When had they gotten to the floor?
"Fullmetal, you have to open your eyes. This isn't a request, it's an order," Mustang said, his voice strangely flat. There was still no answer and Roy felt something squeeze his heart.
If any of them had been faster, Mustang would not be holding the body of Edward in his arms. He wouldn't be listening to the broken sobs of Alphonse as he begged for his brother to just open his eyes. He wouldn't be feeling the warm wetness that was Edward's blood seeping into his uniform or hands.
None of this would have happened if they had just been a little faster, a little smarter.
"Damn it, Fullmetal, open your eyes! You are not allowed to die!" Roy roared. He felt a hand fall onto his shoulder and his eyes closed. Pain erupted throughout his chest and he cursed Hughes for making him realize all those months ago that he saw the Elrics as his sons, because really, there was nothing worse than holding the corpse of your child in your arms, knowing they died to protect you.
"Edward Elric, you listen to me and you listen to me good," Roy growled through clenched teeth. "You aren't allowed to die, you hear me? Your brother is counting on you. The Rockbell's are counting on you. We're counting on you, you understand? I will not let you lay back and die when you have promises to keep and standards to meet, you fucking shrimp!"
There were choked sobs from the people around him, but Mustang paid no attention to them. He had eyes and ears only for the teenager that laid in his arms, heavy, limp, and cold. He knew it was useless, knew there was no hope, knew there was no possible way that Edward could ever open his eyes again. He also knew that Edward didn't deserve this, didn't deserve half of the shit that was thrown at him, and he didn't deserve death.
"Please, Edward, open your eyes. Stop being such a horrible subordinate. Listen to me, just this once, Ed. Please, please, please, just listen to me and open your eyes. Show me that you're okay, that you have a plan, that you aren't just gone," Roy begged, tears dripping from his eyes.
The hand on his shoulder tightened and he bit his lip. This wasn't supposed to be happening. This was never supposed to happen. Mustang was never supposed to be the one crying over Edward's death. It was always supposed to be Edward cursing and yelling over Roy's death, telling him to get his lazy ass back up and stop being so useless.
"Don't do this to your brother. Don't do this to us. Don't do this to me," Roy whimpered, resting his forehead on Edward's bloody chest, his tears soaking his blasted red coat. There was no answer and Roy knew he would never be getting one again.
He was dead, taken out by saving another, never to open his eyes or snap at people for calling him short ever again.
Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, the adopted son of Roy Mustang, the adopted brother of all those under Mustang's command, was gone.