Disclaimer: The Fullmetal Alchemist manga is the property of its creator, Hiromu Arakawa. The Fullmetal Alchemist anime is the property of their authorised owners. This short story is created by the author. All original settings, characters, etc. remain the property of the author.
Unexpected
A
Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic
by Galliechan
© Copyright 2008
The car moved at the fastest speed available from its worn tires and small but loud engine. It was going to the other side of the city in a night that was darker than its black paint yet not more silent than its occupants.
The three occupants were quiet, looking from outside; yet inside was a different story, right now, their minds were noisy, hyperactive and in chaos. They were worried and confused. Of course, in addition to the uncomfortable feeling about where they were going to go. In fact, more like who they were going to meet there.
"Please, find Edward," Roy had mumbled, before he fell asleep entirely, "he is the only one who can help."
No, no, no. The issue wasn't trust to him, it was out of question. The problem was this Edward. Why, out of all people, it has to be him? As if the circumstances were not disturbing enough without him.
--
Edward Elric was a teen that had entered their lives a few months ago. He is a friend of Roy, they had thought, when they had first seen him in their snacks-and-games party in Roy's house, that must be how he got invited.
The three of them knew Roy for years, some even from childhood. Yep, they have been the best of friends and understood each other; they had memories to fill books, experiences earned to give lessons. Together. Therefore, naturally, they were surprised to see that Roy knew someone else he could call 'a friend' and felt close enough to introduce to them. It was not that he was asocial or anything like that; just, many of his 'friends' were not willing to get to know him better or if they were eager, they would be either pushed away or run away themselves.
Also, the fact that none of them had ever heard about the teen, who obviously had been a part of Roy's life for some time, had startled them.
So, curiously, they introduced themselves; nonetheless, the teen was creepy. Starting from the first moment they saw him, they got an uncomfortable feeling. He wasn't doing anything to give this impression; he just politely greeted them and introduced himself then shook their hands, yet, this little touch was enough for each of them to shudder.
As time passed, the feeling didn't go away; on the contrary, it intensified. Yet the teen, still, wasn't doing anything. He was eating some chips while listening to them and answering when asked a question. He wasn't even looking weird; not at all, he was dressed in plain pants and a simple shirt, which only helped to reveal this gorgeous looks altogether. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the only one comfortable around him was Roy.
So, maybe it was because of this or any other reason, Jean wanted to embarrass him as much as possible in their favourite game, truth or dare. Needless to say, Maes was more than willingly to help him. Whenever the bottle pointed to the poor Edward, he had faced with far-too-much personal questions or humiliating acts that a normal person would prefer the ground to open up and swallow him whole than doing it. However, none of them was enough to break the calm attitude of him; he would answer all the questions or do whatever was said and after everybody laughed, he would return back to his place and calmly continue playing.
It was amusing to watch for Riza, whose truth questions was scarier than the duo's, and Roy, who didn't care that two of his best friends were practically threatening Edward with the question "truth or dare?" After some time, Edward, without the slightest sign that he was annoyed, started counter-attack. It was sufficient to say, his dares were frightening; yet he wasn't able to find the correct questions since he didn't know the two men well enough.
It was a turn, in which both sides were trying their hardest to embarrass the other more, that Jean dared Edward with what he thought to be a perfect way to break his calm. It was after Riza barked through the open window like Black Hayate, Roy told an humiliating real date story and Jean declared his eternal love for the couch in Roy's living room.
"I dare you," he smirked with self-satisfaction, "to kiss Roy. Passionately."
Then hell broke. Maes started to laugh hysterically, congratulating Jean for his genius; the idea itself was enough for him to start laughing. Then Jean, who was also laughing, of course, yet his one had an edge of sadism in it. Roy looked like the entire colour in his face decided to go on a holiday, in a faraway land and Riza was looking shocked – a rare expression in her standards – that he had dared to dare such a thing. Kissing objects was a thing but kissing each other...nope.
Still, crashing all the hopes of the laughing duo, Edward wasn't affected. He calmly stood up and walked to Roy, with something akin to a smirk on his face.
"You don't have to do this Ed," said Roy, with an uncharacteristic nervous chuckle, "this is just a game."
"And that's exactly the reason he has to do it," cut in Jean immediately, "this is a game of truth or dare."
Roy just closed his mouth, remembering all-too-clear that weird oath in the beginning of the game.
Riza watched his friend's behaviour curiously and silently. The one they expected to be nervous was Edward, not Roy; on the contrary, they had thought he wouldn't mind kissing such a good-looking blond. Not that it was the reason of the dare, but, anyway.
However, even with his calm attitude, they expected Edward to feel a little bit awkward at least, not actually sit on Roy's lap. But he did, then stared deep into his eyes and slowly closed the distance.
Now, his three friends had met most of the girls who was able to be together with Roy for more that a few weeks. Although none of them were submissive, it was obvious that Roy had more control in the relationship, a result of his personality. So, they were speechless to see how little, or more likely, no control he had over the kiss. Edward had even bent over him enough to disturb the other's balance so that Roy had to hold on to him not to fall; and it is sufficient to say that Edward had used it to his advantage.
When they finally parted, and the only thing Roy did was to put his head on the other's shoulder; panting, eyes still closed and arms still around, they had to admit that, no, it was not just about the kiss, Edward has great power over Roy.
Later on, after Roy returned to normal, and they resumed the game but before any of them began to act upon the protective instinct for their friend, one of them chose truth and answered the question that should have already been asked, "What is your relationship?"
"We're lovers" was the answer.
--
The car stopped in front of a sign writing 'Murphy's'. A famous location in the city. With its bad reputation. This was the place where you could find all kinds of dirty, criminal-looking or real-criminal people. Drunkards, drug dealers, prostitutes or gang leaders, the rest was up to your imagination.
Two men and a woman exited the car and stood in front of the door under the sign. After their first meeting, either Edward or Roy had noticed their discomfort, so they never saw or heard about the blond teen again. Maybe, their hints in various conversations about how they wouldn't even dream of meddling with their friend's relationships but such an unbalanced relationship would definitely be unhealthy, could be the reason as well.
Anyway, whether they liked the teen or not, they were here to get him. Though all those 'the only one who can help' deal was funny in itself, considering Roy was already in a hospital. The moment he was out of hospital, they'll start teasing him about how he made up such a tale just because he wanted to see the blond.
A few moments later found the three of them lead by a girl to the rooms deep inside the building. The sounds coming from the rooms weren't leaving anything to imagination for what the people on the other side were doing. After today, they thought, there won't be any hints; they will get their friend away from this teen even if they have to forcefully drag him.
Another interesting fact was that, it was Roy who gave them this address. He knew Edward was hanging out in places like this. What the hell happened to their friend without any of their notice? He spent his time in such places? Or, worse yet, he had found himself a lover who spends his time in such places? Only god knows what his job would be...
"Elric should be in this room," the girl said, in front of a door, frowning when no noise came inside, "are you sure your reason to see him is important enough?" she asked giggling, "He gets angry when interrupted."
"Yes," answered Maes, not even trying to cover the anger and disgust in his voice, "just open the door, I don't care if I interrupt something." Oh, the blond will be so dead when he gets his hands on him.
The girl nodded. Then knocked softly, calling "Elric, we're coming" from the slight ajar, then still not hearing anything, she opened the door fully and entered the room, followed by the three.
What they expected to see inside, whatever it was, definitely wasn't this. A pale girl sound asleep on the bed, her job apparent from the clothes that are on her; the blond teen sitting on a chair near the window with a glass of red wine in his hand, not even bothered to take his coat off. Their anger towards the teen lessened slightly, very slightly, to see that obviously, there had been no activity in the room.
The girl leading them noticed the obvious fact as well and with another giggle, asked "Why, Elric?" seductively, "She couldn't satisfy you?"
The teen didn't even indicate he heard her; he was looking to the other three people in the room, surprised from their appearances. He put his glass on a table and walked towards them, there was no need to ask who the situation was about.
None of them talked; the three weren't willing to explain the entire story, already started to feel uncomfortable around him; the teen not needing to listen to the story, already understood the seriousness of the situation.
"Girl," Edward spoke suddenly, without even looking to who he was talking to, "leave her alone and lead the way to the bar." The girl nodded, stopped poking the sleeping one and did as she was told.
--
The car returned back to the hospital as silently as it went to the bar. The only difference was the extra occupant and the thoughts of the other three. The thinking was about the blond teen again, but on a different angle.
In their little time together, they had noticed an interesting fact. Edward had power over everybody, it wasn't just about Roy.
In the bar, there were two obvious things. One, they all knew the teen; two, they all were doing what the teen told them to do. No objections, complaints or even a glance back. The girl lead them back to the bar, the fat tattooed man in the corner stopped making noises to him, the drunkard moved aside from his way, the barman accepted that he didn't drink the wine so didn't make him pay for it and another girl opened the door for him. A sentence was enough for them, a command and they obeyed. He was like a puppet master, playing with people effortlessly.
Then, they noticed that Roy was not like the people at the bar. He had his free will; there was no control over him. The teen had talked to him, not ordered him.
Like the way he ordered the nurse to say the room number of Roy Mustang, walk down the hall and forget ever seeing them today.
It was scary, to say the least, the way she obeyed immediately.
--
"What the hell are you doing?" echoed Jean's voice in the small room.
Yet, it was not enough to stop Edward. He removed the IV from their friend's arm and stopped the device before any of them even reached him.
"Stop," the teen commanded without looking at them, "and shut up." He turned back to look at the widened eyes of the three people, "He doesn't need it."
An invisible force. It was the only explanation they could come up with. Because, at the moment, they wanted to scream – who he thought he was to decide it –, yell – he didn't even know what the problem was –, punch the teen for what he has done, but above all else, they wanted to put that IV back to their friend's arm again; however, 'stop and shut up' was all they could do. Other than looking to Edward with a mix of emotions; anger, dread, worry and many others.
"Oh," he said calmly, sitting on the bed Roy was currently sleeping, "of course, you can go away, if you want to."
Like hell they would. Even if all they could do was to watch.
He bent over Roy slightly, touching his cheek slowly and whispered "Wake up, Roy."
And he did. With a slight groan, he opened his eyes and slowly sat up.
"Ed?" he asked sleepily, "You're here." There was relief in his voice.
He smiled, "Of course", hand moving from the other's cheek to hand and holding it, while waiting for the other to wake up fully. "How did it happen?"
He took a deep breath and said "The weather was beautiful and I wanted to take a walk in the park," silently, "didn't know there was any until they found me." A chuckle. Edward was looking at him intently. "There were three of them, but before they finished the job, hunters came." He bowed his head, looking to the hand holding the other's, "They said they were sorry, that I had lost too much blood. Still, they had brought me to the hospital."
They sat in silence for a moment while the three friends were trying to figure what they were talking about.
"Hospital gave you blood." said Edward suddenly.
"Yes," the other nodded, "though not enough for recovery."
"They would give more tomorrow."
Roy just shook his head and opened his mouth largely. Only the blond teen was able to see what the problem was but hearing his gasp was enough to increase the observers' worry level. Their friend's explanation, "They weren't trying to kill me" was not helping also. So they returned to what they were doing, watching the event silently and wondering how Roy didn't notice them.
Edward's expression was troubled while he was looking to the other's face. Roy's was, on the other hand, determined.
"I don't wish to die and I remember unmistakably what you told me about this state I'm in." He started confidently, "So, I will ask this once:" he took a deep breath and said in a clear voice, "Edward, please finish my transformation into a vampire."
An absolute silence followed his sentence. Edward was still looking deep into his eyes, not uttering a word. On the other hand, the silenced trio understood the reason for the 'shut up' command for otherwise; there would be several shouts like "What? Vampire?" "What the hell?" or more interesting ones like "How can he turn you into a vampire?" or "He is a vampire?!" and such.
After a few more tense and silent moments, the blond teen nodded and smiled, resulting in a relieved sigh from the other. Following some deep breaths, he started explaining, "The state you're in – between human and vampire – is fatal, because right now your body has already started working like a vampire's but you don't have the instincts yet." seeing the confused look, explained further, "Obviously from your fangs, your body started to change already; your senses and, of course, the lack of iron to produce blood. However, you don't feel the hunger at all, am I right?" The other nodded. "The first step in your transformation is already done, a vampire bit you with the intention of starting these reactions in your body." he paused before continuing, "The other step is for you to bite one, so your instincts will appear."
The leftover colours on Roy's face from blood lost flew away too. "I have to bite you?" he asked in a strangled tone, "Can't it be a human?"
"Nope," came the apologetic answer, "as much as the vampire that bit you wanted to transform you, it wouldn't be enough for you to survive as one. Only through another's blood you can take enough special proteins that your body can start producing them." He shrugged, "it's more of a biological thing actually."
"I – I can't do it."
"You can." Edward smiled confidently, "There is no need to hurry. I'll just sit here," he closed his eyes, "and patiently wait for you." Then he added as an afterthought, "Just don't kill me, ok?"
They watched as Roy seriously started to scan Edward's body. It just felt unreal. All those events and were they really watching their best friend turning into a vampire? He had a vampire lover all this time, actually knowing what he was, and none of them noticed a thing! This must be some kind of a weird dream, everything was so unnatural.
"You can't find what you're looking for just by looking at it," Edward chuckled, "you have new senses, use them. Feeling, smelling..."
Hesitantly, Roy moved closer to the other and touched his face. Then his hands moved to his neck and shoulder, slowly caressing the body until touching the wrist, the exact point pulse could be felt. Edward didn't make a sound or any movement while his hands felt muscled arm, squared shoulder or delicate neck again and again. Leisurely, he moved even nearer, closing his eyes.
Riza, Maes and Jean watched in fascination. So, this is instinct, they realised. Roy didn't look like he was aware of what he was doing; his hands tracing the precise places of main veins while head tilted vaguely as if to hear the flow through them.
"Will it hurt you?" he mumbled a question.
"It's up to you." was the answer from the unmoving blond, "Think of it like sex. You can make it either an agonizing or a pleasurable experience for me."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Then it won't hurt."
And he bit. He bit the blond teen's neck. In that moment, the unreal dream shattered and they were looking to a real scene. A very real scene where Roy was hugging Edward to comfort him while his newly acquired fangs pierced his most vulnerable and valuable vein. A very real scene where Edward didn't make even the smallest of noises when his lover drank his life away, resulting him getting paler, losing his consciousness and hanging limply from the other's arms. A very real scene where Roy returned to normal in mere seconds, noticed the blond's condition and begged for him to wake up with a mix of guilt, desperation and horror.
And still, they couldn't move the slightest or make any noise.
And still, Roy didn't notice them.
Thankfully, Edward woke up after what-seemed-like-eternity, groggily opened his eyes and smiled to the panicked man. The resulting bone-crashing hug was anticipated and mercifully weakened due to the weariness of the said man.
"Wasn't expecting you to go directly for the neck." chuckled the blond, making himself comfortable on the bed, "Still I should congratulate you for closing such a wound, the ones on neck are exceptionally difficult."
"Oh, one doesn't mind the level of difficulty if it is about saving his lifeless-looking and bleeding-profusely lover in his arms."
The response to this sentence was surprising for the three unnoticed people in the room. It was the first time they heard the blond laughing.
"You know," Edward said silently, after Roy lay down next to him in the hospital bed, "never once I had thought about turning you into a vampire in our relationship."
"I really am one, right?" Everything happened so fast, Roy mused. It would be some time later that the seriousness of the situation finally hit him, though there wouldn't be any regrets, like there weren't any right now. The only thing he wanted for now was to sleep with his Ed next to him. "Which also means I am immortal, right?"
An "Hm" and a nod.
"So can I assume that you're stuck with me for all eternity?"
His only response was the blond snuggling closer to him.
By the time the trio were able to move and speak, both of the vampires were sleeping deeply. So, they did the only thing they could do. Turned off the lights and closed the door silently behind, with various emotions lingering in their hearts.
--
It was another snacks-and-games party.
Though, it was nothing like the first one with five rather than four people. There were no uncomfortable feelings or disturbed glances, yet the truth or dare was as fierce as always, with no kissing involved.
The three best friends of Roy learned that the unpleasant feeling around vampires vanished by trust and after getting to know Edward, the emotion slowly gone away.
Of course, it wasn't enough that they didn't notice his or Roy's fangs when they laugh or the unnatural glow of their eyes; it was just not enough to get scared of them. Like they had said teasingly, they just used whores for feeding. Even now they were not sure whether it had been a joke or not.
They were all embarrassed to remember that they had thought Edward just had one of those teeth abnormalities when they had seen his fangs the first time. Though it relieved them when they started to use the same tale to answer the questions about their fangs. It was funny how other people believed the made up story instantly, recommending dentists.
So, in the end, yep, they have been the best of friends and understood each other; they had memories to fill books, experiences earned to give lessons. Together. Yet, none of them expected such events to unfold.
Somehow, a stunning blond vampire came into their lives and settled into their hearts; all the while effectively expanding his place in the heart of the one he proudly called his lover.
Yet, it was sufficient to say, none of them saw this coming.