Yes, I started a new story even though two of my other stories are on hiatus! I'm sorry! But this one is going to be short and is already half written up. I'm guessing only three chapters. So somehow Al got his body back and Ed still has his artificial limbs and Roy is Brigadier General. So that's the gist of it! Yaoi. Don't like don't read. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. How it pains me to say those words.
Ed stared off into space, not exactly paying attention to what he was looking at though if anyone walked by they would have guessed he was cloud watching.
"Hey," a soft voice said.
Ed looked up from where he sat on the porch of Winry's house. "Hi Winry."
Winry sat down beside him, pulling her blond hair away from her face as the wind picked up. Ed made no move to shift the golden strands of hair that whipped around his face.
"Is something wrong, Ed?" Winry asked, concern obvious in her voice.
"No. Why do you ask?"
His words said he was fine. His tone said he was suffering.
"You've just seemed really down lately. I want to know if it was anything I did."
Ed sighed. For six months he and Winry had dated and within those six months, the love he had felt for her died with every passing day. Her love was not enough of a reason for him to live, it seemed. Al had his body back. Sure, he still had his metal limbs but he could live with that as long as Al was okay. He had been looking forward to finally relaxing in Risembool after all of the struggles had ended, maybe even settling down with Winry. But now...
"It's nothing you did, Winry. I just...I think I'm going to go to Central," Ed told her.
"Why?" she asked, clearly surprised.
"I...don't know. I just need a change of scenery though I never really thought I would want to go back to Central. Colonel Bastard is there after all," Ed muttered.
"Ed, don't be rude," Winry scolded, ruffling his hair lovingly. "Can I come with you?"
Ed winced. "Sorry Winry. This is just something I want to do alone. I don't know why...I just...feel like going to Central."
Winry looked away, obviously feeling dejected at Ed's refusal to take her along. "Alright...well...when are you leaving?"
"Probably tomorrow," Ed answered with a shrug before standing up. "I'm going to go take a nap before dinner. See you later."
He headed into the house before she could answer.
RERERE
"Did you finish your paperwork Brigadier Roy Mustang?" Hawkeye demanded as Roy stepped out of his office, saluting him quickly.
"Yes Colonel Hawkeye," Roy answered, running a hand through jet black hair before shaking his head to readjust the hair over his eye patch.
"I'm sorry...about that," Hawkeye said quietly.
"Jesus Hawkeye. It's been two years. Let it go," he sighed, walking past her and striding down the hall.
Hawkeye started after him before thinking better of it and ducking into his office to collect his paperwork. What she found on the desk was a surprise. Not only was all of his paperwork actually done but he had also forgotten his pocket watch. She picked it up, flipping it open curiously. Her surprise grew when she saw that engraved on the side was the inscription: Don't Forget, Oct. 1.
"What's he doing with Ed's watch?" she wondered softly to herself. She set the watch back down on the desk, picking up the paper work and leaving the room.
RERERE
Roy hated the rain, especially when he had to walk home in it. He could almost guarantee that Edward had perfect weather in Risembool, not a downpour of rain so hard it felt like getting bombarded with jets of water. But despite his hatred for the rain he couldn't help but head towards Maes's grave. As he walked, his thoughts drifted to Edward, much like they had seemed to do as of late.
His thoughts drifted to just six months ago when Edward had given him papers to sign to make his resigning official.
Flashback"Here ya go Colonel Bastard, I mean Roy," Ed snapped, slapping down the papers on his desk.
"It's Brigadier now, Fullmetal," Roy corrected calmly.
"Just sign the damn papers," Ed ordered.
"As you wish, Fullmetal," Roy said, grabbing a pen and scrawling his signature on the line.
"Thanks, Bastard," Ed said, dropping the title and smirking at Roy's frown. He was free at last!
Ed turned to leave but Roy's voice stopped him.
"You're forgetting something."
Ed turned back around. "What?"
"Your watch. You are no longer a part of the military so that watch will be taken away," Roy said, holding his palm out.
Ed stared at his hand for several tense seconds, a wave of...something washing over his face. It hit Roy hard, and he had no idea why. Ed reached into his pocket, pulling out the watch and flipping it open. Roy looked away as Ed stared at the inscription, almost as though it were too hard to look away. Then he dropped it in Roy's hand, turning without a word and leaving.
Roy stared at the open pocket watch. Don't forget. Oct. 1. Roy glanced at the calendar, eyes widening when he saw that it was October first. Weird. Why would he resign today?
Not knowing why, Roy slipped it into his pocket with his own watch before going back to his paperwork.
End FlashbackBy now, Roy had arrived at Maes's grave. He stared at the grave for along moment, relishing in the feel of the rain pounding down on him and the smell of wet grass. Sure he was cold, but it was like he didn't even feel it.
"I haven't stopped by in a while. Sorry," Roy murmured softly. "Why aren't you ever here when I need you the most?"
Of course, he received no answer. It was times like these Roy was actually thankful for the rain. No one could tell he was crying.
RERERE
"Why?" Al demanded as Ed packed his bags.
"I just...need to get away for a bit," Ed answered. It wasn't a complete lie.
Al sighed and flopped back on his bed, staring at Ed with identical amber eyes. "You're lying, brother. Just tell me."
Ed sighed too, turning to face Al head on. "I don't know Al. I really don't. I just...really don't know."
"Is it because of Winry? Are you upset with her?" Al asked.
"Dammit! No! Why does everyone think that?" Ed hissed.
"Don't take it out on me."
"Sorry Al. Just...frustrated."
"I noticed," Al said, smiling.
"I don't know when I'll get back but I'm leaving early in the morning tomorrow. So..."
"Just write every once in awhile, okay?" Al said brightly.
"Yeah. Thanks Al."
"Of course. I'm your brother, aren't I?"
RERERE
Ed arrived in Central early the next morning and realized he had screwed up...big time. He had never booked a hotel. Oh well. He just had to find one now. As he walked, he took in the still familiar sights of Central, smiling faintly when he passed by Maes's house. He considered dropping in to see Gracia and Elysia but decided to do it later, instead getting settled in.
But, seeing as how fate hated him, someone stepped out of their house at that exact second.
"Edward?"
"Colonel Bastard?"
Roy was shocked to see Ed at first. What the hell would he want to even be here for?
"What are you doing here, Fullmetal?" Roy asked, quickly regaining his composure as he shut the door.
"Like it's any of your business," Ed countered.
"Can't I take an interest in my former subordinates?"
"Go to hell."
Roy raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're acting even more childish then usual. Any reason why?"
"Shut up Colonel Bastard," Ed growled, striding past him.
"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Roy called without first thinking through what he was saying.
"No. I was going to find a hotel," Ed answered, turning to look at him once.
"You can stay at my place."
Roy cursed mentally. What the hell was wrong with him? The words kept coming out before he had a chance to think them through! He knew deep down that he really missed Fullmetal and his stubbornness but that didn't mean he had to go and invite him to stay at his house!
"I think I'll pass," Ed said, turning back around.
Roy easily caught up with him. "Do you even have money to stay at a hotel?"
"Maybe not. I'll manage."
"Stop being foolish. Just stay at my place," Roy ordered, grabbing Ed's flesh arm and dragging him back in the direction of his house.
"Let go," Ed growled, digging his heels in and refusing to budge.
"Don't be stupid. I'm offering you a place to stay, you mind as well take it," Roy sighed.
Ed just nodded, eyes clearly displaying his reluctance to do so. He jerked his arm out of Roy's grasp and trailed after him.
RERERE
Ed was surprised at how neat Roy's house was. He had always pictured Roy to be lazy and pretty much a slob as far as a home life was concerned but it seemed he had been proven wrong.
"There's a bookshelf over there, if you're interested," Roy said, pointing to the left after they had entered the house.
Ed glanced to the left, eyes training in on the wall, which was filled with alchemy books neatly shelved. A couch was below a window with a small coffee table in front of it leaving the room to look very cozy and welcoming.
"I'll be back around five so keep yourself entertained until then," Roy ordered before disappearing out the door.
Ed sighed, dropping his bag on the ground and walking towards the bookshelf. His fingers ran down the familiar spines of alchemy books he had looked at in the past at the library. Feeling a bit nostalgic, he pulled one off the shelf and flipped it open. Before long, he was sucked into the books, rereading all of the information he had learned years ago. In all honesty, it was refreshing.
Ever since he had resigned from the military, he hadn't even thought about using alchemy again. It had become such a big part of his life and it had felt odd to no longer need to practice it every day. Maybe that was part of the reason he had decided to leave Risembool. He was restless.
Noon rolled around and his stomach pulled him away from the books. At least ten were scattered on the small coffee table and even more littered the ground around him. He got to his feet and headed to the right, slipping through the doorway into what he was guessing was the kitchen.
"Holy crap this kitchen is big," he muttered to himself.
A long row of counter tops was on the far wall with a row of cabinets above them. There was a stove to the far left with a dishwasher and one of the counter tops had a microwave on it. To the far right was a refrigerator and in the middle of the tiled floor was a round table with four chairs.
Ed helped himself, quickly making a sandwich and getting himself a glass of water, ignoring the milk in the fridge completely. He settled back down among the books, reading as he ate.
Around five Roy walked back in, hanging up his coat and hat before slipping into the living room, eye widening when he saw the mess of books that now littered the entire room, Ed in the middle of it all.
"I see you helped yourself," Roy commented, picking up his plate and carrying it to the kitchen, dropping it in the sink before returning.
"Sorry. I'll clean it up," Ed said, grinning sheepishly.
"When was the last time you did alchemy?" Roy asked, picking up several books and re shelving them, smirking inwardly when he saw the taller shelves hadn't been touched.
"Probably...when I got Al his body back," Ed answered.
"Has it really been that long?" Roy murmured, more to himself then Ed.
Ed didn't answer, instead finishing up shelving the books. "Thanks..."
Roy smirked. "For what, Fullmetal?"
"Letting me stay here," Ed muttered, shuffling his feet.
"No problem, Fullmetal."
"Can you please not call me that?" Ed asked, glancing up at him.
"May I ask why not?" Roy wondered.
"Fullmetal is from the military. I don't belong there," Ed answered.
"If you insist Edward," Roy said with a shrug. "What do you want for dinner?"
"You cook?" Ed said, smirking.
"No. I just like keeping food around in the house for shrimps who eat too much," Roy countered easily.
Instead of rising to the bait like Roy expected him to, Ed just shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets.
"So what do you want?" Roy asked.
"Whatever. Just as long as there isn't any milk," Ed said.
Roy just smirked.