Me: My reviewers wanted to see some things that I didn't add before I finish the story so I'm adding another chapter or two. Hope you guys like them. Sorry for the inconvenience.
"Hey brother. you haven't touched your food much." Al noticed his brother playing around with the noodles in his bowl.
"Huh? I was just thinking."
"That's new."
"I think once in a while Al." Ed said, frowning slightly and started stuffing his face.
"See. I'm fine. nothing to worry yourself about Al."
"Brother.." The older one sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"We've been here almost a month and you haven't said two words to the Colonel since your exploded in his face." Al noticed Ed tense up slightly and look off in the distance.
"Did something happen?"
"Yeah." Al tapped the table with his fingers and stood up.
"Brother. It doesn't matter what he's done! You should be trying to make it better so that he doesn't feel the need to do that right?"
"You don't understand Al."
"I do understand! I might not have fallen in love yet but it's like with you brother. If you did somethings like that and I could make it better. I would!" Ed smiled and looked over at his brother.
"I know you would. Thank you Al." His brother smiled. Then he frowned and picked at his ear.
"But how do I go about doing that." Al stumbled in his chair.
"What? I figured you would know. Your the older one after all."
"Are you trying to say I'm experienced?" They both busted out laughing.
"Are you kidding. The closest you ever got was with Winry." Al joked and ed's eye twitched.
"We are just friends! She's the one that liked me!" Ed ranted and Al just laughed.
"Why not ask Riza." Ed glanced over at Al with a pondering look and he continued.
"She's known Mustang for a long time. You could get some information about him from.."
"No way! You know how petty that sounds. I should just ask him myself. That's something that someone should do if you like them right?" Ed said, standing up and walking over to their hotel room window. He loved Roy and he knew that the man loved him. It was just a matter of what do they do now. Al stayed up and glanced over at Ed, who was asleep as soon as he hit the pillow.
"Still, your stomach is exposed." He sighed and threw a blanket on top of Ed before turning to the phone.
"Yes. Can you connect me to Lt. Riza? Hello. I'm sorry I know it's late. It's about Ed..no he's alright. I just want your help with something is that alright? For tomorrow."
"Yo Al?" Ed pulled his shirt on and exited the bathroom, finding his brother gone.
"Maybe he went on ahead. Jeeze, leave me a note or something." His eyes trailed over to the table.
"Oh. You did." He laughed and read the note. He gawked at the note and crumbled it up tightly, throwing it against the wall. Ed walked down the street and stopped, seeing Al and Riza waving at him. Ed sighed, walking over with his hands in his pockets.
"Brother. You got my note." He grinned. Ed swirled the straw in his glass.
"It's not like that Edward."
"It's actually like that. Your trying to set me and Roy up aren't you?" The two looked at each other and Al rubbed the back of his head.
"It's just the four of us hanging out. Nothing suspicious going on."
"Then why didn't you just tell me about it instead of sneaking around with notes?" Riza blinked and leaned into Al.
"Ed's gotten smarter. I didn't expect him to be so obvious of our plans."
"I'm sorry. I sometimes forget about that."
"Lutienit." They turned to see Roy standing there. It wasn't often that he wasn't in his uniform. Instead, he looked pretty casual, loose white shirt with an unbuttoned collar, brown slacks and shoes.
"May I ask why the Elrics are here?
"I ran into them here. I figured they could join us for today. It has been a while anyway." Al stood up and rubbed his head.
"Sorry. If we are a bother.."
"It's alright. I would say the more the merrier." Roy said, glancing over at Ed who blinked and then grinned widely.
"What were we going to do?" Al asked and Riza smiled.
"I invited the Colonel to.."
"Let's not do that." They looked at the man as he turned.
"Let's leave rankings out of this. I'll just be Roy today. Right Riza."
"Yes sir..uh..we were going to head outside Central and spend some time in the contrey for the day." Riza glanced at Al and they both grinned.
"And what's with the bags of food?" Roy asked and Al hide them behind him.
"We figured in case we get hungry."
"You guys were sneaking a picnic right?" Ed said, putting his arm around Al.
"These guys are smarter by the second. It might be to hard to carry out this plan." Al and Riza both thought. They took the lutinete's car out into the conrtey side. They all had different things in mind but they all agreed that it was a nice change from the city.
"Hey Al."
"Yeah?" He ran over to Ed, who was sitting by the river that ran into the city.
"Remember how when we used to fight, you would go sit by the river and just stare."
"Yeah." He said and fixed his glasses.
"I see why you did it. It gives you time to think but focusing on the river prevents your mind from wondering too far." He glanced over at Riza and Roy sitting on a blanket, talking and arguing as she was making something to eat.
"Your right Al."
"Huh?"
"What we talked about last night."
"You don't understand Al. It's my fault that he wanted to end his life. That he just stopped moving forward. How can I face someone that I care about knowing that I did that to them?"
"Brother."
"It's just. i don't know what to do about that. Do I talk to him. Do I beat the shit out of him for his life? You know how I am about these things Al." Ed said, rubbing his head. Al tilted his head back towards him and Ed frowned, standing up and walking over. Riza looked up at him and then blinked.
"Al. I forgot to get drinks. Will you accompany me?"
"Yeah. Be back!" And the two hurried off, leaving the alchemists alone. Roy continued to stare in the direction the vehicle drove off in.
"They planned this you know."
"Yeah." Ed sat down a few feet from the Colonel and leaned on his knees.
"It is a decent day at least."
"You kept it. That glove." Ed closed his eyes and lifted his automail hand.
"It's the closest I could get to you."
"I'm mostly surprised it fits." Ed's eye twitched and he glared over at the flaming alchemist.
"Hey keep in mind whose the shorter one now Roy." Ed stretched and laid back on the blanket, closing his eyes to feel the warmth of the sun.
"Roy."
"..."
"What you've done. Don't do it again. I may have no choice but to stalk your life if I can't trust you to keep yourself safe."
"..." Roy was not liking where this was going. He didn't talk about his feelings and Ed didn't talk about his feelings. At least, the Edward he knew didn't. What if this one did.
"We need to talk."
"You don't talk."
"Shut up will ya. I don't want you to take anymore attempts on your life. If you do, I'll be really pissed. So knock it off." Roy frowned at the blond and stood up.
"I'm going home." Ed glared at his and sat up.
"We are talking Mustang!"
"I have nothing to talk about." Ed stood up and grabbed tightly onto Roy's forearm. Roy swore that he had to use his metal hand and that he was holding so tightly that he was going to bruise if not break his arm in half.
"Its my fault right."
"Fullmetal."
"Shut up! it is my fault so I want to talk about it! Stop walking away from me!" The colonel stormed off past Riza and Al and Ed's fist tighten so tight his knuckles turned white.
"IF THAT"S HOW YOUR GOING TO BE I"LL JUST LEAVE FOREVER YOU BASTARD!" But the dark- haired one didn't turn or even slow a bit. Al walked up to his brother who started past him.
"I'm going home Al."
"Ni-san."
"I'll see you later Al. Lutenet." and he was gone as well. Riza frowned and glanced over at Al, who's face was sullen and guilty.
"It's not your fault. They are both to proud. You were doing something right."
"I know. I still feel bad about it."
"That idiot. Edward's temper is going to get Roy killed. I figured he'd grown out of that as well."
"Riza?"
"Al. Both of you report tomorrow early ok?"
"I will. I don't think I can get Ed to though."
"I'm sure you'll find a way." She said and saluted him before heading off.
"Damn it Al. I'm tired. why do we have to come in so early." Ed complained, fixing his red coat.
"Lutenit Riza has something important to talk to us about." The older one moaned and the Elrics found themselves in Roy's office, but no Roy. All of his subordinates were there and Hughes shut the door behind the blonds as they took a seat on the couch. Riza cleared her throat.
"I apologize for this." and slapped Ed across the face.
"What the hell! You got me up for this? What was that for!"
"Becuase if it was the Colonel, you would have burst into flame instead."
"What are you saying?" Hughes adjusted his glasses and folded his arms behind his back.
"What you said yesterday might have been too much." Fue said.
"You just can't keep your mouth shut can you?" Havoc said and dodged a book Ed threw from Roy's shelf he had gotten up to browse, just so he didn't have to look the subordinates in the face.
"Its none of your business."
"Brother. they are just worried about you and Roy. They told me about how Roy became once you left and well. I'm worried now too." Ed frowned.
"you guys don't know him then. He isn't going to just let our argument affect him that much." Hughes cleared his throat and walked over beside the alchemist.
"Ed. You heard Roy when he came to the house when you got back right?"
"Yeah."
"That wasn't the first time. I knew something was wrong when he went all the way to that cold outpost and became lower ranks then those two over there." Breda rubbed his nose.
"You make us sound bad."
"He didn't have that 'flame' anymore. He had even stopped using alchemy all together. Then you came back." He paused and counted on his fingers.
"4 years ago? That flame had came back. You couldn't have been completely oblivious to that smirk on his face right? That was the first time we had seen it in 2 years. Then you just left and left him to close the only gate that lead to you." Al rubbed his nose where his glasses set.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about that. It's my fault."
"Shut up Al. It's not your fault. you did everything right. It's mine."
"He admits it." Falman brought up.
"..."
"He always procrastinated on work before, but since he had to close that gate, he almost doesn't even turn work in. He's stop trying to reach the top and for the longest time was a regular enlisted man. He only got re promoted to Colonel recently. not to mention.." The group all looked at each other and was startled as Ed slammed his metal hand into the wall, craking and denting it.
"I know. My presence makes him want to kill himself! how stupid do you guys think I am."
"Apprently, more then we thought." His gold eyes glared the short subordinate as he caught his glasses from the shock.
"Its not you being here that did it. It's you not being there that did the Colonel in." Fuery finished. Ed glanced down at his hand and flipped it over, staring at the transmutation circle ontop of it.
"I don't want to hear it." He whispered and Riza nodded towards Hughes who continued.
"64 slit wrists, 5 head concussions, 3 self electrocutions, one time for internal bleeding, 7 times of over dosage, 1 surgery." Al's face turned pale as he noticed Hughes reading off hospital reports.
"Oh my gods. And he's still alive."
"The military refuses to send him home without an escort and all arms have been taken from his person."
"I said I DON"T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Ed glared at the group and swore their souls would burst into flame.
"You don't think I. I. Damn it that bastard!" He stormed from the office and Al stood up and bowed.
"Thank you."
"I wish it didn't have to be so blunt." Havoc lit his cig and Riza sighed.
"For you Elrics. That's how you have to be." Al blushed slightly.
"I'm not that bad am I?" The group smiled and Hughes nodged his shoulder.
"You can be."
"I'll assume he's going to see Roy then?" Havoc asked and Riza frowned.
"He better or else he really doesn't care anymore." Ed stared up at the rain and frowned.
"He was always so useless in the rain. What the hell do they think they will accomplish by telling me those things. It's going to be hard for me to trust him ever agian. Thansk alot you idiots!" He yelled as the rain started to pour harder. He glanced over at the fountain and walked over, staring blankly at the ripples that prevented a good reflection.
"This is where."
"I hate the rain Hawkeye."
"I know sir. Is there anything you specifically needed?"
"Have the Elric's been by yet?"
"Yes sir. Have they not reported in?"
"No. Actually, I have the report but it was dropped off while I was gone for a moment."
"Next time I see them, I will send them to you. Are you heading home now?"
"Yeah. I think I'll meet you outside." The two left the office and Hawkeye went to pick up her car. Mustang leaned under the doorway and caught sight of someone walking along the stone fountain. It was Ed, but he seemed so strange to Roy at the moment. He was walking, arms spread on both sides for balance and smiled.
"What are you doing out here Fullmetal?" The 16 year old looked at the older man.
"I like the rain. It doesn't leave me useless unlike you." Roy laughed, adjusting his black trench coat.
"What are you laughing about?"
"You look like such a kid right now." Ed frowned and folded his arms. That's why he looked strange. Since the first time the Colonel had ever seen him, he was acting like a kid.
"Shut up. I'm not a kid. I just like the rain." he said. He wasn't mad at the man's remark as much as he was embarrassed by the fact that he was still seen as a little kid. Roy noticed how red the alchemist's face was turning and smiled.
"Does that bother you? That you are a kid?"
"I'm not a kid! I'm 16 for crying out loud. Just because I'm short doesn't mean I'm young!" he blinked and then turned away, turning frustrated now.
"I can't believe I called myself short. Look at what he makes me do. Standing there with his damn, beautiful smile and his soaked uniform sticking to his hot body."
"So it does."
"It's not fair ok? You know how hard it is? People look at Al and they give him so much respect and such and I work hard to earn what little I have. I want to be treated like..argg. Why am I telling you. Your part of the problem you bastard!" Ed said and jumped off the fountain and put his hands in his pockets.
"I'm going home." He was suddenly stopped by Roy grabbing onto his jacket.
"Let's talk."
"I don't want to." But he found himself facing the older man anyway, avoiding his gaze.
"It's not about that is it?"
"Why don't you like me?" Ed bursted out. Roy was completely taken by surprise. He knew that the smaller Elric had a thing for him and he would be lieing if he said he didn't like him as well, but to hear Fullmetal admit it first was strange.
"It's just. I can't ever be good enough for you. Your tall, handsome and powerful. Everyone respects you and likes you and I'm just one of your dogs. You make me look like a complete idiot all the freaking time you bastard. Like right now! Stop me or something! I don't want to keep talking like this!" The teen squeaked slightly as Roy knelt down to his height and kissed his mouth. Well, it shut him up. Ed had nothing to say at the moment so Roy decided to finish what he was saying.
"So. do you feel like an adult now? Was that enough for respect or maybe." Ed didn't pull back as Roy took a deeper kiss, his tongue explored the inexperienced mouth.
"To think of that at a time like this. They told me that stuff on purpose. With respect comes responsibility? For what I did to him. If I'm not a child then I need to stop acting like it damn it! I'm not 16 anymore." Roy dragged himself from his bed and leaned against the front door. The knocking continuing non-stop.
"I'm not in the mood Hughes. Let me go."
"Open the door you bastard." Roy turned and turned the doorknob, opening the door slightly. He stared at the man standing in the rain, his hands drilled deep into his pockets and head somewhat low.
"We have to talk ok." The door shut in his face and Ed started to lose his temper and then took a deep breath, calming himself down.
"I'm not leaving until we do!" After about ten minutes Roy opened the door again, his hand hadn't once left the handle. They stared in silence and Roy opened the door, letting the alchemist in.
Me: Someone asked Why Hughes was alive. I said in a ealier chapter. I don't like dead Hughes. He's too awsome so I didn't let him die.