Hmm...this one also revolves around Roy and/or Edward. There will be other characters, I promise you! I also have one written up about Heidrich and one about Alphonse, too. It's just that Roy and Edward are my favourite characters and I actually quite like this one, so I couldn't help but upload it. So there, to my non-existant readers: I'll get to the other characters soon. I promise.
Late afternoon stifled Central City like a wet towel over a candle. The air was hot and humid, speaking of summer days where children played outside until dusk settled and the carefree giggles and shouts were replaced with silence as young adults watched sun sets and felt the earth cool to a brisk evening. The daffodils swayed in the slightest of breezes as it skimmed the ground. They filled a garden at the front of Central's headquarters, bright and cheery, like a thousand stars fallen from the heavens.
To Edward Elric, atheist extraordinaire, they were nothing but an annoyance as he stormed out the front door in a frustrated blaze of red, black, and yellow. Of course, this was a normal occurrence. It was four thirty on a Saturday evening and he had just gotten through a particularly troublesome report to the Colonel. Predictably, he was muttering curses under his breath, hating his job and Roy Mustang, and mourning the fact that the thin alchemy book clutched in his hand would be the highlight of his day.
He paused by the daffodil gardens and, after glowering at the obnoxiously bright petals for a second, decided that they, along with Roy Mustang, were one of the only things that would not wither under his glare, decided to sit down and read his book right there. The second he got back to the barracks his brother would be on his case, demanding to know how the report had gone. After all, it was not often that Edward decided to give his report alone, without an explanation, anyway. He simply didn't have one for his brother, or himself for that matter, and Edward couldn't help contemplating this as he stretched his legs out in front of him, sitting on a bench in front of the garden, fingers loosely holding open the thin book in his hands. He started out concentrating on the complex alchemic array in front of him, but he found his mind drifting, particularly to one certain Colonel.
God, why in the world did Edward even bother to think about him? He was a selfish bastard, insistent that the world revolved around him. He was cruel and manipulative, and lazy too! Every time Edward walked in the man would be flicking paper airplanes or gazing out the window. He told too many lies and everything about him was fake. The blond shook his head, as if to physically clear his thoughts, and attempted to concentrate on the book once more. All too soon his eyes lost focus and he found himself lost in his thoughts once again, that lousy Flame Alchemist clouding his mind.
A pair of fingers snapped in front of his face cleared his daze. Flinching, he looked up to see the bastard himself staring down at him.
"Don't snap near me," he hissed, just angry that the man had caught him daydreaming.
"Sorry," he spread his hands out, as if to show innocence…like he even had any. "Look, no gloves anyway."
"Whatever."
"So, you're still here. Did you forget how to get home? Central is a pretty big city for a little guy like you."
"Who are you calling so small he can't even be seen with a microscope?!" Ed stood, outraged.
The Colonel just laughed. "I never went that far."
Edward sat down again, too tired and apathetic to continue. There was something he had to figure out and he needed time and energy to think.
"Hey, are you okay?" Mustang asked, voice much kinder than Edward had ever heard before.
"What's it to you?" the teenager replied grumpily.
"Just asking…you're acting rather unusually…for you anyway."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" but Edward couldn't help thinking that maybe the man knew him a little better than he thought he did. Then again, it only made sense that Mustang would be able to tell if something was wrong. After all, he'd been the guy's subordinate since he was twelve. Ed grimaced, thinking of that day three years ago when he had boarded a train, manipulated by the Colonel into taking down the terrorists, or at least subduing them before the Flame Alchemist came in and roasted their leader. Edward had been so nervous when he talked on the phone with Mustang and momentarily forgot how to speak Amestrian. He never could admit it, but his stuttering had been out of intimidation…and yes, a little bit of respect. The man was a twenty-six year old Colonel, Hero of Ishbal, and gaining ranks with no sign of stopping. Even Edward knew that was impressive. Of course, he began to hate the man as he poked fun of his height and sent him on dangerous or annoying missions. He was a manipulative, lazy, lying bastard. That was why Edward couldn't stand him.
But then, there were moments like this. When the concern in his eyes couldn't be anything but honest and Edward felt a little bit of that old feeling flair up: respect. Admittedly, for all the horrible things he had done, Roy Mustang was a pretty good person. He had plans to be Fuhrer someday, so that he could overtake the country and make it a democracy. He was going to do great things and no person was better suited to carry out his plans. He was a cut diamond, chipped away and imperfectly round, but every imperfection a shining facet, and for every imperfection, impossible to replace.
"I'm just saying, you're acting weird," Roy kept his eyes locked on Ed's, attempting to read his features.
"Well I'm fine," the teenager stood up, clapping the book shut and attempting to intimidate the man with his stare. It didn't work, of course. "Just go away. You suck at asking people how they're doing and no one likes you as well as you think they do."
"Alright then," Roy bore this with a patient smile, glad to see that the boy was his usual, insulting self.
And with that, Edward Elric stomped off, nearly trampling innocent daffodils in his wake and screaming insults over his shoulder. "You're annoying! You're lazy! You just make fun of my height because no one looks up to you!"
But the flowers don't lie.
The daffodil represents respect.
