I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it's characters.
Falling Away With Me
By: DudeGetATree
Chapter 4: The Ring
Ed got into the back seat of Riza's car, watching as she smiled at Roy. His stomach flipped slightly in jealousy as he watched the man smiled back.
"So, Lieutenant-" Riza flashed Edward a glare through the review mirror. "I'm sorry. Riza...how long have you and the bastard been together?"
It was Roy's turn to glare at him through the review mirror, unnoticed by the blonde woman.
She thought carefully. "I'd say about a year now. About three years ago, Roy was in a rel-"
"Fullmetal knows the story, Riza."
"Oh," she looked at Ed. "Well, then you probably already know that Roy fell into a depression after the woman left him. It took him a few years but...we were able to get him-" she looked at her lover thoughtfully, "-somewhat back to normal."
"Awh, well isn't that something?" Ed faked a smile. "I bet you two never argue."
"Well, that's not true," Roy laughed. "Riza annoys the hell out of me all the time!"
"Like you don't? Let's not get into the 'ring' argument again." Roy rolled his eyes and propped his head on his hand, looking out the window.
Riza looked at him for a second more before sighing and looking back at the road.
~.~
"Chief! Long time no see!"
Ed smiled at his old team. "Hey! You guys haven't changed a bit. Where's Falman?"
"He'll be meeting us in Aerugo." Breda smiled. "How've you been, kid?"
"You know. Same shit, different day." Ed laughed as the entire team boarded the train.
"How's Al," Hawkeye asked as they all settled into their seats.
"He's fine. He's in Xing at the moment with May's family. I think he said something about planning on asking her family for permission to marry her."
"That's great. I'm happy for that kid," Havoc stated. Everyone agreed.
"That is great for Alphonse. Tell him I said congrats. When do you plan on marrying Winry, Edward," Roy asked smugly. "I know you've given up so much for that girl. She must be a keeper."
Ed flushed furiously at the statement. "I'm not too sure, Roy," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm sure it won't be before you and Riza though, seeing as you guys are already living together happily after one year."
"Well, she is the one that pulled me out of my depression. Though, I'm not really sure you know that feeling."
"Oh, trust me. I know the feeling of neglect, Mustang."
"What about the feeling of abandonment? I bet you don't know about that."
Ed knitted his eyebrows together in anger as he glared at the man. The other five members of their team looked back and forth between the two, confused.
"Why don't you shut the fuck up for once, Roy?"
"I will. But first, how about you tell me about how your son is doing?" Roy knew it was a low blow, but he couldn't help but smirk as the anger that was apparent on the younger blonde's face finally was spoken.
"He's great. Thanks for asking," Ed snapped as he got up and stormed down the aisle.
"You're welcome," Roy snapped back, just loud enough for the other to hear before he slammed the door to the cable car.
The remaining team looked at Roy. "What," he snapped again, looking angrily down at his hands. He began fumbling with the ring he had on his left hand, a tactic he normally did to signify that he was beginning to feel overwhelmed by emotion.
"Not this again," his girlfriend muttered. Roy shot her a nasty look before getting up and wandering off on his own as well.
~.~
"Aerugo?"
"Ya, so I won't be ho-"
"Home for awhile. Ya, I know."
"Listen, Winry. I didn't know. I'm so-"
"Sorry. Ya, I know."
Ed used his free hand to punch the bridge of his nose. "Winry. I'm already upset as it is today. Please don't make this harder on me. I didn't know the details of the assignment before agreeing to it. If Roy had told me that I-"
"Roy?! Roy gave you this assignment," Winry asked in disbelief.
'Shit,' Ed thought. "It's not like that, Winry. I promise, this isn't a big deal."
"Not a big deal? Ya, sure, Ed! It's no big deal that you left your son and fiancé that you have been with for five years to be with the man you cheated on her with!"
Ed's anger immediately turned into guilt and his heart immediately dropped. She was right. There was no way around the truth. "Winry, please li-"
"Have fun in Aerugo, Ed," she spat before hanging up.
Ed slammed the phone on the receiver, grunting in frustration. "Edward?" The blonde jumped slightly and turned around quickly.
"Shit, Roy. You scared me." Roy walked towards him with hesitation.
"Was that Winry?"
Ed rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you already know that answer to that, you dumb bastard."
"Can you stop being a hostile asshole for once and just talk to me like a normal human being?" Ed glared at his ex-lover for a moment before sighing.
"What do you want, Roy," he asked with a more gentle tone.
"The next car over is empty...Can we talk?" A familiar look crossed Roy's eyes. A pleading look, a look Edward was sure only he had seen.
~.~
Ed felt a lot more at ease. He and Roy spent an hour talking about everything but their significant others.
Roy smiled softly at the blonde man who was telling a story of a time he traveled to Xing.
"So, that's why I no longer wear leather pants when it's cold," Ed chuckled a bit at the memory, but caught a glance at Roy staring at him strangely, so he rose an eyebrow. "What," he asked the man sitting next to him.
Roy placed his hand on top of Ed's and slightly squeezed. "I- I really missed you, Edward."
Ed's heart fluttered. He looked down at their hands, attempting to hide his blush. Ed looked over Roy's hand and caught a glimpse of something.
"Is that the ring I sent you while I was in Creta?"
Roy retracted his hand and rose it so that it was eye level with Edward.
"That it is. I never take it off."
Ed blushed before knitting his eyebrows together at a memory of earlier that morning. "If Riza hates it so much, why not take it off?"
"Because..."
"Because what," Ed asked impatiently.
"It reminds me of you and," Roy paused. "I need that reminder daily."
Before Ed could react, the cable car door opened, revealing Havoc, Breda, Falman, Fuery, and Riza. "You two don't know how unbelievably hard it is to find you guys when you're not yelling at each other," Jean exclaimed. The group sat around the two men and began their normal chit chat. Roy sat back and side glanced at Ed, smirking.
Ed couldn't help but softly smile as he noticed Roy fumbling with the ring he had given the man so many years ago.
~.~
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