Roy hadpaced up and down the carpeted halls of Hotel Beau Sky, inwardly arguing withhimself about the merits of running like hell versus the rewards of knocking onthe door of Room 20. Beau Sky was a stunning inn off Telegraph avenue, more of aglorified bed and breakfast, having once been a grand Victorian summerhouse. When he arrived, theconcierge greeted him by name. "Mr.Mustang? Professor Elric is expecting you. Suite twenty is up the stairs and toyour right, end of the hall."
Professor Elric is expecting you?? Damn you,Teddy! You must have called to tell him I was on the way. Only the lateness of the hour and the factthat every eye in the lobby was trained on him prevented him from bolting outthe door, down the steps and into the night.
Screwing up his courage, he rapped smartly on Edward Elric's door. Aninstant later it swung open. He was leaning against the wall, head tiltedslightly to one side. A crisp white shirt, collar open. No tie. Waistcoat neatlybuttoned. Hair combed into a tight ponytail that fell below his shoulders.Behind wire rimmed glasses, golden eyes looked pleased and a little uncertain,almost shy.
And the beard was gone completely.
Teddy had been spot on about her uncle's dining habits—he attacked his stack ofwaffles as if he'd been starving all day. Must have a speedy metabolism, Mustangdetermined, nervously picking at his own short stack of buttermilk pancakes.Every time the old man smiled at him he squirmed just a fraction lower in thebooth, as if he feared his burgeoning erection might hoist the table off thefloor. And, to his surprise, Edward Elric smiled a lot more than he hadexpected. He was sharp, observant, unquestionably brilliant and for a man of hisyears he was surprisingly well informed about popular culture and music.
"A colleague of mine offered me a pair of tickets to see Elton John this coming weekend in San Francisco. He thought Teddy would enjoy it, but she says she's singing at an Equal Rights Amendment fundraiser and Hughes is coming along withher. Says he's manning a dunking booth—something like 'Dunk the Sexist Pig,Three Shots For A Dollar Donation to the National Organization of Women".
Roy couldn't hold back his laughter, nervous as he was. "Hughes Outed me on campus radio, so as part of his apology he had to volunteer for each of our causes. I was the one who suggested the booth. Mays will have fun and Teddy's sisters will make a fortune off him."
Edward paused mid bite. "So what did he do for you?"
"Everheard of the Lambda Alliance?"
Edward nodded. "Promoting goodwill between Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Straight people on college campuses. I've also heard of Mattachine, although I've never joined. So what did you get Hughes to commit to?"
"He's going as my date to the Lambda Lavender Ball. In a dress, heels and a tiara. Teddy's going too, just to make damn sure he doesn't chicken out."
"Well," Edward chuckled, "if Hughes is in the dress, what the hell is my niece going towear?"
"White tie and tails with an opera cloak. She actually pulls it off. The Daughters of Bilitis will be fighting over her."
Elric refilled his coffee cup before fixing him with one molten gold eye. "Do you and Hughes fight over her too?"
"No."Taisa was honest and direct.
"Are you Teddy's lover as well?" Edward pressed him.
After along time, Mustang confided the truth. "I had never been with a woman. Teddy told me that I shouldn't come out until I knew what I was giving up. She was surprised when I asked her.There…ah…there wasn't anybody else I'd have trusted enough to…try….with." His cheeks burned as his voice trailed off. "She…was patient. Very gentle. And she never held it against me that I—"
"--couldn't?" Edward offered.
"Couldn't." Roy was grateful that he didn't have to elaborate further."She ended up teaching me about therapeutic massage and Reiki…and that there's more than one kind of love that a man and woman can share."
"Agape,' Edward nodded. "Love of the spirit, versus Eros, the love of the flesh. If that's what you share, you'll be a part of each other's lives no matter what. And what about Hughes?"
Taisa grinned. "I believe the popular term is 'best friends and fuck buddies'. We have fun. He was my first, and he helped me see it's all right and that I can..um…you know."
Elric put down his fork and his fingers touched Roy's hand. Roy clasped the professor's hand firmly and met his eyes without embarrassment. "Will you come with me to see Elton? After all," he chuckled softly, "he's one of us."
Taisas wallowed hard and nodded, thankful that the table shielded the front of his chinos from his companion's eyes. If they'd been alone—if he'd been bold enough,he'd have purposely dropped his fork, crawled under the table and…and…
…and then inspiration struck him. The tape in his pocket. Arlo, Teddy's VW Microbus, had a damned good stereo system, and Hughes had mentioned a secluded bluff overlooking the bay. "Professor Elric…do you like Django Reinhardt?"
It began in the front seat. They sipped their coffee in Styrofoam to-go cups as the glorious Gypsy swing of The Hot Club of France washed over them, fueling the fire that pulsed gently between their clasped hands. At long last, Edward's fingers brushed Taisa's cheek. "Want to dance?"
Taisa was confused. "Where? Here?"
Edward snorted. "No, idiot. Outside. Under the stars. Come on."
There was the question of who would lead. "I will, of course," the Professor told Mustang firmly.
"Why? Because you're older?"
"No…because I can't dance backward with an artificial leg. Step in a hole and I'm up shit creek."
"And I sprain my ankle. That sucks too," Roy argued. "Besides, if you spin me, I'll never make it under your arm."
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING SHORT, MUSTANG??" his companion roared. "ARE YOU SUGGESTING--"
"Jesus, but I see where Teddy gets her temper! Look, I wasn't trying to insult you,Edward. I just…fuck it. Just forget it." Roy was about to climb back into Arlo before Elric caught the back of his belt and tried to haul him back down.
"Forget, my ass," Edward grumbled. "Get back here, Roy Mustang! I wanna dance!"
"Hell,I wish I could forget your ass,"Taisa shot back over his shoulder. "Those tight pants of yours are driving me crazy, old man."
Edward let go of Mustang's belt, his hands sliding sensuously over his back instead."Taisa…I don't give a fuck who leads.I just want to hold you, okay?"
My
heart is sad and lonely
For you I sigh, for you, dear, only
Why
haven't you seen it?
I'm all for you, body and soul…
Roy folded the smaller man against his chest, canting his hips carefully back so that his erection wouldn't betray him. Edward Elric was having none of that.Looping his fingers through Roy's belt loops he pulled the younger man close,body to body, and Roy made a small ecstatic noise as he felt a welcomed hardness answering his own desire.
I
tell you, I mean it
I'm all for you, body and soul…
Ohhh.God.He was so fucking beautiful, but there was nothing feminine or delicate about the man in Taisa's arms, unless you compared it to the slim grace of a rapier drawn from its scabbard. The curve of the older man's cheek fitted neatly into his shoulder, and as the music carried them he heard a soft, light baritone murmuring the shamelessly romantic lyrics he'd learned in his thirties, half a century before, from an old review starring Gertrude Lawrence:
My
life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the
taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you, body and soul
Edward looked up into Taisa's dark eyes ashe sang the last chorus. "My life—a wreck you're making…"
Trembling slightly, Roy bent his dark headdown, breath ghosting against Edward's lips with the answering line. "You know I'm yours for just the taking…"
I'd gladly surrender myself to you…body... and soul…
NOW—CHEZ HUGHES, OUTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES"Cowboy, want a refresher?" He waggled the scotch bottle enticingly. A glass was shoved forward, a measure of strong spirits splashed over the ice before it was handed back. "What about you, love of my life?"
Gracia glanced down the hall. "I'm going up to bed, but I'm checking on Teddy first.Did you see the expression on her face when she came out of the basement with Edward and Alphonse?"
Hughes stirred his drink with his index finger, licked the Glenlievet from his skin(Edward had told him years ago that life was too short to drink cheap liquor)and exchanged looks with an equally baffled Mustang. "Should we have? Anything wrong?"
He was surprised by the sharpness of her answer. "God—you two! Absolutely clueless!She's probably been crying her eyes out in the guest room and her best friends have been knocking back drinks and bullshitting with each other--"
"—hey,now—"
"Gracia! That's not fair—you know how private she is—"
The lovely brunette wasn't buying it. "—and it's pretty clear that wherever this wild chase is leading Teddy and her dad, it's dangerous and she's scared. And unlike you jokers, she's having to face it alone."
Taisa and Mayland were both staring at her. "Teddy? Alone? She's got us! And Al and Edward, and you and—"
"—and she's alone in her bed." Gracia finished coldly. "Taisa, who fixed you up with Edward?" Mustang opened his mouth. A sharp gesture from his friend's wife cuthim off. "And Mays and I wouldn't have met if Teddy hadn't thought we'd be good together."
Hughes couldn't help grinning at his bride. "Best thing she ever did for me. But what's your point, darlin'?"
"She's made sure the two of you had your little happily ever afters. All that study of alchemy—and it couldn't conjure up somebody to put her first in his life. And neither of you bothered to keep an eye out for someone who might be holding her right now, helping her get through the night." She shook her head, cheeks flushed with anger. "I love you, sweetie, but you're as clueless as the Cowboys ometimes. Good night!"
"Pardner…the lady's got a point."
Mustang tipped another measure into his glass. "Yeah," he agreed heavily. "She does. And Alphonse has been begging her to move to Tokyo with us. There's a condo vacant in our building—or there's plenty of room in ours. Ed's all for it."
Greeneyes regarded him wearily. "You?"
"I….I'm with Gracia. They want her back in the nest. She's afraid she'll be suffocated.She needs to fly. But she's been solo too long. And there's not one goddamned man I personally know that isn't either married, gay or not good enough to introduce to her. Hell, I want her happy. After all the two of you did to get me and Ed back together after what happened that first night…we need a miracle, damn it. And that's a horrible thing to say about a member of my family."
Hughes stared fixedly into the depths of his drink, as if waiting for some prophesy tobe revealed within the swirls of bubbles in the ice cubes. He slammed his glass down abruptly. "Miracle," he breathed. "Miracle. Damn…that's it!" He lurched to his feet, feeling only minimal pain. "Mustang!" he urged. "Elycia's art box is on the kitchen table. Go get that, a couple o' candles from the bathroom, and meet me in the basement."
"Hughes, you are out of your fucking mind," Taisa protested. "This is insane."
Brandishing a set of fruit-scented child's markers, his friend grinned maniacally.
"Insane enough to work. You weren't there when Teddy worked a Django on you, Bubba. She was so worried about you and Ed that she roped me into invoking Reinhardt as her personal Saint of the Impossible. Like St. Jude, kinda, but for guitarists. Reinhardt knew Ed personally. That Gypsy woman, Noa, introduced them. So when she needs a miracle,she lights candles to Django."
Roy looked exasperated. "I know. And Iknow it doesn't always work. She's been a little mad at him since Winry died.She was hoping she'd pull through after the bike wreck."
Hughes nodded. "Alphonse lived, though. She could have lost both her parents."
"—because he was sitting behind Winry. She took the full force of impact.And the logical part of Teddy understands that. But yeah—that's why that greedy bastard Christophe got his hooks in her ten years ago. If Django's ghost actually listens to her, he was probably watching over Alphonse at that time,trying to keep him from giving up from a broken heart."
"Guess Reinhardt figured Teddy would kick Christophe out eventually under her own steam—which she did."
The floor was smeared with alchemical arrays that Teddy had chalked under Edward's supervision, in rehearsal for the defensive alchemy she might be called upon to perform should the Orlando Gate be breached. Hughes couldn't make heads nor tails of them, but Taisa had lived with the Elrics long enough to see the subtle differences in each array.
In theory, Teddy would draw two labyrinthine arrays—one in front of the portal, one at her own feet. She would draw it in the dirt using one of three specially designed daggers Alphonse had helped her craft in her twenties, otherwise itwould be drawn in chalk and traced with the daggers. The black dagger would be stabbed or laid flat into the center of the distant array, the white dagger would be used correspondingly in the closer array. If something actually tried to come through, Teddy would manipulate the array nearest to her so that the distant array would respond. She could therefore draw the activating energy awayfrom the Gateway, into the black alchemic dagger and transfer the power to the white dagger. She would effectively drain the power from the Gateway, preventing its use.
And if somebody came through and stepped into the distant labyrinthine array, Teddy orAlphonse would step into its mate. Whatever they did to themselves with the silver knife would become instantly inflicted to the intruder--up to and including death.This much,the brothers decided, should not be shared with Taisa or the Hughes family.
Teddy had agreed all along, but wasn't willing to sacrifice her father. "Sensei, I can wound myself and get over it. I'm younger.I'm….expendable. As you said, Uncle, I'm just holding the place until a better choice comes along. I can't have children. I'm not married. If I don't make it,Daddy can help you train Edwin, if he's as bright as you think he is."
Edward agreed. Alphonse nodded, with greatreluctance. "Mischief…if something goes wrong—"
"I'll do what I can to make sure it doesn't. If not…well, I'll give your regards to Django and John Lennon," she managed a grin.
In a blank spot on the basement floor between two labyrinthine circles Hughes chalked out a third circle in white. He peered overhis shoulder at Mustang. "You're up, Cowboy."
A red heart was added. In the center was written Trisha Edward Elric.Underneath, in Hughes' hand,a damn good woman who deserves a damn good man. Mustang added a few qualifiers:he must be free, straight, healthy, and financially independent.
Hughes took the chalk again.Kind, good looking to her, honest and won'tclip her wings.Roy edited in blue:Intelligent. Devoted. Accepts her family.
After a moment, Hughes added a few morelines.Accepts her weird alchemy shit.Won't fuck around on her.He paused. "What the hell—she'll thank me forthis."Should have a big dick and should know how to use it.
Mustang rubbed that last line out. "Moron,"he growled.A true mate and lover to her who stands by her but not over her.Someone we, her family and Gracia will love and approve of.
Hughes snatched the chalk away and scrawled,Should have a big dick and should know how to use itagain. "Wipe it out and I'll beat the snot out of you,Cowboy."
Mustang shook his head. "Now, you were talking about sacrifices?"
Hughes nodded drunkenly. "The way I see it," he mumbled, "if we want her happy, then we need to make our mates happy. This is a novena to St.Django, y'see? Novena means nine days o' prayer and sacrifice, get it?"
Mustang favored his friend with a sarcastic smirk."I'm familiar with the term, asshole. So what do you have in mind?"
"Okay…this is the fun part." He rubbed his hands and cackled like a mad scientist. "For the next nine days—we have to get our partners off. We have nine days to give 'em nine orgasms. During the novena to St. Django, you gotta make sure ol' Tin-limbs gets his rocks off at least nine times before the novena is over. Harder for you than for me, buddy. Gracia's multiorgasmic like crazy! Just get my face between her legs andwhoooooo!She goes off like a fuckin' machine gun." His eyes began to glaze over with lust. "God, I love my wife!"
Mustang remembered those heated minutes in theairplane lavatory and the taste of dark, bittersweet chocolate. He thought ofthe slim body curled around the pillows in the room upstairs, soft blond hair scattered carelessly. He thought of Caribbean sunshine. Isolated beaches.Tropical rain forest. Making love under the stars….yeah. This was beginning to sound like a damned good idea.
"Uhhh…Taisa? Anything we need to get this thing revved up? I mean, if we were back in college—"
The memory made Roy smile. He clapped Mayland's shoulder affectionately. "Save it for the lady upstairs. I'll see to Edward. As for this—" he gestured towards their childish efforts at alchemy, "hmmm…Hang on a sec." He poked around the shelves and came back with a small metal can and a grill lighter.
A small ring of charcoal starter was dribbled around their array. "Don't know why, but this seems like a good idea," said Taisa Roy Mustang as the chalked circle was instantly licked by flames. A little bit had run off totouch the rims of the adjoining circles. Something tickled the back of Mustang'smind—was this supposed to remind him of something, or of something that needed to be done? He shook his head. Maybe they should have done this sober. What the hell. If it helped Teddy, wonderful. If nothing else, he and Edward had a very interesting nine days ahead of them…
FLASHBACK—BERKELEY 1976Taisa was losing his English again. "Ed…Edwado…ohhh.God…yes…kuso!" Pinned to the middle seat of Teddy's microbus, holding on to the frame for dear life. Head flung back. Shirt open. And the distinguished Professor Edward Elric, famed for his lifetime ofresearch in rocketry and aerospace technology, was straddling his lap, mouth to mouth, chest to chest, groin to groin. He would have marveled how they had miraculously come close to the same height if his brain had still been working.But his lover had found that dangerously sensitive spot on the side of his neck and had begun preying on it, each sharp nip sending delight sizzling down his spine and right into his loins.
To make it worse, the slow, rhythmic churning of the smaller man's hips was making Taisa frantic. "God…Edo…do something, damnit!"
"Mmmmmm….Taisa," Edwardbreathed into his ear, punctuating each syllable with a warm stab of the tongue."This is so…good. No…need to…rush…"
"Damn you, Edward! Hamete chodai! Come on," his fingers kneaded the alchemist's taut buttocks. "Fuck me! God, you're driving me crazy!"
Edward grew still. Rising up on his knees he cradled Taisa's sweaty face in his hands,gazing down at him, fifty years of yearning warring with the fierce need to dothis right, to make sure that the fires kindled tonight would do more than simply blaze and fade away.I want more than a fevered back-seat fuck with you, Roy. I want a lifetime. Your lifetime.And if that means I have to slam on the breaks tonight, I'll do it, even if means refusing what I've been craving all this time."Taisa…"
At Edward's frown, Mustang began to panic. "D-don't you want me?"
"More than anything. More than I've wanted anyone since I…as long as I can remember."
Taisa clutched at Edward's hips, trying to pull him closer."Then…why?"
"I don't want to fuck you, Taisa." His lips pressed softly against Mustang'sforehead. "I want to make love with you. And you deserve better," he gestured at the back seat of the VW van, "than this."
For the span of a few heartbeats, they stared at one another. Finally Mustang asked, "Do you understand Japanese, Edward Elric? Teddy says you do." Edward nodded slowly."Good. Then understand this,Edowado:'daisuki desu to omou'. Know what that means?"
Edward held his gaze. "Yes."
"Translate it, damn it!"
"It means, 'I believe myself to be feeling deeply for you', since 'I love you' never really caught on."
"You Westerners—you throw the word 'love' around so cheaply," Taisa continued in alow voice. "The way you say Eros and Agape. All I know,Edowado, is that I want more than this…and we can have that.Will have that," he amended, 'if we don't fuck it up. But right now…I'm about to come in my pants. So if you would be so goddamned kind enough to either touch me or let me touch myself so I can calm down, we can get this screaming lust out of the way and start building a relationship. And if you're not inclined to wait either, I will be delighted to cool your jets as well. I've been told by a good authority," he added with a sly grin, "that I can 'suck the chrome off a trailer hitch'. You might enjoy it."
Fisssstzzz…CRACKLEhisssss.
"Station to Unit 6, go ahead.Over."
"Unit 6 to Station, roger that. Following up on report of trespassing on private property. A red VW microbus, California tag number WTF401 spotted in area known as the 'submarine docks'. Two occupants seen in backseat."
"Roger that, Unit 6. Any suspicion of narcotics orweapons?"
"Negative at this time. Probably a bunch of harmless,horny college kids, but it's good experience. Got a rookie riding with metonight."
"Roger the rookie, Unit 6. Say, Kanetsky—who ya got? Breda?"
"Nah. I drew Hawkeye this shift."
"Damn, Annie Oakley the Second. Make sure she doesn't pop somebody's eye out with a peashooter, Unit 6. Station out."
"Roger!"
"Hawkeye!"
"Sir!"
"Remember, these aren't smack dealers—the occupants of that van aren't armed with anything more deadly than a pack of Trojans. Just scare 'em, warn 'em and get 'em out of here. If they give you any lip, signal for me—I'll bust them for trespassing."
"Yessir! Shall I take Hurricane with me?" She reached behind the back seat to scratch a fuzzy ear. K-9 Agent Hurricane whimpered in delight.
Kanetsky bit into a powdered sugar donut, licking his fingers. "Yeah,okay. And if he gets wind of anything, lemme know."
It had gotten distinctly steamy in the van, so Taisa had opened the side door a crack—enough for a cool spring breeze, but not enough for any stray passersby tocatch a glimpse of what was going on inside.
Or,rather, what was going down.
The sanctity of Taisa's chino trousers was preserved—but only just in the nick of time. Roy recovered withgratifying speed, and with the ferocious edge taken off his lust he was able to focus more on the moment, and to think about reciprocation.
"Edowado," he whispered urgently, "I think this seat will lay back. I want to please you too."
"Muthggh tggh mh ng t tkk if migh mthfgggggll"
"Huh??"
Edward lifted his head and repeated himself. "Mother told me never to talk with my mouthfull."
"Ohhh…god, you're such a smartass, old man! Come on—help me get this seat down. Where's the latch?"
Edward crawled back up Mustang's lean body and fumbled at the back of the seat behind it. "I…think it's back here. I helped Teddy load this thing up when she left for…damn it…did you hear somethi….AAAAGGGHHH! SHIT!!"
Something cold and wet had poked Edward in the crack of his ass.Something not attached to RoyMustang.
In Hurricane's mind, this was just getting acquainted.
In Professor Elric's mind, this was just fucking rude.
Edward let out a yell and took a swing at the dog, who yelped in terror, causing the dog's human partner to kick the van door open, pistol drawn.
"FREEZE, SCUMBAG!"
A metal hand curled around the barrel of her revolver and snapped it off, just seconds before the county's Number One dope dog sank his teeth into Edward's left cheek.
Teddy whistled serenely as she diced apples, chopped walnuts and raisins and stirred them into a bowl of chilled vanilla yogurt. The morning was fragrant with fresh organic coffee perking on the stove and hot banana muffins in the oven. She wasin a terrific mood. Spring break started tomorrow. Taisa was in love. She and Hughes had a wonderful romantic evening. Uncle Edo would collect the books and notebooks and the red coat and maybe say something nice about how hard she was working at her alchemic studies.
Toeing on her slippers, she headed out the front door to pick up the morning paper. What she found on the front steps, instead, was the forlorn figure of Taisa Mustang—disheveled, head in hand, and apparently red eyed from crying.
She sank down to her knees beside him. "Taisa? Baby, what's wrong? What happened?"
When Hughes found them, they were locked together in a tight embrace, Roy's head on Teddy's shoulder. It was hard to tell who was crying harder. At last, Teddy noticed he was standing there. "Taisa's leaving," she told him.
Then it was Mayland's turn to cry, too.
NOW…I'm
a girl, and by me that's only great!
I am proud that my silhouette
is curvy,
That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait
With my
hips kind of swivelly and swervy.
--"I Enjoy Being A Girl", Flower Drum Song
"Okay…this is the fun part." He rubbed his hands and cackled like a mad scientist. "For the next nine days—we have to get our partners off. We have nine days to give 'em nine orgasms. During the novena to St. Django, you gotta make sure ol' Tin-limbs gets his rocks off at least nine times before the novena is over. Harder for you than for me, buddy. Gracia's multi orgasmic like crazy! Just get my face between her legs and whoooooo! She goes off like a fuckin' machine gun." His eyes began to glaze over with lust. "God, I love my wife!"
--Mayland Alexander Hughes….last night
"Crotch rot?? God, Gracie, that's disgusting!" Gracia had Teddy giggling so hard she backed into the end cap at Walgreen's and knocked over a huge display of Playtex Gentle-Glide tampons and Petals 'personal freshness' cloths, designed to make you feel 'confident, clean and refreshed'. "Do you kiss your sainted mother with that mouth?"
"I do. I also kiss my daughter, my friends…and The Piledriver. Does wonders for my marriage."
At the front of the store, where Alphonse Elric was picking up extra batteries for his camera, people at the checkout counter could hear hysterical shrieking echoing up from the Feminine Products aisle, where the mention of 'The Piledriver' had Teddy doubled up and gasping for breath. "Stopstopstopstopstop!" she wheezed. "You're seriously killing me!"
"And Mays was seriously killing me last night," Gracia continued. "Nothing takes the edge off a romantic encounter like a yeast infection. That's when The Piledriver turns into a battering ram covered with spikes. I told him I'll do anything to get him off, but he'd better keep his pants zipped and his hands to himself until the Monistat-7 works its magic. The only thing I want between my legs right now," she waved the blue and white package, "is an applicator!"
"And not the kind that made Elysia," Teddy snickered, digging in her purse for her 'asthma bong'. Hard bouts of laughter could bring on an asthma attack if the weather was humid enough, and the pollen count was high. Teddy had already stopped by the cold care section for another bottle of Mucinex and grabbed some contact lens solution on the way to meet Gracia among the stacks of Kotex and enticing boxes of personal lubricant. She grabbed a bottle of K-Y Intrigue and tossed it in her basket. "This is on me—as a get well present. By the time we get to Orlando, you'll be fine…and ready to rock!"
Gracia eyes began to sparkle with mischief. "In which case…I might need one of these." A different blue and white box was tucked into her basket beside the Monistat-7, this one labeled Clearblue Easy.
Teddy nearly swallowed her inhaler. "Oh…oh my goddess! Gracie? Are you and Mays--?"
"We never intended Elysia to be an only child," she confided. "I've been off the pill and monitoring my cycle…so if we're lucky…and if you and Alphonse wouldn't mind babysitting in about…oh…say…ten days from now…you might get to be an auntie all over again!"
A pair of mischievous grins greeted Alphonse at the check-out. "You girls got what you needed?"
"Hang on a sec—" Teddy dashed down the cosmetics aisle and back, a yellow tube in her hands. She flicked it playfully at her friend. "Burt's Bee's Lip Balm. You're gonna need it, sister!"
Gracia winked. "You forgot the hand lotion!"
FLASHBACK—1976Four days without nourishment—a body can stand that, to a point.
Four days without bathing—an esthetic issue, really. Ditto for shaving. And there's no point in brushing and flossing if nobody's going to kiss you.
He'd tried to keep some water down. He'd try again later, maybe. His lips were already feeling dry and cracked.
Everything was an echo. Especially the soft sobbing from the bedroom down the hall. Even if he'd heard it clearly he felt no inclination to say the proper words—to put on that mask of concern and pretend that her tears actually meant something to him. Remotely, he wish that they did.
Pasteur poked his nose out between the bars and foofled at him. The little white rat hated being ignored. Papa should have taken him out to play today. He gnawed anxiously on the edge of his feeding tray. He could do with some fresh water today. The other man took him out for a stroll on the coffee table while his litter was cleaned and the woman fed him bits of apple and half a walnut. He wanted his papa to skritch his belly, snuggle him inside his sweatshirt and let him curl up blissfully under papa's long black hair.
"Shut it, you!" was the only response he got. Even that was nearly too much effort for Taisa.
It was at that point that Hughes began to worry. Taisa could be pissed at the whole freakin' world, but nothing could provoke him to yell at his precious rat. Moreover, Teddy didn't cry often, but the rare times she did Taisa usually beat him to her side, drying her tears, gently coaxing her into confiding what was burdening her heart. Maybe it's 'cos he's 100 stone queer and I'm only half-and-half, he concluded. Damn it, he's the reason we're both sniffling, and the stubborn asshole won't even talk about what the hell went wrong between him and ol' Tin-Limbs. Whatever the fuck went down, I think he's blaming her for it. Boy needs a righteous ass kicking, and so does Edward-Fucking-Elric. Somebody needs to do something…
Day Four. Other than brief trips to the bathroom, Mustang never left his room now. Wasn't listening to his stereo or his little black and white portable tv, either. Teddy had made his favorite dish, quiche Florentine, and the whole apartment smelled enticingly of bubbling Italian cheeses, smoked turkey and delicately browned pastry. And Hughes even whisked up a batch of his famous chocolate rum mousse. Last time there was a bowl of that frothy decadence in the fridge Cowboy had scarfed down half the dish all by himself. Having blown their monthly budget for food, Teddy and Hughes would be living on Cup Ramen and Golden Grain macaroni and cheese until sometime in May, but if they could coax Roy out of his bedroom and get him to eat, maybe they could talk him out of his decision to move out and leave them both for good—something Mays couldn't bring himself to contemplate.
Okay, I may be a switch-hitter, but I really love that little bastard. So does Ted. I ain't just lettin' him wallow in self pity and wreck himself because of Edward-Fucking-Elric.
Beard shaved, hair combed into passable neatness, Hughes cut a dashing figure in the well-tailored suit handed down from his older brother Robert. The desk clerk at Hotel Beau Sky blinked and sat up straighter. "Good afternoon, sir!" he chirped. "Welcome to Beau Sky, my name is Phillip. How can I help you?"
"Mayland Alexander Hughes. I'm an assistant for Hughes and Grumman, counsel for the Elric family. I'm here to deliver some papers," --here he flashed a carefully folded take out menu from Chow Goldstein's-- "to Mr. Edward Elric. Is he in this afternoon?"
Mays, you sly son of a bitch, he congratulated himself, there's nothing that slick bullshit and a pair of tight trousers can't accomplish, is there? Okay…so I have to buy Princess Phillip a drink tonight—this might end up costing me a Mai Tai and a blowjob. Anything to keep the peace on the home front…
"Room Service!" he called out cheerily after knocking smartly on the door of Suite 20.
There was a long hesitation before the door cracked open.
Edward Elric was drunk. Very drunk. "Didn't order anything," he barked. "Fuck off!" He attempted to slam the door in Mayland's face. A rather large foot wedged itself in the doorway.
"Good morning, Professor Elric!" he beamed. "Mayland Alexander Hughes." He proffered his hand. Elric just stared at him. "I'm sure you'd be delighted to beat the shit out of me, sir! May I come in?"
…If Amestris and Earth parallel each other, then there is a chance that people on one side of the gate may potentially have a 'twin self' on the other side of the gate. You said that you knew Daddy's doppelganger, the man my brother was named for, and that you saw several other doppelgangers when you crossed over—in fact that you took over the body of your own doppelganger when you went thru the Gateway and met your dad in London...are you hinting that there are some doppelgangers around us now??
She let herself in. He didn't even open his eyes. She refilled Pasteur's water bottle and added a handful of fresh lab blocks to his food dish.
Then she crawled into bed beside him, curling herself around his back, her face pressed against the nape of his neck. He was feverish and smelled of sweat, illness and dried semen. The sheet underneath her was suspiciously stained. She pictured Taisa huddled in the dark, pulling at himself desperately while yearning for her uncle, and then crying himself to sleep.
"Taisa, my baby," she whispered against his heated skin. "I'm so sorry. God, I'm so sorry. I…I never thought it…god…if I'd known he'd hurt you…"
After an eternity, his hand closed over hers. "I'm not angry at you. Not now."
She turned him gently onto his back, noting how his closed eyes seemed sunken into a face that was unnaturally pale. Brushing his greasy hair back from his forehead, she pressed her lips to his brow, his cheeks and eyelids before she told him she and Hughes were going out for the evening. "I…I know you said you were going…and we can't stop you. I was afraid that you…" Her voice cracked. She swallowed hard and tried again. "Promise you won't go without saying goodbye?" she finally blurted out.
He nodded, eyes still closed.
Her lips brushed his mouth. "We love you. We love you so much. Do you believe me?"
"Yeah."
As she closed the door softly behind her, she wondered if Uncle Edward didn't love Taisa more…and for a hell of a lot longer.
By the time Arlo chugged into the parking lot of the Hotel Beau Sky, Edward Elric was sober and had even managed to keep down a ham sandwich and half a pot of coffee. He had shaved, bathed and shampooed his hair and was smartly attired. Even his white doeskin gloves were clean.
Mayland Hughes met Teddy Elric at the door with a weary grin. She gawped at his black eye as he knew she would. "Could have been worse, darlin'" he assured her. "If he'd used the other fist it would have gone clean through my head."
Hugs were exchanged, as were keys. "You okay to drive?" she fretted.
"I'll get a cab. Wish me luck, Kiddo."
She grabbed at him before he shot out the door. "Taisa," she pleaded. "is he your Doppelganger?" Edward's nod confirmed her suspicions. "Was he the soldier you lost in—"
"You found him, Kiddo. And I'm not letting him go. Not this time."
…..TO BE CONTINUED…