Title: Flint and Ashes
Author: Spirix

Genre: Hot War fic
Rating: M for sMut
Pairing: EdRoy RoyEd
Summary: Roy is a young state alchemist in a new war to "unite" Amestris under one banner. But is that what's actually happening, and who is the newest alchemist?

WARNING: Shameless Cliffies

Disclaimer: I hate this part; it just reminds me of my lack of owning such a great story.


Rumours and the Past


And thus two rumours were born.

"Hey Mustang! Nice work bud!"

"You rock!"

"Who was that?"

"Wow man, that broad was just, mmmmmmmmmmm!"

One rumour was that werewolves were indeed among us, as indicated by the many Wolfsbane suppliers suddenly present in the camp.

"Fuck, does she have a sister?"

"Only a pretty boy like you could get action like that out here in the middle of nowhere. Niiiiiiice."

"Can I have your autograph Sir? I need more luck with the ladies and I think that'll do it."

"You can't keep that gal a secret forever. You know how women talk. Best out it now so I can win my bet."

The other rumour was that Major Mustang was a stag, stallion, sex god and womanizer. These were things he'd never been called before because he was both a garbage man and a cremator of corpses, both not very fetching when introducing one's self.

"Hey honey, where you going?"

"Here's my tent number, drop in any time."

"Wow, she's so lucky! I think I'm in love with you just because you're not telling. You're such a gentleman."

"I'm just in love with you."

Overnight Roy Mustang had become the most popular man in the Sandbox.

To men, he was an idol; someone they should all aspire to be and they knew it. Roy found his boots polished every morning and he never had to wait in line for a meal.

To women, he was a goal; someone they should all be fighting to have for themselves. Roy found scented panties in with his mail almost daily that had tent numbers on them.

All in all, he was no longer just some alchemist person officer. He was THE man. That is, to everyone but the one that mattered.

"Elric! Come on, I know you're in there!" Roy yelled at the tent. Somehow the shrimp had managed to alchemize it shut. "You better come out soon or you'll die from lack of oxygen!"

Just then there was a flash of blue light and tall chimney erupted through the top of the tent. Roy guessed breathing would no longer be a problem. He put on his gloves, fully intending to smoke the alchemist out when Colonel Gran ordered him to stand aside. "Fullmetal, you are to report to Dr. Marco's tent in one hour. He has arrived and needs to assess your skills in terms of his research. I expect this tent to be back to regulation's standards by that time. Did you hear me Major?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Good!"

Roy watched him leave for a moment then went back to his smoking plan. The array he had on the backs of his gloves was still a working model, one that he didn't trust. No matter how many different arrangements he did, none seemed to have the same level of control and precision as his master's, Riza's father. He finally remembered that the man had a daughter and felt like an ass for not remembering her earlier. She had been the man's constant companion and looked after him until his final breath. How could Roy have forgotten her?

Elric's yelling disrupted his thoughts. "Mustang! I want to leave so you better make yourself scarce!"

"Not until we talk!" Roy yelled back, feeling like an idiot.

He knows last night he said he do the whole sex buddy thing, but that had been a complete lie. He would have said anything to be close to the volatile blond. Roy though, if given the chance, he could slowly win over the blond to want to be something more between them. He could see it in those golden eyes! Now because of a 'simple accident', Elric wouldn't even look at him. This was not how the plan was supposed to go.

"Don't make me huff and puff and blow your goddamn tent down!" Roy shouted, completing his foolish feeling image.

There was another flash of blue light and the chimney shrunk back in the tent as well as the opening flap returning. Before Roy could react, the blond stormed out and glared at him. "Well? What the fuck more do you want from me?"

"I want to be at least on speaking terms with you," Roy pleaded, "or is that too much to ask?"

He put on his best pathetic puppy eyed feed me look and unleashed it upon the unsuspecting Elric. He'd never tried this on a man, but it should still work, right?

Roy watched in hopeful fascination as different emotions flashed across Elric's face, from shock to contemplation to disgust to just plain wrathful. Roy decided it wasn't to be used on men ever again because this one looked like he was going to hit him. Roy hated it when he was right. When that white glove headed in his direction, Roy flattened like a rug.

"Stay still so I can hit you, Bastard!"

Rolling like a mad man, Roy was impressed with his evasion skills. Truth be told, he was only rolling back and forth, but with the speed Elric was throwing those punches, Roy was just happy none hit him. Finally Elric stopped in a huff and stormed off in a manner Roy was thinking of calling 'The Elric Exit' just because he did it so often.

He didn't bother chasing the blond down this time and decided his efforts were better placed trying to find a convincing argument for next time.

"Had your fill yet Mustang?"

Roy opened his eyes and saw a very bemused Kimblee looking down at him. He sighed, sat up and took the hand offered to him. Kimblee wasn't such a bad guy sometimes, but realistically he must want something to be so nice. Roy really didn't want to know what it was, so he looked busy brushing the sand off himself.

Kimblee put his hands on his hips and stared out after the blond's escape. "So was that the new guy? One like us?"

Roy didn't like his tone but couldn't decide why. "Yeah, he's the new alchemist, Fullmetal"

"I wonder what he can do," said Kimblee more to himself than to Roy.

"Make chimneys and manipulate tents as far as I know."

Kimblee looked at him sidelong and Roy felt his hackles raise unintentionally as the man said, "He sounds... versatile."

"More so than the both of us," Roy said in a clipped tone. No matter how much of an ass his tentmate was, they still had to live with one another, so Roy rarely pushed the alchemist's buttons.

"Why is he so mad at you? Was that girl his girl or something?" Kimblee winked in a way that left nothing up to interpretation.

Roy sighed and just decided to agree since the alternative of 'Oh no, it was him I was fucking across a desk last night and now he won't talk to me because he thinks I set him up,' wasn't exactly knowledge he wanted a man like Kimblee to know.

"My, my, Mustang. If that had if been my girl, you wouldn't be in left in enough pieces to even resemble a man right now. I guess Major Goldie there didn't like his gal that much. You're one lucky dog." Kimblee let out a low whistle and shoved both his hands in his pockets, looking very pleased with himself.

"Okay, I give. What do you want," Roy finally asked because the small talk was killing him. He needed to track down Maes and get some advice without tipping him off that... the world was falling apart. Maybe he just wouldn't talk to Maes. That man was too sharp for his own good and would catch on to the real story the instant Roy said the word 'Elric'. Damn him!

Kimblee merely continued with his weird pocket swaying for what felt like an eternity until he finally said, "I have a girl of my own, so make yourself scarce tonight."

"That's it," Roy asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Kimblee replied to Roy like he was a simpleton.

"Go for it, I have things to do anyways."

Roy started to walk away but then Kimblee grabbed his elbow and whispered very close to his ear, inappropriately close. "Say 'hello' to your golden gal for me."

He stood frozen with an unsettling feeling in his gut. There was no way Kimblee knew, did he?


"So you're the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist?" Marco was looking too deeply into his file for Ed to see his face.

"Infamous?" he asked uncertainly. This wasn't how he expected to be greeted.

Marco sat back in his chair and placed the file serenely on the desk. He looked neither displeased or curious. He thoughtfully started stating statistic Ed didn't think anyone really knew. "Ed Elric by birth, state alchemist by trade. He was born in Risembool, 1884 and is now 15, turning 16 come winter in a few months. At the age of 10 in 1894, was found in the basement of his family's home by a ranking military official who covered up the situation and took him in. At the age of 11, he was qualified beyond the minimum standards to take the state alchemist exam in central and he passed with flying colours. Given the name 'Fullmetal' and the rank of major, he was given assignments that required him to travel to neighbouring countries. Details on those missions are not kept record of."

Marco sighed and turned towards Ed. "In the year 1900, he returned from his final mission and reported to the 'Sandbox'. Now the real questions can be answered. For example, why are you here?"

Ed's stomach flopped unhappily in his stomach. There was no weaselling out of this one. "That's a long story."

"Edward, if you expect us to work together and I let you in on my secrets, I first need to know more."

He swallowed and ran his gloved hands through his blond bangs. "Where would you like me to start?"

Marco gave him a very comforting look and said simply, "The Beginning."


END


Flint has finally breached 100 reviews so I letting you have a treat. Don't expect the next chapter so soon, I plan on updating something else first, preferably Free Fall but that fic is being mean to me at the moment.

Now the dates are accurate in terms of the war, but since I changed Ed's age obviously the years are different than in the manga or anime. Oh and Ed lied about his age to everyone in the other chapters, he's not 16 yet but will be soon, so it's not a typo, just someone wanting to grow up faster.

I think that's it...

Have fun pining for the next chapter. It has answers... --laughs evilly--

-rix the demon