AN: So I have to apologize for changing the fic rating on this one, but today's chapter definitely strayed into 'R' territory, so I thought I'd give you all fare warning. I really tried to keep it 'T', but the boys weren't cooperating.
Review replies:
Kitsune Tanaka: This chapter definitely contains more kissing, but I would call it more heated than awkward this time.
Egypt Mesi: Ed and Roy just aren't fated for too much fluffy is just too dark a tale to accommodate that. I like the way they fight, even when they're together. It adds spice to their relationship.
nendo-chan: We may need to get a doctor to look at your nosebleed, especially after today! I'm glad you think the boys are still in character and I spend a good deal of time pouring over the manga to find just the right spots to drop in my Roy/Ed goodness. I don't want Ed to end up with Winry, but I do prefer MangaWinry to AnimeWinry.
Paon: But of course there will be a next time, and they will always take two steps forward in their relationship, but expect frequent interruptions and some setbacks.
SeeInBlackAndWhite: I'm so glad you were sucked in by the wormhole. Welcome to my twisted universe on the other side =D
GoldenKitsuneHime13: Sorry I had to go there with the whole riding a Mustang thing. The imagery is way, way too tempting…
Luna-Lunak: I didn't think anything less than real love would bring these two together. It's not something either one expected or is necessarily comfortable with, but once you find yourself in it, there's no denying the spell you're under.
Background: This chapter fits in around manga volumes 11 and 12. After his visit to the Cselkcess Ruins, Ed returned to Resembool where he met his father for the first time in like 10 years. You can imagine how well that went down, although Ed didn't resort to actual physical violence. But his father did challenge him with why he burned down their house and what exactly he created in that fateful transmutation. Ed decides he has to know the truth, so he and Granny Pinako go out to where she buried it and they dig up what Granny buried that night 5 years ago. You can really see how much it's killing Ed to do this, but he has to know. And the sad truth is that what he and Al created was not a resurrection of their mother, but some other creature altogether – some thing that Al's soul was temporarily bound to before it rejected. You see Ed finally accept that nothing that has truly died can ever be brought back, but also that Al is clearly not dead. He decides he needs to find out how the homunculus bodies were created. Not that Ed's had the life of a kid before this, but he sheds any illusions in volume 11 and I made that part of his reason for confronting Roy about how he feels last chapter. Likewise, (same volume)Roy has his spectacular battle with Lust that leaves him hospitalized but Havoc is paralyzed. Havoc and Roy end up getting in a shouting match where Jean begs Roy to forget about him and just move on. But Roy refuses to let him go, saying that he will move ahead to make sure Havoc has someone to catch up to. Volume 11 is a wonderful showcase of angst for Roy and Ed. Delicioso!
Disclaimer: Hiromu Arakawa owns Fullmetal Alchemist, but like an alchemist, I reconstruct her work for my own pleasure.
Roy glanced in his rearview mirror at Edward slumped in the back seat next to Al. In addition to the myriad of scrapes, scratches and bruises, the teen's head was wrapped in white bandages. Roy remembered seeing the blood pouring down the right side of the boy's face. Its stark contrast with Ed's tanned skin made the injury obvious even from Roy's vantage point in the old bell tower where he and Riza had been situated. It had made Roy want to throw aside the radio equipment and rush out there to protect Fullmetal. Only Riza's gun-toting presence beside him stopped him from leaving. She had been livid when he arrived back at his place two nights ago with his stitches torn open from his 'encounter' with Ed. He wasn't going to tell her what really happened, but it was obvious she wasn't buying the excuse he gave her. All things considered, he wouldn't put it passed her to shoot him in the leg to keep him from getting killed. In his current shape, there was just no way he could go toe to toe with Scar the way Ed and Al were, despite the way he'd bragged to the boy when Scar first showed up. And any distance attacks with his flame alchemy were likely to injure the Elric brothers since they fought in such close quarters with Scar. Besides, he needed Scar to stay alive at least until the homunculi showed up to save Ed, their precious human sacrifice, or Ed's 'fishing' expedition would be for naught.
Roy had been forced to watch Ed from a distance, doing what he could through use of Fuery's rigged radio equipment to keep the MPs out of the area. He'd never observed the boy fighting like this. It sent a shiver down his spine. The teen was fearless, his moves death-defying. It was as though he and Scar were engaged in a deadly dance. Roy had feared a repeat of Ed's fight with Scar in East City, but it was obvious to him that the youth had changed in many ways since then. His speed on the battle field was blinding, his creativity unparalleled. If Roy and Ed had faced off again like their fight a few years back, Roy seriously doubted that he'd be able to beat Ed. He was so captivated by watching the other alchemist that Riza tapped him on the shoulder more than once to remind him that he was supposed to be misdirecting the forces at Central Command to give Ed's plan time to work.
"What?" Ed demanded angrily.
Roy started, his dark gaze locking with the golden gaze directed at him in the rearview mirror. He was staring again. He saw Ed's cheeks flush and the teen looked away out the window. Since they'd picked up Doctor Knox, Roy had been taking them back along the road he and Ed had traveled the other night. The night Roy almost lost control. The truth of their feelings sealed with a kiss. In the mirror, Ed's hand brushed across his own lips as if reliving that night. Roy looked away when he felt a surge of heat rise to answer the boy's unspoken desire.
"I'm not surprised they wrapped your head up," Roy said casually, forcing the sarcasm he didn't feel while focusing his eyes on the road. "After what you pulled today, I'd suspect there was something wrong with your brain, too."
"Aw, shut up, Lord Colonel. Maybe if you'd gotten off your ass and actually helped –" Ed broke off abruptly.
"Brother, that's not fair. You know how injured the Colonel is. He probably shouldn't even be out of the hospital." It amused Roy that Al was forever acting like the voice of Ed's conscience. He wondered what the younger Elric would say if he knew what had transpired between Ed and Roy the other night. Wait – did he know? The brothers were so close, almost constituting one whole being spread across two bodies. And Alphonse was amazingly perceptive at times, probably a combination of natural ability and endless sleepless hours at night to contemplate everything around him. Roy glanced in the rearview mirror again, but Al's slightly battered metal visage didn't betray anything of the thoughts that might be swirling through his head. Roy's own cheeks flushed at the thought that Al might already know how badly Roy had wanted to ravish the blond alchemist right here in this car. He directed his gaze back to the road with an almost desperate regard, hoping that Dr. Knox sitting next to him in the front seat would take his flush for anger at Ed's words.
"So who is this you want me to treat?" Dr. Knox asked into the uncomfortable silence.
"A fallen comrade. One of Lin's bodyguards."
"Lanfan?" Ed and Al asked simultaneously.
Roy nodded.
"Do you want to give me a better idea of what I'm likely to face when I get there? I hope I have the right equipment."
"According to Riza she lost her arm in the fight with the homunculi. She was lucky she didn't lose her life." Roy's eyes flicked up to the rearview to catch a glimpse of Ed turning very pale and looking nauseous, his flesh hand rubbing his automail arm self-consciously. Despite the boy's brassy exterior, Roy knew that he felt the pain of others very deeply. He also knew that Winry Rockbell had somehow become embroiled in the fight against Scar and Ed was probably imagining what might have happened to her.
"Will she be alright?" Al asked, that innocent child's voice echoing out of the hollow armor.
"Riza said she's very strong. She hid in the sewers while the three of you captured Gluttony."
"Sewers, that's great," Dr. Knox griped sourly. "As if traumatic limb amputation wasn't bad enough…"
Roy's voice took on a harsh edge, "You've seen worse."
Knox stared at Roy for a moment before directing his gaze out the window. "Remind me to thank you later for dragging me into this mess."
Roy smirked. He couldn't help it. Knox might think he was being sarcastic, but Roy knew otherwise. Roy had managed over the years to surround himself with highly capable and intelligent people who, despite the tremendous personal tragedies they had experienced, continued to shine with a core of empathy, understanding and unwavering regard for the value of human life. These people risked their careers, even their lives, to follow him. And Roy didn't delude himself that they did so entirely based on his personal charisma. He knew that they all shared a common vision of a better future.
Dim light emerged from the interior of the old house as they pulled up in front. The four occupants of the car got out and started toward the front door. Roy grabbed Fullmetal's flesh arm, holding him back.
"Riza is inside. She can help you with the patient, doctor." Roy waved him toward the front door. "Al, I need to speak with your brother privately for a moment."
The gleaming eyes that lit the armor helmet seemed to look right through Roy. If Al knew what was happening between Ed and Roy, he wouldn't likely allow Roy to walk off into the dark with his brother. Roy actually squirmed slightly, waiting, hoping and praying. The seconds seemed to tick away and still Al silently regarded the other two alchemists. Roy sure hoped Al got to be a parent someday because he had already mastered the guilty conscience thing.
"It's alright, Al. I'll be there in a minute. I promise," Ed assured his sibling.
"Okay," the younger Elric finally responded, turning to follow Dr. Knox inside.
Roy steered Ed toward the old barn. The blond wrenched his arm away from Roy and stormed ahead in a huff. When they were out of sight of the house, Ed turned on him. "Great! What the fuck did you do that for? Now you've got Al suspecting something."
"Why? What have you told him?" Roy demanded sharply.
"Nothing! I'm not an idiot, you know," Ed hissed. "That's hardly a conversation I'd look forward to. I can hear it now. What did Mustang want, Brother? Oh, he's decided to play for the other team, so he dragged me behind the barn for a quickie."
Roy snorted a laugh and felt his tension ease somewhat. "I did not drag you back here for a quickie."
Those golden eyes gleamed like a large predator's in the faint light. "Really? That's too bad," the boy rumbled, pouncing on Roy and pushing him back against the wall of the barn.
"Fullme- " was all Roy got out in a gasp of surprise when the boy's lips met his own. The automail hand gripped the collar of Roy's white dress shirt to drag him down to Ed's level, while the boy's flesh hand slid under that un-tucked shirt and came to rest pressed flat in the hollow under Roy's breastbone but above his navel. The boy's hand was hot on Roy's skin, as if he were running a fever, and the intimate contact was sending Roy's thoughts and blood rushing south.
Roy put his hands on the teen's shoulder and pushed back gently. "Ed –" he managed when his lips were temporarily freed.
"No talking," the blond growled, then gripped Roy's throat in his teeth like a lion going in for the kill. But instead of crushing pressure, Roy felt a slick, wet warmth slide across his larynx as Ed explored Roy's throat with his tongue. The hand on Roy's skin splayed out wider, the thumb sliding easily beneath the sagging waistband of Roy's loose grey slacks. The fingers curled over Roy's slim right hip, gripping him possessively, yet careful to avoid Roy's injured left side.
Roy's head dropped back and he groaned. "You're so reckless, Fullmetal."
"Mmm," was all Ed responded, his teeth, tongue and lips continuing their quest down the column of Roy's neck.
Roy swallowed against a sudden tightness in his throat. "You could have been killed today."
Edward pulled back and met Roy's gaze, his expression unrepentant. "I won't risk the lives of others anymore. I won't let you become another Hughes."
Roy winced at that, but he gripped Ed's shoulders tighter. "I'm as involved in all of this as you are, Ed. Let me help you. It's my duty to protect you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
Ed's eyes widened at those words. He seemed to soak them in and savor them for a moment, and then he shook his head and glanced at Roy askance. "You're such a player, Mustang. How will I ever know when you're spouting the kind of bullshit you use on your girlfriends and when you're telling the truth?"
Roy's right hand slid up to the boy's throat, his thumb caressing the soft hairs drawn back into a ponytail. "You'll have to trust me."
"But I know what a good liar you are. You twist your words around like a knot."
Roy's hand gripped that ponytail, letting the golden hair slide over his fingers and curl around the palm of his hand. He tugged lightly, forcing the teen's head back. "Then you'll have to learn to listen to my body and not my words. " Roy pressed a gentle kiss to the bandage above the boy's right eye.
Ed had obviously been hoping for more because he narrowed his eyes to slits and tugged Roy down towards him again. Ed kissed with the same breathless abandon he brought to his fighting. Though Roy could have sworn that the other night was the first time the teen had kissed anyone, he seemed to have paid close attention to how Roy kissed him back, because he was doing things with his lips, teeth and tongue that were quickly swamping Roy's senses. And Ed's hand at Roy's hip was sliding completely beneath the waistband of his slacks, thumb and fingers sliding back towards Roy's –
"Ed!" Roy snatched the hand out of his pants. He was flushed and panting and immensely grateful that his recent weight loss made his pants baggy enough to hide his obvious reaction to the teen. "What are you doing?"
The boy frowned up at him. "Duh. As if you didn't know…"
"We can't do that here. Your brother and my lieutenant are only about a hundred yards away. That's easily in range for Riza's rifle. Besides, you don't really know what you're asking for."
Ed pressed his lower body against Roy, making sure he felt Ed's state of arousal. Ed grinned when he felt Roy's response pressing into his abdomen. "You were the one who said to listen to your body, Roy. Your body is sending me a message, loud and clear. We both appear to want this," the boy's voice had dropped to a husky purr. The half-lidded gilded eyes did a slow take down Roy's body that was far too adult and sexy for the boy's own good.
For one crazy, desperate moment, Roy wondered if there was still hay in the barn's loft that he could throw this monster into and they could go at it right there, so tightly wound that neither one of them would last very long. He wondered if he could get the teen to cry out his name, or if Ed would simply utter a string of expletives as ecstasy overtook him. He thought it might be worth it to get shot by Riza if he could see what Ed looked like as he came.
Roy slumped against the side of the barn, drawing the boy between his splayed legs so their hips were on the same level. He was breathless with need and their position put them in the most intimate of contact while they still had clothes on. Ed's flesh hand stayed north of Roy's waistband, but seemed to find the toned expanse of his chest worth exploring, his thumb circling a hard nipple. The automail hand reached up to grip Roy's shoulder, kneading at his flesh. Roy's arms went around the blond, slipping under his soft black shirt, hands greedily exploring the hard muscle of Ed's back. Their kiss took on a new note of urgency. Roy moaned when Ed sucked at his tongue because it felt so good and it didn't take much imagination to picture Ed doing that on another part of Roy's anatomy.
"Brother? Colonel?"
Ed jumped away from him like a scalded cat at the sound of Al's voice.
Roy shook himself, trying to clear his head and bring his heart rate and breathing under control. He pushed himself up to a standing position, repositioned his anatomy to a more comfortable spot and straightened his clothes, again eternally grateful that his loose pants and un-tucked shirt would hide anything Al didn't need to see. He glanced over at Edward.
The teen was fiddling with the front of his pants even though Roy could tell his black dress shirt would cover his condition as well. But it was the flushed, breathless, guilty-as-hell look on Ed's face that Roy knew Al would pick up on.
"And in the future," Roy barked, making sure his voice carried, "I expect you to consult with me in advance before you go off and pull another harebrained stunt like you pulled today!"
Ed looked over at him in surprise before his expression softened into a sheepish grin of understanding. "I can't wait around for you and the government bureaucracy to decide something in committee, Lord Useless. Besides, we got what we were after, didn't we?" It took him a little bit to warm-up, but Ed was almost up to his normal rant by the time Al came around the barn.
"Colonel?"
"Yes, Alphonse."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Lieutenant Hawkeye wanted me to let you know that they have finished with Lanfan. It looks like she's going to make it."
"That's wonderful news, Alphonse. We're through here, Fullmetal. Go inside with your brother. I need to get something out of the car."
"Whatever. Like I care what you think," Ed groused.
Al turned and started marching back toward the house.
Ed moved to follow him, but Roy snagged his arm in passing and pulled him into a quick, hot kiss, his hand brushing teasingly down the front of the teen's pants. Ed moaned softly, but Roy released him abruptly to stagger after his brother. Ed shifted and pulled at his pants front again, casting a look of longing back at Roy before he turned and jogged to catch up with Al.