Give Guidance or Counsel

Door Handles

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist

Rating of Chapter: T

Chapter 11 - Did it Hurt When You Fell From Heaven?

I'd like to say that the little bit of French used in this may or may not be right - my source was my brother, and we all know how reliable brothers are. J Either way, its supposed to mean 'fuck me'. If anyone knows French, and knows that isn't right, then tell me in a review and I'll change it.

Monday the 11th of October

When Gracia announced dinner they all sat around the table and ate heartily, much to Gracia's delight. After Ed had pretty much inhaled his meal, and a lot of Al's, the whole party eventually finished and said their thanks, and the two birthday were presented with a home made cake. Ed was forced to endure the song again for the second time that day, only difference was he now had Elysia to share his pain. He was then told to blow the candles out, and he pulled Elysia on to his lap and helped her make a wish before she blew the candles out. This was her party after all, he was just gate crashing. Although, he did make a wish, no one can resist making a wish when given the opportunity, and his birthday only came once a year.

Hughes drove them home and Pinako told them off for getting back so late. Ed and Al were happy to escape next door, poor Winry had to sleep in the same house. And that was how Ed came to be lying awake on his bed, listening to his brother's snores next door and muttering over the wish he made.

I wish Mustang can find someone to protect

he sighed and turned over, wrapping the covers tighter around him. Was it just that Mustang was on his mind? He would usually wish for he and Al to sort out their finances, and live normally. He'd never really believed in wishes, but it never hurt to try right? So why was it that he was suddenly being so selfless and wishing Mustang found happiness, or whatever? He had to remind himself that he was supposed to hate his counsellor, no matter how attractive he might be. He pouted and flung his nose into his pillow, trying to drown out his frustrated groans so his ever attentive little brother didn't come rushing into the room, demanding to know what was wrong: something Al was prone to doing.

Tuesday the 12th of October

"I lost my number, can I have yours?"

"That's just bad."

"May I borrow a map? I got lost in your eyes."

"That was worse."

"Shall I call heaven to tell them they're missing an angel?"

"Where are you getting these from?"

"Baise moi."

Ed hit Mustang round the side of the head. He was now severely regretting taking French. Mustang nursed his head and gave a dramatic sigh.

"Now really Edward. Was that completely necessary?"

Ed just glared, about as necessary as your perverted chat up lines, he thought. The two had been sat facing each other, cross legged, for three hours, firing insults at each other. First Ed had been called for a one-to-one, and Mustang had began the meeting at Ed's lack of the ability to grow. After a few childish remarks from both parties, Ed had told Mustang it wasn't his fault Roy was freakishly large in all areas. The Colonel had smirked and that ended that conversation. The two then began an entirely different argument, until Roy blurted out;

"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

Ed had thirty whole seconds of complete silence before he replied.

"Where the freaking hell did that come from you perverted old geezer!?"

Mustang replied with;

"Are you a parking ticket, cuz you've got FINE written all over you."

Ed was quicker with his reaction.

"No I'm not!" - evidently he was a little flustered.

"Have you got sore feet, cuz you've been running through my mind all day."

… and this pattern continued till Ed gave up, and we caught up to where Ed began using violence.

"Really Colonel, have any of those ever actually worked for you?" asked the blonde, giving his counsellor a wary look. Mustang gave Ed his signature smirk.

"Only when my targets really drunk, and on those occasions I'm usually fairly out of it myself."

The teen tried to imagine a drunk Colonel trying to lure an equally drunk woman into bed with 'If I said you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?'. Somehow he found he didn't like that idea too much.

"You can stop looking so scared Fullmetal, it was only an exercise. It's my job remember." Ed glared at him.

"I hate your job." he also couldn't see how getting chatted up by Mustang was supposed to help him. "You're supposed to make me sane, not make me fall for you."

Ed looked up in time to see a slightly shocked expression on his counsellor's face.

"Am I making you fall for me?" asked the older man, Ed's eyes widened and his face blanched as he realised how his comment must have sounded . He shook his head feverishly.

"I… uh… That came out wrong!" he explained, Mustang gave a small laugh and leant back, stretching out so he was laying down. The two were on the ground, surrounded by desks and chairs, so if anyone where to glance into the room, they probably wouldn't have spotted them. Ed watched the man stretch, tense, and relax, looking at the ceiling. They were silent for awhile, listening to the clock tick away the time. Ed leant back against one of the desk legs and closed his eyes. Outside the last rays of orange sun were swallowed p by midnight blue. Neither man really noticed, and Ed was willing to bet Mustang had just fallen asleep, when his melodic voice filled the room.

"There's always been answers before." he stated, still looking at the ceiling, Ed cracked on eye open to see he had one leg bent, and his hands were under his head. "Every other kid. I've always been able to set them on the straight and narrow. No matter how insane. But you're different."

Ed chose not to speak, closing his eyes again, giving a slight, inaudible sigh.

"How long have you been coming to see me? How much have e told each other? Shared with each other?" was Mustang aware the Ed was still very much awake? Or was he just talking to himself?

"I know we've only had 6 official meeting, yet I feel like we've known each other for the longest time…" Ed was fairly certain the Colonel was just talking to himself now. "Everything just spills out when I'm with you, it's like you're the counsellor and I'm the patient."

Silence filled the room once again as Roy gave a sigh and rolled so he was facing Ed, not that Ed knew this, he still had his eyes closed and was thinking about what Roy had said. They'd only had 6 meetings? It felt like more then that. All the times they'd met in the halls, when Roy drove him home, or part way there, Elysia's birthday party, having dinner at Winry's. In all the time they'd spent together, how many conversations had they had? It only chalked up to 6 official meetings? And how many times had they argued? in those 6 meetings they inevitably ended up shouting at each other, and here they were in complete peace. Had Ed really made any progress at all? He still hated milk, he still skipped meals, he still wanted his dad dead, and he was still short! The only progress he made was in the 'love' field, and he could hardly tell his counsellor he found him attractive, and may very well be head over heels in love with him.

Roy gave a small, dead chuckle, as if he'd heard Ed's thoughts.

"So… believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk past again?"

Ed cracked open his eyes to see Roy facing him, eyes peacefully closed, before the lights went out in the corridor outside, and then automatically in the classroom. The school keeper had unplugged the mains for the night, a signal that they had stayed too long. Neither really cared - Roy had keys anyway, and if all else failed they could always climb over the main gate. It was coming up to 6:30 and Amestris Central High was usually deserted by 5:00. Ed studied the man in front of him. The moon outside was illuminating Roy's white shirt, and giving Ed's eyes and hair and eerie glow, as it always did. And as Ed got used to the darkness, he began to distinguish more and more things jumping out at him, like the silver of Mustang's wrist watch, the hardedge outline of his glossy black trousers and shows. The way his skin was pale and almost shining in the moonlight. How he'd turned back onto his back and draped a lazy arm over his forehead, eyes now open and staring at the ceiling determinedly, as if trying not to look somewhere else. It didn't take long for Ed to realise everything he was noticing were things that enhanced the beauty that Roy held. Yet he couldn't bring himself to feel ashamed or embarrassed in the peace of the evening that the two had created. He closed his eyes again, trying to commit the image of a peaceful Mustang to memory.

And Roy, in turn, noticed Ed. The way his bright sunshine hair had paled and began to glow in the moonlight. His skin darkened, his skinny body emphasised by the lack of a thick heavy coat, his closed eyes making him look asleep and tranquil. His tense posture against the desk leg suggesting that he was actually very much awake. The shine of metal as his sleeve slipped towards his shoulder… wait… metal?

"Edward?" he voice sounded husky through the peace. Ed cracked his eyes open to gaze at the now upright Mustang, his eyes glowing in the moonlight. Roy faltered for just a moment, before: "Why is it you have automail?"

Ed's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly glanced at his shoulder and leg, pulling up his sleeve and pulling back on his coat to make sure it was doubly covered. He gave Mustang a worried Look, as if this discovery was going to end his life. Mustang sat up even straighter.

"We're still in a meeting Edward. Answer my question."