A/N: Okay, guys, I'm going to be doing a lot of updating today.
WARNING: THIS SCENE IS SEXUALLY GRAPHIC. THOSE OF YOU WHO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE SHOULD NOT READ THIS CHAPTER.
(BRIAR)
It didn't shock me how many officers I saw in the crowd. A man is a man after all. And men want one thing.
I placed myself in the company of a group of men, placing my foot on the knee of a blue uniform, hiking my skirt up to my thigh.
"Hello, boys," I drawled, licking my lip.
The man whom my foot was resting on twisted his lips into a smile. "Well ain't you somethin'. Ain't seen you 'round here before."
I winked at his drunken slurs. I sat myself on his lap, legs spread and hands on his chest, simpering.
"I'm new..." I whispered, pretending not to notice as his eyes travel down to my hardly-covered breasts. "But I'd love someone to take a test run," I leaned down, licking the shell of his ear. He bucked his hips and I rolled my eyes, sneering mentally. Men, they're all the same. "Free of charge," I said, pressing myself against him.
I groaned as the pain arched up my spine again. My skirt was hiked high around my waist by the time he gave out. I was practically desensitized to being used. What he was doing was no foreign feeling.
He mumbled curses as I dug my nails into his back.
"Officer...what's a man like you doing out here?"
"You always ask so many questions."
I gasped as he used much for force, much more violent.
"Geez, what are you, a virgin? I didn't come for a sissy who makes small talk and cries every time I move."
I glared at him, but he didn't notice as his eyes rolled back. "I'm sorry..." I whispered, trembling. I took my hands, running feather-like down his chest, until I added my nails and dig, leaving trails of blood.
"Hey!"
He's too shocked to react so I pushed him off and grabbed a forgotten shoe, smacking him in the head. He's out cold.
I ran to his discarded clothes on the floor, fingering around in his jacket hoping to find something, anything-
My fingers came into contact with something cool and soft. I pulled out a leather-bound booklet. I took his gun, figuring I may need it later, and the book, hoping to go and find Dee and Kristal, though this would probably be messier than I wanted-
I pushed out of the tent and ran smack into Dee.
"We need to get out of here," she panted.
"We need to find Kristal-"
"Hello, ladies."
I spun, and stared. Standing before me is an extremely intoxicated Inspector Hughes, who puts his weight half on Dietrich and half on me. Dee flinches, and I realize he might be putting his weight on her wooden make-shift prosthetic.
"Aren't you two pretty? Any chance I can get a two for the price of one sale?"
I wanted to step back, but Dee obviously couldn't move. I was so afraid Hughes was going to recognize one of us, but he might not. Why would he expect two of the rarely seen boys in town to suddenly be dressed as a woman at the local whore-house?
"We're off duty," Dee whispered, her voice probably the highest Hughes ever heard her use. If only he knew he heard the others.
He leaned back, puzzled. "Fine...I'll go get that one- Roy!"
"Hughes! Get her!"
Roy Mustang was standing behind Kristal, whose pale little hands were wringing in front of his chest, almost as if she was afraid to touch him. There was something in her eyes.
"Kris!" Dee yelled. She knew it was a stretch to scream her name, but she did anyway.
Hughes was too drunk to realize what was going on so fast, and after Kristal started running, so did we. Kristal wasn't used to the effort, and soon, her breath was becoming drawn in pants. Dee's leg I knew had to be bothering her. Her steps go longer and sloppier each time.
The moon was starting to drop, the sky becoming almost pure black by the time we all fell into the boarding house. Kristal was panting and crying, falling to the floor with a wail. I wondered what happened to her tonight, on her own. Dee went to a table, looking to support her body on her arms instead of her legs. I collapsed into arms, familiar, yet stronger by far...
I pushed back sneering, coming to a stand. "Don't touch me, Elric. "I hissed, taking drunken steps to the stool next to Dietrich. She was panting, and I realized I was too.
"What did you get?" My vision was blurry, but I recognized Enjolras' voice.
"I got this," I said, reaching into my shirt and pulling out the booklet. Enjolras quickly took it from me, his eyes taking an inventory of me quietly.
"It's arrest records...a few sightings of the street...just his everyday life," he sighed, putting it on the table.
"I got some information," Dee whispered, not looking at any of us. Her hair covered her face. "The random disappearances, and killings? They aren't random...They...they're taking people-Jews, gypsies-to camps. Concentration Camps. Killing them off all at once..."
Enjolras stiffened, the only sound in the room was Kristal's wailing.
My lips trembled. "Like...like us?"
Dee shook her head. "I think it's different. I think there, the goal isn't to learn...just to mass kill."
I looked away, feeling my stomach tighten. I felt like I was going to be sick.
I heard a little gasp, breaking the silence. "Briar...you're bleeding..."
I looked up at little Alphonse Elric, who was pointing at me. I followed his line of sight to my thigh. I'd hiked my skirt up, Enjolras' tie still wrapped around my left thigh, but running down my right was a trail of blood, flowing steady down my ankle until it made a small droplet on the floor. I yanked my skirt down quickly.
"Yeah...it's fine..." I mumbled, looking away.
Edward stuttered. "D-did you...?"
"The guy just got a little angry, okay? It wasn't anything I hadn't done before...I guess it's just been a while..."
Alphonse came up to me, putting his little tan hand onto my face. "Do you want me to draw you a bath?"
I smiled at him, and for the first time, I...I couldn't hate him. Not anymore. I patted his carmel-coloured hair and forced a smile.
"No, but thank you, Alphonse," I choked, feeling more feeble than ever. Here I was again, a woman, in a group of men. The lower life form. It was easy to see how they'd shifted their looks. They might not mean to, but the looks on their faces...pity...superiority. Looking at me as if to say, Look at this poor girl. If only she'd been born a boy, would she be here?
No, I thought, no I wouldn't.
"Rest, everyone," Enjolras called. "It's been a long night for our brave brothers on the front line," Enjolras clapped a hand on Kristal's shoulder. "Thank you, for all you've done."
Kristal stood now, wiping her eyes hesitantly.
"Marius and I are going to scope out the North end of town again. Rile up some more."
"Make sure you don't get old," I called. He smiled at me, then tapped the leather bound book. "Thanks to Dietrich, I won't."
Thanks to Dietrich. I wasn't mad, but that did hurt. I knew Dietrich was the only one with valuable information, but did he have to exclude me? Dee was tortured so horrible in the lab, but she never went through what I went through. Tonight must've been hell for her, but did it make less worse for me? How many times can a girl call rape and it start meaning less?
I needed a pair of trousers. A pair of trousers and a menstrual rag to stop the bleeding.
I looked over at Kristal, whose legs were still shaking.
Enjolras came up beside me. "Would you like to borrow some of my clothes?"
"How about you take me up to my own room and I wear my own clothes?"
He nodded. "How thoughtless of me."
We stalked up the stairs, and I stripped once I got in the room. Enjolras didn't seem the least affected as I shamelessly walked to my wardrobe and pulled out pants and a clean shirt.
Enjolras at on my bed, and handed me a rag by the water basin. I cleaned the blood before replacing the rag in the seat of my trousers and yanking them on.
"I missed these..." I sighed, beginning my breast bindings. Enjolras chuckled.
"You really don't care, do you?"
I looked up, sighing. I knew what he meant. "I don't think of myself as a woman. I think of myself as human. The sooner I do that, the sooner all possibilities of distraction goes away. I don't, nor have I ever, thought with my trousers Enjolras, I believe you can attest to that."
"So true...now may I get that kiss?"
I turned to him, mischief clear in my eye. "On the forehead, like a good brother."
He frowned. "That wasn't what I meant."
"You should've been clearer," I sighed, pulling on a green overcoat. "Besides, I believe the deal was, 'once you brought me home.' Key word being 'you brought' not 'me walk'. I ran away from Nazi officers with a jew and cripple. Not easy."
Enjolras sighed. "And I believe the deal was you don't get to be second in command until I get that kiss."
My eyes narrowed. "You're just like a man," I growled. "You want one thing. I don't need to be second in command to overthrow Hilter. I don't need to kiss you Enjolras and if that's all you require I do believe Grantaire. is too intoxicated and shameless to say no the prerequisite!"
"Briar! "he pulled my arm back to face him. "Briar..it's not that, okay? You always have been and always will be my second in command. It's just been unofficial. Briar...I just want to tie off all bridges with you. We're so alike...don't you think it's best for those boys to look up at two people instead of one? A pair, Briar. A pair of leaders."
"Only one person can lead, Enjolras. A pair of leaders is almost an oxymoron."
He chuckled, touching my face. "Briar, it only makes sense. It strengthens our bond and there's...I know you can't love me-I'm not asking you to. You know I won't...Briar, I can't love you."
"I didn't expect less," I laughed lightly. "You love one thing and that's this revolution."
"Isn't that the only thing you love now too? Briar, I do care about you and those boys downstairs, alright? But when I look at you I'm looking in a mirror. And I need you focused. I can't let your thoughts wander..."
I pushed his hands away. "I told you I don't think with my trousers-"
"You did with Eddward."
My hand paused on the doorknob. "I loved him."
"I'm not doubting that, Briar. But is there really a love that isn't simply lust once you boil it down? It's all chemical, Briar. Tie off that bridge with me, so that I may not get off the path. There are three. Show them to me...Friend...Brother..."
I looked away. "Lover." I laughed quietly. "Enjolras, go get to the North Side. People need that news," I sighed, stalking down the stairs. "Take Grantaire, Joly, and the other boys with you."
"I can't leave you here alone, not with Kristal in the state she's in...I'll leave those Elricboys, and Luca. I'll be back before nightfall," he promised, taking my hand in a tight squeeze. It wasn't loving, more like empowering. He was giving me his blessing to be the leader of the troops he lead behind. I grasped him back.
Helena had breakfast layed out, and Kristal started poking around her plate, eyes still red.
Now was as good as ever to ask her, if she needed to talk, that is.
"Kristal..."
Her chocolate eyes met mine, big and innocent. Trembling.
"Kristal, what happened last night?"
She shook slowly at first, then her head fell into her hands. Dietrich looked up from her plate and over at us. She hesitantly tried to put a consoling hand on her back, but I shook my head at her, telling her stop.
"I...I wanted him...but he didn't want me..."
"What?" Dee whispered. She shook her head.
"I love him, but he doesn't even know I exist!"
