Yes, this was supposed to be up yesterday, and I just got home this morning. My dad lives in another city, and guess who the only one who cares enough about him still was? Yes, me. He's not in the best of shape and he called me yesterday asking for help. And I am finally home now... and now off to school. I'll answer the reviews once I get back from school
Anyway, hope you enjoy! Sorry you didn't get any reading material yesterday.
Chapter Eleven
The first thing Roy noticed when he walked into his office, was a violet colored memo resting on his desk. He immediately felt a sense of apprehension settle over him, he knew who liked to ship out memos on colored paper and signed in glitter pens. If he wasn't mistaken, he caught a sparkle or two from the paper's direction.
Turning away from it in order to hang up his coat, Roy knew he couldn't put off looking at the memo. So he walked over, shoving the happiness inside him into a warm ball that he'd store away for later. Right now, it was back to work.
As Roy sat down in his chair he took the memo in one hand and brought it up to read. As he did so, the place he held began to crinkle as his grip slowly tightened.
It was a commission from the Fuhrer for Fullmetal.
According to this, there had been a breach in security at the northern prison. Some prisoners had escaped, and a list of names was attached. No more than a hit list, should they give Edward no other choice but to kill them. The letter stated that other efforts had proved unsuccessful in apprehending the escaped individuals. Now the Fuhrer requested Edward personally to handle the matter.
"They're just using him as a tool again." Roy gritted out in irritation. Though he could not ignore the fact that he sent Edward on assignments too. But he liked to believe his were somewhat safer.
He didn't like the idea of sending Edward to the North. Winter was breathing down their necks, and Edward had half his limbs made out of metal. Automail got cold, and didn't function as fast. As well as the fact that it made the rest of his body so cold. Sending Edward to the North would be risky.
And Edward still was on vacation for quite a while! They'd just have to send someone else. Roy doubted that the Fuhrer would want to wait.
Roy grabbed his phone, determined to get this order retracted.
"Ms. Jones." Answered the Fuhrer's secretary brightly.
How Roy disliked that woman. Her and her colored memos signed in glitter pens, and she was far too loud. So he held the phone farther from his ear. "This is Colonel Mustang, I need to speak to the Fuhrer." And as an afterthought added, "please."
"Hold please, I'll see if he's available."
So Roy waited impatiently, glaring at the memo on his desk all the while. He did not want Edward going to the North, at least not until winter was over.
"He wants to know what your call is regarding."
Roy rolled his eyes. What else could it be regarding? It wasn't like he talked to his boss unless absolutely necessary. "Fullmetal."
"Hold please."
A few minutes later, Roy was getting annoyed when the Fuhrer's voice suddenly came over the line.
"What seems to be the problem, Colonel?"
Roy shot a glower at the memo. "I regret to inform you that Fullmetal is not available for another assignment for at least two weeks."
"I realize he is on vacation leave, however, matters of State security are forefront to relaxation."
"He isn't on vacation to relax." Roy barely managed to keep his tone as it should be, and not let his irritation seep through. "A friend of his family died, he's in mourning."
"Surely he's gotten over it by now. This will be a fine way to snap him back to a working mindset. He can return to grieving, if he must, once his work is complete. I trust he won't drag it out."
So why did the laws about leaves of absence due to deaths, marriage, sickness, and the like exist? If not to protect that individuals right to mourn, celebrate, or befriend their toilet? What good were they, when the person who was supposed to be in charge of all of this, decided to make exceptions on whim? To say the least, Roy was not impressed, nor was he happy. "Sir, I really must protest, with all due respect. Perhaps there is someone better suited to managing this situation? Someone who will not still be grieving, and more likely to make a mistake." Even though he doubted Edward would make a mistake.
There was a pause then, "come up to my office, Colonel Mustang."
Oh goody, just what he wanted to do. But damn it, he'd do everything he had to in order to try and get Edward out of this. "I'll be there in a few minutes, sir." And hung up the phone.
Had he not been so adept at reading voice inflections by now, he might have been nervous about having been summoned up for a face-to-face meeting. However he had not heard anger, or irritation in the Fuhrer's voice. Instead, he'd heard a hint of weariness, and perhaps some concern. Food for thought, to be certain.
So Roy rose from his chair and walked around his desk. As he exited his office he caught Hawkeye's attention. "I'm having a meeting with the Fuhrer. I'm not sure how long I'll be, so take messages for me."
She nodded, and gave him a somewhat suspicious look. "The memo said nothing about a meeting. What did you go and do?"
"Advocating for Edward, it's just what I do." Roy shrugged. He'd been looking out for the blond alchemist since before the mere child at the time had been certified as a State Alchemist. He wasn't going to stop now.
"What's going on with the boss?" Havoc piped up from where he and Fuery had halted a game of chess in order to listen in.
Roy looked over at them. "Fuhrer wants him to go on an assignment. He's trying to claim Edward can continue his vacation once he's done."
"But that's not exactly fair." Fuery replied with a frown. "There are plenty of other State Alchemists just sitting around doing nothing."
"I'm going to do what I can." Roy said as optimistically as possible.
Riza looked towards her phone thoughtfully. "Should I call Ed and give him a heads up? Maybe he'd want to come down for the meeting as well."
He shook his head. "There's no time for that." And not just that, he wanted Edward to be clueless about this for right now. No reason to worry the man if he didn't have to. Much less drag him out of his warm apartment and back out into the snow so soon. From what he could see of the window in the room, it was near white out conditions out there.
"Good luck." Havoc called after Roy as the Colonel hurried from the room.
Yes, he just may need luck. And he may not even succeed. But Gate help him, he was going to try.
Roy made his way up to the Fuhrer's office, and stopped outside the door to glance at his secretary.
Ms. Jones smiled at him toothily, and flapped a glitter pen holding hand at him. "He's waiting for you, Colonel."
He nodded at her, and entered the office while steeling himself for this.
"Sit down, Mustang, I don't have much time for formalities." The Fuhrer nodded his head towards a leather and brass studded chair before the desk.
Roy nodded and walked over to take the seat. He really hated this man's sense of décor. It lacked the black leathers, the warm browns, blacks, dark blues, and silvers of his own office. The Fuhrer's office reminded him of his former high school principal's office.
"Has Fullmetal been showing signs of being emotionally unstable right now?" The Fuhrer asked, getting straight to the point.
Roy could hardly lie and say yes, just to try and get Ed out of this. He'd have to find another route. If he said yes, Edward would be subjected to therapy sessions with the resident psychologist for grief council. Even if they were friends, Roy doubted Edward would speak to him for weeks if he got the blond involved in something like that. "No. I saw him recently, and his emotions are quite stable. However, if put under pressure at a key moment, he might hesitate. That hesitation could prove fatal to him, and Fullmetal is hardly someone to risk like this so soon after his friend's death."
"Yes, he is valuable." The Fuhrer agreed. He then gave a shallow sigh, a tired sounding one.
Roy was suddenly struck again by that feeling that told him something else was going on. He wasn't in trouble for disagreeing about the assignment, but there was something unspoken going on here. He wasn't sure he liked it. He didn't like weak sheep keeping secrets from him. Like the sheep was trying to lead him into a meadow full of rabbit holes ready to trip him up.
"Surely, sir," Roy began, "there is someone capable enough available to deal with this? Even a regular officer, not a State Alchemist."
"No, a State Alchemist will be required." And the Fuhrer looked away from Roy towards a random place on the bare walls. "This is not a recent break out. It's been kept under the radar for two weeks now. The alchemists keep vanishing just when they report they're closing in."
"Who broke out?" Roy frowned. He'd read the list of names, but hadn't recognized any of them.
"Four of the State Alchemists involved in the chimera lab. Six others of crimes ranging from robbery to murder." The Fuhrer rattled off and looked back at Roy. "Instead of wasting more time and other alchemists, I would rather send in one alchemist who I know will get the job done. I have complete faith in Fullmetal's skills."
"Can this not wait?" Roy propositioned. "Winter's practically a sunset away and the snow won't get any better farther North. Or send a team out, something."
"I understand your concern, but this is not something that can wait." And a frown was directed his way. "Allowing criminals more freedom to hide is not something we can afford just because of a little bit of snow. Have Fullmetal report in by Monday and send him to me to be debriefed."
Roy knew a dismissal when he heard one, and he could not try and pursue this further without angering the Fuhrer. He'd be no good at all court marshaled and in the stockades as punishment. But he was worried about the alchemists who'd escaped… he wasn't sure what Edward would do when he found out who they were.
He didn't believe the Fuhrer quite knew Edward's feelings about chimeras and those who created them, or allowed their creation. Roy himself was one such creation now, and this topic had once again been made personal to Ed. He wasn't sure that the blond would be able to control his anger for very long.
"I'll send word to him." Roy replied abruptly and stood. There were no promises of Edward's cooperation in that statement, and he quickly left with a half-hearted salute before he'd be forced to give a promise.
Hell, he was tempted to covertly order Edward to go back to Risembool and claim he had "just missed" the blond's departure.
Either way, he'd have to talk to Edward about this tomorrow. They'd figure something out. But under no circumstances did Roy want to see Edward go to the North.
Roy quickly hurried away, bound for his office and still uneasy about all of this.
Edward's Apartment
Edward was sitting in his squashy armchair, a fleece throw blanket wrapped around him and a book open in his hands. He had changed into his pajamas which were considerably warm, and left a sock on only his automail foot so he could try and ward chill away from the metal. As he finished the page he was on he gave it a flick of his finger to turn it and began to read again.
He'd been reading ever since he'd gotten home. But he had most definitely enjoyed his morning out, even if it had been filled with snow. Roy slipping on that ice made the cold worth bearing. And he gave a small chuckle at the memory.
His amusement was cut short when a phone call suddenly rang on his machine.
Edward looked over at it, where it was mounted to the wall near the kitchen. He then went back to his book, not really caring so much about it. He was comfortable, and if the call was important, he could always return it. So he idly continued to read until he heard his answering machine start up.
"You've reached Fullmetal-" Edward wondered if he should redo that, he wasn't too fond of his calling card name, "if it's important, call Colonel Roy Mustang with a lengthy detailed message and ask him about his day before hanging up. If you're still listening, leave me a message. "
Edward snickered. Well, he might keep that part of his answering machine message. Oh the memories he had of Roy himself leaving very annoyed messages about how he kept being treated like a secretary. He'd saved some of the more eloquent rants his friend had launched into.
A loud BEEP cut the air.
"Ed…"
Edward's head snapped up at the voice, feeling suddenly apprehensive as he frowned at his phone. "What the hell does he want?"
"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm calling."
He gave an eye roll. "No shit."
"I've had three long months to reflect on all the things I did wrong. How I wasn't supportive enough-"
"In the right ways." Edward corrected with a snort.
"All the things I should have done or said."
"Or both." Was Ed's flippant suggestion as he continued reading the paragraph he was on.
"But now I know these things. I want to give us another try."
"Do you." Edward remarked dryly. "How sweet. But I don't hear a 'please', yet."
"Anyway, please-"
"There we go."
"-think about it. Call me back, Ed. Let me know… one way or another. But I hope you'll find it in yourself to give me another chance-"
Edward snorted richly and flipped the page again.
"I still love you." And then the machine clicked and fell silent.
"And therein lies the problem." Edward muttered to himself. "I don't love you." And he fell silent as he continued to read. However he still pondered his own thoughts even while reading.
It was nothing against Jason. The guy really was nice enough, but Edward just didn't have any chemistry with him like he'd thought he might. Kevin had convinced him to go out on the first date, and Edward had foolishly hoped it would get better as time went on. Instead, things only seemed to get more difficult.
With Edward's schedule, he was often away, thus leading Jason to try and plan out their life together on his own. One day Edward had come back and after only three nice enough dates beforehand, had discovered Jason had even picked out names for their children to adopt. After that, Edward just couldn't bring himself to try and make the relationship work any longer.
But oddly, he wasn't lonely.
He felt content with his life mostly. And he'd never had as much fun with anyone, even just having breakfast, as he did with Roy. His eyes glanced up on a will of their own to where Roy's scarf hung on his coat rack, still drying. He smiled faintly and felt himself become comfortably warmer for some reason, and looked back down at his book.
He'd enjoyed his morning out with Roy. It had been… really quite nice. With Roy he was comfortable. They had developed a nice friendship, and for Edward that was a saving grace in his life.
But perhaps one day he could have another shot at romance. There had to be someone out there for him, he just had to find them.
However, just not Jason. He had moved on in his life, he wasn't one to look back and try to repeat the past. He'd lived it once already.