Author's Note: First, I apologize for the delay in this chapter getting put up, due to medical reasons. I must have been in a "Shattered" funk when I wrote this, because I felt an insane urge to write some Parental!Roy, something I'd never written before. Yeah, I'll blame it on CaptainKase XD Well, here's another one with one of them dead.

Timeline: Mid- to Post-series

Theme 25: 'So I'm crying'

Roy Mustang had never seen Edward Elric cry. The first time he had seen him, Edward had been a miserable, blank-eyed cripple. There had been no hope in those golden eyes the first time he had looked into them. Edward had just sat there, staring at the lone hand in his lap, not saying a word. The hunch of his shoulders betrayed the guilt he felt at the empty suit of armor standing behind him. He had been the most broken child Roy had ever seen – and he had seen quite a few. Roy would not have been surprised if Edward had started crying. But he didn't.

On the rainy night Roy had been called to investigate the mysterious death of Shou Tucker's daughter-turned-chimera, Edward had been there as well. He stood in the alleyway, slamming his palms on the bloodstain on the wall, over and over again, as if hoping to somehow bring the miserable creature back. He had seemed close to breaking point that night. His shoulders were hunched the same way, as if he carried the guilt of Nina Tucker's death, and he shouted at everything Roy said. Edward's voice became harsh and shrill; maybe it was just his pubescent voice changing, but Roy thought it rather sounded like it broke. Then Edward ran out of the alleyway and stood there, trembling in the rain. It almost looked as though tears were rolling down his cheeks, but Roy told himself it was just the rain.

Edward never cried from pain. Roy had seen him in the hospital countless times, hardly half-alive more often than not, but no matter how severe his wounds were or how much they must hurt, he never shed a tear.

Roy knew that Edward wanted to appear tough. He was so young, but he wanted to be treated like an adult. For him, that meant getting angry an inordinate number of times, never complaining about physical pain, and never ever crying. At least not in front of his superior officer.

Roy supposed the boy must let down his tough facade every once in a while. He suspected Edward only did so in front of his brother; those two were so close he doubted they kept many secrets from each other. But Roy had never seen Edward let down his protective mask before.

He knew in his mind what it must be like. Yet when he was faced with the real thing, an Edward hunched over on the ground, his whole body rocking with his loud, heartbreaking sobs.... Roy discovered he had not been prepared. He found he could only stare numbly at first, just stare at this strange, sobbing boy he didn't know. Where was the strong, quick-tempered youth he knew so well?

But slowly Roy realized that this pitiable, vulnerable boy had been there all the time, hiding behind his strong-shouldered alter ego. Roy's heart clenched in his chest as he watched Edward rock back and forth, hugging himself as if searching desperately for some form of comfort. Roy knelt down beside the boy on the muddy ground, not caring that his best pants were soaking through and would probably be stained forever.

Roy didn't know what to do. He had never been good at comforting people. Well, he was good at comforting Lieutenant Hawkeye, but that was because he had known her for years and they understood each other almost without saying anything. And as Roy thought of that, he realized that the Elric brothers had been somewhat similar. He had seen them talking sometimes, finishing each other's sentences and starting to laugh before the other had even finished what they were saying. That was only one sign of the deep bond the two of them had shared. Roy knew it was all that had kept Edward going.

Roy did not have a brother, but he thought of the way he would feel if he ever lost Hawkeye, and he thought he could understand Edward's pain a little. It was different, oh yes, very different indeed. But the fact remained that Edward had cared very deeply for Alphonse, and now Alphonse was gone.

Every sob that escaped Edward's throat seemed to rip through Roy's heart. He gently laid a hand on Edward's heaving left shoulder. He didn't know what to say, so he merely whispered, "Edward."

"So I'm crying," Edward forced out, his voice necessarily vicious as he pushed it out past his own heaving sobs and trembling lips. "Going to laugh at me now?" He was crying so hard he could barely get enough breath; he was nearly hyperventilating as each sob followed closely on the heels of the previous one, not leaving any room for breaths in between.

"How could I laugh at you?" Roy was almost surprised, though he supposed he shouldn't have been, when his voice broke and he found his own lips trembling, threatening to obstruct his words as well. "Oh, Edward." He gathered the small boy into his arms, holding him and letting him cry. His hand unconsciously patted Edward steadily on the back.

Roy was oblivious to the other people attending Alphonse Elric's funeral. He was unaware that they slowly began to filter away, deciding the two men needed to be alone. All Roy knew was the boy shaking and sobbing in his arms, and the pain in his own heart.