"We're nearly here." Mustang told Ed quietly. Ed had to hide his masterpiece, basically his old coat with a couple of changes, under a ratty old military overcoat that had once belonged to Roy... When he first joined the military.
"Hah! The way this fits, you were once as tall as me! Take that you smug bastard!"
"I-it shrunk in the wash!"
"Are you calling me small?"
"Why are you reaching for those weapons?"
"Since you seem to like being a giant, I thought you needed knocking down a few pegs."
Ed smirked at the memory, then paused as he stared at where Roy was taking him.
"A bar... Really? You want to drink?" Ed spluttered.
"Yes, Fullmetal. Dealing with you does that to me." Roy snapped sarcastically, pushing open the door.
"Mustang, why did you bring a kid?" The woman behind the bar groaned.
"I feel like you're ganging up on me." Roy groaned.
Act the way you used to. Even if that means you can't say thank you. Act arrogant. Act like it never happened.
Ed shrugged, smirking at Roy. "Well..."
The woman snorted. "Is the kid trustworthy?" She demanded.
Roy nodded. "Yes. Do you have the information?"
The woman nodded smugly, in a way that reminded Ed of Roy, and fished out an envelope from behind the bar. "Selim Bradley isn't human. And you're right. All the bloodbaths in the history of Amestris connect to make a circle." She sighed, and Ed watched in silence as Roy looked through the maps. He couldn't bear to see the face of the young boy looking so happy.
Not when he'd been a monster. Just like Ed.
Not with Pride's blood on his hands.
Selim Bradley wasn't human. Neither am I... But I have to act. Arrogant. Proud.
I'm not. I never will be. But I'm not supposed to show my weaknesses. Teacher taught me as much... Teacher... What would she say?
No, that doesn't matter. Act. You can do this.
You've done worse.
"Well, thank you for your troubles, Ma'am." Roy sighed, putting the photos safely in his pocket. Ed echoed Roy's thanks, realising that he probably shouldn't get on her bad side. Old ladies were scary. His Teacher had taught him that a long, long time ago...
She raised an eyebrow as Roy continued speaking, "by the way... We may have been followed..."
Ed stared upwards as the ceiling shook with the force of the explosion Roy had just caused.
"I'll buy you a new place come pay day." Roy promised. The woman sighed.
"Just make sure that you don't pay me from a body bag." She grunted. "And make sure that there aren't any funerals for that kid any time soon."
Ed nearly snorted from the irony of it. He wasn't going to die any time soon, and if he had any say in it, Roy wasn't dying any time soon either.
"If you die, I will personally drag you back to kill you again." Ed informed Roy happily, though his eyes were serious. You better not die... Not after how much you helped me... I still have to pay you back.
"I knew you two were ganging up on me." Roy mumbled, while the woman laughed.
"I like you kid. My name's Christmas Mustang, nice to meet you." She snorted, offering her hand.
Ed shook it. "My name's Ed. Edward Elric. Nice to meet you." He laughed sheepishly.
"Edward Elric? As in the missing Fullmetal Alchemist? Life sure is full of suprises." She shrugged, begining to walk away. "You two had better stop by my new place after all of this."
"Do you serve alcohol to underage children?" Ed called after her, grinning, while hating how easy it was to sound happy.
"Dumb question. First drink is on the house. Good luck, you two." She called, fading into the shadows.
Roy laughed, and suddenly ruffled Ed's hair, leaving him spluttering, choking on all that he'd left unsaid for far too long.
"Well, Fullmetal. You've managed to talk your way into your first drink. Well, first that I know about... We'd better get through this. Now, let's go meet the others." Roy snorted. Ed rolled his eyes and followed. Step one, down. Next hurdle...
I can do this. I'm so close. I have my friends beind them. Al... Winry... Roy... Just wait a little longer...
"Took you long enough." Breda exclaimed loudly as Roy stepped through the door. Ed was only a step behind him, but it was still enough for no one else in the room to see him.
"Well," Roy shrugged, and Ed shuffled further behind him, suddenly not so confident in his acting abilities. What if... What if I mess up?
"I had some company." Roy said smoothly, stepping out the way. Ed took a deep breath just as Roy moved away then grinned.
"Long time no see." He said brightly.
"Edward!" Hawkeye smiled. "I'm glad to see that you're okay!"
"I'm glad to see you! But... Weren't you missing?" Furey asked hesitantly.
Ed laughed, and wondered if it sounded as fake as it felt. "I was dealing with a certain homunculus called Pride."
"Pride... As in Selim Bradley?" Hawkeye asked hesitantly. "But he went missing about a week ago..." She gasped, suddenly.
Ed fought the urge to turn away. He was suddenly finding it hard to act anymore. He'd taken someone's life. Pride had been a monster. So was he...
He felt his throat tighten and tried to swalow back the panic. He couldn't start to hyperventilate now... Not now, not like this.
Roy put a reassuring hand on Ed's shoulder. The gesture seemed to remind him that the past was in the past. He wasn't alone. He wasn't alone.
The weight lifted from his shoulders. Everything suddenly seemed easier. Roy was here. Al would be there soon. Kimblee was gone. Pride was gone...
It was all his fault... But people still accepted him. He could keep walking forwards.
"It turns out, Ed had driven the homunculus back to Central. I found them mid battle and helped him out." Roy offered.
Ed took a deep breath, and steeled his nerves. Thank you Roy. I'm sorry, for what I did. But I have to keep acting, I hope you understand.
"You make it sound like you did more fighting than you actually did." Ed scoffed, though there was none of the usual venom behind his words.
"Fullmetal, you don't give me enough credit." Roy gasped, pretending to be hurt.
"Whatever." Ed rolled his eyes. "Are we going to start this thing soon or not?"
"I suppose it's about time." Roy sighed.
"Any orders, Sir?" Fuery asked timidly, although he was starting to grin.
"Don't die." Roy smirked.
Ed turned to leave the room, his bright red coat flaring out behind him. He could tell that all of Mustang's subordinates were staring at it...
Or rather at the ouroboros, stamped in a bold, intimidating black on his back.
Roy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that Ed's sudden return to his old self was nothing more than an act. He could see that the boy was hurting inside. He also knew that no one else could see it. At least no one who hadn't killed before. No one who hadn't known the old Ed, the old Fullmetal alchemist could see the pain shadowed in his too bright golden eyes.
No one else could tell how strong he was being.
This idea, this act was either going to help him or break him. Roy trusted each and every person in the room, and he knew that all of them knew Ed, trusted Ed. They wouldn't hurt him.
But he could only guess at how long it'd take them to understand. But if any single thing hurt Ed... He'd be there to help, because that boy had been through so, so much.
And what kind of fatherly figure would he be if he just sat by and did nothing?
"Edward, why is that symbol on your back?" Hawkeye asked calmly, which suprised Ed. She didn't seem to be shocked or angry. So he shrugged without turning around, so they couldn't see the fear written all over his face.
He didn't want to be betrayed again.
He didn't allow his voice to shake, despite how scared he was. "Because I'm a homunculus." It felt good to just straight out say it. No more lies. Just the truth...
"You're a what?" Breda spluttered, and Ed half wished he could see the man's face.
"I see..." Hawkeye said, voice not giving anything away. "I take it you're not one of them."
But you're... one of us... "No. I'm not one of them. I'm something else." I've stopped running. I'm moving forwards again.
"I'm sorry, Ed. That must've been hard."
"Glad to fight alongside you, Kid."
And as every person in the room smiled at him, Hawkeye, looking sad, Breda and Fuery looking reassuring, and Roy looking proud, Ed felt like he'd been a fool all along. He'd never been alone, after all. He was glad that he would have the chance to fight alongside them again.
I'll leave the past in the past and come back to those waiting for me, smiling, with Alphonse.
A happy ending, just as soon as all this is over.
Just wait a little longer, I'm coming back.
