And so starts the last chapter. Warning, this one does imply nonconsent at one point, do read carefully.

The tension in the room that Kimblee created with just one sentence was almost impressive.

Mustang bristled slightly and Miles' shoulders tensed at the plainly written sentence. Kimblee was cutting right to the chase and he knew that they knew that. He wasn't going to beat around the bush when it came to this matter.

Grumman's smile fell and he crossed his legs, folding his hands into his lap.

"Straight to the point, aren't you, Kimblee?" the man said, eyes serious as he reached up and took his glasses off. There was silence as he cleaned them before he put them back on.

"I'm sure Doctor Marcoh has told you the choices we're faced with?" the older man asked. Kimblee simply tapped his pen once to signal 'yes'.

"Understand that while Bradley might have signed the papers allowing you to walk free, you still committed a number of war crimes in Ishval against the Ishvalan people—"

Kimblee held a hand up, eyes half-lidded in both boredom and exhaustion.

'With due respect, sir,' he wrote, 'You cannot tell me that I will be put in jail or executed for my deeds in Ishval while excusing those of Colonel Mustang behind you.'

Marcoh bit his lip, glancing away as Mustang bristled. Grumman's face remained the same, but there was a slight stiffening in his body.

Kimblee continued, setting the pen down and choosing to sign instead.

'Furthermore, there are others. What of Major and General A-R-M-S-T-R-O-N-G? Both partook in the Genocide. Or Lieutenant H-A-W-K-E-Y-E? Perhaps you'd like me to name more? What of you? You also took part, though not in combat. What of the rest of the M-U-S-T-A-N-G team still alive? And I hate to bring him in because I consider him a friend, but what about Marcoh? Using a scapegoat is unbecoming of you simply because you dislike me and my methods. Need I remind you that burning to death is considered one of the most painful ways to die? I killed instantly for the most part.'

The tension in the room was heavy as Kimblee dropped his hands, brow raised in a challenge. Grumman sighed.

"I certainly should know better than to test the acclaimed Crimson Lotus," the man chuckled, though it held no humor. "You are correct, and though you still have the blood of seven officers on your hands, I do believe we can write those off due to affiliation with Bradley."

'Six.'

Grumman blinked. "Pardon?"

'I only killed six officers. The Homunculus Envy had been masquerading as the seventh, and if what I was told is correct then Mustang—' At this, he simply made the sign for 'horse' and Marcoh and the Chimeras had to hide snorts at that. '— was the one who killed Envy.'

Mustang shook his head. "No. Envy killed themselves after fighting me."

'Oh, you actually responded to that, Mustang.'

The Colonel grit his teeth but refused to answer. Grumman hummed.

"Alright then, I suppose we can amend that in the paperwork," he said simply. "And provided you agree to our terms, we can continue to amend the papers."

'If it involves me being back in prison, then I refuse your terms before we even start.'

"Major Kimblee, It would be best if you listened before deciding so quickly," Miles warned, speaking up for the first time, lips drawn into a frown. Kimblee wished he could have interrupted him the moment he started speaking.

'No, Major. I get to have the say in this. None of you have been to Prison in my skin,' He pointed out, eyes narrowing as he signed, though he felt something that was a mix of ire and desperation in his chest.

He needed them to understand fully that he would not be going back to prison happily and he felt his blood roaring in his ears.

'Because I would personally like to live out the rest of my days unviolated, if possible. It's hardly pleasant waking up every day praying to a god you don't believe in that you'll just be left alone because you're not scheduled to shower for another week.' He vaguely realized his breathing was speeding up and his signing was doing the same but getting sloppier as well, but he continued, almost as if he was in a tunneled haze of explanation.

'No way to cleanse off the filth from others until then and it just gets worse from there. So if you want me back there you'll have to drag me there dead—'

A hand grasped his own and he snapped from his tirade, feeling tremors rattling his body as he panted. Heinkel gently held his hand between his larger ones, brows furrowed and eyes… His eyes were so unbelievably sad.

Kimblee startled at the look, surging forwards despite the sharp pain that shot through his entire body— both from his still-healing throat and his stitches as his shoulder was jostled too much in the action.

'No, no, you're upset, why?' He signed frantically.

What had he signed when he blanked out as the desperation induced hysteria took over him? Oh god, what had made Heinkel upset like that—

Heinkel shook his head, gently settling him back down but he made a distressed noise, reaching up to the blonde. Heinkel took his hands in his for a moment, squeezing them before letting go of one.

He saw Marcoh shoot the three officers a look and Edward had leaped from his seat sometime during the frantic one-sided conversation. The boy didn't seem to be able to follow through with the signing, but he could tell distress when he saw it. And If Alphonse had the strength he probably would have followed his brother, but he was instead gripping the armrests of his wheelchair tightly.

"It would be best," Marcoh was saying, emphasizing the word, "If we allowed Kimblee to calm down a bit. State of the Military or not, I won't be letting any of you distress a patient no matter the crimes he committed under Bradley. He's torn his stitches I believe."

Kimblee reached over, tugging the Doctor's sleeve before tapping twice on his arm for 'no'.

His stitches weren't torn, tugging at the injury and skin, and incredibly painful, but not torn out. Yet.

Marcoh looked conflicted but sighed.

"If you're sure…" he said but turned back to Grumman, Mustang, and Miles. "If we're in agreement now, Kimblee will not be returning to Prison, or at least not Central's and not without protection."

'Preferably not at all…' Kimblee signed weakly, eyes closing as he tried to block out the pain from his injuries again.

"Preferably not at all," Marcoh agreed.

"Before you guys continue, what exactly just happened?" Alphonse asked in a small voice. Zampano made a disgruntled noise.

"Prison memories, most likely," he sighed and Kimblee opened his eyes slightly, sweat beading his forehead and he tapped twice against the bed with his fingers. Zampano nodded, understanding and passing the message along to Jerso and Darius with similar, hidden taps. All three of the Chimeras shifted a bit closer to the hospital bed.

Grumman cleared his throat. "Very well, apologies, Major Kimblee," he said, brows furrowed. "As I had said, you are aware of the three options that we had previously discussed."

Kimblee fumbled for his pen, but grasped it, tapping it once against the notebook to indicate understanding. Grumman nodded.

"Both Fullmetal and Alphonse Elric have argued against them, quite vehemently," Mustang continued for Grumman. "Their word states that you had been helping them before your… injury."

He rolled his eyes and Edward huffed a bit as Mustang indicated to his neck. 'You can call it a death Mustang. I did die. I just happen to not be dead now.'

Mustang scowled and Kimblee mentally counted that as a small victory. Heinkel snorted, but his lips twitched upwards and Kimblee settled down, squeezing the blonde's hand.

"We've chosen to believe them, and your reaction just now leaves the final option of the three," he continued. Kimblee raised a brow at the pause but tapped his pen once.

'Ishval.'

Miles nodded. "Yes. The future Ishvalan Restoration Unit. But here in it, we have a problem. You are too well known, Major, as the Scourge of Ishval. Even under the protection of Amestris, there is no lying in that there would be even more tensions mounted atop of the relations if you were there."

'And so all options have been shot down,' Kimblee signed with a hum. Grumman nodded.

"Almost all."

'Pardon?'

"Whoa, whoa, what do you mean, sir?" Jerso asked as well, brows furrowed. "You told us that those were the only three options!"

"A new one was just discussed," Mustang said, "Ishval isn't the only country that we wish to establish better relations with. We currently would like to open up trade with Xing for obvious reasons, but that's not all."

"The countries at our borders aren't the only ones that exist," Grumman added, leaning back in his chair and locking his eyes with Kimblee's.

'You want me to be an ambassador.'

"Of sorts. Understand that keeping you in Central could cause problems should you be instated as an officer on the ground," the man said slowly. "You are still a Major, yes, and still part of the Amestrian Military… but something tells me that you'd be less than pleased to be stuck at a desk job."

A grimace from him was all Grumman needed to know the answer to that.

"That's what I thought," he chuckled before he leaned forwards. "Though I understand that, while a skilled negotiator and a former member of the State's Logistics Branch, you're also not one for politics?"

'Never liked them, but I know how to deal with them.'

"Understandable! I admit that I'm not overly fond of the pretense that follows them either," he admitted, a jovial attitude back but Kimblee wasn't falling for it. "No mistake, though, you can certainly come back to Amestris, you wouldn't be banned, no! You'd be… more or less traveling and gathering information."

Kimblee hummed, closing his eyes. 'A pre-political move. Essentially, I'd be looking to see if making an alliance would be worth it in the first place.'

"Exactly."

He let out a soundless sigh, opening his eyes again. 'I don't mind doing that. As a child I had always wanted to travel.'

"Oh? And you were unable to?"

'By the time I had the money, I was in prison getting the shit beaten out of me or violently held down for being the smallest and easiest of the prisoners.'

Grumman hummed, then changed the subject at the flat look that both Marcoh and Chimeras were shooting him.

"Still, I can't promise the task will be without danger. Amestris has never before opened relations outside of our immediate neighbors."

'Once again, I don't mind. I have my Alchemy, and I'm not a helpless upper-class military officer. I grew up fighting for my life, but…' He indicated to his throat and the bandages around it. 'We'd have to wait.'

Marcoh nodded in agreement. "A rough estimate until you can get up and out of the hospital would be another week or so. Just until your voice returns."

'Oh, thats quick then. A week is the estimated return?'

Marcoh nodded. "The Larynx needs one to two weeks to recover with a normal surgery," the man told him with a light smile. "Even with Alchemy. Your's was… essentially shredded. We used the Philosopher's stone to piece it back together and your body worked overtime to heal itself along side of the efforts from Alchemy. Still, it was heavily damaged and you re-tore stiches once you were concious. By my own and Doctor Knox's estimates, since you're still in pain and your voice hasn't returned as of yet, you'll be out for another week. Even then there's still a matter of not overusing it and your physical recovery on top of that."

Kimblee let out a pleased hum at that before Grumman cleared his throat. Marcoh flushed a bit, coughing as the Lieutenant General gave them an amused smile.

"Very well, within a week, I'll return with the official mission and its orders drawn up for you, Major."

'Thank you.'

"I do have a question," Heinkel spoke up, eyes slightly wary as Kimblee glanced up at him. Grumman blinked.

"Yes, Second Lieutenant?"

"Will these missions across the world be solo missions?"

Oh. Kimblee hadn't even thought of that. Grumman hummed.

"About that… Major Kimblee, Second Lieutenant Potez, you are aware of the law, correct? The one that states that relations between two officers is strictly forbidden?"

To say that nearly everyone in the room stiffened— save Miles and Mustang, who must have known this was coming— wouldn't have been an overstatement. Heinkel's lips were twitching almost into a snarl as Darius shifted his footing, hands curling at his sides. Zampano and Jerso were already shifting into their usual crouches and Edward had leaped up from his seat— again. Marcoh's eyes were hard and Alphonse's lips had drawn into a frown.

For a moment Kimblee was stunned at the almost visible display of protectiveness from the other three Chimeras, the Elric Brothers, and Marcoh over him and Heinkel.

"We are," Heinkel said slowly, forcing the snarl back. "And I'm more than willing to hand over my resignation if need be, sir."

"I as well, though then we would be back at square one in regard to what exactly you plan on doing with me."

Milles looked slightly uneasy, most likely looking between the sudden hostiles from behind his goggles while Mustang's hands twitched oh-so unsubtly. There was a tense silence before Grumman held up a hand.

"Relax, Second Lieutenant Potez," the man said, "Neither of you will be forced to resign."

Another silence fell over the room, this time stunned before Alphonse broke it.

"You're letting them stay together, sir?" he asked, a tinge of what might have been hope in his voice. Grumman chortled, leaning back in his chair and handing the file back to Mustang, who took it back uneasily. It appeared he hadn't been aware of what he was holding before despite having known about what was going to happen if his and Heinkel's relationship was brought to the table.

"I don't see why not?" Grumman said, shrugging. "In terms of the law, Major Kimblee has no Military Unit, on a technicality, Major Kimblee and Second Lieutenant Potez are in separate units."

The aged man paused. "Furthermore, I'm willing to overlook this. I plan on repealing the law in the future, but for now, I will turn a blind eye. The law states that men and women, though it is certainly implied that any same-sex relationship counts as well. But we can play this as following the law to the exact letter— as, last I heard, neither of you have decided to change gender?"

His gaze shifted to Kimblee, who shrugged a bit.

'Complicated,' was all he signed to Grumman, who took it with a nod.

"Until I manage to get the Anti-fraternity laws repealed or changed, we can use that as a loophole," he continued before he fully addressed Kimblee. "I remember what you were like on the battlefield Kimblee. You were wild and quite frightening, but I could tell you were looking for someplace to belong."

His eyes became serious.

"Have you found it?"

Kimblee was silent for a moment before he raised his hands.

'I have.'

He paused as Grumman smiled, leaning back.

'Thank you, Lieutenant General G-R-U-M-M-A-N.'

The older man's eyes widened at the sign used directly after spelling his name out. Then he laughed.

"Well, now I have to work on repealing that law entirely, Major," he said though the chuckles as he stood. "I'll be back next week with the full assignment. Take care in the meanwhile."

Kimblee nodded, saluting him with the rest of the soldiers in the room before he, Miles, and Mustang left.

As soon as the door slid shut a collective sigh escaped the group.

"I seriously thought he was gonna Court Martial one of ya," Jerso groaned as he slumped against Zampano.

"You're telling me," Heinkel grumbled, resting his head against the bed. Kimblee pat his head with a slight smile.

It seemed as if everything would work its way out in the end.

.:.:.:.:.

It was the sharp and insistent ringing of the phone that woke them both. Kimblee grumbled into a mouth full of mane from his fiancé before he rolled over, fumbling for the phone and answering it.

"Mm?"

"An early good morning to you too, Major Kimblee," Jean Havoc's overly cheery voice greeted him and he just grumbled lowly into the receiver. Havoc laughed on the other end.

"Too early? That's fine! I've just got some new orders for you from Mustang down from Fürher Grumman," the man said happily before continuing. "A country farther west has asked for help, teaching help actually. The full file is already on its way via mail over to where you and Potez are on standby in Italy."

Kimblee grumbled again lowly but sat up on his elbows.

"Teaching?" he questioned, voice hoarse. Havoc hummed, though the noise sounded a bit confused as well.

"No clue," the man sighed. "I was just relaying what Breda said to me, which is what Hawkeye told him, and Mustang told her… well, you get the idea."

"Hnnn…" he yawned as the Lion at his side shifted and pressed against him. "Yeah, I got it… Anything else?" A low rumble against his neck made him shiver slightly, claw-tipped hands squeezing his waist. He twisted slightly to glance back at the Lion behind him before a rough tongue dragged across his shoulder.

"Not that I can think of off the top of my head," Havoc was saying, the noise of tapping coming over on the phone line. "Oh, Doctor Marcoh says 'hi' from Ishval and Scar oh-so eloquently said 'fuck you and the cat you live with' like that would mean something to me."

Kimblee snorted a bit before he shuddered at the hot breath against his neck.

"Tell him I got it and to look for the damn marks on the walls because those nuggets are horrible at their job and Mustang just needs to go down there himself," he grumbled before pausing. "Relay that to Mustang too."

"Roger that, sir!" Havoc said."Your voice sounds shot. Make sure to rest it, and all that!"

"Yeah, yeah…" he grumbled, biting down on his lip as sharp teeth grazed his skin and arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him close.

"Well, that's it, talk to you again later, Major!"

And like that, Havoc hung up. Kimblee tossed the phone back onto its receiver before falling back against Heinkel with a low moan when teeth bit into his shoulder.

"I was on the phone…" he huffed as Heinkel chuckled lowly against his neck as he shifted back into his human form. "You took too long," the man murmured and pressing a kiss to his throat. "I got bored."

"You're always bored when I'm on the phone," Kimblee complained, tilting his head back against his chest. Heinkel laughed lowly.

"Perhaps…" he mused. "New orders?"

"I have to learn how to teach," was all Kimblee supplied, nestling his face against his fiancé's neck. "Mmn… No idea what that means…"

Heinkel just huffed out another laugh, stroking his side. "Any news from Ishval?"

"Scar says fuck you."

"Of course he does."

In the past year a strange, almost friendship had struck between the two international ambassadors and the two Ishvalan leaders of the Restoration. Marcoh and Darius— who had decided to tag along with Marcoh to Ishval— certainly helped, with sending letters and calling when something came up.

After the first month, it was painfully obvious that the Alchemists that were sent in to help with the restoration had no idea what they were doing. And Kimblee was the only one who clearly remembered how Ishval was on all sides.

From the phone, he instructed Darius on what to look for, and when Darius had no clue what he was talking about, he sent for Scar.

Their strange friendship was built on insults, knowledge of Alchemy, and understanding of the past. Along with copious amounts of sarcastic humor and Kimblee calling new recruits "goddamn incompetent chicken nuggets" that he couldn't believe he had to tell not to blow stuff up.

Scar found that especially humorous.

Kimblee groaned as Heinkel bit his neck again, hands holding on his. "Mm.. when do we head out?" the blonde asked.

He hummed, closing his eyes, thinking.

'Soon after the file comes in…' he decided on signing instead of speaking. His voice never fully healed and overstraining it caused too much pain for his comfort. But it was fine, communicating with Heinkel was more than easy after a year of traveling across the world together.

Heinkel hummed, slowly working out the meaning as he felt him sign in his hands.

"It's getting sent over, then?" he asked.

'Havoc said it was already on its way.'

The blonde hummed again, holding him close as his thumb brushed against the simple ring on his finger. He was thinking, it seemed and Kimblee pressed a kiss to his chin. Heinkel chuckled softly, kissing his nose in return.

"I suppose I'll have to brush up on my English then."

Kimblee just hummed in return. He supposed he would have to, too. And figure out what exactly he was supposed to teach these kids that he was being sent to… teach.

Arson? Chemistry? How to overthrow the government? Logistics?

"You're thinking too hard again," Heinkel rumbled in his ear, making him startle before the blonde rolled them over, pinning him down. Kimblee laughed silently, but reached up and hooked his arms around his neck.

Whatever he was supposed to do could wait, there were more important matters to deal with.

Heinkel and Kimblee soft moment born out of hysteria? More likely than you think

I couldn't find anything about an injured larynx, but I did read on laryngeal cancer. The recovery period is about two weeks. I extended this to much longer because Kimblee's entire throat was destroyed and it doesn't help that he unknowingly set back the healing further when he woke the first time.

Further Notes:

On the Anti-Frat laws, I did some research into them but there's no concrete law in FMA aside from what is depicted in the real world's Anti-Frat laws. Any military people out there, feel free to correct me. However, I'm basing it on very specific technicalities. From what I gather, Arakwa says that the AFL would make Roy and Riza stop working together in the same unit. Not that one or the other would be forced to resign or there would be a punishment like a court-martial or anything. The Kimblee + Chimera group wasn't really an official Unit since Kimblee was literally just doing a "Fuck Around And Find Out Where Scar Is" mission from Bradley. I highly doubt that Kimblee has a unit, since, you know. Prison. And Grumman's banking on Heinkel being able to keep kimblee from becoming a mass murderer again. And once again, like I stated in an earlier chapter, Kimblee plays the "lawful Chaos" card. "It doesn't say man and man so I can do it hahahaha" ensues.

Name signs are like shorthand for someone's name instead of Kimblee signing out each name letter by letter however he will spell the name out if he doesn't have a name sign figured out or if he's using it to show the sign for the first time without the person present:

Alphonse: Armor + light hit to the chest (armor for his previous form, the hit on the chest to represent 'soul')

Edward: Full + Metal (for obvious reasons )

Marcoh: Crystal + Doctor (Crystal Alchemist)

Heinkel: Lion + tap against the heart (chimera animal + fondness)

Darius: Gorilla + Man

Zampano: Boar + spine

Jerso: Frog + Fish

Mustang: Horse (it's funny)

Grumman: Fürher (shows loyalty to Grumman and support of him should he be the next Fürher)

For legal reasons, I must make all State Alchemists except for Mustang have the name sign for their state title. Mustang is still a horse.

All I'm saying is that Chimera form? Yeah Kimblee'd be into that. Also I've seen people use fiancée or Fiancee for males and as a (while horrible) french speaker I cringe. The correct spelling for an engaged man is fiancé or fiance, depending on if you want to use the accent or not.

If you've read the fanfic "Mirage" by Vyscaria on FFN then the whole 'trusting Kimblee to know about Ishval' and Scar and Kimblee are friends bc of situations comes from there. Also Kimblee calling new recruit alchemists "chicken nuggets". That's personally one of my favorite parts.

Anyway, this takes place before Ed and Al headed off to do research. Minor differences:

- Darius, instead of going with Yoki to join a Circus, is sticking with Marcoh, Miles, and Scar

- Kimblee knows what a chicken nugget is

- Amestris is stuck in the 1910s, I'm chalking it up to the fact that it's been highly militarized and Father saw no reason to "upgrade" to later 20th and 21st-century technology— even if it is military in nature. Both World Wars passed by Amestris and the surrounding countries because of how closed off that general area was.

- There was an open-end for another potential crossover, but I don't think I'll be writing it anytime soon

Thank you for reading my self-indulgent AU featuring Kimblee! I had a lot of fun writing this. If you're interested in Star Wars, I've got the first chapter to a more fluffy and less plot-heavy fic out already. If you're into the Tolkien series and Fate Grand Order, And The Red Dracon Came is still being updated as well.

So until next time!