Title: White Noise

By: Strawberry L

Fandom: FMA

Pairing: Roy/Ed

Rating: PG-13

Setting: In the gate

Warnings: Spoilers for those who haven't seen the end of the series. Material pertains most specifically to episodes 50-51.

Disclaimer: Property of Hiromu Arakawa. As I'm still buying his merchandise, it's safe to say I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Edward's POV

Everything was warm. I could still feel where the blood had spilled out of my chest, its heat covering my whole body. I wasn't concious long enough to feel it go cold, but my memory of where that warmth had been was stil strong. I could register only white when I looked around, blinding whiteness that seemed to stretch on forever.

I was in the gate.

I sat up, eyes scanning the white around me, making me feel as though I was going blind. Vaguely I could make out the roll in the sheets and fluffy feather comforter, but even those seemed to radiate their lack of color. My world was bleached.

I felt my surroundings, more trusting of my other senses. My feet traveled to the edge of the matress, fumbling their way blindly to the ground. The carpet was soft and warm under my feet, bringing my attention to the fact that someone had taken off my boots and jacket as both were neatly sitting on top of a small white table at the foot of the bed.

I felt like I could hear the buzz of blankness, every movement creating a ripple of echoes into the distance. It never did end. I knew the only thing I could do was await my judgement. Would my body return or would I be sent once again to the world of London, my soul forced to rest among the humans whose energy I had stolen for so long? I forced a sigh, trying not to think about anything. Being here made me feel so useless, so calm.

A curse cut through the tranquility. I jumped out of the bed to search in the direction of the noise, peering through the haze. I stopped when I saw who it was, when I saw him. I had already said goodbye for a damn good reason. He wasn't supposed to follow me, not to here.

I saw him, brighter than the whiteness. Roy stood looking dazed and confused, his face reminicent as when he talked about the wars of Ishbal. Something had happened. Why was he here? I choked on those words as I spoke them.

"Edward?" He sounded confused, half alive if one were to fudge by his voice. I nodded at his statement. "Where are we?"

"In the gate." I explained, resigned to the fact that Roy would always intrude where I thought it to be least appropriate. I took a seat next to him, not trusting the saking of my legs. Damn this carpeting was soft.

Roy followed my lead, more because he looked ready to collapse than anything else. He looked at me, his eyes searching for anything normal, anything he understood to grasp onto.

"Why did you follow me?"

"I didn't." He said resolutley.

"Then why are you here?"

"I am your commanding officer, Hagane. You answer my questions, not vice versa."

"Fuck you bastard." If he was going to be like that... I huffed.

"Edward...?"

I only grunted at him, to peeved to bother with a real answer.

"Is this why you said goodbye? This place?"

"No."

"Did you go to die?"

"Did you?" I countered.

"I went to change a nation." Roy explained, but I already knew.

"I went to put things back together. You knew it would be this way."

"It's not like that yet, you're still here."

"Yes it is. We're in the middle. I doubt I'm going back, but you still have to. You haven't accomplished your goals yet. I have. I can allow myself to pass beyond the gate."

"And leave me behind?"

I lower my head to my knees, silent in response.

"Can I say goodbye?"

"We're together now, are we not?" I whispered, turning to flash him a grin.

He's on me before I can comprehend time has even passed, his lips warm against mine, replacing the warmth of my own life with that of his. His hands cup my face, their pressure soon fading with his very presence. His eyes open, locking with mine as his spirit is called back to our world.

He is still brighter than this white space surrounding us, threatening in it's pure state. He remains calm, face fixed on mine, hands soft against me. I don't reach out as he slips away, my face only falling to my chest as he no longer supports me.

This is my equivalent trade.

Owari.

A.C. – Reviews are love!!