A/N: Hey, Here are some Disclaimers and warnings and what not!
Disclaimer: Sooooo FMA and all its characters don't belong to me (they do, however, belong to all the kind ppl who brought it here: HIROMU ARAKAWA/SQUARE ENIX, MBS, ANX, BONES, dentsu 2004
CARTOON NETWORK, ADULT SWIM and 2004 FUNimation Productions, Ltd)…but whose gunna stop me from screwing around with their lives! Muahahahaha! –Cackles-
Warnings: All of this fic was dreamt up by moi, so that being said I can promptly inform you that it contains YAOI! RoyXEd all the way behbeh!
A not-so-well-written smex scene and some scattered fluff. (Along with an irate Colonel Mustang, a sickly Ed, and some other characters randomly thrown in for comedic relief-oh joy!)
Besides that, it's all smooth sailing from here.
Enjoy the fic, and keep in mind, this is meh first FMA fic, my first attempt at Romance AND my first attempt at citrus. Hope that didn't put any one who read this off or anything it's good! I swears it! XDD
Rainy Days
"We're inches apart.
Our voices mingle together,
We breathe the same breath."
The weather was beginning to wear thin on the colonel's patience. He hated rain, everything about it; it was cold, wet, dark, WET.
It had been two weeks…TWO WEEKS since the clouds rolled in and released their frozen onslaught upon the land…and the colonel's forefinger and thumb itched irritably.
Sometimes, when he was at home, he would remove his gloves and just snap for hours to relieve the nagging itch and stiff tension.
But, now in his office, along with the company of Hawkeye, he didn't have the option of snapping like a lunatic.
So, losing the battle and deciding he'd better spend his time more resourcefully, Mustang settled for signing papers.
He placed the last paper he'd glanced at in the Out pile, and then grabbed one up from the In. He scanned over it briefly; something about Fullmetal royally screwing over another town by destroying a church or something…he skipped down to the bottom and signed the paper indignantly. Once again, the military would pay all damages Fullmetal had wreaked upon the unsuspecting town. This was starting to get out of hand; maybe he should have a talk with the midget.
He nonchalantly placed the paper in the Out pile with the rest and went to put a new one in front of himself when his had touched the wood of his desk.
His eyebrows rose in intrigue as he glanced up from the usual area on his desk he would be looking.
The…stack of papers…they were…gone! That stack of papers was never gone! Something was amiss!
"Lieutenant, did you forget to bring me the new papers this morning?" He asked the blonde who was scribbling something down on a loose leaf.
"What? Oh, no Sir. It looks as if you have finally finished for the day. Congratulations." She said offhandedly before going back to work.
Mustang stared on with a look of aghast upon his features.
Finished…for the day? Was that…. possible? It had never happened before!
"A miracle…"
"What was that Sir?" Hawkeye inquired, having heard his mumbled amazement.
"Uh-nothing, nothing. Have you completed your tasks for the day as well?" He pulled a quick subject change. He didn't know where he was going with the question, until the idea struck him.
They had all been working hard for the past two weeks, haven't they? And the rain was sure putting a dampen on everyone's spirits.
He brought his fist down into his cupped hand in approval. That's it! He'd give everyone a break!
"Well, I'm almost done. I just have to write up one more thing to file before I'm through. Any reason as to why, Colonel?"
He smirked with the knowledge of his handiwork.
"Well, I'm glad you asked Lieutenant! I have decided, anyone who finishes their work early is permitted to leave for the rest of the day!" He announced.
Hawkeye smiled in enlightenment.
"That is awfully kind of you Sir. Thank you very much." She offered before going back to her paper; hurriedly trying to finish up so she could go home and vege-out for the remainder of the day.
"No problem, no problem at all!" He grinned before walking out of his office and down the hall.
It was around lunchtime, so he suspected that everyone would be in the mess hall chowing down on the somewhat decent cafeteria foods.
As he neared the door, the clatter and chatter of dining met his ears. Ahhh, his people.
As he entered the room, he shoved back the doors and they banged loudly against the walls. All the heads turned to see him, fully expecting an irate colonel, not a grinning one.
They were actually more frightened of the grin then of the frown.
Shifty eyes met each other as Mustang cleared his throat.
What…was going on?
"EVERYBODY! I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT!" He boomed.
He scanned the crowd to make sure ha had merited their attention before continuing.
"I have decided that any, and all, who finish their work for the day are permitted to leave early! I know the weather has been horrible the past two weeks and I feel as if you all deserve a break."
There was a pause, a deep resounding silence. And then…the crowd broke out into roars of cheers and laughter.
Roy's grin never left his face as he turned and left the building.
Now, he was at home, enjoying the hot spray of his shower and temporarily forgetting that it was raining stones just outside.
The steam bombarded him and cleared his lungs wonderfully. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, letting the tension drain away with the dirt and scum he'd acquired over the days. His muscles went lax beneath his skin and he sighed in content. This was the life.
He lathered the scented shampoo and scrubbed with the conditioner. After rinsing himself clean he turned the knob of his shower off.
He shook some of the clinging water droplets away and then toweled the rest of himself dry. Leaving one towel draped over his head while another was haphazardly slung around his waist.
Rolling his shoulders, he sauntered into his bedroom, as neat and tidy as ever. He tossed the towel on his head onto his bed while he rummaged through his closet for some clothes. Finding a white casual dress shirt he slipped that over his head and then off came the towel around his waist.
He quickly grabbed some boxers from his dresser before sliding them over his hips; a pair of black slacks soon joined them. A thin leather belt held the pants in place and some black socks covered his chilling feet.
He inhaled his scent deeply, smelling fresh and clean.
"Ahhh…" He sighed before walking out of his room to head towards the kitchen.
His house wasn't very large, nor was it small. It was just right for him, and him alone. He didn't mind being alone all the time, all though he did occasionally think of getting a dog. You know how much he LOVES puppies.
He set a kettle on the stove and prepared to boil some water for the tea Hawkeye had picked up for him at some place she had visited just recently.
As the water came to a boil and steam was rising from its lip, he slid the tea bag into the water. The second it was saturated the delicious aroma of tea filled the room, soaking into the very corners of his kitchen.
After lingering over the steam for a few moments he drifted towards the cabinet to pull out a cup, humming some unknown mellow tune.
He was about to lift the kettle from the stove when there was a knock at his door, a hard, hollow sound.
He usually heard that knock in his office.
He abruptly stopped his humming with a questioning sound.
"Hmm?"
His eyebrow rose in question. Could it be…Fullmetal has come for a visit? Who else could knock the way a metal fist could? Armstrong maybe…
He sauntered through his house, leisurely taking his time. He gave a brief glance out his living room window on his way to see that it was still raining. The outside world looked frosted and dismal, a soggy wasteland.
When he final reached the door he pulled it open slowly, taking his sweet time.
Mustang wasn't expecting what he saw on his front step.
Ed was standing there, hair clinging to his face and coat drenched a deep red from the falling h20. His nose was red and he appeared to be extremely pale.
His eyes were glazed and he didn't even notice that Roy had opened the door.
"Fullmetal?" He questioned.
The blonde snapped out of it, his eyes blinking a bit before he glanced up at the taller man.
"Oh, Colonel…here." The coated boy dug into his jacket and pulled out a few sheets of paper before handing them to the raven-haired commander.
"Hawkeye told me you let everyone off early, but I wanted to give you a mission report today, so…here." He shoved the crinkled papers into the colonel's gloved hands, swaying slightly.
"Are you alright Edward?" Roy inquired, worried by the boys teetering form.
"What? Yeah, yeah I'm fine. A little tired is all. I'll be seeing you around colonel." He stated, completely missing that Roy had called him by his name, instead of Fullmetal.
"Did you come all the way from the train station to get here? In the rain?" The taller man asked.
"What? Oh, no. I stopped by headquarters first. Hawkeye told me where you lived so I could drop this stuff off." His words were becoming mumbled, and his eyes began to droop.
"You've walked the whole way?"
"Well, there weren't any cabs or anything around. So…" He faded off. It was as if he was a vulnerable rag doll and the wind was playing with him.
The raven-haired man's eyes purveyed his shock at what he had heard.
Fullmetal had trudged all the way from the station, then to headquarters, THEN to his house, just to turn in a few scraps of paper, which he could have turned in the next day? And now, after all that, he was here, on Roy's doorstep, teetering in the wind.
It was clear that he had caught a cold on his journey.
"Edward, why don't you come in for a while? Dry off and have something to drink." Roy suggested, stepping back to hold the door open for the boy.
Ed eyed him suspiciously; it wasn't every day that the colonel was nice to him. But, he shrugged it off, just wanting to get inside and someplace warm.
"Ok, thanks."
They were in his kitchen now, conversing over a few cups of tea.
"This is really good." Ed complimented. He took a long sip of the steamy liquid, letting it slide warmly down his sore throat, soothing him.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it? Hawkeye picked it up for me some where."
"Oh…"
The boy's dejected tone pricked at his heart in a way he couldn't describe. Maybe he shouldn't mention Hawkeye any more.
"So…how'd the mission go? Destroy anything new?" Roy asked playfully, his trademark smirk plastered onto his face.
"It went all right, nothing much was found out though. It was raining over there too, and no…I didn't 'destroy anything new'." He said, venom in his voice towards the end.
Roy could tell the harshness in the blonde's statement was faux but, nonetheless, that same prick at his heart was felt, only slightly different.
Why was his heart constricting this way? It had never occurred before. Perhaps he had gotten ill as well.
The commander gulped down a whole cup of tea before pouring himself, and Edward, another glass.
The coat-wearing boy thanked him and gladly sipped the sweet liquid from the porcelain cup.
Silence dawned upon them, the whole house still. The only sounds heard were the pitter-pattering of the rain on the glass windows.
Edward turned in his seat to stare out the window, a somber look upon his façade. His brows were nit in concentration and a slight sheen of sweat filmed his features.
Roy looked on the boy thoughtfully; his usual smirk or frown, for once, replaced by an expression of intrigue.
Mustang was about to ask the Elric boy what he was thinking when suddenly, said boy lurched forward from his chair.
If it hadn't been for the colonel's superior speed, the blonde might be on his face instead of limply held in the dependable arms of one Roy Mustang.
"Edward?" He asked, worry evident in his voice.
"Ed?" He questioned again.
It seemed that the drenched boy had passed out.
It dawned upon him swiftly that the shorter boy's clothes were sopping wet. And people who wore sopping wet clothes would obviously get sick.
The commander practically smacked himself for his stupidity and how he had overlooked something so noticeable.
Stripping the blonde of his jacket, he tossed it onto the back of his chair before heaving the boy up into his arms, bridal style.
He then continued on over to his stairs, which led up the bedrooms and a bathroom.
It surprised him that the boy was so light, especially considering his metal limbs. But, the thought slipped his mind as the one in his arms leaned into his chest and nuzzled his shoulder.
He gazed warmly at the top of the golden tuft adorning the boy's head. He smelled of the rain.
Edward was so tired, and he didn't know why. He recalled staring out the window in Mustang's kitchen and thinking about that day…when things didn't go so well. Hadn't it been raining around that time too?
All that mattered now, though, was this warmth around him. It was so comforting and encircled him like a million fluffy soft feathers. He could hear the beating of a heart; its rhythm slowly making him drift off into a dreamless sleep.
Roy sat the boy on his bed and propped him up against the wall. He then began to remove his shoes. The big clunky boots were giving him a difficult time, but, sooner than later, he managed to get them off.
He placed them by the foot of his bed and then turned back to face the Elric boy.
The metal of his foot glinted at him and so he sat on the floor and lifted the metallic foot into his hand.
It was so intricate, all the joints and bends. The metal was smooth and it shimmered from the single light that was on the bedside table.
Roy fiddled with the boy's toes, bending them and finding they resembled flesh toes perfectly. Who ever crafted this marvelous piece of automail was quite the handyman (or woman).
He gave a "humph" before continuing with what he was doing before he'd gotten distracted.
Standing from the floor, he gazed down at the slumbering one. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips but he couldn't find a reason as to why. It puzzled him.
Why would just a simple glance at the midget make him want to smile? Was it because he looked so peaceful in sleep, instead of his constantly pensive or annoyed appearance during wakefulness? Or, perhaps, it was because he wasn't being annoying that made the colonel smile? Yes, that had to be it. The silence around the boy was a joyous thing…wasn't it?
These questions perplexed the commander; he didn't want to think about them. So, in the usual fashion, he shrugged them off into the back of his mind to, maybe, ponder over later. It wasn't exactly the attitude of a fuhrer, but eh, what the hell.
After the debate on whether he should be doing this or not, he reasoned that he needed to help a subordinate so he was just doing what he thought best.
He pulled off the black under shirt over the boy's head and folded it neatly, setting it on the other side of the bed.
The colonel had done, and seen, many things in his lifetime, but, never had he ventured onto such treacherous lands… or was it…perverted lands?
He shook his head, trying to rid himself of those thoughts before continuing to stare at the snuggly fitting black pants that Fullmetal just HAD to wear.
He grumbled as his hand reached forward, clasping the zipper of the pants. The boy mumbled in his sleep and the colonel's hand jerked, began to sweat.
Please don't wake up please don't wake up please don't wake up…FOR THE LOVE OF FUHRER, PLEASE DON'T WAKE UP!
It was like a mantra in his head and was all he could think about as he ripped down the zipper and tugged off the boy's pants, chucking them into some distant corner of the room.
He was panting by the end of it.
As soon as he regained his cool he glanced down at his accomplishment.
And there he was, in all (er..most), of his wonderful glory; just the small pair of blue boxers, with shinny silver stars, containing his decency.
His skin was pale from sickness and was covered in a light mist of sweat. The boy shivered in the cool room and rolled onto his side, it was only until that happened did Mustang snap out of his skin-induced trance.
His eyes were shifty underneath his midnight bangs, even though no one was around to see him ogling his cohort.
He quickly forgot what he had been doing only seconds earlier and shifted the boy on the bed. He fluffed the pillows and set the blonde's head gently onto them before pulling the thick covers up to his chin.
Relieved that THAT task was over, Mustang swiftly left the room, leaving all his troubling thoughts behind.
The night passed slowly for Roy, mainly because he had to sleep on the couch.
When day came, and Ed was still in slumber land, he made sure to call Alphonse to inform him of his brothers location; he knew how worried that kid could get.
The day also passed slowly, partly because it was a Saturday and Roy wasn't required to go into work on Saturdays. Not like he would anyway, with a sick Edward to take care of and all.
His mood hadn't lifted much from the spot it was in the previous day. Once again he has awoken to the soft pitter-patter of rain on his window and the dull gray sky with its hustling clouds.
"Why does it have to be so bleak?" He asked the empty room, in the midst of preparing some soup for the blonde and a sandwich for himself.
After finishing up, and leaving the soup on the stove to simmer until the boy awoke, the raven-haired man ventured up the stairs and into his bedroom, now occupied by a midget.
Once again the sight of the peaceful look on the blonde's face met him as the boy clutched the blankets to his chest.
The colonel stepped closer and placed a cool hand on the sleeping boy's forehead. His fever had broken, that was good.
Edward mumbled something in his sleep and nuzzled his cheek into the hand now cupping his face. Roy hadn't even realized his traitorous hand had moved but he made no action to take it away.
His thumb brushed gently at the boy's cheeks, sometimes skimming his lashes. His skin was so smooth and velvety like a flower's petal, Roy didn't know if he could ever take his hand away.
He didn't know when, but he'd gotten onto his knees; kneeling before the bed, hand still placed lightly on the boy's cheek.
He off handedly brushed some bangs away from the golden youths face, a small smile slowly showing through the illness.
"Edward?" He asked, thinking maybe the boy was conscious.
"Edward, are you alright now?" He spoke gently, still brushing his fingers against the warm powdery skin.
"Hmmm?" Was his reply, dazed and wistful sounding.
"Colonel?" The boy inquired, his eyes slowly, but surely, blinking open.
They looked around the room, confused.
"Where am I?" He questioned, turning to look at Mustang as he scooted up against the headboard.
"You came over two days ago, do you remember?" Roy asked, getting up from his position on the floor, his hand falling loosely to his side.
"I…yeah, I remember that, but…" He paused taking in his surroundings.
"You caught a cold and passed out, so I brought you up to my room to let you rest. You've been sleeping for a day and two nights."
There was a pause, as if the boy were taking his time to think about what was said.
"What! Are you serious!" The blonde finally squealed.
Roy gave him his what-do-you-think look before turning to leave the room.
"Stay here, I'll be right back."
The Colonel's retreating back was the last thing Ed saw before the door was promptly shut, the light click of the lock being heard.
For some reason, his face tingled, just above his cheek. He brought his hand up and traced his fingers over the tender areas of skin. Strange…
He had been sick for two days…and all the while Mustang had taken care of him. This seemed oddly endearing to Edward. A light dust of pink colored his cheeks. No one had taken care of him since he'd left his hometown, no one besides his brother.
His heart began to thump in his chest, a feeling of exhilaration filled him.
Why…why was he making such a big deal about this? About the Colonel? More than likely, Mustang had probably felt obligated to take care of Ed since he had gotten sick in his home.
Ed knew he shouldn't have been walking in the rain, when it was so cold and windy.
He felt kind of lame, kind of stupid and childish. He could have brought the papers the next day, but no, he had to see Roy that day. The weird thing was, he hadn't a clue as to why.
Have you ever gotten such a strong feeling of wanting to see some one that your heart seems to turn to lead in your chest, and the only thing that can lift the weight is the persons face in your view?
That's how Ed had felt the moment he'd stepped off the train platform. It bothered him, wanting to see the Colonel of all people; the man who bugs him and annoys him on a daily basis, even if it is just for fun, even if they're both playing by calling one each other a midget and a pyro.
Perhaps he had just missed they're joking, having been away for a while?
Unfortunately, the doors squeaky hinges cut off Ed's thoughts.
The scene that met his brooding gold orbs was an interesting one.
Roy had a tray with a bowel of something steamy, a bun, and a glass of tea. He was opening the door using his butt to push the door the rest of the way open before getting in and closing it with his foot.
"Here, I've brought you something to eat, since you haven't in a couple days…" The raven-haired man mumbled, eyes downcast as he handed the tray over to the blonde.
"Oh, thanks." Was the response he received and weight of the tray was lifted from his able hands.
The taller man stood by and watched as the Elric brother began to eat; sipping thoughtfully at the soup and nibbling every so often at the bun.
He almost didn't realize that Ed had finished and placed the tray on the bedside table.
"Colonel?" The blonde asked, wondering what the man could be thinking with such and intense look on his face.
"…Roy, you can call me Roy when we're not at Headquarters." The raven-haired man responded, only half aware of doing so.
He then broke out of his reverie before looking the other in the eyes. The shared a heated stare for moments before the blonde one looked away.
"Can I have my clothes? I need to return home to check in on Al…"
"Oh, yeah. One minute." The colonel then walked across the room to his dresser by the door. On top of the dresser were Ed's clothes, now dried and cleaned. Picking them up, he then walked over to the boy and handed them to him.
"Thanks," There was a pause in the blonde's voice before he went on, "for everything."
"It's not a problem…" The taller man trailed off, watching the boy closely.
Why couldn't he look away! It was getting aggravating!
Sooner than he knew, said boy was eyeing him and passing an odd look his way while sliding out of the bed.
"Ed?" Roy was curious as to what the kid could be doing. It could be anything!
"Uhm…Could you please…er…step out of the room? I kinda need to change." He stated, a light shade of pink passing over his cheeks for some unknown reason.
Roy's eyes widened in realization; what was that? The SECOND time he couldn't think smartly around Ed? Wait a tic…when had he gone from Fullmetal to Ed!
Roy shook his head thinking maybe, JUST maybe, in some way it might bring some semblance of organization within his muddled thoughts.
With out saying a single word he exited the room and headed straight for the kitchen. Tea was the magical elixir that could fix, and solve, anything.
While Roy was busying himself with fixing some tea, Ed was in La La land trying to figure out why his thoughts were a jumbled mess.
His heart must still be sick, because it kept speeding up then slowing down then speeding up all over again. He was actually scared that in a matter of seconds it might explode.
As he slid his familiar black shirt on and then his comforting red jacket, his thoughts skipped down the path he wasn't so sure he wanted to visit.
Roy, his superior, the man who always treated him like a child, tossed him those annoying smirks, made stupid remarks, and yet…had some how captivated his attention.
When had it happened? HOW had it happened? Could it be that it just came from the happiness of someone taking care of him, or was there something else broiling beneath the surface?
His little blonde head was starting to get a headache, so he gave it up for lent. After he shoved his feet into the depths of his boots and then tied them up nice, he headed downstairs in search for the mysterious, yet enthralling Colonel.
After finding said enthralling man in the kitchen, Ed watched as he went about making some tea.
He noticed how his body moved so smoothly, it reminded him of a cat's. The Colonel had a blank look on his façade, telling the world, and Ed, nothing of the turmoil his emotions were in.
An itch at the back of his throat made him cough. It was painful and forced him to hold his side, Roy rushed over to him and placed a comforting hand on the younger boy's shoulder.
"Are you alright Fullmetal?"
Back to Fullmetal again? So soon?
"I'm-I'm fine. Don't worry." The honey-haired youth wheezed out.
"I think I should go soon." He said, smiling reassuringly at the man grasping his shoulder for support.
Mustang released his hold of the boy's shoulder before nodding in approval.
"Okay, but not before you have some tea, it'll help your cough." He stated before wandering back over to the stove.
When Ed finally returned home an eager Alphonse greeted him.
"Brother! What happened? Colonel Mustang called and said you were sick!" The worried voice echoed.
"I was sick, had a little cold. But don't worry! I'm as good as new now!" Ed reassured the younger of the two, puffing out his chest to show just how much better he really was.
All though, that put a strain on his lungs and he broke out into a coughing fit seconds later.
"Brother, maybe you should rest a bit more before you do anything!" Al suggested, holding the smaller boy up by looping their arms around each other's backs.
"What! Naw, I'm fine! Just a nagging cough, you know how they always stick around after a cold!" The blonde stated knowingly.
If Al could, he'd be tossing his brother a worried look.
So, the day crept by as Ed slept it away, like his brother wanted him to.
No one at headquarters questioned why the Colonel was in such a foul mood. Even HE didn't know why he was in such a cloud of despair. Of course he knew Fullmetal was absent because he was resting, but he didn't realize, then, why it bothered him.
Maybe it was because he didn't have anyone to poke fun at?
Well, his mood wasn't going to lighten any, especially if the person walking this way was coming to talk to him.
"Roy! How's it goin' buddy! Everyone's wondering why you're in a sour mood so I thought I'd come to show you something to cheer you up!" With this, Hughes promptly flicked his wrist and in seconds a dozen pictures were shoved into his face.
"Isn't she the most adorable thing you have EVER seen! I swear, every time I'm blue I could just glance at these and my whole day would be better in seconds! Look at this one, she's wearing mommy's hat! It was so big it flopped all over the place! Oh! And this one, she's playing with a doll I gave her for Christmas! Ooooh!" The spectacled man's smile broadened with every picture he flipped.
The wider one man smiled the more the other twitched with aggravation.
"HUGHES, FOR THE LAST TIME, I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I'VE SEEN THESE AT LEAST A THOUSAND TIMES ALREADY!" Mustang fumed, panting slightly after his tirade.
"You've seen these?" Hughes asked innocently. A look of remembrance passed over his face before he shoved the photos in his hands into a jacket pocket, but not before brandishing a whole handful of brand new ones.
"Now look at these! I just took them yesterday so I KNOW you haven't seen them yet!"
A forlorn look passed over the raven-haired colonel before his head plummeted and hit the hard wooden desk he was sitting at.
The huge 'THUNK!' was heard through out headquarters and everyone temporarily stopped what they were doing before seeing Hughes standing over a very depressed looking Roy. They all sighed in unison, shook their heads and continued on with work.
Moments later, the smiling face of Hughes transformed in one of his magical mood swings. How he could go from raving idiot to a serious philosopher remained an unsolved mystery to all.
He gave secretive looks to everyone in the room and they all vacated the premises, knowing that he was only trying to help. The last person out silently shut the door before Hughes turned back to his woeful friend.
"Roy, tell me what's wrong. Did something happen…with you and Edward?" He hit the nail on the head. How did he DO that!
Sure, Roy knew it was because of Ed he was acting this way, but he didn't know precisely why.
When Hughes had voiced his problem, the man on the desk twitched and sat upright.
"Hmm?" The one standing prodded his friend, maybe in some way forcing him to answer, though unlikely.
Roy let out a despondent sigh. "I don't know what it is. I think it has something to do with Fullmetal, but I'm not sure…" He trailed off, sighed again.
"Quit being so damn depressing. I'm pretty sure I have a decent idea of what's going on here." Hughes declared, one hand on his hip, the other loosely clutching the photos. The smile returned to his face.
Ahhh, how he remembered those days, when he'd first met Gracia.
He stroked his goatee in remembrance.
Oh, those lovesick days had been hell all right, but in the end…he let out a wistful sigh.
Roy began getting frightened around the part where Maes started chuckling like a lunatic.
And then, just like that, the spectacled snapped back into serious mode.
"You shouldn't be so angsty over it Roy! I know you probably don't know what's going on, but I do! Be assured, it's nothing bad and it'll all work out in the end. You'll be the better for it, I know. Just, don't snap at people for not knowing what's going on inside yourself, when you find out…" he trailed off and laughed, it was full of mirth and some how lightened the Colonel's mood.
"You'll be very happy. I promise." With that said, the man standing gathered his pictures and placed them back in his pocket before exiting the room.
"What the hell did he mean by that?" Roy questioned the air.
Later during the day, as time passed, people slowly drifted back into the office.
Roy was once again signing papers like a robot. Skimming things, signings things, placing things on the other side of the table. But, his usually blank thoughts were replaced by the swirls of emotion raging within him.
What had Maes meant by all that?
The next day it was still raining. Everyone at headquarters seemed to have gotten used to it by now.
How ever, Roy on the other hand was getting on edge.
What if…it NEVER stopped raining? He thought, his heart pounding with worry.
Every time he heard thunder, his eyebrow would twitch, he did realize it though, but everyone one else did.
When the Colonel was on edge, everyone AROUND him was on edge, for fear of his or her lives.
"Um," Hawkeye was fidgeting as she approached his desk. Another bolt of lighting outside and another twitch from the raven-haired man's face, "Sir, I have a, uh, a paper for you to sign. I need it before lunch, Sir." She stated, placing the paper on his desk.
When the man looked up his irritated look shocked her so much, her natural instincts did a quick draw with her gun. He looked at her and then at the gun aimed at his face, then back at her.
His eyebrow rose in question.
"Oh-uh, sorry!" She hastily put her gun away and scurried off towards her desk.
The Colonel was one of the few people that could unnerve her when in a foul mood.
He shook his head as she returned to her desk. Everyone was acting weird today…
He was in the middle of his usual skimming of the paper when a rapping at his door caught his attention.
"Come in."
When the person stepped inside, everything else seemed to just…fade away.
Ed opened the door then shut it quietly behind him, a soft click floating through the room.
"Good morning, Colonel." He greeted while continuing forward, and then flopped on the familiar couch in front of the other's desk.
His face seemed golden to Mustang, the other's eyes were like shimmering glass. He couldn't look away, for a glance at the jacket adorned boy grabbed for his attention.
"Good afternoon, Fullmetal." Roy glanced at his watch, which in fact said 12:30pm.
Edward tossed him an odd look before continuing on. His face purveyed little of his memories of the days before.
"I came to see if there was anything else going on today. Any missions or what ever to give me, because, if not, I was going to go to the library from some research." He explained himself fully.
Inside, Fullmetal felt like he was made out of jell-o and not metal and flesh. He was trying his damnedest not to show his anxiousness. Hell, he didn't even know why he was anxious; he did know that he'd had that feeling for a few days now. It only intensified once he'd gotten to headquarters…peculiar.
Roy looked blank, to mesmerized to think, or feel, much of anything. He broke out of it when someone on the other side of the room let out a cough, disturbing the silence.
They looked wearily around before scuttling out of the office, papers rustling in hand.
The Colonel shook his head in hopes of getting his thoughts straight before grabbing his calendar book out of his desk drawer.
The date was empty; nothing was planned. So, he took his blue pen an x-ed out the little square.
"No, I've got nothing for you to do today." He briefly glanced over the booklet again and saw that he did have something for the boy to do tomorrow.
"How ever, there is something you have tomorrow. Come see me then." He affirmed before shoving the booklet back into the drawer and continuing on perusing the paper Hawkeye had handed him.
He could feel those golden-orbs stare at him for a few minutes before the sound of the leather couch releasing weight was heard, followed by the light opening and closing of the door.
Seconds later, he looked up and released his breath.
Books were pilled high around him, and only him. Al had decided to go do something alone today, which slightly disheartened his older sibling.
But, Edward wasn't going to force his brother to stay with him; they all needed a vacation once and a while.
So, there he was, flipping the pages of a large leather bound book. If it weren't for his automail arm, he might not have been able to pluck the huge thing from the shelf.
Its yellow pages had a musky scent and they were littered with instructions and transmutation circles.
His thoughts wandered and he had to remind himself what he was looking for again.
A few minutes of hopeless effort and his head fell down onto the books yielding pages. He released a frustrated sigh.
His brain was one tracked today. It angered him too, that the only thing that came to mind, no matter what he was trying to think about, was that damn annoying Colonel.
He closed his eyes daintily, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks, as he visualized that smirk and those obsidian eyes. He thought about how the man stood before his enemies, right before he would bring up his hand and fire a blast of flames in their direction. He didn't want to admit it, and never would to any one besides' himself, but that was pretty frigging cool.
How Mustang's eyes would shine before the snap, the fire seemingly leaping from them into the air instead of from his fingertips.
He sighed again, but this one was different, and it surprised him.
"What the hell! I sound like Hughes!" He yelled, the harsh sound reverberating off the old volumes and shelves.
He quickly hunched his shoulders, expecting a librarian to saunter around the corner and smack him over the head with a ruler, which they did often here.
He relaxed a bit when no one came and then recalled what he'd just stated.
"Oh my god…"
All day, Roy was sitting at his desk signing papers and tapping his fingers in annoyance. All day it had been raining and all day the only thing that was rolling around in his skull was that damned brat!
"For Christ's sake!" He screamed, making several people in the room jump. He hadn't been aware but he'd stood from his seat, making the wooden chair screech back behind him.
He regained his senses, his cool perhaps, and gave a cover up cough. Bringing his right hand to his face, he scrubbed at it a bit before running it back through his hair. He huffed and sat back down at his desk, papers in front of him, as usual.
He really didn't like deskwork and the fact that Edward's face popped up when ever he began reading was really getting to him.
When Hawkeye approached his desk, a stern look on her façade, he didn't notice. She tapped on the wood to get merit his attention.
He glanced up, the returned to what he was doing.
"Yes?"
"Sir, I think maybe you should take a break. You seem to be distracted and I would be more comfortable in the knowledge that you weren't signing things just for the sake of getting them done." She supplied.
He grumbled before the thought occurred to him. Perhaps he was just tired and needed some rest? That was probably why he couldn't focus on one thing for more than five seconds…well, there was one thing…but he wasn't going to admit to it.
He stood from his spot once again before responding, "I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll just take the rest of the day off." He released some pent up frustration in a breath and saw her nod at him before returning to her place.
"Could you tell Hughes to take care of this for me?" He inquired.
The blonde woman nodded in affirmation. "Sure, not a problem Sir. Now, go get some rest, I'm sure you need it." She turned and gave him a smile before going back to work.
He glanced out the window; the rain had lifted, slightly, and now it was just a faint mist.
"I guess it's not so bad…" He mumbled before leaving the office.
People visibly jumped out of his way as he headed towards the door.
"Hey, Roy! Look! I've got some more-" Hughes bounded up to him.
"Not now, Hughes." The raven-haired man let out, continuing his pace and leaving Maes standing there.
He should have been mad, but the spectacled man just smiled; he knew it wasn't Roy's fault for being emotionally tangled.
A giant grin was plastered on his face and he almost laughed, almost.
"What's going on?"
Hughes turned to see Havoc approaching him.
"Hmm, just watching a lovesick dog trying to figure things out."
Havoc's eyebrow went up in amusement and question as he peered at the back of the retreating Colonel.
"Yeah?"
Ed had had enough of his fruitless searching, so he lugged all the books back to their places on the shelves and readied to leave.
The little bells on the library doors jingled as he left and they made him wonder why some one would put something that made noise on the doors of a place that was supposed to be silent. He shrugged it off, like usual.
On his way homeward, Ed decided to take the scenic root, which lead by an open grassy field. A small dirt path showed the way.
Of course he hadn't intended the scenic path to be right next to the area in which Roy lived, no of course not. It was plainly a coincidence. Yes, a coincidence.
Though that was what he thought, his pace grew fevered as he practically jogged past the row of houses to one side and the tall grasses on the other.
It was because it was raining! Because he didn't want to get sick again, right!
It had nothing to do with the anxiousness boiling in his heart, or the intense feeling to go towards those houses. If he didn't hurry up, his will would bend and he wouldn't make it to his own house.
He was making his way home, when THAT voice called to him.
"Fullmetal?"
The golden-youth stopped in his tracks, swaying forward from the sudden motion. His honeyed locks fell over his shoulder and he slowly, very slowly, turned to face the man that he had been obsessing over for days.
He was there, his jacket half open; his dark hair was ruffled from the wind and rain, a pained look was painted on his face.
Edward's eyes widened in surprise, of course the one person he DIDN'T want to see…would be standing right behind him.
The raven-haired colonel took a step towards the shocked boy.
"Edward?"
Ed didn't want to deal with this right now; he didn't want to deal with these confusing thoughts, these confusing emotions, which were ever present as the Colonel was.
In his last efforts, he spun around and ran for it, the rain-speckled dirt kicking up from where his feet had previously been.
"EDWARD!"
His heart was racing just as he was, beating furiously in his ears. How could the whole world not hear it?
He knew he was running as fast as he could, running away from the person he should be running to. His limbs were like lead on his body and he felt like he was running through quick sand.
The fire within his lungs didn't deter his attempts to run faster, but no sooner had he gotten half way down the sandy path, strong arms were wrapping around his middle, pulling him down.
Mustang grasped the boy's waist and quickly spun them around so he was the one to land on his back in the gassy field.
Why had he chased him? Why?
The look on the younger one's face as he saw Roy on the same path as he was, that shocked look. And when he began running, it had scared him. The shorter boy looked frightened almost, and then he had run. Roy had no choice but to go after him. He needed to know why, why he was running.
Now, as they were in the grass, the light rain misting them and dampening their clothing, they remained still.
"Ed…Why-why-" The man on the ground didn't finish his question, because the one on top of him curled in on himself and buried his face in the juncture of Roy's neck.
Roy could hear the faint sniffling before a mumbled, broken reply met his ears.
"I-I don't know. I don't know! I tried to figure it out, I did, but I couldn't." His usually smooth voice was hoarse as he nuzzled the colonel's neck.
Was that moisture from the rain, or the grass, or was it from the blonde boy laying on him?
Mustang didn't know what to say, his arms came up and hugged the Elric boy to him.
"Edward…I'm sorry, for what ever I did to scare you enough to run away from me. Please forgive me." He whispered into the others hair, his hand coming up to pet the boy lightly. His hair was so soft and feathery.
Ed removed himself from the others neck and his large golden eyes stared down into obsidian ones.
He looked away, a dusting of pink on his features.
"It isn't your fault. It's my fault." He was biting his bottom lip and his brows were knit in thought. Then, he turned and was staring at Roy again.
"What do you mean-" But he was cut off. There was a set of sweet velvet lips placed on his in a chaste kiss, taking his breath, and heartbeat, away.
When the blonde returned to his spot he stared, flabbergasted, at the one sitting on him before pushing himself up. He sat on the waxy grasses and brought his hands up to the boys face, cupping them and stroking them gently with his thumbs.
Until, he brought his face forward and Ed met him half way.
It was gentle at first, starting out as a simple show of affection but then it grew from there, becoming impassioned.
Sooner than he thought, there was a wanting tongue trailing his lips, pleading for entrance to what it knew was there. Roy gave in, he wasn't thinking, didn't want to think, had no reason to, not now.
And so, a war raged on for dominance, battling for more. Heated hands trailed over heated skin and fingertips explored previously hidden landscapes.
Heated moans filled each other's thoughts as roughed hands, calloused from fights, ravished the other tender.
A shiver ran down Roy's back as cold metal found its way onto his shoulder blades, then up into his hair.
They separated briefly, gulping for air that was needed, not wanted. Then, they were with each other again tasting and feeling. The other's mouth was like a paradise. Roy found Ed's to be sweet and tangy while Ed found Roy's to taste of coffee and honey.
The sent of rain and dirt rose around them and the grasses blades tickled their arms.
When they were finally drawn apart, they were gazing. Roy leaned forward, his forehead resting on Ed's. They were panting for breath, their shared air mingling between them.
"Colonel…"
"Roy, it's Roy. Remember?"
"Roy…what now?"
It was the question that had been there, in the back of their heads. Only now did it show itself full force.
"I'm not sure…Edward, how long?" He changed the subject, but not because he wanted to, it was because this question had been beating behind his eyes since the moment their lips had grazed one another's for the first time.
"I think…it was the day I woke up." He said plainly, still slightly winded from the previous activities.
The Colonel chuckled, deep in his throat. Ed could feel it through his chest.
"That is…about the same time it occurred to me too." He stated, removing his head from the others while gazing at him.
Then, something Ed believed he would NEVER witness happened, a smile, so large that he was afraid it would shatter the raven-haired man's face, pulled itself across his features. A genuine smile, filled to the brim with love, affection, want, protectiveness. It made the blonde's heart leap in his chest.
The lazy smile, the half-mast eyes, all of it, was purely Roy Mustang. The Elric brother couldn't help the smile creep onto his face as well and he lunged forward, hugging his Colonel to him.
"You know what, Roy?" He asked, his voice so soft and sweet to Roy's ears.
"Hmm?" He hummed in question.
The taller man could feel Ed smile against his neck, which seemed to be the boy's new favorite hiding place.
"I think I'm in love." He whispered it as if it were a secret to be kept hidden and treasured by only his ears.
Roy's heart stopped at these words, and in no time it was sloshing back to work. He felt as if it would explode.
"Really?" He asked unsurely, what if he had heard wrong?
"Really, really" Came his reply along with a light kiss on his collar.
He had made up his mind, yup, he knew what he had to do now.
After standing, Roy picked the shorter male up off the ground where he had fallen.
Ed's legs were tossed over Roy's left arm while his back was propped up against his right. This reminded Mustang of the days before, it brought a new smile to his face.
"He-hey! Put me down! I can walk you know!" The blonde protested, but still wrapped his arms around the Colonel's neck.
"I know you can, I just don't want you to." The older man stated with authority. The boy in his arms gave a "humph" as they, or should I say Mustang, walked back to his home.
When he reached his door he grappled with the handle for a moment. Trying to open the door with an Ed in ones arms was tough work!
Finally, after moments of frustration, the door creaked open and the two shimmied inside. In no time the door was kicked shut and heavy footsteps were leading upstairs.
By this time Ed's eyes had grown large.
"Uhm-Roy? What are you doing?" He questioned nervously.
The man in question smiled warmly at the bundle in his arms but didn't lift his eyes from they're destination.
"I'm in the process of getting to the process of showing you how much I love you." The raven-haired man announced quizzically.
The blonde squinted his eyes up at the taller man as they made their way down the hall. To any outsiders it would appear he was trying to stare into the other's brain to find the answer.
Once they approached the familiar door of Roy's bedroom, it was swiftly kicked open and then closed again.
"Roy?" The boy questioned, still not understanding with the hell was going on.
A cheery "Hmmm?" was all the reply he got. He sucked his teeth at the lack of answer.
When he was abruptly tossed onto the bed he wasn't expecting the Colonel to begin taking his shoes off. The heavy boots fell to the carpeted floor with two large "thunk"s. When said Colonel was done with the blonde's shoes he toed off his own.
Edward was silent the whole time, staring and wondering what was going on.
When Roy climbed onto the bed to join him, his heart rate must've gone off the charts.
The jet-black locks of the man looming over him fell onto his face, tickling his forehead and cheeks. He blew at them playfully and smiled.
"You don't mind, do you Edward?" Roy inquired as he dipped his head down to nip at the boy's neckline. A muffled response into his hair was all that he received.
"Wha-what're you doing?" Ed panted, his hand resting on the back of the soft black tresses.
"Showing you my love." The man whispered, his obsidian orbs where glistening with lust.
He soon shrugged off his military jacket, leaving his half unbuttoned shirt the only thing remaining to cover his chest. He made quick haste to help the one underneath him out of his own dampened coat.
"Don't want to catch another cold, do you? Then I'd have to take care of you again…not that I have a problem with that." Roy drawled, his hands fiddling with the smaller alchemist's under shirt. He moved up from the blonde's silky smooth neck to his petal soft cheeks, trailing small kisses towards the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know how it happened Ed, but I've become addicted to you." The man breathed out, his warmth spreading over Ed's face, heating his skin there.
He was surprised when the hand resting on the back of his head pushed him forward, crushing his mouth against the blonde's. It was a bruising kiss and left them tingling.
"I could say…" Edward trailed off while catching his breathe and then he went on, "The same thing about you, Colonel."
This remark gained a raised brow from Roy. How interesting…
It earned a chuckle from the man, but soon he was back to work removing the Elric boy's shirt. The hesitant hands of the one under him began to fidget with the buttons in his shirt as well.
They could feel their hearts beating feverishly in their chests, pounding against their rib cages. When flesh met flesh, the rhythm became one.
Loving is what could describe it, loving, wanting, wonderment. Their eyes devoured each other and fingers mapped every inch they could get to, committing it to memory. Sweat slicked them as they moved. The only noise besides' themselves being the occasional drop of rain on the window to the side.
Ed's screams emanated throughout the desolate house, their passion filled groans echoed off the walls. Their thoughts were blank and were left only to feeling and to hearing the water dripping from the sill.
"E-Edward…" Roy let out brokenly, feeling himself surrounded by the blonde and loosing all thought. The heat was overwhelming; it was more comforting and fulfilling than he had ever felt.
Who knew he would find such emotion within this one person? The one person he had least expected, the person who could grab his heart and hold it within their hands to do with what they wished.
And no sooner had it begun, the sweet moment of passion between them slowly dwindled from its high.
Roy collapsed on top of the honeyed-youth and he showered kisses upon his pure face, brushing some stray sticking bangs from his forehead.
"I love you, Edward." He whispered to the boy, a small smile lazily growing on his face.
"Hmm, I love you too, Roy…" The boy mumbled, his eyes drooping closed and his pale eyelashes caressing his cheeks.
That moment a beautiful smile was beget upon the Elric's features, the warm glow of the sun creating an aura of gold around him.
Sun?
Roy turned his watchful gaze towards the window and saw that the sun was glowing brightly in the sky and the world was glistening with dew.
He exhaled. The drops of rain were sparkling on the window and created refracted rainbows that danced upon them.
Roy rolled off of Edward and pulled the sheets, which had gone every which way, up over them. He then wrapped his arm around his love and pulled them together.
Tomorrow was going to be the best and most wonderful day of their lives.
The End.
A/N: Soo…uhhh…-shifty eyes- How was it? –Uneasy chuckle-
Erm…that was my first ever citrusy thing, EVER. So, please please PLEASE don't flame me about how crappy it was XD I know I left out some vital parts, but…er-I couldn't figure out how to approach it-so I skipped around it. Yeah yeah, I'm cheap, shaddap! XD
This is also my first attempt at a strictly romance fic, along with my first Fullmetal Alchemist fic. Wow, I killed 3 birds with one stone, I think that's a record or something –rofl.
Any way! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I had lots of fun writing it!
The whole thing was based off of an oh-so-lovely dream I had, and you know how that goes. Can't stop thinking about till you put it down on paper xP
However, I was NOT expecting it to turn into this 40-page monster of a one-shot –oi vay. Gods no! Lol. So here it is anyway! –rofl.
Please R&R, so I don't feel as if I totally killed everything and put anyone who ever reads this off of FMA yaoi and citrus for ever-lol. Thanks a bunch for reading!
Also, Thank you Satsugaiuchiha for being my Beta!
PS While I was writing this, I wrote a bunch of Haikus' (like the one at the beginning of this fic)…because I love them. 99.9 are about FMA-so I'll add them here at the bottom! Enjoy!
Haikus'!
"You damn midget freak!"
"You old perverted colonel!"
Ah, the bickering (Comedic relief)
As the fire burns
Steel has created again
A new chance at life
Obsidian eyes
Stare within the darkest night
For a soul to love
Chaste touches of love
Passing glances of secret
Lovers in the moon
Fires burn the soul
And thoughts provoke depression
One may heal all wounds
Through time it will pass
And obstacles it will face
It will touch all hearts
As the flower blooms
The beauty within your soul
Will bloom along side
A forbidden touch
A love forsaken by God
They will not give up
To the soul I bind
Your love, your life, and your time
Into the armor
Could it be more than
What they thought it was, in fact?
A love unbridled?
Steel toes, steel fingers
A steel arm and a steel leg
It's Edward Elric! (That lame XD)
A few flaming snaps
Mixed with a spectacled man
Makes for a burnt Hughes (rofl xP)
As the dew sparkles
Upon the lily, so white
Petals of soft silk (it could be FMA… ;;;)
Iron hands grasps flesh
For the life he cannot make
Now, his fate will change
