Bandit- (runs from an angry mob of readers who have pitch forks and guns and trucks traveling through the internet) I'M SORRRRYYYYYYY! DON'T KILL MMMMEEEEE!
Disclaimer- I wish I did, but wishing only gets you so far.
(A/N)Oh gosh, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out. I had writer's block, then Harry Potter came out and... Okay, no more excuses! I swear the next chapter will be out in a few days! X3 And as an added bonus there's shounen-ai kissing! You heard me! Don't like it, just skip when you come to it, though I don't know why you'd want to… ;p
Robert cowered under the rubble, his eyes nervously darting back and forth, and his breath coming out in thick pants. The air was filled with smoke and death, but he ignored it for now. He had much bigger problems to worry about. 'I won't let him find me! No, that stupid fucker will never get me. Never!'
Robert should've expected the Dream Alchemist to come after him. After all, he was the only one in the Dream Alchemist's way, especially when it came to the Fullmetal brat. If Robert could find the kid first, then he was home free. 'Then we'll see who has the last laugh!'
A quiet shudder ran through him, and Robert forced his eyes to stay dry. He was not going to cry. It had been years, many years, since his last cry, and that was the day he'd met…
But he wouldn't think about it. Not now. This wasn't the time for memories.
'Even if I'm fucking stuck in one…'
Another scream reached his ears, and the man cringed away from the sound. Of all the memories he could've accessed, he had to get the one dealing with war. 'I just have some fucked up luck.'
And that brought up again how his old friend was searching for him, waiting to finish him off. After all the times they'd been together, the Dream Alchemist finally wanted him dead.
'And he planned it! All he wanted was the fuckin' whelp! He never cared about me…' A tiny tear almost forced its way out of him, but Robert stubbornly pushed it back. Crying hadn't gotten him where he was right now. He'd been through hell and back at least twice, spat in the devil's face and never once did he shed a tear. Not for anyone! Just because he lost the only friend who'd understood him…
Depression sank down into his stomach while a huge lump rose up his throat. The sounds of war drowned out in favor of his own thoughts, all of them consisting of the Dream Alchemist. His friend. 'My only friend…'
It was no secret that Robert had been alone all his life. The loner child. The one no one wanted or cared about. Even his mother never loved him… But through it all, he'd survived to fulfill his dream. The one thing that'd kept him alive through a childhood no one should ever endure. And damn it he'd made it, when everyone else doubted him. Robert had shown them all.
And what had happened? The fucking State Alchemists took his dream away. Smashed it to pieces. Smashed him to pieces.
That was the first, and last time he'd cried. Then Robert found him.
He'd given Robert hope; a chance to get back at all the State Alchemist's who'd fucked him over. For all the shit he'd been through as a child. The Dream Alchemist gave him that chance, and Robert took it. Gave up what was left of his life and kissed it all goodbye.
Just for revenge.
And Robert loved it. The blood, the screaming, the thrill he got when he stared into the horrified eyes of his victims. He loved it all. It released him, freed his soul. It gave him a new reason, a new dream.
But now he had to think, was this worth it? No matter how hard he tried to fool himself, Robert kept thinking of what life was really like, instead of this constant body hopping he'd grown accustomed to. What about all the people whose lives he'd taken. He'd killed all of them, whether they were alchemist or civilian, without a second thought - and for what? One desire to get back at a bunch of alchemists who probably didn't even realize how corrupt the military truly was.
'Of course it is! They all deserve to die! After everything they put me through!' Yes, they did deserve death, but was it right? The Dream Alchemist's plan would surely do what Robert wanted… but… was he really willing to kill that many innocents? In truth, he never wanted anyone unassociated with alchemy to get hurt in his revenge, but the Dream Alchemist always seemed to twist the truth around. 'Like with Angela…' The very name caused his stomach to rebel, bile rising up. What he'd done to her… He never wanted to hurt Angie. The woman had been pregnant, for god's sake. It was hard to believe her really forced bleach down her throat and over her body, a cruel and unusual death no one should experience. 'But I did. Because he told me it was the only way to deal with her.'
His former friend was always doing that, no matter what situation. He always made sure that Robert was second in command, sometimes going as far as to take over the current body when he thought Robert wasn't paying attention. Always lulling him off to sleep, and making sure he never interfered with the plans. Every kill, every plot, every plan came directly from the Dream Alchemist. It was a painful realization, but the person he thought was his friend had played him from the start. 'That fucker just wanted a pawn! And I was stupid enough to fall for his tricks…' Just like long ago, he'd been hurt by the one he loved most.
'Well, I'll show him. No matter what I decide, I'll show that stupid fucker who he's dealing with!' His need for revenge strengthened, forcing all other emotions to the side. For now, the State Alchemists were no longer his concern. He had a new dream, a new desire.
His former friend was going to pay.
"So we just need to find our body portals so we can get back to reality…" Shayla snorted, looking around the inky blackness. "And may I ask how we do that?"
"Your portal is the brightest one you can see," Hughes explained. "Since many of the memories look bright to you, Shayla, it may be harder to find yours."
"Joy."
"Hughes, is there anything else you might've forgotten to tell us?" Roy asked. He found it odd the book Hughes had read didn't talk about the Dream Alchemist. 'If he calls the realm his domain, then he should've been here when the book was made… But then who is he really?'
The man with glasses squinted his eyes in concentration. "Um… I can't really think-- Oh!" Hughes grinned at them all, then gestured to the realm. "In this place, for some reason that wasn't explained, you can change reality."
Ed stopped walking and stared at Hughes. "What?"
An odd grin spread over the man's face. "Here. Maybe this will explain it better." Without warning, Hughes snapped his fingers at Roy. A ball of flames sprang out of nowhere and sped toward the man, heat and smoke pouring out. The fact that Hughes would or could harm him in this way didn't quite compute, so Roy just stood there, too stunned to defend himself from the attack.
Shayla and Ed both yelled in alarm, but before the fire could reach Roy; it split in two and went opposite directions away from him and burning out. Snapping out of his daze, Roy realized if those flames had hit him, he'd be dead. 'How the hell…'
Hughes laughed at Roy's expression, loving the sight of his old friend totally caught off guard, his mouth hanging slightly open and eyes widened a fraction. "Well, I hope that was a decent demonstration," he chuckled. The laughter soon died as Roy's look turned homicidal. "Now Roy…" In defense, Hughes held him arms up in surrender. "You know I would never intentionally kill you. It was a joke." In reply, Roy started to walk over.
The other two companions sat down, ready to enjoy the show or obliteration of Maes Hughes. Both agreed silently that their friend had it coming. "Is it wrong that I wish we had popcorn instead of praying for Hughes' safety?" Ed whispered.
"Nah. I want a chocolate bar like you wouldn't believe," Shayla replied. As an afterthought, she added, "And we'll stop Roy before he does any lasting damage to Hughes."
Smiling sweetly, Roy walked closer to his best friend. "Hughes… I have something for you." Grinning madly, Roy clapped his hands together and let a bolt of alchemy chase after Hughes. With a shriek, the man took off, the alchemically charged attack right on his tail.
"ROY! I'M SORRY!" The damn alchemic bolt kissed his heels, a tiny spark flying up Hughes' body. The feeling was far from pleasant. "IT WAS A JOKE!" He ran faster.
Pleased, but not completely satisfied, Roy let the bolt gain on Hughes. The man looked absolutely idiotic with his arms waving madly in the air and the steady stream of tears flying down his face. Finally Roy took pity and willed his attack away. 'Maybe that will teach him.' Besides, Gracia would have his hide if anything happened to Hughes.
"I trust that's the last time you do something like that," Roy presumed. The glare sent his way caused him to smirk. "Serves you right."
"If you two are done alerting the Dream Alchemist of our location, I suggest we get going," Ed snapped, looking a bit peeved. Shayla shot him a questioning gaze, but he ignored her.
The two men sobered up. "Good point," Hughes muttered. "Well, I hope I answered your question at least."
"Pretty much. We can do just about anything in here if we think about it. I remember the fake Dream Alchemist flying out of Ed's trap before, so that explains that," Shayla said. The woman climbed to her feet, and glanced down at Ed, frowning at his pout. "Ed, are you okay?" Once again the teen didn't reply, instead getting up and marching over to Roy. He stopped in front of him, glaring for all he was worth.
Roy stared down at Ed. 'Why is he angry now?' "Is there something I can help you with?" Ed glared harder, and the need to take a step back was almost overpowering. For a short person, Ed had a lot of presence. "Your face is eventually gonna stick like that." It was too good to pass up, and Roy bit his lip as Ed's face turned red. Aggravating Fullmetal would always be a favorite pastime, but Roy had a gut feeling this wasn't the best time to play with the boy's emotions.
Ed punched him in the stomach. Hard. With his metal arm.
Hughes felt himself clutch him own belly. 'Damn…' That sounded like it'd hurt. He felt nothing but sympathy for his friend… and maybe a hint of smugness.
At the low groan of pain, Shayla could only sigh and shake her head. She wasn't sure what Roy had done this time, but Ed didn't usually punch the Colonel without a good reason. 'Ed's gonna kill him before he loses his virginity,' she mused to herself.
The aching throb brought Roy to his knees, his arms protecting his abdomen in case of another attack. 'Oh holy shit!' Roy could only gaze up at Ed's smug look, the boy cracking his knuckles in satisfaction. "What did I do?" He managed to wheeze out. His brain searched for the possibilities, but that was a bit difficult with the pain.
Ed bent over so he could look Roy in the face. "Don't ever use my alchemy again," he said, a disturbing smile on his face. "I'm a bit possessive of what's mine, and that move was definitely mine."
"I see…" Taking a deep breath, Roy forced himself up to his feet, wavering slightly. He tried to feign indifference, but the newly forming bruise got a wince out of him. "Well then, does that mean you're possessive of me?"
Ed snorted in disgust. "No. If someone's desperate enough to take you, I'll give them you for free."
"That hurt."
"So?"
"Don't you like me, Eddy?" Roy stuck his lip out. "Aren't I cute?" Why he was still baiting the boy was beyond him. He'd most likely get hurt. No, it was a guarantee.
"I dare you to call me that again."
"What about my honey bun? Or candy poo? Or my personal favorite, snuggle bunny?"
Shayla and Hughes watched Roy tumble back to the ground, a new bruise on his calf adding to his growing collection of love taps from Ed. They weren't sure if Roy was masochistic or just plain thick in the head. "He'll never learn…" Hughes muttered.
Ed huffed to himself and left Roy in a puddle of agony on the floor. "Well, we should at least duck into another memory. With all the whining Mustang did, I bet the Dream Alchemist's looking for us."
"I agree with Ed," Hughes said quickly and added a nervous chuckle. Ed seemed to be in a much better mood, and Hughes wanted to keep it that way.
Still observing the Colonel on the floor, Shayla vaguely nodded her head. "Yeah, it would be best." Roy fell on his back, his latest attempt to get on his feet a failure. "Ed, you may have broken something. Roy's still on his ass."
The boy spared Roy a disinterested glance. "Can we leave him?" Shayla rolled her eyes and walked over to the fallen man, offering a hand.
"As much as I would love to watch you squirm in pain, we need to leave." Roy eyed the hand before he abandoned his pride and took the much needed help. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he allowed himself to lean against the woman, shooting daggers at Ed the entire time. "Come on, as soon as we find a decent portal, I'll heal you."
Once again, the four of them set off in some random direction with Shayla in the lead, Hughes a little ways behind her, and Roy and Ed making the rear. Despite their little lover's spat, Ed supported Roy instead of Shayla, letting the taller man wrap his left arm around his back. 'I can be nice when I want to.' Though with the way Roy was tracing imaginary circles on Ed's flesh arm, the boy seriously considered punching him again.
"Hughes I've been meaning to ask you something. Does Gracia know you're here?" Shayla asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Actually she does. I told her a bit about what was happening, and she let me go." Hughes grinned to himself, and blushed slightly. "All I have to do is come back alive. I promised her."
"Ahhh…" Shayla gushed. "That's too cute!"
"I'm gonna hurl," Roy muttered. Ed accidentally stepped on his foot, snickering as the man hissed in pain.
"I hope that stung, bastard," Shayla sneered over her shoulder. Roy just sighed in defeat and finally kept quiet, figuring any retort he gave would result in more bruises.
They walked a few more paces, Shayla's eyes quickly scanning for any suitable portals. All their talking was sure to alert the Dream Alchemist, especially since he could hear them think. They still didn't have any real means to fight him with. Even if they could bend reality in this place, their enemy knew every trick they could throw at him, so attacking was meaningless.
Her hand itched to fondle her whip, but was sorely reminded of its absence because of the lack of weight at her hip. An onslaught of personal memories bombarded her, all painful and fresh thanks to Scar's persistence. But she wouldn't think of that. Or she would try not to.
But as she continued looking around, the Dream Alchemist and her past were pushed into the depths of her minds for the time being. There was a more pressing matter to deal with.
Many portals she'd thought she saw were now slowly dissolving in front of her. 'Does that mean our memories are fading?' This worried her, so she turned to Hughes. "Some of the portals are disappearing. What's that mean? Is it bad?"
"Nah. Those are our dreams or thoughts right now. I can barely see anything, but you probably see lights flashing here and there, I guess. Remember, we can actually enter someone else's thoughts. It's just much harder to find one that doesn't fade almost immediately." She nodded and looked around to confirm Hughes' words.
Sure enough, many balls of light were popping up then disappearing, only to be replaced by new ones, fading and receding like a tide. They reminded Shayla peculiarly of fireflies flickering during the evening. One thought portal came up right beside her, a flashing ball of blues and reds. Curiosity got the better of her, and before really thinking it over Shayla stuck her head inside.
'… gonna try and land me in bed as soon as we get out of this place, I know it. Damn bastard can't keep his dick in his pants. Hmmm… wonder how big he is? Gah! Why am I wondering that! Bad thoughts! Very bad thoughts! Where was I? Oh yeah… Like I don't notice the little looks he's been giving me, or how he keeps squeezing my ass!… Even if it does feel good, he should at least wai-- OUCH! That bastard just pinched me!' Blushing like an idiot, Shayla removed her head just as the portal disappeared. That was the last time was sticking her head in one of those.
A loud slap and a colorful curse echoed in the realm accompanied by a seething Ed marching up to her and Hughes, leaving the Colonel clutching his red cheek. 'He really deserved that,' Shayla thought, getting her blush under control. But the cat-got-the-canary smile Roy wore told her he didn't mind the slap he'd got.
"What's wrong, Ed?" Hughes asked. He'd heard the boy squeak a moment ago, so it was obviously Roy's fault. Not that that was a big surprise.
"Nothing. Let's just pick a portal already!" Ed snapped, his right eye twitching. Hughes wisely said nothing else.
"There's a big one right there," Shayla stated, pointing to the far right of them. "It's really bright, so you guys probably see it too."
"You mean that one right there?" Roy asked. He limped his way over, carefully avoiding Ed. The growl sent his way was a good indication Ed still didn't appreciate his company at the moment. "Yeah, I see it."
"It's as good as any other. Let's go." Hughes marched over to the portal, which only appeared as a dim light to him. He examined it carefully before regarding it safe enough, then motioned over for them.
Shayla and the others watched Hughes disappear before then, the portal widening slightly at his entry before returning to its normal size. Seeing that the other two weren't moving, Shayla sighed to herself. "Guess we should get going," she advised. Leaving Ed and Roy behind, Shayla followed Hughes into the new memory or dream. She figured they needed to work out that pinch problem.
Ed stood stiffly and glared at Roy from the corner of his eyes. Without their other companions, he couldn't ignore the man very well. And his presence was annoying the crap out of him.
"Still angry at me?" Roy ventured to ask, even if he had a feeling as to what the answer would be. The silent treatment told him all he needed to know.
'What kind of question is that!' Ed ranted in his head. 'Of course I'm still angry! I didn't imagine that painful sting on my ass where his fingers just happen to be resting! Mustang's got some damn nerve! I'm not some easy whore he can grope whenever he feels like it!' A hot breath on his ear pulled Ed out of his inner tirade, and he suddenly realized Roy was shamelessly invading his personal space. "What the fuck are you doing?" Ed snarled through his gritted teeth.
"Looking at you." Roy smirked at the blush that statement brought. "And you seem a bit tense. Would an 'I'm sorry' make you feel better?" Slyly, he wrapped his arms around the stiff body. "I can't have you angry at me."
"I'm always angry at you!" Ed shouted. "Stop shitting me, Mustang."
"I'm not. I really don't like you so angry at me." He slowly pulled the unwillingly boy closer until Ed's back was firmly up against his chest. "So, I'm sorry."
Ed wasn't completely sure if he could trust Roy's word, but any previous anger melted away quickly. The apology sounded sincere, but then again, it was hard to concentrate with the man nuzzling his neck. The feeling sent shivers up and down Ed's spine, causing his smaller body to shudder. Faintly, he heard the Colonel chuckle against his neck, only adding to the sensation. "Roy…"
"Mmmm. Yes?"
"Stop…" Ed pleaded weakly, his body starting to cave in.
"Am I forgiven?" Roy purred in his ear. All Ed did was whimper in reply, so Roy ran his tongue along Ed's heated neck and up to his ear, then suckled lightly on the lobe.
The teen jerked and bit his lip to keep from crying out. "Roy!" He hissed. "Stop!"
Instead of listening, Roy nudged Ed's collar out of the way and attacked the neck, sucking deeply on the point right where Ed's shoulder met his neck. A deep moan racked its way up to Ed's mouth, but he refused to let it out, subconsciously fighting all the way. Some small part of his brain not already fried from pleasure reminded him exactly where Roy was molesting him. "Roy, please! Not here!"
Roy adjusted his mouth slightly, then began his ministrations on the tight tendons again. This time Ed did moan, little bolts of pleasure originating from the one sensitive spot and flying through his body. "Oh god, Roy!"
Then Roy bit him.
Ed cried out and jerked against the man behind him, lights starting to dance in front of his eyes. "I forgive you," he whispered weakly. "I fuckin' forgive you. Now stop before I forget where we are."
Feeling extremely smug, Roy stopped and held Ed for a moment, letting the trembling boy catch his breath. He still felt the urge to pout though, especially when he found that spot on Ed's neck. 'Always ruining my fun.' Oh, how he wanted to keep going, but Ed wouldn't appreciate having his virginity stolen in this place. But now he was hot and bothered. 'Maybe that hadn't been the best plan…' He thought ruefully, his pants now a tiny bit too tight.
When he examined the muscle, Roy smirked as a bright red mark began to surface. 'He's gonna kill me.'
"You're shameless, aren't you?" Ed accused and dislodged himself from Roy. "Do you know where we are? This isn't the time, bastard!" The man straightened and smirked evilly.
"I'm aware of that. But some things are too convenient to pass up." Roy shrugged. "I'm human. And you taste good." He licked his lips and began eyeing Ed's body, scooting closer. "Very good."
"Don't you even think about it!" Part of Ed protested wildly to this, another agreed with the statement, and still another part was still too tingly from all the sucking to really give any input. All of him agreed that it had felt good, and if Roy started again, chances were Ed wasn't gonna make him stop. "Please Roy. At least wait until we're out of this place!" Roy stopped in his tracks, the smirk getting even bigger.
"You promise?"
Ed shot him a strange look, but nodded slowly. "Yes…"
"Alright. I can do that." This time he took steps away from Ed and to the portal instead. "But as soon as we get out of here, I'm having my way with you." he yelled over his shoulder. With that, he walked into the shimmering light and vanished.
It took Ed ten seconds to realize what he'd agreed to.
"Wha… Oh SHIT! ROY!" (1)
"Took you guys long enough," Shayla snapped at the two arrivals. "I hope you made up." Taking a quick glance at Ed's slightly disheveled state, she bit her lip to keep a laugh in. "And Ed, you might want to hide your neck for a while."
Ed raised an eyebrow, and craned his head so he could get a better look at his neck. "What are you…?" A bright, purplish mark that stood out noticeably against his pale neck and practically shouted 'look at me! I'm a hickey!' met his eyes. Then the world dissolved into hateful red. "RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYY!"
"You gave him a hickey? Did you at least kiss him properly first?" Hughes asked skeptically. Roy had the decency to look sheepish.
"Actually, I haven't. How thoughtless of me." He turned and leered at Ed. "Should we rectify that situation?"
Ed transmuted his arm into a blade. "Give me a reason," he hissed.
"Enough boys. Mind taking a good look at where we are?" Shayla watched her friends with a guarded expression as they searched around them, the panic soon reflecting in Ed's eyes while Roy retreated back to the safety of his indifference mask. "Recognize anything?"
"Oh no…" Ed whispered. "We can't be back here." The isolated desert town stood out against the red sand like a nightmare, the image too vivid to be an anything but real. "But… Didn't we already visit this memory?"
"You guys were here? What is this place?" Hughes asked curiously. His friend's reaction to this village scared him.
"Hughes… this is first town the State Alchemists attacked," Roy answered gravely. "And this is where Edward and I died. Shayla almost died here as well. It's my memory." Hughes paled significantly.
"I see. This was the place you guys were at before you got me…"
"Why are we here again?" Ed shouted angrily. "Didn't we suffer enough? I don't want to go through this again!"
"Calm down, Ed. Remember, everything is reset once we exit the memory," Roy explained. "We don't know how things will play out now."
"And you know how hard it is to navigate through the realm. We could walk in circles and never know it. And there's no law saying we can't visit a memory," Shayla explained patiently. For some reason, her calmness angered Ed even more, as if he'd been betrayed.
"How can you be so damn calm about it! Don't you remember everything that happened?"
"Yes. And this time we won't interfere. We can't afford to." Hughes watched the conversation quietly, not sure if he should ask exactly what had happened to the three of them since they'd been in the realm.
A loud shout and scream erupted from the village, followed by peals of amused laughter. All four of them turned, startled.
"Well, I don't remember that," Roy stated uneasily. More laughter broke out, along with a lone cry for help. "This is the first time I've heard that…"
"So… this isn't his memory?" Ed asked hopefully, then furrowed his brows. "Are you sure? Maybe you forgot."
"No… it isn't," Roy said more firmly. "I don't know why, but the feeling is all wrong. There's tension in the air, but not in the sense of war." He started taking steps to the village, not bothering to look if the others were following. "But I want to make sure…"
Ed and Hughes scrambled after their Colonel, with a very reluctant Shayla following behind. Despite what Ed might say, she felt far from calm. Roy didn't recognize the village because it wasn't the first one he attacked. But he did attack it.
Didn't mean it was his memory, though.
"What are we gonna do?" Fury asked quietly. Havoc had been antsy lately, causing the smaller man to worry about his health. It wasn't like his friend to fret. Havoc was the easy going one, the one to brighten the mood, the one everyone looked for when they needed a pick-me-up. It was disturbing to see him like this, especially when Fury relied on that friendly attitude so much.
"I don't know, Cain," Havoc sighed and stopped pacing, turning to the other man. It was only he and Cain in his apartment. Any other time, this would've been a dream come true. Hell, this was a mountain of dreams come true. Actually having Cain with him. Alone. Damn, he should be singing praises and crap, but all he felt was apprehension for the future. That shape shifter's words still rang in his ears.
"Don't blame me when you bring the end of the world as you know it!"
'What the hell are we supposed to do? We can't kill them. That's… No, it won't come to that.' He ran a hand briskly through his short blonde hair. 'Hughes will tell them how to get out. It's only a matter of time before everyone wakes up and things return back to normal.'
But exactly how much could they trust the shape shifter's words? Predicting the end of the world… well, not for him, exactly. Just anyone associated with alchemy.
He didn't even want to think about it. These days, parents taught their infants alchemy spells.
'Good God.'
"Ha-- Jean? Are you okay?" It took Havoc a minute to comprehend that Cain was talking to him. Cain. The one he should be focusing on. Not the world. Just Cain.
"Sorry there," he replied and forced a smile. "Kinda got lost in my thoughts." Fury wasn't fooled however.
"I'm worried too. I keep wondering if we'll be forced to kill them. We have to consider a world of people out there, no matter how much we don't want to." Fury sighed softly and leaned back on the couch. "I… I'm not sure what we're gonna do. Hawkeye insists that it won't come to that, but…" His voice trailed off. He cast Havoc a pained glance. "I don't know. I just don't know anymore."
Being worried himself was one thing, but seeing Cain sad was an entirely different matter. It hurt his soul seeing the smaller man in such turmoil, and felt instantly guilty for making his (Friend? Crush? Comrade? Soul mate? Love of his life?) more dispirited. Havoc walked over to the couch and sat down, putting a comforting hand his shoulder but not daring to do much else. Now wasn't the time to let him emotions get in the way. "Hey, I'm sorry for sounding so doubtful back there. Of course they're gonna wake up, and then everything will be fine." The lie was so pathetic that Havoc winced. 'Cain's not a child. I don't need to treat him like one.'
But the man with glasses smiled in thanks, his spirits already lifting. That hand on his shoulder was definitely helping also. "Thank you," he whispered. "Even if we both know things are never that easy."
"I- I didn't mean to treat you like a kid," Havoc stated nervously.
"I know. And I don't mind." Feeling bold, Fury scooted closer and leaned against Havoc's lean body. "I… like the way you treat me. You're always nice, and… Umm…" Fury started to blush brightly, hiding his face. Any courage he had abruptly committed suicide, leaving him to finish the sentence alone. 'Come on! Don't you dare chicken out now!'
"You okay?" Havoc's arm had slipped around his waist, creating a pleasant sensation that was unfortunately a distraction rather than an encouragement for Fury at the moment. Long fingers caressed his cheek, causing Fury's face to heat to impossible temperatures. "Hey, what's wrong?"
'Just tell him. That's the big reason you came here. Just do it.' But what if he was rejected? 'Take that chance. You can't just keep quiet now! Get a damn backbone!' Fury's inner voice was starting to scare the man, so he took a deep breath and got ready for what could be the biggest mistake of his life.
Fury moved to look directly into Jean's eyes, the blue orbs regarding him with suppressed worry. "What did you want to say?" Havoc asked quietly. He forced himself to not notice just how close their faces were, or that now he had both his arms securely locked around Cain's waist. 'Am I really dreaming, or is his face getting closer…'
With one last mental push, Fury raised himself slightly and gave Havoc a gentle kiss on the cheek, then pulled back slightly. "I really like you," he whispered, and waited for Havoc's reaction.
Havoc went into a temporary shock, his face slack and eyes the size of watermelons. The tiny sparks from Fury's innocent kiss still lingered on his cheek, sending a deep, satisfying jolt through his body. Fury was… He actually… Then that meant… A burst of butterflies and giddy happiness flew inside his stomach and started to tango, leaving Havoc practically numb with glee. 'He likes me! Oh shit, yes! Yes!' He couldn't move, he was so damn elated.
"I'm sorry…" Fury's crushed voice effectively killed any joy Havoc was feeling. And replaced it all with confusion. Havoc focused back from his thoughts, realizing he'd blanked out there for a moment. He also realized Fury was trying to wiggle out of his grasp, and he did not like that. His arms rose up and tightened around Cain's back. "Stop… If you don't feel the same way…" Fury's voice trailed off in anguish, not able to meet the man's eyes, his glasses dropping slightly to reveal tears leaking out. "I'll just leave."
"What? Why?" Havoc poured all his confusion and hurt into the two simple questions, wondering what was wrong with Cain. "You don't ha--"
Fury shook his head savagely. "Don't do this to make me feel better!" he snapped, surprising the both of them. All the sadness the smaller man felt was let go in a river of torment, and he lashed out at the object of his affections… who'd just rejected him. "If you don't like me that way, just say so! Don't just sit there and stare at me with that dazed look as if you can't believe I had the guts to even tell you I liked you!" The tears rushed out then, catching the man in choked sobs as he let everything go, shaking hopelessly against Havoc's chest. "I thought maybe you liked me too, with the flirting and telling me your first name, but I guess I was wrong wasn't I?" A pathetic attempt at a laugh was made, but it came out raspy and torn. "Who the hell could like me? I'm a wimp and a coward and unattractive and I was a fool for falling in love with you." Fury vaguely realized he'd just said the word 'love', but that did little to sooth him. Maybe he could pray Havoc hadn't heard so he'd be able to leave with some shred of dignity left.
A silence settled upon them, but it felt strangely unfinished, like it was waiting for the conversation to reach its pinnacle of emotion, like the two of them weren't quite done yet.
"… Did you just say you loved me?" Havoc asked quietly. Seems he did hear after all.
"There's something else you can laugh at after I leave."
Havoc was surprisingly quiet and calm through the entire tirade, letting Fury get everything off his chest. His hands rubbed Fury's back in little soothing circles, just letting his presence be enough. Slowly, all the tension and anger and sorrow seeped out of the frailer body until Fury had nothing left to do but give in and fall against Havoc. Tears still strayed down his face, but he paid no attention to them. Instead he listened to the steadiness of Havoc's heartbeat, wishing he could be just like that. Steady, without breaking into pieces like a hormonal teenager. Steady like Havoc was right now.
But he wasn't steady. He was Cain Fury, and that wasn't good enough for Havoc. It wasn't fair to the man. He'd been a fool to think Havoc actually reciprocated his feelings. His friend had only tried to be just that. A friend. And being the idiot he was, Fury had taken it too far. Now he wasn't sure if Havoc even wanted to be friends.
A chilling thought occurred to Fury. What if Havoc was disgusted, but was hiding it to save Fury anymore grief? What if the man wanted him out of his apartment, but his caring nature wouldn't allow him to speak it out loud? Another wave of self loathing came over him as he once again realized what he'd just done. 'I don't even know if he's into men! What was I thinking?'
"Cain? Look at me." His initial response was to cower away, but Fury figured he'd just make things worse. Better to let Havoc shout at him and get it over with. Maybe if he begged enough, Havoc might consider their friendship not completely slashed to ruins… "Cain." This time Fury did look up into those blue eyes he'd come to li-- love so much. 'No point in denying it to myself,' he thought sullenly.
Havoc's entire face was masked so well, Mustang would be proud. He regarded the man sitting in his lap silently, staring into Cain's eyes. It was unnerving for Fury, and he looked away dejectedly, not able to keep up the gaze. Havoc grabbed his chin and pulled the Fury's head back into position. "Why are you crying?" He asked, and brushed a few almost dried up tears away. Fury stared at him in incredulity, as if the question were to idiotic to answer.
"Y-you hate me." Havoc frowned at the answer.
"When did I tell you that?"
That caught Fury off guard again. "Y-you didn't…" He started slowly, "But you didn't say anything when I told you that… you know…"
"That you loved me?" Fury flinched at the words, but nodded his head. "So the fact that I didn't say anything automatically means I hate you?" Coming from Havoc, it sounded like the stupidest notion in the world. Fury blushed in absolute shame.
"No…" He whispered. "No it doesn't, Havoc."
"Jean."
"Havoc." The blonde's eyes narrowed.
"I'm not gonna repeat myself. For the last time, it's Jean to you. Only Jean."
Now Fury narrowed his own eyes. His mind couldn't take much more of the stress and confusion, and his temper, however seemingly non-existent, was starting to rise. "Why are you doing this?" He hissed. "First I confess my love for you, but then you say nothing. Then after I cry my heart out, you ask me what's wrong. Then when I accuse you of hating me, you sit there and tell me that you didn't say that. And you're right. You didn't. You didn't say anything, Jean. What was I supposed to think? That in your head you were doing cartwheels of happiness? Well, I'm sorry if that disappoi--"
His important rant was soon interrupted rather rudely by Havoc's lips. On his.
Fury's world officially shut down.
He gasped against the surprising softness and felt his eyes grow impossibly wide, before letting himself tumble into the assault of emotions conflicting inside of him. Havoc's mouth moved languidly on its own, slowly pulling Fury to the motion of the kiss. Still shaking, he timidly wrapped his arms around Havoc's neck, feeling the man's hand tangle in his black hair to push his head deeper into it. And when Havoc's questing tongue prodded softly between Fury's lips, begging for entrance… Fury moaned softly against him.
It really had meant to be a quick 'shut up' kiss, but Havoc had been deprived too long. And the way Cain was shuddering against him was not helping matters. And that damn whimpering of his. How was he to know little Cain was sexy as hell? He felt the smaller man wrap his arms around his neck, and in response Havoc moved his right hand from Cain's hip, plunging it into the black, silky softness of his hair. Soon, his tongue lightly licked between Cain's lips, the need to mesh their mouths more firmly against each other starting to take over. But when Cain actually moaned…
Havoc had to stop. He didn't know if Cain was a virgin, but if this kept going he certainly wasn't going to be one before this night was over.
Reluctantly, Havoc pulled away, smirking to himself at the deep blush painted across Fury's face. The smaller man tried to follow Havoc's lips as the other man leaned away, and only Havoc's chuckle woke him up out of his fantasy.
Noticing the panic etched into the dazed eyes, Havoc launched into his own speech. "Cain, hear me out, okay?" Slowly Fury nodded, too out of it to do anything else. That kiss had fried his brain circuits. Pleased with the nod, Havoc continued. "I'm not good with words, Cain. I'm more of an action man, when it comes down to it. I stumble over words a lot, so…" He shrugged. "I tend to avoid using them when not necessary. I should've explained that to you." Taking a deep breath, Havoc met Fury's eyes. "I'm sorry about that. But if it makes you feel any better, words really did leave me there for a sec."
Fury gave him a tiny smile, filled with something akin to hope laced within it. "I shouldn't have shouted at you."
"Don't worry about. I found it hot." Fury squeaked and blushed hard, Havoc snickering at him. "I'm sorry, but it was. You've got some fire in you." He leered suggestively at him. "Can't wait to put it to use."
"You can't be saying what I think you're saying…" Fury muttered, looking everywhere but at Havoc.
"Oh yes I can," Havoc chuckled. His expression turned serious though, and his hand cupped Fury's jaw, stroking the cheek with his thumb. Fury immediately turned his eyes back to him. "Cain, there's something else. One, you are not a wimp. You just proved that to me. I bet if I'd gotten on your bad side, you'd punch me." Fury didn't deny this, and Havoc smiled. "Second, you're not a coward. You told me that you loved me, Cain. Do you know how hard that is? I don't think I could've been the first to say it…" Fury's eyes widened again.
"You mean… that you…?" With a quick kiss, Havoc hushed him.
"Let me finish," Havoc stated when he pulled away. "Thirdly, I don't know who told you that you're unattractive, but when I find them, we're gonna have a nice chat. And I'm bringing Shayla, Roy and Hawkeye with me." At the mention of those names, Fury shot Havoc a questioning look. "What? You seriously thought I might be the only one interested in you?"
"You mean Shayla and Hawkeye?" Shayla he could at least fathom, but Hawkeye? Hawkeye? Then Roy's name registered. "The Colonel…?"
"Yep. When Shayla first came here, she liked you for a while. But then she found out about me and promptly backed off. Smart woman," Havoc mused. "And as for Hawkeye, that goes a bit back in time. She would've done something about you, except the rules stating that military personal can't be romantically involved… or at least that's what they say. She also told me that you were a bit on the meek side, so that probably tuned her out. So there's no way I'm telling her about your fiery side. She might try and steal you." Havoc's tone implied he was only half joking. "As for our favorite bastard, he eyed you for a while, but then Ed came on the scene. We all know how that story ends."
"I can't believe it…"
"Believe it. You're a very beautiful man." Had anyone else said it, Fury would've believed the person was mocking him. But when it came from Ha-- Jean… Which reminded him of something…
"You said that you didn't think you could be the first to say you loved me…" Havoc's ears turned red, and he smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah. I wasn't lying."
"Does that mean that you do?… Love me?"
Havoc had the nerve to look insulted. "I'm not good with words, but yes. I'm fucking in love with you. Fell hard. Can't stop thinking about you, and right now I want to take you into my bedroom and have my way with you until you forget how to breathe." Fury turned red again, but this time he smiled as well. The confession of love, no matter how cheesy Havoc made it, relieved him more than he thought imaginable. He loved Havoc.
And Havoc loved him back.
That was all he needed.
"So?"
Havoc raised an eyebrow. "So what?"
"I thought you were an action man, Jean." The suggestion under the sentence made Havoc growl in his throat. And it had come from Cain of all people…
Cain wasn't gonna be a virgin much longer.
Havoc roughly pulled Fury flush against his own body. "Love you," He said simply, then commenced to making good on his words. (2)
The little girl cried out in pain, failing to dodge the series of blows on her back. Anger and tears stung her eyes, but she kept it in. She wouldn't be weak, especially in front of all the other kids.
"You're disgusting!" One lanky boy cried out, kicking a storm of dirt in her face. She coughed and desperately rubbed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the stinging sensation. "I can't believe Ishbala would curse us with you!" He spit a large ball of spit, laughing as it landing on her forehead. "Anyone can see you're a disgrace to our religion!"
"Yeah!" Another boy, more fat and pudgy, agreed. "Just look at your skin!" He pointed to the fair skinned girl, so much paler than all her enemies' complexions. "Only a worshipper of the moon goddess has skin like that!" A rush of whispers seeped through the crowd of gathering children, all eager to see the hated demon put in her place.
"I was born this way!" The little girl cried, and she wiped the spit off her forward and on her ragged dress. "I can't help the way I look, just like you can't help the fact you're ugly and fat, Suppi! Oops! My mistake! It is your fault since I see you stuffing your face every day!" She snickered to herself at the angry glare she got.
The fat boy's face turned a sour red, his dark skin turning an unflattering color. "W-w-well…" He stuttered. "At least I have friends! You're nothing but a curse!" Another roar of approval went through the streets. Some adults watched with dark amusement, watching the bullying of the girl like some social event. No one interfered.
"I am not a curse!" She yelled, stomping her foot. Her white hair shook with fury, as did the rest of her. No matter what she did, nothing she did was good enough for them. "I try to be normal," she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. "I try to be good, but nothing I say changes anything. Do you think I like looking like this! You try having your skin pale like a moon and see what happens! Bet you won't have many friends either, you fat piggy!"
"Don't you raise your voice at my son, you sinful creature!" An adult cried out in rage. The extremely big woman wobbled over, her pudgy face fixed in rage. She ran over to her fat son, shielding him. "Don't blame others for your own misfortune!"
"Why would Ishbala do this to me?" The girl pleaded. She knew she would get no straight answer. She never did.
"You be happy our god Ishbala even sparred you his time! And you are not his child! You belong to the wicked Goddess of the Moon, Kayamna!" The tone spoke volumes of what woman thought of the moon goddess and the girl. Nothing but utter disgust and hate. "Why our god let you into this world, instead of destroying you as soon as you were conceived is beyond me!"
"Yeah, and you're nothing but a kayamna!" Suppi sneered, sheltered from the girl's wrath by his mother. "A demon!"
"Don't say my name like that, you fat pig!" A sharp slap met her face, the sting enough to stop her yelling. Kayamna whimpered in pain.
"How dare you insult my son like that! If you ever shout at my son again, Kayamna…" The enraged woman let the threat hang in the air.
"Enough!" A tall elderly man, walked up, all the adults backing away in respect. The children stilled and moved away from the little girl, their pouting faces on when their fun was ruined. "What is the meaning of this? I come from prayer to find shouting in the streets." His severe black eyes turned to the woman and the girl. "Explain."
"Kayamna was bullying my son! And the vile wretch had the nerve to call Suppi fat!"
"I did not!" Kayamna shouted, pain forgotten. If there was a small chance the elder would help her… "He was bullying me and telling me I was a curse!"
"Kayamna, you will respect your elders and lower your tongue," the head elder replied icily. He turned back to the woman. "Now, please continue, Ikuzi."
"She needs to show more respect to the other children as well. They let her play with them, and all she does is boss them around. And the insults!" Ikuzi's beady eyes filled with fake tears. "She called my little Suppi a piggy. That was not called for." The head elder frowned and turned back to Kayamna.
"Is this true?" He asked. "Did you insult Ikuzi's son?"
"Elder, he picks on me and calls me Kayamna!"
"That is your name, is it not?"
"Yes, but--"
"Enough." The elder held up his hand and silenced the girl. "I think I see what's going on. I don't need to tell you about your existence, Kayamna. I understand it may be hard for a creature of the moon to fit in, but this is not the way to do it." He frowned deeply. "You apologize to the children and to Suppi. I'm going to let your mother come up with a suitable punishment." With a tone that booked no argument, the elder turned to leave and return to the temples.
Kayamna stood there, a numb sense of acceptance filling her. It was irrational that she thought the head elder would take her side. It didn't matter to him that the kids bullied her. As long as the grownups took their side, she'd never win.
"Well?" Ikuzi sneered at the little girl. "I think you owe us an apology, demon." Kayamna glared hatefully at the ugly woman, but did as she'd been commanded.
"Sorry." Ikuzi walked up to her and kicked the girl in the shins.
"You call that an apology?" Kayamna bit her lip to keep in her yell, meeting the woman's eyes. A nasty bruise began to form on her shins, turning a dark purple. It only served to show off her pale skin even more.
"I'm sorry Miss Ikuzi, and you also Suppi." She said, her voice trembling slightly. She turned to the children. "And all of you. I'm sorry."
"There, was that so hard?" Suppi, now under the protection of his mother, came out of hiding. "But I don't think you meant it when you told me you were sorry!" Suppi turned to his mother, a fat lip sticking out. "Mother, she didn't mean it! I think she needs to be punished!"
"Of course, Suppi," Ikuzi cooed wickedly. "You choose the punishment."
"T-that's not fair!" Kayamna stuttered, eyes widening in fear. She didn't even want to think of what Suppi would do to her. "I already apologized! And the head elder--"
"The head elder said your mother would give you a punishment, but she's not here." Ikuzi observed the girl, her mouth twisted in dislike. "What? Do you expect our head elder to help you? You're nothing more than a demon, and certainly not worth protecting."
Others walking in the streets stopped to hear Ikuzi's words. "I don't know why your mother insists on keeping you around. You're an absolute disgrace to your family. To your people!" The words cut Kayamna like a knife. She'd heard the speech almost everyday, but the ache in her heart never lessened. It stung even more when an adult said it, as if they made the words all the more real.
"Your mother comes from a strong line of warriors, and what do you do? Mess up everything that made our village proud!" A murmur of agreement ran through the growing crowd, mostly consisting of adults. "You have no right to be here, and yet we still let you stay. You're an ungrateful demon that should thank Ishbala for your luck. So you will do exactly what my son tells you, or the punishment you get from your mother will be a blessing compared to what I'll do to you!" Ikuzi slapped Kayamna again, this time sending the girl sprawling on the sand.
Kayamna clutched her red cheek, tears already pouring from her eyes. But she didn't cry from the slap. Those were nothing compared to her mother's punishments. The pain she felt came from deep within her, as if her soul had been wounded.
Forcing herself up, she tried to ignore the hateful stares she felt on her back, the hurtful whispers as they observed the pale girl. Only Ikuzi and Suppi stood close to her, while the rest backed away to let the woman continue her abuse. It was if they were afraid her curse would spread to them if they stayed near her too long.
"I want you to help me gather water for the village," Suppi said. "You can carry the buckets into town." Kayamna kept her eyes averted and nodded. She didn't glare at him, or even speak. She just wanted the day to end so she could go home and cry herself to sleep.
"Yes Suppi," She whispered forlornly. In one last attempt for help, Kayamna looked up at the adults around her, pleading with her eyes. But as expected, she was met with looks of disgust and hate, as if she were some ugly doll on display. One particular man's face twisted up in revulsion, putting a hand to his mouth.
"You stupid demon!" A rough hand on her shoulder tugged her in the direction of the well. "My son gave you an order!" Kayamna stumbled a bit, but righted herself and began walking over to Suppi. With as much pride as she could muster, the girl held her head high, ignoring the way the villagers quickly moved away from her. She actually concentrated on Suppi's ugly face, noticing the number of blemishes and warts and…
The whispering started again, but it was harder to disregard it. She heard her name, heard the way they said it, like it was a festering disease. A lump rose up in her chest and threatened to escape. But she kept quiet. She wasn't going to let it get to her. She would be strong. Just like her mother.
Suppi had turned around by now, and walked a little ways in front of Kayamna, humming a folk song to himself. Kayamna said nothing, grateful for the distraction. Maybe Suppi would be nice and leave her in peace.
"Kayamna, wanna know why I hate you so much?" The girl's head snapped up instantly. "It's not just because of your ugly skin, or because you're a dirty child of the moon."
"Shut up, Suppi. You're nasty mother isn't here to protect you anymore," Kayamna snapped. Indeed, the two children were almost at the well by now, the village disappearing behind a hill of rocks and sand.
"I don't need my mother to protect me, especially against a kayamna like you!" The text her name was used in caused the girl to flinch, and Suppi caught it. "Awww… you don't like me calling you that?"
"Shut up!"
"The reason everyone hates you is because you use the dark magic the westerners use. The one that turns all of Ishbala's creations into abominations." Kayamna stopped walking, shocked.
"Who told you that?" Kayamna demanded. Suppi whirled on her, looking absolutely delighted.
"Because I saw you! You really do use alchemy…" Suppi's small eyes filled with awe and appall. "I'm so going to tell my mother on you!"
"NO!" Kayamna stood in front of him. "Please Suppi! I-I-I didn't' mean it, I swear!"
"Like I care!" But Suppi backed up anyway, suddenly wary of the girl he hated. "And the village could finally be rid of you. Users of alchemy are banned from the village." He smirked. "But you'd die. Ishbala would use the sun to cook you like a nasty bug."
"Don't you dare tell!" Kayamna hissed. "Or… or I'll use it on you!" Suppi's face drained of color, his face almost the same shade as Kayamna's.
"No you wouldn't! You're a child of the moon, so you can only use alchemy at night! That's what mother says!"
"Well she could be wrong!" Kayamna shouted. There was no way Suppi could tell the villagers she used alchemy. If her mother found out, she wouldn't be just banished… She was a disgrace enough to her family as it was. "I swear I'll turn you into a frog!" Suppi stumbled away in fear, his eyes almost popping out of his head.
"You won't touch me! If you do anything to me, the villagers will blame you!" Suppi shouted in desperation.
"But at least you'll be gone!" Kayamna shouted back.
"Then your mother will hate you!" That was apparently the right thing to say, for Kayamna froze. "She'll hate you like everyone else, and you'll really be alone!"
"She wouldn't do that…" But somewhere deep inside, Kayamna knew it to be true. Her mother disliked her so much right now, hate was a breath away.
"Yeah she would," Suppi said confidently. "Just like your vile moon goddess."
"Kayamna of the Moon would never do that!"
"Then why did she leave you in a place where everyone hates you? Doesn't seem like she cares about you. The moon goddess is nothing more than an evil, wicked demon who would eat her own kids if she got the chance."
The insult at the moon goddess abandoning was the last straw. The girl hated the moon goddess. It was her fault she looked like this, with her pale complexion and white hair. If the goddess had not placed her evil hand on Kayamna and turned her into this monster, than she'd be normal. A normal Ishbalan child, like she should be.
But it was also a mark of protection. Ishbala marked his people with the tans from the sun and red eyes. So Kayamna had marked her as well, giving her the paleness of the moon with oddly orange eyes. It was the mark that the goddess loved her, and would protect her. If Kayamna of the moon left her, she was truly alone…
"You take it back," she hissed, quickly maneuvering to her feet and facing the boy who towered over her. "Do not insult a goddess!"
"Oh? And what are ya gonna do?" Suppi sneered, walking closer and feeling more comfortable again. He was back in control of the situation. "Your goddess won't save you in broad daylight. Ishbala rules the day, while your slimy goddess hides away until Ishbala leaves and night is hers." His voice fell a few notches as he continued speaking. "It's a wonder we don't leave you for dead. Your mother is ashamed of you, your people are ashamed of you, and I bet even Kayamna of the Moon feels sick watching you live. And after I tell the villagers about your evil powers, we won't have to worry about a kayamna like you."
The girl's mind snapped, and suddenly there was an odd sense of peace she'd never felt before. Light consumed the world, and it reminded her of pretty moonlight and feathers. Only the moonlight was evil, so it couldn't be considered pretty. Just like her. She looked like she'd been dipped in the moon, so she had to be evil. That's what everyone told her. She was evil. She was the kayamna, the demon, moon child, the child of the Goddess of the Moon. And that's what she'd always be. Just like the pretty moonlight that was really ugly.
She didn't hear the screams.
"Tell me again why we can't do anything?" Ed snapped. "Did you not see the way those kids were bullying her? Just because her skin's lighter than theirs?" The boy growled in frustration and glared at Shayla.
"We need to find the portal, Ed," Shayla explained calmly. "I know you want to help, but remember last time? You ended up dying. Twice."
"I hate to admit it, but Shayla's right," Hughes stated. He glanced back at the village they'd come from. "We need to get out of here and back in our bodies."
"But she was being beaten! How could her own people do that to her?" Ed muttered.
"People are cruel and unforgiving when it comes to religion. They start wars and famines over it, so beating one little girl is no problem," Shayla said quietly. Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I know it hurts, but all we can do is hope for her safety and leave."
"Do we even know whose memory this is? It's not mine. I don't remember that little girl." Roy watched Shayla's reaction.
She just shrugged. "Someone else could be in the realm, and we don't realize it. It doesn't have to be ours." Roy narrowed his eyes, but nodded in agreement. There was something he was missing, but it still alluded the man, like an itch he couldn't quite reach.
"I still want to punch that fat kid's face in," Ed seethed, still focused on his own thoughts. "And the villagers just stand there and let it happen!"
"Ed, just calm down. I want to help too, but we have more important matters to deal with. This is just a memory." Ed looked ready to deck Roy in the face, but held his temper in check for the time being. The man was right, even if he hated to admit it.
"Come on, you guys. Let's go check around. I didn't sense the portal in town." The three men followed Shayla silently, all noticing how tense their friend was. Ever since they'd been in the memory… Ed and Roy both chalked it up to the fact this place reminded her of the Ishbal Massacre, but Hughes had an entirely different opinion.
Shouts were once again heard, but not from the village. They came farther off, somewhere close to the group and away from the town. "What's that?" Hughes wondered.
"Probably Kayamna and Suppi," Ed answered. "The ugly bastard wanted her to bring in water." Roy stopped walking. Something clicked in his mind.
"Kayamna? That was the little girl's name, right?" Ed stared at him and nodded, not seeing where Roy was getting at. "Shayla?" The woman slowed her pace slightly, but didn't turn around. "Didn't Scar call yo--"
A startling flash of light appeared out of nowhere, blinding all four of them. The familiar tang of alchemy filled Roy's being, his mind slowly losing sense of his body. 'What! What's going on!'
Vaguely, Roy heard Ed scream out in terror as he recognized the white around him. But the sound was muffled by the intensity he was feeling, the raw anger in the light. Whoever did this was mad beyond control, the raw emotion actually stinging Roy's mind.
Then it was all gone.
Roy gasped in a shuddering breath, realizing he was on his back. At first his body couldn't move, but slowly the feeling returned to his limbs and he climbed to his feet. Shayla had already recovered, a guarded expression on her face as she faced the direction the shouts had come from.
"What the hell just happened?" Hughes slurred, stumbling to his feet. "That was one hell of an alchemic attack."
"Roy, Shayla. That was the white void," Ed whispered. "The one you used when you lost control of the amplifier." The woman didn't respond at all, instead staring off into space, the guarded look still on her face. Finally, she began to walk. "Shayla?"
"She's going in the direction of the voices." Roy watched her back retreating. "Let's go."
"No. I'm going alone." Shayla turned back to make sure they heard her, then headed on her way.
(1) (Blushes like an idiot) I can't believe I wrote that! It almost wrote a smutty scene! Do I need to change the rating?
Roy- (wails) Why did you stop!
Ed- (growls in frustration) And we were getting somewhere, too!
(2) Hell yeah! I've gotten one of the pairings together! Too bad, especially what I have in store for them… (shifty eyes) Couldn't do a lemon. Not with them. (shakes head) For me, it's defiling something pure. They stay at the PG-13 rating. Sorry!
Ed- Oh, you'll let them get together and happily ever after, but you won't do the same for me and Roy!
Bandit- Chill. And who says I'm not gonna do that. Be patient, you brat.
Ed- (pouts) I still want a lemon…
I'll be replying to reviews in the next chapter, which should be posted very soon. Sorry again!