Hello! And Welcome to my RoyEd fic! I wrote this because I am a loyal fan to all and everything that is RoyEd. In case you didn't read the summary of this piece or you don't know what any of the warnings mean, I shall explain. This story is RoyEd, meaning the pairing of Edward Elric and Roy Mustang. Pairing. As in romantic. Yes, it's two guys. I happen to be a fan of yaoi, shounen-ai, or Boy's Love. If you don't like this, then you are in the wrong place because I do. Please do not leave any comments against the pairing because then you really do not have any reason to read this in the first place. Seriously, yes I do realize that Edward and Mustang are both guys and there is an age difference there, but I am a fine believer in the fact that if you love someone it shouldn't matter what race, age, or gender. Love is love. Leaving a comment about Roy being a pedophile or against being gay is just idiotic and I will not tolerate it. RoyEd is a popular pairing to many. Really, if you are against anything here that I have warned you about, then why the heck are you reading this in the first place?

Anyways, now that my little rant is over I can continue. Although it says yaoi in the summary, this is more of a shounen-ai. No high rated things.

This story has two original military officers in it. They play a big role in this first chapter, but remember, Roy and Ed are the stars of the story so they're just backups, the ones who keep the story running when the main characters are not there. Guy Grandova and Gustave Wolfwood.

I gave this fic a higher rating just for the fact that it is shounen-ai and that Edward swears a lot. There is of course violence...some of the best scenes in FMA just happen to be Fight Scenes. I hope that you enjoy this fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters. They are all property of Hiromu Arakawa's creative mind. I do however own this computer that I am typing on, Grandova and Wolfwood, and...wow...I think that's it...

Chapter 1-

The hardest thing to understand is the human heart. One moment it may be beating happily while the next it feels crushed. Love, hatred, each emotion can be easily mistaken for the other. How can one tell if it's love or hatred when denial comes into the picture? And if it is love…how does one go about it when it is unrequited?

"D-Damn it…" Edward silently mumbled under his breath as he weakly trudged forward, dragging each foot as he did so. His usually blonde locks were drenched in blood, his blood. A few droplets of the red liquid slid down a strand of hair and landed on the already large stain on his back. "No I…I can't let it end like this...not now…" The boy held the hand of his metallic limb before his face, barely able to see the ripped sleeve and glove upon it, his vision being too blurry to see much of anything. He covered his mouth with it as he coughed, chest heaving as he did so.

The Fullmetal Alchemist chuckled silently under his breath. "Sorry Al…it looks like I won't be getting your body back…" He lowered his arm from his mouth and allowed it to drop to his side. The metal somehow felt heavier than it normally did, despite Winry's efforts to make it lighter and have more mobility. As it fell to his side, he nearly lost his balance; if he didn't have a leg of automail on the other side of his body, he surely would have. Edward squinted his eyes as he looked down the path ahead of him, trying to see where his legs were taking him, denying the fact that he would perish if left in his condition much longer.

With another step, the blonde felt a sudden bout of dizziness surge through his head, making his vision become dimmer than it already was. His surroundings now had a tubular shape to them, the corners of his field of vision too dark to make out. Edward grabbed his forehead with his left hand and squeezed it, trying to make the feeling leave his body. This wasn't what he had planned on, not what he was willing to accept. He wouldn't die, not until he was able to right the sin he and his brother had committed three years ago. Not until he restored his brother's body. Not until he…

Edward felt his body plunge forward, everything seeming surreal as he fell, the very fall appearing to be in slow motion in his eyes. His body hit the ground and he curled up in his place on impact, his meeting with the ground hurting his several wounds. The boy blinked a few times, each time his eyes remaining closed longer during the blink until they didn't reopen. "Alphonse…" he incomprehensibly whispered as he began to lose contact with his surroundings. "I'm…sorry…" Edward lost all senses of the world and lay motionless on the ground, a puddle of blood slowly spreading around him.

"Are you certain the Elric brothers came this way?" A voice called from the distance.

"I'm sure of it," A masculine voice replied. "One of them anyway. I spoke to a civilian who said she saw a short blonde with a temper wearing a red coat and white gloves come through the town today. The only person I know of that fits that description is Fullmetal himself. It means that we must be close. Even he can't travel very quickly by foot." He tightened his hold on the reins of a majestic looking white stallion. "We'll catch up shortly. These horses can travel more than twice the speed of Fullmetal."

The first man nodded as he came into view, his horse being all black in coloring except for a splash of white upon its muzzle, traveling up between the steed's eyes. "Fullmetal can be a handful at times. Are you sure he didn't try to throw off any militia as he traveled? I'm not an alchemist, but I know his techniques can almost match the colonel's, and his specialty isn't within a single type of transmutation." He let loose of the reign with one hand as he adjusted the collar of the blue military uniform he wore. "I still remember watching that match between the Colonel and Fullmetal. He used a decoy to grab every else's attention as he made his move." The man noticed how his comrade didn't respond to his questions. "Lieutenant Wolfwood?"

Lieutenant Wolfwood closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Lieutenant Grandova…how would it be possible for Fullmetal to hide from us if he didn't know we were looking for him? We wouldn't be out here if we didn't have to warn him bout the murderer that is loose…"

Lieutenant Grandova whipped his head to the side in order to rid his vision from the brown shaggy bangs hanging before his face. "For some reason I thought he may be in hiding. I don't know, I don't quite understand him…"

"Enough about that," Lieutenant Wolfwood replied sternly. "We have a job to fulfill. Keep your eyes peeled. He can't be far from here now, but remember that he is a small target…"

"R-Right," The younger military officer replied as he took a hold of his reign with both hands once more. "But the color red should stick out in all this snow…it would stick out anywhere…" He stopped his horse as his eyes caught glimpse of something lying on the ground. Red…? Could it be…? Grandova swung his legs to the left side of his horse and slowly slid off the mammal, landing ankle deep in the newly fallen snow.

Wolfwood pulled on his horse's reins, the stallion neighing as a result, to bring it to a halt, perplexingly watching his fellow military officer. "Grandova, is there a problem? Did you fall off your horse?"

"No…I just saw something…" Grandova lifted a foot and brushed the snow off it before placing it back into the mass of white. He remained unfazed by Wolfwood's comments, by this time being used to the ridicule; he wasn't exactly the sharpest person in the military, how he achieved the rank of lieutenant escaped many of his fellow commanders. The man walked forward to where the red resided and bent over the object. It was covered in snow and appeared to be tattered. "What is this…?"

"It's probably some animal." Wolfwood said silently as he climbed off his horse as well. "At times certain animals can't make it to a shelter in time for hibernation, eventually freezing to death. Leave it, we have more important matters at this moment." He placed his hand on Grandova's shoulder and patted it. "Come on Guy, I know you like animals, but you can't pick up every one that you see, especially if there isn't anything left to do for it." He began to walk back to his horse when Grandova stopped him. "Guy…?"

"It's still breathing…do you see that or is it my imagination?" Guy asked as he crouched down to get a better look at the animal. "And all this red...I think that it may be blood…"

Wolfwood sighed, never actually taking a look at the animal when told about it. "Then it's wounded. Let nature take care of itself. We shouldn't interfere. Come on, we have to find Fullmetal." When he reached his horse, the man took a hold of the reins.

Guy didn't respond at first, but bowed his head. "That's right. We can't very well avoid the words of a colonel. And Fullmetal is still a kid, isn't he?" Grandova lifted himself to his feet and brushed off the snow sticking to his uniform. "Not only that, but it's cold out here. We don't want to c-" The brunette found himself laying on the ground, face planted into the snow after losing his balance.

Upon hearing a noise, Wolfwood quickly turned around; senses keen to whatever may be lurking in the shadows. Seeing that there was no need to be alarmed and his comrade had another clumsy moment, his hand found itself upon his forehead for the second time that day. "Lieutenant Grandova…can't you wait until we get back to headquarters before you decide to play in the snow?"

Guy Grandova lifted his head and spit out the snow in his mouth. "I'm not playing in the snow…" He lifted his torso with his arms and sat upon his heals; now that he was already soaking wet from the snow it didn't matter if he allowed the rubber souls to touch his uniform. "I tripped over something hard…"

"It was most likely a rock." Wolfwood held onto the white stallion's saddle, preparing to jump upon it. "We're in the wilderness, it would make sense to run into some natural features."

Grandova nodded and stood as tall as he could, making any necessary adjustments to his uniform in hope that if it still looked well the fact that it was soaking wet would not matter as much. "Understood. Edward Elric is the top priority at this moment." He moved his foot forward with much difficulty. "That is…once I get my foot free sir…" The brunette goofily saluted his friend as he began to dig into the snow. His actions stopped as he stared into the hole in the white blanket he just created. "…Gustave…?"

Lieutenant Wolfwood sighed again. "What? Is your foot trapped under the rock or something?"

Guy shook his head. "Negative…but Gustave…"

"What is it Lieutenant?"

"Edward Elric…or the Fullmetal Alchemist…he has metallic limbs…correct?"

Gustave Wolfwood quirked a brow. "Correct…do you have any ideas of where he may be located?"

Guy pointed to the snow. "I think that I may have found him…"

"What!" Gustave let go of his horse and hurriedly walked to Guy's side. Sure enough, there was Edward Elric, the object Grandova tripped over being his automail arm. "And that red…?"

"Well, some of it is this rag he's wearing…" Grandova pointed out as he lifted some of the cloth. "But the rest is what we thought it was before we knew Fullmetal was here. It's blood and it looks like a lot of it…hmmm…you know Gustave, this…"

"Then don't just sit there in awe! Start digging him out!" Wolfwood knelt at Guy's side and began to dig in the snow to uncover the teenager, hoping that he was more or less in one piece. "It looks as if we may have been a little late in informing him…"

"You can't exactly be sure about that…" Guy dug into the snow and threw whatever he grabbed in his hands over his shoulder. "This doesn't look like the work of that particular murderer at all…but…"

"You're right…it doesn't look like the other attacks that there have been…but there is always a chance that whoever did this tried to throw us off…" Gustave brushed some snow away from the pile before him and revealed Edward's face. "It looks like he was here long enough to at least be lightly covered with snow…but his face still has signs of life and isn't exactly frozen. We must have arrived here shortly after he dropped to the ground. I can't tell how much before that he was injured though…look over there…" Gustave motioned ahead of them with his head. "It looks like he may have walked here, sure, the footsteps are covered by now, but you can still see the indentions in the mass signifying that they once existed." He placed his hand on Edward's cheek. "He's cold from the snow, but I can still feel his warm breath…that's a good sign…and you said earlier that you saw him breathing?"

"Yes," Guy finished uncovering Ed's chest and rolled him over onto his back. "It's surprising that he didn't freeze, suffocate…or bleed to death…"

"You mean yet," Wolfwood cut in. "We need to get him back to Central quickly and to an infirmary if we want to ensure he'll make the night. Colonel Mustang will want to know what happened." He seems to become easily aggravated with any negative news about the Elric brothers… "Help me lift him onto my horse."

The brunette nodded, positioning his hands under Edward's upper body, leaving the legs to be held by Gustave. "Central is the closest military base…but do you think that it's wise to let the Colonel know about what happened before we can make Fullmetal look presentable?" He began to lift his side of the alchemist.

"It is better to inform him before anything else happens to the boy…" Wolfwood lifted Edward's legs synchronized with Guy's lifting. "This isn't the first time Elric has been near to death, or so I've heard. It's not our job to become involved in anything unassigned to us, but word travels around. Colonel Mustang was angrier about not being told of the hospital visit than the fact Fullmetal was in there in the first place."

"Mnnnnn…"

Guy looked at Edward's face and a chill ran down his spine. "Was that him that made that noise…?" He shivered at the thought. "He must be a tough kid to be able to hang onto and fight for consciousness…even barely…"

"There is a reason why he was able to become a state alchemist at the age of twelve…he's the youngest recruit that the military has ever seen." A more furtive look spread across his face. "Don't tell me you're frightened of his strength…"

"It's not that…but…" Guy looked away from Edward's body and towards his own horse. "It's just…he's so badly wounded and he's stayed out here in the cold…nearly all covered in snow, but he still has his fighting spirit left. I would have probably lost everything by this time and wouldn't want to go on with trying to survive anymore. Despite his size and age, this little guy must have a lot that he wants to accomplish before he can give up on everything…"

Wolfwood closed his eyes. "Guy…you're thinking too much…let's just get Mr. Elric back to Central and then we can discuss any matters that are on your mind…" He and Grandova lifted Edward higher and placed him upon the white stallion. "It's not that long of a ride there." Once the blonde's body was draped over the horse's back, Wolfwood climbed upon it, sitting directly behind the alchemist's body. "Now Lieutenant Grandova, let's return to central…"

Grandova nodded as he crawled upon his own horse and uneasily returned to gazing at Edward's motionless body upon the steed, the alchemist's body apparently still bleeding from the severity of his wounds. "Um…the man swallowed before continuing, "Do you think that…even if he survives and everything…he'll be fine after the Colonel meets with him…?"

Wolfwood cracked a small smile. "I haven't been in the military for very long as it is. And I don't think that it is necessarily right to speak of a higher ranked military officer to others…especially behind his back..." He placed on hand on the young alchemist's back, the other holding the reign of his horse as his horse began a gallop, Grandova's close behind. "But I think that you have too quickly judged our Colonel. He cares for the Elrics, Ed especially…in his own way. Remember, it was Colonel Mustang who saw his abilities first hand and before anyone else had."

But…that doesn't exactly answer my question… Grandova bemusedly thought as they approached Central Headquarters.

Edward slowly opened his eyes, almost immediately regretting it as his vision was flashed with a bright light, his surroundings appearing white. Seeing the color made his heart drop. Crap…am I dead? He rubbed an eye with his left hand, trying to adjust his vision; at the moment it was quite blurry. He managed to bring some objects into focus while others remained indistinct. One item in particular was a cabinet on a distant wall. A few bottles and bandages along with disinfectant were lined up meticulously near a sink. The blonde scratched his head. If this were heaven then this is one hell of a messed up place…

"You're awake," A masculine voice called from the distance. Edward slowly moved his head to see a hazy figure standing at what appeared to be a doorway. "I thought that you were going to sleep for a week straight. It looks like you proved me wrong."

Edward closed his eyes and relaxed his head upon his pillow. Damn it…this must be the other place…there's no other way he'd be with me…that Mustang…

Roy smirked at the boy, knowing very well before hand that the teenager would act in such a way. "What? Are you still tired? I thought by now you would be past the age for naps."

The blonde narrowed his eyes as he turned his head away. "That's something coming from the guy who sits in his office all day avoiding paperwork." He coughed and closed his eyes, being more stubborn than anything. My body…it's numb…they must have given me some sort of medication after they brought me here…but it still is a wonder that I survived the injuries I had…

"There is work to be done here just as there is for you and others to do outside these doors," Mustang replied in an unfazed tone. "Speaking of which, did you retrieve any more information about…" He looked about the room and closed the door behind him as he stepped forward, lowing his voice as he spoke. "The Philosopher's Stone? Remember, I left that in your hands."

Edward didn't speak at first, instead giving a small groan of agitation. He hated it when it seemed as if his words did not affect the Flame Alchemist in the least. They were always either ignored or thrown back to him. "I…thought I had gotten even closer to the truth…" he finally coughed, voice sounding frail. Whether it was because of how weak his body felt or that he was in a bad temper from responding to his elder was not certain.

Roy sighed as he approached Ed's bed. "I don't know how you expect the military to fund for your research if you don't supply us with any results. Not only that but you deliberately disobeyed the word of a higher ranked military official than yourself." With each word he said, the man's voice became sterner. "There is a convict who escaped and is currently missing. We have no traces of evidence or idea of his whereabouts. He targets state alchemists; if I remember correctly you are placed in that category." By this time Mustang stood at the foot of the teenager's bed and was looking directly at his discontent face. "If that was not enough of a reason to stay in Central until told to do so otherwise, Scar is still at large. He has been reported of being in this area."

With a small inaudible sigh Edward repositioned his head so his face was in the pillow, trying to give the message that he didn't want to deal with any of this at the moment from anyone, especially from a military colonel like Mustang.

Roy clenched his hands at his sides, but made sure to keep a calm and cool exterior, especially when it came to his facial expression. He smirked before turning his back away from the hurt boy. "I should have known that sending a child in to do military work was a mistake in the first place. Next time I should send a more highly trained official. Then results can be expected along with the proper following of a few simple orders.

Edward felt his body beginning to seethe with anger. That was it, the reason why he hated to deal with Mustang on a regular basis. The man always seemed to turn everything he did or said against him, leaving the blonde with no way to defend himself. Letting his anger get the best of him, the Fullmetal Alchemist rolled over onto his back and gripped the bed sheets tightly between his fingers and the palms of his hands. "I'm not a child!" He shouted as he shot up to a sitting position, a little too quickly he thought, for his head was now spinning and he felt light-headed. The boy didn't allow his hands to loosen their hold of the blankets as he began to pant. "I…I did make some progress…and I plan to make a lot more…I'll be out of here today…and after that I'll be able to get the Philosopher's stone…you and I will never have to deal with each other again…"

Mustang turned around, unsure as to what to say to Edward's overexertion of his body. He noticed the pale coloring of his fellow alchemist's face and the shaking of his small body. "Edward…" He began before pausing and observing the boy for any more damage. "Overexertion at this time will not help to change my mind about the situation. You may reopen your stitches and become worse off than you were when you were carried here."

"I'm not stupid Mustang…" Edward hissed, releasing the sheet with his hand of flesh in order to rub his eye. "I'm not doing anything…that will wear me out…"

"Who did this to you…?" Roy suddenly asked in a serious tone. "I know it wasn't Scar by the way your injuries look. And it wasn't the resent fugitive." He walked to the edge of Edward's head and stopped near his head.

Edward refused to look at him; or rather he was afraid that if he moved his head any more than he had to he would surely pass out. He remained staring forward towards the foot of his bed. "Who did this to me…?" He asked in a quiet tone before lightly chuckling. "Who did…" He looked towards the ceiling, the lights seeming to be very bright above his head.

Mustang raised a brow as he watched the child, not allowing any of his worry and anxiety about his condition surface and become visible to the boy. "Do you mean to tell me you are unsure of what happened…did you see the attacker?"

Edward scratched the back of his head. "I…don't remember anything…I didn't even remember how I got here…" His eyes began to close. "But…it doesn't mean…I won't get to…the bottom of this…" At the end of his last word, the blonde began to fall to the side, being caught by Roy before he could tumble off the bed.

The man looked at his sleeping comrade and sighed. "This is why I say you're a child Edward. You push yourself past your limits and don't listen to any of the adults here." He gently placed the boy back onto the bed and fixed the blankets upon him. Not to mention the way you make me worry… He brushed some of the alchemist's hair away from his eyes; since it was not pulled back at this time it seemed to have a mind of its own. The Flame Alchemist placed a hand upon the blonde's cheek, noticing that it felt warm. "Just stay here a while longer…" He bent over next to the boy, hand still cupping his cheek. "I'm glad…that you're fine…even if that may stretching the truth a little…" He closed his eyes and leaned over still until he stopped in his place in fear that someone may be watching somehow. It was a military facility, there had to be eyes in some parts of the building. And he's sound asleep too…

Roy Mustang cleared his throat and walked to the entrance to the room. With a small shake of his head he opened it and exited.

Upon hearing the door close, Edward partially opened his eyes. What…what the hell…was that…? Was Mustang just going to…was he about to… A small blush began to spread across his face as he dug his head into the pillow in order to hide it, trying to remove any of the images in his mind. I must be more delusional than I thought…either that or he really is as perverted as everyone says he is…that sick bastard... Despite the blonde's thoughts, he couldn't rid himself of his heated cheeks and the small smile still buried in his pillow...

End of Chapter 1

Thanks for Reading! And as I have said this is soon to be RoyEd! Well…you could kind of tell in a way with what Roy was about to do and how Edward responded to it… The next chapter should be finished in a week or two.

Please Read and Review! It would be very much appreciated! It always means a lot to me to hear from my readers. Not only that but a comment or two always puts me in a good mood...