Konoko: I thought I'd go ahead and post the next chapter since it was already done. Contrary to belief this has a plot. You just don't hit on it until the third chapter. And honestly there isn't anything fluffy about this no matter where you look unless you count Al and Ed scenes. I noticed a lot of hits and I appreciate it but could you please review too so I know how I'm doing. Thanks

Disclaimer: Don't own it damn it!

Cruel Angel

Chapter Two: Promises of Goodbye

The train pulled into Rizembul late into the evening two days later. It took forever to wake everyone up considering train rides weren't the best. Edward jumped onto the platform and stretched sleepily. It was a long walk to the Rockbells plus a lot of complaining and questions. Alphonse did most of the tour guiding while he walked silently with Hawkeye and Mustang. To make matters worse it had begun to rain down on them. The water soaked into the bandages around Ed's throat causing it to sting the unhealed stitches in his neck. Mustang removed his trench and wrapped it around Ed to shield his neck from the rain's assault. He didn't know why he blushed but he did feel his face heat in the cold rain and wondered where the feeling came from. When they approached the house, Armstrong beat the door down before they could stop him finding them-selves staring down the barrels of two sawed-off shotguns and hammer. A shot rang off causing everyone to dodge off to the sides of the doorframe. Edward peeked around the frame catching Pinako's eye.

"Oh, it's okay Winry, it's just Ed."

Winry lowered the hammer and shotgun, "Ed? Al? You're okay!" Both brothers nodded. Winry approached them both in a welcoming hug only to have Al hit dead on with a wrench in the forehead. Ed's however was caught by Mustang's gloved hand before the blond alchemist could blink. Ed cast a look of disbelief at his superior only to have the general look away from him and hand the wrench back to Winry without a word. Pinako narrowed her eyes at him.

"Nice catch, sir," Havoc said peeking from behind the door.

"We'd appreciate it if you didn't hit the injured with blunt objects, Miss Rockbell," Hawkeye stated stepping out the weather. Ed helped Al to his feet seeing the head injury heal on its own and smiled. It was only then that Winry noticed the flapping fabric that was Ed's right sleeve. She shrieked.

"Edward what the heck did you do to my automail!"

"Winry, please, this time it honestly wasn't our fault!" Al pleaded. "You saw what happened!"

"How the heck do you wreck automail by sitting in prison for three and a half months!"

Ed's head bowed as he looked off to the side. Al couldn't cover him for that one because he didn't know what had happened to his brother during the two months they were separated from each other. Instead he just silenced while Winry looked between the confused. Why wasn't Ed saying anything to her? As if she were an angel Pinako saved them from explanation by breaking the silence.

"We can talk about that later, just come out the rain; you're making a scene!" She ushered them into the house.

Ed sat and endured an hour-long rant about his arm and leg as Winry and Pinako took new measurements for new limbs. It perked him up slightly to know he'd grown taller and that the Rockbells had managed to remain normal through the months. It made him a bit more comfortable to be in the company of the people who actually cared whether he existed or not. Adding to that was the pleasure of seeing his brother smile at everyone. It was all he wanted yet he couldn't help feeling cheated some how out of everything. Winry wouldn't speak to him but he could tell something was weighing her down every time she looked at them. He asked Al to explain what went on leaving as much about Mustang and Hawkeye's secret out of it as possible. It seemed to make her angrier but strangely enough she didn't say anything. He figured either she was going to let it go like all the other times or wait for him to be alone. Either way she didn't act like herself the whole time. The next few days were spent prepping Ed for surgery on the automail port of his arm. It had been damaged badly explaining the pain he had been in over the months. The company stayed the whole time during the surgery. Mustang sat still listening to the thrashing and thuds as the old port was being removed closing his eyes hoping to block out the sound. Needless to say it didn't work. Even Hawkeye cringed slightly at the sound and Al just crouched near the door with his hands over his ears and eyes closed. Mustang could only imagine what was going on behind that door and didn't have a strong wish to see the surgery preformed from the sound of things being broken and thrown. He idly wondered how he put up with it when he was only ten years old and what the screaming sounded like. More bothersome was the image of Ed's suffering face. He put a gloved hand to his temple as he sat hoping it would be over soon. An hour passed and the sounds behind the closed door had ceased. Pinako came out with fabric wrapped around what he assumed was the old port by the bloodstains soaked into the white material.

"Well, it's done. I have to tell you it was tough removing this one. It was rusted and the skin had healed around it so getting it off was a chore but he's fine. He blacked out halfway through putting the new one in place. Give or take he'll be up in a few hours and just a little sore but he'll be able to function until we finish the new arm and leg. You're welcome to stay and wait or you could just come back and get him in about a week and a half."

Mustang cast his eyes at his subordinates who all shrugged leaving him with the decision. He turned to Pinako and nodded. "We'll stay until Fullmetal makes a full recovery."

Pinako nodded and disposed of the damaged port. True to her word, Ed was awake and to his sheer bad luck, Winry had stayed with him. Not that he mined her staying he just really didn't want to explain to her why he couldn't speak or about how the military higher-ups are all vampires. However, with her right there, there was no getting out of it. She cleaned up the mess on the floor with an infuriated expression. He would've asked what was wrong but he couldn't and that was the whole problem. He lifted his finger to catch her attention and that was when she blew up.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED! YOU LEFT GRANDMA AND ME TO WORRY OVER YOU THEN YOU COME BACK WITH RUINED AUTOMAIL AND NO VOICE!"

Ed flinched and put his finger down. She continued. "Did it ever occur to you that we might care more than they do about your injuries and the things that happened to you more than them? I bet all of them know why you can't talk. Bet they all know what happen to you but you can't spill a single detail to the people who've been there and worried sick the whole time! Are we that meaningless to us that you couldn't even call when they got you out and let us know that you were recovering or that you were even alive?"

Ed sat there and watched the tears come to her eyes. Had she been holding this in for the four days they'd been there? He sighed wanting something to write on but he stayed still at let her talk. It was rare that he listened to her except when it counted. This, he supposed, qualified.

"Five years, Ed. Five years you and Al have putting us threw this. This time we honestly thought we had lost you both for good. Why don't you just quit the military? It was what you planned all along. What changed? You promised you'd come back to us and you would stay with us and…we could all be happy again. You live on that alchemy junk equivalent trade or whatever. Well, you've been taking from us over and over again and all we wanted was you to stay and live and be content. I wanted you to notice how much we've willingly gave to you when we didn't have to give at all. I've been trying so hard to be a good mechanic so that I could stay as some part of you and Al's lives, so that you would have to come back to us regularly, so that you would somehow see that I needed you both."

She turned crying eyes to him. "Why aren't you content with just us? Why are we never enough for you to be happy! Ed, what do I have to do to make you stay away from all these horrible things that you go after when you leave me here."

He reached for the pad and pen that Pinako had left conveniently for him to communicate.

"Winry, we never get you involved because we never wanted to take anything from you and Pinako. We care too much to let you into the danger we put or selves through."

"Why do you do it then if it's so dangerous!"

"Because there were things out there that we wanted bad enough to give up everything or die trying. We just didn't want to stay because we didn't wish to owe you for the pain that being directly involved would bring. We have so many things to worry about but we chose this for our selves. We gave up our childhood for knowledge, we gave up our lives for success and we have it. But I think we just took too much so we have to give and suffer until we pay off what ever debt we've made in the world."

Winry was silently wiping her eyes as she held on the paper. "What about what I gave up? You took my childhood happiness when you tried to bring your mother back. You took my contentment when you left us. You took a normal life from me when I had to chase after you to make sure you both were alive. You took my heart when I chose to care about what happens to you. I've given up just as much Ed and you haven't returned any of it. I mean, I accepted that you didn't care for me the same way I cared about you a long time ago and I've moved on but the least you could do is let me know that you both care about the way I feel. I try hard you know and here you are always winding up hurt without a care regardless of how I feel."

"We care about you a lot. We care about your safety a lot and we hate even taking from you, Winry. You matter to us just as much as we matter to each other. I'm sorry if isn't nearly enough."

"No…It's enough. BesidesI know you'll leave me again. Just please, when you go off, think about us before risk your life."

Ed nodded. Winry gave a sad smile and leaned over to hug him close. Sure he was older but she still looked down on them as little brothers. Her embraces were always so protective and he even had to admit that he missed it. Outside, Mustang stood outside the door listening to the girl's feelings. He had taken Ed away from her but he felt no regret for it. If she didn't blame him then he had no reason to blame himself. Still, he wondered how Ed felt about it. Why did he keep coming back to them when he could have just ignored every order he's ever given and did it their way no matter what he told them? He mentally shrugged and stepped away from door.

The week and a half passed slowly though Roy saw that his men were enjoying the time off from paperwork and orders. They had time to enjoy the simple things like how the stars looked at night or what shape a certain cloud was. Ed and Al had left to pay a visit to their mother and Sloth's graves. He could only guess they had given the homunculus a gravesite next to their mother's. He figured it was because the artificial being was important because she held memories of them and the time they spent with their mother. They came over the horizon with den trailing behind. He watched Fullmetal brush his bangs out of his eyes as the wind combed through the sun kissed strands. He secretly hoped the boy wouldn't cut his hair; it was very becoming and made him more attractive. Without his arm and normal leg he seemed to be more real. It was like a reality check every time he looked at it letting him know that Ed's predicament was true and there was nothing that could be done about it. What was beginning to get worse was the hunger. It was back due to his constant fasting and morals. Hawkeye had took better to what she was because she understood the hunger as a necessity of being a soldier and general so she fed regularly to stay in peak condition. He however was more reluctant to feed from anyone and that made him a bit weaker and paler by the day and worst of all, he had begin eyeing Fullmetal for more than just his looks. For example, the veins in Ed's neck were becoming increasingly tempting and every cut Ed received made his head dizzy to the point that he would have to leave the room abruptly. Ed had noticed this more often and tried to make a point to be more careful about his skin. The same night, Ed lay awake next to Al who had his back turned to him. He knew his brother wasn't asleep because Al had trouble sleeping since he had not done it much in his lifetime.

"Niisan?"

Ed made a move to let him know he heard him. Al turned over to face him.

"I heard you and Winry and I wondered, why don't you stay this time?"

One thing he didn't understand between he and Al was that Al could understand what he said just by speaking the words against his skin. Ed took his brother's hand and placed Al's wrist to his mouth.

"Because I can't be happy here anymore. There's too much I want to do."

"I understand."

"Al, there's something I want you to do."

"What?"

"I want you to stay here."

"What!"

"Stay with Winry. It's the least we can do and you're the only one who can do it. We owe her too much already and I think we should start trying to give back. But I can't because…"

"I know, either way it goes you'll have to go back and it'll be a while that before I can do anything useful. I'm still off balance."

"Exactly. Please stay with her?"

Al nodded. "I will I promise…but only for now"

Ed smiled and watched him turn over. He heard his brother take a deep breath letting him know he had more to say.

"Say, Ed? What…what keeps you going back to Central? If you really wanted to, you could break away and do whatever you wanted on your own. What's in Central that isn't here or anywhere else?"

Ed blinked in surprise at the question. He never really asked himself why he came to the military over and over again he just always knew he had to come back. He cuddled close to his brother's back and nuzzled the warm skin he'd missed for five years. He pressed his mouth to the serpent cross on the nape of Al's neck and mouthed an answer.

"I don't know. Trust when I find out you'll be the first to know."

Al shuddered and put his arm over the flesh arm of his brother leaning back against him with a light blush rising to his cheeks. Ed nibbled sleepily on Al's shoulder and hugged him possessively. Al smiled.

"Goodnight, Niisan."

"Goodnight, Al."

"Look at his face!" Havoc snickered.

Ed glared at the laughing man showing promises of slow pains later as Winry and Pinako were attaching his nerves to the automail. He twitched when Breda and Farman were holding back laughter. Was he really making that funny of a face? He couldn't blame them. They didn't know how painful this truly was. Ed sat there praying that he'd gotten use to the pain even though he knew he hadn't. At least Den was being supportive by resting by him and licking his good hand. He pet the dog and sighed when heard Winry say "Ready." He eyed Roy out the corner of his eye who sat next Al waiting to see what the mechanics were doing. The general had never seen automail built and attached making him curious about Ed's reaction to it. Pinako and Winry placed their wrenches in place and begin to count.

"1."

"2."

"3!"

They twisted the wrenches sending shockwaves of pain into Ed nerves making him freeze and make a face of pure pain as he doubled over panting. Al helped them lay Ed down as he cringed from the shocks in his leg and arm. Well at least they weren't laughing anymore. Roy watched as Ed went limp as they were moving him and felt the urge to actually worry over him. Winry explained that having to replace an automail port and receive new limbs put too much on him in a short amount of time. Pinako assured them that he'd be up and trying to wreck it again in the morning. They day passed on and Ed was moved to the bedroom he and his brother shared while everyone was forced to help clean up, get firewood and cook. Pinako even made them do repairs to house since they weren't doing anything. She worked them so hard that Roy's comrades suddenly wished they'd took the offer to leave. She didn't force Roy and Hawkeye to work too hard during the day giving them the implication that she already knew what they were. Around evening, Roy was asked by Winry to check on Ed's condition. He definitely knew this was a bad idea yet he found himself alone with said obsession lying still unconscious on the bed with his lips slightly parted. The red rays of the setting sun were shining down on the blond making his skin glow. Roy felt his gums itch as his fangs threaten to show themselves. Involuntarily he moved closer to the bed and kneeled down beside him leaning over the angelic face of his subordinate. He never realized it but when Ed slept he looked so innocent as if he hadn't aged from the first night he found him lying in the Rockbell's living room. He brushed the long bangs from Ed face and leaned close brushing his lips across the boy's mouth. Pressing his mouth fully to Ed's, he felt his fangs break through his gums and the hunger rise in his gut. Ed, still unconscious tilted his head up reflexively against Roy's mouth. The ex-colonel moved away from Ed's mouth to his now exposed throat brushing his fangs over the sensitive skin. Ed shivered lightly squeezing the sheets with his left hand while Roy's fangs found his pulse and sunk slowly into the soft skin. Before he could taste the blood he heard a gun cock behind him.

"Sir, step away from him now." Hawkeye's voice reached his ears bringing him out of his daze. Lifted himself from Ed and turned away from him to face his second in command. She held a pistol aimed at him ready to shoot if he didn't come to his senses. Roy stared at her for a moment trying to call back his normal self. She went to him and took his arm to help him stand keeping the gun ready if his hunger decided to over run his sense. They Looked toward the doorway to find Alphonse standing there staring there in shock with a light pink on his cheeks. They stood that way for a long while as both sides tried to contemplate what to say. Alphonse spoke first.

"So you're both one of those things aren't you?"

Hawkeye's eyes turned to the floor and Mustang slowly nodded. Al approached them and took Roy's arm helping him to another room. He closed the door being mindful to lock it and sat down with them.

"How could you tell?" Hawkeye asked.

"My first clue was how pale you both are now and how in some instances Miss Hawkeye would be her natural color but by the next day she was pale again. Then when you kept getting up when brother got cut or the wounds opened I figured it out. This was proof. Why were you going after my brother?"

"We weren't it was just a stupid idea. Winry asked me to check on him and I lost control when I entered the room."

"It's because you haven't eaten since you've been here?"

"How did you-"

"Your skin hasn't changed color. Listen, I think I can help you."

"Oh and how's that, Alphonse," Roy asked skeptically.

Al carefully slit his wrist making both gasp and step back. "I'm a homunculus and I except that. I can help you in the sense that I can't die from blood loss. You can take what ever you need from me and I'll heal on my own by tomorrow. I don't mind as long as I can help in some kind of way. Just don't hurt my brother; that's all I ask."

Hawkeye took a deep breath being tempted to take up the offer but silently refusing Al and herself. Roy wasn't so lucky to actually have the resolve to say "no." He slowly stood and took Al wrist standing him up. The smell of blood was thick in his senses and he couldn't help but run his tongue over the gushing vein. Al watched slightly nervous by the color change in Roy's eyes as they shifted from their dark coal colored blue to a pale nearly colorless blue. He sucked on the wound a final time before tilting Al's chin up and sucking slightly on his throat. By this time Hawkeye turned away and hurriedly left the room not wanting to do this anymore than she had to. She mad sure the door was locked and slid to the floor in front of it panting and shaking. Inside, Roy bit into the younger Elric's neck and sucked the sweet perfected blood from his veins. Al arched into Roy's hold tilting his head back giving more room to him. His hands wound into the fabric of Roy's shirt trying to find something for leverage and prayed his legs wouldn't give out beneath him. As if hearing his thoughts, Roy lead Al to the bed with his face still buried in his neck and sat pulling Al into his lap. Al shifted until he straddled the general's waist and rested his head on Roy's shoulder. His hands absentmindedly wondered beneath Roy's shirt and drug his nails across the hardened skin making the vampire's teeth dig deeper into his flesh. A quiet moan escaped his lips and he began to feel the effects of the blood loss. He felt dizzy and sleepy as his body temperature dropped. Al couldn't stay awake with the blood leaving his body so quickly and soon his eyes closed slowly as his hands stilled and his head remain resting against Roy. The general pulled back completely satisfied and ran his fingers through the unconscious boy's hair. His skin was cold and pale now making him look lifeless. Mustang carefully laid the honey blond boy onto the bed and covered him with a blanket for warmth. He had to admit, Al was right. The bite marks had sealed and the color was slowly returning to his skin. Roy quietly exited the room to find Hawkeye sitting beside the door biting her wrist to relieve the tension in her body. He placed a hand on her shoulder making her turn to him with pale pink eyes, a result of the hunger. He touched her cheek in a silent apology. This was going to be a long road for both of them.

As promised, Ed was up before dawn dragging a groggy Al from bed. It was five in the morning and no one was happy about hearing crashes and bangs in their sleep. Pinako and Winry, being use to this, slept right through. The guests looked outside the window with cranky glares at the two as they sparred on the lawn. Roy watched them fight realizing that if not in their right minds they really could kill each other with sheer force. It was amazing that they were so strong yet so young alchemy aside. It was a couple of hours before they both were spread out on the grass. The other soldiers had long since gone back to bed cursing at the brothers for waking at odd hours. Only Roy remained awake watching both boys. He assumed they had no idea they were being watched by the way they continued on without a care. What happened next, however, caught him completely off guard. Al had reached over and brushed the hair from Ed's face running his fingers through his braid causing it to unravel. He then pulled his elder brother to him and locked him in a kiss. Ed seemed surprised but didn't pull away at all. Instead he leaned into and was carefully pulled on top of Al who rested a hand on Ed's hip and a hand in his hair. Mustang watched the tender way they looked at each other when they parted and wondered how long this had been going on. Sure he had considered having Ed from the start but the idea of having both was completely out there. He never considered splitting them up but he hadn't known that they were that involved with each other either. Roy, however, couldn't rule out that Al was as equally attractive as Ed now that he was in the flesh and the idea was very appealing but that meant he would have to reevaluate how this would work if he wanted them both. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being greedy but no one would turn down this opportunity. Al apparently was the only one Ed would trust to be that close anymore. If Al trusted him then Ed would trust him. After all, where one went the other would definitely follow.

He was startled when he caught Alphonse looking up at him while Ed's face rested in the crook of his neck. They were so innocent and overwhelmingly curious but there was something else behind those eyes. Mustang figured that going from just armor to full flesh human had changed the boy a bit but that look was downright unnerving. Keeping eye contact with Roy, Al gently pressed his mouth to the juncture of Ed's shoulder and neck. Roy shuddered when he saw Al's lips part and slowly bite the tender spot there. Ed shuddered and clenched the fabric of his brother's shirt in what Roy knew was not pain. Al's hand traveled down his brother's spine making Ed shudder violently. Ed lifted himself up looking down at Al who took his glance away from Mustang to keep him from knowing they were being spied on. Roy couldn't understand what Ed had mouthed into the younger brother's skin but he could hear Al.

"You're right, niisan. We shouldn't do this out here someone'll see us. I can wait until you come back for me. By then you'll heal won't you?" he asked running his finger's through Ed's sun colored hair.

"Yeah," Ed mouthed against his shoulder. "I'll comeback for you and I'll be yours again. You'll see."

"You haven't let me down yet," Al said with a smile. "While you're gone though…I don't mind if you find some else to care for."

Ed lifted his head and looked at Al surprised. Al laughed. "Don't look at me like that. You'll be gone for a while and I know it. I won't be there to hold you in your sleep so I don't mind if you find some else to fill my place until we see each other again."

Ed gave one is sad smiles that Al thought to be the most beautiful yet most painful that could ever don his brother's face. He touched Ed's cheek affectionately. "You'll forget with time and patience, okay?"

Ed nodded and rested his head on Al's shoulder nuzzling it lovingly. Al was the only one he wanted this close. There was no one else who could ever hope to be loved by him as much as Al. Al tilted his head back while petting Ed's hair and looked up at the still spying general. Roy narrowed his eye at the look. It almost looked as if he were asking something of him. The Al gave a quick glance at Ed and back at Roy. The events of the day before came back to his mind.

"Just don't hurt my brother; that's all I ask."

Roy nodded at the younger Elric before leaving the window and the boys alone. That was going to be hard he knew that much for sure.

Later that afternoon, the train's whistle blew loud signaling a last call for passengers out of Rizembul. Ed gave a hug to Winry and Al planting a secret kiss on his brother's neck. Winry and Al cried of course as Ed got onto the train. From the window he tossed Al is red jacket mouthing that he didn't need it anymore. Al caught it and hung it over his arm as he waved goodbye. As Rizembul station disappeared over the horizon, he began to wonder why it felt like he wasn't leaving home at all. He sat back in his seat next Havoc and Fury with Hawkeye and Mustang across from them. Breda and Farman had the unfortunate luck of being stuck across from Armstrong who proceeded to tell them of his family history. A few minutes into the trip Havoc spoke with a cigarette between his lips.

"I almost forgot. You got a telegram from HQ this morning while you were packin," he said handing a yellow piece of paper to Roy.

He skimmed over it narrowing his good eye slightly and arching an eyebrow at the end. Havoc took a drag of his cigarette and smirked with amusement. Hawkeye snatched it reading out loud.

"To Major General Mustang. Upon return to Central Head Quarters you are hereby ordered to accommodate newly promoted Fullmetal Alchemist Colonel Edward Elric within your personal lodgings. The dorms at the moment have been deemed unsafe by the brass and it is in the best interest of all high-ranking alchemists to be off Central Head Quarters until informed otherwise. In the meantime you are in charge of Fullmetal's well being. It is hoped that you have a safe journey back to central. Signed: Fuhrer William G. Marshall."

Ed did a double take giving the best "WHAT THE HELL!" looks he could possibly muster. Roy shrugged it off. Ed took out a pad and pencil and wrote extreme capital letters.

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN!"

Roy merely shrugged and smirked. "It just means you're living with me for a while."

Ed sighed and slumped into his seat. He really owed the world a lot but this was ridiculous. Living with the general and having to face that pompous smirk every day? Equivalent exchange was turning into a cruel bitch!

Konoko: thanks for making it to the end now for the love of god review!