This chapter took a while; I wanted to fit an awful lot into it. Plus having lots of coursework didn't help, hehe. ;)
Thank you for the great reviews! They give me a real 'drive' when I get back from school and can't be bothered. (grin)
Chapter 5, enjoy!
Thursday Mornings Are Always The Worst.
"Over one thousand deaths confirmed, very few survivors. This virus is completely out of control! …Evacuations commencing in the next few days. People are being advised not to approach the town under any circumstances." Riza Hawkeye read aloud, crouching over the Colonel's computer in curiosity. Eyes focused, she scrolled down, searching for more information.
She'd been surprised to find no Colonel, after looking forward to dropping off yet another bursting cradle of paperwork. Unfortunately she'd been greeted with the creeping darkness of an abandoned office. This morning's paperwork was strewn untidily in a brilliant mess, narrowly missing the bin. She'd lowered her head and sighed. The Colonel's attitude towards paperwork was growing increasingly worse each passing the day.
She knew he hated it, everyone did… Even the cleaners, who had cleaned up endless reservoirs of discarded paperwork, knew. Lack of motivation she'd blamed it on so far, but recently she suspected something else had preoccupied the easily distracted Colonel.
"The Town of Afflicted?" Head cocked in puzzlement, she began analysing the map carefully, her scarlet orbs glimmering with precise accuracy. The place seemed close enough, out in the middle of the countryside but near another Military establishment, although she wasn't entirely sure which area that particular one specialised in.
The original town name was crossed out, long forgotten. She doubted anyone would remember it…
This wasn't Roy's typical bedtime reading; he was obviously up to something. And judging by the state of his office he'd been in a frantic hurry. She couldn't help but worry. Printing herself a copy of the map, she quickly donned her warmest outdoor gear.
The weather outside remained its usual beastly self; ferociously tossing its tempestuous blows in the direction of any unsuspecting target. Riza was beginning to grow tired of the monotonous showers and miniature typhoons. For the past week it had been like this, rarely pausing from the unceasing chaos. Many military workers had resided in the comfort of their own homes, instead of braving the treacherous journey to work.
For the few that turned up, life continued as normal. However they found themselves becoming critically behind, due to the lack of people. The general attitude around HQ was stressed, and it only contributed more to Hawkeye's already rising concern.
Pushing her foot down, forcefully, she sped off into the vale of rampageous downpour, intent on finding the source of Mustang's disappearance…
"You're an idiot, you know that?"
Those were the relieved Colonel's first words, as he yanked the phone booth doors open. Ed flinched, lifting his head up slowly to meet a pair of opaque onyx eyes. Closing the door behind him, Mustang knelt down beside the anxious looking blond, his expression unreadable.
An awkward silence passed by, Ed kept his head lowered, not wanting to explain his actions. He could hear the faint murmuring of raindrops descending rapidly from above them. He began to fall into their unwavering rhythm, forgetting all else. Hardly noticing the warm arms encircling his waist gently, his heart skipped a beat as the hurtling bullets pace lessened to a more graceful tone.
A comforting warmth spread over him, enclosing the frigid harshness of the cold. Ed began to completely relax, his uncertainty abandoned. His eyelids wavered delicately until they opened quite suddenly revealing the source of such serene comfort.
"Eh…" Ed breathed helplessly, sinking deeper beneath Mustang's hold. "How did you find me?"
"Quite easily." Mustang said, lowering his gaze to face the younger Alchemist's perplexed stare. "This place is well-known, for all the wrong reasons." He began to explain about the savage sickness, which had been responsible for the Town's destructed population.
Ed blinked; he wouldn't have expected to find anything as severe as a deadly virus wiping out such a placid town. He shivered just thinking about the intensity of deaths and suffering.
"What did they do with all the corpses?" Ed asked, the thought suddenly dawning on him. Mustang drew a deep breath, closing his eyes in contemplation.
"There weren't any."
."They were destroyed!" Ed shouted, eyes widening in fear.
"No. The general public were told the disease was deadly and highly contagious, and to stay away from the town. However that was just a cover-up. No one died, Ed. They're all still here."
"They can't be- that's not possible!"
"Everything I've told you is true. I want to get out of here as soon as possible, can you move?"
"Of course I can." Said Ed, blushing a little. He was beginning to feel the familiar feeling of sickness once again, muscles aching, and temperature heightening. If Mustang found out he'd surely take advantage of his vulnerability. He felt a shadow silently creep above him, the blush deepening madly across his pale face.
Mustang leaned in closer, leaving barely a breath of distance between the two alchemists. The distinctive smell of caffeine floating up his nostrils, invading his senses, Ed began to feel very uncomfortable. He could feel the rough, ragged breaths of Mustang grace his parted lips.
They stayed like that for a while, in prolonged silence. Ed couldn't help but feel embarrassed; Mustang's critical eyes shifted over him slowly, performing a thorough search. He felt like some kind of undiscovered species, which urgently needed to be examined. For the first time ever the idea of becoming smaller suddenly became very appealing to him. To shrink into nothing, far away from that intense glare. He wondered how long they could go on like this…
"Ah, you're in no condition to walk." Mustang said finally, breaking the silence. A devious smile had spread across his lips.
"I'm not a cripple! Both of my legs work fine!" Ed yelled back, crossing his arms in frustration.
Mustang snickered.
"Whatever you say, Fullmetal… such a cute expression."
"What was that?" What's cute?" Ed fidgeted around in Mustang's hold, becoming somewhat paranoid.
"Hmm." Mustang moved his gaze upwards in a faked contemplation "Ah, you."
"Haa?" Ed breathed, reddening all over.
"Oooh." Mustang cooed, mockery evident in his voice. "That look of confusion suits you even better, just adorable!" This was Mustang's most favourite game, which he always got a kick out of. He found great pleasure in watching his young lover break into an uneasy sweat. Oh, if only this could happen more often…
"Easy there, Ed. Can't you take a compliment?" Mustang said, gripping onto the rioting ball of anger, which was currently trying its hardest to break free.
"Compliment? You're only teasing, as usual! Always luring me into a false sense of security, and turning me into a stuttering idiot. And I'm not even in the mood for this after the day I've had. Don't even think about sending me back there, it's a mad house. Argh, it's just so annoying – I can't take it much longer… I- hey what are you doing!" Ed was abruptly interrupted from his little rant by a pair of steady arms seizing him quickly around his middle.
Mustang, tired of listening to Ed's protests, had rather roughly gathered the squirming alchemist into his arms. He had a hard job keeping hold of Ed, as he was frantically thrashing around, like an infuriated cat, hissing, clawing and scratching – he was pretty lethal. However Mustang wasn't defeated so easily.
Silenced, Ed let out a small whimper of pain, rubbing his slightly burnt cheek He was just about to show his disapproval, when a gloved had snaked across his face, sealing his mouth.
"Hush now, we wouldn't want to upset the locals. Would we?"
Ed frowned from underneath the gloved barrier. He wondered what the so-called 'infected' would be like. Their appearance, their behaviour, their living habits and more importantly where they were right now. Secretly, he was glad the Colonel was with him. The mere idea of being stranded alone in this town sent a vicious set of shivers down his spine. God knows what lurked inside those creepy looking houses. Most were derelict and decayed, although Ed had only just noticed this as Mustang carried him outside, his hand still clasped over Ed's mouth.
The delicate touch of the now calm rain, withdrew Ed from his troubled thoughts. Golden orbs reflecting the abyss of dark clouds and looming buildings, were interlocked with obsidian amusement
The Colonel himself, looked surprisingly apprehensive, glancing from his surroundings to the curious blonde he held in his arms. The refreshing breeze blew back his hair revealing wrinkles of anticipation; he was obviously expecting something to happen.
He removed his hand from Ed's mouth, gently, to open the car doors. Ed suddenly found himself speechless, he couldn't think of the appropriate thing to say, and it seemed too late for yelling. His lips remained sealed, as Mustang lowered him into the passenger seat, with a small sigh of relief. He felt like a child being fussed over like this, although Mustang didn't make a very good mother. He'd only done further damage to Ed instead of helping him.
"You're awfully quiet. Did I upset you?" Mustang said, climbing into the driver's seat, getting comfortable.
Ed turned to face him, still unsure of what to say. The Colonel didn't look his way, instead he stared out ahead, Ed wasn't sure why. He wasn't sure whether the he was genuinely giving him sympathy either.
"No… I'm just exhausted. Today has been difficult." Ed said finally, sighing tiredly. Mustang raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet, maintaining his guard. Slightly shocked, Ed nervously rummaged round in his pocket, his fingers unconsciously wrapping around the troublesome object. He'd grown to hate that thing. It had already caused much more trouble that it was worth. If he tried to discard it or destroy it, the next day it would return in its original form. Much to Ed's dismay he was stuck with it.
"If only there was a way to get rid of this damned thing!" Ed shouted in annoyance, attracting the Colonel's attention. Ed slapped a hand over his mouth after releasing what he'd just said.
"Get rid of what exactly?" Mustang replied, finally looking in Ed's direction. The blonde froze, hesitating, what could he say? Nobody was supposed to know about that object, it was simply between himself and Sloth. No one else knew of it. They'd made a deal; an unfair one in Ed's opinion, but at the time he'd had no choice.
"N-nothing… I just meant life in general." Ed stuttered, already ashamed of his poor reply. Mustang choked back a laugh, sneering at his lover's poor attempt at lying.
"Really, Ed. What is it?"
"Like I said, life in general – Oh look, your tank is empty!"
"Hmph, you expect me to believe that." Mustang said, oblivious of how close the tiny marker on the petrol gauge drifted near empty. "You can trust me – you know that, right?"
"Well, I guess… but" Mustang's patience twitched a little, "really, your tank is empty- No joke!"
Sighing, Mustang lowered his gaze, checking if his lover was really telling the truth.
"Argh! Typical…" he said, slamming both hands on the dashboard. He'd never normally forgotten about simple necessities such as keeping a petrol tank full or even finishing all his paperwork. Something had distracted him recently.
"Looks like we're stuck here."
"Yes, just my luck." Mustang sighed and glanced towards the phone booth. "Stay there, I'll be right back." Ed muttered incomprehensible curses under his breath, settling further into his seat. The day had been worse than difficult, and he'd managed to get himself stuck in a less than desirable situation. He was trying his best to avoid Mustang after all. And now here he was; stuck in a plague-ridden town with that man who annoyed him beyond imagination. Fate can be so cruel…
Damn!
With the phone line dead, and his petrol tank empty, Roy Mustang was completely out of ideas. There was of course the military establishment nearby, but he suspected Ed wouldn't be able to make it that far, despite his determined attempts to prove him wrong.
Maybe there were other phones in some of the houses – dare he enter? It was the only chance remaining; he had to try at least.
Meanwhile, a rather bored Ed mindlessly explored his pockets, continuously grasping onto his tormenter. He wasn't sure whether his imagination had run away with him when he began to feel a fervent pull rippling from it. It had happened before, several times, but he'd simply ignored it. However this time he couldn't; he could barely keep hold of it. It hissed and thrashed violently in the startled alchemist's pocket, responding to its master's summoning.
Ed leapt out of the car, desperately clinging onto his half-burnt pocket. He felt an aggressive pull in the direction of a small, sturdy building, a tavern he assumed. Unable to fight against the pull, Ed found himself being launched quite violently into a pair of rotting oak doors, which promptly blasted open on the impact.
Ed rubbed his head vigorously trying to ease the pain away. He had a bad habit of landing in the most painful of positions, and today was no exception. The frail weavings of daylight broke through darkness, illuminating the whole room. Ed stared in awe… it seemed almost ethereal.
Beautiful and amazing as it was, something stirred unpleasantly in the background. Lurking beneath a shroud of opaque gloom, something slowly staggered towards its source of interest. Ed didn't notice it at first. Recomposing himself, he pulled himself to his feet, leaning against a dusty table for support. It was only when he heard a low mourning sound that he spun around quickly, facing a perished face of agony.
"Ed, get back!" came an urgent voice from behind him. Ed stumbled on the spot, trying to keep a comfortable distance between himself and the creature.
Roy Mustang stood in the doorway, gun raised. His finger pressed lightly across the trigger in hesitation. "Quickly, it doesn't look friendly."
Ed stumbled back, knocking a few broken chairs over in the process. He felt Mustang grab him from behind, pulling both of them into the doorway. The strange person, or what ever it was followed, cautiously picking its way through a maze of decayed furniture. Its movements were slow and abnormal; it hovered rather than walked in a ghostly fashion. Both alchemists were thoroughly astonished.
"What are we gonna do?" Ed whispered, eyeing the approaching danger.
"You get back in the car. I'll make sure this guy doesn't get out." Mustang said, pushing the blonde behind him. He glanced around outside, seemed safe enough. "Okay, go now!"
Ed followed his orders reluctantly, feeling somewhat useless. Just as he was about to start walking back to the car, something appeared in the corner in his eye.
"Hey Colonel?"
"Hmm?"
"The whole town is here."
"Eh, what?"
"See for yourself."
The dark haired alchemist turned around sharply, jaw dropping at what stood before him. "Just what we need…"
It was difficult to make out their arched forms at first; the mist provided a perfect cover, but as they limped out in their great numbers, Mustang began to believe the younger alchemist's words.
"Ed, back inside now!"
"But what about-" Ed was cut off as he was thrown back inside the tavern.
"I'd rather deal with him than them." He said pointing in the direction of the plagued masses. They all looked similar to the one inside the tavern, some looking more ferocious than others. Mustang found himself growing in fear once again, which wasn't normal for him. Normally he'd never worry about anything, he was carefree and just went with flow. But recently he'd become more nervous and spaced out, his mind infatuated with a certain blonde.
Door bolted, chairs stacked, and creature distracted, both alchemists huddled together behind the bar, out of breath. It had been Mustang's idea to set some the furniture alight to amuse the creature, which now seemed utterly fascinated with the dancing flames. Sometimes it flailed it arms widely in hope of catching a flame, and was rewarded with a fiery bite. Ed found it quite entertaining, however Mustang had become very serious.
"Did you check for any backdoors?" Mustang questioned, sending another sharp flick of flame in the creature's direction.
"Yeah, there's nothing there, apart from some sort of cellar, but I didn't venture down."
"Mmm, guess we'll be going down there, then."
"What if there are more down there?" said Ed with a frown. He'd actually taken a quick look down there, just for a few seconds, as a growling noise put him off immediately.
"Never mind that, let's go." Mustang replied, unfazed, silently making his way through to the back rooms. Ed didn't bother to push the argument further; he knew Mustang was already in a foul mood.
"I really dislike it down here." Ed said, pouting. He hugged his knees, hoping to gain some warmth.
"Too bad." Mustang replied coolly, settling down beside the younger alchemist. Ed flinched as he felt the warmth of another beside him, very close beside him. Much to Ed's relief the Colonel's arms were preoccupied, well, one of them at least. He held a blazing hand high in there, posing as the room's only source of light. Where the other hand wandered was a mystery, however soon enough… "Ah, Fullmetal, you're shivering…" the location became very apparent.
Shuddering as a disturbingly warm hand crept down his bare arm, Ed pressed himself firmly against the rotting crates, blushing already. Mustang was right; he was cold, incredibly cold. Since he'd lost his cloak before, he was wearing only his thin tank top, and the rest of his usual outfit, which wasn't really ideal for wearing in the bleakness of a tavern cellar.
Sometimes Ed didn't have any control over his body, it would just go about its own business without his consent. In this case, Ed found himself being wrapt around the smug Colonel, drowning in the overflowing sense of comfort. His arms lingered around the older man's neck, while the rest of his body melted into his lap.
Mustang pulled Ed closer, captivated by being in such close contact with his object of affection. Licking his lips tentatively, he lowered head and began to delicately nibble of tip of Ed's ear lobe, determined to find his sensitive spot. A brief smirk formed on his face, as he watched Ed suddenly begin to squirm nervously.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing!" yelled the struggling blonde, attempting to move his head far from the ruthless Colonel's reach. Unfortunately this only added to the Colonel's excitement, a sly laugh echoing down Ed's reddened ear.
"Mmm, don't tell me you don't like it." Said Mustang, purring affectionately over his lover's shaking form.
"Urgh.." Ed could only mumble, he felt strange. Different. In a way he'd never felt before. His senses collided together in a zealous wave of passion. He could feel a bizarre tingling sensation arising in the pit of his stomach, and his joints ached in pleasure, each one screaming out in unwavering desire. Every time Mustang's lips made contact with uncovered flesh, a tantalizing fit of shivers shot down his spine, causing him to cry out in shock and something else, although he wasn't quite sure what.
"Oooh, see, you do enjoy it." Mustang said, laughing mischievously. Ed tasted rather nice in his opinion; like a delicious mix of ripe summer fruits and a smooth, sweet chocolate. He continued to plant small, tender kisses along Ed's neck, while his arms gingerly slithered underneath the younger alchemist's clothing. His fingers massaged the skin softly, occasionally digging into more sensitive spots, setting Ed into endless waves of muttered cursing and lascivious mourns.
It was only a matter of time until Roy Mustang had work his way down to the lower regions. Thrilled by the idea, he ventured forth, hardly noticing the look of anger blazing in his lover's eye. He had Ed pinned to the floor, as normal, both of them in pitch darkness, since Roy had been long distracted from his lighting duties.
While Mustang frantically pulled at the zipper on Ed's pants, the owner began to awaken from his lustful daze, his eyes narrowing.
The bemused Colonel became totally engrossed in his zip opening activity, Ed noticed this and took advantage. He was already disgusted that Mustang wanted to do such things while there was a large of army of diseased creatures upstairs. He paused for a moment, wondering if they'd blast through the door anytime. He quickly discarded the idea and focused on removing the intruder from his personal space.
Success! He'd broken through the zip, and felt immensely proud of himself. Roy Mustang never failed, ever! Confident, he began to remove the loosened piece of clothing, a breath of excitement escaping his lips however, he was quickly pulled to a rapid stop as a solid auto mail hand smacked down aggressively on his own. Everything faded, the thrill, the overwhelming pleasures and the sensuous atmosphere. Mustang could only fight against Ed's firm grip. Again, he'd been so very close. Why did this keep on happening?
"Bastard."
Autumn eyes glazed over in anger, the intense stare sending a jolt of excitement down the Colonel's spine. He was captivated by the furious, fiery looks directed towards him. Never before had he felt such intense desire. Much to his dismay, his favourite toy did not feel the same, and instead battled against the relentless flood of raging emotions.
"Get off me. Now!"
A series of thundering bangs battered against the fragile cellar door, fragments of wood scattering everywhere. The situation had suddenly changed.
"So, everything is in place?" Came a rough voice, belonging to the leader of the military or rather Pride.
"Why yes, of course. They fell right into the trap." Replied another voice, this time the owner being another sin.
"Good work. I had no doubt we'd pull it off."
"Hehe, I can't wait to cause chaos. Just think of the look on that little brat's face. Oh, its almost worth dying for!" the other sin bounded around, a devious grin spreading across his face. Pride smiled in a menacing manner, his one knowing eye fixed on a small opening in the wall, which was just small enough for a child to fit though.
"He'll be here soon. Let's prepare…"
The other sin nodded, his long hair flowing in motion with his fast-paced movements.
"That little brat deserves every bit of suffering he gets." He said, with a frown, leaving the room. Again Pride smiled, awaiting the arrival of their scheme.
"I'm sorry, Fullmetal. You have to, there's no other choice." Said Mustang, urgency clear in his voice.
"Since I'm small enough?" Ed sighed. "What about you? Where will you go?" So many questions the pressured Colonel couldn't answer, he simply pushed Ed in the direction of the small tube opening. All of the day's events had finally taken their toll on him; he could feel a fierce throbbing, pounding malevolently inside his head. He clawed into his cheeks, pain causing him to lose composition.
"Just go, Ed!" he shouted, more aggressive than he'd attended. A pang of guilt swept over him, as he watched the startled blonde descend down the rusty tube. There was no way on earth he could fit through such a compact hole. Persistent as the diseased creatures were, Mustang had managed to cobble together a strong fortification, which mainly consisted of rotting crates and dust-covered furniture. It seemed to be working; they hadn't managed to break through. He only hoped his makeshift protection would hold out long enough for help to arrive. Everything suddenly depended on Ed.
He detested being small. Uniquely small, minute, no one would have ever guessed he was sixteen years old and still growing, at least he hoped anyway. Ed had never expected this to benefit him in anyway or form, but as he crawled carefully through the slim tube lining, his opinion changed.
He was still exasperated by Mustang's impulsive actions before. Sure, their relationship seemed less rocky recently, but that didn't give him permission to plunge into Ed's personal space. The location wasn't exactly ideal either, Ed thought as he urged himself further along the metal surface. He couldn't see a thing, and kept placing his hand into some sticky substance, which burnt afterwards.
It seemed never-ending, never stopping, ceaselessly continuing into further darkness. Ed wondered if he'd ever find an exit, or if he'd slowly wither away without anyone noticing. The only thing that kept him striving forwards was the cool, reassuring breeze being blown from the opposite direction. There had to be something out there.
Time passed, minutes, maybe hours, Ed continued his futile journey, sinking deeper and deeper beneath the earth until…
Light, very faint, but light nonetheless pierced through ebony abyss. Ed squinted forward, his eyes beginning to adjust to the newfound light. It didn't look too far at all, so with a slight glint of hope, Ed plunged forward into the light, all rational thoughts leaving his mind.
"Oh. Mr. Elric, is it? What are you doing here?"
Golden orbs froze in surprise as the young alchemist recomposed himself, only to fall back seconds later.
"F-Fuhrer?"
The tall, broad man chuckled, offering his hand to Ed, who quickly accepted.
"Is there any particular reason you're here, Mr. Elric? He said, the roughness of his voice jarring Ed's wavering confidence.
"Well, uhm… Colonel Mustang and I were just-"
"The Colonel is here too?" he said, cutting Ed off. "Is there something important happening here?" He loomed over Ed, intimidating the smaller man.
"Yes…" Ed paused, hastily thinking of a decent excuse. "T-there was a… disturbance here last night!" That was convincing enough, right? He began to sweat uncontrollably, Pride merely smiled.
"Oh yes, I heard about that. As a matter of fact, I've always been interested in this case so I felt compelled to come take a look for myself. Seems you've beat me to it, Mr Elric." The older man drew back a pair of moth-eaten curtains, radiantly lighting up the whole room. "Ah, much better."
Similar to the tavern rooms, broken furniture and an abundance of dust and mould covered the whole room. There were windows here however, which lifted Ed's spirits a little. The Fuhrer was the last person he'd expected to meet if anyone at all. It was just pure coincidence and luck something had actually happened in town.
"Really?" Ed said, pretending to sound curious. "We weren't told the details."
"No? Well, by all means, Mr. Elric, take a seat, I shall fill you in." Pride said, picking out two stable looking chairs. Ed sat down cautiously, hoping the Colonel had managed to escape. Surely he'd be able to escape? He was Roy Mustang after all.
Not so very far away, his question was answered. A dull brightness filled the room, swiftly flickering around the room. Roy Mustang frowned in defeat. His rigorous search had passed without any rewards. He'd been exploring the depths of the cellar, frantically, hoping for some kind of escape route. Apart from a few cracked wine bottles and several rat infestations there had been nothing of any real interest, and so the Colonel slumped down heavily against the hard flooring. The forceful impact resulting in a piercing screams of fragmented glass. Jumping slightly in surprise, he began to sweep away the thin layers of dust, revealing what appeared to be some kind of window.
Aggressive banging reminded Mustang he had company. They'd managed to break through the first line of protection, and were now taking care of the remaining furniture. Savage arms swarmed over the rotting wood, tearing disturbingly large chunks out each time. The plagued onslaught was somewhat terrifying; Mustang could feel himself shaking all over. If only he could just flick fiery balls towards them, that would resolve the problem completely. He wasn't permitted to do this as this particular group of humans, or creatures depending on how you looked at them, were protected by the very same cause he worked for. He was forbidden to harm them, since they were still innocent civilians, although he found that very difficult to believe.
Furniture tumbling, and laboured moans growing steadily more savage, Mustang assumed they'd broken through the door. It had only taken them an hour, he was impressed by their rapid progress, but didn't dwell on it too long as a firm, and bony hand gripped his shoulder, interrupting him.
Shrill ringing filled the room, as Mustang took initiative and smashed through the dust-covered window. His left glove was torn viciously, blood gently trickling down the shredded remains. The only chance of survival remaining was to take the plunge into the black void the lay before him. It was the only way. Without another thought, he leaned forward, slowly steadying himself down.
It was quite a steep drop; he landed painfully, clutching onto his side. Pain shot across his back, he flinched, feeling around for anything suspicious. He stopped, suddenly, as his bare hand landed on the cool surface of a metal shaft. Why on earth would there be a sealed shaft underneath a tavern? It didn't add up and only added to the flame alchemist's growing curiosity. Spouting a small wisp of flame from his gloved hand, he leaned in for a closer look. The locking mechanism seemed basic, nothing out of the ordinary, however lock picking wasn't an area he specialised in. He began to fiddle around with cogs and suspensions, hoping to be lucky. Much to his surprise after only a few attempts the hatch door sprung open.
Mustang smiled; maybe luck was finally on his side again, just maybe…
"Oh." Ed said patiently, after listening to Fuhrer's story, which sounded about as unconvincing as his own. The man was up to something and Ed wanted to know what. He knew better than to suspect the Fuhrer to be scheming behind other's backs, but that smile he always carried on his face, unwavering, emotionless and knowing made the young alchemist think otherwise. "Well, I'd better go look for the Colonel, guess he got lost." He said, finally rising from his chair and heading towards the door.
"Yes, I'd better be on my way too. Nice meeting you here, Mr. Elric, I'm sure we'll meet again." Pride said, dusting himself off. Ed turned around suddenly, a nervous smile split across his face.
"Uh… well, actually… we need help." Ed stopped, choosing the appropriate words. "We broke down you see and-"
The door slammed open and in stepped Roy Mustang, anger written across his face.
"Ah Colonel, so nice of you to join us! Mr. Elric and I were just about to leave. I hear you're here investigating, did you make much progress?" The Fuhrer perked up, approaching the displeased looking man. For a few moments, Mustang looked dumbstruck until he finally smiled and nodded.
"Yes, we made plenty. We've got enough research here to back up the case." He said, glancing over at Ed for a second. "Are you leaving now, Fuhrer?" The blonde alchemist was astonished by Mustang's lack of shock seeing the Fuhrer here; he could never fully understand that man's behaviour.
"Excellent. Yes, I've gathered some important information I'd like examine back at HQ, I understand you've both broken down here, correct?"
Ed's heart hammered against his ribcage, had he been watching them the whole time? He looked over at Mustang pleadingly, who remained calm, like he expected the older man to know.
"We did, unfortunately. I should be more careful really. I guess I've been working too hard of late." The Eye patched man merely nodded in response, seeming understanding in his own way.
"Well, if you both wait here patiently while I go and fetch the car, you're welcome to a lift back to HQ. We'll have your car sorted out tomorrow, Colonel? It's getting very dark now and I'm sure you don't fancy wandering here in the pitch black? I wouldn't personally." He said, laughing gently. He left after receiving a nod of acknowledgement from both alchemists, leaving them alone once again.
Mustang wandered outside, leaning against the nearest wall. His head dipped in deep thought. Ed wondered if he was sulking about what had happened before. It was his own fault; if he hadn't rushed things like that Ed would have been happy to oblige. He disliked rushing into things without properly thinking them through. And after the day he'd just had his patience wore rather thin. Nevertheless, the small blonde felt guilty that he'd just rejected Mustang like that, having no control over his emotions.
Forcefully smiling, he walked timidly over to the brooding Colonel. He hadn't noticed how much he longed for that comforting touch. The one that filled him with overflowing easement and desire, allowing all of his troubles to magically ebb away. Wrapping his arms around the taller man, he sunk his head deep into the soft warmth, rubbing affectionately against the tattered material.
He never wanted to let go, ever. A light airy feeling spread across his body, embracing the sudden surge of comfort. They could have stayed like that for hours, unmoving, melting into one another… the feeling was too overwhelming to describe, but quite suddenly and unexpectedly…
Smack!
Ed found himself flying headfirst into a muddy puddle, a bright red mark appearing on his cheek. He ran his hand over it delicately, unsure of what to do. Why had Mustang hit him? Surely he'd got over the incident before… it wasn't that severe.
"Don't you ever try that again!" Mustang shouted, voice cutting through Ed's unstable emotions. "It's disgusting… stay well away." He stood over Ed's hunched form, growling in anger. Ed didn't understand. Why had he taken so much offence? He didn't know what to say, words had mysteriously abandoned him. All he could do was shiver in the puddle, eyes downcast, expression hurt. Water cascaded down upon him, as Mustang kicked a nearby puddle covering the smaller alchemist in freezing water. He simply grunted, then returned to his place by the wall.
Ed just sat there in bitter shock. His eyes began to sting, warm liquid building up behind them, he held it back for as long as he could. Dirty water and tears mingled together in a stream bewilderment and grief. Frozen, his body refused to move, too exhausted and distressed to respond willingly. Dim saddened gold reflected in the murkiness of the puddle watched him serenely, uncertainty riddled within. The heavens above opened up, and waterfalls of rain came seeping over the land below. Ed ignored this; unanswered questions distracted him, desperately wanting to be answered. Ed lowered his head between his knees, closing his eyes. He was truly sorry for making the Colonel feel that way and wished he'd return to his old teasing self…
An impressive looking car pulled up alongside them, which obviously belonged to the Fuhrer.
"Okay, get in you two, plenty of room in here!" The beaming man said, rolling down his window. "Fullmetal? Did you fall?" Ed jumped up, forgetting where he'd been sitting. Wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to smile, he responded quietly, sadness still apparent in his voice.
"Yeah, I fell. Sorry about that."
An inquisitive Hawkeye peered down the open shaft in front of her. She'd only arrived moments ago, but had already realised where the Colonel had headed, since his car was still outside. As she looked more carefully, she noticed something lurking in the far corner. It seemed to be a tall figure, which slumped over unhealthily. It noticed her presence, and shuffled over to investigate. She caught her breath.
"What are you doing here?"
Confused?
I know I am. ;)
Verrrrrrrrrry long chapter from me, or at least it felt like that. (Mutters something about writer's block.)
Hope I wasn't too cruel, hehe.
Reviews are more than welcome, as usual. I need something to keep me typing. ;)