-Sarcasm- Oh yes, I own FMA

-Xiaoqi

Thank You –Chapter four

A thin sheet of sweat now covered the colonel's body. He shivered, feeling cold, damp, and shaky as if he had just been sick with a high fever. Damn, maybe he was just getting too soft. As Roy's eyes adjusted to the dark, he blinked back the phantom of tears that were just there, nothing now pouring down from his deep eyes.

He sometimes still had nightmares –no, flashbacks, of the Ishbal genocide, as if he were reliving the parts once again. Sometimes. But that was enough. You didn't know how guilty, angry, nor depressed until you've actually been there, experienced it, the scenes from then etched deep into your mind, never to be thrown away, or forgotten by the soul.

Roy currently felt that way. Not that he was thinking about Ishbal again, but he had just dreamed of his lover (he had actually had a silent argue over whether he should be able to call Edward by this term now) being murdered by that green-haired homunculus, whatever his name was —Envy.

And there was blood. Lots of it.

The colonel didn't mind blood, it was just when it's splattering, pouring out of a wound, draining the force of life from someone, that's when he couldn't stand it. Roy Mustang had seen enough blood shed in his life. He was in the military, after all. Tossing and turning again, he switched his position so that he was lying on his side, slightly curled up, rather like a crumpled piece of paper. He wouldn't mention his dream to Ed. Well, not now at least. Why would he? The only thing he'd succeed from that would probably be a raised eyebrow and an "Aw…" from the young teen. Roy brushed that thought away from his head with a sweep of his conscious voice, and attempted to drift back to sleep, only to once again toss and turn, unable to find a comfortable position, meaning another restless night.

It would be much more comfortable if Edward were here.

xxxxx

Ed was doing perfectly fine –almost. He was still fine, that was, even after about three hours of remising about the Colonel, but other than that, nope, he was perfectly fine.

The blonde teen turned slowly to face his younger brother Alphonse Elric, whom was snoring silently against the wall. He always was saddened when he looked at his brother, the fact that it was because Edward, himself, was the one who had wanted to try the forbidden art, and convinced Al to do it with him.

The only reason we've ended up this way.

It was funny how your mood can change so rapidly. One minute Ed was thinking about Roy, and the next… of how he and Al had ended up so badly. He and Al had been through everything together.

They were brothers.

Yet, still almost every time the elder Elric laid eyes on his brother, a pang of remorse would hit him, sending off the regretted thoughts in his mind.

He felt like he needed someone to confide in, to spill it all out. Even he hadn't told Al everything that ran loose in his head. There was one candidate for this though –Mustang.

The infuriating bastard whom he loved so much.

One thing was annoying and taunting him, the fact of truth. Dare he call on he and Roy's current relationship? Was it enough, enough so that he could confide his truths, sin, and confessions in the older man? Even if he did, could –no, would the Flame Alchemist accept it?

He could try. He would say something to Roy to bring on the subject that brought him so much guilt which made his insides squirm, and see the raven haired man's reaction. Thus, if Roy did show some sort of appropriate reaction, Ed would accept. He could then ramble on.

He had already sinned… so many times. So, what was another sin to a sinner?

Edward licked his dry bottom lip, then shivering slightly, propped himself against the wall still thinking nightmare-influenced thoughts. He lazed his figure, slouching forward with his eyelids becoming heavier, inducing blackness upon his vision. Sluggishly, he nodded quietly off to sleep, head rolling to one side, now asleep in a literal laid-back position.

Harsh reality wasn't the one who could hit him in the face when his body and mind was resting so peacefully. Not now, at least.

xxxxx

"You and Mr.Elric can surely manage." King Bradley finished his sentence.

The Flame Alchemist looked expectantly up at the Fuhrer, as did the Fullmetal one.

"Some of the Homunculi have been spotted in and around another city just not too far from here. So, you two shall be taking a train to Topaic and seeing what you might be able to find out on that information."

"Yes Sir." Edward and Roy chanted in unison, but Roy was the first to lift up his right arm in a salute before the blond teen followed.

"And I expect two reports coming from the each of you when you get back." The Fuhrer stated airily before closing the door behind him and walking out of Roy's office, as followed by his accompanies in his superior wake.

The blond cocked his head to one side, grimacing slightly at the fact of spotted homunculi. The pseudo artificial humans were the least he needed weighing down on his mind, seemingly. He could easily spend the time needed for this mission with Roy… or just talking to Al. He enjoyed speaking with his younger brother… he would have more though is Alphonse wasn't such a worrywart. He would have to contact Al quickly to tell him that he was on another mission. They were scheduled to leave tomorrow.

xxxxx

"Fullmetal, kindly get your ass over here quickly!" We're going to miss the train!" The older man barked as he dragged a suitcase with his arms.

"I'm trying to!" The elder Elric called back, trying to push his way through the thick crowds of people at the Central train station. After a few more moments of being jostled this way and that, he finally jogged up to be standing beside Roy. They boarded the train and slid into the compartment that their ticket spelt out for them. With a content sigh, Edward leaned back on the cushioned seat that he resided upon, and placed his own suitcase into the free space beside him.

A low rumbling sound and the softly quaking floor beneath their feet informed them that the train was starting to move. Ed rested his elbow on the seat's arm rest, propping his head up with his gloved hand. His eyes moved side to side lazily as he watched the scenery fly past. Soon, without fully realizing it, the Fullmetal caught on with the rhythmic clacking of the train and felt himself becoming curiously sleepy, and dozed off soon after.

Roy watched in silence as Edward's head lolled to one side, his mouth slightly open, and his chest rising and falling to the pattern of his peaceful breathing. 'The kid sure can sleep.' He thought to himself, as his sharp eyes continued to bore onto the sleeping teen.

Mustang never kept track of how long they had been on the train, but he guessed that it wasn't too long. The train jolted, and Edward's features scrunched up before his face loosened up and he feel into deep slumber again. Though, the sudden movement had caused the blonde's body to move, and his head was now hanging from the arm rest, in a very uncomfortable looking position.

With a sigh, the Colonel got up and took a seat beside Ed, pushing the suitcase aside. Carefully lifting the younger alchemist's head as to not wake him, Roy placed it in his lap and moved the boy's body so that it was actually in a comfortable sleeping position. "You're going to catch a cold sleeping like that, Edward." He whispered. The blonde's face contorted at the noise, but then relaxed once more. Rolling his eyes ever so slightly, he slowly slipped the infamous red coat from the slumbering frame, and draped it over the small figure lightly, like a blanket.

The Flame Alchemist couldn't recall the last time that he was so caring. It was the influence of Ed, he swore that it was. Something from the night that he stayed over at the Colonel's dwelling made a small flame spark up inside him. A burning flame slowly growing-- to soon become a great fire. Well, that would explain his affection for the young teen.

Maybe, just maybe, this time it would be a real relationship, not just a one night stand; the relationships that Roy usually had. He was twenty-nine, after all. Wasn't it about time that he got a girlfriend, or in this case, a boyfriend?

All proud parents insist that they need to know when they're going to get grandchildren. Roy's parents were no exception. Though they didn't call him as frequently as other parental beings, they still goaded, asking him when they were going to get a grandchild from him to spoil and swoon over. The Colonel had a feeling that he wasn't going to have a child with anyone anytime soon.

x

SLAP.

"Y'know Roy, are you doing that just to spite me, or do you usually sleep like a dead lump of wood?"

"Huh? What… Bridgette?" The Flame opened his eyes and groaned, a dull pain now throbbing in his cheek. He placed a hand on it.

"Who the fuck's Bridgette?" Ed snapped, standing up straight and picking up his suitcase.

Roy frowned. "Oh… it's no one." Actually, it was someone. Bridgette Courier. His last girlfriend. The one who had dumped him after one date.

"Oh, well, whatever. Get up you lazy ass, or I'll slap you awake again. We're at Topaic."

xxxxx

Yep… after putting this off for 3 months… I finally get it done! –celebrates-