Wow, everyone, WOW… For starters, I'm really sorry that this has taken so long – you see, first I burned myself out with all of the writing that I've been doing, and so, because of that, I decided to do a "tv turn-off week" – and can you believe it, I lasted the week! You should be proud of me… Anyway! I really do think that you all will like this very much! I sent snippets as I went along to poor Roy-Fan-33… poor thing, she's probably a nervous wreck by now – I would cut it off at the nastiest cliff-hangers, man! Woo, boy! Haha! Sorry, Roy-Fan-33, that's just how I enjoy having fun! Haha! However, I did make her cry! I know that sounds awful, but for me it's good – it means that I've finally done it – I have truly written a piece… Aaaah… Anyway, let me know what you think! I'll have a big, important question for you guys at the end, so heads up!
I do not own FMA – but have you visited Roy-Fan-33's site yet? You should have… If not, shame on you!... Anyway… Better get out your Kleenex and have your therapist on speed-dial…
"It Takes Love to Live, part 5"
'Look, Uwon, a new play-friend for you!'
'W-what the hell is that?'
'Oh, come now, Edward, be kind to our dear Uwon! He's very self-conscious, you know…But now that you mention it, we really have no idea what he is – or what he was…'
'UWON'S NEW FRIEND…'
'Yes, yes, very good, Uwon! Now, play nice! And try not to kill him – we need him later for other… things…'
'EDWARD…'
'No! N-no! Leave me alone!'
'EDWARD…'
'Don't touch me! Get away! GET AWAY!'
'NO!'
"EDWARD!"
…
Blood-red eyes shot up, staring ruthlessly at the man at the door; blue uniform charred and covered with dust; jet-black hair mussed and damp with sweat; teeth clenched, chest heaving, and dark, empty eyes blazing with hate and blood-lust; the man in the doorway was obviously desperate, and would therefore be reckless in his actions and entirely unpredictable – finally, a worthy opponent… "play time" had ended so quickly with the last one… the creature was lonely… and bored…
Yellowed fangs were revealed in the dim light of the small lamp over-head, the beastly grin sending yet another chill up Roy Mustang's back.
With giant, ground-shaking steps a figure lumbered forward into Mustang's sight, a large being, unable to be called a man, with grinning jaws dripping with saliva, it's entire body tingling with excitement and anticipation as a greater calling took a vicious hold of its body and mind, contorting the figure with a raw pain until its red eyes clouded over white, and the animal within was summoned forth.
Roy numbly stared it down, mind registering the large body, short legs, muscular, gangling arms, and barrel-sized torso while his heart shriveled and died along with his soul – Roy could no longer register fear, even though his blood rushed and his heart pumped as the beast steadily, bulkily made its way towards him…
The creature licked its lips and tensed its muscles, preparing for what was naturally to come…
Roy's eyes hardened, his mind preparing his body for what was to come… until he laid his eyes on a huddled form under the monster's great shadow – a small, worn and ragged figure lay curled pitifully on the cold stone floor, small wisps of lank, golden hair the only things visible beneath a tattered red coat…
Roy's mind snapped.
"EDWARD!"
The figure didn't stir.
Roy clenched his teeth and spun around towards the creature lumbering towards him. The monster paused, then gave another wicked grin. It looked from Edward to Roy and back again, its dim mind noting Roy's reactions. The monster gave the boy a deafening kick that sent Edward skidding across the cold stone floor; the boy shuddered, and was still once more.
All of Roy's feelings drained away until only absolute rage was left; the soul-less shell of the Colonel knew only the burning inside of him – a burning that rose and swelled until his mind and throat were filled with a dull roar. Roy Mustang charged, his blazing eyes scorching a path towards the hulking beast that hell and fury would be rained down upon for all of the unspeakable crimes it committed. In a snap of the fingers, a burst of flame, and a quick, powerful, and sickening flash of a dagger, Edward's tormentor received the full wrath of the Colonel Roy Mustang; it was over in mere seconds.
Roy stood panting over the smoldering, decapitated mass of flesh before him, an eerie quiet filling the room. Roy's eyes dulled, his body warm from adrenaline and the heat waves rippling through the chamber like liquid, adding to the discomfort caused by his heavy, blood-soaked uniform. Yet only one thing made it past Roy's numbed senses, and only one thing remained in his thoughts: Edward.
Roy turned and deftly walked towards the boy, his decaying heart praying, crying, screaming out to anyone and anything; grasping for the diminishing hope that Edward wouldbe – could be – hoping against hope that Edward might be – alive…
The Colonel stopped and stood over the weary, tattered young alchemist, looking nothing like the arrogant, stubborn, and brilliant boy that had come to Central so many years ago – seeking Roy out so as to become a State Alchemist – searching for a way to right his wrongs… What was before him now was none of that. In a dull twinge of pain in Roy's now-jaded mind, he realized that the boy before him was the boy contorted with pain and suffering of a thousand different kinds that he had seen almost 9 years ago on a rainy night, and yet… this boy was so much worse… the Edward Elric laying crumpled at Roy's feet was beaten and broken, his determination gone; the boy at his feet was dead – dead in more ways than one…
Without realizing it, Roy had fallen to his knees, and was now slowly reaching out a hand to touch the damp, red cloth – it was cold; his fingers silently passed over the pale, chilled skin, and touched the limp, golden strands of hair; yet these light, cautioned touches brought forth no response from the boy, and Roy's quick yet steady gaze at the boy's body affirmed every fear in his heart, and Roy's breath caught in his throat; the silence was absolute – there was no sign of life in Edward Elric. No raspy, labored breathing, no small gasps of pain; his chest, his sides, failed to rise and fall, and Roy knew that Edward was gone. A sharp sting seared through Roy's chest until, in a cry of pain, he let out a choking gasp, his shoulders heaving as the tears streamed down his face. Roy sobbed as he pulled the tattered bundle towards him and held the limp, broken form of Edward Elric in his arms.
Numb from pain, exhaustion, and guilt, Roy convulsed with wet, shuddering gasps as he held the boy tightly, tears streaming from his face and wetting the young alchemist's ragged coat and dirty hair. 'This' Roy thought as his mind and soul slipped into an un-ending haze, and his hold on the boy loosened, 'is the end…'
"Edward…" Roy whispered as he closed his eyes, the tears ebbing and the fire within him slowly dying, "I'm so sorry…" And with those words the flame was gone, leaving Roy's heart as cold and still as the boy in his arms. A final, warm tear fell down his cheek, landing softly on Edward's forehead.
"Don't be…"
The words came as soft as a breeze. Roy's eyes flung open; he stared down at the boy cradled in his arms, and began to cry again.
Golden eyes peered up at the man in pain, confusion and concern. "What's wrong…?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. He had never seen the Colonel cry before – and his eyes – his eyes were… dead…
Roy held the boy tightly to his chest and sobbed into the golden hair. "I thought," he said throatily through his tears, "that you were gone… that you were dead…"
Roy felt Edward's chest rise and fall quickly as he tried to laugh, and felt the violent shudder of pain that coursed through the young alchemist's body. He felt it, but as if he were not there… as if he were dead to the world and only his memories reminded him of what it felt like to feel – to feel joy and terror, pain and strength – to feel sadness… to feel that utter hopelessness – that feeling that you are alone and empty, and separated forever from the world and from any kind of warmth or happiness.
Edward looked up into Roy's face, gazing at the worn features and tear-stained cheeks. A small, painful smile appeared on his lips. "You know…"
Roy looked down into Edward's smiling face – that voice… something about it…
"… it'll take a lot more than that to kill me…"
Roy was startled. There was Edward – bruised, beaten and battered, the victim of a thousand horrific, nameless crimes, sitting there in his lap – and smiling; whispering in his same old tone of voice – one of defiance and unexplained mirth at the way countless had tried to beat him down but failed. This boy – this boy, who, at the age of 9, lost his mother, at the age of 12 joined the national military, and who now, at the age of 16, had been a prisoner of war and nearly lost his life – was smiling… He was as determined as ever, and his thirst for life confused and astounded Roy. Here was the boy he cared about so much – cared for enough to willingly risk his own life – managing to fight and struggle through the grasping, breathless claws of death …. Roy realized with a sad smile that with the fading of his own soul Edward's grew all the greater. He saw the very depths of the blonde 16-year-old's soul shining through his face, the excruciating pain the boy's body was in not even being enough to mask it; he saw the boy's hopes, dreams, and even fears reflected clearly in his golden eyes – saw that even though the body had been broken, the spirit had not; Roy saw that Edward was still there – the real Edward – the one that he had cared for from the start, and had learned to love as time went on; he once again saw his own, younger self in the boy. He saw, and he realized – realized with a swelling burst of warmth and flame from the very depths of his being – that it was not over – that while he had been dying, Edward had been thriving – thriving in the light and freedom that a love of life brings – what a love of others brings. He realized that even though Edward distanced himself from others, he still loved them – wanted to protect them – wanted them to bask in that same light and freedom that he did – wanted them to be able to continue to live, so that he could continue to love them, and them him… It was at that moment that Roy realized just how much he loved Edward Elric…
Life suddenly coursed through him, setting his senses on fire and making his heart race. Everything came back to him at once in a flood of feelings, emotions, and senses. He was suddenly, painfully aware of the dank chill of the room, the weight of Edward in his lap and the moistness of tears on his cheeks; suddenly became aware of his own thoughts, actions, and feelings. He tentatively looked down at the boy in his lap, and truly saw for the first time the battered, mutilated body, and the life shining through the perceptive, golden eyes. Fresh, hot tears stung Roy's eyes and fell onto the boy's golden head as he quietly brought Edward closer to him still – finally felt the warm breath on his neck, the weight on his chest, and the frail, slender frame inside his embrace – and continued to cry.
"I love you…" he whispered hoarsely through the tears.
Edward closed his eyes and smiled, leaned into the Colonel's strong, warm embrace and quietly whispered back, "I love you too…"
Roy held him there against his chest for what seemed like only an instant, and yet all of eternity, before carefully – quietly – carrying Edward towards the door – towards the door that would lead them outside and into the world – towards the warmth and the light –– towards the people that loved them – towards life – and finally and forever away from the death and the darkness that had almost claimed them…
…
Hughes stood just outside the doorway, watching them with watery, tear-filled eyes. This time, Hughes had nothing to say – he could only smile.
…
Alright gang, what did you think? I really liked it! In fact, I'm really sad now that it's over! Seriously! I mean, I wrote the fucking thing, you'd think I'd be like, "Oh, boy! It's over! Now I can go back to updating my other neglected stories!" when seriously I'm sitting here going, "I hope that someone updates this… I want to see what happens…" Maybe I'm just tired and want someone else to do the work… (shrugs) – Anyway, here's the question of the night! Would you or would you not consider this a yaoi story? I seriously think it could go either way – RoyxEd or just a Roy and Edward relationship (as in father-son, subordinate-superior, etc.) So, please let me know what you think! Maybe it is just me, but I can see it going either way… Gee… I hope someone updates this soon… Shit, there I go again! Gah! Well, I'll tell you what… Nope! Wait! Never mind! I'm going to be adding a "special chapter" in a minute here anyway, I'll give you guys my idea then! Please review!