1Chapter three
Author's Note - this chapter too can be found in its full form on foreverfandom dot net same user name, same story title
Maes started the coffee and got out the fixings to scramble eggs and make bacon while Roy finished showering. Maes had gotten him all messy again. The knock on the door startled him and he was just a little too paranoid not to answer it. Maes pocketed one of his little triangular blades as he went for the door. He was too shocked to move when he opened the door and saw three happy faces there. He counted himself lucky he got the door shut after he was mobbed and before Ed blurted out, 'Maes!' loud enough to be heard on the moon. Maes nearly lost his footing as six arms wrapped around him. "Whoa kids, easy!"
Maes couldn't sort out the babble of voices as Winry, Ed, and Al all tried to talk at once. Winry's face was wet with tears but it was Al that Hughes couldn't tear his gaze away from. How different was he that the image he had in his mind of what Al would look like? There was some resemblance to Ed, of course, but not as much as Maes had expected. Al had big innocent brown eyes and that tousle of sandy hair.
"I can't believe they lied to us about you being dead!" Ed said, hurt and anger warring in his face.
"They didn't know, Ed, not until yesterday," Maes said, defending his friends. "It's a very long story but it can wait." He shook free of all the hands on him then clapped his over Al's shoulders. "Look at you! I can't believe I'm actually getting to see the real you, Alphonse." Maes ruffled his hair. "You look good, thin but good."
Al beamed. "Thanks. It feels good to be me again. It just feels good to feel."
"Maes, did I hear voi..." Roy's voice trailed off as he poked his head out of the bathroom. He had on nothing but a towel. He dove back in, slamming the door.
"What was that?" Ed jerked a hand at the bathroom door.
"Did Roy spend the night? I know he never came home," Winry said, a fretful look passing over her face.
"Yes, he spent it here. We hashed out some things out. Roy was understandably hurt over being deceived," Maes said regretfully as he managed to extricate himself from the gaggle of teens. He went to pour two mugs full of steaming coffee. "Want some, kids?"
Ed and Winry shook their heads but Al nodded. "I'm trying out new tastes. I'm not sure I like coffee yet."
"It takes some acquiring." Maes smiled, pouring some for Al. He let the boy doctor it up as he hitched himself up on the counter top. Hughes liked having high ground.
"Roy has a black eye. Did you hit him?" Winry gave Maes a critical look.
"He hit me first," Maes replied with a shrug. "He didn't take the news quite as well as you kids." He realized they didn't understand why Roy had stayed over. They seemed to think he innocently spent the night on the couch. Maes caught Ed looking back that way as if assessing the situation. He wasn't sure if he should tell them or not. Not everyone understood the kind of relationship he and Roy shared.
"He's a bastard," Ed grumbled and Al elbowed him hard.
"He's keeping me safe," Alphonse reminded him. "He could be back in Central doing General stuff instead of jumping from town to town with us."
"I think he does it because he likes playing house with Hawkeye," Ed said, and Maes could have sworn he heard Al mutter, 'can't blame him.' It was Winry who applied the elbow to Ed this time.
Roy looked nervous as he slowly made his way back into the kitchen. "Next time you could warn me, you know. I don't like getting caught." He gave Maes a sour look.
"Well, until you just opened your mouth, they thought you were here talking all night," Maes said, handing Roy his coffee without moving off the counter top.
"Caught at what?" Al's face was perfectly ingenuous.
Roy glanced over at Maes with a smirk. "Were we ever that innocent?"
Maes rolled his eyes at his lover. "You sure weren't. Someone took that away a long time ago."
Roy snorted. "I think that was you."
"What are you saying?" Ed's eyes narrowed.
"I think they weren't...talking," Winry said, her face starting to pink up. "But you're married, Mr. Hughes."
Maes smiled, trying to think of how to say what he needed to. "It's Luc Gibson now and yes, I am. I love Gracia very much but there is room in my heart for more than one."
"You mean him?" Ed's eyes opened wide as his jaw slackened. "Why would you want that bastard?"
"How did you even get here anyhow?" Roy snarled, looking ready to add to his angry outburst with a little physical intimidation if Maes knew him, which he did.
Maes reached out and put his arms around Roy, tucking his mug against his lover's chest. He pulled Roy to him. "I know this is like spitting in the wind, but try not to be so grumpy, Roy. The look in Ed's eye says he's readying for an outburst of his own and I can't handle the both of you when you get like this."
Roy wriggled in Maes' embrace and Maes didn't have to look at his face to know Mustang was uncomfortable with public displays of affection. It would be the same if Riza hugged him. "I'm not going to explode and neither's Edward."
"I might," Ed countered, his eyes still huge. "Are you saying that you two are lovers?"
"Yes, that's what he's saying," Roy said, still wiggling. "Move the mug, Maes, before you scald off something I need." Roy pointed to his chest and the nipple under the ceramic.
"Sorry." Maes set the mug on the counter then locked his arms around Roy's narrow chest. He wasn't going to let Roy escape. The kids needed to know the truth and Roy was the kind to hide everything away.
"Does Gracia or Riza know?" Al asked, every bit as wide eyed as his brother. He clutched the coffee mug like a lifeline.
"Usually they join us," Roy said, giving up the fight. The kids couldn't look more stunned. "So if Riza disappears tonight, too, you don't have to worry about it."
"Oh." Winry's cheeks imitated ripe red apples. Al and Ed looked no better.
"I didn't know you could do that!" Ed blurted out and Al nudged him.
"You probably aren't talented enough to try," Roy retorted with an evil look, and Ed bristled. Al grabbed hold of his arm.
"Don't provoke." Maes slapped Roy on the head. "Edward, Roy did have a good question. How did you know where to find me?"
"We heard Riza talking to Gracia on the phone and overheard the street name," Al confessed, looking far more embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping than he did at learning his friends were bisexual.
"And what? Ran up and down waking up everyone on the block looking for the right house?" Roy sipped his coffee as he leaned back against Maes.
"Pretty much." Winry's blush deepened.
"Well, we were about to have breakfast. Would you like some?" Maes offered, rubbing Roy's back.
"That would be nice. I'll help," Winry said, bustling over to the ice chest in part to hide her embarrassment at interrupting the lovers.
"Thanks." Maes gave Roy's neck a final snuggle then swung away from him to land next to Winry.
"He's usually not this demonstrative," Roy said, a plaintive look in his eye. Maes knew that was as polite as Roy would be in asking him to knock it off.
"I'm just glad to see you again and that you aren't mad at me!" Maes beamed widely.
"Oh, I'm still mad but I'm forgiving." Roy rolled his eye.
"Since when?" Ed snorted, sinking against a cabinet.
"Shut it, Fullmetal," Roy barked. Al moved so he was blocking Roy and Ed's lines of sight. Roy turned to Maes. "Maes, I'll help Winry. You talk to the boys."
"Sounds good." Maes waved them into the living room.
"You're dangerous, Roy. Stay out of my kitchen," Winry warned, a brown egg in hand.
"I'm not dangerous. I'm good with barbecuing meat." Roy pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Not a help when I'm making eggs and toast," Winry replied. Roy watched her crack eggs for a moment then glanced back onto the living room. He decided the brothers needed to talk to Maes. He'd only be in the way. Helpless, he picked up the loaf of yesterday's bread and reached for the knife. Winry rapped his knuckles with a wooden spoon and gave him a mother's look of 'get out of my kitchen now, son.'
Roy sighed. "I guess I'd better call Riza and let her know where you are."
Someone knocked at the door before Roy could move. "It's Hawkeye," she called through the door.
Roy went over and let her in. He flashed a tired smile. "They heard you on the phone to Gracia."
"So I gathered." Riza stepped in, dressed in her uniform. She thrust Roy's at him after giving him a warm smile and fussing with his slightly skewed eyepatch.
"Winry's making breakfast," Roy said, taking the uniform. "And thanks."
"You're welcome," Riza said then made a beeline for Maes.
He met her halfway across the living room, wrapping her in his strong arms. Maes kissed her. "You look as lovely as ever."
"It's so good to see you, Maes. We missed you so much." Riza rested her forehead on his shoulder.
"And I missed you. Sorry...just sorry I had to lie." Maes squeezed her tight.
"I understand." Riza disengaged herself, looking as if she'd rather just hang on forever. "I'd better go and help Winry."
Roy sat down on the couch wearily, realizing Ed would just have to put up with his presence. "What, Ed?"
"I can't believe Hughes has such bad taste," Ed replied, wrinkling his nose.
"Brother! Don't say things like that!" Al scolded, shoving Ed lightly.
"What? I mean Mrs. Hughes is so nice and then there's him." Ed stabbed a finger at Roy. "I didn't know you even liked men, too." Ed's eyes raked over Mustang as if he had never seen him before.
"Mostly just one man," Roy replied wryly, glancing at Maes. His eyes flicked back to Ed and read a bit of anxiety in the young man's body language. "You look nervous."
"Sort of." Ed's shoulders hunched.
Roy understood. Until he met Maes, he never thought about being with a man and it had left him uneasy at first. "You can relax. You are way too short for me, even if you weren't too young. And I would need to love you, which, ha!" Roy smirked.
"Who are you calling so short I can't even measure up to your low standards?" Ed bellowed, jumping up to his feet. Al yanked him down by the belt loops.
"Roy, if you don't quit provoking Ed, Riza and I are going to lock you out of the house tonight." Maes pinched the bridge of his nose as if he could squeeze the budding headache out.
"We will, too," Riza called from the kitchen.
Roy settled back with a pout.
"Roy does have a point, though, Ed. It's not really about the sex. It's much more about love," Maes said, hoping to put the young man more at ease.
"It's a little...not what we're used to. Well, I guess I might be, training under Mr. Garfiel." Winry shrugged. "But it's okay."
"There's not enough love in the world," Al said, a mournful timbre to his voice. "More's always good."
"See, be more like your little brother, Ed," Roy said, wagging a finger at him, his lip curling at the ends.
"Guess you'll be spending the night on the porch!" Ed shot back, trying to get back up. This time Al yanked on the waistband of Ed's boxers and Ed sat back down with a squeak of pain.
"You both will," Winry said from the kitchen.
"Al, why don't you tell me all about what you've been doing since you got your body back while your brother and Flame tear each other apart," Maes said, giving them up as lost causes.
Alphonse smiled and started telling Maes everything he could think of about what it was like to be able to taste and smell and sleep and feel again. There were so many words Al was stumbling over them and Maes let him go, right through breakfast. Roy had even taken the time to go change into his uniform and Al was still talking.
"Now, the corrupt generals, the ones who were supporting the Fuhrer, are still looking for me and Ed," Al said, finally becoming quiet. His brown eyes misted up.
Roy put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We don't know if they want to kill the boys or set them up as the next Fuhrer. Parliament wants them protected. That job's fallen to Riza and me. Parliament thinks its safe enough to put us back in uniform but, to tell the truth, I'm not sure that I agree. I thought I saw General Leonard here in town."
Hughes pulled a long face. "Never could figure out if he really was a doddering old fool or if that was an act."
"Either way, he was the old guard and might be a threat," Roy said. "And Hawkeye and I really do need to get on with our duties."
Maes nodded. "Understood. Think it will be safe enough for the kids to stay with me for a while?"
"I should think so," Roy replied and the teens looked immensely grateful.
XXX
"I know I should feel guilty about leaving the kids alone," Riza said, relaxing back on Maes' couch with her wine glass.
"Ed and Al are better alchemists than me," Roy said, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "But don't tell Ed I said that."
"Like I'd have to. Ed's already convinced of that." Riza grinned, sipping her wine.
"The brothers don't need arrays and that teacher of theirs sure as hell taught them to fight. Ed, I can take easily. He's a hot head. Al's the really dangerous one," Roy replied, draining his wine.
"Do you know just how unnerving it is to hear you say that?" Maes flopped down, loose-limbed, between them.
"I suppose, but it's true. Don't underestimate Al because he's sweet-natured. He's also very fierce. They'll be okay one night alone. If not, they know where to find us," Roy said. The look on his face said it damn well had best be an emergency if the kids showed up.
Riza glanced towards the unlit fireplace. Over the thick rug in front of it, sheets had been laid down with pillows. More bedding was tucked along the couch for later, as if anticipating no one wanting to move to the bed. "Guess you've already thought this out." She nodded towards the little love nest.
"I had a little time after the kids left. My bed is too small for three. It barely fit me and Roy," Maes replied, slipping an arm around them both
"And he takes up no room at all." Riza reached over Maes and patted Roy's thigh.
Roy's lips fell into a dramatic frown. "Hey!"
"We love you, even if you are nothing but a rack of bones," Maes said, his fingers tickling along Roy's ribs.
Roy squirmed away from those fingers. "I'm wiry!"
"Of course you are," Riza said, soothingly. "In the same way Ed's not short."
Roy crossed his arms, pulling in on himself. Maes could pin a ribbon on him for the best sulk in Rush Valley. "If you pick on me, I'm going to go home."
"Like there's any real danger of that." Maes snorted then leaned over, kissing Roy's cheek. "Start the fire."
"What am I? A match?" Roy grabbed for the wine bottle but Riza intercepted it.
"A wet one given your attitude," Maes replied, rubbing Roy's shoulder, sorry for teasing him. "You really are still trying to be angry, aren't you?"
Roy's narrow shoulders twitched as he crossed over to the fireplace. "Trying not to be would be more accurate."
Maes got up and pulled Roy into a bear hug. Riza followed Maes but didn't touch either man. She knew Roy needed to get through his problems with Maes' deception on his own. "I am sorry."
"I know." Roy squirmed free, digging in his pocket for his glove. He put distance between himself and his lovers.
Riza put her lips next to Maes' ear and whispered, "He's been more moody ever since..."
Maes just nodded as the fire caught. He swept Riza around so he could kiss her, feeling her tongue caressing the top of his mouth. Roy leaned on the mantle, watching them. Maes worried for a moment that his friend was upset, then Roy smiled. Maes took that to be the encouragement he knew it was. Maes slipped a hand under Riza's shirt, caressing the strong muscles of her back as her mouth worked fervently against his.
A strong hand tucked against Maes' hip as Riza was pressed against him when Roy joined them. Maes knew their impatient, greedy boy couldn't hold out for long. Maes broke his kiss and leaned over her shoulder. As his lips and tongue toyed with Roy's, Riza massaged Maes through his trousers. He moaned into Roy's mouth as Riza worked him. They were all too hungry, too needy and Maes knew there was no fighting that. There would be other nights to worry about lasting and pacing one's self. Tonight they needed to be reminded they were almost all together again.
X X X
Maes snuggled up against Roy's sweaty back, reaching over to caress Riza who tucked up close to Roy's chest. For a little while the only sounds were their deep ragged breathing as hands soothed over flesh. Riza tossed a blanket over Maes and Roy. Riza smiled down at them. "I think he's out cold."
Maes rolled up on his elbow and looked at Roy who was on his side, an innocent, relaxed expression on his face. His lips parted just a bit. "You think?" Maes grinned. "Poor fellow."
"That'll happen when you're well and truly used," Riza said, sitting back down with them. She curled up under the covers then eased Roy's eyepatch off without waking him. A painful look flickered over her face.
"What's wrong?" Maes asked, reading her expression.
Riza set the patch aside. "I did this to him, Maes."
"I know. He told me," Maes replied, seeing her tumbling into despair in a fashion that would do Roy and his mercurial moods proud.
She caressed the red scar that overlaid the area of shattered bone, which had been reconstructed. "I took his sight, ruined his face, hurt him worse than anyone ever has." Riza's voice shook.
Maes reached over and stroked her arm. "He doesn't blame you, Riza. We talked about it. You saved his life."
"You don't shoot without considering what's behind your target. I know that. I broke a cardinal rule." Tears trickled down her face.
Maes caught one on his finger. "To save his life," he reiterated. "He loves you very much, you know that right?"
She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders heaving. "You haven't seen him trying to recover, Maes. He tries to pretend it isn't difficult but it is."
"And he'll overcome it," Maes replied, not wanting her to wallow in this pain.
"You don't know that." Riza sniffled.
"Of course I do, if for no other reason than to spite Edward. If that impertinent boy can come back from losing an arm and leg, no way will Roy let one eye hold him back." Maes smiled.
Riza hiccuped a laugh, wiping her face. "You always could make us laugh, Maes. We both missed that so much."
"And I missed you both. Don't worry too much about him, Riza, and put the blame where it belongs, with Archer and Bradley and those taking their side," Maes caressed Roy's cheek while keeping his eyes on Riza.
"Thank you, Maes." She leaned in for a kiss.
Roy stirred between them, his one eye opening blearily. "Riza? Something wrong?" he muttered.
She kissed him, too. "Nothing, baby. We're going to sleep." She put her arms around him and Maes put his arms over hers.
"Sounds good," Roy replied then dropped back off.
Riza smiled at Maes who was looking sleepy-eyed himself. They all settled down until there were no sounds but the crackling fire and deep even breathing.
