-.-.-.-.-. notes -.-.-.-.-.-.-
I do not own FMA, nor do I wish to. Seems like it'd be a lot of trouble. I'm just writing for fun, no money is being made.
Last chapter i wrote seems to have gone over like a lead balloon so i think i'll just leave it where it is. if anyone is interested just use your imagination.
This chapter is all over the place, i wrote it a few months ago and i keep going over it to see which parts i'm not happy with, and it turns out that the parts are all fine (as far as i'm concerned), they just don't fit together.
So basically it's like everything else i've written.
italics are inside thoughts.
-.-.-.-.-. story -.-.-.-.-.-.-
Maes had given her an ultimatum and a deadline. Tell Mustang who she was and how she felt by Saturday the 10th or he was going to announce it in the paper.
Stupid Maes. Stupid Mustang.
Stupid Hawkeye!
The markswoman smacked her upside the head when Ed glared at her.
"This is your fault Ed, not mine. You were the one going off about how you needed to wear a dress to Al's wedding and you know how sneaky Maes is."
Ed huffed at her and downed the rest of her beer. It was friday night and rather than just go and talk to General Flame Brain, she'd decided to drag Riza to the bar and look for a way out of the situation.
She lifted the empty glass to her eye and inspected it exaggeratedly, "No answers here yet. Bar-keep! Another please!"
The Lieutenant rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off her face, she'd only seen FullMetal drunk once before on the night she'd discovered "his" secret. Though maybe 'discovered' wasn't the correct word, since Ed had practically screamed it at her. But either way it had been an amusing night and so far, this looked to be even better.
Riza finished her drink before Ed's third arrived, she could handle her liquor better than Ed since not only was she taller, she also had 25% more human limbs, which meant more blood. And if you're measuring how much alcohol is in your blood, it's better to have more. Blood. Not alcohol. She giggled to herself. If she was this buzzed, the tiny alchemist was probably most of the way to sloshed.
Riza ordered a water while the smaller blonde finished her third and ordered a fourth. She waited until Ed was about half way through the drink before excusing herself to order a "cab".
She arrived back in time to see Ed pay the bill and gracefully exit the barstool onto her face. Riza laughed and helped the grumbling woman up and out the door to the waiting car, then drunkenly maneuvered her into the back seat.
The car pulled into traffic as Ed started mumbly ranting about her "mission".
"I mean, who does he think he is? Telling me I have to explain myself. That's not your business. That's MY business. I can tell people what I want to tell people and not tell people what I want to not tell people."
Riza laughed quietly as her friend continued to rant with her eyes closed, too drunk to keep them open. Ed wasn't even looking at her, just facing her general direction. She let Ed continue until they arrived, "Ed, we're here."
"Good, I need to sleep through tomorrow." She tried to get out but couldn't seem to operate the handle.
The door opened for her, and she would have seen it was Maes if she'd opened her eyes but that still didn't seem to be something she was capable of. She mumbled thanks for the assistance and Maes kept his mouth shut and his laughs on the inside.
Riza had made it around to her side of the car, "Come on you drunk, door's over here."
"Riza, I'm pretty sure I have stairs. Did we do the stairs?" They staggered to the door with Maes a few steps behind, helping them forward if they fell backward too far.
"Sure did Ed."
Ed didn't question why they would be knocking on her own door and shortly afterward a disheveled Mustang appeared.
-.-.-
He'd almost been sleeping, sure it was on the couch and a few lights were still on, but he'd been so close to passing out when the banging on his door started that he'd been prepared to ignore it. Then he'd heard Hawkeye giggling and his curiosity got the better of him, he was up and at the door.
Well, there she was, giggling. But also here was Maes, with a huge grin on his face, and both of them seemed to be supporting a very drunk Edward. He was too stunned to say anything and moved aside to let them stumble through the doorway.
Maes closed the door behind them as they watched the two drunks almost trip over themselves removing their shoes and coats before heading toward the living room. Mustang followed close enough behind to stop them from breaking anything by falling into it, cursing Maes the whole way.
"Riza, this doesn't feel like my place. Why doesn't this feel like my place?"
"Because it's not your place. It's Mustang's place."
"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DRIVE ME TO MUSTANG'S PLACE?!"
"It's ok, Maes drove."
"Good, you're too drunk." Ed forgot which part of the sentence she was mad at until they sat on the couch.
"Wait! MUSTANG IS HERE?! I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO THAT JACKASS!"
"Ed you hav-"
"Watch who you're calling a jackass FullMetal, you're in my house and I can kick your underage drunk-ass out if i want to." Roy glared at his friend for bringing this nightmare literally to his doorstep but Maes just smiled at him.
Ed had jumped off the couch to glare and point at Mustang, or would have been if her eyes were open and she was facing the correct direction. "Underage? I'm 22 you useless wet match. If I wanna get drunk I'm gonna!" She leaned slightly too far forward and Riza grabbed at her shirt and pulled her back, giggling again.
"FullMetal, i have your contract paperwork remember? You're 18 at most. Why are you drunk at my house?"
"Because these jerks brought me here because they think i'm going to tell you all my secrets. But I'm not going to so don't try, it's not your business and it's mean!" She staggered a bit in the other direction and this time Roy had to step forward to catch her and sit her back on the couch.
He said it casually but Maes caught the hidden mix of nerves and anger in his voice. "And what secrets would those be Edward?"
She snorted at the name and lashed out, "MY secrets! And at least get my name right jackass. It's Edaline. You can start with that and figure the rest out on your own."
Maes grumbled a warning to her from his corner position, "Ed, ALL the secrets."
"Shove it Maes!"
She leaned back on the couch and appeared to pass out.
Mustang was still processing the name change and without the drunk centre of attention the mood turned uncomfortable quite quickly.
Hawkeye sobered enough at the silence and asked Hughes for a ride home. This was no longer amusing, and while leaving her friend at the mercy of an angry General made her hesitate, she'd known Roy for a long time and he wouldn't do anything to Ed no matter how upset he was. She looked at Maes as the older man agreed to her request and saw him pat Mustang on the shoulder on the way out the door.
"She'll tell you, try to be patient."
Roy wasn't sure he could but he'd think about it. He followed them to the door. He was too tired and everything he heard and saw was just going in his mental 'inbox' to be sorted through later. Including Riza and Maes' conversation on the way to the car.
"You think she'll tell him she loves him?"
"Doesn't matter now, since he's standing in the doorway and can hear you."
Mustang had thrown the door closed after that. It was too much to think about and the girl in question was slowly losing altitude on his couch.
He turned to the dimly lit living room, silent now aside from Ed's quiet breathing. He hadn't really believed she'd passed out with such perfect timing but now as she slowly fell over onto his pillow he started to believe it. There was no way curling your back like that was comfortable.
Mustang decided he needed to sit and chose sideways on the far end of his couch, tucking one leg under him, throwing an arm over the back rest. This was a good angle to observe and think. He watched as Ed took a deep breath and settled in and realised he'd never seen Ed comfortable before. The smile of content on her face was kind of cute, his eyes traveled, and she had an undeniable curve to her waist and hip. Ok, definitely a woman. He rested his head awkwardly on his arm while he watched her breathe, so peaceful.
Suddenly his eyes snapped open, he'd drifted off while staring at her and now her movement had woken him up. Judging by his numb arm, hours had passed. He grumbled over the lack of sleep and tried to rearrange himself while still keeping an eye on her.
Ed had fidgeted so much her shirt had ridden up enough for him to see the smallest hint of bandages on her chest and he glared at it trying to remember why she'd need them. Within seconds he was startled into full wakefulness as she unconsciously clapped her hands and touched the cloth, turning it into a small sheet and throwing it to the side before flopping over to face the back off the couch.
Mustang was now wide awake. Ed could do alchemy in her sleep?! Was she insane? That was terrifying! Even more terrifying, she used it on herself!
He hadn't even realised he'd vaulted off the couch when she'd clapped the circle and a full half hour of pacing went by before he was calm enough to be able to sit down, this time on a more comfortable chair. Father away. He wasn't about to sit next to sleep-alchemy Ed.
Just as he was starting to doze, the nightmares started. Of course she had nightmares. Traumatic childhood, teen years full of death and fighting. Early twenties facing the gate again to haul her brother back and reattach his soul to his body, getting her arm back but not her leg. Then saying goodbye to the only family she had left when Al moved back home with Winry. And to top it off she hadn't renewed her military contact, leaving her alone in some apartment for the last week. Avoiding him.
Ed had started crying silent tears and without thinking he moved to sit beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder trying to calm her. She settled for a moment before rolling over, her back now to the couch cushions, and curled around him.
"Roy stay with me."
His breath caught and she curled forward so her head was resting on his leg.
"Please? I'll leave in the morning. Just stay here for a bit longer."
Good gate she sounded so lost. Nevermind she'd never used his first name before.
He sighed an agreement and climbed over her for the inside space before lying down next to her, at least this way she could run away without too much trouble when she realised the position she was in.
For now though, she rolled to face him and tucked her head into his neck, her fists curled into his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cozy up to him, he could sort his brain out while she slept.
And in a way, he did. A full hour went by peacefully, he hadn't felt such calm in decades. He actually slept! It was rejuvenating. But an hour was too long for Ed to stay still, even deep in sleep she moved.
He was starting to get mad at her, rolling over this way and that, her shirt winding farther and farther up. Her entire body wiggling against him. He lost his train of thought on multiple occasions when her hips shoved into his as she re-situated herself.
Ok! This is enough, on her next turn he grabbed both her hands and pinned them over her head, her head was resting on his bicep but that hand was still able to keep both her wrists locked up.
When she tried to move her hips again he threw a leg over her knees and snapped at her. "Stop! Moving!"
Her eyes popped open and he was caught for a moment by the gold. He shook his head. "Stop moving. I'm done playing nice host. We're both awake. Tell me what you're supposed to tell me from the beginning."
-.-.-
Ed had been trying to stay sleeping, she'd been having dreams about Mustang again and didn't want them to end but this damn couch was so lumpy.
Her hands seemed caught in something and when she shifted her hips to get leverage and try to free them, a weight was placed on her legs and a voice she knew so very well brought her to full consciousness and her eyes snapped open at the command. "Stop! Moving!" She froze. A chill went from her arms to her toes and she stared back at a very irritated and intimidating ex-commanding officer. An ex-commanding officer that had her in a very vulnerable position.
Her heart started racing as he shook his head at her, "Stop moving. I'm done playing nice host. We're both awake. Tell me what you're supposed to tell me and start at the beginning."
She opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to figure out where the beginning was. It was disconcerting to be so close to him and she fidgeted when she realised her head was on his arm and that his hand was holding her wrists, which meant he had a whole free hand available and she did not. If she still had her automail arm she'd be more evenly matched... buuuut maybe this was better because she didn't actually want to leave.
He glared at her attempt to wiggle out and finally she averted her gaze. She was the one in the wrong after all. Ok ok. Calm down. Try to start somewhere at the beginning.
Taking a deep breath she started with an explanation of gender; the lack of female alchemists in the military, her inability to grow broad shoulders as she aged. Her height. She cringed. Followed quickly by the explanation of age. Which contained most of the same reasons. She reintroduced herself as Edaline, age 22. Oldest of the two Elric siblings, but only by 2 years since no one could tell Al's age anyway and they could lie easily about that to correspond with Ed's lie.
She closed her eyes again when recounting the day she'd got Al's body back and her weak right arm with it. How she'd had to trade her ability to give life for Al's soul. Easily traded. She'd do it again in a heartbeat. But it was still jarring in its consequences: no children.
She hadn't noticed she was crying until she felt Mustang wiping her eyes and opened hers to gauge his reaction.
He'd listened silently to her whole story, no interruptions, no facial expressions to give her any indication of what he was thinking.
"Anything else?"
She gaped at him. That was the whole story. Wasn't it enough? What else is he looking for? But she couldn't look him in the eyes as she lied, "Nothing."
"Ed…" His free hand landed lightly on her exposed stomach and she gasped. "Ed don't lie to me. What else?" He started trailing his fingers over her bare skin, up and down, side to side, around in circles. She couldn't keep thoughts in her head.
"I can't! Roy please! Don't make me say it!"
She squirmed against him and his leg pressed harder on her thighs.
"Tell me Ed. I won't be mad." He remembered her earlier comment, about how telling him the truth was 'mean' and concluded she was probably worried about being able to provide children in any relationship. Which he knew was a deal breaker for many men, though he wasn't one of them.
But that was a conversation for another day. Right now he had a very intelligent, very fit, very beautiful blonde trapped beneath him, who he noticed hadn't asked him to stop or tried to kill him, and he was going to get her to confess the feelings he'd heard Riza talking about.
His hand was still circling, running along the edges of her pants and shirt. He smirked at her as she arched herself into him, exposing her back to his fingers. He loved this and was unprepared for how much he enjoyed having Ed at his mercy. His name on her lips, pleading with him.
"Ok! Ok! Stop! I'll tell you. You have to stop though. I can't think when you're doing that." Her face was flushed and turned even more red when he mostly complied. Leaving his hand on her bare waist and his thumb to do small circles. He met her gaze and she somehow managed to divulge the biggest secret she had, she lov-liked him.
Ok, almost divulge.
He'd heard the truth though, "You like me? That's all?" She nodded. "Alright Ed, I'll let this slide. But only because I think you'll tell me how much very shortly after I really begin torturing you."
Ed squeaked as his hand resumed it's travels across her skin, this time ignoring boundaries like shirt and pants.