black-klepon: I'm trying to figure out what a black klepon is, it's not an STD is it? -flee- And yes, don't get a dog. Get a squirrel. Or actually, a skunk. Skunks are very good pets as well. And as for how long this story is going to end up being, my thoughts now are around 50 chapters. That usually seems to be the average, and thinking over what I have to cover, it seems about right.
B.D.: One of the things that first got me into liking Roy and Ed as a pairing was how they had the ability to interact with each other. Sexual tension is great, sure, but you need something else if it's going to last, and they have it.
UP2L8: I've missed you too, actually. I'd say where've you been, but that could easily come back to me too XD. So I'll settle for saying that tonight your username is prophetic, for I won't be getting home until 2am XD.
Anon 1: Al and Winry will be showing up in their own time. For certain reasons I can't reveal specifically when, just that they're scheduled to show.
Soaha: It always makes me happy when you enjoy how I write them. They're so much fun to write as future fluff victims of my keyboard.
Miss Sammi Potter: Thank you, and yes, that oneshot, it's currently over 120 pages, so yeah... I might be needing to break it into parts, but if that happens I'll still post it all at once.
moonstone glows: Shall I give you Steve as a pinata? I'm sure Ed wouldn't mind you whacking at him with a bat. Because Steve definitely should not have been touching his Roy. Even though you're right, Ed is too dense to even realize Roy is his. At least he is for right now. But they'll clue in soon enough.
Cheru-chan: Ed falling asleep next to Roy was just too fluffy to pass up, and too symbolic that he actually slept well. And I can't wait to see if your theories are right. Only time will tell! XD
GreedxEd: You just want to see Steve get brained because to you, he seems far too much like Ima. Admit it XD.
secret25: You know, I'm always glad when people tell me they appreciate me letting the characters talk to each other. It seems that far too often I've seen such a lack of dialogue that it makes me wonder if the characters actually know each other. So thank you. And yes, they are very much like a married couple XD.
Eli: Ed praising Roy can always be seen as flirting. And where is my smut? XD
accident prone: I need to get you your own Hazel plushie doll.
Barachi: Dessert pancakes actually aren't too bad, but I'm kind of pancake-mixed-up anyway. I don't like regular pancakes, but enjoy the dessert kind.
Neena: Ah, the brilliance of Monty Python. And now you have made me desire to watch that lovely quest for the holy grail.
deathwolfkitten: You wouldn't be the first to not be sure about the plot containing Ed as a ghost. But I'm glad you gave it a chance and are liking it. So thank you. And I'm glad you enjoy the latest strange choice of pet I've put into a story. I kind of got burned out on dogs and cats.
camiimary: Well hey, at least you had more than one to read when you were able to. That's not too bad. But I'm glad you survived any and all earthquakes. And yes, any side of Roy to claim is good, and Roy shall never escape it. Not that he'll want to XD.
Dementra: Enemies huh? All I can reveal or say is to give it time. But for right now, Basque Grand is your enemy of the day.
009: Now that would be like revealing the punch line to a joke before the joke ever got told.
gali-o-: I'm sure if you sling-shotted Hazel into a cake he'd cope just fine.
I must have needed to sleep more than I thought. Because when I went to bed yesterday afternoon to take a nap after being up at 2am, thinking I'd just take a short nap, I woke up at about 1pm today. Now I just feel all mixed up. But hey, at least I didn't forget to put this up once I woke up. I'm not sure I'd have survived certain people if I had XD.
Just a little update on that huge oneshot I mentioned, I'm still working on it, 120 pages later, so I might be breaking it into parts. I'm not sure yet. But rest assured that no matter what I end up doing, you'll be getting all of it at once.
In other news, updates thus far stand as Ransom was updated this past Thursday, and Those Who Dream was updated yesterday - which still feels like today to me. I've been getting some inquiries on Paradox and Ultimatum, I've not abandoned them, I've been working on them. One is a pet project, and the other is kicking my ass with length in between me being bombarded by that monster oneshot.
Otherwise, I think I've covered everything... I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-One
As Roy Mustang and his group of loyal subordinates trailed by one incorporeal being trooped down the sidewalk intent on getting lunch, Roy was quite careful in dropping back to the rear of the group so that eventually he was picking up the tail end of the line while Edward floated along beside him.
And Roy gradually began to drop back a bit more every few feet until he was able to whisper. "I'm afraid I've a confession to make."
Edward frowned at him, "this should be good. What'd you do this time?"
Roy chose not to protest that this time nonsense, although it was an effort not to. "We're about to make a break for it at that alleyway there coming up."
"That's an odd confession." Edward informed him, but received only a look that told him he'd get an explanation soon enough. Not that he really minded the change of plans, wherever Roy went he was content to follow.
Roy bided his time patiently as the group approached the alleyway he would soon be vanishing down with his ghostly companion, and as soon as they'd reached it, he ducked into the alleyway with a triumphant smile as he began to quickly put distance between he and the others.
Edward darted after him without a second thought to it.
"Sorry, but I rather had to play along as far as they were concerned." Roy grinned faintly as he shoved his hands in his pockets while he carefully navigated spilled trash.
"I don't understand. What are you going on about? And what's this confession you have to make?" Edward demanded of him as he floated along after the man, casting unimpressed looks around the alleyway as he did so.
Roy tipped his head back and to the left so he could look at the ghost. "Do you not remember? Yesterday I promised you that we'd go out for lunch today, just us."
Edward blinked in surprise, suddenly coming to an abrupt halt in midair. How had he forgotten that so easily? "That's right…"
Roy stopped and turned back to look at him with a smile. "I couldn't let them know though that I planned to go out for lunch by myself. They're known to tail me for various reasons. And I don't want them stalking me when I'm trying to spend time alone with you."
Edward found himself smiling back, and slowly he floated forward again towards Roy. "I can't believe I forgot."
"You had a strange night last night. Don't let it worry you." Roy reassured him as he turned around to resume walking once again. "Between the two of us we'll make this work."
Edward felt his smile brighten at that last, and he darted over to fall in beside the man. "So where are we going for lunch?"
"You'll soon see." Roy told him unhelpfully, smiling as he felt the scowl he was being subjected to. But it did nothing to change his mind as he eventually led them out of the alleyway and back out onto normal streets so that he could begin making his way to his true destination.
Edward tagged along as the wheels in his mind turned with possibilities.
It took them almost ten whole minutes of walking to reach their destination, and when Edward saw where Roy was taking them, he knew without a doubt that they'd be able to have a very private lunch out together.
It was another park, but one very different from the one Roy had taken him to before. This park had far more trees and other thick vegetation, no playground equipment, very few people anywhere to be seen, and the winding dirt paths that cut through it appeared to lead around a large manmade lake where ducks and geese were floating about.
"There's a place like this in the city?" Edward marveled as they made their way closer.
"Just wait until we get further in." Roy smiled over at him before changing his direction to intercept one of the street vendors on bicycle.
Edward floated over, fascinated, as the vendor stopped his bike with a broad grin and went back to the chilled cart he was towing along behind. He'd never seen such a contraption before!
Roy smiled to himself as he tried not to pay attention to the way Edward was suddenly floating everywhere inspecting the bicycle and its towing hitch, trying to instead focus on the vendor who was currently fixing him up a deep paper carton of nachos covered in questionable ground and seasoned hamburger meat topped by several towering dollops of sour cream.
"You want some hot sauce on top too?" The vendor asked as he finished with the sour cream and met Roy's eyes, unaware that his bicycle and cart were under vigorous inspection by a ghost.
Roy shook his head with a grin. "Nah, but I'll take half of that bread loaf there." And reaching out he took both the items, tucking the bread underneath one arm as he fished out his wallet and paid the man. "Thanks."
"Thank you, sir." The vendor returned in kind, and with a cheerful salute returned to his bicycle to begin pedaling away.
Edward watched the man pedal away in interest. "Can I –"
"No." Roy interrupted with a groan, already knowing where Edward was going. "You cannot have a cart to tow around."
Edward huffed, but didn't press the matter. "Sometimes you eat the strangest things for lunch."
"I enjoy trying different foods." Roy chuckled as he turned about and began making his way up one of the dirt paths that was flanked every so often with bunches of wildflowers. "Some I enjoy more than others."
Edward hummed a moment, but didn't give voice to those thoughts. Instead he turned his attention to the trees they were now walking under as Roy continued to lead them further into the park. "This reminds me of the woods near Risembool. My brother and I used to play in this mountain range that was only a few miles away from our house, it had this river running through it and we used to fish in there all the time."
Roy glanced over at him in between popping one cheese-saturated chip into his mouth. He chewed noisily a moment before saying, "I was kind of hoping it'd be a bit familiar to you."
"What?" Edward frowned, floating around so that he was in front of the man, continuing backwards as Roy continued to walk towards him.
"I vaguely know the area. And this is a lot more… wild than the last park we were at." Roy explained as he fished for another chip. "I was hoping that it might be familiar to you. Give you an old comfort, I suppose. Instead of all this new stuff all the time. It may not be a real wood, or the mountains, but it does its best in the middle of a city."
For a long moment, Edward could only stare as the gratitude he felt built inside him. It never escaped his notice that Roy did a lot for him, in many ways. And what was more, it didn't seem planned, as if Roy were forcing himself to do it. It seemed far more natural than that. As if they'd stumbled by accident onto a strange coexistence.
"You do so much for me," Edward finally spoke, softly, "thank you."
"You do a lot for me too, you know." Roy replied with a faint smile. "Probably more than my male ego would ever let me admit."
Edward laughed openly at that, "well I definitely don't want to risk you damaging your fragile ego on my account."
Roy chuckled quietly as he shook his head in his amusement. And still smiling he finally led them away from the path. "Come on, we'll not be bothered over here."
Edward followed after him, and after cutting through several bushes and trees, they found themselves at the edge of the lake on what looked like very thick, springy turf if the way Roy was stepping on it was any indication. Looking around he could see that they were mostly concealed from the rest of the bank by the low-hanging branches of trees, or small thickets of berry bushes.
Roy inhaled the overly-sweet scents of ripening berries as he eased himself down on the grass, at the edge of where the dirt under the turf went from dry to increasingly wet as it neared the bank. Letting out a contented sigh he looked around for Edward. "Now we can have a lunch together again in peace."
Edward settled down beside him before changing his mind and flopping back onto the grass to stare up at the blue sky above them. "Do you ever worry that one day they might find out about me?"
"In the sense that they'd see me talking to myself and calling myself Edward, Ed, Eddie?" Roy smiled down at him as he popped another chip into his mouth.
Edward glowered over at him as he folded his arms beneath his head. "Don't call me Eddie."
Roy chuckled softly, "it's already off the list, don't worry. It doesn't have quite the same ring to it as when I call you a short brat of a ghost." And ignoring the withering stare he was given, smiled. "I wouldn't say I'm worried about it, exactly. That'd only make them try and spy on me, if they believed there was something that I was worried about them finding out. I'll do what I can, but I also know that if one day they do catch me, I'll be ready to invent a very elaborate lie."
"Or I'll be ready to cause a concussion." Edward muttered to himself.
Roy smiled over at him, wondering how long it would be before the ghost gave Grand a concussion. Hopefully he'd have what he needed to implicate the man in nefarious deeds before that hospital trip happened. Although if he were being entirely honest with himself, he knew that a hospital trip might be needed for one of them when that happened, and a shallow grave for the other. "Here. I bought this for you."
Edward looked over with a slight frown, only to quickly catch the half a loaf of bread in surprise. Sitting up he turned his frown from it over to the man sitting beside him. "Why? What exactly do you expect me to do with it?"
Roy nodded towards the lake, "feed them."
Edward looked out over the lake, seeing various geese and ducks milling about the water. "Oh, right." And with an uncertain expression he broke off a chunk of the bread, as if not sure whether or not this would work. But at Roy's urging he lobbed the piece off across the lake where it plunked down into the water before bobbing back to the surface.
"Just wait." Roy told him when he caught Edward about to look defeated when none of the waterfowl seemed to notice.
Edward glanced back out to the water, and blinking in surprise he suddenly grinned as all of a sudden one of the ducks spotted the foreign object floating on the surface. And with classic survival of the fittest mode thrumming through its system, the duck darted across the water leaving V-shaped ripples in its wake to bear down upon the chunk of bread and swipe it off the surface of the water with a quick nip of its beak.
That was all it took to clue in not only the other ducks nearby, but the geese as well.
Suddenly Edward was breaking off several chunks of bread at once to begin tossing out over the water to the birds who were swimming closer with avid hunger. "There's so many of them." He exclaimed. He swore there hadn't been this many when he first started.
"Mob mentality." Roy explained through a bit of a yawn and stuffing another cheese and meat covered tortilla chip into his mouth. "Ducks are a prime example of it. As soon as one gets fed, another will notice, and another will notice that other noticing, and before long you've got a gaggle of geese chasing their asses trying to get fed as well."
"I haven't seen ducks since about a month before I died." Edward revealed as he continued to throw the chunks of bread out for them.
"Back when your mother was still alive?" Roy questioned cautiously.
Edward nodded in an absent manner as he tried to focus most of his attention on the ducks lest he succumb to the darker sides his mood could swing to. "She was sick at the time, but yes, she was still alive."
Roy nodded, and let it be. "Well if you bring those ducks close enough I can roast one to eat."
The statement did exactly what Roy had been hoping for. Complete distraction.
Edward's head snapped over so he could stare wide-eyed at the man. "You want me to do what so you can what?"
"Ducks are tasty." Roy smirked at him.
"I know that," Edward protested as he tossed a look and another chunk of bread out over the water to where the ducks and geese were circling ever-closer. "But I don't want you to kill one right in front of me either!"
Roy grinned rakishly and began searching for another acceptably loaded chip. "It was just a suggestion."
"I'm sure it was." Edward scowled at him, and pointedly applied himself to feeding the local waterfowl.
And the feeding continued to go rather well, as Roy continued to feed himself at the same time, until the point the ducks and geese had drawn right up abreast of the bank. That was when everything changed… at least, as far as the geese were concerned.
"Ah! No, no, no!" Roy nearly tumbled backwards as one goose in particular suddenly charged him. Or rather, charged his nachos.
A grinning Edward was distracted by watching Roy scramble uncoordinatedly to his feet and attempting escape. But he never got too far into seeing what Roy came up with as he felt a hard tug at the bread he was holding. Whipping back around he saw that a particularly large goose had clamped its beak on the loaf and was valiantly trying to rob him of it. "That's mine!"
Meanwhile Roy was dodging not only one goose, but two as they attempted to corner him. And mentally he berated himself for not leaving at least one glove on while he ate, but could he help it that he commonly ate nachos with two hands? "Damn it." Roy growled as he attempted to fend one off with his boot while not getting his foot eaten in the process.
"I'll let Roy cook you." Edward threatened the goose as he wrestled for his bread. It was very inconvenient that he couldn't touch the greedy thing! He'd whack it over the head so fast it wouldn't know what had happened!
Roy finally gave up the dancing game with a swear as he hurriedly licked the fingers of his left hand clean before diving into his pocket for his glove. The reassuring feel of ignition cloth sliding onto his hand lit a triumphant light within him as he pulled his hand free.
Several short snaps that lit temporary bomb-like fires in front of the heads of the two geese that were harrying him did the trick, sending them squawking in alarm back to the water trailing feathers in their wake.
"Roy!" Edward's head tipped back towards the man as he continued to grapple with the goose that was still trying to rob him. "A little help?"
Roy chuckled as he walked over, examining the sight. "Are you sure you need some?"
Edward glared a silvery glare at him, "yes!"
Roy snapped, and like its fellows, the last goose was sent scuttling back to the water in fright. Quiet laughter still shaking him he looked after their retreat. "Predictable nuisances."
Edward paid him no mind as he examined the damage done to the remainder of his bread with a moody face. "It took a huge chunk."
Roy looked down at him with a smile as Edward began to throw more chunks out to the ducks who had hung around to watch the entire display and were now more than happy to resume eating. "Did you have geese as well in Risembool? I'm surprised you didn't try to get away when they first made to come onto the bank."
"Of course we did, but my mom always chased them off with an umbrella when they got too bothersome." Edward explained with a faint, melancholic smile.
Roy shuddered at the mention of those accursed objects. "I hate umbrellas. Fire works just fine too."
Edward looked up in surprise then. "You don't like umbrellas? Why not?"
"I have this fear, a very silly one, but still!" Roy groaned as he settled back down onto the grass to resume finishing what was left of his lunch. "I have this fear that they'll," he waved his hand around, "close in around my head."
Edward blinked at him owlishly, "but that wouldn't kill you."
Roy snorted to himself, "I still don't like them."
"Well now I know what to give you as a prank gift for your birthday." Edward smiled, and catching the look of lackluster enthusiasm on Roy's face, pelted the man with a bit of bread. "Thanks for bringing me here."
Roy chuckled quietly as he fetched the piece of bread from the creases of his uniform jacket, and tossed it to waiting ducks. "You're welcome, short brat of a ghost."
Edward pelted him with another chunk of bread, causing Roy to laugh louder. But he said nothing as he went back to feeding the ducks with a content smile. It really was relaxing to be surrounded by nature again, and to be there with Roy this time.
He wasn't sure what would have happened had he lived and met Roy, but he did know that he only hoped they'd have ended up like this anyway.
They stayed until Edward had exhausted his bread supply. Only then did they begin to head back to Headquarters together, both curious for different reasons about what the reaction from Roy's team would be when Roy showed his face after suddenly skipping out on them for lunch.
And it wasn't long at all until they were about to find out.
Roy took it all in stride, however, sauntering into the main office as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred at all. He knew he wouldn't get far though, and wasn't disappointed when he heard the safety on a pistol click off.
"What happened to you?" Hawkeye demanded suspiciously.
As was the case with most things, hell, all things regarding Edward, Roy knew the truth was out of the question. So when he turned to her with a reproachful frown in place, he was prepared with a lie. "I went and got lunch by myself." He informed her without hesitation. "It's not my fault I lost track of you when I saw a pretty girl in the flower shop."
"Not Heidi! You stay away from her!" Havoc exclaimed, bolting to his feet.
"Easy, Havoc." Roy smirked at his panicking subordinate. "I have no desire to do anything but. This one's yours."
And with that, Roy fully embraced the new ambiance of the office, that of Havoc's rapid-fire mood swings, and sauntered unscathed into his own personal office where he shut the door with much satisfaction.
"Now they're going to be wondering why you're not interested." Edward pointed out as he floated after Roy who was heading for his desk.
"If Havoc's seeing her, that's reason enough. You remember the types I go for." Roy pulled his chair out to sit rather sloppily.
Edward shook his head with a sigh, "I can't help but think that with as many people as I've been led to believe you've bedded, you might not be as good as you think at finding virgins. There can't be that many."
"You're not the only one to suggest that to me." Roy yawned as he pivoted his chair to face his desk. "And maybe that's why my toy box is bigger than Hazel's." And he was rewarded with some kind of high-pitched noise from a certain silvery ghost who suddenly shot to the other end of the office with a book.
Leaving Edward to his book-therapy, Roy got to work.
The rest of the day passed fairly quickly, even their multiple chess games seemed to go by in a flash. And by the time Roy was packing the set up so that they could leave, he not only had lost the majority of the rounds, but still hadn't had any luck in guessing Edward's favorite dessert.
Something the ghost seemed to find highly amusing.
Now, as they made their way through yet another new way home to expand Edward's world, said ghost was currently overflowing with excitement as thick as ectoplasm. And Roy was stuck in it.
"Can't you walk faster?" Edward chastised as he darted about through the air, changing direction at such speed as to give Roy whiplash if he were to try to actively watch.
Roy couldn't help but smile even more as he shook his head.
And the entire walk home was filled with similar excitement that doubled remarkably as they finally reached the house.
Roy could only watch as Edward fled for the backyard with that same noise that the ghost had made when they'd gone to the park with the swings days ago. That same noise that he was beginning to believe actually was a squeal.
With a smile and a shake of his head, Roy followed at a more sedate pace.
When he reached the backyard where Edward was currently examining his bike with a seriousness that made Roy burst out laughing, he was instantly under attack by his incorporeal companion.
"Remember, you said you could turn it black." Edward informed him.
"And so I can." Roy grinned at him. He really did adore the childish enthusiasm that Edward embraced so naturally. And the ghost was practically bouncing in the air beside him as he walked over to the bike. "I'll turn it black, and while you wheel it out front I'm going to grab something to eat. Wait for me, okay?"
Edward nodded agreeably. He could be patient for a few more minutes at the very least.
Roy reached the bike, and without much thought pulled out a stick of chalk from his pocket. And meeting Edward's eyes as he began to draw the transmutation circle, explained. "I don't want to continue my non-fire alchemy experiments on your bike. Safer this way."
Edward could only agree.
Roy finished with the array and pocketed the chalk before laying his hands on the transmutation circle he'd drawn onto the seat of the bicycle. A flash of bright, bluish white light shot up from both the array and the bike, nearly encircling Roy in its radiant glow before it suddenly was gone. "I am just that good." Roy smirked successfully as he dusted his hands off.
Edward snorted, "maybe your ego does need a bit of damaging." He muttered through a smile. Just as promised, his bike was now completely black, the paint molecules rearranged perfectly.
"My ego is just as it should be." Roy retorted fondly before turning about. "I'll just grab something from the fridge and then I'll meet you outside for your lesson."
Edward barely remembered to nod that he'd heard before he was eagerly pushing the bike towards the front yard. And upon reaching the side gate that separated the back from the front yard, he made sure there were no visible people before he pushed it out the rest of the way, all the way to the fence next to the front gate.
It was not long that he had to wait before Roy reappeared.
Roy shut the front door to make sure Hazel didn't get out to try to chase Edward down the sidewalk – it'd be difficult enough to explain a bike moving on its own – and stooped down to set his plate of two sandwiches and his cold beer down before trotting down the short flight of stairs to cross over to where Edward stood eagerly beside the bike.
"It won't matter that I don't weigh anything, right?" Edward asked as Roy approached.
"It's balance, not weight, that matters." Roy assured him. "And the fact that you'll be able to touch it, which implies some amount of pressure, will take care of any potential weight issues."
"How exactly are you planning to explain this if asked?" Edward asked then with a hint of amusement.
Roy chuckled, glancing around to make sure they were still alone before answering. "The excuse of alchemy is always very useful. Don't worry, I doubt this is the strangest thing I might need to make up a lie for where you're concerned."
Edward nodded solemnly, he did know. But then he brightened with a smile. "So I just get on and pedal, right? Use the handlebars to steer?"
"That's the generics of it." Roy agreed as he reached forward to grip the bike at the center of the handlebars to tilt it straight up and down. "Hop on. I'll wheel you out onto the sidewalk. It'll be a lot smoother than grass, and while you may never notice the difference, the bike will."
Edward immediately floated into place before allowing himself to touch the inanimate object. Gripping the handlebars and raising his feet to the pedals he looked up to nod at Roy.
"This is more a learn by doing thing." Roy said as he steered them out through the gate and onto the sidewalk. "So what I want you to do now is exactly what you did before when we were bringing it home. Start pedaling, and keep yourself centered."
Edward nodded eagerly, and without any hesitation at all, began to work the pedals just as Roy's hand released the bike. He had pedaled maybe two feet on the rocking and shaking bike when out of nowhere he tipped sharply to the right.
"YEEEE!"
Roy cringed through a wicked grin as Edward tumbled into a heap with the bike resting inside his near-translucent body. Trying his best not to laugh he quickly hurried over to the befuddled looking Edward. "Well? What do you think?"
Edward jerked his head over to level a deadpan stare at the broadly grinning man. "I think I need to try that again."
Roy burst out into laughter then, reaching down to grab the bike up and haul it out of Edward's body. "I think you're right."
Edward floated up to sit astride the bike once more as Roy held it anchored. "Any suggestions?"
"What foot do you normally lead with when you act like you're walking?" Roy asked patiently through his random bursts of laughter.
"My right."
"Okay, then left foot down on the sidewalk. I want you to push off with it at the same time you start to peddle with the right. You'll have to learn the timing to catch the pedal for your left foot, but it may help you start out smoother. And I won't always be here to get you going."
Edward adjusted his feet as necessary before nodding at Roy. "Ready."
Roy released the bike so that Edward held it propped, and quickly backed out of the way as Edward pushed off from the ground. And he eagerly waited with a wicked grin for what would come next.
He didn't have to wait long.
With another shriek of alarm, Edward suddenly pitched sideways after having gone only four rotations of the wheels. The bike clattered down around and through him. Yet as he lay there, dumbfounded that it was this difficult, he had to commend himself, he'd gotten a bit farther that time!
So with new energy he darted up to grab the bike up and mount it again.
Roy supposed he'd been forgotten in Edward's determination, and so, still laughing to himself, he made his way up to his porch to sit down and continue overseeing the progress. Grabbing his beer he flipped the cap off with his thumb as he watched Edward push off again and begin stubbornly pedaling.
"AAAAH!"
Roy nearly snorted his beer as arms windmilling about, Edward toppled down again. But he was smiling through his carefully quieted laughter as Edward recovered almost instantly and set off again. "Determined brat of a ghost." He murmured smilingly to himself as he watched, thankful that said ghost wasn't on his motorcycle.
Edward consecutively crashed and burned five more times before he felt he was finally starting to get the hang of it. And so with his determination still in place, and the incentive that he wanted to use Roy's motorcycle, he righted the bicycle again and set off once more.
Roy watched with interest and his mouth full of a bite of peanut butter and honey sandwich as Edward suddenly went double the distance he had previously before, suddenly, the bike began to veer once more, sending both it and Edward toppling into Roy's fence.
With a smile, Roy watched as Edward picked himself up off the ground and out of the fence to go examine the bike as the ghost pulled it upright again. At the same time noticing that it had finally happened.
His neighbors across the way were in their front yard staring in shock at a bike that was by all appearances, moving on its own.
He said nothing, merely chuckled to himself some more as he turned back to watching Edward try again.
Edward pedaled determinedly as he tried to focus on keeping himself centered and steering to keep the bike going forward all at the same time. He was getting better, but he wasn't good enough yet. He wasn't good enough yet to satisfy Roy and earn the right to try out the motorcycle. And it was working well until he hit a lip in the sidewalk that he'd not gotten far enough before to notice.
Roy watched with a cringe as Edward flew head over heels with a shriek over the handlebars, the bike clattering to the sidewalk behind him as the ghost landed on his rear end.
Edward looked back at it with a frown before he was right back to it again. And this time he'd be aware for bumps like that along the way, and learn how to ride through them. So not at all dissuaded from pressing on, Edward did so with vigor.
Now Roy could hear the children of the neighbor to his right as they came out to play after having eaten dinner, and he looked over at them with a bit of a smile as they exclaimed over the bike moving on its own, gasped whenever it fell judging by the loud noise and a shriek, and generally gawked.
"Mommy! Mommy!" One of them called in amazement. "That bike's moving by itself! I want one!"
"I want a magic bike too!" Another chorused.
Roy watched with a grin as one of them ran off, most likely to fetch their mother who would most likely not believe them. And then he turned back to watching Edward.
"Sorry kids," he whispered to himself as he tipped back his beer before riveting his gaze back on Edward, "this magic bike is mine."
Quickly Roy finished off his sandwiches before plucking his beer up from the ground and sauntering down the path to let himself out through the gate which he latched behind him. And approaching Edward who was just dusting himself off after yet another tumble – although granted the ghost had gotten almost a whole thirteen feet before he'd tumbled – he caught the silver eyes with his own. "Let's go for a walk."
Edward frowned, but circled the bike around so that he could push it off after Roy. "Walk?"
"Get on and ride." Roy told him quietly, masking the movement of his lips with his beer bottle as he took a quick sip, just in case someone was still looking. And that was very likely. "I'll walk. Maybe the distraction of going somewhere else besides back and forth will help. You are getting better, I think you just get so excited about it when you get farther that it affects you and makes you tumble."
Edward shrugged, he was willing to try. And so without further questions he hopped back onto the bike and pushed off with his left foot to get it moving again. Pedaling beside Roy he kept his eyes firmly fixed ahead as he worked on keeping himself centered – something he'd never had to really worry about before.
And to Edward's amazement, he began to have fewer tumbles, and such was his fear of tumbling into Roy that he began to catch himself by reaching his foot down. And once he was steadied he'd start off again.
"Roy?" Edward asked during one of the rare times he felt like the bike was traveling smoothly under his care. "Can I ask who taught you to ride a bike? It wasn't your dad, was it?"
Roy shook his head as he continued to lead them down the quiet streets of the suburbs where families were either inside, or seemed to be occupied in the backyard. "My dad died long before he ever could have. No, it was my mom. She taught me how to ride a bike much like I'm teaching you. She never felt like life should have training wheels."
Edward let out a small gasp of breath as he was forced to catch himself again, and setting off once more he thought about that. "I guess that makes sense. But I'll bet you were black and blue by the time you learned."
Roy smiled at the memories of it. "Undoubtedly. I couldn't sit down for days. Even my balls were bruised."
Edward rolled his eyes, casually shoving off again as he tilted to the side while noticing vaguely that he was doing it far less than he had been only one street back. "I really could have done without that bit of information."
Grinning unrepentant, Roy shrugged. "I'm only being a thorough instructor."
Edward shook his head with a faint smile, but said nothing. Instead easy silence seemed to stretch between them as Roy casually led them around the neighborhood as Edward increasingly got better. And it was Roy's guess that it would only be a matter of one more session before Edward was getting more adventurous about it.
Dusk was settling over the city as they finally made their way back home, and the two of them saw that the bike was put away safely before they headed indoors to relax.
One of them feeling oddly contented, the other still bubbling in excitement that didn't seem to ever become dampened.
"I was doing really good on the last two streets back." Edward exulted as he trailed after Roy into the kitchen. "I barely had to catch myself at all."
"I'm glad you're to the catching yourself stage." Roy agreed as he opened his refrigerator to pull out another beer. "Although don't get me wrong, you crashing and burning was fantastic to watch." He grinned as he toasted Edward with the bottle.
Edward rolled his eyes. "Just you wait, I'll haunt you one day."
"Forgive me for thinking I wouldn't mind that." Roy grinned at him as he uncapped the beer and took a hearty swig of the amber liquid.
"You wouldn't." It had been meant to come out as a threat of a promise, but it didn't escape either of them that it was said far more fondly than to imply any sort of threat. And Edward looked away, embarrassed.
Roy merely smiled as he stepped around the ghost, his eyes never leaving the silvery spirit. "Come on. We still have some time for a game of chess if you like, or to play with Hazel before I'd like to get some sleep." And then with a wolfish grin, added, "and of course you're welcome to come sleep with me again as well."
The implication was not lost on Edward, who were he capable of it, would have colored spectacularly. But as it was he pelted after Roy who had suddenly fled for it with a peal of laughter. "Roy! Get back here you damn pervert!"