Author's Note:

This is a choose your own adventure story! Up until a certain point, the story is just on one path. But there will come a time when you get to choose between a RoyEd ending and an Edvy ending. When that happens, I'll be making a note on each chapter for what pairing it belongs with, so you can decide how it should end :) Up until then, just read every chapter.

Trigger warnings include: depression, suicidal thoughts/idealization, homophobia, underage sex, adult/minor sex, and power imbalances. If any of those may upset you, please proceed with caution.

Also, if you like Winry as a character...I'm really sorry. Otherwise, hope you enjoy!

The Central City High School building was large and overbearing, as was to be expected of the only public high school in the Amestrian capital. Sure, there were plenty of private schools, but that couldn't dilute the sheer number of students enough to allow for a more aesthetic setting. Standing three stories tall and spanning the better part of the block, CCHS was a hulking, functional bit of architecture.

To the eyes of Edward Elric, it was a looming, soul-sucking piece of shit.

Still a couple of streets away, Ed could see his school in the distance and therefore couldn't keep his eyes off it. Unconsciously, his heels began to drag even more than they had been, trying to keep him from having to walk into that fucking building. Just one more year, he told himself. It was a mantra he'd been repeating all the way from Izumi's house, one he was desperately trying to hold on to. Just one more year.

Beside him, Alphonse seemed to notice his pace slow that infinitesimal amount. Al had been blissfully quiet for the walk, maintaining a quietly comforting presence…but now he seemed to feel the need to speak up. "Come on, Brother. I know you don't want to go, but if you don't hurry up, we're going to be late."

"I don't care." It was a knee-jerk response, one he'd repeated over and over during the too-short summer vacation. In an unofficial running tally, Edward no longer cared about being late, sleeping in, eating well, being respectful…well, a lot of things.

His brother's response was painfully calm. "Yes, you do. This place sucks, and what happened sucks, but I know you. Even with all that, you still have goals, which means you still need an education."

Edward groaned aloud, letting his head fall back. Though the break was over, it was still summer, and frankly the sky had no right to be so clear and blue on such a bleak day. "Point taken, Al. Which is why I'm coming with you at all. Let's just get going, okay?"

Alphonse only nodded, hitching his backpack a little higher on his shoulders. A faint grin pulled up the corner of Ed's mouth despite his foul mood; Al was just so hilariously proper. His bag was worn correctly on both shoulders, his uniform was washed and pressed, his tie was neat and tight. Hell, his brother had even gotten a haircut so that he could usher in the new school year with as tidy an appearance as possible. Edward, on the other hand, let his bookbag dangle precariously off his left shoulder. He'd not bothered to order a new uniform despite Izumi's constant reminders, and his body had changed a lot from the running he'd taken up over the summer. As such, his pants were a little too tight on newfound thigh muscle. Both those and his button up were wrinkled (having spent the previous night on the floor), and Ed had messily rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. Technically he was wearing a tie as well, as required, but it was so loosely attached that Edward was betting he'd get dress coded within the first two periods. As for his hair, it was pulled back into a tight ponytail.

Up until last year, Edward had worn his hair in a braid. This year, he'd decided it was a little too effeminate, and that was the last thing he needed. For a month, he'd debated buzzing his head so that it suited a more masculine style, but Al and Izumi had managed to convince him otherwise. After all, a style change was one thing, but lopping all his hair off was too much to do for the sake of what other people thought. That was what they claimed, at least.

Privately, Ed thought that if today went too awfully he'd just do it anyway.

All too soon, they were at the gates of CCHS. Hesitation crept up once more; Ed glanced around the front entryway, and more than one pair of eyes flicked away from his stare. He swallowed hard, trying to rationalize within himself. Not all the whispers around him could be about that. Surely not. Still, the instinct to flee was strong for a second—before Alphonse opened those dreaded double doors and pulled him through.

Inside, there were more students milling about, and the noise levels increased drastically. There were girls shrieking about this and that occurrence over the holiday, guys laughing in corners, lockers slamming…over the loudspeaker the school's secretary, Mrs. Hawkeye, was making an announcement, but Edward couldn't tell what it was. Probably telling everyone they had five minutes until first bell, he guessed as he glanced at a clock. He and Al were cutting it close.

Ed's brother seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for Alphonse tapped him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. Al's expression was apologetic as he half-shouted over the din, "I've got to get going, Brother. Please, just…don't let anyone get to you. It's a new year. I'll meet you out front at the end of the day."

Unable to speak around the sudden lump in his throat, Edward watched as his younger brother disappeared down a gray hallway and into the crowd. Up until then he'd been relying on Al's strength to get in the door, but he was a senior and Alphonse was a junior. They didn't share any classes this year, so Ed found himself…all alone. Maneuvering himself from the thinning throng of students into a corner beside a water fountain, he rifled through his bag until he found a scrap of paper amongst the fresh binders and textbooks. Pulling it out, Edward briefly consulted his class list, trying to commit it to memory. He would be getting enough stares today; Ed didn't also want to be mocked for having to keep double checking where he was going.

Bell 1: AP English Literature / Mr. Hughes / Room 102

Bell 2: AP Latin / Ms. Armstrong / Room 119

Bell 3: Political and Social Science / Mrs. Elliot / Room 158

Bell 4: AP Biology / Mr. Tucker / Room 87

Lunch / Cafeteria

Bell 5: AP Calculus / Mr. Falman

Bell 6: AP Chemistry / Mr. Mustang / Room 74

Bell 7: Gym / Mr. Armstrong / Gymnasium

It was a hell of a lineup. With all that nonsense from last year, Edward had decided to forego more frivolous classes and double down on what would look good on a college application. All he had to do this year was keep his head down, keep it together, and focus on getting the hell out of this place. It looked like that would be starting with an English class.

Luckily for him, considering the clock eagerly ticking away the minutes he had left to get to class, Edward was already on the right floor. He took off at a brisk walk to the opposite hallway his brother had headed down, keeping his eyes on the floor. With the corridors relatively clear now, Ed had no trouble moving, and quickly found where he was meant to be just as the first bell rang.

Stepping through the open doorway, Edward found to his relief that the teacher hadn't even made it to the room yet. No comments on his near lateness, then. However, that feeling evaporated as quickly as it had come; sitting in the first row of seats, glaring right at him, was the person he dreaded seeing most of all.

Winry.

Next to her, his ex's best friend Paninya stopped talking abruptly when she realized Winry was no longer paying attention. She turned, and upon spotting Edward, narrowed her eyes as well. Ed was entirely frozen, unable to move. His blood felt like ice, though he was sure his face was hot. It could only have been a few seconds before Winry spoke (to her friend—she would never speak directly to him), but they felt like a lifetime. "Ugh, should have known I couldn't avoid the fag for long."

As though her poisonous words had released him somehow, Edward managed to step forward, averting his eyes. Winry's carrying whisper had reached the rest of the room, and he could feel twenty-odd stares on him as he scurried to an open desk, the furthest back he could find. Two kids were still behind him, but Ed was glad to have snagged a chair by the window. Amongst a faint murmuring, he plopped down into his seat and stared pointedly out of said window, doing his utmost to pretend he could hear nothing.

Maybe if he looked unbothered, he really would be. Hadn't worked so far, but it wasn't like he had another strategy to try.

Blissfully, he was rescued by the arrival of their instructor—Mr. Hughes. Edward had heard of the guy (who was famous for being derailed from teaching to go off on personal tangents). Still, when he walked in, Mr. Hughes looked normal enough. Neat hair, purple button up and slacks, and a stack of books appropriate for an English teacher in his arms. Edward definitely did not notice the scruffy beard or the muscles in the man's forearms. Before he'd even cleared the doorway, Mr. Hughes was already talking.

"Heya, everyone! Glad to see so many of you looking awake and ready to go!" With a loud thump, Mr. Hughes dropped his armful onto his desk, proceeding to lean against it. He looked over the top rim of his glasses at his class, seeming to survey everyone for a long moment before continuing. "Well, let's get to it, shall we? Now, I'm a firm believer in a mutual learning environment. Compared to other classes y'all might have had here, this will be a very open platform. I think you learn better through discussion than boring presentations." Ed could hardly believe how peppy this man was. Mr. Hughes, even just giving this brief introduction, seemed so full of energy. Good for him, Ed thought. "That being said," the teacher continued, "I think the best way to establish a start to that environment is for everyone to get to know each other a little better."

A collective groan rose up from the assembled students. Mr. Hughes raised his hands up. "I know, I know, it's not the most exciting thing. But this is a big school, so I'm sure some of you haven't interacted before, and it's much more fun to discuss Shakespeare with friends than with strangers."

Friends. Ha. This guy was a comedian. Edward allowed his attention to wander back out towards the window as Mr. Hughes kept talking. "So, how about we go around the class, and introduce ourselves. Obviously, I'll need names, and then maybe three fun facts about each of you! Miss, how about you start?"

Edward knew who it would be—fucking upstart liked to sit in the front of her classes so the teachers would notice her. He closed his eyes as she spoke…it would be okay to fall asleep in class if he wasn't actually learning anything, right?

"My name's Winry Rockbell. I haven't cut my hair in five years, I work on the school newspaper, and I'm going to be an engineer."

She forgot to mention that Edward had been there the last time she had her hair cut, that she ruined his life with her fucking journalistic sleuthing, and that being an engineer meant nothing if you were also a bitch. Whatever.

"Wonderful, Miss Winry! Next?"

On and on it went. Paninya, Lucas, Trevor, Mallory…the names and stats on everyone blurred together in Ed's mind. Vaguely he realized that when it was his turn, he needed something to say. Blinking his eyes open, Edward looked to see that he only had four or five people ahead of him to figure that out. What was there to say? It was like Ed had forgotten everything about himself, right when he needed to pull a few facts out of his ass. And he was supposed to be a smart kid.

Inevitably, it was his turn to speak. Edward cleared his throat, but before he could say anything, someone muttered, "We all know enough about you."

A weight settled in Ed's chest. He couldn't breathe, much less talk. But Mr. Hughes was doing that for him. "Hey, now, who said that?" The cheerful man's countenance had turned suddenly serious, as he looked around the class for the culprit. Of course, no one was stupid enough to fess up. The teacher's frown deepened as he chastised them as a whole. "This will be a pleasant environment for everyone. I'll happily allow discourse in the world of literature, but I will not tolerate insults or slights on a personal level. Please, continue—and no more interruptions."

Though Edward knew Mr. Hughes was just trying to stick up for him, what he said only made things worse. Sniggers erupted around the room, poorly disguised as coughs from some. Others didn't care enough to hide their reaction. Swallowing hard, Ed mumbled out what the teacher wanted. "My name's Edward Elric. I have one brother, I'm a runner, and—" I hate myself, and everyone else does too. I wish I could change but I can't. My mom is dead and my dad disappeared. "—I want to be a scientist."

There. He'd done what was asked of him. Mr. Hughes didn't linger, thankfully, moving his attention onto the next student. When those few behind Edward had introduced themselves, the teacher clapped his hands together, a frankly frightening grin on his face. Despite his discomfort, Ed found himself intrigued. What could merit that expression…?

"Oh, now this is my favorite part! I've learned, every year I have to go last because I just get so excited!" Mr. Hughes was almost yelling now, as he dug in his pockets and pulled out a handful of photographs. "As you know from your class schedule, my name is Maes Hughes—Mr. to you all!—and I have a wonderful wife named Gracia. Even better, I just became a daddy!" Fervent, now, the teacher began to pass around the photos. "These are of my beautiful daughter Elicia! Couldn't you just eat her up?"

Ah, so these were the type of tangents people were talking about. Mr. Hughes went on and on, talking much more about his family than himself. Ed was just grateful that all the attention was on their energetic instructor. He thought he'd prepared himself, over the summer, for what would be waiting for him upon his return to CCHS. Ed knew there would be comments, but actually hearing them again after the wonderous months of solitude…he felt drained. And it was only first bell!

Inhaling deeply, and exhaling slowly, Edward tried to calm the erratic tick of his anxious heart. Just one more year.