Chapter 7

One, all of you reviewers.. Or most of you.. Don't kill me when this story is over. I'd rather live to write more stories. I've had then ending to this planned out forever. You scare me with your threatening reviews of death...Oh and.. This is the second to last chapter.

Ed leaned his back on the wall and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and felt a few tears fall from his eyes. A smile broke onto his lips and he slid to the ground.

Why was he feeling so bad on such a happy day?

Winry had found a guy she loved even more than Ed. Ed was glad because now she would leave him alone to be with Roy. But his chest felt heavy like he had a new burden.

Ed opened his eyes and looked over at the calendar. Winry's wedding was in just a few days. He'd probably ask Roy to go with him.

"Roy..." Ed looked toward the ceiling, closing his eyes, and holding the fabric over his heart.

– – – –

Ed walked on a stone wall in Risembool. He could remember doing such things as a child. He put his hands behind his head and looked up at a tree he was coming up to. He stopped in front of it and reached out, smiling when he could reach it almost effortlessly.

"You've grown." A mature male voice smiled as it spoke. Ed turned to look at the man he'd been waiting for.

"Of course I have!" Ed looked proud, crossing his arms. Roy chuckled.

"Long time no see, Edward." he greeted. Ed laughed and nearly tackled Roy to the ground, leaping into Roy's arms. Roy spun the smaller man around before setting him on the ground. Ed's head was almost to his chin now. It's amazing how time effects people.

Roy could remember Ed's first time as a state alchemist. The boy hardly reached your chest. Roy could make so many comments on his height.

"I thought you weren't going to show." Ed crossed his arms.

"I would never miss a friend's wedding." Roy replied, acting hurt.

"Yea, well, you better go say hi to the bride. She's really nervous." Ed suggested. "I was talking to her and she threw a wrench at me. How does she keep those things in a wedding dress?!"

Roy could only laugh. Ed had been gone far too long from his side. He'd missed the rowdy, rude, and excited teen. However, knowing Ed had been in Risembool was a lot easier to take than 'Ed's out fighting dangerous bad guys'.

"What?" Ed asked, noticing the look on Roy's face.

"Nothing. I just missed you." Roy leaned over and kissed Ed on the lips. This caused a wonderful shade of red to color Ed's face and Roy just smiled innocently.

– – –

Winry looked beautiful in her wedding gown. All white, bright, and shining. She looked happier than Ed had ever seen her as she held the hand of the man beside her. Ed's only issue was it looked strikingly similar to him. But the was beside the point.

People took pictures as they kissed for the first time as a married couple. As they walked down the isle together, Winry winked at Ed and Roy. It was as though she was saying 'your turn.'

Al was in the back rows, mostly alone because it was the back. He waved at Winry so she knew he was happy for her. While everyone was preoccupied with the newlyweds, Al looked at where his brother had sat and smiled as he saw Roy wrap his arms around Ed from behind and Ed blushed and held the arms.

They made such a wonderful, loving couple, it was sad that they couldn't get married... well.. Al was pretty sure they couldn't get married but he wasn't sure. He did have a rather young view on the world. But if they could, wouldn't they already be married? Brother didn't get married without telling him, did he?!

Al shook his head. 'Think rationally, you tin can.'

– – – –

Roy stood at the train station. His bags were being put in the cargo of the train and he was saying goodbye to the blonde who tormented his thoughts.

"You sure you aren't going back with me?" he asked.

"Nah. I gotta help Winry with some things. She's moving in with.. Drew, or whatever his name is." Ed smiled and pushed Roy slightly on the arm. "But you go back. I'll be back in a few days. Promise."

Roy held a hand out to Ed, planning to pull Ed into a hug as soon as he grabbed it. Ed however, let out a 'heh' and his hand smacked against Roy's before he half saluted.

"Train's leaving." he warned, turning and running off with a smile on. Roy was disappointed but got distracted as he had to quickly get on his train. As the train departed, he looked out the window and could spot Ed running down the road in that black outfit that sometimes made him want to feel the toned torso below it. (1)

As though he knew Roy was looking, Ed turned back and looked at the train and turned back around to continue running home. Had Roy dreamed it or did Ed support a sad smile?

"Ed... What's wrong?" he whispered.

– – – –

In their room at Aunt Pinako's, Ed lay on his bed with the moonlight shining in. His breathing was ragged and he clutched at his shirt.

'Roy..' he let out a shaky breath and caught the attention of the suit of armor in the corner.

"Brother?" Al asked. Ed didn't seem to hear him.

"Brother?!" Al quickly walked over and paused over his brother. How could a suit of armor help?!

Ed didn't understand. As the day had carried on he just kept felling worse and worse! Now he couldn't move at all without feeling bad. This included breathing.

"Brother.. Maybe you should go to the hospital." Al suggested. Ed's cloudy eyes looked over at Al and he squinted slightly, as though unsure of who he was looking at.

"Roy..." Ed said. He didn't sound as though he thought Al was Roy. It was more like Ed wanted to see Roy right now. Ed coughed a lot, until his throat hurt and the coughs died off. He lay into his pillow and fell into a restless slumber.

The short mechanic at the door took out her pipe and frowned. Ed was stubborn about illness... just like his mother.

"Alphonse." she called softly. Al looked over and jumped.

"Aunt Pinako?" he asked.

"Alphonse, I need to speak with you." she ushered him out of the room.

– – – – –

Ed woke the next morning with a dying pain in his chest. He took a deep breath but felt no pain. No sickness washed over him and his limbs did not feel heavy. By that evening, Ed and Al were saying goodbye to Winry, Aunt Pinako and... Drew. Ed waved goodbye and Al was surprisingly quiet. Aunt Pinako looked as disinterested as usual and Winry was hugging Drew's arm as she waved goodbye enthusiastically.

"Al, is something wrong?" Ed asked when they were seated on the train and heading back to Central. Ed knew what he was going to do when he got there.

"What? N-no.. I mean yes. You're sick, brother!" Al finally blurted out, glad to have it off his chest. Some people stared at them for a second and Ed's face went from blissfully calm to all too serious. As the people began to look away Ed spoke.

"I'm not sick."

"Yes you are. Last night you could hardly breath and you couldn't hear me!" Al argued.

"You were imagining things!" Ed bit back, looking out the window as though saying that was the end of conversation.

"But... Ed..." Al stopped before he got started, frowning in that suit of armor. He sat quietly, not moving, almost 'off'. He knew Ed was very sick but he didn't think he was capable of forcing Ed to a hospital.

"It'll be late when we get to Central but I have something I need to do so... Could you handle taking the bags back to the house?" Ed asked, almost sadly as he stared out the window.

"Sure." Al muttered in reply. He didnt mind.. But Ed was... his sickness...

'I know, Al...' Ed thought as he placed his real hand against the glass of the window and watched the flashing scenery. 'I know.'

– – – –

Roy Mustang was just getting in his bed when he heard his doorbell ring. Sighing in annoyance, he got back up and walked to the door. Who would come by his house at this hour?

"Ye... Ed?" Roy asked, almost not believing it.

"I said I'd be back soon, didn't I?" the blonde smiled.

"Yes but... Wow. Why are you here?" Roy finally got to the point, letting Ed inside.

"I wanted... to spend the night with you." Ed admitted shyly.

"I was just getting ready for bed. Did you bring any extra clothes?" The tall dark man asked, rubbing the back of his head. Ed shook his head before turning and half attacking Roy, kissing him passionately.

Roy was going to ask what this was about except Ed wasn't going to pull back until Roy responded. Roy returned the kiss and before he knew it, they were having an all out make out session on the way to his bedroom. Ed had dropped his coat and just outside the room, he dropped his small black jacket he always wore under the coat.

"Edward.." Roy tried to argue but Ed moved and nipped at his neck, shutting him up. Before he knew it, Ed had shoved him onto his own bed and was over him. However, Ed's face was next to Roy and his bangs mixed with Roy's. Neither one was moving much now.

Ed let out a sob. For no reason, he'd begun to cry. His mind was crying for what Ed was wanting to do right now. Roy put an arm around the boy and sighed.

"You're still so impatient, Ed." he scolded softly. Ed's real hand was shakily stuck on undoing Roy's first shirt button.

"I just.." Ed's voice was shaking too but the sobbing was over. Roy brought his hands down and held Ed's one hand and it steadied. Ed gasped, pulling his head up to look at the hands. He met Roy's gaze and he was smiling softly.

The raven haired man leaned up and kissed Ed, easing the shake and any tears he still had. He helped Ed's fingers get the button undone.

"It's okay." Roy whispered in Ed's ear. "It's okay."

– – –

When Roy woke the next morning, he groaned and then rubbed one eye. He turned his coal colored eyes to the side and smiled. Ed was sleeping beside him. One metal arm, one real arm, one Ed. His Edward.

"My Fullmetal." Roy cooed lovingly, brushing some hair from Ed's sleeping face. He sat and watched Ed for a short while before deciding to make breakfast for them.

As he slid his legs from the sheets, he looked around for his pants. Ed had pretty much thrown his things in random directions. Finally spotting his shirt and pants, he got up and put them on, leaving the shirt unbuttoned.

In his mirror, Roy could see a few marks on his neck and chest. Ed was a kinky little bastard sometimes. Oh well, Roy loved him all the same.

Roy changed his route and walked over to Ed's side of the bed. He leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.

"Good morning, beautiful." he whispered before heading out the door to make breakfast. In the bed, Ed smiled in his sleep, flinched slightly in pain, and then smiled again as though ignoring the pain.

– – –

Ed came out of the bedroom in his pants and undershirt. He spotted Roy in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around him. Roy jumped in surprise.

"Oh, Ed! You surprised me. Good morning." he greeted with a wide smile.

"Morning." Ed leaned up and kissed him on the lips. Roy wasn't sure if the pancakes were burning, but he didn't care. He was the one burning.

(1) Think.. Older Ed. Like... Ed in laboratory 5. Smexy. lol.