Fandom: FMA
Title: Hiding From The Truth
Pairings: Elricest, Roy/Al
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Incest, hard yaoi, angst

Author's Notes: AU

Word Count: 2,045

Status: Incomplete
Disclaimer: When pigs fly.

Summary: The Elrics' quest has ended, they are restored, and find a sweet and forbidden love. But when Ed begins to fear society's wrath, he pushes Al away and into the arms of another man.

Hiding From the Truth

Chapter 9

"N…N…Niisan!" He cried in dismay, leaping to his feet and urgently smoothing his clothes into place, willing his blatant erection to die. He didn't want Ed to see anything that would remind him of how he'd abused his older brother's generous heart. But strangely enough, though his cock would shrivel in a heartbeat if one of the other's had caught them, the sight of Ed… so beautiful, so strong and bright and breathtaking, well, the little friend between his legs began to have a mind of its own. With a hard slap, he coerced it into dormancy. "You… you're back early!" His heart sank. He wasn't ready to face him yet. He hadn't given himself enough time to marshal the thoughts and words he'd need to convince Ed to let him stay with him in the little house they'd used to live in together. He hadn't time to figure out how he would prove to his older brother that he could be trusted to keep his hands to himself.

"Yeah," Ed said in a strangled voice, unable to look away from him. "Took care of it before I came home, like you said." Finally, he pulled his eyes away from his brother, and what had just been warm and sweet and golden as honey turned to flinty, cold topaz gemstones as he gazed upon his superior officer.

"General," Ed's voice was clipped.

"Fullmetal," Roy responded, almost as coldly.

Al coughed, feeling the tension growing in the room. "Niisan, you must be tired after your work and the long journey. I'm sorry I don't have anything ready. I wasn't expecting you for another three weeks at the earliest. I'm gonna run back to the house and get everything ready, okay?"

Ed turned back to his brother, warming once more. "No, Al, that's ok. I know I am unexpected. You don't have to do anything. I ate on the train anyway. We can pick something quick up on the way home after I give my report… if that's okay with you."

Mustang moved smoothly to the door, had a quiet word with Havoc, who was waiting fearfully on the other side of the open door with the others, worried about what would happen now that Fullmetal had busted in on their boss frolicking with Fullmetal's little brother.

Havoc's head reared back as he stared in shock at his superior, then nodded, turned and left. Mustang closed the door on the others, shutting it as best as he could since the outside knob resembled a piece of slag now. He leaned against it and watched the brother's interact.

Ed showed all the classic signs of a lovesick boy, big yearning eyes, soft voice, gentle words… most un-Ed-like, even with Al, towards whom he'd always been softer. And Al looked as if he just wanted a hole to open under his feet and swallow him whole. He couldn't meet his brother's eyes, and he was pale again. But behind the younger boy's unease, Mustang felt a deep hunger directed towards the older boy, held carefully in check. And the man felt his whole world crumble around him. Ed would win. He held all the cards. He was Al's older brother, only surviving family member, and the one that Al had been head over heels in love with all his life, and still was. He'd been the one to give Al his body back, after their combined act had almost destroyed them both. When Ed walked out of this room today, he would take Al with him. And Mustang would lose the boy that he'd fallen so very hard for.

He hadn't been lying to Al earlier. If one of them had been female, Mustang would have put a wedding ring on Al's finger so fast the boy's head would have spun. But since they were both males, Mustang couldn't legally claim Al in such a way. The best he could do would be to wrest custody of the fifteen year old boy from his military, if underaged brother. And he would lose him anyway, even if the boy was of a mind to stay Mustang's lover. He'd listened in on their phone conversation a little over a week ago; Al would stay with Mustang only when Ed was out of town.

Well, Ed was back, and probably meant to stay. The older boy would likely resign now, just to get Al out of Mustang's hands for good. And Fullmetal had enough money squirreled away that he wouldn't have to work for some time if he didn't want to. He could take care of his brother in style, providing that Al would allow him to squander money that way. In the two weeks the boy had lived with him, Al had gently and indirectly let him know he didn't like Mustang's large and luxurious house. That he yearned for something smaller, cozier, more homey. Hell, Mustang had started looking over smaller properties with an eye to buy, just to please his young and thrifty lover. Looks like he needn't bother now.

His eyes hardened imperceptively. Hell,no. He would not lose to Fullmetal. He would play his cards close to his breast, and he would play to win.

"That's fine, Fullmetal. Do you have the written report? Yes? Then leave it on the desk. You're brother is right. You must be very tired to have finished so quickly. You should take Al home and get some rest. You can give me the verbal report tomorrow morning." Was that his voice? So flat and dead and emotionless? Yes, Mustang had rather earned his title of the coldest man alive, but this was a bit much, even for him.

Both boys looked at him in surprise. Ed gave a rather shark like grin. "That's very big of you, Mustang. Thanks. C'mon Al, lets go home." He reached out and grabbed his brother's hand, and tugged him out of the room, almost running the others down that were still hovering around in concern.

Al stopped and pulled his hand out of Ed's. "Wait, Niisan…. Roy… I have to talk to him. I'll be right back." And before Ed could respond, he ran past the others and shut the door behind him.

Mustang still stood where he'd been when they left, his head down. He heard the door open, and didn't bother to look up. "Hold all calls and interruptions," And was horrified to hear tears in his voice. "I just want to be alone for a bit."

"No."

He looked up, startled, in time to see Al fling himself at him. He caught the boy instinctively, gave a strangled sound in the back of his throat as Al kissed him. And he tasted salt in the boy's kiss.

"Alphonse…" He said, when Al finally released his lips.

"Roy, I… I… I don't want to go. I'm not ready… I love you."

He tightened his arms around him. "Then stay. Stay with me, Alphonse. I love you too."

"I have to. Niisan… He and I… Part of me needs him, Roy. With the air I breathe, I need him. Even if it's only as a brother. Will… will you love me anyway? Will you send the car for me tomorrow morning? I want to come back here and be with you as quick as I can, and running would take too long. Are… are you still my lover?"

Mustang kissed him this time. "Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!"

"Remember the broom closet?" Al whispered wickedly.

Mustang swallowed and nodded.

"I think we'll need it tomorrow…." And with one more deep and needy kiss, Al was gone, plowing the others down as they milled around in confusion and concern.

………………………

Ed stood where Al had left him, only a few feet down the hall, staring down at his feet rather than look at Mustang's loyal subordinates; those people that used to be his friends too. But he had no illusions about them. They looked to Mustang. He would find no help or alliances there anymore. He hated that Al had run back to that bastard. Would he come back? But then he drew a shaky breath of relief to see Al running back towards him. He smiled at Al, and they began to walk down the hall together.

The silence between them was rather uncomfortable. And when they stepped out, they found Mustang's car waiting at the curb, Falman standing there. When he saw the boys come out, he opened the door. "The General instructed me to take you two home." He said quietly, watching both boys with a confused look on his face.

Al smiled, thanked him, and climbed into the car before Ed could complain or refuse, so the older boy just shrugged and climbed in too.

"Where's Lt. Havoc?" Al asked curiously. "Doesn't he usually drive?" Havoc had always been Mustang's driver since the boy moved in with him.

"Havoc's doing some work for the general elsewhere," Falman said stiltedly.

The ride home was painfully silent. Ed kept sneaking looks at Al. He looked different. Still achingly beautiful, still amazingly pure, but… different. He pondered it the whole way home, and finally figured it out. Al didn't look like a young boy anymore. He looked like a young man. And Ed wanted to burst into tears. It should have been him that gave Al that look of maturity, not Mustang. But Ed had been too scared and foolish, and had lost that to another man. As he'd lost his brother to another man. To Mustang. The fact that at least Ed had the honor of claiming Al's virginity was a hollow victory; Ed had ruined the earth shattering experience with his angst the next morning, with the unhappy result that he had punished his brother right along with himself. And what was one night compared to a dozen? Mustang had had his brother in more ways than Ed could bear to contemplate. Now, any time that they would try something new, providing that he could convince Al to submit now, he would always wonder… had Mustang done this to him already? And in a very strange twist of irony, Al was now more sexually experienced then his older brother. Ed had only that one night with Al, but Al had that same night, and so many more with a fearsomely experienced man. He simply would not allow himself to be cowed by any potential comparisons. Besides… Al had been in love with his brother for far longer than he might possibly be with the general. Surely that had to count for something in the pleasure and passion department. Their arrival at the Elric residence saved him from his bleak musings.

And a most terrible sight met their eyes. The Elric house was burning. A fire truck had already arrived and was hosing it down effectively, but the damage to the place was considerable.

Al stood there, appalled, and then burst into tears. This was his first real home, the home he'd shared with his brother, the home where he and Ed had their one never to be forgotten night. Now it was ruined. Ruined.

Pale faced, Ed stood beside his brother, one arm tightly around him. The loss of their house hit him just as hard, for the same reasons. Now where would he take his brother? To the dorms? Hell no.

Unbeknownst to them, Falman had used the car phone and called Mustang the moment he saw the flames. Thus, when the truck finally doused the last flames, Mustang came up in another car, with Havoc driving. The man stepped out, saw the stricken tears on Al's face, and a strange look passed over his face. Havoc simply watched stoically.

When Al saw him, he gave a gasp, pulled free of his mesmerized brother, and ran into the older man's arms, burying his face in Mustang's chest and sobbing freely.

"It's gone!" He wept. "Everything's gone!"

It took a moment for Ed to realize what was going on, and by the time he watched his brother and his superior with cold and narrowed eyes, he had completely missed how Mustang had flinched at Al's words.