Waiting on reviews after the new chapters has been making me incredibly nervous. Thinking… will you guys like it? Hate it? Want to murder me for ruining something good? But you guys have been really encouraging, thanks! This is for you guys!

Chapter 5: Protectiveness

It was 3:00pm so Ed headed to room 105 with a giddy smile. He wondered what they were going to do on their date. He walked into the classroom and the smile immediately dropped from his face.

"Hello Edward. Thought you'd skip out on my class did you? Not a good decision." The man tapped his foot on the ground. He was rather gross. Mr. Duram beckoned him closer. Ed didn't move.

Roy decided he'd wait for Ed's detention to be over before he went back to the dorms. Then they could go visit Riza together. He'd finished going around to Riza's teachers and getting her homework. Now he looked for the days' detention room so he could wait outside. He opened a few classroom doors and glanced in. As he got to 105 he heard from the other side of the door, "NO! Stop it! This is wrong!"

That was Ed, he realized startled. He sounded scared. Roy flung the door opened and stepped in. The sight he saw made his blood boil. Ed was bent over a desk, his face was being shoved onto a student's desk by a hand tangled in his braid. His pants were shoved down far enough to reveal his ass and he was struggling madly against the brawn of Mr. Duram, whose belt was undone.

In a rage Roy snapped his fingers as he stomped in. The alchemical array on the back of his glove burst into life and a snake of flame leaped forward to lick Duram's hand causing him to release the boy. Ed quickly pulled his pants back up and belted them securely. Roy continued forward and punched the man in the face. Duram swung a haymaker punch towards Roy who grabbed his arm and pulled the man forward with his own momentum, as the man passed he pulled up the arm behind him and knocked him to the ground. Roy grabbed the back of his head and slammed it into the ground several times before he got up. He stomped on the man's hand on his back then grabbed Ed and Ed's backpack from the ground and dragged him out. Roy marched down the hallway, tugging Ed along. He wasn't going toward the exit.

"Where are we going?" Ed asked.

"The principal." Roy growled. He opened a door, stomped past the surprised looking secretary and opened the second door to the principal's office and shoved Edward in. "Tell her what happened." He ordered. "Now." Then left, closing the door behind him.

Roy waited impatiently outside, fidgeting. "Can I help you?" the secretary asked. He shook his head in response.

After a few minutes the office door opened and a red as a beet Ed came out. He grabbed his bag from Roy and walked past him without meeting his eyes. Roy followed him down the hallway. "Well? What did she say?"

"She said there will be an investigation."

Somewhat satisfied with this response he stepped forward to walk next to Ed. When they got to the dorms Ed went to their room instead of joining Roy to see Riza. Ed crawled unhappily into his bed without changing.

Riza heard a knock on her door and carefully walked to open it. Roy walked in looking upset.

"Here's your homework." He said holding out a stack of papers.

"Did something happen? What's wrong?" Riza asked concerned.

Roy sighed, "Yes. It's about Ed but I don't know if he'd want me to tell you."

Riza raised her eyebrows. "Well you've already started so you may as well sit down and finish." She stated, sitting on her bed.

He sat down next to her. "I saw Mr. Duram try to rape him."

She gasped. "Did you beat him up?"

"Yes, then I made the kid tell the principal."

"I wish I had been there to help beat up the guy…" she said angrily. "You need to keep an eye on that boy, Roy. Go to him, he's probably hurting."

Roy opened the door to his room and found Ed lying in his bed, still wearing his uniform. The boy was turned away toward the wall. "Hey kid…" He said. He sat on the edge of Ed's bed. "Don't let it get to you. I'm sure he'll get caught."

Ed's bed was the one on the left so when Roy grabbed his arm to roll him onto his back, it was the flesh arm he touched. "Look Ed, I won't let him touch you. I'll skip gym with you until he's fired, it could be fun." He gently moved Edward's hair that was stuck to his tearstained face. "It'll be okay." His voice was so deep and calming, Ed thought.

Up close, Edward's honey-gold eyes were a stunning sight to behold, especially now as they shimmered with barely withheld tears. Ed looked away. "It's just embarrassing."

"I don't think any differently of you." Roy said. Except maybe more protective. "Let's just pretend it didn't happen. Okay?"

"…Okay." He replied after a moment.

"Now take a shower and get some rest," Roy ordered. "You'll feel better."

Ed did as he was told.

Edward slept hard through the rest of the day and that night. He woke up in the morning to see a very sweaty Roy. "Wow, you get that sweaty from fighting practice?"

Roy looked at him surprised to see him awake. "No, we have PT first."

"PT? You're in the military training branch?"

"Yeah, I'm following the military track. I'll be an officer as soon as I get out of this school. I've been scouted. They are paying for my college but I have to go while I serve."

"Oh."

"This is a military school. Most of the people here plan to enter."

"True. Or they are military brats."

"Are you a military brat?"

"No."

"Are you joining the military?"

"I will be a state alchemist."

Roy raised his eyebrows. "Well, you've got a good chance. Good luck, you know they usually only accept one a year."

"It will be me year after next."

"It will be me next year." Roy stated confidently.

"Good luck to you too then."

"So what's your club?"

"Club?"

"Yeah, you have to be in a club. Thursdays' fourth period is clubs."

"Oh, is there an art club?"

"Of course."

"What club are you in?"

"Oh, I have to attend the Officer's Training Course during that time."

"Oh, sounds boring."

"Yeah, anyway I've got to get a shower before school."

"Go ahead, see you in alchemy."

"Yeah."

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