A/N: Alrighty! This is the chapter I need a warning for- although it will probably be the only one of its kind! That's right. This is the yaoi chapter(although it's not hardcore. I don't have the patience to type that.) ! If you are a good reader, you will remember the story Edward told Roxanne and Roxas about "how they met" (chapter 5 I do believe). He told them about a dinner date and then going back to Roy's house for dessert. Well...y'kno that Ed wasn't telling the whole truth. You already read about one occasion where they went to dinner, but as for their first....well, y'kno, things happened a bit differently...And that brings us to chapter six...another dream. Oh, I also planned out this whole story on paper, so I know what the hell I'm going. |o| I hope you guys like it. Oh, and below you will see how I spelled the "Alphons"- the blonde from Germany. That's how it's spelled on the back of the movie case. No "e". I've seen it spelled so many ways, but I'm gonna spell it like that. Alright? That way you can tell them apart better...
Chapter Six: Man of Action
It had been many months-possibly years, since he had last seen his own world.
He had returned back to Germany in order to close the gate, and had told Al to stay behind and close the gate on his side too. However, on the return trip, Al followed Ed through the gate. Al's memories were returned to him, but now, like his brother, he too was stuck on the other side. Edward didn't know whether it was good to have his brother beside him in this strange world, or if it would have been better if had had sent him back to the safety of their world. Either way, Ed had someone who understood him, so he was fairly happy.
Edward and Al traveled around looking for the uranium bomb that had found its way into the alternate world, but after months of no leads, they returned to the apartment in which Alphons Heiderich lived. Noah had long since moved out, but left everything as Alphons had left it before he left for work that one faithful morning, never to return. It filled Ed with sadness when he reentered the apartment, and his own brother Alphonse could sense it.
"Brother...is this...your apartment?" Al asked carefully. Everything seemed like things his brother would like, all except for the piano.
Ed placed their bags down on the ground and walked into the long abandon home, only to sit down at the kitchen table in view of the stove. He could almost see Alphons walking over to the stove to make coffee. "You just waking up Edward? Hurry up! You don't want to sleep the day away!" He would say with a smile. But not anymore. He was laid in an early grave by a Nazi soldier.
"No Al, it's not," Ed admitted sadly. "This apartment used to belong to another Alphons. He loved rockets, and he wanted to make Germany a better place. He was the one that helped me home."
"Where is he now?" his brother asked. "Did he leave with Rose- I mean, Noah?"
"No, he's....dead. He died helping me...home."
"Ed..."
Ed smiled a little, but avoided eye contact with his brother. "He...looked a bit like you y'know. His hair was a little lighter, and his eyes were blue, and he was a bit older, but he was a lot like you in certain ways. But he...he was sick. He didn't have long to live. He told me he wanted to leave his mark on the world before he died."
"Ed..."
"He was working on rockets," Ed said with another smile, this one sadder than the first. "He wanted to build a rocket that would make Germany proud. But instead..."
Ed buried his face in his hands and his shoulder heaved as he cried. Alphonse walked over to comfort his brother, but could offer no words. Sometimes it was better to just let it all out.
"It's alright," he consoled. "I'm right here."
"H-He was l-like a brother to me!" Ed cried. "He wanted m-me to go home, and look where I am! I'm back w-where I started!"
As far as Ed was concerned, he thought that Alphons' death had been in vain, and that's all he told Al the rest of the time he cried that day, and into the night.
***
Later that night, Ed's tears had finally failed him, and ceased to fall. He was still clearly depressed, and this continued for months. He no longer cried, but he definitely wasn't the Edward Elric that Al knew as his brother. And soon, it got to the point where Al thought he would never recover. Ed had seemingly lost that edginess that had earned him the title of "State Alchemist".
Al had never known his brother as a drinker (only the once where he got drunk on a date with Roy), but he had witnessed Ed down a couple cups of scotch during the course of a day- especially when he was retiring to bed. Edward didn't think Al saw, but he did. His brother wondered with worry if it was because of the loss of Alphons Heiderich, and not being able to return to their true home, or maybe even because they had found no leads to the uranium bomb. But when he then stumbled upon evidence in which pointed towards something else...
Edward was sleeping on his back (stomach exposed of course), an empty bottle of scotch, a couple empty shot glasses, and a book by his bedside, when Al went to check on him. It had been over a year since their last glimpse at the destroyed city of Liore, and still Ed had dreams of their world. The majority were nightmares, horror scenes of a war between Munich and Central, and the death of all of their friends. Others, like the one Al had stumbled in on that night seemed pleasant- for the most part. Al wished he was like Noah many nights. He would check in on his brother, only to see his face contorted into one that was struck with fear and pain, and he wished he knew what Ed was dreaming about. He wished that he could talk with Ed about it- to have him share his pain so he didn't have to go through it alone. But Ed would never talk about his dreams, no matter if they were pleasant or not.
That night, Al stood next to Ed's bed, watching Ed toss and turn in agitation at something he was dreaming about. And then, he whispered the condemning evidence that explained that which he was dreaming.
"Roy..."
Al stood, stuck still by the name that his brother had whispered. Was that what was causing him so much pain? Not being able to see Roy? It made sense, and it was surely justified, but Al, much to his own displeasure, could do nothing about it. It wasn't as if he could just send a letter to Roy through the portal and tell him to come over because Ed was depressed. That was absurd.
Or was it? Was it possible for Alphonse to create a written letter for the Colonel, and send it over? After all, Roy was supposed to be trying to close the portal, therefore he would be near the portal a lot...right? And Ed had described that when it was day in Munich, it was day time over in their world, so Roy should be working on the portal right then, right?
This theory excited Al. Not bothering to sneak around, he rushed out of his brother's room (he slept like a log anyway, so Al knew it wouldn't wake him up), and went to fetch paper from his room, along with a pen.
***
Another day drew to a close. Nights before, Al had begun a letter to General Mustang of Central, and that night he signed his signature at the bottom. He tied it with string, and went to fetch his coat. It was nearly nine at night, but already his brother was grabbing a bottle of scotch- no longer bothering to hide it- and was retiring to bed with a sad and tired expression.
"You going somewhere, Al?" he asked before he entered his own room. Al was standing in front of their apartment door, buttoning up his red jacket.
"Oh, I'm just going to...go mail something," Al lied, shoving the letter in his pocket.
Ed cocked his head to the side as he continued to frown. "Who would you mailing stuff to? It's not like we have any friends here..."
"Noah. I'm going to try this address I found and see if Noah is there," Al elaborated. "But I gotta go! I think the post office might have closed!"
Al rushed out the door, slamming it behind him. Ed shook his head. Why did Al bother on trying to keep the Rose look-a-like close? She wasn't Rose. Hughes wasn't Hughes. Gracia wasn't Gracia. Nobody was who they looked like. Why bother making friends with them? He had, and Alphons had ended up dead. As these thoughts flooded the blonde's head, his frown deepened, and he uncorked the scotch. He took a swig right from the glass bottle, not bothering with the tiny glasses. What was the point if he was going to drink the whole damned thing anyway?
Ed walked into his bedroom, and plopped down onto "his" bed, leaving the door wide open. It wasn't like he couldn't take on anyone that could try and brake in. Now if they were a Roy look-a-like, that may pose a problem. Other than that, he could handle himself. The ex-alchemist looked around his room with clear discontent. There was a desk in which he usually had his bottles of scotch laying, but that night it was empty.
"Al must have thrown them out," Ed thought aloud.
Other than the usual bottle of scotch, a couple books he had found, a box of prosthetic limbs, and a lone rocket poster that he had pinned to the wall, there was nothing of his. In fact, when was the last time that he ever actually had something that belonged to him? He burned most of his belongings at the age of twelve when he and Al left home. Other than that, he had received some documents from the military, and a pocket watch, but never did he have anything to himself. If he did, he usually gave it to Alphonse.
Edward gave an aggravated sigh. Oh how he wanted to go home. He was sick of Germany. He was sick of the threat of Nazis and another world war. He was sick of the look of poverty that the land had. He was sick and tired of all the familiar faces that weren't so familiar. Ed took another gulp of scotch. He didn't mind alcohol anymore, in fact, he could tolerate much more than one his size should. Alphonse had said that it would lead to bad things, but at least it knocked him out of reality and into a land of dreams- even the nightmares were better than the way he was forced to live now. Away from everyone. Away from Roy.
"Dammit."
Ed placed the bottle on the nightstand beside his bed, and stared up at the ceiling. If only he could just go back home. But he knew he couldn't. They hadn't found the bomb yet. If he could just find that damned bomb, then maybe, just maybe, it would be alright to return home. Wasn't it he who said that they couldn't keep on living like their dreams were all that mattered? There were so many lives at stake- even if they were the lives of people in this other world.
The numbness he was so accustom to spread through him as he lie still on his back, and he began pondering if it was worth it anymore.
"I returned Al's body," he reasoned. "I still can't bring back mom...What else could I possibly live for? No! I can't think like...that. I hafta live...For Al."
With only a second thought about that gun in the drawer of his desk, Ed fell asleep. An hour or so later, Al, who hadn't merely taken the bottles to be thrown away, but actually with him in his coat, shoved his letter down into the empty scotch bottle, and with all of his might, threw it into the portal, with only the wish that Roy would read it.
Around that same time, Roy, who was examining the portal, trying to figure out exactly how it worked, stumbled across a bottle at the portal's edge.
***
Evenings passed, and to Al, Ed seemed to be acting distant. That night Ed had abruptly decided he was going down to the water; a place that Al remembered from when he had placed his soul into a suit of armor and traveled through the gate and first found Ed.
"Are you going to be back soon?" Al asked with worry. Those Nazis were getting really nasty since the war started, and he also worried about how depressed Ed had been lately. He didn't want his brother drowning himself. "Maybe I should go too..."
"No, I'll be okay," Ed assure him, then put on a smile. "If anyone tries to kidnap me, they'll return me 'cause of my mouth."
Al put on a weak smile and watched his brother walk through the door. Edward was only gone about twenty minutes when there was a knock at the door.
***
Edward sat on the bank of the water, occasionally picking up a stray stone from around him and skipping it across the water. The ripples would flow outward, disrupting the reflections of both him and the beautiful city of lights on the other side of the water. It was relaxing to sit in the darkness of the shore, peering over that the seemingly golden city. Laughter could be heard radiating out of the bars and caverns, and Ed could feel the rumble of loads of firecrackers going off to celebrate an Axis win. People seemed to be having fun despite the war...for the most part.
The ex-alchemist laid on his back, and looked up into the partly cloudy sky. The sky was pitch black except for the millions of dots that were stars. A couple stray silver clouds floated by silently, and Ed liked to fancy that one looked like Den. A little fatter than he remembered, but he could clearly see a curly tail...
"What am I doing?" Ed chuckled to himself. "I'm an alchem-"
Ed stopped himself and frowned.
"No. I'm not an alchemist anymore. I'm only a scientist..."
He could hear the distant music drifting out of a local tavern, and it made him want to dance. But he hardly ever danced- only when Roy asked him at a military get together where Ed had to dress like a girl. Hawkeye wound up figuring it out and finally knew what was going on. At the memories, Ed began laughing.
"That bastard sure was embarrassed..." he laughed to himself, a grin taking over his expression. He had been depressed lately, but when he was by the water, by himself, he seemed at ease. It was like everything was so crystal clear.
"What about me?"
The sudden voice from behind made Ed jump up, and instinctively, he pulled the gun that he trained himself how to use. He couldn't use alchemy, so he didn't know how to fight back as well as he used to. So he figured if Hawkeye could use a gun, so could he. He pointed the nozzle into the darkness where he could see a figure standing.
"Who are you?" Ed growled as fiercely as he could.
"My, my, and here I thought you would be my shrimp forever," the man said. "Look, you've actually grown since I last saw you. And you even can use a gun."
The crack at his height struck a cord in Ed's heart, and at the familiarity of the voice, Ed asked of the stranger, "Roy?"
The ex-colonel stepped forward into a bit more light. He was wearing black pants, a white dress shirt, and his black coat that he often wore. "You sure have grown, Edward."
Ed dropped the gun and ran forward to embrace Roy who was already waiting with open arms. The blonde buried his head in Roy's shirt, and took in Roy scent that he missed so dearly. Roy at one point during their long silent hug actually wound his arms around Ed's waist and lifted him off the ground.
"Hey! Hey!" Ed laughed. "Put me down!"
Roy obeyed for once, and put his lover on the ground. Edward however continued to cling closely to him.
"I missed you so much," Edward whispered into Roy's ear.
"So I have been informed," Roy replied with a smile. Not sarcastic, but sweet. "I've missed you too, Edward."
"Why have you come?"
"I'm here to take you home."
Ed stared up in disbelief. "But-but, the bomb! And the portal-"
"The bomb is no longer our problem," he stated. "Al said that you two had told the police about it, and the portal...all we have to do is blow it up. Noah and the others can take care of that on this end."
Ed absorbed this, but came to a problem. "Wait, you've talked to Al?"
Roy smiled and produced a letter from his pocket. "He sent this through the gate to me. Said you were getting really depressed and wanted to see me."
The ex-Fullmetal Alchemist flushed pink. "How did he know?"
"Apparently you talk in your sleep," Roy chuckled. He kissed the top of Ed's head. "God, I've missed you so much."
"Have you really?"
"More than you know," was Roy's reply.
His kisses slowly migrated down from Ed's blonde hair, and to his cheeks, then to the corner of his mouth, to his lips, then finally penetrating Ed's mouth with his tongue. Ed was more than compliant with Roy's will, and even latched his legs around Roy's waist with a bit of maneuvering. But with the unexpected weight, Roy found himself falling against the grass. Laying on his back, he allowed Ed to hover over him for a few moments before he reversed the roles, and pushed Ed into the ground with fierce kisses. They parted for air when needed, but as long as they could hold their breath, they continued kissing, and sliding their hands over each other. Ed was enjoyed sliding his hands under Roy's perfectly trim shirt, while Roy himself was rather fond of running ungloved hands down Ed's legs- even if one was fake.
Ed moaned and groaned at the contact of their bodies, prompting Roy to question, "What do you want me to do, Edward?"
In a sweet- but semi lusty- tone, Ed replied, "I want you to take me."
At this, Roy's hands stopped roaming, and the ex-colonel stared at his once subordinate. It was too much to take in. Seeing Ed, being able to touch him and talk to him, and then an open invitation to sleep with him? He must be dreaming.
"Edward..."
"I'm not your subordinate anymore, Roy," Ed stated. "You won't get in trouble. Please. I really want this. So much-"
Roy cut him off with a kiss. "I'd thought you'd never ask."
***
When they arrived back at the late Alphons' apartment, they found it void of life. Upon further inspection of the apartment, Roy handed Ed a note that he hand found on the kitchen table.
"Dear brother," Ed read. "I'm going to be poking around town tonight so see what it's like at night. I realize this is a rather poor cover up, but rest assured I will return in the morning. Alphonse."
Roy, who had been reading the note over Ed's shoulders, wrapped his arms around Ed's waist and pulled him back. "He does leave at the most convenient times, doesn't he?"
"That's Al for you," Ed said with a smile. "Besides Hawkeye, I think he's the only one that knows."
"About us you mean."
"Yes."
"Let's keep it that way, shall we?"
Edward smiled mischievously. "For now, I think that would be wise."
The blonde grabbed Roy's hand and led him down the hallway to his room, and shut the door behind him. He didn't bother locking it because Al had stated that he would not return until morning, and if Al had so "conveniently" left that night out of all nights, he would certainly knock before entering Edward's room the morning after. It just seemed to follow suit.
As soon as he turned away from the door, Roy was pressing his back into it in order to kiss him. The wooden door felt hard on his back, but after waiting so long for this night, Ed wasn't about to complain about what his back was up against. Due to both men's competitive nature, it became an unspoken contest of whom could undress the other quickest, but in the most seemingly sexy way the other could possibly imagine. Although Roy had experience on his side, the way Ed unbuttoned Roy's shirt, slid it down slowly until it pooled on the floor, then proceeded to his neck and chest made Roy groan half from arousal, the other half from defeat.
Ed managed to move away from the door, and lead Roy teasingly around the scattered articles of clothing. He would lean forward, willing Roy to kiss him, before pulling away and moving backwards. Roy knew it was a game, but he followed along away, chasing Ed to the edge of the bed before leaning over Ed, forcing the ex-soldier to bend backwards until his back was pressed against the messy sheets.
"Enough games," Roy whispered against Ed's ear.
Ed's hands- both flesh and metal, pressed Roy closer, and without hesitation he whispered, "Do your worst."
"I shall."
It didn't take much effort on Roy's part to turn Edward into a moaning fit, but what surprised him was the fact that Ed was allowing him to do this. Ed wasn't exactly a lover by nature- he would rather fight than kiss and cuddle. From what Roy could gather from conversation and how Ed acted, the eldest Elric wasn't too fond of men, so it was a rather big mystery as to how Ed came to love Roy so much as to allow Roy to pin him to the bed. Then there was the whole question as to why the normally feisty male would allow someone else to dominate him willingly.
In fact, the whole situation was a bit hard for Roy to figure out. Ed could see through half-lidded eyes that Roy was thinking hard about something that wasn't associated with the moment.
"Stop thinking," Ed hissed. He was so close to his climax, he could feel it. He didn't need Roy holding him back. "Just do."
That was all the instigation Roy needed. Instead of continuing with his loving pecks, and gentle movements, he alternated to deep heated kisses that left Ed whimpering for more, and quick and hard thrusts. Ed could feel the pressure building inside his small frame, and he wondered how long he could hold out. From the looks of it, Roy couldn't take much more either. His eyes were squeezed shut, and he was biting his lip.
"E-E-Ed!"
At the sound of his name, something exploded inside him. He felt the pressure beneath his eyes disappeared, and he began seeing stars. Roy came soon after him with a similar experience. After spending every last bit of strength, Roy's arms gave out, and he fell on top an equally exhausted Fullmetal. Neither said anything for the longest time. The merely gasped for air, and would occasionally glance over at each other.
Ed was the first to break the silence. "That was...wonderful."
"Can I ask you something?" his lover asked in between breaths.
"Sure."
"Was I your first?" Roy asked.
Edward snorted. "Do I look like a person who gets laid on a daily basis?"
Roy blushed deeply. If it were up to him, Ed would be getting laid on a daily basis. "Well, I mean, I thought you loved Winry-"
Another snort. "Are you kidding me?" Ed chuckled darkly. "She touches nothing but my automail."
"Is there a reason for that?" Roy probed. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but the questions were burning him up.
Ed paused, thinking over his response. In this time, Roy rolled off his ex-subordinate, and pulled the covers up over them. His blonde lover looked surprised at the gesture, but his surprised expression turned into one of adoration.
"I think I know why I like you- especially over Winry," Ed concluded.
"And why is that?" Roy asked, cocking his eye brow.
"You're a man of action," Ed said. "Instead of always using pretty words and wanting to talk, you use action to assert your thoughts. Winry always wants to just talk..."
"But talking can be good."
Ed shrugged. "I'd rather have someone who takes action. Like you."
The smaller male snuggled closer to his onyx eyed lover, smiling. Roy made room in his arms for Ed, and pulled him in close. He laid a couple kisses on his golden hair, then one on the end of his nose.
"You're perfect."
"You must be blind," Ed replied. "I am not perfect...at all. By any means."
"You are to me," Roy pressed. "And that's all that matters."
"Will you think so always?"
Roy didn't bother to think over the question. "Yes. Always."
Ed wrapped his hands around Roy's waist and buried his face in Roy's toned chest. Roy was able to say Ed was perfect, but really, Roy was the perfect one. Handsome. Talented. Surrounded by friends. A hero of war. Skilled. A high ranking officer. And even good in bed. He was perfect.
"Thanks for coming here," Ed said, blushing.
"You're welcome."
"Roy, I love you."
Roy blinked dumbly. He hadn't been expecting that. Certainly not so early on. Or from Edward Elric of all people.
"I love you too."
But his words felt on sleeping ears. Hearing the youngster snoring softly in his arms, Roy smiled, relaxed, and soon drifted off to sleep himself.