A/n: Hooooboy....well, needless to say, this is one long ass chapter O.o As long as the last one but I decided not to break into two parts this time. Oh, and what was that? TWO lemons?!? *blushes* oh my, i don't know where that came from but believe me when I say, its one of the hottest lemons I've ever written. I know, I know, you can bow to me after you read it *snickers* Just kidding!! Anyway, just sit back and enjoy! Hopefully the next chapter will be out by next weekend....(please note the hopefully...*grimaces*) My beta, who is also my sister, just started school again, so it might take a little longer. As it should because school is more important but just so you all know. Ok, I'll shut up now...
Seventeen
The sun was bright in the east, just arching up over the purple, shadowed mountains in the distance when the knock came at the front door.
She had been sitting at the kitchen table, trying not to notice how empty her house had suddenly become, worry making her already aged eyes sunken, burning with the lack of sleep and dreams of blood and loss. Den started barking before the resounding sound of a gentle fist on the wooden door and she was a little slower than normal in answering it, age making itself known that morning.
"I'm coming," even her gravelly voice was tired, lacking in its usual spunk and she opened the door, expecting another customer or a neighbor, one hand firmly on the dog's collar as he seemed unusually agitated. Except the person standing on her doorstep, with slanted golden eyes and bright blond hair pulled back into a tight tail at the back of his head was one she had not seen in many long years. He smiled a sad smile, one that belonged to a person that had seen too much of life.
"Hohenheim!" she gasped, wondering how she wasn't keeling over from shock and the gold eyes sobered behind thin glasses.
"Hello, Pinko," the man spoke in a voice that was familiar, from a time before reality began to twist their lives, from a time of brief happiness, and his eyes were haunted, older than her own, "Where is my family?"
Hughes
The dull red stone sat ominously on the dark, notched table top, glaring back at him like some evil red eye. Even though he wasn't an alchemist he didn't like touching the stone. The surface of it felt oily and rotten like a piece of fruit that had been sitting in the sun for too long and the latent power even stung him, though he had no means to tap into it. What disturbed him even more, though, was not the stone itself but what had taken place right before he had acquired it and the conversation he had overheard.
Somehow knowing that this was only a substitute for the real thing gave him chills.
~Rose had led him to a large, hulking stone church the first day he was in Lirr, informing him this was where the initial conflict had taken place. Here it was the home of one Father Cornello, founder of a fanatic religion based on bogus miracles and the one who had instigated the conflict between the town civilians and the government. How it had come about Hughes still wasn't sure but apparently the good Father had thrown promises around like they meant nothing and when it was time to deliver, he had nothing. To say that the people had been angry at being tricked was an understatement. Thus the need for government reinforcements.
What he couldn't understand was why it had become so brutal. From what he had seen, it looked as if a simple quelling of an uprising had turned into a full out massacre.
Finding his way into the hulking building was surprisingly not that difficult. There were guards but they weren't looking for a lone intruder; they were there more for the potential of an angry mob. A window had been carelessly open on the second floor and all he had to do was climb up the gutter pipe to the first floor roof that jutted out a few feet and slip into the darkened room, careful to make sure it was empty before sidling inside.
Once inside, though, he had no idea where to begin looking or even what to look for and it didn't help that the place was like a maze. One hallway branched into four more and he nearly ran into guards a few times, each one of them armed with heavy artillery. It made the revolver in his belt seem useless and any altercation would be deadly. So he stuck to the shadows and allowed himself to become lost in the hopes of stumbling onto something that would give him some insight into the conflict.
It was as he was slipping past what seemed to be a chapel when voices caught his attention and he paused. It was nearly three in the morning. Why would people, besides the guards, be awake now? Curious, he entered the dark room noiselessly, avoiding the shadowy forms of pews and the alter, eyes drawn to a chink of light spilling out from behind a thick, dark curtain to the left of the dais that raised the alter off the ground. One green eye peered cautiously around the thick drape of material to find another room that looked much like an office lit softly with a single lamp and occupied by three people.
"…that kind of reaction before. I think this one is wearing down too," the voice was deep and wise with age and while he couldn't see the speaker's face, he assumed it was the Father himself as he could clearly see the other two occupants and neither was a good candidate for a "religious leader". One was a dark haired, busty woman in a dress that left little to the imagination and a short, fat person with a dumb face and blank eyes. The woman snorted.
"I just gave you that one. You need to stop using them so much, they can't handle that kind of strain," Hughes held his breath as he leaned closer, wondering what it was they were talking about. A sharp rustle of cloth seemed punctuated by some kind of frustration the older man seemed to have as he retorted.
"I know that but these damn villagers aren't giving me much of a choice and I don't see you lending me a hand," the woman remained calm, her pretty face shadowed.
"No one is to know we even exist. Here is another stone," the Lt. Colonel's eyes widened when he saw the dark haired woman pull something from the front of her dress and hand it to the man, the object glowing a rusty red in the dim light, "But don't wear this one out. Even something such as this cannot stand under constant abuse. Beware of the rebound; we still have use of you yet," a large hand snatched the stone out of her palm.
"I know," he growled and seemed to cringe as the creature crouching beside the woman suddenly began to sniff the air like it was part canine. All at once the woman turned to it, her shadowed eyes cool.
"What is it, Gluttony?" she asked and Hughes wondered at the strange name. Not that he couldn't understand how he had gotten it, but it was still odd to call someone such. The bald creature sniffed a few times, slowly turning towards the place where Hughes was hidden and his heart skipped as he sunk back, fearing the possibility of being discovered.
"I smell an intruder, Lust," he let loose a round of explosive curses in his head and pressed himself against the wall, praying desperately they wouldn't look behind the curtain. Fortunately, someone had just barged into the room, drawing all attention from the possibility of an eavesdropper. He held his breath as a loud, slightly panicked voice announced that the villagers had started a riot right outside the church and had engaged the militia stationed there. There was a loud confusion then before the Father's voice could be heard protesting loudly.
"…NO REASON TO KILL HIM!!!" the enraged scream echoed along the marbled walls of the chapel and Hughes chanced another peek into the chink in the curtain. A door stood wide open and a big, burly man lay on the ground between the figure of the Father and the woman that had been called Lust, a dark shadow blooming from under the place his head had fallen. The woman just leaned back on the desk and regarded the older man as Gluttony inched towards the body, a hungry look in his eye, drool dripping down his chin.
"When I said no one was to know of our existence, did you think I was making it up?" the silky voice had turned to poison and Hughes shivered in his hiding spot. At least the confusion had drawn their attention away from him.
"Lust! Lust! Can I eat him?" the high pitched voice cut through the stillness and green eyes widened as the creature reached down and dragged a limp arm to his lips which he licked hungrily.
"Fine…fine…" Father Cornello was muttering, not looking at the man on the office floor. There was a sickening crunch and it was all Hughes could do to keep from gagging for the creature called Gluttony had indeed taken a large bit out of the arm, blood dripping down his face, "I hope this stone works better than the last one," the older man growled before stalking from the room. Lust sighed heavily, running fingers through her dark hair before looking at Gluttony who had dug into the corpse, the sound of ripping flesh and crunching bones filling the room.
"Don't eat that, Gluttony, it'll make you sick. Come on, we should make sure the good Father doesn't screw up again. I hope the morons in Central are doing a better job…" and then she was sweeping regally from the room, followed by the ambling little creature still covered in blood and casting sad looks back at the dead man that he had made into a meal.
It took him nearly fifteen minutes to make sure they had really gone and to get his roiling stomach to calm down enough to be sure he wouldn't be revisited by his dinner, not helped any by the ice crawling over his skin. The way the woman had said Central had his blood freezing in his veins. When he was positive no one would be coming back into the room, he slipped past the curtain and into the soft glow of the light, stepping around the remains of the body and the disgustingly small puddle of blood. The coppery smell of it filled the air, making his stomach flip again and he supported himself on the edge of the desk, wondering if he would be sick after all.
Then something dull and red caught his eye and he glanced over to find himself staring at an identical stone to the one the woman had handed to the father, seeming to eat away at the light rather than reflect it.
There was no doubt in his mind of what it was.
Without thinking to ponder it, he snatched the stone, ignoring the chills that were incited as the oily surface bushed his skin and slipped it into a pocket. Now all he needed to do was get back out without being caught. He had no desire to end up like the man now torn to pieces on the shadowy office floor…~
Now he eyed the stone with trepidation. It would seem like his time here was just about up; it would be no good if he was discovered in possession of such a dangerous object. He wanted to be as far from Lirr as possible and rid of the little chunk of bloody stone. The key to why the military was taking this civil uprising the next step was not here but in Central.
He just hoped he would make it back home in one piece. It would be heart breaking if he couldn't be present for Elysia's twelfth birthday next month…
Ed
Gold eyes watched as the black Corvette pulled away from the drive way in the safety of the garage, the impression of a burning kiss still lingering on full lips.
It was raining again, clear drops of water falling dully to the ground as Ed stomped back into the house, shutting the door behind him to keep out the sound of steady rain, pulling a dark, too-big shirt more securely around his chest as he shivered. To wake up and find it was raining had put a cramp in the giddy happiness he had woken up with, curled around Roy's warm body as he was. He had lain there for a while, listening to the drops thumping heavily against the thick glass of the window panes while his heart had kept steady time with the one beating softly in the strong chest under his cheek. He'd known as soon as he moved the familiar ache of his automail protesting to the humidity would set in. But as he recalled the night before, it didn't bother him as much as it normally did.
Last night had been an overwhelming whirlwind that had nearly torn him apart, the intensity of it so powerful he could still feel it singing through his veins, like the black fire that he had drowned in still crackled heartily around the edges of his consciousness. To be honest, he had been half worried that having sex would leave him feeling cold and cheap. Even with their mutual professions of love, both he and Roy were new to this relationship. His friend from school, Russell, had sex with a girl he'd been going out with for nearly a year and Ed had never seen the guy so bummed, Well, perhaps bummed isn't the right word to use in such a context but, needless to say, that relationship had ended rather quickly afterwards. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it had occurred to him that the same thing could happen with Roy and it terrified him.
Only it hadn't happened.
Quite the opposite, in fact. The blond was pretty sure he had never been so happy or satisfied in his entire life and as he lay against the Colonel's firm chest, the smooth skin warm where he was using it as a pillow, the fiery glow of contentment seeped through him. He was sure that this was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. For forever and when that wasn't enough, what came after forever. The strong feeling of finality should have scared him shitless but somehow, he found himself looking forward to every single future moment he would be spending with this man.
Of course, moving proved even more painful than he had originally predicted. At first it was just the normal ache at the junction of the metal portals in his arm and leg that gnawed at him and he was able to ignore it. Especially when the older man stirred awake to silence the piercing wail of the alarm clock and then rolled Ed over to draw him into a slow, breathtaking kiss. And then another one. And another one, each one becoming steamier than the last. By the time they broke apart, thanks to the very stubborn clock, Roy was smiling softly down at him while he tried to suck air back into his suddenly burning lungs. The night before hung between them in a dark haze of desire, making every place their bodies touched burn and he was very aware thar they were both still completely naked.
"I guess that means I have to get up," the older man had sighed, referring to the still wailing alarm clock, reluctance clear in his dark eyes as they trailed over Ed's face, taking in the light flush that had been staining his golden cheeks. It was a little difficult to think when Roy was straddling his waist wearing nothing but a twist of sheets. Slender fingers trailed along pale cheekbones as the dark haired Colonel leaned over him, propped up on his elbows on either side of his golden head. The blazing sound of anxious electronics became background noise as their eyes met. The blond head had tipped back as he smiled slightly, still feeling a little shy.
"I love you," and the words echoed through every corner of his body. The dark eyes deepened and the older man very carefully lowered himself until he was laying flush with the blond, every part of their bodies touching. Ed had swallowed thickly, the scent of the dark hair filling his nose as the handsome face was buried in his neck, warm breath ghosting over his skin and for a long moment they just lay there like that. Roy's weight had been comfortable, pressing him into the mattress, the blond draping his arms around the strong back while the older man tangled his long fingers into golden strands of hair and they held each other as close as they possibly could. Ed was sure that if he could have melted into the other man, he would have.
The only sound that penetrated the silence was soft breathing and the quiet patter of the rain for the alarm clock seemed to have finally given up. Tawny colored fingers eased through dark strands of shaggy hair as golden eyes, muted in the gloom that permeated the bedroom due to the lack of sunlight, were lost along the blank ceiling. Being in such close proximity with the man had made it hard not to recall the night before, gentle waves of warmth turning just a little bit hotter and his body had started to get a little interested in their position. But even though the surging waves of desire had begun to intensify, he remained still, just content to lie there forever, even if he had started to go a little numb.
Finally, just when he had thought he was going to have to tell the bigger man it was starting to get a little difficult to breathe, Roy lifted his head so that he could see the younger alchemist's face.
"I love you, too," he had said softly, the deep, velvety tone of his voice melding with the gentle patter of the rain against the outside of the house. The dark eyes had been full, distracting him momentarily from the way all that smooth, pale skin felt against his own. One look like that from the man had his thoughts scattering to the four winds, until all he was aware of was drowning in deep pools full of an emotion that made his heart skip and breath run short. Then a small smirk had flickered across the handsome face, the one Ed liked so much, breaking the thick atmosphere, "And while I'd love to stay here and perhaps pick up where we left off last night, I really should get up," That had a furious blush washing over the blonde's face, to which Roy just gave a throaty laugh Ed had felt all the way down to his bones and kissed one of his gold tinted cheeks.
"Wouldn't it be more like starting again because as I recall we both finished last night," his snide remark had those dark eyes jerking back to his face so the older man could stare at him in shock and somehow he managed to grin past his embarrassment. Then the Colonel burst out laughing, dropping his head back onto the younger alchemist's shoulder, who had noticed that while the dark haired man had found it funny, it had also turned him on, if the unmistakable feeling of the slight hardening of a certain piece of anatomy against one of Ed's thighs was any indication. When the dark head lifted once more, he was appraised by a gaze as black as the night sky in which a dark fire had been ignited. The smirk had deepened into something wistful.
"I should get up before this gets dangerous," the older man breathed and after leaving a swift kiss on Ed's cheek, he rolled away, the steady warmth already dispersing, leaving the younger alchemist feeling a little cold. Of course, he also got to see the older man completely naked as he stepped away from the bed, the grey light showing him more than he had seen the night before. Seeing the round muscles of the tight buttocks, dipping every time the older man took another step away from the bed, the way the muscles in his lower back bunched then expanded, the way the narrow hips swayed subtly from side to side made his mouth go dry. His eyes were glued to the bigger frame as the Colonel bent to pick up the pair of pants he'd discarded the night before, face darkening as he watched the strong thighs flex with the movement. And when the dark haired man stepped into his pants, he turned a little towards the bed and Ed realized Roy was still half hard.
In a blaze of white hot desire, the blond had swung his legs over the side of the bed, not really caring if they started something that would make the older man late for work. If he could just get another taste of what he had the night before, he would even be willing to call Hawkeye to let her know it was his fault the Colonel was late. Well, that's what he had thought and then he had put the entirety of his weight on his rear end. All thoughts of anything but the blaze of agonizing fire that raced up his lower back fled as the blond landed in a heap on the floor, letting out a loud, "Holy FUCK!!" as he fell. It wasn't unbearable as the older man had been careful but it was unexpected and sharp, only made worse by the dull ache already plaguing him due to the rain.
"Ed! Are you alright?" Roy had crouched in front of him, peering into his face with worried eyes as the younger alchemist had kept his weight forward, over his knees because sitting back on his ass was out of the question. Sucking in a deep breath, he'd steadied himself on his palm between his thighs, glaring at the carpet.
"It fucking hurts," he had snarled, lifting his head to turn his molten glare on the dark haired Colonel. It was his fault, after all, even though Ed had gone along with it more than willingly. The dark eyes looked confused for a moment then understanding dawned on the pale features and the blonde's annoyance deepened to anger when the older man looked like he had been trying to bite back a laugh.
"Oh," Yup, he had definitely been trying not to laugh and when he reached out to smooth back a piece of long, blond hair that had fallen into Ed's eyes, the younger alchemist knocked it away. Whatever arousal had been present vanished in his embarrassment, "Is it really bad? Can you stand?" he knew the older man was just trying to be nice and he probably felt really bad because, like he said, it was kind of his fault but the blond, whose face felt like it was trying to melt off of his skull, had just graced the handsome man with a rather caustic glower and pulled himself to his feet using the bed, growling the entire time. Straightening entirely had presented somewhat of a problem and the fact that he wasn't wearing anything didn't even occur to him. Roy was biting his lip in something that looked like worry as he watched the teen hobbling over to where his boxers were crumpled on the floor, "I hear it gets better," he had offered and with a snort of rage, Ed whipped around, pinning him with a narrowed gaze.
"I'm not letting you anywhere near my ass any time soon!" he snapped before stooping to snatch his underwear, gritting his teeth against the blaze of fiery pain as he somehow managed to stand back up without falling over. Suddenly, warm arms circled his waist, a bare chest pressing against his back and for a moment he had forgotten why he was so mad.
"But it's such a nice ass," the deep voice had sounded like the richest velvet when it was breathed in his ear and all at once he remembered, even through the sudden blaze of a different kind of heat that shot straight to his groin. The fact remained that he could barely walk. With an indignant growl, he elbowed Roy in the ribs with his automail, taking a dark satisfaction in the startled grunt he had forced past the older man's lips before stalking out of the room as regally as possible. That is, as regal as he could be being completely naked, with a rather pronounced limp and his ass on fire.
Ed had somehow managed to hobble to the bathroom, the sound of Roy's dark cursing following him through the hall and he had smiled to himself. Of course he wasn't serious about the whole not letting the Colonel near him. If he had his way, he'd jump the man as soon as he got home that evening. But it was okay to put him in his place every once and a while. That and it was rather humiliating that the reason he couldn't sit down was because he'd taken another man's dick up his ass. Even if it was Roy. Even if he did love it. Besides, after a couple of painkillers he felt a little better.
Despite his act, he made the dark haired man breakfast anyway after spitefully stealing some of his clothes and had been rewarded when Roy came down and gently enfolded him in his arms, muttering a soft apology in his ear while he nuzzled his nose into the teen's golden hair. Ed couldn't help but smile.
"Its fine," he had answered just as softly, pausing in flipping over the pancakes on the griddle bubbling in front of him to kiss the Colonel's cheek. Everything after that had been slow, lingering touches, looks that lasted just a little too long and blazed a little too bright and swift, stolen kisses on cheeks, noses, foreheads and lips. Of course, he had been forced to stand while eating but that lasted all of about two bites before Roy caught his waist and dragged him onto his lap so the younger alchemist was straddling his hips, all of his weight on his thighs. He had huffed a few protests until the older man smiled at him and gently swiped his thumb over the blonde's bottom lip.
"This way you don't have to stand," he smirked deviously and Ed pretended to glare, though it was certainly better than hovering over the table while he ate. How he was going to reach his plate was another matter as his back was now facing the table.
"Yeah, I'm sure that you aren't getting anything out of this," he groused, refusing to uncross his arms so that they could sit more comfortably, "And how the hell am I supposed to eat? Am I just going to watch y—mfph!" Roy had taken the opportunity of the younger alchemist's open mouth to shove in a forkful of pancake saturated in syrup, catching the blond off guard. The golden eyes had widened comically as he was forced to either chew or choke on it. Just when he was ready to belt out another string of growling complaints, the Colonel had just occupied his mouth once again with another loaded fork. Only that time, he had followed it with his lips, caressing Ed's as he chewed slowly. It was a little strange to kiss someone when he had a mouth full of food but it shut up any more protests he might have had. They parted slowly and he had swallowed hard, flushing slightly. The older man had just grinned at him before taking a bite of his own, murmuring a soft appreciation for the younger man's cooking.
They had eaten like that for a few minutes, first Roy feeding him a bite then himself, their eyes never leaving each other's face. It might have pissed him off that he was being fed by someone else if it had been anyone but the Colonel. For some reason, the fact that it was the older man had made it alright. Then the older man had taken a particularly big bite and syrup had dripped down his chin before he could catch it. The sweet, golden substance looked like a stray thought tossed away into a pale sky and he leaned forward to lick it away, the taste of Roy's skin mixed with the sugary syrup making his teethe ache. He had drawn his tongue all the way up to the older man's lips and forced his way inside, finding the mingling taste of pancakes, syrup and Roy irresistible. Of course, he also drew away munching on some pancake as well, a rather triumphant smile curling on the corners of his full lips for stealing some of the older man's food.
That was how they ended up eating their meal, stealing it from each other's mouths and while it got a little sloppy and sticky, he didn't really care. By the end, though, they had forgotten all about breakfast as he had curled his hands into the dark hair so he could tip the bigger man's head back, efficiently plundering his mouth. Between the heady, slick slide of their tongues and all of that wonderful flavor that just kept getting better every time he tasted it and how their bodies were pressed together, the scratchy material of the Colonel's jacket rubbing against a patch of his skin where one of the buttons in the too large shirt had come undone, nothing else mattered. Not the ache in his metal joints, not the fire in his backside, not the depressing sky outside. Nothing would intrude here, would come between them. With each slide, caress, sigh, lick, touch it was just Roy. Just the dark, dark hair that felt like the softest silk caught in his hands, just the soft lips and hot mouth and velvety tongue, just the large hands fisted in the material of the back of the shirt he wore…just their two hearts as they beat so close to each other, keeping perfect time.
Which was why Ed couldn't understand, as he had watched the older alchemist drive away, the feel of the Colonel's hands holding him close and his lips pressing against his skin still fresh, why he felt like it was all about to end. Like the next time, or perhaps the time after that, would be the last time he ever saw the dark haired man as he turned away.
Now he stood in the middle of the kitchen, feeling full but strange. He wasn't one prone to bouts of angsty foreshadowing and yet there was an unmistakable darkness pressing around the corners of his consciousness, whispering in sad voices that he better enjoy what he had now because it was about to be ripped away from him. Of course, that could also have been because the sky outside the window was grey and he was alone in the house. Ed really didn't like being alone.
So he shook himself out of his reverie and hobbled towards the table to clean up, grateful the Ibuprofen had taken the edge off.
Seriously, he was going to have to make Roy pay for this one, he thought as he carried the plates to the garbage can to get rid of the rest of the pancakes they had forgotten about when they had lost themselves in each other. One thing was for sure. He was never going to think about pancakes and syrup the same way ever again. This, though, just made him think again that he was going to get his revenge. And then drew a blank. Ed was incredibly naïve when it came to sex, even now. Certainly, he knew some things, he wasn't stupid, but unlike most of the boys his age, he had never looked at porn or got into detailed conversations with his more experienced friends or even read the kind of books that had those kinds of scenes in them. Though he'd been vaguely inclined a few times while in school to find out what it was all about, for some reason he had never truly considered the implications. All he had really known was half-overheard knowledge, jokes that Russell had made and his own hand. That is, until he had met Roy. How had the man known what to do? As far as the blond knew, the Colonel had only had sex with women before. Maybe it wasn't that different? Which, of course, was ridiculous as the differences between the two sexes were pronounced. Still…
Curious now, because he really did want to be able to repay the older man (though he could pretend it was revenge, just to make himself feel better) he thought of smooth, pale skin and blazing onyx eyes as he washed the dishes, and how it had felt to be completed by all that dark fire.
Dr. Marco's book could wait for a little while. It was time Ed did a…different kind of research.
Roy
The taste of syrup drenched in bright, golden sunlight lingered on his tongue all day, sneaking up on him when he was doing his paperwork, when he was talking to Havoc, getting threatened by Riza for loitering in the outer office instead of finishing his paperwork. It was a constant reminder of the blond alchemist he had made completely his just the night before, distracting him from the things he needed to be doing. He had been dreaming about smooth golden skin and a pair of full lips opening under his own when he was nearly brained by one of the books Lt. Hawkeye had been carrying when she walked into his office.
"Colonel, stop mooning around like some love-sick teenager and finish your work because if you make me have to stay late again to make sure you complete it, I'm not going to be very happy," He gulped, seeing the steely look in those dark hazel eyes and knew very well what it meant when she said she wasn't going to be very happy. It meant he was going to be miserable. Of course her threat lasted all of about twenty five minutes before he was lost again, dreaming of little drips of sweat as they rolled over tawny skin, starting at the side of a slender neck and following the line between firm pectorals, the subtle ridges of a flat abdomen and they would taste like salt and sunshine as he lapped them up.
Dark eyes flickered around the shadowed office while he gnawed on the end of his pen absently, wishing Ed was here instead of at home because it was always so quiet now. He realized that daydreaming about the blond had only served to turn him on and while it kept his mind occupied, he really would rather not have an embarrassing problem to hide. And Riza knew him too well that he doubted he would even be able to conceal it. It was then, as his eyes were roaming the flat planes of his desk that he realized it had gotten rather cluttered sometime when he wasn't looking, that the corner of something sticking out behind the large desk calendar snagged his attention. He had been contemplating cleaning, because how could the Lt. object to that when he pulled a frown, eyes stalling on the edge of the maps Ed had shown him a couple days ago. With everything else that had been going on, he had completely forgotten he even still had them.
The Colonel pushed away from his desk and pulled the maps free from their makeshift hiding place. He had meant to lock them away in the safe under his desk and realized now he had been rather careless by leaving them out. Anyone could have come in while he was on break or had even just stepped from his office for a few minutes and seen them. Their presence on his desk would be rather hard to explain away if he were found with them. He wondered, as he shuffled some of the other clutter out of the way so he could spread the paper out better, if the person Ed had snatched them from had even realized they were missing as he had heard nothing about it. Or maybe they weren't supposed to even exist in the first place. That would explain why he hadn't even heard a whisper about a set of missing maps. Which was strange because something like that was not tolerated within the military headquarters; thievery was a breakdown of disciple. Well, all the better for him, then, because if the maps weren't supposed to be common knowledge, hopefully no one would come looking for them.
Now he poured over them, going over the line of the old sewers then the tunnels that connected some building with others that should have no association with each other but did. That was old news, though. They had gone down that path already and were pursuing other paths that had stemmed from what they had found there. It felt a little like he was dogging the heels of a mystery that had already been solved but it couldn't hurt to look anyway, right? Plus it gave him an excuse of getting out of doing his paperwork, which was always an added bonus. Then his eyes caught upon something odd and he paused.
The system under the main headquarters was closed off to any outside influence and he could see where that might be because of security. And while that might mean no trespassing from possible threats, it could also mean no curious, prying eyes could stumble in either. The thought wouldn't have even occurred to him if he hadn't come across a strange, inconsistent branch under the central most part of the building that ended in a symbol he didn't recognize. Checking the key to the right side revealed no answers and he frowned at it, wondering how a map could have something like that missing from the key. Unfortunately, he wasn't really an expert when it came to maps so he strode over to his door and poked his head out, noting with some relief that Hawkeye wasn't around.
"Lt. Breda. Might I borrow you for a moment?" the man glanced up from where he had been frowning over Furey's shoulder, the two of them talking quietly among themselves and blinked before obeying, strolling over the door of the Colonel's office.
"Sure, Colonel. What's up?" the man's laid back personality was one of the reasons Roy kept him around because people tended to think they could take advantage of him and while he looked sleepy and uninterested most of the time, he was the sharpest mind under his command. He led the Lt. over to his desk, noting how the light brown eyes unobtrusively took in his office before he pointed to the strange symbol hidden away in the middle of the map.
"What do you make of this?" he asked as Breda leaned over the grids of blue lines, brow furrowing. Two seconds before the heavy lidded gaze was back on his face.
"Is this under the city?" the Lt's voice was always rather bland but the Colonel could detect a hint of curiosity in the deep baritone. Roy kept his face expressionless as he nodded before the man turned back to scrutinizing the map, interest beginning to spark on his round face. Finally he reached out and gently ran the tip of one wide finger over the symbol, following the line of the corridor that lead up to it, "Well, it's a little odd that these sewers are separated from the rest of the city," he mumbled, now chewing on his lip and completely forgetting his superior officer standing next to him. Roy arched one dark eyebrow.
"Why is that?" he asked. He had assumed it was standard to have the military compound removed from the rest of the city but the way Breda was frowning, it seemed there was something more to it. The normally sleepy gaze flickered to him and then the Lt. shrugged.
"Well, the headquarters were constructed after the city was already built. They moved it from outside of the city which means everything like sewers and the electrical grids should have already been set in place. With the right safe guards, they shouldn't have to worry about security from the tunnels. As a matter of fact, those are safer than the main gate. Which is why it's strange someone went out of the way to keep it closed off," by the end of the explanation, the dark haired Colonel was sharing his Lt's frown, both sets of eyes staring at the map like it could give away the secret behind the secluded tunnels.
"That is strange…" he muttered, running distracted fingers through his hair before his eyes traversed back to the odd symbol that now seemed to be screaming at him from its spot on the page, "So what about that?" he indicated the odd tunnel that ended with a question and again Breda frowned deeply, studying the rest of the map for a moment.
"Well," he said slowly, "If I had to guess, I would say that there is another part to this map. It's made out of the same material architects use when constructing a building so that they can stack all different pages and see through them so they can get depth and see a more finished result. Since the symbol is not in the key and that tunnel ends like that, there might be another map that goes over it," Roy sucked in a breath then caught how the other man shook his head, once again running his finger tip over the smooth surface of the thin paper, "No, not over, under," his whispered and the Colonel blinked.
"What do you mean?" he wondered because he wasn't sure how it could matter if the other map went over top or underneath. Breda looked him square in the eye.
"I mean, there is something else under the sewers below headquarters," surprise made Roy still, slanted eyes wide as they stared down at thin blue lines that contained another mystery for him to plunge into. He just wondered, if such a thing was hidden even on this map, how dangerous was this about to become? There was a shrewd look in the other man's eyes as the Colonel's pale features flattened out. They had been working long enough for the Lt. to know what it looked like when Roy was formulating a potentially volatile plan. For a moment he wondered what his subordinates thought about his dangerous and hare-brained schemes, "Sir, you don't think something like that would actually be contained on a map, do you?" the dark eyes lifted, holding a swirl of thought in their depths and he smiled grimly.
"Well, there's only one way to find out," and took comfort in the sudden impish grin that stretched across the meaty features, as if the Lt. was sharing in the sudden excitement of a thrill of more potential danger they could be getting themselves into. With men like that on his side, Roy was almost positive they might succeed.
"You want me to come with you?" the man asked, his normally dull voice caught up in the moment, holding a spark of interest and as much as Roy would have liked to have him at his side when he went stealing into places he shouldn't be looking for something that shouldn't exist, he knew that if he got caught, at least if he was alone he could claim none of his subordinates knew what he had been up to. So he just shook his head and clapped the man on the back.
"I think I'd better do this one by myself. Anything happens and you know nothing, understood?" there was steel in his voice, backing up a clear order and while it looked like the Lt. had it in mind to balk, thin mouth flattening out until it was almost invisible and eyes lighting up mulishly, he just nodded.
"Yes, sir. If you need any more help…" and he gave a shallow salute to which Roy acknowledged with a nod of his own and he had just turned back to ponder the map again when the footsteps paused at his doorway, a hitch of a breath behind him making him turn. Breda had stopped a few feet before the door, hand pressed against the molding and his eyes were already looking outside the office, a frown marring the space between his eyebrows.
"Lt. Breda?" his voice was low because he had never seen the man hesitate quite like this before and when the Lt. turned and made his way back to where Roy stood, the look in his eyes gave the Colonel a sense of foreboding.
"Colonel…I was just talking with Sergeant Furey and…it seems he intercepted a transmission from an outside source to somewhere here at Headquarters…" he paused and licked his lips, looking decidedly distracted and the dark haired man waited, knowing the Lt. would get to it eventually, "They are sending six troops to Creda's boarder tomorrow. There was no reason as for why," He blinked in shock. Creda? They had always remained a neutral boarder country, especially since Ametris had stronger military power. What could have provoked the military so much that they were sending troops there? Unless it wasn't Creda that had done the provoking, something that was beginning to seem more and more likely.
"I see," he looked away, out the window where he could see a young Sergeant rushing past with an armful of papers, no doubt someone's errant boy. Ishval, Lirr, Creda. There were too many in too short of a time with too different circumstances to be a coincidence. But what was the link that bound them all together? He felt like he should know already but it was just another rather large puzzle piece to an ever growing mystery. Forcing a reassuring smile onto his face, he faced his Lt. who was watching his warily, "Thank you, Lt. Breda. Keep me updated, if you will and I'll be sure to let you know if I find another map," another salute and he was alone again.
Only then did he sag against the edge of his desk, rubbing his fingertips against his throbbing temples in an attempt to dispel the growing ache that had settled there. Just when he thought they were getting to the bottom of one thing, another puzzle pops up and throws him off balance once again. Damn, if things could only go smoothly. Not to mention his concern for Hughes in Lirr, from whom he had gotten no notification as to whether he was alright or not. Rumor had it that the fighting there had taken a turn for the worse and he didn't like to think of his friend caught up in that mess because Roy had been the one to send him there. With a sigh, forcing his frayed thoughts into some semblance of order, he reached into his pocket and fished out his cell phone. Usually he used the office phone but anyone could be listening in on that line as it was on the main connection for the whole building and he'd rather not share this conversation with anyone else.
The number he dialed was familiar, though he was more used to giving it out rather than calling it himself and it rang several times, making him wonder if it was even going to be answered. But the fourth ring was cut in half and a soft, husky tenor answered, sounding a little breathless.
"Hello?" Roy smiled to himself, just hearing the younger man's voice made him feel a little steadier and he scooted back onto his desk, not caring if he crumpled a couple papers as he made himself comfortable.
"Hey, Edward. It's Roy," the smile curling on the corners of his lips leaked into his voice and he could almost see the sweet, answering expression on the boy's face.
"Hi. What are you doing, calling me now? Shouldn't you be working?" he could hear a hint of a reprimand reminiscent of Hawkeye and he grimaced, glaring at his phone for a moment.
"What, I can't take a few minutes to call my favorite person?" he teased, voice light and there was a snort on the other end of the phone, sounding suspiciously like disbelief. If only that were the sole reason he was calling.
"Knock it off, Roy. Seriously, I don't want to hear it when you get shot because you were procrastinating," Ed sounded happy, though, a grin trickling through the connection and for a moment the older man wished he was there so he could lose himself in the blazing color of gold. The sudden need to be close to the blond alchemist again left him feeling slightly restless.
"As much as I'd like to say that's the only reason why I'm calling, I actually have a question to ask you," all feeling of the light, teasing air they had through the line disappeared and he could almost feel the teenager burning with curiosity.
"Oh? What about?" he sucked in a breath and eyed the maps spread out on his desk, pausing for a moment to wonder if this was a good idea after all. Then the moment was lost and he ploughed on, pushing away gory thoughts of possible consequences.
"Do you remember those maps that you stole a few days ago? The ones of the tunnels?" here he was sure Ed was blushing slightly in shame.
"You make me sound like some kind of criminal," he grumbled, voice gruff and the older man bit back a grin.
"If the shoe fits," there was an indignant squawk on the other end and he could feel the plastic against his ear heating up with the force of a molten glare but he didn't give the blond a chance to interrupt, "Anyway, I need to know which Admiral you got them from," just like that there was silence and now Ed was thinking.
"Why?" The Colonel rubbed his gloved palm over his face, the material rough and scratchy against his skin, smelling thickly of gunpowder. The kid had enough to deal with as it is, with the book that seemed to be the key in this whole mess but there was no point in hiding it.
"I was looking at the map you gave me and there's something odd about it. Like it's missing a piece. I just want to see what it might be, that's all," again a silence but this one was thicker than the last one, as if Ed was hesitating.
"Admiral Leery. But Roy, that was the only map in his office like that. There was nothing else suspicious or out of place," Of course. So then where would the rest of it be? There was only one other place he could think of, as Admiral Leery was a master of maps and their keeper for the military so anything of that nature would be entrusted to him. His bit his lip, unsure he was willing to take it that far. He and King Bradley had never trusted one another but it was an entirely different thing for him to break into the man's office in order to satisfy a hunch. "Roy?" he started at Ed's worried voice and resisted the urge to bang his head against something hard.
"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking," he said quietly, eyes drifting away, adrenaline already making him feel slightly fuzzy around the edges as he contemplated what he needed to do.
"Please tell me you aren't going to do anything stupid," the blonde's voice sounded anxious now and he felt kind of bad making the kid worry. At least, should anything happen, the teen was at home and away from here with everyone outside of his office believing the younger alchemist had gone to Lirr. A bitter smile twisted on his lips as he answered.
"I could but it would probably be a lie," his voice sounded resigned and there was a growl on the other end that instead of sounding threatening only sounded rather sexy.
"You're a moron, you know that? Just don't get yourself caught, alright?" there was a pause where he whispered a quiet "yeah" before the tone of the younger alchemist's voice changed, sounding almost desperate, "Please come home tonight…" and he didn't like how Ed seemed to think he wouldn't be seeing the older man again. Smiling softly, in hopes to distract the blond, he did his best impression of a purr as he answered.
"Why? Do you have something planned?" another pause and he could almost feel Ed's irritation.
"As a matter of fact, I do and I'll fucking kill you if you blow me off so stop being an ass! I was being serious!" he really liked it when the teen got pissed off because it made that beautiful voice crack with the force of his temper, the sound reminding him of snapping fire as it consumed everything in its path. Grinning full out now, teeth gleaming in the shadows of his office, he couldn't help another prod.
"Will I like what you have planned?" he asked, voice still sultry and smooth and he wanted to be able to see the shudder that had surely wracked the slim frame, see the goose bumps pebble over the tan skin. Then there was a huff, as if the boy didn't know whether to keep pretending he was mad or to laugh.
"Well, if you don't, there is always a plan B but I'm pretty sure that you'll like it," the way the kid said it made his mouth go dry and he was resorting back to fantasies of sweat dripping down sun kissed skin and golden curves drawing him into a deep, blinding heat. He swallowed thickly.
"Now I want to know what it is," he demanded, marveling that he managed to form real words rather than the gibberish his brain seemed to be resorting to and there was a chuckle on the other end of the phone that if Ed had been in the office with him, would have made him jump the kid, taking him on the damn desk and fuck whoever might walk in on them.
"Nope. You have to wait. Which means you have to do your stupid thing and not get caught. I'll see you later," Roy pouted like a little kid, the heat rushing through him sufficiently stifled and he sighed heavily, making sure it was dramatic enough that Ed knew just how disappointed he was.
"Fine, fine. I love you," a pause and he could almost feel the heat of the kid's grin a second later. For that, he would most certainly not miss being with the younger alchemist that night.
"Love you too, stupid Colonel," and he was grinning like some love-drunk fool when the connection went dead. Whatever may happen while he was looking for those maps, one thing was for certain. He would be going home to Ed tonight.
When Riza walked back into the office, she was accosted by four sets of curious eyes and a certain someone's office being notably empty. She paused, wondering what the heck was going on when Havoc got up, poked his head outside the outer office door, as if he was checking for something. Only when he seemed to deem it satisfactory did he turn back around, the bright blue gaze coming to rest on the blond Lt. who was eyeing the four men warily, sure she was not going to like this.
"Did the Colonel find a girl?" demanded the Second Lt. a moment later, his voice sharp and there was jerky movement from Falman and Breda as they too stood, their curiosity too great to be contained by their seats. Confused, Riza just blinked.
"What are you talking about?" as far as she knew, Roy was with Ed and from what she had seen, the thing between the Colonel and the blond Major was about as real as it got. She had no idea when a girl had gotten into the picture. Furey sidled up to where they stood, dark eyes curious behind the lens of his glasses.
"We heard him talking on the phone to someone and, pardon me for saying so but we've never heard him sound like that before. H-he said th-that he loved the person on the other line and we thought that you would know if he found someone…" Hawkeye blinked then found herself suppressing a grin. So Roy had called Ed. And now his office wanted to know who the girl was. Well, the fiery blond alchemist would be less then pleased to find out he'd been referred to as a girl, which she would be sure to inform him of. Now she just snorted and made her way to her desk, depositing the armful of paperwork onto the flat surface and very aware of four sets of eyes still trained on her back.
"I'm sure that if the Colonel wanted you to know, he would tell you," she offered in a bland voice, hoping that was the end of the conversation but Havoc was too stubborn for his own good and was leaning over her desk a moment later, face serious.
"But who's the girl?" he asked again and Riza's eyebrows shot up when she turned to regard him, wondering why she had never noticed how blue his eyes were. It took her a second to compose herself enough to smile slightly.
"Who said anything about a girl?" sufficed to say, the whole room becoming gaping morons as four jaws met the cold titled floor was quite the sight. She grinned to herself, shuffling the paperwork on her desk and because of this, she missed the way Jean's face eased from shock to a smooth thoughtfulness, ignoring the shocked looks everyone else was sharing. The confirmation that Roy was in fact in love with a guy seemed to stall whatever mental functions they all seemed to have in favor of gape mouthed astonishment. But Havoc took her by surprise when his bright eyes narrowed and he was once again leaning forward.
"It's Edward, isn't it?" and her blank, shocked stare was confirmation enough. The Second Lt. grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets, leaning back in satisfaction, "I knew it. The Colonel can't keep his eyes off the kid. I knew as soon as I saw them together something was up," now Breda was there, normally heavily lidded eyes wide.
"You mean Major Elric? With the Colonel?" That had Riza snapping out of whatever shock induced silence she had been standing in and she slammed her fist down on the desk, making them all jump, efficiently drawing all their attention to her thunderous expression.
"Yes, and now that you all know, if I hear one more word from any of you on this matter, you'll be spending the next three months in the hospital, do you hear me? If anyone outside of this office finds out, I'll kill you," her warning was delivered in her coldest voice and four sharp salutes answered the threat because they had seen in her eyes that she was dead serious. If anything came between Roy and Ed, her gun was going to have the last say. There was a chorus of "yes, ma'am-s" before she barked at them to get back to work. But as she glanced around the office a moment later, wondering at the sudden light hearted atmosphere, she found just about everyone grinning into their work. It was hard to kill her own smile because she knew full well that when a beloved superior officer had found something that made them happy, it was inevitable the subordinates under them would appreciate it.
Roy
"Excuse me, but I was wondering if I might have a word with His Excellency," his deep voice was smooth as it was when he wanted something and wasn't sure he was going to get it. The woman behind the desk outside the wide double doors didn't even look up to acknowledge him and the memory of hot coffee as it dripped off his clothes scathed him. He had always avoided Bradley's secretary after the day he'd asked her out and received humiliation in reply but sometimes there was nothing he could do to avoid her. The cool green eyes remained glued to the monitor in front of her as slim fingers clacked away on the key board. Roy may not have even been there for all the attention she gave him.
"King Bradley is in a meeting now and will be indisposed for the rest of the day. I can pencil you in for next week," her voice was almost robotic and he thought about sneering at the top of her head because he was so far from affected by her rudeness it was almost petty on her part. He kept his features bland, though, pleased that Bradley wasn't around today.
"That's fine. I'll come back another time," and he turned on his heel, plan already reeling through his mind. He barely even heard the cool feminine voice that floated through the room after him as he had already forgotten about the guard dog that sat at the wide doors.
"You can't see His Excellency without an appointment," and he grinned at her smug tone. Little did she know he had no intention of seeing the man at all. It was what might be in his office that he was interested in. Though he knew very well what could happen if he was caught. The sword the older man carried was not for show, he was sure and he had often wondered if his own flames would be fast enough should he ever be in the position of finding out.
It was better to strike an enemy from behind. Besides, he had no desire to find himself skewered by a sword wielded by a half-blind tyrant.
**
Executing a tiny, controlled explosion of fire to a specific target was a rather unpredictable science that he had mastered years ago. The circles adorning his white gloves were both different, one for broad range attacks that relied on sheer power and the other for smaller, pin point blazes. This time, it was the latter that singed the latch of the window that let him into the giant, empty office. It was still raining outside, the sky weeping big, cold tears and he'd been forced to hide his gloves under his jacket so they wouldn't get wet and be rendered useless.
The only way into the courtyard outside the Executive's office window was through one of the other doors of one of the General's offices. Luckily, it seemed this all day meeting involved them as well and he had slipped into the first office he came to, careful to make sure he wasn't seen. The only place in the building where there wasn't surveillance in the halls were these halls belonging to the higher ups. Here they could do anything they liked and didn't have to worry about getting taped doing it. Which was why he didn't think twice about sneaking into Bradley's office. There certainly wouldn't be any surveillance in there.
Yet, now that he had found his way into the big, lonely office, he had no idea where to start looking. He was sure the desk was for show; there wouldn't be anything incriminating in there. The bastard was too smart for that. There were no book shelves or any other obvious places. Just the wide, comfortable couches, the coffee table and the large fireplace that he had always assumed was real. But then he looked at it again. If there was one thing he knew, it was fire and he realized that the fireplace behind the big, ornamental desk had never been used. Not that he was really surprised, he just had figured that in a place of such opulence, at least the fireplace would be real. He had never noticed before but there was no soot lining the brick walls nor was there a trace of ash on the bottom of the concrete hearth. Even the log looked fake as he stepped up to it.
Dark eyes considered it briefly. Surely it was almost too easy. The King wouldn't leave things that shouldn't be found in his office but then again, where else would he keep those kinds of things? In his home? Roy snorted to himself as he continued to crouch in front of the fire place. He highly doubted he would be able to gain access to Bradley's home. He was lucky he managed to sneak into his office at all.
Yet after fifteen minutes of hunting for an oddity; a loose brick, a space in the mantle for a catch; he came up empty handed. Annoyed and frustrated, unwilling to admit that there might be nothing there after all, he leaned back against the wide desk and pondered. If it were him, he wouldn't keep anything that would threaten him or his subordinates in his office; his home was the safest place for such things, like the book or the stone he had stolen off of Dr. Marco's corpse the other day. Then again, he was only a Colonel. One warrant because one of his superiors got suspicious and it would be all over. Which was why it was stupid for him to have forgotten the maps on his desk. King Bradley, however, was beyond reprimand here, his privacy assured considering who he was. The Colonel grinned to himself. Ah, the benefits of absolute arrogance; they never assumed anyone would dare succeed in knocking them down.
That was when his eye caught on the cross swords hanging over the mantle of the fireplace. They glimmered dully in the grey light filtering in through the large windows, the only decorative adornment on the blank walls. They looked like the genuine thing, sitting innocently in their sheathes as they hung on the flat surface from small hooks. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. So far nothing else had turned up anything. He pondered the swords for another long minute before dragging the high backed chair over from the desk and lined it up so he could climb onto the seat. One pale had reached up and carefully dislodged the first sword from its sheath with a metallic rattle, watching the fireplace as he did so. Nothing. He moved on to the next sword next. Again nothing.
With a sigh, the dark haired Colonel leaned his knee against the back of the chair, a sharp breath brushing the tips of his dark hair brushing over the dip in the bridge of his nose. He had been so sure he was right. Chewing on his bottom lip and running distracted fingers through black, thick strands, he considered for another long moment. Perhaps the swords were just what they seemed to be, a declaration of pride and power. Then again…
It was the last thing he could think of as he had already gone over the fireplace. The only other place had been the desk and he had already looked there. So he reached out both hands, his balance precarious and drew both swords at the same time, the sound of clear, ringing metal filling the silence of the office. There was a breath, the briefest pause as he waited, twin swords elevated above his head until there was a loud scraping of stone against stone and the back wall of the fireplace sunk in. Roy nearly fell off the chair and impaled himself on one of the long lengths of metal in his hands in his surprise.
There, gaping at him, was a wide, dark opening smelling of must and damp earth and stone. His legs felt stiff as he climbed down from the chair, barely daring to breathe as he laid the swords aside on the desk, eyes glued to the fireplace to the place where the light was sucked away. He had come looking for the rest of the map but instead it seemed like he had found the destination. His footsteps rang loud on the hard floor as he ducked into the fireplace, letting himself become swallowed by shadows. Though he could barely see a foot in front of him, there was a dank draft working itself over his skin.
If only he had the time to follow it all the way but he couldn't afford to stay any longer in the office than he already had.
One thing was for sure. There was a lot more to this than he had originally thought.
Now all he needed to do was to find out what the good King Bradley, the conflicts riddling their country and this tunnel all had to do with one another.
Al
Orange light flickered across the faces gathered around the large, illuminating fire, only patches here and there. Across from him a stark cheekbone stood out on Lt. Ross' face as she smiled at something the blond Sergeant named Denny that sat next to her, his hands flashing in the dancing light. The soldiers in the camp had set up the fires when the sun had set that evening and the temperatures plunged, the flickering sources spread out evenly throughout the lines of tents. It was so odd for it to be cold this early in the summer. They had barely even made it out of June and it had to have been close to forty five. The thin canvas that made up the tents themselves did nothing to keep the chill out. Thus the fires.
Al sat on the hard ground, legs tucked under him still feeling like the stench of blood and anguish clung to his clothes but the mood was lighter than it had been since he had come there, bright smiles standing out on faces still lined with fatigue, laughter ringing out through the camp. Perhaps it was the fact that they were the ones still alive after all this time or maybe it was they had finally won back a little bit of ground that day. Whatever it was, he found that breathing had become easier and the darkness did not encroach so thickly in the back of his mind. Whatever sparring joviality there was to go around, he was determined to enjoy his share, as small of a sliver as it might be.
He was sitting with the heat of the fire pressing gently against the front of his body, warring with the fingers of cold slithering around behind him thinking of a certain blond mechanic he hadn't seen since that morning. Winry had woken up first, her bright blue eyes watching his face as the morning light started to push its way through the weave of the tent, her slender fingers pushing golden hair from his face. There had been a deep sad expression in her face when his eyes had decided to focus but then it was gone to be replaced by a smile when she saw he was awake. Sleeping on a cot alone was never very comfortable and what little comfort there was had been cut in half upon sharing. But even with a stubborn kink in his neck that persisted throughout most of the day, he hadn't cared. They shared a slow smile, then an even slower kiss that probably could have tasted better as they had both just woken up but, again, that seemed to matter very little. He had still been trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had just woken up with Winry in his bed, Winry, the girl he had loved for what felt like his entire life, who had told him she loved him too.
They hadn't said very much. Just quick touches as they sorted themselves out, trying not to look like they had both slept in their uniforms all night. When the sharp call for breakfast was sounded, they had shared another sweet kiss at the opening of his tent, holding hands, standing so close, her warmth had radiated right through the thick material of both their jackets. He almost hadn't been able to let go of her hand when she ducked away with a small smile, a promise in the glittering blue depths that she would find him later, after…
"Oi! Alphonse!" he jerked back to bright flames leaping through the darkness and a somewhat tipsy Denny settling himself next to the Major, a mischievous grin on his face. There was a "oh, leave the kid alone," from Lt. Ross who had come around to the other side of the tall blond alchemist, making room for several other soldiers Al had made friends with. He smiled somewhat warily back at the Sergeant on his right, wondering where they had gotten the booze from.
"Hello, Sergeant," he said warmly, having liked the older man upon first meeting him and he missed the sharp glimmer in those eyes when he was handed a warm mug that smelled a little suspicious.
"Where is your little girlfriend tonight?" the man was drawling, earning some snickers from a few of the other men and an exasperated groan from the Lt. Bewildered, Al stared at the man, a sharp blush already working its way over his features, "Yup, that's right. Seven over here said he saw her come out of your tent this morning. You get lucky?" Blushing furiously, Al shook his head adamantly.
"No! Of course not! It wasn't like that at all!" yet. There was loud laughter that echoed through the camp as he ducked his head, trying to hide the fire spreading over his features, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the mug and nearly gagging on the burning liquid as it raged down his throat. Another peal of uproarious laughter as he sputtered, accompanied by a hearty clap on his back.
"Sure it wasn't, Major!" chided another soldier, leaning over Denny, "A pretty thing like that! Nothing to be ashamed of, my friend!" Al groaned, his face, if possible, blazing even hotter and he took comfort when the dark haired Lt. gently patted his arm, her eyes unreadable in the flickering light.
"They don't mean any harm," she said gently and he nodded then jerked when someone shouted.
"And there she is now! Come here, sweetie pie! We want to ask you something about our dear Alphonse here!" Amber eyes went wide when the girl herself paused at the edge of the ring the fire made, face shadowed. He could see her hesitate then she spotted him on the other side of the orange blaze and his heart leapt when her face lit up. Hesitantly, she joined them, allowing the slightly drunk soldiers to draw her in.
"Well," This was Denny next to him and he wanted to toss the man into the fire, his embarrassment making him miss how much that thought echoed of his brother, "We can't figure it out. He says you two didn't do anything together last night but more than one person saw you leave his tent this morning," their eyes met over the fire and he bit his lip, apology written all over his features. Surprisingly enough, the girl didn't seem the least bit embarrassed. Finally Winry turned her gaze back to the Sergeant and Al didn't like how they were all waiting with bated breaths. Then she shrugged.
"What's there to know?" she asked as she made her way around the fire until she was standing behind Al. He was still flushed and he could feel her, hyperaware of how close she was standing, of how her thighs barely brushed against his back, "If that's what you saw than it's probably true," triumphant laughter whipped all around, more drinks were poured and he was just about to turn around, to ask her why she was playing along when there was a hand on his shoulder and he suddenly had a lap full of a pretty blond mechanic.
Startled, he blinked down at the top of the bright head as the girl settled herself sideways in the space of his crossed legs, her feet planted on one side as she leaned her side against his right shoulder. Then he was drowning in deep pools of pale blue and everything else faded away. Slowly, he curled one arm around her back, holding her close as she slipped both hands into his hair. The look in her eyes made his breath catch, completely unaware of all the eyes watching them over knowing smiles.
"I missed you," she whispered and his arm tightened around her as he jerked forward to taste her full lips, crushing their mouths together roughly in the wave of heat that crashed over him. Even when the others exploded in howls and teasing laughter, all he saw was her smile, all he knew was her warmth and the feel of her lips pressed against his own.
The subject soon turned away from them, the talk wandering, becoming serious to lighthearted to somewhat educational (here he had to fight to hide his furious blush) and all the while Winry remained wrapped in his arms, pressed comfortably into his chest as they laughed and joked along with everyone else. And not once did he ever feel the chill in the air as the temperature continued to plunge…
Roy
A swirling circle of trapped amber, around and around, caught behind cool glass, chilled with a bit of ice that clinked against its confines every time he swirled his drink. And dark eyes watched as the liquid rose up one side to dip down another, the motion of rotation holding his attention. The motion stopped briefly so he could take a sip, fire burning a trail down the back of his throat and it reminded him of a golden eyed teen currently asleep in the library. Rich and bright with a sharp bite and Roy wondered if maybe this particular brand of whisky was his favorite because of that. Whatever the reason may have been, it complimented the night air that had become unseasonably cold, his breath misting in front of his face every time he breathed.
The rain had cleared away some time after the sun had set, stars glittering like tiny pieces of ash in the velvety sky, twinkling as if they had something important to say but were too far away to be heard. As he watched, the liquor still warming the pit of his stomach, he wondered if the stars could talk, what would they say? What made him think they would even deem him worthy to say anything at all to him? Although, he was sure Ed was in some way related to the sun, so what did that make Roy? The moon? Now he snorted into his drink, wondering if he was getting drunk after all, though this was only his first glass. Another sip and the cold backed away just a little bit.
The thing he loved most about Edward, the thing that still exasperated him to no end was that the teen was a constant roller coaster of surprises. He would admit that he was more than a little excited to come home that afternoon, the ringing of a promise made in a husky tenor over the phone heating his blood just a little bit. But he had been disappointed upon walking into the house to hear only the lonely sound of the rain hissing against the window panes. It hadn't taken much of an effort to find the blond as he had once again ensconced himself in the library, working on the book. The clutter now covered just about all the surfaces, resources, notes, other random books and the teen had been scribbling furiously, narrow nose scrunched slightly as the gold eyes followed his hand intently as he wrote. The Colonel had been instantly taken with the sight, the burn of fiery determination in those wide, bright eyes stirring something in him that he couldn't quite put a name to; like that very fire was surging within him, rising up to match the expression seeped in all of that molten gold. And when Ed glanced up, spotting him standing at the door, that fire had shifted, became a little bit warmer. The smile the teen had turned on him as he entered the library, uttering a soft greeting as he tried to avoid the worst of the landmines the blond had strewn across the floor, had been a little apologetic.
"Hey, Roy," he'd said softly, eyes scrunching gently at the corners as he tilted his head up to accept the older man's gentle kiss. That apology was still there when he pulled back, "Sorry, I know what I said on the phone but I finally cracked the code and it's really rather fascinating so—" but he broke off with widened eyes as the Colonel just smiled softly and reached down to run his fingers lightly over the full lips. Gold eyes met his own and for a moment he forgot how to breathe.
"It's quite alright, Ed. Don't worry about that," and the smile that met his was relieved. Truth was, he really wasn't disappointed. He was a grown man; he had some semblance of self control after all. It was enough that this had become Ed's home too, and he was lucky enough to walk through his door at night to know the blond was there. He marveled for a moment how he had gone from thinking of the house as his to theirs. Never before had he wanted anything to be more true. The gold gaze sought his, thin, bright eyebrows still puckered with some concern.
"I promise to make it up to you later," the teen had said somewhat breathlessly and he almost caved right then and he nearly dragged the kid up for a bruising, mind numbing kiss but he remained poised, just grinning down at the blond with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows.
"I'm sure you will," which, of course, had him running from the room a moment later as he avoided being brained by several flying books. Now he sat back on his seat where he had settled on the top step of his deck, the soft glow from the light inside the house spilling over him like a warm blanket through the open sliding door. Perhaps he should have closed it upon coming out here but for some reason he didn't. Another square of light spilled onto the shadowed lawn from the library and he smiled to himself. It shouldn't surprise him that his thoughts were never very far from the younger alchemist these days, the smallest things calling the blond to mind. Like the whole thing with the whisky. Which he seemed to have run out of. With a small sigh that drifted through the cool air in a rapidly disappearing puff of silvery mist, he put the glass down next to his elbow on the step.
Dinner that night had been very quiet as Ed had been unable to tear himself away from his work, shoving in mouthfuls of food in between every few scrawled words but Roy was a little preoccupied as well, the mystery he had stumbled across still hanging over him like a dark cloud. He hadn't even bothered cooking, just called out for pizza because he was in no mood to stand over the stove and it was amusing to watch the blond taking bites and then smearing the reddish grease over his notes before cursing softly to himself. But before the teen had stowed himself back in the library, he had stopped behind Roy's seat and drew him into a deep, satisfying kiss. Gold drew him in as they broke apart, hot breath ghosting over his lips and he had found the smile crossing the younger alchemist's face almost as breathtaking as the feel of his mouth and tongue had been.
"Thanks for dinner," and Roy smirked as he watched that pert ass sway slightly as the blond walked away. Of course, he had nearly choked when the kid glanced at him over his shoulder just before he disappeared around the doorway, the bright color of honey scathing him. One thing was for sure, the way the sweet curve of the blonde's ass had jutted out just a little bit and was given an extra wiggle was most defiantly deliberate. The Colonel had laughed around a suddenly dry mouth and the interested stirring of his cock, simultaneously cursing the younger alchemist for being a tease.
Sometime between then and when he had poked his head into the library just a half hour ago, Ed had found a comfortable spot on top of his mess and had fallen asleep. How something like seeing the blond curled up amid the papers he had been working on all day had turned him on, he had no idea but it did. Perhaps it was how domestic it was, looking down upon the teen's still face, the passion of gold trapped behind closed eyelids or maybe the fact that he knew once those eyes opened again, that same passion would still be there, blazing, beautiful. Fighting a grin, he had snatched the blanket draped over the arm of the chair and covered the slender figure with it, watching how the narrow eyebrows drew down slightly at the disturbance, a sigh escaping the full lips before his slipped away again. The golden head rested against the arm of the couch, a metal hand still clutching a pencil, as if the kid had just nodded off in the middle of an idea. Pale fingertips skimmed gently over the bright, searing color, easing his need to touch a little bit before he slipped the pencil from the slack grip and left the kid to sleep.
Why he had come out onto the deck, he didn't know. It was way too cold for the beginning of summer but it felt good on his skin which was still burning slightly from being in such close proximity with the younger male. Such a bright flame and it was a wonder Roy had yet to be burned by it. Maybe he was indeed the moon to Ed's sun but if he was, he was the dark side of it, forever cast in shadows because he was sure that if he was to reflect the light the blond gave off, he would become nothing but ash.
Dark eyes had found themselves lost among the stars once again, sometimes obscured by a soft breath, and the Colonel wondered what they might sound like if they could indeed speak when the screaming started…
Ed
It was snowing again.
White lace that kissed like death as it settled into his skin and drifts of it clung to his thighs, slowing him down, freezing the metal limbs attached to his body. And he couldn't see, just white, blinding him, suffocating him…
There was something he needed to do, someone he needed to find but it was so cold and he couldn't feel his real fingers or toes now, light jacket whipping around him, useless in its ability to stave off the cold. There was a name in the back of his throat and it was important that he be able to call it, even if it was snatched away from his lips by the angry, eager fingers of the wind but he couldn't find where his voice had gone, he couldn't find his way and it was just so cold, so cold…
Then, right there, a break in the endless white and somehow his voice burst forth, a wordless cry and he was running, straining, not even able to feel the tears upon his cheeks anymore. He needed to get there, to that spot and, God damn it, why couldn't the snow let him run any faster. All the while that name, it choked him, blocking the air trying to get into his lungs.
That name, his name…
Roy…
And then he was at the man's side, half buried in the snow and his skin was too cold and too pale and as his feet disturbed the snow as he slid the rest of the way to the man's side, there was so much blood. Quick, hurry, he needed to find a way to warm him up…
But, too late…
Roy was already dead.
**
Usually, when a nightmare hit him hard like it did this time, he could still hear the echoes of his own voice echoing through the room long after he had awoken, the sound of it lingering like a bad taste on the back of his tongue. But not this time. This time was not like the other times.
This time he woke screaming and couldn't seem to stop.
Everything about it, everything was so real, down to the very last snowflake as it landed on his skin. He could still feel freezing skin where he had skimmed a hand over an alabaster cheek, like marble caught in a blizzard. It made the back of his hand burn with the memory as he doubled over where he sat on the couch, sobs still clawing their way out of his chest. The warm light of the library and the crinkle of the papers upon which he sat did absolutely nothing for his sanity because it was like he was there, even now, drifting snowflakes floating along the back of his eyelids and he was dead, Roy was dead. He was so cold, so cold, oblivious to the blanket bunched around his thighs, and for a moment he was sure dinner would be revisiting as he sobbed over his knees and why couldn't he seem to stop screaming?
Then hands were on his shoulders, so warm, not like the hands of the man in the dream, a velvety voice in his ear, saying words he couldn't understand but suddenly the constriction around his chest wasn't so tight and his stomach settled just enough he was sure he wouldn't throw up, voice relinquishing the need to keep screaming, sobbing, crying. When he looked up, tears glistening on his face to find Roy, his Roy standing over him, face drawn with worry, the dark eyes were glittering with life, the pale cheeks flushed and if his skin was a little cold when fingers brushed over a damp golden cheek, he was too relieved to care. Without a second thought, he scrambled from the couch and launched himself on the older man, both of them toppling to the ground with a sharp exclamation from Roy and a soft puff of loose paper.
So warm. Everything about him was so warm as the blond lay on top of the older man, clinging as close as he possibly could. Warm, with a steady heartbeat thudding away in his ear and a gentle whoosh every time the man took a breath, chest rising and falling, rising, falling, and somehow the tears too had stopped until he was just holding on, face pressed into the heady scent of man, gunpowder and something musky he couldn't identify. He smelled of the night sky. Fingers carded through his hair as he tried to control his shaking.
"Ed? Edward, are you alright?" the rumble in his ear still sounded worried but it relaxed him the rest of the way so that he was able to tilt his head up and peer into the dark haired man's face. The thin brows were drawn, the hand not in his hair curled around his waist protectively and he realized how foolish he had been, letting a dream affect him like that. But he trembled, the memory still strong in the back of his mind, dark shadows creeping around the warmth and the light. He licked his lips that tasted a little salty and sighed, resting his chin on the broad chest so he could keep his eyes wandering over the handsome face turned down to regard him, telling himself, over and over, that it was just a dream.
"I'm sorry," and the words came with difficulty until he had to bury his face away once again in that dizzying scent, shaking and shaking, "I'm s-sorry…" he couldn't get enough of the feel of the man under him, drawing his arms up from where they had been circled around a trim waist to rub up clothed sides, down strong arms and that was Roy's breath still easing softly in his ear and Roy's heart beat keeping a calm tempo, this was Roy, his Roy, "D-d-don't leave…please…y-you were dead…so c-cold…cold…take me with you wh-when you go…don't l-leave me," there were no tears now, just a raw, aching feeling that closed up his throat and wouldn't let him stop shaking. The hand on his hip tightened before Roy sat up slowly, careful not to dislodge the blond who was sure he would go insane if he wasn't connected with the older man some way. Fingers in his hair forced his head back so his haunted eyes were captured by dark pools of onyx, blazing with reassuring warmth.
"I'm right here, Ed. I'm not going anywhere," a thumb rolled over his cheek as long legs curled around him, hard thighs pressing into his sides so he was held close to the hard body, "No one and nothing could ever take me from you," the dark head tipped forward so it was pressed into Ed's golden one and large, pale hands pressed slender fingers to the strong chest, "I belong to you…in everything…completely," and his breath hitched, new tears gathering in his eyes and he raised a metal hand to wrap it around the back of the older man's neck. Even through the automail, he was sure he could feel the Colonel's warmth.
There was a brief moment where neither of them moved, satisfied in just being so close to each other, listening to their mingling heartbeats and steady breathing as Ed finally managed to stop shaking. Then the Colonel jostled him slightly, whispering a soft, "come on," in his ear and he let himself be coaxed to his feet and over to the wide armchair where Roy sat, setting into the soft cushions while watching the blond, who refused to let go of one of his hands. Once he was seated, Ed crawled onto his lap, straddling his waist and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck, breathing in deeply the night air still clinging to the dark strands of hair before sighing. Sitting like that made him taller than the older man so he had to duck his head to press his face to a broad shoulder, tipping it to the side so his lips could brush against soft, pale skin.
"I love you," he breathed and felt the dark haired Colonel shiver as his breath swept over his neck. When he lifted his head, he found the burning answer in the dark eyes and when he ducked his head once more to press a kiss to Roy's lips, it was soft, gentle, holding a hint of a promise. It was these kind of kisses he liked the most, slow, sweet, their lips meeting, caressing, breath mingling, just a series of delicious touches and he could feel how much the other man needed him through the simple contact, needed him just as much as Ed was sure he himself would wither away without the Colonel. When they broke apart, he had once again found his smile, lips tingling slightly as they stretched lazily and the dark eyes softened.
"Love you, Edward," the way his heart constricted was almost painful and he made a sudden noise in the back of his throat before he slammed his mouth back onto Roy's, a fierce, raging want bursting through his veins like some out of control flood. Now his hands were shaking for another reason as he demanded, pushing his way into the other man's mouth and dipping almost violently into all that dark fire that opened up for him. Every single place he tasted and he couldn't have enough, never enough, never sated, even as their tongues slid together, slick and wet, drawing moans from both of their throats, even as he explored every last inch that he could reach. His jaw ached and his lips were no doubt bruised already but he pushed as deep as he could, wanting everything.
As he drew back, nipping and worrying the Colonel's lips with his teeth, he realized he had pressed his body flush to the bigger man's, hips rocking into a firm abdomen, chest pushed roughly against his shoulders as the teen's golden hair spilled all around them. Their gazes locked for a split second and that was all it took. Something snapped inside of him before his hands were tangling into dark hair and he was once more claiming the hot mouth for his own as he pressed forward, more, rocked, and, oh, shit, he was so turned on he could barely breathe. Kisses became desperate sucks, licks, sloppy and wet, saliva trickling down the older man's chin as hands gripped his hips and pulled them down to connect…connect… and, fuck, Roy was hard too…
They were now panting into each other's mouths as he dragged the palms of his hands over the dark haired man's heaving chest, fingers brushing against hard nubs and he drank in the gasp as Roy arched into it, the groan vibrating through his entire body. The sound made him rock his hips forward again, erection trapped in his pants already twitching and leaking as he practically sobbed with need. He made quick work of the older man's shirt, dragging it over the dark head and then he could feel, ah, so warm, so smooth, his fingers exploring hungrily as they engaged in another deep, aching kiss, every touch igniting the fire in his blood until it was roaring in his ears, feeling every wonderful grind of their hips, wanting, wanting until he was sure he would pass out from the intensity of it.
Somehow his shirt disappeared too, though he couldn't remember how or when but the big, warm hands felt so good as they skimmed over his sides, teased his abdomen, dipping into his navel, fingertips rolling over his nipples and he couldn't keep his mouth connected with Roy's anymore, arching and gasping softly at the ceiling. It was so good, so perfect and he needed more, more. Now there were lips on his neck, a hot tongue tracing his pulse, sucking at random patches of skin, marking him, claiming him but it was almost a moot point because he already knew who he belonged to. A particularly sharp thrust of his hips had Roy's teeth slamming down over his collar bone and he gasped sharply, still trying to find more of the older man to touch, to feel because he needed more.
Their lips met once again, the contact hard, demanding and when he pulled back, he found the dark eyes hazy, lids heavy with lust and he could barely breathe because he was going to drown, drown in all of that beautiful black fire. And it hurt, his throbbing member pressing against the front of his pants so he lifted himself up, leaning one hip against an armrest and fought with his jeans, yanking the button free and dragging down the zipper. It was a little difficult to maneuver in that position but somehow he managed to pull the confining material off, hissing as the cool air hit his overheated skin. He only needed one leg free before he was one again pressed into the older man, naked erection sliding against the man's abdomen, making him shiver in delight as the rough scars dragged over his throbbing heat.
They couldn't get enough of each other's taste again, a violent ravaging of teeth and tongues and lips until he was nearly dizzy with it. All the while he was unable to stop rocking his hips, trying to find a steady friction because if he didn't get off soon he was going to die. Hands left his torso and he was barely aware of them rummaging around underneath him where he hovered over Roy's lap until a palm was scoring a line of fire up his thigh, curling around to the softer flesh where his inner leg connected with his body and he groaned loudly, the touch sending sparks of bright heat through him.
"Oh, God…God, fuck, Roy…I need you…so bad…ugh…" the words that escaped his mouth barely made sense but he didn't care because another hand joined the first, fingers teasing the crease where thigh met his ass, making him jerk, grinding himself down into the other man's lap. The dark eyes fell closed, sharp jaw tightening because the rummaging before had been Roy freeing his own erection and Ed had just sat on it. The second time the man practically howled in pleasure, dark head tossing back and the blond panted as he watched, cock twitching anxiously at the sight. Then suddenly there were fingers sliding through the crevice of his ass cheeks, finding that little pucker of flesh. He couldn't help but stiffen, kneeling with his groin pressed against the Colonel's stomach and now he was just clinging, helpless, as the first finger slid into him.
There was no lube this time to make it easier but he was so far gone already he didn't really care. Soft noises and half formed words and pleas spilled from his lips as he pressed his forehead to Roy's, eye lids fluttering with the feel of that finger inside of him, caressing his inner walls.
"Fuck., fuck, Ed, so hot…so tight," another finger and he forced himself to ignore the pain, holding on for dear life because nothing had ever felt so fucking good before. He was grinding into the digits sunk deep into his entrance now, unable to find a sufficient amount of air as they moved and stretched. It wasn't gentle, not like the first time but when Roy crooked his fingers and stroked that spot, he nearly went blind, entire body shuddering in pleasure. God, he was so close already, steady stream of milky pre release already leaking from his erection, smearing between their bodies. Three fingers, now, jammed into him hard and he screamed again, a different scream than the earlier ones, eyes rolling back into his skull because they were pressing into his prostate so hard, there was nothing but a sea of black fire all around him and those fingers, rubbing, merciless. And still he wanted more.
"Roy…please…" his words came out as a keening moan and suddenly the fingers were gone and he could breathe, steadying himself. Opening his eyes and seeing the Colonel's face nearly finished it for him, the pale features flushed, dark eyes hooded and watching him as if the fire burning in them could devour the blond. He wanted it to. He wanted to disappear into it, to feel it rip through him with abandon, until he didn't even know his own name. Hands on his hips steadied him and he reached down to take hold of the Colonel's throbbing member, the feel of it heavy against his palm, pre cum slicking his fingers. An appreciative groan tumbled from the swollen lips, and he leaned forward to suck the bottom one into his mouth as his own pleasure spiked, glazed eyes met dark, blazing onyx. Then he slammed down, taking all of the older man's length all at once.
Their cries mingled together and it was so good to be so full, he completely forgot about the pain splitting him open, claiming him. He took just a moment to adjust, bright head bowed as he shuffled his legs to get them wider, wanting to take in more and the older man's breath was hot and fast against his forehead. It was so fucking good, the indescribable feeling of Roy hot and pulsing within him, claiming him. He could feel the man shaking, trying to hold back so without warning, he lifted himself a little bit then dropped back down, earning himself a bitten off moan. The dark eyes were glittering slits of midnight sky, watching him as he dragged himself back up the other man's erection once more before locking their hips again.
After that it was fast, hard, the Colonel snapping his hips up to meet every one of Ed's downward thrusts. The coil of heat pooling in the pit of his stomach tightened alarmingly fast and he curled his arms around broad shoulders, striving for it with every cry, every movement, wanting to feel it, bright and sweet, wanting it in a way he had never wanted anything before. Every thrust was deep, the flared tip of Roy's ever thickening erection riding his prostate until he was practically wild with the feeling of it, fire racing over his nerves, frying them, turning them into ash and yet he could still feel, still feel the heat, the ache, being filled over and over and…
"Ah! Roy…yes…yes…harder…s-shit…m-more…oh, fuck, yes!" the older man cried out in return, his grip unforgiving on slender hips, helping to drive Ed down, harder, faster. Because of their angle, he was pushed up against the Colonel's chest so the underside of his erection was riding against the ridges of the pale abdomen, sliding easily in his own pre cum, giving him the extra stimulus they were both too lost to attend to. Roy was groaning broken versions of his name in the blonde's ear, voice husky with pleasure and Ed caught a glimpse of the look on the man's face, eyebrows drawn, mouth open, sweat glistening on his milky skin and it was so beautiful, he thought his heart might break. Then he couldn't watch anymore because the thrusts were almost too hard now, battering his sweet spot and his body bowed, face pressed into a strong shoulder as he voice was reduced to intelligible cries of ecstasy.
Then, with one brutal strike, he couldn't contain it anymore, gasping as the coil within him snapped, the white hot fire racing out from that central point, rushing through his shaking limbs and for a devastating second he couldn't breathe, heart hammering loudly in his ears. Then he was arching into it, golden head damp with sweat flinging back as he screamed his release, pulse after long, gushing pulse spattering up both his and Roy's chests as his body tensed, emptying itself, blinding him. There was a loud groan as his muscles clamped down on Roy still moving hard inside of him and then strong hands rammed his hips down one last time as the older man froze, loud cry echoing his own and he moaned as the man's thick release coated his insides, filling him before overflowing, dripping out between them. He forced his eyes open, to focus so he could watch and the sight of Roy losing himself in his orgasm very nearly had him coming all over again.
Then he couldn't sit up any longer, strength sapped from him so that he slumped over the older man as they tried to suck in enough air to satisfy burning lungs and calm pounding hearts. The thick, musky scent of sex now added itself to the Colonel's rich smell, making Ed's head spin. Strong arms looped gently around his waist, holding him close in their intimate connection. Long, golden strands of hair stuck to tan and pale skin alike, like a shower of hot rain against his body. He tipped his head just enough so that when his lips encountered the flesh of the side of the older man's neck, he could suck on a patch of it gently, taste of salt and damp skin heavy on his tongue.
Finally Roy stirred, turning his head to bury his straight nose in the younger alchemist's bright fall of hair and he heard his name whispered, lips moving against his scalp. The sound made him warm all over again, heating his cooling body enough so that he wouldn't get a chill.
"Hmm…so good…" the older man's voice was like honey, rich and thick, running along the blonde's skin like the softest caress and he offered a soft hum in agreement, shifting slightly as his leg began to cramp from the awkward position. The sticky feel of his own release against his stomach and chest and Roy's still dripping slowly down his thighs was a little gross but he had no intention of moving or of relinquishing their connection, the older man's softening member still inside of him. He saw no reason to change that just yet. Long fingers carded through his now tangled hair, tugging gently on the knots and when the Colonel chuckled softly, he was caught by surprise. Ed leaned back enough to see a spark of amusement glittering in the sated slanted eyes, "Not that I'm complaining but I thought I wasn't allowed near your ass for a while," the blond scowled, contemplating whether he should clamp down hard on the man still buried in him, knowing Roy's cock was still sensitive but he settled for pinching one of the dusky nipples, earning himself a strangled gasp.
"Shut up, bastard," he hissed, dropping his head back onto a strong shoulder that had become very comfortable, keeping his prosthetic arm wrapped around the man's neck, still unwilling to let go. There was a pause and then he smiled, watching his fingertips caress the pink skin he had just abused, loving the gentle flush still staining the pale skin as a result of the Colonel's orgasm, "I may have said that but as soon as we can both move, we're so doing that again," and he shivered when the length in him twitched in time with Roy's low groan. Hmm, perhaps it would be sooner than later, though his entire body still felt quaky and a little weak.
There was one thing, though, he reflected as he curled into the older man's warmth, that he was absolutely sure about. He would definitely be doing more of that…other research when he got the chance.
Who knew porn could be so helpful?
Roy
They didn't actually end up doing it again. At least, not in the chair. It seemed the poor, innocent piece of furniture had been traumatized enough for one night. Once the entirety of his higher brain functions returned to him, he realized they were a mess and the sliding door was still wide open, an invitation to any visitors that might have felt free to his house. So he coaxed Ed to slide off of him, watching the kid grimace as Roy pulled free and white, milky release trickled down the inside of his thighs. The sight of it had made his mouth dry, the stirrings of the bright heat that had just consumed him not fifteen minutes ago returning.
Somehow they managed to clean up enough so that they could put the room back in order and lock up the house for the night. They had both not bothered to really put clothes back on, Ed only sliding his leg back into his pants and Roy just tucked himself back into his underwear, not even bothering to fasten the front of his jeans. They would just be coming off again when he took a shower anyway.
They were walking through the downstairs hallway, light muted as he flicked it off, connected by their intertwined fingers when Ed turned to him from his place where he walked slightly in front of the older man, gold eyes bright and molten.
"Do you want to share the shower?" he asked in his low, husky tenor, made rough with the invitation and the Colonel felt his knees go weak, arousal spiking, "There's no reason to waste water," How very practical. Of course he accepted.
Dark, slanted eyes watched warm water as it cascaded from the shower head, bouncing off the porcelain tub and catching on his fingers as he stretched his hand under the spray. Pale skin pebbled in the cool air of the bathroom but as he turned away from the running water, all thoughts of being cold slipped away for Ed had slipped into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind him.
Suddenly there wasn't enough air. Gold eyes slid up to meet his, traveling over him and the look in the wide gaze deepened the lower it went. He swallowed, trying not to feel self conscious because Ed was still wearing his pants while the older man was already completely bare, his own jeans tossed carelessly on the sink counter. There was a feral hunger in those bright eyes that made him recall what they had just finished doing and all at once he needed it all over again, all that beautiful, glittering fire as it destroyed him. Keeping his eyes locked with Ed's he stepped into the shower, shivering as the water washed over his skin.
"Are you going to join me?" he asked, voice thick, pushing his wet hair out of his face and noticing how the younger alchemist's eyes were watching the trials of water as they trickled down his body. The slender hands were shaking as the teen pulled off the rest of his clothes, baring every inch of his beautiful, golden body for the Colonel to see. It was going to be difficult concentrating on getting clean with another hard on but the rage of heat already pooling within him leapt when he realized he was not the only one with that particular problem. He reached a hand out of the shower and he couldn't help a smile when the blond took it, drawing him under the spray as well.
The golden hair looked like the darkest, richest brand of whisky as the water soaked through it, running in shining rivulets over his tawny skin which he explored with gentle, wandering fingers as they shared the spray for a moment, facing each other. Slender fingers returned the favor, following random lines mapped out by warm water and their eyes were never still, onyx moving along golden curves, gold eyeing pale lines before they lifted, met then drifted away again. He couldn't seem to get enough of it either, standing so close to the younger alchemist and just touching. Water shimmered in the seam of the blonde's lips, pooling to drip down the narrow chin and he couldn't help but lean down and suck it away, finding the bright taste flavoring the clear water fascinating. Somehow, one of his wandering hands had found itself curled around the firm curve of the teen's butt, fingers gently kneading the smooth skin. When they broke apart, Ed was smiling.
"Aren't we supposed to be getting clean?" he asked, voice huskier than usual and the older man had to keep his eyes from straying to see if the kid was as hard as he was. Instead he grinned and pulled away, eyes smoldering.
"I suppose. I can't help it if you're so distracting," and to prove his point, he leaned down swiftly and licked more water from the blonde's lips while getting a good hold of that same cheek and giving a good squeeze. Which earned him an indignant squawk and a swat of a metal limb. The glare he was pinned with as he backed away once more was caustic, "Knock it off, Colonel. Jeeze, self control much?" to which he snorted with his nose in the air and set out to prove that he had excellent self control.
Though, maybe the idea of washing each other wasn't a very good idea. It started out innocently enough, trading good natured insults as he lathered a soft wash cloth with a bar of softly scented soap and proceeded to run it along every last bit of golden skin that he could find. The bright gaze just watched him closely as he did, the lean muscles smooth under the wet material of the cloth. The changes in the younger alchemist's eyes were subtle, going from unreadable to burning the more he touched. Front then back before he pushed the kid under the warm fall of water, now following the rich lather as it was washed away.
Next it was Ed's turn and his touch was surprisingly gentle as he repeated the older man's actions, eyes turning hungry. Every where the cloth went was like a shock of warm, bright heat and he was forced to make a joke as the slender hands moved over his back side and thighs in hopes of disrupting the waves of pleasure washing over him just from those simple touches.
"I think you missed a spot," he chuckled and earned himself a sharp snap of wet cloth against his lower back, the sting angry and startling, making him howl. There was a brief tussle in which there was a lot of shrieking on Ed's part and some slipping of feet on the tub on his own, nearly braining himself before he had the blond cornered. Accusing eyes glared up at him, clear drops of water dripping from the ends of long eyelashes and he couldn't help but grin triumphantly. Then he was trying to stay upright as he was shoved away, legs nearly flying out from underneath him and the laughter that bounced over the tiles was bright and sharp, full of golden light. Of course the moment was ruined by a rather scathing insult about his age to which he just huffed (he wasn't that old, damn it!) and started swiftly scrubbing his hair, ignoring the blond for a moment as he stood under the water.
The light atmosphere dissipated when Ed handed him the shampoo bottle with a shy glance through long eyelashes and turned his back with a quiet question. Heart suddenly in his throat, he poured some shampoo into the palm of his hand and gently worked it into the darkened hair, fingers running over and through the bright strands. The blonde's body slowly relaxed, head tipping back as he swayed slightly with the movements of the Colonel's hands as he massaged the younger alchemist's scalp. Maybe he continued just a little longer than necessary but the golden eyes had fluttered closed and he liked the way the full lips had parted, bliss written all over Ed's face.
It happened when the blond stumbled a bit while Roy was washing the soap out of his hair, falling back into the bigger man who was completely turned on and fully aroused by now, that sweet curve of the firm ass grinding against his erection and he couldn't hold back anymore. With a soft groan, he wrapped his arms around the slim waist and drew the teen back, listening to his breath catch as their slick bodies pressed close to one another.
"Sorry, Ed. It seems I don't have any self control after all," and when the gold eyes turned to him, glancing at him over a silver shoulder, he was nearly consumed with the fire burning there. There was a pause then the full lips curled upwards in a devastatingly sexy smile before the blond turned. He caught his breath.
"That makes two of us, then," he breathed and it was true. The younger man was clearly as turned on as Roy was, surprisingly long cock pressing against his abdomen, flushed and dark with need. Without saying another word as anything he might have said was lost in all that bright color, he pressed the teen against the wall, ducking his head so he could devour the sweet full lips, sighing as they opened for him. Water mingled with the kiss as their tongues slid wetly together, hands in his hair drawing him ever closer. He couldn't seem to find enough of the golden skin to touch, to taste, the feeling made so much more erotic as the water from the shower continued to slide over them, between them.
God, that dip in the younger man's hip was wonderfully soft, fitting his own thumbs perfectly and when he pressed particularly hard in that spot, the teen groaned against his lips, the sound swallowed greedily, bucking his hips up. The action resulted in a lash of fire and a very loud, deep groan that made Ed's eyes flicker at the sound. And he couldn't wait any longer. He felt like he had been waiting an eternity already. Without warning, he slid his hands around the back of the blonde's thighs and hoisted him up, holding him against the wall with his body. There was a sharp gasp and the heat in the bright gaze prickled along his skin as he carefully rearranged some limbs, the kid holding onto the dark haired man's shoulders for support. The long legs locked around his waist, wrapping him in a warm, steady embrace while holding him close. A swift nod, a little more maneuvering and he was once more enveloped in all of that bright, blindingly sweet heat.
It was a little fast as Ed was still slick from the last time and the heat from the shower made it easier, causing the blond to gasp at the suddenness of being filled, eyes wide. Even so, the older alchemist could barely grit out an apology because it was all around him, sucking him so deep, and he couldn't find where his breath had gone to. The tight, velvety walls clamped down to the point the pleasure crashing through him almost hurt; he couldn't even ask before he started to move, the first couple of thrusts shallow, almost afraid to move yet unable to not move. The golden head fell back against the white tile and he was lost.
It wasn't as fast as it had been downstairs for his movements were constricted and he was trying to keep Ed propped up on the wall. But once the drag and pull of the blond all around his cock began, he wanted to be lost in it, the heat pooling at the pit of his lower belly. Dark eyes watched through lowered lids as the sharp features bunched and flushed with pleasure, clinging to the bigger man with his legs and hands, water clinging to his skin as he gasped satisfaction to the small bathroom.
It was stunning.
He listened to all the sweet sounds the teen made as he slid up the wall with every thrust of the older man's hips, moaning brokenly. It didn't last very long for while it might have been slow, it was also hard. The coil of fire spiraled tighter and tighter and the whole time the younger alchemist got louder, head tossing back, hair sticking to the humid walls. Already he was able to tell when the kid was almost there, the cries faster and sharper, Roy's name becoming a breathless chant. There. One adjustment in the rhythm, a quick break and he must have hit that spot because the gold eyes snapped open, glazed over with pleasure before the blond bowed over the older man's shoulder, clinging to him for support as he pressed his sobbing gasps to pale skin. He himself was shaking with it as the heat sizzled through him. He was so close, so close he could touch it if he reached out a hand, that beautiful, bone shattering end.
One gasp as the blond tensed in his arms, all around him, "aaAH!!" and he could feel the warmth spreading between them as the younger man came, arching up into it. Then Roy was unable to breathe because in his release the teen had closed in around him, sucking him so deep, he didn't know where Ed ended and he began. That was all it took for the coil to snap, the wave of searing, mind numbing pleasure nearly flattening him as he rode through it, filling the younger man for the second time that night. When the Colonel cried out, it was with Edward's name on his lips.
Remaining standing upright proved a little difficult when the last surge of his orgasm left all his muscles a quivering mass of useless goo, grunting as he took the full weight of the blond, who still had his head buried in the Colonel's shoulder as he sucked in deep, quick breaths. Roy huffed, forced to lean into Ed as he tried to gain his bearings, water hitting his back turning cold as the hot water tank ran low.
"Ugh, a little help, Ed," he hissed, foot beginning to slip on the bottom of the tub but was rewarded only when the blond lifted his head, face still flushed prettily as he ducked his head and pressed his mouth to Roy's, lips hungry and slick. It was very slow but sweet, making him forget the cold water and his shaking limbs. He just closed his eyes and let it happen, breathing in some water up his nose, the taste of sunshine spilling over his tongue, so good his teeth were spinning. It was then he discovered Ed only tasted like this right after they had sex, the sunny sweet taste deepening just a bit, like it had been scorched around the edges so it was more like fire than sunlight. Gold eyes twinkled at him when they pulled apart.
"I'm turning into a prune," With a laugh, Roy quickly washed them off (again) and shut the water off, hanging back to enjoy the view as Ed stepped from the tub. And after they dried each other off, Ed stepped up to the mirror hanging over the sink that had long ago fogged over, wrapped in a large, fluffy towel, the taller man swallowed thickly as he watched one slender finger draw a heart around the intelligible blob that was Roy's head in the fuzzy reflection of the glass. The little smile on the full lips was shy as he turned back to the older man, who pressed the teen up against the door jamb in a hard kiss, drinking in the soft groan. Every time he turned around Ed would do something that would make the older man fall even more in love with him, something he wasn't even sure was possible. And yet, that little gesture made his heart clench, leaving him feeling stupidly happy.
Of course he couldn't resist teasing the younger man when he pulled away and was pleasantly surprised when Ed laughed right along with him, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly but when the golden gaze met his dark one, all he saw was contentment.
Roy made sure that before he exited the bathroom, his own drawing of a heart was etched through the mist on the glass, encircling Ed's completely.
And the wide, warm smile was that much brighter.
Ed
A brush ran smoothly through sunny gold locks as he sat back on the wide bed, legs kicking as they dangled over the side. Roy sat behind him, knees pressing into his back as long, pale fingers followed the sharper bite of the brush teeth, sending small shivers down his spine with every touch. It was rather uncomfortable, sitting as he was, though certainly better than that morning but he hadn't been able to refuse when he'd started carelessly ripping the brush through his hair and the Colonel gently tapped him on the shoulder before taking the brush from his hand. The dark eyes had twinkled as he good naturedly glared down at the blond.
"Don't take it out on your hair," he'd chastised gently and Ed had allowed himself to be towed over to the bed, putting on a pout that he didn't really feel.
"I feel like a girl," he had mumbled sullenly as the first stroke had gently worked through his hair, easing through the tangles and he had been surprised at the wave of pleasure that had worked through him. There had been a laugh in response to his grouse, a gentle kiss to his bare shoulder as they had only bothered with pajama bottoms and he hadn't felt as awkward.
"Not even remotely close, Ed. Now stop squirming, I have an interesting story to tell you," The older man's voice was smooth, a deep rumble behind him as he spoke and for a moment the words didn't matter. Just the man sitting behind him, just Roy and the blond had never felt so content to be right where he was in his entire life. The soreness that was already starting to seep into his body was just a distant ache, one that he really didn't mind considering how it had gotten there in the first place. The only thing that mattered then was the long fingers easing over and through his hair, the warmth at his back and the velvety voice wrapping him in its warm, smooth embrace. Then he realized what the older man was saying and very slowly, his mouth fell open in disbelief.
"In his office!?" he yelped, twisting around to turn a wide, incredulous gaze on the Colonel, "The wall just…opened?!" there was a long pause in which he just stared, the dark gaze flat and considering. It was the most insane thing he had ever heard in his life, the sheer audacity of the man who headed the military mind numbing, "How…what does…really?" there was a snort as the other man raised an eyebrow at him before placing as hand on the top of the younger alchemist's head and forcing it to turn forward again.
"Yes, that is what I said. Stop squirming," he pretended to huff as he thought. Another mysterious tunnel, this time right in King Bradley's office. He couldn't help but wonder, was it stupid or alarmingly clever to hide something such as that there. It was true, only someone like Roy would have found something like that and it would have been entrusted as safe because no one like the Colonel could possibly have found their way in there. Only the man had one-upped them and had found what wasn't meant to be seen. Should Ed have been turned on that Roy had done something so stupid and succeeded? Forgetting the brush in his hair for a moment, he turned around to face the older man again, eyes sharp.
"So what do you think Bradley is doing with something like that in his office?" he questioned and the dark haired man stilled his movements, forgoing the attention he'd been lavishing on the younger alchemist's hair in favor of studying the blonde's face that was alight with a dark curiosity.
"I'm not really sure yet. It could have been there from his predecessor for all we know and His Excellency doesn't even know of its existence but for some reason I doubt it," so did Ed. It sounded too convenient and the one time he had met the King, he had seemed a man that kept everything hidden and only disclosed information if he thought it would get him something more in return, always cool and calculating. If nothing else, the one-eyed man made him feel uncomfortable, as if he shouldn't turn his back on him. Ed gnawed on his lower lip, slowly turning back to his original position and barely felt the brush as it moved over his scalp.
"Do you think it has anything to do with the stone and the conflicts that keep popping up?" his voice was hushed, almost as if he was unwilling to accept that it went as far as Bradley but at this point, he would have believed anything. Long fingers teased the ends of his hair, following the soothing movement of the brush, over and over.
"I don't know what to think anymore. The fact remains that things keep getting stranger and stranger and I don't believe in such things as coincidences. What I do know is that man is dangerous and I would bet anything he has more in mind than keeping this country safe," well, that much is true. Especially after hearing about Creda. Ed played with the edge of the comforter next to his thigh, metal fingers tugging on the soft fabric absently.
"Huh. Sounds like he's more interested in drawing us into all out war," he muttered darkly, eyes dark when he thought about his brother and how Al was out there right now, fighting, suffering, maybe hurt, bleeding. His breath caught and he had to force his thoughts away from such a dangerous path. So he twisted again so he could take comfort in the dark haired man behind him, catching a glitter of warmth as the slanted eyes looked over at him. Somewhere he found his eager curiosity, "Well, once Hughes gets back, I could always find out where the tunnel goes as—" he should have expected the darkening of the pale features but it still annoyed him a little that the man's protectiveness would get in the way of finding out the truth.
"Absolutely not. Don't even think about it," a wave of rebellion rose up in the smaller alchemist, eyes flashing as he started to turn fully so he could protest but the dark gaze glittered, backed by steel. Before he even opened his mouth to argue, he knew it was not a fight he would win, "Edward, I'm not even going to listen. As your superior, I give you express orders not to set foot in that office. Ever. Do you understand me?" despite himself, the hard tone gave him pause, shivers working over his spine. Why did the man have to be so damn hot, even when giving orders? Crossing his arms over his chest, he glowered moodily.
"I don't know how you can say that when I'm in your bed," he grumbled, bright yellow gaze sharp with annoyance and he resisted the urge to swat the older man's hand away when pale fingers reached out and gently brushed along his cheek. The dark eyes were momentarily unreadable.
"That's why I can say it. Now turn around, I'm not done," despite the continuing flood of questions piling up on the back of his tongue, he did as he was told, glaring sullenly at the far wall. He would let it go for now but his curiosity had been stoked unbearably high and it would take a lot more arguing before he was willing to give up. Roy would undoubtedly win but he was going to put up a fight. Now, however, was not the time. A sleepy kind of satisfying heat was still working through him from the few long moments they had shared in the shower and he was unwilling to let them pass. Instead he just let the pleasant tingle of someone else brushing his hair work through him. It was just as his eyelids were starting to feel heavy, the heavy weight of two orgasms in a short period of time beginning to take their toll when he grinned suddenly, the expression lopsided in mischief.
"I think you like playing with my hair, Colonel," his husky voice was teasing as he turned his head just enough so he could see the dark eyebrows arch high on the pale forehead. There was a tug that had him facing forward again, no doubt meant to hide the slow flush he had caught sneaking its way over the handsome features.
"Don't be ridiculous," now Roy just sounded like he was putting on airs to hide his own grin, regardless of his embarrassment, "I have to make sure there are no more tangles. It's called being thorough," right. He might have bought it if the long fingers weren't still twisting and stroking through his now mostly dry locks, effecting incredulousness with a rude snort.
"Please," he drawled, "With the way you grab at my hair when we have sex, it's like you can't keep your hands off of it," he was by no means comfortable enough to say such a thing so easily but his blush was hidden from the older man as he had his back turned and the need to prove his point was stronger than his inhibition. Besides, it was worth the startled silence that responded. He couldn't resist the impulse to turn around and fide that dark stare fixed on him, a light flush working over the pale features. Ed patted himself on the back, the reaction worth every word.
"I do that?" the man asked in surprise, as if he didn't know and the blond ducked his head as the brush started working again.
"Yes, you do. It's a wonder I don't have any bald spots," to which the older man took a good fistful of the long, shining locks and yanked hard so the teen tumbled back with a loud yelp, his upper body landing over the Colonel's strong thighs.
"It's not that bad and you do the same thing with mine," his snarled in response, glaring down at the younger alchemist. He gave one extra tug, Ed cursing loudly and growling for all he was worth before he was free. The gold gaze blazed, glaring at the older man as he rubbed his scalp where his hair had been pulled. Then what Roy had said penetrated through his indignation and his own smirk had the Colonel's smile faltering. Slowly, he turned himself around, shuffling on his knees so he was roughly at the older man's height.
"Yeah, but…" he shuffled closer, smirk widening as he closed in on the Colonel, "yours isn't as pretty as mine and it is the perfect length so I can do this," and he closed the distance swiftly, threading his slender fingers into the dark strands. With a grin, he yanked Roy's head back, earning himself a sharp gasp and a warning glance that smoldered brightly as it stared up at him. But it was the perfect angle and he slid his mouth over the Colonel's, sighing into the contact. It was strange how right kissing the older man felt. It was like they should be together; as though they had been in love with one another for eternity. And that deep, rich taste he just couldn't seem to get enough of, every time he dipped in, it was like he was tasting it for the first time all over again, so good, so wonderful, his teeth ached. They broke apart slowly, breath unsteady, and the dark eyes looked a little glazed as they met his own. It was then a mutual acknowledgement seemed to strike them; they were not in love with each other just because they were attracted and had met by some fickle pass of fate. This was it. This was where they were meant to be, what would have come to pass no matter what had happened. They belonged to one another; always had, in every life time that had come before and always would, in every incarnation that came after.
That was just how it was.
That revelation seemed to strike him breathless, heart constricting until it hurt. And he felt full, like there was a bright mass of light filling him up until it was spilling from his pores. Feeling shaky and somewhat shy, he kissed the other man's cheek gently and the dark gaze was like melted chocolate as it regarded him where he knelt in front of the bigger man. Finally, Roy lifted one hand and brushed his fingers through the bright fall of long blond hair, Ed easing his grip on ebony strands of silk. When the Colonel broke the thick, heavy silence a moment later, the heady revelation slipped away, hiding in the recesses of his mind but the contentment that had settled over him before had become something else, deepening until it scared him in its intensity.
"Here, turn around and I'll put your hair back," the deep voice was quiet, like the smoothest, richest velvet and he did as he was told without protest, keeping quiet and succumbing to pleasure as the strong fingers worked through his hair. For the time being, no words were needed and he just reveled in the feel of the soft touches and tugs. He really didn't realize just how good it could feel to have someone else playing with his hair. Maybe he would be able to sucker Roy into doing this more often, though he could tell by how meticulous the man was being that he was enjoying it just as much. He actually had to not sigh out loud in disappointment when Roy pulled away, declaring his hair finally finished. Curious, slender fingers ran over the intricate weave at the back of his head, starting somewhere on top of his skull and working its way down. Gold eyes blinked as they watched the older man slide off the bed and place the brush on his night table.
"Where did you learn a French braid?" he asked, as it just seemed like something Roy wouldn't know how to do. Ed could but that was only because he had to find some way of pulling his bangs back when he hadn't felt like a shower. The dark eyes twinkled at him as the Colonel moved to switch the light off, plunging the room into darkness that left him momentarily incoherent.
"Riza taught me, I think, while we were on the front," there was a dip in the mattress and he scooted back to make room, tugging back the blankets as he did so he could slip under them. Warmth settled against his side and as his eyes adjusted to the dull, silvery light, he could see the shadow of Roy's form as he leaned from the bed, setting his alarm for the morning, "It got boring some days, waiting and I commented on her hair," he shrugged in the moonlight as he slid under the covers with the younger alchemist. Ed lay back as a strong arm snaked around his waist, allowing himself to be pulled against the steady warmth of the other man's bigger body. For a moment he was nearly over whelmed, the strong scent heady as it filled his nose, the bright heat, the hard muscle as his back was pressed to a broad chest. It was right, perfect and he wished for a moment he could have stayed there forever, the world kept at bay by the safety of the Colonel's arms.
"Hey Roy," his voice seemed too loud in the dark, momentarily shattering the peace and the arm drew him closer, knees bumping the back of his own as warm breath fell against the back of his neck. There was a soft hum that rumbled against his back that told him to keep going, gold eyes blinking at the window across from him so the silver light reflected in their depths, "Why do you think it was the swords? Think he is compensating for something?" that earned him a strangled laugh as it was breathed into his hair, the older man's amusement making him smile.
"I don't know. To be honest, it was the last thing I thought of. Why?" and Ed just shrugged, trying to recall the office in question. Nothing had stood out in his brief time inside and it was a curiosity because he couldn't remember even seeing those swords. Perhaps he had missed them. Suddenly he was cold, the heat from the older man's body not enough to ease the ice that was trickling under the thick comforter. It touched upon his automail first, as changes in temperature always did and he turned in the older man's embrace, facing him. The dark eyes regarded him sleepily.
"I'm cold," he whispered, pressing his forehead against the pale chest and the Colonel blinked before rolling the teen onto his back. Ed watched as the older man eased on top of him, pressing the younger man into the mattress and he thought about all the numb limbs he was bound to get later on. He didn't care. His smile was grateful, heat seeping into him as Roy sprawled over him, covering every inch of his body like a self-heated blanket.
"Better?" the man's breath was hot as it pressed into his neck, strong arms easing around him as a thigh slipped between his. Surprisingly, it was comfortable having the older man lying on top of him and he buried his nose into smooth, pale skin, hiding his grin.
"Much, thank you," and as he dozed off, his own personal heater a steady weight on top of him, he realized he had long ago forgotten his nightmare, forgotten the biting cold and the lack of a pulse under pale skin. There was no snow floating at the back of his eyelids when he closed them against the soft stream of moonlight. All he knew was the warmth seeping into his limbs, the steady breathing in his ear and the realization that this was his, his and Roy's and no one could ever take that away from them.
It was hard not to be optimistic when he had everything he wanted. Unfortunately, optimism did very little to keep at bay the darkness that was reality.
For now, though, it was enough.
A slender hand pushed back a strand of long, black hair from one cool, violet eye rendered silver in the blooming moonlight as aching lungs sucked in deep breaths of cold night air. The soft voice of oncoming summer had been silenced, the air thin as he turned away from the dark window.
Even though all he had ever known was jealously, an enviousness that dictated his life and gave him his name, never before had he felt it as strongly as he did now; after having watched a vision of burning gold succumb to a man that commanded a dark fire and whom he hated with a single minded passion. It might have scared him if he didn't want what he had seen so bad, it choked him.
The roof top on which he sat was rough against his knees as he spread his thighs, pulse loud in his ears. What he wanted and could not have, he would destroy, tear it apart until there was nothing left but agony and grief. Then they would know how he felt. Oh yes, he thought as he finally freed his erection from the confines of his pants, curling his fingers around the pulsing length, he would turn that look of ecstasy he'd witnessed on the pretty faced and see it twist in pain.
As the sticky beginnings of his release dripped over his fingers, he imagined the day he made the fabulous Roy Mustang fall and broke little Edward's heart. The dark thought dipped in malice was enough to bring him to his climax.
Soon.
His time of waiting and watching and wanting was over and he was going to make them wish they had never met one another.
He was going to make them wish for death.
The laugh that hissed past his fingers as he used his tongue to clean away the sticky cum was so cold, it made no impression in the bitter air of the night.
To be Continued...
*snickers* yeah, that's right, Ed looked at porn. Wait till you see what he does with it next. *waggles eyebrows*...Crap, does anyone have a tissue???