A/N: Holy crap. That's all I have to say about this chapter. Sorry it took me so long but in my defense it turned out to be over 50 pages. Yup, that's right. =_= so, perhaps I got a little carried away but a LOT of stuff happens in this chapter, like crazy important stuff. I love when the plot starts to pick up, it makes writing it that much better. And the plot has begun to really pick up. It shouldn't be too many more chapters now, though hopefully none of them will be quite this long. Yes, I know Envy is gross and sleazy. That's the point. Let me warn you, he's going to get A LOT worse, you will all hate him but he'll get his own in the end, never fear. I had to break this chapter down again, like I did with 16 just because there's so much and I don't want people to get bored. Oh, and, let me say this now just so you all know I'm aware of it; I don't write for Roy as well as I do for Ed. For some reason, I had a hard time keeping him in character but I did do my best. I adore him so much, which is probably why I have such problems keeping him as he should be. . . I TRIED!!! *hides* anyway, here is the first part of the chapter, thank you all for your support and your patience.
Eighteen (part 1)
Al
The day dawned bright behind the thick canopy of canvas and for a moment he felt as if he had been transported into another world where the sun blazed close to the earth and instead of fire, it shimmered with ice because despite the extra added warmth of a sleeping blonde on his shoulder, it was shockingly cold in his tent. Honey gold eyes stared up at the ceiling blankly for a moment, trying to place the brightness that was spilling past the thick weave of the material closeting them away from the elements. It was still early, of that much he was sure. The first sharp call had not broken across the camp yet, the one that announced breakfast in the mess tent but by the way the sunlight was glaring through the canvas, it could have been midday.
Intrigued by this change, he carefully slid off the cot, gritting his teeth as he watched Winry's eyebrows wrinkle before she sighed and turned over. He let out a breath when she just settled back into sleep, bright hair hiding most of his face from him. Shivering in the sudden cold, he slipped into his boots waiting for him by the tent opening then shrugged into his jacket, buttoning it over his t-shirt with fingers already beginning to lose feeling. The material was not designed to ward against the cold but they were ill-equipped for winter climates as in reality it was early summer.
And he could not think of any reason why, as he stepped from his tent and was assaulted by the bright morning light that was just beginning to pour over the trees as it reflected off the layer of thick frost, that the weather would have changed so drastically. Plumes of mist rose into the air above his head every time he took a breath, warming his nose briefly before it was stolen away. The chill seeped up from the hard ground that crunched every time he took a step, stealing the warmth from his feet and making his teeth chatter. The camp was silent as he slowly worked his way through it, amber eyes wide as he took in the way the frost had accumulated on every single object exposed to the open air, rendering the landscape a bright, white monotone. Under the curiosity, all he could feel was disbelief because such a thing was surely impossible. It was almost June!
There were a few others awake, moving through the camp, no doubt wearing the same expression of blank incredulity as he was. His boots crunched through the stiff, brittle grass, leaving in his wake a line of slow footsteps that didn't falter until he saw Lt. Ross at her station, hands wrapped in make-shift gloves and an uneasy look on her face. Al moved to greet her, words already forming on his lips to ask her if she might know what was going on when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned casually. Then his train of thought came to a screeching halt and crumbled like the frozen grass he had just trod on.
Colonel Basuqe Grande was standing off to the side of the wide clearing at the middle of camp, dark eyes closed off and expression stern as he listened to the other man standing with him speak. It was a look he had seen many times in his rather short time there and it was something to be avoided at all costs. But that was not what made him stop. It was the man doing the talking that fried every cognitive ability he seemed to possess, leaving him nothing but a blank slate with wide, golden eyes. A blonde man, as tall as Al himself, hair pulled back into a pony tail, beard covering the bottom half of his face. But there was no mistaking who he was. There was no mistaking those eyes. Familiar eyes.
Ed's eyes.
Al was so absorbed with the ghost he seemed to be looking at that he barely registered the gentle touch on his shoulder as the warmth of another human being was pressed against his side. Blue eyes followed his stare for a moment before a soft voice finally broke through, forcing his numb lips to move in response. Only this time, it was not from the cold.
"Do you know him, Al?" Winry asked quietly, slipping her arm through his just as Ross came up to him, her dark eyes also eyeing the strange man.
"Yes…I know him," he breathed, watching those eyes glitter when the man laughed disarmingly, his deep voice carrying through the clearing. The Lt. looked at the two standing together before glancing back at the Colonel and the stranger. Not a stranger. Never a stranger. Al couldn't forget this man if the memories were burned from the back of his mind.
The last time he had seen this face, he had been five and it was turning away from him as the deep voice said one last goodbye.
"He came in during the night. Says he was looking for someone but he wouldn't say who," Al's mouth had gone dry and he could no longer feel his fingers or feet. That ceased to matter, though, because the blonde man seemed to sense he was being stared at and turned, eyes glittering behind thin rimmed glasses. The look of recognition struck the blonde Major hard, squarely in the chest. Oh yes, he knew that hair, that expression, those eyes.
"He was looking for me," his voice was a broken whisper as he stepped forward, leaving the bewildered warmth of Winry's touch. The golden gaze never left his own as the man met him in the middle. Somehow he had obtained an audience, the Colonel's gaze sharp, Winry and the Lt's puzzled but with the roaring in his ears, nothing else mattered except who it was he was standing in front of.
"Is that you, Alphonse?" still the deep voice, still so familiar, triggering something deep within the younger man that cut hard, making the cold air seem suddenly too thin, lungs laboring under the strain. Biting his lip, he nodded, not trusting his voice. There was a pause in which something passed through those eyes he had looked in so many times, belonging to another blonde he had spent the entirely of his life adoring. Then the man was smiling and if his eyes shone a bit too bright in the morning air, then nobody noticed it but him, "It's good to see you again, Al," and he was left trying to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat because he had been sure he would never see this man ever again.
"You too…Dad,"
Ed
There had been several times in his life that Ed had been stuck in a place between sleep and consciousness, unable to determine what was reality or illusions; unable to escape the dreams even while his eyes tried to flutter open. It was usually followed with the feeling of discontent and disorientation because on some level he was always aware that he was supposed to be awake yet for some reason his body seemed to be unwilling to let go of sleep.
Never before had any of those half dreams ever felt quiet this good…
Fingers, long and pale, brushed over his skin, teasing the dip of his hip, up along the ridges of his ribs, the feeling of it working through his veins in a web of searing fire and he wanted to tell them, no, you're going the wrong way…a roll of a thumb over one nipple and his groan sounded feral even in his dream.
Dark, onyx eyes were watching him, taking in every reaction drawn from his body but his voice refused to work because he wanted to beg, he wanted more…
Feather light touches ghosted down his abdomen, drawing him close to a source of heat that made the fire already surging in the pit of his stomach almost unbearable. Breath bloomed on the inside of his thigh as blunt nails dragged down the golden line of hair that lead to the core of his ache and he wanted to scream but the dream still held him captive.
A kiss to the soft, inside curve of his thigh and the dream offered a view of a dark pink tongue sliding along his tawny skin, drawing ever closer…closer…and he wanted it, moved towards it, his pleas echoing in his mind as his fingers tangled in dark hair. He wanted to see that face but for some reason the handsome features kept getting blurred. More kisses, warm lips and a sharp nose pressing into the bright curls surrounding his arousal. Why wouldn't he touch him?
…touch me…
There were hands sliding around the outside of his hips, gently easing his legs apart and if his eyes were open, they would have rolled into the back of his skull. As it was, he was painfully hard, aching wonderfully but he couldn't figure out why he still felt trapped.
He wanted it so bad, so much that he couldn't think of anything else and he was hard, impossibly hard, flushed and straining with need…I want you…please, take me…
There was a brief moment where he could feel the dark eyes on his face, the steady heat from the man kneeling between his knees sharp, then, without further warning, the entirety of his cock was swallowed in a wet, searing heat that even in his sleep had him arching into.
Yes…yes…
Pressure pulled against him, as if trying to tear him apart as warm lips wrapped around him, sucking him into oblivion. He couldn't breathe or think as the walls of the dream trembled around him, buckling under the force of the pleasure that had turned to molten liquid as it mingled in his blood. Another hard suck before the blinding heat pulled back and the tip of a slick tongue teased the bundle of nerves just below his tip…yes...there…
Don't stop…
Sleep slithered away in ragged tatters, early morning sunlight falling across his face as he finally gave into awareness only to find that the dream he had been stuck in had actually been rooted in reality. A wave of pleasure rolled over him as he struggled to gather his bearings, making his fuzzy gaze go wide as he realized that the tantalizing dream he had been trapped in had not been a dream at all. Dark eyes met his own as he glanced down, fire lacing out from that one central place that was sunk deep into the other man's mouth. He should have been embarrassed, waking as he had but the only thing he managed to do was let out a strangled gasp as the Colonel drew him deep, throat working around him. For a moment he let himself forget that he had indeed awoken to the older man sucking him off in favor of the wonderful heat pooling in his groin.
"Ah…R-Roy…" those bottomless eyes lifted to his again as his own slender fingers found purchase in the bed sheets, feeling as if he would drown in the blaze of shadowy fire if he didn't hold on to something. Still slightly incoherent from sleep, he was unable to tear his gaze away from the dark eyes shaded behind black, shaggy hair and the mouth that was wrapped around his arousal, swallowing him into the hot, wet heat. The man sucked on him hard, unforgiving, pressure building unbearably and the sound he threw to the ceiling was broken. Then it was gone and in the flood of cool air that eased the blaze somewhat, some of the cognitive functions of his pleasure hazed mind cleared so that he could focus on the dark haired man's smile as he watched Ed from between his parted thighs.
"Good morning, Sunshine," the man's voice soothed over him like a soft touch of the finest silk and he shivered, well aware of how aroused he was. Somehow he managed a smile, weak though it might have been, reaching down to shift his fingers though the dark hair.
"M-morning…" Golden eyes took stock of the situation he had found himself in, a pleasant thrum of steady heat still crackling in his veins. Roy had somehow worked his sleeping pants down, off his hips and baring the upper half of his thighs, hands still working subtly over his skin. There was a question on the older man's face that accompanied a slight, pink flush scrawled over the pale skin that spoke of burning desire. He shifted under the intense stare, wanting nothing more than the flurry of pleasure that had torn him from his dreams, shivering under the assault of strong, pale hands. Covering up his discomfiture, he smiled again, lopsidedly, "Can't keep your hands to yourself?" his voice gave him away, though, husky and unsteady as those fingers were stroking ever closer to his cock that lay hot and aching on his abdomen. A sharp, hungry grin curled on the neat, curved lips.
"Didn't you know? When it comes to you, I have no control," and proceeded to lick up the throbbing vein on the underside of the younger alchemist's cock, making him gasp, eyelids fluttering at the sudden jolt of heat. Ed had to suck in a deep breath of air in an attempt to cool the fire coiling in the pit of his stomach before he was once again captured in the dark gaze.
"I can s-see th-ah-at…" the words leaving his mouth tripped over themselves as the warm heat of the older man's mouth once again descended on his cock, the bright wave of pleasure already starting to eat away at his senses. His low groan filled the room, eyes flickering closed in bliss as Roy sucked with an even tempo, the wet, scorching heat moving up and down. The friction picked away at his control, the pleasure pooling at the base of his spine, the familiar burn bright. Stars littered his vision as those lips and tongue tortured him until he was sure he would go insane. Fingers cupped around his aching balls, a wordless cry tumbling past his lips and he needed to stop this now. Any longer and he'd fall apart, "W-wait…R-Roy…f-fuck, hang o-on…" slender fingers tugged insistently on the dark hair, willing the older man to pause in his ministrations. For a blinding moment Ed thought the Colonel was going to ignore him but just as he was sure the expanding heat in his groin was going to explode, the pressure suddenly eased, his throbbing erection momentarily freed. He gasped at the tingle of incompletion, trying desperately to catch his breath, steadying himself before he was able to crack open an eye. Roy was sitting back up, tongue flicking over his bottom lip, catching pearly beads of pre-cum left behind from the blonde, dark eyes bright with lust and a jolt went through him at the sight, teeth snagging his bottom lip as he fended off his release once again.
"What's wrong?" the deep voice was rough and dark, making him shiver. He took a few more deep breaths to steady himself, the roiling heat backing off a little as he sat up. For a moment he ignored his aching erection that was leaking steadily over his thighs as he dragged the older man into a slow kiss. The dark taste of fire was still there on the warm, smooth lips but there was something else too and for a moment he couldn't figure out what it was as he opened his mouth for Roy, letting the older man in. But as the slick tongue slid along his own, the heady friction burning through his veins in bright waves of the blackest fire, he realized just what the salty, slightly bitter taste was. It was himself. Then he knew. Even as his desire spiked so he was nearly choking on it, he knew what it was he wanted. Pulling away from the kiss where he had somehow pulled himself flush with the older man, arms curled around the strong shoulders, he looked up into the slanted gaze that was black with longing and a small smile curled on his full lips where the taste of his own cum mingling with Roy still lingered.
"Nothing's wrong. I just…want to taste you too," those beautiful eyes widened at his words and he fought a blush as the older man considered him. His heart was stuttering in his chest as he waited, hoping the Colonel wouldn't refuse him. Then the dark eyebrows drew down, gaze flickering all over his face as if wondering what Ed had meant.
"How?" the dark haired man asked and the gold eyes blazing in triumph, giddy anticipation nearly making him shake. He knew what he wanted to do but he didn't know yet if he could. From what he understood, what he had in mind took a skill he wasn't sure he had but that wasn't going to slow him down. Backing away from the older man, he tried to look like he knew what he was doing, hiding his trembling fingers in the sheets beside his hips and tilted his head to the side as he his lips curled upwards.
"Lay down and I'll show you," one slender eyebrow arched up over a pale forehead but the older man didn't say anything as he stretched out on the bed next to the blonde, dark eyes never leaving Ed's face. It was this gaze that made him realize what he was about to do and searing want mixed with uncertainty, the heady mix of emotions nearly tearing him apart.
His heart slammed a nervous tattoo against his ribcage. It was one thing to be confident about this kind of thing; one would expect Roy to be considering the amount of experience he already had. Ed, on the other hand, was still a nervous wreck when it came to sex. It was understandable, seeing as he only been with the older man three times (well, three and a half, if he wanted to get technical). Whatever confidence he might have portrayed was just the overwhelming need to show the Colonel how much he wanted him, the intensity of it tending to cloud his hesitations and insecurities. The fact remained, however, that he had never had the opportunity for experiencing this kind of thing before and his inexperience seemed a sever handicap in the face of the other man's confidence. Not that Roy seemed to really mind. Ed did though. Those dark eyes seemed to be trying to pull his soul from his body as they watched him from where the Colonel lay and he tried to swallow the angry butterflies that were currently dive bombing his insides even as shivers crawled pleasantly up his spine for those long fingers had never abandoned their gentle pattern as they stroked the exposed skin of his hip.
Shading his wide gaze under long eyelashes, he reached over and gently worked his fingers under the waistband of the older man's pants, making sure to brush shaky fingers over the evident bulge outlined in the dark fabric. He could feel that burning gaze watching him intently, his pulse skipping as narrow hips lifted from the bed so he could free the hard, throbbing erection from its confines.
His mouth went dry.
He had, when he used to think of sex, never really thought about what it would be like with a man. Before, before Roy that is, it had always been inconclusive imaginings of soft curves and deep places meant to draw him in. Yet now that he was face to face with the older man's impressive erection, he knew it could never have been anything but this. Not that, since meeting Roy and being with him, did he regret the man wasn't a woman; as a matter of fact, he was glad he wasn't. But seeing as he had so far been on the…receiving end, he hadn't really given much thought as to what it would be to pleasure the dark haired man. Until now.
For one thing, the Colonel was big, in both length and width. What was more (and here Ed succeeded in baffling himself as he was pretty sure he never had a thing for cocks before) it was, in a word, beautiful. Really, he wanted nothing more than to touch, stroke, lick, suck; to draw the older man to his completion just from that alone. Perhaps it was because it was Roy but the blonde felt positively weak with desire as he slowly moved his slender fingers through the course, dark curls, unable to drag his eyes away as a pearly bead of cum rolled down the thick shaft.
"Ed…" his name was a breathy growl that crawled under his skin, smoldering there as he leaned forward, desire so thick in the back of his throat he could barely breathe and oh so slowly licked that milky drip away. The taste of it was salty, bitter, a spread of sluggish fire on his tongue and his eyes fluttered closed under the onslaught of lust brought on by the flavor. Roy groaned again, fingers digging into one of the younger alchemist's thighs, his touch asking what his voice would not. Swirling his tongue over the tip and catching the pre cum seeping from the slit, he moved his hips so he was straddling the other man's face, nearly groaning at the hitch in breath his action pulled from below him. Then, without further warning and because he knew it would probably shock the dark haired man, he dipped his head, opening his mouth wide enough so he could suck down as much of the tick erection as he could, stopping when he hit his gag reflex and sucking as hard as he could.
"Fucking hell…" and the sound of it was beautiful. One more suck before he was pulling back, smirking and ignoring the way strong hands hand clamped painfully around his thighs. When he glanced back through his legs, he found the dark eyes glaring down at him, a light flush working its way over the pale features, "Warn a guy next time," Roy hissed at him and he couldn't help but snicker before licking a line up the underside of the older man's cock, feeling it pulsing against his tongue. Warm hands slid along his skin, hooking around his hips and tugging on them so he was pulled down a little, his knees widening as his body dipped so the dark haired man could reach him in order to reciprocate. He had just wriggled his tongue into the already weeping slit at the head of the thick cock when his own aching length was once again teased then swallowed into that fiery heat. The position afforded him some kind of leverage but he tried to remember not to thrust down as hard as he wanted to. He rather liked Roy with all his teeth.
Slowly, he worked his mouth down the Colonel's throbbing erection, feeling every pulse, every subtle yet needy shift of the pale, narrow hips as Roy tried to control himself. It was the oddest sensation to have his own arousal buried deep in someone else's throat while he fought to keep enough of his brain power to continue sucking without gagging. There were several times when a strong thread of pleasure worked through him that he had to pull back, afraid of biting down on the sensitive flesh between his lips, groaning softly against hot, silky skin. The sound seemed to have done something to the other man because there was an echoing sound that had bolts of white heat working through his body, making his legs feel weak. His cry was muffled, turning into a choke as he slid down too much, the blunt tip of Roy's cock hitting the back of his throat. Fingers dug into his flesh and he would have winced if he wasn't so far gone.
Already there was that familiar tightening running along his abdomen, making his breath run short. He could smell the deep musk of the other man, feel the way Roy was trying so hard not to press deeper into his mouth, feel the thick, salty pre cum as it ran down his throat. Every noise he made, as muffled as they were, seemed to just heighten the Colonel's pleasure, the added vibrations making his erection twitch in Ed's mouth. The hot vise he was buried in pulled on him harder, taking him deeper and suddenly he was teetering on the edge, all that glittering heat glowing behind his eyelids. Unable to concentrate, he pulled off Roy's cock with a slick pop, gasping as the pulsing waves over took him.
"R-Roy…Ah…I…AAH!!" he tried to warn the other man but the Colonel must have already sensed it because he reached up with one hand, curling his fingers around the blonde's tightening balls and stroked them as he took Ed in all the way, pressing his nose to the burnished curls before swallowing harshly. The feel of the slick throat muscles closing around him was enough and he couldn't help the jerk of his hips as his released hard into Roy's mouth, forehead pressed against a pale thigh. He was sucked dry, the pleasure pulled from his body in gradually lessening waves until he was left sated and tired, limbs weak with the effort of keeping himself from collapsing onto the older man's face.
Roy licked him clean, hot tongue making him shiver as it dragged over his too-sensitive cock, strong hands still gently stroking his skin; over his thighs, up around his buttocks, the gentle touches cool and soothing. All Ed really wanted to do was collapse, give into the lethargy that had settled over him but even while the touches didn't stop, he could tell the older man was waiting for something. It was then he realized he had, at one point, closed his eyes and there was something tickling his nose. Golden eyes fluttered open, still glazed over with the echoes of spent pleasure to find himself face to face with a thick erection pressed to the pale abdomen as milky liquid leaked onto the scarred skin.
"Ed…" the man's voice was husky as he gave the younger alchemist a gentle nudge, reminding him without directly asking. Taking a deep breath of the coarse hair his nose was pressed into, the rich scent making him shiver, he forced himself back onto his elbows, using one hand to curl around the thick base. Roy's breath hitched from under him at the simple touch and now that his own pleasure had been sated for the time being, he reveled in the feeling of making such a sound escape from the other man's lips. He wanted to hear so much more.
Once again his tongue delved into the weeping slit, the flavor heady, tasting better and better with each stroke. He pushed it in as far as it could go, feeling the even slicker inside that made him groan. Roy actually shouted, cursing loudly, his body bowing at the sensation and the fingers gripping the blonde's thighs had become painful. Fascinated, Ed repeated it, watching the heavy scrotum pulling up when the older man groaned. He felt a mouth on his calf then teeth, the sharp sucks and bites no doubt going to leave a mark and in retaliation he pulled back so he could take Roy in as deep as he could, once again swallowing hard. Another beautiful shout echoed through the room and he would have smirked if he could have. If there was one thing Ed was, it was a very fast learner, especially if he wanted something bad enough. And he wanted to bring off his lover very badly.
So, breathing carefully through his nose, he pulled the man in deeper, deeper, swallowing convulsively as he tried to relax his throat, the hot length nearly prying his jaws apart. He could tell by the way Roy's legs were shaking that he was close so he closed his eyes and went the rest of the way down, pausing to choke back a gag as the tip slid down his throat, bumping snugly against the back of it. The older man made a small noise.
"Ed…fuck, Ed…" the blonde kept the suction going, keeping it slow because he was afraid an unexpected orgasm would make him gag. But Roy had no intention of not warning him. The man's hips strained as he desperately tried not to buck upwards before his back lifted off the bed, battle lost, "S-shit! Ed!" at least the blonde could proudly say he didn't panic as thick streams of the older man's release shot down his throat, the pulsing erection sliding even deeper as the Colonel couldn't completely control the movement of his hips. He just concentrated on swallowing it all, the liquid hot as it was pulled from the other man, golden eyes squeezed shut until the last pulse, the man finally slumping, spent, underneath him.
The blonde collapsed into his side, grinning as he wiped excess cum from the corner of his lips. He could hear the older man's heavy breaths from the other end of the bed as he swirled his tongue around in his mouth, finding he liked the taste of Roy. It was rich and a little bitter but that was fine. He suspected that there really wasn't all that much he wouldn't like about the dark haired man; it just surprised him he had enjoyed that so much. And considering the older man's reaction, he hadn't done so terribly for the first time. As he lifted himself onto still-rubbery feeling elbows, he glanced down the long length of the Colonel's pale body, stretched out and languid in the wake of his release. Onyx eyes met his own glittering gold ones from under a pale arm that had been thrown over the older man's face, a dark eyebrow arching as the slanted gaze regarded the younger alchemist.
"What are you grinning like an idiot about?" the man growled and Ed laughed, the sound slightly scratchy from the sticky substance he had just swallowed. The blonde sat up, reaching over with a cool metal hand to swirl it around one dusky nipple, watching the pebbled skin harden under his touch. He was well aware of the eyes still on his face and the fact that he couldn't stop smiling.
"Nothing. I'm always happy to see the positive results of my research," slyly, he met the sharp gaze, nearly snickering at the considering expression on the pale features. There were a few moments of silence as the older man took in the meaning of the blonde's words before a strong hand caught his wrist, stilling the teasing movements of his fingers over smooth, pale skin. There was a bright glint in that dark gaze as it searched his face and he just smiled blandly back.
"What does that mean?" the man demanded, holding the smaller alchemist in place and Ed couldn't help but laugh, tugging his arm free from the older man's grasp. Roy just sat there, the intensity of his eyes demanding an answer. The blonde just shrugged easily, as if it was nothing.
"Just what it sounded like," his voice was as bland as his actions but when he peered up through thick, yellow eyelashes, the look he sent the older man was knowing and suggestive. Dark eyes widened.
"Did you…you…do you mean you looked at porn?" Ed liked how the deep voice cracked on the last words, as if the older man couldn't quite believe the younger alchemist had actually had the audacity to do such a thing. Now the blonde was blushing but he shrugged again, eyes pulling away from that incredulous gaze to wander the neatly curved planes of the older man's body, each one perfect, beautiful. He wasn't going to be embarrassed because he had liked what they had done. Hell, he fucking loved it and if he had his way, they would be doing a lot more of it.
"I don't see what the big deal is. I mean, I've never done this kind of thing before so how was I supposed to know all this stuff? " he crossed his arms over his chest, more to keep his hands to himself when he noticed the older man's cock twitch in renewed interest at his words than in a pout. There was another pause where their eyes met, Ed blushing hot enough that the heat was starting to spread down his chest before Roy exploded in laughter, falling back onto the bed as he howled, a hand covering his eyes. The blonde blinked at that, the reaction completely unexpected, watching, fascinated as the broad chest heaved as the older man tried to get himself under control. Feeling the first prickling of his temper, the younger alchemist kicked out his foot, letting it connect with the man's side.
"What the hell is so funny about me looking at porn?" he snarled, kicking the man again when Roy continued to chuckle. Dark eyes glanced down at him as the hand was removed, helpless laughter still lingering around the twitching corners of the neat lips.
"Nothing, nothing…it's just…" the Colonel floundered, using his hands to express something his words could not and Ed lifted one eyebrow, embarrassment still heating his face, "You are always doing the unexpected. Not only that but you referred to it as research. I'm sorry but what teenager does that?" the blonde huffed, looking away then noticed that the older man was well on his way to being hard again. Once again a slender eyebrow hitched over a tan forehead as gold eyes met black.
"If it's so funny then what the hell is that?" and he gestured to the thickening erection standing proud between the older man's thighs. The dark eyes deepened as a sexy smirk curled over Roy's lips. Ed's breath hitched, thoughts of anything but the fire beginning to stir in his own veins swept away.
"It doesn't mean it doesn't turn me on," he shivered as that deep, velvety purr slid over him like the smoothest silk, renewed desire beginning to make him ache. And when one pale hand reached out to him, an invitation clear in the onyx eyes, he melted, "Care to do something about it?"
He answered by taking the Colonel's hand…
**
Three hours after Roy left for work, Ed was still blushing like someone had set fire to his face. The heat had curled around his cheek bones and seemed to have every intention of permanently staining his skin a deep pink. It was actually getting quite annoying actually and was making it hard to concentrate on the work he was supposed to be doing. He was more than half way through decoding the book he'd stolen from the library and yet for some reason he couldn't get back into the swing of it.
Damn stupid bastard of a Colonel. The blonde growled to himself, heated glare attempting to set the papers in front of him on fire even as the flush still working over his face deepened. So far he had been pretty calm about this whole intimacy thing; calmer than he had expected himself to be. But the older man had thoroughly embarrassed him that morning. The worst part about it was that Ed had enjoyed it. Hell, he had fucking loved he growled, though this time it was in more of an attempt to make himself feel better. He had already figured the man for a pervert but then what did that make him if he got off on it?
Why was he embarrassed?
Because Roy had made the blonde tell him everything he had read in the porn. Everything. Ed had read a lot of it and had hoped to forget most. Yet somehow he had found himself telling the older man, voice breaking and cheeks flaming the entire time, every last dirty detail. As he did, those smoldering eyes had watched him, onyx depths shadowed with an emotion he hadn't been able to read and pale hands running over his body…and then the Colonel had picked one of those…things and…and…
Ed shivered as a wave of heat rolled over him, heart skipping as he thought back on it. It had felt so incredible that he had come hard enough to pass out. By the time he was able to swim his way back into some semblance of consciousness, a warm hand was combing gently through his hair, the older man perched on the edge of the bed, showered and dressed, dark eyes as calm as Ed had ever seen them. There had been no words exchanged; no simple goodbye or any kind of send off for the day ahead or even expressions of affection. Nothing but that touch and the look in the slanted gaze and he would never need anything else. Embarrassing as what they had done may have been, it was more than worth it if Roy would continue to wear that expression. The blonde had drifted away to that look, unaware of the small smile that had curled on his lips and how one of his hands had curled itself around a swatch of material belonging to the Colonel's uniform.
When he opened his eyes again, Roy had already left.
Ed scrubbed his face with both hands, the cool metal palm helping to dispel some of the heat. In reality, he was still kind of shocked at the level of comfort and intimacy he had achieved with the older man in such a short amount of time. For a long time he had always viewed himself as someone less than worthy for such a thing, missing pieces as he was, not including the past sins that darkened his soul. He was incomplete and hopelessly flawed but somehow Roy had seen past all of that. It often made him wonder just what it was about himself that drew the Colonel in the first place. Maybe the man just had something for blondes. Then he snorted at the idea. Riza was a very pretty blonde, once you moved past her rather intimidating exterior as was Ed's own brother. He winkled his nose at the thought, stamping it out before it could even take hold. That was a disturbing line of thought. But still he wondered. Roy was witty and charming and almost painfully handsome, not to mention smart. Plus the bastard could cook. He had a romantic streak that was a mile wide and really could have anyone he wanted. But he had picked Ed.
The blonde swallowed, biting the inside of his cheek to ward of the stupid smile that was threatening to stretch over his face and then he realized there was no one else there to witness it so he just ducked his head, facial muscles fairly creaking under the effort of such a wide, goofy grin. God, he felt like some love sick puppy and the more he got to know the Colonel, the worse it seemed to get but he wouldn't have traded this feeling for anything in the entire world. It was such a surreal emotion to justify himself with. Here he was, a kid that hadn't even graduated high school (though he would have been in just a week if he had stayed) with a temper that had warded off the most stanch adults and a tendency for rather destructive trouble and he was sitting in the house that belonged to his lover.
Damn, that sounded odd. Ed cocked his head to the side, golden bangs sliding over to obscure the contemplative expression on his face while he tried the concept on for size. Lover…Roy is my lover…Yup, definitely odd. Before then, he had not really given the older man any kind of label. Roy was who he was and the blonde liked it better not giving their relationship any kind of status. Still, he couldn't deny the facts of it. He loved Roy, Roy loved him and that was how it was.
Ed realized belatedly he was grinning like a moron again.
With a warm ball of giddy contentment burning away in the pit of his stomach, he turned his bright gaze back to the book still resting on his lap, intent on giving it his full attention. Mulling things over like that had actually helped a bit, his trepidation and embarrassment from earlier all but banished so that he could concentrate. Now that everything was a little bit clearer, it wasn't so horrifying after all. Though thinking on it again did bring back the uncomfortable ache in his groin so he threw himself at his task, vowing to have at least most of the book finished by the time the Colonel returned.
Ed was actually just starting to lose himself in the translations when he was jarred from his concentration by a clanging from the front hall. Baffled, he put his work down and tried not to let the growing monster of a mess he had turned the library into trip him up on the way to the front door. He had no idea who could be ringing the door bell in the middle of a work day and as far as he knew, Roy wasn't expecting anyone. Perhaps he should have been concerned but it was not common knowledge that he was staying with the Colonel; at least, he didn't think it was. Still, he couldn't help but ready himself for anything as he wrenched the door open.
Only to relax a second later when he saw who was standing on the porch. The green eyed Lt. Colonel looked like death had warmed over and slipped on a pair of thin-rimmed glasses as he smiled slightly at Ed in greeting.
"Lt. Colonel Hughes," the surprise was evident in his voice and he felt a pang when he realized the older man had not even had a chance to go home since returning from Lirr. He had probably just come straight here and judging by the haunted look in the emerald gaze, things must have been worse there than Ed had realized.
"Just Maes will do, Ed," another wan smile before the dark haired man gestured to the interior of the house, "Do you mind if I come in? It's been a rather rough couple days," stabbed by a sudden onslaught of sympathy, Ed nodded and stepped back, already thinking of what he could serve the man in way of sustenance. Hughes sighed gratefully, walking wearily into the hall and the blonde watched the older man use the walls for support as he closed the door, noticing the line of the Lt. Colonel's back was a bit hunched, "You're a Godsend, Edward," he heard the man mutter as he made his way to the library, no doubt to fall onto the couch. Ed winced as he recalled the mess.
"Roy won't be home for a while," he started, maneuvering his way to Hughes' side and steering him towards the kitchen instead, "Would you like something to eat?" though he doubted the dark haired man would make it long enough for Ed to prepare anything for him. Bright green eyes fell on him for a moment as the older man plopped into one of the chairs at the table, a wry smile curling tiredly on his lips.
"That would be amazing. I don't think I've eaten since…" and there he stopped, clearly forgetting when it was that he had last had something to eat, a frown furrowing his dark eyebrows as Ed bustled around the kitchen, digging up left over pizza and sandwich food so he could set it all out for the Lt. Colonel. He smiled when he saw the green eyes light up at the considerable amount of food nearly weighing down the table. Hughes reached for a cold slice of pizza first, taking a huge bite out of it and making a show as he chewed, eyes rolling up into his head in bliss. The blonde, sitting down the table a bit, choked back a grin at the display, "I didn't realize just how hungry I was," another bite and a sigh of pleasure, "It almost makes me jealous of Roy," and the wink that was thrown his way made the younger man wonder if Hughes was talking about the food or Ed. Being used to the Lt. Colonel and his absolute devotion to his family, the blonde knew the man was joking but he blushed anyway.
He let Hughes eat in peace, watching as the man packed away all of the pizza that had been left over (which had been nearly half a pie) and two sandwiches before he leaned back in his chair with another satisfied sigh, pulling his glasses off so he could rub tiredly at his eyes. Ed, who knew what it really meant to pack it away, felt slightly humbled. Since the moment he had met the man, Ed had liked Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes. Though he might act like some goofy twelve year old much of the time, he was actually alarmingly intelligent and seemed to be solid to the core. The blonde had asked Roy about his and the green eyed man's friendship and had been surprised at the depth and length of it. The two older men had been friends for a long time and it seemed as if they would go through hell or high water for each other. At least, that was how it seemed when the Colonel had answered him and there was no doubt they were fond of each other. Ed knew he might have been jealous if it wasn't for Hughes' absolute devotion to his family. While the two men might have been close, the blonde Major could honestly say he had never met anyone before that had such a blind dedication for their family. It made him feel like he needed to earn his place here before he could be completely accepted. And for some reason, it was incredibly important that Hughes accept him. As it stood, this would be the first time he had ever really spoken one-on-one with the older man and he found himself determined to find some kind of approval in those sharp green eyes. After all, this man was one of the Colonel's oldest friends so he supposed it was almost like speaking with his family.
The blonde tried not to squirm as he was fixed with that bright gaze, fighting to keep the sudden attack of nerves from showing on his face. The tension grew as the silence did, filled only with the distant sounds that came with living in the city and the steady ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Fidgeting with the hem of his oversized shirt (which he realized belatedly was another one of Roy's) he cleared his throat.
"Did something happen while you were in Lirr?" he asked, deciding it was better than trying to dig their way through a meaningless conversation before his curiosity killed him. The green gaze was sharp through the thin-rimmed glasses as Hughes regarded him and the blonde was struck again upon seeing the tired lines of strain under his eyes. Another sardonic smirk curled on the thin lips.
"What makes you think something happened?" the older man could have just been teasing Ed but again his expression didn't quite meet his eyes, making the younger man wonder what was going on behind the intelligent gaze that had not once faltered away from his own. It was the alchemist's turn to give a small smile.
"Because you look like crap and you wouldn't be here if it had been a routine trip, right?" and he was rewarded with a bright grin. It was a weary expression, making the younger man wish he could somehow send the dark haired man home to his family. No doubt it would a world of good. But there was a specific reason he had come there first, as he knew Roy was at headquarters at this time of day. The thought had him stifling another surge of curiosity, trying to be patient as the older man ran a hand through his hair, chuckling to himself quietly.
"Not one to dissemble, I see," he met the frank, golden stare and seemed to come to a decision, for he sat forward on his chair, "Very well, neither will I," his green eyes sparkled momentarily, "Though I think I can see why Roy likes you so much," Ed's answering blush had him chuckling again. Then the smile was wiped away, seriousness once again falling around them like a veil. The older man reached into his jacket pocket, the uniform looking rumpled and overused and pulled out something wrapped in a white handkerchief. The long fingers handled it gingerly, as if whatever it was would burn if directly touched. Again that haunted look was back, shadowing the emerald gaze and making Ed wonder just what had actually happened. Hughes glared at the innocent folds of white cloth as he set it carefully on the table, yanking his hands away as quickly as possible.
"What's that?" the blonde asked, reaching out to unwrap the object hiding inside the handkerchief, taking note of the way the Lt. Colonel sat back in his chair as if he was trying to keep as much distance between himself and the thing on the table as possible.
"I was hoping that maybe you could tell me," He almost didn't catch the way the dark haired man's voice retained no inflection, remaining completely flat as he spoke because he was staring at the distorted lump of red stone that he'd just freed from the confines of the white material. The rock glared balefully back at him as he studied it with a bemused kind of fascination. At first he couldn't figure out what was so important about some odd little stone but then his golden eyes widened, flickering up to Hughes' expressionless face as he put two and two together. Intrigued and more than a little horrified, he reached out one finger to touch the rough, blood-colored surface.
"This is—" and he broke off with a yelp as a surge burst through him at the contact, something akin to an electrical current buzzing up his arm, leaping from the stone to his hand. Rubbing his wrist, he glanced up at Hughes in amazement who was watching his reaction closely, "Is this a Philosopher's stone?" the incredulity in his voice sounded a little awed, though he could feel the emanation of power from the stone and it felt dark, ominous. The older man frowned a bit, face shadowed with an expression Ed couldn't read.
"Either that or it's a trial stone. The people I…took it from seemed to be using them for keeping up with the war in Lirr. I heard them talking about other stones and a backlash if the strain put on them became too much," the blonde nodded as his eyes were once again drawn to the rough, red stone, recognizing the Lt. Colonel's words as something he had translated yesterday from the book. The stone did look a little dull, as if it once had a shiny luster that had been worn off from too much handling. Yet there was no denying it was still powerful; powerful but twisted, as if whatever it was that made it work was bent out of alignment.
"Yeah, I read about that happening," he said absently, reaching out again, this time with more care, hoping his touch wouldn't draw the same reaction he had the last time. There was a fizz of power but at least this time it didn't feel as if he had jammed his whole arm into an electrical outlet. Hughes made a surprised noise.
"Then you have the book translated?" the man asked with an edge of hope in his voice. The blonde looked up as he carefully cradled the stone in his palm, disturbed by the strange ebb and shift of the object's power. It was almost like it was trying to resonate with him but couldn't quite find the right pitch. His skin crawled but he didn't drop it, even if it was beyond disconcerting to think it almost seemed to have a mind of its own. It pulled at his focus so that he was hard pressed to form an answer for the older man.
"Um, yeah, most of it. It's going to take a little longer but you're welcome to read what's there," he noticed how Hughes had picked up on the blonde's absent tone, eyes narrowing as he studied the younger man carefully. Uneasy, Ed pocketed the stone quickly, unwilling to keep skin contact with it for an extended period of time before getting up and leading the Lt. Colonel to the library. At least with the stone grumbling away in his pocket he wasn't distracted as much, though he itched for the chance to compare it to the information in the book. Hughes, at least, seemed a little more alert now that he had eaten but he still looked ready to fall asleep on his feet. The younger man felt another flash of pity. He was just about to suggest Hughes go home and only come back after a long nap when the dark haired man caught sight of the library.
"Holy shit!" the exclamation made the blonde pause and he grimaced when he realized such a startling reaction had been caused by the excessive clutter that was strewn all over the room. Well, okay, perhaps it was a bit more than cluttered. An absolute, complete and utter disaster could have done a better job describing it. Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head were his hair was still pulled back into the braid Roy had done for him the night before, Ed shrugged, "Did you do all this?" the older man asked, voice a little strangled, taking in the way every available surface, including many of the already filled bookshelves were piled high with papers and open books. The blonde bit his lip as he waded through the mess, papers crinkling with every step.
"I find it's easier for me to work like this," he admitted while clearing a space on the couch so the older man could sit somewhat comfortably. He was going to give the man the big armchair as it was removed from the larger part of the mess but he took one look at it and was assaulted by memories from the night before, thinking with a rapidly growing blush of dark eyes watching him with a burning intensity as pale hands held his rocking hips, pleasure coursing through his veins like a raging wild fire with every plunge…
The couch it was, then.
Hughes was still staring around in shock and rapidly growing amusement as he moved to the couch, nearly tiptoeing through the disaster to the little island of safely the cleared off couch offered. He had never really given thought to the sloppy way he worked before, as Al had always taken his older brother's disorderliness in stride but he supposed most other people would have a hard time getting used to such a thing. With a sudden overwhelming feeling of shame, he made a mental note to clean the place as soon as he was finished translating the book. At least he kept the finished translations in a line of orderly piles on the table by the couch and he handed the first stack to Hughes while trying to ignore the fact that they were currently surrounded by a sea of disorganization created solely by himself. At least he could console himself with the face that it was a productive mess and not one of angry destruction like Roy's temper tantrum a few days ago. He wondered what Hughes would have said if he'd seen that. The older man gave the top page a look of trepidation that was rather amusing.
"I don't really know very much about Alchemy," he started, expression almost wary, as if the pages balanced on his lap were going to leap up and swallow him whole. Ed could have kicked himself. Of course the Lt. Colonel would be a little daunted; he was no alchemist, that was for sure and even most alchemists would be in over their heads with this particular subject. Giving what he hoped was a reassuring smile, he dug out an alchemical dictionary he had found on one of the shelves and tossed it to the dark haired man.
"That will help with the more difficult terms and I'll answer any questions. I wouldn't ask you to lumber through something so heavy but sometimes a person who is removed from the subject finds something helpful, you know?" it had happened many times that way with him as Al would pick up on something Ed, who was submerged in the subject, might have overlooked. Hughes made a face then sighed, relaxing back into the couch cushions, giving the reading material in his grasp a baleful glance.
"I suppose you're right. After all, I should know what it is I have gotten myself into this time, even if I can't understand it," Ed grinned at the suggestion this was not the first mess the older man had found himself in. It must come with the job, he thought wryly. Though the reluctance was clear in Maes' voice, he made good on his words, delving into some of the most complex alchemical workings with little more than a finch. Ed had to hand it to him, the man had quite the determination, which was probably why he worked in the intelligence branch. Perhaps that was one of the reasons Ed liked him as much as he did; it was something they had in common.
The blonde quickly followed the Lt. Colonel's example, digging the stone from his pocket to place it on the table while trying to ignore its strange off-tune resonance so that it could brood to itself quietly. Without its nagging presence weighing on his person, he was able to bunker down in a little corner of the floor, falling back into the process of pulling meaning from words that meant something else entirely with ease. He felt the draw of uncovering a mystery even more now that he had an actual example of the stone sitting not five feet from where he sat. Perhaps he would find the key to its strange power, though the thought of actually experimenting sent unexpected chills of dread trickling down his spine. Twisted as it may have been, if the blood-red stone sitting like an obtrusive cloud upon the coffee table was indeed a version of the Philosopher's stone, then it held the ability to surpass the alchemical rules; equivalent exchange would be rendered unnecessary.
Maybe if he had one of these seven years ago then…but that was neither here nor there and thinking such would do him no good right now. What if's didn't matter now. With one last uneasy glance at the stone glaring at him from amid the clutter, he threw himself into his work in hopes of finding a few answers to his many questions.
Roy
That day would not be the first time Roy was supposed to be working and wasn't. It was something that seemed to be happening more and more often. Riza had scolded him none too gently before going off to lunch, promising unwelcome and rather violent consequences if the Colonel didn't have an acceptable amount of his work done by the time she returned. And yet, even with the threat of his Lt's considerable wrath hanging over his head, he could not seem to focus. Instead his dark eyes flickered unseeingly as they stared out the large window behind his desk. Too much had happened in the last week or so and most of it was not good. This discovery of the stone seemed to be the least of their problems and yet somehow tied all the rest of them together. The worst part of it was that all the evidence pointed to the military being behind it all.
A frown marred his forehead for a moment and suddenly he couldn't sit still, the need to get up and pace suffusing itself through his veins so that he was stalking back and forth in front of the window, gnawing on his bottom lip while running his fingers through his hair. There were still so many unanswered questions, each one more elusive than the last, starting with that damned stone and ending with the newest mystery that had cropped up in the King's office. He knew they all had something to do with each other but he just couldn't fit the pieces together and come up with a how. What worried him the most was his men getting caught up in it.
Hell, who was he fooling? He was terrified. More and more troops were being sent out, all of them with an alchemist at their helm. Frankly, he was surprised he hadn't been called on yet. Especially since that new conflict had started in Creda. And they weren't just some half-wild and angry civilians putting up fights. This was war, each one, in Lirr, Ishval, Creda and there were rumors of a shadow stirring along the northern border, at the Briggs out post. More soldiers had been returning in caskets then they were alive. He was terrified because he could not protect those under him from meeting the same fate. Yet at the same time, waiting for it was chafing at him, making him jumpy every time new reports came into the office. Last time he had been in one of the first companies to ship out. This time it seems they would be the last, though he would take every precious hour they were not on some battle field as a blessing. It just felt wrong somehow, like something was waiting just beneath the horizon, waiting to strike them all down.
And then there was Ed.
As much as he would like to keep all of his subordinates out of the line of fire, the thought of his young, golden haired lover being sent to fight on some god-forsaken front made him physically ill. There was no way he could stop it. Ed was part of his company so if they were called, they all had to go. Roy thought back on the first war with Ishval and the price he had paid for following orders. It had nearly killed him; not by any gun or other act of violence but by his own conscience. There was no way he could subject Ed to that, especially with that boy's power. The blonde would become a choice weapon with all his unbridled and unpredictable power. The thought of those wide, expressive eyes dulling with regret and grief over the things he would be made to do had the Colonel swallowing thickly against the sudden ache that seized hold of him. If there was any way he could protect the young Major from that, he would do anything in his power. The fact remained, though, that in his particular position, he wielded very little power in comparison to the men giving the orders.
Colonel Mustang paused in his determined wearing of the floorboards and stared out into the bright midday light, watching how it glinted coolly on the stone of the busy courtyard his office overlooked. Despite the many things that seemed to be trying to drag the entirety of Ametris into a deep, dark pit of disorder, one thing had come of it. Edward Elric. The dark haired man smiled slightly to himself, insanely glad he had been given that mundane assignment of searching for talent in the local high schools. There would never have been any occasion for them to have met and while he would not have known it should things been different, his life without Ed would have been spectacularly empty. Thinking about losing the boy actually hurt. There was no way he could live without the young alchemist any more than he could will his heart to stop beating. The blonde was the very air he breathed and Roy needed him to survive. At least the kid was safe at his home and only a handful of people knew he was there. His dark head fell against the cool glass, forehead thunking softly as it met the smooth surface. At least, for now, he is safe…
Roy winced now, thinking back on his lonely existence before the teen had shown up. It had been pretty pathetic, really, though Maes and Riza had made sure he didn't get too lost in himself. There had been a time when he had tried to escape that but lately, he'd been content to just sink into that darkness, let it enfold him until he sometimes couldn't even remember who he was anymore. He had become Colonel Mustang, body and soul, with no room left for Roy, the man. Ed's arrival had changed that.
Often, when he had a few minutes to think about his young lover, he would marvel at how instant it had been (he hated using the word lover, though that was what they essentially were. Somehow the word was too shallow, not able to do the depth of their relationship justice). As soon as he had laid eyes on the boy, it seems, was when it had started. Maybe he had not been quite as aware of it then but he could see it now. The blonde had saved him just by falling in love with him. Every time Ed was upset, Roy could feel it as if was his own distress and when he was happy, the Colonel found himself smiling too and when the blonde was lost in the throes of passion, it just heightened his own. Like that morning. He still couldn't believe some of the things the younger alchemist had described, blushing cutely the entire time and the thought of doing such to the blond had been too much. How slipping his tongue into the tight heat of Ed's anus was erotic, he had not a clue but it had turned him on so much, he'd come as soon as he had entered the boy. It had been fucking hot as hell, so much so that he was still hard after his orgasm and had been late to work because they had gone another round. Ed had passed out after that, slipping easily into blissful sleep and Roy had been unable to stop watching the slender chest rising and falling steadily for some time, earning him the ire of his blond Lt. when he had finally made it into the office an hour and a half late. Despite that, it had been worth it.
Now Roy fought of the whispering flutters of white hot desire, thinking back on how Ed had cried out in that husky voice of his, gripping the dark hair and wrapping strong, mismatched legs over his shoulders as he delved into the younger man over and over, tasting that deep, rich flavor. Even now he could taste it, lying heavy on his tongue and he pressed two long, pale fingers to his lips as if trying to recapture it. The way the blonde had said his name, breathlessly, like Roy was the entire world was forever imprinted in his memory, making him wish he could just go home and toss the younger alchemist into back into bed, never letting him go…
"So you're the famous Colonel Roy Mustang," the dark haired man nearly jumped out of his skin when an oily voice broke into his thoughts, jarring him from pleasant images of Ed sprawled out on his bed, open and waiting for him, turning sharply. He had been taken completely by surprise, unaware that anyone was even in the room with him. In the next moment his breath whooshed right out of his lungs as if he had been punched in the gut when he saw who was standing on the other side of the desk. Or leering as he leaned on the desk's surface as if it was his office and not Roy's, "Now that's I'm looking at you, there's nothing that special about you after all," dark slanted eyes narrowed as he fought a sudden surge of nausea, wondering what this person could be up to, sneaking up on the older man in his own office.
"What do you want?" he managed not to sound as if he was being strangled when he spoke, deep voice cold and uninviting. Envy sneered in response, violet eyes icy as they returned his look, malice swirling around him like an opaque cloud. The expression left him feeling cold.
"What do I want?" the dark haired boy repeated, pretending to be thoughtful as his curling smirk widened just a bit, "Hmm, there's so many to choose from I'm not even sure where to begin," his lilting giggle made the small hairs on the back of Roy's neck stand straight up and he resisted the urge to shiver. Instinctively he wanted to just set the younger man on fire, fingers itching to jamb themselves in his gloves and snap away until there was nothing left but a pile of ash. Looking into the glittering violet gaze, he remembered that this little bastard had hurt Edward more than once. Somehow he was able to reign in the impulse back but just barely. As it was he had to clench his hands in tight fists so they could not sneak towards his pockets and the white gloves hidden there. Envy must have seen something in his expression for he grinned, leaning casually against the desk, "Oh yes, let me start by asking how dear Edward is doing? Is he enjoying himself in that nice house of yours? I hear he's been doing work for you, secret stuff, right? I mean other than what he does with you in bed…" It took every ounce of the Colonel's control not to tear Envy's head off with his bare hands, protectiveness for Ed flaring so hot, he wondered for a moment if he were to snap his fingers without the gloves if the younger man would be set on fire. Protectiveness and fear. How could this brat know where Ed was, let alone what he was doing there? He gritted his teeth.
"I think perhaps it would be best if you left," his voice was completely flat, void of any emotion that might give him away but the way those dark purple eyes were glittering as they raked over his stiff figure they already knew way too much.
"Oh, no, I don't think so. Not yet," the boy straightened and rounded the desk with slow, measured steps, making his way over to Roy who was trying desperately now for a means of escape. This person was dangerous, to the point where the older man only needed to be in the same room with him and his skin started to crawl. With every last scrap of will power he possessed, he stood his ground, not twitching one muscle as Envy sidled too close into his personal space. His mind was screaming to get the fuck out and not listen to any of this kid's poison but he couldn't seem to move, "See, I know about you and that little blonde bitch of yours. Tell me, is he as good in bed as he seems he would be or is all that fiery passion just a front?" and that evil chuckle rolled over Roy's skin like acid, cutting into him until he couldn't see past his fury. It was a very, very good thing he was not wearing his gloves. His narrow, obsidian eyes glared down at Envy that was leaning towards him with that knowing smirk and he was sure that the kid could hear his grinding teeth.
"Get. Out," a nervous kind of energy was beginning to fill the room, snapping anxiously along the ground at his feet like it was waiting for its master's command to spring. His temper was tightly reigned, at least for now, but if Envy didn't leave within the next few minutes, it was going to snap. That was usually never a pretty sight. But the younger man didn't seem to get the hint, stepping forward so he could drape himself on Roy's bigger frame, making the Colonel's recoil from the touch. It felt wrong in ways he didn't want to contemplate, shivering as a slender hand slipped up over his chest, wrapping around his neck and sinking into his dark hair as hot breath flared over his jaw when the dark haired boy pulled himself close.
"Quite the temper we have," the boy tsked in Roy's ear before licking it, making that snapping energy flare as the older man's horror spiked. He was about to push the smaller man away when Envy's words caught him off guard, "Something you have in common with your…"the thin lips twisted in a grimace, "lover. Snagged a good one this time, didn't you Colonel? Yes, he's quite delicious, isn't he, with all that pretty blonde hair and fiery personality. Well, let me tell you something," another hand was curling around his torso, moving to slide around behind him, slipping between his thighs but he barely noticed because the venom spilling from Envy's lips held him rooted to the floor, "Enjoy it while you can because nothing lasts forever. Or even the next couple days. He's yours now but he won't be for much longer," and that tongue swiped up the side of his face just as the hand between his legs pressed hard against the barrier ofmaterial and into a place he had never been touched, except by Ed's occasionally wandering fingers, jarring him back to reality with the startling pain.
Thank God for Riza.
"What is going on here?" the icy, feminine voice cut through the tension in the room like a machete, breaking Roy from the spell so that he was stumbling back a few steps, eyes wide as he wiped his face on his sleeve. Envy chuckled again, moving away, back towards the door. The Colonel could barely find his anger past the terror the boy's words had instilled in him, making him dizzy and ill. The violet eyes glared malice at him even as the younger man smiled that oily smile, the one that knew everything. He seemed unfazed by Roy's horrified ire and Riza's snapping rage as he made his way from the room.
"Don't forget, Mustang. Either way, he's going to be taken from you and there's nothing you can do to stop it," he grinned and waved, "Sleep well!" and was gone just as the Lt. yanked out her gun, no doubt intending to shoot considering the look on her face. Roy stared at the open door for a moment, brain unable to process just what Envy could have meant, barely registering Riza glaring through the doorway for a couple more minutes before she turned back to him again, dark hazel eyes questioning.
"That boy looked familiar," she said, holstering her gun and walking to his desk where he still stood frozen, fury melting away to something else. Suddenly he felt dirty, as if Envy had marked him with his evil, the places where the younger man had licked practically burning. The hidden pucker of his entrance ached from being jabbed by unforgiving fingers, reminding him of those malicious eyes as they laughed up at him, taunting and cruel. Roy let out a breath and leaned over his desk, bracing himself on his hands, wondering if he was about to throw up.
"That was Envy," his voice sounded hollow even to himself, shaking just a bit. Her reaction was a soft gasp, portraying some of the shock he felt then there was a comforting presence at his side. The Lt. gently placed her hand on his shoulder, making him glance up into her concerned gaze.
"What else did he say to you?" she asked, "Was he talking about Ed?" he flinched, fear gripping the base of his spine and he spun away, trying desperately to bite back the nausea. God, he really was going to be sick. The blonde stepped up to him again, no doubt to see his expression. He was probably white as a sheet and trembling down to his boots. Roy had never been shaken by anyone like this before but he had never had such poison dripped into his ears and then to be touched like that…
Riza called after him as he strode from his office, barely able to see where his was going while there was this roaring in his ears that made it impossible to hear. There were several greeting salutes thrown his way as he practically fled down the hallway. He hated the way the florescent lights seemed to shimmer at the edges of his vision, vertigo slamming into him with every step. It was a good thing that the bathroom was relatively close because he was sure he wouldn't have made it otherwise. As it was, he rushed the last few feet, slamming into a stall before bending over the toilet, stomach heaving as he vomited. It felt like his body was trying to purge the fear and the anger and the overwhelming revulsion, making his throat ache until he was left empty and shaking. Not caring about the filthy floor, his legs gave out so that he slid to the ground, gasping for breath and drawing the back of one hand over his mouth.
He couldn't remember when he had reacted so violently to something before. Throwing up did nothing to ease the knots his insides seemed to be twisted in and he groaned as he slumped forward over his sprawled legs, wondering what it was that Envy had said that set off such a reaction. Everything he'd said about Ed had just made him angry, until the last part, with the promise that the dark haired boy had left with; but even that he could have handled with his normal stoic mask, even if the fear had nearly choked him. No, it was those touches, so violating and degrading, marking him, making him feel uneasy in his own skin. For there was no doubt Envy's intent had been laying some kind of claim on him.
Roy's dark head fell back against the metal stall door as he stared blankly up at the white, cracked ceiling. His safety and peace of mind had been violated but more than that, the fact that Ed was in danger nearly sent him out of his mind.
If only there could be some way he could protect the younger alchemist.
Of a surety, if he lost Ed, there was nothing left for him...
**
Black, bitter coffee flowed into a white mug, nearly spilling over the side in his carelessness as he watched dispassionately, hoping the jolt of thick caffeine would help steady him. He had picked himself off the bathroom floor what felt like hours after he had settled there, swallowing self-disgust as he flushed the toilet but in reality he had really only been gone from the office fifteen minutes. In order to avoid answering his Lt's questioning gaze, he made a beeline for the coffee maker in the back of the room, still feeling a bit ill. True, his reaction had been less than subtle and she would doubtless nag him for answers later but right now he was just hoping for a few moments of peace.
All he really wanted was to go home. Home, where his blond lover was, probably bent over some book in the library surrounded by his disaster he called research. He needed to see his smile, feel his long, golden hair as it slid through his fingers, let himself become wrapped up in the teen's rich, sunny scent. He needed to touch every last inch of Ed's beautiful, smooth skin, taste his warm, silky lips over and over, remind himself that the blonde was real and he was Roy's while reassuring himself that everything was okay because Ed was there, in his arms, looking at him with those wide, beautiful golden eyes. The places where he had been touched by Envy still felt dirty, even though he had scrubbed at them for a while before exiting the bathroom. It needed to be erased and the only one who could do that was Edward. Roy was practically shaking with the need to see the younger alchemist, to just hold him, even for just five minutes. He had never felt like this before, like he would disintegrate if he was away from the blond for very much longer. Taking a few steadying breaths, he gulped down the coffee, wincing at the thick, oily taste and nearly scalding the back of his throat in the process.
It would do no good, dwelling on the scene in his office, especially since every single one of the people that he worked with could read him like a book and would pick up on his distraction instantly. Riza would ask questions, of course, which he was prepared to answer because he could tell she was incensed by seeing Envy wrapped around Roy like he owned the older man and then adding on to the offense by threatening Ed. If there was one thing that made her mad, it was threatening the people she had sworn to protect and the Colonel was pretty sure that ever since he had admitted to her that he was in love with the young Major, the blonde teen now fell under her protective radar. Even now the dark, considering gaze was boring into his back, probably full of worry. Never before had he brushed her off like he had a little while ago and truthfully, he had not been so negatively affected by anything since the last war. If only to himself, he was willing to admit that Envy's thinly veiled threats had scared the shit out of him.
Not caring about the state of his tongue, he downed the rest of the bland, bitter coffee in a few gulps, noting with a cringe that it had done nothing to settle his still upset stomach. Then he holed up in his office for the rest of the day, hoping that throwing himself violently at his paperwork would help take his mind from the direction his thoughts had turned.
Thankfully, it seemed to work, though his longing to be home with Ed just got stronger and by the time he was stacking up the last of the reports, the clock cheerfully stated that it was four thirty and nearly time to go home. It was also the exact moment Riza decided to find out what had happened, walking into his office with a determined expression he had long ago learned to respect. Their gazes met and he hated the impulse to flinch away from the questions he found in the hazel depths, hated how even thinking back on what had happened with that dark haired boy still twisted neat little knots in his stomach, residual nausea making itself known. He hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning and doubted he would even be able to stomach dinner later.
"Colonel…" she started, reaching his desk but was cut off when Havoc waltzed into the room, holding a memo which he was studying intently.
"Hey, boss," Roy grasped at the distraction, hoping the blond wouldn't be thwarted by Riza's icy glare for being interrupted but whatever the man had come there to say was interesting enough that he just slowed his steps, handing the Colonel the paper and giving an annoyed Lt. a wide berth.
"What is this, Second Lt?" he asked, wanting to hug the blond for his impeccable timing. Havoc looked from the dark haired Colonel to his Lt. for a moment, blue eyes wary. It never boded well for the person who interrupted them, especially if they were in an argument but since Hawkeye was the only one who was upset about the disruption, he indicated to the memo in Roy's hand, seemingly agitated.
"Take a look at it, it just came in," he said in a near growl, "Damn bastards putting on a nice show for everyone and they think what they're doing is okay," he made a rude gesture and the dark haired man blinked at him before looking at the paper, wondering what could have gotten the Second Lt. so worked up. Normally, Havoc was laid back, reserving his energy for pranks and his assignments. Dark slanted eyes slid over the paper as he took note of the rest of his subordinates filing into the room, no doubt having already seen the paper. The more he read, the more agitated he became until he had to stand up, throwing the memo down onto the desk in disgust.
"They think they have everyone fooled," he growled as Riza picked it up to read it. The memo had been for all the remaining soldiers left at headquarters to attend a function being held in honor of all their fallen comrades, open to the family of those men and women. He scrunched his nose as he watched the Lt's eyes narrow, knowing the function for what it was; a front. The military was the cause of every single one of those loses and they were trying to make it look like they were the good guys, feigning sadness and grief for misfortunes they were the direct cause of.
"Damn thing is mandatory. We all have to go," Riza snarled, crumpling the paper in her fist. Breda made some kind of annoyed huffing noise as he lounged against an arm of one of the couches, and Roy was inclined to agree. If there was one thing they were all getting tired of, it was the military's plots that kept sucking in innocent people while claiming their lives. Suddenly he wished they had worked faster in uncovering the truth. Things were beginning to spiral quickly out of control and he didn't even have enough evidence to try and put a halt to it.
"What do you think it's all about?" Fury asked, leaning over the desk to snatch up the crumpled memo so he could study it. Breda chose a few unsavory words that made Fury snicker behind his hand and Roy was eternally grateful for the handful of subordinates he had serving under him, each one absolutely trust worthy. They knew everything he did about the Philosopher's stone and the mystery surrounding it and were just as wary of the military they served as he was.
"A way of covering up their tracks, of course," Falman's voice held little inflection but his dark, narrow eyes held an angry glimmer, as if he was offended that anyone would think they would fall for something so obvious. Roy bit back a bitter smile.
"I guess they think if they look like they give a damn about the people they are sending off to die, no one would suspect that they are actually the ones behind it," Riza's voice was soft but he could hear the disgust. He wondered how many others, besides them, suspected the truth. No one was saying anything but then again, he hadn't really made what he'd found public knowledge either. If anyone one else did know, they were probably keeping quiet for the same reasons he was; there was no way they could protect themselves if the wrong people found out what they knew.
"I heard the three last companies in our division are being sent out tomorrow," Fury's voice was mournful and the Colonel looked at him in surprise.
"When did you hear this?" he asked, voice sharp, the gnawing knowledge that they could be next and there was nothing he could do to stop it striking him full in the gut. The short, dark haired Sergeant shrugged, eyes wide and sad behind his glasses. He doubtless had friends in those companies.
"Just after lunch today. They are going to announce it after the function tomorrow night," Roy nearly pounded his fist against the desk in frustration. Of course that's when they were going to announce it. Say you're sorry for all those lives already lost, make a few fancy speeches and then in the next breath, send away even more troops. There was something not right about this picture and it was making him more and more uneasy the more he thought about it. It was almost like the military was getting desperate, as if they were working towards something and were running out of time.
"How come they haven't called us?" Breda asked in a musing tone, eyes thoughtful, "You'd think we would have been one of the first to go, what with the Colonel being the Flame Alchemist and having prior battle experience," he caught Roy's eye then and grimaced, "Not that I'm complaining or anything," to which Roy shook his head. It didn't make any sense to him either, especially since Ed had been recruited exactly for that reason. Yet they had been stuck in the office, almost like someone was trying to keep them all in one place so they could keep an eye on them. If that were true, he thought with a kind of grim satisfaction, it wasn't working.
"Nor am I," the Colonel said, picking up the memo Fury had replaced on his desk and tossing it into the garbage bin with an air of finality, "Orders are orders and the less we pretend we know, the better. It may be an insult but we can still honor those that had fallen. At least that much we can do," His words were met by solemn nods and flashing looks of agreement, their distrustful expressions changing. Despite what had happened earlier, he would not let them see any weaknesses. Should their little spying on the military game be found out, he wouldn't go down without a fight and neither would any of his men.
"What if they do call us?" Fury asked, not a trace of worry in his voice and the Colonel couldn't help a surge of pride. None of his subordinates would be afraid to go to combat; it was what he had trained them for and he trusted each of them to follow his orders without question. He smiled slightly.
"Then we'll go. We don't have orders that tell us what we can't do once we get there," and his grin was shadowed with possibilities. Havoc laughed gleefully while everyone else shared his smile, Riza fingering the handle of his pistol.
"Well," started Havoc, pulling a cigarette from his pocket so he could chew on the end, "I have to say, it's certainly never boring around here," Roy was inclined to agree. Giving them all permission to pack up for the day, he turned back to his paperwork, sorting them so they could be filed when he realized no one had yet to leave the room. Every eye was fixed on him, the mirroring smirks on everyone's faces but Hawkeye's making him straighten, wondering what the heck had gotten into everyone.
"Why are you all still here?" he demanded, an edge to his voice but either no one picked up on it or they just didn't acknowledge it, which was rather bothersome. He saw Havoc flick his bright blue eyes towards the Lt. and then Riza's dark gaze was widening with something akin to horror. Well, that was an interesting expression.
"We were all just kinda curious, boss, if you've been seeing someone, you know, personally," he blinked, surprised, thoughts immediately swinging to Ed, ignoring the sudden flash of trepidation. Hawkeye clenched her fists at her sides, a shocking break in her normal control, glaring fit to kill at the four men now gathered with gleefully interested expressions in a fan around the Colonel's desk.
"Seeing someone?" he repeated stupidly, no quite sure how he should phrase his responses. A few more knowing glances were exchanged, making him somewhat annoyed.
"Yeah you know, a girl," Havoc's grin widen, no doubt getting a kick out of the whole thing. Then Breda spoke up, expression bland but eyes sharp as they looked at his superior officer. Sometimes Roy wished the man was just a little less observant.
"Or a guy," oh, they knew something alright. He folded his arms over his chest and donned his most impressive stare.
"Either one, whichever floats your boat," His eyebrows furrowed over his brow as he frowned, looking from one face to another, finding a range of eager excitement to a kind of bland curiosity. And Riza's face was closed off as she refused to meet his eyes, which, of course, told him everything he needed to know. Feeling slightly unsteady, he tried to steer them away from their rather perceptive conclusions.
"It's really none of your business," he answered, voice as calm as ever but his heart fluttered anxiously in his chest. Ed would not be very happy should the whole office find out about their relationship and Roy couldn't say he was all that fond of the idea either. If any of them let such a thing slip anywhere someone else could over hear, both he and the younger alchemist would be instantly court marshaled then dishonorably discharged from the military. And while he doubted any of his subordinates were that stupid or careless, there was still that slim chance he was unwilling to take. Havoc, though, didn't know how to take a hint. He leaned forward, catching the Colonel's eyes.
"It usually is, though. Normally you make a point to talk about the person your with but not this time. Kinda strange, in my opinion, boss," dark eyes narrowed and he fought the bubbling of growing concern. Come to think of it, besides Riza and Hughes, no one should even know of an implication of him and Edward being together. He recalled Envy's earlier words and felt sick all over again.
"I'm not asking for your opinion," he snapped, wanting them to drop the subject now before he really got mad. What was worse was that the Lt. wasn't helping him out. She was just standing to the side, looking guilty while refusing to meet his eyes. Had she told them already or had they guessed?
"Aww, come on. We won't tell anyone," he looked at Breda in surprise, thinking that it was Havoc leading this whole thing and was taken back when Fury swallowed hard before nodding in assent.
"Sorry, Colonel, but I heard you talking on the phone to someone and…well…you told her—"
"Or him," Havoc supplied, making Fury blush madly before continuing,
"Or him that you loved…them…" he stared in astonishment, no doubt looking like a fish caught on land but his brain seemed unwilling to come up with any discouraging remarks, leaving him at the mercy of several clever subordinates that were too damn nosy for their own good. He looked to Riza for some kind of helpful explanation but all he received in return was her eyes sliding away from his.
"Wh-what makes you think it's a…a guy?" he managed, the lie detectable in the way his voice sounded strangled. They didn't even reward that pathetic attempt with an answer, the Second Lt. leaning his hip casually against the desk and looking smug.
"Let me guess," he said with a grin, earning a hard glare from Riza, "Long blonde hair, big, pretty eyes, little shorter than you…am I getting close?" damn that grin and he really should just dismiss them but when he gave no response other than a blank stare, Havoc ploughed on, "Fiery temper, doesn't like to be called short, wears automail…?" Riza hissed at the blonde man now grinning for all he was worth at the Colonel who seemed to have lost all of his motor functions. How the hell did they know it was Ed from one stinking phone call? Dark, slanted eyes narrowed, taking in each of them as they practically leaned towards him, like they were willing him to confirm their suspicions. He looked again at Riza and this time the hazel eyes met his own, looking apologetic.
"I see," his deep voice was positively glacial when he finally managed to bring his heart rate back to normal again, "and why would you automatically think it's Major Elric?" thankfully, he didn't give anything away and for a moment the conviction in those blue eyes faltered, mirrored in everyone else's faces. Wait, they couldn't be disappointed, could they?
"Well, you know, you weren't exactly subtle about being attracted to him and he's really kinda pretty, even if he is a guy—" Havoc clearly knew he was digging his own grave but before he could go any further, Riza cut him off.
"I told them," she met his startled gaze head on and didn't flinch when his slanted eyes once again narrowed, wondering if he should be feeling betrayed. She shrugged, knowing exactly what was going through his mind and he waited for her to continue, "I walked in the office yesterday while you were gone and was bombarded. As long as they keep their mouths shut…" and here her meaningful glance meant blood should her words not be taken for a direct order. Roy stared at her for another long moment, testing the truth of her words before deflating, running a hand through his hair as he sighed. He supposed she was right. At any rate, he doubted it was going to make much of a difference who knew for very much longer.
"Then yes, I suppose it would do not harm in telling you that the Major and I are involved," he expected some kind of acceptance but not the happy whoop and relived laughter he got in response. Blinking around his office as his subordinates all clapped each other on the back and laughed like they had just received the best news all week, he felt rather foolish and confused. Why the heck would that make them so happy? It must have shown on his face because the Second Lt. leaned over to clap him on the shoulder in a congratulatory manner, bright eyes sparkling in the florescent lights.
"We're all just happy for you, boss. We haven't seen you this content and relaxed for a long time," again he blinked, glancing at Riza who shrugged but there was a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Maybe it wasn't such a terrible thing that they knew after all. Fighting a blush as Fury animatedly wished him luck while Breda shook his hand and not wishing anyone to see him out of sorts, he shooed them all from his office with a few sharp words they all know he meant out of the kindness of his heart. Once they were gone, just a distant racket in the outer office, he dropped his head into his hands with a groan.
"I can't believe that just happened. If Ed finds out, he'll dismember me," his voice was the definition of despair but secretly he was pleased that they had all reacted so well. They were all going to find out eventually, he supposed, one way or another, and he guessed it was better to have it out in the open like this than to keep hiding it. Still, he was more than just a little embarrassed. It seemed this day was just going to keep throwing him for loops. Riza chuckled as she gathered the piles of papers off his desk.
"They are just happy for you. I am sorry for that, though, they really did just ambush me out of nowhere. I didn't even know what to say. And they kept referring to Ed as your girl," Roy snorted at the thought, now even more determined to keep this from his blonde lover. Ed might just dismember him should he find out the whole office knows about them but should he think for one second they thought of him as "Roy's new girl", well, let it just be said that the Colonel was pretty sure he'd become Ed's "girl".
"It's fine, Lt." he answered with a sigh, glancing out the window where the sky had darkened with dark, ominous clouds, "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised," and he chuckled, threading distracted fingers through his dark hair once again, pushing it from his face. The blond behind him put down her armful of papers with a soft rustle and joined him at the window. He could feel her gaze studying his profile but he didn't look at her.
"Just so you know, they are all really happy, for both you and Ed," she paused, "As am I," Roy turned his head to see her smile was gone but the words, the same as the ones she had spoken to him just a few days ago, were warm with sincerity. He felt a sudden bright and irrational flash of relief.
"Thank you, Riza," what had he done to earn such a steadfast friend? The blonde nodded before looking through to the other side of the window pane. The clouds roiled overhead and a few soldiers clutching their jackets as close as they could to their bodies hurried through the shadowed courtyard. They stood there like that for a moment and he wondered if she could feel the inexplicable nagging that had been weighing on him all day, as if something was waiting, waiting to change so drastically, it would sweep them all away in a flood of darkness and violence when it struck. He would have felt foolish, though, for asking so he kept his mouth shut. It could have just been the weather, which was unusually cold and unpredictable.
"And Roy?" the broken silence caught his attention and he looked at her in surprise, knowing that when she used his name in the office, it was serious. The dark, familiar hazel met his own gaze and for a moment he realized that whatever this premonition was that kept tugging at his consciousness, she could feel it too, "That promise that I made you, eleven years ago; I extend that to Edward too," his breath caught in his throat and for a moment he wanted to hug her, knowing the gravity with which she took her promise to protect him. It seemed that she realized that by keeping Ed safe, she was also keeping her promise to Roy. But instead of hugging her, he nodded, knowing she would take his actions for what it was; an appreciation of her gesture and a thanks that meant more than any spoken words ever could.
He stood by the window for a few more minutes after the Lt. had left, staring at the sky and thinking about how much it reminded him of the trap he had found himself in. It brought back every unpleasant word of venom hissed in his ear earlier that afternoon and he glared at the clouds as if it was their fault. He could still feel those unwanted touches, lingering against his skin like a signature of vile possession.
Just like that, he needed Ed so bad he could barely breathe. The only way the poison could be removed was by being burned away with the blonde's light. Fighting waves of nausea and not caring if it was five o'clock yet, he swept from the office, intent on a pair of bright golden eyes and a beautiful, sunny smile…
The clouds had settled like an ominous cloak over the city as the chill seeped in through the walls of the buildings. Riza stepped back into the office with the intent of closing it up when she realized there was already someone in it. It had been a long day, with worry for the Colonel still weighing heavily on her shoulders. She had seen the expression on his face when she had walked into his office and found that boy draped over him like the kid owned him, making her see a momentary flash of red. And not because she thought Roy was being unfaithful to Ed but because it was clear the man was terrified, face even paler than usual. It had been all she could do not to shoot the kid, especially when he threatened Ed. The fact that the dark haired boy even knew about the Major and the Colonel disturbed her and she had seen the way Roy had turned positively green before he fled the office. She'd been helpless, seeing her friend struggling with whatever had happened for the rest of the day. The promise she made had been sincere and she would treat Ed as if he was Roy, knowing she would do anything in her power to protect the Major should the need arise.
It was one of the reasons she had filed the Colonel's paper work for him. That expression had invaded his face when he was standing behind his desk while being bombarded with nosy questions and it made her wish she could do more. Hopefully, Ed would succeed in wiping it away where she was unable to. But it was with a pleasant surprise she found the office still occupied upon returning.
Second Lt. Havoc was hunched over his desk, hunting through one of his drawers and muttering under his breath. The ever present cigarette was missing and she realized he was a lot more handsome without some useless stick of nicotine hanging from his lips. Well, he was handsome anyway, with his blonde hair falling into eyes that shone with an almost perpetual devious light, reminding her of summer skies. He was tall, taller than Roy by nearly five inches, with a physic to match. And while he may act goofy, he was an excellent and sharp minded soldier. She had been noticing Jean more and more often, how he had a nice laugh and ready smile and was nearly as good with a gun as she was. Riza hadn't thought to act on some whimsical attraction but right then, she was being offered a perfect opportunity.
And she was going to take it.
Squaring her shoulders, the Lt. made her footsteps loud enough to be heard so as not to startle the man. He was hissing annoyed curses when he glanced up at her, the corners of his wide eyes pinched.
"Hey, Lt," he said casually before going back to rifling through the desk drawers. It was making an awful lot of noise and she wondered just how much crap he had crammed in there. It at least sounded as if they needed a good, thorough cleaning. Riza refrained from rolling her eyes. Typical.
"What are you still doing here, Havoc?" she was proud of her bland tone, not wanting to give away the fact that the palms of her hands had become sweaty with nerves and there was an uncomfortable fluttering in her stomach. She had not gone out on a date for a long time and had never asked the man out herself. For a moment she wondered if she was crazy. Havoc was a co-worker and a comrade, not to mention she was his superior, though she supposed if that wasn't the case then this would probably never work. The blue eyes flattened in annoyance as Jean pulled open yet another drawer and began he search a-new.
"I finished my last pack of cigarettes and I thought I had another one in here," he growled under his breath, a surprisingly pleasant sound, "Guess not. Damn," the blonde Second Lt. closed the last drawer with a sigh before straightening and tugged on his right earlobe, something she noticed he did when he was annoyed or agitated. Then the blue eyes turned to her and she felt a new wave of nerves. In her defense, he had really nice eyes, "Was there something you wanted?" she almost said no and turned away but then she realized it would be back to staring for weeks on end and she didn't think she could handle that.
"Yes, actually," she steeled herself, looking straight into the wide, unsuspecting gaze, "I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" there it was. No taking it back now. For a moment there was dead silence and she inwardly winced to see the look of shock that made the man's face go slack.
"You…you want to go to dinner with me?" the deep voice was higher than normal, almost as if the man had been kicked and couldn't get enough air. Riza resisted the urge to bite her lip, just nodding curtly.
"Yes," those brilliant eyes blinked before they studied her, shock beginning to melt away. That was a good thing, she supposed, though she couldn't tell by the Second Lt's expression whether he was put off by the question or it was something else. It had been a risk, especially considering they worked together, because most of the time, men were intimidated by her strength, which she often used to her advantage. It was difficult to get them to see past her uniform and her gun and realize she was still a woman.
"As in like a date?" his voice was a little bit more steady this time and now she did fidget, absently playing with the hem of her jacket, hating the feeling of being so vulnerable.
"Yes, as in like a date," her voice was carefully bland but she felt a thrill when Jean's look of shock changed, his eyes roving over her, flickering all over her face before moving lower. Normally she wouldn't allow such a thing but it had been expected. This was Havoc, after all and she was not without her own charms. When his bright blue eyes returned to her face, a small smile curled on the corner of his lips. It was a smile like she had never seen before, an incredibly sexy expression and she wondered why this man could never get any dates.
"Yeah, I think that would be cool," his voice was pitched low, taking on a silken quality she wondered if he had picked up from Roy. The Colonel may just be a friend but even she was willing to admit he was quiet often the embodiment of male sensuality. It seemed Havoc has been taking notes. The thought amused her as much as it made the blood in her veins run just a little bit hotter. Trying to pretend her throat had not gone dry, she nodded once.
"Eight o'clock, then," she offered a short salute that Jean was forced to return, "Good night Second Lt," heart in her throat, she turned and started to walk away, snatching her overcoat from the back of her chair as she passed. A warm bubble grew in the pit of her stomach, thinking about the way his blue eyes had looked when he had accepted. Just before she got to the door, she turned to glance once more over her shoulder, noting that Jean had been watching her walk with a stricken look on his face. She couldn't help the small smile, "Oh, and don't be late," The answering disgruntled expression stayed with her long after she left the office.
Jean stared at the open door for nearly ten full minutes before he was able to shake himself enough to gather his wits about him again. The Lt. had just asked him out. Him. Surely, he had to be dreaming. He had thought himself insane when he realized a few years ago just how gorgeous he though the blonde was, with her slim, compact build and light complexion. Though her normal stern visage could be rather intimidating, there was no denying there was nothing more attractive than a woman who knew who she was and what she wanted.
Don't be late…and then she had smiled that little smile, completely knocking the breath right out of his lungs. Damn, but she was sexy. Why on earth would she want to go out with him, he wondered? In somewhat of a daze, he just remembered to lock up the office before exiting, unable to stop thinking about that smile and the way she told him not to be late. She was beautiful, confident, not to mention his superior. And she had asked him out. Someone could poke him with a feather and he would probably fall over.
Havoc wasn't even aware of his wide grin, the expression and the giddy feeling tingling through his limbs distracting him for the rest of the night.
-end of part 1-
*glomps Roy* poor baby! and O.O Jean and Riza!? I know, right? haha, *sighs* so cute... onward to part 2!