Aaaa, horrendously hard school schedule!! I have to admit this... to myself as much as anyone else, that the chances of me writing any fanfiction this school year are REALLY REALLY slim. Mou chiisai. That's just the truth. So...this is probably the last chapter for a REALLY REALLY long time. I'm sorry. Please remember me. Bows
--
"Hughes!"
"Roy! Ed!"
"Ed, be friendly. Say hi," Roy nagged. Ed mumbled, "Hi," when they got to Maes' picnic blanket, an embarrassing, worn, pink blanket of Elysia's. Ed had almost forgotten the last time they'd seen each other and was startled to be reminded of it when his eyes met Elysia's. They'd both been in their father's arms, safe, protected and still feeling a little chastized. The kinship of their parting moments was still there, Ed felt, looking into her eyes.
"Hey, Ed!" Hughes rubbed the top of Ed's head and Ed's gaze narrowed, tearing away from Elysia to her infuriating father. Ed reached up and whacked Maes' hand away from his head. Maes' expression changed from happiness to irritation as he cradled his hand.
"Watch that automail, huh Ed?" he grumbled, trying to keep a joking tone alive in his angry voice.
"Ed," Roy scolded.
"Don't do that!" Ed yelled at Hughes. The man's face darkened a tad more and Elysia muttered, "Daddy?" in a hushed tone.
"It's OK, Elysia. Daddy's not mad at you."
Ed glared more heatedly at Hughes, offended by the obvious implication to Elysia that Maes was angry at him. Roy gave a short sigh and pulled Ed a little ways away from the blanket by his shoulder.
"Ed, don't be immature. You could've used your words instead of hitting him. How old are you?"
Ed's anger and indignation at being pulled aside for a talking-to was egged on by Roy's first words, then colored with bitterness at Roy's snide remark. He shrugged off Roy's hand roughly and Roy began to look truly angry. The child in Ed both quavered at and took pleasure in Roy's expression. Served the bastard right for scolding him like this.
"Go apologize."
"No! I don't want him rubbing my head!"
"Ed, quit being a brat," Roy hissed.
Ed's insides burned with the unhealthy mixture of anger and buried anxiety that surfaced when Roy addressed him in those barely-tolerant nagging, scolding tones. Ed just stood, trembling with anger and glaring at Roy. And then Roy did the unthinkable. He swatted Ed sharply and told him once again to go apologize to Maes. Ed couldn't belive it. Roy had said he was sorry the first time he'd done it. He'd held Ed close and apologized. Now he'd just swatted Ed for not apologizing to the king of friendly noogies!
Ed was so upset, the scale of his anger, outrage, disbelief and sadness so great, that he coudln't think of any action which would serve as an outlet for any of it. He stumbled in the direction Roy had shoved him, then continued toward Hughes.
Roy was slightly surprised, but pleased that Ed had simply obeyed him, going straight to Maes and apologizing softly. Then the boy had managed to creep away to the playground with Elysia while Roy and Maes talked.
--
"Edward, why are you under the slide?" Elysia asked.
" 'Cause I'm not happy," Ed said simply.
"Why?" the curious girl wanted to know.
"Because Roy was mean to me." Ed had meant the words to be a broad, simplified statement, but they were still painful to say, painfully close to the truth. Elysia hugged Ed and he almost cracked, wanting to ask "Why? Why did he do that to me?" But by sheer willpower alone, he simply hugged back, trying to glean comfort from Elysia's soft little body and her arms around his neck.
"Aww, Maes look."
Maes looked, but frowned.
"What?"
"Ed's not happy. Elysia wouldn't be hugging him unless she was trying to comfort him, and why else would they be under the slide?"
Roy looked guilty and embarrassed at not having realized that. He stood up quickly, but Maes stopped him from going to Ed.
"Let me talk to him and see what I can figure out. That's really why we're here anyway, right?"
Roy bit his lip and sat back down. Maes headed over.
"Elysia, honey, is Ed OK?"
"His daddy was mean to him," Elysia said pitifully. Ed hissed in chagrin.
"Ohh. Well." Maes digested this new information for a moment. "How about you let me talk to Ed about it while you go play, OK, Sweetie?"
Elysia nodded solemnly and walked to the monkey bars.
"I don't want to talk to you," Ed snarled savagely.
"Whoa. What happened?"
"I said," Ed snapped, only to be stopped by Maes' hands flying into the air in a surrendering gesture.
"Ed, I know you don't want to talk, but. You're mad as hell. What did Roy do?"
Ed ground his teeth, so close to snapping it was killing him.
"I don't want to talk about it. Not to anyone. It's not gonna make me feel better and it won't redeem him."
"Then do me a favor and help me out. Is this about something that happened before you guys got here, or in the thirty seconds that Roy took you aside?"
"...thirty seconds," Ed grumbled.
"That might be a record," Maes shook his head, "...but I doubt it. Would you talk to Roy?"
Ed shook his head no. "I'd yell at him and then he'd just hit me again."
"Hit you? Is that what he did?" Maes studied the boy for a moment, sifting through his words and the look on his face, trying to make sense of it. Roy wouldn't just haul off and hit Ed without a good reason... "Did he hit you where I think he hit you?"
"I don't know!" Ed wriggled and blushed. Hughes gave a curt nod and walked back to Roy.
"Did you swat him when you told to apologize to me?"
"Uh!" Roy was taken aback. "Yeah..."
"I think he's furious with you."
"He was being pig-headed and..." Roy sighed.
"He is a teenager, Roy. And you should never spank a child more than you have to anyway."
"Hughes?"
"Yes?"
"You can make me feel like the worst parent in the world."
"Well go fix it."
"What did Hughes tell you? I specifically told him I did not want to talk to you."
"He said you were furious with me and that I shouldn't've smacked you."
Ed's head swung up. "Why did you? You were so sorry when you did it before, and then you just-"
"When you're being that pig-headed, it's hard not to lose my cool!"
"I didn't want to come! Hughes is annoying and you always care so much about what he thinks! When he's around, I can feel you trying to do everything like you think he thinks you should!" Silence reigned for a few seconds until Ed yipped, "And he didn't think you should've done it, so ha!"
"Ed... Hughes... Listen... I didn't know anything about being a father when you first came to live with me. I still don't! When Elysia does anything, he knows what to do. What to say, how to say it, everything. He gets angry, but he doesn't lose his cool and do stuff... that comes back to bite him in the ass."
Ed smiled a bit.
"I just feel so inadequate next to him, you know? He never screws up with Elysia or does things he regrets to her."
"He always reacts the same way to the same things, right?"
"Yeah...?" Roy scrutinized Ed, wondering what the blond was getting at.
"She's been with him her whole life. He knows exactly what it takes to make her understand and obey, or cheer her up or get her to accept stuff..."
Roy nodded. All true.
"But. Elysia's three. Just wait 'till she starts wearing makeup and looking at boys. Then his perfect parenthood's gonna get shaken up."
Roy was...kinda getting it, but not really. He stared at Ed, waiting for the boy to continue. Ed blushed pink.
"I know I'm a teenager, I know I'm harder to deal with," he shrugged. Roy grinned. He glanced around for a place to sit, scooting onto the slide Ed was under. His arm was just long enough that he could touch the top of Ed's head, dangling down by the side.
"But, anyway, she's not... not messed up like me. You!" Ed raised his voice before Roy could object to his description of himself. "You have it harder than Maes! I just wish you'd listen to me when I piss you off, 'cause that's when you stop listening and start saying all you want is for me to cooperate!"
"I know, Ed, I'm sorry. I'll try to work on it."
"OK." Ed looked out at the park and the two shared a quiet, peaceful moment. Quite a rarity.
"Roy, can I have a hug?"
"Yeah, c'mon outta there." Roy stood up as Ed crawled out from under the slide to wrap his arms around his colonel's waist. Roy sighed happily.
"You are so adorable it still shocks me," he told Ed. Ed blushed and kept his face against Roy's stomach.
Roy, Hughes, Elysia and Ed ate tuna sandwhiches and swung on the swings well into the afternoon. It was starting to get dark as Roy and Maes shared parting words, out of earshot of their children.
"You did good today, Roy. As far as I can see, you and Ed are fine."
"Thanks for the help," Roy replied sheepishly.
"Eh, you didn't need it. Just keep doing what you're doing. And talk to him. It cuts down on misunderstandings."
"Hey Brother, Colonel."
"Hi, Al."
"Have you eaten, Alphonse? We should think about dinner soon."
"I'm craving Cretan..." Alphonse said.
"Takeout OK?" Roy asked as Ed did a little happy dance.
"Yeah!" Al agreed, less ostentatiously than his brother.
"So, how was your day, Alphonse?" Roy asked politely.
"Well actually," Al grinned, "I called Winry!"
Ed's eyes widened. "You did?"
"Well yeah! I mean, since she hasn't... seen me and all."
"That's right," Ed said dazedly. "Well, what did she say? How did she sound?"
"Well, she kinda went all quiet when I told her and she started crying. She wants to see us ASAP," he grinned a little.
"Roy," Ed whined a bit, "Can we? While you're still on vacation?"
"Sure. Sooner better than later..." Roy shrugged. This vacation was about being with Ed, making everything right, and stabilizing their relationship. It was strangely fitting that it should include a visit to Ed's home town and surrogate family.
"Can I call her now and tell her?" Al asked excitedly.
"Certainly, Alphonse."
Ed stood by Al's shoulder as Al dialled Winry's number.
"Hello? Winry, it's me, Al. We're coming to visit! ...How busy? ...When?"
Ed stood on his tiptoes trying to hear over Al's shoulder what Winry was saying.
"Will you be tired? Are you sure? OK, hang on- Roy! Is Tuesday OK?"
The colonel nodded.
"Yeah, Tuesday's good," Al told Winry as he waved his hand behind his back at Ed, telling him to get out of his personal space. Ed ignored the hand and Al began to look irritated. Roy grabbed Ed's arm and pulled him away from Al. In a moment, Ed became anxious, staring at Roy with big pleading eyes. Roy dragged him toward the couch and Ed started shaking his head no. Al was distracted by the two of them, his phone conversation with Winry ending with, "OK, see you soon, I gotta go."
"It's OK, Colonel," he told Roy. Ed looked confused. Roy shook his head.
"No one else could put up with him like that," he said to Al.
"I am his brother."
"What?" Ed burst out, "What did I do?!"
"Have you ever tried to talk with someone tapdancing on your heels?" Roy mocked good-naturedly. Ed glared at Roy, embarrassed. Al giggled.
"Shut up, Al."
Al chuckled.
"Al," Ed growled, drawing out the "l" sound.
Al laughed charmingly. Ed advanced on him. Al laughed nervously and held his ground. Ed extended an arm and Al gulped, wheeled around and ran for his life, his face terrified. Ed jumped after him and Roy blocked him with an arm.
"Roy, get out of the way!" Ed cried, struggling.
"Ed, leave your brother alone."
"No! I'm-"
"Edward, leave Alphonse alone."
"Roy, I'm just-"
"Stop making excuses. I'm not letting you go until you leave Al alone."
"Fine," Ed sulked, standing still. Roy withdrew his arm, only to have Ed charge off after Al. Roy caught Ed again in a quick few steps and picked him up.
"NOOO! ROY!"
"EDWARD!" Roy barked. Ed stared at Roy for 2.63 seconds before breaking into tears.
"You should have listened the first time I told you."
"But we w-were just-"
"Ed, cut it out."
"Colonel...?" Al crept out toward Roy uncertainly.
"It's OK, Alphonse. I've got him."
"What happened? Did you run into something, Brother?"
"We were just playing, Roy!" Ed shouted into Roy's shoulder.
"Wh-...?"
Al glared up at Roy. "Did you get mad 'cause he tried to chase me?"
"You looked scared!" Roy's eyes were wide. "I thought you were afraid of him!" he yelped in self-defense.
"You never listen," Ed cried. Al frowned at his brother.
"What did you do to him?" he demanded of Roy.
"Well...he was already angry at me earlier today, and just now I yelled at him."
Al frowned at Ed again.
'Why is he crying so hard?' he half-mouthed, half-breathed to Roy. Roy gave him a look that told Al there was a reason and that Roy sympathized with Ed. Al's face still showed that he didn't know why Ed would cry at being yelled at. Roy gave him a last glance that said 'Don't intrude,' mouthing it as well as thinking it, then carrying Ed to the couch where he rubbed the softly crying boy's back, then hugged him tight.
"You're right, Ed. I know. I kow I didn't listen and I was wrong and you didn't deserve to be yelled at. I assumed without really thinking." He rocked Ed side to side, waiting for a response. Ed made a little unhappy noise, his tears subsiding.
"Forgive me?"
Ed chewed on his lip, considering.
"Want me to get an extra takeout box?"
Ed was suppressing a smile now.
"How could you hold anything against a man who would order you as much Cretan takeout as you can eat?"
"Colonel, no!" Al yelled, "He ate five bowls of spaghetti once!"
Ed laughed happily and Roy smiled at his adorable child.
"Which amounts to six boxes of Cretan," Ed informed Roy, wiping his face of tears. Roy finished the job with the cuff of his sleeve, holding the back of Ed's head with his other hand. Al studied the scene, feelings of misgiving making their way into his head. Why had Ed cried so hard? Why did it seem so easy for Roy to cheer Ed up? Why did Ed love Roy as much as he did? Despite being an up-front observer, Al still didn't understand how Ed could accept Roy so much more happily than his own father. Ed had hated Mustang, too, so ho was it that he had gotten this chance at Ed's love that Hohenheim never had? It wasn't fair... Hohenheim had mental damage and a much shorter time with Ed, and there was no one to order Ed to spend time with him. He hadn't been given a fair chance on any account. Al shook his head rigorously, drawing the attention of the two others in the room, wondering why he could no longer accept Ed and Roy's relationship as simply a good thing.
"Al?" Ed asked.
"Water in my ear," Al grinned.
--
"Ed, sit down! Ed! If you are not sitting down on that bench by the time this train starts moving-"
"You won't get through to him," Al told Roy.
"He's gon- Ed, you're gonna go flying! Sit down," Roy glared at Ed's backside, which was at his eye level because Ed was standing on the bench looking at all the people on the train.
"What the hell are you looking at, anyway?"
"I donno. Just looking. Quit being grouchy."
"Ed, sit down."
"Why? Why should I?"
Roy's eye twitched. "Because I'm a high-ranking officer and you're embarrassing me."
"You're stuffy."
"You're about to be in trouble."
Ed turned around and crossed his arms. Roy eyed him. Ed stamped his foot and Roy surged up toward him, Ed's demeanor changing instantaneously.
"Roy-" he whined anxiously as he was picked up and set down next to where Roy was sitting. He looked a bit sheepish, and very alert as he watched Roy. He glanced over at Al, surprised to find him wearing the same alert, what-next expression as he glanced from Ed to Roy and back. The two brothers stared at each other and Ed shifted forward to move next to Al. Roy shot his arm out and Ed ducked under it, taking his rightful place beside his brother. Both boys looked at Roy, secretly daring him to challenge Ed's action. Roy was aware of the dare, and thought it best to ignore Ed's move. Then the blonds started whispering to each other, like girls at a sleepover or something.
It was starting to make Roy nuts. He saw Ed glance at him, then Al glance at him twice. He rolled his eyes and looked out the window. Now the boys were whispering furiously, turning sideways in their seats and looking for all the world like they might make out rather than whisper secrets to each other. Roy heard the tone of the whispers change a few times as he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth trying to ignore it. He heard Ed giggle distinctly, and opened his eyes to find Ed looking at him. It was annoying, but he didn't feel justified in telling them to knock it off. He closed his eyes and amazingly, the whispering stopped.
--
OMFG! I have more writing, I have a lot more! I FINALLY FINISHED MY CURRENT NOTEBOOK! And the new one I have was a birthday present, and the cover has this sort of fan-art style Ed riding piggyback on Roy, holding onto a little plush Alphonse! And the best part is- THE PAPER IS LINED ON BOTH SIDES. --Swoons with happiness-- The notebook I'm using now is only lined on one side, but because I'm OCD, I couldn't just deal with it, so I hand-drew the lines on the paper by holding the notebook under a light and tracing over the lines on the other side of the page. Writing in my new notebook should be a lot faster, when I have time!
But, speaking of time, the reason I'm so frustrated is because I had planned to type more, and make this a more complete chapter, TONIGHT. BUT guess what? I'm still working on homework. Yup. Human Anatomy is already dragging me down. But... if you think about it, I'm taking Chemistry AND Human Anatomy and... by the end of this year, I should theoretically be able to do mental alchemy. XD I'm such an alchemy nerd.
Anyway, when I realized this chapter was pretty much long enough to count already, I thought I'd post it despite my frustration. I will be desperately seeking typing time this week, so wish me luck that I find it and the next chapter will come out soon.
P.S. Who wants to guess, given my time constraints, if I spellchecked this or not? XD I leave the spellchecking to my wonderful reading reviewers, if they would be so kind as to point out the worst typos.