Chapter 6

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Author's note: I mentioned three landmarks of a particular city in New York though I never actually wrote which one it is, can you guess? XD (*hint three landmarks and the last one is found here*)

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Riza was about to knock on the door of Roy's office, but she paused, stretching her ears when she heard Roy's voice, she knew that he was most probably flirting with some woman instead of doing his job. The first instinct she had, was to barge in and put him straight back to work, but she hesitated when she heard the name Edward. It was familiar name but she couldn't recall anyone by that name. It wasn't unusual for Roy to call women the middle of the day, but since the last few days he called this guy Edward a few times which was rather unusual. He doesn't have a lot of friends and he was the kind of person who liked to have female company rather than male. She started to have the itching temptation to eavesdrop their conversation, even if that is not ethical. She moved her ear closer to the door.

''have you resorted to espionage?''

The voice made her jolt out of her skin, I had to be caught red-handed at the wrong moment she thought to herself as she spun her head around to find a blond haired man standing right behind her. He had short messy of blond air and an unlit cigarette playing between his lips, he had this shabby look that it wouldn't be so appealing if it was on anyone else. This man was Jean Havoc, one of the journal editors of Capitales. Riza quickly straightened up and cleared her throat
''I was just checking on him'' she explained, she then noticed the file that he was holding under his arm ''Are you going to the boss?''
He nodded ''yea I just finished reviewing the articles for the latest issue, he was breathing down my neck for the past few weeks in order for me to finish it'' he said sighing

''Don't worry he's like that on everyone lately, he's under pressure' Riza continued

''it's getting harder every year in competing with the other fashion magazines'' Havoc replied and Riza nodded in agreement.

''I need to get this to the boss and head out for a smoke, man it sucks working in an office all day'' he complained as he scratched the back of his head

''you should quit smoking'' he rolled his eyes which made her chuckle, and then he went on to his business.

She turned around, remembering why she was there in the first place. She couldn't hear him talk anymore, so she figured that the call had ended, she felt a little regret that she couldn't follow. She knocked on the door and turned the doorknob, pushing it to find Roy strangely doing what he was supposed to do. His head was dug into his work, looking through the collection for the photo-shoot he was going to do in the following week, unlike popular belief, models weren't just there to get dressed and be pretty.

She cleared her throat to acknowledge her presence, since he seemed like he was actually concentrating on what he was doing. He looked up and closed the heavy catalogue as she took a chair that was standing in front of his desk, he was being disquietingly obedient today.

''What's wrong?'' she immediately inquired, he gave her a baffled look in response as if he was caught doing something wrong without knowing

''I am fine…'' he said with a puzzled look

''You're doing what you are supposedly doing'' she said

''Isn't that a good thing?'' he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side

''Usually you procrastinate and leave the work all to the last minute, but you are actually working hard''.

He released the pen he was holding and leaned back on his chair, the pen made a thud sound when it fell on the book.

''well I decided to be nice to my manager for a change'' he was good at a lot of things, lying wasn't one of them.

She worked with him for long enough to see right through that and she knew that he was trying to find an excuse, he had a look as if he remembered something, and she could tell that he had other motives.
He pouted and crossed his arms like a petulant child ''you have no faith in me at all'' he muttered

''Don't give me that look, are you going to slip off from work to have a lunch date with some woman?'' he shrugged his shoulders, even though he wouldn't admit it out loudly he did that more than he could remember.

She could safely assume that he was saying the truth this time. They were on terms that as long as it doesn't interfere with his job she wouldn't meddle too much on his personal business, so she left it at that, but this time she couldn't be more wrong.

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Roy quickly packed up his things and headed out of the office before he bumps into Riza or anyone else. He hated lying to her but he couldn't quite tell her the truth either, he found himself quite lucky that she didn't suspect anything for the past week. The reason why he was working hard earlier was because he wanted to finish early enough so that he could have a quiet long lunch with Edward. He knew by experience that many times he had to give up lunch because of work so he knew he had to pay a little extra of his time in order to keep his word with the photographer.

Roy managed to leave the building without meeting anyone that would otherwise delay him and made his way to the elevator, pressing the button that will lead him to the underground parking lot. He got into his car, he started the engine and it begun to rumble when he twisted the key into the ignition hole. He drove out of the parking lot and headed to the meeting place. It was technically a fifth date, not counting the many times they meet shortly before going to work. It felt strange to actually have a series of dating with the same person. He was so used to have a few dates and one night stands that he couldn't remember the last time he was in an actual relationship, and to make the situation even stranger, the person he was dating was a young man. He never thought himself to swing on the other side nor did it occur to him that he would find another man sexually attractive.

Things had been very confusing since he had sex with Edward, it was the first time for him to be with another man, it should have felt unnatural but in the end it wasn't any other different with a woman, even if the gender was different the pleasure and the sensations were the same. Roy suddenly started feeling as though he had embarked on a whole new different aspect of life. He didn't want to think too much ahead, so he tried to keep his head clear, following where to his feet will take him, that was always his philosophy in life and for him it always had worked out well more or less.

The black haired drove to Madison Square Park, it was the usual meeting place because it wasn't very far from Roy's work place and as for Edward, public gardens were a perfect place for his work. Roy smirked when he spotted him wearing short and a t-shirt and his favourite camera hanging around his neck, sheltering under a tree branch that was sprouting on top of him, as he casually sat down with his arms along the ledge of the bench and his legs stretched and crossing on another.

''hey'' when Edward hears his voice, he looked in his direction. Roy joined him on the bench

''did you successfully slip off from work?'' the blond gave him a cheeky grin

''more or less, after all I did it just to see you'' Ed grunted and puffed his cheeks at his answer, he couldn't help himself but chuckle.

''pfft I bet you say that to all your lovers'' he said sceptically

''but I do'' he answered giving him a wounded look.

''Have you done any photography today?'' he rested his elbow on the ledge, his body turned to his lover's direction, he was very close and again Edward could smell his perfume, it made his heart skip a beat.

''A little but there aren't much people at this hour everyone is at work, unlike someone''

''Hey I HAVE a legit reason to be here, if you want to know I am out for lunchtime and to see your pretty face'' Edward rolled his eyes

''How hard is to stand there being all sexy in front of the flashing cameras?''

''It's not all that glamorous and flashy as you think you know''

''Really?'' Edward sounded curious

''especially when I have to be stuck with my manager tailing on my ass to get the work done''

''do you mean that blond haired woman I met at the photo exhibition'' he nodded

''That's Riza Hawkeye, she's been working with me as long as I've been in the company''

''so she is just a colleague''

''yes of course, are you having any doubts or perhaps jealous?''

Edward blushed, he crossed his arms and glared at him ''NO, I was just asking'' he said defensively but before he could say anything else he felt Roy's lips on his own.

The earlier frustration had melted down by the taste of his mouth and his tongue battling with his own in a passionate kiss, there was something almost devilish about him, how he could soothe him so quickly and stir that tingling feeling in the pit of his stomach. As their kiss deepened Roy's hand touched Edward's cheek and ran along his nape and pushed him closer, letting out hot breathe as they mingled their lips with each other and occasionally Edward bit his lover's lower lip playfully. Roy then pulled back

''My lunchtime is soon over so I have to go now, I'll call you later'' with a light kiss then he stood up

''Later'' it left Edward catching his breath, empty and longing for more, cursing because of the fact that he was left hanging like that.

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Edward left the place a little bit brooding and frustrated, he wanted to bang him right there on the bench, if he could. He was going to plan to do some more photos, but he couldn't think about anything right now, he just wanted a cold shower. He hated it him for making him go all hot by the simplest things, but he loved it at the same time. His lover was rather clueless when it came in relationship with other men, often he picks up cheesy lines that he probably was accustomed to say to women, he even brings him sweets and flowers, and Edward would often give him a look like are you an idiot?. The blond wanted to appreciate his effort, but he really had no experience in this kind of thing, though he secretly enjoyed the fact that he was his first man. On the other hand, Roy was an incredible lover, aside for his charm and sex appeal, he knew perfectly were to touch and caress him that sends shivers down his spine, how to kiss him and make him loose his breathe, how to make love to him and leave him hanging for more.
Blush spread all over face when he thought about it, it wasn't like he never did it before, but there was something entirely different with him, that it almost hurts, and after they are done he would just sleepily wrap his arms around him and rest his head over his lover's chest, hearing his heartbeat, letting the warmth fuzzy feeling buzzing off in his body and mind as they cooled off.

He forgot how good it feels to be with someone, it had been a very long time since he had real relationship because all the few lovers that he had were just merely a series of dates and occasionally spending the night together but none out of the ordinary.

Still there was one thing that it was bothering him, they weren't hiding their relationship, they kissed in the public several times, and Roy doesn't seem to have qualms with the idea of hanging out with Edward in restaurants and other public places, however they weren't officially in relationship, in fact he still haven't told to Rebecca, and not even to his brother or anyone that he knows, and most likely Roy did the same. He did accept his lover's condition that they should keep it quiet for now, he admitted that it was a good reason until they know where their relationship was going, but he was dying see the world's face that the New York supermodel Roy Mustang is all his. He knew that such news will disappoint many women, he smirked at the idea, but he knew better not to rush into it. Though he couldn't just ignore the little voice inside his head, he knew that Roy must had a lot of lovers that came before him, from what he had heard Roy never really had a 'girlfriend' so it made him unsure whether he's serious about this, or he was just taking him for a ride.

He stripped off his clothes and threw them in the laundry basket and slipped into the shower cubicle. He turned the knob and let the drizzle of water wash down over his face and heated skin. He pulled the rubber band of his ponytail and his hair begun to loosen up, he ran his fingers through the blond bangs as it fell evenly over his shoulders. He hoped that the shower would wash away the heavy feeling in his heart.

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Roy returned back to the office building and hoped that Riza wasn't there waiting for him and preaching him because he was taking too long to lunch. He didn't in the least expect his boss to be standing in front of the office looking rather dreary. It was unusual for him because he was generally very outgoing and friendly but something had been really troubling lately, though for reasons that he didn't know. This man was king Bradely a man in his sixties who still looks rather young and well-kept despite his age. ''Your manager told me that you went out for lunch so I was waiting until you'd come back I need to talk to you'' Roy didn't like the sound of that at all, he followed his boss to his office.

The older man sat down behind his desk and tangled his fingers together, beside him laid a handful of papers and a newspaper and various stationeries and little memoirs kept on his desk. Roy took a seat and waited for him to speak, wanting to know what he had done wrong that the boss has to do the talking to him. Usually when he gets in trouble, the boss speaks to the manager and calls him for attention, but generally they were petty things, they weren't as grave as to call attention of the boss himself.

'Did I do something wrong?'' he couldn't help but ask that because the anxiety was killing him.

King Bradely opened the newspaper and pushed it in front of the young man before him. He gave him a puzzled look but then he looked down at the newspaper and saw a black and white photo at the top of the page of him kissing Edward across a table in a coffee shop. Right then he felt like he wanted to turn into a fly because he wouldn't have to face this awkward situation. He looked up at his boss, trying to think carefully of what to say.

''So can you explain this to me?'' Roy is a man who usually was confident in whatever he did even if he had to face difficult situations, but for the first time he felt at loss.

''Sir it is not like what it seems'' he hated himself for bringing such an overrated lame excuse.

King Bradely leaned back against his leather chair and rested his hands on his palm in a relaxed manner ''frankly I don't really care on which side you are, but this is going to have quite an impact on the publicity''

''What do you mean exactly?'' Roy inquired

''what I mean is that this will cause an uproar on behalf of your reputation, as if it wasn't bad enough that you have many love affairs with random women but you always kept it quiet so I cannot say anything about it, however going in public on this will cause problems''

Roy bit his lower lip in frustration, he had no say on his love affairs because it was true and he cannot deny this situation because he cannot just ignore the hard evidence on the paper that will fall on many doorsteps.

Roy decided that at least he would be honest about it ''Look things are going well with this person but I did not wish to make it public for now it is still very early, so how can I make this right?''

''It is not that simple, the photography shoot you were contracting with for next week is off, because I am sorry if I sound harsh but they don't want to be involved with a scandal' Roy felt an arrow piercing through his heart, he never realized how harsh it can be to just simply be judged as someone who sleeps around simply because he was photographed with another man.

King Bradley felt bad for the young man but he knew that this can ruin his reputation altogether if he didn't handle it well. Roy felt torn apart about this news, he couldn't just announce that he was gay because frankly he wasn't sure what he was, up until now he only had relationships with women and he had no idea how to feel about it to be with a guy, he never had felt anything for men before and he was pretty much certain that he was straight and he wouldn't imagine himself to be with a man if it wasn't for Edward, does that make him bisexual or just preferential? He touched his forehead feeling dizzy from the confusion and the emotions that were altogether jammed inside his head.

''Take your time in deciding on what are you going to do about it but remember this, you are on the head list of top models and there are many young potentials running up for success and it wouldn't be difficult for you to be replaced, you know how fast-paced and highly competitive this kind of business is, you are in a precarious situation and even though I do wish there is an alternative, I feel I must advice you that your relationship with this man might ruin your carrier, it is not a right time to settle down if you wish to have a solid successful carrier''

Roy felt that he was about to kill right that beautiful thing that was starting to bloom.

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