Dangerous Waters

Disclaimer: I dont own Fullmetal Alchemist, or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I do, however, own the original characters that I put in myself.

Roy Mustang, the famed Flame Alchemist, was not very fond of children to say the least. The way snot dribbled out of their noses when they cried, drool dripped down their chins when they ate, their grubby hands that grabbed at everything and anything, everywhere, made Roy cringe and rethink his womanizing ways. Those little bastards were straight from hell, he swore it. So, when Roy Mustang found a golden haired 12 year old and his armor clad younger brother in the aftermath of hell itself, who would have thought that his first thought would be 'I need to get him into the military ASAP.' Seriously, even he couldn't believe some of the things he did. Roy was treading on dangerous waters, here..….

CHAPTER 4: Don't Disappoint Me.

"Edward."

Roy's voice cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter. They'd been sitting there for almost an hour, waging a silent and unspoken war.

He leveled the boy sulking in his chair with a serious scowl, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"What is the legitimate worst thing that could happen if you sign that paper."

Edward hesitated for a moment, the corners of his lips pulling downwards as he stared at the offending paper on the desk in front of him. "You could become my father." He heard the chair creak as Roy leaned back in it, a hand scrubbing over his face. Al had already went through with it, this whole conversation and everything; with no fuss or hesitation. So why couldn't he do the same?

"And is that such a bad thing?"

Ed didn't bother looking up, still staring at the paper until his vision went unfocused and he was glaring blankly at nothing; a blur of colors.

"I already had one of those. And look where it got Al and I. Look at where it got us."

Roy stayed silent for a few seconds, the silence stretching on longer and longer. Ed could hear his blood pound in his ears and the mechanical ticking of the clock on the far wall of Roy's office.

"I'm not Hohenheim."

Edward's jaw clenched tightly, and he swore Roy could hear his teeth creak under the pressure. "You're not. But-"

"I'm not Hohenheim. You know that."

Edward shut his mouth, teeth coming together with a tight click.

"I know that. I know that." He repeated himself for his own assurance, flesh hand gripping tautly around the pen Roy had given him. He leaned forward in his seat, stopping only a few seconds to stare at the blank line where he was supposed to sign his name.

"Edward?.."

The blonde brushed off Roy's voice with a rough shake of his head, finally pressing the pen onto the paper and signing out his name as legibly as he could. "There. There, it's done, happy?" He didn't wait for answer, simply standing up and walking towards the door. He opened it, stopping halfway. "Just..." He didn't look back fully, turning his head slightly but not meeting Roy's questioning gaze with his own. He frowned, the feeling much more familiar. "Don't make me regret this, bastard."

He slammed the door behind him, not seeing Roy's discreet smile.