Cambridge, Massachusetts 1923

1. Two Strangers

Fate leads the willing and drags along the reluctant.

Edward Elric swore viciously as he slipped on a patch of ice on the sidewalk, every muscle in his body twisting and bending to snapping point as he tried to keep his balance. He managed, but barely, and he scowled as he trudged along, muttering under his breath. Normally, he didn't mind winter. It made his automail ache, but for the most part, he could wrap up in extra layers and push through without complaint. But today was different.

He had slept through his alarm. Alphonse had called out to him before leaving, reminding him that it was exam day so he needed to get up. Ed had mumbled something about how he would get up in five minutes, and the next thing he knew, it was half past seven. He had thirty minutes to get up, get dressed, and walk across the city to get to his classroom. He barely remembered to grab his copy of the exam and his answer key he had made.

He hadn't known it had snowed the night before until he opened his front door to leave. While the white blankets of snow covering the city were beautiful, all it meant to Ed was that he would have to walk even slower, picking his way through the streets carefully so as not to slip and fall. By the time he had reached the halfway point of his commute, he was contemplating turning around and going back to bed.

There was no way he would get away with going home on exam day. He could call in sick with pneumonia, and he suspected that they would still make him at least show up with a doctor's note. Sadistic bastards. No, he could get away with a lot of things, being Harvard's youngest up-and-coming professor, but skipping exam day was not one of them.

Plans for the day bloomed in his mind, taking over his thoughts, as his feet moved on without any real instructions from his body. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he noted that it had started snowing again. The snowflakes twirled down gently, glistening as they caught in his ponytail. With icicles hanging from every awning like winter's teeth and snow covering the city like a powdery, white blanket, Cambridge looked almost like a Christmas card.

It was quiet, still early in the morning, and the only sound was the crunch of Ed's boots tramping through the snow. He was so focused on avoiding the slick patches of ice that he hadn't even had a chance to register the sound of fast-approaching footsteps. Ed rounded the corner and collided with something solid and tall. Before he could even work out what had happened, his senses were rudely awakened as his neck scorched with liquid heat, and the bittersweet aroma of coffee hit his nose.

"Fuck!" he all but yelped as he dropped his soaked papers, pulling the collar of his shirt away from his skin with his automail hand in an attempt to relieve the burning sensation.

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" a deep voice penetrated the heavy air around them.

Ed glanced up at the man, taking in the sharp sweep of his jaw and his dark, exotic eyes. He vaguely noted that the man hadn't escaped their run-in unscathed either. The coffee was like an abstract painting, charting across his crisp, white shirt in vivid detail. His black coat must have been soaked, but Ed couldn't bring himself to care. He picked up his papers off the ground, the ink already running down the stained sheaves. He knew he could make a new one in no time, and he didn't necessarily need to grade the papers today, but his already sour mood ignited.

"Watch where you're going," Ed snapped, shuffling through his ruined stack of papers. "It took me all night to make these."

He sighed, folding the dripping wet papers and shoving them into his coat pocket.

"You're a student here?" The taller man's eyebrows subtly arched in surprise, impressed.

Ed let out a small huff of laughter. "I'm a professor here."

The brief shock flitted across the stranger's face, but a smirk started forming on his lips as Ed slowly started to walk away. The man followed suit, much to Ed's chagrin.

"A professor?" he repeated. "You barely look old enough to be a student. Are you a child prodigy?" He took a sip from his sticky coffee cup, frowning minutely when only a few drops came out.

Ed bridled at the comment, but he reigned his temper and settled for shooting the man a quick glare. "It's not my fault people my age act like idiots. They could do it if they wanted to, but they're lazy."

A surprised chuckle of disbelief rang out and made him look up, and the man's midnight black hair shimmered with melting snowflakes. Ed felt his cheeks warm when the man locked eyes with him. Heat flared throughout his stomach, taking the bitter cold and wiping it out with its flames.

"Have you ever thought that maybe they're not lazy? That maybe you're just a genius?"

Ed scoffed, rolling his eyes as they strolled along. He was dimly aware that he was dangerously close to being late, but Harvard Hall was finally in his line of sight. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He snuck a sideways glance at the stranger. He walked briskly and confidently with his shoulders back and his head held high. Ed wondered what he did for a living. Cambridge was a huge, sprawling city - not to mention the neighboring city of Boston. There were so many possibilities and lines of work, Ed couldn't help but wonder what he did.

Even still, Ed's nerves were bristling with each comment the man made. The conversation came easy and smoothly, but it was almost as if the man was teasing him. The questions he asked were genuine, but there was something almost playful about the way he asked.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? Or something to do other than harrassing strangers on the street?" Ed jibed.

Much to his annoyance, the man laughed. "I do, but I had some time to spare before I have to be anywhere."

Ed hummed, listening as they approached the hall. Finally, they reached a sidewalk with no snow, and Ed quickened his pace, pulling his pocketwatch free and opening it his automail hand. If the man had noticed his prosthetic limb, he made no comment on it, and what he said next made Ed stop short.

"I was actually going to ask you if you would like to get coffee sometime. I feel bad for ruining your papers, and I'd like to make it up to you."

It was a genuine gesture, one that had no ulterior motive that Ed could see, but this man was still a complete stranger. He thought about it for a second before shaking his head, a small smile gracing his lips.

"You don't have to do that, Mister...?" Ed trailed off, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"Mustang," he replied, smirking. "Please, call me Roy."

Manners came to the forefront as Ed stuck out his left, flesh hand. Roy took it in his, shaking it as their eyes locked once more. Ed sucked in a breath as a smile flashed across Roy's face, perfectly white, and his dark eyes smoldered. His eyes were lit with curiosity, searching beneath Ed's appearance for something.

"And I know I don't have to, but I'd like to take you out. Do you like coffee?" Roy inquired innocently. Something about the way he said it was ambiguous enough that Ed narrowed his eyes suspiciously. I'd like to take you out. Ed pondered over his choice of words but couldn't find anything dubious about Roy's offer.

"I have exams the next three days," excuses coming to the forefront.

"Perfect. I'll bring you a cup. I'll meet you in the same place as today," Roy's eyes twinkled with amusement as excuses bloomed in Ed's mind and died just as quickly.

"I'd hardly call that a meeting, Mr. Mustang," Ed quipped, tramping up the stone steps. His golden ponytail whipped around him as the wind picked up, winter's icy touch grabbing at his damp clothes and chilling him to the core.

He gazed down at Roy. The older man stood casually with one hand in his pocket, the other hand holding his empty cup, but his eyes were fixed on Ed.

"How do you take your coffee?" he asked, smirking when Ed rolled his eyes.

"Two sugars, no milk or cream," the younger man replied, turning on his heel to enter the building. His hand was on the door handle when he heard Roy call out.

"Wait, I never got your name!"

Ed looked back over his shoulder and grinned wickedly.

"See you tomorrow, Mustang!"