Iron Smut Breakup contestant ring!

[mikkeneko]

Hello, and welcome to
Iron Smut Breakup
bringing this contest back from a nearly 2-year hiatus!

Today's board of contestants will be:
annepackrat
inugrlrayn
sky_dark
zakai_Please join the Church of Elric IRC server and go to the room #ironsmutring for coordination. There will not be individual assistants this year, so time prompts as well as answers to any questions you have will

Comments

[inugrlrayn]

They might have stayed friends, if not for Edward’s father.

“I don’t think I’m going to be there today,” Ed sighed into the other end of the phone.

“Why? Are you feeling alright?” Alfons asked.

“Oh sure. I’m fine.”

Ten minutes, and something like pulling teeth had acquired the truth. Alfons had never met Ed’s father, but he’d apparently disappeared without a word. He’d been gone long enough now, that Ed seemed fairly certain he wouldn’t be returning. Alfons found the resigned way he just accepted that sort of abandonment to be strange, but left Ed to his own devices. He considered offering to let Ed stay with him… after all, he did have an extra bedroom. Ed didn’t give him the chance, though, hanging up as soon as he was given the breathing room to say goodbye.

In the end, Ed had come to stay with him, though, and that was when something started to shift.

Ed was a fairly easy roommate. He was quiet mostly, burying his nose in books and notes. It was almost an extension of work, because when he spoke, it was usually to argue theory, or discuss something exciting he’d learned, and Alfons was fairly certain he’d never met a more stimulating person who wasn’t twice his age.

[inugrlrayn]

Still, even six months after they’d moved in together, he hardly knew a thing about Ed. He probably never would have told Alfons a thing if he hadn’t dragged the young man out for a drink on New Year’s Eve.

One beer turned into two, three… and eventually Alfons lost count. Apparently, a drunk Edward was far more loose lipped, and he was spilling stories of another world, a place where alchemy did amazing things, a place where he had a brother who he thought looked a great deal like Alfons. The words were slurred and rambling, and Alfons was certain it was some strange habit of Ed’s to tell stories while drunk.

In the morning, though, Ed was sober, and though he held his head in pain, he stood by everything he’d said the night before. Alfons gasped at the realization that not only was his room mate a little strange. He was utterly insane.

It took time, but eventually his mortification at Ed’s apparent mental instability died away. After all, he seemed otherwise alright, if a little strange. Though he did things differently, and kept his distance from most people, he wasn’t so bad to be around. He was always nice, well, his brand of nice, to Alfons, if a little aloof.

[inugrlrayn]

Alfons wasn’t sure when fascination became something else. Perhaps it was when they’d run home in the rain. Edward wandered around the apartment in a pair of slacks, waiting for his soppy clothes to dry, and Alfons couldn’t help but notice that despite the scars and strange prosthetic arm, Edward was attractive in an unconventional sort of way.

Whatever the reason, almost a year to the day after they’d become roommates, an argument over an equation had turned into clumsy kisses on the couch. Now, though, Alfons was torn, almost wishing they hadn’t.

Edward slid his tongue along Alfons’ lips, pulling human fingers along his jaw, softer and more tender than usual, as if it were some form of begging. Alfons wished it were so simple, wanted to be swayed, but knew he could not. He cursed inwardly. If only Ed was still just his crazy, harmless roommate.

A letter from the man Ed described as his father came, and it had been left, tossed aside on the table once read. He shouldn’t have read it, but curiosity got the better of him, and Alfons picked it up, scanning the contents.

By the end of it, he felt guilty for more than just prying in Edward’s personal business. So many references to this other world Ed spoke of. “Progress on finding a way home?” What did that mean? They couldn’t possibly both be insane, could they?

And so, the first seeds of doubt were sown.

[inugrlrayn]

The realization that there might be some measure of truth to Ed’s stories brought things into a painful sort of focus. Everything made more sense now. Ed’s strange habits might be utterly normal in whatever place he came from, after all.

It made him ache, though, to watch Edward spiral downward. He’d been so happy, so driven when they’d met. His confidence seemed to be flagging, though. More and more often, there were days when his mind was somewhere else, when he didn’t smile much, when Alfons seemed not to even exist. It tore him to pieces to watch Ed fall apart, just as Alfons was learning to love something other than science.

“I believe you, you know.” The words were heart wrenching to say. Ed perked up, though, for the first time that day, and for that, it was worth the pain.

“Why? You didn’t before.”

“I just… do, okay? I’m sorry,” Alfonse pressed.

“Eh, whatever. I guess I’d sound crazy to me, too.”

Alfons swallowed anything else he wanted to say. Pleas to stay would only fall on deaf ears. Besides, how could he even ask? It shredded through him like scraps of paper that he was not enough, but for all his pain, Edward seemed worse off.

[inugrlrayn]

Every day, Alfons second guessed himself. If he didn’t help, perhaps he could hang onto Edward just a little bit longer. Would it buy him days? Weeks? The misery in Edward’s eyes when he thought Alfons could not see chiseled at his resolve, though, and in the end there was nothing for it, but to find Edward a way home.

Any other option seemed cruel, anyway. After all, though Ed thought it was just a cough, seemed content to accept that, Alfons knew he was dying. It would hurt to be alone for what time he had left, but he could not leave Ed to live the remainder of his life in what must seem like a wasteland to him.

“Alfons…” The name was choked in Ed’s throat. “I think this could work. I’m almost sure of it.”

Ed was hugging him, and Ed never hugged him in public, but Alfons couldn’t find it in himself to mind.

“You’ll like it, I promise. I bet we can even figure out what’s wrong with you and fix it. I’ve heard about medical alchemy in Xing. Xing is this…”

Alfons wasn’t listening any longer. He could not. All this time, he’d thought Ed just loved home more than him. It burned him to the core to realize all this time he’d spent bitter and regretful, Ed had just planning to take him home with him.

If only it were that easy.

[inugrlrayn]

That left them here. Ed had tried everything to change his mind. He’d argued and begged, whispered and screamed, but nothing could change the fact that Alfons knew it couldn’t be. They might be happy for a while, but he could no more leave this place than Ed could make it his home. Tonight was all they had left, now, and though he wanted to cry, to plead with Ed to stay just a little bit longer, he could not. More than the pain of Ed leaving, he could not endure the pain of Ed staying, of the hurt he did not voice, the loneliness that never really left him.

For now, Ed was kissing him, and how far they’d come. Two years of something like happiness had also bought them experience. Alfons sighed into the whisper of a mouth on his that became more. His lips parted, and Ed searched him out, their tongues tangled giving and taking like they’d been made for this. Ed choked on something that might have been words, because sometimes he still seemed to forget that talking and kissing did not go well together. Whatever it was, was subdued in any case, and Alfons tried to lose himself in metal fingers threaded with one of his hands, a warm, human palm flicking open the buttons of his shirt.

Under other circumstances, Alfons might have laughed. It had been much to his mortification that Ed’s rush headlong into life in general extended to the bedroom. It was exhilarating, but they rarely actually made it to the bed they were in now.

[inugrlrayn]

Still, he supposed that made the fact that Edward had led him here, was taking his time for once in his life, something almost romantic. The feeling clawed at his chest because Edward was awkward and sometimes oddly affectionate, but never romantic in any sort of conventional way. That he’d put any thought at all into this spoke volumes of words that Edward couldn’t give voice to.

Ed’s tongue slid down his chest, drowning out thought. Forget, just for a little while. Ed did not say it, but he begged with lips and teeth and fingertips to just let them have this.

Ed paused, worrying a nipple with his tongue, rarely so gentle as he was now, like he wanted to leave Alfons with the sweetest memory he could. Alfons shivered as his suspenders were eased down his arms, belt tugged free, and bit by bit his clothes were pulled away. Ed’s eyes were liquid and uneasy as he regarded Alfons’ nude form, but his lips were parted in something like awe, and he traced every curve of the body on the bed with his gaze.

Alfons almost reached for him when Edward stood, suddenly afraid that he might leave. He did not, though, and Edward stayed, pausing by the bed and taking a breath before disrobing. It was languid and sensual, like they had all the time in the world, like he would not be gone in a few hours time.

Even in the dim light they allowed themselves here, Edward was stunning. Scars and prosthetics did not dull or mar him like they might have. They were just part of who he was. Ed didn’t really give him the time to think on it, though, because he was back on the bed, creeping between his thighs.

Nibbles and kisses along the insides of his legs, and Alfons was shivering

[inugrlrayn]

Ed was watching Alfons’ face, even as he pressed closer, drawing a tongue along his length from base to tip. He wanted to blush, to look away, but he could not, entranced and helpless but to stare as he was engulfed in wet heat.

“Please come with me. We’d find a way to make it work. We would.”

“Ed, this is my home. I know it’s different for you, but… I can’t let everything I’ve worked for amount to nothing.”

“It wouldn’t be for nothing. We could start over. If it’s about being famous or something, you’d be amazing there. We don’t have anything like this.”

“It isn’t that simple.”

“It could be.”

“No. I won’t ask you to stay. I know that you can’t, but I need to. I can’t go with you, Ed.”

Never, in the years he’d known Edward, had he ever seen his lover cry. Even then, when he’d fought for Alfons to come with him, he did not cry, save for a stray tear that was wiped away before Alfons was sure it existed.

He shouldn’t be thinking about it. He should be drowning in the feel of Ed’s mouth sliding up and down, in hiccupped motions. Palms slid along his legs and sides, soothing, relaxing, like there was some sort of shock about what would come next.

Alfons slipped from Ed’s lips with a wet pop, and slicked fingers circled and teased. Even as he slid the first one in, scattered kisses pressed to Alfons’ skin, like Ed was mapping his body out. His tongue flicked against the hollows of Alfons’ hips, drew long, wet lines along his belly. Two fingers now slid in and out, rocking against his body.

[inugrlrayn]

“Please,” Alfons begged. They had to do this now. He could not take anymore waiting, anymore breaking. This was supposed to be one last happy memory, and if they didn’t finish it soon, it would dissolve into misery.

Ed looked pensive, but slipped his hand free. He moved up Alfons’ body with affectionate touches, raining kisses on bare skin. Alfons closed his eyes as Ed reached the corner of his mouth, devouring his lips even as he was being impaled.

“Okay?” Ed asked, panting softly into Alfons’ mouth. Alfons nodded, wrapping his arms around Edward. At least they could have this one last thing.

Ed buried his head in Alfons’ shoulder, nipping at his throat. He thrust his hips slowly at first, and Alfons sighed in pleasure, wondering if he’d always remember the way this felt. The initial burn of it died away as Ed picked up his pace, less frantic than usual, but barely contained.

He wished it could have gone on forever, that he’d never have to relinquish his hold on Ed’s back. In the end, though, there was this, and no more.

“I love you,” he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut tight with release.

Ed’s response faltered and stammered, “I…I’m so sorry.”

[hieronymousb]

Vote two for Rachel. [NO, I'm definitely not just voting for you because you're my Livewife! :)] I enjoyed the style of this story. It had a nice, kind of "lulling" sense to it. The smut was hot. Alfons giving Ed a blowjob totally cinches it. Also, there was a nice splash of backstory here. Enjoyed it. Thanks, Rachel.

[kalikamaxwell]

My only vote goes here.

[kalikamaxwell]

Oops, sorry. Replied to the wrong comment.

[inugrlrayn]

My vote goes here, this is exactly what makes this pairing so sad ;_; that you know this kind of tragedy is inevitable.