The Report *Chapter 5*
It happened again and again… and again. Edward thought that he was looking forward to it but when it finally happened… it threw him off.
Roy was ignoring him. The Colonel would go out of his way to avoid coming in contact with Edward. It started with a look in the lounge. Roy was complaining to Hughes about his hangover when Edward walked in. And it was like.. as if someone had flipped a switch. Roy's eyes connected with Edward for a single moment… But that moment was all that was needed for Edward to realize that he remembered every second from the night before. The Flame Alchemist promptly told Hughes he was leaving to his office and purposefully headed for the other exit in the lounge, even though it was farther away. Edward stared when this happened and he frowned slightly, not knowing what to think. He had been expecting the normal Roy Mustang teases… but it never came. Hughes noticed this as well and looked between Edward and the retreating Roy.
"Ed-" Hughes started.
"Don't." Edward quickly said before he shook his head, watching as the door closed behind the Colonel. "I don't know a thing." Edward then turned around to wander the grounds. Hughes sighed, his eyebrows furrowing.
The next week or two was the same thing and some days passed by when Edward would see nothing of Roy but a retreating foot or leg disappearing around a corner. And Edward would know it was Roy because he would leave behind bewildered friends and a very frustrated young alchemist.
Soon, it became a game.
Edward, whenever he heard the colonel's voice, snuck close to him as quietly and inconspicuously as he could. Once he managed to grab Roy's sleeve before the Flame Alchemist jumped, looking down at a smirking Ed. But the reaction wasn't one he expected.
"Fullmetal." Roy greeted simply before he turned away and continued on, Edward's hand slipping from the other's uniform. Ed stared as Roy continued walking off. His voice had been exactly how it was before this whole sexual thing started. Like it had never happened. It's exactly what Ed wanted.
And it hurt.
It physically hurt.. Like a knife plunging into his chest, the blade twisting in his flesh with every step Roy took away from him. Why? Why was this happening? How had this suddenly become so complicated? At least before, all he had to worry about was avoiding him. But now… What did he really want?
When his mother died, he had been so sure in his decision. Bring her back. But then Al suffered in the process and so had he. So Ed made a new resolve and a new decision. Find the Philosopher's Stone and restore Al's body to normal. Whatever hardships he's gone through, he was always able to know exactly what he was going to do. He had a plan.
But now an obstacle stood before him… and he had no plan. He was unprepared. And even worse, this obstacle was building up his stress, diverting his attention, and just confusing the hell out of him.
It built up bigger and bigger until Edward couldn't contain it all. He let out a pained, pathetic whimper. But by the time Roy turned around, all he saw was a flash of red disappearing around a corner.
For Edward, that night was spent staring at the wall as he laid down, his back to Al, pretending to be asleep. Its not that he didn't want to sleep. It was that.. he couldn't. His body felt tired and his mind wanted the simple bliss of sleep. But the sleep continued to deny him as he thought about the Colonel. Behind him, Al readjusted slightly once in a while as he read his book, staying quiet so as not to wake his "sleeping" brother. Ed frowned, feeling horrible. The guilt of lying to his brother and hiding such important things from him… But if he told him.. what would Al think? …
No, why was he even questioning something like this? Alphonse would never leave him.
"Al." Ed turned over and looked at the large suit of armor. Even though Al's facial expression never changed, Ed could tell that he was mildly shocked that the young alchemist hadn't been asleep.
"What is it, brother? Can't sleep?" Al could tell something was wrong. And boy was something wrong… It took a few moments before Ed cracked under the pressure of his own guilt. He told Alphonse everything about what had been happening. Why he was being called to Roy's office alone. Why he had been more and more frustrated lately. Why he had decided to board an earlier train… And why he couldn't sleep now.
By the time Edward was done, Al's book was closed and placed on the nightstand. He stared at Ed for a moment as his brother went silent.
"Brother, I…" Al started before he stopped. He looked down as Ed stood.
"I know its hard to believe.. or maybe even accept. I just…" Ed frowned. "I hope you can forgive me." He crossed his arms looking down. Al looked at Ed and stood up. He immediately hugged his brother to his cold metal chest.
"You shouldn't have to ask for forgiveness, Brother. You know I'll always give it to you." Al murmured softly as Ed returned the embrace. The cold metal reminded them of their problem. It reminded them of their pact. The seal inside Al's suit of armor made from Edward's blood. It reminded them of the fact that they'd never leave each other.
Edward smiled gently and nodded. "Yeah.." he muttered, "Thanks, Al."
The two brothers spent the rest of the night just talking. Al helped Ed resolve things in his mind and Ed realized that he could probably never do anything without his brother there with him. Edward felt determined. He received a second wind. He was going to talk to Roy in the morning. He was going to MAKE him pay attention.
But that plan would prove easier said than done as in the morning Edward discovered from Hawkeye that Roy was gone. The Colonel had taken a few soldiers with him and would be gone for a week on a mission.
A week… An entire week.
In that long, long week, Edward's stress had built up again. Al did his best to do what he could for his brother and he did help, but by the next day Edward was staring out the window once more, hoping that Roy, too, had decided to take an earlier train.
But he didn't come early. Not on the fifth day, not on the sixth day, not even on the seventh. No, Roy had returned late. After ten days of absence, Roy and his squad returned at approximately ten at night. Some of the soldiers went straight to their room while others searched for something to eat. Roy, though, headed off to his office to submit a report.
Roy sat at his desk, writing his report when the door opened. As he looked up, he expected to see Risa.. but saw an entirely different blonde.
"You bastard." Edward growled as he glared at Roy. Roy's eyes widened slightly as Edward approached his desk. He couldn't run now…
"Fullmetal, what are you-"
"Oh don't 'Fullmetal' me, dammit!" Ed growled.
The two of them stared at each other as Ed placed his hands on the desk. Ed's gaze then fell and he looked down.
"I missed you."
Roy's eyes widened slightly and his heart jumped to his throat. He watched in slight marvel as Edward stood straight. The young alchemist walked around the desk and Roy followed him with his eyes. He turned his chair so his back was to the desk and Ed was now in front of him. The blonde's gloved hands rose to his chest and slowly began to unbutton the red coat until it fell to the floor. Roy's heart was beating harder now. He's seen Ed naked many many times but… For some reason, he anticipated it much more this time as Edward unbuttoned his black shirt. It, too, joined the red coat on the floor.
Edward's chest was tanned and fairly muscular with a few scars here and there. Though the skin was interrupted by stretched tissue and metal as his automail completed the picture. Slowly, but with little hesitation, Edward moved forward, straddling Roy's lap. His hands were on the colonel's shoulders, the blond kneeling up so that he was looking down at the Flame Alchemist. Roy's hands found their way to Ed's hips and he noticed how easily they fit there, how well they rested. And how good it felt.
"Just… take me." Edward whispered.
Roy was ignoring him. The Colonel would go out of his way to avoid coming in contact with Edward. It started with a look in the lounge. Roy was complaining to Hughes about his hangover when Edward walked in. And it was like.. as if someone had flipped a switch. Roy's eyes connected with Edward for a single moment… But that moment was all that was needed for Edward to realize that he remembered every second from the night before. The Flame Alchemist promptly told Hughes he was leaving to his office and purposefully headed for the other exit in the lounge, even though it was farther away. Edward stared when this happened and he frowned slightly, not knowing what to think. He had been expecting the normal Roy Mustang teases… but it never came. Hughes noticed this as well and looked between Edward and the retreating Roy.
"Ed-" Hughes started.
"Don't." Edward quickly said before he shook his head, watching as the door closed behind the Colonel. "I don't know a thing." Edward then turned around to wander the grounds. Hughes sighed, his eyebrows furrowing.
The next week or two was the same thing and some days passed by when Edward would see nothing of Roy but a retreating foot or leg disappearing around a corner. And Edward would know it was Roy because he would leave behind bewildered friends and a very frustrated young alchemist.
Soon, it became a game.
Edward, whenever he heard the colonel's voice, snuck close to him as quietly and inconspicuously as he could. Once he managed to grab Roy's sleeve before the Flame Alchemist jumped, looking down at a smirking Ed. But the reaction wasn't one he expected.
"Fullmetal." Roy greeted simply before he turned away and continued on, Edward's hand slipping from the other's uniform. Ed stared as Roy continued walking off. His voice had been exactly how it was before this whole sexual thing started. Like it had never happened. It's exactly what Ed wanted.
And it hurt.
It physically hurt.. Like a knife plunging into his chest, the blade twisting in his flesh with every step Roy took away from him. Why? Why was this happening? How had this suddenly become so complicated? At least before, all he had to worry about was avoiding him. But now… What did he really want?
When his mother died, he had been so sure in his decision. Bring her back. But then Al suffered in the process and so had he. So Ed made a new resolve and a new decision. Find the Philosopher's Stone and restore Al's body to normal. Whatever hardships he's gone through, he was always able to know exactly what he was going to do. He had a plan.
But now an obstacle stood before him… and he had no plan. He was unprepared. And even worse, this obstacle was building up his stress, diverting his attention, and just confusing the hell out of him.
It built up bigger and bigger until Edward couldn't contain it all. He let out a pained, pathetic whimper. But by the time Roy turned around, all he saw was a flash of red disappearing around a corner.
For Edward, that night was spent staring at the wall as he laid down, his back to Al, pretending to be asleep. Its not that he didn't want to sleep. It was that.. he couldn't. His body felt tired and his mind wanted the simple bliss of sleep. But the sleep continued to deny him as he thought about the Colonel. Behind him, Al readjusted slightly once in a while as he read his book, staying quiet so as not to wake his "sleeping" brother. Ed frowned, feeling horrible. The guilt of lying to his brother and hiding such important things from him… But if he told him.. what would Al think? …
No, why was he even questioning something like this? Alphonse would never leave him.
"Al." Ed turned over and looked at the large suit of armor. Even though Al's facial expression never changed, Ed could tell that he was mildly shocked that the young alchemist hadn't been asleep.
"What is it, brother? Can't sleep?" Al could tell something was wrong. And boy was something wrong… It took a few moments before Ed cracked under the pressure of his own guilt. He told Alphonse everything about what had been happening. Why he was being called to Roy's office alone. Why he had been more and more frustrated lately. Why he had decided to board an earlier train… And why he couldn't sleep now.
By the time Edward was done, Al's book was closed and placed on the nightstand. He stared at Ed for a moment as his brother went silent.
"Brother, I…" Al started before he stopped. He looked down as Ed stood.
"I know its hard to believe.. or maybe even accept. I just…" Ed frowned. "I hope you can forgive me." He crossed his arms looking down. Al looked at Ed and stood up. He immediately hugged his brother to his cold metal chest.
"You shouldn't have to ask for forgiveness, Brother. You know I'll always give it to you." Al murmured softly as Ed returned the embrace. The cold metal reminded them of their problem. It reminded them of their pact. The seal inside Al's suit of armor made from Edward's blood. It reminded them of the fact that they'd never leave each other.
Edward smiled gently and nodded. "Yeah.." he muttered, "Thanks, Al."
The two brothers spent the rest of the night just talking. Al helped Ed resolve things in his mind and Ed realized that he could probably never do anything without his brother there with him. Edward felt determined. He received a second wind. He was going to talk to Roy in the morning. He was going to MAKE him pay attention.
But that plan would prove easier said than done as in the morning Edward discovered from Hawkeye that Roy was gone. The Colonel had taken a few soldiers with him and would be gone for a week on a mission.
A week… An entire week.
In that long, long week, Edward's stress had built up again. Al did his best to do what he could for his brother and he did help, but by the next day Edward was staring out the window once more, hoping that Roy, too, had decided to take an earlier train.
But he didn't come early. Not on the fifth day, not on the sixth day, not even on the seventh. No, Roy had returned late. After ten days of absence, Roy and his squad returned at approximately ten at night. Some of the soldiers went straight to their room while others searched for something to eat. Roy, though, headed off to his office to submit a report.
Roy sat at his desk, writing his report when the door opened. As he looked up, he expected to see Risa.. but saw an entirely different blonde.
"You bastard." Edward growled as he glared at Roy. Roy's eyes widened slightly as Edward approached his desk. He couldn't run now…
"Fullmetal, what are you-"
"Oh don't 'Fullmetal' me, dammit!" Ed growled.
The two of them stared at each other as Ed placed his hands on the desk. Ed's gaze then fell and he looked down.
"I missed you."
Roy's eyes widened slightly and his heart jumped to his throat. He watched in slight marvel as Edward stood straight. The young alchemist walked around the desk and Roy followed him with his eyes. He turned his chair so his back was to the desk and Ed was now in front of him. The blonde's gloved hands rose to his chest and slowly began to unbutton the red coat until it fell to the floor. Roy's heart was beating harder now. He's seen Ed naked many many times but… For some reason, he anticipated it much more this time as Edward unbuttoned his black shirt. It, too, joined the red coat on the floor.
Edward's chest was tanned and fairly muscular with a few scars here and there. Though the skin was interrupted by stretched tissue and metal as his automail completed the picture. Slowly, but with little hesitation, Edward moved forward, straddling Roy's lap. His hands were on the colonel's shoulders, the blond kneeling up so that he was looking down at the Flame Alchemist. Roy's hands found their way to Ed's hips and he noticed how easily they fit there, how well they rested. And how good it felt.
"Just… take me." Edward whispered.