Over a Bowl of Soup
Title: Over a Bowl of Soup
Author: Lucifer Hisaki (mercy_slays/luciferhisaki)
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Summary: Oh~! Is that who I think it is...
Disclaimer: You do not have a legal suit. So don't even try.
Notes: Entry for steelandsparks's anniversary contest. Part of the Soup-verse.
Word Count: 2200
Over a Bowl of Soup
“Oh~! Is that who I think it is,” she asked, hands clasped in front of her, trying to get a better look at the patron sitting at table 3-26.
Her fellow co-worker scoffed, replying briskly, “Roy Mustang, eh? Yup, tha’s ‘im. Always come ‘ere, same day, same time, every week he’s in Central. Always’ gets the soup of the day, y’know? Never changes unless he’s here some other time with a gal, sometimes even a guy.” He shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at their lone customer, or rather customers. “Strange though. He’s usually ‘ere alone.”
The waitress sighed softly, “I so should take last shift more if he comes here. At least then I get to see him more closely.” She laughed mischievously behind the back of her hand.
“Hey! You’re new here aren’t ya,” her co-worker commented with a shake of his head, “Damn, you must be! Thought you would know better!”
“What?” She turned to look at him, “What do you mean? And can’t you see I’m going to approach him! He might actually take me out unlike some people!” She pointedly stared at her companion, hands grazing down her uniform in an effort to straighten the wrinkles. “Can’t you see I’m going to go ogle him closely now?”
He rolled his eyes, grabbing her arm, “Now don’t. You don’t want to be fired right? Boss man hates us bothering Mustang more than usual and you know what? He’s one of our best customers. You go up to him for a date… well you’re dead in the water.”
“But why~?”
“Just because.” Because… I don’t think you’re the one he wants… Me on the other hand? Well… I guess I can take you out if you want.. “Hey… How about this Saturday since we’re both off… Why don’t I take you out to that new moving picture theater they opened?”
“EH?! That’s sounds great! Alright, I’m in.” She smiled widely at him and he felt a smile on his own face start to grow, ducking his head a bit in slight embarrassment.
He was used to people staring at him, especially the new employees. For someone as famous as him, he had to be. At least he was good friends with the chef and manager of this little bistro haven. The food had to be some of the best he had tasted. Smiling, he took another spoonful of the soup before him. It was good damn soup. Almost better than sex. Well, normally he would think that it was but it had been awhile since he last had company on this anniversary he celebrated by himself nowadays. The person he spent it with, or rather he used to spend it with, was dead. At least the soup was good, warming his soul on a rather chilly March day.
Every year, he used to come here with his best friend, mostly to celebrate a relationship that failed but one that turned into one of the greatest friendships he ever had. Roy chuckled softly to himself and shook his head lightly, setting his spoon on the side of his sourdough bread bowl. Dipping a piece of the cut out cap into the soup, he turned his gaze to the blond sitting opposite him.
He was surprised to find that the Fullmetal Alchemist of all people, former State Alchemist or not, would ask to join him. Usually he just came here for himself and to be alone. Maybe it was because he wanted to have some sort of company.
It had been along while since he last shared a bowl of soup at this place with someone.
“You smiling and chuckling at nothing is a little scary, Mustang,” the blond taunted, looking up from his turkey sandwich, sipping his drink through the straw. A root beer if Roy remembered correctly, “Kinda hard to believe you’re really capable of smiling considering all the bullshit smirks you tend to pull out.”
Roy rolled his eyes and took a sip of his cola, “So nice of you to compliment me, Fullmetal.”
“Edward,” the younger man corrected sharply, “It’s not Fullmetal anymore. I left the military or have you forgotten Old Man Eyepatch?” A sly smirk appeared on his companion’s face and Roy twitched.
“Don’t call me old, shrimp puff.”
It was Edward’s turn to twitch, fighting down the almost innate urge to outburst. He was older now and mature enough to know that he couldn’t exactly explode in anger at an obvious taunt. “Right, right, Grey-hair. You really should think of dyeing it. I think it’s getting greyer by the day, Colonel Bullshit.”
“It’s General,” he corrected, taking another sip of his soup with the poise and grace he always seemed to have, “I’m not a Colonel any more. You of all people should know that by now but did your lack of memory prevent you from remembering that well known fact? And what’s wrong with my hair? I like it the way it is.”
Edward glared at the older man, taking a large bite of his sandwich, “So why did ya come here so late at night? Isn’t it near closing time for this place, anyway? Never thought of you as a late night snacker. And your hair is weird, Mustang. I mean, just how many people actually go for the salt and pepper look?” His face scrunched up at the thought of it and Roy snickered inwardly.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed? No doubt children like yourself need their full eight hours of sleep.”
“Just answer the question, Mustang.”
“I always come here,” he shrugged, glancing out of the window beside them on his right, taking in the night life and the empty street just outside, “The food is good and I always make it my priority to come here at least once a week.”
The blond widened his eyes at that admission before laughing lightly, shaking his head, “Damn you must be in love with this place.”
“The soups are better than sex, I’ll give you that,” Roy smirked, slurping the contents of his soup spoon into his mouth, “Much better and knowing my reputation? Well… that has to mean something.” He chuckled lightly and stirred the remains of his late night dinner and sighed softly, “Besides… today’s special.”
“Special?” Edward raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “How so? And why would you think a bowl of soup be better than sex?”
“It just is,” he answered both questions, shrugging his shoulders, hand moving from the table to scratch at the rough black fabric of his eye-patch. “Besides, you’re the one that wanted to stalk me around after I left HQ. I couldn’t exactly bring you to my apartment. There would be questions… That is of course unless you actually wanted to come along. Don’t really have a clue as to why, however. I didn’t think you swung that way, Fullmetal.”
“It’s Edward and I don’t!” There was a rather bright flush on his lips as he said that. “But that really doesn’t explain much. I mean, come on, Mustang. You come here every week; how the hell does tonight seem that different? Special, bah.”
It was Roy’s turn to roll his eye and shake his head at the blond. “It just is,” he repeated smoothly. “Surely you have a date or two that you think is important. I have mine. This is just an anniversary of sorts, Fullmetal.”
“Edward. Say it with me, Jackass, Ed~war~d.”
“Ed~war~d,” Roy humoured the blond with a smug grin, “But still, Fullmetal, I don’t see why you think so much about this? I had thought that since you came to Central that you and I would stop trying to see each other every single day. Is there some subtext that I am missing here?”
“Hell no! And it’s Edward, Mustang bastard! Edward!” The younger alchemist glared at his former superior, scoffing, “I would think you would remember that. Or are you getting way too aged for your own good?”
“I am not old,” he briskly replied, taking another sip of his soup before tearing a piece of his bread bowl, dipping it into the remains of his food. Edward stole it from him right before he could plop it into his mouth. Watching the blond eat that piece, he raised an eyebrow, asking, “So… what do you think of it?”
Edward shrugged, “It’s good but not really one of the best I tasted but considering how strange your tastes are, Mustang? What-the-fuck-ever. Still don’t think this could be better than sex.”
“So says the virgin.” Roy chuckled with a wide grin at the expression on the other’s face, raking a hand through his hair.
“I am not virgin!” The vein in Edward’s forehead twitched considerably, causing another laugh from the brunet, who continued to eat his meal. “Besides, for all we know you could still be one. Yeah, that might be it! Your entire reputation is a ploy to try to convince everyone that you lost your cherry!” The blond laughed hysterically; Roy snorted.
“Please, like that would ever be true? And considering how much you seem to want to talk about sex, Fullmetal, I would think you to be a nymphomaniac,” he scoffed lightly, shaking his head, “You are so obvious. Makes me wonder why you’re not off having sex with someone now. Oh wait, maybe it’s because you’re stuck here with me? Why not go now and see if you could find someone to bed with? I’m going to be here for quite some time.”
Edward rolled his eyes, “Like that’s going to help? I’m not interested in one night stands. I prefer people I know a bit longer.”
Roy raised an eyebrow at that before shrugging his shoulders, “Oh really…? I suppose it would be quite honourable of you to do that. Might hurt you in the long run however.”
“Yeah, well, whatever,” the blond shrugged in response, “Besides… what’s this anniversary of yours anyway? You never really did tell me.”
“It’s… the first day Maes brought me here. He got me hooked on the soup of the day that had never changed one bit. It’s always consistent. Since then we always came here and ordered the same thing. I… liked that,” he answered after a moment of silence, a wistful look on his face.”
The younger man blinked in confusion, “First time you two came… here? What the fuck is so important about that? I mean, I can understand if it was something more important than something so idiotic like that. Heck, aren’t anniversaries supposed to be… romantic…?” He blinked again and Roy chuckled, noticing how realization started to emerge from the confusion, “Something like the first day you meet or … Oh! You mean you and Hughes were?”
Roy nodded briskly, “Didn’t last but it was one great relationship. Never really found a spark like that again, no matter how many times I tried to find it. Hence the reputation, Fullmetal. I’m still searching but today… today is just for me.”
“I… I could leave if you really want me to,” he responded in understanding, looking uncomfortable but from what Roy didn’t know.
“No… You don’t have to. You could stay if you want. I offered after all,” the General replied casually, finishing his soup, now tearing the bowl into small bite-sized pieces, “I could have turned you away but I didn’t.”
“True…” Still the blond looked hesitant.
They finished their meal in nervous silence, Roy paying for the bill before standing up, ready to leave. “I suppose this is where we part ways then, Fullmetal.”
“Edward,” the other alchemist corrected, contemplative, “Call me Edward. Look, how about we go for a walk or something? I mean… despite everything… I still want to spend time with you, Mustang.”
Roy smiled softly, “You do know what that means right?”
“A date, yeah. I know what it means,” the blond grinned, “You were right I had other agendas for coming with you here. Besides… You said that bowl of soup is better than sex… how about I convince you otherwise.”
The brunet laughed, leaving the bistro with the blond beside him, “Well… I never had sex after a day like today for a long while… Though I must ask you why you would offer.”
“You’re hot. I’ve got something to prove and well… I might have this infatuation with you since I was twelve.” Edward blushed; Roy shook his head in disbelief.
“Twelve, you say? That’s… rather young,” he commented, turning to the blond as they rounded the corner, grasping the other’s chin. “I suppose… why not. You are quite attractive.”
A wide grin appeared on the blond’s face as he pulled the other man down, breathing lightly on the other’s lips, “Yeah well… I have to be if I want to snag me a Mustang. Besides… maybe we could start our own traditions, you know? I’m looking for something in the long run, Mustang. I slept around, sure but… I want something stable.”
“I give you no promises,” Roy replied, leaning closer.
“Same here,” Edward grinned back, “But that’s the fun in it.”
Roy nodded and their lips touched.
When they pulled away, he asked, “So… your place or mine?”
“Whichever one’s closer, bastard. Be prepared for the time of your life. I’m no small fry down there, you know.”
The older man laughed, returning the smirk on the blond’s face with one of his own, brushing away a strand of hair from Edward’s eyes, “I’ll look forward to it.”
The End
I live off your reviews so, please feed me? Thank you.
Author: Lucifer Hisaki (mercy_slays/luciferhisaki)
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Summary: Oh~! Is that who I think it is...
Disclaimer: You do not have a legal suit. So don't even try.
Notes: Entry for steelandsparks's anniversary contest. Part of the Soup-verse.
Word Count: 2200
Over a Bowl of Soup
“Oh~! Is that who I think it is,” she asked, hands clasped in front of her, trying to get a better look at the patron sitting at table 3-26.
Her fellow co-worker scoffed, replying briskly, “Roy Mustang, eh? Yup, tha’s ‘im. Always come ‘ere, same day, same time, every week he’s in Central. Always’ gets the soup of the day, y’know? Never changes unless he’s here some other time with a gal, sometimes even a guy.” He shrugged his shoulders, glancing over at their lone customer, or rather customers. “Strange though. He’s usually ‘ere alone.”
The waitress sighed softly, “I so should take last shift more if he comes here. At least then I get to see him more closely.” She laughed mischievously behind the back of her hand.
“Hey! You’re new here aren’t ya,” her co-worker commented with a shake of his head, “Damn, you must be! Thought you would know better!”
“What?” She turned to look at him, “What do you mean? And can’t you see I’m going to approach him! He might actually take me out unlike some people!” She pointedly stared at her companion, hands grazing down her uniform in an effort to straighten the wrinkles. “Can’t you see I’m going to go ogle him closely now?”
He rolled his eyes, grabbing her arm, “Now don’t. You don’t want to be fired right? Boss man hates us bothering Mustang more than usual and you know what? He’s one of our best customers. You go up to him for a date… well you’re dead in the water.”
“But why~?”
“Just because.” Because… I don’t think you’re the one he wants… Me on the other hand? Well… I guess I can take you out if you want.. “Hey… How about this Saturday since we’re both off… Why don’t I take you out to that new moving picture theater they opened?”
“EH?! That’s sounds great! Alright, I’m in.” She smiled widely at him and he felt a smile on his own face start to grow, ducking his head a bit in slight embarrassment.
He was used to people staring at him, especially the new employees. For someone as famous as him, he had to be. At least he was good friends with the chef and manager of this little bistro haven. The food had to be some of the best he had tasted. Smiling, he took another spoonful of the soup before him. It was good damn soup. Almost better than sex. Well, normally he would think that it was but it had been awhile since he last had company on this anniversary he celebrated by himself nowadays. The person he spent it with, or rather he used to spend it with, was dead. At least the soup was good, warming his soul on a rather chilly March day.
Every year, he used to come here with his best friend, mostly to celebrate a relationship that failed but one that turned into one of the greatest friendships he ever had. Roy chuckled softly to himself and shook his head lightly, setting his spoon on the side of his sourdough bread bowl. Dipping a piece of the cut out cap into the soup, he turned his gaze to the blond sitting opposite him.
He was surprised to find that the Fullmetal Alchemist of all people, former State Alchemist or not, would ask to join him. Usually he just came here for himself and to be alone. Maybe it was because he wanted to have some sort of company.
It had been along while since he last shared a bowl of soup at this place with someone.
“You smiling and chuckling at nothing is a little scary, Mustang,” the blond taunted, looking up from his turkey sandwich, sipping his drink through the straw. A root beer if Roy remembered correctly, “Kinda hard to believe you’re really capable of smiling considering all the bullshit smirks you tend to pull out.”
Roy rolled his eyes and took a sip of his cola, “So nice of you to compliment me, Fullmetal.”
“Edward,” the younger man corrected sharply, “It’s not Fullmetal anymore. I left the military or have you forgotten Old Man Eyepatch?” A sly smirk appeared on his companion’s face and Roy twitched.
“Don’t call me old, shrimp puff.”
It was Edward’s turn to twitch, fighting down the almost innate urge to outburst. He was older now and mature enough to know that he couldn’t exactly explode in anger at an obvious taunt. “Right, right, Grey-hair. You really should think of dyeing it. I think it’s getting greyer by the day, Colonel Bullshit.”
“It’s General,” he corrected, taking another sip of his soup with the poise and grace he always seemed to have, “I’m not a Colonel any more. You of all people should know that by now but did your lack of memory prevent you from remembering that well known fact? And what’s wrong with my hair? I like it the way it is.”
Edward glared at the older man, taking a large bite of his sandwich, “So why did ya come here so late at night? Isn’t it near closing time for this place, anyway? Never thought of you as a late night snacker. And your hair is weird, Mustang. I mean, just how many people actually go for the salt and pepper look?” His face scrunched up at the thought of it and Roy snickered inwardly.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed? No doubt children like yourself need their full eight hours of sleep.”
“Just answer the question, Mustang.”
“I always come here,” he shrugged, glancing out of the window beside them on his right, taking in the night life and the empty street just outside, “The food is good and I always make it my priority to come here at least once a week.”
The blond widened his eyes at that admission before laughing lightly, shaking his head, “Damn you must be in love with this place.”
“The soups are better than sex, I’ll give you that,” Roy smirked, slurping the contents of his soup spoon into his mouth, “Much better and knowing my reputation? Well… that has to mean something.” He chuckled lightly and stirred the remains of his late night dinner and sighed softly, “Besides… today’s special.”
“Special?” Edward raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “How so? And why would you think a bowl of soup be better than sex?”
“It just is,” he answered both questions, shrugging his shoulders, hand moving from the table to scratch at the rough black fabric of his eye-patch. “Besides, you’re the one that wanted to stalk me around after I left HQ. I couldn’t exactly bring you to my apartment. There would be questions… That is of course unless you actually wanted to come along. Don’t really have a clue as to why, however. I didn’t think you swung that way, Fullmetal.”
“It’s Edward and I don’t!” There was a rather bright flush on his lips as he said that. “But that really doesn’t explain much. I mean, come on, Mustang. You come here every week; how the hell does tonight seem that different? Special, bah.”
It was Roy’s turn to roll his eye and shake his head at the blond. “It just is,” he repeated smoothly. “Surely you have a date or two that you think is important. I have mine. This is just an anniversary of sorts, Fullmetal.”
“Edward. Say it with me, Jackass, Ed~war~d.”
“Ed~war~d,” Roy humoured the blond with a smug grin, “But still, Fullmetal, I don’t see why you think so much about this? I had thought that since you came to Central that you and I would stop trying to see each other every single day. Is there some subtext that I am missing here?”
“Hell no! And it’s Edward, Mustang bastard! Edward!” The younger alchemist glared at his former superior, scoffing, “I would think you would remember that. Or are you getting way too aged for your own good?”
“I am not old,” he briskly replied, taking another sip of his soup before tearing a piece of his bread bowl, dipping it into the remains of his food. Edward stole it from him right before he could plop it into his mouth. Watching the blond eat that piece, he raised an eyebrow, asking, “So… what do you think of it?”
Edward shrugged, “It’s good but not really one of the best I tasted but considering how strange your tastes are, Mustang? What-the-fuck-ever. Still don’t think this could be better than sex.”
“So says the virgin.” Roy chuckled with a wide grin at the expression on the other’s face, raking a hand through his hair.
“I am not virgin!” The vein in Edward’s forehead twitched considerably, causing another laugh from the brunet, who continued to eat his meal. “Besides, for all we know you could still be one. Yeah, that might be it! Your entire reputation is a ploy to try to convince everyone that you lost your cherry!” The blond laughed hysterically; Roy snorted.
“Please, like that would ever be true? And considering how much you seem to want to talk about sex, Fullmetal, I would think you to be a nymphomaniac,” he scoffed lightly, shaking his head, “You are so obvious. Makes me wonder why you’re not off having sex with someone now. Oh wait, maybe it’s because you’re stuck here with me? Why not go now and see if you could find someone to bed with? I’m going to be here for quite some time.”
Edward rolled his eyes, “Like that’s going to help? I’m not interested in one night stands. I prefer people I know a bit longer.”
Roy raised an eyebrow at that before shrugging his shoulders, “Oh really…? I suppose it would be quite honourable of you to do that. Might hurt you in the long run however.”
“Yeah, well, whatever,” the blond shrugged in response, “Besides… what’s this anniversary of yours anyway? You never really did tell me.”
“It’s… the first day Maes brought me here. He got me hooked on the soup of the day that had never changed one bit. It’s always consistent. Since then we always came here and ordered the same thing. I… liked that,” he answered after a moment of silence, a wistful look on his face.”
The younger man blinked in confusion, “First time you two came… here? What the fuck is so important about that? I mean, I can understand if it was something more important than something so idiotic like that. Heck, aren’t anniversaries supposed to be… romantic…?” He blinked again and Roy chuckled, noticing how realization started to emerge from the confusion, “Something like the first day you meet or … Oh! You mean you and Hughes were?”
Roy nodded briskly, “Didn’t last but it was one great relationship. Never really found a spark like that again, no matter how many times I tried to find it. Hence the reputation, Fullmetal. I’m still searching but today… today is just for me.”
“I… I could leave if you really want me to,” he responded in understanding, looking uncomfortable but from what Roy didn’t know.
“No… You don’t have to. You could stay if you want. I offered after all,” the General replied casually, finishing his soup, now tearing the bowl into small bite-sized pieces, “I could have turned you away but I didn’t.”
“True…” Still the blond looked hesitant.
They finished their meal in nervous silence, Roy paying for the bill before standing up, ready to leave. “I suppose this is where we part ways then, Fullmetal.”
“Edward,” the other alchemist corrected, contemplative, “Call me Edward. Look, how about we go for a walk or something? I mean… despite everything… I still want to spend time with you, Mustang.”
Roy smiled softly, “You do know what that means right?”
“A date, yeah. I know what it means,” the blond grinned, “You were right I had other agendas for coming with you here. Besides… You said that bowl of soup is better than sex… how about I convince you otherwise.”
The brunet laughed, leaving the bistro with the blond beside him, “Well… I never had sex after a day like today for a long while… Though I must ask you why you would offer.”
“You’re hot. I’ve got something to prove and well… I might have this infatuation with you since I was twelve.” Edward blushed; Roy shook his head in disbelief.
“Twelve, you say? That’s… rather young,” he commented, turning to the blond as they rounded the corner, grasping the other’s chin. “I suppose… why not. You are quite attractive.”
A wide grin appeared on the blond’s face as he pulled the other man down, breathing lightly on the other’s lips, “Yeah well… I have to be if I want to snag me a Mustang. Besides… maybe we could start our own traditions, you know? I’m looking for something in the long run, Mustang. I slept around, sure but… I want something stable.”
“I give you no promises,” Roy replied, leaning closer.
“Same here,” Edward grinned back, “But that’s the fun in it.”
Roy nodded and their lips touched.
When they pulled away, he asked, “So… your place or mine?”
“Whichever one’s closer, bastard. Be prepared for the time of your life. I’m no small fry down there, you know.”
The older man laughed, returning the smirk on the blond’s face with one of his own, brushing away a strand of hair from Edward’s eyes, “I’ll look forward to it.”
The End
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