Promises
Title: Promises
Verse: Further Interruptions
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Roy/Ed
Summary: “Watch your next words, Mustang. Because I was there when he came home that night. I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened. But it did. Do not lie to me about my brother and what you would or wouldn’t do.”
Roy couldn’t say that he hadn’t been waiting for this meeting. He’d been waiting for years. In fact, he’d been waiting for so long that he was completely taken unawares as Alphonse Elric slid into his office, closed the door, and stared him down from across the room.
“Alphonse, it’s a pleasure to see you,” he said, trying to rein in his unease. There was no real reason for Alphonse to be here. Yes, he had spent a few hours with Ed the night before but it was nothing like what it had once been. It was nothing to be ashamed of, or afraid of.
Minus the part where Roy was almost terrified of how much he had enjoyed himself last night. Edward Elric was a surprising man. Roy had asked him to coffee the first time out of a desperate need to know that Ed was okay; that Roy hadn’t broken him irreparably when he’d tossed him out of his house that night more than two years ago, bruised and bitten and bleeding.
What he hadn’t been prepared for was a young man who was vibrant and illuminating; a soul so bright he could outshine the sun.
“I’m not here for a friendly visit, General,” Alphonse said clearly.
Roy’s smile dropped and he sat forward in his chair. No, he wasn’t prepared for this. No matter how long he’d been waiting for it.
“Then what brings you here?”
“My brother.”
Alphonse didn’t say anything, as if he was waiting for Roy to confess some horrid sin. Roy had plenty to confess, especially in regard to Alphonse’s brother, but he wouldn’t dare. He’d never let Alphonse’s age and appearance fool him; not when he was a suit of armor that everyone forgot was a little boy, and not when he was a young man that everyone forgot held a world full of hell in his memories.
“What about Edward?”
“I know you had coffee with him last night.”
“I did,” he admitted. “It’s a lovely little place-“
“Cut the bullshit, Mustang. I know he was seeing you before we went to Aerugo. And I know damn well that he wasn’t transferred to Armstrong’s team the way Ed claims. I know you hurt him and you let him go because of it. And I didn’t come then because I needed to be with Ed to make sure he was going to be okay. You should know, there was a while when I wasn’t sure he would.”
Roy let out a deep breath and tried not to think about it, about the look in Ed’s eyes that night, the dead eyes that had stared up at him after he’d fucked him and called Ed out on why he let him.
“But he made it,” Alphonse said. “We made it and he got called back to Central after two years and I thought he was still going to be okay.”
“He had Second Lieutenant Arnor,” Roy said. He knew it was a mistake to bring up Ed’s ex-boyfriend but he couldn’t help but wonder what Alphonse thought of that relationship. Especially when everything Roy had been able to dig up said that Alphonse wasn’t happy about that relationship to begin with.
Al’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Roy. “My brother had me. And we have a lot of friends in Central and around the country. Around the world. He doesn’t need a boyfriend to be okay.”
“I’m sorry. Of course. I didn’t mean to imply that he did.”
“No, you didn’t. You were just digging. My brother wasn’t the only one in this office, Mustang and I learned to listen to what people do and don’t say from watching you.”
Ouch.
“Ed was fine. The move was fine. Even the break up was fine. And then, one day, Ed was just …”
“What?”
“Happy.” Alphonse breathed the word like it was a curse and Roy stared at him, uncomprehending.
“What?”
“I couldn’t understand. Nothing had changed. So why was he so happy all of a sudden? But then he came home one night, later than usual, and I knew the grin on his face. I didn’t say anything because maybe I was wrong. Then it happened last night. And let me tell you. I let into my brother because how could he get back together with Tate? Imagine my surprise when I realized Ed had been with you.”
“Alphonse, there is obviously a miscommunication here. Ed and I met at a coffeehouse. Nothing more.”
“My ass!” Alphonse yelled.
It took Roy completely by surprise.
“My brother has been in love with you for years so don’t tell me it was just coffee. And if you actually, honestly, way down deep, believe it is, then stop. If I have to pick my brother up off the ground again because you hurt him, they will not be able to pick you up once I am done.”
“Alphonse, I would nev-“
“Watch your next words, Mustang. Because I was there when he came home that night. I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened. But it did. Do not lie to me about my brother and what you would or wouldn’t do.”
The truth was as plain as day on Alphonse’s face. His words were no idle threat, but a promise he had every intention - and every ability - to keep.
“Al, I care a great deal for your brother. I don’t ever want to see him hurt. I can promise you that much.”
Alphonse stared at him for a moment before he nodded. “I hope you can keep good to that promise. Because if he ever comes home like that again, there won’t be a trace of you I haven’t put to better use.”
Alphonse walked out without waiting for a response. Roy heard him in the front office, chatting friendly with the rest of the team. Roy wished it was late enough he could sneak off to a bar for a drink because he needed it after that conversation. He wished he hadn’t sworn off drinking to deal with his trouble.
Roy let out a deep breath because whiskey might be off the table, but there was something that could brighten his day. He picked up the phone and smiled when there was an answer on the other end.
“So, I know we just had coffee last night, but I mentioned that Xingese place and I was thinking about dinner tonight.”