FMA Fic: Symbiosis
I come bearing RussellxEd fluff as I have been regretfully neglecting the pairing and been focusing on RoyxEd. It's only because that damn Colonel is so needy and demanding.
This is in the same timeline as (The Imposter Alchemist), though it's not necessary to read it to follow this one.
Title: Symbiosis
Rating: PG tops
Warnings: Pure, unadulterated fluff
Spoilers: None
Fungi were amazing organisms. Under the dizzying microscope lens, the mycelium looked fuzzy and fibrous. The way they mingled with the plant roots looked chaotic and orderly at the same time. Not much was known about symbiosis yet and, thanks to a generous military contract via Colonel Roy Mustang, Russell Tringham was at the forefront of the research.
He straightened up over his lab counter, popped the vertebrae in his neck to one side then the other, and rubbed at the tender line the microscope optics had pressed into the flesh around his eyes. His back hummed in white noise where it connected with his neck and he rolled his shoulders in a fashion not unlike the way others may thump their radios to rid them of static. His back only hissed louder.
It was definitely time to go inside and eat. In his mind, Russell pictured a fantastic spread of food on the table. His brain could smell the spicy root stew that was an Elric specialty. He could taste the fresh bread with bits of nuts inside and crunchy grains baked on top. His belly was warmed by the thought of the mead Roy had gotten for Russell and Edward on their last trip to Central.
He knew, however, that the reality would more likely resemble ham sandwiches and lemonade (damn Vercio for sending crates of lemons with them every time they visited like an overbearing grandmother!). But ham sandwiches and lemonade were fine, too. At this point, Russell’s stomach was in no mood to argue.
The graying wood of the screen door bounced off the jamb when Russell bounded inside. Despite his fatigue, he nearly skipped into the kitchen only to find no food and no Edward.
“Ed? Are you home?” he called out as he made his way through their small home.
He found his lover curled into a ball on the couch, asleep, a spray of blond hair covering his face. A few strands fluttered at the ends with each raspy, snoring breath.
Russell smiled softly, reaching his long arms over his head to hook his fingers on the door frame, his elbows hanging limp. Sleep was the eye of Hurricane Edward; his life swirled with a fury around those calmer moments when exhaustion clung to his red coattails and begged the boy to slow down.
Russell released the door frame and moved to kneel beside his lover.
“Hey. Ed?”
Sleepy eyes flickered open and a gently smiling mouth released a small, contented sigh. Russell kissed the tip of Edward’s nose. The older boy made a foggy noise and pushed himself up on his elbow.
“How did the research go?”
Russell lowered himself to the floor, long legs folding up underneath his body. “Long. I’m exhausted and sore and starving. But I’m learning a lot.”
“I had a long day, too.” Edward said.
Russell fought to suppress a smirk. Edward was on leave for two weeks and his “long days” consisted of napping on the couch and thumbing through alchemy texts piled into teetering stacks on the floor beside the couch where he napped.
“Did you?”
Edward nodded. “I had to talk to Al and Winry and Granny. And the bastard called to check up on you and stayed on the phone for forty minutes, avoiding paperwork I am sure. And then I spent a couple hours in the kitchen-“
Russell’s stomach did a dance of glee.
“-trying to find where I may have left my jar of potassium nitrate. Have you seen it?”
Oh.
Russell shook his head. “No.”
“Hmm. I’ll keep looking. Hey, what are you making for dinner?”
Russell frowned.
Scientists may not yet know much about symbiotic relationships, but Russell Tringham knew them inside and out.
“I thought you were going to make dinner. I wouldn’t have stayed out there as long as I did if I knew I was expected to cook.”
“It’s not my night to cook,” Edward scoffed. He was always so quick to get defensive.
Russell sighed. Oh, he understood how symbiosis was supposed to work. He had let Edward sleep in every morning for the past ten days he had been home, getting out of bed gently and quietly as to not disturb his sleeping lover and pulling the blankets neatly up over the still form before he walked out. He’d had fresh coffee waiting in the kitchen and bacon being kept warm by the hearth. He’d made a special trip to the Central library to make sure that Edward had plenty of reading material on his time off. And what did he ever get in return?
Edward sighed and leaned forward to tug Russell closer to him. Soft lips tickled the younger boy’s earlobe and he felt long bangs slide down his neck.
“I saw the new books you brought in today. Thank you.”
What did he ever get in return? Russell sighed. He got the benefit of Edward letting him do all those things for him.
This is in the same timeline as (The Imposter Alchemist), though it's not necessary to read it to follow this one.
Title: Symbiosis
Rating: PG tops
Warnings: Pure, unadulterated fluff
Spoilers: None
Fungi were amazing organisms. Under the dizzying microscope lens, the mycelium looked fuzzy and fibrous. The way they mingled with the plant roots looked chaotic and orderly at the same time. Not much was known about symbiosis yet and, thanks to a generous military contract via Colonel Roy Mustang, Russell Tringham was at the forefront of the research.
He straightened up over his lab counter, popped the vertebrae in his neck to one side then the other, and rubbed at the tender line the microscope optics had pressed into the flesh around his eyes. His back hummed in white noise where it connected with his neck and he rolled his shoulders in a fashion not unlike the way others may thump their radios to rid them of static. His back only hissed louder.
It was definitely time to go inside and eat. In his mind, Russell pictured a fantastic spread of food on the table. His brain could smell the spicy root stew that was an Elric specialty. He could taste the fresh bread with bits of nuts inside and crunchy grains baked on top. His belly was warmed by the thought of the mead Roy had gotten for Russell and Edward on their last trip to Central.
He knew, however, that the reality would more likely resemble ham sandwiches and lemonade (damn Vercio for sending crates of lemons with them every time they visited like an overbearing grandmother!). But ham sandwiches and lemonade were fine, too. At this point, Russell’s stomach was in no mood to argue.
The graying wood of the screen door bounced off the jamb when Russell bounded inside. Despite his fatigue, he nearly skipped into the kitchen only to find no food and no Edward.
“Ed? Are you home?” he called out as he made his way through their small home.
He found his lover curled into a ball on the couch, asleep, a spray of blond hair covering his face. A few strands fluttered at the ends with each raspy, snoring breath.
Russell smiled softly, reaching his long arms over his head to hook his fingers on the door frame, his elbows hanging limp. Sleep was the eye of Hurricane Edward; his life swirled with a fury around those calmer moments when exhaustion clung to his red coattails and begged the boy to slow down.
Russell released the door frame and moved to kneel beside his lover.
“Hey. Ed?”
Sleepy eyes flickered open and a gently smiling mouth released a small, contented sigh. Russell kissed the tip of Edward’s nose. The older boy made a foggy noise and pushed himself up on his elbow.
“How did the research go?”
Russell lowered himself to the floor, long legs folding up underneath his body. “Long. I’m exhausted and sore and starving. But I’m learning a lot.”
“I had a long day, too.” Edward said.
Russell fought to suppress a smirk. Edward was on leave for two weeks and his “long days” consisted of napping on the couch and thumbing through alchemy texts piled into teetering stacks on the floor beside the couch where he napped.
“Did you?”
Edward nodded. “I had to talk to Al and Winry and Granny. And the bastard called to check up on you and stayed on the phone for forty minutes, avoiding paperwork I am sure. And then I spent a couple hours in the kitchen-“
Russell’s stomach did a dance of glee.
“-trying to find where I may have left my jar of potassium nitrate. Have you seen it?”
Oh.
Russell shook his head. “No.”
“Hmm. I’ll keep looking. Hey, what are you making for dinner?”
Russell frowned.
Scientists may not yet know much about symbiotic relationships, but Russell Tringham knew them inside and out.
“I thought you were going to make dinner. I wouldn’t have stayed out there as long as I did if I knew I was expected to cook.”
“It’s not my night to cook,” Edward scoffed. He was always so quick to get defensive.
Russell sighed. Oh, he understood how symbiosis was supposed to work. He had let Edward sleep in every morning for the past ten days he had been home, getting out of bed gently and quietly as to not disturb his sleeping lover and pulling the blankets neatly up over the still form before he walked out. He’d had fresh coffee waiting in the kitchen and bacon being kept warm by the hearth. He’d made a special trip to the Central library to make sure that Edward had plenty of reading material on his time off. And what did he ever get in return?
Edward sighed and leaned forward to tug Russell closer to him. Soft lips tickled the younger boy’s earlobe and he felt long bangs slide down his neck.
“I saw the new books you brought in today. Thank you.”
What did he ever get in return? Russell sighed. He got the benefit of Edward letting him do all those things for him.