For Her. For Him.

A/N: I cannot believe I have 60 reviews. Thank you so much to everyone who is enjoying the story. To answer one question: yes, the cat is a cat. And for this chapter, there is a lot of flashback, so what you read in italics is from the day Roy became a state alchemist.

Chapter 15

Power and Control

Roy sat in his dorm room, the new silver watch in palm, his thumb tracing over the dragon on the outside. He was finally a state alchemist and a major in the military. All of his work, his study had finally paid off, and now he was well on his way toward becoming fuhrer.

“Be thou for the people,” he muttered to himself as he opened the pocketwatch and looked at the blank inside cover. He knew that many of the state alchemists carried pictures of loved ones or mementos on the other side of the dragon, but he had to question who he would put there. He didn’t date a woman for more than 3-4 dates. The only people in his life that remained consistent were Maes and Frank.

And even Frank was being an ass right now.

Roy didn’t understand what had gotten into the older man, who had been surprisingly kind to Roy, despite his natural inclination to be a jerk to most everyone else, apparently seeing a younger version of himself in the alchemist. Regardless of that, Frank hadn’t been happy when he’d found out that Roy was attempting the state alchemist exam and now was downright rude to the nineteen-year-old alchemist.

Thankfully, Maes held no ill-will toward the man two years his junior and had even taken him out to celebrate. Roy didn’t envy Maes the headache he’d have in the morning, even though he hadn’t allowed himself to get shit-faced like his older friend. Still, he’d call Maes up in the morning, offering him some kind of hangover cure and a cup of coffee, just to make sure his friend survived having his head split open by remnants of vodka and scotch.

Roy snapped the watch shut, slipping it in his pocket as he heard someone knocking on his door.

He opened the door, just enough that the chain lock was pulled tight. Looking up he saw the tall, dark-haired man, “What do you want?”

********

“What is it, Lieutenant Colonel?”

“You should be glad you managed to stop your lieutenant,” Archer said, adjusting the cuff of his left sleeve. “I’d hate to see you have two of your subordinates being court-martialed.”

“Two?” Roy asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“You know I mean that little major of yours.” Archer’s eyes met Mustang’s as he took a seat, gesturing for Mustang to follow suit, though he never did.

“Really? Then you must have information that I don’t,” Roy said, feigning ignorance. “Because I spoke directly to the fuhrer on the way here, and he said nothing of court-martialing Fullmetal or punishing his brother. Where do you get your information? Because you seem very certain of it.”

Roy allowed a carefully planned smirk to spread across his face.

********

“I want to apologize for my behavior,” Frank said, looking down at his feet. “I was being a jerk.”

“You were being a horse’s ass, Frank, and you know it.”

The taller man ran a hand through his hair. “I know. Please, just let me in.”

Roy slid the chain aside, then opened the door wide enough for Frank to enter.

“So, you’re finally a state alchemist,” Frank said, playing with his shirt sleeves, a habit Roy had become accustomed to whenever the sergeant was trying to appear confident. “What title did they give you, the Shrimp Alchemist?”

“Screw you, Frank. I’m the Flame Alchemist.”

“The Flaming Alchemist? Seems appropriate.”

“No, Frank,” Roy said as he went to the thin icebox in the kitchenette to retrieve two beers. “They’re saving that one for you, just in case you show any sign of alchemic abilities.”

Grabbing a bottle opener, Roy opened the first beer, handing it to the sergeant, then opening the second for himself. “So, what was all that about anyway. You’ve hardly spoken to me for the last two months, and when you did...”

“Yeah, I know.” Frank took a swig of the beer, grimacing. “Damn, Roy, can’t you afford the good stuff on your salary?”

“I haven’t gotten paid anything yet,” Roy said, taking a drink, trying to convince himself that he was accustomed to the taste and would not feel the need to mimic Frank’s expression.

“Now, don’t drink too much of that. I think one of those could probably get a little guy like you drunk.”

“You now, in the real world, I’m a little over average height. I can’t help it that the military likes to hire tall freaks like you and Maes.”

“And what about the state alchemists? You couldn’t come up to Zolf Kimblee’s chin, and I’d bet you look Alex Armstrong in the chest. You’ve got to hold a record for the youngest and the shortest ever admitted as a state alchemist.” Roy took another drink, ignoring Frank’s playful ribbing. “I’d really like to make it all up to you, Roy, the way I’ve been acting.”

********

“I will take this to the fuhrer,” Archer said. “I’ll tell him everything I know.”

“That should take all of five minutes,” Roy said, sarcastically.

“So is that it? We’ve lowered ourselves to petty insults?”

“I will admit that it is low for me, but I believe it would be an upward move on your part, Lieutenant Colonel.”

********

“I’m really not in the mood--” Roy was cut off by Frank’s lips pressed against his own. His mind wasn’t in the mood, but damned if his body didn’t seem to be ready and willing. Frank’s tongue began tracing Roy’s lips, trying to get them to part, to give entry. Roy wasn’t relinquishing anything. Frank pulled back and began kissing up Roy’s jaw, speaking between licks and kisses that led up to the teen’s ear.

“You really are angry with me, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you fight this before.” Frank finally reached Roy’s ear, allowing the tip of his tongue to graze over Roy’s earlobe, then trace inside of each curve. Once he had completely re-familiarized himself with the younger man’s ear, Frank planted a kiss to Roy’s cheekbone. “Let me make this up to you. Please.”

The pleading sound of Frank’s voice let some of Roy’s resentment melt, just a little. His hands, which had been placed between them in protest now grabbed onto Frank’s shirt, pulling him closer. Frank’s own hands began unbuttoning Roy’s already disheveled white shirt, swiftly making their way down to his waistband, pulling out the shirt tails. Frank then slid his hand underneath, allowing them to glide over the body beneath.

“So smooth,” Frank said, as he rubbed along Roy’s abdomen, up his chest. “Don’t know what it is about you. Normally, I only go for manly men. You’re damned near a woman.”

Roy pulled back, knowing something wasn’t right. Frank’s dirty talk usually lacked in the way of incensing desire, but never had Roy been compared to a woman in the two years they had carried on this way. Frank didn’t even register the fact that he no longer had an active partner. He moved down on Roy’s body, kissing every exposed inch of skin, while Roy tried to push him away.

“Frank,” Roy said, trying to hold back noises that exposed how pleased his body was, even if he wasn’t. Two eyes looked up at him as that tongue of the older man slipped its way to Roy’s naval, dipping in. A shiver ran up Roy’s spine. “Frank, stop.”

“Your mouth says stop, but...” Frank patted the front Roy’s pants, then gave a squeeze to the hardened bulge. “Something says otherwise.”

“Frank, no.”

The twenty-one-year-old stood, standing inches taller than Roy. “We’ve been doing this for two years, Roy. What do you expect from me?”

“Don’t call me a damned woman,” Roy said, pupils lost in his dark eyes as they turned nearly black. Frank put his arms on either side of Roy’s shoulders, beneath the white shirt, and began pushing the piece of clothing down. “Stop.”

“I can’t. You just look so, so...” Frank nipped at one of Roy’s shoulders. “good.”

The nineteen-year-old tried to convince his body to fight back against its favorite playmate, but with little success. Following the drunken night two years ago, Frank and Roy had been meeting just like this for little trysts with one another. As friends, they agreed they were two men who needed release, and despite the first awkward time together, they decided to repeat the process when it was needed by one, the other, or both. Roy’s body had trained itself to respond to the older man, and tonight, as hard as Roy tried to make it do otherwise, it wouldn’t break its training.

********

“You went over my head?” Archer said, almost malevolently.

“I already am over your head. I went over mine.” Roy chuckled somewhat maliciously. “Are you never going to learn not to mess with state alchemists? We win every time.”

“Yes, unlike the rest of us, who have to actually earn the military’s respect and our rank.”

“The military recognizes those with talents by pushing them up the ladder in rank. My talent is alchemy.” Roy paused. “Of course, you’ve managed to rise through the ranks fairly quickly for someone who was busted down to private ten years ago. I’ve seen some of your talents. Is that how you managed it?”

“I believe that is sexual harassment, Colonel.” There was a tug on the right shirt sleeve. Roy was rather enjoying that, for once, he was making this man squirm, making him force himself to look confident.

“Your mind is in the gutter, Archer.” Roy made a slight tsk, tsk sound. “Is that really all you think of? I was referring to your abilities with a gun.”

Archer stood, still inches taller than the colonel. “I’m not a fan of games.”

“And I’m not a nineteen-year-old who has delusions you are his friend. Now, I recommend you sit down before I feel forced to write you up for trying to intimidate a superior officer.

********

When Roy found himself being pushed against his cold icebox, he hissed at the shock as every hair on his body on end, rising up in tiny bumps. Frank bent down and began sucking on the teen’s neck, pushing his body between Roy’s legs. Feeling the heat of the man in front of him, the alchemist could little help as he moved toward the warmth, threading his fingers into the dark hair and unintentionally lifting a leg and wrapping it around the taller man’s thighs.

“M-move,” Roy stuttered.

“But you are so responsive here,” Frank said as he scooped Roy’s other leg off the ground and pushed the alchemist’s body higher on his own so that the legs were wrapped around his waist. Frank leaned down and began sucking on Roy’s right nipple, evoking a moan that Roy had been trying to hold onto. “So responsive.”

With a hand on each of Roy’s legs, Frank pushed the younger man harder against the icebox, forcing Roy to keep himself upright as the sergeant continued to nip and suck at his nipples, making them stand on end, nearly as hard as what lay beneath the wool uniform pants.

“Unbuckle yourself,” Frank ordered.

Trying to keep his balance with his left hand, Roy actually started to obey. His right hand rested on his belt buckle while he looked up into the eyes of the man holding him. The eyes were cold. Roy had seen him look like this before, but never at him, and he recognized what that look meant. Using his left hand and shoulders, Roy pushed himself forward, off of the icebox, knocking Frank backwards, causing him to lose his grip on the major.

Painfully, Roy hit the ground with a thud, knocking the wind out of him. Roy had seen the look in Frank’s eyes and was more than familiar with it when the older man was facing opponents or rivals. None of this had been about apologies or even satisfying a little lust. This had been about power and showing who had it. Reaching into the pocket of his pants, which Roy was not grateful not to have disposed of, he pulled out a white glove and put it on his right hand.

“Would you really use that thing on me?” Frank asked, towering above Roy, who sat on the floor, shirtless and furious.

“If you don’t get the hell out of my room this instant, they’ll be taking you out in an ash can.”

“You don’t have the heart to kill, Roy. You never did.” Roy snapped his fingers, singeing Frank’s right coat sleeve.

“I said get out.”

“You had better reconsider your actions, Roy Mustang. I might just be forced to tell the military that you took advantage of me right now.” Frank began popping the buttons off of his white dress shirt, one by one. “I might have to tell them you tried to get me into your bed with the promise that you will help me get promoted.” He ruffled his hair. “Now, look at the state I’m in, and there are still people out in the hallway. Do you really want me to leave right now and have them all see me?”

“If you do not leave right now, I am going to set fire to everything below your waist. I refuse to help you, you backstabbing bastard, and if I get court-martialed for not doing it, so be it.”

********

Roy turned to the door. “If you have nothing more to say to me, I will be going. I’m sure Lieutenant Havoc and Master Sergeant Fuery would like to have their compartment back.” Though the colonel slid the door open rather calmly, he let it slam shut so hard, that had Archer been closer to the door, he would have been seriously injured.

With a steady, yet agitated pace, he walked through the train car, making it to the outside passageway. Grasping onto the railing, he squeezed tightly, yelling into the rushing wind nothing that really could be considered words as he pulled on the rail harder still. He stopped his scream when he heard the sound of bolts popping from the base of the railing, which he left behind as he moved back through the train toward Fullmetal.