Chimera

Thanks for reviewing, I read them all the time, can't get enough. And yes, Ed eats cheese, mostly, I think, because Roy does.

Changes

When he got to the kitchen, the other three blonds were standing and talking quietly. They looked up and waved him into the huddle. “This isn’t going to work.” Al spoke up, obviously the one chosen to give him the consensus. “We just can’t make him do things.”

“The point is not to make him do things. It’s to allow him to do things he wants to safely and allow him to participate in the group.” Roy looked at he three young faces watching him. “You can only go so far, I understand, but he’s coming towards you. It takes time to get organized, you all need to learn new habits. I’m still learning, he’s changed a lot since I saw him. We need to figure out his interests so we can meet them. Toys, games, activities. Four days is a long time to be by yourself or bored.” Three eyebrows arched at him. “What?”

“Four? He changes for almost a week, six to seven days. We can’t just take off for a week a month and we won’t send him away. We all need to work, we do well, but we’re not stable enough to just close down. We’ve been talking about it and it’s just not going to happen. We know you’re trying to help, but you don’t really know anymore than we do, less sometimes.” Roy stared, ‘A week?’

“Has he always been like that or did that start recently?” Al’s mouth opened, then closed again as he thought about it.

Fletcher provided an answer, “It started getting longer two years ago.” At eighteen. A thought occurred to the brunette.

“Has he grown since then? He stopped didn’t he? His voice changed before then too, didn’t it?” All three nodded at him. ‘Damn, he’d finished maturing and the changes got longer. Makes sense, I suppose.’ “Alright, at least it won’t change anymore. I told you he was different, we’ll just have to do the best we can. Did you think of having someone come up to be with him?”

“NO!” Roy whirled around to see Ed running off, slamming the door behind him.

“Ed! Come back!” He raced after him, the others on his heels. He could just barely make out the small form flying down the path into the trees. “I’ll follow him, you guys spread out and try to cut him off if I don’t catch him. Someone stay here.”

Twenty minutes later, he crashed through the trees to see the lake again. It was a different clearing, smaller, practically nonexistent. Just a shoreline and some felled trees. Ed was sitting on a thick trunk over the water, dangling his feet. Miserable sniffs were clearly heard and Roy walked very slowly, letting him hear him coming. No move to run was made and he sat beside him. “Ed, I’m sorry, we didn’t know you were there.”

“Not go. Not send away.” He could barely speak, his voice was so thick from crying.

“Sweetheart, no! We weren’t talking about sending you away at all. We were just trying to think of solutions and discussing the things that have changed since I saw you. I promise, none of us even considered sending you away. We love you, this is your home. We want you to be here with us.” Roy held out his hand and it was grabbed and cuddled against the solid chest. “Ed, we’re doing our best, and I know you are too. We’ll get through it, we’ll figure something out. In fact, we were just discussing finding someone to come and visit you for a week every month. Would you like that?” The blond head shook. “Why not?”

“You.” Roy smiled a bit and patted the soft hair.

“I can’t come here, it’s too far. I have to work. Isn’t there anyone in the village you like?” As much as it pained him, a girlfriend would do nicely. But the blond head shook again and his hand was clutched more tightly. “I think tomorrow, after you calm down a little, we should all sit down and talk about our choices. We can hire someone to stay with you, you can go visit someone, or you can come home with me, or visit. One of the boys might be able to take some time off to stay with you as well. There are quite a few options. Also, I would like to explore your abilities and limits, if you don’t mind. You’ve changed, more than I realized, and I would very much like to understand a little more. Is that ok?”

Gold ears pointed at him intently while the boy stared at the still water. “Yes. Roy mad? Run.”

“No, I’m not mad at all. Though, next time you’re upset, maybe you should tell one of us about it, ok? The others are out looking for you, we’ll have to find them to have supper. Ready to go back?” Gold hair shook slightly. “Alright, let’s stay here for a little while.” A companiable silence fell and Roy let his feet dangle to the water to splash a bit. Ed yanked his feet up and grabbed for his arm to keep his seat. The older alchemist laughed and tickled him lightly, earning screams of laughter and delighted wiggles.

They started to fall and Ed climbed him, desperate to avoid the water. Roy flailed and managed to push them towards the shore but couldn’t avoid the water entirely. He landed on his rear, Ed wrapped around his shoulders, his weight dragging them over. High pitched whines started and Roy placed one hand behind him to steady them and the other on Ed’s back to hold him still. The water was only about half way up the side of his leg but Ed was acting like it was ten foot deep acid.

“Edward, calm down. I’ll lift you back up to the tree, you have to help because you’re too heavy. Here, ready?” He placed a hand on the knee pressed against his chest and heaved, the boy reaching for the safety of the trunk. He grabbed it and swung himself up. Once he was safe, his breathing settled and he sat and stared at Roy, still sitting in the water.

A snicker escaped. Roy glared up and laughter burst out, full and loud. The blond got up and ran for the shore, screaming when Roy got to his feet and took off after him. They ran around the small clearing, jumping over trees and around rocks. Finally, Roy cornered him against a thick section of brush. Strong legs pushed him forward in an attempt to shove by but he was captured and swung to the ground. They rolled until Roy was on the bottom, his legs tangled in Ed’s, his hands holding the smaller ones tightly. Laughter continued to bubble up, even when he collapsed on the pale chest, water forgotten in his delight.

Roy started to laugh a bit too, his blond’s happiness was as infectious as always. They lay laughing until Roy had to roll them over because Ed was too heavy to support. Mismatched arms wrapped around his neck and hugged him close. Their noses touched and Roy suddenly realized they were sharing the same breathes. His eye closed and he let himself taste the sweetness of an almost forgotten pleasure. Soft lips touched his and he pulled back. “Ed. I, we can’t, this is”

“Nice. Like Roy.” Innocent eyes stared at him and he had to bite his lip to remind himself of where they were. “Love me?”

“Of course I love you, that does not mean it’s ok to kiss you. I’m glad you like me, but we’ll wait and talk about it when you change back. I promise.” The solid body wiggled against him and he could just make out the tip of his nose. His voice strangled, “Ed.” Deep purring started and a small nose rubbed his neck, just behind his ear. He gritted his teeth and forced the boy back, his arms shaking. “No. Behave, please, Ed, don’t do this.” Heavy pants stole any authority he tried to drive into the words but the blond had stopped moving.

“Why?”

“It’s been too long, I can’t control myself around you like that. I need to talk to you in your usual form before we go any further. I love you, I won’t risk screwing up just for a bit of relief, no matter how much we both want it.” He pulled himself away and rolled onto his back. Ed leaned over him but didn’t touch. “We should go back, they’ll be worried. Once you change back, we’ll talk I promise. Deal?” A slow nod and they got to their feet. Ed tentatively took his hand and Roy squeezed it. The others were easy enough to find, Fletcher had stayed and simply called them in with a light from the roof.

Supper was cold and Ed shuffled in the kitchen, watching as Al reheated everything. “Sorry.” His brother looked over in surprise and smiled.

“That’s alright, it was a misunderstanding. Roy explained. We’ll talk after supper, alright? Would you like to finish setting the table?” A bright grin and the cat-boy was bouncing around the kitchen, placing dishes carefully and slinging cutlery into position.
He put noodles on his plate, then shuffled over to Roy’s side and stole a piece of cheese. A dark brow rose but he was otherwise ignored. Another bit of food disappeared, again to no comment. “Roy?”

“Yes, Edward? Would you like some cheese?” A slow nod. “Alright, here you go.” The older man dished some pasta with cheese onto his plate and watched with satisfaction as he devoured it. “Now, should you say something to Fletcher?” The silver-eyed blond tried to wave it off but his brother stopped him.

Yellow eyes flashed at being spoken to like a child but he turned dutifully and apologized nicely for making a mess earlier. “That’s alright, Ed, I know you didn’t mean to.” A brilliant grin blinded them and they stared, shocked at the happiness they rarely saw from this form. Slow smiles grew around the table. Maybe, it would be ok, they could make this work.

The discussion was short. Ed refused to even discuss leaving, and didn’t want anyone to come stay with him. The others wouldn’t budget on not closing the shop. Roy couldn’t come to stay. The only option left was for the others to take turns caring for him, leaving the shop partially open. Not the best, but they agreed to discuss it again when Ed changed back.

Roy decided now was a good time to test Ed’s abilities. He set up paper and pencils and cleared the cot out of the shed, leaving a large free area. The blond had to be coaxed out and bribed with the promise of sandwiches to even try. He clapped but nothing happened, which they already knew. A quick sketch produced a small horse from the ground. “Ed, change your arm, now!” Bright eyes flashed to his and the hands came together automatically, the left sliding over the right to the elbow and back, changing it to a blade in seconds.

“How did he do that? He’s never been able to clap before!” Al crowded forward to inspect the change. “He claps all the time and nothing happens.” He held the arm and rotated it gently, running his fingers over the blade.

“Here, see?” Roy pointed out a small array in the inside of his elbow. “It’s there, he just hits it when he moves his hand back and forth. Lets him hide any weakness.” Ed started fussing and was released. His arm changed back easily and he shook it out. “Ed, anything else? Can you make me something big?” Blond hair shook a bit. “Please? Just one, then we can go have a snack. Try.” Yellow eyes rolled but he dutifully got a pencil and doodled on the paper. A strange array appeared and Al took it away from him.

“No, that one isn’t safe. Use a tested one.” Roy arched a brow. “It’s a growth array, for plants, but it gets out of control if the power control isn’t perfect. Brother, make us a castle, four feet tall.” Ed wrinkled his nose but began drawing a new circle.

It only took a few seconds and a pale light flashed. Nothing happened for a minute, then a small tremor shook the ground. Earth rose up and formed the walls, then the roof. A spire appeared at each corner and a small bridge completed the castle. It wasn’t quite three feet tall and fairly basic, rough, no ornamentation as was Ed’s usual style. Interesting, it was beginner alchemy, certainly, but still, it seemed a miracle he could do anything.

He was pulling on Roy’s arm, eager for the promised snack. Still hungry, even after just eating lunch. “Alright, let’s go. What would you like to eat?”

“Orange!”

“Certainly. Do you want me to peel it for you?” He nodded and pulled some more. “Be gentle, please. I’m coming, you don’t have to pull.”

An orange was retrieved and Roy peeled it quickly, lifting his hand to lick the juice off. Ed grabbed it and whined, tugging it back down. “What? I can’t peel if my hands are slippery.” A soft tongue slid between his fingers and down his wrist, lapping at the juice. The black eye closed and his head rolled back. He couldn’t breath, lost in flicks of wetness over his skin.

Al’s voice called him back. “Roy? Are you alright?” He yanked his hand away from Ed, drawing a surprised and injured cry.

“Y…yes, I’m fine. Can you finish up here, please? I need to go out for a second.” He swallowed heavily and felt three accusing sets of eyes on his back as he retreated to the bathroom. He could hear Ed asking Al why and if he was bad, but he couldn’t go back to reassure him.

He rested his head on the mirror, staring at his reflection. Did he really have the right to be with him? To drag him back to the life he’d escaped, to make him his lover again? His groin screamed ‘Yes, of course you do!’ and his heart ached with the desire to have him back, but his head wasn’t so sure.

A faint knock on the door broke him out of his moment. “General? Um, can I talk to you, please?” Fletcher, why was Fletcher here? He’d expected Al or Russell to come flying after him, but not Fletcher. He splashed his face and fluffed his bangs before readjusting himself and answering the door.

“Yes?” Both Tringhams were there, one glaring, the other just waiting patiently. He stepped back, letting them in with him. It would be crowded but they would all fit.

“Ah, well, I, um, don’t know much about love but I don’t think it’s good to be, ah, well.”

“He means keep your damn hands off him! He can’t seem to say no to you, so don’t you touch him!” Russell was a bit more blunt.

“I haven’t touched him, and I won’t until he’d back and can decide what he wants to do.”

“But you wanted to, we all saw it.” Well, really, that was a bit too blunt.

“First of all, it’s none of your business what I want or how obviously I want it. Secondly, of course I would want him, I love him. However, we are all old enough to be aware that love is not just physical.” Fletcher was turning an interesting shade of red and his brother wasn’t far behind him. “I love Ed far more for who how is than what he looks like. As I said, I haven’t touched him and won’t. You have no need to worry about his virtue.” He smirked at the boys and Russell’s eyes almost crossed with rage. “Go back and help Al. I’ll be along shortly.”

“You! How dare you! You come here, get him all worked up, change everything, and then you’ll leave and we’ll be left to deal with it. It was bad enough when we didn’t know what he wanted but to not be able to give it to him will make it hundred times worse. You said you wanted to help, but you’re fucking everything up. We were fine before, not perfect, but we did alright. Why did you come here!” The oldest boy blasted Roy with his rage at having his home disrupted. His brother tried to hold him back, casting nervous glances at Roy, who shrugged.

“I came here for him, you know that. As to changing your lives, they needed changing. The whole situation was a bomb with a loose wire; it could have blown you all up at any time.” There was no way Roy was backing down to a boy. He stuck his nose it the air. “You boys had no idea how to handle him, he deserves better.”

“Like you, I suppose?” The oldest boy snorted. “You just want to drag him back to the military, like a good little puppy. You’ll turn him over for a promotion within a week.” Roy opened his mouth to snap back but the younger brother beat him.

“Brother, please, that’s not true. He loves Ed, even you can see that. And he said he wouldn’t touch him, so that’s enough. Come on.” Fletcher showed his backbone, dragging his swearing brother down the hall.

A hand brushed through Roy’s bangs and he leaned heavily on the sink. It wasn’t true, he didn’t want Ed back in the military. Did he? No, no he would spare him that. He just wanted his lover back, to hold and adore. ‘Calm down, Roy. You have to relax, Ed will be upset.’ A few deep breaths and he felt his body relax. He opened the door and stumbled over the small body in front of it. “Ed? What are you doing?”

“Roy. Ok?” Small hands reached for him and he took them, pulling the blond into his arms. He hugged him close and petted his hair.

“Yes, I’m sorry Ed. I just had to take a few minutes. I’m fine.” Strong arms wrapped tightly around him and squeezed. This was what he needed, definitely. Nothing else would matter, as long he had this.