Fullmetal Fun

Hello! Wow, I’m really pleased with this story, its actually got PLOT (I’ve never really been able to do plot before so I’m quite happy.) I’m really enjoying writing this story so I hope you are all enjoying reading it, after all, its you guys I’m writing this for (yes, yes I am trying to make you all feel guilty so you review :D ).

Anyway, thank you to:

Radcat-YAY! My first reviewer! Thank you! I'm glad you liked the storm bit, I was worried I was over doing i but now I'm all happy, thank you! No worries all animals fine :).

Amethyst-eyed Koneko- I hope this chappy explains your questions about Ed and all...aww the poor froggy he's sweet (actually they are kinda icky aren't they?) :D I'm glad you found the hand bit funny, I could just imagine Ed's face when he saw...oh dear, lol.

Baroqueangel-Thank you! I'm glad you liked the angst, I was worried if I made the thing happy all the way through it would seem a bit...manic, lol. Your coments have really boosted me, thank you, even if you do want me to have flu, lol. Thank you!

To those above, thank you, I really do appreciate it, I really do, but never is too late to start reviewing so go on, please inflate my ego, its been having a bit of a bashing lately so I need it up and running again (minus dents).

I hold no rights over the anime or manga of Fullmetal Alchemist.

xXx

The dull chime of a clock striking midnight echoed through the house of Roy Mustang.

Nobody heard it.

There was nobody there.

x

Roy Mustang’s search for Edward Elric was getting desperate.

It had been at least four hours since the teen had ran out into the storm and so far there had been no sign of the blonde.

Roy was getting worried.

Roy had no disillusions about central, he knew exactly what kind of city he lived in. He knew that there were certain shady characters who stalked the streets at night, certain shady characters who, if they saw the attractive and youthful Ed, alone at this time of night...

Well...they would see it as an opportunity to...to...take advantage.

The very thought made Mustang’s blood boil in anger and freeze from fear.

He had to find him, had to find him.

Before somebody else did.

x

The rain continued to fall...

x

Broken and defeated Mustang began to trudge towards central headquarters.

He had failed him...

It had been hopeless. There were simply too many places Ed could have run to. Mustang had tried to cover the most obvious places, the bars Fullmetal frequented, Gracia’s, Hawkeye’s and hell, even the library which had been shut for hours.

Calling on Gracia and Hawkeye had been a bit awkward. Roy had managed to avoid explaining why he was calling in the middle of the night asking after Fullmetal by simply running off before they had a chance to ask any difficult questions.

They just wouldn’t have understood, well, Roy thought, that was understandable.

Chasing after a male subordinate who just happens to be living with you at midnight doesn’t exactly seem to be...well...a very superior officer/subordinate relationship thing to do...

He just didn’t want them getting any funny ideas...

Well, it was too late for that now anyway, it had all been a waste, he’d failed him.

The grey mass of the Central building loomed in the distance, its barred gates unwelcoming bearing the garish crest of the state military.

If Roy could do anything he could have Ed reported as missing, and hopefully the military would succeed in finding Edward Elric where he had failed. The though caused Roy’s heart to sink and a pain to convulse in his chest.

Failed...

He continued to walk and walk, his dull footsteps thumping out a grim rhythm.

Something caught Roy’s attention.

A hunched figure had come into view. They were slumped against the wall surrounding central building and illuminated by the light of a flickering street lamp Roy could see... a read coat! A shock of blonde hair!

“ED!” Roy shouted as he ran towards the person. “ED!”

The figure turned, slowly. Roy could see the expression of pain and...was that relief? That flitted across the alchemist’s features.

Roy was too relieved to be angry at Edward for deserting him. When he stopped running and was finally in front of the figure it was all Mustang could do to restrain himself from throwing his arms around the teen from sheer relief of finding him, to know that he was safe.

Panting in the cool night air Roy managed to gasp out “I was so...worried...you’re safe...you’re safe,” exuberant from relief.

Ed gazed numbly at Roy for a moment with pain dimmed eyes and then stopped, moving to stare up at the darkened sky.

Bitter salty tears blending with the cool rain Edward began to speak, his words addressed to the blanketed night.

“He wanted me to choose.”

Roy’s grin faltered. What was Ed talking about? Who was this person? Well, he was going to find out.

“Who, Ed, who wanted to make you chose?”

“Al.”

Oh... that explained it. Roy was finally going to get the answer to the question that had caused this entire mess. Although this wasn’t exactly the ideal situation to discuss such things with one look at Ed’s hurt streaked face Roy decided Ed needed this, some things are better out in the open.

He decided to proceed carefully, Ed was obviously still immensely upset at whatever had happened and Mustang didn’t want to cause the eighteen-year-old any more pain than he was already in.

“Choose? Between what, Ed?”

“Between the military and him. He wanted me to quit...otherwise...otherwise...” the words hung limply in the air “It was him or the military.” He finished brokenly.

Roy had barely time to comprehend what had just been said when Ed turned to look him in the eyes, an expression of desperate pain etched into his features.

“It sounds so simple, doesn’t it?” Ed choked the words out through sobs.“But it’s not simple, it’s not simple at all!”, he howled into the chill night air and continued, he had to get it all out, remove the oppressive weight from his chest.

“He didn’t know it but he was making me choose between him...and you.” Ed’s eyes fell to the floor in shame at the statement. “If I left the military I...I wouldn’t have been able to see you any more. I didn’t want to pick, but...I had to,” a renewed burst of sobbing followed this statement “I had to pick! And I chose the military! I chose the military, I chose you over Al!”

The raw grief and guilt were painfully apparent in Edward’s speech. Roy remained silent, his eyes widening at the statement.

Ed cared that deeply for him?

Deeply enough to choose him over Al?

Ed continued, voice cracking with emotion.

“I couldn’t do it...it hurt so much, the thought of not seeing you hurt so much...and Al’s...Al’s face when I told him I wouldn’t stop being a state alchemist...”

“Ed...”

The teen was hysterical, sobbing wildly with tears streaking down his face. Roy had to pull him out of it, some part of Roy, some small yet vital part ached and twisted at seeing Ed in such turmoil..

“ED!” Still no response. Time for a different technique.

As gently as he could, worried of startling the other alchemist, Roy slowly wrapped his arms around the teen and held him close, hushing his sobs and gently stroking his hair, amazed at the heat radiating from the body he was holding in his arms.

“Oh Ed...” Mustang rested his head against Edward’s. “Oh Ed...”

This seemed to quieten the blonde somewhat, his sobs lost their frenzied edge and he gladly accepted the comfort Roy was offering, comfort he had desperately needed. Slow and unsure Roy felt another pair of arms wrap around himself, responding to his embrace, Ed was hugging him back, holding him close.

They remained like this for some time, a pair of Alchemists arms entwined, Ed breathing deeply into Roy’s chest and Roy gently resting his head upon the other’s, hushing the occasional sobs.

“He hates me”

The words caught Roy by surprise, something deep inside Mustang aching in sympathy at the desolate pain in Ed’s voice.

“He doesn’t hate you.” It was a simple statement but the best that Roy could offer. “He doesn’t hate you, Ed, you’re brothers. He can’t hate you.”

Roy’s words seemed to soothe the blonde as after that he remained silent within Roy’s arms, allowing the man to continue to gently hold and silently comfort him.

Holding Edward in his arms Roy realised that Ed really was warm, something that the Flame Alchemist could appreciate. Mustang was freezing, that rainwater had been like ice and the heat radiating off Ed was a comfort to the near shivering man.

This knowledge did raise a question, however.

Roy Mustang was soaking and therefore cold, Edward Elric was also soaking, however, here lies the problem, appeared to be extremely hot, hell, Roy could even see sweat beading on his forehead, this did not appear to be right.

Mustang tentatively pressed the back of his hand against Fullmetal’s forehead, testing to see if his assumption was right. It was.

Roy’s hand was greeted by the hot and clammy sensation of Edward’s skin.

Ed was running a fever, and by the feel of it a bad one, yet another problem to add to the pile that Roy had recently accumulated.

Time to take action.

“Ed, come on now, we need to get you home and out of those wet clothes,” Roy inwardly cringed at the cliché but continued “you’re ill and staying out here isn’t going to do either of us any good, so you’re coming home with me, OK?”

No reply.

“OK, Fullmetal?”

Still held in Roy’s arms Ed looked up at the older man and Roy was alarmed to see fresh tears gathering in the blonde’s eyes.

“You...still want to know me? Even after what I’ve just told you? Even now you know that I...like...you?”

“Don’t be stupid. Of course I do Ed, I came to find you didn’t I?” Although Roy’s voice remained care free in truth Ed’s questioning had just brought the matter of Ed’s feeling towards him slamming back into Roy’s mind. With all the desperate searching for Ed it had completely slipped his attention, he was so focused on finding the squirt that his previous confession had been completely forgotten in the urgency.

Roy didn’t have the energy to deal with this right now. He was freezing with a delirious teen in his arms, Roy didn’t exactly feel like sorting out something complex like his subordinate’s feelings for him right now, even though he knew he was going to have to, at some point.

Oh what the hell, he could put off the matter for another few hours, Roy didn’t think his exhaustion blurred mind could handle any more drama that particular night. Yes, far easier to push the subject to one side and deal with it tomorrow, after some sleep, lots of sleep, lots and lots of wondrous beautiful sleep.

Ed, however, seemed intent on pursuing the subject.

“You still want to know me? Even after...even after...” The words were a strange mix of joy and guilt spluttered between hiccups...Oh dear...Roy didn’t need Ed choking on him as well as collapsing from fever so he decided to cut the blonde off when he seemed about to continue.

“Come on now, no more talk like that, we’ve got to get home don’t we? You’ll be no help if you go all teary on me, OK Fullmetal? Fullmetal?”

Eyes of liquid gold collided with his own, relief and sadness swirling in their depths. Ed opened his moth to reply...

And was cut off...

Rudely...

Well ‘shady’ night wonderers aren’t usually polite now, are they?

“What’s this? Two stray dogs out in the rain?” The words were slurred out by a threateningly large member of the band of thugs that had suddenly emerged from around the corner.

Oh God, this was just what Roy had been afraid of. In Roy’s frantic rush to chase after Ed when he had run Mustang had forgotten to pick up a coat, let alone an umbrella, even if he had he still wouldn’t have been able to use his flame alchemy in such weather. He couldn’t shoot flame. They were a pair of sitting ducks, they were vulnerable with no way to defend themselves, hell, he hadn’t even got a gun on him.

Roy had to protect Ed...he didn’t care what happened to himself but as long as Ed was safe... Mustang gritted his teeth, still holding Fullmetal, and prepared for fight or run for his and Ed’s lives.

“I’m not so sure if that one could be called a dog, boss.” One thug said, gesturing to Ed still in Mustang’s arms. “He’s more like a puppy, look at how small he is.”

It is quite miraculous what the effect of one simple word can be.

Suddenly Roy Mustang was no longer holding Edward Elric.

The short blond was standing in the centre of the pavement, a low growl filling the area.

Clap. The harsh sound of Ed bringing his hands together was an ominous signal of what was to come.

“DON’T CALL ME SMALL!”

It was nice to see that some things never change.

Roy even managed to feel some sympathy for the brutes, even though it wasn’t much.

It was quite horrible what Ed did to them.

Roy was amazed Fullmetal could find such energy when running such a fever.

x

...a few action filled minutes later...

x

Some groaning on the floor some pretending to be unconscious to escape the further attentions of the highly height sensitive alchemist the band of wannabe muggers were left in various states of pain. Ed, the adrenaline rush leaving him that the fight had induced finally had the weight of his exhaustion and fever hit him full on.

Obviously exhausted the short alchemist slumped forward about to collapse onto the cool pavement yet was caught by the strong arms of Roy Mustang who, with a soothing “Whoa there... you’ve had enough excitement tonight, don’t go and concuss yourself, I don’t know if I’ve got enough energy to carry you home, let alone to the hospital.”

In a normal situation Ed would have made some witty reply, probably along the lines of calling Roy a feeble old man, but, in this case, he didn’t.

He was asleep.

Nestling close to Roy’s warmth, Edward Elric slept in the colonel’s arms, allowing himself to be gently carried by the other man.

That night, when Roy Mustang walked home with Edward Elric in his arms, he was invincible.

He had found Ed. All of his problems had been washed away and forgotten in an instant by the sheer relief that flooded through him at the knowledge that the blonde was safe...was back with him.

He didn’t think of what he was going to have to do tomorrow, how he was going to have to deal with Ed’s emotions and nurse obviously feverous blonde currently asleep in his arms.

It was, on the whole, a touching scene.

With peculiar fondness Roy Mustang gazed down at Edward Elric, tenderly moving his eyes across the blonde’s sleep softened features, silently appreciating just how beautiful Ed really was. The rain had finally stopped and there was a scattering of stars across the sky, winking down at the moonlit pair.

Yes, that night Roy Mustang was invincible. With high hopes he wondered what the next day would bring.

Good thing he didn’t know.

If he did he did he probably would have dropped the unconscious alchemist he was currently holding and made a run for it...

Bath time!

To be continued...

xXx

Ack! Sorry if the chappy was a bit rough but its twenty to twelve and I was dedicated on getting this chappy out : ). I hope you all enjoyed it, writing it was a pleasure, I’m beginning to feel more comfortable with the dialogue, something I’ve always found hard so I’m pretty happy : ).

Anyway, please review! (Too tired to do any more begging).

Yodel! Merkswinter.

Oh..hahaha and yes there will be bubbles and soap and a great big hot bathtub in the next chappy... its going to be fun to write : ).