Reshuffled and Dealt

Next Chapter (Again, cause I forgot to check)


*****Flashback*****

Cheering and an explosion shook the compound. Roy came running out of his office as the building shook. “What the hell is that?” His men were lined up at the window, staring out silently. “Well?”

Jean’s hand waved at him to come look, his eyes not turning from the window. The brunette stalked over and a place was made for him to see. A large circle was gathered in the center of the yard and a familiar blond shape was wrestling with a smaller form. “Who, Is that Tiffany?” Silent nods all around. “What the hell are they doing?”

“I think they’re fighting. She just ooohh” The entire group cringed back from a particularly vicious kick that came awfully close to the blond alchemist’s groin.

Heavy steps thudded through the hall and they turned to see a young officer dart into the room. “General! Lieutenant Hawkeye sent me to find you.” A dark brow rose at him. “She wants you to stop Fullmetal. He’s fighting with his girlfriend in the courtyard.”

A slim hand motioned him over and the young man’s eyes rounded. “Wow, you can see everything from up here!” He pressed in and a spot was made for him beside Fuery.

A few minutes of watching Ed get his ass kicked later and they were still cringing from that last shot, a direct kick to the stomach that sent the blond alchemist flailing backwards. “Maybe you should go stop them.” Jean had to light a cigarette in sympathy after that hit.

“No, I think I’ll let Fullmetal get what’s coming to him.” A holster snapped behind them.

“Sir. Please go and remove the threat to the base.” Roy peeked back and saw the gun wasn’t drawn and felt brave enough to resist, his gaze returning to the scene below them.

“But, he was rude to me yesterday. A little beating won't hurt him.” The safety clicked and he didn't feel so brave anymore. “Of course, Lieutenant, as you said, it is a threat to the base.”

*****************

“Why can’t you just listen to me?” He ducked another kick and swept his leg out, aiming for her support.

“Why should I? I saw you!” A light jump and she was flying over his head, skirt swirling around her thighs.

Ed took a second to growl at their audience when all eyes focused on pale, firm skin. “No, you didn’t! It must have been someone else!” A loud clap and short spikes forced her back, dancing along the tops. Every head in the audience craned up frantically, watching that teasing bit of cloth float through the air.

An effortless back flip and she landed daintily, skirt settling around her knees again. “Oh, yeah, and there is more than a single foot tall blond alchemist in the city!”

“You take that back!” A pink tongue mocked him. “You bitch!” Steam rose from his ears in his rage, fueled by the laughter and cheering around them.

A loud gasp and she stared at him; he rarely called her names like that. “How dare you! Call me a bitch, you asshole!” A fast series of kicks, almost too quick for him to block. “Who do you think you are? You can’t just call me names!”

“You’re calling me a liar! And look at you, dragging us out here to fight in public, making a scene.” He could feel the hot flush in his cheeks heating more with each word. “You damn whore! You’re just accusing me so I won’t pay attention to you going out with that kid from 17th last week!” Of course he knew she was just bored and the kid offered to buy her a bun, but still.

Her cheeks went absolutely white then flushed to a brilliant red and she charged forward, fists flying; the furious, wordless scream almost drowned out the audible winces from the men surrounding them. The first missed and she changed direction in an instant and twirled, elbow up, one hand on the other to add extra force. A sickening crunch marked the contact of the small elbow with the blond’s nose.

Ed went flying, rolling head over heels until he came to rest on his back, staring straight up. Blood flowed readily, soaking into his shirt and running over his neck. Wet coughing started and he rolled to his stomach, one hand over the abused area, the other holding him up to spit out the thick fluid running down his throat. “Dat fuckin’ hurz!” He wobbled to his feet, hand covering most of his face and glared at her. “Bitch.”

“Asshole.” Sharp pants gave away how upset she was, her fists clenching and digging long nails into her palms.

“Slut.” His metal hand waved through the air, punctuating the insult.

“Mother fucker.” Gold flared and seemed to glow for a second.

Some of the on-lookers started to back away, the circle widening around them; that kind of manic gleam was deadly and everyone with a single brain cell knew better than to jab at Edward Elric’s mother. His mouth opened and his voice shivered with rage. “You stupid cu” Metal slapped across his mouth and he stared, slightly appalled with what he’d almost said, rage vanishing under a layer of fear.

A voice came from his left. “Oh shit.” Bodies hit the ground, years of military training kicking in. Forty seven prostrate bodies, arms over their heads and nearly as many took their chances with running.

The couple stared at each other, eyes wide, until Ed hit the ground on his knees. Envy didn’t move, bright green darkening dangerously. The blond’s nose finally stopped bleeding and he wiped as much away as possible and scooted forward a little, licking his lips. “Ah, En?” He ignored their audience, who were listening avidly while trying to remain unnoticed.

“What did you say?” She didn’t even blink and he lifted his hand slowly, reaching a little.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, truly sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.” An inch was gained, then another, sliding him closer, hoping to keep the damage to a minimum. Once Envy’s voice went cold like that, it was either run or die, and if he could keep it under control with a bit of begging, so be it.

“What did you say?” Voice still freezing, she slid back a step, letting him crawl further to her.

‘Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.’ Words failed him and he riffled his internal library frantically. “Ah, I, ah, well, I said ‘Curvaceous, charming, and generous beauty who is not about to kill me’ Yeah, that’s it, that’s what I said.” He nodded emphatically, inching slowly forward to be able to grab the hem of her skirt. Not that it would stop her, but it might make her slow down a little. He hoped.

A slim brow twitched but she didn’t kick him, just looked down her nose and considered whether she should accept the blatant flattery or not.

“I though he was going to say ‘cunt’” The voice was probably supposed to be a whisper but the entire circle drew in a deep breath and everyone around the offender crawled away, leaving a large clear area around him.

Ed threw himself on the small body facing him, her face turning a brilliant shade of red. “Oh fuck, don’t kill him!”

Before she could decide who to kill first, Roy’s voice rang out. “What is going on here, Fullmetal? Raising our public image again?” The smirk echoed in the brunette’s voice as Roy crossed the yard, hands in his pockets, looking as if he’d just come out for a stroll. “Nothing like having one of our supposed elite get beat to a bloody pulp by his girlfriend in the middle of the compound.”

The blond stared in horror; could this get any worse? “Mustang, get lost. Everything is fine, everything is under control.” A dark brow rose skeptically. “We’re good, aren’t we?” The last question was directed to the redhead who stared down at him. His voice dropped to a whisper, so faint he could barely hear it. “Come on, En. I’ll get you a whole bag of those candies you like and you can decide on my penitence. Please?”

Cold, cold eyes watched him, anger still bright across her cheeks; a short nod and she reached down to pull him to his feet. His nose was inspected and a firm fist held the base of his ponytail. “What are OW!” A light snap and his nose straightened out. “Owowowow.”

A final glare and she stalked off, leaving the men staring after her; both of Ed’s eyes were already swelling up and darkening by the second. “So, Fullmetal? Now that you have humiliated yourself in front of the entire base, what’s next? After fixing the compound, of course.” Ed looked around and noticed that they had ripped the place up fairly well; spikes, holes, a cage Envy had torn apart, a few walls and the gate leading to the dorms was hanging by one hinge where he’d bolted through. “Really, my days are never as exciting as when you are in town.”

“Fuck you, ya bastard. Like you weren’t watching and being the lazy asshole you are. Lend me fifty bucks, I’m gonna start gathering stuff so I can go home tonight.” A slightly painful smirk. “At least I can buy my way out of anything.” The brunette flushed a bit, pale cheeks pinking at the reminder of his expulsion from Hawkeye’s good graces; she was not as tolerant, nor was it as easy to be forgiven.

****End*****

“Don’t fuss. Everything will be fine. Envy seems to be feeling better and they’re getting along alright.” The kitchen was empty and dirty dishes were still on the table. “Envy! Get in here!”

Shuffling from the living room and soft footsteps approached. “Shut up, Pest just got to sleep.”

“Envy, put your dishes in the sink, please. I’ll wash them, but you can’t leave them on the table.” Violet blinked slowly. “Come on, you aren’t a child and you aren’t helpless.” Slim arms folded and the small brunette waited patiently. They stood and stared at each other while Jean rummaged through the fridge, looking for his supper. “Envy, now please. You’re going to have to pick up some of the chores around here, especially after the baby is born.”

Thin lips were sucked as he thought about it, then grabbed the plates and dropped them into the sink. One chipped with a faint crack but Cain didn’t say anything about it. “Thank you. Can you come later and help me with the laundry?” A pale shoulder shrugged and he wandered out the door.

“Damn. I always thought you were a sweet little guy but you’ve got more guts than half the guys I know.” A soft smile and the small officer settled across the table from the blond.

**************

Ed’s head hurt. Badly. It was well past time for bed and he was wandering around his room, slightly bored. The last report he’d written hadn’t been tested yet and he needed the results to move forward. Research was slow, between spending time with Envy, being sick, and trying to get ready for the baby. He’d read all his baby books at least three times and his officer housemates were out for the evening, or maybe he should say morning, it was well past three. Not that he blamed them, he was well aware he was difficult to deal with and they certainly deserved a break.

He pressed his forehead against the cool glass of his window and stared out, rubbing his stomach absently. It had grown a lot over the past few months and was starting to get heavy. Seven months; it seemed so long but so incredibly short, to get ready for a baby. The nursery was almost finished, painted a light green with designs stenciled around the edges, and Fuery had made certain they had lots of supplies. The only thing they had put off buying was the formula, in case they needed something special. He tried not to be paranoid about that; the doctor assured him everything seemed fine and the baby was active.

A faint grin. He’d scared the hell out of Mustang when he came to visit. They’d been sitting in the living room and Ed got up to get some tea when the baby kicked unexpectedly; he still wasn’t used to it. He’d screamed and landed on his ass, sending his superior into a panic that he’d hurt himself. Once Cain talked them both out of hyperventilating, he’d set his hands on the swelling stomach and felt little feet kick solidly. He’d even let Roy touch. Which had been amusing all on its own; obviously Mustang wasn’t really used to touching pregnant tummies.

The pleasure everyone had taken in it had gone a long ways to making him more confident about the entire thing; they all fussed and petted as much as he would let them. Which was nice, even if all the attention did make him a bit uncomfortable sometimes. Riza and Cain took care to monitor his comfort levels and dragged everyone away when he started to fidget. They had all been supportive and protective; most days, Havoc came home with armfuls of treats, everything from candies to his favorite oranges from across the city.

A slight frown at the thought. He’d gotten used to having people there to look after him and it was strange to not be able to choose. Jean and Cain had started taking turns going in to the office, to make it less obvious something was going on. Though, it was fair; Envy was getting to be quite good at doing chores without being nagged and was turning into a great help, making the officers less necessary.

They had been gone a lot recently, now that he thought about it, and there had been a lot of visitors lately too, Riza and Roy stopped by every other day with Armstrong, Falman, and Breda, and Al came by daily. Not that it wasn’t appreciated, because he was bored a lot, but it was strange that they were around so frequently, and hugged or patted him when they left, as if they were never coming back. He shrugged it off as paranoia and turned his attention to thoughts of his partner.

Envy was absolutely paranoid and pretty much refused to let the blond out of his sight, only going out to get things to satisfy cravings. Which was where he should be now. And why was it taking so long? The store was right down the street and sweet pickles couldn’t be that hard to find. His stomach growled a bit at the thought of yummy pickles.

A tap on the window vibrated against his skin and jerked him away from his thoughts. His eyes widened and he scrambled back frantically, reaching for the door. “Now Runt, is that any way to greet your man?” The slim body slipped in through the window easily. “And after I ran all over the city to find these for you too.” Violet assessed him briefly. “What’s wrong?”

“You, you asshole! You scared me! Gimme!” Pickles were fished out and eaten quickly, the brunette ignored now that he had provided.

A deep sigh and the homunculus flopped on the bed, arms spread wide. “You know, you should be grateful and shower me with attention.” A faint snort and the blond wandered over to sit beside him, flesh hand rubbing the flat little tummy. “Come on, I’m tired. Take these.” A pair of blue pills was held out.

“What are they? Did Elsha say it was ok?” Ed took them and rolled the pair in his palm.

Envy hopped up and darted over to get a glass of water from the bathroom. “Yeah, yeah, they’re fine. It’s just to help you get rid of that headache. Hurry up.” The blond frowned at bit but tossed them back, swallowing quickly. Slim arms were held out and he moved into them, cuddling in tightly. “Hey, don’t sleep yet, I have something for you.”

Gold eyes opened again and he looked up at the locket dangling over his head. “What’s that?” Metal closed over it with a soft clink and it was released into his possession. “Why are you giving this to me?” It was big, almost two inches across and had intricate arrays etched on both sides. He tried to pry it open but the edges were sealed and Envy’s hand covered his, preventing him from playing with it.

Blank eyes stared at the wall, moonlight glinting off the purple. “Just, take it. If you need me, open it and use blood on it. I’ll feel it and find you.”

“En? What’s wrong? What’s going on?” The blond tried to sit up but was pushed back down. “What are you guys hiding from me?” He struggled faintly for a moment then subsided, waiting for an answer.

A deep breath and the brunette looked down at him. “I’m, I’m going away for a while. There are some, things I need to take care of, but I’ll come back, probably before the baby is born.”

“No! No, you can’t leave! En, what is it? Did I do something? I’m sorry, I” Soft lips pressed to his, cutting the flow of desperate words short.

“Shh, it has nothing to do with you. I’ll be back before you can miss me. Sleep, we’ll talk in the morning.” One of the few lies he told to his lover. Protests were cut off by gentle kisses and the drug started to work, making the small blond drowsy. A quick shift and the brunette faded into his dragon form, cuddled around the rounded stomach, heavy head resting on the broad chest, a deep rumble soothing the tears and warm breath drying the wet tracks.

Gold eyes closed and the homunculus wondered when he’d see them open again. One more kiss and he got up carefully, shifting to a picture perfect image of Ed, the way he had been; short, long hair in a braid down his back, black clothes and a red cape, with white gloves covering the auto-mail hand.

A quick check for accuracy, though he didn’t need it. He could draw Ed with his eyes closed but it never hurt to double check; mistakes at this juncture would be irreparable. The battered suitcase the pregnant blond had stored, too stubborn to get rid of it, was dragged out and filled quickly with extra clothes and a few books before being set by the door. They would be here soon and he had to be ready to leave immediately, not give them time to look around.

The clock was checked and as the hand shifted into position to signal five, a sharp knock echoed in the house. He ripped the door open and grabbed his baggage, glaring at the uniforms outside on the step. “Quiet, idiots. I told you that when we made the final arrangements.”

“Oh, yeah. You knocked your girl up, didn’t you?” A slightly condescending tone crept into the snotty words. “How is she?”

White teeth gleamed in a brief snarl. “Better than you if you don’t show a bit of respect for your betters.” They hadn’t come across much in the way of discrimination against unwed mothers but he wasn’t going to let it start now. “Let’s go. The faster we’re out of here, the sooner we’re back.”