FMA BIG BANG CHALLENGE
Hello everyone ^^
How are you all doing? I know I haven't been online for quite a while... sorry about that... So here it is... the first part of my story "The Spirit Never Dies"....
I hope you enjoy it so far... Two colonels and Simple Offer will be updated next week... *promise*
There are picture accompanying this chapter.. thanks to Chiharu ^^ I hope you enjoy them as well ;) they are linked in the chapter ^^
~The Spirit Never Dies~
Author: TenshiShanai
Rating: NC17 (overall; this Chapter: PG13)
Pairing: Roy/Ed
Warnings: Spoiler for first Anime, especially episode 51, AU, Yaoi, BXB
Disclaimer: As an Otaku I would be under category 4: FAN
WIP: part 1 of ??
Word count: 7.140 (7.140)
Summary: Over 200 years in the future the past seems to repeat itself…
Chapter 01 - Kimi no Kioku (Your Memories)
“I’m sorry, so sorry. I couldn’t choose you. You know that, don’t you? I love you. I hope we see each other again.”
The youth clapped his hands and touched his bare chest. Blue light is flowing through the dark place. Moments later every thing was enveloped in light. A silent scream ripped from the teen’s mouth. Then everything was black…
“…ward. Edward! Wake up it’s almost two in the afternoon.”
The little blond teenager grunted his reply and threw the blankets back. It had been the same dream. Over and over again he dreamt of a young man or teenager who felt sorry for something he did or didn’t. Then there was the light. It felt warm even in his dreams. He sighed. It didn’t make any sense at all. The blonde sat up and scratched his head. He needed a shower - soon. He stood up and walked over to the bathroom which was attached to his bedroom. The bright light in the room made him close his eyes. He groaned and shut the door behind him.
Half an hour later he was showered and his teeth were brushed. He walked back into his room to find his father opening the blinds of his window. It was a miracle that he had managed to even reach the window with all the books on the floor and on the desk. The older man took a deep breath of the warm summer air and sighed heavily. Ed cleared his throat to get his father’s attention. Hohenheim turned around and smiled gently at his 13-year-old son who looked so much like him.
“Good afternoon, Edward. Slept well?”
The teen groaned and rolled his eyes. He walked to his closet and got new boxers out of one of the piles lying inside. He shot his father a nasty glance over his shoulder to which Hohenheim rolled his eyes and turned back to the window. Ed let the towel - that was trapped around his waist - fall to the floor and got into his boxers and socks.
“You know that I have changed your diaper when you were a baby. I know what you have down there. I’m your father. You don’t need to be embarrassed about anything.”
The older blonde made a move to turn around but another grunt from his son warned him not to do so.
“How I miss the time when we were taking a bath together. You weren’t shy then. I remember you even used to run out in the garden…”
“DON’T. EVEN START. About it! I was a kid that time.”
“Yeah and now you’re all grown up and mature.”
Hohenheim waved his hand to dismiss the discussion.
“Am I allowed to turn around, yet?”
Ed sighed and took the towel from the floor. He was fully dressed so it didn’t matter to him any more.
“Yeah sure.”
The teen walked back into his bathroom to hang the towel over the rack. He didn’t like to start a quarrel with his father. He knew he was giving Hohenheim a hard time. But what could he do? He was 13 and he was a teenager and those didn’t listen to their parents. He sighed heavily. Teenagers also weren’t supposed to read books on Ancient Amestrian History all day (and night) long.
As he got back into his room his father was still there. The older Elric had several books in one arm and read the title of another with an amused smile on his lips.
“What are you smiling about?”
The older blonde turned his head slightly still smiling. He held the book out so that Ed could see the cover art and the title.
“’Fullmetal and Flame - Heroes of Alchemy’? I didn’t know you were into fiction. I always presumed you liked the old-big-dusty-kind of books.”
Ed got the books from his father and scowled up to him.
“It has something to do with history.”
He lied them down on another stack of books.
“And some fiction from time to time helps me to relax. That way I won’t go grey as soon as you did.”
Ed snapped his mouth shut. That hadn’t been necessary. Damn it. He shut his eyes tightly and swallowed. The teen turned around to his father and saw him smiling. The older man shook his head and walked out of his son’s room. Moments later the teen followed him. He didn’t want to upset the man - he just did it several times a day.
“Dad, I…”
Hohenheim turned on the stairs and smiled up at him - forgiven again. This fact made Ed even angrier. Every time the teen did something Hohenheim would just smile and forgive him. He didn’t even need to apologise. There was just this uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach and the sad dark-golden eyes of his father. Said man arched his eyebrow.
“You hungry? I can make some breakfast.”
Ed nodded and shrugged. The older man made his way farther down before he stopped again.
“By the way… Could you clean your room a bit? There will be guests arriving today.”
The teen scowled. Guests or not, nobody (besides Hohenheim) had the right to snoop through his room. He didn’t see the necessity of cleaning his room but just once he could what his father asked him to do. He sighed and nodded again before he walked back into his room.
There were books everywhere - on his floor, on his desk, even under his desk. There was just a small path from the door to his bed, from the bed to the bathroom and now a small path from his bed to his desk made by his father to open the window. He sighed heavily. Maybe after he had cleaned the books from the floor he would put them back into the shelf whenever he had read one - again. The five big and two smaller shelves were mostly empty and he hoped there would be enough space for all the books in his room.
Ed started with the first stack in front of his bed. He put them into the shelves not caring if there was a system to organise them. He would invite one later or organise them when he wanted to do it. By the time when half of the books were gone his father brought him sandwiches, eggs and coffee upstairs. There was still a soft breath coming into the room and Ed’s ponytail was swinging in time with his movements. Four out of seven shelves were full of books and Hohenheim doubted that all of the books would find a place in them.
“You’ve come pretty far. I can’t remember the last time your room had been this clean.”
The teenager turned and frowned. As he saw the sandwiches his facial expressions made a U-turn and he lied the book down that he was about to put into the shelf. Hohenheim sat on his son’s bed and handed him the cup of coffee and the plate with the eggs and sandwiches. They were sitting silently next to each other while Ed ate his - late - breakfast.
“So who is coming to visit us? Someone I know?” asked the teen as he stood up to put the dishes on the desk.
“You know both guests. Maybe you don’t remember one of them but you know him nonetheless.”
Ed arched an eyebrow.
“That’s not really telling me who will come to visit.”
The older man barked a laugh, stood up and took the dishes down with him.
“Take it as a surprise!”
The teen turned, muttered “I don’t like surprises!” under his breath and got back to sort his books into the shelves.
Another 30 minutes later the older Elric came back with a black jeans and a white button-down shirt over his arm. Ed was done with the shelves and started to pile up the books which didn’t fit into them in front of the shelves. He wept the sweat from his forehead. Hohenheim laid the clothes on the fresh made bed and leaned against the desk.
“I’m impressed. You did a good job. But I think we should get you a new shelf - or two.”
Ed stretched and freed his hair. His bangs were sticking to his sweaty forehead - not something he enjoyed. He eyed the clothes on his bed and took a deep breath.
“I’ll better take a shower before I wear something fancy like that.”
He didn’t like the clothes. They always meant something formal. That’s why his father kept them so Ed didn’t have a chance to crumple them in his wardrobe. The blonde sighed heavily and got a new change of boxers and socks before he made his way to his bathroom to take his second shower that day.
He was just done with his shirt as he heard the door bell ringing. He still didn’t know who those guests were and he didn’t know what his father had meant that he ‘maybe wouldn’t remember one of them’. He got out of his room and already heard his father greeting their guests. A female voice answered him. Ed recognised this voice immediately. It made him shiver from head to toe very time he heard it. He walked down to see their guests as well - a woman with black hair in dreadlocks and a teenager with black hair and what seemed to be a broken arm. The woman, Izumi Curtis, was like his father a professor for Ancient Amestrian History. They had been colleagues at the Central University before she got married and moved to her husband to Southern City. She was lovely enough but sometimes - let’s say you don’t want to be on her bad side. The boy on the other hand looked familiar but Ed couldn’t remember where he had seen him before - maybe some photo album. Hohenheim saw his son on the stairs starring at the dark-haired teen with the cast. He cleared his throat to get his son’s attention.
“Edward, you certainly remember my former colleague Izumi.” The teen greeted the woman with a small nod but his gaze was soon back on the other guest. “The young man you seem to be so fond of, Edward, is Roy Mustang. He’s the son of Izumi’s cousin in East City and the reason why they are here today.”
Ed blushed and shot his father a glance. How dare he say something like that! Okay, so he was eyeing the teen but when were there good-looking teen in this house? Wait… Good-looking?! He blushed some more and followed his father and their guests to the living room. On the way there he glanced up at Roy’s back and was met with a glare from the other teen. The young blonde looked down again and felt his face heating up.
Izumi and Roy sat on the comfortable couch while Ed and Hohenheim took the two armchairs opposite them. He drew his legs to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. He had already decided that he didn’t like that Roy-guy - no matter how good-looking he was. He grunted lowly and wished this visit would be over soon so that he could go upstairs again, change his clothes and read a book. He didn’t really listen to what the adults were saying. He wasn’t interested. Probably they were babbling about students and what they were going to teach in the upcoming semester.
Suddenly his thoughts about his 'after-visit' activities stopped. He looked up and was impressed as he saw Izumi hugging Roy who tried to held his tears back. Had he really heard right? That Roy's parents had been killed by fire? He swallowed heavily. His mouth was dry. In his mind he was back to the awful 2 years ago. To the moment when he woke up with his right arm and parts of his left leg missing; with the news that his little brother and his mother were dead and his father crying and stroking his hair. He couldn't remember the day the accident had happened. He had been comatose for nearly a month and it took another year before he was able to visit the graves. He swallowed again and rubbed his right arm.
“I would take him in but as you know I'm travelling nearly all year long and I can't take him with me. He needs a stable home until his physical and mental injuries have healed.” Izumi stroked over the soft black hair of her nephew and kissed the back of his head. “Not to mention that I really have no experience how to take care of a young boy.”
Hohenheim nodded briefly and glanced at the young teen. He already had made up his mind, would take the teen in. It would be good for Ed to have somebody here while Hohenheim himself was at the university. But what would Ed think about that? He had seen how his son had looked at Roy as they had arrived here. The older Elric knew already that his son was not as fond of women as he was of men and he didn't mind that but what would happen if those two would fall in love and what would happen if Roy disgusted Ed's admiration for him? The older man sighed heavily and closed his eyes. It was a tightrope walk but he would go any way.
“I would be glad to help you, Izumi. Roy wouldn't be alone here. Ed and him can be good friends. Again.”
He smiled at his son who raised an eyebrow. So he did know this Roy and they may have been friends. But why was this guy then glaring at him? Could he have done something that had hurt Roy the last time he was around? Or was Roy just angry that he had to be with them for the time being? He sighed heavily and leaned his head back looking at the ceiling. If Roy really was angry at him or just didn't want to stay here, they could go their own ways. The house was big enough so that they wouldn't have to talk more than necessary. He sighed again. It would really have been nice to have somebody he could talk to, again. Well, somebody beside his father. Somebody his own age. He looked down and found himself looking into the blackest eyes he had ever seen.
[“What did you do that for? That's gross” “It was a kiss. Don't get worked up about it.”]
The blond blushed heavily. Was it really what he thought it was? A memory from before the accident? He wasn't able to remember much from before the awful day. Sometimes there were emotions linked to situations but that was all. Now as he looked into those obsidian eyes he could clearly hear those words spoken in his mind linked to pictures of himself much younger wiping his mouth and spitting on the floor, his face bright red and a younger version of Roy smirking down at him. He really wanted to hurt this boy as anger flooded his body. What the hell?!
He blinked several times before he was able to hear his father talking to him.
“Huh?”
Hohenheim raised an eyebrow and smiled down at his son.
“I asked you to bring Roy up to his room. The guest room opposite your room would be fitting, don't you think?”
“Err... Sure.”
Ed was still bright red but managed to stand up and lead the way upstairs to the aforementioned guest room. He opened the door and walked straight to the window opening it to let a fresh air into the sparely used room. The soft breath let his hair swing behind his back ruffling his bangs. It was a nice day and already could see himself lying on the grass in the garden reading something. Maybe he would do that as soon as Izumi was gone.
He turned around and looked again into Roy's eyes nearly loosing himself again. Damn it. If that guy wasn't such a jerk it would possibly be nice to be with him. He sighed heavily.
“What are you sighing about?”
Ed looked up.
“I... Nothing.”
Roy just nodded and opened his suitcase to unpack his clothes.
“I heard that about your brother and your mother. I'm sorry.”
Ed blinked up at the other teen who hadn't even looked up from his things as he had spoken those soft words. The blond swallowed and looked away.
“I... Thanks. I'm sorry for your parents, too. I... Never mind.”
Ed made his way out of this room without looking at the other teen before he reached the door.
“Dinner is at seven. See you then.”
Roy just nodded and resumed unpacking his things. With just one hand it was difficult but he didn't dare to asked for help. He would have preferred to live with Izumi. He would have preferred to live all on his own. But being sent to Central was his worst case scenario. He didn't like the city. It was much too big for his liking and he had bad memories of the time his father had been stationed here. The kids at school hadn't liked him because he was the son of a Colonel. Nobody liked the army because of its history and what it had done to Amestris 200 years ago and earlier. But it wasn't his fault and it wasn't his father's fault. He knew what his Dad was working on. That he wanted to be this country a better place for future generations.
Most people didn't want to see the achievements in military politics and they didn't want to see the person behind the stars. Just this family had been different. They had welcomed Roy and his family the day they arrived with the typical bread and salt and 100 cens a young couple normally gets when they get their first apartment. His Dad had laughed and thanked them. Hohenheim had helped to move furniture into the house with his father and the people from the moving company. Trisha had helped his mother with the food for everybody and Ed and Al - well those two weren't much help but at least they had played with him. It was over a month later when Izumi visited that they had found out the the Mustangs were related to a former colleague of Hohenheim. Those were his most treasured memories of Central - not about school (his mother had insisted that he would go to a public school). It was sad that they had to move just 6 months later to the western boarder. He smiled and remembered his parting gift to Ed. At age 8 it sounded good to him to kiss the one he liked most. Well, Ed hadn't liked it and had protested loudly. Too loud for Izumi and it was the first and last time he saw her wrath.
Maybe it weren't his bad memories of his school time in Central that he didn't want to come back here but that Ed and Hohenheim had experienced something as bad as what had happened to his parents. He knew how close that family had been - how they had acted during the time they were here.
He put the last of his clothing into the closet and walked to the window. The garden was still as big as he remembered and there was still the hidden staircase leading to a small beach at the Grand Lake. Some people say that on the ground of the Grand Lake is the old part of Central - the one that had vanished on a night 200 years ago. Some claim that there is a cave underneath the ground with an even older city in it. He looked around the garden and saw a small figure lying in the grass on his front. As if the blond had noticed him watching the younger teen and looked up at his window. They looked at each other for several moments before he heard Hohenheims call from downstairs.
“Ed come inside. Dinner is ready in about 5 minutes.”
The blonde nodded and took his book that was lying next to him and walked inside. He glanced up at the other teen's window again but Roy was already gone. He sighed. He was really stupid for falling like somebody like that guy. The black haired teen hadn't shown any interest in him unless you count on some fishy memory his brain could just have made up to lure him in.
He walked up the stairs and straight into somebody else. Both fell back and looked at each other rubbing their backsides.
“Sorry... I wasn't looking where I was going.”
“I didn't look either. So don't apologise.”
The older teen stood up and reached his hand out to help Ed standing up. The smaller teen smiled and before he could stop himself took Roy's hand in his right hand. Roy blinked as he looked down at the flesh coloured hand that was cold and a little too hard to be bones and muscles.
“Your hand...”
Ed pulled it back hugging his right arm to his chest.
“From the accident.”
With those words the teen hurried into his own room leaving the older standing there on his own. The black haired teen turned around to walk down but was again stopped by another Elric standing in front of him. Hohenheim looked grim but sad at the same time.
“Why...?”
“Come down with me. I'll tell you there.”
Ed was standing with his back to his door still hugging his right arm tightly. He hated it. It always remembered it of the time he had seen his father crying and being depressed. It always remembered both of them of their lose. And now Roy would really hate him. He wasn't whole anymore. He was 1/3 metal and there wasn't a way to get his lost limbs back.
[“You can't be sure that the Stone will help, Edward.” “I know that.” “You know that I don't mind your metal limbs. They are a part of you. I would rather have you with 2 metal limbs for the rest of my life than loosing you while chasing for something that could kill you.” “I know.” There was silence for some moments. “But I want to touch and feel you with both arms one day.”]
Ed blinked his eyes. Where had that been from? What stone was that man talking about and was that really himself answering? His head hurt. That 'memory' felt more like those dreams he has had for some weeks now. He rubbed his right arm. He shivered lightly and looked outside. What had been a blissful blue heaven just minutes ago had turned into grey clouds and a wind that smelled of rain. The teen turned and got a sweater out of his closet. He put it on and walked to his window to close it before the rain started. He could already here the thunder from far away. That meant he would ache all over by the time the sun set. He really hated the rain.
[“I don't like the rain either. My whole body hurts and the automail is stiff.” The young man looked at the older sitting in his armchair. Then a smirk replaced his sober features. “But I'm at least not completely useless.”]
Ed massaged his temples. He should really do something about the headache and about those conversations going on in his head. Maybe he just had read too much of those 'Fullmetal and Flame' novels. That should be it. He had often read how that Fullmetal guy had called that Flame guy 'useless'. But why was he remembering that now?
He walked into the Dining Room they just used when they had guests. It was too big for the two of them. He was still massaging his temples as he sat down. Hohenheim looked concerned.
“Are you feeling ill?”
“No. I just have a headache. I'll go and lie down after I had something to eat.”
Hohenheim nodded. He knew why his son wanted to lie down. It was their secret code for Ed's automail is aching. Roy didn't look up once.
After the meal the teens helped to clean the table and went upstairs in their rooms. Roy sat on the fluffy armchair standing next to the window and looked outside. It had started to rain and he could see flashes twitching above the clouds. He hated the rain. If it would have rained the day his parents died maybe there wouldn't have been a fire and then they would be still alive. He sighed heavily. Who was he joking with? Of course they would still be dead. A burning engine couldn't be extinguished by rain. He leaned his head against the backrest and closed his eyes. He was tired. So damn tired. I wasn't about his body being injured. It was his mind that wanted to rest, that wanted to take in everything he just had heard this day. He sighed heavily, relaxed some more and recalled the talk he had had with Hohenheim while they prepared the table for Dinner.
'You have felt that Ed's hand isn't real, right?'
A simple nod to a question that wasn't really necessary.
'His whole arm is automail. His left leg as well.'
Soft wise golden eyes rested on him to see his reaction.
'His whole arm... and left leg?'
The older man nodded and placed the cutlery on the table.
'The accident took my wife's and youngest son's lives and my eldest son's right arm and his left leg from just above the knee down. I would have nearly lost him, too.'
Roy had to swallow heavily. Better not to think about what would have happened if Ed had died that day as well.
'I... I didn't see... that it was automail... He seems to be doing well with it.'
'Yes. But still he doesn't want me to see the scars the operation left. He thinks that every time I would look at the scars or at his body I would be reminded of that day.'
The older man smiled sadly.
'Well, he is right there but every time I look at him I know that I haven't lost him. And that makes me happy. To have at least one of my beloved. Even when I have to deal with a pretty loud-mouthed snappy teenager who is much too smart for his own good.'
At that he couldn't not smile. He laid the plates on the table and turned to get one of the bowls containing their food.
Hohenheim placed the thermometer on the desk and looked at his son lying on his bed breathing heavily with sweat running down his forehead. The older man sighed heavily and sat next to Ed. It hadn't been that bad since the young blonde could walk again properly. The teen had curled himself into a tight ball trying not to scream. The blond man stroked his son's long soft hair.
“I can get you some painkillers.”
“I …. I don't.. want any.”
“But they would help you.”
The teen opened one eyes and glared as good as he could muster at his father.
“Said... I don't.. want any. It … will be over... soon.”
Ed turned his head into the pillow and panted heavily. He hated it. Not only hated it but loathed it with it with every fibre of his body. He had been feeling fine just half an hour ago. But now he was a shaking panting heap on his bed trying to convince his father not to call a doctor or not bring him painkillers. It would be over soon. He hoped it would be over soon.
Another spasm hit his nerves that weren't there any more and he couldn't hold the scream in any longer. His whole body seemed to be on fire and his right arm and left leg were throbbing with pain. Then there was nothing else but cool blackness.
As he opened his eyes again he looked up into concerned black ones. The older teen bent down, touching his forehead against Ed's. The younger teen blushed heavily and tried to turn his head away.
“Your temperature is down. So the antibiotics helped. Your father will be glad to hear that. He nearly panicked when you lost your consciousness. Scared the hell out of me.”
A small smile played around the dark haired teen's lips. Ed blinked several times before turning pink. Before he could do or say anything the door to his room flew open and Hohenheim walked inside with a small paper bag under his arm looking from one teen to the other.
“You're awake.”
Ed nodded and sat up slowly. His father took the chair standing in front of the desk and sat down heavily. He breathed in slowly and tried to calm his heart.
“You nearly gave a heart attack.”
Ed swallowed again and looked ruefully at his father.
“I.. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry.”
Hohenheim just smiled and patted his son's hair.
“Don't apologise for something you haven't done on purpose. It's not your fault anyway.”
“Okay...”
The older man sat up stretching his back. He got the bag from the desk and opened it revealing a small box which Ed immediately recognised as antibiotics. The blond teen pulled a face as he saw them. He had to take them before and knew they weren't small or very tasty. Hohenheim opened the box and took the medicine out. Ed bleached some more as he saw the small syringes.
“Don't tell me...”
“Oh I don't think I have tell you that they sell the antibiotics as fluids.”
The older man got one of the small things out of it's wrapping and prepared it.
“Don't get thing thing close to me.”
“Oh shut that, Edward. You know it will be done faster if we do it this way. I know what you did with the last pills I gave you. I don't want to go through that again. Now be a good boy and turn over.”
Ed was gaping like a fish.
“No! My arm will do just fine.”
“Of course it would if you would hold still. But as we both know that you can't hold still while having to see the needle piercing your skin I will do it from behind.”
Grunting the teen turned and was reminded that they weren't alone in the room by a bright pink Roy Mustang looking at him.
“Wait.”
Hohenheim rolled his eyes and stopped before he could pull down his son's boxers.
“What is it now?”
“He will have to leave.”
The older man looked at Roy and shrugged.
“But he has already seen your backside when Knox gave you the injection.”
“He... What?!”
“I was shaking all over and Knox' nurse had to take care of me. So he held you down while Knox gave you the antibiotics in case you woke up in the middle of it.”
Roy looked everywhere but the teen and was as red as tomato sauce while Ed gaped like a fish and didn't want to believe what his father had just said.
“Now lie down, Ed. I really want to get over this.”
Grunting and bright red the teen obliged and lay on his bed. Hohenheim pulled his boxers down a bit and gave his son his medicine. He stood up and took the box with the last syringes with him.
“You should be glad that you don't have to take suppository or else he would have seen a lot more of your backside.”
The older blonde turned to Roy.
“Come on, Roy. Ed will be sleeping for at least the next two hours. We should leave him alone a bit.”
The black haired teen nodded and followed the older man outside.
Ed had really been sleeping for two hours. He woke to a soft breath and the smell of drying earth. He opened his eyes slowly. He was alone in his room but his window had been opened wide to welcome the fresh night air. He sat up looked outside. The stars were shining brightly with no moon to disturb them. He stretched his stiff muscles and massaged his right shoulder.
The teen stood up and walked around his room quietly. He stopped in front of the window if he could hear the television running - his father had the habit of turning the volume as high it would get. But there was none. He just heard the sounds night produced. He sighed and turned back. He was wide awake and wouldn't be able to sleep again unless he exploited himself to near exhaustion. So what to do? He looked around and an idea formed inside his head. He walked over to his shelves and pulled the first books out of it. He then formed three piles: His favourites, fictional novels and history books.
The teen was sorting through his second shelf as Roy entered his room quietly. The dark haired teen looked at the smaller teen who gasped at the older one. Moments later he relaxed.
“You seem to feel better.”
“Yeah.. I .. Yes.”
He put the books he was looking at on their appropriate stacks and turned to look at Roy.
“What are you doing here?”
Ed blinked several times before he answered.
“I'm sorting my books. I kind of just put them into the shelves as Dad told me to clean my room and as I'm awake and won't be able to sleep soon I just thought I would sort them now.”
Roy nodded and bent down to read what kinds of books the smaller teen read in his free time. There were a lot of historical books. Most of them had the word 'alchemy' in their titles.
“You're interested in alchemy?”
Ed looked up and nodded.
“There aren't many who are interested in this kind of field. My Dad's kind of a specialist. He wants to know why alchemy died out nearly 200 years ago and why we aren't able to use it any longer. He infected me and that's the effect of it.”
The younger teen smiled up at Roy who blushed and turned his head away. He had to clear his throat before he could speak again.
“I... err... Want me to help you?”
Ed looked sceptical but nodded anyway. He wanted to know more about this guy and that could be the only opportunity to get him to talk.
They sorted and talked for nearly 4 hours. Ed asked Roy a lot of questions and Roy did the same to Ed. The first light of dawn could be seen by the time they sat on Ed's bed and surveyed their work. There was still a huge pile on the floor but at least it was sorted as well and could be put into a shelf as soon as Hohenheim ordered one. Ed yawned and let his head rest on the wall behind himself. Roy was sitting on the edge of the bed looking out of the window.
“Do you remember anything from the accident?”
It was a question out of the blue but Roy had kept wondering if Ed had really forgotten everything about it.
“I don't remember it. When I asked my Dad what exactly had happened he just said it was good I don't remember. So I never asked him again. It's just sad that I don't remember much from before the accident as well. There are emotions and sometimes I recognise a place where we have been before or a face from somebody I have met before, but nothing much.”
Roy nodded and skidding back on the bed until he was sitting next to Ed with his head resting on the wall.
“So you don't remember me?”
Ed looked at his hands resting in his lap.
“Well... There is something I seem to remember but I think my brain is just making that up.”
“And what is that?”
“Well... I.. kind of … remember... thatyoukissedme.”
Roy blinked down at the younger teen who was bright red and fumbling with his hands in his lap. He couldn't hold it in and started to laugh. Ed was perplexed. Did that mean that his brain had really made this scene up?
“From all the things you could have remembered it was that?!”
Roy was still chuckling. Laughing did something wonderful to his eyes - or was it the early light of dawn? Ed swallowed heavily.
“So... you did kiss me?”
Roy nodded whipping his eyes.
“When we moved I kissed you. I had asked my Dad what would be appropriate to say good bye to a beloved person and he just gave me that as an answer. I think he thought I wouldn't do it anyway. Izumi was so pissed when you protested so loudly against it.”
“So that's why I shiver every time I see here?”
The older teen just nodded and tried to suppress his laughter. They sat there for some moments before it dawned on Ed.
“You stole my first kiss!”
“That's what you had been saying that day. But just for the record: It was my first kiss as well. And I won't ever know if it was good for you.”
Roy chuckled again. He thought his last statement was funny but Ed looked at him with sad golden eyes.
“So will I. I will never know if my first kiss had been good.”
The older teen stopped immediately and looked at Ed who was looking away with his arms tight around his body.
“Hey. I didn't mean that. It's not your fault that you forgot nearly everything from before you had the accident.”
Ed stayed silent not looking up at him. The older teen thumped his head back into the wall. Why had he been so stupid and said something like that? Good way to ruin a peaceful night, Mustang!
They sat there in silence. Roy thought about a way to make it up to Ed. He couldn't stop the idea forming in his head but dismissed it every time it came back to him. He couldn't asked him that. The dark-haired teen looked at the blonde and up to the ceiling again until he couldn't think of anything else and had the courage to ask Ed that. He just hoped Ed wouldn't be angry for suggesting it. He looked at the younger teen and licked his lips.
“Ed?”
It was the first time he had called the other's name - well since the day he had moved to the western boarder. But it felt good on his tongue. The young blond turned his head to look up at the other teen. It was now or never. He knew that he couldn't asked Ed that and not being hit. He bent down and pressed his lips to Ed's. He could feel how the younger teen stiffened. He hadn't kissed many people but at least they hadn't been frozen on the spot not responding any way. He ended the kiss as fast as it had started and looked into Ed's eye. But the blonde wasn't looking at him but right at the door - his mouth hanging open and a bit scared.
“What?”
Roy turned around and looked straight at Hohenheim who had raised both eyebrows until they couldn't go up any further. The dark haired teen turned bright red copying Ed's fish expression.
“I won't say I hadn't expected something like that. But isn't that a bit early for the two of you? And I don't mean the time.”
Both teens were still looking at Hohenheim as if he was some kind of alien who happen to walk into this room while the occupants were getting...close.
“I can assure you that I won't go away just by looking at me.”
The older man sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. He had just wanted to look after his son and see if he was alright. It wasn't his fault that they had decided to to get closer the moment he walked inside. Ed had seen him first but couldn't stop Roy from putting his lips on Ed's.
“Okay let's do it this way: Roy get into your own room. Ed just stay there.”
Roy got up and swallowed heavily.
“I.. I didn't....”
Hohenheim held his hand up to stop Roy from saying something stupid.
“I'm not angry, Roy. Just get to bed and sleep a bit. We will be talking about that in the morning... later in the morning as it is already 5 in the morning.”
The older man smiled down at the teen and patted him on the shoulder as he walked out of the door. Roy took a last look at Ed and smiled before leaving them. The younger teen smiled shyly back.
“Lie down, Ed. You need your sleep as well.”
“You're not angry.”
“No.”
He pulled the blankets up, Ed just rolled his eyes as his father's behaviour but let it happen just this once.
“So what will you do now?”
Hohenheim looked questionably at his son.
“Are you going to get rid of Roy?”
“No. Why would I do something like that?”
“Because he kissed me - or at least attempted to kiss me.”
“And you didn't want him to do that?”
Ed turned red again and looked away.
“Well, I didn't say that.”
“That's good. Because I like him and he will be good for you while I'm not here.”
Hohenheim smiled brightly before he stood up and walked to the door.
“There is something I want to know?”
Ed raised an eyebrow and waited for his father's question.
“If I hadn't walked in the moment Roy kissed you, would you have responded?”
The teen flushed bright red and Hohenheim shut the door behind himself before Ed could throw something at him. He made sure to call Izumi to let her know. But now he needed some more sleep.