Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

It had been lucky. It had been extremely lucky. Al had been tangled up with Wrath who was just as strong as Al had hoped, but Al - in the armor, the armor his grandfather had teased him about and got a wistful look in his eye whenever Al showed him his quite frankly fantastic master piece - was just as quick, and just as strong. 

It had taken forever; years with Teacher, building the proper muscles, getting the armor links just the right, the hand-holds, the steps up, all so that Al could manipulate the physics themselves into turning him into a power house. Ed had never beaten him in a fight, and that was without the armor, and in the armor Al felt a hundred more times at ease, even if sometimes it felt like he couldn’t breath in it. The metal grating was familiar, the way the weight shifted was easier than moving his own body, and Wrath’s mouth was turned down into a pert frown because Al had nimbly ducked under his swing again.

Winry - one day he’d show her the armor. She had seen him fight Ed before, knew how good he was, how would she take the armor? Maybe she’d freak, or panic, but somehow he knew that she would be delighted. Maybe she’d push him into lifting the cars she worked on, coax him into moving the heavier parts around her shop, maybe even persuade him into carrying her on his back like he used to, still could even without the armor, and she’d laugh like she used to -

He really shouldn’t be thinking about Winry, and Winry’s smile, while engaged with in a fight. For one (he ducked another of Wrath’s swings, and kneed him in the stomach), it was horribly rude. Wrath was giving Al his full attention, and Al was distracted by the lovely lady in the front yard, ready to bash any wanders’ skulls in. He hadn’t seen Winry in a dress since they were kids…

Ooh, that was a close one, and Al slid out of the way, grabbed Wrath’s hand, and flipped Wrath onto the ground. 

“You’re very strong,” Al said, conversationally. “Very, very strong.” The armor was shaking to keep him down, but Al had always been a quick, thoughtful thinker. He released Wrath and jumped backwards, flexed his hand so that the blood poured, and pressed it to the array on the inside of his glove, before slamming his hands onto the ground. 

Wrath wavered, unsteady, but Al was already there as the ground neatly lifted itself up and like a surf pushing against the beach, rolled upwards and knocked over Wrath, forcing him to the ground as the entire layer of bedrock flipped on top of him.

Al pushed the chest plate forward, and pulled the syringe out of his shirt’s pocket. He had always kept a supply at Rose’s, upstairs under her bed (with her knowledge, of course). The usual set of antibiotics and a tidy set of three sedatives, for when Ed was in too much pain to be awake. He had been upstairs collecting them with Rose and Winry when Solaris had come back, and now he was glad that he had grabbed them.

“Good night, Mr. Wrath,” Al said, cheerfully, and stuck the plunger into the struggling man’s neck. He loved giving shots, oddly enough, even if Ed loathed them as badly as he loathed everything dairy.

Now that Wrath was slumped over with about thirty CC’s of horse tranquilizers in his veins, Al turned towards the mansion, clanking up the steps in the armor in case there were more enemies up ahead. And inside he found -

The middle of the room, collapsed, and Al didn’t think or hesitate, just took the armor and jumped down the hall into the -

The array in the middle of the room made his stomach churn, and the bodies in the cages only worsened the feeling. Remembrance itched at him like a persistent dog at the front door, and Al wanted to sit and study and remember except that he could see the remnants of Solaris’ handy work everywhere he looked, and so he forced himself towards the stairs and down and down, and the armor grated against the walls, nearly too large to fit through.

In the cave, and he saw the opening and looked out to see Havoc and Breda rushing down the steps, Hawkeye and Solaris and the Colonel holding onto some sort of rope desperately, Solaris’ extended hands dug into the wall, and Al realized it a second later that the Colonel and Hawkeye were holding onto a metal hand-

Al didn’t know how he managed to get the armor to move so quickly. He just didn’t know. One second he was at the top of the stairs thinking no no no and then he was down the steps, in front of the Colonel and Lieutenant, grabbing onto the thin metal wire and yanking up and back and this was - the weight was nothing, Al could stand there all day.

And slowly it started to rewind up.

Ed grabbed onto Licht’s hand at the last second, twisting his body around and shooting his automail hand towards the cliff edge, watching the rock face slide by him like a tape on fast forward. For a moment there was nothing, startling blank nothing. Panic leapt into his throat, at the bottom of the ravine was a fast stream cutting through the strata of rock; he’d hit it and break his neck on impact if the water didn’t swallow him up whole, just like his mother. Ed scrambled for a hand-hold, couldn’t find any, and they fell even faster, before suddenly the line went taut. Ed cut the line on instinct, felt his shoulder yank in place and scream at him but it stayed steady, and he and Licht both slammed into the rock wall.

“Hold on,” Ed said, trembling. His hand was still slick with blood and Licht was staring down at the bottom of the ravine with a casual interest. “Fucking hell - hold on.”

“Why?” Licht said, drawing her eyebrows together, before looking up at him. Her hand was shaking. “I suppose there’s always the chance that Wrath is still alive, but I’m grossly out numbered. I’m not so proud as to not accept defeat when it stares me in the face.”

The right side of her face was still mutilated, bleeding freely, but some of it was caked and coagulated. It dripped into her eye and she blinked it away as if it was nothing. Ed forced the automail to start rewinding the wire, even though the pain hit him like someone sticking hot iron pokers into the port. It wasn’t supposed to take this much. His body wasn’t supposed to take this much, not the automail and certainly not having it ripped off and then this added strain on it. It jerked, burned, and then they slowly began to move upwards. 

“Your face-” Ed questioned, tightening his grip around Licht’s good hand. “Your side-”

“The Gate,” Licht said, calmly. “I suppose I should have expected the backlash considering that you used the Stone and the Gate didn’t take you as an offering. I had nothing to offer, but something to give. The same thing happened to all our previous test subjects. I miscalculated.”

“The bodies,” Ed breathed and looked down at her. The ravine swung unsteadily underneath them and he had to blink away the vertigo. “They all went through the Gate.”

Licht hummed, as if she wasn’t dangling for her life. The automail jerked, bounced them a little, and Ed fought to keep his grip on her. “The last one was even alive after, a soldier. He was so fond of Lust too. Shame.”

“You are - such a bitch,” Ed growled. “You’re going to spend a long time in prison lady - if you’re not put in front of a firing wall.”

There - her mouth twisted slightly. “So close too,” she murmured. “I had thought that perhaps if I found a way through the other side - if I found passage to Shamballa, like he had always wanted - he would have finally been proud of me.”

“Who?” Ed questioned, staring. She looked up, and blinked calmly.

“Your grandfather, of course. The man I came to recognize as my father.” Licht sighed. “I suppose you’ll hear the whole story later. I could have been your aunt, you know, if your grandfather hadn’t replaced me with your mother.” Her lips twisted into a frown, and for the first time displeasure showed on her face. “Do you know what it’s like to be replaced?”

“You fucking idiot,” Ed growled, and felt the memory bloom, his grandfather staring a photo at a young blond girl, before putting it away, and Ed had never seen him draw it out again. “You fucking idiot. He loved you - he thought of your like his own daughter. You’re the one that thought he was replacing you - fucking shit. It’s called having a sister for Christ’s sake.”

Licht was silent. “Do you think so?”

“Hell - I know so, for Christ’s sake - you can’t force people to like you, it doesn’t fucking work like that. You couldn’t - we could have - you could have been an Elric, damnit, if you hadn’t let your fucking pride get in the way.”

The automail seized again, and Ed shook it again, feeling the gears switch, straining against the weight. Licht stared up at him. 

“Nephew,” she said, and tilted her head to the side. “I’m sorry that I’m not sorry about what I tried to accomplish.”

“Apologize later,” Ed groused. “You should start climbing up, if you can.”

“And face a firing wall, like you said?” Licht said, tone indulgent. “I think not. My daughter - your cousin, I suppose. Will you take care of her? She’s a child at heart, the array feeds energy into her body and produces - that. She truly is innocent.”

Ed stared down at her, and then tightened his grip. “You’re going to take care of her, damnit.”

“I am Pride, yes?” Licht questioned, smiling. “And I am proud. Good-bye nephew. If I see your grandfather, I’ll apologize. Besides her you would be my next of kin. I hope you find the answers you seek.” She squeezed his hand and then -

He could see.

Like reading a novel, watching a movie, a little blond girl stumbling up the steps of a hotel, not their home but it felt like home because momma and dad were there, and someone by the front desk started at the sound of the child’s cry, blond ponytail flickering out as he swung towards her, grinning, kneeling to the floor, arms out, and the blond child nearly tripped over himself into his arms, his cheek pressing against her.

“Hello, kitty Cat.”

Late nights, late nights where the moon hung fat in the sky and she couldn’t sleep and she pushed herself out of her bed and down the hallway into father’s study, pushing open the door and holding a hand in her nightgown, and he smiled down at her and ushered forward and up into his lap and look kitty Cat, see the circle is the matrix that lets energy flow through the array -

Older now, hands sweaty, she would ask them today, she would give up the family name Eckhart and be an Elric, they couldn’t say no, she had been the perfect daughter, they loved her even though she was not their flesh and blood, she had gotten into Munich University just like father, had learned the arts of alchemy, he was proud of her, they wouldn’t begrudge her that; mother would smile and kiss her cheek and dance with her, bare feet padding across the hardwood while father would clap and laugh, and they couldn’t say no, she wanted to be one of them, and she pushed open the door to see her mother turn towards her and say “We’re having a baby.” and the world crashed down around her -

Research, paper cuts, eyes straining in the dark, but the story fresh in her mind and she wanted to go to him, to have him grin proudly down at her when she told him I’m going to find a way for you to get home any, any price would be worth it because she couldn’t go to her own home anymore - it wasn’t her home anymore - they smiled down at that baby, the baby they didn’t even know they wanted, and they had shunned her, and father said, “Going to make the Elric name proud,” down at that little monster and she wanted to scream I could have been one of you!

And the research shifted, no longer a safe way home - she would pay any price - but power, more power, power to make them proud, and she had shunned the Eckhart name but she could never reach the last inch for the Elric and somewhere in the middle of the haze in her search for power came Commander and then the red stone, the stone he had warned her against, but if he didn’t want her to reach for the sun he should have been there to stop her -

Gratification, finally. Gathering people who would be useless and valuable later on. Gathering ingredients and performing the ritual, finally having a Philosopher’s Stone, never caring if her sins racked up. The first victim through the gate coming back mangled beyond recognition. The second coming back worse, then the third, then the fourth and all of them had to be killed quickly to be put out of their misery, and Matthew Halsey smiled Lance with trust in his eyes but ran when he saw Jealousy coming towards him, eyes wild and green, and they shoved him through the Gate and look at that he came out alive, even in the alleyway they had picked him up from and he dragged himself towards Lust with his last breath, and in between ordering Dante to be killed, the incident at City Hall and cold blood in her veins when she met Edward Elric -

Finding the key - blood from the other side. Staring at the Gate, gesturing to Ed, the Gate taking all of them through and information, all the information, but her goal was still just out of reach and she was - tired -

- she let go.

“No,” Ed breathed, scrambling for a grip around her hand, but she let go, eyes closing, and fell into the ravine. “No!”

A sudden crack, water sloshing, and Ed looked away and buried his face into his shoulder, shaking. The automail, at the loss of weight, began cranking up again smoothly, pulling Ed towards the lip of the ravine. Hands pulled him over the edge, grabbing at his shoulders and under elbows and legs, and Ed breathed hard, shaking his head. His arm finally connected back his hand with a small click.

“Licht?” Hawkeye questioned, wary, clothes torn, a open wound on her chin. Ed closed his eyes and shook his head, and panted, kneeling on the ground.

“She let go. She didn’t - want to be put in prison, or executed. Said she was too proud.”

Roy wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and Ed pressed into it, eye pressed shut. “It’s alright, Ed, it’s alright.”

“It’s not,” Ed murmured. “She said - she was raised by my grandfather.” I saw, I saw, I saw -

“Yes, brother,” Al said, and reached up to peel the last bit of his armor off. It clattered to the ground in a heap, caught Ed’s eye, and he stared until he forced himself to breath. “Granddad raised her after her mother died. They must have had a falling out when mom was born.”

Little monster -

“Jesus,” Ed said, and sunk towards Roy. “Jesus.”

“Wrath is upstairs stuck in the concrete,” Al said. “And Lance is dead, and she’s-”

Solaris was standing over Gluttony’s body, reverted back to her original age, dress torn and dirty. The girl sniffed and rubbed at her eye. “I want mother,” she cried. “It hurts - I’m hungry!”

“Shush, child,” Solaris said gently. “Quiet, now. You’re mother isn’t here, don’t waste your tears.” She looked up at Ed, and then carefully lifted up the girl’s sleeve. There on her arm was the red tattoo, and once Solaris had made sure Ed had seen it, she carefully tore what was left of the dress off of the girl’s stomach, lines crossed over each other, circles inter connected, one of the most complicated things he had ever seen. Ed followed it for a second, looked for the sudden influx of energy, the boosts in the hormones and cell count, and lost his trail.

“That is - complicated,” he murmured.

“The child will have to learn how to control it,” Solaris said, frowning. “It’s scarred underneath, impossible to remove her. If she doesn’t, she’ll eventually consume anything she can get her hands on. King and I will take responsibility of her. The man’s always wanted a child. We’ll keep her safe.”

Ed let Roy help him up, helped him walk over to the girl, and he crouched down next to Gluttony, who swiped at her eyes. “Hi,” he said, quiet. “I’m Ed. I’m your cousin - what’s your name?”

“Bea,” the girl sniffed. “Cousin?”

“Yeah. That’s Solaris,” Ed said, inclining his head. “She’s gonna be your new mom. That alright?”

Bea stared distrustfully. “Where’s mother?”

“She’s not here anymore,” Ed said, quiet. “But she asked me to take care of you. Okay?”

“Okay,” Bea said, after a second. “I’m hungry.”

Solaris hummed, musing. “The array steals a lot of energy. She’ll be a heavy eater until I can teach her to redistribute the energy. It’ll take time, but I can do it. With a counter array, she might even have a normal life.” Solaris crouched down and tucked Bea into her arms. “Come, child. Sleep now, it’ll be alright when you awake.”

“Fucking hell,” Ed muttered. His gaze moved towards the smaller transmutation circle that Licht was sketching out. “We’ll have to come back and destroy that.”

“I’ll call Commissioner Hughes,” Hawkeye said, after a moment. “He can have officers up here within the hour. Until then we need to get our story straight. We need to talk with the others and deal with Wrath.”

“I sedated him. He’s out,” Al spoke up. “Wrath won’t be moving for awhile. I sunk him all the way into the bedrock.”

“Go on, then,” Ed murmured, and gestured towards the group huddled around him. “I’ll be up in just a second.”

“Ed?” Roy questioned, blinking, but Ed inclined his chin.

“Just need a second alone,” he said, softly. “I’ll be fine. You have to go tell Winry and Rose that everything’s okay.” The man wavered for a second, staring at him, mouth twisted, before he accepted Hawkeye’s offered arm and started up the walkway after Havoc and Breda. Al had Solaris’ arm thrown over his shoulder, and his brother cast him one long look before hobbling up the stairs after them.

Once he couldn’t hear the footsteps anymore, Ed stared down at the array for just a second before pulling out his small notebook and pen. He carefully traced the array on to the paper, careful not to touch it, and the closed the book and put it back into his pocket. There was no need to write it down - he could see the array in his mind as clear as day, from Licht’s memories (and how, how did that happen?) and from the twisted, warped images in his head. He stared at the array for just a second more, before turning on his heel and hurrying up the steps. 

“When in doubt,” Hughes said, merrily. “Drug trafficking out.”

“You look chipper,” Roy pointed out, an orange blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He was sitting in the back of one of the police cruiser. Rose, Solaris, Winry, Ed, Al, and Bea were long gone with the suburban and Armstrong’s motorcycle, and Mustang’s team sat exhausted on the front seats of the mansion. 

“That’s because we just found the old abandoned railroad building that Licht was keeping the rest of the missing people, registered under her other name. Dear Luca is reunited with her Mark, and we get a happily ever after.”

“One,” Mustang said. “I have no idea who those people are. Two, except for all the dead people, you mean.”

“Glass half-empty, glass half-full,” Hughes said, shrugging, and leant closer to Roy, smiling broadly. “Gracia and Elysia are on their back down as we speak. Our stories all collaborate. You’re a hero.”

“Am I?” 

“Yes,” Hughes said, seriously, the smile flattening. “You and Fullmetal both. The story’s already begun to leak; Col. Mustang and Fullmetal team up to stop Scarface Killer; revealed to be Commander Licht. It’s going to be the biggest thing since sliced bread. The military is already freaking out over the scandal.”

“Elections, then?”

Hughes grinned. “If enough of an effort is made. You’re time to move is coming up, Roy.”

Mustang stared, before smirking, leaning back. “I already had Alex put the proposal forward before we all left. Considering my sudden popularity, I’m sure there’s a serious chance that it’ll be taken into consideration.”

“Parliament,” Hughes breathed. “Look at that.”

Roy laughed, and stood, shrugging off the blanket. “Could I bother you for a ride? It’s on your way home, I promise. Ed, Al, and Ms. Rockbell went back to their apartment to check out the damage. If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Don’t mind at all,” Hughes said, grinning, and they moved towards his brown car. “How’s the hand?”

Roy blinked down at it and the bandages wrapped around it. “The paramedic said it wouldn’t scar - apparently I didn’t cut deep enough. I have - no idea what the hell it is.” He frowned at Hughes over the top of the car. “It was...odd. I don’t remember ever picking up the knife. It was if someone else was controlling my body and I was seeing it from an outside point of view.”

“That’s...bizarre,” Hughes said, and shrugged. “But Hawkeye told me that you also saw a ten year old turn into a grown woman so, not like we’re deviating from the trend today.”

Roy considered it, and then shrugged. True.

Al slumped on what was left of their couch, which wasn’t much. Actually, it broke even more as he sat down. 

He was bruised, at the most, and he had gotten the call a few minutes ago that Hughes had finally picked up an unconscious Wrath, promising to keep him drugged. The man couldn’t do much if he couldn’t stand on two feet, but eventually a tolerance would build up. And then what? He didn’t need that on top of the complete wreck that was their apartment, and spared a thankful look up that Ed was paranoid about these types of things and made them put most of their more precious valuables in an unlabeled safe.

“Sacked the place,” Ed growled as he stalked up the hallway. His red coat was thrown over one of the few unbroken chairs in the kitchen, black shirt rolled up to his elbows revealing his flesh hand and the silver metal one, and Winry swept broken dishes off of the ground. “Completely sacked the place. Everything is - god damnit. We can’t even close the fucking door.”

“Rose said we could sleep with her for as long as we needed to,” Winry pointed out, propped up on her broom. “I know it’s not ideal - I don’t want to overstay any welcome - but it’s not like we have any choices.”

“She’s right, brother,” Al sighed. 

“Rose has two bedrooms,” Ed pointed out. “We can’t ask her to move her stuff out of the third, and she’s expecting - she needs room for a nursery.”

“We’re not going to get our deposit back,” Al said, dryly, staring at the cracked plaster.  “We also don’t have enough money to get a new three bedroom until either of us get paid so we can have the down payment and it’ll take - awhile to fix all this up with alchemy.”

“Al and you could share?” Winry said, and winced. “Or I could move out-”

“No!” Al and Ed said, immediately rounding on her. She blinked. “No,” Ed continued, shaking his head. “Win, you’re not moving out. I’ll - I’ll think of something.”

“Well, for now,” Al said, leaning back. “Winry and I could stay at Rose’s. You could try the Colonel - so we don’t over crowd Rose.”

Ed stared. “Roy only has one bedroom.”

Al sent him an amused look. “That’s - not exactly what I meant.”

“I-” Ed’s jaw dropped, and he turned red. “I - can’t - we haven’t - I can’t move in with him, we’ve only-”

“Technically you’ve been dating for over four months now, Ed,” Al said, conversationally. “That’s definitely enough period of time to wait before asking about the whole move in thing.”

“He’s right, Ed,” Winry pointed out. “And - it doesn’t have to be forever. Just a month or so? Until we can clear this place up, break the lease, and find someplace new.”

Ed felt his lip wobble. “You guys don’t want me anymore.”

Al sighed and hung his head. “Brother, you’re twenty-three. We’ve lived together since I was born. Just because you go to live with someone else for a month or two doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly cut off all communication with you.”

“No, you don’t love me anymore, I see how it is!” Ed stood up and marched towards the door. Al rolled his head back. Ed threw open the door and blinked at Roy, who was half way to knocking. Ed’s expression crumbled and concern bloomed on the Colonel’s expression, and the man stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Ed automatically.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Al doesn’t love me anymore,” Ed wailed, pressing his forehead into Roy’s neck. “He hates me!”

“What?” Roy questioned, pulling away to stare at Ed, and then at Al, who scrubbed a hand over his head. Roy’s eyebrow raised. “Ed, I highly doubt Al hates you.”

“Then why does he want me to move out?”

“For Christ’s sake, Ed,” Winry rolled her eyes. “We’re all moving out. I’d ask the Colonel if I could stay with him if that wasn’t the most awkward thing I’ve ever do.”

“Stay with him?” Roy questioned. Al swung his gaze over to him.

“We can’t stay here, and Winry and I were thinking of heading to Rose’s, who only has two rooms free. I brought up the possibility of Ed staying with you, just for a month or two. He didn’t take it well.”

“See!” Ed hissed. “They’re trying to get rid of me.”

Roy looked at Ed, amused. “Ed, you can stay with me. I don’t mind. I mean,” he amended. “I’m not going to be home much during the day considering, and I don’t think you’ll be there most of the night so it...has the potential to work out.”

“I’ve only been in your apartment once,” Ed said. “It wasn’t the best experience.”

Roy ‘ah’ed. “We - have to talk about that.”

“Once?” Winry said. “I thought it was twice.”

Al threw a sofa cushion at her and shook his head frantically. Ed drew his eyebrows together. Al leant back, as relaxed as can be and said, “So, sex, huh?”

Ed choked and Roy stumbled, turning red. “Al-”

“Smooth,” Winry rolled her eyes. 

“Wait,” Al said, changing the conversation, again. “Why aren’t you going to be home?”

Roy cleared his throat. “Because - my proposal’s gone through. The military will be holding an election for Commander, or Prime Minister, whatever you want to call it, and reinstating a Parliament. I’ve been promoted.”

“What?” Ed said.

“Brigadier General. Also, I’m in charge of the peace talks between the border skirmishes.”

“What?” Al said.

“Also I might be running from Commander,” Roy finished. 

“Well, shit,” Winry said, after a second. “Yeah, I can see why you might not be home a whole of a lot.” She clapped her hands together. “Well, that takes care of that. Al and I are gonna get a taxi to Rose’s, have fun at the Colonel’s!” 

She grabbed Al and forced him through the door before any of them could protest and Ed stared at them, before turning to Roy. “I need a shower,” he said. “But, uh - they kinda - busted my shower, so. Um.”

“You can shower at mine,” Roy said, nodding. “Do you - clothes?”

“There,” Ed said, pointing towards a hastily packed bags. “It’s mostly, uh, knives and stuff, sorry. And socks.”

“The important things,” Roy said, lips twitching upwards. “Hungry?”

“Starved,” Ed grinned. “Food?”

“Of course,” Roy said, and grabbed Ed’s bag. Ed grabbed his coat and folded it over his arm before walking through the door. Roy paused when Ed continued on. “Don’t you want to lock it?”

“It - doesn’t,” Ed said, shrugged. “Nothing in there to steal anyway. Everything important’s in storage.” And the most important piece was tucked away in Ed’s pocket, ink still drying. “I’m - are you sure?”

“Sure, yes,” Roy said, smiling, trailing after Ed down the stairs. “Happy - ecstatic, even.”

Ed’s lips twisted. “You’re not gonna be saying that after I climb into your window at four in the morning with internal bleeding,” Ed noted. Roy’s expression froze for just a second, before he shrugged.

“Maybe less ecstatic, then.”

“I’ll replace the carpets,” Ed muttered. Roy caught his arm and turned Ed towards him. Ed stared at him; his uniform was disheveled, dirt was caked onto his sleeve, and one of his hands was wrapped in a white bandage. Ed must have looked worse, with bruised cheeks and scrapes up and down his body. His black shirt was torn and his hair had been pulled back in a hastily put together ponytail, hair spilling out around his neck.

“Ed,” Roy said. “I’m not worried about the carpets. I’ll be worrying about you. I’m not going to - I’ll...deal with you being - being who you are, but you can’t stop me from worrying about you. Chances are I’m going to have nightmares about you loosing your arm until you die - and they’ll probably only get worse from here on out.”

“I have nightmares all the time,” Ed said, taking a step forward, not sure as to what he was saying, but he felt the need to talk. “They’re - bizarre. I worry about Al, and sometimes I have no idea what’s going on, and once I dreamt that I was smaller than a bean and Al was worrying himself to death over me cause he couldn’t find me and I kept jumping up and yelling at him from the floor but he never noticed and finally he died and I killed myself by drowning in the tears he cried before he passed, and then I was in the car with my mother and I dreamt I couldn’t get Al out in time and I had to live without him.”

“That’s - horrible,” Roy said, eyebrows drawing together. “That’s really horrible.”

“I know,” Ed said and looked down at his hand, one shining metal and flesh. Winry had never given the white skin cover back, and he supposed it must have been ruined. “But - I mean, they won’t be so bad if I have you, you know? You can wake me up and tell me everything’s alright.”

“As long as I do the same for you?” Roy asked. Ed nodded.

“Equivalent exchange,” Ed shrugged. “So-”

“Alright,” Roy said, softly, and walked past Ed, tugging him down the stairs. “Deal.”

Ed smiled at him, hopped down the step, and walked closer to Roy.

“Hawkeye’s been working on a report,” Roy called through the bathroom door. Ed looked over his shoulder, towards the sound of his voice, and continued oiling his arm. Ed lifted up the metal flaps to air dry it and checked the wiring. He could see the large wire spool around his upper arm’s structure if he twisted his head just so. After a second, he shrugged and went back to oiling.

“What on?”

“General Hakuro. We’re going to began a full investigation into him. It’ll be slow going, and take...forever, but, we’re going to pull the rug right out underneath him when we do.”

Ed tipped over the bottle of shampoo, went to catch it, and knocked over the shaving kit from the sink. He stared at it, eyes closing, before he picked it up and began replacing everything.

“Are you alright?” Roy called, after a second passed. Ed made an affirmative sound, and oiled between his fingers, flexing them. “She said she plans to hand it in tomorrow, even though I told her to take the day off. She’ll be the only one working besides me.”

“Like Hawkeye’d let you around office supplies unsupervised,” Ed snarked. “You could choke on that stuff.”

“Ha, ha,” Roy said, dryly. “You’re hilarious. Point is that - I - will you come out here? I feel ridiculous having this conversation through my bathroom door.”

“But, Roy!” Ed called, putting on a fake southern American accent. “I’m not decent!”

Roy was silent, and Ed blinked at the door, before the man called through the door, “That doesn’t exactly deter me from wanting you on the other side of the door.”

Ed was sure was a wonderful shade of red. “Oh.”

“I-” Roy started. “Sorry.”

Ed stared, confused, blush still staining his cheeks. He set down the oil can and drew his eyebrows together at the closed door. “What? Why?”

“I don’t want you to feel...pressured,” Roy said, after a second, and with a small thump, Ed was sure he was leaning against the wall to the bathroom, shifting in the hallway. “That would be - why I was so...innocent with you when we first started - this. I’m used to casual flings and quick romps before moving on and I - didn’t, with you. I wanted to make it last.”

“Is that why you didn’t do anything but freaking kiss my cheek for four months?” Ed questioned, nearly squeaking. Another thump sounded, must have been Roy’s head hitting the wall.

“Still not a conversation I want to have through a bathroom door,” Roy muttered, and Ed was in his boxers and bandages and nothing else, hair loose around his shoulder, but he moved towards the bathroom door anyway, just remembering to press down the automail flaps before wrenching the door open. He could have felt self-conscious about his automail but the man had seen it ripped off so it wasn’t like he was going to be particularly surprised. Roy blinked as the door swung open, pushed off of the wall, and froze.

“You withheld sex with me for four months because you thought you were fucking up - Jesus Christ!” Ed said and stared at him. “You’re such a freaking idiot.”

“You keep saying that,” Roy said, faintly. His eyes ghosted over Ed’s bandaged chest, to the automail, downwards, before he forced himself back up to Ed’s eyes. “I’ve never seen your with hair down.”

Ed scowled. “I need - to cut it-”

“No,” Roy stepped forward, shaking his head. “Jesus, no.” At Ed’s raised eyebrow, he swallowed again. “I like your hair.”

Ed raised an eyebrow. “How long have you wanted to have sex with me?”

“Ed-” Roy choked. Ed lashed out and hit him with the automail hand on his shoulder. Roy yelped. “Since - the first time in the coffee shop, and I just wanted that from you until, until the first date, and then I-” He fell silent. Ed hit him again. “Will you stop it? The first date I just - I wanted you. Not just sex, but I - you were amazing. I wanted you, okay?”

“So you withheld sex for four months,” Ed repeated, again. “Do you know how confused I was because you kept kissing my cheek? I thought we’d never get around to it - you-” Ed paused for a second. “On a scale from one to ten how injured are you.”

“Two?” Roy said, after a second. “You?”

“Seven, at least,” Ed said. “Not a ten though, so.” He tugged Roy forward and pulled him down, kissing him soundly before pulling back. “Let’s have sex.”

“Ed,” Roy choked, again. “Ed - I-”

“Or,” Ed said, voice dipping lower as he pressed himself against Roy. “You could fuck me. Or I could suck you off. There’s options here, dipshit. Fucking hell - I was freaking abstinent for four whole months. Do you get that? That’s the longest stretch I’ve ever had - no actually, the longest stretch I’ve ever had is from where I was an actual virgin, which was fourteen years, and yet somehow those four months were the worst.”

Roy was making a sound in the back of his throat. Ed sighed. 

“Or, we could,” Ed muttered, kicking at the ground. “We could take it slow and wait and you can sleep on the couch.”

“Or we could have sex,” Roy said, after a second, swallowing again. “We could have sex.”

“We’re going to have sex,” Ed corrected. “We,” He gestured between them. “Are going,” He leant forward and licked a stripe up Roy’s neck. The man quivered. “To have sex.”

“Here?” Roy questioned. Ed thought about it.

“No, we should probably use the bed,” Ed said, and pulled Roy backwards against the hallway and into the bedroom. The light was off and Ed didn’t particularly want to fumble for the light switch. Also, neighbors across the street. “Bed,” Ed said, cheerfully, shoving Roy onto it. The man nearly fell back onto it, only barely managing to catch himself on the lip before Ed climbed on top of him and settled on top of his lap.

“How-”

“How do you want it?” Ed murmured, running his hand’s up Roy’s chest, unbuttoning his shirt slowly. “You have a thing for being on top, don’t you? We could do that.” He pulled back Roy’s shirt and pressed his lips against the skin of his chest, kissing erratically as he worked the last of the buttons. “I don’t mind.”

“You’re - your chest,” Roy managed to get out. “We have to think about your chest. You can’t - hold my weight up if I-”

“We’ll have to be careful, then,” Ed said, against his shoulder, pulling his shirt off. “Do you want to fuck me? Or-”

“Whatever,” Roy said, pressing a hand to Ed’s chest, running it down and over his ass. Ed grinned. “We can do - whatever you want.”

“Yeah,” Ed said, grinning. “You can fuck me.”

Roy swallowed. “In the drawer.”

“We’ll get that in a second,” Ed murmured, pressing Roy back until he was laying flat on the bed, legs bent over the edge of it. “I love you.”

Roy’s expression softened. “I love you, too.”

“Well, now that we got that out of the way,” Ed said after a second and grabbed onto the belt of Roy’s pants. Roy pushed himself onto his elbows to stare at him. “Not fair I’m nearly naked and you’re still wearing pants.”

“No, not really,” Roy agreed, and helped pull them his pants and his underwear off. Ed nearly caught his hair on the belt, but Roy carefully threaded the damp strands out of the way before pulling Ed onto the bed, changing their position so that they were laying horizontal instead of vertical. Ed climbed on top of him, ghosted up his chest with one hand, before bending over him. Roy carefully brought his hand up to brush Ed’s hair back over his shoulder. “You’re sure?”

“Mustang,” Ed growled. “I’ve been ‘sure’ for over a year now. Are you gonna fuck me, or what?”

Roy moved, suddenly, pushing his leg in between Ed’s and then Ed was on his back, staring up at Roy. Ed stared, before he grinned. 

“Told you; so have a thing for being on top.” Ed raised an eyebrow and Roy sighed, irritably.

“It’s just easier this way. You can be on top in two seconds, but I have to-” He cut himself off and stretched over Ed and the edge of the bed, fumbling with the bottom drawer of his bedside table. “Ready?”

“You keep asking that question,” Ed growled. He shifted his hips up, pressing himself against Roy, and then man lurched forward, eyes widening. “Does that answer your question?”

“You - brat.” Roy glared down at him, grabbing a small slim bottle of lube and throwing it on the bed next to Ed’s head. Ed grinned. 

“Oh, what are you gonna do, Colonel?” Ed breathed, leaning upwards. “Certainly not fuck me considering how long it seems to be taking you.”

“Brat,” Roy said, huffed, then proceeded to take off Ed’s boxers. With his teeth. Ed keened. “Absolute brat,” Roy murmured, pressing his lips to the inside of Ed’s thigh. “And you say I’m the impatient one.”

“Hurry,” Ed breathed, running his flesh hand through Roy’s hair, forcing himself not to grab at his scalp. “Hurry, hurry, come on.”

“Two minutes,” Roy stressed, grabbing the lube from up near Ed and started rubbing it in between his hands, mindful of the bandages still wrapped around his palm. “Do you really want cold lube?”

Ed whined. “You’re taking too long.”

“Have some finesse, Edward,” Roy said, and pressed in with his thumb. Ed inhaled, sharply. “Patience.” Carefully he worked one of his fingers into Edward, slowly - which, damnit - but slow could work, Ed could deal with slow right now, as long as there was something to work with instead of four months of aggravation and stints with the image of Roy in his wet uniform, Roy’s lips against his cheek, and Ed’s hand down his pants. Ed forced himself to relax, before nodding, and Roy carefully slipped in a second finger. “Good?”

“Yeah, just-” Ed shifted for a second, before nodding. “Yeah, good.”

“Good,” Roy murmured, and bent upwards to kiss Ed’s throat. “Just a little more, I promise, come on, love, almost there-”

Ed nodded, and ran a hand up and down his cock, pressing his head back into the pillows. “Now?”

“Nearly,” Roy said, softly. “Let me just - okay?”

“Okay,” Ed said, and chanted, “Okay, okay, okay.”

Roy grinned, carefully tugging Ed’s legs over his back, before shifting his position. “Alright,” he said, and nodded.

“Fucking finally,” Ed whined, and then - oh.

Ed clenched for a second, discomfort outriding the pleasure for just a moment, before one of Roy’s hands was stroking back his hair and covering the hand over his cock, restarting his previous motion. “Okay?” Roy questioned. Ed cracked open his eyes, and glared.

“Move, damnit,” he growled, and Roy huffed a breath of laughter before he obliged. Roy rocked his hips forward, gently, before he started to build momentum, his hand matching his rhythm. Ed rocked forward into his hand, and fell back, choking on his own gasp, automail hand gripping the headboard because he wasn’t sure if he put it on Roy’s shoulder the man would come out it unscathed.

“Fuck,” Roy breathed as Ed shimmied his hips and rocked back. “Fuck.”

Ed laughed, moved forward, and fell back. “That’s the idea, yeah.”

“Brat,” Roy shook his head, grabbing onto the pillow that Ed was laying on with his injured hand, knuckles turning white. “Such a brat.”

“Come on, Roy, come on, faster,” Ed said, and arched up. “Fuck me like you mean it.”

“You’re still - injured,” Roy pointed out, rocking his hips against Ed’s. “Your ribs-”

“Are fine,” Ed gasped. “Harder - yes-”

He hissed as Roy rocked back and then slammed his hips upwards, pushing Ed against the bed, before pulling back and slamming back just as hard. Ed chanted ‘yes, yes, yes’ while Roy focused on trying to maintain his rhythm around Ed’s cock.

“Ed,” Roy breathed, arching his hips into Ed’s. “Ed, I’m gonna-”

“Come on,” Ed cut off, wriggling his hips. “Come on, come for me-”

Roy pressed upwards, Ed moved just so, and Roy moved over the edge, still suddenly and pressing himself against Ed’s body as he bent over and choked into Ed’s shoulder. His hand clenched around Ed’s cock and the man underneath him moaned, pressing his hips into Roy’s hand, and came.

“Your ribs,” Roy choked and managed to fall onto his shoulder. “Are they-”

“For Christ’s sake,” Ed panted. “They’re fine. Everything is - fine.”

“I have to change the sheets,” Roy moaned. “I don’t think I can move.”

“We’ll ignore it,” Ed said, firmly and wrapped himself against Roy’s arm and side. “Shower in the morning, which - considering I just showered.”

Roy turned and smiled into Ed’s hair. “Sounds perfect. I assume I’m cooking.

‘‘Course you are,” Ed scowled, and stared down at Roy’s bandaged hand. “Remind me to yell at you tomorrow,” he murmured. “I’m...falling-”

“That’s alright, Ed,” Roy murmured. “Go to sleep.”

Ed did.

“I suppose I don’t honestly think I’ll be Commander this term,” Roy said, stroking his hand through Ed’s hair. Ed still had his eyes closed, but he was awake, the sun just starting to peek through the window. “The plan is that I establish myself and then run.”

“Can’t believe you want to rule the country,” Ed said, moaning. 

Roy shifted and stared down. “I can’t believe you’re a crime-fighting vigilante.”

Ed stilled, thought, and shrugged. “Alright, you got me there. Continue.”

Roy grinned, and played with a strand of Ed’s hair. “The trick is to be behind whoever wins, and who will hopefully retire soon, and then I’ll move up.”

“Good plan,” Ed murmured into his side. “Hey, why do you wanna be the top guy in charge?”

Roy stilled for a second, before to continuing to stroke Ed’s hair back. “Do you remember when I told you about my parents?”

“Yeah,” Ed nodded. “Bakers, from Japan and America.”

“We didn’t live in the wealthiest neighborhood,” Roy said, after a second, inhaling. “I said Hawkeye was my neighbor. I lied. She lived in the clear other direction. My dad used to work for her father. His second job was maintaining their lawn. When I wasn’t helping out at the bakery, I was with him, helping. That’s how I knew Hawkeye. She used to come out and sit with me while I weeded their garden and mowed their lawn.” Roy shifted, looking away. “Her mother did used to buy sweet rolls every Sunday, and Riza used to save one for me until I came the next day, after school. That’s why they were so angry when I joined the military. They thought I was abandoning everything they had worked hard for.”

Ed stared at him, before he licked his lips. “Al and I were in one of the worst orphanages in town. I was lucky that my grandpa raised us when he did because I don’t think I would have kept me an’ him alive. I used to break into people’s homes and steal their stuff, sell it at pawn shops, trying to get Al something nice, trying to buy books and clothes. I lied on his school application, said he lived with Hughes. I walked him forty-five minutes uptown every day one direction at five in the morning and then walked back, went to school, and then went and picked up him. I did - a lot of bad stuff so that we had the money for my emancipation. Our mom and grandpa gave us some money - but we couldn’t access to it until after, you know? I never told Al.”

Roy stared down at him, not an ounce of pity in his eyes but something like sympathy and indignation - as if he was offended that Ed and Al ever had to live that kind of life - and Ed smiled softly, pressing his lips to the side of his chest. 

“Do you honestly think I’m gonna think less of you ‘cause you had a hard life?” Ed questioned, and Roy turned away, smiling, shaking his head.

“I wasn’t - I didn’t know what to think. I suppose I wanted you to see me as a better man than I was. But - I saw the world around me and I wanted it to change.” Roy’s expression hardened. “People deserve better. The reason we’re in the slum we are is because we’re constantly fighting with our neighboring countries and forcing money into the military. We’re stuck in two extremes, poor and rich, and we’re suffering because of it. Licht didn’t - she didn’t care.”

“And you do,” Ed murmured. “Well,” he shrugged and leaned upwards, baring his neck and pressing his chin into the skin between Roy’s arm and chest. “You have my vote.”

Roy stared at him, before his smile brightened. “I don’t think you know how much that means to me.”

Ed pinched his arm, with the left hand, because the right was pinned under Roy’s body. “Don’t let it go to your head, bastard. Someone has to keep you from over-inflating your ego.”

“Are you applying for the job?”

“Oh, I applied for that job long ago, Commander Mustang, sir.”

Roy smiled into his hair, pressing a kiss into it, before pulling back, clearing his throat. “Ed, I know - uh, this is temporary. But I-” He swallowed. “If you’d like to stay, then, I’d be - okay with that. We’ll really only see each other a few hours each day, and-”

Ed stared up at him. “You mean, like, you want me to live with you?”

“If you like,” Roy said, looking away. “I’d understand if you didn’t, with Alphonse and Winry, and the-” 

He was cut off as Ed leaned forward, tugging out of his grip, and kissed him, grinning against his mouth. “Really?” Ed said, pulling a hair’s breath away. Roy blinked.

“Y - Yes?”

“Then, sure,” Ed said, throwing himself back on the bed and Roy’s arm. “We’re gonna have to put kevlar in your couch.”

“Um.”

“And I hope you’re not too fond of your carpet because we’ll probably have to tear it up so I can hide my Fullmetal stuff under the floorboards.”

Roy blinked. “That’s - fine.”

“Also you’re probably gonna have to drive me everywhere until I get a new ride.”

“Also fine,” Roy said, and laughed. “You’re testing me.”

“Maybe,” Ed said, shrugging. “I could - live here. Theoretically. Feasibly.”

“Happily,” Roy said, and rested his cheek against the top of Ed’s head. “The word you’re looking for - it’s happily.”

Ed’s nose scrunched. “We’ll see, Mustang. Anyway, get up. I’m hungry.”

Roy sighed, and rolled out of bed.

“Baby!” Ed sung. “Baby, baby, baby!”

Bianca Marie Armstrong squealed as Ed swung her into the air again. Bea sat on the couch, sketching out a simple array with a crayon. Alphonse leant over and carefully corrected her hand, smiling down at her. Bea grinned, missing two front teeth.

“Babies,” Ed sung, again, picking up Lionel Edward Armstrong and carefully placing him in his automail hand. “Babies, babies, babies.”

“You’re too happy,” Alphonse pointed out. “Careful or else the General’s going to expect a surprise soon.”

Ed swung around and glared, eyes narrowing. He was halfway to swearing before he remembered the babies in his arms, and little Bea, blinking up at him. Elysia was in hearing range, playing with her dolls, and Ed could not swear.

“You know what you are,” Ed said, flatly, and turned back to Bianca, planting a kiss onto her head. The baby made a delighted sound and laughed while Lionel became distracted by Ed’s ponytail, flicking back and forth. “I can’t - can you imagine me with a kid? Roy with a kid? We’d scar them for life.”

“I don’t know,” Al said, chewing on the end of his pen. “The General’d make a good father.”

“And?”

“And what?”

Ed glared. “You know what you are.”

Al grinned and patted Bea on the head, nudging her. “Why don’t you go play with Elysia, take a break from all this boring stuff.”

“Mm, kay,” Bea sung and skipped towards Elysia who grinned up at her as Bea shyly asked if she could play. Elysia nodded her head so hard that Al was worried she might get whiplash. The two girls giggled at each other and started playing with the dolls.

“Hey, when did we start running a daycare service?” Ed questioned, bobbing Bianca and Lionel up and down gently. 

“I’m not sure,” Al said, and leaned back. “It kinda just - happened.”

“You need to stop letting our friends walk all over you,” Ed said, nodding. Al stared at him and mouthed ‘you?’ “Anyway, Solaris and Rose should be around soon. I should probably start heading out on patrol.”

“Lionel just wet his diaper, didn’t he?” Al said dryly, arms suddenly full of babies. 

Ed grinned as he headed towards the window. “Yes, he did. Have fun, Al!”

“I hate you!” Al called after him, and sighed before turning towards Lionel who grinned toothlessly up at him. “Not you,” Al cooed. “Aw, I could never hate you, you’re too cute to hate...”

Four in the morning and Ed stretched his back out before climbed down the fire escape of Roy’s apartment building. His head felt heavy on his head, and the folded sheet of paper was worn and heavy in his pocket, nearly a year old now, and Ed could - but, no.

He slid the window to the living room open, yawning and yanking the hood off of it’s hooks as he climbed through, letting it shut with a click behind him.

“There you are,” Roy said, padding into the hallway, barefoot. He yawned and rubbed at his eye. “Almost didn’t hear you get in.”

“Idiot,” Ed scolded. “You’re supposed to be in bed. Don’t you have some big meeting in the morning?”

“The Federation meeting?” Roy questioned, and yawned again. “Not that big.”

Ed stared. “You just told me yesterday that’s literally the biggest meeting of the year. Go back to bed.”

“Not without you,” Roy said, starting the coffee pot. He closed his eyes and smiled at Ed, and leant his back against the counter, gripping it with both hands. Ed rolled his eyes and pulled his coat and boots off, throwing them on the couch. 

“You’re an idiot,” Ed repeated, leaning over the counter dividing the kitchen from the living room. “If you fall asleep during that meeting, Hawkeye’ll kill you.”

“Love you, too,” Roy murmured, still smiling, eyes still closed. “Maybe I’ll just lay down until the coffee’s finished.”

Ed sighed and walked around the counter into the kitchen, stopped the coffee maker, and tugged Roy away from it, towards the bedroom. “We both need sleep. Coffee can wait. Come on.”

“But-”

“Sleep, Mustang; beautiful, comfortable, sleep.” Ed pushed Roy onto the bed, who laughed, before folding himself under the covers, waiting for Ed. Ed stripped his shirt off, then his pants, and shook out his braid, before sliding next to Roy, wrapping an arm around him. “You better be asleep in the next five minutes.”

“Might take less than two,” Roy murmured. “Did you have a good time?”

“Fucking idiots went and drove off with a police car and I had to chase them down on foot. Went pretty well, considering.”

“That’s - I’m glad,” Roy breathed. Ed stared up at him, and sighed.

“Big idiot. You don’t have to wait up for me every night. You’re gonna hurt yourself.” Roy stared to mumble something, but Ed pressed his lips to his forehead, shutting him up. “I’ll always come back to you, don’t you know that? You don’t have to worry. You can go to sleep and I promise, I’ll be right there when you wake up.”

It wasn’t a lie. Ed hadn’t lied to Roy since that night at Rose’s house. Sometimes he had to carefully omit truths, but he never lied, and this felt as strong as the sky is blue and the sun rises every morning and I love you.

Equivalent exchange. Roy was his, and he could be Ed’s. For once, it hadn’t fucked Ed over.