Work Text:
June
"Not sleeping, are you, Bastard?" Ed's voice came cheerfully from the door. Roy blinked hastily.
"Of course not, just thinking."
"As if." Ed laughed and strode over to the desk, pulled up a chair and sat. With a grin he leaned back and put his feet on Roy's desk. The heavy thud of automail on wood made Roy grimace invardly, but at the outside he stayed calm. If Ed wasn't bothered by still having two limbs of steel, Roy wouldn't be either.
"How is Al?" Roy asked.
"He is brilliant," Ed replied, "He is getting stronger with every day." No, it didn't bother him. Not when his brother was back in his body. As long as Al was happy, Ed would be too, no matter his own personal costs. Roy really shouldn't worry how Ed dealt with this outcome. He should worry how Al did, after all he was every bit as protective of Ed as Ed was of him. And Al would hate the thought of being restored while Ed wasn't.
"You know why I'm here," Ed said, cutting Roy's train of thought.
Roy nodded. Of course he knew. Ed had achieved what he had set out to do. All that was left was cutting the leash of the military.
"You want your discharge papers," Roy said matter-of-factly.
Ed pulled out his watch and let it dangle of his fingers. "I'm not your dog anymore, Mustang."
"You never were. Much too volatile," Roy replied with a smirk.
"I got the job done, didn't I?" Ed grinned.
"And left ruins behind."
Ed scowled and Roy smiled. He would miss this. He would miss Ed. There had been chemistry between them and Ed was never afraid to challenge him. It was refreshing. Roy was ready to admit that he had looked forward to the days when Ed had to report in.
Especially in the last year, there had been a spark between them, something burning and hot and dangerous.
It was there now, when Ed's scowl turned into a wicked grin.
"Well it isn't as if you'd had a problem with that, or you would have tried harder to stop me."
"I was simply trying to do damage control. If I had stopped you, I shudder to think what else you might have turned your mind to."
"Then you can be glad to be rid of me," Ed said with a shrug.
The mood sobered immediately and Roy sighed.
"I was glad to have you with us." It would be the last time for a long while that he saw Ed, he might as well be honest about this. It wasn't as if Ed could use it against him any longer.
"You..." Ed started, but Roy raised a hand to silence him.
"Leaving isn't as easy as you make it sound right now. You are the hero of the people, the military needs your fame, now more than ever after the fiasco with Bradley. They won't let you go that easily."
Ed looked shocked, as if the thought that he couldn't just leave had never crossed his mind.
Roy quickly continued, "Your contract holds you till your assessment next year. That is why I pulled a few strings for you."
Ed looked thunderous. "I'm not going to stay for another year!"
"I didn't say you should. You are on leave because of family matters for the next month, you can take some additional leave on your own after that. You never used it before. After that I can give you some fake research assignments that will keep you out of here."
Ed stared for a moment, then he smiled. "Sounds amenable."
Roy breathed in relief. He wasn't sure what he would have done if Ed had argued. He had done what he could, called in favors, but he still wasn't in a position to get Ed out immediately.
Ed looked at his watch.
"Keep it," Roy said. "Officially, you aren't out yet and you'll need it to get in here and sign your papers."
Ed nodded and stuffed it back in his pocket.
"Then this is the end." Ed smiled, "Can as well say it now." He looked just the slightest bit flustered, "It was an honor, Brigadier General Mustang!" Ed made a perfect salute.
Roy stared for a second, but Ed seemed serious, so Roy stood and returned the salute with a smile. Ed showing him the respect of his rank was a novelty. A parting gift.
Ed let go of the stand and smiled tentatively.
"See you in a year then." He turned and opened the door.
"Send our best wished to Al," Roy said, fighting down the tight feeling in his chest.
"I will." The door closed behind him with a final click.
July - Roy sighed and signed Ed's request for additional leave.
August - Still months to go till Ed would officially be gone. Roy sighed again. Only two month and he missed Ed like he never had before.
September - Three months. The fake assignments for Ed worked splendidly. Ed didn't have to come in once. Roy found himself wishing for something to happen that would force Ed to come back.
October - Only six more months now. Roy wasn't even sure why he dreaded the day. It wasn't as if anything would change. Ed was already gone, the discharge was only a formality.
November - Roy could deal with this. He was a grown man and had no reason whatsoever to want Ed back this desperately. Five month now.
December - Four months till Ed's assessment. Seven months since he had last seen him or heard from him. Did Ed remember the date he had to come in? Should Roy call and remind him? But if Ed didn't know he would call himself. And it was too early anyway.
January - Havoc and Fuery had visited the Elrics in Risembool. They brought news of heavy snow and cheerfulness. Of a happy family. Three months and Ed would have this forever.
February - Another fake assignment to keep the brass happy. They had started to ask questions, but Roy derailed them. None of them had any claim on Ed, not even Roy, though he wished he did. He sighed. This was getting ridiculous. Two month to go.
March - Next month. It was nearly a year now and he still wasn't able to push Ed from his mind. His mood darkened and there was something like pity in Riza's eyes when she looked at him.
April
Roy stood at the sideline and watched as soldiers busied themselves with turning the parade ground into an arsenal of alchemical resources. Wood, stone, metal, water, everything was placed step by step to prepare for the assessments.
"You don't look too happy, Mustang." Roy startled and looked to his left.
Ed stood there eyes fixed on the soldiers carrying buckets of water.
"I had a bad week." More like a bad year, but he wasn't about to tell Ed just how much he had missed his spirit and their arguments and that unbreakable determination.
"You were never that forthcoming with information when I worked for you." Ed still didn't take his eyes from the working soldiers.
"I no longer need to be an untouchable superior," Roy replied.
"True," Ed said, finally looking at Roy, "Do you have my discharge papers?"
"In my office," Roy said. He led the way into headquarter, "How is Al?"
"Healthy and happy. He is thinking of studying medicine on the side, when we aren't busy with research."
Roy opened the door to his office and cheers broke out at the sight of Ed.
Roy left them to catch up properly and entered the inner office to sort out the papers Ed had to sign.
A moment later Ed's watch landed on his desk.
"I won't need this any longer." Ed smiled.
Roy pushed the papers over to him, together with a pen, trying not to be bitter about the cheer in Ed's voice.
"Sign here and here."
Ed nodded and scrawled his name on the lines, before pushing the papers back to Roy.
"That's it? I'm free?"
"That's it," Roy said, carefully keeping a neutral mask, while something in him threatened to break.
"Good," Ed grinned, "Now that that is out of the way, where do you need me?"
Roy caught his jaw before it could drop. "I'm sorry, what?"
Ed's grin widened. "Where do you need me? I may be out of the military. Doesn't mean I no longer support what you do."
"You want to work for me?" Roy asked, just to make sure. All of a sudden he felt dangerously lightheaded.
"That's what I just said. You might have realized that orders aren't my strong point. So now that I am no longer in danger of being court-martialed for ignoring them I can help you out."
Ed had a point. While in the military, Ed's strong moral code would always endanger him. Roy might not necessarily need Ed's help, but it would surely be useful. And Roy wanted his help, wanted him close. But if they went through with this, they definitely shouldn't discuss this here.
"How about we discuss this over dinner?" Roy grinned as Ed's cheeks turned flaming red.
"I'm not one of your girls, Mustang!" Ed sputtered.
"I didn't say you were. The question is where else would you like to discuss this?"
Ed opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it. And then: "Okay, fair point. Where and when do we meet?"
Roy scribbled an address on a paper. "Seven o'clock."
Ed nodded and left the office without another word.
The whole situation was ridiculous. Roy hadn't felt this light in month. And Riza's gaze on him after Ed left hadn't helped matters either.
Roy let his gaze drift through the restaurant, until it caught on the opening door. He nearly gaped at the view.
Ed had exchanged his leather and red coat for a black button down shirt and dark trousers, that both hugged his form in a way that made Roy's mouth go dry.
Damn it. Riza had known what this was before he had. Or better. Roy had known too, had seen how attractive Ed was, but never let himself dwell on it. He had seen the chemistry, but refused to read anything else into it.
Now he was sure. No, Ed wasn't one of his girls. He never could be, because he would always be so much more.
"Stop staring, Mustang." Ed grinned and slipped into the chair opposed from him.
"You've grown up," Roy replied easily.
"And you realize that now?" Ed asked.
"Oh, I knew that. There just never was a good time to say it," Roy said.
Ed raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment, probably because the waiter chose that moment to arrive at their table.
Ed shot a quick glance at the menu and then chose seemingly at random. Roy made his own order from memory. He had been here often enough to know the menu, but not so often as to be recognized just yet.
The waiter smiled and took the menus and a minute later they had their drinks.
Roy looked at Ed again, who had leaned back in his chair all relaxed lines and lazy smile and decided that he needed to get his mind back in gear.
"So, you want to work for me? Stir up trouble for corrupt people, find information." He didn't list the rest of it. Little spy games were normal, even expected in the military. Sending someone out to promote his democratic plans would take it a step further.
"Sure. The military needs people like you. So I'll do what I can to keep you in the game. And if I get to help people on the way, I wont complain either."
"You are aware that I can't pay you much, right? I might be a general but even my salary is limited." And Ed wasn't the only one he was paying.
"You don't need to. I actually have a job at Central University that pays my traveling expenses. Well traveling for alchemic research, but it's not as if I don't do that anyway. So as long as I can find excuses, you know, alchemists to talk to, libraries or old books ..." Ed shrugged, "You know the drill."
Roy felt himself smile. That was just like old times, all the same things Ed had gone after in his early years in the military.
"How did you manage to land that job?" Roy asked. Not that he was surprised. Central University was for the best of the best, but it wasn't as if Ed couldn't best any of them in his sleep.
"We had a year. So we wrote a book. With all the knowledge we gathered on our journeys it was the logical thing to do really. And then the University got their hands on an early copy and they fell all over themselves to get us to work for them. And since Al wanted to stay local for a while and I'm not ready to stay still ... well, now he does the teaching and lab work and book promotion and learns medicine on the side and I do field research. And in between we publish some more. On paper at least it looks like it might work out."
Roy shook his head in amazement. Opportunities like this really only happened to the Elrics. He shouldn't be surprised that now that they were free, all doors were open to them. And freedom suited Ed. He had more color than he had ever had while working in the military. The shadows under his eyes were lighter and he smiled easily. Not to mention his abrasive attitude had gone down. It made him seem even brighter somehow.
"What?" Ed asked, eyebrows lifted once again.
Luckily the waiter chose that moment to arrive with their orders.
"No, seriously. What?" Ed asked the second the waiter was out of earshot. He even ignored his steak in favor of that answer.
Roy debated for half a second whether he should make something up, but then dismissed it. If a year apart hadn't helped to get Ed out of his head, he might as well do something about it. Ed was an adult, if he didn't want to be flirted with, he would say something.
So Roy met Ed's eyes and smiled. "Freedom suits you."
Ed blinked startled, a slight blush creeping on his cheeks that made Roy's smile widen. Then Ed caught himself and a grin spread on his face, "Was that a compliment?"
That had been a subtle start to test the waters, but if Ed wanted blunt, then Roy would give him blunt. "Sure, but if you'd rather I be more blatant about it," Roy started, "You have gorgeous eyes and not just because they are an unusual color. I always said that there was fire in them and you never lost that. Then there is ..."
"Okay, okay, fine," Ed protested, the faint blush had turned into full on scarlet, "You're not doing too bad yourself there. You know. Eyes and your mouth and hands and fuck this, can we just eat?" Ed asked.
"Sure," Roy replied with a smirk, but inside he was pleased. That looked like a definite yes to the question if Ed was interested. The next question was what to do about it.
For a while they ate in silence, but it felt relaxed.
"So where will you send me?" Ed asked, when most of his meal was gone.
"I don't know yet. I'll need to look into where you'd be the most useful," Roy replied. He'd heard rumors about a small farming town to the west with a corrupt military commander and someone needed to look into the ice alchemist up north, but he would have to prioritize. Not to mention those weren't exactly safe assignments.
"I'll be in Central until you decide," Ed said lightly.
"I'll let you know," Roy replied. But the concern for Ed's safety wouldn't budge. "You will need to be careful out there," Roy said, "You can no longer just confront people, you have neither authority nor backup."
Ed's grin was sharp. "Oh, don't worry. I'll annoy them until they attack first. Then it's self defense and I'm allowed to kick their ass." At Roy's look he sobered a little, "I'll be careful. I'm well aware that I no longer have a near indestructible little brother with me who can save me from my own stupidity."
Roy nodded. That was as much assurance as he was going to get, but only time could tell how it would play out. He reminded himself that Ed fought humunculi and state alchemists and came out on top, with and without his brother as backup.
The waiter showed up again. "Was everything to your satisfaction?"
"Sure," Ed agreed and Roy added a smile and a nod.
"Would you like some dessert?" the man asked.
Ed's face lit up. "Of course!"
"I'll bring you the menu." The waiter vanished with their empty plates. A minute later he was back with the promised menus.
Roy took a glance at it, but decided to stick with his usual, so he took the time to watch Ed as he went through his options. He wasn't sure how he did it, but Ed managed to practically radiate his excitement at the idea of dessert. It was a good look on him. But then again, what wasn't a good look on him? When had this started? Roy wasn't sure. He only knew that a part of him had always enjoyed Ed's company. To rile him up or pull his strings or banter with him. Not that pulling Ed's strings ever worked for long. Ed had a habit to slip those the second Roy wasn't paying attention.
Ed's bright gaze settled on him. "What would you suggest?"
Roy raised an eyebrow. "The deep chocolate is delicious," he replied.
"Why not," Ed agreed and now that he had put the menu down his gaze was on Roy just as intently as Roy's had probably been on him.
Roy suppressed a shiver. Having all of Ed's intense focus on him was something else and he wondered what it would be like in a much more intimate setting, then shoved the thought away, before his cock could take any more notice.
"So how has your year been?" Ed asked and somehow, paired with that intense gaze and a hint of amusement in his voice, the question sounded like a challenge. A challenge for what, Roy couldn't tell.
He dismissed the first answer, a much too honest I missed you, and settled for "Exhausting but dull."
The exhausting part had been the brass breathing down his neck and not just because of Ed. The dull part ... Well, he had missed Ed's vibrancy, his propensity for shaking things up, his fire and general contrary attitude.
Ed frowned and then nudged their knees together under the table. "Sounds like you could use some fun in your life." And there was that cocky grin again.
"Did you decide?" the waiter interrupted.
"Deep chocolate for both of us," Roy replied without taking his eyes of Ed. He barely noticed when the waiter vanished. "So what kind of fun do you propose?"
"Well, I suppose that depends," Ed replied.
"On ...?" Roy prompted. Something flipped in his stomach and he wondered when the last time had been that a date had made him feel that way.
Ed leaned back with a sigh and his expression lost all traces of playfulness. "Remember how I said I'm not one of your girls?"
Roy leaned back too and nodded seriously. At the time he had really not been thinking date. Now though ...
"I'm not the guy for a one time fling," Ed said. Blunt and straight to the point, as always. Roy could work with that.
"Good," Roy said simply.
Ed's face lit up with a smile.
And of course then the waiter had to appear and bring their dessert. Ed seemed to read his mind, but at least his mouth twitched up in amusement at the timing as they waited for the man to be gone.
"Well," Ed started, "In that case: Why don't you use your imagination on what kind of fun we could have?" He grinned and closed his lips around his spoon, eyes never leaving Roy as he slowly licked it clean.
Roy suppressed a groan. Ed was going to kill him. And Roy did not mind at all.