[FMA] 'Skeleton' (Roy/Ed) SOME ASSORTED NOTES: 1) Written for the temps_mort AC/DC challenge- one side of the slash pairing shows an interest in the opposite gender, the other person reacts. 2) My temps_mort challenges these days have too much dialogue and not enough action. -__-;; 3) I am too fucking obsessed with the father complex. What the hell is wrong with me? 4) My Roy is so straight. And my Ed is... such an asshole. o__O 5) This is so crappy. WATCH OUT. THE MELODRAMA WILL EAT YOU ALIVE. 6) Why the hell do I write so much slash? (Well, temps_mort IS a slashy community, so I guess it makes sense?) Skeleton Cephied Variable Adalia answered the door. If, perhaps, she had been more interested in military business during the twilight years of Fuhrer Bradley's rule, she might have recognized the man standing on her doorstep, a curled cylinder of paper under one arm and a suitcase dangling off the other. He blinked at her for a few moments before his expression solidified itself into something sly and almost passive agressive. "A beautiful woman. Figures. Well, at least I know I have the right house." he set his suitcase on the ground and met her eyes seriously. Condescendingly, "Listen, I need to talk to Roy Mustang. Do you want to get him for me?" He looked like a child until she noticed the sharp cut of his face, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. She was about to open her mouth and ask him who he was when Roy called, "Adalia, who is at-" and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw their visitor, a complicated array of emotions Adalia couldn't identify flickering across his face. He whispered: "Edward." as if the name were ripped out of him. The man (boy?) at the door tipped his head, long hair swaying against his shoulders, and smirked, "Well, looks like you missed me." * * * "Roy Mustang, devoted husband and father. Never thought I'd see the day!" they'd had to pull an extra chair up to the table for Edward Elric, who ate like a horse and talked as much as any teenager despite that fact that he was twenty-eight years old. Annabelle Mustang watched him with wide, blue eyes from the opposite side of the table, her gaze following his every gesture, every movement with a concentration that was almost academic. Adalia was both fascinated and unnerved by the boy (man?)'s odd intimacy with her husband. It was obvious that they'd know each other from Roy's military days, however their banter lacked the formality and cold distance of military friendships. Ed's age was also puzzling, as was the way her husband kept settling a heavy gaze on him, half guarded, half disbeliving with a slight edge of absolute relief and contentment. "How old's the little one, anyways?" Ed wondered, showing his teeth as he smiled at the girl. Annabelle gasped and straightened in her seat as if she'd been called to attention, "I'm ten years old!" she stated proudly, voice overloud. Her eyes sparkled and Adalia tried to hide a smile- she remembered being ten years old, developing misguided and innocent crushes on every handsome man who paid her some mind. Ed nodded sagely and shot Roy a sly look from the corner of his eyes, "She's nearly as old as I was when we met." and there was something off about the comment. Something that caused her husband's smile to fade and his eyes to darken. A uncomfortable silence loomed between the two of them- unresolved issues that Adalia couldn't concieve or imagine- so she cleared her throat and asked, anxiously: "So, Edward. Were you a member of the military?" Ed's vision snapped back towards her and he nodded, "Mmm. Mustang here was my commanding officer. He recruited me as a state alchemist." Adalia nodded and pushed the food around on her plate, "So you served as an alchemist in battle?" "No, I was too young to be part of the formal military." Ed answered, a mouth full of potatoes. He gestured aimlessly with his fork, "I was just a civilian consultant, which meant that I did more work for less pay. Thanks to your darling husband, of course, who deemed it necessary to assign me the most irrelevant and dangerous missions to grace his desk." "Now, now, Edward," Roy interrupted. He leaned back in his seat and threaded his fingers together, smiling again, "I only sent you where I felt your... particular expertise was required. Remember, I catered to that quest of yours quite a bit. I hardly think any mission I sent you on was irrelevant." Edward snorted, "What about that port town- Heidenbard... Heidenburg... hell, something like that. The villagers were complaining that sharks were chewing the fishing nets to pieces and thus ruining the economy of the town. You want to tell me that was somehow relevant to my 'Quest'." Roy's smile deepened into something Adalia had rarely ever seen on him before. A smirk, slightly sinister, insultingly mocking and she realized that this conversation was not a first. This was a conversation that had been had a thousand times before- so well rehearsed that it was almost a dance, "Mmm, of course once in a while I needed to reign in the lesh a bit and remind you of exactly who you were working for. You could be such a disobidient child, Fullmetal." "Oh, that's bullshit, Colonel." Adalia's eyes flickered back and forth, overwhelmed and completely lost in the dangerous, snide tones their voices had dipped into. "And it seems you haven't changed much over the years. I would ask you please to watch your laguage in front of my daughter." "Oh, it's okay daddy!" Annabelle piped up brightly, "I don't mind at all!" And Annabelle's voice broke the spell. Roy's smirk receded, the vicious glint faded from Edward's eyes and the air in the room became thinner. With a heavy, tired sigh Edward pushed his chair back and stood up, stretching like a cat- muscels slowly unfolding beneath his too-large clothing. "Well, it's been a long train ride from Rizenbul. I think I should get some sleep. Someone want to direct me to the guest room?" "I will!" Annabelle squeaked immediately, then shooting her father a pleading look, "Please, daddy?" Roy considered a moment, then reached out and ruffled her hair, "Of course, Annabelle. But then it's time for bed." She giggled and leapt from her seat, practically dancing across the room and grabbing Edward's arm greedily. When they left, the emotion drained out of Roy's face. His shoulders slumped, his lips turned downwards and the mischevious joy he had displayed moments ago melted into something unreadable. Something dark. Something... aching. "What's wrong?" Adalia asked quietly, leaning over to touch his face. "He..." and Roy inhaled deeply, his eyes not leaving the empty door frame, "He's supposed to be dead." * * * "You're going to keep seeing women, aren't you?" Edward was sprawled out naked beneath the covers with his eyes closed and his arm slung across his forehead. Roy stiffened at the question for a moment, and then continued fastening the cuffs of his uniform, "You say that as if it bothers you." A ruffle of movement, sheets sliding off tanned skin and Roy could feel those intense eyes on his back without having to turn around and see them, "As if it bothers me. Why the hell wouldn't it bother me!?" Roy sighed, straightened his back and turned to give his young lover an incredelous look, "Seeing women, as I've always done... if I suddenly ceased this activity, those watching me may grow suspicious." and Ed was still giving him that loaded, disatisfied look. Roy crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to rest his palm on the top of the boy's head, "You know, Fullmetal, that I only do these things to protect you." Ed snorted and looked away, "Yeah, yeah. Keeping up appearences. I've heard this song and dance a million and one fucking times. But-" Roy cut him off with a kiss and a hand tangled in his long hair. * * * "What are you doing." and suddenly Edward was there, standing beside him and leaning over his shoulder to curiously study the array he was sketching. "Designing an array." "Military work?" Ed wondered, resting his chin on Roy's shoulder. "I'm a teacher now," Roy informed calmly, trying desperately to ignore the warmth of Edward's body against his back. Ed snickered, "A teacher? Whatever possessed you to become a teacher?" "One too many bullets delivered directly to the head, I suppose." Roy had meant it as a joke, but the way Edward fell silent was all too serious. Roy wasn't certain how to salvage the remark. "... what do you teach?" Edward asked after a moment. "Applied alchemical chemistry, at the Central City University." he tapped the paper with his work pencil and explained: "Right now my students are working on purification arrays. Lately there's been problems with pollution in the city's drinking water and-" Roy cut himself off when he felt two thin arms snake their way around his shoulders, "Edward," he asked slowly, "What are you doing?" "You've gotten so old," Edward hid a grin in Roy's hair, all graying at the temples and roots, "I just never could imagine you old." "You've gotten old too, Edward." Edward didn't reply. He breathed against Roy's neck for a few moments while Roy attempted to gather his thoughts. He was about to speak when Edward twirled the chair about on it's base and framed Roy's vision, hands braced on the arm rests, "I bet... it would be different now." he murmered, eyes half-lidded, as he began to lean in for a kiss. Roy took a deep breath and placed his palm flat on Ed's chest, lightly pushing him away, "Maybe. But we don't have the time to find out anymore." Edward twisted his mouth and didn't budge, "I still can't believe you're married." "It happens, Edwar...
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