Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Rain ❯ Rain Part Five ( Chapter 5 )

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Rain: Part Five

 

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A Full Metal Alchemist fanfic by L.A. Mason.

Standard disclaimer applies: No copyright infringement intended. No profit being made or sought.

 

Long author comments at the end, but in brief, I'll be gone from now until the end of this month, first to a users' conference, and then to visit NLS in D.C. The laptop will be going with, of course, but I probably won't have much internet access. I hope to have Rain: Part 6 done by the time I get back, and maybe also chapter 17 of Reflections. Wish me luck!

 

L.A. Mason

 

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Considering that they were two people with such disparate working styles, it was surprisingly easy to settle into a routine.

 

The morning after the arrival of that enormous bed had gone so smoothly that it was nearly anti-climactic. For one thing, after the best night's sleep that either of them had had in a long time, Ed had been forced to grudgingly admit that buying the damned thing had been a good idea. In Roy's opinion, he himself had shown remarkable restraint by not gloating. First up as usual, he'd made breakfast - including following the blond's exasperated directions on how to make the coffee - and been waiting meekly at the table by the time a yawning and mellow steel alchemist put in an appearance.

 

It had been all he could do to not burst out laughing, right then and there. Elric glowered balefully and proceeded to bury the table under fresh stacks of books, but even he had a hard time maintaining a surly demeanor. Yes, the bed had definitely been worth every penny.

 

Now, if the plan to enter the political arena would just go as smoothly.

 

The rapid scritch of Full Metal's pen as he methodically took notes from a basic political science text was a case in point. Roy remembered the book well - it harked back to a first-semester course at the officer candidates' school, after all - and there was certainly nothing in it worthy of such in-depth attention. But Edward, having made up his mind to absorb every nuance of the government's structure, was going to reduce the book to a pile of well-organized notes and opinions, even if he never referred back to those pages again. The older alchemist, by contrast, liked to get a gut-level feel for a subject, without cluttering up his brain with incidental facts and details. Only then, after the groundwork had been laid, did he bother to pay attention to all the rest. The end result was that he had a better intuitive grasp for the big picture, but the younger blond could synthesize a brand new conclusion out of the random details that ended up loaded into his brain.

 

It made for an interesting contrast, and some fascinating arguments. Unfortunately, they were no closer to finding a way to make things work than they had been when they started.

 

The last book landed on the `finished' pile on the floor with a thump, and Roy looked up to find his houseguest staring at him with a predatory gleam in his bright amber eyes. That did not, as a rule, bode well, but Roy had agreed to Full Metal's plan of action. Still, that didn't mean that he wanted to seem too eager. He rubbed carefully at the edge of the patch covering the socket of his own missing eye, and feigned disinterest. “Did you find evidence of fiscal irresponsibility? Trust me, that's old news; everyone knows that military contracts are ludicrous.”

 

A decidedly dangerous grin answered. “No. I found something better.”

 

“Ah?” the former officer asked mildly. The last discovery to distract Ed had resulted in a twenty minute lecture on a flaw in import tariffs. Roy sipped at the dregs of his cold coffee and grimaced, adding, “Now, that's disgusting…” He patted the flank of the china server, and abandoned the idea of a refill; the pot was every bit as cold as his cup, and it would be too much trouble to go make a fresh batch. Unless the other side of the table could be persuaded to do it? He raised a hopeful eyebrow, the sharp black line nearly hidden behind his hair, and was rewarded with a wadded up sheet of paper that bounced off his forehead.

 

“Asshole.” The succinct insult clearly said `you are not funny,' even as it made Roy chuckle. The far wiser course would be to not provoke the steel alchemist, but the temptation was irresistible. Roy was bored. Ed was entertaining. It was that simple.

 

Unfortunately, his victim seemed to have caught on to the game, because the blond only speared him with a sharp look, and held up a sheet of paper covered in lines and boxes, as if it would explain everything.

 

Which it did not.

 

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Perhaps he had made a mistake in thinking that the two of them could work together harmoniously. Certainly, once Edward got the bit between his teeth on an idea, there was no fending him off. “Okay. I surrender. What did you find?”

 

Ed gave him an evil smirk that wouldn't have looked out of place on his old commander's face. “On the assumption that you're a lazy bastard and avoided actually reading your textbooks when you were a student, I'll start at the beginning. Parliament is divided into the Upper and Lower Houses. Membership in the Upper is determined by birth or by appointment, while the Lower is made up of representatives elected by each district-- ”

 

“With the number of representatives determined not only by population density, but by geographic area. Contrary to your obviously low opinion of me, Full Metal, yes, I did read the books. Now, if you're done maligning my work ethic as well as my capacity to memorize boring facts, can we move on?” The complaint came out sounding more petulant than he intended, and the way Elric's grin became triumphant gave Roy an uneasy feeling that said that his table mate had spotted a weakness.

 

“Okay. So who's eligible to run for a seat in the Lower House?”

 

Cautiously, Roy replied, “Any citizen of Amestior registered as a resident in his or her district who is over the age of thirty, and has never been convicted of a felony crime.”

 

The grin, impossibly, became even wider matched an equivalent sinking sensation in the older man's gut. And, sure enough, the boy crowed “Wrong!” while pointing one automail finger at his former superior like a pistol.

 

“What do you mean, `wrong?' ” the Flame Alchemist snapped testily. Reading with only one eye had already given him the start of a headache, and with no coffee on the horizon, his patience for being on the receiving end of his companion's jokes was wearing thin. It wasn't so bad when he was the one harassing the other man, because he could normally count on Elric's temper to get him off-topic quickly. But today for some reason was proving to be the exception to the rule. “We've been over this before. If I'm to run for a seat in Parliament, we will have to move to my home province, as that was the last place that I was registered as a resident. Given that I'm unwilling to do so, and that there isn't sufficient time before the next general election to change my residency to Central, we have no choice but to set our sights lower, and aim for a spot in the city assembly. Then next time, we'll be ready for Parliament.”

 

“Nope. We aren't going to settle for second best. We're shooting for it this time. I found a way around the residency thing.” Edward shook his head emphatically, sending his thick braid forward over his shoulder. Sitting there, clad in one of Roy's old dress shirts, he looked so much like any other teenaged boy that it was hard to remember that he become the youngest state certified alchemist for a reason - because the mind housed inside the body was sharper than that of most men twice his age.

 

Intrigued in spite of himself, Roy abandoned his cold coffee and leaned back in his chair to stare at Edward. “Really? And what's the loophole?”

 

Full Metal, of course, started his explanation at the far end of the barn. “You retired from the army.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And they deeded this house to you at that time.”

 

“Again, yes.”

 

“Then you're in the running for the Central seat coming open in the next election.”

 

Baffled, Roy blinked. “Come again?”

 

Elaborately nonchalant, the blond took a swallow of his own, stone-cold coffee, and nearly managed to suppress his reflexive shudder at the flavor. Carefully, he set the cup aside and raised intent, sun-bright eyes to meet his Colonel's black stare. “Sciezka probably would have found it faster,” he admitted. “But it seems that when an officer is given a pensioner's house like this-- ” He waved his living hand at the tiny cottage surrounding them, “The officer's residency dates from occupancy, not from when he visits the registrar's office. Basically, they made you a resident of Central by giving you a house in it, two years ago.”

 

A shiver that had nothing to do with the springtime damp outside ran up the dark haired alchemist's spine.

 

 

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Warm… He was blissfully, deliciously warm, with that soak-it-through-to-the-bones, radiant glow that only came from sleeping in full sunlight. Roy wriggled a little, stretching, and absently stroked the fall of hair that lay across his chest. The thick, tangled strands were hooked into the buttons of his pajamas, wound haphazardly around his biceps, and threatening to crawl down the open collar of his top. He snorted, softly, trying not to wake his bedmate, even as his fingers automatically began the task of teasing out knots and smoothing the fine threads. The weight leaning against his chest gave a drowsy, contented whine, and burrowed in even closer.

 

It was… nice… lazing around in a decent-sized bed, with the crispness of fresh sheets contrasting sweetly with the firm give of a brand-new mattress. That he was sharing it with a cuddly arm-full just made the unexpected treat of sleeping past sunrise complete. If he was lucky, she would be agreeable and grateful, and in the mood for a bit of exercise of a more energetic kind… A tiny shift over, and the compact, warm body was nestled perfectly between Roy's arm and ribs, the sleek, now tangle-free hair slithering around the self-satisfied man's throat and jaw. It felt so wonderfully right when his hand automatically cupped the neat derriere that presented itself in exactly the perfect position. A single, gentle stroke of his thumb along the fabric-covered divide, and her leg was sliding up over his thigh, opening paradise to exploration.

 

God, on days like this, it was good to be alive.

 

An open-mouthed snore of astonishing volume jolted Roy out of his fantasies, and crash-landed him back into reality.

 

Scratch that. On a day like this, he would have to be grateful if he lived without needing full-body traction and a cast that covered every square inch of his body. What in Hell had possessed him to start molesting a sleeping Full Metal? He had to have known on some level or other that the person sharing the bed was not only male, but that particular male… so when had his traitorous libido decided that a little dream was in order? Tensed, Roy cautiously opened his eye, and ended up squinting at a blaze of golden glory that rivaled the best that forbidden alchemy could create, as the transformative energy of the Sun streamed across Edward's beautiful hair. The owner of said hair made a sleepy, discontented sound, perilously close to a growl, and the heavy, metal leg thrown carelessly across the older man's thighs tightened possessively. Hastily, Roy got his hand off of the bottom that he had been fondling, distractedly thinking that he'd better let sleeping dogs lie. The problem was, it didn't feel like Elric was going to return the favor, and unhand him.

 

Or, was it `un-leg?'

 

Roy bit his lip until it bled when the boy squirmed into what was probably a very comfortable position unless one happened to be facing imminent death by dismemberment, rubbing the solid heat of a surprisingly sizable erection down the outside of the Flame Alchemist's hip. His initial hope that Ed's movements were accidental went out the window when the languid slide was repeated to the accompaniment of a throaty moan. The sound went straight to the former soldier's groin, and had other parts of him standing at rigid attention before defensive counter-measures - such as reciting the Army Manual of Protocol - could save him.

 

And then Ed's wandering hand settled where it shouldn't have, and squeezed, and Mustang's good intentions when it came to keeping quiet, and keeping still went straight out that sun-filled window; he gasped, and jerked. And woke the military's dog.

 

Scalded awake, the compact blond yelped, and floundered in the welter of bedding. The sound of palms slapped together gave Roy barely a second to regret the loss of all that lovely new bedding before feathers exploded everywhere. Tatters of the shredded comforter rained down, accompanied by floating tufts of down that formed an indoor, springtime snowstorm. Out of the whirling white, the razor edge of a transmuted blade kissed Roy's throat. He sneezed - carefully - and blew away most of the white fluff that settled to cling to his lashes and messy black hair.

 

Furious, Ed dug a little harder with his automail's sword, snarling “What the Hell do you think you're doing, you self-serving, twisted pervert?!”

 

It had to be a death wish. There was no other explanation for it. A weak version of his trademark smirk was trembling at the corners of the Flame Alchemist's mouth when he answered, “Saluting?”

 

Confusion flitted across the handsome young features, rapidly followed by stunned comprehension in a blush that practically glowed, it was so incandescent. Then the enraged blond was throwing himself full onto the unresisting man, flesh and blood hand fisting a handful of the pajama top's collar while his automail scrapped dangerously across Roy's Adam's apple. Landing diagonally across the taller form had the unanticipated side effect of putting them groin to groin, sending a spark of desperate heat straight up to Mustang's hind brain. Involuntarily, his hips twitched, repeating the contact.

 

Roy watched as lambent gold eyes above him shifted hue, darkening as Edward's pupils dilated in a mingled rush of mortification and lust. Embarrassment won out, and with an incoherent oath, Full Metal was off of his former superior, off of the bed, and thundering down the stairs toward the first floor and escape.

 

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

 

 

By some miracle, the instinct for self-preservation had actually won out over the desire to flee the scene. Shaking his head slightly, the former Colonel leaned against the kitchen wall and stared though the door's window at the lone figure sitting huddled on the floor of the otherwise barren dining room.

 

Full Metal was compressed into the littlest lump possible, arms locked around upraised knees. He might as well have the words “miserable,” and “conflicted” tattooed on his forehead, given the way his entire small body radiated unhappiness.

 

Well, there was no help for it; Roy was going to have to “fix” things. He shoved at the swinging door and slipped through the widening gap. A tell-tale hinge-squeak alerted the younger man, causing him to press his face into his folded arms. Hands buried deep in his trouser pockets, the dark haired alchemist stared down at his one-time subordinate. The problem was, this wasn't the sort of situation that a direct order would do any good in, even assuming that Ed broke with tradition and actually listened for once. Sighing, he freed his hands and slid down the sit beside the stupefied youth. There was the barest flicker upward of bright eyes to serve to warn him that his continued presence had been noted, but the contact was so brief that the former Colonel wasn't certain what kind of a welcome it represented. Roy pinched meditatively at the bridge of his nose, warding off the beginnings of what promised to be another migraine of epic proportions. But still, he had his duty as a friend to do, even if he was no longer the Elric brothers' commander. “Ed…?” he began carefully, “Why are you upset?”

 

The firm mouth quivered, becoming childishly frail before Edward's legendary determination kicked in. The smaller alchemist ground out, “Look, I'm sorry. So, just drop it, and get the hell out of my face. Sir.”

 

It was the insulting `sir' that did it, Roy later reflected fuzzily. But right at the moment, he found himself growling, “Shut up.” as he wound a double handful of the sun-bright hair between his fingers and dragged the stunned and protesting teen half into his lap, before using his mouth to seal off further, nascent protests. Ed struggled briefly, then melted bonelessly.

 

The inevitable spitting and hissing would be worth it. Really, Full Metal should never have been known as a “dog of the military,” when “cat” was a far more accurate descriptor. The boy arched under the caress of two human hands as if he had transmuted into a feline form, finally shifting under his own power to sit astride his old commander's legs. Ever cautious, one restraining hand remained locked into the length of gold, while Roy chanced stroking the other slowly from scalp to the quivering muscles of a firm bottom. The trembling flex of hard muscles under his palm made him grin into their shared kiss, earning him a puzzled, half-frustrated whine.

 

But enough of that; there would be time for more, later. Perhaps. If the boy in question didn't staple him to the wall with a burst of alchemical power and slowly torture him to death. Roy tugged on the leash of hair, transferring his attentions to the soft, beardless skin along Full Metal's jaw. He spoke with quiet force between each nip of his teeth, treading the fine line between keeping the blond alchemist malleable and depriving him of the ability to think entirely. “Listen to me, Edward. I'm not your commanding officer anymore. And I don't want to be. I don't want a loud-mouthed, bad tempered, uncooperative-- ” He stopped an inarticulate protest over the description with a fierce kiss, for once getting the last word. “—pain-in-the-ass subordinate. I want you, Edward. You.”

 

“But-- ”

 

Trust Edward to still be able to marshal the necessary brain cells to argue. Roy growled. “I said `shut up.' Get it through your head: Whatever happens here, now, makes no difference. I will still be your partner in whatever we do to change Amestior. That said, whatever you decide regarding the rest of… this… is up to you. If you can honestly tell me that you're not interested, I will back off.” The grip he had on that length of gleaming hair relented, tacitly giving permission for Ed to speak.

 

Fair skin still flushed by the combination of exertion and emotion, Elric was oblivious to just how damnably attractive he was, and to how much the other alchemist wanted to take back his offer to stop and finish what had begun in the wide bed upstairs. If it weren't for the fact that it would irretrievably change the quality of their growing friendship, Roy would, in a heartbeat. Instead. he kept still and watched the mouth that he had just kissed into a rosy shade of agreeable warmth tighten into a determined line. Wild eyes that would have preferred avoidance snapped up. Even if the child that Ed had been hadn't earned his title of `Full Metal' thanks to his half-machine body, he would have deserved it for steel of his spine. After a moment of thought, he demanded, “How long?”

 

The temptation was irresistible, and Roy drawled, “Do you mean, `How long would it take me to render you speechless?' `How long has it been since I noticed your existence?' or `How long since I discovered that you interest me?' ” When Ed's half-vocalized growl clearly said quit screwing around and answer the damned question! the dark haired man chuckled. “In order of importance, then.” he said lightly. “How long would it take for me to shut you up? I have no idea, but it could be an entertaining experiment.” Roy's fingers closed on his companion's arms, just above the elbow. While it wouldn't keep the badly flustered young man from leaving if he really wanted to, it did allow Mustang a chance to speak without interruption. “I've been aware of you since the moment I saw a bloodied child who had nearly killed himself by being fool-hardy and courageous enough to attempt the unattainable. And as for the last, I've wanted more than just a working relationship for about a month, since Armstrong's death. Prior to that, it was inappropriate, and no matter what you may think of me, I will neither approach someone that I am responsible for, nor do I seduce children.”

 

Ready anger kindled in the muscular form straddling Roy's lap, and the automail fist came perilously close to the older alchemist's nose before Edward controlled the impulse to punch. “Who the hell are you calling a short kid!?” he shouted. Black hair thumped against the wall with painful force as Mustang threw his head back and roared with helpless laughter. By the time he managed to control himself, the sulkily scowling blond had folded his arms across his chest and was grumbling, “Fine, fine…. I get it. You're saying I'm not a kid anymore, and that's why it's now okay to molest me in my sleep.”

 

“Hey! Who was molesting who?” Roy teased. “I distinctly recall an automail python wrapping itself around my legs. And other things.” Before the now Scarlet Alchemist could make good his escape, long fingers caged his cheeks and jaw, pulling him down into a lingering brush of lips. The older man added huskily, “You make one hell of an alarm clock.”

 

Nose to nose as they were, Roy couldn't miss the flush of heat that prickled across the fragile skin. Nor did he miss the brief instant of terrified understanding that widened the honey eyes, before they narrowed in grim determination. Living with the Elrics underfoot for several years had taught their erstwhile commander a couple of hard lessons: such as the one that said that a scared Edward would charge headlong into whatever frightened him. As the runaway mouth opened to continue the argument, two fingers pressed across them, and Roy said firmly, “I told you: I don't seduce children.” Rage and more than a little hurt replaced the determination staring him down, and Roy forestalled the younger blond's furious protests, lowering his own voice to a gentle caress. “And I don't seduce those who aren't ready, Edward. There are things that aren't meant to be rushed; a good wine, the beauty of a sunset… and discovering the pleasures of intimacy.”

 

It wasn't as if the steel alchemist had been hypnotized as he subsided under the spell of Roy's voice. For one thing, the fierce intelligence was never more evident than it was in the hot, focused glare that he leveled at the older man. The faint, musical grind of metal fingers clenching into a metal palm told the Flame Alchemist that he was trading on borrowed time, and would soon have to equal the balance, but when Ed spoke, the words were steady. “Are you doing this because I'm the only person around, or is it really me that you're after?”

 

To be honest, it was a fair question, and one that former officer really didn't have a good answer for. Maybe that was why he fumbled a little as he tried to put his thoughts in order? Whatever the reason, Roy was forced to forego his customary smooth delivery. “That you're the only one here… matters, but not in the way you'd think. If we hadn't gambled everything on beating the homunculus, I wouldn't have been forced to leave the military. If I hadn't left the military, I wouldn't have been here, to all intents and purposes dead, for you to be the one to find. In a different world, like what you've described as existing on the other side of the Gate, under a different set of circumstances, no, I wouldn't feel the same. But these are the circumstances. Here, now… this is real.” He paused, considering the truth of what he was saying. Tilting his head to one side, he gave the younger man his most charming, crooked smile and reached up to draw the pad of his thumb across the set, angry mouth. When the lips parted automatically, and the tip of Ed's tongue darted out to wet them, it was all Roy could do to hold back from the desire to slip a finger past the moistened threshold. As it was, the Flame Alchemist's voice was rough and shook a little when he continued. “Here, where we are now, never doubt that I want you, because I do. I want you very much, indeed.”

 

While, from the standpoint of a possible career in politics, it was a pity that the gifted younger alchemist had never learned to keep what he thought and felt from his face, just at that moment, Mustang blessed the lack. The trembling rush of dismay and hope, embarrassment and pique that sped across Ed's features was priceless. Broad-sided as he was by a situation that none of the laws of alchemy could account for, the boy couldn't decide which path to take, and that was all that Roy needed. In that hesitation, lay a chance. He closed the distance between them, barely touching his lips to Ed's, and whispered, “One month. Give me a month to show you what I mean. Then, you can decide what you want to do. Either way, I'll abide by your decision.”

 

Speechless, Ed stared down at the cool, serious features, then he scrambled up and stormed out the door. Only once he was gone, and the echo of his footsteps died away on the staircase, did Roy let out the breath he had been holding and allow himself to slump wearily. It was going to be a long, long month.

 

 

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Author's Notes and Replies:

The below is extracted from an email conversation that my dear partner in crime, Kelly, and I had. Thank you Kelly, for making time to beta this chapter for me. Any remaining errors are entirely my fault.

 

It wasn't as if the steel alchemist had been hypnotized as he subsided under the spell of Roy's voice. For one thing, the fierce intelligence was never more evident than it was in the hot, focused glare that he leveled at the older man. The faint, musical grind of metal fingers clenching into a metal palm told the Flame Alchemist that he was trading on borrowed time, and would soon have to equal the balance, but when Ed spoke, the words were steady. "Are you doing this because I'm the only person around, or is it really me that you're after?"

 

Kelly: Ah, I like this. You had Ed reacting in a way that wasn't exactly predictable. Too often by this time, the uke would be a puddle of goo on the floor going, "Yes, you are so good! You love me! I am so lucky!"

Add to that the fact that Ed caught on to the real issue here - is what Roy is feeling for him real? Frankly, I'm bored with the whole 'stewing in silence' thing.

 

LibraryCat:You know, I think part of it is that I don't feel that Ed *is* a uke. If he were a little older, a little more experienced, I would say definitely not. He's smart, articulate, and he's been used to making his own way in the adult world for years. That's not the hallmark of someone who can melt into a gooey puddle the first time he's kissed.

Not that Roy is a classic uke, either... Oh, dear. I've written myself into a relationship between two people who are both seme. *grin* Roy is intelligent, too, and with his background as a schemer does pretty well staying a jump ahead of Edward, but as Ed gets older, they had better find a more equal footing or Roy will be out in the cold.

 

“Are you doing this because I'm the only person around, or is it really me that you're after?”

 

To be honest, it was a fair question, and one that former officer really didn't have a good answer for. Maybe that was why he fumbled a little as he tried to put his thoughts in order? Whatever the reason, Roy was forced to forego his customary smooth delivery. “That you're the only one here… matters, but not in the way you'd think.

 

Kelly: Happy Kelly. Roy explained it well. Plus, his delivery robbed of his usual suaveness lends credibility to what he says.

 

LibraryCat: (Does the happy cat dance - praise from Kelly! Yay!) Roy's delivery was a bit rusty in some of the earlier parts of the story, plus he *has* let Ed inside his defenses. So, yes, it felt right that he would fall back on honesty, rather than his usual sales pitch approach.

 

While, from the standpoint of a possible career in politics, it was a pity that the gifted younger alchemist had never learned to keep what he thought and felt from his face, just at that moment, Mustang blessed the lack. The trembling rush of dismay and hope, embarrassment and pique that sped across Ed's features was priceless. Broad-sided as he was by a situation that none of the laws of alchemy could account for, the boy couldn't decide which path to take, and that was all that Roy needed. In that hesitation, lay a chance. He closed the distance between them, barely touching his lips to Ed's, and whispered, "One month. Give me a month to show you what I mean. Then, you can decide what you want to do. Either way, I'll abide by your decision."

 

Kelly: Curious: why the pique?

 

LibraryCat: Because Ed *knows* he's letting his emotions get the better of him, and it's annoying. On some deep, dark level, it irks him that he is feeling hope and embarrassment over *Roy* of all people. I don't know that Ed is a control freak, really, but he does strike me as someone who would find it irritating to be in a passive/reactive position. He has the capacity to focus on a project that he knows will take years, so it isn't simple impatience, but he does have to feel like *he's* the one moving forward, and not that events are sweeping past him.

 

Speechless, Ed stared down at the cool, serious features, then he scrambled up and stormed out the door. Only once he was gone, and the echo of his footsteps died away on the staircase, did Roy let out the breath he had been holding and allow himself to slump wearily. It was going to be a long, long month.

 

Kelly: Well, I guess there's no doubt that I enjoyed this snip, yes? The usual, tired seme offering to the uke angle is done in a refreshing way, add to that the surprising reaction Ed has shown. You'd expect him to be more voluble about it but the fact that he didn't, hammers in the reality that Ed has changed in that world beyond the Gate. And that you've done it and keep Ed in-character is an extra bonus.

Ooh, look at me gush.

 

LibraryCat: *grin* I think this is the most/best reaction I've ever gotten out of you.

I'm very glad that Ed as written comes across as that he's changed, and done so believably. Granted, he's always been old for his age, courtesy of the things he's seen and done, but I don't like the idea of Roy losing control of his brain and his libido over a child, even a remarkable one like Full Metal. Not after all the work he'd put in to get where he was in the military. Frankly, if Roy hadn't been battered by everything that I threw at him in the first couple chapters, I don't think he would make a serious move on Ed, even now.

 

Thank you for the feedback, love. I hope you have a good week at the university. Maybe I'll get lucky and catch you somewhere in the middle?

Hugs,

Lisa

 

 

And other wonderful people…

To Tenika Dargan: Oh, please don't apologize for the long review! No, Roy can't keep his mouth shut. And here's the first swing of the two-by-four at Ed… Part Six, of course, will be from Ed's perspective. *snicker* I hope you'll continue to enjoy the story, and thank you for your comments.

 

To Beysie, joire1029, and quicklime, thank you, also. Beysie, I miss your insightful emails, and I hope that you're feeling better soon. Kaori-desu, and AstroKender, you've both made my day with your kind words. I'll try to live up to your expectations, and I'm tickled that you think Roy and Ed could be canon.

 

And, to the usual gang: You know that I love you all. I'll do my best. I'm sorry if I've forgotten to send a reply off-line to anyone. It's been getting a little hectic lately.

 

Lisa