FMA: Compromise
Jan. 5th, 2006 09:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bard_linnTitle: Compromise
Summary: There had been a time when coming home to an empty house was status quo. Roy didn’t know if it had been a good thing or a bad thing that had changed.
Yaoi, R/E, Angst, then Fluff.
Beta:lanerose
Notes: Birthday Fic forkytyngurl2. I'm sorry it's so late! I hope your day was wonderful.
Compromise
Roy Mustang moved slowly, his body complaining bitterly about the long hours it had endured situated behind the huge desk. Behind him Riza Hawkeye frowned. Roy wasn’t getting any younger and it showed sometimes. “Are you all right, sir?” Safe to demonstrate concern, now that everything was over. No one would use friendship against them now.
“I will be, Colonel. Thank you.” Roy gave his subordinate a brief smile, more grateful than ever that his goals had been accomplished. Parliament returned, homunculi defeated, Elric brothers safe and restored…
Yes, it was a very good day. Except for the mounds of paperwork he had been forced to complete. One problem with helping to change the way the country ran: no one believed you anymore if you tried to give lame excuses. Sometimes Roy wished he was still more of an unknown amongst the military. Being a general wasn’t easy and he could have sworn that someone had doubled his paperwork on purpose.
“I’ll have Havoc get you a driver.”
“Not necessary. I’ll walk home. The weather is fine.”
“But sir…”
“Really, Riza. It’s all right. I need the time to think.” And walking would take longer than driving, meaning he would get home later. If he was being completely truthful with himself – which he wasn't often, he was just as good at lying to himself as he was to others - that was most of the reason. There had been a time when coming home to an empty house was status quo. Roy didn’t know if it had been a good thing or a bad thing that had changed.
During the years he had been a Lieutenant Colonel and then a Colonel, Roy Mustang had grown used to having brief relationships. Longer ones were simply too risky. He could not, would not take the chance that someone untrustworthy would discover his plans. He couldn’t justify having a steady lover who knew his true work either; that would place her – or sometimes him – in danger. So he had grown accustomed to going on brief dates, occasionally staying the night at the lady’s house then coming home to his own forlorn residence.
That had changed almost immediately after Parliament had been reinstated. But in truth, the change began much earlier. It had started the day a blond haired teen boy had blurted out a truth in his office, the day that mutual desires were laid on the table. Still, the pair had come to the agreement that such things now would simply be too dangerous. They both had goals and neither could afford to place them in jeopardy.
Sadly, for them relationships would always come after what they sought.
But eventually they both managed to pull off what others would call impossible. When things had finally settled down, the pair had come together to try and see what they could be. Their partnership had become strong far too quickly, at least in Roy’s experience. The Flame Alchemist hasn’t known it was possible to fall so far so fast. Was it because he was with another alchemist? Surely there were jokes that passed between them that no non-alchemist would understand. Or perhaps it was because they had experienced so much together. In either case, the bond they had went far beyond the bedroom and into every aspect of his life.
Perhaps most powerful of all, having Edward around made Hughes’ loss a little easier for Roy to bear. He didn’t feel quite so alone.
Things had been wonderful for a while and then Edward started disappearing. Part of it was probably his fault; he had received another promotion at work that had increased his hours so he wasn’t home often. As time went on, Roy came home more and more frequently to an empty house and saw his lover less and less. Edward more often than not spent days at a time in the now open to the public alchemist library at his brother’s side, researching some obscure alchemy element. It hurt, but Roy always knew he would come second to Alphonse and Ed’s love of Alchemy.
Maybe they both were deluding themselves and it was time to stop. Roy had given up long ago at ever finding someone he could grow old beside. Silly of him to allow that dream to come back to life. He should have known better.
Finally the officer made it home, opening the door with hands shaking from exhaustion. He stumbled inside and managed to hang his coat up before collapsing into an arm chair.
“I can’t believe Riza didn’t offer to get you a ride home. Which means you must have been stubborn and forced yourself to walk. What are you, an idiot?” Roy’s head snapped up at the voice only to find Edward walking over to him, a warmed blanket in his arms. “Honestly, Roy, don’t you ever think?”
“Edward, what are you doing here?” Roy blurted out as the blond man tucked the blanket around him.
“Last time I checked, I live here,” Ed replied, sounding exasperated. “Give me a minute and I’ll start some tea. You probably haven’t had anything to eat either.” He walked out of the room, heading for the kitchen, all the while mumbling things under his breath about idiots who had somehow managed to transmute their brains into butter.
Roy adjusted the blanket slowly, feeling rather shocked. He couldn’t quite process what exactly had just happened. After a few minutes Ed returned, bearing two cups of tea. Roy started at the younger man as he placed the cups on the coffee table then settled down into a nearby chair. “Who are you and what have you done with Ed?”
“Eh…?” Ed started at Roy for a long moment. “What?”
“This isn’t like you at all!” Roy snapped, suddenly angry though he didn’t know why. “You’re never home anymore. And when you were you certainly didn’t act like this!”
Ed’s eyes flashed. “What, I can’t be nice every once and a while without you thinking I’m an imposter?”
“No! Because this isn’t the Edward Elric I know!”
“Well then maybe you didn’t know Edward Elric at all!” The pair sat there glaring at each other for a long time. “Fuck. This isn’t how this was supposed to go.” Ed promptly smacked himself in the head. “Look, I’m sorry. I just wanted to do something nice for you, okay?”
Roy gave Edward a long look. “And the reason for this sudden impulse?”
Even after all of these years Edward couldn’t hide his blushes. The blond averted his eyes. “Al reminded me I’ve been, uh, neglecting you.”
Ah, it figured that Ed’s brother was behind this. Tenderness was something more in line with his attitude. Al tended to be more perceptive when it came to people too. “Look, Ed. We probably need to just break this off. It isn’t working.”
“The hell we are! I’m not giving this up!” They stared for a long time, glaring at each other. Finally, Ed spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “It’s not like you to back down from something just because it’s hard, Roy. Look, I’ve screwed up. But I’m not ready to give up on you just yet.”
Maybe it was something in Ed’s face or in his tone, but all of the sudden Roy had a memory flash before his eyes. It had been after one of Maes and Gracia’s few fights. Maes had stopped by his house for a cup of coffee and to talk. Roy remembered asking him why he hadn’t been more worried about the fight.
“People fight, Roy. It’s a part of relationships. If you don’t fight sometimes, then chances are you aren’t really talking at all or someone is always bowing to their partner’s wishes. Not a very healthy scenario!”
“Then what’s the difference between friends and enemies?” Roy asked dryly.
“That’s simple. With friends you’re willing to try for a middle ground. It’s all about compromise.”
“When are you ever ready to give up?” Roy asked wryly as Maes’ words echoed in his mind. He considered his options carefully. “I might be able to bring some of my work home.”
“And I’ll start bringing my books home from the library. We can start having dinner together again.” A sad look passed over his face. “I miss that.”
Roy found he did as well. “I don’t suppose you could wake up a bit earlier. It’s something of a pain having to climb over you in the morning.” Or more accurately, he wanted to talk to Ed before he left for work.
“I suppose.” Ed stood. “Come on. Let’s get you something to eat and a bath. You look like you could use it.”
“Don’t suppose I could convince you to throw in a massage there too,” Roy sighed, moving stiffly.
“Maybe…” Ed teased. “Depends on what you’re willing to do to get it.”
“Hellfire Ed, I’m not that young anymore!” Roy looked aghast.
“Stop the presses!” Ed gestured wildly. “General Mustang has finally admitted he’s old!”
“Just because I’m not a gangly teenager who needs a growth spurt – ”
“WHO ARE YOU SAYING IS SO SHORT HE LOOKS LIKE HE DOESN’T NEED TO SHAVE YET?”
The pair went off, the old fire suddenly relit between them. They continued to mock bicker, finding joy in trying to out think the other. Still, Roy paused as they exited the room, taking the time to glance at the photo hanging on the wall. ‘Thank you, Maes.’
Perhaps he had found the right person to live with for the rest of his life. Roy might just need to work a little harder keep him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
I really don't know how this fic turned out this way. o.O It was supposed to be a sweet little thing about Roy coming home from a hard day at work and Ed comforting him. Then Roy started telling me Ed wasn't home and then they started SHOUTING at each other. >.> I managed to pull it back towards fluff but wasn't happy with it. Luckily Hughes came to my rescue!
I hope you enjoyed it Kyt!
Summary: There had been a time when coming home to an empty house was status quo. Roy didn’t know if it had been a good thing or a bad thing that had changed.
Yaoi, R/E, Angst, then Fluff.
Beta:
laneroseNotes: Birthday Fic for
kytyngurl2. I'm sorry it's so late! I hope your day was wonderful.Compromise
Roy Mustang moved slowly, his body complaining bitterly about the long hours it had endured situated behind the huge desk. Behind him Riza Hawkeye frowned. Roy wasn’t getting any younger and it showed sometimes. “Are you all right, sir?” Safe to demonstrate concern, now that everything was over. No one would use friendship against them now.
“I will be, Colonel. Thank you.” Roy gave his subordinate a brief smile, more grateful than ever that his goals had been accomplished. Parliament returned, homunculi defeated, Elric brothers safe and restored…
Yes, it was a very good day. Except for the mounds of paperwork he had been forced to complete. One problem with helping to change the way the country ran: no one believed you anymore if you tried to give lame excuses. Sometimes Roy wished he was still more of an unknown amongst the military. Being a general wasn’t easy and he could have sworn that someone had doubled his paperwork on purpose.
“I’ll have Havoc get you a driver.”
“Not necessary. I’ll walk home. The weather is fine.”
“But sir…”
“Really, Riza. It’s all right. I need the time to think.” And walking would take longer than driving, meaning he would get home later. If he was being completely truthful with himself – which he wasn't often, he was just as good at lying to himself as he was to others - that was most of the reason. There had been a time when coming home to an empty house was status quo. Roy didn’t know if it had been a good thing or a bad thing that had changed.
During the years he had been a Lieutenant Colonel and then a Colonel, Roy Mustang had grown used to having brief relationships. Longer ones were simply too risky. He could not, would not take the chance that someone untrustworthy would discover his plans. He couldn’t justify having a steady lover who knew his true work either; that would place her – or sometimes him – in danger. So he had grown accustomed to going on brief dates, occasionally staying the night at the lady’s house then coming home to his own forlorn residence.
That had changed almost immediately after Parliament had been reinstated. But in truth, the change began much earlier. It had started the day a blond haired teen boy had blurted out a truth in his office, the day that mutual desires were laid on the table. Still, the pair had come to the agreement that such things now would simply be too dangerous. They both had goals and neither could afford to place them in jeopardy.
Sadly, for them relationships would always come after what they sought.
But eventually they both managed to pull off what others would call impossible. When things had finally settled down, the pair had come together to try and see what they could be. Their partnership had become strong far too quickly, at least in Roy’s experience. The Flame Alchemist hasn’t known it was possible to fall so far so fast. Was it because he was with another alchemist? Surely there were jokes that passed between them that no non-alchemist would understand. Or perhaps it was because they had experienced so much together. In either case, the bond they had went far beyond the bedroom and into every aspect of his life.
Perhaps most powerful of all, having Edward around made Hughes’ loss a little easier for Roy to bear. He didn’t feel quite so alone.
Things had been wonderful for a while and then Edward started disappearing. Part of it was probably his fault; he had received another promotion at work that had increased his hours so he wasn’t home often. As time went on, Roy came home more and more frequently to an empty house and saw his lover less and less. Edward more often than not spent days at a time in the now open to the public alchemist library at his brother’s side, researching some obscure alchemy element. It hurt, but Roy always knew he would come second to Alphonse and Ed’s love of Alchemy.
Maybe they both were deluding themselves and it was time to stop. Roy had given up long ago at ever finding someone he could grow old beside. Silly of him to allow that dream to come back to life. He should have known better.
Finally the officer made it home, opening the door with hands shaking from exhaustion. He stumbled inside and managed to hang his coat up before collapsing into an arm chair.
“I can’t believe Riza didn’t offer to get you a ride home. Which means you must have been stubborn and forced yourself to walk. What are you, an idiot?” Roy’s head snapped up at the voice only to find Edward walking over to him, a warmed blanket in his arms. “Honestly, Roy, don’t you ever think?”
“Edward, what are you doing here?” Roy blurted out as the blond man tucked the blanket around him.
“Last time I checked, I live here,” Ed replied, sounding exasperated. “Give me a minute and I’ll start some tea. You probably haven’t had anything to eat either.” He walked out of the room, heading for the kitchen, all the while mumbling things under his breath about idiots who had somehow managed to transmute their brains into butter.
Roy adjusted the blanket slowly, feeling rather shocked. He couldn’t quite process what exactly had just happened. After a few minutes Ed returned, bearing two cups of tea. Roy started at the younger man as he placed the cups on the coffee table then settled down into a nearby chair. “Who are you and what have you done with Ed?”
“Eh…?” Ed started at Roy for a long moment. “What?”
“This isn’t like you at all!” Roy snapped, suddenly angry though he didn’t know why. “You’re never home anymore. And when you were you certainly didn’t act like this!”
Ed’s eyes flashed. “What, I can’t be nice every once and a while without you thinking I’m an imposter?”
“No! Because this isn’t the Edward Elric I know!”
“Well then maybe you didn’t know Edward Elric at all!” The pair sat there glaring at each other for a long time. “Fuck. This isn’t how this was supposed to go.” Ed promptly smacked himself in the head. “Look, I’m sorry. I just wanted to do something nice for you, okay?”
Roy gave Edward a long look. “And the reason for this sudden impulse?”
Even after all of these years Edward couldn’t hide his blushes. The blond averted his eyes. “Al reminded me I’ve been, uh, neglecting you.”
Ah, it figured that Ed’s brother was behind this. Tenderness was something more in line with his attitude. Al tended to be more perceptive when it came to people too. “Look, Ed. We probably need to just break this off. It isn’t working.”
“The hell we are! I’m not giving this up!” They stared for a long time, glaring at each other. Finally, Ed spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “It’s not like you to back down from something just because it’s hard, Roy. Look, I’ve screwed up. But I’m not ready to give up on you just yet.”
Maybe it was something in Ed’s face or in his tone, but all of the sudden Roy had a memory flash before his eyes. It had been after one of Maes and Gracia’s few fights. Maes had stopped by his house for a cup of coffee and to talk. Roy remembered asking him why he hadn’t been more worried about the fight.
“People fight, Roy. It’s a part of relationships. If you don’t fight sometimes, then chances are you aren’t really talking at all or someone is always bowing to their partner’s wishes. Not a very healthy scenario!”
“Then what’s the difference between friends and enemies?” Roy asked dryly.
“That’s simple. With friends you’re willing to try for a middle ground. It’s all about compromise.”
“When are you ever ready to give up?” Roy asked wryly as Maes’ words echoed in his mind. He considered his options carefully. “I might be able to bring some of my work home.”
“And I’ll start bringing my books home from the library. We can start having dinner together again.” A sad look passed over his face. “I miss that.”
Roy found he did as well. “I don’t suppose you could wake up a bit earlier. It’s something of a pain having to climb over you in the morning.” Or more accurately, he wanted to talk to Ed before he left for work.
“I suppose.” Ed stood. “Come on. Let’s get you something to eat and a bath. You look like you could use it.”
“Don’t suppose I could convince you to throw in a massage there too,” Roy sighed, moving stiffly.
“Maybe…” Ed teased. “Depends on what you’re willing to do to get it.”
“Hellfire Ed, I’m not that young anymore!” Roy looked aghast.
“Stop the presses!” Ed gestured wildly. “General Mustang has finally admitted he’s old!”
“Just because I’m not a gangly teenager who needs a growth spurt – ”
“WHO ARE YOU SAYING IS SO SHORT HE LOOKS LIKE HE DOESN’T NEED TO SHAVE YET?”
The pair went off, the old fire suddenly relit between them. They continued to mock bicker, finding joy in trying to out think the other. Still, Roy paused as they exited the room, taking the time to glance at the photo hanging on the wall. ‘Thank you, Maes.’
Perhaps he had found the right person to live with for the rest of his life. Roy might just need to work a little harder keep him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
I really don't know how this fic turned out this way. o.O It was supposed to be a sweet little thing about Roy coming home from a hard day at work and Ed comforting him. Then Roy started telling me Ed wasn't home and then they started SHOUTING at each other. >.> I managed to pull it back towards fluff but wasn't happy with it. Luckily Hughes came to my rescue!
I hope you enjoyed it Kyt!
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Date: 2006-01-05 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 03:13 pm (UTC)http://www.livejournal.com/users/kytyngurl2/45895.html?#cutid1
no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 11:43 pm (UTC)I'm so glad they';re working things out ^_^ Much love for the fluff!! I haven't read many nice sweet fics for a while!
Great fic LinN!!!
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Date: 2006-01-07 10:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-14 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-14 03:44 pm (UTC)Ed:....*FACEFAULT*
Thanks Vel. ^^
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Date: 2006-01-30 01:42 am (UTC)Thank you so much! You rock!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-30 02:12 am (UTC)