The Colonel and the Major

Romance/Tragedy

Rating: T

Warnings: Language and Character Death

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa. My insane plot bunnies- yeah, those are mine.

A/N: A prequel of sorts to my other one shot, Corner of Yesterday.

The Colonel and the Major

The silence was unusual but welcomed as Ed shifted minutely, a lazy smile drifting across her lips as his arms nearly engulfed her. She didn't want to fully wake just yet, reveling in the serenity of the moment, of hearing his soft breaths as they escaped, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. Because of whom they are, what they did, this slight respite was only but a snapshot in their lives. Neither of them never had the pleasure of lingering in the mornings; if wasn't early reveille, it was a mission, or a meeting, or anything else that interrupted their private interlude. As much as Ed loved the spirit of the fight, she loved Roy that much more- not that she would ever indulge the smug bastard's ego and show it. Their relationship worked simply because they both decided to forgo any facades and be true to each other about each other. Ed would remain the obstinate subordinate, and Roy would eagerly lord his hubris over his team- and all of creation, it seemed.

She grinned widely at that thought.

It was a thrill to play those roles for those outside of their little bubble and it had its desired effect. If there was ever evidence of fraternization between the Colonel and the Major, one would be hard pressed to find it. Her disdain for Mustang and his arrogant ways were legendary and served only to throw people off of their scent. If one were to look deeper, they would catch the imperceptive flaws of their farce. The muted passion that simmered between fleeting glances, the hand that lingered far too long, the lurid meetings that were held behind closed doors. Yes, if someone were to pay close attention, they'd have plenty of ammunition to use against his climb to power. He was ambitious and intelligent enough, his vision of his country far exceeding the expectations that even she held. It's why she played her role to perfection. He had to ascend, had to take charge and lead this country out of its blood drenched history.

The thought of him pulled a small smirk across her lips. To the people of Amestris, he was the mighty Flame Alchemist, both feared and despised by sheer attributes. His passion for the future was seductive and had ensnared her almost from the beginning. As the years passed with one mission accomplished after another, she'd shed that childlike intrigue and absurd fury to face the man she'd secretly grown to love. All that bluster and fanfare was just for show- no one would truly know what had grown between the Flame and the Prodigy.

Ed turned her head fully to face him, her smile growing as she traced his face with her eyes as if committing them to her memory. She loved how strong his features were; how the absolute power of his midnight blue gaze in the face of an obstacle seemed to forestall even the strongest foe, how stern his lips became when he was at his most tenacious, the strength and rigidity of his jaw when clenched in preparation for a battle. All of these features, she'd seen before- hell, she'd instigated more than enough shit to warrant his steely gaze that she'd grown comfortable with his silent warnings.

A small chuckle escaped her lips and he responded almost immediately, his eyes crinkling before slowly opening. Ed schooled her expression and furrowed her brow, ready to engage her lover in the only way she knew.

"Finally waking up, you sorry bastard?" At his confused expression, she nearly cackled, yet she remained reserved, almost apathetic even.

That got his attention. He sat up and ran his hand over his face, as he sighed wearily, "Alright, what did I do?"

"Breathe," she replied coolly. She turned away from him, snatching the covers violently. Of course, he wasn't one to be out done, so he snatched them back, prompting Ed to shoot him a deadly glare. "You really want it, don't you?"

Roy met her iciness and raised her with a hefty bid of arrogance, "Always from you, my dear. Why would you have to ask?"

His smooth voice washed over her and she nearly faltered as he advanced on her. She shoved him away and made to get up only to be foiled by his ridiculously quick reflexes. He pulled her closer to him, forcing her body to meld to his as he nuzzled her ear, a soft growl echoing through the room. His possessive touch grazed the gentle slope of her hip and Ed bit her lip to stave a decadent moan. Although she was prone to pushing all of his buttons at once, he deftly went in for the kill, skillfully igniting a fire that only more of his essence could satisfy.

"Damn you, Mustang," Ed breathed outwardly as she pushed her hips back into him, "you're such a fucking distraction."

His deep, rumbling chuckle ran the gamut of her sensibilities and she halfheartedly fought for release. He kissed the sensitive skin behind her ear and grumbled, "I don't know why you can't engage in regular foreplay, Ed." He moved closer, his own hips flexing as he wrapped his arm around her midsection, "Never mind that now. I've got you now and I'm not letting you go."

"So says you," Ed countered slyly. Silently, she pushed him to his back and swiftly straddled him and shoved his arms above his head. His startled expression morphed into irritation as he attempted to throw her off balance. Chuckling, she stretched his arms above his head, "Looks like you're the prey now, Colonel."

"What's gotten into you this morning, Ed?" Roy questioned He held her gaze with a tenacious ferocity that she'd never quite seen before. Yes, the lust was very apparent and common but there was something new, something…unnerving. It was as if he were studying her, watching for any cracks in the façade, for any hints that this wasn't real.

"Stare any harder and I'll probably disappear, Mustang." Seeking to distract him from his approaching sullen mood, she rocked her hips sharply, "We don't have much time and I'd rather use it doing something a bit more productive than talking."

Her ministrations seemed to do the trick; Roy bucked his hips in response and she watched intently as he relinquished his fight momentarily to his desires. Leaning forward, her lips grazed his neck, prompting him to thrust harder.

"Let it go, Roy. Just for the moment," she whispered seductively. "I'll give you the world…"

Cold.

That was the first sensation to register and Ed blinked rapidly as she attempted to draw a breath. The pain increased and she gasped, her right arm shooting upward. Her vision cleared enough to see her hand outstretched as if attempting to pluck the sun right out of the sky. For a moment, she wondered absently how the sky could be this clear, how the wind could blow so gently in the midst of turmoil, how even as the sun shone down on her, that the encroaching cold seemed to choke the warmth from her body.

What had she been doing?

Oh, that's right, she had been walking…walking to…

"Hey! Someone call emergency services, she's losing a lot of blood!"

Losing blood?

Confusion rang true throughout Ed's frantic thoughts. She'd been walking as she always had, milling about the busy streets of Central on her way to meet Mustang at Central Command. Their peaceful morning, although enjoyable, hadn't lasted; two hours after waking in each other's arms, they were separated once more.

A rough cough jarred her pain stricken body and she cried out as she closed her eyes tightly. The impact had been unexpected and sudden and the sensations visceral. The familiar report of a fire arm filled the air and all too quickly, she'd felt the searing heat followed by the explosion of agonizing pain as she was flung on her back.

The cacophony of voices grew until it seemed as if they were all surrounding her, the normal pedestrian sounds echoing in her unnaturally silent thoughts. She grimaced as someone grasped her arm, lowering it gently.

"It's so loud," she croaked, "too loud, Roy."

She waited for him, waited for his touch, his effortless charm that sometimes annoyed the shit out of her. She waited for the rumbling authoritative voice but it never came.

The voices continued to grow, adding to her irritation. She closed her eyes and exhaled heavily as if she'd just released a heavy burden. She was suddenly exhausted, the weight of her days on this planet easing away. Memories flooded her mind, most of them filled with turmoil and pain. But there were happy memories as well, memories of her brother, of their adventures, memories of home, of his mother, of the Rockbells…of him. Her heart ached for all of the missed adventures, both personally and professionally, to come.

A tear slipped from her eyes and a small smile graced her lips. She'd made herself to be a liar; she'd promised Roy the world and she couldn't even give him a few more hours. Although she didn't believe in a higher power, she hoped that whatever was out there would shield Roy from the inevitable pain. The thought of him shattered her anew and more tears fell as she clutched her fist tightly. The cold had completely engulfed her and she shivered, attempting mightily to stop her teeth from chattering. It wouldn't be long now; the voices were growing distant and her vision dimming, the brilliance of the clear blue sky diminishing with each blink of her eyes. She wanted to hang on just a while longer but she realized that was selfish. Why would she want him standing by to watch as she slowly succumbed?

He had to remain strong for there was still work to be done. He was the embodiment of resilient in both love and war. She'd often told him that she would follow his command for the rest of her life, him ever the Colonel and her, his Major.

Unfortunately, her life would be measured by the brief whisper of a breeze that carried her last breath.