Prologue: Boom
The train's whistle gave a loud blast as Edward stepped heavily from the train.
His brother of steel armour clanked along behind him in following. He carried his suitcase in his auto-mail hand, the other hand shoved deep in his pockets. He slouched gloomily as he led the trudging way across the platform. A few people pointed and stared, eyes drawn to the gigantic moving armour. Edward used to snicker over how everyone looked toward the 'Full Metal Alchemist' but never really saw him.
Hiding in plain sight, Ed had said. Predictably, Mustang had made a rude remark about Ed's dubious necessity of hiding, Al's shadow and Ed's height.
Al had excellent reflexes, reaching out to grab Ed just in time. Collateral damage had thankfully been limited.
Today was routine to them both and they smoothly, patiently, made their way around the noisily excited people arriving and departing, making their way toward the exit. From one of the pillars a leaning figure stepped up and snapped the young Major a sharp salute, who nodded agreeably without a pause in his step and continued on his way. Familiarly not waiting to be given leave by the stoic Edward, Danny Broche relaxed his salute and gave Alphonse a friendly grin, falling into step with the younger Elric.
"Yo! How have you been following your brother around on this latest mission?" Danny exuberantly asked, patting the armour on the back. He conspiratorially leaned in and stage whispered behind a hand, "Did he deviate from his mission at all this time?"
"Oh, everything went alright." Then in the same manner as Danny, Al hunched over to say, "Well, you know, in the Inn where we stayed one of the owner's daughters took a real fancy to Ed. She always made sure he ate right and all that…"
Danny cheered enthusiastically then pretended to realise he was making too much noise and made a show of quieting down. He leaned in toward Al as they both kept up the useless pretence of talking behind Ed's back when the teen in question was so readily within earshot.
"Things were going quite well actually, until she tried to… um, serve him… milk with his breakfast…"
"No!" Danny exaggeratedly moaned, a hand to his chest, "She crashed and burned then, huh?"
"Yeah," Al said mournfully, shaking his head. "It was tragic."
"I can hear you both, you know," Edward stated in his gravely voice, maintaining his easy gait and not bothering to look over his shoulder at them. "I'm not deaf."
"Of course not," Danny joked good-naturedly, relaxed though in the presence of a technically superior officer. "Never said you were… just driven."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ed asked without any real interest, stopping to stand beside the car Danny used to fetch them as the Lieutenant went to unlock the doors.
"Just that you need to pay attention to a few normal things in life," Danny managed to catch Ed's eye long enough to flash a wink. As they all got into the vehicle, Danny pressed, "You know, like girls…"
Al chuckled quietly at this.
"Hmph!" Ed huffed. "I don't have any use for them frivolous and money-spending girls," he uttered that last word with distaste. "And certainly even less time to spend on them." He pretended to choke, "Winry is enough in my life, thanks."
Al choked on a snicker but still managed to berate, "Brother..."
"I can understand your feelings about Miss Rockbell," Danny shuddered, waving a hand at Al as he nosed the car out of the parking lot. "But are you sure about that? Even if they smell nice, look pretty and make your heart go boom?"
Edward deadpanned in reply, "Even if they smell nice, look pretty and, Danny, they have never made my heart go boom." He looked out the window, giving off the air of solid boredom with the conversation.
"Aha!" Danny crowed. "Alphonse, I think I have hit upon the crux of our problem!"
"What would that be, Lt Broche?"
Danny declared, "He needs someone to make his heart go boom, of course!"
"Boom," Ed bemusedly whispered to himself before his lips were captured in a crushing kiss.
Suddenly, fiery sensations shot down to his stomach, emotion swelled in his heart, and his skin began to hum. He shook with the force of his response to his lover's attentions, dizzying heat permeating all his senses and wiping away every coherent thought from his mind until all that was left were his wants.
He gave in to each: the want to press closer and open his mouth for invasion, the want to push up on his toes and press his shaking body flush against his lover's taller frame, the want to run one hand over the smooth muscle of a hard shoulder while the other buried into soft locks.
He gasped when the kiss broke and his partner pulled away but a few inches. Held tightly, unsteady with heat and need, he forced heavy eyelids open and tried to gather his thoughts when his lover rumbled to him,
"Welcome home, Edward."
Reaching with his flesh hand, Edward kneaded the high broad shoulder beneath his flesh hand, knowing his eyes conveyed his emotions when he replied, "It's good to be back, Roy."
TBC