This work is collaboration between myself and phantasy . cat. Neither of us owns Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter #10

Without a second thought, Roy raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Cassius Basan blinked his fish eyes and looked puzzled.

Mustang was puzzled too. Where were the flames? The man standing on his doorstep should be engulfed in a ball of fire, screaming.

He snapped his fingers again.

Then Roy realized he wasn't wearing his gloves. They were in his coat pocket, hanging by the door.

Basan, by this time, had lost interest in Roy and was peering around him into the house. After a moment he smiled unpleasantly. "Precious," he called in a sickly sweet voice. "I see you hiding there. Come to Master."

Every fibre of Roy's being lit with rage. He could hear Edward's soft footsteps behind him as he ran towards them. Without looking he extended his arm and stopped the youth from going any further.

Cassius looked at the arm and pouted. He opened his mouth to make some kind of objection but when he looked up at Roy's face. Roy's fury must have been evident because his eyes widened in fear and surprise.

He quickly turned and scurried down the steps. Once at the bottom he glanced over his shoulder. When he saw that Roy remained where he was, he seemed to regain his nerve.

"Well, Colonel," Basan turned and leered at Mustang with a self-satisfied air. "It appears that you are an art lover after all. I merely came to ask you what had happened to my masterpiece…."

Roy didn't answer. He started walking purposefully down the steps. It was as if his anger was controlling him. He felt an irresistible urge to throttle the man. He wanted to dig his fingers into the flesh of his neck and squeeze every last breath out of him, watch him flail, turn purple and die.

As soon as Basan saw him coming towards him, he let out a high-pitched squeak and turned tail running to his car. He fumbled nervously with the door in his hurry. When he got inside, the car took off quickly down the street. Roy stopped walking and stood for a moment, watching the car drive off into the distance.

His heart was pounding and his hand were clenched into tight fists. He took a couple of deep breaths of the freezing air to calm him self down. He relaxed his hands and turned back to the house.

Edward was still standing at the top of the steps, bare-chested in his pyjama bottoms. His blonde hair and his tail whipped around in the wind. He stood like he was in a trance, looking off in the direction that Basan had driven off. Roy hurried back up the steps.

"It's alright, Edward. He's gone," Roy assured him. "Let's go back inside."

Edward didn't respond but Roy could see that he was visibly shivering. Whether it was from the cold or from the shock of seeing Basan, he couldn't say. He took Edward by the shoulders and leaned down to look him directly in the eyes. "Edward!" he said loudly, giving him a shake.

Slowly Edward's attention focused on Roy.

"We have to go back inside," Mustang told him. He put his arm around Ed's shoulders and guided him back into the house.

The Colonel closed the door and locked it for good measure. He led Edward gently into the living room. His thoughts were racing but Ed was his first priority. The youth was dazed and still shivering.

Mustang sat Ed down on the couch before hurrying upstairs to get him a blanket, The Colonel had seen people go into shock before and he knew the basics. He wrapped the comforter tightly around the youth and then knelt in front of him putting himself directly in his line of sight.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry," he apologized to Ed. The young man made no response. "I'm going to… I don't know. I'm going to figure this out somehow, okay?"

Edward just blinked at him. Mustang reached up and gave his shoulder a squeeze as he got up. He headed to the phone.

Roy needed to get a hold of Hughes. He wanted to know why that monster had showed up on his doorstep instead of being locked up in a cell somewhere. But first he had to get work out of the way. There was no way he could leave Edward alone for the day and the youth was in no condition for Roy to take anywhere.

Hawkeye being her usual efficient self answered the phone on the second ring. "Hello, Lieutenant Hawkeye speaking."

"Good morning, Lieutenant," he said in clipped tones. "This is Colonel Mustang. I won't be in to the office today. I have a bit of an emergency on my hands."

"Sir?" she said, sounding concerned.

Roy couldn't help but smile to himself despite the grim circumstances. She was just so crazy about him. "Nothing you need to worry about, Lieutenant."

She paused for a moment, seeming to read his mood over the phone. "Very well, sir but your project on protocol improvement and the report on the 12th squadron maneuvers are both due by the end of day."

Damn. Roy ran a hand through his hair in frustration. She was right. They would take at least a couple of hours for him to finish up. He couldn't afford to let his position start slipping now, especially when he didn't know what was happening with this Basan investigation. There were too many vultures waiting for him to screw up.

"Fine. I'll work from home today, Lieutenant," he replied. "Send someone with the files as soon as you can and have them pick them up at three. I'll have them done by then."

"Yes, sir,"

An idea suddenly occurred to Roy. "In fact I'd like to book the rest of the week as holidays," Mustang added quickly. That would definitely give him time to straighten things out with Edward. "Just send everything I need to deal with. Can you manage that?"

"It won't be a problem," she responded with confidence. "Do you need anything else, sir?"

"No, thank you, Lieutenant. That should be all. Goodbye," he said, hanging up. Yes, She was definitely in love with him.

Roy looked in on Edward. He was still sitting on the couch looking at the floor wrapped in the blanket. He wasn't shivering any more. He took it as a positive sign and dialed the number for Investigations. He had to wait a few minutes to get through but it was Hughes who answered.

"Investigations. Hughes speaking," his friend answered tiredly.

"Maes! What the hell is going on?" Roy fumed. "I got up this morning and found Cassius Basan knocking on my door!"

"Oh! God! Roy! Where have you been?" the man on the other end of the line exclaimed. "I've been trying to call you since the night of Ed's party. The office called just after you left - All our evidence against Cassius Basan, and I mean all of it, has vanished! Gone! No explanation! Nothing!"

"What? What do you mean?" Mustang asked in disbelief. "Evidence doesn't just get up and walk away!"

"Don't you think I know that! This is serious security breach! No one knows what's going on! It's like someone just came in and took everything but there's no damage to the locks… It might have been an alchemist but Basan's been locked up and none of his lackey's even remotely resemble an alchemist," Hughes said quickly. "They had to release him this morning because we've got nothing on him. The only evidence we have left is Edward and …"

"We're not bringing him into this!" Mustang finished adamantly with a scowl. "Not to mention the fact that we have nothing to tie him to Basan."

"It could get out of hand in a matter of seconds," Hughes agreed. "There's scientific debate whether making a human chimera is even possible so most likely he end up in a lab somewhere. Anyway, I really have to go, Roy. We're in chaos over here. I don't have time to talk. I'll call you back later. Okay?"

"Okay," he said.

"Goodbye," Hughes said.

"Goodbye," Mustang replied.

Roy hung up the phone with a sigh. What a morning. His mind was so full he was feeling a headache coming on. He rubbed his temples. He needed to get his thoughts together and figure out what he was going to do.

He went and checked on Edward again but he was still sitting there how Mustang had left him. Roy went to the kitchen and put the kettle on. He figured some tea might help both him and Edward. He felt like something stronger but he needed to keep a clear head. What Hughes had said about the evidence disappearing really bothered him. Maes had suggested alchemy but Roy knew it wasn't that simple. There were a lot of precautions against the misuse of alchemy in the military buildings and Investigations had some of the highest security.

The whistle from the kettle blew. Mustang made a pot of tea and poured it into two mugs. He added a bit of cool water to Ed's so he wouldn't burn himself. He took them into the living room where Ed still sat on the couch.

"Hey!" Roy called softly trying to get Ed's attention. "Hey! Ed! Hey!"

Ed just stayed snuggled in the blanket looking at the floor. Roy put the mugs on the coffee table and pulled it in front of them. He sat down on the couch next to Edward and put an arm around the bundled youth.

He pulled him into a hug and Ed's weight fell against him.

"Edward. Edward. I'm just not sure what to do," Roy said quietly leaning his head against the top of the youth. A triangular ear flicked against his face tickling him. He couldn't help but smile.

They stayed like that for a moment and Roy's mind went back to the puzzle at hand.

There were only two ways that could have been used to steal the evidence. One possibility was that it was an inside job. The other was if an alchemist had broken in to the Investigation evidence room and managed to thwart all of the protection arrays and booby traps. Though the alchemist had to be some kind of genius with some method of detecting them. It seemed unlikely.

But the other possibility was just as absurd. Roy couldn't imagine for the life of him who in the military would want to put their career at risk to help some sick and demented third-rate alchemist, like Basan. What would their motive possibly be? Money? He didn't think Basan had that much. To stop him from gaining favour in the military? There had to be easier ways.

Nothing made sense.

Roy was completely lost in thought so he jumped when a pair of arms slipped around his waist.

He pulled back from the blond hair and kitty ears.

"Edward…" he started with a sigh, body relaxing.

"Please…" the youth began in a tiny voice. "Please, don't leave me."

Mustang hugged Ed back. "I won't. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"He's going to come back. He's going to take me," Edward said, a rising panic in his voice.

"I won't let him," Roy said firmly. "I won't. I'll kill him with my bare hands before I let that happen."

Ed's grip on him tightened and he shuffled around beneath the blanket. He moved against Roy and buried his face into the crook of Roy's neck, nose finding the collar of the man's uniform and nuzzling against warm skin. Mustang assumed that he was just seeking physical comfort and so he allowed it. Until a rough tongue licked at his throat and soft lips began to suck gently.

"Whoa!" he said, pulling away from Ed. "Stop that!"

"Please…" Ed begged. "Please… I want you. Be my Master? Please?"

So now Mustang found that he was back at square one with Edward. This was the last thing that either one of them needed. He tried to move back, to make more room between them, but Ed followed, grabbing onto the front of his uniform. He looked lost, desperate, pleading and Roy's expression softened. He wasn't sure what he should do. Ed was so fragile.

"Edward…" he began but he didn't know what else to say.

"Please…" Ed responded.

The youth must have realized Mustang wasn't retreating. His grip on the uniform jacket loosened. For one brief moment Roy thought he was off the hook but he was wrong. Ed curled up closer to him and the next think he knew, his jacket and shirt were both undone and Edward was running his hands over his chest.

Mustang knew he should be stopping Ed. But he didn't want to push the youth any further – everything was crashing down around him. Alphonse was dead. Basan just showed up to take him back. Roy could understand Ed's need for reassurance and wanting to lose himself in the moment. Roy's own mind was reeling from the dramatic turn of events. It was unbelievably tempting to just indulge Ed since his body was telling him that the situation was perfect, thank you very much, and to keep up the good work.

Ed leaned it close to nip gently at Mustang's jaw line, sliding his leg over so the he was straddling the man. With a wonderfully precise roll of his hip, he rubbed up pleasantly against Roy. The Colonel took in a sharp breath, automatically grabbing hold of Edward's hips.

"Ed…" he began again.

There was a sudden, sharp knock on the door and Edward slipped out of his lap and was gone. The movement was so fast and liquid that he may as well have teleported. Mustang was suddenly left with only a warm blanket, arms empty and the lower half of his body wanting Ed back.

Heaving a sigh he stood up and strode over to the front door. As a precaution he grabbed his gloves out of his jacket pocket on his way by. He didn't think Basan was a big enough to fool to come back but he wasn't taking that chance. He unlocked the door and opened it. The cold wind hit Roy's bare chest and helped cool him off, clearing his head a bit.

Havoc smiled at him with a cigarette dangling from his lips and his arms full of files. "Good morning, Colonel," he said cheerfully. "Hawkeye told me to drop these off."

"Thanks," Mustang answered unenthusiastically. He took the stack from his subordinate with a bit of shuffling. It looked like he had his work cut out for him.

"Okay then I'll be back at three this afternoon" Havoc said.

"Better make it three thirty," Roy replied grimly.

"Got it!" Havoc smiled and gave him a sharp salute. "See you then, sir."

Mustang nodded as he backed into the house. "Goodbye Havoc," he said.

He shut the door with his foot. The papers shifted around in his arms. He carried them into the living room and set them in an armchair. There was quite a pile, he would have to start on them right away to get them finished and out of the way. He picked up his tea from the coffee table and had a sip but first things first. He better go find Edward and make sure he was okay.

Roy put his tea down and headed upstairs. He decided to check his own bedroom first. He thought Ed might be hiding under his bed but when he walked in he could clearly see a large form underneath the blankets on his side of the bed. He had to smile. It was a pretty obvious hiding spot.

"Edward," he said walking over to the side of the bed. "Edward, its okay. It was only Havoc delivering some papers for me."

The lump on the bed made no move.

"Edward," Roy repeated.

He took a hold of the blankets and lifted them. There was an angry growl and a clawed hand lashed out viciously, just missing him. Roy jumped back in alarm and surprise dropping the covers. "Edward!" he shouted.

The lump under the blankets moved forward until the blond head appeared from beneath them. Edward looked up at Roy. His ears were back and there was a strange light in his golden eyes.

"Look, Edward. It's okay. One of my men just dropped off some paperwork for me," Mustang repeated. "Are you alright?"

The youth's ears were still folded back but he seemed to relax. "Paperwork?"

"Yes. Havoc's gone now," Roy said. "I'm sorry if he startled you."

Ed crawled out from under the blankets and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked up at the Colonel almost as though her were expecting something. Mustang remembered how intimate they'd been getting before so he just stayed standing.

"Well, I have until three thirty to get those papers done so I should probably go and get started," Mustang said. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

He turned and then he heard Ed scrambling off the bed followed by a sharp tug on his shirt from behind.

"No! Please!" Edward began sharply. "I… Can't we…"

Roy faced the youth who let go of his clothes and looked up at him desperately.

"Look, I have to get that work done," the man explained. "It's important. We'll discuss the situation later."

"Please, I want…" Ed pleaded. "I want to be yours! I'll be a good boy! I promise!"

Mustang sighed. He was trying to be reasonable but it was increasing obvious that he couldn't skirt around the issue. "I'm not…" he searched for the words to try and make the youth understand. "You don't have to be good. You don't belong to anyone. You're free, Edward. You don't need a master. And for me to have sex with you… It just isn't right. You're hurt and-"

"I want to!" Edward exclaimed emphatically. His claws clutching at his jacket. "I want to belong to you! Then Cassius can't have me! Please!"

"No," Roy said. "It's not a good idea."

"It is! It is!" Ed argued. "I want this! I want you! I need you! Please! Help me!"

Mustang felt cornered. "I wouldn't be helping you. Look, Edward-"

"I'll do whatever you want! Even if it's weird!" the youth pleaded desperately. The tips of his claw made their way through the man's shirt. "No matter what! Just- Please! Please, I want you! I need you!"

"Just stop. Just for a second," Roy said, holding up a hand. "Listen-"

"Do you want me to beg?" Ed asked, voice shrill as he dropped to his knees. "Because I'll do it! I'll do anything – whatever you want! Please! Please! Fuck me! Please! I want it!"

"Stop it!" Mustang said, grabbing the youth by his upper arm and pulling him back up to his feet.

He let out a hiss and grabbed the front of his shirt. Mustang winced as sharp claws pierced the fabric and scratched his skin but he was too focused to really care.

"Anything! I'll do it! I swear! Just tell me!" Edward pleaded. He tried to lean against Roy who did his best to hold the youth at arm's length.

"Edward! Stop it!" Roy repeated. He could feel blood trickling down his sides as he tried to control Ed.

But that just made the youth fight harder, twisting and turning in his grip all the while begging anxiously. "Just please claim me! Fuck me! I want to belong to you! I'll do anything! Please!"

The state Edward was in brought back all of those horrible images from Basan's films flooding back into Roy's mind. The nightmare the youth had lived through in the last four years was unthinkable. Why wouldn't he fight tooth and nail not to go back?

"Just tell me what you want me to do! Help me!" Ed pleaded his voice filling with desperation.

Hot tears sprang into Mustang's eyes. "Stop it!"

"Precious will be a good boy! Precious will be a good boy!" Edward screamed at him. He had passed his breaking point and he seemed to gain inhuman strength as he struggled in Roy's grip. His breath started coming quick and shallow.

Words and reason wouldn't reach Ed in this state of hysteria. Why would it? Hadn't Roy promised him in the office that day he would never had to see Basan again? He had failed Edward. He didn't protect him. But he had to help him now no matter what it cost him.

"Enough!" Mustang shouted back.

He used all of his strength and the advantage of his weight and size to push Ed down onto the bed and quickly pinned him there. Tears were flowing down his face and there was a stabbing pain in his chest. It felt like his heart was actually breaking to pieces in his chest. He couldn't breathe. Edward was still shrieking though Roy was past hearing the words. He could feel Edward panic underneath him, pushing and fighting against him but Roy didn't budge. He just let Ed's fear and fury break over him.

"Okay...Alright..."

Gradually as Edward wore himself out Roy could hear a soothing voice speaking.

"Yes...I'll do it..."

It seemed to calming Edward down. He had stopped begging and pleading. He wasn't fighting desperately against him anymore. Roy wondered about the voice for a moment before he realized it was his own. "Yes...Its okay. .."

Edward went still.

Roy pushed himself up to look at the youth. He was looking up at him with a sudden hopeful expression. It made Mustang's stomach do an uncomfortable flip.

"Okay," he said, voice wavering. "Okay. I'll do it."

Roy rolled off of Edward and lay on his back. He threw an arm over his eyes. What was he saying? What was he doing? The tears wouldn't stop coming.

He felt Edward moving on the bed next to him. He uncovered his eyes to see Edward trying to get undressed. Roy extended on arm and put it on Edward's arm to stop him.

"No," Roy said flatly. "Leave your clothes on."

Ed looked at him doubtfully. "But you said you would..."

Roy sat up on the bed and wiped his eye with the sleeve of his jacket. "I told you I have a lot of work to get done."

Edward hung his head dejected. "Yes, Master," he said quietly.

Roy winced. "Don't call me Master," he replied. He wiped the last of the tears away. "I'll be your Master for the time being but I want you to call me Roy. Do you understand?"

Edward nodded his head mutely with his face still hidden from view. Roy wondered if he was doing the right thing but he had to get work out of the way before he could concentrate on the youth. He sighed and looked down at himself. His uniform jacket and shirt were open and ripped, his abdomen was covered in scratches and drying blood.

He stood up and took them off . He tossed them into the laundry hamper. Then he took off his uniform pants and added them to the pile. He made a point of ignoring Edward still sitting on the bed as he got a pair of pajama bottoms out of his dresser and pulled them on. He grabbed a navy T-shirt but didn't put it on. He decided he'd better clean himself up first.

He walked into the bathroom. He set the T-shirt on the counter and started the water running in the sink. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled wryly at himself. He was a mess. He splashed cold water on his face and rubbed it roughly through his hair. It felt refreshing. He looked at himself again. Much better.

The bathroom door opened slowly and Edward slipped inside. Roy looked at him but when their eyes met Edward quickly looked at the floor. Roy took a washcloth ran it under the tap and gently started washing the blood off of his abdomen. A few of the gashes were deeper and he didn't want them to start bleeding again. He wiped around them carefully.

"I...I'm sorry...Roy," Edward apologized meekly. He had the end of his tail in his hands and was playing with it nervously.

"For what?" Mustang asked absent-mindedly.

"P-Precious was a b-bad boy. Precious h-hurt you..." the youth stuttered.

Roy stopped what he was doing. "Edward," he stated firmly but kindly. "Your name is Edward."

"E-Edward.." the young man started again.

Mustang put his hand gently on one of Edward's shoulders. "Look at me," he said.

Edward hesitantly looked up at him through his long bangs gripping the end of his tail tightly.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Roy told him. "You just got upset. I understand that. I was upset too. I'm not hurt. I'm just cleaning up. I've had worse cuts shaving. You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you understand?"

Ed nodded his head uncertainly.

Mustang rinsed out the washcloth and turned off the tap. He grabbed the T-shirt and pulled it over his head. He looked at himself in the mirror and ran his hand through his hair to straighten it out.

Edward slid next to him and ducked his head under Roy's elbow, lifting his arm and pushing it over him. His hand fell on the top of Ed's head. The youth wrapped his arms around Mustang and hugged him tightly.

Roy smiled and ran his hand over the soft golden ears. They flicked back into place. He wrapped his arms around Ed and lowered his cheek on top of his head.

"It's going to be okay," he consoled him.

Roy's eyes met his own in the bathroom mirror. How is going to be okay? Will it be okay after you've fucked him? Will that make everything better?

He shook his head to clear it. He couldn't think about that now. He'd deal with it later when he could just concentrate on Edward alone.

Suddenly uncomfortable with the youth hugging him, Mustang detached himself and pushed back from Ed. He looked down at him. "Okay. Time for me to do some work," he told him.

Roy headed downstairs with Edward in his wake. He went into the living room and began gathering the papers he'd left in the armchair.

"I made tea," he said with a nod at the coffee table with the two mugs. "You should drink it before it gets cold."

He took the piles of papers in his arms to his office. Edward followed him. He went back to get his cup of tea. And the youth followed him back. Roy picked up both cups of tea and handed Edward one.

Edward took it

"Drink it. It will make you feel better," Roy told him taking a sip of his own.

The youth copied him taking a tentative sip.

Roy turned around and headed back into his study with Edward close behind him. He followed Roy when he went behind his desk and sat in the chair. Roy looked at him.

"Why don't you just go sit over there?" he suggested with a nod to the couch. "I'm not going anywhere."

Edward lowered his head and looked at the floor without moving. Roy could see tears welling up in his eyes.

"Well, sit on the floor beside me then," Roy told him.

Obediently Edward sat down.

As he arranged his papers, Roy could feel the youth working his way between the chair and the desk to be as close to him as possible. He sighed and did his best to ignore Edward as he began his work.

Once he got started the time passed quickly. Whenever Roy thought about taking a break, he would look up at the clock or feel the warmth of Ed's body next to his leg and he would renew his efforts

Finally, he managed to finish up. It was far from perfect but under the circumstances he was pretty proud of himself. He leaned back and stretched to get the kinks out of his back and saw a pair of large yellow feline eyes staring at him from under the desk.

He smiled and pushed back his chair.

"I'm all finished," he told Ed, leaning down to look him. "Why don't you come out of there and we'll get something to eat.

For a moment Roy didn't think the youth was going to comply, but then he crawled out. Roy got to his feet and stretched again.

"Its hard to believe I got it done and with time to spare," he bragged.

It was ten after three. Havoc wouldn't come by for at least another twenty minutes. But Roy wanted to be prepared for his arrival. He gathered arranged all of the paperwork and gathered it up taking it into the living room so he could hand it over when he got there.

Ed padded quietly along behind him.

Then Roy went to the kitchen. He didn't feel like cooking so he cut some generous slices of bread, cheese and cold-cuts and put them on a plate for the two of them to share. He put a pot of coffee on the stove for himself and got a glass of juice for Edward.

The youth just watched him wordlessly from the corner. When he finished, Roy sat down motioning Ed to do the same.

Ed obeyed him, still watching.

"Let's eat," Roy said.

The youth waited carefully for Roy to start eating first and then copied him Roy wasn't sure why Ed was being so guarded but he decided to assume it was from the shock he had earlier and ignored it.

When they were done, Roy put the dishes in the sink and poured himself a coffee. He was walking into the living room with it when there was a knock at the door. Roy saw a blurred motion behind him as Edward vanished from sight and then went to answer it.

It was Havoc. Roy turned his work over to him, they exchanged a few pleasantries and he left. Roy shut the door and went back to the living room.

He walked into the room. From seemly out of no where Ed appeared and latched onto him, his tail lashing behind him. He buried his face into Roy's shirt and made a small noise.

Standing there with the warmth of Edward's body pressed against his, the gravity of the situation hit Roy hard. He had just arranged to spend a week alone with Edward, and he had promised to sleep with him.

Roy realized it may not have been the best decision he ever made.