Hey there everyone! I decided I'd published another story especially for Valentine's Day! I thought this was the perfect occasion for that, and I really hope you will enjoy, because I must say this was not easy to figure everything out for this one. I mean, how do you transform a dog story into something realistic? O_O

Well, here's the result!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

The Lady and the Tramp

Trisha Elric was not the average noble's wife. She wasn't a wife to begin with, as she was not married to the rich Hohenheim. It didn't mean she didn't live with her fiancé. Everyone knew that, and although at first it had been a big deal and the couple had been a little despised for breaking the traditions, they were now well respected and even liked much. If people thought they had pretty much broken all rules hat had to be broken, they were wrong. After all, at 15 years old only, not long after Trisha had moved in with her much older boyfriend, she got pregnant.

She named her first son Edward. He looked much like his father; blond radiant hair, golden eyes, and as he got older, they noticed he had the same fire in their eyes. The eyes of a rebellious spirit. As the boy reached preadolescence, that trait strongly stood out as he often refused to obey his parents' demands and did whatever he wanted. It was soon proven that he also had his father's stubbornness.

Around the same time, Trisha got her second child. Another son, whom she called Alphonse. She had heard from other housewives that getting a second child often brought trouble in the house. The first child usually got jealous of the attention the new-born was getting, and seemed to want this addition to the family to disappear, or in other cases the older child would try stealing attention by hurting the younger and getting scolded.

It never happened with Edward. Maybe it was because he was twelve years older and that he understood what had been happening. Or maybe it was simply because of his rebellious nature, that he didn't care not having attention since he didn't need it in the first place. But Trisha believed it was something else. She believed he had formed some kind of bond with the newborn as soon as he saw it. The preteen had looked at the baby, and he instantly became someone else. He was no longer careless and rebellious; he was caring and protective.

As the years passed, Trisha noticed that maybe he was too protective. When the family were hosting parties or meetings and other nobles were visiting, he didn't want anyone holding his baby brother, he didn't want anyone touching him, really. He allowed greetings and introductions, but that was pretty much all.

Even now. Trisha and Hohenheim had been called to an important meeting out in the west, and they had to leave both sons alone at their home. They knew Ed considered himself responsible enough to take care of both himself and Alphonse, but the couple feared his judgments might not be the best. That's why they called Pinako, an old family friend, to watch over them for the week-end. The woman accepted, saying it would be a great opportunity for her grand-daughter to make some new friends.

The parents had to leave before she got there, but they weren't as worried as they would have been if they had had to leave their sons alone the whole three days they were gone. Surely nothing bad could happen in the span of an hour, right?

And surprisingly, they were right. Edward and Alphonse stayed put until their granny arrived. It's only then that all hell broke loose. First, Edward being the rebellious teen he was, he completely refused to listen to the old woman's orders. When she told him to wash the dishes, he ditched his duties to bring his little brother in his room to play. When she asked him, politely, to drink his milk, he practically threw the glass at her head. When she told him to let Winry play with Alphonse, he literally locked himself in his room with his baby brother. That was the last straw.

"Edward Elric!" Pinako was standing on the other side of the door, he hands balled into fists at her sides. "Get out of there this instant!"

"No way in hell am I listening to you, you old hag!" The teen's voice yelled back.

"This is not a question, Pipsqueak! It's an order!"

"I don't care about your stupid orders!"

Pinako didn't bother screaming back. She took out the keys the couple lent to her and unlocked the door, only to discover it blocked by something heavy she suspected was Ed's own body.

"Ed," she warned, her voice low and dangerous. She could almost hear the blond gulp and shiver at her tone. "Move away." He didn't. "You know as well as I do that your attitude is not helping any of us! Especially not Alphonse!"

"This has nothing to do with my attitude, old hag!" Pinako sighed of frustration, then took a deep calming breath.

"What's wrong with letting Alphonse meet a new friend?" She was going to play the Alphonse card, and like usual, she knew the boy would give in. He was always so protective of him... that often he forgot that what he did to protect him could sometimes hurt the younger child. "Why can't you let him have fun with someone his age?" There was no answer, and the old woman knew he was starting to give in. "Just let him out of there, let him play with Winry. If he doesn't want to, I'll let him go to you if he wants, all right? I promise. Just let him try at least!" That did it.

The teen scooted away from in front of the door, letting Pinako push it open. Young Alphonse was held in his arms protectively, like always, while Edward scowled at their babysitter. She shook her head disapprovingly and the teen let go of his brother, although with reluctance.

"See? It wasn't so hard."

The whole afternoon was spent in total calmness, or at least, as calm as it could get with two young children running around and a sulking teenager casting angry glances at her every passing second.

Granny Pinako went downstair to prepare diner, leaving Edward to watch over the four-year-old playing with the six-year-old. And watch he did. He didn't participate in their little games of tug and war, and hide and seek.

At the time Pinako was almost done with the cooking, Winry was running after Alphonse all over the second floor, both giggling and smiling. They were playing tag this time, and she was it. Edward couldn't help but smile at the sight, but it fell when the girl tackled his little brother to the ground, yelling a loud "Got you!". Alphonse fell hard, hitting his chin on the wooden floor. The child started crying, and it wasn't long before Pinako found herself with the boy in her arms heading to the bathroom to check on him.

Edward didn't like it. Not at all.

"Let go of him!" He explained, practically jumping on the old woman and snatching Alphonse from her arms. "Are you all right there, Al?" He asked, his voice suddenly sweet as he spoke to his brother. In the process of stealing the child from her arms, Pinako had stumbled backwards and fallen on the ground.

"Edward Elric! That's enough!" She was dead tired of his attitude. Alphonse was still crying,Winry was poking her head inside the room, looking worried, and Edward was trying to console his baby brother with hushing words and comforting words. "Give him here, Edward. Right now."

Something told the teen that something bad would happen if he didn't. Still, he hesitated. What if she dropped him? If she hurt him? What if she wanted to take him away? In the end, he slowly but surely passed the child onto the old woman's arms, pouting as he did so.

"In your room. I want you to stay put. I swear, Edward, if you don't correct that attitude of yours, nothing good will come out of it. Believe me. Now go." He stared at her, unmoving, as if debating whether or not he should listen to her. "Go!"

He ran to his room.

She locked it behind him.

Edward was not happy. Pinako had made him skip dinner, and she told him only seconds ago that she would only unlock his door in the morning. She didn't understand! She couldn't! Ed knew Alphonse was scared of the dark, but she didn't! He knew he would cry and think there were monsters under his bed and creeping through his window. But she didn't! The teen, knowing she would leave him alone surrounded by black, did the only thing that passed through his mind at that moment; he picked the lock. It was not the first time this happened, especially with Pinako. She used to babysit him when he was younger, before Al was born, so he gained a few skills from his past experiences.

He stalked into the darkness of the house, silently making his way to his little brother's room. The floor creaked beneath his steps, but not loud enough to alert the old woman who was probably reading the newspaper in the living room on the first floor. When Ed entered his brother's room, he was surprised to see Al sleeping peacefully in his bed, a small lamp dimly lightning the place enough to dissipate his little brother's fears. On the other side, Winry was tucked under the covers of the guest bed, the one the teen himself often used to stay with Al during the night.

Needless to say, he slipped beneath his sibling's comforter and fell asleep beside him.

A loud sound woke her up. She blinked rapidly, willing her sleep to go away while she tried to assess the situation. The loud sound repeated itself, and this time the girl could associate it to snoring. She looked at the bunk on the other side of the room and discovered one more occupant. It seemed like Edward had slipped in without Grandma knowing. He seemed to be hugging Al, his back facing her, so she could his golden hair sprawled on the pillow.

Winry slowly got up, stumbling a bit over the covers she held around her shoulders, and made her way to the other bed. His hair was so beautiful... It was of a pure golden color, similar to her own, but the taint and shininess made them look like a sun while hers looked more like a simple pale blond. Its silky texture was appealing and she couldn't resist touching the long strands forming a halo around the teen's head. It was so soft...

She looked over Ed's shoulders to look at Al's sleeping form, his honey mop of hair the only thing visible, the rest of his body completely covered with the blue and fluffy cloth that served as a comforter. She couldn't understand why his hair was so short. Long hair was pretty, while short hair was just... plain boring. The girl made her way to the foot of the bed, climbing on beside the cuddling siblings. Silently and as subtle as she could, she crawled her way to the pillows only stopping when she reached the younger's head. She chuckled to herself while staring at both boys, then her attention returned on the dark blond hair.

Really, why was it so short? She knew Al probably made his parents cut it, but she couldn't understand why he would want them cut. She tentatively poked at the body beneath the covers, and almost jumped when Alphonse turned over, his big bronze eyes staring at her own blue. It seemed like he had woken up when she climbed. Winry smiled , and he returned it.

"Why do you keep your hair short, Al?" She whispered, trying not to wake the teen. The younger boy only looked at her quizzically, as if he never once thought about not cutting it. "It should be longer," she added. Alphonse was taken by surprise as she suddenly pulled his hair, hurting him and making him cry. Wrong move.

Edward bolted upright, waking up from his peaceful slumber, as soon as the sound reached his ears. Al was crying beside him, trying to fight off Winry who was still pulling the boy's locks.

"It should be longer! Long hair are pretty!" She exclaimed, not caring about staying silent now that the oldest boy was awake. Said boy didn't waste a second more and pushed Winry off the bed and away from his baby brother.

"What do you think you're doing!?" He all but screamed. He was furious, how did she dare hurt Alphonse!? The four-year-old was clutching his arm, although he did not stop his crying. Winry joined him when she fell on her butt beside the bed, and it all became a cacophony of bawling.

"What the hell is happening here!?" Pinako demanded as she slammed the door open. Edward himself didn't fully comprehend the situation; all he knew for sure was that Winry had hurt Alphonse. He didn't have time to voice his thoughts, Winry having taken advantage – perhaps unintentionally – of his own shock.

"He pushed me down the bed! It hurts!" She wailed as she pointed a finger in the teen's direction. He couldn't really defend himself at this point, seeing as it was the truth, whether he liked it or not. He did push her off the bed. He still wanted to try though, he couldn't let her get away with that and bump everything on his shoulders.

"She was hurting Al! She made him cry and pulls his hair!"

"Enough, Edward!" Pinako helped her granddaughter up, then turned back to the teen, an angry look in her eyes. "You're being ridiculous! You think it's a good enough reason to be violent toward everyone!? It was only child play, and you know it!"

"But she was hurting him!"

"You know it was not intentional, Ed!" It couldn't keep up this way. Edward was getting way too violent, way too overprotective. "Go back to your room." She meant it as a finality. She did not want to hear anything else from this point on. They both stared each other down, and even though Pinako was smaller than the teen, her glare was definitely as strong as his.

"No." He what? He replied to her? He actually refused to listen to her? Again? "I'm staying here with Al," he elaborated.

"Edward." A warning. He made no move to listen to her and only hugged his baby brother tighter. "Go back to your room this instant. And Alphonse stays here."

"No way in hell am I letting Al alone with her!" His golden eyes darted to the girl, sniffling and hiding behind her grandmother, then back to the old woman.

"This is an order. Go to your room NOW!"

"I'm not listening to you, old hag!"

"What did you just called me, bean-sprout?"

"I'm not a bean-sprout, you guppy geezer!"

"Enough!" She stomped over to the bed, angry shadows cast over her eyes. This did not look good. "You hot-headed little runt!" She grabbed his arm and, with surprisingly lots of strength, forcefully dragged him out the room. Alphonse instantly let go of Ed, scared of the consequences. "You ought to cool your head down, boy!" She made her way to the front door and pushed him out of the house, more furious than she'd ever been. "I don't want to see you until you've calmed down! You better show up ready to apologize, kid, because I'm not going to let you in otherwise, got that!?" She yelled, unashamed of possibly waking up neighbors, then slammed the door and locked it behind her.

At that time, Ed was grateful to be still in his day clothes and not in pajama.

The teen walked angrily on the town's streets, too caught in his thoughts to notice his surroundings. How dare she!? The old hag was there to watch over them, not tear him away from Al, and certainly not to kick him out of the house in the middle of the night! He was a noble, damn it! He shouldn't even have had to be watched over in the first place! It was all so absurd! Why couldn't she understand that Al was all he cared for? That he shouldn't – scratch that – couldn't leave him alone and let him get hurt? How dare she just come into his life and in a single day try to change it for her own benefit!? It was all unfair! He didn't need this, he didn't want this to happen!

Before he knew it, the Ed had left the rich district he lived in and was now wandering in the dark back alleys of downtown. Tall apartment buildings surrounded him, casting shadows and blocking the moon's pale ray of light. The floor was dirtied with trash and the teen could see a cat tail slipping out of a fallen metal trash bin, the animal probably trying to find salvageable food. The silence was eerie, and for the first time Edward noticed how alone he was at the moment. He started to grow worried. Sure, he knew how to fight, he was most definitely not a weak coward, and he had had private martial arts lessons when he was younger. He was even proud to say that he was pretty good.

Footsteps echoed in the alley, announcing the approach of several people. They stood at on extremity, three guys looking like street rats searching for eatable shits. However, what they were really searching for was fun, and as their eyes fell upon the blond rich kid alone on their territory, they believed they had found it. The man who appeared to be their leader, standing between the other two, smirked and walked a few steps toward Edward, a strange light in his eyes.

"What d'ya say, guys?" He asked to his... friends? More like subordinates. The one who was holding a metal pipe over his shoulder shifted his weighed to his other leg before spitting on the ground beside him.

"I say he looks pretty good. Rich kid, ain't he?" He chuckled, squinting his eyes as he looked at Edward more thoroughly. "Heh, whaddya see, he looks like a babe!"

The other beside him flashed a huge grin, an idea popping in his head. "Boss, wanna go at it?"

The leader mirrored his comrade's grin, if not more devilish, before licking his lips in anticipation. "Let's do him."

Edward didn't wait. He picked up the trash can, ignoring the cat suddenly jumping out of it in fright, and threw it at the gang. This caused a diversion, surprising them all, and he used this moment of lack of reaction to sprint down the alley, making a turn to the right as soon as he reached an intersection.

He knew his little trick wouldn't have stopped them, but he was fairly disappointed when he noticed that the three of them were hot on his trail, closing in rather rapidly. The blond continued running, jumping over random planks of wood and overturned bins, hoping that he would lose at least one of them. And to his relief, he did. It was good.

The teen turned another corner, but instead of continuing running, he instantly pressed his back to the wall and waited for his attackers to round up the corner. The first one flew past him without even noticing, and Edward just let him be, focusing instead on the one following behind, who was the one with the metal pipe. The man ran right behind his acolyte, but the blonde was ready and calculating his timing, because as soon as the gangster turned, he fell face first in the dirt, letting go of his weapon in the process. Edward didn't waste any time, taking said pipe and planning on using it to knock the man out.

What he didn't expect was for the third man, whom Ed believed had been left behind long ago, to arrive behind him and push him hard against the wall. He snatched the metal instrument from him and threw it back to his friend. It didn't take long for the boss to come back, having heard the commotion going on behind him. When he saw the rich kid solidly pinned, he snorted and walked over to him.

Ed was turned over so he faced the three men, two of which held his arms away from his body. The boss stood in front, looking all high and mighty with his ridiculous victorious grin. With his dirty hands, he cupped the teen's chin and tilted the blond's head every side as if inspecting him.

"Sure look good. Could pass for a babe, you're right, pal." His grin widened and his eyes narrowed as he looked over Edward's body. "Yeah, let's do him, guys. I'm in for a round."

Edward struggled at that. He had an idea what they were talking about, and he didn't like this one bit. He tried pulling and pushing with his arms, he tried kicking with his legs, but nothing seemed to loosen the gangsters' grip on him. He started panicking when the leader licked his lips and started lifting Ed's shirt, ready for some action.

The man had spent another day pointlessly searching for a new apartment. He was sick and tired of the one he was currently living in. It was dirty, the cold night wind always found it's way inside and water from the rain flooded his floor most often than not. Also, he had the most annoying neighbors, beside his apartment an old couple always arguing and screaming, above a family with young children running anytime in the day and evening, and the night he could hear the love-making of their parents. Roy still wondered how they never woken their children.

Most of his evenings and nights were spent at a local restaurant, which also served as a bar. He was not a costumer though; he worked there. No, seriously, he had good friends there, and the pay was pretty good, and he liked it. Why change?

He was precisely on his way there when he heard a scream coming from an alley. He didn't think much of it; he was living downtown, after all. He could make out some words from the obviously furious yelling, most of it cursing and threats. But then he heard what could have possibly been a punch following closely by a grunt.

Well, now that was a bit curious. A fight, most probably. It didn't surprise him. At the same time, though, it didn't seem like much of a fight, there was no sound to make him believe the other one was fighting back. Maybe it was a beating. Roy just hoped he wasn't about to involve himself in a gang fight.

He spied at a dark corner, and was frozen in place. He was expecting to see two tough guys fighting each other, but what he saw was three men holding a teenager down and suspiciously removing his shirt.

"Hurry up, boss," one of them hissed while he struggled to keep the boy pinned to the wall. The leader shook his head with a sick smile on his punchable face.

"No hurry. Night's long!" He broke out laughing, then proceeded to remove his gloves. The third man held the teenager with a single hand, and while his boss worked on his own belt, he worked on the boy's pants. And Roy understood.

He didn't even know why he had decided to take a look in the first place. Now he didn't even know what had happened until he pushed the boss to the ground and punched him repeatedly in the face, knocking him out cold. The one with a metal pipe came charging on him, and using his opponent's careless run to his advantage, he slipped to the side on the last second and held out his leg to trip the man over. Once one the ground, Roy gave him a few good kicks at his ribs then crouched beside him. He took a hold of the gangster's hair, pulling his head back a bit, before slamming it hard on the ground. He was out like a candle.

When he turned to take on the last enemy, he saw the blond elbow his attacker in the stomach, then turned around, grand the older man's head with both hands and brought it down to meet his knee. Needless to say, the remaining criminal collapsed to the ground, joining his comrades in la-la-land.

Both teenager and man stared at each other for a while, then the blond shifted embarrassingly and turned around. Roy looked perplexedly at him before noticing the boy was actually setting his pants back on correctly. He picked up a belt on the ground and tied it tight around his waist.

"Thank you," he muttered, as if the words themselves were the hardest things in his life. They stood there awkwardly for a long while, then Roy decided that enough was enough. They had to get on with this.

He cleared his throat and took a small step towards the teen, holding out his hand. "My name is Roy Mustang." As a result the blond turned around and shook his hand shily.

"Edward Elric." At that moment, Ed was glad to have his mother's last name; everyone knew Hohenheim as the family head. He didn't want any unwanted attention that his father's name could bring him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Roy said back, his small smile back in place. He was glad, the teen didn't seem too fazed by what had almost happened to him. Maybe he didn't even fully realized it yet.

"Same," was all the answer he received. Roy took the time to take a better look at the boy, and was completely stunned by his eyes. So golden... It matched perfectly with his hair, surprisingly long and swung in a braid behind his back. A few strands stood rebellious, probably because of the recent events. He was a bit small, but he was what, fourteen years old? It was not really surprising.

Ed was also lost in his scrutinizing of his savior's appearance. His onyx eyes were in harmony with his night-like mop of hair, that looked quite silky and soft by the way, and his pale skin that seemed to glow in the ray of moonlight that managed to passed between the tall buildings around them.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud growl resounded in the alley. Ed's stomach decided it wanted to also get acquainted with this handsome stranger. The only answer was a chuckled from said man, that soon turned into a full-out laugh. Ed couldn't help himself; he joined into this symphony with his own sniggering.

The pair found themselves in the abandoned street behind a really busy bar only a few minutes after having recovered from their bout of cracking up. Edward had briefly explained his situation and Roy decided that it wouldn't hurt to feed the attractive young man. He had learned not long ago that, no, Ed was not fourteen years old, he was sixteen – almost seventeen – and it allowed the oldest to look at him differently. Sure, he was only two years older, it was no big deal, but somehow he couldn't help but feel... a little lured by him. And his personality proved to be as fiery as his looks.

They entered the restaurant by the back door, Ed following closely behind Roy and asking in whispers if they really should do this.

"It's fine, Edward, I work here", was his only answer, and it was enough to reassure the blond.

Edward met with Havoc and Breda, two friends of Roy's working at the same place. Breda was one of the cooks – the chef, actually – and Jean was a waiter. Together, they worked on preparing food for the pair, and seeing as it was a great night outside, they convinced them to eat in privacy under the stars.

The meal was spent slowly and pleasantly, both men getting to know each other better. Roy learned that Ed didn't like milk, hated would be more appropriated. He also learned hat he had a little brother he cared for with all his might, twelve years younger yet undeniably close to each other. It wasn't long before Ed slipped up and let his savior know of his noble status, not that he wasn't suspecting anything in the first place, but learning that the teen you just saved was actually Hohenheim's son, that came up as quite a shock.

He also learned that the blond was prone to take any challenge head on, and he used this at his advantage to get him to drink a little fine wine by telling him he didn't dare because he was underage. He was quite pleased with the results, to say the least. Ed's cheeks had taken a light pink tinge, and his eyes seemed a little bit brighter and reflected the sky's stars. It loosened him a little, getting him to talk more and be a lot less defensive about everything. He was so attractive...

Jean was the first one to notice it, and it didn't take long for Breda to catch up either. That glimmer in Roy's eyes whenever he looked at the younger man... There was no denying it! They had to wonder if Mustang himself had noticed it yet, though, because he didn't seem to make any move on the newcomer. Surely he couldn't be blind to his own feelings, right? They looked at each other, then back at the pair sitting outside. They stared intently and couldn't help smirking when Roy's eyes widened while he looked at Edward for an extended period of time, accompanied by a blush painting his pale skin. So he finally noticed, huh? Maybe their friend deserved a night off... for a date!

The sun's rays caressed the blond's face. The teen grunted to himself and shied his eyes away from the light with his arm, but it was too late. He was awake now. He slowly sat up, looking blearily at his surroundings, before remembering the events of the previous night. He had eaten at Roy's workplace, then they had head out for a walk out of town. They only stopped at the top of the hill overlooking most of the town, where they had talked some more and... spent the night together. Ed's cheeks flushed at the memory.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a half-sleeping raven-haired man when said person sat up behind him and held him close to his chest, planting small kisses in the crook of his neck.

"Good morning, Roy," Ed whispered, as if afraid to break the peaceful atmosphere that came with the rising sun.

"Hey, gorgeous. Slept well?" A silent chuckle.

"Could have slept more." Ed felt lips curled up in a smile on his skin, and it made him shiver a little.

"You should put on your coat, you look like you're freezing," Roy breathed in his neck, and more goose-bumps appeared on his skin. He didn't dare answer, but it seemed like his new-found lover could see right through him. "Or not. I'm the one making you react that, way, am I?"

"Whatever, sleepy-head," Ed muttered affectionately as he pushed himself up on his feet. He stood unmoving, watching the seemingly never-ending nature at the foot of the hill. He didn't see Roy get up, but he felt his warmth when he came to stand beside him.

"Beautiful, isn't?" A nod. The silent stretched, but it was a comfortable one. They didn't need to say anything. Still, Roy had something in his mind. "Have you... ever considered setting foot out there? To be free?" His eyes didn't leave the scenery, and Ed had to hum show his agreement. "What do you say, Ed? I know you don't like aristocracy. You hate being a high noble's son. You want to be free. And so do I... So, what do you think if... we set out together? Just the two of us?" He was so sure of himself that when he looked back at his lover after a long moment of silence, he internally panicked. Ed looked saddened, as if... as if he didn't want to go... "Ed?" The blond slowly turned his head to the other side of the hill, where he could see the town separated by districts. His gaze settled in the Central district, where his house was located, and a dejected smile graced the teen's lips.

"But who will watch over my little brother?"

And then Roy understood that he couldn't convince him of going. Not yet.

It wouldn't stop him from being with Ed. At all. He was already planning on taking him on another date soon. But for now, they agreed to walk back o the city, so Roy could accompany his lover back to his home. Ed had to come back, and he knew that Pinako had to be worried by now, even though she would probably yell at him as soon as he entered the house.

However, as they passed by one of the few abandoned buildings on the outskirts of town, they witnessed two kids setting the apartment on fire. Roy was the first one to notice, and as soon as he did, he called out to them almost in an aggressive way. The kids ran away as soon as they'd been found out. The couple didn't waster any more time. They did their best putting out the fire, but it only grew bigger and bigger until they couldn't take care of it anymore.

Soon, the police had arrived, and one of them ordered his comrades to arrest the couple. They didn't linger there. Both Ed and Roy started running in the opposite directions, and even if the whole situation was kind of really serious, they couldn't help but laugh at their little adventure. Whatever they did, Ed always found it so fun being with Roy...

He tripped. Edward tripped, and when he tried to get back up, one of the cops had pined him down and put shackles around his wrists. And Roy just continued running up ahead, not even looking behind him when his lover got captured.

The police officer in charge of the interrogation was called Kimblee, and he was insistent on demanding truthful answers while his co-worker looked into the files to verify Edward's identity. The teen didn't bother with lying. What was the point? They had done nothing wrong. Even so, Kimbly didn't let up the questions, feeling certain that the blond was making up everything.

It didn't take long for them to find out that their suspect was actually Hohenheim's son, and they soon released him.

It didn't make Ed less mad.

He was mad for being Hohenhaim's son. He was mad at having been treated like some pitiful lying criminal. He was mad at the prisoner he had been locked with for the first hour of his trip to the police station as soon as said woman had told him about a very handsome guy called Roy Mustang who apparently chased skirts around and let her up after a one-night stand. And he was mad at Roy for leaving him behind.

To top it all off, Pinako had scolded him for having wandered all night long downtown of all places, and given him chores to occupy his whole day. She even forbid him to talk to Alphonse and when curfew time came, she locked him in his room once again. It was so pointless. His parents and her knew that he could get out anyway; he could pick the lock without even thinking about it. He had done it so many times...

He was about to work on it that night, a little past eleven o'clock, when a knock on his window (how cliché) stopped him in his tracks. He waited a bit, thinking he had imagined it, then went back to his task. The knocking came again, and this time Edward walked skeptically towards his drawn curtains. He opened them cautiously, as if something could just jump in from outside and attack him.

To his surprise, something – or, more accurately, someone – did slipped in his room. The teen could only stare wide-eyed at the intruder, before his shock turned into anger as he recognized the identity of the burglar.

Roy Mustang.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Edward did his best to not yell and awake the whole house. He was pretty sure he had never given his address to the older man! And who did he think he was? Barging in on him like that! No. Nope. That was not cool. Not at all.

"Why, I came to see you, of course," his... lover? Answered in a whisper, a smirk that the teen wanted to punch into oblivion in place. How did he dare come see him, climbing a two-story house, the same day he had abandoned him to the police!?

"This is deadly serious, Roy. And how did you know where to find me, and which window led to my bedroom?" He had to admit that he was curious to know the answer to that question. However, all he received was a small shrug.

"I've got my sources." Yup. That was not funny at all. Completely infuriating.

"Oh, so now you sneak in your one-night stands in the middle of the night!?" Edward almost yelled this one, and he had to forced himself to be more discreet. He did not want Pinako to think he had let a thief in. "Why the hell did you come in the first place?"

"I wanted to see you. To talk to you. To... make sure you were alright." The blond couldn't help but snort.

"Why do you care now?" There was disdain in his voice, and there was no way Roy had missed it. The oldest of the two raised his eyebrow at the tone, then frowned when he noticed Edward was serious and that this was no joke.

"What do you mean?" Oh, how he wanted to hit him!

"You know perfectly well what I mean, Roy!" His voice built up in volume and with a shush from the black-haired man, he took a deep breath before continuing, more subtly though still with venom. "You left me behind this morning. I fell, they caught me, and you continued to run without even looking back at me." His golden eyes burned the onyx ones, but they didn't falter one bit as Roy listened.

"I didn't know. I just kept running, I skid a turner, and when I turned to talk to you you had disappeared. I traced back my steps to find the cops retiring to their car and starting the engine. I didn't know if you had got caught or if we had been separated at some point. The only way I had to know was to find you. And now I did." The blond had stayed silent during the explanation, and he couldn't help but feel bad at having judged his lover so fast. A random thought crossed his mind, though, and his anger from earlier turned into confusion and... hurt? Yes, he felt hurt.

"I got caught." It was enough information, right? "Got brought to a cell. Guess who I met?" Roy looked at him skeptically, as if wondering where the conversation was heading. "A no-name woman." The man rose an eyebrow at this statement, a bit lost. With a gulp, Edward let his eyes wander to anywhere but Roy, and they ended up settled on the carped floor. "She said she knew you..." He took a calming breath before adding "and that many others did too."

Realization dawned on Roy. So Ed knew. Ed knew he was a skirt-chaser, going around fucking girls he didn't even know the names of. Well, it would only be a matter of time before he had found out, and anyway, why did it matter? It was not like their relationship would change because of that, right? After all, they did kind of spent a wonderful... night...

Shit. Now he understood. What they had done the night before... was exactly like a one-night stand. No wonder Ed looked surprised to see him back. Maybe he was even angry that he had tried to contact again after that. But, somehow, Roy didn't want this to be a one-night stand. He hadn't even thought of it that way. He really had thought that this was for real, that this would last...

"Why... did we even do that yesterday?" The teen's voice was so small that he might have imagined it. He answered anyway, because he knew he didn't.

"Because we wanted to. Both of us." What was there to say more? It was true.

"Then what about the whole evening before that? And the morning that followed? And..." Edward hesitated, before locking his fiery eyes with Roy's. "What about that proposition?" He held up his fist to his chest, with some kind of light in his eyes. He continued with a murmur. "What about the feelings?"

Roy didn't know what to answer. He remembered the time he spent with the small blond, and lost in his thoughts – in his feelings – he didn't noticed what was happening until he felt a soft and delicious warmth on his lips. He had leaned down and kissed Ed, and to his utmost happiness, the teen was kissing back. They broke it a few seconds later – seconds that felt like minutes to them but still had ended too soon – but only a few millimeters of air acted as a wall between their bodies.

"They were all real," Roy said huskily. It sent shivers down and up Ed's spine, and made his heart make a three-sixty flip. All real.

"I like the sound of that," he responded in a low and sexy voice before leaning in for another, though more heated, kiss.

Things could not go their way, however, as a loud sound came from the staircase. It was followed by a hiss and some cussing, and instantly Ed knew this couldn't be anyone from his family. The only person in the house was them, Winry, Al and Pinako. It couldn't be the children, that was for sure, and the old hag never cussed, not for something stupid as hitting her shin on a step.

Roy didn't waste any second. He slipped back through the window, knowing Ed's door was locked, and went for the front door. Meanwhile, Ed hurriedly tried to pick his lock, somehow feeling very very uneasy and very very panicky. His hands were strangely trembling and he dropped the prick a few times before finally being successful. As soon as he opened his bedroom door, he heard his little brother cry, and that sent him in fast forward, sprinting down the hall to Alphonse's room.

The sight was something to behold. Winry was hugging a terrorized Alphonse in her arms, both cuddled in the corner of one bed and trying to hide under the covers. On the other side of the room, Roy was struggling on pinning the burglar on the ground. He looked to be having some difficulties, and when he heard Ed enter, he kind of lost his focus. His opponent, using the distraction, flipped them over so he was now straddling the black-haired man's chest.

Edward's heart sank when he saw the criminal use his metal pipe – one he somehow recognized from a trip downtown only a day ago – and bring it down on his lover's head. And Roy stopped moving.

His instincts, or rather, his rage, kicked in and the blond rushed with a throat-ripping scream at the enemy. He caught him completely off-guard, but it didn't stop the man from trying to land a blow on the teen with his favored weapon. However, Ed had seen through his moves and took a hold of the pipe in mid-swing, stripping it out of the burglar's hands.

It all happened so fast. The thief shoved him toward the still unconscious Roy and ran away not a second later. When Ed managed to stand back up, the door burst open to a very angry and annoyed Pinako.

The old woman attitude changed instantly when she saw Roy's body collapsed on the floor, and Ed was relieved to see that she wasn't angry at him anymore. It didn't last long, though, because as soon as she saw the scene, she jumped to conclusions. Conclusions Ed didn't like.

Pinako called the police station, completely ignoring the teen's tries at giving her an explanation. A few minutes later, after his many failed attempts of making her understand the reality and not whatever she thought, Kimblee came strolling in. Soon after, his men took Roy away.

"What do you mean, a thief?" Hohenheim asked, calm like always. It seemed as if nothing ever scared him or made him the tiny bit worried. "Ed got involved?" Hearing only one side of the conversation, Trisha couldn't help but worry. What did he mean? "Everything's fine, then." How could he be so calm? What had happened?

As soon as he got off the phone, she asked him.

"It seems like a thief broke into our house last night. Fortunately, Ed was able to intercept him and knocked him out, so the police was able to arrest the criminal." He answered with a very posed voice.

"How does that make everything fine? Ed could have gotten hurt! Did you even think of asking Pinako if he was fine?" Her fiancé chuckled a bit while shaking his head.

"Don't worry, she told me all that was to be known. Ed didn't get a scratch. Let's just go back home."

And they did. As soon as they arrived, they were warmly welcomed by the family, and even more so by Alphonse who literally ran in Trisha's arms. She held him up and landed lots of butterfly kisses on his cheeks and nose. That always made him giggle.

Ed's welcome wasn't as... welcoming, though. He was scowling all the time, often glaring at Pinako like when she had scolded him. During supper, he didn't touch his plate at all and kept out of the conversation, which was all about him bringing the thief own. It was so unfair...

"Ed," Hohenheim spoke up, his golden gaze settling on the sulking teen, "I'm very proud of you."

"Dad," he tried to warn, but it was ignored.

"I'm glad we made you take martial art classes, it probably helped you a lot in your fight. What was it like, by the way? Care giving us details?" His laugh boomed in the house, and it only served to annoy Ed even further. "I'll have to brag to everyone about this!"

"Dad! You don't understand!" He finally stopped laughing to look at his son more seriously. "I didn't knock any thief, okay?"

"Then what the hell do you call what you did?" The teen sighed resignedly and proceeded to tell the tale of his own point of view, only starting when Roy came to visit, overlooking the details of their argument and the private moment they had soon after.

"I see," Hohenheim said after having heard the whole story. Edward was relieved, because for once everyone had stopped drawing hypothesis and finally listened to him. "I guess we owe this friend of yours, don't we? Shall we take a trip to the police station?"

About a month had passed since that night. Roy often visited, a few times a week, really, and he got to know Ed's family better. He was undeniably happy to be one of the few Edward let near his little brother without making a fuss over it. The teen's parents hadn't had any meeting since then, but it wouldn't last.

They had one that week-end. They still didn't want to leave Ed alone with Al. A few hours would be fine, a day, even, but not three whole days. So they called for a babysitter once again.

When they had told Ed, he had groaned in repulsion. Now, though, he was completely content with his parents' choice.

Alphonse was playing with toy cars on the carpeted floor of the living room, giggling to himself as he made weird noise to accompany his game-play. Ed was lying on the couch with the most comfortable pillow that could be; his boyfriend. They were both completely relaxed, and their bodies melted in one another while Roy brushed the blond's long hair with the fingers of a hand. His other arm was wrapped around the teen's torso. All the while, Edward was reading a school book, studying for an upcoming exam. They didn't talk. They didn't need to talk. Once in a while, Edward would break the silence to ask a question or two to the older man about something he didn't quite understand, but that was pretty much it.

Roy started rubbing Ed's side delicately with his arm wrapped around the teen. He leaned down to kiss at the exposed neck of his lover, making him sigh in delight. He felt the the blond relax even more in his arms, and he used that opportunity to tilt the boy's head upward very gently. Their lips met, and it didn't take long for Edward to forget all about his book, his study and his exam. He turned around in Roy's arms, circling his arms behind his boyfriend's neck. Their lips met again, with this time the addition of their tongues. Warm big hands slowly explored his back and sides, then up his chest, sliding under the teen's shirt. The blond moaned in the kiss when a finger brushed a sensitive nipple.

It seemed as if his own voice startled him, because as soon as he let out a sound, Edward flinched and backed off suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Roy asked huskily, a bit worried he had done something bad.

"We can't, Roy." Well, that was new.

"Why?" Really, why? They went a lot further than that the very first day they met, and plenty of times after that, so what was wrong doing it now?

"Not in front of the child."

"..."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are, but-"

"But what?" It was almost insulted, and it kind of make Roy want to laugh. Edward was as defensive about his height as he was about his little brother.

"I was just not expecting that, is all." He leaned in and stole a chaste kiss from the teen. "Go put him to sleep, then. I think it's time for his nap, anyway." And a thought occurred to him at that moment, though he did not say it out loud.

"And after that, it will be our nap time," the teen whispered in his ear, grinding his clothed erection against Roy's.

Yes, Edward Elric could now say that he loved being babysat.

Happy Valentine's Day! I really hope you liked this story, and if you did, please, please, leave a review to let me know. Really, this one was not easy to write, and it would make me so happy to know what others think of it!

I'm kind of tired right now. I wanted to publish it this morning, but I hadn't finished it. During the day I had chores and work to do, so I could only finish it, like, now, so I hope you don't mind... Near midnight... I almost missed Valentine's day! TT_TT

Anyway, the list of other classics are in the first chapter. If you have anything to add, tell me and I'll gladly do so. If you have any plot idea for one of them, don't hesitate to let me know either! It would be my pleasure to work with your ideas!

Thanks for reading, and again.

As for the game... What's your favourite color? Mine is red ;P My hair is dark red by the way, almost like wine, and really, who does not like red? Even Ed likes it!

PLEASE REVIEW! x3

See you when I get to ten reviews!

Vox