Title: Grave

Author: Zalia Chimera

Pairing: Roy/Ed

Summary: Roy is mourning but an unexpected arrival brightens his day.

Notes: Minor spoilers for the end of the series, angst, fluff and more fluff. Written for Kytyngurl2

Disclaimer: Don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters.

His grave wasn't in the main part of the cemetery like Maes'. It wasn't really even a grave. Just a plain stone marker half hidden beneath the trees. After all, there hadn't been anything left behind to bury. Just a sweeping array, damaged automail and Alphonse.

It was a fucking poor excuse for a tribute, Roy thought sourly, as he looked down at the black stone. Everything Ed made had been elaborate and showy, impressive, like he had been. This just didn't fit. A plain rectangular slab with a name and two dates. No words, no 'beloved brother' or 'valued subordinate'. No 'adored lover'.

Roy didn't notice the footsteps until the person was right next to him and even then he didn't turn around. Whoever it was could just leave him alone. He clenched his fists when a black booted foot kicked the stone carelessly. Had they no respect?

Whoever it was snorted in contempt and kicked the stone again. "Should be fancier." Roy made an angry noise and spun around, raising his gloved hand to make the bastard learn some manners.

Amused golden eyes met Roy's own and stopped him in his tracks. "If you were going to give me a grave, you could at least have given me something bigger," Edward said softly.

Roy swallowed. "But this reflects your height so well," he replied in a strangled voice, the insult falling from his lips like the last few years had never happened. They had happened though and Ed just grinned at him and took his hand, rubbing his thumb over the array on the back.

Roy tried to speak, made a choked noise and then tried again. "You're... you're dead!" he managed finally.

Ed rolled his eyes. "If I were dead, I hardly think I'd be in any position to complain about my gravestone."

Roy forced himself not to laugh because that would mean accepting it was real and it couldn't be, not after so long. "But... the array, the... the blood! Alphonse. "

Ed sighed and brought Roy's hand to his cheek, rubbing the rough cloth of the glove against his skin. "There are things very few people know about alchemy. Things happened and," he raised one hand to stop Roy interrupting, "I don't want to talk about them, not yet." He smiled once again and kissed the tips of Roy's fingers. "But I'm not dead and I'm home."

There were questions he should be asking, things that needed answering, but he couldn't seem to remember them at this moment. "Where...? he began but then Ed wrapped his arms around Roy's neck and pulled him down to kiss him softly. It was all Roy could do not to moan into Ed's mouth. How long had it been?

Too long, his body responded and he wrapped his arms around Ed's waist, wanting nothing more than to pull him as close as possible. Ed laughed into his mouth and pushed him away gently. "You missed me then?"

"Not at all," Roy said, denying it just to keep up appearances, knowing that his smile and his eye were giving him away completely. When Ed smiled this time, he noticed fine lines around his eyes and mouth that hadn't been there before. He raised his hand to trace one of them gently, a sad frown crossing his face. "You've suffered."

Ed looked away. "Things were... difficult." Roy noticed a difference to the way he spoke, something in his accent that he couldn't place. He stroked Ed's cheek and forced him to look back. "Things are always difficult, especially for you."

Ed closed his eyes for a moment as though in pain, but then the grin was back in place. "And what about you?" Ed said. "You..." He didn't continue, but ran a finger over the edge of the eye patch and then splayed his hand over it. Roy flinched at the touch and a surprised expression crossed Ed's face. "Al told me," he said sadly. "He told me what you did. It's not a mark of shame, Roy."

Roy screwed his remaining eye shut as Ed began to stroke his face, running fingertips over cheeks and chin and eyelid, probing the edge of the eye patch. Roy missed the way Ed winced when he felt the deep scars that covered the left side of Roy's face. "You did what you had to do Roy. I should... I should have been there to help you."

"No," Roy hissed, shaking his head. Ed had had so much to do and it had been Roy's battle. Revenge for Maes. He heard a sigh and then Ed kissed him again, gently, tongue flicking over Roy's lips. "Idiot," the word was breathed onto his lips. "It needed to be done, you don't need to be ashamed of it."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment and then Ed faced the grave stone once again. "You could at least have put more than 'Fullmetal', Roy. Didn't Al tell you to write anything? You know, 'beloved brother', 'sorely missed' and all that crap."

"He wouldn't have anything to do with it," Roy sighed, grabbing Ed's hand and clutching it like a life-line. Ed raised one eyebrow. "Oh?"

Roy smiled bitterly. "He never gave up on you. Even after months passed with no word, he still believed you were alive."

"That's because he's smarter than you," Ed muttered, a familiar smirk on his lips. "He knew I wouldn't let a stupid thing like human transmutation kill me."

Roy smiled a little at that. "Good to know that your ego hasn't become any smaller, Fullmetal."

"Shut up, bastard Colonel."

Roy laughed. "I could get a new one made," he said. "A bigger one. 'Here lies the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. It makes up for him being a shrimp in life.'"

Heavy automail hit his arm and Ed muttered something in a language Roy didn't know. It didn't sound complimentary. He let out a breath and then crouched down to pick up the bunch of flowers by his feet. He placed them reverently onto the gravestone. "Edward Elric, beloved brother, valued subordinate. Adored lover. He touched so many lives and is deeply missed."

He swallowed thickly and turned away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Ed's arm curled around his own. "No," the younger man whispered. "Leave it as it is. I want those words for myself."