Valentines Day is the Day Things Begin

RoyEd Fan Fiction

ObsessiveDevil23

Gift Fic for xCastielsGirlx

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I am not making any money from this

Roy Mustang didn't particularly think of himself as a sentimental or overly mushy person. He had his men, all set up on the board as individual chess pieces. He had his queen and her faithful dog keeping their careful eyes on the scene he was unfolding. He had his best friends memory held in the smile of that man's daughter. He had the people he had to bow and make pleasantries to in order to make sure his ideals would fall in to place. He took his life as battlefield and had done ever since his time in Ishval; his men were but men and he was their leader.

And then he had Ed.

That damned, Fullmetal alchemist with his gold, all knowing eyes and his clever mind. Edward Elric was an enigma. He was so smart he had earned himself the title of State Alchemist, along with the silver pocket watch that proved as much, at just 12 years old - but there were times when the boy seemed to really lack common sense and life skills. The boy had seen enough in his 18 years that he should have been cold, bitter and resentful; especially to the military who had him jumping through hoops and who regularly screwed him over, but if Roy walked in to a room with Edward and his other subordinates it would not be unusual to see Edward's bright smile lighting up the room. Last of all, the boy was beautiful, as pretty as a girl if he let his hair down and covered up his muscles and Automail, yet on regular occasions the young adult saw it fit to exert his dominance over his much older, much more experienced lover.

Roy pondered on these things as he once again found himself outside shop windows staring at their displays. Their Christmas together had been so peaceful - wrapped up warmly by the fire. He'd barely thought on their unconventional relationship and how usually their roles would have been swapped. Roy was older, wiser and taller! Ed should have been cuddled up to him, yet at Christmas it had hardly seemed to matter who was clinging to who. Now he browsed through cards, chocolates and roses and discreetly glanced at couples working the PDA. He once again cringed at the idea of his and Ed's strange relationship being forced out in the open. It wasn't even that it would end in the both of them facing a court-martial which worried him, although honestly that idea did not seem completely appetising, but it was rather that even if they did not have to deal with their military occupation, the fact that their general arrangement, that Roy had ended up almost completely submitting to his younger, male lover, would end with Roy being laughed out of Central by it's general occupants. Maybe even the whole way out of Amestris.

He sighed at the red and pink displays; little cupids posed as if running through the work, arrows poised, and admitted to himself that he would hate to see Edward handing one of these bouquets to anyone else, and that given how long they had been dancing around each other he would like to know where he stood with the eighteen year old. Preferably with a well-trusted witness to confirm it. Really, were they partners in crime? General and Subordinate who happened to lose control of their libido every now and again? Were they in some strange form of courting? Or were they, Gate forbid, actually in love?

Even as he stood there and conjured up happy little scenes of a loving life with the other man, maybe married with some adopted children, he had to laugh at it himself. It was completely out of character and Ed would never go for it in the first place. Besides, even if they managed to go public enough to secure such… well, security, then they would not only be shot but Roy would be a laughing stock for submitting to a subordinate eleven years his junior. He flushed at the mere idea of the general public knowing exactly how they conducted their sex-life and glared at the display. No, even if they didn't have to fear a court martial they could never go public. Roy would never even tell their close friends. Infatuated with the golden haired boy he might be, that much was obvious, even to himself, but he would still not risk his well earned reputation on the boy. If it had simply been that Edward was male, which, Roy reflected, he most definitely was, then the situation might have been different. Possible. But eleven years younger and continuingly putting the General in situations where he had no choice but to submit to his younger lovers dominance then no one, repeat no one, could ever know.

So he shrugged at the display and found himself walking away from the shop with no purchase once again.

Last time he'd walked away from that shop he'd almost cracked his head open, been caught by his favourite Fullmetal Alchemist and ended up a little bit sore come Christmas day due to his stupid mouth making stupid promises that Ed had taken in completely the wrong way. Then he recalled how he'd promised himself to be out of the country come Valentines day, and not only did he have no excuse, but he had no missions to conveniently send Ed on either. He was tempted to find Chris and hide out in her bar for the next 24 hours, but knowing Ed, the boy would find him, somehow.

He made his way along the road, pushing his hands further into the pocket of his Macintosh and sat down on the fountain he and Ed had been sitting at on Christmas Eve. It was strange to think their entirely strange relationship had started because Edward had lost control about four months ago, having seen Roy in some strange outfit he hadn't even know what was based on for Halloween. Followed five days later by Roy losing control because of that boys horrid teasing on Bonfire Night. Christmas they had also celebrated together, leaving Roy unable to move for the entire day, and so it just seemed right that Ed should be celebrating Valentines day with him too.

He bristled, what did their relationship mean anyway? It can't have been just sex… He wasn't some whore you called up on special occasions. Sure, he had a track record of being a womaniser but he'd barely been near a bar since Halloween and he sure as hell deserved to be told where he stood with that damned blonde alchemist. It was like Ed was deliberately keeping him on his toes.

And Roy wouldn't put it past him to do just that.

He jumped when he saw a flash of gold across the road, a teenage alchemist in a red coat, holding out something that looked very much like a happily wrapped gift to a woman. Roy bit his tongue.

He wasn't going to stand there and whine like a bitch upon seeing the boy he had assumed was his lover give a valentines present to another woman. Uh, just a woman in general, since another woman would suggest that he was a woman himself, and that would just be weird.

Fucking gender confused shit.

Not only would be not conform to his (admittedly) insanely jealous tendencies regarding the blonde alchemist, but he refused to act like a damn girl any more when confronted with Edward, and, furthermore, he betted there was a perfectly sane and reasonable explanation for what he had just witnessed that had nothing to do with having any form of affair. If you could count it as an affair… or was their relationship really nothing more than an exciting fling every now and again.

He better not be just a bit on the side or people were gunna get burnt.

He tutted, turning on his heel and back in the store, instructing the man their to send his biggest and most elaborate bunch of flowers to Edward Elric's address. And no, he really didn't care that the shop didn't do delivery service and it would start doing delivery service if he enjoyed his time in Amestris.

Then he picked up a silver piece of jewellery which looked pretty enough that it would insult Edward, asked for it to be put in a box but not wrapped, since that, after all, was a little too cheesy, and when the clerk asked if it was for anyone special he replied with all the confidence he could muster.

"It's for my dick of a boyfriend."

Which goes to show Roy really shouldn't let his anger take over, since that rumour was bound to reach the very furthest corners of Amestris by mid-afternoon.

He walked out of the shop with the box in his pocket searching the crowd for his alchemists familiar blonde head of hair. He rarely wore his trademark red coat anymore, opting instead for the softer brown tones as he grew older, so you'd think the bright red, garish, long trench coat would be easy to spot. Evidently not on a day where red was the predominant colour.

If Edward had worn said coat deliberately Roy would not only chew his ass out for being annoyingly impossible, but also for doing some so ridiculously cheesy.

Roy found he was generally an angry person when he thought what was his (Ed) was possibly cheating on him (if that could be said) with some woman.

He spotted something bright red, along with a flash of gold, leading a woman by the small of her back around the corner and down another alley. Roy shoved his hands in his pockets, closed one around his box, and followed.

Because ya know, stalking people on Valentines day is totally normal.

When he joined them in the alley, steeling ninja-like round the corner, she had her hand on the crook of his elbow and they were laughing at some joke. Roy half expected it to start snowing and the two of them to have to cuddle for warmth. Truly, it was sickening. He felt his rage grow hotter.

Heck, he wasn't the flame alchemist for no reason, he knew as much as anyone he had a hot head and a fast temper.

And, ya know, just when he thought they might be about to kiss, because that's definitely what couples do when they go out on these cutesy little romantic strolls on Valentines day (admittedly, usually not being stalked), he lost it. Since he's well within his right to do so since Edward was his. And Bullshit to anyone who said otherwise.

He almost congratulated himself when his box connected soundly with Ed's cheek, sending the boys head twirling and making a satisfy smack, until the woman he was with sent him the most unadulterated, pissed off look imaginable. He amused himself wondering which out of the two of them could bitch louder.

He meant, glare harder.

Edward picked up the box, holding it in his hands. It was about the size of a sweet corn tin, but square, and the majority of it was open space. He rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand, holding the box tightly in his palm and grinned at Roy. Roy glared back, not in the mood for being swept off his feet by that boy's impossibly endearing smile. The woman tapped her foot.

"Who is this man?" She asked impatiently. Roy wanted to say her lipstick was too red, her teeth yellow, her heels to high (especially next to Ed) and her hair too bleach blonde, but she was a cute brunette and it pissed him off.

Ed shrugged, something which pissed him off more. The boy may have been about to say something, but Roy was well and truly angry by this point.

"Dammit Edward!" He yelled, annoyed at himself more then anything for loosing his cool, again. "Who is she? What the hell? Really? I can't believe I fell for this bullshit! I-"

"Are you proposing to me?"

Edward was looking down at the box, lying open in his hand, a fairly dainty, womanly looking silver ring in the crevice, shinning prettily in the late morning sun. He'd only brought it to try and annoy the boy by insinuating he was girly (although given their situation he had no idea what they made him…), but he supposed now, looking at the scene in front of him, that it could be taken the entirely the wrong way.

He wasn't entirely sure it was possibly to blush so much from the tips of his toes to the height of his head.

Slowly, very slowly, he shook his head. But Ed wasn't really looking at him, keeping his eyes on the ring in the box.

Eventually he spoke.

"It's Karin's birthday today. She gets annoyed at the Valentines hype so I decided to do a good deed or something. I dunno, after what you did for that kid at the fireworks festival I felt maybe a little insecure…" He glanced apologetically at both of them. Roy clenched his fists. "Maybe you wanted me to spend Valentines with you?"

Roy bit his lip, and stupidly tried to look apologetic at this Karin girl. He sighed.

"Look, she's cute and happy birthday and all, but bullshit to that. You don't just take random girls out Ed… It's a little different than making pleasantries with a kid isn't it?" He asked, "I honestly don't care how you know her, it's just… we don't spend any time together unless it's a special day do we? I could count on one hand the amount of times we… you know… So it isn't much to ask that on a special day we do spend it together, is it?"

Karin watched the sceptical and shook her head, patting her slightly smaller companion on the shoulder before walking away. She waved over her shoulder as she went, mumbling something about valentines jokes.

Ed shrugged, holding the box out to Roy.

"You wear that, I'm not putting it on my finger. I bet it wont fit anyway."

Roy barely managed to stop himself from growling threateningly, but instead of refusing to wear the ring, even though he would refuse because it would be highly embarrassing and one doesn't wear jewellery, especially if they bought it themselves, he softened his gaze at the alchemist.

"What am I to you Ed?"

The blonde blinked.

"My superior officer of course."

Roy sighed.

"Of course." He turned on his heel, regretting paying for that huge bunch of flowers and took the box from Ed. He slipped back in to his pocket. "Sorry for interrupting your date." He muttered, beginning to walk away. He managed to get all the way to the end of the alley and turn the corner in to the main street again before he felt something cold and metal slip in to his pocket. At first, blindly, he thought he was being pick pocketed but as he turned his saw red and gold and Ed slipping the ring on to his finger. The boy stepped in to place beside the man, but didn't link hands or arms, he simply shrugged, motioning for Roy to walk with him.

"You're a lot of things to me." He mumbled quietly, not looking at the man. "Do you love me?"

Roy coloured, hands deep in his pocket as he walked alongside his blonde alchemist, staring at the ground.

"What kind of question is that?"

Ed shrugged.

"Hey Roy?"

"What?"

"Marry me."

Roy rolled his eyes.

"That would never work. We're both men, we both work for the military. It's an insane request and you know it. And you know just as well I didn't give you that ring as any form of confession."

Ed pouted.

"Maybe not consciously." He used his thumb to play with it. "I'm going to keep wearing it. So today he can say we confessed, and then our relationship can actually begin. One day, when we both quit this joint I'm going to make you mine for real. I'm going to mark you so no one else can have you." He rambled, making Roy colour more and more as he continued on.

Roy could hardly confess that that was exactly what he'd wanted to do to the blonde when he'd seen him with that woman. He glanced at his slightly reddened cheek where the box had connected and knew the mark wouldn't last for long. Stealing a quick glance around and seeing the couples wrapped up in each other he chanced something he would probably never do again, and kissed his companion lightly, quickly, on the cheek where he was beginning to bruise ever so slightly.

Ed's face was kind of worth it?

He knew then, reassuringly, that no matter how many times Ed could make him lose his cool, make him burn with jealously and embarrassment. No matter how many times Ed could make lewd comments and do lewd things, Roy had a trump card. It was his ring on the boys finger, and his kiss mark on the boys cheek, that he would make again, and again, and again, in the private of their own rooms. They didn't need the security of publicity, nor did they need to be wrapped up in each other every second of every day. Maybe they could spend months apart without physical affection - a touch here, a sideways glance there would keep them going so long as they remembered that come the next special day, the next time they could secure some privacy, they would belong only to each other, and between those times, there was a ring, and a kiss mark, and a mutual trust, that they still did.

Maybe that was cliché, but heck, it was Valentines day.

Okay, so like, just a LITTLE late…. *ahem* but this is the last one, because honestly I can't be bothered with any more. (couldn't really be bothered with this one, you can tell because I got bitchy half way through).

Anyway, don't kill me, it's my birthday in a couple of days? D:

Oh, btw… I don't like Oc's either, so bitch about her as much as you like. She was a means to an ends.

Dramatic Fluff. :P