Fic- Price of Fame

[cornerofmadness]

Price of Fame
Boys Blue Series
D M Evans (cornerofmadness) & mjules
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition. I don’t make a profit
Pairing - Roy Mustang X Maes Hughes
Fandom - Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme - #7 Superstar
Rating - Explicit (NC-17)
Summary - Roy finds himself cast into a role he’s not ready for
Author’s Note - Thanks to mjules & evil_little_dog for the beta. Written for the 30kisses challenge and the Boy Blues series is co-written by me and mjules The rest of the series can be found here The Boys Blue Series




“I so totally failed,” Trent complained, slamming his beer mug down, making it slosh. Several bar patrons at the nearby table offered condolences and a few jeers.

Roy snatched his mug out of the flood path and moved his chair the best he could in the crowded bar. “The test wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.”

“That’s because all you do it study,” Trent said, shoving Roy’s arm. “You bunk with him, Hughes. That’s true, isn’t it?”

Hughes snorted, eyeing Roy who was slightly pink. Embarrassed at studying too much or at the hint that they might actually spend time together in their room, Maes didn’t know. “Horribly true.”

Roy glared at his roommate from across the table, offended at the perceived slight. “I do more than study.” He kicked Maes under the table.

“Yeah, I heard he’s a real demon in the sack. I’m surprised he can find the time to study,” Morgan called from the other side of Trent. He hoisted a beer to salute Roy.

Roy leaned over the table, glaring at this cadet as well. His dark eyes flashed fire as he pointedly ignored Maes’ amused look. “Heard from whom?”

“Escha,” Morgan replied, quaffing his beer.

“Really, it’s all over campus,” Trent said. “How could you not have heard?”

“That would entail him lifting his face out of a book once in a while,” Maes said wryly and Roy glanced at him, shocked.

“Seriously, I heard the girls are drawing straws to see who gets to seduce you next.” Morgan laughed and Roy wondered if he was red all the way to the tips of his ears. They felt hot.

“You’ll probably find yourself locked out of your room, Hughes,” Trent snickered, sticking his tongue out at his fellow cadet.

“If you’re lucky, Mustang will let you join in,” Morgan added, punching Maes’ shoulder.

Roy jumped off his chair. “Don’t be perverted!” He flushed darker at the thought of sharing a woman with Maes. What would that be like? As fun as it sounded, Roy wasn’t sure he could handle it.

“Oh, like you haven’t thought of it,” Trent said. “We’ve heard what you’re like, all quiet on the surface but underneath, perv.”

“Shut up,” Roy snapped. He snatched his beer up and stalked off to the sounds of his friends yelling for him to come back.

Maes caught up with hi, weaving through the crowd. “Wait up, Roy. What’s wrong?”

Roy spun around at the edge of the packed bar rail, unable to find a way through to put in an order for something stronger than beer. “They’re making me sound....”

“Like you’re fantastic in bed? That’s hardly news to some of us.” Maes laughed.

“It’s not funny, Maes.” Roy pouted.

“Roy, what are you so upset about this?” Maes waved him off. “Most guys would kill for this rep.”

Roy dragged a hand through his hair then gulped some of his beer. “This doesn’t bother you?” Did he want it to bother Maes? What was worse? Not bothering him might mean Maes didn’t care as much as Roy did but jealousy wasn’t good either.

Maes’ eyes slotted and he grabbed Roy’s arm, hauling the smaller man outside where they had more privacy. Most of the cadets were crammed inside trying to forget the exam and no one was around outside. “Roy, what’s this all about?” he asked lowly. “Do you think I’m jealous?”

Roy sucked in a deep breath. “It honestly doesn’t bother you?”

Maes licked his lips. “ I’m a little jealous but I don’t want to be. I know you like women, Roy. I like women, too. We didn’t count on each other.”

“So we can have both, is that what you’re saying?” Roy’s brow furrowed. He wasn’t sure what to make of that idea but the greedy part of him liked it. Was he reading too much into it? Would Maes think he was a pervert?

Maes shrugged. “I’m not sure what I’m saying. So you slept with Escha, so what? Let’s not get into everyone I’ve slept with since I got here.”

Roy winced at that reminder. “Okay, good point.” His shoulders slumped and he took a hit of beer. “Sorry, buddy. I’m still new to this.” Roy didn’t want to admit in spite of his newfound stardom, he was more of a social recluse, a little bookworm. He wasn’t prepared for this kind of notoriety.

“We both are.” Maes sounded sympathetic and maybe a little of something Roy couldn’t identify and it made him nervous.

Roy wanted to ask, ‘what do you want, Maes, really want?’ but he held his tongue. He didn’t know if he wanted a monogamous relationship with Maes or anyone. He was awfully young for that kind of commitment, but part of him wanted it. Would that scare Maes off? The other part of Roy wanted to be free to do whatever he wanted. Would that offend Maes? Roy wished he had a clue. Instead, he gave up for the night and decided to just go with it. “Let’s go back inside before our friends start calling me a bastard.”

Maes laughed, clapping Roy on the back. “Too late for that, bud.”

“Thanks, jackass,” Roy shot back and Maes cuffed him lightly on the back of the head as they went inside. As they made their way to their friends’ table, Escha and some of her girlfriends passed them. She grinned at Roy then said something to her friends who all laughed and gave Roy and Maes salacious looks. Roy blushed but found he couldn’t look away from the girls. Maes didn’t even seem to be trying to look away.

“Thanks to you, we could probably sleep with every one of those girls.” Maes grinned wickedly, dropping a hand on Roy’s shoulder.

“Maes!” Roy cried. He could just die.

Maes just slapped Roy on the back and went for more beer.

X X X

“I think I’m a little drunk,” Roy whispered, nearly taking his head out on the study lamp that was mounted to Maes’ headboard. He dragged Maes down with him onto the hard, thin mattress.

“A little?” Maes tore at Roy’s belt. “I’d say a lot.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Roy said, his mouth fumbling for Maes’. Tongue and lips clashed in a messy kiss as the drunk teens jockeyed for a good position on the narrow bed. Roy found himself pressed against the pale green cinder block wall while Maes fought to get the slender teen’s shirt off over his head. Roy helped, inebriated to the point of getting caught in his own shirt. He groaned as Maes’ lips sucked on his nipples. Roy freed himself as Maes ground his hips against Roy’s, their still-caged erections gliding over one another. He ripped Maes’ shirt up and off. Roy eased his hand into Maes’ pants, teasing his cock.

Maes growled throatily, trying to get out of his trousers. “I never thought testing would be over. Now I have your undivided attention.”

“I’m pretty sure you distracted me more than once. I’m lucky I didn’t fail because of you,” Roy protested, his cock hardening more at the memories of Maes’ idea of ‘study break.’


“That was wonderful but that was not your undivided attention.” Maes hard stroked Roy and the alchemist’s hips arched up. “Now you’re thinking only of me.”

“I always do,” Roy protested. He knew Maes was kidding him but it hurt a little. An idea blossomed. He knew how he could prove that he loved Maes, that when he was with him he was only thinking of Maes. Roy was too drunk to be afraid of what he was going to offer. If the academy thought he was a star in bed, he could prove it. Roy ran his hands over the curve of Maes’ tight butt. “I want you, Maes.”

“You have me.” Maes ground against him.

“No, I mean in me,” Roy’s voice shook when he said it. “I want to...”

Maes pushed up on one hand, looking down at Roy. There was a strange, subtle sadness playing with his generous features. “Roy....”

Roy’s heart thundered. Had he made a mistake? Did Maes not want him as much as he wanted Maes? “I want to, Maes.”

Maes shook his head. “No, Roy.”

Roy’s lips fell into a limp frown. “But why?”

“Not tonight, Roy. Not when you’re all drunk and thinking you have to prove something,” Maes said, his voice gruff.

Roy felt his heart tear and collapse in on itself. He never expected Maes to reject him. It had been a very long time since he had hurt so much. He struggled against Maes. Roy had to escape. This was too overwhelming. “Get off me.”

“Roy?” Maes sat back. “Don’t be like this. I still want you. I just don’t want to do that.”

Roy shoved free of Maes’ bed and went to his own. “Leave me alone.” Roy tossed himself on his bed, his erection flagging. He rolled onto his side, facing the wall.

“Roy.” Maes sounded as hurt as Roy felt.

“I said leave me alone.” Roy yanked his covers up.

“Goddamn it, Roy.” There was no mistaking the anger in his lover’s voice.

Roy refused to give in. He wouldn’t even look at Maes. “I mean it, Maes!”

Roy heard Maes get up and storm out of the room, probably heading for the bathroom. He shivered, feeling miserable. He tried to shove the pain aside but his mind ran the rejection through his brain on a mobius strip of barbed wire. He lay awake long after Maes returned.

X X X

Roy had gotten up early, not sure he had even slept at all. He left Maes asleep and headed to the lab. There were some things in the latest package from Mr. Hawkeye that he wanted to try. Besides, he couldn’t face Maes. He had made such a fool out of himself. Either what he had done with Escha mattered more than Maes would say or Maes was just after some sexual release without having to go out of his way to find it and the suggestion of a very intimate act was too much for the other boy.

As Roy half heartedly drew the new array from Hawkeye’s papers, he thought about the impulsive suggestion he had made. Now hung over and in the cold light of day, the thought of asking Maes to penetrate him made Roy shudder. Part of him was afraid of the idea. The other part of him wanted it so bad it threatened to make him hard in spite of the decidedly unromantic lab setting. He loved Maes. Roy wanted to show the other man that. He wasn’t naturally submissive but he could take that role for Maes because he loved him that much.

And Maes rejected him. Roy sucked in a shuddering breath as a fresh knife of pain cut through his soul. He sat and stared at the array, lost in his pain until he heard the lab door open, shocking him. Almost no one would ever come to the lab on an off day. The stale, musty air mixed with the inrush of fresh air from outside. What wasn’t particularly surprising that it was Maes standing there.

“How did you find me?” Roy asked, glancing back at his alembic glassware and the array.

“If you’re not in the library, you’re usually here. Doesn’t take a lot of investigative skill to locate you.” Maes flashed a lopsided smile. “You’d have to try harder if you hope to hide from me.”

“Wasn’t trying to hide.” Roy traced the array with a finger. “I just needed to think.”

“I know.” Maes shoved his hands in his pockets. “I also know we need to talk and I need to apologize.”

Roy turned on his stool to fully face Maes. He didn’t say anything.

“I know I hurt you, Roy, and I didn’t mean to,” Maes said flatly. “I was drunk and the words came out wrong.”

Roy fiddled with his chalk. “I know you didn’t mean to.”

Maes scowled when Roy didn’t look at him and he went over and put a hand on Roy’s shoulder. “I mean it, Roy. I’m sorry.”

Roy sighed, canting his face up at Maes. “Why don’t you want me?”

Maes’ eyes widened in shock then he leaned in and kissed Roy lightly but Roy didn’t reciprocate. “Roy, I want you. I shouldn’t need to say that. I said no last night because I know you. You didn’t believe me about Escha and all that. You’re so damn serious all the time. You need to lighten up a little.”

“Thanks for that,” Roy said bitterly, turning his face away from Maes.

“Will you let me finish?” Maes barked, spinning Roy around on the stool. “You’re serious. You need to learn to relax but I don’t care about all that. I want you in spite of that. I’m not going to lie to you, Roy. I’ve thought about what you offered, more than once, well before you said a word. It’s one of the most alluring thoughts I’ve had in a long time.” Maes ran his fingers through Roy’s hair. “ But I didn’t want to try it drunk when you thought you had something to prove to me. It would have been spoiled.”

Roy rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. “You just said it again, what you said to me last night, and you aren’t drunk this time. I didn’t mean to upset you with Escha.”

“And you didn’t, Roy. I need you to believe that.” Maes squeezed Roy’s shoulder. “This is why I wanted to wait. I don’t think we’re ready yet. We’re still trying to figure out where we stand and we take a big step like that...what if we fall? I don’t want to lose you as a friend, Roy.”

“You haven’t,” Roy whispered, his black eyes glistening.

Maes put his arms around Roy, pulling him off the stool. “Waiting will be better, Roy, I promise.”

Roy leaned against Maes, knowing his friend made a lot of sense. “You’re right. I was drunk last night but...part of me does really want to try it and part of me is still a little hurt.”

Maes kissed him gently. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t want that.”

“I know and I know I pissed you off last night acting like such a child so I’m sorry, too.” Roy tried to pull away. There were too many windows here, someone might see.

“Apology accepted,” Maes said, letting Roy go. He could see Roy needed time yet to feel better. He looked at the array. “What are you doing now?”

“It’s cool. Watch.” Roy slapped his hand on the array and a door opened in the wall.

Maes’ eyes widened, his mouth gaping. It snapped shut and he grinned. “That’s handy.”

“I thought so...though I’m surprised he showed it to me.” Roy all but bounced in his seat, as excited as a kid in a toy store.

“Why? He is your mentor,” Maes said.

“Because, he’s paranoid I’ll sleep with Riza and he just handed me the perfect way into and out of her room and...” Roy blushed furiously. What was wrong with him? He just told his plans for sleeping to someone else to Maes like he was just his best friend and not his lover, too. “Forget I said that.”

“I will not because I’m sure I’ll have use for it later.” Maes laughed, slapping Roy’s back.

“Are you going to blackmail me?” Roy pouted at him, relieved that Maes didn’t look mad at him.

Maes caught that lip with his own, worrying it. “You’ll have to convince me not to.”

Roy kissed him back then moved away. “Next time I’ll have him show me how to make windows and doors seal over so we can have a nice safe impenetrable fortress where we can be alone.”

Maes grinned. “I like that idea. You okay, Roy?”

He nodded. “I will be. I think I should get back to practicing.”

Maes pulled him off the stool. “I think you’re doing just fine, Roy. Let’s go to town, find something fun to do. We’ll both feel better.”

Roy wasn’t sure he was going to feel a hundred percent better any time soon but he went along with Maes, just happy he hadn’t ruined everything. He was in too deep to mess up now.