Fic - Sorrow's Dark Array Ch 32
Apr. 1st, 2009 04:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessSorrow’s Dark Array
Author -![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cornerofmadness
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding byevil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.
Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
“Days of absence, sad and dreary, Clothed in sorrow's dark array, Days of absence, I am weary; She I love is far away.” – Shakespeare
Chapter Thirty-Two
there’s a girl crying.
wishing she had been there
to welcome him home.
Home from the war. – Shannon Flanders
Roy felt like spanking Riza but that would probably lead to things he wasn’t ready to do after giving so much blood. She had left him in the hospital after he fell asleep. He had awoken, confused, to the stentorian sounds of Edward’s snores, wondering where in the hell he was. And now, she hadn’t brought him the fresh uniform he asked for. Instead, she let his grandmother pick out his clothing, leaving him strolling down the hall in royal yellow Xingese silk so searing he was surprised it didn’t blister the paint from the walls.
“Flames? You’re honestly wearing a jacket with red flames up the back?”
Roy whipped around, his hand coming out to steady himself against the wall as the blood loss made his head spin. “I thought you were still in the room with Alphonse, Edward.” He glared at the young man who seemed to miss Winry’s eye roll.
“The doctor shooed him out,” Winry said. “They’re getting Al ready to discharge. Ed is insisting on going home with him even though he should stay here and just let me get his surgery out of the way.”
Ed shuddered in response and Roy was suddenly very glad his automail hadn’t gotten ruined again. He remembered all too well what that surgery and the recovery from it had been like. At least he was in a coma for most of it this last time after the bombing.
“So you’re following me?”
“Had to see where something that bright was going. I thought the hospital might be on fire.” Ed smirked.
Roy eyed him sourly. “Not funny. Keep in mind most of the nurses here like me. I’m sure they can add an enema and a sponge bath by an aide that closely resembles Strongarm to the list of things to be done to you before you’re discharged, Edward.”
“I already had my sponge bath.” Edward managed a wicked grin despite his blush.
“Somehow I’m sure that comes as a surprise to everyone, especially Winry. And I’m pretty sure I’d have remembered a nurse,” Roy replied.
“Where are you going, Roy?” Winry broke in to change the subject before a battle ensued. “To see how Dev is doing?”
He nodded. “I know the doctor wasn’t entirely convinced Dev was out of the woods yesterday.”
“He needs to get better. It’s good to have a partner to torment you with.” Ed dodged Winry’s slap. “I guess the fact that she shot him probably clears him of any blame for setting us up.”
“I told you she was a bitch,” Winry said with a vehemence that surprised the men.
“I never argued that point. That’s usually the case after a big break up, you find someone utterly wrong for you,” Roy replied.
“I’m sure you’ve expert knowledge of that, Roy,” Winry replied tartly and he pouted.
“Are you saying I’m wrong?” Ed grumbled.
“No, Edward, you were never actually gone. Your ghost haunted everyone for years,” Roy said, peering into Dev’s room. His lips turned down in the corners before he went inside. He glanced at the young man asleep on the bed. Dev was as close as a human could be to the washed out eggshell of the hospital sheets. There was a sharp tang of medicine and burnt flesh hanging in the room. His mother sat next to his bed, reading a book. She glanced up over the lip of it at him.
“Come on in. He’s fading in and out. They have him on pain killers but he’s doing much better today,” Hala said.
“That’s good. I wanted to see him before I went home with the brothers,” Winry said. “I have some work to do on Edward but I was hoping to at least talk to Dev.”
“We could come back later,” Roy said.
Dev murmured. “I’m awake.” His eyes opened but didn’t quite focus on them. He glanced in Edward’s general direction. “Mom said your brother is going to be okay.”
Ed nodded. “Yeah, Al’ll be fine. Thanks. How’s the leg?”
“Hurts like hell.” Dev scowled, his gaze managing to sharpen a bit as he turned it on Roy. “Did you have to roast me?”
“No, could have let you bleed to death.” Roy smirked.
Dev grunted. “Tourniquet, maybe?”
“It could have been worse,” Roy replied.
Dev’s head lolled on the pillow. “How?”
“You got hit on your bad leg.” Roy gestured to the limb, which the nurses had outside the covers and wrapped from groin to knee in white bandages. Someone had draped a blanket over his calf and foot. “You’re not going to notice one more scar.”
“Bastard,” Dev growled then sighed. “Thank you. Mom said I’d have died without that.”
“Did she tell you what else he did to save you?” Ed’s eyes gleamed and Winry elbowed him hard. It only made him grin more ferociously.
Dev’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“You had lost far too much blood,” Roy said, affecting a humble expression. “So I gave you a lot of mine.”
Dev’s mouth flapped and he seemed to get even paler. Ed squirmed, his eyes on Winry as if to judge what she’d do. Finally, he couldn’t keep it inside. “If you thought you got a good case of bastard when he bit you that time, it’s nothing compared to what you have now. You’re terminal.”
“I’m going to die!” Dev groaned, his hands flopping on the bed.
Roy slouched indolently against the wall. “Please, having me under your skin is just going to make you more sophisticated and…”
“Arrogant?” Hala interjected with a smile.
Roy spread his hands wide. “That, too.”
“You’re going to have to change your name to Dev Mustang or something equally shitty,” Ed said, his grin getting even bigger and Winry elbowed him again. Ed danced out of range.
“Enough, Ed. Leave the poor man alone!” Winry wagged her head. “You’re all awful and I almost lost you all. You need to be more careful.” Her voice hitched a little at that. “I’m not losing any of you now.”
“We’re a hard bunch to kill,” Roy replied. “Just look at us. We’re missing half our original parts but we still stand defiant before the world. A good part of that is thanks to you, Winry.”
Winry rubbed at her eyes and Ed glared at Roy, looping an arm around Winry’s waist. Roy suspected Ed didn’t like that the speech threatened to make Winry cry.
“You are very amazing men,” Hala said, patting her son’s hand. “Most would have given up long before they got to this point.”
“Thank you,” Roy said. “So, you enjoy that blood, Dev. It’ll fire you up.”
“I’ll ask if I can be drained and refilled with sane blood before I’m permanently damaged.” Dev made a face at him.
“See, Mrs. Jasso. I told you, if he’s fussing, you’d know he’d be just fine.” Roy laughed.
“I guess it could've been worse...I could've wound up with Elric blood and become a brother,” Dev said.
Ed scowled so deeply his face barely contained it. “How am I worse than Mustang?”
“Worse for Mustang,” Dev explained, his eyes fluttering shut for a few moments.
“We’d better let you rest.” Winry went over and brushed Dev’s hair back. “You look exhausted.
His eyes opened again, reflecting pain they all could see. “She used me to try and kill all of you.” His lip trembled. “You didn’t like her, I could see that. You plain didn’t like her, Winry or you either, Mustang. You didn’t trust Anah.”
“No, not at all,” Winry said. “But this isn’t your fault Dev.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked ruefully.
“No,” Roy said forcefully. “I don’t think you trusted her either, not really. You kept telling all of us she wasn’t your girlfriend. I doubt she got as close to you as she had hoped.”
“Close enough to lure us all to our deaths,” Dev spat.
“Hell, she didn’t need you for that. I would have investigated a lead like that regardless,” Roy replied. “It wasn’t your fault and if you want to believe that it is, well, I know all about taking the blame for stuff I didn’t actually do. Just content yourself with the fact you were hurt worst and thus, punished.”
“You’re a very strange man, Roy.” Winry squeezed Dev’s hand. “We’ll come back to see you, Dev. Listen to Roy. Somewhere in that nonsense there was some truth. This isn’t your fault.”
“Thanks, Winry.”
“We’d better go collect Al,” Ed said and Winry nodded, following him out the door.
“I should go, too. I’m pretty sure Riza is just showing up with a tiny car and going to make us foolish men ride on the roof as punishment for not contacting her and the rest of investigations.” Roy shrugged.
“From what I’ve seen, she’s a formidable woman. I’m sure she’ll find an appropriate way of reminding you of the right and wrong ways to do things,” Hala replied.
“Usually at gun point,” Dev said.
Roy snorted and started for the door.
“Mustang, wait.”
Roy turned back, a questioning look on his face.
Dev glanced down at his leg then back up at Roy. The dead serious look in his pain-clouded eyes shocked the alchemist. The young man started to say something but his voice hitched. He looked to his mother who seemed to be as surprised as Roy by Dev’s expression then he turned back to Roy. “I forgive you,” he whispered. “For everything.”
Roy couldn’t breathe. He felt like he was standing in the middle of one of his firestorms as all the oxygen was consumed. His stomach rebelled but he willed it into submission as he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a groan. His eyes however betrayed him, tears slipping down his face and leaking out from under his patch. Roy spun on his heel, stumbling out of the room. He couldn’t see to walk but his flailing hand found the railing hospitals always seemed to have on the walls. He clung to it then slowly folded up on the floor, trying to hide his face.
Feeling someone touch his shoulder, Roy flinched, looking up into Hala’s face. Roy wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “He shouldn’t have said that.”
Confusion veiled her face. “Why not? He meant it.”
“How?” Roy’s voice cracked.
“You saved his life twice now. It means something to him. It means something to me. I hated you for what you did to him as a child but now, I can’t hate you any more. I might not be ready to forgive but I also can’t deny that you’ve been a positive influence. You risked your own life saving all those boys. You should just accept the forgiveness,” Hala said quietly, kneeling down next to him. Her rough hand trailed along his cheek before coming to rest on his shoulder.
“I don’t know how,” Roy murmured.
“Roy, what’s wrong?”
Riza’s voice made Roy jump, smacking his head off the wall. He could barely focus on her as she bent over him. Uzziel and Aris were with her, with Hughes right behind. Ed and Winry peered out of Dev’s room, Edward stepping into the hallway.
“My son forgave him,” Hala said when Roy couldn’t speak.
“Oh.” Riza reached for Roy. He lifted a hand to catch hers, squeezing it tightly, unable to form words through his tight throat.
“Doesn’t look like he’s taking it well,” Uzziel remarked.
“Apparently not,” Hala replied, standing.
“I want to go home, Riza,” Roy whispered, pressing the back of her hand to his wet face.
Riza helped him up. “I’ll take you there.” She glanced back at Hala questioningly.
“I can’t talk to him just now…I will but not now,” Roy said reading Riza’s hesitancy.
Hughes took a step closer, his large hand falling on Roy’s shoulder in silent support. “Roy, this probably isn’t the time but you’re supposed to come with me to meet with the president to talk to the prisoners.”
Roy sagged, a look on his face that suggested tears could start up again without much warning. “For all this pain, gladly.” He squared his shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”
XXX
“You look like hell,” Olivia said unsympathetically as Roy and Hughes joined her and her brother at the military prison.
“I feel like it so let’s get this over with,” Roy grumbled.
“Are you up to this?” Alex Louis asked more sympathetically.
“He’s not but he’ll lie and say he is,” Hughes said, shooting Roy a glare.
“You’re learning quickly,” Alex Louis said. “Mustang always puts forth a valiant effort.”
“I would have called it something else,” Olivia snorted.
“Should you even be going into the cells?” Roy narrowed his eye at her. “Anything could happen.”
“Are you saying I couldn’t handle this trio of rebels?” Fire laced her words.
“Wasn’t thinking of them,” Roy muttered.
Olivia returned his glare with interest and led the way past the guards. Seeing the three of them each in their own cell along one wall with no deference to gender, at least not until they were moved from holding, Roy was sorry he hadn’t killed them. They had caused far too much pain. “I have ideas who we should talk to first,” Olivia’s eyes bored into Attaway, sitting pale and sweating on the cot. Judging from the man’s expression, Roy doubted they had given him anything for the pain of being shot.
“Pretty sure we all have that idea,” Hughes said, “Madame President.”
“I just want to know which one bombed me,” Roy grumbled.
“And killed Rose,” Alex Louis added.
“What makes you think we’d ever tell you anything?” Anah gripped the bars. “Go die.”
“I think that’s my line,” Roy replied, strolling closer to her. “I’m betting it was you. Attaway doesn’t have the guts. Hell, I’m not even sure how he’s tied into all of this or why.” Roy turned to the Lioran. “I don’t know you yet but I can imagine your motives.”
“Can you now?” the older woman sneered.
“Lior is rebuilt and now you want to cede from Amestris and do as much damage you can as you go,” Hughes supplied and the woman shot him a startled look. “You used the country up the turned like a snake.”
“I’ll admit, it took an embarrassingly long time to figure it out,” Roy said then turned to Attaway. “What I don’t get is your part in this? Why would you side with rebels?”
“To kill you, to keep Olivia safe from you,” Attaway snarled.
Olivia stared at him, for once stunned into momentary silence. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you see?” Attaway gestured through the bars. “He’s dangerous. Even with all your wonderful skills, he could still kill us all with the snap of a finger. How long is he going to be satisfied with losing to you? He needed to die.”
“That’s novel, me being a threat to the Wall of Briggs,” Roy snorted and Alex Louis cocked up his eyebrows at him. “But why do you care?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I love her and with you gone, I would have been free to tell her so,” Attaway said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
All the men glanced over at Olivia who was still wide-eyed. Roy willed her to stay quiet. If she voiced her disdain for this man, they might not get any more information.
“Shut the hell up, Attaway,” Anah growled. “I’ll kill you.”
“Olivia, you can’t leave me in here with this beast. She’s the one who bombed both Mustang and your brother,” Attaway said, pressing against the bars.
“Do be quiet,” the Lioran said.
“You’ve lost, Judith,” Attaway replied. “You shouldn’t have tried to kill them all.”
“Really going to kill you.” Anah lunged against her cage and Attaway scurried to the far side of his.
“You probably won’t get the chance,” Roy said. “Your own people are lobbying to have you turned over to them for execution.”
“As if they would.” Anah turned her back on him.
“Sister, you and the General should probably go now while we finish up the questioning. You have other obligations,” Alex Louis said.
“See what you can get out of them,” Olivia waved a dismissive hand. “Then we’ll pack them up to Briggs.”
“Briggs?” Attaway shrilled. “You can’t send me there!”
“Why not? If you loved Olivia so much, you’d have ended up there anyhow,” Roy smirked. “She loves it there. She likes…playing in the snow,” he added salaciously. Roy placed a proprietary hand in the middle of Olivia’s back, leading her out while Attaway howled and Anah screeched for him to go to hell. At least Judith was quiet in her cell.
Once they were out of sight, Olivia hit him so hard he bounced off the wall. “Ow!”
“Consider yourself lucky to still have your hand,” she huffed.
“He’ll die up there, you know,” Roy said, his tone neutral.
“He tried to kill my brother so do you think I care?”
“Not particularly. I’d almost feel sorry for him if he hadn’t sent my guts to greet the outside air.”
“You’re a romantic idiot like my brother.” Olivia glanced over at him. “Go home and get some rest, Mustang. You’ve earned that.”
“You say that and I hear, ‘Roy, I care about you.’” Roy offered up his best naughty grin.
“You’re not going to make it to your wedding,” she grumbled.
Roy laughed, bowing to her. “I’ll go find that cab now.”
“You’d better.”
Roy kept smiling as long as she could see him. Once out of her sight, it was all he could do to hold together until he got home.
XXX
“Maybe we should have just called,” Kennan said, glancing over at his father and Aris.
“We need to know what they got out of Anah and more importantly after what Hala and Dev told us at the hospital, maybe we ought to check on Mustang’s welfare,” Uzziel replied, studying the elaborate glass in the door.
“Never thought there would be a day I gave a damn about that,” Kennan muttered.
“Well, Ishbala tells us to forgive, though I never thought Dev could reach that point,” Aris shrugged. “And wouldn’t have blamed him if he hadn’t.”
Uzziel nodded then knocked on the door. He was surprised to see a delicate old woman opening it. Her white hair was swept up into an intricate pattern of braids and knots. Even though her clothing was simple, she had a regal bearing. “Hello. You must be Mrs. Mustang.”
She smiled at him. “Xue-Fang, please. Was my grandson expecting you?”
“Who is it, love?” Huang asked, coming into the lobby. His eyes widened a bit at seeing the three Ishbalans. “Ah, Uzziel, I suppose you’re here to see Roy. Come in.”
“Sorry to drop in unannounced yet again,” Uzziel said, sheepishly. “We were in the neighborhood and wanted to know if Mustang had any news for us.”
“I’m not sure my grandson is in any condition to tell you.” Xue-Fang led the way into the living room. “He’s asleep.”
“We don’t have to bother him, then. I’m sure he’ll call when he wakes up,” Aris said.
“Is he…all right?” Uzziel asked slowly. “We know he had a bad day at the hospital.”
Xue-Fang paused, studying them. “Roy is not all right but he will endure. He always does.”
“He’s lying down by the fireplace,” Huang said. “He probably heard the knock but since he didn’t get up, he most likely isn’t going to.”
“He didn’t because he can’t,” Miao-Yin’s voice called out.
The elderly Mustangs led their visitors into the room. Roy was stretched out on a cot, his pant leg rolled up to reveal his automail. Miao-Yin was drawing around his leg just above the port. Winry and Riza sat on the couch, beer bottles in hand, watching the girl. Ed slept on the floor, a book over his face, snoring softly from under it.
“She’s planning a dragon tattoo,” Roy explained, weariness in every word. “While I doze.”
“Yes, to go with the mess you made out of my automail,” Winry replied bitterly as Huang patted the chair, indicating for Xue-Fang to have a seat.
“My dragon is a thing of beauty,” Roy waved her off. “What can I do for you gentleman? So far we’ve got little out of Anah except death threats for me.”
“Not surprising,” Kennan said. “How involved was she?”
“The bombings that killed Rose and injured me and I haven’t told Dev yet, the one that took out your temple here. That’s all I’ve gotten from Hughes so far but he and Armstrong are still at the jail. Alex Louis is going to talk to his sister about letting you in for the next round of interrogations.” Roy yawned.
“We’ll not keep you then. You obviously need to get some real sleep,” Aris said.
“I’ve been telling him that but you know how stubborn he is.” Riza glared at him.
“Dev told us about what happened this morning,” Uzziel started but Roy held up a hand.
“Not really ready to talk about it,” Roy grumbled.
“Fair enough. Have someone call if they learn anything more,” Uzziel said, beckoning to his son and Aris.
Huang walked them back to the door. “He is conflicted.”
“We know how that is,” Uzziel replied softly. “Did he tell you how he ended up working as an ambassador to our people?”
Huang nodded, his wrinkles deepening. “I know that he could have just as easily been executed for war crimes.”
“I was going to vote for that, as was my son. Aris and others talked me out of it. I didn’t think any of this would work.” Uzziel glanced back toward the living room. “I was wrong.”
“I told him to go to Xing. His great uncle would have protected him,” Huang said. “He is the emperor’s nephew, after all. But my grandson wouldn’t hear of it. He was prepared to die if it helped pave the way for peace, not that I can see how any death could do that.” The old man sighed. “I’m glad you gave him the chance to help.”
“So are we.” Uzziel held out a hand to Huang, shaking hands. “We’ve all had enough of death.”
onto Chapter Thirty-three
Author -
cornerofmadnessDisclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding by
evil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
Chapter twenty
Chapter twenty-one
Chapter twenty-two
Chapter twenty-three
Chapter twenty-four
Chapter twenty-five
Chapter twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter thirty
“Days of absence, sad and dreary, Clothed in sorrow's dark array, Days of absence, I am weary; She I love is far away.” – Shakespeare
Chapter Thirty-Two
there’s a girl crying.
wishing she had been there
to welcome him home.
Home from the war. – Shannon Flanders
Roy felt like spanking Riza but that would probably lead to things he wasn’t ready to do after giving so much blood. She had left him in the hospital after he fell asleep. He had awoken, confused, to the stentorian sounds of Edward’s snores, wondering where in the hell he was. And now, she hadn’t brought him the fresh uniform he asked for. Instead, she let his grandmother pick out his clothing, leaving him strolling down the hall in royal yellow Xingese silk so searing he was surprised it didn’t blister the paint from the walls.
“Flames? You’re honestly wearing a jacket with red flames up the back?”
Roy whipped around, his hand coming out to steady himself against the wall as the blood loss made his head spin. “I thought you were still in the room with Alphonse, Edward.” He glared at the young man who seemed to miss Winry’s eye roll.
“The doctor shooed him out,” Winry said. “They’re getting Al ready to discharge. Ed is insisting on going home with him even though he should stay here and just let me get his surgery out of the way.”
Ed shuddered in response and Roy was suddenly very glad his automail hadn’t gotten ruined again. He remembered all too well what that surgery and the recovery from it had been like. At least he was in a coma for most of it this last time after the bombing.
“So you’re following me?”
“Had to see where something that bright was going. I thought the hospital might be on fire.” Ed smirked.
Roy eyed him sourly. “Not funny. Keep in mind most of the nurses here like me. I’m sure they can add an enema and a sponge bath by an aide that closely resembles Strongarm to the list of things to be done to you before you’re discharged, Edward.”
“I already had my sponge bath.” Edward managed a wicked grin despite his blush.
“Somehow I’m sure that comes as a surprise to everyone, especially Winry. And I’m pretty sure I’d have remembered a nurse,” Roy replied.
“Where are you going, Roy?” Winry broke in to change the subject before a battle ensued. “To see how Dev is doing?”
He nodded. “I know the doctor wasn’t entirely convinced Dev was out of the woods yesterday.”
“He needs to get better. It’s good to have a partner to torment you with.” Ed dodged Winry’s slap. “I guess the fact that she shot him probably clears him of any blame for setting us up.”
“I told you she was a bitch,” Winry said with a vehemence that surprised the men.
“I never argued that point. That’s usually the case after a big break up, you find someone utterly wrong for you,” Roy replied.
“I’m sure you’ve expert knowledge of that, Roy,” Winry replied tartly and he pouted.
“Are you saying I’m wrong?” Ed grumbled.
“No, Edward, you were never actually gone. Your ghost haunted everyone for years,” Roy said, peering into Dev’s room. His lips turned down in the corners before he went inside. He glanced at the young man asleep on the bed. Dev was as close as a human could be to the washed out eggshell of the hospital sheets. There was a sharp tang of medicine and burnt flesh hanging in the room. His mother sat next to his bed, reading a book. She glanced up over the lip of it at him.
“Come on in. He’s fading in and out. They have him on pain killers but he’s doing much better today,” Hala said.
“That’s good. I wanted to see him before I went home with the brothers,” Winry said. “I have some work to do on Edward but I was hoping to at least talk to Dev.”
“We could come back later,” Roy said.
Dev murmured. “I’m awake.” His eyes opened but didn’t quite focus on them. He glanced in Edward’s general direction. “Mom said your brother is going to be okay.”
Ed nodded. “Yeah, Al’ll be fine. Thanks. How’s the leg?”
“Hurts like hell.” Dev scowled, his gaze managing to sharpen a bit as he turned it on Roy. “Did you have to roast me?”
“No, could have let you bleed to death.” Roy smirked.
Dev grunted. “Tourniquet, maybe?”
“It could have been worse,” Roy replied.
Dev’s head lolled on the pillow. “How?”
“You got hit on your bad leg.” Roy gestured to the limb, which the nurses had outside the covers and wrapped from groin to knee in white bandages. Someone had draped a blanket over his calf and foot. “You’re not going to notice one more scar.”
“Bastard,” Dev growled then sighed. “Thank you. Mom said I’d have died without that.”
“Did she tell you what else he did to save you?” Ed’s eyes gleamed and Winry elbowed him hard. It only made him grin more ferociously.
Dev’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“You had lost far too much blood,” Roy said, affecting a humble expression. “So I gave you a lot of mine.”
Dev’s mouth flapped and he seemed to get even paler. Ed squirmed, his eyes on Winry as if to judge what she’d do. Finally, he couldn’t keep it inside. “If you thought you got a good case of bastard when he bit you that time, it’s nothing compared to what you have now. You’re terminal.”
“I’m going to die!” Dev groaned, his hands flopping on the bed.
Roy slouched indolently against the wall. “Please, having me under your skin is just going to make you more sophisticated and…”
“Arrogant?” Hala interjected with a smile.
Roy spread his hands wide. “That, too.”
“You’re going to have to change your name to Dev Mustang or something equally shitty,” Ed said, his grin getting even bigger and Winry elbowed him again. Ed danced out of range.
“Enough, Ed. Leave the poor man alone!” Winry wagged her head. “You’re all awful and I almost lost you all. You need to be more careful.” Her voice hitched a little at that. “I’m not losing any of you now.”
“We’re a hard bunch to kill,” Roy replied. “Just look at us. We’re missing half our original parts but we still stand defiant before the world. A good part of that is thanks to you, Winry.”
Winry rubbed at her eyes and Ed glared at Roy, looping an arm around Winry’s waist. Roy suspected Ed didn’t like that the speech threatened to make Winry cry.
“You are very amazing men,” Hala said, patting her son’s hand. “Most would have given up long before they got to this point.”
“Thank you,” Roy said. “So, you enjoy that blood, Dev. It’ll fire you up.”
“I’ll ask if I can be drained and refilled with sane blood before I’m permanently damaged.” Dev made a face at him.
“See, Mrs. Jasso. I told you, if he’s fussing, you’d know he’d be just fine.” Roy laughed.
“I guess it could've been worse...I could've wound up with Elric blood and become a brother,” Dev said.
Ed scowled so deeply his face barely contained it. “How am I worse than Mustang?”
“Worse for Mustang,” Dev explained, his eyes fluttering shut for a few moments.
“We’d better let you rest.” Winry went over and brushed Dev’s hair back. “You look exhausted.
His eyes opened again, reflecting pain they all could see. “She used me to try and kill all of you.” His lip trembled. “You didn’t like her, I could see that. You plain didn’t like her, Winry or you either, Mustang. You didn’t trust Anah.”
“No, not at all,” Winry said. “But this isn’t your fault Dev.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked ruefully.
“No,” Roy said forcefully. “I don’t think you trusted her either, not really. You kept telling all of us she wasn’t your girlfriend. I doubt she got as close to you as she had hoped.”
“Close enough to lure us all to our deaths,” Dev spat.
“Hell, she didn’t need you for that. I would have investigated a lead like that regardless,” Roy replied. “It wasn’t your fault and if you want to believe that it is, well, I know all about taking the blame for stuff I didn’t actually do. Just content yourself with the fact you were hurt worst and thus, punished.”
“You’re a very strange man, Roy.” Winry squeezed Dev’s hand. “We’ll come back to see you, Dev. Listen to Roy. Somewhere in that nonsense there was some truth. This isn’t your fault.”
“Thanks, Winry.”
“We’d better go collect Al,” Ed said and Winry nodded, following him out the door.
“I should go, too. I’m pretty sure Riza is just showing up with a tiny car and going to make us foolish men ride on the roof as punishment for not contacting her and the rest of investigations.” Roy shrugged.
“From what I’ve seen, she’s a formidable woman. I’m sure she’ll find an appropriate way of reminding you of the right and wrong ways to do things,” Hala replied.
“Usually at gun point,” Dev said.
Roy snorted and started for the door.
“Mustang, wait.”
Roy turned back, a questioning look on his face.
Dev glanced down at his leg then back up at Roy. The dead serious look in his pain-clouded eyes shocked the alchemist. The young man started to say something but his voice hitched. He looked to his mother who seemed to be as surprised as Roy by Dev’s expression then he turned back to Roy. “I forgive you,” he whispered. “For everything.”
Roy couldn’t breathe. He felt like he was standing in the middle of one of his firestorms as all the oxygen was consumed. His stomach rebelled but he willed it into submission as he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a groan. His eyes however betrayed him, tears slipping down his face and leaking out from under his patch. Roy spun on his heel, stumbling out of the room. He couldn’t see to walk but his flailing hand found the railing hospitals always seemed to have on the walls. He clung to it then slowly folded up on the floor, trying to hide his face.
Feeling someone touch his shoulder, Roy flinched, looking up into Hala’s face. Roy wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “He shouldn’t have said that.”
Confusion veiled her face. “Why not? He meant it.”
“How?” Roy’s voice cracked.
“You saved his life twice now. It means something to him. It means something to me. I hated you for what you did to him as a child but now, I can’t hate you any more. I might not be ready to forgive but I also can’t deny that you’ve been a positive influence. You risked your own life saving all those boys. You should just accept the forgiveness,” Hala said quietly, kneeling down next to him. Her rough hand trailed along his cheek before coming to rest on his shoulder.
“I don’t know how,” Roy murmured.
“Roy, what’s wrong?”
Riza’s voice made Roy jump, smacking his head off the wall. He could barely focus on her as she bent over him. Uzziel and Aris were with her, with Hughes right behind. Ed and Winry peered out of Dev’s room, Edward stepping into the hallway.
“My son forgave him,” Hala said when Roy couldn’t speak.
“Oh.” Riza reached for Roy. He lifted a hand to catch hers, squeezing it tightly, unable to form words through his tight throat.
“Doesn’t look like he’s taking it well,” Uzziel remarked.
“Apparently not,” Hala replied, standing.
“I want to go home, Riza,” Roy whispered, pressing the back of her hand to his wet face.
Riza helped him up. “I’ll take you there.” She glanced back at Hala questioningly.
“I can’t talk to him just now…I will but not now,” Roy said reading Riza’s hesitancy.
Hughes took a step closer, his large hand falling on Roy’s shoulder in silent support. “Roy, this probably isn’t the time but you’re supposed to come with me to meet with the president to talk to the prisoners.”
Roy sagged, a look on his face that suggested tears could start up again without much warning. “For all this pain, gladly.” He squared his shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”
XXX
“You look like hell,” Olivia said unsympathetically as Roy and Hughes joined her and her brother at the military prison.
“I feel like it so let’s get this over with,” Roy grumbled.
“Are you up to this?” Alex Louis asked more sympathetically.
“He’s not but he’ll lie and say he is,” Hughes said, shooting Roy a glare.
“You’re learning quickly,” Alex Louis said. “Mustang always puts forth a valiant effort.”
“I would have called it something else,” Olivia snorted.
“Should you even be going into the cells?” Roy narrowed his eye at her. “Anything could happen.”
“Are you saying I couldn’t handle this trio of rebels?” Fire laced her words.
“Wasn’t thinking of them,” Roy muttered.
Olivia returned his glare with interest and led the way past the guards. Seeing the three of them each in their own cell along one wall with no deference to gender, at least not until they were moved from holding, Roy was sorry he hadn’t killed them. They had caused far too much pain. “I have ideas who we should talk to first,” Olivia’s eyes bored into Attaway, sitting pale and sweating on the cot. Judging from the man’s expression, Roy doubted they had given him anything for the pain of being shot.
“Pretty sure we all have that idea,” Hughes said, “Madame President.”
“I just want to know which one bombed me,” Roy grumbled.
“And killed Rose,” Alex Louis added.
“What makes you think we’d ever tell you anything?” Anah gripped the bars. “Go die.”
“I think that’s my line,” Roy replied, strolling closer to her. “I’m betting it was you. Attaway doesn’t have the guts. Hell, I’m not even sure how he’s tied into all of this or why.” Roy turned to the Lioran. “I don’t know you yet but I can imagine your motives.”
“Can you now?” the older woman sneered.
“Lior is rebuilt and now you want to cede from Amestris and do as much damage you can as you go,” Hughes supplied and the woman shot him a startled look. “You used the country up the turned like a snake.”
“I’ll admit, it took an embarrassingly long time to figure it out,” Roy said then turned to Attaway. “What I don’t get is your part in this? Why would you side with rebels?”
“To kill you, to keep Olivia safe from you,” Attaway snarled.
Olivia stared at him, for once stunned into momentary silence. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you see?” Attaway gestured through the bars. “He’s dangerous. Even with all your wonderful skills, he could still kill us all with the snap of a finger. How long is he going to be satisfied with losing to you? He needed to die.”
“That’s novel, me being a threat to the Wall of Briggs,” Roy snorted and Alex Louis cocked up his eyebrows at him. “But why do you care?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I love her and with you gone, I would have been free to tell her so,” Attaway said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
All the men glanced over at Olivia who was still wide-eyed. Roy willed her to stay quiet. If she voiced her disdain for this man, they might not get any more information.
“Shut the hell up, Attaway,” Anah growled. “I’ll kill you.”
“Olivia, you can’t leave me in here with this beast. She’s the one who bombed both Mustang and your brother,” Attaway said, pressing against the bars.
“Do be quiet,” the Lioran said.
“You’ve lost, Judith,” Attaway replied. “You shouldn’t have tried to kill them all.”
“Really going to kill you.” Anah lunged against her cage and Attaway scurried to the far side of his.
“You probably won’t get the chance,” Roy said. “Your own people are lobbying to have you turned over to them for execution.”
“As if they would.” Anah turned her back on him.
“Sister, you and the General should probably go now while we finish up the questioning. You have other obligations,” Alex Louis said.
“See what you can get out of them,” Olivia waved a dismissive hand. “Then we’ll pack them up to Briggs.”
“Briggs?” Attaway shrilled. “You can’t send me there!”
“Why not? If you loved Olivia so much, you’d have ended up there anyhow,” Roy smirked. “She loves it there. She likes…playing in the snow,” he added salaciously. Roy placed a proprietary hand in the middle of Olivia’s back, leading her out while Attaway howled and Anah screeched for him to go to hell. At least Judith was quiet in her cell.
Once they were out of sight, Olivia hit him so hard he bounced off the wall. “Ow!”
“Consider yourself lucky to still have your hand,” she huffed.
“He’ll die up there, you know,” Roy said, his tone neutral.
“He tried to kill my brother so do you think I care?”
“Not particularly. I’d almost feel sorry for him if he hadn’t sent my guts to greet the outside air.”
“You’re a romantic idiot like my brother.” Olivia glanced over at him. “Go home and get some rest, Mustang. You’ve earned that.”
“You say that and I hear, ‘Roy, I care about you.’” Roy offered up his best naughty grin.
“You’re not going to make it to your wedding,” she grumbled.
Roy laughed, bowing to her. “I’ll go find that cab now.”
“You’d better.”
Roy kept smiling as long as she could see him. Once out of her sight, it was all he could do to hold together until he got home.
XXX
“Maybe we should have just called,” Kennan said, glancing over at his father and Aris.
“We need to know what they got out of Anah and more importantly after what Hala and Dev told us at the hospital, maybe we ought to check on Mustang’s welfare,” Uzziel replied, studying the elaborate glass in the door.
“Never thought there would be a day I gave a damn about that,” Kennan muttered.
“Well, Ishbala tells us to forgive, though I never thought Dev could reach that point,” Aris shrugged. “And wouldn’t have blamed him if he hadn’t.”
Uzziel nodded then knocked on the door. He was surprised to see a delicate old woman opening it. Her white hair was swept up into an intricate pattern of braids and knots. Even though her clothing was simple, she had a regal bearing. “Hello. You must be Mrs. Mustang.”
She smiled at him. “Xue-Fang, please. Was my grandson expecting you?”
“Who is it, love?” Huang asked, coming into the lobby. His eyes widened a bit at seeing the three Ishbalans. “Ah, Uzziel, I suppose you’re here to see Roy. Come in.”
“Sorry to drop in unannounced yet again,” Uzziel said, sheepishly. “We were in the neighborhood and wanted to know if Mustang had any news for us.”
“I’m not sure my grandson is in any condition to tell you.” Xue-Fang led the way into the living room. “He’s asleep.”
“We don’t have to bother him, then. I’m sure he’ll call when he wakes up,” Aris said.
“Is he…all right?” Uzziel asked slowly. “We know he had a bad day at the hospital.”
Xue-Fang paused, studying them. “Roy is not all right but he will endure. He always does.”
“He’s lying down by the fireplace,” Huang said. “He probably heard the knock but since he didn’t get up, he most likely isn’t going to.”
“He didn’t because he can’t,” Miao-Yin’s voice called out.
The elderly Mustangs led their visitors into the room. Roy was stretched out on a cot, his pant leg rolled up to reveal his automail. Miao-Yin was drawing around his leg just above the port. Winry and Riza sat on the couch, beer bottles in hand, watching the girl. Ed slept on the floor, a book over his face, snoring softly from under it.
“She’s planning a dragon tattoo,” Roy explained, weariness in every word. “While I doze.”
“Yes, to go with the mess you made out of my automail,” Winry replied bitterly as Huang patted the chair, indicating for Xue-Fang to have a seat.
“My dragon is a thing of beauty,” Roy waved her off. “What can I do for you gentleman? So far we’ve got little out of Anah except death threats for me.”
“Not surprising,” Kennan said. “How involved was she?”
“The bombings that killed Rose and injured me and I haven’t told Dev yet, the one that took out your temple here. That’s all I’ve gotten from Hughes so far but he and Armstrong are still at the jail. Alex Louis is going to talk to his sister about letting you in for the next round of interrogations.” Roy yawned.
“We’ll not keep you then. You obviously need to get some real sleep,” Aris said.
“I’ve been telling him that but you know how stubborn he is.” Riza glared at him.
“Dev told us about what happened this morning,” Uzziel started but Roy held up a hand.
“Not really ready to talk about it,” Roy grumbled.
“Fair enough. Have someone call if they learn anything more,” Uzziel said, beckoning to his son and Aris.
Huang walked them back to the door. “He is conflicted.”
“We know how that is,” Uzziel replied softly. “Did he tell you how he ended up working as an ambassador to our people?”
Huang nodded, his wrinkles deepening. “I know that he could have just as easily been executed for war crimes.”
“I was going to vote for that, as was my son. Aris and others talked me out of it. I didn’t think any of this would work.” Uzziel glanced back toward the living room. “I was wrong.”
“I told him to go to Xing. His great uncle would have protected him,” Huang said. “He is the emperor’s nephew, after all. But my grandson wouldn’t hear of it. He was prepared to die if it helped pave the way for peace, not that I can see how any death could do that.” The old man sighed. “I’m glad you gave him the chance to help.”
“So are we.” Uzziel held out a hand to Huang, shaking hands. “We’ve all had enough of death.”
onto Chapter Thirty-three
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 02:17 am (UTC)Hmmmm...
Hey, I didn't find any extra typoes!
no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 02:33 am (UTC)and yay to n o typoes
no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 08:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 10:52 pm (UTC)Once they were out of sight, Olivia hit him so hard he bounced off the wall.
Ha... that part made me laugh; I can totally see her doing that. ;)
The part where Dev told Mustang that he forgave him... was so heartbreaking and lovely all at the same time. Great part. Mustang's angstyness makes me both sad and fangirly. I'm such an angst whore. *lol*
Wonderful chapter, and I can't wait to read more. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 01:36 am (UTC)hopefully the wait won't be as long this time
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-30 08:37 pm (UTC)“Lior is rebuilt and now you want to cede from Amestris and do as much damage you can as you go,” Hughes supplied and the woman shot him a startled look. “You used the country up the turned like a snake.”
You used the country up then turned....
no subject
Date: 2010-03-30 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-30 09:02 pm (UTC)