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With Edward, nothing could ever be simple . That fact was less about Edward being complicated, and more about how Roy should be careful with his own expectations — as Edward would, sooner or later and inevitably, break them. Thinking ahead wouldn't work with him; all Roy could do was try to establish the behavioral patterns and laugh each time he found himself at the wrong — which was quite often.
So when Ed laced their fingers together in the middle of the streets and dragged him to a park, Roy smiled and went with it.
The place was quiet and no one would bother them — being able to just walk without worrying about the curious looks the two of them always attracted felt like a tiny, precious blessing. If they had come a little bit earlier, maybe, they would have seen the sky in all its beautiful hues of pink and orange and Edward's hair would be that shade that makes Roy want to write a sonnet, but darkness was good too. When Edward commented on the lack of stars, Roy said something about him outshining all of them just to make him groan in embarrassment.
Roy wasn't foolish to think of Edward as his first true love — but even with a hardened soul, he wasn't foolish to think it wouldn't wreck him. The moment Ed waltzed back into his life, stubborn and insistent, Roy couldn't do much. Men are weak and Roy had always had a penchant for surrendering, so he gave in to each one of the blond's demands, put his heart on the table and dove head first into whatever only to find out it was the best decision he'd ever made.
The best, most unstable decision. Edward would break him one day — he would leave Roy behind , and as scary as it was Roy was going to say sure, thank you for your time and move on. Because what else could he do? Some spirits are freer than others, and Roy knew better than to daydream about a happily ever after with one of those.
Nevertheless, he could enjoy for now. He could enjoy the heat radiating from the one beside him, the feeling of Edward’s palm against his, and the way his heart clenched at every smile he got from Ed. He could enjoy how the world turned a bit better, a bit prettier, when Edward looked up at him with warm eyes and pressed his lips to the corner of his mouth, only to turn away and laugh — guess your sap is rubbing off on me, old man.
"Roy," Ed said, as if Roy wasn't already giving him one hundred percent of his attention.
Ed made them stop — unexpected, not complicated but un simple — with that somber look Roy had only ever seen when he was about to do a very stupid thing. This time, the clench of his heart had nothing to do with unending happiness and more with expectations . Do not think the worst and do not think the best; even when Ed lets go of his hand Roy successfully manages the dozens of scenarios dancing in the back of his mind.
“I was gonna talk about this with you at home, but— ” Edward lowered his head, then looked back at him with his cheeks significantly redder, “I’m not into schmoop talk and stuff, that’s your area, but I figured... uh , you know what, I guess I’m just gonna— ”
Shoving his hand into his pant’s pocket, Edward let out an exasperated sigh and Roy was left to stare at him dumbfounded, trying to fit together pieces from seemingly different puzzles. He pulled out a small, black box, and toyed with it for a second before raising his eyes to Roy once again — and Roy shivered, out of excitement or fear or that which he always felt as Ed's pupils dilated and shrank, dilated and shrank... his irises as gold as the rings resting above his palm.
"I must say," Roy smiled, "sometimes it's nice when you act out of character."