Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Hey there, Fullmetal."

Dawn struggled to break through the light mist blanketing East City, Edward's hesitance at the steps towards Command was letting the dew seep through the fabrics cushioning his automail arm and apparently gave the Colonel enough time to welcome him with a monotone jab. Edward furrowed his brows, gritting his teeth before pulling his gaze up to the man casually standing above them.
"Tch. Colonel." He sneered. Beside the boy stood a tall bulk of armor who was gently trying shy his way behind Edward, his hollow structure was clattering as he brought his eyes to and from the pair. Man and boy, locked in a wordless challenge until Edward felt the shift of the armor brush against his coat, he leaned back to his side and offered him a beam of confidence.
"S'alright Alphonse." He tapped his knuckles down Alphonse's chest-plates, earning quick nod from him. Even with a molded face, his little brother's skittish expression was plastered atop it. God, Al is young to be standing here. Sourness churned his stomach, a rich prick of anxiety that had been bubbling since they'd departed the train. I'm barely older myself..

"I must say, this rain does squish you down. You've been standing here for.." Roy paused to fiddled around his hind pocket and study the time on his pocket-watch, returning to the boy's gaze with further mischief, "Close to 10 minutes. I expect punctuality from my subordinates, and that's after confidence." The boy shot forwards like a bullet, bristling with his focus returned to Roy once more.
"What is that supposed to mean, you bastard!" Edward seethed, rattling his fist against the air. Finally the boy had stepped out of his hesitance, gradually taking himself to the foot of the steps, one childish whine after another.

"I ain't squished!"  Roy chuffed above him, rolling his eyes when they accidentally caught each others.
Clicking of a turning doorknob snatched everybody's attention, Edward recognized the rigid exterior of the Colonel's Lieutenant exiting the frame within an instant; his little whiny rampage had halted as Roy turned to her, the pair seeming to be having a conversation through nothing but expression.

Riza wrinkled her brows. I've been waiting inside.
Roy offered a smirk in return. I know, sorry.

"Sir, the debrief?" The Lieutenant sounded worn in her inquiry, something must be keeping the pair on their toes today, if not each other.
"I haven't forgotten, Hawkeye. I've been occupied with our new State Alchemist and his brother." She walked up to Roy's side, prepared to judge whatever poor soul was meeting with him until her eyes settled on the brothers and, to their surprise, her gaze softened "Hello Edward, Alphonse."
"Oh, yes-" Al stumbled over a reply, dancing between his hands and fingers and thumbs on whether or not he is to salute or simply wave. "Good morning, Lieutenant Hawkeye!"
Edward glanced between his two superiors before straightening up, acknowledging her with a quick nod and idly saluting her.
"A debrief?" He asked. "What, you have to chase hinds already, Mustang?

"We have hinds to chase." Roy smirked at the boy, briskly shaking his head before shrugging on. "I'm sorry, Fullmetal, but I have no time to have you properly acquainted today. That is up to you to accomplish as apart of your first mission." 
Edward was quick to take a leap up the stairs, furiously gesturing outwards and struggling to bite back his tongue. "Already?" Spat the boy, twisting around to his armored brother when the Colonel's glare abruptly turned to looked less smug and more solid. "Wonderful, I haven't even stepped foot inside and I'm being shoved onto a leash!"

"Big brother..." Alphonse began, he'd shrunken into his suit and was skirting up to his brother's side. Edward waved him off, opening his mouth to denounce the day before it'd even began when an abrupt snap ricocheted through the air; it rung through the rain which had now began to gently beat the courtyard and both brother's shuffled their feet. Roy's face was rinsed of that mischief and looked upon them with a stern gaze, it was suddenly so frigid. He'd ripped his ignition glove off to bring Edward's eyes back to him.
"You've been tied to the ball and chain since you chose to become a dog." He tugged the glove from between his teeth and adverted his gaze to focus on shuffling the fabric back on. "Don't forget what your title is tied to, Fullmetal."

Oh yeah.
He dropped his head, practically growling behind his hair. Equivalent exchange. The brother's have more freedom to seek out a solution to their.. 'situation' and then in turn Edward belongs to the military. He's a dog, a mutt.
Pathetically loyal to the Flame Alchemist of all souls.

Tender pressure to his shoulder port ceased the tremors of his automail arm - when did he get that tense? Why was he even so worked up, this deal has been done and known for months now. Alphonse's grip stayed firm and he gave his brother a little shake until Edward swung his head back to meet him.
"We aren't here for the military anyway, remember?" The reminder was gentle and, for a moment, Edward was reminded that this man atop the stairs was far, far above him. Far older and different too, you could see the stories within the branded bags beneath his eyes, the Lieutenants too. He was here for his brother, to take him back, but this is something he has to grin and bare.
He scoffed, unaware he'd actually held so much air in his lungs and stifled a splutter before bringing his head back up. "Mhm." He hummed. "I remember."

"The less daylight wasted now, the quicker we get to file the paperwork for this mission." Roy had his back turned, reaching for the door and nodding the Lieutenant through. She shared a look with him, from the foot of the steps it was tough to make out anything more than a moments glimpse to Edward and Alphonse. Surely he hadn't failed expectations already... that would impress Teacher. "Come on inside, you'll follow us to the office."
Now he faced them with raised brows, looking less bitter but still composed, professional. The brothers hesitated again for many heartbeats, until Edward lurched up the final stairs and muttered nonsense below his breath, glaring as he passed through. Clanking followed behind as Alphonse rushed to keep behind him, ducking through the door and giving the Colonel a brisk nod.

Both boys rushed on past, twisting on their heels to gawk at the Command Centers internal architecture, and the Colonel lingered within the doorway. The rain kept steady, a crisp gleam on the earth's surface told him it was still early, good. Good. As long as the Elrics matched his strides, they'd be able to be debriefed and on a train come noon. A grin creased Roy's mouth, but it was quick to falter as Riza came forwards with a questioning look. He drew a breath and committed to his grin, pulling the door too and tapped below his eyes. "Do you see it now, Lieutenant, that fire?" He mused.

Riza studied his words, then turned to study Edward. They'd both seen that boy hollow back in Resembool, dead within a living body. They know why he's here too and why the team must stay blind sighted; they know why Edward is stubborn against Roy's authority and short with their conversation. Still Roy saw her analysing him like a real soldier, he was too. Unease shook his spine for a moment, the sting of reality lingering in his neck and he reached to numb the ebb with a rub. A child soldier.

He was brought back to the conversation at hand by Riza's irked sigh, her shoulders sagged momentarily with the absence of prying eyes.
"I believe we're both observing two different fires, sir. I think that Edward is too brazen, too loud - his personality will keep people's hackles up." Between the two of them a moment of silence was offered because yes, Edward would be sticking out like a sore thumb. Undoubtedly he'd be the source of their aches and paperwork, the tired nights and shortening fuses, but Roy just silently nodded. His grin bled onto Riza's face for a second before she sorted out her composure, making her way towards the brothers while they still took in their surroundings.
"However, that's why you had been so stubborn in regards to overseeing him and his situation ," she continued, glancing over her shoulder. "Isn't it, sir?"

"Exactly."

Chapter Text

From entrance to office door, it was a brisk yet painfully quiet walk. Painful for Edward that is, in front of them the Colonel and Lieutenant were peacefully following their muscle memory, content with the distant rustles of military life. His mind itched to ponder, to question, to pester, but the Colonel seemed to have hit the tolerance limit on Ed already.
So he kept quiet and walked.
And walked.
And walked.

"Jeez, just how big is this damn place!" Edward sharply nudged his brother's forearm, refusing to make eye contact when Alphonse muttered a weak complaint about it.
"Well, the military is a big force, they have to put you somewhere." Murmured Alphonse, focused on the fleeting blots of colour beyond the windows. He followed his little brother's gaze and agreed with a hum, this place was far busier than any festival held back home. 

"You-know-where is in the East too.."

Edward's feet froze, breath hitched, suddenly another step forward was like passing over a gorge. His brother's name tumbled in his mouth as he swallowed back bile, he threw his palm against Al's front to which he pulled back to scowl at Edward, but his eye's were round; they teetered at the seams and glistened with the wrinkle of Edwards nose, not the place, Alphonse.
"Oh.." He breathed, slapping his hand to his temple with a heavy clink. Ed drew his hand back, it was getting disgustingly warm beneath the fabric of his gloves. Though he was trying to take it off in a swift manner, a hiccup in the steps of both the Colonel and the Lieutenant caught his eye. Did they hear Al? No, no. Mustang would chew them out otherwise, but they must've felt the pause behind them. The grip he had around his glove tightened, it was choking his own palm until he felt the fibers gritting against his skin grain.

Neither had known much of the war, they were just babies when it had ended, but nightmares of that civil war drifted throughout their childhood given the proximity to their home. Mum had always told them to hush down their questions, the childish curiosity around the tension that lingered in the countryside air, the wonder around the unspoken disdain for those blue coated men who'd come around sometimes. But then, just from lingering in the halls before his test, Edward was invited to knowledge he didn't need nor that he wanted, oh how he yearned for the rumors to be wiped from his mind.. 
Extermination, mass extermination at that, State Alchemists being branded as human weapons.. that was all he could stomach to hear before pushing himself through crowds to the sanctuary of fresh [city fresh] air. That time period no longer evoked that oblivious interest but rather it brought dread to his stomach.

That's what people thought he'd become, or rather what he already is, isn't it? A tailor made human weapon? 

 No. This path was his to choose and his alone, whoever tried to alter it would have their skin flayed. He drew a sharp breath, stuffing the glove into his pocket, and walked on.
"Weird how you could fit all of Resembool in here." He continued, the longer they lingered on the aforementioned the worse. For a moment he twisted around, sauntering backwards, to ensure Alphonse was catching up to him; those baby-pink beads had enlarged, he saw the lip of guilt on his brothers face and reassured him with gentle smile.
"This is where you're going to be residing a lot now too. Me too I guess, since I'm staying with you." Al piped up when Edward had spun back to walk normally but continued to hold his neck to Alphonse's eyes. "Right brother?"
"Of course, you aren't leaving my side unless you have to! Promise you that." The boy tossed open his palms in a meaningful gesture, the corners of his cozy smile quivering when the port to his arm shot his collarbone with a raw pang, to which he pulled thee hand tight to his chest. Lingering in the dew and letting it sink through his clothes started to prove foolish. Man, I should've hesitated while it was dry.

Warmth unsettled the hair on Edwards neck, he strained out of the corner of his eye to catch the Colonel peering at the two with a muddled gaze. He lingered within his line of sight for a moment, tensing at the thought he'd he staring since Alphonse had accidentally mentioned Ishval, but the man's expression relaxed as he turned away. A was hand drawn above his head, waving casually as he broke the silence around he and the Lieutenant.
"If you're concerned about the hospitality of my team, you needn't be too much." Roy began to slow down as they approached one of the final doors across the hallway, it wasn't shut flush and the familiar sound of rummaging and drops of heavy books filtered through.
"Good thing I'm not." Reassurance wasn't exactly requested, he actually didn't expect the Colonel to provide any solace, but it eased a part of Edward despite the false claim.
"They're a solid set." The man brushed off the sharp retort and continued on. "I've laid my life in their hands countless times, they too have shared the sentiment with each other. You'll have your run with them regardless though, won't you?"  Maybe he still had patience to spare for him, and Edward replied with nothing more than a snort.

"Colonel, do they know?"
Alphonse's trembling voice halted Roy's move to shoulder open the door, instead he gripped the handle and pulled it into the frame. Edward narrowed his gaze, flicking between Roy's face and the grip on the knob. After his test the Colonel had said their act of taboo would remain between them and Ed even told Al that much, but could he have flunked them?

Both Roy and Riza shook their heads, He kept his word.

Neither boy said a thing, only relaxed their joints and Edward's face relaxed with a teeny tiny smile.
"I don't have an excuse for being a suit of armor yet.. That won't be a problem, will it?" Alphonse glanced between his brother and the Colonel, fiddling with fingers and thumbs. Accumulating a cover-up for his automail was one thing, but forgetting to come up with one for his more susceptible brother struck him with a warm flush of guilt and shrunk that smile into null.
"Oh, I forgot to come up with something.." Edward hid his face with his palm, gritting his teeth at his own forgetfulness. If either of them were to have their taboo uncovered, it'd be more likely Alphonse's armor figure that would betray it.
"Unlikely, for the time being at least. I intend to have us shipped out of here as soon as." Roy confirmed, slipping a smile through his steady frame for a moment.

With a nod to Riza, he then clicked the door out of the frame and pushed it open for his subordinates to follow through. Inside the office was Roy's team, hastily wrapping-up and gathering paperwork scattered across the desks lining the room. However one of his subordinates rested against the wall, peacefully staring at the smoke rings he puffed from his cigarette, and he was the first to notice the new presence in the room when he lent down to tap the ash off the tip.
"Welcome back, Colonel." The blonde man seemed far more lanky now he'd straightened up, clicking his heels as his hand snapped up to salute. Edward shied his eyes away having accidentally caught his, the man plucked the cigarette from his mouth to gesture it to Ed and Al. "Who's the kid and uh.. the suit of armor?"
Looking properly at Alphonse had his professionalism drop, Ed saw him turn to him, then Al, then Roy and back again. Roy turned on his heels to properly reveal Edward and Alphonse, who'd by then slightly shuffled behind their Colonel when the other man became so inquisitive, raising a hand to point respectively as he introduced them.
"This is Edward and Alphonse Elric. Edward is the Fullmetal Alchemist, I believe I had mentioned he'd be joining us soon, and his brother is here by association."

"The Fullmetal Alchemist?" Two heads popped up from their focus at the desks, a young man wearing glasses appeared floored at Edward's alias while the more rugged man opposite had a judgmental lock onto the Colonel.
"Sir, that's a child." Challenged the man. That's when the one with glasses took a second glace and warily nodded, he tapped his papers into form and shot off before he could hear the ensuing conversation. "I hardly believe this kid is official. We can't possibly be letting children fight the country's battles now."
"Well Breda, he is both an official and sharing our country's burdens." Roy seemed smug as he moved towards a single door framed at the front wall, clearly eager to push through and see the debrief through.  As his figure melted into the chilly, shadow-sunk room he waved off Breda before another word could get out.
"There will be time for questions once we're on the move. Fullmetal, stand aside them. Debrief will commence shortly."

Edward and Alphonse stared at each other, sharing a moment of unease - thinking about the day you meet Military personnel is one thing, coming to that day and discovering they aren't as harsh internally as they are externally is another. Oh well, the pair both hummed when the man with a smoke presented Edward with a hand.
"Edward, yeah? I'll assume the Colonel hasn't given much time for introductions, I'm Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc." A handshake? No salute?  He was hesitant to take Havoc's offer but swallowed his worry and tentatively shook, leaning an inch backwards beforehand to brush his back with Alphonse.
"Yeah, he hasn't. Apparently it's my own separate mission." Havoc released Edward's hand and shook his head with a chuckle. "Yeah that figures. Suppose I'll run you down on the rest team then."

Havoc glanced around until he found the man with glasses and wafted his smoke in his direction. "That is Master Sergeant Kain Fuery." At the sound of his name, Fuery lent his head away from the pile of papers he was carefully clipping together and briefly waved at the brothers.
"Warrant Officer Vato Falman." Now he pointed at the third man rummaging around on the desk, Falman turned around with a puzzled expression but gave them a brief salute before turning back to the group of file's assorted in front of him.
"Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda." Breda had slipped back in his chair, hand pinching the tip of his forehead, he was clearly displeased with Edward and Alphonse being so young. Still he turned to offer them a wave, loosening the frown which bit his lips. "Hey."
Edward nodded with each name, getting a good look at each of his new allies and dawned a pleasant grin once he'd buried their names within his memory.
"Pleasure. This is Alphonse, I know he's no State Alchemist or anything but we're a package deal. " Alphonse gave Havoc a quick little wave when Edward shrugged his shoulders in gesture towards him, turning down with those gleeful eyes when Ed stood on his toes to knock the tip of his chest-plate once again. "Where he goes, I go and where I go, he goes. Ain't that right, Al?" His little brother nodded enthusiastically, turning back to Havoc who's face began to turn tender seeing the brother's muse the other. "That's right, brother!"

Something slammed to the side of the group, rattling their ears, it was Roy, now stood before a closed door with a black coat atop his uniform; his eyes we're glued to the file he held, something gleaming in his eyes.
"Right." He announced, heading towards the office's main door after handing off the file to a tailing Riza. She skimmed the file herself and huffed once she'd breezed past the first two pages, an irritated sheen coated her eyes when she met Roy's gaze. He waved her off and turned to his team, now in-line aside Edward and Alphonse.
"Central has been receiving numerous reports regarding a recently surfaced group, they have not given themselves any alias and neither do they have relations with any of our known anti-Military dissidents. Only a handful of these reports mention physical encounters however that remains a handful too many, these aggressors have made threats against the King Fuhrer himself. Publicly."
Threatening Fuhrer Bradley publicly and only they are called in? Someone must be looking out for this group to have them spared from the notoriety of the Central Forces. Each member of the team must've shared the same thought, they shifted around uncomfortably and Edward caught the unease in his eyes mirrored by theirs. Falman stepped forwards, his head tipped.
"If this group has been active in Central then why are we the ones being given the orders to see it is sorted?"
Roy acknowledged his inquiry with a nod. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes passed it off onto us under the pretense that Central has their hands full enough already. Additionally, they appear to be most frequent across the eastern side to Central which is enough reach to our jurisdiction to allow our involvement." The Warrant Officer seemed satisfied enough and fell back in line beside Havoc.

"We head out now, but before we can progress into this group's supposed 'territory' I would like to rendezvous with Hughes and his team in Central Headquarters. Understood?"
The office shook as the line snapped their heels, all but Edward and Alphonse that is, and saluted the Colonel. "Sir!" 

Just as he'd judged, it was noon by the time Roy and his team boarded a Military train headed for Central. Pale rays began to break through the blanket up high, warming the cold interior as the train began to clunk along the track. On one side of the cartridge, Breda had pulled out a dusty chess set from the storage compartment and thrown it down before Falman and Havoc.
"Who's ready to take the time to beat me in a round? There's enough time to beat you all." Defeated groans greeted his request, Falman and turned away but Havoc set his pack of cigarettes aside and accepted his old friend's challenge. Fuery sat next to Breda, saying he'll try to tune in to his friend's game but chances are he'd be entranced by his notepad.

Across from them was Edward and Alphonse, Al had one side of the booth to himself while Ed curled into the corner of his side and rested his head upon the table. A frown dropped his lips, part of Roy was hoping they'd actually be making more of an attempt to mingle.
It's still early, besides it must be rough to engage with peers double your age after leaving home.
"Our journey should be no longer than an hour, then from Central Command to the closest outpost is a short walk." The Lieutenant appeared behind him, the booth behind Breda's claimed by her pistol and the mission file for the pair of them. Roy simply nodded, turning his gaze from the brothers to stare emptily ahead of him.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Something about his aimless expression and half-monotone voice had Riza shuffle her way in front of him. He looked up at her, perplexed, and she ushered him close to hear her whisper.

"Remember these are children, sir. It's a challenge but we have to lower our expectations for them, across the board. Doing otherwise would be cruel." 
"I know. I'm more so.." Roy sighed, glancing back to the boys briefly. Alphonse was clattering around, presumably enjoying a conversation with the hidden Edward. "Trying to not worry on their behalf is tough, it is my job as a superior to worry for all of you. Them being children just.. it changes it." Riza simply nodded, laid a hand to his shoulder and let her gentle gaze end the conversation.
It'll be fine.

"Hey Mustang." Someone piped up, muffled slightly by the whir of train wheels, and Roy shuffled through the isle to lean against the booth Edward and Alphonse sat at. Edward looked at him bluntly, his bangs seemed to be hiding a more constricted lip. "This isn't some complicated mission you've dropped me into is it?"
A playful smirk parted his lips before he spoke and he lent more of his weight against the booth. "Why, can't you keep up with us, Fullmetal?"
"I can keep up with you, jackass!" The little alchemist sat bolt right, shuffling closer to glare at Roy while he simply widened his smirk. "I just.. don't fancy having my automail maimed on day one. My mechanic would kill me."
"Don't worry, this group is small enough for me to label it simple." Roy lightly laughed the shot off, but hesitated with his next words. He scooted his way onto the edge of the booth, arms on his legs and keeping a firm hold on both brother's eyes.
"Though if you do need to take a step back you can, I won't let it reach a point where you are seriously endangered." The promise was genuine, Alphonse dipped his head while Edward seemed to defensively curl back up.
"I just said I could keep up with you." He mumbled.

"I know, but you are not only new but young. Youngest." The man briefly dropped his authoritarian tone to level with Edward, to try and break through whatever defense the boy seemed to be building up today. "We've seen our shares and you've yet to."
He only huffed, tucked his legs snug to his chest and turned to face the window. "Yeah, yeah, okay. I get it." His tone was calmer, but still Roy thought he hadn't gotten through until Alphonse piped up.
"We will be alright Colonel, together we're strong." Oh how he appreciated this polar opposite of Edward, one and the same yet completely different. Roy gave Alphonse a nod and rose to take his seat aside Riza, but not before glancing back at Edward briefly.

"I can feel my hairs graying already." He slumped down next to her, both hands holding the weight of his head and massaging the top of his forehead while she hummed in response, gaze fixed to the view beyond.
"Sir, why would you accept in someone as young as those boys?" Breda clambered onto the booth's lip to continue their conversation, appearing less judgmental and more so curious. "It's dangerous, it's like a nightmare."
Roy only lifted his head to the back of the seat and shrugged. "So I didn't have to worry. As long as they're under my authority, I can be assured they aren't stuck with someone harsh."
"Going soft aye?"
Chuckles in the booth behind had Roy leap from his seat, pointing like a frantic animal. "Just focus on your chess! My choice in subordinates is not a matter you need to worry about!" Breda raised his palms and slunk back down the back of the seat, forcing back a sly smile. Roy waited for them to continue their game before returning to Riza's side, placing the weight of his head on the table rather than his hands.