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Roy's two drinks deep when he sees his ex on the other side of the room. The anxiety sets in quickly, turning his veins to ice as he hurriedly darts into the crowd in hopes to remain unnoticed. He was going to kill Maes for dragging him out to this godforsaken party in the first place. And then kill him again for ditching him the second Gracia had arrived, leaving him thoroughly on his own to navigate a situation he thought only lived in his nightmares.
He's frantically looking around the crowd for a way out, but everyone is dancing and jumping around and the chaos is impossible to escape. It's just when the panic is fully setting in that he spots a golden head of hair near the far wall of this living room. The same golden head of hair Roy had been eyeing all evening, but had been too chickenshit to go chat up despite Maes' meddling into the matter. Without thinking through any sort of plan of what to even say, he makes a mad dash for the man.
Roy can only imagine how frenzied he must look as he taps the gorgeous blond on the shoulder. "Hello. I'm so sorry, I know this is sudden and no doubt wholly inappropriate to ask a complete stranger, but my ex is coming this way and I really, really do not want to deal with him. Would you please help me out and pretend to be my boyfriend?"
Gorgeous Blond snorts, narrowing his eyes at Roy. "That's ridiculous. Has that line ever worked for you before?"
One glance over his shoulder confirms that the asshole is making a beeline for Roy, devilish smirk on his face as their eyes meet. His heart is beating far too quickly in his chest as he turns back to face skeptical amber eyes. "I assure you it is no line and I would have liked to have gotten the courage to come and talk to you in a much more suave and confident manner at some point tonight, but as it happens this ex of mine is incredibly awful and I will be honest that I am seconds away from a full blown panic attack at the prospect of having to deal with him and I really am so very sorry, I know this will probably ruin any shot in hell I may have had with you in the first place, but if you could just help me out I promise I will make it up to you somehow."
Gorgeous Blond searches Roy's eyes for the longest moment of his life before setting down his empty cup and draping his arms over Roy's shoulders. "Yeah, okay. I don't think anyone could fake this level of distress."
Roy sighs in relief, carefully bringing a hand to rest on Gorgeous Blond's waist and stepping in closer. "I assure you, I am not a good actor. My best friends can corroborate that if needed."
Gorgeous Blond huffs out a laugh, a smile lifting the corners of pink lips. "I'll keep that in mind. So, you gonna kiss me or what, babe?"
Roy does not need to be told twice. He lifts his free hand to cup Gorgeous Blond's cheek, using gentle force to tilt his head up as he leans down. Gorgeous Blond lifts himself onto his toes to close the distance and it is everything Roy had daydreamed it would be. This beautiful man has the softest lips imaginable and he feels so good as they press together more soundly. Roy can't help but to trail his fingers from a toned waist to toy with the ends of a loose braid, finding Gorgeous Blond's hair to be just as ridiculously soft as it looked.
Gorgeous Blond must not mind any of this too much because he's got one hand nestled in Roy's hair and the other properly looped around Roy's neck. Roy groans and a pleasant thrill zaps up his spine as those fingers tighten in his hair and give a tentative tug to readjust the angle just as a tongue darts out to trace along Roy's bottom lip. Oh. Oh, heavens.
Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Roy flicks his tongue out to meet Gorgeous Blond's and revels in the way it draws out a low moan. As he explores that warm mouth, Roy wraps his arms around that lithe waist and lifts until legs are wrapping around his torso and then he is pressing Gorgeous Blond's gorgeous back against the nearby wall. They kiss languidly, as though they have all the time in the world—as though this stunning man was content to give Roy all the time in the world. And really, he had no clue in which world he currently resided because Roy never dreamed of getting this lucky—to be in the presence of a being who put the sun to shame with his radiance. And luckier still it seemed this sunshine incarnate deemed someone like him worthy of this moment in time.
Roy reluctantly parts from those delicious lips to leave feather-light kisses along a sweat-slick neck, relishing in all the little sounds coming from the man he has pinned to this wall. His fingers dig into taut back muscles as a high-pitched whine graces his ears when he drags his teeth along Gorgeous Blond's throat and Roy has to reason with himself that he cannot just take this man right here and now in this crowded room. If he were to ever get that lucky, Roy would want to do things properly and give this man everything he deserves.
"Fuck. Can't believe I almost said no." Gorgeous Blond lets his head fall back to rest against the wall, panting harshly as his fingers card gently through Roy's hair and his nails scratch lightly at Roy's scalp.
Roy lifts his head to meet those golden eyes once more, his cheeks blooming with heat and a smile tugging on his lips. "Thank you. For saying yes."
"Anytime. I'm Ed, by the way." Gorgeous Blond—Ed—grins as he maneuvers a hand between them to hold it out.
"Roy." He laughs as he carefully sets Ed back down on the ground and takes hold of Ed's hand to shake it properly. "I know this is all rather unorthodox, but I'd kick myself for not trying anyway. I don't suppose you'd be interested in going out on a date sometime? With me?"
"Well…" Ed looks around the room in thought before reaching up to run his fingers along Roy's cheek. "I'm pretty free now actually. Wanna get outta here?"
Roy beams, grabbing the hand retreating from his face quickly to thread their fingers together. "Are you hungry? I know a lovely diner about a block away that serves the most delicious pancakes. My treat, of course."
"Well, you did say you'd make it up to me if I helped you out, so I think delicious pancakes and a date with a ridiculously hot man just about covers it." Ed states with a grin, squeezing Roy's fingers and keeping him close as they weave in and out of the crowd to lead them to the exit.
Roy had been reveling in this rather pleasant turn of events that he'd nearly forgotten the whole reason that had led up to this point. But, of course, his luck has never been that good and suddenly a rough hand is grabbing the wrist of his free hand, causing the pair to stop. Roy quickly rips his wrist free, tucking it against his chest as he schools his face and meets the eyes of the one he hoped to never see again.
Those cold eyes gleam with amusement. "You're just gonna leave without saying hello, Roy? I'm hurt."
Roy really doesn't want to do this here. Not here, not now, and certainly not with Ed still holding his hand and turning to stare down his ex. Before he can even formulate a good enough response to get himself out of this situation, Ed is stepping forward and putting himself in a protective stance in front of Roy—like he can shield Roy from this. He would expect this reaction from Riza or Maes, but coming from this beautiful man he'd only just met under the most bizarre of circumstances… Roy doesn't know what to make of it all.
"I think you should go." Ed practically spits the words out in anger.
"And who the hell do you think you are? This has nothing to do with you, shorty. Scram."
Ed's letting go of Roy's hand and stepping forward with this fierce look in his eyes and Roy can feel the panic rising again. "Roy doesn't want to see you—let alone talk to you. So fuck off before I make you fuck off."
Roy's heart is beating loudly in his ears as a guffaw sounds between them. "You really are hopeless without me, Roy. You got this little mutt fighting your battles for you now?"
He takes a step closer to grab Ed's hand before he can actually throw a punch—which is definitely what it looks like he's about to do. And as much as that thought makes Roy feel some type of way, this man is not worth that kind of effort as it is. Ed looks over to meet Roy's eyes and lets out a slow breath, lacing their fingers together again and tugging Roy in tight against his side.
Roy somehow feels strong enough to handle this just by having this wonderful sun by his side. "That's enough, Isaac. We're over, remember? You don't just get to show up and expect me to just drop everything and come crawling back to you again."
"Well, that's the thing. I don't like how we left things." Isaac looks between the two of them and his smile is as cold and mocking as his words always used to be when they were together. "I was hoping you'd give me another chance."
Roy shakes his head, a laugh of disbelief escaping him. "No. I know that's a hard word for you to understand, but the answer is and will always be no. Now, I'm going to leave with this incredibly kind and patient man beside me and if you ever think of seeking me out again, I will take further measures to ensure you cannot legally come near me. Goodbye, Isaac."
He turns as quickly as he can, not wanting to leave room for his ex to respond and speedwalks the rest of the way out of the party and out into the brisk evening air. They walk together in silence until they get down to the corner of the block before Roy feels safe enough to slow to a more leisurely pace. He clears his throat and glances to his side to find Ed already watching him—a warm smile gracing those lips when their eyes meet.
Roy looks back out in front of them. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm—"
"A wonderful, brave man who just told off his horrid douchebag of an ex even though he was probably on the verge of a panic attack? You're right, I do think that." Ed cuts him off with a grin as they cross the street towards the aforementioned diner. "Don't apologize. I can't stand assholes like that and I wish you'd never had to deal with him."
Roy stops in his tracks just as the glass windows of the diner are in clear view, turning to face Ed fully and reaching over to tuck a few strands of hair that had fallen loose from his braid behind his ear. He lets his fingers linger on Ed's jawline with a smile. "Thank you."
Ed rolls his eyes, but his smile only widens as his cheeks flush the most lovely shade of pink and he tugs at Roy's hand to get them moving towards sustenance once more. "I'll be a much better boyfriend than him, don't you worry."
How much fluttering can one heart handle? Because Roy's pretty sure his is about to fly right out of his chest. "You've already been a better pretend boyfriend than he ever was a real boyfriend in the small amount of time since I begged for your help. I have no doubt in my mind you would be a spectacular real boyfriend to anyone."
Ed lets go of Roy's hand to jog the last few steps so that he can hold open the door to the diner for Roy. Roy blinks in surprise, moving inside quickly so they're both out of the nighttime chill.
"Mhm. I already said I will be. To you. Starting…" Ed glances up at the little checkered themed clock on the wall behind the counter. "Fourty-five minutes ago? Give or take. Y'know, if that sounds good to you."
Roy's rendered speechless as Ed greets the hostess and they're led to an open booth. They're left with menus and a few minutes to peruse and Ed's eyes are watching Roy patiently, that same warm smile lighting up his whole face. Ed cocks his head to the side, one eyebrow raised in question. So Roy shakes himself out of his stupor.
"I—That sounds—Yes. I would like that very much."
"Good. Me, too."
Ed reaches his hand palm up across the table and wiggles his fingers. And really, how could Roy not immediately place his hand into that palm and curl his fingers around that hand? Ed's fingers wrap around his hand in turn and he squeezes gently with a satisfied little hum sounding in the air between them.
"Awesome! Now that that's all settled… I do believe that I was promised the 'most delicious pancakes'." Ed's grin is nothing short of breathtaking as he raises his free arm up to politely wave at their waitress once she seems to not be busy with anything else.
Okay, so maybe he doesn't need to kill Maes for dragging him to that party and abandoning him after all. Maybe it was actually the best thing that could have happened to Roy, all things considered.