Title: Two Wrongs
Author: Nic
Rating: NC-17
Main Pairing: Roy Mustang x Edward Elric
Timeline: Hard to say with the manga, first anime, and second anime, but AU post-storyline. Ed went through the gate and back. Alphonse has returned to his human body. If any of it becomes part of the plot, it will be discussed by the characters.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This is a story about three alchemists.
One controlled Flame. One controlled Steel. The third gained authority over Time.
This is a story about how two wrongs made the third right.
~*~*~*~
Roy held a cup of piping hot coffee in each hand. It was a good thing his gloved fingers were used to heat because he’d have dropped them both otherwise.
The new Fuhrer’s secretary saw him approach and popped up out of her chair. “General Mustang, let me get the door for you.”
Roy flashed a lecherous smile her way, wondering if they’d had sex years ago when her hair was longer and his was shorter. She smiled back, so apparently history or no, all was good.
Riza saw him enter and pulled out a chair next to hers at the spherical table. There was a lot of chatter amongst the group who gathered at Fuhrer Hawk’s request, but the impromptu meeting had yet to start.
“That for me?”
Roy nodded and set the lidded cup down in front of her. “Now, what’d you bring me in return?”
“Coffee for classified documents. That’s hardly equivalent exchange.”
“Your generosity must mean you believe in my research.” Roy said, “and to risk your new relationship just to help me...”
Riza glanced at the Fuhrer and almost blushed. Almost. “I simply believe in what you’re trying to do for Havoc,” she said. “Just get the man upright and walking soon, Mustang. And don’t implicate me in the process when the Fuhrer asks how you accomplished it.”
She surveyed the room nonchalantly before down to her briefcase. After rifling through several folders, she pulled one onto her lap before fixing Roy with a warning look. “Again, I’m only doing this because I believe in your intentions.”
“No,” he said, leaning closer. “You’re doing this because you still like me.”
Riza rolled her eyes. Then she felt Roy’s hand slide over her thigh. In his defense, she could say he was reaching for the folder in her lap. But this was Roy Mustang. The gesture could not be interpreted as anything other than sexual in nature.
She gripped his wrist hard enough to bruise. His shit-eating grin confirmed her suspicion.
“You had your chance,” she reminded, “and gave me up for a loud-mouthed shrimp who gives you migraines and hemorrhoids.”
His eyes softened with apology and affection. It was such a potent tonic coming from Roy Mustang. Because of that, Riza surrendered.
“Ah, Mustang,” said Fuhrer Hawk, “I think we’re just waiting on General Slade. Then we can begin.”
Roy straightened himself in his chair, but not before gently rubbing his thumb over Riza’s naked palm.
And not before procuring the folder on her lap.
~*~*~*~
“Well shit,” Roy said, entering his office without pretense.
“Was the meeting that good,” Havoc asked, “or that bad?”
Roy pondered before answering and then he said, “Call Ed. Tell him to get his hot little ass in here.”
“You really want me to say that to him, Sir?”
“I dare you.”
Jean grinned and picked up the phone to dial.
“Wait. Look at this first.” Roy popped one of Jean’s pretzels in his mouth and chewed while spreading out glossy black and white pictures over the man’s desk.
“Uh, looks like chicken scratch in clay to me.”
Roy huffed and put a hand on his hip. “That,” he said pointing with a bare finger, “is what I think is an alchemic puzzle in the form of ancient hieroglyphics in Dynasty Caves.”
Jean whistled in amazement, his brow climbing towards his hairline. Then his face fell. “And this means exactly what to me?”
Roy frowned.
“Damnit Jean,” he said a dramatic booming voice, sounding like a mad scientist. “This could be the most amazing discovery of our generation!”
“Or, it could be the scrapings of bat wings against softened mud walls thousands of years ago.”
Roy deflated. “Tell me again why I reinstated you and made you my secretary?”
“Because you felt sorry for me after my girlfriend turned into a homunculus and left me paralyzed in a wheelchair.”
Roy cuffed him in the back of his head. Hard.
~*~*~*~
“When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow at noon,” Roy said, staring at the photos on his desk. “We’ll take, Breda, Falman, and Brosh, and use Lieutenant Wilson’s team when we get there.”
Ed picked up the picture Roy had been studying which wasn’t surprising. Alphonse found that particular image intriguing too. The photograph was grainy but there were clear-cut alchemic symbols emerging from the behind the grunge and dirt.
“The Fuhrer wants us to secure the area,” Roy explained, “evaluate the markings. The excavators can’t proceed with their dig until we assure them that there’s no possibility of an array lighting up the cave and doing God knows what to them.”
“And you’re going because?” Ed asked with sarcasm.
“Because it’s a great excuse for a General to take a vacation,” Riza interjected.
Roy shot her a look. “I didn’t see you complain when the Fuhrer told you to tag along, Colonel.”
“You didn’t?” She asked. “Must have been right after you bolted out the door like a kid with a new toy, eager to show it off to all his alchemy friends.”
Al chuckled. “Well, you have to admit. This is pretty neat.”
“If you say so.” Riza smiled politely. “I look at these pictures and see markings that could be alchemy or ancient Xing. But obviously, I’m no expert.”
“They are unquestionably alchemic markings,” Ed muttered quietly. He stood by the window, staring too long at the photo in his automail hand. “Might be best that they stay buried.”
Roy sobered, as did the others.
“The Fuhrer and I spoke of that briefly,” he said. “If we find ourselves making that recommendation, he’ll give us permission to destroy the area.”
Ed sighed heavily and then returned the picture to Roy’s desk.
“Brother?”
Ed looked up at Al, as if he’d just remembered he was there. Then he smiled. “Guess we better go home and pack. Aw damn it! It’s gonna be fucking hot there, isn’t it?”
“Brother! Language,” he chided, nodding towards Riza.
“It is in the middle of the desert, Fullmetal. Better bring you denim cut offs,” Roy whispered. “The ones that show off your ass.”
Roy smacked his right butt cheek.
“General!” Riza scolded, but it was wasted since Ed and Roy were now in the middle of a wrestling match on the L-shaped couch.
Apparently, Roy becoming a General, and Ed retiring for a consultant position, made both men regress to their youth. Neither found themselves worried of reprimand. And that made Alphonse and Riza worry.
Title: Two Wrongs
Chapter 2
Rating: NC-17
Roy wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. A drop of sweat trickled down the column of his spine as he followed Lieutenant Wilson toward the large mountainside.
He glanced back at his staff, all of which were sweating profusely under the shimmering waves of heat from Great Desert sun. Ed in particular looked like he was suffering significantly. His cheeks were bright pink and his hair was plastered to his face in wet ropes. Roy wondered just how fast steel heated up in extreme desert temperatures, and from the way Ed was panting as they moved up the hill, he’d already reached that point.
“Sir, we normally only move between the Base and the cave in the early morning or late evening,” Wilson explained.
“I can see why.”
“It is pretty dangerous to be out here mid day like this, but I know you want to see the alchemic markings right away.”
Roy made a noncommittal noise, part of him wishing he’d listened to the Lieutenant and just waited a few more hours until the sun had set.
At least he’d ordered his staff to change into the un-military like t-shirts and light-weight cargo pants. They were Amestris military-blue with the Lion insignia over their heart. Other than the military-issue boots, Roy felt very civilian. At least his t-shirt had the proper amount of stars on gold stripes to note his rank. And of course, his gloves were deep in his right pocket.
Ed chose a long sleeved shirt, usually reserved for night wear when the desert cooled off. Everyone had warned him that he’d be too hot, but apparently Ed wanted to shield his automail from direct sunlight as much as possible.
“There,” Wilson said, pointing to the great mouth of Dynasty Caves. He paused to give Mustang’s men an opportunity to take in the natural wonder.
“Holy shit,” Denny blurted out. “That must be 100 feet tall.”
“And three times as wide. If the floor was more even, we could fit the entire Base inside the entrance.”
Ed came to a stop at Roy’s shoulder, breathing hard, but still cognizant enough to take in the remarkable site of Dynasty Cave’s entrance.
“You alright?” Roy asked him.
“Fine.” He said, heat radiating off of him. He shot Roy a challenging grin. “Try not to drop over, old man. I hear the heat is a bitch on the elderly.”
Roy cocked an eyebrow, watching Ed start for the beckoning line of shade less than a quarter of a mile away.
“We should probably chain him to one of us,” Breda said.
Riza nodded. “I hear these caves have a lot of tunnels.”
“They’ve found about sixty so far in the entire cave system,” Wilson confirmed. “Only half are large enough to allow us passage. We think they all eventually lead back to the central cavern that they call the “Cathedral”. That’s where the alchemic symbols were found last week.”
Once under the shade of the cave’s massive ceiling, Roy was introduced to more military personnel. “This is Major Remington. She’ll be our guide.”
“At ease, Major.” Roy responded to her salute. She was of a small build, like Ed. She looked just at home here as Ed looked in a library. Roy said to her, “I expected we’d get the tour by one of the archeologists.”
“I’ve been stationed here for years now, sir. You won’t get lost with me as your guide, so rest assured.”
Wilson grabbed several backpacks from her and handed them to of Mustang’s unit. “These have your essentials. Some food rations, a thermal blanket, map, and most importantly – three sources of light. I don’t expect any problems, but we always carry a little insurance for safety’s sake.”
“We’ve got the General and his flame alchemy, so I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Denny boasted.
Roy tried not to look smug. It worked for the most part. “If we should get separated, it is comforting to know each of you has the tools you need to get back to the Base.” Then he looked at Ed. “But do not separate from the group.”
Ed refrained from making a rude gesture with his finger.
Alphonse dug into pack first, finding the small flashlight. He couldn’t help but test it on his brother.
“Fuck, that’s bright!” Ed shouted, blinking his golden eyes before rubbing them with his flesh hand.
Denny found a stick that looked like radioactive goo in a wax tube. At the end was a metal clip.
“Hook that to a belt loop,” Remington said. “If you lose your other two light sources, snap that in the middle. It will glow bright green for 24-hours we will be able to find you.”
Falman pulled out a few cylindrical sticks. One end had a red tip and a long string that hung down to his hand. “Torches?”
“Hold the tip away from you and pull the string,” Wilson explained. “It will ignite the fuel mixture and burn for a few hours. Put a few together for a good source of heat.”
Riza shouldered her backpack first and adjusted the straps to fit her snuggly. When they were all ready, Major Remington took point and led them along the wide limestone passage. They met a few non-military personnel heading out who gave them a wide berth.
“Don’t mind the archeologists, sir. They aren’t too fond of us crowding in on their territory, so to speak. That should be the last of the civilians. Only military personnel in the caves now, and bare-boned staff at that.”
“Any hostiles among the diggers?” Roy joked.
“One of the bolder women threatened chuck one of those dirt-brushes at my head once, but I was able to diffuse the situation without pulling my weapon, sir.”
Roy smiled back at the Lieutenant as they headed deeper into the cave. At the next bend, the natural sunlight faded and they were dependent on the mounted torches and flashlights to light their path. He found it quite unsettling to trek deep underneath the earth.
After twenty minutes mostly downhill, the main tunnel emptied into a large grotto filled with several large tents. Crates and equipment littered the rest of the cavern’s floor. A winding snake of water flowed nearby.
“This is the Alpha station, sir. We keep basic supplies here, a small clinic, and a washroom. Over there is the bunkhouse; usually about ten cots are set up on a first-come first-served basis.”
“You will have full use of this camp,” Wilson said. “Your staff and mine will be the only ones in this area.”
“I suggest we use the facilities here,” Remington added. “There aren’t any near the Cathedral which is another twenty-minute walk, and I’m sure you’ll be there quite a while.”
Roy nodded and watched most of his crew head towards the bathroom. He noticed that Ed stayed behind, hands shoved in his pants pockets, shoulders hunched in. Alphonse was speaking to him quietly.
“Everything okay?”
“Brother is being stubborn.”
Roy took one look at the older Elric and realized he was shaking badly. “What’s wrong?”
“He gets chilled,” Al answered. “Happens whenever we go into the desert. His automail heats up really fast. The heat bleeds into his body, and brother sweats out every ounce of fluid inside him, soaking through his clothes. Then whenever we go inside where it’s cooler, he gets instantly chilled.”
“Why didn’t you say something, Ed?” Roy grunted in frustration and pulled the reluctant alchemist towards the medical tent.
“L-Let go, M-Mustang.”
Roy flat out ignored the shivering young man. “Remington? Can you find me another long sleeved shirt and something to drink with electrolytes in it?”
“Right away, sir.”
They entered the medical tent and found themselves alone with the lanterns and cots. He sat Ed down on the edge of the thin mattress and reached for the hem of his t-shirt.
“Hey!” Ed screamed. “What are you doing, pervert?”
“This is soaked through.” Roy pulled the wet garment up over Ed’s face until had no defense except to raise his hands and allow Mustang to remove clinging material.
“Here, brother.” Alphonse wrapped one of the nearby blankets around Ed’s shoulders.
“I don’t need to be swaddled,” Ed complained through chattering teeth. “Just a little cold, is all.”
Roy stood him up and pulled Ed tightly against his body, rubbing the blanket briskly to cause friction over Ed’s naked arms and back. He expected a struggle, but instead, he had a chest full of trembling alchemist, cold-nose and all.
“Alphonse? Will you watch the door for me?” Roy quietly asked. “Maybe intercept Remington when she comes back?”
“Sure.” Al stepped out with an easy smile. There was no need for Roy to hide his affection around Alphonse, but the rest of the military was a different story. It was common knowledge that Flame and Fullmetal were a monogamous couple. It was one of the perks for Ed to leave the military and became a consultant. Still, it was unprofessional to flaunt their relationship, especially when they were working. Luckily, that was something both men agreed upon.
Ed burrowed deeper, unfolding his arms to wrap around Roy’s waist. “Stupid.”
“I am assuming you’re talking about your stubbornness and not my attempts to warm you.”
Ed turned his face so his cheek was pressed against Roy’s heart. “I hate the desert.”
Roy pressed his lips to the damp crown of gold hair, feeling increasingly bad for subjecting his lover to this atmosphere. “I should have known better to take you into the mid-day sun.”
Ed shrugged. “I guess I could’ve said something about it before we went out.”
Roy allowed himself a smile and kissed Ed’s salty mouth gently.
Outside the tent, he could hear Remington return with the items.
Al popped his head in. “Vegetable soup and a dry shirt.”
While Ed shoved his arms into his clothing, Roy sniffed the soup. “Smells good.”
The blonde’s hands were much steadier now as they reached for the thermos.
Roy pursed his lips, watching Ed gulp down the warm broth. “Did you know desert fleas store up the day’s heat to use at night when it gets cold?”
Ed didn’t throw the entire thermos at Roy’, just the lid.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Whoa.”
“Shit,” Breda responded, just as dumbfounded as the rest of them. With wide eyes and his mouth half open, he fished around for a cigarette in his pants pocket.
Riza followed Alphonse farther into the colossal cavern dubbed the “Cathedral”. She turned in a circle, eyes combing from the vaulted ceiling to natural rock floor.
A thick white shaft of sunlight speared the floor from the ceiling far overhead. The beam lit up the white walls leaving no shadows in the entire cavern. “How deep underground are we?”
“We’ve estimated about 300 feet from the opening at the top. You wouldn’t know it, but that hole up there is huge. As long as there is daylight, this shaft of light stays exactly vertical, fading as the sun sets. We suspect it is some sort of alchemy.”
Riza blinked at Lieutenant Wilson in awe, and then wondered about the three alchemists in their party. Her eyes found them on the north side of the cavern.
They’d congregated together, faces lifted towards an immense wall of dark-black markings.
They were utterly silent.
Edward should’ve been hypothesizing, Alphonse should’ve been adding to his conjecture, and the General should’ve been adding his opinions to the conversation.
Instead, they looked mesmerized.
It was easy to imagine why. As Riza slowly wandered closer to them, she paused, feeling the tiny hairs on her arms raise.
Falman froze right beside her. “What is that?”
Riza stared at Roy’s back, willing him to answer. She swallowed once and looked at Wilson. “Do you feel that too?”
He nodded, standing at her shoulder, looking at the ancient markings with a touch of fear in his eyes. “We didn’t know the glyphs were even here until one of the archeologists leaned against it. The black markings came to the surface and have been there ever since. Now, the closer you get to the wall, the stronger that feeling is. Like static electricity.”
“Its dynamic alchemy,” Roy finally said with a thrilled smile. “We’re causing the reaction just by being near it.”
Ed nodded, the same almost-goofy grin on his face. “It lures alchemists to it.”
“And ensures it could only be discovered by alchemists,” Alphonse added.
“Lure?” Riza repeated. “What if it’s meant to harm you?”
The alchemists gently mocked her concern, the way children would mock a warning against entering a dangerous forest.
Roy craned his neck to take in the top most markings. “You say a woman touched this and it lit up?”
Wilson nodded. “It didn’t glow for long, and she’s the only one who could make it react that way.”
Roy cocked an eyebrow. “Then she has alchemic tendencies.”
“She’s been an archeologist for forty years,” Wilson replied. “Never wanted to do anything but dig.”
“There are many alchemists whose talents will go unrealized.” Roy said. “Shame.”
“But what does it mean?” Breda asked.
Roy shrugged. “Less than half of these markings are actually alchemic.”
“That one looks like a pickle,” Alphonse pointed out, and Ed to chuckle in agreement.
After more study, Roy stepped closer to the wall, reaching out with his fingertips.
“Wait!” Several voices shouted, none of which came from Ed or Al.
The three alchemists looked over their shoulders, grinning wide at the fear radiating from their cohorts.
“Relax.” Roy said confidently. He chose the symbol for sulfur, the spirit of life.
The symbol lit up brilliantly, red-hot in color. So did the rest of the alchemic symbols on the cavern wall.
“Holy shit,” Ed exclaimed, stepping back to take in the spectacle.
Alchemy thundered through the room like unseen, wild horses. Breda shivered involuntarily and Falman back-peddled towards the tunnel leading out of the Cathedral.
Alphonse pumped his fist in the air, whooping in excitement, even jumping a couple of times. Ed’s face was just as animated.
“Sir?” Riza shouted, “Are you sure this is safe?”
“No, but watch this.” Roy drug his fingers towards the symbol for salt, and every marking shifted, falling into the empty slot where the sulfur used to be, making room for the new positions like pieces falling into line. The sulfur now sat next to salt, as if it had been there for thousands of years.
Ed and Al stared at the wall like bug-eyed guppies. “How’d you know they’d move?”
Roy stepped away, eyeing his work with great pleasure. “This is something my sensei showed me. It is a simple trick to throw off a less-educated alchemist, and he was far too wise to ever be deceived.”
Riza’s heart skipped a beat when Roy caught her eyes and held them. She rarely heard him speak of her father, much less in such an admirable manner.
“All we have to do now is figure out the proper arrangement to solve the puzzle.”
Ed snorted. “Easier said than done, Mustang. We don’t even know its purpose.”
“Then we better makes ourselves comfortable since we’ll be here a while.”
Riza listened to the General ramble off orders for their books and research notes to be brought to the Cathedral. They’d set up a work station here, and of course, a means to brew round-the-clock coffee.
It might have been her imagination, but the alchemic tattoo on her back tingled slightly, as if her father was sharing in the excitement from wherever the dead go.
It felt like coming full circle.