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batsutousaiTitle: Reverti Ad Praeteritum
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood/manga
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: Mature
Pairings: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang, May Chang/Alphonse Elric, Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes, post-Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell
Warnings: Spoilers like whoa, Ed's potty mouth, canon-typical violence, pile 'o OCs, mute!Ed, original character death, angst, fluff, past dub-con, past adultery, Ed has all the guilt
Summary: Unwillingly forced to serve as a human trial for a crazy alchemist experimenting with time travel, Edward Elric finds himself standing across from Truth in the moment it takes his leg from him. Armed with the knowledge of what's to come and burdened with guilt for the choices he'd made as an adult, Ed sets out to fix every mistake he ever made and save every life they ever lost, no matter what it takes.
Key: "Speech" | 'Mouthing words'
'Writing'
:Sign Language:
"In another language" | 'In another language'
A/N: This chapter covers the period of 15 September - 18 September 1914.
You know, every time I get a review asking about May, Ling, and co., I always have to point out that I never said anything about the Xingans showing back up (May)/playing any part in the story (Ling/Lan Fan/Fu). In fact, as far as Ed's been planning, they're not gonna be involved at all. I really don't know where you people got this idea I'd be letting them come to Amestris... *shakes head*
Chapter Twenty-Five
-0-
Ed was just passing the main entrance to the military police office on Tuesday, on his way back from handling lab one and catching lunch with Al, when a couple of MPs and a civilian stepped out, the civilian saying, "It's just two blocks up. I don't know if he's dead or what, but he's going to be run over if he keeps lying in the middle of the road, like that."
Ed didn't really want to go back to his translation work – tedious paperwork had been what made him decide to steal Al away in the first place – and people lying in the middle of the road were weird and potentially interesting, so he hummed silently to himself, glanced up the road towards Investigations, then snorted and hurried to follow the MPs.
(The thing about being handed the labs, was that no one actually paid attention to whether or not he was working, so long as he got a certain number of documents translated each week, and the only times he hadn't met his quota, had been when Hughes had pulled him to find the person who set the fire in the slums, and when he'd spent that week in the library with Al, which was half the reason it didn't really matter that he always took Friday afternoons off. Which, well, part of that was because his quota was lower than any of the other translators' – part his additional duties, part his age and disability leading to some eye-roll-worthy lowered expectations – and part of it was that he very rarely needed a dictionary, which made him faster than most of his fellow translators; offering to do some translations in another person's name, if they were struggling to make that week's quota, had kept the last from becoming a point of contention between himself and his co-workers.)
There was a small crowd gathered in the middle of the street two blocks up, and an angry driver honking at the people in his way; Ed suspected these people were in the street as much to gawk, as they were to keep the person lying in the street from getting run over, because that was just the sort of thoughtless kindness that city dwellers got up to.
The crowd parted for the MPs, and Ed caught a glance of black hair and a golden-yellow jacket edged with a white flame pattern on the ground. A familiar jacket.
Ed stepped forward, the crowd politely parting at the sight of his uniform, and shook his head in disbelief when some prodding from one of the MPs – Corporal Caiman, if Ed wasn't mistaken – resulted in the figure letting out a plaintive, "Hungry~"
It was Ling. The stupid, idiotic, useless prince. What the fuck was he even doing in Amestris?!
(Ed tried very hard not to wonder what had happened to May and their clan. He'd hoped she would ally them with the Yaos, but if Ling was in Amestris...)
"Where are you from?" Corporal Caiman asked, helpfully distracting Ed from his worry.
Ling made a floppy sort of pointing motion with his hand and mumbled something, but Ed cleared his throat and stepped into the circle of onlookers before someone could try to translate that.
Both of the MPs straightened a bit. "Major Elric!" the other man, Private Maxx, called, surprised. "What are you doing out here, sir?"
Ed sighed and pulled out his journal, then knelt down on the other side of Ling from Caiman to write, 'Ling Yao from Xing. A friend. I thought his train was tmrw'
It was common knowledge in both Investigations and the military police office that Ed had spent some time in Xing – his sash had garnered a lot of questions in the beginning, and he'd never seen any reason to hide that he'd lived there – so it didn't surprise him when both MPs accepted that without question, nodding. "We'll leave him to you then, sir," Caiman offered as he stood.
Ed flashed them a smile, then wrote, in Xingan, 'Get up + stop whining before they toss you in a cell, Prince Ling,' and set it in front of Ling's face, while the two MPs tried to clear the gawkers.
Ling twitched, surprise flickering through his qi, then glanced up at Ed and said, "Your handwriting's terrible."
Ed rolled his eyes and wrote, 'Food?'
Ling jumped to his feet and put on a bright smile, his qi turning delighted, but with a whisper of caution; Ed didn't doubt he was prepared to draw and use his dao sword at the first sign that Ed might attack him. "Why didn't you say!?"
Ed rolled his eyes again, despaired for his bank account, and grabbed Ling's arm to drag him down to one of the nearby shops that wasn't too horrendously expensive.
Once they were seated and waiting for Ling's first course – he'd only asked for one thing, so far, but Ed knew him –water in front of both of them, Ed wrote, 'What the fuck are you doing in Amestris?'
Ling gave him one of his narrow-eyed, considering looks. "You are one of the golden Chang brothers, yes? The mute one."
Ed narrowed his own eyes back, but nodded.
Ling beamed at him. "Excellent! I told my sister we wouldn't have much diff...icult..."
He trailed off as he focussed on the note Ed had written: 'May's HERE?'
"Of course," Ling agreed, like that should have been obvious. "We travelled here together."
Ed was going to punch that little princess in the face. 'What the actual fuck? Why come to Amestris?'
Ling was distracted by the arrival of his food, which he exclaimed over in delight, then immediately started eating, his qi going as shady as his squinty eyes usually made him appear.
Ed bore down on him with his own qi, making it clear he wasn't amused by the stalling tactics.
Ling grimaced. "You're very good at that. Could you stop?"
Ed put on his best glare and crossed his arms over his chest.
Ling sighed and set his fork down. "Our father, the emperor, has fallen gravely ill. He ordered a contest, that his child who brought back the most impressive gift would be the one to inherit the throne. I'm sure you understand what that means for relations between clans?"
Ed grimaced and nodded; even without his knowledge of the future, their visit to Xing had more than shown what would happen if such a contest was announced.
Ling nodded. "Chang and Yao allied eleven months ago. When the contest was put forth, May mentioned you and your brother might be of assistance in finding something greater than any of our siblings would find."
'We left her the books,' Ed wrote, disgusted; that had been intended to keep her out of Amestris.
Ling shrugged. "A grand gift," he agreed a bit flatly, "but the emperor already has a book from the Philosopher of the West, and he much prefers objects that are one-of-a-kind."
In other words, a pile of books written by Hohenheim was pretty unimpressive.
(Ed wondered if he could just send Hohenheim back with them after this mess was over, assuming the bastard survived this time. That was pretty fucking one-of-a-kind.)
'You're out of luck,' he wrote. 'All we have in Amestris is a brewing war.'
"It will feel just like home!" Ling exclaimed cheerfully, even as his qi darkened with a sort of grim concern.
Ed scoffed. 'Find May + your guards + go home'
Ling dropped his cheerful air and opened his eyes properly to give Ed a hard look. "You intend to abandon your clan, Edward Chang?"
Go figure, getting adopted by the Xingans apparently meant they took on their clan's name. Ed...was actually pretty okay with that, and he knew Al would feel the same.
Still. 'You staying here will only get you caught up in our mess + potentially killed. GO HOME'
Ling's expression didn't change. "If we go home empty-handed, we'll die there. What does it matter where we lie down to die, if the result will be the same? At least here we might have a chance."
Ed threw his hands up into the air and mouthed, 'I hate your fucking stubborn bullshit!' Then he pointed at Ling and mouthed, 'I don't have time to babysit you.'
Ling offered him a bright smile and said, "I have no idea what you're saying."
Ed just rubbed tiredly at his face, feeling more than a little bit stressed and wondering how the fuck to handle this.
He'd never intended to have Xingan help in this mess, but he knew Ling wasn't going to budge until he got his hands on a Stone. And, once May found out he and Al were spearheading a coup d'état, she might well insist on staying to see it through with them. (Clan loyalty or some bullshit.) Whether Ling, Lan Fan, and Fu stayed and helped, depended on how firm the alliance between Chang and Yao was, and if Ed and Al were willing to trade a Stone for their assistance. (Or just yank one out of the ground and hand it over, hope the Xingans went back home without any more fuss and didn't get dragged into Amestris' issues. Which did chance warning the Dwarf in the Flask that someone knew more than they should, and Ed wasn't sure they could really take that chance, not as close as they were, but if it meant getting the Xingans out safely, it could prove worth it. Assuming he and Al could agree to just hand over those souls.)
Having the Xingans fighting with them, however...
There was no denying that they could use the extra warriors with qi-sense, as well as an extra alkahestrist. Xing wasn't an easy country; all four of them were more than capable of taking out your average soldier on their own, and Ed had seen – well, not really seen, there'd been a wall in the way – Ling hold his own against Envy, before accepting Greed, and he and Lan Fan had managed to, together, nearly finish Gluttony off. (Greed had been part of that, but Ed suspected his immortality hadn't really been necessary.) Fu had held out against Bradley for an extended period, helping Greed, and May had survived Envy and those semi-mortal soldiers before she'd fallen into that white room, then helped them against the Dwarf in the Flask.
Point was, all of them could manage against the homunculi, which was more than he could say for some of their group.
As much as Ed wanted to just say 'fuck it' and send them back across the desert, he knew they had time before the emperor died, and they were going to be dodging assassination attempts as soon as they got back across Xing's border. They were going to be in danger no matter which side of the Great Desert they spent the next couple of months on, and a part of Ed knew he could use them, that they could help a lot in this fight. He would be an idiot to just kick them back to Xing, but he hadn't wanted to get them involved in the first place, had done what he could to keep them well out of matters.
Ling ordering a second helping of food drew Ed's attention back to his tablemate. Ling flashed him a smile, a glimmer of trepidation in his qi – he'd probably been keeping an eye on Ed's qi, which he'd got out of the habit of guarding unless he was going through his katas, or one of the homunculi were nearby; he'd need to work on that – and asked, "Where to after this?"
Ed sighed and wrote, 'Finding May + your bodyguards. Then I need to talk to Alphonse + the other rebellion leaders'
Ling shot him a sharp look. "A brewing war," he said flatly, before motioning towards the nearest window and the street beyond. "You miss Xing so much you wish to recreate it here?"
'Don't judge what you don't understand,' Ed wrote in response, while their server brought Ling's second helping and the Xingan offered a slightly curt thanks. 'You can't tell me you don't feel the wrongness in the ground'
Ling's eyes darted towards the floor when he read that last, then he looked back up at Ed, expression hard. "It's hard to miss."
'For us. Amestrisans don't understand qi'
Ling snorted at that and turned his attention back to his food, slowly regaining his amiable air as he ate.
Either in deference to Ed's bored stare, or because he realised Lan Fan and Fu were probably freaking out, Ling didn't order a third serving. (Small favours.)
Once Ed had finalised the bill with their server and they'd stood to leave, he held up his journal for Ling to see, 'I assume you lost them at the train station?'
"Possibly," Ling said in that way he had that made him sound like he was sorry, but his qi told a very different story.
Ed shot him a flat look, then took the lead towards the station.
Fu found them about three blocks from the station, dropping down from the roofs next to Ling fast enough, Ed almost missed the direction he'd come from. (He wasn't used to watching the roofs, being the only person who used them as a second road; that had clearly just changed. How annoying.) "Young master," Fu said, his disapproval clear.
Ling smiled at him in response, even as his qi shrank a bit; at least a part of him felt shame for worrying his bodyguards. "Fu! I've found one of the golden Chang brothers!"
Ed sighed, but bowed a greeting when Fu turned to look at him.
Fu returned the bow. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance. Thank you for taking care of Prince Ling."
Ed offered a helpless shrug and a smile in response.
Amusement and recognition flickered through Fu's qi, though his expression didn't change. "You are the mute brother, then. Edward?"
Ed nodded, then made what he hoped came across as a questioning gesture.
"Do you know where May is?" Ling asked.
Fu inclined his head. "I know the direction she and Lan Fan went." He glanced at Ed. "It is faster to travel above ground."
Ed flashed him a sharp smile, then motioned for Fu to lead the way.
Fu led them to where a fire escape and series of balconies made an easy path up to the roof, and Ed rolled his eyes, but didn't bother trying to prove he how good he actually was, just took the easy path and followed Fu across the roofs.
Ed sensed May long before he saw her, her (and Xiao Mei's) qi familiar even after a year. Lan Fan was crouched on the roof above where May was down on the street, and relief going through her qi said she'd noticed their approach. She turned as they got within speaking range, but May was actually the one who spoke, calling up, "Edward!"
Ed huffed a bit, but didn't bother stopping to speak with the three Yaos, instead letting the kunai sheathed against his wrist fall into his hand and using it and what handholds there already were on the side of the building to swing down into the nearest alley. He'd just barely touched down, when May slammed into his side, her arms wrapping around his waist.
"We found you!" she called, sounding so fucking relieved, while Xiao Mei let out a little squeal that Ed was fairly certain meant she was happy to see him.
Ed hugged her back, because it was nice to see her again. But, once she let go, he thumped her on the head and, when she looked up with a wounded expression, signed, :You little idiot! You weren't supposed to fucking follow us!:
"I didn't!" she insisted, rubbing at her head.
Ed shot her a flat look.
May slumped slightly. "We had to come. We have to find something to impress the emperor."
Ed sighed. :Ling told me.:
May frowned and made the sign-name for Ling.
Helpfully, Ling chose that moment to join them on the ground, grinning widely and saying, "I found one of your golden brothers!"
Ed jerked a thumb at Ling, then signed, :This moron.:
May ducked her head, amusement dancing through her qi.
"What?" Ling asked, looking between them.
Ed shook his head, then snapped his fingers until May looked back up at him, a small smile still turning her lips. He didn't smile back, instead signing, :Remember that Al and I came to Xing to learn alkahestry?:
She frowned a bit and nodded. "You said it's unknown in Amestris."
Ed shrugged. :It makes it very hard for people to defend against. Useful when you're part of a rebellion.:
May's frown took on a hint of concentration and she made a couple of the signs Ed had just done to herself; she was clearly out of practise. It took her a moment, but then she got it and shot him a surprised look, uncertainty and concern sparking through her qi. "A rebellion? Here in Amestris?"
Ed nodded. :The last thing Al and I wanted was for you to get caught up in it. That's why we left you those bastard's books,: he signed a bit slower, so she could keep up better.
She swallowed and blinked rapidly a few times. "They weren't enough. They didn't–"
Ed sighed. :I know. Ling told me.:
She glanced at where Ling was continuing to watch them with a vaguely confused frown. "Did he tell you what we came for?"
"I didn't," Ling said, while Ed shook his head and signed, :He didn't need to. Powerful people at the end of their life always want the same thing.:
"Immortality," May said quietly.
Ling looked at May, then at Ed, who gave a brief nod. "The Philosopher's Stone," he said.
Ed sighed and nodded again.
"Do you know where we can find one?" May practically pleaded.
Ed pressed his lips together. :You don't know what you're asking for.:
"I'm asking for a way to save our clan!" May shot back, anger and frustration in her voice, before reaching out and grabbing the front of his sash, where it showed under his uniform jacket. "Have you forgotten us?"
:Of course we haven't fucking forgotten you!: Ed signed back angrily, probably going too fast, but he wasn't certain he cared. :But those Stones are my people too!:
Uncertainty slipped through her qi, easing her anger. " 'Your people'?" she asked.
Ed forced himself to take a deep breath, to force his own irritation back, because this wasn't the place for this conversation, and he could use a proper translator, for Ling. :Al's at work,: he signed.
"Edward–" May started, before falling quiet when he frowned at her, Xiao Mei letting out a pitiful little squeak from her shoulder.
:You can't go into the building, but if you and Ling promise to stay put outside, I'll go in and bring him out.:
May looked over at Ling. "Edward says he wants to get Alphonse, but we'll have to wait outside."
Ling nodded, frowning, and looked at Ed. "Very well. What about Lan Fan and Fu?" He motioned up, towards where Ed could sense the bodyguards watching from the roof.
Ed slowly signed to May, :They should probably stay out of sight until we're somewhere more secure.:
May passed that on and Ling nodded before making a motion up towards Fu and Lan Fan, which Ed suspected was some variation on the directions he'd given.
Ed led the way back toward Command, making a 'stay' gesture about a block from the main gate, then leaving them there to whisper, while he walked past the saluting guards and back up to Roy's office. He was relieved to sense only Roy's team and – unexpectedly – Hughes in residence, and he stepped into the outer office just as Al sent him a sort of worried, enquiring brush of qi.
Everyone looked up as he closed the door behind him, their qi all filled with varying degrees of concern. Hawkeye frowned and asked, "Edward?" loud enough to carry through the cracked door of the inner office.
There was a rush of surprise and worry from the inner office, and Hughes said, as he stepped out into the main office, Roy a couple steps behind him, "I was wondering where you'd got to!"
:Ran into Ling and May,: Ed signed, not returning Hughes' smile.
Al stiffened, while Roy and Hughes traded frowns, and the rest of the team traded uncertain looks. (Likely, they didn't know those sign-names.) "Here?" Al hissed.
Ed nodded.
"But why–" Al stopped, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again and signed, :What about the books? Did they lose them all?: There was an edge of annoyance to his qi that said Al was going to hurt someone if it turned out the Changs had lost all of those books; Ed might not care what happened to them, but Al did.
:They weren't rare enough,: Ed replied with a roll of his eyes. :I say we should just send the useless bastard back with them.:
Al was not impressed, shooting Havoc and Breda an irritated look when they both snickered. (It was even odds if they thought Ed was talking about Roy, or knew he'd meant Hohenheim.) :Our father is not a tradable good, Brother.:
Havoc and Breda weren't the only ones amused by that, but everyone managed to keep any further snickering to themselves.
Ed waved a negligent hand, then signed, :Whatever. May's having trouble keeping up with me, so I need a translator.:
Al looked towards Hawkeye, because they all knew who actually ran Roy's office, and she frowned before signing, :Who is here?:
"Oh." Al let out a slightly embarrassed laugh, then turned and signed something that Ed couldn't see well enough to understand, but must have been enough of an explanation, because understanding pushed away the confusion that everyone but Roy and Maes (and Al and Ed, of course) had been feeling at the conversation.
Hawkeye sighed and looked at Ed. :I assume this can't wait?:
Ed grimaced and shrugged. :I'm pretty sure they don't have passports, so I need to get them off the street, and no way they're going to let me go without answering their questions while we wait for Al. And I can't just knock them all out in a bid for silence, regretfully; there are two bodyguards who would probably kill me for trying.:
Havoc had snorted at the 'regretfully', while Al just gave Ed a tired sort of disapproving look for the whole last bit.
Ed flashed his brother a grin and Al sighed before pointedly turning back toward Hawkeye.
Hawkeye pressed her mouth into a tight line and gave an abrupt nod. :Only today,: she signed, as if they couldn't have all guessed that this wasn't about to turn into a week of showing the Xingans around Central. (Which Ed might end up doing anyway, just to mitigate any chaos a bored Ling might cause.)
"Edward," Roy called as Al started collecting his things, and Ed turned to look at him. :Take them to my house.:
Ed frowned. :Are you sure?: Because, well, that was their space, where they could relax with each other without worrying about what anyone else thought about them.
Roy shrugged. :We wouldn't want to excite the girls, and I'm fairly certain Maes is out of space.:
Hughes let out a snort that, Ed was fairly certain, was meant to double as a noise of agreement.
Ed sighed and nodded, resigning himself to telling the Xingans about his memories; there was no way they'd be able to hide his and Roy's relationship. Roy couldn't guard his qi, for one, and it was too late to move his things out of the front room they shared.
"Okay," Al said as he joined Ed in the doorway. "Thanks for being so understanding, sirs," he said to Roy and Hughes. "I'll make sure Elicia and Nina let Brother get some sleep, so he hopefully doesn't miss more than a half-day this week."
A flicker of strained amusement curled through everyone's qi, and Hughes put on one of his wider grins before saying, "Tell them I'll bring home sweets and they can only have them if they've left Ed alone."
"Hughes," Roy said in that tone that meant he was wondering why he was still friends with the other man, which was Ed's cue to grab his brother's arm and drag him out of the office.
Out in the hall, Al pulled out of Ed's hold as he murmured, "What are we going to do?"
Ed snorted and shook his head. :Fuck if I know. They'd be a lot of help, but I don't know it's fair to drag them into our mess.:
Al sighed. "May would stay even if we didn't ask."
That was true enough, and Ed had even thought so himself, but Al saying it made Ed smirk, and he signed, :Of course she'd stay for YOU.:
"No," Al said, shooting Ed a glare, even as pink dusted his cheeks, so much embarrassment in his qi. "Don't you dare."
Oh, Ed was going to enjoy this. :All's fair in love and war, little brother.:
"It's not love!" Al hissed, crossing his arms over his chest.
Ed gave him an unconvinced look.
Al unfolded his arms and gave Ed a look that promised revenge. "Unless you're saying you love the colonel?"
Ed cleared his throat and refused to be embarrassed as he admitted, :Yes.:
Al, of course, looked delighted, and Ed really couldn't say how much of that was due to the opportunity to change the subject. "Have you told him?"
Ed scowled and debated ignoring his brother, but he knew Al would just bring it up later. Like around Roy. So he let out an irritated huff and signed, :I didn't have to.:
Al developed an unfortunate case of stars-in-his-eyes-itis.
Ed bit back a groan and resigned himself to his brother's weird fascination with his and Roy's relationship.
They had barely crossed the street from the main gate, when May announced herself by shouting, "Alphonse!" and running down the pavement toward them.
"May!" Al shouted back, leaning down and catching her in a hug as she reached him. (Ed had to bite his tongue and look away.) "And Xiao Mei! I missed you, too. And so did Brother; don't let him tell you any different."
Ed rolled his eyes while Xiao Mei let out a cheerful little chirpy noise and Al and May both laughed, then looked up as Ling approached, wearing one of his more obnoxious smiles.
"Greetings," he said, bowing slightly to Al. "I am Ling Yao."
Al bowed back, slightly deeper, in recognition of Ling's status as a prince. "I'm Alphonse Elric. It's an honour to make your acquaintance."
"Elric?" Ling repeated, looking a little confused.
Ed let out a brief whistle and, when Al (and May and Ling) looked over at him, signed, :Being adopted into the clan apparently gives us the right to their name.:
"Oh!" Al shot May a quick fond look – Ed bit his tongue again – then looked at Ling. "Elric is our Amestrisan family name." He looked back at Ed, very clearly pleased by this development. "Does that make us the Elric-Chang brothers?"
Ed shrugged and nodded. :Yes. Want me to sneak into personnel–:
Al flailed a hand at him. "Stop doing illegal things just because you can!"
May sighed and shook her head, but she was smiling, and there was a definite wave of fond amusement in her qi.
Ling attempted to catch Ed around the shoulders, as he said, "I think you and I will get along fine!"
Ed ducked the attempted grapple or hug (or whatever that was supposed to be), while signing, :We were going to take them to my house?:
A glimmer of delight flickered through Al's qi, for fuck knew what reason, even as he nodded. "Right. Brother's going to take us somewhere to talk."
Ling's gaze flickered up toward the roofs, in the direction that Ed could sense Fu and Lan Fan in.
Ed glanced over at Al as his qi sparked with curiosity, finding his brother watching him with one eyebrow raised. :Fu and Lan Fan,: he signed.
Al nodded, then promised Ling, "Your bodyguards can join us once we're inside."
Ling flashed them all a friendly, careless smile. "Of course! Assuming they will. They're very watchful, my bodyguards."
:And yet,: Ed signed, rolling his eyes, :he always manages to lose them.:
Al sighed. "Brother."
Ed flashed his brother his most obnoxious smile, before easing his expression into something a little more serious. :Neither Fu nor Lan Fan can tell friend from foe here, and they deserve to hear this as much as Ling and May; I'll keep watch.:
Al sighed again, but nodded a bit grimly before turning to translate that for Ling, while Ed turned and started leading them towards his and Roy's home.
May stepped up to walk beside him, reaching up an arm for Xiao Mei to climb and hop over onto Ed's shoulder. He reached up to rub her side with a finger, while glancing down to watch as May slowly, painstakingly signed, :You have signs for them.:
Ed nodded and slowly signed back, :Yes. I promise we'll explain.:
"You had better," she muttered, disgruntled.
Ed couldn't quite hide a smile, and was grateful that he could hide it behind Xiao Mei. Sort of. (Okay, really, May not looking up was his best defence, that time.)
What was usually about a fifteen minute walk, turned into over half an hour, because he'd stopped to get some fixings for dinner. (They had plenty for him and Roy for a couple days, but add in the Xingans and Al, and they would go through their entire kitchen to feed everyone. And probably the dining room table, since Ling and Xiao Mei were involved.) And as soon as they'd realised he was looking at food, Ling and May both started poking around.
Ed had ended up policing Ling, because he already knew most of the idiot prince's tricks, leaving May for Al to manage. Xiao Mei was still on his shoulder, but she was easy to bribe into good behaviour with a bit of fruit. Ling, on the other hand, was hardly so easy to placate. But, whether Ed was just that scary, or Xiao Mei – whose balance was upset every time Ed had to grab Ling – actually terrified the prince, he couldn't really tell, but Ling only tried to grab for something twice before his qi quelled under Ed and Xiao Mei's combined cold stare. Once Ling had essentially waved his white flag, Ed bought him a couple biscuits, because Hughes had got him into the habit of rewarding good behaviour. (If it didn't work so well, the habit probably wouldn't have stuck. That said, Ling appeared just as susceptible to the trick as Elicia and Nina, because he did keep his hands to himself for the rest of their brief shopping excursion, without needing to be glared at again.)
While Ed was unlocking the front door to his and Roy's home, Al said, "If they think they can, your guards can come down now and walk inside with us like normal people, or Brother can open whatever back entrance he's got set up for when he comes home via the roof."
"Of course," Ling agreed, and must have made some sort of signal, because Fu and Lan Fan joined them on the stoop as Ed got the door open and motioned for them all to come in.
"It's...interesting," May offered a little uncertainly, eyeing one of the abstract art pieces that Madam Christmas had sent as a housewarming gift. (Ed had thought it was a gag gift, but Roy had seemed completely serious about putting it up in the entrance hall, and Ed had given up trying to fight him about it, mostly because Roy had taken to borrowing Al's cheat of just refusing to look at him.)
Ed snorted and, when May glanced over at him, signed, :My lover has weird taste in art.:
Al let out a disbelieving cough, while May's eyes went wide and pink dusted across her cheeks.
"What?" Ling asked, his qi a mass of curiosity, while Ed smirked to himself and grabbed the groceries to take to the kitchen.
"There's seats through here," Al said, sounding strained. "Make yourselves at home." And then he came after Ed, carrying the rest of the groceries, Ed saw when he looked over after he'd set down his own load. Once Al was within range, he hissed, "What the hell, Brother?"
Ed sighed. :We sleep in the same bed; it's not going to take long for them to figure out something's going on.: He shrugged and added, :Anyway, the Xingan age of consent is fourteen.: Then he grabbed some of the stuff for the pantry and walked over to it.
"We're not in Xing!" Al shot back, not bothering to continue with the hissing, as he started unpacking the bags.
Once Ed was done with his load, he walked back over to his brother and forcefully turned him so they were facing, ignoring Al's scowl at being manhandled, and signed, :Roy can't guard his qi, and I'm out of practise; something's eventually going to give us away, especially if they're going to stay.:
"I guess," Al agreed quietly, slumping against the worktop a bit. "Still."
Ed shrugged. :May's already suspicious, and I know Ling will start to be if he sticks around; we may as well tell them everything.:
"And by 'we' you mean 'me'," Al muttered, tired resignation arcing through his qi.
Ed shrugged again because, well, yes; he couldn't really explain things when none of the Yaos could understand him at all, and he needed to sign slowly for May. :You can just play translator if it makes you feel better?:
Al scoffed. "And have you slipping in innuendos just to make me stutter? No, thank you."
Ed flashed him a sharp smile. :Afraid you'll embarrass yourself in front of May?:
Al shoved him, then pushed away from the worktop. "Have fun putting the groceries away, Brother," he said in that sickly-sweet tone that promised he was going to make Ed regret pretty much everything about his life.
Ed resisted a whimper, somehow, and finished putting the groceries away before going out to join his brother in filling their guests in.
While there had been both interest and disbelief at the revelation of Ed's memories, and a little too much awe – and a sort of resigned humour, from May – at the truth of their heritage, everything else had resulted in a mass of horror and disgust from their Xingan guests.
"So," Al finished quietly, "you understand why Brother and I never wanted any of you to come to Amestris. There's enough going on in Xing, right now, and you don't need to get dragged into our mess on top of it; this isn't your war."
"It is," May snapped, shooting Al an angry look that had him turning away. She turned her glare on Ed, who responded by raising his eyebrow, and she slumped slightly. "We're clan."
Ed sighed and nodded. :I know. But they need you alive, more than we need your help.:
May swallowed and looked down at her hands, her qi a tight curl of anger and grief and indecision.
"I apologise," Ling said quietly into the silence, and Ed glanced over to find the idiot prince watching him with one of his more openly honest expressions. "I judged your words without knowledge of the facts." He looked away, toward one of the front-facing windows, the curtains of which had been closed, so only a sliver of late afternoon sunlight could cast a long line across the floor. "I could feel the rot, but I still took the appearance of peace at face value." He offered Ed a twisted attempt at a smile. "A foolish mistake, for a prince."
"It's okay," Al said quietly, and Ed looked over to find him offering Ling a sad smile. "I've known the truth for years, but I still, sometimes, in quieter moments, I'd still wonder if it was really such a terrible thing. It always looks so peaceful on the surface, especially when I was posted in East City. It didn't really matter if I could feel the...that–" he motioned towards the ground "–because you get used to it, after a while, and the people... They are– they're happy. They don't know what we know." He drew his legs up onto the couch, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Maybe you'll disagree, but I felt far more at peace in Xing. I didn't want to leave, but we had to. We couldn't just sit back and enjoy ourselves while our people were sacrificed. Not if there was even the slimmest chance we could help them."
May jumped to her feet with a rush of determination, holding up both of her fists in front of her, like she was intending to fight something. (On the couch behind her, Xiao Mei was in the same pose, which ruined May's serious air a bit.) "I'm staying," she said firmly, before shaking her head and switching to her accented Amestrisan to continue, "The Chang clan is safe, but for you. I will stay and I will help, and then we may speak of Philosopher's Stones."
Ed sighed and shook his head. :I knew you were going to say that.:
May pointed at him. "You would do the same."
"He would," Al offered quietly. "We both would."
May nodded, then turned to Ling, who held up his hands in a show of surrender at her still-raised fists. "What will you do, Ling Yao? Run home like a coward?"
Lan Fan shifted, her qi spiking with anger, but Fu grabbed her arm and she stilled.
Ling, for his part, put on an easy-going smile and said (in Amestrisan, because apparently they'd all switched languages), "I gave my word that Yao would protect Chang." Then he looked at Ed, his smile falling. "That said, I would know the chances that we might find a Philosopher's Stone through you. So I might send on Fu to continue the search in my name, if necessary."
Al looked over, expression troubled, and Ed shrugged. :I still say we send the useless bastard back with them.:
Al groaned and covered his face. "Edward."
Ed rolled his eyes and tugged Al's hands away from his face, waiting until he was looking up again before signing, :If he listens to me and stops being a useless waste of humanity–: Al sighed :–then you can go with and you two can bond or whatever. If not, we'll find them one another way; I'm sure there are Philosopher's Stones laying around in Command or the Dwarf in the Flask's place somewhere.:
Al sighed again, but nodded. "I'll ask him," he said, which was about as much of an agreement as Ed was likely to get.
"You are talking about him," May said quietly, reminding Ed they weren't the only ones in the room. "The Philosopher of the West."
The three Yaos all tensed, turning focussed looks on Ed and Al. "Your father," Ling added, with only a whisper of disbelief in his qi.
Ed nodded, while Al agreed, "Yes."
:Think he's one-of-a-kind enough for the emperor?: Ed signed.
Al elbowed him, while May ducked her head, a helpless sort of amusement curling through her qi.
Roy's familiar qi entered the edges of Ed's sensing range, moving fast – almost certainly in his car – and accompanied by both Hughes and Hawkeye. He couldn't help but frown a bit in confusion at the last one; he knew Hawkeye didn't live far from them – he sometimes sensed her at the edge of his range, or when he was out – and Roy said that he'd told her their relationship was a little less acceptable than Ed's physical age suggested – apparently, she hadn't been surprised – but she never came over to visit, and Havoc was usually the one to drive Roy home, when he was feeling too lazy to drive himself.
"Brother?" Al said, nudging his shoulder.
:Roy's almost here,: Ed signed, :and Hughes and Hawkeye are with him.: Then he got up.
"The lieutenant colonel and lieutenant?" Al murmured with a frown, concern thrumming through his qi.
Ed shrugged and nodded, then left his brother to explain who was coming to join them to the Xingans, stopping just past the doorway into the entrance hall and leaning back against the front wall of the coat cupboard, facing the front door.
He didn't have to wait long for the car to park out front – only barely audible away from the front windows – and everyone to get out and come up the walk. Roy had the lead as he stepped in the door, and his eyes softened slightly at seeing Ed, even as the uncompromising line of his mouth and straight-backed military stance didn't ease. "Edward," he greeted as he let the other two in behind him.
Ed offered them all a smile that felt a little too sharp, then, once Roy had closed the door and looked back over at him, signed, :We filled them in about everything, including how we knew what was coming.:
Their qi all sparked with surprise, but it was Hughes who signed back, :Was that wise?:
Ed shrugged. :It was necessary. Führer Bastard and I DO sleep in the same bed.:
Hughes coughed, a worrying sort of glee filling out his qi.
"At least resist the urge to plot when Edward can practically read your mind," Roy suggested flatly, keeping his voice down.
Hawkeye's qi sparked with amusement, even as she let out a resigned sigh.
Hughes shot Ed an apologetic smile that was obviously faked. "Right, sorry."
Ed made a show of pulling out one of his kunai to swing idly around one finger while flashing a sharp smile at his superior.
Roy stepped forward, getting between Ed and Hughes with a helpless sigh and a fond smile that was only a little tight. His qi more than made up for the visual tightness, warm with love and curling around Ed in that really fucking obnoxious way it always did – this shit was why he'd needed to tell the Xingans about them – as Roy cupped Ed's cheek with one hand and murmured, in Cretan, "I'm home, my heart."
Ed felt himself flushing and cleared his throat as he slipped his kunai back away, before lightly smacking the bastard's chest. 'Idiot,' he mouthed.
Roy's smile eased a bit and his thumb brushed against the edge of Ed's mouth before he pulled away. (Which was both upsetting, because no kiss, and kind of a relief, because no kiss.) "Right. Let's meet these Xingan friends of yours."
Ed scoffed – he was not friends with the Yaos, just allies – but led the way into the living room without bothering with additional commentary.
Everyone in the living room was standing when they stepped in, and Ed got out of the way so Al could politely say, "Sirs. May I introduce Princess May Chang and Prince Ling Yao, of the Xingan Imperial family, and Prince Ling's bodyguards, Fu and Lan Fan." He signed their sign-names as he introduced them, which wasn't something Ed would have thought of, but would probably help with putting name to face. (Or, well, name to mask, in Lan Fan's case; Fu had politely removed his once they were inside.)
Al turned to the Xingans, then, and said, "This is Colonel Roy Mustang, my superior, Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, Brother's superior, and First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, the colonel's adjunct." He didn't bother with their sign-names, and Ed couldn't tell if that was because May was the only one who would understand, or because each of them had two different sign-names, depending on who was using them – there were similarities, but the sign-names Ed had developed weren't the same as the ones Roy, Hughes, and Hawkeye had developed amongst themselves – and Al usually just used the signs for their ranks, anyway.
Ling stepped forward and bowed. "It is an honour to meet you all."
Roy – who had clearly spent too much time around Al and those peculiar habits he'd picked up in Xing – bowed back and promised, "The honour is all ours, your highness."
Fu, at least, seemed to appreciate the effort, judging by his qi, but Ling put on one of his brighter smiles and declared, "No need for such formality!"
"As you say," Roy murmured, before motioning that everyone should sit, while going for the chair that was over by the windows.
Ed came to help him move it over to the couches – it wasn't a particularly light chair, and the area rugs made dragging it a bit of a chore – and, once it was manhandled into position, perched on one arm, while Roy sat in the seat. "I assume, given Edward's stories, that you've come seeking a Philosopher's Stone?" Roy asked blandly, even as his qi curled warmly around Ed.
"We did," May agreed quietly. "The Philosopher of the West had said some in his writing of such granting immortality, which our emperor greatly desires. Alphonse and Edward are related to him, they had told me, so I hoped they would know where one could be obtained or created." She swallowed, regret arcing through her qi. "My clan and the Yaos formed an alliance almost a year ago, so Ling and his guards followed with me."
"The Chang clan has the greatest wealth of knowledge from the Philosopher of the West," Ling said, likely reading the spike of uncertainty and curiosity that Ed sensed from Al at the mention of an alliance. (Ed, himself, was a bit curious about what Yao was getting out of the alliance, though he'd suspected the books would have been involved.) "They are also the only clan with any knowledge of western alkahestry–"
"Alchemy," May corrected with the air of someone who was resigned to that correction.
Amusement curled through Ling's qi – Ed suspected he made that mistake on purpose – even as he politely nodded to his half-sister. "Alchemy, yes. It is faulty, their knowledge, but better than any other. To trade such knowledge for protection is simple for the Yaos." He held his hands out in a sort of welcoming position, wearing one of his more friendly smiles.
Ed just rolled his eyes, used to the idiot prince, but Al shifted forward on the couch he was sharing with Hawkeye and Hughes, his qi rising with protective anger, making Lan Fan and Fu tense. "Let's hope it stays that way," he said quietly, his tone almost pleasant.
Ling opened his eyes and gave Al a hard look. "It will not be Yao that breaks our alliance."
Ed quickly signed, :FIREPLACE,: where Roy could see.
Roy snapped his fingers and the line of his alchemy blazed between them and the cold hearth, setting the waiting logs ablaze and making the Xingans and Al jump. "Forgive me," Roy said politely. "It was getting a little chilly in here."
Ed rolled his eyes and shot his brother a pointed look, making Al wince. :Stop having a pissing match with our clan's only ally.:
"Not only," May offered, before Al could start throwing around apologies. When Ed and Al both turned to her, she explained, "Han has been very apologetic since we showed them your friendship papers."
"I thought we burnt that," Al said, frowning at Ed.
Ed shrugged; honestly, he'd kind of lost track of that scroll once they'd unpacked everything.
Hughes cleared his throat. "As interesting as Xingan clan politics are, I'm more interested in what you've all decided about the Stones and how long you're staying."
"It is as I said," Ling said with one of his friendlier smiles. "Yao has promised our protection to Chang."
Hughes looked over at Al, who let out a sort of helplessly amused sound and explained, "Brother and I were adopted into Chang, like we told you. As far as clan honour is concerned, that means Prince Ling and his guards are beholden to help us in any way they can." He shrugged, his qi turning a bit more wry. "We may have sweetened the deal by promising to supply them with a Philosopher's Stone, afterwards. Assuming Dad won't agree to visit as the Philosopher of the West."
"I thought your father wasn't a tradable good," Hughes teased.
Roy shifted, his qi prodding Ed's side and, when Ed glanced down at him, signed, :How much help will they be?:
Ed put on a smile that felt a little sharp and turned so Roy could see his hands better. :Lan Fan and Fu are fucking EPIC sneaky fighters, Ling's a bit terrifying with that sword, and May has some hand-to-hand training, but her strength is in alkahestry. And all of them can sense qi.:
Roy's mouth twitched, amusement curling through his qi. :So you and Alphonse just multiplied.:
Ed couldn't quite help a silent laugh and he shoved the bastard. 'Idiot,' he mouthed.
Roy's mouth twitched again, his eyes bright. "We should probably discuss strategy," he said aloud, and Ed glanced over to find everyone was looking at them with varying degrees of curiosity.
"And dinner?" Ling asked a bit hopefully.
Ed rolled his eyes, but slipped off the arm of the chair. :I'll go start it. Al, come with me.:
"Why?" Al asked, even as he stood.
:I don't trust you not to start a clan war,: Ed returned, before starting towards the door into the kitchen.
"Brother," Al complained, while Hughes snickered and May let out a quiet, helpless sort of laugh.
"I need to learn these hand motions," Ed heard Ling say as he stepped into the kitchen, Al not far behind him. "It is a skill that will be most useful as emperor."
"You mean as empress," May returned sweetly.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
Al coughed and murmured, "I may have slipped a kunai under the couch cushions before they sat."
Ed flashed his brother a sharp smile, then closed his eyes to track the beacon of his and Al's similar qi, which was sitting innocently between the argumentative qi of all the Xingans, the Yaos pitted against May and Xiao Mei. Clapping his hands, Ed drew hydrogen and oxygen from the air and (not so) politely drenched all four of them.
Hughes let out a cackle, while amusement sparked through Roy and Hawkeye's qi, and the Xingans all sputtered. And then May shouted, "Edward!"
"Who's going to start a clan war, now?" Al asked, way too fucking amused.
Ed rolled his eyes at all of them and started pulling out what he needed for dinner. Al came to help him as conversation – in Amestrisan, this time – started back up out in the living room between the occupants. The Xingans sounded a little cross, but Ed couldn't even pretend to regret it.
(He had a sinking feeling he'd have to use that trick at least once more.)
Ed spent Wednesday and Thursday showing the Xingans around, before leaving them to their own devices on Friday, because he couldn't really put off the last of the labs and the meeting with Grand.
The meeting was far less strained than they had been, which was apparently obvious enough that Al had to make a joke about it on their way out.
After dropping Al back past his office, Ed sighed and headed for Investigations, because he should have plenty of time to make his translation quota by the end of the workday. (And, anyway, switching things up for Envy would never not amuse the shit out of him.)
When he made it home, May and Lan Fan were in – not talking to each other, by all appearances; Ed didn't want to know – and Ling and Fu got back before dinner was ready.
"We're not waiting for the colonel?" May asked as Ed started setting everything out on the table.
Ed shook his head and, once his hands were empty, signed, :He's on a date.:
May stiffened, a mix of confusion and anger swirling through her qi, which caught the attention of the three Yaos. "What? I thought you were together!"
Ed sighed. :It's complicated.:
"Translation?" Ling requested tiredly, before May could do more than open her mouth to respond.
Ed huffed and stepped over to turn off the bright kitchen light, then clapped his hands and used the argon array to write, 'The age of consent in Amestris is 16, & Roy has a persona as a womaniser, which he uses as cover to collect information from his intelligence network. He goes on a "date" every Friday to collect updates. I trust him--don't make a big deal about it.'
"Well," Ling said after a moment of reading, "it's quite obvious that he feels a great deal for you." And then he flashed Ed a smile that promised trouble. "I do wonder about the quality of Amestrisan women, however, that you would so easily trust him."
Ed scoffed and collected the last thing from the worktop; he wasn't about to explain his and Roy's history to anyone, let alone Ling.
"Perhaps I shall ask him," Ling added cheerfully.
Ed almost dropped the serving bowl he was holding; the last thing he wanted was for Ling to start pressing Roy about this. Fuck, he didn't want anyone trying to corner Roy about the dates, because he knew it bothered the bastard.
He didn't know if it was his expression or his qi – he was nearly certain both showed how displeased he was by Ling's suggestion – but the idiot prince immediately backed off, holding up one hand in defence, while he used the other to catch Lan Fan's shoulder before she could intervene. "I have overstepped," he murmured. "I apologise."
Ed set the bowl on the table (with maybe a little bit more force was necessary), and dropped into his seat. Then he turned to May and signed, :I told Al and now I'm telling you: Stay out of Roy and my relationship.:
May scowled. "We're allowed to worry about you, Edward."
:Not about this,: Ed returned with a flat look, before turning to his food and ignoring May's huffing.
Fu and Lan Fan went out after dinner – it appeared to be a normal part of their routine, and Ed didn't really care, mostly because he wasn't as worried about them running around unaccompanied, as he was Ling – which left Ed with the two royals.
Ling was trying to get May to teach him some sign language – to no avail; Ed kind of approved – when he sensed Roy coming up the front walk, and he took the offered distraction with some relief, getting up and walking into the entrance hall to wait for the bastard.
Roy looked tired when he walked in – not unusual – and there were whispers of stress in his qi, but his smile, when he saw Ed, was honest, and his qi rolled forward ahead of him, warming with love. "Hello, my sun," he murmured in Cretan as he reached Ed.
Ed rolled his eyes, but willingly stepped into the hug when Roy opened his arms for one, resting his head on the bastard's shoulder and closing his eyes to breathe in his familiar scent under the faint hints of women's perfume. (The perfume was familiar; either Madam Christmas' women all wore the same perfume, or Roy regularly went out with the same one. Ed didn't ask, wasn't certain he wanted to know – and he doubted Roy would want to tell him, anyway – but he did wonder, sometimes.)
Roy let out a quiet breath against Ed's cheek after a long moment, before pressing a kiss to his forehead and starting to pull away as he said, "I don't suppose you had the chance to speak with Major Armstrong today?"
Ed raised an eyebrow at that as he let Roy step away and shrug out of his jacket. When Roy glanced back, he shook his head. :I was stuck in my office after our meeting with Grand.:
Roy flashed him a smirk. "Too small for him?"
Ed rolled his eyes. :Hughes didn't mention anything when we left together. What did you find out?:
"I know something before Maes?" Roy joked, and Ed mimed a throttling motion. The bastard chuckled and stepped forward to catch Ed's hands, using them to turn him around and start them both towards the stairs. "I'll rub it in his face later," he promised, before his smile turned a bit more serious. "Word is, Major General Armstrong is on her way back to Central."
Ed raised both his eyebrows at that; there'd always been the chance that she would come to Central to help with their coup, but a part of him had been expecting they had all the help they would be getting, at this point, save Hohenheim and whatever soldiers Grumman sent from East City, once they had a date.
Roy nodded, a sort of uncertain sense of victory rumbling along the edge of his qi. "Apparently, Jocelyn is bedridden with some terrible illness, and Philip has been most adamant that all their children visit."
Ed snorted; everything he knew about Mrs Armstrong said there was no way she was sick, but it was plenty believable that the former lieutenant general would panic and demand all of his children return home, should something happen to his wife. Whether Olivier Armstrong would stick around until they were ready to move, and if she would be calling on any of her people for aid, had yet to be seen; Ed hoped Alex Armstrong would have answers to that on Monday, or at least get his eldest sister to agree to meet with Ed if he stopped by to visit the Ishvalans.
"Needs must," Roy said in response to his snort, pulling away to step into their closet and find something to change into, while Ed relaxed in the doorway. "Assuming Maes doesn't pull information out of thin air this weekend, I trust you'll corner Alex on Monday?" he asked, glancing back at Ed.
Ed nodded, then signed, :I'll see about meeting with her. Should I try to schedule it so you can come, or just take Al?:
Roy grimaced and took a moment to fight with his trousers, before deciding, "Probably better without me; she and I have some history."
Ed rolled his eyes. :How many times has she turned you down?:
Roy shot him a wounded look, but admitted, "Only twice."
Ed snorted. :Idiot. Do I need to kiss your pride better?:
Roy chuckled and stepped forward, catching the opened tails of Ed's button-up and using them to tug him forward, against Roy's nearly-naked body. "Possibly," he murmured, before leaning in and pressing a wet kiss to Ed's mouth.
Ed curled his hands around Roy's sides, running them down his back to the waist of his pants. 'Guests,' he mouthed against Roy's lips.
Roy's eyes glanced past him, towards their bedroom door, which Ed had somewhat absently kicked closed behind them on their way in, before refocussing on Ed. "They can always leave."
Ed huffed out a silent laugh, but then Roy's right hand found its way into his trousers, and what May and Ling might hear or think, or any commentary he'd have to listen to over breakfast, stopped being a concern.
(Stupid, distracting bastard.)
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