ext_14872 (
mjules.livejournal.com) wrote in
whiskeycoffee2007-01-21 11:10 pm
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Entry tags:
"Some Other Beginning" (Fullmetal Alchemist, Roy/Al, WIP, 7/?)
Title: Some Other Beginning
Author: m.jules
Rating: Hard R for the whole thing
Summary: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." Alphonse Elric helps Roy Mustang face life after more tragedy than one man should endure and finds something for himself in the process.
Pairing: mainly Roy/Al, with hints of and references to others. (Including, but not limited to, Ed/Winry, Al/Paninya, Gracia/Maes/Roy/Riza, and Al/Elicia.)
Disclaimer: Arakawa would KILL me. I bow low in supplication.
Author's Notes: This was meant to be "The Story That Proves In-Character Roy/Al Is Possible." Don't know if it worked. For my
7stages claim, prompt "New every morning."
Thank you to my betas and my patient readers...
This is manga-verse, with every chapter yet released and scanlated as fair game for spoilers and many liberties taken as far as speculation about the future. If you want to know how Al got his body back, Yet Gentle and The Frost of Awakening can be considered my default answer to that question for now at least.
I am posting one chapter every Sunday/Monday. Previous chapters can be found here.
Anybody who wants to hurt me for the sidestep I take in this chapter? I promise, Roy and Al *do* eventually get it together. I'm actually writing ... stuff right now. You know the kind of stuff I mean.
Al landed in a hard crouch, his breathing labored as he swore under his breath at the sweat dripping off his bangs into his eyes. It was distracting and damn if his opponent didn't already have him on the defensive. There were muffled sounds from other sparring matches in the gym but he tuned them out, focusing almost completely on his own challenger. Somedays, he thought wryly, he rather missed being armor if only for the tactical advantage. Armor didn't sweat, it didn't ache, and it never got out of breath. A metallic flash to his right made him duck left, only to hold back a grunt of pain when he realized, too late, that he'd fallen for the feint. He staggered backwards, trying to focus through the bright sparks of light dancing in front of his eyes, and brought his hands up in a protective gesture.
His opponent didn't wait for him to recover and a metal foot to his stomach sent him flying backwards. He lost his breath all in a rush as his back hit the mat, hard, and he lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. "Damn," he said hoarsely when he could draw air again. "You kicked my ass."
"I usually do," Paninya grinned as she grabbed two towels, tossing one to him and using the other to wipe the sweat off her face. "But you put up a good fight."
"Not good enough," Al grumbled, sitting up and mopping his face with the towel. "You've got to be cheating somehow." He grinned as she flopped down on the mat next to him, taking a drink of water from one of the cups the water boys had left out for them and then offering the other to Al.
"Nope," she answered confidently, using her towel to wipe off the back of her neck. "You're just out of practice."
Al frowned as he took the offered drink of water and rolled the cup in his hands. "I am that," he admitted with a scowl. "Ever since Brother moved back to Resembool, I haven't had a sparring partner." He cast her an evaluating look out of the corner of his eye. "Sure you don't want to move to Central?"
Paninya favored him with a wry smile and gentle shake of her head. "You know better," she rebuked him fondly, and he nodded in acknowledgment. "Rush Valley is my home for more reasons than one."
Al knew that well. It had been one reason they had decided their relationship belonged more in the friendship category than the romantic one. Al didn't mind Rush Valley, but he certainly didn't want to live there. Paninya liked to visit other places, but she always wanted to come home -- and home for her was the boomtown of the broken-down. Al preferred Resembool or even Central; eventually, the distance had put a strain on them. It had been an amicable parting, though, and they were still close. Whenever Paninya did come to Central, she made sure to stop and see Al. Sometimes he thought she might come just to see him in the first place. But she'd found a new boyfriend, a young mechanic -- though not an automail engineer, she'd pointed out emphatically when she'd told Al about him -- who was just as happy to live in Rush Valley as Paninya was. Much as Al might like having his friend closer, he knew the chances of her moving to Central were slim to none.
"How is Martin anyway?" Al asked, bumping Paninya's sweaty shoulder with his own.
"He's doing really well," she answered, a hint of pride in her voice and her wide smile. "Between the two of us, we're thinking about opening a repair shop together -- even rent our own building and everything."
"That's great, Ninya!" Al exclaimed, beaming. "I'm excited for you."
Paninya leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "That's what I like about you, Al," she murmured. "You really mean that." Al gave her a vaguely confused look, the words Of course I do on the tip of his tongue, but she began speaking again before he could get it out. "So what about you?" she asked. "Winry tells me your friend is getting better. Have you found someone to spend your days thinking about?"
Al was grateful that his face was still flushed from their workout; she probably couldn't tell he was blushing. "Um," he hedged. "Kind of."
"Oh?" Paninya's eyebrows rose, a mischievous grin spreading over her face. "So? Who's the lucky girl? Spill!" She elbowed him lightly and he grimaced. He felt his face go even hotter and thought wryly that she could probably tell he was blushing now, exercise or no.
"Well, it's not official yet," he qualified. "We really haven't decided anything. We've just talked, a little. Sort of." He fidgeted uneasily on the mat, rubbing nervously at the soft fabric of his sparring pants where they covered his knee. Oh, this was stupid, he thought. What was he afraid of? That Paninya wouldn't be his friend anymore? That she'd be repulsed by the idea? He remembered Roy's face when the older man had assumed Al was disgusted by the foursome Gracia had revealed and felt a wave of sympathy for Mustang.
"She'd be crazy not to want you," Paninya assured him with a smile. "Want me to tell her so?"
Al snorted, unable to hold in a chuckle at the idea. "A reference from my ex-girlfriend," he joked. "That may be one I haven't heard before."
"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it -- I can't think of a higher recommendation," she winked. "But seriously, tell me about her. I want to know."
"Ninya..." Al hesitated, but then she fixed him with The Look, the one he felt sure all women learned in some secret How to Rule the World While Letting Men Think They Do class that no one ever talked about. It always worked, too, dammit. "Well, it's not exactly... that is... it's my friend. The one that I'm taking care of."
Paninya looked utterly confused. She took a drink of water while she seemed to mull this over in her mind. "I thought Winry said you were taking care of Ed's former commanding officer. A guy."
Al knew his face was redder than any sparring match could be blamed for and he nodded. "Yes," he answered quietly. "I am."
Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. "Al!" she squeaked, putting her water cup down. "I had no idea you... I mean, I never... just... whoa."
"I didn't either," Al assured her. "I still don't. I mean, I don't know. I'm so confused." He put his head down on his knees and let out a low groan.
He felt Paninya's hand rub over his shoulders and back, could practically hear the wheels in her head turning before she spoke again. "You said you've talked about it," she began quietly. "Does he... like you, too?"
"I think he's as confused as I am," Al admitted, not lifting his head. "But, yes, I think he does. Or at least, as much as he can right now." Al sighed and straightened up a little, blowing his bangs out of his face. "He's been through a lot and I don't think he's exactly ready to jump into a relationship yet." He quirked a wry grin. "But then, I don't think I'm ready for that either."
"Well," Paninya said thoughtfully, standing and brushing off her loose pants, "When the time is right, he'll be very lucky to have you." She smiled fondly at him and offered him a hand up. "I'll even tell him that if you want me to."
"That's all right," Al assured her as he reached up to take her hand. At the last minute, he caught her ankle with his foot and pulled downward on her hand, grinning when she yelped and tumbled forward to the mat. "But I appreciate the offer." He gave her a smug smile and lunged to his feet, sprinting for the locker rooms before she could exact her revenge.
Loose-limbed and already beginning to ache in places, Al wandered through the outdoor market, taking in the sights and sounds - and oh, the smells. Late afternoon sunlight turned the streets a ruddy gold as a few young children dashed around the corners, ignoring the shouts of the shopkeepers. Paninya laughed lightly as she stepped out of their way, nearly knocking Al into a shop that was selling roasted meat. Al paused, breathing deep of the scent, and started digging in his pockets for money.
"Dinner?" Paninya asked idly, watching as Al paid for a sizable helping.
Al nodded. "Roy can't really stand on his leg yet, so I do most of the cooking. Thought I might save myself some effort." He inclined his head in a thank-you to the shopkeeper and watched as the man began carving large slices of the meat. Paninya wandered away from his side and he glanced around the surrounding shops, considering whether he wanted to buy some vegetables or fruit for side items. There was a stall down the way selling fresh bread and he thought he would definitely have to stop there. The butcher wrapped up Al's purchase in wax paper and put the package in a brown paper sack, handing it over with a wide, gap-toothed grin.
As Al turned to go, he nearly ran into Paninya and jumped back, startled. "Ninya, what...?"
She was holding a bright coral gerbera daisy that she had just bought from a nearby flower girl. With a wink, she dropped it into Al's paper sack, being careful to keep the bloom near the top of the sack and away from the heat of the meat. "Flowers are always a nice touch, Al. I just thought I'd remind you."
Al flushed nearly the same color as the petals and ducked his head. He had often brought Paninya flowers when they were dating -- all kinds, the more unusual and colorful, the better. It never became an empty habit, each gift as spontaneous and heartfelt as the first. "Ninya, I don't think --" he started, stammering when she shook her head firmly.
"Flowers are always nice," she repeated, and he managed a small smile.
"Thank you," he mumbled, headed toward the baker's stall. "So, Ninya..." He trailed off and she favored him with a questioning glance. "You don't think I've lost my mind?" He dared a look at her face, trying to read her expression. He needed someone else's opinion and knew Paninya would give him an honest one.
She stopped walking and waited until he turned to face her before she answered. "I think," she said slowly, "That I want you to be happy, Al." She sucked on her bottom lip as she considered further, seeming to choose her words. "I won't say it isn't a little odd. You really managed to catch me off-guard there." She grinned, but quickly sobered. "But once I thought about it, it makes a weird kind of sense."
"Yeah?" He latched onto that. He needed something about this to make sense; nothing really seemed to. "How?"
"You've been taking care of him for a while, haven't you?" Al nodded in response. "You're a very sweet man, Al. Care evolves into deeper things all the time." She smiled and reached out to rub his arm soothingly. "As long as he cares about you, I'm glad for you. You deserve it."
Al shifted the paper bag into one arm and caught Paninya's hand with his free one, bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "Thank you, Ninya," he murmured, and she smiled.
Author: m.jules
Rating: Hard R for the whole thing
Summary: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." Alphonse Elric helps Roy Mustang face life after more tragedy than one man should endure and finds something for himself in the process.
Pairing: mainly Roy/Al, with hints of and references to others. (Including, but not limited to, Ed/Winry, Al/Paninya, Gracia/Maes/Roy/Riza, and Al/Elicia.)
Disclaimer: Arakawa would KILL me. I bow low in supplication.
Author's Notes: This was meant to be "The Story That Proves In-Character Roy/Al Is Possible." Don't know if it worked. For my
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
Thank you to my betas and my patient readers...
This is manga-verse, with every chapter yet released and scanlated as fair game for spoilers and many liberties taken as far as speculation about the future. If you want to know how Al got his body back, Yet Gentle and The Frost of Awakening can be considered my default answer to that question for now at least.
I am posting one chapter every Sunday/Monday. Previous chapters can be found here.
Anybody who wants to hurt me for the sidestep I take in this chapter? I promise, Roy and Al *do* eventually get it together. I'm actually writing ... stuff right now. You know the kind of stuff I mean.
Al landed in a hard crouch, his breathing labored as he swore under his breath at the sweat dripping off his bangs into his eyes. It was distracting and damn if his opponent didn't already have him on the defensive. There were muffled sounds from other sparring matches in the gym but he tuned them out, focusing almost completely on his own challenger. Somedays, he thought wryly, he rather missed being armor if only for the tactical advantage. Armor didn't sweat, it didn't ache, and it never got out of breath. A metallic flash to his right made him duck left, only to hold back a grunt of pain when he realized, too late, that he'd fallen for the feint. He staggered backwards, trying to focus through the bright sparks of light dancing in front of his eyes, and brought his hands up in a protective gesture.
His opponent didn't wait for him to recover and a metal foot to his stomach sent him flying backwards. He lost his breath all in a rush as his back hit the mat, hard, and he lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. "Damn," he said hoarsely when he could draw air again. "You kicked my ass."
"I usually do," Paninya grinned as she grabbed two towels, tossing one to him and using the other to wipe the sweat off her face. "But you put up a good fight."
"Not good enough," Al grumbled, sitting up and mopping his face with the towel. "You've got to be cheating somehow." He grinned as she flopped down on the mat next to him, taking a drink of water from one of the cups the water boys had left out for them and then offering the other to Al.
"Nope," she answered confidently, using her towel to wipe off the back of her neck. "You're just out of practice."
Al frowned as he took the offered drink of water and rolled the cup in his hands. "I am that," he admitted with a scowl. "Ever since Brother moved back to Resembool, I haven't had a sparring partner." He cast her an evaluating look out of the corner of his eye. "Sure you don't want to move to Central?"
Paninya favored him with a wry smile and gentle shake of her head. "You know better," she rebuked him fondly, and he nodded in acknowledgment. "Rush Valley is my home for more reasons than one."
Al knew that well. It had been one reason they had decided their relationship belonged more in the friendship category than the romantic one. Al didn't mind Rush Valley, but he certainly didn't want to live there. Paninya liked to visit other places, but she always wanted to come home -- and home for her was the boomtown of the broken-down. Al preferred Resembool or even Central; eventually, the distance had put a strain on them. It had been an amicable parting, though, and they were still close. Whenever Paninya did come to Central, she made sure to stop and see Al. Sometimes he thought she might come just to see him in the first place. But she'd found a new boyfriend, a young mechanic -- though not an automail engineer, she'd pointed out emphatically when she'd told Al about him -- who was just as happy to live in Rush Valley as Paninya was. Much as Al might like having his friend closer, he knew the chances of her moving to Central were slim to none.
"How is Martin anyway?" Al asked, bumping Paninya's sweaty shoulder with his own.
"He's doing really well," she answered, a hint of pride in her voice and her wide smile. "Between the two of us, we're thinking about opening a repair shop together -- even rent our own building and everything."
"That's great, Ninya!" Al exclaimed, beaming. "I'm excited for you."
Paninya leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "That's what I like about you, Al," she murmured. "You really mean that." Al gave her a vaguely confused look, the words Of course I do on the tip of his tongue, but she began speaking again before he could get it out. "So what about you?" she asked. "Winry tells me your friend is getting better. Have you found someone to spend your days thinking about?"
Al was grateful that his face was still flushed from their workout; she probably couldn't tell he was blushing. "Um," he hedged. "Kind of."
"Oh?" Paninya's eyebrows rose, a mischievous grin spreading over her face. "So? Who's the lucky girl? Spill!" She elbowed him lightly and he grimaced. He felt his face go even hotter and thought wryly that she could probably tell he was blushing now, exercise or no.
"Well, it's not official yet," he qualified. "We really haven't decided anything. We've just talked, a little. Sort of." He fidgeted uneasily on the mat, rubbing nervously at the soft fabric of his sparring pants where they covered his knee. Oh, this was stupid, he thought. What was he afraid of? That Paninya wouldn't be his friend anymore? That she'd be repulsed by the idea? He remembered Roy's face when the older man had assumed Al was disgusted by the foursome Gracia had revealed and felt a wave of sympathy for Mustang.
"She'd be crazy not to want you," Paninya assured him with a smile. "Want me to tell her so?"
Al snorted, unable to hold in a chuckle at the idea. "A reference from my ex-girlfriend," he joked. "That may be one I haven't heard before."
"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it -- I can't think of a higher recommendation," she winked. "But seriously, tell me about her. I want to know."
"Ninya..." Al hesitated, but then she fixed him with The Look, the one he felt sure all women learned in some secret How to Rule the World While Letting Men Think They Do class that no one ever talked about. It always worked, too, dammit. "Well, it's not exactly... that is... it's my friend. The one that I'm taking care of."
Paninya looked utterly confused. She took a drink of water while she seemed to mull this over in her mind. "I thought Winry said you were taking care of Ed's former commanding officer. A guy."
Al knew his face was redder than any sparring match could be blamed for and he nodded. "Yes," he answered quietly. "I am."
Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. "Al!" she squeaked, putting her water cup down. "I had no idea you... I mean, I never... just... whoa."
"I didn't either," Al assured her. "I still don't. I mean, I don't know. I'm so confused." He put his head down on his knees and let out a low groan.
He felt Paninya's hand rub over his shoulders and back, could practically hear the wheels in her head turning before she spoke again. "You said you've talked about it," she began quietly. "Does he... like you, too?"
"I think he's as confused as I am," Al admitted, not lifting his head. "But, yes, I think he does. Or at least, as much as he can right now." Al sighed and straightened up a little, blowing his bangs out of his face. "He's been through a lot and I don't think he's exactly ready to jump into a relationship yet." He quirked a wry grin. "But then, I don't think I'm ready for that either."
"Well," Paninya said thoughtfully, standing and brushing off her loose pants, "When the time is right, he'll be very lucky to have you." She smiled fondly at him and offered him a hand up. "I'll even tell him that if you want me to."
"That's all right," Al assured her as he reached up to take her hand. At the last minute, he caught her ankle with his foot and pulled downward on her hand, grinning when she yelped and tumbled forward to the mat. "But I appreciate the offer." He gave her a smug smile and lunged to his feet, sprinting for the locker rooms before she could exact her revenge.
Loose-limbed and already beginning to ache in places, Al wandered through the outdoor market, taking in the sights and sounds - and oh, the smells. Late afternoon sunlight turned the streets a ruddy gold as a few young children dashed around the corners, ignoring the shouts of the shopkeepers. Paninya laughed lightly as she stepped out of their way, nearly knocking Al into a shop that was selling roasted meat. Al paused, breathing deep of the scent, and started digging in his pockets for money.
"Dinner?" Paninya asked idly, watching as Al paid for a sizable helping.
Al nodded. "Roy can't really stand on his leg yet, so I do most of the cooking. Thought I might save myself some effort." He inclined his head in a thank-you to the shopkeeper and watched as the man began carving large slices of the meat. Paninya wandered away from his side and he glanced around the surrounding shops, considering whether he wanted to buy some vegetables or fruit for side items. There was a stall down the way selling fresh bread and he thought he would definitely have to stop there. The butcher wrapped up Al's purchase in wax paper and put the package in a brown paper sack, handing it over with a wide, gap-toothed grin.
As Al turned to go, he nearly ran into Paninya and jumped back, startled. "Ninya, what...?"
She was holding a bright coral gerbera daisy that she had just bought from a nearby flower girl. With a wink, she dropped it into Al's paper sack, being careful to keep the bloom near the top of the sack and away from the heat of the meat. "Flowers are always a nice touch, Al. I just thought I'd remind you."
Al flushed nearly the same color as the petals and ducked his head. He had often brought Paninya flowers when they were dating -- all kinds, the more unusual and colorful, the better. It never became an empty habit, each gift as spontaneous and heartfelt as the first. "Ninya, I don't think --" he started, stammering when she shook her head firmly.
"Flowers are always nice," she repeated, and he managed a small smile.
"Thank you," he mumbled, headed toward the baker's stall. "So, Ninya..." He trailed off and she favored him with a questioning glance. "You don't think I've lost my mind?" He dared a look at her face, trying to read her expression. He needed someone else's opinion and knew Paninya would give him an honest one.
She stopped walking and waited until he turned to face her before she answered. "I think," she said slowly, "That I want you to be happy, Al." She sucked on her bottom lip as she considered further, seeming to choose her words. "I won't say it isn't a little odd. You really managed to catch me off-guard there." She grinned, but quickly sobered. "But once I thought about it, it makes a weird kind of sense."
"Yeah?" He latched onto that. He needed something about this to make sense; nothing really seemed to. "How?"
"You've been taking care of him for a while, haven't you?" Al nodded in response. "You're a very sweet man, Al. Care evolves into deeper things all the time." She smiled and reached out to rub his arm soothingly. "As long as he cares about you, I'm glad for you. You deserve it."
Al shifted the paper bag into one arm and caught Paninya's hand with his free one, bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "Thank you, Ninya," he murmured, and she smiled.
no subject
^^
no subject
Now to get Roy moving. ;)
no subject
Roy..well Roy is another matter entirely, and while I'm not going to say what has been crossing my mind since the beginning...I'm sure with a good prod he'll get going in the right direction.
no subject
And yes, when Ed DOES find out, it isn't pretty. Because you know, after a while, it gets difficult to hide.
Now, I'm curious to know what you've been thinking since the beginning??
no subject
I like the detour as well, and fully understand the need to take one once in a while. Doesn't mean I don't expect more Al and Roy next week! *winks and wags finger at*
no subject
And don't worry, next week Roy gets to take over the narration for a bit. I just had to get Al out of his, "OMG what am I doing?" mode and on into, "OK, let's do this," mode. *laugh*
Thanks!
no subject
Well written as always.
no subject
Yeah, Paninya sort of stepped in and said, "Just because we broke up doesn't mean we're not friends," and all of a sudden she became his best friend. ...I guess Al's going to need someone to have girl-talk with. *grins and dodges Al*
no subject
I really did like how you used Paninya instead of someone like Ed or Hawkeye for Al to talk to.
no subject
Thank you! :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
And it also serves to have us chomping at the bit for the next installment. That's sly work, either from Paninya -- or perhaps from you. ;-)
no subject
I'm glad you're excited for the next part... things are starting to pick up now. :)
no subject
The flower was sweet, too.
I'm actually writing ... stuff right now. You know the kind of stuff I mean.
Hurrah for "stuff" to come!
no subject
I'm glad you liked it! Now only if I could make chapter 11 behave itself....
no subject
no subject
(Of course, Roy yells at me all the time... but Al might get mad at me, too, and that's just too much for me.)
no subject
I'll shut up now so you can write!
no subject
Well, you actually do get to see Al lose his temper. Twice. Once in this story, and once even worse in the sequel.
(Yes there will be a sequel. *cries* The story got too long and picked up an entire second plotline.)