![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mjules.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
whiskeycoffeeTitle: 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![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
7stages claim, prompt "New every morning."
Thank you, thank you, thank you to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cornerofmadness and evil_little_dog who have beta'd every chapter without complaint even though this isn't their pairing, and to everybody who comments. Y 'all make my week.
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 night/Monday. Previous chapters can be found here.
“You know, Roy, I’m pretty sure this isn’t in my job description.” Al arched an eyebrow at Roy over the three paper sacks he juggled, a smile playing in his voice. “It’s not defined under gardener, cook, nurse, or maid.”
Roy snorted and grinned over at him, slowing his step across from the park and giving the wrought iron gates a contemplative glance. “You have a point,” Roy mused. “How about ‘houseboy’?”
The look Al gave him could have withered the fine flowers in their garden and Roy soon found one of the paper sacks shoved at him.
“How do you expect me to carry that?” Roy laughed.
“You have one hand free,” Al pointed out. “Besides, this is the lighter one.” Roy chuckled but took the bag. It was very light and Roy shifted it awkwardly in his free arm, adjusting his weight over the cane with the other hand. Al started moving forward again but Roy remained where he was, still evaluating the park across the street.
Al noticed Roy wasn’t with him and turned. “Are you okay, Roy? I can take the bag again; I don’t mind.”
“Oh no, the bag’s fine,” Roy answered absently, turning to follow Al. Al’s gaze skipped across the street to where Roy had been looking.
“Do you need to sit down?” he asked quietly, thinking maybe Roy had been looking at the park benches. “We’ve been walking for a while. Would you like to sit in the park?”
Roy hesitated, his eyes darting from the park back to Al’s face. “I think I would,” he murmured and Al’s heart twisted. Al had vivid memories of Riza taking Hayate for walks down the paths and thought Roy probably did as well. Roy had probably gone for walks with them, as a matter of fact. Al knew that Roy's mourning for Riza wasn't over and wasn't sure it ever would be. He knew the man still mourned Hughes even years after Maes' death. He began to realize exactly what Gracia had meant when she had told him that Roy didn't easily let go of the ones he loved. Al couldn't help wondering if Roy thought of him in that way yet, or if he ever would.
Al remembered waking up that morning, momentarily disoriented by the sensation of a warm, hard body under his forearm. He had opened his eyes to see Roy flat on his back and sound asleep, one hand on Al’s wrist where it rested on Roy’s stomach. A pounding heartbeat later, Al had remembered what had transpired the previous night. He'd licked his dry lips, wondering for a moment if he’d dreamed it.
Roy had sighed and shifted in his sleep, turning onto his side facing Al. Al remembered the unexpected wave of tenderness that had washed over him as he watched the man. He'd wanted very much to kiss Roy. He had hesitated, remembering Mustang’s warning about possibly needing to take things slowly. Would it be too bold for Al to kiss him? In the end, Al had decided that it might be better to wait until Roy was awake.
He had brought his hand up to stroke Roy’s hair away from his temple, smiling when Mustang’s eyes blinked open. For just a moment, Roy’s expression had been completely unguarded and Al had seen the progress of emotion from hope to disappointment, to pain, to recognition and affection. He thought I was one of them, Al realized, sadness trickling through him. At that moment, he was glad he hadn’t woken Roy with a kiss; there was no telling how much it would have hurt Roy to discover that he wasn’t being kissed by one of his old lovers.
“Good morning, Alphonse,” Roy had murmured, smiling softly.
“Good morning,” Al had answered, just as quietly. The reality of the situation began to set in; waking up like this, the intimacy of their position drove it home.
Roy had seemed to hesitate for the barest of moments before he pushed forward to touch his lips to Al’s. Al’s eyes had closed almost involuntarily as he returned Roy’s kiss, a quiet noise of pleasure sighing out of him when Roy’s mouth began to work softly against his. An epiphany had dawned for Al that something had shifted yet again. He wanted Roy to kiss him, not because it was good for Roy to move forward and not because it was a novelty or a curiosity, not even really because Al cared about Roy, but because he wanted Roy. Affection was moving into desire.
Roy was done with the kiss long before Al was, and it was with some regret that Al had let the older man move away and shift positions to get out of bed.
Now, Al followed Roy across the road, to the side and slightly behind, eyes open for any potential danger. Mustang had been high-profile in Central during his active service years and most people would recognize him easily. There were plenty of people who didn't appreciate the service Roy had done in helping bring down the fuhrer, and even more who were holding grudges older than that. A car accident would be far too convenient. Roy and Al found a bench just inside the gate and set the groceries on one end. Roy lowered himself, the slightest wince of pain crossing his features.
“Okay?” Al asked quietly, and Roy nodded, giving him a tight smile.
“Why don’t you sit with me, Alphonse?”
Al hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should sit next to Roy or move the groceries between them and sit at the other end of the bench. He bit his lip then figured he was thinking about it too hard and settled on the edge of the seat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
Al looked around the park, thinking about days gone by and wondering if Fuery ever brought Black Hayate here now. Roy had been in no shape to look after a pet in the beginning so Kain had taken the little dog. By the time it would have been possible for Roy to take him back, Hayate had settled into his new home and Roy had decided to leave him there.
“He would probably just look at me and wonder where Riza was,” Roy had muttered. Al remembered Mustang had been snappish for the rest of that afternoon, keeping mostly to himself.
“Alphonse?” Roy said now, jerking Al from his dark thoughts. Al made a questioning noise and half-turned so he could look back at Roy. “Are you all right?”
Al smiled and nodded. “Yes, sorry. I was just thinking.”
Roy returned his smile and reached out tentatively to touch Al’s back. Al sat up, making it easier for Roy to reach. Al didn’t think he was imagining the tremble in the hand that rested so companionably on his shoulder. Al let his own hand rest on Roy’s knee, reassuring him with his touch and presence.
They sat like that for silent moments until Roy’s hand tightened briefly on Al’s shoulder and dropped away. Al smiled backr at Roy before noting, “We should probably get home and put the groceries away.” Roy nodded and Al stood up. “Do you want to wait here for me to get the car?”
“No,” Roy said, beginning to push himself to his feet. Al reached down, offering help, and to his great surprise, Roy accepted the assistance. “I feel fine. I’ll walk with you.”
By the time they got back home, the strain of the day’s activities was showing on Roy’s face and Al banished him to the couch in the living room while Al put away the groceries. Roy went without argument, taking with him the newspaper they had picked up in town.
While Al was preparing dinner, he heard a displeased noise from the living room and paused, peering through the doorway. "Roy? Something wrong?"
Roy simply grunted and shook the newspaper he was reading without looking up. Curious, Al left the food on the counter and came to see what Roy was reading. He leaned over the back of the couch and Roy pointed to a headline on an article. Parliament To Hear Re-Armament Argument Friday.
"What's that?" Al asked, alarmed, and Roy tilted his head so he could look up at Al.
"When Parliament voted to sign a disarmament treaty with the surrounding nations, it was heavily opposed."
"I remember," Al nodded. "It barely went through."
"It was a close vote," Roy agreed. "It looks like the factions that supported the idea of Amestris remaining a military-based state are trying to reintroduce the idea."
"Do you think they stand a chance?" Al sounded a little bit nervous and Roy couldn't blame him. The boy hadn't been in Ishbal but it had still affected him; closer still was the war in the north, in which the Al and his brother had fought by Roy's side.
Mustang took a deep breath and considered the question. "Not right now," Roy murmured finally. "The war is still too fresh in everyone's minds." He shook his head. "Of course, they might try to use that to frighten everyone into bulking up the military again, but I don't think it will succeed this time."
"This time?" Al braced his hands on the back of the couch and looked down at Roy's dark head. "You think they might try again?"
"That's almost certain. Maybe not for a while and maybe not in the same way, but there is always a group of people who wants power at any cost and believes that brute strength is the way to get it."
Al sighed and Roy reached up, rubbing over Al's arm with the backs of his knuckles. "There's no need for you to be worried about it right now," he said. "As I say, I doubt it will go through this session, and likely not for many more years."
Al looked down at Roy and smiled, a peculiar light in his eyes. "You going to chase away the monsters under my bed, too?" Al teased lightly and Roy met his question with a little smirk.
"I would rather believe there aren't any monsters under your bed at all," he noted, "Considering that you and I share a bed."
Al nearly swore he could feel his pupils dilate and he sucked in a breath. "That we do," he admitted, his voice an octave lower than it had been a moment before. Roy moved the hand that was on Al's arm to the young man's neck, up over his jaw, fingers tracing a smooth path over the skin. Al couldn't help the way his hands clenched on the back of the couch, the way his eyes flicked down to Roy's mouth. Roy turned his head a little more, sliding his hand up behind Al's ear. Al took the invitation and leaned over cautiously, brushing his lips against Roy's. One brief, soft caress turned into two, three, and then Roy kissed him back, gentle and slow. When Al pulled back, hunger awakening in his body, he could see the shadows that were beginning to creep into the edges of Roy's expression.
Stifling a groan of frustration, Al gave Roy a reassuring smile and straightened up. Al cleared his throat and said, "I'm going to finish dinner. It shouldn't be much longer."
"All right," Roy answered, going back to the paper. Al paused for a moment, insecurity slamming into him like a freight train. He wasn't used to feeling this off-balance; with Paninya, everything had been so straight forward. Once they'd decided they were attracted to each other, things had progressed easily. Though he told himself it wasn't anything personal when Roy withdrew, it was hard to believe every now and then. He couldn't help wondering if Roy was just giving him what he thought Al wanted, to... to what, keep Al around? Even if that were the reason, wouldn't it mean that Roy had feelings for Al, and that would be something, wouldn't it?
Al made his way back to the kitchen and stood at the counter for a moment, staring at the knife he held, at the way it betrayed the slightest tremor of his hand. He took a deep breath and picked up the carrots he had been preparing to cut up, pausing first to glance over his shoulder. He caught a flash of dark eyes watching him from over the edge of the paper before they were obscured by pages. He inhaled deeply and held it, then resumed the preparations for dinner, his mind in a whirl.
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, thank you, thank you to
cornerofmadness and evil_little_dog who have beta'd every chapter without complaint even though this isn't their pairing, and to everybody who comments. Y 'all make my week.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 night/Monday. Previous chapters can be found here.
“You know, Roy, I’m pretty sure this isn’t in my job description.” Al arched an eyebrow at Roy over the three paper sacks he juggled, a smile playing in his voice. “It’s not defined under gardener, cook, nurse, or maid.”
Roy snorted and grinned over at him, slowing his step across from the park and giving the wrought iron gates a contemplative glance. “You have a point,” Roy mused. “How about ‘houseboy’?”
The look Al gave him could have withered the fine flowers in their garden and Roy soon found one of the paper sacks shoved at him.
“How do you expect me to carry that?” Roy laughed.
“You have one hand free,” Al pointed out. “Besides, this is the lighter one.” Roy chuckled but took the bag. It was very light and Roy shifted it awkwardly in his free arm, adjusting his weight over the cane with the other hand. Al started moving forward again but Roy remained where he was, still evaluating the park across the street.
Al noticed Roy wasn’t with him and turned. “Are you okay, Roy? I can take the bag again; I don’t mind.”
“Oh no, the bag’s fine,” Roy answered absently, turning to follow Al. Al’s gaze skipped across the street to where Roy had been looking.
“Do you need to sit down?” he asked quietly, thinking maybe Roy had been looking at the park benches. “We’ve been walking for a while. Would you like to sit in the park?”
Roy hesitated, his eyes darting from the park back to Al’s face. “I think I would,” he murmured and Al’s heart twisted. Al had vivid memories of Riza taking Hayate for walks down the paths and thought Roy probably did as well. Roy had probably gone for walks with them, as a matter of fact. Al knew that Roy's mourning for Riza wasn't over and wasn't sure it ever would be. He knew the man still mourned Hughes even years after Maes' death. He began to realize exactly what Gracia had meant when she had told him that Roy didn't easily let go of the ones he loved. Al couldn't help wondering if Roy thought of him in that way yet, or if he ever would.
Al remembered waking up that morning, momentarily disoriented by the sensation of a warm, hard body under his forearm. He had opened his eyes to see Roy flat on his back and sound asleep, one hand on Al’s wrist where it rested on Roy’s stomach. A pounding heartbeat later, Al had remembered what had transpired the previous night. He'd licked his dry lips, wondering for a moment if he’d dreamed it.
Roy had sighed and shifted in his sleep, turning onto his side facing Al. Al remembered the unexpected wave of tenderness that had washed over him as he watched the man. He'd wanted very much to kiss Roy. He had hesitated, remembering Mustang’s warning about possibly needing to take things slowly. Would it be too bold for Al to kiss him? In the end, Al had decided that it might be better to wait until Roy was awake.
He had brought his hand up to stroke Roy’s hair away from his temple, smiling when Mustang’s eyes blinked open. For just a moment, Roy’s expression had been completely unguarded and Al had seen the progress of emotion from hope to disappointment, to pain, to recognition and affection. He thought I was one of them, Al realized, sadness trickling through him. At that moment, he was glad he hadn’t woken Roy with a kiss; there was no telling how much it would have hurt Roy to discover that he wasn’t being kissed by one of his old lovers.
“Good morning, Alphonse,” Roy had murmured, smiling softly.
“Good morning,” Al had answered, just as quietly. The reality of the situation began to set in; waking up like this, the intimacy of their position drove it home.
Roy had seemed to hesitate for the barest of moments before he pushed forward to touch his lips to Al’s. Al’s eyes had closed almost involuntarily as he returned Roy’s kiss, a quiet noise of pleasure sighing out of him when Roy’s mouth began to work softly against his. An epiphany had dawned for Al that something had shifted yet again. He wanted Roy to kiss him, not because it was good for Roy to move forward and not because it was a novelty or a curiosity, not even really because Al cared about Roy, but because he wanted Roy. Affection was moving into desire.
Roy was done with the kiss long before Al was, and it was with some regret that Al had let the older man move away and shift positions to get out of bed.
Now, Al followed Roy across the road, to the side and slightly behind, eyes open for any potential danger. Mustang had been high-profile in Central during his active service years and most people would recognize him easily. There were plenty of people who didn't appreciate the service Roy had done in helping bring down the fuhrer, and even more who were holding grudges older than that. A car accident would be far too convenient. Roy and Al found a bench just inside the gate and set the groceries on one end. Roy lowered himself, the slightest wince of pain crossing his features.
“Okay?” Al asked quietly, and Roy nodded, giving him a tight smile.
“Why don’t you sit with me, Alphonse?”
Al hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should sit next to Roy or move the groceries between them and sit at the other end of the bench. He bit his lip then figured he was thinking about it too hard and settled on the edge of the seat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
Al looked around the park, thinking about days gone by and wondering if Fuery ever brought Black Hayate here now. Roy had been in no shape to look after a pet in the beginning so Kain had taken the little dog. By the time it would have been possible for Roy to take him back, Hayate had settled into his new home and Roy had decided to leave him there.
“He would probably just look at me and wonder where Riza was,” Roy had muttered. Al remembered Mustang had been snappish for the rest of that afternoon, keeping mostly to himself.
“Alphonse?” Roy said now, jerking Al from his dark thoughts. Al made a questioning noise and half-turned so he could look back at Roy. “Are you all right?”
Al smiled and nodded. “Yes, sorry. I was just thinking.”
Roy returned his smile and reached out tentatively to touch Al’s back. Al sat up, making it easier for Roy to reach. Al didn’t think he was imagining the tremble in the hand that rested so companionably on his shoulder. Al let his own hand rest on Roy’s knee, reassuring him with his touch and presence.
They sat like that for silent moments until Roy’s hand tightened briefly on Al’s shoulder and dropped away. Al smiled backr at Roy before noting, “We should probably get home and put the groceries away.” Roy nodded and Al stood up. “Do you want to wait here for me to get the car?”
“No,” Roy said, beginning to push himself to his feet. Al reached down, offering help, and to his great surprise, Roy accepted the assistance. “I feel fine. I’ll walk with you.”
By the time they got back home, the strain of the day’s activities was showing on Roy’s face and Al banished him to the couch in the living room while Al put away the groceries. Roy went without argument, taking with him the newspaper they had picked up in town.
While Al was preparing dinner, he heard a displeased noise from the living room and paused, peering through the doorway. "Roy? Something wrong?"
Roy simply grunted and shook the newspaper he was reading without looking up. Curious, Al left the food on the counter and came to see what Roy was reading. He leaned over the back of the couch and Roy pointed to a headline on an article. Parliament To Hear Re-Armament Argument Friday.
"What's that?" Al asked, alarmed, and Roy tilted his head so he could look up at Al.
"When Parliament voted to sign a disarmament treaty with the surrounding nations, it was heavily opposed."
"I remember," Al nodded. "It barely went through."
"It was a close vote," Roy agreed. "It looks like the factions that supported the idea of Amestris remaining a military-based state are trying to reintroduce the idea."
"Do you think they stand a chance?" Al sounded a little bit nervous and Roy couldn't blame him. The boy hadn't been in Ishbal but it had still affected him; closer still was the war in the north, in which the Al and his brother had fought by Roy's side.
Mustang took a deep breath and considered the question. "Not right now," Roy murmured finally. "The war is still too fresh in everyone's minds." He shook his head. "Of course, they might try to use that to frighten everyone into bulking up the military again, but I don't think it will succeed this time."
"This time?" Al braced his hands on the back of the couch and looked down at Roy's dark head. "You think they might try again?"
"That's almost certain. Maybe not for a while and maybe not in the same way, but there is always a group of people who wants power at any cost and believes that brute strength is the way to get it."
Al sighed and Roy reached up, rubbing over Al's arm with the backs of his knuckles. "There's no need for you to be worried about it right now," he said. "As I say, I doubt it will go through this session, and likely not for many more years."
Al looked down at Roy and smiled, a peculiar light in his eyes. "You going to chase away the monsters under my bed, too?" Al teased lightly and Roy met his question with a little smirk.
"I would rather believe there aren't any monsters under your bed at all," he noted, "Considering that you and I share a bed."
Al nearly swore he could feel his pupils dilate and he sucked in a breath. "That we do," he admitted, his voice an octave lower than it had been a moment before. Roy moved the hand that was on Al's arm to the young man's neck, up over his jaw, fingers tracing a smooth path over the skin. Al couldn't help the way his hands clenched on the back of the couch, the way his eyes flicked down to Roy's mouth. Roy turned his head a little more, sliding his hand up behind Al's ear. Al took the invitation and leaned over cautiously, brushing his lips against Roy's. One brief, soft caress turned into two, three, and then Roy kissed him back, gentle and slow. When Al pulled back, hunger awakening in his body, he could see the shadows that were beginning to creep into the edges of Roy's expression.
Stifling a groan of frustration, Al gave Roy a reassuring smile and straightened up. Al cleared his throat and said, "I'm going to finish dinner. It shouldn't be much longer."
"All right," Roy answered, going back to the paper. Al paused for a moment, insecurity slamming into him like a freight train. He wasn't used to feeling this off-balance; with Paninya, everything had been so straight forward. Once they'd decided they were attracted to each other, things had progressed easily. Though he told himself it wasn't anything personal when Roy withdrew, it was hard to believe every now and then. He couldn't help wondering if Roy was just giving him what he thought Al wanted, to... to what, keep Al around? Even if that were the reason, wouldn't it mean that Roy had feelings for Al, and that would be something, wouldn't it?
Al made his way back to the kitchen and stood at the counter for a moment, staring at the knife he held, at the way it betrayed the slightest tremor of his hand. He took a deep breath and picked up the carrots he had been preparing to cut up, pausing first to glance over his shoulder. He caught a flash of dark eyes watching him from over the edge of the paper before they were obscured by pages. He inhaled deeply and held it, then resumed the preparations for dinner, his mind in a whirl.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 04:41 pm (UTC)