Roy Mustang is the "morally bankrupt colonel (withagodcomplex) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-05-04 12:21:00 |
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Entry tags: | edward elric, roy mustang |
Who: Edward Elric and Roy Mustang
When: Mid April
Where: Flower Alchemy
What: First meetings and snarkfest
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
Things weren’t getting easier as the network implied they might. For Ed the dreams only produced nightmares and those nightmares spawned other less realistic nightmares. Between it all he was lucky if he got a good hour of rest a night from pure exhaustion. Ed however wasn’t the type to complain on the internet, so he kept to himself mostly. It wasn’t unlike school in that aspect. On his best day it wasn’t exactly like Ed was Mr. Popularity. Very few wanted to be friends with someone who stuck out in appearance as much as attitude as he did. Ed really didn't care though. He had a few good friends keeping him stable and that was better than a group of fakes any day.
He was relieved when the bell rang and he was free to head out to the flower shop. He was supposed to make some delivery Riza didn't have time to make on his way home. He took the long way and picked up a slice of pizza on the way. Edward had just shoved it in his mouth when he pushed the door open. "So I'm here, where is it? " he asked, dressed in his signature red trench coat and black clothing. These days he'd even taken to wearing gloves to hide his automail from the kids at school. So far it seemed to work, most suspected he just had a strange old style fashion.
He was met, not by his aunt, but by a stranger leaning against the counter — slightly-unruly dark hair, sharp dark eyes, and a smile that curved almost into a smirk. Said stranger had apparently arrived straight from work, as he was still in crisp Marine fatigues.
Given the informality of the kid’s entrance and his obvious familiarity with the place, Roy had little doubt that this was Riza’s nephew. She’d mentioned he was on his way, but had had to duck into the back to take a complex phone order. Interesting fashion sense; maybe he’s into steampunk. “The delivery? She said to tell you it was in the cooler behind the counter.”
The very last thing Ed had expected was some guy’s voice coming in the direction of where Riza should have been. But no, that wasn’t actually the last thing. Because now that last thing was staring him in the face with an all too familiar shit eating smirk. It caused every hair on the back of his neck to bristle in auto response, and if he was a cat his ears might have pinned back just automatically.
It. Couldn’t. Be.
That guy had the unapologetic presence of Colonel Bastard himself from his most recent dreams and it caused this tiny little twitch the corner of his eye to occur. The damndest thing, because that sort of thing couldn’t happen, could it?
“Who the hell are you?” Ed asked, golden eyes giving the man a calculating once over.
Now that smile really did turn into a smirk. Roy was nothing if not observant, and the eyetwitch didn't slip by him for a moment. He didn't know what the kid's problem with him was, but it wasn't like he wasn't used to it. He got that reaction from some of his subordinates at times. Though usually it involved their girlfriends. "Is that the way you normally address paying customers?"
He matched the teen's once-over with one of his own, well-honed to be dispassionately neutral. "Roy Mustang. I could ask you the same thing." Left unspoken, but clearly implied, was but I'll leave the swearing out of it.
Edward raised a blond brow at that response, a flash of familiarity in front of his eyes. “Roy Mustang..” One could nearly feel the electricity off his words when he said that name but he didn’t elaborate as he repeated that name as though recalling it from somewhere else. He just narrowed his eyes some and went to go grab the delivery. The item in his arms was large, but didn’t seem to bother Edward any at all.
“Edward Elric.” Another implied tone as he assessed the situation of hostility. “You better not be here to hurt my aunt.” A heated gaze leveled on the man from behind said delivery.
Roy folded his arms with a soft "heh" and a knowing smile. He'd anticipated that Riza might have told the boy about him, and he supposed a negative reaction wouldn't be uncalled for. It sounded like his family life had been difficult, and a stranger dropping in on his guardian might be cause for the teen's antipathy. Though ... the boy's reaction was strange, as if he'd heard the name elsewhere and was trying to recall it, rather than as if Riza had told him recently.
Still, he wasn't about to let that jab slide. "Use your head, Edward. If I were intending to harm her, do you think I'd be waiting while she's in the back office making a phone call? I wouldn't have made it past Private with mission planning skills like that."
Rough was an understatement. Anyone else and he might have distrusted them immediately standing there like they owned the place looking entirely too confident for their own good. "...Maybe. " He glared and tried to sound as confident as Roy looked. It faltered. He had a point as much as Ed wanted to deny it.
"Seriously? Roy Mustang, military Roy Mustang? " This wasn’t supposed to be a thing. The dream people were supposed to stay in the dreams. This was a nightmare. But Ed didn't elaborate, this guy didn't recognize him. He just sighed and bit back any scathing remarks he might have had to force a grin as he put down the item Riza wanted him to take for a moment. "So. You're friends then? "
Roy waved a hand at his uniform. "I don't dress like this for fun," he pointed out dryly. "Yes, I'm Roy Mustang. I wasn't aware there were any other ones." He eyed the boy with mild amusement. "I hope they haven't been dragging my reputation through the mud."
Still, the kid seemed far more disturbed -- almost disbelieving -- about his presence than he should have been. Roy wasn't sure what that meant. He'd answer his questions and see if he could piece together why. "You could say that. Riza and I did a few missions together in Afghanistan. Different services. She's Army. I'm Marines." He didn't expect a civilian would necessarily be able to tell the difference just by looking at the uniform. "Didn't see her again until I came in here a couple of weeks ago to buy a bouquet for my aunt's birthday."
Another remark Ed kept to himself about not wearing military duds for fun. "That so. " It took so so much effort on his end not to make with the sassy commentary that it was nearly painful. He supposed though he would have had an unfair advantage so for now he would maintain this polite as Edward got facade.
"I see. " He said simply regarding the information and taking it in seriously for a moment. He fell silent, but then he couldn't help himself from asking. "Colonel?" Ed had no idea if his dream rank had transferred. "Your rank I mean. " He asked eyeing his uniform for more information.
Roy could see the kid holding back, signaled by a distinctive twitch of the lips he'd seen on dozens of recruits' faces, though what Edward thought was so funny wasn't something he could pin down. It didn't really matter -- the teen's expression shifted, weighing what Roy had told him. That in and of itself was telling; Edward wasn't just any slacker teen with an attitude, the soldier decided immediately.
The question was one Roy heard fairly regularly once people found out he was an officer, though he was somewhat surprised the kid had guessed that well. "Close enough. Lieutenant colonel." He tapped the silver oak leaf that indicated his rank. "It's standard practice in the Marines to call any colonel a colonel, though."
“Hnn.” He said in response, an air of mild curiosity in his tone. This was Roy Mustang without his memory. This was almost too sweet of an opportunity to pass up not fucking with him a little. And yet it might be over the top if he did. Ed scratched a gloved hand against his head and made a face at him.
“Think I knew that actually.” He shrugged as he leaned back against a nearby counter to give Roy another once over before picking up the items he was meant to drop off. It was a clear look that said I’m watching you Without vocalizing it. He then gave him a flippant wave of a hand. “Well. Guess I’d better be off..” He didn’t know what else to say to this memoryless Roy just yet that wouldn’t be almost taking advantage of the situation. Ed was going to take the high road. This time.
"Hm." The smirk the teen got in return for his cautionary glare was a sardonic, Oh, I'm petrified.
Roy glanced down to the flower arrangement, then back at Ed with amusement. "Yes. Don't make your aunt look bad by being late. If you manage to smile you might even get a repeat customer." He nodded in response to the wave. "See you, Edward."
That damn smirk. Just by existing Roy Mustang got under his skin. Ed narrowed his eyes again on the man and grit his teeth giving him an overly cheerful shit eating smile. “See you.” It took everything in his willpower not to call him colonel bastard, Ed was practically at a run to prevent it from happening, door slamming shut behind him.