He'd really been hoping to just get into the office, do the deed, and get away again, but now that Mustang wanted answers...
Research by jaelle
Green Lion 2004: First Place (Gen)This was wrong, Edward knew it was. This person should never sound so sad. But he was tired, and he couldn't think anymore and it was much easier to shut his eyes and let the gentle fingers press through his hair and fall into the waiting darkness—
Sweet Dreams by girl_starfish"Oh no, I could never think of Uncle Roy as anything else," said Elysia. "Even to this day, the idea that he was the fuhrer. . .well, that's the strange part."
Painted Truths by sisyphean effortHe was a whole new type of alchemist when she thought she knew them all. He was still arrogant and untrusting; he still toted the same god complex that every alchemist worth his circles bore. But, somehow, it was different.
As Simple As That by camudekyuWhen Ed threw himself into the search for the Philosopher's Stone, he did it as he did everything—with the whole of his being, never looking back, never stopping to consider what might be left behind.
What Love Is by vikkiHe knew the pattern, the tell-tale sound of Edward's specific gait. It was new but ancient information in his mind, and his head began to swim.
In My Room by militsaThe small man's long blond hair was tied back in a slightly messy ponytail. His clothes seemed to consist of a pair of fairly dirty dull black pants tucked into black shoes, and a tattered plaid handkerchief with a hole cut in it for the head.
Small World by ketita"I can see that," the Lt. Colonel said smoothly, leaning back in his seat, crossing his legs and templing his hands. "You are just brimming with agenda, Edward, none of it to benefit your country."
Predation by sky darkHe was being too kind, too conciliatory. It made Alphonse worry; the Edward that he remembered always needed to be poked and prodded before he'd do much of anything.
Keeping Close by jade penDoesn't help that all the books on tantric sex were on the top shelf. What, does sex have some kind of height restriction? You must be this high to have a girlfriend?
Must Like Cats by girl_starfish
Green Lion 2004: First Place (Het), First Place (Non-Het)Knowledge is power only for the powerful and she is no one: ex-library clerk, ex-civilian contract employee (grade E). Who will notice that the bookworm has turned until she succeeds in her task?
Sketch: Lost by nebroadweShe couldn't remember the exact words they used to deliver the message, nor how long she simply stood at the door long after they'd left.
Calling by asukaThe bitter mumble that "pretty soon we'll all be under Mustang's command if this keeps up" as Ed entered Headquarters inexplicably brightened his day to a greater degree than he allowed himself to ponder.
Back by jackilyn hughesRoy's mind was an alchemist's mind and, as such, he found the perfect retribution in bombarding Hughes with details in the same way the man had done before.
The Top of the Hill by elihiceRoy is surprised by the focus and observation of the gaze, and tries to reconcile that intensity with the obnoxious, unaware Hughes that he thinks he knows. Before he can dwell, Hughes grins again, and the serious expression slips off his face as if it hadn't been there in the first place.
Switching Off by thedeadparrotInstead of dying from the fall, I see you sitting on the ground, bruised and bloodied, resolutely piecing your wings back together with eyes blinded by the searing sun.
Letter by tasha macBut it was one thing to hear about the metal arm and leg and look at pictures in Mrs. Hughes' scrapbook, but it was quite another to see the empty sleeve and concaved bed sheets where a second leg should have been.
The Theory of Immortality by yixsh
Green Lion 2006: Webmaster's Choice AwardThey collided, connected, a dozen points of skin against skin; they tested each other and themselves, and when Al found his own body working as he remembered, working the way it used to in Teacher's back yard, he grinned and let instinct take over.
Fighting Dirty by a big apple
Green Lion 2010: Best New Voice, AdeptIt was necessary, Fullmetal said while tying off the last thread. The armor's hands were too big and awkward. Even years of getting used to the hollow shell doesn't allow for the refined movements that only human muscles could create.
Roy Mustang Hated To Sew by veatarielJust the touch of a fellow demon in hell, both of them with the power to destroy the world scrawled upon their hands.
Confutatis by arkadyEvery October 10th, she went back to the ruins of the house, and picked through the ash. Every October 10th, she found something new that they should have saved, but didn't.
Theme Drabbles by murder of crowsHe just carries himself with a certain atmosphere, one that feels like splinters of buildings falling off walls and landing broken or the smell of roasted flesh.
Routine Maintenance by summerwolfAl wasn't supposed to have blue streaks in his hair (that matched his eyes—weren't Al's eyes gray? Ed felt a moment of disorientation), or a row of metal loops along his eyebrow, another row running down his ear and blinking little colored lights.
Diaspora by ketita
Green Lion 2009: First Place (popular); Second Place (juried)You're not a cripple, Al wanted to say, but looking at Ed as he moved around awkwardly with one hand, watching the obvious pain on his face as his leg rubbed against the prosthesis—Al wished he was three again, and didn't even know what a cripple was.
Make Gold of This by pellazHe said this with the usual sardonic edge he gave to his speech for Fullmetal's benefit, but those eyes dimmed to dull gold, the rebellion dying as soon as it had flared up. A lit match being snuffed; it was not like Fullmetal at all.
In Marginalia by shi linOn his right were burnt corpses—Mustang's handiwork, and he saw they were all in Drachman grays. On his left was a pile of rats, and they were having a feast.
Saviour by the quaggaIt was at once brash and sage, and behind it, like fire-shadow, flickered an archness tempered by experience. If an older Hughes had seen that smile, he would not have been surprised that Roy made no attempt to answer his question. No obvious attempt, at least.
Tools by fambrenaAlso, that it was a dream, a nightmare, he was sure of it, but he went with it because that was what one did when having a dream, you just went with it and see where it took you, even if it was to a terrible place.
The Sacred Heart of Amestris by militsa
Green Lion 2009 Honorable MentionAt least he had the right apartment. Playing it safe nonetheless, Roy poked his head inside the door, ready to draw back should something decidedly harder and/or more lethal come at him this time. Like a bullet.
by Oh, the speeches were dull as hell, and the formality of the occasion was annoying, but the flags and decorations were pretty, the parade was usually fairly enjoyable, and it was the only damn day of the year that Roy Mustang didn't pick on him.
Ten Feet Tall by jaelle"The laws of alchemy are based on equivalent exchange, so I know that you will not respect me if I do not respect you in return."
His Own Weapons by galuxkittyDestruction, fire, death. Those belonged to Ed and he was fervently glad that Al was not with him here to see it. Al would just have to live for the both of them, and hopefully forget.
Mistake by nyagosstarHe doesn't think anyone who hadn't seen the gate could do it; it almost terrifies him how the knowledge comes unbidden as he needs it, as he tears his brother apart.
Vespers by tavellaHe wanted to get stinking drunk, but not in the officer's club. And definitely not with Edward sitting at his side, poking at him with unprecedented grace, seeking some unknown goal.
The Shadow of Desire by sol 1056This was stupid. He was Edward Elric, State Alchemist. If killers and empty assassin armour hadn't frightened him, half a foot of park bench shouldn't leave him feeling so useless and pathetic.
The Physics of This by danaHis shoulders have filled out a bit, and he walks with more confidence. Another memory: his voice, high-pitched and nervous over the telephone, a childish flurry of words pouring into my ear.
This Stretch of Time by andrea weilingHe likes the way the sound of explosions echo in his chest and the way the ground trembles under his feet, making him feel as if for one moment he were God calling for the earth's destruction.
Fire and Brimstone by learethThe sallow light of the flickering street lamp glints off something, and Hughes leans closer to the window. Blond hair, a bright red collar, the swirl of crimson like a shout, a red flag.
Little Red Cap by baka nekoIt hadn't seen any fire at all, not even courtesy of his hand, but Roy Mustang had seen enough other burned-out shells hulking in the eerie, smoke-cloaked false dusk to know that flames didn't erase bloodstains.
At Stake by elanivalaeThe problem was, Edward was already well acquaintanced with alchemy—his first love, and to Alphonse's constant chagrin, apparently the most enduring.
Chemically Active by cryogeniaWinry could not imagine going so far for someone whose name you couldn't even say. She couldn't imagine going so far without allowing yourself to say his name.
Unimportant Things by domlandbubblesBut it was time to call an end to the game and pin the slippery soul down for good, ransack its memories, and strip it of its autonomy, and let it lie as dormant as the others that filled the philosopher's stone within him.
Bite by velvet maceThe days went by, filled with purpose and work and...other things. And eventually there came a day, there came a night, when he could dream of an old, very missed friend without his heart tearing apart.
A Dream of Parting by white asterBut in the desert, whose dryness cracked not only skin but the fragile bonds of her sanity, she longed for the rain to come, to fall down in sheets, to drown out the noise of gunfire and explosions and the dying.
Chasing the Rain by greywingHe knew the signs now. He'd been watching Greed since the day they joined forces. Had it really only been a few days ago? It felt like months. It felt too long.
One Foot In Front of the Other by bob fishI'm having an existential crisis. These things are a lot more severe when you don't actually, y'know, exist.
Full Metal Alchemist Quick Episode Summaries, Full Compilation by mikkenekoThere was power in those dark lines—power in the calculation that had rendered this particular array, in the irrational and divine numbers that wove this pattern...
Divine Proportion by lykomancer"My wife threatens me with guns. That's a little bit more dangerous than a wrench."
Fatherhood by a big appleHe himself found Heldengedenktag unpleasant, too similar to remembrance days in Amestris, the solemn homage to the fallen of the Great War calling up memories of his own failures in Lior...
Ubi Sunt Gaudia? by nebroadwe
Green Lion 2006: Best Overall StoryWould she forgive him if he intervened? He knew how stubborn she could be. She might never forgive him for interfering with her situation. But could he forgive himself for putting her there?
No Sound of Water
by enemytosleepWhen he was thirteen, equivalent trade was his bane. He tried to escape it, chasing a fairy-tale, desperately seeking a myth in hope of banishing it. And he failed.
Equivalent Trade by kazaeraBut Edward wouldn't give in—he was just far too damn stubborn to let the pain beat him. No, he would feel it, and welcome it, and carry the pain with him in the way Al couldn't do.
Trade Off by ruby dThe Library was a place where the most bitter of rivals spoke civilly to each other, even if when they met outside the Library, the supply department clutched their heads in pain and rebuilt the Square. Again.
Library Rules by megProof that he existed, a body that lived and breathed and felt pain, a human body like the one he was born with, down the last freckle on his nose. The price for the validation—the most important person.
Untitled by majoHe refused to breathe from his nose. When he did, he smelled the battlefield. The memories of the death embedded themselves inside the cells of his nasal cavity, releasing the scent of burning flesh and hair constantly.
Moment of Time by spinny rosesEdward, for being a percentage of metal, was surprisingly fast; Kimbley just barely had enough time to move before that blade was coming at him, slicing through the air with a hunger and a prayer.
Transcending Dominion by chauniAlways ignited by the fire of passion, the need for discovery, for science. His own mind would burn him to death quicker than a stake, and he knew it.
Tabula Rasa by ambre
Green Lion 2006: Best Plot/AdventureOn that day, the sun shone brightly, and 18 year old Roy Mustang stood on the testing ground, smiling at the materials which had been offered. He didn't need any of them, because his material was all around him.
Convection by aishuu"What the hell kind of name is Roy Mustang, anyway?" Edward finally asked. "Is that English? Going to have a bunch of limey fruits running the show in here?"
Wilkommen, Bienvenue by raja815
Green Lion 2009 Brave New Worlds: 1st place (juried), 2nd place (popular)He had never been able to really get used to his left hand's unnatural dominance. It didn't want the power it had, and became oddly clumsy at times, even now.
The Flooding Dark, The Evening Strange by herongaleIf he's still, nothing aches, and that is a rare occurrence indeed—because there are so many old wounds, and harsh weather is cruel to him.
The Longest Day by asidianIt's not home, but then, home is not just a house; 'home' is in the photograph stuffed into his pocket, a picture of a boy dressed in red and black with his golden hair secured in a braid.
Amae by kaltiaShe knows the sound of his step coming down the hall, not the crisp snap of a soldier's heels, but the unhurried swagger of someone who has all the time in a world that belongs to him.
Invitation Accepted by domlandbubbles
Green Lion 2006: Best New PairingLoneliness calls in at six o'clock. It dials the number from the sticky booth on First and Third, amidst the cigarette butts and wads of discarded chewing gum.
At Six o’Clock by luc courtThings have not turned out well, and perhaps it's the tangled mess of memories that overlap and contradict and confound each other and him.
Elend by maypirateShe hated being idle; it ranked far above the petty pain of a mere gunshot-wound in her personal list of annoyances. But worse than idleness, she hated being weak.
Primus: Fortitude by ysabetHe wasn't very good at hiding his rage, he wasn't very good at hiding his glee, and he certainly wasn't very good at hiding his embarrassment, but he was somewhat skilled in the deception of masking his sorrow.
Smile Like You Mean It by devils devotionRiza gave him one of her wry little smiles. "If every troublemaker was competent, Brigadier General, we'd be getting even less sleep."
No Small Injury by bob fish
Green Lion 2010: Best New Voice, NeophyteAnd there he was. Standing in the last place that he would have considered as a rest area; a detour in a progression of more important places and duties in his life.
Won’t Go Home Again by lady cosmosYou lived one-armed for the months it took to have your automail fitted and installed and tuned into working order. How hard can this be?
Wooden by tobu ishiAl is beginning to see it too, when he closes his eyes—a geometry of the positioned dead, the cold precision of equations in the angles, corpses set along ley lines.
The Dreaming City by mirabellaIt would have been easier to hide in silence, to let the stiff moment pass and be swallowed by the flow of time, but this man's grief was shared by her, and Hughes had loved them both.
Threnody by ambreShe saw the bare truth of his words behind his eyes, felt the intensity of his voice wash over her like a summer storm, or like the fire from the hands of a certain flame alchemist, and she wanted to look away but could not.
Sandwich Talk by gerald tarrant
we done got upgraded
As plenty of you may've noticed (and a few were kind enough to let me know), the site didn't handle the upgrade from
PHP4 to PHP5 quite as gracefully as I might've hoped. Most of the worst has been converted, but there are a few things I'm still
not behaving. Hopefully they'll all be back into proper shape by end-of-day, 4 May.
new short stories
There was a loud crack, like the sound of several chopsticks simultaneously being snapped in two, followed by the sound of something heavy falling, the object hitting the ground so hard the earth literally shook beneath Ed's feet.
rated:K-L | S+S | Fullmetal | post-series | Edward Elric | Roy Mustang | drama | romance
What the hell was he going to say when Ed and Winry asked him if he met any nice girls in Xing?
rated:M-L-S | M×F | Mangaverse | post-series | SP: up to ch 108 | DF: after ch 105 | Alphonse Elric | Ling Yao | OC | Al/__
new chapters
There were plenty of reasons she might have had two strapping policemen in her apartment first thing in the morning, but none of them involved a tiny, grouchy kid sitting at her kitchen table and scratching the dirt out of the woodgrain with his thum
rated:K-L | GEN | Mangaverse | pre-series | SP: up to Ch 89 | Cdr Grumman | Roy Mustang | Madame Christmas