Title: In Time

Author: ursweetheartles (ME!)

Rating: M

Warnings: Lime, D/s, kidnap, dubdon, NC,

saw that day

lost my mind

lord i'll find

maybe in time

you'll want to be mine

-Gorillaz, El Mañana

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Mustang sat in the one room shack he had been stationed to, up in the snowy mountains of north Amestris. The visitors he had sitting by the fire set their now empty tea cups on the table, and stood to leave, each one laying a hand on his shoulder as they passed, offering murmured words of encouragement and condolence. The last was Riza, who smiled at him weakly, eyes damp.

"Don't worry, Im sure they'll find him eventually. His brother seems to think Edward is still alive somewhere, so Im sure its probably true." Roy just stared at the floor and she shook her head. She didn't really believe that, but it hurt her to see the empty look in Mustang's eyes. He was being quite brave, putting a strong front on even though she knew he must be crumbling on the inside. He just kept looking dejectedly down at his feet though, and Hawkeye sighed, and shepherded the rest of the man's former subordinates out into the awaiting snow. The walk back to town would be treacherous with the onset of winter, and it would be damn near deadly to venture it after dark.

When she shut the door behind her, waving a last good bye the man finally looked up, the dejected expression on his face melting into one of joy and accomplishment. They didn't have a clue, they couldn't, not now. He has been worried then that he would give something away, that his face would show his secret, but he had pulled it off masterfully. This task was important, too important to mishandle in any clumsy detail. He made his way over to the cooling kettle, turning the flame back up and turning to get out the cups and tea bags, knowing the water was still warm, it would only take seconds for it to boil.

He waited for the whistle carefully before pouring the water over the bag situated in both mugs, adding several spoons of sugar to one, leaving the other plain. He smiled, grabbing the platter from the ice box, he'd made the little sandwiches earlier, careful to make them bite sized. He grabbed a tin of peaches from the shelf above it, breaking it open and pouring the contents into a small metal bowl. Carefully each item was transferred to a tray, balancing precariously in his grip. Now came the hard part.

He carried the tray over to the sofa, placing it on the low table before pushing the furniture back, kicking the rug aside to reveal the door beneath. The little house wasn't meant to have a basement really. There had been a small underground storage room there when he had arrived, but it had only been accessible from outside. It had taken him only a few days to carve the larger room in, but he had worked around the clock. He was quite proud of his handiwork in the end, it had taken some work to install the fireplace and running water only using alchemy, but he had managed, using the connections already in place as a starting line. He lifted the heavy wooden door after kicking the latch open with his foot. He grabbed the tray and descended the stairs beneath.

The basement room wasn't huge but it was well appointed and warm. There wasn't much furniture, only a table and a faded armchair against one wall, adjacent to the small sink and stall shower. The fireplace was on the wall opposite from the stairs, and the fire in it was low, dried wood sitting beside it ready to be fed into the soft glow. He set the tray down and turned to the rooms only other occupant then, smiling lopsidedly.

"They left without suspicion, just like I told you they would. When will you believe me, they won't come looking for you, not now. They think you're dead." He crossed the room slowly, advancing on the well tanned figure who sat against the wall. He reached a hand down to stroke a damp cheek, and golden eyes slammed shut, the face flinching away from Mustang's touch. He chuckled. "You were so good though, you were very quiet. I thought you might be naughty and loud while we had guests, and that wouldn't do. Of course, it does probably help that I took away the temptation to yell. This way you're forced to be better." Mustang let his fingers trail over the leather straps of the large rubber gag thoughtfully, the black ball opening the succulent mouth beneath it, filling the space almost perfectly. He smiled. "You've still been so good Edward, so very good. I think that that means you deserve a little reward, hm?"

Roy chuckled, fingering the buckle on the back of the gag then, sliding the leather through dull metal until it came free, the ball falling from beautiful lips into the boy's lap. He flexed his sore jaw then, and shook his head a little desperately.

"Stop this Colonel. Let me go, please. I have to see my brother, tell him I'm alright. Please, don't do this, please..." The blonde let his head fall forwards then, chin resting on his chest. Mustang just shook his head and smiled, as if he found the boy's words funny.

"Edward, Edward, Edward. You know I can't let you go, its not safe, not out there, not for you. If I let you go you'd only get hurt again, and I can't have that. And Edward? Please don't call me Colonel, its so formal, and besides, Im not a colonel any more, now am I? I gave all that up for you, to keep you here, keep you safe." He knelt before the boy then, steering the boy's resigned face up to his own, sliding a finger over the trembling lip.

"Colonel - Mustang, i please /i ..." The force of the slap then jolted his whole world to the side. Tears stung his eyes but he blinked them back determinedly.

"Stop that Edward, I've already told you. You're not leaving, you're not going to go get hurt again. Every week I sent you out you'd come back bruised and battered and broken. Not anymore though, I wont send you out, you i won't /i leave." He smiled then, looking at the boy's amber eyes, like sunlight on a cloudy day. They were full of fear and loathing. The man chuckled. He trailed his hand from the boy's neck to the band of black leather that circled the delicate neck, loop on one side fastened securely to a light chain, alchemically sound and nigh unbreakable. The ingenious nature of the leather made him smile, the array carefully tapped on the other side would be activated by any use of alchemy by the form it touched, creating great pain, feeding off the energy it harnessed from the other transmutation. He had demonstrated it the first night, when Edward had come to him, when he had saved the boy.

He had made it so that Edward couldn't use his alchemy, to keep him safe, but he had also removed the metal arm at the shoulder, twisting the wiring gently, just enough that the boy could not attach it himself, one handed. The former military officer wasn't stupid.

Mustang remembered the tray then, bringing it over to set by the blonde's mismatched feet, he could see then sticking out the bottom of the baggy cotton pants the boy wore, the only thing he wore. Mustang told himself it was because the little basement room got quite warm when the fire was high, but in reality he knew it was just to allow the expanses of skin to be bared for him, the planes of the boy's chest, stomach, back. He ran a finger over the flesh ankle before lifting the first sandwich to Edward's mouth. When he got no reaction he frowned.

"I know you haven't eaten anything today, my pet. Starving yourself will only make you miserable, and I don't want to see you miserable. If I have to force feed you this I will, I am only thinking of your health and comfort here after all." The boy winced slightly at this, then shifted, turning his head towards the former colonel and opening his mouth slightly, allowing the sandwich and the fingers that held it entry. He knew the drill now, he'd done it once before. He knew the man would not remove his fingers until he had gotten what he wanted, and he wanted Edward's cooperation and warm tongue.

The blonde sucked gently on the fingers, after swallowing, hoping this was all the man would want. They had never done anything beyond this but he saw the look in the older alchemist's eyes when he scanned the blonde's body, Edward knew the blank stare he received meant Mustang had some further intentions, something more amorous in nature. He swallowed nervously, hoping he had read the expression wrong, knowing that he hadn't. He swallowed silently, eyes squeezed shut, trying to block the tears he felt.

One by one Mustang picked up the little sandwiches, and one by one Edward silently ate them, wishing he could turn away. He was hungry though, and inside he was almost grateful for the food, though if given a choice he would rather starve than eat from that man's hand. But he had no choice, the other hadn't given him one. The man smiled when the last sandwich was swallowed, reaching for the bowl of fruit then, stopping briefly to take a sip of his tea. He smirked then.

"I know how you like sweet things Edward, so I got you this treat. I think I may add tinned fruits to the supply list at some point, I would love to have something special for you every day." He picked up the first sticky slippery slice and held it out to the blonde who took it almost eagerly, licking the syrup from the fingers nimbly. Amber eyes watched as onyx hued orbs fell to half mast, thickening with lust at the feeling on his digits.

Ed flinched a little as a purr of pleasure left the older man, not having meant for it to come this far. Things were slightly out of his control now, not that they ever really were his to steer to begin with. The man picked up a piece of syrupy fruit from the now almost empty bowl and clenched it tightly between his own lips before leaning forwards to the boy, offering it up. Edward closed his mouth around the tidbit tentatively, trying for as little contact as possible between them. Mustang allowed it the first time, but the second he held more firmly, waiting for Edward to come closer before offering it, letting their lips touch, breaching contact in degrees until he pushed each piece past the boy's lips with his tongue, lingering longer each time. By the time the last fruit was transferred Edward didn't flinch at all, resigned to the contact. That last kiss lasted far after the final traces of fruit and syrup had left the boy's mouth. When Mustang pulled back and let the boy breathe, in short haunting gasps, he smiled.

"You're being so good Edward, very very good." Dark eyes ran over the tanned skin, the chest rising and falling rapidly with each panting breath, the slight flush trailing from his face down to the waistband of the loose pants he wore, slung low on his hips. When Mustang spoke again his voice was thicker, like syrup on his tongue. "You're beautiful like this Edward. I bet you don't know it but you are." Pale fingers reached out then, tracing the curve of the boy's collarbone, the divot that split it, the hills and valley of the musculature of the chest, the stomach, rolling down to the slight cavern of the belly button. Mustang smiled, curling his other hand to rest on the boy's cheek then, while the first curved around one cloth covered hip. "Look at all those tiny scars, Edward, look at the patterns of pain they make, written across your perfect skin. I can keep there from being any more, I can keep there form being anymore marks upon your flesh ... if you can learn to be good that is. If not Im not sure what I can do, you really do bring these things down on yourself." Her leaned forwards then, setting his forehead against the boy's, half lidded midnight eyes looking into wide golden orbs. "Why do you do this, Edward? Do you enjoy the pain? Because I can bring you pain of you want, I can bring you anything." Edward made a small desperate noise in the back of his throat then.

"Then let me go, let me see my brother at least, I have to see if Al is okay. I have to-" The sharp pain in his cheek came again, the backhanded slap snapping his head to one side and leaving him dazed, eyes slightly unfocused.

"Edward, i stop this right now /i . You're only going to get yourself hurt more, and I can't let that happen. Al is fine, he has his body, your quest and obligation is over now. You can relax, you can be safe now, I promise." Edward only whimpered softly as the pale hands cupped his cheek, rubbing over his neck and shoulders, one trailing to the tanned hip once more, pushing the cotton fabric down to show the skin stretched taught over angular bone. Mustang's thumb massaged the hollow of his pelvic bone, as he leaned forward and breathed deep the boy's scent, oblivious to the form beneath him trying to wriggle away. He sighed though, and stepped away from the boy.

"Well, Edward, I should let you get some sleep, right? We can't do anything tomorrow if you don't get to sleep, and I have rounds to make in the morning, but by the afternoon I should be able to come back. I'll try to bring you something to read when I come, would you like that?" Edward didn't answer, he just stared at the floor at Mustang's feet, willing the man to leave him in peace. Mustang stepped back once more, mounting the steps quickly and appearing again a moment later with a pillow and several blankets in hand. He dropped them by the boy, smiling. "Here you are then, Edward, get comfortable in these. Im going to have to put the fire down here out, it might get a little cold. Maybe later in the winter I'll move the bed down here and we can share, it will be warmer that way."

With the fire thoroughly out Mustang walked to the steps, the room much darker now, and waved to the boy, struggling to get comfortable in the small nest of blankets. He whispered goodnight before he stepped up the last of the stairs and shut the trap door above, dropping the room below, and Edward in it, into total darkness.