Title:  The Adventures of Roy Mustang: Sex Ed Teacher, and sequel Better Living Through Alchemy
Fandom:  Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing:  Ed/Roy, Al/surprise female, and background het pairings
Categories:  action, drama, virgin, angst, romance, humor; for the sequel, AU, angst, romance, humor, established relationship, post-series
Length:  EPIC {Between the two, 448,000 words!}
Warnings:  violence, some suicidal depression, politics, and underage sex; flashback allusions to dubcon and noncon; apparent character death


Author on LJ: sky_dark 
Website:  Her page on Adultfanfiction.net

Review:  In Adventures, Flame Alchemist Roy Mustang realizes that the teenage Fullmetal Alchemist has a crush on him.  He laughingly decides to "educate" Edward in the ways of sex and romance - not aware that they are falling in love, and that issues of age, power, ambition and treachery can't be brushed aside forever.  There is inevitable heartbreak as the story roughly follows anime canon, but also hope when Edward returns.  In Better Living, the differences between canon and the events of this world are explored, as years have passed and the happy couple have found themselves busy working and campaigning.  Other couples also take the spotlight.

I feel remiss in not having recommended this epic before.  If you are at all interested in FMA, but have been wondering when and where to stick your toes into fandom, *these* are the fics to begin with... whether or not you are familiar with canon.  Even those who don't like Ed/Roy should still be able to appreciate the depth and breadth of the world that Skydark has created in these staple fics of the fandom.  The stories aren't perfect, of course.  To carry the plot required a horde of OCs, who are engaging but do cut down on canon-character time.  Skydark opted to use her own voice rather than keep the original flavor, and while there are similarities these versions of Ed, Roy, et al are far more snarky and romantic than canon's - not that I consider that a flaw, but your mileage may vary.  (In fact, I appreciate Skydark's narrative voice a great deal - I find it a pleasure to read every dialogue and description, finding humor in the unlikeliest of places.)

I also admire Skydark's courage.  First: This author bravely doesn't brush Ed's canon age under the rug, the way that fandom usually does, and the scenes in which Roy has to bear up under the condemnation of old friends are poignant and realistic.  Second: Homosexual relationships are just as awkward in this world as reality, and Roy's ventures into politics bring uncomfortable levels of scrutiny upon his relationships, just as you would expect.  Third: In Ed's time "away", he had some experiences that I would classify as dubcon/noncon, and he clams up - as he would canonically - but then actually talks them out with Roy when he sees that their relationship is faltering.  Amazing!

[Note for FMA n00bs: I wouldn't *really* recommend a complete heartbreaker to you, no matter what the characters think.  I promise, no character deaths.]

The Adventures of Roy Mustang, Sex Ed Teacher
Better Living Through Alchemy  (sequel)