Another challenge with velvet_mace , this time with sarah_the_crab providing the pairing: Basque Gran/Ed.  Yep.  Sorry for OOC-ness.  Not too familiar with the anime.  ^^'''

Recklessness

All right. Edward Elric was really beginning to have a problem with this dog.

Groaning, Ed shifted under Alexander, feeling some rocks dig into his stomach. How many times a day did Alexander have to jump him, anyway? Dammit, did Alexander think he was small enough to imitate a chew toy? Stupid dog. Edward growled and restlessly kicked the ground.

"Alphonse!" Ed shouted, kicking the ground. "Al, get this dog off of me!"

Alexander panted above his head. Ed scowled. "Alphonse!" he shouted. "Nina!" He hesitated a moment. "Mr. Tucker?"

"Your brother took Mr. Tucker’s daughter to the park," an unfamiliar voice said coldly. Edward twisted enough so he could look above him. A military man towered above him, an alchemist, Ed surmised by the watch in his pocket. Ed glared up at the hard, cold face. "Mr. Tucker is busy working on his assessment. He does not need to be bothered by a boy and his dog."

Golden eyes blazed. Alerted by the same sense that warned animals of tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters, Alexander jumped off and ran behind the house.

"Who are you calling so small that he’s mistaken for a fetus?!"

The older state alchemist didn’t flinch as Edward leaped to his feet, young face twisted into a snarl. "A twelve-year old child," the man said flatly. He looked Ed over, and Ed bristled. "I expected Colonel Mustang’s prodigy to be taller."

By that time, Edward was shaking with rage. "Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that?" he growled.

The large man still looked unimpressed. "I am Brigadier General Basque Gran, Mr. Tucker’s sponsor. I came to check on his progress."

Edward glowered. "So you’re the Iron-Blooded Alchemist. You’re the one who classified Tucker’s research!" Edward’s mental Al was currently smacking his own head with a large book. As usual, Ed ignored him. Angrily, Edward crossed his arms and glared. "Why?"

The dark eyes seemed to grow even colder. "So you admit to attempting to delve into classified research?"

As if Edward didn’t despise him enough for interrupting his work, now the asshole was trying to really piss him off. "It wouldn’t have been classified if you hadn’t given that order!" he snapped.

Gran looked down at him, and Edward crossed his arms tightly across his chest. His automail arm was cold, and he bit back a hiss at the chill. Gran eyed the metal arm. Ed tensed. The yard seemed really large and empty right then. "It was classified for reasons beyond the understanding of mere children," Gran replied coolly. "Didn’t your sponsor tell you anything about how the military worked?"

The young blond blinked. "Sponsor?"

Gran very deliberately rolled his eyes. "You are but a child, aren’t you?" he murmured. "I would have suspected Mustang as your sponsor would have taught you a bit about being a man." Something glittered in those dark eyes, and Ed stood up as straight as he could. He still didn’t even come up to the man’s shoulders. "Or Tucker, for that matter."

Surprised, Ed faltered. "W-what are you talking about?" he demanded, then cleared his throat. "And stop calling me a child, dammit! I’m going to be a state alchemist soon!"

A small smile slipped through on the Brigadier General’s face, barely discernable but enough to freeze Ed’s blood. I’m not a child! Ed snapped at himself, ashamed of his nervousness. There was no reason to be nervous around this man.

None at all.

"Only men can become state alchemists," Gran said softly. "Not children like you."

The Al in Ed’s mind was screaming at him to remember himself, remember his mission, remember to ask about those damned classified files. Gran’s mocking tones easily drowned it out.

Something glinted in those eyes. Edward focused on the man’s nose. "Mustang is neglecting his duties again," Gran murmured. "Not particularly surprising."

Edward breathed hard in and out of his nose. "What the fuck are you talking about?! What duties? And dammit, I’m not a child!"

Gran took a step forward. The blond’s pride refused to allow him to take a step back. One large hand rose and rested on Edward’s shoulder. The small alchemist’s breath caught in his throat.

Gran noticed his reaction. One dark eyebrow rose. "You seem like a child to me."

Mental Al’s wailing voice was easily silenced by Edward’s growing desperation. I can’t be a child! I can’t be! I have to become a state alchemist and turn Al back to normal!

"I’m not a child!" Ed roared, stomping forward. Gran’s hand slid off Edward’s shoulder to the small of his back. The blond resisted the urge to shiver.

"It caused quite an uproar when it was discovered Colonel Mustang had found a child to sponsor," Gran continued. It sounded like he was attempting casual, but the Iron-Blooded Alchemist’s voice seemed as hard as his name to Edward. The man’s other hand rose and settled on Edward’s hip. "It’ll be quite damaging to his reputation if you should fail."

"Why should I care about that bastard?" Edward hissed indignantly. His skin crawled under the man’s touch. He didn’t move. I’mnotachildi’mnotachild–

Gran’s lips quirked the slightest bit. His hand slid down, moving smoothly over the fabric of Edward’s coat. Edward swallowed thickly as the large hand cupped his small ass. It squeezed once, hard, before pulling back. Those dark eyes never left the blond’s face as the hand formerly holding his ass grabbed Edward’s hand. The mildest tremor went through the boy as Gran pulled his hand around to the front of his own pants. Something hard and hot throbbed in his palm.

"Prove it," Gran mocked. Edward’s wrist ached; his palm burned. He licked his lips once before forcing himself to take a deep breath.

"I’m not a child!" the twelve-year-old hissed, gripping the cock under his hand. Another quirk of Gran’s lips and he began moving Ed’s hand up and down his length. Ed hoped Gran didn’t notice how his fingers were shaking.

It felt so odd under his hand. After a moment, Gran no longer needed to guide his hand. Edward was stroking Gran’s cock himself, trying to wrap his small fingers around that impressive length. Even through the pants, it was bigger than Ed’s hand.

One hand was still hard on Ed’s shoulder. It tightened and began pushing downwards. Ed paused in his ministrations, staring at the man in confusion. "Prove it," Gran repeated, tangling the fingers of his free hand with the hand on his cock. Ed began to tremble as Gran aided him in unzipping his pants. His other hand was still pressing hard on Ed’s shoulder. Shaking, Ed locked his knees and didn’t respond.

"Edward," Jean Havoc called, and Gran released Edward. The boy stumbled backwards, but he couldn’t help but notice that the other man was beginning to zip his pants back up.

Havoc stood in front of his car at the end of the walk, his eyes harder than Ed had ever seen them. "Colonel Mustang sent me for you," he said, reaching out his hand to Edward. Ed hurried over to him. "Brigadier General. I wasn’t expecting you here."

Gran walked past Havoc, head high. Very obviously, he adjusted his pants as he walked by. "Tell the colonel I said hello," he tossed over his shoulder.

Edward shivered as Havoc touched his shoulder for a moment. "Where’s Alphonse?" he asked softly. "Playing with little Nina again in the park, right?"

Ed nodded numbly, and Havoc smiled at him before leading him to the car. Ed took a step with him before something made him turn his head. He looked back in time to see Shou Tucker walking away from the window.