Rose Avenue Plaza had this thing about it in fall, when moist pavement gleamed from the sun of a clear day; just after the rain that drenched the red covered pavement. The rain had come after sun, which gave the plaza an interestingly sweet smell that Roy Mustang always loved, and sun had come after rain, adorning the sky with a faded rainbow. People were scattered about, each enjoying the day; and there were a few twenty-something women prancing, giggles like bells in the air.

Roy Mustang smiled to himself, turning his face to see that band of lights. It was nice to have a day, every once in a while, with nothing to think of but the weather. On these days he enjoyed waltzing about Rose Avenue, Central's hub of engrossing stores and delicious coffee.

It was Sunday. Almost time to get back to work. Nonetheless, he would try to make the best of his remaining hours, free.

He kicked his feet up as he slowly traipsed, circling the plaza fountain with the sounds of lighthearted people echoing around him. He watched the fountain, the sun as he rotated its axis.

These depictions came to a hush as his eyes fell on a pair of large, armored shoulders. Of course, it was Alphonse, sitting on the fountain, and ever by his side was a smaller pair of shoulders, Edward.

They were talking, but Roy could not hear what they were saying. In the middle of Ed's inaudible sentence, Alphonse took a few glances around the plaza until he noticed Roy.

"Oh, brother, look! It's the colonel.

Fullmetal seemed to slump in dismay before turning to see Roy. The moody teen rose with a salute. Alphonse quickly joined him, saluting with the wrong hand until Edward nudged him in correction.

An effortless half-smile tugged at Roy's lips without command, and he began to greet them—

However, there was the catch. They were off duty, and yet they were speaking. The main matter being; should the name be Edward? Fullmetal? Major?

Roy settled for none of the above.

"At ease. You two out enjoying the weather?" He asked.

"Yes-"
"It's not like it's enjoyable, it's freezing."
"-Brother, cut it out."

"Yes, we're enjoying the weather," Fullmetal sighed, ultimately speechless, eyes fluttering from the ground to Roy's chest quietly as he struggled with words. For an incomprehensible reason, he felt as though he were presenting himself to be approved or not- and he had not had to do such a thing for a long while, perhaps since his childhood. "I... don't think we've ever met off duty. I wouldn't have imagined you wearing a hoodie." Ed quipped with a stiff upper lip.

Roy chuckled, a reply just reaching the tip of his tongue.

...

Instead, he saw the ruffled patchwork scarf that Ed wore, and the pastel striped cardigan that hung off him, and how it was buttoned only once- in the middle.

What? Was that a brightly colored scarf? Why, Roy wondered, was it ruffled and pink?

"I wouldn't have imagined you wearing anything other than that dreadful coat." Roy said dutifully.

The major shrugged, and managed to reply, "Well, I try to wear something that is professional to work. Try to stick with the monotones. Blah." Edward felt that he had failed as he said that.

"No, no, the coat is fine," Roy remarked, looking down at the crown of his head, avoiding his offended expression. The already small-framed boy seemed even smaller than the man he usually saw at work.

"Um, well I am absolutely digging this weather." Alphonse interjected.

"There's something about fall in Central, isn't there? What are you up to today?" Roy said.

"We... I don't know. Ed and I were just kind of talking at the fountain. Nothing much. What about you?"

Roy only nodded distractedly, eyes returning to scrape along Edward's clothes.

"Sure you aren't on your way from the boutique? You sure are looking... Well, you know…"

"No," Edward said definitively, cutting off Roy's trailing, "I mean, I'm not on my way to the store. I was just studying here. By this fountain. Can we stop talking about clothes?"

"Did Alphonse pick this outfit for you?"

"No!" Alphonse said, bursting into an bellowing laugh.

"No?"

"Nope," Edward said to his feet.

…

Finally, Edward shot his best glare at Roy. "Okay. Even if I'm arrested by the fashion police, you're the one who's going to get his ass dishonorably discharged for ogling me."

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm rightfully curious as to why you're wearing girl's clothes."

Edward's face went bright read, his surprised brow figuratively sparking with fire. His mouth opened and closed, trying to retort, and he looked at Alphonse for any sort of…

Alphonse looked away.

Edward breathed, and pattered, "No, I'm... God, is this really such a problem, Colonel? Does this make me any less of an alchemist?" His mouth was shut as soon as it had opened.

The defense was practiced, but full of energy that Roy was not sure he could combat, so he exhaled, and averted his eyes.

Upon letting them return in a few seconds to the teen's face, Roy noticed there the glow of maturity and familiar energy that he was so used to seeing at work.

That glow was still there, and perhaps it had never left. This was Edward Elric playing Edward Elric, unchangingly defiant, real, but in a different light.

Roy Mustang just wasn't used to seeing his subordinates in full color, he supposed. Nor had he seen one so comfortable within themselves. Once you've fought a war, and grown old, you lose the ability to sit comfortably in your existence.

In addition, suddenly, the twinge in his chest that he thought was some odd sickness was identified as pride.

Pride?

Hell if Roy could make sense of that.

"Sorry," Roy said, averting his gaze in embarrassment, "I'll see you at work," he said, and walked away.

All of the three checked over their shoulders as they parted.