The hall just off the grand Ballroom was empty, and his footsteps rang loudly as he crossed towards the oaken doors at one end. This hall itself was cavernous, all sound echoing until it was swallowed up by the shadows not quite covered by the small chandelier hanging from the ceiling, or the over extravagant lamps on the wall. His hand reached out to the doorknob and he twisted it, very gently tugging at it so perchance he might sneak in unnoticed.

"Damn fucking architects, who designed these fucking doors anyway? Everyone knows that a door is harder to pull if the doorknob is in the fucking middle, no matter how stylish it is."

"You know," The voice behind him almost made him jump, if his controlled instincts weren't so good, he probably would have. He spun, ready to fight the person who could sneak through the hall so quietly. "There is a back way in. Though if you want to go through the door in everyone's line of sight, be my guest."

He growled. The black haired, black eyed owner of the voice smirked.

"Or do go in. You're so short I doubt anyone would see you anyway."

Five years ago, the first probably would have reacted. But the blonde with his hand on the doorhandle had grown quite a lot in the past five years, free of the weight of his old automail arm and leg, though he still had the scars where the port and metal had been converted into flesh, if one looked closeley, they could see the outline of joints on his bare hand. He looked ever so slightly down at the black haired man, and smiled.

It had become an old joke between fr... not enemies.

He leaned back against the door, and his smile changed into a smirk. "Why aren't you in there, Old man?"

"Old? Why my dear boy, I'll have you know that I'm only 34." Was the reply. The boy smirked.

"Yes, and I'm twenty. Now, answer the question."

The black haired one smirked, the boy had grown a lot more relaxed after the completion of his mission. He no longer held the impatient air of driving forward and I want everything NOW, because he was no longer racing against the clock. The blonde man was incredibly resourceful.

"I'm not needed in there yet, Fullmetal."

This got the blonde to laugh outright, an honest sound. "Not needed?" He asked, mirth twinkling in his eyes as he fought of chuckles. "Roy! It's your own bloody promotion gala! It's not everyday that someone becomes the Prime minister you know."

Roy smirked. "Yet, you were late. Anyone but me would have gotten offended at that, Edward, however, I know that even though you do have your watch, you don't know how to use it properly."

Edward growled, but let it pass. "Okay, mister Big shot, where's this back door?"

Roy walked with Edward to it and into the ballroom, where music played, and women in beautiful gowns swirled around their partners in the standard military regalia.

The two made their way to the floor, neither one having to ask the other the embarrassing question that they watched countless others gathering their wits for. However, even as Roy swirled Ed around the floor, as they fought for the lead, Ed sighed gently, into the new Prime minister's shoulder, "You know, I'm only dancing with you because Hawkeye's too tall."

Roy let out a soft laugh. "If you say so, Fullmetal."

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