Disclaimer! 8D: FMA isn't mine. I'm dealing with it, somehow.

This fic induces cavaties - it is that sugary. Seriously. And I apologise in advance for that. I wrote it ages ago, literally years, before I was tainted with the Explicit Yaoi brush (well...I still was, but not as much as I am now =D)

Oh! Um...I got told that I wasn't supposed to introduce an OC in a oneshot fic, but Arisu will probably appear in later fics I write too. She's basically just me - mad and obsessed with Al =) I wanted Al to be paired with someone too in this, to give Ed a reason to be upset, and I can't pair him with anyone except me coz otherwise I just get really pissed off and go on a female-killing-spree. Which, although it would rid the world of ROSE (D8), murdering isn't really socially acceptable.

Reviews aren't essential, but are appreciated ^^

Roy Mustang looked down with a smirk at the eyes, so like pools of golden honey, that stared up at him from underneath the golden bangs of Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist, first-class seducer and shrimp. Honestly, this boy looked almost too small to be alive, as he had pointed out on more than a couple of occasions, and was met by a stony glare and obvious restraint on Elric's part, which he found he liked to some extent.

And now, here was the enchanting little thing with his bewitching gaze and (he noted) impeccably tight trousers, sitting in his office, waiting to be given his next assignment. Headquarters was quiet – Armstrong was giving one of his 'pep talks', which Roy had declined an invitation to, lying about needing to do paperwork. Actually, come to think of it, it wasn't really a lie – there was an abundance of paperwork that had been waiting for his signature for some time, but he was damned if he was going to do it during a visit from Edward Elric. More than once there had been flirtatious glances cast between them (indeed, once the air had been so thick with promise that he'd had to open a window), but other than that Edward had shown no interest in pursuing a relationship with him. And this was what the colonel found most attractive about him, although he was by no means willing to jeopardise his position by getting involved with a fellow State Alchemist, especially not a minor under his command.

Sometimes he came accompanied by his younger brother Alphonse, but today he was alone. No doubt Al was talking to the new girl – a rather curvaceous (if Roy had not been extremely courteous when women were involved, he would have said downright podgy) individual who was only a couple of inches taller than Edward herself. She'd had her heart set on him even since she'd heard what had happened to him, and that he liked cats. Now they seemed to be spending all of their time together – a fact which he was sure displeased Ed, and which he chose not to tease him about. Roy had temporarily forgotten her name – wasn't it something like Arina?

"No Alphonse-kun today?" he remarked with his best important, professional air, disguising his approval at the smooth expanse of chest visible beneath the cropped black jacket. The red coat Edward usually wore lay discarded on the floor beside the pair of stout black boots, and Roy could not help but feel that this was somehow for his benefit. The folds of black material cleverly disguised the well-toned body hidden from view – giving strangers the mistaken impression that this was a normal fifteen-year-old boy. Roy, however, was not fooled – he was well aware of the boy's power, having fought him once in a match that Edward had suggested. The winner was unapparent, as the Fuhrer himself had stepped in to halt the attacks, but Roy had a suspicion that, had they have kept going, Edward would have emerged triumphant. In a way, he was glad that the match had been stopped – losing to a teenager would have damaged his reputation beyond repair.

"No," glowered Ed moodily in response to his question – clearly this was a touchy subject. Roy did not expect any more information on the subject, and he wasn't about to ask, but Ed supplied him with some more details of his own accord as his scowl deepened. "He's hanging out with Arisu-chan." Aha. Bull's-eye.

"Right," said Roy, grouping his papers together and looking prestigious. "I've been looking over your reports, Fullmetal."

Almost immediately, Ed's look turned to one of child-like obstinacy. "What about them?"

Roy chose not to answer straight away – he simply shot the boy a knowing look. After about a minute of sitting in silence and attempting to appear imperative, he spoke.

"So, the Philosopher's Stone in Lior was a fake as well? How long are you going to continue to waste military funds on this wild goose chase?"

He glanced upwards from his papers – which were not in fact Ed's reports, but a detailed letter of instructions on exactly how to care for Black Hayate, left for him by Lieutenant Hawkeye before she went on holiday (he was already making plans on how to use the dog for his bidding) – to see the effect his words had had on Ed. To his disappointment, the boy was looking out of the window, obviously not paying attention to a thing he said. He dropped his gaze back down to the last few lines of the letter: I would like to take the liberty of reminding you, with the greatest respect sir, that a dog is NOT a human slave, and I will be able to tell if you have been treating him as one while I am away. Also please, for once, be kind to Edo-kun. He's feeling a little left out at the moment.

It was sound, sensible advice, but Roy decided to ignore it for the time being, and began his favourite pastime – teasing Ed about his height. Or, rather, the lack of it.

"Oh?" he exclaimed, making a big show of lifting up his feet and looking about around his desk near to the ground, "Where's Edward-kun?" He held his breath a little in anticipation. Sure enough, the furious answer came back within a matter of seconds.

"I'm here!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't see you because of the pile of papers."

The look of pure, unadulterated resentment and rage that Ed was shooting him caused him to laugh freely for a few minutes. When he finally reined in his amusement, to his dismay, Ed had gone back to staring out of the window, looking thoroughly dejected and miserable. Against his professional instincts, he felt inclined to say something to him – something that would comfort him and protect him from the depression surrounding him.

"You're really not yourself today, are you, Fullmetal? Usually a comment like that would result in you sulking and looking daggers at me for at least ten minutes."

He received an offended look, but nothing else after that. Something about the silence that followed unnerved him a little.

"What's up?"

There was another short, tense silence, during which Ed presumably decided whether he could be trusted, and how much teasing would follow as a result of him confessing to what was bothering him. Roy made a mental note not to tease Ed about this, whatever it was. Eventually, Ed seemed to come to a conclusion.

"It's…" he began, before stopping, and casting an anxious look at Roy, imploring him to understand and not take the piss out of him for it.

"Go on," said Roy, in what he hoped was an encouraging way.

Ed nodded and went on. "I don't like the way Al is spending all his time with Ari-chan. It's not that I don't like her," he seemed very anxious to make this point across, "she's nice, and I know that she's not just messing Al around, but we seem to be seeing each other less and less, and…well, he's the only family I've got left," he finished lamely, hanging his head slightly, obviously expecting Roy to laugh, or scoff, or simply change the subject abruptly. As it happened, Roy did none of these things.

"Don't worry about it, Edo-kun." The tenderness in his voice and his use of the nickname stunned him somewhat, but he kept speaking. "Even if Alphonse-kun is spending time with someone else, you must remember that he is still your brother, and he respects and admires you beyond belief. He'll still need you, there's no doubt about that, and I'm sure he doesn't mean for you to feel left out. But such is the glory of first love. Have you ever been in love, Ed?" This last question surprised him, and he didn't quite know why he had asked it, but he was distracted when he looked over at Ed anyway. To his amazement, a small tear was making its way down the boy's face, and he made no attempt to brush it away or conceal it. Silently, Roy got up and walked over to the pathetic little form, putting an awkwardly affectionate arm around his shoulders.

Unexpectedly, Ed clutched his gloved hand with his own and laughed hollowly.

"Sorry. I haven't cried in a long time."

This didn't make sense to Roy, but rather than admit it, he just said "It's alright, I don't mind," which wasn't really much of an answer, but seemed to comfort Ed anyway. They stayed like this for some time, and Roy was beginning to wonder whether his position was really of that greater importance, and whether he ought not to just throw caution to the winds and kiss Edward until neither of them could breathe, when the boy spoke again.

"In answer to your question, Colonel, yes, I suppose I am in love." There was the faintest hint of embarrassment in his voice and a soft blush in his cheeks which Roy found vaguely adorable.

"Are you perhaps in love with Arisu-chan?" he asked, suddenly dreading the answer.

"God, no!" laughed Ed. "No, it's someone completely different." Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Care to enlighten me?"

Ed lowered his eyes and began to trace invisible patterns on the oak table in front of him. "I'd rather not, if that's all the same with you, Colonel," he said delicately. But the colour rising in his cheeks and the way he looked at Roy a couple of seconds later betrayed him. Golden eyes peered beseechingly up at him, his hair shone in the sunlight and there was a slight smirk on his face. The little bastard looked damn alluring, and he knew it.

Roy sighed. There was no use fighting temptation. If it was something they both wanted, then why should it be denied? So he leaned forward until his raven hair was brushing Ed's cheeks.

This was something that he had neither experienced, nor prepared for in all his encounters with women.

Ed's lips were soft, and warm, and even though it was obvious that this was his first kiss, he wasn't a bad kisser at all. Roy had mixed feelings about the situation he found himself in. Part of him was wondering what had happened to not getting involved with a minor under his command, but most of him was appreciating how good this felt, how right the heart beating next to his was, how much he wanted this to last as long as possible. He did not say forever, for fear of sounding cliché, but it was there in his subconciousness, whether he knew it or not.

He drew away after a couple of minutes, and Ed cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "What was that, Colonel?"

And so Roy knew. It was pointless telling himself not to get involved with a minor, because he was already involved with a minor, and had been for quite some time, if he had cared to notice it.

"That, Fullmetal, was the briefing for your next assignment."

Ed gave him an innocent, questioning look. "Oh?"

"Oh indeed," sighed Roy, flopping down onto the sofa next to him. "What a mess I've become."

"Sorry."

Roy waved away the apology. "Not your fault." Even though it was really, but he knew he couldn't help it. "So, where do you want to take it from here?"

Ed initiated their next kiss. It began as being chaste and timid, but as he gained confidence, it became wanton and fuelled with passion, and Roy found himself wanting nothing else than to be here, kissing these insatiable lips, for the rest of his life.

And so the bridge was ventured across, and though he knew that for the most part he would be groping blindly in the dark, he took comfort in the fact that Ed would be there, holding his hand every step of the way.

When they eventually emerged from the office, rather pink and breathless, they were met by Hughes, who looked and acknowledged silently, but refrained from comment. And as they went out into the courtyard, they saw Al and Ari sitting on the low wall by the fountain, cooing over a tiny kitten. Ed sighed, but when Roy looked he was smiling. Ari stretched up to place a shy kiss on Al's cheek, before they both turned away, blushing. Roy felt softness on his own cheek, and turned to see Ed there, with a look in his eyes that he'd never seen before. He grinned.

"So, are you quite happy standing on tiptoe to reach me? Or would you like a box?"

There was the familiar glare of irritation, but underneath that was something else – something Roy had never expected to see from Ed at all.

The words 'I love you' weren't needed – they'd come later.

For the moment, those eyes of golden honey said it all.

Thanks very much for reading! ^^