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Affirmation of Love
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"I noticed that someone brought Hawkeye flowers today," Ed said as he set his report on Roy's desk. There was a grunt, but no other response as Roy continued to pour over the documents on his desk.
With a sigh, Ed mused out loud, "You know, there was once a time you used to bring me flowers..." Not that he really ever wanted or needed someone to bring him flowers, but it was always nice to have the person you cared about do something nice for you.
"That's true," Roy finally said, still not looking up. Ed let out a sound of frustration when Roy didn't seem to get the hint.
Leaning against the desk, Ed said, "It's a pretty big bouquet. Lots of flowers. Probably really expensive." He paused to give the top of Roy's head a scowl. "Someone must really like her. She's pretty lucky."
For a moment, nothing happened, then Roy slowly lifted his head. Irritation radiated from his eyes despite the picture of calm painted on his face. "Flowers, huh?" Ed smiled, glad that Roy had actually listened to him.
Sitting back in his chair, Roy stared at Ed for a long while. Finally, he stood up and walked over to the window. This was not quite the reaction Ed had expected.
"Come here, Ed," Roy murmured, moving aside slightly so that Ed could get a good view out the window. Roy's office was on the fourth floor of East City Headquarters and he had a great view of the city beyond.
"What do you see?" Roy asked when he looked out the window.
"Is this some sort of trick question?" Ed asked as he let his eyes travel over the city in the distance, then to the well tended grounds of the main military building in East City.
"Just tell me."
Ed rolled his eyes at the ever patient tone, then said, "Buildings, cars, grass, trees, flowers, bushes..." He paused, then, "Yeah, that's about it."
In the corner of his eye, Ed saw Roy nod. "All of those flowers are for you."
"What...?" Ed asked, not sure he understood.
"All of those flowers, all of those trees, every blade of grass... I'm giving them all to you."
Ed glanced out the window again, then back to Roy's face—which was filled with earnest sincerity—before starting to laugh. "I think the fuhrer might object to that!"
At that, the corner of Roy's lips turned up into the beginnings of a smile. "I didn't say you get to take it all home with you." He glanced out the window. "Hawkeye's flowers will eventually die and that will be the end of them. What you see out there... well, come winter they'll die, but they'll be back the next year, and the year after that. Every time you walk past those flowers, you can know that they're yours because I said they are." He lowered his voice and looked back down at Ed. "And since I'm going to become fuhrer someday, then I have every right to give those to you."
Ed smirked, "That's an awfully nice way of saying that you're a cheapskate."
Roy folded his arms and stared balefully down at Ed for a moment; then, shrugging, turned around and sat back at his desk. "Well, we were going to get lunch today, but..." He reached for the phone. "I'd be glad to spend that money on buying you a bunch of flowers..."
Ed's smirk instantly vanished as he hurried over and put his hand on Roy's. "Wait!" he said quickly. Every week they had lunch together at the same place—something that Roy had always paid for... "What I meant to say was..."
"What you meant to say was that I'm the most romantic man you've ever laid eyes on and that no amount of flowers could take the place of my feeding you all the time." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, exactly," Ed agreed quickly.
"You also meant to say that you'd take out the garbage when you get home?" Roy added.
"That's righ—now wait a minute," Ed objected. "It's your turn!"
Shrugging dramatically, Roy began to pick up the receiver, but Ed pushed his hand back down. "Evil bastard..." he growled playfully, but they both knew that Roy had won this one. With a sigh of resignation, Ed let go of Roy's hand and pulled his watch from his pocket to check the time.
"Meet you at the normal place in an hour?" he asked.
Roy nodded and gave him a small smile before dropping his gaze back to his work. Ed watched him for a moment before leaving the office. No hugs were given, no kisses exchanged. There were no deep words of passion or elaborate expressions of love, but when Ed walked out of the front doors of East City Headquarters, he saw the flowers and felt a quiet affirmation of the love he and Roy had for each other.