Their first kiss came suddenly, but not without complete warning. Over the past few months during an investigation that had drawn them closer, Edward had noticed the spark of attraction that had grown with time. At first Edward had played it down as something that was just a boyhood crush, something that would fade with the winter, but as November turned into December Edward found that instead of fading their bond was in fact, strengthening.

So, when Mustang appeared behind him on the doorstep and cleared his throat, Ed tried to ignore the fact that he hadn't heard Mustang approach from behind. To cover his embarrassment he settled on glaring at his commanding officer.

"You're late," he said doing his best to show as much irritation as possible.

"If you just came into the office like a normal subordinate would this wouldn't be a problem, now would it Fullmetal?" Mustang snarked back. Edward didn't have anything to say to that because it was true. If Ed hadn't insisted on their meeting here, then Ed wouldn't have had to wait out in the cold for the past…Ed looked down at his watch, hour and thirteen minutes. Mustang unlocked the door and stepped through, holding it open for Edward who tried not to sigh in relief at the warmth as he entered the entry hallway. It wasn't unfamiliar territory – he'd been here enough over the past few months to be comfortable in the other alchemist's domain. Today though, it felt different. Mustang took his coat from his shoulders, and Ed shoved his boots underneath the boot rack and unwound his scarf from around his neck, handing this too to Mustang.

As if it were completely normal to let into his house Mustang asked, "You had something for me?"

"Wha-oh. Yeah." Ed set his suitcase on the ground and filched around in it for a moment before handing Mustang a manila folder with papers that were half sliding out of it. "Some of the arrays that I found," he said as if that explained everything.

Mustang frowned but didn't say anything about the condition of the report as he flipped it open and skimmed it quickly. "Why don't we go sit in the study and you can explain this to me further?"

Ed heaved a sigh as if he were being put up and Mustang raised an eyebrow adding on, "I might even make you some coffee and a sandwich if you give me all the information that I need."

Ed didn't even hesitate as he followed the hallway down to a locked door at the end of the hallway, just underneath the stairs. Roy walked through an archway on the opposite side Ed knew was the kitchen. In the meantime Ed clapped his hands and placed them to the tumblers in the lock, not even bothering to go fetch the key he'd been given from his suitcase. Ed left the door open and sank down onto the couch that was against the back wall of the study. He crossed his legs and waited for the Colonel to make his appearance, which he did a few minutes later.

Mustang handed him his coffee and Ed took a sip – black with six sugars – and was impressed that Mustang had remembered exactly what he liked in his coffee because Ed had usually made it in the past. Ed squirmed into a more comfortable position on the couch as Mustang took the chair next to the end of the couch Ed sat on. Between them was an end table on which both their coffees a few random books and Ed's report were balanced. Mustang propped an ankle up on his knee and waited until Edward had gotten himself situated.

"Now," the Colonel said, "can you enlighten me about these arrays?"

"Sure," Ed said and didn't say anything else.

Mustang's face was a blank slate but Ed knew that had to have aggravated him.

"Why don't you explain them to me – in full detail. What they do, what it means…and so on. Is that clear enough for you Fullmetal?"

Ed sighed again as if he'd once more been put out. "One of them is an array to make gold. Any normal alchemist could probably come up with something like that."

"Then are the others the same?"

"No, those are different. It took me a while to work out what they were being used for."

Ed's mouth curved up into an amused grin. "It's not anything the military has to worry about though. I'm surprised no one figured it out earlier. They only look complicated, but in actuality they just use energy. Like a conversion of state."

Mustang raised his eyebrow.

"They manipulate air and flow of energy. Think like your gloves. Your gloves manipulate the oxygen in the air, right?"

"Right," the Colonel confirmed.

"These are essentially that. Except with these it's trying to harness the four elements, earth, air, fire and water at the same time."

"Okay….why would someone want to do that?"

"Beats me!" Ed said cheerfully and swung himself all the way up onto the couch so he was stretched out. "That's your department."

"Very helpful, thank you."

Ed shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. "Honestly, I can't even think of something it'd be used for. They look like something out of an ancient history book. If I did some more digging I'd probably be able to find something."

Quiet filtered through the room for a bit, other than the crackling of the fire that Mustang had lit when he'd come into the room. Eventually Ed stood up and stretched out saying, "Thanks for the coffee." He made his way to the door where he wrapped his scarf around his neck, shuffled on his boots and shoved his arms into his coat. He opened the door and stepped out onto the icy porch. Edward glanced back and saw that Mustang was leaning against the doorjamb and he felt his face heating up as red crept up his cheeks. His feet only in slippers, the Colonel joined Ed on the porch. When the kiss occurred Ed had been caught off guard for just a moment before responding with vigor and excitement. After Mustang had pulled back and cradled his jaw in one hand, his other arm wrapped firmly around Edward's waist, Edward had felt the first hints of embarrassment as a red flush rose into his cheeks. The cold December air made their breath freeze despite the fact Ed knew they had to be generating a fuck ton of heat. Edward managed to swallow, trying to moisten his dry throat and tried to speak but found that he couldn't form the words needed to express what he was feeling. But it was as if Roy knew exactly what he was thinking because with fingers entwined he led them into the house and shut the door against the cold.