Hear Me Out

by xIcyChanx

"Ed," Mustang started slowly. He ascended the rest of the porch steps and came face to face with her. She raised her head subconsciously to keep eye contact, feeling his hot breath mingle with her own and warm her face as he spoke. "Will you go on a date with me?" She could've sworn the whole world stopped spinning as her breath got caught in her throat. [Roy/Fem!Ed]

A/N Whoa finally finished this! Again, I've outdone myself and made a new record for 'longest one shot' haha. XD I just had this idea for ages and I really, really, REALLY wanted to write it and share the love with you guys so I sat down and wrote it all down. My babies are just the most adorable things in the world, and Roy is just - just - I can't. I just can't even right now. I had so much fun writing this...:') One project down, a million to go!

This is also kind of a present for all the support I've been getting since I started writing for my dear babies (RoyxFemEd). I want to thank everyone who has supported be, if that's by reviewing, PMing, favouriting or simply following. I love you guys and I always try and visit your page to check out if you have any fics that interest me. Thank you!

---

Hear Me Out

Edeline's grip on the door tightened until her knuckles had turned white, as she stared blankly at the man in front of her. The damp clouds overhead lingered ominously above them, making the dark night all the more intimidating, but everything had seemingly vanished for her, the only thing remaining being him, herself and the porch.

She felt as if she were stuck in the past while the rest of the world moved on without her. Her eyes were wide and disbelieving, her hands tightening their grip on the door even more with every passing second. Her hair blew in the chilly breeze and strands of her fringe got in her eyes, but it was as though every sensation had vanished; she just couldn't believe what was currently in front of her.

Roy Mustang stood on the porch of her apartment, his expression one of barely concealed nervousness, as he extended his arm holding the flowers further towards her. Ed blinked at him stupidly, moisturising her eyes once more, and surreptitiously took in his appearance.

Gone was the characteristic military uniform, replaced by a simple dark blue button up shirt and casual pants. The ever-present arrogant smirk was filed away for later, and instead a soft lopsided smile adorned his face. It made him look so much younger and...sweeter, in a way, and Ed found herself transfixed by those midnight blue eyes that seemed to be staring straight at her soul, becoming a witness to her most guarded secrets.

The blonde's eyes went from the man's face to the bouquet in his hand and then back again. She blushed, a gentle flush barely discernible at this time of night, but the street lamps did their job of illuminating her face just enough for him to see. Mutely, she took the bouquet in her arms and his smile widened a fraction.

How the hell had this happened? She was simply unable to connect this groomed man standing right in front of her with the supercilious bastard she argued with on a daily basis. Mustang had never so much as given her a second glance in all the years they had known each other, so why was he here tonight with a bouquet of flowers?

The cool night breeze caressed her skin and made goose bumps rise on her arms, but she was too busy taking in the sight before her to notice. Her heart was thudding hard in her chest and her breathing was deep and barely controlled, her hands shaking. Her gaze lowered to the flowers in her arms and she stared, inhaling the appealing fragrance.

"What's...?" she found herself asking, though her voice failed her and she shut her mouth, her face becoming crimson in embarrassment. Why was this even happening to her?

During the day they fought constantly; mocked and teased each other, insults flying high. So how come, at the end of an exhausting day, did she somehow manage to find herself standing on the threshold of her front door with her commanding officer opposite her? No desk, full of obnoxious paperwork and badly-written reports occupied the space between them, but instead, a bouquet of multi-coloured flowers nestled securely in her arms was the only thing keeping them apart.

"Edeline," Mustang started slowly. He ascended the rest of the porch steps and came face to face with her. She raised her head subconsciously to keep staring at his face, feeling his hot breath mingle with her own and warm her face as he spoke. "Will you go on a date with me?"

She could've sworn the whole world stopped spinning as her breath got caught in her throat.

This was a dream...wasn't it?

---

Of all the dates Ed had been on, this had to be the absolute worst.

A sigh that seemed like the millionth one that night escaped her lips as she stared at the woman opposite her. She had been talking her heart out for the past two hours nonstop, and Ed was seriously considering just standing up and leaving. A furious headache pounded in her skull, making her patience that much thinner. She clenched her fists under the table and reminded herself sternly why she was doing this.

"Oh, Edward! You've got to meet my parents! They'll absolutely adore you!" The redhead's eyes sparkled ominously as she stared at Ed with something akin to anticipation and the blonde barely smothered a shudder.

"That's nice, Amanda," Ed replied flatly, huffing faintly as she propped an elbow on the table and placed her chin on her open palm. Amanda had probably explained her whole life story, and Ed could honestly not remember a word of what she had said. She wanted to get back to Al – she wanted to leave, but this date had to come to a proper end or else people would start talking.

This had never been a problem before; when she was still a teenager – a child – and only had Al to worry about, not doing this could be easily excused, but as the years wore on people started expecting more and more from her and, now that she was nineteen, people expected her to be in a relationship. She was the famous Fullmetal Alchemist after all, and he was handsome – girls practically swooned whenever they saw him. Wouldn't it be considered weird if he didn't show interest in any of the girls that fell on their knees for him?

If only they knew that their dear Edward Elric was actually female, and a straight female at that.

Edeline had no idea why people thought it was their business if Edward Elric had a girlfriend or not, but since she couldn't be in a relationship with a girl for obvious reasons, she had decided that going on dates would at least appease the whisperers and gossipers. The last thing she needed was for people to start thinking the Fullmetal Alchemist was gay.

As much as she loathed it, Ed had ended up going on multiple dates with various girls, making sure to drill in their skulls from the moment she asked them out that she wasn't looking for a relationship. They didn't seem to care – she was the famous Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero of the People after all – and more than a little excitedly agreed to go out with her.

She decided not to dwell on the fact that, to the public eye, Edward was doing exactly what Mustang was. It made her stomach squeeze and her teeth clench, but no, she didn't consider herself a womaniser.

Heaving another sigh, Ed listened with half an ear to what Amanda had to say as she surreptitiously surveyed the rest of the restaurant, only to freeze as her golden eyes rested on a familiar black haired figure and an unfamiliar brunette sitting a few tables away.

Her insides twisted with hatred as she watched the girl laugh at something stupidly funny Mustang had told her, and kept telling herself the hate was directed at Mustang not the girl. She watched as Mustang raised his glass and clicked it with hers and Ed felt her face twist into a scowl as fierce anger bubbled inside her gut. Her hands clenched even harder, knuckles aching, as she refrained from flipping the table and promptly stomping out of the restaurant.

"Ed?" Amanda's voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she turned to see the redhead across from her looking in the general direction she had been staring at. "Is everything all right?"

Shaking her head slightly, Ed told herself she would ignore Mustang and his bitch of a date and focus on her own date for once. "I'm fine, just saw someone I'm not too fond of, 's all."

Her hand reached out for her glass and she took a sip, letting the wine slide down her throat and calm her down.

The redhead cocked her head to the side and squinted as she tried to find what Ed had been looking at. After a few seconds her eyebrows went to her hairline and she looked back at the blonde with a surprised expression. "Is that your CO?" she asked giddily, pointing a discrete finger at Mustang.

Edeline grumbled unintelligible things under her breath before, with a sigh, nodded in resignation. She set her glass down and started nibbling on a piece of bread – anything to keep her mind off Mustang right now.

Amanda perked up and rested a hand on Ed's, making the blonde flinch in surprise. She always told the nosy females no touching!

"Let's call him over!" she chirped, and Ed paled visibly. She couldn't be serous, could she?

"What! No–"

She was cut off by Amanda's voice, which was obnoxiously loud in the small restaurant, and turned several heads in their direction.

"Mr. Mustang!"

Ed sank in her chair, face flushed in embarrassment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mustang's head turn, as well as his date's, and Ed pressed a gloved hand to her face.

Mustang seemed baffled, until his eyes rested on Ed and a smirk made its way onto his face. Silently, he stood up, motioning for his date to do so as well, and they sauntered casually towards their table. Ed's face was on fire as Mustang came to stand exactly next to her chair, smug smirk stuck on his ridiculously handsome face.

"Why, Fullmetal," he started, his voice smooth and velvety, "I didn't see you there."

"Shut up, bastard," Ed snapped, openly glaring at him. Why did this have to happen? There were so many restaurants in Central, why in the world would Mustang choose this one?

Glancing at Amanda, Ed was sure that if they hadn't been in a public restaurant she would have given the woman a piece of her mind. But now she couldn't do that, especially not with Mustang staring at her, face full of amusement.

Amanda was chatting away with Mustang's date, and Ed clenched her teeth as the need to beat someone up arose. This was absolutely humiliating!

Even though Mustang knew about her gender and her plan to pry off the gossiping, right now it wasn't doing her any good. His eyes kept going from her to her date and then back again, and she could've sworn the smirk was getting bigger.

"Why didn't you call us over sooner? Wanted some more...alone time with your date?" Mustang joked smoothly, flashing teeth, though Ed frowned faintly when she noticed the smirk didn't reach his eyes.

Dismissing the baffling thought, Ed growled furiously at him and clenched her hands into enraged fists. After a few seconds of staring at each other, she huffed indignantly and crossed her arms, leaning against her chair. "Fuck off, Mustang. No-one wants you."

"I beg to differ," he purred, narrowing his eyes flirtatiously, smirk still glued on his face. Now it seemed genuine, and Ed spluttered in response and flushed at the implication.

Who did that bastard think he was? How dare he just waltz in here and start talking to her like that!

"Oh, shut up, would you!" Ed hissed, opting for glaring at the empty plate in front of her. She faintly heard Mustang chuckle and drag a chair over from the empty table adjacent to theirs. A moment later found him sitting down next to her as he observed the chatting women opposite them in amusement.

"They seem to be getting along," he murmured, low enough for only her to hear it. Ed grunted but didn't look up as she grabbed her glass and gulped down the rest of the wine.

"Finally got her to shut up about her life."

Another low chuckle emerged from deep within his chest, only for her to hear, and Ed blushed at the intimate sound. When he didn't respond, she cast a sidelong glance at him only for her to shift uncomfortably at the way he was looking at her. Midnight blue eyes were locked on her face and seemed to penetrate her very core, stripping her of every secret she had to hide. The face that housed those eyes was blank, giving away no hints as to what was going on in that intelligent mind. Edeline found herself unable to keep the blush contained, and it bloomed fully, tainting her cheeks a crimson red.

"What?" she demanded firmly, her hands betraying her uneasiness by fiddling with each other.

A few more seconds passed in silence, before Mustang slowly turned his head back to the two women, seeming thoughtful. "Nothing."

Ed frowned; what kind of answer was that?

"What do you mean 'nothing', you bastard? You were staring!" She kept her voice low and leaned in closer to his ear so he could hear. Mustang frowned, as if mentally denying that, and shrugged nonchalantly. He turned his head again and gave her one of those thoughtful looks of his, eyes narrowed ever so slightly, before he turned his head again.

Ed's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's going on in that nut of yours, Mustang?"

Mustang laughed at that, crossing his arms and leaning back in the chair. "Nothing, I said."

The blonde clearly wasn't buying it, but decided to let it slide. She really wasn't in the mood for the bastard's mind games, especially not right after having listened to Amanda's life story. Her headache had intensified from Mustang's presence alone, and she sighed, rubbing absently at her temples.

"You all right?"

Her head snapped up to Mustang, who was looking at her with a half-confused half-concerned look.

"Just peachy," she replied gruffly, grimacing as the rough movement split her head in two. "Your presence is bad for my health."

Onyx eyes rolled exasperatedly, and a smirk crept up Mustang's lips, only succeeding in making Ed's headache worse just from thinking of what was to come.

"Really, now?" he all but purred, making the blonde hold her breath. She already knew she didn't like where this was going. He leaned closer to her ear, his breath ghosting over her flesh. "I thought you really enjoyed staring at me before."

A blush slammed full-force on her face, ending at the tips of her ears and at the end of her neck.

Had he seriously noticed her staring before? But how had he managed to do that? Ed had thought he was too mesmerised by his date to pay any attention to anyone else, let alone spot someone staring. But then again, this was Roy Mustang; he just did these things. He always seemed to know everything, especially about her missions and about her life in general, and if she didn't know better she would've thought he was stalking her every move.

When she failed to refute or confirm his statement, Mustang smirked triumphantly and turned back to the two females giggling, but only after letting his eyes linger on her a second longer than necessary.

"Wait," Ed said suddenly, causing Mustang to turn back towards her, eyebrow cocked curiously. "Does that mean you actually knew I was here all along!?" she hissed furiously, growling.

Mustang seemed amused at her observation, eyebrows raised to his hairline as a grin played on his lips. "I'm busted, it seems. Come on, Fullmetal, it's kind of hard to miss that red coat. I always keep telling you, it's too flashy."

Ed blushed despite herself and huffed petulantly. "Bastard, you lied before. You already knew I was here."

Mustang shrugged, gracing her with a sarcastic smirk. "I could just tell you were enjoying yourself immensely, why bother you?"

The blonde felt her face become red once more in embarrassment. She didn't think her boredom had been that obvious!

Turning around, Ed clenched her teeth and crossed her arms. "Whatever."

A few minutes passed in silence, and Ed didn't want to admit that with Mustang here the night was at least tolerable. Mustang's date was keeping Amanda occupied so Ed could have a few minutes of peace, finally. The warm presence beside her didn't bother her at all, even though it really should, and she found herself enjoying the passing minutes, stealing glances at Mustang every now and then.

She blinked when he broke the silence.

"Vanessa," he said smoothly, and his date turned, looking a bit surprised. It was as if she had forgotten about the existence of anyone but Amanda. Well, those two would definitely be best friends tomorrow. A smile lit her face once she came back to reality and stared at Mustang expectedly. "Are you ready to go?"

For an inexplicable reason, Ed's heart sank at those words and she suddenly felt bereft, a hollowness forming in her heart as she thought of everything that could possibly happen once Mustang and this 'Vanessa' were given privacy. She clenched her teeth and a sudden flash of hate at the brunette washed over her and she took a deep breath as it got unexpectedly overwhelming.

Vanessa bit her lip and shared a quick glance with Amanda. Then, she clapped her hands in front of her in an apologetic manner. "I'm sorry, Roy! Can I stay with Amanda? Only if Mr. Elric is alright with that, of course..." She added the last part hastily, as if not having thought about the possibility that Ed wouldn't approve of the decision. She needn't have worried.

"She's all yours," Ed was quick to assure her and pointedly rubbed at her forehead. "Got a bit of a headache, I'd better leave."

A brief glance at Mustang told Ed he wasn't even surprised that his date had practically dumped him to hang out with a new friend, but Ed didn't dwell on it much, too preoccupied with stomping down hard on the relief and sudden giddiness she felt when she thought of being the one to spend more time with Mustang instead of that woman.

Mustang stood, and Ed followed suit as Amanda bid her a goodnight.

"If that's what you wish," Mustang replied smoothly, offering Vanessa a soft smile that made Edeline's insides flare with unexpected jealously. She clenched her hands at her sides and scowled, but flushed a bit in embarrassment when she realised Mustang was taking in her reaction. The bastard was staring at her again!

After shooting him a pointed glare, Mustang smirked, apparently satisfied with the reaction he received and grabbed her forearm. "Well then, ladies, have a beautiful night."

The girls giggled and waved, but Ed was too busy relishing the feeling of Mustang's palm around her forearm. Even though she was wearing her coat, his hand had somehow gotten under the fabric and gripped her skin, making Ed wonder if it had been a deliberate action. Her heart beat loudly in her chest and she was positive her face was glowing, but the warm touch of Mustang's calloused hand on her bare skin sent her breathing on a marathon.

If he noticed her sudden quietness he didn't comment, but instead strode confidently out of the restaurant, paying the waiter for both his and her meal on the way out.

The cold night air hit her skin like a slap and Ed found herself pulled back into reality forcefully. She shivered when Mustang's hot hand retreated from her arm and she wrapped her coat tighter around her, crossing her arms to keep it in place as she watched him unlock the car.

The sky was a dull black, ugly gray clouds hanging menacingly up above, and Ed recalled the weather forecast she had read this morning in the newspaper. Rain was coming, and it wasn't going to be quick and mild; everyone was getting ready for a downpour.

She thought she should consider herself lucky Mustang was offering her a ride home; if she had been caught in the rain then Truth knows what she would've done.

Ed seated herself in the passenger seat and stared thoughtfully out the window.

Mustang didn't try to start a conversation, driving quietly and letting her retreat to her thoughts. Ed didn't particularly mind, opting for staring out the window all the way to her apartment, simply enjoying sitting next to Roy as he drove. He hadn't switched on the radio, so no music drifted to her ears, the only sound being the exhaust of the car, and the tires rolling on the empty streets.

They reached the apartment too soon in Ed's opinion, but by then her eyes were drooping and she had stifled several yawns. Mustang had kept on glancing at her from the corner of his eye, but still didn't try to engage her in conversation. If it was because he had seen her exhausted look or because he simply didn't want to talk to her, she couldn't tell, but she didn't find herself caring either. The only thing she wanted now was her bed.

The car slowly came to a halt outside of the apartment, and it only occurred to Ed that she didn't know what time it was. Would Al be asleep?

Once the car halted, Mustang turned to her, shaking her shoulder softly. She blinked tiredly, looking up at him questionably.

"We're here," he told her, his voice uncharacteristically low and gentle, almost like a murmur. It was just the right tone not to aggravate her headache, and she briefly wondered if that was the reason behind it. The voice caressed her ears and seemed to actually appease her aching temples a bit, and before she knew it she was offering him a small smile in gratitude. She caught herself though and straightened, rubbing her eyes and getting ready to exit the car.

"Thanks for the ride," she thanked gruffly, her voice coming out rougher than she thought it would, making her clear her throat.

Mustang tried to stifle a smirk at that, pressing his lips together as the corners of his mouth twitched, but he failed, the smirk spreading on his face. "You're welcome," he purred lowly, and Ed froze, catching on and blushing furiously. She shot him a glare, clenching her fists as her heart went into overdrive. It beat loudly, thudding in her chest and making the headache throb with it.

"Perverted asshole," she grumbled, scowling as she opened the car door to get out. She heard Mustang chuckle, before she slammed the door in his face and began jogging to the porch of her apartment.

She took a moment to reach in her pocket for the key, and was baffled when she noticed how shaky her hands were. Her heart was still beating loudly and quickly, and the blood was pulsing through her veins, making her headache throb all the more. Maybe she was coming down with something, she tried to assure herself as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. She knew she was just kidding herself though, and stopped that thought process before it escalated.

Glancing behind her at Mustang's car, she noticed it had yet to pull out of the kerb. He was looking at her, waiting for her to enter before he left.

She should've been angry he had the audacity to pointedly wait for her to go in the house, as if he didn't trust she would, or didn't think she would know what to do if she lost the key or something, but all she felt was the blood rushing to her cheeks, her heart picking up the pace it was beating with. This seemed too much like the end of a date for her to feel comfortable.

She shut the door quickly, and after a moment heard the car pulling away. Glancing out the window to make sure, she pulled the curtain just enough for her eyes to peep, only to confirm that he had indeed left.

Heart thudding hard in her chest, she leaned against the door and took several deep breaths, biting her lip as she replayed the day's events.

She just couldn't believe that everything had gone the way it had. When she had picked up Amanda the last thing she had in mind was ending up being taken home by...by him. As much as she hated to admit it, it was like a dream come true. Not necessarily because it was Mustang, even though that was a major plus, but because she had never been the woman in a relationship. She wasn't in a relationship with those women or Mustang, yes, but during the dates she was always the male, the one who had to act like a gentleman (even though she really didn't) and pay for the meal. She had never been herself fully; she had always played a role.

But then Mustang had appeared and snatched her heart away, making her feel stupid whenever she spoke to him, mind reeling on things she could've said differently to sound more sophisticated and not so stupid.

It hadn't always been like that. A few years ago she couldn't have cared less about what Mustang thought of her when she talked to him, but gradually things had started changing and she actually thought things through before she spoke, just because she wanted to look good to him. Of course that was ridiculous, because she'd never look good in his eyes, what with all her carelessness and rude manners, but she couldn't help it.

She had had these stupid feelings for him ever since she turned fifteen, when her hormones had decided it was play time and went crazy. Before the age of fifteen she hadn't felt like a teenager at all; it was only then that puberty really hit. Now her hormones had calmed down for the most part, but Mustang never failed to make her blush...

Tonight it had been like a dream, the car drive with Mustang made her feel so utterly relaxed because she didn't need to pretend anymore. Roy knew, and she had long since given up on threatening him about keeping quiet. She trusted him fully, and had realised that whatever she did wouldn't affect his decision to keep her secret. With him she felt like she could indulge in being herself a little, and the weight that lifted off her shoulders was almost palpable.

Her heart slowly regaining its normal pace, she placed a hand over it and sighed, pushing herself away from the door and further in the house. A quick glance at the clock told her it was well after midnight, and she concluded that Al was asleep.

She entered the bathroom, all too keen on taking a relaxing shower, and let the water calm the last of her nerves. She closed her eyes, allowing the hot droplets to stroke her skin and ease her tightened muscles, unravelling them until she felt ready to go to bed.

Just as she was pulling her comfy pants on, she heard a door open quietly, and then low footsteps coming to stand in front of the bathroom door.

"Sister?" she heard the tired voice of her little brother murmur. She wrapped a towel around her hair, before opening the door, coming face to face with Alphonse.

"Hey, Al. Did I wake you?"

Al shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. "Don't worry about it. Why are you so late?"

Ed paused, looking back at her little brother's concerned face. She smiled. "Sorry, the date took longer than I thought."

"Did you enjoy it?"

She grunted at that, scowling as she remembered Amanda's annoying face. Vanessa's flashed in her mind then and she felt her heart squeeze in hate. "It was all right," she ground out, but from the way Al was looking at her she knew he hadn't believed it.

Walking towards the lounge now, Al took a seat on the couch while Ed rummaged through her suitcase for the hairdryer. Winry had been ecstatic when she had managed to craft one from scratch, and after that she had been handing them out one by one to everyone. Ed couldn't complain though, it really did its job.

As she went through the suitcase she made a mental note to find a place for everything in the apartment, since habit alone was what kept the suitcase full. She had been on the go for so many years, everything she needed packed tightly in this very suitcase, but now that was redundant. Mustang didn't send her on as many missions as before, since back then the missions were more often than not just a cover to search for the stone. With that out the way, the actual missions weren't all that frequent.

Finding the hairdryer, she quickly plugged it in and let the loud noise it emitted drown out her thoughts. Al was looking at her, most likely waiting for an elaborate recount of the date, and she sighed in defeat.

"It turned out Mustang was there," she shouted over the noise, making Al quirk a surprised eyebrow.

"Did you talk to him?" he shouted back.

That question made everything they had said to each other flood back in her mind, and she was sure she was blushing again. She reminded herself sternly that nothing had basically transpired between them; they just unexpectedly met away from work, so what? That didn't mean anything – they had both been on a date and her commanding officer had just offered her a ride home after the stressful day. There had been a lot of work to do in the office today, and everyone had left feeling fatigued, so Mustang was just being kind. For once, she added mentally. All the word-playing he had done had just been the usual teasing, she told herself, just because he hadn't made such inappropriate jokes in the office didn't mean that he couldn't out of it. He probably told worse ones with Havoc and the others when they went out drinking.

The way her thoughts were automatically convincing her she wasn't special to the man made her heart squeeze, and a peculiar feeling of disappointment settled in her chest before she shook it off.

"Sister?" she heard Al question, and she snapped her head up to meet his worried and curious eyes. "Did you talk to him?" he repeated.

Running a hand through her now damp hair, Ed switched the hairdryer off and laid it in her lap. Avoiding eye contact, she replied, "Yeah, he...he brought me home." Al was silent as he mulled that over, and Ed stole a glance at him only to blush at the knowing smile he was sending her way. "What?" she snapped.

Shaking his head, Al stood up, stretching. "Nothing," he said, "So it was nice?" When Ed glared at him, he amended, "Better than usual?"

Ed nodded grudgingly.

Al smiled, coming closer to offer her a quick hug. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to bed."

Ed smiled up at him, watching him yawn and head back upstairs.

---

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose as his friend's voice drifted cheerfully in his ear.

"Roy, honestly, you should come see her! She's so adorable in that dress! Why haven't you visited? Gracia misses you!"

Sighing, Roy twisted his chair to gaze out the window, turning his back to the ever-growing paperwork, the phone placed against his ear. "I'm not sure about you, Maes, but I'm busy."

He twirled the phone cord around his finger absently as he gazed out the window, his mind preoccupied. Ever since last night, he couldn't seem to concentrate on anything.

Running into Ed in that restaurant had been so unexpected it had thrown him off balance. He had spotted her quite early, from the moment he entered the place to be exact, and had been spacing out ever since. It confused him, because even though he knew about Ed's attempts to pry off the gossiping, he had never actually witnessed it. Seeing her on a date with another woman shouldn't have bothered him as much as it had.

When he had walked over to her and Amanda's table, he had caught himself several times staring at Amanda to try and figure out why she was good enough to be here with Edeline. The redhead had been attractive enough, but he wouldn't have even dreamt of asking her out to figure out what else could've made Ed choose her, especially not after seeing firsthand how annoying she was. He had stared at Ed's table from the corner of his eye multiple times, and it amused him how bored Ed had looked. She had seemed ready to storm out of there just to get away from Amanda's voice. Thinking about that had eased the tightness in his chest, and he had been able to enjoy dinner with Vanessa.

After seeing how well Vanessa and Amanda had got on, he had known immediately that she'd want to stay with her, and he couldn't have been more thankful for the way things had gone. He had left with Ed, and he honestly wouldn't change that moment for the world. Her sleepy face in his car had made his heart beat faster; just knowing that she trusted him enough to be in such a sleepy haze in his car, in such a vulnerable state, made his heart soar in satisfaction.

The disappointment he had felt when Ed's apartment came into view had been surprising, to say the least, and he had almost imperceptibly slowed down, a pathetic attempt to gain a few more seconds with the blonde. She had nearly fallen asleep, her breathing just only having evened out, and he had taken a moment to stare and admire those soft features before shaking her awake.

Watching her as she entered the apartment left him feeling bereft, but he pushed the feeling aside, driving to his house and deciding not to ponder on the unusual and unfamiliar feelings Edeline always brought upon him.

Now in his office though, high stacks of paperwork mocking him and demanding his attention, he just couldn't for the life of him concentrate. He was sure Maes was saying something in his ear, but once he snapped out of his reverie his friend had just finished speaking.

"What was that?" Roy asked, running a hand over his face and sighing. He had to stop thinking about her, because it was slowly but surely driving him insane.

There was silence on the other line, before Maes spoke. "I asked if you're okay. You seem pretty out of it."

That earned him another sigh from Roy. Great, now Maes had noticed as well. Hawkeye had questioned him about his wellbeing this morning, and he had answered vaguely, but Maes was stubborn and wouldn't let him get away with it until he spilled all the secrets he had to offer.

"I'm fine, Maes, just tired." There was no way Maes wouldn't push the matter further, but a man could hope, right?

After a few seconds of thoughtful silence, Maes sounded smug as he said, "Did Ed steal your intelligence again?"

Roy frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He could just picture Maes' eye roll and grin. "When you're thinking about her your mind doesn't focus enough on sentences and you end up mixing up your words and speaking with the vocabulary of a five year old – or don't speak at all." There was a teasing tone in the voice, but Roy saw through to the faint concern being masked underneath.

"I don't–"

"Well," Maes continued, cutting Roy's protest off, "What happened?"

The only one who knew about his mixed feelings about the blonde was Maes, and he was also the second person to know about Ed's gender. Ed had told them together a few years ago, and his feelings soon started going crazy when he started noticing more and more about her. Roy had no-one to confide in but his best friend, and talking about it had helped him tons, though sometimes his friend's insistent queries were tiring and annoying. But that was how Maes was, had always been and will always be. And Roy would never want to change that.

Sighing, Roy figured it would be best to get the newest bout of feelings out of him, maybe then he would actually get some work done.

"We met at a restaurant," he began, waiting a moment to see if Maes wanted to comment before continuing. "We were both on a date."

Maes whistled, unknowingly making Roy's faint headache throb. "You weren't exactly on a date though, were you? You were out with Vanessa?"

"Yes, but still. We appeared to be on a date."

"You didn't tell Ed you weren't on a date?"

Roy scowled. Was Maes stupid? "And why would I do that? It would've sounded really defensive and stupid. Why tell her if she clearly doesn't care?" He could just picture it; him making a complete fool of himself while he needlessly informed Ed of his totally 'non date'. He could just imagine her indifferent expression, the downward tilt of her lips telling him he was acting like an idiot without her having to voice her thoughts.

"Hm, you might think she doesn't care."

"Maes..." Roy growled, "She hasn't done anything to make me believe something different."

Just as the words left his lips he recalled the frequent glances she had kept sending his and Vanessa's table, and there had been moments where she had seemed so insufferably jealous it made him wonder. And after that, when they were ready to leave, she had given Vanessa a glare that could kill, and Roy was pretty sure it wasn't because she had occupied Amanda.

"Hey, Rooooy? You still in Amestris?"

Roy blinked, his eyes coming back into focus and taking in the view out of the window. Damn it all, he did it again.

"Yes, Maes, I'm still in Amestris."

"You sure?" Maes asked, sceptical.

"Positive."

"Then are you going to continue? Because you left me at a cliff-hanger." Maes laughed at his own joke, and Roy couldn't help feeling that his friend was enjoying this way too much.

"She was with some woman, but she kept staring at my table," Roy confessed, suddenly feeling embarrassment warming his cheeks. The way he was voicing his observations made him feel and sound like a hopeful teenager. What if he had just been imagining Ed's glances..? "I don't know what to make of it."

Maes hummed, taking a few moments to mull over Roy's words. "Did she look...I don't know, jealous or something? Or was she just surprised to spot you in the same restaurant?"

Roy bit his lip, debating whether he should just spill and tell Maes exactly what he thought, regardless of his sounding ridiculous, but then decided on a mild, "I bit of both."

He heard Maes' low chuckle at his vague answer, and Roy instantly knew there was no way he could fool his best friend. Maes had already figured out what Roy had initially wanted to say.

"What happened after that?"

Roy took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. His headache was starting to make demands, pounding every time he even thought of all the figuring out of his own feelings he had to do. He was feeling far too excited to be talking about this than he should, while at the same time was reluctant to reveal much to Maes and felt irritation whenever he prodded further. If all this was so annoying, then why the hell were his insides partying in enthusiasm?

"Edeline's date recognised me and called us over." He smirked in spite of himself. "You should've seen Ed's face." He never called her by her name in her presence, always chickening out and addressing her by the safe and professional 'Fullmetal', but with Maes he liked saying the name as many times as he could. The way it rolled off his tongue made him feel strangely closer to her, and he inwardly groaned as yet another peculiar feeling planted itself in his chest.

Maes laughed, only managing to imagine what Ed's face should've looked like. "Was she embarrassed?"

"That doesn't even cover half of it," Roy chuckled, leaning back in his chair as he let his thoughts travel back to the moment. "She was ready to die. It took me everything I had not to just burst out laughing. Probably should've though; it would've made her even more embarrassed."

Maes laughed loudly at that, making Roy grin. "So, what? You went over to her table?"

"Of course I did. Teased the hell out of her."

Maes sighed, but there was a trace of humour behind it. "Oh Roy..." He paused then, as if unsure, and Roy pressed the handset of the phone closer to his ear subconsciously. "You know, if you get on her nerves the whole time she's not going to develop feelings for you."

Roy felt his heart sink at Maes' words, as inside he knew the truth they held. He had teased and mocked Ed ever since she joined the military and, even though his views regarding her had altered drastically, if he didn't change his way of communicating with her Ed would never think something had changed.

So, what? Roy asked himself, was he supposed to act...nice? That thought was too bizarre to contemplate further, and he pushed it aside because, really, wouldn't being nice just make Ed suspicious and creeped out?

He must've been silent for much longer than he thought, because Maes sounded apologetic as he said, "Anyway, what went on next?"

Roy blushed as he remembered. "She kind of caught me staring at her. It was...an embarrassing moment. She didn't seem to think much of it though."

"What were your dates doing all this time? I know Vanessa wouldn't have minded but what about Ed's date? Wasn't she angry you were taking her spotlight?"

Roy snorted quietly, huffing a laugh. "She and Vanessa probably forgot we were even there." Once Maes made an amused noise, Roy went on. "Vanessa even begged me to stay with Amanda, Ed's date, when I asked her if she was ready to leave."

"Does that mean..." Maes started excitedly, and Roy couldn't help the large grin that split his face in two as he confirmed Maes' suspicions.

"I drove Ed home."

Maes whistled and Roy felt blood rush to his face. He instantly felt embarrassed with the way his body was reacting; he was Roy Mustang, he didn't blush. He had never blushed because of ridiculous teasing about a girl before. Yet with Edeline, everything suddenly seemed so significant.

"Nothing else happened," he added hastily, trying to calm his suddenly pounding heart.

Maes laughed at his flustered words. "What?" he teased, "No goodbye kiss?" He mockingly made a 'smooch' sound, making Roy scowl.

"Can it, Maes."

Maes laughed harder at that, almost reaching hysterical and forcing Roy to move the handset away from his abused ear.

"Disappointed?" he teased.

"Shut up."

His friend snickered, finally calming down and taking a deep breath. "I don't know, Roy, you sound really smitten. You sure you're not in love?"

It was meant completely as a joke, not to be taken seriously, yet Maes' words turned Roy's blood cold. Just the prospect of being in love terrified him; it left him vulnerable and open to hurt and heartbreak. He had never fallen in love before, so he had no idea what the feeling should be like. Could it possibly be connected to his inability to name the unfamiliar feelings that fluttered in his stomach every time Ed was even mentioned? If that was the case, then everything suddenly made sense, yet Roy couldn't really place himself under the category of 'in love'. He just couldn't picture himself...

"You spaced out again." Maes' dry voice brought him back to the present, and he heard his friend sigh. "Roy, as a friend, I want to advise you to look into that." His voice had turned serious, void of all the humour and mirth it had held only moments before and it captured Roy's attention immediately. "Being in love is an amazing thing, so don't let the one you love slip away from you. Take the first step and see where it can go."

He couldn't believe his ears. Did Maes actually mean what he thought he meant?

"Wha–"

"Ask her out on a date, Roy."

Roy froze, intense fear and apprehension punching him hard in the gut. Scenarios flashed through his mind, good and bad, and his mind automatically strived to find a way out of this situation he had suddenly found himself in. He couldn't ask Ed out, even if it was just a date. There was no way to know how she'd react, and if Maes had read things wrong and she didn't even want to see Roy then...

His heart sank as he thought about it, and he bit his lip, his chest becoming tighter. There was no way.

"Roy?"

Gulping, Roy put his heart and soul into the confession, hoping Maes would pick up on his plea.

"I don't think I can handle rejection from Ed, Maes."

---

Roy paid for the bouquet of flowers, his hands shaking the whole time.

He hadn't managed to dissuade Maes, and now he found himself here, in the middle of the freaking night, walking down the pavement and biting his lip raw. They had spent the whole day planning, having alternatives for everything just to make Roy feel better. Maes had tried to convince him that dates shouldn't be planned down to the topic of conversation, but Roy had written himself some prompts just in case. What if Ed found him boring or something? Did she even have any other interests but alchemy? And if the alchemy conversation finished? He needed a variety of topics to choose from, and he just knew that his brain would fail him once the time came. Better to have them written on a piece of paper, which was currently hiding in his pocket, waiting patiently for the moment it would shine.

Roy had never felt like this before. Such intense worry and nervousness was unprecedented in his dating life, and that knowledge only made him even more anxious.

There were quite a few things Ed could do with the flowers.

One: take them and shove them in his face.

Two: take them and throw them on the floor before stomping on them.

Three: not even take them and start screaming his ears off.

Four–

Roy sighed. Or she could just accept them and go on a date with him. It was one in a million of possibilities and Roy wasn't feeling too optimistic...

He swore that if he ended up with a broken heart he'd shove Maes on the floor and make him pick up the pieces.

His heart clenched and his chest tightened in apprehension when her apartment came into view, the street lights illuminating the porch almost ominously.

Shit, he was totally just asking to die.

Hesitantly, he stood on the porch, before taking a deep breath and reaching over to knock on the door.

There, he'd done it.

He waited several seconds, shifting his weight from one foot to the other anxiously, when he heard Ed's familiar voice.

"Coming!"

Roy froze, feeling his heart stop beating as his breath got caught in his throat. What was he even doing here? He was going to get rejected and he was willingly walking right into the lion's den. The flowers in his hand felt heavy, and a plethora of excuses and sarcastic remarks came to mind – things he could say to save face when the inevitable rejection came.

When he heard footsteps coming closer it was like someone flipped the switch.

Shoving all his worries aside, he composed himself impeccably; straightening his back and making his face look unconcerned. There was no way Ed would be witnessing such a disconcerted expression on Roy Mustang's face. He wouldn't add fuel to the future blackmail and mocking. There was no way he was going to allow her to stomp all over his heart even more than what she was going to.

At least save the last shred of your dignity, Mustang, his inner voice told him.

The door opened a second later and a pair of golden eyes landed straight on him. Edeline looked at him confusedly, before her eyes settled on the bouquet in his hand and she froze, her eyes widening. It would've been comical, had he not been battling his own incredulity at the situation at that moment.

She gawked before revealing all her body and coming to stand on the threshold, gripping the door tightly. Roy had to smother a smirk in spite of himself. He remembered that he had to act like his normal self, however, so he thought it was all good. He let the smirk go, but the small tilt of his lips felt foreign on his face, like it came out as a smile rather than his usual smirk, though it seemed to do the job. Appearances were everything, and he was sure Ed hadn't picked up on his inner torment.

She took the flowers from him, staring at them mutely as her mind failed to process the situation.

"What's...?" Her words died on her lips, leaving Roy unable to know what to make of this behaviour and figured it was best to act now, before her mind caught up with the situation and she shoved him away without hearing him out.

He came to stand right in front of her, his heart running a marathon as sweat dampened his hands.

"Edeline," he started, mentally patting himself on the back when he heard the smooth, steady voice that came from his lips. The tone was nowhere near a reflexion of his mood, and he was momentarily glad for all those years he had spent in the military. The usage of her first name rolled off his lips casually, having said it so many times with Maes, but it still made him feel wrong, as if he wasn't allowed to call her that.

The blush on her cheeks was absolutely adorable as Roy finished, "Will you go on a date with me?"

Her lips parted in shock, her eyes widening as she stared at him, flabbergasted beyond belief. Her expression wasn't giving him anything solid for him to make guesses; this could go so many ways. The stunned expression could be a good thing; maybe she had wanted this and couldn't believe it was finally happening, or it could go the other way; the stunned expression being one of horrified terror.

Her eyes left his face to go back to the flowers, but then they returned, gazes locking, hers unsure.

"You want..." She furrowed her brows, biting her lip in doubt. "You want me to go on a date with you?"

"Yes, Edeline," Roy assured, his gaze fixed on hers, "That's exactly what I want."

His heart was beating so loudly he was surprised Ed couldn't hear it in the silent night, his teeth discretely biting the inside of his lip in apprehension.

"Oh," was all Ed said, looking utterly dumbfounded. The blush hadn't left her face, but her hands had tightened on the bouquet, and Roy caught himself anticipating the attack, muscles tensing and hands waiting for the moment to protect his face.

Her eyes narrowed, and Roy's body went rigid. "What?" she spat, though the uncertainty was practically flowing off her in waves. "No-one wants to go out with you tonight so you come running to what you consider an 'easy target'?" As the words left her lips she seemed to believe herself more and more, because her voice was rising with each word, and by the end of it her eyes were wild with anger and traces of hurt.

Roy pursed his lips, sending a mild glare her way. "I don't consider you an 'easy target', Edeline, and the reason I'm asking you out isn't because I can't find someone else." He didn't show it of course, but her accusations had hurt him, ever so slightly – was this the way she viewed him? Did she honestly think he was that kind of person?

The certainty his voice held clearly made Ed second guess herself, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. After a moment she shuffled on her feet, her head turning to glare at the side as her face burned. "T-Then why...?"

Roy could honestly say that he hadn't even expected things to go this far– and thus hadn't prepared for this moment. He had immediately thought Ed would reject him and he'd be left with a heavy heart; Maes had planted some hope in him that maybe she'd accept, and so he'd prepared the prompts, but the hope hadn't been intense enough to make him remember to prepare this moment. Was this the time he was supposed to confess?

God, Roy felt totally out of his element right now. He didn't know what the right thing to say was; Truth knew what could set Ed off. She was like a bomb ready to explode at any moment, volatile to the very core. In other situations he would've scrambled up something to say, but with Edeline, the only thing he could say was the truth.

"Because I want to see where this will lead us."

Roy knew from experience that the best thing you could do when trying to persuade Edeline Elric was tell the truth; Ed hated embellishments with a passion and the moment she even suspected you were about to deceive her, you had lost the game – and Ed. He tended to use such a tactic to get what he wanted on a daily basis, and it occurred to him that perhaps that was why he and Ed had never really gotten along. Maybe his indirect way of saying things was what always made her pissed when in his presence.

He guessed that was the reason Ed seemed to be taken aback by his honest confession, golden eyes staring at him with such intensity Roy had to hold himself back from squirming.

"You mean you – you want to–"

Roy nodded, his teeth biting his inner lip so hard he started tasting blood.

Ed pursed her lips, holding the bouquet to her chest as her cheeks flushed. "T-Then I guess I can go out with you." She blinked the moment she finished, her words evidently surprising even herself, as Roy's heart soared in his chest. It beat fast, thudding under his ribs as his lips lifted in a genuine smile involuntarily.

"Get ready then," he said softly, his smile now stuck on his face as he watched her blush and frown at herself, definitely shocked by her own words.

She flashed him a nervous smile and entered the apartment, only to turn around and flush harder, hastily opening the door wider.

"C-Come in and wait," she stuttered, "I gotta get dressed real quick."

Roy's smile widened as he stepped inside, looking at her with an appreciative expression. "Thank you."

He pursed his lips to refrain from chuckling as she blushed all the way down to her neck at his politeness, and she hurriedly shut the door and walked further inside the apartment, Roy following. He sat on the couch in the lounge, as Ed placed the flowers in a nearby vase Roy was sure Al had bought, before heading for the stairs to the bedroom.

"Where's Alphonse?" Roy inquired, making her turn to look at him. He only just noticed there was no sign of the boy.

A smile made its way on Ed's face as she started ascending the stairs. "He's with some friends. I'm not sure where they've gone but he promised to tell me when he comes back."

Roy nodded, and Ed vanished upstairs.

He had honestly thought he'd be waiting for a while, but when Ed reappeared less than five minutes later, he had been surprised.

She seemed less nervous now, the situation having sunk in, and she flashed a grin. "Ready to go?"

Roy took in her choice of clothing and frowned. He had been seeing her in a much similar garment for the past eight years, and he was disappointed she hadn't even thought of changing it around a little.

She had thrown on a plain black tank top, the only thing done differently on her upper body being the absence of the bandage around her chest, and the familiar leather pants that hugged her legs went hand in hand with the combat boots.

"You're not wearing that," he found himself blurting, snapping his mouth shut a second later and feeling like a total idiot. What did he expect her to wear? Something similar to what other women wore on a date? Ed was different from those women – she didn't wear low-cut mini dresses to show off and didn't paint her face so much she'd become unrecognisable without the make-up.

Yet Roy still longed to see her in something different; not necessarily a revealing dress, even though if that happened he wouldn't really complain, but something that wasn't a tank top and leather pants.

Ed frowned, looking down at herself and scowling. "What's wrong with it?"

Roy would never admit he appeared to be pouting as he said, "You wear that all the time."

Ed rolled her eyes, flipping the ponytail behind her back when it came to rest on her shoulder. "And what exactly should I wear?"

Roy shrugged. "Something different. Besides, what if someone were to recognise you with those clothes on?"

When she stared at him blankly, he knew he had her.

She pursed her lips, turning around and mutely heading back up the stairs.

Roy smiled, shaking his head as he sank in the couch. He had to wait a bit longer after that, but when she came back down the stairs, blushing furiously, he decided the wait had been more than worth it.

He couldn't quite hold back from gaping as she came to stand in front of him, face twisted in a defiant scowl as her face burned.

Roy had always known she'd look good in a dress, but never in his wildest dreams had he expected her to look quite like that.

The brown dress was modest, reaching just below her knees and not giving emphasis to her chest, but it still hugged her figure perfectly and left a lot to the imagination. Her hair was longer than he remembered, reaching all the way down to her waist, blonde locks resting on her shoulders and framing her face attractively. It occurred to Roy that it was the first time he was seeing her with her hair down.

He knew it was hopeless to even ask her to apply make-up, just to see how she'd look, but he couldn't say he wanted to. Like this she was showing her natural beauty, and he wouldn't ever wish to change that.

Gosh, since when had he been thinking like that?

The dress didn't quite hide the large scar on her shoulder the automail had left after she regained her arm, but even that Roy didn't find unappealing in the slightest. Her automail leg was covered as much as possible by the plain boots she was wearing, even though Roy wouldn't really have a problem if she had left it showing. He had no issues with automail, but if Ed felt more comfortable this way, then so be it.

"You gonna stare much longer?" Ed huffed, glaring at him with great ferocity. She was still embarrassed, but the flush on her cheeks seemed to have reduced, and the small upward twitch of her lips made him realise she was actually pleased by his reaction.

Composing himself, Roy cleared his throat as he stood up, walking towards her with a smile. "That dress really suits you, Edeline."

Her cheeks flared again, and she shot him a glare. "I had nothing else, since you didn't want me to wear the usual."

"And I'm glad I didn't."

Ed huffed, shifting her weight and looking at him. "Ready?"

His smile widened, and he placed a hand on her back, watching in slight amusement as she went rigid, becoming super aware of his touch.

When he just kept on smiling, she gave him a weird look and he realised he must've been grinning like a madman. He tried to smother it, but couldn't quite wipe it off completely. The excitement and utter relief he felt at that moment was too much, and it seeped into his expression however much he battled it.

As they began sauntering down the road, Roy suddenly tensed, his eyes widening in absolute mortification as he remembered.

Shit, he hadn't made a reservation!

He had been so sure Ed would decline and hadn't prepared for something he had been positive he'd have to cancel, but now...

His eyes strayed to Ed, walking oblivious next to him as he stiffly tried to keep moving and not scream in absolute terror. What was he going to do now? Ed would think he was a total failure!

Taking a deep breath, he firmly told himself he had to figure this out calmly, so he practically forced his shoulders to relax, his breath coming out as a small sigh. He'd have to play it cool. Ed was not to know he hadn't prepared anything. Actually, she would find that out, but he had to make her believe it had been deliberate. He was not about to admit he had forgotten.

Mentally readying himself, he made sure his voice came out smooth and confident. "So, where do you want to go?"

Ed looked up at him as though she had momentarily forgotten he was there, and Roy bit the inside of his lip as he frantically reassured himself it wasn't because he wasn't entertaining. Ed usually zoned out a lot; it wasn't his fault.

After a moment of deliberation, she shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "I've no idea. Where would you have taken me?"

Fuck.

Mind working fast, Roy answered, surprised at his ability to keep a straight face. "I didn't know what you'd enjoy most, so I didn't make a reservation somewhere. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable if it wasn't your thing." Smooth, Roy, real smooth. His heart slowing down its frantic pounding, he mustered a smile. "It's up to you."

Ed frowned softly, looking back at the empty streets in front of them. She looked embarrassed and slightly dismayed as she muttered, "I don't know what you like either – to me, hotdogs on a bench would be fine."

Roy grinned in spite of himself. He'd already guessed she'd pick something completely informal.

He nodded, keeping the smile in place. "Hotdogs on a bench it is then."

She looked panicked then, spinning to face him. "W-We don't have to do that if you don't want to! I m-mean, we could go somewhere...You obviously didn't get ready for such a cheap night out..."

As her gaze travelled up and down his body, Roy suddenly felt intensely self-conscious.

"It's fine, really. I kind of expected you to prefer something like that." He hadn't even dressed appropriately for a fancy restaurant anyway; he had thrown on a simple shirt and some black jeans. Did Ed think what he was currently wearing could be considered formal?

With a destination now in mind, Roy sauntered leisurely next to Ed, his smile lingering on his lips. Now he knew where he'd take her; to the town's park. It was huge, all grass and flowers and they'd be completely alone – hopefully. They could buy hotdogs from a nearby fast food restaurant and sit on one of the benches in the park. Perfect.

Roy was now thoroughly pleased with himself and his optimism about their date. He now felt more in control – having an idea of what would happen, however vague, gave him a massive boost of confidence.

Next to him, Ed had averted her gaze, now walking again, and Roy could distinguish the adorable blush on her cheeks.

"Okay, fine, but only if you really want to. I'm not very...entertaining..." She trailed off and Roy nearly scoffed. Not entertaining? Ed? She was undoubtedly the most fascinating person he'd ever met. There was nothing about her he could predict; she had a way of doing exactly the opposite of what he'd anticipated. The way she did that left him bewildered and deliciously eager for more.

"You're by no means boring, Edeline, trust me." His voice started out soothing, but towards the end gained a sarcastic tone as Roy remembered all of her incredulous exclamations over being called short. Very entertaining, and entirely unexpected. He had no idea what she'd say when he said the word little or small. Sometimes she jumped up from her seat and flushed, screaming his head off, though other times she'd blush and avert her gaze, remaining quiet. The dichotomy of her reactions was very addicting, as peculiar as that might sound.

Ed, picking up on the trace of sarcasm, shot him a look, but didn't rise to the bait. Roy didn't know whether to be disappointed. Arguing would've broken the ice, and Roy would give anything to thaw the icy atmosphere between them. This was as awkward for her as it was for him. Damn you, Maes, putting him in a situation like this.

After a few minutes of walking, Ed stopped and turned to look at him quizzically. "Where are we going exactly?"

"Park," Roy replied swiftly. "We can grab a hotdog or two from Moltelo's Fast Food and sit on a bench."

He smirked at her clumsy attempt to smile. She nodded, giving up on the smile, and began walking again. As they walked they were quiet and, while Roy would normally not have minded, he still felt uneasy and uncomfortable. He hadn't relaxed and neither had she. Besides, today he wanted to get to know Ed out of work – more intimately. Roy believed that, given the chance, they could be good for each other.

A bit of conversation was in order.

Roy strived for the safest and undoubtedly the most interesting topic for both of them; alchemy.

"So, what project are you currently working on?"

Ed jumped slightly, apparently startled by his voice, and Roy tried pathetically hard to reassure himself she wasn't bored out of her skull.

She looked at him quickly, before biting her lip – Oh sweet heaven above, Roy thought, gulping.

"Alchemy mixed with electricity," Ed replied, sounding more than a bit proud. Maybe she had discovered something interesting. Roy wouldn't put it past her to make a breakthrough – that genius...

"Have you started on experiments or are you still researching?"

An easy smile made its way onto Ed's lips, and Roy felt himself relax – he hadn't even noticed how tense his shoulders were. Alchemy was always the answer when it came to Ed.

"I just finished researching a few days ago. I was quite surprised by the amount of information the National Library had. I'm not the first to research it."

And that was how they got into an elaborate discussion about alchemy. Ed explained as meticulously as she could the workings of electricity and what happened when a tiny spark of alchemy was added. Roy was pulled in, hanging from her every word. This was really interesting and would benefit everyone in the future, if put to use. If everything was as Ed said – which it always was, or she wouldn't be telling someone else if she was unsure – then a tiny amount of alchemy to an electric device gave a massive boost to its efficiency. He listened, mesmerised, as Ed dove straight into an in-depth explanation of what occurred during one of her experiments with a lamp. Al had only touched his little finger on the plug and it had blared to life with twice the brightness.

All too soon they had reached the fast food restaurant and Roy felt increasingly disappointed. Just walking with her talking about this would've been more than satisfactory. Actually, just being around Ed was more than enough...

Damn it, he only just remembered he had to make a move tonight. Maes had said not to let the one he loved go but – did he love her? He had no freaking idea.

He had been keeping a distance for years now, just watching her from afar and being with her only in his dreams. Damn, what he'd give to make those reality...

Edeline was the first woman in his life he'd wanted this much. Never before had he been able to say a person 'haunted' him in his dreams. That was exactly what she did. Every night she was there, every night in different clothes and hairstyles, but she'd always end up the same – amazingly naked and writhing in his bed.

Biting his lip, he frantically willed away those memories of his alarmingly vivid dreams – the last thing he wanted right now was to get an erection while they were alone at the park. She'd run like the devil was hot on her heels. And he probably would be, if Roy started thinking with the wrong head.

She waited, surprisingly patient, as Roy ordered three hotdogs – she'd said she wanted two – and when he came back, she even said thanks. Maybe Roy was making some serious headway here because, as far as he could remember, Ed had never once been polite to him, let alone said thank you.

You've got this, his inner voice told him triumphantly. Roy couldn't help grinning in agreement.

"Why're you smiling like that?" Ed's amused voice brought him back from his thoughts and he turned to her, his grin growing bigger once he saw the laughter in her expression. "You look like you've just won the lottery."

She laughed then, snorting unladylike as though she couldn't believe she was actually laughing, and Roy decided this was his favourite sound. When she stopped, he caught his mind working in overdrive, trying hastily to find something funny to say to get her laughing again.

"I'm just pleased that's all. I don't think I've ever heard you thank me for something."

Ed blushed all the way down to her neck and glared defensively. "Well don't get used to it, it won't happen again."

Roy rolled his eyes, motioning her forward as he took a bite of his steaming hotdog. "Let's sit on that bench over there."

Edeline followed him silently and, just as they sat on the bench, she remembered something and smirked. Roy found himself tensing, awaiting the verbal abuse.

"Oh, I just remembered. How heartbroken were you yesterday when your date dumped you for mine?" she teased, her eyes lit brightly with mischief.

Roy raised an eyebrow, smirking himself. Oh, she had no idea. This was exactly what he wanted to talk about. He could get her with this. He could make her blush that adorable red – there was no way she was going to be smug for much longer.

"Me? Heartbroken because my sister dumped me for a friend? I don't think so."

The satisfaction when Ed's smirk vanished...

Now she was looking at him blankly, confusion and shock swimming in her golden eyes. "Sister...?"

Roy faked confusion. "Of course. Vanessa is my sister."

Ed was positively gaping at him, her face tainted red and eyes as wide as they could go. "But you look nothing like each other!" she exclaimed.

Roy smirked, leaning back on the bench and devouring the rest of his hotdog in one go. He only just noticed Ed had finished hers already.

"She's my foster sister, Ed." His voice came out much softer than he had intended to, his eyes staring up at the sky as memories came forth. He didn't want to turn this date into an emotional rollercoaster – it was their first date, goddamn it! – so he didn't elaborate, even though he wanted to share things like that with Edeline some time – he was serious when he said he wanted to get to know her more intimately.

He was even curious about silly things like what her favourite food was, what she was allergic to or what she did in her spare time when she wasn't working on a project – he even wanted to know about her memories in Resembool with her mother, or private things like in what position she slept in.

Ed was silent next to him, and when he glanced at her he was expecting to see confusion, not faint concern. Maybe he had sounded sadder than he thought.

"She's adopted?" Her voice was quiet, hesitant and, while she didn't seem to think anything bad of adoption, she treaded carefully in case it was a sore subject for Roy. It made him smile.

"We all are, Ed." He had to keep it brief – he really didn't want to launch into a full-on lifetime conversation right now. He wanted to enjoy this date and get her to agree on another one. If they started this conversation would she agree on a second date, or would she think every date would become all mushy and emotional? Roy was not risking it.

Ed's lips parted in shock as it dawned on her and she stared at him in wonder, as if now looking at him from a new perspective. "You're adopted?"

Roy shrugged, an easy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He was completely relaxed now in Ed's presence – he got used to her so quickly. This honestly didn't feel like a first date at all, though that might be because they had known each other for so long. It wasn't the first time they had been left alone together – how else was Ed supposed to report to him? – but it certainly was the first time they were out the office together.

"It's a long story, maybe I'll get to tell you someday." He directed a smile her way, full of promise.

Ed nodded numbly, apparently still shocked by the revelation. Then, she blushed, looking unsure. Shit, had he made things awkward again? It was their first date, after all...

"I was, um, kind of adopted by the Rockbells when mum died," she murmured, looking at her lap. That was all she offered, but Roy wasn't complaining. He hadn't offered a lot either.

"I know," he breathed gently, looking back up at the night sky. Ominous gray clouds had begun to gather, and Roy recalled the weather forecast. They needed to get going before rain started pouring down. "I wasn't all that away from real family – my Aunt is the one who adopted me. My father's sister. I don't know my parents though." He caught Ed's frown from the corner of his eye. Inwardly, he scolded himself. Why the hell was he continuing the conversation?

First date, he reminded himself sternly.

"How many foster siblings do you have?"

To her surprise, he laughed, and Roy could tell she was torn between showing annoyance or simple confusion.

Roy grinned widely, gazing at her and making her blush crimson. "Eleven sisters."

Ed spluttered in shock. "Eleven!? Holy shit!"

She made a wild gesture with her hands and Roy chuckled, slouching comfortably in the bench. "Makes you think I'd be bored of women." He chuckled.

Ed snorted, narrowing her eyes in disbelief. "You? Bored of women? The world is ending."

So Edeline had believed all the rumours as well...How many times would he have to tell people? Not everything they hear is true!

"I know you think I'm a womaniser," Roy started, making Ed snort in distaste. Roy really prayed he wasn't fucking everything up right now. "And you have every right to think so, because that's what everyone says–"

"Mustang, they've seen you with a different girl every week!" Ed cut him off angrily, and Roy realised he really was fucking everything up right now. He was riling Ed up – and that was never a good thing. The last thing he wanted was for her to start thinking he was only intending to be with her for a week. If she exploded, she'd leave, and then Roy would've lost his chance to be with the woman he loved.

–Fuck, did he just think that?

"I like taking my sisters out," he blurted out, staring wide-eyed at Ed, who was also giving him a rather bewildered look. Then, she frowned, a faint trace of disgusted confusion on her face.

"You sleep with your foster sisters?"

Roy nearly choked on his spit. He stared at her, jaw hanging and face as white as a sheet.

"What?" he all but whispered. This was definitely not what he had expected to come from this conversation. "Of course not!"

Ed at least had the decency to look embarrassed now. She fiddled with her hands, her blush steadily growing. "Well, after saying something like that, what did you expect me to think?"

Roy heaved a sigh, rubbing his forehead with his hand. Everything she did was always so unexpected it left him off balance. Ed winced at his exasperated look.

"What I'm trying to say, Ed, is that people don't know the women I'm with most of the time are my sisters. They make assumptions, they gossip. But what did you expect? I'm never in a relationship – I focus on my work and take my sisters out occasionally to exchange information. Taking a woman out who's not my sister is really easy because of my supposed reputation. I don't do it as frequently as you think – screw what Havoc says." Roy pulled a face. "He flirts with my sisters. How he always manages to find his way to them is unknown to me."

Ed was now positively squirming in her seat, face flaming. "R-Right, um, sorry?" She tried for a contrite look and Roy sighed again.

Involuntarily, his lips twitched into an amused smile. "What I want to say is that I'm not planning on dumping you after a week," he said, softer now and gazed at Edeline, who was so red Roy wondered if it was healthy. "If we decide to do this, then I don't want you thinking that I might've slept with every woman we pass on the street. I also don't want you thinking that I will sleep with every woman we pass on the street." He gave her a stern, serious look, and Ed swallowed uneasily.

"I-I get that," she stuttered, fiddling with her thumbs. Roy could see her relief though, and was momentarily glad they had this conversation. Frankly, it lifted a whole load of worry off his shoulders. He didn't want to bring Ed into a relationship where she constantly had to fear whether her partner would be disloyal to her or not.

"Good." He smiled and she offered a small, almost demure smile back.

Silence nestled between them, and it was only then that it occurred to Roy that nothing had gone according to plan. Well, not exactly. None of this had been in his and Maes' preparations – he hadn't even used his prompts. Conversation had flown so easily with Ed – well, after the few awkward moments at the beginning. Roy realised that, yes, he wanted to take her out again.

It was nice being with her. She made all sorts of feelings bloom in his chest, and his body always acted weird and uncoordinated when she was around. It was almost like it was reacting to her – and, maybe, in a way, it was. His body and mind had told him many times already what exactly it was they wanted, whether it was in the form of quick breathing and rapid heartbeat or very vivid dreams.

Either way, his body wanted her, and Roy could say that, for the first time, his soul wanted her too. He wanted to hold her and keep her his, never let her go. It was so unusual for him to think like that – to feel that way. Love really scared him shitless. It opened up doors he had never once even stood before and contemplated, but now they were open, their power surging through the threshold and reaching out to him.

With those feelings came the questions, all sorts of things he had no idea how to answer, leaving him frustrated beyond belief. But one of them was more prominent than others, much more urgent.

What would he do if Ed wanted to end things?

It could happen, eventually. And yes, Roy was aware that they had only just started this thing, so why should he worry about a breakup that might never happen – oh God, did that mean what he thought it meant? – but he couldn't help it. What would his heart do if Ed decided she was over him at some point?

It will shatter, idiot, his inner voice sneered at him, and Roy frowned; that could've been said nicer.

But he knew it was true; Roy had it bad. Really, really bad.

His thought process was cut off when a droplet of water fell on his face, and he blinked out of his reverie, looking over at Ed, who was also gazing upwards.

"It's starting to rain," she said.

Roy nodded, standing up. "We should get going or we'll be caught in the downpour. I don't have the car with me."

Ed stood and patted her dress, making Roy smile. It really did suit her.

Rain was coming down faster now, and was steadily quickening. They were totally going to get drenched.

They started walking hastily away from the park and down the pavement, when it suddenly started pouring it down, and he heard Ed curse.

Ed's apartment was nowhere near here, but his house was two blocks away from the park. He stomped down as hard as he could on the sudden giddiness that erupted within his chest at what was going to happen, and called Ed, who was a few paces in front of him. She turned, and Roy lost no time, grabbing her wrist and starting to run the other way they had been heading, towards his apartment. His free hand covered his head as much as it could, but he knew it was futile.

Carefree laughter from behind him made him turn, surprised, only to come face to face with Ed's radiant expression, amused laughter coming from her. And he was here taking this seriously...Well, it was water...He hated that stuff. Nasty.

Belatedly realising they had slowed down, he picked up his pace, dragging a laughing Ed behind him. He couldn't stand the way his clothes were clinging to his body – he had always hated being wet. Especially when clothed. It made him feel like a drenched cat. Ed's laughter was making this predicament tolerable, however; he loved her laugh.

Ed's hair was stuck to her face when they reached the apartment, and Roy quickly fished out his keys and unlocked the door, stumbling inside and letting Ed follow. He was only aware he was laughing when he opened his eyes – when had he closed them? – and came face to face with a soaked, and attractively dishevelled Edeline. His laughing stopped as he froze, staring at the chuckling Ed in front of him in sudden realisation.

Ed was in his house.

Holy shit.

Her brown dress had turned an even darker shade from all the water it had soaked up, and it clung to her figure, wrapping her waist and hips and showing Roy an accurate image of her curves. The upper part was only just allowing the outline of her bra to be distinguished.

Oh my God, Roy thought urgently, feeling his body beginning to react to this enticing view in front of him. His breathing and heart rate picked up, his skin suddenly feeling way too hot and stifling. Moonlight from the window behind her shimmered and cast a soft glow around the dark room, illuminating her silhouette.

Her hair was flat, drenched and clinging to her face in a tantalising way, and Roy's fingers twitched, wanting to brush those few strands out of her face. The bright blonde was now darker as well, becoming more of a dirty blonde. Her antenna was flat on her head, falling over to tickle her face. The way she blew it out of the way was absolutely adorable.

She cocked her head to the side and stared at him quizzically. "What?"

Roy jumped pathetically at having been caught inwardly drooling and averted his gaze hastily, horrified when he felt his face becoming hot. "I'll...get the fire going," he murmured and scurried away, leaving Ed to take her boots off by the door.

He had merely a few seconds alone before Ed entered the lounge, joining him. She was looking around curiously, taking in the place. Roy found himself anticipating her reaction to his small and cosy abode.

Grabbing his spare glove from the small table next to the couch, he snapped his fingers and immediately the fire roared to life in the fireplace, bathing the room in a soft, illuminating yellow glow. Roy instantly felt warmer, and safer – he was out of the rain and close to his fire.

"Nice place," Ed commented behind him and, when he turned, he realised with a small start that she had begun ascending the stairs. Upstairs was his bathroom and...bedroom. Hell, could she stop tempting him like this?

"Thanks," he answered hoarsely, his heart pounding in his ears. He had almost completely forgotten about his shirt sticking to his skin annoyingly; watching Ed was so distracting. Inwardly shaking his head as firmly as possible to dispel the unwanted thoughts, he grabbed the cushions of the couch and dumped them in front of the fire, before gathering a blanket he had hung over the armchair earlier that day.

"Come sit by the fire, the last thing we need is you getting sick." He plopped down and waited as she gave a quick look around the kitchen before settling next to him. Roy only just noticed how much she was shivering.

He frowned disapprovingly. "Here," he said, extending his arm holding one end of the blanket. "Get under here."

Ed flushed bright red but didn't object and huddled close to him, the blanket wrapped around them both and keeping them warm. Roy knew he should probably get a change of clothes, since sitting with wet clothes on was worse than sitting without any at all, but he had nothing to give Ed. It would be rude if only he changed.

Excuses, Mustang, his inner voice sneered smugly, and Roy squirmed.

Of course he could lend Ed some of his clothes, and he could at least get out of this uncomfortable shirt, but he was a coward. He didn't think he'd manage to stay sane with Ed stripping in his bathroom, or wearing his clothes, or him being shirtless in front of her. And he really didn't want to go up to his bedroom for another shirt with the knowledge that Edeline was just downstairs, waiting for him.

Surreptitiously, he stared at her from the corner of his eye, watching, mesmerised, as the glow of the fire illuminated her face and made her golden eyes and hair sparkle. Her blush had yet to die down, dirtying her cheeks red as she sat, rather stiffly Roy thought, beside him. They were so close their shoulders were touching.

"Did you enjoy it?" Roy asked, his voice coming out deep and low as though not to disturb the tranquil silence. It had been a question that had been nagging him for quite a while now, and, based on her response, he'd consider asking her out on a second date.

Ed started and flushed bright red, looking at him with wide eyes. "H-huh? W-What was that?" She had evidently been lost in her own thoughts while staring at the fire and Roy sighed in defeat and shook his head with a small smile. Ed really did zone out a lot. He could only imagine what went on in that genius mind of hers.

"I asked if you enjoyed our date, Edeline."

Blinking, Ed squirmed, seemingly blushing further. "O-of course I enjoyed it, " she murmured embarrassedly. Roy raised an eyebrow and she bit her lip – Holy hell – making him gulp. "Who wouldn't? With you..."

Roy had no idea what to make of that, but she didn't appear to have realised what she'd said – not right away, that is. When she did though, her eyes widened, the shimmer of the fire giving them an even more intense golden hue.

"I d-didn't–" She cut herself off and buried her face in her hands, while Roy tried to smother a chuckle. Flustered Ed was always such entertainment. Usually he'd have no qualms about letting his amusement show, but now it wasn't the time nor the place for teasing. He was serious about this – about them. He was sure Ed wouldn't appreciate being laughed at for her attempts to put her thoughts in order. She'd always been so bad with words.

Her cheeks glowing, she decided to shut her mouth and remain silent, staring at her blanket-covered lap.

Roy didn't know what to offer in return to her quietness, so silence settled upon them once again, though neither was relaxed. Roy could tell Edeline was stressing about something, teeth gnawing on her bottom lip and slowly but surely making him go insane.

"You said you want to see where this might lead us," she murmured anxiously.

Oh. "Yes, I want to be with you, Ed." How much more blunt could he get?

Ed glanced at him from the corner of her eye before quickly turning her head in the opposite direction, blushing. "Like, really be with me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Roy nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Yes. Really be with you."

When her face turned to gaze at him, his eyes widened at the raw emotion on her face. Her eyes were wide with – what was it? Curiosity? Desire? Fear? All of those and more? He couldn't tell.

She swallowed, her breathing laboured and forced, before her hand found Roy's under the blanket, tentative. Roy gasped at the sudden touch – God, her hand was freezing!

"Kiss me then," she breathed, almost desperately, and Roy suddenly came to notice how close their faces actually were. Her exhale was his inhale, her sweet scent making his mind hazy and clouded. He could no longer deny the arousal flowing through his veins; having Ed so close was making his body react, and soon his pants felt stifling.

She leaned in a fraction, her eyes unlocking from his and trailing down to his lips before fluttering back to his eyes.

There was no denying what she wanted. Roy found himself panting as he reciprocated, gazing at her lips at this distance for the first time and savouring ever moment of it. They were red and luscious, parted slightly and begging to be kissed. Subconsciously, his hand tightened around hers and he found himself leaning in, watching, intoxicated, as Ed's eyes fluttered closed and a blush bloomed on her cheeks, his own eyes half lidded. Just before their lips touched, he shut them, readying himself.

But nothing could've possibly prepared him for the sparks that shot through him, awakening his body and making it tingle, something hot boiling in his lower abdomen.

Their lips brushed in a slow, sensual kiss, both hesitant. Roy relished every moment. This was it. His first kiss with Edeline. He had dreamed about this, he had wanted this, but however much he had daydreamed and imagined how it would feel, nothing could've gotten him ready for this. This...this was heaven.

Roy intertwined his fingers with Ed's, shifting a bit closer and using his free hand to cup her cheek, angling her face so their lips pressed together better. His fingers got tangled in her damp hair, and he caught himself pressing her closer, wanting more.

Ed grazed her teeth over his bottom lip, and Roy immediately knew that, tonight, whatever happened, he would be putty in her hands.

His thumb stroked her cheek tenderly, his other caressing the back of her hand. He could go on forever like this; just sitting here kissing and touching Ed. Everything had vanished from his mind – everything but her.

Gently, he sucked on her lip, making a delicious hum emit from her – the spark of electricity went straight to his groin, and the throbbing between his legs made him groan against her mouth. He realised his hands were shaking, with need or excitement he had no idea, but his pathetic trembling only intensified when Ed's free hand skimmed over his chest, covered by the soaked shirt. He swore his heart was going to fail if she didn't stop this sensual torture.

"Ed," he groaned hotly, just as her fingers popped the first button open. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer until she was in-between his legs. Now with both her hands resting on his chest, she fiddled with one button at a time, before popping it open.

Roy couldn't restrain himself anymore. He licked her lips, asking for entrance, and nearly came right there and then when she parted her lips for him. Their tongues brushed and she moaned, one of her hands getting tangled in his hair while the other went on fingering the buttons of his shirt.

The fire sizzled in the hearth but they paid it no heed, too wrapped up in each other. They were more than warm now – Roy was burning, his clothes way too stifling, and Ed's hands weren't as cold anymore.

She pushed their faces together harder, their tongues swirling amorously and driving Roy slowly but surely over the edge. He had wanted her for so long, and now having her – holding her – felt like holding a precious angel.

Ed was the one who pulled back, ending the kiss with a soft sound, but didn't move more than an inch. Their lips still brushed with the tiniest movement and Roy failed to stifle a whiny sound at the loss of contact. When he opened his eyes their gazes locked, and Roy lost himself in her golden eyes, alight with the low glow of the fire but clouded with arousal. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, as were her ears, and she was breathing deeply, her lips glistering and bruised. It was quite the sight.

One of his hands was still wrapped around her waist, caressing her back softly through the soaked fabric of her dress, while the other was cupping her cheek, his fingers tangled in her locks and keeping her face close to his. Edeline had one hand resting on his nape, playing with the short hairs there, the other trailing lovingly down his chest. She had undone almost all the buttons, and was trailing her fingers down his bare skin, slowly, savouring the touch.

Roy's heart pounded in his ears, his face feeling hot, his breathing laboured. Holy hell, what had she done to him? What had she reduced him to?

"I've wanted to do that for ages," he murmured, his lips brushing against hers involuntarily when they moved.

"Me, too," Ed whispered, skimming her hand upwards on his chest now. She ghosted over a nipple and his breath caught before she reached his throat and paused, her knuckled caressing the soft skin on his neck gently.

Roy was positive his heart had done a somersault at her confession, and his lips longed to be connected with hers again. His fingers on her waist stroked her softly, willing the offending dress away. He wanted to touch and kiss her – her bare skin. He wanted all of her, and not just this time – he wanted her again and again and again and he knew he'd never have enough. His thirst was insatiable.

"Be mine, Edeline," he breathed, trailing his lips over her jaw line, nipping and kissing. She made a soft, pleased sound, and smiled, her eyes sparkling.

"Idiot," she drawled, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. "I was yours the day I hit puberty."

---

A/N I practically melted while writing that last scene...Why do they have to be so perfect? Just the way Roy loves and adores Ed is just...just...ahhhh. I am so fangirling once I post this.

By the way, just in case people got a bit confused about the first scene; that was the moment Roy asked her out in Ed's POV, and I wrote it like that to give you a glimpse of what was going to happen without giving too much away. :3

(Why do I always have something in mind for my A/N but once I get down to writing it I forget everything I wanted to say? It's super annoying.)

Anyway, that's all. I hope you enjoyed! xxx