Maes Hughes was alone at the table in the smoky bar at Central. It was one he hadn't been to before and the regulars eyed him warily as he sat running his finger around the wet rim of his half empty beer glass and compulsively checking the door. Roy had stated emphatically that he didn't want to be anywhere that was frequented by military men. He just wanted to be incognito for once, and not have to think about the war. Maes had agreed. It would be the first time he'd seen his friend since Roy's triumphant return from Ishbal and he was more than ready to humour him.
When Roy's familiar frame slid in through the door and started working his way through the crowd Maes smiled so hard it hurt. But as his friend drew closer, his head down, his face contorted into something that Maes didn't recognize, the smile faded and a ball formed in the pit of his stomach.
Maes stood as Roy approached the table, and held out his hand. "Roy, glad you're home, things have been quiet around here without you." He moved his arm up to pull his friend into a hug, but Roy let go of his hand quickly and pulled out a chair, avoiding eye contact. Maes ordered a drink for him from a passing waitress.
"Some quiet would be nice," he said finally, looking up and studying the people around them. "You think you can keep it down for a while longer?"
Maes smiled again, unable to control it. Roy was alive and home. "I might be able to, but it depends on what you have in mind."
Roy looked down at the table, his eyes hidden by the hair falling into his face. Maes could just make out the corner of his mouth as it quirked up. "Oh, the usual, world domination."
"Now Roy, I thought I'd told you before that you should start small. Maybe with Fuehrer?"
Roy lifted his face and looked Maes in the eye for the first time since entering the bar. "Alright then," he said. "If you say so."
Maes chuckled. "You know I'm behind you all the way." The waitress returned with Roy's drink and set it down on the table. Then she turned to the table next to him and bent over slightly as she talked to its occupants, exposing more of her thigh as she did. "And I suppose you'll make mini skirts mandatory as well."
"I couldn't think of a better first order to hand down," he grimaced slightly. "Accept that there would be no more war."
"Roy, you can't help that. War will happen, we're a military, it's what we do."
"War doesn't have to happen like that. It-" He looked down into his drink and then lifted it, swallowing the contents in one large gulp.
Maes nodded. "You don't have to tell me you know, if you don't want to. I'm your friend, and I'm here, but I'm not going to feel slighted if you want to keep that to yourself."
Roy looked at him through the bottom of his glass. "Yes, I know." He put the glass on the table with a thunk and looked around the bar. "Now, I think it's time for some celebration. I have a lot to catch up on, and you have a lot of talking to do. But first, where's that waitress?"