Okay! So... this story was actually inspired by the song Is This Love? By White Snake. The song doesn't quite go with the idea of the story, but it really inspired me.

The story is about Roy, who's really missing Hughes after his death and he was actually in love with Hughes, but never said anything because Hughes was so happy with Gracia. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Havoc is harboring secret feelings for Roy and is waiting for his chance to make his move. So when Roy and Havoc start hanging out more, Roy starts falling for Havoc.

I OWN NOTHING! NO PROFIT WAS MADE! Except the pleasure of writing...

Is This Love?

Havoc watched from his desk as Roy immersed himself in another day of paperwork. Since Hughes' death and Ed and Al's disappearance to the other side of the gate, that was all the man did, paper work. He would stay late and come in early. Althought Hawkeye was happy to not have to hold him at gun point, she didn't want the man to work himself to death. So, she asked Havoc for a favor. 'Take the Colonel out!' Havoc felt himself sigh. So he knew how to show the ladies a good time. But he had no idea how to show a man a good time, much less Colonel Roy Mustang.

"Havoc... are you alright?"

Havoc raised his eyes to meet sad black orbs. "Huh?"
"You sighed..." Roy tilted his head a bit.

"Ah... no. I'm fine!" Havoc grinned, cigarette butt crunching under his teeth. "But... are you alright, Colonel?"

Roy's eyes widened and he quickly turned his gaze back down to the paper under his pen. "I'm... tired."

"... Wanna go out to dinner with me?" At the raised eyebrow in his direction, Havoc coughed and lowered his feet from the desk to the floor. "I mean... you know... beers and dinner... you know..."

"... Sure. Sounds fun..."

Havoc's eyes widened and the cigarette dropped from his mouth. "Really?"

Roy smiled. "Sure, why not? I could use a break."

Havoc smiled widely. "Great! T-Thats great! We should leave now!"

The colonel blinked. "Now? Its only five o'clock."

Jean Havic quickly stood from his seat and stepped up to the colonel's desk. "Yeah! We get off at five right? You can just leave the paper work for tomorrow! You're way caught up anyways!"

Roy Mustang smiled for once since Hughes' death. "Alright... lets go." He stood up and smiled more as Havoc 'whooped' and grabbed the colonel's jacket and helped him into it.

"So! Where to first? Shopping? Walk around the park? Dinner and beer?"

"Are you trying to woo me Jean Havoc?" The colonel smirked as Havoc blushed and stuttered negatives, then maybes, then negatives again. He chuckled. "How about dinner at my place? Then we'll sit in front of the fire place and talk?"

Havoc blinked, then smiled warmly. "Sure. Sounds great. I'll help cook."

"Then we need to go grocery shopping first." Roy Mustang smiled and followed Jean Havoc out of the building and to his car. "You're still living in the dorms Havoc?"

"Ah, yeah." Havoc blushed some in embarrasment. "You know how it is... don't have anyone to share a place with, so I don't really wanna bother. How can you stay in such a big place alone, Colonel?"

"Call me Roy when we're alone, Jean." Roy smiled at Havoc's surprised expression. "And I wasn't always alone. I often had Gracia and Hughes over, Hughes most of the time when Gracia was busy with other things. So I wasn't ever really alone... not til' now at least." The colonel whispered, getting into his car. Havoc got into the passenger's side and waited a few moments in silence, understanding the colonel's feeling of loneliness. "So, Jean Havoc, any particular reason why you asked me out tonight?"

Havoc blushed at the wording of the question and looked away. "N-Not really. You just looked like you needed to get out, and I've been watching you work yourself to death, so I figured I'd give a helping hand and help you relax tonight. I was also kind of... wanting to get out for a bit."

"You don't have a girlfriend?" Roy teased.

"Ah... no. Not since Lust..." Havoc whispered. "I nearly lost my legs because of her... so now I'm kind of paranoid of girls." Jean chuckled to himself bitterly.

"... Understandable."

"What about you, Col-Roy? No woman to relax?" Jean smiled at him.

"No... not since Hughes was murdered. I never really slept with those girls. They were just dates to get my mind off him..."

Havoc blinked confused. "Him? You mean Hughes?"

Roy blushed a bit and nodded. "I... liked Maes Hughes, more than a friend."

Havoc gaped at him like a fish. "S-Seriously?! You always seemed annoyed with him!"

Roy smiled some and chuckled. "Because he was near me but I couldn't touch him, plus he always interrupted at the most inopportune moments." Roy was relaxing comfortably against the car seat, driving calmly and staring out the windshield. "Its painful... having someone you hold dear to your heart near you, but they belong to another, and then suddenly death takes them, and you don't even have them as a friend anymore."

Havoc stared at Roy as tears filled his black irises. He'd never seen the normally cocky and womanizing colonel so broken. Hesitantly, he reached over and touched the man's shaking shoulder. He looked away to allow the man to sob in peace, but kept a comforting hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing and gripping. He could hear the hitching breaths and soft whimpers of heart break.

As soon as they got to the grocery store, Roy sat in the car for a moment while Havoc waiting outside, nursing another cigarette. He stared up at the sky. He knew what it was like, having love unreturned. He peeked back at Roy and admired him, leaning over the wheel, arms pillowing his head. He wondered if he would be able to return the fire to those dark eyes, and put a permanent smile on those full lips and possibly win the colonel's affections if he stuck by him in his times of need.

Roy felt the car shake a bit and wondered if Havoc was leaving, but win he heard the driver's side door open, he looked over and saw Havoc staring at him intently. He blinked.

"Beef stew?"

"W-What?"

"Beef stew? You want beef stew for dinner? I make a damn good beef stew. We can have corn bread and maybe a salad to go with it." Havoc continued listing off the different sides they could have with beef stew. Roy stared at him and felt his heart flutter. "Maybe I can pick up some wine in the store. You got any wine?" Roy nodded a bit. "Great! Wine with beef stew sounds delicious!" Roy smiled and continued staring at him. "What? Got something on my face?"

"A cigarette..." Roy muttered, smiling.

Jean blinked, then grinned and took the cigarette from between his lips. "You don't like smokers?"

Roy shook his head. "I don't mind them if they look good smoking. Hughes looked good smoking..."

"What about me?" Havoc asked hopefully.

The colonel smirked and got out of the car. "You look ridiculous." He replied, shutting the car door.

Jean Havoc gave a hurt look. "Do I really?"

Roy Mustang laughed and started walking. "No, Jean. You look great smoking."

Havoc blushed and followed his boss into the grocery store. As they shopped, Havoc began talking about things they should do tomorrow, Roy just listened, agreeing a few times and even putting out his own ideas. Havoc suggested Roy try different kinds of meat than what he used to use for meals and scolded him for not using enough vegetables in his diet. He even went as far as to say he would start coming over every night just to make sure Colonel Roy Mustang was eating properly. Said colonel chuckled and pretended to be scared, but agreed that he would enjoy having Jean Havoc's permanent company from now on. After picking up ingredients for dinner and ingredients for dessert, they went to the check out and Roy paid for the groceries and they head abck out to the car and then Roy drove them to his house. Inside the house, they removed their coats and boots, and even their outer shirts. Roy showed him into the kitchen and together, they unloaded the groceries and began cooking. Roy peeled the potatoes and Havoc peeled the onions and carrots.

"Ah! I hate onions!" Havoc proclaimed loudly. Roy chuckled and watched him wipe his eyes with his forearm. "They make my eyes water."

"Shall I put on some music and get the wine out?" The colonel suggest, setting down the peeler and bowel of potatoes.

"Sure! That'd be great!" He watched as Roy stood up and went to the small radio on the counter and turned it on and found a station, then he went over to the freezer and took out an old bottle of wine he hadn't even opened yet. "Ooh! I love this song." He grinned enthusiastically and began singing along. "Is this love, that I'm feeling? Is this the love, that I've been searching for? Is this love, oh am I dreaming? This must be love, cause its really got a hold on me! A hold on me..."

Roy smiled, leaning against the counter and watching his subordinate. "You've got a lovely voice, Jean." Jean Havoc blushed red and looked back down at the carrot he was peeling. Roy chuckled and opened the bottle of wine, relishing in the sound of the loud pop and the wine bubbles pouring out of his hand. He set the bottle down and washed his hands before getting two wine glasses and pouring a bit into each glass. "Here..." He held one out to Jean, he took it gratefully. He went to take a sip when Havoc spoke up.

"To us?" Jean said, holding his wine glass up for Roy to touch with his own. The colonel blinked, before nodding and tipping his glass a bit to touch Jean's; and then together they sipped. "Ah! Thats good wine!" Havoc grinned like an idiot and then set his glass down and continued peeling the carrot.

Roy nodded in agreement and sipped a bit more before sitting back down and setting his wine glass down. He picked up the peeler and bowel and began peeling the rest of the potatoes. As the potatoes, carrots and onion were boiling on low in a pot, Jean expertly cut the beef up into small chunks and put them in a cooker on high.

"Its gonna take the beef about an hour and a half to get nice and chewy. In the mean time, what shall we do?"

Roy tilted his head in thought. Then he smiled, picked up his glass and the wine and walked into the living room. Havoc blinked and followed him, carrying his own glass. "Sit..." Roy said, pointing to the chair across from his own in front of the fireplace. Jean did so and watched as Roy poured a bit more wine into their glasses, then sat back and smiled some. "Tell me about yourself..."

Havoc blinked in confusion. "You already know my past from my file..."

Roy smiled and shook his head. "But I don't know you. I know Jean Havoc, the soldier, but not Jean Havoc the country boy."

Havoc smiled and looked down into his glass and began spilling stories about his childhood, all the stupid things he'd done, and even a few of the heroic things. Roy sat and listened intently, enjoying Havoc's company more than he thought he would. He laughed at appropriate times, sipping from his wine glass occasionally. Havoc told him about his Mom and Dad, about his friends and their exploits.

"And so, you know, bored teenagers at summer do stupid things." Jean said, Roy nodded in understanding. "There was this, uh, haunted... abandoned building... warehouse thing," Jean spoke slowly, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck in thought. "near my place. It always scared me as a kid... and so... when I turned sixteen I decided I'd face my fears and go explore the place, stupid as I was then. So, a couple of my friends and I took an oil lamp from my Dad's barn and walked across the field to the warhouse. The place was huge, standing at least two and a half stories high. It looked even bigger at night. My friends were really hesitant, and I was too, but you know teenagers, when that adrenaline gets pumping they ignore all other instincts and just rush right in."

"Such as one Edward Elric..." Roy said with a smile.

"Yeah..." Havoc smiled warmly.

"Anyways, go on..."

"Right... uh... so... we went in after breaking the wooden planks off the door and it was dark as hell inside. There was dirt and rubble all over the floor, the ceiling was falling through and there were holes in the wall with the paint chipping off. It was like it was right out of a horror book. So my friends and I split up. I took my best buddy with me and the other two went off on their own, my friend and I took upstairs while they stayed downstairs. The stairs were old and creaked really loud, scaring the shit out of my friend every time. He was such a big baby." Havoc grinned and took a sip of his wine. "So, we get to the second floor and I decided to look into the so called haunted room that was used by a butcher when he killed his victims. It just so happened that room was at the end of the hall. My friend didn't want to go, so he stayed behind by the stairs while I went on to check out the room."

"Ever my brave subordinate..." Roy muttered affectionately.

Havoc smiled and continued his story. He knew he was blushing, but he hoped his boss thought it was the warmth of the fire. "So," at this point, he set his glasses down on the table, "I walk into this huge room and it looked as if a fire had happened. I mean, the ceiling was all charcoal and the floor was barely there anymore and the walls were all black and stuff, and in the corner to the right of the door, was this black shadow. It was small and I knew it was there because it was darker than its surrounding area." Roy furrowed his brow, totally into the story, watching Havoc gesture with his hands. "I was frozen with fear as I stared at it. As I stood there, staring, it moved. I saw its head turn and look at me with these big, blue eyes. These blue eyes just stared at me, as if I was either a prey or a predator. We stared each other down for what seemed like hours." Havoc was leaning his elbows on his knees and held one hand out to Roy, staring into Roy's eyes.

"Then, it meowed." The colonel blinked in surprise. "I screamed like a girl and booted it out of there. My friend screamed as well and we both ran down those stairs like wild fire." Havoc laughed and leaned back in his chair. "T-The other two... had already ran out of the building when they heard me scream and were half way across the field ahead of my buddy and I."

Roy was chuckling. "It was a cat?"

"Yeah. I never told my friends."

The colonel smirked. "Never?"

"Never. Not to this day. I'm too embarrased. As soon as I got home, I realized it was just a black cat with blue eyes that had meowed at me."

"What'd you do with it?"

Havoc smiled. "The next day I went over to the warehouse and looked for it. I found three small kittens bundled in an old quilt under a table on the first floor."

Roy blinked. "What about the mother cat?"

"She was a black cat with blue eyes who had died from unknown reasons. She looked healthy, she didn't have any injuries of any kind. She looked as if she'd been dead a day or two though. I took the kittens home and fed them milk."

Roy frowned. "Did they survive?"

"Two of them did. One didn't." Havoc picked up his glass of wine and finished off what was in it. He stood. "I'll go check the meat. Then you're gonna tell me about you." He said with a smile and went into the kitchen.

Roy blinked in surprise, but smiled and looked at the fire. He then realized something. "Wait! Jean!" He turned in his chair and looked into the kitchen. "Was the warehouse haunted?"

Jean peeked his head out with a grin. "No idea."

Roy chuckled and relaxed back into his chair. Havoc soon came back in and refilled their glasses, then sat down. "So! Tell me about yourself!" He demanded with an excited grin.

Roy looked down into his glass. "Not much to tell. I was an apprentice to Lieutenant Hawkeye's father."
Jean blinked. "So thats how you two know each other so well!"

Roy smiled and nodded. "You could say she's like a sister to me..." From there, the colonel began telling a few stories about himself and about why he became a State Alchemist. Jean listened intently, watching his boss' expressions and body language. "I don't have any exciting stories like your's, but, I do remember one thing that happened to me as a child." Havoc blinked and nodded for his colonel to continue. "I remember walking home one day from school and this dog was following me. It was quite big since I was quite small for a ten year old, it was a young golden retriever if I remember correctly. My parents wouldn't let me keep it, even after it followed me to and from school everyday for a week. So, at night, I would sneak it left overs from dinner while my parents slept. I remember I named it Jean. Spelled much like your name only pronounced differently."

Jean smiled at this and sipped from his wine. (( for those who don't understand, Havoc's first name is pronounced 'John' only with a soft 'J', Roy named the dog 'Jean' as in a pair of jeans, but spelled the small as 'Jean' ))

"So, after a couple months, the dog grew into this beautiful beast, following me home from school and hiding in the garden at night and then walking to school with me. I would start feeding him parts of my lunch and he would keep me company. Eventually my parents caught me playing with him and they let me keep him in the house until someone bought it. I only got to keep him a couple of days before someone came and bought Jean from my parents." Roy looked into the fire. "For the next few weeks, I became impossibly lonely on my long walks to and from school. And then one day, I saw Jean with his new owner, a kid younger than me playing with him in the park. I wanted to call out to him, but the child was so happy and Jean looked happy to have a real family and a good home to go to."

Jean Havoc stared silently at Roy Mustang, watching the fire play along the pale features of the Flame Alchemist. He smiled. "Hey... take the eye patch off..."

Roy looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"Take the eye patch off. I feel like you're only looking at half of me..."

The colonel stared at Havoc for a moment, watching the fire create shadows on his rough cheeks and blue eyes. Then, slowly, he reached up and touched the eye patch. Jean watched the internal battle, and closed his eyes.

"I was kidding..." He whispered. Mustang glared at him some as he chuckled softly. "My bad... I was just curious to see if you would do it for me. You'd do it for Hughes, wouldn't you?"

Roy smiled some. "Now that I'm not sure about." Jean looked at him surprised. "I think the only one I'd take this eye patch off for is the person I'd be spending the rest of my days with."

Havoc smiled and nodded. "Well!" He exclaimed suddenly. "Lets finish dinner! I'm starving!" He grinned and walked into the kitchen.

Roy stood as well and turned to follow Havoc into the kitch, but stopped and watched his back. Seeing Jean Havoc walk into his kitchen from the living room seemed oddly right, as if he was supposed to. He walked through the house as if he'd been doing it all his life. When Hughes was here, he still walked around slightly hesitant, as if not wanting to intrude on Roy's privacy, but Havoc didn't seem to care, he was comfortable walking around Colonel Roy Mustang's, his boss', house.

"Yo! Roy! Come make the corn bread while I finish the stew!"

Roy blinked out of his musings and smiled. "Coming, Jean." With a light heart, Roy stepped into the kitchen and over to Jean, smiling warmly. Jean grinned back, unlit cigarette sitting crunched between his teeth.