Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return...

To obtain, something of equal value must be lost...

That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange...

Brother and I believe this to be true until we grow older. Now we believe in each other and others around us.

Chapter 1 Missing blonde

After returning my body and brother's right arm from the trust, we journey onwards to see the world. 'Moving forwards' is what Edward called it but it didn't take long before deciding on going back home to Winry. Ed would never say it but we miss everyone, I know I did.

We were only there for at least two weeks before brother continue working with the Military, under Mustang, in central. He said it was because of the pay but I think he was too lazy to search for other work until like me.

When he found a flat for us to share and I join him in central, finding a job was easy. It was a good life with friends all around us. Everything was so normal for us at that time until the past two weeks.

"Edward Elric!" Mustang voice shouted down the military corridor with the blonde Lieutenant walking beside him, paperwork in arms. The Elric brother, Ed and Al, were walking towards them and all four met up at Roy's new office door. They stare at each other with Riza and the younger Elric heading inside, before the fighting started.

"Come on Roy," the blonde's sly smile appeared across his face. The way Edward spook was like he wanted the other to bow.

The older man wasn't going to bend so easily to his little blonde, "You think coming in late then smiling will get you off." Ed's smile grew, "Not this time FullMetal!"

Everyone, in the office, could hear the two but then silent as the younger alchemist had stopped the shouting with a peck, placed on Roy's lips. Parting the kiss, Mustang said the words "I miss you."

"Silly men, I stare you yesterday," The flame alchemist looked confuse; closing and re-opening his eyes, the blonde started disappearing like Mustang was losing him yet again.

Opening his eyes to a pillow lying on the Elric's couch, where he was sleeping for another night. Voices came from outside of the front door as the clock turned ten.

The flame alchemist stayed there as the two voices walked through the door with shopping. The always smiling Alphonse with a huge bag of food to re-store the shelves and the lovely but bossy Hawkeye was behind him. She was really to beat the General out of that which was now his bed.

"General," She stood above the lazy men as the Elric rushed to the kitchen, unpack and re-stored. Roy didn't wish to get up which happened from time to time but Riza wasn't having it. His work was back-up already.

In the kitchen, Alphonse was making coffee for his sleepy guest and tea for the girls, Riza and Winry –still in Al's room sleeping. The young men could hear the two and peeked through the fame of the double door -without the door.

He took their drinks to them as Roy started his work but he wasn't going to move anymore then, sitting in the middle on the three seat sofa. The bedding was covering the arm and part of the back with the cushion on the other side.

The ladies-man was now in a right mess; a dirty shirt, grey joggers, faced-hair, messy hair and tired eyes. He really was a puppy, when his master's away he starts howling.

Al had sat on a chair surrounding the coffee table after, he leaving tea the side table in his room with Winry still sleeping in his bed. The blonde was hoping on his childhood friend to be returning home soon so he could have his bed back –the floor behind the couch.

The blonde watched Riza bully Roy into doing his work. It was how things went in a morning and the day's feeler the same as well. Ed would have hated it.

0o0o0

"Alphonse, how are things?" asked Miss. Hannah, a nice red head who came once a week to the little shop.

"Things are... good," He didn't know how to answer that any other way. He handed her the normal, white roses and a jar of honey. The flower shop sold jams and honey as well as flowers.

It was a long day for the smiley Elric and then going home to the flat of madness. Walking through the door, Winry was attacking Roy because he took the last rice ball with Riza eating up her noodles. Roy's leg in the machine's stomach as she was reaching for the plate –the rice ball was on it- with her fork just touching the plate but not the rice ball.

Al just sighed, closed the door, walked passing them and just in front of the kitchen door frame as the phone rang –next to the frame on the left. He placed the bag with strawberries jam in two jars as a gift from his boss then answering it.

Roy sat up with Hawkeye leaving her food and giving a quick look over; Winry had grabbed a win as Roy stare over to the phone –like always this past two weeks.

"Afternoon, this is the Elric's household" He was for formal –it was cute- as he landed his back straight onto the door frame.

On the other line was one of Armstrong's men, he was still looking for the missing Edward Elric. Lieutenant Ross spook in a loving -yet talking to a child- voice "Alphonse, the Major told me to report that we spotted a boy with a metal leg."

"It wasn't brother was it?" The hope and happy Al slipped away and an emo blonde appear instead. Roy looked sadness too.

"We not know," The words shock the emo blonde to life again, standing up. "The boy ran so we not know anything."

Al's eyes wider and he was a bit too loud, "Where! And if it was Ed why has he not come home!"

Roy slowly got up and stood beside the sofa; Winry worrying about the volume of the question. Ross just reply, "I don't know Alphonse. It may not be him anyway, bye."

She hanged up so he placed the phone back on the wall. He went on sat down; everyone staring at him as he pulled his legs closer to his chest. It was sad to see him this way.

0o0o0

The night came quickly as Roy and Al went back to the flat after a run around the city. They walked in with frowns at a late time. The blonde machine was placed lightly on the left of the sofa. She had been waiting for them all night.

Roy picked her up and took her to Al's bed; softly placing her there. Roy returned to the front room; he found Alphonse re-making his floor bed from a bedcover and a pillow.

Roy jumped onto the couch, "I bet you want me out by now."

"No, I fine because it keeps me busy," The blonde reply as he hit the pillow with his head. The two fall into a deep sleep before the night got any older.