A/N: Ah, so here it is: the first installation of my newest story, "Quite the Mother Load." I wouldn't call it the anticipated sequel…okay, yes I would. It's the anticipated sequel of my story, "A Lot to Make Up For." From the reviews left after the last chapter, I'd say a few of you are probably squealing and squirming in your seats. I must say, I am pretty excited (anxious?) about this undertaking. It's going to be lighter than the last one, but also very interesting. I am going to be able to put all of my wonderful occupational knowledge to recreational use (for those of you who don't speak gibberish, it means I'll be able to use what I learned from my job and apply it to this story). For those of you who don't know what I do for a living, other than sell my soul to the university, well…guess it'll be a surprise, huh? Anyway, enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. I'd ask the story below mine, though, they seem to have a pretty good handle on things (keep in mind I have no idea whatsoever who is posted below me in the listings…hahaha).

Roy Mustang awoke bright and early on a Saturday morning, as he had a tendency to do so, despite his best intentions to stay asleep as long as humanly possible. The sight that met his eyes was that of a blonde chibi sleeping peacefully beside him, his golden tresses slightly mussed from the previous night's activities. His long eyelashes swept over sun-kissed, freckled cheeks, reflecting the light and making the young man look almost luminous in the early morning light.

Then, it hit him. Quite literally. Much like other things pertaining to the metal-limbed alchemist, the pleasantness wore off fast. One second, Roy was contently watching his young lover sleep blissfully, the next, a very quick moving arm swung out and hit him right in the eye.

And he wasn't even fortunate enough for it to be Ed's flesh hand. Ow.

Roy groaned in pain, covering his face and rolling out of bed. He slipped on a pair of pajama pants and headed towards the bathroom, quickly flicking the light switch on and looking in the mirror. Though the reflective glass was in desperate need of a clean (Edward had a terrible habit of getting toothpaste everywhere when he brushed his teeth), it was obvious that it was going to be one beauty of a shiner. He sighed, grabbing a washcloth out of the nearby linen cupboard and running it under some cold water. With some luck, he wouldn't be called in all weekend, and he'd be able to get the swelling down enough to conceal it by then. If not, then well…

At least he'd kept his patch.

As he looked into the mirror once more, it became obvious that there was something else the dried toothpaste couldn't manage to hide:

Roy was getting old. Well, he was getting older, anyway, and it wasn't going as gracefully as he'd hoped it would. Bags were under his eyes; bags that used to take him a few days of less than three hours of sleep to get. Now, they just seemed to be there, taunting him, reminding him that it didn't matter how much he slept, they weren't going away so easily.

He squinted, trying to see if there were any worry lines on his usually smooth forehead. He was surprised to find that there were none, which was amazing, considering what he'd had to put up with the past five…six…uh…how many years had he known Ed? He'd been roughly twenty-eight years of age when he'd first seen the then-eleven-year-old boy…

Roy tried to shake off the thought that he was indeed seventeen years older than his much more youthful lover, which was enough for him to be his father—albeit, it would make him Edward's very young father, but his father nonetheless.

He was suddenly reminded of something Maes Hughes had once said to him, back before everything had spun out of control, before he'd nearly lost everything and everyone dear to him…

"You know, Roy, it really wouldn't kill you to take a little time off work, maybe take some time for yourself, get some rest, find a nice girl…"

Without raising his head from a no doubt mindless document he was signing, Roy raised his hands, his fingers poised to snap. "Maes, before you finish that sentence, just remember my quick reflexes…"

The young lt. colonel merely laughed and waved his hand. "Aw, you'd no more snap at me than you would at Hawkeye." He sat on the edge of Roy's desk, putting his hand over the document his friend was currently signing, causing a pair of slightly irked, dark eyes to look up at him in question.

He chose to ignore his friend's expression and continued on, determined to make his point. "Seriously, though, Roy…you need to take a break. You work too hard. You're going to work yourself right into an early grave if you keep it up."

Roy sighed, feeling the fatigue he knew was there, but he'd never acknowledge in front of his friend, just out of spite. "Promotions don't make themselves, you know. All play and no work, and even Fuery will pass me up in the ranks."

Maes shook his head, closing his green eyes and rubbing them tiredly. "Honestly…I know I give you grief and all about your rank, but honestly, I think you're doing just fine the way you are. Work too hard, and you'll appear too ambitious. Then, you really will be stuck here forever." He grinned impishly. "Besides, I know for a fact you haven't been on any dates in awhile. What, are you planning to give up the military and become a priest?"

Roy snorted, amused. "Hardly, Maes. I couldn't be any more of a priest than you could a polygamist." He moved his friend's hand and resumed his work.

Hughes shrugged, knowing Roy was probably right, and there wasn't really anything to be done about it. He'd just have to try later.

Just then, the door slammed open as a very irate-looking Edward marched in, looking disheveled and exhausted. He slapped a set of papers on top of the ones Roy had been working on and crossed his arms.

Not bothering to look up, Roy set the papers aside and continued working. "Come up short again, eh Fullmetal?"

"Don't get cocky with me, Bastard. You know very well we didn't come up with anything. Just another wild goose chase. Al's lucky he came out in less than five pieces!"

Roy smirked slightly, though he felt his chest tighten. Had they come that close again? As much as he hated the idea of the two Elrics running all over the country in search of the impossible, he couldn't hardly keep them around, either. There were missions to be done, and the teen was good at what he did. That just couldn't be helped. When he became Fuhrer, however, things were going to change. He was going to tie a leash around that boy's neck and bind him to his desk so that the blonde wouldn't ever leave his sight.

"And another thing, don't even think about doing anything to our research budget," Edward said, cutting into Roy's thoughts. "Just because there was a small accident and a couple of somewhat important buildings were wrecked, it's not really my fault. I don't do these things on my own, you know."

Roy quirked an eyebrow. As mad as the boy was at the moment, he couldn't help but want to push some of his buttons, just to see what he'd do. "Oh, so you don't want your budget to reflect your stature, do you?"

Ed's eyes narrowed threateningly. Roy knew he was playing with fire, but then again, that was his specialty.

"Who are you calling so small that…"

"Hey, calm down there, Ed," Hughes interjected. "Don't let Roy give you a hard time. I'm sure he won't do anything to your budget, will you, Roy?"

The older man sighed, rubbing his head. Two against one. Damn his luck. He'd always hated how the odds stacked against him. Looking at the blonde fuming before his desk, he thought again about those odds.

Okay, so it was more like one versus one-and-a-half. Still, he didn't really care for those, either.

With a mental roll of his eyes, Roy replied, "No, I guess not…this time. Do it again, and even the lt. colonel won't be able to save you."

Grinning triumphantly, Ed turned towards the door. With a wave of his gloved hand, he left the room. "Thanks…Bastard."

Roy grit his teeth and watched the teen walk out of his office. His mind began to wander, his thoughts on how anyone could wear pants that tight and not look like a moron, when Hughes clearing his throat brought him out of his stupor.

"Yeah, sure you wouldn't make a good priest, Roy…" With that, he flashed his friend a knowing grin and left the room as well.

Roy hadn't known what his friend had meant by that at the time, but it now became all-too clear. With the recent issues with the church and their clergy with wandering hands, he was amazed he hadn't caught it.

He called me a pedophile…heh, once again, Maes knew before I even did…

He smiled sadly at the recollection of his lost friend. He imagined that perhaps the reason Maes had pestered him so much about getting a wife was only for the sole purpose of helping him realize exactly what it was he wanted out of life. That, perhaps, what he really had wanted all along was sleeping in the next room…

He tried to remember back to the time just after the Elrics had reappeared, but it all seemed hazy. He imagined that too was a byproduct of the passing years. He estimated that it'd been at least a couple years, since one or two anniversaries had passed since he and Ed had gotten together.

He blushed as he remembered that night, when he'd finally confessed to Edward exactly how he'd felt. He'd been hoping to do it subtly over time, but the sudden near-loss of the teen had almost caused him to follow Maes to the ground. That night, he'd gone to the blonde's hospital room, nearly dying from grief at the idea that he could lose the young alchemist before he'd ever had him; then, there was the night Ed had shown up at his apartment. He'd never expected that things would go so far…

But they had. And he'd never been so glad for anything in his life. It was more momentous than any promotion, more satisfying than any award had ever been. It was the thing that told him that what he'd thought he wanted was right. He loved Edward, and after that night, he'd be damned if he'd ever let him leave in any way ever again.

Looking in at the blonde still sprawled on the bed, limbs tangled in the stark white sheets, he smiled at how sweet the usually feisty alchemist looked. It was easy to forget sometimes just how old the young man really was. Still, even at almost twenty-one, he would say something or do something that reminded Roy of the young boy he'd met almost ten years before.

He set the washcloth aside and went into the room to sit and observe his sleeping angel while he still could. He sat carefully on the edge of the bed and moved his hand to sweep away a few stray hairs that had fallen in Edward's face. He was pleased when the blonde sighed contently and moved into his hand slightly, much like a cat would. Roy smirked at the thought of the prodigy's expression, were he ever to hear that.

As he realized that the young man was nuzzling a little too much for one who should be slumbering, he smiled.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked softly.

Edward smiled, eyes still closed. "Long enough." His voice was slightly groggy, so it couldn't have been too long.

"That's good, because otherwise, I'd probably have to kill you," Roy said teasingly, referring to his eye.

Ed's eyes opened slowly, his grin slowly disappearing as he realized exactly what Roy was talking about. Still, he couldn't believe the mark that was beginning to appear. He sat up, looking at his lover worriedly.

"Did I…?" he asked softly, letting the question hang.

Roy waved his hand, dismissing the subject and waving all blame from his younger partner. "Don't worry about it. It happens. I kept waiting for you to get me in my sleep. Now I guess you finally have…well, in your sleep, anyway." He smiled, trying to prove that he wasn't sore over the ordeal.

Edward sighed, still feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should start taking my arm off before we go to bed…"

Roy shrugged. "All that trouble for one small bruise? It's not worth it." He frowned as small worry lines began to crease the younger man's forehead. He knew how the blonde felt about his artificial limbs. He wasn't ashamed of them or anything; that didn't stop him from feeling like less of a person.

"Hey, look at me," he said, tilting the young man's face up towards him. "I've been through worse scrapes before. It's a tiny black eye. It'll fade. Don't worry about it."

Ed's expression turned from one of guilt to one of worry. "What if someone sees and asks you how it happened?"

Roy thought for a moment and shrugged. "If someone asks, I guess I'll just do what I always do when someone asks me a question."

Ed smirked evilly. "You mean, you'll glare at them, ignore them, and leave them to assume that Hawkeye finally lost it and gave you what you deserve?"

"Exactly," Roy said, nodding firmly. Finally, it registered in his head exactly what Ed had just said. "Hey, wait a minute, you little…"

But before he could do anything, Ed was up and out of bed, running down the hall without bothering to grab any clothes to throw on. Roy smirked and got up, slowly following him. He loved how Ed had seemingly made his life interesting overnight. He felt a pang of guilt at the thought that he'd been so busy at work that he'd hardly had time to spend with the young man. He hated how everything at work had gotten so busy, but what could he do? These were important matters to be handled, and when the military called, he'd made it his job to be there and answer. That had been his promise to Ed, the morning after he'd shown up at Roy's apartment unannounced.

"Roy…" Ed said softly, frowning just a little and staring at a particularly uninteresting spot on the sheet. "This…changes everything, doesn't it? We can't just go back to the way things were…can we?"

Roy sighed, stretching his still-achy legs and wincing. A full night of sleep hadn't done him any good. He'd been too careless the night before, but it had been worth it. Ed was right there, beside him, and that's what he'd wanted.

"Well…" he began slowly. "We could…if you wanted to. I could do that. I'll never be going back, because I just can't. But I could fake it, if that's what you want."

Ed's eyes widened in disbelief. "Roy…"

"I love you, Edward," Roy said firmly, looking Ed in the eyes. "I'll do whatever you want. If you want things to go back to the way they were, I can do that. If you want me to stay right here, with you, for the rest of my life, I'll do it. Just tell me what to do."

"Are you drunk?" Ed asked incredulously. "Because I think you are."

Roy shook his head best as he could. "I'm completely serious. I've never been so certain. I love you, Ed. I want to do what makes you happy, because I…I can never repay you for what you've done for me tonight. You accepted everything I gave, though I had no right to do so. Not many people would do that."

Ed felt tears accumulate in his eyes and his throat began to tighten. "I want…" He couldn't finish the statement, because he wasn't quite certain WHAT he wanted. "I want…" He looked at Roy, who just laid there, patiently awaiting whatever he had to say. It amazed Ed to no end. At that moment, for whatever reason, a man who could have and do whatever he wanted was at Ed's mercy. "I want…things to stay the way they are."

Roy looked extremely hurt, without actually showing it. His face was stoic, but his eyes spoke volumes. "Okay, if that's what you want."

Ed shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I meant…I want things to stay the way they are right now. With you. I want to be with you."

The older man looked taken aback, as if he hadn't been expecting that kind of response. "You sure?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. Just…promise me one thing."

Roy nodded back. "Sure, Ed. What is it?"

"I want…I want you to stay in the military, to continue your work. They need you there, and I don't want to be the reason you stop doing what it is you're supposed to be doing. You're too important to them…the people who work under you…and I know things weren't the same when you were gone."

"You…found out," Roy said quietly.

Ed shrugged. "I was wondering why everything had seemed so hectic, and Lieutenant Havoc sat me down and told me everything. He'd said that you'd demoted yourself and moved to an outpost in the North. He said he didn't fully understand it, that you'd said to Hawkeye that it was because you felt like you somehow deserved it, but he didn't buy that, either. He said it had something to do with the way things were at the time. Whatever that means…"

"I did it…because I'd failed," Roy admitted softly. I'd failed to stop the chaos that came from the uprising in Liore. I'd failed to help all those people who I'd hoped to save. I'd failed…my friends…and most of all, I failed you. I failed to protect you from those things you shouldn't have had to face alone."

Ed sighed, reaching over to brush hair away from Roy's forehead. He rested his hand there for a moment before shaking his head. "Nope, no fever. I guess you're just crazy." He laughed lightly. "Mustang, there are some things you couldn't ever help me with. I'm glad you weren't there. It was a mess, one I'd hoped to avoid. We were stupid kids who managed to get into a situation bigger than ourselves. In the end, we really didn't help anyone…not even ourselves…"

Not even ourselves, Roy thought as he walked through the apartment, pretending to look for Edward. Maybe we weren't supposed to help everyone else. Maybe we weren't even supposed to help ourselves…

He smirked as he reached the bathroom door and heard the sound of running water coming from the other side. He opened the door and was hit by a rush of steam. He walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He loosened the tie on his pajama pants and let them fall to the floor. Kicking them aside, he opened the steam-covered shower door to reveal a very wet and flushed Ed.

He cocked an eyebrow and glanced up and down the length of Ed's body. "You know, it's a wonder you didn't slip and knock yourself out from all that running. You know better than to run indoors, don't you, Edward?"

Ed grinned and winked at him. "Yeah, well, I'm not the one who has problems getting out of bed in the mornings, am I, old man? Sometimes I'm worried that you'll slip and bust a hip one of these days."

Roy smirked and quickly stepped inside, pinning Ed to the shower wall before the younger man could do anything. "Well, it appears that I'm not the slow one here. Guess I'm not such an 'old man' after all."

Ed's eyes shut as Roy began to kiss at his neck, quickly making his way down between Ed's legs. He gently kissed the inside of Ed's thigh before completely engulfing Ed's throbbing member. Ed bit back a moan and did what he could to try and keep from making too much noise. Roy had been getting a few noise complaints from the people who lived below him, and though it wasn't as if it was something Roy couldn't lie about (and sometimes cleverly so--one time, Ed screamed so sharply that Roy had shrugged off the noise complaint and said that sometimes he enjoyed listening to radio shows about the military and it was common to hear that sort of thing during war. Ed hadn't been pleased to hear the tone in which it was said, but he suspected that Roy was rather good at lying about things like that).

Roy drew back and stood, placing his hands on Ed's narrow hips and giving them a brief squeeze. His hands drifted up Ed's back, causing a chill to run up the young alchemist's spine and making him shudder. Roy bent down to Ed's ear and kissed the outer shell, running his tongue along the lobe and blowing. He laughed when Ed let out a tiny yelp.

"So, since you seem to think I'm so 'old,' maybe I should let you do all the work this time. I always have to wear myself out while you lie there and do nothing. Maybe your lazy ass should do something for a change."

Ed grit his teeth and glared at his older lover. "Oh yeah? Maybe I will, then."

Roy laughed, mocking Ed. "You think you can do that, tough man? I don't think you have the energy to do it. I think you're too sensitive for such a demanding job."

Ed scoffed and pointed towards the shower floor. "Bend over and I'll show you how wrong you are!"

Roy tried hard not to laugh, despite the amusement bubbling up inside him at the brazen demand. He wanted to take Ed seriously, though he had a feeling he was going to end up wishing he hadn't. He had to admit, he was intrigued by Ed's certainty that such a thing was an easy task. Sure, the kid was a prodigy, but there are some things even the most adept of geniuses couldn't just do. This was one of them.

Still, Roy was Roy and curiosity always got the best of him.

He raised his arms above his head to stretch his muscles and almost mockingly bowed away from Ed. He wished he could see the expression on the young man's face. He was sure it was priceless.

And it was, for Ed's eyes nearly bulged out of his head and his left brow quivered just a bit. He should have known he could count on the colonel to call his bluff. After all, they didn't call it "playing with fire" for nothing. He clenched his fists to try and stop them from shaking, but it was nearly impossible. To say that Edward Elric had been intimidated before was understandable, for everything he'd gone through in his short life weren't things a normal youth usually had to deal with. However, to say he was intimidated at that moment wasn't just understandable: it was a vast understatement.

Ed was ready to faint where he stood.

Still, he was the infamous Edward Elric, and they didn't call him the Fullmetal Alchemist for nothing. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and approached his bent lover. However, his lack of nerve wasn't the only problem he had; he found himself, once again, falling just short of the mandatory height requirements needed to complete his goal.

Damn his long legs…Ed thought bitterly. He glanced down at his feet. Or rather, damn my…not-so-long legs. He frowned. It's not like it's my fault! I mean, come on! Winry's been so busy chasing Al around that she hasn't even had the time to take an appointment and fix my leg. I'm still growing, after all!

He began to calculate how long it had been since he'd seen either his brother or his friend. Sure, he'd gotten a couple of letters from Al, but they had gotten shorter as of late. It wasn't as if they'd grown apart or anything, there was just…not much to say. Ed was never one for writing letters, anyway. He'd written maybe once or twice to Winry when he and Al had been searching for the Philosopher's Stone, but other than that, he didn't write unless he absolutely had to.

That didn't stop him from missing his younger brother, of course. He thought about him often, wondering how he was doing, what he was doing… He couldn't really tell Al what he'd been up to, since he hadn't really done anything of merit lately. In fact, he'd been downright lazy lately. All he ever seemed to do anymore was sit around or run errands for Roy. It was rather troublesome, how he'd managed to get stuck with every little local issue there was, while other, less-skilled alchemists than he went out on the more important missions. What had happened to the days when he'd roamed free, constantly getting into very well-earned trouble?

When Roy finally realized that he'd been bent over for some time, and there was no awkward pain, he stood, turning to face Ed. He smiled when he saw the expression on the blonde's face. He was lost inside his head again. Roy could always tell when Ed was really trying to work something out in his head, because he always had this focused look on his face. Something was either bothering him, or he'd gotten distracted--probably the latter. Roy couldn't tell whether he should be insulted at having been forgotten, or flattered at having caused such complex thoughts that Ed completely forgot where he was. He guessed it would have to depend on the context of the thoughts Ed was lost in.

"What are you thinking about?" Roy asked softly, careful not to startle the younger man. The last time he'd made that particular mistake, he'd wound up on the wrong end of a transmuted automail blade.

"Hm?" Ed asked, blinking. "Oh, just Al."

Okay, he was definitely insulted. However, he wouldn't draw it out into a large ordeal, because it wasn't often that Ed brought up his younger brother, and whenever he did, it meant that something was bothering him. This was a problem for Roy. It had become a rule of thumb between the two of them: if Ed wasn't happy, Roy wasn't happy. Usually, Ed made sure of that.

"You must worry about him. Why don't you go see him, and Winry, in Risembool?" Roy asked, brushing wet strands from Ed's face.

Ed nodded. "Yeah, maybe." He glanced up at Roy, frowning. "What about you?"

Roy smirked and shrugged. "I'll just stay here, get some work done, maybe enjoy some rest without worry of getting beaned to death in my sleep."

The younger alchemist glared at his older lover. While the man's sense of humor was rarely apparent, when it was, it never seemed to be in Ed's favor. "Very funny, Mustang."

Roy chuckled. "Oh, come on, Ed. It was just a joke. Here I thought you'd learned not to take things like that seriously."

Ed sighed. "Yeah yeah…" He quirked an eyebrow curiously. "So, you're just going to work, sleep, and lie about while I'm gone? Nothing else?"

Roy snorted incredulously, as if that was the stupidest question he'd ever heard in his life. "Why yes, Edward, whatever else would I do? Join the circus?" He shook his head at the expression on Ed's face. "For crying out loud, from the look on your face, you'd think that I planned on going on a date while you went back home."

Ed's eyes widened slightly. He tried hard not to show how closely Roy had hit the mark, but he knew that the older man could see it. It wasn't difficult for anyone to see, even less so for someone who knew Ed as well as Roy did.

Roy frowned. "Edward…do you honestly think that I'd go on a date while you're gone?"

Ed bit down on his lip and tried not to make eye contact, as if afraid the older man would easily read his mind if he did. It wasn't that he didn't trust Roy, but…well, the man had been known for being a complete flirt (and he didn't even have to do anything!).

Of course, Roy had been especially good about avoiding women in general. In fact, it could be said that the only woman he came into contact for more than a minute was one Riza Hawkeye, though Ed didn't really count that, since it was work and the night that he'd gone to see Roy at his apartment, that very same woman just happened to be on a date with one man who'd been particularly famous for being somewhat of a dateless wonder. Yeah, it had been one huge shock to everyone when Riza Hawkeye began dating Jean Havoc, but Roy looked as if he couldn't be happier for them.

Of course, even Ed could see the logic in that: first, it got Havoc off his back about all the women he didn't get, which drew less attention to the fact that those women were now consequentially available and up for grabs. Secondly, it pulled Riza's attention away from Roy, which was incredible, considering the fact that just about everyone (including Edward) knew of her infatuation towards the dark-haired officer. Everyone else seemed to be waiting for Roy to do something drastic, like steal Hawkeye away from Havoc, but Ed knew better. At least, he thought he knew better.

He hoped.

"Ed…?" Roy called again, waving his hand in Ed's face, trying to get his attention. "Great, zoning out again. Edward!"

"Hm?" Ed asked, looking back up at Roy.

Roy sighed heavily. It seemed like Ed was constantly somewhere else these days. Of course, he knew that the young alchemist was prone to daydreaming, but it seemed to be more frequent in the past few months. Something was bothering him, and perhaps it was wise for him to go visit his brother.

He smiled and leaned over to place a kiss on Ed's forehead, though he knew how much Ed hated it. "You really do need to go see Al. Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I promise not to even so much as look at another person, male or female, in any provocative way whatsoever."

Ed couldn't help but laugh as he hopped out of the shower. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say, bastard."

Roy smirked and followed the blonde to the bedroom, where he began rummaging through his closet for something to wear. "No, really, I think it would be a good idea for you to try and go see your brother. I think you miss him and he probably misses you. It might be nice to see Winry again. I'm sure you probably wonder about how they're doing from time to time…"

"What's that, old man? Sorry, but I can't seem to hear you over the stifling of your stiff-collared shirts," Ed teased.

Roy sighed and stuck his head out of his closet. "You know, Edward, I'm not actually that much older…"

"Don't come out of the closet any more than that, people might talk," Ed continued, grinning. Sometimes he loved to tease Roy shamelessly. Of course, sometimes it got him into more than he bargained for, but then again, Edward hadn't gotten to where he was by playing it safe…especially when it came to Roy.

Roy emerged, wearing his work slacks and a white dress shirt--one Ed couldn't help but notice wasn't quite buttoned yet.

"What, didn't your mother ever teach you how to dress properly? Or does Hawkeye usually do everything for you?" Ed joked, reaching out and tapping Roy's chest lightly.

Roy grabbed Ed's outstretched wrist and pulled him close so that their bodies were flush against one another. He smirked and leaned over to Ed, gently nipping an exposed earlobe. He let his hand slide down to Ed's lower back, resting in the slight curve that began his backside. He paused for a moment, letting the idea swim around in his head for a moment.

To pinch, or not to pinch…such a very tough decision. If I do, I'll most likely be late for my meeting at noon with Hawkeye…then again, she'll probably be late too…but I really need to try and set a better example for my men…but they're such good soldiers, do I really need to? Yes. I am the superior officer; I should always set an example, regardless of whether or not they follow it. Oh, but it's so tempting…

He was thrown from his thoughts by the feeling of damp hair nuzzling into his neck. He couldn't help but almost laugh. Firstly, it tickled, but also, he couldn't help but remark at how much Ed looked like a kitten sometimes. This was one of those times.

"Getting comfortable, Fullmetal?" he queried, his tone light, with a subtle undertone of mischievous intent.

Ed nodded slightly, sliding his free arm around Roy's waist and nuzzling further into the crook of his neck. "Mmmhmmm."

Roy smirked, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits.

Oh yes, to pinch indeed…

He reached down and grabbed about an inch of Ed's ass and squeezed.

What followed was absolute chaos, just as Roy had figured. Ed jumped, gave a high-pitched chirp, and then glared at Roy momentarily before tackling him onto the bed. Roy, never being one to be bested, then began doing his utmost to cover all of Ed's secret ticklish spots. Ed roared with laughter, trying his best to kick Roy away, but it was to no avail--the Flame Alchemist was faster, especially with his fingers. They were getting quite carried away, knocking the lamp off the bedside table and nearly ramming Ed's head onto the wall, when there came a loud knocking on the door of the apartment.

Both froze completely.

AH! Maybe I should have called this, "ALTMUF2: Return of the Cliffhangers!!!" Those of you familiar with my style of writing are probably going, "Oh good grief, here she goes again…" And you're right! Of course, if I didn't do this, how would I get such wonderfully amusing threats to have my breakfast foods eaten, or…or…whatever it is that my dear friend Michelle plans to do to me. She calls it "motivation," I call it "torture"… Ah well, c'est la vie!