Please Roy…

R, slash, AU, pre-manga.

Author's notes:

I shall place this fiction before the manga started to stop the ranks from mixing up with the plot. You know, like subordinates not interfering with their superiors' lives. If Roy was a Lt. Col. when the manga first started, Hughes would probably be a Major. In this fiction I shall just take Roy as a Lt. Col and Roy as a Lt. Col. as well. Before the Ishbal War and before Hughes is promoted for dying in the line of duty. This is rather confusing. Ah well, enjoy. :o)

Chapter One:

Roy stood in front of his full length mirror. A drop of water trickled from his damp hair, running down his cheek. Coal eyes followed the little droplet's path down a strong, fair jaw, into the hollow of a creamy neck. A fatter droplet ran down defined pectorals and a six pack. It disappeared into a towel wrapped around slim hips. Roy smirked as he thought about where that little droplet might have gone had the towel not been there.

"Admiring yourself again?"

Roy whipped around.

"God, Hughes. I could have crisped you." So this is why he's in intelligence...

Calloused fingers slipped into smooth slender ones.

"You're not wearing your gloves, Roy..." Hughes purred into Roy's neck. Roy could feel his lips curving into a smirk.

"Besides...you can't fry me on your five year anniversary..."

Anniversary... Roy stiffened as unwanted memories flashed through his head.

"So you remember then."

"How could I forget, Hughes, how?"

Five Years ago…

The sign read "Uniform Collection", this had to be the place. Roy stepped up to the counter.

"Height, sir?" The Major behind the counter droned listlessly.

"173cm."

"Waist?"

"Er…" Roy faltered. He loathed having to announce his waist size.

The major looked at him expectantly, eyebrows raised. The expression on his face was that of mild annoyance and amusement, bordering on insubordination.

A measuring tape was pressed into his hand.

"Here." A bespectacled lt. col. with dark hair winked cheekily at him, "Need help?"

Roy blinked. What sort of man carried a measuring tape around with him?

"It's alright I'll do-" he was cut short by slender fingers sliding around his waist, cinching the tape tight. Yellow-green eyes widened incredulously.

"You're….24 inches?" The man narrowed his eyes and re-read the measurement, "23 inches…"

Roy cringed. Now the whole world knew.

"Uh yes." He took the uniform the man behind the counter proffered and started to walk briskly away, only to be stopped by a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Wait…Lieutenant Colonel?"

"Mustang. Roy Mustang." He replied weakly. This man, whoever he was, scared him, honestly. He seemed to know too much. It was as if he knew about everything.

The man collected his uniform. He was 6 feet tall with a 32 inch waist. Roy gulped and frantically fingered his new uniform as the man turned to him. He felt speculative eyes roam his body and read him like an open book. He felt like he was being pried apart by those yellow-green eyes. He felt so naked. Roy drew a shuddering breath.

"Lt. Col. Maes Hughes at your service."

His voice was smooth and for some strange reason, it reminded him of golden honey. Nevertheless, Roy's instincts instantly went on alert. This man was persuasive and was potentially manipulative. His voice said it all. Roy was a quick-witted deep thinker. He knew underneath this man's gentlemanly and somewhat eccentric exterior was something very different.

"Well, hello. I was just…getting new uniform." Roy held up his royal-blue uniform. Inwardly, he punched himself. Why did he have to go all stupid on this man? He tried to get himself together.

"You and me both," a bell rang in the distance, "I believe that's the lunch bell. How about we go grab some food?"

Roy felt himself relenting. This was bad. He'd barely known this man for two minutes and they were already going for lunch together. Mumbling something about not being hungry, he declined.

Hughes narrowed his eyes at the man for the second time. He could feel something was wrong. His instincts told him so. It was his superior instincts that had gotten him into the military's Intelligence department and he was not about to ignore it. Besides, there was something intriguing about this man. He seemed well built outwardly, if not for his thin face. The pale skin was stretched tight across his cheekbones and a healthy man did not usually have a 23 inch waist.

"How about a drink then?" Hughes' voice took on a new quality – more amiable and less veiled. Roy smiled hesitantly, this he could deal with.

"Well, alright then. If I'm not wrong the cafeteria's this way." Thin fingers gestured to the left.

Roy hated the HQ cafeteria. No, he hated lunch breaks more. Hughes had somehow managed to coerce him into getting some food instead of just mineral water. He pushed his peas absently around his plate and sighed. The dark haired man took the seat opposite him, setting down a tray heaped with food onto the grimy cafeteria table.

The smell of Hughes' food nauseated Roy. How could someone actually eat all that?

A rush of stomach fluid made its way up his throat, leaving a burning trail behind. Roy downed copious amounts of water in an attempt to soothe his gullet. Choking, he gasped for breath, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Are you quite alright, Roy?" Hughes peered into Roy's contorted face, brows creased. There was definitely something fishy going on here.

"Fine...food went down the wrong way…" he rasped.

Hughes knew a lie when he saw one. Besides, he knew Roy hadn't taken a bite of his peas salad – he had been watching the man all the while. After all these years in Intelligence, his mind instantaneously formed several theories. Was Roy ill? Was he depressed? Was Roy on a diet? Did Roy have a thing against cafeteria food? Hughes shook the thoughts from his head. The more he thought the more ludicrous they seemed to become. Perhaps he simply wasn't hungry.

Perhaps…perhaps not. Whatever it was, Hughes was insistent on finding out.