So much could be said about Maes Hughes, a third year in the military academy. A fun loving individual, rather goofy at times, but when the situation called for it, very keen eyes and a sharp mind. He just didn't like demonstrating it all the time, like now. He stared at the young man of Xing decent, whose face had been molded into something akin to determination, possibly a defensive maneuver to prepare for pending rejection. He supposed he should have seen this coming.

Last year he had met Roy Mustang because of the rumors going about the academy, rumors that suggested that a first year was actually a spy from Xing, of all places. Xing was hardly posing as a problem at the moment, not like the Ishbalians anyways. Xing wasn't doing any sort of foreign trade and in reality didn't like the idea of anyone entering or even leaving their borders. He supposed the idea of a country closing itself in like that would cause some nerves, but unless he saw suspicious activity in that country, he saw no real reason to suspect a young man of that particular decent to be a spy. However curiosity got a hold of him and he went to meet this first year cadet, to decide for himself. It wasn't hard to find him, not many men of Xing ancestry hung out in military camps.

He found Roy sitting at a table; head bowed, elbows in, focused completely on the mysterious mush on his plate. It amused him to see cadets or really anyone eating like that on a day off - they got one day a week because of the religious folk. You had to eat like that during a work day because you only had so much time and the goal was simply to get substance in your stomach. Also you didn't want to be fighting your partner for elbow room, just keep them to yourself and you'll get more crap down your throat. The man had plenty of room on either side of him, so there was really no reason for him to be doing such. Maes sat down across from him and watched him for a bit, waiting for the dark haired man to acknowledge he was there. No such acknowledgment came and most people would have left. Maes wasn't most people though. In fact this only encouraged him, which perhaps was what his peers found most frustrating about the personality of Second Class Cadet Hughes. Maes decided to get his attention by removing what currently had the other man's attention and reached over and pulled the tray away. Only then did the slanted, dark eyes of the individual look up to meet his own. Maes offered him a smile, "Hi, Second Class Cadet Maes Hughes." He introduced himself offering his hand so they could shake in greeting.

"You took my tray." Was all he got in return.

"I was worried for your personal health. Can never be too careful about what you put in your body." He tried countering.

"My body belongs to the military. What is put into it is up to their discretions, not my own."

Maes wanted to wince at that comment, hard core military kid right there. Most people would complain about such things if given a chance. Mark one for possible spy theory.

Hughes scrambled to find a way to respond to that comment. "Doesn't mean you have to sell your soul to them." He said with a grin to soften his statement.

"I don't recall saying anything about my soul. I only spoke of my body." Roy countered.

He was good, Maes had to give him credit there. "Come on, you should lighten up, I'm just trying to make small talk."

Maes felt the dark eyes study him and it was rather unnerving. It was like he was seeing right through him and yet those intense eyes spoke nothing of his own feelings. Eyes were said to be windows to the soul, and prior to meeting Roy, Maes could somewhat agree with that. For Roy though, his eyes seemed to reveal absolutely nothing and perhaps that's what was unnerving most people.

It was several minutes before Roy decided to speak. "Small talk? For what purpose? I am, after all, not deaf."

Maes immediately understood the implications. He was referring to the rumors. He offered Roy perhaps his goofiest and guiltiest grin. "I've been found out. So you're saying you're not a spy?"

"Would it matter if I said I was or wasn't. You've already made your assessment before you met me." He said and reached to pull his tray back to him. Maes allowed him to.

"Don't be like that. It's kind of cool. You know there isn't a lot of excitement around here. The idea of a spy in our midst is, well ... Hey! I hear there're ninjas in Xing! Is that true?" He asked, leaning
close to Roy.

Roy looked up and scowled "How would I know? I've never been there."

Maes blinked then shrugged. "I guess not, you don't have an accent at all." He got a snort on that one. "So why are you here?"

"I'm eating."

"No, I mean in the military?"

"Why are you in the military?"

Maes blinked when the question was turned back on him. "Because I didn't know what else to do with myself."

"What makes you think my reason is any different?"

Maes tried not to get discouraged about this. So far, all he'd figured out about Roy was he'd never been to Xing and he didn't have an accent. Well, perhaps he had learned a little more. It appeared to be that Roy was trying to say that he wasn't any different than anyone else here and if people would look beyond his physical appearance, they would see that. This revelation made Maes laugh at his own
paranoia. Obviously he had gotten as caught up in the rumor as everyone else. Now he felt the need to make it up to the man. "What are you doing tonight?" He asked.

Roy gave him an odd expression, apparently not expecting such a turn in their 'small talk', "Studying." He said unsure.

Maes grinned widely, "Great, then you can go to Twilight with me."

Again he got no real facial response over such a comment. He knew he had heard of the place though - everyone had heard of Twilight, especially around here. Military cadets often went there because the girls smelled sweeter at Twilight than at Loose Tooth, another infamous bar among cadets. He saw that Roy was about to speak when Maes quickly got up, not wanting to be rejected. "Great, I'll see you at the gate at 1800 hours." Then he left, not giving the other man a chance to accept or decline.

Long story short Roy had in fact gone with Maes that night, and though Roy hadn't danced with any girls the first few times they went out, it wasn't long before the two of them became really close friends and he relaxed enough to start enjoying the company of the female gender in a dance or two the nights they were out.

It wasn't long before Maes had found out about Roy's ambition to become a state alchemist; that he was in fact saving money to take the test. Which led them to where they were now, Roy looking up at him again with those unreadable eyes and Maes scrambling as to what to say. How was he able to do that? It was a mystery that Roy would probably take to the grave or at least wouldn't tell Maes before he went to take the state alchemist test in a week's time. He opened his mouth, "You're joking right?" Maes asked.

"Do I appear to be joking?"

Sometimes I can't tell with you, he answered mentally, "Apparently not." He sat down on his own bed. The two of them became roommates back at the beginning of Roy's second year and Maes' third.
He scratched the back of his neck, "you know that it'swell"

"Wrong?" Roy filled in for him. Maes winced but nodded his head anyways. "A lot of things are wrong in this world, Maes. Perhaps this is one of those times where the world itself is wrong."

Maes couldn't argue with that. After all, that was why they were here, wasn't it; to right the wrongs of the world? A tall order, yes, but it would be impossible to accomplish if they didn't first right the
wrongs in their own lives, including perception. Was this one of those times? He studied the man before him for a long time. Maybe it was. They say don't judge a book by its cover and that was something Roy had really taught him.

Maes leaned over across the span between their two twin beds and rested his lips on Roy's. He felt Roy tense for a moment before relaxing into the kiss and returned it. Maes pulled back and looked at Roy who looked back at him, both of them mulling over what just happened. On Maes' part, it was actually perhaps the best kiss he'd ever had. Maybe it's because the girls he'd kissed, he'd never had a
relationship with before, where Roy and him were best friends. Or maybe, just maybe, there really was something right about this. Something the world was wrong about, something that they needed to
correct.

Thanks to my two Betas for helping me with this story. I asked for all three of our sakes that if you read you also review so that we know where to take it from here. After all this is only the first of hopefully many chapters. And for legality's sake I claim no ownership of Fullmetal Alchemist.