Author: Sinian
Title: Those famous three words
Rating: T
Warnings: some cursing and English is not my first language
Summary: During a mission, Ed comes to a realization about his boss. Al insists that he should tell him.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.

The idea for this fic came out of nowhere and although I should be doing other things right now I just had to get it out of my head. It's my first one in this fandom and I really hope you like it.

Have fun!

Those famous three words

"Al, tell me again, just why I have to do this."

The huge armor walking beside him tried to keep up with his brother as well as apologize to everyone that Ed almost ran down on his way through Central Command Headquarters. A few corridors back he could still hear the curses flung at them after they collided with some archivist who had his arms full of files and was now picking up every piece of paper, clearly not happy about it. Al swore to himself that someday he'll suggest they get some kind of 'Edward premonition system' installed to warn everyone to clear the way. "Well, brother, he is your superior and has to debrief you about the mission."

"Not that. The other thing." Ed glanced back over his shoulder and barely missed a secretary who just came out of a room with a full cup of coffee. She jerked to a halt and cried out as the hot liquid spilled over her hand.

Al turned just long enough to say sorry and then hurried on. An instant later the now half-empty cup collided with his back with a clank and shattered. Having a body of steel does come in handy from time to time, he thought. "Please, just say it and be done." Al remembered their long way back and how difficult it had been to get Ed to accept his newfound insight. But the really hard part had been to convince him that he should tell Mustang. Even if Ed would rather keep it between them for all eternity, he finally agreed, although grudgingly, that he really owed him that much.

"I'd rather not and you know it," Ed grumbled, "but you would nag me about it for all eternity if I don't." He knew from experience that his little brother could be stubborn as hell, too.

Finally he came to a stop in front of a well-known door and turned around to face Al. "Okay, this shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Why don't you just wait here?"

Al crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. "No way, brother. I'm coming with you to make sure you don't chicken out."

A few moments they both glared at each other in silence, neither wanted to give in but in the end Ed's posture slumped slightly. "Fine, come along then."

Without even bothering to knock Ed slammed open the door, resolutely walked past Hawkeye's desk right to his superior's office. If he wanted to get a reaction out of her, he failed as usual. Over the years all of Roy's staff have grown accustomed to his antics and knew just how to deal with them. So she just nodded a brief welcome and returned to her reports. "Sir, Edward is here."

"Yes, I've already noticed," came the unimpressed reply.

Ed came to a halt in front of Roy and crossed his arms. "Damn you, you manipulative bastard!"

Roy leaned back in his chair and put down his pen. Apparently he'd actually been working for a change. "Very well, thank you. And how are you?" he answered with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you give me that small talk crap. I just dropped in to tell you we're back," Ed grumbled.

"So, how was the mission?"

"Simple, successful and boring."

"No problems at all? No destruction of property the Military has to pay for?"

"Fuck you, bastard," Ed spat. "None at all." Even if he's known to accidentally cause damage during his missions – and it was never his fault! – this time it all went very smoothly.

"The culprit?"

"Caught and in jail."

"So, who was it?"

"Jenkins."

"For real?" Roy looked pleased. "See, I told you it was him."

"That's all. Can I go now?"

"Sure, go get some..." Roy started to say but was interrupted by Al.

"Isn't there another thing you wanted to tell the Colonel, brother?"

Ed stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at his boots. "No. Not that I know of."

Al moved over to the door and blocked it with his huge body. "You won't get out of here until you told him."

Roy curiously looked from one Elric to the other and wondered what this was all about.

When Ed continued to just stand there, clearly with no intention to say anything else, Al turned to Roy. "You know, Colonel, my brother came to a realization just recently and decided you should know."

"Really?" he asked with an amused tone and turned to Ed who was unusually silent. "And what might that be?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, from what your brother just said, it seems pretty important, don't you think?"

Ed seethed. He was sure that the damn bastard already knew it and just wanted to hear Ed admit it out loud.

"Do it, brother, tell him already," Al ordered when he stubbornly kept his mouth shut.

Ed ground his teeth, blushing all over and then he mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?" Roy asked, "I didn't get that."

"All right, fine! But you better listen closely, 'cause I'll tell you only this one time." Ed took a deep breath and then he finally admitted to his boss what he came to realize during these last few weeks. "You were right."

The smug grin never left Roy's face for the rest of that remarkable day.

Thanks for reading!