**DISCLAIMER**

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned by Hiromu Arakawa and FUNimation. I own nothing bar my own characters, except for Arc. He's owned by a very special friend. :D

This takes place after Greed, After the party meet Ling, and after they discover Hughes has died. Enjoy!

Jean pulls the car up. "Okay, Elric brothers. Here's the hotel. Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Havoc." Al says politely, glancing at the two depressed blondes, who mutter half-heartedly the same thing.

Winry rubs already tear red eyes and sniffles once, before heading into the hotel. Ed blinks, giving a half hearted wave before following Winry with his hands in his pockets.

"... Sorry." Al follows

"Not a problem. Try not beating yourself up too much!" He tries to give a cheery smile, but he's obviously devastated, too. "Well...Later..." He starts to put the car in gear to drive off.

"Come on, brother. Winry. Lets go check in." Al says, trying to sound cheery

"...Yeah." Ed says, trying to pick up his feet a bit more on his way in, but giving up after a few paces

The receptionist looks up. "Ah! You must be Edward Elric's party." He says. "I regret to say that we only have three rooms available. We can give one to Miss Winry Rockbell, but would the two of you mind sharing with two other guests?"

Ed blinks looking up, almost ready to protest, before glancing at Winry. "... Yeah. I guess."

"Okay. That's great. Major Edward Elric, you'll be sharing with Colonel Volke Mikawa and Mr. Alphonse Elric will be sharing with Mr. Arc Shaon."

"...Tch." Ed grimaces a little. "... what room number?"

"Miss Rockbell, Room 503. Maj. Elric, 504 and Mr. Elric 505. Enjoy your stay." The receptionist hands over the keys.

Ed nods, both brothers taking up the keys in question and walking with Winry to the floor and rooms in question

Al sighs. "I'm sure we'll all feel better after a good night's sleep." He says, ever the optimist. "Well, good night, brother, Winry." He opens the door to his allocated room.

"G'night, Al, Winry." Ed mutters, heading over to his. Al walks in on a man with red hair in the middle of pulling a pair of pyjama pants on. "...."

"..." Al freezes. "Aaah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He backs out of the room, shutting the door. "…"

there's a bit of fabric scrambling before the door opens again. "You're Elric?" the man asks. He'd put on a loose shirt as well as having his pants all of the way on.

"Y-Yes...Al-Alphonse Elric. And I am SO Sorry!!" The armoured boy repeats for the third time

"If you're a guy, then it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Arc Shaon." Arc opens the door fully, walking back toward the bed and gathering what could only be his belongings off the bed.

Al hesitantly walks in, still sounding kinda embarrassed. Ed walks in on a man reading. He's dressed in the same uniform as Roy Mustang. He adjusts his glasses slightly, looking up at the newcomer. "Ah. You're Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, correct?"

"... Yeah." Ed mutters, taking his coat off and looking more or less at the ground.

The man stands, walking over. "Col. Volke Mikawa, the Flash Fire Alchemist. Pleased to meet you." He offers a hand.

Ed frowns, taking his hand with his.

Volke frowns lightly. "You still depressed about the Brigadier General's death?" He smiles lightly. "Gotta move on, Fullmetal. Can't mope about the past forever."

"Shut up." Ed mutters, moving past to drop himself on the couch

"Did I say something wrong?" Volke says, frowning lightly, picking up his book and slotting a bookmark in.

Volke sighs. "I order you to answer me."

"... Shut up, Fork."

"...It's Volke...Fullmetal Midget." Seems that hit a major nerve with the Colonel

Ed lifts his head to glare at him. "Who are you calling a speck of dust." it doesn't even have the usual heat to it, given he's still sitting there

"Who are you calling a eating utensil?!" Volke replies

"You!"

"Well, I'm calling you a speck of dust, Major!"

"Shut up!" Ed shouts

"Oh, yeah?! Come and make me, runt!" Volke shouts. In the next room, Al sighs. "Brother's fighting again..." He can hear the muffled shouts through the wall.

*"...With the fork kid, sounds like." Arc mutters, his head against the wall as he eavesdrops.

*"Fine!" Ed jumps up, then takes a good look at Volke, and pales.

"..." Volke tenses, taking his glasses off as not to break them. "What?!"

"... You look like..." Ed backs up.

"..." Volke sighs. "He was my uncle. Albeit an estranged one until the Ishbalan war..."

"..." Ed scowls at the floor.

"I would have thought family members would have got over it slower than everyone else." Volke comments.

"I found out today, damn it!"

"...!" Volke pales slightly. "O-Oh..." It seems he doesn't have anything to say.

"We came back from Rush Valley. Winry wanted him to try her apple pie." Ed mutters, sitting again. "So shut up."

"Ah...Aunt Gracia gave her the recipe?" Volke asks. "H-How is she? And little Elicia? I-I haven't had the time to..."

"...." Ed covers his eyes with his metal hand. "Elicia's still waiting for him to come home from work..." Ed sounds like he was choking up a bit. "We apologized..." Arc pushes off the wall, sticking his thumbs in his waistband. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." he says to Al. "you want the bed?"

Al looks as depressed as a suit of armour can get but still manages to sound cheery. "No, no. You can have it, sir." He says. Volke frowns. "Why did you apologise? It wasn't your fault."

"...." Ed says nothing. "I'm not a sir." Arc waves a hand, dropping onto the bed.

"...Fine. Be that way." Volke sighs. "You can have the bed. I'm fine on the sofa." Al moves over to the sofa, lying down, barely fitting on it. "G-Good night, s...Arc."

"G'night Armoured Elric." Arc says, throwing a shoe to turn the light off. "... OK." Ed relocates to the bed.

"G'night, Fullmetal..." Volke strips down to his vest and boxers, flicking the light off before curling up under a blanket on the sofa.