"Just tell me why." Jean said, "Tell me why you can never let me be happy and meet someone. You always manipulate each situation and I want to know why."

Roy sighed and tried to compose himself before saying softly,

"…because I'm lonely too."

Mustang groaned as he put down his pen. He had done a pretty phenomenal job of avoiding Havoc. And the fact that no one asked him about it meant that he'd lucked out: Jean hadn't told anyone about their fight. He sighed, the last of his paperwork signed. It really was taxing to be a Colonel, weird coworker relationships aside.

He glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight. Hawkeye had left a while ago but he didn't dare join her, he was too swamped with paperwork and had too much on his mind. He groaned as he stood up. Cracking his back, and stretching his aching limbs. He sighed and gathered his things, getting ready to leave.

He was tired, but his mind wouldn't shut up.

He blew it. Now Jean would hate him. Now he would lose not only a possible lover but a good friend. He was so stupid sometimes. He had to talk to him. He had to make things right. But how could he? How could be possibly explain his behavior?

Knock it off… He told himself, tired of the mental warfare.

He opened the door to the office, the room was dark. Everyone was gone but him. He locked the office behind him and made it outside. He clicked the lock and made it to the stair when he stopped.

Havoc...

"What are you doing here?" Roy asked, his voice gravelly from lack of use.

The blonde sat upon the steps that led to the parking lot. His head was in his hands, and frankly, he looked exhausted. He looked up at Roy with tired eyes but they were determined,

"You spent all day avoiding me, but we need to talk so I just decided to wait."

Roy stared down at the blonde. The gaze lit his insides afire. He gave a soft shrug and looked away,

"I've been avoiding you?"

"Only all day…" Havoc said coming to stand. "You could have punished me for disrespecting you, but you didn't. What's going on Colonel…? You said, that you were lonely too…what am I supposed to make outta that?"

Roy continued to not look at him; he just stared absentmindedly at his vehicle a couple yards away. His voice was soft,

"You don't have to make anything out of it…" He felt stupid. Like a love-sick teenager who was too scared to confess. His pride was wounded. "Look, its late, I'm going home."

"Colonel." Havoc called, following after him. "You owe me an explanation."

"I don't owe you anything, Lieutenant." He said quietly, trying to control his emotions.

Havoc stopped, obviously hurt by what the Colonel said. He gritted his teeth before gripping Roy's arm angrily. He couldn't speak, he was so angry. Roy noticed the anger and tried to compose himself. To stay in that same strong façade. But he found that he couldn't.

"After all the time we've served together…you can't even bring yourself to give me an explanation?"

Roy looked at the ground, ashamed. His heart ached. He felt too vulnerable. Too exposed. This wasn't like him. He was usually so calm, always full of come-backs and remarks that stung his enemies and opponents…but Havoc wasn't an opponent. He cared for Havoc.

He let out a slow breath and slid his arm out of Jean's grip and covered the blonde's hand with his own. He didn't dare look at Havoc. Keeping his back to him.

"I…couldn't bear, to watch you with someone…"

"Why?" Havoc asked, his voice going soft to match Mustang's.

"I…" Roy faltered, and Havoc's eyes softened, realizing how tender the subject must be. He moved to stand in front of Roy, who still would not look at him. Havoc still had to keep his head upturned, given how tall Roy was.

"What?" Havoc pleaded, "Roy, we've been friends for years? What's got you so upset?"

Jealousy? The blonde wondered. Pride? Resentment? What would make him act this way? He'd thought earlier that Roy had been doing it just to pester him, to prove he was better than him. But now, he knew that that wasn't the case at all…but what?

"I don't want to see you with someone else..." Roy said, taking a deep breath and finally gaining confidence. Deciding if he was to say it…

Then damn it, he'd say it like a man.

"I don't want to see you with someone else, because I want to be with you, Jean."