Sooo sorry that took so long. It really shouldn't have. I'm sorry.

So, I (Feli-Chan) am Ed and Races is Roy... um...next update will be next Friday. Yup! ^^

Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! (sorry again about the wait)

Enjoy! ^^

Edward smiled as he set down two cups of tea in front of an elderly couple, nodding in response to their thanks. He walked away from the table and back toward the front counter. He was working both his and a fellow coworker's shift, so he had twice as many tables to care for. Though luckily for him, that meant more tips, which meant more money. It was lunchtime, but the diner wasn't having its usual rush. Edward relaxed a little behind the cash register and sat on the stool, staring at the wall.

His thoughts instantly went to the last time he had closed up the bookstore at night. The past week since then he'd been closing up earlier without his boss knowing and nearly sprinting home each night. The mark on his neck was nearly gone and the scratch on his arm was almost completely healed, but the terror of being unable to do anything to save himself still marred Edward's mind. He was so focused on his thoughts he didn't hear the bell on the door ring.

Roy sighed as he opened the door to the little diner. He was more tired than usual because his boss always made him work extra hours for missing three to four work days every month. It was his lunch break and since he had been overloaded with work, he had kept at it through almost half of his break. So instead of going to his normal restaurant he had stopped at this little diner that was only one block over from where he worked.

He had expected it to be small, not a lot of people; but what he hadn't expected was the blond kid from last week, sitting behind the counter staring off into space with the most contemplative look on his face. He was so deep in thought that even when Roy reached the counter, the kid hadn't noticed his presence. Roy had half a mind to turn around and leave. Talking to the boy would remind the kid of last week and he would doubtless ask more questions. He seemed the inquisitive type. Then again he really didn't have time to find another place to eat. He sighed yet again. Time restraints and this kid kept occurring at the same time and that could never be good.

"Hey! Hey kid, you've got a customer here!" He knocked on the counter to help get the small blonde's attention.

Edward jumped and turned to face the new customer with an automatic smile and response.

"Sorry about that, I-" However his response got caught in his throat as he recognized both the voice and the man and his eyes widened a little in recognition. He stared at him a few moments longer than he should have before jumping off his stool and around the counter, grabbing him a menu. "Sorry about that, I was lost in thought, was all." Edward explained, as he motioned for the blue-eyed man to follow him.

Edward knew he shouldn't talk more than he was supposed to to the customers, 'ruins their dining experience,' so his boss says. But since that night his curiosity had grown, especially when he had gotten full use out of his mind again…But he couldn't risk this job. Not when he needed it so badly. He set the menu down at a small table that could seat two near the window and smiled weakly at his customer, waiting for him to sit down.

Roy was surprised. He knew the kid had recognised him but hadn't verbally said so and he hadn't asked a single question, just shown him to a table. Roy supposed he was grateful for that and took his seat, glancing up as he ordered a coffee. It was the glance that did it, he saw the faint mark on the side of the blonde's neck and immediately felt a small surge of guilt go through him.

'What the hell? He's just another almost attack victim. Who cares? He's fine now,' Roy thought to himself as the kid left to go get his coffee. Then he remembered the kid had also had his arm cut. He just had to ask. It was the right thing to do, he told himself: just to make sure the kid was okay. When the blond returned with his coffee, he took his chance before the kid could walk away.

"How's the arm doing?" he quickly and quietly asked while looking out the window.

Edward froze mid-turn with his eyes wide. "Uh, it's f-fine," he winced at the stutter but he was so surprised that he had asked. Then Ed remembered something that his more than likely concussed self didn't bother to ask. "What about you, are you alright?"

It was only after he had asked and moved back to the table a little that he remembered he wasn't supposed to be talking with the man. 'It's alright…I'm making sure the customer is okay, and not hurt or anything, is all.' He tried to reassure himself as he fought back the wince of what his manager would say to that.

Roy inwardly sighed with relief even though his mind told him that of course the kid was okay if he was at work. "I'm alright, no need to worry about me, I wasn't the one pinned to a wall in a back alley, remember?" He winced after he said that. Why did he bring that up? He should have just ordered his lunch and been done talking to the kid.

"Yeah, I guess," Edward chuckled weakly and scratched the back of his head. He fought back a blush as he remembered some of the dreams he had had the past few nights, staring the very man in front of him, saving him repeatedly. Ed shook his head, slightly staring yet again. He wanted so badly to ask him about what attacked him. Ed had a gut feeling the dark-haired man knew what they were.

However, when he heard the manager door creaking open, he quickly grabbed for the pen that was behind his ear and hurriedly asked, "Are you ready to order, sir?"

Surprised the kid hadn't pestered him more about what had happened that night, Roy ordered a sandwich and watched the boy scurry off behind the counter. He wondered if the kid had hit his head at some point because the blond had seemed to be spacing out a bit. And what was with the slight blush? Roy sighed again, something he noticed he was doing a lot this past week. He suddenly found himself wondering what the kid's name was. It was kinda weird to keep calling him 'the kid.'

'Even though I'll probably never see him again after this,' and for some reason that thought made him feel slightly sad. Again the 'what the hell?' thought came back at that. Even so, he was determined to ask the blond his name when lunch was brought.

Ed carried out the order on a small tray and set the plate in front of the man. Smiling a little, he asked, "Anything else I can get you?"

"Your name," Roy simply stated, making eye contact with the blond.

Ed's breath hitched in his chest as he tightened his grip on the tray. 'Name? Why would he want to know my name?'

"Edward Elric," the words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them, he could feel his cheeks burn with a light blush. He couldn't believe how quickly he had answered. 'May as well counter it.' "And what's yours? It's only fair."

'How cute, he's blushing because I asked for his name,' Roy smirked at that. He supposed it was fair to tell the bo- Edward- his name in return. Though he was shocked at his word choice of 'cute' to describe Edward's reaction. "Roy Mustang," he responded calmly and held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Edward smiled a little and chuckled. "Nice to meet you, too. Maybe I'll see you around again," he replied as he grasped Roy's hand and shook it.

"Mister Elric!" Ed jumped and barely noticed how Roy's hand tightened around his at the shout. 'Shit, he's been watching this entire time?' Edward gave his balding, and slightly overweight, boss a sheepish smile, carefully pulling his hand from Roy's grasp.

Roy had smiled when Edward (he found himself liking the name more and more) had taken his hand to shake it but as soon as the manager had butted in he scowled slightly. He full out glared at the man when he began to lecture Edward about something to do with proper etiquette in the work area. He did not like the blonde's attention being somewhere besides him and withdrawing his hand. Roy had to resist the urge to growl menacingly at the man, which was odd. Normally, he only growled when it was close to the full moon.

"-if you really need this job as badly as you said you did, then why would you be here talking it up with your friend?" his boss finished with a shake of his head. "If this happens again, you'll be-"

"It won't, sir," Edward quickly interjected and upon seeing the scowl the elder man was giving him, returned his gaze to the floor. "Sorry, sir." His hands tightened around the serving tray as he bit his lower lip. He certainly didn't regret talking with Roy, but now he wondered if it had been worth it at the risk of one of his jobs.

"Get back to work, Elric." His boss turned and went back into his office angrily.

Edward sighed and turned back to Roy, a little surprised to see him glaring at his boss, eyes following the man back to the office. Once the door was closed, the blue eyes shifted to Ed and softened a little.

"Sorry about that, but I-uh- guess I should get going." Edward said, beginning to back away from the table with a sad sort of smile.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I didn't know I was almost costing you your job by having a simple conversation. Your boss is an ass," Roy replied smiling in sympathy. He did feel bad for getting Edward yelled at, but he more so felt a surge of anger at the boss.

'He was just doing his job, keeping his employee in check there's no reason to be mad at him,' Roy tried to tell himself. Still, he hoped he never met that man outside the diner it wouldn't end well for the balding man's health, that was for sure. All the while Edward was still slowly backing away from him nervously fidgeting with the tray in his hands. Roy frowned slightly at that and checked his watch. At this rate, he needed to get back to the office: his lunch hour was almost up.

"Would you mind bringing me a takeout box? Unfortunately you're not the only one that needs to get back to work," he smiled again, meeting the blonde's eyes.

Ed nodded and quickly went to get one. He was a little disappointed that Roy was leaving so soon. 'What are the chances that we're going to actually meet again?' Edward thought to himself as he picked out the correctly sized box.

He then went over to the cash register and made the receipt for dark-haired man's meal. Seeing that the elderly couple from earlier looked to be just about done with their lunch, he made their receipt too. Bringing both the box and the receipt to Roy's table, he set them down.

"Just come up to the register when you're ready to pay," he smiled and went to check on the other customers and deliver the remaining receipt.

Roy transferred his uneaten sandwich to the box and checked the bill. It was reasonably priced here. He smiled to himself as he made his way up to the register, he wouldn't mind coming back here more often. It was closer to work, so he would have more time to relax, the prices weren't bad and, most importantly, he would get to see Edward again.

'Wait, when did that become most important?' He wondered as the blond rang up his meal and gave him his change with a smile. "This diner is pretty nice, I'll have to start coming here more often," Roy told the blond offhandedly who gave him a surprised look. He leaned his elbows on the countertop. "Do you work here everyday?"

"Yeah, well except for Saturday," Edward could feel the beginning of a blush slowly creeping onto his face. Ed straightened out his apron a little, avoiding looking Roy in the eyes. Knowing that if he looked, the blush would only bloom. "day off and all..." he trailed off as his eyes landed on the manager's slightly open door with his boss's head peeking out. He chuckled and rolled his eyes a little at the man. 'Can't he tell Roy is leaving?'

"That's my day off as well," Roy laughed a little, enjoying Edward's blush again. He noticed where the blonde's eyes traveled and scowled again. 'That damn manager,' he really didn't like the man that kept taking Edward's attention away from him. He again glared at the man who took notice this time and quickly withdrew into the office.

"You're right, he is an ass. If anything drives away our customers, it's him." It took Ed a moment to realize the manager had disappeared. Blinking shaking his head a little , he turned back to Roy and asked, "So, despite the bastard who is my boss, you still think you'll be stopping by again?"

Roy's glare disappeared the second Edward's attention was back on him. He smiled and replied, "Yeah, besides him, I've found the staff here to be... intriguing and very nice to talk to." He smirked a bit at the blush that had found Edward's face again. "I'll see you around," he told the blonde as he gathered his box up and headed for the door.

"Have a nice day," Edward called out before Roy walked out. He saw his hand wave in acknowledgement before the door closed, blocking his view. Ed was surprised he had blushed so easily around Roy, and he realized that for once, he actually looked forward to work the next day.