*KNOCK KNOCK*

"go away…"

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"No…go…"

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Oh my god!" Ed yelled throwing the pillow at the door. He had a horrible headache and the banging was not doing him any good for his hangover. He stumbled out of bed and swung the door open. He was about to yell until he layed eyes on the younger blonde who had a smile from ear to ear.

"Al!" Ed yelled. He embraced the younger one who was by now giggling.

"Hey brother" Al said.

"What-what are you doing here?" Ed asked.

"Well…" Al fidgeted a little.

"What?" Ed asked.

"I…uh.."Al smiled sheepishly.

"What did you do Al?" Ed asked playfully pushing his brothers shoulder.

"Well… I finally asked….and she said yes! Me and Winry are getting married!" Al said excited.

Ed's mouth dropped.

"Oh my god Al! That's great!" They started laughing and embracing each other again.

He smiled at his brother. He looked so happy. That's all he ever wanted. Was for his brother to be happy.

"What about you brother?" Al questioned winking.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked confused.

"I mean…" he looked around to make sure no one was there before he leaned in, "with the colonel" Al asked giggling.

Ed's smile dropped.

"Oh…uh.." he scratched the back of his head.

"What?" Al asked frowning.

Ed looked down at his feet. "It didn't go so well Al." Ed whispered.

Al looked at his brother worried. He'd never seen him like this.

"Listen, don't worry. We can talk about it later. Right now, I'm gonna go get dressed." Ed told him.

Al was about to argue until he saw his brothers face. He knew better. His brother would tell him when he was ready.

"Alright brother." Al said smiling. Ed smiled and Al watched his close the door behind him. He frowned and walked down the stairs.

I wonder what's bothering brother so much…

"Sir?" Al asked Maes when he got to the bottom of the stairs. Maes was sitting at the kitchen table with Elicia in his arms. He looked up to Al and smiled.

"Hey there Al. Gracia and Winry are out in the garden." Maes said tickling Elicia making her laugh uncontrollably. Al shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Oh…okay. Actually sir, I wanted to talk to you about my brother." Al said walking over and sitting down at the table.

Maes stared at Al for a second before he set Elicia down. "Go play now…Let us talk okay?" Maes said.

"Okay!" Elicia said running away and giggling.

He smiled at his daughter and then turned back to Al. Al was sitting with his hands in his lap, looking up to Maes, eyes expectant.

"Well," Maes said folding his hands together. "What exactly is it you'd like to know?" he asked politely.

"About the other night…he didn't seem to want to talk about it." Al said.

So he knew? Well, guess I have to tell him now…

Maes thought for a second, trying to pick out his words carefully. He was still pissed at Roy, but he didn't want to sick Al on him. He didn't condone murder.

"I took Ed to a bar last night. With all of us." Maes explained. "He drank a little too much I think." Maes watched Al's face to make sure he was approaching this right.

"He and Roy went to play some pool, and they were getting kind of close." Maes said.

Al nodded his head slowly.

So Roy got my brother drunk huh…

"What do you mean close?" Al asked creasing his eyebrows.

"Well…" Maes looked down to the table for a second. "They were talking, to each other, in their personal spaces."

"So they were flirting?" he asked.

Maes nodded and chuckled. "Yes, yes they were flirting."

"So what happened after that? Why is my brother upset?" Al asked wasting no time.

Maes cleared his throat and Al could tell he was uncomfortable.

"Did he touch my brother?" Al asked narrowing his eyes.

Maes eyebrows shot up before he put on a calm expression. "No Al. I would never allow that." Maes said. He saw Al visibly relax again.

"Well then what did happen?" Al asked noticeably calmer but more confused.

"Well, Roy kind of tried to get Fullmetal to admit his feelings. Out loud." Maes said slowly.

Al creased his eyebrows but continued to listen.

What do you mean admit his feelings? Wasn't it obvious to him? What would he stand to gain?

"I guess…it was a bet between Havoc and him, to see if he would say it out loud."

"What?" Al yelled eyebrows shooting up. A bet? He made my brother embarrass himself for a bet?

"Now, Al understand that-"

"He just played my brother?" Al screamed visibly upset.

Oh he's dead. He is sooo dead.

Maes put his hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down. "Al, he never meant to upset your brother he-"

"Just didn't know." Al finished his sentence and Maes frowned.

"You see, I don't believe that." Al said crossing his arms and rising from the table. "My brother may be a genius but he can't hide anything worth shit." Al spat. He was furious.

Maes stood up as well.

"And the same goes for Roy. He may look smart but he's a pretty big idiot when it comes to these things." Maes said trying to calm him down. He could see Al hesitate and he extended a hand to the chair.

Al fidgeted before allowing Maes to sit him back down.

Maes opened his mouth to speak before he was interrupted.

"It doesn't matter anyway."

Maes and Al both turned toward the sound and froze. Ed was standing up against the door frame arms crossed. Roy stood on the other side on hand in his pocket.

"You know, it's better if you make sure the people you were talking about aren't here." Roy said smirking, but it was obvious he was extremely uncomfortable. Ed wasn't as amused.

"Al?" Ed asked between clenched teeth. Al looked up like a kicked puppy then diverted his attention down to his feet.

"Sorry brother…I just…wanted to know…" he mumbled.

"I told you we were going to talk about it later." Ed replied eyes narrowed.

Al snapped. He shot up out of his chair hands clenched to his sides.

"No we wouldn't have! You would have just avoided the question like you always do!" he yelled. Roy's eyebrows shot up.

"Al, don't." Ed said dangerously stepping forward once.

"Don't what?" Al asked crossing his arms. He narrowed his eyes toward Roy. "And you know what Colonel?" Al yelled.

Maes stood up trying to calm the boy down but he just shook his hand away.

"You've hurt my brother more times than I could count. Do you know how many times he's called me crying because of you?" he spat. Ed had froze. Eyes a look of shock and horror.

"Al stop!" Ed yelled voice cracking.

"Al….maybe this isn't such a good time for this." Maes said slowly.

"No," he said looking at Maes, "This is a perfect time!" He looked back toward Roy.

"He's had his heart broken time and time again. And you know what? I don't believe for one second that you don't know how he felt!" Al yelled.

Roy stood uncomfortably with both hands in his pockets. His face was pale and eyebrows only slightly furrowed.

"Al, just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about." Ed yelled desperately.

"Shut up?" Al screamed. "How many times have you been hurt by him? It isn't fair what he's done to you!" Al pleaded.

Ed stared at his brother mouth in a line. He didn't look over to Roy but he could tell his body had gone tense.

Maes walked over to Al and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Al, that's enough." He said softly but sternly. Al opened his mouth to speak but immediately closed it. He looked down and sighed.

Roy swallowed hard and all eyes diverted to him. He looked over to Ed and they locked eyes for only a moment before Ed looked away. In that small moment he saw the hurt, and embarrassment, in his expression. Something that made his stomach clenched. He'd never seen the younger man look so exposed and vulnerable.

What…the fuck just happened?

Al sighed and walked around the table. He walked toward the front door giving Roy a nasty look and hitting him with his shoulder before he exited the house slamming the door behind him. Maes stood stone faced staring at Roy. The moment Ed moved both eyes locked on him. Ed didn't look back to them, instead he ran up stairs to his room and slammed the door as well.

They stood a moment in silence, Roy questioning his friend. Maes sighed and picked up the chair that had been knocked over when Al had abruptly stood up.

"What…" Roy couldn't even finish his sentence. His throat felt so dry.

He walked over to Maes. He wouldn't look at him.

"Maes?" he pleaded. Maes shot him an angry glance.

"Please tell me that your I.Q is low enough that you didn't have the slightest of clue Ed had feelings for you." He asked. He desperately wanted to believe his friend was innocent.

Roy stood stunned at his best friends domineer.

"I…I.." Roy stuttered. Maes seemed disappointed and then shook his head.

"What are you here for Roy?" he asked shortly as he picked up the tea off the table and carried it to the kitchen.

"What am I here for? I'm here to know what the fuck happened last night." He said angry. He wanted question what had just happened there. And what he meant by feelings. He wanted to demand what the fuck was really going on, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Maes looked up at his friend and blinked. He wondered to himself if Roy really didn't know. He finally concluded he didn't and relaxed a slight bit.

"Roy, what was the bet?" he whispered bracing himself.

Roy visibly tensed for a moment before he spoke. "Havoc…Havoc thought Ed may like me. He bet me I couldn't make him say it." Roy said looking down.

Maes frowned, "That's too bad Roy. That's really too bad." He shook his head and started to walk away.

"I didn't know!" Roy said causing Maes to stop. "I thought it was just a crush. Nothing more than that." He added.

Maes didn't say anything. He just turned around and walked up to Roy. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it when Winry came in holding Elicia, and Gracia came in behind her.

"Hey guys have you se-" Winry stopped talking and raised both her eyebrows.

She could see and feel the tension between the two. Maes walked away from Roy and planted a peck on his wife's questioning face. Winry eyed the Colonels back coolly before she hesitantly entered the kitchen, setting the vegetables on the counter. Al wasn't the only one that didn't like him.

"Good morning Roy." Gracia said sweetly as she joined Winry in the kitchen. She seemed skeptical as well but didn't ask. She just diverted her frowning face to her husband. Their wasn't many times she'd seen the best friends act this way toward each other.

"Will you be staying for lunch?" she asked slowly, not sure.

"No, but thank you. I should be going." Roy said clearing his throat and turning toward the front door. The girls furrowed the eyebrows at the man as he glanced at the stairs once before exiting the house.

"What was that all about?" Winry asked as Maes hugged his wife from behind.

"Nothing." Maes said sighing. "Just classic Roy"

Okay, so not as much Roy as I had initially intended, but I believe it came together quite well without a Beta. I'm pretty sure I demonstrated the protective relationships Ed has with all of them, even through his long period of avoidance. Review if you would. Review!