Chapter 6: Shower
-Edward-
Edward Elric sighed as he walked into his hotel room with Alphonse. He was dusty and tired from investigating the Dark Water Alchemist's home with the Colonel. Even after going to lunch he still had dust on his jacket. He pulled his boots off as Al started his interrogation.
"So what was the Dark Water's house like?"
"Boring and dusty. We found only two clues."
"What were they?"
"Well I'd say one wasn't even a clue. More like a reference to what his life was like. That was his wife's journal."
"It could help."
"I know. The other one was a map of Amsteris. Remember when we were at North Headquarters and we had that map of the cities that made the transmutation circle?"
"Yeah couldn't forget. What about it?"
"We found one in his office. We don't know if he'd figured it out on his own like us or if he might be a friend of the homunculi."
"Hmmm…hard to tell." Al paused before he continued.
"So anything happen while you were there?"
"Well I fell down the stairs."
Al laughed. "How did you do that?"
"I'm actually not sure."
"So what did the Colonel do?"
Ed really didn't want to tell Al how the possible love of his love, which was a man, had caught him and prevented his from busting his face on the floor.
"The ummm well…"
"What happened?"
Ed sighed knowing his brother wouldn't give up until he got the full story. It was just easier to just tell him now rather than be bugged to his wits end for 3 days.
"Well when I fell Roy was right there by the stair and he caught me."
Al's face lit up at this news.
"Wow then what happened? What did he say? What did you do?"
"Nothing happened. He just told me to watch where I was walking. I blushed and he proceeded to make fun of me, the bastard."
"Brother you do realize that he teases you because he likes seeing you angry not because he thinks you like him. He thinks you hate his guts."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That's his way of flirting with you. You do it to him too but neither of you see it because you look at it like you want to punch the other person rather than you being an old couple fighting."
"We don't fight like an old couple and he doesn't flirt with me."
"Yes he does. If you haven't noticed he thinks it's cute when you're mad."
"Yeah right."
"I'm serious. I've seen it Ed and I don't know why you would deny that he's flirting with you when that's what you want him to do."
"Maybe it's because you are always denying it to everyone else."
"Alright I think you've made your point. I'm going to take a shower. I feel all dusty."
"Ok just don't fall. Remember that one time at Winry's-"
"THAT was painful and I'd rather say it never happened."
Let's just say a tile floor with wet metal doesn't have much traction and if one of your legs is made out of metal, only flailing limbs and embarrassment can follow.
Al chuckled and Ed picked up his new set of clothes and a towel. He opened the door to the bathroom. As he stepped in he noticed Roy opening his door to the bathroom at the same time.
"I was going to take a shower." Ed said.
"As was I."
Neither alchemist said anything until Ed decided to get back a little for him teasing him about "blushing".
"Well I guess we could go with the age before beauty saying."
"Yes or we could go with the height before age saying." Roy said with a grin.
Ed glared. "Well I'm taking a shower so get out."
"Who died and made you Fuher?"
"Oh I don't know Pride maybe."
"He sure as hell died but he didn't make anyone Fuher."
Al noticed what was going on.
"Hey Ed why don't you take a shower first. I need to talk the Colonel anyway."
Ed looked at his brother. *What the hell does he have to talk to Roy about?*
"Riza called I thought you would want to know what she said."
"Oh ok I'll be over in a minute. All yours Fullmetal." He said as he stepped back into his room closing the door.
Ed glared at him the whole time and Al laughed closing the door.
Finally Ed was alone. He threw his shirt on the floor when he heard a knock come from Roy's door.
"Hey did I drop my shirt in there?"
Ed saw it lying on the floor near the sink. He picked it up and opened the door handing it to him.
"Yeah here."
Roy didn't reply though. He had a hold of his shirt but was too busy eyeing Ed's chest. The young alchemist may not look it but he had amazingly toned abs and the multiple scars from the fights he'd been in all these years were eye catching too.
Roy grabbed his shirt quickly. "Thanks."
"Your blushing aren't you?" Ed saw the blood flow slowly creating a flush on the alchemist's cheeks.
Roy looked surprised by this but knew he was in fact blushing.
"You are! Ha who's blushing now? Why are you blushing Colonel?"
There was no way Roy could get out of this unless he came up with a smart remark. Then again when doesn't Roy come up with a smart comeback?
"I don't know maybe it has something to do with you being half naked." Roy smirked.
Ed looked shocked and then slammed the door shut. Even when Ed tried to turn the tables on him he turned it right back around. He had seen how Roy had been looking at him though. Did Roy always look at him like that or was it just because he was shirtless? Maybe he would find out eventually.
Edward got in the shower letting the hot water loosen his tense muscles and relax him. He stood there listening to the rushing water clearing his head of his worries.
-Al-
Alphonse sat on the edge of his bed waiting for the Colonel to enter. He heard a door slam from the bathroom.
*Oh dear, what did they do now?*
Roy walked into their room moments later.
"Hey there Al."
"Hi."
Roy sat in a chair near Al.
"So what did Riza have to say?"
"First she said she'd be calling again to let us know what train we'll be taking home. She also wanted me to tell you that you have a blind date when you get back."
"A blind date?"
"Mhm."
"Who set this up? Did she say?"
"Yes her and Hughes did."
"Great. I just love surprises." He said. He looked somewhat upset.
*Maybe he doesn't want to go on a date.*
"Well she did tell me that you know the person you just don't see eye to eye very much."
"Oh yeah that narrows it down to about half the population of Central."
Al laughed even though the Colonel seemed slightly distressed by this news.
"That's all she had to say. What was the door slam I heard?"
This brought a smile to Roy's lips.
"Oh I saw your brother half naked."
Al laughed again putting one hand over his mouth.
He could just picture Ed going off on one of his rants and then slamming the door.
As if on queue Ed walked out of the bathroom with sweat pants on and his wet hair hanging around his shoulders.
"Ok I take it back I've seen him half naked twice." Roy said.
Al held back his laughter as Ed threw his towel at Roy.
"Hahaha aren't you just hilarious."
"I wouldn't say hilarious but funny yes."
Ed rolled his eyes and walked over to his bed where he flopped onto it closing his eyes.
Al smiled thinking this would be the perfect time to tell Ed he had a blind date as well.
"I was just telling Roy that Riza and Hughes got him a blind date."
Ed put his flesh arm up with a thumb up not opening his eyes.
"That's great for him."
"I forgot to tell you that they set one up for you too."
Ed sat up at this and Roy raised his eyebrows in interest.
"Who the hell said they could do that?"
"I did." Al said as he grinned at his brother.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because you need to go out and have a social life rather than just worrying about the military and work."
"There is no need for me to go on a blind date."
"Why not?" asked Roy.
"What?"
"Why not? I mean you meet new people some very odd others interesting. Usually you have a 50/50 chance they're a weirdo or will turn out to be a best friend or more. It's fun unless your date turns out to be some mass freak of course."
"Well thank you Mr. Date Director but I'd rather not meet some random crazie and have to suffer an hour through dinner with them when I could be doing research."
"See that's what I'm talking about brother. That's all you do is research and read. I swear if you don't meet someone your going to end up marrying your library."
"I have my eye on someone and you know who it is and yet you set me up on a blind date. Also I'm a state alchemist, it's my job to study and research alchemy."
"That doesn't mean that you can't go see other people."
Ed grunted giving up falling back down onto his bed putting a pillow over his face.
Roy still sitting there thought this the time to be curious.
"Who does he have his eye on, the Rockwell girl?"
"Oh no." replied Al. "If that were true me and Ed would be fighting over her."
They could barely hear Ed because of the pillow but they still heard him.
"Yeah he's the one that's got the hots for Winry." He pointed towards his younger brother.
Al didn't reply just blushed. Roy continued determined to get some idea of who Ed was after.
"So who do you have the hots for then Fullmetal?"
"None of your goddamn business." Muffled by the pillow still.
Al spoke up. "You know him quite well Colonel."
"AL!" Ed sat up real quick throwing the pillow off.
"Him?"
"Yes."
"Shut up Al!"
"Sorry." Al replied but with a smile.
"Well this has been fun and all but I have things to do and a shower to take. Thanks Alphonse." Roy stood up heading for the bathroom.
"No problem, Colonel."
"Night." Was his reply as he walked into the bathroom back to his room shutting the door behind him.
Ed looked over at Al.
"Don't kill me I'm trying to help you if you haven't noticed."
"Oh yes practically telling him he's the one I've got my eye on and setting me up on a blind date."
"When you see who the blind date is you'll love me."
"How do you know?"
Al didn't reply he just sat back on his bed and picked up one of his books and started reading.
Ed crawled into his bed as he heard the shower turn on. Al saw his brother quickly fall asleep.
*I sure hope he gets Roy. He needs to be truly happy.*
-Roy-
He turned the shower on relaying what Al had told him in his mind. So he had a blind date and that person and him didn't see eye to eye. He questioned why Al had said person and not she. He would suspect it to be a girl but then again when it was Hughes it could be anyone.
*Edward had a blind date too. Who could his blind date be? There's no doubt that Ed wasn't so happy about his date though. He liked someone. Al has said it was a man and that I knew him very well.*
*That could be Hughes, or Havoc, or Fuery, or Brenda. Then again Ed barely talked to Fuery and he'd never go for Hughes or Brenda. So that left Havoc. But Havoc was desperate for Riza to go out with him and everyone knew that.*
*Al could have been talking about me. Does Edward really like me? There was evidence that would support that. He had blushed when I had caught him. Wasn't that supposed to signify some sign that Edward felt somewhat attracted to me?*
Roy thought through all of this while in the shower. He always got his good ideas and breakthroughs when he was in the shower.
As he was stepping out of the shower he had a thought.
*What if Ed is my blind date and I'm his?*
It made sense considering the hint that Al had given him. They rarely saw eye to eye. And he had said person, which didn't mean that his date had to be a girl.
But then why would they pair them both up on a blind date? Then it really wouldn't be much of a blind date.
Roy sighed and got dressed and went to his room where he passed out on his bed a couple hours later.
Roy woke up at his usual 5am. He begrudgingly got out of bed and shuffled towards the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and fixed his hair as best he could.
Back in his room he found a pair of regular black dress pants and a white dress shirt. There was no need for him to wear his uniform and it was dirty anyways from all the dust and grime in the Dark Waters house.
By the time he felt somewhat awake and was dressed it was only 6:30am. Breakfast at the hotel didn't start until 7am. That meant a half hour until he got his mandatory cup of coffee for that day.
To kill some time he worked on the paperwork for his little investigation with Edward. As he did this he heard someone get in the shower. *Probably Al.*
Finally 7am rolled around and he went downstairs where he got a cup of coffee. Hardly anyone else was down there. About 15 minutes later Al appeared with a plate of food and a cup of orange juice.
"Hey Colonel." He sat across from him at a round table.
"Hey there Al. How are you this morning?"
"I'm alright. You?"
"Could be better but I'm fine."
"Why don't you ever eat anything for breakfast?"
"I don't know. I think it's because that by now I'd be at work so I don't have time to eat anything usually and coffee is something that helps me wake up too."
"I see how that would work."
"How late does your brother usually sleep?"
Al was stuffing his face with eggs and toast so he had to wait for his answer.
"If I didn't wake him up he'd probably sleep until 2 in the afternoon."
Roy chuckled and continued to drink his coffee while Al finished his breakfast making cordial conversation with him here and there.
It turned out to be a lazy day. There was nothing for them to really do. Al suggested shopping but Ed refused to get up until 10am.
Riza called again around noon telling them they'd be taking the morning train at 8 back to East Headquarters tomorrow morning. Ed was disappointed that he'd have to get up early then and started packing so he wouldn't have to rush tomorrow morning.
Himself and Al followed in his footsteps getting their things together. Also Al decided to announce to them that night after dinner that their blind dates were the next night.
"Al! Why didn't you tell us they'd be tomorrow night?" demanded Ed.
"I don't know I just forgot."
"Nice detail to forget."
"Oh just be happy."
The rest of the day went quite peacefully. Al was the last to fall asleep but the only one who didn't dream.
I'm very excited to write the next couple chapters and thanks to everyone who has read this far. Your compliments and reviews have helped me to keep writing and motivated.