Another little bit of cuteness for your midweek, hope you enjoy :D

Matters of state were tedious and, more often than not, incredibly depressing. It never mattered what Roy said to try and keep the peace it always seemed to be the wrong thing to someone which would result in yet more arguments. He had always found it particularly difficult to stay focused in those meetings but now, with a certain golden haired and eyes mute boy flitting through his thoughts every now and again, it was damned near impossible.

Roy couldn't get Ed out of his head. He knew he had seen him somewhere before he had found him lying half dead on the beach but he could not think of where. The obvious answer was that it had been Ed who saved him from drowning and sang to him with that beautiful voice but Ed couldn't speak so that ruled that out.

Whoever Ed was Roy was fascinated by him. Maybe that was because he knew nothing about him but Roy was so drawn in by him. Those eyes were spellbinding and this beautiful enigma was slowly making him forget all about the person who had saved him.

After one particularly gruelling conversation about the unstable neighbouring country and having to convince his trigger happy head of the military that they would start with peace negotiations before they resorted to violent measures Roy needed to be with someone who would just be happy to see him. Automatically he went to the library and found Ed pouring over a book. He didn't seem to have noticed Roy at all so Roy went over to him and gave his hair a ruffle – his usual greeting. Ed jumped slightly before he turned and beamed when he saw him.

"Good morning," Roy said sitting in the vacant chair next to him. "Good book?"

Ed looked at the cover of the book he was reading and shrugged as if to say 'it's alright'. Roy chuckled.

"Listen I was thinking," he said after a pause. "I've had a lot of officials all wanting my attention over the last few days but they can do without me for a few hours so I'm going to take a trip around the nearby town. Would you like to go with me?"

Ed blanched. He hadn't been outside the castle since he had arrived. Winry said she wanted him nearby just in case anything went wrong with his automail and he had never had anyone offer to take him out in case anything happened. Now Roy was – he would get to spend the entire day with him, uninterrupted – and he was a little nervous at the prospect.

"It might be fun to get out of the castle for a while," Roy said. Without thinking he had already linked his fingers with Ed's flesh ones and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I could show you around the town and then maybe you'd be able to get out some more if you know your way around."

Ed nodded and smiled. Who was he kidding? Of course he was going to say yes to a day out with Roy.

"Wonderful," Roy said getting up and using his grip on Ed's hand to pull him to his feet. "Shall we then?"

Ed nodded, his excitement plain on his face.

Walking around the town with Roy was amazing. Ed viewing everything with the wide eyed wonder of someone seeing things for the first time (he was seeing things for the first time but no one else was to know that). He and Roy were lucky enough to have gone into town when they were having their annual summer festival. There were market stalls lining the streets, children laughing and playing everywhere and music filled the air along with the aromas of so many different kinds of foods. It was like a sensory overload and it made Ed's head spin.

The people of the town smiled and waved when they saw Roy. Ed could feel their eyes all zeroing in on him, wondering who this mysterious blond person was who was gallivanting about with the prince. Every time he became conscious of the stares Roy would wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him close and in those moments Ed felt safe.

The day was a blur of music, food and merriment. At one point Roy took Ed's hand and led him in a dance along with a number of other couples. While there were many beautiful woman around the town Roy only seemed to have eyes for Ed. That thought made Ed's heart swell and when Roy pulled him close it was like they were the only two people in the world. Nothing else mattered to either of them.

As the sun was beginning to set they walked along the beach, Ed's hand in Roy's. The evening air had gotten colder and Roy had taken off his jacket and wrapped it around Ed as he began to shiver. Suddenly Roy stopped in front of a large rock that stood at waist height with a flat top. He picked Ed up and sat him on top of it so that they were eye level. He brushed Ed's fringe out of his eyes and Ed could feel his heart pounding in his ears.

"Thank you so much for today," Roy said softly, his hand still partially tangled in Ed's fringe. "I've had a wonderful time with you. Did you have a good day?"

Ed nodded smiling up at Roy. Roy pulled the tie out of Ed's braid and would his fingers in his hair, his fingers gently massaging his scalp.

"Ed you're perfect," Roy said. "When I'm with you everything becomes so simple. I know I don't know all that much about you, I don't know if you have a family or if they're wondering where you are or what but I know that I want to be with you and I love having you around so, what I am trying to say is, if you would like, would you stay with me here at the castle?"

Ed beamed, his elation shining through his eyes and nodded vigorously. He wanted to stay with Roy more than anything in the world.

"Perfect," Roy said, smiling.

His grip on the back of Ed's head tightened slightly and he leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Ed's eyes fluttered closed, his heart pounding again as he realised that Roy was about to kiss him. His head was spinning as he felt Roy's breath ghosting over his lips. This is it! I'm finally about to kiss him...

Then pain.

Just before their lips could touch an excruciating pain ripping through Ed's body from his right shoulder down. He felt as if his nerves were on fire and he opened his mouth in a silent scream, clutching his metal arm. He jerked back without meaning to and Roy noticed the pained expression on his face.

"Ed what's wrong?" he asked, panicked.

But Ed couldn't even begin to try to answer. Tears were pricking the corners of his eyes and cold sweat was starting to form on his forehead and all he could do was clutch his metal arm in order and try to make the pain stop or at least hold it in.

"Is it the automail?" Roy asked.

Ed just about managed to nod.

"I'll take you to Winry, hopefully she'll know what to do ," Roy said. He picked Ed up, holding him close as if he could help to stop the pain by holding him and carried him back to the castle. If Ed had been able to speak he would have joked about it being like when they first met but the pain was so unbearable he didn't know if he would have been able to speak even if he could.

After what felt like hours to Ed, but was only a few short minutes, Roy was pushing the door of Winry's workshop open and carrying Ed inside. Winry had been tinkering with an engine but she looked up as soon as she heard Ed's laboured breathing.

"Is he alright?" she asked running to Roy's side. "What happened to him?"

"We were walking along the beach and then all of a sudden he's in agony," Roy said.

"Put him down here," she said, clearing some of the clutter from her work bench. "It might just be that some of the wire ends are fried and it's causing his nerve ending to freak out."

"Will he be alright?" Roy asked, having no idea what that meant, as Winry began to remove Ed's arm from the port attached to his shoulder. Once it was off Ed's face seemed to relax, the pain dulling slightly. Winry turned to Roy and smiled reassuringly at him.

"Don't worry," she told him, "he'll be fine."

An hour later Ed woke up in bed. The last thing he remembered was being put on Winry's work bench while she looked at his automail. He had been in so much pain he must have passed out. His shoulder was still throbbing slightly but much less than it had been earlier. Using as much energy as he felt he had left he pushed himself up to a sitting position. The sudden movement caught Roy's attention, who had been sitting beside the bed and he rushed to help Ed get comfortable.

"You're awake," he said with relief. "Are you alright?"

Ed grimaced but smiled all the same to say that he was okay.

"You had me worried there for a second," Roy said, gently brushing Ed's fringe out of his eyes.

Ed placed his flesh hand on Roy's wrist, stopping him from moving his hand away. They stayed like that for a moment, neither of them wanting to move, until Roy began to slowly close the distance between them. Ed's eyes fluttered closed as the distance closed more and more until they were mere centimetres away from each other but a knock at the door brought them both back to reality.

Both Ed and Roy sighed. Every moment between them seemed to consist of near misses at the moment. They looked round in unison to see Hughes enter the room. He pulled up another chair and sat down next to Roy.

"How are you doing Ed?" he asked.

Ed smiled and nodded to say that he was fine.

"Good," Hughes said. "Did Winry say what caused it?"

"Wire ends in the automail short circuited," Roy said, "causing his nerve endings to burn."

"But it's all fixed now?" Hughes asked.

Ed nodded.

"Good," Hughes smiled. "We should probably let you get some rest, is there anything you need?"

Ed shook his head as he began to settle back down against the pillows.

"Okay," Hughes nodded. "I'll come and see you again later."

Ed smiled a thank you.

Hughes gestured for Roy to follow him as he got up to leave. Roy put his hand on top of Ed's.

"I'll be back in a moment," he said and followed Hughes out into the corridor.

"What are you doing man?" Hughes asked once they were far enough away so that Ed wouldn't hear them.

"I don't know what you mean," Roy replied, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Getting the kid's hopes up." Hughes said. "I've seen the way he looks at you so if you're just being nice then I'd make that very clear and soon."

"It's more than just me being nice," Roy said casting a glance in Ed's direction.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Roy sighed. "I thought that I wanted to find the person who saved me and marry them but now, after spending all this time with Ed, I'm not so sure."

"Listen Roy," Hughes said putting his hand on Roy's shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze, "if I may say, far better than any dream person is someone of flesh and blood, who is warm, caring and right before your eyes."

Roy looked over at Ed who appeared to be asleep and he felt his he heart burn. Ed was amazing; without saying a word he had completely captivated Roy and he wanted more than anything to spend the rest of his life with him. To hell with what everyone thought, nothing else mattered as long as Ed wanted to be with him too. He turned back to Hughes.

"I need to tell him how I feel, don't I? I can't keep relying on all these moments that get interrupted. Thank you for that last one by the way."

" No problem and you do," Hughes replied grinning at him, "but for now let him sleep."

"Probably a good idea after what he's just been through."

"Just don't leave it too long, alright?"

"I won't," Roy said. Hughes gave him a pat on the shoulder and left. Roy turned to look at Ed again and was about to return to his bedside when a voice stopped him.

"Your Highness," his private bodyguard, Armstrong, said.

"Armstrong," he said turning to smile as Armstrong advanced on him, "what can I do for you?"

"I bring grave news Sir," Armstrong said. "Your father has been taken ill at your parent's country home." Roy's heart stopped.

"Is it serious?" he asked.

"I don't believe that it is Sir," Armstrong said, "but your mother has asked you to go to them all the same."

"I will," Roy said. "I just need to leave a message for someone and then I'll go." Telling Ed how he felt about him would have to wait and as much as he didn't want to leave it until he came back, however long that would be, it was not a conversation he wanted to rush.