I know I'm biased, but I just want to hug Daphne. She cheers me up.

I forgot to celebrate my one year anniversary of being here... so... -grabs a cake and kazoo- Party time for me!

Chapter Twenty Six

Edward wasn't entirely sure of where Roy had run off to. But he wasn't worried. He doubted that the man could get into too much trouble at a hot spring. There were only so many things that Roy could get into, and none of them were dangerous. So he was spending time with Daphne and a table tennis set.

"I hear you and my son are running off together for a few weeks." Daphne said as she swung her racket at the tennis ball as it bounced towards her.

Ed smiled faintly, and he nodded as he swung at the ball that Daphne had bounced back to him. "He knows I need some time just with him. I've barely had any at all to spend alone with him comparatively."

"Just don't elope while you're up there." Daphne grinned at him. "I'd like to be at my son's wedding."

Edward blushed, "it's far too early to be thinking of something like that."

"It's not one of those, we've barely been together things, is it?"

"Even if I say it is… I know it's not. We've known each other for years. Even if it hasn't been in the way we might have wanted it to be."

Daphne nodded slowly, and then smiled at him. "Then just you wait, you'll be marrying him soon enough."

"Maybe." Edward agreed quietly. He would either die at the end of his month timeframe, or one day marry Roy. Those were his only options.

"You will." Daphne smiled at him reassuringly. "Love like the kind you two share doesn't come around very often. Believe me, I've lived long enough to have come to that conclusion."

Ed smiled, and idly swung at the tennis ball. "It took us long enough to realize for ourselves that we should have been something more long before now. I think if we had, I never would have left the second time. I think I would have seen sense. Roy was enough… in all the ways."

"He told me about that." Daphne recalled. "Why did you leave?"

"I thought I had to. To block travel between the two worlds from both sides. Roy from here, me from there. And it didn't work. The Gate still brought me back over despite what we did." Ed let out a short, almost bitter laugh. "It was all for nothing. And I wasted all those years that I could have been here with Roy."

Daphne thought about that for a while, before she carefully chose a response. "Was it really a waste? Did you gain nothing by the experience?"

Ed considered, and considered some more, before he shook his head. "I suppose not."

She smiled at him.

"I guess in a way it made me determined when I found myself back here to not waste any more time with Roy. And while I was over there I got to reconnect with Al again. He matters to me just as much as Roy does."

"And Al better be invited to the wedding too, I want to meet this brother of yours." Daphne grinned.

Ed laughed lightly. "He'd never forgive me if I didn't. But it's still too early to think about something like Roy and I getting married." After all, he couldn't until certain things were decided.

Roy chose that moment to make a reappearance into the room. "I heard my name, what'd I miss?"

Ed jumped and blushed while Daphne smirked at him.

Roy gave Ed a curious look and tried not to smile at the blond who was clearly embarrassed over something that they'd been talking about before he'd walked in. "Are you okay? My mother hasn't been saying unnecessary things again, has she?"

Daphne snorted with indignation, and Edward smiled at him, if a bit shyly. "No. We were just talking about you."

"I can tell. Have I ever told you how lovely you look when you blush like that?" Roy asked sweetly as he walked over to him and took Edward's free hand in his.

"I'm gonna hit you." Ed muttered even as he squeezed Roy's hand gently.

Roy grinned at him. "I look forward to it." And he glanced over at Daphne who was watching them with interest. "Lunch has been served, are we all ready to go eat?"

Daphne laid her racket down immediately. "More than ready. Where…?"

Roy pointed as she paused. "Down the hall, to your right, second door." He watched until she'd gone, casting one of her amused glances back at them, before he turned to Ed. The alchemist was looking up at him with silent curiosity. "Follow me." And he gave a gentle tug to Ed's hand.

Edward did, though he couldn't stay silent for long as Roy led him outside and through one of the meditation gardens. "Aren't we having lunch?"

"Yes." Roy smiled over at him. "But not with her. We'll have dinner with her, but I wanted to do something special for you. Besides, I didn't think you'd want all the old people fawning on you. We can at least go to dinner at an hour where they'll have gone to bed."

Ed blinked, and tilted his head a bit. "What did you do?"

"You'll soon see."

Curiosity nagging at him, Edward allowed Roy to lead him deeper into the woods, far past any real markers or signs that the area they were now in belonged to the hot spring facility. But he found himself looking around at the scenery with almost an obsessed fixation. He'd not gone anywhere but Risembool and Central since his return to his homeland. And he realized now just how much he'd missed the plants that only grew on this planet, or the birds who only sang here.

"I'd forgotten just how much I used to love living here." Edward said softly as his eyes found Roy again.

"Were you homesick?" Roy asked, giving a comforting squeeze to Ed's hand, and pushing a low hanging spruce branch out of their way.

Ed's eyes darkened as he thought back, and softly he replied. "I must have forgotten. But I used to dream… I remember dreaming of home… of you."

"I dreamt about you too, you know." Roy smiled in remembrance. "I missed you a great deal." And then his smile grew more cheerful. "But, we have each other again right now. And now for our lunch."

Edward looked away from him, and towards where Roy had nodded. And his eyes landed on the blanket spread out over the grass, the picnic basket in the center along with a bottle of wine. "I think I like this better than old people fawning over me."

Roy grinned, and kissed his cheek. "I thought you might." And he led Ed forward.

Edward kicked off his boots and settled down onto the blanket, sidling up to Roy in order to lean on his shoulder. And he watched hungrily as Roy pulled out the pre-made sandwiches and fruit skewers that the kitchen staff had provided him. He was quite certain he could smell chocolate in there as well, but his stomach could be appeased with a sandwich first.

"What made you change your mind again?" Edward asked as he accepted his sandwich. "I mean, when I came back the second time, you were barely ranking as an enlisted man. You did that to yourself, right? So why on the third time I come back are you Fuhrer?" He was curious, now that he was actually being forced to realize out here in the countryside that Roy was Fuhrer. Before it hadn't really sunk in all the way.

"Is it not obvious?" Roy asked with a small amount of understandable shock. He thought Ed would have figured it out.

"No." Ed frowned at him.

Roy smiled faintly, and grabbed himself a sandwich of his own. "Because on the chance you ever did come back again, I wanted to be above you in rank so I could have you on my team again. You always drove me, you know. Sure, I had aspirations before you entered the picture, but you gave me something tangible to fight for. So if I made something of myself, and you were to come back, you'd make it all worthwhile."

"Huh…" Ed mulled that over for a moment. "That's… stupid and sweet all at the same time."

"Thanks for that analysis." Roy chuckled, and adjusted how he was sitting so that Ed was leaning against his chest and he had one arm wrapped around the alchemist's waist. "Will you be honest with me if I ask you something?"

Ed looked over his shoulder at Roy, his forehead furrowed slightly. "Yes." He responded without any hesitation.

"Are you scared at all? About what the Gate placed on you?"

Edward turned away, and pressed himself back against Roy more, relaxing against the familiar frame behind him. "Terrified." He admitted quietly, and a sigh passed from his lips. "More than you can imagine."

Roy held back his own sigh. After his talk with his mom, he'd guessed as much might be true. Yet Ed would have never told him. He knew the blond far too well. "I wish there was something more I could do."

"You already are. Just being here."

"I always will be here." Roy soothed.

Edward chuckled, "I know you will. I can bear whatever happens as long as I know you're here."

"I've been thinking," Roy said in an attempt to steer the conversation in a less gloomy direction, "are you sure there's nothing I can get for you to entertain yourself with at Headquarters? I know you seem content just sleeping, or visiting with people or Hayate, but is there nothing else you want? I want you to be happy while you're there since you insist on going."

Edward grinned, "can I have anything?"

Roy hesitated, but couldn't see the harm in it. "Yes, anything."

"I want to go with you to meetings."

Roy faltered at first. "That's… all you want?"

Ed nodded eagerly. "You seriously don't think I'd pass up a chance to tell some of these people that they're idiots? And I'd get to be near you."

Roy rolled his eyes. "You're a sap. Eat the rest of your sandwich."

Ed chuckled.

"So what were you and my mom talking about that got you blushing like that when I came in?" Roy asked all of a sudden.

Edward felt the heat want to return to his face. "Just random stuff." He supplied hesitantly.

Roy rolled his eyes, "uh-huh. Try again. I need to know what I need to hit her for bothering you about."

"She wasn't bothering me with it." Edward pacified, and his smile turned wry. "You'd have to hit Al, Winry, and Pinako as well though. They've all said similar things to me."

"Which is?"

"Nuh-uh! I'm not telling you." Edward said stubbornly. The last thing he wanted to do was bring up marriage to Roy at a time like this.

Roy promptly finished the rest of his sandwich before tickling Ed who shrieked and collapsed in a fit of laughter down onto the blanket. And though Roy heard breathless pleads for mercy through the fits of laughter, he didn't stop. Only once Edward lay completely out of breath, panting up at him, did he smirk down at the glaring blond. "What are they all pestering you about? I know it has something to do with me, so spill."

Edward shook his head rebelliously. "No tickle." He pouted up at his lover.

"Are you sure?" Roy asked tauntingly, raising a hand over Ed's side.

The gold eyes widened, and Ed squeaked as he tried to scoot away, only to find he was trapped by Roy's legs. "Don't you dare."

"You really are pretty when you blush like you did." Roy smiled down at him. "Very well, you tell me when you're ready. And then I will go hit everyone."

"You won't." Edward smiled up at him warmly. "You wouldn't want to hit them."

Roy smirked, "perhaps not. But until then, get up. Let's go for a swim before we have wine and dessert." And he backed off of Ed carefully.

Edward sat up, and allowed Roy to help him to his feet. "A swim? Is there a hot spring around here?"

Shaking his head, Roy led the way through the forest again. "A small lake." And he didn't have to lead them far before they came out of the forest onto the bank of the clear pool with large rocks here and there jutting out over the water and providing shade.

Ed was disrupted from his viewing of the water as he caught Roy moving oddly out of the corner of his eye. Looking over, his eyes widened as he watched Roy finish stripping out of his clothes. "What are you doing?" He asked as he found his voice again.

Roy smirked at him, "going swimming, and I'm not getting my clothes wet. No one will bother us, this place is so out of the way. Now get out of those clothes unless you want me to toss you in as you are."

Edward stuck his tongue out at him, but quickly stripped out of his clothing.

Only to shriek as Roy picked him up out of the blue and tossed him into the water.

Roy watched in amusement as Ed, limbs flailing, crashed into the water in a large wave. And he lost no time in hurrying in after the alchemist. Swimming over slowly he made it over to Ed just as the blond resurfaced, and was struck by a wave of water as Ed splashed him.

"I can't believe you tossed me in." Edward pouted, rather cutely as far as Roy was concerned.

Roy flashed him a coy grin. "I can't believe you let me."

"You surprised me!"

"You let me."

Edward splashed him again, only to shriek and take a quick breath as Roy, who had dove under, grabbed one of his legs out from under him. When he resurfaced at last, he saw Roy had fled to one side of the small lake, and he swam over towards him.

"I'm surprised you're so good at this." Roy said with a grin as Edward swam closer. "I thought the automail would make it difficult."

"It weighs less in water." Edward smiled. "And I'm just that strong." He added, slipping through the water until he was up against Roy and encircling the man's neck in his arms.

Roy's hands took hold of his waist to keep them pressed up against each other, and he smiled back at the younger man. "I am too… I was able to toss you in."

"Yes, one of the reasons I love you so much." Edward laughed.

"I feel so treasured." Roy joked, and smiled in the moment before Ed's lips brushed against his with the lightest of touches before they were gone. So he pouted, for good reason. "What kind of a kiss was that?"

"One to make you complain."

"Oh I'm complaining." Roy growled at him, making Ed smile. "Good thing we're not expected anywhere until dinner. My mom better keep herself entertained."

"How do you think Daphne's faring?" Ed asked with a grin.

"Knowing her? She's eating up the attention." He replied, right before he brought a hand up to Ed's head to guide him into a proper kiss.

Hot Spring Dining Room

Daphne was sitting at a table with two elderly couples who had been together since their early twenties. And she was enjoying herself quite thoroughly. Both with the conversation at present, and thoughts of what had happened to her son and Edward. "Personally," she said as she continued with what she'd been saying, "I think they need to hurry it up a bit. They're already more than old enough for it, and I want some grandbabies."

"They've not had sex yet?!" One of the elderly ladies gasped.

"Not that, Myrtle." Her husband chided. "She means get the ol' ball and chain going."

"Yes," Myrtle agreed sagely, "you do only have one ball left now, thanks to the chain."

The other couple burst out laughing, and Daphne hid a smile behind her hand. "They'd have to adopt." She reminded them.

"Pity." The other elderly woman, Hilda, sighed. "They're both such beautiful people, their kids would be-"

"Ugly." Her husband interjected.

"Larry!"

Larry was hit by Hilda, the shocked wife. "What?" He asked her in surprise. "That's how genetics go, right?"

"Just because your parents were gorgeous and you're a train wreck doesn't mean the same would be true for everyone."

"I am not a train wreck!"

Myrtle tsk'd at them. "It wouldn't be true for them. Look at our dear Fuhrer's mother. She's a right pretty thing."

Daphne smiled, and tried not to feel too flattered. "It's the wine." She shared in a conspiratorial tone. "It helps keep the years off and prolong good health."

Hilda and Myrtle were immediately drawn in like flies to honey. "Wine? What wine?" They echoed one another.

Daphne's smile widened, and she leaned forward engagingly. "The wine I make at my vineyard. Some of the best for life, health, and beauty."

"What's the name of it?"

"Larry, give me your pen."

Daphne waited patiently for the two old women to get out paper and a pen, before she gave them the brand, and specifically the year numbers to look for. Some of the best years for her grape production, and the better the grapes, the better the effects of the wine. And who was she to be upset about more sales? Maybe one day she'd have enough revenue to buy another fifty acres or so of land to plant more grapevines.

She'd just have to have Roy set fire to it before she did plant new crops. After all, it was only the pessimist who looked upon Roy's flames as nothing more than destruction. The fire would give the soil new life, new nutrients, and the grapes would be bountiful. Really, she was glad that it was alchemy Roy had turned to at the loss of his father. It had defined who he'd become.

"I want to go play shuffleboard." Myrtle announced, and stood up, pocketing the wine information she'd thanked Daphne for. "Do you want to come Mrs. Mustang?"

Daphne grinned, shuffleboard? Well, she could certainly learn. "Sure, I'd love to." And she stood up to follow them out of the dining room.