KissMeDeadlyT-T: I've started screaming "SHENANIGANS" and people when they piss me off, and then I usually start giggling because that word automatically makes me think of RoyEd now.

I'd like to throw in another thanks for all the reviews! You guys are too damn nice to me.

xxXXxxXXxx

Title: Tangled

Rating: T

xxXXxxXXxx

Roy sat in his room, idly flipping through yesterday's newspaper and sipping at a lukewarm cup of coffee. He didn't have to go to work until this afternoon, so he was taking his free time to relax. Dressed in a pair of loose charcoal pyjama pants and a light gray T-shirt, he palmed the chipped pastel green mug in his left hand, absorbing the heat that had replaced that of the warm body that had been curled up next to him not five minutes ago. Ed had decided to stay the night again, and even though nothing more than a few lingering kisses had happened, he'd woken up declaring that he felt like he hadn't showered in months and left to the adjoined bathroom.

He could hear the steady stream of water spraying from the showerhead; the pitter patter as it hit the bottom of the tub, the splashes that fell from Ed's no doubt wonderfully naked body. Roy was very, very tempted to go and join him, but Ed didn't seem to be in the best of moods this morning, so he resisted. It was hard not to think about it, though. Aside from the water running in the next room, his house was relatively silent; the heater downstairs did its occasional clunk; every once in a while that one wall would creak; the sounds of Central City were a faint murmur in the background, drifting in through his slightly open window.

He finally tired of reading the same stories over again and sighed, letting the newspaper flutter down onto the dark blue sheets and getting to his feet. His room was a mess, like it always was whenever Ed stayed over for more than one night. He went around and picked up clothes scattered about, folding the clean ones and tossing the dirty ones into the laundry, finding Ed's tank top and leather pants tossed haphazardly near the foot of his bed. He stared at them for a moment, debating their state, until he finally tossed them in with the rest of his laundry and hauled it downstairs to the laundry room.

After tossing in a load, he dragged his feet to the kitchen— maybe if he made Ed breakfast he wouldn't be in such a bad mood. He doubted it, since Edward and mornings mixed as well as oil and water, but it was worth a shot. Plus, he liked cooking. He was kneeling at the Lazy Susan, searching for the jar of brown sugar he kept hidden so Ed wouldn't eat it all with buttered toast, when he heard Ed call his name.

"What?" he yelled in return, not quite ready to give up looking for the brown sugar. He shoved aside a couple cans of fruit and vegetables and finally spotted it. He was pulling it out when he heard Ed screech for him again. With a deep sigh, he set it on the granite countertop with a dull thunk before heading back up the stairs. Couldn't Ed even shower without his help? He was so incompetent sometimes.

I swear, Roy thought, taking the last few stairs quickly when Ed's panicked voice called for him again, if he forgot a towel again, I'm going to smack him.

He pushed the bathroom door open and was immediately greeted with a sauna of steam. Blinking against the sudden humidity, he squinted into the vapour and said, "Edward?"

Ed's head poked out from the side of the striped curtain, his eyes wide and hysteric. Soap suds dripped down into his face and his bangs were plastered to his forehead and cheeks, water making a small puddle on the side of the tub as it dripped from his face. "Roy," he breathed, quieter now, but the panic was still there. "I need you to help me."

Puzzled, Roy walked into the bathroom. "With what?" he asked, tugging at his shirt. Did Ed have to take such ridiculously hot showers? No wonder the bills always went up when he stayed over often.

Ed flushed. "It's— uh, well, I can't say it's never happened before, but, um— well, just come here."

Roy raised his eyebrows and walked to the shower, pulling open the curtain. A small part of him had been hoping Ed needed help with a certain something, but a quick glance at his soapy, naked body told Roy that the teen was genuinely freaking out and not just playing coy about getting laid. His gaze snapped back up to Ed's face, and he was about to ask again what was wrong, when he saw Ed's automail hand tangled hopelessly in his long, lathered hair. Realization dawned on him and he let out a short laugh.

"Really?"

"Shut up!" Ed said defensively. "I can't get it out and it hurts like hell!" He tugged frantically, wincing when a few hairs got yanked out and stayed caught in his knuckles. "Help meeee!" he wailed, grabbing at Roy's shirt with his free, wet arm.

"Relax," Roy said, chuckling again. "Pass me the conditioner, will you?"

Nodding, Ed did as he was told, holding out the simple white bottle. He watched with wide eyes as Roy squirted some conditioner onto his fingers. "What's that for?"

"It'll help get rid of the knot, so I can get it out of your hand."

"How do you even figure shit like that?"

"Well, Ed, there's this little thing called common sense most people have," Roy explained, reaching up to work at the snagged hair with his newly-slippery fingers. "I get why you didn't think of it, though. Don't worry."

"Oh, shut up," Ed grumbled half-heartedly. He grimaced when Roy tugged at a strand particularly hard, trying to unwind it from the knuckle, and added in a pained way, "I was trying hard to not rip my hair out. It's a bit hard to think rationally when you're in this situation, you know."

Roy snorted. "Right," he murmured, stepping closer to Ed to get better access to the top of his head. Due to Ed's height— or lack of it— it wasn't too hard, and at this angle, he had a clear view of the knot. He let out a low whistle. "Damn," he said, furrowing his brow in frustration for a moment. "I have no idea how you managed this one."

"What's it look like up there?" Ed asked.

"Like a rat's nest, that's what. How the hell did you manage to get it wrapped inside the bolt holding your hand in place?"

"I don't know!" Ed wailed, automatically throwing his head back in frustration and letting out a squeak of pain when that in turn yanked his hair violently. "Gah, fuck!"

"Stop moving!" Roy ordered. "I can't do this if you don't stay still."

"Ow, fuck, Roy, that fucking hur— ow!"

"I'm sorry!"

"How about you don't rip my hair out?"

"That's you doing that. I'm just untangling it." Roy finally managed to pull another strand free. "I almost have it— damn it, Ed, stay still."

"I'm trying!" Ed whined. "It hurts!"

"You've fucking been turned into a kabob falling down a mine shaft, in case you don't recall. You also lost limbs. I'm sure you can deal with this. You didn't even bitch this much when I took your virginity."

"Why the fuck would I bitch about that?" Ed griped.

"I don't know, maybe because it hurts?"

"Well, it didn't feel like you ripping my scalp off, and I was a bit lost in the heat of the moment," Ed said hotly. "Maybe if you did this while we were having sex it wouldn't be so bad."

Roy quirked an eyebrow at him. "Is that what you want?" he asked. "Because I'm all for that idea."

"What?" Ed snapped. He turned a furious red and swatted at Roy's chest with his free hand, leaving another wet mark on his shirt, which looked like a canvas of a blind artist who'd gone wild by now. It was a bit frustrating, working in damp clothes, and his hair was dripping too now from the water still spraying from the shower head. "No," Ed was grumbling. "I'd, like, rip my own hair out or something. I like to save that for you."

"Wow," Roy said. "Thanks."

Ed flashed a brilliant smile. "No problem."

Roy's eyebrows pushed together. "Hold on a sec," he said, hands retreating from Ed's head. Ed gave him a panicked look when he started walking away.

"Where the heck are you going?" he demanded. "Don't you dare leave me like this, you shit!"

"Relax, Ed." Roy sighed, digging through the top drawer until he finally found a pair of scissors. He started back towards the shower, but stopped upon seeing Ed's horrified expression. "What?"

"No fucking way are you cutting my hair."

"It's one strand," Roy countered. "It's either that or it stays stuck in your hand, and you walk around like that forever. I don't think Winry would like you destroying her automail with your hair, either." He raised his eyebrows, snipping the air next to his head. "Make your decision."

Ed looked terribly stuck, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish as he sputtered. "N-no— that, no way, you can't cut my hair, Roy—"

"It won't even be noticeable. It's one of the bottom layers." Another snipping motion. "Well?"

After another moment of sputtering, Ed finally snapped, "Fine. But you'd better make it look like normal, or else I'm so not talking to you forever."

Roy just rolled his eyes and brought the scissors up to Ed's head, ignoring the watery gold eyes staring pitifully up at him, and snipped the piece wrapped in Ed's hand. Ed was finally able to let his hand down and he let out something like a sob, grasping at his hair like he was afraid Roy had suddenly made him bald. "Can you tell?" he demanded.

"You're welcome," Roy replied sarcastically. "And no, you can't." He flicked the piece of wet hair from his fingers into the trashcan before taking Ed's automail hand and pulling the snagged hair free of the joint. "There. You can stop your emotional breakdown now."

"There was no emotional breakdown," Ed protested.

"Right, so you screaming my name in panic was my imagination?"

"Pssh." Ed retreated behind the curtain and Roy heard the water splash for a moment— no doubt Ed was finally rinsing the shampoo from his hair— before Ed finally poked his head back out and begrudgingly muttered, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Roy set his hand on the doorknob. "Do you still need me, or can I go?"

"I always need you," Ed said with a honey-sweet smile, batting his eyeslashes. When he received a sigh in return, he rolled his eyes, lost the fake smile, and said, "Thanks, but I'm good."

"Alright," Roy turned as the curtain fluttered closed again. "Pancakes good?"

"Mm, sounds delish."

"Great." With that, Roy left the bathroom, cringing at how cool the hall felt compared to the bathroom. He was just getting to the stairs when he heard Ed call his name again. Rolling his eyes, he stormed back to the bathroom.

"What?" he demanded, throwing open the door.

Ed offered a sheepish grin from the side of the curtain. "Can you put in chocolate chips?"

xxXXxxXXxx

KissMeDeadlyT-T: Proper ending what's that