Un-Equivalent Trade

By: Hakai

Disclaimer: I [Hakai] don't own anything Fullmetal Alchemist related. They belong to their respectful owners. Beware bad writing skills.

A/N: first attempt at a Hangane no Renkinjutsushi fanfic. I've only read up to vol 4, and some odd chapters after that to vol 6. So please excuse and correct any mistakes I may have made. Sankyuu! Thanks to all who reviewed last time! ^^

Chap. 2: Arbeit

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"Let's see…" Al said aloud as he took a seat on the nearby couch. "The two of you switched bodies over night. And you have no idea why?"

"Not a clue." Ed said with a nod. Al stared at him for a bit. It was odd seeing what was clearly his brother's facial expressions on Roy's face. "And what do YOU want?!" Ed shouted irritably at Roy whom at the moment looked like Edward.

"Either I'm a lot taller than I thought, or you're a lot shorter than I thought." Roy remarked innocently.

"Why you…" Ed growled. He would have hurled himself at Roy, but it would have been an odd feeling to beat himself up.

"Nii-san." Alphonse sighed.

"Really, Edward. The view from down here is quite interesting." Roy mocked, not at all pleased about being in Ed's body.

Ed crossed his arms with a scowl and plopped himself down next to Al. "It's not like I'm any happier about being in your body, Taisa."

"The two of you need to stop trying to irritate each other and get back to the matter at hand." Al said reasonably. "If I may have you attention… Nii-san? Taisa?"

"Go ahead, Alphonse-kun." Roy gestured. Ed nodded.

"Well, before we can even get to the question of 'how to return you to your own bodies', is there anything that either of you needed to do today?"

"I have work, of course." Roy stated. "But I highly doubt either of us would be able to handle that alone without a good deal of questioning."

Ed nodded in agreement. "We should keep this between the three of us." Roy and Al nodded.

Alphonse "Nii-san. Taisa. I'll go see what I can find out. You take care of Mustang-taisa's work." And with a nod, Al had left.

"Now what?" Ed asked looking at Roy.

Roy thought about if for a moment before speaking up. "We should both get changed and both go to my office. We'll need an excuse for having 'Fullmetal' there however."

Ed nodded. "You can use my clothes. It's in the dresser in my room."

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Soon enough Roy was back in the living room dressed in Ed's black shirt and pants and red jacket. Edward looked him up and down with a skilled eye. "Hair."

"What?"

"Your hair. You need to braid it." Ed said simply. Roy was about to protest, but quickly shut his mouth. Ed always had his hair braided. If it wasn't today, it would look suspicious.

"There." Roy said tying his newly blond hair into a quick, messy braid.

Ed sighed and motioned for Roy to come closer so he, the expert, could braid it. Quickly, Edward undid and redid the braid. "Done."

"You know, Fullmetal." Roy said turning around, mischief in his eyes. "Your hair is really quite soft. You take good care of it."

Ed blushed. "Uh… right."

"We can stop by at my place for clothes and then head on to headquarters from there."

Ed nodded standing up. "This… should be interesting."

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"Taisa?" Havoc asked curiously looking at his superior as he walked in with Edward Elric close behind.

"Erm… yes?" Ed replied uncertainly.

"Why is Fullmetal here?" He asked pointing at Roy in Ed's body.

"Er… yes." Ed cleared his throat. "Well, I'm a little behind on my work. And Fullmetal, here generously offered to help." Roy nodded.

"Uh… that was… unusually nice of him." Havoc said glancing at Fullmetal unsurely.

"Edward-kun is always… I mean… -ahem-… oddly enough… yeah…" Edward stuttered out. Hawkeye watched them from the corner of her eye as the two of them quickly made their way to Mustang's office.

Closing the door behind him, Ed sank to the floor with a sigh. "You're not very good at that, Fullmetal." The colonel pointed out bluntly.

"Yeah, you don't have to rub it in." Ed sighed again.

"I need to get to work, Edward-kun. If anyone comes, shout and we'll switch places." Roy said as he took a seat behind his desk.

"And what am I to do?" Ed asked.

"Whatever you want. Just don't get in my way." The colonel said not looking up.

Edward scowled. "First, I'm taking off your stiff clothes. Man, how can you stand it?"

Roy shrugged. "You get used to it."

"I don't get it." Ed sighed shrugging off his coat.

"Kind of like how I don't understand how you can handle having this much hair." He said shaking his hair to make it brush against his neck.

Ed stifled a laugh as Colonel Mustang finally got down to work.

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They went the whole day without too many visitors and disruptions. No one had caught on to what was actually going on. At least that's what they were hoping. The day was drawing to a close and Roy and Ed should have stopped trying to play with Lady Luck and gone home already. But Roy was behind on his work and felt it his duty to finish it today. It was a mistake.

Ed, sitting by the door with a book, heard footsteps just outside. "Taisa." He whispered. Roy looked up and Ed indicated the door. He nodded and got up. Ed silently handed him the book he was reading and took a seat behind Roy's desk. Roy plopped himself leisurely on the nearby couch and pretended to be reading.

There was a knock. "Come in." Ed called. He'd already done that a few times that day and wasn't as nervous about pretending to be Roy Mustang.

The door opened to reveal Riza Hawkeye. Edward gulped. They hadn't seen her all day. Of all the people, she would be the one to notice any difference. Ed mentally prayed for the best.

"Taisa. Edward." She greeted. Roy nodded from his place on the couch.

"What can I do for you?" Ed asked attempting to avoid eye contact with Hawkeye while still trying to appear superior.

"These are the papers you asked for." She said placing a packet of papers on the desk. "They need your signature." Ed glanced at it unsurely. Sign papers? That was like... Forgery. And Hawkeye was sure to notice a difference in handwriting. "Just one, sir. On the last page." She said indicating a blank line.

Edward glanced at Roy for help. He shrugged. Ed sighed inwardly as he picked up a pen. Hawkeye slammed his hand down. "Wrong already, Taisa. Or should I say… Fullmetal?"

~ Tsuzuku ~ To Be Continued.