Author's Note(s): I suppose people don't favor a HughesxRoy pairing? Hrm.. Funny how the word count differs in document manager than it does from my word-counting source. Ah well.

Thank you, writerauthorguy, for the correction; the source I had used had been incorrect.

This particular story is: 500 words, Roy x Ed. Provided by Vulgar.

Delicate fingertips traced an adolescent chin, prodding, thoughtful, hopeful. Edward cast a pity of a glance toward the older male, hardly amused by this reflection of antics, but said nothing to the steep blush that had smothered his expression for the last few hours of his evening.

"Just hurry up with the game," he sneered with a hint of absolute despair, shooting a dark glance toward the locked door of Roy's office. Stripped to the clean fancy of his boxers, young Edward Elric, the respected child prodigy of Resembool, was losing miserably to a consecutive game of Strip Poker. If this had been against Al, he'd have cheated his way with a flawless escape... But then, he wouldn't have necessarily encouraged a game of Strip Poker, either.

"Are you sure, Fullmetal?" Roy teased with a slight wave of his cards, gaze exclusively too hunger for Edward's comfort. Shifting in slight away from the table, the boy averted his eyes in a nonchalant action and bid the game's onward movement with an idle wave of his hand.

"Stop stalling already," he grumbled, expression touched by minor evidence of a pout. He didn't know what was on the Flame Alchemist's agenda, but he realized he wouldn't much care for it. Roy simply chuckled, entirely too amused by his company's distraught reactions, and leaned forward, he hand creeping to brush aside the younger male's. Instinctively, Edward jumped and immediately recoiled, then rubbed the taintless flesh as though he'd been bitten by an imagined fiend.

"Stop touching me! Just lay your damn hand down, you dirty, promotion-whoring Colonel!" he snapped, only additionally infuriated as Roy laughed feebly. It was difficult to keep his mind on the game with the boy appearing so utterly helpless, passively triggered by the slightest motion against his obvious fear of sexuality. But he supposed the game couldn't continue much longer, he fully clothed, his companion hardly.

"As you wish, Fullmetal," he replied with a heavy mock of a sigh, no doubt playing his part as a hopeful, but sexually frustrated young man. Taking the bait, Edward's brow sympathetically dipped as he could only shake his head, containing no means of comfort to give to his superior officer.

"Four of a kind," the young blonde muttered as he laid down his hand, appearing rather triumphant; Surely, Roy's luck couldn't last this long. Eventually, he'd have to get a bad hand, and finally Edward would be saved.

"Royal flush."

"WHAT!" Jumping from his seat, Edward's palms hit the table with a heavy thud. "There's absolutely no way! You had to cheat! You can't get that same hand every damn time!"

"Your boxers, Fullmetal." Shaking his head in absolute disobedience, the child's blush increased two fold as he bolted out the door. Silent for a moment, Roy sighed.

"Poor sport," he murmured quietly, and glanced at his straight. Ah, oh well.

Short... R&R and the like.