Disclaimer: Still don't own Hagaren... ;;

So. Five of fourty-five. How you guys think I'm doing? This one gave me a bit of trouble... many thanks to DOREMIdan for the idea. So anyway... please leave me a review!

45 Roy/Edward Themes

Theme 05. "Homeland"

Colonel Roy Mustang, while not always the most hardworking of men, was always on time. He never missed a date by a second.

So when Edward had been waiting in the man's office for over a half an hour after he'd been scheduled to meet him, he couldn't help but worry.

After another ten minutes, the door swung open, and Edward pursed his lips.

"Took you long enough, didn't it -- Chuui?" He balked. Standing in the doorway looking startled, was not, as he had thought, Roy Mustang, but Riza Hawkeye. Edward knit his eyebrows together.

"Where's taisa?" he asked lightly. Hawkeye smiled.

"It appears he's gone home for a short trip, Edward-kun."

Ed's golden eyes narrowed a little, confused.

"Home?" Hell, Roy had never even mentioned where he lived before. Hawkeye nodded.

"He should be back by next week," she continued, circling around Edward to set some papers on Roy's desk. Ed knit his eyebrows.

"Do you know where he went, Chuui?"

Riza smiled and offered the FullMetal Alchemist a small piece of paper.

"He left the address with me when he didn't see you this morning."

It appeared that the town to which Roy had traveled was about a day's train ride from Central. Edward briskly made his way back to the hotel he and his brother were in for the time being, and told him what was going on.

"…you'll go see him, then?" Alphonse inquired upon noting Edward's rushing around the room. Ed paused and eyed his brother.

"Do you mind?" he asked.

Alphonse shook his head. "Tell him I say hi."

Edward scowled at the grin he could almost see in Alphonse's words.

"Yeah, yeah."

The train had left in the late afternoon and arrived in the early evening. Edward had made a fair attempt at sleeping on the train, but had been too busy wondering what had brought the Colonel home. He never even spoke of where he'd lived, so what would suddenly take him back there without warning?

Sunizona was a fairly small town, it looked like you could probably visit all the exciting places in one afternoon. Edward grinned. Funny that a Colonel of the Amestris military would come from such a small town.

Following the direction of a man in the train station, Edward ambled his way to a house about ten minutes' walk from the station. He hesitated to knock on the door.

After doing so, it took a moment and the sounds of someone slowly descending a flight of stairs before a scruffy, slightly worn-looking Roy Mustang came to the door. His eyes widened and seemed to brighten slightly at the sight of Edward. Suddenly, the younger alchemist felt out of place.

"…Um, taisa. I… uhh, Chuui gave me this--" he showed Roy the slip of paper with the address on it. "I was just… curious…"

Roy smiled halfheartedly.

"It's all right, FullMetal. Come in, would you?" He moved away from the door to let the teenager in. The tired way he spoke and moved irked Edward.

"…um, did … something happen, taisa?" He asked carefully.

Roy responded with a sort of pained smile.

Edward wished he hadn't asked.

After a moment's silence, Roy smiled again.

"My mother passed away in her sleep, early this morning."

Edward's breath caught in his throat. 'Oh shit! What've you walked in on now, Ed you idiot…!'

"…Oh, jeez… taisa, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" he trailed off as Roy sank into a chair next to the front door and wrapped an arm around Edward's midsection.

"Just… stay here a bit, Edward…" he mumbled into the teen's side.

Edward sighed, and closing his eyes, rest an arm around Roy's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." he said softly.

Author's Notes: Another one that went a little over 500. vv I fail at drabbles. Oh well. Let me know what you think, please! ♥♥.

-Hitsuji