Hey all! Thanks again for your lovely reviews for the last chapter. I'm so grateful to everyone, even the ones who don't review. :-) Oh, someone wanted to know what the bunny outfit that Winry wore to Al's party a couple chapters back might have looked like. Here's a pic I found that kinda resembled what I wanted:

http/ i21. 03/ i/ 02/ 5c/ ec/ 7c1.JPG(without the spaces)

Let me know if you can see it.

Disclaimer: You already know...(sniff) So on with the fic, finally. Enjoy!

Chapter 8, Take A Chance

Edward laid on his stomach on his bed, feet at the headboard. He had a piece of string in his hand moving it around as Al's chocolate-colored kitty, that he named Hershey, pounced and jumped at it. He had nothing better to do and it was quite entertaining playing with the puffball.

He had got all the sleep he needed, waking up at 2 in the afternoon. Hey, he had a long week! Al had left earlier, saying something about buying some milk. Ed laughed as the kitten continued to jump and pat at the string.

Al was so full of it. Ed knew he was probably off seeing Winry. Why he wouldn't just admit it was beyond him. Even if they weren't together, the flirting and blushing they did around each other was enough to make him gag. He still remembered the look on his brother's face when she danced at his party. Ed started laughing again. Al's face was priceless.

"That reminds me." Ed stood up and picked up the camera on his dresser. "I need to get these developed. Gotta show brother these pictures." Everytime he thought about that party it made him laugh. It also made him think about Roy.

He had avoided the poor man all week. Roy probably thought he was mad at him, but that was the complete opposite. Ed missed talking to him or being close enough to smell that nice scent that always seemed to follow him. He hadn't even played cards with everyone like they usually did. He would leave as soon as his shift was over, dragging poor Al with him.

Alphonse kept telling him to just spill the beans to Roy, so they would all be happy because he was getting tired of his chicken brother. Edward didn't care what he said.

"Who am I kidding, of course I do." The kitty meowed and jumped on his bed. He turned and patted her head. "I'm going to leave for a little while. Don't worry. It'll be quick." He slipped on some pants and grabbed the jacket that Roy had bought him. As he got his keys off the kitchen table, Al walked in.

"Hey, brother. Where ya going?" Al asked him, standing in the doorway.

"Just to get these developed and some fresh air." He showed him the camera. Al took the camera out of his hands.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Ed. You'll have to do that later. I brought someone here for you to talk to." Al reached around outside where Ed couldn't see and pulled someone in.

"Hi, Ed." Roy looked sheepishly at him. Ed's shocked face faded quickly and a frown found his face.

"What the hell, Al?" Al picked up Hershey that had followed his brother into the room.

"Well, you wanted to ask him something, right?" He looked at Roy. "And you wanted to tell him something?" He turned to his brother. "I thought why not just bring you guys together." He turned to leave.

"Al?"

"Don't worry, brother. I'll take Hershey next door. Little Elysia loves her. Bye now!" He hurried back to the door, but before he left he turned to Ed and moved his arms as if he were a chicken before closing the door behind him.

"I'm going to murder him!" Ed said with his fists balled up at his sides. "How could he-" Ed stopped himself as he glanced at the other man in the room. His anger quickly changed into embarrassment as he noticed Roy watching him.

"Um...what cha been up to?" Ed put on a smile to lesson the nervousness that he was feeling. Roy continued to watch him.

"Nothing. I want to know what I did to cause you to avoid me all week." Ed cringed. 'Damn!'

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ed said innocently.

"I'm leaving." He turned to walk out the door.

"Wait! I'm sorry." Roy stopped, but didn't turn to him. "I have been avoiding you and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that." Roy looked at him.

"Why did you do that?" The older man asked and Ed found his hands interesting. "I didn't do anything, did I?"

"No, Roy. You did nothing. I'm just an idiot." Ed muttered.

"What?"

"You know, I'm really hungry. You want something?" Ed walked into the kitchen to desperately try and change the subject. He really didn't want to tell Roy how he felt about him. The guy would probably beat him up in his own house...well, Al's house, but you know what he means!

Roy followed him into the kitchen and watched as Ed busied himself with trying to make something edible.

"What was it that you had to tell me? Al said you had something to tell me." Roy asked, still watching the blond man.

"I don't know what Al's talking about." Ed continued to dig for pots. Roy walked up to him and gently turned Ed toward him.

"You're doing it again. You're trying to avoid telling me something." He held the blond by the shoulders. Ed pulled back.

"It's nothing, okay? Look, do you want something to eat or not?" Ed said, slightly irritated. He was really gonna pound Al for this! What a setup!

"I don't care about food right now. If it's not something big, then why were you avoiding me?" Ed frowned.

"This is stupid. I said it's nothing." He walked toward the hallway. "I'm going to take a shower. You know the way out."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me!" Roy shouted to him.

"Whatever." Was the answer he got. Roy sighed. 'What's wrong with him? What did I do?'

-----

He sat on the couch, his eyes closed as he waited for the older Elric. Edward confused him so much. He thought that he liked Ed as a friend, but something changed. Roy found himself thinking about him a lot when he wasn't around and he was hurt by how Edward treated him in the past week. Roy sighed again.

'What' s wrong with me? Ed's another guy and I'm not interested in guys...right?'

"Oh, shit." Roy muttered to himself. "Maybe I should leave." He stood up to look down the hallway. He could hear water running and knew that he could excape without Ed knowing. Maybe it was for the better...no, who was he kidding?

"Don't be a coward, Roy. At least, say good-bye to his face." He looked around and finally noticed that they had put up pictures around the house. He looked closely at the pictures on the side of the television.

There was one with both brothers and someone Roy assumed was their mother, another had Al in his graduation gown, grinning widely. The next picture was of Ed by himself from the waist up. He looked like he was at the beach, since it looked like sand behind him and he looked wet...with no shirt on.

Roy picked up the picture to look closer. Ed had his human hand on his metal shoulder, smiling shyly. Roy couldn't take his eyes off it. It was a beautiful picture. He suddenly heard something which made him jump and almost drop the picture. It turned out only to be the air conditioning starting.

He carefully put down the photo and walked toward the hallway. He didn't hear any water running anymore, so he figured Ed must have gotten out of the shower by now. He felt a nervous feeling go through him. Maybe it wasn't too late to leave...

-----

Edward sat on the toilet top in only a towel, combing his wet hair. So many different versions of ways to tell the other man how he felt ran through his head but none seemed good enough to him. He had been in the bathroom for over thirty minutes now. Maybe Roy got tired of waiting and had left.

Ed sure hoped so because earlier he wanted to dodge the other man so badly, he jumped in the shower without getting any clean clothes. He sat the comb down by the sink.

"He's probably gone, anyway." Ed unlocked and opened the bathroom door quietly. He heard nothing and saw no one. Smiling to himself, he stepped into the hall, pushed open his room door and walked to his dresser searching for clothes. He heard the door squeak behind him and turned to find Roy standing in his doorway. He looked down on himself and swallowed. He didn't want Roy to see him like this!

They both locked eyes for a long moment, then Roy finally spoke. "I just came to say--"

"I'm sorry." Ed said again, surprising the other man. "I've acted really stupid recently, haven't I?" Roy smiled sadly at him then stepped fully into the room.

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have tried to force you into telling me anything." Ed smiled back at him. "You can tell me anything whenever you want." Ed calmed the flipping butterflies in his stomach that were driving him crazy.

"Maybe you should sit down." Roy looked confused. "Go ahead." The blond moved his hand toward his bed. He felt better if Roy sat because he figured that it would be easier to run from a beating if the man was already sitting.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Roy said. He was already having a hard time keeping his eyes off the younger man. Ed looked a lot like he did in that picture. His hair was down and still a bit wet and all he was wearing was a towel that was hanging dangerously low from his hips. Roy was able to get a good look at Ed's automail limbs and scars from his seat on the bed.

Roy didn't know what to expect, but he was surprised at how the different body parts seem to go together so perfectly. 'Did Ed know how beautiful he was?'

"See I, uh...well," Roy's attention snapped back to the older Elric's face. He should probably be paying attention to what he's saying. Ed rocked from one foot to the other nervously. 'Maybe everything will be alright. I mean, Roy does seem to like me a little...but what if I'm just seeing things?'

Ed mentally groaned and glanced at the older man's puzzled face. 'I can't do this. I should have wrote a letter. Well, maybe I could show him instead.' Edward slowly walked to stand in front of the dark-haired man.

"Wha-?" Roy's question was cut short by Ed's lips gently, almost shyly, touching his. Roy was still speechless when Ed pulled away soon after and he just looked at him slightly wide-eyed. Ed licked his lips and boldly leaned down to kiss him again. Roy didn't push him away or hit him, so Ed brought his hands to the other man's shoulders.

Roy felt a shiver go down his spine at the touch of Ed's metal hand, or was it something else? He didn't know or care, but slowly wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist and pulled him closer. Ed then brought his knees to rest on the side of Roy's legs, straddling the man. They continued to kiss each other as Roy felt his shirt being unbuttoned.

Panic suddenly hit him. He couldn't do this! He'd never been with another man! He opened his mouth to speak, but it only gave Ed the access he wanted, so he easily deepened the kiss, causing Roy to be unable think straight for a minute. Roy finally regained his train of thought when Ed moved his attention to his neck.

"Wait, Ed, I can't. I've never-," Ed put a human finger to Roy's lips.

"It's okay. You don't have to worry. Let me do everything." Roy felt himself being gently pushed back on the bed as Ed continued to kiss and nip at his neck, then chest, then stomach and lower...

Sorry for any mistakes. That stupid document thing keeps deleting spaces and making my fic look all jumbled up.(growls) Why does it do that? Anycrap, hope you liked this chappie. Please review. Love you all! Bye!