Disclaimer: see first chapter

A/N: Sorry about the whole spoiler theme before. This one should be safer. Theme six, enjoy.

Obsidian and Gold

Theme Six: Hair

It was with rarity that Edward ever let his hair out of its braid. The same sloppy hairstyle, sometimes caked with mud or singed at the tips, was becoming dull, despite the vibrancy of Fullmetal's appearance with all that gold. Colonel Mustang wondered what the boy would look like without the same look of yellow and red and black. But Fullmetal was stubborn, and so Roy left it to his imagination to determine what Ed looked like with his hair down around his shoulders.

The image in his head didn't live up to the reality, as he found out when Edward came into his office one day to give a report. Roy looked up, a bit startled, and simply stared.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer, you bastard," Ed retorted.

Mustang found it in him to smirk, but he didn't move his eyes from the sight. He'd honestly imagined Edward to look more feminine, maybe even a bit softer and more refined at the edges. In all, Edward looked even more golden, but not any less masculine. Mustang shouldn't have been surprised, really.

"Having grooming troubles this morning, Fullmetal?" Mustang ventured to ask.

Edward'd eyes moved to the sleeve of his right arm. Roy looked too, and noticed that it was empty.

"I busted my automail so bad that the arm fell off. Winry's gonna kill me."

"Who used to braid your hair in the past? This isn't the first time you've broken your arm," Roy pointed out.

"Al used to do it, but my hair snags in his metal hands. I usually wear my gloves when I braid my hair." Edward flopped down on Mustang's couch. Roy watched as the right sleeve fluttered down after him.

"What about when Scar damaged the automail?" Mustang asked. "Both you and your brother were injured then."

Ed visibly twitched, and Roy thought the heard the word "Armstrong" come from the boys direction.

Keeping a straight face, Mustang asked, "I don't suppose you'll allow me to braid it for you?"

The look Edward gave him was one of dumbfounded bewilderment. He studied the Colonel for a moment, seeming to debate if he was joking or not.

"Do you know how to braid hair?" he finally decided to ask.

Mustang didn't answer with words. He got up from his desk and walked over to where Fullmetal sat on his couch. Edward scooted over, allowing Mustang to have a seat next him. He was still for a moment, glaring curiously at the Colonel, who was smirking just a bit. An eyebrow was finally raised, and Mustang asked, "Well?"

Grumbling, Edward turned so that his back was to Mustang. He did nothing to help, making Mustang reach around his shoulders to gather up all the hair. The Colonel did this gently, and Edward found himself relaxing as Mustang finger-combed the strands. He wasn't wearing his gloves, and the feeling of those fingers running against the nape of his neck and across scalp was soothing.

Roy Mustang was in awe of how nice Ed's hair not only looked, but felt in his hands. He was almost reluctant to braid it, wanting to see it unbound for just a while longer, but he knew Fullmetal would pound anyone's face in if they such much as snickered in his direction; with his hair down, Edward's image quietly declared, "Little Girl."

It was over far too soon in both their opinions. Edward had started to slouch forward with the feeling of careful hands. Mustang was left holding the end of the braid in his hands with nothing to secure it with. He tugged on Fullmetal's braid, earning a few mumbled words that sounded awfully colorful.

"Do you have a hair tie?" Mustang asked, and he looked over his subordinates shoulder to see him pull the tie off his wrist and thrust it at him.

Once secure, he let the hair fall to hit Fullmetal in the back. Edward's hand reached around to check if it was okay. He turned then, looking Mustang in the eye, and said, "I guess you're not so bad at it. Maybe I'll get you to do it tomorrow before Al and I leave for Risembol."

Rising, Mustang returned to his own desk, saying to Edward, "Just don't make this a common occurrence, Fullmetal. As nice as your hair is, it's not worth my valuable time to make sure your well groomed when you break your automail."

Edward snorted. "I wouldn't give you that satisfaction often, bastard."

Mustang watched the braid wave back and forth as Edward walked out of his office.

A/N: Hope you liked it, please review!