Hmmm… Yes, quick update this time… but I'll wait to post the next chapter till I get about 5 reviews for this one… or when I get the other one's done –sweatdrop- this is the only way for me to get anything else done… actually it's not –sighs- I'll still just end up writing all these roughs for this story and not do any of my other ones… Curse you writer's block! But that's my tactic anyways… it is unlikely to work but… er… whatever! I must say, I'm not particularly proud of this entry though.

Disclaimer: Don't have any wise cracks this time… FMA doesn't belong to me… or else why would I be posting here?

Ano: Sort of like well or uhm…

Kaa-san: Mother

Café Elric

By: KatYoukai

Chapter 5: Enter Roy Mustang and Maes Hughes

"Can you work overtime tonight?"

Al blinked in surprise at his employer," Ano… I don't think I have anything of importance to do tonight. I'll have to give Kaa-san a call though."

Edward nodded and turned to head for the kitchen. He opened the door and paused for a moment's time, looking over his shoulder back at the teen.

"Oh yeah, this café serves alcoholic drinks at night," With that the blond turned and walked through the door leaving Alphonse staring blankly at the hand-carved wood.

"Is this even legal?"

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The boy sighed, brushing golden-brown strands away from tired grey eyes. The café was rather quiet; no one had come in for hours now. Al couldn't help but wonder if it was Edward's cold demeanor that drove everyone away. The café itself held a warm feeling. The lamps washed the entirety of the room in a golden orange light, casting shadows on the furniture.

Al covered his eyes with a hand; he would feel comfortable,' If that guy would just smile once in a while…'

The jingling of the bell, signaling the arrival of customers, brought the teen out of his thoughts. Smoky orbs lifted to gaze at the door. Two men around their mid-thirties came in, a gust of wind and snow following in their wake. Al shivered. It was nearing the end of November and the first big storm of winter had come.

Al snapped back to reality as a light baritone voice caught his attention. First thing he saw when he looked up? A smug smirk and a good-humored grin. Not a good sign. Especially when they were the trademark expressions on Roy Mustang and Maes Hughes.

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Alphonse groaned, lying over the counter like a piece of discarded clothing. A yell sounded from the other side of the room. The teen lifted tired grey eyes in the direction in which Ed had just been tackled by two very drunk men.

A voice at the back of hid mind- the kind belonging to that annoying little angel that sits on your shoulder and is always telling you to do good deeds- told Al that he should help the older teen.

The golden-brown haired boy turned his head away form the scene. He rested his cheek against the smooth wood, ignoring the stream of colourful language coming to his ears. For a cold bastard, Edward had one fiery temper.

" He can take care of himself," Al muttered," Besides, I've already suffered enough glomp attacks for one night."

More yells reached his ears, causing the teen to look up again. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the scene before him.

" Need any help?" Al called to the blond.

" I'm fine," Ed growled in reply as he kicked the black-haired man off of him.

The one called Roy- Al had been able to catch their names between bits of whatever discernable conversation he'd heard- offered the steaming young man a goofy grin, along with the bottle he'd been trying to force down the blond's throat of course.

Edward glared at the man and snatched the liquor away. He stormed over to the counter and thrust said bottle into the startled teen's hands.

" Get rid of this. Then you should get home," Ed ordered.

" And leave you alone with these two? No way!"

For a moment, a look of shock spread over the blond teen's face, but it disappeared so quickly Al wasn't sure.

" Any why do you care?"

Alphonse blinked at him," Is there any reason for me not to?"

The boy would've been very interested in Edward's reply. Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to reply because at that moment, the door flung open. Both of the teen's heads snapped in that direction at the sound of the bell ringing, almost as if in fear of more people like Roy and Hughes coming in. Luckily, it wasn't or Ed would've snapped and kicked them all out into the roaring storm.

Instead, a stern looking young woman with a face almost as straight and serious as Edward's cam walking in, followed by an incredibly large man. The woman had blond locks pinned up at the back of her head in a strict fashion leaving only her bangs swept to one side. The man behind her was twice her size, impossibly muscular to a degree. He had a chiseled jaw, blue eyes and was nearly bald but for one blond strand on his head. Al would've been incredibly scared had the man not a gentle kindness radiating from him.

The man abruptly marched over to Roy and Hughes and picked them up with a strength that greatly amazed both the teens. The blonde came up to the counter and handed Edward a credit card.

" I'm Riza Hawkeye. My apologies for any trouble these two caused you."

Ed just nodded and accepted the card—although Alphonse could've sworn he heard him mutter under his breath something about the two men and burning in hell – and just like that, their problem was solved.

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The sound of running water and the squeaking of wash cloth over glass filled the little café. The only two that actually worked in the small business stood in the kitchen rinsing and drying the dishes that had piled up since the beginning of the day. All else was silent.

The silence was broken when Edward cursed under his breath but loud enough to be heard.

" Shit."

Alphonse looked up. The blond teen cringed as he cradled his hand, squinting at the cut that ran across the top right of his palm the bottom left. Sounds of shuffling met his ears and then a roll of bandage was thrust under his nose.

Startled, Ed looked up into warm grey eyes. Slowly, he accepted the roll from the other teen. Al leaned over the sink the older teen had been rummaging through.

" Better find that broken glass," He remarked.

When Edward didn't reply, the boy looked up, grey-hazel eyes and golden amber ones locking onto one another.

Ed's lips were spread in a small smile. Small yes, but it was genuine.

" Thank you."

Errr… I introduced Winry just fine but…. –shakes head at Roy and Hughe's entry- Oh well at least we can guarantee their being at the Christmas party XD One more chapter to go for Lust and Envy… oh wait there's also the Tringhams… . I'll figure it out… then we'll get the Christmas party going! With lots of Ed and Al bonding :heart: Please review... I want to beat my current record... which isn't very high anyways >.> I was lucky to get over 40 for such a cliched story...