3 months later…

"Well, it isn't so bad" Ed said with relief, looking around.

The Central Headquarters Mess Hall had been removed of its usual row-by-row tables. Glitter had been dispersed across the floor and on the wall hung red and green streamers. From the roof hung golden paper stars on strings and a long table was situated in the corner at the end of the hall for refreshments.

A large banner with the Military emblem hung from the roof, and the room was filled with light to make up for the dwindling moonlight outside. Military personnel stood around in groups chatting happily or otherwise dancing to the music that was being played by the full-bodied orchestra that sat at the stands that had been set up.

The men were all wearing suits and ties or otherwise respectable clothes, the women wearing elegant dresses that shimmered and spun as they walked. Hawkeye looked glamorous, where she stood with Edward and Roy. Her hair was still in its bun but held together with chopsticks. She wore a deep burgundy dress that had a slit up the side to her hip. Roy was, as expected, looking extremely handsome in a black suit and satin blue tie over a white dress shirt. Edward had practically forced the hair gel out of the older mans hand – maintaining his firm belief that it not only made the Flame Alchemist look older, but would make him look absurdly alike to a penguin, so Roy's hair was casually messy.

Edward himself had downright refused to wear the suit that Gracia had offered him, and instead opted for black pants, a deep red dress shirt, and a black tie. Roy had diligently tried to tie Edward's hair up in pigtails when they were in the bathroom getting ready, but he ended up with a bloody nose and a sprained wrist when the blonde attacked him. Ed's hair now hung down his back in a low ponytail.

Roy smirked as Edward looked around the hall warily, as if someone was going to jump out at him at any second. The Fuhrer could be seen standing with his secretary and jolly smile on his face – seemingly unfazed by the thirty or so bodyguards that were situated around him.

Havoc approached Hawkeye and bowed low, giving her a sly grin. A lollipop was stuck in the corner of his mouth this time – instead of a cigarette.

"May I have the pleasure of this dance?" He asked her, and Ed promptly choked on his glass of fruit punch.

Hawkeye paused for a moment, raised a delicate eyebrow, and then a small smile slipped across her face and she placed her gloved hand in Havoc's.

He led her out onto the dance floor, when the orchestra started playing a much more upbeat and fast tune.

Edward and Roy remained at their position leaning against the wall watching the others. A group of blushing secretaries stood giggling together beside the refreshment table – casting lowered glances towards Roy. Edward scowled, and strode off outside.

Once the large double doors slammed shut behind him Edward sighed with relief as the wave of cool air hit him. The grass was covered with droplets of rain and it was sprinkling very slightly. A drunken couple was lying in the grass near the shrubs, whispering and giggling with each other with a bottle or bourbon in between them.

Edward passed them out onto the street and walked down the gutter. The road was empty and the streetlight flickered above him. He could hear the swift music blaring from HQ and smiled slightly to himself. The music reminded him of Resembool, when he, Al and Winry were kids. They used to dance at the festivals – all dressed up – twirling and swinging around with clasped hands and huge grins.

Edward loved it because the faces all blurred around him as they swirled faster and faster, and he felt like he was flying.

"Ed?"

Edward turned abruptly. Without realizing it he had been turning around in circles as he walked, his feet splashing through the puddles that had gathered in the gutter – arms raised above his head and a small smile on his face as he feet slipped and kicked.

Roy stood behind him, an amused smirk on his face. Edward ripped his hands down from where they were frozen in the air.

"Oh shut up," he growled, and Roy chuckled.

"I didn't know you liked to dance" His booted feet splashed in the puddles as he approached Edward – the light from the lamppost casting gentle shadows across his face.

"I don't," Edward lied quickly, glowering at Roy as he took a step back "Shut up" water was seeping through his shoes and he could feel the cold harshness through his right sock.

"I was wondering where you had gone," Roy said, glancing back at HQ where warm light could be seen through the windows "I thought you just went to the bathroom but when you didn't come back…"

"Why do you care?" Edward asked coldly "Didn't the girls amuse you enough while I was gone?"

He could see Roy was surprised, by the way that the liqueur black eyes widened and the corner of the Colonel's mouth turned down just slightly, a sure sign that he was thinking at the speed of light what to say. Edward waited for the snide comment to come, Roy wouldn't yell at him but Ed knew he would say something that would be so awful that it would make Ed wish he had yelled.

Roy burst into laughter.

Blinking, Edward scowled "What's so funny?"
Roy shook his head and shrugged, crossing the final distance between them and taking Edward's hands in his, pulling him closer.

"Nothing, I just find it amusing that you were under the impression that my eyes were fixed on the lovely ladies across the room"
Edward blushed.

"I…what?"

Roy's eyes were shining rather nicely, but Edward shook his head to rid that thought. It was just the moonlight playing tricks.

Yeah, tricks.

"Well, Edward," the corner of his mouth was curving upwards, not quite a smile and not quite a smirk "There was another highly attractive blonde in that hall tonight"

Edward froze, the thought registering, and then-

"Oh my god. You were checking out Lieutenant HAWKEYE?"

The smile dropped almost instantly and Roy rolled his eyes.

"My god Edward, for a genius you are increasingly stupid"

The lamppost was cold against the curve of Ed's back as he was backed into it – he could feel icicle droplets sliding down the curve of his spine. The wind was cold against his necks and hands and the water in his shoes was freezing – but the heat from Roy's mouth made up for all that.

Roy pulled his head back, inwardly smiling at Ed's small whine of protest.

"Now, Edward, would you give me the pleasure of this dance?"
Edward could hear the orchestra inside the Mess Hall had slowed down considerably, the sound of violins and pain pipes echoing across the empty street. He smiled, and Roy took his hands.

Everything was so defined. The cold against his cheek, the rub of clothe against his automail, the splash of feet across the puddles as they spun. He could hear giggles from the shrubs and the splash of bourbon, but it was a mere whisper in his ear. His eyes were closed and he leant backwards, he could remember his mothers face when he and Al had first danced at the spring festival.

There were tears in her eyes.

He smiled, the gravel against his shoes felt like soft grass.

There was no Alphonse, there was no Winry, and there was no mother.

But he was flying all over again, and this time someone was there to catch him as he fell.

The End.