Paon: Height can affect it... -pats-
GreedxEd: So what you're saying is I need to write Roy/Ed/Ima/Fane fics? ...I can do that XD. Isn't that why I have an LJ?
Sailor Silver Rose: Ed's has this sort of bipolar thing going on lately. I think he's been dead and rotting too long. It's affecting his mind or something.
Cheru-chan: Goldfish crackers and juice? No... but I'll take some of that! And gosh girl, you do have a lot of updating to do. Do you want some of the banana cream layer cake I made on Friday? Lots of sugar...
anmb: Yeah, the health is certainly a rollercoaster for us all it seems. Yay for the ice cream! And there is nothing more perfect than Roy being jealous of a toddler. It's so manly of him.
moonstone: It's never Grand's day when Edward is around. Umm... I do believe they changed the pepsi recipe for that bottle... even though that was a hilarious take on the dessert thing.
Neena: Ed and Roy do dance very well. And it's so much fun to make them do it. If only they'd get a clue and tango already.
Eli: That line was accidental genius, I assure you. I didn't know what I had until I read it over, went 'wait, if I worded it this way...' and then poof!
abei: Can't say yes or no to the Al thing... but yes, ask people's weight in order to get to know them better. I'd be interested in the responses you'd get XD.
luna moon girl: Thank you!
xwhitexspiritx: I'm thinking an iron coat rack? Maybe lined inside with lead? Brownies! I'll give you a Hazel plushie for brownies! -runs off with them-
Riku-Rocks: Hawkeye is capable of so many great moments. She may not be able to brain someone with a coat rack, but she certainly doesn't lose ground against Ed.
Alyzabeth: So far I'm thinking I actually need to start a betting pool of Al being at the exam. You're not the only one who's thought of it.
kazuko: Now that you love Al in the flesh, it's only a matter of time until I have you living and breathing Al/Scar.
AnimeAddic5: Why thank you!
B.D.: It took you that long? ...ditcher XD. Nah, I'm glad to see you back and enjoying Ed.
The Lone Eagle: Ed really is a sadist. But like you said, he has good reason. Hard to blame him for it.
accident prone: Hmm... get ready for that pixelized hug in some upcoming chapters. And yes, props to Roy for not laughing. I sure would have been on the floor laughing to the point of tears.
Disasterifik: Protective Ed is actually quite sexy in a way. Bashing Roy's enemies for him... Roy needs to get him some of that.
galliechan: Thank you! I'm rather fond of them like that myself. Especially a jealous Roy.
Koneko: -gives you the Dunce prize- And that part made me melt too, Roy is such a sweetheart to Ed when he wants to be. And yes, Grand is an alchemist, he's the one who likes turning his appendages into guns and going trigger happy. The reference to "Roy's caliber" I left open to take several ways for now. Either as he was sucking up, or being condecending. But Ed will ask Roy about it himself one day and get a Roy's opinion on it.
Kari Kurofai: Yes, an almost entirely Scar/Al fic. I'm trying to finish polishing the first chapter for it. So hopefully I can get it up soon. And Ed's hair and eye color will come up again... can't say when. But Roy is quite persistent to find it out.
Twisted Vixen: Thank you, being sick is definitely not fun at all. And oh god, you aren't the only one jealous of Hazel being able to see Roy naked. I'd pay to see that, or sell a first born. And I am so happy I was able to make you laugh so much near the end -takes a bow- and let's face it, if you were up, hubby needs to be up to XD.
Aniki: Thank you! I'm glad you gave it a chance and are enjoying it now. I hope you continue to. My biased opinion says it can only get better XD.
Chaos: You're not back until you go to the bahamas, missy. -hugs- I've missed you though. But yes, I shall keep up the good work! I'm so glad you came back all sane if not tired.
Kiss4theRain: Yay! I'm glad the story has you thinking. I love it when I can manage to pull that off. And I can't wait for Al's appearance either... my Al muse keeps pestering me to let him appear.
Lamia: Mmm yes, a paper punch. Those are very dangerous. That's a good idea for Ed to keep in mind.
Akira: I do hope you studied adequately for your finals. But I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, who knows, maybe you needed the mental break for a bit.
blackrose5130: Yes, Roy's mom will still be Daphne. I seriously find myself incapable of giving him a new mom, not that I'd ever want to. I adore Daphne. And yay! Cheesecake! I'm letting Ed beat up Grand more often!
I finally think I am completely better again. Else it's the medication I'm on making me feel optimistic and absurdly happy. But at the point in time I start coughing like the doctor said I would so my vocal cords would be able to start working again, I think I'm on my way. I can officially talk a little bit and very quietly after being a mute since Thursday. Can't talk right now since I tried singing ABBA... bit too much strain I think right off the bat. For those who read my LJ and knew what happened to me Saturday, I seem to be in the clear now as far as not at risk for suffocating. So yay!
And straight to another chapter since I had to keep everyong waiting... I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen
By late afternoon Roy had received word over the phone via Riza – who was acting uncharacteristically female by passing along gossip, much less hearing said gossip – that General Grand had been sent home by the infirmary nurses with an ice pack for both head and groin. Apparently he had sustained "grievous" injuries that required some home rest away from the stress of the constant up-and-down of the work environment.
Roy chalked Riza acting like a female up to her having some sadistic pleasure of nearly castrating a man, and she was on an estrogen high because of it. As for his heartfelt regards for the general's condition, he had hung up the phone feeling very pleased with the ghost that was now occupying the favored right hand corner of the ceiling.
"General Grand is on his way home with ice packs." Roy announced as he finished chuckling to himself. "Apparently between you and Riza you really did him in. Good work."
Edward looked away from his book with a thin smile. "I'll hit him harder next time. If he's not on his way to the cemetery to pick out a suitable place, I didn't hit him hard enough."
Roy tried not to grimace. "You're a bit vindictive, you know that? Not that I mind. As long as it's not directed at me. But for just having only a vague idea of how evil someone might be, you're like a Doberman."
With a shrug, Edward turned so that he was facing Roy from where he hovered, instead of having to turn his head. "Vague or concrete, evil is still evil. And the vaguer evils would be more dangerous, wouldn't you say? Besides," Edward tilted his head slightly, "I see no reason that just because I'm dead, I shouldn't be allowed to protect what matters most to me."
"Who." Roy corrected with a bit of a grin, trying not to feel too pleased that he mattered a great deal to the ghost. It still made him feel flashes of guilt when he thought about such things as how in control he was over a great deal of Edward's happiness. The fact that Edward now could leave, albeit to only a few other places in the world, eased the guilt some. But not entirely.
Edward peered at Roy in an assessing manner. "And here I was just thinking that you were a thing… whose sole purpose in life is to act like the incarnation of temptation."
"Among other things." Roy replied smugly, not at all ruffled by Edward's teasing. "Temptation, power, pride-"
"Heroism." Edward inserted with something of a smirk.
That actually cut Roy off, and he blinked for a moment as he tried to recall what he'd been about to add to the list, before finally giving up on the lost cause. "Pardon?"
Edward, who had looked back down at the book he'd been reading, flipped a page casually. "Hedonism."
"I could have sworn you said heroism." A slight frown crept onto Roy's face. Had he misheard? Or was the ghost really just yanking his chain?
Edward carefully kept from smiling. "I'm sure I didn't."
Roy's mouth tugged to one side as he contemplated the ghost, "right. It's not like you have any reason to think that too… like some other people. I'm not your hero."
Edward's eyes glanced over at Roy in the quickest of looks before turning back to his book."Right." He agreed, and turned another page while saying warmly, "not my hero."
It was then Roy knew, somehow, that he hadn't misheard Edward at all. But he ducked his head back to his paperwork both to work, and to hide his smile. Edward didn't seem to want to admit to having said that, for whatever reason. So he got back to work, squashing the impulse to announce that he was the 'Hero of the Trapped Ghost'.
Even if it did have a bit of a snazzy cultish ring to it.
After a few hours Fuery and Breda knocked and entered the office, which caught Edward's attention immediately. He hadn't yet properly gotten a feel for these two men. Or Falman. But he was hesitant to leave the office without Roy just to do some exploring and people watching.
"Yes?" Roy asked, raising his head from his paperwork.
"We were wondering if you were planning to eat in again today, or if you're coming with us." Breda replied, and beside him Fuery nodded.
Roy blinked. Come again? And his confusion must have shown on his face because Fuery quickly supplied: "for lunch, sir."
Lunch… Roy looked at the clock on the wall with a quick jerk of his head, eyes widening as he saw what time it was. He hadn't even noticed it was past noon, hadn't even realized he might be hungry. But now that he was aware, he suddenly also became aware that the single slice of toast he'd eaten this morning had not stuck with him. "How time flies when you're having fun."
Edward, who had managed to get the book he'd been reading to the floor before Roy had called for them to enter, now floated through the air over to him. He knew Roy had only said that to hedge and give him time to say which he'd prefer. "I'd like to go out. I think I can handle it."
Roy gave a nod that to anyone else, appeared as one of thoughtfulness. "As long as we don't go anywhere open and noisy. I don't have the energy to deal with that today." He allowed, figuring that he'd do just a bit more to keep Edward at ease.
The ghost smiled at Roy's consideration, and couldn't find it in himself to feel affronted that Roy would assume he was incapable of handling lots of noise and a very large and milling lunch crowd. Because they both knew better. Right now, he wasn't capable of that for long. And really, he felt too flattered that Roy was considering him so much for practically everything he did. He knew it couldn't be easy to go from just looking after yourself, to looking out for someone else as well.
"We were planning to leave in ten, if that's okay with you." Breda said.
Edward studied the portly man with a small smile, and looked between him and Fuery with a semblance of amusement. Roy sure knew how to pick a mismatched looking team. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't quite see any one similarity that linked them all aside from their commitment to Roy.
"That's fine." Roy agreed, and gave them a sharp nod. "I'd like to get this file looked through before then, though, so if that's all…?"
The two men knew a dismissal when they heard one. "Yes, sir."
Edward watched as they retreated, and only once the door closed did he look over at Roy, to meet the gaze Roy was now turning on him. "I like them. But seriously, you've the most mismatched looking team I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a few come through those doors." He informed him, and sat up on the edge of Roy's desk.
Roy grinned at that, and let out a soft laugh as he thought about it. "True… but I didn't pick them to be matching pairs pulling my carriage to the top." He shook his head. "No. Their uses are for their talents."
"I've yet to really be around Falman, and when will the male Armstrong be here?" Edward asked with true curiosity. He wanted to see if the man was anything like his sister.
"By next week." Roy twirled his pen idly between nimble fingers. "He has to finalize on his end, pack, and move."
Edward slowly nodded, and thought about what he wanted to say next for several seconds before just going for it. "How much of your life are you rearranging for me?"
Roy studied him silently, his face betraying no expression before he finally responded. "Is this because of lunch?"
Edward nodded.
"To say that I'm rearranging very little would be a lie." Roy said slowly, thinking about his words even as he was saying them. "But you're no imposition to me."
"But I also don't want you to give up living your life for you. I'm dead already." Edward frowned at him.
Roy merely smiled, "you're a part of my life, Ed. I'm not giving up anything, unless I give up you." And he studied Edward's surprised expression for a moment, before adding, "I'm not giving up you."
Edward slowly floated off the side of the desk to stand, watching Roy speechlessly as if he'd never quite seen the man before. "That was almost… sweet. Possessive, but sweet."
Roy's smile didn't fade. "Come on, you, let's go to lunch." And he replaced his pen and stood up abruptly. He was adamant that they'd leave that conversation where it was.
Edward didn't notice anything out of place, and so nodded with an eager smile. Even if he couldn't eat, he still wanted to go and watch the interaction of a lunch between Roy and his personal team. And he floated after Roy feeling very cheerful as he eyed the coat rack, before following the man out the door.
Roy had held the door open extra long for Edward to pass through as well, on the pretense that he was glancing about his office for some purpose. But once the ghost was through he shut the door and turned to gather with his team. "Are we all ready then?"
Havoc was the first to turn with a grin as he stood up from a clearance sale grade office chair whose only novelty was tilting back to allow for his lazy posture. "Starved. Since when do you make us wait to go get food while you do paperwork?"
"Since he's found someone else to jerk around for more than one date." Riza met the brunt of Roy's glare without so much as a twitch. "Even though he denies it."
Edward frowned at that, "I thought you didn't go for the same one more than once."
Roy made a mental note to go back to that sometime today, if Edward didn't pounce on him about it first. "I do deny it." He stated quite calmly as he adjusted the collar on his uniform. "And with complete honesty. Now if you don't mind, I'm rather hungry."
"He has a point." Breda grumbled, already heading for the door. "I'm starved. Can't we discuss the Colonel once we at least have our appetizers?"
"You're always hungry." Fuery pointed out, following.
Roy was following as well, "who said I'm the topic for discussion?!"
Edward laughed and floated after the man. "Well I for one think you're outvoted. Even if I didn't want to let them discuss you, it'd be two against five."
Roy glanced behind him to give the ghost a halfhearted glare, and turned back forward as said apparition only began to laugh more. Ghosts. They were absolutely no help at all in matters like this.
The walk to the café that had been selected for lunch had been a rather raucous one, full of inabilities to walk in a straight line, or not duck around each other for some purpose or another. It was rather like a kindergarten classroom still being trained to walk in an orderly fashion. Which, as a result, caused Edward to have to float up above them all to keep clear of their antics and the majority of their noise. Yet he wasn't being bothered just yet, and as the walk was a short one, he was still quite at ease when they began entering the café.
Roy took the opportunity to act like a gentlemen and hold the door open for everyone, which included the tail of the line, Edward.
"Thanks." Edward said gratefully, and ducked in, immediately shooting up to hover near the ceiling out of the way.
Roy merely smiled, and stepped in.
Inside Riza was already securing them a table, and as Roy looked around, he felt this place was perfect. The lighting was ambient, the color of the décor was warm, and the general atmosphere of the place was calm and in its own way, seductive. It was a place that beckoned you to come sit down to eat, and spend lots of money while you were at it just because of its comforting setting.
Edward floated above the group as they were led over to their table which was tucked away several tables from any other diners to allow for privacy while the amount of patrons allowed for it. As soon as everyone was sitting, Edward floated down to an empty chair in a table next to them.
Roy only glanced around once to take notice of his "surroundings", and see that Edward was comfortably seated, before turning to his menu. "Apple strudel?"
"Not before you eat your lunch, you won't." Hawkeye chastised, her eyes not lifting from the list of beverages on the back of her menu. Something she found ridiculous. Beverages were the first thing you ordered, they should not be hidden on the back of the menu.
Edward, however, wasn't deterred from giving his own answer. "Wrong again."
Roy smiled at both answers, though mostly at Edward's. Well, he had tried.
"So tell us about this person you claim doesn't exist." Havoc began, "if you're not going to be serious about screwing with them again, I'll take 'em off your hands."
"I'll never understand why you want his leftovers." Falman sighed as he scanned the list of entrees.
Havoc snorted, "because he has good leftovers. Steals all the ones I want first, but unlike him, I don't give up so easily."
"Yet you give them up eventually anyway." Riza piped up with a roll of her eyes.
"Even wine turns to vinegar, my dear Riza." Roy said sagaciously, and as if sensing the foot aiming his way, moved his leg just in time to feel the wind rush by and flutter the hem of his pant leg.
Edward was contemplating borrowing the water pitcher circling around with one of the waitresses in order to dump it on Roy's head. The man was absolutely anti-commitment. And he believed that during his entire time living with Roy until the man's death, he'd never understand why Roy was such a manwhore. Nothing against himself, but did Roy really want to end up dying with only a ghost around to be there for it?
Havoc set his menu aside, having decided. "So who is she? He?"
Roy shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine, since such a person doesn't exist. I'm going to a bar tonight, not a restaurant or the theater."
Any further questioning was for now, halted, as the waitress came over to take their orders. At which point, in an effort to prove his point, when the waitress got at last to taking Roy's order, he began with flashing his most charming smile.
"Oh no." Edward groaned under his breath, trying to figure out a way to warn the woman. But unfortunately, she seemed already pulled into his gravity.
"This is going to sound like a really bad pick-up line," Roy began, ignoring the snort he heard come from Edward's direction and a muttered "it is", "but I swear I know you from somewhere. Don't tell me, you once worked at a bakery."
The waitress blushed prettily under the attentions of the good-looking man in the high ranking uniform. Working in Central, you fast learned to identify badges and symbols on uniforms to see if the person was worth your time. "I'm afraid not."
"Really?" Roy looked crestfallen, "I was so sure… sorry. It's just, I was hoping you were her. I have to bake this birthday cake for the daughter of one of my friends. But I've no idea where to begin."
"It's called eggs and flour, dumbass." Edward growled at him.
The waitress, sensing an in, jumped on it. "I could still help. I work here, after all." She motioned around at the café. "I'd be glad to show you how to make the birthday cake."
Roy smiled at her, the pure picture of relieved gratitude. "Do you think you could maybe bring a cake pan? I'm afraid I don't cook that often and-"
"Of course." She interrupted kindly. "As a matter of fact, I get off at eight tonight. Why don't we meet up here and we can go straight to my place?"
"Maes is going to kill you when he finds out you've been mentioning his daughter to get dates." Edward chimed in dryly.
Roy nodded agreeably. "I'll be here."
"As riveting as this is, we've only an hour for lunch." Riza butted in, leveling one of her most dangerous looks at the waitress. "So can you do your job now, and flirt with him later?"
"I agree with her." Edward sighed, slumping sideways against the back of his chair.
The waitress gave her a stiff smile. "I'll place your orders right away, miss."
"Lieutenant." Riza corrected as the waitress turned on her heel to sashay back to the kitchen.
"Now that was just rude, ruining my fun." Roy sighed at her, and yelped as he ducked the glass salt shaker.
"So, are you really going to meet her?" Breda asked, opening his fifth container of jelly from the little basket on the table and using his spoon to eat it just like that.
Roy smirked, "you'll never know, will you."
"We could always stalk you, sir." Falman pointed out as he straightened from bending over towards the floor to retrieve the salt shaker which had landed about two feet to his side back behind Roy's chair.
"Try it, and none of you will be able to sit down for a week. And not because of any fun stimulation." Roy informed them blandly, making sure to raise one hand up for an inspection in order to show off his glove, before carding his fingers back through his hair.
It appeared to work, judging by the pale expressions on every face but Riza's. She merely looked in need of a painkiller and a nap.
Edward was beginning to wonder what Maes would have said or done, had the man been here. But it appeared that once again, Maes was off doing whatever secretive tasks Roy had assigned him. He just hoped that wherever the man was, he was still safe. He believed that were he not a ghost, he'd have liked to befriend Maes, strange as the man could sometimes be.
The meals were brought by the waitress, who made sure not to make direct eye contact with Riza, before she left again with a smile towards Roy. He never saw, he was busy shaking what seemed to be the entire container of pepper all over his fries.
To everyone else but Edward, this was normal behavior, but for the ghost's part, he was baffled. Who the hell needed that much pepper? Who could even tolerate it? "You're insane." He decided, and smiled when Roy had to pass off his laugh as a sneeze.
Something that worked well, considering what he'd just been drenching perfectly good fries in.
When it was time to select desserts, everyone but Edward thought Roy was having a side-effect from his over-consumption of pepper when the man started reading the list aloud. "Tiramisu?"
"No." Edward smirked as he stared at the back of Roy's head.
"Pumpkin cheesecake?"
"No."
"Ice cream."
"No."
Roy nearly turned around at that point, to berate the ghost about what child didn't like ice cream. But he restrained himself – barely. "Selection of in-season fruits with three sauces?"
"Are you seriously asking me that?" Edward deadpanned.
"Yes." Roy replied, before he could stop himself.
"The fruit selection it is." The waitress announced as she wrote it down, and collected their menus.
Roy handed his over feeling just a bit rattled. When had she shown back up to take their dessert orders? Shaking his head resolutely, Roy reached for his iced tea to give himself something to do besides ignore the looks he was getting from his team, and Edward's little snickers.
"And my answer would have been no, by the way." Edward told him once he got a hold of his amusement.
Roy could only drink more iced tea. At least, until the looks Riza was shooting him began to wear on his nerves. Setting his tea back down with a sharp 'clunk', he rounded on her. "What?" He asked in what probably qualified as overdramatic exasperation.
Riza smirked at him, "oh, nothing. Just wondering what all that was about. We can read too, you know."
"Of course I know that. I interviewed you all before I allowed you on my team." Roy quipped at her. "You can't tell me you've never read a menu out loud before."
"To the children I used to babysit." Riza grinned at him, and quickly turned to engage Falman in conversation, lest she hazard Roy getting the tinder under him lit.
Roy grumbled to himself, and took to glowering at his iced tea.
Edward grinned, and floated over to him then to sit up in front of him in the place the plates would normally be. But as it was, it was clear right now as they waited for their desserts. And he fit if he pulled his legs up to his chest. "Don't take it too hard. I for one appreciate it that you try not to leave me out of anything."
Roy looked up from his iced tea which was now resting in the incorporeal left buttock of the ghost, to the silver eyes watching him so warmly. Unable to say anything in response, he could only return the gaze before lowering his eyes again. Though he did wish Edward would get his ass off of his iced tea. Even if the ghost hadn't had issues with people passing through him, he had issues with reaching through left buttocks.
But when Edward didn't get up from the table, and he could still feel the ghost watching him, he stood up. "Excuse me… don't eat my melon balls when they come with their sauces." And with that questionable sounding statement being said, he gave Edward the briefest jerk of the head before turning to go find the restrooms.
The ghost was still snickering as they entered the bathroom. And he waited as Roy ducked to look under the stall doors to be sure they were alone, before he locked them inside. Neither would appreciate someone walking in on Roy supposedly talking to himself.
"You," Roy pointed at the ghost, "stop sitting on my iced tea."
Edward grinned at him, far from feeling abashed. "I'll see what I can do. So what was with all the pepper?" He asked, floating over to sit on the counter by the sinks and swing his legs back and forth.
Roy followed him, gripping the underside of the counter with his fingers and leaning forward on the heels of his hands. "I just like pepper." He shrugged, staring into the mirror. "How are you doing? Is that why you came and sat where you did?"
Edward cocked his head to one side as he watched the man. "So no matter how I'm doing I can do that?" But at Roy's glower, he smiled and quickly amended his answer. "I'm actually doing really well. Not feeling edgy yet."
"So…?"
"Do I need a reason to come sit with you?" Edward asked without a hint as to how he felt about the question one way or the other.
Roy quirked a wry smile, and closed his eyes as he shook his head at the ghost. "No, you never do. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I guess."
Edward turned to look in the mirror, seeing his near-translucent self look back at him. He hadn't really taken a good look in a mirror for years. "I'm so much older looking than I remember." He muttered, raising a hand back to brush at the glass, allowing his fingers to actually make contact.
"You're eighteen now." Roy replied, remembering the only time Edward had ever mentioned looking into a mirror. But had it really been so long between times?
Edward looked at Roy's reflection in the glass, the dark eyes watching him via it. "I prefer being seven… if we go by my deathday years."
Surprising himself by actually giving a short laugh, Roy smiled at him. "And we'll celebrate your eighth one together."
Edward blinked at that, and turned away from Roy's reflection to the man himself. "Yes…"
"But you do look eighteen." Roy winked at him, and drew away from the counter. "We should get back out there. I'd hate for them to have eaten my balls by now."
Edward tried not to look amused as Roy laughed at his own crudeness. "Yes, whatever would become of you without those?" He asked in an airy tone, and followed the man out of the restroom.
"Apocalyptic chaos." Roy muttered in return, before he strode out into the open.
As it turned out, Roy's melon balls had been left alone as he'd asked. And after the check had been settled, Riza dragged the men all out with a variety of warning glances. The waitress was left looking after Roy.
Once they'd all made it back to the office, Roy left the others to resume their work out in the front office, while he went back to his. This time, he opened the door while meeting Edward's somewhat uncertain gaze. "It's okay." He whispered quietly.
Edward worried his bottom lip a few more seconds, before nodding and drawing a deep breath to step through the doorway. When he heard the door close behind him, he turned back to see Roy smiling at him. "Sorry. Might take me a few more times."
Roy shook his head, loosening the collar of his uniform as he began to make for his desk. "It's okay, I understand. I really do. You were imprisoned here for seven years. It's only natural that it could take more than one or two tries of going back in to what held you captive."
"That's the truth." Edward sighed and settled onto a cleared section of Roy's desk, much as he'd done at the café.
Roy, who'd already resumed his chair, tilted it back so he could meet Edward's eyes without getting a crick in his neck. "Is there any way for me to make it easier? Do you want to stay after hours today and we can practice going in and out?"
Edward actually cracked a smile at that, though he had an impulse to whack Roy upside the head. "Just being here for me until I no longer fear it is enough. I doubt I'll be able to come in here on my own, without you either in the room already or at the door, anytime soon. I certainly don't think I could come in here without you anywhere in sight."
That Roy could understand as well. He believed he'd have the same sentiments. "We'll keep working on it then. We have all the time in the world… sort of." He grinned.
Edward grinned back, and then the grin faded to a look of confusion. "So what was that about you going on more than one date with the same person? I thought you said you only did one night stands."
"I do." Roy had seized a pen, and was now twirling it idly between his fingers. "But the manner in how fast I actually bed them can vary. Lately I've not been in the mood for extended foreplay over more than one evening. But if I was, then maybe a dinner date, or a theater date, promises made and kept for another date. At which point I may or may not extend the foreplay. Sometimes the buildup of kissing and groping can be fun too."
Edward shook his head morosely. "You really do have this down to more of a science than I first thought."
"Naturally." Roy smirked, "I have to space out the selection. There are only so many people in the country, only so many virgins. I have to make the supply last."
"And do I want to know what you do when you can't find them?" Edward asked with reasonable wariness.
Roy decided to take some pity and sugarcoat the details. "Let's just put it this way, when those times happen, heed my warning of not entering my bedroom until I say otherwise."
Edward gulped, "I'll remember."
There were definitely things that Roy got up to that he definitely did not want to see. He was quite happy, thank you very much, at not having to be privy to such things anymore. Not that he was a prude. But there were just some morals he still had.
Roy flashed him a smile, and turned back to his pile of paperwork. "Off you go if you want me to finish this in time for chess." And he was still smiling as the ghost left to amuse himself with books. It seemed that their nightly chess games were motivation still for them both in their own unique ways.
Like clockwork, Roy finished his paperwork an hour and a half early, and toted it out to Riza to do with as she expediently would. While he was gone he knew Edward was setting up the chess set. He wasn't disappointed when he walked back in away from the perplexed and amazed stares of his staff to shut the office door behind him and find the board only a few pieces away from being set.
Edward smiled over at Roy as the man resumed his chair, and lifted his legs up under him so he was no longer standing, and instead hovering in a sitting position. "You can always tell them it's because you have chess games with a ghost before work lets out."
Roy rolled his eyes. "I don't like being committed in relationships, or in mental institutions. Maes might believe me… but I still say I doubt I'll ever risk it."
Edward chuckled softly, and watched as Roy moved a white pawn forward only one space. "Is Maes back yet?"
"No." Roy shrugged, and glanced over his shoulder towards the windows. "I doubted he would have been. He's probably staking out or collecting information on Grand. We need to find that laboratory. No, Maes usually will leave straight for home from where he is once the work day is over. Unless it's urgent, then he'll come find me."
"Does he know you're going to be with that airhead waitress who was making googly eyes at you?" Edward asked sweetly, moving a black pawn forward.
Roy smirked back at Edward, and moved another pawn. "He'd figure it out and wait on my doorstep." Trying not to recall the image of Edward sitting there on the doorstep himself. Glowing, and looking up at the sky, waiting for him.
"Are you going to see her tonight?"
"Probably. I'll get a free cake out of it too. Might as well, nothing is wrong with a free cake." Roy chuckled to himself, until he caught Edward's look and coughed self-consciously. "Yes, I'm planning to see her."
Edward nudged another pawn forward. "So what are we going to do until she gets off work?"
Roy studied Edward's move cryptically. "I was thinking about taking a walk around town. Cover as much ground as we can before I go meet her. Do you want me to drop you off at home before I do that so you don't have to find your way back on your own?"
Edward shook his head just a bit. "If you're getting drunk again, you're going to need me to carry that cake. Otherwise it's going to end up on the pavement with your face in it."
"And if someone sees a cake floating around on its own?" Roy pointed out, though he was smiling.
"Do you seriously think that at that ungodly hour, they won't think they hallucinated?" Edward countered.
"Ah," Roy articulated intelligently. "Good point."
Edward nodded absently, "of course it is."
But Roy had already found another potential problem. "Are you sure you want to wait outside wherever she lives for me?"
"It's not like anyone can see me and call someone to arrest me for loitering." Edward shrugged. "Don't worry about me. I'd rather make sure you get home okay, and don't suffocate in a cake."
Roy slowly nodded, accepting that Edward would be fine. And if he was being entirely honest with himself, he'd be glad for the company on the way home. Even if at this moment he was fighting back the first twinges of guilt at having Edward waiting for him outside somewhere while he got laid. What was it about the ghost that could make him feel guilty about so many damn things that should be insignificant?
Edward hadn't seemed to notice the distracted silence. "So, shall we go back to a uniform question game?"
"Like whether or not I think they make me look fat?" Roy blinked at him, not quite coherent after frolicking through his guilt conscience.
The ghost gave him an utterly deadpan look. "Not that 'uniform', you idiot."
Roy gave an "ah!" of sudden comprehension, and flushed just a bit. "Right, sorry. Sure."
"Are you flustered right now?" Edward asked coyly.
"Is that your question?" Roy replied with a saccharine smile.
Edward smirked at him, "it is."
Roy chuckled, his smile turning more easy and natural. "Just a bit, yes." He replied honestly. "Or, I was. I just got caught up thinking about something."
Edward's arching silvery eyebrow was all the response he got.
"Not your turn for a question, even a nonverbal one." Roy chastised him. "So, since tomorrow I'll be spending entirely with you-" he got that perverse pleasure at seeing Edward's face light up, "-I was wondering if you'd like to go shopping for a bike with me after work."
"Yes!" Edward agreed instantaneously. "I have to learn how to ride a bike so I can ride your motorcycle."
Roy groaned halfheartedly. "Motorcycles are a bit different from bikes."
"Will you teach me though?" Edward asked, and before Roy could ask in return, "yes, that is my question."
Roy smiled, "I'll teach you once you've mastered riding a bike. I'll take you out with me on it a few times here soon enough. Once you're getting good with the bike."
Edward's grin was positively wicked. "How fortunate I don't need to sleep." And hearing Roy's answering groan only made him grin wider.
By the time they finished up two games, the scores were even. But in total, neither could manage to recall who had the largest amount of wins over the other. Even so, they were satisfied with the result. And so Edward packed it away while Roy went to go bid his goodbyes to those of his personal team who still lingered. Once everything was in order in Roy's office, and the team was all gone, the two of them made their getaway.
"So, where are we going to walk first?" Edward asked as they started down an empty hallway.
Roy smiled over at him, rather like a cat who'd gotten into the cream. "I'm taking you on a tour of Headquarters. So far you barely know a quarter of the building. And personally, I think you should see as much of the place as you can." He didn't voice the 'just in case' that was hanging on the end of that.
Should at any point he step out of the office, he wanted Edward to be able to find him again if he were called away anywhere by someone just running in to carry the message that he was needed elsewhere. Mostly to keep the ghost from panicking if he were unable to find him, but also as a precaution. For what, he wasn't sure. But it seemed necessary that Edward be shown everything Roy could get into to show him.
Edward slowly nodded as he thought their destination over, and then turned to Roy suddenly. "Make sure you show me Grand's office."
Roy was agreeable to that, and so they started off on their tour together. Being sure that they waited until offices were empty before entering them to have a quick peek so that Edward would be able to enter at will on his own should he choose to later. And each visit brought them closer to Grand's office.