RandomCheeses: Thank you! I always love it when the humor comes through. We all need a good laugh.

moonstone: ...-backs away slowly- Maybe you should join Ed in Grand's office, you've certainly got enthusiasm.

Sailor Silver Rose: I think Ed is one of very few anime/manga characters that has tons of mental issues. Bipolar... height sensitivity... milk...

Cheru-chan: Yes, I can have Roy light a fire under you. And I am loving writing their banter. For some reason, the whole fact that Ed is invisible to everyone else just gives it so much more... something more. Isn't that intelligent sounding of me.

GreedxEd: Fane is straight as an arrow, I doubt even Marks could coerce him into having a threesome with him and Collins.

Eli: Death by cake suffocation isn't one that is normally written... -rubs hands together gleefully- Mmm... naughty dream of Ed with Ed in the room... I guess we'll see if that happens. Or rather, you will XD. And personally I get the estrogen high too. It's glorious.

accident prone: The whole motorcycle/bike thing should turn out nicely. Everyone's anticipating it so much, I'm going to do my best to live up to it. And I bet you'll never look at melon balls the same way again.

Aniki: Yes, Al will be brought into the story. I can't very well leave him out of something like this.

blackrose5130: Can you imagine the people who would attend that school? They'd have to give out condoms as part of registration. And yay! Pie! -runs off with the pie-

B.D.: Yes, you are back. -pets you- I wish I could have updated sooner, but for some reason my internet connection keeps crapping out on me. I must have offended it somehow.

UP2L8: Thank you! I always love hearing that.

luna moon girl: I think I should start a betting pool on Ed's favorite dessert.

Koolneko22: They shall see.... DUST BUNNIES!

kazuko: Yes, drag some friends along. The more the merrier. I'm not sure yet if I'll bring Olivia into this or not, but I suppose I'll see in time. And cupcakes always do.

Disasterifik: Thank you. And yes, he does need to be protective more often. Get Roy into the right mindset, and he'd think it was sexy. Nothing wrong with what could come out of that.

kimba: Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the relationship progression. That's always something that I don't like to rush unless it calls for rushing. But don't worry, things will get overtly romantic between them.

Chaos Valkyrie: Umm... no, that doesn't count at all. One of these days after harvest I'm going to unofficially kidnap you somewhere, okay?

Riku-Rocks: Never fear, more Maes is near! I adore Maes, so he'll be coming up in more chapters for certain.

Twisted Vixen: Boring work? Ugh. Well hopefully another chapter will help. And yes, Roy is horrid at flirting. Bless him. But he does try, and somehow still succeeds. And perhaps next time Roy will reach through Edward for something. Just to see him react.

AnimeAddic5: Thank you!

FuriousDeragonmaji: The dancing part is fun, I agree. Both the writing and the reading it. It just makes me laugh at how adorably ignorant people can be.

Koneko: You are going to be the Dunce Queen! And yes... she scares me too sometimes. The weekend trip won't come soon enough I think. Between the characters and the readers, and even me, I think everyone is eagerly awaiting to see what happens with that.

Akira: Laugh at him. And confetti! I love confetti! -dances in it-

camiimary: I think you and I both prefer your last little idea on the heroics. They really are being cute with each other, and don't even really recognize it. And yes, Ed should do something to her... unfortunately such fun is still in the making. There's a progression with that as well as Ed's feelings change.

Kari: That's so sweet. -snugs-

sugarspoon: Well, if you're going to be injured at work, it may as well be done properly wouldn't you say? XD

Lamia: Everyone will be happy as long as Ed has his fun. Nothing good ever comes of a bored ghost.

Well, my internet is temporarily behaving, so time to get this up.

I haven't really updated anything, just because of my internet crashing nearly every ten minutes. So that makes it rather difficult. However, those of you who were waiting for Scar/Al, I put the first chapter up last week. Have fun with that, the story amuses the hell out of me so hopefully it will turn out okay. I'll see if I can manage to update anything else today, all depends on my internet connection.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Fourteen

To be fair, Roy wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting when they finally made it to Grand's office. He'd opened the door to the room, and entered first to be sure that Edward could do the same. But he truly wasn't sure why the ghost had wanted to come here. Possible pranks, perhaps. But Edward was multifaceted, he couldn't be sure if the ghost had an ulterior motive beyond pranks. All he could do was ask, so he did.

"What's on your mind, Ed?"

Edward gave Roy a guardedly hopeful look. "Don't suppose I could talk you into arson?"

Roy surprised himself by actually smiling. "I once promised myself I'd only take such orders from then on from no one but me. Sorry."

"Can't be helped." Edward smiled back. "Don't worry, I'd be astounded if you actually did. Just because it'd only be lacking your signature burned into the floor. I want you to stay out of danger."

"So why are we here for longer than a peek inside for your benefit?" He asked. And it was true, every other room they'd only looked to make sure any whiteness retreated, and then moved on. Never once staying as long as they lingered here now.

Edward looked around, clearly looking for something specific. "I guess it was too much to hope that he'd just have a map lying about with a big 'X' marking the spot of that laboratory." He muttered even as he continued to float about the room searching for anything that might help.

If Roy could use such information to destroy Grand, he wasn't going to sit idly by. Not when he potentially could help Roy. So what if Roy also wrangled a promotion out of the deal? He just wanted Grand gone. The man was a threat, he was evil, and he didn't want him anywhere near Roy.

"With him? Such information, if it is available in some tangible form," Roy frowned as he glanced about the room, "wouldn't be here. Most likely at his house."

Edward arched an enquiring eyebrow. "So no to arson, but how do you feel about breaking and entering?"

Roy put his hands on his hips. "Are you trying to turn me into a criminal?" But his tone was more teasing than accusatory. "It's something that I know how to do, but I won't even for this." And he held up a hand to forestall Edward's reaction, whatever it would have been. "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right."

"And having Maes spy on him is right?" Edward reminded him, not at all understanding Roy's reasoning.

"This is the Military." Roy explained as he walked over to Grand's desk, so nice and neatly arranged, almost obsessively so. "Spying is more commonplace than you think. It's his fault if he and his staff are too arrogant to watch out for such things."

"So people might try to spy on you?"

Roy nodded absently, "they do. But the difference is that their efforts are always wasted. I do not joke when I say that at least half of the missing in action list belongs to either me, or one of the others. Though I think Maes is starting to catch up to me."

Edward suddenly found himself liking Maes even more, as well as the others. "Is it because of your reputation?"

"I'm dangerous, they know this." Roy flicked through a few papers in Grand's inbox basket. "I'm also quite young to have moved up the ranks as quickly as I have. And that alone gives them reason to want to keep an eye on me."

"You're only twenty seven." Edward recalled, not seeing how that was too young. "Anything I've ever heard about you says you started young anyway, as soon as you could."

Roy's smile was more of a grimace. "Reminding me how old I am?"

"You're not old!" Edward interjected with an exasperated expression.

"Twenty seven is young to be where I am. Despite everything." Roy continued as if he hadn't heard. "But I've earned it. And that's what scares people, even beyond the fact that I could incinerate them within seconds with only a snap of my fingers."

"Can't you just incinerate Grand and be done with it? You'd leave no evidence if you turned him into ash." Edward asked, eager as ever to be rid of that man. "Instead of playing this spying game?"

"The spying game is necessary if I want ammunition to slide into his position as a general." Roy shook his head. "So no, I can't. Even if it would be nice. Maybe afterwards I'll turn him into ash as a gift for you." His eyes looked darkly towards the floor. "I sure wouldn't lose any sleep over killing him."

No, Basque Grand would never be someone he'd regret dispatching. There were just some people in life he would never mind turning into a pile of ash. And who knew, timed properly, it might be an ironically perfect deathday gift for the ghost.

Edward wasn't sure how he felt about it being a gift. He wasn't sure he was that morbid. But it was an interesting thought to ponder. "Who do you lose sleep over?"

Roy turned his head away, black eyes glinting with something dark. How could he even begin to admit to Edward the two deaths he regretted more than any others? The ones that had nearly destroyed him through his contemplation of suicide, and made him take that vow with himself that he'd do whatever he could to not be in that situation again. Knowing what he knew now about Edward's only friend back in Risembool… how could he be honest with the ghost and not lose him? "Just two innocent people who had no reason to die." He said quietly, "they were the ones that gave me my reason to have the goal I've now."

"The people that made you, you." Edward said mostly to himself, and faintly smiled as he watched Roy's dejected looking figure. "Listen, Roy, for what it's worth, death isn't so bad. And for me, I went through the most painful death anyone could ever go through. Just remember, you're doing the right thing now. And no one could blame you for that."

Roy finally looked back at the ghost, though he knew he'd be met with that piercing silver gaze that Edward seemed to have at times like these. The one that made him fear the ghost could see straight to his soul. Yet he didn't flinch away. "What is it like to die?"

Edward's faint smile didn't waver, but his gaze gentled somewhat. "It did hurt, yes. But when the pain ended, and before I woke up in the office…" he gave a barely audible laugh, "it was nothing but the greatest feeling of serenity I'd ever known."

Roy wasn't sure what this was he was feeling. Was it relief? Was it sadness? He only knew that something inside him felt different from before just hearing that. "That's..."

"Not so bad." Edward supplied, knowing that right now Roy probably felt that anything he said would sound grossly inadequate and insincere. But said by someone who was already dead? "No. No, it isn't so bad."

Roy found himself attempting something of a smile back at the ghost. "I'm sorry I was too late to save you. I should have decided to leave sooner for Risembool. Instead you were dead before I would have gone."

Edward blinked, completely caught off guard by the apology. An apology he didn't need, nor want. He'd been trying to find his father, not Roy. If anything, it should be his father apologizing. Not this man who had freed him. "My death was not your fault." He replied at last. "Even if you had come when I was alive, I would have gone through with it anyway. Don't feel as if you're to blame for any part of my death. You're not."

Roy slowly nodded, wanting and knowing he should believe the ghost. "I would have liked to have met you before you died then. If I could go back, knowing we'd still have this in the future."

"Whatever for?" Edward frowned slightly, not seeing the appeal. "I was just a kid. Sure, I was a great alchemist even at that age, you said so yourself. But still."

Roy smiled, and looked the ghost over thoughtfully. "I'd have liked to see you as you used to look. Not all silver."

Edward rolled his eyes, "like any child. Sweaty and dirty, wanting kittens and crap."

Roy snorted, "I mean things like what color your hair was. Or your eyes were." He said, studying Edward closely, trying to picture what would have suited him the best.

Edward kept his feelings about that carefully concealed, and let only a wry smile slip through. "It doesn't matter now."

"Yes, you've said that before." Roy reminded him.

"Because it's true." Edward sighed, and turned away to find Grand's chair. "Now be useful and transmute me a wrench."

Roy didn't question, he had a good idea now with the way Edward had floated down to sit on the floor and was peering under the chair what the ghost was plotting. And so he grabbed a piece of paper, the stapler, and began while asking, "at least eye color? Your eyes are pretty now, but I'm curious."

Edward looked over his shoulder incredulously. "My eyes are not pretty." He growled, and glared as Roy laughed. "They were pretty before I died." He muttered softly, and turned back away from Roy as a flash of light lit the room.

Roy passed the wrench down to the ghost. "Here, have fun. Though after you're done with that, there's that shelf up there." He pointed up to the wall behind Grand's desk where a shelf held various medals and picture frames of the man's family. "Think you can rig it to be unstable enough to collapse when he hits the floor?"

Edward glanced up, "I'll see what I can do. Obviously there's no way to test it beforehand." And he began loosening the screws on Grand's office chair whilst humming a cheerful tune.

No, he wouldn't ever tell Roy what color his hair used to be. Or even his eyes. Especially his eyes. His gaze darkened some as he worked on the screws. Roy had once told him he loved the sun because of its color. That iridescent gold color. The same color his eyes had been. And while his hair had been a few shades lighter, it had still been a golden blond.

He wasn't sure why he wanted keep that from Roy, but he did even so.

Roy meanwhile was sitting on the edge of Grand's desk watching Edward's steady progress. Yes, the ghost had clearly done this before on other chairs. But as he watched, his only thoughts were of gratitude. Edward had quite effectively steered him, while making him feel good, away from that more dark topic of death. When normally he'd have gone and drowned himself in a bottle, Edward had guided him back to something more lighthearted without even seeming to make an effort.

"Done!" Edward announced with delight, and chucked the wrench back up behind him to where he knew Roy sat.

Roy jerked into action to scramble and catch the tool before it fell. And he turned it back into what it used to be as Edward floated up off the floor. "He's going to be having another bad day, clearly."

Edward crossed his arms as he rotated and floated up towards the shelf to be on eye level with it. "He deserves them."

"Well hurry up with the shelf if you think anything can be done with it." Roy said, checking the clock on the wall. "We should finish our little tour as much as we can before the janitors show up. And we can probably take a short tour of what's surrounding Headquarters before I go pick that woman up for cake baking."

Edward snorted mirthlessly. "Do you even know her name?"

"Nope." Roy replied unconcernedly.

"And you're going to pick her up in your uniform?" Edward asked as he inspected the braces holding up the shelf.

Roy smirked, leaning back against the desk with a casual flip of his head to make his hair ruffle. "Of course. She clearly enjoyed looking at it. A lot of people have a uniform kink, even if this uniform does look horrid."

"At least you are aware of that." Edward grumbled, and began to mess with the braces.

"Why, Ed," Roy began in a teasing tone, "are you saying that I look better in other clothes?"

Edward sent him a sideways glare, as if daring him to try flirting. "I'm not totally fashion inept just because I'm dead and stuck in clothes from seven years ago that I wore as a child."

"Of course not." Roy placated. "But for curiosities sake, what do you think I look the best in?"

"Nothing." Edward deadpanned.

Roy stumbled where he was leaning back against the desk, nearly falling onto his ass and avoiding braining himself in the process. "What?!"

Edward snickered, quite pleased with the reaction he'd gotten. And he smirked at Roy coyly. "Don't tell me that's how you react when one of your prey victims tells you you'd look better naked. It's amazing you get any at all."

Roy glowered at him, and straightened away from the desk to go slump against the wall beside the ghost. "You're not a prey victim though." And he wasn't too sure he liked the taste of the words prey and victim together.

"That's right." Edward praised with a grin, ignoring the look he could feel Roy leveling at him.

"So, do you really think I look better naked?" Roy asked curiously, crossing his arms over his chest.

Edward cracked a smile. "I've no desire to see you naked to judge. Now be helpful and tug at the brace on your end until it's about a quarter inch out. This thing is only secured by dowels. It'll come down easily enough when he crashes to the floor as long as we tug it out enough."

So together they worked on loosening the braces with their bolted dowels far enough out of the wall so that the shelf rested precariously. And once Grand crashed to the floor, it would rest not against the wall, but if Edward's hope was correct, on the man himself.

"I can only hope I catch him with his hands dirty regarding that laboratory before you turn him into a vegetable or kill him with these stunts of yours." Roy muttered as they left the man's office.

"Work harder and faster then." Was all Edward had to say on the matter. He wasn't about to take his sweet time with anything.

They toured what of Headquarters that they could still fit in before they needed to leave, lest they risk being spotted by the janitors. Or rather, lest Roy risk being spotted by the janitors. Neither of them wanted to give anyone room to ask questions about why he'd been there late and wandering around the night before General Grand's next mishap.

After they'd gotten free of Headquarters they wandered about the outside wall, taking short detours here and there to introduce Edward to even more of the city. Even if it was a silent affair due to the fact that they were never the only ones on whichever streets they took. So they walked, or floated, around together silently until it was time for Roy to report for his manwhoring and cake baking duties.

"Just try not to find her tonsils with your tongue until you two are inside her place?" Edward requested as they rounded the last corner to the café.

"And we have a cake baked." Roy muttered in a brief absence of people being close enough. "Don't worry."

"I don't care so much about the cake." Edward grumbled, and followed along almost as if he were sulking. He wasn't too pleased about Roy doing this. But when was he ever?

They reached the café promptly at eight. And the waitress whom Roy was about to screw over for cake and sex, was only minutes behind them. When she appeared with a bounce in her step and a beaming smile on her face, Edward could only scowl.

Roy could only smile back at her and say, "are you sure it's still fine for me to come over?"

"Absolutely." She agreed immediately, and took the liberty of linking her arm with one of his as she sidled up to him with a few bats of her lashes. "Your best friend's daughter is going to have a very good cake, never you worry."

"Thank you," Roy took a quick glance towards her shirt, which to anyone else made it appear as if he were checking out her chest, "Nick."

Edward snorted not at the name, but at the look on Roy's face when he'd said the name. It had been just a flash, but the bewilderment had been there.

"Oh, call me Nicky." She insisted, "I only ask to be called Nick at the café. It sounds more mature."

"How insightful of her." Edward rolled his eyes.

"Nicky." Roy repeated with an easy smile. "Shall we go?"

And go they did, with Edward picking up the back and trailing behind them with a look of disgruntled mockery on his face as he listened to them flirt back and forth about the stupidest things. Honestly, Roy was terrible at flirting. It was clearly just his personality and good looks that got him all these dates. And about the time Nicky announced they were nearing her house, Edward darted around to face Roy while floating backwards.

"Don't let the cake burn. And I can't believe you're actually serious about going through this." He jerked his head towards Nicky. "She's vapid."

Roy couldn't help but think, "and you're a brat", to himself as he merely rolled his eyes at the ghost. So he turned his attention back to Nicky to answer the question she'd just asked. "Yes. Being the Flame Alchemist does give me a lot of power. I'm a State Alchemist, plus a Colonel."

"Perhaps after we bake the cake," Nicky hinted slyly as she gave him a light nudge with her shoulder, "you can show me a different sort of power?"

"Well," Roy appeared as if he was considering it, "I am certainly capable of lighting a different fire. But few can handle the intensity."

Edward was sure that if he had saliva, he'd have choked on his own spit.

"I'll bring the oven mitts then." Nicky winked up at him.

Forget the choking, Edward just wanted to hurl all over her noisy, perfectly polished heels.

Meanwhile Roy was reflecting on all the possible uses for leftover cake icing. Which was far too interesting a topic for him to notice that if Edward weren't silver, he'd be green.

When they finally reached Nicky's quaint little house, Edward tried not to feel annoyed when Roy followed the woman inside without a second glance towards him. He had no reason to feel annoyed, right? He'd chosen to follow and wait. And so wait he would.

But even so the ghost sat down rather moodily on the grass outside.

Inside, the cake baking was about to commence.

"I was thinking two layers?" Nicky suggested as she roamed about her kitchen gathering ingredients.

"For a little girl?" Roy grinned, "definitely." Okay, so the cake was for him, he could live with two layers. It was just more to eat. Not a bad thing when it came to cake.

It was between mixing the flour with the other dry ingredients, and the greasing of the pans, that Roy noticed where the kitchen windows faced.

The front yard.

And there, out in that yard, was the one thing that made him pause in what he was supposed to be stirring. Edward was sitting out in the grass, plucking at the blades and tossing them aside absently. Not quite professional lawn care, but that wasn't what mattered to Roy just then as he felt that flash of guilt return anew.

"Roy, everything okay?" Nicky asked from where she was creaming butter and sugar together.

Roy jerked back to himself, and smiled over at her. "Yes. Thought I saw something."

"Probably the neighbor's cat." Nicky smiled back.

"Must have been." Roy agreed, and purposefully ducked his head to his task so he wouldn't watch the silvery and softly glowing ghost that was waiting for him. Now was not the time to be thinking about Edward.

When the batter was finally complete, and the cake in the oven, Roy helped Nicky prepare a quick dinner for them. Being sure to sneak in lingering touches here and there while making sure that she was drinking plenty of wine. Though the wine wasn't difficult to get in her. Which didn't surprise him. He'd smirked for a reason when she'd pulled out the bottle. It was a bottle and vintage label he'd know anywhere. And he knew it would get her smashed drunk.

"Bet she never expected that I'd use the quality of the wine to further nefarious activities." Roy muttered, and fondly poured himself another glass as Nicky tottered about the kitchen with a plate of ravioli that was supposed to be bound for the table.

Finally Roy went to lend her chivalrous assistance.

Nicky sank into her seat with a tipsy giggle, and swiped the bottle of wine out of Roy's hands. "Now this," she whispered conspiratorially at him, "this is good stuff. Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Roy thought she was doing a fine job of that herself. But his original intention had been to get her at least free of inhibitions. Not drunk. "It is good stuff." He agreed easily, taking a sip of what was in his glass.

"Never had a bad bottle." Nicky nodded sagely, an effect that was ruined by her overall increasingly drunk appearance.

Roy would have been surprised if there was. For a reason that made him surprised that his mother wasn't an alcoholic. But he wasn't about to go around talking about that. It seemed to him that his flings would be turned on more by the thought of Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist, than Roy Mustang the successor to a wine vineyard. Even if it was one of the most lucrative ones. Besides, the fewer people who even thought about his mother the better.

"Then all the more reason to keep buying." He said, smirking inwardly at the thought that his mother owed him some sort of royalties for this. He'd collect when he next visited. "But enough of the wine," he appealed, sliding one hand over to cover hers, "I'm far more interested in you."

Which was true, he'd been around this wine his entire life. He knew everything about it. Not that he wanted to know everything about Nicky… but she was none the wiser. All he had to do was act interested until the cake was done baking and was frosted.

Good thing he had a decent bottle of wine.

Meanwhile outside, Edward continued to sit and pluck at the blades of grass. He knew he was in for a long wait, so it only made sense that therefore Nicky would get a rather large bald patch on her lawn. He had nothing else to do. So he continued to systematically destroy blade by blade of grass, the lawn, while he stared up at the cloudless night.

He found the color of the stars and moon a bit ironic, now that he thought about it. And that was enough to keep him occupied as the hours wore on.

Around midnight, Roy had slipped out of bed and back into his clothes. He didn't even have to worry about waking Nicky up, she was completely out of it thanks to the copious amounts of wine in her system as well as the physical exertions she'd just participated in. He expected that even a bomb going off outside her house wouldn't wake her.

So he took his sweet time in getting dressed, and then trotted on down to the kitchen to lay possession to his cake. It was a marvelous creation. A two tiered chocolate cake iced in a cream cheese frosting. It looked like decadence to him, he'd be happily eating this one.

Picking it up off the counter he balanced it in his hands as he made his way to the door, somehow got it open without dropping the cake, and got out of the house.

"Ed?"

The ghost jerked out of his reverie and grass plucking as he heard his name called. And he blinked in surprise as he looked over to see Roy there. "Bit early for you to be retiring, isn't it?" He asked as he floated up off the grass and quickly over to the man.

Roy rolled his eyes, "she got her hands on a bottle of the wine my mother makes. One from a very good year, so she's completely out of it."

"And you?" Edward asked as he reached out for the cake, casting it an appraising look. "I could make a better cake in my sleep." He remarked blandly.

"Well, we're not all pâtissier geniuses." Roy reminded him as he handed the cake over gratefully. "And I didn't drink as much as she did. But even so, I'd rather you carry the cake."

Edward shared the sentiment. "People who are drunk never think they are. And your eyes tell me you are."

Roy smiled at him, "then good thing you're here."

Edward rolled his eyes, but returned the smile. "Come on, Roy. Let's get your drunk ass home and in the shower. Then it's to bed for you."

Roy obediently started off after the ghost who was dutifully carrying the cake. He could sympathize with Edward not wanting him to trip and fall in it and suffocate. It wasn't exactly a glorious way to die. "As long as I get a piece of that cake."

Edward glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. "We'll see. Now hurry it up or we'll never get home. Stop sauntering and start walking."

Roy just grinned and trotted up a few paces to fall in with the ghost. "It's not exactly fair that you're floating and I'm rather intoxicated."

"Even if I were walking I'd still be leaving you in my dust." Edward retorted, but slowed down just a fraction. "I think you owe Elysia a piece of this cake. And Maes, so he doesn't flip out on you for using his daughter as a bargaining chip for picking up your toys."

"At least I didn't actually have her with me." Roy hid a yawn behind one hand. "I'm not that type of guy."

Edward snorted, "if that was supposed to make me see you as less of a manwhore, it isn't working."

Roy laughed just a bit. "I'm just pointing out that I could be more of a manwhore. Not that I'm agreeing I'm a manwhore."

"Healthy sexual appetite." Edward drawled mockingly. "Yeah, I know."

Roy glanced down at the cake Edward was bearing. "Healthy sweets appetite too." And he lifted his gaze to Edward's face. "So… you can bake a cake better than this?"

Edward glanced down at the simple creation. "Yep." He decided nonchalantly. "Or I could try. I told you I used to help with the cooking. And my mom sometimes did fancier things. It wasn't always the simple cooking you'd expect from a rural home."

"Well if the hot chocolate you make is anything to judge by…" Roy trailed off thoughtfully. "Want to show me?"

"Show you what?" Edward asked instead. "How to make hot chocolate?"

Roy wouldn't actually mind that, but, "no. Cakes. I'll help you."

Edward gave him a startled look. "Why? You just made a cake, idiot. You eat too many, especially any of the cake I would make, and you'll be needing to do pushups to keep your figure. It's not like I can help eat them."

"Because I'm curious." Roy said, as if that explained everything. "And I know how to share food with others. Not including Hazel."

Edward stared at Roy, assessing him, for several seconds before sighing. "Curious huh? I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything but all the muscle. And fewer dates wouldn't hurt you."

"Hey!" Roy scowled.

"Fine, I'll bake a cake with you." Edward gave in, but gave Roy a narrow-eyed look. "But don't think this puts me in the same category as that waitress! And don't expect me to tutor you properly on everything they fail at thanks to your atrocious lines." And he adopted a mocking tone as he mimicked, "don't tell me, you once worked at a bakery," before bursting out laughing.

Roy glared at the ghost, "for your information, it worked. Why try hard when you don't have to make the effort?"

Edward merely rolled his eyes in minor exasperation.

"And it's not about being taught how to bake a cake. If this cake tastes like crap, it's because she was thinking of me and not the recipe. So it had better taste awful. And in such case, I want to help you make a proper cake so I can still have some."

"And if it doesn't taste like crap?" Edward asked with a bit of a smirk.

"Then I get two cakes, and I'm not complaining." Roy shrugged. "My pride is not so easily wounded when I can chalk it up to women being multitaskers."

So it was just excuses then? Edward shook his head. "You're terrible. And since when would it be her fault the cake tasted bad? Didn't you help? Wouldn't you have been distracted by your unsavory ulterior motives?"

"I fought in a war, I can handle multiple things." Roy explained, looking down at the sidewalk as he recalled the only thing he'd been distracted by that night.

"Good!" Edward chirped cheerfully, startling the man beside him. "Then you'll be quite helpful with this cake I have planned. But I think we'll need to go to the market again. I doubt you have fresh cranberries lying about."

Roy blinked, "no. Can't say that I do." Well, the market it was then. "We'll turn one of these evenings into a shopping excursion for your bike and cranberries."

The two finally reached Roy's home without any incidents beyond Roy tripping over a curb, which caused Edward to laugh at him for another half a block. Once they were inside Edward left for the kitchen to put the cake away while Roy headed upstairs for a shower.

And Edward floated about three feet from the ground, legs pulled up as if he were sitting, and he was staring at the cake sitting there innocently on the kitchen counter. Putting an elbow on his thigh he cradled his chin against the heel of his hand as he frowned at it. It seemed like a harmless cake, and not at all deserving of his displeasure at its presence. Yet he'd dutifully brought it home. Even if having it here now made him want to sweep the confection onto the floor and blame an earthquake that had occurred just in one part of the kitchen. Roy was drunk, he'd believe that, wouldn't he?

"Just a stupid cake." Edward sighed moodily. "Mine will be better."

Upstairs Roy had finished with his shower, and after he dried off he pulled on at least his pajama pants before stepping out of the bathroom with the usual wall of steam. Yet he wasn't greeted by what he had expected.

Edward was missing.

It shouldn't have stood out so much, but it did. Not a single night before now had Edward not been in his room at some time for some reason or another. "Odd." He murmured under his breath, and found his slippers before padding out of his room to go in search of the ghost.

And when he finally found the apparition, he was still staring at the cake.

"Something wrong, Ed?" Roy asked, pausing at the corner he'd turned.

Edward whipped to face him, hand dropping away from his chin and legs straightening. "No, nothing. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Roy felt the sudden strangest urge to fidget and barely restrained the inclination. "It's just… you weren't there?" His face twisted into something like an apologetic expression as he dug a hand back through his damp hair in a confused manner. "You're always up there and well, I thought something might be wrong."

For several long seconds, all Edward could do was blink owlishly. And then he smiled. "Sorry, I lost track of time. Everything's fine."

Roy nodded as he slowly stepped forward. "Kind of makes me sound like a little kid, doesn't it."

"Just a bit." Edward smiled warmly. "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

It took Roy a moment to start laughing as he saw the underlying humor in that. "You're very sweet."

"Not at all. Just honest." Edward replied cheekily, and as Roy reached him, he floated down to stand on the floor. "Are you wanting more hot chocolate?" He asked, silver eyes searching Roy's face, "or just me?"

The words had just left his lips when he realized what they sounded like. And Roy burst out laughing at the horrified look on the ghost's face, a ghost who, if he could, would surely be blushing right now.

Roy couldn't let this pass him by, but his smile was genuine. "Just you…" and he let Edward stare at him wide-eyed for barely a second before adding, "to make me some hot chocolate. Yes, that'd be nice since you're offering. Though I really only came to make sure you were okay."

Edward had wanted to shove Roy before, but never to this degree. "Bastard." He muttered in embarrassment, and whirled away to go start.

Roy smiled after him almost fondly. "Brat." He murmured too softly for Edward to hear, and followed him. And he chose a counter near the stove to lean back against and watch as Edward began to make the hot chocolate. He'd never seen it done before, and he was interested.

By the time the dark chocolate was well on its way to melting with the milk and cream, Edward was feeling a good deal less embarrassed. And he glanced over to see Roy still actively watching. "It was one of the first things I learned how to make. I still think my mom must have known she was dying." And he slowly whisked at the contents in the pan, watching the differences in color chase each other about. "So she did what she could to groom me into someone who could take care of Alphonse and myself when she was gone." Followed by a tired sounding, "and then I died."

Roy looked down into the pan as well. "But you gave your life to save your brother's. Even if what the two of you did was foolish, and even if you didn't know that you'd die in the act, I think you did just fine by Alphonse. You saved his life."

Edward looked at Roy for a long moment, as those black eyes found his own. Until finally he gave a small smile and looked away to start on the next step of the hot chocolate. "Yeah… I did."

Roy didn't say anything more as the ghost systematically began to finish the hot chocolate. Only stood there in observation, content just with the company. He rarely had company that he could just relax with, and not for the first time did he find himself glad that he had Edward with him now, wherever he went.

When it was done, Edward found a clean mug and poured some of the rich liquid inside the ceramic vessel. Unable to feel the heat, he picked the steaming mug up and offered it to Roy handle first. "Careful." He cautioned, knowing that while he couldn't be burned, Roy could.

"Thanks." Roy said as he took it and began to blow on the steam.

"You're welcome. Hopefully it will help you not look terrible tomorrow." It had helped the last time.

Roy grinned a little and began to walk off. "I guess we'll see." And he took three more steps before pausing and looking over his shoulder at the ghost. "You coming?"

Edward smiled and nodded. "I'll be up as soon as I put the leftovers away." And he watched as Roy disappeared around the corner before turning to do just that. It seemed as if the hot chocolate was intended to become a staple in Roy's household. It would not do to waste any. As soon as it was all packaged for later drinking, Edward wasted no time in shooting up through walls and ceiling to reach Roy's bedroom.

The cake sat temporarily forgotten on the counter.