I'm pretty sure that no one remembers what they replied as last chapter... so I'll be sending them out via FFnet's system tomorrow most likely.

Again, I must apologize for the wait. Some of you know what I was going through for about two weeks, and what it did to me as far as being able to write. I clearly seem to be better now as I thoroughly enjoyed myself today writing. So to those who were wondering and haven't gotten an answer yet, yes, I'm all right. Thank you, everyone. I know I usually end up saying this at the end of stories, but you all are really good to me. Not just as readers. Thank you for that.

And now enough of the sappy moments... I believe I have something here that's been long waited for.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Nineteen

"Your move."

Roy glared at the smug ghost before directing his attention to the chess board which clearly showcased what looked to be another impending loss on his end. "It's unnatural you know." He stated as he mentally tried to decide between knight or rook.

Edward tilted his head in a confused manner. "That you're losing to someone only you can see?"

"That I'm consistently losing to someone who before last week hadn't played chess in…?"

"Eight or nine years." Edward filled in for him automatically.

"Eight or nine years." Roy stated firmly. "There's just something unnatural about you being so good so fast. You were only ten or eleven when you would have last played before you died."

Edward smirked and looked down at the rook that Roy had moved with studious interest and more than a glimmer of calculation in his silver eyes. "First, I'm a genius." He quickly maneuvered in a bishop with which to capture Roy's sacrificial rook to prove his point. "Second, I'm a fast learner. Or in this case," he looked up from Roy's impending doom on the chess board, "relearner."

Roy stifled a groan and considered the chess board with near desperation. "Unnatural."

"You can always surrender." Edward offered evilly.

Roy shot him a withering glance, "I'll take my chances, thanks." And he promptly moved the knight he'd been debating about earlier into place.

Into place for a capture Edward's now unguarded queen that could not move at the risk of leaving the king out in the open to be taken by his last remaining rook.

Edward blinked down at the move, his mouth opening slightly before it closed while silver eyes blinked several more times. "Huh…"

"Now let's see how you and your genius self get out of this one." Roy suggested with a wicked smile. He knew that Edward could chose to move the king, but with the way the pieces were set now on the board it would only become a game of tag until Roy could corner him.

"Were you bluffing me?" Edward's expression could nearly be called gaping.

Roy spread his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Bluffing? My dear, sweet ghost, that was called luring you into a false sense of security."

A muffled groan escaped Edward's lips as he contemplated the chess board frantically.

"I believe the phrase you're looking for is 'I surrender'." Roy whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

Edward could only glare even as he began to quietly laugh in amusement and knocked his king down, knowing that he was in a corner with no way out even if Roy hadn't even called 'check' yet.

"Ready for round two of me kicking your ass?" Roy asked cheerfully as he began to reset his side of the board.

Edward's look was unreadable, but the smirk on his lips revealed all. "No. There won't be a round two."

"Keep telling yourself that, Ed." Roy smirked back and with that, they began a new game.

Their next game was neck-in-neck for nearly fifteen minutes, with both sides losing an equal amount of pieces and little advancement across the board in either direction. And neither of them were intending to lose to the other after the conclusion of the game before. Despite the almost aggressive scene on the chessboard, the conversation between the players was far more relaxed.

"Are you ever going to tell me what shape your favorite dessert is?" Roy brought up idly. "You did promise."

"Straight to the hint before more of your terrible guessing?" Edward arched an eyebrow.

Roy rolled his eyes and gave a sharp nod. "Out with it."

"Circular." Edward smiled.

However Roy was not entirely convinced, "is it meant to be circular, or are you just saying that because it's possible for it to be circular."

Edward only smiled mysteriously.

"Ghosts…" Roy grumbled.

"I've only had it as a circle." Edward offered, but it was all he would offer.

"Works for me." Roy decided and turned more of his attention back to deciding on how to win the chess game. "I know I already guessed apple pie… but any kind of pie?"

Edward gave an expansive shrug of his shoulders. "I did like pie, but it wasn't my favorite dessert."

Roy gave him a thoughtful look, "you weren't a child who preferred pancakes or something for dessert, were you?"

"You can have pancakes for dessert?"

The look of intrigue on the ghost's face clearly answered that truthfully for Roy. "Yes, you can. You never had a dessert pancake?"

Edward shook his head. "Aren't all pancakes the same? Even if you covered it in powdered sugar and such I doubt it would qualify as a dessert item."

Roy's smile was almost apologetic. "A lot of the recipe changes to allow for something lighter and fluffier, thinner too. I always had mine with strawberries and whipped cream on top. Sometimes chocolate sauce as well."

"Almost like a crepe?" Edward's brow was slightly furrowed as he tried to picture this.

"A bit you could say." Roy nodded, and then gave Edward a mischievous smile. "Were crepes your favorite?"

Edward laughed, "I always preferred my crepes rolled and with filling. Definitely not plain circular."

Roy grinned a bit at that. "That answers all my questions then."

"I had a normal sugary dessert. No pancakes involved." Edward smiled back.

Roy slowly nodded as he filed the information away to begin thinking more on what it could be. Until then though, he continued to play their current game of chess with a fierceness that seemed out of place with his otherwise pensive state of mind.

It was when they were cleaning up after Roy's subsequent loss of the game – in which Edward had gleefully accepted his win – that he tried again.

"Macaroons?"

The look on Edward's face would have been enough to answer that, but as it was the ghost still made a gagging noise while going, "euch."

"Guess not. Sugar cookies?"

Edward leveled a deadpan look at Roy that made the man shudder and nod.

"No to that too." And he gave Edward a hesitantly curious look as he placed the game inside his desk. "What kid never liked sugar cookies?"

"The one who thought they were disgusting." Edward informed him. "When I say I can live without them, I really mean it."

Roy wasn't quite sure how to take that little bit of irony, "did you ever miss being able to eat?"

Edward chuckled quietly, "when you're not hungry you'd be surprised how easy it is to forget about eating. As for missing the taste of things, well, cravings began to go by the wayside after the first few months. I no longer can taste anything anyway, so it's hard to remember now what food tasted like."

"You have got to be the most well-adjusted ghost to ever exist." Roy decided as he contemplated the spirit who looked at him with mild interest in his opinion. "I know I've said similar before, and I know the reasons why… but you grew up not turning insane when I believe that in your place, I would have become so."

Edward offered a wry smile and shrugged, "it's all what you make of it. I didn't know I'd become a ghost, but I chose to die. Even if I didn't know I would. I was willing to pay any price to save my brother."

It was at that moment that Roy couldn't help but wonder all of a sudden if Alphonse had any inkling as to why he had survived that night. Why Edward had died and he had lived. Did the younger Elric even suspect for a moment that his older brother had made the ultimate sacrifice for him?

"Come on." Edward requested without pause as he floated nearer towards the office door. "Let's get out of here, I have more of the world to see… and you to laugh at tonight."

Roy gave him a half-hearted scowl and came around the desk to follow after the apparition. "So I've been demoted from friend to entertainment on nights like these?"

Edward's bright smile matched the slight ethereal glow emanating from his body as he slightly shook his head. Seemingly he still hadn't quite become indifferent to the fact that Roy considered him a friend, a sentiment he returned wholeheartedly. "I prefer you being my friend, who happens to be entertaining."

"That's a bit better." Roy had to concede, and got the door for them both.

Edward could only smirk a bit as he waited for Roy to say his goodbye to Falman who was just finishing up and then followed the man out into the hallway.

"Now then," Roy announced grandly as they exited out one of the lesser used back doors to Headquarters and began to take a sidewalk that would lead them out into public territory, "just be sure you keep an eye on where we are so you can find your way home."

"I'm not so hopeless." Edward grumped, though his voice lacked the conviction of sounding truly disgruntled.

With a short laugh Roy jerked with his head to motion Edward to follow him, as if the ghost would have done otherwise, and set off in search of a good time for the night.

"You however…?" Edward murmured to himself thoughtfully and then gave a decisive nod, "completely hopeless."

"What was that?" Roy frowned back over his shoulder to where the ghost's voice had originated.

"Oh, nothing." Edward smirked cheerfully. "Just wondering where you're going to whore yourself out next."

Roy only rolled his eyes, not believing that there was any argument he could make that Edward would not refute. He knew quite clearly how Edward viewed these escapades of his.

Instead the two of them began to wander the streets of Central, widening Edward's world out of the whiteness that otherwise plagued it, and searching out a venue for the living individual of their duo.

Approximately ten minutes later Roy finally decided on a location with which to stage his ploy to gain himself some entertainment for the night. And while he bit his tongue at announcing to Edward that their aimless wanderings were over, his steps led the way clearly to the façade of a rather sizeable restaurant.

"This isn't a bar." Edward cast a confused look at the building they were approaching. Giving Roy a look the man didn't take notice of, he darted up from the ground to hover in the air as they got into the more crowded area near the front of the restaurant.

Roy merely smiled and opened the door, taking extra care to make sure that upon opening it he took a decent amount of time to get from where he was, to past the threshold.

Edward hesitated as he saw a glimpse of the crowded interior, however it did seem less noisy than a bar. But as he saw the door that Roy had been dallying with beginning to close, he darted in after the man – above his head – to take advantage of the courtesy. "Find a place to sit where I can sit too?" He requested as he tagged after the man.

Roy kept the request in mind as he nodded politely to the hostess and informed her he'd just be frequenting the bar. He noted her flirtatious smile, but did not return it as he made his way to the bar counter near the center of the restaurant.

Edward had since floated to the floor to walk once more, finding it easier seeing as how most everyone was seated this far in. The only people he had to watch out for, he didn't have to watch out for, as Roy was easily weaving around them. He noticed that quite a few eyes followed Roy for longer than an offhand curious look, and he rolled his own eyes.

"The way that one waitress was looking at you, you'd think that she thought you were on the menu." He grumbled.

Roy chuckled deep in his chest, barely letting the sound be heard.

As Roy found an empty seat at the fairly crowded bar area, he eased himself onto the stool second from an end with an air of regality before glancing towards Edward who had claimed the empty end stool. Clunking his elbows to the counter he clasped his hands in front of his mouth before replying softly for Edward's carefully listening ears alone. "I'm not on her menu. I'm looking for a 'his' menu tonight."

Edward snorted and leveled a deadpan look at his living companion. "Well, as far as you're concerned you're hardly the fresh catch of the day."

Roy didn't even care if anyone would see him glaring at, by all appearances, nothing, he glared at Edward anyway. And he tried not to smile or even let himself think of laughing as the ghost merely smirked at him in a smug manner.

"Sir?" The bartender began as he approached Roy now, having finished dealing with the last drink order. "What will you have?"

Roy looked away from Edward, who had an odd challenging look in his silver eyes, and met the bartender's eyes instead. "I'll start with a bourbon and we'll go from there."

"Yes, sir." The bartender nodded agreeably with a smile, and moved to begin.

"Wait," Roy called after him.

"Sir?"

"A glass of bourbon," Roy said quite firmly, "not just a shot or two. I want to only see a minimum half inch between the drink and the rim of the glass."

The bartender seemed to smile with more appreciation, his head seeming to give a manly approving nod. "Of course, Colonel."

Roy watched as the bartender moved to go fetch the bourbon, glad that he wasn't being second guessed.

"Are you sure you want to start with a whole glass?"

At least not second guessed by the bartender.

"You haven't eaten a thing since lunch, and I know you usually drink on an empty stomach," Edward didn't even pause as Roy pointedly popped a nut from a dish into his mouth while making a show of chewing it while staring at him, "but it really can't be good for you long term."

Roy smiled as he swallowed the nut, "I came to a restaurant and not a bar for a reason." He whispered in hushed, amused tones to Edward before facing forward and raising his voice once more. "Could I get a menu too?"

Soon the bartender had placed a glass of bourbon and a menu before Roy who nodded his thanks.

"You're just doing this to have fun at my expense." Edward grumbled and itched to grab Roy's drink and put it up in the rafters where the man couldn't reach.

Roy rolled his eyes, "I'm not." And he ran a gloved finger down the menu entrees with interest.

Edward leaned over so that he could see as well, smiling faintly when Roy flattened out the menu more so that he could see easier. "Thanks…" and he scanned the options, following the path of Roy's finger. "You should get the beer-braised short ribs. Or is beer a step back from bourbon?"

Roy tipped his head forward once in what Edward knew to be an affirmative reply to his question.

"Have them braised in bourbon?"

Roy merely lightly tapped a finger at the selection for a steak bordelaise and then nodded to the bowls of pinwheel peppermint candies scattered about the bar counters like their nut brethren. "Shallots." Was all he muttered.

Edward's mouth formed a silent 'ah' of understanding, before he shrugged. "I suppose it sounds good too." He said as he took a closer look at the description.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of Roy's mouth as he tipped a fair amount of bourbon from the glass past his lips. Why yes, he supposed it did. Just because Edward had seen him typically drink more on nights like this didn't mean he didn't know how to eat too.

Although he'd be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued by Edward's suggestion of braising the short ribs with bourbon.

"If I had money I'd make a bet with you on how far through your steak you'll get before someone approaches you." Edward said with an air of disappointment that he couldn't.

Roy chuckled under his breath and tipped the menu up to hide the lower half of his face from every view but that of Edward's. "Be fair, I won't even have the steak in front of me yet."

Edward grabbed a cashew nut out of the dish and pelted Roy with it, smirking as the man shielded himself with the menu.

Roy sent the ghost a mocking glower as he lowered the menu while the cashew nut skidded across the bar counter and off onto the other side. "Brat." He mouthed through a ducked head which quickly raised as one of the waitresses came behind the bar counter.

"Have you decided yet, sir?" She asked with a dually interested smile.

"Yes." Roy lay the menu into the hand she reached out.

"And what would you like? Ala carte or perhaps something a bit more off the menu?" The pen hovered above her notepad, poised in much the same fashion as the woman who wielded it.

"How generous of her." Edward rolled his eyes, and wondered if Roy would get too mad at him if he smacked the entire bowl of mixed nuts at her.

Roy smiled, though unbeknownst to the helpful and accommodating waitress, he was not smiling because of her. "Steak bordelaise, medium rare, for my ala carte selection, and as for off the menu," he flashed her a cunning smile, "if you'll be so kind as to send that gentlemen over there-" he leaned onto his elbows against the bar counter while pointing to a table set past the other side of the bar counter where three men were sitting presumably having a few beers and a meal together after work, "the brunette one, another of whatever he's having and put it on my tab."

The waitress, to her credit, recovered from her momentary whirl to see, and then gaping at Roy rather quickly. And her smile became one of a more forced nature as she jotted it down on her notepad with a nod. "Of course, sir."

"Thank you." Roy smiled at her cheerfully, choking down his amusement as the waitress turned away to go speak with the bartender first. And when she had finished and turned to head to the kitchen next, he took a smug looking sip of his bourbon.

Edward was staring at him, openly gaping as he began to lose his control not to laugh. "As stupid as I find all this to be, that was rather…"

"I know." Roy chuckled and flashed him a quick grin as he lowered his glass to the counter again and flagged the bartender. Once the man had come back over he nodded to his empty bourbon glass. "I'll take another."

"Of course, sir." The bartender agreed.

And when the bartender turned, Roy quickly got up from his seat and jerked his head to motion for Edward to follow him.

Edward quickly did, confused, but all the same intrigued as he floated after Roy to the men's restroom which they ducked into. He went to sit over on the counter as they waited for the man who'd already been in there to vacate the facilities.

Roy pretended to be fixing his hair at the mirror next to Edward.

Once the man had finished using the urinal and had washed his hands followed by a long drying session with about ten paper towels, Roy quickly darted over to lock the door.

"What's going on?" Edward frowned at him as the lock slid into place. "Won't you get in trouble for that during evening dinner at a busy restaurant?"

Roy shrugged, "I'm a colonel, a State Alchemist, and a war hero. I won't get into trouble."

"So why are we here again?" Edward asked as Roy wandered back over to him.

"Because," Roy grinned, "it's part of my plan. And I wasn't about to just ditch you out there, I might as well have some company while I forward the plan."

Edward would admit without hesitation that even his exceptional IQ didn't comprehend Roy's "plan". But then what of Roy's manwhoring tendencies did he understand? "And what plan is this?"

Roy leaned his hip against the edge of the counter as he looked up the short distance to the silver eyes watching him. "Nothing like a little bit of momentary panic and a bit of intrigue about who could have sent him that beer. A man mysteriously not there all of a sudden?"

"So won't he think that you changed your mind and left because you came to your senses?" Edward frowned.

"Hardly." Roy disagreed, "he'll go over to check it out. Trust me on this. And what idiot would leave a brand new bourbon waiting for him, and not intending to come back and drink it?"

"You should." Edward muttered, but shrugged. "Okay, have it your way. So how long are we going to stay in here anyway?"

Roy quirked an eyebrow up, "eager to leave?"

Edward didn't miss the teasing in Roy's tone, and wasn't about to be outdone as he smiled. "By all means, let us continue forever the tender moments we have together in seedy public restrooms."

Roy chuckled, "then you're eager to see who will win the bet then that we never shook on?"

"I have nothing to offer with which to shake on it." Edward corrected, "even if I could shake your hand."

"The former is a technicality." Roy decided and mirroring the ghost's smile offered out his hand slowly. "The latter however… must we be so literal?"

Edward tilted his head to one side, silver eyes gazing luminously at Roy. "A bet for the sake of betting?"

Roy's smile only grew as he nodded once. "No penalties, no rewards. Just gloating rights for one of us."

Edward laughed, funny how he considered gloating rights as both penalty and reward, respective of how this would turn out. "To gloating rights." He gave in as he extended his hand towards Roy's, pausing only at that thin line that kept his hand from passing through Roy's own.

Roy was grinning as he kept eye contact with the silver eyes, "to gloating rights." And he glanced away at last to look down at their hands that were so close to touching. A faint, shadow of a smile replaced the grin on his lips before he quickly looked away. "Time's up, time for me to show you a thing or to."

"That'll be a first." Edward remarked, smirking, before he floated up into the air and after Roy as the man walked back over to the bathroom door and unlocked it to let them out.

Roy merely glared at the two men who had been waiting to use the restroom he'd effectively commandeered and went on his way back to the bar.

Edward reclaimed his stool next to Roy as the man sat down, and eyed the glass of bourbon he picked up distastefully. "One glass wasn't enough to line your stomach against the inebriating effects of steak?"

Roy chuckled into the rim of the glass before he took an obligatory long swig. And he didn't dare humor Edward with a response as he caught sight of movement from the table he'd had that beer sent to. He would be under very close observation now from more than the man he was trying to pick up. The man's friends would be watching him too, and he didn't dare risk slipping up trying to talk to Edward without them seeing.

It was then that Edward realized he was dangerously close to losing their bet.

The only thing Roy had in front of him was his glass of bourbon. The man he'd sent a drink to was en route. And the steak bordelaise was still missing.

He knew he needed to do something, and fast. After all, Roy hadn't placed any restrictions on his ghostly activities. So before Roy could say or do anything to stop him, he darted backwards off the stool and pelted for the man who was making his way stylishly around the u-shaped bar counter.

Roy nearly choked into his bourbon as he bit back a choice word. Eyes widening as they stared into the alcohol in his glass he knew he was about five seconds from having a brain aneurism in the struggle not to look to see what the ghost was going to do.

And damn it! The clever brat of a ghost was exploiting being under no controls of how this bet would be won.

Edward glanced over his shoulder once to the swinging saloon-style doors leading to the kitchen but could see no sign of Roy's steak. But he felt reasonably certain that he could stall this guy long enough. So taking advantage of his surroundings, he bade his time, watching as the brunette man walked unknowingly into his trap. And when he was within striking distance, Edward quickly whacked a woman's large purse onto the floor directly at the man's feet.

A sharp yell nearly made Roy clunk his head against the bar counter as out of his peripheral vision he saw his potential date for the evening topple out of sight with a flail of arms.

"Did I do that?" Edward asked with a fake gasp before falling into laughter as he watched the man try and untangle his feet from the strap with the aghast purse owner's aid.

He left them to it as he turned with an air of pride and floated back over to Roy's side.

"You still won't win." Roy hissed, taking advantage of the distraction his ghostly companion had caused to address the ghost from behind his glass of bourbon.

Edward smirked at him smugly, "oh no?" He enquired sweetly.

"No." Roy stated firmly, "but thanks, I get to play 'doctor and patient' later tonight."

Edward grimaced, a slight gagging noise escaping his throat.

Roy merely smirked and took another sip of his bourbon while pretending he hadn't noticed the tripping incident. He wasn't too worried he'd lose the bet… even as Edward gloated as the same waitress approached with a tray bearing a plate of steak.

"Still think I won't win?" Edward pressed as he glanced back to see the brunette on his feet now, but occupied with reassuring the woman that he wasn't hurt and that he didn't fault her at all.

Roy didn't answer, instead turning his attention to the waitress who approached him with that smile that still looked forced. As she reached to lower down the plate, at which time Roy would have lost, he raised a hand. "I changed my mind, I'd like it cooked medium instead of medium rare. Toss it in the oven for me for a few more minutes."

She could only smile and nod, lifting the plate back onto the tray. "Of course, sir. I'll have it back out in a few minutes."

Roy smiled devilishly as she walked away and Edward made a noise like a wounded animal. "Two can play at your game, Ed."

Edward silently seethed, too much in shock and astonishment at what Roy had just done to notice the brunette finally making his way to them.

"Hi," the newcomer said, leaning against the counter between Roy and the empty stool – void of Edward – next to Roy. "I wanted to thank you for the drink, mind if I join you?"

"Yes." Edward grumbled as he let his head fall to the bar counter.

Roy smiled, mostly from Edward's reaction as he waved a hand in permission. "Please. I was hoping you'd come over. It seemed to be the only way I could get you alone."

The brunette man grinned slightly, eyeing Roy with interest as he sat. "And why would you want to do that?"

"You're over here, moron." Edward grumbled as he raised his head and propped it in the heel of his hand to glower at the brunette. "Don't ask stupid questions you already know the answer to."

Roy bit back on a chuckle at Edward's grumbling. "Well…" he began with a sultry smile…

Edward stopped listening at the point Roy began with his pathetic explanations, merely settled for glaring daggers at the invader to his time with Roy, an invader apparently named "Steve".

When Roy's steak arrived, Steve left momentarily only to grab his own food so he could bring it over and eat with Roy whom apparently he had taken to quite swimmingly.

"You can't be serious, Roy." Edward sighed expansively. "He may have never done more than some fumbling in the locker room, but have more pride in yourself."

"It's not about pride. It's about sexual fulfillment." Roy muttered back, and chanced a pacifying glance to the ghost. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't have to stay."

Edward rolled his eyes, "I'll stay a bit longer. You are my entertainment after all."

Roy gave him a slight smile and turned back to his steak.

"He's taking a long time over there." Edward observed as he watched Steve chat with his friends while the group of them threw looks Roy's way.

Roy's answer was a noncommittal grunt and a flick of his eyes towards the bunch.

Edward watched a bit longer before he saw Steve head for the restrooms. "He's making a break for the bathroom… with one of the other guys."

Roy glanced up again and frowned momentarily before looking towards Edward while giving him a look that plainly said "and?".

"Aren't you even the least bit curious, or even suspicious?" Edward asked as he floated up off his stool.

"No." Roy said under the cover of raising his bourbon glass to his lips.

Edward snorted, "well I am. I'm going to go check it out."

Roy nearly fumbled his bourbon glass into his lap. "What?" He hissed under his breath.

"Oh please, they can't see me." Edward reminded him. "I'm going to go spy on him."

"What? No!" Roy hissed as discreetly as he could, eyes wide as they tried to implore the ghost to listen. "Edward, don't!"

"Come with me if you want." Edward offered with a laugh, knowing Roy couldn't. Not unless he wanted to be labeled some sort of stalker along with being a needy manwhore.

Roy could only watch helplessly as the ghost darted away, and he groaned into his bourbon.

Edward was feeling quite pleased with himself as he headed to the bathroom which had only recently closed after the pair. He hesitated at it once before taking a bracing breath to steel himself and passed through the door.

"-you going to?"

Steve was leaning against the wall, and he gave his friend a smirking little smile. "Jealous?"

Said friend rolled his eyes. "I know the man's reputation. He wouldn't sleep with someone like me. But fuck, you may as well. Even if he dumps you come morning at least you had him for a while."

"He won't dump me." Steve said in assurance. "I'm not like all those others. He won't give me up once he gets a taste."

"That's gross and yet a cool thought."

Edward snorted, "try just gross."

"And he's supposed to be rich." The friend of Steve's grinned. "Catch him and you're set for life. So I guess I can only say good luck. But just remember, he-"

"Has a reputation." Steve interrupted and smiled. "I know. Give me some credit though, I'm not the top salesmen in the company for nothing. I know how to grab and keep someone hooked."

Edward glared at him, and shook his head before turning and bolting through the bathroom door without a second thought to staying longer. And he floated up towards the ceiling until he was in range to plop down onto his bar stool broodingly next to Roy.

Roy glanced over at the apparition, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You okay?"

"He has high hopes of keeping you, and his friend mentioned that you're supposed to be rich." Edward informed him.

Roy nodded slowly, and smiled wryly into the bourbon that had found its way into his hand and up to his mouth again. And once he'd taken a sip he only brought the glass a few millimeters away. "It's nothing I'm not used to knowing that people probably think."

Edward bit his tongue against immediately telling Roy what he thought about it before he finally looked at the man and said, "I think I'll go home now. I don't think I'll ever find entertainment past this point where you try to fool yourself. Enjoy your winnings."

Roy could only whip his head around to watch as Edward vanished from the restaurant with the speed only a ghost could achieve. Finally he turned back to his meal and bourbon with a sigh he didn't bother trying to hold in. He was accustomed to these sentiments, and opinions that he was trying to fool himself into something by having a binding one-night stand policy. He did wish, however, that Edward had stuck around a bit longer.

It felt oddly empty to be sitting here without the ghost by his side, and his date still missing.

At least one of those was about to change…

"Hey, sorry it took me so long." Steve said as he reclaimed his seat next to Roy. "I was being given the third degree by my friends."

Roy chuckled as he turned a smile on him, "I hope they didn't ruin your appetite."

"Hardly." Steve laughed, "just introduced me to anxiety wanting to get back to you…"

Meanwhile outside the restaurant the streets were beginning to thin with foot-traffic. And so Edward had taken to walking his way home, at least for now.

He didn't know a direct way home from where he was, so he retraced his steps back to Headquarters feeling rather melancholy. On one hand he hoped that Roy wasn't mad he'd left so abruptly… but on the other hand he didn't care enough to go back. He'd said only the truth after all, he couldn't find entertainment after a certain point.

"At the very least if he has to have only one night stands, why can't he be more selective about other qualities?" Edward shook his head. "No wonder he has commitment issues, no one in their right mind would commit to the people he sets himself up with."

And so he continued on his way home, trying not to regret that he hadn't locked Steve in the bathroom and broke the lock lever itself off so he wouldn't have been able to get out. Yet it was an idea he filed in the back of his mind as a possibility for trying on a later victim. Unfortunately, he sensed there would be plenty of potential people to try it on.