A/N: Chapter Six here we are! I think its moving along nicely (now that I've gotten past chapter five!) Again I would like to thank everyone for their patience on the last chapter! I don't think I've ever had that much of a problem writing a chapter, nor have I ever put so much effort into getting a story written and done! That being said, lets continue on with chapter six!

Also, in response to a review: Thank you for your interest! It was hinted at mostly that they had some kind of relationship other than CO, and I promise, it is a build up relationship, but it'll play an important part in the upcoming chapters! I promise! But I am sorry if it threw you for a loop!

Chapter Length: 2,171

Chapter 6

That Akward Dinner with Relatives

Edward jolted to a loud knocking on his door that morning. Hatred for whoever was on the other side of the door had never been as strong for the young blonde as it had been in that moment. With a low grumble, he slipped his feet to the cold wooden floor and made his way towards the object of his aggression.

"What!?" He snapped throwing the door open. Had he been more awake and alert, he would have been able to stop the fist that caught him unaware. The owner quickly imbedded it into the blonde's abdomen as it pushed him aside.

"Now, now Edward," Came a familiar raspy voice that sent chills up Edward's spine. "I thought you had better manners than to snoop around someone's home. I came home early just to cut you some slack on taking care of Tilly, and this is what I get? You went into my basement didn't you?"

"Mr. Tucker!" Alphonse hissed from behind his older brother. "I highly suggest you leave, before I call the police. The Military will be made aware of your forbidden practices this afternoon. It was hardly brother's fault that your cat managed to get into the basement. He was only trying to find her."

"So you went down into the basement too?" Shou snarled angrily as he rounded on the other blonde.

Oh yes, Shou thought happily interrupting his own daydream. The empty road ahead allowed him plenty of time in his own thoughts, but he would be over joyed once he got home to find his life return to some normalcy.

"I'm coming home Edward, I'm coming home." He hummed without abandon as he swerved his car into the other lane to bypass a slow driver—even if the person wasn't slow by the speed limit's standards. "I'm coming home my darling Edward. Please, please come and play!" He laughed gleefully as he turned off an exit to get more gas.

Edward Elric's Home

Edward hated dealing with his brother on the best of mornings. The upbeat attitude, the all to awake humming, and the constant buzzing of movement while he darted between the kitchen and living room was enough to send the still more than half asleep man into a groggy tizzy.

"Would you just sit down? Please!" Edward groaned brushing his hand through his hair and trying to stave the headache that was already beginning to build behind his temples. "It's nothing like what you think, I promise." Edward grumbled heavily as he stared at the pacing Alphonse, who simply arched a manicured eyebrow at the older brother.

"He knows where you live."

"He's my commanding officer. We can't have any kind of relationship outside of work without putting both of our positions in jeopardy. Do you really think that selfish prick would do that for me? He comes over with Havoc and Riza all the time," Edward grunted in annoyance. Alphonse had been begging to know why the older raven haired man, which was asleep on the couch peacefully, knew where his brother lived and didn't even bother to knock before entering. "We play cards every other Thursday or so. Simple as that."

"I hardly find that simple brother. Besides, who said it was Mr. Mustang I was worried about? What about Shou? When is he due back?" Alphonse set a mug of steaming coffee beside his brother on the small wooden table.

"Not until tomorrow or so," Ed gratefully sipped the hot liquid. It was a cure all for every ailment, he found. The way the warm fluid filled his mouth and slide so smoothly down to nuzzle warmly in his belly. It could make him feel good on even the muggiest and warmest of days. "Besides, I can handle a loony old man. He wouldn't be the first one I've had to deal with."

"No just the most dangerous. What if he gets intercepted by the Military first? What if he finds out that you're the one who told them?" Alphonse could only imagine what someone who, he presumed, as mentally unstable as the man his brother often pet sat for would do. He had often heard, and in school read, of people murdering over something smaller than unmasking their dark experiments. It wasn't a far stretch of the blonde's mind to imagine the man digging a knife into his brother's throat, or strangling him with the chord of the blinds. Then again, perhaps he was being too presumptuous.

"He's not dangerous," Edward waved his brother off again shaking his head. "He might not know the real consequences of what he's done is all. I think he's just an old man who got bored, and decided to do something about it. It could have just been a one time fluke. Remember when I transmuted the stove and ended up burning down the house?"

"Brother," Alphone huffed crossing his arms and sliding himself into the seat across the table. "What we saw in that basement was hardly a fluke. That was a well practiced alchemic reaction. Mr. Tucker knew just what he was getting into. To get the seams to fit together so perfectly, and with three different types of animals, not just two…I haven't seen it completed."

"It wasn't alchemically stable though. It wasn't even biologically stable," Edward rubbed his temples in exasperation. This whole ordeal, he felt, was being blown just a bit out of proportion. Sure, he wanted Mustang to know, felt he should let his commanding officer in on something that he didn't even think possible. But even from what he knew of the science, it was hard to get something of that sort to work out.

"I just think," Alphonse sighed heavily rubbing his neck. "That it's a good idea to leave well enough alone. I understand that he caught your interest brother, but I think confronting him is dangerous."

"Al," Edward stood from the table shaking his head. "I'm not going to confront him until I'm sure that he's performing it seriously, which," Edward held up his hand softly. "He might not even be."

"No, but he would certainly be the first civilian I've heard of being able to transmute two animals into one." The baritone voice broke the concentrated atmosphere between the brothers. "I would like to remind you both, that I am obliged to alert the Fuhrer about this directly. Edward, you'll probably get questioned seeing as you're the one who even found the beast, and Alphonse, you could be questioned indirectly as a witness." Mustang sidled over to the coffee machine and gladly poured himself a cup.

"I didn't call you so you could be the hero and report a mislead alchemist. That's the last thing people need making the news around here. They're already weary of it progressing past random home fixtures." Edward rolled his eyes deciding to raid his pantry for something decent for breakfast instead of getting dressed like a decent human.

"No, but you did call me. And it's my duty to the country to provide the leaders with the information presented to me. Especially information that I feel is important. And, quite frankly Fullmetal, this seems pretty important to me." Roy stared his subordinate directly in the eyes. "You reported something of a new magnitude to me. I've got to tell anyone above me in position so I can get the ball rolling. If what you thought last night was true, then why not give the Fuhrer a chance? Maybe he's just interested because it's a new science. It's been around less than sixty years, there's still a lot of unknowns involved."

"Yes I get it, a lot of x plus y. But what happens when he solves the equation mustang? You have to get rid of x in order to get y." Edward glared at his CO whilst managing to find something he deemed edible so early. "I don't think it's a good idea to get human transmutation into his head; don't even think the possibility should have ever been brought up. You can't create what some call God hasn't. It's a dangerous game is all I feel. He could be starting something that could throw this country into chaos."

"And if he does, he does. As his military we'll be there to defend his position. He had to have some kind of a good thought if he was willing to put his country at stake."

"Or what if he's just being greedy and childish, Mustang? What if this is all some kind of a project just to entertain him, to see if he can do what no one else has done before? In which case, he would gather only the most powerful and knowledgeable alchemists and force them to construe the public's ideology of its limits?"

"Enough," Al snapped breaking the battle of wits. "We don't know what the Fuhrer really wants with the chimera's that are brought in, and we don't know if Tucker is doing this out of curiosity or if he has sinister plans either. It sounds to me like all we can do is what we can do. Roy will report the findings at Tucker's house, and Edward you will have to bide time until Tucker comes home. All I know, is that this situation is like sitting on pins and needles. It doesn't feel safe at all and I don't like it. But what really bugs me," He glanced up at the two men staring at him in rapt attention. "Is that the Fuhrer has an interest to begin with. I could understand it if all he wanted was to learn more about the science, what its capable of. But or a moral level, I have to agree with brother. Nothing good could come of mixing what shouldn't be mixed. It could have, in a sense, a chemical reaction that could send all of the citizens of Amestris into an early conviction on what could have been avoided. So for now, we'll keep our heads down and hush hush."

The tense atmosphere was broken by the shrill ring of the telephone. Edward jolted lightly before rushing to answer the phone. No one should have been calling him this early in the morning. After all, everyone he worked with in the office knew he hated be called, especially so early in the morning.

"Elric residence, Edward speaking." He did his best to sound at least relatively polite. But as soon as the raspy breath spoke, any patience Edward had dissipated into a twitch just at the nape of his neck.

"Edward! You're up rather early! I was bored, and decided I should give you a call. I didn't get a chance to ask you how Tilly was yesterday." Shou hummed heavily as he leaned against the wall of the telephone booth. He had cashed in a dollar in order to get the change for the long distance phone call, but the voice that answered had been well worth it.

"You didn't. I was worried you had forgotten about her," His reply was dry and agitated, just the way he liked it. He could imagine the blonde growling at the counter before answering his phone. He had watched him many a time through the curtain as he paced the kitchen doing his best to ignore the phone.

"Not at all, not at all! But I do know she's being well taken care of with you, isn't she?"

"Of course. Mr. Tucker, when you get back to town I think we need to chat."

Oh he knew that tone of voice. Edward was upset about something, and it was delicious. The way his vibrato broke through the receiver and vibrated against his ear, well it just sent a splendid shiver down his spine.

"Are you inviting me to tea Edward? I would love to come. What have we to discuss that could be so important? I'm sure you're following my rules, so there should be no need to fuss you about them. Or is there?"

"Of course not," Edward didn't sound as convinced as he wanted to. But Shou had listened to him talk plenty of times before, at least, enough to notice the small quaver in his ever stoic voice.

"Then I can't wait to see Tilly and you tomorrow. Have a good day at work Edward." Shou chirped before hanging the phone up. It would be a good day. He would get to see the blonde that he so desperately desired to see mixed with some strange fixation. He had yet to decide what he would do to him to make him his masterpiece, but he certainly wouldn't do it without knowing for sure that he wouldn't come apart at the seams. If that damned goat thing was holding up when he got back, he would have to step it up and bring in a few other mixtures. After all, he couldn't have his pet crumbling and melting away, now could he?