A/N: Hey all, thanks to the 2 people that reviewed the last chapter! I was starting to get nervous it was an awful chapter but I'm once again encouraged. Part of this story was to expand my writing skills which meant not jumping into the whumping/angst instantly(sigh) but writing some character interaction and humor. Hope I'm doing ok. Anyways, feel like someone is taking a drill to my skull today so give sympathy reviews. Also the plot shows up in this chapter just long enough to poke you in the eye, hehe, it'll show up full force next chapter...enjoy!

Ice Cream Delight's Ruin

The night was cool and crips, the rain thankfully having ceased and desisted, permanently by the appearance of things, several hours earlier. It was refreshing really. Cool enough now to be brisk but not cold enough to make his auto mail ache where it was attached and it smelled so clean. Ed couldn't help but take in a deep breath and then repeat the action. He was glad to be away from Command and not just because of the manner he'd left that day. In a blaze of glory with the doomed future of being burned to cinders by Colonel Mustang when he found him. It was the talk of the town already even though it'd happened just a few hours earlier. The rumor mill was truly an amazing thing to behold. He had been doubtful for a moment or two concerned he may have taken it too far and would deeply damage the man's pride, but then he remembered that this whole mess had been started because he'd taken an incident that hand greatly dented his own pride and had been beating him with it all week. No. He could handle this. He was supposed to be a man right? Not to mention he had great ambitions of being Fuhrer he'd heard and if he wanted to be that then he'd have to be able to handle this kind of embarrassing situation. He was just helping the Colonel exercise his 'damage control' muscles a little. His attention turned from thinking on Mustang to Hughes, whom was currently rambling excitedly about his wife and upcoming baby.

The man intrigued him. He was a gushy mushy puddly goo of sap when anyone even grazed the subject of women or children which instantly redirected him into the subject of his wife and future child. As he was doing now except this time he'd had nothing to prompt the outburst. Ed smiled and nodded and asked questions not nearly as interested in the subject as he pretended as he was a, just turned, twelve year old boy but he kept active on the subject out of respect. On the other hand he'd seen the man serious as a rock when the circumstance called for it. It was strange Edward thought. That any sane, or mostly sane now that he thought about it, man could waver between the two extremes with seemingly no effort. He'd never seen anyone like this before.

Again Ed's thoughts turned, this time, to the first time he'd gone on a walk with Hughes, like this one, oh so shortly after he'd received his State Alchemist Certification. He hadn't really wanted to go but the instant he'd joined the little group that was Mustang's team Hughes had seemed to latch onto him like an octopus determined to break him of his 'lone wolf tendencies. Not that he was a pure lone wolf type as he had and relied heavily upon his little brother.

The day was right, sunny, a bit on the warm side but tempered by a soft cool breeze. People were everywhere running and giggling or taking part in some activity that Falman had given only the vague reference to the birds and the bees during springtime. He'd known that they were kissing and other similar little acts but this whole bird and bee idea threw him for a loop. After much mulling over the subject he'd decided that Falman was just poking fun at him and taking advantage of his age. He'd stormed away in a huff offended that the man would make fun of him which had only made the man laugh and worsen the situation. He didn't know Falman well enough to know he wasn't making fun.

He was having a hard day. He faced short jokes from every person he passed. It didn't matter who. Didn't matter when. Didn't matter that he was the youngest alchemist in history and that the Fuhrer had come personally to his examination. One person, whom had never shown his face, had the gall to tease him while he was taking a dump about whether his little feet could even touch the floor while he did his business. He'd nearly transmuted the guy's toilet so that it pinned him there all day but he'd held back. Even now he wasn't sure why and greatly regretted it. He supposed it was because he'd been so horribly mortified at the snide that' he'd been unable to focus enough to transmute anything.

After that he'd spent more time ducking into closets and around corners to avoid people or exploding at them in a tirade that would make older children cry that he had no time or energy for anything else. The barrage had been so constant that it was actually starting to hurt despite that it was coming from people he didn't know or care about. It was just so constant. Mostly jokes about his height but it was his age too they went after and some even had the nerve to make comments about his auto mail and ponder aloud what mess he'd gotten into that earned him the metallic limbs. It wasn't until one man had looked down on him after herding him into a corner like some farm animal and suggested that his auto mail was a punishment for a scandalous raunchy love affair with his armored little brother that he'd lost all cool and took the man down in a hail of punches. He didn't understand what a scandalous love affair was, let alone a raunchy one, but he'd known it was something vile and shameful by the way the man had sneered down at him like he was the scum of the earth. Didn't him being a State Alchemist earn him even a little respect?

The next two hours were spent sitting at a side table in Colonel Mustang's office directly under his supervision writing a report about the entire incident. The relief at being out of the downpour of insults and jokes made it worth the embarrassment of sitting like a kid in the principal's office writing a report. He'd had to do it three times because the Colonel found something wrong with it each time. Maes had swooped upon him inviting him to a lunch and a stroll the moment he'd been released from Mustang's grasp. He'd been reluctant to the extreme but finally gave in to the man's pleading since the man wouldn't give up. This wasn't the first time Hughes had tried to real him into a meal nor was it the first time he'd accepted but he'd always spent his time trying his hardest to ignore the man on his previous outings.

So here he was in the middle of the park near Command listening to Hughes blabber about his wife, whom was apparently the center of his world. He fought to eat his food, chow mien it was called, and fought vehemently with the weird eating utensils called chopsticks. He thought he'd finally succeeded, several noodles dangling precariously between the sticks when they abruptly slipped and went flying all over his face. He gave an angry shout throwing the unruly sticks back into his food frustrated.

"Don't worry Ed, when I was your size I couldn't use chopsticks either, you'll get the hang of it" he attempted to console with a chuckle.

"Who're you calling so short he can't use chopsticks!" Ed exploded instantly. His nerves were badly frayed and raw from the day. He didn't want to be here or doing this. He wanted to go see his brother, Alphonse, who was spending his day in the sanctuary of a library studying. No matter the situation or the day just being with his brother seemed to calm and soothe his nerves.

"you're short, just admit it, but you're also only eleven, you'll grow, just relax" Maes had replied coolly. Ed froze confused and stunned. No one had ever responded like that, especially it hadn't been a mockery of his height to begin with now that he thought about it again. They just laughed and followed up with another, often crueler, joke.

He sighed and looked down at his food and chopsticks. He didn't have the energy for them. He set his food down, clapped his hands together with a quick transmutation and when he picked the food back up low and behold he had a thin wooded fork. Hughes had nodded with a sly grin in approval seeing it. Ed hadn't known why but that had meant something to him. That simple nod of approval.

"Oh! A jump house!" the man abruptly shouted with an excited squeal and took off running making Ed jump startled.

"Hey! You can't go in a jump house! You'll look like a fool!" Ed shouted back standing stock still in shock.

"I'm gonna be a daddy soon! Good daddies have no dignity!" Hughes bellowed back his shoes flying off as he leaped into the previously empty jump house. Ed stared for a long time mortified at the sight eventually eating his food again while still watching. After a while he inched his way closer to the jump house feeling awkward just standing out there on his own.

"C'mon Edward jump in! It's fun!" Maes shouted leaping and bounding around inside.

"No way! We weren't offered to use it! Besides, jump houses are for babies!" Ed argued dreading the stares he had no doubt they were attracting.

"You're never too old for a jump house Ed!" Maes countered. Ed bit his lip. He sure did look like he was having fun.

"But my auto mail! I'll pop it!" he continued to resist nervously.

"Nonsense! These things are designed tough! Jump in!" Hughes wasn't going to relent. Ed gulped. Maybe it wouldn't hurt he supposed.

Then he jumped in abandoning reason.

Then he abandon his dignity and had fun openly.

Then the jump house popped.

"Ok Edward, what kind of ice cream do you want?" Hughes asked jolting the boy out of his reverie. He took a few steps forward so that he could see the list and scissored his thumb and forefinger across his chin thinking.

"Pistachio please! And a waffle cone!" Ed grinned eagerly.

"Hmmm, pistachio huh, not many requests for that, you've got good taste" the vendor gave him a large portion handing it down to him. They walked off down the path in silence eagerly licking up their ice cream for a while.

"So you really turned his hair pink huh?" Maes started up suddenly.

"Had to do something. I put a lot of effort into not just making those reports but making them good!" Ed explained biting into his ice cream like a ravenous wolf.

"True true, you know I'm pretty sure we've all had to deal with him in situations like you're in. I know I did, and I know Havoc did too, course it was his own fault, but it's always interesting to see how each person resolves the problem" Hughes gave a loud happy moan as he slurped up a glob of his coconut and lime double scoop ice cream. He'd forgone the cone though.

"Really? Can't imagine the Colonel Bastard doing anything like this with you" Hughes gave a chuckle.

"Well not now, but when I was first stuck with him yeah. It's like with you and him. You're still getting to know each other and hashing out where your boundaries are, learning how far you can push each other and in what ways" Maes explained scraping the last little bit of his dessert into the spoon then sucking on it.

"Huh, I hadn't thought of that" Ed scratched his head in wonder at the revelation.

"Yeah, you two will get it figured out, especially after today, it's all part of the process of establishing yourself as part of the team and what your role is" Hughes chuckled tossing his empty bowl and spoon in the trash can. Something suddenly caught his eye in the distance.

"Hey cool your heels on that bench for a minute I'll be right back!" Hughes suggested and then took off disappearing around a corner before a response could be formed. Ed stared after him for a moment then shrugged and wandered over to said bench.

His mind was filled with thoughts of himself and Mustang. Maybe all their fighting wasn't so unnatural. Maybe it wasn't so much of them hating each other as they just didn't know how to deal with each other yet. He didn't really care what the Colonel thought but all the fighting was tiring. It would be nice to have a more stable working relationship. More stress free at least. Now that he was here it did feel good to sit down for a bit after so much walking. He idly wondered what had caught Hughes' attention. Hopefully not another jump house. He chuckled. Ed felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck suddenly like the bite of a ravenous insect and before he could even lift a hand to swat the offensive creature away his world went black.

A/N: Yes I can see Hughes in a jump house if for no other reason to practice for the upcoming baby! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Look for the next one tomorrow some time!