Chapter 2

"Well are you just going to stand there or let me in?" Ed announced barging right past a shocked Mustang.

Ed made a beeline for the living room where he sat down and kicked off his heavy boots. "Yeah, I was going to leave tomorrow morning but then last minute hopped on a train tonight. Too bad the hotels here are all booked for some stupid festival you guys have going on."

"Listen, fullmetal. I sort of have company and this is really a bad time for me..." Roy could not believe his terrible luck.

"Oh?" A curious look landed upon Edward's face, his golden eyes danced with amusement.

"It wouldn't happen to be a "special friend" would it?" He mocked his former superior.

"Yes, actually I was on a date, and she's currently waiting for me to come back to the study."

There was a pause as Ed's gaze shifted from Roy's to the study then back to look at Roy.

"Oh don't mind me then, I'll just be homeless for the night." Ed sighed heavily and looked at him with probably the biggest eyes he'd ever seen.

Oh fuck.

Roy felt his mind reeling with guilt, as well as something else at the look Ed gave him. Probably fatherly compassion. The kid was playing him like a violin but hell if he was going to be the one who threw out Edward Elric, the alchemist who saved all of Amestris out on the streets just so he could get laid.

"No, no, I'll go talk to...Lily and see what I could do."

After driving a very pissed off Lily back to her place he was in a foul mood. She had slammed the door in his face at his last effort at an apology. It would be quite sometime before he had a chance to get into her pants again he thought.

What was fullmetal doing at his doorstep? Yeah he knew hotels were all booked up because of the festival they had going on, but really. He was his first choice at a place to crash?

He'd figure it out sooner or later.

Walking into his house he saw Ed dozing on the couch. The kid looked different now. He looked..well...less like a kid. His shoulders were broad and his face thinner maybe more angular? And had he been taller when he barged past him?

Ed blinked awake. Staring at him with those big, cat-like gold eyes.

"Thanks for putting me up Mustang. Was that your girlfriend?" Ed asked.

"What? No definitely not. Just a friend"...A friend he wouldn't be sleeping with anytime soon.

"Oh, well. Sorry to cockblock you" Ed grinned. Roy would name that look the Cheshire cat grin. And cockblocked? When had Ed ever mentioned anything sexual in his life?

"I'm surprised you know what cockblocking is. But it's allright I'm sure I'll have other opportunities." Roy matched his grin.

Ed raised his eyebrows. "You know I'm 18 right, I've kind of figured it out"

Wait did that mean fullmetal had had sex? No, surely that couldn't be true. He couldn't imagine Ed with a woman. Or a man really... he had kind of assumed Ed to be more asexual than anything.

"Ah so you've had experience in that area?" Roy asked, now his curiosity piqued.

"I've had some experience. Not as much as you though you womanizing bastard." Ed barked back.

Whoa. Ed having sex that was a fucking weird thought. He'd probably be good at it though, he seemed to have natural abilities for pretty much anything. Wait where did THAT thought come from?

"Girlfriend?" He found he was intensely curious all of the sudden about the young man's former lovers. Not to mention he would love to have something to hold over the alchemist's head.

To his extreme surprise Ed blushed furiously. He didn't think he'd ever seen Ed blush. Scratch that, definitely never.

"Not like it's any of your business anyway." Ed wasn't meeting his eyes and became preoccupied with a loose thread from his dark blue tshirt.

"Of course not." Roy flashed him a signature charming smile, still a little surprised at Ed's reaction but not willing to push any further.

"But I did hear that you had some actual business to discuss with me." Recalling his conversation earlier with Riza.

"Oh yeah I wanted to talk to you about some things." Ed appeared grateful at being let off the hook. "Well you see I've been researching in Creta the past two years as you know, and I've made a lot of strides in my research. But I'm back now and don't really have anything to do until Alphonse gets back and we can collaborate together on it."

Here he took a pause and gauged Roy's reaction, who met him with a blank stare. If Roy was wondering what Ed was going to ask of him he sure as hell wasn't showing it.

"So... well, I was wondering if you could give me a job while I was here in Amestris. Maybe in intelligence or something." He rushed the last sentence and then exhaled deeply.

Roy grinned. He'd never thought he'd see the day when Edward Elric would be asking him a favor. And to be a military dog no less?

"Ed you hate anything to do with the military, why do you want a job with us?"

"It's not that I hate the military. I grew up a lot, and I met so many good people, your team included. I think I'd like to try some of the work Maes was passionate about." He said the last few words in a quieter tone.

Roy nodded thoughtfully. He could see where Ed was coming from.

"Ed you know you would automatically have a job in the military whenever you chose to come back, alchemy or not. You're not really asking a favor. I'll have Lieutenant Havoc show you around the Central branch of intelligence headquarters tomorrow if that works for you."

Ed's face lit up. "Damn. Havoc, haven't seen him in awhile. Or any of the crew."

"Well...that'll change tomorrow." Roy said referring to the party Riza had planned.

"Yeah, I guess I'll run into them when we go there." Ed said, completely oblivious to any party idea.

Good. Riza would probably kill him if he ruined the surprise.

"Well if you want to make yourself comfortable, I have a guest room, it's getting pretty late." Roy mused. There would be a lot of excitement tomorrow so he better get some rest.

"Ah yeah I'm exhausted." Ed yawned stretching his arms over his head. He looked even more like a cat when he did that.

"Hey Mustang thanks again." Ed flashed him a rare smile. "You might not be such a bastard after all."

Well, that was as much praise as he would ever get from Edward Elric.

"Night fullmetal, I'll see you tomorrow."