4. Investigation RoyEd

Thumps and crashes were perfectly normal to be heard from the Flame Alchemist's office. Especially when Edward Elric was giving one of his reports to his superior, often less than willingly.

That was why no one paid any mind to the racket that the pair were kicking up in the room. Things were hitting the floor and some piece of furniture or two was being rattled. Hawkeye ,like the rest of Mustang's staff, passed it off as the air acting like the idiots they became when facing off. It happened often enough for anyone to do so. The yelling they heard was pretty regular as well so it was ignored. Hell the pair could go at it for hours in there. Once the Colonel had even lost his voice for two days after screaming at Edward about something.

This was all just a part of life in the military. Fights between Fullmetal and Flame were legendary and common knowledge after all. Even the mild tempered Alphonse Elric could ignore the fuss to offer a little help to the First Lieutenant to be polite while he waited for his older brother.

That was how Maes Hughes found the group of soldiers and suit of armor. Sorting through papers in a comfortable quiet only broken by a thump or a muffled yell from inside the Colonel's office. Peering through his glasses the Lieutenant Colonel looked at the office door with the dark letters of his best friends name and something came to him. Being in the Investigations Department this happened fairly often for the proud father. The voices coming out of the office were different somehow. A red flag went up in his brain and Hughes kept out of the office listening to his instincts. Once more they proved him well.

It was only another fifteen minutes before a very flustered Fullmetal stomped out of Mustang's office shouting the whole way that he was not small and for his brother to follow him. It make Havoc fairly sure that the some wasn't coming from the cigarettes he kept sneaking but was coming off the short blonde's head.

"Bastard Colonel..who does he think he is calling me smaller than a speck of dust that could get swept away when someone opens a window.." Irrational short rant and all something was still amiss in Maes's humble but often correct opinion. Ed could be heard stomping down the hall for some ways and Al's attempts to calm his quick tempered brother.

Now that the little red flag was gone Hughes went into the office to go and harass his best friend and partner in crime on more than one occasion. "Yo! What's up there Roy? Honestly you can't leave that kid be just once?" Roy was sitting at his desk and looked up at his friend the irritation in his face fading to a smile. A little too quickly actually..

It wasn't until Roy stood up to beckon the other over to take a seat that Maes Hughes realized just why that little red flag had gone off in his brain.

The Colonel knew that look and blinked at the other across his desk wondering what was going on. He could practically see the wheels turning in Maes' head. This wasn't looking good for him but all his buddy did was let out a laugh and drop a few photo's on his desk. No harassment at all which came as a considerable surprise.

Still standing there in shock Roy was watching Hughes head for the door. Glancing down he saw the expected pictures of Elysia. "Maes…?" The look of confusion on the Colonel's face was priceless but Hughes didn't need to take a picture to remember it.

Pausing the door the Lieutenant Colonel glanced back with a grin. "You look like you've had enough abuse for one day Roy. I'll see you later." Thinking that fate had spared him for once Roy Mustang was very tempted to get to his feet and do a victory dance. However his joy did not last.

"By the way Colonel..zip up your fly." Were Hughes' parting words.

The thuds that came from the Flame Alchemist's office were also normal. Roy's head meet desk.