III Comfort Food

"What's the best thing you've ever eaten?" Darius asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Edward shot him a look over the flames of the small, smokeless fire. He felt pretty confident that no one would see it, as far back in the woods as they were, but farmers always watched out for fires. A wildfire could destroy a farmer's crop, his barns, his stock. They were too dangerous not to investigate. When they left in the morning, Edward would make sure the ashes were cool, and bury them.

"Well, you're a virgin, so it's not like we can talk about sex without you freaking out," Heinkel said.

Swallowing down a shriek that would probably reverberate, heat climbed up Edward's chest, hitting his throat and merging with the fire that ignited the skin of his face. "I don't need to hear that kind of crap!"

The older men gave each other a look. "You're right: virgin," Darius said. Edward knew if they had money, they'd be exchanging it right now.

"What are you talking about!" Dammit, his ears even felt hot now.

"Your cute little mechanic," Heinkel said.

And that made him even hotter. "You leave Winry out of it!"

"Testy, isn't he?"

Heinkel nodded. "I think it's love."

"Shut up!" Edward showed his teeth at them, fury and embarrassment waging a war inside his body. "Go back to talking about food!" At least that wouldn't be too bad, even if he was hungry right now. A hell of a lot less embarrassing, at any rate.

"Ooo," Darius grinned back at Edward. "You're right, Heinkel. He doesn't normally react this way."

"Well, there were those dreams he had back at the surgeon's place."

Edward nearly swallowed his tongue. "What dreams!"

Heinkel gave him a bland look. "The dreams you had about your mechanic."

"Nice dreams," Darius said, lacing his fingers behind his head, leaning back and smiling in remembrance. "Really nice dreams."

"The surgeon said he knew you were healing when you had that wet drea- "

"I don't need to know about it!" Seriously, Edward knew he had to be red enough to self-combust. "Shut up!"

Darius laughed first, but Heinkel wasn't far behind him, both men snickering and heehawing, and Edward wanted to shove a fist in their faces. The only thing stopping him was, well, he wasn't sure what stopped him. "Just shut it!" he growled, throwing another branch on the fire. When they finally stopped laughing, Edward said, "My favorite food is apple pie." Oh, shit, did he actually just say that?

"Apple pie?" Heinkel seemed to be considering it.

"Yeah." Edward poked at the branch he'd just tossed into the flames with the toe of his boot.

Darius nodded, rubbing his chin. "That's pretty good for a favorite food. Did your mom make it for you, or something?"

"No, Mom didn't make pies." Edward shifted slightly. "I've had them before," he said. He thought of Winry, and the pie she'd made at the Hughes's house, and wished he'd offered more comfort to her than just eating her pie.