This is extremely AU and borrows from both the manga and the 2003 anime, as well as ancient Greek mythology. Beta'd by ketita. Based off my au_bingo card with the prompt "Fantasy & Supernatural: gods and goddesses." Beta'd by Ketita. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed! I appreciate the feedback, and it's always interesting to see what people guess is going to happen. ^^

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"I can't believe you convinced me of this," Mei muttered.

"It's not that big of a deal," Ed said, shifting awkwardly in the tight bus seat. It was just crowded enough that he and Mei were pressed side to side, not a bit of space between them. Ed could smell her perfume perfectly, what she'd eaten for breakfast, the detergent she used to clean her clothes. It was unnerving. Discreetly, he tried to scoot away, but the older woman sitting on his other side shot him an indignant look and stamped on his foot.

"It won't be if you don't cause any trouble," Mei corrected. "And I should let you know now that I am not very hopeful about that."

The bus took a right sharp right, running up on a curb, and Ed's head slammed against the window. He clenched his teeth and shot Mei an irritated look. "Next time, we're not riding the bus."

"Alphonse couldn't drive me today," Mei said glumly. "He had to work. I don't like the bus either."

"I don't see why he bothers working," Ed said, sulking. "It's not like he needs the money." They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, both with their arms crossed over their chests and identical looks of misery on their faces, until they realized they were getting along. Mei quickly sat straighter, sniffing haughtily and pushing Ed.

"Well, maybe you should get your own car," she said. "Alphonse shouldn't have to cater to your every whim!"

"Oh, that's rich, coming from you!"

"Midget!"

"Bean shrew!"

They spent the remainder of the ride seething, pointedly not looking at one another. By the time the screen at the front of the bus said STOP: CU Campus, Ed was grinding his teeth in irritation. Mei jumped up first, knocking him back on his ass when she started down the narrow aisle. Ed took a deep breath before standing up again and following her.

"Look," he said once they were both on the sidewalk, Central University's main campus looming impressively in front of them, "let's just stop."

"I do not know what it is you mean," Mei said, crossing her arms. "You stop!"

Ed could hear Al's voice like his brother was standing beside him, pleading with him to just be nice. "Sorry," he said, managing to sound at least somewhat sincere. Mei didn't look entirely convinced, so he stuck out his hand. "Let's just pretend we can get along for today."

Mei hesitated, but eventually took Ed's hand, giving it a single stiff shake before taking a quick step backwards. "Yes," she agreed. "Alphonse would like that." Bringing up Al was safe, the ultimate truce and the single thing Ed figured he and Mei had in common.

Think of Al, and even they could manage to be civil for a while.

The university was at the heart of the downtown area, comprised of a number of large buildings and parking lots. It was especially crowded in the mornings, much to Ed's irritation. He kept close to Mei as they pushed their way through the crowds, and it was all he could do not to lose sight of her.

Mei walked quickly, not bothering to slow her pace for Ed. Ed finally reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt, tugging until she stopped. "The fuck are you in such a hurry for?"

"I have class!" Mei pulled free, pointing in the direction of a building to their right. "And you are going there."

"There?"

"It's the library," Mei explained impatiently. "This," she pulled out a card, "is my ID. Take it and go there. Find what you need."

"What about you?" Ed asked, taking the card and eyeing it. "You gonna come find me?"

"I'll be in that building," she pointed to the left, "on the third floor. Come there when you are ready."

"I guess," Ed said dubiously. Mei left without another word, just a final look that held too much suspicion for Ed to be at ease. What did she think he was going to do, destroy the campus? Just because he'd messed up a few buildings in the old days, she assumed he was a fucking wrecking ball?

Huffing, Ed pushed his way through the people to the building Mei had directed him to, growing increasingly frustrated every time someone bumped into him or flat out rammed him because he didn't step aside quickly enough. It was all he could do not to curse and shout and cause some sort of havoc. People were—frustrating and stupid and so stuck in themselves that they couldn't tell there was something different about him. In the old days, the better days, people would notice, would stop and watch him walk by simply because some vague sixth sense in them took notice. He was a god, their god, and they just didn't get it.

By the time he made it to the sliding doors of the library, Ed conceded that maybe Mei did have a valid reason to worry about leaving him to his own devices—not that he'd ever admit it aloud.

Directly inside the sliding doors was an automated gateway. Ed stopped and stared in the doorway, the sliding doors twitching open and closed. What was he supposed to do?

"You're blocking the entrance!" A girl shoved him out of the way, shooting him a dirty look before striding up to the gateway and swiping her ID across a thin black strip on the top of it. The gate opened, and she walked through. Ed stared at the gate and felt Mei's ID card in his pocket. So, rub it on the top of the gate. He could do that.

At least the majority of the mob outside seemed to be avoiding the library, likely heading straight to classes. Ed didn't have to worry about being trampled by the slow trickle of stragglers left hovering just outside the door, standing with cigarettes lit and phones out. People, he thought with disgust, and stepped closer to the gate. He pulled out Mei's card and rubbed the side of it that didn't have her picture on the top of the gate. The gate, thankfully, opened, and Ed went cautiously through it. It was a damn good thing the public library wasn't like the university's library, because having to do that every time he walked in was way too much trouble.

Tucking the card back in his pocket, Ed stepped into the open room that made up the front of the library, study tables and reception desks spread throughout, and stopped.

"Huh," he said, looking around. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Central University's library looked like an alien world compared to the public library, and Ed was sorely tempted to just say fuck it and leave. But he had a reason for being there, and if he left, he'd be that much closer to handing Dante his title for good.

All he had to do was find some information on Tucker. The man had been a professor at the university only a few years prior. Surely there would be something about him. His confidence somewhat bolstered, Ed caught sight of what appeared to be a directory near the largest reception desk and made his way over.

"The hell," Ed muttered, staring at the call number he'd scribbled out on a random slip of paper before looking up at the rows of books—and up, and up. "The fuck sense does that make," he demanded, "putting books all the way up there? What kinda book shelf has eleven rows?"

Disgruntled, he stretched upward, waving his arm as high as he could reach and still not quite touching even the ninth row. There wasn't even a footstool set out. The university really didn't impress him. Ed slumped back down, coming off his toes to stand flat on his feet, and figured he'd have to get the damn book on his own.

He was on the third floor, and there didn't look to be any students nearby. Most were lingering around the study tables on the first floor, if anywhere. Peeking around the edge of the aisle, Ed decided he was secluded enough, and stooped down, pressing his hands together before placing them on the floor. The section he touched rose from the level of the rest of the ground to form a fixed platform settling about a foot and a half higher than the rest of it.

Ed hopped up on the platform and grabbed the book he needed. It was a damn good thing the library floors were cement and carpet. If there'd been wood, he might have actually had to ask someone to get the book for him, and that was just all different kinds of wrong.

The journal, National Review of Experimental Biology, was an apparently long-running academic journal in good standing within Central University. Ed had spent the first hour in the library digging through the card files for anything related to Tucker, and he'd finally found a mention of him as a co-author of an article dealing with medical biology. The other author was also member of the university's faculty, a Professor R. Mustang—or had been a professor at the time the article was published.

He'd come across a ton of call numbers for journals with articles published using Tucker and Mustang's research. Ed spent an hour strolling around the library, pulling them all off shelves and skimming through them, looking for anything that might help. Nothing did, of course. The only useful information Ed found was that Tucker had once upon a time worked very closely with the Professor R. Mustang. Shutting the final journal, Ed slid it back onto the shelf and scowled, feeling irritated with the world at large.

It was time to try a different venue, Ed thought.

On the first floor of the university's massive library were a number of computers, arranged into neat rows. Most of them were occupied when he got down there, though very few of the students looked to be doing any actual work. Walking behind the first row, most of them were looking at—well, needless to say, none of what he saw was academic in nature.

He could do this. He could do this. Ed sat down in the computer at the very end of the first row, staring at the screen. He typed the number from Mei's card into the box that requested the student ID, only to realize too late that he had no idea what her password was.

"Damn," he muttered, hand resting on the mouse. He couldn't just force his way onto the blasted thing with all the people around.

…or could he?

Ed stole a quick glance at the girl in the computer next to him. She had headphones on, her head bobbing in time with whatever she was listening to, her fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard. She didn't look like she was paying him any attention.

Turning his attention back to the computer, Ed frowned thoughtfully. He didn't—well, he didn't really understand the things. They were in his realm, of course, but he'd never taken to them like Al had.

Password, password… Ed finally gave up and reached out, giving the screen a tap. The screen went blank for a second, then blue, then a bunch of random numbers and symbols scrolled across the page before it settled back into the original screen, differing only in the message: LOGGING IN…

Well, that hadn't been too hard.

He'd used computers before, at Al's urging. Something about finally getting with the times, but Ed couldn't completely remember what to do. And he couldn't just force it, like he had the log in, because how could he force what he didn't understand? Ed stared at the umpteen icons spread across the desktop background and scowled. What the hell? Where he was supposed to look stuff up?

Having absolutely no idea what to do, Ed just started clicking the mouse angrily across the screen, managing to open seven different programs—none of which would be of any use to him. When he tried to shut them all down, the screen froze and went a weird static-y gray color before blinking and settling on a completely blue screen.

Next to him, the girl had taken out one of her earphones and made a low sympathetic noise. "You got a blue screen, huh?"

"I didn't fuckin' break it!" Ed snapped, hunching over to try to block the computer from her view. "Mind your own business!"

"Well, fuck you too," the girl snapped back as she stuffed the earphone back in place. Ed shook his head. People, he thought with disgust.

But regardless of what he thought about her, the girl appeared to be correct. No matter what he clicked or which button he pressed, Ed had no clue how to get the damn thing back to normal. He couldn't even figure it out to the point that he could just force it on his own! Frustrated, he finally gave up, kicking out of the computer chair and storming from the library.

What a waste. The only thing he'd managed to figure out was that Tucker used to be closely aligned with that other professor, that Mustang guy—but whether Mustang was even at the university anymore was something he didn't know. Mei, hopefully, would.

The issue there was how to find Mei. Ed stood just out the front of the library's sliding doors, staring at the building where he remembered Mei telling him her class was. She said that was where she'd be, the third floor, but shouldn't there be a little more information than that? It hadn't occurred to him at the time, but Ed wondered if she hadn't left him uninformed like that on purpose. He wouldn't put it past her.

But no, they'd had an agreement. Mei might be difficult, but in the two years since he'd met her, she'd never deliberately lied to him or tricked him. She wouldn't.

Ed felt for her ID card in his pocket and, having reassured himself that it was still there, walked across the courtyard to the building opposite the library. She was somewhere on the third floor, so Ed figured his best hope for finding her would be to get up there and wait until whatever class she was in let out.

To his great dismay, the stairs were blocked off for cleaning. Ed was tempted to say fuck it and use them anyway, but he wasn't even supposed to be at the campus, let alone wandering around the buildings with a borrowed ID. He gave in and took the elevator, jamming the big number three button and leaning against the wall as the metal box jumped and jolted and sped upward.

At the sound of a loud electronic beep, the elevator shuddered to a halt and the doors opened to the third floor. It was a lounge, chairs and three or so couches spread around the large square area which fed off into four different corridors—where the classrooms must have been, Ed figured. He had to strain his ears to hear anything, managing to catch a low murmur down one of the corridors.

Not fond of sitting on his hands and waiting, Ed followed the sound.

"…during the early third century. The king of Xerxes was believed to have struck up a deal with the god of the underworld in exchange for immortality…" The voice streamed from the open door of one of the classrooms. Ed found himself drawn to the words, though he had heard them often enough that it was almost as though he'd written them himself.

Not that he needed to write anything. He'd been there, after all.

He stood at the edge of the doorway and peered around the wall. A man was lecturing to the glass so enthusiastically that his glasses kept falling down the bridge of his nose. He kept pushing them up, but they never stayed. On the front row, the third seat from the door, Ed spotted Mei, hands cupping her chin, elbows propped on the desk, and eyes wide with interest.

"I'm sure most of you've heard this by now," the professor said, and the class broke into chuckles. Ed didn't understand the joke. "Does anyone think they can explain the god of the underworld's motivation? Why did he feel the need to destroy Xerxes?"

A hand shot up in the back of the room. "He was going to use them," a girl said. "He wanted to overpower the true god."

"That could be it," the professor said, and Ed rolled his eyes. Was this what Mei did all day? Sit around and listen to people guess about what happened? If she really wanted to know, why not ask the ex-god she slept with on a regular basis? "Some experts believe there was a human involved," the professor continued. "A woman who had mothered two divine children. Has anyone heard that theory?"

Ed froze, the sneer dropping off his face. He hadn't realized… The humans were blaming his mother, now? Anger roiled in his belly, and Ed felt the old urge to bring the building down on top of these people. What did they know? Who were they to talk about what happened? His mother was none of their fucking business—

One hand rose in the first row, obviously hesitant. Mei. "The, ah, underworld god," she began, "he did not approve of mixing with humans."

"And so he wanted to take control of the heavens and prevent that very thing," the professor finished. "Good, yes, that's the exact theory I was referring to." The man looked up at something in the back of the room and closed the book he'd been holding open. "And that's all the time for today, I think!" As the students began closing their books and standing, he added, "And don't forget the solstice party—that's this Friday. It's optional extra credit, but I happen to know of a few of you that need it." Again, his comment was greeted by a chorus of laughter. "Have a good one, guys."

Ed slumped against the wall outside the classroom, trying to calm his breathing and unclench his fists. It didn't matter. It was just a bunch of stupid people throwing around a bunch of stupid words. He didn't care—he shouldn't care.

As students left the classroom, talking and laughing and looking like they hadn't a care in the world, Ed waited. None of them paid him any mind.

Mei was the last to file out, the professor walking alongside her. They were in deep conversation about something or other until Mei noticed him and stopped. "Edward!"

"Hi," Ed said flatly. Mei frowned.

"Ah, is this your fiancée?" The professor frowned. "Funny… I remember him being taller."

"Who are you calling so—" Mei slapped a hand over Ed's mouth, silencing him with a sharp look.

"No, sir," she said. "This is my fiancée's brother."

"Ah, sorry about that!" The professor was grinning. He grabbed Ed's hand and shook it. "Maes Hughes, Professor Hughes," he introduced himself.

"Ed," was all the response the asshole was going to get. "C'mon, Mei. We're leaving."

Professor Hughes frowned, but didn't look too offended at the brush off. "Don't forget the solstice party," he reminded as Mei and Ed turned away. "You had Professor Mustang a few years back, didn't you? He's always a laugh at this."

Mei smiled. "I have heard about that tradition, though I am feeling somewhat sorry for Professor Mustang."

Every muscle in Ed's body froze, wound tight with a sudden and unexpected excitement. Mustang? Professor Mustang? The guy in all the articles? He'd be at this thing?

"Can I come?" he blurted before he could stop himself. Mei turned and looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

Professor Hughes adjusted his glasses, looking just as surprised. "You're interested in mythology?"

"Oh, yeah," Ed said, shooting Mei a look that said HELP ME. "Love it," he added. "Great stuff."

"Ah, Edward is the reason I became a major of mythology," Mei added, lying through her teeth. "He is very passionate, once he has relaxed to speak of it."

"Really?" The professor looked pleased. "It's always great to meet another enthusiast. My wife thinks I'm insane, actually, but my daughter's always been interested!" He stopped. "She's going to be brilliant, you know," the man continued, changing course out of nowhere. "Why, just yesterday—"

"Professor," Mei interrupted politely, "would it be acceptable for Edward to join us?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure," the man said distractedly, gaze unfocused. "Anyway, like I was saying, Elysia—"

"We have to be going, sir, sorry, appointment to attend to!" Mei blurted, grabbing Ed's arm and dragging him toward the elevator. "Move faster," she hissed at Ed. "He'll keep us here for hours!"

Ed didn't need to be told twice.

"What was that all about?" Mei asked once they were safely at the bus stop. "I did not think you would be interested in something involving—"

"I'm not," Ed interrupted, shifting closer to Mei. "I found something in the library."

Mei looked around before saying, "About Tucker, you mean? You have found something of use?"

"Mustang worked with him," Ed said. "A lot, actually. It's the same guy, isn't it? R. Mustang?"

"Oh! I did not even consider—" Mei put a hand over her mouth. "Professor Tucker was always Professor Mustang's lab instructor," she explained. "They had been working together for a long time, or so I have heard."

Ed nodded. "There's a chance Mustang might know something," he said. "Maybe he could tell me about where Tucker came from or—or how he died, or something."

"Do you think any of that will help you find him?" Mei asked. She looked skeptical.

"No idea. It might be useless, but at least it's something. Everywhere else I've checked has been a complete dead end." He was tired of being so frustrated. He had to find Tucker, no matter what, and if Mustang could help, could offer even the tiniest hint of a clue as to where Tucker may be, Ed would think speaking to him was worth it.

Roy couldn't get away from Maes, not for more than a few minutes. The man had the bizarre gift of always knowing where everyone was. "You ready for Friday?" he asked, grinning.

"Ready would not be the word I'd use," Roy said flatly. Go away, he wanted to say. I have papers to grade! Maes wouldn't have listened, though, so he wasn't about to waste his breath.

"Too bad. The group this year's pretty big! I've even had a student ask about bringing an interested friend."

"Really?" Roy's eyebrows crept up to his hairline. "And you agreed?"

"Sure," Maes said, shrugging. "The guy was interested, so why not? It's just for fun."

"It's a class exercise, not a frat party."

"You'd know all about those, wouldn't you?"

Roy scowled.

Maes disappeared from Roy's office doorway for just a moment, quickly reappearing with a chair. He kicked it up close to Roy's desk, knocking a crooked-looking stack of books over in the process, and sat down. "You have a tiny office," he said gravely.

"Feel free to stay out of it," Roy snapped. "Maes, I am working."

"Yeah, I can tell. How's the solitaire going, anyway?"

Roy quickly minimized the game on his computer screen. "Is there something you want?"

"To extend an invitation to dinner," Maes said. "Straight from the lips of my beautiful wife!"

"I really don't have the time," Roy said. He didn't, honestly, but he was tempted to say to hell with it and just go. He'd been eating instant noodles all week, having not had the time or energy to bother with shopping. His stomach was beginning to rebel.

"But you want to," Maes needled. "You really do."

"Yes, fine," Roy said, giving in. "Tell her I'll be there."

"Tonight," Maes prompted.

"Tonight. Now get the hell out of my office."

"Gladly!" Maes grinned, clapping a hand on Roy's shoulder. "See you at five!"

Roy watched him leave and then looked at the floor. Somehow, in the space of five minutes, Maes managed to turn Roy's office from mildly messy to a complete disaster. The chair he'd left behind had knocked over a stack of books, which had in turn knocked over a second stack, and everything was just spread across the floor—between the legs of the chairs, under his desk, and drifting toward the door.

"Wonderful," he grumbled, leaning down to grab some of the clutter. And now he had to clean his office, too, on top of needing to get about three weeks of grading taken care of. "This is not my idea of relaxing."

He grabbed one of the books, a textbook edition from over a decade before, and tried to move it aside, but instead, it slipped from his grip and went tumbling right back to the floor, pages falling open.

Roy stopped mid-grab and frowned. There was a paper sticking out of some of the back pages, a corner of it peeking out just enough for him to notice. Probably some of his old notes, he decided. He picked the text up again and pulled out the paper, eyes falling on a letter written in a hauntingly familiar scrawl.

Roy, the paper read. I've done it. Mark this date, because all of our research—

Mechanically, Roy folded the letter in half and shoved it back in the textbook, all the color drained from his face. The letter was signed by a Shou Tucker and dated nearly three years before.

Though the clock read only two o'clock, Roy pulled out his keys and locked his office. He needed a drink—or three.

Mei didn't know much else about Mustang, having never been very close to the man, but she'd promised Ed she would introduce them at the gathering. Ed had been too excited to sit still the rest of the day, and after, in a fit of overenthusiastic power, accidentally enlarging the downstairs bathroom so much it took over half of the kitchen, Mei had demanded he fix it—then she demanded he leave until he could control himself.

Since Ed was feeling more than a bit generous that day, he left at her request, deciding to spend the day lurking around the downtown area and reading newspapers in the Devil's Nest. It wasn't productive, but he at least managed to relax his emotions enough that he wasn't on the verge of accidentally destroying anything.

By the time he returned to the house, Al had long since gotten home from work. But it was nearing midnight, so he and Mei were already asleep. A little disappointed that he couldn't speak with his brother, Ed headed upstairs.

It all came down to Mustang. Ed sprawled out across the guest bed, mind humming with excitement. He was so close. If anyone knew about Tucker, it had to be that Mustang guy. He couldn't have worked with him for so many years without learning something useful about him. At this point, Ed would take any small tidbit of information. That his newfound relief was due mostly to Mei's help was slightly unsettling, but Ed figured—well, he figured there wasn't much point in worrying about what Mei did or didn't do, now. It wasn't like she was going to disappear anytime soon, and the deed was done. Al wasn't changing back.

Ed rolled onto his side and shut his eyes, fighting back a snarl. It still hurt to think about. He couldn't do a damn thing about it, so why bother thinking on it at all? "Fuck," he muttered into the pillow. Just think about something else—

The bedroom door swung open so hard the knob hit the wall with a loud clatter, startling Ed so bad he went tumbling off the side of the bed. By the time he'd jumped up, teeth barred and hands ready to strike, the only intruder in the room was Al, hair mussed from sleep and eyes wide open.

"Ed!" he said.

"Al," Ed replied. "What the fuck?"

"I had a dream!" Al said excitedly, and Ed cocked his head to the side, brow dipping down in confusion before he realized just what his brother was jabbering about.

"A dream, okay, that's great," Ed said. "I think."

"It's just so different!" Al sat down on the bed, obviously too excited to do anything but jiggle his legs off the side of the bed and stare at Ed with a strange and manic intensity. "I don't normally remember," the continued, "only sometimes. Which is odd! You'd think humans would remember them more, since they're always so strange, and they really are strange, it's no joke—"

"Al," Ed said, amused, "try and breathe first."

"Okay!" Al took a deep breath and immediately launched back into a rambling tale. "So I was in this garden, only it looked like the Stairs!"

"I thought you said it was a dream…"

"It was! It was so weird, though! So there was the garden—"

"That looked like the Stairs, yeah, I get that part."

"Right, okay," Al took another deep breath, and Ed rolled his eyes. "So I was standing there and trying to figure out which way to go, because it was getting dark."

"…I see."

"And I had this pear!"

"Why did you have a pear?" Ed shook his head. Dreams really were bizarre!

"Oh, I don't know," Al said. "Maybe it was a symbolic pear. I have a book about dreams that talks about symbolism, but I don't really understand it. It seems very odd."

"No kidding…"

"Anyway, so I had the pear. And I had to get the pear away because it was getting dark. I… Okay, so I actually don't know why the pear couldn't be in the dark, but that's what was happening."

"…."

"And then suddenly, you were there! And you… ate my pear, actually."

"I don't like pears, Al."

"I know, I know, but this was my dream. You ate the pear."

"And then what?"

Al made a strange face. "And then I woke up. It was just really strange, like that time we smoked those herbs back in Xerxes—you know."

Ed shuddered. "Strange is an understatement. That was terrifying."

"Yeah, it was," Al laughed, the humor bleeding from his smile. "I wonder why I never dreamed before I changed," he said, looking down at his lap. "It's just so different. Sometimes—it's just hard to keep up with, that's all," he finished lamely.

"Yeah," Ed said, a burn creeping into his eyes. "I bet it is."

"Well, I guess I'll go back to sleep." Al stood and scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry to scare you. I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"

"Nah," Ed said, waving off the apology. "I was just lying here, not doing shit. Same old."

"Yeah. Night, Ed."

"Night, Al," Ed said. When Al closed the door behind him, Ed laid back down, rolling onto his side and squeezing his eyes tightly shut. He couldn't imagine being human, having mortality hanging over his head, an unscheduled death sentence. Still, wouldn't it be nice to be able to sleep every day? For the body to simply demand rest and the mind to go along with it?

But no, Ed thought, opening his eyes and staring out the window. He wouldn't trade what he had, not for a thousand nights of sleep. It was just too bad Al hadn't felt the same.

Five o'clock came and went with a trip to the corner store and the decision to go home and stay there. At half past five, Roy turned off his cell phone and unplugged his landline just to stop the ringing. It was almost masochistic, really, Roy reflected. He needed a distraction. Instead, he was sitting in front of the television, staring at the screen like it wasn't off, and nursing his second beer.

You could call, he thought, Maes is going to show up if you don't. Chances were high that Roy's nosy friend would show up regardless. The question was whether or not Roy wanted him to.

At seven o'clock, Roy greeted the sound of his doorbell being mashed repeatedly with an inebriated snort. He stood on unsteady legs, accidentally kicking over one of the beer bottles, and answered the door.

"You never showed up." Maes' hands were in his pockets, and he was staring blank-faced at Roy.

"I wasn't feeling up to it," Roy said, and stood aside. If Maes wanted to come in, he wasn't going to stop him.

"You could have called," Maes said. "I was beginning to wonder—" He stepped across the threshold and passed by Roy and into the living room, looking askance at the bottles.

Roy shut the door. "Wonder what?"

"You're drinking," Maes said. Roy laughed.

"Are you going to scold me? I'm a grown man. I can drink if I'd like."

"How many white chips do you have now, anyway?" Maes asked.

"Not funny. I wanted a drink. That's it."

"I thought about bringing some leftovers," Maes continued as though Roy hadn't said a word. "Gracia made extra for you. But then I decided, no, he doesn't deserve them."

"I'm sure I'm missing out."

"You are!" Maes dropped on to the couch and reached down for the remaining bottle in the six-pack Roy had picked up on his way home. He twisted the top off and took a swig. "How was your day?"

"You're off the wall today, you know that?" Roy sat down next to him, letting his head fall back. "It was fine. Just a day."

"You were fine earlier."

"I'm still fine. I just didn't feel like bothering."

"Hm." Maes stared at him with an intensity that set Roy's teeth on edge. When he opened his mouth, Roy expected the worst. Instead, he got, "So what's on TV?" Wordlessly, Roy handed him the remote. It was, he supposed, the sign of a true friend. Maes never asked when Roy couldn't handle it.

Roy only hoped his old friend didn't stray from the familiar pattern.

Al barely remembered stumbling into Ed's room the night before, which Ed found hilarious. "You were muttering about a pear," Ed said gleefully. "You were terrified. Said I was going to eat your pear!"

"Ignore him, Alphonse," Mei said, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she took her seat at the table. "He is exaggerating! I heard you get up, and you did not sound the least bit frightened."

"But I did get up?" Al frowned. "You're sure?"

"You were laughing," Mei confirmed. Across the table, Ed smirked. Al rolled his eyes.

"I should know better than to believe you by now," he said ruefully, mashing his spoon around in his oatmeal. "You're terrible, brother."

"Oh! I had forgotten to ask," Mei glanced briefly at Ed. "Edward and I are going to an event tomorrow night."

"An event?" Al asked, midway to a bite of oatmeal. He put down the spoon. "Together?"

"An event," Mei confirmed. "It is of the greatest importance. It is also extra credit toward my final exam, but I do not think Edward is concerned with that."

"Task stuff," Ed said when Al looked at him. "I found something at the university yesterday. You were asleep by the time I got back."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Al muttered. "Sounds like you had a busy day yesterday. What did you find?"

"A guy who worked with Tucker real close—he still works at the university."

"He is a good friend of Professor Hughes—you remember the professor, yes?—and he will be in attendance at the gathering," Mei explained. "Professor Mustang is always there. It has become a running joke with the different classes that come through."

Al looked confused. "Why is it a joke?"

"Because Professor Mustang does not like mythology," Mei laughed. "He is very much the scientist."

"Er—sounds… hilarious," Al offered. "So you think this guy can help?"

"There's no telling." Ed shrugged. "But it's better than the nothing I've gotten everywhere else. I figured I'd give Mustang a try before I went anywhere else."

"Where are you planning on looking next?"

"Hell if I know," Ed muttered.

"Great plan." Al nodded. "Very solid."

"Oh, fuck you—"

"Edward," Mei snapped. "Not in my hearing, please!" She huffed, and turned back to Al. "As I was saying—" Ed made a face at the back of her head, and Al flicked a spoonful of oatmeal at him. "Would you like to come?"

Al froze right in the middle of aiming a second spoonful—much to Ed's relief. "Come to what?"

"The solstice party," Mei said. "Edward is coming, so I thought you might like to as well."

"Oh, ah, sure," Al said. "It might be fun."

"It'll be a sham," Ed warned. "These people have no idea what they're doing!"

"Here he goes," Al muttered. Mei have him a sympathetic look.

"They go on and on, with their—their boxed wine and holly leaf crowns, and they make me sick! It's a complete mockery of the solstice, and I'll have you know—"

"Ed, we haven't even gone to the party yet, and you're already trashing it?" Al laughed. "Not every person on the planet is a thoughtless waste of space, you know."

"Just the vast majority," Ed corrected.

"Why do I even bother?"

"Beats me," Ed said. "You've always been too optimistic."

"Optimistic, is that what you're calling it now—"

"I have to go to class now," Mei cut in. "Would you drive me, Alphonse?" Ed rolled his eyes. She asked like he didn't drive her every day he could!

"Yeah, no problem," Al said cheerily. "Later, Ed!"

"Later," Ed said, and stared down at his lukewarm bowl of oatmeal. He had a day and a half to waste before he could talk to Mustang. What the hell was he supposed to do until then?

Being old didn't change a damn thing. He wasn't any more patient now than he had been back in the days of Xerxes.

Maes had left Roy's place Thursday morning with the promise—Roy thought of it more as a threat—to pick him up at three on Friday.

"But the damn thing doesn't start until seven!" Roy had said.

"Someone has to set up," was all the answer Maes had given before driving off.

Roy decided he hated the solstice party almost as much as he hated traffic lights.

He didn't even have any afternoon classes on Friday. Just a lab at eight in the morning and a lecture at half past ten, then he was free for the day. Free to sit at home and think about how he absolutely did not want to go to Maes' damn gathering. He never did, actually, but the man always convinced him to go. Last year, Roy hadn't even realized he'd been coming over for the party. He'd just thought it was dinner.

Hadn't that been a shock.

He'd gone through Thursday feeling sluggish from the beer, thankful he hadn't gotten anything harsher. By Friday, he was wishing he had a bottle of something lying around, if only to make the night bearable.

"You look snazzy," Maes said as Roy climbed into the car.

Roy adjusted his tie irritably, not bothering to look at his friend. "If I'm to be in public, I prefer to be presentable," he drawled.

"Then it's a good thing you pull off the intoxicated look so well!"

"Just drive, Maes."

By the time they got to Maes' house, Roy was gnawing on the inside of his cheek from sheer irritation. Maes kept looking over at him like he wanted to say something and was barely restraining himself.

"I bought gin," Maes offered as they stepped carefully up the walkway, arms full of party favors and decorations—things he'd gotten before stopping off to get Roy.

"That's always nice," Roy conceded.

The front door opened before they could even get to the steps. "Hello, boys," Gracia greeted, reaching out take some of Roy's load. "Just leave everything in the kitchen. Elysia," she said with obvious excitement, "is helping with the cooking."

"My darling," Maes trilled, nearly dropping everything and knocking Roy over in the process of scampering into the house. "She's so talented!" He left Roy standing on the front step with Gracia, both of them rolling their eyes at each other and grinning.

"I wonder if he'll get over that by the time she starts dating."

"He'll probably just go buy a gun," Gracia said. "Come on, get inside! I missed you the other night."

Roy felt a sudden sting of guilt. It was easy to ignore Maes. Gracia, not so much. "Sorry about that. Something—came up."

"I'm sure it did." Gracia gave him a look that said I am not fooled by that for even a second.

"I'll make it up to you," Roy said as she pushed him into the house.

"That would be lovely, Roy," Gracia said, smiling like an angel. "You can start by hanging the holly on the back patio."

Or maybe not so much an angel.

"I'll get right on that," Roy mumbled, taking the strings of fake leaves as she handed them to him.

He'd never actively helped set up for one of Maes' student gatherings before, despite having attended so many. By the time the house was decorated and Maes was making all the last minute preparations—wearing a toga, no less—Roy was feeling pretty certain that it wasn't an experience he never needed to repeat.

The first student to arrive was a young man wearing an oxford shirt, the buttons done all the way up to his neck. The word uptight came to mind. Elysia greeted the student in the way only a five year old could. The young man stooped awkwardly to take her hand in a hesitant shake. Behind them, Maes watched on with pride, in all his barely-clothed, toga-wearing glory.

Roy decided that perhaps it was time to break into the liquor.

He started slow, wary once more students began showing. Maes hadn't been joking. The group was much larger than it had been in recent years, with nearly twenty-eight students packing into the Hughes' residence in the first half hour. Roy tried to stick close to the food table and pretend he was somewhere else.

He might have been successful, too, if it hadn't been for the sudden feeling that someone was violating his personal space. Scowling, Roy turned around, and the first thing his mind processed was a familiar gold.

Standing next to the snack table, a half-eaten kabob in hand, Roy's very own act of charity grinned up at him. "Roy," he said.

Roy scrambled for the young man's name. "Ed?" Ed, that was right, his name was Ed. But surely the young man wasn't a student of Maes'? He'd given his friend an accurate description. Maes would have recognized him.

"Roy Mustang," Ed said.

"Yes?" Roy felt himself blinking rapidly. What the hell?

"Professor Roy Mustang," Ed said finally, like he'd solved some great puzzle. Roy felt the last of his patience snap.

"Yes, that would be me," Roy snapped. "I would appreciate it if you'd stop saying my name. I'm well aware of it, thank you." He was beginning to regret not having drunk more while he'd had the chance.

Ed didn't seem put off by his irritation at all. "Well, Professor," the young man said, gold eyes gleaming, "ever thought much about fate?"

Roy was definitely, definitely regretting not drinking more.