The night began well enough, with Al, Ed and Roy helping set the table. Gracia smiled at them appreciatively and finished serving dinner. Ed chomped down on the quiche (oh, Gracia knew how to cook!) and hummed happily.

"I could die now and be forever happy."

"Brother," Al's voice was disapproving, "Don't say such horrible things."

"I didn't say anything!"

Al's eyes narrowed vindictively. "You meant that you can't stand Winry's cooking. You insulted her intentionally because you're mad at me!"

Ed's hands slammed down on the table. "I did not!"

"Oh don't give me that! Stop being petty!"

"Petty?" Edward seethed.

"I'll show you petty when I tear your – your head off and stuff it up you –"

"Go ahead!" Al snapped back. "I dare you to continue that sentence!"

"I would if-if!"

"You can't even get a word out without swearing! You claim to be so intelligent but look – you can't say a sentence without a swear!"

"I damn well can!"

"Oh yeah? What was that then?"

Ed's face turned bright red and he hissed, "I can! See! No swears!"

"Doesn't count – that's not a sentence!"

Ed's hand seemed to be ready to break the table in half, and Elysia was starting to look upset at the commotion.

"You're going to make a little girl cry!"

"You started it Al!"

This time it was Al who slammed his hands on the table.

Eyes blazing they stared each other down.

Ed took the offensive and swung at Al. Al staggered back in surprise but he reciprocated and lunged at Ed. Ed leaped across the table, taking Al to the ground.

"I'll kill you!"

The boys scrabbled on the floor, Gracia stood by horrified.

The insults and the shouts from both boys nearly broke her heart. She hated to see them fighting so; but something was wrong between them. They were hurting for some unknown reason. She had a feeling it was that Edward was hurting – that he felt abandoned left out, that after everything Al loved Winry more than him. She however had never seen two brothers more devoted to each other.

Before she could step in, she saw Roy pulling Ed off Al forcefully. While he was doing this, she ushered Elysia to her room and returned to see Roy holding Edward who was still snarling back.

"What happened?" she asked softly. "You two never fight!"

Ed's chest was heaving and he had scratches on his face, no doubt from Alphonse's nails.

Al looked at her. "I don't know. He's been like this for days. I thought it was just jealousy. I thought he was mad that Winry and I were seeing each other."

Ed almost managed to extricate himself from Mustang's clutches but without the automail arm Ed didn't have nearly as much leverage and the man hung on.

"You lied. You avoid the topic of alchemy. Are you scared I'm some fragile kid? I'm not! I'm grown up now, Alphonse! I may not be able to perform alchemy, but I'm still an alchemist!"

Al ground his teeth. "You're the one who was avoiding it! You couldn't even look at me for a while!"

Ed bared his teeth in a feral snarl. "Couldn't look at you? I was so overjoyed that every time I even glanced at you I nearly cried."

Gracia swore she could see tears prickling at the corners of Edward's eyes. He sniffled. He was. Gracia was shocked. She'd never seen him cry. Edward always presented a strong front, when he was younger it was less apparent. Gracia glanced at Roy. She could guess where Edward had gained some of his stoicism from.

Apparently Roy deemed the young man fit to let go because he stepped back and let the arms that had been caging Edward drop. Ed sucked in a breath.

"Alphonse. I love you, I really do. But…but sometimes I don't understand Winry. Or why you like her. Or maybe I do. I just…"

"Brother," Al said now that he'd calmed down. "You really need to get laid."

Mustang made a noise that sounded like a cross between a snort and a laugh that was aborted.

Gracia's mouth twitched.

"Shut up!" Edward shrieked incandescent with rage again.

Al couldn't resist egging him on. "Bipolar much?"

Ed's face turned even redder. This time Gracia laughed out loud. "You boys are so close that I'm surprised you haven't argued more often."

"You should see us when we have tons of space to spar!" Alphonse said with excitement. Ed gave him a baleful glare. "Brother is jealous because I beat him as often as we tie these days."

Ed snorted and looked away. "Sorry, sorry for the way we acted."

Gracia simply smiled. "You feel better now, right?"

Both boys reluctantly nodded. Then Al swept his brother up in a crushing hug. Gracia couldn't hear what they said, but they must have agreed on something because they separated with grins on their faces. Or, until Al said, "Well, I'm surprised you reached me across the table, you are after all, still short."

It was a magnificent explosion Gracia thought.

Ed yawned into his coffee mug and stared over the rim bleary eyed at his former commanding officer. "Why'd you spend the night anyways?"

"I didn't feel like walking home at that hour. I was tired after…" his voice dropped an octave and turned silky, "restraining you."

Mustang felt a smug satisfaction as an embarrassed blush crept up the young man's face. He watched as Ed sucked down the coffee as if it were going to save him from further embarrassment.

Al entered the kitchen rubbing his eyes sleepily and peered into the kitchen. "Food?"

Ed grumbled and shrugged. Al gave his brother a long suffering sigh before rummaging through the ice box. He pulled out eggs and got to work. He toasted several pieces of bread and placed it under his brother's face.

Yawning, Roy covered his mouth. He propped his elbow on the table and leaned his cheek into his hand.

It was a strangely domestic scene to watch as Ed perked up and nibbled on the toast and poked at the eggs. Al snorted and said, "They won't bite."

Ed promptly stabbed him with a fork. The stabbing war continued until Gracia walked into the kitchen and gave them a look. The brothers subsided, finished their breakfast and cleaned up in relative quiet.

Roy hummed around his third cup of coffee as he watched Edward stand and stretch. For a moment he was surprised. He'd forgotten how much Edward had grown up.

He rested his hand on Ed's shoulder for a moment, causing the younger man to jerk in surprise. Roy resisted grinning. "Why don't you come to the office with me? I know –" his voice became amused, "that my men would like to see you."

He watched as the young men lit up all over.

"I'm sure Breda will delight in filling you in on the recent shenanigans he and Havoc were up to last week."

Apparently Edward didn't need any more convincing as he nearly took the door off its hinges on his way out.

Shaking his head, Roy followed the impetuous young man out.