Chapter five

His Bad Too

Getting out from his car Roy shut the door behind him with a soft push. Tightening his jacket around him he headed towards the cafeteria.

It was starting to get slightly colder with each passing day, even if this year's autumn was surprisingly warm. It was almost November and as every year around this time, Roy had to be extra careful about his health since, as ridiculous as it was, he was highly germ sensitive…

Going inside and looking around for a free table, Roy sat by the window.

"Hey Roy Boy!" Ed said, smiling brightly at the brunet. Walking over to his table, he sat in front of him. "What are you doing here so early, I have another hour or so to go."

It was over a month and a half since Roy moved into Ed's and Al's apartment and it was safe to say that the two did almost everything together. One of these things included picking Ed up from his work or classes; All for the book's sake of course.

"I'm meeting with someone." Roy said, taking off his third sweater.

"Do you want me to hold onto that…?" Ed asked, looking at Roy's jacket, three sweaters, two scarves and gloves. "You're wearing a lot of clothes…"

"I don't want to catch a cold." Roy said with a serious expression. "Can you get me the usual?" He asked and Ed looked at him closely.

"Is everything alright?" Ed asked. No smirks, no jokes about his height and no irony whatsoever. Even though Roy didn't seem stressed, the blond couldn't help but wonder at his friends' behavior, he seemed so…dead serious.

"Huh? Oh, yes of course." Roy said, his voice holding confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason…" Ed really didn't know why he asked, so he opted to change the subject before things took an uncomfortable turn. Besides, Ed wanted to see who Roy's guest was. "I'll get you your mocha and get back to work before fire me."

"Yeah." Roy said looking out the window.

Slightly confused and just a little worried, Ed went back to the counter.

Getting Roy's drink ready, Ed observed the man. What could possibly make him so…off? Sure he hadn't known him that long but not even once has he seen Roy like that.

Taking another order, Ed looked up from the counter to take a glance at the door which just opened. And as soon as he looked at the entering person, he could swear that was the most disturbing man he had ever seen in his entire life.

He was big - way over 6 feet tall and very well built; but the disturbing part was his face. It was serious, it was scary but most of all –scarred all over. Plus he lacked one eye.

And of course, he had to sit with Roy.

Ed mentally rolled his eyes. Of course.

Grabbing Roy's mocha Ed decided to approach the two, because even though the man gave him the creeps, Ed didn't want to seem rude.

"White chocolate mocha." Ed said, placing it on the table. Roy looked at him for a second, with emotions in his eyes Ed couldn't really grasp. "Can I get you something, Sir?" Ed asked, looking at the other man.

"No." The man said, without even looking at Ed. Turning around Edward went back to minding his own business. On the second thought he needed to reconsider his efforts at 'nice'.

So for the next hour Ed served the clients, cleaned the tables and got ready to leave while every now and then sneaking a glance at the two. They were talking calmly, their voices low and Ed briefly wondered if they moved an inch during this whole time. By the end Roy's guest gave him something that looked like a file full of papers and left the cafeteria without another word.

Sitting there for another minute or two Roy grabbed a file and looked at Ed, already waiting for him, ready to leave.

Sighing, Roy flashed the blond a small smile. And Ed didn't waste a second to smile back.

"Are you done yet?" Roy asked, again, and Ed shot him a look.

"No." The blond said, going back to his assignment. Roy looked at the TV.

"How about now?" He asked, looking back at Ed hopefully.

"…No." Ed answered, trying to concentrate.

"…How come you don't take me out anymore?" Roy whined after five minutes of silence.

"I will Roy, as soon as I get that finished." Ed said with surprising patience. "And I'll finish it faster if you STOP BOTHERING ME EVERY FIVE SECONDS!" Ed yelled, letting his frustration out and Roy pouted.

Al had to raise his eyebrow at the scene. Ignoring the fact that both of them sounded like an old married couple and deciding to not comment on that, he sat on the couch with a cup of coffee.

"So what are you guys doing anyway?" Al asked, once again ignoring the fact that since Roy moved in it never was 'just Ed' anymore, it always was both of them, 'Roy and Ed'.

"We haven't exactly covered that yet…" Roy said after thinking for a minute.

Al nodded. Right. They will probably stay home, watch movies and generally act like a couple without even realizing they actually are one…

"Oh wait." Al said, thinking about something. "I'm meeting here with Winry first but at 10 pm, there's this festival on the beach we wanted to go to. Maybe you two can join us?" After all they could act like a couple without realizing it on the beach as well, Al added mentally.

"What do you say Edward?" Roy asked, looking at the blond and thinking about the idea.

"Yeah sure whatever." Ed said, without praying his eyes away from the assignment.

"We'll go then." Roy said, looking back at Al, who couldn't help but roll his eyes. Mentally. "Oh and Al?" Roy added.

"Yeah?" The blond asked.

"Wouldn't you rather take Winry to my apartment and be with her all alone?" Roy asked, smirking at Ed's sibling.

"Seriously?" Al asked, more than a little surprised at the proposition.

"Yeah, sure." Roy said, taking keys from his pocket and throwing them to Al. "Go, enjoy your youth! Just spare the couch…" He added and within a matter of seconds Al was gone.

"Wow." Ed said, looking up from the papers and chewing on his pencil. "What'd ya get rid of Al for?"

"Why, I obviously wanted to spend some time with you!" Roy said and Ed looked at him skeptically. "Or I just wanted to lie down on the couch; this armchair is too damn small."

"R i g h t…" Ed said. "Normal people would have asked but…yeah, I totally get your motives…" He added, getting up. "I'm done anyway, are we watching something?"

"Yeah, we still have three hours to go anyway." Roy said, lying comfortably on the couch. Or rather as comfortably as it was possible, considering that Ed already lay next to him.

"Three hours to what?" Ed asked, looking confused at the brunet. Roy just shook his head.

"Roy?" Ed asked.

"Yeah?" Roy answered.

"I'm afraid I don't get that movie." Ed said, looking at the TV.

"Well, neither do I." Roy answered, playing with blonds' hair. They were both lying flat on the couch watching the movie, Roy on his back and Ed on his side with his head on Roy's chest.

Falling silent for a few minutes, Ed moved his head up and looked at Roy. He observed him quietly, briefly noticing Roy's hand in his hair. And on his waist.

"Just ask." Roy said, smiling slightly and glancing at the small blond. "I know you want to…"

"I have only three questions…" Ed started slowly. "WHO was that man, WHAT did he want and WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE ME AFTER EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH?" Ed yelled, sitting up on the bed.

Roy blinked at the blond. And then he laughed.

"Come back here." He said, grabbing Ed around his waist and pulling him down. Still fuming Ed lay down. After all it was pretty comfortable…

"So who was that…?" Ed asked, his voice sulky. Putting his hand in Ed's hair once again, Roy looked at the ceiling.

"It was General Bradley." Roy said and Ed looked up.

"General? What did he want? You're not in the Army anymore, right?"

"No, I'm not." Roy said, moving his fingers through blonds' hair. "I retired six years ago." Ed blinked.

"You're 32 right?" Ed asked and Roy nodded. "Why would you retire when you were 26 years old?"

"I…" Roy started. "What was the other question? What did he want? Well, he wanted—"

"Oi!" Ed said, hitting Roy with his elbow. "Although we'll go back to that question later!"

Roy looked down at the blond, he put a few strands of his hair behind his ear.

"How did you lose your leg?" Roy asked gently and Ed shot him a bitter look. Understanding that Roy won't tell him anything at least he shared as well, the blond turned his head away from Roy's eyes and took a deep sigh.

"When I was eleven years old, Al and I were driving with our mother to the city. We lived in the country side, back then." Ed started and Roy moved his hand from blonds' hair to his back, trailing on them small circles with his fingers. "It was dark, raining and our mother was tired. We had an accident."

Roy looked at the blond. He was staring at the wall with a blank expression. Lifting his other hand, the brunet moved Ed's fringe away from his eyes.

"I lost a leg, my right arm was smashed. Al's wounds were so extensive he remained in coma for few months. And our mother…well, she didn't make it." Ed finished and Roy observed his face closely. He wondered what feeling it was, to wake up one day and be completely alone.

"What about your father?" Roy asked and Ed hissed.

"The bastard walked out on us when I was about two years old. He didn't even show up to mom's funeral." The blond said, his face revealing a mixture of anger and disappointment.

Looking at Ed, Roy placed his fingers on boy's chin and lifted his head up.

"This face doesn't suite you, shrimpy." Roy said, smirking at the blond. Looking into Roy's eyes, Ed stuck his tongue out. "Now that's better."

Rolling his eyes, Ed got up from the brunet. Lying on his side next to him, he propped his head on his hand.

"So why did you retire so early?" Edward asked, still looking straight into Roy's eyes. Rolling to his side as well, the writer returned the look.

"When I was in the army we went on many different missions in the Middle East, all around Asia, and Africa." Roy started. "I told you I was a sniper, for the most of the time. Well, for the rest I… let's say I helped with collecting intelligence."

Ed wondered for a moment. It was a really nice way to put...

"During one…" Roy stopped to look for an appropriate word.

"Interrogation." Ed finished for him and Roy smacked himself mentally for his naivety.

"During one interrogation something went really wrong and my unit and I were attacked." Roy said, wincing at the memory. "Let's just sum up with the fact that during the attack I went…blind."

Ed gaped at the dark haired man. He didn't exactly see that coming.

"But you see now, don't you…?" Ed asked, actually considering the fact that all this time Roy was blind. The brunet rolled his eyes.

"No Edward, I imagined your shortness…" Roy said with deep sarcasm and Ed fumed instantly.

"I would be pissed right now but- …but I want to know what happened." Ed said, calming down and Roy laughed briefly.

"What happened is that the blindness wasn't permanent… although they didn't know that back then. And since the interrogation wasn't exactly… official, I took the opportunity to retire in exchange for not mentioning what exactly happened to superiors." Roy said, finishing his story.

"You're a sneaky man, Roy Mustang!" Ed said jokingly.

"I didn't exactly look up to going back." Roy said, his voice trailing off.

"Then why are you helping him?" Ed asked.

"I help him because it means helping my friends that stayed in the army." Roy said, his face serious and Ed understood. All those people from the picture in his bedroom. He couldn't help but wonder in how many more different ways brunet's life was complicated.

"So does that mean you're…?" Ed started, even though he wasn't really sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Roy shook his head and Ed smiled automatically.

"I'm so relieved I could kiss you right now!" The blond proclaimed, grinning at Roy.

"Why won't you?" Roy asked straight away with seriousness.

Ed blinked. What?

Lifting his hand, Roy put his fingers in blonds' hair once again.

"Why won't you…" Roy asked once again and Ed was more than sure that the brunet wasn't actually asking him. He was asking himself.

Why wouldn't he? Ed asked himself this time. Why?

Leaning forward Ed grabbed Roy's hand and squeezed it lightly.

Roy never imagined that being intimate with Edward would be so….painful.

"Don't ever screw with me like that again!" Ed screamed, jumping out of the bed and running out from the apartment.

Roy however still lay in bed, holding tightly his freshly kicked leg and wondering how come he was being punished for something he didn't even do…

"What the hell am I doing?" Ed yelled, going back inside and standing near the couch. "It's my apartment!"

Roy had to agree with that.

Looking angrily at the brunet for a few more seconds Ed took a deep breath and sat on the bed heavily.

"I get it." Ed started, looking at his hands. "I interest you in some way and you obviously interest me but…" Ed looked at Roy, who now also sat on the couch. "Let's not ruin this thing we have, whatever it is, just because someone needs to get laid."

Roy stayed quiet for a moment, gears turning in his head.

"Are you saying you won't kick my hooker out?" The brunet asked, his face hopeful.

Ed shot him a look, before grabbing a pillow from the armchair and throwing it at Roy.

"You're so retarded!" Edward said, trying to sound angry. He failed though, and as Roy noted, he seemed almost…sad.

Getting up and turning away from the older man, Ed bit his lip for a brief second.

"So are we going to this festival or what?" He asked, and Roy came to conclusion that the blond was a very poor actor.

Not that much time later Roy sat at the table in a bar by the beach. Next to him still grumpy Ed, even though he tried to hide it as well as he could.

"So how is your book going?" Winry asked, taking a sip of her beer. Turning his gaze away from Edward, Roy looked at Al's girlfriend.

"Oh, I haven't started writing it yet." Roy said, drinking his beer as well. "I need to have peace and quiet to do that."

"Are you saying I'm loud?" Ed screamed and Roy raised his eyebrow at him.

"That kind of proved his point…" Al said, taking a bite of his hot dog. Ed looked at Al with horrified expression as if saying 'even you brother, even YOU!'

"Oh I totally get it." Winry continued. "When I work I need to have an absolute silence as well." She said and Roy nodded in comprehension. As he found out Winry was a mechanic. Together with her team they were working on prosthetic limbs, automail, exactly like the one Ed was having. And that, of course explained why Ed even had one. Because even though Roy saw a bunch of them in the army, they weren't that popular around regular people.

"I know something about that…" Al added and the rest of them laughed briefly.

"So, can you at least tell us what is this going to be about?" Winry asked, going back to talking about the book.

"I'm sorry." Roy said, smiling slightly. As it turned out, Winry was a big fan just like her boyfriend. "I'm afraid my editor would kill me."

"You have an editor…?" Ed asked, thinking about it for a moment. "How come I never heard about him?"

"You never asked." Roy said, smirking at the blond. "And it's not a 'he'; it's a 'she'."

Ed made a shocked face at the writer.

"You are a shameless womanizer!" The blond said, and Roy chuckled.

"Actually Ed, I hate her." The brunet said, still smiling serenely. Ed raised his eyebrow.

"Wow that must be a first…" The blond said, and Roy nodded.

"Oh guys!" Winry started, remembering about something. "Can we go to the beach? It's almost midnight and there are going to be fireworks!"

"Sure Winry." Al said and the four of them got up and headed out of the bar.

Going along the beach, they looked for the place to sit. Finally deciding on a spot right by the ocean and away from most of the people, they sat on the sand.

Lying down with his hands under his head, Ed looked at the dark sky. Sitting right next to him with his legs stretched out, Roy also looked up.

"Hey Roy?" Ed said, his voice low and eyes focused on the stars.

"Yeah?" The brunet asked, glancing at his companion. He hadn't seen Ed so peaceful since… well, he never seen him like that.

"If you could have one thing in the world what would that be?" Edward asked and Roy blinked at the question.

"Why the question?" Roy asked, observing the blonds' face.

"Well I just figured, since you're rich…and good looking, what could you possibly want?" Ed asked, turning his head away from the sky and looking into Roy's black eyes.

"Heh. You think having money and looks is everything?" The brunet asked, even though he knew the answer.

"No, it's just what most people would have thought of in the first place." Ed said, sitting back up and shaking down the sand from his shirt.

"Well, if I could have anything in the world I'd ask for…" Roy stopped, thinking for a moment. Then he remembered the reason why this whole adventure with the blond even started. "A hobby."

Ed shot him a strange look.

"Seriously?" The blond asked, shivering slightly. "A hobby?"

"Yeah." Roy said, smiling at his companion. Then he noticed the shivering. "Cold?"

"What? No, I'm fine." Ed said and shivered a second later. "Well, maybe a little." He admitted and Roy shook his head at the blond. Unzipping his jacket he took it off and dropped on Edward's shoulders.

"Here" Roy said and Ed looked at him slightly shocked.

"Won't you get sick or something?" The blond asked, concerned but grateful at the same time.

"Nah, I have three more shirts on me." Roy answered. "…Five." He added and started to laugh. Ed laughed as well.

And as they sat there arm to arm, laughing and watching the fireworks over the ocean, Roy realized he already had what he was wishing for.

Grabbing the blond by his arm and pulling him closer, Roy leaned forward capturing Ed's lips in a delicate kiss. After a moment, he pulled back and stared at Ed softly.

"How could you think it was ever about getting laid?" Roy said pulling back and smiling down at a very shocked Edward. "Speechless? Yes? Okay." He asked, moving a few strands of hair from Ed's eyes.

"Hey guys, look at the sky! It's awesome!" Winry exclaimed enthusiastically, turning around to look at the two briefly. She and Al were sitting in front of them, enjoying the show.

"Still?" The brunet asked, turning his gaze away from the sky and looking at Edward. "Well, maybe that will help…" He said, getting up, lifting Ed in his arms and heading to the ocean. "Nice long bath under the moon…"

"What…WHAT?" Ed yelled finally waking up and realizing what was happening. "LET ME GO YOU PERVERT! LET ME GO!" Ed screamed, squirming and trying to escape Roy's ridiculously strong arms.

Seeing the scene Al laughed, Winry laughed and Roy… well, he laughed as well.

"Hey Al?" Ed asked, entering his brother's bedroom. They came back around an hour ago and the minute they passed the doorstep Roy fell on bed and went to sleep.

"What is it Ed?" Al asked, looking up from the book he was reading.

"You know those books you have that Roy wrote?" He asked, drying his hair with a towel after the bath in the ocean. Al nodded.

"Can I borrow them?"

End Chapter 5