Part III
East City's train station is always a mess of travelers rushing to catch their trains and people waiting for trains to arrive, be it because they need to board them or they are there to pick someone up.
Roy is part of this latest group.
Edward will be here in a matter of minutes if there are no delays. He will only stay at East for a few days before heading down to Resembool to visit the Rockbells, but he will be back right on time to head to Central City with Rou and his team. It's a fortunate coincidence that Roy was given his promotion shortly before Edward stated his wish to return to Amestris. Roy has put off the transfer for weeks under the premise+ of ensuring Eastern Command is left in good hands, and Grumman has pretended to believe it.
Finally, the train from the Cretan border pass+ arrives. Roy raises his head to look in that direction, but he doesn't move because he agreed to met Edward next to Edward's preferred food dispenser+.
Roy arranges his shirt cuffs, honest enough with himself to admit that he is nervous. He gets along quite well with Edward through letters, and their phone calls are easy and engaging. However, letters and the phone remove many factors of a face to face interaction, and Roy can't help but remember that in the past most of his face to face interactions have gone poorly.
He shakes his head. Edward is no longer a teenager, Roy isn't his superior officer who needs to act like an asshole and put on masks around him, and they have spent nearly two years getting to truly know each other and discovering that they have much more in common that either of them ever bothered to find out before.
Roy's eyes scan the crowd, but he doesn't spot Edward immediately. He has to wait until most of the passengers have left the platform before he sees the familiar blonde head with its trademark antenna walking behind two boisterous children. Edward is looking around, and Roy waves his hand when golden eyes pass over the area he's at. Edward's eyes widen, and he pretty much pushes his way through the people separating them. He uses his luggage as a means to open a path, and for the first time since Roy can remember Edward Elric is carrying two suitcases instead of one.
"No uniform?" Edward asks as soon as he's in hearing range. "I was expecting you to show up with your new stars."
"I'm trying to maintain some privacy here, Edward." Roy pushes away from the wall and very deliberately leaves his hands by his sides.
"You? Privacy?" Edward asks, but his voice is a teasing one Roy has become familiar with.
"Of course. We don't want to appear on the newspaper the first day you're back, do we?"
Roy raises his hands, just slightly, in an invitation. It's odd, they've had some conversations on this matter, but they have had no physical contact since Roy saw Edward off+ at this same station almost two years ago.
Edward unceremoniously drops his suitcases, takes two steps forward and wraps his arms around Roy tightly.
"I missed your stupidly pretty face," he mutters into Roy's neck.
"I missed yours, too," Roy replies, wrapping his own arms around Edward's torso.
"You owe me food."