I am terribly sorry for taking so long with this update. I think the universe has something against this story because my beta's (You should all thank xIcyChanx for still making my crappy english readable for you!) computer had a breakdown and I am sick. Anyway, here is the chapter, I'll go back to worshipping the porcelain god now -.-

And as always: Thank you for the reviews :)

Chapter 17

A room

It was clear that Mustang hadn't expected Ed to practically barrel into him and hug him, because otherwise he wouldn't have tried to take a bite of his pasta. Ed himself would have never expected himself to act like that either, until he was already squeezing the colonel, causing him to choke on the food he had just tried to swallow. Now he was blushing from embarrassment and clapping the colonel on the back to help him breathe again.

"Sorry," he mumbled and handed the man some water. The happiness he felt because the colonel had told him he could stay, and therefore rely on his help as long as he wanted was a bit dampened but still glowing brightly within him.

Maybe he had acted so unexpectedly because Mustang had offered it so unexpectedly. Well, not exactly unexpected. He had been able to feel that Mustang would allow him to stay as long as he needed to and help him, but he had never thought he'd hear the colonel say it out loud. They were quite used to silent agreements because the both of them just weren't good at allowing people to know their value for them by just telling them. They would joke and prod at people to show, like boys at school who pull girls' hair when they wanted them to realise they liked them. As smart and mature as they would act most of the time, they could be incredible idiots when it came to acknowledging their friends and other people that were dear to them. But like Ed had just proven: sometimes even they couldn't help just hugging someone.

" 's okay," Mustang managed, swallowing a bit of the water and finally regaining his composure. "Just gimme a warning next time," he then smirked.

Ed went bright red. "Not sure if you get a next time, bastard," he mumbled, but he was smiling.

They had eaten in content silence after that and afterwards Mustang had retreated to his room and Ed had read one of the colonel's books until he was too tired to stay up anymore.

This was the first weekend Edward was actively aware of since he left Risembool. When he was still staying at the dorms he more or less just wasted away, sitting on his bed while trying to get through time without the distraction of work and without snapping and going mad. But now it was different.

Even though he had stayed up rather late the night before, Ed was awake quite early the next morning. He wouldn't admit it, but he was rather excited about going to get furniture for his room.

Though he didn't dare go wake up the colonel to finally start the day.

Mustang could get quite grumpy if someone else than Hawkeye woke him up and even though he wasn't as afraid of annoying the colonel as he had been at the beginning of his stay here anymore, he still didn't want to test his luck. He knew that their normal bickering was still okay and Mustang's ego was still too big to be fazed when Ed called him a bastard, but he couldn't tell if the colonel only found it okay to take Ed in because he was a lot quieter than his old self. So because of this, and a bit because he felt like a five year old if he gave into the urge, he didn't go pounding on Mustang's door until the colonel came out.

He grabbed the book he had started reading yesterday, something really interesting about the deconstruction of objects into their basic materials with alchemy, and kept himself busy until Mustang came out of his room around nine.

"Huh, you're already awake? I was always under the impression that you like sleeping long," the colonel said, blinking at him and trying to flatten his hair that stood up at odd angles.

Ed stared at him. When Mustang woke him up during the week, he might still be sleepy but already had the basics of his composure together. Now though he looked really funny. Ed snickered.

"Yeah, yeah laugh at me, you don't look better when I wake you!" the colonel grumbled, albeit good-naturedly, and walked past Ed, ruffling the boy's hair so they both looked funny in the end. He went to the kitchen with a smirk and started the coffee machine while a grumbling Ed tried to untangle his hair again. Once done, the boy went over to the kitchen too.

The colonel for once proved several people who thought he couldn't function properly pre-coffee wrong when he actually realised that Ed was kind of excited, even though the boy tried not to show, and even managed to figure out why.

"I thought about where to go for the furniture," he started, calming Ed down a bit by showing that he was still planning to take him in, "and I came to the conclusion that we have two options. Option number one: We simply go to the furniture store. Option number two: We go get some timber and stuff and transmute it the way you want to."

Ed thoughtfully pondered the two options. "I think buying timber and transmute it could be fun," he finally admitted.

"Well, then that's what we'll do," Mustang said with a shrug.

So they had breakfast, got ready and then went to go get Mustang's car. Ed stared at the vehicle, trying to figure out why Mustang owned his own car when most of the time he got around in a military car with a driver. He received his answer though when Mustang shrugged and said: "We needed a getaway vehicle for undercover missions and I'm the one in the team with the biggest pay check. Also, it's quite useful to pick up informants and have them tell me what they found out while we're on our way to our cover date."

Ed took in all the small scratches that looked like the car had been chased over barley known, rough streets where pebbles flew up when the tires turned and thought that, yes, that car had seen more than the other ones seen driving through Central's streets. Luckily, they could spare the poor car from having to transport the heavy timber they bought because the man who sold it to them delivered it to Mustang's apartment and even helped them carry it in. After that they got a mattress and some sheets and pillows and a bucket of paint to renew the faded one on the walls.

Before they could start transmuting anything though, they would have to clean the room. Staring at all the dust, they silently decided to procrastinate that for a bit and eat first.

"I'll go and change into some clothes that are fit for the cleaning," Mustang said, "You better change as well. I'm not going to clean alone!" he called on his way through the living room.

And Edward went to his suitcase and pulled out the most worn version of his outfit. He changed in the bathroom and waited for Mustang. The Colonel seemed to be amused about how Ed was bouncing on the balls of his feet, but for once Ed didn't care about how childish he looked. He watched as Mustang put the few cleaning utensils his bachelor household provided on the floor in front of them, trying to figure out how to start this best. Ed had decided to keep them so there still were the desk and the bookcase in the room, and of course all the dust.

"Okay... so how about you wipe the desk and the bookshelf clean while I start on the window and carry on with the floor?"

Ed nodded. He received a cleaning rag from Mustang and after the colonel got a bucket full of water, they set to work. Edward was quick with the desk, but the upper parts of the bookshelf provided a problem. He was just too short to reach them.

"Need help?" Mustang chuckled and turned from the window that was now clean enough to think there was no pane at all. He left it open so fresh air could flow into the room and walked over to Ed.

The boy glared. "Just asking," the colonel dared to smirk. Ed stubbornly tried to reach the top shelf, making the colonel sigh. "Fullmetal, would you mind getting some new water?" he asked and pointed at the bucket. Ed scrutinised the water and came to the conclusion that it really should be replaced. So he nodded, grabbed the bucket and went for the bathroom.

When he came back, the top shelf was clean and the colonel pulled a not very convincing I'm-innocent face. Ed rolled his eyes but grinned a little.

They put the cleaning agent in the water and started on the floor. Neither of them spoke, but they both didn't mind. They felt content, working peacefully next to one another. And even though kneeling on the floor in dirty old clothes was the most uncolonel-like Ed could imagine Mustang to be, this time the boy was not afraid. Mustang was no different person, he just wasn't as shallow as Edward had always assumed.

Finally they started with transmuting things. Ed actually managed to transmute the new, light yellow paint on the wall, something that came in handy because neither of them had thought about buying a paintbrush. They watched as the bright colour crawled over the walls. One might think that Ed would have chosen a darker shade to paint his walls, but right now he felt determined to get better, and he figured the brighter colour might help. Then they set to work with the actual furniture.

Mustang raised an eyebrow when he looked over the results. "No gargoyle and demon statues?"

Ed blinked at him, confused. Mustang shrugged and smirked.

"I had to sign quite a few reports of people who complained about your style in fixing things."

Ed dared to raise an eyebrow, "You actually read the things you sign?"

Mustang huffed. "Of course I do!"

The boy chuckled. He was really tired by now, but happy. He glanced over at Mustang from underneath drooping eyelids.

"I think we did a good job," the colonel finally said taking the chance to talk about something else than his habit of procrastinating. He rolled the sleeves of his worn blue shirt down from where he had rolled them up over his elbows, looked over at Ed and his smile warmed some more. "Let's call it a night. It is rather late."

Ed nodded and stifled a yawn. He took his shower first while Mustang stored away the cleaning utensils. Then he stood at the door of his room, not quite daring to just walk over to the bed and slip under the covers. It just didn't feel right to inaugurate the room alone. So he waited for the colonel to finish showering.

Finally Mustang stepped out of the bathroom with still slightly damp hair, wearing pyjamas. The colonel leaned at the door frame, opposite Ed. "What are you waiting for?" he asked, smirking.

Ed walked into his room, looking at everything, and then turned around smiling.

Mustang, still leaning against the door frame, dug his hand into the breast pocket of his pyjama shirt and fished out a single key. He held it up for Ed to see.

"I do have to lay down some ground rules before I give this to you," he began.

"You can bring guests, but only people you really trust and won't snoop around. My bedroom is off limits for anyone who isn't invited in by me. Though feel free to knock and ask me for whatever you need any time."

Ed nodded. He inwardly smiled. So he was allowed to disturb Mustang with a knock on his door!

"Because you're more of a roommate than a house guest now, I will from time to time ask you to help me with the chores, like cleaning. I don't care about how tidy you are inside of this room but please don't leave stuff lying around in the living room, kitchen and bathroom. I don't mind if you, for example, store your toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet or put some food you like in the fridge, but if I trip over things of yours that lie on the floor, I will burn them. Laundry day is Wednesday. We both don't live in the dorms but we can still use the military's cleaning services so just put your laundry in the basket in the bathroom and I'll bring it away for washing with mine."

Ed nodded again, he could live with chores.

"And no alchemy experiments! If you want to test some theory come tell me and I'll get some place for you where no one needs to fear for his things being destroyed."

Ed wanted to defend himself but Mustang lifted a finger to stop him and continued.

"If I happen to bring women home with me, you don't need to run away and hide, I only bring those girls home who are less of a real date and more of an informant of mine. If I ever bring a real date I'll warn you. And you better warn me too if you don't want to be disturbed wi-"

"Mustang, don't go there!" Ed screeched, bright red. The colonel smirked.

"Sorry. Anyway, last rule: Don't get in trouble with the neighbours. They think I'm a harmless and nice military man and I want to keep it at that because it stops them from getting nosy."

Ed nodded once again. Mustang dipped his hand in his pocket for the second time and pulled out another key.

"I do own a second apartment in East City and I keep switching between my apartments according to where the military stations me. The one in the east has one more room than this one, because the east used to be my main station, and it is actually a guest room but you can have it so you're free to switch apartments with me if you want to. Over there the rules are the same as here." He held out the keys. "So, do you accept the rules?"

Edward looked at him. The colonel looked a tiny bit nervous but at the same time determined. Ed took a deep breath, smiled and tenderly picked the keys from the outstretched hand. "I accept."

Mustang chuckled, "Who would have ever thought that we will share an apartment out of our own free will and without the intention to kill the other in his sleep?"

Ed watched the light reflecting on the two precious keys as he moved them in his fingers. "Probably no-one."

"Well, I like proving people wrong," Mustang offered a small smirk. Then he finally pushed away from the door frame. "Go to sleep now, Ed," he then ordered softly, suppressing a yawn. He stood and watched with a smile as Ed crawled into his new bed. The boy looked happy like a little kid who had a great day. Tired but smiling too, Ed looked over at the colonel, his eyelids already drifting shut.

He felt safe now. He knew there was a man who wouldn't walk out on him and who he didn't feel bad to rely on even though he usually strived to be independent. Maybe because Mustang, even though he ordered Ed around in the military, outside of the job didn't try to take all the choices away from him and force him to act like normal adults thought was good for a young boy. The colonel acted like some kind of back up, letting Ed do the main operation like Ed wanted to, but when it didn't go as planned or looked like it would get out of control, he was there to step in and try to save the day. And even if, from time to time, Ed got manipulated to go in a certain direction, the boy didn't mind because he knew that when it came down to it, Mustang would never put his own goals over the well being and happiness of the people he cared for.

"Thank you," the small alchemist whispered with his happiest smile. "For letting me stay and everything else."

The colonel flipped off the lights in the room before Edward could see his expression, but Ed didn't mind for he could still hear all the wonderful warmth in the words when Mustang told him, "You're welcome."

None of them had noticed the greenish black cockroach that had climbed in when the window was open and now sat underneath the bookcase, making sure the confirmed sacrifice was well taken care of and the potential sacrifice kept busy.