The young blonde-haired boy that had fallen asleep at some point during the trip slowly breathed in and out in what seemed like a peaceful nap until Roy left the car and shook Edward awake, who reluctantly left the comfort of a warmer car in favour of the cold rain with a groan. They had finally arrived.

Edward, who was slowly starting to wake up, stared incredulously at the apartment complex he was facing as Roy made sure the car was correctly locked. The older man followed up by pulling another key from his pocket and hurried to open the door to the apartment complex, leading Edward into a specific apartment.

The apartment only had five rooms but was pretty spacious regardless: a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom that actually had both a shower and a bath, as well as two rooms welcomed Roy Mustang, the only person who was currently living here. The walls were in tones of white, with accompanying beige and light/dark grey furniture, though Roy only had the bare minimum of furnitures to accompany this rather grand apartment for one person, most of his furniture would accommodate lights, papers and books. Overall the apartment had a rather minimalist feel to it as if to show Roy didn't spend a whole lot of time in it anyway.

With closer observation, Edward noticed one of the rooms had been rearranged into what felt like an alchemist's den, where most of Roy's books regarding alchemy were stored away, and though he noticed papers on the desk against the wall near a window, Roy quickly pulled him out and closed the door behind him before he could get a proper look at the papers. "I live alone so don't expect an abundance of extravagance if you decide to roam around, but that's no invitation to cause a mess with the low amount of what's here. I like things as they are" Roy suddenly explained as Edward set himself down... or at least tried to before he was grabbed by the collar and shoved into the bathroom.

Roy rushed in the bathroom as well while Edward was growling, grabbing some spare soap and shampoo for the young boy to use before pushing them in his hands. "You stink and just generally look like hell. Take a shower or a bath, or both for all I care, but get yourself clean. And give me your clothes while you're at it, I'll wash and dry them for you."

"There is no way in hell I'm showering with you around, and giving you my clothes while we're at it!" Edward argued, having seemingly retrieved some of his arguing fire against Roy at the idea of having Roy do him two favours.

"Then wash your clothes in the bath and walk around in the bathroom naked until your clothes dry, if you think that'll work better." Roy dead-panned sarcastically in return as he left the bathroom, extending his hand while awaiting the clothes. "I suggest you don't try to avoid the shower, if you don't want me to barge in to make sure you actually take one. Don't think the lock or alchemy will help you." However, only a door came his way, which he thankfully avoided at the last moment.

It did not seem like Roy would give up, so Edward could only cut his suffering short. "Fine, I'll shower, but go away! I'll do something about my clothes by myself!" Edward yelled from the other side of the door, leaving Roy perplexed. The boy sure had an issue with letting anyone do anything for him, did he dislike debts that much...? But never mind, Roy thought as he picked up the phone when he heard water running. After he made his call, Roy decided to read a regular novel from his bookshelf and sat on the touch while waiting for Edward to finish.

He had done it, he had tried to wash his clothes in a bath. That's how much he didn't want to be indebted to Roy.

Edward brushed through his drenched hair as he sat in front of his mirror with only his boxers and observed his tired reflection, he had to admit, with the rain just killing his automail ports Roy's suggestion of spending some time in bath water had been quite relaxing. But what now? He much preferred digging a hole and hiding himself in it than admitting that there was no way the pile of soaking clothes would dry any time soon on their own and giving them to Roy would mean being defeated. Not to mention his hair and the last thing he wanted was the Colonel to get on his case for dripping water around his apartment.

But Edward, the Fullmetal Alchemist, had a brilliant idea as soon as he got rid of all the knots in his hair, rendering it as smooth as it could possibly get and looked at his clothes and his hair.

At least, what felt like a brilliant idea at the moment.

…

…

Clap!

From the living room, Roy could see a bright light coming from the bathroom following by the sound of a small explosion. A light he was very familiar with; the light of alchemical transmutations. "Didn't I tell him that wouldn't help him?" Roy thought in half-shock as he rushed in front of the locked bathroom, hoping the young boy hadn't decided to literally destroy his bathroom to escape ... Fortunately, he hadn't, but as the bathroom door opened to reveal the younger boy still in his boxers and handing out his clothes Roy couldn't help but wish that perhaps it would've been better for him and his pride if he had attempted to escape.

"Nice afro, Fullmetal. Perhaps slightly overcooked, but it makes you gain a small amount of height. Small amount."

Edward only gave him an annoyed glance, but didn't rile up to the bait as Roy took the clothes away to wash them properly this time.

The older man had predicted he wouldn't be able to take care of his clothes himself so he had left some clothing on the couch. Sitting around in his boxers next to his commanding officer would get very awkward, very quickly, so Edward had reluctantly accepted defeat and transmuted Roy's old, unused clothes to fit him ... Unfortunately, that transmutation didn't escape Roy's mocking of the fact that Edward had to remove a lot of the material off the clothes just for them to fit.

Though one issue still remained unsolved and that was his unholy afro, causing Edward to come close to breaking the brush in frustration when his hair got stuck in his automail while he was combing. At the sight of Roy getting up from the couch again, Edward quickly moved away to blurt an excuse, anything to get away from Roy. "I can take care of this alo– Uwaaah!" However the poor boy had no choice and got dragged in the bathroom again, where Roy shoved his head in the shower and carefully passed some water through the hair without drenching the clothes he had on.

"I think this would go a lot quicker if you'd quit trying to brush a dry and charred afro with steel." He grabbed the brush and slowly worked on the once again drenched blonde mane up until a point where Edward could take over without lashing out and making himself bald spots in his frustration.

"...thanks." Edward muttered and Roy nodded in satisfaction as Edward's head gradually returned to being something recognisable.