Roy stared up at the ceiling. His clock showed 9:30PM and he was still not asleep. The truth was, he was nervous. Nervous about the situation, nervous about Ed seeing his dreams - nervous about all of it. What if he dreamt something weird?

Roy was a very private person. He'd always known that, but now that he had to spend every second of his day with Ed, he perhaps realised just how used to being alone he really was. Having Ed sleeping outside his door on the floor was grating on him. Even having Ed in his house was grating on him. It was like he had an annoying leech on him that he couldn't remove.

And it was all his fault, so he couldn't even be mad at Ed. Which just pissed him off even more.

He wondered if Ed was asleep. The light was off in the hallway, and he couldn't hear any movement.

Roy sighed and turn onto his side. Maybe he should take a sleeping pill. Those always ensured he was out cold and didn't have any nightmares. He'd been prescribed them after Ishval, when sleep had become a luxury he rarely managed to achieve. He still took them on occasion, when his nightmares were bad.

He'd try. Try closing his eyes…

It was snowing.

Roy looked up at the flecks of snow falling from the sky, the sun only just rising on the horizon. The morning was serene, quiet - peculiar for a war zone. He walked across the base, to his commander's tent. It was 6AM, his feet were dragging with exhaustion, but he'd been called in here.

The dread curled tighter in his stomach. It never really left anymore - six months since Order 3066 was issued, a six year-long conflict becoming a war, an extermination. And the feeling of dread was now a permanent state. Six months ago it wasn't as quiet. Six months ago the screams and gunshots rang out at all hours of the day. Children screaming, women crying, men shouting.

Now, there weren't many people left.

People called it a war; Roy called it a massacre.

Three men were in the tent when he entered, snapping a perfect salute. "Sir, you requested me."

The Generals turned to look at him. Their eyes were cold, ruthless. He was used to that look. He saw it on more people than he felt comfortable.

"Major Mustang, at ease."

They were looking at a map, Roy realised. The dread in his stomach tightened, his throat closing up. He hoped they weren't planning to expand to the surrounding areas. He knew Ishvalans had escaped through the surrounding villages. Resembool in particular had allowed many people through and had already endured attacks. Were they truly that bloodthirsty to hunt them down?

Time seemed to still for Roy as the cold brown eyes of the General froze him on the spot. He could feel the pyrotex gloves on his hands, the ones Hawkeye had given him, the ones that had made him such an asset in this war he now got called to Generals' tents and given direct orders. His uniform was stifling, chocking him.

"End this war today."

He would never forget those words, and the burning that ensued that day.

The Hero of Ishval, they called him. The one who ended the war.

Roy woke to the familiar nausea. He took a deep breath and counted to ten, then released the breath for ten.

His alarm ringing jolted him. Grunting, he turned around and turned it off.

He hadn't slept badly. Considering. At least he had slept through the night.

It could've been worse. A lot worse.

Once the nausea subsided, he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. The exhaustion was deep seated, it wasn't physical, not really. He always got broody after dreaming of Ishval, but usually the walk to work offered a much needed buffer between his bedroom and the day ahead. It gave him the time to compose himself.

But now he wasn't going to work. He was going downstairs to his living room, with Edward Elric, to try figure out how to get rid of him. He hoped Ed wasn't in a chatty mood today, because he'd be sorely disappointed.

His gaze went to his left wrist, still wrapped delicately by the golden thread. The light traveled to his door, and seemed to go right through it as it connected to Ed's wrist.

He got up and threw on some sweats and a t-shirt.

When he opened his bedroom door, Ed was sitting against the wall on his mattress, elbows on his knees, staring down. Roy noticed he'd thrown his hair into a ponytail.

At the sound of his door opening, he looked up to Roy with an unreadable expression.

"Good morning," Roy offered. He really wasn't in the mood, but he was stuck with the blond for a while, so might as well be pleasant.

"Morning," Ed mumbled, standing up.

Roy realised he was dressed only in his boxers, and sighed. While he had chosen to remain even slightly professional and wear sweats and a t-shirt, Ed didn't seem to care. It was distracting, having Ed practically naked. The automail leg glinted as it caught the light, and Roy noticed another angry scar by the port.

He hoped he wasn't planning on staying that scantly dressed all day.

"I can get you some sweats if you want."

Ed shrugged. "If you care that much about what I'm wearing, then sure."

Roy threw a pair of sweatpants at him, and started down the stairs.

He had a long day ahead of him - he needed coffee.

Ed followed him down the stairs, yawning loudly. He was followed all the way to the kitchen, where he flicked on his coffeemaker. Ed leaned against the counter, rubbing his bare stomach.

The sweatpants hung low on his hips. Ed was still shorter than him, and had a smaller frame, so they were slightly too big on him. They hung so low on his hips Roy was expecting to see the waistband of his boxers, and when he didn't, he frowned. Was he going fucking commando?

"I'm hungry."

Roy closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. "And what do you usually eat in the mornings?"

"Cereal?"

Roy made a face, but nodded to a cupboard on Ed's side. "I think I have some in there, might be a bit stale though."

Ed didn't seem to care as he took the cereal out and dumped it in a bowl.

And started eating it. Dry.

Despite himself, Roy couldn't help but stare as Ed scooped up dry, stale cereal with a spoon and didn't seem to care one bit about it. His disgust must've shown on his face, as Ed raised a brow. "What?"

"I do have milk, you know."

Now it was Ed's turn to look at him in disgust. "No thanks."

He decided not to ask; he didn't care, and he didn't want to converse right now. He didn't want to even look at Ed, inappropriately dressed next to him.

All he wanted to do was sit on his couch and drink a hot cup of black coffee.

He was slightly surprised Ed hadn't mentioned the dream they most likely had shared. A small part of him wished he wasn't saying anything cause he hadn't seen or couldn't remember it, but it was wishful thinking.

It felt like an unmentioned thing between them as they went back in the living room, Roy easing himself on his couch and Ed plopping down on the floor, opening a book. He sipped his coffee in silence, but despite himself he could feel annoyance bubbling inside of him.

The last thing he needed was for Ed to pity him, or feel sorry for him. At least if he'd showed some disgust over what Roy had done, Roy could say he deserved it and that would be that. But no, Ed wasn't saying anything and Roy's mind was overthinking.

"What have I done now?"

Roy blinked, looking over to Ed who was looking at him incredulously.

"What?" he croaked, and cleared his throat.

Ed lifted his wrist, the golden light surrounding it. "You look like you're calmly enjoying your coffee but it feels like you want to choke me."

Another mental image flashed in Roy's mind, and he willed it away. Annoyed, Roy narrowed his eyes and took another calm sip of his coffee. "I'm fine."

"I'm trying you know!"

Roy glared at him. Trying to what? To be nice to him now that he saw a glimpse - a tiny, tiny glimpse - of what Roy was ordered to do in the war? If Ed started treating him differently because of this-

"Trying to what, Fullmetal? Do tell."

Ed threw his hands in the air and huffed. "I'm trying to be fucking civil, but you're being a right bastard so never-fucking-mind!"

Roy could feel the anger tightening his chest. He knew none of this was Ed's fault, he knew he should just compose himself and move on, but this was why he needed that morning walk to the office. Putting on his uniform made him General Mustang. Right now, in his sweats and t-shirt, he was just Roy.

Weak, irritable Roy, with a practically naked and annoying Edward Elric next to him. It truly was too much.

"Are you only trying to be civil because of my dream last night?"

There, it was out. He snapped at Ed and immediately regretted it. Downing his coffee, he took a deep breath to steady himself.

Ed was staring at him with his eyebrows raised. That golden gaze of his unnerved Roy yet again. It was like he was seeing him differently and Roy absolutely hated it.

"I thought you said to not mention each other's dreams."

Roy pursed his lips. Yes, that was what he'd said. But not knowing what Ed thought was grating on him as much as Ed commenting on it would've. It was a lose-lose situation for Ed.

"I need to put my uniform on."

Ed blinked, looking at him confusedly. "We're going out?"

Roy stood, placing his empty coffee cup on the table before starting for the stairs. Ed scrambled up and followed him. "No, I just need to be in uniform to deal with you."

He needed the separation, and he didn't expect Ed to understand. Roy didn't fully understand it himself.

"You're fucking weird, you know that?"

Roy took a moment to compose himself. He stared at himself in the mirror, straightening his white button up shirt, pulling up the sleeves to perfection, and making sure his belt was perfectly resting on his hips. In the few minutes it had taken him to partially get in his uniform, he had calmed down.

And realised how truly ridiculous he had been.

Ed was waiting outside his door once more. He had been quiet after their little tiff, which ended with Roy seeing Ed's boxers on the spare mattress and getting even more irritated. Ed, having seen Roy murderously glaring at the boxers, defended himself by saying he didn't want to live in his dirty boxers for days on end.

To which Roy replied that their next stop was the dorms, to get Ed his damn clothes.

The drive to the dorms was quiet. Roy called for a driver, wanting this trip to be over and done with fast - and he also didn't want to carry Ed's clothes for the thirty minute walk.

He could feel Ed's irritation through the bond, matching his own. Maybe Ed would give him the silent treatment and he'd get some peace finally.

At least he was dressed now, in his usual tank top and leather pants. The boxers had still been on the spare mattress when they left, so Roy was acutely aware that Ed was naked under the leather pants. It was information he really, genuinely, didn't need to know, but couldn't stop thinking about. It was agitating him further.

They pulled to a stop outside Ed's dorm building, and Roy politely thanked the driver. He would be waiting for them for the drive back.

Roy hadn't been near these dorms in years. As he walked through the hallways, he couldn't help the grimace. The paint was flaking off the walls, the smell of the old carpet musty and disgusting. People gave Roy weird glances for even being in the building.

He didn't know how Ed had lived here for so long.

Finally, they reached Room 31. Ed flicked on the light, and the sight of the small dormitory had Roy's grimace turning into one of pure disgust. And he'd been worried what Ed would think of his place.

This was a pigsty if he'd ever seen one.

Clothes were everywhere. Books were everywhere. Food wrappers and empty bowls were everywhere. The bedsheets were half on the floor, the bed unmade. He knew Ed was chaotic, but witnessing it was a different beast.

"You actually live here?" Roy couldn't help saying.

Ed snorted, kicking the door closed behind them. "For the past six years give or take."

Dear God.

Ed pulled a suitcase from under the bed and started throwing clothes into it. "Al used to keep it tidier than this. I just get distracted."

Distracted by what? Roy wanted to ask. He remained awkwardly standing by the door, watching as Ed carelessly threw clothes and underwear in the small suitcase. There was no way he was touching anything in this place.

In less than five minutes, Ed was packed and they were back in the car. The driver wordlessly drove them back to his house, and Roy took a moment to wonder what the man thought they were doing.

Did it look like Ed was moving in with him?

He'd have to keep an eye out for any weird rumours that popped up. Truth knew how long he and Ed would be trapped like this - people were going to be seeing them together, a whole lot more than usual. Even for the most mundane of tasks. It was only a matter of time before they drew their own conclusions.

Roy felt the dread in his stomach like a rock.

Later that day, they'd moved to the kitchen table.

Ed had remained dressed; he was wearing a clean tank top and plain grey shorts. That, Roy could deal with. Roy himself remained in uniform.

Their takeaway had just been delivered, so Roy was dumping the food into bowls on the counter. Ed was leafing through his notebook.

"You know how you said yesterday what if our souls really did activate the array?"

Roy hummed in response, his focus on pouring two glasses of water. He set one down on the table next to Ed, who glanced at it and snorted.

"You won't be dying of dehydration in my house, Fullmetal. Drink."

Ed rolled his eyes, but downed the glass. "So it's entirely possible that the array is triggered by the presence of soul energy, but it needs to detect enough of the energy to activate it. So two souls. Potentially could work with more than two."

Roy frowned at that, bringing over the two bowls of Xingese to the table and taking his time replying. That was what he'd been worried about; if the array could bond multiple souls - and therefore, people - together, it could become a weapon. Especially if people were soul bonded and then physically separated; the pain would be torture.

Ed abandoned his notebook for his food, scoffing it down eagerly.

"So the array chooses people at random?" The woman seemed to think there was more to it; that the souls chosen already wanted to be bonded in some way. She seemed to insinuate that the array wouldn't work if the souls were incompatible.

Ed shrugged. "I haven't found anything so far that could indicate a particular pattern, and the array doesn't have any specialist markings like that."

Roy recalled the way the energy had shifted in the air when he and Ed had gotten to that alleyway. As if the array had found what it was looking for, had sensed them. As if just the presence of compatible souls had urged some of its power to coat the air before they had even touched it.

Assuming the souls did have to be compatible like the woman had said, that the souls must have a longing for each other to trigger the alchemy, the array wouldn't have been triggered by the couple that had found it. They had been siblings.

Was that why they hadn't been the next victims?

Roy frowned, staring absently at the table as he thought. "The couple that showed us that array were brother and sister. What if it wouldn't have worked on them and it was waiting for us to activate it?"

Ed gave him a flat look. "And we're special because…?"

Because.

They weren't. Not at all. There was absolutely no reason why their souls would be compatible.

"Because our souls 'long for each other'?" he said sarcastically, repeating what the woman had said.

Ed raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Right. Anything you wanna tell me, Mustang?"

Roy's deadpanned look made Ed chuckle, though it seemed a bit forced.

Roy sighed, deciding to focus on his food.

Ed flicked through his notebook again, his now empty bowl abandoned to the side. "I'm even wondering if maybe this array is actually alkahestry. If that's the case I know fuck all, so will take time."

Alkahestry. Roy only knew the very basics. He recalled his early alchemy lessons in his teenage years, his mentor explaining the difference between alchemy and alkahestry. Mainly practised in Xing, alkahestry drew power from life's energy. It was extremely useful in medicine, an alkehestrist having the ability to tap into a living being's chi and cure minor injuries and ailments. Alchemy, on the other hand, was more practical, more scientific, an alchemist being able to manipulate matter into something of equal value.

Roy felt out of his depth, and could feel the anxiety taking hold of him once more. He had one theory that he wanted to test - a test that would determine just how powerful of a weapon this alchemy could become.

His face blank, he said, "What would happen if we were truly separated? If we pushed past the stabbing pain."

Ed bit the inside of his cheek, grimacing. "It would either hurt like hell and we'd pass out or we'd die."

Roy held his gaze as he said, "Or it could break the bond."

A/N Reviews are looove xx