He hadn't spoken to Ed for a full day.

Under normal circumstances, a day was nothing. Roy used to see Ed in his office about once a week, and that was if Ed decided to turn up. When he and Al had been on a mission, trying to find the Philosopher's Stone, sometimes he wouldn't speak to him for weeks.

But now, considering they were currently joined at the hip, a day was a long time.

And during that time, Roy had been slowly but surely losing his mind. Well, he was considering the fact that he'd already lost it when he decided kissing and grinding against Edward Elric was a good idea, but after his brain had started working again he'd felt relatively sane.

Until the panic set in.

He couldn't look at Ed. He couldn't speak to Ed. He couldn't even be in the same room as Ed, but the latter was impossible to avoid in their current predicament.

Fortunately for Roy, Ed didn't seem too keen to speak to him either.

He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but it was a long list of emotions with panic being at the forefront. He had been scared to sleep, terrified of what his mind — or Ed's — would give them this time. So not only was he insane and panicking, but he was also tired.

Had it been the bond's influence?

That question had been plaguing him. While a part of him was so sure it was the bond — of course it was the bond, why else would he kiss Edward Elric? — another part of him thought his feelings had felt way too real.

Either way, both parts of him agreed it should've never happened.

Ed's feelings about the situation were confusing Roy. At first, he had also felt panic. It had flowed through the bond and had weirdly reassured him; if Ed was feeling as freaked out about this as him, it meant that it was most definitely the bond and a mistake and they would join forces to make sure it never happened again.

But the panic had left, and when Ed realised Roy was very obviously avoiding him, it had turned into a weird sulky feeling Roy didn't know what to do with.

And that was when Roy decided to continue with his new avoidance strategy. Which, frankly, was the coward's way out but right now he needed some time to figure shit out.

But while Ed also wasn't speaking to him, he didn't share Roy's new aversion of looking at him.

Ed stared at him. Glanced at him. Watched him.

Roy could feel his golden eyes burning a hole in him while he read, took notes, signed paperwork, made a sandwich or did whatever else. And Roy had adamantly refused to return the gaze, despite being curious to see Ed's expression.

The sulky feeling usually followed soon after.

The problem was, today they were going to Resembool.

If Roy thought being in Resembool was going to be hell, being in Resembool when things were weird with Ed was going to be a new level of hell. At least before he'd assumed he and Ed would be on speaking terms.

How were they going to explain to Alphonse why they weren't speaking? Why Roy couldn't even look at him? Ed wouldn't be able to lie; his voice might, but his face…No, he wouldn't be able to lie about something like this. And certainly not to Alphonse.

And especially not when he seemed actually upset about it.

Because yes, Ed was upset and Roy didn't know what to do.

Roy heaved a breath of utter stress as he packed his small suitcase. Ed was waiting for him outside his room. They had an hour before they had to be at the station.

He wanted a drink. He rubbed at his eyes as he resisted the urge to get the whiskey out of his kitchen cabinet.

Roy had abused alcohol twice in his life; after Ishval and after Maes's death.

He wasn't going to add Edward Elric to that list.

The train ride would've been peaceful, had the silence between them been comfortable.

It was a Saturday morning, and the train was mostly empty. Roy was enjoying looking out the window, observing the scenery. He always enjoyed doing that, but now he felt a bit trapped. He was stuck looking out the window, or risk accidentally looking at Ed.

He knew he was being ridiculous. He knew that, as a man, he needed to act like one and address this problem head on. Because it was a problem; if the bond was making them act different, they needed to discuss it. If the bond's effect on them was slowly increasing, they needed to discuss it. If the bond was making him want to pin Ed down and taste every inch of his body, they needed to discuss it.

Roy led out a small sigh at his thoughts. But it was easier not to, and he had never been a coward.

Except when it came to Ed.

He could feel those golden eyes on him. Ed was sitting opposite him, arms crossed and staring at Roy with an intense gaze. Roy was stubborn and refused to look back.

Coward indeed.

"Is that it then? You're never gonna speak to me again?"

Ed spoke to him. For the first time since their little make-out session, courtesy of the bond. Roy pursed his lips as a slight annoyance tugged at his chest. Ed wasn't going to be the bigger man in this. If he wanted to discuss it, then fine.

Still staring adamantly out the window, he said, "What happened should've never happened."

Ed was silent, and for the first time Roy was glad he was bonded to Ed and could feel his emotions. There was disappointment there, but he wasn't surprised. He had probably expected that to be Roy's reaction considering his avoidance. But there was a stubborn feeling too, one that Roy had first hand experience with, and its presence made him anxious. Ed was one of the most determined people he knew, and when he wanted something, he didn't stop until he got it. Or until it became impossible to get.

And Roy wasn't stable enough at the moment to be sure it was impossible.

"If you want to pretend nothing happened then act like it, because Al will take one look at us and know if you keep sulking like you are."

Roy tore his eyes away from the window to grace Ed with a death glare. "I am not sulking."

Ed rolled his eyes. "Sure."

Roy grit his teeth as he thought about how much Ed had been sulking over Roy not speaking to him. But he kept his mouth shut; because, contrary to Ed, he could keep his damn mouth shut.

"I have been trying to figure out the bond's influence—"

"You think it was the bond?" Ed raised his eyebrows in slight surprise, sitting up in his seat. He seemed interested in what Roy had just said; maybe, just maybe, Ed's brilliant mind had missed this very obvious possibility and now that Roy had suggested it Ed would believe it was the bond too and everything would be fine.

Keeping his voice calm, he said, slowly, "Of course it was the bond."

Ed cocked his head and stared at him, his eyes narrowed in thought. Had Ed actually not thought of the possibility? Surely not.

Roy kept his eyes on Ed, taking in every little shift in expression. "You think it's not?"

He held his breath as he waited for his reply. Because if he didn't think it was the bond that meant Ed had kissed him because he had wanted to kiss him, and Roy's heart was going into overdrive just from the thought of that insane possibility. And what it would mean.

Ed stared at Roy, his face unreadable. "Maybe," he said noncommittally.

What the hell did that mean?

With every step he took towards the Rockbell residence, Roy was becoming more anxious.

Outwardly, no one would be able to tell. His face was schooled carefully into an expression of casual indifference, his uniform crisp and his posture confident. He walked alongside Ed like this was an everyday occurrence, like Roy Mustang being in the streets of Resembool wasn't unusual at all.

When he'd come to recruit Ed seven years ago, he and Hawkeye had received more than a few stares. Roy had hated every second of it, but had pushed through. They hadn't spent that much time in Resembool anyway, and after he met Ed his mind had been preoccupied by all sorts of alarmed thoughts; the fact that people hated him had been pushed to the back burner for once.

As they walked through the village, Roy noticed how people actively avoided looking at them. It was a contrast to how people couldn't stop looking at them in Central. He wasn't sure which one he preferred. Next to him, Ed sauntered casually, hands in his pockets. This was his home turf, he clearly felt comfortable here. He occasionally exchanged hellos with a few people.

No one said hello to him.

"Why are you anxious?"

Roy pursed his lips at Ed's question. Damn bond.

Did Ed have no sense of privacy? Roy didn't go around asking him why he felt every little emotion.

"Resembool is next to Ishval." He wasn't planning on elaborating any more than that. Ed could mind his damn business.

Ed hummed, absently smiling and waving at a woman he clearly knew. From the corner of his eye he saw how her smile froze on her face as her eyes went from Ed to Roy, and she quickly averted her gaze, hurrying away. "It would help if you didn't look so damn intimidating, you know."

No, Roy thought, that wasn't the issue here.

"And," Ed continued, "Maybe if you weren't in that stiff ass uniform all the time people wouldn't always be scared of you."

Roy remained silent, deciding against starting an argument as they finally came to the end of the main village, and started walking up the hill to the more remote parts of Resembool. He recalled the Elric residence being to the right, and he wondered if he'd be able to see the rubble Ed and Al had left their house in seven years ago.

Once the Rockbell house properly came into view, their dog started loudly yipping and Ed laughed next to him.

"Den!" he yelled, waving at the dog excitedly. The dog barked louder, and came running towards them.

Roy stopped walking as the dog launched itself at Ed, and they wriggled around together on the grass playfully. He set his suitcase on the ground, watching Ed as he threw his head back and laughed, the dog licking his face.

The door opened, and Winry Rockbell emerged, looking at them in surprise. Ed was still playing with the dog, so Roy inclined his head politely. "Hello, Miss Rockbell, apologies for not calling in advance."

Because Ed, of course, had not called in advance.

"Hey, Win!" Ed yelled, grinning up at her from the ground.

He could tell Winry wanted to ask a load of questions, most of them surely having to do with why the hell Roy was here.

Instead, she settled on, "How's your automail?"

Ed leaned back on his hands, stretching his legs out. "It's fine, gone a bit squeaky though."

Winry narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll take a look later."

Just then, Alphonse appeared behind her, peeking over her shoulder. When he saw them, he excitedly ran outside to greet them. "Brother, Sir! What a surprise!"

The last time Roy had seen Alphonse, he had been practically a skeleton. Now, he stood tall, at Roy's height, his body filled out with muscle and necessary fat. His jaw was sharp, his golden eyes bright, a shade greener than Ed's. Ed's were pure gold.

He looked healthy, and pride squeezed Roy's chest. Pride that they had managed this. They had done what no one else had ever managed.

"It's good to see you, Alphonse." The warmth in his voice was entirely genuine, as was the smile on his face. It was hard not to like Alphonse Elric.

Ed lifted himself off the ground, the dog running around him excitedly. "Hey Al! Sorry it took so long for me to come."

Al paused, a small frown marring his face. He stared at them in silence for a moment, his shrewd eyes going between him and Ed.

"Why are your soul energies merged?"

Roy took a deep, frustrated breath at the reminder, and Ed rubbed at his neck sheepishly. "About that…"

Of course Alphonse would take one look at them and know. Ed hadn't been kidding. Since Ed had always been so obviously, loudly brilliant, it had often been easy to forget Alphonse's quieter genius. Ed always said Al was smarter than him, and it was moments like these, watching Al catch on so fast, that Roy was inclined to believe him. Having paid the price of the human transmutation with his entire body and soul, Roy could only wonder how much information he'd seen in the Gate in comparison to him and Ed.

Al's eyes lowered to Ed's right hand, and his frown deepened. His gaze then went to Roy's left hand, and he squinted. "Is that a thread?"

Roy's eyes widened. Alphonse could see it?

Ed seemed equally stunned. "You can see it?"

Al crossed his arms, now looking at Ed with an admonishing expression. "Am I not supposed to?" It was likely he assumed Ed had gotten himself into a predicament that affected Roy as well, but it hadn't quite gone that way this time…

Winry squinted next to Al, but she looked confused. "I can't see anything."

"No one but us can see it," Roy said, looking at the golden thread wrapped around his left hand. Well, them, and the woman whose array he'd stepped on. She had been able to see it too.

Why could Al see it?

Al pursed his lips and looked at Ed with narrowed eyes. "What happened, brother? Is that why you couldn't come a couple weeks ago?"

Ed winced, then gave Al a nervous smile. "Sorry."

Al huffed, messing up his hair exasperatedly. It was interesting seeing him express his emotions physically, since for so many years he'd only had his voice. "Brother! And you said such mean things about the General!"

Ed snorted, flashing Roy a wicked smile. "If it makes you feel better, he was right next to me as I was saying them."

"Brother!"

Roy was wondering whether to fess up and tell him he'd been the one to step on the array so the mean things had been somewhat warranted, or let Ed do the talking. In the end, Ed made the decision for him, because he soon started talking with Al in their own alchemy language that Roy could mostly follow, and he decided it was best he let the brothers be. Ed hadn't thrown him under the bus yet, and he wondered if he would.

He half listened as Ed briefly recounted the events leading up to today, leaving out some important bits, like their dry humping. But Alphonse most definitely didn't need to know that one.

And, surprisingly, Ed hadn't actually said Roy had been the one to step on the array. He'd just blamed this whole thing on the traveller, cursing her instead, and Roy was slightly grateful.

"Are you kids coming in or what?!"

They all turned to the door, where Pinako Rockbell stood, pipe in mouth, and glaring at them.

Ed grinned and Al laughed, Winry rolling her eyes and walking back inside. Had she included Roy in her 'kids' comment? No, definitely not, but Ed was walking inside and Roy could do nothing but follow. He wasn't in the mood for random stabs in the chest today.

The house smelled delicious. The Rockbells had a pie cooking in the oven as they all sat around the table. Roy watched as Ed threw his head back and laughed at something Winry said, and she rolled her eyes at him, turning to Al. Alphonse was smiling so wide his eyes crinkled as he watched them.

Roy was sitting politely next to Ed, perfectly content watching him interact with his family. While this situation was by no mean comfortable for Roy, he was enjoying studying Ed's happy face. It wasn't often that he saw it, not directed at him at least.

The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the fondness in his eyes that was only reserved for the people he loved the most. The way his cheeks were slightly flushed both from laughing too much and from the warmth of the house. His loud, deep laughter when he threw his head back.

No, Roy had never seen Ed that happy when he was around him.

They'd been talking about alchemy, about their predicament, the few books Ed had brought open on the table along with his notebook. But the conversation had gone down a teasing route, and soon Ed, Al and Winry had been jokingly bickering.

"So when's Mei coming, Al?" Ed said, smirking at his brother.

Al glared at him, his face turning an intense shade of red. "Next weekend, brother." The way he stressed 'brother' sounded like a warning.

Ed chuckled, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Fine. I need you to show her the array. I think there's alkahestry in there."

Al frowned at that, grabbing Ed's notebook and studying the array. "Really? So you think it's a combination of alchemy and alkahestry?"

Ed shrugged. "Potentially. I thought maybe the way it detected soul energies was through chi. I don't know shit about alkahestry so was hoping Mei would know."

Al nodded, ripping a blank page out of Ed's notebook and started copying the array onto it. "I think you might be right, there's a couple elements here that are quite common in alkahestry."

Roy remembered Ed telling him a few months ago that Al had been studying alkahestry and was planning on travelling through Xing.

Then, Al sighed, and looked at Roy with a contrite expression. "I'm sorry you've ended up soul bonded to my brother, sir, I know he can be a pain."

"Hey!"

Roy raised his eyebrows, a small smirk playing on his lips. "He's been the bane of my existence, Alphonse, I can assure you."

He felt Ed's glare on the side of his face, and shot him a quick smirk. He heard Ed mutter 'bastard' as he turned away.

Winry stood, muttering about checking the pie as she walked to the kitchen.

Al chuckled. "Bet he's been raiding your fridge too. He eats so much."

Roy shot Ed a side glare. "And draining my wallet too."

Al gasped, staring at Ed wide-eyed. "Brother! How rude!"

Ed looked at them both with an incredulous expression. "Are you two done bonding over how apparently awful I am to live with?"

Roy couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him, and Al just rolled his eyes.

Winry emerged from the kitchen holding a steaming hot pie. Ed cheered as she placed it in the middle of the table and went to get plates and cutlery. Roy asked if she'd like any help, but she waved him off.

The pie was delicious. It rivalled Gracia's cooking, and that was a high standard to reach in Roy's mind. He didn't often eat homemade meals, but whenever he did, he wished he'd learned how to cook.

Pinako Rockbell came in from outside, bringing the strong smell of tobacco with her as she sat at the head of the table on Ed's side.

"The house is too quiet with you gone, pipsqueak."

Ed scowled at the nickname, but it was Winry that spoke. "Oh, sorry, granny, if you'd like more mischief I'm sure me and Al can figure something out."

Al scoffed, digging into his pie.

Roy ate his pie with a small, almost imperceptible smile on his face. He didn't feel as unwanted as he thought he would, and that had calmed the anxiety inside of him. While he hadn't grown up in a warm, welcoming house like this, Maes had seen to it that he was always welcome to his and Gracia's house. And now the warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest was similar to what he used to feel bantering with his old friend.

But instead of having a drink with Maes, he was looking at Ed, watching as he interacted with his family, and he felt his chest squeeze.