Focus, Roy.

Roy blinked down at the paper in front of him. He'd written all but three sentences in the last…twenty minutes.

He had to focus, he had to work, but…

But how was he meant to focus on writing a report, when he had woken up snuggled up to Edward Elric this morning?

Ed's sleepy, bleary eyes were all he could think about. The way they blinked at him as Ed woke up, the way they softened when he realised Roy was next to him. It was as though he'd still been half asleep and was unaware of how unguarded he looked in that moment, how he'd let such a positive expression at Roy's close proximity shine through like that.

Then his voice, croaky and husky from sleep, wishing him a good morning with a touch of teasing amusement. His hair flowing partly down his face and shoulder, and Roy reaching out and brushing it back before he'd even had a single thought about it.

He'd fallen asleep with Ed's back against his chest, and he'd woken up with Ed's warm chest against his.

And now he was expected to focus on paperwork?

Ed was just—right there. In front of him, on the couch, with three books open in front of him. And Roy couldn't touch him.

They'd made a quick detour to the library this morning, before coming to Headquarters. Ed's new inspiration about the array meant he had more books he wanted to study, and many of those involved alkahestry. The walk to the library had been spent in companionable silence, and then the walk to Headquarters was spent dreading the day ahead—for Roy at least. Ed seemed to feel content, dare he say happy. And that was all that mattered.

Roy returned his focus to the report, scribbling about alkahestry and alchemy and soul bonds and reversal arrays. He tried to recall Ed's words, how he'd described the workings of the array. His mind went back to Sunday night, when he and Ed sat next to each other at the kitchen table and Ed was so enthusiastically explaining it all to him.

And then, when they were done, Ed had dropped to his knees in front of him.

Roy let out a small, imperceptible sigh. He should definitely not think about that right now.

Back to the report.

"Sir!"

Roy raised his head, looking at the closed inner office door and wondering about the muffled voices he could now hear from behind it. Ed also turned to look at the door, then looked to Roy.

Roy stood, keeping his eyes on the door. "It appears someone is visiting."

Ed hummed, but didn't rise from his seat on the couch.

Before Roy could tell him to get up and follow him to the outer office, the door swung open, and Hawkeye marched in. She saluted. "Sir, the Fuhrer has requested your and Fullmetal's presence."

Grumman. Interesting.

"Ah, Lieutenant, let's not make the General come all the way outside." Fuhrer Grumman walked in after her, smiling at them.

Roy saluted, and Grumman gave a chuckle. "At ease everyone, I'm here for a lovely little chat."

Roy kept his face blank, but inwardly he was curious what this could be about. Grumman didn't come to his office that often; if he wanted to speak to Roy he usually sent someone to request his presence in the Fuhrer's office instead. Grumman publicly visiting his office regularly could cause gossip about favouritism among Generals.

Grumman smiled at Ed, who was blatantly not saluting, and then his gaze settled on Roy. "How's the research going, you two? I cannot wait for the next report you'll have for me."

Shit.

Roy pursed his lips. "Sir, I apologise for the delay. I am currently writing it—however, since we have significant updates of alchemical nature it is taking longer to write than usual."

Grumman waved a hand. "I know you're busy, General." His eyes settled on Ed again. "Perhaps Fullmetal could take the load off you and write it."

"No thanks," Ed chirped.

Roy glanced at Ed worryingly and then back to the Fuhrer. "Sir, with all due respect, I would not recommend that. Fullmetal's reports are known to be of…questionable quality."

Ed glared at him.

Grumman put a hand on his stomach and laughed heartily. "Very well. Anyhow, that is not the reason I have graced you with my presence today."

He could see the rest of the team peering through the open door, and even Hawkeye, standing at attention behind Grumman, seemed curious about his visit.

Grumman smiled again. "I have decided it is about time we celebrate our victory on the Promised Day," he started, and Roy remembered their encounter with Armstrong in the cafeteria. Was this about the ball? "This year has been hard on everyone—we've all been working endlessly, getting the country back on its feet and quelling panic. It is high time we let off some steam!"

Roy shifted on his feet at Grumman's enthusiasm about this. Part of 'quelling panic' had involved trying to make people forget the Promised Day even happened, and now Grumman wanted to make a big deal out of it? It was certainly a controversial political decision.

But alas, the Fuhrer could do whatever he wanted.

"Colonel Armstrong has been kind enough to offer his manor for a formal ball in two weeks' time. There will be food! And there will be champagne!" he guffawed, winking. "Since you have all played such an important role in this victory, I thought it appropriate I personally invite you."

They all stared at him in silence for a second, and Roy cleared his throat, straightening. "What a brilliant idea, sir. How honoured we are to receive a personal invitation to such an important event."

Grumman grinned, his excitement almost palpable. Roy was sure he was just excited for the champagne. "Marvellous! I cannot wait to see you there!" He looked around, noticing the stacks of papers on Roy's desk and the books near Ed. "Well! I shall let you get back to your work. General, please bring the report to my office at your earliest convenience."

"Yes, sir."

With that, he was out the door in a flurry, leaving a loud silence behind him. They all stared at the space he'd occupied in Roy's office as though he were still standing there.

"The guy's nuts," Ed remarked from the couch.

Hawkeye gave him a small, admonishing look, but she was smiling.

"For once, I'm inclined to agree with Fullmetal," Roy sighed, sitting back in his chair.

When Roy finally put his pen down, it was dark outside.

He blinked and rubbed at his eyes, then finally sighed and leaned back in his chair.

He was exhausted, but at least he'd finished the report. Well, barely. He wasn't fully satisfied with the detail he'd gone into; alchemy was complex as it was, and this array even more so, Roy felt like he'd missed out a lot of potentially crucial details. But the Fuhrer wasn't an alchemist, so he wouldn't really know if Roy missed out any major alchemical explanation. His perfectionistic tendencies were eating away at him nonetheless.

Ed hadn't uttered a single word in hours. He was still on the couch, reading and concentrating so hard Roy had to keep glancing at him to make sure he was even breathing.

He supposed he should take that as a good sign; he much preferred Ed being invested than frustrated and bored.

He gave his report one last read through, pursing his lips at certain sentences he wasn't fully satisfied with, and then looked back at Ed.

It was only wise Ed read it. To check. Just in case.

Just to make sure Roy hadn't written anything stupid.

Maybe he had something to add.

"Ed."

Ed looked up, eyebrows raised as though surprised to hear his own damn name. Maybe it was weird Roy had said it in the office.

He was most likely going to regret this, but the potential embarrassment of getting something wrong or delivering an inadequate report to the Fuhrer was winning right now.

He lifted the report in his hand, making Ed's eyes glance at it. "I've written the report for Grumman."

Ed blinked.

Oh he was definitely regretting this one. "Could you have a look at it and make sure the alchemical explanations are sufficient." How did he manage to make a question sound like an order?

God, he couldn't even ask like a normal human being.

Ed stood and came over to his desk, his eyes sparkling, his lips pursed to stifle a smile.

Yeah, he was never living this one down for sure.

Ed snatched the papers out of his grip. "Sure," he said casually, sitting back down on the couch.

Roy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He could feel Ed's amusement through the bond, and wasn't sure what was worse; Ed outwardly being a little shit about it or Ed inwardly laughing at him?

He silently observed Ed as he read through the report, the only sound in the room being his flicking of the pages. The report was two pages, front and back. It was potentially too short for the amount of information Ed had dumped on him Sunday night.

Roy was surprised to find himself apprehensive.

As if he needed Ed's approval.

As if.

After what felt like way too long, Ed stood back up and walked to his desk. He shrugged. "It's fine. Missing some bits but Grumman's not an alchemist so who cares. I already think these reports are a waste of time anyway."

Roy pursed his lips and went to grab the papers from Ed's grasp, when Ed pulled his hand back. With the report now out of reach, Roy narrowed his eyes at him. "Do you have anything else to comment on?"

Ed was trying really hard not to smirk, but he was also failing miserably. "I wanna hear you say thank you."

Roy might as well have swallowed a whole lemon with the way his face contorted. "Excuse me?"

Ed let the toothy grin loose, his eyes alight with humour. "Come on, I know you have it in you."

Roy stared at him, incredulous. "I don't have to thank you for doing your job."

But Ed held the papers closer to himself, out of Roy's reach, and Roy wasn't about to wrestle with him over a report.

Ed said nothing, just waited, patiently, and Roy ground his teeth. "Do you have a praise kink or something?"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, for Ed's eyebrows rose all the way to his hairline and pure delight ran through the bond. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Roy glared at him, but he was suddenly really hot in his uniform. "I don't, actually. I couldn't care less." He stuck out his hand. "Now give me the report so we can get out of here."

Ed was laughing at him. He was very badly concealing his chuckling, his breaths coming out faster, his chest trembling. He fake-sighed and looked at the report. "But I want my thank you first."

"You didn't even do anything."

Now Ed looked fake-hurt. "You call my expert analysis of alchemical matters—"

Roy stood and snatched the report out of his hand, then triumphantly held it out of reach as Ed instinctively reached forward to stop him.

"Ha," Roy said, only realising he sounded twelve until it was too late. "I got you."

Ed snorted a laugh, rolling his eyes. "Bastard." But he was grinning too hard for the insult to have any effect.

Roy slid the report into a manilla folder and tucked it safely in his desk drawer. Then, he straightened with an air of triumph and superiority. "Now that you've had your moment of immaturity, let's go home."

With that, he began walking to the door, leaving Ed to scoff behind him. "My moment of immaturity? Says the guy who can't even say thank you without having an aneurism."

"I have no qualms about expressing gratitude where it's due," Roy said flippantly as they descended the stairs. Ed was next to him, still grinning, with his hands in his pockets. "However in this case, it was not."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ed shaking his head at him.

Did Ed seriously think he was some sort of ungrateful prick? He was pretty sure the words 'thank you' had come out of his mouth in Ed's presence before.

Roy felt the urge to defend himself. "I've thanked you before," he said, trying his best to not sound defensive.

Ed stopped walking, making Roy pause a few steps ahead and turn to look at him in mild aggravation. Ed was enjoying this way too much, Roy really needed to find a way to end this conversation.

"You're actually very easy to mess with, you know that?"

Roy grunted in disgust, resuming his walking; Ed just had to suck it up and follow. His aunt always said he was easy to mess with. So did Maes. And now Ed, of all people?

Fantastic.

Ed did a little jog to catch up to him. He bumped his shoulder with his own. "You really aren't what I expected, you know." Then, he quickly added, "In a good way."

Roy shot him another mildly disgusted glance as they finally exited Headquarters. "And what did you expect?"

Ed shrugged casually. "Oh, you know. A womanising bastard with a god complex. Stick waaay up his ass. The usual."

Roy rolled his eyes. Ed had been calling him a womanising bastard with a god complex for years, and now somehow he was changing his mind?

He could've left the conversation there, said something that would shut it down and that would be that, but he was too curious for his own good. "And what do you think I am now?"

He found himself apprehensive again as Ed took a beat to reply. He turned to grin at him, his eyes sparkling in the streetlights around them, and Roy couldn't look away no matter how hard he tried. "Moody, cranky, lame—"

"Right," Roy cut him off, scowling. How embarrassing that he'd expected a serious answer.

Ed laughed. "Human, I mean."

"Glad you think I'm human, Edward."

Ed scoffed as Roy took his keys out his pocket to unlock his front door. "Not my fault you make yourself seem like some sort of weird hollow creature."

Weird hollow creature, huh? That's certainly how he felt sometimes.

Once they were inside and Roy had rid himself of his uniform jacket, Ed absently opened the fridge and hummed. He reached in and threw some mushrooms on the counter, along with a carrot and other things Roy really did not recall paying for.

But he must admit that he was fairly mentally absent when he and Ed went grocery shopping; he was usually more concerned with making sure he looked forced to be there rather than just out and about with Ed. Not that it was hard; Roy hated grocery shopping.

"Are you cooking?" Roy asked him, which was probably a stupid question considering he was getting a pan out the cupboard.

"I'd rather die than have Xingese tonight so guess I am."

Roy rolled his eyes as he plopped his ass in a chair and watched Ed rummage around the kitchen. "And you call me dramatic."

Ed turned to him as he got a knife out. "Oh yeah, forgot to add that to the list of things you are."

Roy huffed.

The next fifteen minutes were spent with Roy following Ed's every move with his eyes as he busied himself in the kitchen.

He didn't think he'd ever get used to the idea that Ed cooked. Well, using the term cooking was subjective; to Roy, who had probably never even peeled a carrot, Ed sautéing some veggies and meat and slapping it on pasta or rice counted as cooking, but to someone who actually cooked, this dish was probably a lazy day.

Whatever.

Ed was currently plating the rice and then scooped out some vegetables and chicken with a spatula. Yes, Ed had made him buy a spatula.

Then, he turned, holding the two plates, and handed Roy one absently as he sat down at the table.

Roy was starving. And this looked good, goddammit.

Ed practically vacuumed his food up, and Roy finished his with mildly embarrassing promptness himself.

He looked down at his empty plate, his stomach full and satiated, and then looked back up at Ed. Sensing his eyes on him, Ed glanced up from where he was trying to pick up the last grains of rice with his fork.

"Was it okay?" Ed asked, nodding to Roy's empty plate.

"It was delicious," he said, slightly hating how Ed raised his eyebrows in surprise at the compliment. Then, just to damn himself even more, he added, "Thank you."

And Ed practically beamed at him.

Roy spat his toothpaste in the sink, and rinsed out his mouth.

They were getting ready to go to bed. After they'd eaten, a calm, tired silence had ensued while Roy did the dishes and Ed lazed around at the table. They'd swiftly retreated upstairs, where Ed hogged the bathroom first.

Ed was just outside the door, though by the tug Roy felt in his chest he assumed Ed had moved to his mattress.

Roy braced his hands on the sink and absently stared at himself in the mirror.

He never thought a day like this would come, when he didn't know where to go once he exited the bathroom.

Last night he'd slept next to Ed, on the spare mattress.

Did Ed expect him to simply crawl into bed with him again? Surely not.

But what if he did? He didn't want to upset Ed by assuming again, by just walking into his bedroom.

But what if he tried to get into bed with Ed and was met with an incredulous expression? He wouldn't live through that embarrassment.

Taking a deep breath, Roy decided to exit the bathroom. He'd have to feel Ed out.

Ed was indeed on the mattress by Roy's bedroom door, and Roy walked over, making sure none of his internal hesitation showed. He paused by his bedroom door and looked over to Ed, who was lounging on the mattress, yawning.

He felt awkward about this. What did Ed expect from him? Did Ed even want to sleep next to him again, or had it been a one time thing?

This was uncharted territory. There was no data, no precedence that Roy could draw conclusions from. He had no idea what Ed thought, what Ed would do or feel if Roy just walked into his room. But he didn't know what he'd do or feel if Roy just—seized the opportunity.

What would he say if Roy invited him to his bed?

Should he offer? Probably not. That would be rather forward, and, well, inappropriate? If that even counted for anything, considering.

He didn't want to send the wrong message. He didn't want Ed to think Roy expected something from him, that by accepting the offer he would be accepting something else as well.

Could Ed feel how awkward he felt right now?

Ed looked at him, his face suspiciously blank. He cleared his throat, a wave of awkwardness flowing through the bond. "Goodnight," he said hastily, averting his gaze.

That snapped Roy out of his stupor. Right. "Goodnight," he said, nodding, and went into his room.

Of course, what did he expect? Last night had been a moment; Roy had comforted him after his horrible dream. It would be presumptuous of him to assume Ed wanted more than that. But as he thought it, disappointment lingered in his chest. He'd thought that Ed wanted more than that.

And perhaps Roy had enjoyed holding him and waking up next to him a bit more than what was appropriate to admit.

But they couldn't sleep next to each other every night like some married couple. That would be preposterous.

Roy sighed, getting in bed and turning onto his side, gazing at the empty space next to him. He indulged himself for a moment, wondering what it would be like if Ed took that space. If Ed crawled into bed next to him every night like it was the most normal thing in the world.

The thought didn't feel as weird as it should.

Roy didn't sleep next to anyone, he hadn't for years. And he knew he really shouldn't want to sleep next to Ed, but he did, and for some reason, when it came to Ed, recognising what he wanted came so intuitively to him now, but indulging that want was a whole other ball game.

He'd just have to imagine those bleary golden eyes when he woke up in the morning instead.