The fear he felt in that moment rivalled the terror he'd felt when he lost Al.

It surprised him, for a split second, but the panic and urgency took over, and he rushed to Mustang's side. His body had a mind of its own as he grasped his shoulder. There was blood on his gloves, on his uniform. Was he hurt?

"Colonel!" he shouted, his grip on him tightening. "Colonel, what happened? Are you okay?"

Mustang blinked—he looked disoriented, he looked— "Fullmetal? Where are we?"

Ed's jaw tightened as he looked around, seeing his friends and—Pride and that thing. "Father's hideout," he bit out. "What did they do to you?"

He'd just dropped through the ceiling—Pride had brought him. The fifth sacrifice they said.

Mustang was touching his face. Was there something wrong with his face? What was wrong, goddammit!

His insides turned to ice when Mustang spoke—when he described the Gate, that he'd seen it, that he'd—

"The Gate?" Ed yelled, clutching him tighter—closer. Fuck, all he wanted to do was wrap an arm around him and make sure he was okay, that he was physically unharmed, but if he'd seen the Gate that meant—"That means something was taken from you," he gasped, swallowing the bile that threatened to come up. "But you have all your limbs—you seem fine. What did it take?"

His heart was hammering in his chest at the thought that Mustang had paid something—that he was in as much pain as Ed had been that day, that he'd seen that.

He still seemed disoriented, and was touching his face—shit, had it done something to his mind? Had he hit his head? Ed wanted to reach over and touch the skin for himself, but he shouldn't, couldn't. "Fullmetal," he said. "How are you meant to inspect my condition when it's so dark in here?"

Ed's mind went blank.

What?

No—

"Everything's black," Mustang continued, and Ed's breath left him in a deep exhale, in grief, in sorrow, in—

He was blind. That fucking bastard had taken his eyesight.

Something in Ed crumbled at that realisation, as he watched a man who was usually so put together be so disoriented, fumbling around in a darkness that only existed to him, a man who had a vision—for the country, for the people, for the world—be turned visionless.

It was a cruel joke.

Ed tried to hold on to him—but not too close, never too close—but Mustang was standing up and Ed had to let him go, even if it killed him inside, even if the injustice of being forced to commit human transmutation and still pay a price burned inside him—

Roy blinked in the darkness. For a split second he thought he was blind again, that the fix the Philosopher's Stone had offered had been temporary and had now expired.

But he turned his head toward the window, saw the moonlight slipping through the blind and the sun slowly rising, and soon enough his eyes had adjusted enough for him to make out furniture—and Ed, arms around him and clutching him tightly, as though to prevent him from moving away this time.

"Are you okay?" Roy mumbled, shifting slightly to get Ed's body even closer to his own.

"Yeah," came Ed's low and muffled reply. But his arms tightened around Roy, and then he said,"Do we really have to go?"

Roy tried to catch a glimpse of his face, but it was buried deep into the crook of his neck, and the only thing he could make out was blond hair and a strong bicep. "We have to go to the ball, Ed."

And it occurred to him then, that Ed's reluctance to attend the ball may not actually have anything to do with his general dislike of formal social situations. Maybe he simply didn't want the reminder about that day—and everyone they'd lost. Maybe the thought of celebrating it, of being called a hero and thanked for the role he played in the win when so many people never made it back, left a sour taste in his mouth.

Roy understood that better than anyone.

Ed sighed, burying his face further into Roy as though he could make himself disappear.

"Al will be there," Roy mumbled against his blond head. Ed would at least have Alphonse to distract him, to make the hours bearable.

Ed shifted slightly—he'd shuffled closer, until he was half on top of Roy. Roy simply held him. "And you."

"And me." He smiled. "Didn't think I counted like that."

"Only if you decide not to be an asshole."

Roy fake gasped. "How dare you ask something so difficult of me."

He felt Ed's grin on his skin. "Bastard." His hand had been resting on his shoulder, but it moved, fingers trailing down his chest. Heat pooled in Roy's stomach immediately at that simple, delicate touch.

He found himself inhaling deeply as Ed's heat seeped into him, as he noticed the hardness pushing against his hip. His hand trailed down Ed's back until he shivered, and then Ed was lying fully on top of him, golden eyes hooded and gleaming in the moonlight.

"We should really try to get back to sleep," Roy tried, licking his lips. "We have a busy day ahead." But even as he said it, his hands were roaming over Ed's naked back, and his cock was hardening with every passing second.

He looked and felt delectable.

Ed didn't reply; he slowly ground against him, his breath getting deeper with every soft roll of his hips.

Roy wrapped his arms around him, pulling him closer against him. "You're insatiable, Edward."

Ed just hummed, leaning down to nip at his jaw, then worming his way under, to his neck. Roy's breath left him slightly more shakily than he'd intended as Ed nipped repetitively at his neck, in a slow, unhurried way that made him feel like they had all the time in the world.

"Fuck, you're hot," Ed whispered, seemingly to himself, as he ground a bit harder against Roy.

Roy smirked lazily, his hands enjoying their travels around Ed's exposed skin. "Careful of the ego, Ed."

Ed's breath left him in a quiet laugh, and he pulled back to give him a teasing stare. "I fucking hate you, I swear."

"No, you don't," Roy said boldly, and held his breath, tightened his grip on Ed's waist—

"No," Ed said. His eyes turned fond, and he leaned down until their lips brushed. "I really, really don't."

And then Ed kissed him. His body tingled when his tongue brushed against Ed's, and Ed pressed against him harder, as though he could kiss him deeper, as though he could get closer.

Ed moaned into the kiss. His cock, now fully hard, was pressing against Roy's, and all he wanted to do was remove the cotton separating them.

Roy tugged at Ed's boxers and broke the kiss only long enough to whisper, "Off."

Ed wiggled, pushing the duvet behind him, a wide grin on his face as he threw the boxers on the floor. And then rid Roy of his own.

The second kiss was more urgent, like this between them usually was. Roy's cock throbbed as it rubbed against Ed's, and he was already desperate, addicted to the one person he'd never thought he'd ever find himself addicted to.

He flipped them over and positioned himself on top of Ed, grinding hard against his cock and eliciting a low groan. Ed's hands gripped his hair—and he was panting against his mouth, his tongue rubbing against Roy's in a needy, demanding way.

Ed's lips glistened when Roy pulled back, his eyes hazy and full of desire. "Turn around," Roy said, his tone commanding but his voice breathless.

Ed licked his lips and obeyed, turning onto his front so Roy had the most perfect view of his back. He gently brushed Ed's hair to the side, gazing at his flushed cheek as Ed turned to look at him over his shoulder. The sun was slowly rising, it was starting to filter through the blinds and cast a stunning glow on Ed.

"I love looking at you," he mumbled, fingers trailing down Ed's back, feeling every single muscle as it flexed under his touch.

Ed shivered, gasping, and lifted his hips up, pressing his ass pointedly against Roy's groin. Half his face was buried into the pillow, but he was still trying to look back at him with a single golden eye. "I'm glad that you can see me," he said, his voice half muffled by the pillow.

Roy softly grasped his hips and lifted his ass up further, and then his hands glided to his perfectly smooth asscheeks—groping, caressing, simply touching. "Me too."

Ed's fingers fisted the pillow underneath him, and he licked his lips when Roy reached into the bedside drawer for lube.

He slicked up his fingers, the faint scent of cherries lingering in the air, and Ed huffed a little laugh.

Roy hummed inquisitively as he teasingly circled Ed's entrance with the tip of his finger.

Ed shifted to free his mouth, and grinned at him. "I thought I'd finally lost it when I smelt cherries that first time."

Roy raised a brow. "I feel inlined to comment that I believe you never fully had it to begin with."

He wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting, but it wasn't Ed's casual one shoulder shrug of agreement.

He thoughtfully inspected the bottle of lube. "I believe this is a small bottle of cherry lube."

Ed huffed that little laugh again and bit his lip in amusement. "Can't imagine you buying cherry lube, not gonna lie."

Roy smirked and inserted a finger, all the way, making Ed gasp. "I didn't."

He didn't allow Ed the breathing room necessary to ask questions. He curled his finger, brushing against his prostate—and Ed let out a low, deep moan. "Fuck."

Roy hummed, peppering kisses on his lower back, his asscheek, the back of his thigh. He added a second finger, and Ed squirmed, spreading his legs further.

"Feels nice?" he asked, his lips brushing against the skin of his hip.

Ed shuffled to look at him. His head was still resting on the pillow, eyes hooded and vulnerable, golden hair mussed up around him. "Yeah."

Roy placed a soft kiss on his hip and inserted a third finger.

Perhaps it should concern him how easily Ed took three fingers now, how quickly Roy was slicking up his cock and pressing against Ed's entrance. But it didn't.

He grabbed his hips again and started pushing in—and the warm tightness, the slickness, the sight of Ed's perfect behind slowly taking every inch, had him gasping for air as heat spread through his groin.

"Fuck, Ed," he breathed, eyes shutting for a second as he focused on his breathing. He thrust further, watching Ed wiggle his legs wider, slightly arching his back. His grip on Ed's hips tightened. "You feel so insanely good."

Mine.

The thought popped into his mind unbidden, but it didn't alarm him like it had the first time it happened. He liked to think Ed was his, that no one else would ever have him like this, but it all felt so shaky, the foundation of that statement so unstable.

He really wished that was a lie he could thoroughly convince himself of.

By the time he was sheathed fully into Ed his body was coated with a thin layer of sweat, and Ed's had flushed a soft pink. They both breathed heavily as Roy pulled out to the tip, and then slowly thrust back in.

Ed wiggled some more, knees bent on the mattress and spread as far as he could. One hand was fisting the pillow his face was resting on, the other loosely grasping the sheet next to it.

Roy leaned over him, plastering his chest over Ed's back, and wrapped an arm around his torso. Keeping his weight up with the other, he slowly pulled out again, and then thrust back in—hard and fast, making Ed grunt.

It was pure torture the way his pulse hammered in his throat, the way his groin tightened and tingled and heat burned through his entire body. He pulled out again, slowly—he was torturing both of them, judging from the way Ed whined in the pillow.

When he thrust back in, Ed was pushed forwards and his knees slipped slightly on the mattress—his hips lowered, and Roy gasped at the extra friction, the extra tightness as Ed clenched. He picked up the pace, grinding against Ed's ass and rolling his hips to get as deep as he could. His body was pinning Ed's to the mattress, and he buried his face into the crook of Ed's neck.

And he thrust—again and again and again, holding Ed close, gasping against the hot skin of his neck.

Ed was moaning with every thrust. It was muffled by the pillow, but Roy could tell he was getting desperate, that Roy was thrusting exactly the way he was meant to thrust.

Ed's hands were fisting the bedding so tightly his knuckles were white. Every breath was a low moan, and Roy grasped his hair, pulling him up just so, just enough to hear the full effect of those beautiful sounds.

"You're mine," he gasped breathlessly, the tension in his groin growing with every thrust, the pleasure searing through his body and blanking his mind completely. He liked to say it, he liked Ed knowing it—knowing that if someone dared touch him Roy would incinerate them.

Ed arched his back, his ass meeting each thrust perfectly. He'd closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he grunted and groaned, occasionally gasping at a particularly well aimed thrust.

Roy nuzzled his nose in his neck, breathing in his scent, feeling the heat radiating off him. He kissed the overheated skin, and Ed tilted his head to allow better access. He ran the tip of his tongue along the side of his jaw, tasting the sweat and the heat and Ed. He kept up his pace, thrusting as he nipped and licked and kissed. Ed was breathing heavily, gasping for air, his eyes scrunched shut and his face flushed—he was close.

Roy was about to pull back to focus on thrusting when Ed's hand grabbed the back of his head and brought him back to his neck. "Don't stop," he said shakily, and Roy would not deny him anything, not when it meant bringing him this much pleasure, making him feel so good.

The sun had risen now, its morning rays catching in his eyes slightly, so he shut them as he bit Ed's neck, relishing his groans.

"Roy," Ed panted, fisting the sheets tighter. Roy nipped at his neck, at his jaw, moving up to his ear, where he ran the tip of his tongue just behind, making Ed shiver. "Fuck, I'm gonna come."

"Then come," Roy mumbled in his ear, trailing his fingers down his stomach, his touch featherlight, teasing, and wrapping them around Ed's cock.

"I always come first," Ed whined, but let out a loud moan when Roy started pumping.

Roy smirked against his ear. "I don't see a problem with that."

Ed didn't reply; he was gasping, moaning, shivering as Roy pumped his cock. His eyes fluttered shut as he focused on the sensation, trying his best not to come yet but easily surrendering to the pleasure. Roy's thrusts had become languid and lazy; he focused on nipping at Ed's ear, on stroking his cock until it throbbed.

Ed cried out as the orgasm seared through him, and Roy held him close as he pumped his cock relentlessly, even as cum ruined the sheets. Ed was moaning desperately, the sound going straight to his groin, adding to the tension coiling and burning.

"Roy," Ed gasped, and Roy bit his right shoulder, causing him to shudder. "Fuck."

Roy let go of his cock, chuckling as he watched Ed get his breathing under control. Ed turned to look at him over his shoulder. "You haven't come yet." It was almost accusing.

He ran his hands over Ed's flushed skin, smirking. "I have not."

Ed licked his glistening lips. "One day I'll make you come before me."

One day.

Ed was planning on staying till one day?

It implied a future. A future Roy was too scared to envision.

Before he could unpack that further, Ed reached back and grabbed his arm, pulling him close to him again, and pushed his hips back into him. He said nothing, but his eyes sparkled with a teasing gleam as he lowered his head to the pillow once more.

Roy smiled, nuzzling Ed's cheek with his nose as he began thrusting.

It was different, somehow. Slower, less urgent. The tension in his groin was coiling tighter with every thrust, the heat pooling low in his stomach. His breathing became more erratic.

He held Ed close, gasping against his cheek, and when the orgasm came he let it take him wholly, let Ed thread his fingers through his as the waves of pleasure washed over him.

His heart throbbed in his throat as he got his breathing under control, his breath hot against Ed's cheek.

Ed let out a low chuckle. "Never thought I'd let you lie on me."

Roy took a breath. "This isn't my entire body weight so technically I'm not—"

"Clearly didn't fuck me well enough if you can still talk like that."

Roy pushed himself up and delivered a perfect slap on Ed's asscheek, which made him yelp rather humorously. "Clearly didn't fuck you well enough if you can still be a brat."

Ed laughed, loud and carefree.

The familiar fondness squeezed his chest. He leaned back over Ed, wrapping both arms around his torso and burying his face in the crook of his neck. Now he was lying on him, with his entire body weight.

"So," Ed said, voice slightly muffled by the pillow. Roy hummed inquisitively. "Where did you get the fancy lube then?"

Roy huffed a laugh. "Havoc."

"Huh?"

Roy couldn't help laughing as Ed turned his head in a way that definitely hurt his neck just to stare at him incredulously.

"He hosts bizarre sex-themed parties sometimes," he explained. "I won it in a raffle."

Ed frowned, the corners of his lips turning downward in mild offence. "Why wasn't I invited?"

"You were…" Roy winced. "Too young."

Ed blinked. Then snorted. "So I couldn't go to a weird sex party but I could battle homunculi and be exposed to military corruption and death."

Roy smiled. "Correct."

Ed rolled his eyes at him.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Roy spent the majority of the time on the phone to Hawkeye, running through their plans for the ball this evening and making sure everything went flawlessly. She'd gathered enough information about what to expect tonight that Roy could easily imagine the entire evening in his head. He knew exactly who would be there, who wouldn't, and had a mental list of people he should talk to and who he should avoid.

He'd been lost in his thoughts ever since, all but ignoring Ed, to his chagrin. But at least he'd occupied himself with studying the changes Alphonse had made to his array last night.

Roy absently tugged on his collar, fixing the lapels of his button up. Perhaps agonising over which shirt to wear had taken it a step too far.

"They all literally look the same," Ed groaned when he saw Roy debating rejecting this one as well. "They're white, they're shirts. What's the fucking problem?"

Roy huffed. "Different brands, slightly different fits and details. You wouldn't know."

Ed snorted from behind him. "Me and no one else."

"You'd be surprised by what bitter Generals gossip about."

Ed simply sighed and went quiet. Roy took that time to decide that the first shirt he'd tried on was indeed the one, and then made quick work of his black trousers and belt.

Then he started messing with his hair in the mirror.

"Fucking hell," he heard Ed whisper before he grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the full length mirror.

"Ed," he grumbled, trying to twist out of his grip.

"You look hot, happy now?"

Roy stopped fighting and glared at Ed instead. He was still in boxers. "Are you planning on turning up in underwear?"

Ed rolled his eyes so hard it must've hurt. "It takes me approximately three seconds to throw on a shirt and pants. Never known a person who takes as long as you, shit."

Roy could feel his face twisting into a scowl. Let him see it. "Hawkeye will be here with our ride in ten minutes."

"That's plenty time," Ed said casually, finally letting him go. He walked back over to the wardrobe and picked out a white shirt in the sea of white shirts. "I'll wear this one."

"Don't you have your own clothes?"

Ed smirked, shrugging the shirt on. "You have too many anyway, you wouldn't have even noticed."

He stared as Ed quickly did up the buttons, as he rolled his sleeves up in the roughest, most uneven way possible, and thought that the shirt looked way better on Ed than it ever had on Roy. Roy always tried to get every detail perfect, to make sure there was not a single crease and not a hair out of place, but Ed had a casual, easy grace about him, and smart clothing only enhanced it. The shirt hugged his shoulders and chest as though it had been made for him and hadn't been tailored for Roy.

Ed caught him staring and smirked. "Like what you see?"

A lot, actually.

He turned back to the mirror for one last check. "Don't flatter yourself."

Ed chuckled.

"I get every article of clothing I own tailored, so yes, I would've noticed," he said absently as he fiddled again with his hair.

Ed huffed a laugh. "I promise I won't steal it."

Roy smirked at him in the mirror. "You mean like you haven't stolen my sweatpants?"

Watching Ed wiggle into the black trousers was way more entertaining that he'd expected. "They aren't tailored," Ed said matter-of-factly. Then he paused. "They're not, right?"

Roy pursed his lips to stop a smile. "They're not."

A knock on the front door had them both freezing and looking at the bedroom door. Hawkeye was here. The anticipation gripped his stomach like a fist, and he ran through everything again in his head.

He had to make a good impression, he had to anticipate every single point of conversation other Generals might try to use to catch him out. There were rumours about his involvement in Bradley's downfall. This event would be the perfect opportunity for anyone to bring things up hoping Roy wouldn't have an answer.

Again, he wondered what the hell Grumman was thinking.

Ed touched his arm and Roy nearly flinched in surprise. He blinked at him. "Ready to go?"

He took a deep breath, taking a moment to give Ed a once over. And then another. Simply appreciating the way the clothes fit him like a glove. He was wearing a pair of his own trousers, since his waist was smaller than Roy's, and had paired it with his usual leather belt. "Yes."

Ed smirked, raising his eyebrows in a way that told Roy he was teasing him. "You sure?"

Roy narrowed his eyes, moving to open the door to go downstairs. "I'll ravish you later."

Ed grinned, wide and happy.

Havoc and Breda seemed way too excited about this.

The drive to the Armstrong manor was spent with loud singing and Havoc dreaming up a highly unlikely scenario where he met the love of his life. Roy endured.

Ed was mostly silent next to him, watching and laughing at the state of his team. Fuery and Falman also seemed perfectly entertained. Hawkeye was on his right, her presence a quiet threat so things didn't get out of hand.

The limousine she'd hired was fancier than he thought she'd go for, but he supposed she knew he liked to make an entrance. He was General Roy Mustang after all, the youngest General in Amestris, and known as a cocky bastard. If he didn't make an entrance, who would?

Once the Armstrong manor became visible, lit in the most ostentatious way, Roy started counting his breaths.

This night would be in the papers, reminding people of the Promised Day, of what Roy and Ed and the Fuhrer who'd taken the fallen King Bradley's place had done. It was madness, that this ball was even happening. Drawing attention to a day they were trying to get people to forget.

And Roy had to perform perfectly. He had to nail this.

They parked outside, and people were already looking, wondering who'd just turned up. They were slightly late, just like Roy had planned it.

Havoc and Breda had quieted down, faces suddenly more serious.

"You know what you have to do," Roy said, and they all smirked at him. "Ask questions, get intel, report back to me." He smirked. "And don't forget to have fun."

"Yes, sir!"

The driver opened the door, and Roy exited first, followed by Ed, then Hawkeye in her long blue dress, and the rest of the team. Roy noted every single facial expression they received, every person who looked at him in awe, in distaste, in suspicion.

He felt the energy pulsing through him with every familiar face he noticed, with the buzz of conversation. He'd have them all twisted around his little finger by the end of the night.

This was his playing field. This was what he was good at.

"General Mustang!" A man at the door greeted him, ticking him off on the guest list. He opened the doors and gestured inside. "Hope you have fun tonight, sir."

Roy smiled and nodded, and they filtered into the grand reception area of the Armstrong manor.

"Ah, Mustang! I was wondering when you'd arrive." General Alchov walked towards them, his wife next to him. "Arriving with your team? I suppose you never did do things the conventional way."

Roy smiled. "General Alchov, it's certainly been a while." He focused his attention on his wife, Gloria, and raised her slender hand to his lips. "Mrs Alchov, always a pleasure."

She flushed, smiling at him. "Always a flirt, General."

General Alchov scoffed, grinning. "Out to steal my wife, Mustang? I know your reputation!"

Roy smirked. "I wouldn't call myself a wife stealer, Alchov."

A small clearing of the throat next to him had him looking to his left, raising an eyebrow at Ed. The rest of the team had dispersed like he'd told them to, but Ed remained next to him. He looked like the last place he wanted to be was here.

The moment Roy looked at him it made him exist to the Alchovs. His fault really.

"Major Elric!" General Alchov exclaimed, as though he couldn't believe he hadn't recognised him immediately.

Ed gave a very hesitant, unsure smile, hands already deep in his pockets. "Hi."

"Since we're celebrating the Promised Day, I must say, I've heard you played an instrumental role in our win." He smiled widely. "For your age, that is quite a feat!"

General Alchov was all right, harmless. He secretly supported Roy in his bid for Fuhrer, even though Roy had never explicitly claimed to want the position. Alchov had told Roy flat out he wasn't out to get him, and that blunt show of support was rare so high up the ranks. Most Generals were snakes looking to eat each other alive at every given opportunity.

Ed gave an uncomfortable little laugh. "Couldn't have done it without everyone, really."

He wished he'd given Ed a briefing or something, because he currently looked like a fish out of water and it was painful to watch.

He wouldn't put it past him to have no idea who the General was.

"Aren't you humble!" Mrs Alchov laughed, which had Ed bristling just the slightest bit. He probably thought she was being condescending.

The General looked to Roy. "Well, I shall let you grab a drink. We ambushed you the moment you walked in!"

Roy smiled. "I'm sure we'll speak again sometime tonight."

With that, he and Ed walked further into the throng of people, and Ed let out a long sigh. "Already wanna fucking leave."

"Patience," Roy said, and then smiled to himself, at his own private joke. He steered them towards the main ballroom, where the drinks and biggest buffet were. "Perhaps you'll find a taste for alcohol tonight."

Ed snorted. "You'll actually have a coronary if I get drunk and embarrass you."

Roy raised a brow at him. "You'd only be embarrassing yourself."

Ed huffed, looking around, presumably for Alphonse. "Why didn't Al come with us again?"

"He's not on my team or even the military, Ed. It would—"

"Potentially raise questions blah blah blah, bullshit. He's on the guest list isn't he?"

"Of course he is. I've had Hawkeye get him his own ride. He should be here any moment." He grabbed two flutes of champaign from a nearby waiter. He handed one to Ed. "Here, to start you off."

Ed took the glass from him as though Roy had handed him a dead rat. "Whatever."

Roy caught a group of women eyeing them from his right but pretended not to notice. He sipped his champaign, watching Ed eye it suspiciously before taking a sip and grimacing. "We shouldn't spend the entire night together, it will cause gossip." Ed rolled his eyes. "The bond will be painful, but we need to try not to lose sight of each other for too long."

Ed took another hesitant sip. "The bond will lead us to each other anyway. If we start feeling fuzzy we just make our way closer."

Roy nodded.

"God, he's hot, isn't he?"

Roy blinked, looking at the group of women from the corner of his eye. Ed frowned and turned his head, glancing at them.

A sigh. "Yeah, I'd never seen him in person before, do you think he'll be wanting to find someone to take home? Bet he's so good in bed."

"But he's killed so many people, you know. And he really doesn't look like it."

"I know! I couldn't imagine sleeping next to someone every night knowing he's killed hundreds. I'd never fall asleep!"

Laughter.

Roy simply took a sip of his drink. Perhaps he'd need the alcohol more than Ed.

Ed turned to face them and glared at them so hard they blanched and huddled away.

"It doesn't bother me, Ed," he mumbled, but he'd already had half the glass of champagne.

"Yes it does," Ed grumbled. "You just don't show it."

Roy smiled at him, warmth spreading in his chest. He felt grateful; Ed stood up for the people he cared about, and Roy was now part of that list. He'd never take that for granted.

He took a moment to look around, to take in the grand space of the room, the high ceilings and the stunning chandelier. He'd been to the Armstrong manor before, but the money thrown into this building was always staggering to contemplate.

"It has truly been a pleasure to host a ball for such a lovely celebration of life and triumph!"

Armstrong's booming voice made him inwardly wince, and he felt Ed all but hide behind him. Using him as a human shield, huh? The audacity.

Colonel Alex Armstrong came sparkling towards them, and Roy forced a smile on his face. "You've certainly outdone yourself this time, Colonel."

Armstrong sniffed with pride. "And what a turnout! It's been so utterly heart-warming to see people come together to celebrate—"

Roy tuned him out. Ed was almost fully pressed against his back. He spotted Riza speaking to someone in one corner of the room, and Havoc and Breda focusing one hundred percent of their attention on the buffet.

In the complete opposite corner of the room he spotted General Perkins, quietly sipping champagne. He'd been on Roy's list of people to schmooze tonight. Perkins had recently been transferred from the East, so Roy wanted to get a feel for him. He'd briefly interacted with him when he'd been a Lieutenant Colonel, but interactions within the military altered dramatically when rank changed.

"If you'll excuse us, Colonel," Roy said politely, gently tugging on Ed behind him. "Fullmetal and I have recognised so many familiar faces. We must go say hello."

Armstrong looked so beyond proud Roy took a moment to wonder what it would be like to be him, experiencing emotion so intensely. "Why of course, General! It makes me so happy how people can look past their differences and come together—" Roy quickly tugged on Ed's sleeve. "See you later, Colonel!"

Once safe, Ed sighed deeply. Roy could feel his anxiety through the bond. "This is hell."

Roy chuckled. He caught a glimpse of Alphonse entering the ballroom. He nodded towards him, and Ed turned. "Your brother's here."

"Finally, thank fuck."

Roy smiled in sympathy. He knew Ed really didn't want to be here tonight. "You go kill time with Al, but stay close." He looked again towards General Perkins. "And I'll go kiss some ass."

Ed rolled his eyes even as he smiled. "Just don't enjoy the kissing part too much."

Roy smirked as Ed wandered off toward his brother, and started walking towards his first target.

Game time.

A/N Hope you're enjoying the fic! ❤️