The bond wasn't making this easy. Not at all.

Every second of every minute he was thinking about Ed. And while that sounded quite romantic, it was currently in the least romantic way possible; the pain in his chest went from a tug to a stab to a stab depending on where he was in comparison to Ed.

The ballroom was massive, which made things hard anyway, but there were multiple rooms available to them. It had made him feel fuzzy and faint on more than one occasion when he and Ed were in different ones. The bond desperately wanted him to run into Ed's arms—again, in the least romantic way possible.

And maybe slightly in the romantic way.

He'd spoken to the majority of people he'd wanted to, and most of those conversations had gone well, despite his inability to think of much other than blond hair, golden eyes and snarky humour.

Ed seemed to be having fun, or at least as much fun as he could in a situation such as this one. Alphonse had made him laugh on multiple occasions, and Roy knew that because he'd caught himself looking more than what was probably acceptable. He was checking on him, he'd tell himself, but in reality he just couldn't stop himself whenever a flair of amusement or fondness flowed through the bond. And the times he lost sight of him, he'd lean in to the strong, painful tug he felt in his chest and know the general direction of his whereabouts.

A tap on his shoulder had him turning, his thoughts disintegrating and his face smoothing into a blank, slightly arrogant mask. When he saw it was Hawkeye, he relaxed.

"Just checking in, sir," she said quietly as she stood next to him, facing the crowd before them.

Roy took a sip of his champagne. "Everything's going well. Grumman's enjoying himself. I think I intimidated Perkins a little bit, which may or may not be a good thing. We shall find out. I could use another ally amongst the Generals."

Hawkeye's face remained impassive, almost bored. Her hands smoothed out her dress before clasping in front of her. "I think you have more allies than you realise. Most people are cowards, and won't openly admit they support change."

Roy smirked. "I wouldn't have thought you held the Generals to such a high standard, Lieutenant. I was under the impression you considered them all a bunch of greedy idiots."

Hawkeye hummed in that disapproving way of hers as Roy's eyes wandered over to Ed leaning against the corner of the wall, first couple buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, ponytail resting casually over his shoulder. He was chatting to Alphonse, an easygoing smile on his face. Havoc and Breda had joined them.

"They've grown, haven't they?"

Roy blinked, his attention going once again to Hawkeye. She was smiling fondly, her eyes on Ed and Al.

He cleared his throat. "They have."

A slither of unease wrapped around his lungs, and he took a surreptitious deep breath. In spite of everything, he wondered what she'd think if he told her about the changes to his and Ed's relationship.

What would she say? How would she react?

She'd told him she'd follow him to hell, but what if she drew the line at this…unconventional relation?

It was pretty much guaranteed that Roy would take over once Grumman retired. It had been the plan for years, even from when Grumman had been Roy's commanding officer.

Grumman wasn't meaning to take up the Fuhrer position for long. He took it after Bradley's downfall as a filler until Roy could get there without it seeming suspicious; a Colonel couldn't just jump to Fuhrer after all, so Grumman, then a General, had taken the position and would relinquish it to Roy when he retired. Meanwhile, Roy was trying to gain the support of other Generals to make his life easier once he took up Fuhrership, and to hopefully minimise the threat of assassination attempts. He wanted to be liked, but he also wanted to be regarded as worthy of the position. He was the youngest of the bunch, after all, so he couldn't appear weak, hence the carefully controlled reputation.

But what if Roy did something that made him lose Grumman's respect? If he lost everyone's respect? If he lost so many allies that Grumman could no longer see him as the perfect candidate to take his place…

Grumman was old, and he'd say so himself. But while he had openly demonstrated an eccentricity that was rare in his generation, Roy still thought it was quite possible he'd draw the line somewhere. And Roy couldn't risk that somewhere being his and Ed's…situation.

Ed caught his eye from across the room. Alphonse was laughing at something Havoc said next to him, but Ed had tuned out, staring straight at Roy and making his stomach flutter. Could Ed feel his sudden rise in anxiety?

"It's rather incredible how much strength Alphonse has gained in merely a year," Riza remarked, and Roy narrowed his eyes slightly. She was hinting at something, somewhere, but he hadn't figured out what. Riza never just pointed things out for the sake of it. "And Edward truly is as tall as you."

Roy raised a brow, acting casual and ignoring the pounding of his heart. He avoided Ed's eyes. "I'm sure Fullmetal would appreciate it if you tell him that one."

Riza chuckled.

And then, the dull stab in his chest eased, becoming a tug, and Roy inhaled sharply because—

"How's it going?"

Ed was here. Standing in front of him and smelling delicious.

Roy turned to look at him, pretending he had no idea he'd been approaching. "I believe Hawkeye was just expressing her disappointment over your lack of a growth spurt."

Ed's face called him out on his bullshit better than any words could. "I am as tall as you now, you know."

Roy smiled. "Almost." The smile turned into a teasing smirk. "You'll get there. Or not."

"You like being a prick, don't you?"

Roy grinned. "To you? Immensely."

Ed glared at him, then leaned in—and he was eye level with Roy, proving his point.

Roy hummed. "I've got an inch on you still." His body tingled at Ed's proximity, and his eyes lingered on his lips.

Ed scowled, pulling back. "You're insufferable," he griped. "What did I say about being an asshole tonight?"

Roy smirked. "I guess I can't help myself after all."

Hawkeye smiled at Ed, resting a hand on his shoulder. She gave Roy a very bizarre knowing look that freaked him the fuck out. "I shall leave you two." And then she was off.

Roy frowned suspiciously as he watched her walk away, and Ed waved a hand in front of his face. "Oi, has all the bullshitting melted your brain?"

Roy rolled his eyes. He noted the half-full champagne glass in Ed's hand and nodded at it, smirking. "Surviving all right?"

Ed scowled. "Leave me alone, it gives me something to do with my hands. I'm barely drinking it."

Roy's smirk widened. "Is it the same one I handed you two hours ago?"

"So what if it is? It tastes like ass."

Roy raised his brows in fake-surprise. "I didn't realise you knew what ass tastes like."

Ed blushed all the way to his hairline and a wave of desire flowed through the bond. Interesting. "Shut up, bastard. You know what I mean."

Roy had to purse his lips to stop the next teasing comment from escaping. Instead, he changed topic. "How's Alphonse?"

"Fine." Ed absently swirled the champagne in the glass. "Enjoying himself so I guess this stupid ball's worth it."

Roy smiled. "And yet you left him to come all the way here to bother me."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I came here to fucking rescue you."

Now Roy's brows rose in genuine surprise. "Rescue me? From what?"

"From an imminent anxiety meltdown." For someone who claimed rescuing intentions, he sure was glaring at him like he'd rather finish the job. "Fuck knows what Hawkeye was saying to make you feel that on edge. Doubt it had anything to do with my height."

Roy smoothed his face into a cool, unbothered mask. "I don't need rescuing from Hawkeye."

"Sure fucking felt like it," Ed muttered, sipping his champagne and then grimacing.

Roy took a deep breath and absently looked around. His eyes lingered on the buffet. "Hungry?"

Ed shrugged. "I've been nibbling. Turns out fancy food kinda sucks."

Roy couldn't help the chuckle. Of course Ed would prefer some cheap Cretan takeout over a whole expensive buffet. "At least you're a cheap date," he joked, and then paused as he realised what he'd said. Ed didn't seem to notice.

He snorted. "I'll drain your bank account anyway. Watch me."

"That wasn't a challenge," Roy muttered.

He spotted General Hakuro speaking to General Perkins. Bastard. Roy would bet Hakuro had a similar plan to Roy this evening. Hakuro was definitely on his small list of people to avoid tonight.

"Who's he?" Ed asked him, leaning closer.

Roy sent him a sidelong admonishing, incredulous look. "General Hakuro," he said. "How do you not know that."

Ed's face scrunched up. "Why the fuck would I know that?"

Hakuro caught his eye—fuck. Then he started walking over—double fuck.

"He's one of my main competitors for Fuhrer," he said quickly, quietly, using his champagne flute to hide his lips.

Ed paused, watching Hakuro stride over to them with a casual smirk that made Roy want to punch him. "So we hate him."

Roy took a gulp of champagne. "Absolutely."

"General Mustang!" Hakuro exclaimed, as though he were happy to see him. He said it in that condescending voice of his that always made Roy want to burst his own eardrums.

"General Hakuro," Roy greeted with the same exact contempt. Because he could.

Ed looked between them.

"Lovely event isn't it, General," Hakuro mused, gesturing to the people around them with his glass of champagne. "What a tribute to the Promised Day. The Armstrongs have truly outdone themselves yet again."

Roy smiled, and it felt so familiar, this smile, so fake and tight and slightly condescending. It was so different from the smiles Ed got out of him. "It is indeed," Roy drawled. "And what a pleasant surprise to see you here tonight for the celebration of our victory." Considering you did absolutely nothing.

Hakuro smiled back, mimicking his exact smile. Bastard. "Have you heard? There's talk that the people who took down Bradley were in fact internal."

And that was why Hakuro had been on his Avoid list tonight. "Is that so?"

Hakuro's smile remained, but his eyes accused him all the same.

Roy knew some people thought he had been involved with the coup, and Bradley's death. While Roy had hid the true nature of his involvement in, well, everything, it hadn't taken long for his competitors to start pointing fingers. His rise from Colonel to General had been suspicious enough; most people got promoted to Brigadier General from the rank of Colonel, and then to Major General. Grumman being his commanding officer prior to his promotion had made the jump make more sense, but that didn't mean the other Generals liked it any more.

Their cover story for the Promised Day had been slightly patchy; they had no way of explaining why every citizen of Amestris had lost consciousness for several minutes, so after the initial shock and panic and confusion started wearing off, Roy had advised the best plan was to sweep it under the rug. Make people forget that day. Placate any lingering panic until it eased completely.

It had been working. And now Grumman had hosted this.

"You haven't heard? I was under the impression you had ears everywhere," Hakuro all but sneered. Though his smile remained, it had morphed into more of a grimace.

Roy remained unruffled, shrugging. "Perhaps you'll have to tell me the stories one day."

Hakuro scowled at him, but it only lasted a second, and his attention shifted to Ed, who'd been watching them converse like they were passing a ball to each other. "Ah, the Fullmetal Alchemist." His smile was back.

Roy was instantly on edge. He could handle Hakuro's snakey remarks, but Ed wasn't trained in this, he was an open book. If Hakuro thought he could target Ed to get to Roy he was sorely mistaken. Roy wouldn't let him.

Ed's face was guarded as he flashed a quick smile that reeked of dislike.

It was only slightly amusing that Hakuro knew who Ed was while Ed hadn't had a clue who Hakuro was until a few minutes ago.

Hakuro clapped him on the shoulder, and Roy tensed. "I've also heard that you were quite the hero!" He leaned in, having to bend slightly at the waist, and Ed openly scowled and moved his face back. "How did you manage that at your age? Weren't you only sixteen?"

"Seventeen," Ed grumbled under his breath.

Hakuro heard it anyway and waved a hand. "Semantics." He smiled again. "How do you feel about having been recruited at such a young age?" He glanced at Roy. "Surely that must've been hard?"

Roy recalled when Ed had asked him if there'd been a time he hadn't regretted killing someone. He thought perhaps Hakuro could easily be added to that list.

His hand slid off Ed's shoulder to grip his bicep in what the prick thought was a comforting gesture. The possessiveness battled for dominance inside of him, but he pushed it down, acted unbothered even as he was inwardly seething.

He didn't want that asshole touching Ed. He didn't want anyone touching Ed.

Ed shrugged, as though he couldn't feel Roy was ready to commit murder. "Sure it was hard, but there was loads of support available, and General Mustang helped me out a lot, so it wasn't so bad."

Roy blinked. That was…probably the most diplomatic answer Ed had ever given.

Hakuro seemed disappointed he hadn't gotten the Roy slander he had been hoping for. He pulled back and patted Ed on the shoulder again. He couldn't keep his grubby hands off Ed, could he? "Well then, kid, you surely have grown." Finally, his hand dropped off Ed. "Forgive me, I was under the impression relations between you and General Mustang were…strained."

Ed flashed a casual, easygoing smile and shrugged. "Everyone thinks that, but he's okay. I just yell a lot."

Roy had to purse his lips to stop the fond smile.

Hakuro watched him for another second, before the fake smile was back on his face and he looked to Roy. "Well, I shall let you enjoy the rest of your evening."

Roy's smile came easier this time. "Have a good night, General."

He and Ed watched Hakuro walk away.

"Okay," Ed said, "so we hate hate him."

Roy downed the last of his champagne. "Despise him."

Ed chuckled, gently bumping him with his shoulder. "For a second there I thought you'd rip out that lighter you stuffed in your pocket before we left. Don't think I didn't notice."

Roy couldn't find it in him to find it funny, because he had been. Dangerously close. And that scared him just a little bit.

Ed huffed another laugh and leaned closer. "Relax," he whispered. "He touched my shoulder not my dick."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Ed pursed his lips to hide his smile. He always did a miserable job of that. "Sure."

How he'd ended up eye fucking Ed across the room he wasn't sure.

Perhaps he shouldn't have had that third glass of champagne, but blaming this on alcohol seemed like a copout. He wasn't drunk, wasn't even tipsy; he would never put himself in such a vulnerable position with so many competitors around.

He was ready to leave now, really. He'd fulfilled his duties for the night, and was now merely killing time by nibbling at the buffet in one of the smaller rooms and sipping champagne. But neither Grumman or Armstrong seemed particularly inclined to formally end the night.

Ed was still nursing the same glass Roy had handed him at the start of the night. If only he knew that was what Riza always tended to do at functions like this. They could be friends.

Ed knew he was watching. He was leaning against the wall next to the buffet, making polite conversation with one of General Alchov's daughters, but his eyes would every so often slide over to Roy. Roy had been making pleasant small talk with some Generals' plus ones, but his eyes betrayed where his attention truly was.

He couldn't remember her name. Carrie? Camilla? She was hitting on Ed. He was sure of it. Ed was smiling at her politely, warmly, occasionally laughing, and Roy wondered if he knew that she wanted him. That she was probably hoping they went home together tonight.

He couldn't blame her. Ed looked absolutely ravishing in his smart clothing, with his hair brushed back into a neat ponytail. Anyone would want him. Ed could have his pick.

He politely excused himself and took a moment for himself. He leaned against the wall opposite Ed, probably looking like a sad, drunk man. But he wasn't.

It wasn't even a full minute later that he was approached.

"You look lonely," a smooth female voice said. He took his eyes off Ed for a single second, glancing at the woman who'd walked over to him.

Roy smiled at her, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's been a long night, just taking some time to gather my thoughts."

She chuckled, even though Roy hadn't really said anything funny. He looked at her hands, which were delicately holding a champagne glass. No wedding band. He wasn't sure who she was, but she seemed around his age.

"Well, I didn't mean to bother you."

She was giving him the eyes. He knew women; they were easy to read. He knew exactly what she wanted to hear just from a glance.

His smiled widened—and this one, too, felt tight on his face. Not entirely real. "I don't think a beautiful woman like you could ever bother me."

Her cheeks turned pink and she demurely averted her gaze.

Roy's eyes went back to Ed. He was looking straight at him, and a surge of exhilaration rushed through him. General Alchov's daughter was nowhere to be found.

Especially not women.

Ed's voice rang out in his mind. No, Ed didn't want her. He wasn't interested.

Roy could feel some sort of anticipation building inside him as he held Ed's eyes from across the room.

It was unfair how one look, one word from Ed could make him hard, but he could spend hours flirting with women and not feel a shred of desire. He'd always thought he was just too composed, restrained, in control. Women had always liked that about him; it was part of his appeal, that they had to work for his attention. And yet here Ed was.

"You flatter me, General."

Roy made himself return his gaze to the brunette in front of him. "Please, call me Roy."

She blushed again and moved closer to him, until their arms touched. Roy's eyes flicked back to Ed.

Why wasn't he jealous? It was pure amusement that flowed through the bond, and Roy wasn't sure why. Why was Ed not jealous about Roy's interactions with women anymore when Roy couldn't stand anyone even looking at Ed the wrong way?

"Well, Roy, you can call me Rose."

This was too easy. Roy smiled, his hand coming to brush a brown curl back from her face. "Rose is truly the most fitting name for you. I should treat you to a bouquet. Red or pink?" he mused, and she leaned against him, her lips almost brushing against his shoulder.

He couldn't help tensing, just a little bit. He tried to keep the smile on his face.

"I believe it's a bit obvious I favour pink." She gestured down to her pink dress, chuckling.

Roy raised his brows and smirked. "Pink it is, then."

She pulled at his shirt, and he leaned down so she could whisper in his ear. Ed was still watching them intensely, and that same exasperated amusement was flowing through the bond. He held his eyes, smirking at him. Ed rolled his eyes.

Her lips brushed against his collar as she breathed, "Do you think we'll be missed if we leave?"

Hawkeye joined Ed, stealing his attention away from him. Roy narrowed his eyes as an awkward embarrassment flowed through the bond. What were they talking about?

A tug on his shirt had Roy turning his head to look at Rose, seeing the blush on her pale cheeks, the way her brown eyes had darkened.

What would she think if she knew what he'd done with Ed? If she knew how he'd sucked Ed's cock until it hit the back of his throat, how he'd pounded him into the mattress like an animal until they were both moaning loudly and desperately? Would she be disgusted?

Havoc would've jumped at this chance, he thought. And so would any other man he knew. Except Ed, because Ed wasn't interested in women.

And maybe neither was he, because he didn't want to leave with her, soul bond or no. The flirting was a game to him, a game he won every time. He made women all flustered and breathless, felt the exhilaration of victory, and then left.

He'd always confused that exhilaration for attraction. He'd been confusing the boost to his ego, his victory in a game that only existed in his head, for attraction.

He couldn't have stopped the flicker of panic even if he tried, and his charming smile felt frozen on his face, tight and fake.

Concern and curiosity flowed through the bond, and Roy ignored it, gently moving back. He sighed, feigning disappointment. "Unfortunately I do believe my absence will be noted." As her face dropped, he added, "But I do hope our paths cross again at a more…opportune moment." He smirked for good measure, and she chuckled.

"Me too."

He looked to Ed again, but he was no longer leaning against the wall where he had been. Roy frowned as his eyes quickly scanned the surrounding area, not seeing him.

The pain in his chest turned into a violent stab, and he had to tense to stop himself from recoiling. He smiled at Rose. "If you'll excuse me for a moment."

And then he was off, following the tug in his chest and trying not to seem like he was rushing.