"We were always leaving / Since we started breathing"

[kryptonite_al]

((locked to superman_dead, ruthless_path, and wortcunningAl wasn't moving very far from his brother; whether it was for Ed's comfort or his own, one couldn't say. But he kept looking over at the man walking alongside them, someone who had done and given so much to them both, most of which they hadn't realized at the time, over the years

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[wortcunning]

Meanwhile, Russell had left Alfons to take care of a sick Riza in Ed's absense to bring over a few more things while he'd been thinking on it.

Upon arrival, they might notice the door's unlocked and the apartment lights are on.

[superman_dead]

Whether it was for Ed's comfort or his own didn't matter- it comforted Edward, so if it was for Al's benefit, then it was mutually beneficial.

Or something.

Anyway, Edward hasn't said much while they walked- he's been polite with Roy, and as friendly as he felt he had right to be, the situation considering, but their few exchanges lacked most if not all of their usual banter and easy conversation. It hurt, because despite how much the older man had frustrated Edward endlessly when he was younger, now that Edward could stand as an equal, he missed the ... the friendship, he supposed, if one could really call their former mutual trust and aggravation that

[ruthless_path]

Roy steps into the apartment after Edward, considering what he might want to say here. He's not sure about the whole arrangement, but it's more than he's had in the past two years.

"Someone left the light on," he muses quietly as he looks around.

He's going to let Ed and Al check for intruders as he surveys the place from the entryway. "Thank you for taking care of that, and thank you for ensuring a good view. The quiet is most appreciated," he says quietly.

[wortcunning]

Russell stuck his head around the kitchen doorway, looking into the room. "Oh, hey. Back already, I see." He approached the three of them and stuck his hand out, giving him a faint smile. "Russell Tringham. I'm afraid I probably have you at a greater disadvantage at the moment, as we've never met, but I knew you'd been Ed's commanding officer. And yes, we're all from the same Amestris here."

[ruthless_path]

"Roy Mustang, which you seem to already know," Roy says, his tone a bit bland as he reaches out to shake Russel's hand.

There's not really much interest behind the gesture, but he's not all that eager to offend Ed and Al by snubbing one of their friends. "Mind if I ask what you're doing in my place?"

[superman_dead]

Edward mumbles a distracted 'you're welcome' as he looks around for signs of life. A 'you're welcome' that is abruptly interrupted as Ed jumps, Russell suddenly appearing in the doorway.

"Scheiße!, Tringham!" he snaps, followed by a bit more bitching in German that the mun is way too lazy to try to translate out, as he lets himself relax and tries to drag his heartrate down to something resembling normal.

He rubs his forehead. "You know, you coulda told me you were gonna stop by here before I left, instead of surprising us-" his tone abruptly changes when he remembers where Russell had been when he left for Amestris, "-and weren't you helping out back at the apartment?"

[wortcunning]

Russell wasn't the slightest bit put off by Edward's less than happy enthusiastic greeting. He smiled calmly and crossed his arms, waiting for him to finish his tirade

[kryptonite_al]

Al meanwhile whipped out a small notepad when Edward started swearing, and began to furiously scribble out phonetic notes on the various words.

There.

If his brother wasn't telling him what those words meant, he was going to ask Alfons. ^_^

[ruthless_path]

Roy frowns at the mention of Riza, and he sets himself to examining the furnishings of his apartment. "I'm fine," he says, his tone short. "You don't need to bother concerning yourself with me. I can survive just fine on my own."

The fact that he probably sounds like he's got a bit of Elric in his blood there doesn't seem to occur to him. He also doesn't appear to notice the key being held out to him. He's rather intent upon getting to know his surroundings.

[superman_dead]

Al? Alfons will either laugh or be embarassed at some of those words. Since Alfons knows Edward so well, he will probably laugh at the 'typical Ed' behavior.

Edward shoots Russell an annoyed look before he glances at Roy. "As long as you aren't too sick to go into work, yeah," he points out quietly.

[ruthless_path]

"I'm not sick, period."

Roy's tone is quiet and slightly aggressive. "I only fell ill once up north, and I have no illness here," he adds in a tone that's only slightly softer. "Stop worrying about me. There's more important things to worry about."

He rests his palms against the counter and leans forward against it tiredly.

[wortcunning]

Poor Roy. You'll have to be twice the jackass Ed was when Russell first ran into him in the Nexus to even come close to putting him off. And what Ed lacks in height, he more than makes up for in other departments. ^_^

"If you feel there's more important things than yourself to worry about, then someone ought to worry about you to make up for the difference," Russell said, his tone calm. "And no one ever said you were sick, it was just a precaution, and a bit of chamomile and peppermint tea is always good to have around anyway. I'll warn you the willow bark's rather bitter, but it's the same as what's in asprin so you can vary the strength of it a bit easier that way."

Russell set the key on the counter. "Welcome to the Nexus. First rule is, never eat or drink anything handed out around the sign. Second rule is, don't read picture books based on anybody from any Amestris. They're scary." He said all of this in such a cheerful tone too.

[ruthless_path]

Roy doesn't turn his head to look at Russell, instead he chooses to simply reach out, take the key, and slip it into his pocket. "I'll remember all of that," he says quietly. "What else do I need to know, or look out for? And are you three planning to stick around?"

He probably sounds a bit more bitter than he intended when he says that...