Fic: Seven First Dates (PG-13)
Author: melody_mega
Title: 7 First Dates
Pairing: Ed/Roy
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU. Sometimes it takes a while to get things right.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or its characters.
Count: 4,600 words.
Thursday
It turned out to be a lot easier to find the Colonel's quarters than Ed had expected. He stood outside the door for several moments, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Right. He hadn't really thought about what he'd do once he actually got here. He'd never bothered with any sort of plan. Well, any plan other than finally, finally getting to the end of the strange dance he and Colonel had been doing around each other for the past year. So he was here to do… something… about it. Assuming the Colonel was even home. And assuming the man didn't laugh himself to death when he opened the door and found Ed standing there like a love-sick teenager. Okay, so maybe a plan was worth thinking up after all. It would be nice to save even the tiniest shred of his dignity.
Backing away silently, Ed slunk the way he had come, casting nervous glances over his shoulder to make sure no one had seen him. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd be more prepared.
Friday
Havoc looked up from his newspaper, his cigarette dipping dangerously close to the page. "Hey, Ed. Alone today?"
Ed flashed him a grin. "Yeah, Al's back at the library. I just need to ask the Colonel a few questions. Is he in?"
Breda, sitting on the other side of the Havoc, chuckled. "He's in, all right. But he's a little too busy for questions right now. He's working on a classified report all day that's apparently pretty important. He doesn't want any distractions. Why do you think we're sitting out in the hallway? He said he'd have Hawkeye shoot us if we tried to go in."
Ed stared. "He said that?"
"Yeah, but probably only in the kneecap." Havoc shrugged, turning the page. "I'm not going to find out."
Ed's thwarted look abruptly cleared. "I guess I'd better not interrupt, then. Maybe I'll just drop by his place tonight to talk to him. Um…where is that again?"
Havoc folded up his paper and lit another cigarette. "I wouldn't count on him being done anytime soon. The Colonel's usually pretty lazy about paperwork, but reports like this will keep him chained to his desk for days. You might want to try him next week."
"Next week!" Ed couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice. "This can't wait until next week."
Both men only shrugged at him. "I don't know what else to tell you," Havoc said. "If you want to leave a message for him, I'll deliver it as soon as I can. If it's something really important, you might want to talk to the Major about it."
"Major Armstrong?" Ed's eyes widened with horror as he tried to imagine that conversation. "No, no thanks. I'll just wait, I guess. I'll see you guys later."
***
It was after midnight when he went back. The usually busy corridors were silent and empty, but just as he suspected, the lights were still on in the Colonel's office. Gathering his courage, he pushed open the door.
Papers littered the large desk at the end of the room, and there were precarious piles lined up on the floor around the desk, too, as if staging a siege. Mustang peered at him over one of the larger piles. His shirtsleeves were rolled up past his elbows and the top two buttons of his collar were undone, but otherwise the man looked as rigid and immaculate as ever. As soon as he saw Edward he pressed his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose to ward off a headache. "What is it, Fullmetal?"
Ed hesitated before stepping further into the room. "I thought you could use some help."
"Help?" Mustang blinked at him wearily. He seemed to shake himself. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Go get some sleep."
"Yeah, right. How long have you been working? You know it'll go faster if you don't try to tackle it all alone."
His wheedling was met with a weary sigh. "This is a classified report, Fullmetal. You don't have clearance."
"I didn't say I had to read it," Ed interjected icily. "But I could help in other ways. I could -" He glanced around the room. "I could hand you papers. Or make coffee."
The Colonel seemed to consider this, letting the moment stretch out between them. His face retained the blank, slightly bored mask that infuriated Ed as much as anything else about the man. "If you don't distract me and don't try to read them, I'll let you hand me papers. Can you do that?"
"Of course I can," Ed snapped, bristling at the implication that he was nosy.
Mustang regarded him steadily for another moment before leaning back in his chair with a yawn. "Fine. But make the coffee first." Ed was handed his empty mug, their fingers brushing slightly. "I want it strong. No sugar."
"Of course not," Ed muttered, rolling his eyes as he made his way across the room. Still, he couldn't hold back a small smile. This wasn't quite how he had pictured an evening with Mustang, but it was better than nothing.
Saturday
For the first time Ed approached the Colonel's private quarters without more than a hint of trepidation. They had managed to work together until dawn without anyone being set on fire or transmuted into anything unnatural. Of course, they had also only said about four words to each other that were not directions about paperwork, but still: progress. They had finished the initial research, which meant that the Colonel was free this evening. Which meant they were going to have a long overdue chat. And maybe a few other things.
He had just raised his hand to knock on the door when it was wrenched open, Mustang obviously on his way out. They both stopped, surprised.
The Colonel recovered first. "Hello, Fullmetal. Is there something I can help you with?"
Ed was caught off guard by the directness of the question, but responded with some of his own. "I need to talk to you."
The Colonel glanced at his watch before giving Edward a sharp glance. "What kind of trouble are you in this time?"
"What? None! I don't… this isn't about that."
Mustang didn't look convinced, but only nodded. "I have an appointment this evening, but if you like we can discuss it in my office on Monday."
Ed narrowed his eyes at being put off like a child. Then his brain kicked in and he noticed that for once the man was out of uniform. In fact, he looked almost like he was dressed up. In fact… "You have a date?"
"It's Saturday night, Fullmetal." The man was smirking.
"After I busted my ass helping you last night - "
The Colonel merely shrugged, his smirk never fading. "For which I suppose I'm grateful," he drawled. "I still fail to see how that has anything to do with this."
"It's because I helped you that you're not stuck at your desk tonight just like you were last night!" Ed tried not to yell. "You owe me, and you're going out on a date!"
Mustang shook his head. "I'm going on a date because I don't enjoy sitting at home alone on Saturday nights. If I had gotten other offers," he added pointedly, "I might be doing something else. Goodnight, Fullmetal." He started off down the sidewalk to the waiting car, leaving Ed staring after him, his mouth hanging open.
Sunday
Ed was still muttering to himself the next morning, slamming doors hard enough to crack the plaster above the frame and yanking on his boot laces with enough force to have them break off in his hands. None of that improved his mood.
Al watched him in silent alarm, not sure if he wanted to get any of this particular bad temper on himself. When it was obvious it wasn't going to burn itself out, he screwed up his courage.
"Brother? Is something the matter?"
Ed looked up from the book he had been scowling into instead of reading. "How can he expect me to do all the work? He's the one who knows what he's doing! He's got all the experience," he added darkly.
Sometimes Al would give just about anything for a body just so he could roll his eyes at his brother. "Is this about Colonel Mustang?" he asked innocently.
"Who else?" Ed growled. "If he thinks this is some kind of joke…"
Al tried to ignore the string of curses that followed. "Have you tried talking to him?"
"Of course I have! He knows exactly what's going on. If he's not interested, why doesn't he just say so? Why does he have to keep me at arm's length?" He slammed the book shut. "Why won't he just tell me what he wants me to do?"
"Maybe he's just waiting for you to tell him what to do," Al ventured carefully. "Maybe -"
"What are you talking about?" Ed exploded. "He's the one who needs to decide!"
"But - "
Edward pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
Al tried to keep the exasperation from his voice. For someone so smart, his brother could be such an idiot. "Ed, I'm on your side. You know that. I just think that you're not considering this from his perspective. He's probably worried about taking ad -"
Edward's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh, he's worried. If you're really on my side, why do you keep sticking up for him?"
Truly irritated, Al threw up his hands. "Can't you stop being so stubborn for one minute and think?"
Abruptly turning on his heel, Ed grabbed his coat. "You know what, Al? Forget it. I'm going for a walk."
***
Ed lay on his back, staring up at the stars. It was true that he couldn't see nearly as many from the rooftop of Central Headquarters as he used to see from the yard at home, but he could still pick out all the constellations he had learned from his mother. He nearly got up when he heard someone else come onto the roof, but he reminded himself about the fight that morning. If Al wanted to talk, he'd have to make the first move. It wasn't until the footsteps were close to him that he realized they were much too light to belong to a suit of armor. Jumping to his feet, he came face to face with Roy Mustang.
The Colonel's eyes were hard, and he didn't look particularly happy to see Edward. "Al came to talk to me. You've been gone all day. He's worried about you." The tone wasn't cold, exactly, but the words were clipped. "Let me guess. You didn't get your way, so you've run off to pout. You really are just a kid, aren't you?"
Whatever illusions Ed might have had about an affectionate conversation under the stars were instantly shattered. Fists clenched, he stalked toward the man. "What? I am not!"
"Then stop acting like one," the Colonel snapped. "What exactly is it that you want, Edward?"
"You know, I think that might be the first time you've ever called me that." When Mustang didn't respond, he took a deep breath and plunged in. "Well… I think we should date. I think you want to, and I know I want to, so I think we should. Date. Um, each other," he added, just in case that wasn't clear.
Roy's lips were twitching despite his best efforts. "Well, that's straightforward, at least."
"Shut up! It's not like I've done this before, unlike some people."
"That's obvious."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Roy shook his head. "I'm not interested in playing games with a child. I'm interested in an equal partner, and frankly, I'm not sure you're up to the task. This is the easy part. If I have to guide you every step of the way now, what happens later?"
Ed clamped his mouth shut on an insult before he sighed. "It doesn't have to be that hard, does it?"
That earned him an incredulous look. "You're right," Roy's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Why should it be hard? Fraternizing with a sixteen-year-old who happens to be under my command and is an object of interest to most of my superiors; what could possibly be difficult about that? Not to mention the fact that he's an impulsive brat who's always going to need me to bail him out of trouble."
That got Ed's attention. "I do not always need you…" Ed looked away when Mustang just raised his eyebrows. "Fine. But the rest of it… I guess I never really thought about it."
"No, of course not. You never do."
Ed crossed his arms and glared. "Why are you even bothering, then? Aren't you worried about your precious military career?"
Roy shrugged, though the seriousness in his voice belied the casual gesture. "I've considered the possibilities, and I don't think it will have a long-term impact. My record has been spotless so far, so one transgression shouldn't get in the way of my larger plans. In fact, the Fuhrer may even appreciate being able to use me to try to control you, and vice versa."
Ed could only stare at him. "How romantic," he muttered.
Mustang smirked at him, though there was definitely less mocking in the look than there usually was. "These are the reasons I've decided to date you publicly. If it looked as if they weren't sufficient, we could always try to keep the relationship a secret. That's not really my style, though, and it's certainly not yours. Besides that, if anyone found out it would be the perfect weapon to use against us. No, it's much better if everything's out in the open."
"Do you always think this much before you start dating someone?" Edward asked sourly.
"I've never dated someone in your position before," Roy pointed out smoothly. "And I certainly hope I have more sense than to do it again."
"So, now what? We kiss and make up?"
Mustang stifled a yawn behind his hand. "Now you go home and talk to Al. Tomorrow we can discuss your next mission." He turned to walk back the way he had come.
"Wait!" Ed grabbed his arm. "That's it?"
"For the moment." The smirk was back at full strength. "As someone pointed out, you haven't done this before. I don't want to rush you."
"You bastard." For once, there was no heat behind his words. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?"
"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?"
Monday
"It shouldn't take you more than a few days. There's an inn on the outskirts of town; if you manage not to piss anyone off, they might even let you stay there." Mustang pushed a sheaf of papers across his desk. Ed glared at having to get up from his chair to reach them, but the Colonel met his stare blandly.
"Fine." Ed crossed his arms and looked pointedly out the window.
"I'll expect your report by the end of next week. I'd prefer it if it weren't in pencil this time."
"Fine."
Mustang pursed his lips briefly. "If I didn't know better, I might think you sounded upset about something," he observed dryly.
"You don't have anything else to say to me?"
Roy considered this, clasping his hands on the desk in front of him. "Try not to die, Fullmetal. If you did it would reflect poorly on me as your commanding officer."
"Is that it? What happened to everything you said last night?"
The Colonel raised his eyebrows. "Sorry to crush your adolescent fantasies," he drawled, "but no matter what else happens, sex in my office is not on the agenda."
He was rewarded by seeing Ed caught completely off guard. "Who said anything about sex?" he sputtered. "I just thought you might be a little concerned -"
"I did tell you to try not to die," Roy pointed out with the usual smirk. "Considering who we're talking about, I can't really expect more than that, can I?" The amusement slipped from his face as quickly as it came, and he met Ed's eyes with utter seriousness. "For this to work, our personal relationship can have no bearing on our professional one. If we give them any reason to reassign you to another commanding officer, they'll take it. You will find that other people may not be as lenient as I am."
Ed nodded, understanding. They wouldn't let him run around the country looking for the Stone, either. Even worse, they might start asking a few too many questions about his and Al's bodies.
"There's a train leaving Central heading West at two this afternoon. I suggest you and Al make sure you're on it. The next one isn't until tomorrow morning."
Clutching the papers in his hand, Ed stood. "I guess I'll see you when we get back."
"Of course you will. You have to give me your report."
***
It was after ten that night when Ed stood deliberating outside the Mustang's door for the third time in a week. This time he was pretty sure exactly what kind of reception he was going to get when the Colonel realized that he and Al weren't on a train halfway across the country. Grinning maniacally, he knocked quickly before he could change his mind and slink off again.
Roy's scowl when he opened the door was more or less what Ed had been expecting. The younger man noted with a certain smugness that there was no real surprise in the look Roy gave him - obviously the man wasn't completely naive about dealing with Elrics.
There was a brief moment when Mustang seemed to be deciding whether to let him in or not, but finally he simply stepped back into the hallway, holding the door open in as much an invitation as Edward was going to get.
"I hope you don't think you can disobey my direct orders and get away with it just because we're seeing each other," he said as Ed slipped past him.
"Since when have I ever followed your orders anyway? I know you don't think I'm going to start just because we're seeing each other," Ed shot back, already following the glow of a lamp into the living room, where several books and newspapers were jumbled around a comfortable-looking leather chair. He dropped his coat over its back and sat down on a particularly ugly sofa against the wall.
"Please, make yourself at home," Mustang grumbled without heat, leaning in the doorway and watching him with a look that Edward couldn't for the life of him interpret.
"I planned to," the blond volleyed, although he was beginning to feel more than a little anxious. He hadn't expected to be welcomed with open arms, true enough, but he had hoped that the Colonel would give him something to work with, rather than remaining so aloof. As if reading his thoughts, Roy crossed the room to sit beside him. They were not quite touching, but still close enough that Edward could feel the warmth of his body.
He swallowed hard, uncertain exactly how much he could ask for, let alone how much he'd actually be granted. Really, there was only one way to find out. He was sick and tired of waiting for things to happen, and he was beginning to think Al might've been right all along, not that he was going to admit it aloud. "We're not in your office anymore," he pointed out, not really caring how obvious he sounded.
Mustang chuckled, and Ed's discomfort was lessened by the familiar feeling of having Roy laugh at him.
The silence stretched out between them as they looked at each other. Ed studied the man beside him. Roy's lips were lifted in a half-smile that was nothing like his usual smirk. He looked relaxed, as if he were patiently waiting for something. Which, Ed reflected, he probably was.
"I wish you'd stop testing me," he said quietly.
Roy just shook his head, the smile never faltering. "Think of it as less of a test and more of a… measuring of boundaries."
Ed barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes. No matter how tranquil Mustang appeared, something was always being calculated. Ed could understand it, even if it irritated him. Call it a test or not, a gauntlet had just been thrown down, and Ed had never been one to ignore a challenge.
Hoping he wasn't about to do something stupid, he leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over Roy's. It really wasn't a kiss at first, just a tentative touch. It was Roy who angled his head slightly, fitting their mouths together. That gave Ed enough confidence to press slightly harder, reveling in how soft the other man's lips were against his own. He had never thought kissing would feel so intimate. In all of his fantasies about Mustang, kissing the man had never been a feature. That was going to change.
Ed rested one hand on Roy's right arm, the other twining into the man's hair, trying to bring him even closer. Roy seemed to take his cue from that, his hands creeping to Edward's chest, caressing in light circles that were almost enough to distract Ed from the agile mouth. At least, until that mouth pressed a string of hot kisses along his neck, leaving his gasping for breath. Trying to give as good as he got, his left hand slid down Roy's side and under the shirt, touching warm skin. He was just starting to explore it when Roy pulled gently away from him.
Arousal had flushed Mustang's face. "I think we should continue this upstairs." There was only a small amount uncertainty in his eyes. It disappeared as soon as Ed nodded, following him from the room without a word.
Tuesday morning
When Ed woke up, the light was just beginning to stream through the window over his head. He stretched languidly, the tips of his fingers brushing against the warm body behind him. Grinning, he let his hand slither under the sheets, tracing a firm abdomen lightly.
"Good morning," a surprisingly awake voice said in his ear.
Ed flipped over, turning to look Mustang in the face. "Morning."
Mustang's chin was propped on his hand, his hair tousled and his eyes exhausted. As Ed watched, he stifled a yawn against the back of his hand.
Ed tried to peer past him at the clock on the nightstand. "What time is it?"
"Early. You still have plenty of time to catch your train." The fatigue in the Colonel's eyes suddenly sharpened into an unmistakable warning look.
Ed shrugged easily. "Sure. No problem."
There was a pause as Mustang weighed that answer. Then he bared his teeth in a grin that reminded Ed uncomfortably of a shark. "So. We should talk about last night."
"What's there to talk about?"
"What were you expecting?"
"I'm not really sure, actually. I guess it's different with a guy, bt's not like I have any experience with girls, either." Ed squirmed under Roy's speculative look. "I'm just… I mean, it was nice."
"Nice?" Even Mustang couldn't hide his incredulity.
Edward scowled. "You know what I mean, dammit. It was… good. Interesting. The things we did, anyway." He looked away, determined not to blush about sex while he was naked in the man's bed. "I'm still not sure about the things we haven't done yet."
"You mean fucking."
Ed blinked at the directness of the response. "Yeah. Fucking." He glanced back at Roy.
The older man rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "You weren't so sure about that last night, either."
"Of course I wasn't. I don't know why you automatically assume that you're going to be the one who gets to do it." An aggravated note crept into Ed's voice.
Roy shrugged, smiling knowingly. "I do have more experience, after all."
"Oh, shut up," Ed muttered, sitting up and reaching for his clothes.
Roy watched Ed root around the semi-dark room for his shirt without lifting a finger to help. "You seemed very complimentary about my expertise last night," he commented smugly. "All that begging was a particularly nice touch. And what was it that you said when I made you -"
"That didn't mean anything," Edward interjected quickly, yanking the black top on hard enough to rip one of the seams. "With all your expertise I'm sure you know pillow talk when you hear it."
"Whatever you say." Roy practically purred as he watched him fix his shirt. He ignored the look Ed sent him as the blond retrieved his boots and pants from the other side of the room.
It was only when Ed hesitated in the doorway that Roy's face took on a serious expression. "Be careful while you're away, Fullmetal."
Knowing that was as much of a goodbye as he was going to get, Ed nodded. "You, too." Then he headed downstairs.
He waited until he had made his way outside before smirking.
Tuesday night
There was nothing remotely welcoming about Roy's expression when he opened the door this time.
"I told you to be on that train this morning. I may have been lenient last night, but I meant what I said. When I give an order, you will follow it."
Ed pushed past him into the house, waiting as Mustang reluctantly shut the door behind him. Clearly the man wanted to throw him straight out again.
"We'll go tomorrow. Really this time," he added at the Colonel's unbelieving look. "I just didn't want to leave any unfinished business behind when we left."
Mustang leaned against the closed door, his arms crossed. "Unfinished business?"
Ed shrugged. "You know what I mean." When Roy just looked confused, he sighed. "What we talked about this morning," he prompted.
Roy's expression shifted to thoughtfulness. "I find it interesting that you can do it but not talk about it. Sometimes you really are just a kid, aren't you?"
Ed's temper flared immediately. "Stop saying that! That has nothing to do with anything."
"No?" Mustang's posture was still rigid, his face unreadable. "Let me see if I understand this. You ignored my orders - again - to come here and have sex, something which you were fairly opposed to last night, and still unsure of this morning. After we're done, you're going to get up and get on the train you were supposed to be on Monday morning. Is that the gist of it?"
"More or less," Ed admitted.
Roy abruptly squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I really need to have my head examined."
Sensing the victory, Ed started up the stairs toward the bedroom. He was stopped by the Colonel's voice.
"It never occurred to you that I might have other plans for these evenings, did it?"
Ed only paused long enough to shrug before he continued up. "No, not really."
"Of course not." Mustang threw one wistful glance toward the living room, where an open bottle of scotch sat invitingly next to his chair. The sound of Edward's boots hitting an upstairs wall as they were kicked off made him smile despite himself. As choices went, they really didn't compare at all.
Title: 7 First Dates
Pairing: Ed/Roy
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU. Sometimes it takes a while to get things right.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or its characters.
Count: 4,600 words.
Thursday
It turned out to be a lot easier to find the Colonel's quarters than Ed had expected. He stood outside the door for several moments, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Right. He hadn't really thought about what he'd do once he actually got here. He'd never bothered with any sort of plan. Well, any plan other than finally, finally getting to the end of the strange dance he and Colonel had been doing around each other for the past year. So he was here to do… something… about it. Assuming the Colonel was even home. And assuming the man didn't laugh himself to death when he opened the door and found Ed standing there like a love-sick teenager. Okay, so maybe a plan was worth thinking up after all. It would be nice to save even the tiniest shred of his dignity.
Backing away silently, Ed slunk the way he had come, casting nervous glances over his shoulder to make sure no one had seen him. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd be more prepared.
Friday
Havoc looked up from his newspaper, his cigarette dipping dangerously close to the page. "Hey, Ed. Alone today?"
Ed flashed him a grin. "Yeah, Al's back at the library. I just need to ask the Colonel a few questions. Is he in?"
Breda, sitting on the other side of the Havoc, chuckled. "He's in, all right. But he's a little too busy for questions right now. He's working on a classified report all day that's apparently pretty important. He doesn't want any distractions. Why do you think we're sitting out in the hallway? He said he'd have Hawkeye shoot us if we tried to go in."
Ed stared. "He said that?"
"Yeah, but probably only in the kneecap." Havoc shrugged, turning the page. "I'm not going to find out."
Ed's thwarted look abruptly cleared. "I guess I'd better not interrupt, then. Maybe I'll just drop by his place tonight to talk to him. Um…where is that again?"
Havoc folded up his paper and lit another cigarette. "I wouldn't count on him being done anytime soon. The Colonel's usually pretty lazy about paperwork, but reports like this will keep him chained to his desk for days. You might want to try him next week."
"Next week!" Ed couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice. "This can't wait until next week."
Both men only shrugged at him. "I don't know what else to tell you," Havoc said. "If you want to leave a message for him, I'll deliver it as soon as I can. If it's something really important, you might want to talk to the Major about it."
"Major Armstrong?" Ed's eyes widened with horror as he tried to imagine that conversation. "No, no thanks. I'll just wait, I guess. I'll see you guys later."
***
It was after midnight when he went back. The usually busy corridors were silent and empty, but just as he suspected, the lights were still on in the Colonel's office. Gathering his courage, he pushed open the door.
Papers littered the large desk at the end of the room, and there were precarious piles lined up on the floor around the desk, too, as if staging a siege. Mustang peered at him over one of the larger piles. His shirtsleeves were rolled up past his elbows and the top two buttons of his collar were undone, but otherwise the man looked as rigid and immaculate as ever. As soon as he saw Edward he pressed his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose to ward off a headache. "What is it, Fullmetal?"
Ed hesitated before stepping further into the room. "I thought you could use some help."
"Help?" Mustang blinked at him wearily. He seemed to shake himself. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Go get some sleep."
"Yeah, right. How long have you been working? You know it'll go faster if you don't try to tackle it all alone."
His wheedling was met with a weary sigh. "This is a classified report, Fullmetal. You don't have clearance."
"I didn't say I had to read it," Ed interjected icily. "But I could help in other ways. I could -" He glanced around the room. "I could hand you papers. Or make coffee."
The Colonel seemed to consider this, letting the moment stretch out between them. His face retained the blank, slightly bored mask that infuriated Ed as much as anything else about the man. "If you don't distract me and don't try to read them, I'll let you hand me papers. Can you do that?"
"Of course I can," Ed snapped, bristling at the implication that he was nosy.
Mustang regarded him steadily for another moment before leaning back in his chair with a yawn. "Fine. But make the coffee first." Ed was handed his empty mug, their fingers brushing slightly. "I want it strong. No sugar."
"Of course not," Ed muttered, rolling his eyes as he made his way across the room. Still, he couldn't hold back a small smile. This wasn't quite how he had pictured an evening with Mustang, but it was better than nothing.
Saturday
For the first time Ed approached the Colonel's private quarters without more than a hint of trepidation. They had managed to work together until dawn without anyone being set on fire or transmuted into anything unnatural. Of course, they had also only said about four words to each other that were not directions about paperwork, but still: progress. They had finished the initial research, which meant that the Colonel was free this evening. Which meant they were going to have a long overdue chat. And maybe a few other things.
He had just raised his hand to knock on the door when it was wrenched open, Mustang obviously on his way out. They both stopped, surprised.
The Colonel recovered first. "Hello, Fullmetal. Is there something I can help you with?"
Ed was caught off guard by the directness of the question, but responded with some of his own. "I need to talk to you."
The Colonel glanced at his watch before giving Edward a sharp glance. "What kind of trouble are you in this time?"
"What? None! I don't… this isn't about that."
Mustang didn't look convinced, but only nodded. "I have an appointment this evening, but if you like we can discuss it in my office on Monday."
Ed narrowed his eyes at being put off like a child. Then his brain kicked in and he noticed that for once the man was out of uniform. In fact, he looked almost like he was dressed up. In fact… "You have a date?"
"It's Saturday night, Fullmetal." The man was smirking.
"After I busted my ass helping you last night - "
The Colonel merely shrugged, his smirk never fading. "For which I suppose I'm grateful," he drawled. "I still fail to see how that has anything to do with this."
"It's because I helped you that you're not stuck at your desk tonight just like you were last night!" Ed tried not to yell. "You owe me, and you're going out on a date!"
Mustang shook his head. "I'm going on a date because I don't enjoy sitting at home alone on Saturday nights. If I had gotten other offers," he added pointedly, "I might be doing something else. Goodnight, Fullmetal." He started off down the sidewalk to the waiting car, leaving Ed staring after him, his mouth hanging open.
Sunday
Ed was still muttering to himself the next morning, slamming doors hard enough to crack the plaster above the frame and yanking on his boot laces with enough force to have them break off in his hands. None of that improved his mood.
Al watched him in silent alarm, not sure if he wanted to get any of this particular bad temper on himself. When it was obvious it wasn't going to burn itself out, he screwed up his courage.
"Brother? Is something the matter?"
Ed looked up from the book he had been scowling into instead of reading. "How can he expect me to do all the work? He's the one who knows what he's doing! He's got all the experience," he added darkly.
Sometimes Al would give just about anything for a body just so he could roll his eyes at his brother. "Is this about Colonel Mustang?" he asked innocently.
"Who else?" Ed growled. "If he thinks this is some kind of joke…"
Al tried to ignore the string of curses that followed. "Have you tried talking to him?"
"Of course I have! He knows exactly what's going on. If he's not interested, why doesn't he just say so? Why does he have to keep me at arm's length?" He slammed the book shut. "Why won't he just tell me what he wants me to do?"
"Maybe he's just waiting for you to tell him what to do," Al ventured carefully. "Maybe -"
"What are you talking about?" Ed exploded. "He's the one who needs to decide!"
"But - "
Edward pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
Al tried to keep the exasperation from his voice. For someone so smart, his brother could be such an idiot. "Ed, I'm on your side. You know that. I just think that you're not considering this from his perspective. He's probably worried about taking ad -"
Edward's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh, he's worried. If you're really on my side, why do you keep sticking up for him?"
Truly irritated, Al threw up his hands. "Can't you stop being so stubborn for one minute and think?"
Abruptly turning on his heel, Ed grabbed his coat. "You know what, Al? Forget it. I'm going for a walk."
***
Ed lay on his back, staring up at the stars. It was true that he couldn't see nearly as many from the rooftop of Central Headquarters as he used to see from the yard at home, but he could still pick out all the constellations he had learned from his mother. He nearly got up when he heard someone else come onto the roof, but he reminded himself about the fight that morning. If Al wanted to talk, he'd have to make the first move. It wasn't until the footsteps were close to him that he realized they were much too light to belong to a suit of armor. Jumping to his feet, he came face to face with Roy Mustang.
The Colonel's eyes were hard, and he didn't look particularly happy to see Edward. "Al came to talk to me. You've been gone all day. He's worried about you." The tone wasn't cold, exactly, but the words were clipped. "Let me guess. You didn't get your way, so you've run off to pout. You really are just a kid, aren't you?"
Whatever illusions Ed might have had about an affectionate conversation under the stars were instantly shattered. Fists clenched, he stalked toward the man. "What? I am not!"
"Then stop acting like one," the Colonel snapped. "What exactly is it that you want, Edward?"
"You know, I think that might be the first time you've ever called me that." When Mustang didn't respond, he took a deep breath and plunged in. "Well… I think we should date. I think you want to, and I know I want to, so I think we should. Date. Um, each other," he added, just in case that wasn't clear.
Roy's lips were twitching despite his best efforts. "Well, that's straightforward, at least."
"Shut up! It's not like I've done this before, unlike some people."
"That's obvious."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Roy shook his head. "I'm not interested in playing games with a child. I'm interested in an equal partner, and frankly, I'm not sure you're up to the task. This is the easy part. If I have to guide you every step of the way now, what happens later?"
Ed clamped his mouth shut on an insult before he sighed. "It doesn't have to be that hard, does it?"
That earned him an incredulous look. "You're right," Roy's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Why should it be hard? Fraternizing with a sixteen-year-old who happens to be under my command and is an object of interest to most of my superiors; what could possibly be difficult about that? Not to mention the fact that he's an impulsive brat who's always going to need me to bail him out of trouble."
That got Ed's attention. "I do not always need you…" Ed looked away when Mustang just raised his eyebrows. "Fine. But the rest of it… I guess I never really thought about it."
"No, of course not. You never do."
Ed crossed his arms and glared. "Why are you even bothering, then? Aren't you worried about your precious military career?"
Roy shrugged, though the seriousness in his voice belied the casual gesture. "I've considered the possibilities, and I don't think it will have a long-term impact. My record has been spotless so far, so one transgression shouldn't get in the way of my larger plans. In fact, the Fuhrer may even appreciate being able to use me to try to control you, and vice versa."
Ed could only stare at him. "How romantic," he muttered.
Mustang smirked at him, though there was definitely less mocking in the look than there usually was. "These are the reasons I've decided to date you publicly. If it looked as if they weren't sufficient, we could always try to keep the relationship a secret. That's not really my style, though, and it's certainly not yours. Besides that, if anyone found out it would be the perfect weapon to use against us. No, it's much better if everything's out in the open."
"Do you always think this much before you start dating someone?" Edward asked sourly.
"I've never dated someone in your position before," Roy pointed out smoothly. "And I certainly hope I have more sense than to do it again."
"So, now what? We kiss and make up?"
Mustang stifled a yawn behind his hand. "Now you go home and talk to Al. Tomorrow we can discuss your next mission." He turned to walk back the way he had come.
"Wait!" Ed grabbed his arm. "That's it?"
"For the moment." The smirk was back at full strength. "As someone pointed out, you haven't done this before. I don't want to rush you."
"You bastard." For once, there was no heat behind his words. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?"
"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?"
Monday
"It shouldn't take you more than a few days. There's an inn on the outskirts of town; if you manage not to piss anyone off, they might even let you stay there." Mustang pushed a sheaf of papers across his desk. Ed glared at having to get up from his chair to reach them, but the Colonel met his stare blandly.
"Fine." Ed crossed his arms and looked pointedly out the window.
"I'll expect your report by the end of next week. I'd prefer it if it weren't in pencil this time."
"Fine."
Mustang pursed his lips briefly. "If I didn't know better, I might think you sounded upset about something," he observed dryly.
"You don't have anything else to say to me?"
Roy considered this, clasping his hands on the desk in front of him. "Try not to die, Fullmetal. If you did it would reflect poorly on me as your commanding officer."
"Is that it? What happened to everything you said last night?"
The Colonel raised his eyebrows. "Sorry to crush your adolescent fantasies," he drawled, "but no matter what else happens, sex in my office is not on the agenda."
He was rewarded by seeing Ed caught completely off guard. "Who said anything about sex?" he sputtered. "I just thought you might be a little concerned -"
"I did tell you to try not to die," Roy pointed out with the usual smirk. "Considering who we're talking about, I can't really expect more than that, can I?" The amusement slipped from his face as quickly as it came, and he met Ed's eyes with utter seriousness. "For this to work, our personal relationship can have no bearing on our professional one. If we give them any reason to reassign you to another commanding officer, they'll take it. You will find that other people may not be as lenient as I am."
Ed nodded, understanding. They wouldn't let him run around the country looking for the Stone, either. Even worse, they might start asking a few too many questions about his and Al's bodies.
"There's a train leaving Central heading West at two this afternoon. I suggest you and Al make sure you're on it. The next one isn't until tomorrow morning."
Clutching the papers in his hand, Ed stood. "I guess I'll see you when we get back."
"Of course you will. You have to give me your report."
***
It was after ten that night when Ed stood deliberating outside the Mustang's door for the third time in a week. This time he was pretty sure exactly what kind of reception he was going to get when the Colonel realized that he and Al weren't on a train halfway across the country. Grinning maniacally, he knocked quickly before he could change his mind and slink off again.
Roy's scowl when he opened the door was more or less what Ed had been expecting. The younger man noted with a certain smugness that there was no real surprise in the look Roy gave him - obviously the man wasn't completely naive about dealing with Elrics.
There was a brief moment when Mustang seemed to be deciding whether to let him in or not, but finally he simply stepped back into the hallway, holding the door open in as much an invitation as Edward was going to get.
"I hope you don't think you can disobey my direct orders and get away with it just because we're seeing each other," he said as Ed slipped past him.
"Since when have I ever followed your orders anyway? I know you don't think I'm going to start just because we're seeing each other," Ed shot back, already following the glow of a lamp into the living room, where several books and newspapers were jumbled around a comfortable-looking leather chair. He dropped his coat over its back and sat down on a particularly ugly sofa against the wall.
"Please, make yourself at home," Mustang grumbled without heat, leaning in the doorway and watching him with a look that Edward couldn't for the life of him interpret.
"I planned to," the blond volleyed, although he was beginning to feel more than a little anxious. He hadn't expected to be welcomed with open arms, true enough, but he had hoped that the Colonel would give him something to work with, rather than remaining so aloof. As if reading his thoughts, Roy crossed the room to sit beside him. They were not quite touching, but still close enough that Edward could feel the warmth of his body.
He swallowed hard, uncertain exactly how much he could ask for, let alone how much he'd actually be granted. Really, there was only one way to find out. He was sick and tired of waiting for things to happen, and he was beginning to think Al might've been right all along, not that he was going to admit it aloud. "We're not in your office anymore," he pointed out, not really caring how obvious he sounded.
Mustang chuckled, and Ed's discomfort was lessened by the familiar feeling of having Roy laugh at him.
The silence stretched out between them as they looked at each other. Ed studied the man beside him. Roy's lips were lifted in a half-smile that was nothing like his usual smirk. He looked relaxed, as if he were patiently waiting for something. Which, Ed reflected, he probably was.
"I wish you'd stop testing me," he said quietly.
Roy just shook his head, the smile never faltering. "Think of it as less of a test and more of a… measuring of boundaries."
Ed barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes. No matter how tranquil Mustang appeared, something was always being calculated. Ed could understand it, even if it irritated him. Call it a test or not, a gauntlet had just been thrown down, and Ed had never been one to ignore a challenge.
Hoping he wasn't about to do something stupid, he leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over Roy's. It really wasn't a kiss at first, just a tentative touch. It was Roy who angled his head slightly, fitting their mouths together. That gave Ed enough confidence to press slightly harder, reveling in how soft the other man's lips were against his own. He had never thought kissing would feel so intimate. In all of his fantasies about Mustang, kissing the man had never been a feature. That was going to change.
Ed rested one hand on Roy's right arm, the other twining into the man's hair, trying to bring him even closer. Roy seemed to take his cue from that, his hands creeping to Edward's chest, caressing in light circles that were almost enough to distract Ed from the agile mouth. At least, until that mouth pressed a string of hot kisses along his neck, leaving his gasping for breath. Trying to give as good as he got, his left hand slid down Roy's side and under the shirt, touching warm skin. He was just starting to explore it when Roy pulled gently away from him.
Arousal had flushed Mustang's face. "I think we should continue this upstairs." There was only a small amount uncertainty in his eyes. It disappeared as soon as Ed nodded, following him from the room without a word.
Tuesday morning
When Ed woke up, the light was just beginning to stream through the window over his head. He stretched languidly, the tips of his fingers brushing against the warm body behind him. Grinning, he let his hand slither under the sheets, tracing a firm abdomen lightly.
"Good morning," a surprisingly awake voice said in his ear.
Ed flipped over, turning to look Mustang in the face. "Morning."
Mustang's chin was propped on his hand, his hair tousled and his eyes exhausted. As Ed watched, he stifled a yawn against the back of his hand.
Ed tried to peer past him at the clock on the nightstand. "What time is it?"
"Early. You still have plenty of time to catch your train." The fatigue in the Colonel's eyes suddenly sharpened into an unmistakable warning look.
Ed shrugged easily. "Sure. No problem."
There was a pause as Mustang weighed that answer. Then he bared his teeth in a grin that reminded Ed uncomfortably of a shark. "So. We should talk about last night."
"What's there to talk about?"
"What were you expecting?"
"I'm not really sure, actually. I guess it's different with a guy, bt's not like I have any experience with girls, either." Ed squirmed under Roy's speculative look. "I'm just… I mean, it was nice."
"Nice?" Even Mustang couldn't hide his incredulity.
Edward scowled. "You know what I mean, dammit. It was… good. Interesting. The things we did, anyway." He looked away, determined not to blush about sex while he was naked in the man's bed. "I'm still not sure about the things we haven't done yet."
"You mean fucking."
Ed blinked at the directness of the response. "Yeah. Fucking." He glanced back at Roy.
The older man rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "You weren't so sure about that last night, either."
"Of course I wasn't. I don't know why you automatically assume that you're going to be the one who gets to do it." An aggravated note crept into Ed's voice.
Roy shrugged, smiling knowingly. "I do have more experience, after all."
"Oh, shut up," Ed muttered, sitting up and reaching for his clothes.
Roy watched Ed root around the semi-dark room for his shirt without lifting a finger to help. "You seemed very complimentary about my expertise last night," he commented smugly. "All that begging was a particularly nice touch. And what was it that you said when I made you -"
"That didn't mean anything," Edward interjected quickly, yanking the black top on hard enough to rip one of the seams. "With all your expertise I'm sure you know pillow talk when you hear it."
"Whatever you say." Roy practically purred as he watched him fix his shirt. He ignored the look Ed sent him as the blond retrieved his boots and pants from the other side of the room.
It was only when Ed hesitated in the doorway that Roy's face took on a serious expression. "Be careful while you're away, Fullmetal."
Knowing that was as much of a goodbye as he was going to get, Ed nodded. "You, too." Then he headed downstairs.
He waited until he had made his way outside before smirking.
Tuesday night
There was nothing remotely welcoming about Roy's expression when he opened the door this time.
"I told you to be on that train this morning. I may have been lenient last night, but I meant what I said. When I give an order, you will follow it."
Ed pushed past him into the house, waiting as Mustang reluctantly shut the door behind him. Clearly the man wanted to throw him straight out again.
"We'll go tomorrow. Really this time," he added at the Colonel's unbelieving look. "I just didn't want to leave any unfinished business behind when we left."
Mustang leaned against the closed door, his arms crossed. "Unfinished business?"
Ed shrugged. "You know what I mean." When Roy just looked confused, he sighed. "What we talked about this morning," he prompted.
Roy's expression shifted to thoughtfulness. "I find it interesting that you can do it but not talk about it. Sometimes you really are just a kid, aren't you?"
Ed's temper flared immediately. "Stop saying that! That has nothing to do with anything."
"No?" Mustang's posture was still rigid, his face unreadable. "Let me see if I understand this. You ignored my orders - again - to come here and have sex, something which you were fairly opposed to last night, and still unsure of this morning. After we're done, you're going to get up and get on the train you were supposed to be on Monday morning. Is that the gist of it?"
"More or less," Ed admitted.
Roy abruptly squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I really need to have my head examined."
Sensing the victory, Ed started up the stairs toward the bedroom. He was stopped by the Colonel's voice.
"It never occurred to you that I might have other plans for these evenings, did it?"
Ed only paused long enough to shrug before he continued up. "No, not really."
"Of course not." Mustang threw one wistful glance toward the living room, where an open bottle of scotch sat invitingly next to his chair. The sound of Edward's boots hitting an upstairs wall as they were kicked off made him smile despite himself. As choices went, they really didn't compare at all.