I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, the anime nor the manga.

Metal clashed on wood as the Fullmetal Alchemist brought his automail fist down on his commander's table. "You lazy Colonel! I don't like being used!"

Roy Mustang, the man being addressed to as the "lazy Colonel", completely ignored his subordinate, rearranging his paperwork instead. It was true that Mustang did indeed "use" his young subordinate, but it couldn't be helped. The situation that had needed solving could only have been settled if the Fullmetal had been the one to do it. People trusted him, after all, and God knows the boy wouldn't have complied like a good little soldier.

Sparks flew over the fine carpeting as Ed kicked his metal foot against the wall.

"Brother!" exclaimed Alphonse hopelessly, "please stop!" Not even the armor could calm Ed as the boy punched a hole into a nearby bookshelf.

Suddenly, Ed grew quiet.

Surprised by this unexpected peace, Mustang looked up from his desk. The golden pair of eyes he met was one to be feared, though Mustang didn't show it.

An evil smile dominated Edward's face as he silently walked toward the exit of the hushed office.

"I don't like the look in your eye, Fullmetal." Roy frowned as Ed simply cackled in reply.

"Bro—Brother?" Al paused a few steps short of Ed. The armor turned around with amazing speed to faced Mustang and the rest of the office. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive my Brother for what he is planning to do!" Al actually had no idea what Ed was scheming, but he might as well apologize for the inevitable.

With a last squeaky apology, Al trampled out after his brother.

"…I wouldn't walk home alone tonight if I were you, Colonel," Havoc commented. He wasn't as scared as he thought he should be, but that was because he wasn't the one being targeted.

"Heh. What are you babbling about, Havoc? Fullmetal is probably bluffing," Roy dismissed with a careless wave.

Nevertheless, Roy wasn't going to get a wink of sleep today.

--

Two days had passed without casualties, yet that somehow only made Roy's senses sharper. Despite the bags under his eyes and the unshaven beard that was starting to fuzz over his chin, Mustang was still defying any rest. He was not going to let his guard down.

Hawkeye was not oblivious to her commanding officer's obvious anxiety, but she relented from giving assurances nonetheless. Mustang shouldn't have used Edward anyways. This torture was already worthy punishment; Riza only hoped that Ed's real plan won't kill the Colonel.

--

"Brother? When are you going to tell me what you're planning?" Al asked for the fifth time since Ed and Roy's interesting discussion.

"Al, you keep asking me this question, but I can't tell you, because I don't know." Ed glared at Al's reflection in the train window.

"But Brother, I thought you were going to get back at the Colonel," Al insisted, a bit disappointed at Ed's lack of interest or stamina in payback.

"Get back at him?" Ed exclaimed with phony confusion, the tiniest hint of a smile in his eyes, "Why the hell should I waste my time getting back at that bastard? The Colonel doesn't need my help to destroy himself."

Then, losing his control, the Fullmetal Alchemist laughed.

I should've tried harder on this. I wonder if readers got the joke… Was it too obvious or was it not obvious enough?