A/N: You thought I'd forgotten about this story, huh? I didn't just vacationed from it for a while, and here I doth present you with a new chapter after a whole long nine months. It won't take that long for the next addition, I promise! A tad bit of the couple's history this time, it does feel a bit like a filler chapter, and it kind of is, but the next one isn't so far off!

Roy was on the phone with Alphonse, from the office, and he was only so lucky Hawkeye felt compassionate and allowed him his personal call, because at the moment he was certain a pay phone in the middle of nowhere was better than attempting a call from home.

Ed had been sick again in the morning and at first Roy had considered staying home to take care of him but the moment he suggested it the tirade began. Edward had started going on and on about how he wasn't a child, he didn't need to be taken care of and if Roy dared to interject he had a metal fist brandished in his direction. While, in all honesty, that was nothing new, Edward was known for his temper, as soon as he'd been woken at almost exactly five a.m. to Edward rushing for the bathroom he'd made the decision. The conversation was very unproductive so far.

"No, Colonel, I don't think Brother has mentioned anything stressing him out particularly. Actually, the last time I talked to him he seemed really happy." Alphonse said contemplatively before his voice took a somewhat more serious tone, "Why, is something the matter?"

"Nothing particular, Ed had been sick for a couple of days and just a little moodier than usual. I was simply making sure there wasn't something I was missing." Roy pushed a hand back through his hair, fingers trussing his fly away bangs. He hoped his unease wasn't terribly obvious, both because he didn't want to unnecessarily worry the younger Elric and because he was usually rather good at hiding his emotions. Except where Edward is concerned.

"Sick how, is he alright?" Too late, as far as worrying Alphonse went, but Roy couldn't tell if it was simply because Al naturally worried about Ed or if his own concern had slipped into his words.

"It's just a stomach flu, Alphonse, nothing to worry about. If he's feeling up to it, I'll have him call you this evening."

After Alphonse thanked him, reminded him not to stress over his small lover too much, and they had said their goodbyes Roy hung up the phone with a sigh. Their conversation had told him nothing he didn't already know and convinced him he was probably allowing something much too small to bother him. But still, he kept going back to the talk he and Ed had shared over the phone the previous day.

Edward did not cry; it simply wasn't him. Matter-of-fact, Roy didn't believe he'd seen Edward cry any time other than the few nights he'd buried himself in a bottle on the anniversary of his mother's death, and that seemed more the alcohol crying than Ed himself.

So it was not without reason that such a sobbing outburst over what was probably the smallest argument they had ever had left Roy somewhat perplexed. Not to mention the somewhat odd tenderness Ed had treated him with the night before. Intimacy was nothing new, but Ed curling against his side on the couch for no reason and refusing to let go was different.

Roy allowed himself a few moments of silent ease, rubbing at his temples with the pads of two fingers before reaching for his wallet. A moment of searching led him to the pocket where he kept a list of numbers and he pulled the card out. Lifting the phone once again he dialed the number of his personal physician and made an appointment for the next morning, eight o'clock, and hung up.

The rest of his long morning was spent doing the work that had piled up after his taking early leave the day prior. He found himself a little distracted, but did his absolute best to remain focused on reading, signing, and his usual groaning over all of the crap he should not have been forced to do.

Somehow, his thoughts ended up vacationing to Edward before they were a couple and how they had become a couple. It hadn't been romantic really, nor was it anything epic to speak of. But Roy loved remembering it all, the heated arguments and quiet moments all the same.

It had started slowly, a theory here or there turning into an actual discussion, evolving to the occasional quarrel turning into laughter and after Alphonse left to live with Winry, occasional became often. Edward had been –though he still refused to admit it- lonely after his brother had taken to live with his girlfriend and he had started spending late nights in the office. Roy's own late nights often met his and work related issues spilled into conversations, which advanced into an amiable cup of coffee at a twenty-four hour place just a few streets from H.Q. at three in the morning.

Quickly, it had begun to seem as though there wasn't enough time in the night after work and they would treat one another to breakfast, then lunch, and then so on and so forth. Before long, Edward was sleeping more on Roy's couch than in his dorm room, and Roy had forgone almost all of his dating in preference of Ed's company. There had been rumors of course, but they didn't particularly bother Roy or Edward because the two of them had known nothing was going on but an unlikely friendship.

Not that there hadn't been the chance even early on, a few nights of wine or scotch had led to a couple of drunken kisses but for the first three or four months it really had been nothing more than the pleasure of one another's company. Until, one night when there was no wine and a kiss, then another, and another, and they had woken up sprawled across the floor of Roy's living room, naked, in need of a shower and perfectly comfortable with the situation.

There was no big realization for Roy, he had just somehow known that Edward was special and while he had never really considered being gay prior to the young blonde, he wasn't even sure if that term yet applied to him, this was different. It was just Edward, an unstoppable force had met an immovable object and they had, in a sense, bonded.

The truth was: he loved Edward. More than his job, more than the country's well-being even, he loved Edward.

For the third time that day, Roy lifted the telephone to his ear, only this time, he dialed home.

A/N: Hope you liked this one, next time, the big revelation! XD As always, every writer does love reviews, if you feel up to it I will always appreciate it! ^~^