Melting Point

A/N: This chapter partially introduces an OC, Roy's mother, since I'm pretty sure she was never mentioned in cannon. Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter.

I would have had this up sooner, but I wasn't happy with it and rewrote the second half. I'm still not completely satified with it, but it is much better than the first version.

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist. I do own Roy's mom though... wait, that didn't sound right.

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Ch. 4

Whistling to himself, Hughes walked down the long hall towards Roy's office, with about twelve new photographs he had not had the joy of displaying to his friend just yet in his pocket. His expression was amiable enough, though no one could have guessed what he was currently thinking. He could have sworn Fullmetal had mentioned her favorite 'nickname' for Mustang before saying... something about her pants. In his opinion those two lines should not have been in the same conversation. He shrugged it off as he reached the office and opened the door without knocking.

Mustang was sitting at his desk, talking on the phone. The General looked up to see who had just come in and his expression went from slightly bored to doing a good impression of a deer caught in headlights. Hughes grinned. He knew that expression.

"Say Roy, who's that you're talking to?" He walked over to the desk and leaned over him," It wouldn't happen to be your mom, would it?"

He was given a look that promised unparalleled agony but took the phone from his hand and interrupted their conversation anyway. Besides, Roy never carried out his threats against him.

"Is that you, Adrianna?" He said to the other person on the line.

A woman's voice replied, "Maes?"

"I figured it was you, considering the look your son got on his face when I walked in. I take it you're coming to visit soon."

"Yes, I'm taking the train in tomorrow," She laughed, "How have you been? It's been a while since I've talked to you."

"Great! Gracia and I are trying for kid number three," he said while leaning on the edge of the desk, his back to Roy.

"Number three? When did you manage to have the second one?"

He blinked," Oh, that's right! You haven't met Jacob. Wow, has it been that long? He's almost three!"

"The last time I remember your daughter was close to five. She must be eight by now."

"That's right! Well, you'd be amaized at how big she's gotten..."

He then proceeded to tell her about the last three years of Elysia's life, and would have started on his son if he hadn't been interrupted with Roy impatiently clearing his throat. He turned to look over his shoulder at Mustang, who was glaring at him.

He smiled and got off the desk, "Looks like I'd better give the phone back, I'll have lots of pictures ready to show you when you get here though!"

"I'll be looking forward to it."

"Alright, see you then!"

He handed the phone back and Roy spoke with her for a few minutes before hanging up. Hughes smiled when his friend sighed then looked up at him with a scowl.

"...What? Were you actually not going to tell me your mother was coming to visit?" Maes said.

Roy remained silent.

He pouted in mock hurt, "That's not very nice," he then grinned, "Besides, I get along so well with Adrianna."

"Don't think that I'm not aware of what you two talk about together."

Hughes smiled innocently, "You mean about my precious children?"

"I mean about my love life!" He snapped.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"Well, Roy, it's not like your love life is a secret or anything." He finally shrugged.

The other man growled, his hand raising as if he were about to snap his fingers. Thankfully his glove was sitting safely in the top drawer of his desk.

"Wow, you're in a really foul mood today, did Fullmetal get under your skin that much?"

Mustang's expression went blank and he lowered his hand," No."

His reply was followed by another ten seconds of silence as Hughes stared scrutinizingly at him. Maes had always been good at puzzles. Sift through all the available pieces until you find enough of them that fit together, then start building from there. He'd been putting the current puzzle he was working on together since the beginning of that year, and it definitely required more pieces in order to start making sense. Right now it was a collection of many small parts that still didn't connect together. Except he wasn't sure if he had found more pieces, or an entirely new puzzle itself.

It wasn't as if he was purposefully eavesdropping on people. He was very observant, he just happened to notice and hear things that most people overlooked. Half of the stuff he heard he'd keep to himself. The rest, if it concerned people he knew, and if it would do them good to expose the information, he was more gossipy than a nosey old woman with too much time on her hands. After he learned more, he would then decide if this particular bit of gossip was a good thing to expose. He rubbed his chin in thought.

Roy's never this angry when his mother comes to visit, even with her and myself constantly pesturing him to get married. I wonder... it can't be Fullmetal that's got him this worked up... he usually just laughs all of her insubordination off.. or at least he used to. Heck, maybe she finally did something to make him angry, but if she had he'd talk about it. So then why...

"Hughes."

The sound of his name being spoken in an irritated tone made him blink and look at Mustang, his chain of thought broken.

"If you don't mind I need to get back to my paperwork."

Hughes then got an idea. Perhaps letting some of the information slip wasn't such a bad thing. "Oh, sorry, just thinking of earlier when I saw Eddie talking on the phone."

The General arched an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"Yeah, she seemed a little stressed. At least to me anyway. She was in here just before that, right?"

Mustang nodded.

"Did she let on that anything was wrong?"

There was long pause before he answered," Not really. Why?"

He shrugged," Just wondering. Well, I'll talk to you later, Roy."

Maes gave a casual salute and went for the door. As he was just about to close it he could have sworn he heard Mustang curse softly.

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What the hell was that about? Roy frowned at the now closed door.

Hughes had walked in before he was about to hang up, damn his unlucky timing. He knew his friend would talk his mother's ear off and really didn't have the patience to listen to it. He expected being interrupted, but Hughes asking about Ed out of the blue was suspicious. He knew how sharp Maes was, despite the facade he put up. How much did he actually know? There was no possible way he could make an exact guess, even if he had heard Fullmetal's phone conversation. Except that was another problem entirely, he had to focus on the current one first. No need to get ahead of himself.

How large of a chance was there that Elric would actually say yes? Even during the conversation with his mother the question hadn't left his thoughts completely. He could only guess how much stress the situation had caused the female alchemist. Then again, it was causing him just as much stress. And the biggest question he kept asking himself was if she did happen to come to a descision, and even agreed to go through with it, would he be able to? Regardless of whether or not he'd instigated the whole mess unless he was just as willing, it wasn't going to work. At the moment he'd offered himself as an option to help relieve her tension with he wouldn't have hesitated at all if she had said yes right there. He told himself he would, just not to miss out on such a rare opportunity. It wasn't guilt that was making him feel this way, just caution. He didn't want anyone to think he was a perverted bastard. Well, excluding Ed, who most likely thought that anyway.

Though one issue was hounding him more than the others. No matter how any outsider would look at it, he was the higher ranking officer, he was the older one, he was the male. In spite of how much control he gave Ed it would still seem like he was taking advantage of her. Damned double-standards.

I wonder how long it's going to take her to decide? She leaves in... two days.

He was glad the train that went to the small town she was returning to didn't come frequently.

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As she lay on her stomach on her bed, her automail arm dangling off the edge, Ed was torn between two simple words. Yes or no.

While no would be much easier to say, it wouldn't end the problem. In fact, it might just make it worse. Even if she refused the offer, her attraction to him would not fade immediately after. She would still be losing her concentration, she would still be turning in crappy reports. If she said yes...

She blushed, remembering the expression in his eyes.

Had he meant what he said? Though he had stated that he didn't want any misunderstandings between them, she was confused as ever. How long ago had his attraction to her began? One year, two years, or less? She hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary before the start of the current year, but she could have been mistaken. Above all else, what were his true intentions with her?

Maybe I should just friggin' ask him...he might tell me. She thought with a sigh. Ed pushed herself up into a sitting postition. It was decided. She'd go back and demand answers the next morning.