-1AN: This was done for a challenge on the lj community fma ot4. (which is Roy, Maes, Riza and Gracia community) An Alphabet challenge is going on and this week the prompt is B. So thought up 'B For beautiful.' This is my first time doing a challenge, I hope it turned out well.

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Beautiful. Why must he still be so beautiful? It's not fair.

Roy Mustang watched as Maes Hughes napped on his desk. He came down to the other's office to visit, only to find him busy sleeping the day away. The Lieutenant Colonel would've woken him, had he not looked so beautiful.

The women Roy slept with had a habit of waking up before him, and they would watch him for minutes before his turn to awaken came. Eventually he got used to the sight of feminine eyes gawking at him first thing in the morning. When he'd asked what was so interesting about his slumber the answer was always the same: "You're beautiful when you sleep."

Roy wanted to tell them there was nothing beautiful about a man with blood stained hands like his. The one who was really beautiful was the man he used to gaze at while lying in bed with for hours before joining him in sleep.

It wasn't fair. Why was the man still so gorgeous? Roy told himself after they separated that he only thought that way about Maes because he was in love and on top of that, usually when he watched the other they just had sex, so that sensational feeling left over from the orgasm was influencing his thoughts. But then he'd see Maes napping and would be in complete mercy of his beauty all over again. It just wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to keep on teasing him this way after the end of their romantic relationship. After Hughes got married. It just wasn't. In fact, it was cruel.

Then wake him up. Put a stop to this unintentional torture and wake him up.

But he couldn't. He was being a masochist about it. Sometimes, he liked this kind of torture.

Roy had to wonder…what sort of beautiful dreams could this beautiful dreamer be having? Were they of his family? His beautiful wife and the beautiful child that was on its way? Were they of the Eastern country town they grew up in? Were they memories? Did they even have anything to do with his life or were they just complete and utter nonsense?

…was he in them? Did he continue to inhabit Maes' dreams even after they split? Would Maes' brain even waste valuable dream time on him? Was it at all like the way Roy still dreamed about him?

He sighed. Most likely not. Most likely they were about whether or not that foetus was a boy or a girl and what sort of things he could do with the tyke. It would be stupid to even hope that Maes was dreaming about a guy like him.

…Roy was very stupid then.

Something in Maes' brain must've told him it was time to get up. He begun to stir, and soon enough, those golden eyes opened.

"Mmmmm…" he moaned, while attempting to rub his eyes. He was not aware of Roy's presence yet.

"Have a good dream?"

"Yikes! Roy! When the heck did you get here!?" he exclaimed in shock, becoming fully awake and alert. "Damnit, don't scare me like that."

"Don't sleep on the job like that then. You're lucky it was me and not someone else like Hakuro."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Roy watched as his friend laid his head and arms back down on the desk. His usually bright and cheerful eyes looked gloomy and were half lidded.

"You look exhausted….work late?"

"Gracia…"

"Huh?"

"Gracia…was having mood swings last night…"

"Oh…"

"And cravings too…"

"I see…The trials of a pregnant wife."

"Mmm…………….but you know……it was actually kinda hot…"

For a moment, there really was nothing Roy could think of to reply to that. From what he knew, pregnancy was like prolonged PMS, and that sure as hell wasn't any fun to be around. "…masochist." he finally muttered.

Just like me…

"Well, when you think about it, it really is kind of hot. I mean, she's got a baby inside her, a baby that's causing the problems…"

"Now you're being a sadist."

"But she still puts up with it. She just sucks it up and keeps on going. That sort of strength is amazing. We men could never manage something like that. That's what's so hot about it. And soon, a beautiful child will be born and it'll all be worth it…"

Maes closed his eyes and seemed ready to drift off into sleep again. Roy could only stare in silence.

"Anyways, what are you doing here?" Maes asked, eyes still closed.

"I came here to chat, but obviously you're tired. So I'll just let you have your forty winks." he answered, turning to leave.

"Hey Roy, wait…" the other called him back, his eyes reopening.

Roy stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around.

"You asked me if I had a good dream earlier… Actually… I had one about you…"

Roy felt his body tense.

"Roy, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why are you still so beautiful?"

His heart paused.

"…what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." he sighed. "…It's not fair Roy."

Not fair…?

"I have a wife and kid on the way now. It's not fair that you still seem that way to me."

You're telling me it's not fair? You, the man who still roams my dreams with that smile that kills a piece of me each time I see it? Who are you to talk?

"Maes…" he began, finally turning back to him. "Don't worry."

I'm not beautiful. And I never will be again. These hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. They make this hero's statue tarnished and filthy.

"Soon you'll have a beautiful baby who will surpass me by a long shot, I assure you. Now get some rest, you're speaking nonsense."

"Roy…"

You're the one not being fair. At least I don't tease you with words or try to tell you you're something you'll never be again.

You're the only one who's beautiful Maes. Beautiful and cruel.