51) "But they depend on us," Ed insisted, more sincere than Colonel Mustang had heard him in a while. "They depend on the military to keep them safe."
"That doesn't mean you can go into a rage every time there's a kidnapping or a terrorist attack and barge in to save them on your own with some half-formed pandemonium of a plan."
"But they depend on us!" he repeated heatedly. "If the military won't do anything, it's my duty to—"
"You can't save everyone, Fullmetal."
"But—"
"People die every day. You're a fool if you think you can save every one of them."
"Of course I don't—"
"That will be all, Fullmetal."
"But—"
"I said,"—Mustang looked at him, and Edward knew that the conversation was over— "that will be all."
"They depend on us," he muttered, but didn't argue. Roy watched him leave the office and let out a sigh, wondering if the boy would actually listen to him this time.

52) "Sit," said Riza, her voice deadly.
Both alchemists turned to stare at her.
"But he—" they stammered, pointing weakly to the other.
"I said, sit!"
They sat.

53) "Can't sleep?"
The boy jumped, spinning around to face the other person in the dark room. He relaxed as he recognized the man, and said grumpily, "What's it to you?"
The colonel shrugged and turned back to his desk. "No, nothing… Better you than Lieutenant Hawkeye stopping by to give me more paperwork…." Looking more closely at the boy, he didn't look too well. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he had been doing this for many nights in a row.
To his surprise, the blonde glanced curiously over his shoulder. "Oh, is that what you're doing?"
"Oh, yes, it's ever so thrilling."
"Do tell," the teenager murmured.
"For instance, here's a form for new pipes in the southern training section, apparently the two-inches-by three-and-a-quarter ones aren't good enough and now they absolutely must have the two-inches-by-three-inches-and-three-fifths ones…."
"Hmm," said the boy drowsily.
"Ahh, yes, and here's one petitioning for recyclable trays in the mess hall, absolutely fascinating…."
The blonde was slumped in his chair, fast asleep within minutes. The colonel smiled and continued his paperwork in silence.

54) [Animeverse] There was something in his head telling him to burn Fullmetal's—no, Edward's image into his mind while he could, because something important was happening here. The teenager was holding himself differently, speaking differently, even looking differently, although his appearance hadn't changed. Ed, the loud, clumsy little boy with a height complex, had grown into a fathomless well of strength and audacity, and Roy found himself marveling at the kid—no, he couldn't even call him a kid anymore. At sixteen, he had grown into a full-blown adult, ready to face three homunculi by himself and rescue his little brother, no matter what it took.
"Goodbye."
"…Goodbye."
Ed was about to give him a salute, but instead Roy put out his hand. The blonde stared at him, comprehension slowly dawning. They were equals now, and Ed put his hand out too—and slapped Roy's away.
The Fullmetal Alchemist glanced up at him, a smirk that looked a lot like Roy's curling his mouth.
And Roy had never been so proud of anyone in his life.
"What?" Ed asked, noticing the Brigadier-General's expression.
("I'm proud of you.")
But Roy just shook his head and smiled. "It can wait until you come back."
And then he watched the son he never had walk out of his life forever.

55)