Better Living Through Alchemy

He saw their baggage checked and made his way onto the passenger car. There was no way to hide the broad grin that split his face when she waved her hand to him, indicating she’d secured them a booth and was saving his seat. He shrugged off the strap of his shoulder bag and put it on the rack above them before taking the bench opposite her, sliding down to sit directly across from her.

“I’m becoming a regular visitor to the General’s house,” the Colonel said with her slight smile. “Not that I’m complaining, the occasions have been very pleasant.”

Al squirmed a bit in delight that the Colonel was counting his pending birthday party as a ‘pleasant occasion’. Not that the two-day trip to Central with her wasn’t present enough, but he rather wished such an elaborate party hadn’t been planned, that it would just be he, the Colonel, his brother and the Pirate, like it had been during the holidays. There was something satisfying about the arrangement that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, those days they spent together in the General’s house, like a family.

But Edward’s excitement at his departure from ‘military servitude’ was cause for this celebration and Al would never begrudge his brother the delight of it. It was warming in all the right ways that Ed wanted to do this for him, and he was guaranteed to have a good time with everyone being there. Plus, there was to be a Prince and several high-ranking military officials. It was rather prestigious and Alphonse found himself rather flattered, but most importantly, it would all look good in the eyes of the Colonel and that was whom he was really out to impress.

As if reading his very thoughts, the Colonel spoke up.

“I understand the Xingian Prince and Ambassador is to be attending your party,” she said. “That is a great honor. It also means I will have to work extra hard to make sure the drunken revelry is kept to a low roar.”

They both laughed then, although Alphonse had no memory of the evening at the holiday office party and often wondered just what he had done. He’d often thought of asking her, but was terrified it would be embarrassing beyond all compare. But still, he would really like to know.

“Colonel,” he said bravely, “about the office party. I remember some of it, but past a certain point everything is fuzzy.” He was willing his cheeks not to redden, fighting the growing heat in his chest so it didn’t travel to his face.

“I’m not surprised,” she answered smoothly. “You were very…” she waved her hand and her smile grew a little broader, “uninhibited by the end of the evening.”

The heat in his chest made a mad dash for his cheeks and he almost groaned because he could feel them reddening. He forced his hands to stay at his sides and he tried to give a carefree smile, but felt it was more aghast than anything else.

“I hope I didn’t do anything untoward,” he managed. “Or embarrassing, I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble.”

“It wasn’t you,” the Colonel said. “Everyone was having a good time, it’s alright Alphonse.”

She let if go at that and he was so grateful he wanted to thank her, but in the end he didn’t, turning to look out the train window as the car lurched slightly and they began to depart.

***

The boys watched the Professor plow through the paperwork on his desk with a crazed look around him. He’d pick up a paper, study it and then look at the several messy stacks he already had on his desk before holding it over one and then another, his face perplexed.

Earlier, the Professor had stood in the hall with one of the other teachers for a while and ran back in for his notebook, pen and to give them all a scathing ‘behave you’ look.

He glanced up to see several of the students looking at him. Gavin had been running a secret betting pool about which stack a particular paper would go in and how many times it would change stacks before the next paper was contemplated. So far the house bets were doing well.

The Professor had a slight stare off with them and many of them wondered if the Professor was seeing them at all, but he blinked and spoke.

“You lot don’t have anything to do?” he said, low and menacing.

Several sets of eyes dropped to their notebooks and pencils took up moving. The Professor sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“No, look,” he said, “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy this week, I just keep giving you textbook assignments. I promise after this event is out of the way, we’ll get back into more hands-on work.”

Seth raised his hand tentatively.

Ed nodded to him and leaned forward on his desk a little to let the boy know he really was interested and not just humoring him.

“What alchemists are coming to the exhibition?” Seth asked with a shy smile.

“Oh well, do you want me to ruin the surprise?” the Professor asked.

Because so far it’s just me.

Seth squirmed around in his seat, obviously not wanting to be surprised, but too polite to press the issue.

Alex will say yes, PLEASE let Alex say yes.

“The Strong-Arm Alchemist mostly likely will be there,” the Professor sort of mumbled off at the end. “I’m going to have to find time to contact a few others.”

“The Blade Alchemist?” Gavin said excitedly from the back.

“Um, I haven’t really spoken to him,” the Professor said.

Whoever he is.

Daniel’s hand shot into the air. Now that the Professor was chatting, he could no longer sit on his own surprise, (and OH how he wanted the envy directed at him).

“Daniel?” the Professor said.

“My father got an invitation to your brother’s birthday party,” Daniel said, puffing out his chest. “He’s General Stanton you know, he said I could come too.”

The class let out a collective gasp of jealousy and awe.

Daniel, Daniel, DANIEL. Why did you feel the need to do this? Well because you are thirteen and a bit of a braggart… just like I was at that age…

The rest of the class swung pleading eyes in Ed’s direction and it was his turn to squirm in his seat.

Al… will you forgive me?

“You’re all invited… of course,” the Professor managed to smile. “You can extend the invitation to your parents. Let me know tomorrow who is coming and who needs directions?” his smile was becoming a bit strained.

He then had to wave his hands and hiss loudly at the whoop that sounded around the room.

Insanity... it’s just insanity. Roy is going to kill me.

“Will that funny Xing guy be there?” Richard asked.

“Yes,” Edward drawled, “and he’s a Prince. I know he doesn’t act it; in fact he acts barely older than you lot, but he is a Prince. I would appreciate it that if you come to the party, you make sure to call him Prince. Although, he didn’t seem to mind being called ‘Xing Guy’ and… what was it you called him Duffy?”

“Percy,” Duffy said with a grin.

“Right. But still, it would look back on General Mustang if you were to behave badly at this party,” Ed said. “So everyone needs to be polite.”

“Why General Mustang?” Daniel asked.

“Because it is his house,” Ed said.

“I thought it was your house, why are you having your brother’s birthday party at General Mustang’s house?” Daniel pressed.

oh…

“Well,” the Professor said, “I live there too and so does Al when he’s in town.”

“Why don’t you have your own house?” Daniel said.

“I’ve known General Mustang since I was 11. He was my sponsor when I became a State Alchemist and my brother and I were orphans, so he took us in,” Ed said.

Well, that’s partially true.

“Oh,” Daniel said, “so he’s like your dad.”

The Professor made a very visible wince and then forced an overly bright smile.

“Yeah,” he gritted out, “I guess you could say that.”

The boys sort of shrugged at each other.

***

Ed ran up the last flight of steps to the administration offices and down the hall with his head down, furious in thought.

When he walked into the office he lifted his head and stopped just inside the doorway.

The General looked up at him and smiled. A Xingian Prince, seated in front of the General’s desk, turned in his chair and grinned.

“Hello,” Ling said with his closed eyes amusement, “we are discussing policy, come and have a seat.” He graciously indicated the chair to his left.

“It’s the General’s call who he invites in on his conversations,” Ed said with a growl and caught Roy’s eye.

Roy smiled, shook his head and nodded at the chair, so Ed stalked over and slouched down into it, dropping his briefcase. He really needed to tell Roy about the extra 100 or so people he just inadvertently invited to the party, and he wanted to be chewed out in private, not in front of this insufferable Prince.

“How was class today?” the General asked when Ed was more or less settled.

“I really have something to tell you,” and Ed glanced at Ling, “in private.”

“You can be assured whatever you have to say goes no further than this desk,” the Prince said cheerfully. “As royalty, I am well versed in the art of discretion.”

“Blackmail, most likely,” Ed snorted.

“Is something wrong, Edward?” Roy asked. Ed turned to him, sighed and shrugged. It wasn’t like it was a state secret.

“I think I accidentally invited a lot more people. One of the boys in my class’ father is a General. They got an invitation and he had to brag about it…” Ed sighed.

Roy hid a smile behind his hand and feigned a cough. It was rather touching to him how Ed was attached to his students. Of course if one came, Ed would invite them all, and that meant parents and siblings and… who knew? Ed was famous; Al’s party was getting to the verge of infamy already and the guest of honor hadn’t even arrived yet.

“I’ll notify the caterer,” Roy said. “Gracia will have to be told; you might get a scolding from her,” the General gave a smile. “But the tent shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll just have them bring more chairs.”

Ed seemed to wilt in relief, then remembered the Prince was there and straightened back up.

“In the palace, many lavish ceremonies are held,” the Prince said. “Perhaps I can return the favor of your invitation someday and have you attend a royal banquet. The guest list is extensive and the celebration can last for many days.”

It was unexpectedly nice of him and Ed was caught flatfooted, but the General smiled.

“We’re honored, Your Highness. Perhaps someday we can attend,” he said.

Ling only smiled his enigmatic smile and inclined his head a bit, and then he shattered the moment.

“Where are you taking me for lunch?” the Prince asked the Alchemist.

***

“Help me get more alchemists for the exhibition,” Ed pleaded in the car on the way home. “You should know the Prince isn’t looking for a cultural liaison, he’s looking for free lunch!”

The General grinned.

“How can you be so calm?” Ed said. “We have a major party in just four days, I have an exhibition no one is participating in, I have to coordinate this whole affair on TOP of having to escort his royal pain-in-the-ass to lunch every day and all you can do is sit there and grin at me?! We have caterers and waiters and bartenders! We have a band that Alex is supplying and a tent to go in the backyard and chairs…” Ed panted slightly.

“Everything will be fine,” the General soothed. “Gracia and Elysia will be here tomorrow and they are going to handle the finer details. I’ve two more bedsteads being delivered so that Riza, Gracia and the Rockbells can stay at the house. They’ll all help. You used to get this frantic on missions,” the General chuckled, “and you always pulled through.”

Edward was good for working himself into a froth and it often bothered the General, but now the froth was over good things. Edward’s life was now good things and a little frothing wouldn’t hurt him; it was kind of cute.

“All five bedrooms are going to be furnished now?” Edward seemed to let himself be distracted. “I never thought I’d see the day we didn’t have empty rooms in the house.”

“We’ve yet to break them in properly however,” the General wiggled his eyebrow.

Edward looked askance at that.

“I could never do that in a bed Gracia has slept in,” he said, scandalized.

The General laughed and shook his head.

“This is like R.D. watching, isn’t it?” he teased.

Edward hunched down and pushed his shoulders up.

“Shuddup,” he offered in his usual elegant way.

***

Falman stopped him on the way out the door.

“Lieutenant Colonel,” he said and Havoc looked at him, “I am under the impression that you and Miss Sarah will be attending Alphonse’s birthday party this coming Saturday?”

“Yes, of course we are,” Havoc returned. “Are you and Abby going?”

“Yes, we were wondering if perhaps we might all share a vehicle,” Falman asked.

“Sure,” Havoc said. “I’ve been out to the General’s house before, I know the way, I can drive.”

Falman seemed to mull this over and finally nodded once.

“You’re going to pull my files and check my driving record, aren’t you?” Havoc said, hands on hips.

“Never hurts to be well informed,” Falman replied.

***

Alphonse shifted, smoothing his jacket tail over his legs and lacing his fingers in his lap, trying in vain to come up with a conversation topic that didn’t pertain to the office. This was his chance to establish a bond outside their professional relationship and he was wasting it!

Think, think, think! What does she like? Dogs… she likes dogs. Guns… she likes guns. Which do I know more about?

“So Clayton is taking care of Hayate while we’re away?” Al asked, even though he knew the answer.

She glanced over at him from where she’d been watching the scenery pass by the train window.

“Yes,” she said. “You were in the office when the arrangement was made.”

“Oh, right,” Al said and offered a weak smile, then sighed inwardly.

“I hear your party is going to be quite large, there is even the inclusion of an ambassador?” She smiled at him, offering conversation in his desert of small talk.

“Yes,” he latched onto the oasis, “Brother met him through the General. It seems they are friends, or at least as much of friends as Brother allows people to be. Brother says he invited himself, but that hardly matters. I can’t wait to tell Clayton.”

“Anyone else of note going to be attending?” she asked.

“Well, of note to me at least,” Al said and shrugged, smiling. “Granny and Winry, Gracia and Elysia.”

You.

“It will be good to see Gracia, I haven’t seen her in a while,” Hawkeye crossed her legs and leaned back on the seat. “It’s hard to believe that Elysia is twelve already, how times fly.”

Al nodded mute agreement.

“Colonel,” he said quietly. “With my memories back, it makes this my twenty-second birthday… not my eighteenth.” He played with the hem of his coat for a moment. “Everyone seems to have forgotten that.”

The Colonel herself widened her eyes just slightly, but then calmed the expression.

“You’re right Alphonse,” she said. “I must apologize as well. For those of us who watched you grow up for the second time, it’s a bit hard to think that way. You’ll forgive me, won’t you?”

“Of course!” Al said hastily. “I didn’t mean it like that. I completely understand why everyone thinks that way. Not everyone gets a second time around; I don’t mean to make it sound like a compliant.”

“It must be hard, I can’t even begin to imagine,” the Colonel said quietly. “All those lifetimes… but you handle it with remarkable strength. You’re truly an example, Alphonse, of what is best in humanity.”

Al felt his cheeks heat to the point of frying eggs and he ducked his head to hide it.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” the Colonel said to the top of a bowed, dark blonde head, feeling her smile get away from her a bit.

“It’s okay,” Al said, studying the floor. “Better a compliment than a criticism, wouldn’t you think?”

“Better all around,” the Colonel agreed.

***

Ed was tired. The boys took deadly advantage of the fact that their Professor had been up half the night transmuting a deck and grill in his backyard in preparation for his brother’s birthday. Short of snarling at them (or turning them all into fish), he decided the best way to tame them was with a pop quiz. It had terrified them into angels by the end of the period and he was glad to see them go, (but felt guilty about that afterwards).

Two more meetings and he could go nap on Roy’s couch until five, when the General could leave and they could go home, but something else was nagging at him that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He chewed the end of his pen while Dr. Thaxton went on and on about the band’s itinerary for the exhibition and their plan to sell lemonade and cookies. Ed made tired notes in his notebook and nodded at the appropriate times. He didn’t notice the door of his classroom open, but Dr. Thaxton did and gave Ed a prompt.

“You have a visitor, Professor Elric,” he said.

Ed looked over, (PLEASE, not the Prince), then blinked in surprise to see Roy standing there in his long coat.

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, might I borrow Professor Elric for a moment?” he asked with a smile.

Ed stood and nodded to Thaxton, then crossed to Roy and let the General usher him into the hall.

“Is something wrong?” Ed asked anxiously. Since he’d been teaching, Roy had never ventured into the Academy or his classroom.

“No, I’m coming to see that you have sufficient pocket money for a cab home,” the General smiled. “I wasn’t sure you had your wallet with you this morning.”

“I’ve been leaving it at home so I can’t take Ling to lunch,” Ed said and stretched. “But why do I need a cab?” he asked.

“I’m going to meet Gracia and Elysia’s train,” Roy said. “I’m driving them home after, can you leave now?”

“No,” Ed whimpered and reached out to grip Roy’s sleeves. He would have walked into his chest had he not suddenly remembered where they were. “I have another meeting after this one.”

The General didn’t seem concerned of their location, because Ed was suddenly pulled against his chest briefly and his head was stroked once before the General stepped back.

“Finish it quickly and then come straight home,” Roy said. “You look exhausted.” He reached into his inner jacket pocket, produced his own wallet and shoved money into Ed’s hand. He then looked up and down the hall once and gave Ed a quick and light kiss on the cheek.

“Gracia and Elyisa will be excited to see you. Then you can have dinner and go to bed,” the General promised.

Ed almost wanted to whine and tell the General not to leave him, but instead he pocketed the money and gave a brave smile, nodding.

“See you at home,” Ed said.

The General smiled, turned and as he walked away, he gave his usual wave over his shoulder.

Ed shook his head, turned to go back into the classroom and ran into a chest.

“I see you have money now,” the Prince said. “I forgive you for not taking me to lunch, we can have dinner instead.”

Ed’s jaw dropped.

***

She was running down the platform, arms outstretched and quite literally fell into the waiting arms, fingers digging into the sleeves of a great coat, going up on tiptoes.

He smelled like sandalwood, his laugh was deep and nice and he hugged her once she’d found her way into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

“Uncle Roy,” she said, burrowing into his chest. “Will you still marry me?” she teased.

“Yes,” he answered with a laugh. “We said we’d marry when pigs could fly!”

“I’m working on that!” Elysia Hughes said, grinning up at him with her father’s grin. The General hugged her again against his chest and was glad he at least had this to remember him by.

***

Gracia tucked her arm into his when he offered and they trailed Elysia down the platform to the baggage car.

“Was the trip alright?” he asked her.

“It was lovely,” Gracia said. “Elysia was so excited to come and see everyone. I was too, it’s been a while.”

Gracia had naturally wished to relocated closer to family after Hughes’ death, she and Elysia now lived in Abington, it was only a few hours by train.

Elysia had stopped to wait on them and ducked under Roy’s other arm when they came close.

“Everyone is going to be jealous of my beautiful escorts,” the General said, smiling down at her.

Elysia wrinkled her nose and grinned.

“Where’s Ed?” she demanded. “Didn’t he come too?”

“Ed is still at work,” the General said. “He wanted to come, but he couldn’t. You’ll see him at the house tonight,” he promised.

“That’s funny that Ed has a job,” Elysia laughed. “What does he do?”

“He’s a teacher,” Roy said and squeezed her shoulder.

“Oh,” Elysia said and wrinkled her nose again.

Gracia laughed and gave Roy’s arm a little squeeze.

“How is that going for him,” she asked. “Alphonse is much more informative, we’re lucky to get a half page letter from Edward.”

“He sucks at letters, Al is much better,” Elysia agreed.

“It’s going very well,” Roy told Gracia. “He’s in the middle of planning a school exhibition. That and the party and his impromptu cultural liaison duties keep him quite busy.”

Gracia lifted her eyebrows in question and Elysia voiced it.

“What’s a cultural liaison?” the little girl asked.

“Well there is a Prince from Xing staying in Amestris and Ed helps show him around, introducing him to our culture,” the General explained. “You’ll get to meet him; he’ll be at the party. His name is Prince Ling.”

“Really?” Elysia said excitedly. “A real Prince?” her eyes lit up.

“A real Prince,” the General assured her.

“Very fancy guest list,” Gracia said with a small smile.

“Don’t be too impressed,” the General said with a twinkle in his eye. “It seems the Prince’s true objective is to sample every restaurant in Central, at least that is how Ed will tell it.”

Gracia laughed.

“I might also mention Ed has inadvertently invited his entire class?” he furthered.

“I’m going to have a talk with him,” Gracia said.

***

“I’m not taking you to dinner,” Ed whispered heatedly. “Now beat it, I’m busy! I need that money for a cab home tonight.”

“You live with the General,” the Prince stated.

Ed drew himself up. He was not ashamed and was ready to defend his lover.

“I do,” he said and looked Ling in the eye as if daring him to make a disparaging comment about it.

“You’ve done very well for yourself,” the Prince said and clasped his hands behind his back. “General Mustang is an important man.”

Ed blinked, then nodded and smiled a little.

“Thank you and I know he is,” he told the Prince. “I really can’t take you to dinner tonight; we have out of town guests arriving for the party. Does Ran Fan know you’re here?”

Ling just smiled and tilted his head.

“I guess that’s a dumb question,” Ed said. “Okay, I have to go now. You go back to your… wherever it is you go when you’re not here pestering me. I’m working,” Ed emphasized.

Ed put his hand on the doorknob.

“I think he’s a bit old for you,” the Prince said behind him.

When Ed turned to retaliate, the Prince was gone.

***

That evening they disembarked and checked into the small hotel near the depot. Al nervously suggested they eat dinner together and floated to his room to freshen up after she agreed.

It’s not fancy, simple hotel fair, but he’s sitting across the table from her and she’s telling him about a theatre production that she might like to see when they return to East City.

Ask her out! Ask her to go with you!

“Colonel,” he managed to get out before having to take a drink of water because his mouth had become suddenly dry. She waited patiently for him to continue after he put a firm clamp on his blush and sat up a bit straighter.

I’m twenty-two, I’m not eighteen. I shouldn’t blush every time I speak to her!

“I would like to see that play too. Perhaps… we could go together?” he says, trying not to sound eager and trying not to lean forward onto the table. He held his breath and waited expectantly; there was something unreadable in her expression for a few moments, but then she smiled again.

“I was thinking of taking everyone in the office, as a thank you for all of their hard work,” she said smoothly.

Al is not sure if this is true or not, she is so damn hard to read. He is glad he has never faced her in a poker game, but she wouldn’t lie to him. He is always the giver of the benefit of the doubt, because Ed never was.

“You are, of course, more than welcome to come with us,” she continued. “You are still very much a part of us even though you will be ‘unleashed’, as Clayton puts it.”

They both had a moment to smile over First Lieutenant Pharr’s wit, and then they went back to their meals. He was at a loss for a topic as his gut churned like it shouldn’t, and when the meal was over, they said goodnight and he returned to his room, sitting on the side of his bed.

Inspiration strikes out of nowhere as it usually does, and Al blinked at the obvious fount of advice that’d been under his nose all along.

The Pirate even dated her years ago. Resignation be damned, he knew what he truly wanted for his birthday: the Pirate’s advice on how to maraud and pillage and conquer.

In the ways of women, the General was a legend. It must be that way with men too, because Al had never once considered his brother… gay.

***

Ed was mugged on his way in the door.

A terrier bounced excitedly at his feet, and he would think it over stimulated, but it was always like that. A girl child wrapped her arms around his waist and became boneless as he dragged her down the hall.

“Ed, guess what?!” Elysia yelled. “I brought all my pictures to show you and Uncle Roy stopped on the way to the house and got me film for my brownie camera! He says you’re going to transmute a fence around the backyard tomorrow night and I want to chronicle it!”

Chronicle was her new word.

“That’s what journalists do,” she continued as Ed, grunting, dragged her into the den to deposit his briefcase, “They make chronicles!”

Elysia already had her future career mapped out.

“That’s great,” Ed said and gave her head a fond rub while R.D. literally did cartwheels around the den in happiness. Elysia noticed this and released Ed, (to his secret relief), and made a grab for the terrier, but he darted out of reach and she ran into the hall, chasing him. Ed followed behind slowly.

The house smelled divine and he let his nose lead him toward the kitchen, where he got another greeting when he entered. The hug wasn’t as enthusiastic, but it was warm and welcome.

“Edward,” Gracia said as she released him. “It’s so good to see you.”

Roy was seated at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a smile of his own.

Elysia reappeared and grabbed Ed around the waist from behind and R.D. darted under the kitchen table and panted. It seemed like she might be a little too much even for him.

“You know what else?!” she cried. “We are going to stay all weekend and until Tuesday! When is Al going to get here?! Is Riza coming?! Uncle Roy says you know a Prince!”

“Elysia, let Edward sit down,” her mother laughed. “She’s into interrogation, as you can guess,” Gracia returned to the stove where she had dinner cooking.

Elysia obediently released Ed’s waist and waited for him to sit down, climbing into the chair beside him and looking at him expectantly.

Roy gave him a sympathetic look, but he’d already endured the grilling and wasn’t about to get back into the line of fire.

“Okay,” Ed said. “First, I want to say I’m glad you’re here,” and he grinned at her and she grinned back. “To answer your questions: Al will be here tomorrow, Riza is coming with him and yes I do know a real Prince, so does your Uncle Roy.”

“Same Prince?” Elysia asked, looking over at Roy. Roy nodded and her attention turned back to Edward. “Uncle Roy says you know him better.”

“I know what he likes to eat,” Ed said drolly. Gracia laughed from across the kitchen and Roy winked at him.

“Huh,” Elysia said. “What does he look like?”

“A mooch in a fancy robe,” Ed supplied and Elysia looked puzzled when her mother and Uncle Roy both laughed.

***

The next day was a blur of motion. Gracia was at the house now to welcome the men bringing the furniture, tent and rented chairs. Somehow, they’d gotten their time tables turned around and weren’t sure which train Al and Riza were arriving on, but that wasn’t a major concern as they would be able to get to the house on their own. Ed’s entire class told him happily that they would be attending, then Ling showed up promptly at noon and hovered over his shoulder as he tried to get some grading done as not to fall behind, because his weekend was going to be hectic. He turned and looked at the Xingian and then pointed toward the classroom.

“Pull up a desk Your Highness, time for you to earn your keep,” he said with a wicked grin.

The Prince grinned back, pulled one of the students’ desks up to Ed’s and sat down in it. Ed divided up his stack of papers, fished in his desk for another red pen, hastily scribbled down the correct answers on a sheet from his notebook, tore it out and then handed the stack to the startled Prince.

Ed demonstrated how to grade then.

“If the answer is different than the one I wrote down for you, then just make an ‘X’ through it,” he said.

The Prince looked bemused, but when Ed began to ignore him for his chore, he followed suit.

“This is most…” the Prince started.

“No talking while grading,” Ed interrupted.

“Not even a little?” the Prince asked.

“Not a word,” Ed replied.

“But we’ve already said several words,” Ling offered.

“You need to be quiet now and work,” Ed informed him.

“I’m working,” Ling said after a few moments.

“It’s probably good for your pampered ass,” Ed told him.

“So this is what teaching is about?” Ling asked.

Ed looked up at him and snorted, then tapped his pen against the paper he was grading.

“No, this is just something that comes along with it. The more you talk, the longer this will take,” Ed said.

“Why do you teach?” the Prince asked, only glancing up from the paper he was on.

Ed opened his mouth for a smarmy retort about paying bills, only he didn’t pay the bills, Roy did. Well, Ed did pay the bills as well, he always handed over his paycheck and Roy always gave him pocket money. He was fine with the arrangement, but as far as sitting down at the desk and figuring out the house budget and who they owed what to, Roy took care of all that.

He really shouldn’t belittle his chosen career at the cost of a good barb at the Prince, either. The mooch was actually helping grade papers and it was the most Ed had seen him do other than shovel food into this mouth.

“I like to share what I know with people,” Ed said and shrugged. “They can learn from my experiences, (and mistakes), and go out and apply them to their own benefit.”

“A very noble profession,” the Prince said and flipped to the next paper. “Seems befitting of such a famous alchemist.”

“Well… thanks,” Ed mumbled. He was never quite sure what to do with Ling when the asshole was being nice.

They both worked in silence for a bit longer, Ed coming to the end of his stack before Ling.

“You can give some of them back to me,” Ed said. “I’m done with the ones I have.”

“No,” the Prince said. “It is my honor to be at your assistance for once.”

Ed fidgeted in his chair, not sure what to do with that.

“What’s for lunch?” the Prince asked.

He could almost kiss the jerk for that.

****

Al and Riza were already at the house by the time they got home. The General stood back smiling next to the Colonel as the two brothers hugged each other, and then squished Elysia between them. Ed, Al and Elysia were all trying to talk at the same time and they ended up in the living room on the sofa with Elysia sitting in Al’s lap and R.D. trying to get into Edward’s. The Colonel helped the General off with his coat and they repaired to the kitchen where, once again, Gracia was holding court. The three of them sat to have coffee at the table.

“I hope Elysia isn’t a bother,” Gracia said. “She’s just so happy to see them both.”

“They love it,” Roy assured her. “Ed is used to kids now.” He smiled and sipped his coffee.

“What can I help you with tomorrow?” Riza asked. “The last day before the party, I expect the other house guests will be arriving?”

The General nodded and confirmed that the Rockbells would be on the morning train and would be taking a cab to the house. He also confirmed they were willing to help in any way possible.

“I have to come up with a lot of extra party favors,” Gracia said. “We could go into town tomorrow if you don’t mind.”

“I’d love to,” the Colonel said. “I haven’t had a chance to shop since the holidays.”

The trio then burst into the kitchen, Ed having finally shed his coat. Elysia had Ed by his automail hand and her other hand tangled in Al’s. They lifted and swung her in the kitchen door before setting her on her feet; she was laughing and flushed and R.D. danced frantic circles around her ankles.

“Dinner?” Ed said breathlessly, grinning.

“It smells wonderful in here!” Al added.

“Chicken!” Elysia said and then went and got in the chair next to Roy, grabbing his arm and leaning her head on it.

Look at this, the General thought. The boys have their family and when the Rockbells arrive tomorrow, it will be complete.

He watched Ed and Al trail Gracia to the stove where the three of them peered in at the roasting chicken. The boys moaned with pleasure.

He kissed the top of Elysia’s head.

***

Elysia held R.D.’s leash and watched Ed and Al lay out wooden planks all along where the perimeter of the fence to be. She fiddled with her brownie camera and rechecked her settings, (even though the camera only had one real setting), and tried to get R.D. to be still. She finally foisted the dogs leash off onto Roy who was standing next to her and ran into the yard, taking a picture of Ed and Al as they got the last plank into position. Al grinned and waved for the camera, and Ed put his hands on his hips, snorting. Then Ed strode to the middle of the yard and called out to her.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Elysia nodded and poised with her camera.

Edward clapped his hands together.

Snap.

Edward knelt and slapped his hands on the ground.

Snap.

Blinding light radiated from the circle and Elysia snapped the camera as hard and as fast as she could, trying to follow the circle around the back yard as the planks suddenly stood up on their own, slammed into the ground and melded together. R.D. took it upon himself to yap himself shrill and run back and forth over Roy’s feet.

Ed stood up and dusted off his hands as Al nodded approval. Roy leaned down and released R.D. from his leash, and the small dog immediately took off, lapping the enclosure once before stopping and tilting his head back and forth. Al and Ed walked over to Elysia and together they all started for the deck where Roy still stood.

R.D. darted over to the fence and squeezed through the solitary hole there left by one lone rock that wedged between the wood planks while they were being transmuted. Ed and Al and Elysia all squawked and took off after him.

“Where’s the gate?!” Elysia cried.

Ed stopped in his tracks and then slowly put his hand over his face.

Al bit his lip and looked at Ed sidelong for a moment. His elder brother cursed rather loudly, (and Al slapped his hands over Elysia’s ears), before slapping his hands together and forming a gate into the fence.

“So escape proof meant the exclusion of a gate?” Al said with an overly bright smile.

“Shuddup you,” his brother growled.

“It needs to lead out the back,” Roy called helpfully. “Not into the neighbor’s yard.”

“Tell that to your damn dog,” Ed shouted back before swinging the gate open and running through with Al and Elysia following.

***

The next day brought the Rockbells when Ed and Roy arrived home from work. It was Friday, the last day before the party. They were assaulted by laughter and music and the smells permeating the house from the kitchen. Winry and Pinako and Elysia greeted them in the hallway, (along with R.D.), where Ed endured bone crushing hugs from his almost-sister, a pat from his ‘granny’, Elysia hanging off his waist and R.D. dancing at his feet.

Roy was almost blinded by the grin on his lover’s face.

Al called down the hall to them from the kitchen, promising warm cider (cider!) before dinner. More hugs followed in the kitchen and Roy threw his arm over Al’s shoulder as they stood looking at the large tent that had been erected in the back yard that afternoon. Neat rows of chairs sat within its canvas walls and a series of tables were next to the brick grill.

Roy gave Al a little shake and the boy grinned at him.

“This is great,” Al said to his Pirate. “Everyone is here; it’s everything I could have wanted for my birthday.”

Roy pulled the boy over for a brief squeeze.

“Everything you deserve Al,” he said.

For a long moment Al just leaned into him, his fingers dug into the back of Roy’s shirt.

“There are so many things that are left unsaid,” Al spoke softly. “We just assume people know what we mean and that we don’t have to voice them, and maybe that’s true. I have my memories back now and I remember him… my father. He was not as bad as brother wanted him to be, I think. It’s best to let Ed have that though, because he needs it, I know why he needs it. But because I had more than one lifetime, I can have more than one father, can’t I?”

Roy buried his nose in the boy’s hair for a long moment.

“Yeah,” Al said, not moving away. “That’s what I thought, too.”

***

At dinner, Winry noticed the scratches on Ed’s automail hand, but he snatched it back and put it in his lap before she could grab it. She didn’t want to start a scene at the table, but her eyes told the horrific tale of what was waiting for him when she could get him alone.

This being the case, Ed stuck as close to Al as he could manage after dinner, to the point where Elysia was giving him funny looks. He made faces at her and Al gave his long suffering sigh before Winry finally just threw propriety out the window, grabbed Ed by an ear and marched him away.

“Al,” Ed cried as he was hauled to his doom by his earlobe, “you get all my stuff!”

Al looked pointedly up at Roy who seemed unconcerned that Winry had made off with his…(his what? Were they husbands now? They’d been together forever; it seemed rude to think of them as mere ‘boyfriends’. That didn’t infer anything lasting in Al’s mind…) as he tried to stumble on the right phrase, he remembered his brother’s kind offer.

“No thanks!” Al yelled down the hall.

***

She sat seething silently, an automail hand clutched in her own and its owner trying to lean as far away from her as possible.

“How did it happen, Ed,” she rasped out.

“Exploding eraser,” Ed whimpered, “wasn’t my fault.”

“I can’t believe you, why would you be making erasers explode?” She released his hand with one of her own and fished a slim tool wallet out of her back pocket. Ed wasn’t surprised, he was just glad the large wrench was too obvious and clashed with her ensemble.

“Wasn’t my…” Ed started but she cut him off with a look and he sucked in his bottom lip.

“You got something jammed in it,” she growled. “You been having trouble bending its entire rotation?”

“A little,” he admitted and braced himself.

She laid his hand on her knee, pulled a pick out of the tool wallet and set it aside, then she picked the hand back up and probed gingerly between the joints of his wrist. She was bent over his hand, intent on her work and Ed just watched her. Despite her irritation, she was gentle, as if it were flesh instead of unfeeling steel. But she knew all too well that it wasn’t totally unfeeling, not with all the nerve endings packed into it, supplying the electricity from Ed’s own body needed to give it motion.

“How are things in Risembool,” he asked. “Are you still planning on going back to Rush Valley?”

“Things are fine, Granny still has some regular customers and I’m doing more mail order now,” she said. “You remember Nancy and Zach? They got married.”

“Yeah?” Ed said and ‘hmphed’. “They were always together when we were kids.”

Winry nodded.

“They were, a lot like me and you and Al,” she said, laying his hand on her knee again and going for the hook tool.

“Did you go to the wedding?” Ed asked.

“Of course, Risembool is so small, everyone was there. I got asked about you and Al a lot,” Winry brushed the filings away and sighed at the ruined finish. “I need my big buffer; you’ve really scratched this up.”

“I wear gloves all the time, no one sees it,” Ed complained. “The Rockbell name is safe,” he assured her.

Winry rubbed her thumb over the back of one of the automail fingers and clasped the others loosely, laying the hook down beside her.

“I know when we were kids there was this big thing that I would marry Al, because he won the fight,” she said.

“I remember that,” Ed said, watching her hold his hand and not moving to pull it from her grasp.

“It wasn’t Al I thought I’d marry,” she said softly.

Ed shifted then, careful not to tug his hand away, but obviously uncomfortable.

“I never thought that when you left you’d never come back, that I’d never have a chance,” she continued, not looking up at him. “I guess when you’re young you don’t think about things like that. You always think people are invincible and you’ll see them again someday. Death doesn’t really matter to you, but it wasn’t death that took you away. For a while it seemed like it was, and then you came back… but you still didn’t come back.”

“Winry,” Ed said thickly, “I’m…”

“No, it’s okay,” she interrupted him. “I got used to the idea; I didn’t say this to make you sorry or uncomfortable. I just wanted some… closure. You’re happy, and I’m happy that you are, even if the circumstances aren’t what I’d imagined.”

“I don’t think anyone would have imagined them,” Ed said quietly.

She clasped two of his automail fingers, one in each hand and wiggled them up and down, smiling a little as she did.

“Besides, we both know this is my true love, and maybe in the end, it might have been my only love. I don’t know,” She reached up and tucked some hair behind her ear, releasing one of his fingers.

The automail finger curled around hers, gently. Precision control from him, she would expect no less.

“I would have driven you insane and you’d be in jail for death by wrench,” he said with a soft laugh. “We both know it.”

Winry released his hand and put her tools away, reaching behind her to tuck them in her back pocket.

“You’re right,” she said. “You do drive me insane and only being far away from me has saved us both, I think.” She smiled. “I just never thought of you as gay,” she said dropping her voice.

Ed reeled his jaw back in.

“I’m not gay,” he hissed.

She arched an eyebrow.

***

Winry returned to the living room and met the looks of the assembled audience.

“He’s as fixed as he’s going to get,” she said. “He lives to tell the tale.”

“Only just barely,” Ed snorted and pushed by her, forcing his way onto the couch between Al and the armrest. R.D. decided he was a good place to sit and he grumbled but allowed the little dog to get comfortable on his lap.

Roy occupied one armchair and Pinako the other. Gracia and Riza were sitting on chairs appropriated from the den and Elysia was on the other side of Al on the couch.

“I think everyone might think of turning in early,” the General said. “Tomorrow is going to be a big day.”

There was general agreement from around the room. As if on cue, Elysia yawned, so everyone got up and said their goodnights. Ed watched Al linger over his goodnight to Riza and chewed the inside of his cheek, trying to think of what it was he could actually do, coming to the realization it wouldn’t be much.

***

R.D. had a spasm in the hallway as everyone went to their rooms. He darted between Elysia and Al frantically, and looked to be loosing what sanity he actually possessed, (Ed exclaimed surprise that any of them actually thought he had sanity). He hovered by Roy’s feet in distress for a few moments.

However, when Roy reached down to offer a comforting pat, he zoomed away and whisked between Al’s feet, into his bedroom and on top of his bed. He bounced there frantically and Al laughed before going in pulling the door shut behind him.

Ed got undressed distractedly, into his pajamas distractedly and into bed distractedly. After waiting several minutes for Ed to actually lay down, Roy chuckled and ran his hand up under Ed’s pajama top, stroking his back.

“Trust me, it’s going to be fine,” he soothed. “Lay down already so I can turn off the light.”

Ed looked over his shoulder at him and sighed, waiting for Roy to extract his hand before doing a fine imitation of R.D. getting comfortable for the night, with a lot of shuffling and rearranging of his pillows.

“I just want it to be perfect, it’s important for Al,” Ed sighed as Roy turned off the light.

“I think it’s more important that you have a good time,” Roy said. “It won’t be much fun for Al if his big brother is a stress-beast the entire time.” There was amusement in his voice.

“Bastard,” Ed said softly, tilting his neck in Roy’s direction when Roy draped an arm across him and moved closer. Roy’s lips found the target easily enough and Ed closed his eyes. For a while, there was nothing but the sound of breathing and an occasional shift in the sheets before Roy’s hand wandered innocently down Ed’s chest, over his stomach and beneath the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Ed caught his hand for a moment, took a deep breath and released it. It always tickled Roy’s fancy that Ed was such an almost prude. He knew what the whole hand holding episode was about: the other people in the house. Actually, Ed was such a prude, he couldn’t even let a dog watch. Roy stifled a snicker on Ed’s shoulder and wrapped fingers around his erection.

“What’s so funny?” Ed whispered breathlessly.

Instead of answering, Roy curled his fingers and Ed’s cock, thus tunneled, got a stroke and a tug. After that, Ed didn’t care what was funny, he just arched his hips. Roy swallowed all of Ed’s delicious sounds by covering Ed’s mouth with his own; especially the half shout that accompanied Ed’s jerk and climax into his hand.

He watched Ed’s eyes drift slowly closed and then went to wash his hand. He went back and slipped into bed again, pulling up the covers. Sex was always a surefire method of getting Edward to sleep.

Now he could sit up and worry without looking like a hypocrite.