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Ed is Bold
Al is Normal
Roy is Italics

Monday PM

Monday afternoon found Ed, knee bouncing, fingers fidgeting, waiting in a café for Roy Mustang. He was picking at the lid of his coffee cup, burning his tongue by taking sips too soon, and it was all for that bastard Colonel. It was also all Al's fault.

Maybe Mustang wouldn't show. It was only 12:58, but it felt like Mustang was half an hour late. This was not how Ed wanted to spend his afternoon after classes. He'd rather be in the library, or the lab, or hitting Al for stealing his phone and making bad decisions. Hell, he'd rather be eating. If Mustang wasn't going to show, maybe he should stop waiting and order his food now. If Mustang was going to get grumpy that Ed started without him, then maybe he should get places on time—

Ring

Ed looked up at the trilling of the bell above the door. He'd recognize that face anywhere. Damnit, Al.

Sure enough, Roy Mustang made his way over to Ed's table—of course he would recognize Ed too—and the room seemed to grow warmer, uncomfortable, stuffy. Was this what people meant when they spoke of tension so think you could cut it with a knife? Ed didn't like it. Damnit, Al. Better yet, damn Mustang.

There was an awkward moment when Mustang reached the table, where Ed didn't stand or speak and Mustang looked unsure if he should say something himself. He took his time taking off his jacket before he sat, but Ed still didn't acknowledge him with more than a glare. What were they even doing here? It was a horrible idea, and Ed didn't have anything to say to this man. He didn't want to hear any of Mustang's excuses either.

"Thank you for meeting me," Mustang said. Ed still wasn't sure that meeting was a great idea. Was it too late to just walk out?

"I'm sorry. For all those years ago, and for not telling you."

An apology? Wasn't Mustang supposed to be arrogant and annoying? That was what Ed had imaged at least. "I know…I'm still mad," Ed said because he should say something, but he couldn't just forgive Mustang. The guy probably had a million excuses anyway. He was just waiting for Ed to give him some leeway, and he'd spout them off, canceling his apology.

"How can I make it up to you?"

Or he'd say that. Damn, what was Ed supposed to say to that? How was he supposed to trust that?

"You know, from your texts I thought you'd be louder. You haven't said much at all today.

That was true, and maybe that wasn't entirely fair on Ed's part. They came here to talk, to hash this out, even if it wasn't really Ed's idea to begin with.

"Promised Al not to curse or scream," Ed mumbled. Mustang was lucky he was even relenting that much. "Damn Al," he let slip out loud because this whole awkward situation was Al's fault.

"You love him."

"Duh," Ed said with a glare. It was completely unfair that he knew that, that he knew Ed so well when Ed would have wanted nothing to do with him if he'd known who Mustang was at the start.

Something Ed had noticed about Roy Mustang was that he was charming the most infuriating way. When Ed wanted to be mad at him, he sent a funny text. When Ed wanted to hate his face, he showed up with perfect hair, and teeth, and smile. He hadn't stopped with the perfect smile since he sat down, and it was making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. And just as Ed was fantasizing about punching the smile off Mustang's face, the smile fell. Or at least cracked a little.

He looked unsure of himself for the first time, but before Ed could wonder what was wrong, Mustang was pulling a file from his coat pocket and placing it onto the table.

"I know there's nothing I can say to make you trust me, to make you believe that I don't deserve to be cursed and screamed at because I do deserve that, but maybe it will make you feel better to know that I've changed." With that, Mustang opened the file, and showed Ed the articles inside. Mustang had used his power in the army to make safety reforms, stop Ishvalan discrimination, and rebuild cities affected by war. He'd used the money he'd made to donate to children's hospitals and veteran foundations.

And he'd brought physical proof of all his do-gooding like a child doing more chores to make up for acting out.

Ed snorted.

Mustang froze. He stopped flipping through the papers in the folder, stopped explaining what was on each one. Apparently, laughter wasn't the response he expected, but Ed couldn't help it. The cool, calm, and collected Colonel was actually a dork. It was cute.

"You're buying me lunch," Ed said.

He would swear to Al later that he could see Mustang defrosting. His muscles relaxed, his smile came back, and he unfroze enough to say, "Done."

"For the next 12 years," Ed added because he'd been mad at Mustang for that long, so Mustang should spend just as long making it up to him.

Mustang paused, staring at Ed for a moment before answering, "...Done."

(2:00) Did you hit him?

(2:00) Yell at the staff?

(2:00) Flip a table?

(2:00) He's alive, right?

(2:02) It went okay.

(2:02) Mustang's alive. Tables are safe.

"His name was Hughes, Maes Hughes. His daughter is beautiful. She calls me Uncle Roy, even though I…I'm the reason he's gone."

"Bullshit. You didn't make him do anything."

"Winry's family helped a lot, but it's just been me and Al."

"Looks like you two have done well for yourselves."

"Hell yeah we have."

"So Hawkeye is like your boss?"

"No, I'm her CO. I'm her boss."

"Doesn't sound like it."

"I am!"

"Yet she calls all the shots? Sounds badass. I like her."

"Ling is your friend, yet you attack him…?"

"Yeah…?"

"You don't see a problem there?"

"Why the hell would that be a problem?"

(5:36) You've been out a while.

(5:36) Still okay?

(5:40) Yeah

(5:42) Roy's all right

I've had this done for a week or two now, but I kept editing it and agonizing over the last line. I'm still not sure that the last line is as good as it can be, but Ed's kind of stingy in his praise of Roy so I couldn't think of anything else that was somewhat nice but still fit Ed. If you can think of something better, let me know in a review.

Also, this is where my notes for this story end. I'm not sure where I'll take this from here, but at least I'm not leaving you on a cliffhanger if it takes me a while to add more. If you have an idea for an ending, or a scene you want included before I end it, let me know that in a review too!