He woke slowly, and it took him a moment for his brain to make sense of what he was feeling. The starchy sheets should have been enough of a hint at his current location but it was the smell of the antiseptic that finally hammered the thought home. Hospital. He was in a hospital, but he couldn't remember for the life of him why he was there. Edward opened his eyes slowly, anticipating the sting of the lights and the whiteness of the room but found that his room was dark. His eyes drifted to the window and the dark night sky that lay beyond. Why was he here? He was on a mission, he remembered that. He was with Mustang. A quiet noise next to him made Edward look towards it and frown at the dark head of hair that was rested on a uniformed arm on the side of his bed.

Suddenly it all came crashing back to him. The mission, the kidnapping, everything. The brief, yet horrible torture he'd suffered in front of the man next to him. Edward pressed a hand to his stomach, wincing at the pain that shot through him. He let out a small hiss and lifted the top he had been changed into to look at the dressing and bandage that covered the stab wound from his sight. Shit, he'd been stabbed. Sure it wasn't the first time something had impaled him so to speak, but that was even more reason to not try to puncture any more organs. A soft groan next to him drew Edward's attention back to his commanding officer. Dark eyes were watching him sleepily, and Roy was clearly still too asleep to stop himself from clearly admiring the view of Edward's bare abdomen. The appreciation was enough that Edward blushed hard enough that he felt the heat in his ears and he hurriedly lowered his top again. It seemed that was enough to get the older man's attention again.

Dark eyes met his, and this time they were much more alert. Roy smiled at him, properly smiled and Edward blushed even more, memories of their last conversation filtering into his mind. "You're awake." Roy stated and Edward had to bite his tongue on his retort that obviously he was awake. "How are you feeling? I should get a doctor!" Roy said all at once, standing before Edward could reply. The blonde had just opened his mouth to try and speak as Roy headed to the door. "Hold on. I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."

Edward watched his commanding officer leave the room, giving the older man a raised eyebrow and a muttered, "Where the fuck would I go?" but he knew that the other man wouldn't hear him. Edward groaned and sat up, grunting in pain. It hurt more than he thought it would, and it took him longer than he wanted to admit to sit up and lean against his pillows against the headboard. By the time Roy returned with a doctor, Edward was just getting the pain to a bearable level again. He hated hospitals.

The doctor got growled replies, Edward giving the woman all the sass that his aching body was able to muster. After a few checks the doctor left. Edward had been left with a concussion from when his skull had smacked against the stone floor, he had bruises and cuts on his right knee which were superficial and he had been lucky that the knife hadn't cut through anything more important that flesh and muscle. He was to stay in the hospital for another few days at least, as a precaution but his wound was stitched up and seemed to be healing well enough.

"Edward..." Roy started when the doctor left and suddenly Edward felt like he couldn't breathe with the tension that lingered on his name and Mustang's cautious tone. Edward couldn't look at him, didn't want to risk it. He remembered what Roy had said to him before he slipped into the black, and he remembered what he had said back. He couldn't be blamed, he was disorientated and bleeding heavily after all, but did Roy mean it? Or had he just said that because he thought it would make Ed feel better? Had he thought that Ed would die and figured that he'd give him one moment of happiness in his miserable life?

"Ed, are you alright? Shall I go and get the do..." Mustang was already standing up, his hand pressed onto the side of the bed. Edward's hand shot out – his flesh hand – to grab Roy's wrist before he was really aware of doing it. He didn't need the doctor, he was fine. In relative terms anyway.

"I'm fine." Edward muttered, snatching his hand back as fast as it had shot out on its own agenda. He still didn't look Roy in the eyes. "Where's Al? I heard him before I passed out. Is he okay?"

"Alphonse is fine, Edward. Hawkeye took him home a few ago for some rest, he's been here most of the day. I promised I would stay to watch over you." Roy said, settling back in the chair, and out of the corner of his eye Edward saw him rub a hand over the wrist that he had grabbed. "What's bothering you?"

That startled Ed enough that he did meet Roy's eye then, a confused frown on his face. How the hell was he meant to voice his fear and doubt to this man, his commanding officer. Shit there were rules against this weren't there? How much trouble would his feelings cause Roy? "Nothing. I'm just tired, I guess."

After a long pause – long enough that Edward didn't think that Mustang was going to reply – Roy spoke again, his voice soft, unsure almost, "Is it about what I said?" Edward didn't reply to that, but his face must have confirmed it because Roy continued. "Edward, if it makes you uncomfortable then I am sorry. I completely understand if you wish to be transferred to someone else's command. It wasn't professional of me to tell you like that, if I'm honest I wasn't going to tell you."

"Why not?" Ed heard himself ask.

"Why? Well I never once thought that any of my feelings would be returned. I also didn't want to burden you with it, especially as you are still so young, and it could risk putting strain on your relationship with Miss Rockbell..."

"Ugh, shut up Mustang. That's gross. Winry's like a sister to me, we grew up together. Besides... I do feel something towards you. Didn't think it mattered, thought it was just some stupid crush, cause you're such a womanising bastard and I'm an idiot but the thought that that bastard could have, and tried to, killed you was just... I couldn't stand the thought. You have too much to do and fuck Mustang we all need you around still, not that you need the ego boost, you can barely get through doors as it is with that ego of yours, and I know that shit..."

"Edward!" Roy snapped and Edward paused, looking up at Roy from where he'd been fidgeting with the bed sheets. "Breathe. There's a lot that we need to discuss, which is probably better left until you are out of hospital. How about I take you to dinner to talk about us?" Edward looked away again, the blush warming his face. "If we decide to pursue our feelings then we will need to discuss some changes, I wouldn't be able to remain your commanding officer."

"Transfer me to Intelligence then." Edward said, looking back at Roy. He had made up his mind and he needed to stick to it, face it head on.

"Edward, you should think things over. We can..."

Ed shut Roy up by grabbing the older man's military jacket and pulled him in to claim his lips with his own. The action clearly stunned Roy for a moment because he didn't respond to the kiss at all, but when Edward moved to pull away a hand cupped the back of his head and pulled him back in, kissing him fiercely. His lips were softer than Edward thought they would be, and he knew that he should be ashamed of the needy whine he let out when Roy nibbled on his lower lip but he wasn't. Fuck, he couldn't be ashamed when the noise made Roy kiss him harder, slipping his tongue into Ed's mouth to dance with his own.

Edward could hear his heart pounding in his ears and he wanted Roy in that moment. He wanted Roy in every way he could have him, sexually and otherwise. How could kissing someone feel like breathing? Edward shifted, deepening the kiss but his movement jerked his injury and he groaned in pain. Roy pulled away instantly, concern shining in his dilated pupils. "Ed...?"

"Its fine. I'm just a bit sore."

"Understandable. Perhaps we should put this on hold until you're better then." Roy said, smiling warmly at the blonde as he moved back. "Are you sure that this is the path you want to go down, Edward? If you don't want to, we can forget what just happened."

"As if I could forget that. Mustang, I want you. I've wanted you for years now and fuck it, I think I love you. So transfer me to someone else so I can make a move on you without worrying about getting you killed." Edward snapped, frowning when the man in question laughed.

"How can I refuse an offer like that?"

"You can't. I got stabbed for you after you got us kidnapped and possibly started a war. You owe me, Mustang."

The bastard smirked at that, and in that moment – from the sadistic and unfairly sexy glint in Roy's eyes - Ed realised that Roy was going to be the blissful death of him. He didn't seem to have it in him to be overly bothered by that fact though, because hell it would be worth it.