AN: I have like a million story ideas floating around in my head, but I can't get enough ideas or nerves to put one up. This is just a stupid little story I wrote to blow off steam, it just kinda popped into my head while avoiding writing my L.A. paper. See? Homework is good for something.

Checkmate

Mustang sighed again and gazed forlornly out the window. It was another dreary day filled with relentless stacks of paperwork, and the Colonel was itching for a break.

He glanced towards Hawkeye. Her attention absorbed in filing the papers she was working on. If he recalled correctly that was the work he was supposed to do yesterday. She was heaven sent, really. But that also meant she wasn't looking. Good. Then his eyes swept the room. His onyx gaze examined each of his subordinates before stopping on his youngest team member.

Edward was supposed to be filling out his latest report for Mustang. Instead he was fiddling with his pocket watch, flipping it open and closed.

"Fullmetal!" He barked and watched with satisfaction as he flinched then fumbled to catch his watch before it fell. He angrily turned to the Colonel, golden eyes smoldering.

"What the hell? What do you want you bastard?" A cross of the arms.

Roy kept his smirking mask on, while within he was racking his brains for an excuse to both annoy the blond as well as avoid the mountainous stack of paperwork.

"How about a friendly little game of chess?" Ed's eye twitched at the word 'little'.

"Sorry Colonel, dunno how to play."

"Don't you have paperwork that needs to be done?" Hawkeye asked, hand twitching towards her gun.

"Nah," he replied easily, twirling his pen in his fingers as he did so. "I've done this whole pile," clearly a lie. "And besides, we can't just let Fullmetal go on not knowing how to play chess, it's unnatural."

"No way, I'm not interested in learning, especially from a bastard like you."

"There's no need to be ashamed if you think you're gonna lose, I'm practically unbeatable after all. We'd understand." Ed's face colored.

"Fine asshole! Show me how to play so I can kick your ass!" He exclaimed, metal finger in Roy's face.

Hawkeye heaved a sigh. "I suppose I can allow it this once sir, but this paperwork better be done, and actually done, before you leave tonight."

"Yah, yah," The Colonel said with a dismissive wave of his hand, obviously not paying attention at all. He'd already pulled the checkered game board out.

He quickly instructed Edward on game play and the movement of pieces before the game began.

Mustang smirked at all of Ed's beginner moves. 'I have this game in the bag,' he thought to himself before taking another piece. He could barely contain his glee as he watched Edward's army of white slowly being depleted.

"So the ugly dog guys move in an 'L' right?" Edward asked, his hand hovering over the piece.

"Yes Ed," Mustang said with an exasperated sigh. Fullmetal insisted on naming the pieces by what they looked like as opposed to their proper names. "And it's a knight. And I believe it's actually supposed to be a horse."

"Hmm, I don't see it." Edward moved his piece forward decisively. "Checkmate."

"What?" He looked frantically down at the pieces. But it was true, his king had no escape.

"There's no way! You cheated!" He accused. He whipped around in his chair glaring towards his subordinates.

"I think he got ya there boss," Havoc said with a chuckle, cigarette dangling out of his mouth.

"He cheated!" Mustang insisted.

"And how'd he do that?" Breda smirked. "It's chess."

"One of you must've helped him!"

"None of us are good enough at chess to actually be of help in beating you sir," Fury said.

"Don't worry about it guys." Ed said with a toothy grin. He jerked a thumb in Roy's direction. "Mustang's just being a sore looser."

"I am not! You won only because you cheated! Rematch! Everyone outta the room! No helping him this time!"

"Your on pompous bastard! I'll beat you a hundred times if it makes you feel better!"

Riza sighed as she led the other officers towards their paperwork. Roy was already resetting the board.

"Checkmate."

"Dammit again? This has to be some sort of mistake!"

Edward gave him a smug smile. "Maybe I'm just better than you."

"Not possible! Again!"

The board was reset and in no time at all, Ed had Roy checked again.

"Gah!" The Colonel said fisting his hair. "How does this keep happening!"

"I told you, I'm just better."

"NO! You are cheating."

Edward crossed his arms. "No, I'm not! And I'm getting sick of you saying so. Even if I was it'd be impossible for you to prove it." A smirk crawled across Mustang's face.

"Fine, then I'll just make it impossible for you to cheat."

"What?"

"Havoc, Breda! Pick that up and move it over there!"

"Is this really necessary sir?" Hawkeye asked as she observed the pair. "This is getting ridiculous, and you still have paper work to be doing."

"Of course! I have to beat the pipsqueak and put him in his place!"

"I'm not a pipsqueak you bastard! Now hurry up and take you turn!" Ed and Roy were set up at opposite tables across the room backs facing each other, each with their own chess boards. They'd been playing like this for hours, and Mustang had yet to win one round.

"Rook to E5!" He called.

"The castle?"

"Yes Ed, the castle." He put a hand over his eyes. How could some one so ignorant about the game beat him continually with such ease?

"Salt shaker to E7!"

"What?"

"I'm moving the one that looks like a salt shaker." Roy heaved a sigh.

"And which one is that?"

"The pointy one!" There was a pause.

"You mean your bishop?"

"Yeah, that one. Anyway, salty to E7. Checkmate, you lose again."

"I just can't figure out how you keep beating me!"

"I told you, I'm just better."

"No! You can't be this smart! It took me years to get this far!"

Ed sighed. "What part of prodigy don't you understand? Can I please go home now? I'm really hungry, and Al's probably wondering who kidnapped me or something."

"You are not allowed to leave until I beat you! That's an order!"

As if on cue, the door creaked open. Al's seven foot armored body managed to look timid as he hovered in the doorway.

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but it's getting late. Brother should really be getting home now."

"Finally!" Ed cried, jumping. He ran to the door and attempted to push his metal brother out of the room before the Colonel had time to stop them.

"Wait a second Alphonse." Mustang said slyly as Edward groaned. Al turned his helmet.

"Can I help you Colonel?"

"How'd you like to play a game of chess?"

AN: Woosh! That probably would've been easier to type if my notebook didn't keep jumping off my lap. Stupid gravity. Anyway, please review! It boosts my depleting self confidence :)