"...so cute! look at what my precious little baby made me for father's day, isn't it simply amazing? She'll be turning four this year; I can't believe how fast they grow up! It seems like just yesterday Gracia was pregnant with my adorable little angel- huh? Roy, are you even listening to me?" At the sound of his name, Mustang quickly wiped the irritated look of his face, schooling his features back into his normal dispassionate, yet attentive, expression.

"Of course I'm listening to you, Hughes. 'So cute, Father's Day card, Four years old'. I got it," the Colonel resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead letting his gaze flicker back over to where the third occupant of the room sat, on the couch, knees pulled up to his chest with a notebook cradled in the gap between his torso and legs. Fullmetal was furiously scribbling away at something he had just written down on the paper.

Mustang had called Ed in to get the boy's report after his return from the latest mission, but instead of immediately storming out after the meeting was finished, the blonde had simply nicked a clean pad of paper off the top of Roy's desk, along with a pen, and had silently curled up on the couch with the items.

The only time Edward had spoken since giving his report had been when Mustang had asked him what he was up to. "Shut it, Sparky," had been the only muttered reply, and even though Roy was beyond curious, and badgering an answer out of Fullmetal was a much better alternative to doing paperwork, the Colonel sighed and had left the teenager alone.

Before Roy could fully submerge himself with his musings on Edward's actions again, Maes' voice demanded his attention once more. "You know, Roy, being a father or even just a father figure is really quite rewarding. You should think about settling down, my friend. I mean, c'mon! None of us are getting any younger here, Mustang. It's now or never, ya'know?" Hughes smiled lopsidedly before bursting into a fit of laughter, but the man's words had had the exact opposite effect on Roy.

The Flame Alchemist scowled behind a gloved hand, brow furrowed. When the laughter finally tapered down into quieter chuckles, he spoke up. "You and I both know that I would be a terrible father, Hughes. I'm at work too much; I'd never be there for the poor bastard, and I'm not about to do that to some kid. And as for a father figure, who would be naïve enough to think of me in that way? Besides, everyone knows I'm more of the 'cool uncle' type." Mustang finished off his mini speech on a lighter tone, waving a hand dismissively as he leaned back in his chair.

Whatever Hughes was going to reply with died on the man's tongue, however, when the sudden and harsh sound of ripping paper and the heavy, uneven stomps of flesh and automail feet broke the silent bubble around the mostly forgotten third party in the room.

Roy barely had time to dodge the notepad that was roughly whipped at his head, but the pen met its intended mark and smacked the Colonel on the forehead. "What the hell, Fullmetal?!" "Prick!" The alchemists yelled at each other in unison. Roy's anger quickly snapped to confusion, but before he could question the blonde, Edward turned on his heel and fled from the office.

Mustang stared after the blonde's retreating figure, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead that the pen-turned-weapon had created. Confusion was still clouding the man's mind when Maes spoke up again. "I wonder what got him so worked up like that all the sudden," green eyes hidden behind wire framed glasses flickered over to the couch that had been previously occupied, and then back to his friend's shrugging form. "I have no idea."

"Well, whatever it was got him so upset that he forgot his coat," Hughes walked over to the couch to retrieve the red cloak, intending to grab it and give it back to it's owner later on. Roy's statement of, "leave it," halted his actions though.

When faced with Hughes' curious gaze, Mustang sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose to try and ward off the beginnings of a headache. "He called me a prick and threw things at me. Now, in my experience with women, those actions coupled together almost always mean I've done or said something wrong and have offended them. So, I'll take Fullmetal's jacket back to him in a little while and apologize while I'm at it. Simple as that."

Hughes dropped the curious facade in favor of a wry smirk. "Alright. Sure, Roy. But just a little heads up for next time; try not to compare your kid to a woman. It's a little weird how fitting it is." And with that, the head of investigations left the Colonel's office to get back to his own work.

It took Mustang another twenty minutes and a good sized portion of his overdue paperwork to realize that Hughes had said, 'your kid' and not, 'the kid'. His headache turned itself into a full blown migraine and the Flame Alchemist allowed himself to slouch over his desk in defeat. It was going to be a long day.