Chapter Four: The Not So Perfect House

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or the characters therein

Awoken by soft voices, Roy had gotten up. Ed and Hawkeye had been sitting on the sofa going over a list of sale ads for town houses and houses in Central. Roy had noted the time on the clock before getting out of bed. It was a little after nine and now he sat in the car looking over the list. There were several places circled and he tossed it aside.

"I want to look at the ones with two or more bedrooms."

Hawkeye eyed him in the rear view mirror as she drove. "Not that I mind, but is there a particular reason, Sir?"

"Since you are all so determined to have me here back in the higher ranks for what ever reason and Ed wants to be a State Alchemist again; he's going to be living with me from now on."

Riza's brown eyes shifted to Ed, "I see. Are you two sure that's safe?"

"Come on Lieutenant, we weren't that bad." Ed said with a grin. "Besides if I'm a State Alchemist again I probably won't be around much."

"And why do you want to be a State Alchemist again, Ed? The last I remember you revoked your rank." She asked letting her eyes fall back to the road.

"I have my reasons." Ed replied. "So where are we going first?"

Riza slowed the car and pulled over and pointed to the house on the left. "Here, it has three bedrooms, two levels, two bathrooms, a large back yard and a good sized kitchen."

Roy looked out the window. It was a white house with red trim protected by a wrought iron fence. The color of the house had changed but Roy knew this house and which street they were on.

"Hawkeye," he warned.

"It's just a house, Sir." she replied as a nicely dressed woman approached carrying a brief case. "Our appointment is here."

But it wasn't just a house and she knew it. Still he got out and met the realtor. She was a nice, middle-aged red head with a pretty smile. Her demeanor spoke volumes of professionalism as did her voice. Had she been military, he suspected she'd be like Hawkeye.

As they headed for the front door, Roy glanced over his shoulder and across the street. A yellow brick house bearing white trim smiled back at him and he sighed, biting the bullet and went inside.

The house itself reminded Roy of the one he'd grown up in as a child. A living room with a picture window, a room the previous owners had used as a combination study and library, bathroom, a family room, and a sizable kitchen with a dinning room. There was laundry room which led out to the back yard where a deck had been built. The yard was indeed large and fenced in with a high fence for privacy.

The second level was comprised of three bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a large linen closet. The master bedroom had a large closet and a bay window with a view of the front yard, street, and the yellow house across the street. All in all the house was perfect except for the location.

"Well, what do you think?" Ed asked as he came in from one of the other bedrooms. Hawkeye and the realtor stood in the hallway speaking softly. "I think it's nice… Hey, are you even listening?"

Roy nodded, "It is a nice house, Edward."

"But you don't like it?" the blonde asked in confusion. "Why?"

"Roy," Riza said from the door, "Would you like to look at other houses? Mrs. Andrews-"

"Obviously you want me here." Roy muttered in annoyance.

"Eh, what's so special about here?" Ed asked.

"Don't you think he would have wanted you to look after-"

"I was in my own way." Roy snapped.

"Who?" Ed demanded. "What's going on here?"

"Didn't you pay attention to the road, Ed? Look across the street." Roy nearly growled and pointed behind him. Ed ran to the window.

"T-that's-"

"Looking out for them from afar isn't doing you any good." Hawkeye reasoned. "Besides, Elicia is older now and asking questions about her father and Gracia has been asking about you. I think Maes would have wanted you to be apart of their lives. He never liked that you were alone."

Roy stiffened, hearing Maes's voice in his head like a phantom teasing him about finding a good woman and getting married, inviting him over for dinner, inviting him out for a drink and it didn't stop there. Memories flooded him, painful ones, happy ones, and the worst memory of all; the day he had to bury his best friend and listen to the man's daughter cry in confusion and hear Maes's wife try to explain through her own devastated grief why Elicia's Daddy wasn't going to wake up.

A piece of him had died that day, had been buried with his best friend, the man who'd saved him, picked him off the ground and dusted him off, and who'd supported him in his stupid goals.

He looked away, guilt filling his being. "It wasn't for you to decide, Hawkeye."

"I never said you had to buy the house." She replied.

Ed stepped away from the window. "I wouldn't mind living here. It's been a long time since I've seen the Hughes and…" He smiled, "I wasn't his best friend but he did help Al and me, I owe him something in return. Besides, I've missed Elicia, she's seven now. I wonder how much she's grown."

"Is there something wrong?" Mrs. Andrews asked.

"The only way to put the past behind you is to face it instead of running from it." Riza said quietly. "You'll never reach your goal if you hide."

Hide? Hardly and he wasn't running either. The room was quiet for a long time and Roy felt the same heavy-hearted guilt from Edward as he did in himself. Both of them felt responsible for Maes's loss and helpless for it. The only difference was that Edward was trying to put this in a positive light where as he'd rather sulk and wallow in his guilt like child.

"And what makes you think I still have a goal, Hawkeye?" He asked with a dark smirk.

"You might have lost faith but some of us haven't." she replied.

He was pouting, he knew it, but she didn't have the right. She didn't even ask and now she'd pulled Edward into her fold. She was getting more devious. Fine, but she'd better back him all the way and be prepared for the fall out, which was a ridiculous thought since he knew her to be loyal to a fault.

If Maes were still alive would he be disappointed? Would he have even let him fall this far? The answer was no. Maes wouldn't have let any of this happen in the first place.

"Just get me the paperwork." He replied stiffly.

Mrs. Andrews hesitated a moment then nodded her head, "Would you like to meet me at my office?"

"That would be fine." Riza answered for him as he turned back to the window. Gazing across the street, Roy sighed, slipping his hands in his pockets.

"Riza, could you give us a moment?" Ed asked and Roy gave him sideways glance as he came next to him.

"Of course and she headed down stairs.

"Well that sounded platonic." Roy muttered sardonically.

"Knock it off," the younger man bit, "Listen; you really want to do this? It was a dirty trick she pulled. I bet she even figured that I wouldn't remember all the street names after being gone so long. Even if she does have a point, we don't have to stay here. We can live else where and just visit the Hughes."

Roy let out a sigh as he turned to leave and rested a hand on Ed's shoulder, "It doesn't matter, Edward. It's a nice house in a quiet neighborhood and at least this way we can see them more often." he smirked although he wasn't feeling it, "Besides, I just bet once Gracia knows we're living across the street from her, she'll cook for us." He was trying he really was, this couldn't just be about him anymore, he had to think of Edward's feelings and Ed's needs. The blond had been good friends with the Hughes. The Hughes, Maes especially had been good to him, he couldn't just get by with a phone call or letter anymore. He had to face them.

Ed smiled, "I missed her cooking." then his smile fell and he whispered, "Um… Roy, if they're over here a lot, won't they figure out… you know?"

"Probably," Roy replied dryly, secretly dreading the day people started figuring things out. Sooner or later they'd slip up when they thought no one was looking. Roy didn't like the idea of hiding his affection for Edward in their own home. It was dangerous and risky and might cost them in the end. But they had good friends who cared about them, the true ones would try to understand and tolerate this. "Then again exactly how long do you think it'll be a secret?"

Ed's face fell, "I guess even if we are discreet, we'll probably betray ourselves."

Roy smiled and squeezed Ed's shoulder, "It's a chance I'll take. Let's get this paper work over with and start moving in. I suppose we should head over sometime soon and let Gracia know we're moving in across the street from her."

There were moments in Roy's life he wished he could steal the camera Maes had been so fond of and this was one of them for Edward beamed happily. There was an excited light full of life in is Ed's golden orbs that was surpassed by very few and he was amazed the fire still burned after so much agony, struggle, and loss.

"Great, let's go." Ed replied and began to take off but Roy caught the neck of his coat.

"Hold on, let's take care of the paper work and get the house in our names first."

Ed's brow furrowed, "Our names?"

"Yeah, our names. The house will be half yours and half your responsibility. After all don't you have some savings in Central Bank?" He smirked. He thought, for a moment, Edward might bite back with some retort but the young alchemist's body stilled with uncertainty. Roy knew that look all too well, he'd seen it too often when Ed was offered something too good to be true only this time it wouldn't there wouldn't be pain or an unpleasant catch attached.

"Half mine?" Edward asked thoughtfully then met his eyes again. There was a flicker of disappointment trying to hide. "I don't think I have enough for half the payment."

There it was, the fear of decision, the want for something he thought he couldn't attain, but he was wrong. Everything had a price tag, which was something Edward had learned long ago. If he did something he always wanted to do it right and on his own, rarely taking help. It was admirable and yet damn annoying.

Roy lifted his hand and brushed Ed's hair out of his eyes, "I'm not paying all of it today, Edward; I can't. We'll have to make payments for awhile. Besides, we'll need things like furniture, groceries, and cleaning supplies. If you can manage some of those necessities for awhile, I will handle the house payments." He could tell Ed wasn't completely comfortable with it but he was thinking.

"Doesn't really seem fair," He said finally, "I'll take over the cleaning until I'm reinstated and then I can help you with the bills."

If that was how Ed wanted to do this, Roy was fine with it, but he was doing the laundry and wouldn't take any flack or resistance about it. He liked his clothing washed, dried, and pressed and it had to all be done right.

Mrs. Andrews' office was downtown near the bulk of the main market in Central. Convenient, Roy thought as he and Edward filled out the small stack of paper work and he watched the everyday rustics of the city. They'd had make a stop at the Central bank to get a list of their assets, Roy's being considerably more than Edward's, but he was older and had had a savings account since he was a little boy that he'd routinely added to from every pay check. Also his parents had set up a trust fund in his name when he'd been a child that he'd never touched. Then there was the money left to him from his parent's wills…

In all actuality, Roy had more than enough to purchase the house. Of course he'd inquired of its value before entering the bank, just to know what he was looking at. He didn't tell Edward a word of his monetary value or that of the house. However, he did slip a peek at the amount in Edward's savings account and when the young man was off with another bank teller conducting a withdrawal, he moved a little of his funds into the young man's account to replace the amount that Edward was taking out and a little extra to act as a buffer incase Edward needed it. He might hear about it later, but Roy didn't care. He had the means and he wanted to do this.

"Okay, now what?" Ed asked quietly, as he scrawled his signature on the last line.

Roy looked over the paperwork one final time before handing it to Mrs. Andrews who took it happily. Then, he pulled his checkbook and wrote a check for the whole amount of the house, passing it to Mrs. Andrews as well. She looked everything over then excused herself to gather the deed and house keys.

Roy turned his attention to Riza, "I don't suppose Havoc has the day off?"

"He does and so does Breda. I've already told them to expect a phone call and to be ready to assist us with the move." She replied.

Roy smiled and dug a bit of cash from his wallet, handing it to her for the truck rental, "Good, go ahead and see if you can rent a truck and have them load what I have in storage and take it to the house. Edward and I will join you in a little while. We have a little shopping to do."

"Do you even know what furniture you have?" Edward asked. "I mean it's all been in storage for awhile."

Roy perked a brow, "My memory isn't that bad, Ed. The list of what I had in storage was simple: three bookcases, books, clothing, a chair, and a couple of boxes of odds and ends."

Edward frowned, "What about a bed?"

"I stayed in the military apartments. There was no need for excess furniture because it was already there."

Edward apparently didn't like hearing this, "But what about-"

"Edward after my parents died, I sold almost everything they had. I didn't need it. Unlike Hughes, I wasn't married. Besides, it was easier to have less to make moving around easier should the military have need to transfer me. I'm not a pack rat."

"Per se," Riza added with a smile and tucked the cash he'd given her into her purse. "I will see you in a few hours."

Roy nodded and gave her a key to the house as soon as Mrs. Andrews returned. He accepted the deed to the house and without letting Ed get another word in, ushered him out the door.

Furniture shopping with Ed was something Roy had never in his life imagined he'd do. Since it was his first house since living with his parents before he'd left for the military, he had his own ideas of what he'd like. Edward had others and Roy couldn't help but think Ed's small town upbringing had a little to do with that. It wasn't that Roy had expensive taste per se, he did but he was practical about it. He liked simple and yet elegant. Ed seemed to just like simple.

Roy watched with amusement as Ed looked at price tags first then at the actual furniture itself. Ed was only going to be paying for a few pieces, not that the young man knew that yet. He could see the gears turning behind Ed's eyes as he walked around their second furniture store. It was the same as the last; calculation of prices into what funds Edward had available.

Finally Roy sighed, "Edward, you should look at things that you really like. This furniture will be in the house for a long time, might as well be something you're going to enjoy and can live with."

Ed's eyes narrowed, "What's wrong with what I'm looking at?"

"Well, do you really like it?"

Ed was about to defend his current choice of a brown sofa, then shrugged, "A sofa is a sofa."

Roy rolled his eye, "No it isn't. Go look for something you like and sit on it, see if it's comfortable."

"But-"

"But what? I'm not going to sit on anything uncomfortable and forget price. I'll help."

"You just-" Roy covered Ed's mouth before there was scene in the store. As it was, the shop clerk on duty was watching them with a quizzical eye. He supposed they looked a little odd. But then they had looked a little odd when he'd taken Edward out clothes shopping years ago. Edward had always been a little weird when he'd taken him shopping. Back then he'd had to trick Edward a couple of times to get him to go with him. Despite being short, Ed did grow from time to time and not matter how many times the boy had done alchemy on his clothes; he'd needed clothes that fit him properly. Of course back then Edward had always watched him carefully, expecting him to throw some catch at him for it all even though there had never been one. Now Edward watched him with nervousness and asking eyes as if to say, 'is this going to be okay'?

"Calm down, Edward," He'd said that more than once in their time of knowing each other. Leaning close, he said: "We are not going to have a house full of mismatched furniture that's unbearable to sit on. It's our house, might as well be what we want of it."

Ed struggled with it but then gave in and went to a rather nice dark red sofa and flopped down. Red… interesting. It wasn't what Roy would have thought Edward to pick but he followed him and looked at the matching furniture gathered around it. There were two dark red chairs, two dark mahogany end tables, and a dark mahogany coffee table.

"Living room or family room?" Roy asked.

"Family room," Ed replied with a smile of approval, "it's comfortable."

"Is it?" Roy asked and took a seat in one of the chairs. It had a high back, but it was indeed comfortable. "Alright, then let's look for the living room."

Edward was on it and found something akin to the red furniture set in slate blue. There was only one chair to this one but there was a love seat. It wasn't the best shade of blue, but Roy could live with it since Edward seemed to like it so much.

Next he took Edward to the bedroom section and had him pick out a bed for his room while he picked out a nice frame and mattress for the master bedroom. Roy had always wanted a four poster bed and so decided to get one and picked out a chaise lounge to go with it, making certain the shop keeper jotted down what they wanted. He also ordered a wardrobe and two dressers.

Roy ordered two desks for the study and a smaller sofa and a nice overstuffed leather chair. Then he ordered a table and chairs for the dinning room and a hide away bar for the study. Bookshelves they had and could make. Once all of it was ordered and he'd paid the bill taking the money Edward gave him and pocketing it to deposited in his bank account later, he gave the address of their house to the shop keep and added the money for delivery and moved Edward along to another set of shops to get bed linens, towels, and the like, odds and ends for the house. Those too he had delivered, of course he had to shell out a little extra but it was all taken care of.

By mid afternoon, Roy was hungry and they had everything they could possibly need. So he took Edward to a small café to have a bite to eat. If anyone recognized them, they didn't acknowledge it and left them be. As it was, Roy didn't really care; today he was more interested in the house, who his neighbors were, and Edward's current irritation.

With a sigh, Roy finished his sandwich and took a sip of water to wash it down. "I was under the impression that we had worked the money issue out."

Ed narrowed his eyes, "That was before you decided to pay for most of it." he muttered then slammed a hand on the table. "How do you expect me to pull my weight if you keep doing things like this?"

Roy ignored the feeling of eyes upon them in the café and sat back, folding his arms over his chest. "Are you afraid I will hold this against you or over your head later?"

Ed closed his mouth and picked up his spoon. It was answer enough and Roy was deeply offended and a bit wounded.

"If you can't trust me then why did you go to so much trouble to bring me here?" He would let that sink in for a bit and called the waitress over before Ed had a chance to respond. Asking for the check, he paid and gave her a tip, then rose from the small booth, and then left the café to hail a cab. As he predicted, Edward followed quickly after a moment.

"Wait!" the young man called, "It's not that I don't trust you."

"Then what is it?" Roy asked firmly, "If we can't trust each other then it's never going to work, Ed."

"I know but in the past-"

"This isn't the past, Edward, we can't change history, I think we both know it's folly to try. We'll talk about this later."

"We'll talk about it now." Ed snapped impatiently, "I know we can't change the past, but what else did you expect me to think?"

Roy wheeled around, "I don't know, maybe that you'd have a little faith in me. Things are different now and frankly I'm a little offended that you would think I would be so petty." He quieted his voice, leaning a little closer so passers by wouldn't overhear, "Edward," it was so hard to say and as luck would have it a cab pulled up. "This is ridiculous, what possible gain would I have in holding the house or the things that go inside over your head when what I want most is for you to live in it and be happy with me?" He tilted his head to the side and opened the cab door. "We should get going before Havoc, Breda, and Hawkeye are swamped with everything."

Ed perused his lips and slipped into the cab. "I don't know," he said after Roy followed suit.

"Then let's let it go. Besides, there is too much to do today to spend it arguing."

Ed nodded and relaxed into the seat, "I should call Alphonse."

"You may have to go to Gracia's. I forgot to set up a phone line." Roy replied softly, discarding the edge of irritation in his voice.

Edward nodded then smiled, "How much do you want to bet that Hawkeye already had one set up?"

Roy shrugged, "That's not a bet I am willing to take. Knowing her, you have a point."

"You still mad at me?" Ed asked a bit timidly.

Roy smiled and let out a soft sigh. It was hard to be when Ed was worried over something he used to not care about. "No."

"Good," The younger alchemist replied and turned his attention to world outside the cab.

When they arrived at their new home, three trucks lined the street and to Roy's surprise, Armstrong was standing in the front yard. "Huh… Guess she thought we needed more help."