Maes waltzed into Mustangs new office, located in Central Command. Everything was clean and pristine inside the first set of heavy, wooden doors. Mustang and his team just recently transferred to Central, a week ago to be exact. Hughes had visited them every day, at least once. Everyone was actually looking forward to his visits. Not that a single one of them would admit that. Hughes even helped unpack the items they brought in and setting everything up. Even Maes' own team, Sheska, Ross, Brosh and Armstong, chipped in to help unpack. Most of them enjoyed seeing the other team again. It was a nice and relaxing time. A rare luxury for any of them.

He smiled and waved to Mustang's subordinates as a greeting when he passed. Fuery offered a quick hello and returned back to work. Probably some of which originally had been Mustang's. Breda lifted his head and gave a quick two-fingered salute and went to the paper he was reading over. Falman smiled and waved back to Hughes. Havoc looked up from his own papers with a quick smile and nodded as a substitute for a hello then lowered his head again. Hawkeye wasn't currently sitting at her portion of the large desk, so Maes was lead to assume she was standing beside the Colonel, which was whom he was trying to see. Mustang and his team were on pretty friendly bases with him.

Maes had his usual large, slightly goofy, grin plastered on his face as he stood infront of the second set doors. They lead to Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang's office, or Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes best friend. Their personalities were about as different as night was to day, but they were still as close as can be. Opposites attract as they always said. He knocked on the door and slid through the slight opening he created. "Hello, Roy and Riza!" He said loudly, whatever was left of the formality he had from the first part of the office was long gone.

Hawkeye noticed him first, she looked up when she heard the door handle click. She gently nudged the Colornel next to her. She gave a polite smile as a hello to Maes that had disappeared as soon as Maes had a chance to see it. He still managed to see it though. He could tell she was, at the very least, slightly happy to see him. She straightened her posture just a little bit more and her neutral face, specifically her lips, had the tiniest hint upwards. Most people would have missed it, but Hughes had a trained eye for human behavior. Specifically criminal behavior, but that's beside the point.

Mustang was sitting at his desk. He had his face down on the desk and his long bangs were hanging like curtains preventing him to see the other's face. The decently sized desk had paper and files stacked high, it was almost overwhelming to his eyes. He had no idea why Mustang had to procrastinate for such a long time that he barely got his work turned in at all. After a grumbled hello Mustang sat up.

Roy rubbed his gloved hand over his fact in exhaustion. Although he probably just woke up from a nap rather than actually working hard. "Hello, Hughes", he greeted with just the slightest hue of annoyance, due to being woken up, and cheerfulness, probably because he got to see his best friend after all. Roy got up and stretched his back. A slight smirk in place when their eyes met.

Riza then silently moves towards the doors. They both watch as she stops right before the door, back still facing them. "Colonel", she starts, voice calm, collected, and smooth,"please take my advice about our previous discussion." That was all she said as she walked out. They both missed the slight smirk she had on her face and how neither had heard the click of a door shutting all the way.

Maes turned around to meet Roy's charcoal eyes that matched his raven hair. Roy's posture had stiffen at her words. If Hughes didn't know any better, he would have honestly thought he saw a tint of pale rose pink on his cheeks hidden under his bangs. He turned away from Hughes and went back to sit in his seat. Maes watched as his friend went and sat back down.

Thoughts were already spinning around in his head. Whatever they had talked about previously was obviously something uncomfortable for him. That's only added to ideas swarming around. What could have been so uncomfortable that he couldn't tell his best friend? He was his closest friend. Sure, excluding this week and the daily phone calls they didn't talk as much but they were still as close, right? What couldn't he talk about with him?

"Roy-boy," Maes started slightly awkwardly, though it wasn't present in his voice, using a old teasing nickname from the Academy,"what we're you two talking about before I got here?"

Mustang visibly managed to express his discomfort towards the conversation. He leaned into his chair heavily, like the topic put literal weight onto his shoulders, and his eyes widened for just a split second like he hadn't expected, or hoped for, Maes to catch on. Which Roy should have known better if that was really what he was hoping. Hughes was one of the brighter bulbs.

Roy sighed loudly and ran his right hand over his face exhaustively, again. "Maybe we could talk about this later, Hughes," Roy said this with almost a hue of plead in his voice. Maes decided to let it slide for now. He was still curious after all.

They did change the subject after that. Roy started off by asking about Gracia. Maes laughed and explained the newest adventure the had been on. He described how they went to the park to take pictures and talk about their week. The golden eyed man told the ebony eyed man how he tripped while skipping backwards and fell into the lake. Roy couldn't help a smile and a bark of laughter at the thought of what Hughes looked like. Even Maes was laughing at remembering how embarrassed he felt. He was sure he looked ridiculous.

Gracia and Maes were very close friends but not much more. They tried but something just didn't feel right inside himself. She said it was okay though he always felt a bit guilty. He had to admit she was beautiful though. The two went on photography feildtrips almost every weekend. Sometimes they'd bring a picnic. It was sweet. Close friends do many things together. Best friends could do anything together. It was a beautiful thing.

Another topic change brought interesting stories about their team. Mustang started off talking about a failed experiment that Fuery did. Whatever he was working on puff a black powder in his face and got over everything around. Fuery had a kicked puppy look when that happened. Hughes then started talking about some misfortunate events that happened to him,and then explains how he gets the same look. Then Mustang started talking about the girl he stole from poor Havoc. Hughes talked about the long list of why Armstrong took off his shirt or started crying again. That was a very long but interesting list. Roy moved to talk Falman and Breda and how they were doing. Maes started about how amazing Sheska was and how helpful she was. He was very impressed by her brain it came in useful in cases too.

Roy moved to how Hawkeye was doing. Also to how she kept the entire team running smoothly. Especially Colonel Mustang. It was amazing how much she had to put with in a day. Maes laughed saying he was lucky to have her. Mustang smiled slightly agreeing. Maes then started talking about Ross. What she had to put up with was crazy. With Brosh being slightly childish, Armstrong doing whatever it is that Armstong does, listening to Sheska go on about her books, and himself with how he shoves pictures in her face then he may switch into his serious demeanour. It was crazy at his office. Not that it was any worse then Mustang's office. Hughes was pretty sure his was slightly more sane then Mustang's.

By the time they were done both were pink checked with laughter and smiles. Hughes really enjoyed his time talking to Mustang. He could do it all day. He hoped Roy enjoyed this time too, but judging by the smile on the other's face he didn't have to hope.

Hughes checked the watch on his hand. A small smile, a genuine smile, appeared on his features. His checks still tinted with pink from laughter. He should get going. Maes still had some work to do and the sun was going down. "I'll have to see you tomorrow, Roy. It's getting late plus I have to do my work. Bye!" Mae's then got up and dusted the imaginary dust of his blue military uniform.

He turned away towards the door and took a step. He was getting ready to complete his third stride when the next thing he knew was something on his hand. It was was warm and gripped his hand gingerly. When Maes turned around Mustang was right behind him. His black eyes held something that Maes never noticed before. The next thing he knew he felt something warm spread across his lips. His ivy-golden eyes widened in surprise. The next few seconds were a blur. He barely noticed how close Roy was. He couldn't even realize that it was Roy kissing him till he pulled away.

The kiss was nothing special. No tongue or anything to make it spectacular. It was just simple lip to lip contact. It was that simplistic action that held so much meaning behind it. Roy's eyes widen and he dropped Mae's hand, he dully noted that he wanted it still there. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what possessed me to do that, Maes. I'm really sorry." His voice sounded like it crumbled in upon itself. Maes wasn't sure what to think for minute. Roy mistook the silence for rejection. Silent tears started bubbling in those charcoal eyes.

With a quick thought Maes kissed him. A quick peck, similar to what he had just experienced being on the receiving end of. Now it was Roy who had been surprised. His eyes were wide but the tears stopped as they both went into the others' embrace.

"I was so afraid you would actually leave me completely. I don't I could think of a life without you," Roy said quietly.

"I don't think I would ever leave you! It did take me by surprise though," Maes laughed.

Roy let out a laugh and rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I guess I could have been a little more subtle about it."

Maes let out a bark of laughter as he let Roy out of his embrace. Though Roy was still at his side, a little closer than what they should have been if the last 10 minutes never happened. Maes couldn't think of a reason to complain. They both went to the pale couch lining a side of the carpet covering the middle of the floor. They cuddled together and they were comfortable. "Maybe I could stay a little bit longer," Maes said laughing a bit. Roy just curled into his side with a slight smirk.

Peeking out from outside the slightly agar door was five set of eyes with identical smiles to match. Hawkeye closed quietly closed the door giving the two the privacy they deserve. "I'm glad he took my advice," Hawkeye said smiling.

"I need to stop getting into these bets," Fuery said sadly, holding his stomach. " I ship it so badly though." The others didn't particularly understand what that meant but they went along with it. Breda, Havoc, Falman, and Fuery all handed over their money to a smiling Hawkeye. They better on how the encounter would go. Not that they knew it was today, but they all better on today.

"Now who is going to tell Ross she lost the bet?"