Dogs Unleashed (Royed)

Ice Breaker

"Hey Madeline, can I talk to you?'' A voice asked early the next morning at the sex shop, making the woman pause from opening the merchandise that arrived turning to see Edward standing behind her flustered, "Sure... What's going on?" She asked looking over to Vanessa who seemed to be curious about Edward's well being as well. "Is it cool, if I call you Maddie?" Edward asked flustered glancing down, holding his backpack in his hands fidgeting glancing up to see Madeline smiling at him, "Of course... What's wrong? We can talk in the back room if you want." She said seeing the flustered blond walk off to the back room. Madeline signaled to Vanessa that she would be back and to keep an eye on the place while she spoke to the troubled blond, catching up to him seeing Edward sit on a box sighing, "What's up?" She asked seeing the quiet blond touching his neck seeing his hair down for once surprising her since he never had it down. "If someone asked you they would help you out with something you need to do, in exchange to do... Things with you... Would you do it?" He asked pulling out his art notebook to finish the drawing he promised Elicia, only to seeing Madeline tilt her head and looking at him quietly for a long time, piecing it together that it had to do with Roy walking over and sitting next to her usually quiet co-worker.

"This has to do with those hickeys on you neck by chance?" She asked seeing Edward drop the pencil nervous and turn to his smiling co-worker, "I...", "It's alright, I don't judge... So what I'm basically understanding from what you're telling me, is this person is offering you sexual benefits in return while helping you out?" She asked seeing Edward get embarrassed and red but nod. "That's not unusual with people your age now... Personally me, I wouldn't do it. But if you both benefit from it, I think it's okay as long as you're careful and don't feel much for the person." She said patting the blond's shoulder, with Edward about to open his mouth and say something till a voice spoke up making him quickly grab the pencil he dropped. "Didn't think you two got along." Roy's voice said making Madeline look up with a smile, "Of course we do! Edward always talks to us. If anything YOU'RE the one he doesn't get along with~" She teased getting up going over to the raven haired male touching his face, "Be nice to Edward." She said simply before glancing to Edward. "Tell me if he bullies you Edward, I can take care of him." Madeline said as she left the back room leaving Edward alone with the raven haired male who looked at him with his usual smirk, "You look cute with your hair down, is there a reason for that?" Roy teased purposely going over to the blond who got flustered standing up almost immediately. "I-I should start working soon-!" Edward said about to walk by till Roy pinned him against the wall grabbing his golden hair with his fingers, getting close to his ear and speaking against it, "Maybe we can mess around before you start?" He teased glancing down to see Edward react with a nervous fluster grabbing the blond's face inches from his lips. "I-I..." Edward stammered feeing Roy brush his lips against his, getting nervous when his lips pressed against his but stopped since Roy caught a glimpse of his sketch, making his heart ache but keep his lips against Edward's seeing him flustered dropping his teasing to a soft tired smile, "Maybe next time..." Roy said quietly and simply backing up from the small blond and leaving without another word.

The new mood from Roy surprised Edward going out to go after him to see Madeline at the counter organizing things, "Roy left if you're looking for him." Madeline said turning to her flustered co-worker, "He left?...", "Yeah, said he didn't feel so well and said he was going home to take it easy." Vanessa added joining Madeline at the counter when Edward went to them confused. "Did you tell him something?" Madeline asked when Edward sighed putting down the sketchbook he still had in his hand on top of the counter, making both Vanessa and Madeline look down to the sketchbook piecing together what had upset Roy once they saw the sketch of Roy's late friend, "Oh..." They both said in unison confusing the blond. "What? My drawing?... I don't understand...", "Oh... You don't know..." Madeline said seeing Edward look at them confused, "Edward, that person you drew was Roy's best friend, Maes Hughes..." Vanessa added in confusing Edward more, "Why would that upset Mustang?...", "Well..." Both women started in unison again, "You see Maes Hughes died a long time ago, that why...". "Talk about a real ice breaker..." Roy said tiredly when he got back to his place heaving a heavy sigh, "I'm not even in a good mood anymore... Maybe I can just sleep or something, I still feel a bit light headed since I'm barely getting better... I wonder if Riza is doing anything? I can give her a call or something..." He said to himself sitting on his couch. "...Actually... I think I'll drink... I haven't done that in a while..." The raven haired male said, with his phone going off answering it unenthusiastically, "What?...", "Hey..." Edward's voice said surprising him pulling his phone away from his ear to sigh, "At least sound excited to hear from me..." Roy heard Edward say.

"Don't you have work to do?", "..Should of figured you would tell me that... I took the rest of the day off, I'm heading to your place in a bit." Edward said on his way to the park to meet Gracia and Elicia.", "Eh!? I told Madeline that I was as going to rest for the day, since I didn't feel well, go home Edward." Roy said making a face. "Thought so... I'll just look for someone else to draw for my assignment, thanks for offering." The small blond said almost to the park seeing Elicia jump up happily when she saw him, "Edward wait-", "Sorry for getting you upset." Edward said apologetically before hanging up making Roy scold himself immediately, since he figured Madeline told him. "Was this a bad time, you seem down?" Gracia asked when seeing the small blond walk to them tired but smile at them, "No, it's fine. I needed the fresh air anyways." He said simply as the young girl hugged him, "Talk it out... Don't leave things as they are. That'll just make you and your partner tense." Gracia said quietly with a smile surprising Edward at how sharp the mother was. "You said you finished the drawing?" Gracia said surprised when seeing the small blond nod, "Yeah, I have it ready for Elicia." He said with a content smile, "He was quiet the handsome man wasn't he?" He said pulling out the folder when the young girl finally let go of him and sat down at the table excitedly, handing it to Elicia who squeaked happily. "Oh? That's impressive." Gracia said looking at the portrait of her late husband seeing Edward hand her back the case where the photo was, "It's not that great..." He said embarrassed, "Nonsense, Elicia loves it. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time." The mother said with Elicia wanting to cry but caught herself before smiling happily jumping Edward again.

"I love it, thank you so much!" She said in joy making Edward happy, "I did promise you something nice." The small blond said patting Elicia's head, "My husband would of liked you, he would of probably teased you a lot like he did his best friend, Roy." Gracia commented seeing Edward tense up and get flustered piecing it together. "Oh! So you and Roy are a thing? You do seem his type-", "N-No! Nothing like that! I just bumped into him at work, and he left a terrible impression on me, that's all..." Edward said seeing Gracia make a face, "Don't take him the wrong way, he's a good person... He's just... Troubled..." The mother said with a smile, before staying quiet for a moment. "If you don't have any plans, would you like to come by and have dinner with us?" She asked seeing Edward look surprised thinking about it for a moment, making a face since Roy did reject him but smile, "I'm free for the day, I'll just let my brother and roommate know that I won't be home for dinner." He said with Elicia jumping in joy. "Oh? In that case I can send some food back with you..." She said but paused looking up past Edward who tilted his head confused, "Gracia?...", "I thought you were coming by my place?" Roy's voice asked making the small blond tense up getting flustered, "I-I never said that...", "Yes you did." The raven haired male said making Gracia laugh at the new scene. "Maybe next time, seems like you two have things to do.", "I don't!", "Yeah you do, I'm your homework assignment." Roy said patting Elicia's head, "We'll drop by next time, okay?" He said kindly to the young girl, looking to Gracia who smiled, "Of course, you're always welcome anytime, Roy." She said excusing herself with Elicia making Edward scrunch his face when they left, "I hate you, Mustang...".