Work Text:
For the most part, Roy was ignoring the conversations around him. He was tired from long meetings with narrow-minded old fools who fought each and every change Fuhrer Grumman proposed. He was tired from reorganizations, paperwork and reporters with no concept of personal space. All he wanted was a couple of drinks and a chance to relax, which is why he had agreed to spend the evening at Fullmetal's apartment with Havoc, Breda and Fuery instead of his usual pub.
Roy took a moment the look around the apartment curiously as he sipped his ale. Considering Ed was only 19, he had expected a stereotypical college-dorm/frat-house type place. With Al in Rush Valley trying to woo Miss Rockbell, he had assumed Ed's place would be messy, unorganized and decorated with empty take out containers and dirty clothes. Instead, the place was neat, clean and surprisingly welcoming. It wasn't that pristine just-cleaned-because-company neat, either. There were indications it was always like this. Like the drink coasters that were scratched from frequent use. The curtains were starting to get a little threadbare from washings. Even the herbs in the window were healthy and green.
A gasp and bump to the other end of the couch drew Roy's attention and he grinned as Breda looked down at his shirt in dismay. “Aw, man! I like this one, too!”
Ed chuckled as he stood up from where he had been sprawled on the floor. “I'll soak the stain if you'll hand it over.”
“And sit here shirtless?” Breda groaned. “It's chilly.”
“Sitting in a beer soaked shirt is chillier,” Havoc pointed out.
“There's a box of clothes in the closet,” Ed offered. “There's bound to be something that fits you in there.”
Breda tugged off his shirt and handed it over. “I seriously doubt I can wear any of your clothes,” he grumbled, making sure to keep his words low enough for Ed not to hear them, as he headed to the closet.
Ed carried the shirt to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of laundry soap from under the sink. While he ran water over the stain, Breda began digging through a large box filled with castoff clothing. Roy wasn't really curious but he watched Breda paw through the items anyway, since he didn't really have anything better to do. That's why he had a bird's eye view of Breda lifting out a handful of lace and silk.
“Uhh...” Breda's mouth hung open as he stared at the fistful of panties. “Boss? I didn't know you had a girl.”
Ed looked back over his shoulder blandly. When he saw what Breda was holding he snorted. “Those are winnings.”
“Winnings?” Roy asked, standing up and stepping closer to the box. He spotted button-ups, sweaters, jeans, socks, and what looked like a negligee.
“Yeah,” Ed replied, walking back into the room with a wrung out shirt that he draped over the top of an end table to dry. “I play poker.”
Roy wasn't the only one staring at him in surprise.
“You play poker for clothes?” Fuery asked, looking confused.
“Strip poker,” Ed clarified.
Roy wasn't the only one now looking at Ed with disbelief, either.
Breda gave a hesitant laugh. “You don't play poker. Especially not strip poker.”
Ed shrugged one shoulder as he opened up the drawer of the end table. Inside were several decks of cards, some unopened, a metal box with the name Elric engraved on it, a couple of restaurant menus and (much to Roy's shock) a half empty bottle of lube and a couple of condoms. Ed grabbed one of the decks and shut the drawer with his hip.
“Any of you play?” he asked casually.
“You want us to play strip poker?” Breda sputtered.
Ed rolled his eyes and moved to sit on the floor in front of the coffee table. “Not really eager to see any of you naked,” he assured before pausing and sending Havoc a wink. “Well, not most of you, anyway.”
Roy froze as Havoc blushed but sent Ed a grin. Flashes of previous interactions raced through Roy's mind. Ed sitting on the corner of Havoc's desk as they discussed Ed's latest trip to East City. Havoc offering Ed rides home a couple times a week. Havoc hadn't bemoaned his wretched love life in weeks. In fact, the last two times they had gone out to a bar, Havoc and Ed had arrived together and left together.
“You two are sickeningly adorable,” Breda huffed.
Havoc grinned and tapped out his cigarette before giving up his chair to sit beside Ed. (Roy also remembered how he had gone straight to the cabinet in the kitchen where the ashtray had been, not needing to ask.) “We can just play for fun.”
Ed shuffled and dealt out cards as Roy and Breda took seats on the couch. Fuery took Havoc's former seat and picked his cards up. “Stud?”
“He sure is,” Ed mumbled under his breath.
Havoc blushed even redder before elbowing him. “Just deal, babe.”
* * *
The click of the safety being flipped jerked Roy out of his musings. He grimaced as he looked over at Hawkeye who was watching him with a stern expression. “Did you know Fullmetal and Havoc were a couple?”
Hawkeye's expression didn't change. “You did initiate their first date.”
“I what?” he gasped.
“The tickets to the art show,” she replied. “You gave them to Ed and suggested he ask a 'smoking blonde' as his date. He asked Havoc out, Havoc said yes and they've been dating ever since.”
Roy's jaw dropped. “I meant Miss Rockbell!” he pointed out.
Hawkeye's stance didn't waver. “You probably should have clarified that then.”
“How is it I'm the reason they are together, yet I am the last to know?” Roy pouted.
“Work, sir,” Hawkeye said sternly. “You can pout on your own time.”
Roy huffed and returned to reading the file in front of him. The least Fullmetal could have done was thank him for playing matchmaker. Even if it was inadvertent.