“Wow, Boss, I heard you grew-“

Ed grinned, looking down at himself. “I did grow,” he said proudly.

“But you’re still nowhere near as tall as your brother,” Havoc finished, waiting for the upcoming explosion.

Ed puffed up his chest, standing up as straight as possible, willing his vertebrae to stretch enough to add him just a speck more stature. “I am of perfectly average height,” he insisted, looking up at the man he hadn’t seen in ten years. “What kind of greeting is that, anyway?” he complained. “That would be like me asking if you’ve managed to get a date yet!”

“Actually,” Havoc said smugly, exchanging amused glances with Hawkeye, “I did take Riza out the other day.”

Ed did not see Roy flinch at the words, and asked, “Really? Did you have a nice time?”

“No,” Riza said smoothly. “It was a disaster.”

Havoc seemed unphased, and gave him a slap on the back. “So, you grew, but not that much. I got a date, but still no girlfriend. Things haven’t changed too much while you’ve been gone, have they?”

“Oh not that much” Ed said sarcastically. “We just live in a completely different country now, so it seems.”

Havoc waved his hand dismissively, taking a drag from his cigarette. “Oh yes, there is that, but that’s work. Let’s not discuss work while we’re out, all right?”

“Oh, but it’s not work,” Ed protested. “I thought the military and the government were entirely separate now?” He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, kicking his foot up on the low table in front of him. The room they were in was large and square, with a big window leading out to a balcony overlooking the lights of the city.

“If we can’t talk about work,” Roy said lightly, sitting opposite from Ed and mirroring his impulse to put his feet on the table and looking over at General Hawkeye, “May I ask you a question?”

Riza looked at him for a moment, then answered, “I suppose so.”

“Was your disaster of a date on the news broadcast the other day?”

She tried to hide her smile behind her hand, and turned away. “Why? Were you starting to get jealous?”

Roy shrugged. “What if I said yes?” he asked, keeping his voice light, conversational, natural.

“Then I would say you were wasting your time.” She looked up, saw that the conversation in the room was continuing without them, and decided to add, “But, I’ve wanted to tell you: I had a very nice time at that diplomatic banquet last month. Your company at those kinds of events is always a pleasure, especially when we don’t have anything to hide. I haven’t seen you since then, have I?”

Roy shook his head. He would keep this exchange professional, he resolved. “No, I don’t believe so. How do you feel about the government’s move towards friendlier relations with Xing?”

She tapped her chin. “I thought the Xingian diplomats were very cordial. They spoke our language very well; I was impressed with that. However, they seemed very distant, almost as if they were on an entirely different page. I don’t know if it was just a cultural difference, or if they really were hiding something.”

“Everyone’s hiding something,” Roy said seriously.