Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related, or belonging to the world of Fullmetal Alchemist. That would be the one-and-only, amazing Hiromu Arakawa :)
She glanced at the clock. This had become a routine, and it had not gone unnoticed by the rooms occupants.
"Hey chief, where's the fire?"
The young blond turned abruptly, ending her gaze and now looking at a familiar face.
"What?" she asked, the struggle to not turn her gaze back at the hands on the wall was evident in her eyes. The man's cigarette balanced between his lips as he spoke, or rather laughed,
"You've been staring at the clock all day. You got somewhere to be?" he asked.
"Maybe I do. What's it to you anyway?" the blond snapped back impatiently. The man only smirked more, as he was prone to the teens attitude.
"Havoc," a stern, commanding voice cut in.
"Leave short-stuff alone and get back to work before I give you half of my stack of papers." Havoc groaned in response at the sound of more work. Mustang, the owner of the threat, eyed the teen with a smile on his face.
Waiting for the inevitable, he mouthed to himself,
'Three...two...one...'
"Who are you calling SO SHORT you couldn't see them over your piles of paperwork!"
"I said nothing of the sort, Fullmetal. Nothing at all," Mustang replied nonchalantly. He relaxed into his chair, folding his arms across his chest in an arrogant manner.
Fuming, the teen stood from her seat, stomping her way over to her superior officer's desk, slaming her hands down much harder than necessary, exclaimed,
"Like hell you did! And wipe that damn smirk off your face!" the blond yelled. She walked back to her desk briskly, retrieved the paper she had been filling out, and slammed it onto Mustang's desk.
"Here's my report. I'm leaving now," the teen grumbled. Mustang only grined wider. He picked up the paper and examined it briefly before verbally observing:
"Your handwriting's still bad as ever, don't you think?"
The only reply was the sound of the slamming door being pulled shut.
"You'ur all as lively as ever," Riza commented, entering the office.
"What'd you say this time, colonel?" she asked, already knowing the answer, although a hint of a smile played on the woman's lips.
"The usual, Lieutenant. Nothing but the usual," her superior replied, returning to his paperwork as if he had been busy in her leave of absence.
'Just as I thought, the usual,' Riza thought to herself, with a small but amused grin on her lips.
(Line*Break)
"Sister, where are you going?" Alphonse questioned his elder sibling. He stood outside the door, listening intently for a response over the sound of the shower running.
"I'm not leaving, Al. I'm taking a shower," his sister yelled over the running water.
"I'm not stupid! The only time you ever shower during the day and not at night, is because you have plans that evening," Al explained.
In the bathroom, The teen shut the water off and pushed the curtain back. She stepped out onto the waiting towl and began the lengthy routine of drying her artificial limbs.
Soon, the bathroom door opened, revealing the young teen in a towel, her wet hair draped down her back.
"Ok. I'm going to say this once, Alphonse. Yes, I am showering during the day. And yes, I am going out. And I will be back by ten-thirty tonight." She continued to her bedroom in which she and her brother shared.
"Edeline Elric." Alphonse now stood, looming over his sister who had stopped at the sound of her name.
"Damn it! I'm in trouble," Edeline muttered, she slowly turned around to face her seven-foot brother, whom happened to be a suit of armor; which in itself can surely be intimidating at times.
"Yes, brother?" Edeline asked, trying to sound more innocent than she was.
"I do not care if you are older than me. I have a right to know where you're going to be out late," Al spoke sternly, staring his elder sister down.
While Al was most of the time the quiet, respectful one of the two, he had to be more demanding at times to dominate his elder sister's stubborness.
Edeline hung her head in defeat.
"If I tell you, can I get ready and get dressed?" she surrendered. If Al could have physically expressed himself, he would have been grinning triumphantly.
"Sure. Right after you tell me where your going," Alphonse answered, crossing his arms.
"Alright!" Edeline hoffed.
"I'm going to dinner. Now I have to get dressed before I'm late, Al," and with that, Edeline was gone and preparing for her outing behind the closed door of their shared room.
"Wait! Dinner? With who?!" In Al's experience, his sister had never once expressed interest in dating or romance; much less dressing up to go out to dinner!
Edeline was more of a boy in her everyday routines and behavior. Instead of skirts or dresses, she chose to wear a fitting black tank top. She donned a pair of black military issued cabat boots, which looked more like mens than a women's.
To add to the ensemble, black leggings that reached down to her knees, covered by a short simple black skirt that fanned out.
And who could forget her signature crimson red coat that quite nearly reached her feet. The most unforgettable detail of the coat was the insignia it bore proudly on it's back in a bold black.
The insignia depicted a winged-cross entangled by a snake. The symbol was completed with a crown placed majestically upon the scene, making it whole.
And for her temper, and her manners, well...they spoke for themselves. Not to mention her very 'un-ladylike' choice of language.
"You only asked WHERE I was going. You never asked if or WHO I was meeting," Edeline answered through the wood door, the smille of victory evident on her face as much as it was in her voice.
"Therefore, I do not rightfully have to divulge that bit of information."
Alphonse sighed. His sister had a point; and once again she had bested him. He found he could only smile at his defeat. Of course his smile would have not been seen physically, but oddly enough, his glowing red eyes conveyed his feelings well enough.
The door opened, grabbing the boy's attention. What stepped through the door however, was more stunningly beautiful than Alphonse had seen since the woman they called 'mom' had sadly departed in spirit.
Edeline was dressed in a slim-fitting red strapless dress. It stopped right above her knees, and a black shawl covered her shoulders, along with much of her arms.
"How do I look?" She asked quietly, a tint of red creeping into her cheeks.
"You look-I mean...wow," Alphonse breathed. He was speechless. Alphonse had never seen his sister look so much...like a girl.
"And your hair..."
"Oh, I guess I should do something with it, huh?" Edeline was visibly nervous; something she wasn't often. And if she was, Edeline hid it well. She always kept a confident aura about herself. The blond ran her fingers through her golden hair as it draped her shoulders.
"No! I just meant that, I relly like it down. I don't see it out of a braid much. It's beautiful, just like you sister."
"Thanks, Al. I better be going, but I'll be back by ten-thirty, ok?" Edeline spoke, embracing her brother's metallic body.
"Thank you, Al." She quickly left the apartment, closing the door behind her.
"You're welcome, Ed," Al smiled.
(Line*Break)
Edeline walked down the vacent sidewalk, nearly reaching her destination, and on time nonetheless.
The now stood in front of the local diner. It wasn't extravagant, but it was quaint in size and aura.
Entering the front door, Edeline was greeted by a waiter.
"How many in your party, ma'am, or is it just you tonight?"
"A table for two, please," came a voice behind Edeline.
"Very well, sir. Right this way."
As the waiter led Edeline to their table, she looked up to find a pair of dark charcoal colored eyes staring back at her.
"I'm glad you could meet me tonight," the man said, his usual smug smile taking its place on his lips.
"And if I may, you look beautiful Edeline." She looked away from his gaze, a blush filling her cheeks again.
"I'll be honest. I was hesitent about coming here, but now that I am, I can't tell you how happy I am you asked me out in the first place..." Edeline paused before speaking the man's name, as she had never called him by his first name to his face before...
..."Thank you, Roy."
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