Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the Fullmetal Alchemist characters or the story line for them. Though if I did that would be heaven! So anyway thanks for all the people who have read the first chapter and faved my story. Sorry it took so long to update but I was having an internal battle. You're not going to like the O.C. at first but that was my intention she is kind of naïve and a little slow when it comes to guys affection. Also I am so sorry for anyone who likes it when good characters aren't messed with, speaking for Maes in this chapter, I just couldn't help but add some conflict and my friends have playfully punished me enough for this so here goes and I hope you like!
The first thing Fe did after leaving the office was head to the bar her and her friends frequented every Friday night. Though the sound of going home and soaking in the tub sounded a much better idea to her, her muscles protested against the cold as she walked along. She had never made love to anyone one before, making out didn't count, and she had always been told it hurt and that the first time would suck.
Well the lovemaking didn't hurt and it was far from sucking, it was heaven. But the after effect was setting in and she ached a little as she kicked off the snow from her boots seeking refuge from the cold in the bar. It wasn't quite crowded yet as it was only 5:30 but a couple of her friends were already seated at their favorite table.
Artie, her best friend sat next to her boyfriend Michael, her light blond hair up in a ponytail and her green eyes smiling as Fe walked over. Katrina was also there with Annie both sat next to each other laughing and talking. Katrina had her black hair down and Annie's brown hair was in a tight plait swinging back and forth as she shook her head.
"Benny not here yet?" Fe asked pulling out a chair and taking off her coat.
"Nope." Artie replied. "You're not the last one today." She watched as Fe sat down gingerly and quirked an eyebrow. Fe only blushed and ducked her head sheepishly looking around the bar.
"So, how goes working for the infamous Flame Alchemist?" Katrina asked trying to look innocent batting her eyelashes. "Has he asked you out yet?"
"No for the hundredth time." Fe waved over the waitress. "Would you please stop asking me, I have no interest in becoming god knows what number."
Michael chuckled sipping his wine watching the banter start up. The lot of them always gave her crap for getting the position. Michael leaned back resting his arm on the back of Arties chair his long legs stretching out under the table.
Everyone wore their respective uniforms, after all they were all in the same academy together the only one without a uniform was Artie, she worked in the research department and didn't wear the lab coat outside of work.
"We really need to find you a boyfriend." Annie simpered as Fe ordered her rum and soda. "It's such a shame you're still our little mascot."
Fe glowered at Annie for a second before sighing and looking away. It was common knowledge that she hadn't had a boyfriend since grade school and was still, as Katrina and Annie liked to call her, their 'virgin mascot'. She got a lot of grief from those two about it but they insisted it was all in good fun. Fe didn't find the fun in it but for some reason they did.
"Aw come on you two, leave her alone for tonight huh?" Michael shook his head. His glasses glinted in the light as he smiled.
"Yea, yea." Katrina shrugged sipping her beer.
The door to the bar opened again letting a blast of cold air in as Benny stepped through the door. Benny is quite tall with short blond hair and blue eyes that always seem to be sparkling with laughter. But as a state alchemist he was at a different level than the others and could be out with people from his own office and division. But for some reason he still met up with them. Walking over he took a seat by Fe smiling as he undid his coat. "Whew it's cold out there today. I thought maybe we would get some sunshine."
"Na, winter has hit full on now." Artie shivered. "I'll just be glad when it's over."
Benny nodded in agreement and looked to Fe. "How are you doing?"
Fe smiled ready to answer but Katrina cut her off. "Avoiding her boss, he seems quite taken with her."
"He does not!" Fe argued levelling her gaze at Katrina this time.
"Don't let her wind you up, Fe. She is just pissed because her boyfriend broke up with her and she isn't getting any." Annie snorted into her drink and the others tried to hide their amusement.
"Is that an offer Benny?" Katrina asked sarcastically now glowering herself.
"Not in your life time sweetheart." Benny shot back as the waitress came back over. "There's nothing wrong with waiting for the right person. It's very commendable if you ask me."
"Yea, and very boring." Katrina replied.
No one but Artie noticed the way Fe blushed again trying to stare her drink down and a small smile played across Arties lips. She had to ask later because whatever had Fe going that shade of scarlet was worth hearing about.
"You know what; I think I am just going to head home." Fe downed the rest of her drink and stood up grabbing up her coat.
"Fe, don't leave she is just being bitchy." Benny said sitting up a little straighter.
"Yea come on Fe, we only do this once a week!" Artie protested.
"No, it's fine. I want to go home and get a shower anyway. It's been a long day." She pulled her coat on and laid some money down for her drink.
"Dam, your such a prude." Katrina glowered at her. "If you get laid it will be a miracle."
Fe stopped moving and just looked at her. She wasn't sure what she could say to that. Her friend had already been drinking and she was bitter. Whatever possessed her definitely had something to do with the alcohol. She was usually pretty docile compared to this, though maybe docile wasn't the right word. After all the girl was a party girl.
Fe laid her hands on the table and leaned in Katrina's general direction. "If and when I do decide to get 'laid' Katrina, I am going to make sure it's with someone I can stand to look at the next morning and isn't followed by a hangover and amnesia over the past nights events. Someone who will actually want to stay in bed with me till noon on our day off instead of running out the door the second they wake up." When her friend could form no comeback she stood straight again and buttoned her coat. "See you guys later.", and walked out.
The trek home was cold but not long. She was the only one of her friends that didn't live in the dorms or have an apartment. Her house was given to her by her parents with their death. The two story house with a bay window in the upstairs facing the road looked incredibly good to her tonight as she made her way up the side walk. All she wanted to do was get a nice hot bath and maybe get some other work done before going to bed.
Once inside she pulled off all her stuff not bothering to put her boots up but hanging her coat on the mirrored entry way coat rack. Everything else was dumped unceremoniously next to it. Locking the door she headed upstairs and to the bathroom. The shower had sounded nice but she decided on a bath instead. Her muscles ached pleasantly in places and soaking in the hot water sounded better than just standing in it.
As she laid her head against the cold porcelain behind her looking up at the ceiling she started to wonder what Ed did on his Friday nights. Did he go out with other people from the office or did he head straight home, where ever home was for him? She actually pictured him to be the 'just go home' type. After all he didn't really get along with Mustang and she couldn't see him wanting to spend time with the older man outside of the office.
Smiling to herself she imagined the look on his face if she had asked him that, the small glare and his voice raising a couple octaves as he told her that would be ridiculous. Fe stopped herself from the vision; it was crazy how well she knew that response, had she really been watching him this whole time? How did she not realize that? But then he had a way of getting attention without him realizing it, perhaps she fell in line with the other people that mooned at him without knowing what they were doing.
Closing her eyes tightly she sighed, she must seem like an idiot to him. She might as well have thrown herself at him for as much as she tried to stop what was happening, which was not at all. She had seen other girls throw themselves at him and thought them crazy, even made fun of them in her own way. Hell she had joked with Ed one day about a girl who had practically been out of breath around him like she had been in heat. Ed had laughed right along with her.
Ed's laugh, she remembered it. The way it made his face look lighter and the way he stood a little straighter when he appeared carefree. Opening her eyes she heard the deep chuckle like he was in the room with her. Dam did she have it bad, if she could hear him when he wasn't with her she had it bad. A mix of gold and red circled in her mind till the color was all she could see.
Well apparently her muse wasn't going to let her rest. Getting out of the tub she dried off and pulled on her night clothes and headed to the spare room. Blank canvases and colorful ones lined the walls, paintbrushes and tubes of paint lay on every available surface. The window was just open enough to let fresh air mix with the smell of the oil based paint that was still drying on a canvas propped next to it. Selecting a blank canvas she put it up on the easel and rolled up her sleeves. Her mind wanted red and gold so that's what it was going to get.
Ed yawned and stretched as the train came to a stop. It was about eight in the morning as the train had rolled into Resembool and he had tried to sleep most of the night. But being as it had been a while since taking such a long train ride, the sleep he had gotten wasn't good. Taking his suitcase in hand Ed made his way to the door and off the train. The station was eerily quiet as he stepped onto the platform. Edward found this odd, it was Saturday after all. People should be coming into and heading out of town for the week end. But there was hardly anyone there.
Shrugging he made his way off the platform and into the train station. Perhaps it was the effect of the rogue alchemist on the loose here. His hand squeezed on the suitcase handle, anger had filed in to replace the tiredness, and someone was doing something dangerous in his home town. The feeling to run to check on his brother and Winry was overwhelming but he didn't want to drag them into danger if they weren't already in on what was going on.
However no matter how he looked at it his brother should already be on the case. If Al had caught even a whiff of something dangerous going on in their backyard he would have been all over it. So why hadn't Al gotten a hold of him? Surely Al would've heard something about it before he had gotten it in a file from Mustang.
Moving into the lobby Ed took one look around and came to a dead stop. Eye's going as big as saucers he took one step back at the site before him, suitcase falling from his hand. Friends from all over town, Granny Pinako and finally Al and Winry with her distended belly quite visible registered in his brain. Al held a huge cake with 'Happy Birthday Ed!' written in loopy letters across the top smiling broadly.
Streamers and balloons littered the place and in one big breath everyone shouted, "Happy Birthday!" For a minute Ed stared at everyone and everyone stared back, all was quiet waiting for his response.
Closing his mouth Ed grabbed his suitcase back up and turned away, "I am getting back on the train!"
"Oh no, you're not, brother!" Al laughed along with some others as Al handed the cake off. Racing to catch up with him Al turned Ed back around, "Come on brother! We have a big feast waiting at the house! Don't be upset!" Al laughed heartily.
Ed frowned letting Al lead him back through the crowd, "So there is no rouge Alchemist, is there."
Al shook his head, "If we had told you 'Ed, we are holding a big birthday party for you, you need to come home' would you have?"
"No," Ed replied grudgingly. "I suppose not." Then slowly he let himself smile as they levelled with Winry. "Wow, you're getting big!"
"My belly might be big but I can still hit you with a wrench!" She warned. "Just because I am pregnant doesn't mean I can't aim!"
"Yea, yea! It's good to see you!" He hugged her the best he could around her belly. "So you guys got me all the way out here just for my birthday?" He pulled away from Winry to look back at Al.
"Eh, pretty much." Al grinned.
"So how long am I supposed to stay?" Ed sighed looking around.
"Two weeks, at least that's how long we had Roy sign the paperwork for." Al patted him on the back as others came up to wish him a happy birthday.
"Why Ed, you got a hot date waiting for you back in Central?" Pinako asked biting down on her pipe a little smirk in the corner of her lips.
"No!" Ed's voice raised an octave. Cheeks burning he looked away clearing his throat. "No I don't really have anything too pressing." 'I hope.' Ed thought to himself.
"Ooh Ed you got a girlfriend?" one of his friends asked with a chuckle.
"When do we get to meet her?" someone else hollered out. And the bantering began as Ed protested with each shade of red he went. Al shook his head smiling to himself as Winry pitched in and he turned on her too, even Granny Pinako was getting in on the fun and the short jokes flew. Al was happy some things didn't change as he watched his brother try to take the attention off himself and shake free of the girlfriend business to no avail.
:::Thanks everyone for reading!
Let me know if you think I should add some Maes drama to the next one or not!
