The surprise was Hughes. He appeared with his wife and daughter and for a split second everything seemed to be normal again in Eds world. All the pent up anger vanished when she laid eyes on Mustangs best friend. Everyone was ecstatic. "Sorry I couldn't tell you." Mustang said quietly to Ed after everyone got a chance to hug their friend. "I understand. How did you get him to agree to go into hiding?" Ed asked softly looking up into the taller man's eyes. "I promised him to make sure every single moment of Elizas life would be captured in a photograph. There's over ten thousand images." Mustang muttered, sounding a little exasperated. "I've never been happier. This beats getting our bodies back, right Al?" Ed mused as she smiled at her younger brother who wandered off to talk to Hughes shortly after. "I meant to talk to you about that public apology." Mustang said quietly. "Hum, yeah, whatever. Let me know what you'd like me to say." Ed hummed watching Hughes showing off his new stash of photos. "Are you quiet well Fullmetal?" "I don't fancy arguing with you right now." Ed confided. "No, not that, you're bleeding." Mustang muttered, grabbing his insubordinate by the shoulders to push him out of the room. "Am I?" Ed asked looking at herself. With horror Ed saw the thin red streak staining the insides of her trousers red. It ran down her leg. "Ah, shucks. This happens all the time, just ripped my stiches again. I'll be alright.." Ed muttered trying to get away from the colonels grip. "When did you injure yourself?" Mustang asked as the got to the dark corridor. "Turns out chasing after bad guys without alchemy can be a little more dangerous, I got caught on a fence or something. It's fine, just leave me." Ed huffed, she needed to sort herself out, why did she have to get that blasted period now. "The nurse has gone home ages ago, come on, I'll stitch it back up for you." "I can do it myself." Ed growled pulling her arm away from Mustangs now limp grip. "Don't be stupid. I can do it for you." "No thanks." Ed grumbled as she took a few steps back. "Why are you so stubborn Fullmetal?" "Because this is stupid, just make sure Hughes doesn't leave early, I'll sort myself out and I'll be right back." The colonel bit his bottom lip and nodded, this time his glance got caught on Ed's neck. It looked so delicate and slim. He had always been a little bit confused about his feelings towards his youngest major. He put it down to Ed looking so much like a girl, as time went on the shrimp had the audacity to make himself look even less male. He drowned in his military jacket, he sneezed like a girl and pouted like one too. He rid himself of his uncalled for thoughts and nodded again. "I expect you back in twenty minutes, Hughes had mentioned he wanted to talk to you in private. Don't be late Fullmetal, that's an order." Ed nodded and smiled, she was just glad to get away from him, and the party. Ugh, she needed to clean herself up now.
"Brother!" Al basically screamed across the party when she returned wearing different clothes, this time she donned a nice black suit which was a little better fitted. She was worried it was too well fitted however, the white shirt lay close to her stomach, she could feel her breasts push against the buttons of the shirt angrily. Luckily the black suit jacket covered the shirt quiet nicely, combined with the black tie her unruly breasts lay hidden. "Feeling better Fullmetal?" The colonel asked, cursing his mind when he noticed how nice his strange fancy looked in a black suit. Before Ed got a chance to answer Hughes grabbed Ed by the collar and dragged her from the party, "We'll be right back, I need to ask Ed a few questions about alchemy." This made Mustang, Al, Mrs. Hughes and Ed scrunch up their faces. It was such a blatant lie that no one knew how to react to it.
"Ed, what's that I hear about you having a girlfriend? You shouldn't toy with some poor girls feelings just to cover up your tracks." Hughes whispered looking genuinely concerned about this strangers feelings. He had Ed cornered, standing in the dark corridor, several feet away from the entrance. "That's the thing Hughes, I don't have one." Ed muttered, taking her gloves off to rub her forehead. Hughes watched Ed's hands silently, it was smart of Ed to keep those gloves on. "Who did Roy see at your window then?" "It was me. I have had to listen to inappropriate jokes about my gorgeous tits for far too long now Hughes... but I can't break up with myself because it just so happens that it is a great cover." "Why keep covering up? You're not an alchemist anymore and you know women can join regular military service." Hughes asked looking around. "I have no other means of income, I never learned a trade... I've always been brought up as a boy... Hughes, there is a good reason why I pretend to be a boy.. Until its taken care of I have no other choice." Ed huffed in annoyance. "Well, promise me once it's taken care of to come clean. I cannot bear seeing Roy in a constant state of confusion." Hughes said in a matter of fact like fashion. "What do you mean?" Ed asked as Hughes moved away and they stood more naturally. "You seriously haven't noticed? You might be some alchemy prodigy but you're pretty thick." Hughes laughed as he headed away from Ed. "Come lets go back together." Hughes offered with a smile, when he noticed the young cross-dresser didn't move.
"What have you two been discussing and do not say alchemy, we all know that was a lie." Mustang asked coldy when Ed and Hughes had returned to the little circle. Al knew obviously but he made a good show of looking puzzled. "Just giving Fullmetal some fatherly advice on his relationship." Hughes lied with a smile. "She seems to be a very accomplished young lady if Al is to be believed." Mustang muttered raising an eyebrow, he raised it even higher when he saw the glance Ed shot her brother. Al seemed amused and a tiny bit drunk. "Al, what have you been telling them-" "Just how she works at a local zoo, with the cats, the big ones, like tigers and lions." Al announced and smiled.
Of course she would be working with fucking cats. She wanted to slap Al. "Time to go home Al, you're drunk." Ed groaned as she grabbed her younger brothers arm and dragged him across the dance floor. "I'll give them a lift." Mustang announced after watching them leave. He didn't like the idea of them wandering to the dormitories on their own.
"So, she works with cats then?" Ed basically screamed at Al. "Yeah, she also breeds domestic cats." He said with a warm smile. "You are unbelievable." Ed glowered as they both stumbled on the cobbled street. "I am unbelievable? Who's the one actively sabotaging her life?" "I am not sabotaging my own life, you know why I do this. So leave me be." Ed shouted pointing to her breasts. They had now come to a stop in the middle of the street to have a full blown argument. "It's so long ago now, I am sure that he's forgotten all about you Ed." Al groaned rubbing his forehead. "I want you to get yourself a nice boyfriend, get married and have children. This whole running around chasing bad guys and cutting yourself on fences is ridiculous. You will never be happy." Al whispered, angrily. He was concerned about his older sister, she would never know happiness if she kept running. "I didn't cut myself on a fence! I am not that stupid Al!" "Why did you disappear then?" Al growled. "Because of, you know. Ugh, can you just let me live my life in peace?" "That is what I am trying to do Ed. Let it go, be yourself." Al muttered looking up at the sky. "Let's be happy Ed." He continued staring at the stars. "I'm sorry, this all is so stressful." Ed muttered taking her tie off to fling it in a nearby puddle. "Did you find any leads?" Al asked watching the tie soak up more water. "No... of course not." "You cannot be this lonely for the rest of your life you know." Al said softly. "I am not lonely, I have you don't I?" "You know what I mean." Al muttered as the rain made them both shudder. "Are you two alright?" They both looked up at the familiar voice, Mustang peered at them from within a black car. "Let me give you a lift." He said, it sounded so much like an order both Ed and Al made their way into the car. Ed sat at the front and Al sat at the back. "You lost your tie Fullmetal." Roy observed. He really wished he didn't have to watch the road, otherwise he could've gotten more than lost in that little dip at the bottom of his insubordinates throat. "Thank you for the lift Colonel." Ed muttered as her hand went to her neck absent mindedly. She was looking for the top button, she was painfully aware of how delicate her neck looked. "How's the stiches?" Mustang asked looking into the direction of Ed's upper leg. "All good, I can sort myself out. I told you so." The colonel nodded. "Thank you for the invitation Colonel." Al announced with a sober smile. "It was my pleasure Al." The colonel said with a smile.