A/N: Okay! Fixed some issues on Part 8 regarding gender pronouns. I chickened out so I tried to shy away from 'he' or 'she' & replaced confusing moments with 'her friend' or 'Ed' or some other word/s. Also remedied the 'stepsis' vs. 'stepbro' issue here. Thanks to zuruzurune and intercidoerro for pointing that out. Also, since the fic has a lot of things going on, ask if you have questions or are confused bc I know I get confused myself sometimes. Enjoy! Runs off to work on her one-shot
Part 10: Instant Love
The next day was a bit awkward for Edward, but more so for Ms. Steltz, who couldn't help but feel the imaginary needles of Edward's gaze, sticking into her back as if she were a pincushion. She continued to lecture as best she could, and occasionally gave an understanding smile to her beloved Alphonse's…. stepbrother? Stepsister? "Nii-san?" Actually, she wasn't sure why Mr. Alphonse called Ms. Hawkeye his stepbrother or "Nii-san" for that matter. She shook her head. It wasn't important. What mattered was that she had found her one true love. Even though he could not keep his relative's title straight, the man was a complete gentleman. When she invited him into her house the previous night, all he wanted to do was talk about her number one best-selling novel and the philosophy of sex. He didn't try to seduce her and he didn't try to take advantage of her. In fact, he didn't even lay one finger on her.
She sighed aloud. "Oh, is this really true love?" She leaned against the chalkboard dramatically. "Such pain and pleasure that no words can describe…"
The students blinked in confusion and murmured amongst themselves that the woman had finally succumbed to her early dementia.
Ed rolled his eyes at Ms. Steltz. He went through the class agitated and cranky, and even more so as Melinda crooned loudly at achieving yet another A+ on her quiz "without trying" she said. He stared at his own quiz and pouted. He hated losing and he wasn't going to take a C for an answer. Then he remembered the long-term poetry assignment. Yes, yes. He can crush Melinda Bradley if he can get a good grade in that assignment. He cackled quietly to himself, earning awkward stared from the girls next to him.
He entered political science class that afternoon completely astounded after seeing Headmistress Kicksdicks talking to someone in military uniform whose back was turned to him. The Headmistress was smiling. Smiling.
He paused a moment and realized that the usual instructor wasn't there, and that the person in uniform had a peculiarly familiar set of shoulders.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He blurted by accident, and then clamped his mouth shut.
The Headmistress glared at Edward and then raised an eyebrow. "Edlynn Hawkeye, watch your mouth." She motioned to the seats. "Class is starting, so get back to your seat."
Colonel Mustang stood by the Headmistress and smirked. He didn't say a word.
Gonna kill him. The boy thought.
Ed attempted to make his face indifferent, but failed. The boy hated it. He hated hearing the giggling and gawking girls in class, and he hated the fact that Roy was lavishing that devilish smile at on everyone. The Headmistress clapped her hands to get the girls' attention. The classroom grew quiet.
"Good afternoon, class." She greeted.
"Good afternoon, Headmistress." The class greeted back in unison.
"Since Mrs. Garroway is on leave, we have been graced with a special substitute to teach Introduction to Political Science. Please be courteous and show some manners." She glared at Ed upon emphasizing that word, and then her smile returned. "This is Colonel Mustang, and he will be here to lecture for the rest of the semester."
The Headmistress continued to go on and on with a generous introduction, and the girls continued to stare and blush incessantly. Ed's mind reeled at having not been told any of this. Since when did the Academy allow military personnel to teach classes, and since when did the Colonel know that he was going to be part of temporary Academy staff? Ed wanted to scream and tell all the girls to stop the annoying giggling, and he wanted to wipe the smugness off the man's face. He'd have a lot to answer for later.
-------
It was difficult to get the Colonel alone, even after class, since a flock of girls coagulated around him as soon as the bell rang. Most were giggling and batting their mascara-caked eyelashes, and Roy, the bastard, reveled in the attention he received.
Fortunately, Edward calmed down significantly later that afternoon. Before taking on his maintenance duty, he decided to take a breath of fresh air and cool his irritation. He stood on the porch and looked out into the courtyard between St. Augustine's campus and the East University library. Off to the right were the sports fields, where a number of girls clad in St. Augustine's navy and green lacrosse uniforms practiced. To his far left was a small white gazebo, which was erected as a memorial to the school founder. He made his way to the gazebo, hoping to sit and relax on it when he saw a familiar dark silhouette leaning lazily against the outer frame.
He heard a voice yelling in the east of the courtyard. Emily came running across the way to the figure. Her eyes sparkled with laughter and admiration, and her face glowed full of vigor. She nearly toppled the man when she caught him with a fierce hug.
Ed stopped in his tracks. Maybe this is Emily's special crush… Not wanting to interfere, he faced back toward the Academy.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." The man's voice echoed softly in the distance. "Are you ready for dinner?"
"Of course." She replied. "So where are you taking me this time?"
"Hmmm… How about that new Xingan restaurant over on 5th Avenue?"
Emily giggled softly. "We went there last time, Jean."
Edward stopped in his tracks. Jean? His mind repeated, slowly turning to confirm his suspicion.
Emily had her arm on a man in uniform, and he had a characteristically recognizable cigarette hanging from his mouth.
"No shit." Ed said to himself.
As if hearing his soft curse, Emily and Jean looked over his way. Emily waved her hand and dragged Jean over to him, and Jean stared at him curiously.
"Edlynn! I want you to meet Jean." She said excitedly. "Jean, this is my good friend Edlynn."
Jean Havoc blinked a few times, and then said, "Hmmm; you look awfully familiar. Do I know you?"
Edward's jaw dropped. He then remembered Havoc being asleep in the office for the entire duration of his rants with the Colonel. He wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the office thought it would be funny to not inform the Second Lieutenant about his mission. Plus, it has been said that the man had awareness in equal footing with a donkey, which probably meant that Havoc did not recognize him. Unfortunately, with Emily there, he couldn't utter a word about his true identity.
"Uh… I guess we've seen each other around…" Edward replied carefully, as if to hint the man into recognizing him.
"She just started at the Academy recently." Emily announced proudly. "She's the one that stood up to those girls at lunch!"
"Really?" Jean rubbed his chin. "But you're such a tiny thing..."
"IAMNOTTINY!" Ed snapped on reflex, then immediately shut his mouth and flushed pink. Don't give yourself away! He looked at Havoc, then to Emily, who continued to smile innocently.
Jean blinked, un-phased by the sudden outburst but clearly affected by the tell-tale blush on the "girl's" cheeks. So cute. So pretty. I think I'm in love with this girl! He thought blindly and excitedly, ignoring the fact that the person in front of him resembled someone very, very familiar.
Upon noticing the change in the Second Lieutenant's expression, Ed quickly said, "I-I've got boards to wash and, ah, I've got to go!" He ran back to the Academy building, leaving the two slightly perplexed at his exit.
Jean sighed longingly. "How come you didn't tell me you had such a cute friend?"
"Oh?" Emily eyed him. "What's this? You're in love for the fourth time this week? The world must be ending…"
He pouted, cigarette nearly falling off his lips.
"But you don't deny it, do you?" She said. "My favorite cousin is in love with a teenager."
Jean sighed again, his head seemingly in the clouds walking on air. "Oh, but love transcends all things, even age-wise too." He sniffed the air. "Ahh… She left a lovely perfume in the air; it smells like fresh daisies and sweet honey."
"Actually, it smells like chalk and detergent." She drawled.
"Wait a sec." His dreamy look slightly wavered. "I hope Edlynn isn't like every other girl in this school and in love with the Colonel."
Emily shook her head. "Not true. She didn't even wait for him after class. Plus, she looks at him like he's got two heads." She neglected to mention the fact that Ed constantly rubbed his palms together while muttering 'cow poop' during political science.
The man raised a fist to his heart. "Ahh… my sweet Edlynn." He announced with great fervor. "I will win your heart if it's the last thing I do."
Emily sighed in resignation.
-------
Edward did a bad job of washing boards because his mind constantly wandered to the discovery of Emily's special crush, and Jean Havoc's ogling eyes. He kept cringing and dropping the sponge on the floor, causing the entire process to slow down by a whole hour and a half.
He saved the largest lecture hall for last, since the boards were oversized, multi-layered, and took a good forty minutes to wash. He washed one board completely, then stepped back to sit on the lecture chair to rest his back. He leaned his head on the headrest to stare at the ceiling. His eyes fluttered, nearly shutting from exhaustion.
"I think you missed a spot." A voice by the doorway said.
Ed jerked, but his foot got caught on the chair's right leg, and it awkwardly toppled over to the side, sending the boy sprawling on his butt.
Roy, standing by the doorway, winced. He walked over to the boy and extended a hand. "Didn't think that would happen."
Ed stared at the offered hand for a moment, then made a face. "Liar." He muttered, getting up by himself, ignoring the proffered hand.
Roy shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I didn't exactly have the opportunity to tell you."
"You could have told me last night." The blond picked up a sponge and rung it out.
"I couldn't get a word in with you ranting about your brother."
The boy snorted.
"Whatever it is, I'm here because of what you did." The older man explained. "It would seem that you haven't been keeping quiet. Did you do something with the Bradley girl?"
"That bitch did it all. You know I would never do anything unless provoked."
"Whatever it is, try not to cause problems with her."
Ed ignored him, making his way to the blackboard.
Roy went on. "The Fuhrer felt it necessary that I keep a closer eye on you; you know how he feels about his daughter. Fortunately, Ms. Bradley is completely unaware of anything and…" He noticed the boy stiffly tip-toeing and running the wet sponge on the board, but still leaving a foot of chalky area on top.
Roy couldn't help but smile at him.
"I have eyes on the back of my head. So stop smirking." The boy grumbled loudly, tip-toeing further in an attempt to reach the top of the board. "Fucking black board! Stupid fucking board!" He muttered heatedly as he instinctively felt Roy's smile widen.
He made a reach for it again, nearly falling backwards, only to be surprised by strong arms enveloping his waist then lifting him a foot off the ground.
"W-what the fuck are you doing?" He exclaimed, squirming.
"I don't know how you finish this the other nights. You could just pull up a chair."
Only when nobody else is here. the boy thought, embarrassed.
"You'll be here all night if you don't get this done." Roy replied. "Besides, this is much faster than a chair, isn't it?"
Ed pouted. He hated admitting that the Colonel was right, but he hated it even more when he realized that it felt good to have his back against the warm, taut chest; and to have strong, secure arms wrapped gently around his body. He forcefully ignored the fuzzy feeling and swiped the top of the board.
-------
Melinda was blushing in excitement as she clutched the pink envelope against her chest. She ran down the hallway after a classmate had told her that Colonel Mustang was in one of the empty classrooms. She hadn't bothered to ask why; she simply wanted to give him the love letter she had painstakingly written. She'd seen the Colonel on several occasions, especially during military conferences and charity balls, but never had the chance to confess her feelings for him.
Now that the Colonel was spending more time at St. Augustine, she had a chance.
She turned the corner and stepped into the empty classroom, only to find the Colonel with his arms wrapped around a blushing Edlynn Hawkeye. Ed was wiping the board and the Colonel had the infamous Ms. Hawkeye hoisted a foot above the floor. She remained rooted on the spot, taking in the scene before her, and clutching the letter tighter against her chest.
After a moment, Roy noticed her presence and dropped the boy to the ground.
"Ow!" Edward grunted, then stood up, ready to curse the man when he finally saw Melinda by the doorway.
Roy put on his most charming smile and gave a gallant bow. "Ms. Bradley, I didn't expect you to be here. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
The girl shifted her ice-blue eyes from Roy to Ed, then back. She bit her lip, remembering what she was here for. It's now or never. She thought. She stepped up, then handed the Colonel the crumpled note. "Colonel, this is for you." Her face colored, and there was a bit of a falter to her expression.
The man gently accepted the note and smiled graciously. "Well, thank you…?"
"W-welcome." She stuttered. "I'd… better go, the chauffer is waiting downstairs." With a confused and suspicious glance at Ed, she walked hurriedly away before the Colonel could open the envelope.
End of Part 10: Instant Love
TBC on Part 11: Love Letter