Note: note a sequel to the previous one.

!-

It was Valentine's day in the office and so far everything seemed normal. Ed didn't care one way or the other, she was happy for the guys with their dates but it wasn't something she had any reason to be excited about. She grinned at Riza's awkwardness when Havoc brought the markswoman flowers and a stuffed animal that looked exactly like Black Hayate. He'd been so nervous over the last week that Ed hadn't been sure he'd actually show up, despite the fact that they were already dating.

Breda had a date for the evening as well, but Falman and Feury, who lived in the dorms, did not. They'd offered a seat to Ed if he wanted to join them at the bar but she declined. There was something she'd been trying to get into in the restricted section of the library and was hoping the librarian would be distracted tonight.

Mustang had made a big show all week about not being sure which woman he'd like to call. So of course he had a date-

*Crash*

The door to the General's office smashed open and he stormed out of the room, passed his curious team, and headed off down the hallway.

Everyone looked to Hawkeye for an explanation. They could hear Mustang knocking on doors as he went from one office to another. Accosting receptionists.

Riza's face held mild amusement as she explained. "Every once in a while they all say no."

Ed's eyes went wide, Mustang couldn't get a date?! The rest of the team seemed equally amused, then quickly hid it as Mustang stormed back through the door and returned in a huff to his inner office.

Riza was right behind him and they could hear parts of the conversation filtering through, confirming Hawkeye's earlier statement.

It sounded like she was inviting Roy out with her and Havoc. Ed looked to see his reaction. Panic. And worse, it looked like he thought Ed might be the solution. She cursed Riza for telling him her secret.

"Ed you have to come with us."

"No."

"Please please please?! You know how much i wanted our first Valentine's to be special and she's ruining it!"

Ed sympathized with him, Hawkeye could be so logical sometimes that it took the romance out of things. And Havoc was all romance. She tried to reassure him, "Only because she feels bad for him. It's a pity invite. You know she loves you, you've been dating for almost a year."

"Yes but i have things planned, it's not just dinner!"

"You don't even know if he'll say yes."

"Of course he's going to say yes. He loves torturing me with women."

He had a point there. Ed sighed.

"Yesss! Thank you Ed! I owe you one. Six o'clock!"

Fuck. Now she had a date on Valentine's Day with a newly-in-love couple and her boss who thought she was an 18 year old boy, and she had to keep him out of Jean's way.

This was going to be a headache.

Riza returned from Mustang's office and took Jean out to the hallway for a hushed conversation. It definitely looked like Mustang had accepted the invite and she was going to break the news to him. Which cemented Ed's participation. She sighed again and turned to focus on work. Hopefully the evening went by quickly.

!-

Havoc pulled the car up to Ed's apartment just after six that evening and Ed climbed into the back seat to find all three occupants in fancy clothes. Shit. She didn't really have men's fancy stuff so her options had been limited to 'clean set of her usual clothes and long red coat instead of short black jacket'. Oh well, this would have to be close enough, it was a distraction mission anyway.

Mustang seemed annoyed that his game was ruined yet also intrigued he'd have someone else to bother. She shoved him out of the middle seat where he'd clearly been pestering Havoc. "Move over flame brain, i need to sit."

"Please, you're so small you'd fit on the arm rest."

Ed's eye twitched and she punched his shoulder, "Who are you calling so tiny-"

"Children!" Hawkeye used her work voice as they pulled into traffic, "Behave back there or we're not paying for your dinner."

Ed glared at her boss and Mustang sulked for the entire trip.

The restaurant wasn't any better. There had only been one extra table and Havoc made sure it was far away against the wall. Ed was glad that the couple would have the romantic dinner they wanted, even though her meal would be significantly less pleasant.

And since Mustang didn't have Jean to focus on he spent almost two hours grilling Ed on why she didn't have a date with a sexy lady.

"I'm not interested."

"I have something else to do."

"No thank you."

"I spend too much time working."

"I spend too much time in the library."

"I don't like dressing up."

"Fuck off."

None of these were acceptable answers for Mustang and he refused to drop it. Ed got a slight reprieve as dinner ended and they all left the restaurant.

She thought this was where she'd get to leave but to her surprise Havoc invited them for a walk in the park where there'd be a small romantic fireworks display. It was only a few blocks over.

Ed stared at him for a moment trying to understand why he would offer.

"Come on Ed, it's nice out. Just enjoy it."

Well, if he said so. He was the one that had wanted to be alone with Riza to begin with.

Mustang seemed even more suspicious, glancing from Jean to Riza like he was trying to read their minds. Ed poked him to redirect his attention, "Come on jackass, leave them alone." She grabbed his arm and started dragging him away.

"Ed let go. I was trying to see what they were up to." Mustang grabbed her wrist with his other hand and pulled her off.

At least he was walking now, "Damn, even your arms are tiny. How do you even exist?"

"Shut-"

"This is probably why you don't have a girlfriend. Women like tall men."

"What do they want with you then? You're literally only average."

That shut him up. She glanced sideways to see if her insult landed and was a little exasperated to see that he was pouting. Crap. Now she felt bad. Ed reminded herself that he'd been rejected probably twenty times for tonight. Which was likely deserved but still, it was lonely.

"Sorry. I didn't mean that. You're taller than me" *eye twitch* "and Feury and Breda so you've got nothing to worry about."

"I'm not worried! I'm super attractive. Check me out!" Mustang struck a pose that put his muscles on display.

There was a small delay before Ed rolled her eyes. "I know you are. All the women love you. Now let's keep moving so we can stay ahead of those two lovebirds."

Ed cleared her thoughts, he was damn sexy but he was also a sulky baby, so she forcibly shifted her brain's focus off the muscles and onto the interesting research she might still be able to get to in the library. Sometimes they stayed open for her if she called ahead.

It took her a moment to notice Mustang was looking at her quietly. "What?"

"Nothing." He looked away. "Tell me again why you don't have a date tonight."

Ed rolled her eyes, nothing she liked more than to list her own shortcomings to appease her boss' fragile ego. And where had Jean and Riza gone? Did that mean she could leave now?

"I can set you up with some women Ed. Get you a date for tomorrow night."

"I'm not interested in women Mustang, so just drop it." She started looking around in earnest for the couple and quickly gave up. If they'd lost her and Mustang then it was on purpose.

"Looks like i might actually make it to the library."

Mustang had been staring at her strangely again and her comment shook him out of whatever was distracting him. "You're going to the library on Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah. Why does the day matter?"

"You don't want to see the fireworks?"

Ed took a minute to think about it, she did love explosions. Mustang stepped into her personal space and she subconsciously took a step back to keep the distance. Not paying attention to what he was looking at. She took out her pocket watch. There was still a half hour before the library closed. Maybe she could stay a couple more minutes.

Mustang must have seen her decision because he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the nearest bench before letting her go and sitting back, arms stretched along the top.

"Come sit Ed."

"Move your arm if you want me to sit with you jackass."

He smirked at her and patted the seat beside him then moved his arm back up into place. "No."

Ed grumbled to herself and sat down hunched forward. This was awkward.

"So you like men then."

The comment startled her into sitting up and she slowly turned to stare at him. "What?"

"Well you said twice you weren't interested in women. Which means you aren't interested in humans at all, or you like men."

She continued to stare at him.

"And since you said earlier that you know I'm attractive, I'm going with the latter instead of the former."

Worry started to flow into Ed's heart. She wasn't ready to be kicked off the team. She wasn't ready for this fight. She didn't want Roy to hate her. This was supposed to just be a friendly night out! A favour to a friend!

The growing panic must have shown on her face because Mustang grabbed her wrist for the second time that night. "No need for alchemy Ed. Just tell me the truth."

She hadn't realised she'd raised her hands as if to clap and pulled to free her arm from his grip. Which didn't work; Mustang was stronger. She was so fucked. She did not want to do this today, or any day. Ever.

Mustang conceded, "Ok. How about i start then? About a week ago Hawkeye told me she'd found me a date for tonight but in order to see the girl i had to participate in this elaborate show she had all planned out. I figured, ok, I'm bored with regular dates, let's give this a try.

So she tells me i have to throw a temper tantrum about not having a date on Valentine's Day and she'd take it from there.

That was easy enough. Today comes around, i play the part at the office, they pick me up. Then we stop to get you. Which at first, i thought maybe she'd made the same deal with you as she had with me. Maybe she had a date lined up for you later this evening.

And since there was nothing better to do over dinner i decided to see if you knew anything about our dates. But your answers weren't what i was expecting. I started to think maybe she was setting you up with another man and that we'd meet them both after dinner. I hadn't thought you were gay but what did i know about your personal life?

And then Havoc invites us for this walk, and that starts to worry me. Were they setting me up with you? I don't like men, and i wouldn't know the first thing about politely turning you down.

When you told me to leave them alone it seemed like you were completely unaware of their plotting. Then i realised that they'd given you a completely different story. That you believed I was a third wheel to their first Valentine's Day together.

But now that meant that you are here because they want you here, which means you're my date.

And I'm not gay Ed. So why would they try to set me up with you? Is there anything you need to tell me? Anything about your wrists being so thin, your light frame? Or how about why you haven't hit puberty at 18? Or that your hips are wider? How about the wraps under your shirt that I've seen a few times over the years?"

Her eyes were wide, what could she do? She was the one in the wrong, hiding her secret from him, but she still didn't want to tell him. To lose everything.

"Ok, Let's start with your name then. Edward?"

She shook her head, "Edaline."

"Ok, good start. Born?"

"1895."

"1895?! You're four years older?"

Ed nodded.

"Good to know, i was just confirming you were born in Resembool. Is that true?"

Ed was talking to her feet. "Yes."

"Is Alphonse really your brother?"

"Yes. He's three years younger than me."

"You're doing great. Keep talking." Mustang was feigning nonchalance to try and relax Ed. He wasn't really looking for a fight tonight and she seemed ready to transmute a fist out of the ground and run away.

Ed actually started talking, looking nervous but increasingly unburdened, and he got the whole story out of her. Or close enough he couldn't tell the difference. There was a lot; and as he pulled her up off the bench and along the path he hoped that walking would keep her mouth moving. It also meant she couldn't see his reactions as his mind took it all in to process. Which it did at a speed that amazed even him, perhaps he'd subconsciously known all along. He glanced over at her while she recounted the promised day from her point of view, the trip through the gate, her return … unscathed? Something was missing there. Something she didn't want to bring up right now. He let it slide. There'd be another time to clear that up.

*boom*

Ed's nerves made her jump as the first firework went off, exploding high above their heads. She looked annoyed at herself and Mustang laughed. Teasing her.

She glared at him, irritated. But before she could say anything he pulled her into him, dropping her wrist to wrap one arm around her waist, the other hand sliding into her hair at the back of her head, and then he kissed her.

It was slow and soft and Ed melted immediately.

This was way better than the library.