Edward was leaning against one of the library's plain white walls. A dusty volume was resting in his lap. The Full Metal alchemist wasn't getting much done, due to the fact that he was having some trouble concentrating. Usually the small blond had no problems but he had the distinct feeling he was being watched, however every time the blond looked up no one was there. Edward was starting to get ticked off because he wanted to finish reading the book on his lap, so he could join his brother Al outside. Someone was halting his progress and Ed hated that.

Edward brought the large volume to his face and starting too once again tries to read, he only got through a couple paragraphs when he felt a pickling sensation at the back of his neck. Which of course could only mean that someone was watching him again much to the blond's annoyance. Edward glanced up and tried to spot the person disturbing his progress and by a stroke of luck he caught them. In one of the hallway stood Colonel Roy Mustang. Edward's annoyed expression faded to confusion when the Colonel didn't look away as their eyes locked.

Edward fought the urge to roll his gold eyes, why didn't it really surprise him that the Colonel didn't look away? The Colonel seemed to think he was above the average person, so if the average person would look away, the Colonel had to keep looking.

Edward saw someone approach the Colonel and the two men left leaving Edward with a curious expression on his face. "Colonel?" He whispered.

Another man approached Roy and the two men spoke in hush tones, which were the only time Roy's eyes left his for a brief moment of time. As the men started to leave, Roy didn't say anything, he stared at Edward for a couple moments before continuing down the hallway to their destination. A perplex expression had now replaced the curious expression.

-----------------

Edward was lying on his stomach on the bed, reading the same book he had been earlier, except this time he was somewhat actually getting through it since he didn't have as much distractions as he did earlier. Of course Edward still had his distractions, the blond alchemist was convinced no matter the situation he could find some kind of distraction.

Edward placed a red marker in the book before closing it and placing the book on his night stand with a soft sigh. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the yellow ceiling almost like it had the answers to all his problems, which inside itself was laughable. He doubted the bedroom ceiling knew how to make the philosopher's stone without using human sacrifices.

Truths are told Edward didn't really have the Philosopher's stone on his mind at the moment, in fact his mind was no where near that train of thought. His mind was focused on what happened at the library, why it did happen and what exactly did that expression on Mustang's face mean.

Edward knew for a fact that Mustang was not a very expressive man. In fact the man tried so hard and most often than not succeed in hiding his expression. So Edward found it a surprise when an expression was on the Colonel's face.

Edward wasn't even sure where to begin with the expression he saw on Mustang's face. The expression itself was one he had never saw before on his face or anyone else's faces for that matter.

He was going have to look into this.

-----------------

The next day Edward was due to visit the Colonel in his large office to discuss his recent report that was more like something Edward threw together at the last minute. However, no one really said anything and Edward was starting to wonder why after all these years.

It was a chain reaction really, one incident with the Colonel and now he was wondering about things that usually he could care less about. Oh well maybe after all these years he was becoming more understanding. Edward's wrinkle his nose at that thought and decided that was definitely not the case, besides that was Al's job. It was probably for the best, to leave the understanding bit to Al and the explaining to Edward. Well actually, it was more of Edward yelling than explaining but he got the point across either way. Most of the time.

Edward didn't bother knocking. He just walked right in. There was no point in changing that routine, he been doing it since the beginning and didn't see any reason why he should stop doing it.

Edward tossed his report on the corner of Mustang's desk and flopped on the couch. That was the only good thing about Mustang's office, the couches were extremely comfortable. Far as Edward was concern they should be for all the crap he had to put up with Mustang being his commanding officer.

The office was oddly quiet which didn't settle well with Edward, usually there would be a couple short jokes but the Colonel hadn't said a word. Edward couldn't help but feeling the slightest bit suspicious.

The teen walked over to the Colonel's desk and shuffled the paperwork carefully aside so he could actually see Mustang's face. He was asleep. That would explain the lack of short jokes, Edward knew it was too good to be true, like Mustang would give up the chance to poke fun at Edward's height.

Edward tried shaking Mustang awake but it didn't seem to be working and he was feeling slightly annoyed. Edward went through all this trouble in getting here on time and that bastard was fast asleep. Sometimes Colonel Mustang pissed him off.

Well desperate times, call for desperate measures; Edward carefully hitched himself onto Mustang's desk, so he was kneeling on the black-haired man's desk. He moved himself closer to where the older alchemist was sitting.

Edward's face broke into a wicked grin, thanks to his earlier shaking in trying to get Mustang up, the man had slid down his chair. One good push would send Mustang to the floor. Edward really couldn't deny himself and really the man deserved it for sleeping on the job.

So Edward leaned forward and gave the man a good push.

Unfortunately for Edward, he didn't assess the whole situation, for example he never took into count that Mustang might grab onto something as he fell down. Further more the something could be him.

Somehow Edward Elric didn't imagine that by ten o'clock in the morning he would be underneath his commander officer, then again Edward never imagines himself underneath Mustang ever.

Ed felt like rolling his gold eyes and banging his head against the white carpeted floors, how could it get any worse.

It in fact did because that was the point of Murphy's Law and Murphy's Law stated at that moment Colonel Roy Mustang would open his eyes. Which of course the man did blink in confusion and trying to figure out why he wasn't in his chair. Of course he then glanced down and his expression became even more perplex. "Full Metal?"

Ed just groaned.

-----------------

Al looked over at his older brother who was being oddly quiet. "Niisan?"

Edward didn't respond, he just saw there sulking in their apartment. He was lying on one of the beds, he was rolled away from his brother and he had his arms crossed. The blond alchemist was wearing his typical black tank top and black pants. "Niisan do you want to talk about it?"

The silence reigns throughout the small room.

Al would have rolled his eyes, if he could sometimes his brother could be so childish sometimes, sometimes Al wondered who really was the older sibling.

"I really don't mind Niisan," Al reassured his brother.

Edward turned over to look at his brother with a perplexed expression on his face. "Mind what?"

"Well you and the Colonel of course. If it makes you happy, who am I to become between you two."

Edward sat up and grabbed one the white fluffy pillow behind him and threw it at Al. "I hate that smarmy bastard," he snarled.

Al would have smiled or rather smirk if he could. "Niisan really it's ok. You don't have to pretend any more."

Edward growled menacingly at his younger brother while Al laughed at his brother misfortune. After all what were brothers for if not to poke fun at you in your worse moments and cheer for you in your best moments.

-----------------

The next day with much nudging from his brother Edward, had gone back to Colonel Mustang's office. Dealt with the snickering as he walked into the office or at least tried to. Instead Edward had ended up walking into Mustang himself, which only made the snickering worst.

Al put one of his metallic hands against his forehead. Oh honestly what else could go wrong for Niisan, he thought darkly.

"Watch where you're going Fullmetal!" Mustang snarled.

Edward not to be outdone snarled right back. "It's not my fault! Why weren't you behind your desk like you should be!"

"Oh boy," Al muttered under his breath at Edward's statement.

The snickering turned almost instantly to laughter, Hawkeye sighed lightly from her desk and continues to work on her paperwork.

"Just get in the office," Roy said as calmly as he could when really he looked like he wanted to explode.

Edward huffed and walked in and flopped on the black leather sofa.

Roy walked with quick strides to his desk and sat in his chair, resting his elbows on the oak desk, looking in Edward's direction.

Edward stared back and raised one of his eyebrows at the Colonel.

Roy picked up Edward's report with a sigh and flipped through the pages, skimming the messy handwritten content on it. "What did you destroy this time Full Metal?"

Edward scowled. "What makes you think I destroyed anything? You're always first to blame me for destroying anything when I get back!"

Roy raised an eyebrow and with that smirk that Edward found so insufferable. "I know you Full Metal."

It made Edward want to pull out every strand of his thick blond hair out and hard.

-----------------

On Friday, Edward finally found the time to go to the library and find some more books that he and Al could research from together. Al wasn't allow to go into the state alchemist library, it was the least Edward could do after all.

However, Edward was sure his visit would be more pleasant if everyone stop staring at him. Edward gritted his white teeth, he knew what the stares were about, he was no fool after all. Edward wasn't sure which one of them squeal but he was going to find out which one spill the beans and they were going to pay. Oh yes, they were going to pay and when they were finishing paying, they were going to pay some more.

Mustang was watching him again, which couldn't be helping matters much. It was probably making things a dozen times worse. Ed scowled and signed out his books and walked out of the library in a huff.