Accidents Will Happen
By Rurouni Star
Summary: In which a call is made and Ed is cornered.
Chapter 3:
E. Elric's Business Phone; Day 2 of surveillance.
dialing
ringing
phone picks up
Female: This is the Aquroya Law Enforcement Dept. What can I do for you today?
E: This is… uh… Lieutenant Havoc, from Central Office. May I have a word with Detective Zeginata?
Female: One moment, please…
more elevator music… I wonder if it would be okay to fast forward through this stuff…
E: Damnit, how long are they going to have me on hold-
phone picks up
Man: This is Detective Zeginata in AquroyaCity – how can I help you, Lieutenant Havoc?
E: Listen here, you bastard, I know you're avoiding me! You better make some kind of headway on that investigation, 'cause eventually I'm going to get more leave and then-!
Man: Might you tell me to what you're referring, Lieutenant Havoc? If you're interested in the Psiren case, I'm afraid that information's been classified by one of your coworkers, Mr. Edward Elric. Why don't you ask him for permission-
E: You know damn well who I am!
Man: -so, I'm going to have to get going, because I have, ah, lots of things to do. Yes. So please call back later-
E: Don't you dare hang up on me, you sneaky little-
line goes dead
E: Not again! Hey! HEY!
-----
The predator honed in quietly on its prey, slinking from hiding spot to hiding spot. It had to be unobtrusive. It had to be sneaky. It had to be careful.
"Goddamnit, I'm so sick of this weird stuff going on…"
Good. The hunted hadn't picked up on its presence yet.
"You'd think it would be a simple matter to catch one stupid woman…"
Yes. The time was here. It would strike!
"HEY, ED!"
"AUGH!"
The boy jumped back, a hand to his chest, eyes saucer-wide. He tried vainly to calm his hyperventilation as Hughes advanced jovially on him.
"No more pictures!" Ed pleaded. "Please, no more pictures, I'll do anything!"
Hughes perked up. "Anything?" he said. "Reeeeally?"
Ed eyed him suspiciously, though it was hard to do so convincingly while he was still gasping for breath. "Hey, what do you have in mind, you jerk…"
Hughes' hand twitched toward his coat pocket, though, and Ed threw up his hands in submission. "All right, all right!" he said. "Name your terms!"
The older man pouted. "I just wanted to ask you to take care of Alicia for a while…" he whined.
Ed twitched. "Why would you want to voluntarily give up your daughter for even a moment?" he asked.
Hughes pulled out the big guns. He turned on the waterworks. "Ah!" he said tragically. "Gracia said she wanted some time all alone – I told her we could go to a movie with Alicia, or maybe watch her ride her bike, or take her to the park, but for some reason she got angry at me for that…"
Ed bought it, hook, line, and sinker. The boy snorted. "I wonder why," he said. "Is it possible even your wife could get sick of you talking about her all the time…"
Hughes put a hand to his heart, as though struck. "How cruel, Ed!" he said. "But…" He tried not to smile triumphantly. "Does that mean you'll do it?"
Ed blinked. "Hey," he said. "Hey wait, no-"
Hughes gasped. "What a wonderful friend you are!" he said. "I'm truly blessed – Gracia will be so thankful…"
At Ed's horrified expression, he knew he had won.
"I'll bring her over to your house at six," he said, smiling. "It'll only be for a few days – she'll love spending more time with you, she's been talking about it nonstop since I told her."
"Since you… told her…" Ed said dumbly. "You knew I was going to be hoodwinked into this, you bastard…"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Hughes said. "I hope you won't use that kind of language around my precious little Alicia!"
Ed put his head in his hands hopelessly.
"I'm doomed," he mumbled into his fingers.
-----
Alicia arrived at six pm sharp, and knocked politely on his apartment door.
Ed groaned into his ice cream and got up to face his doom.
"-now don't forget to give her breakfast every day, and make sure she goes to bed at a decent hour-"
"But Daaaaddy," Alicia whined. "Can't I stay up a little later?"
Hughes caved immediately, his eyes going slightly misty. "Oh, of course, honey, you can go to bed at ten instead…"
Ed rolled his eyes. "It's going to be nine-thirty," he said. "I don't actually stay up that late."
Then, Alicia turned her pleading eyes on him.
There was a hastily improvised staring contest, during which time her eyes began to water, and a small sniffle escaped her.
Ed looked away first.
"…fine. Ten. But no later."
Alicia squealed and hugged him around the waist. "Yaaaay! You're the best, Uncle Ed!"
He twitched and looked over at Hughes, whose eyes were slightly glazed over.
Uncle… Ed…
"Goodbye, Hughes," he said pointedly.
Hughes blinked, but otherwise didn't respond.
"I said goodbye, Hughes," Ed emphasized.
"Yeah, Daddy, bye bye!" Alicia said enthusiastically.
Hughes tore himself away with what must have been a Herculean effort. Ed could've sworn he saw tears in the man's eyes.
"G-goodbye…" he managed. After a moment, Ed sighed in exasperation and began to push him out the door.
Hughes skidded slowly away, staring back at his daughter. "Daddy loves you, Alicia!" he called back desperately.
The little girl giggled and waved as Ed slammed the door.
"Idiot," he muttered to himself.
He looked back at the little girl, who was still giggling to herself.
"I won't really make you stay up until ten," she promised with a winning smile.
Ed… melted.
"O-oh…" he muttered. Then: "Hey, want some ice cream?"
The little girl squealed in joy.
-----
