After all these years, they're still not mine.


Day 1: Meetings

The breakfast was finally over, which meant… Edward didn't want to think about it. The Bastard and Teacher meeting each other, and then scheming together, the thought was just too damn frightful. He could imagine them sitting together; planning out every tiny aspect of his life like the control freaks he knew them both to be. His existence would be hell once he introduced them. But, considering the alternative, there really wasn't much of a choice.

"Well, we'd best get back to headquarters," Mustang said, motioning the waitress for the bill, "Else the lieutenant will come searching for me." He seemed to shudder at that.

"Actually Sir," Edward said, trying to sound as meek as possible, "Teacher has expressed an interest in meeting you. If that's alright." He didn't think that the bastard would refuse, the world just wasn't that fair, but he really really wished that he would.

Unfortunately, Mustang was clearly very happy to put off his paperwork for a few more hours, "What a marvelous idea." He grinned at Fullmetal, an evil glint forming in his eyes. "We can hire a carriage to take us there."

Edward gulped at the thought, but forced a smile anyway. He smile then became less forced as the waitress delivered the bill and Mustang's eyes suddenly became very wide.


Mustang paid the bill, ignoring his subordinate's smug grin; he'd get him back for that later. He gave the waitress a dazzling smile as she left, and then he offered his arm to Fullmetal, "Shall we?"

He saw the hesitation in Edward's gaze and for a moment didn't understand. Then thinking back over the breakfast he realized that Edward had only been using his automail limb throughout the entire meal, his nonmetal arm was still injured despite the fact that he had forgone the cast.

Mustang blinked at the faintly surprised look in Edward's eyes as he switched arms to allow the younger alchemist to use his right arm instead of his wounded left. 'Does Fullmetal really expect me to intentionally cause him pain?' He wondered as Edward finally accepted the offered arm. He pondered that thought to himself as he led Edward outside, eyes searching for a carriage to flag down.

It was really disconcerting to come to the conclusion that Mustang really knew very little about Edward except how to make him angry.


'Well at least it's not a girly carriage,' Ed thought as Mustang 'helped' him climb aboard, though Ed was certain it was just so the bastard could get a look under his skirt. 'It certainly could be roomier though.'

It wasn't very small, but it was small enough that when Mustang joined him inside their knees brushed together in a way that made Edward's stomach flip uncomfortably. (From disgust! It was disgust alright? Not that other feeling, honest). His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his miniskirt, wishing he was wearing pants or at least something longer.

"Destination?" The driver asked through the window above Edward's head.

Edward rattled off the name of Teacher's hotel and the driver closed the window, leaving the young alchemist alone with his superior in the relative darkness of the carriage. Mustang said nothing for the first few minutes of the ride, merely sat there looking at him. The silence was irritating; he almost missed the colonel's usual jabs and barbs just for something to focus on.

Finally he could stand it no longer.

"Sir…"

"How's?..."

Edward ducked his head, "Sorry. Go ahead sir."

"How's your arm?"

Edward blinked, that wasn't what he was expecting, "It's fine Sir, as long as I don't move it."

"I'm surprised the doctor's let you out after such a short period of time," Mustang said. Edward stopped himself from glaring as he realized that his superior wasn't making a jab about his height but was honestly curious.

"Teacher came to an agreement with them." He explained. Well really, she hadn't given anyone much of a choice. For which Edward was rather thankful, he hated extended stays in hospitals.

"She certainly seems to be persuasive." Mustang looked Edward up and down, the evil glint returning to his eyes, "Especially since she got you to behave so obediently."

Edward gritted his teeth and managed to not sound angry as he answered, "Yes sir."

Mustang opened his mouth to say more but the carriage came to a sudden jarring stop, making Edward fall forward slightly. He stopped his fall with his automail arm, finding himself in an awkward position halfway across Mustang's knees.

He heard the driver calling out that they'd reached their destination but all he was aware of was Mustang leaning over him until his lips were right next to Edward's ear, his breath teasing the golden curls that hung there, "If you wanted to sit in my lap all you had to do was ask."

His body went suddenly hot, then cold, then hot again. Edward shoved at the older alchemist's chest, unable to hold back the 'rage' he felt. He flung the carriage door open and leaped out, stumbling as he landed due to the heels he'd almost forgotten that he was wearing. He turned and glared as Mustang also got out, not missing the laughter in his superior's eyes as he turned to pay the carriage driver.

He wanted to yell at the older man, maybe kick him a couple times, but he gulped down his anger. 'Hawkeye will kill me if I kill him before he does his paperwork. Then Teacher will kill me again for disobeying. Then Alphonse will kill me for upsetting Teacher. ' He bared his teeth at Mustang and said/growled, "We'd best hurry, I'd hate to keep you from your paperwork for too much longer."

Mustang's grin didn't abate at all. "Yes of course, lead on." He motioned Edward in front of him.

Fullmetal spun away from him, his face turning red as he felt his eyes on his back as he led Mustang into the hotel. It seemed to take forever but finally he reached Izumi's door and knocked.

The door opened and Izum stood there, waiting with an eyebrow raised in his direction, "Well."

Edward nodded and clenching his jaw, turned to Mustang.

"Sir, meet Izumi Curtis." He said, feeling a pit of despair form in his stomach, " Teacher, meet Colonel Roy Mustang."


"Maybe I could…Oh nononono, that won't work, but what if?..NO, no good. Although. Yes yes, that might work. Nono, stupid, I thought of that already."

Hayate whined and tilted his head at the human as it went silent again, trying in his own doggish way to figure out what it was up to. He never understood any of them no matter how long he spent trying. This one was especially odd, pacing back and forth outside the buildin, muttering furiously to itself, and pausing every now and then to chew on the small white stick in its hand.

He wondered if another bad thing had happened. No, if a bad thing happened his alpha would be agitated as well, and she wasn't. Like most days she was being stiff and boring inside, so nothing bad could have happened, unless she didn't know about it.

Hayate's ears perked up with sudden alertness and he half stood from his place on the grass. Maybe he should inform his alpha about the odd human.

"AH HA!"

Hayate yelped at the sudden burst of sound from the human.

"That's it! That's perfect. Hehehehehehe." The human rubbed its paws together and bared its teeth, "Just perfect."

Hayate watched it warily as it tossed its white stick on the ground and went back inside, all signs of agitation gone. He whined, then shook his whole body and curled back on the grass. 'Human beings are weird,' he reasoned as he went to sleep.