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- Z
The Gift
9
Packing
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November 20th – Monday
Ed knocked on the door one more time and sighed. It was no use. Mustang obviously wasn't… Suddenly, the lock clicked and the door opened a crack.
"Ed?" the colonel asked, peeking through the crack between the door and the doorframe.
"You're here," he answered, then said irritably, "You ganna let me in or what?"
There was a sigh, then the door closed and the blond could hear the rattling of a chain before the door opened up again providing a clear view of the living room, but not of the colonel.
Ed stepped in and as the door was shut behind him the teen turned around to see that Mustang had been standing behind the door. The younger alchemist grinned slightly. The colonel was naked except for a towel wrapped around his waist. The man's skin and hair was wet and when Ed looked down, he could see that the dark haired man was dripping water onto the carpet.
"Did I interrupt something?" he asked with a grin.
The colonel let out a sound of exasperation. "As a matter of fact, I was in the middle of taking a shower, but someone kept pounding on my door. I figured it must be you. No one is stubborn enough to knock that long…"
It was then that Ed noticed the shower running from the bathroom.
He gave the colonel a sheepish look before the man began heading back toward the bathroom. Ed followed and watched as Mustang got back in the shower, closing the shower curtain behind him.
Ed turned and shut the door as he entered the bathroom. One of the colonel's little quirks – he didn't like taking a shower with the door open because it made the room cold. He smiled a little at that bit of private information before looking around the small bathroom.
"I just wanted to see how the packing was going," Ed said causally, his eyes resting on the military clothes lying in a pile on the floor.
There was a long pause, then, "It's … going."
The teen rolled his eyes as he picked up Mustang's white shirt and draped it neatly over the towel rack. "You haven't even started, have you?" he asked, then grabbed the hanger that was hanging off the hook on the back of the door.
Another long pause, then, "I took out my suitcase…"
Ed shook his head irritably as he put the colonel's military jacket on the hanger and hung it on the hook. "We're supposed to leave tomorrow morning…"
There was dull thud, then curses. "Damn bottle… I know, Ed. I said I'd be ready."
The teen smiled as he moved the military issue boots neatly beside the door. He was glad he couldn't fit into a uniform. He'd heard that the boots were really uncomfortable, especially when they were new.
"Are we still meeting you here?" he asked, gingerly picked up the man's dirty socks and throwing them into the hamper. Despite the fact that the colonel looked immaculate everyday, Ed knew Roy liked to wear his clothes at least three or four times before he'd wear fresh ones. It wasn't that big of a deal, especially since the colonel always smelled clean, but once the boots came off… He wrinkled his nose at the thought. Ed couldn't think of anyone else who had stinkier, sweatier feet, than the colonel, and clean socks were a must for him.
"Yeah…I couldn't find anyone willing to drive us, so we'll have to walk to the station," the man muttered unhappily.
Ed shrugged. "I'm used to walking. It's no big deal to me."
As he picked up the colonel's military pants, the man's wallet, keys and watch fell noisily out onto the floor.
"What are you doing?" Mustang asked curiously.
Ed folded the pants and draped them over the towel rack by the shirt. "Cleaning up after your lazy ass, that's what," he said good humouredly, and bent down to pick up the stuff that had fallen out of the colonel's pockets.
As he picked up the wallet, a folded piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. Absentmindedly, the teen picked it up and when he looked at it he thought his heart would stop.
It had a name – Lisa – and a phone number…
He felt a lump form in his throat and swallowed hard before tucking the paper back into the wallet. Mustang told him that he'd stopped getting girls' numbers…
Ed looked at the shower curtain feeling hurt and confused. Was this why the colonel had been gone so much? Was Roy seeing someone else behind his back? He'd thought that they had a good relationship… Why…?
The teen wanted to throw the shower curtain aside and demand answers, but instead he chickened out and simply laid the wallet, keys and watch by the sink. Trying to hide the hurt he was feeling, he said, "I've got to go… Just…be sure to be ready when we get here, okay?"
The water turned off and Mustang stuck a hand out from behind the curtain, feeling around for where he'd put the towel. Ed grunted before grabbing the towel and thrusting it into the man's hand. "I don't get how you say keeping the shower curtain keeps it warmer in there…" he muttered.
"It does," Mustang said stubbornly, then stuck his head out of one end of the shower curtain and beckoned Ed to come closer. When he did, the colonel kissed him and said, "I'll be ready, okay? Don't worry."
Ed nodded, and as he let himself out of the bathroom, he thought about the colonel's last words before saying softly, "I'll try…"
The next post dates are: 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th.
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