Ed froze to the spot as realization sunk in. There was no way, now, that he'd be able to escape unnoticed.
"Fullmetal, it's good to see you back," Riza's voice showed no hint of emotion, like always.
"Yeah, ah, it's good to see you too, Lt. Hawkeye," Ed rambled unenthusiastically frowning. Ed finally opened his eyes to see Riza just how he remembered her. There was, however, a distinct difference. Her stomach, was abnormally larger, as if swollen. "You're..." Edward didn't quite know how to press the matter.
Immediately, she softened up, seeing his blushed expression, "ah, yes. Three weeks to go." She gave Edward a rare smile. He attempted to give one back but was unable.
Edward decided that he didn't want to know the father's name. Before he could tell the Lt. not to warn anyone he was there, a wide intimidating smirk spread across her tanned face. Ed eyed her suspiciously, "what?" he whined.
"It's nothing, much," she faught back another smile, "so you haven't seen Alfonse in two years?" It was a retorhical question. "Well, I hope he measures up to your expectations," Lt. Hawkeye ushered him out of her office, that he uninvitingly ended up in.
Is this some joke? Ed thought to himself, troubled. Haughtily, he stormed down the hallway, towards the exit. He decided that he would go to the library before going to see Al. He needed to think, alone. The Library at Central was always empty. He figured there, at least, he could have some time to think. Lt. Hawkeye had probably informed the others of his arrival, so time was of the essence.
He flashed his silver pocket watch to the guard outside the building who let him pass without hassle. "Well it's a good thing I kept this," Edward sighed walking up the front steps. He turned the encrested watch over in his fingers lazily, running his thumbs over the decorative work on its casing.
He slipped it back in his pocket and made his way to the furthest back tables, behind the thousands of rows of books. Ed's footsteps echoed off of the marble floors in the lobby.
In the back of the library, Ed found himself a table, conviniently located in a tucked away portion of the west branch of the library.
He ran his fingers down the middle shelf as he scavenged for a book to get his mind off of things, perticularly the anticipation he had for his visit with Al. His eyes wondered down the isle when he caught a glimpse of an interesting looking book about physics, of course, on a higher shelf, out of his reach.
Ed reached for it, streatching up on his toes for an extra boost. He couldn't reach it. He carefully leaned his slender body against the wooden shelf. His fingers fumbled around the top shelf, Edward, grunting, and cursing at the sheer hight of the case.
"If you needed help, you could've asked someone. Obviously, reaching won't help. Don't worry, you'll grow soon," a calm unfamilar voice broke the almost silence.
A large hand easily reached past Ed's face and grabbed the rather large physics book.
"I'm not short!" Edward's face grew bright red with anger. "I have grown for your information, so don't call me a shrimp! And I didn't need help, I..."Ed spun around on his heels and snatched the book from the other man's grasp.
The man stood perfectly still, his facial expression was hard with surprise, yet showed horror. The man loomed over Ed at 6 feet two inches.
"How rude," Ed grumbled walking a way at a quick pace.
"Ed..?" the man's voice was shaky and unclear. It was just enough for Ed to stop in his place.
"How do you know my name?" he paused for a brief moment thumbing the book, "actually, never mind I don't care," he continued down the row idling at one book on the way out of the isle.
The man took only a few strides and was right next to Edward, "wait, brother."