Ah, Colonel Mustang. You have no idea who you're ticking off without even knowing it. And I'm growing more and more fond of Shou Tucker every minute.

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Chapter 4

Shou Tucker sat at his table desk thoughtfully as his commanding officer started to stroll down the stairs. The usual smirk was starting to fall from Archer's face the father he got into the room. Normally he had a full smirk, if not something close to a smile when he visited Tucker. Fully functioning Chimera for battle seemed to be a dream of his and seeing them coming along put the other man in a good mood. "Hello."

"Yes, good evening, Tucker." The blue-eyed man stopped in front of one of the larger cages along the wall and tilted his head while tapping the bars roughly with his foot. Archer stared down at the chimera growling before him with a frown. All he had done was kick the cage when he walked by and the thing curled up in a corner scared and cowering. Originally it looked scary enough as some odd mix between a giant cat and a dog-lizard thing growling, but it took so little to have it flinch. "Tucker, even if you are making these for defense these are rather pathetic."

"Well, it's not complete yet. It's in quite a bit of pain." Tucker mumbled while tilting his head off to the side to avoid looking at Archer's upset face. It wouldn't due to let him know that he was working on his Nina instead of the chimera today. "I'm thinking of morphing that poor creature with something more fierce to even it out with its natural strength."

"I should hope so." Archer huffed and walked over to the desk and nearly rolled his eyes. "Kimblee, stop sneaking around back there. I know you're here."

"Ah, you're no fun." Kimblee smirked as he stepped out from behind a cage close to Archer. He had been hoping to jump the man and startle him, but Archer seemed to be a few steps ahead. That was good; kept Kimblee on his toes. "I've been very good today, I'll have you know. Isn't that right, Tucker?"

"Yes, nothing's exploded today."

"Ah, well let's keep it that way. I need these chimera in tip top shape and ready for a moment's notice." Archer smiled thoughtfully and walked back past Kimblee to look at the chimera again. With a cat head, it was almost cute. Archer squat down and reached his hand into the cage and snapped his fingers to focus its attention. The chimera slowly scooted closer to the bars until it could lick the fingers. "The situation in Lior is getting worse and worse every day. We'll be shipped out to take care of it soon. I just know it."

Kimblee watched the man sitting on his heels with his hand in the cage of a beast without so much as a touch of hesitation. Archer had a small, quirky smile at the sides of his lips. Whether it was from amusement at the chimera or joy from the thoughts of war, Kimblee wasn't sure. What he did know, was that it was sort of cute. In a crazy-man sort of way. However, before Kimblee could comment on the odd behavior he watched Archer stand and brush the dirt off his knees.

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Archer sighed inwardly and took a breath. He was not looking forward to the next few hours. "But I need to go. The Führer wants Mustang and I to look at some project he put together this afternoon. I'm not even sure what project would require our two offices to work together, but if the Führer requests it I shall go and suffer through it." Archer turned to the two men in the room over his shoulder when he reached the lab door. "Try to behave yourselves."

"See you later, Lieutenant Colonel." Tucker rasped alongside a tiny wave of his furry paw. The chimera watched thoughtfully before looking down at the failed experiment in the cage. Tucker walked over and stuck his fingers through the cage. "Liked Archer did you? Well, you may not be what he wants but at least you didn't bite him."

"I kinda wish the little freak job had bit him." Kimblee snorted and pouted. He was about to ask Archer if he wanted to skip work and hang out since he was spending time in the lab anyway. But the man had to go work with Mustang for some reason. The idea Kimblee was getting dumped for that other Alchemist rubbed him the wrong way. "Then I could blow it up without worry."

Tucker cringed as the Crimson Alchemist towered over him. Or seemed to, Kimblee was a few feet shorter than him but the man was intimidating. "You're in a bad mood."

"No more than usual."

Tucker looked over at the alchemist and smirked slightly. Kimblee may not have know how much, but the man was pouting and looking like a kicked puppy. He had been chatty about their Lieutenant Colonel the entire time he was in the lab and only got excited when Archer actually showed up. And now that the stern military man had left to see the Flame Alchemist, Kimblee was radiating what Tucker might label jealousy. Even if he saw it upside-down, it was plain to see. "It seems this little one isn't the only one fond of the Lieutenant Colonel."

Kimblee snarled down. Tucker was a freak who saw the world upside down. What did he know about whether or not Kimblee liked someone? Archer was fun to play with – that was it. "What are you getting at?"

"Nothing." Tucker smiled slyly and made sure his face was directed towards the little chimera curling in the corner. It could sense Kimblee's anger. "Just making an observation."

"You need to get your eyes checked." Kimblee huffed and started to stomp out of the lab. Tucker was crazy. "Have fun with your pets."

"Have a nice day."

"That man is insufferable." Mustang huffed as he tossed a file of papers on the desk. They sprayed out slightly as they smacked the wood. The Flame Alchemist continued on his track around the desk to collapse in his chair and let his anger smolder not so quietly.

Hawkeye reached over to pick up the offending file to straighten and read the first few pages. She pulled a few strands of her bangs back behind her ears to get them out of her face before flipping another page. "It couldn't have been that bad, sir."

"It was worse." Mustang huffed and ruffled his black hair with the frustration. The past hour had been horrible stuck between the two men as one sucked up and the other smiled at him with both his mouth and his eye. It was distrubing. "And Archer isn't any better."

Hawkeye paused. "So how badly did the meeting with Führer Bradley and Lieutenant Colonel Archer go?"

"I guess it could have been worse." Mustang sighed as he pulled open his drawer and threw his alchemy gloves in them from his pocket. He hadn't needed them like he had hoped. "But I still don't like it."

"What did he want, sir?" Hawkeye hummed as she read over the papers. "This is just a list of recruits."

"You got it." Mustang sighed and leant into his chair. Hawkeye was still reading through the papers and Mustang considered asking for her help with this assignment. The Flame Alchemist stopped the outline of her firearm under her jacket and decided against it. Working with Archer wasn't that bad. "The Führer wants me and Archer to train some new recruits in a different form of battle combat as an experiment to improve boot camps. Something about them not being as prepared and need to keep up with the alchemists."

"But why you two? I think it's obvious you two don't work well together. Wouldn't Major Armstrong have been a better choice?" Hawkeye made note of which recruits had records and who was good with firearms. There were quite a few good soldiers in this folder.

"Armstrong will be assisting Archer manage the troops since it's a sizable number." Mustang started to rub his eyes as Hawkeye stood attentively next to his desk, nose still flipping through folders. He wondered if she'd let him out of work early to go get a drink. "Archer was chosen because he's been hinting he wants to be more involved in the active troops and less with office paperwork. Apparently the Führer wants to humor him."

"And you?"

"I'm there to supervise as a soldier with an extensive battle history." Mustang licked his teeth. "I'm baby sitting Archer to keep him from getting too power happy, in other words."

"However, sir. Though that may be," Hawkeye closed the folder with a snap and turned towards her Colonel as he started to slink farther in his seat.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"This doesn't mean you can skip out on your other duties."

"Beast." Mustang pouted.

"It's my treat." Archer insisted as he pushed Kimblee out of his office with as close to a happy smile that was possible for the normally chilly man. There was absolutely nothing that was going to ruin his good mood today! Even putting up with Mustang had been worth the aggravation. "The Führer mentioned a very nice place to get drinks and supper today after Mustang left. It would be nothing less than dishonorable to not visit."

"You're certainly happy." Kimblee muttered as the man brushed past him, clearly tired of waiting on the slow alchemist, and started humming down the hallway. "I thought you were hanging out with Mustang."

"I was."

Kimblee felt a slight stabbing in the middle of his chest at that reply. Hanging out with Mustang put Archer in such a good mood? Archer was usually tolerant at best when he went out with Kimblee for fun and he was practically glowing because of paperwork or something with Mustang. The man's golden eyes started to narrow slightly at the man's back and he could feel his palms gripping tightly. Kimblee suddenly had the urge to blow something up. Preferably something that bled.

"Though that's not why I'm in such a pleasant mood, of course." Archer chuckled. "The Führer is finally starting to notice my talents."

"Huh? Weren't you doing paperwork or something?" Kimblee almost tripped over his feet. The heavy weight that was plucking at places he could have sworn were impenetrable was lifted slightly. The fact whatever made him happy still involved Mustang in some way shape or form still irked the Crimson Alchemist. "How would that make you happy?"

"It's not paperwork. For once." The latter part of the sentence was muttered. Archer turned to look at Kimblee trailing behind him and smirked at the man's confused look. "I was chosen to help train new recruits for war. I'm getting my own unit to command and this is my chance to prove that I can lead."

Kimblee licked his lips and shook his head at the excited man. He gave him a swift pat on the shoulder and shoved his hand into his pocket. Leave it to Archer to lighten his mood. "You're so anxious to go to war."

"There's nothing like it." Archer took in a breath and he was suddenly back on the field in the middle of explosions and the firing of rifles. "I loved every moment of it."

Kimblee stopped in the middle of the hallway shocked. Archer was an office junkie. "What war were you in?"

Archer turned back and Kimblee and rose an eyebrow. He shook his head and took into account that Kimblee was missing a few watts in that lightbulb he called a brain. Archer continued on his merry way down the hallway to the front door. A glass of fine wine with an enjoyable atmosphere was calling his name. He had hoped for good conversation as well, but you couldn't win them all. "Ishbal, what else?"

"Hey, wait up!" Kimblee jumped a bit and started to sprint to catch up to Archer after his moment of pause. The man walked fast when he wanted to! Once Kimblee started trotting alongside his fellow officer on the sidewalk he asked his question. "You were in Ishbal?"

"Of course I was in Ishbal." Archer rolled his eyes. "You don't get to be a Lieutenant Colonel overnight." Kimblee smirked and Archer narrowed his eyes. "You know what I meant. Normal people don't get to become Lieutenant Colonels overnight. I've been in the military for years. Ishbal wasn't that long ago."

"Yeah, but where were you?" Kimblee racked his brain trying to think who else was on the battlefield. He remembered a lot of other alchemists in the massacres, but he couldn't for the life of him think of the other soldiers...oh yeah. He blew a lot of them up when they got in his way so he really wasn't paying attention to their faces or personalities. "I mean, I think I would have remembered you if you were in mine."

Archer almost shivered; he knew exactly what happened to those assigned to Kimblee's units. "I'm thankful I wasn't near any of the alchemists. While what you did to the enemy was admirable, how you treated your underlings was not so much." Archer looked pointedly at Kimblee. "I dare say you wouldn't have hesitated to blow up a Corporal had he been close by at the time, hmm?"

However accurate that statement may have been, the Crimson alchemist was caught up in his own little daydreams. Kimblee laughed and tried to picture Archer in combat gear huddled with the new recruits. Archer would be the one all pumped and excited at the bloodshed while the others cried for their mothers or shook in their boots. The image was so humorous he found himself laughing harder. Archer's happy smile was quickly turning into a much more familiar frown. "Oh come on, it's funny."

Archer decided it was in his best interest to not humor Kimblee with a response and instead yanked the end of his ponytail. "Come on, I'm hungry."

"Now you're talking!" Kimblee tackled the man's shoulders and reached up with one are to rub the slick hair. "And then we'll drink and share stories. Because now, you know I need to hear all about our little Archer in Ishbal."

"They're hardly as entertaining as your stories of blowing the limbs off of people running from the battle." Archer hunched slightly under Kimblee's weight. The other man was so touchy-feely, but Archer couldn't bring himself to shove the alchemist off. Archer told himself it was because he had a high sense of self-preservation. "You're heavy."

"I'm flattered you remembered that story from when I was plastered. And I weight less than you, you know." Kimblee punched him in the shoulder and cocked a grin at the man. He kept his grip tight with at least one arm, but he stopped leaning. "And I'm sure you've got a story or two or you wouldn't like war so much."

"Well, I did have my moments."

"Do tell."

"There is one story from about a week after I was deployed. My gun misfired, but the ricochet ended up hitting the other man anyway in a stroke of dumb luck. I couldn't believe it and was almost giddy with..."

Kimblee noted the small smile that started creeping up on the man's face and the light that was appearing behind blue eyes as he talked and Kimblee grinned himself. He had nothing to worry about with Mustang; you only told your friends war stories.