Ed lay awake as the night passed him. Sleep refused to come to him as he lay awake staring at the ceiling, unconsciouly turning a strand of Riza's hair around his fingers. Sitting up he pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his hand around his knees while resting his chin on his automail leg. "You can out now" Ed said seemingly to nothing. Breda pulled out of the shadows and took a seat by the bed.
"You know if you were like this to everyone else they might actually like you Major" Breda said. Ed didn't say a word, he just stared at Breda with a blank look but inside he was seething.
"If I did that then by military standards I'm weak. That would make me expendable and that" Ed turned his look to Breda "will not happen in the present or any time soon. Besides" Ed removed one hands from around his knees and moved a piece of hair from Riza's face "she's a special case. I guess you could call it a soft spot but.." Ed trailed off as he shifted his gaze to Riza and his eyes went from cold and emotionless to admiring and possibly love.
"I see." Breda got up and walked out the door. Ed didn't notice of Breda leaving or Riiza turning on her side and yawning. Opening her eyes she saw a deep contemplative look on his face.
"Something wrong Ed?" Riza asked putting weight on her arms to try and sit up. Ed put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back on the bed shaking his head.
"No, everythings fine. Just was talking with Breda. He was saying if I was nicer people would approach me more like a person instead of a big scary predator or something like that" Ed responded lightly. "Go back to sleep. It's early and we have a long day ahead of us." Riza nodded and curled up on his side, resting her head between his shoulder neck. "Sleep well." Riza didn't hear him as she was already asleep. He smiled slightly combing a hand through her hair and Riza pulled closer to him unconsciously seeking his warmth.
Morning came fast. Riza woke up at her normal time feeling warm. She blushed dark red noticing that she was curled up Ed's lap. "Sleep well Riza?" Ed asked. She jumped at the sound of his voice and 'eeped' in shock.
"F-f-f fine" she stuttered disentangling herself from Ed and running into the bathroom with her knap sack in hand. Ed quirked an eyebrow but wasn't really phased. Slipping out of bed he grabbed civilian clothes and changed into them. Back in the bathroom Riza's heart was racing a hundred miles an hour. The rational part of her mind was trying to calm her down but her perverted part was sending images and sounds through her head making any form of speech incomprehensible. After smacking her head against the wall a few times, and consequentially giving herself a head ache, she managed to get her mind straight. Changing into a pair of black jeans, a blue tank top and black sneakers she left the bathroom slipping a pair of semi automatic pistols into the waist band of her jeans. Grabbing her jean jacket she went to the lobby where she knew the boys were waiting.
Down in the lobby Ed sat in the foyer with cup of coffee in hand. Falman, Breda and Havoc all made it down before Riza did and they all wore their military uniforms. Ed scowled slightly increasing his grip on the paper cup. "Upsatirs. Civilian clothes. NOW!" Ed growled, an aura of malice surrounding him. They ran fast as hell and past Riza who was just entering the lobby.
"What was that all about?" she asked buttoning her coat.
"They want to storm hostile enemy territory in military uniform. Sorry not going to happen" Ed said after taking a sip of coffee. Ed motioned toward the tray beside him that had four cups of coffee in it. "Help yourself" he said. Riza nodded her thanks grabbing three sugars and poured it before stirring and taking a sip.
Grabbing a seat on the other side of Ed they chit chatted about everything and nothing while waiting for the Three Stooges. "Hey Ed, you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Riza asked setting her coffee cup on the table beside her.
"Depends on how personal it is" he replied looking in her direction out of the corner his eye. "But ask away."
"Why do you treat me differently than everyone else? What makes me different from Havoc, Breda and everyone else? I fail to see it" she asked gazing at Ed. He merely shrugged his shoulders non-chalantly.
"Because you are who you are no matter how hard you try to mask it, the woman with a heart of gold." Riza blushed madly. "Besides you and I are the only adults in the group." Riza snickered at the context on Ed's words. "I'll let you on a scret kay?" he asked.
"What is it?"
"In the other thre cups of 'coffee'" Ed used air quotes "is actually oranges juice. If those other three want to act like kids, they'll be treated like kids."