Current mood:	creative
Current music:	Stevie Nicks - Battle of the Dragon
Entry tags:	ed x riza, edward elric, fma, fma: alternate anime timeline, fma: alternate post-anime timeline, fma: alternate timeline, fma: post-anime, het, novella, pg-13, post-series, riza hawkeye, yuuo, yuuo: fma

[Edward Elric/Riza Hawkeye; PG-13] That Summer: Chapter 3
Character/Series: Edward Elric/Riza Hawkeye; Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)
Rating: PG-13
Notes: AU to EoS. Generally, assume that Ed never went to Germany and the military group stayed status quo.
Title: That Summer Chapter 3: I Can Love You Like That
Author: yuuo
Word Count: 6295
Summary: The sun was getting progressively warmer as winter finished giving over to a warm and very wet spring.


They read you Cinderella;
You hoped it would come true,
That one day your Prince Charming
Would come rescue you.
You like romantic movies, you never will forget
The way you felt when Romeo kissed Juliet.
And all this time that you've been waiting,
You don't have to wait no more.
-John Michael Montgomery

The sun was getting progressively warmer as winter finished giving over to a warm and very wet spring. Ed had gotten the ditch with the well filled in, and had debated what to work on next. There were so many things that needed his attention, the roof, the loose stair at the back door, the shutter, the paint. So much to do. Well, it's not like Al and Winry would miss him yet, and he could always just explain to them what was going on if they did and happened to call somehow. They'd encourage him to stay until Riza was settled, and Al would probably try to insist he join his brother.

Ed wasn't really wanting his brother and sister-in-law underfoot while he tried to convince Riza to give up on that job. He really wished she would, she was only hurting herself, in so many ways. How long had she believed she had nothing to offer but her guns? Too long, it sounded like, if she truly believed that.

He wondered if she knew how much she had to offer a man who loved her. How strong she still was, despite her injury.

Annoyed at himself, he reined his thoughts back in as he hammered on the back step. That was a clear and present threat to Riza, so that had won as first attention. She was only interested in Mustang, she'd never share herself with anyone else, so there wasn't much point in letting himself fall any further. But he was still her friend, and still concerned for her, so he'd stay and do the chores he needed to do to help her, then he'd go on his way and pretend this whole fiasco had never happened.

His hammer hit that nail a little harder than necessary, leaving a lovely imprint of the hammer head on the wood around the nail. He sighed. He was letting himself get distracted. But the stair was almost done, just another nail and then he could start on the roof.

"Edward?"

He looked up to find bare, smooth-shaved legs to the knee right at eye level. Attractive legs, and if he looked higher, he could almost see up her dress as he looked up at Riza. She had a glass of water in her hand. "Would you like something to drink? It's getting warm out."

For heartbeats, he couldn't answer, taking in the sight of her, every little detail that he wanted to commit to memory, no matter how hopeless his feelings for her were. A first love he could remember fondly someday.

He swallowed tightly and nodded, reaching up for the glass. "Thank you," he said hoarsely, voice unsteady. She had no idea how beautiful she was, how strong she was, how much he wanted her and he'd give anything right then to be able to touch her, hold her, kiss her. But he focused on his water, emptying the glass and handing it back. "Thanks," he said again. "I'm almost done here, then you won't have to worry about tripping on this step."

She smiled, lighting up his world. "Thank you, Edward," she said. "That stair's been a trouble for me and I never got around to fixing it. I haven't had a good enough day for my hip to do it. With the warmer weather, I might've, but over the winter, it wasn't possible."

He gave her a weak smile. "You know, if you moved back East, you wouldn't have near the problems with your hip in the winter that you have out here."

"Probably," she admitted. "But there's too many people who know me in the East that wouldn't give me the space I need to heal."

Like me, he heard the unspoken words and resisted the urge to sigh, or scold, or otherwise show that he heard and cared. "Well, your choice," he said. "I'm not going to fight you on the issue." He went back to hammering on the back step.

She didn't walk away, or say thank you for his surrender to her issues, like he expected. He peered up at her from under his hair. She was frowning, clutching her cane with more strength than she usually did. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked. "You usually argue with me."

He shrugged, pounding in the last nail wordlessly, then got up. "Step's finished." He started towards the barn where he'd been keeping tools for the jobs around the house. He heard her following after him.

"Edward? Please, Edward, I can't walk as fast as you."

He stopped and turned to her,waiting. "I thought you were trying to keep up," he said. "You usually don't admit you can't do it."

She looked like he'd just slapped her. Then an angry, wet-eyed look came over her face and she gripped her cane tightly. "Aren't you the one that says to stop being so prideful?" she demanded.

"Oh, now you're going to admit that?" he snapped. "After you've decided you had nothing to offer anyone, you're just going to sit out here and give up and feel sorry for yourself?"

Again, she looked like she'd been slapped. "Edward, what's gotten into you?" She looked on the verge of tears. "You've never been this cruel to me."

No, he hadn't. His own frustrations had gotten away with him, not for the first time in his life, and he'd hurt someone he loved as a result. Goddamnit. He sighed and walked over to her, impulsively hugging her. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She shivered against him, holding onto him tightly with one arm. Was she crying? "I'm trying," she said, voice thick. "I know you want me to give up, but I don't-"

He drew back, cutting her off. "I never said I wanted you to give up," he said. "I said you should accept that you can only go so far. Go as far as you can, but don't hurt yourself trying to do the impossible."

She looked up at him with accusation in her eyes. "Why not? You did."

"Yeah, and I was a dumb kid," he said. "Not a good example to follow. It nearly got everybody killed. Riza, the type of injury you have, you will never be military again. Just like I will never swim again. I sink like a rock because of the weight of my automail. That's almost drowned me before. There's always going to be things you used to do that you can't anymore. Accept them, and move past them. Do what you can, not what you can't."

She looked down, closing her eyes. "I don't know what to do now," she admitted. "I've been the lieutenant so long, I don't know what else I'm good for."

"You can still walk, can't you?" he said, then put a hand under her chin, lifting her head. "So walk forward. You can find something. I'd say you're doing fine here, but I'm worried about you being alone if you fall."

"I can't afford a caretaker, Edward," she said.

"I'm not a caretaker. I'm a friend."

She blinked at him. "Yes, and eventually, you will go home."

"I'll stay as long as I can," he promised, stepping carefully. As far as he could tell, she wouldn't be interested in a relationship, but she was accepting his friendship. Maybe he could get her to move back East while he was staying with her, maybe move in with her grandparents so she wasn't alone or something.

Riza drew back. "I'm sorry. I interrupted your work. What were you going to start on next, and can I help?"

Ed shook his head. "I was about to start on the roof. Other than hold the ladder for me to get up there, I can handle it."

"I'll do that then."

He resisted the urge to sigh as he went to the garage, Riza right behind him an a step to the left. This was going to be a very long stay. So much to do, and Riza right there, he'd go absolutely crazy. Between trying to convince her to move elsewhere, trying to convince her she was worth something more than the lieutenant, and trying hard to keep his distance while still doing all that, he'd go completely off his nut.

This would be so much easier if he thought for even half a second she returned his feelings, or would even humor them.

So much to do. May as well get started.

"Yo, Riza!" Ed called down as she stepped outside with Hayate.

She shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up to where Ed was on the roof, working on reshingling. "Yes, Edward?"

Ed walked down to the edge of the roof. "I think we need a new ladder." He pointed over to the old one, leaning heavily against the side of the house, with the top rung broken.

"Oh no, did you hurt yourself?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

He shook his head. "Naw, startled me more than anything, but it's definitely not suitable to hold my weight. I'm not sure it could've held my weight even without automail. That thing's pretty shaky. Feel like going into town with me to buy one?"

She glanced over at Hayate, then back up to Ed. "Can't you use alchemy to fix this one?"

He flashed her a shit-eating grin. "I could, but I'd rather charge a new one to Mustang's wallet."

She gave him a tired look that didn't hide her amusement. "You're terrible, Edward."

"Hey, he wants you taken care of, he's sent the best, he's getting the best. The best is expensive."

She laughed. "The best is also an alchemist who can make his own tools. But all right. I think it's time for a grocery trip anyway. Your cooking is going through my food faster than my soup does."

"You're also feeding two people," he said. "I'll cover food this time, you can get it next time. Square deal?"

"All right. I'll go hitch up Rosie. Can you get down safely without that ladder?"

He nodded. "Oh yeah, I've jumped from higher than this and been fine."

She put her free hand on her good hip. "Edward, don't endanger yourself."

"Oh, worry wart," he scoffed. "You're as bad as Al. But if it'll make you feel better." He clapped his hands and summoned a hand of earth from the ground beside the house, stepped on it, and then transmuted it back into the ground, giving him a handy elevator down. "There, that better?"

She stared, then shook her head. "Why don't you just do that instead of using a ladder?"

He laughed. "Because, my teacher taught us to use mundane methods whenever possible. I don't always listen very well, but it's nice sometimes to do hard labor the old-fashioned way." Besides, he was trying to find excuses to stay with her longer, no matter how batty it was driving him. She may never love him, but being near to her, helping her, that made it better than simply pining.

"I don't understand," she said as she called Hayate back to her. "If you have alchemy, why not use it?" She opened the back door open and grabbed the dog's leash off the wall and snapped it on his collar.

Ed shrugged. "I don't entirely get her reasoning either," he said. "I like my alchemy too much, and I work hard at it. But like I said, sometimes I just like to do it the hard way. This way, I can pay more attention to details and get it right the first time."

"I suppose that makes sense," she said, limping towards the barn where the cart and Rosie were. She gave him a sly look. "Plus, it gives you more time to harass me into taking care of myself, right?"

He turned red. "Gives me more time to be around a friend and away from the honeymooners."

She smiled, patting his shoulder. "I understand, Edward. I don't mind having you around, actually. I'm certainly eating better than I usually do with you around. And I like the company."

Sensing an opportunity, he put an arm around her shoulders, slowing his walk to match hers. "What're you going to do when I'm gone?"

For a long moment, she didn't answer, her smile dimming and taking with it the light. "I suppose I'll have to readjust."

He wanted her smile back. He offered one of his own, hoping to draw out that light again. "Then I'll just have to visit often, won't I?"

"Oh, Edward, I can't ask you to drop everything and travel across the whole country just to visit me."

"You're not asking me," he said. "I'm saying I'm going to do it."

Slowly, that smile came back and it felt like the clouds parted. "If you're sure you can, with your job."

"I work for the general now, Riza," he reminded her, basking in the glow of her smile. "He'll be more than happy to have me checking in on you. I'll even be nice to him and let him think I'm doing it for him."

"That wouldn't be a difficult fraud to pull off," she admitted, her smile softening into something that sent his head reeling. How he wanted to kiss those soft lips, to kiss that smile until it warmed him.

But that would probably get him slapped and effectively end his visit, or any future visits.

He helped her hitch up Rosie to the cart, then helped her climb up into her seat. Hayate bounded up behind her, settling himself in the middle as Ed walked around and climbed in on the other side. "Hey, Muttly," he said, scritching one of Hayate's ears as he settled in. "You going on a trip? You gonna keep your human safe for me?"

The dog barked eagerly, his entire body practically squirming on the seat. Riza laughed. "He loves trips into town. They're a rare treat for him."

"All the new smells and people to see," Ed said. "And time spent with Mom instead of stuck inside at the house."

Riza laughed. "With 'Mom', huh? You're not the first person to call me that in relation to Hayate. It's a silly thing, but I suppose it's harmless."

"Oh, we tease Al all the time about his cat," Ed said. "That cat clings to him like a small child. I have never seen such a needy cat before."

"And I suppose Alphonse just encourages this?" She glanced at him.

Ed nodded. "Oh yeah, he loves having a furry shadow. I really think that cat is in for a surprise when he and Winry have a kid and a baby starts arguing with it for Al's attention."

"They're planning on children?"

Ed kicked his feet up on the front of the cart, sitting back. "I think so. They haven't said words about not have kids, anyway, so I'd guess so. I have no interest in them, but I also am not the one with a wife that had her kids' names picked out since she was five. Of course, she had pretty dumb names picked out, so she may have changed her mind since growing up. I dunno."

Riza looked over at him, reaching forward and shooing his feet back onto the floor of the cart as he laughed. "You have no interest in children?"

He shook his head. "Never wanted 'em. I'd make a crappy dad. Mustang's the closest to an example of one I got, since my old man left when we were so little. And I'm too impatient, I'd get bored with a baby. I fully intend on being the fun uncle who sugars them up, teaches them bad words, then sends 'em home to Al and Winry, though." He flashed her a bratty grin.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head in clear exasperation. "You're incorrigible, Edward."

"I try to be. What about you, ever thought about kids?"

"Hayate is the only one I want," she said, "since you and the general insist on calling me his mother."

Ed laughed. "Well, it's not inappropriate," he said. "Not that I think you should want them, mind if I ask why you don't?

She shrugged. "I was an only child, I value my privacy, and I simply never had interest in most domestic goals. Believe me, I avoid romance books that involve children. They ruin the romance for me."

"Can't say that I blame you," Ed said. "I never thought kids were very romantic, as much as just something you did when you got married. But I remember how I was as a kid. No matter who my spouse was, I know we wouldn't be able to keep up with a kid from my genetics."

That got a laugh out of Riza. "I wasn't there for most of your childhood, but what I remember you putting the poor general through, I can believe that."

"You could've disagreed with me to ease my ego," he grumbled.

"I never did that sort of thing for the general, I'm not going to do it for you," she said with a stern tone that Ed had come to recognize as not really all that serious.

"Not even if I bat my pretty eyes at you?"

She stared straight ahead for a moment, then looked at him with a placid expression. "I think that would make me more laugh, Edward."

"Yeah, me too," he said.

Hayate started barking as they reached town, wiggling happily in his seat. Ed put a hand on his neck. "Settle down, pup."

"Hayate, be calm," Riza said, glancing down at her dog out of the corner of her eye. Hayate sat still, for the most part, quivering slightly in excitement.

"Boy, he really gets excited about trips to town, doesn't he?" Ed commented, eyeing the dog as they rode up in front of the general store.

"He rarely gets to go out anymore," Riza explained. "He used to go everywhere with me, but because I need a hand free for my cane, I can't take him with me and have a free hand to carry whatever I might buy."

Ed hopped down out of the cart once it was settled outside. "Well, that's what you have me for," he said. "You get the dog, I'll get the ladder and the food."

"That hardly seems fair, Edward," she protested.

He gave her a look she was bound to be familiar with by now, one that said not to argue with him, because she would lose. "The ladder was my idea, and I'm the one with free hands."

"But- oh, all right," she said with a sigh. She grabbed Hayate's leash and carefully got down out of the cart, Hayate bounding off behind her and obediently falling into step at her side. Ed waited for them to get around the cart, then joined Hayate at Riza's side.

Ed got the ladder bought and returned to the cart before rejoining Riza, picking out food to get them through another week. They argued a bit about what to pick up; Riza was insisting on the cheapest possible since she'd agreed to let Ed buy this time and Ed wanted higher quality food for them. They finally packed up their groceries into the back of their cart and headed back towards Riza's homestead.

"I think I'll get back to the roof tomorrow," Ed said, eyeing the sky. "By the time we get home, it'll be nearing dinner time."

Riza looked westward at the low-hanging sun. "I agree."

Ed was relieved she didn't argue, not that he fully expected her to. It wasn't something she'd make much noise about, since he'd firmly browbeaten her into accepting that the hard labor around the place was his domain, but after arguing over groceries of all stupid things, he was braced for her to be contrary.

He loved her dearly, but lord, she was a strong-willed, stubborn woman. If this was what she was like for Mustang, no wonder he'd never had patience leftover for Ed. Of course, if Ed were honest with himself, that was a lot of what he loved about her. Even when it caused arguments.

She was probably getting tired of the arguments, though. Ed wondered sometimes how long she'd put up with it before she said 'fuck it' and chased him off. Well, he'd just push his luck until he got as much done around the place for her as he could.

When they arrived, Ed directed Riza to taking care of Rosie while he got the ladder out of the way. Since they were home, Hayate could come off his leash and free up one of Riza's hands to help with groceries, which seemed to soothe her ruffled pride a bit. Ed was finding that when he could maximize what she did without endangering her hip, she was a much happier and easier person to deal with.

Groceries were put away in silence; Ed had been cooking for so many days that he didn't need to be directed to where things went.

She sat down at the kitchen table once everything was done with a satisfied look on her face. "Today was productive," she said.

"What'd you do while I was on the roof?" Ed asked, sitting down across from her.

"Cleaned the kitchen, took out the rugs. I couldn't finish them, there's still one on the line, but the others are back in their proper places."

He gave her a look. "You didn't try to carry them all at once, did you?"

She shook her head. "No, Edward, I didn't. I'm not sure I could even without my injury. They're big rugs."

"How'd you get them back inside without dragging them?" he asked, getting up and starting a pot of coffee.

"Would you put the kettle on for me?" she said before answering. "I put the front part on my shoulder, and the rest on a wagon that I built for this purpose."

He put the tea kettle onto a burner and turned it on. "You built a wagon?"

"I did, yes. Just a little wooden one, it wasn't hard."

He turned and leaned against the counter while his coffee perced and her tea water boiled. "I didn't know you could build things."

She smiled. "Just an old hobby I picked up from Grandfather," she said. "I'm much better with bird houses."

"I had no idea you did that sort of thing," he admitted, pulling out two mugs. One he set aside for his coffee, the other he put a tea bag into. "Can you still do it with your hip?"

She nodded. "Oh yes, it's a sit down hobby. Well, I suppose I could build something bigger that would require me to be on my feet, but most things I make are small. I made that squirrel feeder out on the front tree, and the two bird feeders that hang from the porch."

"You do good work," he said, pouring her water, then his coffee, and walking over to the table, handing her her tea before sitting down. "Although the squirrels don't seem to get the bird feeders are for the birds and the squirrel feeder is for them."

She laughed. "No, they don't. Squirrels think any food is for them. But the birds get plenty, so I'm not concerned."

"I might get you to make a scratching post for Boots before I leave," he said.

She lit up. "I wouldn't mind, as long as we stopped in town to get the wood. Maybe some carpet scraps to cover it with." She took a sip of her tea. "So he named his cat 'Boots'?"

"Yeah." Ed took a swallow of coffee. Bleh, one thing he missed about civilization in East City was the better coffee. "She's an orange tabby, but all four of her paws are completely white."

"She sounds like a beautiful animal," Riza said. "How does Winry feel about the cat?"

"She loves animals, so as long as Al's happy, she's happy," Ed said. "I like cats, always wanted one, so Boots is kind of a nice addition to the family."

Riza looked over at Hayate, who was settled by her feet with one of his toys, chewing on it, oblivious to the conversation. "What about dogs?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, no, I like dogs, too. We grew up with Den. Winry still misses her, but she passed on not long after Grandma did. We figure heart break. Den was really attached to Grandma."

"I'm so sorry to hear about that," she said, looking still at Hayate. "I worry what will happen to him if something happens to me."

Ed frowned. "Nothing's going to happen to you. But if you're worried, I'll take him if something happens. I can't guarantee what happened to Den won't happen to him, but he'll be cared for, at least."

She smiled at him. "That's all I ask, Edward. I was hoping you'd offer."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't leave you and yours in the lurch. Although your grandparents might fight me for custody rights of the grandchild."

She laughed. "Oh, don't start that again. Weren't you going to make dinner?"

Ed glanced outside the window at the setting sun as the sky began to turn a vivid shade of red. "Red sky by night. We're in for some good weather." He set aside his coffee and stood. "Yeah, I'll start on dinner. Any preferences tonight?"

She gave him a weak smile. "Just some soup and maybe sandwiches would be fine by me, Edward. I'm not feeling very adventurous tonight."

"You sure? I can make something more filling," he said.

She nodded. "I'm sure. I'm not very hungry."

"All right, but tomorrow, you're eating proper."

She grinned. "Yes, sir, anything else, sir?"

"Oh god." Ed rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that, that's what you call Mustang and that just made me wiggy."

That got her to laugh. "Oh, Edward, you two are more alike than you think. Dealing with him isn't unlike dealing with you, although I suspect you're more stubborn than he is, if such a thing is possible."

He gave her an unhappy look. "I am nothing like that jackass. I don't go around picking on twelve year old kids for hitting their growth spurts late."

She laughed some more, a sound so wonderful to him that the hit to his dignity this conversation was making him take was well worth it. "No, but you're the type to pick on a younger brother for just about anything he'll let you, aren't you? The general looks at you like family, Edward, always has. And don't tell him I told you this, but he was the youngest brother of several sisters. He was just passing along to you what he learned from them."

Ed grumbled as he started up the soup, starting with a condensed canned base and adding some veggies to it. "I'll remember to find these sisters and thank them for turning him into a grade A jackass for me."

She got up, her cane thumping lightly along with her steps as she walked up behind him, reaching around him and stealing a chopped carrot piece. "I think it's natural, Edward," she said.

He set down his knife and turned, very aware of how close they were, how easy it would be to pull her into his embrace, to kiss her, to take her away from Mustang and the military and impossible dreams and take her home to a dream within reach, a happy life with a family and pets and nieces and nephews to spoil and teach and send home to their parents.

"Who said you could get into the food?" he demanded, teasing.

She smiled at him, crinkling her nose cutely. "I did." She reached around him, stealing another piece. He caught her wrist, leaning in with a disapproving look. She laughed, rested her forehead on his, then popped the carrot piece into her mouth when the closeness made him loosen his grip, and gave it a pointed crunch.

So close. So easy to touch. He sighed. "Riza, what are we doing?" he asked, not moving.

She blinked, lifting her head just a touch, just enough to look at him properly. "I thought you were making dinner and I was hindering."

Nothing. It wasn't reciprocated, that easy intimacy not romantically inclined.

But maybe.

Maybe if he didn't do or say something, anything, to try to win her over, he'd go insane. He'd miss his only chance. Maybe she'd slap him, maybe she'd send him home, maybe the rest of his visit would be horribly awkward and full of avoiding each other, but if he didn't try, didn't see if maybe she didn't return his feelings, he'd never know, and he wasn't the kind to like to live with that sort of regret.

He pulled her closer again, leaning in and pressing his lips firmly against hers, cupping the back of her head. She gasped against his lips, then wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss as she parted her lips against his. He took the invitation and nibbled her lower lip, tasting her as he kissed her to steal her breath away.

She trembled against him, clinging to him. He held her like she might disappear if he let go, like a soap bubble dream, gone upon waking without a trace left behind.

When he finally let her go, she nuzzled him, burying her face against his neck. "Edward," she breathed quietly. "I've been so scared you didn't feel this way."

"We've both been scared," he said, voice barely above a whisper in her ear. "I thought for sure you'd whack my kneecaps with your cane for this."

She laughed, drawing back and staring up at him with the adoration he'd been hoping to see there. "I'd be more likely to chase you off with my shotgun."

"Give me a headstart, you crazy old woman," he said with a smile.

"Get off my lawn, youngster," she said with a flippant grin. Laughing, he kissed her again. "Edward, the soup!" she said against his lips.

"Huh? Oh shit." He let go of her, turning around and stirring the soup, hoping it hadn't burned. "Oh, goddamnit," he muttered, pulling out a string of burned soup from the bottom of the pan with the whisk. "Well, uh, how about sandwiches for dinner?" He looked back at her.

She stepped around to his side, making a face at the food. "I think that'd be a wonderful idea."

Shaking his head, Ed turned off the burner. "Is Hayate allowed table scraps?" he asked.

Riza glanced over at Hayate, who was still sitting by her chair with his chewtoy, watching them both curiously. "I wouldn't curse my dog with burned food, Edward," she said.

He eyed the dog. "I guess that is kinda mean of me, huh? Well, the wildlife will eat it."

"I'll start on the sandwiches while you take that out," she said. He let her do that while he took the hot pan outside and dumped its contents on the other side of her yard's fence, into the wild grass. He scraped out the gunk, then took the pan back inside, where Riza was making two sandwiches with cold cuts. "I hope you like turkey, because it's what you bought me," she said, giving him a pointed look.

"What, don't you like the gobblers?" he asked, taking the pan and running hot water into it to let it soak.

"I do, but I don't have it that often," she said. "My choice would've been chicken or ham."

"Sorry." He watched her, doing such a simple task as assembling sandwiches, and even then she was beautiful. Had he really kissed her? Had she really kissed him back? It seemed so surreal that he was afraid to believe it true, lest he'd been daydreaming it.

She looked at him, turning red as she smiled. "Did you want to eat?" she asked, holding out a plate with a finished sandwich. He took it from her slowly, never taking his eyes off of her. She turned redder. "What? Did I get mayonnaise on my nose or something?"

He set aside his plate and pulled her close to him, kissing her again, and again she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on tight as he nipped and nibbled at her lips. When he pulled back, she was looking at him with a lit up smile on her face, breathless and wet-eyed. "So this is real?" she asked quietly.

"Seems to be," he said, breathing an issue after that kiss. He kissed her once more, briefly, then let her go. "But what is also real is the fact that my stomach's complaining that there's food within reach and I'm not feeding it."

She laughed. "Edward, your appetite." She grabbed her plate and walked over to the table, settling down in her usual spot. He took his usual spot across from her, never taking his eyes off her. She blushed furiously, looking down at her food. "Edward, your sandwich. Please eat it before you make me too nervous to eat mine."

"Huh? Oh, right, sorry." He focused on his own food, occasionally glancing up at her as she ate. She was still a flattering shade of red, glancing up at him occasionally, then shyly looking back to her food.

If his stomach hadn't needed the food, he might've just abandoned their plates and let them take leave of their senses completely. But his growling stomach kept him grounded, kept him slowed down. Just because they were on kissing terms didn't mean much, not yet, not until they'd discussed the terms of their relationship. Like calm, rational adults. He'd think with the right head in this, for god's sake.

Riza silently took their empty plates when they were done and put them in the sink to be dealt with at a later time. It wasn't like they needed scrubbing, they'd only had crumbs on them. She took a seat across from him. "So what does this mean for us, Edward?" She clearly wanted to take the lead on things, and he was inclined to let her for the moment. Mostly because his rational sense was still hanging around somewhere ten miles out.

He looked down at the table. "If it means moving out here, then so be it, but I want-" He took a breath, sighing deeply. "I want a relationship with you. I've been falling for awhile now."

She turned bright red again, looking down at her hands. "Surely you could do better than me, Edward. I'm a used up dog of the military."

"I don't want to 'do better', by whatever definition you have for that," he argued. "I want you. Is that so hard to believe?"

She looked up at him, and her eyes were wet. "Yes? I have nothing to offer you, Edward. I'm not conventionally pretty, I have no domestic skills besides what I've learned out here, and I'm a cripple who will never be back at her old level of mobility. I'll always have days where I can't get up steps without help or crawling. That's not much to give."

He got up and walked over to her, kneeling in front of her and pulling her into a hug. "No, but you got a lot of love to offer," he said quietly into her ear. "And that's what I want. I don't mind if I have to help you around sometimes, I don't mind if I have to take over chores some days, I've never minded doing things for my loved ones. I just want their love in return, that's all I ask, all I want." He drew back, and lifted a hand to wipe away a tear that had escaped along her cheek. "And I don't care for conventional beauty. I think you're beautiful just how you are. And no amount of self-deprecation can convince me otherwise."

Ed had never seen Riza cry, not before then, when she clung to him, resting her face against his shoulder, sobbing quietly. "Oh, Edward, please don't say this just to change your mind."

He held her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. "Hey, hey now, no crying. I'm not changing my mind. I love you, Riza, I don't change my mind on those things."

She sniffed, drawing back. "Do you think we can go to bed early tonight?"

He was quiet a moment. "Are you sure?"

She smiled at him. "We don't have to do anything, my hip's not up for it anyway. I just-" She looked down at her hands. "I suppose I don't want to be alone anymore."

The thought, the idea of just curling up in bed and holding her appealed to him. "Let's go sit outside, watch the sunset, let Hayate play a bit, then we'll go to bed," he said.

She looked up at him. "Thank you, Edward." Her hand was warm as she lifted it to his cheek. "How'd I get so lucky?"

He kissed the palm of her hand. "Same way I did."

She kissed him, softly, then straightened and stood, holding her left hand out for him as she grabbed her cane with her other. "Shall we?"

Ed took her hand and stood, smiling more than he had in a long time.