Over Tea

"Good evening, Lieutenant!"

"Goodnight, gentlemen."

The end had come at last to another long day at Central's military headquarters. Uniformed men and women could be seen exiting the grounds; saying temporary farewells to familiar faces and laughing at the day's events. Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye made her way home alone; the only woman-in-blue to do so on a nightly basis. Well, almost alone, as her faithful canine, Black Hayate, walked by her side.

Near the end of the large sidewalk that stretched in front of the building was another lone soldier. Although, his choice of clothes didn't illustrate this fact, and neither, unless one knew previously, did his age. One doesn't see many teenage gunmen.

Upon seeing his red coat, Riza smiled and waved while calling out his name.

Edward turned to face the fast-approaching Lieutenant. His attitude was gloomy, his back slumped, suitcase heavy, and body desperately in need of rest. The train he had been riding broke down nearly two-miles out of town. With no other means of transportation, he'd walked every inch of them.

But at the sight of her, a genuine smile broke out across his cheeks and he waved back; running towards her with new energy flowing through his exhausted legs and his suitcase now light as a feather.

"Hey, Lieutenant," Ed said, still grinning.

"Good evening, Edward," Riza replied with a matching expression. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Just getting into town, actually."

"Just now? But the train should've shut down almost an hour ago."

"Well, eh heh, it did."

"Don't tell me you walked into town," Riza's brow furrowed and she crossed her arms.

"Ok," Ed chuckled sheepishly, "I won't tell you."

"I swear, Ed," she muttered. "Then I'm guessing you don't have a hotel reservation yet either."

"Depends, is that something else you don't want me to tell you?" an embarrassed grin passed his lips along with another quiet chuckle.

"Well then how about this:" she began, kindness replacing solemnity, "I give you a place to stay and you don't tell me anything."

"I couldn't...I-I mean, I wouldn't want to impose on you or anything." Ed knew exactly why his tongue had become so tied, his face so warm.

"Nonsense, if I had any problems I wouldn't have suggested it."

"But-" he replied, unable to find reasonable distraction.

"I'm afraid I must insist, Edward," she straightened up, countenance one of sobriety. Another smile broke the charade and she lightly grabbed his hand; thus ending the argument as she began to walk.

Ed barely had time to grab his suitcase before she started to move.

Taking his hand had, at first, merely been a way to get him moving. But the longer she grasped his fingers the harder it became to even think of letting go. Work was not the place for such things; however, she was not at work, not on duty. Tonight there would be no off-white walls, no barriers of rank or society; it would just be her and him. And this reality widened her smile as she walked, and squeezed his hand gently when her pace quickened.

Edward noted with a gulp that she hadn't let go of his hand. He might've drawn her attention to this…had he not been enjoying every second.

A curious black dog followed behind them, tilting his head with what looked like a grin in his whiskers.

They sat on her bed, side-by-side with some distance between them, each now holding a hot teacup filled a little over halfway with a steaming, tan liquid. She took her tea a deep brown, while his was deluded with three cubes of sugar; neither cup bore the opaque sign of cream.

The apartment was peacefully silent as the sun slowly went down. Riza was gazing thoughtfully at the wall opposite them, while Edward, using the corners of his eyes, never stopped looking at her.

She held the cup to her lips and breathed in the steam, closing her eyes with a smile to the comforting warmth as it passed her nostrils. She then took a small sip, slurping slightly, and swallowed the warmth with another light sigh.

Throughout this quick process, Ed had slowly begun to turn his head until he was fully facing her. As he watched her take another drink, he noticed especially how she pressed her lips gently against the rim, and then parted them to allow the tea passage into her mouth.

Ah, that he were teacup…

"Something wrong, Edward?"

Ed blinked a few times and nodded vaguely, attempting in vain to cool his cheeks while hoping she wouldn't notice their new shade. Thinking fast, he blurted out the first thing he could think of, "I-I was just wondering, why did you join the military anyway?"

"Why…Hm, no one's ever asked me that before," Riza held the cup in her lap and looked at the window, eyes becoming distant. "There are people in this life I have no intention of losing prematurely."

He tilted his head to the side, intrigued, "What do you mean?"

"Everyone has someone they're important to and someone who's important to them. I became a soldier to protect the innocent, and also to protect those important to me as well as others. I'm not one for bloodshed, but if someone threatens any of those I care about I won't hesitate to shoot. And, if need be, I'll stand on the receiving end of a trigger; lead and pain is a small price to pay for their safety."

Ed watched with an aphonic gaze her head slowly turn to look straight at him, hands all the while clutching the cup in his lap.

"And that means you, Edward," she said, smile gentle as the brightening moonbeams glittering in her hazel eyes.

He nearly dropped the cup at hearing his name, "I'm…important to you, huh?"

"Of course," Riza replied.

A moment passed and the two simultaneously looked to the ground and scooted a little closer.

"Um, Lieutenant?" Ed began, fearing the fragile china might break if he held it any tighter.

"Yes, Edward?" Riza took another small sip from her cup; it had been this action that fueled his next question.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but," he swallowed hard, "what was your…first kiss like?"

"My what?" her eyes widened and it was she who nearly dropped her cup this time.

"I-I'm just…curious. Like I said, if you don't want to answer…"

Another moment passed as Riza considered his question; during which time, the heat was turned up in both their faces, and their cups were practically screaming to be released.

"Now, I've definitely never been asked that one before," she said finally, "but, you know? I haven't really had it yet."

"You haven't?" both shock and relief flowed over him; relief that he wasn't the only one, and shock for the same reason.

Riza shook her head, still blushing a little, "I've got about as much luck with the opposite sex as Lieutenant Havoc."

"I can't see why," Ed bit his lip, realizing only after it'd been said how many ways that comment could be taken.

Silence, more awkward now than peaceful, fell upon them. Little did they know that the person sitting only inches away was thinking the same thing. It all came down to who spoke first.

"I-I've…been wondering for a while how it works, you know?" Ed mumbled.

"Yeah?" Riza looked to him out of the corners of her eyes. "And have you come up with anything?"

"Well," he turned his head towards her, "I've always thought they'd have to lock eyes first."

"You're probably right," she turned towards him too, and their eyes locked just as predicted.

In front of his eyes was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and she, the most handsome man. The phrase 'breathtaking' was given a literal meaning, as each found it hard to take their next breath.

"And then…? How do you think it would go after that?" Riza managed in a mumble.

"W-well…after that, they'd…well they'd…" Ed had thought of what to say previously, but now found his mind a total blank.

"Don't worry, I think I know how it would go," both subconsciously and with her own power, Riza slowly began to lean in closer.

Edward did the same; lips opening and eyes closing in time with hers.

Their breathing long past nonexistent, all that could be heard was the thunderous explosion known as a heartbeat. And then even their pulses were silenced as the space between them shrank to next to nothing.

"Riza…" Ed breathed, so close he could feel the warmth radiating from her body.

"Edward…" Riza whispered back, lips nearly on his.

"RARF!"

This time both cups nearly crashed to the floor in surprise. Their eyes shot open in unison and they scooted to opposite sides of the bed; faces bright red and breath coming rapidly to make up for lost time. All the while miraculously not spilling a drop.

Another knock came on the door-the first one had gone unnoticed by all except the dog who lay forgotten beneath the bed.

A little lightheaded, but composing herself, Riza went to answer the door. When the first thing she saw was cold, gray steel, the identity of their 'guest' was apparent.

"Good evening, Alphonse," she said with a smile, though feeling the opposite of its meaning. She did like the boy, but he couldn't have come at a more inopportune time.

"Hello, Lieutenant. Um, I'm sorry to bother you, but when I didn't find Brother and asked around, someone said they'd seen him with you."

"Hey," Edward called from inside the apartment. He rose to his feet, chugging the remainder of his tea before placing his cup on the covers, and slipped his coat back on.

"There you are! It took me a while, but I finally found some vacancy."

"Great," he replied, turning partially, questioningly, to Riza.

Riza just gave him an understanding smile.

"Hey, Al, you go on ahead, ok? I'll be right there."

The armored alchemist nodded, "Don't take too long or I'll lock up without you."

"I got it, I got it," Ed grinned and waved

"Don't worry about it," Riza said immediately after his brother was out of earshot. "It's paid for already anyway."

"Well, yeah, but…" Ed massaged the back of his head with one hand.

"Really, Edward, please don't worry," she ended the argument this time with a smile and a nod of her head. Needless to say, she would've liked ending it as had been done previously.

"Ok…"

It was silent, peaceful once more, as Ed made his way to the door, gripping the handle of his suitcase tightly.

"Oh and, um, thanks for the tea," he smiled at her over his shoulder. "Best I've ever tasted."

"I'm glad you like it, though there are a few things I can think of that might taste just a little bit better," a new blush faded into her skin when she went to stand next to him.

"Hm? Uh, what do you mea-? Mmph!"

Riza grabbed his shoulders and turned him around; cutting off his sentence with a deep, passionate, first kiss.

The suitcase crashed to the floor; Ed's grip instantly dropping as his fingers spread and froze in place. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, and could feel nothing but her lips and the fire in his cheeks. This was the feeling of a first kiss, and it had him practically floating where he stood while fireworks exploded all around him.

Their lips held for a thousand euphoric eternities before Riza gently pulled away; eyes opening slowly to see his own wide open and bulging in their sockets. Grinning, she used one hand to lift his suitcase and press the handle into his palm.

How he managed to grab the handle and then walk to the door unscathed would forever be a mystery. He stumbled his way out the door and swayed slightly on the sidewalk. It was her final words, almost as much as her kiss, which had him wobbling in step and fighting an overpowering dizziness with a dazed grin plastered on his crimson visage:

'Go on, Ed,' she whispered, tapping his nose, 'Alphonse will be waiting. If you have anymore questions, I'll be more than to happy answer. Just meet me here tomorrow and we can discuss them…over tea.'