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It was a spectacularly cold and wet day. Edward had grumbled the entire morning - Rian had learned fairly early on that Edward had to be coaxed out of bed in the winter with coffee and the hot water in the bathroom already running. Honestly, he wasn't certain how Edward had managed before he had come along, because otherwise it didn't seem like Edward would peel himself out from under his cocoon of blankets.
After a shower, though, Edward was awake and coherent, for the most part. Rian took the second shower because he didn't have joints soldered to metal to contend with and could be in and out before the creaky old pipes decided they were done cooperating. By the time Rian popped into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, Edward was reading the paper and working on his second cup of coffee. "You awake now?" Rian asked, both hands on the towel slung around his neck.
Edward glanced at the coffee mug in his hand. "Do I have to be?"
"It's not me you should be asking that," Rian said, investigating the pot of coffee and making a face at it. "Captain Hawkeye is the one who has to deal with you."
Edward made an indistinguishable noise into his coffee mug. "You're not coming in to the office today?"
Rian raised an eyebrow at Edward. "Why, boss, got a job for me?" At Edward's expression, he smiled. "Or you just want the distraction."
"I have meetings all day," Edward slumped forward in his seat, newspaper crinkling under him. "All damn day. I really fucking hate meeting with these people."
"Aww," Rian said, coming up behind him and ruffling Edward's hair. "My little colonel is so busy in his meetings all day."
Edward reached back and grabbed a handful of Rian's hair. "Your WHAT?"
"Ow," Rian said in response. "Ow, ow, ow!"
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Edward snorted and let him go. "And what are you going to be doing all day if you're not going to the labs or going to the office?"
"Didn't say I wasn't going to go into the labs," Rian called as he disappeared back down the hall toward the bedroom.
"You're not working on anything," Edward called after him.
"You don't know that!"
Edward opened his mouth and thought about that, he hadn't looked at the records for usage of the State Alchemist labs for at least a month. "I am reasonably sure you are not using the labs," he muttered. He had to check with Hawkeye to be certain. "Stop laughing at me!"
"I'm not laughing," Rian called back down the hallway. He reappeared, hair spiked funny as he rubbed it down for the second time with the towel. "Tony's got the day off, we're going to hang out."
"I like Tony," Edward said speculatively. "Good kid. Takes orders well, listens to his superiors. Unlike SOME people I know."
"You're gonna be late again, Colonel," Rian said, as a car horn beeped outside.
"Havoc never knocks on the door any more," Edward said as he stood up with a yawn.
"That's what happens when you can't keep it in your pants right in the front hallway," Rian said, tugging on his coat. "I'm catching a ride to the military dorms, at least."
"If I remember correctly you started that particular encounter," Edward reminded Rian, who caught the edge of Edward's open military jacket and tugged him down into a kiss. Rian grinned against his mouth and tugged on Edward's bangs.
"See you tonight, Colonel," Rian murmured against his mouth.
*
Anthony looked a lot different in the military academy's uniform, his usually unruly hair trimmed to the standard length. He was wearing the full thing for warmth, and a tan trenchcoat besides, arms crossed for warmth. Rian waved at his adopted brother as he jogged up to him, and Anthony grinned at him.
"How are you getting taller?" Anthony demanded, putting a hand atop Rian's head to measure and stooping a little. "You really are a freak of nature."
"Shut it," Rian snorted, batting Anthony's hand away, but not before he got his hair ruffled. "So what do you want to do on your day off?"
"You shouldn't be asking ME that," Anthony said. "It's your birthday, bro."
"Well in that case," Rian said. "I have an idea."
*
Edward said, with absolute certainty, "I'm going to transmute a fireplace in here."
Havoc sighed, scratched the side of his jaw with his pen as Bailey looked up. "No, colonel," Bailey said repeated tiredly.
"Hawkeye's gone today. I'll transmute it back by the end of the day. She'll never know."
"We'll die from smoke inhalation, boss," Havoc reminded Edward.
"Open some windows, we'll be fine."
"Is he always like this when it gets cold?" Sheska asked Cushler in a low voice as she handed off some files.
"Yes," Havoc, Cushler and Bailey all said at the same time. Edward scowled, one hand gripping the doorframe.
"You just want me to freeze, I know how it is," Edward said sullenly. "You want my fingers to fall off due to frostbite, and who will have to do all the paperwork THEN? That'll teach you ALL."
Havoc rolled his eyes. "At least it's a Friday."
"Oh," Sheska said suddenly. "That reminds me! Ed, I have a package for Rian, since he won't be in today will you give it to him for me?"
Edward gave Sheska an odd look. "A package?"
"Yes, for his birthday," Sheska rooted around in the small desk she'd dragged into the room since she started working for Edward's office. "Here," she took out what was obviously a wrapped book.
Edward stared at the present, and at Sheska, with no comprehension. "It's his birthday?"
All noise in the office stilled as everyone looked at Edward. Edward looked at the package again, looked up at everyone, then wordlessly grabbed his coat and bolted out of the office.
"Uh," Bailey said. "Doesn't the colonel have meetings all afternoon?"
"Yup," Havoc said, his elbow propped on the desk and chin in hand.
"I'll get you an agenda then," Sheska said.
*
Anthony and Rian were walking down the street, and Anthony was laughing. "So you're sure we won't get in trouble?"
"Mostly," Rian said. "I've gotten pretty good at getting out of trouble when I need to." As he said that, Edward appeared around a corner and spotted Rian. Rian stopped dead, and Anthony looked at Rian in surprise, then to Edward.
"Ah," Anthony said.
Edward pointed at Rian. "You!"
"Oh shit," Rian said, but Edward was faster. He caught Rian by the back of his coat and flipped him up over his shoulder in an expert move.
Anthony had snapped into a salute on pure reflex at the sight of the blue uniform. "Sorry Tony," Edward said. "I'll have him make it up to you later."
"Hey!" Rian yelled indignantly. "Put me DOWN!"
Without another word, Edward turned and carried him off.
Anthony, after a moment, dropped the reflexive salute and stared off down the street. Then he laughed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and turned to go the other way.
*
"You didn't have to carry me ALL THE WAY," Rian said indignantly, deposited back inside the hallway of Edward's home.
Edward snorted at him. "It's your birthday."
"Yeah, and?" Rian said as Edward shucked off his coat and tossed it at the coat rack.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's not a big deal?" Rian shrugged. "I mean, I didn't think I was gonna make it past the last one."
Edward grabbed Rian by the shoulder, pushed him back against the wall, and kissed him. Rian's eyes widened in surprise, then started toward closed. "Don't talk like that," Edward growled. "I still haven't forgiven you."
Rian sighed and put his hands on Edward's shoulders. "Colonel," he said. Edward tilted his head in toward Rian's, one hand on the wall beside Rian's head, the other traced Rian's jawline softly. Rian smiled for him. "Don't you have somewhere you need to be?"
"Fuck them," Edward murmured. "The meetings'll wait until Monday."
"Well then," Rian said philosophically. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather you fuck me."
Edward's grin was fierce. "I think that can be arranged."