::I looked back and stamped my foot, glaring at Kiri.
"Please, Kiri...stop following me, i dont need another loved one torn from my heart...by the military, none the less. Please run...and stay with Scar, so I know youre safe." I walked on, finally arriving at the egde of the darkening woods. I sighed and walked in, the brush under my feet crunched. I didnt have my alchemy, so Id be sleeping under the stars tonight...I prayed it wouldn't rain.
I took shelter under a large oak tree and sat down and looked up at the sky. I then stood, taking off my jacket and gathered twigs and logs and threw them in a pile nearby. No matches... I groaned. I usually used alchemy to start a fire but I couldnt do it now. I hissed and plopped back down. the sun was now gone and I was under the cloak of darkness now. I brought my knees to my chest and closed my eyes, laying my head face down on my knees. I wished the night would be over soon::

"I'm not leaving." She growled and clenched her jaw.
"Ane..." Her shoulders fell and she looked away.
"I'm not going to leave you alone. Aniki can take care of himself for a little while longer..he's managed so far without me." She walked with her, almost in silence and then smiled as she sat down.
"And it seems like you need me more than he does now." She flopped to the ground by Shiba's attempt at a fire.
She took a small package out of her pocket and opened the tin case, revealing a small fragment of flint and tinder. A strike and a spark leapt out of her hands and onto the brush lighting the twigs. She sat there and watched the fire blaze to life and said nothing for a moment or two.
"Ane..I know you don't want to see anyone you care about get hurt..but maybe it's time that someone worried about you for a change." She threw her cloak beside Shiba's coat and smiled.
"I'll keep watch tonight."

::I looked to her with sad eyes and I nodded, knowing I couldn't win. I cuddled up beside her, draping my arm around her shoulder and lay my head on her chest. Her heart beat slowly. I listened to every breath she took...and let out. She was so human.
"I saw Ed naked today.." I muttered and laughed, trying to lighten the mood. My eyes grew teary as I thought of him.
"He told me to run and hide... I still dont think he has feelings for me..plus.." I paused, burying my head into her collarbone as tears escaped my eyes.
"..theres another girl in his life.."::

With a slight pink to her cheeks, Kiri slowly wrapped her own arms around Shiba. She couldn't help but laugh as she thought of Edward sitting most uncomfortably in the position that Shiba would have placed him in, but her humor died almost instantly.
"Shiba..." She started, but there was nothing to be said, she only placed her head on Shiba's and let her cry. She turned her eyes to the sky and watched a comet streak by.
"But he does care...if he didn't..would he have bothered to tell you to run?" She looked back and nodded.
"Men are weird..they'd much rather try to shoulder everything themselves..even though it kills them inside. I think it'd hurt their pride if they tried it any other way."

Edward let out a groan, sundown and he'd seen hide nor hair of either of the girls.
"I'm starting to think that they're avoiding me."
"Edward....what will happen if Mustang found out that Kiri was here?"
"That, Al...is something that I really don't want to think about right now."

::I cried even harder, thinking about him. her embrace.. was relieving...I think its all i needed and I moved closer to her. She was so warm.
"Thank you, Kiri..I think I needed you...more than you think.." I sniffed.
"For some reason...he seemed cold when he told me to run. I..didnt see him all naked, if you what I mean. He saw in an odd position... he was too shy to be nude for me, i couldnt make him feel uncomfortable... I...told him to leave and that I didnt have the courage to paint him nude. I..was kind of angry at him about letting me see him... I think it changed things between us... i wish...I hadn't let him undress..." I closed my eyes.
"He hates me..." I hiccuped and sobbed again.
"I hate what i feel like I made him do.. or guilted him into doing...I cant look at him the same way..I didnt even see all of him and I feel weired about it..."::
[done my painting XD we need to yaoi tonight >.>]

((Good, I'll start it back again as soon as I get on tonight XD))

"I know you do..that's why I'm here." She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood..and failing horribly.
"He does not hate you." She chided gently.
"He offered his services, and it wasn't your fault that you felt as though you had to decline them." She thought back to Edward and sighed.
"If that Mustang man is there in town...that might explain why he seemed cold..perhaps they don't get along, and he let his personal feelings leak out when he was near you. Honestly, I don't think anything as trivial as being naked would phase anyone like Edward." She looked away and her gaze became worried.
"Speaking of which...what did he want with you? That...Colonel Mustang? He didn't hurt you did he?"

::I covered my wrist that the watch-like device was on.
"Edward... He... i dont know why he offered.. probably just to make me feel better...but he was so uncomfortable there was a storm in the air as he sat on the bed in that odd position. I...couldnt take away his privacy. He said he saw me in the bath...all of me. I freaked, but then didn't care afterwards." I sighed.
"Men...can be so immature. I just wish.. Ed weren't in the military...so he'd let me be with him..." I closed my eyes and pulled my body from hers and simply lay my head on her shoulder.
"Kiri... i think I'm in love with him..."
I sighed deeply, pausing for a moment.
"Still...there is a wall there again between us after the naked incident. i cant just jump over it. Its..tall" I sighed.
"the guy told me to turn you in when I found you..I told him I would...but he can kiss the whitest part of my ass. I love you too much to turn you in to an idiot like him.." I wiped my face on my arm and huffed, looking into the fire. I missed Ed...and I kept thinking back to the night he held me in his arms... it may have been out of concern...but It just felt so right. Then..we fell asleep together. That was the best sleep i had gotten in such a long time.::

She couldn't help but smile, Kiri had never known waht it was to be in love, but she knew that it made people do the strangest things...and that it could be the most powerful force in the world..even more powerful than Alchemy.
"If there's a wall Ane.." She said at last.
"Then I can help you break it down." After all, wasn't that why she was here? To help Shiba? She stiffened a little when what she had feard was confirmed, but then relaxed, ther was nothing she could do about it now..if she stuck around like she'd promised, she would eventaully have to deal with Mustang..it seemed sooner rather than later though.

::I blinked and lifted my head and met my eyes with her.
"How can you help? I dont understand?" I cocked my head to the side and let out a long breath.
I rested my arms on my knees then rested my chin on them and looked to the fire.
"I dont want you to stay around for too long... the man who gave me the warning put this device on me...to know where I am at all times." I showed it to her and grinned sadly::

She tilted her head away and thought.
"I don't really know myself, but there's got to be someway, right?" She laughed goodnaturedly and prodded Shiba's forehead with her index.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm too stubbron to let go now...well...that's what Aniki told me before I took off this last time." She grinned boyishly and flexed an arm.
"No problem, I'm not about to be beaten by a State Alchemist, especailly on of his rank." She talked big...but even Kiri was unsure of how a battle between them would go. She only sighed and would simply hope for the best.

::I nodded slowly then closed my eyes.
"I..don't think things will ever be right between us, especially after what happened today...I kind of feel bad about storming out on him..but I just couldn't do it, he was so shy about me seeing him.. I cant paint when I know someone is uncomfortable." I sighed and looked to her.
"I'm dwelling in this 'naked Ed' thing, aren't I? I just feel like, thats what made him want me to leave and be alone. I know its because of Mustang... but he could've been nice about it... plus I was hysterical because my model put a knife though my painting and stole my belongings...thats how that State Alchemist found me, the ass I drew ratted me out after going through my things. Which reminds me.." I pulled my bag over to my side and pulled out my diary. I opened it up and took out the loose old photos and stuffed them into my bag and stood and walked up to the fire and sadly threw my diary into the roaring flames.
"Noone...can ever read that." I sighed and watched it burn completely before taking my seat back beside her.
"Ed and Al are probably long gone by now. He doesn't want to have anything to do with me. Winry... I can sense, is very important to him and close to his heart." I placed my hand over my heart and took a deep breath.
"I doubt I'll see him again" I nodded.::
[Check out AT OOC]

((I'm going to Flickr right now XDD))

Kiri was left silent, after all..there was nothing she could say at the moment, she watched with saddened eyes as Shiba pulled the diary from her bag, the same diary that she'd seen Mustang hold in the coffee shop. Soon her private thoughts and feelings were ablaze, then reduced to ash.
"Ane..." She whispered. Then it struck her...if she didn't know of a way to help her over or through the wall...maybe she knew someone that could. She grinned.
"Are you so sure about not seeing him again?" She smiled and knelt by Shiba, patting her shoulder.
"I wouldn't rule that out just yet." She stood and turned.
"I'll be back in a few minutes..there's something I need to check on." With that she was gone.

"Brother..take it easy..you're going to wear a hole in the floor."
"Al..I can't! I'm worried..there's too many things that could have happened to her!." Alphonse turned away with a sigh and looked out the window. There was no reasoning with Edward when he got like this. He blinked a few times as he saw a shadow pass by the window and then a tap sound on the glass.
"K-Kiri!"

[XD Uh-oh what's she gonna do XD *hides*]
::I looked up to her and looked to her blankly "What do you mean..? H-hey! Where are you going?" But she was already gone.
I groaned and stood, and picked up another log and threw it into the fire. I hoped he should be smart and sly enough to stay out of sight with all the military about in the town. i was worried... where the heck would she go? the boys had to be gone by now, unless they decided to stay in the hotel one more night and leave in the morning? I brushed it off and shook my head, walking back and fourth in front of the fire. I put my hands behind my back and paced, waiting for her to return. I was getting worried.::

((Nothing.....too extreme XDDD))
"What are you doing here!"
"Finding you two." Kiri was sitting on the window sill smiling like a cheshire cat, sly and secretive.
"Don't you know that Mustang's here looking for you!?"
"Yes."
"And yet you're out here hopping around rooftops looking for us, even when we've been instructed to turn you in?"
"So was Shiba."
"Shiba!?"
"Yes, Shiba. Ane..you remember her right?"
Edward growled, his hands mocking his inner urge to strangle the blonde that sat just two feet from him.
"Kiri..you better give me one good reason NOT to kill you in the next two seconds or I'm--"
"Going to do what?" Time paused and her smile widened.
"Little Edward's going to do what?" With a crash and a bang, Edward fell hook, line, and sinker. Kiri fell backward out of the window and looked back.
"You'd better hurry Fullmetal, or you may never get this chance again!" She took off like a shot down the street and made her way back to where she knew Shiba would be waiting.

Kiri pulled into camp only a few minutes later. She skidded to a halt by the fire and only smiled, before leaping into the tree that Shiba had decided to make camp under.
"He's coming." She said with a laugh, poking her head out from the limbs once, before withdrawing back into their foliage.

::My eyes widened as I watched her leap to her usual spot.
"He who? Should I hide??" I looked back and fourth frantically and jumped behind a bush and looked up to her and whispered.
"Is it the guy from before? Did he see you?" I was stern in my voice, even for a whisper. My heart raced as I stayed hidden in the brush, I only looked on in anticipation and fear, waiting for something to happen.::
[will u be on tonight? May i ask why you cant be online on the weekends?]

(( My parents would chase me off within minutes of hearing the dail tone...they think I'm spending way too much time on here and not enough time doing my housework...another reason why I need a job.))

Kiri only laughed and shuffled around in her hiding place, having to cup her hands over her mouth to stay quiet.

"KIRI!! GET OUT HERE OR I'M GONNA KEEL--" Edward skidded to a halt as he cleared the bushes, he saw both her and Shiba's coats laying just a few yards away and he was about to do an about-face when Alphonse, busy trying to keep up, slammed into his sending him sprawling face first into the dirt.
"You little--!!" He cried shaking his fist, and spitting dirt from his mouth.
"KIRI!!"

[Oh i see. Same with Matt XD but he can be boring x.x]
I heard Ed's voice and stood up quickly, still in the bushes, and looked down at him, face a dirty mess.
"Edward?! What Are you doing here?" I looked down at him in question, and awe. I didnt think i'd see him again and here he is, laying in the dirt. I came out from behind the bush and stood over him, putting out my hand to him to help him up.
"C'mon, get up out of the dirt, or 'dog' would really suit you" I cocked my head to the side and smiled warmly at him.
I looked up to Al and sent him a grin.
"How are you Alphonse?"::

((X3))

Edward glanced up into the tree he'd fell beside as a laugh echoed out before answering.
"I'm here..chasing a Sprite that decided it would be a good idea to run rampant through down Main street." He stood blushing and dusted himself off, and then turned to offer his brother a hand up as well.
"I'm alright...you look well Shiba." Alphonse bowed and Edward merely scratched the side of his nose.

[you should edit your post from before x.x if u know what i mean, about the weekend. If i disappear for a bit its cause mah food is here XD]
::I sighed and plopped back down on top of my jacket.
"As well as I can be, knowing i'm-" I cut myself off, I didnt want to tell him a bout the military knowing of my secret and I continued on after a pause.
"..Im going to have to find another friggin male model that wont steal my bag and money, and rip my finished work." I yawned and leaned back against the tree, closing my eyes.
"So... don't you two have someplace to go? You must be tired of my pitiful company by now.." I still felt awkward around Ed and didn't have the courage to look him in the eyes directly. I had a feeling he knew.::

((0.o good point...ish edited..Mmmm ffoooddd.))

Edward sighed and looked away, his hand moving from his nose to his head.
"I'm sorry about that Shiba...that...that was my fault..." He sighed and then made an attempt to move on.
"An..anyway...I hope you can find one...soon..you know? So that your work..won't be..be late." He glared at the snort that came from both Kiri and Alphonse making a point to threaten both of them with his stare.
"We're kind of stuck here...at least until the end of the week."
"Yeah..Mustang's given us that much of a grace period then he's going to take matters into his own hands."
A rustle and once again the blonde head poked out from the green.
"Feh. You two are so dense...I'm not going anywhere with him or anyone else that I don't want to."
Edward coughed and shook his head.
"Yeeeeaaahhh..." He turned back to Shiba and opened his palms pleadingly.
"Look...I know that I've done some pretty dumb things before..but..I don't think you're pitiful company..I already feel like it's my fault that Mustang found you..so..at least let me apologize now that I'm here."

::Looking up at him, I blushed and stood and sighed, instead of looking into his eyes, I looked at his chest.
"Can we go talk somewhere...alone?" I muttered, feeling a bit awkward about the whole situation. I was grateful for Kiri and Al's company, but I needed to get some things out in the open.
"So...that was Mustang that spoke with me.." I rubbed my chin in thought then looked to him::

He blinked a few times, surprised and then nodded.
"S-Sure..uh..why..why don't we take a walk?" He looked back to Al with an unsure grin and his brother nudged him on.
"Like Kiri said." He whispered.
"You may never get another chance Fullmetal." Edward nodded and moved to Shiba, then past her, opening a pathway through the bushes.

"They'll be alright won't they?" Kiri asked as she slid down the trunk.
"They should be...if they don't kill each other first."
"I certainly hope so."

::I nodded to Al and Kiri, as if telling them we'd be fine. I then followed him into the brush.
I walked behind him, walking carefully under the cloak of the dark and I almost fell, but caught myself before slamming into his back. We were only lit by the moonlight overhead that escaped though the treetops. I began to speak, wondering how far we'd get from them; the farther the better.
"Edward... no words can express how sorry I am for today. I...shouldn't have let you undress, I should have sensed your uncomfortableness[is this a word? is is now XD] sitting on the bed like you did. I feel like... really awkward around you now and I feel like its changed things between us. I shouldn't have...done that. If I ever met Winry, i'd definitely let her hit me for trying to steal her man. I just feel like.. I owe you something..." I let out a laugh and walked on, looking at the ground, making sure to not trip again.
"I think I know how to resolve my issue.. let me get naked in front of you...the way you did for me.." I blushed and kept on::

Kiri smiled as she moved from the ground to Alphonse's shoulders, and leaned on his head. He sighed and moved to sit beneath the tree, figuring on being there a while.
"Be safe Ane.." She muttered with an assuring wave.

Edward stopped mid-step and turned around flailing.
"Sh-Shiba! Please! That....that's not nessecary." He looked away, past the limbs, and past the stars..looking for something that wasn't really there...an escape. He didn't want to make this any more awkward that it already was..not for himself and certainly not for Shiba.
"Shiba." He said at last.
"I'm not anyone's man. I don't want to burden anyone with that worry. I didn't come out here for you to pay me back for something....I didn't even know that this was where Kiri was leading me...but now that I'm out here..I-I just want to let you know how sorry I am. What happened before..that was my fault, and I probably didn't handle it as well as I could have. I guess..." He stopped and sighed, having lost his apology in his throat and not wanting to waste words between them.

::I looked up to him as he flailed and grabbed his automail arm.
"Edward.. I shouldn't have even made you feel like you had to pose for me...It's just..." I paused and looked to the ground.
"..Youre such a beautiful man..and to have the privelge to even look at you...is a blessing." I looked to him and stuck out my tongue playfully.
"Sounds kinda cheesy, doesn't it? But that image of you, looking so...ashamed and scared on the bed like that.. is burned into my memory forever. I should be happy I actually saw more of you than I had ever hoped but... your eyes.. told me a whole different story as you sat there, and I..just didnt have the heart to make you feel worse than you already did.I...was glad you offered... but I was only thinking of myself when I let you and I'm sorry. Can... you forgive me, Fullmetal?" I sighed and released his arm.
"I..just want you to have a good impression of me..before you leave me.. I dont want you to think of me as a ravenous woman looking to paint any nude men... I want to paint the beautiful ones... but the willing ones are hard to find these days.." I let out a chuckle and grew silent.::