((It was perfect! XDD She looks great! You know you like ideas as much as I do, they keep you going X3))

He chuckled and shook his head. No, he didn't want to get smashed...but then again, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea..not for what he was wanting to say...a little courage in a shot, right? He turned pink again when Shiba got down to business...blast her, how like a woman not to let him beat around the bush.
"Uhh...actually no...it..it wasn't as goodbye...I, I uh...wanted to apologize." Yeah, that was it Apologize, smooth.
"For the way that I've been..." Suuuure, that was it, Roy would have toasted him already if he'd been there.
"I've...I've had a lot on my mind lately, and haven't really gotten all the kinks in my brain worked out yet, but after the talk that I had with Ro- Colonel Mustang...I think I've got a lot of them. Shiba..I-I wanted to bring you back here tonight...to...to say that..." He found his mouth cotton and his hands in his lap fiddling with his napkin, knotting and re-knotting the blasted thing till it was wrinkled inside and out.
"I...I just wanted to say that....I think I...love you." His voice was nothing more than a tiny squeak by the time he'd said it and he hid his face behind his bangs and hoped he wouldn't have to repeat it.

[Im so glad you like it. I'm getting better at comics because of my sequential art. I think its just what I need to get the art flowing into comics...then you for the stories, if you dont mind XD]

"Apologize? It should be me apologizing sweety. I've been... so selfish for the past few weeks, only thinking of what I wanted, and never thinking about what your needs and desires were. I.. am a fool." I closed my eyes and rested my hand at the base of my glass. I listened to what he was saying, leaning in closer, then his voice got quieter. I.. couldn't hear him and I looked at him from across the table. He looked so... embarrassed.. what did he say? I played along.[XD Im 3Vil]
"Really? Cause I think this place is great too." I looked around the room.
"They have the best service, and nice waiters..." The waiter came back and placed our order in front of us, my glass on my side. Two cherries in my glass. I smiled.
"Edward.. do you like cherries?" I pulled one out by its stem and stretched my arm across the table and held the cherry to his lips.
"Its good, eat it." I took the other one out with my other hand and pushed it into my mouth slowly, keeping my eyes locked with his.

[OH im naughty XD]

((XDD Whatever you can get out of me is fair game, I draw whatever I think makes a good comic. Gomen last one))

"Oh no! Shiba...you've been nothing but kind to me and Al..you've...you're...you're great."
((You ARE evil!! XDD poor Ed))
"N..No th-that's not what I.." His jaw dropped a full three inches for a moment, then he looked around as if to make sure that Shiba was talking to him. When he turned back around there was a cherry right at the end of his face...and he lifted his eyebrows, wondering if she really wasn't holding a mirror for him to see how red he was.
He gulped and tried to explain once more that he...he loved her..but again, just as before, hid vioce fell to a whisper that was lost in the din of the other patrons.

[Im guessing he didnt take the cherry >.>']
"You two deserve the best... youve been through so much, you need some lovin'" i smiled at him.
"Fine you love this place? I do too!!! I wouldnt go anywhere else!!" I smiled, swallowing my cherry. His expression and face, I think I was making him uncomfortable and I apologized and plopped the cherry i held out to him back into my drink.
I took a sip of my drink then picked up my fork.
"This looks delicious!" I said, trying to lighten the mood. He looked so red.. was he hot? Was he not feeling good?
"Ed.. are you feeling alright? Do you want to leave?" He had me worried, he didnt look so good.

Edward had just abou thad it. It was like she was wanting him to explode! He gritted his teeth and shook his head. No he didn't want to leave, he wanted Shiba to LISTEN to the words coming out of his mouth.
"Shiba..I-I.." Ah screw it. Edward stood and then cupped his hands around his mouth crying louldly.
"SHIBA KATSUGAIA, I THINK I LOVE YOU!" He turned even redder than before as the din in the dining area lulled do a quiet murmur, and he sat down in his chair with a thunk.
"There? Did you hear me that time?" He asked, glancing through his bangs at her. He could only hold her gaze for a few seconds before looking away at the wall, or his plate, but he flicked his eyes back and forth trying to read her expression after his outburst.

[*dies*]

I almost choked on a meatball and my eyes watered as I took a sip of my drink. I had heard him that time.... and I blushed profusely and looked around the room at the stares we were getting.
"Edward..." I looked at him though his bangs and just smiled back.
"Let's finish our dinner..." I blushed, thinking that wasn't the best the love confession i would have liked. I was happy though... more than he would know... I just wanted to go over and glomp him, or even just jump across the table.
I ate quietly, feeling a bit awkward still getting the stares from the room, some giggles and nods.
Finishing about half my plate, keeping my eyes averted from his, it grew more quiet as the resturant slowly began to empty. I glanced over at him every now and then.. he looked as if he almost didnt touch his food... I was starting to feel bad... like I should have said something back to him... but... was it the right time? does he have a feeling I love him too? Time would tell.

Edward nodded in agreement and ate in slience. He chewed longer than he really needed to on his pasta, but he figured the longer he took, the longer it would be before he had to hear about Shiba, and her school, and then finally her rejection. Above all other things, that was what he feared most.
Was it something I said? Did I do this wrong? Sure, I...I kind of just brust out with it, but I couldn't take it any more...crap...maybe I should have talked to Al more before coming out here...

Finishing my meal I wiped off my lips and looked over at him.
"Are you ready? I'd like... to spend some time with you, at the resort... we have some stuff tot alk about..." I smiled at him a little and tucked my hair behind my ear. I finished up my drink and stood.
"Be right back, I have to use the restroom." I walked off.
In the bathroom, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was a little blush and I washed my face and hands and came back out casually, running my hand over his shoulder before going back to my side and picking up my bags.
"Ready?"

Edward slurpped down the last of his noodles with a nod.
"S-Sure, if you are." He muttered wondering what she could possibly want to talk to him about...besides the ends of the spectacle he'd made of himslef.
"I'll....be right here." He looked down at his empty plate with a gulp....this was it...he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost jumped out of his chair when Shiba returned.
"Mmm." He said with a nod, and rose to join her.

"Do we have to wait till the resort?" He asked as they walked along the fairly empty streets.
I might have a good idea what this is going to be about.

After paying the waiter and thanking him, we left into the quiet town. We were silent for a while and I looked down at him as he spoke, just above a slight whisper. He seemed so... relieved, in a way, yet I could tell he was nervous. I just smiled.
"I guess not.. Edward.. you know... what you said at the resturant..." I got blush and I looked forward.
"I've.. loved you.. for a really long time.. but never wanted to tell you, because I didnt want to be a burden to you.. I didnt want that weight on your shoulders, ya know? Like you had told me before... you didnt want someone to love you, because of the work you do.. but... it was so hard to not fall in love with you from the beginning..." I blushed even harder and covered my face.
"Is this awkward for you? These were things I never thought I'd be telling you.. I only talked about this with Kiri..." I glanced over at him, to get a reaction, hoping our eyes wouldn't meet. My heart was racing.

Edward all but stopped.
"You mean...." He looked over at Shiba, his jaw hanging open.
"You mean, you're not going to complain? You're not going to tell me that you can't love me back because you have to finish school?" He stopped and felt his knees buckle.
"You're...serious....aren't you?" He looked at her trying to make sure that she wasn't kidding, and then his face broke out in a huge smile.
"Thank Goodness...I was so scared in the resturant..that you were going to tell me that all I'd said was for nothing." He sighed and slumped to the ground overwhelmed with happiness, and relief.

I could only smile at him as he stopped and I went to his side and kneeled next to him.
"I can't complain... I've.. always wanted you to notice me... for the longest time... and you were just... too blond to realize how much I liked you..and tried to look nice for you.. and flirted with you.. so I figured I would just push you away... to keep you at a distance from me... because I know when you leave... my heart will ache... but now... I just don't know what we're going to do." I put my hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, brushing his bangs from them with my other free hand.
"I could never joke about something as serious as love, Ed."
I cocked my head to the side and slid my hands onto my thighs as I still knelt beside him.
"You were scared? I kinda wish you wouldn't have shouted it... but... it's gotta be true if you confessed it to a crowd of people like that... and as for school... I still need to finish one more year... but school is a dumb excuse to not fall for you..."

Edward stared ahead and furrowed his brows.
"Should I feel insulted right about now?" He mumbled.
"I'm glad...at least now I know you're serious." He blushed and looked away.
"Well...since you didn't seem to hear me the first few times...I thought that'd be the only way that you'd hear me." He scratched along the side of his face with a finger and let his sideways gaze slide back to Shiba's face.

I giggled and shook my head.
"I just think youre a little... dense to realize the female signals we send, that's all. C'mon, I have my blond moments too, and I'm a turquoise." I smiled.
I ran my finger under his chin to look up into my eyes and I got closer to him- about 2 inches from his face with mine.
"How do you expect me to hear you practically whispering in a crowded resturant?" I smiled, keeping my hand under his chin and looking deep into his amber eyes.

"Heh Heh... I knew you two would hit it off..." Mustang said as he walked up behind Ed, he jerked an arm arond his neck.
"You dog, wha-at did you do? You gotta tell meh all about it" He grinned. He... was a little tipsy, gin apparent on his breath and bloodshot eyes and he looked into Ed's and breathed into his face.
I was startled to see Roy come out of nowhere in his blue uniform as usual.. he was probably on night patrol.. it was after curfew. I stood and saluted to him.
"Hello Colonel, we were just going--"
"No need to worry babe..." he rolled his drunk eyes up to me.
"Teh Mushteng...is..here new...eer..now.." He said with a grin."
I stepped back.
"Sir... are you drunk???" I said with suprize.
"Now..why...would...yuuu...th-inkyy... haha the sky is greeennnnn...." he said, collapsing his head on Ed's shoulder.
I could only quirk an eyebrow and meet my glance with Ed's.
"Now what...?"

Edward grimaced. He was fairly certain this was one time that he should feel insulted, but...then he shrugged. It was Shiba after all, what did he care?
He was pink in his cheeks as she neared his face, and he almost swore that his eyes slipped closed...all for the two seconds that he had before Mustang came crashing down on his shoulder.
"You..." He growled.
"I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING!" He glared back up at Shiba and did his best to shove the Colonel off.
"Leave him?" He suggested with a snarl.
"Or dunk his head under water for a few hours. Either one sounds good to me."

Mustang fell to the ground unconscious as Ed pushed him off, and I shook my head.
"Dammit... C'mon help me get him up... we'll take care of him.. or I will. I cant just leave him here... after all.. if it wern't for him I dont think we.. would have said anything to each other tonight..." I heaved Roy to my side and swung his arm over my shoulder- he was alot heavier than I thought and my knees wobbled as I steadied myself, groaning.
"Jeeze... when you were drunk, you wern't as heavy, if I recall right."

Edward groaned and took his position on the other side of the by now-dead-to-the-world Colonel with a reluctant, agreeing nod.
"You're right.." He said begrudginly.
"He was the one that told me to fess up to you.."
He blushed furiously and looked away.
"Course...at least I could walk on my own....I think." He furrowed his eyebrows again and looked off in the distance as if trying to remember.
"I could walk on my own...right Shiba?"

I could only smile, looking to the gentle, calm face of the Colonel.
'Remind me to thank him when he wakes up.." I said, heading to our resort. I adjusted his weight as Ed took his other side, I had my arm around the Colonels back and under his left armpit, I was on his right side.
I looked over at Ed in question and lifted one eyebrow.
"As in 'walk on your own' you mean tell me you feelings without help? I...dont think so...if it wasn't the Colonel to help you, it would have been Alphonse."
Entering the resort, I headed for the long hallway towards our room.
"Now were out one bed... again.." I said to him jokingly.
"Maybe we should just sleep together to make the both of them happy" I said, half-joking.

Edward 'pfft'-ed and shook his head.
"No, I meant, at least when I was drunk I could stagger back on my own two feet instead of passing out like this idiot...what's he doing drinking on patrol anyway...wasn't he supposed to be back in Central hunting Scar by now.." He glared over the Colonel's head at Shiba.
"Hardly, that might satisfy this meddler for all of three minutes, but trust me that wouldn't do any of us any favors." He all but kicked the door in and nodded his head apologeticly to Alphonse who had rose his sleepy head from under the table to look at the three.
"Umm..Brother...I only thought...two of you went out."
"We did, but somehow, we ended up bringing home another stray."
"This one isn't going to run away like the last one is he?"
"Hopefully."

I laughed.
"Yeah, well, last time you only had one glass of wine... who knows how much the Colonel has drunk... Im guessing alot by the way he smells..."
I sighed.
"Worth a shot right?" I grinned at him as we entered.

"Hey there Alphonse, didnt you look all snuggly. Did you have a good day?" I asked, happily, heaving Mustang to the waiting Futon, the one Ed had been sleeping in these past few nights.

He looked over with a surprised expression and smiled.
"Is that an invitation?"

Alphonse grinned through a yawn and nodded.
"Uh huh." He stood and stretched, moving over to where Edward stood with the Colonel and squatted to poke his drooling face.
"What's with the Colonel? He looks like Ed the night you had to drag him back to the hotel Shiba."
"Thanks for the reminder, dummy." Edward scowled as he dug a knuckle into his brother's head.
"Owww...." Alphonse said rubbing his head.
"Well, what are we going to do with him now that he's here?"
"I still say we should dunk his head...at least for a while."

I blushed and averted my gaze from his. I decided to stay away from that one. He loved teasing me.. as I loved teasing him.

"We're not dunking his head, were gonna take care of him, like Kiri and I took care of you, okay Edward?" I sat the Colonel down, and laid his upper body against mine as I removed his jacket.
"Jeeze, he's heavy..." I said as I took off his coat, revealing his white undershirt. I unbuttoned the top buttons then laid him down on the futon, holding the back of his head and placing it gently on the floor.
"We need a bucket of cold water.." I said as I removed his shoes and pulled the blanket over him. He... was more handsome than I had ever thought before... and I enjoyed his calm expression as he rested.
He only made a few murmurs as I stood up.
"He should be alright by morning... he just needs to sleep it off." I said quietly, and made my way back towards the table and sat on the floor with a sigh.

Edward sighed and turned his head.
"Mmmeeehhhh....dunking sounds better." He did, however, move off to go get the water that Shiba requested.
"So..." Alphonse prodded as Shiba sat down.
"How'd it go?" He seemed to be in a fairly good mood, judging by their playful banter that all had went well with them.
"Did Ed behave himself? Or did you need a leash?"
"Ha. Ha." Came the sarcastic laugh from the other side of the room.
"Very funny Alphonse."
"Annnyyway." He turned back.
"You look like you had fun. Is that a safe assumtion?"

"No dunking.."
I rested my head on my palm and looked over at him.
"Yea... better than ever... But I think I'll let Ed fill you in on that..." I blushed, looking into Al's eyes and nodding, smirking slightly.
I got up and thanked Ed for the water and went to the Colonels side and dunked the rag in and folded it neatly and placed it on his forehead and came back to the table to join the boys.
"I'm gonna get in the spring... feel free to join me." I said to the both of them and walked out, grabbing a towel and my kimono and sending Ed a lustful smile before sliding the door shut behind me.
Whatever we were doing on the street and discussing.. I really wanted to be alone with him more...
I stripped and got in... It was past 1 am... but I didn't care... the warm water felt great on my aching shoulder, from carrying the Colonel. The lions water was on, and the bath was filled with steam. I took a long sigh and sat down, the water right under my chin.

Alphonse smiled. Finally his thick headed brother had done something right.
"That's good to hear."
He smiled and waved as Shiba went out muttering something about staying with the Colonel to keep his rag damp, and then turned a deadly gaze to Edward as he saw his brother's eyes follow Shiba out the back door.
"Don't even think about it." He warned.
"WHAT!?" Edward cried innocently.
"You know very well 'what'."
"Pfft...she did invite us...well, me." In his mind that was as far as the sugestion went.
"Edward."
"Alright, alright, fine...I'll stay in here with you and Mr. three-sheets-to-the-wind over there." He sighed though...he really didn't want to see anyone but Shiba at the moment...they still had so much to talk about...even then..he really didn't want to leave her alone for one second.