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[blue_wayfinder]

Characters: Aqua and whoever she runs into
Location: Special mention of the library, the super market, and the Outer Quarter, but feel free to catch her en route to any of these places or near Death City Heights!
Rating: PG
Time: February 19, all day
Description: Aqua's keeping busy.


Aqua's morning was spent running errands. The fridge needed restocking and other supplies that needed replacing. That she hadn't noticed until she was nearly all out said a great deal about her life recently. Sometime after that she'd parked her bike outside of the library intent on getting some reading done. What she ended up doing was falling asleep on a book for a few hours. Later in the evening she would be out and about in the Outer Quarter doing patrols.

Honestly, after everything that had happened, she felt exhausted, but what else can she do but try to keep going?

Comments

[alastinglight]

[Turning, noting her presence, and smiling just a bit.

He's getting better at this.]

It's a familiar place to us both, is it not?

[blue_wayfinder]

Then you should know this isn't a place people come to for no reason.

[Mostly because there wasn't anything here.

So the question remained: why was he here?]

[alastinglight]

Having no reason is sometimes a reason.

[He turns now, looking off towards another section of the ruins.]

Part of the wall over there is crumbling. You may wish to inform Mustang.

[blue_wayfinder]

I'll make sure to do that when I get back. [It didn't occur to her to check, or to question whether or not what he said was true. It seemed she still trusted him instinctively.

She did, however, consider asking him out right what he was doing here. But she doubted she'd get a straight answer if he wasn't in the mood to give her one.

Instead she ran a hand over her face with a sigh.]

Was there anything else you wanted to say?

[alastinglight]

Yes. You're going to see me here often, as will your patrolmen. Do tell them not to attack me on sight, unless they want to be engaged.

[blue_wayfinder]

Commander Mustang and his partner have taken charge of this zone for the moment. But I will relay this to them.

[alastinglight]

[Nodding, then turning away again, intent on continuing his patrol walk.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[She hesitates for a moment before following after him. Despite the fact that was was older, taller, different falling into step with him was as natural to her as anything to her.]

[alastinglight]

[And he doesn't comment, doesn't seem to make a big deal out of his newfound company.

Some ten minutes pass before he speaks again.]

There is a mission coming up in Norway.

[blue_wayfinder]

[She'd heard about that one, had meant to ask a friend to go with her too if he was available.

She cast him a brief sidelong glance before focusing her eyes forward again.]

What about it?

[alastinglight]

I want to participate in it, and it makes sense to get a Meister who is familiar with me.

[Because it's about the fight, not about being with her again.

That was what he told himself, anyway.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[Oh.

She was quiet for a long moment because she wasn't sure what to say or how to say it.]

...are you sure?

[alastinglight]

I would not be asking if I was not. As things stand, I am sure that you want to fight as well.

[blue_wayfinder]

I do. [Except she thought she'd have to ask someone else to go with her. After all, he'd made it perfectly clear before that they weren't partners any more.]

...why me?

[alastinglight]

[Because he knows you want to go, and can't bear the thought of you fighting with a weapon who might not be able to watch your back.]

I already told you: I want to get a Meister who is familiar with me. Only a fool would walk into a major battle unprepared.

[blue_wayfinder]

...is that the only reason?

[alastinglight]

Are you hoping to hear another one?

[blue_wayfinder]

[Yes.

But she just closed her eyes and sighed. Really, she was too tired for this.]

...nevermind.

[alastinglight]

[...

He glanced back at her, with a look that was quite unlike the others he had given her recently.]

After the mission, we'll talk.

[He just needed to be certain of one more thing.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[He had impeccable timing, he really, really did. She'd just accepted the fact that things would never go back to the way things were, that she would have to be satisfied with the fact that he was willing to talk to her at all...

...and then he goes and does something like this.]

All right. [Because she wasn't really ready to talk about this either.]

[alastinglight]

[With that, he's nodding, and going back to walking.

That's all he needs to hear for now.]