thx4 10,000 prt2

Part Two

Moving out of the last room I had to deliver too, I let my eyes drift up and down the hallway…and swiftly spent the next couple of moments biting nervously down onto my bottom lip whilst shuffling my weight from foot to foot. Looking downward at the paper that was gradually being folded and set into my satchel, I had to decide…if I should visit Kimblee, and ask if he wanted any particular books delivered…but then again, if I did venture into the unknown, there was no way of telling what would happen.

Indeed, it was a tempting idea, but…was Zolf just being polite earlier? I could have assumed so, but then again…he had said about the order of new books…if that wasn't an invitation then I don't know what could have been assumed as one. Slowly running my fingertips across the front of my cheeks, I could feel their heat at the very thought of being alone in the same room as the man that I had had such a fixation about since Ishbal. Moving down the hallway, dragging my feet slightly as if to try and convince myself that what I was doing was really the right thing, my line of vision fell across his door.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked against the sturdy white wood with my slightly trembling knuckle, holding a breath in my chest I was met with the drawl of a tone behind it. Pushing open the door, I slowly leaned around it, shoulders tensed to stop them shaking before stepping fully into the room.

"G-Good afternoon again" I heard my words stumbling over themselves to try and spill out all at once, glancing around the simple room before back at Zolf, who was sat in a fresh shirt but still with no jacket, leaning backward in his well backed office chair that was situated before a wide wall length window. It was slightly daunting to have to speak with him in that sort of environment, and Zolf, was quick to pick up on it.

"Sorry about the state of things…it's not very well organised." He began, leaving my breath caught in my chest, it was as if he was teasing me with his words, knowing how addicted I was to them he wasn't going to keep feeding till he was ready. A smirk, played across his angular face.

"So…you're the one I come to if I want something special bringing in…" He lifted a narrow brow, bringing his fingertips together before him whilst setting his gaze over  them and piercing into me, I nodded, stupidly whilst fumbling in my bag to pull out a rota of different books the alchemists could order to borrow or buy.

"I-I should hope so…but I don't think Mr. Holmes has anything on human com..bus…t…" My voice trailed off as I slid the book onto Kimblee's table top, realizing just what I was saying, lifting my eyes to look at his own as his smirk turned to one of mixed surprise and amusement.

"I think that should be fine…I know of all the things I need to make a human explode…" He drawled slowly, bringing his hands downward to lift the book upward, letting his eyes gaze across it as I stared pointedly down at my feet, scolding myself heavily for being such an idiot. Of course Kimblee didn't need a book on things like that, he could create people into bombs! What on earth was I thinking…only lifting my head upward when he coughed into his hand,

"Have you a pen handy…?" He enquired as I nodded, plucking out a small order form that had been half filled and an special pen that I had gotten to make me feel less home sick, my writing was still in Xinganease, and Mr. Holmes appreciated it, being a large fan of my country and its culture, I spent half of the time trying to teach him a little of the language. Placing the paper down, I heard a small 'Hm.' coming from Zolf as I looked up, blinking wide eyes at him.

"Is something-" I began, but he promptly cut me off.

"Nothing…" He said, but his words contradicted his face as he seemed to be planning something deep within the back of his mind, not out of malice, but apparently an idea had just struck him that would prove valuable later on. "I'd like these three books If you would, to borrow." I nodded quickly, jotting down the right numbers of the books before folding everything away in my satchel.

Standing back upward from leaning against his desk, I bit down on my bottom lip slightly nervously and wound the ends of my hair through my fingertips, meeting a pleasant smile and glinting gold eyes.

"So, Miss…Pandora was it?" I nodded my head quickly, "How about you tell me why your so nervous...hmm? Is it because of my reputation of, what I did in Ishbal? Or maybe something that Archer said threw you off." Zolf said slowly, moving to place his elbows on his desk, folding his hands against either arm as I was taken aback, feeling my lips parting but nothing came out till I kicked myself to say something.

"No! No it's nothing like that!" I said quickly, lifting my hands upward in defence, shaking them slightly. "It's not…I'm not scared, well I am a little but…but it's…your alchemy is…" I couldn't say it, not like this…it was so embarrassing, but unless I finished my words, he would have never known. "amazing…" My voice trailed off into a mumbled whisper, lowering my hands and gaze downward and off toward the side, heaving a gentle sigh whilst pressing my fingertips toward the bridge of my nose, shaking my head, defeated by my own stupidity.

"I'm sorry…I'll have the books ready by tomorrow.." I murmured, turning my body away from his desk without looking upward, making my way toward the door.  I was forced to pause just before I met it, a breath lingered against the back of my neck and I could feel his body hovering behind mine. With one hand resting against the doorframe, the other tightly gripping the belt of my satchel, eyes fixed on the wall. I gasped softly, a sound that surprised even myself as I could feel his fingers crossing against my shoulder, moving them up toward the collar of my shirt.

"My alchemy is amazing…but it's not often that someone thinks so…I'm hated by this rotten military, and most definitely by my underlings…so why don't you tell me what the catch is…" His voice was like liquid, falling over me in waves, as I closed my eyes, breathing softly whilst my cheeks flushed with warmth, feeling his long fingers stretching across the front of my neck, and I tilted my chin upward, leaning the back of my head against his collar bone slightly. I was abruptly shocked, coughing as his grip tightened about the front of my throat, and I gasped, unsure what was going on.

"The catch, Pandora…no woman has ever found my alchemy in any way appealing…why you?" He whispered quickly into my ear, keeping the pressure about my throat as I swallowed slowly, curling my fingers against his hand to try and ease some of the pressure, but his grip proved to be too strong for me to move him by normal Civilian means.

"I d-do! I come from a fam-family that made s-sure that I knew well about d-death. I just love everything about it, the process, the explosions…it's fascinating!" I gasped whilst trembling to get all of my explanation out that could prove that I wasn't trying to trick him, and genuinely wanted to be there, to witness just what his alchemy was capable of.  Feeling his grip loosen around my neck,  tall body turned me around and thrust me against the wall in a harsh shove, catching me off guard.

I looked upward at him unable to remove my gaze from his own, as hands pressed themselves against the wall either side of my head, I could hear my heart thundering in my chest whilst looking, hypnotised by his eyes that narrowed finely down at me with a devilish glint. My bottom lip desperately tried to find some sort of word to say to him,

"I think…you should come home with me, little Panda." He toyed with my name with a grin along his face, as my eyebrows twisted upward and my breath shuddered, reaching outward, fingers curling against the front of his tank top as he removed one hand from the wall, allowing the palms of his hand to press against the curve of my cheek, feeling the rough brush of calloused palms touch against my skin proved to bring a deep blush across my face that was less than controllable.

Tightening my grip against his shirt, I closed my eyes and felt a shaky breath leave past my lips as I nuzzled the side of my face against his hand, which was warmly taken, I had no idea what had come over me in Zolf's presence, but within his arms, he knew just what to say, or motions to do that could melt me.
"C-Come home with you…?" I repeated, only really hearing his words just then as my eyelids fluttered, trying to open as I felt them drawing to gaze upward into his own pair, as he nodded, lifting a brow as to question if it was a bad idea. "Unless…you want to stay here…?" He whispered, leaning downward as I felt my chin being tiled upward, our lips, so very nearly touching. I closed my eyes, tightening my grip against his shirt as I could feel his slow and calm breaths stroking over my face.

My moment of pure bliss was shattered by the swift click of the door being opened just shy of our bodies, quickly snapping my eyelids open I looked upward at Zolf, catching his face that was pulled into a grimace, eyes closed, whilst slowly turning his head toward the source of the disruption. Archer again, with his hand firmly griping a file, sharp eyes upon the two of us as he seemed exasperated.

"Honestly, Kimblee…I knew you had lack of self control but at least give the poor girl dinner first." He snapped, tossing the file at Zolf's face as he backed away from me, my finger's uncurling from his shirt as I remained leaning against the wall, biting down on my bottom lip. Zolf threw the file against the table top, glaring across at Frank with some distaste, and it was reciprocated all the same.

"I bet you've been standing outside my door listening in all this time, haven't you?" Zolf spat angrily, golden eyes blazing as I could feel my stomach dropping from the tense atmosphere.

"Oh really, don't be so vulgar Kimblee. Anyone would think that your private life is something that everyone adheres too." Archer retorted, and this was then I presumed I should have made my leave before things got even more ugly, unknowing just what the lieutenant colonel could have done under some measure of rage.  Coughing slightly, I looked between them as they set their eyes onto me. I looked toward Zolf, smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kimblee…I should get going back to the shop…" I didn't stick around to hear Archer's words of protest, swiftly scooting out of the room, I signed out, and practically ran my way back to Mr. Holmes's shop, breathing heavily in a way that I tried to convince myself was just the run…it had nothing to do with the experience that I had just undergone.



Later on in the evening,  I had gotten the books that had been set to order from the officers out in the back room, ready for the morning. Mr. Holmes had finished up and left me with the keys to finish closing the store, no more customers where expected in, so I was surprised to hear the front shop door jingle. It's chimes announcing the approach of someone coming to the counter,  perhaps wishing to buy or borrow a book. Slowly clapping off my hands from dust, I stepped out, and quickly stopped where I was.

I could feel my lips parting with surprise as I looked on in disbelief, as before me, was a picture that I had only imagined secretly.

Zolf, stood upon the shop floor, clad head to toe in a smart three piece suit, complete with long white knee length jacket and smart hat, that held a brim that hovered just above his eyebrows, leaving a mysterious shadow to linger across them. Within his hand, where the most beautiful crimson roses I had ever seen. I was in awe, shock, unable to properly take it all in.

A smooth smile spread along Kimblee's face, as he held up the wonderful bouquet of flowers in my direction, his free hand set behind his back.

"I figured, I would do thing's Archer's way, for a change…" He whispered softly, as I nodded stupidly in an attempt to give myself some sort of inspiration in what to reply. Stepping forward, I gently curled my hands around the base of the flowers, and he let me take them into my arms. Looking downward at them, I let my fingertips brush against the luxurious feeling of the petals, before Zolf's voice brought me back to what was going on.

"So…dinner…?" Where the words that melted from his mouth, and I nodded my head once again, a happy smile working it's way along my face as he stepped toward me again, bringing a hand out to slowly stroke against the side of my face, the other tipping the front of his hat.

"Are you going to actually say anything…?" He enquired, words, that brought me out of my girlish bewilderment. "My clothes…" I began, mind wandering to his attire, that sparked off the panic of my own, as there was still some dust lingering against my work shirt, and was more than certain that I should have gone home to change first had I known that I would be dining opposite the Crimson Alchemist…a fierce name to go with fierce eyes.

"Oh don't worry about that…we can stop by somewhere and get you something…no trouble…" His dark voice whispered within my ears as he brushed close against me. All I could do, was nod and agree to anything he said, as far as I was concerned, this was our moment, and our time to be with one another.