Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Yesterday: Maes and Glacier ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Glacier Jones straightened her spine, pulled her shoulders back, and held her head high. She was going to do it. She had to do it. Today was the day she would reject Maes Hughes.

 

“See you tomorrow,” Hannah, her friend and business partner, said as she locked the bakery door.

 

“See you tomorrow,” Glacier repeated. She stood in front of the bakery with her hands clasped together, her long brown hair waving in the warm summer wind. Maes Hughes would soon be coming to walk her home. He had been doing this for the last two weeks, since they first met. Not only that, but he was telling everyone that she was his girlfriend. Without her consent. She had known about Hughes before they had met. He was one of the `popular' soldiers, like Roy Mustang. Popular referred to the number of women they attracted, wooed, and whose hearts they left broken. Irresistible Strife, Hannah liked to call them. Why he had chosen to dote upon the simple, aqua-eyed baker was beyond her. As much as she wanted to deny it, Glacier was attracted to Maes Hughes, like every other woman in Central; but she didn't want to fall into the stereotypical category of one of Hughes' had-beens. She had too much pride. Or fear.

 

Glacier saw Maes' blue uniform in the distance. She noticed that he was carrying a . . . kite? He waved at her. She smiled nervously in return. He really was a handsome man. Maes stopped a couple feet in front of her.

 

“Hey, Glacier.” His tone was easy-going.

 

“Hello, Captain Hughes.”

 

“You look amazing.” He told her that every day.

 

She had a plain blue summer dress on with a simple white cardigan. Her hair was a light mousey brown. She wore little if no makeup. Despite all this, his words made her feel beautiful. Glacier blushed.

 

“Ready to go?” Maes offered her his arm.

 

“Yes,” she replied. When she didn't immediately take his arm, he waved his arm at her like a chicken until she finally slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow. They commenced walking down the street to her apartment.

 

“Captain Hughes,”

 

“Yes?'

 

“We need to talk.”

 

“I agree.”

 

Glacier stopped. “You do?”

 

“Why of course. People say that communication is key to healthy relationships.” Maes continued walking.

 

“But we're not dating.”

 

“Oh no?” He arched his brow in such a way that Glacier wanted to swoon.

 

“No,” she said firmly.

 

“Then what would you call a man who walks a woman home every day, who buys pie from her bakery just to see her, and calls her every free moment he has, even when he's at work?”

 

Glacier smiled. “A stalker.”

 

Hughes laughed. They rounded a corner and were only a couple more blocks from her place.

 

“Captain Hughes -”

 

“Maes,” he interrupted.

 

“ - I need to make something clear. You must stop calling me your girlfriend. It is inappropriate and untrue. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression these last two weeks, but we must no longer see or speak to each other until your intentions of our relationship change.” Glacier had been staring straight ahead of her during her confrontation, lest she back out of her plan. She sounded like a business letter. She glanced up to see Maes' reaction. He was grinning. Glacier withdrew her hand from his arm. “Were you listening, Captain Hughes?”

 

“Maes,” he repeated. “Yes, I was listening.”

 

“They why are you smiling?”

 

“Because I find it amusing that you refuse to go out me even though you want to.”

 

Glacier was three hundred percent sure her toes were blushing. “Th-that's not true.” She was as good at lying as a fish was at drowning.

 

Maes decided to cut her some slack. “If you can give me three good reasons why you won't go out with me, I'll leave you alone for . . . as long as I can.”

 

“Alright.” This was going to be easy. “You're a soldier.”

“That's why I wear this uniform.”

 

“I'm not finished. You can be sent away at any moment and never come back.”

 

“I have a desk job.”

 

She frowned. “Reason number two. You are . . . popular. With women.”

 

“Just a rumor,” he shrugged.

 

“Not really. You're known to be quite the lady charmer.”

 

“Prove it.”

 

“The first time we met. You came to the bakery with another woman.”

 

“That means nothing.”

 

“Well, you were interested in her at one moment, then suddenly you were interested in me. Your attention span is short. You move around quickly.”

 

“Hmm . . . interesting observation. In any case, you're going to have to get used to the idea that not every man is a eunuch, and has dated at least one woman before he dates you.”

 

“I know. But I'm not your type.” They had reached her apartment.

 

“Is that so? And what type would that be?” Maes had backed Glacier to a wall. He placed one hand beside her head to lean against the wall, and the other holding the kite behind his back.

 

“Beautiful, exciting, mysterious. I'm not any of those.” She was suddenly aware that his face was getting closer to hers.

 

“I beg to differ,” he said in a low voice. His eyes bore into hers.

 

“I'm not the type of girl that you can just love and leave.” Her knees were on the verge of buckling.

 

Maes leaned closer. “No,” he agreed.

 

Glacier pressed her back to the wall as much as possible. She was starting to feel a little light-headed. “Third reason,” she began. Their lips were inches apart. “You'll . . .” No coherent thought would process.

 

“I'll what?” He was staring at her lips.

 

Glacier swallowed hard before she answered. “You'll break my heart.”

 

Green met aqua. He studied her for a while before he straightened himself away from the wall.

 

“Do you like to fly kites?”

 

Glacier blinked twice. “Yes. I mean, no. I, uh, I don't know. I never flew a kite before.”

 

Maes was shocked. “Never?”

 

She shook her head.

 

Maes produced the kite from behind him. “Great! Then I'll teach you how to fly a kite tomorrow.”

 

Glacier warily shook her head. “Captain Hughes, I gave you three reasons -”

 

“But I only accept one.” He turned his back to her and began to walk away.

 

She clenched her teeth in frustration. “There are other women out there, Captain.”

 

“Rocks,” he said, and then turned around. “They're all rocks compared to you.”

 

She looked confused. “Then what am I?”

 

“A diamond. Only a fool will pass up a diamond.” He turned, walked a little farther and stopped. “Glacier,” he called, his back still turned to her.

 

She had to clear her throat before she answered. “Yes?”

 

“I am no fool.”

 

Glacier watched the tall soldier walk away before she went inside.