Karma always kicks a show off

[Theo Chulainn]

( If this is on the wrong floor sorry >< )

In his small office Acra yawned loudly. He was extremely bored. He had signed his paper work on the warrants that had been served the past week already. And now all he could do was stare at the clock and wait for lunch. He hated slow days. And the ticking of the clock was driving him insane. He was almost tempted to throw the thing out. But last time he done that he been told off.

He lent back in his desk chair and flicked the mouse so the computer would buzz back to life from its stand by. Giving a shifty look around he turned to the internet to give his social networking pages a sneaky look. Only to his disappointment that not much had happened. It been a few days since he rescued that short girl and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Boy did she have a active imagination.” He murmured to himself. Part of him was curious since meeting her and he had kept and eye out for a short blonde staff member but he saw none.

He frowned as he watched out the window seeing the people pass by and he couldn’t help but feel a pang for some companionship. He was desperate for a girlfriend he could spoil and take out. He hadn’t had one for a long time and he was worried something was wrong with him. He looked to the computer again and was tempted to click an add for a dating site. His finger twitched over the mouse button and he sighed. He wasn’t that desperate yet….yet!

Leaning back in his chair to the point it creaked he threw his feet onto the desk almost knocking his empty coffee mug over and balanced a pencil on his lip while watching the clock. His eyes willing the thing to jump foreword an hour to lunch.

[Shula Brighton]

Central HQ was easily twice the size of South HQ, if not three times, and incredibly busy. Shula's office was a backed-up, unnatural disaster area, and she was almost positive it would take her the rest of her life to catch up on it all, never mind what was coming into and out of her desk boxes every hour. It honestly wouldn't take so long, but she could never seem to find an office runner when she needed one; all the higher-ranking officers kept theirs leashed and off-limits, which left her to deal with running the things that needed signing to their respective parties herself. Her grandfather and former boss had warned her it would be demanding, but it was only her first week; and Shula felt that if she didn't crack now she'd be fine further down the road.

She hated leaving her desk because it left her unable to tend to whoever came with things for her and the large possibility of coming back to work files that weren't there before, but these needed to get to the warrant officer down the hall. Someone from his team was requesting a transfer to a better locale, but his number had come up to be transferred with several others to a different base. It was obvious where he'd go, but Shula needed the other signature for the final say-so.

Shula knocked on the partially-open door softly, not immediately noticing the name attached to the rank. It sounded familiar, but in five days she'd heard so many names she was certain she'd been read half of Central's phone book. She glanced up, seeing the warrant officer half-laying in his chair, feet propped up, and.... a pencil balanced on his lip. So nice to know the Amestris Military was in such capable hands. Shula cleared her throat politely, saluting as she stood at his desk. "Warrant officer, if you aren't busy?"

[Theo Chulainn]

Acra jumped having to grab the table to stop the chair from tipping. The pencil landed on the office floor with a loud clatter and the empty mug threatened to fall again. Acra coughed and ran a hand through his mop like fringe. “Ah yes that’s me…and no…I was just waiting for a call actually…” He lied. Sitting up he moved to sit in a more relaxed but professional fashion. “Can I help you with anything miss?”

His eyes roamed up the girl casually. Clearly she was new and struggling with the work load. He looked over the details finding her face rather familiar. He couldn’t place it. He shrugged deciding he must of seen the short blonde in a bar or something and drank her memory into an recess of his mind. It wouldn’t of been the first time nor the last. He held out a hand. “Acra Schiwatas. Warrant officer…How may I help you?” He asked trying to sound important.

[Shula Brighton]

Shula reached out, shaking his hand firmly before handing him the file. "Sergeant Brighton, Sir. This just needed your looking over and a signature, that's all." She looked Acra up and down, furrowing her eyebrows. Schiwatas wasn't a completely uncommon name, but there weren't too many people who had it, either. And despite the uniform, he looked very familiar. Sounded familiar, too. And then a light went on as he smiled at her. That smile. That face. Shula blinked.

"....Acra? Acra... from the alley on Wednesday?" She blinked again. That was the same Acra who'd saved her, no doubt about that. But... That Acra was a major, and a State Alchemist, not a Warrant Officer. "Are you desk-sitting for the Warrant Officer or something, Acra? You're a Major, so your office should be upstairs, not down here...." Suspicion edged her voice as she began to put the pieces together, waiting for Acra to say something to explain himself.

[Theo Chulainn]

Acra’s face fell. “Kiddo…what the hell are you doing in here wearing that uniform.” He said standing up. “Seriously this is not a game.” He scolded grasping her shoulder to lead her out. Part of him wondered if she had been telling the truth but if she was old enough for the military she be a lot taller.

Also he didn’t want to answer that question. He had played along with her game and lied a little about his job. It be embarrassing to reveal it all. “seriously your grandfather should enrol you in school or something…keep you out of trouble.” he said is a hushed toned. “You get some real whack jobs in this place you could be in real trouble.” the scolding continued though he was genuinely worried about her. He knew some real dangerous people with some head problems wondered in some of the halls. And you really didn’t want to be caught down the wrong hallway with them.

[Shula Brighton]

Red eyes went wide in total disbelief. He STILL didn't think she was an adult? She blinked as he stood up and gripped her shoulder, starting to escort her out until she shrugged free of his hand, turning to face him. "No need to throw me out, though! I'm wearing this uniform because I'm a sergeant in the Amestris Military. I'm in your office because there was a file that needed looking over and a signature from you before I could fax it back a base out west."

She stepped back, folding her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow slightly. The petite sergeant wasn't amused. "I think the more pressing question is why are you on this floor and holding rank of Warrant Officer. You told me you were a State Alchemist, but the bars on your uniform clearly state otherwise...." Her eyes narrowed, refusing to be shoved out of the office without getting those papers signed and without an explanation. Shula wasn't going to budge on the issue.

"The truth, Acra. Now."

[Theo Chulainn]

His lips twitched and his eyes narrowed. “Kid I’m sick and tired of this game. “ he growled slightly “I know you want to be like your grandfather but this is a place for adults!” He was worried about her generally. She was a sweet girl but really the military was no place for someone sweet and innocent. “But really kid this place isn’t as glamorous as they make it out to be. A lot of nutters here….” he said.

He watched Shula glare at him demanding the truth. He couldn’t help but find her a little cute with her arms folded and in a defensive stance. “well I…” He sighed his little white lie had been caught. He huffed the air out of his nose and ran a hand through his fringe. Almost like a stress habit. “fine…I only half. Passed the test…” he admitted sulkily. “They liked my alchemy and wanted me to work on it…” he mumbled.

[Shula Brighton]

"This is a place for adults!"

Shula's eye twitched with irritation, the red in her eyes brightening just slightly with the fire that kept her little heart going. Outranking officer or not, if he called her a child ONE MORE TIME, she was going to slug him in the jaw. She didn't even care that it wouldn't hurt him in the slightest and he'd probably laugh it off and flash her his usual charming, smug grin, he'd deserve it! No... no... She didn't want to be court martialed.

Instead, as Acra finally let out a breath to admit he'd been lying, she felt her cheeks flush with anger. She reached her hand into the breast pocket of her uniform's coat and pulled out something even he couldn't deny: her Military I.D. The seal on it was official and holographic against the inner layer of plastic, almost impossible to fake. The card showed everything; her name, her rank, serial number, her old address in South City, blood type, height, and most importantly, her birthday. June 13th, 1989. She'd just turned 21 this past summer. She held the card out to Acra.

"Here. PROOF that I am who and what I say I am! 21, a sergeant, and studying to become a state alchemist! You not believing me was your choice... Why did you lie to me?" All formalities dropped, the tiny half-Ishvallan was more than a little pissed right now.

[Theo Chulainn]

He read the id and felt his cheeks blush a little from the embarrassment but part of him felt happy. He wasn’t slightly sick for finding her rather cute. “Well I’m …sorry..” He mumbled. “I kinder taught you were young cause your..short and stuff…” Rambled he handed her, her id back. He looked to her angry face and couldn’t help but find it rather adorable. “Hey let me make it up to you… seeing I guess were co workers now… and well I don’t want my work mates hating me…” He said holding out his hand as a peace offering.

He smiled again. “Can a knight make it up to his princess in her hour of need?” he added a bit of a flirty tone to his voice. She was after all not off limits now and he did like blondes. He eyes were fascinating as well. And he really didn’t want to make a profile on the dating site.

[Shula Brighton]

And there was that charming playboy smile again, damn him! Shula took her I.D. back, shoving it into her pocket, cheeks flushed hotly in irritation. Great, so he no longer thought she was a child, so that was a plus at least. But what was he playing at now? She didn't need any help... She just needed those damned papers signed and would appreciate him seeing her as an equal, even if he outranked her.

Shula was still highly unamused as Acra held his hand out to her, offering to make it up to her. He'd make it up to her? "We're coworkers, yes, but presently all I need is for you to sign those papers I brought you. Just... have someone bring them up to my office when you're done with them, please?" Shula let out a small sigh, finally taking the offered hand.

[Theo Chulainn]

He smiled and shook it softly. “Where are the papers?” he asked looking for them. Letting her hand go shortly after. He wondered if she would forgive him for his small lie. “Well I'll find them and drop them in later.” He added. Giving a nervous shuffle. “I’m sure you want to get on with your other work. I don’t want to hold you up to much.” He gave her a small smile. “I’ll bring them to you in a bit okay shorty?” he said chuckling at the nickname.

He sat down at his desk looking around for the papers and gave a click of his tongue when he found them. Grabbing a biro he began to scribble down the needed signatures and initials on the important documents. He didn’t bother to look up to see if Shula was there or not. OR bothered to wish her good day if she was leaving. She was clearly mad at him and he wasn’t going to poke the snarling wolf in the cage so to speak.

[Shula Brighton]

Oddly quiet, Shula bit her lower lip as Acra sat back down, looking for the file she'd placed on his desk a few moments ago. He wasn't looking at her anymore, focusing intently on the work he'd been so obviously avoiding when she'd come in. She was still pretty annoyed at him that he hadn't just been honest with her and that he'd led her on so much about his job, and that he kept insulting her personal honesty by insisting she was lying about her age even when it was perfectly obvious that she wasn't a child, and...

Shula took a deep, quiet breath. Despite all that, she was going to forgive all that and ask if they could start over. After all, she probably would have been killed if not badly hurt and left for dead had Acra not stepped in. Even if he was kind of jerk and not very observant, it would be nice to have a friend around here. And then the last stab came with a small twist.

“I’ll bring them to you in a bit okay shorty?”

That. Was. IT. Cheeks burning, her eye twitched and her bottom lip trembled. Shula needed to get out of there before she snapped or, worse. She turned and stepped away from Acra's desk, opening the door. Her voice was so quiet it might have been mistaken for a murmur and easily lost if someone said something at a normal decibel. "Thank you... Sir." If he listened carefully, Acra might hear the hurt that laced her voice as she closed the door so gently that the latch almost didn't catch.

Shula took a few light, quick steps down the hall and turned around the corner. The hall was pretty empty right now. Good. She let out the long, heavy breath she'd been holding as she slumped against the wall, arms folded over her chest. Shula's cheeks were still dark as she huffed, forcing herself to calm down. Red eyes closed as her head thumped against the wall.

".....Idiot."

[Theo Chulainn]

Acra sighed. That had been a bit mean. Teasing her was not a way to make it up to her. He looked to the clock. He was free to go and get lunch now so he stood tucking the sighed papers in a bag and headed to the elevator. Pressing the call button he luckily didn’t have to wait long before one came. Stepping in he pressed ground floor and tapped his foot whistling an random tune as he waiting for it to get there.

The doors pinged open on the ground floor and Acra stepped out. Waving to the desk lady he walked out and headed to a near by bakery. He remembered her saying she liked sweet things. So best way to say sorry. Get her something sweet. Looking at the selection he decided to get her as bag of mixed cookies. One with a apology iced onto it. The bag was tied with a blue ribbon. Placing it gently in his bag so they wouldn’t get crushed. Heading back he stopped at a vender and got himself a coffee and Shula a nice hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows to drink with her cookies. He did want to be her friend but it was his nature to tease playfully. Carefully carrying the hot drinks he made the short trip back to central.

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