Chapter Text
"Drink up, kid," said Darius, gruffly, pushing a glass of sloshing liquor in Ed's direction.
A pungent aroma of malted barley and yeast crept up the alchemist's nostrils, putting him to the realization that the thick, foaming fluid was beer.
"No thanks," Edward scoffed, looking the other way.
Darius pushed further. "Trust me."
He then glanced to the other side of the bar, where Greed was surrounded by giggling brothel-workers, wearing that shit-eating, cocky grin of his as his greedy hands wandered over their hips and thighs.
Pervert, he grumbled to himself.
The chimera looked back at Ed. "You'll need it if you're dealing with Greed when we leave. Which probably won't be anytime soon."
Edward glanced back to Greed, a disgruntled look on his face, knowing without a doubt that Ling was enjoying the attention, too. Bastards like them and Colonel Fuckface should be dropped on a deserted island and left for dead. How on Earth could they oogle women and get shitfaced when the Day of Reckoning was almost here?
"Fine," Edward budged, swiping the glass from Mr. Gorilla's hand.
He stared down at his drink, swishing it around a bit. He never drank alcohol in his life, and with all that was always on his mind, like getting Al's body back, he didn't plan to. Ed observed the pub, from a group of laughing, jolly men taking shots at a table, to a brothel-worker escourting some guy to a room in the back, to his travel companions, Ed himself sitting at the bar counter on a stool, the two sitting next to him taking reserved sips of their beer and the third companion very believably getting some tonight. Damn it, everything about their wasted time at this damn pub was pissing Edward off. At least they served food, which he was sure to endulge in.
Finally, Ed brought the rim of the glass to his lips, taking a small, slow sip of the ale. His face contorted when he swallowed it down, scowling at the taste.
"How can people drink this stuff?" Ed spat, wiping his mouth.
"It gets better as you drink more," Darius reassured, Heinkel nodding beside him.
Ed uttered a whatever and took another sip. He heard that dark beer was much more bitter than light beer, and if that was the case, he'd be asking the bartender for one soon. He watched the clock.
They were right, though. The beer became more tolerable with every sip. It started to taste good, even.
"Edward," Darius whispered, nudging him.
He seemed almost too enthralled in his beverage to notice, but the nudge got his attention. As soon as he looked over, he noticed that Heinkel was standing up and Darius was throwing his coat on.
"We better make our leave," Heinkel uttered, motioning his eyes toward three guys in military uniforms who appeared to have just entered the bar.
"About damn time," Ed uttered back, happily leaving the barely-touched beer on the counter while Darius paid the tab.
They made their inconspicous exit from the pub. Good thing Greed noticed, but he did make sure to bring one of the girls with him.