Nico wasn't the only one wrapped up in his own life. It might have taken Val leaving for Ed to notice, but he'd certainly been absorbed in his own drama and worries for the last few months, himself. Cisco setting him up on that date, two years of memories he hadn't lived yet, Val and Citrine arriving, getting the building ready to move into, Yuffie leaving, Jason and all of his problems - at least the ones he'd come to Ed with, Alphonse and his feelings. There was a lot going on, a lot that Edward wouldn't normally talk about with anyone and reaching the tipping point was inevitable.

"After Purg and working for the Guard I'm more used to out here than... in there." All the parties, holidays and advanced tech were an alien enough concept for him, eventually the overload was enough to make him need a break. Not the kind of break that working some extra hours could provide him, either. Ed was smart enough to figure anything out given enough time and proper dedication, but he was set in his ways and stubborn. Just as he couldn't repair his own automail or fully understand the mechanics behind the limbs Hohenheim made him there was a lot about this place he didn't understand still. It was comforting, but that wasn't really a word he'd use to describe it. "I'm just more familiar with this, that's all. It gives me time to think."

There's a flicker in his expression at the mention of his brother, guilt-ridden and guarded all at the same time. "I don't know. I need to sort out what I'm doing first. Al's suffering because of me and it's only going to get worse if I don't figure out a way to fix it."