Chapter 1:
"I'm telling ya, you have to do it!" Havoc beams. "You have to tell her how you feel!"
Mustang swirls the drink in his glass as he takes a sip and responds, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
Havoc roles his eyes. "You know you love her," he prods. "Why keep denying it?"
Mustang takes another sip. "One cannot deny something if they have said nothing at all," he replies. "So therefore you have no right to make any of these assumptions."
"But I'm totally right!" Havoc laughs as he puts a hand on Mustang's shoulder and sighs. "Man, you need a girlfriend. Unfortunately the only other girl I know is my girlfriend, and we both know I'm not giving her up. She's too cute for you," he teases.
"But seriously, all you have to say is 'will you go on a date with me' and you're set!" Havoc takes a swig of beer and smirks. "Besides, we both know she loves you too..."
Mustang doesn't answer.
"How long have you known each other, 14 years?"
Mustang ignores the question as he finishes his beverage and stands up. "Thank you for the drink, but I should be heading home."
"Alone," Havoc scoffs as Mustang starts towards the exit. "You know, it would only take those little words to get her to act on the feelings she has for you."
Mustang halts for a few seconds as he reaches the doorway.
"Do it and you'll have the girl of your dreams!" Havoc yells.
Mustang pushes the door open. "I suppose that's true," he whispers to himself as he steps out into the night. "And for the record, it's 15 years!"
The door closes behind him. "I've known Riza Hawkeye for 15 years..."
As he walks to his office the next morning, Mustang can't help but think about Havoc's words.
"She loves you too..."
"Get her to act on the feelings she has for you."
"Do it and you'll have the girl of your dreams!"
"General?"
Mustang jumps as he turns to see Hawkeye following behind him, an arm-full of papers.
"Lieutenant?" he responds, putting his calm and collective facade back into place.
"I got a letter from my late Aunt stating she's in Central and would like to see me. May I have leave of work from 10:00 to 12:00 tomorrow morning?" she asks.
"Fine with me," he answers.
"Thank you sir."
Hawkeye holds up a piece of paper from the stack in her hands. "You've also received a letter from the Elric brothers. They've currently met up in Xing with May Chang and Emperor Ling Yao, and are now on their way back to Drachma to complete their research."
"Are they now?" Mustang replies, smugly.
"Yes sir," she nods. "Alphonse especially has been enjoying all the different cuisines."
Mustang chuckles. "Sounds about right. He wanted to eat everything once he got his body back."
"Indeed." Hawkeye puts the letter back on the stack and continues down the hall.
They stay silent for a while, only their footsteps echo off the walls. However, Mustang can still hear Havoc's words ringing in his ear.
A minute later, he stops mid-stride and turns to face her.
"Sir?" she asks.
"I have a test for you."
Hawkeye straightens as she puts a hand to her forehead and salutes. "Yes, General."
Mustang hesitates, he's never been so nervous. But he takes a deep breath and finally finds the courage to say the one thing he's always wanted to. "I need you to meet me tonight at the bench in the middle of Douglas park at 8:15 for a date."
Hawkeye doesn't hid her surprise as she starts to lower her arm, but reconsiders and salutes once more.
"Yes sir," she responds, straight-faced.
Mustang turns back and continues down the hall, towards his office. "Very well," he exclaims, trying to hide his rather flushed face.
Hawkeye follows shortly after, her heart beating fast.
As they reach the office, Armstrong exits the one adjacent.
"Oh, Lieutenant," he interjects, right before they enter. "I'm afraid you're needed in the artillery room. A bit of our new personnel need some help handling firearms."
Hawkeye looks at Mustang. "If you'll excuse me sir," she says.
Mustang watches them go, his eyes primarily on Hawkeye, Armstrong by her side. He sees her blonde hair glisten in the sunlight before he shuts the door, leaving a barrier between him and the rest of the world.
He does not see, however, Hawkeye's blushing face a minute later. Or the way she bites her lip as she presses the files tightly to her chest.
Armstrong, on the other hand, is close enough to see her smile.
"Are you alright Lieutenant?" he asks.
Hawkeye quickly wipes the expression off her face, responds in a serious tone, "Yes, I'm fine thank you."
"Alright," he replies, brushing his suspicion aside.
Hawkeye carries on, trying to contain her excitement, unaware of the smile on Mustang's face as he leans against his desk. His face also quite red.
"I guess you win, Havoc," he whispers. "I guess you win..."
The night is dark when he arrives. The air warm and the breeze faint. The park quiet and the area deserted. Mustang can see the moonlight's glow between the branches of the trees. See the stars twinkle overhead. It's a truly beautiful night.
He puts the flowers in his hand on the bench before sitting down himself, his heart racing but his breath slow and easy.
He doesn't turn when he hears Hawkeye approach. Doesn't look her in the eye when she sits down beside him.
"Mustang," she says, keeping her gaze on the mountains in the distance.
"Hawkeye," he replies, also looking out into the night.
They don't turn to each other. Don't let out any cries of hello or shake each others hand. Any signs that they really know each other at all. To any ordinary person they look like complete strangers. Just two people taking a late night stroll in the park, sitting down for a quick rest.
But a few seconds later, if anyone were really there to see it, they would see the man quickly wrap his arms around the woman and press his lips to hers.
See her put a hand to the his face as his encircle her neck, both savoring the kiss they'd been waiting for for so long.
When they finally part, Mustang grabs her hand and whispers gently.
"I love you."
Hawkeye blushes. "I figured sir."
Mustang smiles as he shakes his head. "Would it pain you to call me Roy?"
"Roy," she says softly before being pulled into another kiss, the light of the stars shinning down upon them, and the night quiet as they sit on the bench in the middle of the park...
Mustang's apartment is dark when they enter. The moonlight streams through the window, casting a shadow across Hawkeye's face as the door closes behind her.
Mustang immediately moves to kiss her, forcing her to put an arm against the wall to support herself as he does. The room is quiet and lonely, it looks as if it hasn't received guests in quite a while. It makes her feel kind of special, being there. Being in a place he hasn't shared with anyone in a long time.
She grabs the back of his head and runs her fingers through his hair. It's thick and soft and comforting. He's comforting.
When he starts to kiss her neck she asks, "Was it Havoc who convinced you?"
Mustang looks at her and grins. "No one had to convince me that I loved you. I at least figured that out on my own."
When he picks her up, Hawkeye giggles as he carries her to the next room, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck.
Mustang drops her on the bed rather sloppily. "Sorry," he says. "That was a lot more graceful in my head..."
Hawkeye just laughs as she sits at the foot of the bed, starts to button down his shirt.
The room is darker than the first. There are no windows to shine in any moonlight. No stars to help brighten up the shadows. But Hawkeye can still see Mustang's twinkling eyes staring back at her, see his fingers brush a strand of her long blonde hair across her cheek and tuck it behind her ear.
He looks at her with a look she's never seen before. A look that's soft and reassuring. Hawkeye knows he truly loves her in that moment, but can do nothing but stare as his shirt slides down his muscular arms and onto the floor.
Hawkeye slowly reaches out to touch his bare chest, knowing that once she does, there will be no turning back. Her fingers brush across his skin. He's warm and soft, his arms are inviting. She knows she can trust him.
Mustang slips her shirt over her head, gazes back into her brown eyes. He puts a hand behind her head and gently leans forward, laying her on her back.
Hawkeye stares up at him and smiles.
Besides. She thinks.
I don't want to turn back...