Submission for Royai Week 2017 Prompt: Day 2 Black Tie
Summary: A Casablanca AU. Roy runs his mother's bar in the town closest to the border when a face from his past comes back to remind him of the heartbreak that drove him to the end of the world to forget. (Or end of the train line, w/e)
AN: Picked up this WIP of mine for the prompt Black Tie because Mustang's Bar is a classy establishment like that and 'Yes Please' on one order of Roy Mustang in formal attire. The song is from Hagaren Song File called "Shounen yo, shinjiru nakama yo", though chapter titles are from the Casablanca movie's famous song "As time Goes by". Phrase "Time Goes By" appears in both songs so...*runs of with mere thread of a connection and writes an AU*
Time Goes By
Chapter 1
You Must Remember This
Roy Mustang stood outside his mother's bar and watched the storms roll in from the west. The picturesque starry night sky would soon be covered by the dark clouds and the streets of Casablanca would be running like a river from the rain, but for now the storm was beautiful. Lighting crackling in the heavens, thunder echoing in the distance and another night of sin and scandal coming to life in the bar behind him.
He once dreamed of a different life, one of a hero. His greatest dream was to serve his country and dedicate his life to the military. He thought it was a noble cause. He had been a fool. He saw the light now, he saw the truth, that the only way to change things was by not playing by the rules. If he truly wanted to change things, it would not be in some damned stiff uniform, but with a stiff drink and without some one sided loyalty to country or Fuhrer.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope he was holding for a local official, a Lieutenant Yoki. Just another shining example of the kind of military protection the government provided for it's citizens. Yoki lined his own pockets at the expense of local miners who provided the military with coal at a fraction of what it was worth. He didn't feel bad for charging him a hefty sum for protecting this little envelope for him, what bothered him was that Yoki didn't even haggle.
What was contained within this simple brown envelope were the most precious of documents at this time in Amestris's history: travel papers. The government was using the current political turmoil in Liore, a serial killer in Central and terrorists in East City to explain a need for these ridiculous travel papers. Border patrols were heightened, what once used to be open borders out of the country became a selective exit for anyone wishing to travel. It was confirmed that Aerugo had supplied arms to the Ishvalians during the war, Creta was rumored to be cultivating alchemists, Drachma was still a frozen shithole but seemed to be gearing up for another push to Briggs and the country was 'protecting itself' by locking the exits. Suddenly Amestris worried that threats could be coming from within, leaks in the form of funds and information, and it was being incredibly difficult to leave. Of course, it was all for the safety and security of Amestrians. Of course.
It's how places like Casablanca became havens for smuggling and miscreants. The end of the line, of the railroad that is, and most who traveled South found themselves held up here for days while background checks were done. Unless, of course, they had travel papers. It was a pre-approval, it was someone much higher up the chain of command giving the go for travelers to go beyond the border. Merchants, diplomats, military personnel, everyone who had access would not be hassled. People who paid, people who put up collateral, people who showed their loyalty to the country, were allowed free-passage. Paper, had become more valuable than gold.
Roy lifted his head as the rains started and realized he had been out here longer than he thought. He ran his fingers through his hair and went inside to prepare for a busy night. First he went through the kitchen and placed the precious expensive envelope in a cookbook before going down the hall to his office. He rolled his eyes as he saw who was waiting. "What do you want Hughes?"
"Hey Roy!" Casablanca's Police Chief, Maes Hughes, sat on Roy's desk and read through the late edition of the Central Times that had arrived on the last train for the day. "Ever hear of a guy names Lazlo?
"Who hasn't? The damned reward posters are all over town." Roy said and walked over to his desk and sat down, ready to play this game with Hughes like they always did. They were on opposites sides of the law but it didn't seem to dissuade Hughes from spending a lot of time at the bar or simply spending his slow nights talking to Roy. "Lazlo, the scientist with the answer to end the war...all wars. Missing, kidnapped or trying to escape, who knows? Reward for his capture makes me believe he's doing so of his own accord, but the way those posters are worded it makes it sound like a public service no matter what. 'Apprehension' sounds so vague."
"Lazlo needs to leave the country and he needs papers to do so. Nothing vague about that." Hughes said and refilled his drink from the bottle on Roy's desk. "No matter his reasons for leaving. Military seems to believe he's coming here and you're the first one I thought I would ask."
"Why would I help him? Or am I helping you?" Roy asked and leaned back in his chair as Hughes leisurely sat on his desk swinging his leg and helping himself to his private stash of bourbon. "I'm apprehensive about doing the military any more favors in my lifetime. They can find their own damned rogue scientists. I'm not their dog anymore."
"Perhaps it's less of a public service and more personal gain?" Hughes said. "He's got to know papers will cost him, you tend to deal in rare items like that."
"Where would I get official documents like that?" Roy asked. Always a game with Hughes. Always.
"You tend to like your lost causes and underdogs." Hughes set a shot glass in front of Roy and then refilled his own. "You also tend to get involved in conspiracies like this by nature of your business."
"I run a bar. My Mom's bar." Roy said and lifted the glass and looked up at Hughes. "I'm also not hiring you as a bartender after you get fired for your shitty investigation techniques if you can't figure out how to fill these glasses with equal amounts of booze."
Hughes's glass was almost overfilling, almost. He carefully slurped some bourbon off the top before throwing the rest into his mouth. He watched Roy's eyes the entire time trying to see if he was hiding anything. "I walked in today and was shocked, shocked, that this establishment was hosting some form of illegal gambling. I mean once you open the doors to that then it becomes known that you will deal in just about anything. Like smuggling or travel documents."
Roy smirked. Hughes's sarcastic comments are what he found endearing about him . Roy reached into his desk and pulled an envelope out and held it up in front of his face. "By the way, here are your winnings."
Hughes grinned and set the glass down to take the envelope. "Got a wife and kid to feed."
Roy studied the man sitting on his desk and lifted his glass and observed. "It's half full."
"See you're a 'half full' kinda guy." Hughes replied. "Which is why you would help this Lazlo guy escape. So he could maybe change the world? Stop the next war? Get back to his family?"
Roy cocked his head. "Must you dance around this topic all night? I do have to open for business eventually."
"I am an incredible dancer."
"You dance like you borrowed your body and haven't figured out how to use it yet." Roy countered.
"You bitter asshole, someday you're going to fall in love and get yourself a wife and then you won't be able to resist going out and making a fool of yourself with her." Hughes snorted and to his surprise he saw a flicker of sadness in Roy's eyes. There had been someone.
"You're already taken." Roy said and puckered up and blew a kiss before drinking his half-shot of bourbon.
"Speaking of wives, Lazlo is rumored to be traveling with someone. I don't think it's too much of a leap to assume it's his wife." Hughes said.
"Don't you have people that you work with that you should be discussing this with?" Roy asked and set the shot glass down. "I'm running the local gambling and drinking establishment that you suspect of being a haven of illegal dealings and operations. Why are you bothering me with this, you're the police chief?"
"It's good for business to cooperate with the local police." Hughes smiled.
"Maybe you should go back to work so I can start doing my job." Roy stood up and Hughes leaned towards him.
"Everyone is looking for Lazlo. Everyone. Be careful with this one Roy, you have no idea how far up the chain this goes. I'm not asking you to turn him in, just turn him away." Hughes said. "Not that I'm suggesting you have anything he wants, but you tend to broker and mitigate transaction like that. I would imagine your reputation in doing so would send people here to ask first."
"From what you're saying, I'm the only one who can help." Roy saw Hughes wink before jumping off his desk and straightening out his uniform. "So I might as well sign his death certificate before delivering him to you. I hear there's a reward too."
"We both know you won't do that. You soft-hearted bastard." Hughes picked up his hat off the desk and lowered his voice. "Just...be careful. I don't want you mixed up in this one. I'm off to investigate a murder, a Lieutenant Yoki who has been a patron of yours. I'd hate to have to see you under a sheet like that someday."
"Does your wife know you think about seeing me under sheets?" Roy asked and buttoned up his shirt and straightened out his loose tie to prepare for the evening. He looked down to make sure it was even and digest the news that Yoki got himself killed over those damned papers he was currently in possession of.
"I'm serious, be careful. The military is dead serious about this one."
"I don't have any damned papers. They have no reason to come to me."
"Have a good night, Roy." Hughes said and put his hat on.
Roy watched him leave then turned to his mirror and tied his bow tie. So much for being a neutral party here. Yoki had come to him panicked only two hours ago and looking to 'store' those papers somewhere. He thought the excitement was just the value of the illegal documents not someone on his tail. At least he got payment up front as now Yoki was dead and Hughes was trying to find where those damned papers were. Unfortunately someone was actively looking for those damned things now and he was going to have to be careful.
He sighed heavily as he looked at himself in the mirror wearing a tux and a black tie, looking like he should be going to a formal affair with a beautiful woman draped on his arm. Maybe in a different lifetime, tonight it was all business. He shook his head as thunder clapped and the storm clouds let loose, he always did enjoy the storm even if he hated the rain.
