Summary: Normally, Rebecca tried to spend as much time with Jean during his rehabilitation as possible. But as work had piled up too much for her to get some day's off, she's only left with phone calls – except her superior and his bodyguard/secret-girlfriend made her spend the evening with them for some unknown reason.
Written for Havolina day.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.
Please enjoy!
Rebecca started to fume as she looked at her wristwatch for the umpteenth time just to see again that yes, the bastard was late. Way too late. She glowered at her best friend who just nonchalantly sipped her glass of water.
"Why am I here?" Rebecca finally exploded. "Am I just some excuse for you two to have a date? Honestly, I could be at home and at least be calling Jean if I can't visit him. How dare he use me like that?!"
Her patience had been running low in the last months. God knows she had been running her ass off, working over-time as often as she could to accumulate additional days off every month. She needed the time off to visit Jean; ever since he had made his first improvements after Dr. Marcoh had healed him with a Philosopher's stone, he had moved back to Central for rehabilitation. Being still stationed in East City, Rebecca had been regularly visiting him at least once a month - until last month, when her commanding officer had claimed that he needed her and he couldn't give her the week off.
And said commanding officer was Brigadier General Mustang, which really didn't improve Rebecca's mood at all.
"He's not using you, or anybody for that matter," Riza answered calmly, sipping her water again and throwing an inquiring glance to the entrance of the restaurant, "he feels bad for not being able to give you time off, that's why he wanted to treat you to dinner at least. And since it would give off the wrong vibe, he asked me to join, too."
Rebecca scoffed. "Yeah right, since asking out not one but two female subordinates to dinner is totally giving the right vibes!" She huffed. "Probably tries to show off his bachelor nature in front of the new recruits and I was stupid enough to agree to this and to dress up," she added, eyeing the emerald green cocktail dress she had donned for the night with frustration.
"You had to dress up nicely," Riza answered with a shrug. She had put on a long, dark dress with a long slit on her thigh and, as usual, a high neckline that was adorned with a bow. "This is the most noble and expensive restaurant in East City, they wouldn't have let you inside without that dress."
"Was it my idea to come here? No. I swear, Mustang better pay the tab, I currently don't have the money to spend on such frivolities."
"Don't worry, he is paying the tab," Riza agreed, although something in her facial expression seemed off, right before she started waving at the entrance discreetly.
"He's there."
Rebecca whipped her head around, ready to scowl at her superior who instead smiled back at Riza, ignoring her completely. He tilted his head back, seemingly muttering something before he took a step to the side, revealing the figure behind him.
The tall, blond man had stood behind Roy in a slightly bent-down fashion to stay concealed and now stretched, leaning heavily on his single cane. Rebecca's heart leaped up - the last time she had seen him he had still needed two crutches.
But if that wasn't enough, Jean Havoc gave her one of his loop-sided smirks before handing the cane to Roy, and he took a hesitant step forward towards the girls. Rebecca was about to move to catch up to him, but a silent voice made her freeze in place.
"Let him do this, Becca."
So the young, black haired woman stood and stared at her boyfriend who was closing the distance between them with one careful step after the other as a ridiculous grin was plastered on his face. Just as he had reached her, he moved down, and Rebecca's full body sprang into action with fear before she realized that he knelt before her. His grin was replaced by a smile, albeit slightly nervous, as he looked up at her, and from the corner of her eyes, she saw that Mustang placed something into Jean's hand that was hidden behind his back.
"Rebecca Catalina," Jean started, and Rebecca drew her hands up to cover her mouth, "you know I'm not the most romantic time, so I'm sure I will screw this up. But I love you and I can't find words for how much you've helped me those past months. I doubt I'd be as far as I am currently, and even though my knee is killing me right now –" a chuckle passed Rebecca's lips, "I'd do anything for you."
He flicked the satin box in his hands open and showed her the glistening ring.
"Will you marry me?"
She sobbed.
"Get up."
A hurt expression crossed Jean's eyes and Roy was quick to help the man up.
"Rebecca, I –"
"Sit down. You're straining your legs too much."
Roy helped him move corner seat of their table and had just handed the man his cane before Rebecca pushed Roy out of the way to slide into the seat as well.
"Yes, a thousand times yes," she breathed before she locked her arms around his neck and started to kiss him deeply, throwing him off guard for a moment before he caught himself and returned the kiss enthusiastically.
"I guess that's the moment where we should remove ourselves from the situation, sir?", she heard Riza ask far, far away… the rush of blood in her ears made it hard to understand anything else besides Jean's lips and his hand fumbling to find hers so he could slip the ring on.
"It is, Lieutenant. Right on time for the play, too."
Rebecca felt Jean pull away carefully and he pressed his forehead against hers as both lowered their glances to the ring on her right hand. She couldn't believe it - she had a fiancé!
A low harrumph caught the pair's attention and both turned their heads to the cause of the sound. Riza had slipped her arm through Roy's and the pair was smiling down at them.
"We'll excuse ourselves from now on. Have fun." They turned to leave, but Roy halted once again and turned around.
"And Catalina? I really do need you at work – but I guess we can manage the next two weeks without you." A grin spread on his face and for the first time in her life, she mimicked one of Roy Mustang's smirks. She threw one glance back at Jean who had buried his face in her hair in the meantime to inhale some of her perfume and looked back at Roy, with the most sincere smile she had ever given him in her entire life.
"Thank you, sir."
She turned back to her soon-to-be-husband and intertwined the finger's of her right hand with his and her heart sped up as she saw the impish twinkle in his eyes before motioning to the menu.
"So, shall we order dinner? I think we have something to celebrate."