Loser
"That time of year again, huh?" Jean laughed. He lit a cigarette despite that he was in the office a took a long drag. Riza shot him a disapproving glance, as she always did, before returning silently to her work.
"Oh, come on Havoc," Breda clapped the lieutenant on the back as he walked behind his desk to grab a book. "We all know you must count down the days in dread for when the Colonel steals your valentine."
Roy smirked from behind his desk. Riza sighed. Jean only flashed his usual smile, "not this time, chief." Roy returned the lieutenant's gaze as if to accept a challenge. Falman, Fuery and Breda glanced at one another, quickly placing their bets.
It didn't really matter if he managed to be on the loosing end of the challenge, Jean thought, moving back to his work. The Colonel had already beat him in the end.
"That time of year again, huh?" Jean shivered as a gust of cold wind assaulted him the second he stepped out of headquarters. As he always did, Jean glanced over to where the women's locker rooms let out. He could spot her heading out, Black Hayate at her heels. Normally she would leave a little later than him, but today it seemed she was leaving early.
Jean called to her and briskly walked over. "Pretty chilly out, huh Hawkeye?"
Riza nodded. "Sometimes I wish we could just skip the winter and skip right to the spring."
He smiled at the sound of her voice and the small smile that crept onto her lips as she spoke. She had a way of making a few simple words into some strange form of art that he hung onto, waiting for the next.
She pulled her white scarf up to cover her chin and naturally brought herself closer to him. It wasn't that she thought of him in that special way, he knew. It was simply that body heat was the best source for warmth and they were comrades who knew to rely on each other.
He knew that she wouldn't bring up Valentine's Day, and how ever year he ended up without a date. She wouldn't bring up their academy days of when he would make sure none of the soldiers, who hadn't so much as seen a girl other than her in months, tried anything. Nor would she bother to mention that it didn't matter what he did, Jean would always lose to Roy Mustang.
It was simply because Riza didn't have to tell him. Instead, they joked around as they usually did, pretending that the holiday meant nothing to them.
"Lieutenant!" Both turned simultaneously to see the Colonel hurrying towards them. "Or should I say that in plural?" He added with a chuckle as he stepped in on Riza's other side.
Jean hid his scowl. "Heya Chief!" He ignored the look she gave Roy.
"Freaking cold out today!" Roy muttered, bringing himself closer to Riza. In turn, she shifted just slightly away from Jean and closer to Roy. It wasn't as if she thought of him in that special way.
"Well," Jean sighed, "my building's this way, see you tomorrow!" He waved and turned down the street, barely noticing their goodbyes.
He glanced back to the couple as they headed in the opposite direction. She smiled at Roy in a smile that she once only showed him. Now Roy was the one who saw it, not him. They walked closer together, their arms locking together.
No, it didn't matter who won this year, or the next. Jean took out a cigarette and lit it before heading back home. Roy had already won her.
A/N:
Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for reading and reviewing!^^