Mission complete – or: Their women
AN: The timeline is messed up.
Disclaimer: I wished.
Roy Mustang sat in his favourite bar and stared at his whiskey when a teenager entered the bar. The boy looked tired and sad as he flopped down beside Royand stared at the barkeeper. "The strongest drink you have," he ordered while he stared down.
"How old are you, boy?"
"Why does that matter when I pay for the drink?" the stranger replied. "Listen, man, I need it."
Roy smirked. He recognized a man with a similar problem whenever he met one. He looked at the barkeeper and smiled. "It's alright, Jim," he said. "The boy is my cousin from Xing. I told him to meet me here because I knew that we wouldn't be overheard here."
"Your aunt will kill you if you offer a strong drink to a minor, Roy," Jim warned.
"He is very mature for his age," Roy said before he looked at the stranger. "Hi."
"That was very nice, sir," the boy muttered. "My name is Ling by the way."
"I'm Roy," he replied. "Well, what's your problem? Or should I ask who your problem is?"
Ling sighed. "It's her birthday today," he said darkly, "and I wanted to give her a necklace. But when I lost my nerves and ran away. She will be worrying again … and she will search me until she finds me. And then she will be disappointed again."
"What's the deal in giving a present to your girlfriend?" Roy asked.
"She isn't my girlfriend. She is my bodyguard. And a necklace … well, in this country is would be something like giving her a ring. It would be a proposal. I knew it and I always thought that she would be happy…" Ling took his glass. "But yesterday I overheard her and her grandfather. And the old man said something 'bout marrying a strong warrior to keep up the line of her family."
"And you aren't a strong warrior?" Roy raised a brow.
"I can defend myself and I can protect her, but she is much stronger than me. And there is no way that she would ever marry a guy she can defeat with her right hand on her back." Ling laughed darkly. "And she is not at all impressed by me being the twelfth prince of Xing. Well, she knows me since we were children. She will make me become emperor and then she will leave my side in order to become some stupid man's dearest wife. Don't know if I would allow it … right now I would rather kill her then watching her marrying someone else…"
"You would regret it, believe me," Roy said sharply. "If you truly love that girl … you would do everything to see her happy. You would let her go if it's her wish. But you should tell her because everything you never said hurts more than an insult you can't take back."
Ling looked at him. "And you?" he asked. "What's your girlfriend's name?"
Roy sighed. "I wish she would be my girlfriend," he said. "We argued today … over paperwork. I didn't want to do it and read a book. She walked in and … well … she became furious because I promised her to do it. And when she walked out and didn't come back until the end of the day. I tried to apologise but she just looked at me and said: 'I'm not the one who wants to be Fuhrer. I'm just the one who pays the price for everything.'" Roy imitated a female voice. "Afterwards she walked away. I ran after her and reached her on the stairs. She was hugging another guy of our office. It's always the same. When I want to hug her when she's down, she hates it and walks away. But Havoc and Fuery are allowed to hug her. And I knew her much longer."
"Are you jealous?" Ling asked. "I know that feeling. My girl is very pretty and many guys back in Xing have a crush on her. Even some guys from other clans … but they don't count. She would never marry someone from another clan. Neither her sense of honour nor her grandfather would allow something like that…" He sighed. "But our clan is big enough and many boys stare at her when she is sparing with her grandfather. She never says something. But whenever I look at her while she fights, she glares at me and says something like 'You shouldn't look at me, Young Master. You should concentrate on your training.'"
"She calls you 'Young Master'?" Roy laughed. "Mine just calls me 'Sir' or 'Colonel'…"
"I just hate it!" Ling hissed. "I told her more than once to call my Ling but she insists that it wouldn't be 'proper'. Sometimes I would like to be a bodyguard like her. I would be allowed to look at her … she would smile at me … and she would call me by my given name…"
"I hate it too," Roy nodded. "I knew her since we were children and it was always 'Mr Mustang' or 'Sir'. And I was ordered to call her 'Miss Riza'. I can understand how you feel. I would kill for the chance to be her equal but she puts me on some pedestal. I have no chance."
"If she were a princess like me, I would have a chance," Ling said. "But her family has maybe much honour … they are still not as high as a member of the royal house. She knows that and she always tries to hide herself from me. She is very beautiful, but she always wears baggy clothes and a damn mask. Sometimes I even forget what her face is like. I just remember that it was prettier than all the stars and the moon. And she hardly ever talks. It's so annoying!"
"Mine is also very silent," Roy said. "But sometimes she talks … when I do something very stupid. She likes to call me 'useless'. But that's the sole critic I ever get from her. Some people think that she never talks because she is so impressed by my skills. I don't think so. She knows me far better than everyone else. She knows that I'm not perfect. Other people think that she is always silent because she is afraid of saying something wrong … That's ridiculous. She's much smarter than me. That's one of the reasons I love her that much…"
"Lan Fan is much too humble," Ling complained. "She could beat me up whenever she wants to but she always bows and lowers her voice when she talks to me. Sometimes she seems to forget that I am just a human being – just like her. And as soon as I am emperor it will get even worse."
"You should confess to her," Roy advised. "Some weeks ago I lost cousin … and you have no idea how much it hurts that I know that I never told her how proud I was to call her my best friend. Words you never said … they hurts sometimes more than anything else."
"I confess if you confess too," Ling said. "I can't do it alone. She won't take me seriously. She will think that I'm just fooling around … maybe I joke too much when she's present."
"Colonel Mustang," Edward said and took place beside his commanding officer. "Back in Central, I see. And you already met Ling."
"Fullmetal," Roy sighed. "Is there something you want?"
"No … you two just looked very pathetic and I feel very pathetic too," Edward said. "Maybe we could be a group of three depressed, more-or-less-attractive men…"
"They are both lovesick," the barkeeper said, "and very philosophic."
"Let me take a guess…" Edward grinned. "Lan Fan and the Lieutenant!"
"I hate you, Edward," Ling said. "You're right."
"Well, I can understand your situation," the blond alchemist said.
"Miss Rockbell," Roy grinned. "Well, welcome to our club of men who are still in love with their first crushes. My first love will also be my last, I guess…"
"You never told Hawkeye that you love her?" Edward asked in disbelief. "You know her for more than ten years and you still haven't confessed to her, Mustang? That's … pathetic!"
"Her father would have killed me if I would have confessed to his precious little daughter! And I never wanted to die before I reached my goal!" Roy defended himself. "Ling here is even more pathetic than me! He wanted to propose today but he lost his courage!"
"No comment," the prince said. "And her grandfather was present! I can't confess to her in front of her grandfather! It would be ridiculous! And Fu would probably kill me for even thinking about marrying his beautiful granddaughter! And I can't die before I am emperor!"
"And, Fullmetal, you see Miss Rockbell nearly every month! You could have confessed long time ago!" Roy said. "If you aren't fast enough, someone else will take her away from you!"
"Alright," Jim sighed. "I have something to say, okay? All of you are pathetic! And now you will leave and search your women. Then all of you will confess. If someone of you will get rejected, the others will cheer him up. And tomorrow you will bring your women with you and you can celebrate a little bit! Am I understood?"
The three men just nodded and left the bar.
"Lan Fan will be the first," Roy decided. "It's her birthday after all."
The few people who saw the three men were a little bit confused. They looked more than just a little bit crazy. The oldest man, Roy, wore still his uniform. Ling wore his yellow jacket and his white pants. Edward wore his usual clothes and his braid was in a mess. But their faces held the same expression. All of them looked fiery and determinate.
"Alright," Ling said. "She has to be very close. I can already feel her Chi. Maybe three streets further in the East…" He frowned. "And she's coming closer right now."
Suddenly the young woman appeared in front of them. She didn't wear her uniform. She wore clothes which were very similar to a school uniform but Ling knew her good enough to know that she had her weapons with her.
"Young Master!" she said relieved and bowed while she blushed. "I searched you! You really shouldn't run away as soon as we turn our back at you for a second! You could have got killed!"
"I apologise for worrying you, Lan Fan," Ling said and bowed. "I am truly sorry."
"Young Master!" she hissed. "You shouldn't apologise to a servant!"
"This discussion again, Lan?" Ling sighed. "I will apologise to you whenever I do something silly, stupid or dangerous, whenever I worry you. And there is nothing you could do against it."
She glared at him. "It isn't proper, Young Master," she said and bowed. "Forgive me."
"For leaving the hotel against my wish?" Ling smirked. "Well, it's your birthday today … it's alright. But since you're here, you can meet my new friend. This is Roy, Lan Fan. Roy, this is my most trusted bodyguard, Lan Fan."
Roy grinned. "You mentioned her … more than once, in fact you spoke the whole time just about her," he said. "Nice to meet you, Lan Fan. Feel free to call me Roy."
"Nice to meet you too, Mister Roy," Lan Fan said and bowed slightly. "I am his bodyguard."
"I thought you were his fiancée…" Edward muttered. "Ling told us…"
"Young Master?" Lan Fan was more than confused.
"Thank you very much, Edward," Ling hissed. "You have really a way of ruining another man's proposal! How could you? Oh, I will take revenge as soon as we get to Winry!" He smiled lovingly at his bodyguard. "Could you please close your eyes, Lan?" he asked. "I have a present for you."
She just nodded and obeyed. He quickly took a beautiful necklace from his pocket and put it around Lan Fan's neck.
"It fits perfectly," Roy complimented.
"I think so too," Edward, Master of Great Style, agreed.
"Open your eyes, Lan Fan," Ling said calmly, "and look in a mirror…"
"You…young Ma…master…" Lan Fan turned around to look at Ling as soon as she saw the necklace. "You … you can't offer me such a beautiful neck…necklace!"
"I won't take it back," Ling replied childishly. "It's a present … and a promise. You can throw it away, but I will never take it back. It has your name on it, so it belongs to you now."
"It's beautiful, Young Master, but…" She bit her lower lip. "It's highly improper!"
"I don't care," he shrugged. "You look beautiful. And I have another order for you."
She looked at him, ready to do whatever he asked her to do.
"Call me by my given name – and don't even dare to remind me of how inappropriate it would be. I want you to call me Ling and since we know each other for many years by now, I don't see why it would be still inappropriate. You're my future wife after all…"
"Congratulations, Ling," Roy applauded. "You did it. Now … let's search Riza before we move on to Winry. The future Mrs Yao can come with us…"
"So … now we are searching the future Mrs Mustang," Ling explained. "Roy has a problem with confessing to his aide … but we are here to help him with this problem."
"No need to get that cocky, Ling," Edward said. "You may have done it, but you're still not married. And I am sure that Mustang will be also successful."
"She will be at home," Roy said. "Let's take my car."
"You drank too much to drive," Edward said. "And I also had some beer when I was out with the guys. Never knew that Havoc had such a low tolerance towards alcohol!"
"The only one sober enough to drive would be Lan Fan," Ling said. He had snaked an arm around her waist and he held her close. "And she can drive, I am sure of it."
"It's just a cheap military-issued car, so I don't care," Roy said while the four of them made their way to his car. "It would just make Douglas angry and I totally hate that guy. So … don't worry."
Lan Fan had some trouble with starting the car but as soon as she did it, it was easy for her to drive the car through Central City. Near Riza's residence they got in a police control. "I would like to see your driver's licence, young lady," a police man said.
Lan Fan looked at him and smiled innocently. "I have one," she lied, "but it's in Xingese."
Beside her, Ling was busy with writing something on a piece of paper. As soon as he was finished, he gave it to her and she had to suppress laughter as she showed it the man. He looked at it and gave it back to her. "Looks right," he said. "I wish you a nice evening, Miss Yao."
As she drove on, Lan Fan looked at Ling. "'Hereby I allow Lan Fan Yao to drive a car – Signed: Emperor Yao'?" she asked.
"This man was too busy with checking out your chest," Ling shrugged. "I could have written 'The reader of this paper is stupid' and he wouldn't have noticed it."
"It just good that he hasn't saw me," Roy muttered. "It would have been difficult to explain why a stranger drives my car while I am sitting on the backseat and looking out the window…"
"Here we go again," Edward sighed as they got in another control.
"Colonel Mustang!" the police man saluted. "Nice to meet you! May I ask why you aren't driving?"
"Well, my niece from Xing came to visit me and she just got her licence, so she needs to practice. And since I am such a nice uncle, I allowed her to drive my car."
"Alright," the man said. "Nice to meet you, Miss Mustang. You look totally like your uncle!"
"How can you insult my fiancée like that?" Edward yelled. "She is much prettier than him!"
"Your fiancée?" Ling turned around. "She used to be your girlfriend but you left her! She's my girl now! And keep your filthy hands away from her, Elric!"
"Let's go on," Roy sighed. "I have no intention to watch them fighting again."
"Alright, uncle," Lan Fan said sweetly and started the car again. "Let's go to auntie."
"She doesn't answer when I call her," the concierge explained. "So she is already asleep."
"But we saw the light!" Edward yelled. "She is awake!"
"You can't go upstairs without Miss Hawkeye's allowance," the man said.
"Alright," Roy said darkly. "We will come back tomorrow."
"You give up?" Ling asked terrified. "You can't do it! You need to fight! Impress your girl!"
"Follow me," the oldest grinned and as soon as they were outside, he opened a little door and they entered a yard. "Do you see the third balcony? It's hers. We just need to get up there and we are there. It's easy, isn't it?"
"Mr Roy," Lan Fan said quietly. "I would be there in less than a minute, but you could have some trouble. There isn't much to grip … it's not that easy to get up to the balcony…"
"She's right," Ling agreed. "But I should be able to do it too. So we'll visit your girl, Roy, and we'll bring her a message from you. Maybe a poem or something like that … any ideas?"
"Of course…" Roy grinned. "I will write it down for you, alright?"
"Alright!" Ling grinned and looked a little bit scary.
Riza Hawkeye was reading as suddenly two silhouettes made their appearance on her balcony. She took a gun and moved closer, as the door suddenly opened and two children came in. The boy bowed. "Forgive us the intrusion, Miss Hawkeye, but we have a message for you," he said. "I think of you, when I see the sun's shimmer."
"Gleaming from the sea," the girl added. "I think of you, when the moon's glimmer."
"Is reflected in the springs," the boy went on. "I see you, when on the distant road the dust rises."
"In deep night, when on the narrow bridge," the girl smiled, "the traveller trembles."
"I hear you, when with a dull roar," the boy said, "the wave surges."
"In the quiet grove I often go to listen when all is silent."
"I am with you, however far away you may be." The boy beamed. "You are next to me!"
The girl ran one hand through her hair and closed her eyes. "The sun is setting, soon the stars will shine upon me," she said. "If only you were here!"
"This was a personal message from Colonel Mustang," the boy said, "and it was dutifully transmitted by Ling Yao and Lan Fan, future emperor and empress of Xing."
"He also says that he will wait in front of your house until you come out to take part in his actual mission," the girl, obviously Lan Fan, added. "He seemed pretty down when I saw him."
"He thinks that I'll forgive him when he sends two children to my apartment?" Riza stared at them. "Is he really that stupid? You could have died if you have fall down! Has he any idea how dangerous this is? Or didn't he care at all?"
"It was my decision," Lan Fan said. "And Mister Future-Emperor followed me."
"The poor guy is very depressed," Ling added. "He was actually nice and he didn't yell at Edward as Edward destroyed my proposal to Lan Fan. You should give him a chance. The guy deserves it. We had a heart-to-heart at the bar and we have very similar problems with our women…"
"Did you just call me a troublemaker?" Lan Fan hissed. "I am not the one who makes every plan unnecessary by deciding last minute to take a snack!"
"No need to yell at me," Ling covered his ears. "Alright, if Miss Hawkeye has no intention to help her poor commanding officer, let's go. You can improve your driving skills, Lan Fan."
"Alright, Young Master," she said and bowed. "Maybe we will get into a control again…"
"Okay," Riza took her coat. "You won. I can't let him suffering that long. But he needs to change."
Lan Fan and Ling exchanged a look and left the apartment the same way they entered it.
"Mission: complete," Ling grinned. "She's on her way."
"Alright, colonel, what's going on?" Riza asked as she reached them.
"I-know-I-am-an-idiot-and-I-don't-deserve-someone-as-wonderful-as-you-but-I-can't-help-myself-I-love-you!" Roy yelled at her. "So would you please marry me?"
"I don't think what you are supposed to scream at her when you try to propose," Edward said while Riza stared at Roy in complete confusion.
"SHUT UP!" Ling and Roy yelled at the same time at him.
"You ruined already my proposal, so don't you dare to ruin his proposal too!" Ling hissed.
"Alright," Riza said calmly. "Colonel, what the hell were you drinking earlier?"
"I can't believe it!" he shouted. "I am trying to propose to you, Riza, and you think I am drunk!"
"Well…" she looked in his eyes. "Your pupils seem to be normal … so you didn't take any drugs…"
"That's getting embarrassing," Roy muttered. "I stand here and try to tell you that I am in love with you and you are thinking about which substance I have abused this time! It's not nice!"
"I don't get paid to be nice," she said. "Alright, you could tell me what's going on. And don't tell me any lies. It's late and tomorrow is my day off but I don't want to be up this late…"
"It's true, Miss Hawkeye," Ling piped in. "I met him at the bar and we were both very frustrated. Then Edward came and we learned that he has the same problem. So we decided to search our girls and to tell him how we feel. First we found Lan Fan and I proposed. Then we decided to search for you and now we are here and you are too stubborn to see that he truly loves you."
"Pathetic, Mustang," Edward grinned. "You need Ling to tell your girl that you love her."
"Don't listen to him," Lan Fan said. "He drank more than the others. So he is a little bit crazy."
"Let me get this straight," Riza said while her migraine started. "Your fiancé met my commander in a bar. They drank together and had a little heart-to-heart … and now the three of them are on a mission and are going to propose each to their women?"
"I know that it's crazy," Lan Fan said, "but that it is."
"I don't want to know what they were drinking," Riza muttered. "It's so unlike the colonel…"
"Riiiiizaaaa!" Roy whined. "It's your turn to answer me! It's not nice to keep me waiting!"
"And it's highly-"
"What did I told you, Ling?" Roylooked at his partner-in-misery. "She would say it."
"I believe he's serious," Lan Fan whispered. "I was also surprised when Ling asked me."
"Alright, Colonel Mustang," Riza sighed. "It would be an honour to be your wife."
"Congratulations, Roy!" Ling grinned at him. "Come on, let's go and search Winry. You will have to drive, Riza, since none of us is able to besides Lan Fan and she hasn't a licence."
Winry lived with the Hughes' and she was reading a book about Automail as the bell rang.
"Roy! Edward! Riza!" Maes Hughes hissed. "What's going on with you? Elicia is sleeping!"
"You will forgive me as soon as you get the news," Roy said. "I will marry."
"About time," his best friend said. "Congratulation, Riza. You just tamed a bachelor."
"How do you know that I will marry her?" Roy asked.
"Because you are not very good in hiding your feelings, buddy," Hughes said. "And who are your new friends?"
"Ling Yao and Lan Fan from Xing," Edward explained. "Ling and Roy met in the bar and when they started this crazy mission."
"It was Jim's idea!" Roy defended himself. "And now Edward needs to confess and then our mission is complete. So … could you please get Miss Rockbell, Hughes. I am tired…"
"Alright," his colleague said. "WINRY!"
"I thought Elicia was sleeping," Roy muttered.
"Gracia will kill you, not me," Hughes replied. "And Elicia will be so happy to hear that her godparents are getting married! It was really about time, Mr Most-eligible-bachelor!"
"You called me, Mr Hughes?" Winry asked.
"Well, Edward wants to tell you that he loves you," Ling said. "Since he ruined my proposal, I have no problems with ruining his confession."
"Ling!" Lan Fan hissed. "You can't do something like that!"
"Of course he can," Roy grinned. "I wanted to do the same but your future husband made it much better than I would have done it."
"You are like children," Lan Fan complained. "Really, You- Ling. I don't know if I want to marry a man who acts like a child…"
"I can just agree," Riza nodded. "I would feel very … stupid doing something like that…"
Roy moved faster than expected and hugged her. "Nooooo…" he whined. "Don't do that to me!"
"They are right, Win," Edward muttered. "I am in love with you and there is nothing you could do to stop me. I am sorry to disturb you so late … but I wanted to tell you."
"Ed…" Winry stared at him before she ran towards him and stood still in front of him before she started to grin. "You're taller than me now," she said amused, "so I guess it will be alright."
"That's everything you have to say?" Lan Fan and Riza stared at her in disbelief.
"I don't know what to say!" Winry hissed in their direction. "Could you back me up?"
"Tell him that you love him too!" Riza sighed.
AN: Not happy with it but that means that the sequel can't be worse than that.