The Love Square

by liciousember

Mustang likes Hawkeye; Hawkeye likes Havoc; Havoc likes Grace from the flower shop; Grace likes Mustang. In Grace's point of view. Royai. This was written within a couple of hours on a whim. If you hate, I laugh, because I do everytime I read this.

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Love Square

By Julia Kien

Mustang likes Hawkeye; Hawkeye likes Havoc; Havoc likes Grace from the flower shop; Grace likes Mustang.

FIRST PERSON: Grace

Valentines' Day

I smiled, my eyes on the red roses that General Mustang was eyeing. Valentines' Day was the one day that everyone feared, even the military. I then suddenly realized that the General was coming this way! I looked at him sheepishly as he smiled at me.

"Hey. Grace, right?" He grinned.

"Eh? H-How do you know my name?" What is he, a stalker? How could he possibly know my name?

"Um, your name tag? Heh, could I just please buy these roses? Thanks." I nodded, wondering who the roses were for. Should I ask? Well, it's none of my business… I'm so curious though! Okay, here goes nothing!

General Mustang was getting out his money when I ever so reluctantly asked, "So… Who are the roses for?" He barked out a sudden laugh; I went wide eyed. "Oh, I'm sorry! It's none of my business of course!"

"Haha, no it's ok! It's for First Lieutenant Hawkeye." And that's when the jealousy came. General Mustang looked up at the ceiling all starry-eyed. "Ahhhh, isn't she so dreamy? Her silky blonde hair… Her ruby-red eyes… Wow…" General Mustang continued with his blah blah blah, while I had my back turned to him, enflamed and cursing under my breath.

"Stupid, pretty blonde people…" I muttered under my breath. "YOU KNOW, GENERAL, I CAN FIGHT TOO!"

"And she's smart and funny and blonde… Wait, did you say something, Grace?" I turned around. I gave my best fake smile, but my right eye continued to twitch.

"Heh heh… Um, yeah. I, uh, don't think I gave you the correct change. Here you go." I gave him an extra dollar, praying that he would leave immediately.

"Thanks, Grace. See you around!" As he headed toward the door, I realized that this was my chance to make Hawkeye look bad.

"Wait, General! Lieutenant Hawkeye… Is she the blonde one that was staring at Lieutenant Havoc outside my shop the other day?" General Mustang stopped in his tracks.

"What. Did. You. Say?" He turned around, looking scary. I could feel the tension rising, while the rest of the staff was slowly backing away.

"Well, uh, yesterday Lieutenant Havoc was walking outside my shop. Then Lieutenant Hawkeye came running up to him all smiley. And, uh, I noticed that she couldn't stop looking at him all dreamily…"

"WHAT? She looked at him dreamily? AND SHE COULDN'T STOP?"

"Um, yes I just said that, but—"

He growled. "Well I am gonna kick his—"

"What's up, Gracie?" Lieutenant Havoc walked in grinning. General Mustang started shivering.

"Heh heh, hey Lieutenant Havoc…" I backed away from General Mustang. "H-How can I help you?" Lieutenant Havoc grinned even wider.

"Well… I was gonna come here to buy some roses, BUT I ALREADY HAVE!" He whipped out a huge bouquet of red roses and smiled sheepishly. "Here, Gracie—um, I mean Grace. Happy Valentines' Day!" General Mustang's aura suddenly changed. He slowly turned around to look at me, my face blushing bright red. Then he turned to Lieutenant Havoc.

"That's… So very sweet of you, Lieutenant. I wish you both the best in your relationship." General Mustang skipped out of my shop, humming like a very satisfied humming bird. He… He just skipped out of my shop. He SKIPPED. Eh…

"So, um, what do you think, Grace?"

"Eh? Think of what?" Lieutenant Havoc frowned.

"What do you think of, well, you know… You being my Valentine?" My eyes grew wide.

"Well, uh… You see… So, ok, let me tell you this story, okay?" He nodded, quickly agreeing. "Okay, so um, there's this girl. She likes this guy that doesn't like her back. Meanwhile, the girl that guy liked likes this other guy, but that other guy likes another girl. So, um, no two people are in love with each other… What are your thoughts on that?"

"Well that sounds like a cheesy love story! It must suck being stuck in that love square! I hope that never happens to me!" Ohhhh, too late to hope… It's already happened. The Lieutenant smiled. I smiled back.

"So, if I told you that you really are caught up in a love square, what would you say?" He scratched his forehead.

"Well, am I stuck in that?" He looked at me, apparently deeply curious. Uh oh, this is not good. Should I just come clean and tell him the story? That's seems like the only way to go right now… But I never told him that I didn't like him. Should I? Well, what the heck, life is about taking chances! So here goes nothing again!

"Yes. You are stuck in a love square. I like General Mustang, but he likes Lieutenant Hawkeye. Lieutenant Hawkeye likes you, but you like me. So, um… Yeah…"

"Wait, are you saying that Lieutenant Hawkeye likes me? Um, sorry Grace, but I'm gonna take those roses back! See ya later, okay? Good luck with the General!" He ran out of the store, leaving me in shock.

I sighed. "I think I might have just broken General Mustang's heart… On the bright side, this means I have a better chance with him!" I laughed with myself and picked up the polish for the tables. "Life is good."

An Order from the Military

The next day, Lieutenant Havoc showed up at the shop again. I tried not to make eye contact, but he came up to talk to me anyway.

"Hey, Grace! So I just wanted to thank you for telling me about Lieutenant Hawkeye! I asked her out and we're going to watch Curse of the Crimson Elixir tonight at 8! So, thanks again! I'll see you later!" I smiled as he walked out of the shop.

I sighed. Then, I started talking really fast, because that always happens when I'm nervous.

"I feel kind of bad about this, but if I ever want a chance with General Mustang, this is what had to happen. I mean, I sure hope he's not gonna be too upset and stuff and I really need to stop talking to myself because talking to yourself is the first sign of going crazy…" I sighed again and started polishing the tables, as if I needed to after I obsessively polished them for 2 hours yesterday. That's when General Mustang showed up. Again.

"Oh, um, hey General Mustang. Welcome back..." I looked up from polishing the tables to see that he was pacing back and forth. "Um, General? What's wrong?" He stopped pacing, looked up at me, and started pacing again.

"Okay, well, Lieutenant Hawkeye has a date with Lieutenant Havoc today at 8. How do I know? They both ran into my office screaming, 'I'm going to the movies at 8! Don't bother me!" Ugh, what am I gonna do?" He continued pacing frantically, not looking up at me for a second.

"Well, I'm not sure, General. Uh, why are you telling me this?" He stopped pacing and sighed. Then, he turned to look me straight in the eye.

"This is all your fault, Grace. If you hadn't told me that Lieutenant Hawkeye liked Lieutenant Havoc, I would have been perfectly fine staring in silence. But no! You just had to tell me! So now, I'm gonna do everything in my will power to stop their flower of romance from blooming!" His face was only about a foot away from mine, and it was scary at that. I took a few steps back.

"Um… Their flower of romance…?"

"UGH! YOU WILL HELP ME, GRACE! AND THAT IS AN ORDER FROM THE MILITARY!" He pointed his finger inches away from my eyes. I gulped.

"What do you want me to do then." It was more of a statement than a question. He lowered his finger and sighed.

"We're going to the movies. Tonight. At 8 o'clock. And we're gonna be watching Curse of the Crimson Elixir. I'll do whatever it takes to… To keep their flower of romance from blooming. I'll be here at 7:30 to pick you up." And with that, he stormed out of the shop. Oh god. What have I gotten myself into now…? I grabbed my watering can and began to water the table.

"Uh, miss…?"

Curse of the Crimson Elixir

General Mustang and I were standing in line waiting for our turn to buy tickets. I spotted Lieutenant Hawkeye and Lieutenant Havoc walking into the theatre. I kept my mouth shut though, because the General would've started a riot.

"You're in theatre 4. Enjoy your movie."

"Thank you. Let's go, Grace." I nodded and we walked into the theatre. "You know who to look for. Tell me when you find them." The General and I started looking frantically, but then he nudged me and pointed to the Lieutenants. We nodded and slid into the seats above them. I looked at the General and sighed.

I guess we'll never have a real date. He looks so serious right now; he must love Lieutenant Hawkeye. This is all my fault, so I guess I'm gonna have to get those two together, no matter how much it hurts me. Curse my niceness.

The General gasped. I looked down to see that Lieutenant Havoc was trying to put his arm around Lieutenant Hawkeye. I decided to play an old trick.

"Oh no! My popcorn bucket slipped!" I quickly threw the bucket on Lieutenant Havoc's head. "Ehmagawd, I'm so sorry!"

"Ugh, Lieutenant Havoc! Let me help you!" said Lieutenant Hawkeye. I could tell that General Mustang was boiling at this point, so I pushed the Lieutenants even further. I nudged the General to follow my lead.

"Gawd, I want to help you too! Here, let me just reach over and get that popcorn off your head…" I leaned closer and tipped soda on Lieutenant Hawkeye. "Oh dear!" I nudged General Mustang once more.

"Oh, um, Lieutenant Hawkeye, let me help you with that!" I tossed him napkins and he quickly helped her soak up the spill.

"General Mustang, what are you doing here? And you! You're that girl from the flower shop!" Lieutenant Havoc turned around.

"What? Grace? What are you doing here with General Mustang?" The Lieutenants both stared at us, still waiting for answers.

The General stuttered. "Uh, well you see uh—"

"The General invited me to see a movie b-because… Because he was thanking me for the roses that he bought for you, Lieutenant Hawkeye. And um, he said that they were so pretty that he didn't want to use them, so that's why you never got them, Lieutenant." General Mustang nodded, quickly agreeing.

"Wait, you bought me roses, General?" He nodded slowly, not saying anything. This is where I must make a choice. I need to spill all the facts, because it'll make the General look bad if he says anything. I promised myself that I'll get those two together and I was also ordered by the General to help him, so here goes everything.

"He wanted you to be his Valentine, Lieutenant Hawkeye, but he decided to give up on it because he heard that you liked Lieutenant Havoc… From me. He really, really likes you and—"

"I will." We all looked at Lieutenant Hawkeye.

"Wait, what did you say? You will what?" The General was on the edge of his seat.

"I will be your Valentine, General."

"WHAT? But Lieutenant Hawkeye, you're on a date with me! NOW! How could you be his Valentine when you're already mine?" She looked at Lieutenant Havoc apologetically. "Aren't you…?"

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Havoc. I mean, I like you and all, but c'mon! No one can compete with the General!" Lieutenant Havoc was basically in tears now. He silently got up and walked out of the theatre. I smiled sheepishly and left too. I wanted the General and the Lieutenant to have some alone time.

Thorns

Human kind cannot gain anything without giving something in return. Love is something that fate decides, and interference is not tolerated. You can't control anyone's thoughts or actions, just your own. When humans take their foot out of fate, that's when the world does its best magic. The General and Lieutenant Hawkeye are living happily, like they should be. I am still single, because my interfering with fate had a consequence. As for Lieutenant Havoc, he is and always will be alone. That is how fate has made it. Even though he often tries to go against this, order will always be restored. Through this experience, I have learned 2 things. One: Lieutenant Havoc looks horrible in a tuxedo. And two: Life has roses, but with roses come thorns.