Disclaimer: Not Mine. Nope. Notta. Nient. Obviously No Infringement Intended. Imitation after all is the best form of flattery.
AN: I posted an early draft of this by mistake. Thanks for calling my attention to this.
-o0o-
The Morning After
The Setup: The team has crashed at Hawkeye's place after an all night strategy session.
She woke to the smell of bacon, the sound of the radio and a familiar voice humming along. Rising, she stretched and changed lazily into the first non-uniform garment that came to hand. The soft, knee length, knit dress she'd worn to the park the other day. Barefoot, she crept soundlessly through the living room. Furey, Breda, Havoc and Falman sprawled in attitudes of contented sleep around the coffee table still piled thick with charts and diagrams.
Standing at the threshold of her kitchen she couldn't help but smile. He was barefoot too. His coat tossed over a chair in the corner, he commanded her temperamental stove with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his untucked shirt tails flapping. "Good morning," he greeted her without turning from the bowl of pancake batter he was mixing. She laughed and joined him. She pulled her apron down from its hook by the door and tied it over her green dress.
Hyate rose from his bed to yawn and stretch languidly before padding over for a pat and a good morning lick. He stood panting with a puppyish smile as Riza poured two cups of steaming black coffee. Passing one to Roy, she took over stirring the lumpy batter. She dipped a finger in, and tentatively tasted the concoction under Roy's attentive gaze (Riza had little doubt he was hiding a grin behind the rim of his earthenware mug). She snorted and shaking her head added a bit more milk and sugar to the bowl before whipping it up with a whisk. "You make a good cup of coffee, but you still haven't mastered pancakes." Returning her smile, Roy stepped forward reaching around her to turn the heat off from under the bacon and push the pan to the back of the stove to keep warm. In her ear he murmured "but, I have mastered the art of getting you to make them for me." She swatted him away playfully as she moved to the spice cupboard for 'the secret ingredient'. He chuckled, and set the griddle on to the stove to heat up for cooking the pancakes.
They moved around the kitchen to a familiar rhythm known only to them. He, setting the table and she, put the final touches on the pancake batter. As he set a fork at each place setting she came to him, bowl and spoon in hand, bidding him to taste the creamy batter. His grin widened as he pronounced it ambrosial. Getting the laugh he had hoped for. They stood, basking in the warmth of the moment, with goofy grins on their faces.
The change of song on the radio gave Roy an idea. He acted quickly before he could second guess himself. Taking the bowl and spoon from her hands, he set them carefully on the counter before leaning over to turn up the radio. His sharp Lt. had already figured out his plan but, didn't stop him when he pulled her into a dance.
Like they had as teenagers alone in a cavernous, old, house they filled the room with happy laughter. Hyate yipped playfully at their heels as Roy spun Riza out only to pull her back into a loose embrace. Neither noticed when first one head, and then three more peeped around the door jam. Four pairs of eyebrows rose, and four jaws dropped in surprise.
The song ended and they held each other a moment too long slightly out of breath. "Thank you," she whispered resting her hand over his heart before stepping back from him. He caught her elbow drawing her back to him "Elizabeth..." he breathed. She smiled serenely before kissing his bowed forehead. Stepping definitively from his embrace she turned to the stove "You might want to wake the men, sir. Breakfast will be ready soon"