A/N: A request from the lovely Taylor that I finally wrote. You can kick me for taking this long if you want to, but I hope you like it!
Carnival Lights
He tiptoed down the hall, avoiding the creaky floorboard that had landed him in more trouble than he liked to admit. Once he reached her door, Roy knocked softly before leaning casually against the frame, waiting for a response. He got one in the form of a brown-eyed glare, as the door swung open and Riza hissed, "What are you doing?!"
"I'm asking you on a date," he whispered back.
He grinned at her saucer-eyes, smug with the knowledge that he'd caught her completely off guard.
"I…but…what…no!"
She moved to shut the door in his face, but Roy nudged his foot to hold it open. Huffing, she crossed her arms and stalked back to her desk.
"Aw, come on, Riza, come to the fair with me," he said, continuing their hushed conversation as he followed her into the room.
"I. Said. No."
"Why not?"
"Remember how much trouble we got in last time?"
"Yeah, but I found a better way to sneak out. See, if we leave through your window, climb down the tree, and go around the back way behind the hedge – "
"No."
"It'll be funnnnn…" he wheedled.
"I am having fun."
Roy glanced pointedly at the textbooks that lay open on her desk. "Oh, really?" he countered, raising an eyebrow. She blushed, cheeks going pink in the lamplight.
"Yes! Learning can be fun."
"Part of learning is life experience."
"I can't get any life experience if father kills us both first."
"That's why we climb out the window," Roy said brightly.
"Roy – "
"Yes?"
"…"
"Riza, what?"
"Fine. I'll go."
Roy couldn't help the grin spreading across his face.
"But I need to get changed first," she said.
"Fine by me," he responded, settling comfortably into her desk chair and looking up expectantly.
"Out!"
"Okay, okay. I'll come back in five. Make sure you're dressed. Actually, on second thought – "
"I. Said. Out!"
Riza attempted to shove him out of her bedroom. Her little hands pressing against his chest weren't actually doing much in the way of shifting his position, but he decided to give her the satisfaction anyway. He let her push him out the door, and he watched it shut abruptly in his face. Leaning back against the whitewashed wall, he began to count out the five minutes as he rolled up his shirtsleeves.
"one, two, seven, fifty-nine – "
She poked her head out the door. "I can hear you skipping numbers, Roy!"
"Who said I was skipping numbers?" he asked innocently, giving her his best doe eyes.
"Ughhhh," she groaned, "You're insufferable."
"I try my best."
She shut the door. The rustling of fabric and sounds of snaps and zippers had Roy thinking inappropriate things. He indulged in thinking about these inappropriate things, in detail, for the remainder of the five minutes. When the time was up, Roy promptly opened the door, to find her sitting on the bed and tying the ribbons on her Sunday shoes.
"I like that dress on you," he said, the compliment seeming to catch her by surprise. The dress itself was lovely, tiny blue pinstripes and a wide skirt and a neckline he appreciated very much indeed.
She looked up and smiled. "Thanks. It's new."
"You ready?" Roy asked, reaching out a hand to help her up from the bed.
"Is the window really the only exit option we have available?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Leaning out of the open window, Roy began to feel a little queasy. But going first was the chivalrous thing to do. Try as he might, though, he could not bring himself to climb out onto the thick tree branch just a hand's breadth from the sill. He assessed the distance to the ground and the relative injuries a fall would cause, and then glared angrily at the branch for not being a set of stairs. It was just that three stories up was awfully high…
"Do you want me to go first?" Riza sighed exasperatedly.
"No," he grumbled.
She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.
"Yes," he admitted, and stepped aside so she could climb out. Riza nimbly swung her legs over the branch, and in the swirl of her skirt Roy caught a glimpse of pink lace underwear and flash of her pale thigh. Having her go first was an excellent idea. She edged comfortably down the branch.
"Come on, Roy. It's not that bad."
"I…but…yes, I'm coming."
He held his breath as he hoisted himself onto the tree branch, certain it would break or he would fall or the apocalypse would begin. Or something. He felt a warm hand grab his and pull him the rest of the way out of the window, into the tree. Chancing a glance up, he saw Riza smiling good-humouredly. He realised how much a fool he was making of himself, but he found it didn't matter as much as it should.
They climbed the rest of the way down in silence, Riza finding footholds and swinging down lightly, Roy concentrating on the safety of every step. But finally they reached the ground. Roy tucked his shirt back in, clasped his hands behind his back, and stared up at the huge oak.
"Stupid tree," he muttered.
"Without that tree, you wouldn't have a date," Riza reminded him.
Roy rolled his eyes, but offered Riza his hand all the same. She took it, and they began their dusty walk to the fairgrounds.
"I've never been to the fair," Riza told him.
"Never? Your father never took you?"
"No, he said it was stupid and frivolous."
"It is stupid and frivolous. That's what makes it so wonderful!"
The lights of the carnival appeared in the distance, beginning as a glow but exploding into colour and sound as they rounded a corner. Riza, calm and composed Riza, gasped in delight and began running towards the entrance, dragging Roy with along behind her.
"Hey, slow down!"
"Not gonna happen," she grinned, and skipped through the gates without a second glance. Roy stopped at the window and gave the annoyed ticket master two copper coins for the entry fee before following her into the crowd.
She spun around in awe, dazzled by it all. Acrobats contorted into impossible positions, dancers tiptoed on tightropes, children screamed on the ramshackle rollercoaster, and the ferris wheel spun high above their heads.
"What do you want to do first?" Roy asked, charmed by her awe in something so ordinary.
"You choose."
He chose the ferris wheel. Then the tightrope walker. Then the lion tamer, the acrobats, and cotton candy. Riza tried to convince him to ride the rollercoaster with her, but he adamantly refused, using the excuse that her dress would fly up and it was his duty to protect her honour. She snorted and pulled him over to the fire breathers.
This should be interesting, Roy thought. Seeing others play with fire always left him wondering about his own alchemy.
They watched as a man spun fiery dragons for the children crowded at the front of the stage.
"Look at how sweet that is!" Riza said, pointing at the man now taking requests from the children as to what sort of mythical creatures they would like to see made of flames. As the fire died down and the light caught the man's face, Riza squeaked, spun on her heel, and bolted. Roy wasn't far behind.
As he caught up to her, he asked over the noise of the crowd, "What the hell is your father doing playing as a fire breather at a carnival?"
"I don't know!"
They ran as fast as they could, dashing from behind one stall to the next. Finally, at the edge of the carnival, they took shelter behind the caravan of a gypsy psychic, panting and sinking to the ground.
She sighed. "Probably because we need the money. Ever since he decided to focus on his research…Well, I did wonder where the money for this dress came from."
"Maybe that's why he never took you when you were younger, so you wouldn't know," Roy mused.
"Why shouldn't I know that he entertains children with magic tricks at carnivals?"
"Oh, you know, because then he couldn't intimidate you into never sneaking out with attractive young men like me."
"More like attractive young man, I don't know anyone else I'd sneak out with."
"Excellent," Roy said, reaching an arm around her waist and pulling her against him.
"So," Riza began, stretching up to murmur in his ear, "Since we're stuck here, what do you suppose we do, Mr. Mustang?"
"Hmm, I may need to think about that one for a few minutes," he answered with a smirk, very pleased with this current turn of events.
"Should I start counting out your time limit?"
"I don't think that's necessary," he answered, pulling her into his lap. She shifted to straddle him, and pressed her lips to his.
Riza dozed against his shoulder, looking deliciously tousled in the dim light. The sky was beginning to lighten, but only now could they be sure that Master Hawkeye had gone home and they wouldn't run into him while walking across the quiet fairgrounds.
"Riza," Roy said softly, shaking her a little. "Riza, wake up, we can go back to the house now."
"Nnngh," was her only response.
"Riza, seriously, we have to get home before morning."
"But…it's so far…away," she protested with half-closed eyes. Yawning, she asked him why they couldn't just stay here.
"Because in three hours this place will be filled with people and your father will be wondering where on earth we are," he explained reasonably. Unfortunately, sleepy people don't usually respond to reason. She snuggled down into the soft grass and closed her eyes again, looking so content that Roy felt waking her up would be some sort of travesty.
Oh well.
"Riza. Wake. Up."
"No."
"Do I have to carry you back?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Glad we found a compromise. Now climb up."
Roy kneeled and somehow managed to get the half-sleeping girl to wrap her arms around his neck, achieving some semblance of a piggy back ride. He gripped her ankles with his hands. Never really having considered ankles before, he decided hers were very nice. Resting her head on his shoulder, her breath blew into his ear, which was also very nice. And made him shiver and think inappropriate things every five seconds, but that couldn't be helped, really. Anything to do with Riza Hawkeye resulted in that.
As he trudged home with Riza clinging to his back, Roy wondered how an incorrigible ass like him got so lucky.