There was something about working on Friday afternoons that made the day seem to drag on needlessly, Jean Havoc decided. The second lieutenant wasn't quite sure why this was. It wasn't as though he had the weekend off. He was always on call. Nonetheless, as he peered out the office window at the bustling city of Central, he couldn't help feeling a bit exasperated that he was buried in paperwork on such a fine day.
He cleared his throat thoughtfully, absently taking a drag from his cigarette. It really looked to be a beautiful day out. The sun was shining, the weather seemed fair, and he could all too easily imagine what he would be doing were he not on duty. He envisioned himself with Solaris, having a picnic just outside of the city… A place where they'd be away from the city noise and be able to enjoy the pleasant sounds of nature.
Havoc sighed; he supposed he'd have to settle for a dinner date tonight. On the bright side, his girlfriend was a real sweetheart. She never seemed to mind how busy he was; she was just happy to be with him. She was so… perfect.
Jean yawned, "Unlike here... The same rotating schedule day in and day out, investigations, then reports."
Not that he blamed the colonel for lighting a figurative fire under their rears, he knew how badly his C.O. wanted to find Brigadier General Hughes's killer. That meant gathering as much information from as many sources as possible. He punctuated his thoughts with another yawn.
"Though he can be a bit of a slave driver sometimes." Havoc mused.
"Is there a problem, second lieutenant Havoc?" a cool voice addressed him from behind.
The blond jerked, turning to face his superior. "Jeez... Talk about a case of 'speak of the devil, and he shall appear'."
Roy Mustang stood calmly with his arms folded over his chest. He looked tired, but that was nothing new. It was just one of the many subtle changes that had taken place in the colonel since Hughes's death.
"He looks about as tired as I feel." Havoc decided.
Roy arched an eyebrow, "Havoc?" he repeated his subordinate's name.
The second lieutenant cleared his throat, "Sorry, you caught me off guard." He said sheepishly, "What're you up to, chief?"
"I just returned from a little research in the records department." Roy stated easily, "Then I walked by and noticed how fondly you seemed to be admiring the scenery."
"Hey, it's a nice day out." Havoc replied mildly, gesturing outside the window.
The colonel glanced past him, smirking slightly, "Yes, I suppose it is."
An awkward silence ensued and the second lieutenant wondered if his superior was preparing a choice lecture to chew him out. He was probably asking for it, having been essentially daydreaming when he should have been working. The rest of Team Mustang had just as much on their plates, after all.
He coughed in an effort to break the silence, "Well, sir, I'll get back to work now if you don't need anything." Maybe he could skirt the issue by showing some initiative.
Roy's smirk only widened, however, "Havoc. Why don't you go check in on Falman?"
The second lieutenant blinked. His shifts the past couple days had ended with paying visits to Falman at an abandoned apartment… where he was currently 'babysitting' Barry the Chopper. "Isn't it a little early for that, sir? I'm still on the clock."
Roy shrugged dismissively, "You said yourself what a nice day it is. With as sick as poor Falman is, I'm sure a visitor would brighten his day. Wouldn't you agree?"
Havoc couldn't quite believe his ears. The colonel was being surprisingly lenient, but he decided not to question it. "Yes." He cleared his throat, "Yes sir." He put out what was left of his cigarette and offered a brief salute as he headed for the hallway.
"Oh, and second lieutenant?" Roy called after him.
Jean turned on his heel and peered back into the room, "Sir?"
"Make sure that Warrant Officer Falman knows that the moment he's well enough to resume active duty, there will be a mountain of paperwork awaiting him." Roy said, onyx eyes glinting in amusement.
Havoc smirked, "Yes sir. I'll be back soon."
His footsteps faded down the hall, and he was gone. The colonel shook his head to himself and headed for his office. While he'd allowed Havoc the luxury of a change of scenery, he really had to be getting back to work.
Roy noticed movement out of the corner of his eye as Lieutenant Hawkeye fell into stride behind him. "Lieutenant." He greeted easily.
"Lieutenant Havoc seemed in a hurry to leave." She remarked simply as they walked.
"I can't have him going stir-crazy, lieutenant." Roy said easily, "I sent him to check in on Falman."
"I see, sir." Riza nodded.
"Lieutenant. Haven't you noticed the second lieutenant seems to have become more anxious lately?" the colonel inquired, lowering his tone slightly.
"I'm not surprised, sir." Hawkeye deadpanned, "He has managed to find himself a girlfriend as of late."
"Is that right?" Roy offered a mild chuckle, "It's a wonder he hasn't been spreading word all over the office about her." He mused.
"With all due respect, sir, I believe he's afraid of losing her to a certain suave superior." Riza said easily.
The colonel paused and glanced back at her in mild agitation, "Come on, lieutenant. Give me some credit; I'm not that bad." He argued coolly.
Riza offered an unconvinced shrug, but said no more.
Meanwhile, Havoc was making his way discreetly towards the apartment in which Falman was holed up. Glancing over his shoulder briefly, Havoc ducked down an alleyway to throw any potential 'trackers' off his trail.
He'd stopped by a street vendor along the way to purchase a basket of fruit and a newspaper. Nourishment aside, he seemed to recall Falman referring to the newspaper as his only form of entertainment.
"But being locked in with a serial killer? I don't think I'd be bored in his shoes." The second lieutenant mused, knocking carefully at the door.
"Y-yes?" Falman responded quietly from the other side.
"It's me, Lieutenant Havoc." Havoc cleared his throat loudly, "I came to see how you're doing."
Falman seemed to accept that as identification, as he unlocked the door and let Jean inside.
"Hey! The cigarette guy again!" Barry greeted with a mild wave of his armored hand, "How's life in the real world?"
"It's a pretty nice day out, actually." Havoc reported as he passed the basket of fruit to Falman.
"That's too bad. The sexiest ladies come out on beautiful days." Barry sighed, "And my knife could really use a fresh coat of red."
Falman rubbed his temples, setting the basket on a small table, "What part of lying low don't you comprehend? The colonel will have me discharged if I let you roam free!"
"Or worse." Havoc offered thoughtfully.
"Relax, Falman. I don't want to upset the lady lieutenant, so I'll stay put for now." Barry said simply.
"How generous of you." The warrant officer deadpanned. Spending day in and out with the serial killer was more than bit exasperating.
Havoc noting the warrant officer's frustration, extended the newspaper towards him calmly, "Here."
"Thanks." Falman sighed, leafing through the articles briefly.
Both Barry and Havoc graciously spared him a moment of silence.
Jean glanced around the rundown room. There were cracks in the walls, the floorboards were old, and almost everything was coated in a fine layer of dust and dirt. That was, save for the few objects that had recently been moved and/or touched. The filth wasn't unbearable, he decided, but it wasn't very attractive either.
Attractive. Now, that word made him think of Solaris. In the short time he'd known her, she always dressed so elegantly. Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, long and wavy… A sudden yawn caught him off guard and the second lieutenant blinked back small pinpricks of tears.
"Tired?" Falman asked, making more of an observation than an actual query.
"A little." Havoc admitted, another yawn seemingly punctuating the thought.
Barry glanced over with the faintest of interest, "That's one of the advantages of having a body like mine. Never tired, never hungry, and I have all the time in the world to chop people up!" One could almost see a maddening grin spreading in the serial killer's eyes.
"Right…" Havoc replied uncertainly and glanced to Falman, "By the way, before I head on out of here, the colonel wanted me to remind you- when you get back from 'sick leave', be prepared for a ton of paperwork." He said, heading for the door.
Falman sighed, "I see. Tell him I understand and will dutifully complete all of my assignments."
Havoc nodded and glanced over the room once more, "Try not to go too crazy, you two." He said blithely as he let himself out.
The lieutenant shuffled along the city streets languidly as he headed back towards Central command. He'd figured the fresh air would wake him up, but the little excursion had done little to lessen his fatigue. Perhaps Fridays really were just that exhausting… or else his subconscious was so eager for his date that it was content to blur through the rest of the time in between. Or maybe…
His hand vaguely migrated towards his throat as he cleared it for what felt like the thousandth time that day. "Maybe it's all the darn pollen in the air." Havoc mused to himself.
The idea somehow struck him as funny and he shook his head in amusement. How could he, a tried and true country boy, who had never had so much as a touch of hay fever, be effected by a little bit of pollen?
"Then again," the lieutenant considered as he swallowed against the awkward itch in his throat, "I suppose there's a first time for everything."
At length, Havoc made his way back to the command center… and his unfinished paperwork. The half-filled sheets seemed to stare at him mockingly, promising to chew up another few hours of his time at the very least. With a sigh of discontent, the second lieutenant sat down, lit a cigarette, and resolved that today's shift couldn't end soon enough.
Three excruciatingly long hours later, he was free to go. Havoc sighed in relief. He was beat. Not only had he managed to forget to report to Mustang the moment he returned, but when the colonel had come to inquire about Falman, he'd very nearly let slip a certain serial killer's name.
He ran a hand slowly through his blond locks, "Ah well, it could have been worse." He decided. "And besides… now I can unwind while having dinner with my sweet Solaris." A tired smirk crept across his mouth. Yes. That was definitely going to be the highlight of his day.
They had agreed to meet at Genevieve's Garden, one of the pricier restaurants in town.
Jean supposed the place's price tag was primarily based on its convenient location and classy outdoor seating arrangements. The service might have been a factor as well, but in his mind the food was average at best. He preferred a home-cooked meal, if he was honest with himself. However, he was all too happy to lighten his wallet if it meant seeing that beautiful smile cross Solaris's lips.
Presently, Havoc scanned the sea of well dressed patrons for said woman. He hoped she hadn't given up on waiting for him. He wasn't all that much later than usual, was he?
"Jean?"
He paused. There it was. Her melodic voice seemed to soothe a fraction of the day's stress with the single word.
She touched his shoulder gently from behind, running her gloved fingers delicately down the length of his arm, "Sorry, Jean," she purred, "I'm running a little late. You haven't been waiting long, have you?"
Havoc turned to face her, feeling undeniably relieved, "No… actually," he cleared his throat, "I just got here myself." He admitted sheepishly.
"Oh, good," Solaris smiled warmly, "Then let's get a table together."
Havoc scarcely paid attention as a waiter led them to a street-side table. He supposed he had been content as a spectator to Solaris's expressions. The way she smiled courteously at their server, how that same lipstick smile looked just a bit mischievous as she ordered a glass of red wine with her salad…
What pulled him back to reality was the realization that something was expected of him. He too had to order something.
"Sir, can I help you?" the waiter asked impatiently.
"Ah… right! Sorry, I'll have the beef sirloin." The lieutenant blurted. They served those here, didn't they?
"Very good, sir. And to drink?" the waiter drawled.
Jean rubbed absently at the base of his throat, "Water?" he asked hopefully. Whatever had been bothering his esophagus that day made him question his tolerance for 'heavier' drinks.
The server nodded and disappeared somewhere out of Havoc's left peripheral. It wasn't as though he didn't know where the man was most probably going; it was that he simply didn't care. Solaris wasn't smiling any more.
It dawned on the lieutenant that his hand was still resting at his throat and he reluctantly drew it back, feeling mildly self-conscious.
"Is everything alright, Jean?" Solaris inquired, voice soft and laced with concern.
"Darn. Did I really make her worry that much?" the lieutenant wondered. The notion both touched and ashamed him simultaneously.
"I'm fine, don't you worry," Havoc grinned, voice a little rougher than he would have liked. He cleared his throat and continued purposefully, "It's just been a long day."
"Well, if you'd like to talk about it… I'm all ears." Solaris gave his hand an affectionate squeeze.
"She's just the sweetest thing I've ever seen!" Havoc sighed contentedly. He'd never figure out exactly what stars had aligned to bring her into his life. "Nah, it's alright." He smiled, "I wouldn't want to bore you."
"Alright, but if you change your mind…" Solaris trailed off, knowing full well he got the gist. Her magenta eyes reflected hints of concern as she studied him, masking the true malice behind them.
The embodiment of lust sighed inwardly. She'd thought she'd struck gold when she'd managed to earn the affections of one of Mustang's men. However, with each passing day, she became increasingly dumbfounded with how simple and yet surprisingly tight-lipped he was. And yet, she endured his idiotic blathering in hopes of finding some useful nugget of information.
Still though, today she found herself considerably less annoyed by her would-be informant. She may not have had Wrath's ultimate eye, but her perceptive skills were nonetheless considerably acute.
As she studied the lieutenant through the guise of Solaris, she picked up on the subtle things he didn't say. From the obvious fatigue lining his face, to the way his shoulders sagged just a little too lax… Perhaps if those were all, she would have passed him off as an overworked soldier. However, by the way his eyes seemed glossy and bloodshot… or the fashion in which his hand seemed eager to migrate towards his throat, and the way his voice strained when he spoke…she was able to draw her own conclusions.
"It looks like the fool's coming down with something." Lust mused to herself, "Humans really are such weak creatures."
She smiled sweetly as the waiter brought their food to the table, "Oh, Jean, doesn't it look wonderful?" Solaris gushed.
Havoc offered her a tired smile in turn, "Yeah, and I bet it tastes great, too."
She took a sip of her wine, grin only spreading wider across her crimson lips. Humans were so easy to manipulate. "Yes. This golden opportunity does indeed taste wonderful." She thought jovially. She was sure Father would be pleased, for the plan she had in mind was nothing short of merciless.
Havoc, unaware that his 'beautiful Solaris' was seemingly plotting his untimely demise, simply smiled. He was tired, his head ached, and his throat itched, but if Solaris was happy, then he was too.
Author's Note:
Hello again, dear readers! As you may recall, I mentioned a fic I planned to work on alongside 'Face it We're Family' in hopes of avoiding writer's block. Well, here is that fic! Ladies and gentlemen, I present for your reading pleasure: A Fool's Errand.
I noticed there was a horrible lack of Havoc Sick!Fics on the internet, so I sought to right this terrible wrong. You may remember in 'Fevered Flame Alchemist' I mentioned the possibility of a 'short sequel' with Havoc. However, when the idea for this fic occurred to me, I liked it much better, and I hope you will, too. =)
Obviously, based on this chapter, you can see that the setting is after Hughes's death (RIP ;_; ), but prior to the Brotherhood episode 'Death of the Undying'. Due to this setting, I don't really foresee Ed and Al showing up. (Sorry. =( ) I'm pretty sure for this time frame they were somewhere between Rush Valley and Dublith… neither of which really pertains to this particular fic.
Like with most of my fics, I haven't planned this one through to the end yet, though I have a rough idea how I want things to go. =)
So if you wouldn't mind, please, let me know what you think thus far. =) Reviews make me happy, and I hope to see you all soon in Chapter 2!
