Truth and Consequences

Chap 1: The Bet

Roy walked into the outer office after his meeting with the higher-ups and looked around. Riza was nowhere to be seen, which was probably good, since Ed was throwing peanuts across the room for Havoc to catch in his mouth. By the look of things Ed didn't have very good aim. There were peanuts all over the floor.

"You guys better get this mess cleaned up before Hawkeye comes back in or there will be new holes in both your butts," Roy grinned. "Besides, I was just told we should make room for one more desk in here."

Jean Havoc rubbed his hands together viciously. "Oh, great! How I love breaking in fresh meat! So who's transferring into our office?"

"It's not a transfer, she's a new recruit. She's taking the state alchemist exam now and there are very high hopes for her. She's skilled with your every day alchemy, but her specialty is medical alchemy similar to what's practiced in the east." Roy tossed a file on her onto a nearby table.

Ed cocked an eyebrow, "So why is she being assigned to you? That's not really your angle, Mustang."

"I asked the same question," Roy smirked. "Apparently she hasn't really had any kind of formal schooling, and since her work is going to be mostly research for quite a while the Council felt that paring her up with you was a good idea until she gets her bearings."

"Why me?" Ed was definitely curious.

"I'm not really sure. I was told it had something to do with most of your work being research, and there's not much of an age difference between you two." Roy answered pulling a sheet out of her file. "Says here her 20th birthday is this weekend."

Havoc went from excited to bummed in no time. "Aw hell, the military is finally sending available women my way and it's so they can team up with bean boy."

Ed just flipped the man off as Mustang started laughing.

"Don't worry about it Jean. Why would she want either of you when she can play with fire?" Roy said with a smirk.

Havoc threw a pen at the Colonel. "Yeah whatever old man, you've been off your game lately. Once she has a taste of Havoc she won't even notice you there."

Roy's smirk turned into a grin. "Alright. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is then? I've got 500 cens that says she's in my bed before she's in yours."

"Havoc thought about it for a minute, "You're on."

"Ugh," Ed moaned from the corner, "I can't believe I'm hearing this."

Roy and Havoc both looked at the 22 year old Alchemist.

"First off," Ed continued, "If there's high hopes for her passing her exam then she's smart. Smart enough to see what you two are up too. And even if she doesn't figure it out for herself, she's going to hear about your reputations, neither one of you are exactly known as angels. And second-"

"You think you can beat us." Havoc interrupted with a grin.

"No, asshole. I just don't think that this is something you should be betting on. You haven't even met her and you have no respect for her." Ed glared at Havoc.

Roy grinned. "Great! Ed's in too!"

Ed just groaned in frustration. "Sure, whatever."

Just then Riza Hawkeye entered the room and glared at the three men. She knew they were up to something. "Mind explaining the mess gentleman?" She asked while giving them a dirty look.

Roy stood from where he had sat on the corner of Havoc's desk. "Perfect timing Lieutenant. I was just telling these two that they need to get this mess cleaned up and make room for another desk. We're gaining a new team member tomorrow. I trust you can take care of the details?"

Riza saluted. "Yes, Sir, of course."

Roy gave a nod and walked into his office with a smug grin. This was going to be like taking candy from a baby.