The Only One for Him

Roy Mustang watched his First Lieutenant move around the room, checking that papers were in order or that her guns were loaded. He audibly sighed to grab her attention and she focused on him. Like a hawk, he thought, suppressing a bit of laughter. "Do you know what day it is today?" he asked, looking at a calender on the wall. She cocked her head at him. "No... why?"

"Oh... uh... nevermind then..." he looked back down at his paperwork, feeling disappointed. She remembered the birthdays of special days of the others, but when it came to his own... He always remembered hers, every year. He'd leave a present on her desk next to his, unaddressed. Every year. But she seemed not to notice.

He scribbled a bit on a blank sheet of paper. "You mind if I call someone, Hawkeye?"

"Only if it doesn't keep you too long from your paperwork, Sir."

"Yeah... it won't." Paperwork was all she thought about, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. He wondered if that was what she did at home too, more paperwork. He picked up the phone and dialed the number quickly, eyes narrowing at something on the wall. He smiled at the old family photo hanging on the wall, framed.

"Hello?" someone on the phone asked.

"Hi, Mom, it's Roy."

"Hi sweetie, happy birthday! Your father and I left something at the house we think you'll like."

"Thanks Mom, can you give the phone to Dad?"

"Sure. Leroy! Roy wants you on the phone, dear!" she called. Into the phone, she said, "He's been doing much better now since he got sick. I think he'll be fine now."

"That's great... I was a little worried. The next time I'm in the area I'll drop by, promise. Love you Mom."

"Love you too, Roy. Here's your father now."

The phone switched hands and a much more gruff voice came through the receiver. "Roy?"

"Hey Dad. Happy birthday."

"You too, Son. I daresay you got me something this year?"

"I sure did, it'll probably arrive in the mail today."

"Anyway... you know the best thing you could give me for a birthday present?"

"No, what?" Roy asked.

"You getting married, that would be the best present."

Roy dropped the phone with a loud 'clack' and stared at Riza sheepishly as she glared at him. "Uh... sorry." he picked up the phone again. "Why does everyone keep pressuring me about that?" he hissed.

"Because you're going to turn thirty, Roy! A few more years and it'll be too late for children!"

"Aaagh! Is that all you think about?"

"You're my only son! If you don't carry on the family, who will?"

"If you must know... I'm... interested in someone already." he caught Riza's expression out of the corner of his eye, and it was one of anxiety and distress. His emotions then proceeded to become jumbled in his head and he turned his mind back to his conversation.

"Really, Roy?"

"Yes, really! I... don't know if she even cares though... most of the time she doesn't look my way." The look deepened on Riza's face and she turned back to her work, cheeks red. "What should I do?"

"Alright... wait. You're not fraternizing, are you?"

"Fraternizing... maybe I am... but..."

"Roy, it's dangerous."

"I know... but I wouldn't have it any other way!"

"Alright. Here's what you should do."

At lunch break, Roy sat next to Riza in the lunchroom. "Are... you okay?" She hadn't been talking much, or as much as she usually did. "It's... nothing. Nothing Sir."

"Come on, something's got to be on your mind. Why don't you trust me more?"

"I-I do, Colonel. It's just... personal." She blushed a little more and took a bite out of the mush on her tray.

"I see. You look like you have a lot on your mind. Why don't you relax this afternoon? You know, have a night on the town?"

Riza inhaled sharply and gave him a searching look. "Just to relax. It's on me."

Riza inclined her head. "I-I guess so, Colonel."

"First things first, after work, you can call me Roy!"

Maes Hughes gave Roy a knowing look and grinned.

"So, where do you plan on taking me, Colonel?" She asked that night. Roy was too busy admiring her in her bluehalter top to acknowledge her question at first. Then he snapped to reality. "Oh, I was thinking... Just a walk maybe, by the lake. And it's Roy."

"Yes Sir, I mean, Roy."

"You look nice in that dress," he said softly. Riza started and smoothed the dress down self-consiously. "T-This? It's nothing... um. Thank you."

Roy laughed a little. "You're welcome."

Neither of them said anything for a while and Roy stopped at the gate to the park. "Don't you have family who live around here?"

She shook her head. "No... I... my grandfather died a few years ago.I'm the only one."

"I see... don't you get lonely?"

"I have friends, Sir."

"I told you, my name is Roy. It must be tough, all by yourself."

"Sometimes... Roy."

They were sitting on a park bench overlooking the lake. "Why did you bring me here tonight, Roy?" she asked hesitantly. He continued to stare at the lake for a while. "You know... when I was younger, I thought this lake was the most beautiful thing in the world..." Riza didn't know where he was going with this, and kept silent.

He put his hand over hers and squeezed. "I think I found something even more beautiful than that."

He watched her face for a reaction, not daring to get too hopeful, and she blushed, frowned, and tried to smile at the same time. "You're embarrassed!" he said. "A little... but we can't. It's fraternizing."

"I... I know..." he looked away again and Riza tilted her head. "Then why did you ask?"

"Because... because I'm tired of being alone too! And no one seems right... except you."

"Roy... Are you... nervous?"

"... I don't know. Maybe I am."

"What about all those other women you dated?"

Roy waved dismissively. "Airheads, every single one of them. None of them had the smallest sense of resolve or determination. Not like you."

Riza got up. "Roy, didn't you say a walk around the lake?" She asked, a mischevious look in her eyes.

Roy nodded and Riza broke into a run. "Then try to catch me!"

Roy leaped out of his seat and wondered what kind of game she was playing, running around a lake at night. He caught up to her and caught her elbow in his hand when she slipped and tumbled down into the lake, dragging him with her. They crashed into the water and Roy floundered, breaking the surface and looking for Riza. "Riza! Where are y-"

She came up and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. Then he laughed, water dripping from his flattened hair. "Look at us! We're soaking wet, and muddy too!" His clothes were sticking to him and he made his way back to the shore carrying Riza with some difficulty. He had never been a fish in water, more like rabbit in water; pretty much hopeless.

He flopped onto the shore, trying to shake the water out of his hair. Riza laughed and squeezed the water out of her hair and looked at the mud on her dress. "Imagine walking home like this!" she sighed. Roy put his arm around her waist. "It's not that bad... my house is closest from here... we should be able to walk there." Riza nodded and got up, and the two of them squelched out of the park dripping water.

Maes waved at them with a grin on his face from his car. "Hey, look what popped up from the lake!" Roy glared at him severely for a second, then sighed. "We're just walking home, Maes."

"Right you are, Lovebird Number One. Want a ride to your place, Roy?"

"Won't we mess up your car, Hughes? We're all wet and muddy, after all." Riza said. Maes waved it off. "Nah, it's alright. Gracia won't mind all that much as long as I clean it up later. Hop in."

Roy opened the door and let Riza get in first. "Maes... what do I owe for this one?"

"You have to keep quiet and not burn me when I show you all our pictures from our family vacation! Elysia is so adorable!" Pink hearts wafted around Maes's head from nowhere and Roy sighed. "Alright... alright... Just keep quiet about this, okay Maes? Even from Fullmetal."

"Right-o! My lips are zipped! Where are you two going, anyway? Your mansion, Roy?"

Roy thought for a minute. "Sure. It's not too far out of your way, is it Maes?"

"Nope, I was going by there anyway. I came down from Central to see you, you know, go out and have fun like we usually do, but then I see you have a date, so why not help out a friend?"

"You're so thoughtful, Maes, but I can't help but wonder how much going to the family home is going to cost me."

"Just looking at the photos from our last vacation, that's all." Roy groaned. "I saw those already!"

"Well it is a long way from here to your mansion after all, Roy. Isn't that why you got another house down here? It'll take a little while to get there, so why don't you two just cuddle up in the back, and I'll dri- OW!" he yelled as Riza threw her gun at his head. Roy looked at her. "You were armed the whole time!"

"I never go out unarmed."

"I should have known."