"What about this one?" Riza asked Roy as she selected yet another apple.

"Why do you even ask when you know that I know next to nothing about picking out apples?" Roy wanted to know. "And can we get something else, please? Something tasty?"

In a low voice, Riza murmured, "You seemed to like them well enough when I was spoon-feeding you, and I was up until a few weeks ago."

Roy turned a light shade of pink, managing to control his embarrassment.

The lady running the apple cart giggled. "Well, Miss Riza, this is a change. Who's this handsome man?"

Riza blushed. "I…"

Smiling genuinely, Roy introduced himself and began to chat.

"Miss Riza didn't seem very interested in anyone for a while, but I think you're just the one for her!" she cooed.

Mulling it over, Roy muttered, "Do you really?"

The lady nodded. "But don't let me keep you two. I'm sure you've got… other things you need to be doing." As they left, she slipped another apple to Roy. "On me." She winked.

"Come on." Riza grabbed Roy's elbow and began to walk rather forcefully to get some meat, which Roy was now insisting upon.

"What's got you so worked up?" he teased. "You know, I think she was onto something."

For the second time, Riza opened her mouth to say something, then changed her mind and simply informed him, "We'll discuss this later."

"It's later now, Riza. Care to discuss? Or were you hoping I'd forget?" Roy asked.

Riza sighed and did not answer the last question. "Were you at all bothered by that today?"

Roy shook his head. "Not at all. It's just remarks, and you've always told me that remarks are just words and not facts." He brightened. "I see. It's like when Hughes would tell me to get a wife!"

Sighing again, Riza put a hand to her forehead under her bangs. "You could say that."

In a surprisingly serious vein, Roy continued, "Well, I've actually thought a lot about that for the past few months. I mean, it would be nice to settle down and everything, but who would want me in the condition that I'm in?"

"I've always been happy enough around you." Riza was surprised that she was admitting these things. "I mean, you're just someone that strikes me as pleasant. I- what? Why are you looking at me… like… that?" She ran a hand over her mouth, discreetly checking for a missed smudge of sauce or a stray crumb.

"Tell me something," Roy commanded softly. "Do you think about me as much as I think about you?"

Realizing that her eye contact had not wavered as much as she willed it to, Riza blinked and looked away, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. "I don't know. I don't know how much you think of me."

Smirking, Roy continued in that same voice that sent shivers down her back, "I'm afraid I think of you a lot more than I should."

To this, Riza had nothing to say for a moment. "Well, I suppose I think of you more than I should. I've never exactly given this much thought, though."

Suddenly, Roy was right in front of her, and she had to look up a bit to meet his gaze. She could feel her hands shake, something that happened when she was nervous. Roy's hands closed over hers lightly, and she knew he could feel the vibrations.

"Nervous?" he asked.

Riza nodded, not trusting her voice.

"You don't need to be." With those words, Roy leaned in and gently kissed her.

At first, Riza was frozen. Then, gradually, her eyes drifted shut and she gave him the same pressure. Roy changed his angle just slightly, and Riza could feel his hands come around her back. She reached up and carefully latched her hands behind his neck, making sure that she was supporting her own weight.

When they separated at last, Roy smiled. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Riza offered him a shaky grin, still nervous for whatever reason. "No. It was…" she trailed off.

Letting out a quiet laugh, Roy agreed, "That's how I feel."

Now she knew why she was nervous: she still had something to say. "Roy, I love you."

Oddly, Roy looked relieved. "That's good, because Riza, I love you."

Hayate yipped at their feet.

Riza sat down on the couch and scratched the dog's ears. "I think you're going to have to learn to share, Hayate." As Roy sat down beside her, putting an arm around her, she carefully leaned against him. "Yes. You'll just have to share."

END

A/N: I've got just one thing to say: Wow. That lady is… kinda… um… weird, suggesting things like that.