On the Floor
"Ah, feels so good to be part of the party!" Havoc smiled as he looked about the large hall.
"You won't be saying that by the end of the night," Riza told him as Roy gave an undignified snort.
"That's what you think!" Havoc laughed. "So, who's this shindig for, anyway?"
Roy looked around the ballroom. "The ambassador from Aruego. There."
Havoc looked over to where Roy was pointing. "Ah."
"That's putting it politely," Roy grumbled.
Havoc snickered.
Riza sighed. "If you're going to be immature, don't get caught at it. That's all I ask."
They sat at a table, laughing and joking. Havoc invited Riza to dance after a while. Roy waved them off with a grimace. "Gotta schmooze a bit. You know how it is."
It was a dance or two before Riza and Havoc wound their way back to their table.
Riza stopped just short. There was a man sitting there.
"Good evening, Miss. If this gentleman would allow it, I wonder if you might dance with me?" The lilt to his words was unmistakably foreign.
"Might I get your name first?" Riza asked after a moment of stunned silence.
The man stood. "How forgetful of me, Miss! I'm sure your beauty often causes mishaps such as this! I am Miguel, the son of the ambassador. Might I now know yours?"
Riza had to force a smile onto her face. "First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."
Miguel looked impressed, but a bit put off at the same time. "First Lieutenant. Either you age incredibly gracefully, which I am sure you do anyway, or you are very young for your rank."
"Young for her rank," Havoc supplied, his look a little dark.
"This is your boyfriend?" Miguel asked coolly.
Riza almost said yes, but shook her head at the last moment. "No. Just a very good friend. The military doesn't look kindly on fraternization."
Miguel offered his arm. "Well then, I think there is no problem. Let us go and dance, Riza."
Roy returned a few minutes later, fuming.
"You saw it, too, Chief?" Havoc asked.
"I hate having to kiss ass," Roy murmured, then registered what Havoc had said. "What did I see or not see, Havoc?"
"Hawkeye and the ambassador's son. He's all over her, but I get the strong feeling that it's not a mutual agreement." Havoc looked worried. "But she can't just pull a gun on him or anything. I know she can take care of herself, but the guy's got power, and I'd bet he's daddy's little boy. This is going to take some—hey! Where are you going?" He grabbed Roy by the arm. "As I was saying, you can't just take this guy on, even if it's just asking if you can interrupt their dance. We have to be diplomatic about it."
"He's steering her out the door, Havoc!" Roy hissed.
"I know!" Havoc was exasperated. "We've gotta trust that she'll take care of herself until we can come up with something, and I think I've got just the thing."
Somehow, Miguel had managed to steer them out onto a balcony. Riza didn't know how the man had gotten under the misapprehension that she wanted to be alone with him, but she was getting angry. She knew that has the ambassador's son, he would use the power that held to make her stay, so she had to go about freeing herself diplomatically.
But how?
"Excuse me, sir, but your father would like to speak with you now." Roy's anger was barely disguised.
"My father? What does he want with me?" Miguel narrowed his eyes, but was still clearly having trouble focusing.
Roy faltered for a moment, but Havoc swooped in quickly. "He didn't really say. We are of little importance in the grand scheme of things, after all."
"Indeed." Miguel seemed satisfied. He turned to Riza. "I will come for you later, Miss Hawkeye. I promise. Until then…" Miguel placed a kiss on Riza's hand as Riza tried not to flinch.
As soon as he was gone, Havoc burst into laughter as Roy seethed. Riza sighed and shook her head. "If he gets his hands on me again, please put me out of my misery."
Roy's hand immediately went to the pocket where a spark glove was. "Gladly. How do you like your men? Rare, medium, well-done, or en flambé?"
"Charbroiled, please." Their eyes met, and they had to smile.
After a moment, Roy asked, "I wouldn't blame you for declining after that, but I was wondering if I might claim a dance or two with you?"
Riza nodded and took Roy's proffered arm. "I'd like that very much, Sir."
"His father wasn't really looking for him." It wasn't a question, but on the dance floor, nobody was listening.
Roy nodded. "And no, I feel no guilt whatsoever."
"You shouldn't. I vemight have gotten in trouble if he'd given me one more pat," Riza said darkly. " 'Conduct unbecoming of an officer' would have been putting it very, very lightly."
"Scary." Roy smiled. "You actually have Havoc to thank. I can't believe the guy fell for it!"
Riza shrugged. "He'd been drinking quite a bit. I could smell it every time he opened his mouth."
"I'm sorry."
"Well, you did rescue me, and that's what counts. Thank you."
They were quiet for a moment.
It was Roy who asked, "Riza, so as to avoid any more unpleasant encounters with drunken sons of ambassadors, I wonder if I might claim you for the entire night, instead of just this dance."
"You just don't want to mingle anymore, do you?" Riza grinned.
"Guilty," admitted Roy. "But if you could just pretend this is all for you, I think the night would be a bit more pleasant."
Sighing good naturedly, Riza agreed. "I suppose so."
"Well, thank you both for the lovely night," Riza said as she got out of the car.
Havoc yawned. "G'night, Riza. Sweet dreams."
"Same to you, Havoc."
Roy handed Riza her bag. "Here you are. Have a good night."
"You too, Sir." Riza entered the apartment building.
Havoc rolled over to look at Roy, suddenly wide awake. "Well…"
Roy looked suspicious. "What?"
Rolling his eyes, Havoc grumbled, "I give you an out and you don't take it. Go after her! I can wait! It's not midnight yet—you've got a good half hour before you turn into a pumpkin. Now go!"
Sighing, Roy got out of the car. "Thanks Havoc."
The Second Lieutenant let out a rather loud, conspicuous yawn. "Who, me? I'm just trying to catch some z's. Wake me up when you get back, but please, take your time." He grinned. "I'm in no hurry."
A/N: It is nearly bed time for me, so this is not at its best, and will probably have been edited by the time you see it. I just had to write it, though.
(Written later...) Ha! I didn't edit it terribly much--just for grammar and clarity. And no, I don't know what Havoc's suggesting at the end. If it bothers you, either make up something, or try not to think about it. :)
Feel free to let me know what you think about it! Does it need editing (and if so, what part), or should it stay?