Disclaimer: I don't own FMA

Summary: General Grumman adds a Masquerade ball to the schedule for the annual Fall Festival in order to increase public support and allow the public to mingle with the military personal after hours. The innocent idea is quickly warped by Mustang's team into a dating competition. RoyXRiza.

Response to the LiveJournal fma_fic_contest writing prompt #278 Masquerade. First place winner. :)

Masquerade: Much Ado About Nothing.

Riza Hawkeye looked up from her paperwork as the door to the office opened and Mustang returned from a morning briefing with General Grumman regarding the Fall Festival. The festivities were already underway and East City was abuzz with excitement as street vendors littered the sidewalks and farmer's wagons packed the streets to sell their harvest. These days most of the crops were brought into the city via rail, but the festival still had a place in everyone's hearts: It reminded them all of where their food came from and the families who still worked the fields to provide it for them. It was a celebration of the farmer and a culmination of a long hard year of work. She doubted that was what was on Roy's mind as he was wearing a mischievous grin that signified he was about to start something. She looked back at her paperwork knowing the effect his smile had on her and she didn't want to be caught looking at him like that in the office.

Roy tapped the rolled up poster in his hand and watched the eyes of his team look to him expectantly as he walked to the head of the conference table and prepared to dramatically unroll the poster. He waited for Riza to look at him and noted she was doing her best to stay occupied. His grin broadened. He clearly had one of those "a-damned-dorable" moments, as she liked to call them, and wasn't interested in betraying their relationship. It put him in an even better mood as he flicked his wrist and the poster unraveled.

Havoc chuckled as the dramatic flourish was quickly negated by the poster rolling back up on itself and ruining whatever ostentatious presentation Mustang was going for. Falman and Breda however were kind enough to assist and place stacks of folders on the poster as they unrolled it again.

Mustang huffed and glanced over at Riza, catching a glimpse of an amused smile that she was trying to hide behind her coffee cup. No matter! It wasn't going to ruin his excitement! "We have something else to add to the Festival this year on closing night."

Havoc read the announcement poster and looked up at Mustang who already had that cocky smirk plastered on his face. Clearly the man was already plotting to steal his date and he didn't even have one yet! "Masquerade ball? Since when?"

"Since now." Mustang said authoritatively as if it was his idea. "Public Relations experiment since polls suggest the public is more intimidated by the Military than respectful and thankful for it's presence in their lives. "

"Stop stealing people's dates and they won't be so angry with people in uniform." Havoc mumbled.

"Maybe you can get a date if you dress up like me." Roy snorted. "It's a masquerade ball, you're supposed to come wearing a mask."

Havoc narrowed his eyes at him and reached for cigarette. "Sorry Chief, I'm not indulging one of your fantasies. I'm not not kind of guy."

Roy's smile vanished as he heard the others chuckle. He glared at Havoc as the man went to light his cigarette with a smug grin on his face. He wasn't about to let him joke about that sort of thing so he snapped his finger and watched the cigarette disintegrate into a pile of ash before the man had a chance to smoke it. "Well then smart ass, lets see what kind of date you can come up with for this ball. It should make it easy for you since you can cover her face with a mask."

Havoc frowned and dusted off the remains of his cigarette from his uniform. Competitive bastard. "You're the one who seems to like the brain dead ones with a nice rack. Maybe this could be a turning point for you too boss. You can find a mask to cover her mouth."

Riza bit her lip and shook her head. The two of them could be entertaining. At least she wasn't the only one who thought that about Roy's dates. Granted she was biased ; she tended to be critical of the women he went out with since his real relationship was with her. The image of the most eligible bachelor in Amestris being a man-whore worked well to keep people from looking at the two of them that closely. It amused her that Havoc was either jealous or disappointed in the caliber of women Roy seemed to keep company with is his spare time.

"Challenge accepted." Roy stood up and pointed to his entire staff before dramatically picking up the poster and tacking it to the corkboard. "Everyone goes to Ball and come Monday we vote on which member of this team scored the best date!"

Riza rolled her eyes. He could be so damned childish. "Colonel, really? This is supposed to be a way for the people of this city to interact with the military without being intimidated. It's supposed to be a public relations exercise not a way for you to demean the women of the city by covering up their faces and dressing them up like whores."

Roy pointed at her. "You play too. That's an order."

She looked up at him and saw his impish smirk. Of course he would find a way to not only dress up in the most ostentatious formal attire he could find but also a safe way to finally dance with her in public. She shook her head. This wouldn't end well because the element he was forgetting was that she was going to have a date which would turn him into a jealous idiot like it always did. Oh well, she deserved to give him a taste of his own medicine for once. "What do I win come Monday?"

Roy laughed. "Why, are you asking me out? Clearly the only way to win is to show up with me."

God he could be an ass! She leaned back and looked at him confident of a win. Cocky and obnoxious and for once she didn't find it charming. She actually wanted to conspire against him and make sure he finished dead last. Either that or shoot him. "Sorry, you're not my type either."

Since when? His smile faded and he cocked an eyebrow. He knew that tone, he had pushed her too far and now she was out to teach him a lesson. Well this could go to hell fast.

Havoc reached for another cigarette and interrupted before Mustang could formulate a comeback. "What's the criteria for 'best date'? Do we judge by our own standards or by how smitten our date is with us? I don't want to have to compete with Colonel Narcissus here bringing a hand mirror so he can stare into his own eyes all night. We need ground rules."

Roy finally pried his eyes away from the woman who he adored and apparently managed to piss off. Maybe he was going a little heavy on the vanity today, but he was a little excited that he could finally get a chance to have Riza in his arms in public instead of sneaking around all the time trying to not get caught. It put a damper of the romance that he was famous for. Her look told him his challenge had been accepted and he was now a tad worried, especially since he knew she'd conspire with the rest of the staff to ensure he lost. He looked to Havoc and watched him hide his cigarette to avoid losing another one. "Ground rules? Don't worry Havoc, I won't limit you to the fairer sex. Bring your boyfriend if you want."

"Once again, don't impose your fantasies on me." Havoc shook his head. Mustang was on a roll today, it was going to be nice to see him humbled. "Actually, lets talk about what the loser wins."

Fuery kept his eyes on the paperwork he was trying to complete and braced himself for what his future held. There was no question in his mind that he was going to finish last.

"All the paperwork for a week." Hawkeye announced. "By himself."

Roy turned his head knowing that was targeted at him. "You seriously think I'm going to lose?"

"Yes." She replied. "I'm going to make sure of it. So enjoy your night of playing dress up Colonel, you're going to pay dearly for it."

Roy stepped out of Grumman's office with a stack of papers under his arm detailing all the little things that still had to be done in order to make the weekend's Masquerade Ball a success. One detail he didn't want to learn was that the old General also wanted in on the competition that had started earlier this morning in his office. It was amazing how quickly things escalated around here, especially considering it wasn't even lunchtime yet.

Riza stood and took the papers from Roy and they proceeded down the hallway towards their own office. "How did the meeting go?"

"It was an hour long story about how your Grandfather once took my Foster mother to a masquerade ball in Central and... it was uncensored." He sighed.

She smiled as they walked down the hall. It amused her that Grumman and Christmas had a romantic past. It amused her more that her Grandpa won most of his chess games by elaborating on that past and causing Roy to break his concentration.

"So how pissed are you at me for this morning?" He asked without turning around now that they were out of earshot of anyone.

"I'm glad that you are so in love with yourself, it's going to make keeping company with your hand a little easier on you."

He bit his lip. "That's a little harsh. I was just having some fun."

"You get a little carried away." She reminded him. "And before you start with trying to flatter me by telling me how much you wanted to get me out on a semi-real date...remember I am not particularly fond of the playboy facade you created. Especially when you get so insanely jealous when I go out with someone and blow me off when I get upset at some raunchy whore molesting you in public."

He cleared his throat. "Well, how exactly is this going to help my jealousy?"

She coolly replied, "I didn't say I didn't like you jealous."

"So what is this really about?" He really wanted to turn around and look at her but they had to appear normal walking down the hallway of headquarters.

"Just a reminder that you can tone down the arrogance when you're with the people who support you. Confidence is one thing, pride is one of the deadly sins for a reason." She paused as he opened the door to his office for her and she put her game face back on. "You're too cocky and you tend to make mistakes when you're cocky."

"Clearly." He said as he followed her into his office and saw the chart the guys had created for the now famous Fullmetal Vs Flame showdown and betting pool. More columns had been added and names too. Roy caught Havoc's smile and realized he might have to start flipping through his little black book to figure out who he was going to take to this thing.

Riza looked at the chart and smiled when she saw Rebecca had already laid claim to Havoc. "Lt Catalina...well I suppose the Colonel doesn't stand a chance of taking her off your arm now does he, Havoc?"

Havoc smirked. Rebecca definitely was immune to Mustang's charm and was rather vocal about it. "I believe her exact words were, 'I want to see that bastard cry.'"

Roy rolled his eyes. That didn't surprise him. "Guess you're going to take your own advice about gagging your date."

Riza knew any hopes of a productive morning were long gone. She'd let them have their fun, it was almost lunchtime anyhow. She figured it would take a few phone calls to secure dates for Fuery and Breda...probably Sheska and Maria Ross. Falman...well Grumman's secretary thought he had cute eyes. She sat down at her desk and picked up her purse. The question was who was she going to take that would make Roy think twice about doing something this childish again. She grinned and pulled out a card from her purse.

Roy tried to look uninterested as Riza picked up the phone and started dialing with a suggestive smile on her face. "Well we have work to do in order to ensure there is a Ball to go to. There are still a lot of things that need to be finalized for this and you can get your assignments from Lt Hawkeye when..."

"Hello General, it's Lt Hawkeye." Riza watched the color drain from Roy's face. "Yes, I did enjoy that tea. Thank you very much, it was a very special gift. Actually , sir, I was wondering if you would accompany me to the Masquerade Ball this weekend? Yes...I know it's a little forward of me...oh you like forward women?"

Roy blinked. General? Tea? Forward women? Special gift!? Who the hell was she talking to!? He got his panic attack under control and rather venomously snapped, "Personal calls can be done on your own time Lieutenant!"

"I'll see you at the hotel for dinner then, sir." Hawkeye hung up and looked up at the clock. "I'm on lunch, Colonel, I have every right to use my own time for my personal business."

He spun and looked at the clock on the wall and realized that it was indeed lunchtime. He turned back to her and she picked up her purse and book she was reading and gave him a smug grin. "So you going to tell Fuery which General you're dating so he can write it on the board?"

Fuery grabbed a marker and waited for her answer. He was pretty curious himself. There weren't many Generals around that anyone really wanted to get to know personally.

"General will work just fine." Riza chuckled knowing how badly he wanted the title for himself and now much it would irritate him to know she was 'dating' someone that outranked him. "I don't kiss and tell."

Roy felt his heart stop. That was really not funny. He gulped and started to mentally flip through the directory of military personnel to try and figure out who she would not only accept a gift from but go out to dinner with. Now this game was not as much fun as it was this morning. He actually felt a little sick, even more than he did earlier when Grumman suggestively wiggled his eyebrows while dropping the line "A little Christmas present for this naughty little boy." during the chess match to imply Roy's Mom was indeed going to be his date.

Riza fought the urge to take off the silly mask and allow herself to have a clearer view of the plaza so she could see exactly who Roy brought as his date. Roy however strolled into the area with no woman on his arm, just looking extremely at home wearing a tux and a long black cape to accompany the black mask over his eyes. His signature gloves provides a nice contrast to the outfit, being elegant and formal while still marked with an array to signify he was dangerous as well as dashing.

Roy was absolutely breathtaking and she couldn't help but drink in the beauty of the man as the crowds parted. His presence was enough to make anyone realize this was an important figure despite the outlandish attire and she wished she could see his mirthful eyes that were hidden by that mask. She was glad he didn't slick back his hair tonight as his dark hair hanging over the mask seemed to make him seem less inclined to cackle maniacally and tie a damsel to the railroad tracks. Of course, it all showcased his grin; a playful smirk that tugged at the edge of his lips as he walked towards her with the cape billowing behind him creating the dramatic effect he intended. If he wanted to make the world stop spinning for a moment and make her heart stop with it, he was doing a great job.

She could tell he was on his way to her location to meet the man she had asked to accompany her and she kicked herself for not being able to pry her eyes away from him as he approached. If there was something that man couldn't wear well it would surprise her. She however didn't need a nosebleed to announce that she was in love with the Colonel she worked for so she cleared her throat as he arrived. "Colonel Mustang, I'd like you to meet my escort for this evening General Zhang Liao of Xing."

Roy took off his mask as the other man turned to look at him, breaking off a conversation with Maes Hughes who was in town to enjoy the festival with his family. The General was holding his mask as clearly he wasn't nearly as interested in playing along with the theme or he wanted everyone to see his distinctly Xingese eyes. Roy gulped as Riza's date elicited a few dreamy sighs from the women around him. The foreign General was taller, bulkier and more intimidating than he was. He had a warm demeanor, but the eyes of a warrior. Roy could see from the way his clothing fit that the man probably didn't sit behind a desk doing paperwork for a living. He caught a girl drooling as she looked at the man, apparently facial hair was a turn on for some women too! He was going to have to make a mental note to ask Riza if that was a route she wanted him to try, though he thought he'd look like a child molester with a beard and mustache like that. "A pleasure to meet you General. What brings you to Amestris?"

"I am merely an ambassador." General Zhang bowed politely. "And honored to be allowed to escort this beautiful lady to this festival tonight."

Ok, he was jealous. Especially when the General kissed Riza's hand. The guy was smooth and had an awesome voice that seemed to make women want to walk about of their clothes. In fact he had every girl in a ten foot radius looking at him, something Roy was accustomed to himself. The guy didn't look that much older, maybe in his early thirties, and he was a General already? On top of everything else this guy had over him he was also outranked?! "Ambassador?" That meant he was going home to Xing right? Home to a country on the other side of a miserable desert and far away from Riza Hawkeye?

"I escorted our tea merchants from Xing. They had a mile long caravan of goods and wares to bring to the Fall Festival to celebrate our continued peace. My lord wanted to ensure it arrived safely as well see to several international issues while I am here." Liao raised an eyebrow. This Colonel was supposed to be one of the best he country had to offer. He was a little...small.

"Colonel Mustang, I don't see your date." Riza said to snap him out of the hostile glare. She felt her date tense up a little as her hand was now resting on his muscular forearm and she was well aware the man she was with was a battle hardened warrior of Xing. He probably wouldn't have a had time breaking Roy before he could even think about snapping his fingers. Last thing she wanted right now was a flare-up of jealousy from her secret boyfriend in the middle of East City.

Roy turned as Maes, Gracia and Elicia Hughes left their conversation with General Grumman and joined him. He gave a half smile as Madam Christmas winked at him and Grumann gave him wave. Another thing just not right about this night. He brushed it off and gave his best friend a smile and bent down to greet little Elicia. "She's right here."

Riza was amazed at how easy it was for Roy to surprise her. Usually it was with his childish behavior or the occasional poem he'd leave in her desk, but right here and now he genuinely shocked her into forgetting how to breathe. Maes's young daughter grinned from ear to ear as she stood beside her Daddy in a pretty little party dress with a kitty mask perched upon her head.

"Miss Elicia Hughes, I'd like you to meet General Zhang a visiting ambassador from Xing." Roy said as he scooped the little girl into his arm so she could shake the taller man's hand. "General, my date for this evening the lovely Miss Hughes."

"Nice to meet you!" Elicia held out her hand. "You're pretty!"

Liao took the tiny hand and kissed it gallantly. "My lady, the pleasure is all mine."

Maes squeaked. "Oh..My God. She's so CUTE!"

Riza had to agree with him. Roy looked absolutely a-damned-dorable holding the little girl and she knew the other women were no long looking at her Xingese General. No, every woman here was looking at the Flame Alchemist holding an cute little girl so she could enjoy the festival with everyone else. A little girl who didn't have a clue how lucky she was tonight.

Roy helped her put her mask back on over her eyes and Elicia wrapped her arm around his neck. He placed his own mask back on and her tiny hands helped seat it properly over his eyes as if he was one of her toys sitting at her table for a fake tea party. "What do you think kiddo? Want to dance with me and give your Mom and Dad a night to themselves?"

"You're funny Uncle Roy." Elicia squeaked. "I don't know how to dance."

"No?" He asked innocently. "I think that mask of yours might have some magical power and you might be surprised how much you know."

Elicia giggled. "You mean like your gloves? Like alchemy?"

He nodded. "Yup. Just promise to not make me look too bad, I have a reputation you know. I can't have people whispering about this little princess that showed up at the ball and used her dance alchemy to best the Flame Alchemist."

"I promise Uncle Roy!" Elicia laughed and waved at her parents as her date swirled and took her out to the plaza so she could dance under the lights. Her tiny hand wrapped around his gloved fingers as he took her to the center of the plaza to dance around the fountain so she could see all the decorations strung from the nearly rooftops down to the statue on top of it.

"Oh my God..." Maes started to cry. "I...need pictures...the cuteness...it's almost too much!"

Riza watched Roy twirl around with the little girl laughing in his arms , his black cape swirling around him as he smiled and bested them all at the game they were playing. Leave it to Roy to get himself into trouble by being a jackass and then turn it in his favor and emerge a hero. She was glad Hughes was taking a few billion pictures, she was going to want a few of them herself. She could see the other members of the staff smile as they saw the happy little girl 'dancing' with her Uncle who now was completely irresistible to the women of East City. She was sure that the increased sex appeal entered his mind at some point when he concocted his plan to escort Miss Hughes to the Ball, however she herself was a little overwhelmed with the cuteness of it as well. Well played Roy. It wasn't even going to be a contest.

AN: I borrowed Zhang Liao from Dynasty Warriors as he shares the same Voice Actor as Mustang. And yes Elicia, he's pretty. XD