Thicker Than Blood

"Hey." Havoc plunked down next to Riza without waiting for an invitation, let alone a greeting. "Rumor has it Mustang's got his eye on you."

"Rumor has a lot of things, Havoc, but rarely does it have even the faintest ring of truth."

Havoc laughed and took a drag on his cigarette. "Sorry. I should rephrase. I meant he's got his eye on you 'cause you're a crack shot and he's useless if his gloves get wet."

Riza turned to survey her companion. "Rumor has it, Havoc, that's he's got his eye on you for roughly the same reason. There are plenty of people skilled with firearms out there. What distinguishes us so much, I wonder?"

"Wonder, my ass. You know, but you're not telling." Havoc paused to take another drag. "And I'd bet money that's exactly what it is. You're trustworthy. Loyal, some might say."

"But only some." Riza busied her hands with cleaning her gun.

"Exactly." Havoc grinned. "As for me, I'd say roughly the same thing, but in a different way. I can be a lazy ass, but I'm there when it counts, and I get along with people easily. I'm not always as harmless as I act, and I can use that to my advantage."

"But when it comes to discretion…" Riza halted for a moment, then continued. "I'm sorry—there's no good way of putting this. You don't always have the best judgment."

With another bark of laughter, Havoc stubbed out his cigarette. "I'm a chain smoker—nothing surprising about a lack of judgment. It just keeps me sane, is all."

"Sanity is overrated," Riza quipped, earning herself more of Havoc's chuckles. More seriously, she added, "I really wonder about myself sometimes."

"Don't overthink it, kid."

"Kid? You're older than me by six days!"

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm older."

Riza sighed and shook her head. "And sometimes, I really wonder about you."

Still smiling, Havoc lit a new cigarette. "So, think you'll take up Mustang on any offers you might get in the future?"

"Hmmm. What do you think?"

With a sidelong look, Havoc pronounced, "You want to know what I think? All right: you love him."

Riza looked up sharply. "I…?"

"If you're going to contradict me, don't bother. You're completely loyal to him, and pretty much only him, and it's plain that he trusts you to that same degree." Havoc took an excruciatingly long drag before continuing. "Or rather, it's plain if you care to look. I mean, I know you two have got the rumor mill's attention already, and it's not gonna get any better, but most of it's just malicious gossip from jackasses who don't believe a word of it themselves, but would give anything to see Roy go down in flames, pardon the pun."

Riza stared at her hands, still unable to think of anything to say.

Havoc slung an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay. Not like I'd ever say anything to anyone else. But if he doesn't work out for whatever reason, can I be your fallback?" he asked, a grin somewhere between jest and actual hope lighting up his features.

It took a moment, but the corners of Riza's mouth quirked upward, as well. "Sorry, Havoc. You're just not—"

Havoc sighed dramatically. "Him, I know. And in the end, I'd much rather see you with someone who's worth it, and I'd venture to say Roy is quite possibly the one guy who is. The rest of us just want a warm body, and don't you forget it," he advised with mock sternness. "Lecherous brutes, the lot of us. No idea whatsoever why you even bother acknowledging me."

Riza laughed. "Possibly because I trust you, too, despite your chain-smoking lechery. You just sort of inspire that, Havoc."

"Awww… You're too kind." Havoc squeezed her shoulders. "But I'd like to think it's the truth, too."

"It is." Riza sounded a bit puzzled, but didn't press anything.

Havoc stretched and they both rose. "Well, if Mustang's picking us for our good traits, I guess we'd best go exercise them." He and Riza started walking their separate ways, but before they got too far, Havoc turned. "Just… don't go putting yourself in danger." At Riza's quizzical look, he shrugged. "He loves you, too, you know." He turned and walked away.

Riza ran a hand through her hair, feeling more mixed up than ever. "Yeah."

Trying to take Havoc's earlier advice about not thinking too hard, she shook her head and kept walking. His sudden addition of greater depth to their conversation had caught her entirely off-guard. She found herself hoping that Roy chose them both so that she could get more insight later. And really, he wasn't a bad guy at all—he was far more decent than most of the men she'd met so far, even if he didn't always seem that way. He was the older brother she'd never had, and she cherished that bond.

And, unfortunately, like an older brother, sometimes, he seemed to know just a little too much.

A/N: I can completely see Havoc and Riza as a sibling-type duo. I have no idea what their relative ages are, but Havoc seems (to me) to be a bit older.

Well, as usual, let me know how I did: what you liked, what should be fixed, if this shouldn't have been posted in the first place… I'd like to know!