-1Disclaimer: Characters not mine, not making any money off of this.
Making The First Move
"That's the one. Right there."
Maes Hughes repeated himself, because it seemed that Roy wasn't paying any attention to him.
"See her? The one in the lavender dress. You're not looking!"
"Maes, if I looked at every woman you declared 'the one', I'd never get the crick out of my neck."
"I mean it this time, Roy! That's her!" And he did mean it. Really. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. That woman - whatever her name was - standing next to the lamp post was most definitely the one. He could feel it in his bones. He could see it in the way her soft brown hair fell against her perfectly shaped chin. The small run in her stockings sent tiny bursts of pure joy through every fiber of his being.
"Of course you do. Alright, let's get a look at the future Mrs. Hughes, hmm?"
Roy did turn, and Hughes wrung his hands in nervous excitement. Certainly Roy had a point, he found his attention grabbed by a girl nearly every day. But this was different. Surely Roy could see that, too!
"Isn't she beautiful? She looks just like an angel! Maybe I should go talk to her…"
"The one with the short hair? She is rather attractive, I suppose. If you like that look."
"What look? Pure heavenly radiance?"
"They do say love is blind…"
"You're just jealous that I saw her first," Hughes insisted, leaning back and sighing dreamily.
"Oh really?" Roy raised an eyebrow, and Hughes recognized the look on his friend's face immediately.
"Oh no. No, no, no. Don't even think about it, Mustang." Hughes pushed himself up off the wall he was leaning against, but Roy was already heading off across the street with his usual swagger.
"They also say that all's fair in love and war," Roy called over his shoulder smirking. Hughes couldn't help but grin in return and set out at a jog after Roy. No way was he letting this one get away, and certainly not to Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang. Roy picked up his own speed, both men attempting to cross the street as fast as they could without actually running.
Roy got there first. Damn him and his head start!
"Excuse me, ma'am…."
"Hi!" Hughes shouldered Roy out the way, grinning brightly and trying to place himself between the beautiful woman and his friend. "I couldn't help but notice…"
"I was watching you from across the street," Roy interrupted, shouldering Hughes right back. This close, Hughes found himself suddenly at a loss for words. She was beautiful! Why wasn't Roy stricken speechless, too? Clearly he didn't appreciate true beauty the way that Hughes did.
"I was watching, too," Hughes said, dumbly. The woman laughed, blushing and covering her mouth in a girlish gesture that set Hughes' heart fluttering.
"You'll have to excuse my friend," Roy went on, smoothly. "He's not quite right in the head, you understand."
"Hey!" Hughes shot Roy a look. "I just… see, I wanted to tell you…" He was tongue tied, and the warm brown eyes watching him expectantly weren't helping him any. "Uh. You're really pretty."
"A heavenly creature," Roy said, stealing Hughes' line.
"That's what I said!" Hughes snapped.
"Is it? Because I'm rather certain that you simply stuttered 'you're pretty'."
"I meant over there!"
"You're both very sweet." She spoke! Her voice was as beautiful as the rest of her. Truly, that was the sound of angels singing! And she'd said he was sweet!
"It would honor me, ma'am, if you would accompany me to dinner some evening." Damn Roy! Why did he have to grab every beautiful girl that walked by? This was the one! Why didn't he see that?
"I'd be more honored," Hughes said, struggling to think of something to best Roy. "I'm Maes Hughes." Aha! He'd offered his name first!
"And I'm Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang. The Flame Alchemist. Perhaps you've heard of me?"
Oh sure, flaunt your credentials Roy. Hughes rolled his eyes. "Yeah, he can light candles with his brain."
She laughed again, still blushing like a school girl. "Thank you, both of you. I don't think I've ever been asked out by two men at the same time!"
"Really? A woman of your beauty, I'm surprised."
Hughes had had enough. He stepped on Roy's foot and offered his hand to the exquisite creature in front of him while Roy yelped and stumbled.
"Would you have dinner with me? Tonight? I promise it'll be worth it." He smiled as broadly as he could, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to get her to say yes before Roy did, or it was all over!
"If you're sure your friend won't mind…"
"Trust me, he'll get over it." Hughes grinned suddenly. "Besides, if it doesn't work out you can always take him up on his offer!"
Hughes could feel Roy's eyes shooting daggers at him. Roy wasn't about to take a date with someone else's cast offs, he had a reputation to maintain. Not that the chance would offer itself, because Hughes knew that dinner would go well. Everything inside of him was telling him that this was the most important day of his life.
"I could," she agreed. "I'm Gracia."
"A name fit for an angel," Hughes said. "I'll pick you up at seven?"
"I'll be ready." Gracia was smiling and it lit up every corner of Hughes' heart. Roy was probably sulking.
"Until seven, my angel!" Hughes bowed gallantly over Gracia's hand and kissed the back of it gently, recovered now from his initial burst of love at first sight. He caught Roy's small grin out of the corner of his eye, a sign that his friend wasn't going to be a sore loser.
"Seven," she repeated, giggling again. She leaned down and whispered in a hushed and conspiratorial tone to Hughes, "I was going to say yes to you anyway. I was watching you, too."
Hughes sailed away on cloud nine, his feet light and his smile brighter than the sun. She really was the one, he could feel it.