Riza Hawkeye wandered the streets of Central, letting her glance occasionally linger on the faces of the various strangers hurrying up and down the alleys of the city to disappear in the nearby buildings. The sky had now slipped into its darker attire, the soft moonlight stretching out timidly through the scattered clouds. The main source of luminosity in the area however was now emanating from the various street lamps that lit the avenues and the nearby shop and bar windows that were bright with buzzing activity.

She had always been used to the calm of the country and had no trouble evolving in a placid environment relatively void of any excitement. However, since her transfer to Central weeks ago, she had to admit she didn't mind the action either. It's not that she actively took part in a lot of the social outings available to her, but the people-watching was an activity in itself that she concededly enjoyed. She silently contemplated the various expressions on people's faces scurrying around in the crowd; a few girlfriends laughing about in a night out, young couples still walking about glued to each other, others more detached, even families on weekend outings.

But tonight she longed for slightly more. She would occasionally stop by at Adrienne's, a teashop four blocks away from her building, and sometimes engaged in a brief chat session with the owner while sitting down with a hot cup of the stuff. Nevertheless, however kind the shopkeeper was, she couldn't nearly be considered anyone close, and Riza yearned for someone to share to some degree her troubles with, even if it had to be behind the artifice of a fabricated setting and fake aliases. The problem was that most of her closer friends – well, all three of them – were left out back in the East under General Grumman's command. She hadn't had the occasion to bond solid friendship ties with anyone since her devotion to the Colonel, so most of her friends were people she had met while still at the academy.

Upon dwelling on the matter, she scolded herself for being so weak. What was she thinking, giving in on weariness to even consider discussing the complex affairs at hand? She damned herself for being so tired, and pursued her stroll through the alleyway.

That's when she thought of Madame Christmas's. She knew the woman was well informed and headed a secret correspondence network from Central to Eastern, and the concept of greeting someone who was linked to the familiar notion of the East was a comforting thought. She had been there once or twice herself very briefly around the time she had just settled in Central, just out of curiosity, but had never lingered for more than five minutes. Bars weren't exactly her thing anyway, at least not while on her own on evenings. She would leave that kind of hobnobbing to other type of women more concerned with... trifling activities.

As she continued to think of how uneasy she would feel in such a setting, she took a right turn towards the bar's direction, located three blocks ahead.

She soon reached the entrance of the busy meeting place, and she paused a few seconds in front of the closed doorway before going any further. Soft buzzing noise and a faint sliver of light came emanating through the portal's threshold. The blonde sighed. This kind of ambience could make her uncomfortable; she always felt awkward while sitting alone in a place she knew stares would occasionally be directed at her, but she wasn't the type to ever let on any such wavering of confidence on her part. She needed the distraction anyway, she convinced herself, and she took a small breath while pushing the door open and stepping in.

She quietly observed her surroundings while the door closed back behind her, ringing the bell strung on top of it. It was reasonably occupied this evening, she considered, as she undid her jacket and pulled out the bar stool at the corner of the room nearest to the exit. She waited for the bartender to get to her while actively ignoring any possible stare she might be attracting since her arrival. As the large woman turned towards her most recently arrived customer, he eyes widened into a shocked expression before addressing her.

"Riza? What a surprise! What brings you here tonight?" Madame Christmas looked at her quizzically. "I never expected to see you any time soon, given you must be overwhelmed with work. Congrats on your new position, by the way." She took a furtive look in direction of the Colonel's corner. Well, it made more sense now; he had probably come here to arrange a meeting with her in a seemingly casual context.

"Thanks", she answered stiffly. "I guess... that's kind of why I'm here. I needed a little change of... setting," she proceeded as she hesitated in her choice of words, although she managed to make them come out quite coolly.

"Really, that's all?" Madame Christmas tried to exchange a knowing smile to the unflinching woman before her. They were really working their way smoothly over this one. "So what can I get you? Beer? Rhum? Vodka?"

"I think a simple cup of tea will do for tonight. I really was just looking for a distraction."

That's when she noticed.

Oh god. He was here. The Colonel was there, just around the other extremity of the bar counter. She had completely overlooked the possibility of running into him in such a place, especially here, for crying out loud. She hadn't noticed him at first since the two women smothering him had blocked him from view until now. What situation had she just put herself into? This kind of encounter could seem highly suspicious, she panicked, as she started searching for a way of getting out of there as soon as possible.

But another feeling gained some control over her when she saw Sylvia nuzzle closer to her ex-commanding officer, his arm slung around her shoulders, hand drooping dangerously close to her right breast. She knew of his little game with women, his facade and how highly practical the whole thing was in deceiving any suspicious enemies, but she had always avoided seeing him in action.

How she hated the thought of him with all these women. It irritated her how he never quite aimed for the brightest bulbs in the tanning bed, either – of course, it was meant to be that way – but they were always really pretty, or so his reputation let on. Well, from what she could see, he seemed to hold up to it quite well.

Madame Christmas noticed her stiffened features at the sight of her former superior, and settled on the conclusion that this might have actually not been planned. "Here's your tea hun'."

"T-Thanks," she let out unsurely as she was caught off-guard, and she summoned all her might to regain her confident demeanour. With a little luck, he'd be too busy to notice her, and she could take off as soon as she'd finished her cup. Taking a sip, she mentally cursed its hot temperature from preventing her from drowning it in a few chugs.

Across the room, Colonel Roy Mustang lifted his head up. Unless he was seriously stuck with desiderative ideas, he had just heard a familiar voice.

"L... Lieutenant?" His eyes widened as he caught sight of her, and he had to blink once or twice to make sure it wasn't just the liquor taking its toll on him. He really looked kind of stupid in that frozen moment, she decided, as she reluctantly made eye contact with him.

"Hello, Colonel," she replied simply, looking nonplussed.

"Riza? Isn't that your scary first lieutenant, Roy-San?" Vanessa asked airily.

"Err ..." He didn't really know how to act or respond. The sight of her had triggered something within him that he couldn't really put words on right now. All he knew is that he suddenly wished he could get rid of these two chicks on either side of him as quickly and effectively as when he snapped with fingers to form a spark. Sylvia felt him tense up and caught on a little faster than her chestnut-haired counterpart.

"I'll be right back Roy, I just saw Henry over there and I really have to go say hi." She pulled away from him to blow him a kiss and winked before turning away, making sure to properly sway her hips on her way to the back of the room. It took Vanessa a few extra moments to catch on, and she let out a sincerely exaggerated sigh before throwing Roy a dolled up farewell of her own and kissing him on the cheek before getting up as well. It was no fun if he wasn't going to be giving them his undivided attention, anyway, so better move on to other distractions.

"What are you doing here?" He finally managed to spill out coherently enough. He was glad to see her, that he acknowledged, but what where they supposed to do now?

"I was just in need of a change of scene. I'm tired, I just came out for a cup of tea," she answered truthfully.

"In a bar?" He was being kind of rude and direct, but she figured he must have taken a few drinks.

"Well..." She didn't really know how to get around this one. She couldn't find a subtle way to communicate that she just wanted to talk to someone who might be slightly inclined to comprehend her situation, even if it was just going to be through a silent understanding. "I just wanted a change of setting, like I just said."

He smiled at this, reading a bit too far into her words. "And you're having tea? Madame, please serve this woman a proper drink. It's on me." He got up and came to rest on the free stool next to her, completely ignoring the familiar small throbbing pain on his left side as he sat down.

"I—I should really get going, Colonel. I have to work in early tomorrow." She tried to seem convincing, as she figured she better avoid meeting with him in the current circumstances. Clearly the Colonel was slightly out of it, and she felt it was her duty to prevent him from putting himself in situations he might regret eventually. He seemed to have forgotten that she, that they, might be constantly watched by the homunculi and that the slightest encounter would surely raise suspicions on their side. Of course, he had seemed to catch on since her chat in the cafeteria with him over a week ago, but then he wasn't slightly inebriated either like he was right now. She started to get up when he caught hold of her wrist.

"Donworry. It's a public setting. They won't suspect as much," he semi-slurred, his voice only cut down in half.

The few lines between her two brows formed a crease as she contemplated him more thoroughly. How the hell could he let slip out such an imprudent statement, where anyone could have heard him? He hadn't even bothered to cover up the meaning of his sentences in any way.

"How many drinks have you had, sir?"

"I let him have two," Madame Christmas interrupted, "But Vanessa and Sylvia served him two more while I was busy with other customers, if I'm not mistaken, and I'll be damned if he hadn't already had some before he even arrived here." She slightly shook her head disapprovingly before she finished polishing the inner surface of the glass in her hands. She'd have looked considerate if it hadn't been for the ash falling out of the extremity of the cigarette anchored on the corner of her mouth.

"Sir, you shouldn't drink so much, especially not in your condition," she worried and scolded him at the same time. That stupid man, he was always so irresponsible when it came to taking care of his own self. Surely his body didn't process alcohol as quickly as he'd be used to while he was still convalescing. It had already been a few weeks since he'd been injured, but given the severity of the wounds, she didn't doubt there was still a certain way to go before he could claim to have fully recovered his health.

"Have a drink with me, Lieutenant." He was just glad to be able to interact with her for the moment.

"I just said –"

"I won't drink if you have a drink with me, my treat," he chuckled. "Now, are you going to ditch me like the other two? A man can only take so much, Hawkeye."

She was getting annoyed at his mindless insistence, but she studied his features before saying any more. His expression conveyed pleasantry and sarcasm, but his eyes betrayed a certain loneliness, and she succumbed to the sad quality in them. "Fine. But I can't stay for too long."

The barkeep handed her some sort of martini and she smiled at the irony she was being faced with, in spite of the dry feeling in the back of her mouth caused by the liquor running down her throat. The colonel would have never dared to faint an advance on her while she was still in his command, even if it wouldn't have been supposed to be taken seriously. But they were officially not commanding officer and subordinate anymore, she considered. Obviously, that changed nothing between them, but she wondered if it was this particular transition or the alcohol that let him take new liberties, however lightly they were to be taken.

She straightened up when she realized he was letting his gaze linger a little too much. "I wouldn't advise you to stare, sir, it's unprofessional, not to mention rude."

He was taken aback slightly at first, but quickly recovered into a smirk. "But you can't blame anyone for doing so when you present yourself so... nicely." She was wearing her hair down, and he couldn't help but admire her sense of fashion. The few times he'd caught a glimpse of her outside office hours, she had always managed to maintain a stylish but elegant attire. Not to mention that he had a little something for skirts, which she almost always wore. Granted, they were knee length or longer, but they always complimented her so well. She currently wore a simple cream low-cut tank over the black one she had on right now, with a nicely cut light grey blouse covering her shoulders.

Her cheeks flushed slightly as his remark, and she was once again reacquainted with the notion that this meeting was utterly reckless. They had worked so hard to stay undercover, they couldn't risk all of it because of some momentarily lapse in judgment triggered by personal feelings and alcohol.

In fact, even in regular circumstances, she had always avoided getting too close to the man next to her right now. It wasn't any trouble for her to control the feelings she had for him as long as she kept their interactions professional and relatively distant. She had come to fall in love with him, but she unwaveringly accorded more importance to the carrying out of their plans to reach their goal and make him Fuhrer. Nothing was to stand between her and that determination, not even her feelings. On a side note, she also doubted the reciprocity of the sentiments, many clues having led her to believe he wouldn't open up to anybody that way, his personal ambition occupying too much of his focus to even let similar feelings to bud in his mind and heart.

Besides, Hawkeye was aware of her image and what she let on to others. It even took her fellow coworkers a good deal of time before they warmed up to her, and she didn't abound in feminine qualities most men sought for. Just as it had been somewhat difficult for her to consider spending time in a bar like this, she felt much more at ease with military duties, guns, dogs, and one-on-one social interactions. She didn't mind, either.

Still, she decided she would keep her word and finish this drink. She took another sip – this one didn't taste so bad, she noted – and tried to remain as silent as possible.

"How have you been?" He inquired, a look of concern drawing itself on his handsome traits. He was being really easy to read in his current state, every single emotion so easily decipherable on his face no matter how hard he tried to look otherwise, and she held back a laugh at the childish quality this was attributing him.

"Fine. The days are long, but none of the tasks are too complicated. In fact, it's quite simple work, when it all comes down to it, really," she conceded. Evidently, they wouldn't trust her with real confidential information or ask her to participate in carrying out their plans, whatever they were. She was just being held hostage. As she brooded over the matter, she figured she might as well take advantage of the situation and share her melancholic sentiments with him – wasn't this what she had come here for in the first place? There was no confidential information there, either. It would actually be light talk. "No, it's nothing tiring, but I've... I've been feeling exhausted," she continued, hoping he'd catch on the reasons behind that last statement. "And lonely." She stared into her glass and drew another good sip out of it before putting it back on the counter.

He studied her expression, feeling it took him more conscious effort than usual to process every possible meaning of her words and variation of her countenance. He felt lost at words to follow hers, so he fell silent and settled with staring at his hands folded together on the table. She took the silence as a sign of understanding, and decided that was enough to make her feel better. In fact, his simple presence did seem to appease her right now.

"I feel lost at times. On my own, I find it hard to see where I fit," she let her feelings translate into words more easily as the warmth in her throat left by the drink reached her now slightly rosy cheeks. "But there's really nothing to truly worry about," she continued, afraid to expose an overly fragile image of herself. "None of my convictions or resolve have changed, sir," she insisted as she made sure to get his attention on that last remark and steadied her gaze into his. This seemed to satisfy him and he let a natural smile, a real one that reached his eyes, draw itself upon his face.

"I'm proud to have had you under my command over the years, Lieutenant. The Fuhrer is a lucky man to have such a devoted and talented aid at his side. I wish you the best in the career bestowed upon you." She accepted the compliment she caught in between the lines of his last sentences, even though it didn't help at making her feel better about the situation.

"How have you been, sir?" She asked him, but got no response. "You should take better care of yourself in your condition. I can tell your wounds are still bothering you. Please don't cause me too much worry as I can't babysit you constantly anymore," she sighed and finished her glass.

He smiled, but then she just realised that it wasn't at her last statement. As she let her stare fix on the counter before her, she realised there was not one, but two empty glasses. And they weren't scotch glasses.

"Sir... Have you ordered a second drink for me without letting me notice?" She looked at him angrily, and he couldn't help but laugh lightly at her angry attempt of a scold.

"You didn't seem to mind." His smirk widened a bit, "In fact, considering the pace at which you drowned those two glasses, I'm guessing you needed them."

She couldn't believe she'd let her guard down. She rose quickly to her feet, but a feeling of wooziness momentarily took hold of her and she brought her hands to her temples in an attempt to stabilise her vision. That damn, irresponsible colonel. She really needed to double her vigilance for both of them when he was in this state, she concluded. Seeing at how unstable the matters might get, she decided it would be best to leave before either of them might let something too important slip out inadvertently.

"You're leaving?" He looked disappointedly at her from where he still sat down.

"You should be going too, Colonel, if you want to be in early enough tomorrow morning."

"Aw geez Lieutenant. Cut me some slack, will you please?" He continued along playfully, but still got up to leave as well, supporting his weight on the counter where he dropped a sufficient amount of money to cover the evening's tab, forgetting that the two first orders had been free of charge. As he took a step forward he tripped over the stool he hadn't cared to move aside, and nearly fell to the ground.

"Sir!" The woman caught hold of him before he did any more damage, and picked up his jacket that he was about to forget on the adjacent stool.

"Perhaps you should make sure that he gets home safely, Riza," Suggested Madame Christmas. She had settled for muteness up to now, but she eyed them watchfully, a hint of displease in her look.

"You have to be kidding," she sighed. "I'm sure he can make it on his own without too much trouble. You aren't driving, are you, sir?" She knew she couldn't risk staying with him too much longer, especially if they were going to be spotted alone.

"'Course not," he grumbled as he tried to straighten up, but she felt him lose balance under her grip. She wasn't sure of the result if she tried to let go, and preferred to stay put for the moment.

"Suit yourself," warned the woman behind the bar. "Just be careful, Roy."

The younger woman frowned... There was no way she could trust her Colonel on the streets in this state. She had no trouble imagining him find his way to his apartment, but the idea of him traveling alone in such a vulnerable state worried her more than she knew she should. With one last resigned sigh, she picked up her coat and purse and proceeded in placing the slightly older man's arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist to better support his weight and headed for the exit.

"Sorry for the trouble, Madame. Have a good evening," she called out, her head turned around over her shoulder.

"No worries. 'Been nice seeing you, Riza." A satisfied smile etched itself across the large woman's lips as she watched the two officers force their way out the door.

Well, I guess I'm done with the second chapter already. Please review, I'd love some feedback, good or bad!