Summary: After a bit too much to drink, Riza wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, fully dressed and with memories of completely making a fool of herself.
A few people were looking for a follow up to Dance With Me, so this has unexpectedly become a multi-chapter. (Thanks royal-mustang)
Chapter Two
The sound of a slamming door roused Riza from her slumber. She lay completely still, eyes still closed. She tried to open her eyes but they were glued together. Her mouth tasted like she had swallowed musty carpet and there was a mild throbbing in her temple. She groaned as there was loud clatter somewhere below her. Her apartment wasn't usually this noisy. She frowned, feeling blindly for Hayate, who usually climbed into her bed during the night.
"Hayate?"
There was no answering bark. Frown on her features, she blearily opened her eyes and looked up at an unfamiliar ceiling. She blinked. She rolled over, her stomach protesting at the motion.
"Oh, fuck," she muttered. "Where am I?"Fragments of the previous night came to her and her heart sank as she realised she was in Chris Mustang's guest bedroom above the bar.
Oh, no!
She remembered Roy bringing her up here. She grimaced at the memory. She was still wearing her clothes, so he didn't undress her or anything. That relief was tempered by the fact that she didn't have a change of clothes. She covered her face with her hands. She was going to have to do a walk of shame and it wasn't as if she even got lucky. She had no idea what time it was, but she suspected by the light streaming in the window, it was a lot later than she usually got up. So, there was no chance of sneaking out of here without anyone seeing her.
Damn it
There was a glass of water next to the bed with some pills. Probably Roy taking care of her, she surmised. She flushed at the memory of chucking up all over his shoes. He had behaved like a gentleman while she had acted like a horny teenage girl. She sat up in the bed ignoring the nauseated feeling in her belly. She swallowed the pills and washed them down with the water.
How could she ever face him again? She put her head in her hand and took a deep breath. Maybe she could just pretend she didn't remember? Would he buy it? More importantly, would he let it slide? Knowing Roy as she did, she suspected he would probably tease her in private but there was no way the others would let her forget it any time soon. She just wanted to go home and cuddle up on the sofa with Black Hayate. He wouldn't judge her.
She stumbled as she stood up, her stomach roiling a little. Finding her balance, she went to the window and opened the curtains. She blinked at the sudden brightness. She turned her back to the window and banged her hip off the bedpost.
There was a light knock on the bedroom door.
"Come in," Riza managed still massaging her hip.
Chris peered inside and smiled. "Good morning, Riza. I heard the bang when I was passing by. Are you alright?"
"I was just clumsy."
"How's that head of yours?"
The blonde grimaced.
"That good, huh?"
"Thank you for letting me stay," Riza said. "Was that you or Roy that left me the glass of water by the bed?"
"That was all Roy-boy." Chris arched an eyebrow. "I don't think he wanted to leave you, but he's ore of a gentleman than his reputation would have it." The woman gave her a piercing look. "But then you know that already?"
Riza blushed. "Well, the Colonel is a considerate boss."
The older woman threw her head back and laughed. "Yes, he'd do the same for anyone in his staff."
Riza wiped her hands on her dress. She wished the woman wouldn't talk so freely.
"I would like to wash up. I don't have a change of clothes but I would at least like to feel clean."
"Funny you should say that," Chris said, "a certain someone dropped by with some clothes for you first thing. They're in the bathroom with some fresh towels if you'd like a shower." Chris turned around. "We're in the kitchen if you want to join us for breakfast afterwards." She paused at the door. "That sap has been waiting all morning for you to get up. Whatever you said to him last night…"
Riza felt the colour drain from her face. She tried for a neutral expression. "Um - thank you."
Her mind was going a mile a minute as she followed the woman. What did she say to Roy? What did she mean? What did she know? What did Roy say? Chris kept on looking over her shoulder at her as they descended the stairs.
They reached the bathroom and Chris put a hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Riza, you know me well enough by now to know that I speak my mind." Her expression softened as she withdrew her hand. "I wish you both could allow yourselves to be happy."
Riza frowned feeling uneasy and a little angry at the woman's honesty. It was none of her business.
She lifted her chin and pulled up her shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about, Madame. The Colonel and I are much too busy to pursue relationships, least of all with each other. That would be fraternisation."
"Not what it looked like last night." Chris winked. "I'll tell Roy-boy you'll join us shortly."
Riza frowned and closed the door behind her. Did she have to make light of it? It wasn't that simple. She laid her head back against the door.
Damn that man. Damn that alcohol.
Hopefully, the shower would help clear her head because she didn't want to face him with her fuzzy brain.
Riza felt a lot better after her hot shower. Her head was still throbbing but she felt considerably more human especially when she saw her toothbrush with the clothes. She was touched at the kind gesture from Roy. Sometimes she thought he knew her better than she knew herself. She looked in the mirror and although a little pale, she looked much better than earlier. She ran her fingers through her hair to comb it as best she could. How could she have been so foolish to get so drunk that she had to be taken to bed like a child? By Roy Mustang no less. Her face burned again. Still, Roy didn't make her feel ashamed. He had been so kind and patient even when she forced him to dance with her. She smiled. That had been nice. He was always such a good dancer. She remembered the first time she ever danced with him. When she had the childish notion that they were made to dance together. She squelched down that part of her. That Riza had died long ago. He was her superior officer, they had made it their life's mission to make amends for their mistakes.
"Are you drowning in there, Lieutenant?"
Her stomach somersaulted but this time it had less to do with the hangover and more to do with the sound of Roy's voice.
Her lips twitched. "If I were drowning, sir, I likely would be screaming for help." She paused before adding, "Or perhaps, I would already be dead?"
"Well, your food is getting cold. You'd want to hurry on. I have plans for the day and they require a full stomach."
"Plans?"
"Yes. You and I, and perhaps Black Hayate."
She sighed and opened the door. She met his hopeful expression with an arched eyebrow.
"What are you talking about, sir?"
"I have a mission." He put his finger to his lips and winked. "Top secret."
She narrowed her eyes. He just smirked at her and gestured for her to follow him into the kitchen.
When they entered the kitchen, only Chris and one of her girls, Vanessa, was there. Riza was never sure what to make of Vanessa and had never warmed to her. Roy seemed to be fond of her and the woman was always touching him. It made Riza very uncomfortable, which she knew was foolish. Roy didn't owe her anything in the romantic sense just as she didn't owe him anything. They were both free to date who they wanted. He seemed to be in a great mood. It was one of those things she liked about seeing him with his aunt. It seemed to wipe his frown lines away and reminded her of the scrawny teenager he used to be before everything changed.
"Good morning, Riza," Vanessa said. "I see Roy-boy found you."
"I was hardly hard to find surely," Riza said.
Chris snorted and went to the cooker. The kitchen was pokey but homely. There was a small narrow table in the corner of the room.
"Have some coffee." Roy poured her a cup from the coffee pot as she took her seat inside the table.
"Thanks, sir."
Vanessa leaned forward and whispered, "I think those pet names you have for one another are adorable."
Roy glared at her. "You're not funny, Nessa." He turned to Riza and slipped into the seat beside her. "Ignore her, I know I do."
Something brushed against her leg and she noticed Roy's eyes widen. Their legs were touching under the table. Even so, neither made a move backwards. It was foolish but there was something comforting in the contact. He watched her as if afraid she would break the spell and she knew she should. Instead, Riza smiled at him. Maybe she was still a little drunk?
Chris coughed causing the guilty pair to jump apart. When Vanessa laughed into her sleeve, Riza bit back a sharp reply. She really disliked that woman.
"Your breakfast." Chris placed a plate of scrambled egg and some fried bacon in front of her. "If you can keep that down."
Riza nodded. "Thank you." She felt a little queasy but her mouth watered at the smell nonetheless.
"There's some toast too," Roy added.
It was as if he read her mind. They both reached for the toast at the same time, brushing fingers as they did so. Ok, maybe he wasn't reading her mind after all.
He pulled back his hand. "You first."
She reached for the toast, put it on her plate and buttered it. She put some into her mouth and chewed slowly. After she successfully finished the toast, she decided she was safe to try some of the other food.
"So, Roy, it's rather fortuitous that you have a key to Riza's place?" Chris glanced at Roy, "Is there something you're not telling us?"
Riza froze as she waited for his reply.
"She -uh- she-uh she gave it to me." He ran a hand through his hair. "She asked me to get her a change of clothes and check on Hayate."
Vanessa and Chris looked at one another. Why was it Roy could lie convincingly to the Fuhrer but when it came to his aunt, he was incapable of doing so? He was visibly sweating.
"Um." Riza averted her gaze and brushed down her skirt. "Oh, I remember now."
Great, she wasn't much better. It was probably the hangover.
When she looked up, the other two women were exchanging sceptical grins.
"Oh, for goodness sake." Roy glared at them but there was no heat. "Will you two cut it out?" He turned to Riza. "I'm really sorry, Lieutenant, this is entirely inappropriate."
Chris snorted and stood up. "We must get going, Vanessa, if we want to get the shopping done." Vanessa joined her. "I am sure Roy-boy and his subordinate can get the washing up done."
He inclined his head. "I am sure that we can manage that. I'll lock up the way out. The Lieutenant and I have work to do today."
Riza arched an eyebrow.
"They have work to do," Vanessa moved closer to Chris and spoke in a stage whisper, "did you hear that?"
"Yes - I did." There was a smile playing about the older woman's lips. "Is that what the youngsters are calling it these days?"
The two women left the room laughing at the matching shades of red on Roy and Riza's faces.
Roy scowled at their backs. "I could kill them." He rubbed at his temple. "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into them."
My behaviour last night is what got into them. Damn, did I really drink so much?
She wrapped her hands around her coffee mug and took a sip. He was watching her, his eyes gleaming with something she couldn't quite identify.
She fidgeted in her seat. "So, what's this about work, sir?"
He stopped rubbing his temple and turned to her, a small smile on his face. "How do you feel about a mission? Incognito, of course."
So, that was the only reason that he brought over her favourite skirt and blouse? She shoved down the disappointment.
She lifted her head and smiled, "Where are we going?"
"We're going to the countryside."
"Is that an order or a request, sir?"
He tilted his head slightly. When Hayate did that he looked cute but Roy did that, it was terribly distracting. "Which would you be more likely to agree to?"
Right now, I would agree to anything.
Her breath caught in her throat as he stared at her, his lips parted slightly.
She licked her lips, feeling a little hot. "I don't suppose I have a choice, either way, sir."
He stared at her, eyes burning into hers. "Do you really think you have no say?" He shook his head. "You're my conscience, my-" He patted his chest for a moment before shaking his head.
"Heartburn?"
"I guess you could say that," he said. "Never mind, what I'm trying to say is, will you spend the day with me?"
"So, we're not working?"
He shook his head. "Just two friends and a dog taking a trip into the country."
"This is highly inappropriate, sir."
His face fell and with it dropped her resolve.
"Alright, where are you taking us?"
To be continued...
