Reyna was sitting under the ancient and magnificent oak tree that dominated the fantastically landscaped square at the back of the main classroom building of the academy. She was sitting cross-legged despite wearing a miniskirt. Her book and notebook were sitting in her lap which pushed down her skirt to maintain her modesty. At this time, she was too busy studying to worry about flashing the whole student body with her white panties. People had left her alone for her last-minute cram session before class. The expression on her face would be the reason for their reluctance to approach her. Her eyebrows were knitted together over eyes that appeared angry due to concentration. A severe frown pulled down her lips and her forehead was ridged with deep furrows that belonged to those in deep thought.

Roy pushed off the side of the building he had been leaning against while watching her as Maes rattled on about their double date tonight. He wondered what it was like to live in Maes' reality and be so totally oblivious to when people aren't listening. How could that man be so in love with someone he had not even been a date with yet? He could still hear Maes talking until he finally strolled out of earshot. Kneeling down on one knee beside the fixated and undistracted Reyna, he touched her shoulder. He winced when she jumped and screamed from being startled.

"Dammit, Roy," she panted, pressing her hand to heart as if that would slow it down.

"I didn't mean to scare you. You look...awful," he commented, feeling the heat from her furious glare. He did not think the frown on her face was capable of becoming deeper but it did, cutting deep lines in her face on each side of her nose down to her chin. He reached out to her, stroking his fingertip across the crevices made by her frown. "Don't do that. You're too beautiful to do that."

Reyna closed her eyes, sighing noisily as if she were trying to alleviate her stress all at once. "I'm just worried," she murmured, opening her eyes when she felt his fingers stroking the creases across her forehead.

"Why? You'll do fine on the test," he assured her, continuing the delicate massaging until her facial muscles released. "Do you stress like this before every test?"

"I do," she answered, resisting the urge to moan in gratitude. Her face had been so drawn with tension that the muscles were sore. The pounding stress headache she had given herself began to subside as well.

"It's okay if you're not perfect." He sat down beside her, taking her hand between his.

"No. No, it's not. I have to be perfect." She gave him an unsteady smile. Nothing less than perfection was good enough for her father. Sometimes that was not enough. Her eyes quickly broke contact with his to watch what he was doing with her hand. She studied his movements as he turned her hand over with the palm up. Her hand looked so small laying on top of his open palm.

"Close your eyes," Roy requested. Receiving a questioning gaze and a raised eyebrow of uncertainty, he grunted and gruffly ordered, "Just do it!"

Reyna closed her eyes, pushing her palm closer to him. "Going to read my future?"

"In a way...I'm going to predict that you will not only pass this test but make a high grade," he responded. "I'm going to draw a symbol in your palm with my finger, then I want you to tell me what it is."

"Okay," she agreed, feeling his finger gliding over her palm. If she were not thinking intently, concentrating on the shape he made as he dragged his forefinger across her skin, this would probably be very erotic and exciting. She chewed her lower lip as she formed a picture of the symbol in her mind - a circle with an arrow. "Iron."

"Good." He made the next one, waiting patiently for her answer.

"Creation." She correctly identified the diagonal arrow with a small crossbar near the bottom.

"You're going to do great," he complimented her. He smiled when a pleased grin pushed her lips upward. The pleasant smile looked so much better on her pretty face.

Maes was still leaning against the wall, watching the two of them while he smoked a cigarette. Dropping the butt of his cigarette on the ground, he congratulated himself on a job well done. A self-congratulatory grin tugged at his lips as he crushed the cigarette with the heel of his boot. He had known they were meant for each other. Hopefully they would figure it out for themselves soon.

~...~

Reyna raked her fingers through her wavy hair, fluffing it out over her shoulders. Turning around to view her loose-fitting sheath dress that cinched around her hips with a thick ribbon, she checked from every angle to make sure things were where they should be. The light pinkish beige fabric that stopped at her mid-thigh was covered with lace of the same color that went all the way down to her knees which made the dress appear longer. Hearing the doorbell, she stepped into her shoes and bolted from her room. Recklessly running down the stairs to reach the door before her father did, she jumped off the bottom step to lunge forward. Unfortunately her father stepped in front of her causing her to crash into him full force in the back which flung the both of them against the door making a dull thud. At least he took the hardest part of the hit when he was flattened to the solid mahogany door by his daughter.

"Reyna!" he yelled, turning to glower at her disapprovingly.

"I was trying to get to it so you would not be disturbed from relaxing in your study," she said, backing away a few steps to allow him to move back so he could open the door.

"It's only proper for a father to answer the door to see with whom his daughter is about to go on a date," he reminded her. For some reason when he had heard the doorbell he had experienced a sudden gush of protective instinct that only father's held for their daughters. Looking at her in this moment, his mind was filled with memories of his wife. She looked like her mother. He had wanted to protect his beloved wife from certain evils that lurked in the shadows of his past and present, but he could not. The darkness lay close, right under the paved streets of Central. With sadness creeping into the edges of his consciousness like a haunting specter, he knew he would not be able to protect his daughter either. She had been correct in determining he had a weakness. First it was her mother. Now it was her. His eyes briefly held hers, and he could see the burning anger and fierce contempt she held for him. It flowed from every cell of her being. Her eyes - her eyes that were so much like his - were the clearest window to her deepest, truest intentions because they laid bare every emotion she might try to hide. He had wanted her to abhor him so he could use that loathing to drive her away, to push her to being a strong woman, a great soldier, perhaps even a ruthless killer. He wanted her to be anything she needed to be to defend herself against the savage and foul beings that would be coming for her. The same being who made him and the ones who that wicked creator deemed as his siblings because he had made them as well. Born from death itself, humanoid embodiments of the greatest sins known to man - the homunculi.

"Father?" she called, growing uncomfortable under her father's serious scrutiny. Having only one eye did not detract from the severity of his stare. As a matter of fact, the eyepatch hiding his other eye seemed to make him more menacing and terrifying. She had no idea if a dead eye or a huge gaping hole lay beneath that round piece of leather strapped across his face. The mere thought of what secret it might cover was so repulsive to her that she shuddered.

"What?" he muttered, irritated with himself. He had never been one to give into his emotions unless it was unbridled fury. The somewhat human manifestation of wrath - anger beyond reason that gave him a taste for blood and war, the harbinger of death, chaos, and devastation; should not be capable of feeling tender emotions. He glared at his one weakness.

"Are you going to open the door?" she asked, attempting but failing to keep the sass out of her voice.

"Hmph," he grunted, turning the knob before snatching open the door.

Maes stood there with his eyes big and round behind the square lenses of his glasses. His fist was raised in the air because he had been prepared to knock again. Apparently, they had thought it best that Maes come to the door to get her. Maybe his benign appearance or natural tendency to be goofy would put her father at ease more so than the dark, brooding, and sex appeal oozing Roy Mustang.

"Good evening, sir!" Maes exclaimed unnecessarily, saluting the Führer. "I've come to take your daughter on a date, sir!"

"Oh, god," Reyna mumbled, covering her eyes with her hand. If only this were a nightmare she could wake up from.

"Are you being serious right now, boy?" the Führer demanded, somewhat amused as the young man began to visibly sweat.

"Y-yes, s-sir," he stammered, feeling the sweat rolling down his back. He had not imagined this would be so difficult especially since he had expected Reyna to be behind the door. Her father could be friendly, but he could also be intimidating and downright frightening. Where his daughter was concerned, the Führer had no affability. Shooting her a pleading glance, he silently begged her for a little help in extricating himself from this disconcerting situation.

"Father, he's a classmate. It's a double date actually so you have nothing to worry about. I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you," Reyna said, laying her hand against her father's bulging bicep. She felt him relax beneath her touch which would be a first for her. It seemed like all she ever brought him was irritation and trouble. Confusion clouded her brain as her eyes moved up to his eye which was staring at a spot above her head.

"Fine. Be home before midnight," he told her firmly, stepping aside so she could walk out of the door.

Maes put his arm out for her to escort her down the front steps of the Führer's mansion to his car that was parked on the street out front and still running. Roy was standing by the open car door waiting for her.

"Planning on a quick get away?" she teased, nudging Maes with her elbow.

"Do you blame me?" he asked, unhooking his arm from hers.

"No. Not at all," she laughed. If only she could find a permanent get away from her father. Somehow she was sure if she did try to leave he would find her. Her father made no sense to her at all. He acted as if he hated every fiber of her being yet poured so much of his time and energy into training her. Tonight he even expressed a bit of fatherly reluctance to allow her to go on the date. She smiled when Roy took her hand to assist her into the backseat. Seeing his handsome face made all thoughts of her father cease instantly.

"Gracia is meeting us at the restaurant so we need to hurry or we'll be late," Maes announced, stomping the gas pedal for emphasis.

Reyna and Roy were instantly plastered against the back of the seat as the tires squealed before catching traction to send them roaring off into the night. They looked at each other and laughed. She gave him a leisurely perusal in the flashing of the street lights as they whizzed past them. Maes was breaking several traffic laws, but none of them cared. Roy was wearing a black suit with a black tie. It was the middle of summer, not to mention that he seemed a bit overdressed for a simple dinner and a walk in the park. His usually abundantly messy hair had been combed into submission to give him a polished elegance.

"My, you clean up nicely, Roy," she complimented, peeling her back off the leather seat now that the g-forces had relented.

"You too. But then again, you're always beautiful," he returned, a lopsided grin on his face. "Even when your hair is a mess and you are hot and sweaty and dressed like a man."

"Ugh," she groaned, turning her back to him to stare out of the window at nothing but darkness. He had been referring to her appearance the first time they had met. It still embarrassed her that she had been such a human train wreck. A woman always hates to be at her worst when meeting anyone. Being the Führer's daughter, she was held to an even higher standard. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Sometimes disappointing people in the expectations they had for her could be entertaining. It reminded them that she a real person, someone besides just the Führer's daughter. Glancing back at the man sitting beside her, she could think of a few ways to tarnish her reputation and humiliate her father. Quickly turning back to look aimlessly gaze out of the window, she realized the very thought of such an indecent act caused her face to burn with shame. Damn. She was a prude after all. And a virgin. Being a virgin made her a prude. She could deal with that reasoning; it made sense to her anyway. Sighing heavily, she allowed her head to fall forward until her forehead pressed against the cool glass of the window.

"We're here!" Maes announced pointlessly as the car rolled to a stop.

"Is that why we've suddenly stopped?" Roy inquired like a true smart ass.

"Oh, you two are just absolutely perfect for each other," he grumbled, shoving open his door.

"What?" they asked in unison, not sure they had heard him correctly.

"Nothing. Come on, dear," Maes said, opening Reyna's door to hold out his hand for her.

"I could have helped her. She's my date after all," Roy snapped indignantly.

"She is?" his friend questioned him, hopefulness causing his voice to rise an octave.

"I am?" Reyna calmly stepped out onto the sidewalk, ignoring the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

"Well...my fake date of course," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck while his cheeks flourished with color.

"Of course," the other two repeated in unison.

Roy took Reyna's hand, putting her arm through his before pressing her palm to his forearm. Patting her hand apologetically, he led her into the restaurant. "No hard feelings among friends?"

"Never. We're chaperones. I remember that." Reyna convinced herself she had been caught up in nothing more than a hormonally fueled bout of pure lust. What woman wouldn't be flustered in the company of such an attractive man? Tightening her arm around his, she pulled her body closer to his side as they entered the restaurant.

Gracia was sitting in the front waiting area for them. She jumped to her feet, blushing profusely as Maes greeted her by kissing the back of her hand like an old-fashioned gentleman. After the astonishingly wonderful hello from the man she had been hoping would ask her out for months, she was introduced to the pair standing behind him. She knew them both on a casual basis from the cafe. She had even spoken to Reyna several times in other places. The woman was unexpectedly down to earth and quite pleasant despite being Führer Bradley's daughter.

"Oh, you two make such a lovely couple," she complimented, unsure as to what the disconcerted exchange of looks between the two meant.

"But we're not - OW!" Roy howled after he received a painful stab in the ribs from his fellow chaperone's sharp fingernail.

"Thank you," Reyna rejoined to save the woman from being embarrassed. Gracia did not know that their relationship was strictly 'friend zoned' and nothing more.

"What'd you do that for?" he hissed into her ear as they were being led to the table.

"Sometimes it's best just to let people think what they want to think. Just smile, say thank you, then shut up," she whispered through her teeth and a much practiced smile.

"Something you've had extensive training on?" He pulled her chair out for her to sit when they reached their table.

"Among other things." She wanted to slap the arrogant grin off of his face. She managed to keep her smile in place and retain her composure. It amazed her how Roy could be a total jerk one second then a proper gentleman the next. However, if he said one more word to tick her off, she would kill him with her bare hands and make it look like an accident in spite of having hundreds of witnesses. She was good - and scary - that way thanks to dear old dad.

"Would care for an aperitif?" their waiter inquired in a really atrocious French accent. He was dressed in a white shirt, black bow tie, and black pants with a crisp white apron that reached his ankles. The thin, wispy moustache and overly oiled, slicked down hair combined with his uniform made him a laughable stereotype.

"How about Champignons, Brie en Croute, and Cocktail de Crevettes Royal?" Reyna ordered with a better French accent than the waiter. The man stood wide eyed and taken aback momentarily before madly scratching the order down on the small note pad in his hand. Before he could scurry away with his tail tucked between his legs after being called out as a fake, she added,"Oh, and your best Beaujolais, please."

"Wow...that was impressive. I didn't know you spoke French," Maes said, smiling at her as if he were a proud parent instead of her friend.

"There's a lot of things you still don't know about me, Maes," she joked, feeling the intense glare of jealousy coming from the man sitting beside her. To be a friend on a fake date, he sure was being possessive. She sighed as the atmosphere at the table grew thick with awkwardness in the glowering silence. To offset the suffocating air, she waved her hand as if shooing away a fly and remarked, "Don't be too impressed. All I ordered was wild mushrooms sautéed in garlic butter, cheese baked in puff pastry, and shrimp cocktails."

A smattering of laughter filled the air. Despite the chuckles being forced, it did the trick to dispel the discomfort that had settled on each person. Maes turned to Gracia to focus his full attention on her. Roy scooted his chair closer to Reyna so he could almost whisper in her ear.

"So, lady of mystery," he murmured in her ear. "Tell me more about yourself."

Reyna concentrated on keeping her breaths deep and evenly measured as his breath finished caressing her neck once his words stopped. She quickly lifted her glass to take a sip after the waiter filled it with the dark purple liquid. Her fingers brushed Roy's when she set her glass on the table. A jolt of excitement ran through her body from the delicate yet ordinary touch. But there was nothing ordinary about this man. She watched in awe as he gracefully picked up the wine glass by the stem, swirled the wine around, then brought it to his nose to sniff heartily.

"A wine snob?" she inquired, her eyebrow lifting questioningly.

"You have your secrets. I have mine." He sipped the wine before setting his glass back down next to hers. Turning and coming almost nose to nose with her, he said, "I want to know one of your secrets."

"I snore like an out of control freight train running down the tracks," she replied bluntly. She suppressed the giggle that bubbled its way up her throat when his narrow eyes widened momentarily before he squinted at her with displeasure.

"That's not a real secret. All women snore," he muttered testily, turning away from her to take another sip of wine.

"A secret is a secret. You didn't say it had to be a good one. Okay. You tell me something, Roy Mustang," she challenged, leaning against his arm until his bicep was wedged firmly between her breasts. "How do you know all women snore?"

"A real man never kisses and tells." A smug grin tilted his lips. To his surprise, she chewed her bottom lip and looked as if she were contemplating something. "What do you do when you're not kicking ass and taking names?"

"Now, now, now," Reyna chided him, wagging her finger in his face. "You need to give a real answer to my question before I answer another one of yours."

"Ask another one."

"Where do you live?"

"With my sister Chris."

I wonder what happened to his parents, she mused to herself, barely catching his next statement.

"She owns the gentleman's club in Central," he added nonchalantly, finishing off his glass of wine. He refilled his glass and hers from the bottle that had been left at the table.

"The what?" The women in Central called it a Den of Sin or a House of Ill Repute. The men, especially the soldiers, called it a bar with very friendly hostesses who knew how to give a great massage. A small smile pulled at her lips when she thought about how dreamily the men spoke of it when they thought no one was listening. If they only knew what she knew, there would be some faces in a permanently blushing state.

"Don't judge me, Princess, I mean, Queen," he corrected himself, irritation evident in his voice. He assumed her silence meant she was suddenly ashamed to be seen with him because of the type of business his sister owned. "My sister gave up many things, made lots of sacrifices to bring us here and to get me into the academy."

"But Roy, I - " She sat stunned, gaping at him in shock that he would make such an accusation. She had not rushed to any kind of judgment. Besides, Chris Mustang was a very successful business woman and had nothing to be ashamed of as far as she was concerned. So why would Roy need to feel embarrassed?

"We all can't be born into prominence and money like you," he snapped rudely, pushing her away from him.

"Roy, that's enough," Maes warned him in a low voice. He saw the tear slip from the corner of Reyna's eye which made him grow even angrier. "Roy, you don't know what you're talking about. Calm down. She was not judging you at all. You should really get to know her first before assuming such things."

Reyna gave Maes a grateful but sad smile. He knew a lot of her hidden pain and a few of her darkest secrets. She had allowed him to know enough to be aware of her true situation but not enough to pity her. Pity was the one thing she could not bear. Patience, understanding, and even sympathy she could accept. But NEVER did she want someone to feel sorry for her.

"I already know her kind," Roy spat out hatefully, rising from his seat.

"Her kind?" Maes repeated, skirting around the edge of the table with amazing speed and agility. He seized Roy by the collar, mussing the man's crisply ironed shirt as he lifted him from the floor. "You know, nothing about her kind. I suggest you get a hold of yourself, sit down, and shut up."

"I'm sorry," Reyna whispered to Gracia who was sitting across the table from her. She doubted the woman had even heard her as Gracia's green eyes beheld the sight of the sweet and silly man who had asked her out threaten to pummel one friend to redeem the honor of his other friend. A genuine smile spread across her face when she realized in that moment, Gracia had fallen as deep in love with Maes as he had with her. Those two made her want to believe in love at first sight. Long ago, she had deemed such the ridiculous, romantic notion of 'falling in love' as nonsense that only existed in the fairy tales her mother read to her at night. At least it existed for some beyond bedtime stories.

The next thing Reyna became aware of was Roy sitting beside her, smoothing down his hair and straightening his suit in a huff. He apologized profusely to Gracia before his dark eyes settled on her. She did not know what to expect after the earlier unforeseen outburst so she stayed quiet while keeping her expression neutral and emotionless. Her father had taught her many useful things. Becoming an emotional brick wall had its uses for certain circumstances. This was one of those circumstances.

"I'm sorry. I'm very protective of my sister...and my past," he mumbled, lowering his eyes to stare at the white linen tablecloth. He had not been able to maintain eye contact because he knew he had been wrong. He had jumped to conclusions and assumed too much. His lack of self-control had caused him to act like a total ass, hurt her feelings, and nearly ruin Maes' date. Holding his temper did not come easy to him with his short fuse and low threshold for haughty assholes. Completely unaware of his own attitude of arrogance, he was clueless that he was indeed a hypocrite.

"Oh, the food is here. Time to eat!" Reyna exclaimed happily with the skills of an accomplished actress.

"Reyna, I -" Roy abruptly halted his words when she turned her head to look at him.

With a smile on her lips and fury in her eyes, she said in a disturbingly calm voice, "Just eat, Roy. We'll talk later. Do not do another thing to mess up their date."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied like a good soldier. He was sure a different reply would involve physical violence at this point because she was so put out with him. That would definitely ruin the date for Maes and Gracia.

The rest of dinner involved great food including a fantastic chocolate dessert. The conversation revolved around general topics like the weather and recent happenings in Central along with benign 'getting to know you questions' such as "what's your favorite color?." Maes and Gracia did most of the talking which allowed Roy and Reyna to stew in a dramatic silence while ignoring each other. After leaving the restaurant, Maes drove to the biggest and most beautiful park in Central, the one located across from the academy. A winding walking path weaved its way between trees and rocks with lots of gas lamps to light it. The center of the park was dominated by a massive three-tiered fountain with a circular area surrounding it that was inlaid with shiny indigo blue tiles. A lake filled with koi encompassed the park except for the entrance. During the day, many ducks, geese, and swans glided on the lake or waddled through the soft grass. They were all nestled down and sleeping now. The park was tranquil and mostly deserted at this time of night. Only the sound of crickets disturbed the perfect peace. A few couples strolled through the park on the stone paved paths. The people walked holding hands, their arms linked, or with the man's arm wound protectively around his companion's shoulders. Except for one couple. Reyna walked on one side of the wide path, her arms folded over her chest. Roy walked on the other side with his hands shoved in his pockets. Neither one of them spoke a word. Maes and Gracia had strolled away, arm in arm, in the opposite direction.

Reyna ceased walking to look at the half-moon. Half light and half dark, the two sides of the moon coexisted making one complete object until the lighter half slowly dominated the other. She closed her eyes, inhaling the cool breeze that blew across her face. The scent of night-blooming jasmine, an overpowering sweet and flowery yet earthy smell, filled her nostrils. The breeze blew over her again, and she shivered. Her body stiffened when she detected the presence of Roy behind her. She relaxed when she felt the warmth of his jacket cover her shoulders and surround her chilled body. Her eyes remained fixed on the moon when he moved to stand beside her.

"Thank you," she said, pulling the lapels close together. Her eyes slid to the corners to get a glimpse of him out of her peripheral vision. He seemed to shiver slightly. "Are you cold now?"

"No. I'm fine," he responded, taking a sideways step to move closer to her. "Reyna, I'm sorry."

"About what?" She knew he was referring to the 'misunderstanding' at dinner. She preferred to just forget the whole matter and continue on with their lives as if nothing had happened.

"I overreacted. I'm sorry," he repeated, putting his arm around her waist.

"Well, I could be accused of grossly under-reacting quite a bit so I suppose we're even," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Do you believe in fate?" he ventured, pulling her more firmly to his side.

"No," she answered bluntly, a hard edge to her voice. "I don't believe in a lot of things. I don't believe in destiny. I don't believe our lives are completely out of our control. We may not be able to guide our path for a certain time, but not our whole lives. We can shape our own future or change what lies before us. I don't believe that people are inherently good. I don't believe in monsters we can't see because the humans we do see are so much more horrifying. And I don't believe in falling in love."

"Hmmmm," he hummed thoughtfully, hugging her briefly in a sideways embrace. "Do you believe in balance, yin and yang, opposite forces that equalize each other...or like with some alchemical formulas that substances neutralize others that would otherwise be lethal?"

"Well, of course, why?" she questioned him, turning her head and looking up at him since he was taller than her. She inhaled sharply when he pressed the tip of his forefinger under her chin to keep her eyes centered on his.

"I've been thinking - " He began only to be interrupted.

"Now there's a dangerous concept," she giggled, thrilled to see a hint of a smile on his lips.

Roy cleared his throat, giving her a stern look. "Like I said, I've been thinking since our little situation occurred earlier. I need someone like you in my life."

"Oh?" Reyna searched his eyes attempting to decipher the true meaning of his words. Doubting that it was anything of the sappy, romantic sort, she waited for him to continue.

"I think you need me too." Shockingly, Roy managed to make this statement without a hint of smug conceit.

She kept her mouth closed, carefully considering his words. "Because we seem to equalize each other? Bringing a harmony and stability emotionally?"

"That was a very poetic way to put it. And yes." Holding her gaze, he could read her genuine emotions. Although she had been trained to hide her feelings, sometimes she failed miserably at doing so. This was one of those times. He could see that she wanted to believe him - that she needed to believe him. He knew he was taking a huge chance, asking her to trust him implicitly so soon.

"Are we making a business deal or embarking upon a relationship here?" she inquired, unsure of his intentions.

"It is definitely not a business deal. As far as the relationship goes, I think it best that we stick with being friends."

"I agree."

To be anything more, especially this early in the relationship, would be ridiculous and just plain irresponsible. Possibly even dangerous for the both of them. Lapsing into a comfortable silence for the first time during the course of the evening, they gazed at the moon and pondered what choices they would make to mold their futures. Whether it be together or separate, a myriad of prospects and countless probabilities lay before them.