Note: I don't know about this chapter. Ugh, it's kind of corny but also adorable. AHHH, you'll see. This might end up changing, I don't know.
Chapter 4
Riza and Rebecca stepped back into the room after their heart-to-heart on the balcony. Riza's face looked conflicted and Rebecca was all smiles. Her plan was so going to work!
Rebecca loved to be a matchmaker but she also desperately wanted to see her best friend be happy. She was tired of her pining away after Roy Mustang and not doing anything about it. The same went for Roy Mustang. Rebecca could not understand, military careers aside, why they had never acted on their obvious mutual attraction. They were both smart and highly-trained soldiers, they could easily and discreetly sneak away and be together! Rebecca shook her head and sighed inwardly. Idiots.
The phone rang in their room. Riza looked at Rebecca, smirking. "Is that Havoc?"
"I can only hope," she said as she picked up the phone. It was actually Winry.
"Winry wants us to come to her room. She's nervous about tomorrow," Rebecca said after she hung up the phone.
"I would be too. Getting married is pretty nerve wracking, even if it is to the love of your life. I'd imagine," Riza quickly added the last part.
Winry was staying with May until tomorrow night in a room a couple of doors away from Riza and Rebecca's room. They knocked on the door and waited until they heard Winry yell at them to come in.
When they opened the door they noticed a lot more people in the room than they had anticipated. May and Winry were sitting on the bed with Pinako, Sheska, and Maria Ross. Paninya was sitting on the floor, exuberant as always, playing with Elicia Hughes while Gracia Hughes looked on, laughing. The most surprising occupant of the room, in Riza's mind, was that of General Olivier Mira Armstrong. Riza and Rebecca sat on the open spot on the sofa next to her, somewhat awkwardly. Riza had always respected Olivier, and the respect was mutual, but she hadn't known General Armstrong in a casual setting before and it seemed a little odd to Riza.
Lan Fan was out of the balcony, lying down. She was almost eight months pregnant and it was taking a toll on her. Izumi Curtis was outside with her, talking to her to try and distract her from her discomfort. The sliding door was open to the room in case Lan Fan needed anything.
"I'm so glad you two are here. I'm starting to get nervous! Not that I think Ed will leave me at the altar or anything, just more like I might fall walking down the aisle. I thought if everyone was here it would take my mind off of it until tomorrow," Winry said as Riza and Rebecca sat down.
"I'm sure everything will be perfect tomorrow," Riza said.
"Yeah, Riza will make sure it is. Even if she has to shoot someone!" Rebecca exclaimed, and everyone laughed, minus General Armstrong, who slightly smiled.
"Riza, where is Black Hayate? He didn't come with you?" Sheska asked after the laughter died down.
"I left him in the care of Kain Fuery. Rebecca is allergic to dogs if around them for a long period of time so I thought it would be best if he stayed with Fuery. He was asleep when I talked to Fuery before I got here. Black Hayate always sleeps for a long time after traveling. I don't think he likes it too much," Riza replied.
"It was nice of Fuery to help you like that," Sheska replied, blushing.
"He was the one who originally had Hayate. I let him have visitation of him occasionally." Riza added.
"There's nothing untoward going on between Riza and Fuery so you don't need to worry Sheska, he's all yours. Riza only has eyes for General Roy Mustang," Rebecca said, enunciating Roy's name and smiling at both her and Sheska. Sheska blushed but Riza looked at her friend indignantly.
"So there is something going on between you and the General?" Olivier inquired, not harshly like her usual voice but in a more curious tone.
"No, there is not. Nothing improper has ever happened between the general and I, not that it's anyone's concern. I cannot say the same, however, for Rebecca and Jean Havoc," Riza replied quickly, crossing her arms and looking smug.
"So what? Everyone already knows that," Rebecca replied, taking the wind out of Riza's sails.
"So are there any other secret romances in this room we need to know of?" Winry asked, looking around, beaming.
Maria Ross was the first to speak up. "Denny Brosh and I have been secretly dating for two years! There, I said it. Honestly, I think I might love him. Even though sometimes he's an idiot."
They all laughed, even Olivier.
"Izumi and Lan Fan are married, and Gracia and granny, you were, so do you have any advice for me?" Winry asked when the laughter died down.
Izumi looked at her thoughtfully. "Live through the bad parts. Don't try to make them better because sometimes you'll only make them worse," she said, clutching her stomach where the toll of her attempt at human transmutation was located.
"Remember that it's up to you to protect your husband. And in turn, he'll protect you. Also, be prepared of the worst when it comes to having a baby," Lan Fan added, ruefully grinning as she tried to get up. Izumi got up to help her.
"Wait here Lan Fan, and I'll get my husband. He's sleeping next door. He can carry you easily," Izumi said, and left the room. Winry got up and sat next to Lan Fan, rubbing her back. Izumi came back a minute later with Sig, who picked up Lan Fan easily and carried her to her room.
"She's probably exhausted. Sig and I will make sure she's ok. I'll go get Ling too," Izumi told everyone in the room, as all the women looked worried. She closed the door behind her.
"Poor Lan Fan. We should have delayed the wedding until she had the baby," Winry said, sitting back next to May.
"She would have never allowed it. Plus it was difficult enough getting into this resort as it was," Pinako replied.
"So what's your advice for Winry then Pinako?" May asked, trying to ease Winry's mind.
"I think you two will be fine. I'm not worried. Edward is a good boy. A little stubborn perhaps, but now that he's taller he's not so sensitive," Pinako replied as she smoked her pipe.
"Before we leave, I want to give you my advice. Don't ever take anything for granted, and treasure every moment you have. We aren't homunculi. We only live once," Gracia said, with Elicia next to her. Both of their eyes were watering.
Winry got up and hugged them both. She hoped she hadn't upset them too much. She walked them out the door and went back to sit on the bed.
"It's too bad Maes isn't here. He would have loved to see you and Edward get married," Riza said quietly.
Winry wiped away her tears. "Yeah, he would have, but I won't cry for him or his family anymore this weekend. I'm sure wherever he is, he's happy for us."
"I'm sure he is." Sheska agreed.
"Well, on that note, I think I'm going to go to sleep. Big day tomorrow!" Winry said, smiling and no longer crying.
Rebecca and Riza both hugged her, and then went back to their room. They changed into their nightgowns and then both of them tried to sleep.
"Maes Hughes would have loved for you and Roy to get married," Rebecca said, her back to Riza.
"Give it a rest Rebecca. I'm not giving up my career for Roy. I just made Major. Plus he's a womanizer, you told me so yourself."
Rebecca rolled over to look at Riza, who was staring at the ceiling. "I only said that to see how you'd react. I don't think Roy Mustang runs around as much as the rumors say. Probably because he's waiting for you…" Rebecca teased.
Riza got up. "I'm going out to the balcony. I can't take you right now."
"Oh Riza, sometimes it would be better if you would lighten up, just a smidge," Rebecca said as Riza walked away. Riza shut the sliding door to the balcony. Rebecca rolled over and smiled knowingly as she fell asleep.
Riza had been sitting outside for a couple minutes, staring into the lake again, when Roy Mustang appeared on his balcony, next to hers, alone. Their balconies were a couple feet apart, with nothing to impede the view except a short ledge that surrounded the balcony so people wouldn't fall off. The air was balmy, and the night was clear. A crescent moon hung in the sky, reflected in the gentle waves of the lake. She glanced at him but continued to look straight ahead, hoping he wouldn't notice her. She was not that lucky.
"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Roy said, wondering if she was an illusion brought on by his slight intoxication and previous conversation with Jean Havoc. He was glad when she replied, as he hadn't thought himself to be that drunk to cause a hallucination. He sat down.
"Getting away from Rebecca. She has these crazy notions and she won't let up on them," Riza replied, hugging her knees. She didn't stop looking at the lake.
Roy rubbed the top of his head. "Havoc is annoying me too. He won't let me live down a mistake I made. That I continue to make."
"Is it that mustache? Because I've never mentioned it before, but I hate your mustache," Riza replied, grinning. She looked at Roy and then started to blush.
"What's wrong with my mustache?" Roy questioned, looking at Riza indignantly.
"Sir, you don't have a shirt on! If someone saw us…" Riza trailed off, not knowing what to say.
Roy stood up. "Yeah, it would be so much different than what they say now."
Riza also stood up, her hands on her hips. "Maybe you don't care what people think, but I hardly want to be known as another one of Roy Mustang's floozies! I don't want people to think I got my job based on anything but my merit!" she said forcefully, but not loudly.
He looked at her, shocked. But then his face turned to a look of determination. "If anyone ever even hinted that's how you got promoted to Major, I would kill them Riza. You're the most honorable person I know, and I would never let anyone besmirch you. Ever. I care about you too much to let anyone hurt you."
Riza blushed again, and she sat back down. Roy continued to look at her.
"I have to go to sleep. I have a lot to do tomorrow," Riza said quietly, and left the balcony in somewhat of a daze. Rebecca was asleep and Riza thought about waking her but just couldn't. She decided to read instead, to get her mind off what Roy had said, and somehow fell asleep, her book on top of her.
Roy, unsure of Riza's reaction to what he said, went to his bathroom and looked in the mirror. If she hated his mustache then he would just have to get rid of it. There was nothing for it.