Royai Week Day 6-Flower Photo- a bouquet of flowers is nestled inside an envelope
A/N- This is a sort of continuation of my Day 5 fic (chapter 6)- Our House
Something's Missing
They didn't have much time to get the house in order. It would have been suspicious if they both had requested leave for the same period, and work was extremely demanding, anyway. Roy did not want to take off while he was only granting emergency leave. With the bedroom and bath in order, they made do. They had certainly lived under much worse conditions. While it was still a work in progress, they were home.
The kitchen was the third room in the house that they made functional. Roy would have been satisfied with take-out or delivery every night, but Riza wanted to cook. She liked to cook, and she liked her General to eat nutritious food. They didn't have to scrounge around. The boxes were all clearly labeled (Roy! Believe it or not!), and the kitchen boxes had been grouped in the dining area. It still took a couple of exhausting nights, but then they had a practical and comfortable kitchen.
While it wouldn't be their formal dining room, they had put Riza's table for two there. It was perfect for them with a close space on the floor for the fur child. Roy had tucked away a couple of candles, which he lit with a snap.
"Something's missing," he puzzled.
"There's a lot missing! We probably have less than a third done." Riza placed the plates of food at their settings. She had broiled some fresh river fish- a treat, because fish was usually in short supply. "For two military people who have had to move around, we have a lot of belongings!"
"That's not what I meant." He frowned. He was sure she was thinking that he was the one with a lot of belongings. He didn't need an excuse for all of his alchemy books. Then again, he did probably have twice as many clothes as she had. A smirk formed on his lips.
It had interrupted his thoughts off and on since the night she had learned that Selim Bradley was a homunculus. He had known something was wrong when he called her, faking an alcoholic fog. As well as worrying the hell out of him, she had said that she didn't have a vase.
With missions that often took them away for a few days at a time, he knew that she had decided that she shouldn't have plants. But, why didn't she have a vase? She should have cut flowers! In the summer, and maybe even spring, they would have flowers in the yard, but he'd always wanted to bring her flowers. He had a Mustang Mission to perform! It would take a bit of subversive strategy, but it would be worth it. He kissed her cheek as he removed their empty plates from the table.
One would think that it would be easy to buy one's girlfriend a vase and flowers, but not only did he have to pick the right vase and flowers, but he had to do it without her knowing it. That was a challenge, now that they were both working and living together. He either had to find a way to keep her busy or find a way to go out without her questioning his activities. Luck was on his side. Rebecca needed to discuss whatever idiotic thing Havoc had done lately, so she and Riza went to lunch.
It was a beautiful Tuesday, the day of the weekly flower market. Since he was pressed for time, he drove to a couple blocks from the stands and parked on a side street. He suddenly realized that he hadn't asked Riza where they were going to eat. He hoped they had gone to The Sandwich and Salad Shop, which had good food and was close to work.
Job One was to find a vase. Riza had loved a vase that had been her mother's, and she had filled it with flowers from her garden or with wildflowers whenever they were available. Her father had smashed it while Roy was visiting his aunt. She had felt that it was a lost cause and had thrown it away before Roy could take a look at it. It had been a plain off-white vase with a glaze that made it look like alabaster. Its muted beauty allowed the flowers to be the main focus. If he could find a vase with the right glaze, he could easily transmute it into the correct shape. Some of the flower vendors had vases, but there was a vase vendor who had one very close to what he wanted. A simple transmutation should turn it into a reasonable copy of Mrs. Hawkeye's vase- if his memory was accurate.
He had decided on daffodils, because they stood for new beginnings- like their new home. A few stands had daffodils, and one had a profusion of the sunny hue that he was looking for. He trotted back to the car where he already had a special box that he had made based on a humidor. The flowers were carefully tucked away and would remain fresh despite being left in the car.
Since he had told them to take an hour for lunch, he managed to get back to the office before the rest of his team and made short work of transmuting the vase. He wrapped it in newspaper and put it into his second favorite military-issued item- a sort of messenger bag. It wasn't as cool as his coat (which he ordered two sizes too large), but it had panache, too.
Not a second later, there was a knock at his door, and Hawkeye was admitted.
"How was lunch? What kind of stunt did Havoc pull?" Roy asked as he picked up a pen to look industrious.
Riza rolled her eyes. "Lunch was good. We went to The Sandwich and Salad Shop. Guess what? They had... quiche! Even though it's not a sandwich or salad." She swung her hand from behind her back to reveal a brown paper bag.
"You are the best adjutant ever, Captain!" He really wanted to eat the quiche then and there, but he didn't want to let Riza know that he had not had lunch.
"I know," she replied dryly. "Now, you need to finish that pile before you leave. And, since I can't leave until you do, it would behoove you to get to work."
"I wonder if all generals have subordinates that boss them around," Roy whined.
"Get to work!"
He saluted her with a grin.
When you're looking forward to an event, it seems to take forever to arrive. He'd even gotten a little ahead with his paperwork, so they left on time. No one even looked twice when they left together since most still thought of Hawkeye as Mustang's babysitter.
They discussed dinner in the car. He decided to take the quiche for lunch tomorrow so that they could both eat the same thing.
He prepared a salad and set the table while she cooked. Just as they were about to sit down, he remarked, "Oh, no! I left something in the car."
"You can get it after dinner."
"It'll only take a minute."
When he returned, he announced, "Any woman who would bring a man quiche deserves flowers. And something to put them in."
She wore her soft eye smile. "You were right last night. Something was missing. This makes our home even better."
A/N- I don't think that I have Riza roll her eyes in every fic.
