Lips to Lips, Heart to Heart
DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Fullmetal Alchemist'. All rights belong to Hiromu Arakawa. I also do not own the song 'Can't Help Falling in Love (With You)'. All rights belong to George Weiss, Hugo Peretti, and Luigi Creatore (they wrote the lyrics/composed the tune). The song was originally performed by Elvis Presley. I only own this fanfiction, and the lyrics to Riza's song for Winry. Thank you.
Story Title: My Last Serenade
Pairing: RizaxWinry
Category: Shojo-Ai
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: T
"I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone!"
It was mid-afternoon in the city, and things were chugging along at a slow pace. The weather was slightly warm, leaving a fine trail of sticky sweat upon the back of one's neck if they stood in a single spot too long. So the majority were either cooling off with a nice beverage, or browsing through the various shops in the city. It was a way to kill time, and keep the humidity from fully registering in their minds.
But in one house, hidden among the various streets and complexes, a war was raging. The temperature outside had nothing on the fire that was burning beyond the door, as angry shouts and curses broke the tepid silence.
"Winry, I don't understand why you're getting so bent out of shape!" Inside the simple two-story, a female raced up and down the stairs with various items in her hands. Another followed in a fury, trying unsuccessfully to calm her down. It didn't help that she was yelling as well, as the first girl stormed once more down the staircase.
"Of course you don't understand! You're a soldier! Why on Earth would you care about emotions at all?" The girl called Winry shouted up at her companion, hands balled into tight fists. The left was wrapped around the handle of a suitcase, as she threw it down the last few steps. The other, who was obviously older, let out a cry of frustration. "I don't understand emotions? You don't understand compromise! You're acting like a spoiled brat!"
"Well you're no better, Riza! You just expect me to shut up and say nothing every time you leave-well, guess what? It hurts! It really does!" Angrily flipping open the top of the case, Winry began dumping pile after pile of belongings inside. Riza reached out to grab her arm.
"And what about you? I sometimes wonder if you don't love those machines more than me! You come home so late, and you leave grease stains all over everything! Do you know how hard those are to clean?" Winry forced her way around the woman, with another retort to fling back as well. "So? You drop empty shells all over the freaking carpet! And your boots are too noisy!" With a final thrust, she zipped up the bag, and hoisted it up with two hands. She headed for the door with a crooked march.
As she watched Winry fumbling with the knob, Riza threw one last outburst at the departing girl.
"So this is it, then? Fine! Do what you like! See if I care! Leave! But don't bother coming back!" With a shove, Winry had stumbled out the door. "Oh, don't worry-I won't!" And as a final insult, she kicked it shut behind her. Riza watched through the window, as Winry grew smaller and smaller, before turning the corner and disappearing from view completely.
She let out an anguished yell. "What the hell? Why is she so-so difficult?" She may have been a soldier, but Riza was still human. And she was just as prone to emotions as anyone else. Flinging herself upon the couch, she began screaming into the cushions. Black Hayate, her trusted four-legged comrade, was watching from under the dining table, waiting for everything to go back to normal. People could be so noisy sometimes…! And scary. Riza and Winry, his two owners, had been so very frightful making all those noises at each other.
This is insane! How on Earth did we end up together in the first place? Riza had never known that Winry had such a temper-or that she could be so cruel. Now she was gone, and Riza had her house back to herself. But that didn't make the pain lessen any. Not by one iota. The words still echoed through her mind, over and over like a broken record. They stung and festered, and Riza slammed her fist into the armrest. It hurt, but she didn't care. The dull throbbing was a welcome distraction as she tried to gather her thoughts.
Oh, man-I still have to return to duty tomorrow…like this…what the heck am I gonna say? What will they say? Being a soldier wasn't easy, and being a woman only made it harder. She was good at what she did, but conflicts took their toll upon her just as it did any of the guys. The difference between them, however, was that they could joke about it afterwards. She couldn't. Letting out a last muffled shout, she fell into an uneasy sleep, her energy spent and her throat raw.
Riza wasn't the only one freaking out. Now waiting for a ride, Winry's heart continued to skip beneath her t-shirt, as she clutched the suitcase as tightly as humanly possible. Her knuckles were turning white, as she struggled to compose herself before hailing a taxi.
I can't believe her! Saying all those things-just who does she think she is? She has no right! Riza was so obstinate and brash! It was for the better that she'd left in the first place. Sure, she'd have to spend the next few days or weeks in a hotel, but she had the money. And she wouldn't have to deal with that all-or-nothing military attitude Riza seemed to hold so dear.
And-and-oh, damn it! I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow! How am I gonna concentrate on the repairs? I'm liable to turn someone's arm into an extra leg! She shut her eyes tightly, suppressing the urge to hit something. Winry was an accomplished mechanic with her own business. But because she was alone, there was more responsibility that fell upon her shoulders. It only helped to enhance the strain brought on by these tumultuous feelings.
A taxi finally slowed down in front of her, and Winry marched to the back, flinging her bag in the trunk before sliding into the rear. Gazing out the back windows, she took one last, long look at her old neighborhood and her former lover's abode, before facing forwards to give instructions as the vehicle began to pull away from the curb.
…
"Eh? You and Winry called it quits?"
It was a new morning, and the military HQ was alive and abuzz. Riza, clad in full uniform, was currently slumped over a table, looking like she'd swallowed both the fly and spider. Her comrades were scattered about the room, but all were chiming in with their own thoughts and opinions. She'd just told them what had happened yesterday between her and Winry. She'd pretty much had to; looking like she did as she walked in? There was no way possible to hide it.
"Aw, gee…that's too bad. You two were really cute together." Officer Fuerey was shuffling a pile of papers, and he slipped them neatly into an open manila folder. Riza gave him a weary stare.
"You know what really bites, though? I can't even remember what started the fight in the first place." The male nodded in agreement, as Lieutenant Havoc sat down beside the woman. "Ah, don't stress about it. I'm sure things'll work out. And if they don't, then there are always more girls to choose from. It's not like you're unattractive!" He clapped her on the shoulder, hoping that this light-hearted response would perk Riza up some.
'WHAM' It didn't. She marched off in a huff, muttering to herself about 'men being such pigs'. Officer Breda gave him a questioning look from over the top of his paper. "What on Earth were you thinking? Just because your track record sucks doesn't mean that everyone feels the same way you do." He flipped the page as Havoc sat up slowly. A welt was beginning to form atop the front of his head.
"I was just trying to help. Sheesh. And get your nose outta my love life!" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a new cigarette and propped it between his lips. Standing up, he went to find an ashtray. Fuerey, with folder in hand, let out a sigh. "Well, with help like that, who needs enemies?"
Havoc whirled around, giving the youth a threatening glare. "Did you say something?" The feeling emanating from his eyes was enough to make the young officer drop his folder in fright. The organized papers fluttered out, a mess once more. "N-nothing, nothing! Nothing at all!" He quickly looked down, and groaned in realization. "Oh-now I have to sort them out all over again!" He bent down to scoop up the loose sheets, as Havoc finally located an ashtray. Returning to his seat, he lit up and inhaled deeply. Officer Fulman gave him a patronizing stare. "And if you keep that up, you'll be dead before the next war."
"Jeez! Why is everyone picking on me today?" Apparently, his bad luck wasn't just restricted to his romantic encounters-or lack of them.
"Hmph! Don't know what I was expecting, anyway…" Riza was leaning against the wall in an empty hallway, pondering the previous spat with Winry. Her head was sore and it felt too heavy.
It hadn't even been an argument over anything worthwhile. It was just a nothing fight; one of those little tiffs that long standing couples would get into, before kissing and making up. But in this case, the conflict had escalated, as both parties started dragging in details that didn't even have anything to do with the main point. And this was the result: separation and heartache. She slammed her fist into the wall, cursing under her breath.
"What was I thinking…oh, Winry. Please forgive me." Heading back to the room, Riza prepared to swallow her pride-and ask for help one more time.
'BAM' "Yikes! Oh, not again!"
Everything was just as she'd left it. Breda was still reading the morning news, Havoc was smoking a cigarette-his forehead was noticeably swollen-Fulman was seated as quiet as could be, and Fuerey was ready to cry as he picked up his fallen papers once more. This was too much for him! He would rather be on a battlefield than be stuck in this building for a moment longer! His teammates were scarier than the opposition, what with all their yelling and punching and nearly breaking down the doors…
Riza gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry-that wasn't what I was aiming for." Then what were you aiming for? Havoc mused to himself. The female was notorious for having near flawless accuracy, so he could only wonder as she sat down beside him once more. Of course, he wasn't about to voice this thought. One concussion was enough for him, thank you very much.
"I want to get Winry back." The four males stared, obviously shocked at the unexpected change of heart. Riza continued on. "But, well…I've never really been in a situation like this before. In other words, I'm clueless." They were stunned by her honesty at being inexperienced. She was one of the gutsiest people they knew! And this was a challenge for her? "So…anyone got any ideas?"
The room was silent for a few moments. Breda cleared his throat. "'Ahem' Well…it depends on what you're trying to do. Do you just want to apologize, or are you apologizing and attempting to woo her?" Fuerey blinked. When was the last time anyone had used that particular terminology, anyway?
"Both. I want her to understand exactly how I feel." The man nodded.
"You could try poetry. Girls lov-er, are supposed to like that sort of thing." All hell would have broken loose if Havoc hadn't caught himself there. Riza shook her head. "I can't write. I've never been one to coin that kind of stuff, anyway." It made sense, seeing the officer as she was. Though I will keep it in mind...
"How about a bouquet of flowers?" Fuerey piped up. Breda vetoed the suggestion. "They're too expensive. Besides, she's probably looking for something more powerful. Right?" Riza nodded in response.
Then, officer Fulman chimed in. "What about a song?" The other four stared at him in shock. How did he have anything to contribute?
Okay, that's mean. I should at least give him a chance to clarify. Riza decided to ask for an explanation. "W-what do you mean by a song?"
"Since the days of old, men have serenaded their lovers with beautiful music, to capture their hearts and prove their affections." Now he was in his prime form, rattling off a quote that could have come from a guidebook or a history text. "It mainly mentions males, but I don't see why it couldn't work the opposite way with women, too." He looked away, speech apparently finished.
"Hmm…I don't see why not." Breda raised his eyebrows in agreement. "It's strong, but it doesn't go overboard. You'd have your pick of tunes and lyrics. There has to be one out there that will adequately express how you feel."
"Yep." Havoc sat up, giving Riza a playful grin. "In fact, why don't you sing for us now? We can gauge your level of skill." Her face began to turn red, as she tried to shrug off the request. "I like the idea, but singing? Right here and now? I can't."
"Oh, come on Riza! It's the perfect opportunity! We could even help you choose a song!" Fuerey's wide eyes were sparkling behind his glasses. Once again, she tried to refuse. "Guys, I really couldn't"-
"Couldn't what?" That low, imposing tone cut Riza off in midsentence. All were focused on the figure behind her. Turning around slowly, she came face to face with none other than the leader of their crew, Colonel Roy Mustang. He was smiling politely, but there was a hint of mischief in his brown eyes. He was a strong fighter who also used the art of alchemy in his battles. Aside from that, he was a cunning tactician and commander.
Without hesitation, Riza spoke. "They want me to sing, Colonel. I had a…falling out, with my significant other, and I'm trying to find a way to win them back. The crew has suggested singing a song, and I have nothing against it. But I do not wish to sing in this moment." Hopefully, her clear and concise statement was enough to sway the man to persuade the others, in no uncertain terms, to knock it off.
But instead, Roy let out a low chuckle. "And why not?" Riza's jaw dropped to the floor. "After all, they are your buddies, yes? And they're just trying to help out. I don't really see the problem here. In fact, I'm kind of curious myself." The trials and tribulations of love were a fascinating subject as well for Roy. He'd had his own interesting encounters with the opposite sex, so it was rather refreshing to be able to turn the spotlight on someone else for a change. Especially his serious, no-nonsense first Lieutenant. "Go on-let us hear it." Sitting down on the other side of her, he folded his hands together, and gave her a crafty smile.
Inwardly, Riza was seething. You no good traitor…I'll get you for this, Roy, I swear it. Resigning herself to her fate, she rose up from her seat, and cast a quick glance around the room. All eyes were on her. "So, uh…what am I supposed to do?"
"Just sing, Riza. Sing the first song that comes into your head." She gulped, and racked her brain for an appropriate ballad. "Okay…I think I have one." Roy waved a hand in signal. "Go ahead."
Here goes nothing…taking a deep breath, Riza began to belt out the lyrics.
"Wise men say
Only fools rush in,
But I can't help
Falling in love with you."
Whatever enthusiasm the men had shown before had completely evaporated, as all five felt like witnesses to a spectacular car crash. Riza was completely oblivious to their reactions as she continued on, eyes closed and vocals pulsing through the small room. They wanted to cover their ears so badly, but none had the courage to do so, lest they invoke the wrath of Riza herself.
S-she…she can't sing! At all! Havoc was nearly biting through the end of his cigarette in horror. The color had drained from Roy's face, and Fuerey's glasses were on the verge of breaking. The paper in Breda's hands quivered, as his mouth stretched into a thin line of fear. Fulman was rigid in his seat, ready to topple over like a domino. This was truly torture. There was no other way to describe it.
Hey…this is kind of fun. No one had stopped her yet. And the more Riza went on, the more she grew to like the feeling. With confidence rising, she poured her heart into the last few sections.
"Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes,
Some things are meant to be…"
M-my ears are gonna explode! At that moment, Roy Mustang had the biggest egg frying upon his face. He had just wanted to have some fun with his uptight companion! But now, his scheme had backfired horribly, as he was forced to endure the worst impromptu performance of his life. And he couldn't do a damn thing about it. The 'Flame Alchemist' is about to go up in flames!
After what felt like an eternity, Riza finally finished her song. Opening her eyes, she eagerly scanned the crowd, searching for a sign as to how much they had enjoyed the song. Their mouths were wide, and their eyes were about to pop from their heads. They were utterly speechless. Not a one could speak up to tell Riza otherwise. She took their stunned silence as praise.
Oh…wow. Wow! Did they-did they really like my singing that much? Suddenly, the world seemed brighter. She was going to get Winry back! With the power of her voice, she would make the girl swoon, right into her waiting arms! These guys weren't thick at all-they knew of what they spoke!
"Thanks, everybody!" Bolting from the room, Riza was already planning a trip to the nearest records store. She just had to find that one song, memorize it, and blam! Her true love would return home. Trying to keep her giddiness in check-after all, it wasn't considered normal for her-she resumed her official march down the hall to her office.
The men were still stupefied from Riza's Earth-shattering vocals. It was only after five minutes of prolonged silence that Fuerey managed to choke out, "…poor Winry…"
She has no idea what's about to hit her.
…
"'Sigh'…It's so lonely now… "
Seated outside at a café, Winry lifted her head to the sky, gazing wistfully at the drifting clouds. She was on her lunch break, but hadn't been able to rustle up the necessary appetite. So she sat alone at a tiny table, with only a cup of tea to her left.
It had been nearly a week since she and Riza had split. And Winry was in agony. As soon as she'd stepped foot into that hotel she knew: she had made the worst mistake of her life. But she was too scared to go back and correct it. So she suffered in silence, drowning in memories of what once had been.
I don't even know what we were quarreling about…it was something so unimportant, but it blew up into this big spat. And I just walked out, not even bothering to take the time to think over my decision. How could I have been so stupid? Burying her face in her hands, Winry tried not to cry. She missed Riza so much…! She had been her rock and confidant for what seemed like forever. It was impossible for her to remember a time without the woman by her side. Now she couldn't even concentrate on her mechanics work, something which she always used to love and adore.
Especially when I could share it with her. Winry reached for her cup of tea, and took a long sip. The cool liquid slid down her throat, but did not register on her tongue. She was far too miserable to notice or care. She even missed Black Hayate, Riza's dog! He'd been so well behaved and friendly. And when Riza wasn't around, he'd provided her with at least some sort of company. Now, she had nobody.
This is the pits…She was so distracted that she didn't even see the black and blue clad figure stride up to her. It was only when they placed a hand on her shoulder that she came to. Turning around to see who wanted her attention, she nearly fainted in shock.
There stood none other than Riza Hawkeye. Her ex and constant companion was grinning down at her, and Winry could only begin to imagine what she was there for. Maybe she was about to reveal that she'd found a new lover already? Keeping her demeanor steady, she gave the blonde a somewhat annoyed expression. She figured it was expected of her, as a jilted lover. "What do you want, Riza?"
Dressed in that tight black shirt that she'd always wear beneath her uniform-the one that made Winry drool at the sight of how it clung to her toned torso and full chest-along with her blue soldier's pants, she tilted her head, a slight trace of hurt in her amber eyes. Winry blinked, and it was now gone. Riza was smiling again.
"I have something for you. I think you're gonna like it." Now she was confused. "Riza, what are you"-
"Here we go!" Before Winry could finish her inquiry, Riza had rushed over to the sidewalk. There was now a single single sheet of paper in her hands, as she faced the girl with a determined look. What is she going to do…? Winry got her answer soon enough, as she watched the soldier look down at the sheet, and take a deep breath. The next words flew from her mouth with all the force of a drill sergeant, but set to a tune.
"Days will pass, time will fly
And the world will keep on turning.
But no matter if it's slow or fast,
It'll never stop the yearning…"
Winry almost bit through her tongue. Had Riza come to kill her-and the rest of the patrons-with impromptu karaoke? Her ears were ringing, and Riza kept on singing.
"I tried to push it from my mind,
But the truth is clear for all to see
Baby, let's try once more
And I'll prove that you mean the world to me."
T-these lyrics! They're so-so sappy! And her voice…Winry's teeth were grinding, and the customers were fleeing for cover. But if Riza noticed, she didn't say anything. In fact, she thought that they were leaving in order to make the performance more personal between her and Winry! I never knew people in this city were so romance-oriented.
"So give me your hand, your heart and trust,
And we'll ride off happily
Just like a fairy tale of old
I'll be your prince for eternity."
Winry was torn in two. On the one half, she realized that Riza must have concocted this crazy stunt in order to apologize. And the gesture was enough to make her want to throw her arms around the woman's neck, kissing her passionately. But on the other hand, she was about to collapse from the sugar and tone deaf vocals. She tried to yell out over the din, to get Riza's attention, but she was too caught up in the moment to hear. And the words wouldn't come out, as she was subjected to two more rounds of insanity. Love really was a game of madness!
"I know that I hurt you before, it's true
I will never tell a lie
But when you left, the tears pushed through
And I thought that I would diiiiiie…!"
N-no! No sustained long notes! Please! By now the entire café crowd had disappeared, and a new group of spectators had gathered around, curious to find the source of this gut-wrenching racket. Riza finished the ballad with a flourish.
"So let's go back to a time before
Together in harmony
We'll belong to each other forevermore,
Cause Winry, you mean the world to me."
Winry felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment at hearing her own name roped into this train wreck. But at least it was over. Riza strode over, clutching the paper tight in her hand, and knelt before the girl on one knee. Now that the song had ended, her senses were returning to her. Her heart skipped, as Riza gave her a shy smile. She looks so freaking adorable…! And she went through all this trouble-just for me? Winry could barely breathe, as Riza took her left hand in hers.
"Winry Rockbell, I am so very sorry for being a jerk. You are more important to me than you will ever know. And no senseless argument will ever change that." She was beaming at the girl above her, and Winry thought her heart would burst from excitement. "Will you give me another chance? Please?"
"Oh…oh, Riza!" And with a sweep of her arms, she had pulled the female into a tender embrace. Their lips crashed together, as the patrons cheered and whistled. Winry wasn't sure if it was because of them, or because Riza had finally stopped singing. Either way, she didn't care. All was right with the world once more. She whispered into her lover's ear an apology of her own, and Riza responded with another kiss, obviously letting her know that it was accepted.
As they stood up to leave, Riza let out a nervous chuckle. "So, uh…how'd you like it? I wrote the lyrics myself." Which was a pain in the you-know-where…so much for my vow of never returning to my English studies ever again. But I couldn't find anything that really packed the right punch...
Winry gulped quietly-what could she possibly say? It hadn't been the best, but…
It's the thought that counts. "They were one of a kind, Riza." The woman's face lit up, and she ducked down for another sweet kiss. "I'm glad to hear that."
They began to walk then, Riza asking for directions to Winry's current residence. She'd probably need some help packing up and cleaning. As they turned the corner though, Winry interrupted the conversation with a request. "Riza, your performance was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. But, I must ask one thing of you. Just one."
Riza blinked. "Sure. What is it?"
"Please…don't ever sing again."
The power of love ballads had, at long last, met their match.
A/N:...yeah, please don't kill me? ^^;
Probably far more 'modern' than most of the stories I've written for this pair. But it was so much fun to pen out. Granted, I can't be certain that Riza doesn't actually have a singing voice like an angel, but...it was an amusing idea to me: that the 'Golden Sharpshooter' would actually find something she wasn't good at, and then not even know it.
Yes, Riza's sappy ballad was penned out by yours truly. 'blushes' I'm not the greatest when it comes to sweet love songs. [Darker ones-now those I can get behind. XD]
Still, though-those two are scary when they're mad. Seriously. O_o" Ah, well. It all turned out okay in the end. They're together again. :)
Let me know if you're all still reading/enjoying this series, okay? I know this isn't really a fandom with a whole lot of Yuri/Shojo-Ai, but...darn it, I have plotbunnies! So I have to try. XD All feedback is welcomed and appreciated.
Next time: cooking up chaos in the kitchen. Happy Belated New Years, by the way. And take care, everyone!
=^.^=