As the hour wore on, they slowly brought their bodies closer together as they danced silently among the other guests. His hand, starting out on her waist, unconsciously travelled across her back at an angle until it rested in the middle of her spine. Her right arm was pressed against his, her own hand on his left shoulder-blade. They had been proccupied with other things (Riza on watching the people around her and Roy with trying not to step on her) that it came as a shock when her breasts bumped against his chest.

He sucked in a breath as she backed up a foot. "Sorry," she said.

"No... problem..."

Now added to their other distractions, they were highly aware of the proximity of the other now. But, in a few minutes, like a magnet, they were drawn closer again. He felt an involuntary twitch in a finger on his back as she readied herself to pull away again, but he tightened his hold on her waist. She paused and looked up at him, her face so close to his.

"It's okay," he said softly, swallowing. "You don't have to."

She made as if to speak, but thought better of it. Still, she did not distance herself from him again.

God, he was so tired. The intense amount of concentration he was putting into his surroundings, and his heart beating fast against hers, and the rising heat in the room as a hundred bodies moved around and talked... they were all factoring into his exhaustion. He was still not sleeping right, although his sporadic nighttime naps were getting longer.

He just wanted so bad to lay his head on her shoulder and rest. But, he figured, that was too much to ask.

"Colonel..."

"Hm?" he asked absently. It hadn't even occurred to him to correct her, as he was no longer a colonel anymore.

"Can we change partners for a few minutes?"

His brows furrowed. "With who?"

"A young man with golden hair."

Oh. Edward. "Alright."

They stopped and she left him. He was disoriented for a second, standing in the mass of bodies alone, and then someone took his hand and laid another on his shoulder. "Roy Mustang," said the voice, and he could tell that she was smiling.

"Um... Winry, right?"

She giggled. "Right."

He visibly relaxed but he was still a little tense.

"Lost without your eyes?"

"Yeah..." Instinctively he let his eyes roam around, even though he couldn't see.

"Your eyes are with Ed, about ten feet or so to the left."

"Ah."

He could still smell her perfume, but that could've been what she'd left on him.

"Have you told her you love her yet?"

His eyes went back to her voice, staring at her mouth. "What?"

"Riza. Have you told her?"

"Er..."

"Oh, c'mon. I know you do."

"I..."

"Aren't you the least bit happy about having her next to you 24/7, close enough to touch?"

"That's..." He stopped and she could see his face close up in silence. She smiled sadly.

"I once told her, that if I ever strayed from my path, to not hesitate to shoot me. And she agreed."

She wondered what this had to do with confessing his love, but she went along with it. "What, you're afraid she's gonna get trigger-happy?"

"No, but-"

"Well, you have nothing to worry about. You won't stray from your path, because she's leading you. Who else could understand your vision better than your subordinates, better than the woman you love?"

His eyes widened, and he almost stopped dancing, but Winry continued to drag him along. He couldn't see it, but she was grinning widely.

"Partner change again. Good luck?"

"Wha-?"

Her hands left him and the smell of roses invaded his senses once more as Riza placed her hand in his, the other on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I had to talk to Edward about something. You seemed quite talkative with Winry, though."

"Yeah..."

They danced for a minute or so, but she could tell he was feeling a little uncomfortable. "Want to rest?"

"Sure," he said, despondent.

Riza led him over to a table and chair and they sat down. He said nothing else, just glared broodingly at the tabletop.

She lifted a glass of water and drank from it. "Edward and I have been planning something," she said vaguely.

"Oh?" he said, without interest.

"A get-together in Resembool, as we go passed it towards Ishbal."

"Hm. It's not really on the way."

"You're absolutely required to go," she said adamantly.

"If you say so."

She looked at him weirdly before setting her glass down. She was going to ask him what was wrong, but a few of the men accosted them at the table. Breda had Fuery in a headlock and the younger man was hanging there dejectedly.

"Hey, boss," Breda said, grinning. "We want to ask you something."

Falman just stood there, stoic as always. Havoc was brooding, probably about not having Rebecca with him. Armstrong was sparkling, as usual, his military jacket hanging over one grotesquely muscular arm.

"What is it?" Roy asked.

"How's about going out for a celebratory drink for your promotion, eh?"

Riza frowned, opening her mouth to suggest otherwise, but Roy beat her to the punch.

"Alright."

She stared at him, eyes wide. He was going to go drinking? Tonight? The night before they have to leave to go to the east? Was he serious?