Disclaimer: I think you all know this by now.
A/N: Welcome to Chapter 10!!
A BIG "Thank You" to everyone that reviewed for chapter 9, and told me their opinions. I really appreciate your input!
And now, ON TO CHAPTER 10! Please read and review!
Jean smirked, entering the office early the following morning. He had his usual cigarette tucked between his lips as he sat already working on his paperwork. From his desk he could hear footsteps already approaching the office. Glancing at the clock, he nodded. Right on time. Turning back to his work, he didn't even glance up when Riza entered the office.
"Good morning, Riza," he said, writing in a report. She blinked, surprised to see someone in so early.
"Good morning, Jean. How come you're in so early?"
"Just wanted to get my work done. It'd be nice to have the rest of the afternoon off, right?" He said, looking up. Riza nodded, having sat down at her desk after hanging up her coat and bag.
"It is nice, and I'm glad you're taking the incentive to do so. Do you have a date tonight to want to get off so early?" Riza inquired.
"Well, no, not yet," Jean said, closing one file and picking up another. She nodded, pulling out a file from her own stack.
"…Jean, did you put a fresh mug of tea on my desk?" Riza said, noticing the steaming mug.
"Yup. I knew you'd be in, and figured I could at least get you tea since I was going to be here early too," Jean explained.
"Thank you," she said, smiling. Her smile made him feel important to see such a rare sight.
The two were there for a few hours before the rest of the office entered. Fury, Breda and Falman were all surprised to see Jean already here. Normally he came in with them from the military dorms. The three men whispered among themselves as they hung up their own jackets and took their seats.
"Anyone see the Colonel?" Riza inquired, glancing at his office door and then back at the rest of the group.
"Nope. He probably slept with some woman last night and slept in," Breda said, sitting back in his seat. Riza's face remained emotionless, annoyed at the very thought.
"You don't know if he slept with someone last night," Fury said, setting down the report he had just opened.
"You wanna bet me on it?" Breda grinned.
"No. Because I might lose and not have a way to feed myself." Fury shook his head, crossing his arms. "I like eating thanks."
"Keh. You never take any risks," Breda said, reaching for a report from his stack.
"Well, he probably got drunk and is sleeping off his hangover. That wouldn't really surprise anyone," Falman said, glancing around the group. "…But Jean, weren't you the last one to see the Colonel last night? Did you two go have a beer?" Jean blinked, looking up.
"Yeah, we did have a beer. I left before we had more than one. We were just chatting, and then I wanted to get home. Hell if I know if he found some woman or not," Jean said, shrugging. He looked up barely at Riza, wondering if she'd have any reaction to his words. She seemed to be concentrating on the file before her. He probably did sleep with some woman. Just as he had closed the report he was reading, the door burst open, causing the whole office to look at the sudden loud intruder.
Roy stood in the doorway, looking at his office of subordinates. He nodded to them, slipping off his jacket. Most of them just watched him walk from the coat rack to his office where he then closed the door behind him. Riza exchanged a glance with Jean, confused as to the sudden entrance. Odd, thought Riza. She was always baffled by the antics of their commanding officer.
Showoff, thought Jean, rolling his eyes. The subordinates returned to their work, Roy remaining in his office for quite some time. A knock on the door caused them all to look up. It was rare that they had visitors, especially when it came at the end of the day.
"Come in," Riza said, looking up. There was a slight hesitation before the door finally opened. A young woman appeared in the doorway. She looked around, a bit confused. "Yes? Can we help you?"
"Well, I was looking for Roy," the woman said, looking around the office once more. Riza noted the civilian clothing. Someone he slept with I'm assuming. Past lover. Go figure. Her heart fell at the thought.
"He's just back there," Riza said, looking back down at her paperwork.
"Where?" Riza was getting irritated by the woman and she wasn't even in the room for five minutes.
"In his office, miss. Right back there," Jean said, gesturing to the door at the back of the room. The woman made a small sound that must have been an "Oh". She knocked, and then disappeared into the office. Riza finished the rest of her reports, setting them in the corner of her desk. Jean had been watching her the whole time, noticing that she definitely wasn't happy that Roy had a woman in his office. "Hey Riza, how about you and I go get a beer or something?"
Riza looked at Jean, smiling. She would gladly accept any form of alcohol, as long as it would help her forget him and that woman. "Sure. Since we're both finished, let's leave early." Nodding to Riza, Jean grabbed his jacket and Riza's. Fury, Breda and Falman exchanged glances after the two had left.
"Well… that was definitely different," Breda said, stretching and putting his feet up on his desk.
"The Colonel does have a woman in his office. Granted, she's not in the military, so that's not breaking any rules. But she looked like she wanted to do more than just talk," Falman said, having noted the woman's clothing choice.
"Hawkeye didn't look happy seeing her," Fury said, closing his current report.
"Jean'll cheer her up. He has that way with her. We saw it before poker night." Leaning back in his chair, Breda smirked. "They're good friends, so I doubt he'd try to get in her pants anyway." Fury sighed, shaking his head. All they ever think about is sleeping with woman.
X x x At a Bar x x X
Jean sat across from Riza, the two of them reminiscing. They were laughing about some incident in school. "I didn't think they'd actually do that to you Jean. I mean, Ben I can see, but Thomas too?"
"Yup. I had to be a gentleman around you or else I'd get a swirly," Jean said, shaking his head. "Thus, I'm the best guy with ladies. Your brothers taught me right." He loved seeing he smile and laugh; something he doubted the Colonel saw because he could never keep his pants on and actually spend time with the woman he loved.
"Well, I'm glad they did. You're an outstanding gentleman. You'll make a great husband when you find the right woman," Riza said before taking a sip of her beer. I'm the right man for you. You're the right woman for me. Can't you see that? Jean sighed, watching Riza for a bit before taking a large swig of his beer. They continued chatting, mostly about current issues.
X x x Back at the Office x x X
The woman left Roy's office, looking rather upset about something. At quitting time, Roy emerged, noticing that two of his subordinates—and close friends—weren't present. Breda looked up from the newspaper he was reading, seeing the Colonel with a befuddled look on his face.
"They left an hour ago to go get a beer and relax. Their work is finished," Breda said, watching Roy before returning to his paper.
"They can't just leave like that!" Roy said, going for his jacket. He was already frustrated that one of his exes had come to the office to beg him to take her back. And now that Jean had taken Riza, his Riza, out to get a beer made his frustration worse.
"So, if you're leaving, does that mean we can leave?" Falman said, sitting up in his chair.
"I don't care. Do whatever you want," Roy said, throwing open the office door and leaving. The three remaining subordinates exchanged glances before gathering up their things and heading home.
X x x At the Bar x x X
Riza felt like she did the last time she drank this much. Everything was very hazy, and she was laughing about the oddest things. Jean was sitting next to her, with half a glass of his second beer left. He could tell that she was drunk, and felt bad to let her get this far. But she was ranting, and kept asking for another glass. Pushing his glass away, and then moving her third glass out of her reach, Jean stood.
"Come on, Riza, let's get you home," Jean said, picking up her jacket off the adjacent stool. He looked at her, seeing her flopped over on the counter.
"I don't understand what he sees in those whores," Riza said, her words almost slurring together.
"Well hon, you should ask him yourself tomorrow. Not now while you're drunk. Come on, up you go," Jean said, pulling Riza to stand next to him. She swayed, leaning against him.
"No, I think I should ask him now. Come on, let's go," she said, stumbling towards the door. Jean followed her closely, not wanting her to hurt herself. He continued to walk next to her after they left the bar, steering her in the direction of her home. As they walked along the sidewalk, they happened to pass the Colonel, who was on the opposite street. Roy recognized the two voices, and looked seeing Jean, now almost carrying the drunken Riza.
"Why that lying son of a—" Roy started to say, before falling silent. He ducked behind a parked car and trailed the two. It was soon apparent to him that Jean was taking Riza to her home. But home to do what? She's unaware of anything that happens to her in that state! I must rescue her and make sure Jean doesn't take what doesn't belong to him. Roy's ego swelled even more at the thought, making him feel proud to be such a great guy. His mental theatrics started up, and he imagined what Riza would say once he threw Jean out. The bubble was quickly popped when there was the sound of a door opening. Blinking, Roy turned to see Jean and Riza entering her house.
Jean helped Riza inside, leading her to where he remembered her bedroom to be. After laying her down, and then pulling off her boots, Jean tucked her in. Placing a glass of water on the night stand, Jean then turned on her alarm clock and kissed her fore head. "Good night darlin'," he said. He locked the front door; leaving through the back knowing that Hayate would alert her if someone tried to enter through there. Stretching, Jean walked through the gate, not noticing Roy. There was still a mild drunken haze about him as he headed home.
Roy managed to make it inside Riza's house without any problems. Hayate had heard him, but instantly wagged his tail upon seeing him—glad to see the Colonel. Shuffling into Riza's room, he blinked, not seeing any sign of Jean. Riza was resting peacefully, her even breaths the only sound in the room. Retreating and leaving the same way he had entered, Roy headed to his apartment.
"Riza Hawkeye. You may be fooled by Jean's polite, gentlemanly nature, but you have yet to see me when I'm in love. I always get what I want," Roy said, a smirk on his face. He was going to show her exactly how he felt. Jean had his chance, but all that seemed to happen was him getting her drunk. "I'll show her just how a real man acts."
Thank you for reading Chapter 10! Please read and review!
So, to let you all know, I am going to have 3 romance chapters. This is just the start of their race. But following this there will be 1 chapter that is RoyRiza, another that is JeanRiza, and a third that is a love triangle. Just to be fair to all the shippers out there.
Thank you all once again for enduring the long waits for updates, and your input and reviews! Thank you for sticking with me! Dominic Knight aka Flava Sava!