IN THE LATEST FMAB THE GOLD-TOOTHED DOCTOR CALLED RIZA ROYS BELOVED! How canon can you get, really? :D Also, my university semester is over! WHOO!
This chapter explains a wee bit about Kate, and a bit more about Riza's thoughts on Havoc's offer :) But what will she decide?
"Where the hell are we?" Edward growled, shoving his hand in his pocket and drawing out his pocket watch, checking it and huffing angrily. Alphonse glanced over his shoulder with a sympathetic smile as they watched from a distance as Kate entered a small bar. "I have never been in this part of town."
It was true for both of them, the area was run down and shabby, with broken glass littering the narrow walkways. The bar Kate had entered was one of many on the short road, a small bar cornering an alleyway with a broken sign reading "Betsy's".
"Should we go inside?"
"Would we catch gonorrhoea?"
"I don't think so." Alphonse said, uncertainly. Ed was silent for a moment, before he broke out in a face-splitting grin as he snorted. Al frowned. "Brother?"
"I was just imagining Mustang with some horrible disease, never mind."
A little daunted, Al turned back to the bar. "Oh look, she's coming out already."
True to his word, the short blonde woman emerged from the doorway, wearing a knee length coat to cover her dress, and had discarded her heeled shoes (Alphonse had yet to get over the fact she'd scaled a wall in those) in favour of ratty boots. She turned and kissed a shadowed figure on the cheek in the doorway before departing, glancing behind her furtively.
"We following?" Alphonse asked, looking to Edward before blinking at the empty space. "Ed?" He looked after Kate and saw a small car, heavily adorned with thorns and dragons following her slowly. "Oh, brother..." He sighed, crouching low and running after the car.
They followed Kate down a side alleyway, Edward restoring his 'car' to it's rightful form as a metal bin, and hiding behind it as Kate climbed up a fire escape to the third floor of a building, the ground floor of which was signed as "Ryan's girls"
Grimacing at her choice of venue, Alphonse looked at his older brother. "What now?"
Edward rolled his sleeves up and smirked. "What else? We follow."
"Of course." Al sighed. "But how?" Ed was already running up the fire escape as silently as his boots would allow, using his arms to swing over the banisters soundlessly. Alphonse blinked, before following in the same manner.
They crouched beside the open window Kate had entered through and Edward mimed for Al to be quiet, a totally unnecessary gesture that had Alphonse rolling his eyes. They fell silent and listened intently to Kate's voice.
"... you would kick me out as soon as you saw me."
"The idea is tempting." A male voice muttered, and the boys heard the sound of a glass being set down. "I was under the impression you'd moved on from our type."
There was a sigh, Kate's. "You know that won't happen."
"Then why did you go?" The voice sounded strange, emotional. "He's really angry at you, you know. Why did you come here? Didn't your mum warn you?"
"Mum doesn't mess with you guys, you know that."
"But you're her daughter." The voice was reassuring, but had a vicious undertone. "Surely she'd stop turning a blind eye for you."
"I'm not her problem, don't be ridiculous. I'm Roy Mustang's wife." She paused. "That's why I'm here."
Edward smirked at Alphonse, who sighed in dread; he knew that look. Edward was relishing this, totally.
"I want you to stop with the threats. This life is nothing to do with you."
"Or you."
There was a short silence and then "I know. They're good people, so in a few years I'll leave, but I can't now, I can't!" Alphonse risked a glance over the window sill. The man was out of sight, but Kate was stood more proudly than she'd seemed in the mansion- this was evidently her home environment, and she knew what she was doing.
"Leave? in a few years? That won't satisfy me or him, you know."
"I didn't come here for my own safety, I came here for yours. If I tell them you were the witness, that I remember..."
"You wouldn't." The voice was perturbed, but confident. "You love me."
There were footsteps, and knowing time was up, Alphonse dragged Ed over the side of the fire escape, hanging on to the railings so they wouldn't fall. Kate emerged from the window, face serious.
The man inside watched as Kate left, and sighed, picking up his whiskey and sipping it leisurely as he listened to her descending the noisy rattling fire escape. Pausing, he listened as the two that followed her dropped to the floor, landing on their feet and heading away. "Well that was interesting." He mumbled, looking up at the flaking ceiling. "I wonder how much longer she'll be welcome?"
He looked over as the door opened and his eyes widened at the sight of the man in the doorway. Standing abruptly, and dropping his glass, he bowed to the intruder, and clenched his fists in nervousness.
"It seems like you'll want to let off steam tonight." The man's voice was gentle, as always, but he knew who this was, and wasn't going to be lured into a false sense of security. "Come downstairs, I'll get one of the girls to help you out."
"Thank you, Ryan."
Riza had been thinking over the offer, even when she returned to Roy's office and Havoc had gone home.
Havoc's almost-confession had been disconcerting. It was good that he only admired her now, but still... suddenly all these men were coming out of the woodwork and none of them were an option.
She snorted at her own thoughts. Well that was an overly practical way of thinking about it...
Taking Havoc's place as General...
Riza bit down on her lip worriedly. She wasn't one to bet, but there was a certain masochistic part of her that was tempted, if only to cling to her connections to the Military. Hardly the brave new life she sought, but a safer option.
Maybe she could transfer, and act like her Grandfather as a General, overseeing one of the Amestrian districts away from Roy. It was certainly the wiser choice.
"Riza?" She looked up as Roy entered her office. "Shouldn't you have gone home already?"
"What time is it?" Riza asked softly, the desk lamp the only illumination as Roy approached her. He was wearing plain clothes, and carrying a glass of wine.
"Late." Roy answered, smirking. "Losing track?"
"A little." Riza admitted, she shot him a glance. "You're not helping." He shrugged, and sat against the desk.
"Want to talk?"
"Not particularly." Riza smiled, and Roy nodded, smiling back. "Where's Kate?"
"In bed."
Riza nodded, ignoring the clenching in her chest at the casual mention of his wife in bed. "Shouldn't you be?"
Roy raised an eyebrow. "What?" He frowned. "We don't sleep together, it doesn't matter if I'm in bed now or later... Riza?" He sighed. "You don't want to be with me, but you don't want me to be with anyone else, is that it?"
"That's not it at all, Fuhrer." Riza said, meeting his eyes. "I wouldn't be so childish."
"No." Roy took a sip of his wine. "Even when you were young you were mature. Difficult to approach." Riza frowned.
"Difficult?"
"More like unattainable." Roy amended, smiling again. "You never said what you wanted, and only did what you were meant to do. It's always been that way."
Riza subconsciously straightened a little, reminded of the scars. "There's nothing wrong with fulfilling your duty."
"Indeed. I'm doing the same right now..." He smiled bitterly. "Though maybe not as quietly as you do." They fell into silence before Roy sighed. "Join me for a glass of wine in the lounge, at least. If nothing else we're old friends."
"If nothing else." Riza smiled, and stood up with him.
Once in the lounge, Riza removed her jacket and hair clip as Roy poured her a glass and sat down. Riza accepted the glass with a smile, and they chatted together about nothing.
It was good to chat pointlessly, and they both enjoyed the company. After a while, Riza turned to Roy thoughtfully. "Roy... I honestly think you should try to make the best of your situation."
"How so?"
"You two are uncomfortable around each other. It's only a matter of time before someone notices it's more than nerves on her part. You two should try to go out together a little. Get to know each other." Riza looked to the fire. "She's lonely."
"She has Winry, you... Jean Havoc likes her."
Riza shot him a glare. "He does. Under normal circumstances his affection should be encouraged, but she is your wife, and it will only hurt those involved if it continues."
Roy sat back. "You're a very logical woman." He smiled, amused.
"Yes." Riza agreed softly. "But I also don't want to see Kate get in a situation more complicated than can be helped. She's a good girl, and I think she is right for this country. With no military background she could be an... emissary or advocate of peace without the tainted background we would have had."
Roy winced as Riza acknowledged the way things would have been. "You'd have accepted me?" He asked, serious. Riza glanced at him in surprise, silent as they regarded each other in the firelight. Her long blonde hair flickered orange in the light, and her eyes danced with the reflection of the fire.
"I think that goes without saying, although..." She didn't manage the rest of her sentence, as Roy moved to sit beside her and leaned in quickly, gently capturing her lips.
Riza closed her eyes and lifted a hand to his shoulder, pushing him away gently. They remained a short distance apart, Riza's eyes solemn, and Roy's pained.
"I'm not first lady material." Riza finished, stroking Roy's face softly. "You were a fool to consider the idea." Her words weren't harsh, but more like the words of someone resigned to their fate. Roy held her gaze, and leaned forward again, resting his forehead against hers.
"I want to marry you." He breathed.
Riza was quiet for a long moment, and then she sighed, holding his face away and kissing his cheek. "Me too." She assented.
"Riza Hawkeye!" A loud voice bellowed, and the two sprung apart to see Rebecca in a short black dress and heels. "You cheat!"
"Rebecca?" Riza raised an eyebrow.
"You promised we'd go out tonight!" Rebecca whined. "I've been waiting forever!" Roy muttered something about Harpies under his breath and Rebecca shot him a glare. "She's mine tonight!" Rebecca called imperiously. "I booked in advance!"
Riza sighed, a smile tugging on her lips. "Booked?"
"Made plans, booked out, kidnapped- they're the same thing!"
"I don't think..."
"Shut up Mustang!" Rebecca turned to Riza with a pout. "I've not seen you in ages! Come on! I want to drink!" With a grin, Riza allowed herself to be steered from the room, leaving a dazed Fuhrer alone with two half-empty glasses of wine.
Half empty, definitely not half full.
"Curse you Rebecca Catalina."
You know the ffnet spell check doesn't accept Rebecca as a word? Riza's fine... oh and Gonorrhoea! (Though I'm certain it's spelled right... is Gonorrhoea not a word in American or something? I demand English English!) Haha or Scottish English, whichever ;)
Okay guys, I know no decisions have been made in this chapter, but updates will be ore regular from now on! So that should make up for it! Also, there are MANY ways this story could go and I'm still deciding. YOU CHOOSE!
OPTION A- A more action-y thing involving a kidnapping
OPTION B- A darker storyline where the characters get more deceptive and there's a lot of sinning
OPTION C- A lighter storyline where everyone sticks to their morals and tries to do the right thing
Remember, ALL OF THESE have the same ending, it's just how they get there :) Please vote! And review! And... I love you!