I do not own FMA.

Word Count: 1,180

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Valentine's Day was always something Riza Hawkeye had looked forward to in her younger innocent years. She used to like seeing the way people expressed their love on this special day. The flood of flowers that overran the town, the smiles that lovers couldn't wipe off their faces, the way more people walked hand in hand down the streets, and the general air of happiness that filled the town. Her father had always planted a new rose or flower bush in the garden for her mother and gave Riza a box of heart shaped candies. Her mother used to love to go outside during warm days and tend to the various plants that thrived in her garden and clipping bouquets to decorate their house. After her mother was killed it was too hard for her Father to keep up the tradition, and for Riza to really enjoy the day. It wasn't that she was bitter, but the magic of the day had just disappeared for her.

The one thing Riza did to honor her mother's memory was to tend to the garden where the ashes of her mother had been spread.

One stormy night when Riza Hawkeye was fourteen, four years after the death of her mother, a boy knocked on the door of her house. This boy was none other than a drenched fifteen-year-old Roy Mustang, eager to become the student of Mr. Hawkeye. During the next two years they were forced to be civil to one another, and even help each other. Over breakfast and dinner conversations, that her father had always initiated, they came to understand each other, and a friendship was slowly formed between the two.

It was on a cold February morning that the sixteen-year-old Riza Hawkeye was surprised by the young man.

The seventeen-year-old Roy Mustang would admit that when he first met her he thought he would never grow to like her, she was too cold, distant, stubborn, tomboyish, and that was be just the beginning of his list. Watching her and interacting with her over the past two years had changed his mind, and he had even begun to develop a strange attraction towards her. He learned the reasons behind her behavior and noticed her other traits. She was loyal, determined, kind, self-conscious, strong, and devoted. The one thing he couldn't figure out about her was her love of gardening. It just went completely against everything that was Riza. When he asked she told him it was relaxing, but he noticed the way her eyes had glassed over at the question. He later questioned Hawkeye-sensei and discovered that the garden was the only connection she had with her mother aside from fading memories.

On the cold February morning he watched her climb the hill behind the house to the white willow tree they had had picnics at over the past summer. Hawkeye-sensei was in town helping a friend construct an addition to his house for a new addition to his family. Roy Mustang walked out to the front yard and clipped a bouquet of red, white, and pink roses from the garden. He tied it together with a simple blue ribbon he had bought in town.

Riza sat on the swing her father had put on the old willow tree long ago, unmoving, just staring at the cloudy sky. Her thoughts were somewhere else that was why a gentle push against her back startled her, almost causing her to fall off the swing.

Two arms steadied her, "It's just me," the all to familiar voice of her father's student announced. When she relaxed he pulled the swing back a little and gave her another push. The two continued like that until it started to drizzle. When Riza got off the swing she noticed the bouquet in his hand and raised an eyebrow at him.

He diverted his eyes from her questioning gaze, "Happy Valentine's Day," he said quickly, almost smashing his words together, and held out the handpicked bouquet towards her.

She was taken aback that it was for her. She had thought it was for one of the many girls in town that swooned over his charm and good looks. Uncertain of what to do she took the bouquet, blushing when her fingertips brushed his hand, and whispered a bashful thank you. When the bouquet left his hand he finally looked at her, and upon seeing her blush flashed a smile that she returned.

"They're from your garden," he supplied.

"My mother's garden," she corrected taking in the dusky pink, rich red, and pure white of the soft rose petals, "They're beautiful." Her eyes began to moisten as she looked from the roses to him.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "She'd want you to be happy," he said gingerly. She could only nod in reply as a single tear traveled down her face. He brushed the tear away with his thumb and pulled her into a gentle hug. Her hands were quick to return the embrace, right hand still clutching the bouquet. In that silent moment he comforted her more than her father ever had. They stood, pressed closely together until the drizzle turned into a pour. That day Roy Mustang made Riza Hawkeye believe in the magic of Valentine's Day again.

Ten years later the twenty-six-year-old Riza Hawkeye woke up in her apartment to the warmth of her dog curled up next to her. She smiled and scratched the dog's back as he woke up. Hanging on the wall above her dresser was a bouquet of dried roses, the first one she had ever received. It was that day again.

She walked to work with Hayate at her heels and observed the people buzzing about happily on the streets. The flower shops were opened early and bustling with activity. Paper hearts decorated the windows of both shops and houses. Merchants were putting out their best candies, chocolates, cards, and jewelry for the occasion. She strolled into her office and smiled when she saw the bouquet of roses on her desk amidst an assortment of other gifts. Every year for the past ten years she had always received the same arrangement without a card, but she didn't need one she knew who they were from. She quickly cleared her desk of the other gifts and then set a box of homemade peanut-butter cookies on his desk. She found it funny that he didn't really enjoy the chocolate that his admirers were so adamant about giving him.

When her co-workers got to the office they would all wonder who had sent her the bouquet, even Roy would get a kick out of "guessing" who her admirer was. She would just ignore their questions and theories like always and tell them to get to work. During the day she would comment on how beautiful the bouquet was, and he would in turn say how good the peanut-butter cookies he had gotten were. It was their way to say thank you without letting the whole office know about their exchange.

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A.N.- You would not believe how long it took me to come up with an idea I liked for the Valentine's Day challenge. Anyways, I put their tree from my past one-shots in here. I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and I apologize for ages being off, I am too lazy to go look it up at the moment, it is actually about 2 a.m. my time and I need to finish homework for my 8 am class. 2/15/07-grammatical corrections made

Thanks for reviewing: Dailenna, Lady Lola Laflaunda, Mirage992, TornadicWolf666, Bizzy, Riza Hawkeye 9, MoonStarDutchess, AnimeLuvr8, OTP, Dreximgirl, Envious Rinoa Mustang, Kuroxdoragon, RizaHawkeye21, RedSoul, Lili, Dat New Writa. jHeyTTernallie, AM Elric, Emo-Kid-666, Hmmingbird, White Butterfly, GettinHotWithJC, SaffireMoon21, Azilie, CloseFriend, WindCallerWolfLover, President Quatre Winner, Hunter-Robin, KT Rose, Midnight Moon, Words Without, Yoo-HooLuvr.WLegs, Hawkeye0165, Mitchi Takahashi, Dryphter, LoyalSoul, Ice Panther of the Fifth Realm, and Black Star Alchemist. Thanks to everyone for reading also!