Thank you so very much to Arrow Millenium & WashuHakubiPrototype for all the reviews! And thank you to all that favorited and subscribed to this story.
This is the continuation to Chapter 28.
One Month Later...
It was a surprise to everyone when the letter came. Of course, they had knew of the relationship, but the idea of them getting married at their age shocked them. Yet, here they all were, gathered in the small, but comfortable Rockbell household, all waiting for the wedding to begin.
Everyone was seated in the backyard in white chairs, eager to see the bride, Winry Rockbell, walked down the aisle. Riza Hawkeye, who seemed to somehow be the center of gossip lately, was seated between Havoc and Mustang. She wished that they hadn't come to sit by her, but it was also a relief. The day previous, she and Mustang had had somewhat of a scuffle. It wasn't anything major, but it was still an argument that had never been really resolved. Looking back on it, she felt awful about fighting over such a petty thing as to what sector they should secure first, when they both knew what one it had to be. She was just feeling a little testy that day, she supposed.
Then, everyone turned as Winry came out the back door, and began her walk toward Edward. Even Riza was surprised that Roy hadn't made any comment to him about how nervous he looked. Winry smiled softly as she finally stood across from Ed. Winry was the one who insisted on having a wedding and inviting Roy Mustang, although Edward was secretly wanting them there too. (Mainly so he could show off to him that he was getting married and Roy was still a single man.)
Halfway through the vows, and God she herself wasn't all quite sure why, but Riza just couldn't sit there and watch the rest. It felt like there was this God-awful tight feeling in her chest and the feeling of sadness. She excused herself to Roy and Havoc quietly and doing her best to unseen, sneaked her way back inside the house. She took a deep breath and tried her best to calm herself. This was not how Riza Hawkeye acted.
"You okay there Hawkeye?" She turned around to meet Havoc. Her thoughts though were more concerned with why Mustang didn't follow her, but she didn't have much time to think through them.
"Listen, I think you'd be better to just go home. I can even take you. The chief...Hawkeye...We all know what's between you and him and-"
"Havoc, there's nothing between me and the General. We're-" She was trying to act all business on an emotional issue. She couldn't believe what the years had done to her.
"Bullshit! Now, just listen to me. I think I've figured things out finally. You're jealous of them aren't you? Winry and Ed?"
"It's-It's not that. I just felt..." She couldn't think of the words. They wouldn't form into sentences in her mind, failed connections.
"The Chief is a good guy, Hawkeye. Hell, he's great. He saved the country, but you're wasting your time on...on loving him," Love? He wanted to call something that she had with Mustang as simple as love? She couldn't even begin to respond to such a thing! He continued, "He loves the country more than anything. You and I both know that. He's not going to give up something that great to be with you,"
"What's going on? Are you alright, Captain?" Roy Mustang entered the household, along with a few others. The wedding had ended, so now everyone was free to converse and dine. The three were off in the kitchen, behind the scenes, as one might say, yet he was still using formalities. Roy noted the scene he was taking in. Havoc was standing close to Riza, closer than Roy would have liked, but he could deal with that later. Then there was Riza, God he couldn't even bring himself to look at her. Her eyes had pricks of tears in them, but she still managed to look beautiful in the dress she had chosen for the occasion. Havoc gave Mustang a warning looking as he walked out of the room.
"What happened back there?" Roy walked closer to her, wanting, the need to be close.
"I just felt a little sick. I'm fine now though," Roy gave her a stern look. She was closing up the gaps in the wall that they had just torn down merely a month ago.
"Havoc-He-What did he say to you?" She shook her head. She couldn't repeat those awful, horrible things to him. She wouldn't. Roy was beginning to feel angry. How dare she block him out when they had just become to get so dangerously close? What happened to daring him, flirting with him, to tell him that he loved her last month? "Fine, I understand," He said and began to walk away, then there was her voice.
"Wait!" It was a yell, but merely a cry. She didn't want to be alone, not like this, "General, I'm just trying to-" Help? Save you from all the heartbreak of hearing those thing? She struggled.
"With...?"
"The things Havoc said, well, Sir, you don't deserve to hear them,"
"And I don't think you did either, if they worked you up this much. Tell me," A last minute plead, "please,"
"They know. According to him, everyone in the office has known for quite some time about...us,"
"That's all he said? Honestly, Hawkeye, even you could have guessed that they've been hinting at us! That's what you're so worried about?"
"Sir, please. I wasn't finished. He also," She was trying oh so hard to control herself, "He accused me of being jealous. Of Edward and Winry. He said that, I'm jealous because I'll never be with you like they are. The country means more to you than anyone could,"
And then it hit him like a bullet to the chest, an untreated wound having to let bleed out, "And you believed him?" He almost, almost, whispered a prayer for he to say that of course she didn't believe him. If she didn't, then he wouldn't know how to handle things. It's funny how the years have made them both forget how to speak.
"I said I would follow you even into Hell," She watched him closely as he ran his hands through his hair, a nervous habit of his.
"That doesn't tell me if you think Havoc's right about me," Just for the record, he hasn't told her he loved her yet, "Hawkeye, I know that I may be called a ladies' man, but, I don't know how I can make you understand,"
"You don't-"
"No, no. I want to. I have to finally be able to tell you that I love you. Do you hear me Riza Hawkeye? I love you. Yeah, the country means a lot to me and you know that it's my dream to be Fuhrer, but without you, well, let's not go there," By this point he was standing right in front of her face, so so close, dangerously close. She shook her head softly, hair that she had down for the wedding, shaking from side to side.
"I already knew," She wasn't romantic and let's face it, he wasn't with her either, but they both thought that this with somewhat a bittersweet moment.
"How long?" His hand brushes against hers, daring her to take his hand. She does, enjoying the feel of his fingers fitting so perfectly between hers.
"Oh, quite a long time now," She's smiling and he thinks that she's never going to be more beautiful than she is now, with tears in her eyes, hair down, yet smiling all the while. His other hand drifts up to her cheek, trembling, afraid that she'll run or deny him and yet. She is the one that makes the final one, her mouth on his. He kisses her and is so glad that it's finally all worked out between them, no more gray zones in their once black and white world.
"I love you," He says, once more, now unafraid. She smiles and whispers the same back to him, quiet and collective as she always is. They're both so, so happy and are glad that they don't need the use of words anymore to tell them how the other feels. Havoc was right, even though love was such a simple word, it fit their feelings respectively.
*Phew* This took me quite a while to work out all in my mind, but I did it nevertheless! Ugh, I lied though, maybe this could continue on. I'm not sure.
