Summary: Roy just can't stop thinking about his Lieutenant. He has come up with a plan that might but will probably make things worse.

Dedicated to Emma and Tas for all their support.

Chapter Three

From the moment Roy left the guest room, he wanted to go back in. He wanted to lie in the bed, have her cuddle against him and hold her in his arms. It was a ridiculous and inappropriate but his being yearned for it. For her. He managed to force himself down the stairs.

I'm not drunk enough for this.

He went out into the bar. All of the patrons were gone. He sagged into one of the bar stools next to where Chris was counting the takings for the night. She plonked a glass of brandy in front of him.

"Drink up, you look like you need it."

He smiled in thanks.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to be up there with her?"

Roy scowled. "I'm not the type to take advantage of a drunken woman."

Chris chuckled and winked at him. "I know that Roy-boy, but you're also wearing the look of a lovelorn teenager. All you probably wanted to do was look at her fall asleep." He shot her another sour look but it had little effect. She chuckled. "What will I do with you, boy?"

"You can start by not calling me boy." He pursed his lips. "Did you have to embarrass me like that in front of the Lieutenant?"

"Embarrass you? Come on, Roy. It was hilarious to see the way she was clinging to you."

"To you, maybe. It was-" Divine. He shook his head. He couldn't say that. "It was highly inappropriate. All completely innocent. But if someone saw."

Chris' eyes danced. "I thought I raised a better liar." She smirked and turned around taking the money with her.

Sourfaced, Roy watched as she went into the back. His hand tightened on the glass. Was he that obvious? He swallowed the remains of the brandy in a long gulp. He closed his eyes and dropped his shoulders. Damn. He should have been more careful. Havoc could have taken care of her. Taken her by the arms. He clenched his jaw picturing Riza clinging to Havoc and whispering in his ear. No - that wouldn't have done either. Although, he had to admit it would have been less scandalous.

Damn it. Pull yourself together.

He reached over the bar to grab the bottle Chris had set aside. It was grabbed out of his hands.

"Just one more."

Roy shrugged. He felt a pleasant buzz but he was nowhere near drunk. Still, he wasn't going to argue because getting drunk and crying on Chris was the last thing he wanted.

Chris poured them both a glass. When she raised her glass, he did the same.

"To your Lieutenant."

He rolled his eyes but clinked her glass.

"Promise me you'll be kind to her, Chris. Please don't tease her tomorrow. Seriously, she will be very embarrassed. It's quite out of character for her to get so..."

Chris arched an eyebrow and leaned in. "...affectionate? Handsy?"

Roy let out a huff and crossed his arms. "I was going to say inebriated."

"Oh, don't worry, she probably won't remember any of it in the morning."

Somehow, the idea of her not remembering wasn't very comforting. He forced a smile. It would be for the best if she didn't remember how held onto her for a little too long. The vomiting on him, she was welcome to forget that one. Although, Havoc might have seen that too. His heart sank. He was sure Havoc was going to tell the others what he saw. If nothing else he saw them dancing and almost kissing. So close. If he moved forward just a fraction, he would finally have solved the mystery of what Riza Hawkeye's lips would feel like.

There was a loud thunk and Roy almost fell off his stool. He looked up and met his aunt's amused gaze.

"Roy, you were drooling."

"No, I wasn't." He made to wipe the side of his mouth all the same but stopped himself when Chris' smile grew wider. "Stop it, alright."

Unwilling to allow his aunt to get any more amusement from him that night, he rushed the rest of his drink.

"I should go home and let you go to bed."

"Do you want me to call you a car?"

"I'd rather walk." He slid off the stool and realised his feet were not quite as steady as he thought. The effects of the last glass were hitting him a little harder than he would like. Chris arched an eyebrow. "Yes, I'd rather walk."

"Suit yourself."

He stubbornly put one foot in front of the other and was satisfied the room wasn't spinning. "See, I'm fine."

"I know."

By the time Roy arrived back at his apartment, his mind was still preoccupied with his Lieutenant. He spent the journey thinking about the events of the night, how Riza had looked and how badly he had wanted to climb into that bed with her. It was a good thing that he had not been as drunk when he was looking after her. He poured himself a glass of water and sank onto his beaten up couch. His apartment was bare-boned, just the basics, very masculine. The only personal thing in his living room was his bookcase, cluttered with books. His mind wandered again to Riza and he thought of her home and her father. The rickety house that was once grand, the bursting bookshelves and young Riza trying to keep the household even as her father almost burnt it down. Back in those days, he had fancied that one day he would sweep her away from her life of drudgery and marry her. Instead, he had joined the military with dreams of helping Ishval, keeping her people safe and making his aunt proud. He knew Chris had not wanted this life for him but she had supported him all the same. Just like she had never wanted her own kids but raised him as hers nonetheless. Yeah, the damn alcohol was still making his melancholy. His mind was much too preoccupied to try and sleep, so he picked up the half-finished crossword from that morning.

Roy didn't sleep that night. When he tried all he could see was Riza's face. It was messing with his head, making him imagine all sorts of things he had no business imagining. He couldn't get her out of his head. He knew he was acting like a foolish teenager, but he let his imagination act out his fantasies. It was the closest he was ever going to get. He didn't deserve a woman like Riza Hawkeye. He was a killer, a mass murderer, and although Riza had blood on her hands too it was not as dirty as his. He couldn't sully her with his darkness. He would sink her down to his level. They had sworn to change things. They made a vow that she would watch his back and he would get to the top. Together they would pursue redemption for their sins. Falling in love with her would complicate matters. He ignored the tiny voice in his head that told him it was too late. That he had already fallen in love with her.

In the course of his musing during the night, he realised Riza didn't have a change of clothes. He decided he would save her some embarrassment by going by her apartment and pick up a change for her. He could check on Hayate while he was at it. Roy stopped at his favourite cafe for a cup of coffee to go. As he took the paper cup from Trina, the smiley waitress who was always flirting with him, he caught sight of a flyer next to the till.

Join in the fun. Funfair, Dancing, Music.

He looked at the location which wasn't very far from the city. A small smile appeared on his face. It reminded him of the old days when he and Riza had been kids with stars in their eyes. It would be nice to go to a festival as adults. It had been years since they took a day to just have fun together. As friends of course. He would just have to figure out how to convince his Lieutenant.

A loud cough interrupted his thoughts.

"Doesn't look like it would be your sort of thing, Roy." Trina was smiling at him. "I get off at 5 though if you want some company."

"Sorry Trina," he said, "I have a date with another lady today."

Despite the continued ribbing of his aunt and Vanessa both before and after Riza joined them, Roy was in a jovial mood. He was determined to convince her to spend the day with him. Riza, despite her delicate condition, looked beautiful. He wanted to tell her but the words stuck in his throat. It was probably just as well as she probably wouldn't thank him for it especially not in front of Chris and Vanessa who spent breakfast teasing them. He couldn't blame them, he was sure he was staring at his Lieutenant in an entirely unprofessional manner. He needed to nip this in the bud before they were back at work.

Although determined, he was by no means confident that she would agree. After asking her to spend the day with him and almost baring his soul to her. She saved him with the heartburn joke. That would have been something he couldn't take back.

"So, we're not working?"

He shook his head and watched her carefully trying to determine if she was angry at him. "Just two friends and a dog taking a trip into the country."

"This is highly inappropriate, sir."

His throat went dry and he dropped his head.

She let out a sigh. "Alright, where are you taking us?"

His face broke into a smile. "It's a surprise!"

She raised her fair eyebrows, "A surprise?"

"I promise it's a good surprise. I'll give you a hint."

Riza rolled her eyes. "I would rather you just told me, sir."

He ignored her words. "It's something you used to enjoy when we were kids."

"I hope it's not too far away, sir. I don't think I could stand a long journey in a car. Or are we going on the train?"

"I'm driving." She opened her mouth to interrupt. "I promise I won't drive too fast for your tender stomach."

She smiled and caught his gaze. "I'm - I'm really sorry about last night."

"Don't worry about it. No matter what you do I could never get sick of you."

She shut her eyes. "I suppose I should be touched by your terrible pun." She opened her eyes again and pulled her shoulders up. "I don't remember everything but I got sick on you, cried on you and got entirely too familiar with you."

"You mean begging me to dance." Roy tried to keep his tone light but he felt heat rush to his face. "I know I shouldn't but I think I enjoyed the dancing a little too much."

"Regardless, sir, I promise that I won't ever get so drunk again that I forget my place. We made a promise many years ago, an oath we must abide regardless of any other connection."

Her expression was pained. He couldn't help himself, he reached out and touched her cheek. She leaned into his touch for a moment before she reached up and took his hand away.

She coughed and continued on, "You had to put me to bed. And that, sir, is the most humiliating part." She locked eyes with him. "Thank you for behaving like a gentleman."

He wondered if she remembered asking him to stay and his quiet whisper that he wished he could. He decided it was best not to bring it up.

"Lieutenant, it's already forgotten," he said even though he didn't think he could ever forget how it felt to hold her close, dance with her and refrain from kissing her senseless.

She looked away perhaps seeing the burning desire in his eyes. She stood up, "I guess we should wash up."

He nodded. "You wash, I'll dry. I know where everything goes."

They began the task in companionable silence. He glanced at her and she caught him looking.

"Something wrong, sir?"

He just shook his head and went back to drying. He knew he would think about her all weekend and the only solution was to spend time together where they were both sober even though a little hungover. Perhaps by then, he would be able to spend the day in work with her without remembering the way she looked laid out in the bed asking him to stay with her. He wasn't feeling too optimistic about that considering how his body was so intensely aware of her proximity. Maybe spending an hour in a car with her wasn't the wisest decision, but he couldn't bring him himself to care.

Like a moth to a flame.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

Fuck, I must have said that aloud.

"Uh, no."

She looked at him with a mix of fondness and exasperation, that look she seemed to reserve solely for him. He couldn't deny that tiny voice in his head any other longer. He was dancing around the truth. He was in love with her. Always had been. He probably always would be. He fancied he would be happy to immolated by that particular flame.