"Something's different about you today."

Riza looked up from her needlepoint, face clear of emotion. "Huh?"

"You seem… Well honestly, you seem more distracted than usual. You're not one to daydream but for the past five minutes, you've been smiling into your lap. What's going on, Riza?"

Riza's eyes quickly swept the room. Once she was certain that they were truly alone, she turned back to Rebecca. "You can't tell anyone Becca. You have to promise me. Not even your sisters."

Rebecca's eyebrows raised, clearly intrigued by the sudden seriousness in Riza's tone. Moving her chair closer, she reached out and grabbed her best friend's wrist, face furrowed with a frown. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. It's the opposite actually." To her surprise, Riza found her face flushing red with heat and her tongue growing heavy as she struggled to find the right words to say. "It's just-"

"It's about Mustang, isn't it?" Rebecca offered, practically reading Riza's mind. "You kissed him again, didn't you? That has to be it. Riza Hawkeye doesn't get flustered- with one expectation, of course. One military man of an exception."

"Yes," Riza confirmed, her voice small. There would be no benefit to the household staff overhearing. "And more."

"More?"

Riza only nodded in confirmation, waiting for Rebecca's reaction. Her best friend nearly jumped out of her seat, grabbing Riza's hands and pulling her up and into a hug.

"I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Rebecca laughed as she embraced her best friend. "Oh, this is wonderful!"

"Is it?" Riza asked, her tone betraying her enthusiasm and excitement. "I'm engaged to be married."

"Yeah, to a creepy old bastard old enough to be your grandfather. But Mustang, Mustang is a dime Riza," Rebecca giggled as she gave her best friend one last squeeze before letting her go. "But more importantly, how did this happen? I go one week without seeing you and you turn into some kind of harlot. Don't get me wrong, I'm overwhelmingly proud, but I've clearly missed a lot."

The two women spent the next ten minutes huddled together as Riza quietly recounted their conversation at her engagement party, her bold invitation and Roy's surprise acceptance. As she summarized the week's events, Riza could not help but notice that this was perhaps the quietest Riza had ever seen Rebecca. Her best friend sat there, eye's wide, drinking in every word of her best friend's clandestine romance.

"This is practically a fairytale," Rebecca gushed once Riza had finished her story.

"No it's not. All of this, no matter how wonderful, will have to end when I marry and move to Central."

"Says who?" Rebecca scrunched her nose. "Lots of people have lovers. You would hardly be the first. My oldest sister's husband-"

"Rebecca, it's going to end when I move. We've already agreed. Besides, Roy will be back in active duty by then and what good would I be to him? He has no title. Just money and status through his connections and military achievement. He has an actual chance to get on with his life and find a woman who will not only love him, but will be able to love him openly like his friend Hughes. Who am I to deny him that?"

This had never occurred to Rebecca and instantly she realized that, while an expiration date on their affair will surely break her best friend's heart, it made complete sense. Roy's life was open. He was young, handsome and successful. Once he had moved on from his feelings for Riza, there would be nothing stopping him from having a family of his own. A family he truly deserved.

Although, if Rebecca was honest, she knew Riza deserved a family like that too.

Riza must really care for him, Rebecca thought to herself. She's fully aware her own future is set, as gray and bleak as the winter, but she's willing to let go of Roy regardless so he can one day find his own, long term happiness.

"I understand," Rebecca said with a soft smile. "For what it's worth, I'm happy for you. Even if it is only temporary."

"Thanks Becca," Riza said. "You're the only person I have to talk to about these things."

"You know I'm always here."

"Speaking of which, I have something else to discuss with you."

"What is it?" Rebecca had no idea what else her best friend wanted to talk about, but decided to indulge her.

"Do you remember Roy's colleague, Maes Hughes?"

"The cheerful married one with the glasses?"

Riza nodded. "He's doing an, um, an investigation of some sorts and would like to know if his findings are typical or atypical. To do this, he needs documents from a bunch of the wealthy families around town. However, to ensure that nothing taints his data, he needs someone he can trust to be discrete."

"You need me to take documents from my father's office? Yeah I can do that," Rebecca agreed.

Riza blinked twice, confused by how quickly Rebecca agreed to her request. Riza had mentally prepared herself to be interrogated by Rebecca and had spent hours practicing this conversation in her head until she was fully confident she could answer all of her best friend's questions without giving up too much information.

"Really? Just like that? You- Rebecca Catalina herself- don't have any questions?"

Rebecca shrugged as she picked her needlework back up before tossing it aside once again. "I understand the need for discretion is even greater in the military than in the bedroom. Besides, you don't ask for things often Riza. I can't recall the last time you came to me for a favor. It's the least I can do."

"Oh," Riza said. "In that case…" She stood up and walked over to her desk on the opposite side of the room. After rummaging around the bottom drawer, she pulled out a piece of paper. "Roy prepared this just in case you agreed right away. If you have any questions, let us know," She said as she rejoined Rebecca by the fireplace.

Rebecca took the paper, briefly looking it over. "So far, no questions. I'll see what I can do."

/-/-/

"The ledge is getting quite slippery," Roy said as he finished pulling himself through Riza's window. "I need to be more careful. Falling to death in my pajamas is not how I want to go."

The window latched behind him as Riza's giggle filled the room.

"Is Romeo afraid of a little climb?" She teased as Roy joined her on the bed. She was sitting on top of the covers, her winter dressing gown wrapped tightly around her.

"Not afraid, cautious," Roy said with a small smirk as he captured her lips. "Even if I survived the fall, I could be paralyzed. Or worse, someone would hear and I would have to explain why I was scaling the side of the Hawkeye estate in my nightwear."

Riza returned his kiss, her lips curved into a soft smile. "You'd surely wish you were dead then. I can only imagine what my father would do if he discovered the desperate lengths you take to defile his daughter."

Roy's lips left Riza's as he began to work his way down her neck, peppering her skin with light, airy kisses. "The same daughter who leaves her window unlocked, mind you."

"It gets stuffy in here. A fresh breeze is welcomed," Riza teased as she failed to suppress the small moan that escaped her lips in response to Roy's attention.

He began to run his hands alongside her body. "I think you'd find my services preferable if I'm not paralyzed either."

"Your services?" Riza pulled Roy off of her neck, giving him a partially serious look before placing a light kiss on his nose. "Is that what we are calling this?"

Roy moved, positioning his body directly over Riza, one hand on either side of her head, supporting his weight. He paused, allowing himself to admire the view.

Riza's hair was splayed across her bedsheets, no longer entrapped by the proper bun she kept it in during the day. He loved her hair. In the two weeks since the start of their affair, Roy had discovered that, once they had tired themselves, there was nothing he enjoyed more than holding her close and stroking his fingertips through her blonde locks.

"Act of kindness, then," Roy teased as he reached down to pull the hem of Riza's nightgown higher. She lighted her hips to assist him until the gown was comfortably pooled along her upper thigh.

"Kindness, what a gentleman." She winked and, for a moment, Roy felt like time had stopped.

"You won't be thinking I'm a gentleman when I'm finished with you," He practically growled as he recaptured her neck, biting on the skin as hard as he dared without risking a mark. "Now be a good girl and moan for me."

As Roy steadily ventured into her room every other night, Riza had begun grasp at the intricates of sex. Roy was the perfect partner, patient and kind and understanding and receptive and fully aware that the extent of Riza's private school education had taught her nothing beyond laying on your back and allowing your husband to do as he pleased.

Roy, however, openly enjoyed taking his time to show Riza new things and fill her with new sensations. The first time he had flipped her onto all fours, she had practically bitten her tongue trying to keep quiet as he relentlessly took her from behind. When she had dropped to her knees, eager to please but uncertain where to start, he had calmly guided her until he finished with such unexpected force it threw Riza off and caused her to make a small mess of herself. He had also taken to encouraging her to take charge, guiding her hips with his hands until she learned the rhythm that drove him wild.

Riza let out a small moan as Roy began to move. With one hand, he grabbed her own, entwining their fingers together. With the other, he slowly lifted her leg, first pulling it around her waist and then up and over her shoulder. He captured her lips as she let out a miniature shriek as he reached deeper, her body flushing with pleasure.

"That's my girl," Roy whispered in her ear, giving it a quick lick for good measure. "Take it."

Riza shut her eyes, seeing stars as Roy carried her up and up and up. Opening her eyes, she found Roy gazing down at her, his eyes dark with lust and cheeks flushed with effort.

"Roy- please," Riza gasped, her voice breaking. "Just a little bit-"

She bit down on his shoulder to muffle her cry as she unraveled beneath him. As she started to come down from her high, she could feel Roy's urgency as he thrusted into her, the sensation overwhelming and unrelenting. Scrunching his face, Roy slipped out of her last minute, coming with a muffled cry of his own all over her thighs.

Leaning his sweat-soaked forehead onto her own, he smiled, chest still heaving. "I will never get tired of that."

Riza smiled in response, running her fingers down his face as he collected his breath. Once his breathing had begun to level out, Roy slowly climbed off of her, fetching a rag from her bathroom to help clean up the mess he had made.

"This is a good look for you," he said, lips parted in amusement. "Naked, flustered and covered in my cum."

"Don't be so gross," Riza said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm being honest. I find it incredibly hot."

"Just clean me up, will you?"

Roy laughed as he finished wiping his mess off of Riza. Once cleaned, she stood up and quietly left for her adjacent bathroom. When she returned, Roy was fully dressed, laying in bed flipping casually through one of the books on her bedside.

"I haven't started that one yet, so don't give anything away," Riza teased as she moved to join him underneath the covers.

"I don't know how you read these romance novels," Roy said, half amused. "My sisters read these too. Doesn't it make real life seem so… uneventful? Who chases after a train on horseback to profess their love?"

"I'd like to think that real life is even better," Riza said, smiling. She reached over and pulled the book from Roy's grasp, setting it on the bedside table. "Sure, you'll never duel another man for my hand in marriage, but there's something about having a secret midnight lover that's even sexier." She leaned over and kissed him. "Speaking of your sisters, how are they?"

Roy shrugged. "Busy as ever. Business is going well for Madam's new bar. It's closer to Central Headquarters so they get more officers with bigger pockets."

"That's good," Riza said absentmindedly. She paused for a moment. "Have you decided if you're going home for Christmas?"

"I haven't thought about it." This was the truth. Between their late night visits, his daily work with Master Hawkeye and helping out Hughes, the holidays had skipped his mind. "I probably should. I haven't been home since summer. Besides, it would look suspicious if I suddenly spent Christmas here." For as long as Roy had studied under Master Hawkeye, Roy had always taken the train home to Central for the holidays.

"That's rational, I suppose," Riza frowned. "I will miss you."

"We still have a few weeks," Roy smiled gleefully. A brilliant compromise had just occurred to him. "Besides, what if I promised to be back before New Year's this time?"

At his suggestion, Riza's eye lit up as a smile engrossed her entire face. "That's a lovely compromise."

"Good, then I'll make arrangements to do just that," Roy said. "Now that I think about it, going home really is the only option. I need to see if my mother would be willing to assist with Hughes' investigation and that's not a conversation I'm comfortable sending over a letter."

"Rebecca said she would help. She came over for tea while you were out."

"Oh, really? I hope it wasn't too hard for you to convince her."

"Actually just the opposite. She barely asked a single question and said she understood the military needed to keep things discrete. I gave her your note, so if she calls with any questions, I'll let you know."

"Did you tell her about us?" Roy asked.

"Yes," Riza sighed. She brought her fingers to her temple and began to massage it. "Now that was a nightmare. She wanted to know every detail. That woman has no shame."

"She doesn't strike me as someone who would."

"She doesn't, does she?" Riza said as she turned to the clock on the wall. "It's almost midnight. How late can you stay tonight?"

"Not very," Roy admitted. "I have to go to the factories tomorrow to give a new business partner a tour."

Grabbing the rejected romance book back from the side table, Riza tentatively held it out. "Read to me?"

"One chapter."

/-/-/

The industrial zone of East City lined the southwestern most region of the river banks. Several dozen factories, owned and operated by the city's elite, littered the landscape, plums of smoke and steam emitting from each building day in and day out. Hawkeye Industries comprised of three factories, side by side, each specializing in a particular textile.

The carriage had made good time despite the respectable layer of snow on the ground. Roy found himself shuffling into the factory around the same time the second shift of workers arrived. The employees all greeted him with a chaste nod as he passed, hurrying straight past the main work room and upstairs to the second story offices.

Master Hawkeye was already settled in his office and deep into his work, having skipped breakfast to start the day bright and early. He did not bother to look up at the sound of Roy's footsteps, too engrossed in the paperwork before him.

Roy cleared his throat, announcing his presence. "Good morning, Master Hawkeye."

Finally, Berthold allowed himself a moment's distraction. "Ah, Roy, good morning. You're right on time, as always. The Cleary's just sent over a revised proposal. I'm trying to review it before our lunch meeting. I'm sure you'll have no trouble managing the factory tour by yourself?"

"It will be my pleasure," Roy said with a smile.

"Good. Go wait downstairs so you can greet our guest outside. Bradley sent them our way after giving us a glowing review so I trust you understand how important this is?"

"Absolutely. Is there anything else you need before I head back downstairs?"

"No, that's all." With that, Berthold once again turned his full attention to the paper on his desk, blocking out everything else in the room.

Roy left the office and headed downstairs to find his timing perfect. A large, regal carriage was rolling up the main entrance of the factory. The carriage itself was a spectacle, painted in bright, vivid colors. Four Clydesdales, perfectly groomed, are pulling the carriage. Whoever is inside has money and wants everyone around to know it, Roy deduced.

Roy is both familiar with new money and old money. Old money families, such as the Grumman's and the Hawkeye's, cling to their titles and their lands, despite their true value being in their business. Anyone with enough money can own a factory, he remembers Master Hawkeye saying in a long ago lesson, but few people are of high enough status to be granted a proper title of nobility.

New money families know this. They are aware that in the eyes of their counterparts they are forever lesser because they have made their money from innovation and developing industries, not because of their bloodline. Because of this, those with new money tend to spend their wealth on displays of grandeur, such as the monstrosity rolling up the road before him. This could only be a new money purchase.

The carriage slowed to a halt and Roy motioned for one of the factory attendees to assist with opening the carriage door. A man, dressed in a full white suit and top hat, climbed out. As he straightened out the imaginary wrinkles of his coat, he glanced around, taking in his surroundings.

"Mister Kimblee, it's an honor to meet you," Roy said as he approached. He held out a hand, which Kimblee gruffly shook. "I'm Roy Mustang, Berthold Hawkeye's former apprentice and current assistance."

"You're the injured soldier, aren't you?"

If Roy was surprised that Kimblee knew this, he did not let on. "Yes, although my recovery is going well. I'm expected to be back in active duty by March."

"Bradley's spoken about you. I'll have to decide for myself what I think."

Not missing a beat, Roy continued on, determined to show Kimblee the full spectrum of Mustang hospitality. "I take it your trip here was pleasant?"

"It was bearable," Kimblee sighed. "Now come on, let's get this over with. I have a meeting with the military at three and I'd like the chance to have a few drinks first."