In all honesty, Jean Havoc is too good-natured to really hurt anyone. Sure, he's a soldier and an incorrigible prankster, but he'd never, ever hurt someone he cared about with any depth.
Which is why she, Liza Hawkeye, is deeply confused and worried. She thinks at first that it's some sort of mutant doppleganger (yes, they do exist, dammit!), but the sight of a grim Havoc cracking a joke to make little Fury feel better allays her fears. And brings up new ones.
So something happened, past tense. What?
She starts by doing a little scouting of everyone who can possibly be even remotely connected to the man.
She knows that Mustang is attracted and possessive of the scruffy blonde man. Very attracted, very possessive. She knows that there's a third tag on Jean's chain that no-one else has: Havoc, Property of Roy Mustang.
It was cute.
But Mustang doesn't look like he just got out of a lover's tiff with Havoc – if that was the case, the Colonel would probably be an interesting shade of... pink. It had happened before, and she had nearly killed herself trying not to laugh.
There's Farman – but she knows for a fact that he's got a girl in Accounting that is absolutely head-over-heels for him.
Fury... is so sexless that she doubts that anyone would look at him twice.
Same for Breda.
Ross? A woman. Usually Jean doesn't go into such deep depression over a mere woman. Besides, she thinks Ross might be gay.
Urk. That's a thought to kill her mind.
So. So? So what? The supreme brat of the unit is off his feed. So what?
Then she catches sight of a forlorn-looking Broche.
Oh, dear god. This has got to be a bad nightmare.
"Broche!"
The blonde looks up. "Hawkeye," he says, dispensing with titles, ranks, and formalities.
"Something wrong?"
"M'm. Nothing."
"Don't lie to me."
"We'll get over it."
"What's wrong?"
"I –"
"Don't make me order you to."
"I – well..." Broche looked at his hands. "Are all of Mustang's staff so firmly under his thumb that no one can get them to do anything?"
"It might appear that way to some people, yes. He needs us."
"... needs?"
"There are some things that he cannot accomplish alone," she says slowly, beginning to catch on. "Colonel Mustang needs support and care. His is not an easy road."
"So you're all on tight leashes?"
She winces inwardly at the bitterness. "Yes, I suppose one could say that."
"And he keeps one tighter than the others."
It isn't a question.
"There isn't any force being used. It's purely voluntary."
"'Voluntary'?"
"Don't devalue loyalty."
"That isn't loyalty...!"
"Then perhaps you shouldn't fight it. Emotions are rarely a rational thing, and should not be trifled with. I suggest letting him go. It's hurting him."
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The pink comment was stolen directly from MoMo4's "Side Effects" which involves pr0n, 'heiwa no jutsu', a prankster!Iruka, and a pink!Kakashi. Interested yet? Good. Go read it.
Another one of those 'pay attention, I'm alive!' fics. Written quickly (and probably badly) for sketchyheart. My apologies, kiddo.