The Secret Occupation

"Ah yes! It's Friday! The most wonderful day of the week! How ya doing Roy?" Maes said as he walked into Roy and Riza's office around lunchtime.

"Fine Hughes. What brings you here? If it's more pictures of Elysia, you can leave them on my desk and I'll look at them later."

"No nothing like that… I wanted to let you know that I can't come to the bar with you tonight. One of Gracia's friends sent us invitations to a performance by The Cultural Dance Team at the dance studio tonight. Sorry, but I have no choice but to go. I'm sure you can find something else to do." Riza's eyes widened in shock and fear as Roy tapped his pen on the desktop. 'Maes and Gracia are going? They're for sure going to see Mr. Muscles and me there! I've got to tell him to keep his mouth shut.' She thought to herself as Roy looked up at his friend.

"You mean the team that performed Wednesday at town hall?"

"Yep. I didn't get to go to the performance with Gracia, but she said it was beautiful. Wait; you went too! Gracia kept talking about this one particular dancer… She said she reminded her a lot of someone she knew, but she couldn't put a name with the face. She said she was the lead dancer in the war dance they did. Did you get a look at the woman's face?"

"No, I was to far away; but I know who she was talking about. I remember that dancer; she moved very swiftly and fluidly… kind of like he way you move lieutenant." Roy's last sentence was directed at Riza.

"Ummm… excuse me sir; I need to go outside for a moment." She stood and left the room, her mind a jumble. 'He was there! He saw me perform! They're talking about me! What do I do? Do I say something to them? Do I tell them it was me? And Maes is going to the performance tonight, I know he'll see me there; I don't wear a mask in any of the shows.' She thought as Hughes came out the door also.

"Hawkeye, are you ok? You seemed a little flustered in there. What's wrong?"

"Nothing... I'm just… a little tired, that's all."

"No, it's not anything. When I said that Roy had been at that performance at town hall you turned really pale and sickly looking. Are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me?"

"Well, are you sure Gracia didn't know who the lead dancer in the Kimirrie dance was?"

"I'm sure. She kept telling me the woman looked familiar, but she couldn't remember her name. Why? Do you know who she was?"

"That was me; I was the lead dancer in the war dance. But you can't tell Mustang; he would never let me hear the end of it."

"So that's why you've been leaving work on time and sending Roy to his off-site meetings without you. You're dancing as a night job. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because dancing isn't exactly a profession one would normally think I would have."

"It's not a profession; it's a side thing you do to keep yourself busy on the weeknights. But I know Roy wouldn't say much to you about this. He called me last night after he got back and kept telling me the woman who held the whip during the war dance was the most talented and beautiful dancer he had ever seen. He told me he tried to find her afterwards, but she seemed to disappear."

"That's because I don't hang around for the autograph and picture sessions. I find them stupid."

"I think you need to tell Mustang about this. You might be surprised about how he reacts to you."

"I'm not sure… I'll think about. Thanks Lieutenant Colonel Hughes; you always seem to know what's the best for everyone."

"You're welcome; I do what I think is best for my friends. And you dear, are a good friend. Now go in there and make him finish working." Maes patted her shoulder and walked away, leaving her to stand next to the office door. She glanced around the corner and saw that Roy was still reading his paperwork and didn't need her to come in and make him work. She gathered her wits about her and took a deep breath before she walked in the door. Mustang heard her come in and looked up.

"Hawkeye, are you ok? You seemed disconcerted."

"I'm fine; but I think I know something about the woman you saw that you might want to know."

"Really? Please tell." Roy leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap as Riza sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"The performance at town hall was open to the public and anyone could attend. I didn't expect you to show up…"

"So were you there also? I didn't see you in the audience."

"It's because I wasn't in the audience; I was on the stage. I was the lead dancer in the Kimirrie dance." Riza felt her insides cringe as she told him it was her he had seen. She expected him to mock her and say obscene things about the way she moved; but he didn't.

"It was you wasn't it? I knew there was something familiar about the way she moved and conducted herself around the stage. You were the most beautiful person up there… the way you bent yourself backwards looked almost inhuman, but it showed true talent."

"Tha…thank you colonel. I'm not too sure what to say…"

"How about 'you need to quit staring off into space and finish your work Mustang,' or 'I don't care what's going on outside, you need to finish what you have on your desk?'"

"I think you deserve a break; you've been working pretty steadily all morning. Let me go take a look at what else is on your schedule for the afternoon." Riza got up and walked to her desk where she kept his calendar. He had a short meeting with Edward Elric around three o'clock, and then he was free to go home. 'I wonder if he has any personal plans for this evening…' she thought as she brought Full Metal's report to Roy's desk.

"Is this for the meeting I have at three?"

"Yes, it's the report you should look over before he gets here. I suggest you go ahead and take your lunch break; it's already one-thirty."

"I don't need to. I want to get everything done so I can home at a decent hour; I've got nothing planned but a nice afternoon walk in the park with Elysia. Then before Hughes and his wife leave for their little performance, I've got to take Elysia to Seska's house; I have the whole evening to myself after that." Roy said, hoping she would get the hint and maybe invite him to the performance too.

"Sounds nice colonel; I know Elysia loves to see you. The few times I've stayed with her she told me all the things you two do; swinging on the swings, getting ice cream, going to the pool. I can tell she enjoys these afternoons…"

"Well, wouldn't you enjoy afternoons like these too? You should join us; I think she would like that better."

"I can't; I have to be at the studio to help set up for the performance…"

"Oh. Well, maybe the next time I take her you can come with us."

"Yes. I would really enjoy that; thank you." Roy turned back to his work after Hawkeye had gotten up to go back to her desk. 'She still didn't invite me… she might do it later.' He thought to himself as he continued to look over his paperwork. Three o'clock came around and Ed arrived, causing a rush of insults and not-so-friendly banter to rise out of their office. Riza secretly laughed when Roy told Ed his handwriting was too small to read, but what was to be expected out of a small person? She knew if she laughed out loud he would say something to her, so she kept quiet about it and talked to Alphonse during the meeting. After the boys left Mustang decided it was time to go get Elysia for their afternoon together; Riza made a split-second decision.

"Colonel Mustang; would you like to come to the performance tonight? I mean, that is if you don't have something you've got planned to do by yourself this evening…"

"No, Hawkeye, I'd love to come. Where's it at?"

"Just take this. It explains everything." She handed him the invitation he had been waiting all afternoon to see.

"Thank you. I'm really looking forward to this lieutenant." He walked out the door and tucked the card into his pocket as he went to Maes' house to get the little girl.