CHAPTER 4- A Kiss
It was nearly eight in the afternoon when the enormous train approached their final destination. As it came into the station it released a huge blast of stream. The gears screamed and creaked as the breaks forced the hundred ton behemoth to stop.
Roy was the first one to step off the train, he looked around, then about faced and stepped back on the train and sat back down.
Havoc noted his strange behavior and glanced toward Riza, then said cautiously, "What's wrong, chief?"
"Wrong stop." Roy grunted folding his arms stubbornly.
Riza and the others exchanged a look.
"Sir," Riza began, "we are at the correct location."
"No, we're not."
"Yes, we are." She said, firmly.
"No-aggh!" He started to say till Riza had grabbed her grand leader by the ear and dragged him out of the car, like the temperamental child he was.
Havoc shook his head, "How the mighty have fallen."
Farman and Fury looked at each other. What could they say? It was true.
"Excuse me, sir, but would you please grow up?"
"Hawkeye, you can't be serious. What did you expect my reaction to be? 'Oh, what a lovely wasteland! Let's move head quarters here!'?"
"For now, sir, you'll have to grin and bear it. We are not leaving, and that's all there is to it."
Roy growled at her and plopped down on a nearby bench.
"I suppose that's better than throwing a tantrum." Riza commented dryly. Carrying all the baggage, Havoc, Fury and Farman passed by Riza and Roy, as they dragged it all into the hotel. "Excuse me, sir, while I check us into the hotel." Riza left him alone, trusting that he wouldn't get up and leave.
Roy leaned back into the cool stone wall behind the bench. He was a mess, and he knew it. He closed his eyes. He really should just give in to his subordinates so called "therapy". If all else failed, it would be amusing.
Where they had brought him, he had no idea. It was nothing but desert all around them. Actually, that wasn't completely true because in the distance he could see the outline of a town of some kind.
A few neighbor hoods were scattered about. The hotel and train station were situated near a miniature oasis, which seemed to support the little town. It was one of the few good things he could say about the landscape. Basically his subordinates had brought him to the middle of freaking nowhere. He sighed and stood, then went in search of his comrades.
The conversation going on in the lobby of the hotel was anything but sophisticated.Roy almost turned the corner when he heard Riza and the others talking, but instead of entering he felt compelled to stop, just out of sight.
"Why do you get your own room?" Havoc was asking Riza, "You could room with the chief and then I could get the spare room. C'mon, Riza, he'll fry me in my sleep. You don't want that on your conscience, do you?"
"You're a moron, Havoc." Riza muttered, turning a little pink.
Fury was shaking his head in disbelief, "I can't believe you even suggested it, Jean. It would be totally inappropriate."
Havoc scoffed and tossed aside his dying cigarette, "Hey, I wasn't implying anything. Roy would never touch her. I mean, c'mon, Riza's like one of the guys. But that's beside the point, I'm talking about self preservation here."
Roy decided that that was a good point to enter and he strolled around the corner just in time to see a look of…hurt, race across Riza's face, before she masked it.
She shook her head at Havoc, an expression of calm neutrality on her face, "I'm keeping my room, thank you very much." She picked up her room key and slung her bag over her shoulder, "You boys have fun."
She started for the stairwell and stopped when she saw Roy. "Sir, you'll be rooming with your pick of Fury, Havoc, or Farman. After a long day of traveling we all thought it best to relax for the night." She turned and quickly scaled the stairs, leaving the men to their own devices.
Roy turned to his remaining subordinates with a grin, though the look on Riza's face stuck stubbornly in his mind, "I get my pick of a room mate, huh?" Havoc was sweating bullets, probably praying Roy would take Farman or Fury. "Well, this is supposed to be a vacation, so I wouldn't get any peace if Havoc was within ten feet of me at any given moment. Fury, do you have any objections?"
Kain grinned, happily, and saluted, "No, sir! None!"
All color had drained from Farman's face as the reality of the situation hit him, while Havoc had an expression of euphoria on his face.
Roy nodded, then picked up his bag and key, "Then let's go." And started for the stairwell.
Kain followed enthusiastically, carrying his own bags, leaving Farman looking like he'd been sentenced to death row.
-
After Roy and Kain had un packed their bags, Roy changed out of his stuffy uniform into black slacks and a dark chocolate brown corduroy shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
"Ah, sir, where are you going?" He asked, nervously.
Roy grinned, "Just going to talk to Hawkeye." He said, lying with ease, and exiting the room. He wasn't up to anything devious, he just wanted to see what he could do to occupy his time with while here. He wandered aimlessly into the lobby and saw something he hadn't before. It was a stone staircase that lead into what looked like a basement. When he took a closer look, he realized he'd stumbled onto a bar. When he sat down at the bar, a man washing dishes at a small sink looked up.
"Hey, I didn't know we had tourists today. You want something to drink?"
Roy opened his mouth to refuse but changed his mind. One drink wouldn't hurt, and besides… what else was there to do?
"Sure." He said, ordering what he wanted.
-
Hawkeye was sitting on the bed in her room, reading a book she had remembered to pack, when someone knocked on the door. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was ten till eleven. She closed the book and took out one of her pistols from the holster she'd draped around the head board. She padded across the room, took the safety off, and positioned herself against the wall next to the door.
"State your name and business." She said, calmly.
"Ah, it's me, First Lieutenant. Kain Fury. I was, ah, I'm sorry to disturb the two of you but I have to ask the Brigadier General a question."
Riza's brow wrinkled, thinking his story didn't make sense and opened the door to a blushing Kain. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm really very sorry if I interrupted anything but-."
Riza leaned again the door frame with one eyebrow arched in question, "You haven't interrupted anything. You haven't interrupted anything, because Mustang isn't here."
Kain looked confused, "He left?"
She shook her head, "He was never here. I haven't seen him since we passed each other in the lobby." For a beat they stared at each other, and then they both marched over to Farman and Havoc's room. They nearly beat the door in before Havoc answered… in his briefs.
Kain rubbed his temples, looking like one awful migraine had just hit his system. Riza covered her eyes, disgusted. "Havoc, please tell me the Brigadier General isn't in there." She said.
Havoc's eyes widened, "No, he's not here. Do you mean to tell me he's missing? Shit."
"My sentiments exactly." She said, eyes still covered. "Now, for the love of everything good in this world, put some clothes on."
"How do you think I feel?" Farman yelled from inside the room, sounding traumatized.
Havoc grinned, and posed his body, "You know you like it."
Riza made a very unlady like sound and gesture with her spare hand. "I want everyone down in the lobby, ASAP. We need to get organized."
After everyone had gathered in the lobby, and Havoc was blessedly fully clothed, they came up with a plan of attack. Kain would stay in the hotel room, in case Roy returned. Farman and Havoc would search the town for any signs of him, while Riza would explore the Inn. They all separated, promising to report to the lobby every hour.
After knocking on all of the first floor rooms, Riza started toward the upstairs rooms. As she passed the lobby, she spotted a stairwell, she hadn't seen before. When she investigated, she found that it was an underground basement that had been converted into a bar. Her heart began to sink. When she heard Roy's slurred voice, her worse suspicion was confirmed.
"-so she was like, "Sit.". And I was like, "No way." But that Hawkeye… you know how it is."
The man behind the bar had one eyebrow raised in amusement, "Yeah, I know how it is."
Roy turned his head toward the sound of someone approaching him. He grinned like a little boy when he saw Riza. "Hawkeye! Sit down, have a drink. My good friend will fix you up with a drink, by God." He said, pounding the bar with his fist.
The bartender and Riza exchanged a glance. "I think your friend has had enough for the night." He said, quietly.
Hawkeye nodded, "I quite agree. Sir, can you walk?" She asked, placing one hand on his shoulder.
"Pfft. Can I walk?" He chuckled drunkenly, "I'll have you know I've been walking for years-opps!" He yelled as he stood, and promptly stumbled into Hawkeye. She grunted, but luckily had good footing so she and Roy hadn't gone toppling backwards.
Roy's face was nestled into the crook between Riza's neck and shoulder. Riza brow knit when he didn't move, 'Sir? Are you okay?"
Roy murmured something into her neck, and Riza swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, sir, but I didn't catch that."
Roy raised his head slowly, as if coming out of a deep sleep, "You smell pretty." He murmured again, causing Riza to blush.
"I- I think we need to get you to your room, now." Determined to ignore her frantic heart, she slung Roy's arm around shoulders and held it there tightly by the wrist. Automatically, Roy's arm wrapped around her waist. She looked back at the bartender. "Put whatever he drank on my tab." She said, giving him her room number, and then left the bar with Roy in tow.
Together they trudged up the staircase and Riza helped him into his room. Kain leapt up from his chair and ran over to them. "Oh no! Is he hurt?" He asked and helped Riza lay him on one of the beds.
Riza rubbed the back of her sore neck and shook her head, "No, just incredibly stupid. The lush found a bar and drank himself into this state."
Kain sighed, "I better go get Havoc and Farman. Could you stay here while I track them down?"
She nodded, and after Kain had left, she removed his shoes and set them on the ground. With a little tugging she had managed to pull the covers out from underneath him.
She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, "Sir, you're going to regret this in the morning."
"No 'Sir'." He muttered suddenly.
"What?" She asked, her brow knitting.
"I'm Roy, not 'Sir'. Stop doing that. And I'm not going to call you Hawkeye anymore. Your name should be used… Elizabeth." He sat up, slowly, looking serious for a plowed man.
Her heart began to beat against her ribs like a wild thing and this time she didn't bother trying to calm it, "Where did this sudden change of heart come from… Roy?" She asked.
He shrugged and reached one hand out to touch her cheek, his eyes becoming dark with his thoughts, "I suppose I realized… you're not 'one of the guys'. You're a woman."
Riza licked her dry lips, "Sir, I think you should get some rest."
That was a mistake. Roy's eyes zeroed in on her lips at the action, and his hand slid down to her neck. With strength she hadn't known he'd have in that state, he pulled her to him. When their faces were a hair's length away, he whispered, "I told you, my name is Roy."
Then closed the distance between them and touched his lips to hers.
Riza's eyes went wide in shock while his closed upon contact. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and she gasped at the sensation, allowing him to plunder her mouth ruthlessly.
The only place he touched her was on the neck. With both hands he gently caressed her throat, his fingers playfully trailing up her jaw, only to come back down to stroke the silkily underside of her jaw. He made a low purring sound in his throat.
Riza knew she should stop this. She really should pull away. And she would. In a minute. Her eyes drifted closed of their own accord and she allowed him to sweep her away.
After a moment, Roy leaned back a little and placed one thumb against her sweetly partially parted mouth. He smiled, his eyes hooded. He lay down against the bed, and his eyes drifted shut.
"Sweet dreams… Elizabeth." He murmured, before his breathing evened out and just like that, he was asleep. She sat there for a minute longer, lagging in hazy stupor. Gently, she touched her lips with her fingers.
She blinked at the sounds of several sets of feet out in the hallway and stood. She opened the door and greeted the men, quickly said goodnight, without looking them directly in the face. She was afraid of what they might see there. Damnation, she was afraid of what she'd see there. She shook her head and climbed into bed, her mind and heart still racing.
(A/N: Whew. That was the very first kiss I've ever written. Please, if you read this whole whopping chapter, tell me how it went. Was it too intense? Was it believable? Gah, I'm a mess about posting this.
Now, I have no idea how being drunk works. I'm sorry if it's impossible that Roy is loopy one minute, then coherent enough in the next to be a fantastic kisser. If it is, please over look it. The way I have set it up really works for me. Thanks.
I'm also sorry about the length. I hope it doesn't deter people from reading everything. I'm really happy with it, despite being a nervous wreck.
Heh, thank you, my loyal reviewers. It's such a fantastic feeling reading what you have to say and knowing that real people out there truly like what I write. It only makes me want to be an author all the more. If I ever write a book, you can bet I'll mention you.
-saffiremoon21- I can only write quickly because you all give such great feedback. You play a part in it too, you know! Thanks.
-Flamara Cat Eyes- Well Flamara? The fluffiness has been delivered. I'm most worried about your review. I get the feeling that you'll be one of my toughest critics. Thanks for reviewing the chapter before .
-Apparition7- I love Black Hayate myself. He's adorable and I'm a dog person, what can I say? -Grin- Thank you for reviewing!
-Raiyne Nagakura- Never fear, just knowing you've been reading DI makes me happy. I know a lot of people read but don't review and that's okay…Mainly because I do the same thing -whistles innocently-. And as to what genre this is, I have no idea, but I'll take your advice. I don't usually put 'humor' because that's for the readers to decide, whether or not it's funny. I think I'm hilarious XD, but you might not have the same opinion. Thanks for reviewing!
-Sangi- Thank you! And don't worry about thinking of things to say. After I saw the word beautiful, you made my day! Thanks again .
-Heart of Flame- Heh, I've already given the super lengthy answer to that question. I'm sorry I didn't get this posted last night. My dad took me out to dinner then to my grandparent's house, which is great, but by the time I got home and started finishing this chapter it was 2 a.m. I decided that if I tried to post it then, without editing while actually coherent a lot of it would be illegible. Thanks for reviewing!)