Lights! Camera! Christmas!

Author: MoonStarDutchess and Rinoaebastel

Chapter 7: Settlement

Disclaimer: We do not own Fullmetal Alchemist and gain no profit from this fanfiction other than needed writing practice and enjoyment.

AN: Formatting mistakes that I missed belong to the site that randomly uploads my docs (that my Word probably screwed up as well) weird.


Broken Angel was an eight-storey hospital that loomed significantly over the other buildings in the vicinity. It was a hundred years old but one wouldn't be able to tell from the appearance. The old brick had been long painted over with fresh grey paint, and the structure was renovated every few years. The only indication of its age was a plaque that told the years of its construction situated underneath a statue of the hospital's founder

There weren't any reporters anywhere on the hospital grounds since recent laws prevented them from coming within half a mile of a medical facility.

They got out of the car in the parking lot and walked into the hospital. After a short talk with the front desk to find out the room number, they headed to Maes's room.

When they entered, the nurse smiled, and then turned back to take the blood pressure cuff off Maes's arm. "You have visitors," the nurse said to him. "I'll get your paperwork for your release." She faced Roy and Riza. "Congratulations on your engagement."

Their faces fell as she walked past them.

"You two all right?" Maes asked. Riza saw a frown flash on Gracia's face before her expression went neutral.

"Don't worry about us," Roy scolded. "You're in a worse state than we are."

"Yeah," he said and rubbed the back of his head. "I thought he was going to kill me for my phone."

"Don't be so good natured about it!" Riza said.

"Why? I'm alive aren't I? It could be so much worse."

"There's no use talking to him about the way he's acting," Gracia said. "He could see the positives in a nuclear attack."

"A nuclear attack might kill some serial killers," Maes said.

"See?" Gracia said.

Riza decided it would be best not to point out that a nuke would kill more people than a serial killer would.

"We need to look into getting you a bodyguard," Roy said.

"You're talking to a wall. I've been trying for years to convince him he needs one on some occasions," Riza said. "He won't budge."

Maes waved them off. "It was an isolated incident. I wasn't being careful." A mischievous grin crossed his face. "Speaking of an incident. . . Just why were the two of you at the same hotel?"

"Don't go there, Maes," Roy said. "I was just there for breakfast and spotted Miss Grumman here sitting at the table with her eggs and breakfast wine."

"Breakfast wine? What's that?" Gracia asked.

"A wine you have first thing in the morning," Riza said, earning a deep chuckle from Roy. "Mister Mustang asked to join me since he was having breakfast as well. Then, we encountered the guy that snatched your phone. At the time, we thought it was you. He was hiding behind a plant in the restaurant. We chased him and ended up in a group of photographers and reporters."

Maes laughed. "I wouldn't run from you. And why would I hide behind foliage of all places if I were hiding?"

"Maes, you are exactly the type to hide behind foliage," Gracia said dryly. She looked at Riza and Roy. "What's this about an engagement? Bet Maes had something to do with that too."

"I did nothing," Maes said.

Riza explained the situation. When she got to the part that involved Maes, his mouth dropped open. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"My humor and my sister are to blame for this. You have no reason to apologise." She turned to Roy, "But I do owe you a huge apology. You don't deserve this circus."

Roy shrugged. "My career was getting kinda boring anyway. Besides, there are worse people I could be paired with."

"You two can just have your company's PR team release statements stating you are just friends. You're both famous and understand each other. Just tell the truth," Gracia said.

"The problem with that is the media still won't buy it," Maes said.

"Even after we do that, it won't stop the barrage," Riza said. "We're going to be swamped with paparazzi for a while."

"Or…" Maes began.

"Oh god. When you trail off that way I know something outrageous is coming," Roy said.

"Well, we could capitalize on this."

"I see the cogs working behind his eyes," Roy whispered to her.

"Hm," she responded and pursed her lips.

"You could let people think you are in a relationship," Maes said. Everyone looked at him, wide-eyed."

"Why the hell would we do that?" Roy asked.

"The movie. Have you two talked about it?"

Roy moved his hand to his forehead and sighed. "Maes, you got attacked. The last thing on my mind was that movie."

"Same here," Riza said.

"Well I'm fine, so don't try to change the subject to something silly."

"Silly? You were knocked out!" Riza exclaimed.

"S-I-L-L-E-E" Maes said.

Roy and Riza glared at him.

"You might as well give up," Gracia said. "He has a one track mind."

Riza nodded. "Fine. Though it won't ruin our careers, these dating rumors—"

"Would be a fantastic asset if you two accepted the roles."

"See? Always in manager mode," Gracia said with a laugh and leaned back in her seat as if she were about to enjoy a show.

"How would it be an asset?" Riza asked.

Roy lowered his hand. "You'll regret asking that."

"You two are the most famous people in Amestris. If you were involved and filmed a romantic movie…"

"A real life couple filming a romance would generate even more attention toward the project," Gracia finished for him.

Maes took her hand and squeezed it. "Right. It would be even likelier to be a huge hit," Maes said.

"The movie wouldn't be out until next year. Are you trying to suggest we stay in a fake relationship for a year?"

"Why not?"

"We have our own lives to live. That's why not."

"Spare me. You're the country, if not the world's biggest popstar and all you've got to focus on outside of work is getting a puppy."

"I…" Riza began. Damn it! He had a point. She narrowed her eyes at Roy when he snickered.

"And you," Maes said, turning his attention to Roy. "You can only attract jailbait, gold diggers, or women that want you to chain them down and stick random household objects into their cun—"

"Shut up," Roy said and nearly gagged afterward.

"In conclusion. You're both lifeless…"

"Okay, Maes," Riza said.

"Dull."

"Maes," Roy warned.

"Celibat—

"We get your point!" Roy and Riza said simultaneously.

"Look, you'd just have to let the paparazzi spot you a few times each month. You two would be good friends for each other. It's not real dating, and it's not like Riza needs your fame. She got here on her own. So nothing would be said about her regarding that."

That made her think about the past and her anger spiked. What was she thinking considering doing a movie with this guy? Screw being professional. "Except from him." Her tone was more vitriolic than she intended, but it fit her feelings.

Roy looked at her. "What?"

"That's all you can say? What? Forget this," she spat. "I'll have the PR at the company handle it, Maes. We'll just say there was a potential project in the making and the only time we had was morning to talk about it. We were possible coworkers."

"Were? You aren't going to accept the role?" Roy asked.

"No, I think after all of this it's best to keep our distance," she said, meeting his darker gaze. She immediately regretted her words. She couldn't believe this nice guy in front of her would say what he did in the past.

The way she was acting now was even more reason why she shouldn't act with him. She looked back at Maes. "Get better soon," she said. "I'll have Armstrong call my driver." She left the room.

-/-/-

"Well, shit," Maes said and looked at Roy. "Don't stand there like a confused moron. Go after her."

"Why?" Roy asked. "I clearly pissed her off somehow."

"Come on, pity a dying man. Convince her to take the part."

"You are not dying."

Maes put his hand over his forehead like a swooning damsel and fell back against the angled hospital bed. "I'll die of sorrow if you don't do the movie together."

"For the love of all that is good, Roy, please do it. You're not the one that has to deal the most with his pouting and dramatics," Gracia said.

Roy sighed. If his manager hadn't looked so pathetic and he didn't pity Gracia, he would've denied the request.

He left the room. He spotted Riza far down the hall. He began walking at a brisker pace.

"Hey, Miss Grumman, wait!"

Riza stopped and turned, surprised to see he was coming after her but making sure not to let it show on her face.

"Something you wanted?"

He stopped in front of her. "What's with the arctic chill now? I thought we were getting along pretty well."

"Yes, we were."

"I'll talk with the head of my company as well. We'll deny the rumors, but I'd really like to work on that film with you. If you aren't going to take it then I won't either." He'd told Maes he'd consider the role anyway, but he realized he wouldn't have. His costar had to be Riza Grumman.

"Why would you turn down a great film because of me?"

Roy hoped she couldn't see the blush he felt on his cheeks. "I was looking forward to possibly working with you. I'm a fan of…I mean I like your work…ethic."

"Don't pee in my ear and claim it's rain," she snapped.

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I mean," she said, "that you said I only got where I was because of my grandfather. And now you want to work with me? You're a hypocrite."

"I did not say that," he said. "I've wanted to clear that up for years. Solaris did the interview and wrote the article. It was before she went by that name. "

He knew immediately from the look on her face that Riza recognized the significance of that information. That bitch lied on everyone she interviewed until it got to the point she could do nothing else but make up sources and stories about various celebrities.

Riza relaxed. "Now everything makes sense," she said. "I feel like an idiot. I'm sorry."

"I'm the one that should be sorry. I think I would've acted the same way to be honest. I should've contacted proper reporters and deny that I said those things, but I got so busy. My managers didn't do anything about it either. It was around the time my career boomed. Both of us were rather new to the fame thing too."

"Yes, we were."

Roy walked over to a line of chairs and sat down. He patted one and she sat next to him. "Look, this movie is going to be huge. It would be a mistake for us not to take these roles. When Maes gets out of the hospital, let's all have a meeting and discuss the situation. At least before we make any sort of decisions about statements to the media."

"So you want to pretend to be together until then?"

He shrugged. "We're together today. They don't have to know the context."

She chuckled. "That's true. Okay, I'll go along with it until we can discuss things in more detail."

He extended his hand to her. "Deal, Miss Grumman."

She clasped his hand. "You can call me Riza."

"And you call me Roy. Now, what do you say we go for brunch? Neither of us finished our breakfast. I'll treat you to some brunch bourbon."

She nudged him lightly and they both got to their feet. "On one condition."

"Name it."

"You tell me about what Maes mentioned. Jailbait? Gold diggers? Household objects up the cunt? I need to know what kind of people you're around before I work with you.

Roy groaned.


RW: 2022