A/N: Hello, all! I am back with another update. This chapter ran on longer than I expected but I am happy with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy reading this installment and I shall see you in the next one (which, hopefully, will be very soon). You will be pleased to know that I have outlined the plots I wished to use in this story and so far, it will expand into 20+ chapters. Long and ambitious way to go, but I think it will be fun! Thank you again, for the faves, reviews, views, and follows. Like always, I would be grateful if you let me know what you think. x
The day that followed was pretty much routine, only Riza opted to mostly stay at home to give time and attention to Black Hayate, who deserved some pampering. The Colonel makes it a point to enjoy her days off as they do not really come by frequently, though it was in part that she does not like taking days off—ever the career-oriented lady.
Needless to say, with the whole of her day off being dedicated to her adorable pupper, she hasn't exactly sorted out the more personal matters that came with the paradigm shift in her workplace. It was both a blessing and a curse that she has mastered: the ability to compartmentalise her emotions and tuck them away into the dark corners of her mind.
…Which was why she was extremely shocked to see Roy Mustang sitting on his desk bright and early, working on documents and reports. Riza arrived, per usual, 30 minutes before the official start of government working hours. To validate the scene in front of her, her eyes glanced up at the clock to the side wall. 0730 hours, as expected.
"Ah, Taisa… I didn't notice that you have arrived," Roy said softly, not looking up from his work on his desk. "You must be here to start moving your things to your new office, right?"
Taisa. She still couldn't wrap her head around the rank upgrade. While she was accustomed to saying it, especially when addressing the man before her, the word sounded foreign when it was used to address herself. Sure, the promotion ceremony is still at the end of the week but the promotion itself was effective immediately.
"Yes…" she replied feebly before she composed herself and went into the room. "You're extremely early today, Sir."
Finally, the General looked up from his work. "I woke up early and could not go back to sleep. So, I opted to get ready for the day and come here to get a head start."
A soft smile graced Riza's lips. "I'm glad to hear that, Sir. It helps to be efficient in doing paperwork to have more time outside the office."
Nodding, he smiled back. "Mm, I learned that through my former adjutant. She had been doing a far more stellar job than anyone could give her credit for. She's truly inspiring."
Try as she might, the newly minted Colonel couldn't help the warmth from spreading on her cheeks. "I am sure she's grateful to know such, Sir."
Roy stood from his desk and walked around it, stopping in front of Riza. "And I am grateful to have had her as my greatest ally."
"You haven't lost her, Sir. You're treating this like it's goodbye again. Frankly, I am getting tired of it," she said softly, a small frown.
Roy blushed softly, scratching the back of his neck. "I…I know. I'm sorry. Instead of being happy for you, I'm moping about it. I'm sorry. It's just that you've never been this far from me since Bradley held you hostage."
A look of concern briefly flashed on Riza's face before she stepped closer and sought his eyes. She held her gaze for a long moment before whispering, "I'm literally only a door away, Sir. Not too far that I can't watch your back. And certainly not too far that I can't check your work."
He held his breath as those beautiful, dark honey eyes stared into him. "You're taking Archer's former office?" he asked, hopeful.
She nodded, allowing a small grin to contour her features. "Hai."
"Thank god."
"Were you really that worried about the distance? It's not like I can't handle myself, you know."
Roy shrugged casually before he looked down on his polished military boots. "It's just that I would feel better if you were close by."
"And I am. Please don't spend so much time worrying over this. It's merely temporary before we get you to the top. If it would help in assuring you, we can leave the door open," Riza gently offered.
The general looked to the side to the door in question. "Maybe from time to time. I wouldn't want to disturb you from your own work just because I have an insatiable need to see you constantly."
Silence fell over Riza as she was surprised at his sudden audacity to voice out such feelings. They had never strayed from their silent understandings and voiceless agreements. Their relationship ever since she was placed under his command thrived on ambiguity.
It was just leftover familiarity that they tread so close to the boundaries countless times before. They had been close as children. And while they were hardened by the ugliness of war, they subconsciously revert to teasing each other when they were alone and being a little sarcastic with each other when they were with their team.
Riza didn't know if it were because they wished to cling to whatever remnant of their former selves they have, or if they just couldn't have a relationship without that familiarity seeping through from time to time.
The colonel didn't have much time in dwelling on the matter as she was pulled from the ocean of contemplation by his voice. Riza looked up to him in curiosity, as she was unable to hear what he had told or asked her.
"I asked if you wanted some help in moving your belongings to your new office," he said softly.
She nodded and offered him a grateful smile.
The door between her and Roy's office remained open and she could hear the men bustling in and saluting Roy before he greeted back in kind. The general briefed them about the situation, wanting the team to hear it from himself instead of reading the news through the memorandum circular that was sure to come out that morning.
Riza had a small smile and offered her thanks to the guys as they cheerfully congratulated her. When they voiced out their relief about her office being adjacent to theirs, she had to allow herself a chuckle. No one can whip the general into shape but her, they said, and they jibed that they were further relieved that they wouldn't have had to run far to fetch her should the time come.
The colonel wasn't sure which amused her more: Roy's sour face at the jokes, or the men actually happy that she wouldn't be too far from them. She had to admit that she already missed working with them, but if she were to be honest, they were capable of running Roy's office without her. Again, she had to repeat in her mind that this was only temporary. Grandfather promised her that this was only temporary and she is choosing to believe in his promise.
When 0800 hours rolled by, Riza closed the door but not before sending an assuring glance to Roy. It would be their first day at work without each other at arm's length and it was sure to be hard on them both. Never mind the fact that she would be meeting her new team today. Her eccentric grandfather opted not to let her know who would comprise her subordinate team just because he was Führer and he could do whatever he wanted. Silly Grandpa…
A curt knock drew her out of her thoughts and before she could permit them to enter, the door opened with a smirking Rebecca Catalina, followed by Maria Ross and Denny Brosh. What surprised her the most was the presence of Darius and Heinkel, whom she was sure were performing in the circus not too long ago.
The five of them saluted her and she put them at ease. Riza then shortly decided that she was feeling agitated for naught, and decided that she has to put more faith in her grandfather. The man took care of her even from a distance and she should have known that he wouldn't compromise her own goals by putting a team of strangers under her. Oh, she was being spoiled rotten, indeed.
There were no need for introductions as they have been acquainted with each other in their brief time of participating in the coup so Riza got to the point. She leaned against her desk as they made themselves comfortable on the sofa at the centre of their office. Crossing her arms, Riza looked to every one of her subordinate and smiled softly.
"Well, now that we are all here, I will start by discussing what our team would be focusing on. Feel free to interrupt me to suggest ideas, contradict my information, or supply anything that may be useful to our goal. Are we in agreement?" She asked.
"Aye, Ma'am," they collectively responded.
She began passing to them a compilation of reports that she had procured the past few weeks. "The Führer has given me the liberty of choosing which project our team will spearhead in this rehabilitation phase that our nation is in right now. The rest of the military teams have been occupied with restructuring the framework of the government and it is more work than anyone could comprehend.
"While it would have been beneficial for the government if we contribute in the efforts, they have enough hands to take care of that and it could potentially disrupt the system they have already created if we offered our services now. What we are going to focus on is more citizen-centric, particularly the places which have fallen victim to the exploits of the former Führer and his band of homunculus.
"I have come to realise that this is a job only ourselves can lead as all of us in this room have succinct knowledge regarding the underground workings of the military before that fateful day. We are the ones in position to prevent any and all information leak to the general populace lest we want to create an idea that may potentially resemble the one that Bradley and his kind have before. Another team similar to our position is General Mustang's team, but the Führer requests them to lead the efforts in the international relations of Amestris, starting particularly with Xing."
The colonel stayed silent for a while and let her subordinates take in the information. Riza looked to each one of the members of her team, analysing their reactions to her news. Sighing softly, she began to speak once more.
"I know that this is a difficult task to undertake, that what I am asking you is something that not anyone can do easily. If you have any apprehensions regarding the matter, you can let me know personally and we can sort something out. If you feel that you wouldn't be helpful in this team, we can ask to have you reassigned to another with my assurance that I or any member of the team will not take it as a personal affront."
It amazed Riza to see that each one of her new subordinates visibly swallowing their hesitation and hardening their resolve. Her new team turned to her with intensity in their eyes and Riza felt that rush of relief almost instantly. She met their eyes with equal fervour.
"As if we would pass up on this chance, Taisa," Rebecca nodded curtly. "I believe I speak for everyone else that you will have our full support."
"Aye, Ma'am," the rest of the team affirmed and the way they said it made Riza feel like she was General Armstrong for a moment.
Riza bowed her head slightly. "You have my thanks."
Maria Ross looked up at her. "Where shall be our first project, Hawkeye-Taisa?"
"Ishval."
It was an hour before Madame Christmas' bar opened for the evening. Her bar had been revamped and reopened after the events of Promised Day, so intelligence was flowing in and out at constant rate. However, nothing was of note since everyone was busy with the rehabilitation of the country, so the bar served as a bar.
Even with the closed sign flipped for the people outside to see, Rebecca Catalina strolled in and made herself feel at home at the main bar. Madame Christmas served Rebecca her favoured drink and the newly minted Major smiled at the Madame before taking a gulp.
"Didn't take long before you have this ol' place up and running again, eh, Madame?" the brunette commented in amusement.
Madame Christmas smirked. "Xing is a boring place for a business such as mine, Becky. You know that. How is your move to Central so far?"
Rebecca waved her hand. "It's daunting but I've mostly settled. Just a few minor details to take care of but nothing too important. So, what's new?"
"Just a few things here and there, nothing too extravagant or significant. Shall I subscribe you to our daily drink digest?" Christmas offered, sensing the brunette's mission. Shall I provide information for you as well?
Rebecca grinned stealthily. "Elizabeth-chan would be extremely grateful for it, Madame. You have our thanks."
The older woman shrugged her thanks off, saying it was what family does anyway, and Rebecca felt her stomach flip at the thought. Maybe Central wasn't too daunting like she had thought. Besides, there were people like Madame Christmas who offered refuge to select people like her…and of course, there was her best friend as well. Speaking of said blonde…
"I think Elizabeth-chan would appreciate something else outside of work," Christmas hummed, pointing to the patron who sat himself in the corner with a solitary glass of whiskey on the rocks.
It shouldn't have come as a surprise to her that Madame Christmas knew of the current affairs surrounding their workplace, but Rebecca took a few more moments before she spoke lowly. "How long has he been like that?"
"Close to an hour now. He downed three glasses before that but he's mostly staring at the wall in silence now. I'd really appreciate it if you talked to him. I'd call for Elizabeth-chan but I have a hunch she's what's causing him to be this way," the Madame mused softly.
Rolling her eyes, Rebecca stood and grabbed her drink to walk over to Roy Mustang. "He's so pathetic."
Madame Christmas could only hum in agreement.
"Shouldn't you be somewhere else right now, flame boy?" Rebecca asked as she sat down in front of the Flame alchemist. She took a sip from her drink as she watched Roy snap out from his internal suffering.
At first, Roy was puzzled at her question. It took him a few moments to realise what the woman before her had asked him. He shook his head no and sighed heavily. "I can't go there just yet."
"And why is that, Mustang?" she asked, a little bit annoyed.
Roy pursed his lips from the way Rebecca lacks respect when she addressed him but he let it go. It wasn't important. "Because I don't have a plan yet."
Blinking, Rebecca looked at him as if he grew a second head and then let out a boisterous, mirthless laugh. "Good heavens, Mustang. You are so helpless, it's pitiful. And last time I checked, it's not even raining outside. Do we have to add that to the list of times when you're so useless?"
The general glared at the female major and huffed. "You know, if you're just here to insult me, you can leave. I'm not in the mood to banter with you, Catalina."
"Oi, oi. Such foul mood and sour for a known sweet-talker to the ladies, Mustang," she crooned before she turned serious. "I'm here to talk with you seriously. I just needed to let the insults out."
"Tch."
She rolled her eyes once more. "I am serious, flame boy."
"Whatever, harpy," he grumbled.
Rebecca smirked and finished her drink. "I'll let that slide today."
Clenching and unclenching his fist, Roy looked up at the brunette before him, wondering how Riza could stomach being friends with her. "So, what is it that you want to talk about, Catalina?"
"You already know what, Mustang," she said, tapping her finger on the table. "Or shall I say who?"
Roy sat back on his chair. "Am I going to get the 'you're not good enough for her' speech or something of the kind?" he asked suspiciously.
Snorting, Rebecca cleared her throat. "Nothing of the sort. Look, if you're looking for a sign to go to her, take this as the one."
"I already told you, I can't—"
"And why is that? Telling me that you don't have a plan doesn't count anymore because that's just a pathetic excuse for your cowardly arse."
Roy's fists clenched once more and he felt his teeth grit. "Fine. I'm a coward. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Shrugging, she looked him dead in the eye. "Many times before but now is not the time, Mustang. What the heck are you so afraid of?"
His gaze fell to the side and he dejectedly let out a breath. "I don't know."
"Tch. You don't know?" Rebecca queried. "You must be a bigger idiot than I assumed, Mustang."
He glared at her once more. "Easy for you to say. You're not in our situation."
"And what situation is that, flame boy? All these years you've been dancing around each other because you don't want to risk everything the both of you have worked for. Now that you have the opportunity to expand on that, you start to chicken out?" she asked.
His threshold for her insults has reached his peak and he was now visibly agitated at the woman before him.
"Because I don't want to mess it up, okay?!" he seethed, voice lowered to a whisper so as not to alarm the other occupants of the bar. "It's the first time that she has been out of my command and you know what I realised? That she can do so much more than she has ever been doing under me…that she has the potential to run free now. If I don't play my cards right, I can very well lose her forever."
Rebecca's face soured at his words. "I am insulted for my best friend, Roy Mustang. Clearly, you don't understand her that well if that is how lowly you think of her."
"What the hell do you mean, Catalina?! I would never think lowly of the Colonel," Roy breathed agitatedly.
"Then why the hell would you take her loyalty to you as something feeble and easy to break, Mustang?! Need I remind you of what happened that day?! Because I will and I'll do it now. She pointed a gun to your back when you started straying from the path you told her you were going to take…even though it killed her to do so, even though she has nightmares just from it," she countered, stunning the general.
"I don't ever pretend that I will ever understand whatever it is that you two have between you, Mustang. And I certainly don't pretend that her friendship with me will ever be on the same ground as yours and hers. Riza saw you and accepted you at your worst. She remained loyal, placing complete trust in you and continues to do so come hell or high water. I doubt she'll start distancing anytime soon just because you were being stupid over something you shouldn't probably even worrying your puny mind over."
When Roy remained unspeaking, Rebecca continued but her anger has dissipated now. "Look, you have been through war and back, became one of the heroes alongside her who saved the land. It's time to get your shit together and go to her. You finally, finally have the chance to define everything between the two of you and you've spent the majority of that time so far by moping around and being pathetic.
"Honestly, it's a tad bit selfish. If I knew Riza, I can most likely say that she is worrying over your behaviour thus far and will blame herself for accepting the promotion because she sees that it's giving you a difficult time. The person whom I know she expected to take it in stride and be genuinely happy for her is sitting in a bar away from her, instead of celebrating with her."
The female major saw his face contort into something like guilt or remorse but she wasn't sure what it was exactly. All she knew is that she got her point through his thick skull and he was now starting to comprehend the reality of everything happening at the moment.
"I…I need to go," he said, standing up abruptly and letting himself out of the bar.
Rebecca watched his back as he walked in a hurry, hopefully towards where Riza was. The brunette snatched his untouched drink and downed it all in one go, the heated conversation earlier catching up to her and making her feel exhausted. A small smirk formed on her lips, though, and she could only imagine the conversation that would take place later between a certain black-haired general and a certain blonde colonel.
"Good luck, flame boy," she whispered to the glass upon her lips before she turned to the bar and ordered another drink to start celebrating her first weekend in Central.
A/N: For the purposes of this story, I took the liberty of Riza spearheading the Ishval restoration, instead of Roy. I hope that isn't too disappointing of a change! Again, thank you!