Chapter four, and exactly one week after once again. Aren't I a good authoress:) Thanks to those who reviewed, replies are at the end as usual, and I hope you enjoy this fourth installment of A Family Affair.
-0i0-
Fuery met them at the Station in Central later that evening, coming to a smart salute with a relieved smile when he saw his commanders get off the train. The little girl in the lieutenant's arms and the boy that trailed behind them with a scowl were an interesting addition, but when one worked with Roy Mustang you never knew what surprises were going to come next. Winry said her goodbyes, planning on hoofing it over to Gracia's alone since there wasn't room in the car for her, as the Sergeant was introduced to his new 'niece' and 'nephew'.
"Beth, Zeke, this is Uncle Kain," Roy explained as Fuery patted the adorable girl on the head with a smile before offering a hand to Zeke. The boy shook it, cautiously, staring at the other man as if in abject disbelief.
"Why are you wearing a skirt?" he asked as he motioned to the man's uniform, Fuery turning red as his jaw dropped open.
"That's our military uniform, not a skirt," Roy explained as he steered them all towards the car, the attendants having unloaded their luggage beside it. "Aunt Riza and I wear one similar to it when we're on duty."
"You wear a skirt?!" the boy pressed, his brows crinkled in a frown. "That's just silly! He already doesn't look intimidating; the skirt makes him look like a girl! He doesn't even look like he could kill someone."
"Actually, I never have," admitted Fuery as he helped Roy load the bags into the trunk. "I mostly work with electronics and communications, and I've only been in the military half as long as the Brigadier General and First Lieutenant have."
"Spy work," Roy translated when Zeke threw him a confused look. The boy's eyes went wide, his mouth in a round O as he looked at Fuery in a new light.
"Really?" he asked, Fuery giving a nervous chuckle as he scratched the back of his head and adjusted his glasses.
"Well, sometimes, yeah," he admitted, thinking back to the time he'd been placed at the top of the old building monitoring the phone lines while Riza took care of helping Havoc and Falman below.
"Wow…ok, I guess the skirt's not that bad. Uncle Kain, right?"
"Yeah." Fuery sighed to himself as he opened the door for Riza and Beth, Zeke clambering in on the other side while Roy sat in the front passenger seat. "It's not a skirt…"
"How has Hayate been?" asked Riza as Zeke and Beth stared out at the city as it passed by, riveted by the sight of all those people and buildings. An entire block housed more lives than their entire town held, and they found that utterly amazing. "I don't think I've ever left him this long."
"He misses you, but he's eaten fairly well and he'll always go for a walk if I offer to take him," Fuery replied as he navigated through the narrow streets to her military apartment complex. "I've only brought him in to the office once or twice, he doesn't listen to me as well as he does to you and Breda almost killed me when he found him under his desk."
"While I have a hard time finding anyone would think Hayate is scary, Breda is quite convincing in his displays," the lieutenant sighed as they pulled up in front of her building, all of them piling up as Zeke eyed the plain brick building with uniform windows and breezeways going five stories up and five spaces across in a perfectly square building.
"Please tell me there is more to it than this," he said as he looked back at their warden, getting another disapproving look for his trouble. "What?! This looks like the cheap housing you'd get being attached to some kind of organization that doesn't give a crap about how their people live as long as it's somewhat sanitary and fairly humane."
"Welcome to regulation military housing," Roy said as he stood behind the boy, putting a heavy hand on his shoulder. "My apartment is only a little nicer, and that's because I'm a Brigadier General."
"We're only staying here a few days, if things work out well we'll have enough set up that by Saturday night you'll be firmly settled in your own beds once more," Riza explained as she led the way inside, Fuery wishing them a good night as he handed her the key he'd borrowed and turned to leave.
"Can you wait and drive me back?" asked Roy as he helped them carry the bags in.
"Huh? Why?" Fuery gave him a look confused for a second before it clicked and he reddened slightly. "Oh! Never mind! Of course sir, I'll be right here." Musing to himself as they disappeared into one of the ground floor apartments, the sergeant couldn't believe how he could have made that mistake. Then again, if he hadn't known better, seeing them get off the train together with Riza keep an eye on the kids and Roy looking to their luggage they could have been a normal family. Mom, dad, brother and sister piling into a friend's car to go home after a fun vacation together. In fact, for a moment he'd forgotten Roy wasn't permanently attached to their little group, though he wasn't sure Hawkeye would ever appreciate knowing that.
Inside Zeke and Beth were becoming acquainted with a deliriously happy Hayate at having his mistress and all these visitors come in all at the same time. He barked and ran around, licking anyone who would scratch him and generally being good natured in general. Riza only spared a quick pat for him at first, directing where Roy was to place the children's bags before thanking him for his help and politely showing him to the door.
"I'll be back tomorrow to help you pack up," he said as he waved goodbye to the kids. "Get some sleep, Hawkeye, you look exhausted."
She smiled slightly. "You too, sir."
"Is there more than one bedroom?" Zeke asked as he got up to explore, looking around the combined kitchen-living room and finding only two rooms, a bathroom and bedroom, coming off of it.
"No, you'll be on the couch tonight," she replied as she checked her refrigerator and found it as empty as she remembered. "Do you guys like noodle bowls?"
Beth looked up from where a blissful Hayate was in her lap as she scratched his favorite spot behind his ears. "What's a noodle bowl?"
"Never heard of them," added Zeke when she glanced in his direction, having turned his inspection to the few pictures she had out on the end table by the couch. The first was very formal and held a much younger her with an older man that loomed over her heavily. The second looked like a military photo, Uncle Roy and Uncle Kain both in it with several other men he didn't recognize. The third was a picture of her by herself in dress uniform saluting with a serious expression on her face.
Riza sighed, though she smiled as she did. "Well, I suppose there's a first time for everything…" Picking up the phone, she ordered three of her favorites from a take out place down the street and gave them her address for delivery before turning to her two charges and announcing everyone's need to bathe. "You first," she told Zeke as she ushered the boy into the bathroom with a towel and the clothes she'd let him snatch from his bag. "If you hurry, Beth will have time for a bath before the food arrives." She showed him how to operate the knobs before leaving entirely, the boy could wash himself or she'd rope the Brigadier General into teaching him how to do so later on.
"Fine, fine…"
He still took a good twenty minutes before he emerged, hair damp and face red from the heat of the water. In that time Riza had managed to set the kettle to boil, get her clothes from the trip sorted between those that needed washing and those that didn't, put sheets and blankets on the couch for Zeke, changed into a pair of gym pants with a t-shirt and had Beth pick something out to wear after she was clean.
"Shower or bath?" she asked the girl as she entered the bathroom with her, turning on the water and checking the temperature carefully.
"Bath," the girl replied, "Don't like showers."
"Ok, is this too warm?" Riza helped her fill the tub, getting it to the right depth before she showed her the shampoo and soap with her towel set within easy reach. Getting up to leave, she was surprised when a small hand grabbed her sleeve, stopping her in her tracks as a small voice asked shyly.
"Can you wash my hair?"
The sharpshooter turned back around to find the girl was completely serious, something that surprised her. "Ah…why?"
"Mom always did," the girl explained, her lower lip trembling as she looked down sadly. "I'm not very good at it; I get soap in my eyes…"
"I'll wash your hair," she quickly agreed, kneeling down to wipe away the tears that were gathering at the corner of the girl's eyes. Helping the young girl out of the jumper and shirt she'd traveled in, she carefully folded the clothes and set them away from the tub where they'd stay dry as the girl climbed into the tub. Immediately relaxing with its warmth, she gave a small grin as she handed Riza the shampoo and took the soap for herself with a washcloth.
The washing of another's hair was something she had never done before, but figuring it couldn't be too much different than washing her own hair or giving Hayate a bath when he began to smell particularly bad she set to it firmly. Pouring a bit into the palm of one hand, she coated both hands before rubbing it carefully into the young head of blonde in the tub before her. She had to stay on her knees to be able to comfortably reach the young girl, thankful for the rug on the floor, and was surprised how easy a job it was. Beth's hair quickly lathered up, and she wasn't tender-headed so the lieutenant didn't have to worry about hurting her with every little tug. Yes, she was careful, but finding out she didn't have to treat the girl like thin glass figurine was a relief.
Tilting the girl's head back, Beth obediently closed her eyes as Riza used one hand to support her back and dunked her up to her hairline in the water. Rinsing it the best she could, she kept the girl somewhat tilted back as she used water cupped in her free hand to wash the last few suds free.
"The food's here!" Zeke called through the door, Riza staying put when the young girl whirled around and latched quickly onto her hands before she could move.
"My purse is on the counter, give the man twenty five from the black wallet," she called back, quickly reassuring Beth that she wasn't going anywhere before the girl settled back in the water. Helping her wash her back, the rest of the bath went quickly and after helping her dry off the older woman got her in her night clothes and led her to where Zeke was holding one of her guns in the main room. The take-out sat on the counter, and the front door was firmly bolted once more.
"I would prefer if you asked next time you want to see it," she said calmly, noting the way he jumped guiltily and almost dropped the firearm.
"Aren't you afraid someone will get to it in your purse?" he asked cockily, pretending she hadn't scared him a moment before. "Why do you even have it?"
"The safety is specially designed, usually people can't figure it out without being shown the first time, and I always carry it with me even when out of uniform. Especially if I'm with the Brigadier General," she explained as she set Beth at the table, putting her back to him in the process. "There's also a false safety there that works the way most guns do, to fool those who might try and take it from me."
"Bet I can figure it out."
She turned around to watch as he fiddled with the area around the trigger, serving Beth a plateful of noodles and chicken that the girl thanked her for before digging in.
"You're in the wrong spot," she sighed, coming up behind him to put her hands over his. "That's the false safety there. The true safety is here…" She showed him a hidden button along the stock on the other side. "I can flick it off just as fast as I can a regular one."
"Oh…" He glanced up at her over his shoulder. "Why are you showing me this?"
"I once knew a boy who became an adult when he was only a little older than you," she replied as she took the gun back, smoothly removing the clip and breaking the gun into its many components within a matter of moments. "I even lent him one of my firearms knowing it was unlikely he had ever used a gun before but it might save his life. I think you can handle knowing this, but also know that it's a responsibility. If you ever abuse it, you will regret it. Guns are not to be feared, just the people holding them."
"Well…just because you know how to take one apart doesn't mean you can shoot it right," he grumbled, shoving away from her slightly. "I still don't think women belong in the military, and what good is a fancy gun if you can't use it good."
Riza shrugged, unwilling to contend the point any further as her stomach grumbled. "Fair enough."
"Food's getting cold!" Beth called from the table where she contentedly munched on her noodles, Riza putting the gun back together faster than Zeke could follow and placing it by her purse once more with the safety on.
"Go eat," she told the boy as she took her purse to her bedroom. "I'm going to shower, please try and stay out of trouble until I get out."
"We'll be fine, we're not babies," he called back smartly, setting himself at the table and serving himself from the plastic containers.
She went through her usual cleansing routines quickly, just to be sure, and as she stepped back into the main room with her wet hair spread over her shoulders she found them just finishing their food.
"Did you like it?" she asked as she sat down beside Beth, taking what was left and wasting no time in getting it inside her while being sure to use her impeccable manners.
"It was good," Beth replied, giving her that same small grin from before. "Can I play with Hayate some more?"
"For a little while," agreed Riza. "You can't stay up too late, though."
"Who's this guy?" asked Zeke as he picked up the first picture from earlier, bringing it to the table where she was still eating.
"My father," she replied calmly, getting up to make herself some tea when she realized the pot was finally whistling. The stovetop took longer to heat up every time…
"Where is he now?" he asked as he studied the man, hair a darker gold than their caretaker's and his dark eyes sunken in with deep rings under them. "He doesn't look so good here…"
"He died not long after that was taken," she explained as she sat back down with a steaming mug. "He'd been…sick for some time."
"Oh." Zeke looked down for a moment before trying to salvage the situation with, "Why isn't your mom in the picture?"
Riza's smile was a little sad. "She died with I was a little older than Beth. I have a picture of her somewhere, but it might take awhile to dig out."
"Oh, no, that's ok…" He ducked his head again, scratching the back of his neck nervously as he mumbled, "Sorry."
She blinked in surprise. "For what?"
"Y'know…asking and all…" He refused to meet her gaze as he backed away slightly, moving to put the picture back on the table.
"That's alright, it was a long time ago and it no longer hurts." She took the last bite of her food and washed it down with a sip of tea, gathering the plates and plastic containers before placing them in the sink or the trash as needed. "Just so you know, you can ask me anything you want, anytime."
"Then…" His face suddenly took on a mischievous cast as he gave her a smirk. "I can ask you if you're in love with the Brigadier General?"
Apparently a snort of laughter with a raised brow was not the reaction he'd been expecting as his shoulders drooped a bit in disappointment.
Thank the fates he didn't ask in front of Roy she added mentally, easily keeping the mask in place as she calmly explained that she and the Brigadier General had been friends for many, many years and while they were close they weren't that close. I would be blushing like a schoolgirl and stammering excuses. It's easier when he's not here to pretend there's still a distance there. Just like it's impossible to ignore the lack of distance half the time when he is, bloody man…I'm surprised Zeke picked up on it already, though.
Making a mental note to be more careful in the future so she wouldn't have to blatantly lie to the children, she cleaned up the rest of the kitchen and finished her tea before declaring it was bedtime and began turning out the lights. Zeke only protested for a moment before he stomped his way over to the couch, Beth following Riza into the her bedroom where they would share the bed as there wasn't anywhere else for the girl to sleep. Thankful that she already knew the child was a quiet and unmoving sleeper, she told her to sleep on the side by the wall just incase.
Leaving the door open in case Zeke needed her in the middle of the night, she discreetly placed her gun on the nightstand in easy reach when the girl wasn't paying attention and let Hayate jump on the end of the bed where he always slept. Laying down and turning off the final light, the lamp by her bed, she was a little surprised when Beth curled up into her side automatically and latched onto one of her hands like a stuffed animal to be squeezed to her chest. Settling in so she was comfortable, sleep came more easily than expected with the girl radiating heat into her side the entire night. Finding sharing her bed wasn't as unpleasant as she feared it might be, she was also thankful that they would be in their own beds again by the end of the week as she woke up with her arm asleep from its odd angle at three in the morning and no way to relieve it with the girl firmly curled up around it.
-0i0-
Riza was up and making breakfast in her pajamas and a robe when the doorbell rang, her hand going to her gun as she checked the peephole before opening it in surprise.
"Sir!"
"Here I am, just like I said!" he said as he presented himself, still dressed in civvies though a good bit more casual than the ones he had worn on their trip. His jeans were a bit worn and the button down shirt had seen better days. He also looked a bit tired, but she doubted she was looking her best either.
"Sir…" She leaned back inside and checked the clock before going back to him with a look of utter disbelief. "You're not even at the office this early, ever!"
"What can I say, I got up and couldn't go back to sleep," he replied. "Are you going to let me in?"
"Oh!" She moved aside and he entered her humble abode, amused at the sight of Zeke sprawled on the couch and snoring softly as he greeted the happy Hayate with a warm scratch on the back. "Sorry, I was just surprised…"
"I take it you weren't expecting me for awhile," he commented as he took in her unusually disheveled state. Her hair looked like she hadn't bothered to brush it yet, and she'd clearly slept in what she was wearing.
"Not really…" She led the way to the kitchen, pouring herself a mug of coffee as the machine chimed its finish. "Coffee, sir?"
"What is it with you and 'sir'?" he asked as he accepted gratefully, the hot liquid helping him become more awake.
"Habit, sir," she replied, ignoring the way she wanted to smirk at him teasingly. Instead she remained focused on her own mug when she wasn't adding eggs to the pan and flipping bacon over in the other. She was about to ask if he'd eaten when his stomach grumbled loudly, the Brigadier General having the grace to blush as she eyed him. "So you'll be eating with us, sir?"
"Why are you up so early?" complained Zeke as he shuffled his way into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes as he plopped down at the kitchen table. "Need food…"
"It'll be done in a moment," Riza told him as she poured him some juice from a bottle in the fridge, one of the few things she still had stocked in there. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah…couch is comfy…"
"Then go get your sister up," she told him, nudging him out of the chair when he didn't immediately respond. "Go, it'll help wake you up more." The boy grumbled but shuffled off, Roy moving as she shooed him to the table. "Sit, sir, there's not room over here for two."
"You don't need help?" he asked as he sat down, watching her pull two pieces of bread from the toaster and replace them with two more. A plate was quickly put together and set in front of him a moment later. "I guess not…"
"Eggs, bacon and toast are easy to keep an eye on," she said by way of explanation as she made another plate with what was left. Cracking more eggs and putting more bacon on, she set the other plate on the table and called, "Zeke! Food's ready! Zeke?"
"Do you want me to check on him or keep an eye on the food?" he asked as she began to edge towards the bedroom door.
"Food," she answered immediately, heading towards the bedroom with a hint of a blush. Standing in the doorway, she spotted her missing boy and had to laugh at the sight of him curled up next to his sister in her bed.
"I take it he never finished his errand?" called Roy from the stove, wisely staying away from her private room though he had once stayed there for weeks on end. At one time he could have traversed there without fear, now he knew it was asking for a bullet to the brain to even consider doing so.
"He laid down and fell back asleep," she called back before she entered the room, shaking the two of them gently. "Wake up guys, food's ready."
"Mm…food?" Zeke wasn't too hard to get back up, especially with the smells that were now wafting from the kitchen. Beth, on the other hand…she settled for carrying the still-sleeping girl outside and placing her in one the chair where she'd added two phone books so she could reach things the night before. Roy surrendered the stove back to her capable hands the moment her hands were free, sitting down beside Beth and working to wake her up while eating the bacon and eggs before they grew to cold. Zeke ate across from them only half-coherent for a few minutes, but soon his eyes actually opened more than a sliver and he asked his Uncle Roy how he was doing that morning.
"Good, now that I have some food in me," the alchemist replied as Beth slowly opened her eyes. "Well hello there, Beth, ready to join us?"
"I hope so, because it won't stay hot for long," replied Riza as she put a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of the girl with a cup of milk to the side. "Did you sleep well, Beth?"
"Mhm, you're very warm," the girl replied with a smile. "And you don't snore at all like Zeke does."
"I don't snore!" the boy cried defensively as he flushed scarlet, his warden in nearly as bad a shape as Roy raised his brows suggestively.
"That's good," was all Riza would say, turning her complete attention to the breakfast she bolted down in record time before gathering her plates and dumping them in sink. "Sir, would you mind keeping an eye on things while I change?"
"Not at all, least I can do for letting you feed me," he replied warmly, watching her leave as Zeke watched him watch her.
"I asked her last night if she was in love with you," the boy announced as the alchemist raised his mug to his lips, nearly spitting out his coffee in shock. He managed to save it, though, and looked at Zeke much like he'd grown two heads. "She said that was absurd, you were just good friends for a long time. She did the eye thing, though, that dad said women do when the lie."
"Eye thing?" choked Roy, unable to focus on anything more than that as his mind ran off in several directions at once. "Wait, why did you ask her that?"
"She said I could ask her anything, I just wanted to bug her really," the boy admitted with a shrug as he drained his juice before carrying his plates to the sink. At least he came well-trained. "She's always so calm, I wonder what it would look like if she just lost it one day."
An image of an enraged Riza wielding her guns with deadly accuracy turned loose on the world popped into Roy's mind and he felt his mouth grow dry. "Um…let's not try and provoke that kind of reaction, ok?" he laughed nervously as he picked up his own plates plus Beth's and took them to the sink. "Why don't you go get changed, alright?"
"Ok…"
Riza reappeared just as the boy closed himself in the bathroom, wearing the pants from one of her older uniforms and the undershirt she wore most days under her uniform. It was easy to see why both had been decommissioned, the pants had worn patches in the knees from use and the shirt a few sewn up slashes that looked like they had been made by a knife. Wondering which mission it had happened on, he asked, "Where do we start?" rather that voicing his thoughts.
"I'm not quite sure," she admitted as she finished the cup of coffee she'd left on the counter. "I thought about it some, there's not much here to be moved…its just difficult when if we move the bed and the couch there will be no place to sleep tonight and there's always how we're going to move it all period-"
"Ah, just a moment," he carefully interrupted her. "I meant to tell you, I have a friend who owes me a favor so I borrowed his truck. Breda and Havoc are going to bring it by during their lunch hour and help me carry the heavy stuff out. Also, I called Gracia this morning and she said she could manage to house you all for one night if we can't get the beds set up after work. Fuery and Falman are coming by then, and Gracia said not to worry about dinner she'll have enough for everyone ready and waiting."
"Wait, you didn't have to order the men to come and help," she scolded him with a frown. "And Gracia has plenty enough work without you adding to her list."
"I didn't!" he protested, putting his hands up meekly. "They called me last night, told me when they'd be there and said I better have work for them to do and Gracia wouldn't take no for an answer. Apparently they miss you; things probably aren't the same without a gun being waved over their heads or Elysia's favorite aunt there to play with her."
"Those idiots…I better not find out you're lying," she warned him brusquely and she moved to the front door and found the several boxes she'd requested two days before by phone waiting to be folded into shape leaning beside the doorframe. "Start with the kitchen, don't fold the box unless you need it. Nothing is breakable, or if it is chances are it wasn't worth much to begin with. I'd appreciate it if my pots made it through without any dents, but I'll take what I can get."
"I promise to personally fix anything that doesn't make it through the trip," he replied confidently.
"Alright, I'm going to go get Beth into some clothes and Zeke started packing up the pictures."
It was fairly easy to empty Riza Hawkeye's kitchen, there weren't that many cabinets and she only had enough silverware, plates, cups and bowls to serve four at a time. There was a stack of plastic ware with paper plates and cups, but it wasn't like he had to worry about breaking those and he tossed them without remorse into the nearest box. There were a couple pots and pans, plus some mixing bowls and baking pans. A muffin tin and cookie sheets were quickly packed away, along with the few serving dishes he found there. Towels and dishrags got their own box, though he used a few to cushion some of the glass items. He could fix it if it broke, but why waste the time when he could save himself the trouble? It wasn't until someone knocked on the door that he took notice of his surroundings again, Riza calling for someone to please answer it from the bedroom and Zeke yelling back he was too busy wrestling her blankets into a box.
Getting up to avoid a confrontation, he opened the door to reveal Breda and Havoc standing and sitting there with some bags of food in hand and the truck parked out front as promised. "She thinks I told you to come," he muttered quickly as he let them him. "Please tell her it was your idea!"
"I dunno, letting you take the flack for us is pretty tempting," admitted Havoc as he greeted the happy Hayate, smiling at the little girl who stood behind him with wide eyes. "Hello, missy, what's your name?"
"She's Beth, I'm Zeke," said the boy as he came to stand behind his sister, brown-red eyes suspicious though he noted their blue uniforms were the same as Uncle Kain's the day before. "Who're you and why are you in a chair?"
"This is Uncle Jean and Uncle Heyman," Roy explained as he patted the men on the back. "Uncle Jean had a…accident of sorts a few years ago, so his legs don't work so well. They're here to help for a bit while they're on lunch break. Havoc, Breda, these are Hawkeye's new kids."
"Who was at the door, sir?" asked Riza as she emerged from the bedroom, toting another box marked 'RR' in marker. "Breda, Havoc!"
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Havoc told her as he wheeled across the room, looping a lazy arm over her waist as she gave him a half-hug with one arm and smiled. "You really shouldn't be upset with our commander; we did kinda put him on the spot with the shifts and the work."
"You guys…" She sighed and shook her head, but she couldn't help but smile as she was very pleased to see them. "Thank you."
"I'm surprised Havoc hasn't burst with the news yet," commented Breda as he set the bags on the table and pulled out several sandwiches with plastic containers of potato salad and coleslaw from a restaurant near Headquarters. He constantly eyed Hayate, who kept a respectful distance but seemed to be waiting for a moment when the man's guard would drop. "He hasn't stopped yapping about it all morning."
"They got rid of the fraternization laws!" Havoc practically shouted at the top of his lungs as he remembered his news, pulling Riza into his lap and going into a spinning wheelie he'd perfected months ago.
"HAVOC!"
The Lieutenant was quickly allowed back on steady ground, her subordinate backing away quickly as she set herself to rights with a scowl.
"Now, say that again, without the shouting and the twirling," ordered the woman as she moved to help Breda, pulling out a few cups from one of the boxes and pouring everyone drinks. "I could have sworn I heard you say the fraternization laws are gone, but there's no way…" She paused as Havoc beamed, eyes going wide. "They what?!"
"The Fuhrer personally approved it, his reasoning being one has to pick their battles. The laws aren't really gone, just changed, but you can casually date and even get married to fellow officers," Breda explained as he began to slice up the sandwiches and pass them around. Zeke and Beth listened intently to this fascinating adult conversation as Riza shooed them over to the table, Havoc and Roy taking the two other seats as she and Breda remained standing.
"What's a 'fraternization law'?" broke in Zeke in confusion as he tried to follow everything they were saying.
"A rule that kept officers in the military from being together in any form past professional friendship," Roy explained as he bit into his beef and swiss. "Several people have been ignoring it for years except when it suited their interests, but the point was to keep people in high positions from abusing their power by asking for inappropriate favors from those who wanted a promotion."
"It hasn't really been enforced fairly over the years, with a lot of the higher-ups covering for each other, but the new Fuhrer has been weeding out a lot of the corrupt leaders and putting in new ones he can trust," added Riza. "In fact, I can think of several cases where it was blatantly obvious and people ignored it simply because they were afraid of challenging a superior."
"It's wonderful!" sighed Havoc as he leaned back in his seat. "Tonight, I shall go by the library and ask Sheska if she'll accompany me to dinner…now that I can ask her outright she can't say no!"
"You do know she's non-commissioned, right?" Riza commented as she munched on her own chicken-salad on rye.
"Yeah, so?"
"The rules have never applied to her," Riza explained flatly, giving in a strange look. "You didn't realize that?"
"They…what…?!" Havoc seemed about to fall into the pit of despair once more before he remembered his earlier plan. "No matter! She'll be mine tonight for sure, regardless of the time that has already been wasted!"
"You know, word around the office is this'll open up a whole new playing field for you, sir," Breda interjected as he removed the pickles from his sandwich and tossed them to Hayate (who was remaining far enough away for the man to contain his nervousness to an occasional twitch) when he thought Riza wasn't looking. "After all, you've been out with almost every single non-commissioned female officer with a decent figure there is at Headquarters you had contact with, and with your dashing return I know there's several ladies who'd love to get their hands on you…"
"I'm actually not interested right now," Roy replied lightly, careful not to meet anyone's gaze as he busied himself with neatly consuming the last few bites. "Although I do wonder how many relationships will 'blossom' overnight now that more than a couple people I know won't have to hide things anymore…"
"Falman already gave that girl he was seeing in Communications a kiss in public, right after the announcement actually," Havoc chuckled quietly. "I think that one actually surprised people, they did a better job of hiding it than most."
"Well, enough gossip, if you came here to work you better get started or you'll be late getting back to Headquarters," Riza stepped in, the men standing or wheeling away as they picked up the boxes that were ready to go and moved outside. Havoc was pushed into the back of the truck and arranged things from there, helping as they brought in new boxes. A few trips later and they took on the couch, managing to get it through the door and into the truck with a minimum of difficulty. The kitchen table proved to be a bit trickier until Riza showed them how to collapse the legs and with Zeke carrying out the chairs one by one things moved rather quickly indeed. Riza directed the removal of her mattress, box spring, and bed frame (all of which was already taken apart) as well as the single chest of drawers and the night stand. A few more boxes later and half the apartment was gone, with only a rug or two and the rest of Riza's packing to go.
"Not bad for a morning's work," Roy joked as Breda and Havoc got ready to leave in the car they'd brought as well, Zeke already looking up at the men with a touch of hero worship the way they'd easily handled the heavy objects he could barely lift.
"Can we see Central some time?" he asked as they closed up the truck.
"I don't see why not," Riza replied as she lifted Beth onto her back to wave at the men who had made her smile more than once but had yet to coax a word out of her. "It is where I work, and many have brought children there before."
"You should come by today, the Cadet evaluations and contests are going on for the latest graduating class," Breda said as he got behind the wheel after helping Havoc to his seat and stowing his chair in the back. Roy, expecting Riza to cite the packing as a reason not to leave was surprised when she nodded.
"I actually have to drop off the paperwork for my address change and need to check my mail," she admitted with shrug. "I'll need to change before we go, do you want to go see Headquarters today?"
"Yeah!" Zeke replied quickly, giving her a grin as Beth just shrugged.
"We don't have to go if you don't want to," offered Roy as Riza tried to get a response out of her either way.
"I want to," she said at last. "Is it big with lots of people there?"
"Yes, it is," Roy admitted with a shrug. "We'll keep you close though, Riza never leaves anyone behind."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Well then, you two boys clean up the trash from lunch, I need to change and Beth can come with me," Riza said as she headed back inside, Roy and Zeke obeying as they quickly threw away the trash and set things back to rights. It was only a few minutes before she came back out in a simple skirt and blouse, both casual but still neat and clean as Riza always was. Slipping on the same flats she had traveled in when they were on the train and her hair down for once around her shoulders, she followed the boys out the door as they hurried to the Brigadier General's car. "Please take it easy sir," she reminded him as she let Zeke have the front passenger seat, sitting in the back with Beth. "There are children in the car."
"Please, Riza, I'm always careful,"
The car ride was swift, with Zeke gaping in awe the moment they pulled up in front of the monumental building as a steady stream of blue uniforms flowed up and down the steps.
"Let's go!" said Roy as he put a hand on Zeke's back, guiding the boy as he tried to look at everything at once and Riza and Beth followed a short distance behind. The trip inside was slightly more difficult, as the traffic in the halls was greatly increased with the cadets attending their evaluations, taking part in contests, and receiving new assignments. Several moved aside, though, as they recognized the somewhat famous Flame Alchemist even if he wasn't in uniform, and their passage was far easier once they were out of the elevator and on their floor. Here, only a few wandered the halls and quickly the main office door was reached.
Inside, several men and one woman worked at desks, the room a little more crowded with bodies and furniture than Riza remembered. All the work came to a halt, though, as someone cried, "Brigadier General!" and everyone stood as they saluted respectfully.
"No need for that today, I'm still on vacation," said Roy as he waved at them lightly. "Mm?" A young man he didn't recognize stood to his immediate right and continued to stand at attention as though his life depended on it. He was shorter, with flaming red hair and green eyes that bordered on blue with freckles everywhere. "I said at ease…" Roy checked his shoulder and added, "Major." The man relaxed but only to the point that his arm was dropped, sweat practically beading his brow. "What's your name and why are you here?"
"My name is Jeffery Marshall, the Steelmind Alchemist. I've been assigned to your command, sir."
"Right, you're the one that created the array that allows you to absorb knowledge directly into your mind without actually reading or hearing the material and share that knowledge with others," Roy replied, putting a hand on Major Marshall's shoulder. "Welcome to the team."
"Thank you, sir, I look forward to working under you." He glanced at the boy and Riza talking quietly to Maria Ross behind him. "I wasn't aware you were a family man, sir, are these your wife and children?"
The entire office went still as Roy tactfully covered his mouth and moved to the side so Riza had a clear view of the man. She handed Beth to Maria, the young girl having taken an immediate liking to the female officer, and was about to move Zeke towards the Brigadier General when the boy burst out laughing in the dead silence.
"Yeah right!" he snorted, ignoring the way Roy was telling him to back away and shut up silently. "Uncle Roy's not my dad anymore than he's Aunt Riza's wife."
The man had gone pale with the second name, coming into another salute. "Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye, my apologies!" he practically yelped in his attempt to shrivel up and die while standing tall at the same time. "I…incorrectly assumed based upon an incomplete amount of information!"
"First of all," she said as she viewed him with a stern frown. "I'm a First Lieutenant, not a Lieutenant Colonel…"
"Actually," broke in Havoc carefully as he held up a piece of paper. "You are it was made official while you were gone. So you couldn't protest, I think."
She blinked in surprise before snatching the paper from his fingers, reading it with a frown that slowly morphed into a wry twist of the lips. "Ah…so I see. Well then, Major Marshall, as for my other point I would suggest that you think before you speak in the future. However, because of the unusual circumstances your…error will be overlooked."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"We were just showing the kids Headquarters before things start to get hectic again," explained Roy smoothly, drawing the attention away from the very embarrassing situation as quickly as he could. "Beth, Zeke, you remember Uncle Jean, Uncle Kain and Uncle Heyman." The three men waved as Zeke nodded and Beth smiled from Maria's arms. "That man there," he said pointing at Falman. "Is Uncle Vato, he's coming over tonight to help with Uncle Kain, and that man with the yellow hair is Uncle…" He looked at Sergeant Brosh, about to ask for his name when it hit him. "Denny. Uncle Denny. The lovely lady there is Aunt Maria, and the new guy is Uncle Jeff."
"You all work for him?" asked Zeke as he jerked a thumb at Roy.
"Yeah, and we're not the only ones either," added Havoc as he came to a stop before the boy. "Uncle Roy's got quite a few subordinates; we're just the ones that work directly under him."
"Is your office in here?" he asked as he eyed the crowded room with a touch of disapproval.
"Through this door, actually," replied Roy as he led the way, opening the door and ushering the pair through the smaller middle room where a lone desk sat. "That's where your Aunt Riza works. Normally we keep the doors open so she can keep an eye on me and the other men at the same time."
"Are people coming and leaving all the time?"
"Quite often, yes."
"Huh…" Roy opened the second door to reveal a spacious office with a large desk, two couches with a coffee table between them set in front of it and book shelves or glass display cases lining the walls. "Wow, this is pretty cool!"
"Some of the displays don't belong to me, this case of guns actually belong to your aunt she's just lending them to me to make it look more impressive," he explained as he pointed out various artifacts. "This shelf here of miniature tank replicas are from Uncle Kain, he was quite the collector as a kid and has many fine models that he rotates for me about once a month."
"Is that the Elric brothers?" Zeke asked as he pointed to a picture on one of the shelves, the frame holding Al and Ed as they sat on a couch and Roy standing behind them.
"Yes, it is."
"Whoa…"
"I have my mail, sir, we can leave whenever you are ready," said Riza as she entered the room, stuffing the last few envelopes in her purse.
"You won't kill the Major, will you?" he asked as she shuffled things around a little more, getting a wry glance.
"No, it's too messy to clean up," she replied simply. "But he had better learn to control his mouth before I return or that may quickly change."
"Good, Alchemists are hard enough to come by without you decreasing our numbers. And congratulations on the promotion, it's been a long time in coming."
"Thank you, sir, and if I've managed to put up with you for over ten years and not kill you, I think he will be safe for at least a little while," she pointed out as Beth came running in, immediately clinging to the newly appointed Lt. Colonel's leg.
"There's a man here with lots a medals!" she declared as Riza picked her up. "He had lots of men with him, big scary men…"
"Brigadier General Mustang?" called a familiar voice, Roy replying that he was there before the Fuhrer opened the door and both officers immediately went into a salute. "Please, you're not in uniform, though I am glad you are here. Who are these two?"
"Sir, this is Zeke and Beth Herndon, my new charges," Riza replied immediately, dropping the salute though she still remained fairly erect.
"Ah, so that is why you were called away? Pleased to make your acquaintances, Beth and Zeke. That is most understandable, though not why I am here." The old man put a hand to his mustache, stroking one hand slowly. "There has been a proposition of sorts…"
-0i0-
That's all for this week, folks. A bit of a cliffie, I know, but you only have a week to wait for the next part. Thanks a ton for the reviews, I hope I get just as many this time around. It makes my day hearing from you guys, and obviously it gets the chapters up pretty quick, right? Here's the Authors Notes!
Jacksparrow589 : Lucky, I wish had a grandma like Pinako. She totally kicks butt. Hopefully there were no mind-numbing assignments previous to this chapter, so you'll be a little more coherent when reading it. Thanks for the review!
The Tiramisu of Impending Doom : Thanks for the compliment! Yeah, Riza usually is all hard-core military and stuff, but I think in the manga that we really see that's only one side of who she is. I wanted to try something else with her, especially since Royai is pretty common on Yeah, I got hungry just writing this chapter, I think I went and wolfed some leftover pizza afterwards. It's just not the same. Hope your own writing is getting easier, and thanks for the review!
Bar-Ohki : Thanks for the review, hope you enjoyed the chapter!
FFVII : Thanks for the many great compliments, you really look into the details, don't you? Don't worry, Zeke gets better as we go, he's just gotta adjust a bit to the whole situation first. Your support is greatly appreciated, and I hope it continues as I progress with this fic. Hopefully you won't ever accuse me of OOC-ness or get irritated with the way it progresses, but I will understand if you do. I'm not perfect, and I've never claimed to be. Thanks for the review, I hope you stick around for the long haul.
Ruki44 : Get ready to feel like smacking Riza some more. Yeah, she's a stubborn one I know, but her just giving in without putting up a fight totally neglects the entire part of their relationship where he disappears for two years and pretty much takes her heart with him. Thanks for the review!
Dennisud : An interesting ride indeed! While I can't really say any of what you suggested is gonna happen, I hope you still enjoy it. You'll understand in a chapter or two what I mean by that, but I wouldn't be hoping for t0o much from those areas were I you. Great to hear from you again, though, thanks for the review!
Aindel S. Druida : I actually think there may be some glitches when things are transferred over because there's been a couple chapters where I've really gone over them in detail and it still has errors in spelling when it appears on Thanks for the compliments, though, and the review!
SakuraAyanami : Yep, still updating and I'm doing the best I can to make it good! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!
Bizzy : Interesting name. Unique is what I strive for, and I'm glad to see at least one person picked up on the family vibes. Don't worry, there'll be a lot more of those coming around real soon. I hope this chapter was just as good as the others, thanks for the review!
OTP : Thank you for the many compliments, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the review!
blknblupanther1 : POOF! Wish granted, for the moment! I figure getting that next chapter once a week isn't so bad, no? Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!
Winglessfairy25 : There really is no such thing as a late review, and I'm glad to have it either way. Roy is the man for the job, he just has to convinced Riza of that now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!
Neopyrocitrine : Royai is a favorite of mine too. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!
Momiji-k : I really try to avoid the usual gimmicks people use when portraying popular characters like Roy and Riza. Thanks for saying that I succeeded! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review.
Anne Packrat : Oh I think a drinking contest with the boys at Central is inevitable, it just might be awhile before it comes around. : ) Thanks for the review!
Humor Queen Merc : Really, you can expect it around every Sunday-Monday or so, depending on your time zone and when I get to a computer. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!
Lili : Yeah, I agree that while the movie was good it totally lacked Winry/Ed Al/Whoever and Roy/Riza. Good story, totally unsatisfying. Thanks for the wonderful compliments; I hope this fic continues to meet your expectations. Thanks for the review!
Dailenna : Good for you! I think you might now hold the longest review, if you care, but I haven't actually checked the word counts against each other and it probably is close. That's what I get for letting you ramble, I guess: ) And oh yes, he knows he loves her, totally knows it, but that will become more apparent as we go along. Thanks for the many compliments, and just the review in general, they were really appreciated!
SxL : Thanks for the compliments and review, hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Well, thanks all for now, folks. See you in a week!
CB
Behind every great man is a great woman.
-Anon.