Operation Red Champagne

Day Three

A handful of grumpy people came to work at Central Office the following day. Mustang woke up this morning with a terrible case of hang-over, therefore explaining the foul mood. Hawkeye still could not get over her superior officer's foolish blunder last night, therefore explaining the foul mood. Fuery and Co., apart from being at the receiving end of Lt. Hawkeye's indiscriminate annoyance, were frustrated by the fact that this "iron rule" under Lieutenant Frigid might go on forever (therefore explaining the foul mood). Even Havoc, who previously enjoyed being in Hawkeye's position, was in a foul mood because of Mustang's endless whining.

So to sum it all up, the guys in Central Office are pretty much incompatible with Lt. Col. Hughes jovial atmosphere. He kept whistling as he walked into the colonel's office, earning a frown from Havoc and a growl from Mustang.

"My, my… how come everyone is in such a state? Is that some sort of epidemic here in Central Office?"

"Very funny, Hughes." Mustang muttered in a low voice.

Hughes shrugged. "It's pretty weird why everyone sulks at the same day. Just a coincidence perhaps?"

Mustang pushed back his chair and stood up from his seat. "Hughes, will you please go and annoy somebody else. I'm not in the mood."

"I've already been to Hawkeye's side of the hall… and, no offense, but compared to you, her foul mood is more petrifying."

"Thank you."

"Anyway, don't you wanna hear the latest information about… err…"

Mustang turned him down flat with a firm "No."

Hughes left the colonel's office, not forgetting to remind his operation regarding their task. "Report to me after work. Same venue. Same time."

x0x

She didn't want to see the colonel -- no smirk, no flirting, no whatever trick from him. So at lunch break instead of going down to the cafeteria for lunch she chose to lock herself up in the office. That moron, she thought. Moron. Moron. Moron. Moron. She couldn't understand what it was that the colonel wanted her to do. First, they agreed about proving those rumors wrong and then he pulls a trick to make her come to the bar after office hours where virtually every living, breathing military man in Central Office was to be found.

Her stomach complained. She completely forgot that she didn't eat anything this morning. That moron, she wouldn't be sulking here in the office with a starving stomach if not for his stupidity. Oh well, who cares. She's starving, she needed to eat. Who cares if he comes across him on the hallway? She could just ignore him. Pretend he never existed.

With her mind resolved, she opened the door and cursed at the very first thing she saw.

"Why, good day to you, too…" Mustang said, shoving her back into the office and closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Well, for starters, I am the colonel and half of Central Office is under my command so I have every right to be in this damn place."

"Will you please get out, sir. We shouldn't be seen together."

"Look at you," he said, taking a step closer to the lieutenant. "You're acting like we're hiding something… are we supposed to hide anything from them?"

"Colonel, you know the reason why."

He began scratching the back of his head. "I know… but what the heck… they really don't have any proof, so why are we so worried?"

She shrugged.

"Lt. Hawkeye, I want you back in my office by tomorrow morning."

"What?!"

"That's an order."

"No."

"No?!" He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and said, "I think you've forgotten the fact that I am your superior officer."

"And I think you've forgotten the fact that our superior officers think you're messing around with your lieutenant. Just in case your memory is getting dull, I'd like to remind you that we're trying to prove our innocence by keeping a huge distance between us. That's why I refuse to return in there."

"So you're not obeying my orders?"

She raised her chin in defiance. "No."

Mustang raised his hands in defeat. "Fine." He left the room and marched back to his side of the hall. When will he ever win an argument with Hawkeye?

x0x

Mustang tried to concentrate on the report he had been reading for almost an hour but the words simply leapt out like images that didn't make any sense. Massaging his forehead with his free left hand, he pressed his face closer to the paper and cursed.

"This useless piece of shit!" He said, throwing the paper over his shoulder.

"Uh… sir…"

"WHAT?!"

"You're reading my girlfriend's letter."

"What?" He bent to retrieve the letter from the floor and began to read. "To my ever dearest… what the…?!" He turned to Havoc. "Why didn't you…"

"Uh, my apologies, sir…" Havoc reached and claimed the scented paper in Mustang's hand. "You were busy reading it, so… I didn't…"

He groaned. "Don't leave those personal stuff lying around in the office!"

"But… you… were… the… one… who… took it…"

He was about to defend himself, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in." The colonel said.

It was Lt. Riza Hawkeye who stepped in, holding a folder in her hand. "Sir, important papers from the Eastern Office." She walked toward Havoc and gave him the folder she was holding. Not until then did he realize that Hawkeye was actually talking to him and not to the colonel. Havoc, whose voice box atrophied all of a sudden, glanced at the colonel who was busy staring at his gloved hand. Havoc waited for him to say anything, but he preferred to admire his hand instead.

"Someone will retrieve those papers tomorrow, by noon, and it is important for you to accomplish it as soon as possible."

Hawkeye gave a salute and left the room.

Havoc remained speechless.

Mustang was frowning.

That was only the first of a series of uneasy encounters between the colonel and his lieutenant. The following episode occurred an hour later, after Mustang had (surprisingly) finished the said task. Completely ignoring Havoc's offer of help, he crossed the hallway and went to Hawkeye's office, dropped the blasted folder onto her desk, turned to Fuery (who happened to be sitting near where Mustang was) and bragged about how quick he had accomplished that damn paper without anyone's help.

x0x

The team members of Hughes' Operation Red Champagne recounted the recent "developments" over a pitcher of iced tea. No alcoholic drinks tonight, Hughes had said, we need our sober minds to think straight.

"I don't know why, but Mustang seems really angry about something." Havoc, who spends most of his time with the colonel, pieced together all of his observations in the past few days. "Never mind Hawkeye, we've all seen that rebellious side of her… but the colonel…"

"Well, I've dealt with the angry side of Mustang before." Hughes supplied with a shrug. "And I really can't put it into words."

"At least no one will buy those rumors anymore, now that both Mustang and Hawkeye are being hostile." Breda mused. "I don't feel like it's a good thing, though… the hostility and all… I kinda hope it's just an act."

"It could be…" Hughes refilled his empty glass. "Who knows? Mustang is a smart man. He may be playing a trick on us… and we're falling for it."

"All this for a complete show?" Disbelief filled Havoc's eyes. "I don't think so…"

"I think our mission should end here." Falman said. "What do you think, sir?"

Hughes sighed. "Yes. I think you," he pointedly looked at Havoc, "should begin with your report."

The chain-smoker Havoc was obviously confused. "Report on what? I don't even understand what is going on anymore."

"Then make a report on what you understand."

"Sir?"

"Tell them the rumors are seriously affecting the colonel, the lieutenant and everyone else in Central Office... and it should stop."

"How about the colonel and Hawkeye?" Havoc inquired.

"The hostility will subside, I'm sure of it."