River of Mud
By: Neptune Butterfly
Chapter Two: It Starts
As soon as the bell rang, Riza immediately grabbed her bags and flew out the classroom door down the hall to change. She grabbed hold of the handle on the bathroom door and swung herself in, then went into the first stall with a working lock and took out her military uniform. It was her first day and she wanted to start it off on the right foot.
Riza heard the bathroom door opened a few seconds later as practically every girl in school came in chatting wildly and throwing their bags onto the counters so they could fix themselves up. Nobody noticed her accidentally hit the stall door as she lost her balance while trying to switch out her skirts.
She hated school uniforms. They were a dull brown color that reminded her of her grandfather's musty old couch he kept in his study. That thing reeked, and whenever she saw that same color on anything else, Riza swore she could smell that couch. When it was warm enough, the jacket could be taken off, and it wasn't so bad. The white socks and blouse made it easier not to think about it.
Finished, Riza folded up her school clothing into one of her bags and tried to open the stall door without hitting anyone. She became a blue blot in a mass of brown weaving around towards the exit.
"Riza! Hey…Riza! YO HAWKEYE!"
Riza turned around the best she could and saw Samantha Riley in military blue squeezing her way to her. The brunette had her hair in a bun slightly messed up from having to run before the mob came. She kept her hazel eyes on Riza even when she nearly fell to the floor a couple of time. Riza took her hand when she was close enough and continued on against the flow of the crowd.
"How did you get here?" asked Riza.
"Oh, my teacher got done a little early, so she let me go. I still had to move it though." Samantha tripped again and pulled Riza backward. "God damn heels!"
Riza managed to pull her up. "Where were you last weekend?"
"Sorry. I would've called, but I had to go on a trip south for our great-grandmother's birthday. She's a hundred! I can never imagine living that long!"
"Me neither." Riza spotted the door and reached out.
"Hey, do you know we'll be working in the same office? This is gonna be way better than school. I hate being in separate classes."
"Well, that's a relief!" Riza pushed through out into the hall. Both of them took a minute to breathe and check to make sure they still had their bags with them. "I feel sorry for the rest of the girls who need to change. You do know that Roy works in that same office."
"Yeah, I know. He and his entire office gave me the almighty tour too. I even know what happened last Thursday in the cafeteria." Samantha started laughing.
"Who told you!"
"Hughes. He's a real talker!"
Riza sighed. "Figures. I don't see how that man gets any work done." She straightened herself up and headed for the stairs with her friend right behind her.
"Well, they would have to if they were to attain their ranks at such a young age without any battlefield experience."
"What?" Riza's voice echoed in the stair well.
"Most of those guys in the office graduated from the program only a year or two ago, and they already have at least the rank of sergeant. Three of them are Majors!" Samantha held on to the railing trying her best not to trip again.
Riza slowed down to stay with her. "Yeah, but that's only because they past the state alchemist exam. They're automatically given that rank. They probably don't have the same commanding power as one though."
"But the others never took them. Hughes is only two years older than Roy and never even went through the junior cadet program. And he's waiting on another promotion! Also, some of them are taking college level courses along with their regular training."
"So? We're going to school too. What's your point?"
"I mean, these guys are at the top of their class. Most people don't rise through the ranks so quickly. Half of us are probably gonna drop out before the semester's over."
"Well, that's not going to happen to me!" They exited the stair well and headed for the school entrance.
Riza already knew it was going to be a lot of work. She wasn't fooled by the guys' easy-going attitudes and knew what their ranks meant. And Roy may have been a real nuisance, but he wasn't stupid. All the more reason to show what she was really made of.
"Hey, Riza, wait! You know I can't walk in these very we--" Samantha squeaked and fell.
Riza didn't realize she sped up her pace and had to turn back to help her friend again. "C'mon Sam! The colonel only gave us thirty minutes!"
Sam struggled to keep up. "Who's driving?"
"My brother Tristan, remember? But after today we'll have to find someone else or another way."
Sam whined the rest of the way and fell down at least one more time before reaching the car.
-----
Colonel Gran didn't greet them when they came in, just pointed to their assigned desks and told them what to do before continuing to plow through his own mountain of paperwork. The rest of the guys were doing the same thing with solemn looks. Riza guessed they got their punishment for slacking off last week.
The girls sat at their desks which happened to be facing each other organizing a bunch of files and boring reports from both the alchemic laboratories and the investigations department. There apparently wasn't any more room in Hughes' office for another person, so the work spilled into other offices with available people.
It was hard for Riza to sit there with Roy beside her. She'd never spent so much time in the same room with him without having some kind of confrontation. 'At least Kimbley isn't here.' Riza couldn't forget that creepy look on his face when they met.
For about an hour Riza and Sam exchanged looks every few minutes silently asking each other if it was okay to move from their spots. Then Havoc got up from his desk and left the office. A minute later Roy did the same. Gran barely looked up and kept working. They both returned after a few minutes.
Riza had an idea. She signaled Sam with her hand casually holding up five fingers and looking up at the clock near the doorway. Sam got the message and followed Riza when it was time.
"Oh God!" Sam breathed a sigh of relief, "That was about as bad as taking the high school entrance exams!" She stumbled again. "Argh! These shoes are gonna kill me one of these days!"
"The heels aren't even that high. How can you not walk in them?" Asked Riza.
"I guess I was never blessed with your grace." Sam spotted a water fountain. "Finally!" She took hold of it and drank like she had spent a week in the eastern desert. Tense situations always made her thirsty. Riza leaned against the wall trying not to giggle at her friend's impression of a dehydrated dog.
A door further down the hall opened, and an officer with a tall pile of papers came tumbling out. He let out a yelp and then, "Awww man!" The girls recognized Hughes' voice and rushed over to help.
Hughes felt around for his glasses, but Sam found them first and handed them over. "Here ya go Mr. Hughes."
"Oh, thanks." He put his glasses on. "Girls! How are ya!" Hughes smiled despite nearly breaking his neck. "Say, can you two help carry these to Gran's office?"
Riza bent down and picked up a piece of paper. She made a face at it. "I can't wait until we get to do some real work."
"One of these days you're gonna wish that all you had to do was push paper!"
Hughes began a pile for each of them. The girls quickly gathered as many papers as they could fearing what would happen if they came back a minute too late.
As they got up and headed for the colonel's office, Hughes said, "If either of you need a ride to or from, or anything else just ask any of us, okay?"
"Sure," Riza smiled.
"Um, can you give us one tomorrow?" Sam asked.
"Not tomorrow. But I'm sure Roy could," Said Hughes.
Riza's smile faltered. She wanted to avoid asking Roy favors, but they desperately needed a ride. Everyone in her family were either too busy or just didn't want to help. Sam's family didn't even have a car. "Uh, I think I'll ask one of the other guys."
"But how are we gonna ask them--Wuaoh!" Sam's shoes almost slipped from under her.
Riza lent a free hand to give her more balance. "Maybe we can slip them a note or something like we do in school."
Hughes chuckled. "Gran's in his office today?"
"Yeah," Riza drawled the word out.
Hughes lowered his voice as they approach the door. "He probably won't be there for the rest of the week, so don't stress out too much."
"We'll try," Riza almost whispered as she let go of Sam to turn the doorknob.
-----
Riza managed to find a piece of scrap paper in her school bag to write the note on and quietly passed it around making sure Roy or the colonel didn't notice. It took some time, but every answer she got back was a written 'No' or 'Sorry.' Riza balled it up in her fist and dropped it in to her bag. Sam gave her a small shrug.
After five O'clock everyone else was wrapping things up, eventually leaving Riza and Sam alone at the mercy of the colonel. Their hands slowed to a crawl, not wanting to start on a new set of files when the hand of the clock reached the six.
Gran dismissed them with a reminder to be on time Wednesday. The girls dropped their work and were out the door within a second.
"Okay! More water, bathroom, then we go!" Sam said as she slipped off her shoes and headed down the hall.
"You better hurry! You know Tristan doesn't like to wait!" Riza called after her.
"Actually, take your time, Sam. I'll be taking you." Roy's voice came from behind Riza.
She froze, then turned around. "What?"
"Hughes convinced me, and I called your brother. We had a nice chat. I thought I ought to stop by and catch up on things. By the way, I'd like my pen back," Roy said coolly wearing that know-it-all smile Riza hated so much.
"I didn't ask you," She snapped.
"Yeah, and I was real hurt when you didn't pass me that note."
Riza narrowed her eyes at him. "Then don't expect any polite conversation from me for the rest of the evening." She turned away and walked off.
"Yes m'am," Roy sighed half to himself.
"What did you say?"
"I said fine with me."
-----
It was silent during the whole ride to Riza's house. Sam gave them a cheery 'See ya tomorrow!' when she was dropped off, but other than that nothing was said.
When they pulled up to the gate Riza didn't wait for Roy to open the car door for her or even offer to help with her bags. She pushed through the unlocked metal gate and walked past the two great oak trees that shaded the closed in yard up to the front door without looking back.
Her family had lived here ever since her grandparents were newlyweds, back when the neighborhood was brand new. Though the houses that haven't been rebuilt showed their age, they held a certain charm that attracted many to that area.
Riza's own two-story house was modest in comparison to most, but it was big enough. Her two brothers shared a room and both her parents and grandparents had their own rooms. She felt lucky to be the only one with a room of her own.
She pushed the door bell and could hear Ein barking up a storm on the other side. Riza couldn't wait to get in and seek the privacy that only her room provided. She could hear Roy behind her taking his time reaching the doorstep.
Jonathan, Riza's older brother by two years, opened up the door with a big mischievous grin and shining blue eyes. His brown hair which almost looked black was messy, and he was still wearing his own school uniform. "Hello Lizzy!" He received a vulture-look but ignored it and saw Roy coming up the steps. "Out riding with a guy this late? Mom won't be happy."
"Idiot. It's not that late and mom's not here." Riza pushed him aside with her bags.
"Not in the mood for jokes I see. C'mon Riza! I was just kidding!" Jonathan pleaded with her back going up the stairs. He turned to Roy still grinning. "I've always wanted to do that to her."
"Riza? Is that you?" Her grandmother's head appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, grey hair in a bun all frizzed up by working over a hot stove.
Riza stopped halfway up the stairway. "Where's Tristan?" She asked her grandma.
"Right here." Tristan came out of the living room dressed up in a nice brown suit he wore to his after school job and carrying a newspaper in his right hand. He was four years older than Riza and looked very much like a masculine version of her except his own blonde hair was short and parted on the left.
A brown and white Welsh Corgi trotted with a slight limp beside him. Riza signaled the dog to come with her.
Tristan looked up at Riza. His smile wasn't as near as bright as his brother's but no less mischievous. "Hey there Squirt!"
"I'm not talking to you." Riza continued up the stairs with Ein tailing her.
"Elizabeth! Be nice! And you better come down and set up the table. Dinner's almost ready." With that, Granny Hawkeye's head disappeared back into the kitchen.
Tristan's left eyebrow turned up at sound of his sister's bedroom door slamming. "What was that about?"
"I'm guessing its him." Jonathan jerked a thumb at Roy.
"Roy! Long time, no see! How've ya been!" Tristan put out a hand to shake and Roy took it.
"Pretty good considering all the trouble we've been having. I'm just thankful to be stuck here and not in the east." Roy looked around from the wooden staircase and closet in the main hallway to the doors that led to the kitchen and backroom study to the brightly lit dining room on his left. Nothing had changed.
"I bet! Tristan clapped Roy on his back and motioned him to the living room just right of the stairs as Jonathan shut the front door. "C'mon, we've got some serious talking to do!"
-----
All three of them sat around and reminisced while actually saving any serious talk for later. Riza could hear Jonathan's laugh coming up the stairwell and through her bedroom door sounding like a madman. She sighed and rummaged through her closet to find something more comfortable to change into while Ein sat on her bed watching the clothes fly. Why she even bothered, Riza didn't know. Dinner was going to be uncomfortable no matter what she wore.
After rejecting a couple of blouses and skirts and throwing them onto her desk chair she decided on a blue dress that stopped between her knees and her ankles with plain white blouse underneath. Dressed, Riza slipped into her faded slip-on shoes and warned Ein not to follow and beg for food. He whined but decided to do what he was told when Riza gave him a stern look. He laid himself flat on the bed and stared longingly at the closing door.
Roy spotted her coming down from the living room couch. It had been a long time since he had seen Riza in anything other than a military uniform. She had grown up quite a bit in the last four years. No longer was she a scrawny tomboy who always got her dresses torn and dirty. Though he knew that Riza always had a girlish side, it was often hidden away. Even the outfit she had on now was plain compared to what many girls her age would usually wear. But it was wasn't enough to hide the fact that she had matured.
When Riza caught Roy staring as she reached the bottom step he quickly looked away pretending to listen to Jonathan go on about his school pranks. She didn't bother to say anything and turned to go set up the dining table.
"…High school teachers can be real monsters. They love to find ways to get you into detention. Right Riza?" Jonathan called when he noticed her.
Riza turned back around looking puzzled. "Why you asking me? I don't get into trouble like you!"
"Yeah, well, at least I don't try to set the school on fire," Jonathan said with great amusement as he eyed both Roy and Tristan suspiciously.
"Our science project just got out of hand, that's all," said Roy in their defense. "We had nothing personal against the teachers."
Riza could never forget. Roy was almost kicked out for pulling that stunt. It was also soon after that he moved away and missed his chance to go to high school with Tristan. But in Riza's mind, it was for the best. She headed for the dining room and continued to listen in.
"Uh huh." Jonathan sounded like a detective. "The same thing happened in grade school."
"Roy did most of the work. Both times," Tristan confessed.
"Traitor."
Tristan merely smiled and laid back on his end of the couch.
Roy heard the plates and silverware clinking against each other and the table and wondered. "Did Riza get caught doing something?"
It was more than loud enough for her to hear it. Riza quickly put the plates down and answered, "No."
"She just started high school a month ago and is already having some trouble," Jonathan pushed.
Riza ran to the living room. "You better not!"
"It's nothing to be upset over," said Tristan.
"Yeah, she actually fell asleep during algebra class a couple of weeks ago!" Jonathan announced it like it was the most incredible thing in the world.
Riza's head hit the doorframe, then she shot back at him, "I was up late the night before trying to get those stupid problems done!"
Jonathan continued as if he didn't hear her. "And ever since then the teacher's been calling on her every time he thinks she's not paying attention."
"Interesting." Roy propped his head up on his arm. "That's not like you."
He was staring at her again and Riza hated it. She leaned her own arm up against the doorframe and looked away. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."
Tristan attempted to console her. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself Riza. You're just trying your best to adjust. Jonathan had a much harder time remember?"
"Hey!"
Riza walked back to the dining room, not saying anything. She knew it wasn't that big of a deal, but, 'Why did they have to tell him. It's none of his business!'
-----
Granny Hawkeye called for everyone to take a seat as she and Riza laid out the food on the table. The boys came in making a ruckus, and Granny Hawkeye told them to calm down and left for the study to get their grandfather.
Jonathan grabbed his knife and fork and made silly yummy noises trying to make his sister smile. Riza just smacked him on the back of the head instead. "Ouch!"
"Dork."
"You didn't have to hit me." Jonathan rubbed his head.
Riza sat down beside him trying hard not to look at him or smile.
"C'mon," Jonathan's eyes were like a puppy dog's, "One smile? Pleeeeease?" He laid his head on Riza's shoulder.
She pushed him away with it. "Get off of me John--IEEE!" Riza jumped in her seat as Jonathan tickled her.
"There it is!"
"St-sto-O-op IT!" She was laughing hysterically.
"Johnny, you better stop or she'll explode." Tristan could barely contain himself.
Johnny finally let up so Riza could breath. Now she couldn't do anything but smile. When she noticed that Roy was watching her again from across the table she quickly calmed down and straightened herself out. But her smile still refused to go away.
Roy couldn't help it. She had such a cute smile on.
"Boy, what a racket! Did a bird fly in?"
Grandpa Hawkeye finally came in, his tall frame a little bent from sitting too much but still had a spark to his eyes. He smirked playfully at his granddaughter from under his white mustache that still had a hint of blond in it. The rest of his hair looked like it was about to fly away. Laying back in his favorite armchair for hours on end during one of his rabid reading binges always did that.
"Naw, Grandpa," Jonathan said, "It was just Lizzy who flew out of her seat."
"You made me! And stop calling me Lizzy!"
"Alright now, calm down." Granny Hawkeye sat on the end closest to the stairs while her husband took his seat on the opposite side. "Watch how you hold it! It's still hot!"
"I know, Grandma, I know." Jonathan's hands shot for the soup bowl too impatient to wait anymore.
Near Grandpa Hawkeye there were two empty seats on either side of him. Roy guessed that's where Riza's parents would've sat, but where were they? "Aren't we going to wait for them?"
"Mom and Dad you mean? Oh, they retired about three years ago to do some traveling. They're hardly ever here anymore, but they write to us a lot." Jonathan said, now passing the bowl to Riza. "I'm hoping to go with them next summer. They're planning to go to Xing!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Granny Hawkeye hated how those letters they receive put silly ideas into her grandson's head. Her own son was already absent from her life.
"Aww, but Grandma!"
"I don't want you getting yourself killed crossing that desert! And you're gonna get a job next summer. No buts."
"This sucks." Jonathan poked his salad in disappointment.
"You're still young," said Grandpa Hawkeye, "You'll have plenty of time later. School is far more important right now." He could relate to his grandson's frustration, but his own experience told him it was better to wait.
Granny Hawkeye sighed. "If you want to see the world I'd much rather you finish your education first, then you can do as you please."
Jonathan kept on about the places their parents have seen as the soup continued its passage around the table along with the salad and fresh bread. Riza took the opportunity to think about why Roy kept staring. It wasn't intense or creepy, just a casual look her way and careful not to be caught doing so for too long. The thought actually made her stomach do a little flip.
"So, how did things go at the office today?"
It took a second for Riza to realize that Tristan was directing the question at her, wanting to break Jonathan's rant. "Oh, um, nothing really exciting happened if that's what you mean." Not in the mood to discuss her enlistment, she tried to wave it off.
"You didn't accidentally shoot anyone, did ya?" asked Jonathan.
Riza sighed at his question. "Nooo, I won't be going anywhere near a gun until tomorrow."
"Then you better not go to work tomorrow Roy. She's deadly with those things."
"Jonathan," Granny Hawkeye warned him.
Grandpa on the other hand laughed. "She can definitely challenge her old man in deer hunting that's for sure!"
Riza flushed a little and mumbled into her spoon, "I'm not that good."
"Sure you are!" Jonathan said enthusiastically. "One time last season she knocked off one deer well covered by brush from I don't know how many yards away. Pow! Straight through the heart!"
"You're exaggerating." Riza remembered being so excited to finally have a deer in her sites after waiting for so long that she pulled the trigger without hesitation. It was a lucky shot.
"You ought to come with us next time we go hunting Roy," said Tristan. "You're probably not a bad shot yourself."
"How about it?" asked Grandpa Hawkeye. "I don't think your father would mind."
"Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to join you. The office has been very busy." Roy glanced over at Riza again who was determined to avoid anymore eye contact. "But I'm sure I'll eventually get a chance to see just how good you really are."
"Can we talk about something else other than guns?" Granny Hawkeye wasn't fond of this particular family hobby.
'Yes, please.' Riza silently pleaded.
"Okay then." Tristan turned his questioning to Roy. "How's the military treatin' ya?"
Roy took a bite out of his bread. "Alright, I guess. It's a lot of pressure though. I get the psycho cases whenever the military police need a hand. Sometimes I'm forced to pull an all-nighter to get the paperwork and my homework done. Other times I have to sit around and wait for something to happen."
"Long stretches of boredom followed by moments of absolute terror."
"That about describes it."
"Hah. It's the same on the battlefield." Grandpa Hawkeye chewed his words out on a chunk of chicken from the stew then swallowed before continuing on. "That's why you learn to keep your mind active and alert, so you will never let your guard down." He waved his spoon around like he was conducting an orchestra. "Many youngsters today often think that once they reach a certain point they don't have to work anymore. I'm retired and I still read books, go fishing, and keep up with current events while your grandmother volunteers. You must always be doing something because you never know what might happen."
"Seeing the world is something to do."
"That's enough Jonathan." Granny Hawkeye dabbed her mouth with her napkin and got up to get dessert. "Well, I can think of better ways to spend ones life than in the military. No offense to you, Roy dear."
"None taken. Not everyone can handle it."
Riza kept to her bowl, finishing up her soup. She didn't like where this was going.
Granny Hawkeye cut up some homemade apple pie and passed the slices out. Roy took a piece. "Even the junior cadet program's intense. Usually about half of the recruits drop out by the end of their first semester." He put a piece of the pie into his mouth. "Now, granted, it can lead to a good career, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you were serious. I remember when I first started, my grades suffered horribly, and I didn't get a decent night's sleep for nearly two months."
"I see." Granny said it like it confirmed some suspicion she had. "But does it get any easier?"
Jonathan and Tristan were unusually quiet while Riza concentrated on her untouched slice. Grandpa Hawkeye didn't bother to say anything.
"No, not really. It's something you just have to get used to, especially if you want to go into full service. They don't let up just because you're young, or even a girl." With that, Roy finished up his pie in one big bite.
'So, that's it then.' Riza had enough. She quickly stood up from her seat. "Grandma, may I be excused?"
Granny Hawkeye was a little startled by her sudden request but smiled. "Sure honey. Just make sure you take your plate to the kitchen."
Roy's eyes followed her out of the dining room and again up the stairs after she came out of the kitchen. He felt this could be his chance to have a good talk with her. "Excuse me, Miz Hawkeye, can I use your bathroom?"
"Sure dear. You remember where it is, just behind the staircase."
As he got up Roy made eye contact with Tristan who had a good idea of where he was really going. He pretended to be interested in his grandmother talk about charities while his old friend snuck upstairs.
-----
Ein's ears perked up at the soft knock at the door and Riza lifted her head from her pillow. Thinking that it was one of her brothers, she got up from her bed to tell them off. When Roy's face appeared on the other side instead she immediately tried to shut the door, but Roy jammed it with his right foot.
"Go away," Riza growled.
"Not until I'm done with you," Roy insisted.
"Until you're done with me?" she repeated. "I'm not a little kid, so don't treat me like one!"
She pressed the door hard against Roy's foot, but It had no effect on his thick boot. Frustrated, Riza let go of the door and began to pick up random things around her pretending that he wasn't there. Her room was messy anyway. High school didn't leave much time to clean. Ein, feeling the tension, jumped off the bed to slip out.
Roy pushed the door all the way in to let him out and stood there watching her. He knew that she was just doing what she can to keep from going berserk.
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and calmly tried to talk to her. "You know, the other day before you left the office you were almost nice. And today you were really cold when I tried to help you."
"I wouldn't call that helping. I wouldn't call anything you did today helping." Riza didn't bother looking at him, barely keeping her voice in check.
"Then what would you call it?"
She threw down the clothes she was holding and finally looked up. "How can you put me down like that in front of my whole family!"
"I wasn't putting you down."
"Tch. It sure sound like it!"
Roy sighed and tried to remain calm. "Riza, people die doing what I do. You didn't get a good enough look at what really goes on at the office today, and I just want you to understand--"
"--You don't think I understand!" She pointed to herself. "I already told you the other day. I'm not ignorant!"
"That doesn't mean you understand." Riza turned her back to Roy and started picking up her room again. "Don't get pissed off at me!" His voice rose in intensity.
Riza twirled around. "I can get pissed off at whomever I want! Go away!"
She stared him down, but Roy refused to moved. His eyes, normally a dark blue, were black and relentless. Riza could only stand looking at them for so long.
She decided to stare at the floor instead. "It's not that I don't have any real respect for what you do," Riza spoke softly.
The sudden change in attitude threw him off. "Then what is it?"
"Do you have any respect for me? Can you let me decide on my own whether or not this is right for me?"
"Is everything all right up there?" Granny Hawkeye called from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm just saying bye to Riza." Roy waited a second to see if she was satisfied with his answer, then turned his attention back to the girl standing in the middle of her cluttered room appearing to be deep in thought with her rug.
A few more seconds pass. "Riza…I--"
"--One month."
"Huh?"
Riza lifted her head. "Give me one month, and I'll show you."
"One month?"
"That's what I said."
He had to smile at that. "I never knew you to be a quitter. But if you decide to back out now, no one will think any less of you. Your grandmother is only looking out for your well being."
Riza crossed her arms and stared at the pile of clothing in front of her. She slowly put a foot out to nudge it. "I know."
"Good." Roy grabbed the doorknob. "Make sure you get some rest. You'll need it tomorrow."
"'Kay."
He closed the door to leave her alone with her thoughts. Roy looked down the hall and saw Ein sitting in the middle of it curiously looking at him. "Now don't tell me you're angry with me too."
Ein tilted his head as if Roy just asked a silly question. He gave a low 'woof.'
"I know, I know," Roy sighed and headed for the stairs, passing the dog by.
-----
Downstairs the table was being cleared off and leftovers put away. Roy put his coat on and said his goodbyes. Tristan offered to walk him to the car.
As soon as they were outside in the warm summer twilight Tristan spoke up. "You better look after her."
"Of course I will." Roy stopped at the gate. "You trust me, don't you?"
Tristan laughed and opened the gate to let him out. As Roy reached his car, Tristan called out, "I know she doesn't like it, but as of right now, you're the responsible one."
A/N: I have a confession to make. This chapter has been sitting on my desktop, nearly complete, for the last three weeks. I know, I should burn for that, but life has thrown me yet another curve ball recently (and a few computer gremlins). The good news is that the next one is well on its way and should be out within a week. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please tell me what you think. -NB-