Tsume-n-carnet: ok the votes were cast... and the verdict is... we stick with amnesia! (confetti for those who wanted that, lots of chocolate for those who didn't, you have my pity) It seems more people like the way it's going and I've been struck with inspiration... so, on with the story we go!
P.S: I've heard that Grumman is Riza's grandfather... if that's not true, forgive the discrepency... but that's what I've heard... so that's how I'm doing it.
o...k...?
Roy stood calmly before General Hakuro, enduring a blistering lecture from his superior. Roy knew he shouldn't have lost his head like that... he knew better... but he had been so tired and pissed and frustrated that he had just snapped... literally. Finally, the General's verbal barrage edged off and the room became quiet once more.
General Hakuro sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"I understand the last month has been very stressful for you and your staff, but please try to find a different way to vent your frustration next time, Colonel," he said heavily, looking the exhausted alchemist over.
"Understood, sir," Roy replied as expected. He stood still, waiting to be dismissed. The way General Hakuro was eyeing him made him want to fidget slightly, but he didn't move.
"Sir..." Roy started after a moment, only to be interrupted by a swift...
"Dismissed Colonel."
Roy saluted and made his way calmly out of the office. He really couldn't stand Hakuro... how that man had become a superior officer escaped Roy.
'I should get back to the hospital... Riza may have woken up by now,' the Flame Alchemist thought, quickening his steps slightly. Absently, he tried to remember when he had started thinking of her as Riza and not Lieutenant Hawkeye, or just Hawkeye. He decided the day she'd taken a bullet for him and lost her memory would be safe to clasify as when she'd really became Riza to him.
Roy was charging through the halls with such single mindedness that he nearly plowed into General Grumman as the man entered the hallway. Roy bit back a growl at the inconvenience, but snapped a salute and quickly apologized.
"Ah, Colonel Mustang... just the man I was looking for!" Grumman piped happily, shrugging off the apology.
"Sir?" Roy asked, confused. He hadn't done something else wrong already, had he?
"Tell me, Colonel," the General began after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "You have a rather large estate, do you not?"
Roy blinked a few times, opened his mouth, closed it, and blinked again. Where in the world had that come from?
"General?" he checked, thouroughly confused at the random turn of conversation.
"Being a Colonel and war hero must have procured you a descent residence..." the General went on... as if that clarified anything!
"I'm afraid I don't understand, sir," Roy tried again to get the man to quiet beating around the bush. His respect for the General, Riza's grandfather, only went so far. Especially when he was delaying him from seeing said grandaughter.
"My grandaughter, Colonel... Riza... is to be given a temporary discharge of an undisclosed duration do to the nature of her injuries," Grumman began. "As it is... she shouldn't be living alone her first few months out of the hospital and I think it would be best if she was around someone she used to be friends with. The doctors think it could help with the amnesia."
"Uh, wouldn't it be better for her to stay with family, General?" Roy asked, eyeing the older man pointedly. Grumman laughed slightly.
"Oh, be reasonable, Colonel. She'd be practically living alone if she moved in with me... I'm never there," Grumman said, smiling. "On the other hand, you've certainly got enough room for two... and that sweet little dog of hers, of course."
"But sir... I'll be at the offi-"
"I'm giving you your vacation time. You have at least a month's worth stashed away by now," The man cut off Roy's last argument. "Thank you for your hospitality, Colonel, I'm certain Riza will appreciate it... we'll have her moved in by the end of two weeks. Good day, Colonel."
And that was that. The general just walked off. Roy blinked a few times at the empty hallway before him. As he was attempting to make the ground stop tilting, he was jarred by an arm hooking around his shoulders and dragging him forward.
"Roy! I just heard the news! You get Riza all to yourself, huh? Great! It's about time you were able to confess your love to her and now you can do it in the privacy of your own home!"
Roy glared daggers into the bispectled face of his best friend, who was currently grinning like a lunatic while hauling him down the hallway.
"If I didn't know any better, Maes, I'd say you and the general have been conspiring," Roy spat acidically. Hughes shrugged non-comittingly, a stupid grin still plastered to his face.
"He just wants his little Riza to be happy, what's wrong with that?" He said innocently. Roy sighed.
"I'm not getting out of this am I?" he asked without really expecting an answer. Hughes' smile widened... if that was even possible... as he deposited Roy in front of a room the Colonel hadn't even noticed they'd reached.
As Hughes shoved Roy into the hospital room, he shot him one more grin and laughed,
"Not a chance in hell, Mustang. Give her my best!"
---
Riza looked up in suprise as the door to her room opened and a man was shoved inside, glaring daggers behind him as he caught his footing.
'Oh, the Colonel,' Riza recognized the raven haired man from earlier. 'Roy... that was it.'
Roy let out a sigh and straightened his jacket, yet to notice that mahoggahny eyes watched his every movement. At last he looked up and offered a shaky smile.
"Oh, you're awake..." he started. He seemed to, once again, be searching for someting to say. "Feeling any better?"
"A little," Riza replied, smiling. "My head doesn't hurt as badly."
"Glad to hear that," Roy said sincerily. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed causing Riza's eyebrow's to raise in question. Seeing her puzzled look, Roy almost chuckled, but just smiled slightly instead.
"Have you had the opportunity to see your grandfather yet?" he asked dryly. Riza immediately dropped her gaze to her hands.
"Yes. He left not too long ago," she answered quietly. Roy moved over to the bed and knelt down, lightly grasping Riza's hand in his own.
"If it will make you uncomfortable, Riza, I don't want you to go through with your grandfather's plan," he told her seriously, letting his 'office-voice' show through ever so slightly.
"However," he added a little more softly. "You are more than welcome to my home."
Riza let her mahoggahny eyes meet with deep onyx for a brief moment, searching for a lie. Finding none, she returned her gaze to her hands.
"I don't want to intrude..." she stated sternly. "I fear I will only be in your way."
"You could never be in my way," Roy answered her calmly, giving her hand a slight squeeze. "Besides, after what you've gone through... for me... it's the very least I can do."
He held up his hand to further halt her arguements.
"Riza, I'd be happy if you would come to stay with me, but the choice is completely up to you..." he continued once he had her silent. "If you're going to be uncomfortable around me, then I would rather you stayed with your grandfather."
Riza watched as his mouth quirked into a small smirk. Somehow she knew that that was a common expression for him.
"Besides, it's not intruding if I'm inviting you," he added. Riza's lips turned up into a slight smile and she nodded.
"Then I would be honored, Colonel," she accepted.
"Roy..." he corrected her smoothly. Now she fully smiled.
"I would be honored, Roy."
---
Kya slowly retreated from the doorway before the two noticed her presence. She leaned her back agains the wall for a moment before sighing and heading back down the hallway.
'So Roy-boy's taking in Hawkeye...' she thought dejectedly. 'so much for staying there.'
After Kya had left the compound earlier that afternoon, she had returned to her hotel to find that her entire floor had been flooded because of a burst pipe. There hadn't been any more rooms available and Kya really didn't want to go to a hotel further away.
She sighed again as she exited the hospital wing.
'I really do want to give those two their... 'alone time'... but now where am I going to stay?'
Just then, Kya noticed a blonde lieutenant heading her way, and unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth. He looked up and aqua eyes locked with sapphire.
'I think I just solved my problem,' Kya thought, smirking and sauntering over.
"Lieutenant Havoc, am I right?" she asked sweetly. Havoc seemed to snap himself out of some kind of daze and he shook his head.
"Uh... yeah..." he answered, somewhat shakily. "And you're the chief's sister, right?"
"Oh please, call me Kya," she answered, giggling.
"Oh, Kya then," Havoc responded awkwardly. He found he was suddenly very nervous. That look in the woman's eyes didn't bode well for him.
"Tell me, Lieutenant... how large are your living quarters?"
Jean blinked a few times. He almost flinched at the gleam in Kya Mustang's eyes. Oh man, what was he getting himself into...
Tsume-n-carnet: Bet you Roy's not gonna be too happy with Kya's choice of a room mate ;). lol, well that's it for now... as always suggestions and many comments welcome! but if you have a flame I ask you keep it to yourself. Thanks y'all, later!