A/N: Thank you ssadropout, WildSilence023, LadyAureliana, Lepaud, dvltgr for your lovely comments! They are much appreciated :). This chapter should really be called, "Let's pick on Roy", but fortunately I'm not that cruel.

Rev. 12/24/20 [content changed slightly]

chapter 10: fall in love

Armstrong Residence, 9:01PM

In the dim of their kitchen, Winry finds Edward pouring a glass of wine. Not something he should be drinking, but his ruffled countenance and restless hands seem to plea to her less ethical side.

Curious, she taps her childhood friend on the shoulder. "Ed? You okay?"

He turns, his breath ragged. "Winry… did I just get your sister fired?"

Without a word, Winry grabs an empty glass and fills it with water. She offers it to him, smiling, consoling with a patting hand on his back.

"I made fun of him, Win. I really did," he says again. "But he's kind of an ass."

All she can remember of the man is that he was tall, lean, and quite handsome. Nothing about his demeanor struck her as "an ass."

"Why do you say that? I just remember him being pretty nice and pretty tall."

Edward grimaces. "You like… tall men… Winry?"

She tilts a contemplating gaze up at the ceiling. "I mean, tall is nice…? Riza and Olivier are tall."

His chin droops down to his chest, and he sighs, "Right…"

And strangely, Winry can almost imagine what he is thinking. The bottles of milk he should've drunk as a child; the fact that his younger brother is almost three inches taller than him; and Riza's boss, the "ass," poking fun at his height because he can.

"Winry… I promise I will be even taller than I am now… I have time."

And she is right.

Her brows furrow, but she can't hide her smile. "All this time you were worried about your height? Ed, are you jealous of Roy's height?"

"N-no!"

Now, she is laughing. "Oh my god. You can be such a dork sometimes!"

He lowers himself down to the ground, tucking his knees into his chest. He mutters under his breath, "Well you told me when we were kids that I was too short for you…"

Bending down to his sitting position, Winry pinches his nose, flustering him and turning his face scarlet. But Ed grabs her by the arms and brings her down to the floor. Her laughter morphs into a shriek as she swats at his leg, and she wrestles him, two boisterous children seeking for the upper hand.

Once her heart calms down and Ed returns to his normal self, confident and caring and impossibly endearing—all of them traits that swirl her head with love and wobble her knees—she pokes him on the cheek. "I like you the way you are. Short or tall doesn't matter," Winry admits, feeling her own cheeks warming.

Bashfully, Edward smiles. "Thanks, Win." Then he brings the hand resting on his folded knee and takes hers. He holds it, running his thumb against the soft back as he gazes at her with solemn eyes. "How are you doing today?"

She nods plainly. "I'm doing okay. I'll be staying here with my sisters, so that's good news."

Then his caress on her hand stops. "Winry, I have to go back in a few weeks. I found a job, and Al's settled in."

The gravity of his announcement is slow to settle. Once it has, the room seems much darker than it already is. Her heart coils at the gloom of his departure, but she nods. "I promise to keep in touch. Will you also…?"

He nods, letting out a weak chuckle, "Yeah. I'm glad you have Riza and Liv here. And I'll still visit during my day off. I'll be back before you know it."

Gingerly, she clasps his hands, savoring his presence, eased by his promise to return and visit her again. Then she kisses his twined fingers and looks up at him with a smile.

Olivier glares at Roy from across the sofa. Like a hawk, she scrutinizes his every twitch and fidget, a hunter watching its prey, making him shift in his seat. Roy straightens his back up against the cushion in the hopes that she would look less intimidating.

Nope.

"So Roy, what do you do besides bossing Riza around?"

Despite the slight barb, Roy swirls his wine glass, sloshing the liquid, keeping his hand and eyes busy as he considers his answer. Olivier may look like Riza, but they are nothing alike.

"I head the joint venture department. I work with legal, marketing, and a few other departments who are a little bit more difficult to work with. This is where Riza comes in. She's handled everything perfectly well and we haven't missed a deadline. So far," he laughs lightheartedly.

"You're so young and you head a department? Whose ass did you kiss to get that position?"

Her candor jerks his head from the drink on his lap, and he looks at her. It was shocking. Now if only Riza could be back soon from her wine run. Though there is a certain and urgent need for more alcoholic beverages the longer they speak…

Roy curls a smile, though his stomach begins to roil, his head swimming with disquiet. "I'm sure it's through merit. Believe it or not, I'm actually a pretty hard working guy."

To his surprise, Olivier seems to contemplate this. "You must make a lot of money in such a high position." Then she hums to herself, taking a sip from the half-full glass in her hand. "At least I know you'll be able to take care of her."

Roy doesn't know what to say. But the implication that he is allowed to date Riza (at least, as far as he can surmise) twists a pleasant sensation in his chest. He twines his fingers together, finishing his glass in one swig and searching the room for a word, a topic, anything that would fill up their silence with something aside from discomfort. He is only thankful his friend, Hughes, isn't here. The nosy man wouldn't have missed the tiniest possibility of a romance between them. Not after that day at the bookstore.

From the kitchen Edward and Winry join them. Edward plops himself next to Olivier on the large sofa, and Winry lowers herself gracefully beside him. Before Roy can even take a calming breath, Edward leans forward and eyes him.

"So what is this I hear about you making money? You sure are stingy for someone who makes so much money," Edward comments.

Winry's eyes bulge in horror. Humiliation colors her cheeks red, and she slaps a warning hand at her arm and says, "Don't be rude, Ed."

But his appearance relaxes the air, and Roy reclines in the loveseat, grateful, and folds his arms together. He smirks. "You know, when I was your age, I had to use a booster seat because the dining table was too high."

Edward's face drops. His mouth opens to retort, jaw low and lips moving, though no sound comes out. Beside him, Winry squeezes his stiff shoulder, reining him in. And all Ed can do is point a brusque finger at Roy and look back at her, seeking rapport, failing when she turns her head the other way.

"I'm sorry about that, Mr. Roy. This guy can be an idiot."

Roy chuckles, "Don't worry, Winry. I don't take it personally. But growing up with a childhood friend like him must be tough. I don't envy you."

Edward blurts out his exasperation, pointing his finger again. "You're not even as tall as you think you are! I measured you!"

And Winry kicks his shin, eliciting a loud yelp and a brisk apology. Watching her and Edward argue makes Roy laugh. It reminds him of the way his family bickers, and it makes him miss them. Their distance does not allow him to see them conveniently, but the idea that he should take Riza to meet his family suddenly arises. Now, he can't stop thinking if their relationship has progressed beyond superior and subordinate, friend and goal-keeping buddies.

Olivier's partner is not what Roy expected. The white-maned detective is mild mannered, polite—the opposite of Riza's older sister—and he talks to Roy rather than interrogates him, a friend rather than a finicky mother selecting a line of suitable grooms for her reluctant daughter.

On the rooftop of the Armstrongs' apartment building, Miles puffs his cigarette, propping his elbows on the rooftop rail. The temperature is chilly, pricking Roy's face, but the conversation is warm and welcomed.

"You'll get on with this family just fine," Miles chuckles. "Olivier may seem scary from the outside, but she's very caring on the inside. When I first started working with her, she told me she'd cut me in half if I ever get in her way."

At this, Roy finds a slight (very slight) similarity between Riza and her sister. He laughs. "Funny thing about that. Riza told me she wouldn't let me go home if I don't finish signing all the docs she left at my desk. Not quite the same as what her sister said, but I can see how they both care about the work they do." And then he turns his back to rest against the rail, facing Miles. "How long have you worked with Olivier?"

The smoke from his tobacco coils into the air, and he nods. "Four years now."

"That's a long time."

"Right."

"You both are doing good work for the city. I'm not originally from around here, but the kind of news coverage LA gets is enough to turn heads where I live," Roy says, twisting her arms together across his chest.

Miles glances at him. "Where is that?"

"New York."

Miles smiles. "Liv and her family also aren't from around here." He tamps down his cigarette onto the sill and adds, "I didn't meet Winry until today. I heard she's lived in Oregon until just recently. And when I was first introduced to Riza two years or so ago, I realized she was even more reserved than Liv was. It was interesting to see you interact with her tonight. You two talked like old friends. It fooled me for a sec; you're actually her boss and not her boyfriend."

Right away Roy thinks of Hughes, how his friend would never let him live this down, how he would make another jab at Roy to get on with his life and find himself a wife. And his friend would have fun doing it, too.

The door to the rooftop slams, and Roy turns to find Riza walking towards them. She is not nearly covered in enough clothes to brace through the battering gusts. Taking off his jacket, Roy jogs to meet her halfway and wraps it around her shoulders.

"Ah, this is my cue to leave," Miles says with a wink.

At the detective's remark, Roy bites the side of his tongue, sensing that one loud thump in his chest before the reality of his alone time with Riza finally kicks in. Miles doesn't linger and leaves immediately, and Riza watches him before finding the spot Miles previously occupied, leaning against the rail, and turns to smile prettily at Roy.

The overhead string lights overhead only romanticizes the cozy deck, making Riza feel as if she is on a dinner date. What a terrible idea it is to be away from everyone else, she thinks. Plus, he's given her his jacket. What is she supposed to think?

Clearly, Roy said they were not dating, and the possibility that he might look at her any differently now strikes as unlikely. She takes a gander at Roy, who is looking at her with a set of thoughtful eyes. His hands burrow deep in his jeans pocket, searching for heat against the wind, but the way he smiles at her, so fondly and so attractively, is enough to warm her body.

"Are you cold? Do you want your jacket back?" she asks, already slipping off one sleeve.

But Roy stops her with a light touch at her hand. Then, as if he's dipped it into hot water, he pulls away quickly. "No. I'm actually nice and toasty." When a violent breeze proceeds to rumple his mop of black hair, Roy simply laughs and says, "Don't worry about me. This is not your normal, below freezing winter like in New York. I'm used to it."

Riza slips her cold hands into the jacket he proffered and looks at him. "Are you from New York?"

"Yeah. I grew up there with a bunch of girl cousins that I call sisters," he chuckles. "My aunt took me in when I was a kid and raised me. I haven't been back for a while though."

The thought of home wheedles sweet memories of the Armstrongs' quaint house up north. After all these years, the fragrance of Mrs. Armstrong's warm apple pie is something Riza has never forgotten. Mr. Armstrong had brewed his pot of coffee and swallowed it in one gulp before he went into work, coming home smelling like grease and oil from the garage shop.

"Do you miss it?" Riza asks.

Roy gazes into the distance, beyond the winking stars and the luster of the full moon. His mouth tilts up in consideration, and he nods. "Yeah, I do. I mean, there are things I don't miss, but it's nice to have snow in the winter. It's also nice to have family around during the holidays. But other than that, I say the weather here is perfect."

She smiles. "I miss the snow, too. We had snow back in Warrenton."

"Would you move back?" he asks curiously.

At this, a single brow rises, and Riza snorts. "No. I don't think so. Olivier hated it there, and judging by my track record, I seem to follow her wherever she goes."

"But let's say you take your sister out of the equation," Roy hedges. "Would you move back?"

And it dawns on Riza that she has never given it a thought. "Hmm. Good question. But probably not. I like it here, though I wouldn't oppose trying out New York or... Hawaii," she laughs.

Roy laughs along with her. "Hawaii is where you go when you're going to retire. Does Olivier know about your writing?"

"She knows I write," Riza murmurs. "But she thinks it's just for fun. Something to pass the time. She doesn't know my whole aspiration behind it…"

"Are you going to tell her about it?"

And Riza scoffs, her wandering mind already illustrating her angry sister with a big scowl on her face, her stiff hands on her hips. "No. Definitely not."

Roy doesn't answer. Instead, he reaches into his pocket and takes out a business card. It confuses her. And when he hands it to her, she sees a name she doesn't recognize. Though below it is a publishing company Riza is well aware of and admires.

"Unnamed Press? You know someone at Unnamed Press?" Riza asks, her brown eyes widening like an owl's.

Roy nods. "Maria Ross works there. She helped me with editing in the past. Give her a call when you're done with your manuscript. I gave her a head's up that you'll be calling."

It sounds exciting and fun, but all Riza can think about is how Olivier will take the news. She stuffs the business card into her pocket and, reluctantly, faces Roy. "I'll call her eventually. I just don't know if that's going to be soon."

"Because you're afraid of what Olivier is going to say?" Roy says, more brash than Riza expected, making her take a short step back. "You're persistent when you know what you want, Riza. That's what I admire about you. Don't let anything get in the way of what you want."

"I just…" Riza takes a deep breath, feeling the knot in her chest. "I just need to find the right time to talk to her about it… but not now. She has other things she's worried about now. But I promise I'll talk to Liv as soon as I get the chance." Then she meets his dark eyes and offers him reassurance, smiling and extending her hand as they had when they first struck their agreement. "Deal?"

Roy takes it, his hand warm and soft, shooting chills up her spine. He shakes it. "Deal."

But he lingers there, his intense gaze watching, his thumb drawing a line across the back of her hand. Roy lifts his other hand and engulfs hers wholly, intertwining their fingers, keeping her bound to the spot. It ceases her heart from beating completely.

And Riza finds she is unwilling to leave.

She likes this. She likes Roy.

"You told my sister we aren't dating…" Riza murmurs, still looking at him.

"I did…"

Her head spins with the idea that Roy might have said what he said to throw off suspicions, that he is merely waiting to see if she would respond the same way. His affection weaves a pleasant knot in her belly, and Riza almost wants to reach out to him and tuck his bangs away, just so she can look into his deep, dark eyes.

"Then... what are we doing?" she says, just above a whisper.

Roy doesn't shake his head. He doesn't even move an inch. He is standing still, her cool hand beneath his, and Riza sees his mouth move, voicing his uncertainty, voicing her own uncertainty. "I don't know…" he says.

But Roy stretches his free hand and runs a gentle caress across her cheek. Then he lowers his head towards her, little by little, his breath a heartbeat away, seeking for her thrumming lips.

Time slows down the closer he becomes.

In the anticipation Riza can only tug on his fingers, pulling him closer. And she closes her eyes, the darkness making everything a mystery. What would it be like when he finally kisses her? How would she feel then? How would he feel?

Just as she feels his warmth reaching, the tip of his nose touching hers, the door to the rooftop strikes like the clanging of a gong. Riza pushes him away, and then takes a few steps back in surprise.

"Sorry. Didn't realize how violent this door swings," Miles says. He dusts off his trousers before looking up at the couple standing shell-shocked, an arm's length away, no words exchanged. Riza can see his amber eyes track between Roy and her, thinking, concluding something. "Shit. I interrupted something, didn't I? I just wanted to say goodbye since I'm leaving. I thought it'd be rude not to. Sorry."

Abruptly, Riza says, waving off his concerns. "No, no. You're fine. We were just going back down. Roy here is leaving soon, too. I think."

Roy glances at her, looking obviously disappointed. His mouth is in a frown, and Riza notices he is flexing and straightening the fingers that had held hers. Roy doesn't say anything else, making her worry that she has said something wrong.

Before long, Roy looks up at Miles and nods. "Yeah, I'm leaving now. And don't worry. You didn't interrupt anything."

A/N: I hope you enjoy the fluffs before the angst hits in the next few chapters. Please comments/reviews/kudos, because I love you.