Just some 7, maybe 10 chapters, I said. Not longer, I said... xD

Chapter 12 - Day 182

Riza harked when the front door opened downstairs. At the lack of a clock, she glanced out the window. Autumn was not yet around the corner, the sky remaining bright into the evening. Even so, the sun told her it was unusually early for his return. Hayate didn't bark, so she knew it was Roy.

Still in boots, he came up the stairs. Riza balanced the brush, dripping with white paint, on the rim of the bucket. Fleetly, she washed her hands. The moment Roy peeked his head in, she threw her arms around him.

"Hey," he laughed softly at the loving assault. Embracing her, he supported Riza's weight as she rose to her toes. She liked the way she could rock into him, with him. He did too. Rock forth, rock back. He smelt of wind. Perhaps he had left the window of the car cranked down.

A minute ticked by. Riza didn't know why he had come early – she hadn't called and he didn't seem impatient to check on her. And so she just breathed, inhaled his scent, enjoyed the mellow circles of his thumb at the small of her back.

"Were you hungry?" she tried to guess. Guiltily, she realised that she hadn't even started on dinner, too busy screwing together furniture, cleaning and painting. There was no end to what had to be done.

Roy smiled into her shoulder. Releasing her, he admired her handiwork. Not a droplet had touched a single tile. She was thorough yet efficient. The results spoke for themselves.

He shut the door softly behind him.

"I'm almost done." Riza kept on regarding the wall. His index finger appeared on her chin, wiping off a speck of paint before it could dry.

"I've been thinking," Roy finally said, "it's time you told Catalina."

"What?" Riza took a step back. Why would he bring that up so randomly? Wasn't it risky enough that Havoc knew, and that he was allowed to visit?

"Do you not trust her to keep it a secret?" Roy countered.

Riza frowned. "Of course I trust her."

"With this too?" he insisted.

She took a moment to consider. It didn't take long until she nodded. "She would never rat me out," she said, not knowing why they were having this conversation. Perhaps it would make him feel better about leaving her alone during the day. An almost nostalgic sense of trust.

"Then it's time to fill her in," Roy said. Riza half expected him to whip out a phone. It had been his top priority to set it up when moving in. For emergencies.

"I don't think—"

"She's in the kitchen."

"What?" Riza withdrew further, bewildered.

Roy kept on smiling. He held out his hand invitingly. Her eyes flashed up from it to his face and back. He couldn't be serious.

"I didn't tell her anything and I have an excuse prepared should you not be ready."

"Why didn't you ask me beforehand then?" Riza scolded. She couldn't just tell someone, even if that someone was her best friend. Her best friend whom she hadn't seen in weeks. Who had called her at home, asked repeatedly through the team if Riza was okay. No, she couldn't lie to her.

"Because you wouldn't have considered it otherwise," Roy argued. Riza gave him a glare, sceptical. It would break her heart to send Rebecca away now, and he knew it. "Riza," he gently said, "I want nothing more than your happiness." He advanced, and she didn't retreat anymore when he cradled her hand. "You need someone besides me to talk to. I can't bear seeing you cooped up in here all the time."

"We go out on the weekend."

"Yes, the two of us. And I love every second of it – I'd take you out every single day if I could." He kissed her wrist, then her palm. He was besotted with it, taking another moment. She sighed under her breath. "But it's not fair that I get to see other people and you don't. She's your best friend and I don't want your distancing to destroy that."

Most importantly, she needed someone apart from Roy. While it was indisputable that Roy was her most beloved person and she his, he had a mother. He had sisters, old school friends, good colleagues. She had colleagues and acquaintances too with whom she was on good terms, but none of them could be trusted with an illegal affair. Plus, he didn't want her having to limit her contact to him, Hayate and the baby.

Of course, he couldn't tell her all that – she would find a way to pig ‑head her way around his reasoning. Loneliness was not something Riza Hawkeye let herself weep over.

"You know you can tell me anything; I'll always listen," Roy went on. "But I'm sure there are things you don't say because you think they're not interesting to me or would worry me. Things to tell a girl friend."

"You just want me to discuss how handsome you are."

"If you insist," he laughed. Eyes trained to the floor, Riza couldn't help a smile. She could feel his own redouble, beaming at her. "I wouldn't mind hearing about that myself though."

"No."

"Ah!" Roy stumbled backwards with a grunt of pain. With both hands, he clutched his shirt over his heart as if mortally wounded. "If you must tell another woman," he croaked dramatically, "at least make sure you mention that I'm off the market."

Riza rolled her eyes. She dared peeking at him when he gathered her hand up again. Kisses landed on the tips on her fingers, one after the other. Each one broadened her smile from shy into mellow. He returned it fondly. "Ready to break the big news?"

"No…" she groaned. Then again, lacing in a mild kick of enthusiasm. "Thank you."

"I can do it," he offered.

"No, I mean thank you. For all that you do." Her free hand appeared on his jaw. It wandered past his ear and he leant into her touch. Tilting her head the other way, Riza rose back up on her toes to meet his lips.

"Anything you wish," Roy murmured.

"I wish for red lentils. I hear they taste good in Shepherd' Pie."

Roy laughed. His eyes sparkled with amusement, seeing how serious she was. "Of course." He kissed her again. "Let me make you guys some tea first."

"No, I'll do it." Riza brushed down her clothes. She eyed the visibility of her baby bump unhappily. Taking a towel, she folded it over her arm, pretending she had been busy folding laundry the entire time. "It's been a while since I've served a guest. Also I don't want her to think I can't do things on my own."

"Just remember that you don't have to do anything," Roy reminded. She smiled tenderly.

Taking a deep breath, Riza arranged the towel unsuspiciously over her belly, then made for the stairs. She could already hear the pointed tapping of her friend's foot.

Rebecca had moved from the kitchen to the living room in her boredom.

"And I thought you'd gone to bed," she grouched. "What was so important to keep me—" Her protests were choked with a huge gasp when she turned around. "Riza!" she all but yelled. Riza quickly sat on the couch before she could be squished. Rebecca did so anyway, storming her friend where she jump-tumbled into the cushions beside her. "I was so worried about you! They said you got some incurable Ishvalan pox."

Overwhelmed, gesturing wildly, she had neither noticed the nonchalant towel Riza was holding, nor the rounded belly behind it.

"I'm fine," Riza soothed.

Rebecca frowned. Feeling Riza's forehead, she tutted. "You sure? You're a liiittle warm," she said, never bothering to distance herself. She had to fret over Riza; there was no time to be concerned with herself catching a cold, fever or whatever she speculated it was.

"I will be for quite a while still," Riza admitted. With another preparing inhale, she summoned her courage. Her arm twitched. It didn't want to move away, her heart speeding up fearfully.

"Hey, why are we here anyway?" Rebecca unknowingly stalled her. "This is Mustang's house, right?"

"It is." Riza curled her lips inwards. "It's… both of ours."

"Uh," Rebecca's frown intensified from concerned into incredulous, "'cause he lets you stay? Isn't the military paying you during your absence?" She placed her hands on her hips. A flicker in her eyes betrayed how impressed she was though – impressed with Roy's generosity.

"They won't pay me for long anymore because I'm quitting," Riza said. She shut her eyes, preparing for an onslaught of indignation.

"What?!" Rebecca shouted – as expected.

"Becca," Riza took her friend's flailing arm, "I'm sorry if I burden you, but I need you to keep all of this a secret."

Rebecca fell quiet. She must have sensed Riza's growing agitation. Briefly shutting her eyes, Riza gathered up every last trace of courage she had. "I'm—" Her lips curled, pulse rising. No preamble, she told herself, no more digressions. "I…" She opened her mouth, then closed it again. "Sorry." She averted her gaze.

It had been so much easier to tell Havoc with panic thickly fogging her judgement.

"Not to rush you, but you're really worrying me here," Rebecca laughed nervously.

Riza squeezed her arm. As if it would somehow calm herself. Holding her breath, she slid the towel off her belly. Rebecca's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"I'm…"

"… pregnant." Rebecca's voice faded. "You're pregnant!" she shrieked, squeaked, almost speechless. Almost. "Oh my god. Oh my god! Riza! Congratulations!" She vaulted off the couch in celebration. The old springs squealed alongside her when she slumped back down. Her arms flew around Riza's neck once more, squeezing, shaking, swaying mercilessly from side to side, Rebecca's entire body wagging like Hayate's tail where he stood next to them, dumbfounded.

Riza smiled shyly but happily. Roy must have been doing the same, she assumed, hearing him in the kitchen for the first time. Had he been just as fidgety as her?

"Sorry," Rebecca hissed. She had registered Roy too, covering her mouth with her hand. It didn't last longer than a second. "He knows though, right?"

"He knows," Riza confirmed, voice lowered for a reason she didn't know. "That's why it's a secret."

Rebecca's brows creased. The penny dropped, and she gasped so hard she choked again. "No way," she coughed, croaked. Riza's blush deepened. "Seriously?! It's—" Rebecca cleared her aching throat, forcing her unbelieving howl down into what might have still counted as room volume. "It's his?"

"Yes." Riza plucked the hem of her shirt into place, a tender smile gracing her lips. Rebecca regarded it. Wordlessly but with a lot of flashing of her eyes – up and down, up and down – she asked Riza for permission. Riza's thoughts only came to a tumbling stop when she had already found herself nodding. She sucked in a breath. Rebecca's hand gently laid over her belly.

Why was it so easy for other people?

"I can't believe I didn't know this…" Rebecca muttered. Indignation was almost back, but she was more stunned than anything.

She retracted her hand, gaze flickering up to where Roy entered the room. Forgetting about her previous resolve, Riza thanked him as he set down a tray with tea. She had no time to prove anyone anything, least of all that she could make tea herself when she wanted nothing more but take a big, soothing gulp. She was spent.

Affectionately, Roy rubbed her shoulder.

"Since when?" Rebecca asked, looking back and forth between them. She must have forgotten to feel insulted by how late Riza had entrusted her with the secret. She was too busy playing offended about the ongoing relationship.

Riza smiled inwardly. Rebecca was not going to like hearing this – not with her keen eye and urging for Riza to find herself a husband. "Since after the war."

"You're kidding!" Rebecca promptly set the cup down that she had picked up. The choking hazard was too big.

"Well," Roy smoothly chimed in, "if we count the time since I took you out on dates, even before a war."

"Those weren't dates," Riza soberly shot him down, sipping her tea.

He pouted. "To me they were…"

"What do you mean, before the war?" Rebecca was back to gesturing, cutting Xs of disbelief into the air. "You had a boyfriend this whole time and you didn't tell me?" she almost whined.

"He wasn't my boyfriend," Riza defended herself. "They weren't dates," she added with a strict glance towards Roy.

He shrugged helplessly. "I did have a crush on you since," his eyes wandered to the ceiling as he calculated, "1903."

"But you were…" Rebecca calculated for herself, lips moving along.

Riza chuckled. "And I've had a crush on you since 1905," she told Roy.

"You did?" He positively glowed – glowed like a child on his birthday.

Her gaze softened. "So that makes eleven years since we've liked each other."

"Six since we admitted it," he affirmed.

"And, well," Riza dared another peek at her rounding belly, "some twenty-five weeks since… this."

Roy gave another reassuring rub to her shoulder. Her hand joined his appreciatingly.

"How." Rebecca took a deep breath. "Did I. Not. Know about this?!" she exclaimed. Much like Havoc, she theatrically collapsed over the armrest in her back. And snapped right back up to keep staring.

Roy's lips curled with amusement. "To be fair, we've only been illegally married for seven weeks."

"How was I not invited?!" Rebecca was starting to lose her voice, the tea becoming a necessity. She ignored it, favouring heaving breaths.

Riza recognised the twitch in Rebecca's hand. How she wanted to slap her friend with a pillow.

"Because we're not actually married," she tried to appease. "Fraternisation laws ring a bell? The reason why this is a secret? You know I would have told you otherwise."

"So then there was no wedding?" Rebecca pressed. "I still get to plan it?"

"No one can come," Riza laughed. Her head was becoming lighter, the tension lifting.

She had told her. She had shared with her best friend who was absolutely thrilled for her. She could keep on sharing, keep on telling her things, seeing her, not lying to her or worrying and ignoring her.

Weaving between his, Riza's fingers interlaced with Roy's. He smiled. He knew – of course he did.